Which commercial brands of dog food are BOTH completely safe and fully nutritious ?

[Gary_and_Karen]

I appreciate learning from everyone's experience, I've been saving the various suggestions as they are posted, and also researching some others I read about online elsewhere, so I should have a nice selection list of possibilities and then see which ones are available in my area.

[WildFlower]

I feed Fromms to my 3 dogs. (But I will mix it up with other quality foods when they are on sale or a get a good coupon.) The reasons that I feed Fromms are 1) it works for my dogs 2) it is a smaller local company (for me) 3) they have a variety of protiens and also a grain free line should it be needed 4) they have a frequent buyer program (buy 12 get 1 free of the size you have the most UPCs for) and the also send out coupons regulary, including coupons for free bags.

 

But really, as others have said, what works for your budget and your dogs is what is most important.

[mum24dog]

Feeding raw when Jazz was about 12 gave her a new life. She lost weight and her bones didn't ache so much she was beautiful again, not that she was ugly but I could see such a change in her it was wonderful!

 

I'm sure most of us feel better for losing weight.

Glad she seems less stiff. I expect I will have an arthritic dog one day but so far no signs, not even my nearly 14 year old that had a cruciate repair last year. TBH I'm amazed. I put it down to luck rather than anything my dogs have been fed or not fed. Fingers crossed that luck will continue.

[bcnewe2]

I'm sure most of us feel better for losing weight.

 

I'll let you know! ;)/>

 

Glad she seems less stiff. I expect I will have an arthritic dog one day but so far no signs, not even my nearly 14 year old that had a cruciate repair last year. TBH I'm amazed. I put it down to luck rather than anything my dogs have been fed or not fed. Fingers crossed that luck will continue.

 

Shes quite stiff now, not funny but she'd laugh (we lost her this past spring at 16)

 

I guess it might not have been the raw but it was so in line with the change it was hard to see it as anything else. Later in her life I tried to switch back to raw and she couldn't handle it. But I never let her gain the weight back and untill her back end gave out she did wonderful. Before her last few weeks she was still up for a quick game fo kick the ball to her.

 

I sure hope your luck continues. No matter how much you think you are ready and can handle the loss of your loved ones (human or animal) it's always a huge hole in the heart. I am just recently able to smile about MayMay(Jazz) these days. And for the first time with the loss of a dog, I swear she hung out at the house long after she was gone. I'd hear her "I want in" bark all the time. Not any more though, I think she's gone on to her place of peace, waiting for us to join her there.

[Sue R]

I'm sure most of us feel better for losing weight.

We had a large Aussie who ballooned up to 84# under my bad management - food dish always full as our prior dog was one it was hard to keep any weight on and we'd gotten accustomed to leaving him food all the time as it was the only way we could manage to keep him from being too lean.

 

When I finally admitted to the truth (DD said he was "fat" and I said he was "fluffy", with him being a full-coated dog) and put him on a restricted diet of a food for weight control, the pounds melted off and he regained his healthy and youthful 62# figure (he was a big dog).

 

He lived to age 15, with a lifetime of working cattle, and only began to show problems with arthritis/spondylosis/weakness in the hind end at about age 13 or 14. I am sure his comfort level, mobility, and life span were positively influenced by being at a healthy weight and being active.

 

Now, if only the dog food nazi would do the same for herself...

[Sue R]

Just by the way, I have been bothered by the concept of "completely safe and totally nutritious". I'm not sure there is any such thing. No matter how well a food is formulated, whether it be made in a factory or at home, there is never a guarantee of "completely safe" - although your odds are stacked greatly in your favor when you do feed a well-sourced and processed diet (commercial or home-made). And as for "totally nutritious" - well, we see in any of these feeding topics that what works well for one dog may not work well for another, and so you not only have to choose a food that seems to have good ingredients and processing, but also one that suits your particular animal.

 

Off my high horse now...

 

PS - And as Mark mentions below, "toxic" is sometimes a matter of amount or accumulation. It is amazing how many things are considered "toxic" in overdose or accumulation but are quite safe at reasonable levels (like water or salt).

