# I am furious!!!!!



## Vanubo

I'm really pissed off (I'm sorry for venting here, I just need help) My dad and I were talking about the dog I'm bringing home tommorow, and he said, "Lets go to the DOLLAR STORE and get dog food!" And I got rather mad at him and it took me and my mom to convince him to get quality. So I said "The more expensive the dog food is the, the cheaper vet vists (in terms of bad health) And he said, "Costco doesn't have bad food, we'll get it from there"

So I looked it up and found Kirkland being an OK quality (Not bad but not the best) Is there any "cheaper" HIGH QUALITY DOG FOOD? I was just ready to feed it Blue Buffalo and my dad butts in and says "$30 a bag?! are you kidding me!?" 

Right now, the breeder feeds the dog PURINA Puppy Chow, and I know how bad Purina is so I'm going to change the diet asap (over 2 weeks of course) 

SOO, My main question is, What is good dog food from costco?

THANK YOU!


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## dmickle1

Nature's Domain, a Costco brand, is actually comparable to Blue Buffalo on the dog food review site I use. I just switched to it from Blue and my dogs really seem to like it. Loki began eating it straight out of the bag right after I opened it, which he never did with Blue. 

Here's the review: Nature's Domain

ETA: And Nature's Domain was $34.99 for a 34 lb bag, whereas Blue Buffalo around here is $48.99 for a 34 lb bag. 

I'm glad you understand how important it is to feed a decent food


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## Trillian

Really when you think of it a different way: Not only will it help cut down on medical expensis. But in a lot of dogs a bag of 30 dollar food lasts longer then a bag of cheap food because it has more stuff and less fluff.

Most foods that have the first 1-3 ingredients a MEAT (not meat meal etc) are relativly good. Stay away from corn based foods and foods with en exses of fillers. I can't recommend a specific brand that is QUALITY but cheap...

If you dad is freaking out now...I spend 100+ dollars a MONTH on dog food...

[Quote removed by moderator]

That weird...around here Blue is cheaper then TOTW and Canidae.


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## dmickle1

Trillian said:


> If you dad is freaking out now...I spend 100+ dollars a MONTH on dog food...


Sheesh, how do you manage that with three dogs?! Feeding Blue Buffalo, I was close to $200 a month with just the two monsters I have!

ETA: And Trillian, it's super weird how variant prices are in different areas! In another thread about dog food, we were all quoting prices from our local stores and they all varied! I wonder what causes the differences? Just shipping costs, popularity of the product, or what?


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## Willowy

Kirkland is fine, and cheap enough to pacify dads who don't want to spend a lot of money on dog food. It's probably the cheapest decent food you could find. If you can get him to buy it, Nature's Domain would be better.


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## dmickle1

The Blue Buffalo Fish formula is $46.99 for 34 lbs and the lamb is $48.99 for 34 lbs around here, with slight changes by store. By slight, I mean a $2 difference.

Acana would cost me $65 a bag. Orijen is $74 a bag.


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## Trillian

My dogs don't eat a ton, they're free fed but it's amazing to me really, I also work at Petsmart and get AMAZING discounts. ATM we're feeding a mixture Avoderm, Buffalo Blue and Nourish. We plan on switching out from BB to something else as good or better but haven't found it yet.


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## lisak_87

I feel like I must not feed Brady enough cus I think we're going through like 2-3 small bags of Wellness + 5 cans of Blue Buffalo every month...so what's that...maybe $40-50?

ETA: although he's only like 40 pounds...so I guess he's not a monster-sized dog


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## dmickle1

Trillian said:


> My dogs don't eat a ton, they're free fed but it's amazing to me really, I also work at Petsmart and get AMAZING discounts. ATM we're feeding a mixture Avoderm, Buffalo Blue and Nourish. We plan on switching out from BB to something else as good or better but haven't found it yet.


