# Could/Do you feed just kibble?



## fourdogs (Feb 3, 2014)

Dh and I are going to be living on less money in the next year in order for him to quit a stressful job that he hates and move closer to family (we are currently 2 full days drive from our family, all in the same area in the midwest). 

I almost always add canned or crock-potted or other fresh toppers like yogurt, canned salmon or sardines, etc. I cannot bring myself to plop down a bowl of dry kibble. I have not been able to do that since the first few months of my first dog, years ago. 

Anyway, I may have to cut way, way back on my pet food budget. My cat eats a super premium canned food at $2.49/5.5 oz can. I found that he likes TSC's 4Helath canned at $0.59/5.5 oz can which is a huge savings. (He also gets toppers). SO that's the plan for him.

I know that 4Health canned at TSC in 13 oz cans are 99c. I also know that canned salmon is usually around 1.50 a can, which i can swing. I can also scramble up some eggs and use that, or any leftovers that we don't eat. 

So I am looking at going with Fromm Gold or Classic, and Precise Naturals, all at around $2.00 per pound or less. I have tried 4Health dry and my dogs did exceedingly horrible on it. I also didn't like them on TOTW or Costco food. 

I also use Purina Beyond for my one sensitive poodle. 

So I feel so completely guilty about it. Does anyone else feed just mainly kibble? How do you feed your dogs when the budget is tight?

I'm also quite nervous on the human grocery bill, since DS and I have various food allergies and so our products we use cost significantly more than your standard fare.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Right now I'm feeding almost all kibble to the dogs, because I'm in the middle of moving and don't have time to fiddle with fancier stuff. I would think the majority of dog owners feed just kibble and most dogs do fine on that .

If price is the main concern, not time, there are cheaper ways to still provide toppers and variety. Chicken quarters are something like 79 cents a pound at Walmart, you could boil them and make bone broth or crock-pot them for shredded chicken or, well, whatever you can do with chicken parts . You can look for short-dated meats and dairy marked down. And, yep, cheaper canned foods will work too, like 4Health or Purina ONE or Pure Balance. If you still have a Costco membership, their canned dog food is 80 cents per 13-oz can, and honestly, it smells and looks like something I'd like to eat.

For the cat, Authority (Petsmart brand) and Trader Joe's canned cat foods are decent but not too expensive. All depends if kitty likes them.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

I rarely add toppers to my dog's food, now that my finicky eater is finally eating well. Unless somebody is sick or needs a bland diet, we happen to have dog appropriate left-overs, or I'm feeling really industrious they get dry food. Training treats and the odd kong stuffing, yes, but their DIET is kibble. The rest of the stuff is extra, bonus, not something that happens every day, or as far as I'm concerned anything but optional. 

Don't sweat it.


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## d_ray (Nov 5, 2013)

Most dogs I know only eat kibble apart from treats. I wouldn't worry about it. If Jewel wasn't on PMR, she would be on kibble. I still give her kibble a couple of times a month if I run low on raw.


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## fourdogs (Feb 3, 2014)

thanks guys!

I had some friends stay over with their lab puppy a while ago and I think my jaw dropped when they just plopped kibble into the dog's bowl, dry! and set it down. 

I think probably I am worrying more about it than I should. 

I tried the new canned food from Costco, I loved their old chicken/beef ones, but this new turkey/pea gave all but 1 diarrhea. 

I can do plenty with cheap chicken parts, if even just cook them down, shred them and add a spoonful. 

Great ideas, thanks!


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## fourdogs (Feb 3, 2014)

Also, perhaps if I don't buy the "extras" like canned and chicken/etc, then I could possibly be able to get the better foods I like, like Fromm 4star and Precise Holistic. 

Things to ponder. 

