Two Bostons' Take on Diet
We firmly believe that a diet without grains is the best diet you
can feed your dog and can prevent many of the problems (allergies,etc.)
that based on our customers' experiences are quite real - without
the need for medication. Grain-free diets can be dry dog food,
canned, dehydrated, or raw in form.
The facts of the matter are that grain-containing dog kibble was
invented in 1911 by Dr. Hill (whose name is on Hill's Science Diet,
Hill's Prescription Diet). Before this time, dogs ate what people
ate and seem to have gotten along fine for thousands of years. Indeed,
dogs are 99.9% genetically identical to wolves (which is why they
can produce fertile offspring) and a grain-free/raw diet is used
by many breeders and owners worldwide to approximate the diet that
is 'natural' for dogs. Some breeders are now requiring that owners
feed this type of diet to purchase their pups.
Simply looking at the digestive tract of a dog will reveal why it
is tuned for a meat and bones raw diet and is unable to fully digest
and utilize grains for a food source (which is different from our
guts). Dogs are much more acidic throughout their bodies,
but their stomachs contain a much more concentrated acid than our
own stomachs. This is designed to quickly process the food
they consume. In addition, the dog's intestine is approximately
10 ft in length - it is designed for rapid absorption of whatever
nutrients are in the food, and subsequent elimination of waste products.
They do not have the 36 odd feet of intestine like we do to break
down complex carbohydrates into simple sugars in order to fuel their
bodies. Instead, it is like they are on a perpetual Atkin's-type
diet, more efficiently utilizing fat as an energy source.
The raw and other grain-free diets that we carry are AAFCO certified
as meeting the nutrition profile for all life stages and in some
cases USDA certified as well. We (AdreAnne and Andy) personally
feed our dogs a raw diet and after extensive research and consultations
with our vet, have concluded that this is the proper choice for
our pets, who we treat like family.
Here are some additional links that you may find interesting if you are concerned about the quality of the diet that you are currently feeding your dog:
This site explains pet food labeling, what ingredients can be included
legally in pet food, as well as information on the pet food industry
as a whole - This site also includes ingredient panels for most
of the foods available on the market so you can shop ingredients
at home.
If you look at this site, I think you would be shocked at the amount
of filler in many of the 'premium' brands on the market. A good
question to ask would be, "How does the pet food company give
me the absolute best food for my dog for less than $1 a day?"
The reason grains are added to food and lower quality protein sources
are used is simple - it brings the cost down.
This can be seen at the grocery store as well - look at the cost
of a pound of meat compared to a 5 lb. bag of flour. This fill is
largely undigested by the dog's digestive tract, which was never
designed to handle this type of diet.
This site is an additional source for ingredient panels for dog foods as well as ingredient information. I would also check out the Poison Plants section of the site, as many are common plants that you may currently have in your back yard.
This site has information about canine nutrition (dry, canned, raw) and what has worked for various individuals, as well as general health information for your pup.
This journal is widely recognized as being a quality resource for quality information regarding canine nutrition, behavior, and training. They annually publish their picks for the top wet and dry dog foods (other types of diets currently are not reviewed in this manner, but are discussed/featured throughout the year.) This list can be found online, or is available in-store for you.
This year in the journal, two grain-fee dry dog foods made the list, both of which we carry in-store.
We would recommend that if you have already made up your mind about not feeding your dog a grain free diet, you at least feed a food on their top 10 dry or canned lists (published every February). Hills brand foods are nowhere to be found, neither are Purina, Iams, Eukanuba, anything carried at your grocery store, or most food carried at the big box stores.
Our best advice to all of our customers is to do some independent research and consult with your veterinarian to determine what you think is best for you and our pet. We at Two Bostons are committed to customer education about the facts of canine nutrition.
Please let me know if you would like to discuss this further or
if you wouldlike any additional information. I'm sure you will agree
when you look at the information available that you will also come
to the conclusion that there is a lot of bad food and information
floating around that you may have previously accepted as "good
advice".
Thank you for your interest and concern for your pet
