O/T dog food

[marisa]

Lots of dog owners here so I wanted to ask.....what do you guys suggest for a high quality dog food? Something not so obscure I can't find it where i live though, any suggestions?

Marisa

[LISA127]

the absolute best food is Innova, but it is pretty pricey. California Natural is another good one. If price is an issue, there is a food called Diamond that is premium quality at a very reasonable price. Unfortunately, my dog doesn't like it. I don't like Science Diet foods, even tho some ppl will tell u it is a good food. I prefer Iams over Science Diet, personally. The main thing is, look for a food that has no BHA/BHT in it, and it should not list meat meal by-products or meat and bone meal by-products. You also want the very first, and if possible the second also, ingredient to be some type of meat as opposed to ground corn or something like that. There are a few good quality foods that I can't think of right now, but u could check out some dog forums. This tends to be one of the favorite topics on the dog forums.

My own dog eats Iams Lamb Meal and Rice Formula. I've tried putting her on other foods, but she for some reason prefers Iams.

[Linds]

Another good food is the Wellness line of dog and cat foods. It can be purchased at any of the chain stores.

Wellness Dog and Cat Foods Rival Human Food in Ingredient Quality

Wellness represents a new generation of uniquely formulated, all-natural pet food which rivals human food in quality, nutrition and the cooking process. The primary protein source in the Wellness line is human grade deboned chicken, human grade Atlantic whitefish or hormone-free lamb, depending on the formula. In addition, these top-of-the-line dog and cat foods contain fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy grains, and vitamins and minerals. Another major differentiator is that unlike most commercial dog food manufacturers that rapidly extrude their food, Old Mother Hubbard slowly oven bakes its Wellness Super5Mix dog foods and treats to preserve and enrich the nutrients, and to enhance the aroma.

As rates of feline and canine allergies, cancers and diseases continue to rise, the link between pet nutrition and health is being examined more closely than ever. Healthy thoughtful ingredients in Wellness, like fresh fruits and vegetables, provide essential antioxidants that protect and strengthen your pet's immune system for a healthy, long life.

Wellness does not contain any rendered animal fats, meat by-products, wheat, corn or white rice and also does not contain any artificial colors, flavors or preservatives of any kind.

[LISA127]

Thanks, Linds. I forgot about Wellness!

[enso]

My gf and i feed our dog Wellness, It's baked vs. extruded. Contains real meat ingredients, not secondary parts of animals. Non-animal ingredients include real apples, blueberrys, oats, flax, barley, the list goes on...

[enso]

Doh!

[Linds]

Originally posted by LISA127
The main thing is, look for a food that has no BHA/BHT in it, and it should not list meat meal by-products or meat and bone meal by-products.

Iams does contain by-products and meal by-products. I agree BHA/BHT is a good thing to avoid, its not too difficult to find a dry food preserved with vitamin e :)

[mykee]

I feed my dog Eagle Pack Holistic Formula. Expensive, but for a large breed dog (chocolate Lab) the best I've come accross.

[sapphire_moon]

We feed Iams, and they do great on it. My older dog has lost alot of weight (her belly was hitting the floor *dashhound mix asho lapso, so she's short* because other people would not stop feeding her people food) she is now healthier, and the puppy, well we don't know what they were feeding her before we got her, but she has TONS of energy now!

[DarkHunter]

Wellness is a great food but sometimes reacts really bad to dogs with sensitive stomaches, just so you know if you are switching your dogs food, welness is a very rich based food and your dog will be sick for about 2 weeks, it is just getting all the "toxins" out of the system of your dog you might notcie dandruff(sp) and he might be sick to his stomcah try not to switch him outta the food for at least a month just to see if it gets better if your dog can handle this food, its an amazing one to keep him on. Another good food is nutiernce or Nutro they're generally same based but a good food. Not as good as wellness though:)

[Linds]

Darkhunter,
Many dogs will get sick if you switch from one food to another if it is not a gradual switch. If you do it over a period of several weeks it shouldn't be an issue.

[marisa]

Well that's really my issue I am trying to figure out....Sonique has been throwing up all food for two days now. Today she seems better but if it doesn't stop she is obviously going to the vet.

What I think has happened is that the food we bought her last (Purina blech) has gone rancid. We bought too large a bag I'm afriad and I believe her food went bad and that has caused her to be sick.

So I am switching her but I do not want to feed her any of that gross food at all. But on the other hand I do not want to hurt her stomach anymore by switching. confusing!

I also heard of something called Nutro Max or Nutro Natural Choice. Some JRT people recommended it. Anyone used it before? I will keep Wellness in mind when I go to the Pet Value today.

Marisa

[LISA127]

Originally posted by Linds
Iams does contain by-products and meal by-products. I agree BHA/BHT is a good thing to avoid, its not too difficult to find a dry food preserved with vitamin e :)

i said to avoid MEAT meal by-products. (as opposed to chicken by-products- the word meat can mean anything)

[LISA127]

Originally posted by marisa
Well that's really my issue I am trying to figure out....Sonique has been throwing up all food for two days now. Today she seems better but if it doesn't stop she is obviously going to the vet.

What I think has happened is that the food we bought her last (Purina blech) has gone rancid. We bought too large a bag I'm afriad and I believe her food went bad and that has caused her to be sick.

So I am switching her but I do not want to feed her any of that gross food at all. But on the other hand I do not want to hurt her stomach anymore by switching. confusing!

