[TucksMom]

I am feeding my new 18 week mini dach Pro Plan puppy along with a little canned food. I just want to make sure this is a good dog food because Tucker is so small (2.8 pounds). I do plan to cut out the canned food in about a week if possible. I do not want him to put on TOO MUCH weight....

[briteday]

Check out the stickies at the top of the food forum. Also dogfoodanalysis.com does a good job of explaining dog food ingredients and how to evaluate foods.

[TeddieXRuxpin]

For some reason dogfoodanalysis is down.. is it just me?

All Purina and Pro Plan foods rate as a F
F Pro Plan Giant Breed Adult 41
F Pro Plan Performance 53
F Pro Plan Chicken and Rice
F Purina Dog chow
F Purina Large Breed 40
F Diamond Lamb and Rice 61
F Diamond Performance (formerly professional)
F Diamond Large Breed 55

Where are you buying food from?

If you're shopping at Petco you're best bet is either Soild Gold, Natural Balace (Ted eats Fish and Sweat Potato) or Eukanuba. The Eukanuba would be last of the three imo.

If you're shopping at Petsmart Eukanuba is so far the only "good" food I've found at any Petsmart. They seems to have very few good quality brands.

[BayouGal]

This is just my opinion, so don't take it as pure fact without doing your own research but....I wouldn't feed Purina or Eukanuba to my dog. I HAVE fed purina in the past, but I've been doing quite a bit of research lately and have found that they are NOT good foods.

I currently feed Canidae but am looking to go grain free, so I'm in the midst of a change myself. Go to the dogfoodanalysis website and look at how they rate the foods. It has a wealth of information for you. Look for a food with no corn, no beet pulp, "good" grains (if you want to feed them), and a named meat source or sources...not some phantom meat product.

I should also suggest buying from specialty shop where they know all about good dog nutrition. Also some feed stores carry the higher end brands.

Good luck in your search!

[TucksMom]

Well, I live in a small town and the only place to even buy dog food is PetSmart or my vet. The Pro Plan was recommended by my vet and sold by them???? I guess I could order online but gosh, that is alot of trouble. I want him to have the best though....

[briteday]

With a small dog I would suggest that you make a run every few months to the nearest place that carries high quality dog food (after you decide on a short list of acceptable choices) and buy enough for a few months and keep the overflow in gallon bags in the freezer. There are also plenty of online food suppliers, but you generally get better prices if you order large quantities...not feasible with such a small dog.

[Zack_the_Mouse]

there`s no small pet store in ur town

[FredMom]

Originally Posted by TucksMom

Well, I live in a small town and the only place to even buy dog food is PetSmart or my vet. The Pro Plan was recommended by my vet and sold by them???? I guess I could order online but gosh, that is alot of trouble. I want him to have the best though....

Honey, stick with ProPlan. I feed my basset hound Pro Plan for sensitive skin and stomach and he does GREAT! Dont fall for these website gimmicks. I bought Fred some of these so called "premium" foods and all I got was a sick dog with a burnt out coat, runny stool, and he was down right miserable. Purina is hated on this site but its funny that dog show champion breeders stick by Purina products and it its so bad, it would NOT have lasted as long as it has.

Unless your dog show signs of allergies or have a burnt out coat or runny stools, STICK WITH Proplan. Ive seen dogs live as long as 16 yrs on Purina. Stick with what works for YOUR dog and dont let anyone make you feel like a bad owner because they choose to spend a fortune on dog food and you dont have to. Unless they are dogs themselves, they truly cant tell you what is best for YOUR dog.

[TeddieXRuxpin]

Originally Posted by FredMom

Honey, stick with ProPlan. I feed my basset hound Pro Plan for sensitive skin and stomach and he does GREAT! Dont fall for these website gimmicks. I bought Fred some of these so called "premium" foods and all I got was a sick dog with a burnt out coat, runny stool, and he was down right miserable. Purina is hated on this site but its funny that dog show champion breeders stick by Purina products and it its so bad, it would NOT have lasted as long as it has.

