# Good dog food during tough times?



## LoveMyBirdDog (Apr 3, 2009)

Hey everyone. I have an 8 month old GSP/Brittany mix. He is high energy and we exercise him a good bit. Right now he eats Nutro Ultra puppy. It is about $48-52 per big bag and he goes through a bag ever 1.5 months. Due to financial reasons we need to switch to a slightly cheaper dog food. I refuse to feed him corn based food, but it seems like Nutro is one of the more expensive brands. 

Does anyone have any experience with some foods that are still high quality and have no preservatives?

Please help.


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## JeanninePC99 (Jul 24, 2007)

Do you know what your options are? Meaning, are you limited to PetSmart/PetCo or do you have indie pet stores that carry better brands? Are you willing to order the food online? There are some solid choices that are lower in price than your current food (and there are better quality foods for the same price, for that matter), but it would help to know what your sources are.


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## LoveMyBirdDog (Apr 3, 2009)

Petsmart is close by. I also have a lot of local Feed and Seed stores that carry various types of food. There is also a chain pet store called Saluda River Pet Store that is close by also.


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## Chris / Oakley (Feb 16, 2009)

I would recommend going to the Feed store and talking to the staff, bring in the ingredients list of your current food, and then they can compare it to what they have and let you know the price.

A good site is http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com however if you don't know what is available to you, and/or what it costs it will make it hard to compare.

I posted a link as a sticky to a really good food calculator which helps you compare cost per calorie, as calories are what dictates how much you feed your pet. 

Depending on cost per/calorie you may actually save money by going to say a $60 bag of food, as it may last 2 months, vs 1.5. This is what happened with me after shopping around, I went from a bag that lasted 1 month at $60, to a bag that lasted 1.3 months for $64. Or now, a bag that lasts the same 1.3 months, but only costs $47. That bag is a 30lb bag of Acana Large Breed Puppy. However, my pricing is Canadian, and it is a Canadian product, so it might be different in your area.

Good luck, I know I spent many hours trying to pick a good food, way too many... but it was worth it.


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## tirluc (Aug 29, 2006)

my dogs have all eaten Purina One for pretty much their whole lives (have tried "better foods that they did crappy on) and they look and act/feel fantastic....i get a 44 lb bag at Sam's Club for about $37 (and some cents)....we recently tried Pro Plan Select and i'm not reall happy w/ their stools and their coats on it so i'm gonna be switching them back to P.O. ....

just for informations sake....


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## briteday (Feb 10, 2007)

Kirkland food at Costco is cheaper and not that bad.


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## jencam (May 28, 2009)

Canidae (found at feed stores) is cheaper and the dog will need less than Ultra - I used both foods for my dog.

But I don't know if that is enough of a savings for you. Purina One is not a good choice imo because the dog eats more and ends up not saving, and the ingredients (while far better than any other grocery food) are inferior.

To really save, I'd agree with the Kirkland idea. It's pretty good for how cheap it is.


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## tirluc (Aug 29, 2006)

jencam said:


> Canidae (found at feed stores) is cheaper and the dog will need less than Ultra - I used both foods for my dog.
> 
> But I don't know if that is enough of a savings for you. Purina One is not a good choice imo because the dog eats more and ends up not saving, and the ingredients (while far better than any other grocery food) are inferior.
> 
> To really save, I'd agree with the Kirkland idea. It's pretty good for how cheap it is.



i won't/can't agree w/ you on this....Canidae was one of the foods (the hardest one, actually) that i tried to switch my dogs to.....they were on it almost 5 mo and in that time they ate 2x the amount of food; their coats went to h#!! in a handbasket; their energy (even seen in their eyes) was down--and these are Border Collies, we're talking about; they pooped 5-6 x a day rather than 2-3 on P.O.; and my vet chastized me for the 1st time in 12 yrs of going there for the condition of my kids.....everyone kept telling me "give it time, it takes a while for their bodies to adjust to a 'better' food"--well, how long does it take?.....it may work for yours, but it doesn't work for others....and inferior ingredients are not necessarily true--they're one of the few brands recalled during that time.....


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## HORSEandHOUND (May 28, 2009)

you're paying 1.11 per day now. How cheap are you wanting to go, and how much does your dog weigh?
using that dog food calculator will help you alot.


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## rosemaryninja (Sep 28, 2007)

Kirkland, Diamond, Authority, Maxximum... I'd check all those out.


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## LoveMyBirdDog (Apr 3, 2009)

I'd like to spend maybe $35 for a large bag vs. $50. Purina One might be an option for me. I've also been thinking about maybe switching to diamond. Does anyone feed their dog Diamond?

What do y'all think of the Purina Pro Plan? Looks like it has a high calorie per cup ratio. Purina One actually has a lot of calories per cup also. If I was to start feeding purino pro plan then I'd actually feed less food than I feed on the Nutro Ultra.


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## sheltiemom (Mar 13, 2007)

tirluc said:


> my dogs have all eaten Purina One for pretty much their whole lives (have tried "better foods that they did crappy on) and they look and act/feel fantastic....i get a 44 lb bag at Sam's Club for about $37 (and some cents)....we recently tried Pro Plan Select and i'm not reall happy w/ their stools and their coats on it so i'm gonna be switching them back to P.O. ....
> 
> just for informations sake....


Same here...I get a 44 lb bag of Purina One at BJ's (same as sams) for $35, and for 4 dogs it lasts 6 weeks. The dogs look great and poops are good. If I had a Costco around I would try Kirklands dog food...if money is _really_ tight, I also wouldn't feel bad about feeding plain old Dog Chow. It's $26 for 50 lbs at BJ's....being in the south, it's more important to me to keep them on heartworm prevention and flea and tick prevention, so out of all the regular monthly costs, if I have to cut back, food is the place I start.


