Friday, February 12th, 2010
Before I adopt a dog, I want to know which brand of food I should consider getting it. Preferably dry dog food, but if you know good wet ones, feel free to recommend.
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What do you feed your small dog(s)?
How much does the food cost?
What is the quantity bought? (# lbs.)
If you give your dog several brands; in what order would you rate each’s quality?
How much does the amount you buy last? A month, two months, 2 weeks?
Please read these links on dog foods..So many are NOT good for your pet..Buy only Holistic dog foods..ones containing no Wheat, gluten’s , corn or white rice..All of these items are bad for your dog..We feed our dog Blue Buff dog food. Canidae is the best but we don’t have it here..The best dog foods are listed below.In no particular order. We have two dogs one large and one med and a bag lasts us two weeks and it cost 28 dollars.
Blue Buffalo
Innova,California Natural………Natura Pet Products, Santa Clara, CA………………(800) 532-7261
Azmira Classic………………….Azmira Holistic Animal Care, Tucson, AZ…………(800) 497-5665
Back to Basics……………………….Beowulf Natural Foods Syracuse, NY………………(800) 219-2558
Canidae…………………………………Canidae Corp, San Luis Obispo, CA…………………(800) 398-1600
Eagle Pack Holistic Select……….Eagle Pet Products, Inc., Mishawaka, IN…………(800) 255-5959
Flint River Ranch,Dry Water, LC…..First River Ranch, Riverside, CA……………..(909) 682-5048
Hund-N-Flocken, Millennia…Solid Gold Health Products for pets, El Cajon, CA…..(800) 364-4863
Limited Diets Duck & Potato….Innovative Veterinary Diets, Pittsburg,PA………….(800) 359-4483
Natural Balance Ultra Premium..Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance,Pacoima, CA.(800) 829-4493
Lifespan…………………………………..
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Posted in dog food | 11 Comments »
Saturday, February 6th, 2010
She is a year old, 18lbs and she has a very sensative stomach! she is not allowed any type of adult food or she’ll throw up and she can’t over eat or she’ll throw up…I can’t seem to find the best dog food either, it looks like she doesnt care for anything.
Can anyone recommend a dog food that is healthy and something that she will enjoy?
im sorry, i made a mistake, i meant to say she can’t eat human food…sorry!
Try one of this in PUPPY variety, not adult, since you said she will be sick if she eats adult.
Here are some of the best dog foods:
Taste Of The Wild
http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/
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Wellness
http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/
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Solid Gold
http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/
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Blue Buffalo
http://www.bluebuff.com/
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Nature’s Variety
http://www.naturesvariety.com/
Stay away from these brands:
Ol’ Roy
Beneful
Purina ONE
Purina Pro Plan
Pedigree
Purina Dog Chow
Alpo
Eukanuba
Nutro
Iams
Science Diet
Dad’s
Royal Canin
Store Brands
Kibbles ‘n Bits
Mighty Dog
If you are on a VERY super tight budget, these are good foods:
Chicken Soup For The Pet Lover’s Soul
http://www.chickensoupforthepetloverssou…
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NutriSource
http://www.nutrisourcedogfood.com/
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***Vets will try to tell you to feed Purina, Iams, and Science Diet. But don’t feed them, they aren’t good for your dog. Vets tell you those lies because they are PAID to do so!!!! It’s sad, isn’t it?***
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Here is a website that rates dog food. Go to it and enter the food of your choice. You will want a 4, 5, or 6 star rating. If the food of your choice has a 1, 2, or 3 rating that means it is crappy food. The higher rating the better, the lower rating the worse.
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_…
Also, another great thing to feed is the raw diet. Raw is completely safe and healthy. It’s what I feed to my dog. Here are two great links about raw feeding, the healthiest thing for your dog.
http://www.rawfed.com/
http://www.barfworld.com/
Well, good luck with your dog. I hope you find a healthy food that works good for him. Good luck!!! 
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Posted in dog food | 8 Comments »
Sunday, January 31st, 2010
This can actually save me money too! The best pets rx is prevention. I will order pet meds when necessary, but I prefer to just keep her healthy in the first place.
