Haleycookie, I am aware carbs are necessary. So far I haven’t had to cave and it’s my goal not to as I want to keep my dog healthy and thriving. Caving to a food that has ingredients that will make him sick is not an option. I may as well just give him back to the rescue.
This site shared an interesting article about carbs and dogs: /canine-nutrition/dog-food-carbohydrates/
Potatoes are high on the glycemic index. Just as humans shouldn’t eat such high quantities of a starchy carb on a daily basis, neither should dogs. They can be eaten in moderation, but day in and day out as the second or third ingredient is not healthy. Further, potatoes have tested for more pesticides by weight than any other vegetable. Not all potatoes in dog food are non-GMO and they are likely highly processed. These are only a few reasons on potatoes.
Peas have lectins in them and over time can cause major health problems, especially considering the amount of peas, pea concentrates, pea flours, pea proteins, pea etc. tossed into foods. Vegetable based proteins are very un-useable for dogs. They’re used to fake-boost general protein levels in foods to make up for a lack of meat proteins, not complete in amino acids, and are low in biological value. They are also a phytoestrogen and used for “ingredient splitting.”
Essentially, they’re both cheap vegetable fillers while dogs need meat based proteins. I hope I’ve answered your questions.
