You have questions? Here you will find the answers!
Questions about dogs and dog food
General questions
Where does your meat come from?
We source our meat only from registered and approved suppliers of K3 material who are subject to official controls. In addition, we have the possibility to independently control our suppliers through audits. We are also subject to the strict EU guidelines for the production of dog food.
As a German company, our products stand for quality "Made in Germany" - we produce our dry food exclusively in Germany. Here we work strictly according to IFS - this is the highest award in the food sector. This is also what the Dr.Clauder umbrella brand stands for: the highest quality standards for the benefit of the animal.
We do not use specific indications of origin, as this would not always meet our high quality standards. The selection of raw materials is basically determined by the nutrients and the quality of the raw materials. Unfortunately, the quality of a raw material within a certain region is always subject to seasonal fluctuations. To counteract these fluctuations, we always choose the best raw materials currently available.
This is also reflected in our strict quality controls, which ensure that we can always provide your pet with our products in the usual high quality. Due to the high demand for meat by humans, it is unavoidable that animals from factory farming are processed. We choose our suppliers carefully so as not to promote such abuses.
What is the quality of the processed meat?
In order to produce a feed, it is necessary to be approved and registered as a feed business / feed manufacturer. However, as a certified animal food producer it is not legally possible to produce a food.
To this end, the legislator has stipulated that all raw materials used in pet food, regardless of quality, are classified as K3 material.
However, our products still meet the quality level of the food standard.
Is the meat from factory farming?
Unfortunately, due to the volume of consumption, factory farming is the rule, even for the meat that is processed into pet food. Unless you buy organic, for example, the price is correspondingly higher, which many customers then no longer want or are able to pay.
We cannot give an exact indication of origin, because we switch between suppliers depending on quality and availability, so that the highest possible quality can always be used. No extra animals are raised and killed for the production of animal feed. It is surplus from food production (which is why the farming methods cannot differ at all).
Why is the stated filling weight not correct?
According to the pre-packaging regulation, there are tolerances for the filling weight:
With 400g filling quantity, cans with up to 388g may occur in a batch without limit if the average weight of 400g is reached over the entire batch. Cans with up to 376g may occur in a batch at a maximum of 2%, also provided that the average is reached.
This means that customers may not receive the full 400g. We monitor the weight closely during the production process so that the tolerances are not exceeded.
Dry food for dogs
What does meat meal mean and how is it different from dried protein?
According to the latest EU declaration guidelines, we are no longer allowed to use the term "meat meal". Instead, it must now be labelled, for example, as "dried protein", which in our case corresponds to the old description of meat meal. Dried protein is nothing more than meat or animal by-products from which the water has been removed. By using dried protein, we are able to ensure a higher meat content in our products. In addition, the dried products are standardised in terms of their content and provide a consistent end product. For some products, we use fresh and "dried" meat. By combining the two, we improve animal acceptance. This is the case, for example, with the product "herring and potato". Since both old and new packaging are available on the market, it may happen that both variants are still on the market.
There were some other kibbles in my dry food, how can that be?
Foreign croquettes can get into the packaging in two ways: Either by carry-over from the extruder or from the silo. In both cases, only a few bags are affected, as this can only happen at the beginning of the filling process. The machine operators regularly check the contents of the bags, which is why such "dead spaces" in which material can collect can be avoided as far as possible in all lines. Nevertheless, carry-over does occur in rare cases. Acceptance is normally not affected by this, as the raw materials of the recipes are similar.
Has anything been changed with the croquettes? They are now smaller and the colouring is greyer.
There are tolerances in size and colour. The natural raw materials can have different contents from batch to batch, which affects the end product. This also affects the expansion behaviour (i.e. how far the croquette expands and exactly what shape it has at the end) and possibly also the colour. To prevent this, we would have to work with artificial colourings, but we do not do this out of conviction.
We check every batch: if we find too much deviation from the target, we do not release the goods for sale.
How big is the kibble in the Large Breed products?
Now 18/19 mm - we have adjusted (i.e. enlarged) the kibble size of the Junior and Adult Large products. There is a certain tolerance for the croquettes (2mm +/-), i.e. in the "worst" case the croquettes can vary 4mm in size.
In which dry products is there no calcium carbonate?
Herring, Duck & Potato, Performance Power Plus, Junior Medium, Junior Large, Junior Lamb & Rice, Adult Large, Adult Medium, All Willdlife, Senior Light, Adult Lamb & Rice
Wet food for dogs
Are dogs allowed to eat pork?
The prejudice that dogs should not eat pork originates from Aujeszky's disease, which used to be widespread among pigs and which can also affect dogs. There is a risk of infection through direct contact with infected pigs, e.g. hunting dogs with infected wild boar or through the consumption of raw pork.