Ahh, ok. That makes sense, then  My dad had his dogs on Avoderm for a while and really liked it, but then the store he was getting it from stopped stocking it, so he switched to Nature's Domain with me.



lisak_87 said:


> I feel like I must not feed Brady enough cus I think we're going through like 2-3 small bags of Wellness + 5 cans of Blue Buffalo every month...so what's that...maybe $40-50?
> 
> ETA: although he's only like 40 pounds...so I guess he's not a monster-sized dog


Haha, yeah, you're definitely feeding him enough! I'm feeding 240 lbs of dog and if I don't give them enough, they're actually physically capable of killing and eating me


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## Trillian

lisak_87 said:


> I feel like I must not feed Brady enough cus I think we're going through like 2-3 small bags of Wellness + 5 cans of Blue Buffalo every month...so what's that...maybe $40-50?
> 
> ETA: although he's only like 40 pounds...so I guess he's not a monster-sized dog


I wouldn't be too worried, if he looks a good weight, then he is


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## Vanubo

Thanks guys, I'll give it a go! 

However,I can't seem to find Natures Domain on the Costo site? Do they still sell it?


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## lisak_87

Course he also keeps getting exploding poos and then has to eat boiled chicken and rice for a few days


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## dmickle1

Vanubo said:


> Thanks guys, I'll give it a go!
> 
> However,I can't seem to find Natures Domain on the Costo site? Do they still sell it?


Yeah, I couldn't find it online either, but it was there when I went to Costco last Sunday. The fish flavor bag is blue and the turkey is red.


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## Vanubo

Awesome! 

So I'm guessing a 35lb bag would last a 10 week old for about 4-5 months? Idk This is my first dog haha


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## dmickle1

Vanubo said:


> Awesome!
> 
> So I'm guessing a 35lb bag would last a 10 week old for about 4-5 months? Idk This is my first dog haha


Depends upon the breed of your new dog


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## Vanubo

Shih Tzu


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## dmickle1

Vanubo said:


> Shih Tzu


Then the Nature's Domain may not work for you. The kibbles will be too large for a 10 week old Shih Tzu. 

Sorry we're back to square one  Talk to your parents about Blue Buffalo, explain the fact that your puppy needs to eat small kibbles and that feeding a terrible dog food is like feeding a child McDonald's every day. Generally, when you explain it that way, even "non-dog" people can understand where you're coming from.


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## Vanubo

Aww 
Do you know if it would help to crush the kibble in half? I can ask though...


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## dmickle1

Vanubo said:


> Aww
> Do you know if it would help to crush the kibble in half? I can ask though...


You could maybe do that, but it sounds like quite a pain in the butt! Also, small breed foods have slightly different ingredients than large breed. You wouldn't think it, but your Shih Tzu puppy actually needs more calcium to promote bone growth than a Great Dane puppy would. Small dogs need good nutrition in order to aid them with strong bone growth and better dental health.


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## Vanubo

I see, Thank you! 

In that case, what brand is good for puppies that's still cheap but GOOD quality?


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## JulieK1967

dmickle1 said:


> Then the Nature's Domain may not work for you. *The kibbles will be too large for a 10 week old Shih Tzu. *
> 
> Sorry we're back to square one  Talk to your parents about Blue Buffalo, explain the fact that your puppy needs to eat small kibbles and that feeding a terrible dog food is like feeding a child McDonald's every day. Generally, when you explain it that way, even "non-dog" people can understand where you're coming from.


I encountered this problem with TOTW and my small puppy. Her mouth is still too small for the full size kibble so I chop it up for her. I found that's better than soaking because it swells too much when wet and becomes too much food for her stomach. She doing really well since switching to TOTW & since she's only eating a cup a day, it doesn't take long to chop it up to manageable sized bits for her. Just wanted to mention that as an option for your Shih Tzu. I LOVE that breed, btw. I had one many years ago & they're wonderful dogs. Can't wait to see pics!


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## dmickle1

I recommend browsing the 4-star section of this site: Dog Food Advisor

Write down a few brands you like, go to a few stores and price match them. Different areas have way different prices, as we've discovered in this thread, so we can't necessarily tell you which one will be the cheapest! Also, you can google search for Tractor Supply Co., which has decent foods, and also try a few google searches for wholesale pet stores in your area, which may be cheaper.


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## Willowy

Diamond Naturals would be the cheapest decent food not found at CostCo. They have a small-breed puppy formula, so the kibbles wouldn't be too big. You can run the store locator to see if any place near you has it: http://www.diamondpet.com/products/diamond_naturals/puppies/dry_food/small_breed_puppy_formula/

Kirkland is basically the same as Diamond Naturals. Do they have different formulas or just one? (sorry, I don't have a CostCo near me!)


