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Pet Food
February 07, 2025

Great Myths Surrounding Dog Food

Great Myths Surrounding Dog Food



A dog is a dog!“, „dogs need meat!“ and „he‘s not fat, he is just big- boned!



In the world of dog ownership, there are as many myths as there are dog breeds. Many of these revolve around one thing in particular: our four-legged friends‘ diets. As valued members of the family, we want to offer our dogs alife that is on a par with our own interms of luxury and comfort. We look for the perfect feed, let ourselves be buttered up by those big puppy-dog eyes and reach for the treat tin to re- ward that cute wagging tail.

Yet what is it about the myths, clichés and popular sayings that makes them stubbornly stick in our heads? We want to clear up the confusion regarding the great dog food myths once and for all!






The right diet

As dog owners we of course know that this is not true. Every dog is unique and, likewise, their behaviour, their preferences and species-appro- priate care also differ. It goes without saying that the sporty Siberian husky requires different food to the snuggly beagle. And a puppy needs different food to an older dog.

Many factors must be considered when attempting to find the right dog food: firstly, you must consider the compatibility and specific needs of the dog, however, suitability for everyday consumption, value for money and the composition of ingredients are also important. For there is one thing we
all agree on: we want the best for our beloved pooches!



My dog needs variety!“

Variety in the bowl - just like their masters or mistresses have on their plates? Not quite true. It is not just a matter of what you feed your dog, but also in which form. Dry or wet feed, raw or a mix of everything. You‘re spoilt for choice! And you should always make this choice based on your dog‘s character, size and level

of activity. Not every dog can tolerate every ingredient. And a couch potato isn‘t gping to be running any mara- thons. He therefore requires less food, or a different type of food to an ‘athlete‘.



Thanks to the wide selection of spe- cially tailored products, you can meet your four-legged friend‘s individualrequirements without any problem. Whether this is a special feed for a specific breed or to cater to intoleran- ces - you can select your pet‘s food in an intentional and targeted manner. As such, variation is not a pre-requisi- te when it comes to keeping your dog healthy and feeding him the right food.


Tip!

Did you know that dog food also has a use-by date?

In the case of dry and wet feed, this can be found on the packaging. What happens when it expires? With dry food the main thing that occurs is that the nutrients are gradually lost. When using raw food ingredients and wet feed, you must always adhere to the use-by date. Rotten meat is harmful to dogs as well as humans!


A handful of food is always about right!“
It goes without saying that weight and food quantities are not dependent on the size of the pet-owner‘s hands, butrather on the pet‘s size, temperament and level of activity. But no need to worry - all ready-made feeds providefeeding instructions that are based on the dog‘s ideal weight. These values can be used as a guide.
In the case of good quality complete dry or wet foods, no additives or additional dietary supplements are



Tip!

required. The important nutrients are already contained in the feed. This makes it all the more easy to organiseyour feeding. This is not the case with the so-called BARF diet (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food).

Here the various foods are mixed together, in pure form. Because dogs can also exhibit deficiency symptoms, with these self-compiled feeds you must pay greater attention to providing a balanced diet and selecting the right nutrients for your dog.



My dog definitely needs a lot of meat!“
Live like a wolf - primal, wild and... feasting on raw meat? Those who decide in favour of the BARF concept are setting themselves a particular challenge: for with this type of feed, which is based on the diet of the wolf, the dog owner puts the portions toge- ther manually. The feed consists of raw meat, offal, bones and plant com- ponents such as fruit or vegetables.



BARF! Although it might sound a little like a dog‘s bark, it is actually an acro- nym for „Biologically Appropriate Raw Food“. What might appear ‚close to nature‘ to man dog owners, may not be the right solution for every pet.

For although the dog originates from the wolf, its digestive system has since changed and adapted to the

domesticated way of life. Dogs have been living alongside humans for many centuries. And even the wolf did not feed exclusively on meat, offal and bones, also consuming the contents of its prey‘s stomach and intestines, which were filled with plant components. The modern dog is actually capable of digesting starchy foods.



So is the dog a herbivore?
No, it is an omnivore! And as such there exists a wide range of possible dietary concepts, tailored to suit your dog‘s size, age, health status and level of activity.



Dogs eat everything,
every time - they are predators, pure and simple!“

Eating behaviour in dogs

A myth that won‘t go away. So what‘s the deal here? Eating behaviour in dogs is diverse, but not universal. Although dogs are so-called omnivores and very few pooches

will ever say no to a little snack
from the waste in - not everything your little waste disposal unit does
is normal. Unusual eating behaviour in dogs is often an indication of an illness or other problems.
Does your dog have the extremely unpleasant habit of eating faeces? Or does he drink excessively? Neither of these are normal behaviours and can be traced back to a wide
range of underlying causes.


