# Where did "don't by dog food sold in grocery stores" come from? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 30, 2017, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183 "2017-11-30T21:03:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Brodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Brodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brodi)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2017, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183/61 "2017-12-02T19:50:34Z")
> [@stillownedbysetters](#): > > Victor food can be hard to find. They have very little retail placement. [Chewy.Com](http://Chewy.Com) has it, which is how I found the website -a search for Victor foods. > > Victor is a small family-owned operation in Texas. They do direct sales out of their plant which keeps their costs down. Lots of reputable breeders use it. I originally learned about it from co-competitors when my son started entering his border collie in agility trials. I LOVE Chewy! They have a good selection of foods, toys, treats, etc. I used Victor, I think the Sport one, when I had a BC/Akita/Husky mix that was super high energy. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2017, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183/62 "2017-12-02T19:55:49Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > You obviously have not picked up as much dog poop as I have. > At the end of his life our border collie mix needed his bottom wiped. Firm stools are good. > We also participated in a poop quality study from Guide Dogs, so we’re experts on this. On a 1 - 5 scale, you want at least a 3.5 average. I adopted my little guy just about eight years ago. The volunteer at the shelter cautioned us that he was fed Science Diet and may have diarrhea if we switched food without phasing it in. That was the only warning I needed - he’s had nothing but Science Diet ever since. It’s been a blessing. That dog’s stools are about like cold Play-Doh. Very easy to keep track of and pick up. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2017, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183/63 "2017-12-02T20:05:52Z")
I see nothing wrong with purchasing something that works for your pet and your budget. As long as your friend is healthy, buy whatever works for you, even if from a grocery store. Our dog had some urinary issues as a pup, so the vet recommended (and prescribed) a food from Royal Canin (we call it “Royal Pain-in”) that is formulated for dogs with this condition. It’s expensive as hell, so we blend it with a large bag of the Kirkland Salmon/Sweet potato from Costco, which extends things substantially (yes, the vet OK’d doing this). He likes his food and eagerly eats it all as provided, and turns all that food into firm little logs for easy pick-up. Oh, another vote for Chewy - they have the Royal Canin for much less than the pet store. ---
**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:** [December 2, 2017, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183/64 "2017-12-02T20:23:18Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Try telling this to a cat. My cat won’t eat anything other than Friskies, and believe me, we’ve tried. (She has a sensitive stomach) And she won’t touch dry cat food. I don’t think canned/wet food causes as much consternation as low-quality dry food. AFAIK even the least expensive canned food still has meat protein as the first named ingredient. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2017, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183/65 "2017-12-02T20:33:49Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > I swear, our K9s can hear a shoe scuff, near their food bin, from the backyard, through the sliding glass door. Especially at a certain time of day. Scary. My dog isn’t quite this bad, but my ex’s poodle would come running from the other end of the house if I made any noise he associated with a walk. Fiddle with the poop bags? Dog comes running. Pick up the leash? Dog comes running. Say any form of the word “walk”? Guided missile from anywhere in the structure. I remember us visiting the in-laws once. I told them I was going to take the dog for a walk. They’d just seen him sacked out with my still-sleeping ex and told me that would be a challenge. I picked up his leash and gave it a small shake, which made them laugh - until he came running from around the corner. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2017, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183/66 "2017-12-02T20:45:20Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > I don’t think canned/wet food causes as much consternation as low-quality dry food. AFAIK even the least expensive canned food still has meat protein as the first named ingredient. True. The other cats in the family eat Purina One. The issue is though that other brands have versions for cats with sensitive stomachs, and Friskies doesn’t. (Strangely enough, she’s NOT picky when it comes to people food. If I’m eating it, she wants it, and she’s been known to reach out and grab it off of my plate. Her particular favorite? French fries.) ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2017, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183/67 "2017-12-02T22:12:21Z")
> [@Brodi](#): > > I LOVE Chewy! They have a good selection of foods, toys, treats, etc. I used Victor, I think the Sport one, when I had a BC/Akita/Husky mix that was super high energy. That’s the type I use for my setters who are very high energy canines. ^5 ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2017, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183/68 "2017-12-02T22:12:56Z")
