What is the Most Affordable Daily Dental Treat?

I recently posted about Bright Bites daily dental treats, which had me pondering the actual cost of feeding dental treats every day. Little things like that really add up! I love collecting data, so I took a tour of the major online retailers to see how much, or how little, it would cost to feed my dogs a daily dental treat every day.

The Criteria

Photo by Erin Koski

For the purpose of comparison, I chose to include only products that were both marketed and packaged for daily use. Though I can find many individually-wrapped dental treats at my local pet stores, I only included those that could also be purchased in a larger quantity. Few people are going to buy 30 individually-wrapped Bright Bites for the month, but plenty will buy four bags of 8. A company that sells a bunch of dental chews in one bag is definitely taking that "daily dental care" thing seriously.

I also chose to specifically compare products intended for a size range that included both of my girls. So most of these are labeled for medium or regular-sized dogs. Sisci Godzilla weighs 28 pounds, and Zip weighs 36 pounds.

The Results

Cheap

The absolute cheapest dental chew marketed for daily use is Dingo Dental Sticks, at 17-cents each if you buy the bag of 48 sticks on Amazon. The next cheapest is Purina's DentaLife treats at 23-cents each if you buy the package of 40, followed by Pedigree DentaStix, Purina Beneful Healthy Smile Dental Twists, and Milkbone Brushing Chews, ranging from $0.33 to $0.41 per chew. Yes, these are all grocery-store brands, mostly made from by-products. I expected them to all be made in China, but surprisingly all but the Dingo treats are made in the USA.

Standard

Greenies makes the classic daily dental chew, before them I don't remember anything being marketed for daily use like that. Their price point is right in the middle of the pack at $0.81 per regular-sized chew in a package of 36. Bright Bites were slightly more expensive at #1 per chew, along with KaNoodles and Ilio TeethTreats.

Absurd

Every time I see Cloud Star's Dynamo Dog dental chews I am horrified by the price. In the largest package sold, these things will set you back a whopping $2.31 per bone. Yes, they are grain-free and potato-free, but they would also cost $70 per month to feed on a daily basis. Yikes!

Surprise!

Pretty much all of the dental treats (with one freakishly expensive exception) are made from wheat, rice, potato, rawhide, or a combination of these. Many of the more affordable ones are made with chicken by-products as well. I decided beforehand that my personal standards for a dental chew product was that it had to be made in the USA without by-products. I expected the least expensive daily dental chew that met these standards to be somewhere in the middle of the price range. 

Nope! It's Pedigree DentaStix, the third from the bottom at $0.33 per chew. Made in the USA. No by-products. Crazy.

I was also very surprised to see Missing Link's Once Daily dental chew towards the cheap end of the spectrum. This product also contains a daily dose of Missing Link's skin and coat supplement, and somehow it's only $0.52 per chew. I had dismissed the idea of daily dental chews as being too expensive, but it looks like they can be surprisingly affordable!

Food Friday: Merrick Wingaling Canned Dog Food

We all know that dogs aren't supposed to eat cooked chicken bones, so why in the world does Merrick's Wingaling canned dog food have actual chicken wings in it? Is this some sort of mistake? Actually, the bones are cooked in a special process (involving a pressure cooker) that leaves them soft and squishy and totally safe and non-splintery. The result is an unusual treat for your dog. Safe chicken bones!

Merrick Pet Food

For years, Merrick was well-known for being one of the best independent pet food companies out there. They had their own manufacturing facilities, sourced all their ingredients domestically, and had been around for years. It was the sort of feel-good brand that hardly anyone had complaints about. They started out making dog treats, and then expanded their product lines to include both canned and dry dog and cat foods. I had been fond of them for years because they offered so many different flavors and varieties.

All that changed in 2015 when the company was purchased  by Purina. Now they are owned by a giant faceless corporation. While consumers have been promised that nothing will change about the facilities, production, ingredients, etc, it's a tough claim to swallow. My biggest concern is the sourcing of ingredients. Not that I think they're suddenly buying meat from China, just that they can switch to buying much lower qualities of ingredients without having to change anything on the label. Maybe they used to buy fresh apples and now they're buying giant bricks of frozen apples that have been in storage for years, stuff like that.

Wingaling Has Chicken Bones

Ok, this dog food is unique because it contains whole chicken wings, bones and all. Everybody knows dogs can't eat chicken bones! Well, raw feeders know that dogs can eat fresh, raw chicken bones, but they still should never have cooked chicken bones! Right?

Did you know that you can put chicken bones in a pressure cooker and make them soft and crumbly? It's true, and I would totally do it with all my chicken bones if I owned a pressure cooker. Such a tasty treat for dogs! 

The whole chicken bones in Merrick's canned dog foods are cooked soft, and can easily be mashed with a spoon if you are at all worried about them stabbing your dog in the digestive tract. You can also pull the bones out and throw them away, if you wish. 

