best, all natural, puppy food

smoke · 07-05-2007, 10:45 AM

http://www.petco.com/product/102304/...d.aspx#details
Pet Promise Healthy Growth Puppy Food at PETCO

i was looking at this but i want some feedback.

thanks

all4thedogs · 07-05-2007, 11:04 AM

Here are the ingredients:
Chicken, brewers rice, corn gluten meal, oat groats, pearled barley, vegetable oil preserved with mixed-tocopherols, egg product, soy protein isolate, dicalcium phosphate, natural flavor, calcium carbonate, potassium chloride, salt, vitamins [Vitamin E supplement, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity)], L-Lysine monohydrochloride, choline chloride, minerals [zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite], ascorbic acid [source of Vitamin C].

Im not impressed with this food at all, especially for the price. Lots of grain in the first ingredients, including corn. Added salt and more. Not a food I am interested in!!

BoxMeIn21 · 07-05-2007, 11:58 AM

Not impressed either. Even though chicken is the first ingredient, when you exclude the water content, it would make it somewhere to being 5 or 6 on the list, making grains in the top five. Dogs need meat, not grains!!!
Poor filler ingredient as well - brewer's rice is used to make beer, the waste is what ends up in dog food.

smoke · 07-05-2007, 01:32 PM

so what do you guys suggest, im looking for the healthiest, all natural dog food.

BoxMeIn21 · 07-05-2007, 02:54 PM

www.dogfoodanalysis.com

I would look at the 4,5 and 6 categories and make a list of a few that you might want to try. Finding a good food is important, but it's also equally important to rotate foods every once in a while.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/changing_foods.htm

Personally, I love all of Timberwolf Organics formulas, they have two very good grainless varieties. You can also check out Canidae, Innova RM or EVO, Natural Balance.

If I was going to recommend the healthiest all natural dog food, it would be to feed RAW (raw meat and bones).
It's the healthiest for them and my dogs thrive on raw meat and bones - but it's not the diet for everyone and you need to do your research.

Ginny01OT · 07-05-2007, 03:00 PM

Nature's Variety has raw meat patties and medallions--they are great (expensive tho) but if it keeps us out of the vets office it is worth every penny!
www.naturesvariety.com

smoke · 07-05-2007, 03:30 PM

my mother is the ultimate dog lover, which when i got my pit mix pup she thinks its kill us if i play with it rough or feed it raw. i could believe my ears. i wouldve never expected my mother to be so naive! therefore she isnt to fond of the idea of feeding raw, but if you guys say it is the healthiest, then thats what my pups gonna eat! ohh, and what would be a good raw meal for my pup, and in her adulthood (6 months +). and how much of it does she get, she weighs 4 1/2 pounds. or do i just put it down and let her eat until shes full?

redox · 07-05-2007, 04:06 PM

Feeding raw can be pretty complicated, certainly more complicated than kibble or canned. You have to make sure that you are feeding all the necessary vitamins and minerals. It is no doubt more healthy, but you have to know what you're doing. I'd suggest you start doing some serious research online and maybe finding someone local that feeds raw before you start feeding raw.

smoke · 07-05-2007, 04:09 PM

can you give me an info site, i cant seen to find one, all im getting is ads for buying dog food.

redox · 07-05-2007, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smoke

can you give me an info site, i cant seen to find one, all im getting is ads for buying dog food.

I'm sorry, but I'm not the best person for that. I don't feed raw mainly because of monetary concerns. I'm sure someone else more knowledgeable can help. I've heard a lot about the BARF diet so maybe try here http://www.barfworld.com/ ?

Ginny01OT · 07-05-2007, 04:26 PM

Nature's Variety has a an "amount to feed" tool, you plug in the info and it will give you an estimate of how much raw food your pup will need:

www.naturesvariety.com

BoxMeIn21 · 07-05-2007, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redox

Feeding raw can be pretty complicated, certainly more complicated than kibble or canned. You have to make sure that you are feeding all the necessary vitamins and minerals. It is no doubt more healthy, but you have to know what you're doing. I'd suggest you start doing some serious research online and maybe finding someone local that feeds raw before you start feeding raw.

NOOO...you are mistaken RAW is not complicated at all. The diet that you are speaking of is BARF, and it's really not complicated either, but it does call for things IMO the dog doesn't need, like veggies and supplements. There are two schools of thought when it comes to feeding a natural diet, BARF and RAW - while both are better than kibble, RAW is older and I know of more people that feed this way.
I feed RAW and while you do need to do your research, you can go on auto-pilot after a while and it's very easy.
RAW consists of feeding your dogs raw meaty bones (RMB) including fish, organ and muscle meat. Plain and Simple. As long as you are feeding an appropriate variety of meat and bone, you don't need supplement at all.
Get the book "Works Wonders" by Tom Lonsdale. Also, here are a few websites that focus on RAW feeding along with a raw feeding support group you can join:
http://www.rawfeddogs.net/
http://rawfed.com/index.html
http://rawlearning.com/
http://www.rawmeatybones.com/

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/rawfeeding/

Here are a couple of websites on BARF, same concept as raw, but these diets include veggies and supplements:
http://www.barfworld.com/html/learn_..._is_barf.shtml
http://www.rawdogranch.com/rawdietbasics.htm
http://www.njboxers.com/faqs.htm

I have found the cost is much less for me on RAW than kibble, in fact it's about 20-30 bucks a month less. If you go pre-made it's much more expensive and you don't always know about the quality. In fact the only pre-made raw I would ever feed would be from Natures Variety.

smoke · 07-05-2007, 04:55 PM

thank you, those site were extremely helpful!

redox · 07-05-2007, 05:02 PM

Thanks from me too

BoxMeIn21 · 07-05-2007, 05:16 PM

Sure thing!!

Renoman · 07-05-2007, 07:14 PM

If you're going to feed kibble, I personally love Timberwolf Organics. They have enough different formulas to suit anyone's needs and they are 'all life stages'. Which means you can rotate foods, throughout the dog's lifetime, without too many issues. Evo foods are fantastic as are the Orijen formulas, but I would be a little concerned with the high protein levels for a growing pup. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

Ginny01OT · 07-05-2007, 09:25 PM

You are right about Evo and the protein levels; additionally, the calcium level in Evo is too little high for a growing pup--particularly for large breeds. I spoke with customer service at Naturapet (Innova Evo) when I was switching Riley off puppy food who told me to wait until he was full grown for those reasons. I do predominantly raw but when I give kibble it is Timberwolf Organics and I, too, think it is a great product.

smoke · 07-05-2007, 09:57 PM

well when i got out of the vets office i went to the pet store across the street. i have decided on "eagle pack" puppy food for large to extra large breeds. i think i made a good decision. my vet advised me against raw food.

Ginny01OT · 07-06-2007, 07:38 AM

Most vets are against raw food diets for a number of reasons. One being they have very limited training in pet nutrition (which is why they sell products like Hill's Prescription Diets with which they make a good profit).

smoke · 07-06-2007, 09:11 AM

eagle pack is good food though, and my mother has know our vet since she was 5 years old. my vet's lab is 15 now,therefore im gonna take her work on everything.