Meanwhile, I am planning and budgeting.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

I feed a kibble base and toppers are dependent on what's on sale so some weeks it is all kibble, some weeks toppers are most dinners. But really, the toppers are mainly for fun for me to watch them get all extra excited or for training purposes rather than any real nutritional need (aside from some fish oil and a joint supplement). They get raw chicken quarters when I can get them for 59 cents per pound (10 lbs bags, I use some for me and some for the dogs). When I get a good deal on beef tripe and trachea they get raw a few times a week but breakfast is always kibble. 

If you're moving to the Midwest from a coastal state or larger city, you may find the prices noticeably better which can make the lower income easier to deal with. Example would be my own grocery shopping for this week-- mostly fresh or frozen veggies, eggs, rice, beans, canned tomatoes, cheese, tortillas, breakfast cookies and some frozen lunches for work, gizzards and mackerel for the dogs, and some food storage containers all of which is enough to cover about a full week of my meals and it totaled under $40 and could have been cheaper excluding the frozen lunches.

Most dogs are kibble fed and do fine. The cheapest kibble that I've been quite happy with is Sportmix Wholesomes from Tractor Supply at $28 for 40 lbs. I'm feeding the chicken meal and rice and it has 26% protein and 16% fat. One of my complaints about the cheaper kibbles is too low of protein and fat but this one falls into my desired range.

Cheap additions to kibble:
Homemade chicken broth made from scraps (no sodium, no herbs): while this doesn't add much nutrition other than a little fat, it adds moisture and can make kibble more interesting to picky eaters.
Chicken gizzards: if you can find them on sale or the manager's special (about to expire) these can be as cheap as 50 cents per pound with regular price running about $1/lb. Can be diced and dried for treats also.
Chicken quarters: 10 lbs bags are often under $7-9 
Canned mackerel: generally cheaper than salmon, I pay $1 for a large can of "Polar" brand. Nice and fatty too. 
Eggs: ask people who are over-run with eggs from their own chickens for some cheap eggs.
Block cheese: For training treats, those big blocks of store brand basic cheddar last a long time when broken up into little crumbles.


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## kdawnk (Mar 26, 2014)

I've never met a person in real life to actually add toppers or give their dogs something more than Grocery store bought food. With an occasional denta-stick.

I give her straight kibble like 90% of the time, if I buy yogurt for myself, I'll share it with her, if I have fruits in the fridge I share it with her. I might buy like three cans of sardines to give to her and my cat throughout a month.
Her kong is always stuffed to the brim with like a million things from dog treats, to peanut butter, to canned food, to kibble, to yogurt, to... _infinity and beyond_.

Otherwise it's just her kibble, because she has an extremely sensitive stomach, and really can't handle the change-ups I try and do.


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## ireth0 (Feb 11, 2013)

Yea... Luna just gets kibble plus whatever training treats she got throughout the day. 

Right now we're finishing off some canned pumpkin I got to help her stool but once it's gone I wont be buying anything else to use as a topper.

As long as you're feeing a decent food they don't NEED anything in addition, it's just an extra treat. I also always worry about creating a picky eater by adding things.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

fourdogs said:


> thanks guys!
> 
> I had some friends stay over with their lab puppy a while ago and I think my jaw dropped when they just plopped kibble into the dog's bowl, dry! and set it down.
> 
> I think probably I am worrying more about it than I should.


Yep, I think you are worrying about it more than you should  That's just because you want the best for your pups, but really, they will be fine and I think you'll find enough cheap toppers to still add some variety.

Most dogs get dry kibble for all their meals. Most of them still inhale it fast enough that slow feeders and feeding toys are big sellers so they certainly aren't complaining about their food.

Some dogs get to be picky eaters if they always get something "special" and it may take a few meals for them to get the idea that the kibble is all they are getting but a good kibble does provide all their nutritional needs. If you're worried it won't interest them, you can do more training with their meals and/or keep an eye out for feeding toys on sale.


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

I just feed kibble. Kabota needs no motivation to eat and, in fact, eats so quickly out of a bowl, he chokes and then tries to eat as he chokes. So I use a food dispensing toy, which doesn't really allow for toppers.

