I feed my 3 year old lhasa mix Purina One Lamb & Rice Formula. I've recently been told that it's crap dog food, bad for my dog, and that I should switch.
My dog is actually a healthy weight. He is not allergic to his food, and his coat is soft and fluffy. He eliminates regularly and without much mess. From my point of view, he's doing just fine on his food.
But is there another reason that I'm overlooking? Is there a reason that I should change his food to a more quality brand even though he seems to be doing fine?
2007-01-02 13:46:45 · 14 answers · asked by Pink Denial 6 in Pets ➔ Dogs
These are all very helpful answers so far, despite all the thumbs down that suddenly appeared. Thanks, and keep them coming!
2007-01-02 14:46:53 · update #1
I have often heard that "supermarket brand" dog foods are all bad for animals. But, I have also heard bad things about some of the brand name foods as well. Then there are the people who will only feed a raw food diet to the dog.
Look at the ingredients of the dog food and see what you think. Check with your vet, as well. If the dog is doing well and has a great coat - why change? It also depends on other sources of nutrient. I changed to Nutro Choice Natural and my dogs are doing awesome. But, they also get cottage cheese, yogurt, some table scraps, sardines and occasionally raw meat added to there daily kibble.
Just remember to never switch cold turkery. You will upset your dogs digestive system big time and land up with a mess. Wean your dog from food type to another.
2007-01-02 14:50:31 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Here's the 2006 list from the Whole Dog Journal. These are highest quality foods. Most of these are not carried at large chain stores but you can usually find them at small pet stores, feed and grain stores, etc.
Artemis: www.artemispetfood.com
Azmira: www.azmira.com
Back to Basics: www.beowulfs.com
Bench & Field Holistic Natural Canine: www.benchandfield.com
Blue Buffalo: www.bluebuff.com
Burns: www.bpn4u.com
by Nature BrightLife: www.bynaturepetfoods.com
California Natural: www.naturapet.com
Canidae: www.canidae.com
Canine Caviar: www.caninecaviar.com
Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul: www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com
Cloud Star Kibble: www.cloudstar.com
Drs. Foster & Smith: www.drsfostersmith.com
Eagle Pack Holistic Select: www.eaglepack.com
Evolve: www.evolvepet.com
Firstmate Dog Food: www.firstmate.com
Flint River Ranch: www.flintriver-pet-food.com
Foundations: www.petcurean.com
Fromm Four Star Nutritionals: www.frommfamilyfoods.com
Go! Natural: www.petcurean.com
Hund-N-Flocken: www.solidgoldhealth.com
Innova: www.naturapet.com
Innova Evo: www.naturapet.com
Karma Organic: www.karmaorganic.com
Lick Your Chops: www.healthypetfoodsinc.com
Lifespan: www.petguard.com
Limited Diets: www.royalcanin.us
Merrick Pet Foods: www.merrickpetcare.com
Mmillennia: www.solidgoldhealth.com
Natural Balance Ultra Premium: www.naturalbalanceinc.com
Natural Choice Ultra: www.nutroproducts.com
Newman's Own Organics: www.newmansownorganics.com
NutriSource: www.nutrisourcedogfood.com
Organix: www.castorpolluxpet.com
Performatrin Ultra: www.performatrinultra.com
PHD Viand: www.phdproducts.com
Pinnacle: www.breeders-choice.com
Prairie: www.naturesvariety.com
Premium Edge: www.premiumedgepetfood.com
Prime Life: www.ompetproducts.com
Royal Canin Natural Blend: www.royalcanin.us
Timberwolf Organics: timberwolforganics.com
VeRUS: www.veruspetfoods.com
Wellness: www.oldmotherhubbard.com
Wellness Simple Food Solutions: www.oldmotherhubbard.com
Wenawe: www.wenawe.com.uy
Wysong: www.wysong.net
Zinpro: www.lincolnbiotech.com
2007-01-02 15:54:27 · answer #2 · answered by chris 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
My advice is to read the label on the dog food bag. It is very important to select a dog food without artificial coloring or preservatives. Since dogs are smaller than people these additional chemical ingredients are much more harmful to them than to people. Most dogs only have a 10-15 year life span, they should be optimally nourished to prevent health problems in their senior years.
