Gross dog food is often used to describe food that another animal has processed. This can cause dog allergies, specifically those caused by protein in the diet.
Without knowing what’s causing the allergies, it’s hard to find out which ingredients are and aren’t safe for your canine.
It is easy for pet owners to get stuck with expensive food that doesn’t relieve their dog’s itching or health problems.
Gross dog food
Dogs can suffer from allergies to many things. One of the less prevalent allergens is caused by a protein that has been cooked or processed.
This can be in the form of meat, eggs, dairy products, or any other protein-rich foods used in the food. Those with this allergy will often develop itchy skin, redness, and scabs in the most severe cases.
Those who suspect that their dog may have this allergy should try feeding their dog in a “shocked” manner to watch for reactions.
What is gross dog food?
Gross dog food is a dog food diet consisting of gross ingredients. Gross dog food was first used in 2012 and was suggested as an alternative to dry dog foods that contained ingredients that dogs with allergies were known to have an adverse reaction to.
Newer research and studies after that date have shown that many of the ingredients used in gross dog food are not healthy for dogs.
How do you feed gross dog food?
You feed gross dog food the same way you do a regular dog food diet.
The biggest difference is that gross dog food contains ingredients that you may not want to eat, but your dog can. Gross dog food contains ingredients that dogs with allergies can’t have.
For example, some gross foods contain chocolate, peanut butter, or jelly. Other ingredients include corn starch and cornmeal, which are ingredients that can cause allergies in dogs.
What are the risks of feeding my gross dog food?
The obvious risk of feeding a gross dog food is that he will get sick or worse. The most common risks of feeding a poor dog food include obesity, allergies, worms, and parasites.
If your dog gets hungry enough due to starvation caused by allergies, he is likely to eat anything he can find. This can cause him to ingest things that are poisonous to dogs.
Most dogs will eat things like toxic plants and mushrooms, which can cause an intestinal blockage. Worms enter the body after eating contaminated or rotten food.
If a dog gets sick enough, he could die of starvation or dehydration. The same goes for parasites, especially worms. Overfeeding will also cause obesity in dogs fed a gross food diet as it is very calorie-dense and easy to chew.
What are the health benefits of feeding gross food?
There are some health benefits of feeding gross food:
1. Some dogs with allergies will be more comfortable on a gross food diet.
2. A raw diet provides a good source of nutrients for your dog, whether or not he is allergic.
3. Feeding an exclusive junk food diet to your dog can help him lose weight safely if your veterinarian approves it first.
4. Feeding a good quality gross food can help manage your dog’s skin problems, such as bad dandruff or chewing his fur.
5. Some dogs get upset when they are switched to a different diet, and the gross food will help them adjust.
6. Some dogs with allergies do better when fed strict corn or wheat-based diet.
7. Dogs with allergies to meat can often still tolerate eggs, dairy products, and grains.
8. A dog on a junk food diet is less likely to be tempted by dangerous things around the house, like pills or toxic plants and mushrooms
9. A junk food diet can make your dog’s breath smell better.
10. Many dogs will eat less on a junk food diet, which helps them lose weight.
11. Some dogs have better dental hygiene on a junk food diet, but others can get gum disease from an increased high sugar intake.
12. Your dog may have less dandruff if you feed him a raw diet or cooked meat scraps.
13. You may be able to get your dog not to have an upset stomach if you feed him a nice, high-quality diet.
14. Some dogs with skin problems will do better with a raw diet or cooked meat scraps.
How can I introduce my dog to a new gross food?
There are a few different methods to introduce your dog to a new diet, and it depends on what the food is.
If you feed your dog leftovers or cooked meat scraps, introduce the new ingredients by warming them slightly in a pan or adding them to his kibble.
Feed him his normal meal first, and then try the new food after he has forgotten about it. Leave some of these new foods out for him to discover throughout the day.
What’s the best way to transition my dog from gross food to a nice healthy one?
There’s no perfect way to transition your dog from gross food, but here are some suggestions:
1. Make sure you’re buying a higher-quality diet. Cheap diets will often be higher in fat, which could cause your dog to gain weight and possibly become obese on a diet.
2. If you feed your dog wet food, make sure he is on the last third of his normal meal before trying the new diet.
3. If you feed your dog dry food, try mixing in a little of the new food with his regular diet in the morning. Keep doing this for about three days, and then make the switch.
4. Mix the new food into your dog’s regular diet gradually over two weeks to avoid stomach upset or problems with digesting fat.
5. If your dog has a food allergy, slowly introduce the new food and watch for reactions. Start with small amounts and increase them slowly as time goes on.
6. Try offering your dog only the new diet for a few days every week until he gets used to it. Once he’s comfortable with it, you can feed him that way all the time.
7. Mix the old diet gradually with the new food over two weeks to avoid skin problems or stomach upset from a sudden change in diet.
8. If your dog is allergic to a popular ingredient in the new food, you can try feeding him the same amount of that ingredient in the old diet, and he should tolerate it.
9. If you’re feeding a corn-based diet, make sure that it’s not too high in sugar. Corn-based diets will cause more bloating and gas in dogs than wheat-based ones.
10. If your dog is allergic to corn flour or corn starch, you’ll have to feed him whole eggs and dairy products with any of those ingredients.
Do I need to feed my dog exclusively gross foods for life?
No, you don’t. Dogs can usually live well on a gross food diet. However, if their allergies are bad, it’s not recommended that they stay on a junk food diet for too long without any of the healthy ingredients.
This will cause your dog to get skinny and is not good for his coat or health. If you are worried about your dog getting too thin, you can supplement with small amounts of healthy food every day to help him gain weight while adjusting to the change in diet plan.
What are some of the best gross foods for dogs with allergies?
Here are some of the best gross foods:
- Cooked meat scraps or leftovers
- Eggs
- Dairy products
- Whole grains, but not refined ones
- Olive oil and other healthy fats from natural sources (e.g., nuts and seeds) may help dogs gain weight if their allergies are bad enough to restrict their calorie intake below what’s required for a healthy weight on a more balanced diet.
What are some of the worst gross foods for dogs with allergies?
Here are some of the worst gross foods:
- White bread and other refined grains
- Anything produced with soy flour or other highly processed soy products
- Canned dog food and other dog foods that contain a lot of grain fillers, particularly cornmeal or cornflour (e.g., “meat byproducts”) or soy meal or soy flour (e.g., “soy protein meal”).
- Chocolate
- Dog treats that contain chocolate or cocoa (e.g., peanut butter, jelly, fruit chews, and biscuits)
- Sugar-free gum or candy
- Sugar-free anything
- Any non-nutritive treats made from imitation chocolate, even if the ingredients list says it’s for dogs (e.g., “chocolate chips” or “candy” for dogs).
How much should I feed my dog on a gross food diet?
A little more than usual for very young, old, ill, or obese dogs. This will help them gain weight. For dogs with allergies who are on a junk food diet, you may need to feed them even less than usual.
If your dog’s allergies are not too bad, throw the extra ingredients into his regular diet and watch his weight carefully.
Conclusion
As you can see, dogs can live quite happily on a gross food diet. However, if they are allergic to any of the ingredients or their stomachs are upset by it, then a higher quality food is recommended.
To help your dog gain weight, feed him more full meals of lean protein and healthy fats in addition to his regular meal.
Also, make sure that you’re feeding him something other than dry food as he won’t do well on it for long periods.
Thank you for reading my article! I hope it answers all your questions about the subject. If you have any questions or would like to ask me anything, feel free to leave me a comment, and I will get back to you.
