# What do you feed your dogs?



## 101naturelover (Jul 31, 2012)

I am so confused right now. My vet said for me to feed my dog IAMS,Royal Canin, and preferably Science Diet-- so I bough RC. He's perfectly healthy, but as I ventured into the topic of "Best Dog Foods." it left me so lost. I want to feed my dog the best, and healthiest foods! But I just don't know what nutrition a dog needs to be healthy with.

I asked my vet about Blue Buffalo, and she quoted " Blue Buffalo is probably the worst dog foods out there! People say that corn gluten is bad for your dogs, saying that dogs are carnivores and need meat and all that-- but dogs are actually omnivores, and corn is good for, etc, etc, etc. Adding so much meat is WAY TOO MUCH protein!" 

I mean, I admit with the whole protein thing. (Apparently, too much protein can cause problems.) But I don't know what to feed him anymore! 

Could you guys list your current dog foods, and your overall impressions of it? Especially if you have an old dog/or had, and how long he lived for/ or how it changed his overall health.

That would be great, thank you!  
xoxo


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## Fade (Feb 24, 2012)

WoW I think you need a new vet honestly. Some vets are very old fashioned and only recommend what they have used for years. and won't look into anything new. but saying a dog needs corn that is a new one. Yes they need veggies but corn is hard to digest. even cattle have a difficult time digesting corn. Corn is just a filler. mostly it passes right through a dog. I mean honestly doesn't it pass right through people often too? The more stool the dog is producing means the less its absorbing from its food.

Blue Buffalo or Taste of the wild are both high quality good food.


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## Nil (Oct 25, 2007)

I like this website Dog Food Advisor. It lists foods in order of best (5 stars) to worse (1 star) and explains why they gave a rating they did. I think it is a good start to being introduced to dog nutrition. 

Currently, I am rotating through Orijen flavors. Taste of the Wild is a great food, Blue Buffalo is pretty good. I have fed Taste of The Wild, Blue Buffalo, Acana, Earthborn Holistic Primitive Natural, Wellness, and Solid Gold in the past. 

Dogs do well with higher protein in general (unless there is some underlying medical condition preventing this). Of course, every dog has preferences and tolerances too. I will easily and very enthusiastically give foods with 40%+ protein.

Edit to add: Dogs are omnivores because they can survive on a mix of meat and plants. However, most do better (coat, overall health, etc) with higher protein and their physiology (short intestinal tract, canines, carnassials) is adapted to processing meat (protein).


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## zhaor (Jul 2, 2009)

:doh:
I usually feel like people unfairly criticize a vet's opinions of nutrition but when you have vets like this out there...... :doh: :doh: :doh:

Next time ask your vet if she thinks the gray wolf is a omnivore, and if she thinks they eat too much protein.

Blue Buffalo isn't even particularly high in protein especially when compared to the diet of wild canids.


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## mrgoodkat (Oct 21, 2012)

I'm feeding home cooked. Angus with Noodles, Veggies, Fish, some Centrum etc. The same quality I'm eating myself. It comes out at about the same price per pound as dry food, but the dog gobbles it right up. Dogs need lots of meat, they aren't rabbits, even the ones with floppy ears


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## DirtyPaws (Oct 27, 2012)

Fade said:


> WoW I think you need a new vet honestly. Some vets are very old fashioned and only recommend what they have used for years. and won't look into anything new. but saying a dog needs corn that is a new one. Yes they need veggies but corn is hard to digest. even cattle have a difficult time digesting corn. Corn is just a filler. mostly it passes right through a dog. I mean honestly doesn't it pass right through people often too? The more stool the dog is producing means the less its absorbing from its food.
> 
> Blue Buffalo or Taste of the wild are both high quality good food.


Vets usually take the position they do regarding diet because most pet owners are not up to the task of designing an adequate diet on their own. Think about it. If I were a Vet and someone that can't even deal with impacted anal glands or doesn't know how to dose liquid ivermectin starts acting like a clininical nutritionist you ignore them politely.

Like the comment above, Corn does not just pass through a dog. Once it is ground and cooked, the average digestibility is about 93%. What you are talking about is the thin shell of corn, not the inside.


