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


Gary_and_Karen
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I'm looking for some expert help reguarding determining which commercial dog foods are completely SAFE as well as completely nutritious.

 

I read some things (both online and in library books) that indiciate that most commercial dog foods are NOT all that good, and many even contain TOXIC ingredients that over time can have very serious effects on your dog's health.

 

I also read some VERY scary things about the unhealthy and even toxic garbage many commercial dog food companies put in the dog food they sell. (it's very disturbing !)

 

I heard that there actually may be only as few as about 10 brands of commercial dog food that are BOTH completely safe AND provides full nutrition needs.

 

Anyone know for sure what some of those brands are that are both completely safe to use as well as fully nutritious ?

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Hi,

Here's a great site to research dog food Dog Food Advisor they offer unbiased evaluations of many different brands, One of the things I like best is that they show you the "true" protein, carb, fat, etc. in the food, not just what it ways on the bag/can. Whole Dog Journal is another good source.

 

I happen to feed Instinct kibble, Instinct Raw Boost kibble, and Earthborn Holistic. I happen to have dogs that can't all eat the same food.

 

Best of luck to you!

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i find this site to be helpful: http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/dry/

 

it rates different foods, describes the different ingredients and why they may be better, good or bad. i try to choose a 4 star or better food that i can afford and find without too much trouble.

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I lost faith in that web page after seeing pet after pet that looked sick on a certain brand of food. I trust brands that are field tested by working dogs, made in the USA and have a long history of success.

 

I believe those who posted it were unaware of that and meant well, but if that site is indeed unreliable, then what resources (web sites) are there that have been proven trustworthy ?

 

I had read that there are supposed to be only about 10 brands of commercial dog food that is both completely safe as well as fully nutritious, but have not been able to find out for sure which brands they are.

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I'm not sure anything is completely safe. After all, human food occasionally has listeria, E. coli and Salmonella outbreaks. Dog food has the same risks. Taste of the Wild is a good commercial food but is made by Diamond, which has had quality control problems in the past. TOTW had some quality control issues as well lately.

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In the US, my hands down favorite is Brothers Complete. They are pricy and can only be mail ordered unless you live in the Fort Lauderdale area of Florida. But they use no grains or white potato, they use the minimum amount of carbs to make kibble, they use low glycemic index carbs, they cook at low temp for a short time, they use human grade ingredients, they encapsulate their 3 strains of probiotics, they add prebiotics and 5 digestive enzymes, and they make small batches which are stored at 62 degrees until pulled from the warehouse for shipping. When a friend of mine told them why she couldn't feed their food because of an ingredient she can't have around, they took that ingredient out of one of their foods just for her. Go to Brotherscomplete.com and read the Brothers Document.

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Thanks to everyone for all the ideas !

 

It was very disturbing when I read some reports of how so many brands of commercial dog food actually has toxic chemicals as well as very unhealthy by-products in them.

 

It would be good to know all the companies that CAN be trusted to have safe dog food using only wholesome ingredients.

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I hesitate to put a list out there because I don't think you can give a 100% guarantee on any food and I don't think there is a magic bullet when it come to food. For instance, I used to consider Diamond to be a great option, but they've had some quality control issues that make me a bit hesitant to feed their food. But others still feel comfortable feeding Diamond products and their dogs to great on it. Also every dog doesn't do well on every food, and personal budget also plays a role in food selection. Ie, I have my favorite brands, but those aren't always financially feasible so I also have my budget brands options.

 

What I'd rather do is put information out there and have people do the research and figure out the best food for their budget and their dog. My favorite site is Dog Aware. The person who runs the site also does articles for the Whole Dog Journal. Lots of great info on choosing a food that will work for you dog and your situation. The site points out what to look for in a food and what to avoid.

 

If you do a search on food here you'll find a lot of good threads on the the subject

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Thanks Maralynn, and to all the others, it is very much appreciated !

 

.....proper nutrition (and safe wholesome ingredients) are a lot more important to your dog's health than some people may fully realize, especially those who don't yet realize they can't always believe some of the advertising hype some of the companies use in their ads.

