Marketing versus Manufacturing

The marketing campaigns within the dog food industry are incredibly successful at convincing dog parents that kibble is healthy and nutritious. The pictures on the bag of kibble and treats depict enticing cuts of steak and chicken breasts, which humans would be willing to serve on their own plates. But research into what is truly in kibble and treats reveals an entirely different story.

Kibble companies often fail to disclose the inclusion of meat from animals not slaughtered for food purposes, also known as 4-D meats; dead, dying, diseased, and disabled, because the current laws do not require them to disclose the source of the meats used in their foods. Synthetic vitamins and minerals must be added back into the kibble because natural vitamins and minerals are lost during manufacturing. Ingredient splitting occurs to enable desirable proteins to be listed at the top of the label.

These are just a few standard marketing practices in the processed pet food world, yet none of these manufacturing processes are apparent. The three most common pet food products are dry kibble, canned, and semi-moist foods. At RDB, we have deliberately chosen to avoid all three food types because they result from the ultra-processing of ingredients that are unrecognizable, leaving consumers to diligently uncover the actual components of the food and treats they feed their beloved family members.

With all these rampant deceptive marketing practices, what should dog parents look for? What kind of questions should we be asking? Finding a company that is completely transparent in product sourcing, processing, and packing practices is ideal but often challenging. Let us walk you through some basics and show you how we choose to be transparent.

What is Human-Grade Pet Food?

Despite being called dog food, it is still feed-grade unless manufactured according to human-grade food regulations. Because of the logistics and costs associated with creating human-grade dog food, almost all commercial dog foods are feed-grade.

Feed grade is defined as “material that has been determined to be safe, functional, and suitable for its intended use in animal food.” The definition includes that products must be labeled appropriately per AAFCO guidelines and conform to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act unless an “appropriate state or federal agency” allows for different guidelines! State regulations can override federal law!

All ingredients, including supplements, must be human-edible for dog food or treats to be labeled as Human-Grade. Human-grade food must be manufactured in a facility licensed to produce human food. The facilities are routinely inspected by the USDA-Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) following the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) to ensure that all food is safely handled and stored. All meat sold commercially must be inspected and passed to ensure that it is safe, wholesome, and properly labeled as human-edible.

The standards for human-grade dog food are the same for food produced for people. Human food facilities have much more stringent regulations for sanitation, personnel training, and standard operating procedures for properly handling, storing, and processing food than an animal feed manufacturing plant, which is why it is more expensive to produce human-grade food.

Companies will use other wording on the dog food labels, such as “sourced from a USDA-inspected facility,” which confuses consumers into thinking that the food is human-grade. This designation says nothing about the quality of the meat, only that it originated from a standard slaughter plant that must be USDA inspected by law.

Real Dog’s Stance on Transparency and Sustainability

You will not find a more transparent company than Real Dog Box (RDB). Our core value to “Keep it Real” is represented in every decision of our dog treats and chews manufacturing processes and service offerings. Our policies and practices are transparent in manufacturing single-ingredient treats and chews that are still recognizable as animal body parts that have been only air-dried. Individual description cards are in every package detailing the basic requirements: guaranteed analysis, calories, and feeding recommendations. We then go one step further by listing where each product was sourced and links to additional information, including how long it took to dry and other benefits and considerations.

The only item currently produced at RDB that is not a single-ingredient treat is the meatballs which consist of all six components that RDB recommends in the Real Ancestral™ diet; muscle meat, raw meaty bones, liver, another secreting organ, seafood, and fur. Again, a detailed card is inserted in every meatball package, listing every ingredient.

The only human-inedible ingredient in the meatballs is the fur from rabbits, which is an important component in meeting the fiber needs of dogs. Other food manufacturers might use pumpkin or squash ingredients to meet the fiber needs, but neither is a source that dogs naturally find in whole foods. This is why pumpkins must be processed (pureed or steamed) because the canine body cannot break it down or utilize it in its natural form.

The creation of the meatball evolved as a way to utilize extra bits and pieces from other products in our boxes to follow the Real AncestralTM diet. As a zero-waste facility, we are committed to ensuring no food goes unused. This meant we could use different items in our boxes in the right proportions to create a balanced meal replacement. Initially made for small-batch Secret Shop offerings, the meatball has become so popular as a raw food alternative that it is now available as an addition to the monthly subscription boxes!

While we are not a USDA-inspected facility or a human food facility, we are registered with the FDA, as all pet food companies should be, and licensed by the State of California's Department of Health. The FDA and the California Department of Health regularly inspect our facility and procedures.

If you follow us on social media, we regularly show the behind-the-scenes of our processes - from receiving raw material to slicing, packing, and shipping. All products are sourced from the same farms and facilities that supply food to restaurants or grocery stores for human food. Some parts, like ears and feet, are undesirable or inedible for humans but still appropriate for dogs. We regard our practices as in line with our commitment to food and farming sustainability, our core values, and our food philosophy .

In fact, we don’t just make your dog’s food; we teach you why and how to do it yourself. We are the ONLY fresh dog food company with a nutrition research arm – Feed Real Institute. Here, we teach online interactive workshops and nutrition courses to help dog parents and veterinary professionals learn more about the canine nutritional requirement and how to meet them with fresh food. Learn more about our courses.

“If I wrote a course on nutrition, this is the course I would write. It is the course I was hoping for in veterinary school and did not receive.”-Dr. Josie Beug, Specialized in Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine

RDB Treats and Chews Made From Inedible Parts

The RDB chews provide a variety of benefits. The bull pizzles (penises) are coiled by hand and dried to provide a super chew that forces dogs to use all areas of their mouth and tooth surfaces as they chew. Lamb and pig trotters also make excellent chews that provide jaw exercises, teeth cleaning, and mental stimulation during the long chew sessions.

The only item currently produced at RDB that is not a single-ingredient treat is the meatballs which consist of all six components that RDB recommends in the Real Ancestral™ diet; muscle meat, raw meaty bones, liver, another secreting organ, seafood, and fur. Again, a detailed card is inserted in every meatball package, listing every ingredient.

Items that include hair or fur, such as cow ears, boar ears, lamb ears, rabbit ears, and rabbit feet, are great chews that contain manganese and insoluble fiber. Tracheas and aortas from lamb, beef, and bison, beef and bison backstrap, pig ear, beef tendons, and duck and turkey feet are excellent sources of glucosamine and chondroitin.

Organs such as the spleen and kidneys from beef, bison, and pork are nature’s multivitamins and mineral supplements. The inedible boney parts like the poultry wings, necks, and heads are significant for dogs’ oral health and are an excellent calcium source.

Other parts commonly thought of as organ meat, turkey gizzards, duck heart, green tripe, and bison lung are actually muscle meats that add variety to a dog’s meal. Exotic proteins, such as pheasant, camel, and alligator, are sometimes available only for the Secret Shop, as the quantity is too limited for the monthly subscription box.

Not all of the RDB treats are inedible products. Chicken feet, pork loin, elk shoulder, chicken heart, beef heart, turkey breast, chicken liver, beef liver, pork liver, pork heart, sardines, anchovies, smelt, capelin, and green-lipped mussels are all human-edible foods. They have passed the USDA inspection. However, we are not a human food facility, so these products are not labeled as human-grade.

In fact, we don’t just make your dog’s food; we teach you why and how to do it yourself. We are the ONLY fresh dog food company with a nutrition research arm – Feed Real Institute. Here, we teach online interactive workshops and nutrition courses to help dog parents and veterinary professionals learn more about the canine nutritional requirement and how to meet them with fresh food. Learn more about our courses.