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## RonE (Feb 3, 2007)

A brief history of dog food at our house:

My black lab ate Purina One for the ten years that we had him. (Before that, he'd been fed a regional farm-supply brand that costs about $10 for 50 pounds and he was a mess.) He had a healthy and active life until that last few months of his 14 years.

When we got Esther, I started her on Purina One, but decided I could be doing better. I bought a bag of Science Diet, but realized my mistake before I even opened it. I donated it to the local shelter.

I did some homework and bought a bag of Canidae ALS, which was fine for a few years. I got nervous about the formula change and started feeding Solid Gold Wolf King. I was spending $100/month and, after nine months or so, I was still not impressed.

My girls, and the various dog guests we seem to have all the time, are eating Purina One again. They are doing very well, though I'm fully aware that you can't really tell for years. Like tirluc, I believe the proof is in the dog. 

I'm feeding the same volume as I was with Solid Gold, but the stools are firmer and much more compact. That doesn't mean everything, but, to me, it means better efficiency. The gusto with which they eat means nothing, since I have dogs that will eat a tree with enthusiasm. I watch their weights, their coats, their energy levels and, yes, their stools.

And, while it wasn't the motivating factor, I'm not at all unhappy about spending half as much on food.

I'm not suggesting everyone feed Purina One. I am suggesting you find a food you can afford that works for your dogs and don't let anyone tell you that you just HAVE to feed something else - just because it works for THEIR dogs.


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## txcollies (Oct 23, 2007)

rosemaryninja said:


> Kirkland, Diamond, Authority, Maxximum... I'd check all those out.


Have tried Maxximum (love it) and Diamond (liked it and will use it again if I have to) also check out Exceed at Sams Club. Great stuff.


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## boon4376 (May 18, 2009)

I can get a 33lb Bag of Solid Gold for $50.00

Or I can buy a 40lb bag of science diet (corn & chicken-byproduct based price) for $40.00

Solid Gold: $1.50 / pound
Science Diet: $1.00 / pound

Now nutro ultras big bag is 30lbs...And it takes you 1.5 months to go through this, That means you'd need 8 30lb bags a year

Solid Gold cost per year: $400
Science Diet cost per year: $264

And you want to feed your dog crap carcass food to *save $136* / year why?

There are many ways to cut down your budget and spending, it doesn't look like serving up a bowl of crap to your dog will make a big impact.


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## jencam (May 28, 2009)

tirluc said:


> i won't/can't agree w/ you on this....Canidae was one of the foods (the hardest one, actually) that i tried to switch my dogs to.....they were on it almost 5 mo and in that time they ate 2x the amount of food; their coats went to h#!! in a handbasket; their energy (even seen in their eyes) was down--and these are Border Collies, we're talking about; they pooped 5-6 x a day rather than 2-3 on P.O.; and my vet chastized me for the 1st time in 12 yrs of going there for the condition of my kids.....everyone kept telling me "give it time, it takes a while for their bodies to adjust to a 'better' food"--well, how long does it take?.....it may work for yours, but it doesn't work for others....and inferior ingredients are not necessarily true--they're one of the few brands recalled during that time.....


My dog would have eaten more if I had let her; she had to adjust to eating less of a food she needed less of. OR it could just be one of those cases where everyone is different!

Canidae happend to work out very well for my pup so I'm always going to reccommend it as an option, but of course no food is going to be right for every dog.


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## LoveMyBirdDog (Apr 3, 2009)

"And you want to feed your dog crap carcass food to save $136 / year why?There are many ways to cut down your budget and spending, it doesn't look like serving up a bowl of crap to your dog will make a big impact."

Boon,

If I wanted to feed my dog crap food I'd buy a bag of Ol'
Roy and be done with it. I'm asking your opinions because I care. Nurto Ultra is the most expensive food I can buy at my Feed and Seed store. So surely there is another good quality food that I can change too for slightly less money. And, I am cutting my budget in other ways. 

So don't judge me for trying. I'd like to keep my dogs healthy and free of ticks, worms, and heartworms. That isn't easy living on a budget but I'm trying to make it work.


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## tirluc (Aug 29, 2006)

jencam said:


> My dog would have eaten more if I had let her; she had to adjust to eating less of a food she needed less of. OR it could just be one of those cases where everyone is different!
> 
> Canidae happend to work out very well for my pup so I'm always going to reccommend it as an option, but of course no food is going to be right for every dog.


it wasn't a question of them _wanting_ to eat more, it was aquestion of how much did i want them to starve....the _only_ good that came out of that trial period was that my oldest girl needed to lose about 10 lbs....well, she lost that alright, in about 3 wks and that was eating 1/2 c more of the Canidae than the P.O. ....along w/ that, the rest of my gang was losing weight as well and they couldn't afford to....Tir went from 2 c of P.O. to 4 1/2 c of Canidae and the other 2 (we only had Tipper, Lacey and Tir at the time) went up by 2 c each just to maintain their weight....and, after switching back, Lacey kept the weight off and i couldn't get any of them to eat the amount of P.O. as they did of Canidae.....my friend continued w/ the rest of the food (Lacey and Tir had won us a yrs supply of Canidae in a contest) and did great on it.....for about 8 mo.....

so, yeah, it may work for some but it doesn't work for all....i don't think i will be switching foods again.....

oh, and on that note, a family that bought one of my pups and is quite well off switched that pup back to P.O. after going thru about 4 different "better", more expensive, foods and having one problem or another w/ them all.....he does great on the P.O. ....

and to boon...i suppose you are one that believes if someone can't afford to feed their dogs "prime rib" they shouldn't own one....i hope you never have to be in the shoes of many of the people in todays economy....unless you _*know*_ peoples circumstances, don't judge....my dogs will always come b/4 myself and my husband when it comes time for care, and that means vet, food and time....


