new dog food

[Pembroke_Corgi]

I'm thinking of switiching brands of dog food. Right now I feed my dogs Science Diet, but I always hear so many bad things about it that it makes me wonder. I originally fed my dogs Nutro, but they both had problems with it, and my vet suggested Science Diet. I was very hesitant to switch, but the dogs have been doing much better on it than Nutro. Still, I'm sure theres better foods out there and I'm thinking primarily of Innova or Canidae. Does anyone have any experience with either of these foods? Any suggestions would help. Thanks!

[BitsyNaceyDog]

I don't like Science Diet because of the amount of corn in it. Nutro is good, but neither Bitsy nor Buster like it. My friend feeds her dogs Nutro and they eat it just fine.
I feed my dogs Blue Buffalo (http://bluebuff.com/products/dogs_adult_lamb.shtml). I've never fed either Innova or Canidae, but the ingredients are good. I wouldn't hesitate feeding them to my dogs, they're definitely a big step up from Science Diet.

[caseysmom]

I feed california natural chicken and rice, there are no corn products in it at all, its made by the same company as innova.

[LoudLou]

LOUD Louie who will be 7 in Feb. pretty much grew up on Canidae. I love it and Innova. Both are really great foods. I switched the cats over to Felidae a few years ago and saw a dramatic improvement in their health and skin. You would never guess that The Beans are 12 and 10! Even their vet is blown away.

[Jessika]

Science Diet is a terrible food in my opinion. By products, and LOTS of corn and other fillers!

[Giselle]

Science Diet is, indeed, primarily corn kibble loaded with by-products and synthetic vitamins and minerals. It's an incredibly wise choice for you to switch foods and I give you kudos! Innova, in my honest opinion, is one of the best foods. Regular Innova contains superior ingredients and is head and shoulders above SD. An even better kibble for your adult dog would be Innova EVO which contains minimal carbohydrates and virtually no grains, a healthy mimic of the raw diet. My Pekingese had been hopelessly deteriorating on various "top" kibbles like Wellness, Wysong, and Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul. At five years of age, he was droopy, lethargic, and could barely keep up on our usual walks. There was a noticeable decrease in energy and I knew it was time for a drastic change. As a result, I switched him to Innova EVO/homemade diet since he was too stubborn to eat a 100% homemade diet and I was, admittedly, too chicken to go all out with my aging pup ;) Within a few weeks, his energy dramatically increased and his fur was simply glowing and full. Plus, for the first time in his life, he began producing small, firm poops!

Canidae, although it is, in my opinion, is not as top-notch as Innova/EVO, it certainly gives you the most bang for your buck. The ingredients are, without a doubt, superior to SD's and many of the other brands available. Though I wouldn't venture so far as to say it is the best out there, I will admit that a VAST majority of Greyhound owners feed Canidae and/or Nutro due to the availability and relatively "minimal" costs. It is a GREYT food for its price tag and I would definitely recommend it. Good Luck and happy shopping!

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Thanks everyone for all your helpful suggestions! I got some samples of Innova and California Natural, which the dogs both loved. Unfortunately there aren't any shops that sell Canidae in my area- according to their website the closest is 90 miles away but one store I visited has been trying to get it. I think that I'm going to go with Innova since I don't want to have to order online. Thanks again!

[renfest]

I use to give innova to Merilyn until I was running low and my friends gave me can a day and he had an allergic reaction to that as well as Solid Gold they no longer had the bag so I could not see what was in it. I got him on Nutro and he is doing better with the rash. It happened after he was fixed and was home got the new food .. the vet said it might be anal glands but he is not scooting on the floor ..

rennie

[frawri]

I find it annoying that a lot of Vets seem to be shoving Science Diet onto all their patrons. I don't know if they have looked into it to see if it truly is a good thing or not. But most vets I have been to sell it. And I have talked to a few professionals, and they say they would never feed it to their dogs. I think we should call our vets and complain.

