Worst dog foods
Reading Time: 9 minutesWhen listing the worst dog foods currently on the market, it is not uncommon to find some of the most popular brands of dog food. While these brands have made significant improvements in their formulas to improve consumer satisfaction and keep up with new developments in nutrition science, they do still make a few mistakes that result in substandard formulations you should avoid if possible.
What are the worst dog food Brands?
Any brand you choose When listing the worst dog foods currently on the market, it is not uncommon to find some of the most popular brands of dog food. While these brands have made significant improvements in their formulas to improve consumer satisfaction and keep up with new developments in nutrition science, they do still make a few mistakes that result in substandard formulations you should avoid if possible.
Any brand you choose must be chosen carefully, as each has its own pros and cons. Choosing one without researching its contents can spell disaster for your pet.
The list below outlines some of what I consider to be the worst dog foods currently available on shelves at brick-and-mortar stores across America:
1) Purina Beneful Dog Food – In my opinion, this is the worst dog food currently available at most retail stores. Purina Beneful dog food is produced by Nestle under the Purina name, which explains why it contains no animal-based products whatsoever:
• Its dry matter basis protein content is only 13%. This means that your pet receives an extremely low amount of protein from the diet when compared to what he needs for a healthy life. Dry matter weight refers to how much actual meat and other animal products are in a given food product.
• It contains no animal digest, which is a common ingredient used to boost the protein content of commercial pet foods. It also contains no meat meal at all, and only a small amount of grain that rates very low on the glycemic index for optimal canine health.
• Instead of digest and meat meals, Beneful uses wheat gluten as the primary source of protein in its dry dog food formulas. This form of cheap plant-based protein is hard for dogs to digest – even if it was sourced from a traditional animal-based source like chicken or cattle.
Wheat gluten produces high quantities of gluteomorphin’s in dogs’ bodies, which are known to cause allergic reactions when consumed in excess over time your dog’s body will develop a tolerance to them, but it can take several months or even years for this to happen.
• Gluten also swells in liquid when added to water or broth, allowing more of the starch and sugars contained within wheat gluten to leach into the solution. This results in food with far more calories than you would expect based on its dry content – as much as 125% more calories than what is listed on the pet food label!
• Beneful uses corn syrup solids and other cheap sweeteners instead of sugar from beets and carrots in their formulas. These sweeteners neither benefit your dog nor help him avoid treats made with standard cane sugar like candy bars, ice cream, cookies, and cakes.
• Beneful also uses a meat byproduct meal like unnamed “meat and bone meal” in its formulas as a source of protein. This form of low-quality animal product is produced using scraps, feet, feathers, bones, and other parts of the animal that are normally discarded during the butchering process. They often contain dangerous amounts of toxins from unwanted substances like pesticides, herbicides, or heavy metals such as zinc and lead.
• Purina Beneful dog food contains very little omega-3 fatty acid necessary for maintaining proper cardiac function in your pet’s body at all. In fact, it contains no natural sources of this important essential fatty acid whatsoever: only an unspecified fish oil derived partially from salmon and trout. Salmon oil provides a significant amount of vitamin D, which can be good for your dog if he doesn’t get enough sunlight in his life. However, the fish oil in Beneful does not contain any vitamin D at all – only omega-3 fatty acid.
• Animal digest is added to Purina Beneful formulas as a source of “natural flavor.” This ingredient should never appear on the label lists of commercial pet foods because it’s typically derived from 4D livestock that is dead, dying, or diseased before they’re processed using the rendering process: a system that involves high heat and pressure to dissolve away fat and tissue.
The end result is hair, feathers, horns, and other disease organisms present in meat products used as ingredients in commercial pet foods. These substances can harbor parasites, bacteria, and other diseases in the final product – especially if it’s a dry kibble formula.
• Beneful also uses propylene glycol, a synthetic chemical used as a plasticizer in the manufacturing process of dog toys, bubble wrap, and food packaging materials. This substance is considered safe for human consumption when found naturally derived from corn or vegetable oils; however, Purina has reformulated it as an emulsifier that prevents fat separation in dog food formulas for easier processing during preparation.
When heated within your pet’s body to 100°F (37°C), propylene glycol converts into adipic acid, which causes severe respiratory distress in animals – including death. Despite this fact, there are no warnings on the label of a Beneful can or Pounce treats about the potential danger posed by this additive.
Purina Beneful dog food should never be fed to your pets on a regular basis for two main reasons: it’s extremely poor quality pet food that has been infused with addictive drugs and other substances under the guise of harmless vitamins to encourage you to overfeed them; and its formulas contain far too much starch, sugar and inferior animal protein for good health in dogs.
Purina Beneful ingredients are also cheap. For example, wheat gluten is produced using an industrial solvent known as hexane – a chemical that can damage red blood cells, cause learning difficulties and change bone marrow cell functions during prolonged exposure. Wheat gluten is also hard on your dog’s stomach and is difficult for him to digest properly.
Amount of Quality Animal Protein – Beneful dog food contains very little protein derived from valuable sources like eggs, chicken, fish, and beef because this would also increase the price of its dry kibble formulas. Instead, they’re made with mostly unnamed meat by-products which can include anything from feet and beaks to intestines in their final forms.
The same goes for Purina Pounce treats: the majority of their total weight is comprised of starch (wheat flour) instead of animal protein so that more edible material may be included in every bag at a lower manufacturing cost. This means your pet will consume less real meat when using these products – and his body won’t get the concentrated vitamins, minerals, and amino acids it needs to maintain good health.
