Pedigree a bad Dog Food ????

Question

Well , I answered somebody at Yahoo questions regarding dog Food Choices and I said I thought Pedigree was a good dog Food. However I got a lot of thumbs down and now i,am actually worried that I,am not feeding my dog,s good food:(However it was recommended by my vet. ( I have a 50lbs lab mix and a 7 lbs Yorkie) It would be nice to stick with something they can both eat. Please help me on that one. Thanks guys !!! Nic :)

Answer 1

Pedigree isn't a good dog food, it's pretty much the bottom of the barrel.

Here are the first 5 ingredients (all of the ingredients are important, but the first 5 make up the majority of the food):
(1)Ground yellow corn - indigestible, low-quality filler grain (undesirable ingredient)
(2) meat and bone meal - mystery meat (undesirable ingredient)
(3) corn gluten meal - low quality binder (undesirable ingredient)
(4) chicken by-product meal - chicken "leftovers" (undesirable ingredient)
(5) animal fat (preserved with bha/bht) - fat from "mystery animals", and BHA & BHT are believed to be carcinogens (undesirable ingredient)

Here is a review of the food:
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=3&cat=all

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Read the ingredients on the food you buy. Go with a high quality dog food.

Here is my "short list" of rules when I am looking at dog ingredients:
1) When I chose a dog food, I chose one high meat content. I want to see preferably at least 2-3 out of the top 5 ingredients be meat or meat meal (first ingredient must be!).
2) I want to see higher quality grains, such as barley, brown rice, and oatmeal, instead of seeing wheat and corn. Or an alternative starch/carbohydrate such as potatoes or sweet potatoes.
3) I don't want to see any byproducts.
4) I don't want to see a lot of fillers.
5) I don't want to see preservatives that are believed to be carcinogens (BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin).
6) I don't want to see artificial colorings such as the Red, Blue, and Yellow dyes.
7) I don't want to see added sugars (sugar, corn syrup).
8) I don't want to see mystery meats (meats identified only as "meat" or "poultry".)

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

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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.

Some GOOD foods are :
* Artemis - http://www.artemiscompany.com/
* California Natural - http://www.naturapet.com/brands/california-natural.asp
* Canidae - http://www.canidae.com/
* Chicken Soup - http://www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com/
* EVO - http://www.naturapet.com/brands/evo.asp
* Fromm - http://www.frommfamily.com/
* Innova - http://www.naturapet.com/brands/innova.asp
* Merrick - http://www.merrickpetcare.com/
* Nature's Variety - http://www.naturesvariety.com/
* Orijen - http://www.championpetfoods.com/orijen/orijen/
* Solid Gold - http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/
* Taste of the Wild - http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/
* Timberwolf Organics - http://timberwolforganics.com/
* Wellness - http://www.omhpet.com/wellness/

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, 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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"Big box" petstores like Petco and Petsmart rarely have quality foods. (I do believe that PetCo sells "Solid Gold" and "Natural Balance" brands and Petsmart sells "Blue Buffallo", which are all quality foods, but most of the foods aren't.)

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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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

In my opinion, Pedigree is garbage, along with every other food you can get at Wal-Mart, local grocery stores, etc. If you learn to read the food ingredients on dog food, you can easily tell which is good and which isn't. Here are the first four ingredients for Pedigree's Dry Adult Lamb and Rice formula.

Ground Whole Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Wheat, Meat and Bone Meal

The first ingredient is corn. Corn is horrible, and a cheap filler. Dogs can't digest corn well, and it should be avoided. Being first on the list means there's most of it in the food. You do not want corn in the first 5 ingredients, and if you can help it, not at all. Chicken by-product is basically everything you DON'T want your dogs to eat. This can include, but is not limited to, beaks and feet. Meat and bone meal is next. Dogs don't need bone meal, but they do need meat in their diet. However, this does not specify which type of meat, so I would not trust this food...ever.

Now, here are the first four ingredients of a high quality food, Canidae All Life Stages.

Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Brown Rice, White Rice,

Comparing the ingredients to Pedigree, you can clearly see this one is better. There are two meat sources, and two rice sources. These are human grade ingredients, and is something you do want to feed your dog.

Vets do not take a course on dog nutrition, so they will only recommend the brands that they are paid to sell. Your vet probably recommended Pedigree because your vet is a vendor and paid to sell it.

There are many better choices out there for your dogs. I, by no means, am trying to tell you that you MUST change foods. It's all a matter of opinion. I, personally, would feed a higher quality food such as Canidae, Wellness, Innova, EVO, Timberwolf Organics, Orijen, Merrick, Solid Gold, Flint River Ranch, etc. These all are made from human grade ingredients and you don't need to worry about their diet mainly consisting of corn.

