Around 6mths ago we lost our dog of 10 years to cancer . That prompted us to dwelve a bit deeper and research a bit . From what we have read and listened to theres a chance of less than one dog in two that has some type of cancer in its life. That led further to why . Pet foods are highly unregulated especially the processed varieties . Everything and anything goes into them . Do some research yourself. We thought we were doing the right thing by our pets by buying what we considered good quality expensive kibble . Most processed pet foods are made off shore where regulation is a lot less than here. They even pulverise chicken feathers for one thing and add chemicals to make them palitable . I dont know what all you pet owners feed ur dogs as you travel , but maybe look a bit further than the label. Maybe the old adage of if you wouldn't eat it then dont give it to them. Food for thought !
Santa said
09:54 AM Apr 7, 2018
This would probably have been best posted in the Traveling With Pets forum.
Seeing its here I do agree with the sentiments of mezza's post, you get what you pay for.
I watched a documentary a few years ago that stated that processed / manufactured pet food had to be fit for human consumption (no mention of taste). That also came to light when one of the TV current affair programs showed a pensioner eating out of a tin of dog food because he reckoned that was all he could afford (turned out he was paid to do it). The tinned dog for was fit for human consumption but why when baked beans or sardines on toast was cheaper.
My dog (12yr Jack) gets cheap no-brand sardines in brine, bags of chicken wings from ALDI, dry dog food, biscuits, and home-made cakes & slices (not specifically made for him). When we cook and meat (lambs fry, sausage mince patties, hamburgers, savs, sausages) we always put something on for him. However not all dogs can eat processed human meat products. Sausage meat (savs, sausages etc) has content that upsets some dogs (stomach problems). Occasionally we get a bag chicken necks.
He actually dislikes tinned dog food. Dogs are omnivores and need meat, veggies & grains unlike cats who are just carnivores.
My last dog (Jack) was put down at nearly 17 and lived on same diet.
boab said
12:16 PM Apr 7, 2018
my mate a 6 yr old bull terrier has a mix of raw roo and horse meat ground to a mince i mix natural yogurt, egg, broccoli, carrot, and sweet potato the veges are put through a blender then measure it out into 550 gram packs. I normally make up 20 kgs at a time he has sardines one day and a bone the other day.Sad to say he allergic to chicken and most of the processed foods we have tried him on so we just stick to the proven formula
msg said
02:40 PM Apr 7, 2018
Molly has beef mince that I buy for us or woollies BBQ chicken. Won't eat tinned or kibble food. She gets a bone when we have chops or some sort. I Spoil her and cut the meat off before I cook it for my self and she gets the raw bone. Also likes carrots and beans. Its not expensive because she only has about 150grms a day. So basically what we eat without the garlic, onions S&P, chilli, etc. Have kilo of mince in freezer packed into 150grms lots.
RustyD said
05:42 PM Apr 7, 2018
Just back from Coles. They had chicken drumsticks for $2/kg and skinless/boned chicken thighs for $6/kg. So guess who is eating chicken for the next few weeks? I also pack stuff in suitable sizes for all of us. Some are pet-sized, some are human size (2 serves) and some are dog & human size.
mezza56 said
05:49 PM Apr 7, 2018
We used to feed our dog chicken legs , wings along with Doctor B's barf , which was supposed to be a high quality fully balanced diet . But like anything thats processed you never really know whats in it . In these days they bulls....on human food labels let alone pet food.
Desert Dweller said
06:24 AM Apr 8, 2018
Some breeds are more susceptible to tumors than others. We've had Boxers for 30 years, they all had lumps & bumps.
RustyD said
01:37 PM Apr 8, 2018
Had small terriers for a total of 53 years now. A bit fussy with food sometimes but no allergies or diseases. I think pure-breds are the worst for that sort thing. Unfortunately a lot of pure-breds are also in-breds that doesn't help with inherited traits - good and bad.
#1. Scottish x Cairn (12 years. Just didn't wake up one morning).
#2. Wire haired Australian Terrier X (12 years. Bit a neighbour's kid who was teasing him. Took the dog to the vet to see about putting him down and he promptly bit the vet. He was put down immediately).
#3. Jack x Pom (Almost 17. Put down as his quality of life deteriorated - blind, could walk up stairs etc.).
