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daggett_gw

What is the best dog food available in the grocery store?

daggett
15 years ago

I feed my dogs raw. After feeding many EVO, Canidae, Orjen, I did quite a bit of research and switched to raw.

I was visiting my Mom last week and saw that she feeds her dog Beneful. I read the ingredients and was shocked how bad this food is. She has a 15 month old basset that is very over weight.

My Mom isn't going to go to a specialty store or even a feed store to purchase dog food. It needs to be available at the grocery. What is the best food available at the grocery? I have done some research but have not found a good food that is readily available.

Also, any ideas on how to bring up this subject. She loves her dog. I don't want to offend her but her dog need better food.

Comments (69)

  • runsnwalken
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Not to be rude or anything but why don't you just rehome them then to someone who can feed them better, surly a child's life to you is above a dogs, children could die just as easily from recalled/bad pet food as your dog can, childen often put things into their mouths, like pet food because they do not know any better.

    you could find a really good place and visit the new owner,become friends and know your dog is getting better food, with all the same love. If finances permit you could even arrange for your new friend to give back you dog when $$ improves.

    For your sake and the sake of everyone human and animals I hope Obama is going to help this $$ issue for us Americans.

  • lilod
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Mc_Hudd, I generally stay away from the food-fights also, for the same reason you do, I agree with you completely.
    Runsnwalken, perhaps people should also re-home their children unless they can get the very best (whatever that is at the time). I love my animals and they love me, they are my family, and we are all in this together.
    I am pretty old and live on a fixed income, the best part of my life is giving a good home to two dogs, four cats, four pigmy goats, six chickens and a horse - none of which get bad food, but they don't get the topmost popular food either. There is quality and there is marketing, another thing to keep in mind.
    I go now...

  • mc_hudd
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Runsnwalken~ Excuse me?! Your post is extremely confusing to me. I'm actually sitting here laughing!

    First off, I don't think my dogs are being fed badly, and you don't know anything about me or my dogs (except what I posted earlier) so you have no right to tell me my dogs are being mistreated. And, personally, I think the food my dogs are getting is perfectly fine.

    What are you talking about children for?! Yes, a child's life is very important, however, if you don't think I have the funds to take care of dogs, what makes you think I could take care of a child?! Honestly, if someone had a child in their care & let that child eat enough pet food to die, that person should be sent to prison... Don't you think you're going a little overboard here? C'mon!

    Also, runs, here's a little quote you should think deeply about. "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
    -Abraham Lincoln
    16th president of US (1809 - 1865)

  • daggett
    Original Author
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wow. What a heated discussion I started.

    I am only looking for a suggestion for the best grocery store brand dog food available.

    I read the ingredients on the beneful bag and thought that my Mother could provide a better food for the money. She buys this food because of marketing not content. I'm not looking for a $72 10 pound bag of dog food. Just the best that is readily available.

    Providing the best that you can for your pet looks different to each individual. Just take the time to read lables and not rely on commercials. I'm not convinced that Beneful is the best food for the money.

  • pipsydog
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have been through allof this before. I buy beef, turkey, chicken or pork and some ham at various tuimes and lightly fry them and cube them up for my dog. He is a very picky eater and will eat meats most of the time especially if I feed them to him by hand. He is forever sneaking into the cats dish and filling up on Meow mix much to my chagrin. Our last little dog a Maltese mix loved all the meats I cooked up. She lived to nearly 17 years old and we only lost her last march. We had her for 9 years. We rescued our current Corgi mix dog from the same shelter. I wrote about his issues we have been dealing with on another thread. I have yet to find anything that he really adores to eat other than Priority total pet care brand Porkhide and Beefhide Twists. That is his most favorite chew food. It costs $2.39 at Safeway stores and has 8 sticks in each pakg. I buy 2 to 3 packs a week. He loves licorice whips broken up but had to stop useing those for treats as it makes his poo sticky and black and hard to clean up. But he does love the licorice flavor. I bought some beef cubes BBQ'd (kind of expensive though) and he really likes them. When I make a lunch meat sandwich he always has to have his share. He likes cheese slices too.

