[Jenny Rellick]

Hi Daniel,

I suspect that most of the outraged reviewers are unaware that their logic is wrong. One mistake our brains tend to make is the “post hoc” fallacy, which is thinking that, when one event follows another, the first event caused the other. For example, “Because I forgot my hat and scarf last night I woke up this morning with strep throat.”

In the months leading up to a dog’s death, the dog’s appetite often decreases. When this happens, the pet parent may buy a top rated dog food. The dog may be getting a meat-based grain-free food for the very first time, and it whets the dog’s appetite. The dog eats more for a while, and the pet parent thinks the problem is solved. A while later, the dog stops eating and is sick. The vet can’t save the dog, and often the cause of death is unknown. People blame the new food because it’s the last thing that changed. Also, before the widespread Chinese-manufactured, contaminated dog food deaths in 2007, I never heard people blame dog food for their dog’s death. I think it’s a new phenomenon.

As for picking the safest food, I have three suggestions. First, even the most careful manufacturers have to issue recalls, many for reasons beyond their control. Always save the label’s date and product numbers, and subscribe to recall alerts from DogFoodAdvisor. Second, Editor’s Choice foods are selected for transparency and safety. Many 5 star foods (in terms of the ingredients listed on the label) are not on Editor’s Choice because of safety and transparency issues. My third safety suggestion is to choose a grain-free food. Dog’s don’t require grains, and they get contaminated with mold in the silo. The manufacturing process kills the mold, but the toxins that the molds secrete remain. These toxins cause dangerous illnesses as well as cancer and remain in the dog’s liver permanently.