Of course, using higher quality ingredients costs more, so premium dog food is more expensive, as measured by weight (by pound or by kilogram). However, if instead of measuring the price by weight, you measure the price in terms of how much it costs to feed your dog for a month, premium dog food can be less expensive than economy dog food. The reason for this is that the nutritional quality of economy dog food is lower, so one has to feed a larger amount of it. For example, if you are feeding your dog 4 cups of economy dog food a day, you may need only 2 or 3 cups of premium dog food. One study (Dog food costs) used a kennel of 70 hunting dogs to test the daily feeding costs with different types of dog food. It found that it cost $1.01 per dog per day if premium dog food was used, $1.12 for a regular brand and $1.35 for an economy brand.  Another advantage of premium dog food is that less stool is produced. This is because it does not contain low-digestibility ingredients (such as low-grade grains). One concern with premium dog food is that the description 'premium' is not defined or regulated. Consequently, while a given manufacturer may use the term 'economy' to describe their least expensive dog food and may use the term 'premium' to describe their higher quality brand, not all 'premium dog foods' are of the same quality. Therefore, even with premium dog foods, it is important to look at the ingredient list.

Natural Dog Food

As people have become more aware and increasingly concerned about the chemicals in our food and environment, many dog owners have become concerned about the type and quantify of chemicals in dog food. This has led to a growing demand for chemical-free dog food, known as Natural Dog Food.  For many years, the term 'natural dog food' has not been defined. As a result, it has meant different things to different people. For example, some people believe that 'natural' means 'organic', others that 'natural' refers to a diet similar to what a dog living wild would eat. However, these are incorrect interpretations as the word 'natural' in 'natural dog food' is now generally used to mean 'chemical free'. To help avoid confusion, in 2001 the AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials) released suggested guidelines for use of the term 'natural' for pet foods.  In effect, it defines 'natural' as meaning that there are no chemicals added, with the exception of synthetic vitamin and mineral additives (an exception was made for these on the basis of their nutritional contribution). The official definition is: A feed or ingredient derived solely from plant, animal or mined sources, either in its unprocessed state or having been subjected to physical processing, heat processing, rendering, purification extraction, hydrolysis, enzymolysis or fermentation, but not having been produced by or subject to a chemically synthetic process and not containing an additives or processing aids that are chemically synthetic except in amounts as might occur unavoidably in good manufacturing practices. However, these guidelines are only suggested, rather than being enforced. Consequently, it is worth checking the ingredients list to confirm that there are in fact no chemicals added. It should be noted that the definition of natural dog food is around what it does not contain, rather than what it does contain. In other words, 'natural dog food' offers the benefit of not containing chemical additives, but is not in itself an indication of the use of quality ingredients. It is quite possible for a food to be 'natural' and still use inferior quality of ingredients. Having said this, natural dog foods do tend to use higher quality ingredients than normal dog foods, for two reasons:

• They are marketed to people who are particularly concerned about the quality of their dog food, so in order to be successful they generally need to be seen to offer good quality ingredients in addition to being natural.

• The avoidance of artificial preservatives, colorings and flavor enhancers mean that low quality ingredients are more likely to spoil or be rejected by their human/dog clients. To avoid this, higher quality ingredients tend to be required.

• No artificial preservatives, flavors or colors
• Grains (such as brown rice and barley) are whole grain
• Whole and fresh fruits and vegetables
• Usually fortified with additional vitamins and minerals

The main differences between healthy dog food and ordinary dog food are the avoidance of chemicals, the use of whole and fresh ingredients which have a minimum of processing, and particular attention to added vitamins/minerals (especially those believed to aid in avoiding illness and slowing aging). The scientific evidence behind Healthy Dog Food is much the same as the scientific evidence behind the products of human health food stores. If you are a supporter of one, then you are likely a supporter of the other.  Even if you are not a supporter of the health food principles, the generally higher quality of ingredients used in healthy dog food make it worth considering. 

Choosing a Dog Food 

 Hopefully the earlier articles (e.g. Premium Dog Food, Natural Dog Food) will help you choose the type of dog food most appropriate for your dog and your lifestyle.  We hope you will consider Beaverdam Pet Foods. 

