Why kind of dry food do you feed your dogs?

Question

Mine only like the cheap stuff and I worry whether they're getting the proper nutrition. And if I give them something they don't like, they just ignore it and eat cat food.

Answer 1

I give her Iams
if I do give her cheap stuff I mix it with sardines, tuna or egg
as these are really good for the coat & give them vitamins too

Answer 2

I currently feed my dog a mixture of Wellness and Timberwolf Organic. The reason they like the cheap stuff is because the manufacturers spray coat the kibble with oils that smell good to dogs. Since dogs don't have a great sense of taste but an awesome sense of smell, dogfood companies exploit this by selling low quality products that smell delicious to the dogs. If it wasn't spray coated with oils, do you think the dogs would eat it? I highly doubt it, because then they could smell all the crappy ingredients, like corn and wheat, that are in there and would have a hard time smelling the meat that should be there. Dogs should not eat catfood. If you want to get your dogs onto a better quality food, start mixing the good stuff with the cheap stuff for a while. After a week or so go over to the good stuff completely and keep the catfood out of their reach. Eventually they will start eating it, a dog won't completely starve itself, it may go on a short term hunger strike, but it will start eating the dog food. And you will be much happier with their appearance and lower amount of waste.

Answer 3

I prefer to feed dry. You are correct that there have been several recalls and FDA alerts about pet food in the last several years. Since you have a Dachshund, you are lucky that even the most expensive dog food is in reach for a little dog. You can choose to feed anything you wish. Here are some of the better foods: Innova, California Natural, Karma, Healthwise, Prairie, Merrick, Solid Gold, Organix, Wellness Super5mix, Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul. Foods to avoid: ANY food sold at Wal-Mart (seriously, none are good). Nutro Max, Nutro Natural Choice, Pedigree, of course, Ol' Roy...all of these have had quality issues recently. I also wouldn't feed Science Diet, Purina, or Iams (crappy ingredients).

Answer 4

Most dogs will eat the cheap stuff but its not neccessarily good for them. i work in a pet shop and we're trained on the ins and outs of dog food and its not always nice. The stuff you can buy in supermarkets is usually made up of mostly cereal and not many nutrients so the dogs are missing out on everything they need. You'll find as well that their stools (poo) are a lot bigger, smell more and are in general a lot more messy.
If you compare this to premium foods which are the more expensive ones, they're a lot different .Premium foods are well researched and contain everything that dogs need, they don't need any extra food, they're made from meat and meat only instead of cereal and bread. As well they eat a lot less because it is not full of cereal and will keep the dog healthy and fill them up for longer. Their stools will be a lot smaller and not as smelly and they'll be a lot healthier for it.
To wean them on to the premium foods jus mix the two foods together, gradually giving more of the premium food and less supermarket food. You'll find that although the supermarket food is cheap and the premium food a bit more pricey as you're feeding less to your dog the price balances out.
Only give your dogs food in the morning and night, DON'T let them snack on it during the day. If you do they'll be less likely to try the new food because they're not hungry and have had plenty to eat all day.
You can buy premium foods from any pet store and they should know plenty about them and what's in each.
Hope this helps

Answer 5

First thing, take the cat food out of reach or put it in a spot the dog can't get to like though a cat door into a closet.

The food I feed my dog is Science Diet I have reserched every good dog food and that seems to be the best. You want a big enough food that they have to chew and you want a food that will not just crumble when they bite it. The Science Diet allows the dog to bite into it before it breaks apart and so their teeth get cleaned better. Also look for the ingredients, it should say some sort of meat first then a grain next. But be careful if it says chicken MEAL that could mean any part of the chicken not just meat.

Good luck.

Answer 6

You need to move the cat food where they cannot get it....cats have special urinary tract needs and you can damage your dogs kidneys by letting them eat cat food.

As far as switching to a higher end food, mix the two together for a while, at least a week, so their systems have time to adjust and don't get upset tummies and runny poop. After the switch is made, don't give them anything but the new food, they will eat it..they may try to hold out for a day or so, don't panic, they will not usually starve their selves. After about two weeks, you will see they are eating less as the higher end foods already recommended by another poster contain more nutrition and no fillers. Remember you are the boss, like the mommy, and get to decide what is best for them...

I would not add in canned food, you are only appealing to their taste buds. Dry food is necessary to maintain your dogs dental health and recommended above canned food unless your dog has specific nutritional/medical needs that a vet has prescribed the food for.

Answer 7

Look for foods in the independent pet stores . The big box stores do not carry quality products.

Try Orijen--www.championpetfoods.com
Artemis
Azmira
Addiction
Check out whole dog Journal for other suggestions.

The Big name brand stuff is not good, and what the vets suggest and sell is th WORST. I am not mentioning these brands, but just look at the ingredients they still use Chemical preservatives - BHA and BHT. This way they get a two year shelf life.

Answer 8

I feed Innova EVO, it is a grain free food with a very high meat content.

The has been 3 major food recalls in this decade all involved low quality foods with wheat or corn being affected in each recall, non of the premium quality holistic foods have ever been recalled

do you know why your dogs want the cheap stuff? they are addicted to the sugars and salts that are used to make them edible tasting, but this can lead to heart disease, epilepsy, diabetes. and that is why they turn up their nose at better foods, to get over the hump and get them eating better foods you have to be cruel to be kind, that mean refusing to let them have the junk food, and only putting out the good food for them and not giving in, no healthy dog will starve themselves, they may hold out hoping you will feel sorry for them and give in but it you don't eventually they will get hungry enough to eat the better food, they are a lot like children if you spoil a child and given them junkfoods they are not going to want to eat the nutritious stuff and they will through a temper trantrum and refuse to eat if you try.

Cheep foods is like feeding you child a diet entirely of chocopuffs and milk and a flintstones vitamin every day day in day out , it will keep the child alive but their teeth and health will suffer over time because the diet is not fit to produce good health and strong muscle

Answer 9

We have toy breeds, and I feed them Pedigree Toy Breed.
I mix it with cooked chicken, and a little garlic powder. They love it - all 3 !!!! You have to be careful if iyou don't feed them a proper diet, you have to suppliment it with vitamins, or they can develop skin problems, and other deficiencies.

I have tried many many brand of dry food, but this is one that all three will eat. I have tried Eukanuba, Science Diet, Nature's Recipe, Iams, Biljac, Purina, and more. I really like Nature's Recipe, because it has many wonderful ingredients in it, but it's kind of pricey, and only 2 of the dogs like it. So I went back to pedigree. Try the Nature's Recipe. If you have a PetSmart in your city, they have a money back guarentee.
Just try giving your dogs a little and see if they like it, if not, PetSmart will take it back!! Good Luck

Answer 10

Read your ingredients. Dogs need more than just fillers. A lot of the cheap ones , all you get is the stuff that they don't really need. We use Large Breed Eukanuba for our shepherds. If your dog is large, or older pay attention to the variety for that type dog. Good luck on a a healthy life for your dog.
Cat food is not nutritionally adequate for your dog.

Answer 11

Dogs eat almost everything. For example:

My mom's colleague is a voluntary worker of the ASD and she feeds her dogs fruits for mealtime. As long as not grapes, guava, sour stuffs, it will be ok.
For my family: We feed dryfood of kinds. As in, they don't like eating the same thing over and over again. Spare it a thought like how us humans feel. Yet again, to let it have proper nutrition, read the packaging for info. Sometimes veg, for body builder and chicken flavour for pleasing the dogs.