# Nutro Max?



## ashleighAPBTmom (Jun 2, 2010)

So, after discovering that the food we've been feeding our dogs is evil and gross for them(Eukanuba Large Breed Adult), we went out today and bought a bag of Nutro Max Adult Beef and Rice. I've seen a lot of mixed reviews on it, but it seems to be a general consensus that it's at least decent. Both our dogs went absolutely nuts the first cup we gave them this morning. I've never seen anything other than their treats disappear so fast.

I just wanted to get some opinions on whether or not this was at least a decent quality cheap dog food. Unfortunately, we're on a budget and can't quite afford Blue Buffalo or TOTW(the pet stores here charge through the nose for it), but is this at least a decent food(I.E. better than cheap-o big name pet food brands)?


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## Enhasa (Feb 6, 2010)

nutro is actually a pretty crappy food, even for their "ultra" lineup.

for decent food around the pricepoints of nutro max, you can check out california natural, taste of the wild, whole earth farms (by merrick), merrick dog food, canidae.


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## StellaLucyDesi (Jun 19, 2008)

Hi! It's good that you are making an effort to feed your dog a better food! However, Natural Choice...the company that makes Nutro Max is not a choice that I would ever make for my dogs. Sorry. But, I notice that you live in Utah. Do you have feed stores around you at all? If so, they may carry some decent brands of food that are not all that expensive. Diamond Naturals and Chicken Soup for the Soul brand aren't not usually too expensive. If you have a Costco or Tractor's Supply they have their "name" brands of dog food Kirkland and 4Health that are really inexpensive! Others at Petsmart that aren't terribly expensive and are better quality than Nutro Max are Avoderm and Castor and Pollux Organix or Ultramix. Petsmart also carries a food called By Nature that might be reasonably priced, IDK. If you can get Merrick's Whole Earth Farms, it is a good food for the money. I hope this helps.


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## Angel's_mom (May 26, 2010)

Years ago I fed our beagle Nutro Natural Choice (I think) lamb and rice... it could have been Nutro Max, but I think it was the Natural Choice. She did great on it, had a beautiful shiny coat, great poops, no itchies or doggy smell, just really great. My mother in law still feeds it to her dog who has wheat allergy and she looks beautiful and does great on it as well. I also have a friend who feeds it to her pug and he does excellent on it. 

From what I've been hearing, Nutro used to be a great food, but not so much anymore. But I'd still say it's better than Purina, Iams, Eukanuba, etc. I wouldn't throw out the bag you bought, just use it and if you want to switch to something else, do so at the end of the bag. I get my dog food at Tractor Supply or Feeder's Supply and they have a pretty good selection. I've just put my cocker spaniel on Taste of the Wild because she had itchy problems and didn't seem to be digesting the grained food very well. She was on Professional which is made by Diamond and is similar to the 4Health, Premium Edge, or Kirkland food from what I can tell. The worker at Feeder's Supply recommended it to me but it just didn't work for us. 

Here, the Nutro is more expensive than TOTW. Not sure about Blue Buff, I wanted the Blue Wildnerness but they didn't have it so I didn't even look at the prices.


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## ashleighAPBTmom (Jun 2, 2010)

Here, Nutro Max is 35.49 for a 35 lb bag that will probably last us about three weeks. Taste of the Wild is between 40-50 for a 30 lb bag at the feed stores around here, and Blue Buffalo is 46.99 for a 30 lb bag. So, obviously, Nutro is much cheaper. We haven't really been able to check out how much a Costco membership would cost, but would love to be able to switch them to the Kirkland. We saw the quality reviews on that, and I'm rather surprised that a store brand food is such high quality.

As for the feed stores around here, they are unfortunately in the business for the money, not for the animals, and charge through the nose for their "premium" foods.

Thank you all for your input, and it will be interesting to see how our doggies do on Nutro. We may try getting a Costco membership before this bag is up and try to start buying the Kirkland food. It's waay cheaper than anything else.


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## Angel's_mom (May 26, 2010)

If Costco is similar to Sam's club, the membership is around $40 a year. IMO it's worth it.