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## jencam (May 28, 2009)

I don't know about pro-plan, but on the P1 if you try that, just be careful of the formula. some have more meat than others. I was really mad when I bought the salmon and didn't examine the ingredients before opening it. I assummed it would be similar in quality to the chicken but it was not - brewers rice ended up being the main ingredient, basically.

It's not a bad food for the price - I switched from it b/c Canidae was only a few dollars more and eating less it really turned out to be cheaper and better for her.

Ultra is really overpriced for the quality so I feel sure you can find a good food for less. It's been a long time since I studied dog food or I'd have more suggestions for you.

I would say to get on a dog food review site, look at 5 star foods and then look up their prices online. Pick some and then see what your feedstore carries.

I went to my feed store with a list of foods I thought were good from the reviews and picked the cheapest they offered to start out.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showcat.php/cat/4



tirluc said:


> it wasn't a question of them _wanting_ to eat more, it was aquestion of how much did i want them to starve....the _only_ good that came out of that trial period was that my oldest girl needed to lose about 10 lbs....well, she lost that alright, in about 3 wks and that was eating 1/2 c more of the Canidae than the P.O. ....along w/ that, the rest of my gang was losing weight as well and they couldn't afford to....Tir went from 2 c of P.O. to 4 1/2 c of Canidae and the other 2 (we only had Tipper, Lacey and Tir at the time) went up by 2 c each just to maintain their weight....and, after switching back, Lacey kept the weight off and i couldn't get any of them to eat the amount of P.O. as they did of Canidae.....my friend continued w/ the rest of the food (Lacey and Tir had won us a yrs supply of Canidae in a contest) and did great on it.....for about 8 mo.....
> 
> so, yeah, it may work for some but it doesn't work for all....i don't think i will be switching foods again.....
> 
> ...


Yes, every dog is different. I just saw I may need to change b/c Canidae changedtheir formula slightly and the review site said they've been getting more complaints than they did on the old. How annoying - food trials are so hard.



> and to boon...i suppose you are one that believes if someone can't afford to feed their dogs "prime rib" they shouldn't own one....i hope you never have to be in the shoes of many of the people in todays economy....unless you _*know*_ peoples circumstances, don't judge....my dogs will always come b/4 myself and my husband when it comes time for care, and that means vet, food and time


I mentioned in another thread this is one thing I dislike about pet forums - the judgement.

Every year, I swear I'm getting new floors (mine are over 30 years old and the carpet is totally worn out) but first it was yeast infections in the ears (solved by food) and now it's UTI's (haven't uncovered the reason for those yet) that have taken my floor money.

And I do it gladly! My fubabies eat right and get the care they need, including $80 haircuts for the Persian so she won't vomit hairballs all summer......when I am judged harshly for not doing whatever someone thinks is the ideal it really gets to me.

Now I will get on to someone for feeling ole roy because I don't think they should have a pet if they are going to be that cheap - that's like feeding a kid cheetoes all the time.....and I will point out that buying grocery store food like plain Purina or Alpo is not really saving anything....but beyond that no, everyone can not afford to pay for ultra-premium food AND vet AND heartworm/flea prevention,etc.

It's reasonable to want to save as much as possible on all these items.

Having said that - if there was a food twice as expensive but with proof positive it would extend my dog's healthy years....I would buy it. However, the research is not complete on all that.....to me it looks like once you get to 5 stars there is not a huge difference except in relation to how particular dogs do on them.


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## boon4376 (May 18, 2009)

LoveMyBirdDog said:


> So don't judge me for trying. I'd like to keep my dogs healthy and free of ticks, worms, and heartworms. That isn't easy living on a budget but I'm trying to make it work.





tirluc said:


> and to boon...i suppose you are one that believes if someone can't afford to feed their dogs "prime rib" they shouldn't own one....i hope you never have to be in the shoes of many of the people in todays economy....unless you _*know*_ peoples circumstances, don't judge....my dogs will always come b/4 myself and my husband when it comes time for care, and that means vet, food and time....


You suppose? Isnt that judgement, My point was to show this young man that its not a big difference in cash between the absolute crap and the very good types of dog food, and if you cant find 30 cents a day to put toward better dog food you're not trying hard enough.

Prime rib? $80 hair cuts? you guys are going wayyy overboard. Just because i think feeding a dog _"dry, ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs, and intestines"_ as a main source of meat is horrible, doesn't mean I'm some hoidy toidy guy from beverly hills here to say that everyone needs to spend all of their money on their pets! I'm a college student on a very fixed budget, I wanted a hunting dog and a companion for my partner and I to love, and I have no problem giving up small luxuries to make sure im at least feeding my dog food that isnt disgusting.

Anyways i actually came back to this thread to recommend a food....

Chicken soup dog food because its the cheapest above average quality food i have seen, and i was trying to help.
http://www.petfooddirect.com/store/product_detail.asp?pf_id=2014106&dept_id=1&brand_id=630&Page=

Its $1.00 a pound on that website and the main ingredints are as follows:
Chicken, turkey, chicken meal, ocean fish meal, cracked pearled barley, whole grain brown rice, oatmeal, millet, white rice, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potatoes, egg product, tomato pomace, duck, salmon, flaxseed, natural chicken flavor, 

Which i deem to be completely acceptable.


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## jencam (May 28, 2009)

Boon, maybe there is some confusion because SD was never mentioned by the OP. He wasn't saying he's going to switch to a crap food.

I agree with you it's ridiculous to feed crap for a small savings. I have a hard time in the grocery store watching people buy the food in there.......but they are probably unaware. I was until my dog had allergy issues I had to research.....that led to an education on food in general.


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## boon4376 (May 18, 2009)

jencam said:


> Boon, maybe there is some confusion because SD was never mentioned by the OP. He wasn't saying he's going to switch to a crap food.


