Have you ever checked a dog food ingredient list and found the words “cellulose”, “powdered cellulose” or “lignocellulose”? At first glance it sounds harmless: cellulose is a natural component of plant cell walls and therefore a type of fibre. On the other hand, purified cellulose used in pet food may...
Can dry food, wet food and raw food be combined? Yes, combining different types of food is not wrong in itself. It is important to distinguish between complete food and complementary food. Complete food is intended to cover the dog's needs at the appropriate life stage, while complementary food is intended...
Should a large breed puppy eat puppy food until 12, 18 or 24 months of age? This question is often given very definite answers. I don’t think you should judge by the calendar alone. A puppy doesn’t become an adult the day it reaches a certain number of months of...
There are many recommendations about feeding a puppy. Some say that the food received from the breeder should not be changed. Others recommend immediately eliminating chicken, giving only one protein, or switching to raw food as soon as possible. But what does a puppy really need and how do you...
Dog bowl hygiene: bacterial studies, biofilms, material choices and FDA/CDC guidance on washing food and water bowls.
Dogs need glucose, but do they need added sugar? Learn how sugar affects dog food, metabolism and taste preferences, with research.
Sorbitol is not xylitol. Find out why it is used in dog treats, possible digestive effects and what to check on labels.
I am quite critical of what goes into my dogs' food bowls, particularly Oscar's. His problems as a puppy prompted me to explore what different ingredients do, why they are added to a product and whether they are actually necessary. Sorbitol and glycerine were among the first substances to catch...
A bag of dog food costs €100. Is that expensive or inexpensive? The more useful question is what that hundred euros actually pays for. Better ingredients, manufacturing, transport, the work of several intermediaries, packaging, or simply a familiar brand name? This article grew out of a price comparison Irene and I...
When a bag of dog food proudly says '60% fresh meat', it is easy to imagine a food made mostly of meat. But does this figure describe the finished product, or the recipe before drying? And if the ingredient list starts with 'lamb', does that mean most of the protein...