Unless your dog show signs of allergies or have a burnt out coat or runny stools, STICK WITH Proplan. Ive seen dogs live as long as 16 yrs on Purina. Stick with what works for YOUR dog and dont let anyone make you feel like a bad owner because they choose to spend a fortune on dog food and you dont have to. Unless they are dogs themselves, they truly cant tell you what is best for YOUR dog.

When picking any food corn really shouldn't be in it. Let alone in the first 5 ingredients. When two of the first five ingredients are corn..that's a down right bad food. (i'm not trying to make you feel bad Tuckersmom) True some dogs do fine on it, but it's no where near the best like the OP wants to feed her dog.

If you want and are willing to spend the little extra cash then by all means do it. I do spend a bit more on Teddie's food because it lasts longer so I don't feel bad if it's a little bit more.

I also just want to add that vets are the last person to trust when it comes to nutrition. If you're looking for a good quality food I'd stay away from brands like Iams, Purina, Science Diet (plenty aren't listed, but those are a few of the biger names). When you go to where ever you'd buy food look at the first five ingredients; corn shouldn't be in any of them. Also look for by products, you don't want those in your food either.

That's just the rest of my two cents.

[TucksMom]

Okay, I am just confused now!! He is doing fine with the Pro Plan recommended by my vet BUT I do want only the best for him as he is my baby!! You see, the whole reason I got him was my kids are older and are NEVER at home anymore...LOL I needed a baby and trust me, I was going to opt for "literally" having a baby!! Too old for that!! LOL

Anyway, now I don't know what to do about his food....guess I will stick to Pro Plan.

[poofywoof]

Before you decide whether to switch your baby's food or not, take some time and do a little Research of your own. Read something besides manufacturer's websites and sales ploys. Try a book or article on dog nutrition. There are lots of places to get information about what nutrients are required to get the best results for dogs and puppies of all ages. There is some good information on dogfoodanalysis.com and on the 'dogfoodproject' site, but there are other informative, unbiased articles if you do some internet searching. Research first, decide afterward.

[FredMom]

Originally Posted by TucksMom

Okay, I am just confused now!! He is doing fine with the Pro Plan recommended by my vet BUT I do want only the best for him as he is my baby!! You see, the whole reason I got him was my kids are older and are NEVER at home anymore...LOL I needed a baby and trust me, I was going to opt for "literally" having a baby!! Too old for that!! LOL

Anyway, now I don't know what to do about his food....guess I will stick to Pro Plan.

If he is doing fine with ProPlan, stick with it.

Originally Posted by TeddieXRuxpin

When picking any food corn really shouldn't be in it. Let alone in the first 5 ingredients. When two of the first five ingredients are corn..that's a down right bad food. (i'm not trying to make you feel bad Tuckersmom) True some dogs do fine on it, but it's no where near the best like the OP wants to feed her dog.

If you want and are willing to spend the little extra cash then by all means do it. I do spend a bit more on Teddie's food because it lasts longer so I don't feel bad if it's a little bit more.

I also just want to add that vets are the last person to trust when it comes to nutrition. If you're looking for a good quality food I'd stay away from brands like Iams, Purina, Science Diet (plenty aren't listed, but those are a few of the biger names). When you go to where ever you'd buy food look at the first five ingredients; corn shouldn't be in any of them. Also look for by products, you don't want those in your food either.

That's just the rest of my two cents.

How do you know that corn doesn't belong in dog food, I mean seriously? Is it because of what a book tells you? Since when did books or websites feed dogs?

Since we don't eat dog food, don't you think its better if the DOG determines what is healthy for it, instead of books? Dogs have been fed food with corn in it for YEARS and have lived long and healthy lives. Now, there is a difference if your dog is ALLERGIC or has allergies. But if the dog is healthy, that ALL that matters, not what some manufacturer website or book says what your dog should eat.

[PeppersMama]

When I was at my vet this morning my vet recommends Science Diet. But you know how I am about dog food. I feed Iams to both cats and dogs. My cats are doing really well on the hairball formula and Pep was doing fine on Iams Puppy til she got her little virus.

[Kotone]

Blue Buffalo is a pretty good food that Petsmart sells(one of the few, lol).

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_f...duct/355/cat/4

[TucksMom]

Well, I guess I will stick with Pro Plan until for some reason I need to change....honestly, Tucker is doing just fine with it....

