More Unconventional Dog Food

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Any time we aspire to review the best products in a given category, we inadvertently miss some. Last month, we highlighted some interesting “novel” foods – products that are manufactured outside the conventions of dry, canned, or raw frozen foods. Somehow, we failed to include a few interesting dehydrated products.

As we stated last month, dehydrated foods are light and compact, and easy to take on the road; just add water. Because most include raw, dried meat as the major protein (and indeed the major ingredient), they are frequently used as “travel food” for dogs who ordinarily eat a home-prepared or commercial raw meat diet.

Please note that some of these products are not formulated to meet the nutritional levels recommended by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). It’s usually easy to identify these products by the omission of a “complete and balanced” claim on their labels. However, one product below makes a “complete and balanced” claim that lacks information about which AAFCO standard it met.

Most dogs can eat unbalanced or incomplete diets for a short time without adverse side effects. But such diets should be used only as a short-term solution, or by owners who are experienced with home-prepared or unconventional diets. It’s advisable to develop a collaborative relationship with a vet who can provide educated oversight of alternative diets.

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Nancy Kerns
Nancy Kerns was the founding editor of Whole Dog Journal in 1998. She now devotes her time to teaching dog-training classes and training dogs for The Canine Connection in Chico, CA, and as a volunteer for her local animal shelter, the Northwest SPCA in Oroville, CA.