Anyone ever heard of mixing in 1 teaspoon a day of bacon grease into your dogs food to make their coat shiny? Not that I'm gonna do this, but I was at my grandmothers the other day learning to cook the way she does because shes in her 80's and I want to have all the memories I can with her. Anyway we were just talking about random stuff and she starts talking about my grandfather (who passed about 23 years ago) and is telling me about his prized hunting dogs and that he always gave them 1 teaspoon of bacon grease daily with their kibble and how they had the shiniest coats around and everyone always complemented on them. And I know that back when my grandfather had his dogs like 40 years ago that people did not give their dogs supplements or feed them high quality food like we do today. So I was wondering if this was just an old wives tale or if people actually do this?

I haven't thought about bacon grease in years! It's awfully salty, and you are correct that most are feeding a better diet these days. Getting adequate sources of fat in the diet used to be more of a problem.

Back when I was growing up overseas, we fed our dogs a steady diet of rice, beans, corn and bacon fat. I had almost forgotten about that!

I was at my grandmothers the other day learning to cook the way she does because shes in her 80's and I want to have all the memories I can with her.

I forgot to say - I envy you - what a wonderful thing for you to be able to do! :)

Thank you, I enjoy all the time I can with her!
So it has been done, it just sounded kinda funny and made me think of the commercials for the bacon flavored treats. You know where "dogs don't know its not bacon!"
I think Turbo's coat is just fine, but I can see him if I actually gave him regular kibble with bacon grease. He would surely think I had lost my mind and he had been crowned the king of some foreign country and was receiving the "royal" food of their land! :)

this is too funny, b/c my nina mentioned the same thing.

My parents always gave their labs 1 tsp of bacon grease two or three times per week along with an egg on Saturdays! We occassionally give ours bacon grease but very very seldom!

That sounds so unhealthy. :(
There are other things you can do to improve the coat health of your dog. Eggs, and fish oil seem to help ours.

I can't ever imagine giving my dog bacon grease. That is really gross.

I can't ever imagine giving my dog bacon grease. That is really gross.

I don't know why you think that, there's nothing inherently wrong with pork fat. What's gross about it?

As 3dognite mentioned, the sodium would concern me, and the fact that kibbles now are infinitely better than they used to be, and they already have the proper amounts of fat, so it's definitely not needed.

Typically, coat conditions are related to protein. Feeding a food with highly digestible and appropriate amounts of protein will help the coat. About 30% of a dog's daily supply of protein goes straight to skin and coat maintenance. Specific fats, like omega-3 fatty acids can also help the coat, but it's crucial that they are not given in amounts that upsets the omega-3:omega-6 balance, as excess omega-3's can also cause coat problems.

Back to your question. It probably did play a role back before there were any guidelines in formulating balanced dog foods. If a dog's diet was deficient in fat, adding fats (like bacon grease) would correct that imbalance and probably would help their coat.

I've know some people putting a teaspoon of vegetable oil or raw eggs in their dogs food. My thinking of it is that if you are feeding a good feed in the first place then you shouldn't need to add anything else. I feed Pro Plan Performance (which is 30% protein 20% fat) to my two, which are trained hard almost every day, and it's more than sufficient for them. Still have clear eyes, shiny coat, firm stool, etc. Find something that works for them and stick with it.

I don't know why you think that, there's nothing inherently wrong with pork fat. What's gross about it?

As 3dognite mentioned, the sodium would concern me, and the fact that kibbles now are infinitely better than they used to be, and they already have the proper amounts of fat, so it's definitely not needed.

Typically, coat conditions are related to protein. Feeding a food with highly digestible and appropriate amounts of protein will help the coat. About 30% of a dog's daily supply of protein goes straight to skin and coat maintenance. Specific fats, like omega-3 fatty acids can also help the coat, but it's crucial that they are not given in amounts that upsets the omega-3:omega-6 balance, as excess omega-3's can also cause coat problems.

