Dog food and the Pandemic Kitchen

Procuring a pet animal in the pandemic has been a significant action/trend that the year 2020 witnessed. It has come to me as a surprise that not only human beings but also dogs relish the taste of homemade food such as rotis, rice, sometimes plain dal, Marie biscuits, whole wheat bread and the occasional fruit! As a first time pet owner, I was not aware that the food palette of dogs extends to such boundaries or maybe it's just my pet dog! And yes, we are well aware of what to feed her and what not to (for those ‘purists’ who strictly abide by their rules and regulations).

Apart from the homemade goodies, there exists a variety of dog specific food in so many specificities that it is just mind blowing. The generic puppy foods from prominent brands such as Pedigree exist which have their own composition of chicken and milk, chicken and vegetable and even vegetables and milk for the vegetarian dogs! It is fascinating to note how the small pellets of food contain a mixture of the aforementioned ingredients (and more) and also weirdly resemble many chocolate themed breakfast cereals for the human kind. Sorry to put that image in your mind!

Fig 1: A representative image of the dog food pellets. Source - Google Images.

An even more engaging subject for the curious minds on dog foods is the treats that are manufactured for them. There exists as much option for these “snacks” as equal to their human counterparts. Below are some images that showcase a careful selection of treats that my puppy is rewarded with on many well behaved occasions.

Let us begin by observing the so-called “Bone treats” that is showcased in so many popular media sources such as cartoons etc. In the image we can see two kinds that my puppy consumes (there exists many more but I prefer these two for her) - On the top is a calcium bone and the bottom one is an oat bone. Notice how the oat bone has ridges which facilitate biting and chewing growth for puppies while also making an efficient treat.

Fig 2: On the top is a calcium bone, on the bottom an oat bone. Source - Self.

Moving ahead we come to some meat based treats as mentioned in the image and caption above. It is hilarious to the fact that I have never in my entire life consumed anything remotely close to Turkey meat, yet my puppy consumes it on a leisurely and regular basis! Turkey meat is beneficial and common not only in the form of treats but also as a digestive medicine where puppies and dogs who have stomach ailments are prescribed that. What a life! When humans get loose motions, all we are given is bland, watery food.

Fig 3: Pedigree’s ‘Meat Jerky sticks’ and Wagg’s ‘Turkey and Rice’ bites. Source - Self.

Jokes and apprehensions aside, the next set of images represent a rather Indian twist to dog treats and coincidentally they are my puppy’s most favorite ones. The images below showcase a collection of culture specific treats that are mostly chicken based but also have banana chips entwined within! Looks like Kerala’s famous food item is famous with our four legged pals too! The first image showcases simply boiled, salted and preserved chicken tenders and the second one has the same tenders wrapped around a single banana chip.

Fig 4: Chip Chops’ ‘Chicken Tenders’ & ‘Banana Chips entwined with Chicken’. Source - Self.

Through the above instances, it is interesting to note that the commercialized food industry has advanced to so many levels which pertain to not only human beings but various animals across the Earth. With the variety of animals that are being tamed as pets, the requirements for domesticated food and nutritional elements that were naturally available to these animals have to be replicated in the form of products such as those mentioned above.

Apart from the commercial foods that are commonly and widely imported from abroad, local and home-made foods also are sufficient enough for certain breeds. As my puppy is an indie-mix breed, she can easily consume mediated amounts of roti, coconut water and flesh, rice, indigenous fruits and vegetables etc. under the guidance of her veterinarian. Other imported breed dogs might not be able to survive on such diets hence specific and commercial foods exist to provide a rich and wholesome diet for them.

It is truly compelling to note that a normal Indian kitchen or a ‘pandemic’ kitchen is sustaining not only to bipeds but also quadrupeds. The study into dog and animal food is yet another dimension of food and cultural studies that needs to be explored with enough gusto too.