Just a reminder, as **StusBlus** mentioned above, if you’re going to change your dog’s food make sure to phase it in. If you make a cold turkey switch over, they’ll have loose poops for sure. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183/69 "2017-12-03T00:03:05Z")
> [@Brodi](#): > > I keep hearing, again and again in the dog community, that you shouldn’t buy dog food from the grocery store. That it must either be home made, come from a boutique store, ,PetSmart/Petco, or be ordered on line. > Clever marketing by the $$$ brands or dog owner snobbery? The answer is somewhat a function of the history of the pet food market. But of course marketing and appealing to owners wanting only “the best.” Modern dry pet food was really dominated by the application of the extrusion technology that Ralston Purina used to make Chex to dog food in the '50s, creating Purina dog chow, which dominated the market from the early '60s on. They were initially fairly low cost products and often relatively low protein with lots of what some would today characterize as filler. In the '70s a few companies created more “premium” products and the marketing approach was to go by way of breeders and veterinarians. At that point at least these companies intentionally kept their kibble out of the grocery stores. They went light on advertising to the consumer and instead heavily detailed the breeders and veterinarians. Breeders would get big discounts to use the product and to pass on coupons (and recommendation) to the purchasers of the products. Vets could sell high end product not available in the grocery store (some not available even in the pet stores) and have some additional revenue stream. It is as true for veterinary medicine as for human medicine: detailing works. If you wanted the kibble that the breeder had the puppy on and/or that the detailed vet was talking up, you had to go to the pet store. Until more recent years those products were not available in the grocery store. Some still are not. As to which nutrition plan is “best” for dogs … hell, you think there is going to be more universal consensus there than there is for human nutrition? Here at least is what the [Ohio State University School of Veterinary Medicine](http://vet.osu.edu/vmc/companion/our-services/nutrition-support-service/myths-and-misconceptions-surrounding-pet-foods) states: > [@](#): > > … no objective scientific evidence has yet demonstrated that feeding Grain Free, Natural, Holistic, Organic, or Raw diets to otherwise healthy pets, when compared to conventional diets, leads to a better outcome for the pet … > > … Many people have been led to believe that whole meat is better than meat meal, just based on the name. This is simply not true. As with all ingredients, the origin determines the quality. Meat meal is just like whole meat in that when it comes from a well-known provider and is of good quality, it can be an excellent source of protein. Meat meal is actually a more concentrated source of protein due to the fact that it does not contain the water content of whole meat, and therefore can be added in greater quantities to dry foods to achieve a higher protein content than whole meat … > > … purchasing a food from a well-known company who stands behind their product and has the feeding trials and evidence to support its quality is best … > > … In recent years corn has been described as a low quality “filler” in pet foods, and implicated as the culprit in pets with food allergies (typically by competitor food companies). In reality, corn provides a nutritious, affordable source of carbohydrate for energy, essential amino and fatty acids for healthy skin, coat and immune system function, and a variety of other nutrients. These nutrients are released during the manufacturing process, and are easily absorbed and utilized when included in complete diets. > > With regard to corn as an allergen, few veterinarians or veterinary nutritionists believe that corn is a highly allergic food. … For a long time with my greyhounds and the whippets we used Kirkland’s grain-free (as our vet thought grain-free might help some skin issues one of the greyhounds was having). An advantage was that it was more nutritionally dense, less volume needed. Then our vet put one of the greyhounds on a prescription joint diet so we went with [Chewy.com](http://Chewy.com). The regular home delivery was nice. They are all gone now and our new pup (a Miniature American Shepherd) came to us on Purina Puppy Chow (I am sure because of a breeder incentive program) and for now we are continuing it. It seems fine. See how inertia works? It’s “chicken and rice” but also contains corn gluten and wheat. I’ll set up a Chewy order at some point … Reading some posts here … I wonder if _any_ pet actually _ever_ starved themselves into undernutrition because they “wouldn’t eat” a particular brand of nutritionally complete pet food that was consistently offered to them with no other alternative. ---