Back to your question. It probably did play a role back before there were any guidelines in formulating balanced dog foods. If a dog's diet was deficient in fat, adding fats (like bacon grease) would correct that imbalance and probably would help their coat.
Just the IDEA of it... the grease from your morning bacon? That doesn't sound a bit gross to you? (Like how it hardens when you don't wash it off the dish right away?) I just can't imagine feeding that to my dogs.
If there are known healthier ways to provide a healthy coat (or even just make it appear shinier like mentioned) wouldn't you choose that over leftover bacon grease?
I disagree on the kibble thing too, but I'll keep this thread about the bacon grease. LOL.

eck... i think it sounds gross, too. id be most concerned about the preservatives in the bacon, as well as the extra salt. seems like there are a lot of other healthier choices for adding fat to the diet than bacon grease. and what about pancreatitis?

I agree with Whitney (Asquared)...that sounds nasty. I can't imagine feeding my dog something that I don't deem fit for human consumption.

Considering I feed my dog chicken backs, no it doesn't sound gross at all. Just about any animal fat hardens at room temperature, so I really don't understand why you would think it's gross. It's really not any different than the other fats our dogs eat...we just don't see it.

and what about pancreatitis?

1 tbsp is all the poster said is being fed, so I doubt that would pose a problem. Any fats can cause pancreas problems. Like I said, it's definitely not needed since kibbles are vastly superior than they used to be, and the good kibbles out there are already balanced, I'm just saying I doubt it would be harmful (at least for an active dog).

I can't imagine feeding my dog something that I don't deem fit for human consumption.

You obviously don't live in the South. LOL Bacon fat is used in a ton of foods for added flavor. If you ever watch Emeril, he using calls them "bacon drippings." It's definitely fit for human consumption, it's just that we have to worry about cholesterol so we cut it out...dogs don't.

I guess I'm baffled that so many people don't think twice about feeding foods with chicken fat, but stall at pork fat.

Thanks for answering my questions guys, I'm not considering adding bacon fat to his diet I was just curious. The only thing he ever gets extra is plain yogurt and occasionly an egg or a few pieces of the steak or chicken I cook for us and those are used as special occasion treats. He has been on Purina Pro Plan Large Breed since he was a puppy, he started on LB puppy and has now transitioned to LB adult and has always done great. You know sometimes you just hear things and think hmm interesting I wonder if anyone else does this.

Im kinda with the others.. I wouldnt feed my dogs bacon grease ... there are definitely better options for coat health.. good luck.

pancreatitus

You obviously don't live in the South. LOL Bacon fat is used in a ton of foods for added flavor.

I'm amazed at people's reaction to bacon grease. Very glad I grew up on southern cooking.

Somebody has probably mentioned this already, but sadly I don't think today's bacon is the same beast it was in any of our grandmother's day :(

Between the horrific diets that hogs are fed, and the truckloads of preservatives the bacon is treated with, I'd steer clear both because of the toxins in the meat itself and the potential for pancreatitis.

Here's an article (a bit sensationalistic but still valid info) about the toxins in preserved meats like bacon:

There's a chemical additive that food manufacturers add to virtually all packaged meat products: breakfast sausage, picnic ham, hot dogs, bacon, bologna and many more. This chemical additive is used to give these meats a reddish color so they don't look putrid gray (which is the normal color of weeks-old packaged meat). By itself, this ingredient sounds completely harmless, but when you eat it, it forms highly carcinogenic chemical compounds known as nitrosamines.
These nitrosamines are such powerful cancer-causing chemicals that lab researchers actually inject rats with nitrosamines when they want to give them cancer in order to conduct experiments! Clinical studies that monitored children who consumed this ingredient shockingly revealed a quadrupling of brain tumors and a 700% increase in leukemia. (Preston-Martin, S. et al. "N-nitroso compounds and childhood brain tumors: A case-control study." Cancer Res. 1982; 42:5240-5.)

Another study that tracked the dietary habits of nearly 200,000 people for seven years revealed that the consumption of processed meats containing this ingredient caused a whopping 6,700% increase in pancreatic cancer (April, 2005, the University of Hawaii, lead researcher: Ute Nothlings. (Click here to read my comments on this astonishing research.)

Nitrosamines are so toxic that the USDA actually tried to ban them from all packaged meats in the 1970's, but the agency was overpowered by the corruption and influence of meat packing companies. So the ingredient is still 100% legal to use, even though it is highly carcinogenic.