[sheltiemom]

I can't stand that dog food analysis site. This one is much better, lots and lots of information. There are no ratings, so you have to read, read labels, and make your own decisions.

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/

Here's what they say about corn, not to be confused with corn gluten meal...

Compared to herbivores a dog's digestive tract is much less specialized for digesting grains, or carbohydrates in general for that matter - especially in their raw, unprocessed form. However, dogs are not true carnivores but opportunistic feeders and can digest and utilize the starch from grains in dog food that has been converted by the cooking process. Digestibility depends on quality and type of grain used: rice (72%) is for example more digestible than wheat (60%) or corn (54%). Dogs can absorb the digestible carbohydrates from rice almost entirely, of the other grains about 20% are not absorbed. Indigestible fiber from grains contribute to intestinal health.

[BayouGal]

Originally Posted by FredMom

If he is doing fine with ProPlan, stick with it.



How do you know that corn doesn't belong in dog food, I mean seriously? Is it because of what a book tells you? Since when did books or websites feed dogs?

Since we don't eat dog food, don't you think its better if the DOG determines what is healthy for it, instead of books?

This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever read! You obviously have no idea what you're talking about. If you did your REASEARCH, you would know that corn should not be in dog food. Sure, it's been fed for years....but do you have any idea at what consequence to the dog? Of course you don't because you, my dear, are uninformed!

[Laurelin]

Originally Posted by FredMom

Honey, stick with ProPlan. I feed my basset hound Pro Plan for sensitive skin and stomach and he does GREAT! Dont fall for these website gimmicks. I bought Fred some of these so called "premium" foods and all I got was a sick dog with a burnt out coat, runny stool, and he was down right miserable. Purina is hated on this site but its funny that dog show champion breeders stick by Purina products and it its so bad, it would NOT have lasted as long as it has.

Unless your dog show signs of allergies or have a burnt out coat or runny stools, STICK WITH Proplan. Ive seen dogs live as long as 16 yrs on Purina. Stick with what works for YOUR dog and dont let anyone make you feel like a bad owner because they choose to spend a fortune on dog food and you dont have to. Unless they are dogs themselves, they truly cant tell you what is best for YOUR dog.

Most champion breeders seem to feed bad foods imo. Or it's common. However when their dogs actually go out on circuit, guess what they eat? Raw most often. There is a reason for this.

Now raw isn't feasible for many people and that's fine.

I recommend to look at the dog food project- its helpful and overall very informative.

My dogs used to do well enough on science diet and purina - even Pedigree! but I read a bit and researched for myself and now believe there are better ways to feed a dog. Just because a dog is doing alright on these foods does not mean its best for them.

I've been pleased with California Natural, Canidae, and Innova EVO so far. My senior is on some Merrick canned food because we had a health scare recently and basically just had to find something she'd eat. Canidae and Innova both have store finders on their websites which are very helpful.

I have noticed differences in my dogs since switching them to better foods. They weren't doing 'bad' on the others, but they're doing much better on these.

[DobManiac]

ProPlan Chicken and RiceChicken, brewers rice, whole grain wheat, poultry by-product meal (natural source of glucosamine), corn gluten meal, whole grain corn, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), corn bran, fish meal (natural source of glucosamine), animal digest, dried egg product, calcium phosphate, salt, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, Vitamin E supplement, choline chloride, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, copper sulfate, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, garlic oil, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), sodium selenite

Timberwolf Organics Southwest Chicken Canid Formula
Chicken Meal, Chicken, Turkey Meal, Chicken Fat, Ground Brown Rice, Oat Groats, Salmon Meal, Ground Barley, Dried Egg Product, Dried Whey Extract, Salmon Oil, Dried Cranberries, Ground Turmeric, Ground Anise Seed, Ground Cumin, Ground Ginger, Ground Rosemary, Ground Coriander, Dried Kelp, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Dried Carrots, Dried Celery, Dried Beets, Dried Parsley, Dried Lettuce, Dried Watercress, Dried Spinach, Tomato Pomace, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Lecithin, Taurine, Brewers Dried Yeast, Dried Saccharomyces cerevisiae Fermentation Solubles, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus subtilis Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium thermophilum Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium longum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Choline Chloride, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin E Supplement, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Acetate, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Cobalt Proteinate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite, Mixed Tocopherols (a natural preservative), Citric Acid, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Rosemary Extract

As you can see, there is a really big difference between proplan and a quality food. This food guarantees that 50% of it will be meat in a meal form. Meal form is meat minus the water content which is 80%. In dry food the moisture is removed. So when proplan lists chicken in wet form as the first ingredient there really won't be much chicken left after the water is removed.

