Why are people STILL ignorant about dog food!?

Question

I have noticed that most of the time, when people recommend dog food, they don't even know how to read labels. A few questions that I have answered today, have some very stupid answers. People will sit there and say that, Iams, Pedigree, Purina, Beneful (made by purina), Bites and bones, Ol' Roy, and several others, with unsafe ingredients inside of the dog food. This INCLUDES science Diet!!! Then all of the 'know it all vet techs' ((NOT ALL OF THEM)) will sit there and say, Oh well, I feed _____ and it is not involved with the recall. But it actually is. And most people will go out and buy that particular dog food, just because someone says at the bottom, I am a vet tech, or i am a vet. Most of the vets I go to recommend iams, and I tell them, its not a god food, and I feed Timber Wolf Organics. Not many people know about it. Alot of people lie on YA and will make things up. I certainly won't lie about being a vet, because I know im not.

Who agrees!?

okay mealaniejean!

number one!

THOSE ARE THE FOODS MANUFACTURED BY MENU!!!!! GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT!
So next time you think you can open your mouth about something you don't know about, get your facts straight.

Smooch.

Gands4ever:

You can buy TimberWolf Organics at some select stores.

If you don't have a store by you, then you have to order online.

http://timberwolforganics.com/

It is one of the best foods you can buy, but its more expensive than the others because they use real everything. And alot of herbs

Here is the puppy food I could find on the site:
http://timberwolforganics.com/pet-foods?search=puppy&submit=GO

Answer 1

I agree. I also think that people should do research on some GOOD dog food. Like innova, california natural, blue buffalo or chicken soup for the pet lovers soul. I don't know how people feed their dogs OL'ROY. I don't even buy food at walmart for MYSELF let alone my dogs. Good dog food is worth it in the long run.

Answer 2

Although I agree that some dog foods are as good as worthless and that a lot of the most popularly recommended foods are not all that great I have to disagree with the whole "organic foods are best" angle. Everyone needs to make their own decisions about what works best for them.

I know how to read dog food labels and, while I wouldn't feed Iams or Pedigree to my dogs if I could afford to feed something better, if I ran into serious financial trouble these brands would certainly be a heck of a lot better than Ol' Roy or some other $5-for-a-40lb-bag brand. I don't think it's fair to tell people that they're harming their dogs by feeding some of the not-so-great-but-not-awful brands. I just plain can't afford to feed both of my dogs Timber Wolf or Wellness. I can't afford that much for groceries for the human members of my family. I agree that they are great foods with wonderful ingredients, they just aren't affordable for everyone.

Answer 3

I will be happy when people start actually caring about what they feed their pets. And I know that most vets recommend the crappiest foods - IAMS, Science Diet, Eukanuba - it's all total crap. So yeah, I agree first of all that you never know if someone really is a vet tech. Besides, that's not a "source" of information, it's more like trying to say you have credentials but who knows if it's true? And I also agree that people need to have enough interest in their pet's health to read a dog food label. Do a google search. Check out a book from the library. There is so much information available, and I'm continuously surprised that so many people are still so uninformed about this.

Answer 4

I guess that you were really fed up when you wrote that because it is hard to read BUT i do get your point. I agree with you to a point. IF the food you are feeding you dog has wheat gluten in it dont take the chance, return it. They seem to be coming forth every day with new ones that are being recalled. My Rottie has always eaten boiled meat (chicken thighs, breasts, gizzards, etc). Right now i feel thankful that we made this decision when he was a puppy - hes now 4 & in extremely good health. If anyone is interested in feeding this way, you are welcome to e mail me. NO i am not a vet or vet tech, but this way has worked for us & now i think that people are becoming wary of commercial dog food.

Answer 5

I really think that people should choose what is best for them and their pet themselves. On the recall info it is not just menufoods it also includes foods manufactured by

* Menu Foods

* Del Monte Pet Products

* Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc.

* Nestle Purina PetCare Company

* Sunshine Mills

I keep checking every day because our dog ate the old roy from Wal-Mart ( made by menufoods and Del Monte ) then we switched to Alpo by Purina when the first recall came out and then the Alpo was added. Our dog just got back from the vet after a few days of IV therapy after getting sick from the bad food. Just be careful.

You can go to the American Veterinary Medical Association Pet food recall page and see the links to the recalled foods.
http://www.avma.org/aa/menufoodsrecall/default.asp#products

Answer 6

"Science Diet is nowhere on the list of recalled pet foods."

http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/hills203_07.html

Folks, there's the never-ending debate about the best food to feed your dog -- plenty of people would think you're wrong feeding Timber Wolf Organics too, and I know people who no longer use any commercial kibble or dog food! That's one argument and it's never going to be resolved. Because everyone knows a dog who is doing brilliantly on this brand or that.