Again, it's all a matter of opinion. If your dogs are doing well on Pedigree, you could keep them on it, but there are many, many better choices out there.

Answer 3

Pedigree really isn't a good, quality dog food and there are many better options, however, if your vet recommended it and he's doing good on it, you can stay. I know all the vets where I live recommend Science Diet, but that really isn't a good food (don't know why they recommend it) as it along with Pedigree are full of cheap fillers, by-products, and lots of corn (dogs can't digest corn). Some good brands are all of the Wellness foods, Canidae, Innova, Merrick, and Solid Gold-just to name a few. If you want to change foods, look for something that has a meat product (not by-product) as at least one of the first three ingredients, not a lot of fillers (white rice, tomato pomace, etc.), and no corn.

Answer 4

Abbyful's answer gave you the best answer your going to get. It's 100% of what I was going to say, of course she put it better than I ever could. Anyone that answers you saying it's ok or a good food is completely ignoring the facts. I fed my dogs a lower quality food for about 6 months (nutro, not the best but not as bad as Pedigree) and my boy constantly had diarrhea. So I switched them to a higher quality food and his poop got better, but he still had gas. Now I'm feeding a Super Premium food, Barking at the Moon from Solid Gold, and switching over to Instinct by Natures Variety... Diesel hasn't had diarrhea in months no longer smells and both of my dogs look better, feel better and my fawn girl has more hair (fawn dobermans are prone to thin hair and baldness). I love the food they're on. And I wouldnt feed my dogs pedigree, purina, Iams, eukanuba, or science diet if my dogs were starving...

Answer 5

It's best to feed a kibble that has a decent amount of meat and little to no by products or grains. Unfortunately, Pedigree does not make a dog food that meets those specifications. Grains are the number one cause of allergies in dogs. Meat by products and fats are whats left over in packing houses or ,worse yet, dead animal carcasses processed for pet foods. Read the label on whatever kibble you choose to feed. Its best to see at least 3 whole meats or meat meals(meat with the water removed) in the top 5-7 ingredients. There is no BEST food as each animal is different. Good luck

Answer 6

No it is not a quality food though I don't think any company would knowingly put a harmful product out there the difference is nutrition. Vets will reccomend what ever co. gives them deals including ickynuba and I Science death (had to repeat that) it is all a money thing with vets. As far as Pet store employees.....well PetSmart employees for the most part are about as smart as slamming your fingers in car doors in Cedar Rapids,Ia. As for pet stores depends on where you go. I feed Nutro is has worked for me in price and the only dog food in USA that ganentees for a healthy skin and coat in 6 weeks. And guarentees that they will eat less shed less and poop less. They have a 5 star product and a 4 star products which is just as good just not holistic and Nutro only makes "pet food" for 80 years. Not like Colgate palmals Scieace diet or Proctor and Gambles Iams. Every one has there reason for what they like about their food. But to the base of your question "no Pedigree is not the healthest food"

Answer 7

Here's the bottom line: corn is bad for dogs and dogs need meat.

That being said, I give my dogs SOME Natural Way dry food but that is not their whole diet. The first ingredient is lamb, there is no corn, and it contains rice and beets. HOWEVER, EVERY DAY, my dogs eat REAL meat, grains and vegetables from the meals I cook. So the dog food is more of a little something they get to make sure they get some.

Don't forget that before commercial dog food came out, this is how dogs ate. I give them beef, poultry, rice, potatoes, and veggies.

Answer 8

I don't know all about the ingredients, and all that. I just know that I started feeding my dog that because it is cheap. Now I always feed her Iams. All I know is that with Pedigree, her bowel movements were frequent, voluminous, and really runny and gross. With Iams, she does nice little poops. Sorry to get graphic on you, but what I read from this scenario is that Pedigree is full of ingredients that are filler, that my dog isn't digesting, and that her digestive system is not happy with.

Answer 9

Thanks for the link, Forsaken! Glad to see my food (Premium Edge) in the 5 star catergory. Wonderful food-recommend it for dogs and cats any day!

As far as pedigree, it is about the best you will find at grocery or stores such as Walmart. No worse than Iams-Iams is just overpriced low-rate dog food-but better than, say-Bil-Jac?

Whole meat should be the #1 ingredient in pet food, not by-product or meal. And try to aviod any food with corn. Corn is just a filler, there is no nutritional value in it. Just as with humans, it comes out looking the same way as it did going in lol!


ADD: abbyful, I wish I could give you 100 thumbs up!! Right on the money!

Answer 10

Gravy bones and markeys

Answer 11

Pedigree contains by products, and whole kernel corn as its main ingredients. Those are.. the heads, feet, and intestines of an animal. Think of corn.. can humans digest it?NO Grocery foods are cheaply made substitutions for great premium food.