    I gave up canned dog food very quickly when I saw what was in it. It is sickening what manufacturers put into there foods canned or dry. Bone meal (from what animal bones?) Animal digest ( again from what animals or fowls?) Fat renderings (from other pets who have passed on or roadkill?) I read where euthanized animals are rendered down into animal digest and fats and the drugs (poisons) are not broken down in rendering them. So you are feeding poisons unknowingly. There is a huge industry in picking up dead animals of all kinds whether euthanized or off the roads and dead farm animals who have died of who knows what. Maybe regular steakes and roasts are not healthy for our pets but they are sure more healthy that the garbage sold on the market as dog anfd cat foods. READ THE LABELS!!
    Paul

  • chickadeedeedee
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Mc Hudd:

    Wild and domestic dogs will eat the rotting placentas of cows too. I won't serve it in a bowl to my domestic dogs though. But ... to each their own. *~*~*~*

    Because someone does not feed a food that someone in the forum recommends does not mean they are a bad pet owner. One makes the best decision for their situation. End of story. :-)

  • runsnwalken
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Children, Mu Hudd do not esspeically when they are under 2 years, know about anything, you even have to train them not to revert back to something like an early homo erectus, ( ever read about feral children?) People have done far worse then allow them to eat pet food, I'm sure. There was a story not too long ago about a couple who locked their 13 year old in a cage every night.

    At that age, parents are the star and the world is just a game, anything goes, therefore its up to us to ensure kids don't poison themselves, wheither it be cleaning chemicals or dog and cat food.


    True that most dogs and cats , don't get the "better foods" we decusess but it also true humans don't either, only 5% of americans eat the full daly allowance of veggies and fruits, Good pet owners know better and do not support the brands that pose a danger to our society/ or they know their limitations and don't get more then they can handle..

  • pipsydog
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wild carnivorous creatures eat whatever they can to survive but they don't live as long as they could with a better diet. Hopefully we love our pets and want them to live as long as possible. Feeding them crap is not the way to go. You wouldn't feed your little child crap would you?

    It is difficult to know exactly what to feed for best nutrition always but we have to be alert to what our pets eat. They don't know and will often eat anything they can get in their mouths such as rocks old socks underwear and even rugs have been known to pass through a dog. Maybe making sure they get enough nutricious foods to eat would stop some of that.
    Paul

  • vacuumfreak
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Daggett, you said, ". If someone can not afford the time or money it takes to properly care for a pet, they should not own one."

    Do you feel that way about your mother, or just strangers? If she refused to buy better food as you suggest, would you tell her she should get rid of her dog?

    While I don't have the asnwer, I think most of the people who responded to this thread failed to comprehend the question. The OP didn't ask what GOOD food is available at the grocery. He/She asked which is the BEST. That means compared to the other ones that are available at the grocery store.

  • runsnwalken
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My mother has a handicap, mild MS, that makes it difficult to walk a dog, when she came to us she has 3 large dogs, none of them on heart worm treatment/ or if they were they certainly didn't get any while we dealt with the problems of rehoming two of the dogs, she also fed ol roy- which besides from being very low grade,stinks to high heavens and has pts dogs in it.

    and yes IMPO she should re home. However I respect her, and I wont say my thoughts out load, I make sure the dog gets good food which we split the cost ( I agree the price is insane, so to help it I'm just not going to get a 30+pound dog that eats like a horse in the future) the dog is walked by me mostly- as far I as can tell.

    She does love animals but sometimes (rarely) thats the most dangerous owner of all. However in her defense I think she tries to accept the new and different and knows she was in over her head, this will be her last dog, she's told me.

    We are just trying to be realistic about what you will find at a supermarket Deggett.

  • bayoubutterfly
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I posted once on this site just answering the question asked and what I feed my dog. However, if the dog is doing fine on grocery store food, I am a big fan of Purina. My Rottweiler did excellent on ProPlan and I have a friend's lab and dachsund doing fine on Purina ONE. However, my current dog had allergies explode so I put her on Innova Evo and it's reduced her problems by about 90%. So, in my opinion, if the dog is doing fine on regular retail food, don't worry about it. At the same time, please don't feed Ol' Roy or anything really cheap like that... And, Purina dry food wasn't on the recall list last year. Hope this helps.

    This site helped me decide on food to feed...

  • liminality
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I happened to stumble across this page while looking for comparisons of grocery store dog food brands I know it's been a while since this conversation ended, but I just have to try to say how appalled I am. Is this the way you yuppies actually feel? Any kid who's not being taken care of well can just be put into this beautiful foster program where they are loved and cherished? Do you really think there are so many dogs and cats in shelters because there are so many loving homes out there that you can just up and re-home your animal if you can't take the best care of it ever? How naive can you be? I've worked in the social work system here in the US, and I have to say, we are struggling all the time to help families who are poor. What, did you think that everyone qualified for foodstamps? Or are you naive enough to think that there aren't any truly poor people in America?