#4. Jack x Jack (12 and still going. There are 4 types a Jack Russells - soft or wiry hair, long or short legs - my dog is a mixture - hair neither wiry or soft, and medium legs).
They always ate human foodstuffs (leftovers) and dry pet-food. My in-laws always feed their sheep dogs human food. Always put on extra meat and veggies that were then mixed with dry pet-food. Being working dogs they would eat just about anything after a day's work.
My daughter has a pure-bred Kelpie cattle dog (brown with yellow eyes) and he is subject to all sorts of issues that come with either the breed or his active life. Likes his veggies and chicken carcasses.
Grandad5 said
10:47 AM Apr 9, 2018
I am very hesitant to weigh into this issue as what to feed your dog is a very contentious issue amongst many pet owners. I'm sure many will attempt to debunk what I have to say.
I will however take the plunge as I have been a member of this forum for many years and have learnt more here than any other single source. Since I'm not actually on the road yet I have very few opportunities to pay the members/Forum back as I have zero practical experience in GN'ing to offer in return.
This topic however, is one I can help in so I feel compelled to try.
By way of introduction I was/am the co-founder of the MDBA ( https://www.mdba.net.au/ ) I'm no longer involved with them in any way but my original business partner is and I'm still in touch with her regularly. My own actual speciality was canine genetics. Specifically, the genetics involved is the selection of breeding dogs to remove or enhance specific target traits. My partner, Julie's speciality was canine nutrition. She studied directing under Dr Ian Billinghurst who was one of the MDBA's original patrons. My knowledge of canine nutrition is therefore not as great as hers but still well above average. I studied under her.
In a nutshell 99% of commercial dog foods are totally unsuitable for your average pet dog. Some are downright harmful and no, I won't name those ones. The average lifespan of a pet dog was significantly higher than today up until approx the 1960's when the first commercially successful dog food food was introduced in the USA. The ACTUAL first goes back to the late 19th century but for all practical purposes did not become widespread until Kibble started production.
Since then, various health issues slowly started to appear and have gotten progressively worse. (Not unlike our own human diets actually) Up until the 1960's dogs were almost universally fed a raw meaty bone every day, usually free from the butcher, and whatever was left over from the family meal. That's it. No fancy diets, and very few, if any real health issues.
This rule of thumb still applies today with the caveat to remove any member of the onion family and any cooked bones.
To summarise everything here would involved writing a book so I'll just list some key points to try to explain the digestive process of a dog.
1. Raw food only. Cooking doesn't harm the food per se but removes a lot of the nutrients. No wolf owns a cooker. Factious I know but illustrates a point. And a wolf has identical requirements to a Chihuahua.
2. Dogs CANNOT process cellulose. Therefore, any raw vegetable eaten will reappear out the rear in much the same way it entered. Cooking breaks down the cellulose and makes it digestible but also takes away most of the goodness. A sure way to overcome this is to put raw vegetables through a blender first. In the wild, a dog will get it's required vegetable intake from the stomach contents of it's prey where it has been masticated by that animals molars (Which dogs don't have which blows the theory of them being omnivorous) and partially digested.
3. A dog needs more than just muscle meat. In the wild, a dog will consume the internal organs first and requires the nutrients contained there just as much, if not more than the actual muscle meat.
Let's translate and summarise that info to today's domestic dogs and our own lifestyles and in particular the lifestyle of nomads on the road.
a. Raw meaty bones daily are still your best bet to start with. Note' MEATY bones.
b. The leftovers of whatever you've cooked that night. With the caveat previously mentioned.
c. Pet mince from the chicken shop. This is the entire carcass of the chicken ground up so it has the phosphorous from the meat and sinews etc and the calcium from the bones. If you add a heaped tablespoon each of brewers yeast and kelp to every kilogram that will help. Also a few tins of canned sardines and some vitamised raw veggies and a several raw eggs, including the shells. This can be mixed up in advance and separated into portions and frozen if you have the freezer capacity. This was how in fact we fed our own breeding dogs back in the day.
d. A viable alternative to this if freezer space is at a premium is a commercial product called Natures Gift. I've visited the factory and can tell you it's all natural good food like you would serve your family. Yes, it is cooked. That's the compromise you must accept. But, being cooked in the can negates any need for the preservatives usually used. They also add natural additions such as garlic.
c. On a weekly basis at least add some offal. Kidneys, heart, brain etc
On the subject of feeding your dog only what we would eat ourselves, I very respectfully point out they are not humans. Dogs will for example eat their's and other animals faeces. Not something you would feed your family but sometimes needed in a dog. You will no doubt find they also often seem to prefer a muddy puddle over the changed daily, fresh clean water you provide for them back home. You may find it disgusting but your dog doesn't.