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I got tired of my dogs getting sick on dog food from feed mills that had no control so I finally signed up to become a dealer of Dynamite dogfood...they have their own mills, buy human grade and very anal about quality.....it is not cheap so I signed up as a dealer and buy it by the 1/2 ton to make it affordable. I sell it to my students at my price. I see a huge difference in my working dogs. They back their products and take all complaints serioulsy and I have done taste test studies for new products. I used to buy Diamond but one time, my dogs all got the runs....i am sure it was a bad bag...in Diamonds defense, I told the local pet store who told the sale rep and he gave me TWO new bags. I also supplement with raw food

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I would love to feed such a quality food as Brothers complete but my wallet can't afford it. :(

I also looked at Dynamite dogfood, I think I might start doing a bit of research about finding others to buy from me (at cost) to see if we could start our own little co-op here.

I find it's a 50/50 split, where some people care greatly about what they feed then others just don't seem to care much at all. I wonder if they had a dog that got sick, would they think harder about it. Or if they had dogs that had allergy issues.

One friend of mine feeds Black Gold. Loaded with corn and other things that I wouldn't feed. Although corn isn't that bad in it's self, just bad for one of my dogs. He feeds a good supplement and says that's where he makes up the difference. I just can't get on board with that thinking.

 

I'm feeding Chicken Soup and not to pleased with it, but it's the best my wallet can afford at the moment. I was feeding TOTW and have seen a bit of a coat difference with one of my dogs. But the small bag (30#'s) for 46.00 wasn't lasting very long. Chicken Soup has 5#'s more and is $35 in my area. It really does make a difference when you add up the size and the price difference.

 

Really if I had time or money I'd make my own and use raw. But, 2 of the seniors can't seem to handle raw for some reason. And one's not really that old. The other one just doesn't do bones of any kind unless I sit there and hold them. Faye has a cast iron stomach, I think she could eat wood and be fine but a bit skinny! ;) Same with Dew.

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I trust brands that are field tested by working dogs

 

I agree - and here in the UK that doesn't mean the most expensive.

 

I don't inspect the minutiae of the ingredients and I tend to avoid food that contains a whole list of stuff designed to appeal to the buyer rather than be of benefit to the dog. The fewer ingredients the better in my book. I also avoid foods that advertise heavily as hype doesn't equate to quality and just shows in the price tag.

 

If I know people with dogs that lead and active life and are fit and healthy on a certain food I may try it if it isn't over priced; if I hear a lot of the same complaints I won't.

 

Obviously I can't help with specific recommendations for the OP as I'm not familiar with your brands or what is allowed too be added to or used for animal feed there.

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I'm feeding Chicken Soup and not to pleased with it, but it's the best my wallet can afford at the moment. I was feeding TOTW and have seen a bit of a coat difference with one of my dogs. But the small bag (30#'s) for 46.00 wasn't lasting very long. Chicken Soup has 5#'s more and is $35 in my area. It really does make a difference when you add up the size and the price difference.

 

You might want to see if you can find Victor in your area... I pay about $41/30# of grain free. The varieties with grain cost around $30/40#

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I find it's a 50/50 split, where some people care greatly about what they feed then others just don't seem to care much at all. I wonder if they had a dog that got sick, would they think harder about it. Or if they had dogs that had allergy issues.

 

Not worrying over much isn't the same as not caring.

 

I care a lot about the health of my dogs but throughout my life my experience has been that the majority of dogs do well on any reasonable food they are given, and even on absolute rubbish diets.

 

Of course I would adjust the diet of a dog that had digestive issues but beyond one pup that arrived with colitis (cured in days by a switch of food)I have never had one.

 

There is a brand here that most knowledgeable people wouldn't touch with a barge pole and yet plenty of dogs are fine on that too. I know more about canine nutrition than Joe Public but I'm not obsessed by the subject.

 

I'm not influenced much by advertising and I don't respond to the sort of scaremongering and exaggeration that abounds on the net. I don't add supplements unless there is a compelling reason for a particular dog and usually there is no reason to do so, whatever the manufacturers may claim.

