Favorite Dry Dogfood

I was just curious what brands of dry dogfood some of you folks prefer and why.
I've used many and was told from a pet nutrition expert to vary the brands and ingredients every month or so. I'm told this gives your animal a more varied diet and provides trace elements and such that no single one dogfood can provide.
Here's some of my favorite's:

Iams lamb and rice
Nutro Natural Choice chicken
Nature's Recipe.....Fish Meal and Potato, Vegetarian, and presently Venison.

Well we had to put the dog down :(

I prefered Nutro out of most brands.

Wow - that's very interesting - we had our English Bulldogs on Iams Lamb and Rice for 10+ years and they both still ate it with great GUSTO! We were specifically told by our Vet (who owned EB's as well) to feed them lamb & rice food. Our one EB lived to almost 13 years and the other is at 10 and still going, giving no signs of giving up the ghost any time soon.


-ridgeln

Wow - that's very interesting - we had our English Bulldogs on Iams Lamb and Rice for 10+ years -ridgeln
I personally don't eat either dry or canned dog food. Ha ha ha....
All kidding aside, we had a Lassa from a pup, she lived to be 14. We started her on puppy IAMS lamb and rice then when she was old enough she got adult IAMS lamb and rice, when we thought she was old we tried to switch her to IAMS Senior dog food but she didn't like it so we went back to adult.
She did great, as a inside house dog. A plus was, this type of food is great for clean up if an accident happens. :)

We have used Purina ProPlan since our now 15 year old chocolate lab was a pup. Our Vet recommends it and the nutritional values are excellent. The other big advantage is that it does not have a lot of filler and junk in it. The, uh, well, you know, how do I say this politely, you know where I'm going, oh, not me, the dogs, (poop) self destructs in the yard after just a few days, usually not more than a week, depending on the weather. Other brands, especially the real cheap stuff leave piles and piles of, oh no, here we go again, oh, not we go, you know what I mean, that last forever! ProPlan just doesn't dodo that. That's why I like it.

Our Keeshond will not eat any dry food. We have to trick him and cover it up with gravey, steak scraps, etc. Seem like all our pet are like that, even the cat.

ridgeln,
Hmmm, what you say is also interesting because I was told not to feed a lamb and rice as a regular 'staple' food. The reasoning was that if your pet developes any allergies you wouldn't have anyplace to go as far as non-allergenic food since lamb and rice solves many of these type issues.
But I'm glad that you've had great results.
How long, on average, do Bulldogs live? I've thought about owning one but was advised that they only live 8 to 10 years. That would break my heart.

Typical English Bulls do only live 8-10 yrs - we seem to have found a great blood line (ours were 3/4 related) for bulls. And are now talking about getting another when Buford passes.

We were also cautioned about the food and allergies etc. but the vet seemed to think that that didn't happen very often w/ bulls.

We have loved having our bulls! They have been unbelievable w/ our RidgeRats - they are the most loving dogs I've ever encountered. They have the attitude of a large dog, yet are amazing house dogs (other than the snoring and farting at times...).

-ridgeln

:p :D Lol....snoring and farting...lol, that's funny. They sound like great dogs....maybe someday I'll get one. Thanks.

well, as they say - dogs and their humans are very much alike! My wife reminds me of this at least every couple of weeks :D

(I claim to know nothing about the snoring - after all, I am asleep when it is allegedly happening)

There have been some very funny nights that we can hear our boys snoring along w/ the Bulldog snoring (and he is on the first floor of the house!).

-ridgeln

We have a 13yr old Sheba Inu and 1 year old B-Schitz ... feed them kibbles and bits...ha:D

My pup is going to be 17 in just over a month. He has eaten mostly kibble for his entire life. I have been switching brands lately, but I have always been told to stay with what works; i.e. what they will eat.

There are a multitude of choices these days. I think it is important to get the one that is appropriate for your dog's age.

I recommend starting glucosamine/chondroitin at 8 yrs (I am not a veterinarian!)- but if they don't want to eat it, don't force them.

First, ProHonda, sorry to hear about your dog, it's never easy.

