Dog Community

So many dog food brands... suggestions (aDork)

Posted : 7/9/2010 1:05:10 PM

So part of the thing with me finally getting Misha back, and living with him full time again, is that I think he needs his food changed. I'm posting because many of the foods that are frequently suggested he is on and I am not sure they are working out the best for him.

Current Food(s): TOTW High Prarie, as it's the only one that he'll finish as enthusiastically as he starts, and Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon.

The Issues: I've noticed some loose stool in his butt fluff, but since I'm the only one who will go track down stool in the woods... I can't say for sure this is a recent/constant thing. He still gets a doggy smell really quickly after a bath, within a week he starts to smell like he's lived outdoors his whole life. This could be because of extra oils in his coat (he's part Chow), and I haven't tried a degreasing shampoo yet. In the past year he's lost 10 lbs, I'm neither happy nor upset about his, he looks and feels good at 75 lbs and his exercise regime changed during this time. I was trying to keep him at a good weight because he tends to chunk up in the winter and it takes a bit to work the weight off of him. He's always had dirty ears, eye boogers, plaguey teeth (I will start brushing them), and bad breath. His activity levels have seemed a bit down, but it's also been really hot and I've kept him in full coat this summer -- he does spend a lot of time indoors.

Food Related: Corn makes him itchy and it seems that chicken makes him gassy.

Past Food(s): Ol' Roy (it's what Papa can afford), Science Diet Puppy (it was free), Eukanuba (what the other dogs ate), Merrick Canned Homestyle (again, free, but he enjoys them), some Nature/Natura food which gave him very loose stool, B.G. -- tons of energy that we couldn't burn off, TOTW, Blue Buffalo, sometimes Mighty Meaty something or other

The Dog: Misha is 1/2 Great Pyrenees, and probably 1/4 Chow and 1/4 Shepherd (Aussie? German?). He stands 26" tall at the shoulder and recently weighed 75 lbs. He will be 4 in December and may be showing signs of some joint stiffness (I didn't see what was described, and my parents like to feel bad for him if they think he doesn't have enough room). He currently has no particular job or training, but I'm hoping to get him into something more active in order to build his confidence and work his brain.

Finally, the Question: I'm looking for advice on what you feed, and works for you, and what you wouldn't feed and why. I know there have been a lot of recent selling of various brands and I can't keep up. I am looking for a kibble to supplement with home cooked or pre-made raw. I am not willing to do straight raw, as no one would continue it if/when I have to travel. The more I look at foods the more I can't figure out what's good and what's not anymore. I'm posting because many of the foods that are frequently suggested he is on and I am not sure they are working out the best for him.

Thanks for any advice or insight you can provide!

jennie_c_d

Posted : 7/9/2010 8:59:21 PM

I am not into super high protein, or super complicated foods. I like moderate, simple foods, just because they've always seemed to work better for my dogs. Currently, Bean is eating Precise Foundation (chicken, rice, oats, and fish), and Jewel is on The Honest Kitchen Keen (turkey and oats). I'm extremely happy with how they both look and feel. They do get bits of this and that, of course, and raw treats, but it's not a major part of their diet. It was supposed to be more, but we ended up where we are, and I'm satisfied with it.

I have fed everything, over the years, and that's where I landed. In the middle. LOL

BlackLabbie

Posted : 7/9/2010 10:19:28 PM

Apollo is currently eating Orijen (the regular adult formula), 2 1/2-3c/day (depending on activity, he's about 100lbs solid). Patty and Molson are eating Canidae Grain Free Salmon, 1c/day each (they're about 26lbs and 28lbs). All 3 dogs also get something raw (marrow bone, turkey neck, etc) 3+x a week too. We went through several different foods with our dogs; Beneful (I know, gross!), Wellness Core, Merrick, Innova, Purina One, Orijen Fish, Canidae Regular formula, there's probably more... All 3 of my dogs look and feel excellent, they have lots of energy, poop is small and solid- I'm happy with what they're eating currently and don't plan on changing anytime soon.

