Hi,
I have recently acquired a beautiful, 3 year old, german shorthair pointer. We live in a nice suburban area where our dog plays in the yard with my kids and gets walked through the neighborhood. He doesn't hunt (gun-shy, which is how we acquired him) or work. I am not aware of any food-allergies that would require a grain-free diet.

I was also given a supply of Purina One Smart Blend Chicken & Rice and Lamb & Rice food along with Nutro Natural Choice Grain-free venison, lamb, and chicken food.

We have been feeding a mix of one cup of the Purina One Smart Blend with one cup of the Nutro Natural Choice twice a day. We mixed the two foods to balance out the quaility of the two foods while extending the supply as long as possible before purchasing more food.

Our supply is almost gone and we wish to make the right decision moving forward on which food to use.

I have been told by our Vet that the Purina One Smart blend is perfectly fine for the dog. I have also been told by others that we should stick to the grain-free food and that we need a higher quality food that uses more protien sources and less by-products and fillers.

I do not have an unlimited income (three kids) and would like to make the best choice I can while still trying to be financially smart. I know that there are extremely good foods that are really expensive and extremely bad food that is really inexpensive. I would prefer to find the best possible spot in between without hurting our dog or pocketbook.

Any recommendations or advice toward finding the best solution would be greatly appreciated.