As far as food is concerned my Weimaraner, Levi, was eating Eukanuba when I got him from a rescue at age 15 months and to be honest he looked awful, tight and dry skin, ribs showing as well as each vertabrae in his back and his hip joints. I upped his food weekly for 45 days and he didn't gain. Did some research and worked with Natural Balance and he made strides in 10 days and I kept it up until it wasn't always easy to get. I moved to Solid Gold Hunds & Flocken and he's a powerhouse now, he get's 1/3 of a can of Merricks in the a.m. with half a days ration and the other half minus the Merricks unless it's hunting season or a month before for endurance. I like the numbers on Wellness too but for now we'll stick with Solid Gold.

I also give him Garlic and Brewers Yeast Supplements (6 tablets) and 3 hard biscuits a day with Glucosamine and Chondrotin Sulfate, he also gets a Greenie Chew 2 times a week at home but when we're at camp he gets real beef knuckle bones or buffalo knuckle bones from the local Buffalo Farm.

Two weeks ago he had to go to the vets for his semi annual booster for Lyme Disease which he had when I got him but has beaten it. Here is a photo of him that day:

http://fishnbanjo.zoto.com/img/45/f39eb45e84d68330558b26aee8fe475b-.jpg

Our vet remarked that he was now in PEAK condition and I should be proud of our accomplishments, his coat is velvety smooth and loose, his ribs can still be seen but not Ethiopian like and he has a lot more stamina and muscle mass and tone. Good luck with your dog.

Purina Brands are the best out there for your dogs or cats.They don't have the fillers like the cheap foods.If you notice their litter piles will be smaller because they get more out of the food than those with fillers.If you want a healthy animal stick with Purina you can't go wrong,try your dog on Purina Benifull:) dogs just go crazy for it they act like puppies on it.If nothing else stick to one food so you don't distrup their system.

Actually Purina dog foods are full of ground yellow corn and poultry by-products. Both not advisable nor considered optimum nutrition. Chemicals and preservatives also abound in Purina products. It is a common mass-marketed grocery store dogfood.
As far as staying with one food.....yes, sometimes a dog or cat will have problems with a change. But if done in a mixing fashion and over a slow period of time, little digestion problems ever occur. Figure it this way......in the wild a dog or cat would have little chance to always eat the same food on a daily basis. A varied diet is as important as exercise, but if a pet is given a high quality pet food, many nutrition and diet problems can be avoided.
In all honesty I would stay far away from any most Purina products for dogs.

Consumer Reports did a comparison test of dog foods a few years back and Purina ranked as good or better than most of the "premium" brands. Because they are a large company, they have a lot more resources for R&D than many other companies. Their experience and expertise includes not only pets but many farm aniimals and exotics too. The majority of the dry food for our zoo animals is made by Purina.

Consumer reports? Not an expert in canine nutrition I would guess. Purina does make many types of 'chow' for zoo animals....something they may indeed be good at. But on the advice of nearly all canine nutrition experts, having ground yellow corn as the main ingredient in dogfood is sub-par at best.
I just can't believe that so many folks out there are so uninformed about this....I give up. Just give your dog a pizza and call it good!:rolleyes:

Iams mini-chunks becasue my dog is white (Bichon) and since it doesn't contain bee pollen, it doesn't stain. Even though Hill's (Science Diet) is one of my clients.
Though apparently the city has changed the water addatives recently becuase he started staining around the mouth and eyes-so now he gets water out of the Pur filter and it's starting to go away.

Just because someone doesn't agree with your opinions, basils, it doesn't make them "uninformed". It's called a different opinion. Are you more of an expert on animal nutrition than Consumer Reports?

If what you say about consumer reports recommending a Purina product that contains ground yellow corn and meat by-products as the main ingredient, my answer to you would be a huge YES!
Why are you always so rude towards me anyway? Saying that Purina Dog Chow is better than a premium dogfood (nutritionally speaking) is uninformed. This isn't about MY opinion....it's a well known fact documented by scientific research done on canines from well known animal nutritional specialists. If you choose to disagree with experts in the field of canine nutrition because you like the results of Monkey Chow on zoo monkey's, feel free.
Man 'o man! I need an aspirin.
Info link of some value:
http://www.api4animals.org/facts?p=359&more=1
Another link about what a 'by-product' is:
http://www.earthisland.org/eijournal/new_articles.cfm?articleID=499&journalID=58

I just can't believe that so many folks out there are so uninformed about this....I give up. Just give your dog a pizza and call it good!
If you want a definition of rude, read your own posts. :)

From the Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources:
"Since dogs are descended from omnivores, they are not strict meat eaters. They are remarkably adaptable to a wide range of ingredients, texture, and form in terms of what they will eat. Though many dogs may prefer animal-based protein, they can thrive on a vegetarian diet. Regardless of whether the protein comes from plant or animal sources, normal adult dogs should get about 10 percent of their total calories from protein. Older dogs appear to require somewhat more protein to maintain their protein reserves, perhaps as much as 50 percent more."
Of course they probably aren't your experts.
I also use Purina on my vet's advice, but then he probably doesn't know anything either.