I bought a can of Wingaling for Ru mostly out for novelty. This food contains a couple of chicken wings, some squishy chunks of processed food, and a whole lot of broth. Even though it's got 334 calories per can, it just doesn't fee like very much food. It's also difficult to split into multiple portions, or to use as a kibble topper.

The Verdict

I know some dogs absolutely love pressure cooked squishy chicken bones, but Ru is not a Wingaling fan. It might be because he doesn't enjoy this particular flavor, and it might be because he's been getting a little too much leftover taco meat as a snack, but I can't get him to even taste the actual wings. The girls will be finishing this can.

Food Friday: Purina Beyond Purees

Purina Beyond Purees are nutrition-packed little pouches of goop that you can squeeze onto your dog's food to add flavor, appeal, and nutriceuticals that may or may not do anything. You know those little applesauce pouches for little kids that are suddenly everywhere? This is the dog version Complete with fruits and vegetables.

The Company

It's easy, as a dog nerd, to jump on the Purina hate bandwagon. This is the epitome of a giant faceless corporation. However, it's worth noting that they've been around for longer than pretty much everyone else. They also pour a ton of funding and manpower into research, but those resources don't necessarily go toward products like Beneful or Puppy Chow. 

As a gigantic corporation, Purina makes a ton of different feed for a ton of different animals. Unlike the small, personal companies inspired by the founders' pets, Purina isn't out to make the best dog food they possibly can. The truth is that the vast majority of dog owners cannot afford the best dog food. Many cannot even afford kinda decent dog food. Like it or not, low-income households still need to be able to feed their pets. 

Not all Purina dog foods are cheap crap though, just the cheap crappy ones. They actually pour a whole lot of research into the ProPlan product line, and I know a surprising number of dog professionals that feed it because it just works so well. Not that it's right for every dog, but ProPlan seems to be the one food that breaks the crap ingredients rule. Only Purina knows why.

Beyond is Purina's entry into the world of dog owners that actually read ingredient labels. They know that a growing number of us judge a pet food largely by the list of ingredients, rather than falling for more overt marketing tactics. To this end, Purina has introduced a line of foods that are not made from byproducts and leftovers and magic.

The Food

Beyond Purees come in four different flavors, two that are supposed to support the immune system, and one each for skin and coat and for digestion. I highly doubt any of them do anything other than taste good to your dog. They are all made from oatmeal and brown rice with some fruit and vegetables and meat in there. These are definitely not complete diets, they are toppers intended to compliment a dry kibble. 

The Verdict

Godzilla will eat anything, but Zip liked the Beyond Puree. She isn't always eager to finish her kibble, so I frequently add a spoonful of canned food, a splash of broth, or a squirt of something tasty. Pet food toppers are definitely a growing part of the pet food industry.

What's an Affordable Alternative to Beneful?

What is a cost-effective, affordable alternative to Beneful? I feed my dogs all sorts of amazing top-quality foods, but this isn't feasible for everybody. The fact is, the vast majority of the general public has no idea what makes a good dog food, and there's a whole ton of fear-mongering on every level. It's tough to sort things out. 

Many, many people feed their dogs Purina's Beneful, and the pending class action lawsuit has a lot of those people wondering what is a safer or better alternative. This topic just came up with a Facebook friend recently. In years gone by, I would have extolled the virtues of raw food, or grain-free food, but these days I feel I can do the most good by meeting people where they're at right now. Beneful is cheap and widely available, I'm not going to get very far by suggesting people double their dog food bill and trek to their nearest specialty store. Here's what I told my friends:

Isn't Beneful Healthy?

Purina spends a crazy amount of money on marketing. They produce attention-grabbing commercials and beautiful packaging that very deliberately conveys the message that Beneful is healthy. The products themselves have names like "Healthy Weight" and "Healthy Smile". The constant message of health and wellness sticks with people on a subconscious as well as conscious level, Purina has done an amazing job associating Beneful with "healthy". This is why tons and tons and tons of people truly think that Beneful is a really healthy food for their dog. 

I've come to accept that most people don't live in the dog world the way I do. Most people buy their dog food at the grocery store, and need never set foot in a pet store at all. These people are probably unaware of the vast majority of dog foods on the market. They see the dozen or so brands at the grocery store, and of those Beneful is the one with the best marketing. People don't just think Beneful is great because they are ignorant, and I feel it is very important to acknowledge the role of marketing in this perception. 

So Why is Beneful So Bad?

Class action lawsuit notwithstanding, Beneful isn't particularly worse than most of the other foods at the grocery store. The issue with these foods is that they tend to be made out of by-products from other industries. Most people can imagine what meat by-products consist of without going into disgusting detail, so unless they ask why by-products are so bad I can leave it at that. 

The first two ingredients in Beneful Originals chicken kibble are ground yellow corn and chicken by-product meal. One of the people in our Facebook conversation said they feed their dogs Pedigree as an alternative. The first two ingredients in Pedigree Adult chicken kibble are ground whole grain corn, followed by meat and bone meal. That's actually worse than Beneful, in my lofty opinion. Neither of these foods rate well in the dog world, Dog Food Advisor gives Beneful and Pedigree both its lowest rating of one out of five stars.

