puppy food

[dot me not]

"Most vets are only interested and know a great deal about what's going on under the fur and skin,they know "nottin" about what to feed cats or dogs except what the canine feed companies pushes by sending their reps with a pizza box during their lunch time."

 

Awww now Inci, when I worked for the Vet that was my favorite part of the rep's visit!! Except we'd not settle for them bringing a pizza. We made 'em take us out for Mexican or Chinese food!! Just one of the perks of the job, kind of made up for having to dig out maggots in the summer time.

Lydia

[Rod]

Purina Puppy Chow or Purina Pro Plan Puppy Chow, I have found to be the best for my puppies that I have had and the one I have now. My BC is doing great and gaining the proper weight.

You can't go wrong with a company like Purina that has been in the feed business for all kinds of domestic animals. :cool:

[juliepoudrier]

Rod,

You might find that if you switched your pup to a good quality adult food (which means it will have lower protein and fat) it might help with your puppy's disruptive nighttime behavior. If the pup is super pumped on puppy food and not used to being crated at night (yes, a crate would be better than loose in the laundry room) and you make sure the pup gets plenty of mental (and physical) exercise, then it should sleep better at night.

 

J.

[UpNatEm]

"You can't go wrong with a company like Purina"...LMAO.Here's a quote for you and then a good link and that is all I have to say-

"According to City Paper, Valley Proteins "sells inedible animal parts and rendered material to Alpo, Heinz and Ralston-Purina".

The link to this and a good read is http://www.nexusmagazine.com/Petfood.html

 

Sue Barta

P.S.yesterday I was reading my Borderlines magazine which the editor has a big article going on diets.Anyway I threw it out already but if anyone has this latest one if you can,post here what was said towards the end about how human babyfood is made.Came fromthe real source and is shocking.Like Eeeuuww.

[sea4th]

I wasn't going to participate in yet another "what to feed da dog" subject, but after the post on Purina-----Oh Geez!!!! Here's my take on Purina----any dog that leaves my house, gets a list of recommended feeds. Purina is not on that list. In my contract, I state, and I name several brands, that if the buyer chooses to feed any of the "not recommended by me" brands, I cannot guarantee the health of the dog. Purina is on that list.

 

To think that Purina is so wonderful because they've been in it for years is naive. If I fed Purina to all my dogs, I'd have to quit my job to pick up s--t 24/7. You can pretty much pick out a dog that's fed Purina. All you have to do is run your hand over them and your hand will smell.

 

Some people buy what the conglomerates push off on the public as acceptable nutrition, hook, line and sinker. I suppose these people also think that all the colorful looking tidbits in Beneful (Purina?), that are supposed to represent vegetables and other wholesome stuff, are in fact the real thing.

 

Gimme a break.

 

Vicki

[Eileen Stein]

>

 

At last, an empirically verifiable claim about dog nutrition!

 

After reading it, I washed my hands and then ran my hand over the coat of several dogs who are fed Purina. My hand did not smell. I then put my nose against the coat of several dogs who are fed Purina, and found they either have no odor, or have differing mild pleasant odors. (In the interests of scientific accuracy, I did pick a time when they had not recently rolled in anything disgusting.)

 

I regard this particular claim as refuted, and draw conclusions about related, unverifiable claims accordingly.

[sea4th]

All I lay claim to is anecdotal evidence. I'm not a scientist, and have just personal experiences to go by. Having worked for a groomer, just touching the dog's pretty much you could tell if they were fed cheap stuff or not. Odor and a filmy feel to the hand. So based on my experiences, I try open the doors to prospective adoptors, buyers, and even the clientele at the grooming shop to consider nutrition. I cannot control what they do, once the dog leaves my house, and I certainly can't foist my opinions on the clientele at the groomers, but the couple of customers that did take the time to listen and ask, and took their dogs off the previously fed diet, came back within a month and their dogs, who have had coat & skin problems, were growing coat. Yeh, I think diet does make a difference.

 

Vicki

[UpNatEm]

Just another anecdotal and proof.When I quit raw 1 year ago and went back to kibble(Purina or even Diamond),first few weeks their breath,burps and body odor smelled of corn.Then you get used to it and don't notice.When you change back to raw you notice because the body like in the beginning was sweating the toxins.Just an anecdotal Eileen BUT I have two links of sound verified proof for yo,,but what would it matter? That's fine but we all who feed and believe in fresh foods will always be here to educate those who ARE willing to listen.Seems you are just too easyily wanting to debate the issue no matter how many links,sound proof or anecdotes are thrown at you.Hey I had my dogs on Purina and thought they were doing good(shiny glossy coats) but once I went raw I saw the huge differance.

 

Sue Barta

[Eileen Stein]

Maybe that filmy stuff you're feeling is the emperor's new clothes?

[UpNatEm]

O.K,now I feel like a dense one because I didn't get that.--"Maybe that filmy stuff you're feeling is the emperor's new clothes?"

My dog's don't feel filmy but extremely soft now.And I think what s important in this household is two with seasonal allergies for years to what the vet called ragweed went away after going raw.LOL,Eileen I think you live for debates.

