Recent studies suggest that even the supposedly “skin-friendly” types of meat contain harmful chemicals that can cause health issues. Since most dogs eat at least half of their meals off these products, it is important to consider how well they are for your dog!
Many brands market their diet as being more expensive due to the higher price per kilogram (2 pounds) of food, but you should look into the cost per meal instead. Most stores offer special coupons or discounts if you purchase a certain amount, making bagged diets relatively affordable.
Dog owners often times forget about the nutritional value of this food while their pets get hungry very quickly, sometimes before the end of the day. This article will talk about some potential risks of eating processed meats such as hamburger and hotdogs and whether or not there are ways to prevent them in baked goods and other recipes.
History of bagged dog food
Many major brands began offering packaged foods for dogs in the 1940s. Back then, most diets were dry kibble that needed to be mixed with water to make eating more practical.
Since some dogs eat faster than others, companies started adding gravy or liquid to help get your dog more into the diet as quickly as possible. The most common type of liquid used is plain chicken broth.
However, some dogs do not like this added liquid so they cannot find it easily. Therefore, manufacturers start using canned liquids such as water or tomato juice instead.
These types of liquid are usually enough to coat the kibble and give time to teach the stomach to use the meal more slowly. This is what makes pre-packaged diets helpful for dogs who may need to learn how to eat slower due to health issues or weight problems.
Sadly though, none of these changes are made until years later when the dried kibble option comes around again! These new bags contain less nutritional value and take longer to ingest which could be problematic if your dog needs nutrition right away.
What does “bagged” mean?
The term bagged typically refers to foods that have been packaged in bags or containers with some kind of barrier material to preserve freshness and prevent oxidation (the process where food oxidizes due to exposure to air).
This is important because as food degrades, nutrients are lost. More expensive raw diets may contain more durable packaging than less expensive commercially prepared foods, which may quickly lose their quality when opened and exposed to oxygen.
Regularly priced dry dog foods with vacuum-sealed packets can be very expensive if you buy too much for your dog. This is why it is best to weigh down your dog’s plate so that they do not finish the whole package.
Some theories suggest that the cost difference is due to added antioxidants and other micronutrients such as taurine found in meat sources. These are just marketing strategies used to appeal to buyers.
What does “packaged” mean?
There are two main types of packaged dog food- dry and wet. A dry food is one that is finished, mixed together, and stored in containers or packages. This type of food is more portable, you can take it anywhere!
Dry foods are usually made from meat, rice, potato, or corn as the primary ingredient. The dogs eating this kind of food do not need to be able to chew because they ingest the ingredients already. Some examples of dry dog foods include Royal Canin, Taste Of The Wild, and Wondeelux.
A wet food contains raw meat, fish, or other protein sources that the dog eats by chewing. The sauce or liquid component of the food helps give the needed nutrition to the meal. Some examples of wet dog foods are Westminster Kennels Club Grilling Stix and Nobby’s Indoor & Outdoor Cooker Recipes.
What does “dry” mean?
The second key difference between most commercial dog foods and homemade is whether or not the food contains water. Most commercially available dry dog foods have an average water content of less than 5%! This means that the meat, vegetables, and/or other ingredients in the product are dried out and very little water remains.
This can be a problem for two main reasons. First, dogs need water to live. Second, the high levels of empty space in a dry dog food diet may cause nutritional deficiencies due to lack of adequate intake of essential vitamins and minerals.
Homemade diets are usually higher in moisture which helps ensure that your dog is getting enough of the many nutrients that she needs. However, if your dog was eating a more expensive raw meal style diet before, a lower-moisture kibble recipe probably is the better option now.
A good rule of thumb is to compare one week on both diets and see how your dog looks and acts during this period. If she seems happier with the cooked version, go with that one for a few weeks until you get back into a balance situation then switch her over.
What does “moist” mean?
When baking, people usually use the word “bake” to describe when food is dry. This includes breads, cakes, and cookies!
When cooking meat or other foods that contain protein, the moisture in the food can easily escape as water vapor. If this doesn’t happen then the protein will not hold together properly, which could affect your health.
This happens because there are proteins that like to stick to each other and form complex structures. The oven bakes out all of the liquid needed to help these complexes stay intact.
With cooked meats, dried dog food contains drying agents such as milk products or rice to help keep the nutrients from escaping. These agents may also be used along with fats to make it easier to cook the meat down.
However, some experts believe that dogs don’t need extra fat in their diet, so heavily modified recipes exist where most of those additives are removed.
How long should I keep bagged dog food?
When buying packaged foods for your pooch, make sure you have enough time to use them before they expire!
Most companies that produce canned or dry kibble give you an expiration date on the can or box. This is usually a year from when it was made so if the product has expired, then throw it out!
This is very unfortunate because many dogs will eat something even though they are not hungry. They may like the flavor of the food more than what you normally feed them, so they continue to consume the empty calories.
A lot of people believe that these cans contain only a few weeks’ worth of nutrition since the expiration dates have passed. Unfortunately, this is false!
Many manufacturers add back-up supplies to their products which prolong the shelf life. These additives cannot be removed or limited unless the package says “okay to remove” at least 20% of the nutritional value.
What does this mean?
The term “limited ingredient” comes from the fact that most of the ingredients in an average bag of dog food are limited to only these specific types.
The dogs eating the food do not have access to all the nutrients needed for strong bones, healthy skin, and normal internal function.
Sadly, due to the low nutritional content and number of additives, many brands seem to be competing on taste more than health.
By limiting the ingredients, they limit the amount of nutrition that can be stripped away before we know about it. It is also cost-effective for the company because fewer expensive nutrients need to be used to fortify the finished product.
There are several theories as to why some canned or packaged foods become less nutritious with time. Some say that the chemicals in the packaging break down and oxidize, while others believe that components like vitamins and minerals chemically bond together, making them harder to digest and use.
What does this mean?
Most major brands have an expiration date for their bagged dog food. This is usually three months, with some being slightly longer and shorter depending on what ingredient they are.
The average person should look at the back of the packaging to find the best estimate of how long these bags will keep your furry friend nourished.
This list includes all dry packaged foods as well as wet or canned foods. They’re not needed every day, but when you do use them they should be good for around that same amount of time so there is no need to buy new ones too quickly!
(As mentioned before, different companies may call it a one week supply, etc., make sure to check those labels too)
Why is this important?
Because our dogs eat A LOT – especially bigger breeds like Labrador Retrievers and German Shepherds! If we let them get hungry sooner, they could become hungry again soon because they did not eat enough earlier. Or worse, they might try to eat something that was past its sell-by date which could cause health issues.
Dog owners also sometimes forget whether or not their dog ate their last can/bag of food, making them go without nutrition for even longer than the recommended shelf life!
We really want to ensure that our pets are eating the right things for them and giving their stomachs the proper balance of nutrients.