I know by now im dragging this out, but he mentioned switching to purina one and diamond. Diamond natural appears to be decent, but regular diamond doesnt even list what meat source they use. Its just "meat meal".
And purina one's main meat ingredient is poultry byproduct, and animal digest isnt too far down the list. Again, not much savings and a huge drop in quality.

And to make sure it wasnt skipped over being the last post on the page, I'll post this link again which imo is a great value for a quality food at $1.00/lb
http://www.petfooddirect.com/store/product_detail.asp?pf_id=2014106&dept_id=1&brand_id=630&Page=
and this one
http://www.petfooddirect.com/store/product_detail.asp?pf_id=20164801&dept_id=&brand_id=299


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## Cracker (May 25, 2009)

Cracker was doing okay on Purina, which was easy to get and not too expensive. Then, she started having anxiety issues (SA that grew into generalized anxiety) and she started dropping weight. My vet recommended Wellness brand (wow a vet that doesn't try to sell you Science Diet! I LOVE MY VET!) thinking a better food would chemically be better for her anxiety and to get the weight back on that she had lost. She lost better part of 4 lbs in a month and she has no weight to lose. She is also a high energy dog who walks with me all day (I am a professional dogwalker, and not having a car, that means we REALLY walk).

Since switching to the Wellness she eats LESS by almost 2/3 rds and maintains her weight beautifully, her stools are less frequent and smaller and once I did the math it turns out that the amount of Purina I was feeding her was actually costing more than the "more expensive" food she is now on. I can buy a big bag (35 lbs) for 60 dollars and it will last almost six weeks. She's a 67 lb foxhound mix, so 40 bucks a month is pretty darn good. 

Now this is Canadian pricing, and I'm not sure if Wellness if available where you are..but sometimes the more expensive seeming foods are actually LESS expensive. Of course, if your dog does well on the cheaper food then go for it. Whatever works, man. Whatever works.


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## jencam (May 28, 2009)

boon4376 said:


> I know by now im dragging this out, but he mentioned switching to purina one and diamond. Diamond natural appears to be decent, but regular diamond doesnt even list what meat source they use. Its just "meat meal".
> And purina one's main meat ingredient is poultry byproduct, and animal digest isnt too far down the list. Again, not much savings and a huge drop in quality.
> 
> And to make sure it wasnt skipped over being the last post on the page, I'll post this link again which imo is a great value for a quality food at $1.00/lb
> ...


Gotcha. Yeah, Purina One is almost $1/pound so to me it doesn't make much sense to drop so far in quality for a few cents.

It frustrates me when people try ONE premium food, have a problem with it, and say 'well my dog just does better on the cheaper stuff'. 

It sometimes takes a bit of effort to find an affordable, quality food that does well for the particular dog. 

Mine turned out to be really easy, but I had to try several for the cat to get her off Iams.



LoveMyBirdDog said:


> Hey everyone. I have an 8 month old GSP/Brittany mix. He is high energy and we exercise him a good bit. Right now he eats Nutro Ultra puppy. It is about $48-52 per big bag and he goes through a bag ever 1.5 months. Due to financial reasons we need to switch to a slightly cheaper dog food. I refuse to feed him corn based food, but it seems like Nutro is one of the more expensive brands.
> 
> Does anyone have any experience with some foods that are still high quality and have no preservatives?
> 
> Please help.


How many pounds is the big bag? I don't know what price you are paying now per pound.


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## Inga (Jun 16, 2007)

jencam said:


> It frustrates me when people try ONE premium food, have a problem with it, and say 'well my dog just does better on the cheaper stuff'.
> 
> It sometimes takes a bit of effort to find an affordable, quality food that does well for the particular dog.
> 
> ...


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## jencam (May 28, 2009)

Inga said:


> jencam said:
> 
> 
> > It frustrates me when people try ONE premium food, have a problem with it, and say 'well my dog just does better on the cheaper stuff'.
> ...


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## LoveMyBirdDog (Apr 3, 2009)

The Nutro Ultra is a 35lb bag. Costs 48-52 a bag.


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## tirluc (Aug 29, 2006)

> It frustrates me when people try ONE premium food, have a problem with it, and say 'well my dog just does better on the cheaper stuff'.
> 
> It sometimes takes a bit of effort to find an affordable, quality food that does well for the particular dog.


ahhh, but you see, this is not just "one quality brand" that i have tried w/ my dogs over the yrs....i have tried about 5 and i keep coming back to the P.O. and up foods....it has been proven to me (not by my judgement but by others telling me how great my dogs look and act) that this _is_ what they do best on.....so, i think i'll stay w/ it......

and, P.O.'s 1st ingredient is not


> main meat ingredient is poultry byproduct


 it's lamb or chicken or turkey....meat, not by products....


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## jencam (May 28, 2009)

LoveMyBirdDog said:


> The Nutro Ultra is a 35lb bag. Costs 48-52 a bag.


$1.37 a pound,,,,,it's going to be tough to get a good food much less than that.

But you said even getting down to $35 a bag would be helpful - there are a few to choose from in the $1/pound range that are as good or better as the Ultra.

Actually, more than a few, but taking into account what is offered near you will noarrow it down.

Here's the review site again: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/



tirluc said:


> ahhh, but you see, this is not just "one quality brand" that i have tried w/ my dogs over the yrs....i have tried about 5 and i keep coming back to the P.O. and up foods....it has been proven to me (not by my judgement but by others telling me how great my dogs look and act) that this _is_ what they do best on.....so, i think i'll stay w/ it......
> 
> and, P.O.'s 1st ingredient is not it's lamb or chicken or turkey....meat, not by products....



I wasn't talking about you!



