I think you know by now how strongly feel about feeding cats only wet food, never dry, because they are obligate carnivores with digestive systems that struggle to deal with the highly processed carbohydrates of bagged food. Between my radio shows DOG TALK® (and Kitties, too!) and CAT CHAT® I thought I had heard every possible problem people have encountered in trying to get their cats off the dry kibble and onto wet, meat based food. And then I had someone call into CAT CHAT® (on Sirius/XM channel #110 live every Wednesday at 8 PM EST) with an entirely unique dilemma. She said her cat would only eat dog food — but a very good brand, Halo. I told her I agreed that Halo was a terrific kibble — and explained the coincidence that, in fact, Halo is the only bagged food I will feed my dogs as part of their meals. But then I began to explain that dry dog food is just as bad for her kitty as dry cat food when she interrupted me by saying, “No! My cat will only eat Halo canned dog food!” I asked whether she had tried the Halo canned cat food and of course she had — but the cat would only eat the dog’s dinner, which was Spot’s Stew in a can (the dog in question was a Chihuahua smaller than the cat!) After she explained that she had tried many premium canned cat foods — including the one Halo makes! — she gave up and divides the dog food between her Chi-chi and the kitty but was worried she was doing him some harm. I explained that while cats have a higher need for protein than dogs that she could sprinkle some Halo Dinner Party on the wet food to increase the protein content (it’s dehydrated pure chicken meat) or crumble some Halo Liv-a-Littles on top of the cat’s dog food, which is also pure dried meat. After that, I told her that the only missing element would be the taurine that pussycats need added to their foods — which Halo does in the cat version of their canned foods. Since the cat would not touch the cat food (which seems pretty nutty given that the products are made the same way) I recommended making certain that the cat gets her taurine by using a daily supplement like Platinum Performance, which supplies taurine (as well as some ingredients which can prevent joint issues and arthritis).

This nice lady was so happy to “get permission” from the Food Police (me!) to continue sharing the Halo canned stew between her kitty and the Chihuahua. I’d love to have a picture of that dinner scene!

–Tracie Hotchner

Dog Talk® Quiz

I have had such fun answering the dog and cat questions that arrive every day from Freekibble.com because I learn something — but also often have a good laugh. The best part of the Freekibble quizzes is that (right or wrong) by answering I participate in kibble from HALO going to shelters, so it’s all good! This DOG TALK® quiz is just for the heck of it — a snappy way to remind you to avoid low quality kibble and make a premium dry food like HALO fundamental in your dog’s dish, as I do.

Corn in dog foods is counted as a protein — this makes no sense because:

1)    Corn is not displayed in the meat department of a food store since it is not an actual protein food
2)    Corn is a plant which grows in a field — and makes good (although unhealthy) snack chips for people
3)    Corn is appropriate to fatten animals raised for human food like cattle and chickens — nobody wants to eat their own Labrador so why feed him as if they do?

Artificial colors and flavors should not be in dog foods because:

1) Dogs don’t need coloring in their food because they are colorblind
2) Synthetic flavorings are unnecessary since most dogs will eat food that is fresh and made from wholesome ingredients
3) Artificial enhancements are chemicals with potentially harmful effects

A dog’s body can get benefits from complex carbohydrates when they are:

1)    Carbs like whole grains which have digestive benefits
2)     Not in the food primarily as a cheap filler to make a dog feel full
3)     Fibrous vegetables but never corn

Brewer’s rice is (the discarded portion of rice after human food manufacturing has finished with the actual rice) is in many prescription dog foods so people are fooled into thinking it must be:

1)   A really nutritious kind of rice, used by brewers to make alcoholic beverages
2)   It is real rice and better than corn
3)    A good kind of multi-purpose rice like Indian Basmati rice

BHA, BHT, TBHQ & Ethoxyquin as preservatives in a dog food tells you something important about a kibble:

1)    Chemical preservatives can keep pet foods from going bad for a very long time on the shelf
2)    The “food scientists” developed some of these chemicals for human foods where they can’t use them anymore, so might as well give them to the dogs!
3)    These chemicals are proven to cause serious health threats to pets — quality kibble uses natural preservatives instead

Some dogs are so gassy they can empty a room. This is because:

1)    Intestinal gas in a dog — especially if it is odorous — is a sign of poor digestion; either a diet is too carb-heavy or may include lower quality ingredients
2)    Some dogs are just stinkers — keep a pack of matches around to light when they let one loose
3)    Dogs make gas because they cannot burp.

