Free: Contests & Raffles.
Quote from: Happy Gilmore on March 18, 2013, 10:04:37 PMWould you feed Taste of the Wild Springer Fan? You know, that stuff that's full of grain and low protein that costs $52 a 30lb bag?Huh? What are you talking about? Think you need to get your facts right Happy.......not sure where you are coming from.This look familar? Speaking of Peas.....Kirkland Signature Nature's Domain Grain-Free Salmon Meal & Sweet PotatoDry Dog FoodIngredients: Salmon meal, sweet potatoes, peas, potatoes, canola oil, ocean fish meal, potato fiber, pea protein
Would you feed Taste of the Wild Springer Fan? You know, that stuff that's full of grain and low protein that costs $52 a 30lb bag?
Quote from: JJD on March 13, 2013, 06:19:31 AMQuote from: Stilly bay on March 12, 2013, 01:30:22 PMI don't know how valuable any information on dog food and diet can be if its from 1999. dog food and dog diet science has change dramatically over the last 14 years or so.I agree about the marketing standpoint, the biggest break through seems to involve the owners rather than the dog. pet food companies found out that dog owners will actually pay upwards of $50 for a 30lb bag. so it seems many brands have jumped on that band wagon.I also think that dog should have a good amount of plant matter in their diet because when ever an herbivore is consumed by a carnivore the first thing that is eaten is its stomach contents which contain lots of plant material at various stages of digestion. in wolf packs this is consumed first by the strongest members of the pack first, and then the meatier parts are consumed by lesser members.another thing to consider is that dogs need meat, but what kind of meat? organ meats are the most valuable and vitamin rich, but is that whats going into our dog food? doubtful.I am dubious of Purina pro plans value. its highly marketed and sponsored in field trials. kennel owners and trainers prefer it because every other 30/20 dog food gives their dogs (and their clients dogs) the runs, so with PPP they don't have to spend the day hosing down their kennels. but besides tiny dumps I just don't see the value in it. I tried it on my pack for a year and most of them lost weight despite getting four cups a day and all their coats went to hell... but they did have tiny craps which didn't make up for PPP's other shortcomings. purina sells alot of dog food but they have also been around for ever and have huge marketing campaign. its like saying bows and arrows have killed more deer than rifles just by the sheer fact bows have been around longer, but that doesn't make them the best tool for the job.I don't think there is a right answer in dog food, since every breed is different, every owner and training program is different, and even the individual dog has different needsQuote from: Happy Gilmore on March 12, 2013, 08:40:36 AMQuote from: newbie76 on March 12, 2013, 07:55:12 AMAfter hearing about the dogs dying with Beneful I looked into dog foods myself. I looked at dogfoodadvisor.com and I was actually surprised that the dog foods that Vets usually recommend are not rated as high as others. We feed our dogs the Kirkland Signature brand because from the research I did it was pretty dang good and the convenience of buying it when we're doing our shopping can't be beat!Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2I feed Natures Domain(Costco) as well and have since they came out with it. It is Taste of the Wild(TOTW). TOTW and ND are the same food. The printed protein/fat % content are within the allowable range for packaging.(If I remember right, USDA says +/- 5% or something like that for "actual content")FYI- Kirkland brands are made by Diamond Foods. They were responsible for killing many pets a couple years back. The food here on the West Coast is produced at a different facility. Thankfully, our food here has never been recalled. Not the case with the East Coast. Folks out there have a serious problem feeding Diamond Brands. Also, "most" of the dog food rating webpages are developed and maintained by a particular dog food manufacturer. It's not hard to figure out when you see the same brand listed as the most, "premium" product in every catagory. happy is spot on. but I think dog food analysis websites do hold some value if you look at them objectively. they do not put up false information about content and they do give you a way to compare foods and analyze the ingredients for yourself so you can make your own informed decisions on what to feed your dogI still believe that 90% of what the DVM wrote is as pertinent today as it was 14 yrs ago.Proplan is still a premium feed (read the label), who or what they sponsor or how they choose to advertise does not change that and neither does the price. Is it a good value? That’s a judgment call. I am currently looking for a premium feed that is a better value and has a consistent supplier in my area.I don’t believe very many feed companies are very scrupulous, they are not charitable organizations. They are in business to make a profit and bar none, will charge what ever they can get. I also believe that premium diets are a small nitch in most feed compaies feed lines. As I would surprised if even 1% of all dogs in the US and Canada are working dogs.so what exactly makes purina pro plan a "premium dog food" other than the company touting it as one and most of working dog america believing it? the second ingredient is corn gluten, which IMO is enough to knock off the premium pedestal. but please explain.
