NGC-Dog Food

[redrider]

I use Science Diet but have heard good things about Wilderness, just like everything else. Mine is better because....

Calling all pet nutritionists. Which of the brands out there provide the best, most use-full ingredients?

[blackcat]

I buy either Blue or Whole Earth Farms. WEF is cheaper and both brands have grain free options.

[fotoguzzi]

there are basically two ways the food is formulated.. one is a formula designed by nutritionists and the other same but has been fed to actual dogs in trials and the dogs are studied as to the effects, this takes longer to develop.
the good stuff says somewhere in the small print "animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substatiate yada yada..."

[charlie b]

We went through several brands (including the more expensive stuff) until we found one that did not give our dog stomach problems.  Nutro Lite.  Yep, supposed to be horrible stuff but it works for ours.

[Lannis]

We went through several brands (including the more expensive stuff) until we found one that did not give our dog stomach problems.  Nutro Lite.  Yep, supposed to be horrible stuff but it works for ours.

Dogs are like people in some ways, in what they eat and what's good for them.   They have allergies and such just like people do, and what works for one may be almost toxic to another.

I long ago gave up the idea that "taste" or "smell" of dog food means anything to a dog.   After enough times of watching even the most civil, fastidious dog with its head 18" up inside the arse end of a 3-day dead deer, or rolling in the remains of a dead possum to perfume him/herself up, I don't believe that taste and smell affects them the same way it affects us.

Our border collie Jack had some skin and coat problems which we worked on with the veterinarian, and settled on a low dose of thyroid booster along with "Pedigree" dry dog food.    Jack likes it, eats it right up, and his coat now stays bright and full.   The state of a dog's coat is a superb indicator of his/her overall health, so for us, the food that makes THAT right, and keeps him eager and energetic, is the one we use.

Lannis

[Sheepdog]

We use Nutro Max Senior for our older large dogs. It contains glucosamine and is helpful with joint health. We give Science Diet Small Breed to the Chihuahuas.

[fotoguzzi]

this thread needs pics

[PJPR01]

Avoiding any dog foods with fillers, sawdust or other "bulk" crap in them.

Avoid any which have had recalls (particularly those packed in China)

I started my Lab 10 years ago on Innova, then as he moved into adulthood, he's been on Solid Gold...fit as a fiddle at 10 years, athletic, full of energy, great coat, no allergies and eats like a Dyson vacuum cleaner (several years ago I bought him one of those bowls which look like a bundt cake form) so he would take his time.

Fully expect him to get to 15 or so...

[Dimples]

One of our dogs developed nasty "hot spots" which she continuously licked open. The vet treated them with limited results. A friend suggested we switch to a non-grain food and eliminate any other source of grain--- treats, etc. The spots healed very quickly and never came back. She apparently has a food allergy. The food we now use is made by Zignature and our dogs are healthy.

[aschem]

As a 5 year old, I liked Skippy and Chuck Wagon (the red pieces), no idea what my dog liked

[sidecarnutz]

I found out our shelter pitbull has a sensitive stomach. Give gravy train or some other cheap food and she'll cough up bits of it on the rug ten hours after she's eaten it! Give her science diet chicken based food and she's a happy, healthy little sweety. She's five and just sliding into middle age, so I want to take good care of her.

[Guzzistajohn]

I have a buddy that's worked for Purina for decades selling dog food by the trainload. He feeds his dogs Nutro. Also my vet recommends Nutro.

Bix seems to be thriving OK on the stuff

[yogidozer]

Don't want to turn this into an oil thread....
Just be sure to check for recalls before making a purchase of your preferred companion's food or treats

[Lannis]

Don't want to turn this into an oil thread....
Just be sure to check for recalls before making a purchase of your preferred companion's food or treats

Won't turn into an "oil thread" because nobody can really say what's best for someone else's dog - they can only say what works for theirs.

