Objective measures of food

Besides the poop volume, which is a given, I noticed a major different in body odor.  When Zoe came to us from the breeder, she was on Purina puppy chow.  She always had a bit of a doggy odor, not bad, but it was there.  A month or so after we switched to Innova, she has ZERO body odor.  You can stick your nose right against her skin and take a deep breath and you smell nothing. 

The only time she smells is after I pick her up from the doggie daycare, because she gets the smell of all the other stinky dogs on her from playing.  I could smell it while we are in the car driving home and then for about a day or two afterwards.  The only time I ever really have to bathe her is to remove the stink from other dogs.

I definitely notice differences on different foods.

1. I never had to clean ears. This year I tried a different food as a companion to my poultry-based raw and Milo's ears got dirty for the first time in 6 years or so.

2. Coats got supple on good kibble, no dog smell on raw.

3. Behavior: I can gauge how well they're doing on a food by their hoovering behavior. For instance, I'm on my second bag of Innova Reduced Fat that I started everyone on so that the two old dogs wouldn't pork out. I hoped that it would still be enough for 6yr old active Yoshi if I gave him more and added an egg. Not so much - he hoovers more on his walks now. So this is going to be my last back of RF, I'm going back to regular.

Paula

Emma has hair, which is fabulous. I fed her Pedigree, for about a month, on the vet's reccomendation, and most of her hair fell out (she has chronic demodex, though, so...). She was insanely hyper (you can spot a JRT on Kibbles N Bits from a mile away, and I'm NOT being sarcastic. Their coats turn reddish and they're INSANE), and her skin was red and flaky.

Teenie was 12 pounds heavier when I got her. Her coat was dull, her ears were nasty, and her eyes were runny.

Since I've owned Joey, I've always fed him good foods.  Some of those good foods he poohed more on, which told me he wasn't digesting as much of it.  Others he broke out in a rash on.  And the most common idicator Poop.  Joey's either gets consipated or has greasy slimy pooh. 

The only 2 foods that Joey doesn't pooh a ton on or doesn't break out in a rash or doesn't have pooh problems with is Eagle Pack Lamb and Rice Holistic and Nature's Logic Lamb or Venison formula.

I honestly didn't know how well Joey could really look until I started feeding Nature's Logic.  It cleared up his cloudy eyes, his stool was firm and his muscle mass looks great.  So this is what I'm sticking with.

All dogs are different though.  I guess to answer your question I would say pooh.  I would try different foods and find one that he poohs less on and has consistant poohs on.

ORIGINAL: mudpuppy


So Sandra, you tried exactly ONE food and decided that all premium foods are bad? that seems ridiculous to me. I feed my dogs different things every day and they never get digestive upsets, none has ever developed an allergy, all are robustly healthy. The vet cannot believe how clean their teeth are. They have no odor even if not bathed for over a year.

We had an interesting experience: one lady at the dog training class. She was feeding her dog proplan. Dog seemed quite healthy and energetic, except of course for producing those huge poops proplan is noted for. I didn't happen to bump into her for approximately a month, and when we saw her dog next, it was shocking how much better the dog looked. The coat just glowed. Many of us commented on it. The lady finally admitted she'd switched from proplan to a super-premium food about six weeks beforehand. Interestingly the dog's previous unfocused hyperactive behavior was also improved-- plenty of energy but focused.

Sorry Sandra, but I'm going to have to agree with Mudpuppy on this one.  Fit and Trim[:'(].  Come on!  That food has barely any meat in it.  Couldn't you atleast up grade to Purina One?

Ingredients:
Ground yellow corn, ground whole wheat, soybean meal, corn germ meal, soybean hulls, corn gluten meal, turkey by-product meal, chicken by-product meal, meat and bone meal, animal digest, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), calcium carbonate, salt, added color (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 2), zinc sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, choline chloride, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, brewers dried yeast, manganese sulfate, manganese proteinate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, copper sulfate, calcium pantothenate, copper proteinate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, Vitamin B-12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, Vitamin D-3 supplement, riboflavin supplement, calcium iodate, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite. A-4490
*13% - a source of fibe

After looking at these ingredients, you might as well save your money and buy Ol'Roy.  Really, Fit and Trim has no more meat in it than Ol Roy.