> Ingredients:
> Chicken, brewers rice, whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, poultry by-product meal, whole grain wheat, beef tallow preserved with mixedtocopherols...


Chicken, not chicken meal, so brewers rice (fragments, not even real rice) may be the actual main ingredient.

I would never recommend this food because for the price and amount required to feed, it doesn't make any sense with the premiums that are available to compare to.

However, it is not a crap food, imo, like everything else in the grocery aisle (besides Iams) and if it works for a dog better than any premiums tried, then that's great!


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## boon4376 (May 18, 2009)

tirluc said:


> and, P.O.'s 1st ingredient is not it's lamb or chicken or turkey....meat, not by products....


Its their #1 ingredient, its not the MAIN ingredient. Lamb is listed in its hydrated form.. And thus when hydrated it takes up about 80% (max) of the product volume. However it isnt hydrated in your dogs food, its dehydrated when packaged, and shrinks down to around 20% at most considering its ~70% moisture.

If lamb meal was listed as the second ingredient, that would be great, That would mean a significant portion of the food is dehydrated lamb. Lamb meal is the dehydrated processed form of lamb, and thus, its position on the ingredients list is true. Plain listed Lamb is a switch tactic, and when its actually processed and dehydrated, it's mass shrinks considerably, and it moves much further down the list.

Poultry byproduct meal is in spot 4. We can imagine Lamb when dehydrated would shift down to position around 4th or 5th, So your food has at least as much poultry by-product as it has of lamb, probably less lamb. Not trying to be mean, this is how sketchy dog food lables are.

... Which means purina one is basically rice and corn with 20% lamb and 20% poultry byproduct. (probably less meat)



Purina Website said:


> Lamb (natural source of glucosamine), brewers rice, corn gluten meal, whole grain corn, poultry by-product meal (natural source of glucosamine), oat meal, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), lamb meal, animal digest,



Compared to solid gold, where the the lamb would shrink down and move to 4th or 5th on the list, but lamb meal is listed second in its dehydrated form, showing that there is a considerable amount of lamb for high quality protein. Millet rice brand and oatmeal are very nutritious grains. (I've emailed solid gold and in this particular list, ocean fish is actually menhaden herring, another excellent source of high quality protein and omega-3)


> Lamb | Lamb Meal | Brown Rice | Cracked Pearled Barley | Millet | Rice Bran | Oatmeal | Ocean Fish Meal | Canola Oil | Tomato Pomace | Flaxseed | Natural Flavor | Salmon Oil (source of DHA)


Anyways, my point here isnt to bash on Purina one, if it works for your dog that's great don't feel bad, but dog food lables can be misleading and that was the point of the post.


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## ownedbypups2010 (May 29, 2009)

since i have had Thunder ( my GSD/lab mix) we too have gone thru many foods from the TOP OF THE LINE to the bottom of the rung, and finally we have found that Purina One sensitive systems is the best... why? you ask, because after he has been thru being sick, stomach problems and the like ( mainly with Pedigree and Science diet), when we put him on ( and have since had him on) i get nothing but complments of how is fur shines, his eyes are clear and his whole look is great!! between him and Cinni ( she is the lab/whippet mix) they go thru about 16 lbs per week: so the break down:

2 dogs free feed with Purnia One= 10.68 per bag x 2= $22.00 or so ( this varies per season, winter months they eat less and summer they eat more. so for a month for *just kibble=about 80-100* depending on energy level and such..

they also get home made meals ( steaks, chicken fish fruits veggies) IDC what others say, my vet has given me the go ahead and i have not had one complaint, like other posters, what works for one dog is not always best for others. 

they also get treats ( fast food) and little tastes of what we have for meals and such, they do great, no problems.

so, my vote would be for Purnia One from here on out


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## RonE (Feb 3, 2007)

Is there anything in the world as futile as arguing about dog foods?

I'm far more concerned about the dogs who get little or nothing to eat or have had their last 100-or-so meals in a tiny chain link kennel in a shelter.

The mid-range commercial foods that are on the grocery shelves are so much better than anything we fed our dogs 50 years ago yet, somehow most of them lived long, active lives.

How many of us here read the labels on the things we, ourselves, are eating?


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

RonE said:


> How many of us here read the labels on the things we, ourselves, are eating?


Haha, not many. 

But humans eat so many different foods every day, and dogs eat the same thing day in and day out. I definitely recommend rotating foods, no matter what you feed.

For the OP---I think Chicken Soup is a really good food at a really good price, though I suppose that depends on where you get it. For me it's not much more expensive than Purina ONE (Chicken Soup is $32.99 for 35 pounds---94¢ per pound, Purina ONE is $37.99 for 44 pounds----86¢ a pound). Although I do think the higher-end Purina foods are decent. Diamond Naturals is another good brand, and very affordable (for me, 25.99 for 40 pounds---65¢ a pound, it's what I go to when $$ is tight). Kirkland is the same as DN if you have a CostCo membership.


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## LoveMyBirdDog (Apr 3, 2009)

Thanks to everyone that gave helpful advice. After doing a lot of research, I think I've decided to try Chicken Soup. According to Dog Food Analysis it is considered a 5 star food. The Nutro Ultra I have been feeding my dog was only ranked 3 stars which really surprised me. Chicken Soup also seems to run about $10 cheaper per 35lb bag.

My local Feed and Seed supplies it. I'll probably go get a bag towards the end of the week and begin switching my pup over by the weekend. I'll keep everyone up to date on how the transition goes. My dog is so obsessed with food I think he'd eat a bowl of dirt if I put it in front of him. So I doubt taste will be an issue. 

Thanks again.


