Post by: Rick on February 03, 2011, 08:49:43 AM
Post by: runamuk on February 03, 2011, 08:52:10 AM
Post by: RAMSFAN on February 03, 2011, 08:55:03 AM
Post by: jackelope on February 03, 2011, 09:02:25 AM
Post by: jeepasaurusrex on February 03, 2011, 09:02:51 AM
Post by: vandeman17 on February 03, 2011, 09:09:11 AM
Post by: Bluemoon on February 03, 2011, 09:12:12 AM
Post by: Sneaky on February 03, 2011, 09:23:42 AM
Post by: thinkingman on February 03, 2011, 09:32:47 AM
Tango on Large Breed Puppy for another few months.
Ellie does really well (for being over 13) on Adult Lamb and Rice.
Cleanup is not so bad, either.
Post by: GoldTip on February 03, 2011, 09:44:41 AM
Post by: Oldguy on February 03, 2011, 09:50:05 AM
Post by: BallisticsNut on February 03, 2011, 09:54:12 AM
Just a note, we used to feed our Rottwieller IAMs, thought it was a great product. I was approached by a lady at a dog park and she asked what I was feeding our dog. She told me that IAMs has been linked to cancer???, thought the lady was crazy and ignored the comment. 6 months later, my 5 year old beautiful rottweiler was diagnosed with lymphomia and bone cancer. She died a month later. :bash: :bash: :bash: :bash: :bash: :'( :'(
Well, that was a hard lesson. So, I did all the research on foods, proteins, grain...yada yada yada. We settled on Taste of the Wild. Never considered the cost an issue. $46 per 25lb bag. Hey, if it keeps my dogs healthy its worth every penny. Every Vet check, the Doc tells me they are doing great and in perfect health. Cant ask for much more then that. Do your home work, understand what YOUR breed of dog needs and what is best for their health. Dont consider the cost only your buddies health.
Post by: C-Money on February 03, 2011, 09:55:01 AM
Post by: Widgeondeke on February 03, 2011, 10:00:42 AM
Post by: Goldeneye on February 03, 2011, 10:01:23 AM
http://www.breeders-choice.com/about/brands.htm (http://www.breeders-choice.com/about/brands.htm)
Post by: BuckeyeMan on February 03, 2011, 10:18:29 AM
Post by: BallisticsNut on February 03, 2011, 10:41:53 AM
Post by: Stickerbush on February 03, 2011, 11:01:57 AM
Post by: rasbo on February 03, 2011, 11:09:26 AM
Post by: jeepasaurusrex on February 03, 2011, 11:31:04 AM
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,57226.0.html (http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,57226.0.html)
Post by: Dirty Mike on February 03, 2011, 12:00:40 PM
Post by: 10Key on February 03, 2011, 02:44:46 PM
Post by: 6x6in6 on February 03, 2011, 03:13:55 PM
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/ (http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/)
Nice to know that Innova is still near the top of the dog food chain. :)
Post by: PointNLab on February 03, 2011, 09:24:04 PM
Post by: SpringerFan on February 06, 2011, 05:13:37 PM
Stay away from foods with grains. That is what usually causes allergies.
I understand buying food that is in your budget, but you had best save that money for vet bills later.
Looks like most are feeding their hunting partners pretty well!!
Post by: runamuk on February 06, 2011, 05:30:43 PM
Avoid corn soy wheat those 3 ingredients in any form are simply cheap fillers used to boost protein when in gluten form and just filler the rest of the time....now for the fun part
Diamond makes dog food for their own lines again read the bag they have some that are free of corn soy wheat.....Diamond makes Dels for life line, also no corn soy or wheat....they also make chicken soup for the soul...and kirkland.
I have compared these labels side by side and basically kirkland is almost identical to chicken soup for the soul for about 15-20 less per bag depending on where you buy it. Nutro is made by waltham now (I believe) and they make pedigree as well and are owned by m&m mars ;) Purina is another major manufacturer most dog food is made by only 3 or 4 companies. Some of the smaller companies like natural balance, and blue buffalo or orijen have their own small plants or hire out to small plants. Our company sources almost all of our ingredients in the US venison, duck, and lamb coming from new zealand....also one ingredient that is used in pet feed and people food that is only made in China is Taurine that all comes from the same place and its a plant in China so your energy drink and my dog food both get their taurine from the same place. Some companies use human grade meats and ingredients others dont...internet and labels are your friends.
and at the end its what your dog does well on that matters the most, the best diet in the world wont do crap if your dog wont eat it ;)
Post by: RC3 on February 07, 2011, 10:51:01 PM
best stuff i've fed her
Post by: toyoda on February 24, 2011, 08:07:44 PM
Post by: wsucowboy on February 24, 2011, 08:45:08 PM
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on February 24, 2011, 09:06:33 PM
Post by: chef bama on February 24, 2011, 10:06:19 PM
My little aussie died a week ago. She quit eating a couple months ago, but I started hand-feeding her rare steak and she bounced back up and lived with joy for another 2 months. She never ate kibble after she started the meat. She was only 10. Had a big growth in her belly that was probably cancer.