Dog foods that contain sugar or corn syrup add it because:

1)    Everybody loves sweet things and dogs deserve to have some fun, too
2)    Dogs have a sweet tooth so it’s natural for manufacturers to take advantage of that
3)    By adding sweeteners a dog food manufacturer can entice a dog to eat otherwise unappetizing highly-processed kibble that is mostly inexpensive carbohydrates

The word “chicken” or “lamb” in the first position on a pet food label is important because:

1)  You want to know what flavor the food is so you know what your dog prefers
2)  The first ingredient is the most plentiful in a pet food and you want a formula with quality protein predominating
3)  The order of words doesn’t matter as long as chicken is in there somewhere

I got this email (almost in “code,” but didn’t want to alter or correct it and remove its original flavor. Also, now you can see the sort of mysteries I often have to unravel!)

Hi miss Tracey I heard your pet broadcast from ny two sat nites in a row and enjoy it. I have a mixed terier 20 lbsblack Smokey is his name one year old. I feed him beneful dog food dry. I was feeding him two scooops in the morn and one more at nite I followed your advice and cut it to one with alt egg, yogart, and cottage cheese he seems to like it even the blueberry flavor! should I be concerned with the asparatine? and started giving him fish oil omega31200mg every other day? too much sorry for the lengthy e mail one more question I keep him in his cage during the day<he can’t be trusted>is 8 hours too long in his cage? thanks pete

Okay Pete — here’s the deal. I am THRILLED that you got the message that Smokey needs less of the highly processed carbohydrates that are in kibble and more real food, especially protein. That is really excellent. Now we have to clear up the issue of how to read the label on a dog food bag, which you can read all about on my website www.TracieHotchner.com and use the Google tool bar to find everything on dog nutrition.  The food you are feeding is one that will not pass the test of the ingredients to avoid in a quality dry dog food — with corn among the first ingredients this is always a warning sign of a dry dog food that is not using quality ingredients that are healthy for dogs. There should not be any corn in a good dry food — and it certainly should not be amongst the first 5 ingredients. The very first word in a premium dog food is the name of the protein source: beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, salmon, etc. Also Beneful contains artificial colors and flavors which are also on the list for ingredients to avoid in any dry dog food, along with by-products, chemical preservatives, sugars of any kind, and words like “powdered  cellulose,” which means “sawdust.” Why don’t you go to www.SmartpakCanine.com and get a free 5 day supply of one of the really superior dog foods they carry — their own brand of chicken or lamb kibble is called Live Smart and is a really good price. It also will come in sealed package with just the right amount for Smokey at each meal. For his size, ½ cup per meal is going to be plenty. Then you want to add about ½ cup of quality protein — eggs, cottage cheese, any kind of meat — or the equal amount from a good canned dog food. My book The Dog Bible explains how to read the label of canned dog food, too. Definitely avoid any flavors in yogurt – plain whole milk yogurt is best — and you’re right to worry about the synthetic sweeteners in flavored yogurt because aspartame is especially bad for dogs. The fish oil is a great thing to be adding but one capsule of a quality brand like Nordic Naturals is just right for Smokey since it’s one capsule for every 20 lbs. SmartpakCanine.com has salmon oil capsules if you want to order from there since they only charge one low shipping price.

