What I Have Learned the Hard Way

The Exchange - What I Have Learned the Hard Way

A couple of months ago there was a tainted pet food scare, which led to the deaths of several animal pets in the United States (and elsewhere I’m sure). Since I have dogs myself and since I breed dogs I took careful note of the situation and after some of my puppies became sick at the same time as word of the tainted food broke, eventually leading to the death of my prized pup, I did a lot of research on the situation regarding processed dog foods, especially canned foods and other so-called “wet foods.”

As a result of that research I started feeding my dogs raw food and food made specifically for human consumption. Food processed for animal consumption is of far lesser quality and does not have to meet the same rigid standards regarding pesticide content, disease and toxicity taint, etc as food made for human consumption. In addition human food is generally packaged and transported in a safer and more efficient fashion. This is especially true regarding food imported from foreign countries and companies, such as products from China.

More information here:

More evidence of Chinese Laxity in manufacturing, safety, and regulation standards.

China closes food factories

China Executes Executive


Also I have discovered when shopping for food that if I feed my animals meat and other food products meant for human consumption, and buy the cheaper brands of these products, the price of feeding my animals has actually declined. That is to say that I can feed my dogs more cheaply and less expensively, and in greater bulk, by buying packs of wieners (for example) than by buying cans of dog food, and because the human food has to meet higher safety standards the food I now give them is far safer than what I previously fed them from cans. However I should also mention the fact that we tend to buy domestic food products, not imported ones.

I very much regret that my prized puppy died as a result of tainted food, and had I known then what I know now this could have been avoided, but from now on all of my dogs and animals will be fed inexpensive raw meat and vegetable products meant for human consumption, and despite the fact that it is cheaper than store bought canned pet-food, will nevertheless be far safer and better for them.

As a sidenote I should mention that my two adult dogs now seem far healthier and more relaxed and in better physical condition generally speaking than ever before. Even as they age.

Below is a list of foods I now feed my dogs and as soon as my bitch is delivered of her new litter and the puppies are able to eat solid food, the foods my puppies will also receive.


Solid Raw Food

Yogurt (basic and unflavored) – for digestive tract benefits
Eggs – especially good for coat
Hamburger
Tuna Fish – helpful for brain development, intelligence and training and concentration
Various Other kinds of Fish
Wieners
Turkey
Ham
Bratwurst
Bacon
Soup
Gravy
Peas
Corn
Baked Beans
Canned Carrots
Sweet Potatoes
Small Quantities of certain Chocolate as a behavior and training treat (which they like a lot)
Milk (occasionally, mostly to my bitch while she is pregnant)


Dry Food

Variety – we use a variety of store bought, high nutrition, commercial types of dry dog food which have proven and which we know to be safe
Biscuit or Bread – Human, not animal types
Dog Treats (which have proven safe)
Chews for teeth and gums


Liquid Food

Milk
Coffee – black, no sugar
Tea
Beer
Water

Additional Foods and Nutrients

Animal Vitamins

Metaergogenics which I developed for myself and my family (same formulae’s) dissolved in water and other liquids


Most of time I present the raw foods fed them as mixed topping to their dry dog food, at other times (about once or twice a week) we will blend and liquefy their solid, raw, food and pour the blended matter like a thick soup over their dry dog food. I do not feed them all of the types of food listed above at the same time or at the same meal but rather mix various types of food for different meals. During the day we allow them to free feed but for their night meals we mix the raw food with their dry food as described above.

Advantages – Healthier, eyes brighter, coat shinier, more active and prone to run and play. Seem far more intelligent, alert, observant, easier to train, and more naturally curious. Skin and coat free of disease, and cleaner. Outbreaks of ticks and fleas seem to be rare (which is a big advantage living in as rural an area as we live.) They seem to sicken very rarely if at all, and they seem to rest in a relaxed manner. Seem calmer and more relaxed generally. As for my experiments in increasing canine intelligence and producing a dog, which is generally far more intelligent and capable than normal, this change in diet has proven very helpful. See this entry:

Other Treatments and Regimes – Including occasional deworming and other treatments to destroy parasitic infections and reduce disease.
Bathing – about once a week or once every two weeks in summer and about once a month or so in winter. Because of the size of our dogs we always bathe them outside.
Flea And Tick treatment – liquid sprays and drops which are spread along length of body, we rarely use flea collars now due to allergies, expect in the wintertime.


These are some of the lessons I learned and the benefits of the research I did as the result of the tainted food scare.

I hope this information is useful to you and your pet. My experience with pets is limited to dogs but I imagine the same benefits might be had and enjoyed regarding your cat and other such pets.




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