Best dog food for longer life...........?

Question

Hi! We have two labs (hence the nick :p). Currently, we feed Iams, or if not available, store brand equivalent to Iams. But what's the best brand in your experience for a longer life for your dog(s)? Is there such a proven product?
Thanks!

Answer 1

I've done extensive research on dog food, as I also have two black labs. Rule of thumb - no dog food that you can purchase in a grocery store is good for your dog. Look at the first four ingredients on any dog food you purchase, if any of those ingredients are corn or a corn product, put that product back. Corn causes hot spots and other allergic conditions in most dogs. Amazingly, one of the best dog food out there is the Kirkland brand from Costco. They have no corn or no wheat (another filler that can cause allergies). It also has glucosamine chrondroitin which helps with joint health (while not exactly extending their life, at least it extends their comfort in life). My dogs coats are extremely shiny and they have no skin issues at all. Besides Kirkland, there's a brand at pet stores called Nature's Recipe, which has no fillers and is a bit less than most other premium dog foods.

Hope this helps and give your pups pats on the head for me. I love labs!

Answer 2

I think it's all a matter of personal choice and it depends on the dog. Some dogs do better on certain food than other. And personally, I don't think any one brand of food is proven to lengthen a dogs life.

My dad raised German Shorthaired Pointers when I was a kid...he fed them Dad's. I remember the one dog died at 14.

I have a 17 yr old dog...I fed her Dad's for about 8 years, then I heard it was a "terrible" food, I switched to Pedigree for some years, then the past 5 years she has been on Natural choice senior. Her skin and coat are great and her overall health is fine..well, aside from the normal old age problems.
So, Im thinking that if Dads was such a terrible food, my dog should have had all kinds of problems by the time she was 8.

Answer 3

I can't testify to longest lived, but my terrier had skin problems until I found a dog food that eliminated it. Nutro Natural Choice seems to be very good quality and is available at the big pet stores. I didn't have luck with iams or even the canidae. The thing that is not good for them is switching their food. Stick with the one you decide on and don't change it. Changing their dog food is said to affect their health so that is something to research.
Also, be sure of the source of protein in the dog food. The label could say "chicken" but apparently it could include low quality chicken parts such as beaks and feathers so I'd make sure the label clarified the quality of the protein.

Answer 4

I like Eukanuba and so does my vet. Its more expensive but my dogs coats look great and their activity level show it as well. Food alone does not alone increase the life span of a dog. Its a # of things that work together to prolong the life of a dog. Dental care is very important and by doing this you should feed a dry kibble, allow chewing on bones, rawhides and such to keep the gums healthy and remove tartar buildup. 85% of dogs by the age of 3 have dental problems and some of these issues include heart problems and no food can stop this. Control of fleas w/frontline or advantage or other better name brand flea controls out there need to be applied monthly. Worm control also. So you see that to prolong the life of your dog takes more then the quality of food you feed. This is definitely needs to be done but goes along w/other areas of concern as well. Dont forget your vaccinations either. Adequate exercise to stay fit and to make sure your dog does not get overweight either.

Answer 5

This is a very personal choice. You ask 10 people what the best food is, and you'll get 10 different answers. Overall, the quality of food has vastly improved over the years, and dogs will do well on almost any brand. Compare ingredients, and choose one that has the least amount of fillers and fat. It also depends on your dogs' activity level, if they are hunting or running etc. they may need to be on performance food.

Breeders I know are actually using the Kirkland brand from Costco, it is much cheaper, and the quality is very good.

Good Luck!!

Answer 6

My dog gets Bil Jac and we get it from PetSmart. We have had him on Purina Pro Plan, Hill's Science Diet, Hill's Prescription Diet, Natural Choice and Bil Jac is by far the best food for him. He has allergies and a sensitive stomach and Bil Jac is the only food that doesn't make him vomit or make his skin itch and stink. We have really seen a big difference in the way he acts and his skin and coat since he has been eating the Bil Jac. It's a little more expensive, but we have seen the positive changes in him and he's worth every penny.

Answer 7

The Hills company who makes Science Diet claims to promote a longer life. They ahve added antioxidants to some of their food in an effort to stave off dibilating dieases and provide better nutrition to body systems. As far as feeding IAMS, since the IAMS co. was sold to Proctor and Gambel , the standards have not been kept up and it's about the same quality as Purina Dog chow or Pedigree. Check out www.iamskills.com

Answer 8

iams tends to be high in corn, and causes a lot of allergies in dogs. i've been in the animal business for 16 yrs and have seenthis happen over and over again. there are many good foods to feed your dogs. here are a few to consider:
royal canin
canidae
nature's variety
natural chioce
wellness
eagle
innova

you want something that is nutritionally complete, WITHOUT corn, wheat or soy, that use a high quality meat protein. i personally feed my 2 dobes, GSD, walker hound and 15 yr old standard poodle the natures'variety mixed with the honest kitchen raw diets. poodle is 15 yrs old with NO health problems!!!!!!!

Answer 9

I only have one Chesapeake so I'm not sure how qualified I am to answer - she has done best on Royal Canin, Nutro, and Purina Beneful. One very important thing to watch out for is keeping the dogs weight under control - too much weight is bad for all a dog's systems.

Answer 10

I think we have tried it all, and when we had a feeding disaster using Vet recommended Walmart foods, we switched to Purina One. Currently the Lamb and rice formula...with Yogurt.
We also use the Chicken "One" by Purina also.
We tried the Walmart foods our Vet suggested with disastrous results. The dogs had false pregnancies, and the kennel lost most of it's hair.
We got back on track and the dogs are happier on the Purina One. Recently we have had 3 healthy litters born.