Before we start, I, Dr. James St.Clair, 100% believe in a balanced nutritious diet for dogs. I also believe that there are very high-quality comprehensive diets available on the market to consumers. In no way am I advocating discontinuing your dog’s normal diet.
It is a fact that certain foods are potentially very dangerous to our dog’s health and we need to be aware of them. (See link at the end of this post) That said, there are a far greater number of WHOLESOME, FRESH, REAL FOODS that can be advantageous to your dog’s health i.e. foods that can provide valuable nutrition, health promoting antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and more.
I believe that as consumers we need to be educated and aware of the marketing messages that we encounter daily. Some consumers travel through life in essence “blindfolded”, not aware of the hundreds of marketing messages presented to us daily. The better educated we are, the better consumers we can be, thereby supporting the companies that are truly honest and care about our health and well-being. I hope that you will read this blog post with open eyes and are open to the basic concept I am presenting. Hope you enjoy it!
Here’s the post:
One of the funniest, most bizarre concepts that I come across every day in practice is pet owners’ perception that “people food” is bad for their dogs. In all honesty, this concept people have in their minds still perplexes me every day. Therefore, I thought it would be a great topic to dive into a little.
My clients, which I assume are a typical cross-section of the average pet owner across the country, for the most part, unanimously “shout from the rooftops” that they don’t give their dogs any “people food”. Most of them, in fact, almost wear this as a badge of honor.
A Little Sarcasm Can Make a Point While Having Some Fun
Here are my typical responses to my clients:
- So let me ask you this, does “dog food” grow in a different place than “people food”?
- Are there crops in the United States that only grow this “special” dog food, that I don’t know about?
- And even more importantly, if “people food” is bad for dogs then maybe I should not be eating it either.
Obviously, in making these sarcastic statements, I have slightly made my point and for the most part, my clients have a bit of an ah-ha moment, at least I like to think. Yet, I often wonder if they really, truly “get it.”
Here are some of their responses to me:
- Really!!! I can give my dog people food?
- I thought it was bad for them.
- I thought it would make them sick.
- I thought you were only supposed to feed them dog food.
So just in case you are not following me on this, my point is this:
Food is Food. Meat is meat. Wheat is wheat. Proteins are proteins. Carbohydrates are carbohydrates etc. etc. Then, dog food and people food are the same. The difference is simply the way it has been processed, packaged, and marketed by the companies that make this “special food for dogs.”
Don’t get me wrong we all have our food intolerances. I am lactose-intolerant, therefore dairy products, and I, don’t see eye to eye. That said, I also have come to find out that 2 of my 3 dogs are not friends with tomatoes.
A Long History but Only a Recent Phenomenon
A brief synopsis of the history of dog food brings us back to the mid-1700s in both France and Britain where there are well-documented writings and conversations about proper animal nutrition.
Yet, it was not until the mid-1800’s that the actual first “dog food” was created by an American electrician named James Spratt, from wheat meal, vegetables, and meat. He named the food “Spratt’s Patent Limited.” Spratt’s food gained a lot of press and awards within the dog show community and so the trend began.
It was not until the 1930’s that canned dog food was introduced by the Gaines Food Co. and by the end of World War II, pet food sales had reached over 200 million dollars.
Eventually, the original Spratt’s dog food line became a part of General Mills Corp.
In addition, within a relatively short period, most of the major food companies had jumped on the dog food bandwagon and were all manufacturing dog foods of their own. This proved to be a perfect vehicle for them to utilize and market their animal waste by-products as a profitable source of income.
Now a 20 Billion dollar industry, yes that’s right 20 BILLION DOLLARS, you can see why protecting the consumer’s perception that “dogs need to eat only dog food” is very important to some very powerful companies.
So Who Did It? Who Put This Into Pet Owners’ Minds
It is very simple, just follow the MONEY.
Considering that this was an extremely profitable revenue stream for all of these major food companies over the decades, they have spent millions and millions of dollars marketing “the concept of dog food”. Not only do they aggressively market to consumers, but they also spend millions of dollars marketing to veterinary students and practicing professionals. It all starts from day one when you enter veterinary school. Many of these companies provide FREE food to veterinary students’ pets, they provide books, lectures, grants, etc.