What is a Cheap and Good Dog Food?

There are tons of dog foods out there that are way better than Beneful or Pedigree. I feel it's important to recommend foods that are in the same price range if I want people to truly consider alternatives. Walmart sells a 30lb bag of Beneful for about $30, that's about a dollar a pound. The place I work sells a 33lb bag of Fromm Classics Adult dog food for $33, that's a dollar a pound for a 3.5 star dog food with no by-products, made by a very highly-regarded company that has never had a recall. It's the best value I am currently aware of, though one must go to a feed store or other specialty store in order to find it. Fromm Classics also has more calories per cup than Beneful, so less of it can be fed for a better value. Rachael Ray Nutrish is also around $1 per pound, and while it only rates 2.5 stars on Dog Food Advisor, it doesn't contain by-products and is widely available. 

For other options, I generally recommend people start by reading labels. By-products are undesirable because they can contain questionable substances from questionable sources. Named meats and meat meals are important. Chicken meal is better than chicken by-product meal, which is better than meat meal. Unintuitively, chicken meal is better than just plain chicken, since it is a more concentrated form of protein, and more of it makes it into the finished product. If people genuinely want to know more, I like to recommend the book Dog Food Logic, particularly for things like industry definitions of ingredients since these don't always match the layperson definitions.

And that's really it. I want people to know that there is better dog food out there, and affordable alternatives exist. There is no need for fear-mongering, scare tactics, or tales of woe. Gory details and hyperbole are out, well-cited and reliable sources of information are in.

Food Friday: Merrick Grain Free 96% Real Beef+Lamb+Buffalo Canned

This Grain Free 96% Real Beef+Lamb+Buffalo canned dog food by Merrick is safe for Brisbane's poultry and egg allergies. It is made in the company's own facility, and does not include any ingredients from China. Most of the ingredients are sourced in the USA, though lamb and venison tend to come from New Zealand because that's where the good stuff is...made? grown?

Anyway, this is a meat food made out of meat. Lots of meat. All different kinds of meat. The first four ingredients are beef, beef broth, lamb, and buffalo. After that it's just vitamins and stuff. There's no sneaky chicken meal making up the majority of the final product. No eggs or chicken fat, either. 

We do a lot of limited ingredient diets due to Brisbane's allergies, and it's nice to find something with multiple flavors and no chicken, turkey, duck, or egg ingredients. 

What About Purina?!

Merrick is one of my favorite dog food companies, but I won't be buying any more of their food. Back in June, Merrick signed a purchase agreement with Purina. The company press release says the owner thinks Purina can take their business "to the next level". So far there are no changes to management or operations planned, and Merrick will supposedly continue operating as an independent company. 

But Purina is Bad, Right?

Purina is...complicated. They do make cheap crap dog food for the masses to buy at the grocery store. Beneful is made mostly out of corn, with a little chicken by-product and a whole lot of sparkly advertising thrown in. The advertising is a bit nuts, a whole lot of people are convinced that Beneful is the good stuff.

On the other hand, a lot of very knowledgeable dog people feed higher-end Purina Pro Plan and Purina One with very good results. The general consensus is that it's worth trying as long as you look at your dog and not the ingredient label. Not all dogs do well on it, and it's not something I'm likely to try because they don't even make anything Brisbane can eat. Still, I don't buy into the 'Purina=poison!' hysteria. A large chunk of the general public believes that a 50-lb sack of kibble should cost $20, and if Purina doesn't sell it to them then someone else will.

So Purina is Ok Then?

Not exactly. Like I said, it's complicated. Merrick currently claim that nothing will change, but consumers report that similar buyouts of beloved dog food companies have stated the same thing in the beginning. It's business as usual for the first few months, but things change. Not big things, Merrick won't suddenly be made out of corn and by-products overnight. It's little things, like buying lower-quality meat meals from a cheaper supplier. Stuff like that isn't reflected on the ingredients label, but it might change the guaranteed analysis and upset very sensitive tummies. Bigger formula changes tend to come later, well after the buyout when consumer confidence is stronger.

So Just Read the Label, Right?

Nope. The product label won't help you this time. Did you know that pet food companies are allowed to alter their ingredients without changing the label? They have a six-month grace period in which to use up all their old product packaging before they have to actually tell us what's really in the food. For sixth months they can just throw whatever they want in there, and then they either have to change the label or change the recipe back. Most small pet food businesses won't do this to their customers because they like us and want us to trust them. Purina is already selling tons of dog food to poorly-informed people at the grocery store, they don't need discerning and educated customers to trust them.

So...No Merrick Anymore?

I will not be feeding my dogs Merrick food anymore because I no longer trust the accuracy of the product labels. This may not be as big an issue for some customers, but I have a dog with food allergies and I need to know exactly what I'm feeding him. People who aren't terribly concerned about ingredient sourcing or labeling accuracy can go ahead and keep feeding Merrick without worry. 

Have you ever fed any Purina products?