Dog food===is it really worth it to buy the expensive stuff?

[Ottakee]

We just adopted 2 dogs yesterday. One is a lab/border collie mix and the other is australian shepherd/spaniel?? mix. Both are 4-5 years old just recently spayed. One is 42 pounds, the other 48 pounds.

 

We got them from a rescue that had a 10 pound bag of dog food for $20. I bought it as I didn't want to just switch them to a new brand cold turkey. This little bag though isn't going to last long and I want to start mixing some of the new in with it.

 

Is your basic brand you get at Walmart OK or is it worth buying Iam or other higher store brand or even a pet store/vet clinic brand? We just need a good basic food for them. I don't want to waste my money but I also want something that is actually good for them.

[hornblower]

It's definitely worth it.

 

I have my guys on raw but some of my fosters have been on kibble & I used Evo or Orijen. Eagle Pack, Nature's Variety (esp the Instinct line) & Timberwolf are also good brands. They're available at specialty pet food stores. I supplement with wild salmon oil no matter what I'm feeding and even my kibble guys get raw meaty bones at least a few times a month.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I did some research awhile ago about lower cost dog food that is still good for you. I was told by 2 different trainers that the Costco (Kirkland) brand was a good one for a lower price. When we aren't able to go to Costco we buy Pedigree because of the kinds at the grocery store, it is the only we found that doesn't cause skin problems in our dogs. (We used to feed them Beneful but found out that it has added sugar. We were told by the same trainers who told us about the Costco brand that the added sugar wasn't good for them.)

[MariannNOVA]

It's definitely worth it.

 

I used Evo or Orijen. Eagle Pack, Nature's Variety (esp the Instinct line) & Timberwolf are also good brands. They're available at specialty pet food stores. I supplement with wild salmon oil no matter what I'm feeding and even my kibble guys get raw meaty bones at least a few times a month.

 

I have been following Hornblower's suggestions since we adopted our rescue dog 5 weeks ago -- her advice has always been right on target. Our hound has the most gorgeous coat imaginable -- and it did not look like that when we brought him home -- it looks like black velvet. In fact, last night at an adoption event, just about everyone commented on his coat. He wouldn't eat the $20. stuff that the rescue folks told us to buy, and we went with EVO and now we are doing Orijen.

 

Enjoy your new family members!:drool5::drool5:

[Pamela H in Texas]

While researching recently, I found this site. The person that posted this site said to get foods that rated 5 or 6 and not to even consider those rated 3 and under.

 

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/

 

What is good is that they tell you WHY each is a good or poor choice.

 

BTW, we chose EVO.

Edited August 29, 2009 by 2J5M9K

[kalanamak]

I can attest to a decrease in intake and output on Science Diet. I switched my rescue Dane from Field and Farm to Science Diet, and his consumption dropped from 100 lbs a month to 60. And the output was overwhelming on F and F. Sci Diet meant I could cope with the yard.

YMMV

[s.z.ichigo]

People can be pretty snobby about their dog food choices. Anecdotal, I know, but we've had dogs forever and have always fed them either Costco or Walmart food. We recently had to put down our two old dogs, who lived to ripe old ages (16 or so, pretty good for a really BIG lab and a hound), and right now have a healthy, vibrant, young black lab. All on the cheap stuff. Honestly, I don't think it matters unless your dog has special food needs or allergies, is a puppy, or is a high-performance athlete.

[Peela]

We do a mostly raw meat/bones diet, with a few supplements, and its pretty cheap. When dh cant get the bones/meat cheap and he buys kibble-the cheap kind usually because he's like that :glare:- they end up smelling really bad.

[JustGin]

We just adopted 2 dogs yesterday. One is a lab/border collie mix and the other is australian shepherd/spaniel?? mix. Both are 4-5 years old just recently spayed. One is 42 pounds, the other 48 pounds.

 

We got them from a rescue that had a 10 pound bag of dog food for $20. I bought it as I didn't want to just switch them to a new brand cold turkey. This little bag though isn't going to last long and I want to start mixing some of the new in with it.

