Taking Recommendations

Solid Gold's line is really great food. I like how honest, and prompt the company seems to be. I used to feed Solid Gold, before my dogs started having so many issues, and needing more specialized nutrition. I like it a lot. They did well on it. I just got a bag of Barking at the Moon, that I'm going to use for training treats

My favorite kibbles are:
Timberwolf Organics- Elk or bison formulas
Canidae- all life stages or chicken&rice formulas
California Natural- lamb or chicken varieties (add a fish oil supplement to this one)
 
 

I like Hundchen Flocken for sm/med puppies. My second choice would be Eagle Pack Sm/Med Breed Puppy formula, assuming the dog isn't allergic to corn. I personally feed mine Solid Gold Wolfcub, and he does great on it.

Sorry Im at owrk and the computer doesnt update with the pages in the address bar, so I can just post the direct link, anyway I have copied and pasted the "top dry" section of dogaware.com.   Its a great site it you want to check it out, scroll down to dog feeding info, and there lots more than just the dry food section...
 
[linkhttp://www.dogaware.com]www.dogaware.com[/link]
 
Dry Foods (Kibble)
Here are some of the better dry foods that I have heard about. This is by no means a complete list of the high quality foods available, which are growing all the time. For a more extensive list, see the [linkhttp://www.whole-dog-journal.com/]Whole Dog Journal[/link], which publishes an article on the best dry  foods every February. You can also write to me for comments on any individual food you may be interested in (my email address is at the bottom of the page).

• [link>http://www.championpetfoods.com/]ACANA[/link] ~ Premium Canadian pet food, uses human grade and hormone free ingredients.
  
• [linkhttp://www.bluebuff.com/products/dogs.shtml]Blue Buffalo[/link] ~ Human grade, hormone and antibiotic free ingredients
  
• [link>http://www.canidae.com/]Canidae[/link] ~ Human grade, hormone and antibiotic free ingredients
  
• [linkhttp://www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com/]Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul [/link]~ High quality ingredients
  
• [linkhttp://www.dogloversgold.com/]Dog Lover's Gold[/link] ~ Also available in Europe. Human grade, hormone and antibiotic free, free range ingredients.
  
• [linkhttp://www.eaglepack.com/pages/ep_hs_chicken.html]Eagle Pack Holistic Select[/link] ~ Human grade, hormone and antibiotic free ingredients. "Eagle Pack Super Premium formulas are nutritionally balanced so pet owners can mix up to 25% raw food with the Eagle Pack formulas."
  
• [linkhttp://www.aplus-flint-river-ranch.com/]Flint River Ranch[/link] (multiple distributors) ~ Human grade, hormone-free ingredients.
  
• [linkhttp://www.frommfamily.com/products_fourstardry.asp]Fromm Four Star Nutritionals[/link] ~ USDA inspected meats, high quality ingredients (note the Classic line is much lower quality and not recommended). They also offer a raw frozen diet.
  
• [linkhttp://www.petcurean.com/main.php]Go! Natural[/link] from Petcurean ~ Human grade ingredients
  
• [linkhttp://www.prescriptiondiets.com/ino.html]Innovative Veterinary Diets[/link] ~ Special diets for specific conditions, including allergies, IBD, kidney disease, etc. as well as a standard line of pet foods. See [linkhttp://dogaware.com.hosting.domaindirect.com/dogfeeding.html#Prescription]Prescription Diets[/link] above for more info.
  
• [linkhttp://www.merrickpetcare.com/store/]Merrick Pet Foods[/link] ~ Human grade ingredients
  
• [linkhttp://www.naturesvariety.com/content.lasso?page=1321]Nature's Variety Prairie[/link] ~ Human grade ingredients
  Offering a grain-free variety called [linkhttp://www.naturesvariety.com/content.lasso?page=1404&r=1348792]Raw Instinct[/link] (it uses tapioca). Do not feed to puppies under 6 months old unless mixed half and half with protein sources (meat, eggs, dairy, etc.) due to the high calcium content.
  
• [link>http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=home-tab]Natura[/link] makes several varieties of recommended foods. They use human grade, hormone and antibiotic free ingredients.
  