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Pam I agree that there is a difference in not caring and not taking the expensive dog food route. I don't obsess about food unless I'm looking to make a change.

 

I used to be the person that didn't think it made all that much difference. Now as with myself, as I age I see I am totally what I eat. Same with the dogs. I have seen the difference with what I feed has made to my dogs.

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 wasn't feeding supplements so pretty sure it was the change in her diet.

 

Then recently when I decided that TOTW was to expensive I switched to Tractor Supplies brand, thought I'd give it a try. The ingredients weren't bad. But all my dogs coats changed after about 3 months. They got dry and lost luster. No one was itching or having yucky poos but poop was huge.

So I switched to Chicken soup. Only difference I see it coats came back to their nice shine and poop is a bit smaller. Is it great food? Probably not but it's working for us.

 

If you have an inexpensive food that works for you and your dogs, more power to you! I wish I had never seen the differences (not meaning you don't see the differences or anything) but now that I know what feeding a better quality food does for my dogs, I feel compelled to do so. FWIW I used to feed Diamond performance. Tried going back to that and was unsuccessful in making a healthy change.

 

Mara, I will look into Victor!

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I would love to feed such a quality food as Brothers complete but my wallet can't afford it. :(/>

I also looked at Dynamite dogfood, I think I might start doing a bit of research about finding others to buy from me (at cost) to see if we could start our own little co-op here.

I find it's a 50/50 split, where some people care greatly about what they feed then others just don't seem to care much at all. I wonder if they had a dog that got sick, would they think harder about it. Or if they had dogs that had allergy issues.

One friend of mine feeds Black Gold. Loaded with corn and other things that I wouldn't feed. Although corn isn't that bad in it's self, just bad for one of my dogs. He feeds a good supplement and says that's where he makes up the difference. I just can't get on board with that thinking.

 

I'm feeding Chicken Soup and not to pleased with it, but it's the best my wallet can afford at the moment. I was feeding TOTW and have seen a bit of a coat difference with one of my dogs. But the small bag (30#'s) for 46.00 wasn't lasting very long. Chicken Soup has 5#'s more and is $35 in my area. It really does make a difference when you add up the size and the price difference.

 

Really if I had time or money I'd make my own and use raw. But, 2 of the seniors can't seem to handle raw for some reason. And one's not really that old. The other one just doesn't do bones of any kind unless I sit there and hold them. Faye has a cast iron stomach, I think she could eat wood and be fine but a bit skinny! ;)/> Same with Dew.

 

Don't feel bad, with the economy/underemployment, ect. the way it is today more and more people (including us :-) are finding they have a tighter budget to work with than they used to before. I am continuing to research to find a fair number of safe/healthy foods to choose from that are affordable for those of us on a tighter budget and will post about it, hopefully within a day or two if not sooner.

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I currently feed Red Paw, which I am thrilled with, and I used to feed Eagle Pack. I was thrilled with Eagle Pack as well but moved and couldn't find it locally. Some of their formulas do contain corn and I was worried that my allergy dog wouldn't do well on them, but he has done great. (BTW, actual food allergies are uncommon when compared to environmental allergies in dogs.) Both of these foods, or at least several formulas that they make, are field testing by many a working dog kennel.

 

At one point I was feeding Innova, mostly the Evo but also their plain adult dog food or puppy formula. I was very happy with how my dogs were doing, but it is expensive and I couldn't afford to feed it once they stopped their coupon program. The company did sell to a bigger manufacturer several years ago and I do believe I have seen a drop in quality.

 

Many if not most of my clients with hunting dogs feed Purina Pro Plan. With one or two exceptions, their dogs look great, and they have medical conditions. I have one dog that didn't do well on PP after they changed something (different bag, and all of a sudden she wouldn't eat it), but otherwise my dogs did just fine on it.

 

I know some sled dog kennels that swear by National, but I have never tried it myself.

 

Like I said, I tend to stick to foods that are field tested by hard working dogs. They are quicker to show signs of deficiencies because of the demanding nature of their work.

 

Ultimately, there is no perfect food and you need to find one that works for your dogs and you budget.