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## Miss Bugs (Jul 4, 2011)

Baby who has a million allergies eats PC salmon and potato grain free. I am very happy with it
Gem eats orijen 6 fish mixed with raw. She just has tummy issues if her staple diets not fish.
Everyone else eats raw except when they eat at work..in which case I rotate kibbles.

All my dogs are in fantastic shape. Happy is 12 and exept for bad arthritis in a hip she injured when she was young she is in perfect health and as limber as can be. Misty is 10 and so limber and young looking that people mistake her for a young puppy.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

With my dogs I have found the perfect combination (finally!!!) of 4Health and Wellness Super 5 Mix small breed .... It has taken me quite some time and tons of experimenting. The ingredients are good. There is no corn, wheat, or soy in these dog foods. The first four ingredients in each are good. Really not many red flags that I would personally consider that bad ... none of those questionable preservatives ... and the minerals are cheleated (which is good for helping with digestion) 

The dogs have great skin and coats. They have good energy and a sense of overall good health. Their poos are great.

I like that the protein to fat % ratios are 26/15 and 22/12 ... in the proper range for my small dogs (Schnauzer predispositions to pancreatitis) The price is right and the 4Health is a 4 star food and the Wellness is a 4 star food. 

I also add some cooked meats to their Kibble to be totally clear.  Every now and then I add something like Canadae or TOTW or another good food of interest to their diets and mix just a tad in with their regular food ..... for a change.


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## Salina (Sep 2, 2012)

since I am still not convinced, that all this grain free high protein food are the best (please don't hate me *lol*) I feed Fromm four star, grain inclusive and I am super happy with it. after trying Innova and Wellness, i finally found a food that works for both of my dogs.


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## zhaor (Jul 2, 2009)

DirtyPaws said:


> Like the comment above, Corn does not just pass through a dog. Once it is ground and cooked, the average digestibility is about 93%. What you are talking about is the thin shell of corn, not the inside.


Oh boy this again. Corn has to be processed to be digestible. Starch is highly digestible which makes up the majority of the digestibility of cooked, extruded corn. Not saying it's unreasonable but I'm curious where you actually got the number 93%.

For protein, there is simply no question that both digestibility and the amino acid profile of corn is vastly inferior to any animal source. It's on the lower end even for common sources of plant proteins in dog foods.

Corn gluten is much more protein than carbs.


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Max eats prey model raw, meat/bone/organs. He gets eye goobers if he has grains, nasty sticky fur if he doesn't get enough fat and was a 33 pound weakling on 22% protein kibble. His diet suits him perfectly!

You might print this article to show to your vet next time you visit.
http://www.iams.com/pet-health/dog-article/importance-of-animal-based-proteins-in-dog-foods


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## Jacksons Mom (Mar 12, 2010)

While your vet sounds pretty one-minded, I wouldn't totally disagree with her on not feeding Blue Buffalo. That's one of those foods I have heard SO many bad things about (in regards to GI issues, etc). My vet who is not pushy in regards to any food, but also sells Honest Kitchen, etc, told me she sees a lot of dogs come in with GI issues on BB. It's just one of those I see come up time and time again on forums too... I mean, it's certainly not the worst you could feed, I used to dogsit a Lab who did fabulous on it... 

My favorite foods currently are probably Fromm, Lotus, Precise, Go!/Now! and a few others. I like to check for foods that use their own manufacturing facility to produce their food, which is very few, but there's some other foods that don't that I think are trustworthy too.

I'm feeding Fromm now, I love them! It took me a few tries to get a formula that didn't give him soft stool, though, but I think maybe I wasn't giving it enough time. He is seeming to do the best on Chicken a la Veg and grain-free Game Bird. He's on his third bag of Fromm now and doing very well. I have to say, he has a shine to his coat like I haven't seen AS much before (even when he's dirty, he still looks shiny! hehe), and his muscle tone is much more noticeable to me, he's also had a ton of energy!


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## Miss Bugs (Jul 4, 2011)

I agree, I am not the biggest fan of BB, I have heard about a lot of quality control issues with them and one of my dogs kept getting UTI's on it, she had never had a UTI before or since lol.


