By Ayella Grossman. Published in SNAP Feb, 2010.

We, like many Canadians, were excited when the torch for the games passed through town. I have to say, though, the question of sponsorship gives me pause for thought. The last thing I expect athletes in their peak condition to do is to go through the drive-through to pick up a burger and pop.  When people see an athlete eating a fast food burger, they would never assume that the burger is “good for” the athlete. We know better.  Like human athletes, many agility teams, top show dogs and K9 officers have found sponsorship deals with the National brands.  But when we see national dog shows sponsored by big name national pet food brands, we do often think those dogs all get in peak condition on those foods. Those images further help market commercial pet foods as “healthy” despite the fact that their labels read like a list of by-products from the manufacturing of human fast food – corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal and various other ingredients that lack true nutritional value.

It’s a point my articles have made several times, but one that I think bears repeating. I was recently on the phone with a former training client, Lynn, whose new dog has had multiple leg surgeries to correct what started off as a torn ligament. On a recent trip to the vet her dog had reached an alarming weight. She was told to try a “Weight Management” food made by one of those national brands.  Her dog gained more weight, became lethargic and began itching obsessively. Lynn wanted suggestions to keep her dog busy while on crate rest. My attention did not stay long on the reason for her call. Instead I focused on her dog’s diet. I read Lynn the first five ingredients of the “Weight Management” food she had been feeding and I could hear the gasp. The various forms of corn in the diet certainly worked against her pet’s weight loss and it was very likely the cause of the itching and lethargy. I recommended she switch back to her previous food and simply reduce her dog’s portions. This was someone who was a ‘dog-food-label-savvy’ dog owner, but she had fallen victim to trusting a big brand and the professional who recommended it.

Just because a food has a brand name behind it, does not mean their claims should be taken as the truth with no questions asked. If a dog food says “Meat is the first ingredient”, ask what the next five ingredients are. When a food says “No fillers or by-products”, ask how they define fillers or by-products. When they say “healthy” and “natural”, ask what they identify as healthy. In our house, our dogs have bright coats, white teeth, good muscle tone and always have the energy to play – purely from their diet alone. If your dog’s food is not doing that for your dog, then it is not meeting its claims. If our athletes were eating from the drive-through at every meal, we would not be expecting too many gold medals. When they eat well and exercise regularly, they improve their chances. Think of your dog like an athlete -  proper nutrition and exercise will put them on the top of their game.