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Don't feel bad, with the economy/underemployment, ect. the way it is today more and more people (including us :-) are finding they have a tighter budget to work with than they used to before. I am continuing to research to find a fair number of safe/healthy foods to choose from that are affordable for those of us on a tighter budget and will post about it, hopefully within a day or two if not sooner.

 

I don't know how safe and healthy they are, but we have dogs with allergies, and found that some of the more expensive foods (including the hypoallergenic ones, alternate protein ones etc) tended to make the dogs worse.

 

When it comes to allergies you can't take 'organic' or 'holistic', the price, or even the ingredients list as any kind of guarantee (not that the first two would be any guarantee of safety or nutrition anyway), you just have to try different types. Of course the type they did well on had meat and animal derivatives- damn dogs, ruining my street cred. :rolleyes:

 

I'd agree with mum24dog on this.

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I feed NutriSource.

 

Made in Minnesota. Dogs all do well on it. I usually feed the "Super Performance" formulation (32% Protein, 20% fat 529 kcal/cup) at 2 cups per day when they are in work, and 1.5 cups per day in winter when they are doing less (they're indoors and don't need the extra calories to stay warm).

 

40lb bag is $50 and is 145 cups which is $0.69/dog/day

 

They also have their "PureVita" and "Natural Planet Organics" lines but I haven't tried either of them

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I have friends feeding Nutrisource who like it, too.

 

I'm feeding Hi-Tek Rations grain free line right now. Mine have been on it since TOTW made them sick back in April (the recall followed shortly, so draw your own conclusions). It's made in Georgia, in their own plant. Good ingredient list and reasonably priced for us. If you don't mind feeding grains, you can get that formula, and it's even more affordable.

 

http://hitekrations.com/products/hitek_naturals.html

 

It really does boil down to avoiding certain "bad" things in commercial pet food, and then finding one that your dogs do well on, that you can afford. Every dog is different, and we all just do the best we can.

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I second the advice to:

Buy the best you can afford. The digestive system of many dogs are very tolerant, and they don't need the BEST food. On the other hand, some dogs do need a particular food. You shouldn't make yourself a pauper to feed your dog.

 

I prefer to buy (but don't always) food manufactured by smaller companies because I feel that a reputable smaller company should have better control over the sourcing of ingredients and the manufacturing of their product.

 

I don't buy food with wheat, corn, soy, wheat gluten, corn gluten, soy gluten listed as one of the top 5 ingredients.

 

I like to use dogfoodadvisor.com as a starting point to evaluate a dog food, but like anything on the web, I don't believe everything from a single source. You have to do your homework and check various sources.

 

Let your dog 'tell' you which food is working - bright attitude, shiny coat, energy plus, etc. (assuming no underlying disease or other issue). I have fed one of my dogs a couple of brands of high-quality dog food - highly recommended by others - that resulted in a dull coat and a flat-out refusal to eat it. When her food was changed, she started eating and her coat improved. My other dog seems to do well on whatever I feed him.

 

Jovi

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We made a switch from TOTW (after the recall) to Earthborn Grain-free but then saw my local store started carrying Fromm Gold and we are on that now (same price as TOTW but 3lbs more and a lot cheaper than Earthborn). He does not need a grain free food and I don't like how a lot of them just have potatoes and peas as the 2nd and 3rd ingredients.

 

So far Fromm Gold has made his poop much smaller and he looks and acts great on it.

http://frommfamily.com/products/gold/dog/dry/adult-gold

 

I also like their company information. They are not manufactured in a huge plant either (like TOTW is with Diamond).

 

Just choose what works for your budget, what you feel good feeding him and what he feels good eating!

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Nowadays I feed Chicken Soup (luckily no problems with that, here) and Premium Edge. Both are mid-range priced and my dogs do well on them.

 

I do have my almost-14-year-old dog on ToTW, the blue bag with salmon, and he does great on that, but I can't afford to feed all 4 dogs on it.

 

I haven't seen any in the grocery stores that I'd feel comfortable feeding, any more. Way too many fillers and questionable ingredients, in my book.

 

~ Gloria

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