| The commercial production of dog food occurred | | | | that) to satisfy his nutritional needs and produces a lot |
| around World War II times when shortages and | | | | more waste as a result. |
| rationing were common place and it was no longer | | | | Premium Brands - Higher quality brands were created |
| economical to feed the dog from the same table as | | | | to provide better quality and nutrition for dogs. These |
| it's owners. The gap was filled with commercial dog | | | | dog foods often use better quality ingredients that |
| food produced from ingredients that were deemed | | | | include higher grades of meats and more digestible |
| unfit for human consumption and would have been | | | | proteins and fat sources. Although it should be |
| discarded as waste previously. Manufacturers learned | | | | mentioned that some foods touted as premium are |
| to chop it up, compress it into kibble, flavor it to be | | | | actually versions of the "Buy anywhere brands" that |
| more palatable and color it to look edible. | | | | are being marketed as premium. Therefore, you should |
| To make a brief comparison of dog foods one can | | | | check the ingredients to make sure that they name |
| classify them into three main groups: "Buy Anywhere | | | | actual meat sources and not "meal" or "byproducts" or |
| Brands", "Premium Brands" and "Holistic" | | | | "digest" as the main meat sources. |
| Buy Anywhere Brands - These are the dog food | | | | These premium or gourmet dog food brands are |
| brands that can be found in most stores as well as | | | | usually found in specialty or boutique pet stores, animal |
| generic store brands. As described on 60 Minutes | | | | hospital and veterinary offices. |
| these widely distributed dog food brands get their | | | | Holistic or Natural - These dog foods generally use |
| meat ingredients (assuming they actually have any real | | | | human-grade ingredients with much higher standards |
| meats) from a category known as Grade 4-D. | | | | for quality, nutritional value and digestibility. Some stores |
| The 4 D's include: Dead, Dying, Diseased and Decaying. | | | | are even providing raw food mixes for a more |
| Sounds great, huh. | | | | "natural" food experience for your dog. These foods |
| Other "protein" sources include meals and by-products | | | | often include meat that is declared free from |
| which typically mean non-meat animal parts that are | | | | hormones and steroids. |
| typically not digestible proteins that pass right through | | | | These foods are provided in specialty stores and |
| your dog without providing any real nutrition. These | | | | although they may appear more expensive on the |
| foods also tend to include vegetable or grain fillers that | | | | surface, it may require less food to satisfy your dog's |
| are also not very easily digested. The end result is that | | | | nutritional needs reducing the overall cost and resulting |
| your dog requires a lot more "food" (if one can call it | | | | in less dog waste as a side benefit. |