THEN there is the aminopterin/melamine related RECALL of pet foods. Foods recalled and suspect use wheat gluten, specifically manufactured in china. Wheat itself, although it contains wheat gluten, does not seem to be a problem.

READ the recall lists, they are updated constantly.
READ your ingredients list and make your own decision about wheat gluten (not wheat, just "wheat gluten") and for that matter, any other ingredients that concern you.

Don't buy or not buy a food because some stranger on the internet (claiming to be a vet tech or not) says it's fine. Don't buy or not buy a food because some stranger on the internet says everything else is bad. Read your labels! Learn to think for yourselves!!

Answer 7

I am sorry you feel this way. Anytime you invite answers from total strangers over the internet you have to expect some "phonies". It is unfortunate that not everybody in the world is truthful about themselves. As for answers, many times it is a matter of opinion as to which pet food is the "Best". Many people are misled by fancy advertisements or some feel that feeding poor quality, super cheap, or food for ment another species will not harm their dog. With all the misinformation and constant rumors about the pet recall scare it is hard for people to keep up with what is truth and they panic.

As for putting "vet tech" on the bottom, this simply means that (if they truely are registered, lisenced, or certified techs) that we have passed an extremely riggourous nursing program overseen by the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) and have spent years of our lives studying the most up to date medical and nutritional information to help save the lives of animals and to help educate owners on the proper methods of care. We must pass both National and State board exams and in some states recertify every two years, much like a human nurse.

Being a vet tech doesnot give us the green light to make a formal diagnosis, to perscribe medication, or to preform surgery- as with human nurses... nor does it mean that we are right and those who are not nurses are wrong. It simply means we have extensive training and often times have delt with these subjects before.

I personaly refrain from answering questions that i feel i know little about (we don't know it all), or those that seem a matter of opinion or posted simply to cause a stir. When recomending items such as cleaners, food products, or bedding i tend to stay away from brand names unless (as in the case of some exotics a particular type is needed).

Please take some time, count to ten, take a deep breath, and then answer some more questions. I also see my fair share of misadvice- some of it which could actually harm an animal. But the more knowledgeable answers we give, the better we can help the asker to make an informed choice. One of the most frusterating things is to know the right thing to do for an animal but be powerless to do anything about it. We can advise and inform, but in the end it must be the owner who choses the right course of action and the right advice to follow.

-RVT
(Registered Veterinary Technician, honestly)

Answer 8

Recall or not supermarket brand foods, Science Diet included are not good quality foods. They have way too much cheap fillers and by products and many also contain dyes, chemical preservatives and sugars. They contain very little meat protein which is waht a dog is designed to eat and process. Peopel don't understand taht feeding these cheap quality foods is not really saving money..they are poor economy..it takes up to 3 times more of these cheap foods for a dog to get proper nutrition then it does of a good quality food. Also poop tends to be more often and in bigger quanities in cheap food fed dogs.

Example:

I have Danes, have for many years, I feed Canidae, a good quality meat based food. I only feed 4 cups per day to my adult Dane and 5 cups plus 1 can of wet to my Dane puppy per day. Both dogs are in excellant shape, have proper weight , not overweight, not thin, have good muscle tone and great coats. They also have minimal shedding. My Danes are show Danes.My dogs only poop 1-2 x per day and they are firm poops. It is also hard to tell the difference size wise between their poop and that from our German Shorthair.
Now I know people who also have Danes that feed Pedigree.They are feeding their adults 8-10 cups of food per day plus either a can or other mixes and puppies are getting from 12 -14 cups per day plus canned/mixers, They complain that their dogs are producing big poops 4-5 times or more per day.They also complain that their dogs have a lot of gas.

People really do need ot be more aware of what they feed their dogs.They need to know more about a dogs digestive system. They need to become avid label readers and not just fall for all the ads on tv, in magazines, on the net.

Answer 9

Your typing is kind of jumbled up and I don't really understand all of it, you're kind of rambling. Buuut, some people simply aren't educated. They see the commercials, see that it has real meat and veggies in it, and figure that's good dog food. How is your average dog owner supposed to know everything about what to feed their dogs? You can't expect them to. The best thing you can do is EDUCATE them about foods you feed your dogs.

Answer 10

your right, i think . anyway where do you buy this timber wolf product and do they have a puppy formula for my lab? i have been worried ever since we got her as shortly after the scare began. I know 3 or 4 friends that have lost there dog to it . what ingredients to look for, how much protein>? what is good for your average dog?