As for caging him for that amount of time, NO! It is not okay. I really want you to call into the show so we can discuss what you mean by him not being trustworthy…? A dog needs to have some freedom, even if it is in a confined area, and we need to get Smokey out of jail ASAP.  Thanks for writing Pete — now give me a call!

Tracie

The Dog Bible

Hi Tracie – I love your shows and website. Thank you for all your great advice.

I am currently using Dr Harvey’s Canine Health. I add my choice of protein to the freeze dried mixture of veggies and whole grains. This product also has vitamins and mineral supplements.

I am thinking about also incorporating the Honest Kitchen product.

Platinum Performance sounds like a great product. Would it be overkill to include Platinum Performance if I am feeding Honest Kitchen and Dr Harvey’s. Is Platinum Performance best for home cooked meals?

Neither of my dogs have joint issues but I am considering PP to prevent joint issues in the future. Thank you for your help.

I explained to Marsha as follows:

If you feed Honest Kitchen you probably don’t need Dr Harveys. From what it appears, this food is a sort of a copy cat of HK except without the protein. I’ve recently seen glossy ads for it and realized that Honest Kitchen got to this “party” before any other food company!

Honest Kitchen has quite a few grain-free mixes, too. Keep in mind that Honest Kitchen is human grade food that is dehydrated, not freeze-dried, which can preserve more food value.

You’d have to do a comparison of price per pound of the two – and see how that works out – remembering that Honest Kitchen supplies a balanced meal with costlier protein sources in it (all human grade).

Myself, I feed HK at every meal along with some added protein, cooked vegetables and starch I make myself and a bit of high-end kibble for hunger satisfaction. But every dog is different .

I’d love to see you giving the Platinum P for joint problem PREVENTION. Not enough people do that. It also supplies the vitamins & minerals for home prepared foods.

And you MUST give Omega-3 oil at every meal – I swear by Nordic Naturals because of the purity and freshness. It is a building block of a healthy and long life. Keep up the good work!

Tracie

Hi Tracie,

You may remember Rufus (Boxer). Today while you were on on Sirius with Mario on the afternoon show, you mentioned a 28-day test for a dog food company specializing in natural foods for dogs. It sounded like the foods come pre packed? If Rufus could be a candidate for the pilot, I know he would be interested.

Right now I buy two types of Innova dry food for Senior and for (slightly) overweight dogs and I mix them. He always has his kibble available and I fix him Oatmeal, toast or eggs in the morning; late afternoon I fix him something too. Usually potatoes, fat free gravy, cottage cheese and always a veggie. Peas, green beans, broccoli. He gets his afternoon potion of Platinum Plus mixed into his afternoon food. He probably does need more meat, but as I eat very little meat I usually give him what I eat.

Thank you for always providing great info. I and always learn something new.

Regards,
Judy

Dear Judy

I’m so glad you’re enjoying what I have to offer and I admire the loving efforts you are making to feed Rufus well – however, as you yourself suspected, there is a lack of muscle meat in his diet. And unfortunately you are feeding a “LITE” food- one of the most contradictory products on the market, since they usually make dogs gain weight while under-nourishing them. I’m not sure if you have THE DOG BIBLE yet but you really need to read that nutrition section to learn why that category of kibble is one of my least favorite. Please take the time to read the Q&A’s posted on The Dog Bible section of my website, along with all my blogs on nutrition. I hate to be critical because you are going to so much lovely trouble for him, but he’s getting too much carbohydrate – oatmeal and toast and potatoes – which isn’t balanced with a quality, minimally processed protein source. Eggs and cottage cheese are great, but Rufus needs some chicken, beef, fish and/or lamb.

And what’s up with “fat free gravy?” That sounds like some horrible chemical-laden concoction and doesn’t belong in anyone’s dish! Please lose that ASAP!

Plus, he needs to eat twice a day, not three times. Over-working his digestive system – as is free feeding. You can continue if you want, of course, but nibbling all day long on highly processed carbohydrates really isn’t healthy for Rufus anymore than it would be for you – two healthy meals, with quality protein as the main course, is what you need for him.

