No hard feelings here. Obviously you love your dog and want the best for it... after all you take time out of your day to be on a *chihuahua forum.* I tell half my friends that and they're like "....there's a website just for chihuahuas...?

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I think many of us here fed our dogs low-quality food at some point. And I don't have issues with people feeding it, I just want to make sure they are *aware* of what they are doing. Hope that makes sense. I too know people who are "informed", and know it's not the greatest, but still thanks to our excellent (sarcasm here!) economy are faced with little other choices. Everyone has the right to choose what they want to feed their pet; just as Melissa said I get very excited to share with people the amazing benefits my dogs have after switching from poor quality food. Heather's pix on the other thread were a good example; even if the "before" photos it didn't look that either dog had anything obviously wrong with them. And I think that's the point; that it isn't always really clear that anything is being done wrong; not every dog is going to show signs; until the switch to better food is made and suddenly it's like WOW, you notice a difference. So those of us who've done that are very eager to pass it on to others to help spread the word and encourage others to do the same.
Not that it's anything to brag about... but the first commercial canned dog food was made just an hour from me in Rockford, IL. It hasn't even really been around that long... 1920's I think? That's why so many dogs before it lived so long; farmers were feeding their dogs raw diet without even questioning it or thinking twice about it. THEN someone decided there would be a market for dog cereal... historically dogs were doing so much better before it came along LOL.
Me personally; I could never own a large breed dog. I couldn't afford to feed it good quality food. I mean, even if I had a 30# dog that would basically be DOUBLING the amount I feed my 5lb dogs... so I definitely get when cost can be a factor. It's just the matter that everyone should be aware of what they are feeding their dog. If you askt he average Joe what they feed their dog; they're not going to say "chicken" or "beef." They're going to name off a brand name of something and likely have NO idea what the first ingredient is. THAT, to me, is the problem... people blindly trusting the media and advertising. To those who KNOW the truth, and despite everything still choose to feed it for whatever reason; that is fine with me. At least then it's acknowledging responsibility. At the end of the day... I would rather someone feed their dog Purina and LOVE and adore their dog and shower it with kisses; than have them feed raw diet and leave them tied out to a chain the backyard all day.
ETA: Just because I mentioned it.... here's an ad from the dog food (canned) made near me. 1927!! Disturbing fact: In 1922 Chappel Brothers of Rockford, IL, introduced Ken-L Ration, the first canned dog food in the United States. It was horse meat. Ken-L Ration became such a success that by the mid-1930s they were breeding horses just for dog food and slaughtering 50,000 of them a year.