 

Sue Barta

[Lucy Goosey]

I've always been a firm believer in "You are what you eat.". It stands to reason that fresh, whole foods, fed in balanced amounts, will be more healthful than a diet of processed food. While I'm admittedly unprepared to quote any scientific information to back up my assertion, I know that there is scientific basis behind my belief. In addition, I don't think it's any different for dogs.

 

When I adopted Lucy from the shelter, they had a history sheet for her that the family who were giving her up had helped fill out. In the space for what they had been feeding her, they had filled in "Whatever is on sale.". Her coat was dull, dry, her skin flaky, and she was shedding like crazy. Now, 10 weeks later, on a diet of Diamond Lamb Meal and Rice, her coat is shiny, she has no dandruff, and her shedding has been reduced by about 75% or more. She is active, energetic, alert, and healthy. I have seen that food does make a difference. I won't go so far as to say that raw feeding is the ONLY way to go (though I did have my dogs on BARF for a period of 6 months and loved it), I do think that there are differences in quality between different brands of dry kibble.

[Eileen Stein]

>

 

That's probably because it was Vicki who spoke of feeling something filmy. I didn't reply to your post, because you were repeating stuff you've said many times and I had nothing new to say in response. Well, I guess I could have questioned whether dogs sweat toxins, but actually, truth be told, I don't live for debates. Particularly on subjects where I feel it doesn't matter much one way or the other.

[UpNatEm]

Sorry Eileen for being sensitive I guess.And you are right this subject of diet isn't or shouldn't be up for debate or controversal remarks.It's to each his own.Alot of us who feed fresh foods are ALWAYS up to controversal or sarcastic remarks and just try to defend our way of thinking.When you have been in both worlds/both sides of diets for awhile like months and seen the differance, you can make a verified or goood judgmental opinion of both diets.Oh now look it-someone started a thread on puppyfood and their we go again.But hey it seems more popular don't you think? I mean in the last year when someone mentioned food hasn't more of us gotten on and mentioned raw fresh foods and raved about it?

 

Sue Barta

[juliepoudrier]

Originally posted by UpNatEm:

But hey it seems more popular don't you think? I mean in the last year when someone mentioned food hasn't more of us gotten on and mentioned raw fresh foods and raved about it?

 

Sue Barta

Yep, I would have to say that every feeding thread seems to turn into a "raw feeding is the only way to go" thread--to the point where I rarely bother to read past the start of the "feed raw" sermons.

 

Now before you get upset, let me say that I am not against raw feeding. My sister did it with her wolfhounds quite successfully. I just don't choose to feed that way (in case you're wondering, I feed high-quality kibble plus whatever natural food a feel like adding in, from meat to veggies, to eggs cottage cheese, yogurt, fruit, you get the idea), and I certainly do get tired of all the claims made about the superiority of the choice some of you have made.

 

When people ask about what to feed, I have no beef against folks suggestion a raw diet, but I think making all sorts of claims from "it prevents ticks on my dogs" to "it cures cancer" is a bit overboard and makes raw proponents look a bit like snake oil salesmen.

 

Just my opinion of course.

 

J.

[J.E.S]

The proponents for raw remind me of reformed smokers. I have groomed dogs for years. I don't think I could tell you if a dog has been fed Purina by feeling the coat. Maybe I'll do a survey myself. My own dogs coats are great. I have 5 dogs, 3 Border Collies, 1 GSD and 1 Poodle. I have never had a problem with coat in any of these dogs and they eat kibble. Although they also get in the odd fresh (raw) egg or bowl of fresh (raw) goat milk. If it works for you, great! But whenever discussions head off into the realm of fantasy it tends to cast doubt onto the credibility of that person's opinion.....in MY opinion.

JES.

[anbc]

I'm new to the board, hello. I posted this ques. on dog food in Health (for our 1 1/2 yr old BC.) We've given him high quality brands like Nutro, Natural Balance. Out here in CA people will arrest you if you feed your dog Purina. One trainer told me "Purina is crack for dogs." Even though back home I know my family dog was raised fine on Purina. What's up? I just want something that my baby likes, is solid, and he won't have to go 24/7.

[emmetteabrakai]

Raw or kibble, canned or dry. Natuaral or fast food ( yes my dogs know what a drive through is for) My local bank gives dog bones,so does McDonalds. Sams club does not. Neither does Staples or Wal-Mart. What ever the case dogs do not sweat except through the pads of their feet, and panting, drooling etc. Smell is usually from the sebacious secretions of the skin. I fed purina for years and my dogs never smelled, but they did have HUGE stools. I was grateful to be introduced to premium foods for that reason alone.Plus the added benifit for coats and the superier nutrition. I guess raw would be the same. But back to the puppy food? Oh :confused: I forgot what we were talking about was it puppy food, kinds of food ,raw vs cooked, the take over of rural america ( I do agree with Bill) while we aren't looking. oh well never mind I had fun and learned lots

Andrea D.

