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As consumers become more discerning in their tastes, particularly with regard to food, they are just as likely
to get a craving for foie gras with dinner as they are to want spaghetti and meatballs. And people
are projecting their tastes onto their pets - because if they want the foie gras, why shouldn't their beloved
dog have some, too? People button some dogs into tiny clothes and carry them around as though they were children. The Wall Street Journal points out that the humanization of pets is what is driving the upswing
in the number of gourmet and premium pet foods that are hitting the market.
New lines of pet foods include gourmet, pre-prepared "stews" and pet condiments, like IAMS Savory Sauce, which comes in flavors like Roasted Turkey and Pot Roast. These products are marketed as ways to spoil your pet, though the companies are undoubtedly hoping that they will be used daily, or at all meal times. The people who tested the food for the company reported that they were "like people food... It's what [they] would give their own [families]." People don't like the idea of feeding seemingly unappetizing food to their pets, but love it when the products sound like things they would want to eat. And, of course, the pets love it. Unfortunately, the trend is also driving up the number of obese pets.
Pet food companies assure consumers that the new foods can be healthy, but vets say that not only are most house pets not active enough to warrant extra calories, but that they have no significant nutritional benefit over ordinary dog foods. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, obesity affects 25-45 percent of pets.
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3-22-2006 @7:03PM Alicia said... I have a 10 year old husky/shepherd mix. She is in top shape (other than having a few teeth recently removed). I feed her "people" food all the time. Of course I'm a vegetarian so she's not getting any meat other than whats in the dog food I feed her. She absolutely loves tomato sauce and pizza is her favorite. Often times I see that she doesn't eat much of her dog food but I think she goes in spurts. I put food down and if she eats it, she eats it. (However, she also has separation anxiety so she won't eat when I'm not there... makes it a little difficult when I go out of town and stuff. )Anyway, we have domesticated dogs so I don't think we can talk about their "natural diet," etc. And it seems like everything causes some kind of cancer or something, so as long as she's as healthy as she is, i'll continue to feed her people food and let her enjoy it. :)
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3-22-2006 @7:19PM judy weiner said... What about all natural food for cats? My 7 cats will not eat any of the foods I prepare.I buy all the best commercial food there is, but I realize it all still has bad stuff in there..anybody have names? They do like Science diet dry food, but don't like any of the canned, so-called healthy food.
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3-22-2006 @7:43PM Joann said... How interesting to read all your letters,, I too have two dogs and two cats,, I feed them raw hamburger every once in a while,, I did not know that grapes and raisins are bad for dogs,, I have a jack russell and a rat terrier, both very active, I do feed them commercial dog food though such as Mighty dog, Joann
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3-22-2006 @7:49PM Alysia said... Treat urinary tract infections the same way as people, with cranberry juice in her water. Just like people, every animal is different. Although I prefer to feed my pets commercial foods, they are supplemented with natural & "people" food as well. My dog is allowed to eat any safe fruit or vegetable he wants if I am preparing it. He loves bananas and will go bananas if you pick one up to peel. My cat does also. One of my cats prefers cake, Doritos, doughnuts, strawberries & yogurt as well as meat chunks (never raw). This is also the cat that is lactose intolerant. The other is not and loves whipped cream & cereal milk. However, they only get those items in very limited quantity. My dog rarely gets prepared food for what started as one reason and turned to two. 1.) We did not want him to beg at the table. The cats don't even though they get prepared food but we didn't want to take any chances. 2.) With the few prepared foods we have given the dog, we've found that it gives him gas, REALLY BAD GAS! My feeling on the whole food thing is the same as our diets. Stick to a regiment, occassional treats are O.K. in limited quantity (limited quantity for animals is MUCH smaller than it is for us), food should be cooked thoroughly to prevent illness, watch for weight gain and cut back when necessary, visit your vet regularly.
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3-22-2006 @7:57PM Carolyn said... I have a Yorkie that just turned 6yr. old, and yes, my husband and I have spoiled him rotten, we've had him since he was 10wks. Well, I am no longer spoiling him with human food, I almost lost him and it took a week to get him to where he is 90% normal again. Yorkies cannot handle human food, too much protein in their diet can cause pancreatis, and believe me, you do not want to see your baby suffering with this disease. Luckily I caught it in time, got him to the vet in time, the vet hydrated him and I put him on boiled chicken breasts and brown rice for a week, now he is on his own dog food, Yorshire Terrier Kibble by Pro Canin, and I'm adding Pedigree pouch food to it for taste, never again will I feed him people food, this was a lesson learned the hard way. He is my first small dog, and believe me, they are definitely different that larger breeds. I hope people heed my warnings, because I wouldn't want anyone else to feel the way I felt the last week. Nor do I want to see a dog go through what my Yorkie did, just because I wanted to spoil him.
