Beneful Problems

ORIGINAL: dyan

Far as I am concerned you can feed your dog anything you want.  Nobody is talking about banning foods on any post that I have read, or forcing anyone to feed their dog any particular diet.  If you like defending junk food, that is also your privelge.  [color="#330033"]Do I feel sorry for your dog, yes I do , but that is just my opinion.  Same goes for not giving your dog heartworm medicine.  I think that is a horrible thing to do to a pet, but  that is your choice.  [/color]If you are really sure of your convictions, you shouldn't care how I feel about what you are doing... I feel sorry for kids that get a breakfast of a donut and a coke before school, I think it is terrible, but I can't do anything about that  either. It is the parents responsibilty. 
I know we are not talking about banning food. However I do think if people such as Sandra keeps saying over and  over how long her dogs have lived, how healthy they are that she deserves the respect even though she feeds what you consider bad food.  Its a right to feed what we want and be able to discuss it ALSO without feeling guilty and a bad dog owner.
Don't ever feel sorry for my dog,,,,you obviously don't read anything I say or you would know (the way most people on this board know since I have been here for so long) that I feed my dog Eagle Pack with cooked meat, veggies, eggs and yogurt,,,every day. People here also know that even though I talk about chemicals in our dogs body causing a lot of problems,,, that I do give my dog Interceptor every summer.  I'm not sure I should be,,,but I am.  Along with Milk Thistle hoping to get it thru her liver ASAP.  My dog has been vaccinated but probably won't be anymore other than Rabies vaccines and that is only because its our law.  But as long as we continue to put these things in our dogs body, there is no way on earth that you will know at the end if it was the pesticides or the corn that gave our dog cancer or some other illness.
I think the hardest thing for me though is the fact that while we all have the right to feed what we want and yes, the responsibility to feed our pets well, we all have different ideas as to what is right, and that is the part that makes this conversation hard.  I don't ever think anyone has a right to say that someone is not taking care of their pet the right way when their pet is living a happy healthy long life.   If there is any studies as to how long and healthy our pets are on one food vs another I sure would love to read it.   I mean a study, not an advertisment.

Perfectly stated.

JJsmom,  I guess you just said what I am trying to say! 

Well, my!  Another thread circles the drain. []
 
Way back when I was breeding top quality cockers guess what I fed.  I fed PEDIGREE because of their shelter involvement.  I flat did not even consider reading labels on the dog food....at that time I didn't read labels on MY food, so why would it enter my mind to read the dog food label?  I loved those dogs so much and I did everything in my power to take excellent care of them, but by golly that's something I didn't know better about...same as the danged vaccines I faithfully gave them year after year after year.  I was active in breed club, I knew a lot of breeders, AKC judges, DOG people.  But we never talked about nutrition or vaccines or how those things *might* affect the dogs.
 
It was not until I came to this board that I was gently led in the direction of better foods and was absolutely HORRIFIED to realize the slop I'd been feeding my beloved dogs.  But, I promise had I been educated so rudely, in the manner that I see so much of on the forum lately, I would have dug my heels in and NEVER admitted that what anyone said had the slightest impact on my thinking.  I *might* have done further research, but I might have just turned into a stubborn mule.  More flies with honey and all that.......

Well, my!  Another thread circles the drain. []

 
You got THAT right Glenda!!!  LOL!

ORIGINAL: glenmar

Way back when I was breeding top quality cockers guess what I fed.  I fed PEDIGREE because of their shelter involvement.  I flat did not even consider reading labels on the dog food....at that time I didn't read labels on MY food, so why would it enter my mind to read the dog food label?  I loved those dogs so much and I did everything in my power to take excellent care of them, but by golly that's something I didn't know better about...same as the danged vaccines I faithfully gave them year after year after year. 

I think that's the case with a lot of dog owners. I know my best friend was exactly like that. She loves animals more than anything, but was feeding her dog Ol Roy and Pedigree because she didn't know any better. I sent her a lot of info, some websites, and she feeds Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul. Anyway, the point is that a lot of people truly do care about their dogs, they just see the ads on t.v. and think the grocery store foods are healthy.

ORIGINAL: Dulce Pit Bull

I would also like to point out, that I know people who eat fast food on a aily basis, and don't have any health problems, and are still skinny as rails. But that doesn't mean that it's GOOD for them. The same goes with dogs.

totally agree.  I believe that people who live to a ripe old age with bad health habits, including diet, do so in spite of their habits, not because of.  Same goes for dogs who have survived well into the teen years eating supermarket brands.  Trust me, I know lenty of very senior dogs who have lived their lives eating cheap food. My Aunt's standard poodle lived to 18 y.o. on Alpo.  I also know a 95 year old women who smoked most of her life. 