 

Is your basic brand you get at Walmart OK or is it worth buying Iam or other higher store brand or even a pet store/vet clinic brand? We just need a good basic food for them. I don't want to waste my money but I also want something that is actually good for them.

 

If you have access to a Costco, the Kirkland brand is very, very highly rated, and is a great value. I did some hunting around early on with my dog and I kept reading that Kirkland was a surprisingly high quality dog food for being a store brand. Most cheaper brand dog foods are just junk.

Bear has thrived on Kirkland Lamb and Rice and our vet even gave it a high recommend.

 

Oh, and my dog is very prone to allergic reactions, so we are super picky about what he eats. :)

[Jann in TX]

While I have not yet evolved into a pet food snob, I have turned into a label reader. I now refuse to give our dogs any food that contains corn--and I'm on the verge of going grain free.

 

We fed our first rescue dog (she weighed 60 pounds) Purina or Pedigree dry food. She left MULTIPLE piles in the yard each day... vet said the fillers used were not being digested and were NOT healthy by any means (especially the corn). We did not have much free money at that time but we did bump her up to Iams. The numbers of piles went down to 1-2 per day (instead of 3-5!). Her coat actually improved quickly too. The cost of food remained the SAME!

 

We have recently bumped our current dogs up to Blue Diamond--and again we saw a significant improvement in their health/coat for less than $20 per month (we have HUGE dogs--over 100 pounds each).

 

With each 'bump' in price/category we have actually had to feed out LESS and clean up LESS--more food is actually being digested... go figure...

 

While the WalMart brand or even Purina costs about HALF of the mid-level premiums, you also have to feed your dog TWICE as much to get the same level of nutrition... and you are also subjecting them to unnecessary toxins (corn) too.

 

I suggest you start with a mid-level premium and then go up as you feel comfortable.

[rafiki]

.

[Anita in NC]

If you go to:

 

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/

 

it will rate the different brands. I feed my dogs Taste of the Wild. It is expensive but as others have said with the better foods the dogs tend to eat less.

[Carrie12345]

People can be pretty snobby about their dog food choices. Anecdotal, I know, but we've had dogs forever and have always fed them either Costco or Walmart food. We recently had to put down our two old dogs, who lived to ripe old ages (16 or so, pretty good for a really BIG lab and a hound), and right now have a healthy, vibrant, young black lab. All on the cheap stuff. Honestly, I don't think it matters unless your dog has special food needs or allergies, is a puppy, or is a high-performance athlete.

 

I don't really see how it's snobby to insist upon good nutrition for pets. My dogs may be mutts who do nothing but chase each other in the yard, but they still deserve to be fed well. As do my cats, who do nothing but sleep all day and wrestle each other all night, lol.

 

My children don't have "special" food needs or participate in serious athletics, but I still do my best to make sure their bodies are properly fueled, even though I know there are 100yos out there who have lived on frozen supermarket meals and wiskey. ;)

[Ottakee]

Now I just need to figure out which one I can get easily and is the best bang for my buck.

 

I do see the logic in feeding less of a high quality food. We do that with the horses. Instead of 1 qt. of sweet feed my guy gets about 1 cup of a high quality ration balancer.

 

Are there any good brands you can buy at a chain store? I really don't want to pay S&H for dog food.

[Perry]

Now I just need to figure out which one I can get easily and is the best bang for my buck.

 

I do see the logic in feeding less of a high quality food. We do that with the horses. Instead of 1 qt. of sweet feed my guy gets about 1 cup of a high quality ration balancer.

 

Are there any good brands you can buy at a chain store? I really don't want to pay S&H for dog food.

Have you checked your vet? Mine carries EVO.

