21/09/2015
Planet Paws
WHAT IS THE BEST DIET IN THE WORLD FOR MY DOG?
The simple answer to that, and the one expression that comes to mind, is the word used in the human world: bio-individuality. This basically means that there’s no one right diet that works for everyone all of the time. Rather, there are many factors that influence which foods will and won't nourish each of our pets uniquely.
Ever wonder what the oldest living dogs in the world ate?
Check it out:
Bluey, an Australian cattle dog from down under, was born in 1910 and lived to be almost 30 years old! When asked what the Betty White of dogs was fed, his parents said he lived on a diet of kangaroo and emu… basically a fresh, raw food diet.
Bramble, born in 1975, was a blue merle Collie who lived in the UK.
This dog once held the Guinness World Record title for being the oldest living dog at the time. What’s most amazing about this story is that the dog actually lived on a vegan diet of rice, lentils and organic vegetables. This veggie-eating pooch lived to the ripe old age of 27!
Pusuke, born in 1985, was a mix of midget Shiba and an unidentified mixed-breed. He died at age 26 in Japan. Details of Pusuke's diet were not given, but what is interesting is that the owner gave him supplements twice daily. These extra supplements, she believes, contributed to his amazing longevity.
Max, born in 1983, was a beagle, dachshund and terrier mix, from Louisiana, USA. In 2013, Max outlived all of his canine compatriots, making it to a whopping 29 years and 282 days (surpassing the previous title-holder by just under 100 days). According to the pet parent, Max was never offered any table scraps and was only fed processed kibble.
Chilla was controversially the oldest dog ever (not verified). Born in 1952 in Australia, this mutt was half black lab and half cattle dog. Chilla dined on mainly boiled leftovers (potato peels, cabbage ends and egg shells) and once a week was treated with commercial canned pet food. The dog lived to be 32 years old (the equivalent of a 224 year old human!!)
In conclusion, with information like this, it is easy to see why no one can ever see eye to eye on what to feed their pets!
I’ll leave you with this quote: “A wise man never knows all, only fools know everything.” - African Proverb
Rodney Habib - Pet Nutrition Blogger
P.S. - Today’s mortality rate, according to Banfield.com, shows the dog’s average lifespan to be 10.8 years... a mere 1/3 of the record holders. Why? Well, a huge factor would be because of our changing planet. Gone are yesterday’s clean foods and today we are left with genetically modified, factory farmed, pesticide-laden options.
