Questions for those who buy top-quality dog food....?

Question

I always thought the food I fed my dogs was of decent quality, but I checked out www.dogfoodanalysis.com someone had posted. Turns out my dogs' food is only one star. :(

Where do you buy your top-quality food? (I noticed Innova and Canidae are popular choices...so food like that.)

If the food is not specifically marked for "large breeds," is there anything in particular on the ingredient list that large breeds really need or something I need to steer clear of?

I also noticed many of the good foods had garlic on their ingredient list...is this not a concern?

Finally, can you just give me a price estimate for how much you pay for your good food...you don't have to tell me the specific brand. (ex. $30 for a 40lb. bag)

Sorry...lots of questions...enlighten me!

Answer 1

I buy Merrick pet food.
http://www.merrickpetcare.com/
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=167&cat=all

It's a little pricey, it runs around $12-$15 for a 5 pound bag, but I have a small dog, so the price really isn't an issue for me because my dog doesn't eat much. I buy it at a local dog boutique.

There are other brands that are cheaper than that and still good quality. For example, Chicken Soup brand dog food runs about $1 per pound I believe.

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"Big box" petstores like Petco and Petsmart rarely have quality foods. Also, grocery stores and Walmart aren't good places to buy food either.

Your best bets for getting quality dog food are:
- small, locally owned petstores
- dog boutiques
- farm supply stores

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It doesn't matter if the food says "small breed" or "large breed", there isn't much different except the size of the kibble pieces.

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It is okay if the food has garlic in it. Garlic in small quantities is fine for dogs, there is a minimal amount in dog food. (You wouldn't want to give your dog a full clove of garlic to eat though.)

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Here is my normal shpeel on choosing a dog food:


Read the ingredients on the food you buy. Go with a high quality dog food. A grain should not be in the first couple ingredients ingredient (corn and such are mainly fillers, dogs don't digest it well). Avoid foods that have a lot of "by products" listed.

Here is an article about byproducts:
http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=ingrd

And an article on what ingredients to avoid:
http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=badingredients

There is no single food that is "best". For example, some dogs thrive on grain-free foods, while grain-free is too rich for other dogs. What you want to find is the high-quality food that *your dog* does best on.

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Some GOOD foods are :
* Merrick - http://www.merrickpetcare.com/
* Solid Gold - http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/
* Canidae - http://www.canidae.com/
* Timberwolf - http://timberwolforganics.com/
* Orijen - http://www.championpetfoods.com/orijen/orijen/
* Wellness - http://www.omhpet.com/wellness/
* Chicken Soup brand - http://www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com/
* Blue Buffalo - http://www.bluebuff.com/
* Innova - http://www.naturapet.com/brands/innova.asp
* Innova EVO - http://www.naturapet.com/brands/evo.asp

Or check this website for good foods: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/
(I recommend only feeding foods rated 4, 5, or 6 stars. Anything 3 stars or less, I would stay away from.)

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Stay away from grocery stores brands. They are low-quality foods chalk full of fillers, preservatives, dyes, etc.. (Grocery store foods are those like Beneful, Old Roy, Alpo, Pedigree, Purina, etc.)

Beware "premium" foods. "Premium" does not mean good nutritionally, and is not a nutritionally high quality food. It has the same types of ingredients as grocery store foods, just a bit better quality of those not-so-good ingredients. (Premium foods are those like Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet, etc..)

Another thing to be wary of: A lot of vets will recommend what they sell in their office. They get profit from the brands they keep on their shelves, that's why they push it. Truth is, vet schools don't focus a lot on nutrition. It's not saying that a vet is a bad vet because he recommends those foods, a lot of vets just are told "this is good food", so they pass the message along without proper nutrition knowledge. Also, some dog food brands (like Hills) support vet schools, so vets have heard of it from the time they start college, which makes them think it's good as well.

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Higher quality food may seem more expensive at first, but it evens out. The higher quality the food, the less fillers eaten (and therefore the less poop comes out the other end). Your dog eats more to try to get the nutrition it needs, and most of the food just passes right on through. Also, it will make your animals healthier, so you save money on vet bills in the long run.

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When switching foods, do it gradually. I do this over about a two week timespan:
25% food A, 75% food B
50% food A, 50% food B
75% food A, 25% food B
100% food A
.

Answer 2

When feeding a dog, there are some of the best foods on the market that might not be one your dog tolerates well. It seems clear there are some that are poor choices.
Garlic is not bad when added to dog food or treats because anything sold will have it in a beneficial amount, not anything that would be toxic to a dog.
I pay just under 40 dollars for a forty lb. bag of my dogs food.
Some large breeds need lower protein food, like a lot of Great Danes. Some large breeds benefit from added glucosamine and chondroitin in the food.
Linoleic acid is something that should be at least above 2 percent in dog food. Many foods incl some premium foods have less.
I feed my dogs a brand that is not so high in protein but has no corn or wheat or artificial dyes and no BHA/BHT for preservative. People may not realize it, but there are human foods preserved with this crap and that have dyes and such in them. This is why people that are health conscious look at ingredients and learn how to read them.
Mine isn't on a six star list. But I did see one food that was rated top billing and a premium blend that was recalled. Now it won't disclose where it is made. I find that disturbing. If I want to know where the chickens are slaughtered that I eat, I can do a web search and find out where. So what do these dog food companies, high rated or low, have to hide?

