What is the best dog food to give your dog?...?

Answer 1

I feed raw myself, but feed innova when my kids have to feed my dogs maybe only once a month.

ANY grocery store dog food or farm supply food are NO GOOD.

The food science diet promoted by your vet is crap also, people tend to think that their vet will recommend the best dog food, the truth is this dog food has been promoted to them and they sell it to get a 40 percent profit on what they sell.
Keep in mind vets are pet doctors NOT nutritionists in dog food.

here is a bit of info on a scoring guide.

How to grade your dog's food: 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", "brewers 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 3points
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 is not allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points
14) If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog is not allergic to beef), subtract 1 point
15) If it contains salt, 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 "" 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

Score:
94-100+ = A 86-93 = B 78-85 = C 70-77 = D 69 and below = 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

This will give you an idea on good foods to feed and the bad foods.
science diet the dog food the vets promote and people promote because their vet recommends it has a big fat F.

Answer 2

Depends on what you want and how much you are willing to spend. There are dog foods that specialize in hypoallergenics, skin and coat, prescription diets, active dogs, weight control, etc.

Many dog enthusiasts are now pushing RAW or BARF diets rather than kibble. There are some high quality kibbles available such as EVO, California Natural, etc that you can purchase at a pet food store but not your supermarket. Finally, there are a number of so-called "premium" foods at Walmard (but these do not compare to the previously mentioned alternatives).

Answer 3

I will start with some pointers on how and what is best NOT to feed:

I consider canned and packeted dog food a waste of money. It also sticks to your dog's teeth and accelerates dental decay. Add your own warm water to your regular brand kibble if you think "soupy" is a good change. Do not leave moistened foods out for long periods. Though the canine system can handle bacteria better than ours, soured food can cause health issues.

Generic and "cheap" dogfoods by law must still be nutritionally complete, but they usually have high ash, "filler" and contaminant ratios. Byproduct quality is minimal. Never feed a regular diet of these. Pay now for quality foods, or pay later with health issues and vet bills.

Never feed your dog soon before or after exercise or stress. It can cause bloat and stomach tortion. Learn about this, as it kills dogs in a very short time and painful manner. Most large breeds are prone to this but any canine can succumb. It is a condition that must be remedied by a Vet and can require an expensive operation to save your friend's life.

Not all table scraps are bad...or good. Too much fat at one time leads to intestinal instability and loose stools. Occasional small doses for a house pet is ok. Chocolate is a slow poison to the canine system, do not feed ever! Too many "holiday feast treats" can disrupt your dogs nutritional balance. Place them in the feed bowl to discourage bad table manners, and omit a portion of kibble for weight control. Overfeeding your dog is a common mistake, don't kill "em with kindness!

That said, we all would like to feed "the best", but dog food is usually too low a priority in the budget. High end organic and specialized foods are not usually fed in most households. Also the age/stage of life and activity level of your animal will dictate what is "best" to feed.

Purina/Pedigree dog foods have proven worthy over the years. I have fed Pedigree products for ages because I consider them cost effective quality. I will feed no less.

Eukanuba/Iams has become my more recent choice since I have been educated to their higher quality. I think Iams is more cost effective than Eukanuba. There is also a noticable decrease in the quantity of solid waste that needs to be cleaned from the yard.

Dogs are omnivorous, so teach your puppy to eat it's vegetables. They make low cost, nutritional, low calorie training aids and treats. Cooked chicken and beef liver bits are high protein, low cost replacements for the junk treats offered off the shelf, consider making a batch and keeping them handy in the freezer. Rawhide chews can be a choking hazard to puppies, so I replace them with carrots and celery. Treat it like a toy and so might the puppy.

Changing foods often or abruptly is not as good as some think. Also, fasting your dog regularly has proven healthful. Some breeds self fast so do not be too concerned if a healthy dog chooses not to eat for a few days. An ill dog will "go off feed" be watchful and get a Vet check.

Read the labels, observe your animal, and educate yourself about canine husbandry...your best friend will love you for it!

Answer 4

A dog food that is natural, not containing things like peanut hulls or soy (bad things for dogs... in fact, even for people... I didnt know it, but soy & peanut hulls can suppress thyroid function... my dog was on a dog food I didn't know was soy-based, cuz I never thought to look for bad ingredients in my dog's food, and after a time, his thyroid went to pot).

I've got my dog on Blue Buffalo lamb & brown rice adult dog formula now... it's all natural, no soy or any other fillers... I get it from Petsmart. I also considered buying PetGuard Lifespan Chicken for dogs, from AzureStandard... it looks like a pretty good one, but I have yet to try it out. It's all-natural, too.

I'd say just pick one that's well-balanced, natural, and contains what your dog needs... if you can't find one that fits all his/her needs, find one that's close, and supplement with vitamins, dog biscuits, and other treats (make sure all those are natural/good ingredients, too... I was surprised to see what came in these things!...sugar, colors added.. it's insane! Dogs don't need it!)

Answer 5

Nutro Lamb and Rice
Nutro pet food for dogs and cats contain only the highest quality ingredients. No chicken by-products, no ground yellow corn

Answer 6

ProPlan Performance

Answer 7

most dog foods are good. but the best are the ones with the first three ingredients being meats or protein byproducts or chicken or lamb. Check the ingredients if the first or second is corn or soy Dont buy it.

Answer 8

There are many great foods out there--It depends on your dog--All dogs like and dislike different things--I feed Canidae and its a great food--BUT everyone has their own thoughts--Do some research online and see what you think---

Answer 9

It's hard to get (and I can't get it!) but Bil Jac frozen dog food. It's mostly meat but it's not raw so the dogs can digest it better and it has other ingredients to make it nutritionally compltete.

Answer 10

Iams or Bill Jack Frozen