[critter crazy]

my boy Duke who is 1 year old today!!! has been on pedigree since i have had him(7months) my vet recomended it! I had my boy zues, who passed away just before x-mas on it as well(per vet advice) and they both have done well on it! Is it okay?? you all have me worried now!! I have never heard of most of the brands you keep refering to! should i change his food?? :(

[BitsyNaceyDog]

This is a pretty old thread. Pembroke_Corgi, Did you switch the pups to a new food? How are they doing on it?


I find it annoying that a lot of Vets seem to be shoving Science Diet onto all their patrons. I don't know if they have looked into it to see if it truly is a good thing or not. But most vets I have been to sell it. And I have talked to a few professionals, and they say they would never feed it to their dogs. I think we should call our vets and complain.
Most vets are not nutritionists, they recommend it because they sell it. They sell Science Diet because it's a product of Hills, which also makes prescription diets.

[JenBKR]

my boy Duke who is 1 year old today!!! has been on pedigree since i have had him(7months) my vet recomended it! I had my boy zues, who passed away just before x-mas on it as well(per vet advice) and they both have done well on it! Is it okay?? you all have me worried now!! I have never heard of most of the brands you keep refering to! should i change his food?? :(


Not necessarily - some people probably don't consider it a 'good' brand, but I still think that it's different for different dogs. The best food for your dog is what works for him/her. Sure, fillers aren't the best way to go, but if your dog is healthy, I don't personally see a problem :)

[critter crazy]

Not necessarily - some people probably don't consider it a 'good' brand, but I still think that it's different for different dogs. The best food for your dog is what works for him/her. Sure, fillers aren't the best way to go, but if your dog is healthy, I don't personally see a problem :)

thank you so much!! I was so worried i was doing something wrong!! to me he looks great! and just loves it!! I was always under the impression that just because dogfood is expensive dosent make it good! I just want ot do what is right for my dog! and my vet thinks he is in perfect weight and his coat lokks really good! :)

[JenBKR]

thank you so much!! I was so worried i was doing something wrong!! to me he looks great! and just loves it!! I was always under the impression that just because dogfood is expensive dosent make it good! I just want ot do what is right for my dog! and my vet thinks he is in perfect weight and his coat lokks really good! :)

Sure! If your dog is doing well, and looks good, and has a clean bill of health from the vet, I say go for it. Actually, expensive food is not always the best anyway, there are plenty of expensive foods that have just as many fillers as the cheaper stuff.

[lv4dogs]

Not necessarily - some people probably don't consider it a 'good' brand, but I still think that it's different for different dogs. The best food for your dog is what works for him/her. Sure, fillers aren't the best way to go, but if your dog is healthy, I don't personally see a problem :)

That is true to an extent. But you also have to keep in mind the long term affects that a not so good brand can cause. If the food is loaded with preservatives, colors, additives, etc... there is a much greater chance your dog will develope cancers & other life threatening diseases as he/she ages.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

my boy Duke who is 1 year old today!!! has been on pedigree since i have had him(7months) my vet recomended it! I had my boy zues, who passed away just before x-mas on it as well(per vet advice) and they both have done well on it! Is it okay?? you all have me worried now!! I have never heard of most of the brands you keep refering to! should i change his food?? :(

The best thing you can feed your dog is whatever he thrives on. But to be honest I'd never feed Pedigree to my dogs. As I stated in my above post, vet's are not generally nutritionists. You know your dog best and it's up to you to research and find which food is best for your dog.

I have 5 dogs. I feed 3 of them (Charlie, Nacey, and Nova) Blue Buffalo. I recently switched the other 2 (Bitsy and Buster) to Innova.

When you're looking for a food you need to look carefully at the ingredients. The first ingredient should be a specific meat (ie: chicken) or a specific meat meal (ie: chicken meal). I also look for foods that don't have corn and wheat as fillers.