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## DirtyPaws (Oct 27, 2012)

I only foods used, tested and developed in competition. I completely would stay away from foods where the name of the food and advertising is aimed at making you think your dog is a person and that the ingredients are what people eat. Also stay away from any food with Pea Protein, especially at a premium price like Fromm. Anything sold at Petco and Petsmart is likely made at multiple locations to cut down on shipping costs. Small brands are the best by far.


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## Salina (Sep 2, 2012)

DirtyPaws said:


> I only foods used, tested and developed in competition. I completely would stay away from foods where the name of the food and advertising is aimed at making you think your dog is a person and that the ingredients are what people eat. Also stay away from any food with Pea Protein, especially at a premium price like Fromm. Anything sold at Petco and Petsmart is likely made at multiple locations to cut down on shipping costs. Small brands are the best by far.


no pea protein in my fromm grain inclusive food...


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## Hallie (Nov 9, 2008)

Both of mine are on a rotational diet. That way if anything was ever wrong with a food my dogs would be okay, because they had only minimal exposure. Regardless of quality I don't think ANY food is 100% complete. People can't thrive one any one combination of foods, same goes for dogs. So I rotate, and my dogs are shiny, lean, and healthy.
Currently Hallie is eating Nutrisca, and Axel is finishing up his bag of Wellness puppy. They get random canned foods as well since Hallie doesn't drink much water.


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## Salina (Sep 2, 2012)

Hallie said:


> They get random canned foods as well since Hallie doesn't drink much water.


one of mine is not the best drinker either. i just put water over the dry food, let it stand for only like 1 minute and feed


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## RedGermanPinscher (Jun 22, 2012)

When time, space and funds allow I prefer to feed RAW or Home Cooked. However, when I feed kibble (like I am currently) I do a rotation diet. I have used EVO, Innova, Earthborn grain free, Taste of the Wild, Nature's Variety Instincts, Great Life potato n grain free, Canidae grain free, as well as, a couple of others with great results...


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## mitzi (Aug 3, 2010)

I have been feeding Orijen 6 fish or Nature's Variety Boost, Natures' Variety Instincts (raw Duck, Lamb, or Beef) Some Merrick small servings like Thanksgiving Day or Turducken. With small dogs they are more affordable.


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## InkedMarie (Mar 11, 2009)

I don't listen to my vets, except my holistic vet, about nutrition because they recommend the same foods your vets recommended. I do my own research and ask questions on various forums. To answer your question, I feed Darwin's, a pre made raw, in the mornings and brothers complete allergy, a kibble, in the afternoon.


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## georgiapeach (Mar 17, 2012)

My vet sells Royal Canin. We agree to disagree... I agree though, about Blue Buffalo. It gives too many dogs digestive upset for my taste.

My boxer can't handle high protein, so I feed him Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream (25% protein). Kibbles with a lot of pea ingredients also make him have loose stool.

My allergy dog, Maddie eats Evo Herring and Salmon, but she also has environmental allergies, so it's only a partial fix.

My poodle eats all the "experimental rejects" - lol! He can eat anything!

I'd feed Acana grain free, if I could afford it.


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## pittiemouth (Mar 13, 2012)

A common "holistic" pet food that vets DO like is Natural Balance. They make basic Ultra Formulas, grain free Alpha, Synergy for stool quality and active dogs, and tons of LID formulas with limited ingredients and novel proteins.


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## Lucy Brees (Aug 20, 2012)

What is bad about peas in the kibble, if I may ask?


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## zhaor (Jul 2, 2009)

Peas are high in protein. While pea protein is relatively high quality for plant protein, it's still not as digestible or as 'species appropriate' as meat. 

Since plant protein will still be counted in the "crude protein" analysis, boosting plant protein with concentrated ingredients like pea protein, soy protein, or gluten would mean less meat for a given protein percentage.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

There is also this new alert about rice .... This is an informative article about the arsenic in rice in human and dog foods ... http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/red-flag-ingredients/arsenic-rice-dog-food/

There has been much talk about this is the news lately.


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## zhaor (Jul 2, 2009)

Abbylynn said:


> There is also this new alert about rice .... This is an informative article about the arsenic in rice in human and dog foods ... http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/red-flag-ingredients/arsenic-rice-dog-food/
> 
> There has been much talk about this is the news lately.


