How to convince someone re: quality food.

loratliff · 07-09-2008, 07:02 PM

I have a friend who just rescued a Pug. It's his first dog and he's very excited; they're a great match.

Today he mentioned that her gas is really awful so I asked him what she's eating. The dog is on Science Diet - figures. I told him "Well, it's not a great food, so that could be why." Of course, he counters with "Yes, it is! Even my vet said so!"

I sent him the Dog Food Analysis site, but how would you go about convincing someone otherwise? Ultimately, of course, it's not my choice to make, but i would like to help educate him, since he's new to dog ownership in general.

Sunshyne · 07-09-2008, 07:31 PM

That's tough. I almost weaned Chloe off of Solid Gold (breeders food) to Iams! I was clueless when I adopted her. The average person really thinks Iams and SD are like the best foods out there. No offense to people who feed that, I'm just saying I personally had NO CLUE there were even other foods out there.

Reading this site is what helped me navigate the dog food headaches & confusion. The dog food analysis site is ok I guess, but it's very scientific and to the lay person, I don't know how effective it would be. It's extra hard when the VET recommends a food you know isn't great for the dog, but maybe he'll come around.

Good luck!!

GreatDaneMom · 07-09-2008, 07:50 PM

Unfortunately you cant always get through to everyone. some are just set in their own way with this whole food issue. being online and doing a lot of my own research helped me to understand foods better and make a good, actually many, good switches for my girls. i have found that taste of the wild is working best for them and im SOOOO happy with the results. its hard to tell someone, especially when its their first dog, that their vets dont always know whats best when it comes to nutrition. heck, the first vet i went to had us feeding Eukanuba (ack!) but heck, it was my first dog and i didnt know any better yet.

your best bet is to TRY to educate them by saying maybe "i found this cool site about dog food you should check it out, its very informative" things like that, instead of saying "thats not a good food youre feeding". i have come to learn, people HATE to be wrong. lol. so its best if they learn by reading online or something, than from someone who they might look at as an "equal" telling them what they should or shouldnt do. luckily i did a lot of research on my own and started my own treat business, so i could talk to people in a pet store in the food isle and not look like an A-hole because i had a business card and a website to back me up lol. people are funny like that. some are easier to talk to than others, but in the end, their going to do what THEY feel is best. which sometimes IS best, and other times...well... you just have to bite your tongue and smile....

rosemaryninja · 07-09-2008, 09:04 PM

Get him to join DF...we'll straighten him out...

BoxMeIn21 · 07-10-2008, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rosemaryninja

Get him to join DF...we'll straighten him out...

Yes...Leave it all up to us. *insert evil laughter here*

blackrose · 07-10-2008, 04:22 PM

I'd just take the time to explain what makes a good food and what doesn't. Just setting a good quality food and a bad quality food side by side and comparing the ingredients is normally enough to knock the idea into people's brains. When I try to tell someone about a food, I just look at the ingredients and read them off. I don't know about you, but corn, corn meal, meat by-products, poultry, and digestive doesn't sound as good as turkey, chicken, brown rice, sweat potatoes, herring, duck...

Also tell him that vets promote what they sell. My place of employment used to sell Science Diet and that is what they pushed...they recentally made the switch to Royal Canin so that is what they push now. Any food company that gives them money to market their food is what they say is the best food for your dog.

Trixie · 07-12-2008, 12:49 PM

The food thing did my head in until we got Pepper on Canidae. It has been the best food for her so far and *knock on wood* it will remain good for her.

I don't know how to talk to people about dog food.

Can you get your friend some samples of better foods and sort of underhandedly offer to let their dog try it? We got some samples from our local pet store, and that really helped us decide on a good food.

skunkstripe · 07-12-2008, 01:17 PM

I think you have to have patience and not go into it with the feeling that you are educating someone.

First off, people do listen to their vets so you're fighting an uphill battle if you say that a food that his vet recommended isn't that great. If you call it "junk" or "garbage" they're likely to think you're over the top with your expectations and turn a deaf ear.

Guys, don't hate me, but increasingly I'm deciding that sites like dogfoodanalysis aren't that great. First off they purport to do your thinking for you: 6 stars, 5 stars etc. Dogs have different dietary needs and there is no one size fits all approach. I persoanlly would rather read a lot, discuss with people whos opinions I respect, then make my own decision. Second the "ratings" are mostly based on one single review - in many cases however I feel there is room for discussion as to why the reviewer gave a particular ingredient a thumbs up or thumbs down. But it's presented as if it's carved in marble - dunno it just rubs me the wrong way.

I prefer the dogfoodproject, but someone is only going to be receptive to wanting to learn more if they have a problem. As long as the guy thinks the food is good and his dog is healthy, he's not likely to be interested.