**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:** [December 3, 2017, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183/70 "2017-12-03T03:40:08Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > The regular home delivery was nice. They are all gone now and our new pup (a Miniature American Shepherd) came to us on Purina Puppy Chow (I am sure because of a breeder incentive program) and for now we are continuing it. It seems fine. See how inertia works? It’s “chicken and rice” but also contains corn gluten and wheat. I’ll set up a Chewy order at some point … to be fair, humans can exist for a long time on a steady diet of junk food but eventually it catches up with us. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183/71 "2017-12-03T04:35:53Z")
Have been feeding Purina One for over a decade- last 3 dogs that died in this house were 15, 16 & 15. Currently we have another 15 year old meaner-than-a snake ACD that is showing every sign of living forever along with another 13 year old and a 10 year old. I think we are just fine with grocery store food. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183/72 "2017-12-03T13:03:47Z")
Don’t forget that many dog owners recommend a [raw diet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_feeding). The woman who owns the walking/daycare company we use is a huge advocate of it. We’ve dabbled with it but have never made it our pups’ primary diet simply because of the inconvenience not only of obtaining the organ meats and such, but also the time/money in actually making the mash (depending on what’s in it, it’s best to make a fresh batch every day). The owner sources the majority of her ingredients from a farm in NY State. She drives out there once a month to pick it up and she has a fridge dedicated to storage. I think it’s a great if you have the time and money to do something like that, but alas, most people, including myself, don’'t. That’s where kibble comes in. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183/73 "2017-12-03T14:34:51Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > to be fair, humans can exist for a long time on a steady diet of junk food but eventually it catches up with us. And that has to do with what you quoted in what way? Is the implication that you believe the Ohio State University veterinary medicine site is wrong and that by definition something containing corn is junk food? Or that by definition something with the name Purina is? Or what? There is possibly as much woo regarding canine nutrition as there among those who promote various human dietary approaches and fads. And it is not wrong to accept something for your pet because it seems to make sense to you despite the lack of any evidence, or at least that which the actual veterinary medicine expert organizations would consider evidence. Those who become evangelical about those beliefs, or judgmental of those who do not share them, they cross into the mockable space. One is not a better dog owner because you spend more time and/or money on your dog’s food. As with ourselves, you want to go paleo, vegan, organic, low-carb, raw food, whatever … you have your reasons, go at and enjoy. Me, I find it if nothing else amusing when a family is sure to buy their dog only some all-natural super premium food while their kids suck down Gatorade and such. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183/74 "2017-12-03T15:12:47Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Me, I find it if nothing else amusing when a family is sure to buy their dog only some all-natural super premium food while their kids suck down Gatorade and such. Ergo, the “My pet eats better than I do” scenario. I could say the same thing about our dogs at various times. For all intents and purposes they’re our “kids”. Their needs, in many instances, are put before our own. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183/75 "2017-12-03T22:05:47Z")
> [@kiz](#): > > Don’t forget that many dog owners recommend a [raw diet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_feeding). The woman who owns the walking/daycare company we use is a huge advocate of it. We’ve dabbled with it but have never made it our pups’ primary diet simply because of the inconvenience not only of obtaining the organ meats and such, but also the time/money in actually making the mash (depending on what’s in it, it’s best to make a fresh batch every day). The owner sources the majority of her ingredients from a farm in NY State. She drives out there once a month to pick it up and she has a fridge dedicated to storage. Over the last 20,000 years or so of dog ownership, they’ve had kibble for only a little. We do it in a weird way in the US. This got driven home to us when we took care of a guide dog breeder from Australia. He ate our food, but his usual diet at home was large chunks of kangaroo given at irregular intervals. (Road kill, I’d suspect.) He did just fine on that, which was probably a more natural diet for dogs. