The Pet Food Wars: In May 2014, Nestlé-Purina, the largest producer of pet foods sold in the U.S., filed a lawsuit against Blue Buffalo, a competitor. Among other things, the lawsuit alleged that Blue Buffalo’s marketing claims—that their foods contained no by-product meals—were false and disparaging to other companies’ products. … Continue reading What’s the Deal with Meals?
Nutrition
What’s in YOUR Food? (Revisited)
In an earlier blog essay, "What's in Your Food?" I reviewed the results of four published studies that compared the animal protein ingredients listed on various pet food labels with the actual ingredients found in the foods. Multiple instances of mislabeling occurred in which undeclared animal species were included as ingredients and/or protein ingredients declared on the label were completely absent. This month, another study was … Continue reading What’s in YOUR Food? (Revisited)
Keep those Doggies Rollin’……Rawhide, Rawhide!
Rawhide, Rawhide: A dog person cannot walk into a pet supply store (or their own grocery store, for that matter) without noticing the explosion in the number of dog chews, dental devices and edible bones that are available for sale today. Some of these are biscuit or extruded concoctions containing a mixture of ingredients, while others originate from cow skin (rawhide chews) or are the … Continue reading Keep those Doggies Rollin’……Rawhide, Rawhide!
Air, It’s What’s for Dinner
Every once in a while, I read a paper that makes me scratch my head. Last week was just such a moment. The paper really needs no introduction. The title says it all: "Increasing volume of food by incorporating air reduces energy intake" [in dogs]. Let's talk about obesity (again): If you read "Do you think I look … Continue reading Air, It’s What’s for Dinner
Scoopin’ for Science
I was at the gym recently, swimming laps. After my work-out, I was sitting by the side of the pool and a fellow swimmer and friend stopped to chat about dogs. He has never owned a dog, but his daughter has been pressuring him and he thinks she is finally old enough to take on the … Continue reading Scoopin’ for Science
“Do you think I look fat in this collar?”
Said no dog. Ever. This is how dogs more likely consider the possibility of being overweight: Most owners are aware that it is our responsibility to keep our dogs at a healthy body weight and in good condition. We all know this, right? Perhaps not. A few statistics: Obesity continues to be the number one nutritional problem … Continue reading “Do you think I look fat in this collar?”
What’s in YOUR Food?
What I mean of course, is "What's in your dog's food?" When asked this question, most owners read the list of ingredients found on their food's label. By law, pet food ingredients must be reported in descending order of preponderance by weight at the time of processing. This means that ingredients that are found first in the list are present in greatest abundance … Continue reading What’s in YOUR Food?
The Nature of Natural
Over the last few years, the sale of dog foods that carry a claim of natural, either embedded into their brand name or proclaimed on their front label, has exploded. According to the marketing research firm Packaged Facts, natural foods are currently the fastest growing segment of the U.S. pet food market. The sale of foods that are … Continue reading The Nature of Natural
Not Your Grandmother’s Kibble
When I was in graduate school, a fellow student recommended a book called The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn. Published in 1962, it was already considered a classic in the philosophy of science by the 1980’s. Kuhn is responsible for defining and popularizing the concept of “paradigm shifts.” He explains that historically, scientific … Continue reading Not Your Grandmother’s Kibble
Talking Turkey
I grew up with a story-book grandmother. She was my mother’s mom, “Nana” to my sister and me. As required of all perfect grandmothers, Nana was a great cook and regularly expressed her love through sumptuous meals and comfort foods. Although she did not actually reside “over the valley and through the woods”, her home … Continue reading Talking Turkey
What’s Your Dinner Ritual?
The Case dogs have an evening dinner ritual. This ritual has not changed much in the last few years and deviates very little in its nightly performance. It begins, like clockwork, at 8:15 pm and is currently directed by Cadie, our senior Golden girl. Mike (my husband) typically feeds the dogs their evening meal, so … Continue reading What’s Your Dinner Ritual?
New Book Announcement – “Dog Food Logic”
"Dog Food Logic: Making smart decisions for your dog in an age of too many choices" is now available from Dogwise Publishing and Amazon. Click on the image for ordering information. Below are several recent reviews. ORDER AT DOGWISE ORDER AT AMAZON ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ REVIEWS OF "DOG FOOD LOGIC" ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ Reviewer: … Continue reading New Book Announcement – “Dog Food Logic”
The Science Dog 