  
  
• [linkhttp://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=cal-home]California Natural[/link] Often recommended for dogs with allergies, has the fewest ingredients.
  
• [link>http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=inn-home]Innova[/link] offers adult, puppy and large breed puppy varieties
  
• [link>http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=hea-home]HealthWise[/link]
  
• Evo is a new grain free diet that is very low in carbs. The ingredients look very good, but I have heard reports of dogs having problems on this diet, especially when used long term (problems include excessive water drinking in a number of dogs, and dry coat in a few). I think it is better used as part of the diet, or as part of a rotation of foods, rather than fed all the time. Do not feed to puppies under 6 months old unless mixed half and half with protein sources (meat, eggs, dairy, etc.) due to the high calcium content.
  
• [linkhttp://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dogformulas/UPDcanned.html]Natural Balance Ultra Premium[/link] ~ Human grade ingredients. Also now offering a [linkhttp://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/products/RAW.html]frozen raw formula[/link] in select locations. Note that their Dog Food Rolls make great treats, but are not recommended as a major part of the diet due to the high amounts of sugar (sucrose). As always, the Vegetarian Formula is NOT recommended.
  
• [linkhttp://www.newmansownorganics.com/pet/home/index.php]Newman's Own Organics[/link] ~ Human grade, hormone and antibiotic free ingredients
  
• [linkhttp://www.nrgpetproducts.com/]N-R-G[/link] ~ Dehydrated Canadian pet food, uses free range human grade meats. May no longer be available, but try [linkhttp://www.nrgpetproducts.us/]http://www.nrgpetproducts.us/[/link]
  
• [linkhttp://www.solidgoldhealth.com/]Solid Gold[/link]
  Offering a grain-free variety called [linkhttp://www.solidgoldhealth.com/products/showcat.php?cat=0]Barking at the Moon[/link]
  
• [linkhttp://www.timberwolforganics.com/cat--Pet-Foods--pet_food]Timberwolf Organics[/link] (Yukon Nutritional Company)
  Offering a lower carb,  grain-free variety called [linkhttp://www.timberwolforganics.com/cgi-bin/cp-app.cgi?pg=prod&ref=wild_natural]Wild & Natural[/link] and another grain-free variety called [linkhttp://www.timberwolforganics.com/cgi-bin/cp-app.cgi?pg=prod&ref=oceanblue]Ocean Blue[/link]
  
• [link>http://www.oldmotherhubbard.com/dogs/wellness_overview.html]Wellness[/link] from Old Mother Hubbard ~ Human grade ingredients
  
• [link>http://www.wenaewe.com.uy/]Wenaewe[/link] ~ Organic, also available in Europe and South America
  
• [link>http://www.wysong.net/]Wysong[/link] ~ Human grade ingredients

Remember, there is no "best" diet, and I believe it's better to [linkhttp://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=switchingfoods]switch foods[/link] periodically rather than to always feed the same thing. Find three or four foods that your dog likes and does well with, that meet the criteria for being very high quality, and rotate among them, making the change gradually if your dog is prone to gastric upset. Add some [linkhttp://dogaware.com.hosting.domaindirect.com/dogfeeding.html#addfood]fresh foods[/link] to the diet to further improve the quality.

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SUPPLEMENTS FOR COMMERCIAL DIETS
Following are several commonly recommended supplements for feeding along with commercial dog food. However, you may want to consider supplementing your commercial diet with food, rather than (or in addition to) supplements. See the section below on [linkhttp://dogaware.com.hosting.domaindirect.com/dogfeeding.html#addfood]Foods Used to Supplement a Commercial Diet[/link] for more information.

