More and more these days we’re hearing about pets being considered part of the family. They sleep in our beds, we dress them in clothes, they ride in the front seat – and yet they don’t eat our food. Why is this? Although in our hearts, we feel like our companion animals are like our own children and the commercial pet food industry would like us to believe that pet food is as healthy as the food we eat, the fact is pet food companies have decided for us that companion animals don’t deserve to eat food that is as good as our food. That’s why most pet food contains feed-grade ingredients instead of human-grade, by-products instead of whole ingredients, and other things that would be illegal to sell as human food.
So what exactly does it mean for an ingredient to be feed-grade? Basically feed-grade ingredients are those deemed not fit for human consumption. In other words, ingredients that don’t qualify as “human-grade”. They include expired food, defective food, moldy food, and by-products. By-products are the waste that is left after the production of ingredients for the human food chain. It is the damaged or defective material produced during or left over from a manufacturing or industrial process. When you eat a bowl of peanuts at home, the shells go in the garbage. But at the peanut plant, they’re sometimes sold to pet food manufacturers and wind up in your beloved dog or cat’s dish. Other examples include grain hulls, corn husks, middlings, peels, dust, stems, hair, and other waste products.
A quick look at the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) handbook gives you a glimpse into some of the ingredients that are sanctioned for use in commercial pet food. Imagine any of these “ingredients” at your dinner table … carcass meat trimmings, carcass residue, charcoal, spray-dried animal blood, processed animal waste, raw leather residue, animal digest – and the list goes on. This is not to say that these ingredients are present in every commercial pet food. But it does illustrate that the governing body commissioned to regulate pet food companies may not have your pet’s best interests in mind. The recent pet food recall has brought to light that some producers of animal feed have secretly supplemented their feed with a substance called melamine. Melamine, which is derived from coal, was intentionally added to wheat gluten to make it appear to have a higher protein content. This illustrates the worst-case scenario of what can happen when profits are put ahead of the health and well-being of your pets.
The good news is that there are a few companies, like Sojourner Farms, that only use human-quality ingredients in their natural pet food. The benefits behind using only human-quality ingredients are many. For one, testing protocols for human-quality ingredients are far more stringent than they are for feed-grade ingredients. Secondly, human-quality ingredients do not include any waste or out-dated fragments of anything not fit for human consumption. They are screened for contaminants, visually inspected, and tested for nutritional content before entering the human food chain. This insures that human-quality ingredients are robust and chock-full of naturally-occurring nutrients and enzymes. We at Sojourner Farms have been committed to only using human-quality ingredients in our products since we made our first bag of dog food mix all the way back in 1985.
The bad news for companies like ours is that currently AAFCO rules do not allow the term “human-quality ingredients” on pet food. The official reason is that there is worry that humans will mistakenly or intentionally eat the food. One has to wonder if it has more to do with large commercial pet food companies not wanting smaller companies that use human-grade ingredients to have a competitive advantage. However, even though it can’t be stated on the package, you can always contact pet food companies and ask them if they use human-quality ingredients. Thus far it is not illegal to let customers know that your ingredients are human-quality on websites, promotional literature, or over the phone. That way you can ensure that your furry little “children” are getting nothing but the best ingredients that mother nature has to offer.
Sojos European-Style Dog Food Mix
Our original mix, time-tested since 1985. A blend of grains, herbs, nuts and sea veggies that you mix with your own source of fresh meat and veggies. Like Hamburger Helper for your dog!
Sojos European-Style Dog Food Mix, our original food and the first of its kind, is a wholesome pre-mix that you combine with meat and veggies to create your own fresh, homemade pet food. Now re-formulated to be wheat & corn free. Also now contains added calcium for strong teeth and bones.
Ingredients: Rolled Oats, Rye Flakes, Barley Flakes, Ground Pecans, Natural Calcium Carbonate, Kelp Powder, Carob Powder, Parsley, Nettles Leaf
Dogs are designed to eat raw, unprocessed foods, and holistic vets have been recommending raw foods for dogs for over 20 years. Dry dog foods have been cooked and pelletized, thus robbing them of natural nutrients and enzymes. That's why we blend Sojourner Farms European-Style Dog Food Mix from simple, uncooked, all-natural ingredients. We want it to be as close as possible to dog food the way nature intended. That means no preservatives, no artificial colors or flavors – only wholesome, human-quality ingredients like steamed-rolled oats, ground pecans, and carob powder. And because there are no fillers in Sojourner Farms, there’s much more nutrition in every bite – meaning your dog eats less, and your food lasts typically twice as long as most other brands. If you’d like, you can also add raw or steamed vegetables to Sojourner Farms. It’s a simple, easy way to make your own complete and balanced dog food – and it only takes a couple of minutes a day. In short, we’ve done everything we can to make this food the best thing you can do for your dog. Give it a try. We’re 100% confident that the results will amaze you, and we back it up with a money-back guarantee. Sojourner Farms European-Style Dog Food Mix is the best of both worlds. It offers the superior nutrition of a raw diet, with the ease and convenience that people are looking for.
Feeding Instructions:
Combine Sojos, raw or lightly-cooked meat, and water. Let mixture soak in refrigerator for at least 15 minutes (preferably overnight) and serve. You can mix up to a four-day batch ahead of time and refrigerate in a sealed container or freeze larger batches. For adult and senior dogs we recommend once-a-day feeding. For puppies we recommend twice-a-day feeding. (For twice-a-day feeding, split the amounts below in half.)
Starting Out
It is crucial to start your dog on Sojos gradually. We recommend at least a two-week transition (4-6 weeks for older, sick, or finicky dogs). Start with just a pinch of Sojos, meat, and water added to the food you’re currently using and gradually increase each day as you decrease your pet’s old food.
Adding Variety
We at Sojourner Farms believe variety is an essential part of a dog's diet, and thus encourage adding veggies and other healthy foods, in addition to meat. Try mixing in a teaspoon of chopped greens, carrots, or other natural foods such as cooked rice, yogurt, or eggs. Avoid citrus fruits, onions, and spicy foods. For dogs with special dietary needs, consult a holistic veterinarian. To find a holistic vet in your area, call the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association at (410) 569-0795.
A common misconception that we come across with folks is the assumption that raw pet food diets are more expensive than other pet food. On the surface this appears true. However, look closer and you'll see that you can feed a raw pet food and actually save money. We went to the local pet store and took a look at the competition. Looking at "premium" dry dog food, we compared the cost per day to feed a 50 lb. adult dog and as you can see from the attached chart, Sojos European-Style Dog Food Mix stacks up pretty well. In fact, the most affordable brand we saw cost $0.87 per day. On the other hand, the Sojos raw dog food diet actually costs only $0.85 per day after including the cost of adding meat.
Here's how our math went: If you break it down, a 50 lb. dog will eat $0.45 per day worth of Sojos dog food mix and $0.40 per day worth of meat. (We figured a pound of meat to be $2 and there are 2.5 cups of meat per lb. You'd feed 1/2 cup per day of meat which comes out to cost $0.40 per day.)
As you can see, Sojos dog food is actually less expensive to feed than most premium pet foods. The reason is that dry dog foods contain fillers which result in more cups fed per day, which means a 10 lb bag of kibble won't last as long as a 10 lb bag of Sojos dog food. Not only that, but these fillers, like gluten which holds the kibble together, contain little or no nutritional value. So, for the same cost or less, you can have a fresh, wholesome, natural dog food with no fillers that will also save you more money in the long run on vet bills by avoiding dog health problems. And that's why we see raw pet food as a true value.
lil Country Paws