Quote from: Stilly bay on March 12, 2013, 01:30:22 PMI don't know how valuable any information on dog food and diet can be if its from 1999. dog food and dog diet science has change dramatically over the last 14 years or so.I agree about the marketing standpoint, the biggest break through seems to involve the owners rather than the dog. pet food companies found out that dog owners will actually pay upwards of $50 for a 30lb bag. so it seems many brands have jumped on that band wagon.I also think that dog should have a good amount of plant matter in their diet because when ever an herbivore is consumed by a carnivore the first thing that is eaten is its stomach contents which contain lots of plant material at various stages of digestion. in wolf packs this is consumed first by the strongest members of the pack first, and then the meatier parts are consumed by lesser members.another thing to consider is that dogs need meat, but what kind of meat? organ meats are the most valuable and vitamin rich, but is that whats going into our dog food? doubtful.I am dubious of Purina pro plans value. its highly marketed and sponsored in field trials. kennel owners and trainers prefer it because every other 30/20 dog food gives their dogs (and their clients dogs) the runs, so with PPP they don't have to spend the day hosing down their kennels. but besides tiny dumps I just don't see the value in it. I tried it on my pack for a year and most of them lost weight despite getting four cups a day and all their coats went to hell... but they did have tiny craps which didn't make up for PPP's other shortcomings. purina sells alot of dog food but they have also been around for ever and have huge marketing campaign. its like saying bows and arrows have killed more deer than rifles just by the sheer fact bows have been around longer, but that doesn't make them the best tool for the job.I don't think there is a right answer in dog food, since every breed is different, every owner and training program is different, and even the individual dog has different needsQuote from: Happy Gilmore on March 12, 2013, 08:40:36 AMQuote from: newbie76 on March 12, 2013, 07:55:12 AMAfter hearing about the dogs dying with Beneful I looked into dog foods myself. I looked at dogfoodadvisor.com and I was actually surprised that the dog foods that Vets usually recommend are not rated as high as others. We feed our dogs the Kirkland Signature brand because from the research I did it was pretty dang good and the convenience of buying it when we're doing our shopping can't be beat!Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2I feed Natures Domain(Costco) as well and have since they came out with it. It is Taste of the Wild(TOTW). TOTW and ND are the same food. The printed protein/fat % content are within the allowable range for packaging.(If I remember right, USDA says +/- 5% or something like that for "actual content")FYI- Kirkland brands are made by Diamond Foods. They were responsible for killing many pets a couple years back. The food here on the West Coast is produced at a different facility. Thankfully, our food here has never been recalled. Not the case with the East Coast. Folks out there have a serious problem feeding Diamond Brands. Also, "most" of the dog food rating webpages are developed and maintained by a particular dog food manufacturer. It's not hard to figure out when you see the same brand listed as the most, "premium" product in every catagory. happy is spot on. but I think dog food analysis websites do hold some value if you look at them objectively. they do not put up false information about content and they do give you a way to compare foods and analyze the ingredients for yourself so you can make your own informed decisions on what to feed your dogI still believe that 90% of what the DVM wrote is as pertinent today as it was 14 yrs ago.Proplan is still a premium feed (read the label), who or what they sponsor or how they choose to advertise does not change that and neither does the price. Is it a good value? That’s a judgment call. I am currently looking for a premium feed that is a better value and has a consistent supplier in my area.I don’t believe very many feed companies are very scrupulous, they are not charitable organizations. They are in business to make a profit and bar none, will charge what ever they can get. I also believe that premium diets are a small nitch in most feed compaies feed lines. As I would surprised if even 1% of all dogs in the US and Canada are working dogs.