During that time I started feeding our older aussie (11 1/2) the same rare meat. He has got more bounce, his hair is smoother and he has less general old-dog-stink and less squirts. We started him on the grain-free years ago because of hot spots & skin problems.
I figure that with 7 bone roasts at $2.50-$3/lb at freddys, it compares with buying evo or orijen at $2/lb., richer food, no vegetable or yeast fillers and comes with a free bone. this has got me thinking about getting a bigger butchering board/table and getting 15 lb cryovac bags or 60 lb boxes of meat wholesale.
or even a 1/4 cow. Roughly the same price per calorie, better food, just takes a little more prep time than scooping a bag of kibble.
Wish I knew then what I know now, and had fed them like that their whole lives. Would have saved on vet bills for sure, and she might still be with us.
Got a new aussie puppy a couple days ago. I just couldn't stand it not having a dog riding shotgun. Been feeding her rare meat and raw bones since day one, with a little bit of Evo for snacks. Hoping she winds up healthier and better developed for it.
Post by: Hornseeker on February 25, 2011, 01:29:43 PM
Does kirkland have a puppy food?? I am gonna need it in a week....
Post by: JKEEN33 on February 25, 2011, 01:56:39 PM
Post by: MAGhunter on February 25, 2011, 02:05:20 PM
Post by: halflife65 on February 25, 2011, 02:25:54 PM
Post by: dscubame on February 25, 2011, 02:30:00 PM
Post by: Curly on February 25, 2011, 02:34:45 PM
Quote
a. All dogs should be fed, by volume of the total amount fed each meal, 25-50% meat
b. The meat can include: i. Beef ii. Chicken iii. Turkey iv. Fish
c. The easiest way to start this program is to use ground meats. Take the portion to be fed, mix with water, and cook on the stovetop or in the microwave until the meat is cooked medium (pink) to medium-well. Some animals will thrive on raw meats, but do not start this practice in the beginning.
i. Take this meat portion, including the water, and add it to the rest of the ingredients
II. Commercial Dog Food Portion
a. Although there are many good home-cooking recipes, we feel that most owners have little time or inclination to routinely feed an entirely home-cooked diet for their dog. Good intentions fall by the wayside, and the diet plan is not followed as it should be. Instead, by feeding some meat, some commercial diet, and the rest as outlined below, the dog receives an excellent, well-balanced diet. Costs are kept at a minimum, and the time required to prepare the diet is so moderate that even the busiest person will be able to follow this feeding protocol.
b. There are many commercial diets that are good diets. However, none stand out as clearly superior to any other (they are NOT home cooking, after all). There are, however, a large number that are not worth feeding because they are either of too poor a quality or they are not cost effective (remember the average commercial diets that masquerade as premium diets). There are too many of these to mention, but a good clue that the diet falls in this category is if it claims to be "just as good as such and such, but costs less", or the "premium diet costs less than about a dollar a pound".
c. We use and recommend the Flint River Ranch diets, and will gladly provide you with information on how to order them.
d. The commercial diet, whether dry food or canned, should be of as high a quality as you can afford, and should make up no more than 25-40% of the diet.
Your Animal's Specific Recommendations: Only available following a phone consult
III. The Variety Component
a. Since grains and other carbohydrates are not necessary, we recommend they be fed sparingly. Their biggest benefit is that they are inexpensive. Using the plan we are outlining, they are even less necessary, because the commercial diets contain grains. One of our favorite grains to use is white rice. Many dogs have digestive problems, which improve when rice is fed.
b. Vegetables should be routinely added. We recommend: i. Carrots ii. Broccoli iii. Peas iv. Leafy greens
c. Sweet potatoes, pumpkin, yams, and squashes are all excellent additions to the diet. Sweet potato is especially good, inexpensive, easy to prepare, and readily accepted. Sweet potato should be cooked, and can then be used a portion at a time over a few days. They can be mashed and mixed so well into the diet that all animals will accept them. Carrots often need to be cooked lightly or shredded/chopped finely, or they may not be accepted or completely digested.
d. Dairy products can be included sparingly. Our favorites are: i. Yogurt ii. Cottage Cheese
e. Eggs are great to feed, and can be fed cooked or raw. We recommend no more than a couple of eggs a week, if fed raw. Cooked eggs can be fed a little more frequently.