I'm happy to field any questions members may have and I'll do my best to answer. Please remember however it has been many years since I was actually involved in this field and even in my own primary field of the study of genetics my memories are failing never mind a secondary field such as this.
If I don't know the answer I will however ask Julie at the MDBA. If your question requires a conversation I'll ask if she is happy to receive emails direct from you. The MDBA is not solely about breeders. They also nurture responsible pet ownership.
Cheers
Jim
-- Edited by Grandad5 on Monday 9th of April 2018 10:52:47 AM
Cloak said
02:26 PM Apr 9, 2018
I once looked for a conspiracy theory but couldn't find one.... because THEY didn't want me to know....
fwdoz said
02:41 PM Apr 9, 2018
Cloak wrote:
I once looked for a conspiracy theory but couldn't find one.... because THEY didn't want me to know....
A bit of Cloak & dagger there. I know, **** pun!
We had a Border Collie until one day someone stole her. She had a clean bill of health despite eating just about everything. Had an apetite like a bear coming out of hibernation but daily walks & weekend plays in a park kept her in great nick
This would probably have been best posted in the Traveling With Pets forum.
Seeing its here I do agree with the sentiments of mezza's post, you get what you pay for.
We've found the Black Hawk range to be very good.
Here's a link to dry dog food reviews of products available in Australia. http://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t64530912/i-think-it-was-missed-before/
My dog (12yr Jack) gets cheap no-brand sardines in brine, bags of chicken wings from ALDI, dry dog food, biscuits, and home-made cakes & slices (not specifically made for him). When we cook and meat (lambs fry, sausage mince patties, hamburgers, savs, sausages) we always put something on for him. However not all dogs can eat processed human meat products. Sausage meat (savs, sausages etc) has content that upsets some dogs (stomach problems). Occasionally we get a bag chicken necks.
He actually dislikes tinned dog food. Dogs are omnivores and need meat, veggies & grains unlike cats who are just carnivores.
My last dog (Jack) was put down at nearly 17 and lived on same diet.
We used to feed our dog chicken legs , wings along with Doctor B's barf , which was supposed to be a high quality fully balanced diet . But like anything thats processed you never really know whats in it . In these days they bulls....on human food labels let alone pet food.
#1. Scottish x Cairn (12 years. Just didn't wake up one morning).
#2. Wire haired Australian Terrier X (12 years. Bit a neighbour's kid who was teasing him. Took the dog to the vet to see about putting him down and he promptly bit the vet. He was put down immediately).
#3. Jack x Pom (Almost 17. Put down as his quality of life deteriorated - blind, could walk up stairs etc.).
#4. Jack x Jack (12 and still going. There are 4 types a Jack Russells - soft or wiry hair, long or short legs - my dog is a mixture - hair neither wiry or soft, and medium legs).
They always ate human foodstuffs (leftovers) and dry pet-food. My in-laws always feed their sheep dogs human food. Always put on extra meat and veggies that were then mixed with dry pet-food. Being working dogs they would eat just about anything after a day's work.
My daughter has a pure-bred Kelpie cattle dog (brown with yellow eyes) and he is subject to all sorts of issues that come with either the breed or his active life. Likes his veggies and chicken carcasses.
I am very hesitant to weigh into this issue as what to feed your dog is a very contentious issue amongst many pet owners. I'm sure many will attempt to debunk what I have to say.
I will however take the plunge as I have been a member of this forum for many years and have learnt more here than any other single source. Since I'm not actually on the road yet I have very few opportunities to pay the members/Forum back as I have zero practical experience in GN'ing to offer in return.
This topic however, is one I can help in so I feel compelled to try.
