Dr. Gary’s Best Breed

I started working dogs at the age of 19 and unfortunately I didn’t really take much stock into what we were feeding our dogs. There were some good dog foods back then that were starting out in the industry. Since then they have changed hands many times and have become a small product in a big corporation.

The military supplied a food that had a shelf life of one million years and caused horrible diarrhea if they even looked at it. This could have many causes; as it was designed for field use much like M.R.E (Meals Ready to Eat. It was high in everything. We often feed with a mix of other kibble and usually a sudden switch from a normal diet when expiration dates passed.

It is hard for me to recall what we fed our dogs while growing up. I do believe that even the worst dog foods back then are probably better than most of the “good” dog foods now. The overall content of dog food has not changed that much. We still don’t use meats and other products that are good for humans; however, we also didn’t “outsource” at that time either.

I look at what a dog eats as being simple. Our dogs didn’t truly become domesticated until the last fifty years. While they may have been apart of our families, they were restricted to rudimentary shelters in our yards; expected to protect our homestead and livestock. Dog foods didn’t exist then. They received scraps from our meals or fended for themselves.

Dogs like other wild animals would find food that their bodies nutritionally needed. They also ate the innards and all from the entire kill. If something doesn’t settle with their stomachs, they stayed away. If they were sick, they sought out remedies. When a dog in the wild poops it is called scat, when a domestic dog goes, it is called poop; same result, big difference.

Today, our dogs have the ultimate life. We provide them with shelter, companionship and food while they have nothing to work for. Some dog owners are very fickle about what they feed their dogs, while some look for cost and are big business. We don’t question opinions from professionals about what is being put in our dog’s bodies, especially if they have a great slogan or advertisement.

When I was in Germany, the local veterinarians would question how often we vaccinate our dogs. I watched tumors the size of basketballs being taken out of our countries working dogs. I feel that the location in which the dog was stationed could have been a big part of the cause. It also could have been the yearly vaccinations, x-rays, teeth cleanings and diet that was given.

For the amount of money our government puts into its dog programs; I never saw one dog food agreed upon. The military would give us a budget telling us to make it last for the amount of dogs and duration. We went to the commissary to purchase the cheapest food we could find and that is what we had to feed. When I worked for U.S. Customs they gave a guideline for content. It was left up to the local kennels to supply the food of their choice as long as it fell under the guidelines.

I am not saying that an expensive or cheap dog food equals it to be good or bad. I just don’t understand with all the monies being poured into dog programs protecting our country why there isn’t a food that is chosen on performance not price.

There is a natural progression a dog trainer goes though in their career. We eventually start looking for a food that we feel is best for our dogs. I have also followed this path and wanted to find a food that would become a foundation for my facility. I searched the internet to study which dog food was the best. I found that several foods were generated by the companies that started many of the products such as lamb and rice diets while denouncing any use of corn.

I tried raw diets, B.A.R.F diets and highly advertised kibble diets while finding that there were many claims with varied results. All had great reasons why their diets work best, but the proof is in the pudding in my eyes.

I did find a professor at Purdue University that gave a great outlook on his research. He told me that my best bet in the search for the ultimate dog food was to decide what I could afford to feed then add supplements. This becomes expensive and difficult for raw diets, especially if you have multiple dogs and also buying decent kibble with supplements. This wasn’t going to help nor be cost effective.

While the cost of the food is more expensive than common brands, it is comparable to other advertised high quality brands. Those who feel the cost is very high for dog food will be surprised at how long a bag of food will last. You will feed less and get more from one bag. You will also notice that their stool isn’t a funky color and more resembles human colored stool.

All of my dogs vary in the amounts I feed. My 80+ lb. Lab eats 1.5 cups twice a day (3 total) and my 60 lb. Malinois eat 3 cups twice a day (6 total). A bag last me about 3 weeks for my Belgium Malinois (70 lbs.), Pit Bull (80 lbs.) and Yellow Lab (70 lbs). My Malinois and Lab eat when and as much as they want, maintaining a healthy shape, however, my Pit Bull would eat the entire bag if he could.

A measuring cup is required and exact amounts are necessary. Dogs that are heavy will lose weight if you give them a less amount until they reach a healthy weight, thin dogs will gain lean muscle and put weight on. If you feed too much they will look like they swallowed a blueberry in a very short period of time.

If you are interested in trying a bag of food, I will happily give you enough food for a few days to see if your dogs will like it. Evy and I both have guarantees that if you are not happy with the food, return it and we will refund your money.