Food And Nutrition Lessons

In discussing what to feed your dog,one must take into consideration many different factors,such as: breed,health,activity level and age of the dog. In this article, I will discuss the origins of dog food, and how to read dog food labels .Also, of what to be wary in your choices of products.Finally, I will discuss what the nutritional requirements are, and how to provide this in a home- prepared diet, be it cooked or raw.

Origins of Commercial Dog Food

The information for this section is taken from a book entitled: Canine and Feline Nutrition, by Linda P.Case, MS, Daniel P. Carey. DVM, and Diane A. Hirakwa, PhD. Before the middle of the nineteenth century, diets for dogs and cats consisted of table scraps or homemade formulas, made from human food and scraps. In fact, most farm dogs ate organ meats, such as heart and lung left over after the farm animals were slaughtered for human consumption. These farm dogs thrived on this diet. Dog food, as we know it today, has only existed for approximately seventy years.

First came dog biscuits, made by an American living in England. The commercial success of these dog biscuits inspired others to make pet food. Then there was canned food. Next, with the onset of World War II, came dry dog food. In 1957, with the invention of what is called the "Extrusion Method", there was kibble. The extrusion method is basically rapidly cooking the ingredients and forcing the mixture through an extruder, which is a specialized pressure cooker, then coating the kibble with fat or some other palpable enhancer.

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