Here are the ingredients for pedigree:
GROUND YELLOW CORN, MEAT AND BONE MEAL, CORN GLUTEN MEAL, CHICKEN BY-PRODUCT MEAL, ANIMAL FAT (PRESERVED WITH BHA/BHT), WHEAT MILL RUN, NATURAL POULTRY FLAVOR, RICE, WHEAT FLOUR, SALT, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, CARAMEL COLOR, VEGETABLE OIL (SOURCE OF LINOLEIC ACID), VITAMINS (CHOLINE CHLORIDE, dl-ALPHA TOCOPHEROL ACETATE [SOURCE OF VITAMIN E], L-ASCORBYL-2-POLYPHOSPHATE [SOURCE OF VITAMIN C*], VITAMIN A SUPPLEMENT, THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], BIOTIN, d-CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT [VITAMIN B2], VITAMIN D3 SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENT), MINERALS (ZINC SULFATE, COPPER SULFATE, POTASSIUM IODIDE).

1) ground yellow corn- a filler, it has no real nutritional value
2) meat and bone meal- not a specific kind of meat, it could be anything
3) corn gluten meal- more corn, again a filler
4) chicken by-product meal- by-products are all the things you'd normally not eat (ie: feet, intestines, beak, necks)

Here are the first 10 ingredients in Blue Buffalo:
Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Whole Ground Barley, Rye , Oatmeal, Chicken Fat (preserved with Natural Mixed Tocopherols, Citric Acid and Rosemary), Whole Carrots, Whole Sweet Potatoes, Ground Flax Seed

Can you see the difference?

[critter crazy]

The best thing you can feed your dog is whatever he thrives on. But to be honest I'd never feed Pedigree to my dogs. As I stated in my above post, vet's are not generally nutritionists. You know your dog best and it's up to you to research and find which food is best for your dog.

I have 5 dogs. I feed 3 of them (Charlie, Nacey, and Nova) Blue Buffalo. I recently switched the other 2 (Bitsy and Buster) to Innova.

When you're looking for a food you need to look carefully at the ingredients. The first ingredient should be a specific meat (ie: chicken) or a specific meat meal (ie: chicken meal). I also look for foods that don't have corn and wheat as fillers.

Here are the ingredients for pedigree:
GROUND YELLOW CORN, MEAT AND BONE MEAL, CORN GLUTEN MEAL, CHICKEN BY-PRODUCT MEAL, ANIMAL FAT (PRESERVED WITH BHA/BHT), WHEAT MILL RUN, NATURAL POULTRY FLAVOR, RICE, WHEAT FLOUR, SALT, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, CARAMEL COLOR, VEGETABLE OIL (SOURCE OF LINOLEIC ACID), VITAMINS (CHOLINE CHLORIDE, dl-ALPHA TOCOPHEROL ACETATE [SOURCE OF VITAMIN E], L-ASCORBYL-2-POLYPHOSPHATE [SOURCE OF VITAMIN C*], VITAMIN A SUPPLEMENT, THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], BIOTIN, d-CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT [VITAMIN B2], VITAMIN D3 SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENT), MINERALS (ZINC SULFATE, COPPER SULFATE, POTASSIUM IODIDE).

1) ground yellow corn- a filler, it has no real nutritional value
2) meat and bone meal- not a specific kind of meat, it could be anything
3) corn gluten meal- more corn, again a filler
4) chicken by-product meal- by-products are all the things you'd normally not eat (ie: chicken feet, intestines, beak, necks)

Here are the first 10 ingredients in Blue Buffalo:
Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Whole Ground Barley, Rye , Oatmeal, Chicken Fat (preserved with Natural Mixed Tocopherols, Citric Acid and Rosemary), Whole Carrots, Whole Sweet Potatoes, Ground Flax Seed

Can you see the difference?

well thnk you!! i never thought to look!! I just assumed the vet would know what was best!! how would i go about changing his diet, if i do??????