[Impish]

I'm a HUGE fan and believer of a raw diet. There are tonnes of material out there, likely available at your library. And, it can end up being cheaper than any kibble. We know some hunters, so get meaty bones, etc from them for free (no bear under any circumstances, but the guys we know are deer and moose hunters) buy the 'yuck' at the meat counter at the grocery store (pig feet, tail, etc) and some butchers will let you have their undesirable for free. I was also told to try taxidermists too...I haven't, because we'd need a deep freezer, :lol:

 

As was mentioned, salmon oil is a great supplement. We also toss a raw egg in from time to time too.

 

Posting on freecycle can net you some freezer burned meat too, from time to time..not something I'm keen on, but I see ppl posting it all the time for dog food.

[GESTEP]

Our last golden retriever had allergies that resulted in ear infections. I once changed her to Beneful and she had such severe reactions that it took months to get rid of the ear infections. Obviously not a cost saver in the long run.

We also had to put her down at 10.5 due to cancer. We fed her Eukanuba which at the time we thought was quality but based on the dog food analysis that was previously posted it is very poor quality. Our new golden is fed Wellness Core which I buy from Pet Supply Plus or Complete Petmart. I equate the lower end foods with living on Big Macs. Some people will live to a ripe old age regardless of diet just based on genetics while others are more susceptible and will have ill health as a result. Also the source of the meat products in the lower end products can be of poor quality.

That said, my dog has a better diet than I do since I still eat too many sweets ;)

 

BTW, thanks for adopting the 2 dogs:001_smile: No matter what you feed them, I am sure the loving home you are providing is the most important thing to them. Enjoy your years together!

 

Gina

[st_claire]

We feed Royal Cainin to our German Shep pup. He does great on them. The company really cares about nutrition and even funds a compainion pet research chair at the top vet school here in Canada. They have specially formulated mixes for large breeds, etc... I emailed them and they sent me 2 $5 off coupons. And if you try them and don't like it, they will refund your money.

 

I had a long talk with my vet regarding raw food, as I was seriously considering it. My thoughts on it now is that the risks outweigh the benefits. The raw meat can easily contain bacteria like salmonela that can make your dog very sick. They can also easily choke on the bones. Probably won't happen, but I'm not comfortable taking that chance. Also, why mess with suplements trying to get a balanced diet when the dog food is fully balanced for sure.

 

If you have to go cheap, then I agree Kirkland is the best of the cheaper brands. By far.

[SonshineLearner]

IF I was just going to purchase an inexpensive good, I'd buy the Costco lamb and rice. Evo, Taste of the Wild, and I saw some others are good:-) My dog ate these and still had allergy problems. I started feeding him beef or lamb kidneys, hearts and such with some bone shavings/dust. For us, it really works and has left him feeling strong and energetic. I also feed raw chicken, but some worry about salmonella with that. For us, his teeth are just great and it's been almost a year.

For us, with a 63ish lb dog, it costs about $1.00 a day to feed him this way. If I had lots of friends that butchered, I could get more free:-)

Carrie:-)

[Denise in Florida]

Yes, definitely. Our dog had some real behavior problems. A friend told us to switch to a food that did not contain corn or beets. She said it was like feeding candy to a 2 year old.

 

Almost all the grocery store and wal-mart brands had corn. We switched to a variety of high quality foods, Evo, California Naturals, Avoderm, (I think I have those names right) and he has done great.

 

This summer we 'ran out' of his food and just bought the best stuff available at the grocery store. Huge mistake. Won't do that again. :glare:

 

Not only is he bearable to live with, but he eats much less of the good stuff than the cheap stuff, so it is really not that big a price difference.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Many of the company sites have store locators to try.

 

I think that Impish is right that Raw is best. However, I did raw with one dog and found it difficult and problematic. I'm probably just a dummy that way and other people probably don't have the issues we had. Homemade food is next best but I'm lazy, I guess. And I don't buy made-by-someone-else-homemade either.

 

I'm GOING to feed my dog kibble (with a little bit of veggies, egg yolks, etc on the side). My dog has had some allergy issues (I think that is what it is) and my mom asked me to find out what was the best food (she was feeding her's science diet) so we switched. We also, when Oz got SO sick in several weeks ago, decided NO MORE SCRAPS.