Yes, some dogs may do fine on a vegetarian diet....but not with corn as the main caloric source. Corn is a poor source of protein and so are meat by-products. It's a fact that you've chosen to ignore. I refer you to my previous post where I have added links using the edit feature.
By the way, what in heck does the Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources have to do with canine nutrition? Aren't they more concerned about selling and marketing agricultural products than they are about what my dog eats?

Webwader et all,
Each person is an individual as is their metabolism plus add to this any genetics inherited (good, bad or indifferent) to this and what they consume will have varied effects on each ones body and those effects change throughout their life cycle. Having said that I have spoken with several vets, dog breeders, friends who own dogs (mixed breeds as well as purebred dogs) and like the responses on this thread ideas of proper nutrition are varied and individual.

I think the best advice I recieved (understand it was sought and came from a vet who had no vested interest other than the one shared with me to keep my dog happy and healthy). In a nutshell the advice was look for a food that doesn't use fillers as the main ingredient in the diet, i.e. corn, barley or other grain, the better quality of foods use meat (note:meat by products are important and a viable ingredient but they are not a sustitute for meat) and the best of the best use 2 forms of meat in the diets first 2 or 3 ingredients.

Lets look at this first:

1Meat by-products: Pet grade meat by-products consist of organs and parts either not desired, or condemned, for human consumption. This can include bones, blood, intestines, lungs, ligaments, heads, feet, and feathers.
2Corn: Corn products are difficult for dogs to digest.
3Food Fragments: Lower cost by-products of another food manufacturing process. Examples include wheat bran and brewer's rice (a waste product of the alcohol industry).
4Meat and bone meal: "Meat and bone meal" and "beef and bone meal" are inexpensive sources of animal protein. The protein in a meal containing a large amount of bone may be poorly digestible and fail to provide adequate nutrition.
5Animal Fat: Animal fat is a "generic" fat source that is most often made up of rendered animal fat, restaurant grease, or other oils too rancid or deemed inedible for humans. Look for a named fat source, such as poultry or chicken fat, that is naturally preserved.
6Chemical Preservatives: Chemical preservatives include butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), propyl gallate, propylene glycol (also used as a less-toxic version of automotive antifreeze), and ethoxyquin. BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin are potentially cancer-causing agents. The long term build-up of these chemicals (that may be eaten every day for the life of your pet!) have not been thouroughly studied and may ultimately be harmful.
7Sweeteners: Sweeteners such as corn syrup, sugar, and cane mallases are usually added to lower quality foods to increase their appeal. Dietary sugars can aggrevate health problems, including diabetes.
8Beef Tallow: A low quality fat product.

Now a few ingredient samples for comparison:

Eukenuba Adult Chicken, chicken by-product meal1, corn meal2, ground whole grain sorghum, ground whole grain barley, chicken fat, fish meal, Brewers rice3

Iams Adult Chicken, corn meal2, ground whole grain sorghum, chicken by-product meal1, ground whole grain barley meal, fish meal, chicken fat, dried beet pulp

Pedigree Ground yellow corn2, meat and bone meal4, corn gluten meal2, chicken by-product meal1, animal fat5 (preseved with BHA/BHT6), wheat mill run, natural poultry flavor, rice, salt7

Purina Beneful Ground yellow corn2, chicken by-product meal1, corn gluten meal2, whole wheat flour, beef tallow8, rice flour, beef soy flour, sugar7
Purina Dog Chow Ground yellow corn2, poultry by-product meal1, corn gluten meal2, soybean meal, beef tallow8 preserved with mixed-tocopherols , brewers rice3, dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate

and the dry foods I choose for my Weimaraner (understand working dogs require certain things due to the nature of their activity)

Solid Gold Hunds-N-Flocken Flakes

lamb meal, ground millet, ground brown rice, ground barley, amaranth, rice bran oil, canola oil, flaxseed, rice bran, fish meal, garlic, blueberries, yucca schidigera extract, taurine, carotene, choline chloride, calcium carbonate, Vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, Vitamin A supplement, zinc proteinate, niacin supplement, folic acid, thiamine, pyridoxine hydrochloride, manganese proteinate, menadione, copper proteinate, ethylenediamine dihydriodide, natural flavors added.* * Usually Apples or Carrots (There are 3.8 cups to a pound.)