I also heard of something called Nutro Max or Nutro Natural Choice. Some JRT people recommended it. Anyone used it before? I will keep Wellness in mind when I go to the Pet Value today.

Marisa

You should only buy enough food to last your dog no more than a month. Also, it is good to keep it in an airtight container to keep it fresh. If u believe the bag went bad, buy another bag in the smallest size to do the gradual switching.

Natural Choice is supposedly a very good food, altho I've never personally tried it.

[Darlene]

Also remember to watch out for that old nasty preservative; ethoxyquin; as some companies STILL haven't removed it from their foods.

[Lisa]

We're using Nutrience(sp?) Dog loves it.

[tHeGiNo]

Nutrience and Science Diet

[DarkHunter]

Linds...
I know they get sick no matter what you switch your dog to...but Wellness is very much diffrent its such a rich based food it clears out the dogs system...and makes them a little worse off...its not so bad for puppies as it is for dogs who are older...Foods like science diet and iams and Eeukanuba(SP) are not very good foods and if your feeding that to your dog the transformations will be worse
~Hunter

[nuno]

I use Nutro- Natural choice, This is the one food that uses absolutely no by-products.

[Snip3r]

There is a local dog food provider who makes dog food for award winning hunting dogs. He recently brought this exclusive food out onto the market. Its called 'Pride' and cost around 80bucks for 100lbs. This is all we feed my german rottweiller...and it keeps your dog very healthy. Our Rottweiler is 1 year 2 months old and weighs in at 179lbs (weighed last week)

[Emily-Fisher]

We use Nature's Recipe. Well, we used to. Now I don't know what we use. it's in a green bag though and has "Nature" as part of it's name.

[marisa]

Emily that's probably Natural Choice, Max. Its a green bag.

I bought the Natural Choice Max yesterday. Supposed to be one of the best. I will tell you dog owners how it works out.

Marisa

[LISA127]

Does anyone know anything about the Purina One dog foods?

[arachnomania]

Okay! I'll responde to this and I AM ready for bad remarks so please feel free cause I studied it an I do know what I'm talking about. Here it is, are you ready??
B.A.R.F. (Bones And Raw Food)

[V.hb]

Purina dog foods are low end, they're "grocery" store brands.. Stuff you'd find in a grocery store, not a pet store.

Probably can't find it, But i use medic-al for all of my dogs.. Adult formula. Its ordered from a vet, its top notch food. Expensive though..

[gauts28]

Arachnomania I’m with you on this one. But I would not recommend it for all dogs. What I do for all my dogs it’s a mix of dry food and what you call B.A.R.F. They have more energy with raw food. Don’t forget I have working dogs (sled dogs) if your dog is a couch potato I wouldn’t recommend it.

[LISA127]

Originally posted by V.hb
Purina dog foods are low end, they're "grocery" store brands.. Stuff you'd find in a grocery store, not a pet store.

Probably can't find it, But i use medic-al for all of my dogs.. Adult formula. Its ordered from a vet, its top notch food. Expensive though..

Sorry, can't buy anything u would order from a vet. I don't want to feed my dog junk, would never consider it, but I will not become fanatical. I'm not even that fanatical about what my kids eat!

And I'm asking about Purina ONE, not Purina Dog Chow. There is Purina ONE, Purina Dog Chow, Pro Plan. I have heard ppl say Pro Plan is the best of the three, but wanted more opinions.

[marisa]

Lisa127- I have had nothing but crappy experiences with Purina. It has corn as a major ingredient I beleive, and that bites.

Try looking for something with no corn or by products. I believe IAMS and/or Science Diet is sold at the grocery store. They would be the best I think if you must buy from there.


B.A.R.F. Diet is something I have looked into quite a bit. But she is basically on that already. LOL. She gets all meat and veggie table scraps in the house.

Thanks for all the replies people.

marisa

[LISA127]

Purina Dog Chow has corn as the first ingredient. Purina ONE has lamb as the first ingredient. I was comparing Purina ONE Lamb and rice to Iams Lamb Meal and rice and the ingredients are almost identical. Except that Iams has lamb meal and Purina One is just lamb.

[arachnomania]

gauts28,
Chambly QC, Hmmmm. Do you make your own b.a.r.f.? There's a place close to Drummondville that makes it. I forget their website but just type in Aliments alternatif 2000 and you should find it. Their business name is actually Alialter which is short for Aliments alternatif 2000. I have an American pit bull terrier and she is bascically a couch potato but she gets her daily BOOST of exercise.

[gauts28]

Arachnomania.

Thank you for the info. I found the web site and I think I’m going to give them a call. I always made my own B.A.R.F. and I use almost (not all) the same ingredients as they do. Their product seems to be of good quality and well made.

So thanks again for the info….

[Linds]

Originally posted by marisa


I bought the Natural Choice Max yesterday. Supposed to be one of the best. I will tell you dog owners how it works out.
\

We used to feed this to the two small dogs. It was the only thing my one Jack Russell could tolerate... anything else he would heave up... he had a really sensitive stomach (from the time he was born until about 6 months ago.. he has become a total garbage can at the age of 12 with more energy than he's ever had!).

[marisa]

Today will be the first day on the Natural Choice. I have been feeding her only rice, the rice with chicken, then rick mixed with the food. I didn't even want to use the old yucky food brand again to acclimate her to the new stuff. So we are doing the rice thing, which seems to be working.

Looking at Natural Choice in your hand alone it looks and smells better than any dog food I have bought before. They also offer a 100% money back promise if you don't see results.

Marisa