dog food

Hi. You're definitely in the right place to learn about good nutrition for your pet and it's good you're inquiring before purchasing one.  Are you talking about a toy breed dog or a small dog as in say beagle or cockerspaniel size ??  There is an excellent food formulated specifically for small breed dogs called Wee Bits by Solid Gold. Toy breeds have a much higher metabolic rate than most dogs and so have different dietary needs. This particular formula specifically addresses those needs.  If  however, you choose to go the regular route, there are a number of excellent quality foods out there. Here is a list and where you are most likely to find them. The best bet though is to put the name into a google search so you can find the dealer closest to you. Some are available only through independent distributors. Almost all can be purchased through online pet supply stores such as [linkhttp://www.Petsfooddirect.com,]www.Petsfooddirect.com,[/link] [linkhttp://www.waggintails.com]www.waggintails.com[/link] and [linkhttp://www.onlynaturalpet.com]www.onlynaturalpet.com[/link]

ARTEMIS - ( Independent pet stores and [linkhttp://www.artemiscompany.com]www.artemiscompany.com[/link] )

BLUE BUFFALO - ( PetSmart )

CASTOR & POLLUX ( Independent petstores, Petco  and [linkhttp://www.castorpolluxpet.com%29]www.castorpolluxpet.com)[/link]

CANIDAE  (Independent pet stores, some feed stores and Pet Supplies Plus)

 CHICKEN SOUP  ( Independent dealers, some feed stores and  Pet Supplies Plus )

CLOUD STAR ( [linkhttp://www.cloudstar.com]www.cloudstar.com[/link] and some Costcos )

FLINT RIVER RANCH ( online independent distributors - ask me)

HOLISTIC BLEND ( [linkhttp://www.holisticblend.com]www.holisticblend.com[/link] and selected independent pet stores )

INNOVA ( Independent pet stores, Pet Supplies Plus and some feed stores )

LIFE4K9 ( Independent distributors, coming soon to independent pet stores )

LIFE'S ABUNDANCE ( online independent distributors- ask me  )

MERRICK ( Pet Supermarket, Pet Supplies Plus, Independent Pet Stores and     [linkhttp://www.merrickpetcare.com]www.merrickpetcare.com[/link] )

MONZIE ORGANICS (Independent pet  Stores, Online stores , [linkhttp://www.monzies.com%29]www.monzies.com)[/link]

NATURAL BALANCE ( Petco, independent dealers and some feed stores - ask me)

NATURE'S VARIETY ( Independent pet stores, online pet stores )

NEWMAN'S OWN ORGANICS ( Some  Costcos,  [linkhttp://www.newmansownorganics.com,]www.newmansownorganics.com,[/link] some supermarkets are actually beginning to sell this )

SOJOURNER FARMS pet food mixes ( Independent Pet Stores, Online stores and [linkhttp://www.sojos.com%29]www.sojos.com)[/link]

SOLID GOLD ( Independent Pet Stores, Petco, Pet Supplies Plus, [linkhttp://www.solidgold]www.solidgoldhealth.com[/link]

STEVE'S REAL FOOD ( Independent Pet Stores & Online stores )

THE HONEST KITCHEN pet food mixes ( Independent Pet Stores & Online stores )

TIMBERWOLF ORGANICS ( limited independent pet stores,  [linkhttp://www.timberwolf]www.timberwolf[/link]organics.com - ask me )

WELLNESS / NEURA ( Independent pet stores, some feed stores, online stores )

You may also want to consider beginning to feed your dog fresh homecooked or raw foods to supplement your kibble diet. Most of us here do and you can find lots of information in other threads in this forum.

Good luck

Brenda has the best list of dog foods I have ever seen on these boards.  If you go to the old boards you will see it listed over and over again.  Please adopt whatever dog you get!!!   []

what kinds of "people foods" are good for dogs?

