[Lare]

I've done a great deal of research on commercial dog
foods.

If you are interested in gaining years of knowledge about
commercial dog food just drop me an email and I'll send
more information than you probably want, and you WILL
change your mind about feeding your dog any of the
commercial brands. Even the dog food your vet recommends
because, guess what? He probably doesn't know much
about it - and I can show and tell you why and how vets
sell dog food.

Here's what the president of AAFCO (the people who certify
dog food in the US) said, on camera, about commercial dog
food (video);

http://home.att.net/~srcusick/deaddogsinfood.avi

[tobybones]

springermom, where did you get this info on how to rate dog food? why isn't Blue Buffalo on your list? Whats wrong with Blue Buffalo?

[CHOTCHgoldens]

I did not read all of this, but I have heard and known most of it.

I love the rating system and think it works great for determining the quality of any given kibble.
While I don't like feeding a kibble that is made by a major manufacturer, such as Purina from Nestle, I have used and recommended Nature's Recipe and I find the ingredients to be wonderful.
My eleven show and working/performance dogs eat home-cooked on a daily basis, but I of course keep kibble on hand. They eat Merrick when I cannot cook for them.
Merrick has everything I want in a kibble, and I appreciate the people who make it.
I for one would never feed a kibble with by-products, corn, wheat, brewers rice, or meat "meal" in it.

My dogs thrive on home-cooked, meaning two meat products a day, with potatoes/oatmeal/brown rice, carrots, apples, cottage cheese, and Missing Link supplement on top.

If I were subjected to feeding kibble on the whole, it would always be Merrick dry with two canned varieties.

I would never touch anything made by Science Diet, Purina, Pedigree, Iams, Eukanuba, or Nutro.
I hate how Euk is the #1 Sponser of AKC events, how they tout how extremely wonderful their kibbles are, when really, it is crap.
Plus, they have all of these breed-specific and needs-specific kibbles, when really, it is all the same stuff just in different bags!

Anyways, tell your friend good job! Those feeding the not-so-high-quality kibbles either do not care or are ignorant as to what is in their kibble. Education is key!!!

[RonE]

Originally Posted by springermom

Companies like Iams, Purina, etc. are out to make money.

Well I have REAL problem with any company that wants to make money. If I ever find out that Canidae is trying make money, I'm dropping them like a hot penny and finding another dog food company that prefers to lose money. That way, we know that they are only looking after the best interests of my dog.

It's too bad they won't be around for long to do that.

[Addison]

Wow that was alot of information... Thanks Springermom!! I have been searching for the "right" dog food to feed my Husky and have had a hard time. Either foods make her sick or I find out later that they are not that healthy. I am now feeding her Nutro, but after looking at your score of Nutro, I think I should change... But I am so afraid of her getting sick.

Finally an article that is not bias... Everything I was looking up on the internet had been created by a large dog food company. If you have any good websites that have more info, I would be really interested! Thanks

[allab]

I have done a lot of research my self on pet food,here is one website to help you understand what is good for your pet what is not. http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/

[972]

that was some very helpful info i was feeding my dogs nutromax and a neighbor suggested that i start using nutripet. its an al organic with all vitamins and supplements in it and i have notice a difference in my rotts activities and their coat. and plus i don't have to feed them as much. i've attached some info on nutripet

[DogMama404]

Springermom, I have enjoyed reading your comments in this thread. Have you or any of the other members heard anything about Andrew Lewis' "Dog Food Secrets?" I was researching dog food this morning and found him all over the web but I couldn't find any postings from anyone who has ordered his book or followed his diet. The few reviews I did find just used snippets from his press releases...

I feed my dog Nature's Balance and am happy with it. From what I've read it seems like a solid choice and I'm not sure I'm ready to commit to a homemade dog food diet. But if anyone has tried Andrew Lewis' book and recipes and has any comments, I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks,
DogMama404

[LMH]

I think that while we are different species are needs are the same. Shelter ,water, protien ,vitamins, minerals,and herbs to thrive not just survive. So to say it is someone's opinion of what is higher quality food than lower quality is ridiculous. While you can't compare fast food to dog food you can definitley appreciate that ingredients in food be it for dog or human is important. It doesn't take a doctor to point out that eating donoughts all day is worse than eating salads all day. And giving dogs food with empty nutrition like undigestible grain is worse than giving clean protien(meaning not the 4 d's) is probably better.

[celestine]

Hello to Everyone. I've read every (and I mean [i]every[i]) post of this topic. Making sure our pets get what nutrients they need is important to all of us. It doesn't matter the name of the product as long as your pet is doing well on it. Mine aren't. Let me explain...

I have a 7 year old pit/chow/gsd mix and he has skin allergies. But the little booger is soooo picky. I hate switching food, but sometimes I must in order for him to eat. Sometimes he'll look at me, look at his bowl (mind you it's the same thing he ate that morning...ate with gusto!) and look at me again as if to "Are you kidding me? I hate that stuff!". All I see after that is his backside as he leaves the kitchen. Now if anyone has a good recommendation for him, it's appreciated as long as there are no arguments about it.

