Beneful Problems

I just don't get why anyone would feed the so-called "lower" quality foods. Even if you, for some reason, don't believe they are inferior in nutrition to other foods, why would you want to pick up those huge poops?  

 
I can't see why anyone would decide which food they feed by size of poops!  You probably can feed real crap and end up with small ones.  For sure if my dog had very loose stools and often,,,I would look into changing food because I would think it was going thru him too fast and he was not getting many nutrients from it. My Bubblegum had smaller sized piles when she ate Diamond that her breeder fed her and I continued for a month or so..than she does now with Eagle. And I feed different formulas of Eagle from Natural to the holistic formulas and there is no difference in the size. I'm not saying its wrong or right to be looking at that...but  I just can't figure it.

Your are right, you have never said what the H$$$, might as well feed your dog crap since they are already getting chemicals via flea, vax, heartworm meds.  And anyone who says you have has not really read your posts.  Becuase one of my goldens had a reaction to her vax, and I lost another to proHeart6, I understand 100% what you are getting at.  My dogs have never had a problem with food, but have with drugs of one kind or another.  And when a dog gets cancer, etc, it does not automatically mean it was on iams or SD or purina.  It means he got cancer.  Period.
 
 

I have never met anyone that went to a premium food and their dog was worse than on the junk food. I am assuming that if they tried one food and their dog didn't do well on it, that they at least they tried one or two more before going back to the junk food.

Two people said it just before you posted these comments, and again your assumption that your food is somehow superior is just a blind faith belief, more marketing than scientific fact, sorry you can't tell which food is better simply by looking at the ingredients list.

So this original thread got started because of the Beneful problem that surfaced on a blog  link...so after we went round and round and round on whats good food and whats bad food and who is killing their dog with which food,,,and got absolutely no where (again) since I'm sure that no one has convinced anyone here to change to the others way of thinking,,,, has anyone come up with any substantial news on the Beneful problem?
 

nope. sounds like it was a one-bag problem.
 
Sandra, I agree SOME dogs will do wonderfully whatever you feed. You go on and on about how Purina is ok-- but you don't feed just Purina, you supplement with fresh foods. I suspect you would not get the good results you do get if you only fed Purina. Sadly many of the people who buy grocery store brands have been brainwashed by dog food companies into thinking that "people" food is bad for dogs, so the poor dog doesn't even get supplemented. That is just setting your dog up to fail.
 
Bottom line, when I bring a puppy home, I can't tell by looking at the puppy if it happens to be robust enough to live a long healthy life regardless of what it is fed. Why risk it? feed the best you can. I don't believe any one diet has proven to be the best, so I feed a mixed diet of premium kibble, raw, and homecooked. I'm hedging my bets.

nope. sounds like it was a one-bag problem.

 
Thank goodness, no matter what  company it is!

ORIGINAL: mudpuppy
and they have no concept of what a dog in fit condition looks like (as I know since I get lots of "do you feed that dog?" comments). 

At a pet store I used to work at, I had a 300lb co-worker tell me I should feed my (then overweight) dog more because she didn't look like his 200lb overweight lab. >X.x;<

you don't feed just Purina, you supplement with fresh foods. I suspect you would not get the good results you do get if you only fed Purina. Sadly many of the people who buy grocery store brands have been brainwashed by dog food companies into thinking that "people" food is bad for dogs, so the poor dog doesn't even get supplemented. That is just setting your dog up to fail.

 
Well, the pictures i posted of my irish setter and of Daddy's pointer--they were Purina Dog Chow ONLY dogs as were all our dogs up until a few years ago when i started giving them fresh caught baked fish--heck I fished almost every day then and had to do something with the fish and i figured it was good for my Irish so start. I only started really home cooking a couple of years ago, giving stuff other than fresh caught, baked fish I mean.  I think I will post a golden picture that is in my computer and he was only on dog chow and occasional fish and his coat is beautful.  It is my precious boy Hunter.
 
We did have as  great a sucess with just plain purina dog Chow as I have with the home cooking added.  Most of our dogs lived to or past life expectacny, they hunted long and hard and into late life. Maybe sporting group dogs just don't need the same food as other dogs do, i don't know.  All our dogs have been sporting group and all have done great on purina and i am talking dozens, not one or two.  I am talking between my dad and myself and covering 60 years, 50 years of which i have owned dogs.  And we sometimes had as many as 4 at a time..start training pups when other got older.  My Dad had 2 setters and a pointer when he died of a botched surgery at age 58.  i have 3 right now, and wold have 4 if ProHeart6 had not killed my Hunter.  So I  don't base my choice of dog food on one or two dogs, but on dozens that i watched live to very old age, able to hunt til very old, etc. Active, healthy dogs.  Anyway, here is my hunter and you ca see there is no oily, greasy, dull coat on this boy either.Oh, the zig-zag looking mark on his head is due to flaw in picture, not him.

