Can't find the perfect diet???

[Salamandra73]

I wish we had Innova here in Brazil. When I used to live in Austin, TX with my ex, I gave this one to our Border Collie and it was the best dog food. Here in Brazil I'm feeding Bari with Royal Canin, but I want to switch to BARF soon.

[HHLovinbull]

Hey guys Capo my three and a half month old bull eats iams and he poops pretty dark thats good right let me know whats up ! also is there any millitary owners out there holla back?

[HHLovinbull]

Hey guys whats the best chow for a three and a half month old bull I feed capo iams right now but i'm starting to read things about the bad growth rate so I need some solid concrete succesful info whos got the juice?

[heather]

http://www.gooddogmagazine.com/dogfoodcosts.htm

if you think cheap food is really cheap, think again. you have to feed larger servings per day than with the better food.

i switched from Wellness to Canidae because i read chicken MEAL is better than whole chicken, since you are paying for the weight of the chicken, water included. and, canidae is same feeding amounts and less expensive
http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/dogfoods.html

[aaron kahn]

My dogs eat raw food- almost all chicken backs and necks. I would vary their diet more, but I'm lazy. They also get organ meat, usually chicken liver, oils (fish and flax), raw friuts and veggies, missing link supplement...

I'm always suspicious of stories that start "my friend knew someone who..." If you treat the chicken like you would for yourself it should be fine. I thaw the chicken, then keep it in the fridge- no more than two days worth at a time. I also buy chicken from stores that I know and trust- NOT WalMart, Costco, etc. If you have a small local butcher, support them! Our local butcher has huskies, and knows about feeding raw meat to dogs.

No matter what kind of food you buy- if it is cheap, it is probably crap!

I've been told that dogs have been eating raw, often scavenged, meat for thousands of years- so their systems can handle problems better than our can. I don't know if this is true, just that my dogs are happy, healthy, and their poop is easy to clean up. (it is lighter in color, usually)

good luck!

[FantomsDad]

I feed science deit now. It works great with my dog. I've been thinkin about going over to raw. Gonna have'ta do some more reading. :roll:

[Elli]

I'm feeding raw

[Stafford]

I normally feed BARF. If I am going to be away, or if I just do not have enough time I feed Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe adult dog food by Blue Buffalo and I would recommend it to anyone.

[ScooterGuitar]

Azmira is the best I have tried. Tried almsot all the others, but Azmira works best for me, plus like the herbs. I usually mix foods as well. 1/2 Azmira, then mix it up a fe wof the other really good foods. Tried BARF and it jsut didn;t work for me, not the dog, for me!

[mthegodfather]

I was feeding Diamond Puppy but just recently switched to Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Adult. I mix in an egg about once a week and some cottage chesse about once a week also to give him some variety.

[mthegodfather]

Ok im switching him to the high protein Nutro with the egg and cottage chesse for variety.

[Onyxx]

I am still investigating our options and I gotta say I like what someone said about feeding barf made her poop problem disappear (turns into dust? less smell) also like the idea of less shedding cuz boo sheds like crazy. Also some research I read about his anal gland problem said that commercial dog foods don't give them enough fiber....so I can cook cream of wheat for him (I've already got two boxes of it!) and I had always heard that chicken bones are bad because they can puncture his throat? Also, I have some antelope meat thats been in my freezer for about 3 to 4 months...is that ok to give him? just thaw it out then feed him raw not cooked right?
I have a million questions like what about cooked meat? Boo really likes smoked sausage and brats. Is this ok?
I just wanna have a really healthy dogs with all the benefits of less shedding etc. and if I can give him raw I think it would be pretty cheap.

[MotherofAtlas]

i was feeding our dogs canidae all stage formula and then sadly, our eldest dog passed away. she was 16 (airidale/boxer)and it was the only solution to her and my 1 1/2 year old pit sharing the same food. Atlas (the pit) was eating kasco puppy before the two were living in the same house and now that she's passed, a switched him to Kasco maintenance, and the GAS is terrible......not only that, but he has started devolping these funky little bumps (they look like mosquito bites) under his hair. they come and go and re-appear. does this ring the food allergy bell or does it sound like a bacteria? I think i will be switching back to canidae ASAP, but if anyone has a suggestion for sensitive stomach (anti-prescription diet) i would appreciate comments.
Jane

[Bawugna]

I read this whole thread and then checked out the webpage for the food comparisons and am feeling a bit inadequate

Just to give a bit of a historical perspective from where I am coming. I worked in pet shops for my Highschool and College years (8) During that time I learned all I could about dog foods from several sources. Veterinarians, Feed wholesalers and literature from several MFG companies. I also got much feedback from customers. Let this be a background or preface to what I am about to say and ask.

I have been a Science Diet user for the better part of 25 years! Almost all of the Vets I spoke to touted its benfits. Obviously, the Company reps from Science Diet were big on the food and left much literature, all of which made sense to me. Every customer I turned onto Science Diet, EVERY ONE, was not only impressed with the results they got with the food, but they became my best sales allies! I saw dogs go from poor coated lethargic dogs to vibrant animals in short periods of time. My own dogs were well served by this food. Bear was probably the best example of a SD fed dog that I really doubt could have been made any better by any other food. The real clincher for me was when a Dog Food Distributer, one of the largest in the area at the time, told me that he bred Goldens and that he has damned near every dog food on the market at his fingertips and he used SD, he said that no other food compared.

I understand that there has been a move afoot recently to disparage SD claiming that is little more than a hyped up junk product. I read the comparisons and must say that the ingredient descriptions for all the foods listed were pretty eye opening.

Bleu is still young and changing him over would be no problem but I am still not convinced........hard headed I guess :roll: Can anyone tell me of instances where SD can be blamed for POOR nutrition in a dog or can be attributed with causing a particular problem in a dog? Is there a favorite here? I did not check out the results of the poll....are they even available?

Oh by the way, when Bleu was owned by my uncle (up to 4 months old) he was fed BARF. I must say not only was he bloated and filled with fluid, but BARF made house training rather difficult as the dog had to pee almost continuously. His stools were NASTY too I broke him off Barf and got him onto SD and within a week, his urination was controllable, his coat shined up, he started to lean out and even developed a bit of a tuck (which he has maintained), he calmed down immensely.....basically he was a new dog! Not knocking BARF it just did not seem to be right for Bleu.

[GT99]

Well, Science diet may have been the best option out there years ago when it came out, this I couldnt tell you.

Vets are the best way to find a food that is healthy for your dog, food companies know this, by giving the vet some kickbacks for pushing their brand on dog owners.

Not all vets are like this, but some are.

I cant give you cases of where science diet is bad, but I cant give you examples of how bad Ol roy or pedigree is either. I can tell you that the ingredients in Science diet are on par with the other 2 "crap" brands I listed above. First ingredient? Corn meal? then their meat source (which should be first) is the worst meat source you can have (chicken by-product)

Sorry, but I would take "other" very commercial food like Iams over Science diet ANY day.

just have to read ther label, these comapnies by law MUST list them truthfully in the ingredient list and the nutritional value bar. ANYTHING else on the bag that talks about the food or its nutrients is PURE MARKETING only the 2 areas of the bag are required to be truthful by law