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## ownedbypups2010 (May 29, 2009)

RonE said:


> Is there anything in the world as futile as arguing about dog foods?
> 
> I'm far more concerned about the dogs who get little or nothing to eat or have had their last 100-or-so meals in a tiny chain link kennel in a shelter.
> 
> ...


you have great point.. my mom was raised on a farm waaaayyy back when, and all her animals got table scraps, basically whatever the humans ate, yep, you guessed it, they ate too.  and all those animals live longer than today's dogs, that is why our family feeds table scraps and kibble, and they do great.
i also agree that more people are concerned for their dogs health and what THEY EAT ( which is FINE), and less of what they are putting in their own stomachs. which leads me to believe that when these dogs are growing old and gray, who will be around to care for them? when we are cramming so much crap in our systems oursleves.

as for me, we donate food ( even the kinds that are "NOT" 5 star) to the humane society every month. and those dogs are just fine ! 

i think what it comes down to is not who has "5" stars and following the crowd, but, more with what works for our dogs, FYI switching your dogs food too much will cause more problems in the long run than just sticking with one food all together


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

ownedbypups2010 said:


> FYI switching your dogs food too much will cause more problems in the long run than just sticking with one food all together


Actually, many people disagree with that. I change my dogs' food all the time and they do better with that than if I stayed with one food. Here's a clicky with more info: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/how-often-should-i-change-foods.html


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## Donna5503 (Mar 13, 2009)

Hi...I feed my guy Blue Buffalo...at PetSmart a 15lb Bag costs $26.00....my dog is 53 lbs and for his weight he should eat 2 Cups per day. 

I feed him 1 Cup per day...with 2 pieces of Chicken Thigh (Skinless & deboned) and 1/4 Cup of Veggies (Peas, Carrots, String Beans) per day.

I stock up on Chicken when it goes on sale---I also give him Boiled Sweet Potatoes. (1/2 per meal)

He's doing great and with the Blue Buffalo he's getting enough vitamins and he's shedding less and his coat is very shiny.

Adding these human foods to the Blue Buffalo is actually very in-expensive if you do your shopping right.


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## ownedbypups2010 (May 29, 2009)

Willowy said:


> Actually, many people disagree with that. I change my dogs' food all the time and they do better with that than if I stayed with one food. Here's a clicky with more info: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/how-often-should-i-change-foods.html


and i respect that you do, and many people with disagree, but, many people also agree.. i did read your clicky and it said you could *occasionally*, which is fine for some people, but doing it all the time can, in the long run cause internal problems with digestion. i, for one, have one of those dogs that has a very sensitive system, so, for me, changing diets, even occasionally, is not a good thing, i would suggest talking with a vet that would be able to to help anyone with that. 

remember all dogs are different .. and althou this may a puppy forum, In my most humble opinion, things such as food and health should always be referred to a vet, as we do not know the whole situation of the dog


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

ownedbypups2010 said:


> things such as food and health should always be referred to a vet, as we do not know the whole situation of the dog


Most vets don't know much about nutrition. Most vets push Science Diet. My vet says anything made by Purina or Diamond is A-OK (and both make some really decent foods, and both make some really BAD foods). I dunno....health issues, yes, but I don't take nutritional advice from vets. 

The link recommends rotating every 3 months, or with every bag if your dog isn't too sensitive. My dog Toby used to have a very sensitive stomach, but now that I rotate, he has an iron gut.


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## ownedbypups2010 (May 29, 2009)

Willowy said:


> Most vets don't know much about nutrition. Most vets push Science Diet. My vet says anything made by Purina or Diamond is A-OK (and both make some really decent foods, and both make some really BAD foods). I dunno....health issues, yes, but I don't take nutritional advice from vets.
> 
> The link recommends rotating every 3 months, or with every bag if your dog isn't too sensitive. My dog Toby used to have a very sensitive stomach, but now that I rotate, he has an iron gut.


and while i respect your choice, i prefer to stand by my vet, they never recommend Science Diet, unless it was the only thing that a dog would eat or need. most vets here in the utah area are very good at recommending what is best for dogs/cats/birds etc, and i would trust what vet would say over any person i knew.. now, the reason i joined a pet forum was simply to get to see what others did with their dogs ( for toys,advise on things in life and some things to do with my dogs), but, all this is IMO. 

i would never ever rotate food with my dog as i already know what that can do in the long run. i do, however, feed a HUGE variety of human foods, but, stick with the same kibble, because i know my dog.

the reason i said seek a vets advise, is because, with the internet, ALOT of info can be misleading to people who are new to the pet world, or, some kid says "mom/dad, i read online somewhere that it is OK to ______ ( fill in blank here) and they go to do it and the animal suffers from the mis information from that. ( i have seen this happen on a few other sites. 

because NONE of us are registered vets, and experience is way different then vet knowledge, i just do not want people visiting the site for the first time to get the idea that what is said here is A-OK!


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## shortstack (Jun 1, 2009)

OKay hate to interupt the arguing..lol.. But if you are feeding nutro ultra have you thought about switching to nutro max? I used to feed Ultra- then my store ran out and we were like you trying to save some money.. my vet suggested just plain nutro, but really that "ultra holistic: was a bit better IHO... Eitehr way I could get a 42 lb bag of regular nutro for less than the 35 lbs bag of Ultra..its cheaper and relatively the same ingredients.. The kirkland brand is also very similar for a fraction of the price, i unfortunatley had a problem buying my dog food from anywhere other than a pet/pr farm store... but others don't... Either way it would appear that you got several options.. Hope you find one that works for your pup and your budget


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## Love's_Sophie (Sep 23, 2007)

jencam said:


> Now I will get on to someone for feeling ole roy because I don't think they should have a pet if they are going to be that cheap - that's like feeding a kid cheetoes all the time.....and I will point out that buying grocery store food like plain Purina or Alpo is not really saving anything....
> QUOTE]
> 
> Before there were premium diets, all there was were 'cheap' diets, like Ol' Roy, Pedigree, etc...Many dogs thrived many many years on these foods.
> ...


