Best Dog Food?

Question

I see a lot of people giving food advice on Y/A. I see recommendations from Iams and Purina, which I personally think are fine foods, to a raw food diet which I do not agree with. For those who know about food, what food do you think is best for dogs, why, and where did you get your information? Credible information. I found one person on here who actually sounds like she knows what she is talking about. She is an LVT who specializes in Nutrition. That is her Job. But for everyone else, where do you get your information from? I just wonder because I hear so much food talk, and I don't know who is really right. I don't have a dog yet, I am planning to adopt a dog soon.

I have learned about Iams. The testing they do is feeding dogs Iams. They don't do any harmful tests, they just feed the dog Iams, and see how they respond, and make any changes they need to based on their information. I haven't found any credible source that suggests they abuse animals.

Answer 1

Two of my dogs eat Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance. Our new puppy eats Fromm Large Breed Puppy Gold (Actually Fromm's Gold Nutritionals and Four-Star Nutritionals are holistic. Their Classic formulas are not holistic, so I would not use them.)

I have had extensive nutritional training at work from Hills, which includes both their over the counter Science Diet formulas and their Prescription diets for both dogs and cats. By nutritional training I mean a very thick manual with tests at the end of each chapter, as well as, representatives from Hills coming to speak to our staff. We also sell prescription diets made by Royal Canin, Eukanuba, and Purina. We are required to know about those formulas as well. The only over the counter food we sell is Science Diet.

If a client asks me what I feed my dogs and why, I tell them. I don't come across as all-knowing, because I don't know everything. But I won't lie to them. There is a way to discuss it without coming on too strong. Some of our doctors are even recommending Natural Balance Venison and Brown Rice or Fish and Sweet Potato over the brands we carry for dogs with allergies, because they've seen the good results I've had with the Venison formula.

Science Diet and Eukanuba/Iams spend a lot of money to promote their food at vet's offices. Science Diet is a better food than a lot of the grocery store brands, and some of our vets believe in it wholeheartedly, while others recommend more holistic foods. I personally have seen excellent results with some of the prescription diets, and would NEVER tell a client not to use it for their dog's particular problem when a vet has prescribed it. Holistic vets may prescribe a homemade diet, which I believe in, too, if the pet is under their care.

Royal Canin has prescription diets that are a little better geared towards being a little more natural than the other major companies. Maybe someday they'll all be made with better ingredients. As long as my dogs are healthy and don't require a prescription diet, I'm going to stick with what I know are better quality holistic foods. There are many others I would recommend such as Canidae, Solid Gold, Wellness, California Natural, and Innova, to name a few.

Over the years I've learned that you have to protect your dog's immunity. A good immune system will help your dog to fight off many health problems, as well as, give their bodies the ability to heal faster. In my opinion, this begins with a diet free of by-products, corn, artificial preservatives, and free of protein sources that are basically unfit for human consumption. I don't want that going into my dogs. Two books I would recommend for anyone questioning if their dog food is good are Ann N. Martin's "Foods Pets Die for" and "Protect Your Pet."

I don't know everything about dog food, but I've done a lot of reading on my own and have a lot of training at work. If you're interested in ratings on great foods, check out "Whole Dog Journal." Their last issue had the ratings of the best foods in their opinion. Really good issue. Hope this helps!

Answer 2

I get my information from experience and from my spouse who studied nutrition of different premium foods. As far as the raw diet goes, I know you may be opposed to it but I have three rescue dogs that had skin and coat issues galore and the raw diet kept their coats in the very best shape as well as their overall health. The info I got for raw diet is do-it-yourself and not prepackaged raw for purchase. http://www.rawdogranch.com
As far as brands of foods, some are quite similar but here are some significant differences.
If your dog food has BHT or BHA listed as preservatives, these are found to be cancer causing. Wheat and corn are major allergens for dogs that are allergy prone and this can cause skin and coat problems. Soy is not good for dogs and is a product at least one former premium brand has added or switched in its formula without announcing this to the public.
One high fiber premium brand food often pushed by Vets has peanut hulls in it for fiber. Also not good.
Many of the commercial foods get their meat from downed animals and other meat sources including other dead animals even some that have been euthanized, and if one had a flea collar on, that would be in the rendered mess too.
Reject meat, styrofoam and all can be included in the mix. Just do some digging around and you will find out the facts. I know about this first hand with one of the first premium foods when they had a recall and a pet supply distributor was telling us what all went into the food. This was in the eighties. Way before food companies were criticised for what went into the mix.
That is another reason I like the raw diet. You know the quality of the meat and other foods you put in their diet.
Now, dogs by nature were scavangers and ate carcasses, garbage etc. to survive. Stray dogs do it today. They don't die from it and some even thrive.
Doesn't mean that is what I would want to feed my dog. I do use a commercial food that is a premium brand but if I was not able to supply my dog with that and was provided Iams or Pedigree I'd be greatful that my dogs could eat. We'd adjust. A neighbor feeds her dog Pedigree and the dog's coat and skin are fine. If I fed that to my dogs who had skin problems prior to diet changes, they would get very sick.
So it depends on the person and their finances but if a person can afford to feed their dog something healthy they should be able to. I know if I had a kid, I wouldn't raise them on pop tarts, fruit loops and Big Macs.

