what are peoples views/opinions on feeding a commercial dog food vs a homemade dog food?

Question

does anyone know of any websites that may contain more info on the pros and cons?

Answer 1

The world's oldest dog, in Guinness book, was 27 years old, a Border collie, living in UK..She was raised entirely on a vegetarian diet, with a lentil base, and lots of fresh veggies..She died last year at 27 years old.
the current oldest living dog is now 27, a Queensland heeler, living in Australia, who is fed only Emu and Kangaroo..
So, just how much do we actually know about canine nutrition??

I believe a balanced home made dog food is much better than any of the garbage called dog food at the grocery store..

However, there are good brands, made wih all human grade ingredients..such as Canidae ( my favorite) Innova, Wysong, Solid Gold, Natural Balance and Wellness.
These are actually less expensive to feed, as dogs need less, and waste less.

> http://www.ooowoo.com/homemade_dog_food.html

Answer 2

I feed my dogs a prey model diet (80% meat, 10% bone, 5% liver, 5% other organ) So it's pretty easy and cheap if your a smart shopper : D . Plus the main point is "balance over time". Feeding a raw diet also can help with many problems too, including allergies, anal gland problems, dentals, and some skin problems. But of course everything has a risk and possible risks include bacterial infection (more towards the humans than the dogs/cats; but it shouldn't be a problem if you clean properly) and you have to be careful especially when it comes to fish (some may contain very bad parasites) and also to be careful with trichinosis (depending upon where you live; but it's believed that freezing for a period of time will kill it), and also VERY VERY VERY VERY RARELY will a dog choke on a bone or become internally hurt from a bone and even then it's normally due to a gulper but even so the risk is ALWAYS there--- but please remember dogs can choke on kibble too. BUT when it comes to cooking a meal vs. kibble--- Cooking is better because you know what goes into the food BUT you have to be pretty careful and make sure he gets the correct balance of his dietary needs ESPECIALLY because you can't give dogs cooked bone-- and bone is a pretty major part; so you have to find a supplement/replacement for the nurtients found from bone. Kibble already is a pretty "balanced" meal, but you don't really know what's in it and besides that you cant CONTROL what's in kibble/commercialized dog food.... and once in a while extra ingredients could be added- remember the recalls a few years ago with the rat poisoning...? And kibble can be pretty expensive. Tooth problems (as well as allergies) and kibble normally go hand in hand. So EVERYTHING has a risk and a benefit and its up to the individual owner to decide what's best for the dog as well as the owner/budget/and lifestyle. ^_^

Answer 3

There are several points of view on the "homemade" food. My personal opinion is that a high quality commercial food is the best food for a dog. It would take a degree in canine nutrition to be able to formulate a food that contains everything a dog needs to maintain proper health. You have to realize that dogs needs are vastly different than a humans, so even if you know what is nutritionally good for you, probably not going to work for your dog.
If you are feeding a commercial food, keep in mind that even though you may spend more for a premium food, you will save money in the end by having a healthier dog. That means less vet bills and let me assure you, I know about costly vet bills! There are several great dog foods out there. Just read the labels. You want to avoid things like corn, wheat, soy, by-products, etc. Also, be aware that the AAFCO, who regulates pet foods, allows pet food manufacturers to label meat as fresh on the label even though it would be considered 4D grade by the USDA, which means the meat came from an animal that was Dead, Dying, Down, or Diseased. Look for food that uses human grade food sources. That means they use only ingredients that you could purchase for yourself.
For more info try going to a few websites of good foods.
There is a food company called Blue, that is outstanding. Its what my 3 JRTs eat. www.bluebuff.com


For those suggesting Science Diet, try reading your label, would you eat the crap thats listed? Then read a good food label like Blue or Nutro or Chicken Soup for the Soul... then decide which food is best.

Answer 4

i would go with a good high quailty commercial food...not only is it balanced for dogs, its less work.....Make sure to get a good high quality food. It will be a lttle more expensive up front but it will actually save you money. If you read labels, you will not have to feed as much of the expensive stuff. For example...I used to feed Pedigree-following the directions for my dogs wieght a 40lb bag would last about two weeks between my three dogs. I stated feeding a more expensive high quaility food called Canidea(I am not sure if I speeled that right)...anyway... now a 20lb bag will last that long because they only need about 1/2 as much...plus dogs look better and have more energy....so it saves...

Answer 5

I would stick with regular dogfood over the dog's regular years, and if they grow into old age and can no longer eat that, switch to homemade.

We had a black lab/shepard mix who lived to be 15. Around age 13 or so she was getting really skinny and not eating enough food. So my ma started making her homemade dog food (chicken and rice). She started eating again and stopped losing weight and that sustained her for another two years.

Answer 6

Just as there are commercial foods, then there are commercial foods, there home diets, and then there are home diets. Dogs are omnivorous and need balance in their diet. So it's really personal choice, either way a person is best served by doing there homework.

Here is a link
http://k9rawdiet.com/How-2-p-6.html


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Answer 7

My father used to work for a company that made commercial dog food. I highly recommend avoiding cheaper, more mass produced dog food since it's just filler. They literally spray on a flavor coating to get the dogs to eat it.

You'll want to go with something more nutritous, like Science Diet. Unfortunately, this means it'll be more expensive as well.

Answer 8

I would recommend a premium commercial dog food. As a Eukanuba Customized Nutrition Consultant, I've been extensively trained on canine nutritional needs. Premium commercial dog foods are designed with complete nutrition for your dog, to promote a healthy, long life. I know some people believe in homemade dog food, but unless they have been trained in canine nutrition, I really recommend against it. For example, dogs are carnivores. They should be fed a dog food that is primarily based on animal protein, with a balanced carbohydrate source (like finely processed corn..not always a filler, also a good carb source), balanced fats and vitamins/minerals. Feeding your dog veggies and rice (which is not as good of a sustainable carbohydrate energy source) is not meeting your pet's nutritional needs. As much as they are our little "furry children", their food needs are completely different than ours. As human "pet parents" we tend to think our pets would do best from the same food we eat..(Humans eat the best food, shouldnt that be good enough for our pets?) but it doesnt work that way. I've never seen a wolf digging for a carrot.

Answer 9

Most dog food you find in a pet store....iams, science diet, purina etc... is complete crap. Its terrible for your dog. There are some dog foods that are much bettter for your dog but most are more expensive.. because theres actuall meat and vegetables in it. I feed my dogs "go! natural" , its an all natural dog food. Youd have to look up what stores in your area carry natural dog foods. The natural dog foods are usually found at independent pet food stores.. places like petsmart (large chains) wouldnt sell it.

In response to the person who said science diet.... it used to be good... but it was bought by Colgate-Palmolive Inc. and they changed some of the ingredients : hence the price drop.

Answer 10

Home made is good,,rice with "boiled" boneless chicken,,fish,,beef or liver with cooked veggies.Be sure to cool completely.
What I dont like about store bought dog food is that they do tests in experiment labs to say that it does this or that.If you use store bought,,be sure that it is 100% nutritionally complete.
Dog vitamins are also good for your pet.
Iv also had a dog that didnt have a working pancreas,,he needed the no fat diet such as the rice meal,,he lived a long healthy life on that diet. p.s.~I just noticed your name,,I had a pomeranian mix named Twinkie :O),,he was a great dog.