# These natural dog food commercials really grind my gears **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 24, 2012, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-natural-dog-food-commercials-really-grind-my-gears/629209 "2012-07-24T04:29:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-natural-dog-food-commercials-really-grind-my-gears/629209/21 "2012-07-25T17:37:36Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > This. > > My vet also told me that if you buy nicer food, your dog actually eats less to feel full, so you go through the bag slower. He was right, of course- I mean, it works the same for humans. I free feed my dogs and one half full bowl will last 'em all day with some left overs for the next day. > > The few times I’ve forgotten to buy better food (the rule of thumb vet told me is that corn or rice shouldn’t be the first or second ingredient) and instead picked up a small bag of the corn-o-rama stuff, my dogs inhale a huge bowl, then in an hour are whining that they are hungry. I have a theory that cheap dog food is the chinese food of the dog world-- delicious, but you’re starving an hour later. Better food = less, more formed, ‘better’ smelling poop. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-natural-dog-food-commercials-really-grind-my-gears/629209/22 "2012-07-25T18:43:48Z")
Irregardless of the fact that corn is bad for dogs, the lady’s attitude and smugness in the commercial are still hella annoying ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-natural-dog-food-commercials-really-grind-my-gears/629209/23 "2012-07-25T18:58:03Z")
We feed our precious little darling organic dog food for two reasons: 1. He’s a carnivore. He’s not supposed to eat fricking tofu. 2. The manufacturer and its suppliers are all in the U.S. [A few years back a bunch of dogs were killed when a Chinese supplier added melamine to its gluten.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_pet_food_recalls) ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-natural-dog-food-commercials-really-grind-my-gears/629209/24 "2012-07-25T19:15:10Z")
My dog has no nose… But how does he smell? Corny! _rimshot_ Our dalmatian was very Frito-smelling. Our other mixed dogs smell like fresh laundry (sort of like Secret deodorant) and old leather shoe respectively. I’ve had some truly smelly dogs in the past and feel very lucky at the ones we have now 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![2nd\_Law](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/f475e1/32.png) [@2nd\_Law](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2nd_Law)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-natural-dog-food-commercials-really-grind-my-gears/629209/25 "2012-07-25T19:26:43Z")
[Poochare. All meat dog food.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7r6XXI_oX0) ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-natural-dog-food-commercials-really-grind-my-gears/629209/26 "2012-07-25T20:14:54Z")
I used to live in Vancouver, pretentious dog-owner capitol of Canada. There are no correct answers to the question “what do you feed your dog”. It’s worse than breast-or-bottle feeding, home-schooling, handgun ownership and vaccination rolled together. After a while, I started lying, and saying “veal”. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-natural-dog-food-commercials-really-grind-my-gears/629209/27 "2012-07-25T20:17:11Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > I used to live in Vancouver, pretentious dog-owner capitol of Canada. There are no correct answers to the question “what do you feed your dog”. It’s worse than breast-or-bottle feeding, home-schooling, handgun ownership and vaccination rolled together. After a while, I started lying, and saying “veal”. Surely you didn’t feed it _corn fed_ veal!?! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-natural-dog-food-commercials-really-grind-my-gears/629209/28 "2012-07-25T20:19:54Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Better food = less, more formed, ‘better’ smelling poop. Worth repeating. My dog had to eat cheapish kibble for a week when I couldn’t get to a decent pet store once, and the difference was very, very noticeable. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-natural-dog-food-commercials-really-grind-my-gears/629209/29 "2012-07-25T20:32:57Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > Irregardless of the fact that corn is bad for dogs, the lady’s attitude and smugness in the commercial are still hella annoying No argument there!! ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-natural-dog-food-commercials-really-grind-my-gears/629209/30 "2012-07-25T23:01:09Z")
I’m using Rachel Ray’s Nutrish (beef first ingredient) and if the thread stays on the first page I’ll report back on our dog’s general digestive process. I had been using Pedigree before (meat is the second ingredient). Right now he’s got loose stools from the abrupt switch (not supposed to do that). ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-natural-dog-food-commercials-really-grind-my-gears/629209/31 "2012-07-25T23:06:00Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > I used to live in Vancouver, pretentious dog-owner capitol of Canada. There are no correct answers to the question “what do you feed your dog”. It’s worse than breast-or-bottle feeding, home-schooling, handgun ownership and vaccination rolled together. After a while, I started lying, and saying “veal”. “What are you feeding your dog?” “The last person who asked me that.” ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-natural-dog-food-commercials-really-grind-my-gears/629209/32 "2012-07-25T23:21:31Z")
I try not to go crazystupid over my dogs’ food, but I do pay for meat-based kibble (1st two ingredients are both a named meat, not just “meat meal”) and avoid gluten, because of the Chinese toxic gluten thing. It killed more than a few pets. Presently in my area Canidae is one of the best priced ‘premium’ brands. Dog treats are often made in China, and those have killed/sickened more than a few pets too. This year it was chicken jerky treats. Quality control is not the strong suit of the Chinese export industry. I stick to US or Canadian made only on the treats (which I buy in bulk online). The biggest dogfood companies are often the most opaque. There are websites that monitor pet food recalls and warnings. Because I belong to the “dog community” I hear about this stuff fast. Dogs are not obligate carnivores, like cats. They can survive eating all kinds of shit, including literal shit, so let’s not get too carried away here. Nevertheless, good premium dogfood contains far more digestible nutrient per pound than the bargain brands, and you will see this in your dog’s intake and poop (a lot less of both), and probably in its coat and overall health. If your dog has to do something more than wag and walk around the block – a gun dog or agility dog or other athlete – you are going to have to pay more attention to what you put into him. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-natural-dog-food-commercials-really-grind-my-gears/629209/33 "2012-07-26T00:41:51Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > Dog treats are often made in China, and those have Yeah, who knows what’s in that crap. > [@](#): > > a gun dog Hey, both of my dogs have concealed carry permits. This is Texas, after all. ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-natural-dog-food-commercials-really-grind-my-gears/629209/34 "2012-07-26T01:30:34Z")
Some are more sensitive than others, too. My childhood dog was terribly allergic to grains and her life was just happier on grain-free food. Allergies made made her gassy and itchy to the point where we had several e-collars and she just sort of spent half her life in them to keep her from chewing holes in her rear end. My little rat terrier and some others I’ve had show it in their coat- she gets fish oil to keep her coat looking nice along with a high-quality diet. Otherwise she looks… well, here. [this](http://i49.tinypic.com/2w69qgo.jpg) is her close to when I first got her last June. That’s her in the back with the blue collar. [this](http://i49.tinypic.com/2w1se46.jpg) is her about two months ago. What she eats makes a difference. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-natural-dog-food-commercials-really-grind-my-gears/629209/35 "2012-07-26T02:03:44Z")
A few times a year, we’d pour bacon grease over our Labrador Retriever’s cheap ass dry food. He loved it, and it did give him a shiny coat. The most amusing part was watching him lick his lips the rest of the day. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-natural-dog-food-commercials-really-grind-my-gears/629209/36 "2012-07-26T02:26:02Z")
An issue that makes having meat as the first few ingredients even more significant is that the order of the listed ingredients is determined by weight _before_ processing. Since a considerable amount of the weight of meat is water, once it’s dried and processed, even if the first listed ingredient was meat, there might in actuality be less meat than corn/whatever in the final product. If you start out with corn and other “fillers” as the first few listed ingredient(s), then the actual amount of meat might be approaching negligible “flavoring” levels. ETA: It’s always good to look at the actual protein and fat percentages when comparing foods. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-natural-dog-food-commercials-really-grind-my-gears/629209.md?page=1)