Most commercial pet foods are garbage. Most, not all, be sure to read the label. One of the things lots of companies do is add ethoxyquin as a preservative to dry foods. That’s not a good thing at all for her and it’s illegal for my food so it makes sense not to give it to her either, right? Think of this the next time you order pet medications for your sickly pet. Ethozyquin causes all sorts of health problems and they know this, and yet put it in their foods and tell you to feed your dog their product.
They can also add euthanized cats and dogs and zoo animals and road kill, grind it all up and call it ‘meat meal’. Yes, most dog food companies put this into your beloved pet’s food. This also includes the dog tags, flea collars, the bags they put the dead animals in and the poop inside them! One study found upto 25% fecal material in the ‘meat meal’. Do you want to pay for that? More importantly, do you want to feed that to your pet? I know I don’t. I love my dog.
Another really bad ingredient that gets into commercial food is the sodium pentobarbital they use to put suffering animals down. That stays in the body of the poor deceased animals that get ground up into the ‘meat meal’ So, when your pooch eats her food she’s actually behaving like a cannibal and eating chemicals that cause all sorts of health issues. There is a better way.
Your dog has many generations behind him/her that were fed on the same stuff we eat everyday. Store bought dog food is not now and has never been necessary to your pets survival. Now science has guidelines for the best nutrition of your pet, broken down to certain breeds as well. You can select a quality brand of commercial food that truly is looking out for her nurtition or make good stuff yourself at home. I do both.
Here’s some of the receipes my little girl loves. You can add more protein (meat), or fiber(veggies), depending on your particular pet’s need. These are foods that I can eat so I know they will be good for her too, although not all people food is good for our pets.
This first receipe I call her rice dish. She eats about 1/3 of it each meal so it goes pretty quickly. Occasionaly I get to freeze a portion or two and that makes it easy to just grab, microwave to thaw, and heat a little before serving. You may also double the receipe to make things easier on you, the cook.
Start with a medium sized pot. Brown 1/2 pound of lean beef or chicken. Then add 1 1/2 Cups of water and 1 Cup of uncooked rice (brown rice is best but white will also work). Boil together until rice is tender, it should be slightly watery at this point. Add 1/2 Cup grated carrots, 1 small can of peas, and any scraps of vegtables you may have leftover (if your dog likes them). I also add a dash of garlic because she likes it and it smells good in my kitchen. Simple and yummy.
This next receipe is called her macaroni dish. This is a little large and lasts about twice as long. Oftentimes I alternate these dishes to give her variety.
Start with a large pot and a splash of oil. Add 2 Cups of lean meat… beef or chicken or lamb, brown. Yes, you can keep any pan drippings in there and she just loves that. Add 2 or 3 choppped carrots, a zuchini chopped, 1 stalk celery chopped, and a can of peas. You can also add the scraps of broccoli or the potato scrappings from last night or any leftover veggies you may have. Cover with water and simmer till veggies are starting to get soft. Add 1/2 pound macaroni and continue to cook uncovered until pasta is soft. Serve her one big scoop and freeze the rest in
baggies. Take out one baggie per meal so proportion them accordingly.
As I said earlier, most commercial pet foods are garbage but you can find some that really care about your pet. If you find cooking for your pet to be too bothersome try looking for a quality brand and read the label carefully. I do give my girl dry food 2 to 3 times per week, sometimes with a little ‘people’ food on top. I use the best quality food I can find for her because I love her.
We get very attached to our pets, they become members of the family. From time to time they do need us to order pet meds on their behalf, but if we care for them
properly they can live long happy and healthy lives.
Susanne Bargel
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/dog-foods-cause-you-to-order-pet-medications-248767.html
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Posted in dog | 5 Comments »
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
I have 5 dogs, and I have been feeding them Blue Buffalo canned dog foods along with Blue Buffalo dry foods. The food is rather expensive though, and I can no longer afford to pay so much for their food. I do not want to feed them a crappy low quality food with fillers and by-products, but I cannot afford to buy them the absolute healthiest of foods. What would be a good food to feed them that won’t break my bank?
