PETS & PETFOOD (CU)_They eat pea shells and slices of apple, go nutty for peanut butter, and would sell out their own mothers for an entire piece of bacon. Food can come on a plate, in a bowl on the floor, even on the floor, and it makes no difference. Not even the most fervent restaurant-goer loves food, and I mean all food, as much as a dog.
But when we talk about dog food, does anyone actually have much to say? Most of it is made from ingredients deemed unfit for humans, which is why there’s a difference between so-called “human grade” and “feed grade” foods. Even the “good stuff” that comes in a can is no more appetizing, ranging from underwhelming pate-gray to chunky, syrupy brown meat bits.
America’s dogs are prepared for an improvement. The Millennials’ pets eat better than you, according to a recent Boston Globe piece, which claimed that youthful pet owners “feed their pets like they feed themselves: free range, organic, and gluten-free.” The raw food diet that is popular among some humans has also made it into pet supply stores. According to market research firm GfK, sales of freeze-dried and frozen raw pet meals climbed by 64 percent to $40 million and 32 percent to $52 million, respectively, between 2014 and 2015.
According to data from the American Pet Products Association, total spending on pets climbed from $28.5 in 2001 to $60.28 million in 2015. There are restaurants that just serve dogs, canine-friendly pop-ups with multi-course dog feasts, even a variety of “pooch hooch” that dogs are physically slurping up.
An increasing number of publications are focusing on dishes that are safe for dogs as American dog owners explore for new ways to indulge their pets. The Culinary Canine: Great Chefs Cook for Their Dogs—and You Can, Too!, published in 2011! 30 cooks who enjoy cooking for their dogs were featured. Dominique Crenn recommended a recipe of “poached chicken, organic brown rice, and blueberries” that wouldn’t look out of place in a gourmet magazine, revealing that her rescued Chihuahua Maximus “loves blueberries.” A dog-friendly recipe for “roasted filet of bluefish with roasted yams, peas, and bacon” was provided by chef Anita Lo of New York’s Annisa.
Dogs who have lived their entire lives eating just kibble can’t suddenly convert to eating human food, say experts. If your dog has only consumed one food throughout its life, Woodford claims that their bodies have become accustomed to it. But after a gradual adjustment to the new food, dogs can benefit from a diversified diet just as much as people do, if not more. Woodford’s recipes are created in huge portions aimed to feed a dog for numerous meals throughout the week, rather of the once-in-a-while approach followed by many other cookbooks. Dogs may appear to be omnivores, but when given a variety of meals to choose from, they acquire preferences much like people do. “Not every dog can handle the same thing or like the same food,” Woodford says.
