Diamond Dog Food?

**Logan** · 06-17-2003, 12:43 PM

Robyn, to my knowledge, there is "good" Diamond, and "not so good" Diamond food. In fact, Diamond manufactures the new dog food called Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul (whatever the official name is), and it is supposed to be terrific. But their basic food is mostly corn, inexpensive, and probably no better than grocery store food.

One of my cyber friends has done a lot of food research. You might check out her website, www.greatgoldens.com to see the comparisons.

Lots of luck in the decision and with the new pup!

Logan

**lovemyshiba** · 06-17-2003, 01:29 PM

wow--what a detailed description of the foods and ingredients!! I just loved that page, Logan. I have done a bit of research on dog foods, but didn't know what some of the terms meant, but there's a glossary on there and everything!!!

**Christiansmommy** · 06-17-2003, 01:40 PM

Originally posted by Logan
Robyn, to my knowledge, there is "good" Diamond, and "not so good" Diamond food. In fact, Diamond manufactures the new dog food called Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul (whatever the official name is), and it is supposed to be terrific. But their basic food is mostly corn, inexpensive, and probably no better than grocery store food.

One of my cyber friends has done a lot of food research. You might check out her website, www.greatgoldens.com to see the comparisons.

Lots of luck in the decision and with the new pup!

Logan

I think i am sold on the Chicken Soup for a Dog lovers soul...it seems to be so natural...and a few stores nearby me sell it. I know the Diamond Preimum Edge contained some sort of Glycosumin (sp?) for joints...which would be beneficial for Swissies...anyway, its looks great and the cost isnt that high...thanks for the website Logan!

Robyn

**AngelZoo** · 06-17-2003, 02:05 PM

micki: You do not have to add all the fats and such to an extruded food, some companies choose not to, which is perferctly fine, and preferable to some people (such as myself) solid gold is a perfect example.
In comparion to extrusion vrs rendering, extrusion wins hands down, rendering is the cooking method that most companys (think of those found at popular pet stores and grocery stores) use.

Here's a quick little article for anyone whom is interested.

http://business.gorge.net/gorgevet/wysong.htm

Christians Mommy: The chicken Soup brand is one of my top 5 favorite foods, for dogs, cats and ferrets! I feed the cat formula here to my adult ferret in his mix, plus my cats love it as a treat.

Here's another interesting website about companion animal food, it's basically in a online course format, very neat

http://www.speedyvet.com/Learningcentre/index1.htm

**Christiansmommy** · 06-17-2003, 02:09 PM

Cinder and Smoke...thanks for the info on The Premium Edge...there is a store around here that could special order it for me...to ship from online would cost over $10...so it wouldnt be worth it to do it that way....thanks for the info!!

**Cinder & Smoke** · 06-17-2003, 02:27 PM

Originally posted by Christiansmommy
... The Premium Edge...
there is a store around here that could special order it for me...

C's Mom ~

CALL em up ~ and ASK where the nearest Store that carries it is.
If they're not sure - ask them to have your Area's REP call you.

And don't be bashful about asking for Samples!

When we were trying to find a new KAT food for da Boots -
I mentioned not wanting to buy a big bag to "try".

Not to worry! said the Sales Manager...

Two daze later the UPS guy dropped a CARTON of sample bags -
a Month's supply!!

**micki76** · 06-17-2003, 10:17 PM

Originally posted by AngelZoo
[B]micki: You do not have to add all the fats and such to an extruded food, some companies choose not to, which is perferctly fine, and preferable to some people (such as myself) solid gold is a perfect example.
In comparion to extrusion vrs rendering, extrusion wins hands down, rendering is the cooking method that most companys (think of those found at popular pet stores and grocery stores) use.

Here's a quick little article for anyone whom is interested.

http://business.gorge.net/gorgevet/wysong.htm

See, everything that I've read (and info from my vet) states that the extrusion method was far worse that baking. Here's a direct quote from one of the sites:
"Most dry food is made with a machine called an expander or extruder. First, raw materials are blended, sometimes by hand, other times by computer, in accordance with a recipe developed by animal nutritionists. This mixture is fed into an expander and steam or hot water is added. The mixture is subjected to steam, pressure, and high heat as it is extruded through dies that determine the shape of the final product and puffed like popcorn. The food is allowed to dry, and then is usually sprayed with fat, digests, or other compounds to make it more palatable. Although the cooking process may kill bacteria in pet food, the final product can lose its sterility during the subsequent drying, fat coating, and packaging process. A few foods are baked at high temperatures rather than extruded. This produces a dense, crunchy kibble that is palatable without the addition of sprayed on palatability enhancers. Animals can be fed about 25% less of a baked food, by volume (but not by weight), than an extruded food."