That shouldn't be particularly new. Arsenic is pretty much an unavoidable part of rice so it's only logical that it's in pet foods as well. Brown rice typically have higher arsenic content since more of the arsenic gets stored in the germ I believe.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

zhaor said:


> That shouldn't be particularly new. Arsenic is pretty much an unavoidable part of rice so it's only logical that it's in pet foods as well. Brown rice typically have higher arsenic content since more of the arsenic gets stored in the germ I believe.


Wow ... the brown rice is news to me ... never realized that. I always thought brown rice was supposed to be better for you? I use brown rice more than white throughout the year. Hmmm.....


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## zhaor (Jul 2, 2009)

The healthy parts of brown rice are kind of also what stores more arsenic. By removing the germ and hulls, the arsenic levels is reduced in white rice. I believe west coast is less contaminated and California rice is shown to have some of the lowest levels of arsenic in the US. Useful for people, not so much for looking at pet foods.


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## PackMomma (Sep 26, 2011)

I feed raw..while it may not be the best for everyone it's proven to be the best for my dogs since I've taken them off kibble completely. I find its the best for me too since i'm not spending money on vet bills, or spending lots of money on 'high quality' kibble that still was never all that great and dogs still had minor issue's from time to time. Now we have no issues, not spending as much and getting way more bang for my buck as far as food and quallity goes.

Good luck finding a good food that works for your pooch!


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## kathylcsw (Jul 4, 2011)

Like PackMomma I feed my pups a raw diet. That way I know exactly what they are getting every day and can feel pretty certain that they aren't getting anything from China. Mine are small dogs with both weighing under 10 pounds and I can feed them a high quality raw diet for around $12 per month. They both look amazing and are nicely muscled. Plus their teeth stay pearly white.


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

I feed a mixture of Orijen (basic adult formula) and Sojos Grain Free. I make it with cooked ground meat, rather than raw, because I don't trust the bacteria content of my grocery store ground meat; I might go to raw if I grind it myself in the future. I feed about 1/4c of the Orijen to 1/2c of the Sojos mixture three times a day. I add Missing Link supplement, as recommended by Sojos, since I cook the meat.

I would feed raw if it wasn't for the price (don't have a good cheap source I trust) and convenience (I don't have a chest freezer and I'm not thrilled with raw meat juices all over my kitchen). I'm trying to feed something close to raw without doing an actual raw diet. 

My pup came to me on Iams Puppy and I can tell the difference with his new food.


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## DirtyPaws (Oct 27, 2012)

I am more interested who makes the food rather than being sucked in by labelling gimmicks. There are three plants that I focus on and just a few brands.


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## 101naturelover (Jul 31, 2012)

Mmm.. I'm surprised no one really uses Acana dog food. :spy: I researched a bit on it, and it sounded pretty good.. what do you guys think? :3


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

101naturelover said:


> Mmm.. I'm surprised no one really uses Acana dog food. :spy: I researched a bit on it, and it sounded pretty good.. what do you guys think? :3


It's my second choice after Orijen, so I may end up feeding it some day. I think it's a great product.


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## RedGermanPinscher (Jun 22, 2012)

101naturelover said:


> Mmm.. I'm surprised no one really uses Acana dog food. :spy: I researched a bit on it, and it sounded pretty good.. what do you guys think? :3


If I could find it locally at a decent price I would probably add it to my rotation..


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## domika (Jul 1, 2012)

101naturelover said:


> Mmm.. I'm surprised no one really uses Acana dog food. :spy: I researched a bit on it, and it sounded pretty good.. what do you guys think? :3


I think it's a good food. If I fed kibble again I would either feed the Chicken and Potato, or the single protein ones only as my dog has a sensitive stomach and can't handle all the different proteins at once.

I feed a premade raw right now and it's going well. We've been on it for about 3 months, so far so good!


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## shadowwolf (Oct 29, 2012)

We feed raw but on the occasion that we do kibble (usually while traveling) we use Orijen (Acana is the grain-inclusive variety). I absolutely love those two foods as far as quality goes. We used to feed Blue Buffalo until we started getting reactions from the dogs (our rescue boy is an allergy magnet!) but the Orijen works wonders. 