Also, food is listed in order of weight. The good food has a meat as the first three ingredients. And I think we can both agree that dogs live off of meat, not grains. While proplan as chicken in wet form as the first ingredient, but once the water is removed(which is 80% of the weight) the chicken will be a much smaller ingredient. The next two ingredients are grains. Then the fourth ingredient is Poultry by product meal. By product is basically the stuff left over that humans would never touch with a 6 foot pole.

This food also contains a great selection of fruits, vegetables, probiotics and proenzymes. The vitamins and minerals in the food are added in their natural form instead of a manmade chemical alternative. When you just read the labels, even a novice can tell there is a vast difference between the two.
And FYI about corn, even humans find it really difficult to digest. Corn is just not the best carbohydrate source for anyone.

[FredMom]

Originally Posted by BayouGal

This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever read! You obviously have no idea what you're talking about. If you did your REASEARCH, you would know that corn should not be in dog food. Sure, it's been fed for years....but do you have any idea at what consequence to the dog? Of course you don't because you, my dear, are uninformed!

Oh I have a very GOOD idea about those expensive foods, because I read those websites and fed my dog some of those expensive, over-priced expensive foods and all I got was a very unhappy sick dog. That research is a bunch of bull and I learned the hard way. If Purina is so bad, then WHY have dogs lived so long with it BEFORE the so called new and improved foods came out?

That dogfoodanalysis website is a GIMMICK to get owners to spend more money on dog food that is no more nutritious than Purina. If you are so hung up about corn, get Pro Plan for sensitive skin and stomach that is WITHOUT corn and SALMON IS THE #1 INGREDIENT.

I have seen dogs live to be 16 yrs old on Purina and have lived healthy lives, so dont tell me what you think to be ridiculous, when thr FACT is that Purina is still a good food and its has been proven throughout the years. Now if you choose to fall for the sucker traps these expensive dog food companies set out for the weakminded, through these gimmick websites, then DO YOU. I choose not to burn a hole in my pocket to feed my dog according to what some site says. PURINA HAS BEEN GOOD TO MY DOG AND I AM STICKING WITH IT!

Originally Posted by DobManiac

As you can see, there is a really big difference between proplan and a quality food. This food guarantees that 50% of it will be meat in a meal form. Meal form is meat minus the water content which is 80%. In dry food the moisture is removed. So when proplan lists chicken in wet form as the first ingredient there really won't be much chicken left after the water is removed.

Also, food is listed in order of weight. The good food has a meat as the first three ingredients. And I think we can both agree that dogs live off of meat, not grains. While proplan as chicken in wet form as the first ingredient, but once the water is removed(which is 80% of the weight) the chicken will be a much smaller ingredient. The next two ingredients are grains. Then the fourth ingredient is Poultry by product meal. By product is basically the stuff left over that humans would never touch with a 6 foot pole.

This food also contains a great selection of fruits, vegetables, probiotics and proenzymes. The vitamins and minerals in the food are added in their natural form instead of a manmade chemical alternative. When you just read the labels, even a novice can tell there is a vast difference between the two.
And FYI about corn, even humans find it really difficult to digest. Corn is just not the best carbohydrate source for anyone.

I used to do the food comparison stuff and all I got was a sick dog. Ive been there, done that. Nothing you post will change my mind about Purina, which has proved itself to be a great food throught the years. I love the fact that my dog has a shiny coat, small firm stool, high energy and no health problems. Purina does that for my dog so Im sticking with it. No website is gonna dictate what is good for my dog. As long as Fred is happy and healthy, thats al that matters.