What Brand of Dog Food do you feed your Pet? AND why?

1. 60

   DogAllergyDivaposted 13 years ago

   Just curious what brands folks are feeding thier dogs and why? Have you done much research on what is good for your dog? Do you give much preference to brand based on your dog's breed?

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   1. 79

      LiamBeanposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Hill's Science Diet Gastrointestinal Health.
      
      There are a number of reasons not the least of which is they love the stuff. It keeps their coats shinny and healthy looking, excrement is compact and easy to clean up, and, since they are older dogs, the food is easy to digest and good for them.
      
      It's made with corn, pork, chicken, and egg. Though the ingredient list is long it's mainly vitamins and minerals. The only preservative listed is citric acid.
      
      Ingredients
      
      Whole Grain Corn, Brewers Rice, Dried Egg Product, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Pork Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Powdered Cellulose, Lactic Acid, Dicalcium Phosphate, Chicken Liver Flavor, Iodized Salt, Potassium Citrate, Choline Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Dried Beet Pulp, Soybean Oil, Vitamin E Supplement, vitamins (L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Taurine, preserved with Mixed Tocopherols & Citric Acid, Phosphoric Acid, Beta-carotene, Rosemary Extract.

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   2. 0

      klarawieckposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      My dog eats PetGuard which is a natural can food. I can only buy it at the Whole Foods supermarket and it's $2 per can. This is the only food that really works for her because she does not digest magnesium and most pet foods have magnesium as part of a good diet plan. There are a lot of flavors and she seems to like most of them. The only other option I had was to feed her Science Diet dog food which is done with all sorts of animal by-products which contain everything, from muscle tissue to feathers. Doesn't sound too tasty, does it?

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   3. 71

      Mel Jayposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I feed my whippets Barf a couple of times a week, usually the rabbit barf as they like that best.  They get  rice and boiled chicken, steamed veges (they love cabbage and broccoli, not so hot on the carrots) other times.  Sometimes pasta, they really like pasta.  Sometimes scrambled eggs, sometime boiled eggs.  Sometime they get dog biscuits but not often, just often enough to make them grateful for real food!  They get bones to keep their teeth clean and other snacks to chew on like rawhide bones etc to keep them busy.  They don't like fruit even though I have tried it with them.  I used to have a dog that loved bananas and oranges though and I never had to worry about balancing her diet, it was great.   My dogs are really healthy on this diet, and are very active and happy.  They also have a special pro-biotic powder, recommended by the vet, sprinkled on their dinners - they no longer let off noxious fumes now and then as they have good gut bacteria!

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2. 86

   rebekahELLEposted 13 years ago

   I feed my dog Blue - Life Protection Formula from the Blue Buffalo Co.
   
   There are too many fillers in regular store brands. My dog loves Blue and I know he's eating quality food.

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   1. 60

      DogAllergyDivaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I heard of Blue Brand and actually did some reasearch on it a few months ago! Did your dog's breed play into the decision to use this brand?

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      1. 86

         rebekahELLEposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I had it recommended to me from a relative who has 3 very healthy dogs, and then I did some research myself. It seemed to be a great match for my dog. He is in great health and his coat is gorgeous. It's a bit pricey, but I don't mind paying extra for healthy food.

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3. 53

   chipndaleposted 13 years ago

   LiamBean, you couldn't be more wrong about the Science Diet brand of pet food. It's so bad that this crap shouldn't be on the market and called pet food.
   Dogs and cats will eventually die from eating this stuff and vets recommending it will be making loads of money because of it.
   
   I'm glad you posted the ingredients because the first seven ingredients along with Chicken Liver Flavor and Dried Beet Pulp are exactly what should be AVOIDED in a cat and dog food!!! Cats and dog are carnivores, Where's the meat???
   
   Go to this great link and educate yourself: http://bestcatanddognutrition.wordpress.com

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4. 64

   ravkoposted 13 years ago

   I have my dogs on the Barf diet, they are 3 1/2 years old  now and have been eating raw meat since they were 10 weeks old, their coats are shiny and their teeth are white like snow with no plaque at all...They are super healthy and maybe a little over weight too...

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5. 60

   TheSeniorposted 13 years ago

   For the past year I was using a vet pet food - which I though was expensive but seemed to give the cats what they wanted.  As of late a few of them have been thowing up their dry food a little more often - so have decided to switch back to a very mutritious non vet pet food that is a very well name and is still has the fiber and ingrients that they need - it is cheaper however I just didn't like them throwing up a little to often.
   
   The name is Purina cat chow that is small pebbles and high in fiber.

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6. 60

   Jazzi480posted 13 years ago

   I feed Taste of the wild, it is a grain free food comes in 4 flavors and Merricks canned(only grain free varieties). Our dogs don't do well on anything with grain. I have researched food for dogs off and on for 20+ years. Most foods that Vets promote are really crappy foods. Our choice is not based on breed, but on the needs of the individual dog. All breeds have the same digestive track, it just depends on allergies, tollerances ect. Our choice is based on quality, price, convience ect. Just do your research and buy or make the best food you can afford.

