[goldensummit]

Originally Posted by mydoglovesu

I'd have to agree with Tom. There are a lot of great quality premium end Dog Foods out in the market, do your research and find out what you want your dog to have as far as ingredients, guranteed analysis, etc. We are currently feeding our goldens the Innova EVO Red Meat. Our babies absolutely love this food, never had any problems with loose stools or gas problems. We are not fortunate enough to have a local store supply this line so we do have the expense of buying online. If anyone is having problems finding this food you can purchase it at http://www.heartypet.com.

Skylar

Hi Skylar .... if you dont mind me asking, how was your experiences with heartypet.com? I have been using another online store but their delivery takes well over 2 weeks most times! I am on the east coast. Their prices seem great, but im just not sure about their service. Any info you can offer would be great!

Thanks,
Kyle

[mydoglovesu]

Originally Posted by goldensummit

Hi Skylar .... if you dont mind me asking, how was your experiences with heartypet.com? I have been using another online store but their delivery takes well over 2 weeks most times! I am on the east coast. Their prices seem great, but im just not sure about their service. Any info you can offer would be great!

Thanks,
Kyle

Hi Kyle,
I have had nothing but great service with Hearty Pet. We live in the South Carolina area and receive our food within 2 days. I now put our food on their automatic delivery plan which is great; I don't have to keep remembering to go place my order in time before we run out. They do have a map on their Shipping Policy page so you can see from your location how long the shipping time will take.

Skylar

[broadwaybones]

Originally Posted by Captbob

Pedigree is a cheap food with some pretty poor ingredients. It is not the worst food, but pretty close..... Probably would be great for chickens with all the grains that it is made of. Also, the meat sources are vague.. meat meal,, what kind of meat, road kill? I wouldn't feed my dog that , if it was free..... Pedigree should donate some money to a Vet fund for taking care of the dogs that get sick eating their food...

Ingredients:
Ground yellow corn, meat and bone meal, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, animal fat (preserved with BHA/BHT), wheat mill run, natural poultry flavor, rice, salt, potassium chloride, caramel color, wheat flour, wheat gluten, vegetable oil, vitamins (choline chloride, dl-alpha tocopherol acetate [source of vitamin E], l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate [source of vitamin C], vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate [vitamin B1], biotin, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement [vitamin B2], vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement), trace minerals (zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide)

Guaranteed Analysis
Protein: 21%
Fat: 9%
Fiber: 4%
Moisture: 12%


http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index....badingredients

If any of you have done research on what meat meal consists of than you know that our euthanized cats and dogs are shipped across the border to Canada where the main rendering plants are. Then, it is shipped back across the border as meat meal and bone meal. Gee, why are vets complained about the increase amount of euthanizing drugs to put dogs and cats down???? IMO meat and bone meal should be banned!

[Keenan]

Originally Posted by Captbob

Pedigree is a cheap food with some pretty poor ingredients. It is not the worst food, but pretty close..... Probably would be great for chickens with all the grains that it is made of. Also, the meat sources are vague.. meat meal,, what kind of meat, road kill? I wouldn't feed my dog that , if it was free..... Pedigree should donate some money to a Vet fund for taking care of the dogs that get sick eating their food...

Ingredients:
Ground yellow corn, meat and bone meal, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, animal fat (preserved with BHA/BHT), wheat mill run, natural poultry flavor, rice, salt, potassium chloride, caramel color, wheat flour, wheat gluten, vegetable oil, vitamins (choline chloride, dl-alpha tocopherol acetate [source of vitamin E], l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate [source of vitamin C], vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate [vitamin B1], biotin, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement [vitamin B2], vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement), trace minerals (zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide)

Guaranteed Analysis
Protein: 21%
Fat: 9%
Fiber: 4%
Moisture: 12%


http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index....badingredients

While I agree with you, my mom and dad have fed their dog Pedigree for her entire life. She'll be 17 years old in March and the only thing wrong with her is that her hearing is going bad. Other than that she's spry as a pup, just with less endurance.

[dusty&lulusmom]

I have recently been educating myself on dog nutrition and some of the commerical foods available. I was guilty of feeding kibbles n bits, ol roy, etc. I adopted a dog about 2 months ago who refused to eat. After researching how dog food is made and what goes into some of it, I actually became angered that they had the nerve to take my money and have me thinking that my dogs were being fed properly. I recommend reading the book "Pet Food Nation" if you are like me and educating yourself on proper dog nutrition and what is in the commercial dog foods. Anyway with saying that I am now homecooking my dogs food and adding a commercial kibble. I have two smaller dogs so the cooking is not too difficult. I am still in the process of deciding what kibble to commit to but I am leaning towards solid gold holistique blendz. I think this would be best for my dogs since it is lower in protein and should work well with the additional homecooked food being added to it. I am still in the stages of researching and learning so if anyone else has any idea of a kibble that goes best with homecooked food added to it I would like to hear it.