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## ashleighAPBTmom (Jun 2, 2010)

Definitely worth it, honestly. But, it's a matter of coming up with anything more that $20 at a time for a membership. Like I said before, the hubby and I are massively on a budget, and can't afford little extras like that even, but we want the best we can afford for our dogs.

Hubby says he'd like to see how the dogs do on Nutro Max(I think we figured out the cost according to how much we feed them, and it's less than a dollar a day per dog) for a couple of months before we switch them to anything else, seeing as Khloe has an uber sensitive stomach, and doesn't handle new foods well(except Nutro, she hasn't even had gas on it yet, thank goodness).

And honestly, it's good to see them actually eating all their food, instead of leaving some in the bowl. We free-fed with Eukanuba and Science Diet because they wouldn't eat it all in one sitting, but with Nutro Max, we HAVE to schedule their meals. I kinda like it.


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## momof3 (Nov 24, 2007)

If you think your prices are high I pay 32.99 for the 15lb bag of TOTW. I am adding Natures Variety Instinct duck to our rotation and it was 33.99 for the 13.2lb bag. I really like TOTW and its really only a couple of bucks more for you I would feed it or like the Kirkland. The way I have come to terms with it is if I spend more for quality food then my dog will hopefully have less health issues which means I can spend many more years with him and hopefully it will keep me from sending my vet to Hawaii a couple times a year on vacation from what I had paid him.


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## Tankstar (Dec 30, 2006)

Seriously save up and get a costco card. The food is much better, and much cheaper. I recently switched my dog back to it due to cutting back costs.

for me it cost's 26.99 for a 40lbs bag. its a very decent food for the money.
You will save so much more money int he long run. if a 35lbs bag lasts about 3-4 weeks. A 49lbs bag of costcos food will probably last you 5 or so weeks, maybe a bit more. since you can easily feed them less. I feed a 60lbs dog 2 cups a day (one cup in AM one cup in PM) For a dog my size if I put him on NM I would be feeding about 4 cups a day. So if you dwindle it all down, you will save alot in the long run.
A costco membership here is $55.00 a year.


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## Angel's_mom (May 26, 2010)

Wow! TOTW here is $10 for a 5 lb bag, $22 for a 15 lb bag and I think $39 for a 30 lb bag.


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## ashleighAPBTmom (Jun 2, 2010)

Angel's_mom said:


> Wow! TOTW here is $10 for a 5 lb bag, $22 for a 15 lb bag and I think $39 for a 30 lb bag.


Geez, we should have you ship it to us! It'd still be cheaper with shipping costs! Like I said, I think most of the specialty pet stores around here are in it for the money rather than the pets, which is really sad, but seems to be true. At least when we go to Petsmart or Petco, we have people asking us questions about our dogs and expressing an interest in our babies.


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## FrostQ (May 5, 2010)

wow TOTW is ~$85 US here for a 30lb bag


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## Angel's_mom (May 26, 2010)

FrostQ said:


> wow TOTW is ~$85 US here for a 30lb bag


Holy cow! Where do you live?


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## kenRC51 (Mar 7, 2008)

FrostQ said:


> wow TOTW is ~$85 US here for a 30lb bag


OMG, where do you buy your kibbles from? That is way over priced. LPS sells a 30lb bag for around 30-40 not sure because I don't buy them but I know for sure its cheaper than my Innova EVO which is $44 for 28lb.


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## maquignon (Oct 21, 2009)

Why do you think one of these is better than the other? They are equally bad. At least the Eukanuba doesn't have menadione. 

Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy
Chicken, Corn Meal, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Chicken By-Product Meal (Natural source of Chondroitin Sulfate and Glucosamine), Brewers Rice, Chicken Flavor, Dried Beet Pulp, Fish Meal, Dried Egg Product, Fish Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Brewers Dried Yeast, Potassium Chloride, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Fructooligosaccharides, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Carbonate), DL-Methionine, Dried Chicken Cartilage (Natural source of Chondroitin Sulfate and Glucosamine), Vitamins (Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement (source of vitamin B2), Inositol, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Vitamin E Supplement, Marigold, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract. 

