What do you feed your dog?

1. 97

   DrMark1961posted 9 years ago

   What do you feed your dog?
   
   The healthiest choice for pets is a diet of real food. Despite that, most people continue to buy dry food with few vitamins but lots of dyes and preservatives. What do you think the best thing for your dog is, or do you just buy whatever is convenient?

   replyreport
2. 0

   Bob Bambergposted 9 years ago

   I'll surely follow this one with great interest, Doc!  Responses from the U.S. should be predominantly some brand of kibble, although your hubs attract a wide variety of pet owners and I won't be surprised to see some responses for raw from the states. 
   
   Coincidentally, Bravo, a manufacturer of raw frozen and freeze dried diets just issued another recall for some of its products...their second this year.  It's for potential salmonella contamination which, to me, is mostly MAAN, but it could be important for those with compromised immune systems, etc.

   replyreport
   1. 97

      DrMark1961posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I think it is MAAN too.Unfortunately, most responses are not from people making up their own diet,even though it is no more work.

      replyreport
3. 94

   lisavollrathposted 9 years ago

   Simply Nourish dog food. I adopted a 7-month old pup in April, and his poor stomach was a mess. He'd been through two homes, and two shelter stays, before he finally came to me, so his diet was changed repeatedly. I'm on a tight budget, so we walked up and down the aisles of PetsMart, reading all the labels, until I found a food that was free of anything I couldn't identify, and also wouldn't break the bank.
   
   Another factor in choosing dry dog food over making my own: I am vegan, and keep a meat-free kitchen. I'm just not set up to cook meat, which I know my dog needs, nor am I willing to make my dog an herbivore. Dry dog food is the compromise.

   replyreport
   1. 97

      DrMark1961posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I do not eat meat often but do buy it every week for my dogs. It is not more expensive than commercial dog food, but it is more work.It does sounds like your dog is lucky to have found you!

      replyreport
4. 90

   rmcrayneposted 9 years ago

   Twenty-five years ago was my introduction to “premium” dog foods.  We started feeding our Boykin Science Diet dry food.  She hated it.  We switched to IAMS and she loved it to the exclusion of everything else.  Even treats, she would only eat IAMS.
   
   I’ve also used Eukanuba.  Now they’ve come up with new ‘ultra’ premium dry foods.  We’ve tried Dick Patton’s premium food, but I think it has canola oil.  None of the premiums seem ideal.  There’s some undesirable ingredient in everything it seems. 
   
   We started cooking frozen vegetables for our Boykin and doxie.  The vet recommended this to help the doxie get some weight off, to help ease his back issues.  They love them, and even recognize the word “vegetables”.  We usually use green beans and Normandy mix (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli) as our base.  Then sometimes we throw in green or yellow squash, or dark leafy greens.  Now they think all kitchen activity is about them.  They still get some premium kibble, otherwise they are insatiable, and demanding of food all the time.

   replyreport
   1. 94

      lisavollrathposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      My last dog was an IAMS dog. He lived to be 18.

      replyreport
   2. 97

      DrMark1961posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Thnx,mcrayne,I wish everyone would take the time to add some real food to their dog´s diet.

      replyreport
5. 78

   jandeeposted 9 years ago

   I feed my dogs 1/2 sardines and 1/2 vitalin(one tin of sardines, & 2 large cupfuls of vitalin)with various vitamins ...A dry food which I soak with the sardine oil.
   I feed my Boxer dogs 1/2 vitalin and 1/2 raw meat which I get twice weekly fresh from the butchers,that is their evening meal.
   
   When we have our afternoon lunch I just give them a handful of cheese with a few home made biscuits.
   (as far as I know vitalin has no aditives or colouring !

   replyreport
   1. 78

      jandeeposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      DrMark ,thanks for reply . Yes my dogs,my Boxers are in excellent condition.
      My previous Boxers,on the exact same diet lived until the astonishing age of 17 years,father and daughter !

      replyreport
6. 95

   Melissa A Smithposted 9 years ago

   Mine mostly gets Orijen senior. I'm worried about her calorie intake as an older dog so I stopped buying dry foods with 'heavier' meats like lamb and bison. I also occasionally defrost ground meat (beef and venison) from a company called Hare Today Gone Tomorrow and cook that in coconut oil, then add some fiber source such as freeze-dried vegetables or sweet potato. But in order to have her meals be nutritionally complete I need to feed dry food that meets AAFCO standards.
   
