I do not understand something.

Many pet owners object to many of the major brands of pet food because of the grain in them. Yet feeding a carnivore vegetables is better????

And how can any intelligent pet owner buy any pet product made in China---especially after all the problems to date?

Handymac, Dogs need more than just meat in their diets and their bodies require the nutrition provided by a lot of different healthy foods. They do need some grain and fiber to regulate their bodies just not the cheap corn or wheat grain fillers the commercial products like to use. Those are the grains their bodies can't handle. I mix 100% pumpkin puree (a good fiber) in my dogs no grain food, give her sweet potato treats, rice, peas most anything non dairy that she wants in moderation. One of her favorite treats is watermelon.

I have to wonder what on earth are they doing to the pet foods to poison them? Don't they understand that if they kill all our pets we won't buy any food for them? I just don't get it. I mean, chicken, sweet potato treats, those are what we'd consider healthy treats, but those of us who know better realize we're exposing our beloved pets to poison, not yummy treats.

Hanymac, so many folks aren't aware of the risks, or think it's not a risk since the product has a well-known brand on it...Stand in the pet food aisle of your local market for a few minutes, the people buying the pet foods aren't un-intelligent, and I'm pretty sure they don't know or want to harm their pets. I have a good friend who is smart but doesn't follow current events at all. She's one who would buy commercial jerky treats and she loves her pets. Heck, I bought jerky treats myself about a yr ago.

Km, thanks for the link. We need to keep this on the front burner so everyone is aware of it.

So other than homecooked petfood, what are we to do? I've heard we need to watch for domestic food made with Chinese ingredients also. How do we know? Do we just blindly trust the mfr's (I don't, anymore)?

I've always tried to feed my dogs the healthiest food I could afford....I checked ingredients, did the research - all that stuff.
But for some reason, never did the same on the treats.....until the China chicken jerky thing came out. It was like the Homer Simpson "DUH"....here I am reading every ingredient label for the food I buy my family - trying to buy organic when I can....thinking I'm doing the right thing. But never paying attention to the labels on the dog treats......
Since then, I do read every label & probably 80% of the treats they used to get are no longer in my pantry.
They still get their regular dog food (which is supposed to be safe for humans to eat)and I'm making most of their treats. Which include home made chicken/beef jerky, sweet potato, roasted chicken livers, organic peanut butter biscuits, etc.
I'll keep out what we'll use in the next couple of days & freeze the rest. If I forget to thaw something out - they're more than willing to eat it frozen.....particularly here in TN where it's so hot.
Mutley just loves watermelon....that's her late night treat with Daddy.
Kita's not so much into fruit - but she does enjoy raw carrots.
Makes me want to slap myself - thinking of all the crap I fed them before because I didn't pay attention.

So other than homecooked petfood, what are we to do? I've heard we need to watch for domestic food made with Chinese ingredients also. How do we know? Do we just blindly trust the mfr's (I don't, anymore)?

I know I post this info a lot but this company is a family owned company, makes their products in Wisconsin and has posted on their website that ALL ingredients are sourced in the US as well. My puppy has been eating it for several months now and had done really well with it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fromm's Family Foods

Actually, we don't really need to feed our dogs treats. Unlike lots of us humans who have incessant cravings for junk foods, our dogs are just as happy if we "treat" them with more of the same healthy, wholesome food we give them for their main meals. I'm sure my girl wouldn't notice if she got her regular kibble bits for training or good doggie rewards.

OK, I say this but my hubs, who is the master-of-treats around here (I provide the training and leadership) insists on having lots of premium priced tidbits in the cupboard. Luckily, we have lots of locally produced products available that are competitively priced with the imported stuff.

We outsource more than just pet foods, you know. We outsource the active ingredients in many of our drugs. We have laws making country of origin required for a piece of pottery, but not for something we put into our own or our pet's bodies? There are foreign plants where a U.S. inspector has never set foot and we are expected to trust them to inspect themselves? It would be funny if it weren't so serious.

Many of you evidently missed the sarcasm and irony in my question.

Technically, canines are as much an omnivore as a carnivore.

Of course dogs need/eat more than just meat.