Sorry Sandra, but I'm going to have to agree with Mudpuppy on this one. Fit and Trim. Come on! That food has barely any meat in it. Couldn't you atleast up grade to Purina One?

 
They are on Purina One weight management.  I put them on it when Buck went to One Senior back in Sept.  I had no problem with them on Fit & Trim.  They did not have excessive pops, ear infections, rashes, pukes, great physicals & bloodwork, beautiful coats, etc.  And since they girls both sleep in our bed (usulaly just me as hubby is on the road so much) they do not smell.  Neither has had a bath since June.
 
I do not like changing foods, but since this Purina and all but Honey had gone thru the puppy, the chow, and then KayCee & Honey on the Fit & Trim, I figured the One  would probably agree with them---my vet told me to put Buck on the One senior and i decided to keep them all on the same line.

I've had Gingerbread on about ten foods (all premium or holistic) and for the most part I didn't really notice any differences. There were only a couple that he had a really noticeable reaction to. When I switched him to Eagle Pack Duck & Oatmeal he was THE itchiest that he's ever been. Within a few days he scratched his ears to point that there were scabs inside them and the hair behind them was matted. When I switched him to Innova he had mucousy diarrhea.

Just a note, I finally was able to pinpoint what about the Eagle Pack caused Gingerbread to be so itchy. I suspected it was the brewer's yeast because it's the only ingredient that he hadn't eaten in a previous food and also because I read that brewer's yeast is grown on various grains (he's allergic to wheat). Eagle Pack recently made some changes to their food and the Duck & Oatmeal no longer has brewer's yeast. I tried it for Gingerbread again and my suspicion about his allergy was confirmed because he's now eating that food and doing just fine!

ORIGINAL: sandra_slayton

Sorry Sandra, but I'm going to have to agree with Mudpuppy on this one. Fit and Trim. Come on! That food has barely any meat in it. Couldn't you atleast up grade to Purina One?

They are on Purina One weight management.  I put them on it when Buck went to One Senior back in Sept.  I had no problem with them on Fit & Trim.  They did not have excessive pops, ear infections, rashes, pukes, great physicals & bloodwork, beautiful coats, etc.  And since they girls both sleep in our bed (usulaly just me as hubby is on the road so much) they do not smell.  Neither has had a bath since June.

I do not like changing foods, but since this Purina and all but Honey had gone thru the puppy, the chow, and then KayCee & Honey on the Fit & Trim, I figured the One  would probably agree with them---my vet told me to put Buck on the One senior and i decided to keep them all on the same line.

If you had such great results with Fit and Trim then why switch them to Purina One Weight Management?

That's a good question, because I swear I can't see a bit of difference in Max after switching from the Kirkland Chicken & Rice to the Eagle Pack Holistic Chicken & Rice.  His coat, eyes, energy level and shedding are all the same.  His poops are a bit smaller - that's the only difference.

Joyce

Just a note, I finally was able to pinpoint what about the Eagle Pack caused Gingerbread to be so itchy. I suspected it was the brewer's yeast because it's the only ingredient that he hadn't eaten in a previous food and also because I read that brewer's yeast is grown on various grains. Eagle Pack recently made some changes to their food and the Duck & Oatmeal no longer has brewer's yeast. I tried it for Gingerbread again and my suspicion about his allergy was confirmed because he's now eating that food and doing just fine!

 
   You're right; I checked thier website and they've taken it out of all thier holistic formulas. I'm glad you figured out Gingerbread's problem but it's a shame he's allergic to such a common ingredient; it makes it hard to find a food for him.

If you had such great results with Fit and Trim then why switch them to Purina One Weight Management?

 
I pick them up at the same place at the same time. My grocery store carries Fit & Trim, but not One senior, and where I get One Senior does not carry Fit & Trim. And since they are both Purina, I didn't feel i was making any kind of big change.  I get the 20 lb. bag  of the senior for Buck and the 37 pound bag of weight management for the girls. As far as I could tell there was nothing in the girls food that they had not already had from either chow or the Fit & Trim, or from home cooking.