    The shelters are bursting as it is, euthanizing pets day in and day out to keep beds open for the ones they can try to find homes for. When was the last time any of you rich, purebred buying idiots actually went to an animal shelter, you know, the ASPCA, the Humane Society, Animal Compassion Network? These are the places where people throw their animals away when people like you tell them that they shouldn't bother trying to take care of their dog or cat because they can't afford premium food. Being "re-homed" isn't as easy or as pleasant as you yuppies seem to think. But you know what? My 3 and a half year old shepherd/hound/collie/who-knows-what-else mix is really happy to be in a home where people love him. If he knew the fate that was soon awaiting him, he'd be even more grateful, because we saved him from euthanization. So, I ask you, would you rather feed a dog Beneful, giving it a good chance at 10+ years of walks, cuddles, treats, grooming, playing, and happiness, or just kill it outright?

    And, since you want to bring them into it too: would you rather feed a child cheeseburgers, hot dogs, potato chips, Taco Hell, and chocolate until it is happy and full, or would you rather throw your child into foster care where, in my state, we have trouble finding parents so that one foster family ends up having up to six children, none of whom can get adequate attention, who have to move every time their foster situation changes, sometimes up to twenty or more times over the course of their childhoods, struggling in school, aching for the kind of acceptance that only comes from a permanent family? I promise you, if you think that any of the families I've worked with could put their kids up for adoption and have them automatically "re-homed" to a loving family with the money to care for their needs, you are dead wrong. But, under your opinions, apparently none of my clients should have children. I'll be sure to NOT tell that to the single father who lost his job after depression over his wife's death threw him into a downward spiral. I'll be sure to NOT tell that to the older sister who adopted her three younger siblings after their parents were killed in a car crash so that what was left of the family could stay together.

    Maybe if you fed your dogs acceptable food instead of perfect food that costs a dollar or more per pound then you could afford to spare some change for the cats and dogs and children who all rely on tax dollars and good will TO STAY ALIVE. Now get off your high horses and improve society rather than detracting from it, please.

  • joepyeweed
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Speaking of high horses, eh, huh?

    I agree with your point, that its better for a dog to have a home and be fed something less the premium rather than be killed in a shelter.

    However I believe you could have made your point with much kinder words. You attract more flies with honey than vinegar.

  • brutuses
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I was poor growing up. We owned one dog and one cat. My mom knew we really couldn't afford pets but had 2 daughters who brow beat her to death, one wanted a dog (me) and my sister wanted a cat. Many days we had nothing to eat except bread and milk and that's what the dog and cat ate as well. We had food most of the time and were able to buy them food. Never a day did they go without food. Sometimes my mama would have nothing but chicken necks and grits to feed the pets, but they loved it and they were beautiful and healthy. 90% of the time they ate what we ate because we couldn't afford to buy them commercial pet food. I can remember my mom making a tuna sandwich for the do, cut in half of course, on Fridays. She's put in on the plate and he'd slowly eat it like he was a human, taking one bite of the sandwich at a time. Really funny to watch. To earn money to buy cat and dog food, I would go dust my great aunt's antique furniture. She'd pay me 25 cents and I couldn't wait to run to the A & P to buy 2 cans of dog and/or cat food. The dog and cat food I could afford was crappy food, but it was food. Anyone out there remember Kam and Delight dog foods? That Delight was the junkiest garbage, but in a pinch it was fed. Kam was a bit better, but not much.

    Back then the flea treatment for dogs was bathing them in pine oil and Sargent's shampoo. My how things have changed. The pine oil killed the fleas and left the dog fresh and clean. Then we'd put one of those non effective flea collars on him and he was good to go. Unfortunately we didn't realize that flea collar was a waste of our money. LOL My dog received a bath every week so he was always clean. I know some of you "younger folk" are flinching at the thought of using pine oil on your dog. Of course I would never do that now, knowing it's not the best thing for the animal. However, it's better than what the country folk do, putting gasoline, motor oil or turpentine on dogs to rid them of fleas and ticks. Now that's animal cruelty.

    Our dog and cat had a wonderful life both living into their teens. So I guess being poor dogs wasn't a bad thing for them.