[flipgirl]

I'm new here but interested in your discussion. Dogs have lived on the so-called regular dog foods for years but that is not to say that they can't be fed better. Feeding your dog these lower end foods may or may not shorten his life just the same as feeding your dog the super premium foods may or may extend his life. Like humans, there are always exceptions to every rule. First of all, I believe that it is important that I feed my dog the most nutritious food that I can afford because I believe that good nutrition is the basis of good health. Second of all, even though I strongly believe nutrition is important, genetics play a huge role in your dog's health and lifespan. If you have a dog who comes from a line of dogs with cancer, there is a good chance your dog will end up having cancer, no matter what you feed him. However, I think that feeding your dog nutritious quality food helps in improving your dog's quality of life. Thirdly, I wish I had the research handy but there have been studies done on how a food affects dogs' lifespans and it was concluded that it was not what you fed your dog but how you fed your dog. That is to say, a dog fed the right amounts to maintain a good body condition lived longer than a dog fed improper amounts and did not maintain a good body condition. I would love to see a study where they had dogs from the same litter and one fed a regular foods and another fed a super premium food - that would be interesting. I'm not sure there is a best food out there because every dog is different. I feed mine Innova puppy as that is the most I can afford - raw would probably be the best food but it's expensive and time consuming. Innova EVO is purported to be kibble's answer to raw food but I've heard that many dogs have a problem with gas on it. I think if you are going to switch your dog from a regular to premium food, switch the food very slowly as the quality of the ingredients is quite different.

[SSpiro]

I switch between Canidae and Pinnacle. Some great foods, and there some other great ones out there.

And I agree with flipgirl - great post.

[ar3151]

i also would like to know what is the best, i see alot of options but not to many are consistant.

nutro from petsmart? that seems to be decent.

bad: Purina and Iams?

ol roy?
science diet?

just throwing some foods out there that i have seen and people have "said" are good.

[SSpiro]

Originally Posted by ar3151

i also would like to know what is the best, i see alot of options but not to many are consistant.

nutro from petsmart? that seems to be decent.

bad: Purina and Iams?

ol roy?
science diet?

just throwing some foods out there that i have seen and people have "said" are good.

I personally only follow foods listed on the Whole Dog Food Journal's approved list. Anything else I avoid. Included in the "bad" list is Nutro, Iams, Purina, Ol Roy, Science Diet, etc. These foods are typically compared to fast food choices for humans.

This reply might make my unliked - not sure what the consensus is on this forum. Dogs have been fed these "fast food style" foods for years and have survived - but as mentioned by flipgirl - "Feeding your dog these lower end foods may or may not shorten his life just the same as feeding your dog the super premium foods may or may extend his life."

I chose to use a premium food to ensure an outstanding quality of life.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/

I've not read this entire thread.. but just in case, here is the 2006 listing from WDJ.

Here is the Whole Dog Journal list of foods for 2006 along with their website addresses. Some will send free samples by visiting their websites.

2006
Artemis: artemispetfood.com
Azmira: azmira.com
Back to Basics: beowulfs.com
Bench & Field Holistic Natural Canine: benchandfield.com
Blue Buffalo: bluebuff.com
Burns: bpn4u.com
by Nature BrightLife: bynaturepetfoods.com
California Natural: naturapet.com:
Canidae: canidae.com
Canine Caviar: caninecaviar.com
Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul: chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com
Cloud Star Kibble: cloudstar.com
Drs. Foster & Smith: drsfostersmith.com
Eagle Pack Holistic Select: eaglepack.com
Evolve: evolvepet.com
Firstmate Dog Food: firstmate.com A NEW ONE!
Flint River: no web
Foundations: petcurean.com
Fromm Four Star Nutritionals: frommfamilyfoods.com
Go! Natural: petcurean.com
Hund-N-Flocken: solidgoldhealth.com
Innova: naturapet.com
Innova Evo: naturapet.com A NEW ONE!
Karma Organic: karmaorganic.com
Lick Your Chops: healthypetfoodsinc.com
Lifespan: petguard.com
Limited Diets: royalcanin.us
Merrick Pet Foods: merrickpetcare.com
Mmillennia: solidgoldhealth.com
Natural Balance Ultra Premium: naturalbalanceinc.com
Natural Choice Ultra: nutroproducts.com
Newman's Own Organics: newmansownorganics.com
NutriSource: nutrisourcedogfood.com A NEW ONE!
Organix: castorpolluxpet.com
Performatrin Ultra: performatrinultra.com A NEW ONE!
PHD Viand: phdproducts.com
Pinnacle: breeders-choice.com
Prairie: naturesvariety.com
Premium Edge: premiumedgepetfood.com
Prime Life: ompetproducts.com
Royal Canin Natural Blend: royalcanin.us
Timberwolf Organics: timberwolforganics.com
VeRUS: veruspetfoods.com
Wellness: oldmotherhubbard.com
Wellness Simple Food Solutions: oldmotherhubbard.com
Wenawe: wenawe.com.uy A NEW ONE!
Wysong: wysong.net
Zinpro: lincolnbiotech.com A NEW ONE!