It was not until I came to this board that I was gently led in the direction of better foods and was absolutely HORRIFIED to realize the slop I'd been feeding my beloved dogs. 

   you describe exaclty how I felt when some nice people on the board educated me []

 

If there is any studies as to how long and healthy our pets are on one food vs another I sure would love to read it.   I mean a study, not an advertisment.

So why don't we ask the big pet food corporations who have all the $$ and conduct all the "research" to conduct such a study?  If there product is all it's marketed to be, than why aren't they doing a brand vs brand health comparison study? Or studies to compare some pricier ingredients to find more nutritious alternatives to corn and brewer's rice?

Thanks Jenn. I forgot to mention smokers, druggies, and alcoholics can live a nice long life, but it doesn't mean they are HEALTHY.

Just because a dog doesn't get SICK on crummy food, doesn't mean it is GOOD for them, and doesn't mean they should continue to eat it because you don't see any signs of poor health.

ORIGINAL: jenns

Or studies to compare some pricier ingredients to find more nutritious alternatives to corn and brewer's rice?

Those studies HAVE been done... and none have shown that other ingredients are any better.

Why should the big names fork out the money? If a company wants to prove they're better, then THEY should fork up the money.

So why don't we ask the big pet food corporations who have all the $$ and conduct all the "research" to conduct such a study?  If there product is all it's marketed to be, than why aren't they doing a brand vs brand health comparison study? Or studies to compare some pricier ingredients to find more nutritious alternatives to corn and brewer's rice?

I think the study should not be conducted by any dog food company,,,Purina or any other. I believe it has to be a scientific study,,by nutritionists or veterinarians.  It would most probably be slanted if it were run by any company.
  

Trust me, I know lenty of very senior dogs who have lived their lives eating cheap food. My Aunt's standard poodle lived to 18 y.o. on Alpo.  I also know a 95 year old women who smoked most of her life. 

 
Just because a dog doesn't get SICK on crummy food, doesn't mean it is GOOD for them, and doesn't mean they should continue to eat it because you don't see any signs of poor health.

I don't think I understand....what is our ultimate goal here?  Isn't it to have a healthy dog that lives a long happy life?  Sure some people smoke until their 95 and don't die of lung cancer and that doesn't mean that smoking is good for you,,,,but tests have shown that more people die of cancer caused by smoking.        Where is the test that tells us that more dogs die of Purina?   Its a different case.
My ultimate goal is to have my dog live a long healthy life...no matter how I get her there. And I think the point I am trying to make is that most people that feed their dogs Purina or the likes claim to have dogs that live long healthy lives. 

I don't think I understand....what is our ultimate goal here?  Isn't it to have a healthy dog that lives a long happy life?  Sure some people smoke until their 95 and don't die of lung cancer and that doesn't mean that smoking is good for you,,,,but tests have shown that more people die of cancer caused by smoking.        Where is the test that tells us that more dogs die of Purina?   Its a different case.
My ultimate goal is to have my dog live a long healthy life...no matter how I get her there. And I think the point I am trying to make is that most people that feed their dogs Purina or the likes claim to have dogs that live long healthy lives. 

I agree 100% Dyan.....

Just because a dog doesn't get SICK on crummy food, doesn't mean it is GOOD for them, and doesn't mean they should continue to eat it because you don't see any signs of poor health.

What you consider crummy food and what another considers crummy food are definitely two different things.   Although your dog's lips may not touch a Purina product because you think it's crummy doesn't mean I'm going to stop giving my dogs what they've been eating for eight years with absolutely no problems.  Eight years on Purina ProPlan and my girls have been happy and healthy.  Why would I try and create a problem where none exists?

And another point to ponder may be that certain breeds could require certain considerations when it comes to food....such as skin conditions, allergies, climate, etc.  My American Eskimoes may not be prone to the skin conditions your dog/s may be.  Where I live I am more concerned about heartworm problems due to mosquitoes than anything else. 

Everyone has their own situations/considerations.  You can consider other's advice, but at the end of the day, do what works for you...............

I think you two are missing the point. I'm kind of done with this thread, because it's basically beating a dead horse.

Why...because I don't agree with you?

LOL, ok. I'm not about to act like a child.

I agree wholeheartedly...when my oldest was born, what did she drink?  Milk, because that's what's best for babies.  And she had no problems. 
Now, my second child could not  tolerate milk (she vomits from it), so she had to drink soy.   Personally, I like milk and I think soy is awful--but I'm not going to force feed milk to my daughter for weeks hoping she'll get used to it because I think it's better for her.  I could choose to give it to her, but it's not what works best for her.