Nutro Large Breed Puppy
Beef Meal, Ground Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Rice Bran, Ground Whole Wheat, Wheat Flour, Poultry Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Natural Flavors, Soybean Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Sunflower Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Sodium Bicarbonate, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Dried Kelp, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Oxide, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Biotin, Manganese Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Niacin, Garlic Flavor, Potassium Iodide, L-Carnitine, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin B12 Supplement , Riboflavin (source of Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B6), Thiamine Mononitrate (source of Vitamin B1), Copper Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K activity), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.


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## Angel's_mom (May 26, 2010)

Here's the one I was thinking of. It's Natural Choice Lamb and Rice. Still has menadione, though. I'll admit I have no idea what that even is, or if it was in the food years ago when I used it. I was just sharing my experience with it and those I know who feed it still. I'm definitely no expert though. Here's the ingredients copied and pasted from thenutrocompany.com.


Lamb Meal, Ground Rice, Rice Flour, Rice Bran, Whole Brown Rice, Pea Protein, Lamb, Poultry Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Natural Flavors, Soybean Oil(preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Sunflower Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Bicarbonate, L-Lysine, Salt, Choline Chloride, Egg Product, Monocalcium Phosphate, Dried Kelp, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Copper Proteinate, Biotin, Niacin Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement(source of Vitamin B2), Thiamine Mononitrate (source of Vitamin B1), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B6), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex(source of Vitamin K activity), Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement


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## Enhasa (Feb 6, 2010)

wow how is TOTW so expensive in your area? +_+

My local store sells the 6 pound bag for $9, $20 for the 15pound and $36.50 for the 30 pound bag...

which is why i told u its comparable in price =/


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## ashleighAPBTmom (Jun 2, 2010)

Angel's_mom said:


> Lamb Meal, Ground Rice, Rice Flour, Rice Bran, Whole Brown Rice, Pea Protein, Lamb, Poultry Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Natural Flavors, Soybean Oil(preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Sunflower Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Bicarbonate, L-Lysine, Salt, Choline Chloride, Egg Product, Monocalcium Phosphate, Dried Kelp, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Copper Proteinate, Biotin, Niacin Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement(source of Vitamin B2), Thiamine Mononitrate (source of Vitamin B1), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B6), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex(source of Vitamin K activity), Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement


That's definitely a similar ingredient list to what we're feeding Kaya and Khloe. I don't know, so far, they both seem to be doing well on it. None of their poops over the last couple days have been at all runny(except for on our walk today, Kaya gets overexcited), and they've been good color(ick for looking close enough to tell). They both have higher energy levels, and don't seem to mind being forced to wait in between meals.

Honestly, as I've said before, I would love to be able to afford TOTW or Blue Wilderness, but unfortunately, I can't, and since Khloe's picky stomach is doing well with it, it'll have to do until we can get a Costco membership.

EDIT: I should add that I don't mean to sound like I refuse to budge. I do appreciate everyone's input, and have taken it all to heart. I wish we could afford to do better by our girls, but unfortunately, we're doing the best we can.


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## MagicRe (Jan 8, 2010)

Angel's_mom said:


> Here's the one I was thinking of. It's Natural Choice Lamb and Rice. Still has menadione, though. I'll admit I have no idea what that even is, or if it was in the food years ago when I used it. I was just sharing my experience with it and those I know who feed it still. I'm definitely no expert though. Here's the ingredients copied and pasted from thenutrocompany.com.
> 
> 
> Lamb Meal, Ground Rice, Rice Flour, Rice Bran, Whole Brown Rice, Pea Protein, Lamb, Poultry Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Natural Flavors, Soybean Oil(preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Sunflower Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Bicarbonate, L-Lysine, Salt, Choline Chloride, Egg Product, Monocalcium Phosphate, Dried Kelp, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Copper Proteinate, Biotin, Niacin Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement(source of Vitamin B2), Thiamine Mononitrate (source of Vitamin B1), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B6), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex(source of Vitamin K activity), Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement


yes, the menadione and soy were in natural choice lamb and rice years ago, when we switched from purina one...i think i'm going back almost fifteen years now.

in our ignorance, we thought we were switching to a wonderful food.

menadione is very controversial as a source of vitamin k..it is synthetic and has been anecdotally recorded as a possible reason for elevated liver enzymes and other problems.