Taste of the Wild
Origen
are two that I recommed. Though they seem expensive, you feed less of it to your dog.
If you want the healthy stuff, you’re gonna have to pay for it. May be find a home for one dog, and that will save you money.
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Posted in dog food | 8 Comments »
Monday, November 16th, 2009
I am going to pick up my Yorkie for the first time on Friday. I can’t wait to get him home, but I am also concerned on what type of food to give him. I want my puppy to be healthy and happy but I want hime to also find his food tasty..and not nasty like most healthy dog foods. The breeder I bought him from has been feeding him Beniful. But he dosen’t particularly like it. Any suggestions on a healthy tasty dog food for puppys?
What does your puppy eat and enjoy?
P.S. I also want to give him treats, I figured I would give him fruitloops as a special treat since yorkies are prone to low-blood sugar….is this a good idea? or should i find something else for him?
Any other information on how to keep my puppy healthy and happy is greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Oh yeah I am 15 and getting him for my birthday!
A median priced food that was not on the recall lists with the melamine etc. is Nature’s Recipe which does not have corn, wheat, soy or artificial dyes. Also doesn’t have BHA or BHT and is readily available in large Pet Stores like PetSmart or PetCo. Most other brands sold there have been in multiple recalls for both dry and wet.
Beneful wasn’t recalled, but it has lots of junk in it, allergy causing product. Avoid foods that list wheat, corn or soy in their ingredients.
When you change food, do it gradually over a week and a half or so. Start feeding the old food (3/4) with 1/4 new food for a few days and if tolerated well, then give 1/2 old and 1/2 new- same progression then 3/4 new and 1/4 old then all new. You can add a few teaspoons of pumpkin pie filling to the food while changing over as it tends to settle a dogs stomach and prevent a reaction like diarrhea which happens sometimes when changing food.
Royal Canin makes food for the breed and another food called "Baby Dog" but it had been heavily involved in recalls. Unfortunately, many many brands were manufactured at the same plant where common ingredients used in different brands contaminated food.
http://www.itchmo.com
I’d stay away from Natural Balance because they were also heavily involved in recalls and recently again had recalled canned foods, this time for botulism. See itchmo.com for details.
Fruit Loops aren’t good for people or for dogs, but a few won’t kill him. There are many good treats that are healthy, or at least designed for dogs, to use instead.
There is a doggie Ice Cream called "Frosty Paws" which many large grocery stores carry like Randall’s, Kroger’s, Super Target, etc. Call ahead to one in your area and ask if they have this in stock. It’s usually in the ice-cream section but is actually made for dogs. Comes in four cups to a box and dogs just LOVE this!
Also there are freeze dried liver treats you can get from Pet Stores, and Yogurt Drops for dogs that are made in Germany.
Avoid rawhides because dogs sometimes swallow big pieces they loosen and then get sick and some have formaldehyde in them and the white ones are sometimes soaked in bleach during their processing. BLECCH.
But Nylabones (inedible kind) and Kongs make fun toys to exercise teeth and gums on.
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Posted in dog food | 12 Comments »
Thursday, November 12th, 2009
it was ever before. Though this is a healthy sign as it provides a wide range of choices in the different types of pet food, it also creates a dilemma in choosing the best of these foods for your dog. Are store or generic brands good for your dog? How about the familiar brands like Alpo and Purina? Do hose expensive brands live up to its expectation in providing the healthiest food for the dogs? That remains to be answered.
dog food Considerations
There are a lot of factors that have to be considered while choosing the right food for your beloved dog. Different dogs demand different nutritional needs to stay healthy. These are things which one ought to consider before buying a particular type of food for the dog.
1. Dog’s age
Adult dogs might demand better nutritional food than the puppies. The nutritional requirements vary just like in human where the children and adult demand different nutritional requirements. Ensure you select the right food for your dog considering its age.
2. Dog’s health
Unless your dog has a specific medical condition, it can be fed with normal food. If the conditions seem to exist in the dog, the food you choose has to be dictated by that condition. Low glucose foods are generally given to diabetic dogs and dogs having allergies will require specific type of food as well. Your vet can help you out to choose the correct food on a balanced diet.