And dogs can be taught to eat odd things---I once had a dog that would eat almost anything I tossed to her---including onion pieces.

I do not, and have not for many years, allowed my dogs to have treats. I do change their diet now and then, but getting treats is not something dogs get in the wild.

Now, I train my dogs for good behavior, not to do tricks. Treat training for tricks is an accepted way to achieve the desired result.

Good behavior is not an option, it is a requirement and requirements get no treats. And please do not berate me about being harsh to my dogs---they are happy, healthy dogs who obey because they are pack members---just as it would be in the wild. They just get much better living conditions than if they were in the wild. And better food and care. And both were once very undog like animals, in great danger of being euthanized because of their condition or behavior.

All done with no treats, no harsh physical punishment, and no harsh training methods. Just requiring them to be the dogs they were born to be when in the same social environment as a pack situation. And---they are two entirely two distinct different temperments. One is super aggressive, the other the most submissive dog I ever saw. Now they are well adjusted, healthy, and quite happy.

All with no treats. ;-)

Yup, I'd be one who missed it. :c) IMHO, as long as an animal is not being abused or harmed, the way someone wants feed or train them is their prerogative. What works for one may not work for another. When my year old lab was smaller, I used treats and redirecting her attention to teach her what I needed her to know. Now that she's older, when she's good, she usually gets a good tummy rub instead of a treat and is just as happy with that. She loves ice cubes and pumpkin so I like to freeze pumpkin in an ice cube tray and give those to her as an occasional yummy.

Mr too, lukkiirish. sorry, handymac! I don't think you're harsh, tho you have a different relationship w/your dogs than I do. Not bad, just different. I know mine aren't nearly as well trained as yours are. Anyway, this is an interesting discussion everyone.

I bought a cheapo dehydrator at Aldi's last weekend, and made sweet potato chips for the dogs, they loved them. Will make some chicken jerky this weekend. No nasty chemicals in them (not counting Monsanto gene splicing etc lol).

I do agree w/those who say treats, or special treats, aren't really necessary. I read recently that dogs in the wild would normally eat a large meal, once a day, so snacks/treats is obviously a human introduction. We give them as positive reinforcement, and truth be told, because we like to have happy dogs, but I'm sure they'd be happy w/out them....

And what a good idea about freezing cubes of pumpkin, I am def. stealing that one.

Prepped & ready to go

arrgggh sorry for the huge pics. I was trying to resize them on the test forum in another tab & hit submit for the wrong forum! Meant to shrink by half, oh well, next time.

A Dehydrater! That is an awesome idea, I would have never thought of that. I just might have to steal that one! Love it!

Actually I disagree. Dogs and wolves are carnivores, and those who feed raw meat and bones are feeding their dogs the natural diet of that species. Just look at the tooth structure of your dog. It is the same as that of a cat, and any other carnivore.

I don't feed raw, but my cooked diet is just the same - meat and powdered calcium in place of bones. I do add a vitamin/mineral supplement and digestive enzymes, but these are additives. I also feed eggs and dairy. For economic reasons I sometimes add a small amount of filler to stretch their food, like macaroni or rice, but I try to avoid doing this.

It is true that some dogs have a taste for certain fruits or veggies, and there is nothing wrong with these things as a treat, but it isn't part of a carnivore's diet. None of my dogs liked fruits or vegetables, but I did have a collie who loved dinner rolls and I fed them as occasional treats.

The dog food companies like to insist that dogs are omnivores so they can peddle less expensive food. They resort to tricks such as listing meat as the first ingredient followed by a large variety of grain fillers. If you add up all the various grains you will see that this food contains a much higher proportion of grain than meat.

It's not that hard to cook up some chicken or beef and use that as treats. Or an egg. I always have something in the frig for little bites.
My dogs are seniors and one, the thirteen year old, basically demands something every time she comes in the house. Yes, my fault. I caved in years ago. But, she's very healthy, reasonably obedient when she wants to be and is overall a very good, active dog. She's a JR, btw.
But I stopped fake treats years ago.
They both get processed dogfood (Wellness Super5 chicken) however, with my next dogs I may start out doing something different.

I guess I think those who don't know about the problems with food from China are living in a cave.