Orijen White Paper on ... Dietary Needs of Dogs ...

Posted on another forum, I came upon this white paper on pet diets produced for Orijen (date not known). It's an excellent paper and great reading for anyone who feeds dogs. Finally something intelligent on nutrition from a pet food company. http://www.orijen.ca/orijen/ORIJEN_White_paper.pdf

Things I found particularly noteworthy:
- dogs thrive on protein, the more the better and there is no upper limit that is harmful (pg 14/15/26/27); in fact, restriction of dietary protein can have an adverse effect on the kidney (pg 26)

- no amylase in dogs' saliva so the burden to digest carbohydrates is solely on the amylase produced by the pancreas (pg 5)

- it is normal for dogs to swallow food whole instead of chewing (mixing food with saliva in mouth) (pg 6)

- protein quality depends on the source, the amino acid composition and digestibility and animal proteins but not plant proteins contain all the requisite amino acids (pg 7); animal proteins (eggs, meat, poultry, fish) are complete proteins (pg 21)

- carbohydrate loading in dogs creates excess lactic acid in muscles leading to hypoglycemia, causing weakness and fatigue (pg

- Omega-3 EFA from plants is not appropriate for dogs (pg 8/18)

- today's high carb (dry) pet foods lead to blood sugar fluctuations, insulin resistance and are considered to be the cause of obesity, diabetes etc. (pg 9)

- typical dry dog foods contain more than 40-50% carbs yet there is no minimum level required in a dog's diet (pg 9)

- "biologically appropriate" food for dogs is higher protein, moderate fat, low carb, minimally processed variety of ingredients (pg 10)

- speciality foods are often little more than the same foods in a different package (pg 12)

- the vast majority of today's conventional pet foods, including "super premium" and "holistic", still contain more than 50% grain and almost as much carbohydrate (pg 12). This is especially true of the vet diets (pg 13/17)

- a variety of animal sources is appropriate (pg 14/16)

- many grain-free pet foods contain potato or pea protein isolates which are not "Biologically Appropriate" (pg 14)

- Omega 3 and Omega 6 from plant sources are unusable by dogs and should be discounted in any food (pg 14/19)

- most high-protein kibbles contain excessive calcium and phosphorus (pg 14)

- a dog's body cannot store amino acids (pg 15) so a deficiency will cause muscle breakdown (pg 21)

- excess protein is seldom converted to body fat. It is metabolized for energy or eliminated (pg 15)

- high protein does NOT lead to kidney disease but is beneficial for the immune system, the central nervous system etc. (pg 15/26/27)

- protein is sacrificed in commercial pet foods only because of cost of manufacturing (pg 15)

- protein restriction in healthy older dogs is unnecessary and can be detrimental as their protein needs increase as they age; overweight dogs can benefit from a higher proportion protein diet (pg 15/28)

- the high temperatures used to manufacture pet food lowers the "natural integrity" of fresh meat ingredients (pg 16/23)

- protein, not carbs, is the building block for hair and skin; carbs do nothing for the dog's body structures (pg 17)

- whereas carbs fuel the human body, it is fat that fuels the dog's body (pg 18)

- pet food manufacturers use short-chain plant based EFAs, useless for dogs, instead of beneficial longer-chain EFAs because they are cheaper and more stable (longer shelf life) (pg 19)

- dogs need 22 amino acids of which 10 must come from food ("essential amino acids") (pg 22). One of these, methionine, can lower urinary pH and help prevent struvite crystals but heating (i.e. manufacturing kibble and canned) destroys the methionine (pg 23/24)

- biological value of raw is better than cooked/processed; raw has higher protein quality than rendered animal meals (pg 24)

Thanks for posting ! I have saved the document, we have been feeding Orijen Fresh Fish for years now and have had no issues

Very interesting.

Wow, a fantastic paper. I do wish we knew when it was published.

How sad that much of this information is not readily available - nor is it the type of information consumers are encouraged to know.

"biologically appropriate" food for dogs is higher protein, moderate fat, low carb, minimally processed variety of ingredients

That particular phrase ought to be the First Commandment for feeding dogs (excusing exceptions for special cases e.g. growing puppies, faulty immune systems, damaged pancreas etc.).

Thanks so much for the link - as soon as I get some free time I will read through that paper.

Yep, that pretty much sums it up. That and a diversity of protein sources.