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## xxxxdogdragoness

dmickle1 said:


> Ahh, ok. That makes sense, then  My dad had his dogs on Avoderm for a while and really liked it, but then the store he was getting it from stopped stocking it, so he switched to Nature's Domain with me.
> 
> 
> 
> Haha, yeah, you're definitely feeding him enough! I'm feeding 240 lbs of dog and if I don't give them enough, they're actually physically capable of killing and eating me


Heh hehehe dont you love being a member of the "food dispensing slave squad"? .

My folks switched to TOTW with me & they love it, all of our dogs have never looked better


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## Vanubo

How about Canidae? I've heard its really good... And does anyone know how much?


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## Sendiulino

Vanubo said:


> Aww
> Do you know if it would help to crush the kibble in half? I can ask though...


Maybe... But it would take an awfully long time to crush up all of the meals don't you think? 

We fed Sam Blue Buffalo Puppy Small Breed (she's a miniature Eskie) when she was 10 weeks, but my husband accidentally brought home Blue Buffalo Puppy (not Small Breed) a few weeks ago (when she was 14 or 15 weeks, she's 17 weeks now). Wasn't sure how it would work out but I didn't wanna waste it since it was already opened by the time I realized it, so I fed it to her. She ended up being able to eat it without a problem. I found the kibble difference between Small Breed and the regular puppy food in Blue Buffalo to be noticeable but not insurmountable. Might not be that way with all dog food.

We never buy it in the big bags, we buy it in 6-lbs bags. I'd recommend putting this out there as an option because sometimes the lower price is all people see. Even though there's significantly less food obviously and it will last less time, people see the lower cost and think "That's not so bad". Just a thought.


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## Willowy

Vanubo said:


> How about Canidae? I've heard its really good... And does anyone know how much?


Canidae is good, and not overly expensive (but not cheap either, but it can be sort of hard to find. You can run their store locator to see if any dealers are in your area. It costs around $42-ish for a 35-pound bag at my feed store (not that I'd recommend buying the big bag for one Shih Tzu. It would go rancid before you could use it all. But that's the size I buy so I never even look at the small bags).


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## GottaLuvMutts

lisak_87 said:


> I feel like I must not feed Brady enough cus I think we're going through like 2-3 small bags of Wellness + 5 cans of Blue Buffalo every month...so what's that...maybe $40-50?
> 
> ETA: although he's only like 40 pounds...so I guess he's not a monster-sized dog


Sounds pricey to me. I pay around $18/month for top quality kibble for Kit, and she's right around 40lbs, too.


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## Willowy

If you buy the small bags, you're essentially paying twice as much per pound for the same food. I guess it can't be helped if you have only one small dog (although you could split the bag with friends/family if they're willing), but if you have a large dog buying the big bag is always a better deal.

I haven't added it up recently, but I think I only spend about $60-$70 on dog food every month. And that's for 3 large dogs.


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## LoMD13

They don't sell the 5 lb bags here, so I always get the 15 lb bags. It costs me about 15-20 dollars and lasts for about 3 months (And that's with using it as treats and sharing when friend's dogs are visiting)


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## Porphyria

I haven't fed it, so I don't know about kibble size, but Merrick's bargain brand Whole Earth Farms looks like it has really good ingredients and it is reasonably priced. It's available at most Petcos.


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## The_Monstors

Vanubo- what city are you in? I ask so I can point you to food that is stocked in your city.


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## lisak_87

GottaLuvMutts said:


> Sounds pricey to me. I pay around $18/month for top quality kibble for Kit, and she's right around 40lbs, too.


I'm guesstimating that price...and that quantity..lol


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## cshellenberger

Actually the Kirkland is one of the highest scoring dog foods out there, they have a puppy formula that's everything you could want as long as your dog doesn't need a specailized diet.


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## lucidity

If the kibble is too big you don't have to cut it up; I used to wet Cadence's kibble down until he was about 4 months old. Just add warm water to the kibble and let stand for 10 mins. It should get soft enough for the pup to eat.