3. Dog’s size or the body type
Dogs can be overweight, sometimes, and so the food you choose must tally that condition. A few dogs could be underweight too and the food will change accordingly. Few dogs like to run around while a few like to lie around lazily. Sizes of the dogs also can be varying. According to the size and the body type of these dogs, food requirements are met.
4. Your budget
Dog foods are expensive, no doubt, but what really matters is the quality of food you buy from the market. Low cost store and generic bands might not be that expensive and also might not be that healthy too. It can have cheap ingredients and fillers in plenty. Make sure you buy the best food without exceeding your budget.
Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/healthy-dog-food-4-factors-that-decide-the-best-suited-food-for-your-pet-753376.html
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Posted in dog food | No Comments »
Friday, November 6th, 2009
I have been reading really scary things about commercial dog foods and have been really considering making my own dog food. I have been doing some research online but can’t seem to find something that tells me how long I can keep the food until it spoils. Any tips on making my own dog food?
i make my own dog food. i make just enough for it to last two days though. then i make more. the really healthy things to put in dog food is cooked rice,meat,cooked veggies,potatoes and stuff dogs would eat, then put it in a blender and mix it up. add water to dry food mix half your batch with they dry food and water and voila! a luxery meal!
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Posted in dog food | 4 Comments »
Thursday, November 5th, 2009
We are having a hard time finding a top-quality dog food in the stores. I’d hate to have to mail-order our dog food with such high prices on fuel right now. Does anyone have any recommendations on a pet store chain that actually carries good quality dog food? Petco just doesn’t have anything good. Iams, Purina, Science Diet, all of those are full of grains, which are bad for the dogs. Help!
I have seen innova in common places like petland. I dont typically shop at pet stores that are apart of big chains, I prefer to support localized places, such as a feed store. If you live near a feed store, they may have a high quality kibble.
I know many places are willing to sell the stuff if you ask, but your best bet for high quality nutrition, if you feed kibble, is to find a better store.
My top three dog foods are orijen, evo, and innova, but I consider the ultimate diet to be raw.
If you are looking for the best diet to feed your dog, I would definitely look into it, it not only allows you to know exactly what your dog is eating, but you can save money, if you spend wisely.
I chose to feed raw after researching for a good month, I know that doesnt seem long, but it was everyday, and for hours at a time, I found a forum, www.bigdogsporch.com, and thats when I first got introduced to the idea. It seemed a far stretch from what my family was feeding at the time, but I knew, as with my own diet, I had to give my dog the best, and so I researched it.
I found many sites on the forum, and a vets site, tom lonsdale’s www.rawmeatybones.com.
The most helpful site was probably www.rawfed.com/myths and the comparative anatomy of eating, cant remember who it is by, but you can search for it on google. I read that article because I am vegan, but the facts stated in the article showed me my dogs needed meat, bones, and organs to thrive.
the most shocking thing I found out on the raw fed site was that a dogs mitochondrial DNA is 99.8 percent similar to a wolfs, I always knew they were related but that closely.
You know purina is bad, so I wont go into to much detail about how they teach our vets about nutrition, but here is the link if you want them stating it: http://www.purina.com/science/partnerships/OtherAlliances.aspx
I prefer petco over any other petstore I go to, they are all cruel so I dont go to them often, but they worst is petland, not far behind is petsmart so I never go there. heres why www.petsmartcruelty.com and www.pandgkills.com
Please read my other post about dogs diets. They can help answer any questions as to why I choose raw, plus the sites mentioned above.
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Posted in dog food | 7 Comments »
Thursday, November 5th, 2009
My parents accidental bought purina puppy chow for all puppies instead of the puppy chow for large breed puppies. Should we take the bag back and get the large breed puppy food or is the all puppy food fine for her. Does she need the joint lubrication stuff in her food or will she be fine in the future and not get any joint problems unless she is overweight or getting old?
Purina puppy chow is crap, no matter what type, so I’d just switch to a higher quality food.