[sea4th]

Any pros or cons on Blackwood dog food? I've heard a lot of good about it. I fed Canidae for a while---2 months and 3 times more was coming out than was going in. Ever on the look out for a good kibble. One that I like is Diamond's Chicken Soup dog food.

 

Once a week I'll feed the kibble fed dogs raw, pups & all. I start pups on adult food at about 9-10 weeks.

 

Has anyone noticed that Purina currently has a commerical out that basically says pups should not be fed adult food, that they must be fed puppy food, specifically formulated for puppies, and of course the best one is theirs. The fact that they actually say "Don't feed your pup adult food...." makes me wonder if that's a corporate attempt to counteract the beliefs of a more knowledgable dog-owing public, as is their lame attempt at holistic with Beneful.

 

Generally, the better quality kibble isn't advertised in the media like the garbage food.

 

Vicki

[WWBC]

I have been feeding Blackwood since Dec of 2002 when I first "discovered" it. I am very happy with it and from the evidence of my Border Collies they are too. I have my seniors on the Blackwood 1000 and my others ( from 7 months to 7yrs) are eating the 2000. The most that any of my dogs need would be 2 cups a day, some of the less active ones get only 1 cup a day and they are all maintaining energy,weight and their coats are very nice. Stools are small and twice a day at most. The dogs love it and eat it with great joy. I also use Blackwood dog biscuits, you can get them in great 15# bags. Their biscuits are the same make up as the dog food, one of the biscuits is the 1000 food in biscuit size and shape and the other is their lamb/rice. They also have a good "kennel" food for people who have a lot of dogs. It is called Adirondack and is a very basic form of the Blackwood food. The 40# bag here is $17.00. A local bird dog kennel is using it exclusively for their hunting dogs and are raving about the energy and staying power of their hunting dogs. The link for Blackwood food is http://blackwoodpetfood.com/ They have an excellent message board for questions and answers.

 

JMHO

WWBC

[kaos]

Any one tried Solid gold? how about Innova or natures choice? We are shopping around for a good premium kibble. I would appreciate every ones opinions!

sara

[sea4th]

I'm feeding Solid Gold Millennia, and all the dogs that are on it look wonderful. Nice muscle tone, great skin & coats. I really like it. For a dog that's got trouble keeping weight on, I would suggest something which is more calorie dense. If that's not an issue, then it's a really good food----I have a wide variety of dogs to judge by, not just 2 or 3, so I see a variety of results from different feeds.

 

Another good kibble is Diamond's Chicken Soup. It's got a triple protein source and overall the ingredients look good. The cost is reasonable too.

 

Vicki

[diane allen]

Kaos, if you're going to feed kibble, you're definitely on the right track. Innova was my first choice - but beware, its fairly high in calories (good if you have an active dog, but not if you have a couch potato!). Also high in price, but because of the caloric value, you don't need to feed as much of it as the cheaper foods. Solid Gold was my second choice. Innova is also highly rated. All of these are very high quality foods - no nasty preservatives, good protein/fat/carb ratios, high quality ingredients.

 

I've switched to a raw diet, but that's another story....

 

diane

[sea4th]

I am finding that of the kibble fed dogs, adults look and are doing fine on Solid Gold Millenia. It apparently does not provide the calories needed for growing pups. My 5 mo. old pups are too thin on Solid Gold Mill. I've switched them over to Diamond Chicken Soup kibble, with at least one day raw a week, and have upped the kibble ration. Their coats glisten and they are active and happy---just too thin. If this doesn't work, I'll try the Innova for the pups and the one skinny bitch that I have (who, BTW, is being spayed Tuesday, which should help her maintain some weight). So I guess I would revise my recommendation of Solid Gold Millenia to moderately active dogs and dogs that tend to roll on the pounds.

 

More calories are needed for high energy & growing dogs.

 

Vicki

[Jessie'sMom]

I got my pup at 6 months old from a shelter and I have no idea what they fed her. I suspect it was a cheap food and she competed for it, because she acted like she'd never seen food before for the first week she was home. ( I actually called the vet the first time she wanted to play instead of wolf down her food because it was so out of character for her! They assured me she was just finally getting enough to eat!)

 

I started her on the Nutro dry puppy food when I got her and have stayed on it. I was cornered by the Nutro lady as soon as I set foot in Petco, so I got the whole pitch. All I can tell you is that she had no tummy troubles with the transition, and that the food has no corn or by-products in it and is rice and lamb based.

 

She's just coming up on 9 months now. She is doing really well on it and the other dog owners in the neighborhood keep asking me what I feed her because her coat is so shiny. I also give her three brewers yeast tabs every day (1 for each 10 pds of weight) as some of her training treats. My mom says they help her coat, but I have no idea if they do.

 

I was planning to keep her on the Nutro puppy until she's a year and then switching to an adult Nutro formula.

[amc]

Our adult dogs are fed the Ultimate (raw) diet but we also feed Canidae kibble. It's by far the best kibbled food I've found, and we've tried most of the premium brands (but not Innova or Flint River Ranch). When we travel we generally feed Canidae and none of our dogs have any stomach or digestive upsets going back and forth from raw to kibble. It's a great food.