Dog Food Discussion Here, doing an experiment...

[Quail_Antwerp]

Recently I've been doing a lot of investigating into different dog foods, paying more attention to ingredients instead of price.

We've been feeding the outside dog's Dad's....so having said this, I think it's fair to say that most dog foods found at your typical grocery stores have a lot of fillers in them, no real meat. Just by products and fillers. We fed Dad's because we were paying more attention to price than ingredients.

When I was a kid, my mom worked for a Veterinary Office and so she bought Science diet from the vet at a steep discount. This was supposed to be "the food" to feed to your pets. Thinking back now, our dog and our cat were both over weight. I know a lot of people think a fat dog is a happy, healthy dog, but that's just not the case.

Lately I've noticed our blue heeler, Earnhardt, is over weight, where as Zoe, who was nursing 6 puppies, is very much underweight, regardless of us constantly filling her dish all day long. We also feed them any food scraps that we have at the end of the day that we can't feed to the chickens.

When we buy the "cheap" dog food, we pay between $8-$11 for a 17 lb bag, and this lasts on average 1-2 weeks, meaning we usually go through about 51# of feed a month between the three large breed dogs. That's $24-$33 a month on "cheap" dog food.

For my toy breeds in the house, usually 2 8# bags priced at about $6 each lasts all month...so that's another $12 for the little dogs. Again, cheap dog food.

So this is what I've deiced to do. I'm looking into different dog foods for my toy breeds. (We have a yorkie and a Shih Tzu pup that's 10 weeks old.) I am doing an experiment for this month, using a higher end dog food for my two toy breeds, and see how long it lasts. It might mean I spend more per bag, but if I'm spending the same amount buying two bags of cheap dog food a month, then the cheaper food isn't saving me anything.

For example, 2 bags of Dad's Little Bites run about $5.99 a bag. That's a 4 lb bag. I buy 2 a month for the ankle biters. I purchased a 4.5# bag of Science diet puppy (before I did the food grade on it) and have offered it to the ankle biters. My yorkie LOVES it. Not only that, but she is eating less of the SD than she did Dad's. I also have down a bowl of California Natural, chicken and rice. They haven't touched it. I think if I picked up the SD they'd eat it.

I purchased a bag of California Natural Lamb and Rice puppy for my Shih Tzu. There is only 3 ingredients in this dog food: lamb, rice, and sunflower oil. There are vitamins added, but no corn, no fillers, etc.

I'm waiting until the Science diet is almost gone before I introduce the California Natural Lamb and Rice so I can switch them over gradually. Once I see how the ankle biters do, then I may start buying a higher end dog food for the large dogs.

What I suspect is, even though the grain free, natural dog foods are higher priced than the filler junk I've been feeding, I'm guessing I could spend the same amount of $ on one bag of the higher end, and it will last longer, than buying 2 or more bags of filler food. Plus my dogs will be healthier for it.

On a side note, this started out due to looking for a better kibble to feed to my yorkie who has allergies and hot spots.

 

[Wifezilla]

I purchased a bag of California Natural Lamb and Rice puppy for my Shih Tzu. There is only 3 ingredients in this dog food: lamb, rice, and sunflower oil. There are vitamins added, but no corn, no fillers, etc

While better than most commercial food, rice is still a filler and vegetable oils are not that great either.

It is very hard to find a commercial dog or cat food without some kind of filler. Even the Taste of the Wild cat food I get for my "pride" has sweet potatoes.

Without the corn, soy, or wheat, I do think you will eventually notice them eating less for overall. Less low quality food also equals less poop to clean up

If the yorky allergy issues don't clear up with the food change, you may want to look at Taste of the WIld, Innova EVO or Core Wellness.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

While better than most commercial food, rice is still a filler and vegetable oils are not that great either.

You're correct, I wasn't thinking about the rice when I said no fillers. I thought that sunflower oil was supposed to be good for their coats. I've heard that flaxseed is also good for their coats.

