Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1

1.    Healthy Alternatives to Dry Dog Food. Dog owners have been led to believe that the dog foods found in pet stores are healthy for their pets.

2.     

                               Who: Dog owners.

    What: They are misinformed on what is considered a healthy diet for their dog.

Why: The practice of misinforming dog owners and taking advantage of them, in regard to what is an appropriate diet for their dog, is putting their pet’s lives at risk.

3.     

        Testing the who: Not just dog owners have this need. The need to provide a healthy and balanced meal extends to all pet owners. It is also important for veterinarians and pet store employees to possess this knowledge, as they are looked to for recommendations and guidance in these areas.

Testing the what: All dog foods that are found in major pet stores are detrimental to your dog’s health, in one way or another.

Testing the why: I am not entirely sure why it is common practice to misinform dog owners and take advantage of them by telling them that the best possible dog foods are those advertised on TV and promoted in pet stores. I imagine it would have something to do with the fact that it is cheaper for companies to produce low quality foods and sell them at the prices they do, than it would be to produce actually nutrient rich foods.

4.     

·      Interview #1:

                                              i.     This interview was with a neighbor who owns a 4-year-old dog. He explained that he has been buying the same brand of dog food since he purchased his dog and he’s never had any serious issue in regard to the dog’s health. He did however state that he has consistently been changing his cat’s diet around because he was unable to find something that sat well with her stomach. He explained that she had a nasty habit of vomiting the food up about an hour or so after mealtime.

·      Interview #2:

                                              i.     This interview was with my parent’s neighbor, who has been a veterinarian for the last 9 years. He also sells the popular dog brand foods you would usually find in major pet stores, out of his pet clinic. He swears by the claims of the dog food brands he sells (claims of nutritional value/benefits it provides for your pet) and said there was little to no harm risk for the pets. He also mentioned that he had no formal nutritional training during his years at veterinarian school.

·      Interview #3:

                                              i.     This interview was with a junior in college who currently lives in an apartment with her dog and works a part-time job. She explained that she would be open to the idea of switching her dog’s diet out for a healthier alternative, but her budget would not allow for it and there were no stores within a reasonable distance that offered healthier dog food brands.

·      Interview #4:

                                              i.     This interview was especially important because it brought to light the experience of a former pet store employee. This gentleman had worked for at PetSmart for over 5 years and explained that their training led them to believe that they carried the healthiest brands of dog food and the same should be told to any customers who inquired. He then went on to explain that he eventually left the store after realizing his employer’s practices were unethical (providing false information to pet owners in regard to the actual health benefits of the dog foods they were selling.)

·      Interview #5:

                                              i.     This interview was with the owner of a small local pet store. You won’t find any of the common “big name” dog food brands you’d usually find in other stores at her store. She explained that it was more important for her to carry foods that she knows is healthier for pets than to carry the more popular brands. Even with her prices being a bit higher, she doesn’t have any trouble keeping a steady flow of customers coming into her store. She explained that once her customers give their dogs/cats some of the lesser known/healthier brands of dog foods she carries, they rarely ever turn back.

  

5.     

·      After conducting my interviews, I learned that in some cases, animals are not always likely to show symptoms of sickness and actually go on to live seemingly happy and healthy lives. With that being said, I also learned that my hypothesis was correct in majority of cases, as most of the people I interviewed were aware that popular dog food brands are not the best option for pets.

·      As I had assumed, it really comes down to a matter of convenience and cost for pet owners, as evidenced by interview #3.