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I was shopping in a major retail pet supply store and started noticing new dog foods and new dog food packaging.

At first I laughed thinking how predictable it was for the manufacturers to jump right in and take advantage of last year's pet food contamination by releasing old products with new labels as a solution to the problem. I started to poll my customers on what they were now feeding their dogs. The answers were very worrisome.

Roughly the answers fell into three categories: the first being those who now use a food because the label says it is "all natural" or "health food"; the second, those who have learned to read the ingredients for wheat or corn; and the third who said, "My dog's food wasn't on the recall list" (but other foods by the manufacturer were). I am no longer laughing. They didn't get it. It wasn't about the food, it was about whether or not you can trust the manufacturer.

The 2007 pet food recalls showed us that the so-called "truth" of what we are bombarded with in commercials and package advertising is dangerous for our beloved pets.

The list of companies on the recall list was unconscionable. Now, their answer to the lack of product testing and quality control that goes into our pet's food is to send us a new series of marketing labels to once again fool us into thinking they care. The newest marketing craze is to now send us on a spree to buy their "health food" or "all natural" foods. A good number of last year's recalled products were prescription foods, life stage foods for the aged and sick pet and those labeled as "health foods." The fact that many pets were known to have died from the contamination problems was just the beginning of the tragedy. How many died but could not conclusively be tied to the contaminants? How many have had their life spans shorted? How many are we still poisoning?

The major pet food manufacturers are in business to make money, not to make your pet healthy; that should be your veterinarian's job (don't even get me started on vets who display and supply these companies' products). As a businessperson I understand the need to make a profit and think this is not altogether bad. As a consumer and pet owner I refuse to contribute to that profit while they are still trying to make a buck by lying to us and endangering our pets. Why would I trust any product from a company that allowed pets to die needlessly? That is right, allowed. They do not tell you all you need to know on the labels to ensure your pet is safe. And, do not make the mistake of thinking they are now safe.

Have they added their ingredient supplier's or manufacturer's names to the label?

Do they tell you how long and at what temperature they cook the food or store the food? Do they tell you that breed specific or different life stage products are not always necessary? The more types of food they sell, the more shelf space they get. The more shelf space, the more likely you are to buy their products. If you call them with questions, can you talk to the formulators of the food? What scientific tests are their formulas based on? No, no, no and no!

How much money have they spent to change their quality control procedures and test all their ingredients that could be a source of contamination? How much money did they spend for advertising campaigns where they apologized for poisoning your pet and begged for your forgiveness! None and none!

For the most part they ignored the bad press except to recall the contaminated products, point the finger at China and quietly pay off those pet owners who could prove their pets were harmed. Ta-Da! Now they throw a few veggies and vitamins into the recipe, give it new packaging and call it "health food." They are never going to change until you stop buying their products.

So, what do you do?

You do exactly what I did. First you decide how important your pet really is to you. Are they worth the time it takes to do some research? Are they worth the few more dollars to feed them what they really need? My answer was yes. My pets are my family and I made the time. I decided they could do without $90 beds and I could use a few less manicures and a little less Starbucks coffee if it meant a longer, healthier life for them. Here is what I did and what I found out:

I started researching what a dog needs from AAFCO. That was some help but I could see where the information could be misleading and confusing when put into labeling. I learned to read labels and started to compare. Then I was really confused. My next step was to talk to a dog nutritionist. This was very informative because I learned that the AAFCO standards were not based on the best health and longevity for my pets, only the minimum standards. And, comparing product labels was not enough. Many things like the ingredients of the ingredients are not always listed, cooking times can destroy the beneficial effects of the ingredients and a vegetable is not always a vegetable, sometimes it's a protein. Then I was beyond confused. So I switched tactics and started researching companies.

At first in looking into the major manufacturers I was overcome by who owned who and who manufactured what for whom.

I felt like I was in an old Abbott & Costello movie; who's on first. I wanted to give up but one of my dogs happens to have Addison's disease and my research thus far convinced me how important his nutrition was to his survival. Then I received an email from a company selling holistic dog food. Well, I did holistic dog training so why not take a look.

I found out that this company sold only holistic and natural products. It made a profit by making pet food formulated to keep pets healthy (not just alive) and had a foundation where some of those profits went to small rescue groups. The product was based on good sound science, and I could talk to the veterinarian who formulated the food. They had a good quality control program, tested their ingredients for contaminants and had never had any of their products on the recall lists. I gave their products a try.

I started noticing changes in my dogs after the third week.

My Bassett hound that has Addison's disease has new energy (lots of energy) and no longer needs daily steroids, my Pit bull has stopped licking his feet (mild allergies) and my Lab's shedding has been reduced by about 80%. I am continuing to notice changes in the rescue dogs receiving the food and supplements; reduced anal gland problems, reduced gas issues, reduced ear infections and fresher breath. These are all immune system and allergy problems. It makes sense to me that if you combat contaminants and feed a balanced diet, it will strengthen the immune system and reduce allergic reactions. This is what one of the company field reps had to say:

"All anyone can do is protect their animal's health through products like ours as much as possible. Genetics play a role and providing excellent nutrition is your only defense. However, it is not a guarantee that any animal will not be diagnosed with an illness in the future. No food or products can make this promise. There are so very many other contributing factors and to expect ANY diet however good it is to give total protection is simply asking too much. Environmental toxins are ever prevalent in our daily existence as well as our pets. Environmental toxins have been directly linked to every disease and disorder known to plague our planet. All we can do is limit our exposure and the exposure of our animals. We are doing this by using products like Dr. Jane provides. But it is still not a guarantee that nothing bad will happen. Toxins get into the body and block receptor sites and don't allow vital minerals and nutrients to work properly. This is what sets the stage for disease. This is why Dr. Jane is so cautious in her choices of ingredients for her products. This is why she understands that to have any hope of keeping animals as safe and healthy as possible, she must formulate to ensure that they are getting powerful antioxidants like grape seed extract and the antioxidants found in her choices of fruits and vegetables. This is why she puts so much importance on providing the animal with what it needs to promote as healthy of a digestive tract as possible. Toxins promote free radicals in excess in the body. Extra antioxidants are the only defense for destroying free radicals. It is the best she can do. It is all anyone can ever ask from a formulator. But again, it is no guarantee. No one, no company can ever guarantee this. Anyone that does is not being honest and anyone that expects it is not being fair."

I took this response to be honest and caring. My response was to promptly sign myself up as a company field rep.

My anger led me to make the effort to do something for myself and my pets. I have a new realization of just how much they mean to me. I learned that there are a few companies out there that are interested in the well being of our pets, but you do have to look for them. I was lucky enough to find one and now I am on a mission to make sure that every pet owner I meet understands you can protect your pet from paying the price of the "Pet Food Marketing Madness." What have you learned?

My dogs eat healthy! Do yours?

About the Author
Eleanor Scheidemann,CEO The Dog Lady, Inc. and President of Last Chance for Love Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation, Inc. has over ten years experience as a professional dog trainer. Her company provides hundreds of dog owners each year with obedience training, behavior modification and problem solving. She works actively with rescue groups by rehabilitating dogs that would otherwise be considered unadoptable. This company is about more than just dog training; it is about everything "dog". Eleanor, "The Dog Lady" is more than just a dog trainer. You are sure to find her opinions on dog training matters both educational and entertaining.

Eleanor encourages everyone to visit her dog training site and the rescue site at lclrr.org to see how YOU can make a difference in the world of animals and recieve your free dog training ebooks. Eleanor Scheidemann may be contacted at http://www.thedoglady.org. Click here to view more articles by Eleanor Scheidemann.