That being said, millions and millions of dollars have also been spent on perfecting the optimally balanced diet for our dogs. This very essential point needs not to be overlooked.
A Balanced Diet Can Go a Long Way
Don’t get me wrong, in no way am I saying that all dog foods are worthless and the whole thing is a big conspiracy because that is simply not the case. I intend to only open your eyes and have you ponder this concept.
We all acknowledge the importance of a balanced diet for our health. Our doctors talk about it, the TV talks about it, it is everywhere. Yet do we follow these guidelines ourselves? Absolutely not! Based on the obesity statistics in the USA alone, we know that the vast majority of humans, themselves do not have a balanced diet daily.
Therefore, in theory, providing your dog with food that contains everything they need, including all the essential vitamins and minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats to maintain a healthy life is, again, a good concept or goal. That said…why do we need to eliminate FRESH, REAL, LIVE food from their diet?
The Final Point
This is a topic that is near and true to my heart. Being a father of four human children and three dog children, I want nothing more than to protect them and provide the best for them. Having said that, I’ve made it a mission of mine to dive deep into this topic over the next year and uncover the truth behind the dog food phenomena.
Aside from genetics, I truly believe that we are what we eat and the same holds true for our pets.
PS: Oh and YES, “dog food” is made with real “people food” and therefore, people food (with a few exceptions of grapes, bakers chocolate, macadamia nuts, onions, and a few others) is not poisonous for dogs.
For a list of the “Poisonous Foods” for your dog click here.
PPS: To this day I personally still provide my dogs with balanced, high-quality dry dog food. But I also take great pride and joy in adding high-quality, organic vegetables, essential fatty acids, and organic meats into their diet to enhance the flavoring and bring joy to both my dogs and my life. See some of the foods I feed my dog here.
Patricia I so wish that I could help you. Unfortunately I can not provided specific medical advice for a patient (such as your critical dog) without having a doctor/patient relationship. That being said you need to get a second opinion or bring the dog back to the original doctor. I am very sorry. Dr.J
Dear dr st clair
reciently my dog skip became unwell had a slight cough my son brought him to the vet he said he had fluid on his lungs and somthing wrong with his heart he gave him an injection to take down thr fluid and tablets for five days and medican for his heart I noticed he is breading fast hes on the medican for his heart every day since last week but I dont know if the fluid is on his lungs again on the envelop of the tablets it says give as required what shsll I do
thanks patricia
Sandra, thanks so much for your kind words. There is no doubt that I try. Interesting that you mention Dr. Schoen, I have yet to meet him but have wanted to for many years. He is a brillant mind.
I cannot believe the compassion, as a veterinarian, you exude in your article. I thank you for sharing your feelings, your experience, and love you have for animals. You understand their pain, their needs and their dependence on us to do the right things by tthem . My dogs & cats are my children. I have been cooking for years. I cook only antibiotic free and hormone free meats. I try to use the angel hair whole wheat as a carb and they eat broccoli, spinach or kale. We give them Platinum performance as a supplement in their food. They gets Q 2 10 , vitamin C, Vitamin E, 369 fish oils. and sometimes salmon. Dr. Allen Schoen, a master of chineese herbs and accupuncture and much more has been my homeopathic vet for 20 years. My dog, Hans, was diagnosed with mast cell tumors.
He had four surgeries….four different mast cells.
Finally he said give him poly MVA which is $185.00 a bottle to last about 6 weeks. After he started this he never popped another mast cell nor did any of them matastisize. I lost him recently to a stroke. He was 12 and a 85 pound GSP. .. and I might add my heart and I was his…Never will I recover.. I have his house brother who I love dearly and I feed the same foods. How could anyone feed dog food when you can turn on tv at any given time find out China is poisoning them.
Or some other plant in America is feeding them road kill in their food…I cannot trust that a giant plant will not make a mistake in the ingredients or China will not throw some melmac in their food..Thank you for reinforcing my need to make sure my guys are as safe as I can make them.