soy...well, soy is one of the three ingredients that i won't feed my dogs....that being soy, wheat or corn....

again, the controversy surrounding american grown soy, as opposed to asian fermented soy is huge...so i would rather err on the side of caution and sit on the fence until some science comes out one way or the other...

the same goes for menadione...although i will say that three of my four shih tzus did not live to be fourteen and they were in good health....all three had wildly elevated (triple to quadruple) the normal liver enzymes....we did geriatric blood panels on them, starting at 8 years of age and every year thereafter....the enzymes kept going up. they got no other food than natural choice....and they were not related. yes, this is anecdotal but it is proof enough for me to not use their products.


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## dieterherzog (Sep 28, 2009)

Please don't feel badly about what you can or cannot afford to feed them. As long as you're trying to constantly improve their lives and love them, I think that's all that really matters. This may spark some controversy, but they ARE dogs, they're just happy to have food of any kind and lots of attention.


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## JonnyNutro (Mar 29, 2010)

Nutro Max is a premium dog food. It is designed especially for the budget minded. Nutro recently released a new recipe in the Max brand - Lamb & Rice. I have many clients who use Max successfully to feed even their most finicky dogs. Good results are guaranteed. Unlike most manufacturers, Nutro even guarantees an improved skin and coat (in writing!).


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## ashleighAPBTmom (Jun 2, 2010)

Just wanted to throw in an update on this thread of my own. We are now starting on day.....4....I think, of Nutro feeding, and Kaya has blown her first coat, and her fur is SOOOO soft now. Both Kaya and Khloe feel like soft furred little bunnies.

They both have a TON more energy than before, and small behavior ticks that we were working on training out of them are GONE!

Just wanted to add this, just because I'm SHOCKED how much of a difference four days has made.


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## HersheyPup (May 22, 2008)

I took the chance and purchased a Nutro product...first time in 15 years!! I bought the Ultra Large Breed formula and I'm very impressed so far! Transition has been easy.....amazingly perfect stool right away...no grass eating or gas...no eye drainage or itching, either. Sometimes, one of my dogs would throw up bile and eat grass if she had an empty stomach, but that has not happened once since she has been eating Ultra. It's too soon to tell if I see changes in skin and coat quality. 

Just thought I'd put in a good word, I know some folks have had problems with the food, but I have had many, many more problems with other foods and none with Nutro.


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## HORSEandHOUND (May 28, 2009)

ashleighAPBTmom said:


> Here, Nutro Max is 35.49 for a 35 lb bag that will probably last us about three weeks. Taste of the Wild is between 40-50 for a 30 lb bag at the feed stores around here, and Blue Buffalo is 46.99 for a 30 lb bag. So, obviously, Nutro is much cheaper.


 you are comparing apples to oranges which is why TOTW and Blue sound more expensive. Compare the feeding guides. A good way to determine your cost per feeding is to remember there are generally 4 dry cups of dog food in a pound.
multiply the weight of the bag by 4, then divide that number by the number of cups fed per day. take that number and divide the price by it, and you'll have your cost per day.
i'll be you 50 cents its cheaper to feed Blue or TOTW 

Also wanted to add I saw your most recent update. Before you conclude it's the food please note that the epidermal cell turnover rate for a dog is 21 days. that means no matter what you are feeding you won't see results from the food in the skin and coat for at least 3 weeks. more than likely what you've noticed is a drop in coat due to nutritional change (totally normal regardless of food). 4 days is not enough time for a new coat to grow back, and despite what Pantene may claim, you cannot repair a hair follicle. The real test will be 6 weeks from the start, when the epidermis has turned over twice and you should have 1" of new hair growth in. 
Nutro may be the best food for your dog; just wanted to be sure you had the facts to look at this objectively


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## meggels (Mar 8, 2010)

dieterherzog said:


> Please don't feel badly about what you can or cannot afford to feed them. As long as you're trying to constantly improve their lives and love them, I think that's all that really matters. This may spark some controversy, but they ARE dogs, they're just happy to have food of any kind and lots of attention.


I agree. I try to do what's best for my dogs, but I also need to be smart with my money.