And I'll echo in what others have said about vet nutritional information. They are force fed in the university from Science Death...I mean Diet by being given free food, etc. The majority of veterinarians don't have a nutritional background in the slightest.


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## InkedMarie (Mar 11, 2009)

shadowwolf said:


> We feed raw but on the occasion that we do kibble (usually while traveling) we use Orijen (Acana is the grain-inclusive variety). I absolutely love those two foods as far as quality goes. We used to feed Blue Buffalo until we started getting reactions from the dogs (our rescue boy is an allergy magnet!) but the Orijen works wonders.
> 
> And I'll echo in what others have said about vet nutritional information. They are force fed in the university from Science Death...I mean Diet by being given free food, etc. The majority of veterinarians don't have a nutritional background in the slightest.


just as an FYI, Acana has both grain inclusive and grain free


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Acana and Orijen are both made by the same company.

We're on a budget, so we feed Kirkland Signature. A lot of people on here don't like it because its made by Diamond, etc. but its better nutritionally than most other foods in the same price point, at least where we live. We're going to try their grain-free Nature's Domain once the current bag is done.


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## valuta8 (Jul 30, 2012)

We feed Nature's Instinct mixed with some Natural Balance food and raw meat.


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## shadowwolf (Oct 29, 2012)

InkedMarie said:


> just as an FYI, Acana has both grain inclusive and grain free


Does it? Awesome! Our local store that carries it only has the grain inclusive formulas. Good to know for folks I recommend it to though!


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## GottaLuvMutts (Jun 1, 2009)

I've tried several foods over the years (Nutro, Wellness, Go!, others). I now feed Dog Lover's Gold because it's the cheapest food I can find with acceptable quality that my dog does well on. I like her energy level and the consistency of the poop. It's a grain-inclusive food, but does not include corn, wheat, or soy, and grains are not high on the list of ingredients. It's a very caloric food, so I don't have to feed much. I pay $41 for a 33lb bag. I'm not against feeding corn, wheat, or soy in small amounts, but I prefer them to be absent or minimal in my dog's normal food. When I move away from my area, I may have to switch foods if it's not available - not sure what I'll be switching to.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

ToTW, and Merrik's Before Grain - either variety of either. 

Or raw. Depends on my mood, freezer space, and how tired I am of fighting with the most finicky dog on the planet.


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

I'm actually not feeding the best right now haha... Purina One Beyond and Avoderm.


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## RedGermanPinscher (Jun 22, 2012)

Kayota said:


> I'm actually not feeding the best right now haha... Purina One Beyond and Avoderm.


No shame in that... you gotta do what works for you, and sometimes that means going for the McDonald's.. LoL!!!! Been there done that..


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## Hallie (Nov 9, 2008)

Kayota said:


> I'm actually not feeding the best right now haha... Purina One Beyond and Avoderm.


Hallie loved Purina One Beyond, and it gave her the best energy level of any food so far. It has an awesome price for the quality, I just wish it came in bigger bags. 
It's a good food. I think it has soy way down the list (I'm too lazy to look it up), but it's so far down it isn't a main ingredient.


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## xxxxdogdragoness (Jul 22, 2010)

right now I'm feeding back to basics pork & they love it


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## taquitos (Oct 18, 2012)

I feed raw to my cats and dogs. The owner of the pet boutique I work at grinds her own raw from locally sourced meat


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

101naturelover said:


> Mmm.. I'm surprised no one really uses Acana dog food. :spy: I researched a bit on it, and it sounded pretty good.. what do you guys think? :3


My dog eats Acana (currently Pacifica). She was eating the Ranchland formula before that. I've been pretty happy with it and would recommend to anyone!


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## Little Wise Owl (Nov 12, 2011)

Miss Bugs said:


> Baby who has a million allergies eats PC salmon and potato grain free. I am very happy with it...



My dogs eat this as well along with raw. If you're in Canada, I'd recommend President's Choice NUTRITION FIRST dog/cat food to anyone on a budget.

If you're not in Canada, I would suggest *Acana*. My dogs did VERY well on this brand.