[crazihors1]

Ive been feeding my dogs Diamond Naturals Chicken and Rice (or the lamb) I chose it because of the ingredients. It looks very similiar to Nutro. What do you think? Is it as good as I think it is? ( The ingredient list was not copy and paste friendly)

[Diamend]

Is this good for puppy's??

[Occy]

thing is about that list that for someone like me in Aus - very few of those foods are available and something like EVO is simply not complex enough for me - where is the glucosamine?

[The Mack]

Originally Posted by ar3151

i also would like to know what is the best, i see alot of options but not to many are consistant.

nutro from petsmart? that seems to be decent.

bad: Purina and Iams?

ol roy?
science diet?

just throwing some foods out there that i have seen and people have "said" are good.

ol roy is crap. period. nothing good about it at all.
good rule of thumb is this, if you can get it at a grocery store, wal-mart/kmart/target type store, it's not worth the money you're saving.
science diet is filled with fillers. it sells because vets recommend it because most of them don't know a lick about nutrition.

purina, nothing good to come out of them
iams, same.

Originally Posted by crazihors1

Ive been feeding my dogs Diamond Naturals Chicken and Rice (or the lamb) I chose it because of the ingredients. It looks very similiar to Nutro. What do you think? Is it as good as I think it is? ( The ingredient list was not copy and paste friendly)

It's ok, but you could do better. It all depends on the limit of your budget.

Originally Posted by Occy

thing is about that list that for someone like me in Aus - very few of those foods are available and something like EVO is simply not complex enough for me - where is the glucosamine?

EVO is one of the best foods available on the market.
What makes you think your dog NEEDS added glocosamine?

[Occy]

mack - thanks for pushing the barrow of the foods you like

I would argue that purina pro plan is one of the single best foods on the market at present. prove to me that it isn't!!

What makes me think my dog needs glucosamine? well though I might not be an expert on everything like you, I do know my dog - I do know that ALL my dogs are over 7 and ALL have arthritic changes. I know that I have SEEN changes when they have been on glucosamine. I dont think my dogs need it, I know they do.

The proof is in the pooping!!

[ACampbell]

Occy, you are 100% right, Glucosamine is very important for anybody or anything that has arthritis...my rheumatologist recommended it since I have osteo-arthritis...which is incureable and is due to damage or heavy use of joints...it's the most common type of arthritis in aging people and pets ...the glucosamine really works, I can speak from personal experience, so does MSM...but it tastes absolutely horrible! It's also good for younger people/animals as it promotes cartiledge health, so I think with arthritis being a common problem with canines that are advanced in age, a dog food should have it as a suppliment, as it's obviously beneficial for both young and old dogs...what do you think?

[Occy]

I completely agree

I usually have a glucosamine.chondroitin/msm mix and it works wonders - must get some more

[The Mack]

Originally Posted by Occy

mack - thanks for pushing the barrow of the foods you like

I would argue that purina pro plan is one of the single best foods on the market at present. prove to me that it isn't!!

What makes me think my dog needs glucosamine? well though I might not be an expert on everything like you, I do know my dog - I do know that ALL my dogs are over 7 and ALL have arthritic changes. I know that I have SEEN changes when they have been on glucosamine. I dont think my dogs need it, I know they do.

The proof is in the pooping!!

Easy man, I was just asking. I don't know your dogs.
I don't consider myself an expert by any means. I know the foods I sell, I do the research and know why I choose which ones I do.
I only, ONLY, bring in Purina products if a customer requests it. Even then I suggest & offer a special to switch.

However, anything Purina makes isn't worth anything. They implement the least cost formula on their foods (equine, dog, cat) etc. Just that makes them NOT the best on the market.

Using the Pro Plan, Chicken & Rice formula...
this is why they aren't the best... see bold. thanks

Chicken, 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,

[Occy]

i cant see anything there that is carcenogenic, or that is detrimental to their health. while grains arent particularly necessary theyre not going to kill the dog.

as i said - im all for going better but its a matter of availability

[The Mack]

Originally Posted by Occy

i cant see anything there that is carcenogenic, or that is detrimental to their health. while grains arent particularly necessary theyre not going to kill the dog.

as i said - im all for going better but its a matter of availability

In this day and age, anything and everything is available.
The grains aren't something the dog needs, and no, they themselves might not kill the dog, but the contaminated versions might.

Besides Purina's least cost formula, do you know what that is?
For example, 6 years ago we had two grain companies we bought from...

Purina & Blue Seal.

In Hagerstown MD, Blue Seal would bring in a rail car load of corn. Inspect, doesn't pass, send it to Purina. Purina takes it.

They don't care about quality, they're all about what's cheapest that week.

[cascabel]

Originally Posted by Occy

i cant see anything there that is carcenogenic, or that is detrimental to their health.

Then I think you may need to do some reading on menadione sodium bisulfite complex.

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=menadione