Someone once made a comment to me that perhaps I shouldn't have gotten a second dog if I couldn't feed them the best food possible (which in their opinion, is Dynamite food) and I felt awful, but then was angry, cause we feed our dogs pretty darn good foods! Premium Edge, TOTW, Acana, Blue Buffalo, Wellness, etc. It's not like we're stuffing them with Iams. 

I don't think there's an end all be all when it comes to dog food. You do the best you can by your dogs.


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## puppenyaro07 (Jun 5, 2010)

meggels said:


> I agree. I try to do what's best for my dogs, but I also need to be smart with my money.
> 
> Someone once made a comment to me that perhaps I shouldn't have gotten a second dog if I couldn't feed them the best food possible..........
> 
> I don't think there's an end all be all when it comes to dog food. You do the best you can by your dogs.


well said.

in my perfect scenario, all dogs in the world would have a loving home. if that meant everyone had to own 10 dogs and all they could afford to feed were grocery store foods, so be it. on balance, a loving home for a dog means more than no home because a dog didnt fit into someones budget.


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## ashleighAPBTmom (Jun 2, 2010)

Thank you puppenyaro. We love our dogs with all our hearts, they are a part of the family, and we do the best we can with what we have. We don't exactly feed ourselves the best food either. A lot of weeks, we're so tight that we have to eat out of the microwave, or eat nothing but ramen and frozen vegetables. And, those weeks, before we eat, we make sure the dogs have food first, even if it means having to overdraw our account to do so.

Honestly, in a perfect world, it'd be great if there were no grocery store dog foods, and we could all just buy the good stuff and nothing else, but unfortunately, that isn't going to happen anytime soon, so for now, our girls are getting the best we can afford.


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## meggels (Mar 8, 2010)

puppenyaro07 said:


> well said.
> 
> in my perfect scenario, all dogs in the world would have a loving home. if that meant everyone had to own 10 dogs and all they could afford to feed were grocery store foods, so be it. on balance, a loving home for a dog means more than no home because a dog didnt fit into someones budget.


I agree 100%. My dogs get vet care as soon as we see a problem arise, they get fed PREMIUM foods, they get toys and beds and affection and walks. So to be told that I shouldn't take another dog in because I have chosen to not feed that particular food that someone thought was the best of the best? Blows my mind


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## meggels (Mar 8, 2010)

ashleighAPBTmom said:


> Thank you puppenyaro. We love our dogs with all our hearts, they are a part of the family, and we do the best we can with what we have. We don't exactly feed ourselves the best food either. A lot of weeks, we're so tight that we have to eat out of the microwave, or eat nothing but ramen and frozen vegetables. And, those weeks, before we eat, we make sure the dogs have food first, even if it means having to overdraw our account to do so.
> 
> Honestly, in a perfect world, it'd be great if there were no grocery store dog foods, and we could all just buy the good stuff and nothing else, but unfortunately, that isn't going to happen anytime soon, so for now, our girls are getting the best we can afford.



I just want to give you a hug LOL <3 Don't fret please, you do the best you can. Your dogs are LOVED and cared for, and that's the most important thing! Your dogs aren't sitting in the pound, possibly being euthanized, because you decided you just didn't want them anymore, which is sadly the fate of so many dogs. 

Maybe in a year or two if your finances/budget turn around, you can look into another food and now you'll know several options to look into! I think TOTW is a great food for the price, we've used it and are currently transitioning our boxer over to it again, and our dogs have all loved it and done well. That would be my suggestion for when your budget gets bigger!


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## ashleighAPBTmom (Jun 2, 2010)

HORSEandHOUND said:


> you are comparing apples to oranges which is why TOTW and Blue sound more expensive. Compare the feeding guides. A good way to determine your cost per feeding is to remember there are generally 4 dry cups of dog food in a pound.
> multiply the weight of the bag by 4, then divide that number by the number of cups fed per day. take that number and divide the price by it, and you'll have your cost per day.
> i'll be you 50 cents its cheaper to feed Blue or TOTW
> 
> ...