We have compiled a list of the most common such causes for you:

1. Insufficient feeding

Those who are hungry will look for something else to eat. The same applies to dogs. If a pet is neglec- ted or fed on an irregular basis, it will gobble up anything it can sink its teeth into. Does your rescue dog have a tendency to eat everything around him? This may be as a result of mis- treatment by a previous owner, or having been forced to search for its own food, for example.

2. Inquisitiveness

Puppies, in particular, plod their way through the world, bursting with curiosity. They want to explore, try things out, experience new things - and this can include eating faeces, waste and other things that would be best omitted from a dog‘s meal plan.

3. Illnesses

Unusual feeding behaviour can also be an indication of illness. The improper function of the pancreas, for example, can mean that your four-legged friend can no longer absorb utilise nutrients from his food. He will then attempt to find these nutrients elsewhere. This type of behaviour can often be observed in high-performing dogs such as sled dogs or greyhounds, as they attempt to compensate for the high energy losses in the quickest way possible. If your dog has lost weight rapidly and is eating everything he can get his paws on, consult your vet as a precautionary measure.

5. Territorial behaviour

If your dog eats faeces while on his walk, this may also be his way of marking his territory. With very dominant dogs, this is often an attempt to remove the traces left behind by rivals from their territory.

4. Looking for attention

To a dog, it is simply wonderful when master and mistress jump about waving their hands in the air when you eat the rubbish! You hardly ever get this much atten- tion! And this is often the problem: dogs feel neglected, and so they tend towards bad behaviour - this guarantees them the undivided attention of their beloved owners.

6. Frustration

Perhaps one of the saddest rea- sons of all. In particular, dogs that suffer from poor hygiene and a lack of human contact, who spend their entire existence ion overcrowded kennels and don‘t get much exercise have a tendency to eat faeces. This is how they compensate for their frustration.

„Help, my dog is eating everything!“

Do you want to be sure of the cause of your pet‘s boundless appetite? Having your vet run a blood test can provide certainty and help rule out serious illnesses. Changing your dog‘s feed can also help to improve his eating behaviour. If symptoms of deficiency have been verified, then the targeted use of dietary supplements, which can be mixed into the dog‘s

food, may be a good option. That said, generally speaking it won‘t do any harm to teach your pet the commands„Drop!“ or „No!“. The goal: your dog will drop what he was just about to eat. This means you can better counter the risk posed by poisonous bait. If your dog will drop what he is holding in his teeth on command, this can haveseveral advantages.

Directly after eating, the dog needs a break!“
Dogs should not play immediately after eating - that‘s correct!

This myth is actually true: depending on the breed and temperament, this can actually pose a risk of bloat. Thisinvolves the dog‘s stomach twists over itself. And this is life-threatening. It is therefore best that you prevent your dog from frolicking around im- mediately after eating. To help prevent the risk, several small but regular foodportions distributed throughout the day are better than one large meal. These can be easier digested and

ease your pets digestion.

„There are some dogs who are just challenging and do not like to eat!“ Sound familiar? The filled food bowl
is placed down in front your dog, who just looks at it wide-eyed, as if to say „Give me something else!“. Or perhaps your dog behaves more like a cat:

he sniffs briefly at the bowl, turns up his nose and struts off. Not all dogs quickly chow down their food, however,if your dog rejects his food for a longer period of time and says a resolute ‚No‘ to snacks as well, there could be anunderlying health problem.

We have put together a short checklist for acute cases:
• Does your pet have a foreign body

in its mouth?

  • Has he broken a tooth?

  • Has your pet injured his palate

    or gums?

  • Are his gums inflamed?

    If your answer to any of these questions is „Yes“, contact your vet and discuss how to best proceed.

„No, my dog is in good health -
he is just picky!“
So you have thoroughly checked your dog over and have been able to rule out any acute medical reasons? Super! Then it‘s time for a little root cause analysis. And - as is unfortunately often the case when it comes to dog training - it all comes down to us - humans.

We all love our four-legged friends and only want the best for them. However, our intelligent pets can very quickly turn this against us: a treat here, a titbit from the table there... And before we know it we are establishing very fussy eating habits in our dog by spoiling him far too often. Very soon your dog will no longer eat his dry food without the addition of some wet food or other treats. Or you will find yourself having to search for a new food that your picky housemate might finally enjoy every single week.

Stop! Things don‘t have to progress this far. If you encourage good feeding behaviour from the outset, your dog won‘t come up with the idea of being picky all by himself. If it is already too late, a vet or dog expert who you trust will be happy to provide you with further, tailored assistance.

From myth to myth - to the right food

There are without doubt a few other myths that we haven‘t addressed concerning the feeding of our beloved dogs. Our tip if you want to avoid getting caught up in superstition: apply some critical analysis and ask your vet if you have any questions.

Or contact our JOSERA Food Advice service by telephone. Together we will find a food that suits your dog.
All of us are convinced that our dog is the best dog - and deserves only the best. And do you know what? We are all right!


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