many commercial foods are created to appeal to human buyers and to make those buyers think they are providing a better food for their pets, when in actuality, the things that make humans think it's a better food are really making that food a poorer food choice. Brands that have multiple coors and shapes are a good example. Red and tan "beef and chicken" bits, orange, yellow and green "vegetable bits" - the dyes used to create these colors may not be harmful to your pet, but they are completely unnesesary and do not need to be in your dogs system! Each "bit" contains the same ingredients other than food dye. The bits are not made green, yellow, red or tan by meat and vegetables - they are made that way with food dyes. Dogs are also color blind and have no need for a colorful presentation in their food bowls. A second example is the addition of soy to dog foods to appeal to the health conciouse human buyer. Soy may be a very good human food but many dogs are allergic to soy - it's main allegic reaction is itchy, flakey skin and increased risk of ear infections and foot chewing. No wild dog EVER ate a soy bean! The same can be said for wheat. "Whole wheat, wheat bran, etc" sound great to a health concious pet ownerand whole wheat is a good food for many humans, but many dogs are allegic to wheat. The main symptoms of what allergy are itchy dogs and foot chewing with pimple breakouts being common in hairless dogs.

 

CORN is the main (first) ingredient in most commercial dog foods - even "premium" brands. Corn is present in dog foods in many forms - the grand majority of dog foods contain differnt corn products and by-products in each formula. Dogs can no more digest corn than humans can. Corn is a CHEAP ingredient with little nutrtional value and is present even in "expensive" dog foods. many dogs are allergic to corn. have you ever seen a dog grazing in a corn field?

 

POULTRY BY-PRODUCT MEAL is one of the most common ingredients in even "premium" dog foods. By-products are items that are cinsidered non-consumable by humans and are therefor sold for pennies to pet food companies who make many dollars on them. Poultry by-products include feet, beaks, feathers and heads. Would you eat these things? No? Then why would you feed them to you pets?

 

MEAT AND BONE MEAL. This is a product found in many brands of commercial dog food, including "trusted" brands, like "Pedigree" as well as store brands, such as Wal-Mart's "Old Roy" . Notice that it is a non specific term - "meat" instead of chicken, beef, lamb, fish, etc. Meat and bone meal is the ground meat and bones of an animal (usually the ENTIRE animal - fur, skin, teeth, intestines, all organs, etc) This can and DOES include slaughterhouse refuse not fit for human consumtion (animals who were brought to slaughter to sick for human consumtion, who died before they could be slughtered, or were otherwise found unfit - often these animals are in varying states of decay when they reach the pet food plant) roadkill, and the bodies of euthanized pets. AAFCO does limit the content of euthanized pets used in dog food to 4.5% - thats 4.5 % too much for me!!!

 

At H & H Chinese Cresteds, we feed our dogs the best foods available - holistic, organic foods with "human grade" incredients. We require our buyers to choose the food they decide to feed to the puppy/ dog they purchase from us from the list of approved foods that we provide to every new puppy parent. Feeding one of these high quality foods will greatly reduce your pets risk of allergies, dietary deficiencies, general illness and cancer. They will also greatly reduce outbreaks of skin problems in hairless dogs. In the LINKS section of this website you can find more information on quality foods and the contents of commercial foods that we find to be so unnacceptable.