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7. 49

   Purple Perlposted 13 years ago

   Home food! Breakfast-Roti, dosa idli whatever we eat. Dinner-Milk and rice with bones,egg -different each day! With a handful of Nutripet or Pedigree or Beef Chewsticks sometimes.

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8. 89

   Mrs. Menagerieposted 13 years ago

   This is going to sound nuts but stay with me here...I feed my dog Kirkland brand dog food from Costco.  I used to feed him Wilderness from Blue Buffalo at $55 for a medium size bag.  But then a friend told me that the Costco brand was rated just as high as Blue Buffalo on Consumer Reports.  I checked it out and she was right!  Now I get a HUGE bag of dog food for $25 and I don't have to make that extra stop at the pet store.  They even have a lamb and rice formula for dogs with allergies.  Now I have switched my cat over to Kirkland brand as well.

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   1. 0

      DoItForHerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Wow! While one can do better, this is what I would consider good dog food based on the ingredients. And especially for the price- I am amazed. Maybe I'm overlooking something, but as far as I can tell, it looks good.

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9. 90

   JayeWisdomposted 13 years ago

   I purchase food for my dog (a mini Schnauzer with multiple food allergies and a history of having pancreatitis twice)from K9Cuisine.com because I can get Natural Balance dry dog food manufactured by Dick van Patten at a good price and free shipping.
   
   I can't give my dog anything containing corn or eggs. I certainly wouldn't feed her the junk that you can buy in most stores. There are two products that I feed her mixed half-and-half. They are: Natural Balance Vegetarian formula and Natural Balance Bison with Sweet Potato. She thrives on these foods, and I don't contribute to the animal cruelty of factory farming that produces beef and poultry (including by-products)for dog foods. Natural Balance foods have lots of vitamins and minerals added, so there's no need to supplement. 
   
   With the vet's blessing, my dog also gets small amounts of unsalted cooked green beans, about 1/3 banana three times a week (her very favorite food--she will come running from the other end of the house as soon as I pick up the banana from the fruit bowl)and unsalted cooked organic baby carrots. The people who insist that all dogs should have nothing to eat but meat (or raw meat) and that dogs aren't meant to eat veggies should see how well my dog thrives on this diet.
   
   Lots of fresh water is available for her all day. Taking good care of my best buddy is extremely important to me! JAYE WISDOM

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   1. 77

      MarloByDesignposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Natural Balance Vegetarian formula and Natural Balance Bison with Sweet Potato - thanks for sharing. I just switched to California Natural Chicken/Rice from Natural Balance lamb for my Chihuahuas, because I thought the protein in Natural Balance was too high. Maybe I will try what your suggesting. I spoke to a Royal Cain rep who was trying to sell me their Chihuahua-specific brand, and thy told me that Sweet Potato is bad for dogs because it gives them "sugar high" after they eat it, your thoughts?

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      1. 90

         JayeWisdomposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         The vet to whom I take my dog suggested sweet potato as one of the veggies good for dogs. Since Royal Canin dog food can be purchased at PetSmart (and is recommended by that chain store), I have more confidence in my vet 's pronouncement than that of the Royal Canin rep. However, that said, I don't know what is good for Chihuahuas. My dog is a not-so-mini Miniature Schnauzer, and she's never exhibited anything that appeared to be a "sugar high" after eating her food.
         
         By the way, because I love my dog so much, last week I invested in her health by purchasing (online) frozen organic grassfed bison (ground) with which to prepare one of her two meals per day. I cook the ground bison (which cooks very quickly as it is leaner than beef), add it to cooked brown rice, cooked carrots, green beans and sweet potatoes (all of the veggies in very tiny pieces and with no seasoning, of course) and freeze it in small amounts. She LOVES it! I began by mixing a bit of the dry food with it. Now she gets the homemade recipe "as is" for her first meal of the day and the dry one for her second meal. I feel good because I've done something special for my dog. I realize many people may think I'm nuttier than a fruitcake for expending the expense and energy, but people who dearly love their pets probably won't label me nuts!  Jaye

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         1. 77

            MarloByDesignposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Wow! Maybe I will try your suggestion. Yes, I do trust a vet's opinion over a dog food rep...thanks for replying! I do not think that is nuts at all. You are a great doggie parent it seems.

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            1. 90

               JayeWisdomposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Thanks, Marlo....I must admit that my dog's very favorite food of all is a banana!  She gets half a ripe (but not overripe) banana at least three times a week. That's her dessert!  She can be at the other end of the house when I pick up a banana from the fruit bowl, and I don't even have to open it before she is standing right beside me, waiting!  : )  Jaye

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               1. 77

                  MarloByDesignposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  Jaye, I did not even know BANANA was okay to give small breed dogs, now I know! I do know that there are some pet treats with banana in them (which the name of escapes me at this moment), so I guess bananas are okay. Just not sure on how much potassium is okay for my 4lb dog.

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                  1. 90

                     JayeWisdomposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     Puppy Girl is not a toy Schnauzer, but is still classified a miniature one, even though her size is a bit larger than usual. She is purebred, but one of her parents was larger. Anyway, as an adult her weight fluctuates between 20 and 24 lbs.  Like her "mom", she doesn't get enough exercise. I know that potassium can be an issue with a very small dog, so you should probably ask your vet if a small bite of actual banana is okay occasionally.
                     
