Do You Know What's in Dog Food?

!±8± Do You Know What's in Dog Food?

Have you ever considered the dog foods you are buying your pet? So many choices and it can be confusing: canned, dry, fresh, frozen, organic, raw, homemade or BARF? I would be confused too just reading these possibilities. Which company is making it? Has the manufacturer had any recalls? When? These are just a few of the questions you may consider before buying your next batch of food for your animal. Being educated is the best way to make wiser choices with your money.

"Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms"

George Eliot

We have owned dogs for over 40 years and look to know anything about the food we buying. We thought all dog food was created equal just different manufacturer. About 10 years ago we got serious with our adopted Molly. I became involved in a food coop helping save money on buying meat products for the dog. I was exposed to people who knew more than I did about healthy dog food. This is why today I am serious about what goes into her mouth.

Some readers may think that dogs are born to be vegans. I am not here to debate this. I believe it is a choice and I am doing what I believe is best for "my" dog. I won't judge others choices nor argue which is healthier: vegan, vegetarian or raw food diets. Research is always best to help you decide and I suggest never believe just one source.

I knew nothing about caring for a dog other than feeding and walking her. Both myself and husband were always responsible owners. Back in the days of our first one, we started off buying dry bagged food and canned meat. What did we know never exposed to dogs? We didn't have any guidance other than ourselves and what the vet told us. I felt like we were like the "blind leading the blind." Each "pooch" we had responded well to our choices without health problems. They all lived to be old. However, times have changed, and so has the food manufacturing.

With the massive amount of pet manufacturers recalls we opted to go with a more natural dog approach. Why? We figured since we ate a natural organic diet our dog deserves this. It did save us a lot of money in vet bills. However we don't eat animal products so there is no competition between us or the "angel" as I call her.

An authority speaks out...

According to Dr. Wendell O. Belfield, D.V.M.: "Rendering plants process decomposing animal carcasses, large roadkill and euthanised dogs and cats into a dry protein product that is sold to the pet food industry. One small plant in Quebec, Ontario, renders 10 tons (22,000 pounds) of dogs and cats per week. The Quebec Ministry of Agriculture states that "the fur is not removed from dogs and cats" and that "dead animals are cooked together with viscera, bones and fat at 115° C (235° F) for 20 minutes".

What does your dog eat?

Just reading Dr. Belfield's findings is enough to convince me that preparing my own fresh, raw meats as well as some cooked daily, is my best option. I have been doing this for about 10 years. She loves fish and gets that too. She eats mainly organics or grass fed meats, organic vegetables, supplements her diet and is monitored carefully by our vet for deficiencies.

Now that spring is around the corner I am thinking of natural dog gardening for her veggies. I can grow carrots and beets and keep them in the ground all year. I can also plant other vegetables she can eat in season right outside my backdoor.

I am not saying toss the dog food, but use your own judgment on what you want to expose your animal too. There are always recalls to be found for dogs, including treats. Newspapers and online are accessible for these findings.

I love my dog and want the best food to go into her body. It may be more expensive, but it's a choice and/or decision. I am investing in her great health and longevity. She recently recovered from Lupus!

Are you convinced to change or read the labels more often?

It's easier for me to not second guess and making my own is peace of mind at this point. How would you know if they are? A list of some additives "accepted" in animal feed and pet foods are below. 

Color additives

Flavor enhancers

Flavoring agents

Lubricants

Palatants

Pelleting agents and binders

Preservatives

Stabilizers

Sweeteners

Are you going to change what you are feeding your dog?

Wags from Molly and Carol Giambri (a voice to the dogs)

Do You Know What's in Dog Food?

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Gourmet Magazine Recipes For Easy Everyday Cooking

!±8± Gourmet Magazine Recipes For Easy Everyday Cooking

To talk about gourmet recipes, its best to first discover the top gourmet food magazines. For instance try reading a few magazines and getting to know some of the ones you tend to like more.

Some people like 'Good Housekeeping' and consider some of the scattered recipes in there to be simple and of gourmet taste. What it all boils down to is your passion for food, how much you love it, and what you consider gourmet.

You may want to try finding a gourmet hot dog recipes and may turn to a hot dog associated magazine, or even a gourmet hamburger recipe. Some of the greatest diners in this country are considered gourmet because of the unique and different ways they are preparing food.

Just because its off the interstate doesn't necessarily mean it isn't gourmet. Its always best to find out what is gourmet to you.

However the overall idea of gourmet usually is associated with things that are fine, which is the best definition to be used in this case to get a feel for the gourmet world itself. Always get a feeling for the world you are about to be stepping into and then go in your own direction.

A gourmet magazine has a variety of different recipes on their website as well as in their magazine. Mostly they began by featuring recipes, but now explore different issues such as food politics and other interesting subject matters.

But as with many magazine the recipes are what drove the readers to read the magazine. There are too many to list, but many of the recipes had to deal with pairing fine intricate cooking using fresh and rich ingredients with fine wines.

Now the recipes have expanded to different parts of the world including Japan, China, France, England, Norway and countless others. Many delicacies in other countries might be considered foul over here, but as said earlier gourmet has to do with tastes, and this magazine brings together all the different flavors in the world considered gourmet and puts a unique twist on them in recipes.

Food Network also has its own magazine and newsletter and displays many of its gourmet chefs in this magazine with interviews, cooking tips, and recipes. These chefs also make a good point to emphasize the particular twists and turns they have added to recipes to make them even more gourmet.

For example chefs tend to emphasize getting the best ingredients for these recipes to make them truly gourmet. These gourmet magazines recipes will generally fill them up with different cooking suggestions.

Food magazines are gathering places for people of many different talents and tastes to share their cooking talent and tastes. Readers can be sure to enjoy different calibers, skill levels, and nationalities of cooking.

It might even be good to pick up a video game such as cooking mama and gain inspiration from there! Cooking magazines however are the best places to go when looking for new and unique recipes.

Gourmet Magazine Recipes For Easy Everyday Cooking

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