Also, this is what I've read about the rendered fat (not used on all extruded foods, but most):
"You may have noticed a unique, pungent odor when you open a new bag of pet food -- what is the source of that delightful smell? It is most often rendered animal fat, restaurant grease, or other oils too rancid or deemed inedible for humans.

Restaurant grease has become a major component of feed grade animal fat over the last fifteen years. This grease, often held in fifty-gallon drums, may be kept outside for weeks, exposed to extreme temperatures with no regard for its future use. "Fat blenders" or rendering companies then pick up this used grease and mix the different types of fat together, stabilize them with powerful antioxidants to retard further spoilage, and then sell the blended products to pet food companies and other end users.

These fats are sprayed directly onto extruded kibbles and pellets to make an otherwise bland or distasteful product palatable. The fat also acts as a binding agent to which manufacturers add other flavor enhancers such as digests. Pet food scientists have discovered that animals love the taste of these sprayed fats. Manufacturers are masters at getting a dog or a cat to eat something she would normally turn up her nose at."

**Christiansmommy** · 06-17-2003, 10:28 PM

Micki76...how do you find out if the food is extruded or not...i guess the website might say so...i am looking into the chicken soup for a dog lovers soul...i think the site said it is slow cooked...thanks.

**micki76** · 06-17-2003, 10:41 PM

Originally posted by Christiansmommy
Micki76...how do you find out if the food is extruded or not...i guess the website might say so...i am looking into the chicken soup for a dog lovers soul...i think the site said it is slow cooked...thanks.

Usually, it will say if it's baked. Otherwise I think it's probably extruded. I know the Wellness that we feed promotes that fact that it's baked. You can really tell from the texture and crunch of the kibble, also.

Sorry meant to add these links for you & forgot:
http://www.api4animals.org/doc.asp?ID=79

Here's a good one about the ingreds that are good, not so bad, and really bad:
http://www.iei.net/~ebreeden/kibble.html

**shais_mom** · 06-17-2003, 11:48 PM

Originally posted by Christiansmommy
I think i am sold on the Chicken Soup for a Dog lovers soul...it seems to be so natural...and a few stores nearby me sell it. I know the Diamond Preimum Edge contained some sort of Glycosumin (sp?) for joints...which would be beneficial for Swissies...anyway, its looks great and the cost isnt that high...thanks for the website Logan!

Robyn

Robyn,
http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthre...threadid=28219

I am switching Keegan to this food, she loved it!

**Logan** · 06-18-2003, 02:11 AM

One way I could tell a difference in extruded and baked is the shape of the food. Flint River Ranch is the only food I've ever given mine that I know was baked and it had odd shaped pieces. By the way, my dogs LOVED FRR, but got very fat when eating it! It was too rich for my couch potatoes!

**Christiansmommy** · 06-18-2003, 06:45 AM

Originally posted by Logan
One way I could tell a difference in extruded and baked is the shape of the food. Flint River Ranch is the only food I've ever given mine that I know was baked and it had odd shaped pieces. By the way, my dogs LOVED FRR, but got very fat when eating it! It was too rich for my couch potatoes!

I have heard of FRR food and had it book marked as one of my favorites...so i just checked out the website again. The ingredients are very similiar to the Chicken Soup for a Dog Lovers Soul...here is a look at the CSFADLS ingredients:

Fresh, Pure, Wholesome Ingredients

Chicken, turkey, chicken meal, turkey meal, whole grain brown rice, whole grain white rice, oatmeal, potatoes, cracked pearled barley, millet, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), duck, salmon, egg product, flaxseed, natural chicken flavor, kelp, carrots, peas, apples, dried skim milk, cranberry powder, rosemary extract, parsley flake, potassium chloride, salt, choline chloride, chicory root extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, menadione dimethylpyrimidinol bisulfite (source of vitamin K activity), riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

As far as this being extruded, i am not sure...the website says it is slow cooked...which to me, may sound like baking...anyway, i think it sounds great and i really appreciate your friend for doing such a great job on that website! I think i may switch my cats over to this brand too!