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183/76 "2017-12-03T22:27:18Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Over the last 20,000 years or so of dog ownership, they’ve had kibble for only a little. > We do it in a weird way in the US. This got driven home to us when we took care of a guide dog breeder from Australia. He ate our food, but his usual diet at home was large chunks of kangaroo given at irregular intervals. (Road kill, I’d suspect.) He did just fine on that, which was probably a more natural diet for dogs. Here’s the thing - dogs have been domesticated for a friggin’ long time. They’ve lived basically off of the scraps of their humans for large parts of it. For these last several thousands of years that what was a “natural diet” for them. That does not mean that it was a balanced, complete, or ideal diet for them. Dog food rather than human scrap remains is relatively recent … and so is [dogs living significantly longer](http://www.nbcnews.com/id/33076736/ns/health-pet_health/t/life-dog-years-many-pets-living-longer/#.WiR20bQ-fys) than they used to. > [@](#): > > … The Doberman Pinscher Club of America instituted a longevity program in 1997 to identify and track dogs that reach the age of 10 or more or whose parents reach that age. > “When I started practice a lot of years ago, if I saw a Doberman come in and it was 6 to 9 years old, I might think ‘Well, it won’t be here next year,’ ” says Johnny Hoskins, a veterinarian, internal medicine consultant and pet aging expert in Choudrant, La. “I’m seeing now 14-, 15-, 16-year-old Dobermans.” … > > … Pet gerontology expert and veterinarian Richard T. Goldston, in St. Petersburg, Fla., says the improvement is a combination of more responsible pet ownership, a stronger human-animal bond and better veterinary care **and pet nutrition**. … (Bolding mine.) “Natural” ≠ “healthier” at least not necessarily. But yes it is “weird” for dogs to live as long as they do now. ---
**Author:** ![Buttercup\_Smith](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buttercup_smith/32/473_2.png) [@Buttercup\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buttercup_Smith)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183/77 "2017-12-03T22:45:33Z")
My little fellow gets Orijen at about $3 per pound and does great with it. He is only ten pounds so doesn’t eat very much. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183/78 "2017-12-03T22:46:33Z")
And looking some stuff up for kicks - some more [traditional](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_food) dog foods: > [@](#): > > barley meal mixed with whey … spelt or wheat bread is fed mixed with the liquid from cooked beans … twice a day a soup of coarse bread made with water, fat and the bottom of the stew pot; put a half-kilogram of bread at least in each soup … Barley meal, the dross of wheatflour, or both mixed together, with broth or skim’d milk, is very proper food. For change, a small quantity of greaves from which the tallow is pressed by the chandlers, mixed with their flour ; or sheep’s feet well baked or boiled, are a very good diet, and when you indulge them with flesh it should always be boiled … [Another](http://www.anatoliandog.org/isik-007.htm) traditional dog food - > [@](#): > > Yal is the basic dog food for the shepherd dogs in Anatolia. The basic ingredient is either flaked or broken barley; oats, wheat or it could the combination of these grains. In some regions, broken corn is also used. Barley is the most common grain used since it is cheaper and works better than the other grains. Alternatively, only bran can be used. Either one of the above-mentioned grains or bran is mixed with hot water and some salt. If the above grains are only available in flour form, then cold water is added to the flour and heated until it comes to a boil. The flour or grain must be boiled in order to be digested by the dogs. The salt adds taste to the mush and protects the teeth. It is served to the dogs when the mixture cools off enough to be eaten. Whey, milk, yogurt, various left overs, oil, tomato and/or pepper sauce can also be added to the yal. Whey works great when it is added after Yal gets cooler. Dogs have not been wolves for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183/79 "2017-12-03T22:51:21Z")
I feed my dog Fromm. It’s a bit pricey, but I want her to live a little longer yet. One thing about feeding your dog pricier food is that it is better for their weight. When I was feeding her grocery brand stuff, I would just fill up her bowl and let her eat her fill. Now that I am paying a lil bit more, I measure her food out quite carefully, and she has lost some of the weight that my vet kept complaining about. Table scraps are usually going to be the fattier bits, which is hard on their pancreas, and may contain spices or other ingredients that could be poisonous to your dog. Probably fine if you are only expecting your dog to live 6-7 years. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183/80 "2017-12-03T23:43:15Z")
My anecdote is of a 12 year old silky terrier that had started to slow down and show her age, which we took to be perfectly normal at the time. Another dog in the household had constant stomach upsets and the vet advised a switch from supermarket brands to a premium brand so we did it for both dogs. Not only did the younger dog’s stomach troubles resolve, but the older dog developed a new lease on life - she became playful and energetic again, and remained that way until her death at 17. I’ve bought premium pet foods ever since. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-dont-by-dog-food-sold-in-grocery-stores-come-from/803183.md?page=5)