   Here are the ingredients of the dry food: Boneless chicken*, chicken meal, chicken liver*, whole herring*, turkey meal, boneless turkey*, turkey liver*, whole eggs*, boneless walleye*, whole salmon, chicken heart*, chicken cartilage*, herring meal, salmon meal, pea fiber, chicken liver oil, red lentils, green peas, green lentils, sun-cured alfalfa, yams*, chickpeas, pumpkin*, butternut squash*, spinach greens*, carrots*, Red Delicious apples*, Bartlett pears*, cranberries*, blueberries*, kelp, licorice root, angelica root, fenugreek, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, chamomile, dandelion, summer savory, rosemary, Enterococcus faecium.

   replyreport
   1. 97

      DrMark1961posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      The ingredients sound great, but they have to be adulterating it somehow to keep it on the shelf. The food you cook at home sounds a lot healthy. AAFCO standards can be met by anything;not every dog meal needs to be nutritionally complete.Mine are no

      replyreport
   2. 95

      Melissa A Smithposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      It is a very expensive brand. The meat is supposed to be sourced from ranch-raised animals, making it better quality than what my family eats. That's the main reason I pay the premium price.

      replyreport
   3. 97

      DrMark1961posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I know you said your Dad did not buy into raw,but I would still rather feed real foods than something that has been sitting on the shelf.Not sure about your free time/willingness to cook(if raw not acceptable)but surely real food would be less expen

      replyreport
7. 67

   connorjposted 9 years ago

   We have settled on the Blue Wilderness brand for our German Sheps and Belgian Malinois. It seems to be ideal...

   replyreport
8. 87

   JayeWisdomposted 9 years ago

   Dr. Mark - I'm still feeding my dog homemade food made with quality ingredients. I don't go the raw route because she's had a compromised immune system (reaction to vaccine) when she was about three.  It's caused her a lot of problems, including blindness from an immune-mediated disease.
   
   However, I keep her as healthy as possible with high quality 'real' food, supplements, enzymes and probiotics, regular vet checkups, and as much exercise as the two of us can manage.Oh, yes...and lots of love!
   
   I keep trying to spread the word about 'real' food to everyone I know who has a pet. Unfortunately, too many people just want the convenience of only having to open a bag of dry kibble.
   Jaye

   replyreport
   1. 97

      DrMark1961posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Thnx,I wish everyone would read your hub to realize it does not take much time and effort to put together a dog´s food.I just do so once a week and freeze the ingredients.No, it is not as convenient as a bag of kibble, but my dogs are worth the effor

      replyreport
9. 90

   habeeposted 9 years ago

   We feed our Great Danes a giant dog breed formula. We supplement it with meat and veggies. The "old man" of the group also gets a peanut butter sandwich every morning, in which we hide his arthritis pill.

   replyreport
   1. 97

      DrMark1961posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I havent spoken with you in almost a year, I hope Hamlet, your superdog, is doing well. Is he the one eating the PB sandwiches every day?

      replyreport
   2. 90

      habeeposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Yes! Our harlequin, Grendel, died in May - from GDV. A few days later, my grandson's Dane, Hamlet's younger sister, also died from GDV. Nice to "see" you!

      replyreport
10. 60

    craftybegoniaposted 9 years ago

    Usually, dog food. They also get dog treats as snacks.

    replyreport
11. 85

    grand old ladyposted 9 years ago

    Dog food and people food, water and Dentastix at the end of the day for their teeth.

    replyreport
12. 80

    Sam Montanaposted 9 years ago

    I got my dog from the shelter when she was 4 and have had a hard time getting her to eat the healthier dog foods. She does like Beneful or Iams.
    
    I have heard vets recommend Rachel Rays dog food and Purina One. I give my dog a little of either one mixed with Beneful.

    replyreport
    1. 97

       DrMark1961posted 9 years agoin reply to this

       I certainly would not rec.those foods, wonder where you heard that.Both are considered below average quality.

       replyreport
13. 73

    PromptWriterposted 9 years ago

    We fed our dog Royal Canin for German Shepherds. Before that she was on Science Diet. She lived to be 14 and didn't show any real signs of age until the last few months. We were happy with the food.

    replyreport
14. 91

    daxamiteposted 9 years ago

    Check out http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/. That site is awesome for researching dog food!
    
    I wanted a dry, high quality, and grain-free food that didn't cost a fortune. I chose Call of the Wild via Amazon Prime. No shipping, lower cost, good quality.

    replyreport
    1. 97

       DrMark1961posted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Yes, but just because some website suggests a processed powder, that does not mean you are doing the best thing for your dogs health.How would you feel if you had to eat powder every day?Real food is better.

       replyreport
    2. 91

       daxamiteposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Is it awkward to mention that I've been using Muscle Milk powder as a meal substitute for myself?  I agree that making meat and vegetables is the best way to go for pup - but that comes with an time and $ expense. (One that I know I couldn't afford)

       replyreport
    3. 97

       DrMark1961posted 9 years agoin reply to this

       I think none of us mind a little powder!As far as expenses go, it is no more expensive to feed a real diet, unless you buy it from a company like Bravo.I have info on this, also avail on many forums.Oh,btw, I am making dessert with cocoa powder.

       replyreport