Keeping Dog Food Fresh....

[Sadie's Mom]

What is the best way in keeping dog food fresh for a long time??? My Sadie won't eat her food when there is a half a bag of dog food left in the bag. She eat it once I bring it home for a couple of weeks when it's brand new bag, but when there's a 1/2 bag left she won't eat her breakfast but will eat her dinner at times or vesra. She is active and eats treats ( I haven't been giving her any because of her poor eatting habits) and all but won't eat her breakfast in the morning.... I keep her food in the bag and the bag is in a tall rubbermade sealed container. Please help. Replys are greatly...

[Whizzy]

If you have a freezer you can bag up about half of it and freeze it. That will keep it fresh and tasty. Or maybe you could seal half of it in freezer bags, after squooshing as much air out as possible.

Or you could buy smaller bags. More expensive that way, I know.

[Sadie's Mom]

Originally Posted by Whizzy

If you have a freezer you can bag up about half of it and freeze it. That will keep it fresh and tasty. Or maybe you could seal half of it in freezer bags, after squooshing as much air out as possible.

Or you could buy smaller bags. More expensive that way, I know.

Won't the food then become to hard for them to chew?... or to cold??? Good idea Whizzy. I'll have to try that. How long dose it have to be in the freezer??? Thanks!!

[Whizzy]

I'd probably get quart sized freezer bags, package it up, and freeze. When you need more food, just take out one bag and let it thaw before feeding. The rest of the food will remain fresh until you need it. You can keep the food in the freezer as long as you need to. It will keep fresh for at least a year, probably longer.

[Pet Flora]

Just one of commercial dry pet food industries' dirty little secrets is that recycled restaurant grease is applied just to give this otherwise tasteless, nutrition-less bulk some flavor! Within a short time the bag begins to turn rancid. No wonder pets are finicky about eating it.

If you want to keep your pets healthy, transition them to a more natural diet. They are meat protein eaters- not grain protein, as is the bulk of dry foods! The closer to raw (including raw) the better for their health. Start the transition by lightly cooking meat (rare) and mixing 50/50 with fresh dry.

Regardless of diet, pets need soil-based organisms (SBOs), digestive enzymes, omega 3 oils and lithothamnium, which provides bioavailable calcium and other minerals. Without these daily supplements (and nutritious food) it's a matter of time before your pets show signs of illness and disease.

[Whizzy]

I know there's a lot of controversy about commercial pet foods, what goes into them, and what dogs need to eat. And it can be difficult to sort out what's what.

I don't think it's fair to lump all commercial pet foods under the same blanket condemnations, though. There are numerous high quality, nutritionally complete commercial foods available. Some contain human grade foods, some are made without grains, and all of them are nutrutionally sound choices.

It's also a bit of a misconception that dogs require meat based protiens, and vegetable or grain protiens are somehow inferior. Dogs, like every other animal (with a couple of notable exceptions, require specific nutrients, not specific food sources. Protiens are comprised of amino acids, and an amino acid is utilized by the body exactly the same way, no matter what the source is. Unlike cats, dogs can thrive on a totally vegetarian diet, so long as it contains all the necessary amino acids, along with fats and micronutrients.

If a dog is healthy, has good skin and coat, is holding his weight well, and has plenty of energy, whatever he's eating is getting the job done. This is just my opinion, of course, but if it works, don't fix it.

[Sadie's Mom]

Originally Posted by Whizzy

If you have a freezer you can bag up about half of it and freeze it. That will keep it fresh and tasty. Or maybe you could seal half of it in freezer bags, after squooshing as much air out as possible.

Or you could buy smaller bags. More expensive that way, I know.

I've been freezing my dog's food for quite awhile now and works great! Thanks for the tip Wiz!
Sadie is a fussy eater at times and she just watch her weight and eats when she wants.