Zuri Food Chef Blog episode 3: Top 5 dog food myths

You are regularly bombarded with information about what’s best for your pup. It comes in the form of advertising, social media posts, the lady you met at the dog park one afternoon, or even your crazy Uncle Charlie who had a collie back before the war. It’s sometimes challenging to navigate these waters and determine what to feed your pup.

If you weren’t somewhat concerned with what you should be feeding your furry family member, you wouldn’t be here reading this. Your path has likely consisted of many kinds of kibble, some wet food, a sample or 2 of a fresh diet, and at least one trip to the vet after a night of following your sick pup around the house. And you STILL have questions, right? You might even be holding on to some thoughts you’ve filed away as truths.

This is totally normal. In fact, it’s healthy. It means you’ve given thought to this because you love your dogs. Here are 5 myths you’ve surely heard at some point, debunked!…

  1. My dog should eat grain free only.

Actually, 9 out of 10 dogs are NOT allergic to grain at all, but to the mold spores that grow in the cheap, feed grade grain used in production. In fact, recent studies show that dogs fed grain-free diets exclusively are more likely to have heart problems such as DCM. In fact, there are many health benefits to certain types of grain. Take rice, for instance. It’s a great energy source, it’s high in fiber, and contains many vitamins and minerals like vitamin B and phosphorus.

2. Kibble is necessary for tooth health.

There are no credible studies showing that eating kibble has an impact on tooth health. In fact, it’s been shown that a diet based on fresh, natural food can IMPROVE dental health in dogs. Most dogs naturally chew on toys, sticks, and sometimes your high heels. This can help clear tartar from teeth. In addition, processed kibble in compact and can often stick to molars. Fresh meat is often better for canine dental health.

3. There’s no difference between foods…dogs food is dog food!

Wrong! Most pet food is made with feed grade ingredients…basically, food that’s not good enough for humans to eat. Whether it’s kibble or canned, your common dog food contains ingredients which are NOT suitable for human consumption. That means they could be waste, they could be old, spoiled, moldy, etc. Your dog will benefit from a diet that contains fresh meat, veggies, and fruits that has NOT gone through the kibble extrusion process. Extrusion heats the food above 350 degrees F and thus removes many essential vitamins and protein as well as Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.

4. My dog likes the kibble the same as fresh food.

Does your dog leave kibble behind in the bowl for later? Yea, she doesn’t like it. Dogs should eat every morsel of food in sight. They don’t, “save it for later,” unless they have an upset tummy. Fresh food will disappear from that dish quickly. A dog that finishes her bowl of food is a happy dog.

5. It’s too hard to feed fresh, human grade food.

If you have some freezer or refrigerator space to spare and enjoy FREE DELIVERY, then getting fresh food for your dog is EASIER than lugging that 50lb. bag out of Costco. Subscription models such as ZURI FOOD allow for automatic delivery and billing so you never have to worry about running out of food.

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