I don't know how valuable any information on dog food and diet can be if its from 1999. dog food and dog diet science has change dramatically over the last 14 years or so.I agree about the marketing standpoint, the biggest break through seems to involve the owners rather than the dog. pet food companies found out that dog owners will actually pay upwards of $50 for a 30lb bag. so it seems many brands have jumped on that band wagon.I also think that dog should have a good amount of plant matter in their diet because when ever an herbivore is consumed by a carnivore the first thing that is eaten is its stomach contents which contain lots of plant material at various stages of digestion. in wolf packs this is consumed first by the strongest members of the pack first, and then the meatier parts are consumed by lesser members.another thing to consider is that dogs need meat, but what kind of meat? organ meats are the most valuable and vitamin rich, but is that whats going into our dog food? doubtful.I am dubious of Purina pro plans value. its highly marketed and sponsored in field trials. kennel owners and trainers prefer it because every other 30/20 dog food gives their dogs (and their clients dogs) the runs, so with PPP they don't have to spend the day hosing down their kennels. but besides tiny dumps I just don't see the value in it. I tried it on my pack for a year and most of them lost weight despite getting four cups a day and all their coats went to hell... but they did have tiny craps which didn't make up for PPP's other shortcomings. purina sells alot of dog food but they have also been around for ever and have huge marketing campaign. its like saying bows and arrows have killed more deer than rifles just by the sheer fact bows have been around longer, but that doesn't make them the best tool for the job.I don't think there is a right answer in dog food, since every breed is different, every owner and training program is different, and even the individual dog has different needsQuote from: Happy Gilmore on March 12, 2013, 08:40:36 AMQuote from: newbie76 on March 12, 2013, 07:55:12 AMAfter hearing about the dogs dying with Beneful I looked into dog foods myself. I looked at dogfoodadvisor.com and I was actually surprised that the dog foods that Vets usually recommend are not rated as high as others. We feed our dogs the Kirkland Signature brand because from the research I did it was pretty dang good and the convenience of buying it when we're doing our shopping can't be beat!Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2I feed Natures Domain(Costco) as well and have since they came out with it. It is Taste of the Wild(TOTW). TOTW and ND are the same food. The printed protein/fat % content are within the allowable range for packaging.(If I remember right, USDA says +/- 5% or something like that for "actual content")FYI- Kirkland brands are made by Diamond Foods. They were responsible for killing many pets a couple years back. The food here on the West Coast is produced at a different facility. Thankfully, our food here has never been recalled. Not the case with the East Coast. Folks out there have a serious problem feeding Diamond Brands. Also, "most" of the dog food rating webpages are developed and maintained by a particular dog food manufacturer. It's not hard to figure out when you see the same brand listed as the most, "premium" product in every catagory. happy is spot on. but I think dog food analysis websites do hold some value if you look at them objectively. they do not put up false information about content and they do give you a way to compare foods and analyze the ingredients for yourself so you can make your own informed decisions on what to feed your dog
Quote from: newbie76 on March 12, 2013, 07:55:12 AMAfter hearing about the dogs dying with Beneful I looked into dog foods myself. I looked at dogfoodadvisor.com and I was actually surprised that the dog foods that Vets usually recommend are not rated as high as others. We feed our dogs the Kirkland Signature brand because from the research I did it was pretty dang good and the convenience of buying it when we're doing our shopping can't be beat!Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2I feed Natures Domain(Costco) as well and have since they came out with it. It is Taste of the Wild(TOTW). TOTW and ND are the same food. The printed protein/fat % content are within the allowable range for packaging.(If I remember right, USDA says +/- 5% or something like that for "actual content")FYI- Kirkland brands are made by Diamond Foods. They were responsible for killing many pets a couple years back. The food here on the West Coast is produced at a different facility. Thankfully, our food here has never been recalled. Not the case with the East Coast. Folks out there have a serious problem feeding Diamond Brands. Also, "most" of the dog food rating webpages are developed and maintained by a particular dog food manufacturer. It's not hard to figure out when you see the same brand listed as the most, "premium" product in every catagory.