Natural Balance Venison and Brown Rice Formula

Venison, Venison Broth, Venison Liver, Brown Rice, Rice Flour, Rice Protein, Venison Meal, Rice Bran, Canola Oil, Guar Gum, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Flaxseed, Kelp, Parsley, Rosemary Extract, Carrageenan, Methionine, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Abscorbic Acid (Vitamin C Supplement), Sodium Selenite, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Vitamin K Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement.

plus my dog gets 1/3 of a can of Merricks wet food in his morning ration (Weimaraners can suffer torsion so to prevent it top breeders and vets advise 2 feedings).

Like humans dogs love junk food, don't believe it, then overload your dog with treats and see how quickly it develops a preference for them than his well balanced food.

I've done a lot of research and have only my dogs health in mind by doing so I am not trying to grandstand or get anyone riled, what you choose to feed your animal is your choice and I would never try to impose my thoughts on your dogs diet.

The second part of the advice was the part that took me too long to get to and it's to watch your pet, if they are gaining weight it's time to scale back portions, if they are losing weight it's time to add to its portions, a natural weight balance is an indication to your dogs overall health, energy level, activites and everyday functions play as important a role as their nutritional needs for a healthy, happy and lively pet.
Enjoy your dogs as much as they enjoy you.

:D

Great post fishnbanjo!

Thank you for taking the time to provide all that great info about canine nutrition. You're right on the money and set the matter straight. My gifts as a communicator are about as polished as a piece of sandpaper, but you've done a great job on informing those that may have been unaware of the details and facts about dogfood. I should have just done exactly like you in explaining it.
Good job!!

Ah basils, sandpaper is a very important element in the final polishing process it's knowing which grade to use that's the key. I being a bamboo rod afficinado use the lighest grades possible when polishing out the varnish of a prized rod... ;)

Great post fishnbanjo!

Thank you for taking the time to provide all that great info about canine nutrition. You're right on the money and set the matter straight. My gifts as a communicator are about as polished as a piece of sandpaper, but you've done a great job on informing those that may have been unaware of the details and facts about dogfood. I should have just done exactly like you in explaining it.
Good job!!

Back to the tread topic, my yellow lab has been on Nutro for all his 3 years. It was used and recommended by his breeder. I have used IAMS, DADS, and other brand with my other dogs, but Nutro seems to provide the best in overall results (Weight of dog, condition of coat, overall general health, and stool breakdown).

I have used Eukaneuba on both my pups. 1) b/c at Petco after you buy 8 bags you get one free and 2) it was recommended by the vet and dog trainer. Everyone I've talked to (vets, obedience school trainer, kennel) have said once you pick a food to stick with it. Switching dog foods will cause soft stools and upset stomachs. I don't know how true this is but both Rok (the C is silent) and Toby enjoy their food. We will once in awhile mix in some wet Eukaneuba food with their dry food as a treat.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a326/dcapilupo/Christmas2005071.jpg

Pedigree, small chunky bites mixed with 1/3 can of prdigree beef in gravy. Why?, it seems to be well balanced and she gobbles it right up.

I also give him Garlic and Brewers Yeast Supplements
That must lead to some interesting experiences in enclosed spaces. :p

You are sooooooooooo wrong about Purina dog and cat food they do use corn in their products as do all dry dog and cat food, but they use real meat such as turkey, beef and some by-products as do all animal feeds.A good example is the number one ingredient in their Purina One Cat food is real turkey.Purina is the largest and best selling pet food in the WORLD.If you want to spend a lot of money on other high priced food and a lot less nutrious for your animal go ahead but I know my animals will be a lot more healthy than yours.Why do you think they are number one in the world?:D

That must lead to some interesting experiences in enclosed spaces. :p

Heck just being a Weimaraner is reason enough, ask Truckin' :D

I don't know anything about dog food what with never having tried it and not having a dog. However, we did the Purina 30 day challenge with our fluffy, orange tabby, Molly and I have to tell ya she is like a young kitten all over again. So full of energy and spunk! We have switched over to Purina from Iams. She also loves the wet packets of Special Kitty from Wal-Mart for a little variety. Pit-r-Pats are her favorite treat. They come in those little mini Altoids looking tins.