I've had Gingerbread on about ten foods (all premium or holistic) and for the most part I didn't really notice any differences. There were only a couple that he had a really noticeable reaction to. When I switched him to Eagle Pack Duck & Oatmeal he was THE itchiest that he's ever been. Within a few days he scratched his ears to point that there were scabs inside them and the hair behind them was matted. When I switched him to Innova he had mucousy diarrhea.

 
Were the very first two you fed the ones that caused problems?  If not, why did you keep bouncing from food to food if you had found one that was working great?

Just to clarify my situation I offer up my pug to the mix.
 
My pug Daisy is turning 8, consistently poos 3 times a day since we got her 3 years ago regardless of brand of food (and I've tried a wide range including, Eagle Pack, Purina, Canidae, DVP, Hills, Pedigree, Kirklands, the list goes on). Consistent stools, consistent recommended food intake thoughout the years. 
 
Daisy has never had any issues with coat. She does have an issue with some cloudiness in her eye but that has never changed regardless of food brand.  She smells like a pug, and if you  have been around pugs then you know what I am talking about, and that has never changed.  And as with all pugs, it is literally impossible to get a good look inside their mouth but from what the vet says her teeth are doing just fine.
 
I know the saying you are what you eat, but just how much better is Super Premium/Premium over Brand X or Brand Y from the grocery store?  Are we talking about a huge difference (i.e McDonalds vs. Good o' home cookin) or very little difference (i.e. McDonalds vs. Wendys).
 
I guess I am lucky in that I haven't had to experience any ill-effects of bad dog food, but in that same respect I have yet to experience any positive improvements of premium chow either (at least none that I can clearly see).

ORIGINAL: sandra_slayton

I've had Gingerbread on about ten foods (all premium or holistic) and for the most part I didn't really notice any differences. There were only a couple that he had a really noticeable reaction to. When I switched him to Eagle Pack Duck & Oatmeal he was THE itchiest that he's ever been. Within a few days he scratched his ears to point that there were scabs inside them and the hair behind them was matted. When I switched him to Innova he had mucousy diarrhea.

Were the very first two you fed the ones that caused problems?  If not, why did you keep bouncing from food to food if you had found one that was working great?

Lol! I guess it's only fair for you to have a go at me. [] No, the first two aren't the ones that caused him problems. Some people believe in rotating foods and I'm one of those people. [] The foods that he had a bad reaction to were Innova (which I won't feed again) and Eagle Pack which had an ingredient change and I was 90% sure about what caused him the problem the first time. So trying that food again allowed me to confirm the allergy for him.

Just curious why your vet recommended Purina One Senior as opposed to Dog Chow Senior? Does he think they're equal quality?

Just curious why your vet recommended Purina One Senior as opposed to Dog Chow Senior? Does he think they're equal quality

 
I have no idea.  As a matter of fact, I have never see Dog Chow Senior, didn't even know it existed.  Remember I live in a town of what was 9300, but less now the Navy base is moving.   The nearest towns around us are even smaller and there is not a lot of choices to get dog food, and even those places are limited in what they carry.  Could be my vet knows what can be found around here, what can't.  I did't ask him.
 
 
I don't rotate or really try other foods after that fiasco with Buck.  I stay with what is working.  On another thread one of the "don't like Purina" posters posted a thing from a site that said food intolerance can cause arthritis, autoimmune diesease, allergies,etc, and that has been my point all along.  I could jump off into something else and totally screw up my dogs digest system, bring on allergies (Buck and Honey have none, not even enviromental, KayCee  is allergic to live oak pollen, bermuda gras and fleas.  Or even worse, upset their immune system and bring on one of the autoimmune disease that can be so davastating.  To me it is just worth the risk when they are doing great on what they are one now.
 
By the way when Hunter was first diagnosed with AIHA, one of the first things my vet asked me was if I had changed his food or treats in the previous few weeks, which i had not.  The only thing different to enter his body was the PH6.  The very fact he asked me about food change would be enough to prevent me from changing foods unless it was totally necessary.