BEVOLASVEGAS

Posted : 7/9/2010 10:42:25 PM

We feed most of our dogs raw, & I tried a ton of different foods before I decided to go raw.

Currently, Brutus eats Honest Kitchen, Force. I love it, & he does very well on it. I use HK products any time that we travel & on the days that I forget to defrost food for everyone, & I love the results.

Cher has been eating Precise Puppy formula. She has done very well on it, & *if* I were to go back to kibble, I would definitely give it a try.

4HAND

Posted : 7/10/2010 6:33:23 AM

I like the Fromm four star line http://www.frommfamily.com/products-fs.php .Only two of the six have chicken and none have corn.I get mine at the feed store.You could call around and ask if any places have free samples to try.

Tena

Edit-I looked closer....Three have chicken and some have chicken fat.

shamrockmommy

Posted : 7/10/2010 1:35:07 PM

I am currently doing mosly raw with some HK thrown in.

Their meals are like this: 6 days a week, am meal is a meat/veg/fruit/egg w/shell mix. Echo gets 1 cup and Lexi and Darby get 1/3 cup each. PM meal is RMBs with a sprinkling of oat bran, kelp, and herb mixture. one day per week is vegetarian day- am meal is a porridge with yogurt and half an egg, other meal is baked sweet potato with cottage cheese. THey also get the occasional fish meal.

Because of our tiny fridge though, feeding that way is tough! I can only make small batches to store in the fridge of the meat/veg mix plus I have RMBs thawing in there too. So, I have also been feeding Honest Kitchen's Thrive or Embark for the morning meal and RMBs with the bran mixture sprinkled on top for the evening meal. I may convert permanently to the HK/am meal and RMBs/pm meal since only keeping RMBs in the frige takes up much less space than the addition of the tub of meat/veg mix. I waffle on that issue since HK (anything commercial!) makes Darby yeasty and itchy.

As far as kibble, if I were to need to use it, I would probably go back to PetGuard Lifespan which I had great luck with over the years or perhaps try Acana or Orijen. Have not tried those, not sure if I want my dogs on kibble anyway.

I like feeding raw over kibble because- Clean teeth; small, non-offensive poo; no skin or coat issues, nice breath, even energy, happy, healthy dogs!

tiffy

Posted : 7/10/2010 3:31:22 PM

Tootsie has had in her lifetime: Purina Puppy Chow, Beneful( I know), Eagle Pack Holistic Sardine & Oatmeal, Orijen Fish and now she eats NB Reduced Calorie. Shes also been supplemented daily with salmon oil and vitamin e for about 2 1/2 years. Her coat, teeth, breath, stool and overall health is excellent. I truly believe that the salmon oil and vit. e make a huge difference.

shamrockmommy

Posted : 7/10/2010 6:07:02 PM

tiffy reminded me. I also add vitamin E, C and fish oil daily to their am meals. Fish oil gives them the most shiny and full coats.

Jewlieee

Posted : 7/10/2010 6:26:15 PM

I've tried totw over and ovr and just don't like how my dogs look and feel on it.

I do like: blue wilderness, innova (all kinds including evo), core, pure natural, orijen

My dogs have also eaten chicken soup for the soul, and eukenuba (got it free and honestly didn't have any problems with it at all). I'm sure there's a boat load of other foods I'm forgetting. I switch food all the time

kpwlee

Posted : 7/10/2010 7:56:19 PM

Bugsy is very limited due to allergies so we don't have a long list

He is on Orjen fish and doing very well on it. He gets about 4 cps a day of it - adjusted for activity

We have also used TOTW fish and he did fine and also Arcana Pacifica and he did OK

Others we have used Solid Gold Barking at the Moon and Millenia, Timberwolf Ocean Blue, and their Elk version. He did superb on the original Ocean blue and then they started messing with the formula.

He did OK on the solid gold stuff but not great.

We tried the Wellness Core Fish and he needed tons of it to maintain

He also gets raw 1-3x a week as it is available.

He gets canned tripe from time to time

For Bugsy grain free high protein does best. I think he'd do well on all raw but I just can't source enough inexpensive meat/bones that he isn't allergic to. I am very happy giving him Orjen with the occasional canned tripe and raw meals.

