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“Dogs are designed to consume a range of different foods, and to obtain differing vitamins and minerals from each. They are not designed to eat “only chicken” or “only lamb”, – states Dog Food Analysis. Today we’re exploring the world of “chicken’s alternatives” by taking a closer look at yak milk dog foods. They’ve been making splashes over the past two years but it’s still very much a newbie to the dog’s pantry. Many of us, understandably, have questions about yak milk and its long term effect on our dogs health and well-being.
Currently there are only about a dozen manufacturers/exporters that offer yak milk based dog treats in the U.S.: Himalayan Corporation, Only Natural Pet, Royal Dog Chew, and Dogsee. The latter offer Dogsee Chew and Dogsee Bites, and these are actually human grade (!), meaning ‘food grade’ or ‘edible’, and fit for human consumption. Naturally, we chose this manufacturer for our test & review today.
Here are the three main things you should know about yak milk Dogsee treats
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Yak Milk is energy and protein rich – 15g of protein in just 1 cup. To compare, there are only 7.7 g protein in a cup of whole cow milk.
Yaks in Nepal and Darjeeling are surrounded by rough terrain and lead highly active lifestyle, with lots of exercise and constant going up and down the hills. To maintain their life, yaks need something richly nutritious and yak milk is just what the doctor ordered. Dogsee Chew and Dogsee Bites are made with milk from yaks who are not fed at a shelter. These yaks roam freely and graze in an open field. This enables them to get a lot more minerals and nutrients from nature, making the yak milk Dogsee treats amazingly nutritious.
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The manufacturing process of Dogsee Chew takes 40 (!) days. Any type of shortcuts would lead to loss in nutritious value for our four-legged friends.
Dogsee Chews are made of yak milk mixed with cow milk. Dogsee also produce 100% yak milk treats; generally speaking though it’s a bit too hard for dogs to chew on. This is why Dogsee’s most popular items are the ones that are produced with mix of yak and cow milk.
Once the milk is mixed, it is put through fat separator. The fat (a.k.a. milk cream) is used to make butter and the fat free milk is then heated to 95 degrees Celsius (203 Fahrenheit). If the milk was to be heated up to another 5°C more, the milk would lose major part of its vitamins.
The milk is then let to cool down to about 42°C (107.6° F). Pinch of Himalayan rock salt and lime juice are added at this stage. Then whey (water) is discarded, and the solid part goes through compressor. It is then cut into pieces and dried smoked for 28 days–that’s where Dogsee Chew hardness and texture are from. Finally, the chews are sun-dried for 4 to 5 days and cut into Chews and Bites.
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Good for you, good for your dog and for the 8000 people in the Himalayan region, where life is difficult and employment opportunities are non-existent.
While it gives you a peace of mind that Dogsee Chew is 100% natural, preservatives free treat that comes from hills 3,000 meters (1.9 miles) high to provide your dog with vital nutrients, you also deserve a pat on the back for improving life of people in the Himalayan region and enabling them to provide for their families and dogs.