Your dog will be just fine, and you'll be happier when your husband stops having to drag himself into hell 5 days a week.


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## fourdogs (Feb 3, 2014)

Thanks guys! I do think groceries will be cheaper in the Midwest as compared to Northern Virginia where everything is over priced and in excess. We will not miss the ridiculous traffic and the amount of time it takes to get from point A to point B, the enormous amount of people and DH will not miss his job. He's got a year and a half left (he's military) and he will be happy to be done with it. 

I will not feel guilty for giving only kibble, tho I think I may need to keep up with a little yogurt at the very least to mix in Darby's supplements and medicine. Also on the picky eater, I think I made him the picky brat he is by having all the wonderful yummy and ever changing toppers.


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

lol i find it amusing that you were shocked when someone just fed kibble... most of the time thats all roxie gets


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## fourdogs (Feb 3, 2014)

Kayota said:


> lol i find it amusing that you were shocked when someone just fed kibble... most of the time thats all roxie gets



I have a hard time wrapping my brain around it! Putting down a bowl of just plain kibble, even with water, feels like neglect or cruelty to me. LOL. Logic tells me that this is what the majority of pet owners do. 

i know I'm going to have to get over it. All of us are going to have to make sacrifices next year. I can only tell myself it will be worth it and I probably worried about the whole thing too much.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

fourdogs said:


> I have a hard time wrapping my brain around it! Putting down a bowl of just plain kibble, even with water, feels like neglect or cruelty to me. LOL. Logic tells me that this is what the majority of pet owners do.
> 
> i know I'm going to have to get over it. All of us are going to have to make sacrifices next year. I can only tell myself it will be worth it and I probably worried about the whole thing too much.


Popcorn.

Potato chips.

Triscuits.

Cheerios.

Humans love to snack on these things and all are similar to dry kibble in texture/moisture. 

Dogs don't really care that much. There are some dental benefits to raw meaty bones. There can be benefits to adding fish or fat or such for specific needs. But a dry bowl of kibble is just fine for and to the VAST majority of dogs. 

I had a laugh with one of my vets when we said that a human version of kibble -- a complete nutrition-- could be the next best thing in diet programs. Quick, easy and no cook could be a best seller.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Bachelor Chow .


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## NicoleIsStoked (Aug 31, 2012)

90% of the time, Levi just gets kibble which he is perfect happy about. On occasion I will mix in pumpkin, canned food, yogurt or chicken broth, or give him a raw meal. But usually not. Personally I would rather strictly feed a good kibble than feed a cruddy food with toppers. 
And for the record, Fromm Gold is an excellent food for the price.


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## parus (Apr 10, 2014)

I've never fed anything other than decent kibble as the staple and all my dogs have lived long lives without major health problems until the very end of their lives. (Of course, a large part of that is just genetic luck, but I'm saying kibble diets clearly didn't harm them.) They also get bones and chews, but that's more for teeth/behavior than for nutrients, and they get training treats. They chow right down on the kibble as soon as their bowls hit the ground, so they apparently like it fine. Honestly, I think a boring but nutritionally complete diet is good for a dog's digestion. We almost never have to deal with stomach upset.


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

to ee honest i would kill to have a 'human chow' like that. get all my nunutrientsin one go, deliciously, and then not worry about trying to figure out a balance and just eat whatever the rest of the day


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

I'll give my dogs little bites of things I have throughout the day -- real meat, cheese, carrot, a piece of pasta without any sauce -- but their meals are kibble, and they love it. I put down their bowls of dry kibble and they devour every bite in a couple of minutes!


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## fourdogs (Feb 3, 2014)

You all have made me feel a lot better! I think what I probably will do is keep with my favorite kibbles, Fromm and Precise, and then whatever leftovers or bits of veg or fruit I have I will give as treats or a topper. 

16 months to go!


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## LuvMyAngels (May 24, 2009)

Buster gets plain, ol' dry kibble at meals. I found that when I was mixing extra goodies into his food he would get picky and refuse to eat without "dessert". Now if I have something extra that I want to give him I use a separate bowl and offer it between meals.