By way of introduction I was/am the co-founder of the MDBA ( https://www.mdba.net.au/ ) I'm no longer involved with them in any way but my original business partner is and I'm still in touch with her regularly. My own actual speciality was canine genetics. Specifically, the genetics involved is the selection of breeding dogs to remove or enhance specific target traits.
My partner, Julie's speciality was canine nutrition. She studied directing under Dr Ian Billinghurst who was one of the MDBA's original patrons.
My knowledge of canine nutrition is therefore not as great as hers but still well above average. I studied under her.
In a nutshell 99% of commercial dog foods are totally unsuitable for your average pet dog. Some are downright harmful and no, I won't name those ones. The average lifespan of a pet dog was significantly higher than today up until approx the 1960's when the first commercially successful dog food food was introduced in the USA. The ACTUAL first goes back to the late 19th century but for all practical purposes did not become widespread until Kibble started production.
Since then, various health issues slowly started to appear and have gotten progressively worse. (Not unlike our own human diets actually) Up until the 1960's dogs were almost universally fed a raw meaty bone every day, usually free from the butcher, and whatever was left over from the family meal. That's it. No fancy diets, and very few, if any real health issues.
This rule of thumb still applies today with the caveat to remove any member of the onion family and any cooked bones.
To summarise everything here would involved writing a book so I'll just list some key points to try to explain the digestive process of a dog.
1. Raw food only. Cooking doesn't harm the food per se but removes a lot of the nutrients. No wolf owns a cooker. Factious I know but illustrates a point. And a wolf has identical requirements to a Chihuahua.
2. Dogs CANNOT process cellulose. Therefore, any raw vegetable eaten will reappear out the rear in much the same way it entered. Cooking breaks down the cellulose and makes it digestible but also takes away most of the goodness. A sure way to overcome this is to put raw vegetables through a blender first.
In the wild, a dog will get it's required vegetable intake from the stomach contents of it's prey where it has been masticated by that animals molars (Which dogs don't have which blows the theory of them being omnivorous) and partially digested.
3. A dog needs more than just muscle meat. In the wild, a dog will consume the internal organs first and requires the nutrients contained there just as much, if not more than the actual muscle meat.
Let's translate and summarise that info to today's domestic dogs and our own lifestyles and in particular the lifestyle of nomads on the road.
a. Raw meaty bones daily are still your best bet to start with. Note' MEATY bones.
b. The leftovers of whatever you've cooked that night. With the caveat previously mentioned.
c. Pet mince from the chicken shop. This is the entire carcass of the chicken ground up so it has the phosphorous from the meat and sinews etc and the calcium from the bones. If you add a heaped tablespoon each of brewers yeast and kelp to every kilogram that will help. Also a few tins of canned sardines and some vitamised raw veggies and a several raw eggs, including the shells. This can be mixed up in advance and separated into portions and frozen if you have the freezer capacity. This was how in fact we fed our own breeding dogs back in the day.
d. A viable alternative to this if freezer space is at a premium is a commercial product called Natures Gift. I've visited the factory and can tell you it's all natural good food like you would serve your family. Yes, it is cooked. That's the compromise you must accept. But, being cooked in the can negates any need for the preservatives usually used. They also add natural additions such as garlic.
c. On a weekly basis at least add some offal. Kidneys, heart, brain etc
On the subject of feeding your dog only what we would eat ourselves, I very respectfully point out they are not humans. Dogs will for example eat their's and other animals faeces. Not something you would feed your family but sometimes needed in a dog. You will no doubt find they also often seem to prefer a muddy puddle over the changed daily, fresh clean water you provide for them back home. You may find it disgusting but your dog doesn't.
I'm happy to field any questions members may have and I'll do my best to answer. Please remember however it has been many years since I was actually involved in this field and even in my own primary field of the study of genetics my memories are failing never mind a secondary field such as this.
If I don't know the answer I will however ask Julie at the MDBA. If your question requires a conversation I'll ask if she is happy to receive emails direct from you. The MDBA is not solely about breeders. They also nurture responsible pet ownership.
Cheers
Jim
-- Edited by Grandad5 on Monday 9th of April 2018 10:52:47 AM
A bit of Cloak & dagger there. I know, **** pun!
We had a Border Collie until one day someone stole her. She had a clean bill of health despite eating just about everything. Had an apetite like a bear coming out of hibernation but daily walks & weekend plays in a park kept her in great nick