[MistRiver]

I started my puppies on old roy puppy chow until I figured out it's garbage, switched them to authority just to find out it's not tons better. Now I am thinking Chicken soup for the puppy lovers soul but my head is spinning with all the choices and conflicting costumer reviews.

What I would really like is some personal suggestions and reasons that you use that dog food over the others, please. I need something that is in the moderate price range, I can't afford 70 a month at this time. Around 40 is fine though.

[TeddieXRuxpin]

First off what size is your puppy? If it's a smaller dog food lasts a lot longer in which you can spend a bit more for the amount.

Brands I look at are Solid gold and Natural Balance;both are sold at Petco. Other good foods are Natures Variety, Wellness and wellness core, Innova and Innova Evo, Taste of the wild, Blue Wilderness, Orijen..the list could go on.

Here is a link to DogFoodAnalysis rating foods from 6 to 1.
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_f...ndex.php/cat/1

[MistRiver]

My dogs are a Golden Retriever/Australian Shepard mix (more an aussie size)
and
a Golden Retriever/Black lab and from the looks of it so far she will be huge.

[TeddieXRuxpin]

lol. I would look at Solid Gold or Natural Balance for now then.

You can always upgrade later when you want/can spend more. I know it's hard to spend that much on food, but it's well worth it. Solid Gold is a really good food and isn't as much as say wellness or Innova.

I just found a retail shop that sells the right food for Teddie and it was $32 for a 15 pound bag of Wellness core. But that 15 pound bag will last him 3 months.

The best thing would be to buy a bag and see how long it lasts. Then you can go from there and find out how much you want to spend a month. You might have to try a few different foods to find out what's best for your dogs. I'd give at least 2 months on each food to see how they do. Sometimes you can change and see a huge difference both good and bad. So you just have to keep watch for coat change, stool change etc.

[briteday]

What I usually suggest to people who are making the switch to higher quality kibble is to do your research online at dogfoodanalysis.com...learn why they rate some foods higher than others, figure out what ingredients are good/bad...

Then make a list of 4-6 foods that YOU think would be good. Find an independent retailer that carries premium brands in your area. If they carry one they are likely to carry others. Take your list to the store and talk to the clerks. Most boutique type retailers are pretty knowledgeable about what they sell. Talk to them about your dogs, your list/reasoning, your budget.

And the reason I suggest a little independent retailer to start with is that they usually have free small sample bags of what they sell so that you can try some brands before buying. You may think it's a great food but if your dogs won't eat it = not great. In my area they'll send you home with several foods to try and it generally takes people a few weeks to sort out what works best for them and their dogs.

I always suggest that you patronize the small retailer in the beginning, to re-pay them for the service they have provided. But once you have settled on a specific brand then you might want to shop around for price. Most manufacturers' websites have store locators by zip code. In my area Petco sells quite a few premium brands, but they do not have the free sample bags.