Answer 3

I think you figure out what works with your vet and depending on your breed and your particular dog.

If you saw the stuff we go through to feed our dogs you'd just crack up.

1 allergy dog (lab)- she's easy Royal Canin Venison and Potato - nothing else at all.

3 other labs and cocker mix - Iams Less active food, 1 tbsp missing link plus, 1/2 cup green beans, omega oil capsule, tablespoon or 2 of plain lowfat yogurt, twice a day. Once a week they split a can of pumpkin.

To this mess I add water.

The green beans and water add volume to keep tthem from feeling hungry. They only get 1 cup of iams 2 x per day. The yogurt is for ears and coat, missing link plus is for ears, coat and joints.

This works for my dogs. Their coats are beautiful, the stay lean, the don't have shedding problems and they are all healthy. I talk to my vet about this and she suggested pumpkin on occasion as a treat.

I'm not as nuts as some people but I will do whatever they need.

Answer 4

Many brands are ok its the ingredients you have to look out for all dog food manufacterers make junk foods. Purina, iams, petigree blue seal all of them. Look at the labels. You want a food with no by products, meat or otherwise you dont want to know whats in them. Then look for celated minerals there the best. Blue seal has a great line of SUPER PREMIUM FOODS but the regular food stink. Stay away from most store brands. Iams is of in the Premium level foods, Science diet is really good too. Read the labels. Walmart has a really good food to Natural Balance. Most vets will tell you to stay away from raw meat dogs can get sick from them and dont get the nutrition a premade food gives. Check out the Science Diet web site and the Blue seal feeds web site youll see.

Answer 5

Premium dog food is the best such as Candai (I feed that to my dogs) Royal Canin and Eukanuba high performance (My cousin feeds that to her dogs) I saw a huge difference after the dogs ate it for a month their coat improved so much. If you can find it at a grocery store or a walmart it isn't good. You want foods you can only find at petstores. Foods like Iams and Science diet fill it up with fat to make your dogs like shiner there stools are also harder for easier clean up. Not good for the bowels.

Answer 6

Well, after 25 years of feeding MY pets and having to pick up or clean up after my dogs and I have had large (Great Danes, Labs) and small (Chihuahua's and shi tsu) and have fed them everything from iams to Ol roy my dogs have preferred Pedigree and the amount of cleanup is the same as iams with rice and so on so I go with a dogs choice and palette. And I too have heard all of the hype around Iams, Beneful, Science Diet, and such like 'cut the fat', 'add more fat', 'use rice its cuts the clean up' Please come and help clean up after a pair of Danes and bring big shovels and big buckets or have the greeeeenest grass in the back yard with weeee bit of oderrrrrr!! Here's the thing we as humans don't like hamburgers all the time and a switch in flavor is nice, maybe a lil mexican, a lil german, maybe a bit polish, hell a change of pace never hurt anyone. Vets have a stock pile of S.D. and eukanuba Hmmmmm sound like kick back? Soorrry but I have this thing against vets not helping a pet unless they get paid, even humans have a way to get help w/o $$, pets oh well! (sorry, it happened to us, and we went to 3 vets and not one would help unless we has cash in hand and the pet passed on in pain)

Answer 7

I feed all of my animals Natural Balance. No corn and no by products!! Our APBT has very sensitive/dry skin and she has really benefited from the Omega 3's in this brand. I have also seen a noticeable difference in our cats coats. My vet has even commented on how much better my animals are since I've switched. I recommend Natural Balance to everyone!

Answer 8

I admit I am completely obsessed with my dogs' health and what they eat. I have studied and reviewed all the dog food labels and have talked 2 breeders and vets and have come up with the best dog food. "Innova-Evo" it is a no-grain food that is the dry version of the raw diet. It is excellent and my dogs LOVE it. Their coats are shiny and glossy and their eyes are bright and my dogs r very happy and will be healthy. I strongly recommend this food just ask my dogs :)

Answer 9

Science diet Lamb & Rice is tops for my dogs, next in line is Nutro Lamb & Rice. Why do i always choose Lamb? Although it costs slightly more than chicken, it is a known fact that lamb is much better for the skin and coat. Which means lesser shedding of hair, and with the 2 brands I named above, I deal with smaller poo and less odour with the dogs. What you need is for the dog to absorb as much nutrients as possible from the food, and therefore secreting lesser stool. You can get the information from MANY dog forums worldwide, individual food brands websites and do an ingredient comparison.

Answer 10

I'll tell you this, most dogs hate most dog food. I have a dog that I have had for 12 years and he is as healthy as can be. Solid little ball of muscle. He has always eatten Meow Mix cat food or some other dry premium cat food. We have always had cats and I could not keep him from the cat food and he turned his nose up at dog food so I let him have his way.

I have had people tell me cat food is not for dogs but I ask you are not dogs and cats both carnivores? In the wild the feral and bobcats here subsist on the same food sources as the foxes and for that part about the same can be said for the coyotes though I do think a canine will eat some things a selfrespecting cat would not touch.

Premium cat food is formulated for to provide a complete diet for a carnivore.