And these are the generic products we advise owners to avoid as it usually indicates a cheaper product. A dog needs protein which is converted in amino acids, enzymes etc. Those proteins can be obtained in many forms, even vegetables and grains
Unfortunately it’s not as simple as ensuring sufficient macronutrient intake (protein, carbohydrate, fat). That’s why whole foods are healthier over processed food - there’s more to nutrition than macronutrients.
You can’t convert something to an enzyme. Enzymes - like all protein - is denatured at 50 C. Kibble is exposed to very high temps in its manufacturing so I doubt there are any enzymes left in kibble in a beneficial form.
One last thing, amino acids are the building blocks of protein, they’re not converted from protein. Some protein contains all amino acids, some protein contains some amino acids. Combining protein sources can ensure all essential amino acids. Meat contains all essential amino acids, but vegetarians can get them all if they combine, say, legumes and grains (which I do as a vegetarian).
@MF and that is another reason I think cold pressed kibble would be an alternative to extruded (and hence mentioning Alpha Spirit as an example as being cold pressed). And quoting @Beanwood's previous article here : " Chicken essentially is taking a roaster and grinding it up, mixing everything together including muscle, skin and bones. The water content averages around 70%, along with 18% protein and 5% fat. Now take this ground chicken and carefully dry it to a moisture level of 10%. The protein content is now 65% and the fat level is 12%. This product is chicken meal.", Also makes me think that drying the meat so it becomes meal (with whatever is in there) and then again processing it in heat to obtain the kibble would bare it of any nutritious value it might have had originally. I have yet to dig deeper into the cold pressed subject to be able to get an informed opinion, but, as said, it might be a better option vs extrusion.(?)
Your best option is DIY from whole food you source yourself. Ask yourself if you’d feed yourself or your child dry, highly processed, packaged food at every meal, from the same bag, meal in and meal out.
@MF I agree with you, still when in one of my previous posts I mentionned I was considering barf I would like to be more specific..I would prefer cooked food to raw. (I have doubts on raw summed up here www.theguardian.com/science/2018/jan/12/scientists-criticise-trend-for-raw-meat-pet-food-after-analysis-finds-pathogens?CMP=share_btn_fb). I am also trying to find the ideal balance, I dont know where to start yet with the cooked food, but considering I feed the dog 3 times a day, only one of those meals can be natural cooked food (most probably dinner)..the other 2 (first meal of the day and lunch) will most probably have to be kibble..hence my worries on trying to find the nicest most organic kibble I can.
To add to the mess : I am fine with the raw bones though. The problem is that I am too afraid to give Gaston raw poultry bones. Considering weight bearing raw bones (such as cow) are a nono (even though Leão used to have cow femur bones with no teeth breaking involved), I am not sure which bones I can give Gaston.
Give him non weight bearing bones. My boy gets raw venison neck bones with lots of meat attached. The best tho is to feed a whole animal like a whole rabbit (intestines removed - risk of tapeworm in rabbits apparently) - then you’re feeding the right proportion of meat and bone. I think you’re over thinking this. Start feeding one raw or cooked meal and then you’ll have a better idea of what you need to do. Otherwise you’ll still be weighing up all the options in a year. I’d suggest finding a Facebook group dedicated to raw or cooked feeding of a dog. You’ll get detailed advice there.
Thanks for the tips @MF. Yes, I probably am over thinking it, it's that stage in which having not started doing (the natural food yet), I end up scrutinizing too much I guess. I have found the raw facebook group though (some very elaborate recipes going on there not sure I even know all the igredients). Anyways, need to put all this in action now or sooner, true
That may be the case @Johnny Walker, still, and citing @Beanwood ´s previously posted article, this is really how I feel about it : "Many pet owners feel that chicken is a superior ingredient to chicken meal. It would seem logical that feeding a pet a whole, non-rendered chicken would be good. It would give the owner the feeling that the pet is eating human food. However, these ingredients make up only part of the total food." I guess as a reply if my expectation is that the chicken (or other meat source) in the dog kibble is premium cut for human grade, I would expect to get at least what I am paying for, so my answer is yes. Why should I settle for anything less than what I am paying for ? There are no meat or meat meal on the ingredients list of my chosen organic kibble, rather poultry (being chicken and turkey) apt for human consumption. This I am ok with.