It is very hard to find a commercial dog or cat food without some kind of filler. Even the Taste of the Wild cat food I get for my "pride" has sweet potatoes.

The sweet potatoes are considered a filler? Hmm didn't realize that.

Without the corn, soy, or wheat, I do think you will eventually notice them eating less for overall. Less low quality food also equals less poop to clean up

Yes, I want to get away from corn and wheat. Never realized there was soy in the food.

I'm hoping that eating less, means less buying.

Less poop is always a plus!!!!!!!!

If the yorky allergy issues don't clear up with the food change, you may want to look at Taste of the WIld, Innova EVO or Core Wellness.

Thank you!

 

[TanksHill]

When we got our new pup in March I wanted to feed a raw diet. I did not like the smell in the fridge and with shipping it really was just not convenient. I upgraded to the Innova Evo. It is not cheap and kinda a stretch for me. It is an all meat kibble. We use red meat for our Rottie. He is doing great on it. Yes they eat a lot less and poop less too. From what I have heard and read those grains are just sooooooooo bad for the animals.

Good luck on your search. Let us know what you find.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Yea, raw just wasn't an option for me. I would be worried about salmonella and stuff.

 

[freemotion]

Aly, I'm sure you've already read my raw dog food thread.....salmonella is not an issue if you start with whole pieces and wash them, and feed them either whole, grind them yourself, or for bigger dogs, just whack the bones with the back of a cleaver to break them up a bit. Got that last tip from a vet's wife who feeds their Bull Mastiff's chicken wings.

If you have a chicken processing plant anywhere near you, you can get the stripped rib cages and backs for almost nothing, and dedicate a freezer or section of a freezer to them. We re-package into one-meal portions for convenience, and thaw them in a bowl in the sink with warm water running over them. Add a bit of natural soap at first, and they will clean up, too.

The ribs and wings are appropriate, some dogs can eat necks. Avoid weight-bearing leg bones and a lot of muscle meat. Dogs do better on a "poorer" diet....lots of bone, tendon, cartilage, etc, and a little bit of muscle meat.

Feed a few high-fiber veggies, either cooked or ground up very fine and raw with a bit of yogurt. I use carrots, brocolli, and leafy greens....my boy especially likes collards. He eats 10 wings a week and is 30 lbs of muscle. My cats slimmed down beautifully when I got them off the "prescription diet" and feed them a diet of mostly muscle meat with a little bit of leafy greens and a bit of squash and carrot.

The only time in the seven years I have been feeding this way that my dog gets diarrhea is when someone gives him a "treat" of cooked food, like bread or pepperoni or other deli meats, which his aunt insisted on sneaking to him in quantities....until she started babysitting him and learned what it does to his digestion!

 

[keljonma]

We fed Titan, our Great Pyr, Purina Exclusive Lamb and Rice for years, getting it from the farm co-op for $30 for a 50# bag.

But now we feed Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream. Titan is doing very well on it. It is about $42 for a 30# bag.

We are in an area where there aren't any "pet store" places; to get to a Petsmart or even a pet store requires a 2 hour round trip minimum. I'd rather shop closer to home, so a number of brands are not available by my own limitations.

When we raised English Springer Spaniels, we fed Bench and Field - I wish we could find it in our area...

http://www.benchandfield.com/

 

[Wifezilla]

I don't feed raw because my cats were raised on kibble and WILL NOT eat raw. I think Taste of the Wild or similar foods are a good compromise.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Free, I'll have to find that thread and read up on it. Still, not sure I would feed raw.

I won't lie, feeding kibbles is easier for me, since I'm chasing after 6 kids now, plus have the responsibility for most of the farm stuff.

kjm, where do you find your Taste of the Wild? I know our local TSC carries it. For the California Natural, it's at a few of the local pet stores.

 

[keljonma]

QA - I'm getting the Taste of the Wild at TSC.