[Mark Billadeau]

The problem with toxic compounds is the amount. Some compounds are essential (or therapeutic) below a certain level and become toxic above a certain level. Some compounds accumulate and can become toxic above an accumulated level; while others are continuously eliminated by the body. The "levels" are individually dependent with ranges measured across population samples. It's difficult to predict exactly how much of a compound it will take to become a problem for each individual dog. Chocolate (methylxanthines: caffeine, theobromine, etc) is a perfect example of this.

 

The best judge of food quality is how your individual dog performs on each food.

[Hiker]

I noticed that mum24dog is from a different country than most of those disagreeing with her. I don't know anything about the different countries' dog food regulations, but I wonder if different countries' different regulations might have affected people's experiences of how similar (or not) different brands of dog food are?

[Pam Wolf]

Like Liz P I feed Red Paw. I've been very happy with the results-except every couple months I have to buy a pallet which hurts the wallet big time! But my feed bills have gone down considerably because it is nutrient dense so I can feed less than any other brand I've tried (and over the years there were lots of brands!). The only thing that compared was a sled dog food Science Diet made about 30 years ago and it came in buckets not bags. But they don't make that any more.

 

My Kelpie who would eat 5-7 cups of most good dog foods (including SD Active, PP and others) is down to 1.5 cups of Red Paw and now got some cover on his ribs instead of looking like a poster child for neglect! I've found fussy eaters chow down well on it too. Stool volume is good and never had a loose stool unless fed large quantities.

[Liz P]

I also order Red Paw in bulk, generally 15 bags at $44 each (40 lbs). I feed about 1/2 to 1/3 as much as any other food I've tried, which makes my wallet very happy.

[mja]

[quote name='Pam Wolf' timestamp='1354112483' post='430332.

 

My Kelpie who would eat 5-7 cups of most good dog foods (including SD Active, PP and others) is down to 1.5 cups of Red Paw and now got some cover on his ribs instead of looking like a poster child for neglect! I've found fussy eaters chow down well on it too. Stool volume is good and never had a loose stool unless fed large quantities.

 

 

I have a BC that is very, very fussy, very, lean and with her smooth coat, hard to hide that lean look. I have tried various feeds including a raw diet which she liked for a short time. Really only eats if she thinks another dog is going to get her food and than spends that time defending the bowl instead of eating.

She is extremely high energy, very fast outruns, burning lots of calories in her daily work so you can imagine the frustration/concern keeping weight on her. I live in Ca but am willing to give different brands a try even if shipping is necessary. Does anyone have success getting their fussy eaters to finish a meal a day? Yes, she does crate with her food but that doesn't help. Thanks in advance.

[WildFlower]

I looked up Red Paw after reading about it in this thread and am super excited to learn that it is based in my hometown here in WI! I never knew that. I am going to purchase a bag to try with my guys. I am thrilled with Fromms (also based in WI) but I am always game for trying new foods out.

[Gary_and_Karen]

I was just doing a search online to see if there was any sweet potato jerky treats that were ok to use and found this report that makes me wonder whether it's worth the risk to buy any jerky treats at all -

 

http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/ProductSafetyInformation/ucm319463.htm

 

Anyone seen the above report, if so what do you think ?

 

It would be a shame to think there might likely be some pet food companies that are more concerned with their profits rather than the health of pets.

[DeltaBluez Tess]

If any of you folks are in the Seattle area and want a bag or bags of the Dynamite dog food at my rate, you can stop by for a one time offer....it is $45 for 40 lbs but normally is $60 plus tax....I buy 1/2 tons to get it at this price.

[Gideon's girl]

It would be a shame to think there might likely be some pet food companies that are more concerned with their profits rather than the health of pets.

 

Over 300 dogs have died, over 600 have sickened. The businesses that are selling this stuff know about it and still display it prominently and regularly have sales on it. These businesses are there to make money, not because they care about your pet.

 

I have a dehydrater and I make my own dog treats. That way I know what is in them.

[Gary_and_Karen]

 

Over 300 dogs have died, over 600 have sickened. The businesses that are selling this stuff know about it and still display it prominently and regularly have sales on it. These businesses are there to make money, not because they care about your pet.

 

I have a dehydrater and I make my own dog treats. That way I know what is in them.

 

That is a real shame, if those companies could get enough widespread negative publicity maybe it could either force them to change their ways or go out of business. (makes you wonder if people who work for those companies use the same food they make)

 

Good idea about the dehydrator !