f. Leftovers can be fed as well, as long as they are good food and not excessively fatty or sweet.
g. The variety component should be just that: fed for variety, one thing one day, and another thing another day. Don't get caught up in a routine where you are feeding the same things all the time. Variety is just as necessary for your dog as it is for yourself.
h. A couple final thoughts: i. Corn is not a vegetable. It is a grain, and it is in plentiful supply in almost all commercial diets. so there is no reason to feed corn.
ii. Legumes (beans, peanuts) are good sources of proteins and fiber, but do not have particularly large amounts of vitamins and tend to provide excessive carbohydrates, which leads to obesity
Post by: andersonjk4 on February 25, 2011, 03:53:55 PM
Post by: Rgrady35 on February 25, 2011, 04:09:45 PM
Post by: Hornseeker on February 28, 2011, 11:52:36 AM
Post by: quadrafire on February 28, 2011, 11:59:13 AM
Post by: Rick on February 28, 2011, 04:38:17 PM
I'm feeding Nutro puppy food right now. I'll probably switch to Costco's Kirkland brand when I switch to adult food. Its made by Diamond and supposed to be good stuff.
While the plan was Costco,I ran out of food a week or so ago and didn't get around to Costco to buy the Kirkland brand. I hit the pet store and came out with a bag of Pro Plan large breed puppy.
It looks to be a great choice for my puppy. I've upped her daily amount of food (being thats shes grown so much) and even with more food she is pooping far less than when she was on the Nutro. She was going 5-6 times per day. Now she goes 2-3 times per day and the turds are about half the size.
To my untrained eye,she is getting more nutrients out of the PPLBP.
Post by: Happy Gilmore on March 02, 2011, 12:49:51 PM
Most all websites which "rate" dog foods are down-rating every other food but the type they produce.
I think Coscto is the best buy personally. I'd say in second place is Nutra. Third probably Purina PP.
I've fed other all meat diets/foods(dated a gal who works for a high-end pet food chain) and saw no improvement in energy, coat, poops etc from feeding a $65 30lb bag to the plain old Costco food. I think the dogs like the flavor of the expensive stuff better but, I'd rather buy a big tub of peanutbutter from costco and dip dog-cookies in it for them everyday than spend that kind of money on a small bag of dog food.
I also feed my dogs raw carrots and save fat and meat from dinners to mix with their foods. If I have meat go bad/get old I'll cook it and mix it with brown rice and freeze it. Mix it with kibble etc.
Post by: 3dvapor on March 05, 2011, 10:32:21 AM
Post by: jetjockey on March 08, 2011, 05:57:32 PM
Post by: nontypical176 on March 08, 2011, 06:30:48 PM
Seriously though, any suggestions for a food to help with shedding, besides skin and coat dry dog food would be apreciated. I've tried them all.
Post by: Curly on March 08, 2011, 07:14:58 PM
Post by: jagermiester on March 08, 2011, 07:45:31 PM
Post by: ORCA_SIX on March 18, 2011, 12:01:35 PM
Post by: TeacherMan on March 18, 2011, 12:26:20 PM
Post by: 87Ford on March 18, 2011, 12:51:28 PM
Post by: Malardman on March 19, 2011, 12:07:47 AM
Taste of the wild! All four flavors. Bison, Fowl, Lamb and Salmon. A bit pricey but the dogs are very healthy, lots of energy and good bowels and maintaining weight very well.Man I use to feed my Rotty the same thing Lamb & Rice she was 5 1/2 the smartest best dog My family had ever owned so intelligent. I had to have her put down due to bone cancer, It's sad when you gotta put a dog down when they have such a normal state of mind still, she just wanted to continue but could hardly walk, through the front soulders down the legs sad day.
Just a note, we used to feed our Rottwieller IAMs, thought it was a great product. I was approached by a lady at a dog park and she asked what I was feeding our dog. She told me that IAMs has been linked to cancer???, thought the lady was crazy and ignored the comment. 6 months later, my 5 year old beautiful rottweiler was diagnosed with lymphomia and bone cancer. She died a month later. :bash: :bash: :bash: :bash: :bash: :'( :'(
Well, that was a hard lesson. So, I did all the research on foods, proteins, grain...yada yada yada. We settled on Taste of the Wild. Never considered the cost an issue. $46 per 25lb bag. Hey, if it keeps my dogs healthy its worth every penny. Every Vet check, the Doc tells me they are doing great and in perfect health. Cant ask for much more then that. Do your home work, understand what YOUR breed of dog needs and what is best for their health. Dont consider the cost only your buddies health.
I feed my 5 year Lab now Taste of the Wild, love it and the vets say it's excellant all natural food.....
Post by: madmack76 on March 19, 2011, 12:32:39 AM