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## LoveMyBirdDog (Apr 3, 2009)

Okay guys. I just bought a 35lb bag of Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lover's Soul for $32.99. That is less than $1 a pound. I really hope this food works out for us. It is less expensive than Purina One and seems to be a better quality. (from what I've read).

BirdDog


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## philovance (Jan 7, 2009)

LoveMyBirdDog said:


> Okay guys. I just bought a 35lb bag of Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lover's Soul for $32.99. That is less than $1 a pound. I really hope this food works out for us. It is less expensive than Purina One and seems to be a better quality. (from what I've read).
> 
> BirdDog


I hope it works out and you will let us know. Chicken Soup and Taste of the Wild are both very well priced multi protein source foods that enjoy a well deserved following. And yet, Diamond who manufactures and probably markets both brands is considered "something less than" first rate. 

Kibble confuses me. That's why I'm glad this little dog only needs 1/4 cup a day if'n he gets something else good.


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## robotcrankit (Aug 21, 2008)

shortstack said:


> OKay hate to interupt the arguing..lol.. But if you are feeding nutro ultra have you thought about switching to nutro max? I used to feed Ultra- then my store ran out and we were like you trying to save some money.. my vet suggested just plain nutro, but really that "ultra holistic: was a bit better IHO... Eitehr way I could get a 42 lb bag of regular nutro for less than the 35 lbs bag of Ultra..its cheaper and relatively the same ingredients.. The kirkland brand is also very similar for a fraction of the price, i unfortunatley had a problem buying my dog food from anywhere other than a pet/pr farm store... but others don't... Either way it would appear that you got several options.. Hope you find one that works for your pup and your budget


I would have to disagree with this. The Nutro Max is much lesser in quality than Ultra (I don't like either, personally...but I would feed Nutro Ultra if I didn't work at a feed store and have access to cheap super premiums stuff).

Nutro Ultra is much more meat based and doesn't contain corn or wheat for protein.

Nutro Max Puppy:
Chicken Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Wheat Flour, Rice Bran, Ground Rice, Poultry Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E)

Nutro Ultra Puppy:
Chicken meal, brown rice, rice bran, lamb meal, poultry fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, natural source of linoleic acid)

And I think Chicken Soup is a good choice. We don't sell this at the feed store I work at, but Petsmart does...if people are looking for cheap food but don't want to throw quality to the curb, I usually wait until my manager isn't listening and then refer them over to Petsmart for the Chicken Soup food....let us know how your puppy does on it.


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## LoveMyBirdDog (Apr 3, 2009)

Hey everyone. I'm on day 2 1/2 on my transition to Chicken Soup. Already noticing less eye boogers.

My pup had been having the WORST eye boogers ever.. When he woke up this morning he had none! Compared to his usual BIG boogers. 

I'm transitioning the food slowly. He is having some loose stools, but I was expecting that. No diarrhea though.


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## Love's_Sophie (Sep 23, 2007)

Cool! I hope the CS works well for you. My dogs love it, and do fabulously well on it


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## wolfsnaps (Apr 27, 2007)

Love's_Sophie said:


> jencam said:
> 
> 
> > Now I will get on to someone for feeling ole roy because I don't think they should have a pet if they are going to be that cheap - that's like feeding a kid cheetoes all the time.....and I will point out that buying grocery store food like plain Purina or Alpo is not really saving anything....
> ...


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## txcollies (Oct 23, 2007)

wolfsnaps said:


> Love's_Sophie said:
> 
> 
> > I would reword that. They survive on it, they don't thrive on it.
> ...


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## Reacher (Jun 3, 2009)

Ok, editing this post since I didn't read this whole post. Here are a couple of options if the CS doesn't work out, but I bet you will do just fine on it.

*Natures Recipe* seems to be one of the best quality food you can get at a Petsmart/Petco but it is far from the most expensive. It was $35.99 for the 40lb bag if I remember right. (about .89 per lb)

I actually found Taste of the Wild at a local feed store for $38.50 for the 30lb bag. (about 1.28 per lb) It's not as cheap as Natures Recipe, but it's grain free and it's just not that much more that I mind.

Again, just giving a little info. Keep us posted on how he does with CS. I noticed some small eye boogers on my dog. I just started him on ToTW today so I will see how he does.


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## LoveMyBirdDog (Apr 3, 2009)

So far Scout really likes the food. He gobbles it down just as fast as he would gobble down his Nutro. His stools in the morning are solid. They get looser as the day goes on. I expect them to firm up eventually. So far so good. I'm sure it will take a while to notice any major changes if they are to occur.


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## Reacher (Jun 3, 2009)

LoveMyBirdDog said:


> So far Scout really likes the food. He gobbles it down just as fast as he would gobble down his Nutro. His stools in the morning are solid. They get looser as the day goes on. I expect them to firm up eventually. So far so good. I'm sure it will take a while to notice any major changes if they are to occur.


My dog seems to have the same thing going in that he has a solid stool in the morning and it loosens during the day. I wonder if the stool in the morning has the longest time to process during low activity times at night while the rest of the stools move through faster due to activity or stimulation. 

Just a thought.


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## tefobuch (Jun 7, 2009)

This is definitely a touchy subject. 

My dog's on Solid Gold right now which he loves, and it's a good food also. I have to feed him grain free and chickenless cos of his allergies... but it sure isn't cheap!!! 

I love my baby so much I'd rather go with less myself rather than compromise on my doggies health but it does get tough in these times and I'm also looking for something a bit cheaper.

This is a pretty good site with lots of good info. http://www.dogfoodscoop.com
I printed out their dog food comparison chart and took it to my pet store so at least i could only look at the better quality foods and price all of them. It was really helpful. And also used it to look for online specials.