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3-22-2006 @8:05PM Donna said... My airedale is almost 12 yrs old. He has been diagnosed with a large tumor and was expected to die on Christmas weekend. He is still going, but I have to cook for him, mostly beef which I mix with kibble. He won't eat all of the time so I take him to McDonalds and he will eat four double cheeseburgers. Is that funny? He's still going. Whatever it takes. He is happy and is excited to go to Micky D's.
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3-22-2006 @8:10PM Alysia said... For the urinary tract infections, do what we do...put cranberry juice in her water. When it comes to food, animals are just like us. Both dogs and cats are omnivores and will of course prefer natural food when offered. My pets eat everything including commercial dry foods, fruits & veggies, cakes, doughnuts, Doritos, milk & whipped cream, meats (thoroughly cooked). I have a cat that loves baked goods! She will eat an entire doughnut if I allow her. But I don't. She is allowed not even an eighth. As a society, we overindulge and therefore allow our animals to. My dog is allowed any safe fruit or vegetable he wants and is willing to try any of them. He and one cat go bananas when you pick up a banana. They know that it will get peeled and served. One cat loves strawberries (whole, not in a food processor) and one loves cereal milk and whipped cream. All the animals recieve these in limited quantity. As for prepared foods, well we don't want the dog to beg at the table (or get REALLY BAD GAS) so he gets nothing seasoned or spiced. The cats pretty much get whatever they will eat. One loves buffalo & hot sauce. All this, and my new vet was astonished when I told him that my cat was not eight but 14 years old. The trick is, don't let your animals overindulge. Treat their bodies as ours should be. Keep a regimented diet, allow snacks occassionally in limited quantities (limited is about 75% less for a pet than it is for us),keep an eye on weight and cut back on snacking when necessary, cook food thoroughly to prevent illness (pets are prone to some of the same raw food illnesses we are), and visit your vet regularly. Remember, unless you have an outdoor cat, your pets are well domesticated. Thier exercise & dietary needs are different than those of their wild families. Now go hug your cat & dog. :-)
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3-22-2006 @8:25PM Alan Brown said... Hello; We have a two year old Beagle and she is a pickey eater. We feed her dry food like calfornia natural,Iams & one. And wet food mighty dog chicken,pasta&veg this is the only kind that she will eat. She loves raw carrots,greenbeans,brusselsprots,&apples and cheddar cheese,peanut butter and baked chicken (no Bones). What I want to know what food is best for her. Oh and she likes Gilford french vanilla ice cream but not to often do I give it to her and for chews we give her CET. Thank You Sincerely Alan
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3-22-2006 @8:29PM len said... I have a chihuahua who i thought needed to gain some pounds but I feed him rice with meat. He eats it & ever since I started feeding him that, he hardly eats his dog food except when I dont feed him human food. I feed him fruits & veggies also.. Is this okay?
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3-25-2006 @4:02PM RThings said... This message is mainly spurred by what John B wrote above regarding different brands of foods.. he mentioned Royal Canine. I just wanted to mention that apparently a brand called Royal Canin had a recent recall for some serious stuff, FYI. More info here:
http://www.aplus-flint-river-ranch.com/define-royalcanin-recall.php
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4-07-2006 @11:18AM mmartiandt said... My miniature schauzer will eat whatever food I decide to give her, whether it is her regular dry dog food, a special treat of wet dog food (though I don't prefer it because it makes her beard messy), or if I decide to give her a bit of my food. The thing is training. I have had her since she was 7 weeks old, and she wasn't given any people food until she was at least a year old. She loves people food, but doesn't beg for it, and doesn't stop eating just because she doesn't get it. Two weeks won't kick a bad habit that has formed over a year. It takes persistence in training.
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4-23-2006 @1:10PM Hhassell said... HI:
I don't know why in the world I am having such a hard time to get my chihuahua to eat dry dog food. I don't thinke he especiallly likes the Science Diet that the breeder sent. I haven't ever seen him eat any of that. I don't want to get into the habit of feeding him table food.
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