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Farm Food - est. 1985
Veenweg 17 - 19
7443 PA - Nijverdal - NL
tel: +31 548 619977
fax: +31 548 616751
info@farmfood.co.uk
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Dogfood at present day's
Phase I
The most fascinating theories are set up about the descent of our dogs. Whether our dogs are descended from wolves, jackals or wild dogs, one thing is certain: the ancestors of our present dogs were wild animals that lived on what the environment had to offer. Their menu consisted of prey (herbivores), dead animals (carrions), wild fruit, rootstocks, intestine contents and excrements of herbivores (for their carbohydrate).
The most important condition to survive was (next to sufficient food sources) having a well developed instinct to determine whether nutrients were good and necessary or unnecessary and even harmful. In other words: The innate instinct to choose from different food sources.
Phase II
When the dog was domesticated at first nothing changed in the food pattern. The dog could walk around the farmyard freely and choose from the different food sources: remains of food, slaughter litter (like intestines), dead animals, excrements and other things the dog instinctively knew he needed. Whenever the offer of food was to low he would catch a wild rabbit or a chicken from the neighbours. All singular products whereof the dog could choose freely; which can be described as: Farm Food!
Important was the dogs innate quality to determine the difference between needed and not needed and also to choose from good and bad. Therefore he put together his own menu and got all the nutrients he needed. (Maybe this is the background of the fairy-tail that mongrels are stronger dogs than purebred dogs: because they often have the possibility to scratch and therefore choose a part of their food source, or at least fill up their shortage.)
Phase III
The more the dog was domesticated the less was left of his natural food pattern. His daily meal was being prepared for him, he could no longer choose his food. The big disadvantage of this was that he often got to much of one and not enough of the other source.
In the course of time a lot of scientific research has been completed on the feeding needs of dogs and the necessary constitution of the menu. As a result of which commercial food was born. For the composition of this nourishment people had the option to choose from the available food sources and had to dose this in a way that corresponded with the dogs total needs. In a way as the above described farm food. However because of the competition between the different manufacturers a great danger does arise: dog foods could be composed with singular (cheap) products. Dogs from ?phase I or II? would stay clear of those products! Often chemical aromatic substance and/or flavouring is added to overcome that disadvantage. For the human eye colouring is added, for example to make it look like the colour of meat.
When the food is also expanded (to increase the digestibility of the raw material) there is the risk that the proteins, vitamins and fats are damaged. There also appears a mixture of odours and flavours, which makes it impossible for the dog to smell and taste each ingredient. For the dog it is very unnatural to smell and taste only the mixture and it is possible that this will bring about a food dislike.
To make the food last longer without decay, anti-oxidants (preservatives) are added which can have a bad influence on the total metabolism of the dog. This is initially seen in skin and coat problems.
Conclusion
The above mentioned makes it clear that it is important to be extremely selective when putting together a dog food, especially when it comes to the raw material that is being used. These raw materials must be selected at first by their negative quality instead of their positive. This is to prevent
negative substances to end up in the daily menu. This is also why it is important to keep up high demands to every single raw material. As a matter of fact the dogs from ?phase I and II? would love to eat all raw materials used in a single form as well. Only the raw materials used for human consumption answers to these high demands because they have to answer to very high demands about quality and purity (which, by the way, does not mean that all products used for human consumption are also suitable for dogs).
Besides the choice of the raw materials it is obvious that it is also of vital importance that the proportions of the used nutrients and other substances match the daily needs of the dog. Because of this you would have to be absolutely sure that the nutrients in the food can indeed be taken up by the dogs body and the production process should not make it impossible for the nutrients to be absorbed.
When people give their dog a food that answers all of the above they are back at the pattern of ?phase I and II?, the so called ?FARM FOOD?. The dog will flourish and will show this through his skin and coat, his zest of life and his total health.
When pure materials (suitable for human consumption) are being used, this brings about a food that is high in energy. The dog requires a lot less food to satisfy his needs. Therefore he has to deal with a lot less filling which is very good for the total health and wellbeing of the dog.
The fact that this dog food is not the cheapest available will not surprise anyone. However when comparing the food costs per day the difference is nil. On the contrary: it is plausible that it is the other way around.
In present days it is up to you to choose the best food for your dog!
Thinking of the best intends for your dog, we brought into being the slogan: ?Dogs First!?
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