    I am saddened when I see people with very little money denied a pet just because they are poor. Poor does not equal bad home, just one where they might not get the best food, but that's OK because they are safe and loved and having cheap food to eat is not considered animal abuse by any means. I do think if someone cannot afford vet care for a sick or injured animal they should by all means give it up before allowing it to go untreated. I wish there were more resources available for low income families who want a pet but can't afford the food and vet care.

    The sad fact is the more people losing their homes and jobs the more homeless animals come into our shelters.

  • handymac
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I've been using Pedigree for many years----had a chihuahua/terrier mix live to be 20 on it. He would have made more years, but got cancer.

    Know of a LOT of vets/professional borders/shelters that use Pedigree. I've used dry alone, and mixed with canned(Also Pegigree)

    Now, we adopted a whippet mix who cannot eat beef. Had to go to lamb and rice.

    Purina makes a formula that is so nutritious I had to put her on a diet after the first month---she needed to gain about 10 pounds from her adoption weight to be healthy. The Purina lamb and rice put that weight on her so fast it caught me off guard.

    It is my considered opinion---from working for a vet and life experience with many dogs---that most 'premium' dogs foods are made to sell to pet owners at inflated prices for profit to the manufacturer.

    I reaised horses for twenty years---could have bought 'permium' feeds for them as well. Stuck with the local mills inexpensive sweet feed-----which had the same ingredients as the fancy stuff----and was MUCH fresher.

  • brutuses
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Pedigree is a very good food and when all those recalls were happening, I noticed Pedigree was not on any list. I think that's a testament to their quality control.

    My dogs can't eat it due to allergies, but my neighbor's dogs thrive on the stuff.

  • Lily316
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Sometimes I feel like a really bad pet mom because I don't feed my animals the real premium brands..some of which were in the recall. I feed my dog and cats Purina ONE or Pro plan with a tablespoon of Purina ONE wet at night mixed in the dog's food and in the morning the cats get just one can of Friskies salmon and beef divided. My dog came from the rescue center with Pro plan and Purina ONE which is what I always fed my greyhound. The dog was in for a well dog check up two weeks ago and the vet likes Purina ONE. I just finished combing all six animals for fleas and they ALL have shiny coats. One of my cats lived to 21, a few to around 14/15, and my Afghan hound died at 15. I would not feed them cheap inferior no brand food but I'm satisfied in what I give them. They all have no health issues. I have gotten samples of high end foods and they turned their noses up. They like salmon and rice and nothing else..Dog likes chicken and rice.

  • lilliepad
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Brutuses-I loved your story about your pets.:)
    I feed my 14 year old Chihuahua that stuff that looks like hamburger.Can't remember the name of it.No,it's not the "best" but it's what she can and will eat.Until her near death experience I fed all 5 of the dogs (all Chis) a dry food from the feed store that was a good food.This little dog didn't eat anything for almost a week after she was attacked.I cooked chicken for her at first and when she started eating well again she wouldn't eat the food she had been eating before.We tried all kinds of food and this one was the one she liked and would eat.She has lost a lot of her teeth and I think this is easier for her to eat because it is soft.Anyway,she is doing fine and is healthy so I will feed it to her as long as she will eat it.
    I guess I am a bad doggie mom too because I have never fed any of my dogs the "Premium" foods and a lot of times they got whatever was the cheapest,but they never refused to eat it!

  • brutuses
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    lilliepad, I don't think you're a bad mom. The only thing I will caution you on that food you are feeding, is that it is full of sugar and lots of food coloring and bad preservatives. In time it will definitely cause serious illness. Semi moist foods are by far the very worst you can feed an animal. If you look up some of the preservatives in those foods you'll be shocked at what they are primarily used for.

    Just a word of caution on the semi moist food.

    If you can switch your pup to Mitey dog senior or another moist food that he might eat, it would be better for him at his age.

  • pjb999
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Look closely at the connections between the pet food industry and the veterinary industry, and place weight on what vets recommend accordingly.

    In Australia and New Zealand, there is of course a large pet food industry but they don't do much in the way of veterinary training funding etc, and, interestingly, the BARF diet has a very high level of acceptance there, I think one of the original proponents is Australian.

    I saw the tail end of the "dirty jobs" segment and thought it looked gross but for the most part, that is what a wild dog or cat would eat. A hot flash also, many dogs are coprophages. (Poo eaters)

    The raw food I buy I suspect is very different from what we saw in the show, it's hygienically produced and the biggest difference from plain minced meat is it contains bone meal and organ meat - it's basically the whole animal.

    My dog loves it, it's healthy and species-appropriate.