                     The treat you may have been thinking of:  Copacabana, with banana and peanut butter.  JAYE
                     
                     I was already giving her a bite or two of banana before the vet told me it was okay, simply because she would practically take it away from me whenever I tried to eat one!  Her favorite treats have always been banana and peanut butter combo flavors. I'd also read on a Schnauzer breeder's blog that she fed her mini Schnauzers banana (and they were as quick as my girl to know when she had one in her hand). I asked her vet how much was okay to give her at one time to arrive at her current weekly "allotment."

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10. 77

    MarloByDesignposted 12 years ago

    I also wrote a Hub entitled "Money saving tips for dog owners in 2011" in your are interested in saving money using dog food coupons - with this economy, it is features great ideas to save money and still give your pets everything possible! I love dogs!

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11. 0

    cariouweneelposted 12 years ago

    The brown kind.

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12. 84

    psycheskinnerposted 12 years ago

    I use a bunch of nutritionally near-complete brands.  Using only one brand can make a dog picky and inflexible--not a good thing if that brand is discontinued.  Also any one brand is likely to have some minor deficiencies, so I like to mix them up and use other foods (scraps etc) from time to time.

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13. 49

    tylerjones553posted 12 years ago

    I generally give my dog Raw food to eat Except that I prefer Giving him Royal canin I think it has more nutrition than any other dog food
    
    More Information at
    http://www.all4petsmart.com/

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    1. 68

       santos88posted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Royal Canin is actually pretty bad. It uses low quality proteins like corn, wheat, and soy which can't even be utilized properly by dogs. It also has some controversial ingredients like beet pulp and soya meal. I suggest something like Orijen or Taste of the Wild.

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14. 76

    Shaddieposted 12 years ago

    I use mostly Blue Buffalo, both their Wilderness formula (when I'm feeling rich) and their regular Life Protection formula. Most dog foods have a ton of useless and, I think, damaging fillers, but Blue is very particular about its ingredients and the Wilderness blend especially is among of the best I've seen on the market. My dog's weight is impeccable, his coat is shiny, and he always has energy to spare.
    
    I have used Iams, Avoderm, Royal Canin, and Science Diet in past years with mixed results. My dog will eat anything he can get down his throat, so he doesn't give a darn what I offer him, but I really feel that Blue Buffalo is the best dry food we've come across that I can afford.
    
    I am a believer in "mixing it up" and will occasionally get him different formulas or brands entirely. Orijen is another brand I will sometimes buy, and I just mix the two foods together.

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15. 60

    PaintedLady2000posted 12 years ago

    I feed my dogs, Diamond Premium Adult, it's about $30/bag after taxes.  Their breeds have nothing to do with the selection of this feed.  All of my dogs are fit and healthy, even the two 10 year old labs, neither of which look their age, or act it for that fact.  We've tried other feeds over the years, but the female lab will lose considerable weight on anything else, even if you up the amount she gets considerably.  Right now my two big dogs get a 1 pound coffee can of the Diamond a day, and both are fit, shiny, and healthy.  On other feeds that we've tried they were getting 2 - 3 pound coffee cans a day, each.  The male would maintain his weight as long as we didn't let him out, and the female kept dropping weight.  We changed them back, and haven't had a problem with either maintaining weight, and now they get turned out daily to run and romp around.

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16. 95

    alexadryposted 12 years ago

    My dogs are both on Taste of the Wild which is grain free and the only premium food available in my area. They do very well on it and their coat shines! They also love the flavor. I have fed this for several months and they are thriving on it, which is what I want to see when feeding an expensive dog food as such!

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17. 41

    NetBlotsposted 12 years ago

    My breeder Von Forell has just released their own brand, which so far has proven itself to be tons better than any of the other dog foods we have tried before.
    
    Our dogs are highly strung security working line dogs, and need copious amounts of energy. Previously we were feeding them ProPlan, and it was going well, however after switching to this new brand "Performadog" we've noticed a huge difference with higher energy levels, better coats (Ever so slightly) and an all round beneficial effects like added vitamins etc.
    
    No website as yet, but you can Google Von Forell and ask them where you can get it.

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18. 63

    MissKrisCayllieposted 12 years ago

    I feed my pup Purina Pro Plan, it is sold at PetSmart. It has actual chicken in it instead of Chicken by-meal product. My last dog lived til she was 14 but had to be put down because of stomach cancer. Sometimes I wonder if her food played a role in her fate. I'll never know but now I want to be safe rather than sorry.

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    1. 41

       NetBlotsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       My understanding with what you've said is yes. By the sounds of it, there is something in the food that didn't agree with her for all those years.
       
       Which is rather odd.
       
       But you know, I had a boardacollie as a young kid, and he lived off shitty supermarket pet food until he was 15. Then died of a bad heart, and lueikimia.
       
       So yeah... go figure?

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19. 60

    Veganrunnerposted 12 years ago

    Blue Buffalo.. I like the purity of their ingredients.

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