Which brings me to your question – about the feeding plan I am helping to develop with Smartpak, a very unusual company (have a look at their page on my website – and at their own website, too. Yes it will be customized and arrive at your door, but it isn’t quite ready to roll yet. I am going to keep your contact information so you can be amongst the first to give it a try.

–Tracie

Tracie,

Thank you for opening my eyes (again). I will immediately begin feeding Rufus more meat as you suggest. In fact I have one morning appointment today then I am stopping at the store.

Also, I just ordered his Innova food yesterday at Pet Food Direct I ordered Innova Sr Plus Adult Dry and Innova Adult Large Bites Red Meat Formula Dry, and btw, they will not accept your CATCHAT code for a discount stating I used it one other time and it can be used only one time? I didn’t push it, they gave me a 13% discount but 20% would have been better.

I will also move to feeding Rufus 2 times a day. Right now he is a poop machine and per your information that is probably due to his current feedings. Funny, how a person doesn’t realize the most obvious until someone like you points it out.

I will look forward to being on the list for Rufus to try Smartpak.

And yes, I have The Dog Bible and will be sure to get myself into the food section. I guess I didn’t pay all too much attention to that thinking I was feeding Rufus so well.

Thank you again for all you do for all of us!

Regards,
Judy

Thanks for hearing with such open ears and eyes!

I am copying a wonderful man at Pet Food Direct who is going to sort out the confusion re: my coupon code – NO – it is absolutely to be used every time you buy there. [MAYBE THEY CHANGED IT TO RADIOPET....JAY?? OR MAYBE THE MACHINERY GOOFED UP]

I am asking JAY to please CANCEL your order once he contacts you for the information because

1) Wrong discount
2) You must cancel the food you bought completely

Let’s get him off light food forever. And onto a better quality food

If you’re going to hold off on protein then go to WELLNESS CORE or EVO – they are the highest protein from best sources. But if you’re going to start giving him cans of food or boil chicken or cook ground turkey or beef, then my favorite best-priced kibble (which i personally buy from PFD) are BY NATURE ORGANICS — both dry & canned — it is organic (or even the slightly less costly non-organic they make is good too)

Also EVANGERS in a can – they make many of the top-end dog food brands but their own brand – TASTE OF THE WILD is an American-made very low priced very good quality kibble – I use that too

Not the same brand all the time – mix it up

Let me know how it goes

Tracie

Just another thought from David Forman, the owner of Weruva food, my absolutely favorite cat food, named after his adopted kitties, Webster, Rudy and Vanessa. Oh, and the also have a little rescued Chihuahua, who enjoy Weruva foods very much. Here are David’s comments:

Our cat and dog formulas are pretty much interchangeable for dogs and cats, meaning, cats can eat the dog food and dogs can eat the cat food. The only thing to look out for is the taurine. We add it to the cat food and do not add it to the dog food.

Our dog food is great for all dogs, no matter the size. Our 11 pounder eats it everyday. We are the food of choice of one of the Chihuahua clubs here in NYC. Because the food is so very different, we recommend a very gradual introduction. Our foods contain a higher protein and moisture content that most foods (more meat, no fillers). Cats can transition quite easily, but as with any dog food, we strongly recommend a really slow approach. Our cans last 4 days in the fridge, so we recommend nursing a small 5.5oz dog can over 8 meals or so with a gradual increase from serving to serving to make sure everything is agreeable.

Weruva is coming out with a less expensive but still really good cat called Best Friends Feline (BFF) but it is tuna-based. Since I recommend using fish based cat food infrequently – and thought tuna was the big no-no in fish – I asked David Forman who owns Weruva to bring me up to speed on his thinking. And here it is:

We too preach a rotational protein diet and would not recommend it for everyday feeding because it is fish. And yes, you are correct . . . the red meat cut from tuna is the only raw material we have access to out of all our protein cuts that can be deemed “inexpensive”. However, tuna is not tuna is not tuna . . .

