What does your dog REALLY eat??

Every time I visit a new grocery store, I take a quick peek at the "dog food" isle.  What are people really feeding Cosmo and Brandy?  Usually, I am sorely disappointed to find the same old bags of sawdust and bacon grease in bright and colorful packaging.  The packages say things like "Really Good Dog Food," "Nutritious Dog Food."  Some claim that they are the "Caring Leaders of Pet Nutrition."  If you are one of the thousands of Americans buying popular brands of dog kibble at the grocery store, this report is a wake up call for you. 

There are plenty of biased and unbiased resources, which explain dog food ingredients in depth.  Some reviews tell us why we should feed Sport their food, while others warn us not to feed our dog that food, but to instead feed this food.  Within dog food, there are grains, vegetables, fruits, preservatives, "fillers" and meat - if you're lucky.  What?  I thought all dog food had meat!  After all, dogs are carnivores.

In this report, I have compiled a simple list of the lesser known uses of the many other ingredients found in popular dog food, and some of these dog food ingredients might surprise you.  I'm assuming you've already assessed what you, the human are eating on a daily basis, right?  What is your dog eating?  Dinnertime, Fido! 

Building Insulation Material (Rice Hulls) Great for dogs who aren't allowed in the house during the winter.

Pillow Stuffing (Rice Hulls) Why buy dog beds?

Dried Wood (Cellulose) Termites love this!

Greeting Card Stock (Cellulose) The dog ate my homework...every day.

Wallpaper Paste (Cellulose) Mmmm...sticky.

Hog Feed (Corn) Dog feed?

Biofuel (Corn) Add a little ZIP to an old dog's hips.

Lotion (Propylene Glycol) Smooth and silky...

Antifreeze (Propylene Glycol) Mom always told me that anti-freeze is bad for pets.

Laxatives (Mineral Oil and Sorbitol) Gotta go!

Baby Oil (Mineral Oil) Safe for a puppy's insides?

Cattle Feed Filler (Citrus Pulp) Have I mentioned that nearly half of the ingredients on this list are cattle feed?

Spontaneously Combustible "Floor Sweepings" (Wheat Mill Run)

Spontaneously Combustible Cattle Feed Replacer (Soybean Mill Run or Soybean Hulls)

Brewery Waste (Fermentation solubles and Maltodextrins) Mmmm...beer...

Fireworks (Maltodextrins) Is 13 year old Fido missing that sparkle in his eyes?

Rice Mill Waste (Brewers Rice) What's in the dust pans and garbage cans at the Chinese Rice Mill?

Weed Suppressant (Corn Gluten Meal) Good for dogs who get stickers and burs caught in their fur.

Spontaneously Combustible Mutagenic Mucous Membrane Irritants (Menadione Sodium Bisulfite) Be sure to use chemist grade splash goggles when handling your dog's food!

Cigarette Humectant (Sorbitol) You got a light?

Homemade Moonshine (combine two common dog food ingredients: Yeast Culture and Corn)  And you are wondering why Spot has to go the vet so often?  Can someone say BLOAT? You better use the breathalyzer on Spot when he comes home past 11.

Flavor (When Max's food lacks the real thing, add a little salt or..."flavor")

Bone Residue treated with Embalming Solution and Chemical Rust Remover (Bone Phosphate)

High-nitrogen Fertilizer (Blood Meal) Wait...won't this conflict with the weed suppressant?

Hair Grooming Products (Propyl Gallate or Gallic Acid)  Why give Buddy a bath when you can just feed him?

Carcinogenic Fat Preservatives (BHA and BHT) If you really want your obese little Angel to live forever, double her food intake!

Grape Pomace (Wait, aren't grapes toxic to dogs? Then why are they in pet food?)

Apple Skins and Seeds (Apple Pomace)

Unnamed Animal (?) Glands (Glandular Meal)  Exactly which glands were used? And from who?

Restaurant and Supermarket Refuse (Digest)  Mmmm...digest...

Euthanized Shelter Animals (Rendered animal fat, protein or meat)

Titanium Dioxide (Violent or incandescent reactions may occur with metals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium)  So what happens if you give Daisy a daily canine multivitamin supplement?  What if Daisy's extremely lacking food was spiced up with salt?  Pass the popcorn!

Hair Coloring Highlights (Potato peels)  Mix with hair grooming products above and voila!  No need to by a fur-shining supplement for your dog.

In addition to the above cited sources, the following additional sources were used in the compilation of this web blurb:


http://www.dogfoodproject.com
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com

Dog Food Analysis is a great website to begin looking at the ingredients in your dog's food.  The Dog Food Project is an excellent website to continue your commercial dog food education, and all of the above ingredients are on Dog Food Project's list of "Ingredients to Avoid."