Dog Community

Back To Basics or Go! Natural

Posted : 4/10/2007 1:05:15 PM

These are two dry food my dog can eat that he is not allergic too. Both are high calorie content, which I do not like, but honestly these are the only two dry foods he can have. I want to know in your opinion, which would you feed? He's only getting it as a snack before bed.

I'm concerned about the corn in the Back To Basics. I thought corn was not good. Also, why does Back To Basics have a higher fat content than Go Natural, but Go Natural has more calories than Back To Basics?

Back To Basics Pork:

Pork Meal, Ground Corn, Chicken Fat (Preserved with natural mixed tocopherols [Vitamin E] Citric Acid and Rosemary Extract), Oatmeal, Brown Rice, Dried Tomato Pomace, Dried Whole Eggs, Fish Meal (Herring), Natural Flavorings, Cheese Meal, Lecithin, Alfalfa Meal, Fish Oil, Canola Oil, Monosodium Phosphate, Sea Salt, Carrots, Potassium Chloride, Lysine, DL Methionine, Dried Streptococcus Faccium Fermentation Products, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Products, Garlic Powder, Natural Yucca Schidigera Extract, Vitamins & Chelated Minerals*

*Vitamins & Chelated Minerals: Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Biotin, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Panthothenate, Vitamin A Acetate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Thiamine Monomitrate, Pyridoine Hydrochloride, Menadione Dimethylpyrimidinol Bisulfite (Source of Vitamin K Activity), Citric Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Potassium Chloride, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate

Crude Protein, not less than 23.00%
Crude Fat, not less than 19.00%
Crude Fiber, not more than 4.00%
Moisture, not more than 10.00%
Calcium, not more than 1.30%
Phosphorus, not more than 1.00%
Magnesium, not more than 0.11%
Copper = 13 mg/kg(ppm)
Omega 6/3 Ratio 7:1
Calories 441 Kilocalories per cup
Ash content, not more than 5.9%

Go! Natural Wild Salmon & Oatmeal:

Salmon Meal, Salmon, Oatmeal, Whole Oats, Canola Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols (vit. E), Oat fiber, Inulin (FOS), Mannanoligosaccharides (MOS), Yucca Schidigera, Vitamin A Acetate, Cholecalciferol (vit. D3), dl Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (vit. E), Ferrous Sulfate, *Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, Ascorbic Acid (vit. C), Miacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Copper Sulfate, *Copper Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, *Manganese Proteinate, Riboflavin, Calcium Iodate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (vit. B6), Folic Acid, Biotin, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Carbonate, Vitamin K, Vitamin B12.

*these tems are chelated minerals

Crude Protein (min) 22%
Crude Fat (min) 12%
Crude Fiber (max) 3.8%
Moisture (max) 10%
Calcium (min) 1.12%
Phosphorus (min) .9%
*Omega 6 Fatty Acids (min) 2.75%
*Omega 3 Fatty Acids (min) 0.3%
Calories 466 per 8 oz. cup
Ash content 7.5%

Which one would you feed and why?

Cane Corso

Posted : 4/10/2007 2:22:53 PM

i wouldnt feed this to my dogs because it has corn meal. dogs cant digust grain very good. i feed my dogs barf and i think it is the best.

beth82

Posted : 4/10/2007 2:48:34 PM

They both look okay to me. If he's fine with both foods, then it comes down to which one he likes better, which is easier to get, a better price, etc. And, IMHO there is nothing wrong with corn unless your dog is allergic to it. I think corn has gotten a bad reputation because the cheap brands use so much of it.

chelsea_b

Posted : 4/10/2007 4:27:46 PM

Also, why does Back To Basics have a higher fat content than Go Natural, but Go Natural has more calories than Back To Basics?

Because you're comparing by volume. I bet Back to Basics has more calories per kg.

papillon806

Posted : 4/10/2007 6:09:00 PM

Back to Basics is a good food...it is just RIDICULOUSLY overpriced! It is $50 for a 40lb bag (and that doesn't include shipping) !!!

pugs2

Posted : 4/10/2007 6:31:07 PM

I'm concerned about the corn in the Back To Basics. I thought corn was not good.

All of my Pugs have been on the Back to Basics, and have done very well on it. Corn is really not bad, corn gluten is what I stay away form. My Pugs actually digest corn much better than barley.

jennie_c_d

Posted : 4/10/2007 7:24:33 PM

As opposed to corn as I normally am, I really like that Back To Basics uses chicken fat instead of canola oil. I like the higher fat level, as well. If you know that he isn't allergic to corn, and the kibble isn't the only thing he gets (you're feeding canned/homecooked most times, right?) I'd go with Back To Basics.

That's me, though. My dogs do much better when they have plenty of fat, and I've observed lots of pets doing poorly on low fat foods. I'm a strong believer that we ALL need a good amount of high quality fat.

jessies_mom

Posted : 4/10/2007 7:42:52 PM

I don't have a preference but just wanted to say I'm glad you found some dry foods your dog can have; I know you've been looking for awhile.

pugs2

Posted : 4/10/2007 7:55:47 PM

Back to Basics is a good food...it is just RIDICULOUSLY overpriced! It is $50 for a 40lb bag (and that doesn't include shipping) !!!

That is a lot higher than what I pay. I buy it at Petsupplies Plus. $38.00 for 33lbs. Same price as the Eagle Holistic and Canidae at the PSP stores by me.

jessies_mom

Posted : 4/11/2007 8:45:56 AM

Also, why does Back To Basics have a higher fat content than Go Natural, but Go Natural has more calories than Back To Basics?

It may be that Go! uses more meat meal in its formula; meat meal will have more calories than grain. For example; I feed Jessie Eagle Pack Holistic Duck and it's 364 calories a cup and 23% protein; Nutro Large Breed Lamb and Rice is 319 calories a cup and 24% protein; both have about the same amount of fat. I know that the Duck is 40% duck meal; Nutro won't reveal what percent of their foods are meat meal ( I've asked them) but I'll bet it's less than 30%, which would explain the difference in calories. It's true that B to B has more protein sources but the eggs and fish meal are so far down the list of ingredients that they won't contribute much to the amount of protein in the food.

Luvntzus

Posted : 4/11/2007 8:49:43 AM

Between the two I would choose Back to Basics. [

] Edited to add why. One reason is that it has probiotics and Go Natural doesn't. I also like that it has 2 meat sources- pork and fish instead of just fish. I also like the fat % better and that it has alfalfa and eggs.

Shelley75

Posted : 4/11/2007 11:45:25 AM

Thank you for your opinions. I had already ordered a bag of the Go! Natural, which I received today and Jake loves it! I'm just so glad I found a dry food he can have. I think I will alternate between the Go! Natural and Back to Basics.

One more question, why is high fat good? Isn't that what makes a dog gain weight?