Lannis

[yogidozer]

Won't turn into an "oil thread" because nobody can really say what's best for someone else's dog - they can only say what works for theirs.

Lannis

kinda like oil? :-)

[blackcat]

Won't turn into an "oil thread" because nobody can really say what's best for someone else's dog - they can only say what works for theirs.

Lannis

True, I had two Boxers that couldn't eat any commercial food for a few years (post puppy food) and we tried everything. Ended up having to cook them rice and chicken for awhile until the digestive tracks matured or some such logic. We eventually moved on to a dry food that kept them OK until they passed on.

[rboe]

My wife does dog agility and that group is very picky about what they feed their dogs. Many do raw, for that that won't or can't they depend upon Whole Dog Journal for advise. We have one dog that is allergic to processed chicken in dog food so we avoid it now; are feeding Zignature Turkey. We'll rotate into something else so they get a more rounded diet.

The trick is to learn how to read the ingredient label and use WDJ to help you narrow things down.

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/news/Top-Quality-Dry-Dog-Foods-20683-1.html

http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/pdf/Whole-Dog-Journal-Seal-ofApproval.pdf

[rboe]

Won't turn into an "oil thread" because nobody can really say what's best for someone else's dog - they can only say what works for theirs.

Lannis

If this was a dog forum it would be a very hot topic. There is some real crap out there sold as dog food (Beneful is considered about the worst of the worst), some so-so and some pretty good stuff. If your dog is a couch potato the food choice is less critical than if they are an athlete (agility, dock diving, fly ball, etc.). To perform at a top level they need good fuel, crap dog food ain't gonna cut it.

Speaking in broad general terms, a good to excellent dog food should keep any dog in good health with fewer vet visits for problems. A healthy diet will lead to a high quality of life for the dog (and owner) all else being equal. Allergies and activity level will push you towards certain foods over others. Quality foods will not necessarily be expensive - they won't be cheap either - but they don't have be the most expensive.

[Lannis]

If this was a dog forum it would be a very hot topic. There is some real crap out there sold as dog food (Beneful is considered about the worst of the worst), some so-so and some pretty good stuff. If your dog is a couch potato the food choice is less critical than if they are an athlete (agility, dock diving, fly ball, etc.). To perform at a top level they need good fuel, crap dog food ain't gonna cut it.

Speaking in broad general terms, a good to excellent dog food should keep any dog in good health with fewer vet visits for problems. A healthy diet will lead to a high quality of life for the dog (and owner) all else being equal. Allergies and activity level will push you towards certain foods over others. Quality foods will not necessarily be expensive - they won't be cheap either - but they don't have be the most expensive.

Can't disagree with most of that ... but wouldn't it be more comparable to a "Nutrition and Fitness" forum for people?

There's NO WAY that anyone can say that "No matter who you are, this diet here will lower your quality of life and be bad for you .... " or "No matter what, THIS diet will make you feel better and healthier and improve your outlook on life."   

Some people eat just whole grains; that makes other people sick.   Some people do well with high-protein diets; some with low-carb diets; some with low fat diets.    Some people insist on a given amount of fiber, some cut out dairy products completely, some have LOTS of dairy products.   

Some are vegetarians, some are vegans, some keep kosher, some eat only organic food.   

Any person can say "Here's what I eat; I've tried different things over the years and this is the optimum diet for me".    But no one can truthfully say "If YOU eat THIS way, you will feel better and be healthier and enjoy life more."    Whether you feel better and healthier or not depends on so much else, that all you can do is listen to what works for OTHER people and maybe get ideas or say "That boy's crazy, I'm rather die that eat quinoa croquettes with tofu all day !!"

Same for dogs.   I'm sure there are many dogs thriving with long happy lives on "Beneful" dog food ..... and some not.