Answer 3

I feed my dogs Merrick kibble and canned foods.
You can find the best choices in dog food at local feed shops or small pet stores. As long as the pet store does not sell puppies, go ahead and get it there.
Also, visit some small grooming shops as they tend to have some better choices as well.
I would not worry about feeding your dog a "large-breed" formula, as there is not that much difference otherwise.

I buy a 45 pound bag of Merrick for about $50. The cans cost about $1.39 each.

I would not worry too much if the food has garlic in it...it is when your dog consumes a whole garlic heart when you should worry.

Aim for the 5-star foods such as Merrick, Canidae, Nature's Variety, Natural Balance, Nature's Recipe, Innova EVO, California Natural, Castor and Pollux, or By Nature Organics

Some of these brands can be found at Petsmart or Petco.

Or if you simply cannot find any of these specialty stores for the brand you want, try this website:

www.petfooddirect.com

And some brands offer direct buying from their website, as Merrick does, with Free shipping!

www.merrickpetcare.com

Hope this helps!!

Answer 4

When did chicory, carrots, peas, apples and cranberry become dog food ingredients? There isn't much real difference between these foods. One uses chicken and turkey, the other only uses chicken. Neither uses corn or wheat. The biggest difference is the fruits and vegetables in the chicken soup brand. Both are made by the same company and its a good bet that the major ingredients come from the same sources. Unless there is an allergy problem your dog will be fine with either food. Feed whichever one is easier to get. The prices are close enough to the same, especially considering how little one pomeranian will eat. If you were feeding a working dog you might notice a difference between those foods but not with a normal family pet.

Answer 5

I feed my dogs Timberwolf Organics Wild and Natural, which according to that site is a 6 star food. My dogs LOVE it and I like to try to stay with a food that is grain free because my little guy tends to have allergies to lots of things, but itches less when on this food and on the Orijen that I trade off with every few months (also a 6 star food).

I pay about $37 Canadian for the 16.5 lb bag and it lasts my 3 dogs (2 Shih-tzus and a medium size yellow labX) about a month. I buy it at a small local pet store. With the high quality Kibble I think the only difference between the ones for the large breeds and the ones for the smaller breeds is the actual size of the kibble.

Answer 6

I feed my boys Innova Evo. I buy it from the local pet food specialty store...Innova has a store locator on their website (www.naturapet.com). Other good foods: Merrick, Canidae, Artemis, and many others as I'm sure other posters will add. The amount of garlic is minimal, this and the way that it is prepared in the food makes it harmless. Most of the really premium foods should meet the needs of all breeds, and of most age classes. For a 6lb bag of Evo, I pay about $22 (I think??). You can also order some of the good foods online for cheaper, but it kind of equals out with the shipping cost. Good luck!

Answer 7

My vet, trainer and others that I knew recommended Nutro. I switched my yellow lab to this brand from Iams (what he was fed when I got him) and noticed a big difference: in his energy level, in the yard (fewer and smaller landmines) and I actually spent a little less $ on the food, because it is more nutritious I was able to give him much less of it. Those top-rated dog foods may be great, but I've never even seen them, maybe it's a regional thing. I do give my dog the large breed formula because it contains some supplements to help prevent joint pain/deterioration and I give him the Lamb and Rice formula because it's easier on his stomach (he was puking on the other stuff a lot). Hope this helps!

Answer 8

Innova EVO Dry Dog Food 28.6 lb. Bag $49.89
Innova Large Breed Dry Dog Food 33 lb. Bag $52.29
http://www.evopet.com/where-to-buy/
Canidae All Life Stages Dry Dog Food 40 lb. Bag $38.39
http://www.canidae.com/company/storelocator.html

Answer 9

I prefer Eagle Pack!
EaglePack.com
13.5lbs bag is $19.99 at PetValu

I think Dogfoodanalysis.com is BS!!!
80% of the food on there no one have heard of.

There are 56458459475 more brands that are not rated.

Yes, I agree Alpo is definately a 0-1 Star no matter what, but where is all the other crap food, like IAMs, Ol Roy, basically things you get from Walmart.

Where is Eagle Pack, Solid Gold, Merricks, Natural Choice?

Talk to your veterinarian, ask how they feel.
And if your vet recommends IAMs, FIND A NEW VET.

Answer 10

Top brand dog foods are very expensive. I recommend Hills, Eukanuba, and Royal Canin. These are good foods for more of a reasonable price. The reason dogs are fed higher quality food is for nutrition. Dogs do not need a lot of fat in their diet. Reading the label can sometimes be useless because it does not say the amount of fat. Fat of course comes from meat, and the ingredients say meat...so which part of the meat is it? the fat? or the good stuff? Large breed food is more of a concern when they are puppies. It keeps them from growing to fast for the rate at which they should. Most foods are acceptable for any breed.