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## xxxxdogdragoness (Jul 22, 2010)

I think I'm going to stick with B 2 B for a while, Josefina is doing very well on it, the only prob is buddy can't eat it (it makes him too fat lol even on a 1/2 cup a day) so he gets castor & Pollux organix.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

PC Nutrition First is more expensive than Nature's Domain from Costco (19.99/10lbs vs. 35.99/30lbs). Actually, at that price, PC Nutrition First is not that much cheaper than ACANA. I'm sure PC Nutrition first is a great choice - I just like supporting local where I can.

We tried PC's all-natural pumpkin biscuits and they gave Snowball the runs.  I think it was too much fiber for him.



Little Wise Owl said:


> My dogs eat this as well along with raw. If you're in Canada, I'd recommend President's Choice NUTRITION FIRST dog/cat food to anyone on a budget.
> 
> If you're not in Canada, I would suggest *Acana*. My dogs did VERY well on this brand.


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## Mudlark (Nov 1, 2012)

Kayota said:


> I'm actually not feeding the best right now haha... Purina One Beyond and Avoderm.


Is Avoderm considered a bad food? That's what I'm feeding my pup right now. He used to have itchy, horribly dry skin and I switched him to Avoderm at the recommendation of his vet. His skin is sooo much better now - no more scratching! I thought I was feeding him the best food because of the great results.  

I've been a frequent lurker for a while, but seeing this finally made me sign up! Want to make sure my dog has the best.


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## RedGermanPinscher (Jun 22, 2012)

Mudlark said:


> Is Avoderm considered a bad food? That's what I'm feeding my pup right now. He used to have itchy, horribly dry skin and I switched him to Avoderm at the recommendation of his vet. His skin is sooo much better now - no more scratching! I thought I was feeding him the best food because of the great results.
> 
> I've been a frequent lurker for a while, but seeing this finally made me sign up! Want to make sure my dog has the best.


AVODERM is a brand that has ratings from 2 stars to 4 stars depending on which variety (grain inclusive or grain free) and which formula (Ex: Chicken & Brown rice vs Lamb & Brown Rice or Salmon & Potato vs Red Meat & Potato.) You are referring too.


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## Mudlark (Nov 1, 2012)

He's on the Chicken Meal & Brown Rice Small Breed formula. I had him on Nutro Max before I switched him to Avoderm. Should I switch him again? I just want to make sure his itchy skin doesn't come back.


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## RedGermanPinscher (Jun 22, 2012)

Mudlark said:


> He's on the Chicken Meal & Brown Rice Small Breed formula. I had him on Nutro Max before I switched him to Avoderm. Should I switch him again? I just want to make sure his itchy skin doesn't come back.


Although, for me personally, it is a bit too grain heavy ( I prefer grain free varieties) overall, it has been deemed a quality mid grade food. If it is working for your pup and your budget, I see no reason to change.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

RedGermanPinscher said:


> If it is working for your pup and your budget, I see no reason to change.


I was just going to say this. Some dogs do best on one-star foods like purina or pedigree... it just depends on what works for you and your pup. If you're really concerned, consider switching to a higher-rated Avoderm variety.


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## Daenerys (Jul 30, 2011)

Both my dogs used to eat Earthborn Holistic Grain Free but now just my husky eats the kibble and my little boy is on prey model raw. I'm feeding every third meal or so as raw for Faolan. They did (and do) do well on Earthborn, but Legend has a bladder stone so I switche him to raw as it is the healthiest option available and I don't want his stone to get worse. If I can get enough cheap meat I will feed Faolan raw too.


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## Mama Of 3 (Feb 29, 2012)

With three dogs they get different foods based on preferences. 

The smallest dog gets Ol' Roy Healthy Mix wet in the tubs, rated 3.5 star on DFA per Ms. Sophies preference with an ounce of raw beef or chicken per meal. I've tried other wet foods with her and wish she would eat a better one but this is the only one she would eat and then eat more than two meals in a row. She doesn't like kibble at all. 

The medium dog prefers the above food but I'm afraid he's gaining more weight than I want him to despite reducing his serving sizes. He's also a confirmed couch potato....... So I've just started changing him over to the following brands of wet food that are lower in carbs. Merrick, Wellness Stews and 4Health Stews along with an ounce of raw beef or chicken per meal. Jackson doesn't like kibble but may eat a little of it if it's served with canned. Depending on the kibble he may eat it or leave it in his bowl. But since learning that wet is better for dogs I'm happy to give him wet and scrap the kibble. 