• Added Drugs in Purina Pet Food – It’s no secret that the animal feed industry regularly uses additives and chemicals to help keep animal products fresh, bright red in color for appearance appeal, and full of flavor enhancers. In fact, many pet owners complain that some dog food brands make their dogs aggressive or hyperactive after prolonged feeding periods; however, this response is typically due to the presence of synthetic preservatives (xylitol) used to prevent spoilage in the packaging materials during shipping rather than natural sources of vitamins, minerals or fatty acids found in quality formulas like Innova or Wellness Core.
• Beneful dry dog foods also contain cheap fillers like corn gluten meal, which is a high-protein byproduct of corn that contains very little real nutrition for your dog. In fact, the majority of it passes right through him. It also contains propylene glycol – a synthetic emulsifier made from propylene oxide and ethylene oxide to help mix colors in their ingredients and keep dry kibble pieces from sticking together during processing. Corn gluten meal may be used as an animal feed ingredient but there are no specific health benefits that can be found within it, either.
• Added Sugars – Sweeteners like corn syrup solids and sugar are present in most Beneful brands (and many other popular pet foods). The problem with these ingredients is they provide virtually nothing beneficial for your dog’s body composition and can cause cavities and other health problems in his mouth.
• Preservatives – Beneful contains some of the same chemical preservatives found in many popular dry dog foods: BHT and propyl gallate are two antioxidant chemicals used to prevent fats from going rancid by inhibiting the oxidation process that produces free radicals as a result of natural cell activity. These additives may also be present in Purina Pounce treats, as well; however, the packaging does not provide this information so it is up to you to research your dog’s potential exposure if you routinely feed him these products.
The bottom line with both ingredients is they’ve known toxicants that can cause gastrointestinal issues, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea – especially when they interact with other ingredients like wheat gluten to produce large quantities of gases in a dog’s intestines. (Not that this is an appealing option for anyone.)
• Wheat Gluten – Purina has been using wheat gluten as one of the primary protein sources in their Beneful dog foods since 2007 because it is much cheaper than meat-based ingredients and can be sold at higher prices to consumers who demand “natural” food without noticing major changes in the product’s overall nutritional value and content.
However, many experts agree that dogs are not biologically capable of digesting or using wheat gluten properly; they lack sufficient enzymes needed to break down its complex proteins into useable peptides for proper cellular metabolism. In addition, several studies suggest that it may cause allergic reactions in sensitive-natured dogs, especially those in the early stages of growth and development.
• Incomplete Protein – Beneful dog foods contain a very small amount of protein for dogs; their main source of animal protein is split peas. This explains why many Beneful reviews from consumers indicate that they feel like Purina’s products lack the necessary nutrients to sustain optimal health in their pets over time. Even worse, this ingredient is often made with legumes are grown using synthetic fertilizers that can cause allergic reactions in some dogs who are sensitive to it, while others may not show any outward signs but still have negative metabolic effects as a result.
There you have it – a comprehensive review of all the problems associated with eating Beneful and other pet foods made by Purina in your dog’s lifetime. The bottom line for all dogs is that they should be eating a diet consisting of natural ingredients which will not only improve their physical health and well-being but also their mental performance, too. This means you want to steer clear of brands like Beneful because of the cheap fillers and chemical preservatives they contain – there are many other great options to choose from!
Recommendations & Advice On Dog Food For Both You And Your Pets:
• Natural Balance – They have an entire dry dog food line as well as canned varieties to fit any dogs’ needs who may suffer from allergies or digestive issues. Their foods are grain-free, gluten-free (many flavors), and also in a variety of formulas to suit senior dogs, puppies, and active adult dogs. Their ever-so-popular grain-free “CORE” dry food contains a healthy balance of all the necessary vitamins in one complete formula.
This particular dog food also is a high protein with no corn, wheat, or soy and provides optimal nutrients your dog both needs and wants from his diet! For more Natural Balance Pet Foods information as well as some great deals on buying online – Click Here. To purchase at retail stores just across Canada visit – Find A Retailer
• Canidae – They have dry, grain-free dog foods for many different sized breeds which will assist any dog needing daily dental health by keeping the teeth cleaned with their unique chewing motion when you feed them Canidae Dry Dog Food. They also have an entire line of wet dog food in single and multi-flavor packages to enjoy for a truly healthy meal or treat!
• Evo – When a dog is suffering from joint pain and mobility problems, it can be difficult for him to keep up with his active brothers and sisters who play outside regularly each day. As the owners of these beloved family pets, we can easily make a difference in their health by feeding them quality diets that contain glucosamine as well as natural ingredients like fish oil (wild-caught salmon) that help soothe nerves and repair the cartilage in aging pets. This particular dog food does exactly this and is recognized by veterinarians all across North America as being a leader in natural pet foods, plus it doesn’t taste bad at all! Visit Evo’s website: www.evopet.com to see for yourself.
• Stella & Chewy’s – Our dogs love their raw meaty bones which are covered with delicious beef or chicken flavors but we need to ensure that they do not eat them on an empty stomach so they do not cause any digestive issues later when consuming these healthy treats. Their website has many information pages if you would like to learn more about how your beloved dog can enjoy healthier meals each day with their freeze-dried raw food line (both dog and cat). They deliver right to your door in a sealed container which helps keep them fresh and tasty!
Click here for more information or visit Stella & Chewy’s Home Delivery FAQ section.
There are many other great natural dog foods and treats for sale online but hopefully, you’ve found the information provided on this page useful. In today’s world, every member of our family deserves quality food that is safe to eat – including our beloved pets! If you’re not sure about certain brands or if you have specific questions of your own, feel free to contact us through our website and we will do everything possible to assist you with finding what works best for you and your dog(s).
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