1. Fish Oil or Salmon Oil: An important source of [linkhttp://www.healthandage.com/html/res/com/ConsSupplements/Omega3FattyAcidscs.html]Omega-3 essential fatty acids[/link]. [linkhttp://www.omega-3info.com/]Omega-3 EFAs[/link] are beneficial to the immune system, the nervous system, the heart, and help stop inflammation, such as in arthritis and allergies. This is probably the most important supplement to give, no matter what you feed, as [linkhttp://web.archive.org/web/20020202025658/http://www.tnp.com/encyclopedia/substance/126/]Omega-3 EFAs[/link] are hard to find even in a natural diet, and are highly perishable when exposed to heat, light or air, so they do not survive in commercial foods even if added. [linkhttp://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m0FKA/8_62/65091578/p1/article.jhtml]Omega-3 EFAs[/link] are found in fish body oil, not liver oil. They are also found in flax seed oil, although that form is not as well utilized and some dogs can be allergic to flax. Recommended amount is 1000mg fish oil (containing 300mg combined DHA/EPA) per 30 pounds (14kg) of body weight. Maximum dosage for dogs with health problems would be 1000mg per 10 pounds (4.5kg) of body weight. Vitamin E should also be given whenever oils are supplemented (even small amounts are adequate, but recommended dosage would be 100 IU per day for small dogs, 200 IU for medium-sized dogs, and 400 IU for large dogs).
   
2. Probiotics: Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria that live in the intestines and help control yeast and harmful bacteria, as well as helping with digestion and intestinal health. These friendly bacteria are destroyed whenever antibiotics are given, and can also be flushed out of the system if your dog has diarrhea. It is recommended to use probiotics for six months following any antibiotic usage. Dogs that are under stress or that have digestive problems or problems with yeast (usually manifested as itchy skin, ear infections, and chewing at feet) may benefit from routine probiotic supplementation. A supplement that contains multiple bacterial strains, such as Acidophilus and Bifidus, is better than just a single strain. [linkhttp://www.b-naturals.com/product_info.php?products_id=23]Berte's Ultra Probiotic Powder[/link] is an excellent supplement. You can use [linkhttp://www.naturmix.com/]Fastrack[/link], although some dogs get diarrhea from this supplement. You can also use human-grade probiotics that you would find in a health food store. [linkhttp://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html]Kefir[/link], which is easy to make at home, is also a good source of beneficial bacteria. Probiotics must be kept refrigerated.
   
3. Vitamins: Although commercial foods include a minimal supply of added vitamins (the original ones are destroyed by processing), supplementing can be beneficial, especially vitamins E, C (with bioflavonoids), and B-complex. Unfortunately, all pet multi-vitamins that I'm aware of contain too little of anything to be useful. The only multi-vitamin supplement I've found with appropriate amounts is [linkhttp://www.b-naturals.com/product_info.php?products_id=86]Berte's Daily Blend[/link] (although I think it is fine to only use half the recommended dosage). An Immune Blend is also available for dogs with cancer and other serious health problems. I don't recommend supplementing minerals (other than very small amounts of selenium, such as is contained in Berte's Daily Blend) due to the potential for overdosing or not using proper combinations (for example, zinc can be very dangerous if given in large quantities or not properly balanced with copper).
   
4. Digestive Enzymes: Since enzymes are destroyed by cooking, commercial foods are enzyme dead. Adding digestive enzymes may be beneficial if your dog suffers from digestive disorders, liver problems, pancreatitis, or is otherwise unhealthy and may benefit from getting additional nutritional value from their food. Digestive enzymes should be given about 20-30 minutes before feeding to be effective. [linkhttp://www.b-naturals.com/product_info.php?products_id=112]Berte's Zyme[/link] is a good enzyme supplement to use, as it contains both plant and animal-derived enzymes (animal-based enzymes, such as protease and lipase, help more with the breakdown of nutrients, while plant-based enzymes, such as bromelain and papain, seem to help more with gas and inflammation). [linkhttp://www.prozyme.net/main.html]Prozyme[/link] can also be used, although it has been known to cause diarrhea in some dogs.

There are also several commercially available supplements that can be helpful, although probably not as much as the more specific and concentrated supplements listed above. It is not necessary to use more than one of these at a time, but doing so should cause no problems. If you like more than one, you might want to alternate using them daily or weekly, particularly for those which contain herbs, such as [linkhttp://www.naturmix.com/]Hokamix[/link] , as herbs may lose their effectiveness if given continuously, better to give off and on.