You can feed any of these foods to your pets, veggies are best served raw and pulverized , bones are to be fed RAW ONLY, meats and fish can be fed raw or cooked. Grains and root veggies ( whole brown rice, potatoes white or sweet but NO PEELS , oatmeal, barley, millet, etc should be COOKED ).

MEATS:
Ground beef, turkey, lamb, bison
Beef liver, hearts, green tripe, kidneys, lung
Chicken liver, hearts
Raw chicken or turkey wings, backs, necks
Raw beef oxtails, marrow & knuckle bones, ribs
Raw lamb necks, shanks, ribs and raw or cooked  liver, kidneys, lung, heart
Venison, Elk, Ostrich, Emu, Bison, Pheasant, Duck, Quail , Cornish hens, Rabbit
Salmon, Mackerel, Trout, Whiting  whole, canned , raw or cooked

DAIRY : Yogurt, cream cheese, cottage cheese, hard or soft cheese, eggs ( whole raw or cooked w/crushed shell )

GRAINS/SEEDS/NUTS:  ( WHOLE GROUND ONLY ) : Barley, Millet, Oats, Rye, Brown Rice, Amaranth, Quinoa, Rye, Flaxseed, Whole Wheat ( alot of dogs are sensitive to wheat ), sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, fennel seeds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, peanuts  ( NO CORN OR SOY )

VEGGIES : Spinach, Collards, Mustard Greens, Kale, Broccoli, Zucchini, Squash, Carrots,  Sweet Potatoes, Beans, Cauliflower, Tomatoes, Pumpkin, Turnips, Rutabegas, Celery, Watercress, Chicory root, Lettuce , Alfalfa ( NO GARLIC, ONION, RHUBARB or AVOCADO )

FRUITS: Mangos, Papaya, Pineapple, Apples, Blackberries, Blueberries, Cranberries, Figs, Melons, Bananas, Pears,  Currents ( NO GRAPES OR RAISINS )

HERBS:  Cinnamon, Clove, Anise Seed, Parsley, Oregano, Mint, Thyme, Garlic Powder ( in very tiny amounts), Fenugreek, Fennel Seed, Dill Seed, Cumin, Ginger ( NO ONION POWDER or NUTMEG )

OTHER: Kelp, Spirulina, Fish Oil, Salmon Oil, Flaxseed Oil, Sunflower Oil, Safflower Oil, Walnut Oil, Olive Oil , Peanutbutter

Well I know I haven't included everything here but it's a good start. Please make sure you research anything you choose to feed that isn't on this list. Many things are listed as  poisonous/toxic to dogs including : Coffee grounds, chocolate / cocoa, onions, grapes, raisins, avocado ( debateable) , apple seeds, peach pits, potato peelings  and more.

There are many wonderful sites on BARF feeding or HOMECOOKING.  Ask me and I'll send you some if you'd like.

wow thank you all for this information.  the old boards dont seem to work for me though so im missing out on whatever is posted there.  what about regular brands like mealtime, science diet, dog chow, etc?

edit:  where you saying to feed the shell with the egg?  oh, and for those who asked what kind of dog, im not sure yet.  i really like yorkies, but i plan on going to the local shelter and adopting whatever small mutt i fall in love with.  so i dont know if it will betoy size or spaniel size.  i like spaniel mixes so hopefully i can find one like that )

ORIGINAL: jaye

wow thank you all for this information.  the old boards dont seem to work for me though so im missing out on whatever is posted there.  what about regular brands like mealtime, science diet, dog chow, etc?

The main ingredient in these food is corn. When was the last time you drove past a corn field and saw a pack of dogs eating the corn? Look for MEAT as the #1 ingredient.

so if i can find a regular supermarket brand that has meat as #1 ingredient its good?

Not just MEAT... SPECIFIC chicken, lamb, turkey, duck, etc… NOT just meat or poultry and definitely not by-products. Preferably chicken meal, lamb meal, etc… meal is basically dehydrated meat and is the best first ingredient for a dry food. Try to avoid corn, soy, sugars, and artificial preservatives.
 