Smoky :D

Why do you think they are number one in the world?:D
I'm not going to enter the pet food debate but being number one can be a result of many things unrelated to quality. Marketing prowess is generally at or near the top of the list. I give you Walmart and Microsoft as examples of successful marketers of products that aren't necessarily of the highest quality.

I'm not going to enter the pet food debate but being number one can be a result of many things unrelated to quality. Marketing prowess is generally at or near the top of the list. I give you Walmart and Microsoft as examples of successful marketers of products that aren't necessarily of the highest quality.

Agreed.

I've always been a fan of Nutro -- my elderly cats were on it for years, until they started requiring prescription food (via Science Diet & the vet) for various old-cat ailments. So, I've pretty much switched over to Science Diet (non-prescription, for my much younger cat) and used Science Diet with my doggy as well. Supermarket pet foods, while adequate, do contain a lot of unnatural stuff and fillers; if you want to avoid such things, any of the top three that you mentioned, basils, would do (Iams, SD, or Nutro).

One thing I found interesting years ago was that I was trying to buy Nutro for my cats at PetSmart, and discovered they didn't carry it.... I asked them why, and they told me it was because Nutro wouldn't give them a cheaper price than they would give to their other suppliers, including non-chain pet stores (I verified this with Nutro afterwards). PetSmart got mad and decided not to carry Nutro as a result, hoping that business pressures would make Nutro change their mind about their pricing rules. AFAIK, Nutro never backed down. :) (I can't be sure because I rarely shop in PetSmart now as a result of their business practices.)

We have seven dogs (rescues).
One has a seizure disorder. One is allergic to everything. One has a thyriod condition. One has joint problems. Each is on a specific diet and medication. Because of their requirements most of them were put on Purina Proplan large breed which we have to get from a pet store 80 miles from home. Some food is from the vet himself. Each was selected for the individual diet requirements and allergies. Costs a bundle to feed a herd of 7 not to mention their medication!!

We have used Wellness, Solid Gold Wolf and Innova, all in the large breed variety. Our Swiss Mountain Dog has a testy stomach in the morning and the breed is prone to bloat (stomach torsion). We currently use the Innova with good results. I have been told by vets and friends that some of the preservatives in the more popular foods are not good. The foods we use come packaged in a kind of foil lined bag. I am probably buying a "bill of goods" but the dog is happy and healthy.

Mauikid,
I respect your opinion but the facts don't lie. Utilizing corn as the number one ingredient in a dogfood is a sure sign of a poorly, and cheaply manufactured product. And just so you are aware, not ALL dogfood has corn in it. As a matter of fact none of mine do, nor would I buy it if it did. Corn is a poor substitute for a higher quality carbo such as brown rice. Many, many dogs develop aversions towards corn from being fed it in their food every day. And as far as meat by-products go, some isn't always bad to have in dogfood. But being that by-products can contain many un-healthy and low nutritive material, it is far better to obtain a dogfood that derives it's protein source from real meat sources (muscle tissue). As far as Purina being number one....this really means little. Do some research and you'll discover volumes about canine nutrition. I will say that of all Purina dogfoods, the line called (I think) "One" is the best of the bunch. Still not a true premium food though.

but the dog is happy and healthy.After that nothing else matters, well said bliss53!

Stanley gets 1.5 cups of IAMS Active Maturity morning and night.

Last night he also got the last few bites of a slice of Chicken Parm Pizza from Peppino's in Somers (somebody mentioned pizza).

We have to watch him when we have guests. He can almost telepathically force people to put their food in his mouth.

I had a bassett beagle a long time ago, stanley loks just like him, you know I forgot his name? shame on me. A nyway he would eat the neighbors when he got hungry. really, he was a biter.

My daughter just found and sent the following to me as an F.Y.I. since I like raisins in just about anything and we have two dogs. I don't know anything more about the subject nor can I vouch for it's accuracy.