There are half dozen or so species of popular tuna with some falling under the category of large bodied and some falling under the category of small bodied. The same thing holds true for mackerel. Albacore tuna is the primary canned tuna item that has received scrutiny about mercury. Albacore weigh in at about 20-45 pounds. Bluefin is the species of tuna that recently got scrutinized when reports indicated that the tuna at sushi restaurants contained high levels of mercury. Bluefin weigh in at about 15 pounds on average. Tongol and Bigeye tuna weigh about 30-40 lbs. The general rule of thumb on mercury and toxins is that the higher the fish on the food chain and the larger and older the fish, the more mercury it will have. Albacore and Bluefin live to about 5-7 years old while Bigeye can live to 25.

We do not use any of these tunas. We use primarily Skipjack and occasionally Bonito. These average 5-6 lbs. and average lifespan is 1-2 years for bonito and 3 years max for skipjack. In addition, our fish are caught in Pacific waters. Pacific waters are known to contain less toxins.

All in all, we catch the fish in the best waters and we chose the best species available from a mercury standpoint. In fact, the FDA puts forth a list of those fish that are “lower in mercury”. Our species of tuna make this list as does our sardines and mackerel. In addition, all fish are tested for heavy metals, including mercury, and only those fish at acceptable international human food levels are processed. King Mackerel and Spanish Mackerel, as well as some of the tuna species mentioned above are on the FDA list of those fish higher in mercury. They are very different than what we are using.

I got this message from a man whose dog has chronic skin problems:

I called in to your show regarding the skin infections on my 2 year old female Boston terrier. You suggested I give her ground beef (or chicken), boiled with carrots for 2 weeks. I assume I drain off the fat after it boils. Correct? You said I could make enough for 2 weeks and freeze it in packs.

I’ll get antibiotics from the vet one more time to help clear it up.

You said to go to www.dogbible.com and there was a downloadable diet there. I went there and got the message “DogBible.com is currently undergoing a major upgrade.”

Do you have a diet in a .pdf?

By the way, my last Boston (this is my 3rd) lived to 12 years old. He was born with a bad liver and the University of Florida vets at the vet school, said he would not live to age 4. Apparently, I take good care of my babies.

I look forward to your input. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Thanks from Ron

Hi Ron – I’m so glad you got in touch because I need to clear up the advice I gave you. If I recall, you said you dog had recurring skin infections and your vet was using antibiotics to clear them up but they would recur – and maybe was also using prednisone tablets?? In any case, my suggestion of what is called an “elimination diet” was for two reasons: to clear your Boston’s system of the poor ingredients and even toxins in the commercial kibble which was her exclusive diet, and also to remove any of the ingredients which may have been causing skin reactions or allergies. So yes, the idea of feeding a bland protein source (be it chicken, beef or lamb) with chopped or grated carrots and rice is the way to do that. Of course all fat should be drained. A tablespoon of plain yogurt with every meal is great too, especially being on antibiotics.

I need to add that this diet would be a good one for the life of the dog, as long as you supplement it with a full balanced product like Platinum Performance. I recommend it to everyone as the finest and most effective glucosamine/chondroitin/omega-3 joint formula, but it is also the ideal way to provide all the vitamins and other nutrients a dog needs if you are home cooking. You can only buy this supplement direct from the company in California and you can find the link to the company on my website, as they are one of the first sponsors of the work I do. However, my website is the name of my book, THE DOG BIBLE, so you need to put in www.TheDogBible.com and you’ll get right there. I do not have any recipes on the website, but many blogs and Q&A’s on nutrition. The book I am a big fan of that does have super recipes is Liz Palika’s book THE ULTIMATE PET FOOD GUIDE – it is linked on my website and you can listen to my interview with her on DOG TALK by going to that section of my website and downloading the show. While you’re there, put your email address in the spot indicated and you’ll start receiving the pod cast of the live show every Saturday afternoon, which is my gift to everyone.