[Giselle]

Not to mention the generic label "animal fat"! Even worse, the "animal fat" is preserved with BHA/BHT - possible carcinogens. Then you have wheat mill run which is an extremely low-grade filler, wheat flour - another filler, SALT (dogs don't need that added salt in their kibble), natural poultry flavor (again, dogs really don't need this!), caramel color (dogs don't care what color their food is), etc. etc. Yuck yuck, I haven't looked at the ingredients list for Pedigree in awhile, but that's just ick.

Like it was mentioned before, it does not matter what kind of food you feed your dog provided s/he does well on it. My neighbor's cat is approaching her 17th birthday and she lives off a mix of Fancy Feast and Iams. She doesn't know that she isn't eating Felidae or Wellness. The point is that she has energy, she's healthy, and the food is working for her. That's all that matters :)

If you would really like to switch, I would recommend any of the following brands:
Blue Buffalo
Canidae
Wellness
Wysong
Pinnacle
Fromm
Innova/EVO (I adore Innova and EVO)
California Natural
Karma
Azmira
Flint River Ranch
Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul
Natural Balance
Solid Gold

There are plenty more but these are just off the top of my head.
ETA: To switch your dog's food, do so gradually. For the first few days, feed her 75% old food 25% new food. Gradually, wean her onto 50% old food 50% new food, 25% old food 75% new food. Soon, she'll be eating 0% old food and 100% new food.

[bckrazy]

I totally agree with Giselle and Sue and such ;0)

Just to give you a different perspective, critter crazy, I know plenty of people who thought their dogs were "thriving" on grocery store kibbles. Their dogs had flakey skin and fur, bad teeth, etc (from my perspective) BUT because that is what they had fed all of their other dogs, they assumed that was thriving. I personally think it's not wise to just put your dog on one food and keep them on that, because it seems like they're doing fine. Variety is great for dogs, just like for people (except of course those with certain allergies, who need to be careful about switches).

I really thought the kibble I was feeding Gonzo was great for him, when I was feeding Nutro. I switched to a food with less grain, and what I thought was just normal issues (potty issues, dry skin, some tartar) drastically improved! I've been feeding him 50-75% raw now, and I've seen huge changes, even though I was feeding him a kibble before (Evo) that a lot of people say is next best to raw. He has much more energy, stamina, better BM's, cleaner teeth, brighter eyes, better breath, etc! I think just because it seems like your dog is ok on his kibble, does not mean there isn't PLENTY of room for improvement. We should strive to give our pups the healthiest life possible, within our financial/time/etc limits... not just what seems "safe". That's what bothers me with the whole "Just keep your dog on it if he isn't dying, it's whatever is ok with them!" comment. You don't know how much a better food will improve his health unless you try it.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

This is a pretty old thread. Pembroke_Corgi, Did you switch the pups to a new food? How are they doing on it?


Most vets are not nutritionists, they recommend it because they sell it. They sell Science Diet because it's a product of Hills, which also makes prescription diets.
Yes, I did switch foods. At first I switched to California Natural, which Adele really liked but Marta was having some problems on (runny stools). I found 2 pets stores in the area that recently starting carrying Canidae and tried that, they have been on it since February. All of them really like it (they also like the smaller size kibble), and have been doing very well.

[frawri]

Most vets are not nutritionists, they recommend it because they sell it. They sell Science Diet because it's a product of Hills, which also makes prescription diets.[/QUOTE]


The problem with that is most people will think they know what they are talking about and go with the advise of their vet. They truley should check into what they are selling before they start telling others it is a good thing...

[frawri]

I just read this from a post some one sent me. It is on dog food.