The largest dog gets some wet, kibble and a little bit of raw each meal. For the wet I serve Merrick, Wellness Stews, Natures Variety Prairie Stews as well as 4Health Stews. For kibble she gets 4Health Salmon & Potato in the morning. When I ran out of Core Reduced Fat & Blue Buffalo Wilderness kibble I went to the local TSC to pick up more Blue Buffalo but they were out of the big bag and I wasn't going to spend more and get the little bag. So I opted to pick up a bag of Taste of the Wild but I'm kinda glad because of all the reports I've been hearing with issues with Blue Buffalo lately. I'm not sure what variety of BB people are having issues with though. So I've decided to go back to TOTW and just use the Wetlands and the High Plains variety for Ms. Ella. She gets 1/2 can in the mornings and the other 1/2 can at night along with some kibble. She also gets 2 ounces of raw boneless beef or chicken per meal. I also add about a 1/2 cup of water to her bowl and stir to make a gravy of sorts. She's quite happy with her meals! 

All three dogs get a fish oil capsule every meal and Ms. Ella and Jackson gets a glucosamine tablet with each meal. 

Since we go through so much wet/canned foods I try to stock up when they are on sale when I can and when I order online I only order when there is a discount savings code with free shipping. With only one dog on kibble and she doesn't eat that much of it I buy kibble in the medium size bag. Then I store the kibble in a 5 gallon bucket clearly labeled since the kibbles look similar. Because of the recalls I do clip out the UPC code and product code number and put it into a ziplock sandwich bag with the store receipt and store that zip bag inside the 5 gallon bucket. That way if I ever need that info I know where to locate it right away. I don't add more to the bucket until it's absolutely empty so I'm not mixing bags/batches of food. 

But I do keep a smaller container in the house to use on a daily basis for the kibble. I bought a 2 quart jar (approx $2) at walmart it's in the kitchen department with the other storage containers. I printed out a picture of the package label and taped it to the front and back of the jar. That way I know at a glance just what the contents of that jar is.


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## RitaNg123 (Sep 27, 2012)

OP, I believe you and I have the same kind of dog! I think it was you, anyways... LOL 

Anyways, I feed my puppy Now! and she seems to be doing well on it, though I don't necessarily have any basis of comparison. The breeder fed that to them and ranted and raved about it, so I figured I would go with the same, and upon a bit of research, it sounds like it's pretty good. I went on that site that someone suggested - dogfoodadvisor.com and it was rated as a 4 Star. The vet said my puppy has really good body structure and coat, but not sure how much of that, if any, is due to the food. Food seems to be a typical "higher end" price. 70-75 bucks for a 25 pound bag, and I imagine the same price for the adult variety, which she will be eating less of. 25 pound bag should last me about 3 months, so it's pretty cheap when you break it down that way.


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

A few months ago someone mentioned the 4Health Salmon & potato, as well as the Costco Salmon & Potato (Not Kirkland) [these may be sweet potato] ... I've been trying them for a month or two and seem OK.


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## GrinningDog (Mar 26, 2010)

Gypsy is on Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream currently. I'd like to feed her better, but I'm a broke college student. =P This is the best bang for the buck in the area. When I can, I rotate other foods into her diet. Someday we'll go raw.


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## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

Right now the dogs are on 4Health Salmon & potato. I was feeding a rotation diet (Earthborn Holistic , TOTW, Innova) but Max and Lassie stopped eating and then Damon did too. I just got fed up and started looking for a new food to feed. They all love 4Health more than any food I have had them on before. The new pup came to me being feed Purina Puppy Chow and I will be switching him to 4health Puppy Formula once I can get to the store this coming Thursday (Tractor Supply is not that close to me and I work late). Over all I am VERY happy with 4health. They have been on it for about 2 months now and I can see such a difference. More energy, and their coats look wonderful!


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## marsha=whitie (Dec 29, 2008)

Another raw feeder here! Bryna just doesn't do well on kibble, grain free or not. She gets SUPER itchy, dull coat, flaky skin, yeasty, and very stinky. My other dog Callie can eat anything and be perfectly fine, though. 

