This thread was created for collecting questions about dog food. Primarily commercial products, but questions about home prepared (cooked or raw) are ok, too.

Please don't give answers or discuss details (feel free to start a separate thread), just post any questions you would like to see in a possible "Frequently Asked Questions about Dog Food" document. They could be questions you personally don't need answers to but find interesting, things that frequently come up on the forum, or something you don't know and would like to see addressed.

This is a long-term project, so don't expect anything finished really soon, but feel free to add anything whenever it comes to mind.

Please separate questions clearly, e.g. one per line like this:

* Is commercial dog food really "complete and balanced"?
* What purpose does fiber have in dog food?
* Is expensive dogfood better?
* My vet says home made food is bad for my dog, is that true?

Thanks for helping out.

I get this asked to me alot....

"What's the difference between holistic and natural dog food?"

Do I have to feed only one dog food at a time or can I mix different foods -- at the same meal? In the same day?

Is a lamb and rice dog food the best choice for a dog that has allergies? (I hear this a lot at the bakery -- I think people have come to equate "allergy" with "lamb and rice" and they just assume that's all they can do for allergies in the food area.)

Can I mix canned and dry food together? My dog won't eat dry food by itself.

I feed kibble, but I want to give my dog some people food, too. What can I give him, and how should I mix it with his kibble?

Should food be fed from raised bowls to decrease chances of bloat? (You can tell what thread I've been reading :-)

*Do I need to give my dog a multivitamin to supplement their kibble diet?

*Is it true that the baking process cooks most of the nutrients out of kibble?

(Basically the issue of oversupplementation. I've run into a lot of people lately that supplement their premium kibbles with lots of kelp, bonemeal, a multivitamin and other items. )

Is there really such a thing as "human grade" dog food?

How do I compute the correct amount of calcium and phosphorus for my raw fed dogs? By dogs weight? By amount of meat fed? By mgs per day of each?

TIA!

if the food already claims to have omega 3s, do i have to supplement more for my dog to get the proper amount? How do i tell how much omega 3 is in the food? (for example, Wellness claims to have omega 3s but is ambiguous with the label)

if my vet says i should feed Science Diet prescription food, should i take his word for it since he's supposed to know what he's talking about?

Thanks guys - keep 'em coming!

are high-protein foods ok for senior dogs?

are grain-free formulas ok to feed to large-breed puppies?

how much bone should be included in a raw diet?

what are safe, healthy chews for dogs?

does my puppy really need to be on a "puppy food"? conversely, same thing for seniors.

what are good additions to a commercial food if i'm trying to have my dog lose weight? or gain weight?

i can't find [insert better food brand] at my local pet store. what do i do?

What's better baked kibble or extruded kibble? (very common question)

Why does my vet say that raw is unsafe for the dog because of possible bacteria & salmonella? Don't dogs eat poop with no problems?

Why would feeding a dog a raw diet be any more unsafe for humans than chopping up chicken? Wouldn't washing the bowl and coutner be sufficient?

Is organic really necessary?

My childhood dog did just fine on Mighty Dog and Alpo. Isn't all this stuff about high-quality dog food just hype and marketing?

Is it true that senior dogs don't need as much protein as adults?

(of course leading to the reason why senior dogs need more protein than adult dogs)

How were the nutritional requirements that dog foods base their formulations on reached?

Why do so many vets recommend Science Diet?

How did "dog food" originate in the first place?

Does raw food really digest faster than kibble?

Where does nutrient absorption occur most in the canine digestive tract; the stomach or the intestines?

How does a dog utilize protein, fat, and carbohydrates? For high performance and working breeds that expend alot of energy, is it better to feed high fat, high protein, high carb, or a combination?

What are the most common allergen sources in dog food?

Why aren't there detailed food standards for dogs like there are for humans?
Where is the dog food pyramind?

What affect does long range ingestion of preservatives have on a dog's body.

My dog looks great on Purina. Why should I change his food?

Whats the best way to choose a food for my dog?

My vet recommends Iams. Whats wrong with this (and similar) food?

Why is it important to feed organ meats (liver, kidney,....) to dogs?
What kind of nutrition education do vet students receive?
Why is it important to find out about a dog food company's quality control?
There's a _____ rep at the pet store. Should I believe him/her about their product?

What's wrong with by-products and why should i avoid them? I read on the site of a particular dog food company that a study showed that dogs fed a diet of only by products lived long lives and didn't get any diseases or disorders as they aged.

If ethoxyquin is a carcinogen, why is it allowed in dog food? It can't be that bad if its legal, right?

How should I store my dry dog food? Should I keep it in the bag or put it in a container?

How do I talk to my vet about what I am feeding and why?


How do I tactfully turn down the prescription diet the vet recommends?


How do I read the dog food labels? What is a must to avoid?

I don't really know how to word this into a question, but I had a woman come by work the other day and ask what she can do for her chihuahua who won't eat dry food. She said she mixes in canned food to get the dog to eat. When I asked why she just didn't feed solely canned food she replied, "Because my vet said it doesn't have as much nutrition as dry food..."

And...

Should I supplement commercial food with glucosamine if it's already contained in the food?

"Well, what makes a good food good?"

1. is it better to rotate between different food brands every couple of months or like asked before can i (or is it even better) to mix one or two different dog food brands?
2. can i feed for example a mix of 2 different brands of kibble in the morning and then feed the honest kitchen at night?
3. is it better for a young dog to feed him 3 times a day or just 2?
4. are raw carrots ok as a chewy? i know that the vitamins are only used if fed with some source of fat but is it bad for the dog to chew on a carrot? missy loves chewing on the big carrots
5. should i give the dogs water out of the tab or filtered (f.e. from the refrigerator) or even out of bottles for humans?

I had a vet put it to me this way: "Canned food is like cheesecake for dogs and cats. It's good and it won't hurt you in small amounts, but it's not a sufficient diet on its own." So how about, "Is it true that canned food isn't as nutritious as kibble? Why or why not?"

I've got another one.

"It seems like everyone is saying they're the only ones who are concerned about my dogs. How do you know who to trust? My vet has had a lot of education and you wouldn't be a vet unless you loved animals. Why can't I trust his dog food advice?"

some popular questions I've seen:

*should I give my (kibble fed) dog a multivitamin?

*should I give my (kibble fed)puppy a multivitamin?

*can I mix leftovers/raw/etc with kibble?

What kinds of kibble is appropriate for my large breed puppy?

What about performance types of food.

WOW! Will there be answers to these questions!? So many are awesome and I can't wait to read the answers. Many of my ideas have been mentioned but here is one thing I personally get asked a lot (and would LOVE a succinct answer to give):

"Why on earth do you feed those expensive foods? Surely Purina, etc., have figured out exactly what dogs need."

We've all heard that large breed puppies need different foods. What about very small/toy breeds, do they have any particular nutritional need quirks?