    Raw doesn't have to cost a fortune, for a dog a raw meaty bone (some recommend that every day, I figure a mixture is good) a couple of times a week would work wonders for most, and they're cheap.

    Be judicious when buying stuff labelled as 'pet meat' unless you're confident of the source, if you buy soup bones for example, for human consumption, you'll know it won't contain anything illegal for humans so will probably be a lot better.

    Dogs have a short, straight intestinal tract, consequently they can eat a lot of stuff we can't.

  • Ninapearl
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    my great dane girl is a picky eater. i have tried everything under the sun that i have access to. finally settled on natural balance kibble. she would eat it but not devour it like my little corgi hoovers.

    if you wanna see/smell something REALLY nasty, open a can of 100% tripe. make sure you're standing where you'll have a soft landing because the smell will knock you out. however, i started adding it to my dane girl's kibble and now she eats like every meal is her last.

  • brutuses
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    nina, I found refrigerating the tripe helps keep the smell from killing ya. LOL That is some vile stuff, but boy do the animals love it.

  • Lily316
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My vet doesn't want me giving the dog any wet food. He likes dry kibble for good healthy teeth. I regret starting the tablespoon of wet mixed in the dry because he expects it now and loves it. I do give him food from our dinner like a few pieces of fish or chicken or a few bites of sweet potato.

  • Ninapearl
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    brutuses, that's what i did with the 2 cases i ordered last week. as soon as it got here, i popped it in the barn fridge. it does help with the smell but oh man, that stuff is hard to take first thing in the morning! well, at least for me...the dogs don't seem to mind it a bit! LOL

  • ellen17
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I give my little dog Purina One lamb with a teaspoon of wet food twice a day. I would like to try Newman's Own wet food. Has anyone tried this brand? I have been using Little Caesar for the wet.

  • brutuses
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    nina, I've almost passed out trying to hold my breath while I serve the stuff up. I don't buy it anymore. I'm afraid one day I'll lose consciousness while serving up their breakfast. LOL

  • Ninapearl
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    LOL brutuses! i find that "mouth breathing" helps. until i started using tripe, my 3 dogs would all lay in the living room while i prepared their meals. i could take my sweet time then call them into the kitchen when i was ready to feed them.

    however, now they hover. i have 2 corgis under foot and my dane poking me in my elbow as if she's telling me to hurry the heck up! feeding tripe has shaved about 10 minutes off of meal preparation because the dogs are impatient and i just wanna get it OVER with! :D

  • holligator
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wow--what a thread! People definitely have strong opinions about dog food, but people have strong opinions about people food, too.

    I have no problem with people who can't afford better feeding their dogs inexpensive foods (although inconvenience seems like a poor excuse). I do think some of the inexpensive foods are complete crap, and everyone should avoid them. Some are less offensive and provide adequate nutrition. Beneful, however, rates at the bottom with Ol' Roy. As much as I don't like Iams or Purina One, I'd rather see your mom feed either of those foods than Beneful. At least they have actual meat in them. As someone else suggested, Maxximum would also be a better choice. Some grocery stores sell Chicken Soup dog food, which would be a far better choice still. Is there any chance you could convince your mom to feed raw, too? She could certainly get that food at the grocery store!

    Like I said, if a person can't afford better, an inexpensive food fed to a well-loved dog is fine with me. What offends me is when people who are fastidious about their food choices for their family (eating fresh rather than prepared foods, buying organically grown, etc.) turn around and feed their pets crap. That, to me, is completely inappropriate.

    About price, I think it's important to consider the quantity fed when making judgements about the price of dog food. Dogs eat MUCH smaller portions of high quality foods, so the price difference can be deceiving. For example, when we got our 230-pound dane/mastiff mix as a five year old rescue, he was eating 15 cups per day of Purina One. He now eats 4 cups per day of Nature's Variety Instinct, and we probably should be feeding him less to get some weight off. In other words, if I looked at price-per-meal rather than price-per-bag, I bet the difference in price would be very small, or it might even favor the better food. Without all the fillers, he simply doesn't need as much food to get the nutrition he needs. And, believe me, this makes an ENORMOUS difference in the size of the land mines in our yard! More importantly, it made a tremendous difference in his health. His skin is no longer flaky, he doesn't get the frequent ear and eye infections any more because his immune system is stronger, and he still has loads of energy despite just celebrating his 10th birthday (which is ancient for a dog his size). He runs and plays like a puppy, and I completely credit his excellent diet.

