So, what does everyone feed here???
- Thread starter lisa4kids1pup
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Same here Debi. I have to drive 80 miles to get good quality food!!!
My two have been on Canidae ALS chicken and rice, but I recently bought a bad of AvoDerm. I don't think they're doing that well on it, and Jackson Browne looks like he's gained a little weight. They always seem to be hungry to. I'm switching back to Canidae.
My two have been on Canidae ALS chicken and rice, but I recently bought a bad of AvoDerm. I don't think they're doing that well on it, and Jackson Browne looks like he's gained a little weight. They always seem to be hungry to. I'm switching back to Canidae.
Same here Debi. I have to drive 80 miles to get good quality food!!! My two have been on Canidae ALS chicken and rice, but I recently bought a bad of AvoDerm. I don't think they're doing that well on it, and Jackson Browne looks like he's gained a little weight. They always seem to be hungry to. I'm switching back to Canidae.
My two have been on Canidae ALS chicken and rice, but I recently bought a bad of AvoDerm. I don't think they're doing that well on it, and Jackson Browne looks like he's gained a little weight. They always seem to be hungry to. I'm switching back to Canidae.
We have always fed our dogs Eukanuba, with excellent results.
But our new Yellow lab puppy came with Iams, Large Breed Puppy chow.
But our vet suggested to switch to Science Diet Large Breed chow, made by the Hills co.
Most of our friends and family have used these three brands with total success.
I realize that they are very expensive, but we dont care, we want to feed them the best, if thats what our vet recommends.
With our older dogs, we used to mix in a little canned Alpo, which also I think is high quality. I know that humans eat canned Alpo in some very poor areas. And it fills the bill.
Is there anyone here who uses Eukanuba, Iams, or Hills-Science Diet, who has any problems with it? I have not heard of any, but want to be sure. When the recall was going on, we didn't have a dog, but we had loads of Hills cat food stocked in our freezer.
Thanks,
Jane
But our new Yellow lab puppy came with Iams, Large Breed Puppy chow.
But our vet suggested to switch to Science Diet Large Breed chow, made by the Hills co.
Most of our friends and family have used these three brands with total success.
I realize that they are very expensive, but we dont care, we want to feed them the best, if thats what our vet recommends.
With our older dogs, we used to mix in a little canned Alpo, which also I think is high quality. I know that humans eat canned Alpo in some very poor areas. And it fills the bill.
Is there anyone here who uses Eukanuba, Iams, or Hills-Science Diet, who has any problems with it? I have not heard of any, but want to be sure. When the recall was going on, we didn't have a dog, but we had loads of Hills cat food stocked in our freezer.
Thanks,
Jane
Science Diet, Iams, Puke-a-nooba, and Alpo are poor quality foods.
Science Diet Adult Original has ground corn as the second listed ingredient (after "chicken" which is actually about 80% water so corn is the #1 ingredient), followed by two more grains and then chicken by-product meal. There is also corn gluten meal in Science Diet... blech!
In a kibble, you want a named meat meal as the first ingredient (or if the first ingredient is a named meat, it should be immediately followed by a named meat meal). There should be no byproducts or unnamed meat sources (i.e. poultry meal, meat meal, animal byproducts, etc.)
If you want to feed the best, SciDiet, Euk, and Alpo certainly aren't the best. Orijen, Canidae, Innova, California Natural, Blue Buffalo, Timberwolf Organics, Taste of the Wild... these are all good foods. There are more quality foods as well, but these are the just the ones off the top of my head.
Where are you located? We Chazzers can help you find a close-by retailer that carries a high quality diet if you'd like!
PS - vets recommend Hills because they get kickbacks from the company. Their nutrition classes are taught by Hills representatives. They get Hills for VERY cheap, the last time I worked at a facility that offered the veterinary Hill's discount, we could get Science Diet for 10 cents a pound. I never bought a single bag, I stayed with my high quality kibble regardless of the cheapo price I was offered on Hill's.
Science Diet Adult Original has ground corn as the second listed ingredient (after "chicken" which is actually about 80% water so corn is the #1 ingredient), followed by two more grains and then chicken by-product meal. There is also corn gluten meal in Science Diet... blech!
