(moved this to another thread because I felt like I was taking over someone elses) Beniful

ORIGINAL: BaileyIsMyStar

Oh! I just wanted to add your dogs are adorible especially Chloe! Oh what a face!

 
Thanks!  Bailey is adorable as well []
 
You didn't offend me at all.  I was just saying that although dogs can live for many years on lower end foods, it doesn't necessarily mean that they are healthy. 
 
Like Jenny said, there are many unhealthy people who live long lives.  My fiancee's great great grandmother just died when she was 100 something years old.  She was a chain smoker, and loved to drink... his family members seem to live a ridiculously long time, healthy or not!

I used to feed Iams, thinking it was one of the better foods on the market.  Then I started working for a pet food and treat bakery and actually learned about the pet food industry.  Man, was I wrong. 

My parents feed their dogs food from Wal-Mart.  I've told them why I feed my dogs what I feed them, but I'm not going to stand on any sort of a pedestal and think I'm better because I feed my dogs better food - or tell them what they need to choose for their dogs.

Do some research and get the best you can afford. You're not going to get one magical answer here, because there is no magical answer and everyone does things a little differently.  I know you love your dog and want the best for him.  You might be paying a little more per bag, but you'll find that the better foods (which, again, are not necessarily the most expensive!) will last you a longer time.  So it really won't cost you that much more in the long run.  In the end, though, it's completely up to you. 

Just as a side note: I saw a post on here (or maybe another pet forum) that argued that feeding Purina was a sign of abuse.  Nothing else, just that feeding Purina was abusive.  Quite frankly, I think that's just a little crazy.  [sm=2cents.gif]  Find some middle ground that works for you and Bailey and just be happy with your (informed!) choice. 

PS - Someone mentioned that some places will ship you food, and I can attest to that, as we ship all over the country.  Just another idea for you...

Yes, feed the best you can afford, and definitely continue to do research on some of the sites posted. Do look into ordering online if that is a possibility. You are a good mommy to Bailey and that alone is wonderful!

Maybe you can keep a log of the amount you spend on the current food, and use that as a comparison tool when shopping around, either in a store or online.