Here are the main ingredients of Dog Chow, I#%92ve put in bold everything bad
 
Ground yellow corn, poultry by-product meal, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), corn gluten meal, brewers rice, soybean meal, animal digest,
 
(Yes, I know everything is in bold )
 
When researching a food, if you are unsure what an ingredient is – go here [linkhttp://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=ingr-wiz]http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=ingr-wiz[/link] and it will give you a short description.
 
Example:
 
Poultry by-product meal consists of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcasses of slaughtered poultry, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs, and intestines -- exclusive of feathers except in such amounts as might occur unavoidably in good processing practices.

This is a low-quality, inconsistent ingredient, with multiple organs used, constantly changing proportions, and questionable nutritional value. The origin can be any fowl (turkeys, ducks, geese, buzzards, etc.), instead of a single source, like chicken. Poultry by-product meal is much less expensive and less digestible than chicken meal, which Natura uses and which is considered the single-best source of protein.
 
Animal digest is a material which results from chemical and/or enzymatic hydrolysis of clean and undecomposed animal tissue. The animal tissues used shall be exclusive of hair, horns, teeth, hooves and feathers, except in such trace amounts as might occur unavoidably in good factory practice and shall be suitable for animal feed. If it bears a name descriptive of its kind or flavor(s), it must correspond thereto.

Animal digest is a cooked-down broth made from unspecified parts of unspecified animals. Any kind of animal can be included: goats, pigs, horses, rats, etc. The animals can be obtained from any source, so there is no control over quality or contamination. Natura uses only human grade, single-source meats. You will never find Animal Digest in any of our products.

wow, yuck, thanks for the info )

would it be ok for much of the dogs diet to consist of the "people food" mentioned above?
 
edit:  oh and what about things like milk bones and other treats?

This may be a little overwhelming, but here is some information to help you pick the best dry food:

Choosing the best food for your money:
[linkhttp://www.gooddogmagazine.com/dogfoodcosts.htm]http://www.gooddogmagazine.com/dogfoodcosts.htm[/link]

List of good foods to feed:
[linkhttp://greatdanelady.com/articles/criteria_list_of_better_foods.htm]http://greatdanelady.com/articles/criteria_list_of_better_foods.htm[/link]

Pet Food Labels 101
[linkhttp://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=labelinfo101]http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=labelinfo101[/link]

Pet Food Ingredients to avoid
[linkhttp://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=badingredients]http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=badingredients[/link]

Identifying better dog foods
[linkhttp://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=betterproducts]http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=betterproducts[/link]

Is any Commercial Pet Food Safe?
[linkhttp://www.belfield.com/article3.html]http://www.belfield.com/article3.html[/link]

Pet Food- Our Pets are Dying for it:
[linkhttp://www.homestead.com/VonHapsburg/petfood.html]http://www.homestead.com/VonHapsburg/petfood.html[/link]

What's Really in Pet Food:
[linkhttp://www.api4animals.org/facts?p=359&more=1cat=286]http://www.api4animals.org/facts?p=359&more=1cat=286[/link]

Article discussing the pitfalls of commercial pet foods:
[linkhttp://www.wholisticanimal.com/commercialfood.html]http://www.wholisticanimal.com/commercialfood.html[/link]

Article on the Contents of Commercial Dog Food:
[linkhttp://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/dog_food_ingredients.htm]http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/dog_food_ingredients.htm[/link]

An Overview of Commercial Pet Food
[linkhttp://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/health/common/feeding.html]www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/health/common/feeding.html[/link]
 
(Thanks to Brenda for the links)

so if i can find a regular supermarket brand that has meat as #1 ingredient its good?

Unfortunately there IS NO supermarket petfood that is fit to feed your dog, except the Newman's Own Organics which is NOT actually a supermarket brand, it's a top quality holistic premium brand they are trying to introduce into select supermarkets that feature holistic and natural /organic foods.

