Chicken Compared To Chicken Meal

When selecting the best dry food for your dog, why is it better to go with the chicken meal than the pure chicken? Chicken meal is simply chicken that has been baked to remove bacteria and other toxins. Chicken is simply pure chicken.

What people dont know about chicken, is that it is made mostly of water. If a label on a bag of dog food says %60 whole chicken, that is quite misleading as that does not take into account how much of that %60 of chicken is left after baking it to remove unwanted substances!

When the label on the bag says %60 of chicken meal, your getting more of the chicken because the product has already been baked to remove unwanted affects such as bacteria.

Explanation:

Converting dry matter basis

This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different levels of moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture whereas, some dry foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2 reasons. The first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when you buy dog food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is water. So the amount of food your pet consumes is small and expensive. The other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help you compare crude protein and fat between brands and between canned and dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is, not as it would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both brands of food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare them accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that complicated.

If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90% dry matter. So we look at the label and check the protein level that reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the 90% dry matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a dry matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let us compare this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that with 80% moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5% protein. So we take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on a dry matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per pound on a dry matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do the same for fat, fiber, etc.

Good luck calculating!

For more great Dog Articles and tons of other great dog info, visit our Dog forum or visit our Pet blog

---

Buy Dog Travel Supplies Online

Dog Travel SuppliesThe shopping part along for dog travel supplies is amusing for sure. The trinkets, toys and accessories for pet product travel are a blast. Grab your favorite drink, your mouse and... Read More

Heartworms Alert - Know The Warning Signs To Save Your Pets Health!

Has your pet recently been coughing, eating less, or being more lethargic than usual? If so, it is possible that your pet is infected with heartworms and may need immediate help and attention.... Read More

7 Good Reasons for Playing With Your Cat

Playing reinforces the bond between you and your cat.Playing with your cat is the best possible way to build up a bond between the two of you. Do you want your cat to... Read More

West Highland Terrier Rescue Dog - What To Expect When You Bring It Home

Congratulations on your choice to bring home a West Highland Terrier rescue dog. By electing to adopt one of the rescued Westies, you are giving an older dog a chance to find a... Read More

Correcting Cats Bad Behaviour: How To Discipline Your Cat; Youll Be Happy; Your Cat Will Be Too!

At some time or another even the sweetest cat "misbehaves." Ironically, a cat's bad act is usually quite normal behavior for her, but may have a result humans don't like or want. Screaming... Read More

Those Amazing Dog Noses -- Fun Facts About A Chilly Little Organ

If you thought dog noses were just a source of smeary prints on your windows, think again!========How Nose Prints save dog's lives======Nose prints are used to identify dogs in the same way finger... Read More

The Demand for Luxury Dog Beds

A pet can be as important a member of the family as a child to some owners, and making sure they sleep well is a way to express that affection. In the past... Read More

Quality Dog Food Is Essential For The Health Of Dogs

Dog food is very important for the health of dogs. It is easy to overlook it, but it is essential to pick the right dog food for your pet dog. People sometimes just... Read More

Boxers Make Great Family Dogs

A breed of dog called a Boxer is very family-oriented and they always love to be around people. Treat them as family members. Never underestimate their need for human companionship, which is the... Read More

Tank Requirements For Discus Fish

For Discus fish, there are 2 consideration in tanks - tank depth and volume. Because of their size and swimming habits, a minimum of 18" is needed for tank depth, the deeper the... Read More

Indoor Dogfishing ? Fun Way To Exercise A Small Or Medium Size Dog

When I had a Toy Poodle, I used a small beanie baby toy tied to a twenty foot long cord to exercise him for at least ten minutes at a time, twice a... Read More

Top 10 benefits of Natural and Holistic Pet Care

There are a number of reasons for choosing natural pet foods, treats and supplies. First, use of natural products is consistent with a holistic view. A holistic approach considers all factors regarding your... Read More

A Guide to Antique Bird Cages

It has been said that everything old is new again. So it is with bird cages. Antique bird cages are a popular addition to many houses and apartments. They fit in with many... Read More

How to Paint Your Cat

Why paint your cat? After all cats are beautiful creatures if you want to appreciate the appearance of a feline, you look at the cat not at a painting.Some of the reasons that... Read More

Your Purrrfect Companion

Out of all the pet animals, the cat is most expressive about its needs. The feline loves to be pampered and cared for. Don't you just love the pretty pussy pictures they make?... Read More

Dog Hygiene Basics

Giving your dog a bath is important, but not as critical as most people seem to believe. If your dog is healthy, he really doesn't need to be bathed more that once every... Read More

Hamsters and their quest for world domination

"Hamsters?!" I hear you say. "Who cares about some fury little rodents." You ignorant little fool, you're pay the price for your stupidity when the Hamsters lead by yours truly will rise up... Read More

Is Your Dog Fat?

Obesity is one of the greatest health concerns facing dogs. You can and should do something about it. Overweight dogs may live shorter and less healthy lives and your enjoyment of their unconditional... Read More

A Pregnant Stray Cat Adopted You ? And Now What?

It happens all too often. A family or cat friend gets adopted by a stray cat. And after a few weeks it turns out she's pregnant.In the US alone there must be millions... Read More

Does Your Bichon Frise Eat His Own Poop?

Hi,I'm Janet CombsMy mother bred and raised Bichon Frises for 23 years. I have been a Bichon Frise breeder for 13 years. Between what my mother taught me and my own personal experience... Read More

Dog House Training

Dog House Training can be simpleTo start your dog house training, the first thing you'll need to do is buy your best pet friend a nice dog training collar, lead and dog crate.... Read More

Ensure a Good Relationship Between Your Cat and Your Kids

Many parents know that the best way for children to learn compassion and the importance of keeping commitments is by helping to care for a pet. Children learn from watching the adults in... Read More

Does Your Dog Have Allergies?

Many people don't realize that their dogs, just like human beings, can suffer from allergies. In fact, about twenty percent of the dogs in the United States alone suffer from one allergy or... Read More

What You Should Know About Dog Health Care

Our dogs are now, more than ever, a very important part of our families. We care for them as we care for ourselves. That includes taking a greater interest in our dogs' health... Read More

Stop! Dont Give Your Cat That Chocolate!

"Where's the harm? My cat seems to enjoy chocolate and it's only a small piece."Just because certain foods, such as chocolate, are enjoyed by us humans and are perfectly safe for us, it... Read More

How Are You Treating Your Pet?

Can you comprehend a time when dog food, cat food, or pet treats did not even exist?The very first commercial dog food was a product produced in the year 1860. James Pratt, an... Read More

Grapes, Nuts, and Your Dogs Health -- Foods that Fido should Avoid

"Magoo was a big, playful Labrador retriever who often got himself into sticky situations..."So begins a story in the latest report from the ASPCA on foods that may be toxic to dogs. It... Read More

Training Your Dog To Save a Life In Water

Occasionally watching Animal Planet does have its advantage. You can really learn how to train your dog for different situations.There was a program on in August, 2005 about a dog that loved to... Read More

Guinea Pig History

Their scientific name is Cavia Tschuldi and their nickname in South America where they were first discovered, is"Cavy. As you might have guessed Guinea Pigs are rodents.Near the Andes Mountains in Peru over... Read More