WARNING Dog Owners

This week I had the first case in history of raisin toxicity ever seen at MedVet.

My patient was a 56-pound, 5 yr old male neutered lab mix who ate half a canister of raisins sometime between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM on Tuesday. He started with vomiting, diarrhea and shaking about 1AM on Wednesday but the owner didn't call my emergency service until 7AM.

I had heard somewhere about raisins AND grapes causing acute Renal failure but hadn't seen any formal paper on the subject. We had her bring the dog in immediately. In the meantime, I called the ER service at MedVet, and the doctor there was like me had heard something about it, but....

Anyway, we contacted the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center and they said to give I V fluids at 1 times maintenance and watch the kidney values for the next 48-72 hours.

The dog's BUN (blood urea nitrogen level) was already at 32 (normal less than 27) and creatinine over 5 (1.9 is the high end of normal). Both are monitors of kidney function in the bloodstream. We placed an IV catheter and started the fluids. Rechecked the renal values at 5 PM and the BUN was over 40 and creatinine over 7 with no urine production after a liter of fluids. At the point I felt the dog was in acute renal failure and sent him on to MedVet for a urinary catheter to monitor urine output overnight as well as overnight care.

He started vomiting again overnight at MedVet and his renal values have continued to increase daily. He produced urine when given lasix as a diuretic. He was on 3 different anti-vomiting medications and they still couldn't control his vomiting. Today his urine output decreased again, his BUN was over 120, his creatinine was at 10, his phosphorus was very elevated and his blood pressure, which had been staying around 150, skyrocketed to 220. He continued to vomit and the owners elected to euthanize.

This is a very sad case- great dog, great owners who had no idea raisins could be a toxin. Please alert everyone you know who has a dog of this very serious risk. Poison control said as few as 7 raisins or grapes could be toxic.

Many people I know give their dogs grapes or raisins as treats. Any exposure should give rise to immediate concern.

Laurinda Morris, DVM
Danville Veterinary Clinic
Danville, Ohio


Thank god I she told me about this because if anything would have happened to my dog I would have felt horrible. Here are some other food items I found out that can be toxic to your dog. Also some symptoms to look for in case your dog accidentally got into something. I also included foods for them to avoid and reasons why. Some are pretty obvious, but I'm putting them down anyway.....

onions- Hemolytic Anemia, laboured breathing, liver damage, vomiting, diarrhea, discoloured urine


Chocolate- staggering, laboured breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, tremors, fever, heart rate increase, arrhythmia, seizures, coma, death

Coffee/Cocoa- staggering, laboured breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, tremors, fever, heart rate increase, arrhythmia, seizures, coma, death

Mushrooms- abdominal pain, drooling, liver damage, kidney damage, vomiting diarrhea, convulsions, coma, death

Alcoholic beverages- Can cause intoxication, coma, and death

Cat food- Generally too high in protein and fats.

Fat trimmings- Can cause pancreatitis

Hops- Unknown compound causes panting, increased heart rate, elevated temperature, seizures, and death.

Marijuana- (yes it is not funny to blow smoke in your pets face!) Can depress the nervous system, cause vomiting, and changes in the heart rate.

Baby food- Can contain onion powder, which can be toxic to dogs. Can also result in nutritional deficiencies, if fed in large amounts.

Tobacco- Contains nicotine, which affects the digestive and nervous systems. Can result in rapid heart beat, collapse, coma, and death.

Yeast dough- Can expand and produce gas in the digestive system, causing pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.
also if you are concerned about something your pet has eaten her is a number in case of emergency....
Animal Poison Control Center 1-900-680-0000

If you find this helpful please re-post so others can be aware!!!

During regular season our two labs eat Solid Gold Hund N Flocken and Holistic. We've tried many foods to get the results we've not got. Good BM, great coats, no corn, no allergies.

At hunting time they're fed MMillenia for the extra fat, helps with the stamina they need to chase feathered creatures in South Dakota!

After reading this thread I am probably going to be accused of dog abuse. My 44 lbs. lab mix gets what ever is on sale or Old Roy from Walmart. She gets a large Milkbone once in a while and the smallest amount of table scraps added to her dry food on real special occasions.