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## HerdersForMe

Vanubo said:


> I'm really pissed off (I'm sorry for venting here, I just need help) My dad and I were talking about the dog I'm bringing home tommorow, and he said, "Lets go to the DOLLAR STORE and get dog food!" And I got rather mad at him and it took me and my mom to convince him to get quality. So I said "The more expensive the dog food is the, the cheaper vet vists (in terms of bad health) And he said, "Costco doesn't have bad food, we'll get it from there"
> 
> So I looked it up and found Kirkland being an OK quality (Not bad but not the best) Is there any "cheaper" HIGH QUALITY DOG FOOD? I was just ready to feed it Blue Buffalo and my dad butts in and says "$30 a bag?! are you kidding me!?"
> 
> Right now, the breeder feeds the dog PURINA Puppy Chow, and I know how bad Purina is so I'm going to change the diet asap (over 2 weeks of course)
> 
> SOO, My main question is, What is good dog food from costco?
> 
> THANK YOU!


What kind of breeder feeds that crap do puppies? I was just curious so I looked up the first five ingredients in Purina Puppy Chow:

Whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, brewers rice, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols

My 14 week old collie would have to eat 5 cups a day of that to equal the 3 cups of TOTW she gets now. Point this out to your dad.


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## dagwall

GottaLuvMutts said:


> Sounds pricey to me. I pay around $18/month for top quality kibble for Kit, and she's right around 40lbs, too.


I just switched to Nature's select a few months ago who deliver a 50# bag to my home for right around $57. I'm maybe 2/3rds of the way through it now so I'm definitely not paying anywhere close to $40 a month for my 53# guy. Even factoring in treats he's still under $40/month I'm sure.


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## Vanubo

The_Monstors said:


> Vanubo- what city are you in? I ask so I can point you to food that is stocked in your city.


Albuquerque, New Mexico 

And everyone else- THANK YOU SOO MUCH!!

I'm gonna try to choose from:

Blue Buffalo
Kirkland
Innova
Nature's Domain
Canidae

I've figured most are in ABQ.


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## Willowy

In any city of particular size, you should be able to find any brand. But how easily? That's the question. 

I don't think you can go wrong with any of those you listed.


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## Sendiulino

lucidity said:


> If the kibble is too big you don't have to cut it up; I used to wet Cadence's kibble down until he was about 4 months old. Just add warm water to the kibble and let stand for 10 mins. It should get soft enough for the pup to eat.


I don't recommend this on a regular basis for every meal. While it does depend on the dog, it can be hard to get them to switch back to eating dry, hard kibble if you start them out like this.


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## spotted nikes

Chicken soup for the puppy lover's soul is also a good food, and not expensive. Petsmart usually carries it. It's a 5 star food on dogfoodanalysis.com.

Nothing to "get furious" about though. I read you title and expected to see that someone had left a dog in a car with hot temps, or someone let their dog aggressive dog off leash and it attacked your's.
Most people aren't educated about dog food, and in these economic times, are looking to save money. You'll find plenty of things that are more important to get furious about as you get older.


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## Curbside Prophet

Quality food = quality of life, is only a concept. There's really no proof one way or the other, especially with dogs. I'm not suggesting you should cease from providing your dog the best, but if dad is concerned about the cost, there are things more important than providing a top rated dog food. You shouldn't feel like you're doing less for the dog by making that choice. I'm just saying.


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## HerdersForMe

Curbside Prophet said:


> Quality food = quality of life, is only a concept. There's really no proof one way or the other, especially with dogs. I'm not suggesting you should cease from providing your dog the best, but if dad is concerned about the cost, there are things more important than providing a top rated dog food. You shouldn't feel like you're doing less for the dog by making that choice. I'm just saying.


This is a good point. There are plenty of dogs who don't eat five star foods who are just as healthy, happy, and will live just as long as those that do. I'd say as long as the first ingredient is meat you're doing alright. 

Cost can be deceiving though. Some "expensive" foods are actually cheaper in the end because the dog needs less of it. Like the example I gave above, my puppy eats 3 cups of TOTW a day. She would likely need 5 to 6 cups of "Puppy chow" to be equivalent due to all the fillers. 

I guess my point is to make the most educated decision and that may not be the best or the most expensive product. If you make an educated decision you can still do good for your dog while staying within your budget.


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## InkedMarie

can you get your parents to read some of the threads here, on this forum? That might be helpful.


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## firehawk

Vanubo said:


> I know how bad Purina is so I'm going to change the diet asap (over 2 weeks of course)



Purina dog chow and puppy chow would not be my first choice for a dog, but back in the day, before there were dozens of choices, I raised 2 German Shepherds to 12 years and 13 years respectively on a diet of nothing more than those 2 products. Both were very healthy all their lives, with the exception of typical large breed arthritis and hip problems near the end. I also raised a pit/ridgeback mix to the age of 13 and a malamute/collie mix who is currently 12 on Purina One. 

