Dog Food

[Gina Heitz <brier@oregonsbest.com>]

Hi All,

It's me and I am going to nag and get nasty here so if your not in the mood 
don't read this now, but please do later...  As you all know I do not 
approve of a steady diet of just kibble for dogs.  With my first litter of 
puppies now over 10 and Kaycee's final litter just turning 7 in September I 
have been in contact with several of these people checking in on their dogs 
and trying to help with older age issues...  It's come to my attention not 
only with these litters but with some subsequent litters some people are 
feeding really poor quality dog food and dogs are starting to have health 
problems!  With out naming names I am going to relay some stories and 
information...

Dog #1 (male) age 10 is obese at 98 pounds.  Thyroid is normal heart is 
normal, minus it's enlarged due to excess weight, who knows on hips as the 
owner will not x-ray because "the vet bills for 2002 for this dog have been 
in the excess of $300.00 already".  But the dog is having trouble with 
mobility. Dog eats 4 cups a day of Costco brand "Kirklland Nutra Nuggets" 
and that's all "Fido #1" gets.  That's all...  Fido #2 has serious dental 
problems as well.  He is going to need to have 5 teeth extracted next week 
in addition to the "out of sight" vet bills already for 2002.


Dog #2 (female) age 7 from Kaycee's final litter, has just been diagnosed 
with colitis.  Dog eats "Pro Plan Senior Diet" reduced fat and 
protein.  Does get added yoghurt but that's the only "human" food.  Prior 
to age 6 when the vet said it was time to move Fido #2 over to a senior 
food Fido ate Pedigree brand dog food and on occasion got a bag of cheap 
dog briskets thrown in now and again, but now that Fido #2 is a senior they 
stopped treating because they don't want Fido#2 to get fat.  Though Fido #2 
is fat at 85 pounds.

Now let's look at these dog's mother:  Kaycee will be 13 on November 1 and 
is as sound as they come.  She is carrying a few extra pounds but she is 
active healthy and her teeth are in excellent shape for her age (better 
than mine).  Sure for the first 8 years of her life she ate a diet that 
mainly consisted of dog food but she has always had and enjoyed veggies, 
fruit and table scraps.  She has never been fed a low end kibble.  She has 
had her teeth cleaned by the vet twice in her life but has had regular 
dental exams.  I use to brush her teeth but have not needed to in the past 
few years due to her diet of raw food, though she has had dental exams.... 
I would venture to say that in vet care since age 7 Kaycee has cost us 
about $100.00 per year...  We have done full blood panels on her at age 10 
and 12 and will do one coming up now yearly. The cost of such is $100.00.

Fido #1 may not see 13, and well that is what it is and that can partly be 
due to genetics as Fido# 1 is not his mother but all of Fido#1's problems 
in my opinion are from poor nutrition and over loving.  These people do 
love Fido but they are also not taking care of Fido's needs....  Fido #2 
may have gotten colitis anyway but I am 95% sure that this is diet based 
colitis from a very poor diet.

Dogs need to be fed a more biologically correct diet and no dog ever needs 
to go on senior food ever!  This does not mean you have to go to feeding 
the way I do but you should incorporate other foods into your dog's diet 
and you should feed a GOOD quality of kibble.  Add fresh foods to your dogs 
diet, veggies, fruits, a small amount of dairy, extra fiber, and please 
monitor weight.  Don't feed cheap kibble.  Please don't feed: Pedigree, any 
of the Kirkland foods, Kibble N Bits, Diamond, Old Roy, Wallmart brand, 
ect.  Also be cautious with store brands, Pet-Co's "Authority" brand Iams, 
Science Diet these are all poor choices too.  Dog food is important "you 
are what you eat" and when your Fido get's older it may be too late to 
reverse bad choices.  As you all know there are two dog foods that I highly 
recommend, both are very easy to come by:

http://www.canidae.com  Canidae has a locator on their site, just plug in 
your area code and up comes the list.  Flint River Ranch, how easy does 
this get?  You call me I send you forms you make a phone call or mail or 
fax your order in get on an auto ship program and every so many weeks food 
appears on your door step via UPS.  Then you take a few minutes a week 
doing some prep, grind up some veggies and fruit seal in baggies and dole 
out either as a treat or mix with food a few times a week.  And please 
don't forget real natural RAW bones.  Dogs love bones and they need bones, 
and RAW bones will not hurt your dog!

Now onto the rant part, ultimatum on the table!  (and you thought that was 
the rant, oh no!)...  I am about ready to start not honoring my 
spoken  warrantee to anyone who feeds crappy dog food.  Now I am not saying 
the above two foods are the ONLY foods I will honor but as with my 
warrantee being verbal and case by case, that's how I am going to take the 
dog food/diet issue.  While I know all of you are hearing me yell please 
take it to heart in the kindest of ways...  I do care about your dog, I 
would not have put your dog on this earth if I did not...

Regards,

Gina