When you eat this ingredient, it results in cancer-causing nitrosamines flowing through your entire digestive tract, ultimately leading to colon cancer as well as pancreatic cancer. Amazingly, this ingredient is listed right on the label!

What's the name of it? Sodium nitrite. It's listed right on the label of almost every packaged meat product you can buy. If you own any bacon, sausage, or lunchmeat product, check your refrigerator right now and see for yourself. You'll be amazed that this cancer-causing ingredient is in so many foods you've been buying for years!

Sorry, I'm sticking with my bacon. You're not getting that one away from me. :wink: Somethings gotta kill me...I try to avoid the stuff that's really a risk, but the small stuff I don't sweat. There are actually people out there that argue that eating in itself causes cancer and you should eat the absolute fewest calories possible...where's the fun in that??? LOL

nearly 200,000 people for seven years revealed that the consumption of processed meats containing this ingredient caused a whopping 6,700% increase in pancreatic cancer
Holy decimal point Batman! That's a 67% increase, not 6,700%! :huh:

An important study, nevertheless, and the link between processed meats (as well as pork and red meat) and pancreatic cancer is significant for humans.

Those who consumed the greatest amount of processed meat had a 67 percent increase in risk of pancreatic cancer, compared to those with the lowest intake of processed meat, according to the questionnaire.

People who ate diets heavy in pork and red meat had an increased risk of about 50 percent, the study found.

Poultry, fish, dairy products and eggs showed no association with pancreatic cancer risk, nor did overall consumption of fat or cholesterol, the researchers said.

"We found no association for total fat or cholesterol with pancreatic incidence," said Ute Nothlings, the study's lead author, who is with the University of Hawaii's Cancer Research Center. "If we break it down into fat from different sources, we find an increase in risk from fat from meat sources but not from dairy sources, which leads to the assumption that it's something in the meat that is associated with pancreatic cancer risk but it's not the fat."

The authors suggested that chemical reactions that occur during the preparation of processed meats might be responsible for the cancer link. Such reactions can yield carcinogens, including heterocyclic amines or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, the researchers said.


http://www.healthscout.com/news/68/525258/main.html

Just to clarify, I too love bacon and still eat it, though only on occasion. And while I can't resist a good old greasy diner bacon & egg breakfast from time to time, for home I buy uncured bacon (no nitrates, no preservatives). Here's an example of one of several uncured bacon brands available if you look for them. Niman Ranch Applewood Smoked Uncured Bacon (more like Grandma's?):

To make this uncured bacon, the pork bellies are dry-rubbed with a mixture of cane sugar, maple sugar and salt. The sugar and salt tenderize the meat, resulting in a delicious flavor. There are no nitrites or nitrates added to preserve the bacon. Like our other bacon, this is slow smoked over applewood for seven hours which gives it a clean, smokey flavor. Unopened, the bacon will last for 35 days. Once you open the package, it is best used within 3 to 5 days

Yeah, I only eat it on occassion too. As much as I love it, even the non-preserved stuff is harsh on the arteries and cholesterol. That's why I was saying I don't pay a whole lot of attention, I just don't eat much of it.

My DH likes to cook the bacon first on the gridle and then scramble the eggs afterwards for the extra flavor. Doesn't seem gross to me at all. We also don't have bacon very often so I don't sweat the small treat from time to time.

Yeah, I only eat it on occassion too. As much as I love it, even the non-preserved stuff is harsh on the arteries and cholesterol. That's why I was saying I don't pay a whole lot of attention, I just don't eat much of it. I remember the day my grandmother declared bacon an official "condiment" and therefore exempt from nutrional warnings or guidelines - all the while, looking pointedly at me, the vegetarian granddaughter ;)

(Some years later, ketchup wrangled itself a government upgrade from condiment to vegetable, evening the score...)

My dad died from pacreatic cancer at age 62...far too young to die...the cause? The dr's said it was all the processed meats that were in his diet. He ate hot dogs, lunch meat, bacon and other nitrate rich foods 5-6 times a week..sometimes on a daily basis....so yeah..we avoid nitrates...actually..we've been avoiding them but did slack a bit...not any more.