I honestly don't care what a dog eats, so long that it is doing well on it.


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## Lewiboss (Nov 4, 2012)

I have a Saint Bernard with ibs and only thing he can eat is salmon and potatoes 4kg of potatoes and 4-6tins or fresh salmon per day any other food the mess well u can imagine


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## boxerlover876 (Dec 31, 2011)

Lewiboss said:


> I have a Saint Bernard with ibs and only thing he can eat is salmon and potatoes 4kg of potatoes and 4-6tins or fresh salmon per day any other food the mess well u can imagine


I'd really go to a vet or research diets that e could eat. Salmon and potatoes are definitely not balanced in any way and could be detrimental for your dog. 


And another raw feeder. I use the Blue Ridge Beef grinds.


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## marsha=whitie (Dec 29, 2008)

Lewiboss said:


> I have a Saint Bernard with ibs and only thing he can eat is salmon and potatoes 4kg of potatoes and 4-6tins or fresh salmon per day any other food the mess well u can imagine


Yeah, that doesn't sound balanced at ALL. Do you add supplements to his food?


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## StellaLucyDesi (Jun 19, 2008)

My 4 dogs are eating Fromm grain free (I rotate between Gamebird, Salmon Tunalini and Beef Frittata....so far, they've done the best on the Beef). I also top with canned food like Fromm, Weruva, Wellness Stews, Simply Nourish. They are doing great!


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## Lewiboss (Nov 4, 2012)

I have been to vets lots of times and spent thousands on her and that is all she can eat I have tried every dog food brand you can buy and each time I end up with a hell of a mess to clear up


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## boxerlover876 (Dec 31, 2011)

Lewiboss said:


> I have been to vets lots of times and spent thousands on her and that is all she can eat I have tried every dog food brand you can buy and each time I end up with a hell of a mess to clear up


Have you ever tried PMR raw? (without veggies or fruit) Or I would be supplementing out the wazoo with just salmon and potatoes.


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Salmon and potato are fine foods but you need to add more to it to make up a balanced diet. He is very lucky you have been able to find what works for him but it needs some additions to make it a balanced diet especially because it is so limited.

Dogs need a lot of calcium. Tomorrow if he can tolerate egg start adding in 1/2 measuring teaspoon of powdered egg shell per pound of food for starters. If not get plain calcium supplements, not with vitamin D or magnesium and add in 900 mg of calcium per pound of food. Since he is so sensitive you would add this in a little at a time and observe closely.

A diet with only potato and salmon will be low in calcium, zinc, iron and vitamin A at the very least.

Monica Segal has instructions on how to develop a limited ingredient diet in her book 'Optimal Nutrition'.


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## luvmyfurballs (Mar 5, 2012)

101naturelover said:


> I am so confused right now. My vet said for me to feed my dog IAMS,Royal Canin, and preferably Science Diet-- so I bough RC. He's perfectly healthy, but as I ventured into the topic of "Best Dog Foods." it left me so lost. I want to feed my dog the best, and healthiest foods! But I just don't know what nutrition a dog needs to be healthy with.
> 
> I asked my vet about Blue Buffalo, and she quoted " Blue Buffalo is probably the worst dog foods out there! People say that corn gluten is bad for your dogs, saying that dogs are carnivores and need meat and all that-- but dogs are actually omnivores, and corn is good for, etc, etc, etc. Adding so much meat is WAY TOO MUCH protein!"
> 
> ...


I was going to switch my dogs to Blue(grain free), the vet told me if isn't broke don't fix it. He was right. My dogs are on Fromm Adult Gold and do well. My cats are on Blue(grain free) and they are doing wonderful on it. If I was going to switch it would be to Blue over Taste of the Wild and any other foods that come from this company(to many recent recalls) I also feed my dogs pre made raw a few times a week. They get yogurt, egg, pumpkin, and coconut oil too.


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## KaywinnitLee (Jan 1, 2012)

My dog cannot tolerate a high protein diet (my vet has confirmed this) so I feed her a moderate protein diet of Wellness Super5Mix (chicken) and a tablespoon of wet food (varies).


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## kelii36 (May 7, 2011)

I switched to raw last week. Before that my dog ate TOTW and Orijen.


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