A lot of dog foods have red dye added, which doesn't make much sense because dogs are color blind for the most part. They see blues but not reds. It doesn't make the food any more appealing to the dog to add colored dyes. Also look for additional nitrates and nitrites, known as free radicals which play a role in cancer development later in life. The first two ingredients listed on the bag of Purina ProPlan that I currently feed my dogs are chicken and brewers rice.The rest of the ingredients are corn and other grains,vitamins and minerals,no colorings, no preservatives.If in doubt double check with your vet. If you decide to switch to a different brand, do it gradually by mixing the new food in with the previous brand over the course of a week or two until your dog is totally on the new food. Good luck to you and I hope this helps. :)
2007-01-02 14:04:08 · answer #3 · answered by pinkduck 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Well better quality food is better for the dog. There may not be visible signs that the dog is not really healthy but if you saw me you'd say the same thing. I'm a slightly overweight person but I dont' have any noticeable health issues and I feel fine. However, if I were to get my blood checked and have a full check up a doctor may find something else.
Stay away from foods that contain any corn, soy, wheat or sorghum. Often dogs are allergic to beef, but not always.
You say your dog doesn't have any allergies but have you had him tested for allergies? The first sign of a food allergy in a dog is licking/chewing their paws and/or their tail frequently.
2007-01-02 13:52:47 · answer #4 · answered by stacythetrainer 3 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Usually if there's not a problem with your dog, the food is fine. When I told my vet I gave my dog Purina, she said that was fine...Until about a year ago when she started having bladder problems, then the vet suggested switching to a prescription food to control some of the ingredients. I'd say, ask you vet...they'll know your dog's health best.
2007-01-02 14:21:26 · answer #5 · answered by Shannon G 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Purina is loaded with grains and not as much meat. Dogs have evolved so that they have no use for carbohydrates. If you look at the ingredients, I bet you'll see a lot of "by-products". By-products are everything in the meat that people don't want to eat (Skin, bones, blood, the lesser parts of meat, etc.) and the rest of the food is just about as good as floor sweepings. I agree, switch your dog.
2007-01-02 13:51:55 · answer #6 · answered by Judgerz 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Purina One is like feeding your dog hamburgers and hot dogs every day. It is not the best for them, but it isn't the worst for them either.
If your dog is doing just fine, don't change his food. By changing his food at this age, you may mess up his system. Personally I wouldn't change his food. If his system gets more sensitive in the future, I would consider it then, but not now.
2007-01-02 13:57:18 · answer #7 · answered by Katslookup - a Fostering Fool! 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
I feed my dog Purina Alpo and she is fine. I fed her the dog food that lists meat first and all she did was have diarrhea. I mix her dry food with a little good quality wet food and she loves it.
Don't switch his food because of someone's opinion....... opinions are like a*sholes, everybody has one!
2007-01-02 14:02:08 · answer #8 · answered by moobiemuffin 4 · 1⤊ 3⤋
who told you that the food you are feeding your dog is bad? if it is a vet, then you would probably take his advice. but if it was a friend(yes, friends can sometimes be wrong) or a stranger, then from your point of view, your dog is perfectly fine and healthy with the food u r feeding it. : - D
2007-01-02 13:52:45 · answer #9 · answered by vanilla cake 4 · 0⤊ 4⤋
HI
If your dog is doing good on it do not change it all commercial foods are crap, I can not find any food that my dogs do weel on if its not broke to you don't fix it, I am glad to here your dog is doing well on its food, I'd just leave well enough alone when you start changing you will be dealing with diarhea and all kinds of other gastrineal problems.
Lammy
2007-01-02 13:52:09 · answer #10 · answered by Clammy S 5 · 1⤊ 4⤋