And from the photo, a steady diet of Mama's slippers too!.... My dobie eats our 1 yr old sons socks like their candy..lol

Chip....nice looking dogs! They look healthy, vibrant, and ready to go!

After reading this thread I am probably going to be accused of dog abuse. My 44 lbs. lab mix gets what ever is on sale or Old Roy from Walmart. She gets a large Milkbone once in a while and the smallest amount of table scraps added to her dry food on real special occasions.

You are doing great relative to the average, but that's not saying much. I think most people tend to feed their dogs people-food more than just occasionally, and I think it's a bad habit. Of course, I don't have any bad habits of my own.;)

Just don't feed them the "Greenie" dog treats. They are extremly hard and a few dogs have died because the could not digest them. My rule of thumb is if I can't chew it then my gog can't chew it. There is nothing better than sharing a dog biscut with you lab.:D

After much research by a breeder, trainer (hunt), kennel owner, Exceed from Sams was found to be every bit as good as the premium brands. It costs more than the cheap stuff but less than premium brands like Iams, Eukanuba, etc. There are 2 types, regular for active dogs with higher fat content and lamb/rice based with lower fat for house dogs. The hunting dogs do fine on the regular during off season and get a little extra during season when they are really working hard. Next time you are in Sams, check the bags and then compare with the premiums. You will be surprised. Very high quality with a reasonable price ($22 approx. for 40lb bag). Our hard working labs and house dog have thrived on it for 10+ years. Obviously some dogs will have special needs so check with vet for them and use supplements as needed.

I've heard that for the money, Exceed is a good deal.

Sam here get's Natural Recipe for Seniors (he was 12 or 13 in this picture)(now he's a bit over 14)

Sam's a handsome fellow!!

Beautiful look and photo....

I know this is and old thread but decided to post anyway. We feed Blue Buffalo and Merrick Dry diets. My wife and I are in the Pet Business and try to feed the best food we can. Check out the Whole Dog Journal for unbiased info on Holistic diets , supplements etc. Its a good resource. Of course the get treats and goodies they're spoiled!

Nutro-Max is my choice. I worked in the pet industry for almost 20 years up to about a year ago. Iams is not as good as people think anymore. Maybe about 5 years ago Iams went from a pet shop only brand to both a pet shop and grocery store brand. Once they entered the grocery end of the business they changed their ingredient quality to a cheaper formula but yet never adjusted the price to reflect this change just went on to make a lot of money on a sub-par formula.


For you animal lovers out there Iams is owned by Procter & Gamble, the leader in animal testing for their products.

I have a four-year-old standard poodle (the big one) that had the bloat a little over a year ago. He survived the surgery and is now considered a miracle dog, since it's rare that a dog survives bloat. Anyway, ever since then, I have been giving him Nutro Natural Choice Food for Sensitive Stomachs. I sometimes mix a little of the wet of the same type for a little flavor. His gas has declined greatly, and in a big dog, that's a good thing. Plus PetsMart always has it on sale for $30 for a 44 pound bag.

Purina's Beneful. Why? First off, i have 2 pomeranians. They arent picky, but they love soft foods liek a snack! I dont have to buy any dog treats, because the food has both soft and hard chunks. I pour out some in the bowl and whay they like to do is sort out the food with there mouth. They take their noses and dig out the soft food chunks. I was wondergin why they were doing this before i knew they had mixed soft and crunchy chunks. They act like squirrels and hold as much of the soft chunks as possible and run in another room away from each other to eat up their findings of soft chunks. Once in a while, youll see a pile of crunchy chunks of food all over the floor after finding the soft ones. Then after they are done with the soft chunks they come back and eat the crunchy ones. They try to horde from each other. Its actually funny how they do this. So, what i did was sort out about a coffee can full of the soft chunks(mind you they are also color cordinated). So, when the dogs are good, they get a treat(the soft chunks). No extra $ to buy the treats! The bags of dog food arent a bad price either! average around $14 for a big large bag over 35lbs.

They act like squirrels and hold as much of the soft chunks as possible and run in another room away from each other to eat up their findings of soft chunks. So, what i did was sort out about a coffee can full of the soft chunks(mind you they are also color cordinated). So, when the dogs are good, they get a treat(the soft chunks).

Beepbill, I am not sure what is funnier, the dogs hoarding the food or picturing you sorting the food out! They have you well trained!