 

I don't have a dehydrator, but one of those "Rapid Wave" ovens that could work like a dehydrator on a very low tempature setting perhaps, I'll have to read up on it more.

[Gary_and_Karen]

Here is another warning report I found, this one about some of the commercially made sweet potato treats -

 

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/07/20/sweet-potato-dog-treats.aspx

 

and yet another (which includes a letter that was sent to Walmart)-

 

http://fidoseofreality.com/chicken-jerky-protest-on-black-friday/

 

and even another -

 

Waggin' Train chicken jerky, produced in China, is claimed to be associated with hundreds of dog deaths.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/05/dog-jerky-deaths-nestle-purina_n_1406562.html

[gcv-border]

Same old, same old story -- As advised by many responders at the beginning of this thread, don't buy dog food** with ingredients sourced from China.

 

**Dog food includes treats.

 

Jovi

[Gary_and_Karen]

Same old, same old story -- As advised by many responders at the beginning of this thread, don't buy dog food** with ingredients sourced from China.

 

**Dog food includes treats.

 

Jovi

 

Is there any way to know for sure if any ingredients are sourced from China, I think I remembered seeing a label that simply indicated some ingredients were imported without specifying which country they were imported from.

 

It would be best to just make our own, but it would be nice to know of at least a few companies that can be really trusted.

[Oko]

Right now I'm planning on Fromm dog food for when I get my dog. If I remember correctly, they haven't had a recall. They also have a Q&A on their website, and all ingredients are from the USA and USDA inspected, no by-product, corn, or wheat in their 4-Star line. I don't like having corn in dog food because I'm allergic to it myself. The 4 star-line is also All Life Stages, which is a bonus, since I want to just skip puppy food.

[bcnewe2]

Mja

I have one of those dogs. She's a senior now. I have.just recently found that feeding her once a.day and making sure she Is good and hungry helps allot. 2 times a day was not working. I add tidbits of chicken or other odorous treats and that helps a bit. But it really helps if I put her next to me with her food and have another dog stand by us and threaten to feed them her food. Since she is by me she can't growl at anyone (big no no in my presence) so she eats. Not always but enough that I don't worry.

[Sue R]

I am fortunate in that the woman who owns the place where I buy my dog and cat food is meticulous about researching what she sells. She sells a huge variety of foods but can tell you what comes from where, what is all USA (and similar-quality) sourcing, etc.

 

What you can do is research, compare, figure out what you can afford and what works for your particular dog(s), and do your best. I don't anyone or anything can guarantee 100% safety and security, but you can sure up your odds by doing your homework and following through.

 

I think *everything* should have to be labelled with honest and non-deceptive sourcing information.

[WildFlower]

Right now I'm planning on Fromm dog food for when I get my dog. If I remember correctly, they haven't had a recall.

 

To the best of my knowledge that is correct. I have been feeding Fromms for over 4 years and have heard of any recalls.

[Pam Wolf]

I have a BC that is very, very fussy, very, lean and with her smooth coat, hard to hide that lean look. I have tried various feeds including a raw diet which she liked for a short time. Really only eats if she thinks another dog is going to get her food and than spends that time defending the bowl instead of eating.

She is extremely high energy, very fast outruns, burning lots of calories in her daily work so you can imagine the frustration/concern keeping weight on her. I live in Ca but am willing to give different brands a try even if shipping is necessary. Does anyone have success getting their fussy eaters to finish a meal a day? Yes, she does crate with her food but that doesn't help. Thanks in advance.

 

 

I've had a couple of friends try Red Paw for their dogs who would not eat. They had been using all sorts fo foods, many additives and the dogs just wouldn't eat. I gave them some red Paw to try and they chowed down right away. I currently have a dog in for training that is/was a fussy eater. he eats the Red Paw right away when it is put down. I think one of the venefits for fussy eaters is they don't have to eat the hugh volume of other types of food.

[rushdoggie]

I am fortunate in that the woman who owns the place where I buy my dog and cat food is meticulous about researching what she sells. She sells a huge variety of foods but can tell you what comes from where, what is all USA (and similar-quality) sourcing, etc.

 

Woofs?

 

I have a place like that too, and although I pay a tad bit more it feels good to know theres 2 of us watching.