Sandra Croyle .
Jessica I am not entirely sure but I am going to search for them and then I will write an article on this topic for you.
Carleen unfortunately I dont know the recipe she is using. If you search online there are board certified veterinary nutritionist who have made available balance homemade recipes that you could use for your dog. I would just make sure that you dont trust anyone on this topic..I would go to the experts ie. veterinary nutritionist.
Jody I would 100% recommend you using a joint supplement as a preventative or more appropriately as an supportive measure to ensure optimal joint health. As for the food, I personally can’t comment on any one dog food at this point. I would just make sure when you read the label of ingredients that the first three are decent source and quality proteins.
I like it :) Whole fresh food.
I have my girls on a vet recommended dry dog food. One of them is trying to lose weight. However I also make them their own special food. Once a week I put boneless , skinless chicken, carrots, well washed fresh spinach, sweet potatoes, a bit of rice and water and slow cook it. I add a bit on top of the kibble. They love it and my one dog as lost 2 lbs in the last month. However, before starting this I consulted with my vet.
I have a 2 year old Golden Retriever….got her at 9 weeks. She does not have any hip issues as of yet but this breed is known for having hip problems as they get older. Is it okay to go ahead and put her on a joint supplement as a preventative? Also, when I got her, she was starting to “knuckle under” so the vet had me put her on Pedigree adult food to slow down the process. This seemed to help but now she has been on this food and likes it but I get mixed reviews on whether it is a good quality food. I want the best for my two dogs…..what do you suggest? I don’t feed much table food….a pizza crust now and then and carrots and green beans….they like those. Thanks so much.
Please, share the homemade dog food recipe from Nancy with me, because I also have an overweight lab that could use some help to get a little trimmer. cj
Years ago my mother started my first dog an Aussie mix on a regiment of homemade food. This was back before the “make your own” craze was ever popular. Her vet of course completely freaked at that thought that she would do this. What if you got the amounts wrong? What if you left something out? What if you did not supplement correctly? My mother’s response was the dog is 12 years old with diabetes, two bouts of pancreatitis and blind. What is the worst that can happen :) The recipe she got was from NC State Veterinarian School. Within three weeks there was a complete turnaround. She no longer vomited, actually lost weight, was more active and was able to reduce her insulin. I am not saying it is a miracle cure or that it will work for all people but I definitely think in some case is really worth looking into.
With all that being said is there any new updated recipes you suggest?
Thank you doctor. Now I don’t feel so guilty. I do get it and I also understand that the bad, fatty, sugary foods that I eat are bad for my dogs. But Lucy loves yogurt, avacados, banana chips and broccoli and brussels sprouts. She also likes pancakes sometimes-and don’t forget the peanut butter. She’s a Newfie.
Great idea. I did get my money back from Walmart and asked that they remove the jerky from their shelves. Surprisingly they did it!
There is no doubt that the chicken jerky problem is very real. I think it is so important for consumers to be SMART and turn the bag over and read the entire label. This brings up a good topic, maybe even a video where I “turn the bag” over the discuss with to look for.
Thanks for a great article. We do feed our dogs a good quality dry food but also make them a fresh dinner every night with vegetables, rice, and chicken. With the recall of the chicken jerky (made in china) we started making our own and it’s actually great. We have standard poodles and they are healthy and look great! One of them did have some health issues (a double FHO) but you’d never know it to see her now.
Hurray for great words of wisdom!!! :-)
All seven of my dogs love fruits and veggies for treats (NO grapes!), and share leftovers, since I’m single and don’t always finish what’s for dinner. And heaven help me when I want to eat a banana myself — I have to take it outside and peel it in private to eat it alone, or risk sharing it with the dogs! My mother used to breed and raise Collies, and she always added eggs, meat, and veggies to the diet to improve her dogs’ coats; she felt dog food back then wasn’t as good as natural food, and she was right. My dogs are on a very high quality dog food, and I still feed veggies, cooked chicken, and fruits to my dogs, and they love it!
