what dog food do you use, and why?

[Doberluv]

If I can find this I may switch to it.

Because of our very (very) tight financial state we've down-graded to feeding Purina again. I hate it, but right now it's about managing everything at once while keeping them fed and healthy. They also tend to get scraps a lot, anything that's not on my "do not feed" list is perfectly game. So long as they aren't given scraps while we're eating.

The thing about Purina is that you probably have to feed more of it to equal anywhere close to the nutrition of a premium food. There is so much waste...lots of corn or other grain, which dogs don't need and barely use. It's more of a filler. So, while the premium foods appear to be very expensive, you really feed less of it to maintain good health. Have you checked out Kirkland brand at Costco? It's very reasonably priced and quite good!

 

[Sapphire-Light]

Pompadour was on royal canin junior mini puppy when I got him, since is not always available I changed to proplan with some raw suppliments.

Recently I found at a pet store a food called propac, they have a puppy formula free of corn and wheat, and it has lamb meal and chicken meal as first ingredients PRO PAC ® Dog | Lamb & Rice Puppy Pompadour loves it and his poop is more solid and smell less.

 

[FarmerGirl2010]

The thing about Purina is that you probably have to feed more of it to equal anywhere close to the nutrition of a premium food. There is so much waste...lots of corn or other grain, which dogs don't need and barely use. It's more of a filler. So, while the premium foods appear to be very expensive, you really feed less of it to maintain good health. Have you checked out Kirkland brand at Costco? It's very reasonably priced and quite good!

I know I dislike it very much, but it keeps them healthy and energetic if nothing else. I haven't looked into that yet but I surely will. I found somewhere that has the Diamond food posted before for a reasonable price. I like the ingredients on that one too. I'll compare and possibly get samples and get some research.

 

[FarmerGirl2010]

Sorry for double-posting. I'm just frustrated right now.

I told a friend I was looking for a food that was healthier for my dogs than Purina.

She suggested Iams, Eukanuba, Royal Canin, and something else.

None of those foods appeal to me. Royal Canin does a little, but the others just... don't.

She's telling me dogs need corn. And that dandruff and shedding fur aren't allergies to food AT ALL.

:|

I'm frustrated right now. She's a friend I trust very dearly but I think we'll have to agree to disagree on what's right for dogs.

She works in a kennel and she says every dog she cleans up after that eats Blue, Diamond, or any food other than those listed has runny/bad poops. Including dogs on a BARF diet.

I don't understand.

Can someone please help me sort out once and for all which foods are good and which foods are bad? :|

 

[Pam111]

Sorry for double-posting. I'm just frustrated right now.

I told a friend I was looking for a food that was healthier for my dogs than Purina.

She suggested Iams, Eukanuba, Royal Canin, and something else.

None of those foods appeal to me. Royal Canin does a little, but the others just... don't.

She's telling me dogs need corn. And that dandruff and shedding fur aren't allergies to food AT ALL.

:|

I'm frustrated right now. She's a friend I trust very dearly but I think we'll have to agree to disagree on what's right for dogs.

She works in a kennel and she says every dog she cleans up after that eats Blue, Diamond, or any food other than those listed has runny/bad poops. Including dogs on a BARF diet.

I don't understand.

Can someone please help me sort out once and for all which foods are good and which foods are bad? :|

I would not feed any of the foods your friend suggested, and she really doesn't know what she's talking about! My dogs very rarely have runny poops...I can't even remember the last time, and they do not eat corn. They eat Taste of the Wild. Shedding and dandruff issues can most certainly be caused by allergies and the food that is fed. My dogs have never had issues with this and have great coats. How can someone say dogs need corn? They are meat eaters. Wild dogs do not eat corn. Do you have a Cosco? I don't have one near me. If I did, I would feed the Kirkland brand as it looks like a great food for the price! TOTW is very affordable for me, as I have small dogs and they don't eat a lot. I think I pay around 25 dollars for the bag but it lasts a long time.

 

[SweetAdeline]

She works in a kennel and she says every dog she cleans up after that eats Blue, Diamond, or any food other than those listed has runny/bad poops. Including dogs on a BARF diet.

I don't understand.

Can someone please help me sort out once and for all which foods are good and which foods are bad? :|

The dogs she cleans up after may be eating too much kibble. That can cause runny/bad poops. I've only heard of one dog who had bad poops on a BARF diet and that dog already had problems with its bowels. Dogs on BARF usually have the happiest poop in the world!

 

[Dekka]

Sorry for double-posting. I'm just frustrated right now.

I told a friend I was looking for a food that was healthier for my dogs than Purina.

She suggested Iams, Eukanuba, Royal Canin, and something else.

None of those foods appeal to me. Royal Canin does a little, but the others just... don't.

She's telling me dogs need corn. And that dandruff and shedding fur aren't allergies to food AT ALL.

:|

I'm frustrated right now. She's a friend I trust very dearly but I think we'll have to agree to disagree on what's right for dogs.

She works in a kennel and she says every dog she cleans up after that eats Blue, Diamond, or any food other than those listed has runny/bad poops. Including dogs on a BARF diet.

I don't understand.

Can someone please help me sort out once and for all which foods are good and which foods are bad? :|

Your friend is likely not really looking lol. Or is willfully only seeing what she wants. My dogs have the opposite problem at times.. the poop out little concrete poops lol if they have too much bone.

What is best will depend a bit on you and your dog. I love raw, and every dog I have ever had here (I breed and foster) have improved on raw. But I also like orijen and had good experiences with it with a wide variety of dogs.

 

[FarmerGirl2010]

We certainly can't afford a BARF diet right now, but I'm considering several of the foods I've seen on here. Unfortunately I can't afford more than $30 for a 40 pound bag of higher quality food. 50 pounds of their current food barely gets them through one month.

At any rate I'll be looking into feed stores around me. Feed stores always have a better selection than commercial stores.

Thanks!

 

[noodlerubyallie]

We're on a rotation between Acana Fish and Orijen Red.

I don't know if I'm too fond of the Acana..all of the dogs have lost some hair. I love the price...but we don't have this issue on Orijen...so I guess I have to suck it up and pay $160 month in dog food.

I knew there was a reason I needed that promotion.

 

[Bailey08]

I knew there was a reason I needed that promotion.

LOL. I like to tell Bailey that I work to pay for his daycare and food (premade raw, so I remain somewhat on topic).

 

[misfitz]

prey model raw here as well, supplemented with free samples or really good coupon deals of kibble or canned. And the occasional home-cooked meal of leftover 'people food' meat (de-boned of course!) mixed with rice, eggs, and or whatever veggies are lying around. I know it's sort of common wisdom to feed one thing only, so as not to upset their stomachs, but I think Sienna likes the variety. And it is kind of fun to mix up the home cooked food.

 

[Pudge]

We use Wellness for our boxer. She seems to like it and it came recommended from her trainer.