After hearing about the dogs dying with Beneful I looked into dog foods myself. I looked at dogfoodadvisor.com and I was actually surprised that the dog foods that Vets usually recommend are not rated as high as others. We feed our dogs the Kirkland Signature brand because from the research I did it was pretty dang good and the convenience of buying it when we're doing our shopping can't be beat!Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
While we are on the subject of nutritional supplements however, lets explore it for a little while. I hate to sound like an old nag, but if you feed your dogs a premium quality diet then these supplements will be uneccessary for most dogs and even a waste of money. If you feed your dogs an inferior diet and you use nutritional supplements then when you start to rant and rave about how expensive premium quality diets are in comparison to the cheap stuff remember to include the price of all those vitamins and minerals and Omega fatty acids in the price of that good cheap food you use. It is generally accepted in my profession that nutritional supplements are unecessary when given in conjunction with a premium quality diet. A dogs digestive system can only absorb a certain amount of nutrients and vitamins at a time. If supplements are given in addition to a food that provides them in ample quantities then the supplement is wasted because the digestive system cannot use it. Save your money and spend it on a premium quality diet. The only time I would consider recommending these supplements is when dogs have certain skin disorders which require additional supplementation and they are on inferior diets and supplementation is needed.end A lot has change since 1999, but the basic premis of what states is as true today as it was then.The biggest change may be supplements, we were talking about them a few months ago and he believes there are a few joint supplements that may have some value.
What are your guys' opinion on Bully Sticks? I give them to my dog more as a time occupier than anything as well as Kongs on occasion.
My dog eats a 75/258 diet of Bil-Jac and ground chicken or beef from my butcher that is all natural. I found Bil-Jac at Petco. The lady doing the demonstration took pieces of premium foods mentioned on this topic and put them in water, along with Bil-Jac, which dissolved while the others floated, Bil-Jac is dehydrated, not over cooked and resprayed with animal fats for flavor. My dog is healthy, shines like a new penny, and has a ton of energy, never had a happier pup. Got free samples including 3 types of taste of the wild wet and dry the other day after reading the other topic about pet food at mudbay. Guess what he chose, Bil-Jac. Check it out.
I hate rawhides.In the beginning I thought they were alright, but then I got a pup who had an explosion out her rear every time she had one (seriously, those were the worst messes ever) and after finding nothing wrong with her at the vet hospital we stopped feeding them. We've never had a problem since.Nyla bones have proven to be a satisfactory replacement and they last longer.
Quote from: Holg3107 on March 21, 2013, 01:06:24 PMWhat are your guys' opinion on Bully Sticks? I give them to my dog more as a time occupier than anything as well as Kongs on occasion.Im over paranoid about blockages. plenty of pets eat bully sticks and have no ill effects, but I feel any type of dried hide, sinew, or cooked/dried bone has potential for a blockage or choking.don't even get me started on the new trend in giving your dogs antlers to chew on Quote from: CAM38 on March 21, 2013, 01:33:16 PMMy dog eats a 75/258 diet of Bil-Jac and ground chicken or beef from my butcher that is all natural. I found Bil-Jac at Petco. The lady doing the demonstration took pieces of premium foods mentioned on this topic and put them in water, along with Bil-Jac, which dissolved while the others floated, Bil-Jac is dehydrated, not over cooked and resprayed with animal fats for flavor. My dog is healthy, shines like a new penny, and has a ton of energy, never had a happier pup. Got free samples including 3 types of taste of the wild wet and dry the other day after reading the other topic about pet food at mudbay. Guess what he chose, Bil-Jac. Check it out.nutritionally bil jac is alright. they have had their share of recalls.just make sure you give plenty of nyla bones or take your dog in for regular dentals. I have heard of dogs teeth going to hell because of bil jac and its mushy nature.