  • mc_hudd
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Liminality- I agree with you 100%! I think a loved dog, fed daily, no matter what kind of food it is, is WAY better off than the hundreds (maybe thousands) that are in shelters all over the country.

    Brutuses- I can totally relate to your story. My parents were very similar in the way they cared for animals. But, all of our animals were loved & free, not locked up waiting to die.

    The last time I posted was almost 6 years ago. Since then, I have changed to Purina One Lamb & Rice formula. I do feel like it's a better food than the Pedigree I was feeding. However, I wouldn't hesitate to go back to it if needed. The 2 dogs that I mentioned in my OP are still with me, plus 2 more! The ones mentioned are a St. Bernard, who will be 10 in October & a Beagle who will be 7 in October. The others are a Lab mix that adopted us in December of '08. She was 8 at the time & is now 13. She even lost a leg not long before she permantly came to live with us & is still going strong! The other is another Lab mix that is about 6 months old. She was running the streets with her mom where my husband works & he talked the owner into giving her to us. Even though she's eating "less than premium" food, I still feel like she has a MUCH better life, in a loving home, eating regularly (& not out of trash cans) & getting regular check ups at the vet.

    When switching foods, I did, in fact, try one of those "premium" foods... For the life of me, I can't remember the brand, but it was expensive & listed at the top of dog food list at that time. I was trying out the idea that even though the food cost WAY more, if the dogs ate less of it because it was better quality, it would all equal out in the end. Well, they definitely ate less! I started mixing it in with their regular food to "wean" them over & to my surprise, they would eat their cheap food, kibble by kibble, & leave the "premium" food in their bowl. I kept trying though! By the time I got them switched completely over, they were barely eating anything! Not because the food was so much better for them & filling them up faster, but because they HATED the new, expensive food! I finally switched them to Purina One & they started eating like normal again. Actually, my Beagle had to be put on a diet because he really packed on the pounds after eating PO for a while. So, yeah, I guess the cost of food would've equalled out in the end, but I would've had some major vet bills for starving dogs!

    I know every dog probably has different likes & dislikes, just like people. But, I was shocked that NONE of my 3 dogs at the time would eat this food! It definitely didn't sell me on the premium dog foods, that's for sure!

    Again, I don't think the high priced dog foods are a necessity & I totally believe they are marketed to certain people. You know, the ones that believe the higher the price, the better. I, for one, will not fall into this category ever again. I also believe that my dogs have proven that fact. The only thing I've added to their diet is glucosamine, for the 3-legged dog & my St. Bernard, who developed hip issues last summer, which is common for giant breeds. I put him on gluc. last summer & he's made a full recovery & gets around as good as he ever did!

    They are all laying in the a/c right now, soaking it up & I don't think they mind that their food isn't a premium brand. They know my love for them is & that's really all that matters.

  • kayeal
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have had many dogs in my time. A vet who was in business for 40 years, plus took care of cows and horses, etc., told me that dogs will eat anything that smells bad, as many folks already know. Many dogs eat their own poop.
    I think the best dog food is the well-balanced dog food without chemicals and artificial additives. Before I visited a pet store, for many years I fed my dogs store brand food. Our German Shepherd lived to about 14 years of age on Purina One, but I would mix the kibble with dinner scraps. I had a Cocker Spaniel that lived to 15 and was on Purina. I had a Jack Russell who was on Blue Buffalo, but died at age 6 with Lymphoma. I am definitely not saying the dog food died it but I am trying to say dog food cannot always cure what is genetic or when a dog's immune system is inadequate, etc.
    When I finally discovered there are pet stores to purchase pet food I tried a few different ones. Some of them made my dogs sick (even the top brand names). Purchasing dog food at a pet store is not cheap for many who love pets but cannot afford to feed them expensive food. There is no guarantee that top brand foods will keep your pet healthier because many of the illnesses pets get are due to genetics, chemical exposure, mistreatment, and so on. If a person really wants to purchase dog food at a super market, Newman brand is a good one - it is organic, and be sure to read the label. No by-products, and meat should be the first ingredient. In many ways, canned dog food can be superior to kibble. They typically contain more meat protein than their dry counterparts. Plus, due to their air-tight packaging, canned dog foods contain no synthetic preservatives. So, fats and oils sealed inside cans donât easily become rancid.

    And no artificial flavorings and colorings.

    With cans, meat ingredients are closer to their natural state. So, canned products are more palatable �" and more appetizing.

