Our question this week was:

Is it ok to feed my dog hot dogs? He loves them and eats a lot of them.

Amanda Bingham


Answer

Hi – thanks for your email. Well...how do I put this...hot dogs probably aren't going to hurt him but there is nothing that he needs in a hot dog. It is probably like you or me eating lots of candy bars. We might LIKE them but nutritionally they are not something we NEED.

The best diet for your dog is a good quality food that is AAFCO approved for his life stage. When buying pet food, choose those products that carry the statement "Formulated to meet the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profile for..." because they follow these guidelines. It is not a requirement to meet AAFCO standards in order to sell pet food, so buyers beware. (AAFCO is the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) that functions to publish feed regulations and ingredient definitions.)


Best of luck!


Dr. Jon


P.S. May I ask why you are feeding so many hot dogs as opposed to dog treats or dog food? Just curious.




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