Dog Food Question... ANYONE???

[jackie]

OK, went to my vets office to buy my usual brand of dog kibble, which is Affinity Advance, but they only had 3 kilo bags available (which is a snack for my dogs). The only 15+ bag of food they had was Affinity Brekkies Excel.

The price difference was huge. I pay 54 euros (73 US dollars) for a 15 bag of Advance which lasts about three weeks. The Brekkies Excel was 25 euros (34 USD) for a 20 kilo bag.

I understand the quality can't be as good, is the other brand really worth the price difference? I have always fed Advance (once or twice when I couldn't get it, I have substituted for Hills) but is it really worth the money?

Here is the ingredient breakdown...

Brekkies (the cheap one)
Cereals (min. 5% rice), meats and animal byproducts (min 4% lamb and min. 5% chicken), vegetable origin byproducts, vegetable protein extracts, oils and fats, substance minerals.

Advance (the better quality)
Chicken (20%), rice (15%), dehydrated turkey protein, wheat, corn, corn flour gluten, animal fat (vitamin E stabilized), beet pulp, hydrolyzed animal protein, fish oil, dehydrated egg, yeast, potassium chloride, plasma-tic protein, salt, citric extracts rich in bioflavonoids.

OK, I had to translate the ingredients, so some of them might not be totally correct (IE potassium chloride and plasma-tic protein).

[jackie]

When I look at the ingredients side by side I can see the difference, but would my dogs health suffer if I were to combine the two for their meal?


They only eat kibble with the occasional left overs and table scraps.

[jackie]

bumping it up for a reply.

[Freedom]

I can't say about the specific brands; I don't think we have them here.

I can say looking at the ingredients, I have been staying away from anything with "animal byproducts." It contains a lot of stuff you would cringe at. And that stuff has a higher risk of contamination.

Just my thoughts.

Oh, I'm wondering why you are buying the food at the vet to begin with? Do you not have pet food stores like we have? Or is one a prescription food? It didn't sound like it, though.

[wolfsoul]

I wouldn't consider either of them high quality by any means but if I had to choose one I'd pick the Advance. Mixing them together won't hurt them, it might upset their tummies a bit for a while but it won't cause any long term harm.

[jackie]

I wouldn't consider either of them high quality by any means but if I had to choose one I'd pick the Advance. Mixing them together won't hurt them, it might upset their tummies a bit for a while but it won't cause any long term harm.

Can you recommend a good dry food then.

I have always feed advance because it is what my vet and the animal shelter recommended.

[Danegirl2208]

I wouldn't consider either of them high quality by any means but if I had to choose one I'd pick the Advance. Mixing them together won't hurt them, it might upset their tummies a bit for a while but it won't cause any long term harm.

I would have to agree..I was shocked to see the price aswell! I would go broke feedng that! Seeing as a 40lb bag of kibble lasts maybe 2 weeks around here LOL

But I do agree there ARE better options out there, and for a more reasonable price. You may find this helpful in finding a good quality food:

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How to grade your dog’s food: (Some brands are done at the very bottom)

Start with a grade of 100:

1) For every listing of “by-product”, subtract 10 points.

2) For every non-specific animal source (”meat” or “poultry”, meat, meal or fat) reference, subtract 10 points.

3) If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points.

4) For every grain “mill run” or non-specific grain source, subtract 5 points.

5) If the same grain ingredient is used 2 or more times in the first five ingredients (i.e. “ground brown rice”, “brewer’s rice”, “rice flour” are all the same grain), subtract 5 points.

6) If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points.

7) If it contains any artificial colorants, subtract 3 points.

8 ) If it contains ground corn or whole grain corn, subtract 3 points.

9) If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 more points.

10) If the food contains any animal fat other than fish oil, subtract 2 points.

11) If lamb is the only animal protein source (unless your dog is allergic to other protein sources), subtract 2 points.

12) If it contains soy or soybeans, subtract 2 points.

13) If it contains wheat (unless you know that your dog isn’t allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points.

14) If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isn’t allergic to beef), subtract 1 point.

15) If it contains salt (or sodium, as it is also called), subtract 1 point.

Extra Credit:

1) If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points.

2) If the food is endorsed by any major breed group or nutritionist, add 5 points.

3) If the food is baked not extruded, add 5 points.

4) If the food contains probiotics, add 3 points.

5) If the food contains fruit, add 3 points.

6) If the food contains vegetables (NOT corn or other grains), add 3 points.

7) If the animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic-free, add 2 points.

8 ) If the food contains barley, add 2 points.

9) If the food contains flax seed oil (not just the seeds), add 2 points.

10) If the food contains oats or oatmeal, add 1 point.

11) If the food contains sunflower oil, add 1 point.

12) For every different specific animal protein source (other than the first one; count “chicken” and “chicken meal” as only one protein source but “chicken” and “salmon” as 2 different sources), add 1 point.

13) If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, add 1 point.

14) If the vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are pesticide-free add 1 point.

94-100+ = A
86-93 = B
78-85 = C
70-77 = D
69 = F

Here are some foods that have already been scored.

Dog Food scores:

Authority Harvest Baked / Score 116 A+
Bil-Jac Select / Score 68 F
Canidae / Score 112 A+
Chicken Soup Senior / Score 115 A+
Diamond Maintenance / Score 64 F
Diamond Lamb Meal & Rice / Score 92 B
Diamond Large Breed 60+ Formula / Score 99 A
Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Ultra Premium / Score 122 A+
Dick Van Patten’s Duck and Potato / Score 106 A+
Foundations / Score 106 A+
Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold / Score 93 B
Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium / Score 73 D
Innova Dog / Score 114 A+
Innova Evo / Score 114 A+
Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables / Score 110 A+
Nutrisource Lamb and Rice / Score 87 B
Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy / Score 87 B
Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice / Score 23 F
ProPlan Natural Turkey & Barley / Score 103 A+
Purina Beneful / Score 17 F
Purina Dog / Score 62 F
Purina Come-n-Get It / Score 16 F
Royal Canin Bulldog / Score 100 A+
Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult / Score 106 A+
Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice / Score 97 A
Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+ / Score 63 F
Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies / Score 69 F
Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken / Score 110 A+
Wolfking Adult Dog (bison) by Solid Gold / Score 97 A