All supermarket brand petfoods, even if the meat is species specific.. ie , lamb, chicken ,beef etc is unfit to feed your pet because they are made from 4 D meats. 4D refers to animals that were diseased, dead, dying or downed before they were sent to the meat rendering plant. These meats can be cancerous, tumorous, diseased, decomposed and can come from any number of sources. They can also contain phenobarbital which is used to euthanize animals and does NOT break down during the rendering or cooking processes. Most of these brands that just list MEAT but use no specific identifier contain euthanized cats, dogs, farm animals, zoo animals, wildlife, roadkill ,etc.  The grains and vegetables these brands  use is unfit for human consumption, that also means UNFIT FOR ANIMAL CONSUMPTION,  because they are spoiled, moldy, or diseased.

STAY AWAY FROM SUPERMARKET PETFOODS. STAY AWAY FROM EUKANUBA, SCIENCE DIET, anything by IAMS,  PURINA, PEDIGREE, etc. IT's all BAD STUFF.

Stick to the brands on the list I provided. They are the TOP QUALITY pet foods on the market , with the best quality, whole, natural human grade ingredients, no  fillers, preservatives, chemicals, artifical colors, flavors or other additives, no pesticides or antibiotics. These are all the things  Purina, Eukanuba, Iams, Science Diet and all supermarket brands contain. Your dog's health will suffer for it and so will your pocketbook in vet bills and medicines, over-the-counter remedies and more.

ORIGINAL: jaye

wow, yuck, thanks for the info )

would it be ok for much of the dogs diet to consist of the "people food" mentioned above?

edit:  oh and what about things like milk bones and other treats?

 
Nasty, isn't it??
 
It's fine to feed mostly people food, in fact it's preferrable to know exactly what your pet is eating, but if you are going to go that route, it is improtant to make sure and keep to diet balanced. Here are some links with information on feeding raw or homecooked. (Thanks again Brenda)

Raw feeding:

Raw feeding myths:
[linkhttp://www.rawfed.com/myths/index.html[/link]>http://www.rawfed.com/myths/index.html][size=2]http://www.rawfed.com/myths/index.html[/link]
[linkhttp://rawfed.com/myths/honest.html[/link]>http://rawfed.com/myths/honest.html][size=2]http://rawfed.com/myths/honest.html[/link]

Raw vs. Cooked Fish Lamb, Beef, and Chicken:
[linkhttp://catatonic.freeservers.com/holistic.html[/link]>http://catatonic.freeservers.com/holistic.html][size=2]http://catatonic.freeservers.com/holistic.html[/link]

[linkhttp://www.dogaware.com/[/link]>http://www.dogaware.com/][size=2]http://www.dogaware.com/[/link]

[linkhttp://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/sampleraw.htm[/link]>http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/sampleraw.htm][size=2]http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/sampleraw.htm[/link]

[linkhttp://www.rawlearning.com/rawfaq.html[/link]>http://www.rawlearning.com/rawfaq.html][size=2]http://www.rawlearning.com/rawfaq.html[/link]

[linkhttp://rawfed.com/myths/[/link]>http://rawfed.com/myths/][size=2]http://rawfed.com/myths/[/link]

[linkhttp://www.rawdogranch.com/[/link]>http://www.rawdogranch.com/][size=2]http://www.rawdogranch.com/[/link]

[linkhttp://www.totallyrawdogfood.com/faq.html[/link]>http://www.totallyrawdogfood.com/faq.html][size=2]http://www.totallyrawdogfood.com/faq.html[/link]

From Janet:
Here is a thread that will give lots of good links on dog care, including links on good foods and home-prepared foods:
[linkhttp://>http://%20forum.dog.com/discus/messages/46/75249.html?1090434639%20][size=2]http:// forum.dog.com/discus/messages/46/75249.html?1090434639 [/link]
Meat in any recipe can be cooked if you wish but it is better raw.