I’m also a “dyed in the wool” fan of GlycanAid Maintenance for my now 20-year-old Beagle, and for my little Beagle/Chi mix who had FHO surgery a year ago. Both are staying exceptionally comfy because of their wonderful supplement GlycanAid!
Kudos to Dr. St. Clair for bringing up this subject and acknowledging its value!
I really enjoyed your article and do believe that feeding my dog people food is a better choice because you know what is in it. My dog which is a chipoo has alot of digestive issues and he loves boiled chicken and rice but I would love if you cod share some more recipes n foods that would be good to feed him and also what soft dog food brands are the best and healthiest to feed him because I’ve read articles about commercial dog food companies putting alot of poisons n preservatives and also dead animals in their products that could be harmful to our pets. Iwould like to know what is the best diet to feed my dog so he can live a long healthy life?
I am a retired Pharmacist. I have been working with my dogs and natural remedies and foods for the past 35 years, after my Mother gave me Pitcairns Guide back in the 1970’s.
Since, I have been working to educate my obedience students and others on better nutrition choices, supplement choices and foods. It is amazing what the media can convince people to believe.
Thanks for this. I’ve always been puzzled by this aversion to “people food.” Usually the friends who say this feed their dogs pretty low quality food but I either say nothing or point out that food is food. Usually when I’ve cooked a chicken I’ll do a stock and add veggies to make a stew to add to my two dogs kibble. Also save water from cooking veggies and add that in to their dinners. They love their kibble but there is certainly extra enthusiasm on the stew days.
One of our childhood dogs would actually pull carrots out of the garden and eat them.
Thank you for your honest, sensible post on feeding dogs! I do feed my dog a good quality kibble (if one can use that description for dry, processed food!) but have always supplemented with plain organic yogurt, fresh steamed veggies, fish oil, and either tripe or canned sardines (in water). My dog has a gorgeous coat and he goes back to his food bowl several times after it is empty just to lick it! Occasional raw bones keep his teeth and jaws in shape. It almost seems like common sense to me that dogs (as humans) benefit from “real” food! It’s nice to hear this from a vet, rather than having them advocate the “prescription” foods that they sell!
:)
The dog food recalls are a whole other can of worms. Thanks for sharing.
There is not doubt that when it comes to nutrition it all is very complicated. There are so many variables that need to be taken into consideration which makes it hard for consumers to understand and in most cases even health professionals. There is NO ONE RIGHT WAY! We are all individuals with individual needs.
So this is a very tough one. Let me say it here. I think that there is IMMENSE value in many of the prescription diets on the market. These companies have spend millions, if not billions of dollars researching canine disease and nutritious solutions to meet this individual dogs needs. In the case of your dog you really need to stick with that recommended diet because the risk I think out ways the reward.
me to
I totally agree with your comment. There is no doubt that a large portion of our population do not eat quality, nutritious food i.e..the obesity epidemic in the US. I need to present clarity here or in future writings. I am STRICTLY referring to wholesome, real food. ie. Real meats, Real vegetables, Real Grains…..nothing processed. Thanks for bringing this up.
Thanks Cara, I appreciate your constructive criticisms. There is no doubt that I am not the worlds bet writer but my craft is slowly improving I think over time. For me this was a twisted topic because there were some many ways I could go with it. My plan is to continue evolving with this topic over the course of the next year as I interview everyone from board certified nutritionist to manufactures. Thanks again Cara.
Good question Cara. All blogs are build on something called WordPress. All comments have to be approved by the author. The reason for this is to avoid spam or any virus infused comments. I think this is just an added protection for the website.
Sounds like a smart vet to me :)
Micheal thanks for the heads up. I fixed that link. All the best.
Sounds like what I eat regularly. I think the important thing though if you are cooking 100% for your dog that you also incorporate and good multivitamin into the diet. Also you just have to make sure that the diet is proportioned and balanced for a dogs dietary needs.