In a kibble, you want a named meat meal as the first ingredient (or if the first ingredient is a named meat, it should be immediately followed by a named meat meal). There should be no byproducts or unnamed meat sources (i.e. poultry meal, meat meal, animal byproducts, etc.)
If you want to feed the best, SciDiet, Euk, and Alpo certainly aren't the best. Orijen, Canidae, Innova, California Natural, Blue Buffalo, Timberwolf Organics, Taste of the Wild... these are all good foods. There are more quality foods as well, but these are the just the ones off the top of my head.
Where are you located? We Chazzers can help you find a close-by retailer that carries a high quality diet if you'd like!
PS - vets recommend Hills because they get kickbacks from the company. Their nutrition classes are taught by Hills representatives. They get Hills for VERY cheap, the last time I worked at a facility that offered the veterinary Hill's discount, we could get Science Diet for 10 cents a pound. I never bought a single bag, I stayed with my high quality kibble regardless of the cheapo price I was offered on Hill's.
I got the Hills at the local PetCo store,
but I would love to hear where you can buy some of the high quality foods. I certainly wouldnt think that corn would be good for dogs either. My husband calls it Puke-a-nooba too.
We live on Cape Cod, thats in SE Massachusetts. If I couldnt get some of the foods you recommend here, I perhaps could order them off the net?
Yes, I just looked for Canidae and can have it shipped here. I think I will print out the names and some info about the foods that you recommend here, and talk to Lilly's vet to see which he would recommend. Cost is not an issue, we just want good food for her. Our vet is a neighbour, so I can ask him this afternoon and not wait for her next appt.
Thanks for this info, I will follow up.
I dont want corn and meat by-products either. Yuk.
I can remember when I was a youngster and we lived in Florida, my parents got frozen horse meat for our dogs, it was labeled for human consumption. And the dogs loved it, I forgot how my mom prepared it, but it sure smelled good, and my brother and I used to sneak some for ourselves.
Jane
but I would love to hear where you can buy some of the high quality foods. I certainly wouldnt think that corn would be good for dogs either. My husband calls it Puke-a-nooba too.
We live on Cape Cod, thats in SE Massachusetts. If I couldnt get some of the foods you recommend here, I perhaps could order them off the net?
Yes, I just looked for Canidae and can have it shipped here. I think I will print out the names and some info about the foods that you recommend here, and talk to Lilly's vet to see which he would recommend. Cost is not an issue, we just want good food for her. Our vet is a neighbour, so I can ask him this afternoon and not wait for her next appt.
Thanks for this info, I will follow up.
I dont want corn and meat by-products either. Yuk.
I can remember when I was a youngster and we lived in Florida, my parents got frozen horse meat for our dogs, it was labeled for human consumption. And the dogs loved it, I forgot how my mom prepared it, but it sure smelled good, and my brother and I used to sneak some for ourselves.
Jane
You can order just about anything on the net, if you are willing to foot the shipping (a lot of places will ship free if you make a big order though). Petco (at least the one here) carries some super premium foods, like Solid Gold. Petsmart carries Blue Buffalo and Avoderm, which are both ok and better than Hill's. If there are any local pet stores in your area, give them a call.
I'm feeding EVO small bites right now, but I want to switch over to taste of the wild.
I have two vets, well, three technically. One in my college town, one in my hometown, and the one I was referred to for Joey's surgery. The one that did Joey's surgery was the first vet near my hometown that actually pushed the good foods like solid gold and Innova. During my several visits with Joey I heard him explain the benefits to a lot of clueless owners. It was wonderful to hear!
I have two vets, well, three technically. One in my college town, one in my hometown, and the one I was referred to for Joey's surgery. The one that did Joey's surgery was the first vet near my hometown that actually pushed the good foods like solid gold and Innova. During my several visits with Joey I heard him explain the benefits to a lot of clueless owners. It was wonderful to hear!
Some vets are getting better. My vet told me she thinks the raw diet is great, if you are using a commercial preparation, or you know what you are doing. Much better than the..don't feed THAT, here buy some Science Diet..
