A New Science Dog Webinar (with a FREE Preview!) The Scoop on Poop An evidence-based webinar examining how diet and life style factors influence fecal quality and GI health in dogs. This comprehensive discussion examines ALL of the factors that go into optimal fecal quality (and quantity) in dogs and what owners can do to … Continue reading The Scoop on Poop
canine nutrition
Can We Feed Dogs a Healthful Vegan Diet?
Dog owners who choose to feed a vegetarian or vegan diet may do so for a variety of reasons. These include animal welfare concerns, a desire to reduce the environmental impact of the foods that they select, or beliefs about what constitutes a healthful diet. Some may also prefer foods that are less highly processed … Continue reading Can We Feed Dogs a Healthful Vegan Diet?
What IS the Canine Gut Microbiome, Anyway?
A New Science Dog Courses Webinar Presented by Dr. Stephanie Clark An on-demand webinar for veterinary health professionals, trainers, nutritionists, pet industry professionals and dog owners. Enjoy the opportunity to chat with the presenter and ask questions. Learn about the importance of the gut microbiome for long-term health and how diet may influence gut health. … Continue reading What IS the Canine Gut Microbiome, Anyway?
Can We Make Raw Dog Foods Safe?
Minimally-Processed Dog Foods Minimally-processed pet foods are increasing in popularity among dog owners. One sub-category of these foods is raw meat-based diets (aka RMBDs). I have reviewed the current science regarding the safety of these products in previous Science Dog essays (see The Raw Deal and Freeze-dried). In a nutshell, evidence from multiple studies supports … Continue reading Can We Make Raw Dog Foods Safe?
Fresh-Cooked Dog Foods
Commercial Hype or Superior Nutrition? By now, I would venture that almost every dog person on the planet has seen the 2023 Superbowl commercial "Forever", produced by The Farmer's Dog pet food company. (For the three people who have not yet seen it, here you go. Tip: Have a tissue box handy). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjlnjOMBCok This commercial … Continue reading Fresh-Cooked Dog Foods
What Do You Know……
About Canine Communication Signals? Do Dogs Enjoy Hugs? The question of whether or not dogs enjoy being hugged by humans tends to spark a great deal of discussion and controversy. While there are some who state that dogs do not naturally enjoy the intense physical closeness of a hug (and may even perceive hugs as … Continue reading What Do You Know……
Do Human-Grade Dog Foods Improve Dogs’ Skin Health?
Human-grade pet foods are becoming increasingly popular. I have written about this category of foods on several occasions and have reviewed recent studies of how these food tend to perform when fed to dogs. MILDLY- COOKED, HUMAN-GRADE DOG FOOD What do we currently know? To date, we know a few things about human-grade dog foods: … Continue reading Do Human-Grade Dog Foods Improve Dogs’ Skin Health?
Are There Benefits of Insect-Based Dog Foods?
Insect-based dog treats and foods were first introduced into the commercial pet food market quite recently - about 6 years ago. While early products were primarily offered as treats, complete and balanced dog foods that contain various types of insect meals are increasingly available. I have written about the insect species that have been studied … Continue reading Are There Benefits of Insect-Based Dog Foods?
A New Scoop for Citizen Scientists
In recent years, the expansion of citizen scientist experiments to include owners and their dogs has been instrumental in furthering our understanding of canine behavior, social cognition, emotional responses and training. Not only are these studies of great practical importance, they also provide information about the complexities of dogs lives in ways that laboratory experiments … Continue reading A New Scoop for Citizen Scientists
Protein Quality of Freeze-Dried Foods
I have written about freeze-dried pet food safety in a previous Science Dog essay. While we have a bit of evidence regarding risks of pathogen contamination in freeze-dried products, there has been little published research regarding the nutritional quality of freeze-dried foods or treats. This is an important question because freeze-dried foods and treats are … Continue reading Protein Quality of Freeze-Dried Foods
Diet and Your Dog’s Skin Microbiome
The word "microbiome" is all the rage among dog researchers and dog folks these days. In most instances when you hear this term, it refers to a dog's gut microbiome. However, another important microbiome system in the dog's body is the skin. Similar to the gut, the skin's bacterial makeup is comprised of multiple species, … Continue reading Diet and Your Dog’s Skin Microbiome
FDA Guidelines? Who Knew?
I have been in the pet food industry, in some capacity, for my entire working life. Today, I learned about a set of FDA Guidelines that are written to help to keep our dogs (and us) safe. Until recently, I had no idea that these even existed. Apparently, I am not alone. A recent study, … Continue reading FDA Guidelines? Who Knew?
What Do You Know about Canine Nutrition?
TAKE THE QUIZ! Nutrition Courses and Webinars for Dog People Basics of Canine Nutrition Puppies to Seniors Dog Food Smarts Master's Class Certificate Program Other Popular Courses and Webinars: Nutrition Controversies in the Dog World Feeding Puppies for Health and Longevity Dogs are Carnivores, Right? Understanding Canine Body Signals Human Grade: Meaningful Distinction or Marketing … Continue reading What Do You Know about Canine Nutrition?
Enrichment Activities
(Are Not All Created Equal) Enrichment is a popular term these days in the dog training and dog care world. And for good reason. At its most basic, environmental enrichment refers to a variety of techniques and interventions that are intended to enhance the physical and emotional well being of animals who live under human … Continue reading Enrichment Activities
The (Dis)connection between Grain-Free Foods and DCM
Almost 4 years ago, in July of 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a public alert stating that they had reports of an apparent increase in the national incidence of Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs. At the time, it was speculated (without evidence) that the perceived increase in cases was related to the consumption … Continue reading The (Dis)connection between Grain-Free Foods and DCM
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