what is healthy food for dog?

[Karen]

Welcome to Pet Talk! Why do you want to change foods? How old is your dog, and what breed? When you do change over, be sure to make the change gradually over time, instead of changing abruptly, so your dog's stomach can get used to the new food, and he doesn't get an upset stomach!

[Jessika]

When clients ask me this question, I usually say that I don't recommend anything lower-quality than Iams or Purina One. Anything you can find at the grocery store is typically more filler than quality food so I don't recommend anything from grocery stores, gas stations, convenience stores, etc.

I can tell you my opinion of best, I can tell you my opinion of the worst, but the key is to teach yourself what to look for in food and have you make an educated decision on what is best for you and your dog. Keep in mind, people will suggest what food they're feeding, and not to say that it isn't good food, but what works for one dog may not work for another. Some dogs' systems can not handle the rich ingredients of super premium foods, eventhough those are typically "the best" to feed your dog.

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/ is a great website to start at.

Good luck!

[snakemama]

This is a loaded question...there are as many answers to this question as there are dog owners, LoL.

What I tell my customers is to look at the ingredients. Avoid corn, wheat, and soy. The first ingredient should be a named meat MEAL, like chicken meal or lamb meal. Any grains should ideally be whole and unprocessed, such as brown rice...not rice gluten or rice protien.

[Bonny]

We had to switch over to Nutri Source a Lamb Meal & Rice mix. One of our dogs was allergic to the dog food we had been feeding him for years. It was a high energy sports mix from our local Coop. Our veterinary ran all kinds of tests & blamed it on the dog food. I checked with other people feeding the Coop., dog food & they had problems also with their dogs. The Nutri Source runs a dollar a pound but is worth it, the dogs eat less & poop less & are healthy.

[allenjames32]

The cheapest no grain is "call of wild" Just go to petsmart or anhytyhing like that. They have puppy, SR, and so many flavors. They say mix them so the dog doesnt get bored, unless its a old or young dog. THen use the pup/or SR

[Freedom]

I agree you need to start reading labels and educate yourself. Here is a good place to start:
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/

Read some reviews for 6 star - high quality food. THEN, read some reviews for a 2 star food. You will learn plenty!

[ilovepets10]

Thank you so much for posting this thread you guys!

I am new to this whole thing, I know that sounds awful, but all you can do is admit your mistakes, learn from them and move forward. That being said, I am trying to figure out the best food for my money.

I am super broke right now, but I need a high protein diet for my 10 1/2 month old pitbull, Lola bear

I am paying about $0.45 per pound now, but I think I could take it up to about $0.85 per pound. Anyone have any thoughts on a good high protein dry dog food for my Lola?

I would really appreciate all the help.