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## fourdogs (Feb 3, 2014)

[QUOTE

I had a laugh with one of my vets when we said that a human version of kibble -- a complete nutrition-- could be the next best thing in diet programs. Quick, easy and no cook could be a best seller.[/QUOTE]

I have said before it would be awesome and so convenient, you know, like the cracker Chicken in a Biscuit. Yummy and complete meal. I want the low carb women over 30 formula lol


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## Kudzu (Aug 15, 2013)

I fed my dogs nothing but kibble until they were five years old. I decided to make them something special for their fifth birthday, so I made them turkey burgers with steamed vegetables and chopped hard boiled eggs, all doused with a good bit of homemade chicken broth. They had always been good eaters, but their attitude about this meal was worlds different! After that, I could never do just kibble again, so I know how you feel. My big dog still gets one cup of kibble per day, with two cups of a homemade stew recipe that I found online, topped with about a quarter cup each of plain yogurt, canned mackerel, shredded cheese and a hard boiled egg. I rotate the veggies, meat and other stew ingredients so they get some variety. Been feeding this way for about a year, and I find that by watching for sales and stocking up on the ingredients when I can get them cheaply, I actually spend about the same as for kibble, and the dogs sure seem to love it.


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## littlesoprano (Sep 21, 2013)

I just do dry kibble with a half a patty of Stella & Chewy's Duck Duck Goose crumbled on top of it. Sometimes if he's lucky he'll get 3/4 of a patty. Otherwise, thats all he gets lol. 

He's happy with it though, he gobbles it up.


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## PurplePointer (Jul 4, 2014)

I love my dogs reaction to food too, that's why he gets a home cooked doggie meal in the evening. I actually feel that the home cooked meals are cheaper than the kibble. I watch for sales and stock up on meat for the dog. I also talk to the butcher at the grocery store and see if they have anything that expires soon they can reduce the price on. Ditto for the fish guy. 

If you have to do all kibble though your dog will be fine. 

For you guys google budget cooking, there are some great websites with really good recipes on the cheap.


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## Jacksons Mom (Mar 12, 2010)

I usually always have a can of something around. Usually one meal I will mix in some wet food - typically dinner. For breakfast, I just pour his kibble into a bowl and he generally goes over and eats it and seems to enjoy it. But I know exactly what you mean. If he eats plain kibble for breakfast, I feel guilty later and make him a 'better' dinner LOL.


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## doggiepop (Feb 27, 2014)

a dog can live on kibble. if you're going to feed just kibble i suggest feeding a preminum brand.
you're on a buget. maybe cut back in some other area. share a little human food with them as a
topping (meat, fowl, fish).

if need comes they'll survive on cheap food.


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## Kudzu (Aug 15, 2013)

Oh, and one other benefit to home cooking for your dog......no one will ever appreciate your cooking skills anywhere near as much as a dog will! My smaller dog walks around the kitchen on his hind legs howling with glee while I prepare his meal. The big one leaps to and fro with a big stupid grin on his face. My BF never does that when I cook for him.


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## PurplePointer (Jul 4, 2014)

Kudzu said:


> Oh, and one other benefit to home cooking for your dog......no one will ever appreciate your cooking skills anywhere near as much as a dog will! My smaller dog walks around the kitchen on his hind legs howling with glee while I prepare his meal. The big one leaps to and fro with a big stupid grin on his face. My BF never does that when I cook for him.


This made me laugh. I agree my dog loves whatever I make him. He does a happy dance where he spins in circles when he realizes he gets to eat some of the yummy smelling food.


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## w8ing4rain (Sep 4, 2008)

Dixie pretty much just eats kibble. If I have plain yogurt I might give her a little on top but not because I feel I need to. She likes her kibble enough to drag me out of bed early in the morning to feed her. She drives me nuts at exactly 5:00 in the afternoon too.


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