    Much of this information comes from http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/choosing-dog-food/canned-or-dry-dog-food/.

    I am sorry to see folks speak mean to those who want to provide for their pets the best they can afford. It so happens we have a lady on our street who took in three cats and she feeds them canned Purina cat food. Guess what - the cats are very healthy, and all three are over 13 years of age, one being 17.

    Best to be kind to those who want to do well for their pets and not act like we are better because we can afford much better products, which may be questionable.
    Many parents don't have much money but they love their kids and provide for them the best they can, so folks who love their pets will try to do the same I am sure.

  • emma
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    A vet on TV said that you don't need the high dollar stuff....any well known brand name like Purina is good.

  • Prl
    7 years ago

    Wow you guys have too much time and money on your hands. Go ahead and drop $60 for an 8 lb bag of dog food. I guess in the end it probably helps the economy more than your dog, lol.

  • SaltiDawg
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I find the notion very strange that many impute the anthropomorphous notion that a dog must "like" the taste of his food in order to be fed that product.

    I have never heard of a dog (or cat) starving itself to death by refusing to eat the food put in front of it.

    I've loved my pets over the yeas, but they don't get a vote as to what food, medicine, brush, method of nail trimming, etc, etc. It is solely my vote based on research and demonstrated results that counts.

    Yikes!

  • Mary E
    7 years ago

    Pure Balance. You can find it in Walmart. It's affordable and it comes in both wet and dry. Last I checked the wet food had 5 stars on dogfoodadvisory. It has 3 1/2 stars for the dry food. http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/pure-balance-dog-food/

  • Marigold Flower
    7 years ago

    Fascinating thread and life in the US is so different from here in Ireland. Our pet food is better regulated so we have a wide choice in eg supermarkets. I am a pensioner with some disability so ease and cost do matter. Always now I feed, cats and dog alike, a good piece of raw ch icken , bones and all, each morning. My dog ( a russet! Jack Russell and basset cross rescue) is 11 years old, full of energy and her teeth are grand. In the evening she gets a serving of whatever kibble has been on special. I read the expert raw food stuff and it was just too much as I do not really eat meat myself. The raw chicken keeps them occupied a while too,especially the cats. Simplicity...

  • SaltiDawg
    7 years ago

    "I feed, cats and dog alike, a good piece of raw ch icken , bones and all, each morning."

    Is this a testament to better pet food regulation in Ireland? lol

  • Marigold Flower
    7 years ago

    SaltDawg; not sure what you are meaning by this? What I feed eg raw has of course nothing to do with pet food regulation in Europe. As part of the EU we are bound by regulations re content in pet food and never any dead pets etc There seems here to be a lot of snobbery re all food; that with our food and pet food the less expensive stuff " to be inferior.. One of our German supermarket chains with stores in most towns has excellent pet food at relatively low cost,, but there was shock horror on one forum that a vet was recommending it. I feed raw as I know exactly my lot are getting and it helps their teeth and keeps them occupied. I use tinned food as a back up and always the less costly brands. They do very well. I use instant coffee too by the way which seems to be deemed a very low class thing to do!i Feeding is what we make is. WHen I took my very abused collie in years ago, watching her deal with a raw turkey carcasse one Christmas was a sheer joy; held it down with her paws,bottom in the air, tail like a flag. When they had bothered to feed her, it was on cheapest tinned stuff, mushed up with white bread in water. Her teeth were appalling ./ Each to his to her own as many have said . Cost matters greatly at pension age and chicken is cheap here.

  • SaltiDawg
    7 years ago

    A simple attempt at humor. Had I known how full of yourself you are I would not have posted it.

    BTW, what is the Calcium - Phosphorus ratio in your raw diet in that " I know exactly my lot are getting..."?

  • Paul Henry
    7 years ago

    For the price I recommend Taste of the Wild.