Well, did what you suggested, and TOTW is more expensive to feed than Nutro. We are feeding them each 3 cups per day, as per the feeding guidelines on the bag. TOTW suggests the same amount of cups per day. The TOTW would last the same amount of days as Nutro, but it's more expensive, so, unfortunately out of our budget. Blue is more expensive than Nutro per feeding by a little bit as well.

Yes, I've done my research, and yes, I realize that 4 days is not enough time to grow a new coat. I am merely making observations as to changes in my dogs.

For the time being, both the dogs love their Nutro, and I'm settled with that in and of itself. If my dogs are happy with it, I'm happy with it.

-------

Would also like to add thank you Meggles. We are hoping our finances grow a little bit over the next couple of years, and would love to do more for them, even if it is just maybe increasing the quality of the treats we give them.


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## ashleighAPBTmom (Jun 2, 2010)

Uggggh!!!!!!!! Sometimes I wonder if dogs do have the capacity to do things just to spite you...

Kaya is still eating the Nutro just fine, but apparently Khloe has decided it's not good enough for her. When I fed them lunch today, Kaya gobbled up her whole meal in no time flat. Khloe, on the other hand, decided to pick up a big mouthful and spit it out at my feet. She won't touch it. I tried tricking her by slipping a few pieces into their training treats, and she spit them out.

*dramatic sigh* So, for those recommending Blue Buffalo, what do ya'll think about the Fish & Sweet Potato Formula? *bangs head on keyboard* It's really like having a little kid!!!


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## Angel's_mom (May 26, 2010)

Ashleigh, how much do your dogs weigh? Mine weighs 24 lbs (and could stand to lose a couple), but if I go by the amount on the bag, that's too much food. Her stools were softer and more often, she wasn't as excited at mealtime because she probably just wasn't hungry. I cut back and she has better looking stools and is ready to eat when I set the food down. She acted picky when I was over feeding her. I'm not saying you are, I have no idea, but I just thought I'd throw that out there. 

On the bag, it says for a dog her size to feed 1 1/3 - 1 3/4 cups. I started at the higher end when we got her because I wasn't sure how much she was used to eating and I didn't want her going hungry, but she got fatter so I decreased it until now she's only getting a cup a day. Half cup in the morning and half cup at night.


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## ashleighAPBTmom (Jun 2, 2010)

Angel's_mom said:


> Ashleigh, how much do your dogs weigh? Mine weighs 24 lbs (and could stand to lose a couple), but if I go by the amount on the bag, that's too much food. Her stools were softer and more often, she wasn't as excited at mealtime because she probably just wasn't hungry. I cut back and she has better looking stools and is ready to eat when I set the food down. She acted picky when I was over feeding her. I'm not saying you are, I have no idea, but I just thought I'd throw that out there.
> 
> On the bag, it says for a dog her size to feed 1 1/3 - 1 3/4 cups. I started at the higher end when we got her because I wasn't sure how much she was used to eating and I didn't want her going hungry, but she got fatter so I decreased it until now she's only getting a cup a day. Half cup in the morning and half cup at night.


Khloe weighs about 53 lbs soaking wet, at least she did when we took her into the vet a few weeks ago. Kaya weighs a little more than Khloe, so probably 56-7 pounds. The bag says to feed a 55 lb dog with a high activity level 4 cups a day, and a dog with a low-moderate activity level 2 1/4 cups a day. Kaya's quite a bit more active than Khloe. Khloe spends a lot more time laying around and relaxing, whereas Kaya spends a lot of time running around, and expends a lot more energy than Kaya.

We feed them 3 cups a day right now, 1 1/2 cups in the morning and 1 1/2 cups at night. Kaya seems to be doing fine on 3 cups a day, although she doesn't seem to want to finish her whole breakfast, so we're thinking of doing 1 cup in the morning for her, and two at night(she'd gobble BOTH bowls if we'd let her at night).

Thanks for the insight on this. Maybe Khloe is just being picky because she doesn't want to eat as much as we're putting out. Although, we stuck her dinner in the microwave for a few seconds last night, and she gobbled it up, but she wouldn't this morning. *sigh* Another thing we're thinking is maybe she doesn't like the beef. She's used to chicken, seeing as that's what the first ingredient in Eukanuba and Science Diet was, and she had no problem eating that.