If you buy a copy of THE DOG BIBLE – which I humbly recommend because of the extensive nutrition information – please send me your mailing address and your Boston’s name so I can autograph a bookplate to her to put in it. I will also send you a sample of the most amazing healthy food from THE HONEST KITCHEN, which is a raw dehydrated food with protein, vegetables and carbs made from human grade ingredients in a human food factory.

The other thing that is indispensable for any dog with skin issues is an omega-3 fish oil and the only one sold for pets that has the seal of purity and freshness from the Norwegian government is Nordic Naturals. I have invited them to be website sponsors because of my high regard for the unmatched excellence of their oil, so you can read about them on their page on my website. Most good pet stores carry it or you can go to www.petFoodDirect.com and order it and get 20% off by putting catchat or dogtalk as the coupon code. My dogs’ coats have developed a high shine and they shed less since they’ve been on it.

It certainly seems clear you love your dogs and care for them beautifully – what a shame that the professionals in your life (and that of most dog parents) haven’t steered you well about nutrition. Kibble alone – even the highest quality – cannot be a complete diet any more than eating breakfast cereal three meals a day for your entire life would satisfy or properly nourish you. Please do stay in touch and good luck with her skin.

Tracie

I’m posting this letter and my reply because I think so many of you are still unclear how and what to feed and feel paralyzed with indecision. Take heart!  wing it!  Experiment!

My name is Isis. I met you at Camp Unleashed in September when you gave a talk on nutrition and I was there with my arthritic sheltie mix Kobe and my one eyed Shih Tzu, Lexi. I was wondering what type of dry dog food do you recommend? I bought your book the The Dog Bible and I am currently reading Anne Martin’s Food Pets Die For I am sooo confused! I am currently feeding them Wellness. The more I learn, the more confused I am! I need help!! Thank you for your time!!

Isis, Kobe & Lexi
BTW, I LOVE your book!

Hi Isis-

I remember you well with your sweet doggy family – it was so touching to me that you brought your pooches to camp even with their challenges. Forgive my delay in answering; I’ve been traveling and swamped with emails.

Don’t despair! Tracie’s Balanced Feeding Plan is really not that tough. My website is FULL of blogs and Q&A’s on dog food choices.

It’s not about which dry food I recommend – because there are 20 great ones and I switch off all the time – changing brands and ingredients is a key to balance.

Ann Martin is vehemently against any kibble but I think that is unrealistic — my own dogs get a very small amount with their meals, only 1/4 cup, but I think other people may not be able to afford the time or expense of depending on the more costly or time consuming ingredients.

My basic message is that kibble should only be about 1/3 of your dog’s food — you need to give them less processed forms of protein for at least 1/3 of their diet. That can mean canned food (lots of good brands on my website on a pdf file) or eggs, cottage cheese, chicken, beef or really any leftover protein source from your meals.

The Honest Kitchen (you got a sample in your doggy bag at Camp Unleashed) just came out with a more economical flavor called KEEN and that’s a brilliant affordable way to give them top quality turkey (raw, dehydrated and totally safe & nutritious) along with some freshly dehydrated vegetables. My dogs have been eating Honest Kitchen for years and years as a foundation of each meal.

For the final third of their meal my dogs get a mixture of cooked starches and vegetables – including oatmeal, rice, shredded sweet potato and carrot, leafy green vegetables frozen peas and string beans, squash, zucchini celery — everything I can get my hands on.

You MUST supplement with omega-3 oils and I wonder if you’ve been giving the dogs a capsule each day from the bottle of Nordic Natural fish oil capsules that everybody got in their doggy bag?? That is a true health tonic and should help with arthritis as well as coat and skin health and many other issues.

Don’t feel intimidated — just trust your instincts to give a balanced diet and play around with it. Anything is better than an all kibble diet.

Good luck!
Tracie