The Dog Food Industry Doesn’t Want You Asking These Questions

I used to trust the kibble bag. I believed the labels, followed the feeding guidelines, and thought I was doing everything right—until my senior dog got sick and no one could explain why.

In this raw and informative solo episode of Straight Up Dog Talk, I’m pulling back the curtain on my personal turning point with dog nutrition—and why I chose to leave commercial kibble behind for good.

You’ll learn:
• What AAFCO really means—and why it's not the gold standard we think
• How raw feeding helped my dog recover and thrive
• The science behind nutrient absorption and why bioavailability matters
• Easy, budget-friendly ways to upgrade your dog’s meals starting today
• How to listen to your dog’s body—not just the packaging

Whether you’re raw-curious or in a full-blown kibble guilt spiral, this episode meets you where you are—with facts, options, and zero pressure. Your dog’s well-being doesn’t start with perfection—it starts with paying attention.

Press play and start feeding with more intention—because your dog deserves more than filler.

🛒 My Daily Go-To Products:
• PetMatRx Thrive Pack — Use code SUDT20 to save 20%https://petmatrx.com/?ref=straightupdogtalk• Feed Real Dog Box — For dehydrated raw chews + varietyhttps://www.feedreal.com/?aff=straightupdogtalk 

Straight Up Dog Talk Extras:

Get a free copy of Feeding without Fear for mealtime manners

⁠https://straightupdogtalk.com/programs-%26-freebies/ols/products/feeding-without-fear⁠

Book FREE 15-minute call with Em

⁠https://straightupdogtalk.hbportal.co/schedule/68cdb369ba20a30034591cd9⁠

Email ⁠[e-mail]⁠ to get in touch with Em

This podcast explores real-life dog behavior and training, diving into reactivity, barking, dog anxiety, aggression, picky eating, gut health, and dog food—while unpacking enrichment, mental stimulation, supplements, calming aids, and holistic pet wellness. Whether you’re raising a rescue dog, supporting a senior dog, managing a velcro dog, or just navigating life with a dog who’s asking for more, you’ll find practical tools to build trust, strengthen communication, and create a safe, thriving life together.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
I used to think that I was doingeverything right with kibble
until I started asking questionsthat nobody could answer, and
now I'll probably never feed bigbrand kibble again.

(00:22):
Welcome to Straight Up Dog Talk,where big feelings are welcome,
judgement is off the table, and doing better for our dogs means
a willingness to sit down and learn.
I'm MA certified professional canine nutritionist, virtual dog
trainer, enrichment specialist, and retired BET tech.
Today we're diving into something that I care about
deeply, your dog's food. If you've ever wondered what's

(00:45):
in that bag of kibble, or if feeding raw is actually safe, or
even if there's just a better way to support your dog's health
long term, this is the episode for you.
My deep dive with nutrition all started because of Toby.
About four years ago, Toby was diagnosed with pancreatitis and
I suddenly became hyper aware ofeverything that was going into

(01:11):
his bowl and what was causing him to have flare ups.
Every treat, every ingredient, every label.
I researched everything. The research sent me down a
rabbit hole of canine nutrition,and the more I learned about how
commercial kibble is made, the more concerned I became.

(01:32):
The extreme processing, the highcarbohydrate content, the
misleading marketing, the more Irealized how little control I
actually had about what was going into my dogs bodies.
I started making changes slowly at first, like food toppers,
removing unnecessary carbs, switching proteins, or maybe

(01:55):
even just a little bit of fish to help with the Omega threes
and Omega sixes. Eventually though, I
transitioned Fitz to a raw diet and the transformation I saw, it
blew me away. Toby's situation is a little bit
different and even though he is the one that set me on this

(02:16):
journey, because of his medical condition, the pancreatitis, he
can't go fully raw because the fats trigger the pancreatitis.
But that doesn't mean that his food hasn't been upgraded and
elevated as well it has. I still add fresh whole food to
his bowl every single day to support him the best way I can.

(02:39):
At some point into this journey,I realized that a lot of people
were coming to me and asking me things like, hey, what brand of
food are you feeding, what do you know about balanced raw
diets? And even what do I do if my dog
can't handle a raw diet? Along with these questions and
some encouragement from 2 very good friends who are also canine

(03:03):
nutritionists, Tanisha and Nelly, I realized that I had put
in so much time, so much research, and so much energy
that it seemed pointless for me to not be certified.
Along with a broken foot to giveme the extra time to sit down
and study, it became the perfectopportunity for me to get my

(03:25):
CPCN. And that's how I became a
Certified Professional Canine Nutritionist and why I help
other pet parents learn more about the value of the food that
is in their dog's bowl. I had so many questions and
because I had people to turn to,it made me realize how important
it was for me to be a person that somebody could turn to.

