# The best Cheap Dog food... I think I found it



## boon4376

So I know I have been an advocate for spending a little more on dogfood to get better ingredients... But lately ive been trying to find the cheapest formula that still has good ingredients.

I went to walmart and started comparing their entire selection... And only found one good one.

Its Rachel Ray Nutrish Chicken and Vegetables. Its *97 Cents per pound* (cheaper than some lower quality iams and purina foods) and here are the ingredients



> Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brewers Rice, Corn Meal, Soybean Meal, Animal Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Corn Gluten Meal, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Dried Beet Pulp, Natural Flavor, Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Dehydrated Alfalfa, Dried Peas, Dried Tomatoes, Dried Carrots, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Olive Oil, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Oxide, Dried Parsley,


...
I mean its not amazing, but for the price its outstanding.. The first 2 ingredients are meat, one of them is a meal which is important...
Compared to equivalently priced purina, iams, and beneful, its very good.


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## Teachadog

blah corn and soy... lol I have just pulled off a miracle, I was feeding kibble at $2/lbs and now Emmett eats (between RMB, yogurt, salmon oil, meat and organs) raw and I am litterally paying 80 cents a pound. He eats about 1.5 pounds so its really reasonable. can't complain 

I'm sorry, for the price thats a really good food, you can find it at walmart and vs purina, beneful or Iams its very reasonable.. and I believe some of the profit goes to a pet charity?


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## Foyerhawk

It is cheaper and better than Purina for sure.


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## Dogluvr

It looks better than Purina and Iams, but I would definitely rate Chicken Soup higher, which is about the same price... $1/lb.


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## zhaor

> Brewers Rice, Corn Meal, Soybean Meal, Animal Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Corn Gluten Meal,


this doesn't look that great



Dogluvr said:


> ...but I would definitely rate Chicken Soup higher, which is about the same price... $1/lb.


yeah and even kirkland looks better at almost half the price.


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## Dogluvr

zhaor said:


> yeah and even kirkland looks better at almost half the price.


Fully agree, although not everybody has access to a Costco.


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## Michiyo-Fir

I agree with Dogluvr and zhaor.

If you have access to a Costco, Kirkland food is your best bet. It's only about $0.55/lb. And it's better than the Nutrish Chicken.

But if you can afford $1/lb then definitely go for Chicken Soup. Chicken soup is close in quality to Wellness and Innova which are more expensive. Those two are closer to $1.60/lb.

Try Chicken soup! You'll love it!


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## Foyerhawk

Yeah, I have bought Chicken Soup before. Even recently, I think. I have one of those dogs that could eat Ol' Roy and probably look amazing, but I still give him the best!


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## Cheetah

Chicken, Chicken Meal, *Brewers Rice, Corn Meal, Soybean Meal, Animal Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Corn Gluten Meal,* Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Dried Beet Pulp, Natural Flavor, Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Dehydrated Alfalfa, Dried Peas, Dried Tomatoes, Dried Carrots, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Olive Oil, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Oxide, Dried Parsley

Way overpriced if it's got cheap fillers such as corn, and nonspecified animals in it. Yuck.

I also vote for Chicken Soup, or Diamond Naturals (both of which are made by the same company who makes Kirkland). I'm on a budget right now and feeding Fromm Gold.


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## Inga

I wish I had a Costco around here, I would give Kirkland a try. I have heard a lot of happy people feeding that. I would at least give it a look. I am currently feeding Taste of the Wild. I think it is pretty reasonable for the quality and my dogs really look good on it. They eat a lot less of that then some of the other foods they have had.


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## luvntzus

The ingredients mentioned above are awful (soybean meal, animal fat, etc). Chicken Soup For The Dog Lover's Soul is the best food for the price IMO. And of course Kirkland is great if you have a Costco membership. Canidae was always another good one for the price, but since they've been bought out I heard there was a decrease in quality and I'm not sure about the price.


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## paux

Teachadog said:


> blah corn and soy... lol I have just pulled off a miracle, I was feeding kibble at $2/lbs and now Emmett eats (between RMB, yogurt, salmon oil, meat and organs) raw and I am litterally paying 80 cents a pound. He eats about 1.5 pounds so its really reasonable.


Though raw may seem dramatically cheaper than kibble, you must also keep in mind that they have different levels of water content. Kibble is about 90% Dry Matter (DM), while raw is about 30% DM. That means when you buy raw, you are paying for a lot of water weight as well.