What about Raw instinct?, EVO?, Solid Gold?, Wellness?, etc etc:

EVO, Solid Gold's Barking at the Moon and Nature's Variety's Raw Instincts are grain free marketing gimmicks made with potato or tapioca. These foods are not raw substitutes at all- they are fully cooked and contain high glycemic starches. The high ash content in these foods is another major concern. Here is what Mary Strauss, renowned canine nutrition expert, has to say in response to my comments about EVO:

"I do agree with this, (my comments on ash) and your points about white potatoes may also be valid. I will admit to some concern over reports from people who have fed EVO for some time, whose dogs do not do that well with it (many drink a lot more water with this food than other kibbles, for unknown reasons, and reports of poor coats after a few months on this food also seem common)."

Wysong makes a great freeze-dried food (Archetype Burgers), but their kibble contains excessive grains, salt, dairy products, yeast, etc. Nature's Variety makes great frozen raw and freeze-dried diets, but their canned and dry formulations contain menadione derived vitamin K supplements- although they may be removing this ingredient in the future.

Wellness will not disclose the form of vitamin K supplement in their food and it is highly suspected to be menadione derived, so I won't use their food- not to mention that they refuse to disclose the percentage of their formulas that are made up of meat- most likely because they are ashamed of the high percentage of grain that makes up their food. Wellness also has a reputation for making dogs fat- again, probably because of the grain content. Solid Gold's formulas contain gluten and their scare-tactic advertising has lost my respect for the company. Abady is another company guilty of shady advertising (they have implied that feeding their food will reduce congenital abnormalities in puppies!) and they use questionable ingredients such as mystery meat and menhaden fish meal. Nutro uses a menadione derived synthetic vitamin K supplement. These brands are some of the ones that people think are high quality and great for their pets. These brands can also be expensive. Don't be fooled by marketing which has gained some of them a decent reputation. (You cannot learn about pet foods from what you see in advertisements!)

I won't even address all of the inferior ingredients that are found in grocery store brands like Pedigree, Iams, Purina, etc except to say "Stay out of the pet food aisle in your grocery store!" Stick to the above recommendations and you can't go wrong.

There are some foods that use barley and other gluten-containing grains (wheat and rye) which some dogs might seem to handle alright for awhile, but which I refuse to feed because of possible damage to the intestinal lining and ensuing allergies and health problems that gluten can cause. Some contain potatoes which may be hand picked to not be green (although they don't even do a good job of this for the potatoes they sell in the grocery store for people!) and cooked enough to eradicate all of the toxins- but I'm not taking any chances. As far as tapioca, I feel is just too high in glycemic index and devoid of nutrients and fiber to be of any value. My list goes on. Yes, I nit-pick. I look at every ingredient and its potential benefit or harm to my dog's health. Yes, I have left off a lot of very popular foods that many people recommend because my own research tells me that there is better. The above four kibble formulas are the ones that have passed all of my nit-picking.

[bckrazy]

About the comments on Evo, this is the first I've heard about dangers of it, and I definitely take it with a grain of salt. The bottom line is, it contains the most meat you can find in commercial dog food, and no grains or soy or corn or shady ingredients at all. Potatos, being a whole vegetable, is a much more substantial starchy food than wheat, gluten, etc, and much more natural IMO. Wild canines are known to occasionally forage on over-ripe veggies and fruits, and not known to munch on grains!

I've also heard very bad opinions about the food that they recommend - California Natural specifically - but, the bottom line is that the ingredients far surpass any grocery store brand, and Gonzo did better on Evo than he has on any any other kibble, and I've basically tried every medium to high quality kibble out there. I also know lots of raw feeders who only trust Innova/Evo as a kibble addition to their dogs raw diets.

Just to add - no kibble is completely healthy and whole in every way. To me, no kibble can replace real raw food. However, ideally the more meat the better in kibble to TRY to mock a real canine diet. I definitely won't keep Gonzo on Evo alone in the future, because other kibbles have other meat proteins (like duck, venison, lamb, etc) and that variety is very important. A wide variety of different meats and variety is very important whether you feed kibble, freeze dried, homecooked, or raw.