(03:46):
So now you're probably wondering, how do you build a
bowl and what do you base those ingredients on?
There's actually a lot to it, but to put it simply, I build
every meal around balance, variety, and bioavailability.
I use the Pet Matrix Thrive Packdaily for supplemental support,

(04:07):
the Feed Reel Dog Box for harderto source items like dehydrated
duck heads and some in bone chews.
Everything is all natural, dehydrated, and yes, it smells
just a little bit, but as the stickers in the packages say,
that's how you know it's real. I also use a mix of raw meaty
bones, organ meats, muscle meats, seafoods, and a variety

(04:33):
of vegetables, raw milk, and some fruits.
I also offer six customized raw recipes designed specifically
for your dog's weight, energy levels, and dietary needs.
You can book a consult with me at any time in the link in the
episode description. The console is free and you can

(04:54):
ask as many questions as you want.
We'll work through exactly what's best for your dog, not
just what Google says. And look, I get it.
Kibble is convenient, but there are some things that you should
know. These were game changers for me,
and they might be for you too. Most kibble is 40 to 60%

(05:14):
carbohydrates, which dogs don't biologically need to survive.
Like at all 0% requirement for carbohydrates in a dog's diet,
kibble is cooked at extreme temperatures, which strips it of
nutrients that are essential to your dog's health and Wellness.
While synthetic vitamins are added back into your dog's

(05:36):
kibble, these vitamins are not always able to be processed and
digested and absorbed properly by your dog.
And marketing phrases like all natural or complete don't
actually mean what you think that they do.
And here's the most terrifying part that most pet parents never

(05:57):
even hear that beautiful label that says complete and balanced.
That's actually based on outdated guidelines.
Dog food guidelines come from AFCO, AAFCO.
This stands for the Association of American Feed Control
Officials. But here's the thing.

(06:19):
AFCO isn't a government agency. It isn't even a regulatory body.
They don't test the pet food, they don't inspect facilities,
and they don't issue recalls. They simply provide model
guidelines. And whether or not those
guidelines are enforced depends on the state that you live in,

(06:39):
not AFCO. To make things even murkier, the
last major update to Afco's nutrient profiles was in 2006.
This means a lot of the commercial food on shelves in
today's pet stores is still being made based on science
that's almost 2 decades old. No one's actually checking if

(07:01):
the nutrients listed on the bag are actually usable in your
pet's body, and that's a big deal because not all ingredients
are bioavailable. So what is bioavailability?
Bioavailability is a fancy way of saying can your dog's body
actually absorb and use the nutrients in this food?

(07:26):
Just because a food contains vitamin and minerals doesn't
mean that your dog's body can actually utilize them.
For example, a Ross sardine offers highly bioavailable Omega
Threes that your dog's body can fully absorb, versus a synthetic
version of Omega threes added toyour dog's kibble cooked at 400°

(07:52):
is not so much bioavailable. That is why fresh whole food
matters so much, because it gives your dog nutrients in a
form their body can actually recognize and benefit from.
And that's why I started questioning everything I thought
I knew about kibble. Being a vet tech, I spent years

(08:17):
telling people to purchase certain brands based on what we
were educated on in the clinic. Big brands of kibble come into
the clinic, they pay for you to have lunch, they educate you on
their product, and then they take you out to the shelves and
show you exactly which foods to tell people to buy.

(08:38):
But they don't break down what'sinside the bag.
And they certainly didn't tell me about bioavailability or
synthetic vitamins. Maybe you're not ready to take
the plunge, and I totally get that.
Maybe you just want to know whatyou can do now, some small steps
to benefit your dog's gut through their bowl.
You can do that by simply addinga few things.

(09:01):
You can add an egg for a dog fits his size.
Approximately 50 lbs every two or three days is totally fine.
A larger dog can have an egg every day, and a very small dog
can maybe have one once a week. You can rotate in seafood for
Omega threes. Really great ones for this are
sardines and smelt. Make sure that if you're using

(09:24):
canned fish, you'd never use anything that is smoked or has
oil as its preservative. Using things like goat milk
kefir or goat yogurt is great for gut support.
Include some berries like blueberries or blackberries for
great antioxidant support. Vegetables like dark leafy

(09:46):
greens can be used as toppers, along with other various items
that I'd be happy to discuss with you.
Building your dog's bowl isn't about perfection, it's about
intention. Feed in Raw has given me back
some control over what goes intomy dog's body.
It's given me some Peace of Mind, and it has also given Fitz

(10:09):
the ability to fall in love withhis food, something that he
didn't have before. Fitz has been a picky eater
since as long as I can remember.If it wasn't one thing, it was
always another with him. He wouldn't eat the kibble.
He would flip his bowl over, he would nose it around and not
necessarily eat much for days. We have gone through probably 20

(10:32):
brands of kibble, and yes, thereare some that he's OK with, but
I have never seen him eat with so much excitement.
His coat is softer, his poops are smaller.
There are so many things that change when you feed your dog
raw that brings them into this healthy, vibrant side of them
that you've never seen before, and it makes it that much more

(10:54):
rewarding every single time. I go to the butcher and spend 4
hours portioning out a month's worth of food.
And here's the deal, if you're still feeding kibble.
No shame here, none at all. We start with what we know, we
grow from what we learn. If you're ready to upgrade your
dog's bowl or you just want somebody to help you sort
through all of the chaos there is when it comes to dog

(11:15):
nutrition, I'm here to support you.
Thanks for listening to this solo episode of Straight Up Dog
Talk. If this episode opened your eyes
or even made you a little bit curious, share it with a friend
and leave a review if you found it helpful.
I'll see you next time on Straight Up Dog Talk.