I also have a 5 month old rottweiler (that is driving me bonkers at this current time...I love him...but sometimes I think I must have been out of my mind to have gotten him). He's been on a variety of foods. I slowly make a change when I notice things...like a lot of bowel movements...that's been most of my concern. Because I don't think he should be going quite so often. But it's firm, I do have to say that. (My husband thinks it's absolutely disgusting that I'll peek while their doing their "business", but as a pet owner. I need to know if something is going on. Anyway, the rotten pup...or my monster as I affectionately call him, has a very shiny and soft coat. So that's not a concern. But I've spoken with so many people about what would be good to feed him that I'm nearly blue in the face. I've heard...feed him a large breed puppy food it's what he needs for his joints and bones...then again...I've heard...don't feed him that. Just feed him puppy food...it's all the same and the large breed formulas are just gimmicks. I know that dog/puppy food is not all the same, but I'm tired of standing in petsmart and petsupermaket arguing which is better. It would be great if I could feed them the same things, but that's not a good idea. Although, a "supposed" breeder of presa's told me you can feed them Diamond Adult and it's fine for both. That doesn't sit well with me and I've never had another conversation with that man again!
So if someone could be kind enough (without getting angry) to give me recommendations for both of my dogs, that would be so great. One is so very picky and the other...hasn't has time to develop that pickiness...yet. Thanks a bunch!

[Willowy]

celestine-----I think that if I had one allergic dog and one large-breed puppy, I'd feed them both Canidae. It's made for all life stages and will work for both the adult and the pup. Keep the puppy lean, if you let him get chubby it will put too much stress on his joints. A lot of people DO feed their large-breed pups adult food, but an all-life-stages food is better. Regular puppy food can be too rich for them, and can cause them to grow unevenly, which is why they came up with large-breed puppy foods. But the all-life-stages food will work, too.

[celestine]

Willowy- Thanks! It's been such a long time since I had a puppy and they didn't offer all this new food.

[luvmyweim]

Thank you so much for that website. I have been very confused with this issue. My 15 month old weim. has been on Purina Pro Large Breed Puppy since I got her. She has done quite well on it, but... I have wondered if there are better options. I have also had many conversations with various vets. on when to take her off puppy food and what brands. I know many of you are against it ever being used, but, like before mentioned we all do what we feel is in our pet's best interest. I have been told to keep her on it until she is 2, 1, 6 months... they all contradict each other. Does anyone else have experience with Weimeraner puppies specifically? I had planned to take her off at 18 months, and now am considering switching dog food. If you have any polite, experienced advice, please share.

[scintillady]

This thread is exactly why I think people should read up on the subject of dog food in general, then do what they think is best for their own dog, based on their individual circumstances. I have finally made up my mind what I will be feeding Ruby, and if I keep coming on here and reading everyone' opinions, I will be still second-guessing myself for the rest of my life. Having raised a healthy, well-adjusted 24 year old human daughter using mostly common sense and research, I consider myself to be able to weed out the nuggets of advice I need, and ignore the rest. I thank everyone for the wealth of info which enabled me to make up my own mind, and hopefully I will have the same success with my 4 legged children as I did with my human one. As I said in a previous post. DOG FOOD IS A LOADED SUBJECT!!

[celestine]

You're right Scintillylady, dog food is a loaded subject. But sometimes it's nice to hear about food that you haven't seen in your area. I have a limited choice of dog food. And quite honestly, I don't trust the kids that work in pet stores. This is irrelevant, but we've gotten fish from pet stores. Even though I do my own research on which fish is compatible with which, I was curious to hear what they would say. The kids will tell me they'll get along fine no matter what they are. So who's to say they care enough to be able to direct you to food that will be good for your pets.
I agree, if your pet is doing well on which ever food you're using, then that's the food you need to stick with. But in my case, mine isn't. The food he's on has given him frequent bowel movements. He's a 5.5 month old rottweiler. I also have a 7 year old pit/chow/germ shep mix and that dog doesn't like anything. He turns his nose up at every food I've tried. And heaven forbid, if I feed someone something different. Then neither one of them will eat. Those are the most picky dogs I've ever met! A little guidance is nice.

[yorkieartist]

You know I have read all the bashing, defending, not defending of various pet food and what you all feed your animals and was so distracted by this I had to post a response.

First... do yourselves a favor and buy a small book entitled "Foods Pets Die for"... read it.........!!!! Then, look at your bag and find out how you are feeding that animal you spent big bucks on and are feeding crap just because it is a dog. What annoys me is people spend great money to get a papered animal and bragging rights and then go to Safeway and buy the cheapest bag of junk they can to feed it. Why? Because it is just a dog!

Well, let me say this... it is pay me now or pay me later. Either you take care of the animal now .. or pay the vet trying to keep it alive later. Our pets are very unsuspecting and take what we give them in good faith. It is our responsibility to do what we can to provide them with good, safe nutrition. Fortunately for them there are many new products coming out to assist in that endeavor. Our dogs are carnivore's... they need very little if no grain... they need meat ... not by products, preservatives, beet pulp, fillers. So, we as owners have a very serious responsibility to spend some of that money we spend on ourselves to provide that animal with the best food to keep them healthy. Owning an animal comes with a responsibility... and we owe that to them. How would you like to be fed some of the stuff we feed our animals?

I am a breeder... I own many very tiny yorkshire terriers... I know what I am talking about. How, I made the same mistakes through ignorance. I did my research, and found out the truth about dog food. When I cannot feed pure fresh food for my animals, they get the grain-free kibble ... no preservatives, no junk, no fillers, no by products. Do your homework... and feed your unsuspecting, loving pet, the best food you know how to give... because you did your homework, and you love them .... as they do you!

You can say what you want about your food that you feed (good or bad), but the bottom line is... it is your pet's life you are playing with. Being defensive about what you have been feeding is not doing your animal one good thing. Just go do your own homework... and decide. And if you go and think this is all balony... fine, when they are dying in your arms one day and you would give anything for one last day, week, whatever... remember... you made the choice long ago... and the only one who benefits from your decision is your pet! Their food and its quality is paramount to their longevity and quality of life. Think about it!

[celestine]

Yorkieartist- that book was a real eye opener. It made me glad that I make my own pet treats. But now it has motivated me to making food for my pets. With enough research, I'll never have to feed them commercial foods again. And if for some reason I have to, I'll make a good choice after reading that book. Thanks!