The best thing you can do to improve your dog’s health and nutrition is to stop feeding kibble! A healthy dog starts with a healthy diet.

Many people choose to feed their dog kibble for convenience and the belief that it really is a good option for their dogs, because of what they were told or used to hearing. This could not be further from the truth, and we're here to enlighten you!

Some dog owners choose the cheapest brand to save money in the long run. Others purchase premium products at discounts, whatever their vet sells, or even the food with the most attractive packaging.

In none of these cases do pet owners verify the nutritional claims on the bag nor research what exactly they are giving their dog. Instead, they trust that the kibble is healthy.

Signs There Is Something Wrong with A Kibble Diet

A few observations are enough to show that dry kibble is unhealthy:

• Each piece is a uniform size and shape.
• As long as you keep the food dry, it will never rot nor go moldy.
• The number of dogs with cancer grows every year.
• The percentage of dogs suffering from kidney disease and allergies is also increasing.

No matter what type of kibble you choose, the food is processed and made with low-quality ingredients (such as parts of meat not fit for human consumption). This is true even for premium products.

The adoption of kibble has grown over the last few decades. At the same time, we are seeing more diet-related health issues. This should no longer be okay for anyone who cares for their pets.

Related Blogs: Top 5 Nutritional Deficiencies of Kibble

What Exactly Is Kibble?

Before we continue, it’s important you understand what exactly we mean by kibble...

The term “kibble” refers to dry, processed pet food. It is made from a mixture of grains, meat, and fillers. The raw ingredients are combined, ground into flour, baked (using a process called extrusion), and dried. Once the kibble has cooled, some manufacturers spray it with animal fat to improve the flavor and make it more appetizing to dogs.

There are a few issues with this:

First, it is impossible to know exactly what ingredients are in kibble. You can read the ingredients list, but there is no way of knowing the quality and exact amounts.

Second, all kibbles contain preservatives to give them a long shelf life.

Finally, all the ingredients are cooked. This destroys some of the nutritional value of the food as well as cooking out all of the moisture content in the food.

As a result, kibble has both short and long-term health effects to dogs. 

10 Reasons to Quit Kibble And Switch To Natural Dog Food

If the above has not given you enough reasons to quit kibble, wait until you hear about what toxins this highly-processed food contains and what they do to your pet.

1. Carcinogens

There are several potential carcinogens in kibble. Some of the most prevalent are heterocyclic amines, which form during the cooking process of meat, poultry, and fish. They are linked to mutations in animal cells, which can ultimately lead to cancer. One study looked at25 types of commercial dog foods and found that heterocyclic amines were present in 13.

Another probable carcinogen in kibble is acrylamide. This organic compound forms when sugars and amino acids reach high temperatures. Since kibble is extruded, acrylamide is always a problem.

2. Indigestible Protein

Most kibbles use high protein content as a selling point. However, nowhere on the bag do manufacturers mention if this protein is digestible. To gain the nutritional benefits of protein, dogs need high-grade, fresh food that is easy for their bodies to process.

3. Skin Problems and Allergies

Dogs can suffer from allergies to many different types of foods. The most problematic are allergies to foods dogs would not normally encounter — including certain additives in kibble.

Allergies can lead to skin problems, including dryness, rashes, and itching. Not only is this uncomfortable, but skin problems can also even develop into infections, especially if your dog is often scratching.

4. Toxic Additives

Some preservatives and other additives can be toxic. For example, Xanthan gum and carrageenan (both of them thickening agents and stabilizers) can cause bloating, diarrhea, and other digestive problems when dogs consume the chemicals in large amounts.

Food colorings are another toxic addition to dry food that is meant to make it more visually appealing to us humans. However, they serve no benefit to a canine’s health and do more harm than good. If anything, they are just another ingredient added to the long list of toxic chemicals.

5. Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether

Little research has been done on polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which is troubling because they are present in dog food in large amounts. It is possible that PBDEs are linked to health problems ranging from thyroid disruption and liver damage to behavioral changes and memory loss.

6. Inflammation

Many dogs suffer from chronic inflammation. There is no need for this to be the case — it is simply due to feeding dogs a completely different diet to what they were meant to eat. Switching from kibble to natural raw foods can help your dog live pain-free.

7. Low Nutritional Value

Even premium kibbles made with organic ingredients often have low food value. This is because cooking destroys many of the nutrients. Additionally, since they are still kibbles, many of the advertised nutrients are lost during the cooking process.

8. Synthetic Ingredients

Kibble manufacturers make products sound more appealing by fortifying the food with vitamins. Unfortunately, these vitamins are synthetic, which means that they do not come from natural sources. This is problematic because dogs react differently to lab-made vitamins.

Alongside synthetic vitamins come artificial flavorings and fragrances. Naturally, kibble is not appealing to a dog’s appetite. This is why kibble brands need to add synthetic flavorings, which tempt a dog to eat what is not appropriate for their health.

9. High Carbohydrate Content

You may notice that your kibble clearly advertises how much protein it contains, so there’s a good chance that carbohydrates are not even mentioned. This is because companies would prefer you to be unaware that kibble may be 17 percent or more carbohydrates. Such amounts are excessive for a dog at normal activity levels. In fact, it just puts dogs at higher risk for obesity.

It’s time to throw away your kibble and switch to a food that will provide your dog with the nutrition he needs. An excellent solution is raw dog food. When you choose a raw diet, you’ll provide your dog with all the nutrients he needs to thrive. This will stop him from suffering from chronic health conditions, lower his risk of degenerative diseases, lengthen his lifespan, and increase his quality of life.

10. Kibble is not Species Appropriate

Kibble was not designed or developed to be biologically appropriate for our dogs. Instead, kibble was designed to be easy, convenient, and cheap. Your dog's body requires a species-suitable diet in order to achieve optimal health and wellbeing.

Read more:Why is Kibble Bad for Dogs?

For a more species-appropriate diet, switching to fresh natural dog food is your best bet.

Raw, fresh, natural dog food is what dogs have always been meant to eat, ever since they first began to evolve into the pets we know and love today.