i dont know if you get these dog foods over where you guys live but was trying to make a choice on which to feed my dogs!!
dry complete foods (well dry meaty chunks and veg)
bakers
pal
pedigree chum
my dogs seem to like them all i have tryed to find out more information on them but dont seem to be getting there can anyone give me some advice???
advice on dog food
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Nancy (Spuddie' s Mum)
- Posts: 135
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- Location: Tennessee (but I AM CANADIAN!)
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Re: advice on dog food
I think the best thing to do when deciding on a quality dog food is start researching what the ingredients are and things to avoid. In my own experience it's best to avoid "meat by products" "corn meal" and a lot of chemicals. I feed my dogs Nutro Natural Choice and I like it a lot and it's really given my pups a nice coat and they seem nice and healthy on it. Go into some big pet places and talk to them about the different dog foods, but I would avoid all grocery store brands as they generally tend to be a lower quality food.
Re: advice on dog food
Just want to caution about some 'big pet places' and advice on dog food....sometimes the employees know little to nothing about the products they sell, or else they repeat what the rep has told them.
..........Traci
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Nancy (Spuddie' s Mum)
- Posts: 135
- Joined: Tue May 20, 2003 1:33 pm
- Location: Tennessee (but I AM CANADIAN!)
- Contact:
Re: advice on dog food
Traci is right about staff at some stores. But the more research you do the better your decision will be. Maybe someone has a site they could post about dog food ingredient compairisons, I used to have one but I must have deleted the bookmark.
Re: advice on dog food
We feed our cats felidae, but apparently the dog food is uspposed to be really good too...
www.canidae.com
they use human grade products... you can actually email most of the pet food companies and ask for a detailed nutritional analysis if you want to do a really thorough check up on what's in your dog food. we took our nutritional analysis to the vet to get his opinion before we started feeding it to them.
www.canidae.com
they use human grade products... you can actually email most of the pet food companies and ask for a detailed nutritional analysis if you want to do a really thorough check up on what's in your dog food. we took our nutritional analysis to the vet to get his opinion before we started feeding it to them.
Re: advice on dog food
I wanted to agree with all the advice given by others. I too use the Nutro Natural Choice line and have been very happy with it. My daughter also uses it for her dog and has been very happy too.
A couple of things I considered when choosing a food. I avoid byproducts - these are things we won't eat. "Meat" byproducts could be anything, but are often horse. (People won't buy it if it says horse, so they use the term 'meat'.) At least if it says chicken byproducts, you know it's from a chicken - but what? Beaks and feet? Who knows! Corn meal is a filler that is not very digestible for dogs. Rice is a better incredient. There is nothing wrong with brewers' yeast; it is rice - just not as pretty as what we would buy in the store. Nutritionally, it is fine. I personally prefer to avoid lots of chemicals and use a naturally preserved product. (Usually Vitamin E is used instead of BHA, BHT, etc.).
The bottom line, however, is if your dogs like it and they are doing well on it, it may be the right food for them. If they are gassy, have loose stools, or their coats look dull, or they just 'aren't right', it could be that the food doesn't have the right nutrients or isn't being properly digested by them so the nutrients aren't being used by the body.
A couple of things I considered when choosing a food. I avoid byproducts - these are things we won't eat. "Meat" byproducts could be anything, but are often horse. (People won't buy it if it says horse, so they use the term 'meat'.) At least if it says chicken byproducts, you know it's from a chicken - but what? Beaks and feet? Who knows! Corn meal is a filler that is not very digestible for dogs. Rice is a better incredient. There is nothing wrong with brewers' yeast; it is rice - just not as pretty as what we would buy in the store. Nutritionally, it is fine. I personally prefer to avoid lots of chemicals and use a naturally preserved product. (Usually Vitamin E is used instead of BHA, BHT, etc.).
The bottom line, however, is if your dogs like it and they are doing well on it, it may be the right food for them. If they are gassy, have loose stools, or their coats look dull, or they just 'aren't right', it could be that the food doesn't have the right nutrients or isn't being properly digested by them so the nutrients aren't being used by the body.
"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself." ~ Josh Billings.
Re: advice on dog food
my vet says feed your dogs dry food and yet a woman i know that breeds westies says she feeds them on what we eat????
i just dont want my westie to get that skin problem they seem to get and was told that feeding on dry foods was best for that!!
but he loves pasta potatoes cornflakes etc!
i wish some one would just click their fingers and say HERE THIS IS THE BEST FOOD FEED THEM THIS!!
so many people tell you different things its hard to know whats best
i just dont want my westie to get that skin problem they seem to get and was told that feeding on dry foods was best for that!!
but he loves pasta potatoes cornflakes etc!
i wish some one would just click their fingers and say HERE THIS IS THE BEST FOOD FEED THEM THIS!!
so many people tell you different things its hard to know whats best
Re: advice on dog food
Feed him a high quality kibble that he likes. If he develops problems, switch until you find what works.
My dog, a smooth JRT, was fed human table scraps all his life. I got him at age 7 and his coat was dull, dry, rough feeling and his teeth were a mess. I immediately started him on Nutro Lamb. It gave him hot spots. I swithched to Wysong, chicken based, and he is so soft and shiny now! His teeth were beyond repair, had to have 5 pulled. But I won't switch foods, we found the right one. I do mix it with a small amount of table scraps for flavor and variety, but he gets what he needs from the Wysong.
My dog, a smooth JRT, was fed human table scraps all his life. I got him at age 7 and his coat was dull, dry, rough feeling and his teeth were a mess. I immediately started him on Nutro Lamb. It gave him hot spots. I swithched to Wysong, chicken based, and he is so soft and shiny now! His teeth were beyond repair, had to have 5 pulled. But I won't switch foods, we found the right one. I do mix it with a small amount of table scraps for flavor and variety, but he gets what he needs from the Wysong.
Re: advice on dog food
When I got my new girl early in January, I decided I wanted to feed her Wellness Fish and Sweet Potato, which is made by Old Mother Hubbard.
Great ingredients, all natural. This food is baked and doesn't expand like most other kibble that is extruded.
Sasha has started blowing coat now, but her skin shows no sign of dryness any longer, and her coat looks very nice, and has a nice feel to it.
Her former owner couldn't remember what brand of food his wife was feeding her. All he could remember was a lamb/rice food. I had no trouble at all when having to make a total switch without benefit of mixing with the old.
I fed Nutro's for years, but they kept screwing around with the formula, which created problems for my two past girls, and could no loner feed it.
Like others said, do your own research. I don't listen to what any feed store employee may tell me, even though they may be somewhat knowledgeable. I prefer to do my own research, and then feed what works best for my dog. What works for one does not always work for another.
Great ingredients, all natural. This food is baked and doesn't expand like most other kibble that is extruded.
Sasha has started blowing coat now, but her skin shows no sign of dryness any longer, and her coat looks very nice, and has a nice feel to it.
Her former owner couldn't remember what brand of food his wife was feeding her. All he could remember was a lamb/rice food. I had no trouble at all when having to make a total switch without benefit of mixing with the old.
I fed Nutro's for years, but they kept screwing around with the formula, which created problems for my two past girls, and could no loner feed it.
Like others said, do your own research. I don't listen to what any feed store employee may tell me, even though they may be somewhat knowledgeable. I prefer to do my own research, and then feed what works best for my dog. What works for one does not always work for another.