I did my part though. When I took Sarama to be groomed, I met a co-worker of mine at the Petsmart who was picking up a kitten from the rescue there. I showed her the differences and on the bags and sent her and little Oscar (he's SO cute) home with a bag of Blue Buffalo (the best I could find in the Petsmart) and offered to pick up whatever she'd like when I make my bi-weekly runs to the fancy pet food store
Wow, this sure is interesting! I just might buy plain beef, the most expensive cuts, mix with some pork loin, and some chicken breast, cook it all up, and cook the rice and whatever we are going to eat with it. And just divide it between us and the pup?
Looks like I better get looking at the ingredients on the various bags of kibble. Perhaps mix this concoction about 50/50 and feed it to all of us. Well, perhaps not have the kibble for me or my husband, but for Lilly 50/50?
How does one know, with all these different opinions? And if your dog is thriving on stuff like Hills, Euk, Iams, and Alpo, how would you know that you need to switch? Ive never seen a sickly dog on this yet? Dont they add some of the necessary vitamins and other things that research tells us that dogs need?
I do tend to shy away from the 'holistic' stuff though.
Yes indeed, an interesting topic,
Thanks for all the input, I shall study this in depth, before I make any decisions.
Jane
Looks like I better get looking at the ingredients on the various bags of kibble. Perhaps mix this concoction about 50/50 and feed it to all of us. Well, perhaps not have the kibble for me or my husband, but for Lilly 50/50?
How does one know, with all these different opinions? And if your dog is thriving on stuff like Hills, Euk, Iams, and Alpo, how would you know that you need to switch? Ive never seen a sickly dog on this yet? Dont they add some of the necessary vitamins and other things that research tells us that dogs need?
I do tend to shy away from the 'holistic' stuff though.
Yes indeed, an interesting topic,
Thanks for all the input, I shall study this in depth, before I make any decisions.
Jane
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Not sure if I've answered this yet (far too lazy to go through and look), but I'm gonna answer it anyway
I feed a homemade raw diet, and have the full support of my vet (and nutritionist) in doing so. I have tried grain free for my dogs before when money was tight (well it's still tight, but whatever) but both, especially my Greyhound, did horrible and were uber gassy. So I suck it up, drink cheap beer, and feed my dogs well.
I feed a homemade raw diet, and have the full support of my vet (and nutritionist) in doing so. I have tried grain free for my dogs before when money was tight (well it's still tight, but whatever) but both, especially my Greyhound, did horrible and were uber gassy. So I suck it up, drink cheap beer, and feed my dogs well.
Well the one way to look at it is this way. I know people who eat fast food every day. They aren't horribly fat, look healthy. Should they switch to healthier eating habits? Of course.
But buying expensive cuts and feeding all muscle meat to your dog is not the way to go. My guys get ground chicken back (with the bone in) mixed with ground beef organ meat and a little bit of pureed fruits and veggies. They also get raw meaty bones like chicken or pork neck (some dogs don't handle pork well, so try small pieces first) If you are feeding anything with bone DON'T cook it! Bones go sharp and brittle when cooked.
Also you need to be aware of things dogs shouldn't eat, like onions and raisins. (chocolate of course)
But buying expensive cuts and feeding all muscle meat to your dog is not the way to go. My guys get ground chicken back (with the bone in) mixed with ground beef organ meat and a little bit of pureed fruits and veggies. They also get raw meaty bones like chicken or pork neck (some dogs don't handle pork well, so try small pieces first) If you are feeding anything with bone DON'T cook it! Bones go sharp and brittle when cooked.
Also you need to be aware of things dogs shouldn't eat, like onions and raisins. (chocolate of course)
Yes, I do know what not to feed, but this is a bit confusing. Wouldnt the dog do well on meat combined with one of the kibbles recommended here? And to vary the diet as well?
The diets of the dogs in Costa Rica and Belize(where we used to go in the winters), would knock the sox of everybody here, though they all seemed pretty healthy. Except the poor young females trying to raise pups and not having the human support as we give our pets here in most parts of USA.
Jane
The diets of the dogs in Costa Rica and Belize(where we used to go in the winters), would knock the sox of everybody here, though they all seemed pretty healthy. Except the poor young females trying to raise pups and not having the human support as we give our pets here in most parts of USA.
Jane