Grain Free Food for a Pomsky? NO!
When we are shopping for that first time with our Pomsky puppy in hand, we stroll through the aisle of PetSmart or our local pet store, looking at all of the boutique foods that are on the shelves. Which one is best for our new puppy?
You ask the clerks at the counter, and they will steer you towards the boutique food, small family company foods. I was one of those. I tried several varieties, thinking that small boutique brands had my dogs’ interests at heart: Merrick, Fromm, Earthborn, Taste of the Wild, 4Health, Victor Hi Pro, and Orijen. But after further research, I took them off of this grain-free food.
Why is there a push towards the grain-free food? There has been a myth going around that grain causes allergies. Yes, it can in some, but grain free is not the solution for most dogs.
Why is grain-free a concern in the canine nutrition community? Because of something called Diet-Associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM). Dogs are dying young (4-6 years) with enlarged hearts. This was quiet at first, but we are learning more every day. There’s two things that grain-free foods have that may be to blame:
1) Grain-free has prevented required nutrients, like Taurine. Taurine is one of the major components needed in dogs and is especially important in heart health.
2) Grain-free substitutes grains (oat/wheat/rice) for legumes/soybeans/peas/lentils.
What’s wrong with legumes or soybeans? Legumes have long been known as Endrocrine disruptors. If someone has cancer, the first thing the doctor tells them to do is to avoid soybeans. If someone is having hormonal imbalances, what does the doctor recommend? A reduced soy/legumes diet. As a breeder, hormonal disruptions can mean weird cycles or increased chance of cancer. That’s just not something I’m willing to risk with my dogs.
So what’s the right decision for you? I can’t answer that for you. But I highly recommend that you carefully research this topic. There are also Facebook groups with well over 100k members regarding DCM, many of whom have horror stories.
My personal stance is that I go with a food that has the WSAVA stamp of approval, that has been third party tested to ensure that the nutrients in the food is adequate for a thriving canine population.
I personally feed Purina Pro Plan. Honestly, I never in a million years thought that I would say I’m a Purina fan. Like many manufacturers, they have a high, middle, and low quality food for different budget levels. Their middle-low foods are not good. However, the Purina Pro Plan line has been good and my dogs are thriving on it. Their coats look great, their teeth/eyes/ears look great, and most important is the poo. The poo is small, compact, and dark. I rotate between the various proteins to hopefully prevent sensitivities to any one protein. I also heavily supplement with raw foods. This means fresh raw foods, raw bones and cartilage, raw eggs, fatty fish, coconut oil, and fresh fruits and veggies.
I hope this was able to provide some insight on the subject of dog food and what to feed your dog. Do your research and speak with your vet. ♥ Happy Pomskying.
Important Research Links:
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/fda-grain-free-diet-alert-dcm/