Send it along nancy. You can email it to [email protected]
I cook my dog’s food. I do not trust anymore what manufacturers put in their dog food, whether canned or dry. Her main diet is skinless, boneless chicken breast and thighs which I cook in a crockpot. I add a little bit of steamed broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots which I mash and mix into the chicken. Then I sprinkle powdered multi-vitamins on top. Once a week, I substitute one meal with canned salmon. Also once every two weeks I feed her 97% fat free ground beef or ground turkey. She’s a healthy, happy dog. I also give her after every meal (I feed her twice a day) GlycanAid Maintenance, and her treats are Happy Hips and Check-ups. No rawhide or any of those fancy fattening dog treats. I do not feed her what I eat, which is cooked differently. I firmly believe I’m giving her the best diet for her.
Well said and well done. I really enjoyed the article and look forward to reading more in the near future. PLEASE!
My dog had to have TPLO surgery and it was recommended that i make her food so that she could drop some weight prior to surgery. She is a yellow lab and started out at 69 lbs. She is now a 58 lbs and doing great. I would love to send you the recipe i use if you’d like. I think its worth the 3 hours per month i spend to create a health diet for my girl…
My puppy name Teddybear past away last year of cancer and I am still feeling sad,he was only 5 years old and I love him very much
I started cooking for my 2 Rotties when I retired. (just under 5 yrs ago). Whole chickens, organic brown rice, carrots & celery which I put over their kibble. I agree with your article. Food IS food, just need to be aware of what is poisonus to them. Hope many dogs get fresh foods from your writing where they didn’t before.
Hello; I want to thank you for this BLOG, and I do feed my PET People food to my pets Dog Food and she love it. I do know some of the Poisonius foods not to feed to my pet. But your “click here” didn’t come up and I would like to know more in this area if you don’t mind.
Sincerely yours With Admiration
Michael L. Bosch
I have been going to the same vet for 22 years.
He has always recomended that i give my dogs raw vegetables. They all had the shinest coats. All labradors black and yellow. they lived a long an healthy life. He also said boiled chicken is the best to mix with their dry food because it is easy for them to digest. Carrots are the best treat instead of dog bones bought in the store, an they are very health for them.
What does your comment is awaiting moderation mean?
Your writing style of trying to undue stuff that most people did not already read was very annoying. Your topic was lost in that you did not offer requirements of human nutrients for dogs. This would have been the “meat and potatoes” of a positive argument to state your case with supporting details.
In the past you have done a beautiful job of form and content ….try again with this topic.
Cara Fanchild, M,A. (literature and writing.)
While I agree with your idea that people food and dog food have the same general ingredients I think it is a mistake to let the general public believe that they can feed their dogs ‘table scraps’ which is unfortunately what would happen. Most dog owners don’t think about what foods should and should not be fed to their pets. Instead letting them think that dog food is best saves our pets from gravy, doughnuts, cookies and other junk food that we are killing ourselves with.
I am sorry to hear some people did not get your point. I to feed my beagles a good quality dry with a mix of fresh meat and veggies I am looking forward to seeing what you come with!
A helpful overview of the vexatious question about what we should feed our dogs. Balanced an fair. Great post, thanks.
my yokies have uranary crystals ,the vet put them on special food ,well i think this food is awful and i dont want to feed them that stuff , so do to know of and food ,or yet what i can cook for them any help will be so thaankfull
Oh Dr James….This is exactly what consumers and pet owners need to hear from a VET! So many vets just try to ply us with their own brand of pet food without really knowing much about nutrition and I know from my own vet that animal nutrition is usually only a marginal part of convention veterinary education.
I am a raw diet proponent — but that doesn’t mean that I would disapprove of any canine diet as long as it’s based on current research. I think the key is a healthy balance between the two.
It always strikes me as funny that people who eat junk food and fast food in their own diets would be so opposed to processed canine foods! That being said, I still like the idea of knowing what my dog is actually eating and that he is eating the way his ancestors once did.
Thanks for the article!
J Wilson
I have been feeding my dogs mostly raw food with bones, meat, vegetables, fruit and additives (kelp, alfalfa, oil etc) for 15 years. I also give them eggs and cooked grains sometimes. I buy in bulk and balance their food over time. My 3 working dogs are very fit and healthy.