I also make the bag last longer by supplementing with homemade food. Yea, I've got a very spoilt doggie 

I'd be careful of Nutro right now, there's stuff about them being under investigation and then they recalled some cat food. So who knows? I wouldn't risk it myself.

Good luck with the CS, at least you're still feeding your pup a good quality food.


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## LoveMyBirdDog (Apr 3, 2009)

So Scout has been on Chicken Soup Puppy formula for a month. He is doing really good. Stools are solid. Coat looks nice and soft. Still have problems with gas. I try to give him yogurt every day but I forget sometimes.. It isn't unbearable but I do think the gas has increased since being on Nutro Ultra. His stools are much firmer and darker than when he was on Ultra though. So I'm really happy about that.


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## Ludo the Monster (Jul 1, 2009)

I just switched Ludo over to Diamond Naturals Large Dog Adult Lamb and Rice formula. I really wanted him on Before Grain but being unemployed every dollar counts and I just cannot afford it (and no, I am not keeping luxuries for myself I pay rent, the internet and my electric bill and basic groceries so don't give me that line). I am hoping this works out. Our local breeder suggested that switching might even help with his yeast infections in his ears (started when he switched to Iams). 

Fingers crossed.


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## belgianluver (Jul 11, 2009)

We are in the same boat. We have started feeding Diamond Naturals. Those formulas have no corn, no wheat, no soy or by-products, and real meat is the first ingrediant.(surprising, to me being diamond). It runs about $25 for a 40 lb bag. We were feeding Solid Gold, and the ingrediant list is surprisingly similar! Make sure though its the Naturals formula, because the other formulas have all the corn, and junk.


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## Ludo the Monster (Jul 1, 2009)

I had always been wary of Diamond before because it was so inexpensive. But when they store owner told me about Naturals and that it had no corn wheat or soy and was only $26 for 40lbs (oddly it was $20 for 20lbs...) I was sold. I would like more meat in the top ingrediants, but I tend to supplement his meat intake anyway (I buy bulk chicken breasts and cook them up for him) and will continue after he loses some lbs.


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## jcrattigan6557 (Jul 10, 2009)

Diamond is a good brand and its cheaper too. I would suggest that you try that instead.


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## jacobs454 (Apr 26, 2009)

I agree with TXCOLLIES. I don't disagree that the premium dog foods talked about in this thread are great stuff, but in keeping with the theme of this post (good food for tough times), cost does matter. I've had three GSD's that I fed the cheap stuff (one of you guys referred to it as "crap-carcass") from Tractor Supply and they all lived happily ever after. I'm currently feeding mine Dog Chow from Tractor Supply (44lb bag) and she woof's it right down. She's only 6 months old, but since the Dog Chow costs less than Puppy Chow, that's what I feed her, and that's what she eats, and she loves it.

Sometimes I'll buy her a bag of Diamond when its on sale, but thats it. I'm not a cheapskate, but if it comes down to ME and my FAMILY eating cheap or my DOG eating cheap, it's gonna be the dog. That's not selfish, its just the way it works. IF I was going to buy a premium dog food, it would be the bison-based food. The guy I bought my last dog from said that's what he feeds his (makes the offspring worth more $$). So yes, you're dog will prolly live longer on the premium stuff (like a car runs better on premium gas), but when the financial times get tough, you can make it on "regular-grade."

On a lighter note, (JOKE ALERT!) What does a buffalo tell his son when he leaves for college? "BI-SON"


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## luvntzus (Mar 16, 2007)

My suggestion was going to be Chicken Soup and then as I read through this thread I saw that's what you chose. It's my first choice for a holistic, reasonably priced food. It's what my best friend's dog has been eating for the past couple of years and he's in great condition. She was feeding Nutro Natural Choice and his coat and overall health improved after she switched.


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## Missie2007 (Mar 13, 2007)

luvntzus said:


> My suggestion was going to be Chicken Soup and then as I read through this thread I saw that's what you chose. It's my first choice for a holistic, reasonably priced food. It's what my best friend's dog has been eating for the past couple of years and he's in great condition. She was feeding Nutro Natural Choice and his coat and overall health improved after she switched.


Chicken Soup is an EXCELLENT choice. I don't care that Diamond makes it, the stuff is just SOLID, TERRIFIC quality dog food. Nearly EVERY site that has customer reviews is FILLED with page after page of testimonals on how good this brand really is....and when compared to so-called "premium" foods you find in the grocery aisle, it's a no-brainer for sure. I really think you'll save some money, both in feeding costs and vet bills if you stick with this for a while.


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## Dogluvr (Feb 14, 2008)

I'm glad to hear Chicken Soup is working out well for you.  I think it's a very nice kibble, esp for the price, and I hope he continues to do well on it! Now if I could only find a way to get rid of the eye boogers.


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## shortstack (Jun 1, 2009)

robotcrankit said:


> I would have to disagree with this. The Nutro Max is much lesser in quality than Ultra (I don't like either, personally...but I would feed Nutro Ultra if I didn't work at a feed store and have access to cheap super premiums stuff).
> 
> Nutro Ultra is much more meat based and doesn't contain corn or wheat for protein.
> 
> ...



hey just wanted to respond.. I was going off what my vet had told me.. since doing my own research i will continue to feed raw (i made the switch sometime in may) and would never ever recomend nutro to anyone agian.. 
I will admit i was a prime example of someone who just listened to their vet. not anymore.. so i would like to retract that statement!


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## tefobuch (Jun 7, 2009)

LOL, Shortstack!!!

I was looking for the "pat on the back" or the "round of applause" emoticon, but there isn't one.  (Vets really do need some more education in dog diet)

Anyhow, good for you, that's great news. I wish I could try the raw diet but my little guy is totally disenchanted by anything raw. Hmmmmmph!


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