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## jiml (Jun 19, 2008)

<<<in my perfect scenario, all dogs in the world would have a loving home. if that meant everyone had to own 10 dogs and all they could afford to feed were grocery store foods, so be it. on balance, a loving home for a dog means more than no home because a dog didnt fit into someones budget.>>>

yeah. the funny thing is growing up my all my dogs always seemed healthy and lived to a ripe old age. God knows what my parents fed them. I know gainsburger and chuckwagon were included.

not that im advocating that

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BBqgMQluDM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuK6UX1oz00


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## jeanie1 (Jun 21, 2010)

Nutro Products is the developer and manufacturer of the Nutro brands of dog and cat food, located in Industry, California, USA. Nutro develops several different diet formulations, including canned, soft foods as well as bagged, dry kibbles. They have "MAX CAT" and "Natural Choice" lines for cats, and the "Nutro Max", "Natural Choice", and the "Ultra" lines for dogs.

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Zylkene|Arden Grange Dog Food


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## jiml (Jun 19, 2008)

really, i would have never known. LOL


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## jiml (Jun 19, 2008)

MagicRe said:


> soy...well, soy is one of the three ingredients that i won't feed my dogs....that being soy, wheat or corn....


interesting study on corn http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/132/6/1704S


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## MagicRe (Jan 8, 2010)

jiml said:


> interesting study on corn http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/132/6/1704S


Thanks for the material....



> however, the extrusion process involved in the manufacture of dog food is likely to gelatinize the starch and make it more digestible


doesn't that sound yummy? i guess my question would be....is digestion the desired result or is nutrition the desired result?

it's kind of moot now since i feed raw to my dogs, but i eat very little corn and no wheat nor soy...

and i only eat corn because i love the taste, not because i think it's especially good for me...

there was a science diet rep at the store who explained that extruded corn was somehow different than corn....by the time she was finished, i concluded that what they use was pre masticated corn....so of course it would be more easily digestible...this being said by me....tongue in cheek.

i won't comment on nutro products as there is a rep here...and out of respect for him and his position on this board, i believe i had said i would bow out.....


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## jiml (Jun 19, 2008)

digestion the desired result or is nutrition the desired result?>>>>

I would think that from a starch point of view dig=nutrition. I did find the study interesting it does not take into account the yuckiness factor (LOL) or corn related allergys


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## MagicRe (Jan 8, 2010)

jiml said:


> digestion the desired result or is nutrition the desired result?>>>>
> 
> I would think that from a starch point of view dig=nutrition. I did find the study interesting it does not take into account the yuckiness factor (LOL) or corn related allergys


it does sound yucky...to be sure LOL


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## jiml (Jun 19, 2008)

MagicRe said:


> it does sound yucky...to be sure LOL


Funny thing is that I was having a sim discussion on a gun dog forum where Im the radical. while I redally admit that people prob over worry about some ingredients. I also cant agree that whole foods are no better than processed and that we should "trust" manufactures to use high quality chicken parts such as organ meats in there "chicken byproducts".

Im not one to overly judge what people feed there dogs. but lets not say that orijen is = to sportsmans pride when price is taken out out of the conversation


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## MagicRe (Jan 8, 2010)

jiml said:


> Funny thing is that I was having a sim discussion on a gun dog forum where Im the radical. while I redally admit that people prob over worry about some ingredients. I also cant agree that whole foods are no better than processed and that we should "trust" manufactures to use high quality chicken parts such as organ meats in there "chicken byproducts".
> 
> Im not one to overly judge what people feed there dogs. but lets not say that orijen is = to sportsmans pride when price is taken out out of the conversation


i promised not to be the radical on this discussion...LOL

i cannot, however, resist stating that i believe many people don't worry enough about ingredients.....too few people educate themselves about labels and ingredients and what they are putting into their own mouths and their pets' mouths....

there is a price to pay for everything....food is the fuel for our bodies...and our dogs.....what goes in, genetics aside....can have a profound effect on health and welfare...

pay the price now or pay the price later....


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## jiml (Jun 19, 2008)

i cannot, however, resist stating that i believe many people don't worry enough about ingredients..>>>

on balance id say that this is definitely true


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