So if you do the math. Paying $2/lb of kibble means you are paying $2.22/lb of DM ($2/.9). And paying $.80/lb of raw means you are paying $2.66/lb of DM ($.8/.3)

I still think raw is great despite the costs, which is why I feed it to my dog


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## Kathyy

Raw has very low carb content and high fat content. It actually works out closer pound to pound than you would think. When I compare calorie content per dollar raw is lower than some kibble like Wellness and about the same as most super premium.

Unspecified animal fat just gives me the shivers. Dogs are scavengers but I don't want mine to eat that on purpose. And pay for it.


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## boon4376

Dogluvr said:


> It looks better than Purina and Iams, but I would definitely rate Chicken Soup higher, which is about the same price... $1/lb.


I've been looking but i cant find it anywhere.
No costco within 100 miles



Cheetah said:


> Way overpriced if it's got cheap fillers such as corn, and nonspecified animals in it. Yuck.


I literally couldnt find a food less than 75 cents per pound at walmart (old roys, which only source of animal is fat and blood meal)... I wouldn't know where else to find anything... every pet store in the area only carries the $1.30 per pound and up foods... Maybe its where I live, every pet store stocks 90% high end wellness, solid gold, canidae, wysongs, natures variety, and has 1 isle for purina, iams and science diet togethe.
I cant find anything cheaper than the Rachel Ray that still has 2 sources of meat as the main ingredient.



paux said:


> Though raw may seem dramatically cheaper than kibble, you must also keep in mind that they have different levels of water content. Kibble is about 90% Dry Matter (DM), while raw is about 30% DM. That means when you buy raw, you are paying for a lot of water weight as well.
> 
> So if you do the math. Paying $2/lb of kibble means you are paying $2.22/lb of DM ($2/.9). And paying $.80/lb of raw means you are paying $2.66/lb of DM ($.8/.3)
> 
> I still think raw is great despite the costs, which is why I feed it to my dog


When you start comparing calories, RAW gets very expensive... 1 cup of dry kibble = 475 calories.. 1 cup of raw = about 150 calories depending on fat content... and my puppy is barely gaining weight on almost 6 cups a day of premium foods (natures variety and solid gold).


I just found a sams club near by, they have a brand called "members mark"... no ingredients listed online, but i guess i'll drive over and see what the ingredients are... Its approx 30 cents per pound and they have some "premium" versions of it.


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## Dogluvr

boon4376 said:


> I've been looking but i cant find it anywhere.
> No costco within 100 miles


Go to their website, and see what stores in your area carry it. It's found in strange places here.


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## zimandtakandgrrandmimi

http://www.dogforums.com/5-dog-food-forum/42543-opinions.html

I posted a similar thread on a different food a while back. this is the stuff I donate to the shelter...its better than some of the garbage they get in..(old roy)


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## zhaor

boon4376 said:


> I just found a sams club near by, they have a brand called "members mark"... no ingredients listed online, but i guess i'll drive over and see what the ingredients are... Its approx 30 cents per pound and they have some "premium" versions of it.


I remember looking at the sam's club one a few days ago. Their premium still had cheap fillers like brewers rice and corn I think. It's ok but not as good as Kirkland and only a little bit cheaper. So if you can't find a costco, the sam's club one is alright for the price.


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## boon4376

zhaor said:


> I remember looking at the sam's club one a few days ago. Their premium still had cheap fillers like brewers rice and corn I think. It's ok but not as good as Kirkland and only a little bit cheaper. So if you can't find a costco, the sam's club one is alright for the price.


just checked... our sams club only has stuff as bad as ol' roys & the really low end purina. 50lbs for $17.00 

I found a chicken soup dealer at this strange little pet store I've never heard of before!... they have 35lb bags for $35.00, that's where I'll be buying my food from now on.
The rachel ray isnt too bad, the sources of meat are good, and its only a 13lb bag so im going to wait until im through it before switching over to chicken soup.


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## Willowy

The Rachel Ray isn't horrible, and is the best you can get in town here. Personally, I found it to be rather expensive ($8.50 for 6 pounds, and they don't have the larger bags). But better than most of the alternatives, and cheaper than Iams.

I think the best cheap food is Diamond Naturals/Kirkland (same stuff under different packaging). Way cheaper than almost any dog food out there, and not bad for the price. Grainy, yes, but nothing horrible. Chicken Soup is a little better, a little more expensive but still very reasonable (about $1.00 a pound for me). You'll find most of the good brands are sold in "strange little pet stores you've never heard of before", LOL.

The Member's Mark Exceed (Sam's Club premium dog food) isn't too awful but is definitely worse than Kirkland. It does have corn derivatives and the lamb formula has by-product meal, but the first ingredient is real meat, and in the chicken formula there's no by-products, so it's better than most.


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