• You get what you pay for. High quality food means high quality ingredients. Unfortunately, high quality ingredients cost the manufacturer more, which means the food is priced higher (per pound, or per kilogram). Cheaper foods achieve their cost advantage by using cheaper ingredients. If you want quality, be prepared to pay for it. However, while it may be expensive on a per pound basis, it can actually work out cheaper than economy brands.
• Daily feeding costs, not price per pound. If you are trying to save money, look at the daily feeding costs rather than the cost per pound (or kilogram, or container). Many brands that cost more per pound actually work out cheaper in terms of feeding costs per day. The reason for this is that economy dog food is often poorly digested, so you have to buy a lot more of it. Obviously one will want to minimize what one pays, but the calculation should be on the basis of daily feeding costs.
• Look for specific ingredients. If a manufacturer uses high quality ingredients, he will tend to list them. If the ingredients are low quality, then general terms are used. So if you see ingredients like 'beef', 'chicken', 'herring oil' you are almost certainly looking at a higher quality dog food than if it just says 'protein', 'fat'.
• Meat protein. Meat protein is more expensive than protein from grains. For this reason, many commercial brands use grains as their protein source. Unfortunately, grain protein typically does not provide the correct balance of protein amino acids which a dog requires. The result is that much of the protein value is lost. Unless you are specifically looking for a vegetarian dog food, meat protein is almost always preferable.
• Added taurine and L-carnitine. Taurine is an essential amino acid, which is destroyed by heat during the manufacturing process. Consequently, many dog nutritionists recommend dog foods that have added Taurine. Dogs can convert L-carnitine to Taurine, so added L-carnitine is also beneficial. Insufficient levels of these amino acids can result in 'Dilated Cardiomyopathy'.
• Human-grade ingredients. A number of the better dog foods state that they use 'human-grade ingredients'. This means that the ingredients are of sufficient quality to be sold and eaten by people. It excludes items such as moldy grain, or diseased/rotten meat. Dog food itself cannot be sold as human-grade (for various reasons, including the fact that the production facilities are not inspected to human-grade). However, better foods can use human-grade ingredients.
• Fewer chemicals. Virtually all commercial dog foods will have some chemicals. However, the lower quality dog foods often have more chemicals (e.g. preservatives, artificial colors, and artificial flavors) and use them in greater doses. Some dogs can be sensitive to these chemicals, or develop sensitivities to them. Consequently, choosing a dog food that uses few chemicals and uses chemicals in lower doses has two advantages: it is an indication of a higher quality dog food and it helps avoid potential problems.
• No sugars. Avoid added sugars and artificial sweeteners. They have no nutritional value, being added only to make the food more palatable and as a cheap source of calories.
• Meets nutritional specifications. In the USA, the minimum nutritional standards for complete dog foods (i.e. a dog food that provides all the recognized nutritional requirements) are specified by the AAFCO. If you are buying a dog food in the USA, on the bag it should specify that it meets AAFCO requirements. In other countries, consult the national equivalents of AAFCO. This does not mean that the food is optimum for your dog's health, but if it doesn't meet these standards as a

What ingredients Does Beaverdam Pet Foods Contain?

Quality meat products
Chicken, Fish and Pork (pork is a hypoallergenic ingredient) which are all USDA inspected

Pesticide free grains
All the grain used in our products are grown by area farmers and are free of pesticides from planting to harvest time

Naturally Preserved
All the formulas are preserved with mixed tocopherols; an excellent source of Vitamin E. Tocopherols is a powerful antioxidant to protect against cell damage from free radicals (cancer causing agents). Helps maintain normal heart and joint function.  It is also preserved with citric acid and rosemary extract which is an excellent and natural preservative that is also known to help protect against cancer.

Chicory/Inulin
Chicory is a digestive aid.  Chicory root is a perennial Old World herb cultivated as a source of inulin for pets known as "prebiotic" that feeds the good bacteria and hinders the growth of bad bacteria in the pet’s digestive tract.

Yucca-Schidigera
Neutralizes ammonia in urine and feces thus lessening the smell by up to 64%.  Yucca-Schidigera is a natural extract made entirely from the stem of the Yucca Schidigera Schidiger plant.  Yucca-Schidigera has been known to have anti-inflammatory effects on tendons and joint cartilage.  It is also known to be beneficial for anemia, heart, skin, eyes and protect against cancer. 
Aids in Preventing Arthritis according to tests conducted by the Pet Veterinarian Magazine.

The Three Most Digestible Meat Proteins
There are several quality levels for proteins. Beaverdam chicken protein comes from USDA inspected plants and there are no heads, beaks or feet, etc. Beaverdam meat protein is pork, again from USDA inspected plants. Beaverdam fish comes from clean ocean waters. There are no by-products. Each animal protein has its own unique nutrient profile. Beaverdam formulas combine the optimum amount of each ingredient, and naturally balance amino acids, vitamins and minerals.

Beet-Pulp: Humans need fiber in their diets, as do dog and cats (and horses, too). Silver Charm, the 1997 Kentucky Derby winner, received beet pulp in its diet. Current research shows beet pulp aids the growth of the good bacteria in the dogs’ digestive system, allowing the good bacteria to crowd out pathogens, like E coli.

Brewers Yeast:  Is an excellent source of B-vitamins.  Numerous research studies show brewers yeast contains several unidentified growth factors beneficial to dogs

Multiple Sources of Omega 6:3:  Fatty Acids will aid in achieving a superior coat and skin. Just as with the selection of our animal proteins and carbohydrates, we select natural ingredients for their value in enhancing a naturally healthy coat and skin. Fish meal, chicken meal and corn also contribute as coat and skin conditioners.

Naturally Preserved:  All Beaverdam Pet Foods formulas are preserved naturally with mixed tocopherol, citric acid and rosemary extract.

Multiple Sources of Quality Grains/Carbohydrates: Animals, like people, require carbohydrates. In a true premium (meat-based) diet, however, animal protein should be listed first on the ingredient panel. Corn or other carbohydrates should be listed after the animal protein (except for specialty diets).

Corn, Rice, Wheat: Each ingredient is different, and each is good! Corn used in Beaverdam is finely ground; purchased from a select group of area farmers, personally known to Beaverdam manufacturer for decades. No pesticides are used from the time the seed is planted until harvest. Beaverdam are all selected for sound nutritional reasons, each makes a unique yet vital contribution to your dog’s health.