He gets 4000 mgs of fish oil, 400 IU vitamin E, glucosamine/chondroitin/msm daily (human caplets)

aDorkable

Posted : 7/14/2010 6:03:42 PM

So in my searches for "Golden Pyrenees" (don't ask), I found a page that said that adult Pyrs shouldn't have more than 21% protein, but I can't find this statement anywhere else. Perhaps changing to a lower protein food would help him? I'm not sure, it's something I have to research more, but it's definitely a place to start. And thanks for all the suggestions! I keep going back through and examining them, at least I have time to decide.

Nacho's Dad

Posted : 7/18/2010 6:48:01 PM

Got my first dog (Collie / German Shepard mix) in 1968 and he was fed Southern States dry dog food, later mixed with Ken-L Ration and, he lived for 10 years. He died of cancer. My next several dogs were fed a can / dry mix diet but never lived to a ripe old age because of premature death due to disease or freak accidents. My purebreed Boxer was fed Purina ONE for his entire life and lived a happy and healthy life for 13 years 8 months. He had to be put down because of kidney failure.

I've recently been given a precious 6 week old (American Foxhound / Black Lab / Boxer / Bassett Hound mix) male puppy by a freind and, I'm feeding him Purina Pro Plan Selects Puppy food. I personally know five country veterinarians and they've all told me that the dog food debates are blown out of proportion and that Purina ONE and Pro Plan are just as good as any dog food that you'll find. I believe them.

grab01

Posted : 7/18/2010 7:35:36 PM

Aesop went through a poopy butt phase as a youngster and that, coupled with his dislike of most foods, has led to our trying a ton of foods.

In the end, the food we stick with is TOTW Pacific Stream...he likes it (everyone else does too, but they'll eat anything), no gross poops, and everyone looks good..soft coats, good skin, etc.

He does also like the Holistique Blend fish formula too (I think that's the correct name) but the bites are a bit too big for me to feel comfortable with Ginger eating them full time. So while we'll pick up a small bag if they're out of the TOTW, we don't feed it full time since I prefer they all be on the same food.

erica1989

Posted : 7/18/2010 8:28:23 PM

Both my boys eat Blue Buffalo. We're currently doing the Turkey formula - which they LOVE.

Benny came to me eating a low quailty food - and in the short few months I've had him, his coat has just completely turned around - soft, shiny, beautiful - and he no longer smells.

I've also used Orijen, and would consider going back to it should the need arise. Among others - they've eating - Spot's Stew, EVO, Instinct, and Before Grain (canned only). And aside from the BG, they've done well on all - but we stick primarily with the BB.

mehpenn

Posted : 7/19/2010 12:31:31 PM

Nacho's Dad

Got my first dog (Collie / German Shepard mix) in 1968 and he was fed Southern States dry dog food, later mixed with Ken-L Ration and, he lived for 10 years. He died of cancer. My next several dogs were fed a can / dry mix diet but never lived to a ripe old age because of premature death due to disease or freak accidents. My purebreed Boxer was fed Purina ONE for his entire life and lived a happy and healthy life for 13 years 8 months. He had to be put down because of kidney failure.

I've recently been given a precious 6 week old (American Foxhound / Black Lab / Boxer / Bassett Hound mix) male puppy by a freind and, I'm feeding him Purina Pro Plan Selects Puppy food. I personally know five country veterinarians and they've all told me that the dog food debates are blown out of proportion and that Purina ONE and Pro Plan are just as good as any dog food that you'll find. I believe them.

LOL... my grandpa would swear by Southern States dry dog food.. he loved that stuff.

His dogs were all fed either Southern States brand or Field Trial... and all lived to be old, happy dogs.

He'd call me crazy if he saw all the work I put into my dogs food.... and my vet also says some of the most popluar, "high quality" brands are no better than any other brand... it's all in the marketing adn advertising. I do think some brands are better than others... but I don't believe a high price means a high quality food.

Can I ask you... does the Purina Pro Plan give your puppy gas? Some labs have very bad gas issues......