Dog food question

[curly_kate]

I know this isn't a necessarily a gardening-related topic, but I figured I could get good advice here. I've been feeding my dogs Iams, but then was reading about how much filler they put in their food. What suggestions do you guys have for good dog foods? I'm never sure what to believe online.

 

[injunjoe]

We use Science Diet here.
Costs a lot but our little girls don't eat to much.
This is the only food they don't pick out good chunks and waste the rest.
Speaking of them here I am up for two hours and they are still in bed with Momma. Spoiled rotten! I would have it no other way!

Joe

 

[Ridgerunner]

We spoke to our vet about which dog foods to use. He said about any major brand is OK but stay away from the cheaper store brands. I think it always pays to compare labels and ingredients.

We also use Science Diet, mainly because that is what they used at the pound when we picked them up. When they get used to a certain food, they can be a little picky about switching. Let me rephrase that. One of mine can be picky. The other is not picky at all. Neither of ours leave any scraps behind with Science Diet.

I fully agree with you to not believe everything you read online. I also to not fully believe all advertisements either. For example, Science Diet says they are used by more vets for their own pets than any other brand. That may be true, but the cynic in me would think that is due more to their promotional policies (read giving free dog food to vets) than to any real difference in quality between other major brands.

This is them as puppies right after we brought them home about a year ago.

 

[Greensage45]

Hi,

Rudi is now two years old. He has been on the same diet since we met. I decided on a specific food based on his breed.

I use 'Taste of the Wild'. It is grain free and is specifically designed as a food for a meat eating predator. It is not strictly meat, but also represents the food base that would be part of the prey food. Such as a deer would have certain foods in its stomach contents (this is often referred to as the 'salad') of a predator.

It comes in 3 great flavor mixes and is never a bore. I actually have eaten it to see what it is like and it is flavorful beyond belief. Yeah, I could eat this stuff.

Here are the ingredients of the current selection of Pacific Stream Formula

Ingredients
Salmon, ocean fish meal, sweet potatoes, potatoes, canola oil, salmon meal, smoked salmon, potato fiber, natural flavor, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, dried fermentation products of Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

I am so pleased to see all the natural biologicals that are needed for a healthy living colon! Not too many dog foods consider this part.

Witin a month Rudi will be switching to the Bison formula, it takes him about six months to go through a 50lb bag, I keep this air tight in a container for keeping. My cost is roughly about $40.

When I first mentioned this to my vet she did backflips and her hair stood on end..she said "I don't know this food", "I would not trust something I do not know"...she hushed when I showed her that this is labeled as 'Veterinarian Approved'.

http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/

I highly recommend this food to anyone. Rudi makes a great spokesmodel!

Ron

 

[injunjoe]

That's cool Ron and they sell it at my feed store.
I will have to look into that!

Edited to say Rudi is a fine looking dog!

 

[HiDelight]

My dogs eat an entirely raw diet of meat meaty bones..some vegetables and fruits ..but no grains at all ..

they have beautiful coats..high energy healthy dogs ...they are both solid muscle not a bit of fat on them ..shiny white teeth and smell so good I can not even tell you! ..they have no bad breath not to mention it is a very cost effective way to feed them

my vet prefers this to any way of feeding ..I do buy hormone free meat for them and look for sales then cut it up freeze it and they eat it frozen ..bones and all ..their favorite are turkey wings and butts

they love it ..I have been feeding my dogs raw diets for at least 20 years now and the difference is amazing
the only meat they can not eat is pork and I guess from what I have read there are lots of dogs that do not do well on it ..other than that they thrive and do well on all kinds of meat and bones

if you google "raw feeding dogs" there is a ton of info

I am a very strong advocate of this kind of feeding as I can see with my own eyes how well they do

I love to take frozen fish and toss it in the wading pool for them to go fishing .. (fresh water fish can carry fluke so be careful and make sure it is well frozen before feeding it)

my vet also insists you freeze the meat for at least three days prior to giving it to them just incase ..but then either feed it thawed or frozen ..frozen makes it last longer for them my dogs will swallow a chicken hind quarter whole if it is thawed

for veggies I just toss them treats when I cut up salads and things for dinner ..

they also go and harvest themselves

and wow I know when they get into the collards...

apples and sweet potatoes are their favorites

I love my dogs

good luck with your feeding choices

OH eta one of the best things about feeding a raw diet is the poop patrol is ..well hardly anything! they use almost all that they consume so there is very little waste to pick up or accidently step in a raw fed cat or dog ...both very pleasing snugglers to be around and that is what it is all about for me is the cuddle time

 

[Southern Gardener]

We feed our dogs Blue Buffalo dry and canned. It's more expensive than grocery store dog food but the main ingredient is meat. Here is a website that does reviews on almost all dog food.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/

 

[curly_kate]

Southern Gardener & Greensage: where do you find those types of dog food? I've never seen them here.

 

[Southern Gardener]

Petsmart, Petco and my feed store also carries it, but it's more expensive there.

 

[Greensage45]

There is an option on the 'Taste of the Wild' website that allows you to find a vendor nearest you.

Ron

Oh, Rudi has supplemented his diet LOL About four months ago he killed a squirrel. He did this with speed and efficiency. I was quite amazed. At first I thought I best bury this, then it occurred to me that I should cook it up and serve it for lunch, and I did! It was delicious!

I was a bit worried about my chickens and my rabbits, but he really does know the difference and now the chickens can cross the forbidden zone without him going after them. He does find the eggs that they secretly try to hide in the yard.

I am not quite there with the BARF diet (that is the title of the raw diet). It works and I believe it is good for them, I just enjoy Rudi's meat cooked. Sometimes I let him taste the raw stuff; but I prefer he kill and not eat an animal raw. At this point it is more of "look what I brought for you to cook" LOL

Ahhh the life of a dog momma! LOL

I agree with the snuggle time, and the odors, and the teeth. Recently the vet complimented me on his teeth (she thinks we are brushing daily)...nope, maybe once a week because he is addicted to the doggy toothpaste (not with tea tree oil..yuck)