Meal is something that’s ground up. You grind up kernels of corn and you get corn meal. You grind up soybeans, and you get soy meal. Chicken meal is ground up chicken.

There’s nothing particularly bad about corn and nothing particularly good about rice. Each can be used in developing a nutritious ration for your dog.

Cheap dog foods are often as nutritious as expensive ones, no matter what your vet says as he tries to sell you the expensive foods he sells. (I formerly worked in research for Central Soya, who makes MasterMix animal feeds, so I learned a lot sitting across the table from experts in this field.) The expensive brands may be a little more palatable, or they may just be a brand that spends more on advertising, so that you’ll pay more.

Our dog, a german shepard, loves Natural Balance dog food, especially the sweet potato and fish flavor. Our preceding dog, an alaskan husky, loved NB’s duck and potato flavor. NB has a wonderful reputation – they sell feeds to many zoos – and they behaved marvelously with regard to the China problem. However, it’s pretty pricey.

Most mammals have nutritional needs not too different than humans. We’ve taken to cooking more of whatever we’re eating, and sharing it. It’s no more work to speak of for us, it’s cheaper than canned dog food, and we figure it’s probably safer. We limit the portions she receives, so that she eats some dry dog food as well, and she seems to be doing very well on this combination of foods. Of course, it probably would depend on what you yourself eat, whether it would be an appropriate diet for your dog, but I’m just throwing that out there as a suggestion.