Aujesky's disease can lead to death. However, it is considered to have been eradicated from livestock. Only a few infected wild pigs have been found in Europe. There is no danger in eating cooked meat, as all pathogens have been destroyed. From a nutritional point of view, pork has about the same nutritional value as poultry meat, so it is of very high quality and an excellent food for humans and animals.
What is meant by "animal by-products"?
Meat is defined as muscle meat, while animal by-products include products made from edible parts of the animal released for consumption (e.g. meat hydrolysate, offal, etc.) In meat meal, the following are allowed NO hooves, feathers, claws etc. may be processed in meat meal!
Is it true that corn tyrosine lowers serotinous levels and thus increases aggression?
It is very important as an owner:in to know the pet's intolerances. Every dog is different - just like us humans. If isolated intolerances occur in animals or humans, "theories" such as these quickly appear in forums, etc., which are unsettling. Maize and soya are not fillers, but high-quality protein carriers and energy suppliers. As omnivores, dogs need both animal and vegetable protein. We use maize in Best Choice Adult because, unlike wheat, it is a gluten-free grain and many dogs have now developed a gluten intolerance. Maize has high-quality protein and is a good source of energy. We do not use soy because we cannot reliably check that it is GMO-free.
What has changed in the composition of Selected Meat?
We have not changed the recipe. However, according to a new regulation, we had to adapt the declaration on our cans. The missing 29% corresponds to the meat broth, but according to the new Regulation 767/2009, meat broth is equated with water and water is not a raw material in the sense of the regulation, so we are no longer allowed to declare it.
Why is there a layer of fat on the wet food?
The fat layer resulted from a change in the thickener regulations: The thickener previously used for dog and cat food is now only permitted in food quality. However, this would be 4 times more expensive and customers would not accept this price increase.
Therefore, we now use a different mixture of vegetable thickeners. This may cause the jelly or even some fat to settle in the tins.
It can be fed without hesitation (it would be contained anyway, but better distributed in the can and therefore not so clearly visible). We are working at full speed to reduce the formation of this layer again; this has already been achieved with the newer productions.
Why do the consistency and colour of the feed vary?
Our wet food is a product that is mainly made with natural raw materials and therefore fluctuations cannot always be ruled out, but the recipes are unchanged. Due to raw material shortages and fluctuating availability on the raw material markets, we sometimes have to (temporarily) resort to alternative suppliers that do not meet the usual requirements in all criteria. Within the scope of the declaration, we therefore use the raw materials in a volatile manner, so that this can affect the consistency, colour and possibly also the smell of the end products.
We check the raw materials thoroughly and only use them if the safety of the products is guaranteed. We sterilise the tins upside down so that the following appearance is visible when they are opened: The fat of the contained raw materials has hardened after sterilisation and is therefore the first thing visible when opening the can. The product underneath is slightly pink again.
Supplementary feed for dogs
How long should the anti-worm tablets be given?
There is no general duration of use, as it is not a medicinal product. Herbal products can generally be used for 3-4 weeks. Then you should take a break to avoid habituation effects.
Can joint juice or oils be kept in the refrigerator?
No, because the fats contained in the oil could partially solidify below 7 degrees. You should only store it in a cool and dry place, preferably protected from light. Always use a clean spoon or measuring cup for dosing.
What is the shelf life of the serums after opening?
It depends on the storage and application. In extreme heat in summer, this naturally affects the products more than in winter. Generally speaking:
The shelf life of the opened product corresponds to the duration of the feeding recommendation. However, if the emulsions are only given every few days or weeks, this could become more difficult. The products should have a shelf life of about 3 months after opening, but always under the condition that the owner/mistress examines the product before giving it. You can tell if it is still good by the smell, colour or consistency. If there is a noticeable change, the product should no longer be fed.
Snacks for dogs
Why do my snacks have a white coating?
We enforce our quality standards in our own production through innovative research and development, which is why our products offer sustainable added value. This is also the reason why we have ourselves certified every year anew according to the strict food standard IFS Food (a standard in the food sector recognised according to EU guidelines). It can happen that some protein, which is contained in the meat, leaks out; this leads to a slightly greyish-white coating on the cubes. The chicken variety is somewhat more susceptible to this than other varieties. As long as the other parameters (smell, consistency, etc.) are still correct, the quality of our products is not affected.
Where are the Trainee Snacks made?
We have been producing Trainee Snacks in our own production facilities since 2022. Our products are also strictly controlled by our own quality assurance in cooperation with the independent institute SGS Fresenius.
The tests include checking for compliance with nutritional information and testing for environmental toxins and pollutants. No environmental toxins or pollutants were found and all tests to date have confirmed compliance with the nutritional values. Dr.Clauder's products stand for premium quality. Therefore, we also vouch for the exceptionally high quality of all the raw materials we use.
How does a thread get into the snacks?