Lannis

[threebrits]

We use Pro-Pac for our Brittanys.  Do to their level of activity we go with 24%-31% protein and stay away from corn meal.  Right now we are on Chicken and Brown Rice, but will rotate around with lamb and salmon and other foods (specific table food) to keep their digestive tract more tolerant.  I substitute in puppy food during hunting season, lower protein foods during lazy hot summer days, add wet pack food to the dry food when they are working hard and disinterested in eating and give them real bones that lay around for weeks until they are sun bleached.  This is for semi-working high energy dogs. 

Adding table food can be tough, because they will try to train you in to only feeding that to them by not eating.  Just pick up their dry food if they wont eat or are eating too slowly; they will be more hungry the following day(s).  Table food can be something as little as adding some leftover rice or coconut oil to their dry food.  If I give them any leftover meat, I chop it up and rinse all the spices off first.  And just a little bit added to their dry food.  They only get some table food maybe once a week on average.

The main thing is the quality of the food going in and monitoring how it comes out.  A single bad episode doesn't mean the brand of food is bad, they may have supplemented their diet that day without your knowing.  They should be able to tolerate an abrupt switch in dog foods without mixing.

[Lannis]

Adding table food can be tough, because they will try to train you in to only feeding that to them by not eating.  Just pick up their dry food if they wont eat or are eating too slowly; they will be more hungry the following day(s).  Table food can be something as little as adding some leftover rice or coconut oil to their dry food.  If I give them any leftover meat, I chop it up and rinse all the spices off first.  And just a little bit added to their dry food.  They only get some table food maybe once a week on average.

The main thing is the quality of the food going in and monitoring how it comes out.  A single bad episode doesn't mean the brand of food is bad, they may have supplemented their diet that day without your knowing.  They should be able to tolerate an abrupt switch in dog foods without mixing.

Sounds a lot like what we do.   We give Jack his thyroid pill in a spoonful of wet canned Pedigree dog food each morning, added to his dry food.   

We adjusted his food amount to be JUST the amount he will clean up in the morning ... it's all right for a dog to "wolf" his food down, because, well ... that's how their systems work!

Lannis

[Two Checks]

Give them some Ol' Roy. You'll clean up!

[Lannis]

Give them some Ol' Roy. You'll clean up!

That Walmart stuff?

I wouldn't feed that to a dog .....  so to speak.

Lannis

[Rough Edge racing]

 I don't know much about dogs or their food but it seems to me they are carnivores.. So their diet should be primary meat or has that been bred out of them so they can survive on artificial food?

[Lannis]

I don't know much about dogs or their food but it seems to me they are carnivores.. So their diet should be primary meat or has that been bred out of them so they can survive on artificial food?

Wild canines get a certain amount of vegetable matter in their diet when they eat the stomach and upper intestine contents of their prey ....

We people do pretty well on "artificial food" - it's doubtful whether cavemen ate pasta with tomato sauce and Romano cheese and a Caesar salad on the side, but it seems to agree with us, so our dogs probably do well on it too.   Although my brother eats according to the "Paleo Diet", which is meant to be more like what a cave man would eat; lots of meat, no "farm" grains, and fruits and vegetables like you might pick in the wild ....

Lannis

[rboe]

True paleo diet would consist mainly of roots, grains and other green things with very little animal protean. In the Hunter Gatherer scene; it was more gathering than successful hunting.

[blackcat]

I don't know much about dogs or their food but it seems to me they are carnivores.. So their diet should be primary meat or has that been bred out of them so they can survive on artificial food?

For a while we did the raw meat diet for the dogs but it was just too gross.

[Rough Edge racing]

For a while we did the raw meat diet for the dogs but it was just too gross.

 For you or the dog? 

 I just can't imagine how a dry food in a bag is any good ....

[fotoguzzi]

I don't know much about dogs or their food but it seems to me they are carnivores.. So their diet should be primary meat or has that been bred out of them so they can survive on artificial food?

actually they are omnivores, cats are true carnivores.

[segesta]

You guys and your Manly Dogs. Rose just got tired while leaving her bed, and chose to stay this way. Oh, and we've had luck with good old Bil-Jac.