Top 5 Foods

[k1sf]

Maybe my question is not right for this topic,but there is some people that use 1 day a week a vegetarian diet for Pits over 1 y.o. i'm far from that day,Zeus is near to 9 months now,but what do you think?Is right or wrong,what could be the utility?Thank you all for an answer.

[Allie]

I don't personally believe in a vegetarian diet for dogs.
I also don't see what doing a vegetarian diet for one day a week would benefit.... but I would love to hear some answers if anyone else knows.

[k1sf]

Persons who use 1 day every week a vegetarian diet for their dogs said the it relax their body for example liver and loins,really i don't know my last dog Sandy was eating a lot and everything,she lived about 19 y.o and in good health for example but if it's possible do better it's a right thing to know what.(Scuse me for my bad english)

[tiva]

After 5 years with my various dogs on Canidae, I finally decided to switch. Young Vanya's coat has not been good (he has only been on Canidae for 16 months, since we got him at a year of age), and he developed a staph infection this weekend. The elderly girls have been getting itches and little skin thingies (hot spots, weird growths). The vet said a lot of her clients who had been thrilled with Canidae in the past have been noticing problems since Canidae changed formulas this summer. She suggested Wellness, so that's what we're trying now.

Wish us luck!

[tiva]

Another poster asked:

I do wonder if anyone knows anything about the long-term effects of the high level of Protein in EVO.

For what it's worth, my vet didn't want our two very old bitches (13 and 14yo) on EVO because of the high protein. She was concerned about the strain on their kidneys, I believe, from the protein--especially for the girl who is on daily rimadyl for arthritis.

[PaigeJ]

I'd like a new top 5 or top 10 list too...would Taste of the Wild make it on there? I'm thinking about buying a bag.

[elrojo]

Check out Dogfoodanalysis.com . They rank just about everything on the market. They rank from 1 to 6 stars, and explain pros and cons. Timberwolf gets a 5 (which is outstanding). TOTW's Pacific Stream gets a 5, the other two get a "hesitant" 6.

[PaigeJ]

Thanks Good to know it's so highly rated. I've got a retailer near me who carries TOTW so it would be easier to get than Timberwolf.

[Uahi]

Check out Dogfoodanalysis.com . They rank just about everything on the market. They rank from 1 to 6 stars, and explain pros and cons. Timberwolf gets a 5 (which is outstanding). TOTW's Pacific Stream gets a 5, the other two get a "hesitant" 6.

DFA's sight is kinda out dated in my opinion. Dog food co. can change the ingr. without changing the bag for something like 2 years. I think DFA's last entry was in 08. Its also a system that rates foods by printed ingr. There is no research done. With that said it is a good place to start, but dont make that the holy grail of dog food.

I feed two of my dogs TOTW and they do great on it. My old bully eats EVO and does great on that. I used to feed Orijen, but cant get it in Hawaii at this time. Ironically all in the 6 star rating for DFA.

[elrojo]

I agree dogfoodanalysis isn't the "end all - be all" but it's the best resource I've found. If someone has done chemical analysis on each brand, please point me in the direction of THAT site! I kid but, if you know of other online resources (that don't take money from dogfood companies), please share.

And I certainly won't claim that any food is "the best." No food is perfect for every dog. I own a pet store and you'd be surprised how many people don't want to hear that. They just want to know what the "best" is. Both of my bullies did poorly on Wellness formulas (which rated very highly), and better on Merrick (which rated lower). I tried Eagle Pack Holistic Chicken Meal because of it's rating, and they didn't even want to eat it!

At this point I do a rotation of kibbles (TOTW, Innova, TW and Merrick BG), supplements, and add frozen/raw one day a week. TOTW has had no problems with myself or any customers so far, and sells well since it has the lowest price point of any quality grain-free diet I've found. I'm by no means saying it's "the best" just sayin I like it and had great results when it was my sole food.

[Uahi]

I agree dogfoodanalysis isn't the "end all - be all" but it's the best resource I've found. If someone has done chemical analysis on each brand, please point me in the direction of THAT site! I kid but, if you know of other online resources (that don't take money from dogfood companies), please share.

And I certainly won't claim that any food is "the best." No food is perfect for every dog. I own a pet store and you'd be surprised how many people don't want to hear that. They just want to know what the "best" is. Both of my bullies did poorly on Wellness formulas (which rated very highly), and better on Merrick (which rated lower). I tried Eagle Pack Holistic Chicken Meal because of it's rating, and they didn't even want to eat it!

At this point I do a rotation of kibbles (TOTW, Innova, TW and Merrick BG), supplements, and add frozen/raw one day a week. TOTW has had no problems with myself or any customers so far, and sells well since it has the lowest price point of any quality grain-free diet I've found. I'm by no means saying it's "the best" just sayin I like it and had great results when it was my sole food.

Lab test no... but real time test yes. I've tasted all the foods I feed I actually visted the factory for innova, and I've fed TOTW for a few years now. and Orijen is from Canada and everything from canada is good. No I have really done a lot of trial time with dog foods that have good ingr. (that I could get in Hawaii.) I know what works for my dogs. You hit it on the head. What works for my dog. I feed raw too, but I also hunt so its a little easier for me to get meat then it might be for others. blah blah im rambeling

[elrojo]

I hunt as well (though just deer -WAY out of season) and have often wondered about requesting that some bones and organs be ground. Do you butcher your own? After field dressing, I've had enough of that aspect!

[Uahi]

I hunt as well (though just deer -WAY out of season) and have often wondered about requesting that some bones and organs be ground. Do you butcher your own? After field dressing, I've had enough of that aspect!

If you could call it butchering. Or i guess thats what you would call it. Where roots are (Molokai) My uncle has a sweet potato farm and we can pretty much hunt year round. (at night too) the deer distroy the fields. anyway. I usually only get to go once in a while now that I live on Oahu, but my cousins go all the time and send me stuff all the time. Back strap is mine and my dogs get the rest so one deer last a while in my freezer. I used to give boar to my dogs, but the wild pigs carry TB and Im not willing to take that chance with my dogs. I got an old meat grinder from my grandfather's house. Maybe 100yrs old, but still works and I use that and a food scale and im good.

[racheroonie]

I'm surprised at reading this that so many people dislike Nutro. I've had my dogs on Natural choice for so long now.

But here's the issue... with my schnauzer and yorkie, a few months back... they were barfing up yellowy liquids. On the consumer affairs website, most of the owners complained about this. We never really thought it was the food and switched off it.

Now again, we're on it for my puppy pit. They do not barf at all and they love it and we're doing well on it. But, I think I might switch... probably to Wellness.

[FriscoGirl]

I find the rankings flawed, it lists feed that would be optimal during conditioning as best but I think they believe theyre good daily feeds which I disagree with.

Evo and feeds with protein levels that high arent necessary for daily maintenance as it has the kidneys working overtime every meal. A feed like Regular Innova has enough protein for daily maintenance, I wouldnt touch Evo or similar feeds with those protein levels as daily feed

my opinion, those are conditioning protein levels