This is the large tendon that is found in duck and chicken breast. When the products are dried alone (without pre-cooking or similar), the tendon takes on this structure, it looks a bit like a thread, but it is a component of the product that can occur and is not a foreign body.
Why does the hardness of the snacks vary?
All batches are checked by our quality management and only released if they meet the requirements. Since we only use natural raw materials, i.e. only the meat, depending on the quality of the meat or the composition (proportion of protein, fat, water, etc.), the snacks can sometimes be a little harder and sometimes a little softer. Our office dogs are always happy to be "test subjects" - even the somewhat harder snacks go down very well with them.
What is the shelf life of the pastes after opening?
The Work-Out pastes can be used for approx. 2-3 months if stored in a cool and dry place, as preservatives have a positive effect on the shelf life.
Attention:
If your dog licks the top of the paste, more germs will get into the tube, which could affect the shelf life. In general, you should assess the quality through appearance and smell and thus determine until when the product can still be used after opening. Our fresh meat pastes, for example, keep for 5 days - but they do not contain any preservatives.
Why do the meat snacks look dried out?
We check every batch before it goes on sale. Due to the natural raw materials, there may be differences in colour, smell and also firmness. The starting raw materials do not always have the same initial values (protein content, fat content, moisture content), this affects the end product as otherwise no other ingredients are included. However, no batches are released that do not meet our requirements.
You can also feed the somewhat firmer snacks without hesitation.
Why are there white specks on my dried meat snacks?
The white spots are small sugar crystals. The product contains FOS. This belongs to the group of sugars, but is not utilised by the body, which is why it is considered a dietary fibre. Due to unfavourable storage conditions, these small sugar crystals can form. We compared them under the microscope with the raw material FOS: This examination also confirmed that the white spots are FOS.
Are the absorbers in the snack packs toxic?
Without the absorbers, the products have a shorter shelf life, which is why they are also found in the snack bags of our competitors. The iron contained in the absorber can only be dangerous in higher quantities.
B.A.R.F. for dogs
Do you have to add oils or powders like calcium to the complete menus?
No, because otherwise an overdose of calcium can occur. Everything important is already included in the complete menus.
Is the binding agent of the complete menus gluten-free?
Yes.
Why are the feeding instructions on the B.A.R.F. cans different?
Unfortunately, the current feeding recommendation on the new articles B.A.R.F. complete menus is not correct. The feeding recommendations of the articles compared to the existing articles has not doubled. This is an error. On our website you will find the currently valid feeding recommendations for the products.
What is the shelf life of the salmon oil after opening?
Only a natural antioxidant (rosemary, ascorbic acid) is added to the salmon oil during production. Preservatives are not included.
It depends on the storage how long the oil can be used after opening. Protected from light and in a cool place, it will keep for several months. However, this can be easily checked: If, for example, the smell changes strongly, this indicates oxidation processes and the oil should no longer be used.
What is the calcium/phosphorus ratio of the B.A.R.F. complete menus?
In general, the calcium and phosphorus content is about the same for all doses:
- Calcium: 0.19-0.26%
- Phosphorus: 0.11-0.17%
What steps do the B.A.R.F. cans go through during production?
The products are cold-filled. The cans are then sterilised at 133°C. They are not vacuum cans, so the lid can be partially pressed in. Only the declared raw materials are used. Only vegetable thickeners are used to ensure that the liquid/meat juice does not settle too much but is evenly distributed in the product.
Beauty & Care for Dogs
Warum gibt es das Plaque-Ex Pulver nicht mehr?
The product Plaque Ex Forte powder is unfortunately no longer available due to European directives, but we have launched a new product. Below you will find more information about Plaque Ex Forte Plus:
Tartar builds up over a longer period of time, mostly on the molars.Tartar and plaque can have sensitive effects on the organism and can lead to diseases in the long run. If preventive treatment is not taken, the only option is usually to have the sensitive teeth cleaned by the vet. As this is done under anaesthesia, cleaning can put a strain on the body. This is a risk, especially with older animals. It is better to prevent the formation of tartar and plaque in order to avoid or delay veterinary treatment.
Dr.Clauder's Plaque Ex Forte Plus is a novel product for tartar prevention and reduction. Due to the proven high efficacy of the raw materials, we have chosen the combination of medicinal microsilver and cranberry juice concentrate - the ideal combination for effective plaque control. This sensible combination can help to eliminate tartar. The product is available for dogs and cats and is the sensible addition to modern dental care. Thanks to the practical dispenser and the chosen "emulsion" dosage form, Plaque Ex Forte Plus is simple to dose and easy to use. Simply give 2 strokes daily either with the food or directly into the mouth. This applies regardless of the size of the animal. With this product, time-consuming tooth brushing is a thing of the past. Food testers have confirmed that the acceptance is very high and the product is also a welcome treat for dogs and cats.
Due to the economical dosage, the costs for daily feeding can be reduced compared to Plaque Ex powder.