At a pet store I used to work at, I had a 300lb co-worker tell me I should feed my (then overweight) dog more because she didn't look like his 200lb overweight lab. >X.x;<

 
Heck some people think their children shoud look like that as well.  When the boys were growing up i made sure they got their correct amount of green and yellow veggies, including leafy green veggies, the right amount of starches, fats, grains, dairy, etc.  This was what i was taught in nutirtion.  And my oldest's son wife--who was thrilled to keep her weiht UP TOP 100 POUNDS on her little 5'5" frame gew up on JUNK.  He actually forced her to cook veggies, correct veggies, not just fried potatoes, mashed potatoes, French fries, etc.  now she eats them all and so do their kids.  my son....both of them actually...learned about balanced meals at home.
 
You go to the beach here and my gosh, it sometimes looks like a pod of whales in bathing suits have beached themselves.  You see many women pushing 200 & guiys pushing 300 pounds pounds waddling around with 10 year old kids pushing 150 pounds waddling  around looking like that Michllin (?) guy made out of tires!
 
When i was in school we got a very balanced meal every day at school.  I was stunned when I found my boys could actually get stuff like pizza and French fries or nachoes instead of a decent meal.  BUT They took their lunch most of elementary school, all of jr. high and even high school.  They went from thermous of soup & sanwich, fruit and dessert in ele. school (they always ate at school on hamburger day back then), to home made sub sandwiches (that included meats cheese, lettuce and tomatoes), fuit,some chips and dessert in high school
 
And yes, some people think a thin dog is not healthy and that is not so.  The oler they get the thinner they need to be.  I don't want mine to be "ribby and skinny", but i want them lean for their health.

ORIGINAL: papillon806

I wanted to resist, but I have to say it.  Just because somebody has an expensive car, doesn't mean they are rolling in money.  There are tons of people who will spend soooo much  money on a car, but can't afford to do anything else.  I don't think we can judge somebody's financial situation on the vehicle they drive....geez.

I have to agree! I drive a 1992 Chevy Lumina with over 100,000 miles on it and believe me the car looks like it. [8D]
I LOOK like I should be putting Beneful in the trunk, but instead I'm putting California Natural, Wellness, TO, and Evo in. I can't afford a new car and that's totally okay with me. But I make sure Murphy has good food, is up date on his shots and he gets his Interceptor every month.
Driving around in a crappy car doesn't bother me in the least. Not feeding my dog the best food would bother me. A LOT. To me, it's about priorities.

ORIGINAL: noblewoman

I LOOK like I should be putting Beneful in the trunk, but instead I'm putting California Natural, Wellness, TO, and Evo in.

 
Hehe!! I had to laugh at the way you stated that. []
 
 

ORIGINAL: sandra_slayton
And when a dog gets cancer, etc, it does not automatically mean it was on iams or SD or purina.  It means he got cancer.  Period.

I don't agree with this at all. Like humans, dogs can have a higher risk of cancer through genetics. However, research is showing that diet affects our susceptibility to cancer, and there's no reason that would be any different in a dog. Exactly what they can eat to lessen the chances, I have no idea. I don't think that research has taken place.

I have to take the side of feeding the premium natural brands. I'm sure a person could survive on TV dinners, but I wouldn't want to try it.

You see many women pushing 200

I have to keep myself in check or I would be one of them.  And, I've gone there a few times.  But, I make sure Willow doesn't over eat and I always said if I had kids I wouldn't let them start putting on weight either.

My mom tried very hard with me.  When I was really young I used to get upset and fight with her about it.  She used to limit my bread with butter and snacks, etc.  But, once I got to be a teenager I was sooooo grateful she did. 
 
I didn't start putting it on again until I was on my own. 

I know what you mean.  Me and my youngest son's wife can walk by a bakery, take a deep sniff, and put on 5 pounds.  My oldest's son wife can go into that bakery, EAT 5 donuts and drop 5 pounds!
 
When oldest son and wife were dating--for 7 years-- she was always thrilled to keep her 5'5" tiny frame up to 100 pounds, usually around 90.  i dont think her arm bones are as big as my little finger bones!  But after being married and having 2 kids, she stays around 110 and eats like a lumberjack.
 
Yougest son's wife is 5'11" and really looks great at 150 pounds.  But it is constant battle for her to keep her weight that low.  She jogs, works out, is on her feet mos of the time at work (as assistant manager at Dillard's and always having to settle problems on the floors.
 
I put on 35 pound when i stopped smoking back June '99, and then lost 40 pounds after Hunter died 9guilt for having put h im on Proheart6) and so far i have managed to keep it off without really trying.  And as i am typing I am sitting here eating a dish of peaches 7 cream ice cream and a cup of international coffee, French Vaniall made with all milk and no water!  luckily i don't do this often.

Awww, those pics melted my heart you're dogs were just beautiful Sandra!I too believe that people's and dog's health isn't just due to diet, though it does play a big role definitely the over-vaccination and their enviroment not to mention most of the dogs in america are at least a few pounds overweight(or at least the ones that would be taken to a vet)which can still affect their health a great deal. I once read that a human's life expectancy was based on 30% their genes and the other percent invovled diet,exercise etc.