  • dklady44
    7 years ago

    My Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a retired show dog and was raised on Orijen and other pricey brands. She was a very picky eater when I got her and had issues with runny stools occasionally. When I was "dog-sitting" a friend's dog, she stole a taste of the food he feeds his dog - Rachel Ray's "Zero Grain" - and gobbled it down. I switched her over to that and the runny poop problem disappeared like magic. She's at a good weight, has the shiniest coat she's ever had, and now begs for her food. I give her 1/2 cup twice a day with a chopped up hard-boiled egg, and some frozen veggies mixed in. (She prefers Bird's Eye California Blend - broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots.) She gobbles it up and is healthy, happy and has a glorious coat. Sometimes the premium dog foods have way too much protein in them and give dogs runny stools because they can't tolerate the extra protein. There is no one "best" dog food for all dogs, despite what surveys and well-meaning people say. You have to experiment with different ones and see what works best for your own dog. "Expensive" doesn't always mean the best. What is best for your dog may not be best for another dog or breed. If your dog likes it and it doesn't give your dog runny stools or constipation issues, and the dog's coat is glossy, not dry, and the dog is neither gaining excess weight or losing weight, then that's probably the best food for him/her.

  • User
    7 years ago

    Thank you DKLady44, you are very right, food isn't a one brand fits all and every dog is different. Your eloquent post is a good reminder of that.

    We fed our dog Acana, also made by Orijen and pricey. Her coat was beautiful, her stools were good, but the food is bean heavy and caused some serious Gastritis issues. It took several changes before eventually settling on Canidae Pure. She also did quite well on Taste of the Wild but like a lot of people, a big concern for me was finding an affordable food that is sourced and produced in the US or Canada. It is also important to me that her food has no recall history. Those two requirements really shortened the list and sadly, that's where Taste of the Wild fell short. It's produced by Diamond and was included in their large recall back in 2012 whereas Canidae Pure is still recall free.

    Mayflower, recalls and foods sourced from China is a big problem here, lots of families have lost their beloved pets because the food manufacturers are not regulated the way they should be. The manufacturers also use lots of cheap fillers and ingredients that don't benefit the dogs and can even harm them over the long term. It's taken decades for the awareness to grow to the capacity that it has and slowly things are getting better, but this is why a lot of folks here are so passionate about what brands they use and why.

  • Rob Henningsen
    4 years ago

    I love my dogs and want the best for them. I also notice that the dreaded “recalls” happen quite often with “high dollar-high quality” foods.

    Pet food is like everything else. Corporations spend plenty of money trying scare tactics and such and guilt us into the ‘latest and greatest’.

    Today’s “best choice” will be a danger to dogs once the companies want you to move in another direction. Think, sheeple! Think!

  • SaltiDawg
    4 years ago


    Best Dry Foods of 2019

    Note ALL Grains are no longer a total taboo as the fad moves on.

  • arkansas girl
    4 years ago

    Well, I wanted the "best" for my dog, spent a small fortune of the "best" dog foods only to find that she was unable to digest these foods and was extremely allergic to some of them. I think the "best" is what your dog can eat and feel great when eating it. Many people get fixated on what the Internet tells them is the best food (I'm guilty of this myself), then their dog begins to have issues and they can't figure out why. What food works great for one dog could be terrible for another dog, if they are allergic to the ingredients. I have a friend that is buying some really expensive food for his dog and the dog is scratching like mad all the time. I told him that she's probably allergic to her food and he said "well, I'm buying the best so if that's not good enough...OH WELL..." and seemed annoyed that I'd have said such a thing.

  • SaltiDawg
    4 years ago

    Food allergies are really quite uncommon.

  • arkansas girl
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Maybe "allergies" isn't the right word, perhaps sensitivities? Well, after a really long time of switching foods to try and find something she could eat, it turned out that she is highly allergic to rice. Well, now rice is so common in dog food...I sure hope the food she eats doesn't change or I have no idea what she could eat. She can't eat people food or she gets sick...can't even eat cooked chicken that's just been boiled. She can eat turkey though. She was unable to eat any grain free food that we tried, those gave her intestinal issues. The rice made her break out in terrible sores all over her body. It looked like she had mange.

  • SaltiDawg
    4 years ago

    Was your dog actually tested for the allergy that you believe exists?

    They almost never are tested, btw.

  • arkansas girl
    4 years ago

    No, not tested. We discovered the allergy ourselves. If she eats a food that has rice as an ingredient, she immediately begins to gnaw her feet and then, she will begin to break out in sores on her body, she will also scratch her ears and her eyes water. The way we discovered it was the rice is that she was eating a food that she was doing great on, I decided to buy the smaller kibble of the food that I had assumed was the same food. After she ate it for a day, I noticed she was scratching again. So, I checked out the ingredients and for some reason the food was the exact same ingredients except they had rice in it where the other, bigger kibble one, did not have any rice. Then, all of her issues finally made sense.

  • SaltiDawg
    4 years ago

    Again, anecdotal, not tested. "They almost never are tested, btw."