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Category Archives: dog nutrition and labelling

New dog treats and ingredients

Posted on January 2, 2011 | Leave a comment

I’ve been working on some new dog treat recipes to make greater use of rice flour, a gluten-free base for dog treats. Many dog owners are looking for treats that are wheat-free.

Rice flour can be used as a substitute for traditional wheat flours and is comparatively easy to source, so dog treat prices will remain competitive and reasonable (remember, all Balanced Dog treats are handmade!)

I’m using rice flour in a new treat that uses 100% New Zealand lamb. Lamb is a warming meat, so it is good for older dogs. Lamb is also highly digestible so it will be a useful treat for dogs needing a little more protein in their diet. This treat has lots of herbs, too.

I’ll be adding more information on dog food ingredients to this blog as time goes on. Stay tuned…

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand

Labels on dog food and treats

Posted on November 29, 2010 | Leave a comment

I’m going to get on my soapbox a minute about dog food labelling here in New Zealand. Today I was in the supermarket and, as you do when you are in a dog-related business, I took a stroll down the dog food aisle. The “Proudly Made in NZ” label caught my eye….

This product is being marketed as a canine health supplement, an omega-3 biscuit for dogs. Some of the ingredients seem okay but then I see the claim “No added flavours or food colours” – but guess what one of the ingredients is? CARAMEL!

So you have to wonder why caramel is an essential ingredient in a health supplement. Caramel is an additive for both flavour and colour . I would argue that this ingredient is absolutely not necessary and that it is added to make the product more appealing.

Please read the labels on all of your dog’s treats and food (you probably should make this a habit for all of your family’s food!). Become an educated consumer and only feed your dog what you would want to eat yourself as part of a healthy diet.