Not all pet food is made equally. A lot of it is full of corn, by-products, dyes, unhealthy preservatives, filler grains and all sorts of nasty stuff. A lot of pet food companies are perfectly happy to the dump cheap leftovers and things that aren’t safe for human consumption (from human food processing plants) into their foods. Will it kill your dog? No, it has to be nutritionally complete and safe to even be marketed. Is it healthy? Not by a long shot.
Corn is a low quality ingredient you never want to see in your pet food. Corn and low quality grains are two of the biggest culprits when it comes to food allergies in our pets.
Thankfully, there are some excellent dog foods being made these days that include organic, human grade ingredients rather than trash not fit for human consumption.
Examples of low quality foods to avoid: Anything you can find in a grocery store will be low end, Purina, Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet, Royal Canin, Pedigree, Kibbles n’ Bits, Beneful, Ol’Roy.
Examples of high quality foods to look for: Innova, Wellness, Solid Gold, Canidae All Life Stages, Fromm Four Star, Merrick, GO Natural, Nature’s Variety Prairie, Nature’s Logic, Artemis Fresh Mix, Timberwolf Organics.
Although the high quality foods are more expensive, you’re getting what you’re paying for. Less filler material means more concentrated nutrients… this means you typically need to feed far less of the high quality food than you would of the low quality one. Which also means less poop!
Before following your vet’s food recommendation, keep in mind that vets get /very/ little nutritional training during their schooling. Besides that, what training they /do/ get is usually sponsored or taught by the crappy pet food companies! They also often get paid to sell some of their products at their clinics (Science Diet, Royal Canin etc.)
A great option is to go with an entirely grainless diet. Many of the high quality foods now put out grainless formulas. Some good grainless diets include: Innova EVO, Wellness CORE, Blue Wilderness, Nature’s Variety Instinct, Orijen, Horizon Legacy, Merrick Before Grain, Canidae Grain Free All Life Stages, Fromm Surf & Turf, Now! and Sold Gold Barking At The Moon, Taste of the Wild.
Some pretty decent foods can even be found in common pet stores. Petsmart carries Blue Buffalo products (such as the excellent grain free diet Blue Wilderness). Petco carries Wellness, Solid Gold, Natural Balance, Eagle Pack Holistic, Blue Buffalo, Castor & Pollux Organix, Pinnacle, and Halo. If you can’t find a food, most of the high quality food brands have websites with store locators on them.
Another option, if you can’t find anywhere around you that sells good foods, is to order your pet food online. Here’s an excellent place to do so: http://www.petfooddirect.com/store/
Remember that foods should be switched gradually (mixing new slowly in with the old over about a two week period), especially when switching to a higher quality one, so as not to upset tummies.
Another option for feeding dogs is to feed raw. This is something that should be thoroughly researched before being attempted:
http://www.barfworld.com/
http://www.rawfed.com/
http://www.rawlearning.com/
http://www.wysong.net/controversies/rawmeat.shtml
More on dog food:
http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=main (Learn how to determine the quality of your dog’s food.)
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/ (dog food reviews. Four stars is a decent food, five stars is a great food, and six stars is an excellent food.)
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Posted in puppies | 9 Comments »
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
I want to know what type of dog food your feed your dog(s).
Because someone on here told me what I feed my dog is crap, even though my vet reccommended it. She said that my vet of course would tell me to get a "bad" brand of dog food so it’ll make my dog sick and I will have to keep bringing it in there so she’ll make more money.
Who really believes this crap?!
If your vet recommended your dog to be on a certain dog food would you contest it?
Everyone has a food they think is the best, and perhaps it is FOR THEIR DOG. There is no one shoe fits all with dog foods. Not a bit different than there is no one diet that is perfect for all people. Some people are Hyper while others are Hypo, same with dogs.
A classic example is some dogs will have a loose stool on a chicken based diet while others won’t retain proper weight on a lamb based diet. So I feed both, either in combination or separately, depending on the individual dogs needs.
I feed the brand that I do because my dogs win in the ring when fed this diet. That doesn’t by any stretch of the imagination mean that it would be the proper diet for every dog out there.
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Posted in dog food | 18 Comments »