| There are lots of commercial dog foods to choose | | | | as "animal by-products" and have been used in pet |
| from. Why would you want to spend the extra time | | | | foods. You wouldn't eat this stuff yourself. Why |
| and money and make your pet's food? If you read | | | | expect your dog to? |
| the labels and compare commercial dog food | | | | And the fourth ingredient, beef; what kind of beef is |
| ingredients with the ingredients you would use in | | | | it? These are cuts that are left over after every bit |
| making your dog's food yourself, the answer to that | | | | that would be eaten by humans has been removed. |
| question becomes a lot easier. | | | | Again, it's parts you wouldn't eat yourself. Once all |
| One of the popular brands of dog food, a mid-range | | | | the human suitable meat has been removed from an |
| food, has "Beef" on its label. Look at the ingredients. | | | | animal, the processing plant doesn't just throw the |
| The first four ingredients are water, chicken, meat | | | | rest away. There's still money to be made, so the |
| by-products, and beef. Beef isn't even the main | | | | remnants are sold to pet food companies. |
| ingredient! And what are "meat by-products"? | | | | When you shop for the ingredients to make your |
| The official definition is: ""The non-rendered, clean | | | | own dog's food, do you look for "animal |
| parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered | | | | by-products"? No, you buy the same food you would |
| mammals. It includes, but is not limited to, lungs, | | | | eat yourself - high quality cuts of meat, the quality of |
| spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone, partially | | | | which is regulated so you have the best possible |
| defatted low temperature fatty tissue, and stomachs | | | | assurance of getting fresh, contaminant-free meat. |
| and intestines freed of their contents. It does not | | | | When you compare dog food brands with home |
| include hair, horns, teeth and hoofs." | | | | made, you see there really is no comparison. The |
| Since it's from a mammal, it doesn't have to be from | | | | food you fix for your dog is prepared with greater |
| a cow. It can be from "downer" animals, animals that | | | | care, is higher in quality nutrition, and is healthier - and |
| are diseased or dying before slaughter. Even | | | | safer - for your dog. |
| euthanized animals from animal shelters are classified | | | | |