Personal experience from one dog owner to another sometimes works. If I tell someone that my dog used to have a dull coat and shed a lot but it stopped when I upgraded the food, I think they are more likely to listen. Heck when hubby took one of our dogs to the vet, she even commented on how great her fur looked and felt (also she could grab it without it coming out in her hand) so she asked hubby what I was feeding. He said "some high-dollar kibble and homemade raw." Even he didn't see the point of feeding high quality until the vet blessed the result.

BoxMeIn21 · 07-12-2008, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skunkstripe

Guys, don't hate me, but increasingly I'm deciding that sites like dogfoodanalysis aren't that great. First off they purport to do your thinking for you: 6 stars, 5 stars etc. Dogs have different dietary needs and there is no one size fits all approach. I persoanlly would rather read a lot, discuss with people whos opinions I respect, then make my own decision. Second the "ratings" are mostly based on one single review - in many cases however I feel there is room for discussion as to why the reviewer gave a particular ingredient a thumbs up or thumbs down. But it's presented as if it's carved in marble - dunno it just rubs me the wrong way.

Sadly I have come to this realization as well. For quite some time I thought that site was the Wizard of all things dog food. As I learn more and more about nutrition, I am coming to find out that it's not. I think it really pays to learn what ingredients are needed in dog food, what's not and what to steer clear of.

skunkstripe · 07-12-2008, 01:53 PM

Whew! I'm glad you chimed in so quickly. I was worried you'd be ticked about me saying that. I did try to put it in the nicest possible way but still...

I've learned the most by using those ratings systems where you grade the food yourself. In some cases I said 'hey wait a minute, why are they saying such-and-such is bad?" and when I go read up on it myself I come to a different conclusion. So even if you don't agree with them or even like them I find you can learn a lot by going through the motions.

But each to his own, eh?

BoxMeIn21 · 07-12-2008, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skunkstripe

Whew! I'm glad you chimed in so quickly. I was worried you'd be ticked about me saying that. I did try to put it in the nicest possible way but still...

I could never be ticked at you.

Quote:

I've learned the most by using those ratings systems where you grade the food yourself. In some cases I said 'hey wait a minute, why are they saying such-and-such is bad?" and when I go read up on it myself I come to a different conclusion. So even if you don't agree with them or even like them I find you can learn a lot by going through the motions.

And you're spot on here.

Willowy · 07-12-2008, 11:03 PM

You can show him the ingredient list and compare it to the ingredient list of Purina Dog Chow. Honestly, they're very similar. That will at least make him wonder why he's paying so much for the Science Diet.

Trixie · 07-13-2008, 11:56 AM

Oh, I am glad to see I am not the only person who was unimpressed with dogfoodanalysis.com. I actually hated the site. Once I read reviews I realized that there was a lot of "Cut and paste" of the same review. I really was unimpressed with the site and it just added to my confusion over food.

loratliff · 07-13-2008, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skunkstripe

Guys, don't hate me, but increasingly I'm deciding that sites like dogfoodanalysis aren't that great. First off they purport to do your thinking for you: 6 stars, 5 stars etc. Dogs have different dietary needs and there is no one size fits all approach. I persoanlly would rather read a lot, discuss with people whos opinions I respect, then make my own decision. Second the "ratings" are mostly based on one single review - in many cases however I feel there is room for discussion as to why the reviewer gave a particular ingredient a thumbs up or thumbs down. But it's presented as if it's carved in marble - dunno it just rubs me the wrong way.

Oh, I wholeheartedly agree. What is a 6-star food for one dog may not be for another, but for someone with very little knowledge of dog food ingredients, it does provide a jumping off point to see what ingredients "good" foods include. I'm currently discovering this myself, going from a "5-star" to a "6-star" food.

I gave my friend a few little baggies of Wellness. His biggest complaint was the dog's gas, so we'll see if the Wellness helps that clear up. If it does, then I think he'll be convinced.

Lorina · 07-13-2008, 08:33 PM

If the pug's gas is a problem, point out to him the amount of corn in the food. Then ask, "And what happens to YOU when YOU eat a lot of corn?"

sheltiemom · 07-13-2008, 11:27 PM

I agree with skunk and others on dogfoodanalysis. I honestly don't think Science Diet is the worst thing in the world they could be feeding, but I'd nicely and gently point out that it costs waaay more than other foods with similar ingredients...course they may just switch to a cheaper low quality food then....a friend of mine was feeding kibbles n bits for a long time and their dog always had an oily coat, odor, and dandruff. I made enough coments, nicely I think, in casual conversation, like "Oh, my dog had this until I stopped feeding this..." My friend did change the food, not to a "premium" food, but a step up, and last time I saw him all those issues were gone. I dunno, unless you are noticing problems with their dog, coat and whatnot, I wouldn't say anything.

skunkstripe · 07-14-2008, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoxMeIn21

I could never be ticked at you.

Awww, that's nice to know.

I didn't think so. After all, it's not like I go out of my way to tick people off. Still, I've been amazed (disappointed?) at how seriously some people take these dog food threads. And I've been astounded at how some people (not naming any names

) have acted when they have been ticked over nothing.

But definitely not you! And not here!