Since I don’t feed Orijen to my dog, she dribks less, is in btter health, don’t have to take her out so often to pee.
She had a serious kidney failure after the sterilisation operation at 6 months…and had to change her diet…
Orijen being a high quality food, somehow…
the condition(kidney) made her sometimes have leeks when sleeping, small ones occasionally…
since i stopped died food, full of salts and stuff to conserve meat aqnd the rest so it’s good for a year… I see the results, from feeding her, meat, rice, eggs, veggies, and it’s not that much work and she can go from 19h00 at night untill 10h00 next day not asking to go out for a wee and no more leaks episodes…
Now thats something…kibbles are like mcdonals.. full of salt… wanna keep your dog longer and healthy, feed them good stuff that you cook with love
she’s 5 years old, the kidney condition was suppose to have her die and not live more than 3-4 years old… I think the diet switch is part of the healing!
Thanks Doc! A little sanity, at last. Hurray!
Great article. I completely agree!! Looking forward to follow up information from you on this topic.
Thank you for your article on people food for dogs. With more and more recalls on dog food it has become and issue for me to provide my dog with a wholesome flavorful meal. In the back of my head were the advertisements on how unhealthy people food is for pets. My Carly gets a good dry food (had to change it twice due to recalls) but I add what I make for dinner with it.
Thank you for your article!!!!!
Yes … I get it and thank you! I have always felt that a little “people” food is not going to hurt my furry children. They love chicken, hamburger and one even likes bananas. Had a dog years ago that would forgo a steak for a salad with thousand island dressing!
I’ve had to start feeding my dog “people food” due to possible grain allergies. She’s thoroughly enjoying the rice, green vegetables and meat she’s receiving twice a day.
I’ve tried to research what quantity to give her. I’ve read to feed so many cups/what I want her goal weight to be, to feed 2-3% of what I want her goal weight to be. Along with that the opinion varies on what percentage of vegetable/rice/meat to give her.
I’ve currently opted for 50% lean meat, 25% rice, 25% vegetable, and am going for about 630 grams of food total/day to get her back to a goal of 50 pounds.
I’ll occasionally substitute black beans for rice and pumpkin for green vegetables, but the percentages and amounts don’t vary.
Is there a reputable website that has this information w/o having to pay a fee to a dietitian?
Thanks for your help.
Here is the version without typos and things:
HA! I always ask the same question: “does dog food grow on different trees than people food?”
I heard many people proudly stating they don’t give their dogs people food. But food is food, it’s either good or bad (and yes, most of the food people eat is bad for people, never mind dogs–but that’s a different story)
Our dogs get the same meat and veggies we eat. (OK, hubby won’t touch liver or kidney, but that’s his loss)
OK, technically, I guess what they get is not people food. It is not dog food either. It’s food for dogs.
Our guys get lean beef when we’re munching on pizza. I won’t give them pizza. I will give them nice roast. I won’t give them steak with BBQ sauce; I will give them plain steak with veggies. I won’t give them pie, I’ll give them home-made jerky.
They have their own recipes, we have ours, but what goes it is the same stuff. Food.
Great article.
correction, sorry: It’s not DOG food either (don’t know how I missed adding it)
HA! I always ask the same question: “does dog food grow on different trees than people food?”
I heard many people proudly stating they don’t give their dogs people food. But food is food, it’s either good or bad (and yes, most of the food people eat is bad for people, never mind dogs–but that’s a different story)
Our dogs get the same meat and veggies we eat. (OK, hubby won’t touch liver or kidney, but that’s his loss)
OK, technically, I guess what they get is not people food. It is not food either. It’s food for dogs.
Our guys get lean beef when we’re munching on pizza. I won’t give them pizza. I will give them nice roast. I won’t give them steak with BBQ sauce; I will give them plain steak with veggies. I won’t give them pie, I’ll give them home-made jerky.
They have their own recipes, we have ours, but what goes it is the same stuff. Food.
In a way, we don’t feed.
Great article.