Here#%92s a link some books that may help. Again, you can cook the meat if you wish but many i-doggers do not.
Raw feeding links:
[linkhttp://b-naturals.com/natural.php[/link]>http://b-naturals.com/natural.php][size=2]http://b-naturals.com/natural.php[/link]
[linkhttp://www.touchmoon.com/dotters/raw/index.shtml[/link]>http://www.touchmoon.com/dotters/raw/index.shtml][size=2]http://www.touchmoon.com/dotters/raw/index.shtml[/link]
[linkhttp://www.rawdogranch.com/rawdiet.htm[/link]>http://www.rawdogranch.com/rawdiet.htm][size=2]http://www.rawdogranch.com/rawdiet.htm[/link]

Janet again:
See this post for a discussion on the safety of raw bones:
[linkhttp://>http://%20forum.dog.com/discus/messages/46/120727.html#POST405445%20][size=2]http:// forum.dog.com/discus/messages/46/120727.html#POST405445 [/link]

Premade Raw
Nature's Variety, Bravo, Oma#%92s Pride, Steve#%92s Real Food
[linkhttp://naturesvariety.com/content.lasso?page=1308&-session=naturesvariety:8EA78C490313e0DA8EUJl118E85D[/link]}>http://naturesvariety.com/content.lasso?page=1308&-session=naturesvariety:8EA78C490313e0DA8EUJl118E85D][size=2]http://naturesvariety.com/content.lasso?page=1308&-session=naturesvariety:8EA78C490313e0DA8EUJl118E85D[/link]}
[linkhttp://bravorawdiet.com/[/link]>http://bravorawdiet.com/][size=2]http://bravorawdiet.com/[/link]
[linkhttp://omaspride.com/[/link]>http://omaspride.com/][size=2]http://omaspride.com/[/link]
[linkhttp://stevesrealfood.com/[/link]>http://stevesrealfood.com/]http://stevesrealfood.com/[/link]
 
It may be beneficial to you, having only a small breed dog and being new to feeding raw to look into the premade raws available to you.

Oh and pretty much the same ingredient "rules" apply to treats, but if you don't go overboard and make them a main part of the diet, and your pet doesn't have any allergies or special needs, you can feed grocery store treats. Still try to stay away from the ones that are mostly sugar and artifical stuff. There are much much better out there though.

what about things like milk bones and other treats?

Nix the Milk Bones and any other supermarket style dog treats. They all include the same garbage ingredients as the food and sometimes even worse. 

RAW BONES.  like I mentioned above are the best things to give your dog for clean teeth, calcium and vital nutrients. Beef marrow bones or knuckle bones and even rib bones from your butcher or grocer are best for recreational chewing.

As far as biscuits and treats... stick to brands like Natural Balance,  Solid Gold, Old Mother Hubbard, HealthPro, Cloud Star, Blue Dog Bakery  ( which by the way is now showing up in select grocery stores around the country ). These brands all contain high quality holistic or organic ingredients, no preservatives, chemicals or anything artificial. You may also want to consider buying " Bully Sticks" , beef tendons, "flossies" ,  moo tubes.... all natural dog chews. Nix the rawhides and greenies, they're really BAD for dogs.

As far as 'people food' type snacks.... peeled chopped apples or pears, minced carrots,  chunks of cheese,  peanut butter,   canned salmon or mackerel mixed w/ cottage cheese,  mashed bananas, vanilla honey and yogurt blended and frozen in ice cube trays for hot days,  any kind of melon or berries, dried or boiled chicken livers or gizzards, dried beef liver, dried lamb liver or lungs.   My dogs love cream cheese mixed w/a can of tuna, minced carrots and garlic powder stuffed into an empty marrow bone, kong or what have you.

All of the above are HEALTHFUL treats. There are also many great recipes online for healthy homemade biscuits and snacks.  I just listed 3 great homemade biscuit recipes on another thread here. Check them out.None of them take more than 10-15 min to make.

I have a 10 lb. mini dachshund who is doing very well with Innova.  Even though they don't have a product specifically for small dogs, the kibble is not very large and many small dogs do well on it.
 
I think it is great you are going to rescue a dog!  I went to the SPCA and fell in love with Zoe immediately too!