I am currently on a very tight budget however, I want to feed my dogs a good quailty food.. Any suggestions

Question

I am currently feeding Nature's Variety products and/or Nature's Recipe.............

Answer 1

DO NOT EVER EVER EVER EVER feed your dog a raw diet. This is so unhealthy and bad for your dogs- there is NO research to prove otherwise- just breeders and trainers- ask them how long they went to vet school! Oh this subject just makes me so angry I could spit! I have been a veterinary professional for over 10 years. I am a Licensed Veterinary Technician, and I care and love animals- and I think I know what is best for them. Do you eat raw meat? Would you let your human children eat raw meat? Why would you let your domesticated dog eat raw meat? There is no health benefit to this- actually- it is very unhealthy- as raw meat has so much bacteria in it. The contaminates from the feces of raw meat diets spread in the ground and get in the envirionment and pose a serious human health risk. There is nothing wrong with feeding a commercial pet food- but you have to choose the right one. Eukanuba, Hill's, Purina are all very good and healthy diets, so is Royal Canin and Flint River Ranch. Natural Balance is good as well. You must remember that a cocker spaniel is no more a wolf or a wild animal than a great dane is. Raw is a very bad choice- you will have bad bouts of diarrhea that will never go away, E. coli, salmonella poisoning, just to name a few, and a sick dog that is malnurished. PLease listen to me when I tell you this- this is my job and my passion- I know whatI an talking about I have a degree to back it up and no one is paying me to say this. I hope this helps- just please dont feed raw- it is BAD BAD BAD.

Oh- and dont feed your dog bones at all- that is very dangerous and can cause peritonitis and your dog can die from that. Check out the AVMA and see what they have to say about raw diets. NOT GOOD!

Answer 2

Any of the pet foods that have had AAFCO feeding trials done on them are fine food (it will say on the can or bag). In contrast to what most people believe(which is all hype and myth), the name brand companies are actually quite good about their food and do very good research. I've seen all of the research data and the facility that goes into making Purina pet food and it is all very high quality. If you are on a tight budget, I would pick something like Iams or Purina, or another of the very major grocery store(and pet store) brands. If you feed per feeding guidelines on the package and per your dogs needs, no food is really "less nutrious" per se. You might just be getting more energy packed into a smaller amount of food (which will probably end up costing more).

Some of the more popular "cool" brands to buy (the more expensive fancy ones) aren't actually ever tested and have no real scientific backing behind them, so they aren't necessarily better. Even within a brand, each type of food and product can vary widely.

DO NOT feed the BARF diet, the raw food diet, bones, or any home cooked meal. It is way to hard to balance the meal properly and causes much more problems than people will lead you to believe.

And some of the foods do make your dogs poop more, but they are still getting the proper nutrition, so unless you are bothered by a little more poop, this is nothing to worry about.

For eating amounts to give an example, to counter what someone else said about eating to much, to feed your dog the right amount of food - if you have Brand A and Brand B, well you could feed your dog 3 cups of Brand A to satisfy his needs or 5 cups of Brand B. Just because your dog is physically eating more food, does not mean he's getting more than he needs.

More myths to dispel - 99% of the byproducts in the food are fine. Also, a higher ash content is not a bad thing.

Answer 3

You really want to stay away from Iams, Eukaneba, and anything else they sell at Wal-mart or grocery stores. It has less nutrition, which makes your dog eat more, which in turn makes them poop more. It is bad for the skin and coat too. I would suggest either Nutro (Natural Choice, Max...) or Royal Canin Sensible Choice. They are both cheaper than Iams. They are the highest quality food at an affordible price. You should be able to find them at any pet store, just ask the clerk.

Answer 4

Do not feed him those big brands (Purina, Iams, Eukanuba, etc.)! They have a lot of byproducts in them, which is pretty gross and not all that healthy for your dog. I would suggest the Nutro brand. They have a lot of variety as far as flavors go, its nutritious for your dog, and the taste is supposedly good. They come in both dry and wet, and what they suggest you do is mix the dry with the wet. It's a good combination. You should definitely try that brand.

Answer 5

I have one dog (Aussie/Bulldog mix) who is 14 and according to the vet is in remarkable health. She has been eating Eukanuba since she was 2 (due to beef and lamb allergy). I'm not sure if the quality of the food has anything to do with her health, but she still chases squirrels across the backyard. :)

I guess you have to choose what you feel best about and be consistent.

Answer 6

Try Nature's Choice. High Quality food that is affordable.

Answer 7

I know that a good inexpensive cat food is "Chicken soup for the cat's soul", I know they make a dogfood variety. I would also look at "Sensible Choice" its made by Royal Canin, and I find it to be a good cat food, but they make dog food varieties.

Answer 8

Check out Costco (kirkland brand) you can get 40lbs of quality food for under $20.

Answer 9

Purina One Lamb and Rice is not too expensive. I run a pomeranian rescue and that is what we feed.

Answer 10

Purina... it's not too expensive, but it's a great food