Dogs can be healthy on less than the most expensive dog food. It just depends on the dog. 

Maybe your dad will let you contribute your own money to the cost of the dogfood you want to feed?


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## Louisexx

Well...what breed of dog do you have? About the brand, I like Innova, Pinnacle, taste of the wild, and Fromm


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## shellbeme

Honestly if you want good food on a budget, there is nothing wrong with the costco brand. I feed wellness but if cost were an issue I would not feel bad feeding kirkland. When you are payin the bills you can buy something more expensive but in the meanwhile don't feel bad at all for feeding the costco food.


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## Louisexx

shellbeme said:


> Honestly if you want good food on a budget, there is nothing wrong with the costco brand. I feed wellness but if cost were an issue I would not feel bad feeding kirkland. When you are payin the bills you can buy something more expensive but in the meanwhile don't feel bad at all for feeding the costco food.


 Right.. I agree. Pro plan is kind of safe in commercial dog foods. Better than Royal Canin and Pedigree.


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## Austinsmom

Because of a recent seperation, I have switched from Innova and Natural Balance to Costco's 
Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice and Vegetables and for my grain-free dogs Nature's Domain Salmon and Sweet potato.
Both are purchased at Costco. *Both contain no corn nor wheat.* 
When I switched(gradually), I was careful to watch for any changes in coat, energy and stool.
I am happy to report they look even better on the Kirkland and ND.

I always feed dry as I think it aids in cleaning teeth. For treats I give raw chicken backs and
raw marrow bones. My dogs range in weight from 45 - 60lbs. Most get one cup of food twice
a day. I have one high energy dog and he gets 1 1/2 cups twice a day. I never go by what 
the bag suggests for feeding, rather by what the dog needs. 

BTW the same company that makes Taste of the Wild makes Kirkland food.


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## cshellenberger

Louisexx said:


> Right.. I agree. Pro plan is kind of safe in commercial dog foods. Better than Royal Canin and Pedigree.


No, it's no better than either. It gets an "F" on the dog food score index due to the by-product, soy, wheat, corn and preservatives that are in it. If you have to go in that price range and don't have a Costco nearby, get Natures Recipe.


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## Louisexx

cshellenberger said:


> No, it's no better than either. It gets an "F" on the dog food score index due to the by-product, soy, wheat, corn and preservatives that are in it. If you have to go in that price range and don't have a Costco nearby, get Natures Recipe.


Really? I nevere fed Pro plan, Royal canin these conmmercial dog food before. I just saw many people bought pro plan in Petco..
So I thought maybe it's safe.

I only feed dog foods which are recommonded by WDJ. Such as Pinnacle, taste of the wild, Blue baffulo and Orijen


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## cshellenberger

Yes, and Kirkland is on WDJ as well, Natures recipe isn't but it gets a decent score on the Dog food scorer (I think it got like a 90% where Kirkland actually pulled a higher score that BB or Solid Gold Hundenflocken with a 110%)


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## HerdersForMe

Louisexx said:


> Really? I nevere fed Pro plan, Royal canin these conmmercial dog food before. I just saw many people bought pro plan in Petco..
> So I thought maybe it's safe.
> 
> I only feed dog foods which are recommonded by WDJ. Such as Pinnacle, taste of the wild, Blue baffulo and Orijen


Purina uses unknown meat by products and loads their food full of cheap grains with little nutritional value. Even their "higher" end foods like Pro Plan are guilty of this. Read the ingredients on Dog Chow if you really want to be disgusted.


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## Louisexx

HerdersForMe said:


> Purina uses unknown meat by products and loads their food full of cheap grains with little nutritional value. Even their "higher" end foods like Pro Plan are guilty of this. Read the ingredients on Dog Chow if you really want to be disgusted.


Yeah, I see some dog analyzes on WDJ magazines. Purina, Pedigree, and Beneful are kind of horrible dog food. 
I really hate animal fat..we don't know what are these made by. 
Dog chow..my friend feed his poodle this food. And..it has allergy on this food. 
In fact, I don't understand why so many people buy these cheap dog food. 
There is not so much difference on prices between royal cannin(commercial) and blue baffulo(natural) dog food.


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