 

Anyway, I don't think it's a "dog food snob" that thinks about feeding better food. Seriously, you put in good fuel, you get less trouble whether you're talking about a car, a person or a dog. That just makes sense. There are plenty of 100 yr olds that eat poorly, drink and smoke too much but we don't choose to do that thinking it's RIGHT, do we? No. We know that the majority of people who do those things will have a shorter, more troublesome life. Why do that to our dogs? To save a couple bucks? Is it really saving money if you're spending more on vet bills along the way? What about your time as you're cleaning up multiple piles in the yard and on walks? And how much are you REALLY saving when you have to feed them an extra third in amount?

 

I'm not a dog food snob. I'm VERY new at doing better myself. I've tried along the way but now with better research, I see I was failing my four legged companions horribly :( But you learn better, you do better. Such is life.

 

It is just as worth it for the same reasons as it is for your kids. Behavior problems, allergies, health issues, etc are real dog problems. Would you feed your kids just popsicles, hotdogs, candy cereals and McDonalds? of course not. So why do it to your dog?

[hornblower]

I had a long talk with my vet regarding raw food, as I was seriously considering it. My thoughts on it now is that the risks outweigh the benefits.

 

LOL because most vets are not trained in nutrition, and the training they get is from manufacturers AND vets make money selling the stuff. Color me suspicious about their impartiality. I'll start listening to vets & their prof associations more on this issue when they drop the funding & corporate ties.

 

My vet is supportive of raw & actually encourages raw. What with the recalls, the contamination, the importing of ingredients from who knows where, the use of fillers & food industry scraps and sludge.....she considers it risky.

 

She encourages raw or homemade, lots of variety & made from human grade ingredients. There are a handful of commercial diets she recommends for those folks who just don't want to go raw & those are the premium diets I listed. And she recommends supplementing with EFA's for ALL, even those on kibble because EFA's degrade fast & there's not enough of them in there.

 

For me, the risks of kibble outweigh their benefits.

 

The other issue that strikes me about the issue of nutrition - as an LC, I know many mothers heard for many years that feeding formula meant that you knew they were getting good nutrition. It's 'scientific'. It's 'complete'; it's balderdash. It IS a great thing we have formula avail, and it's great that we're constantly researching it & trying to make it healthy but bottom line is that it's not the BEST. Real food is the best, not something cooked up in a lab.

 

As always, ymmv. Kibble is convenient, there are brands which are good & I think some dogs do well on them - as I've said, some of my fosters have been on them so I'm not a "raw & only raw" fanatic.

 

But the way the issue of risk was expressed in your post really pushed a button for me :-)

[SonshineLearner]

My vet is supportive of raw & actually encourages raw. What with the recalls, the contamination, the importing of ingredients from who knows where, the use of fillers & food industry scraps and sludge.....she considers it risky.

 

 

 

Here's a funny about this:-) I was kinda nervous to tell the Vet office that I'm doing raw. Then I found out that two of the office people do, and so I mentioned that I was doing raw for him and the vet said....No problem.

 

He's just a great guy who isn't bothered by other people's decisions. There are risks with everything. I met someone who's dog died during that last recall. My dog could die tomorrow...but it would be more likely from the grapes that my husband sneaked in...than the food. Just remember...No cooked bones:-)

 

Carrie

[CalicoKat]

I buy Iams for my dogs. I used to think the cheap stuff was OK, but when I switched to the more expensive stuff my dog stopped having her seizures. Her breed tends to have them, but they stopped.

 

Also, there's less poop to pick up. Not sure why, but there's less.

[jg_puppy]

Now I just need to figure out which one I can get easily and is the best bang for my buck.

 

 

 

I am still trying to find this out for myself. I wish money wasn't an issue, but right now money is tight. I want to get the dogs a good quality food, but don't have enough money for some of the really good foods.

 

Jan

[nukeswife]

My vet just started recommending Royal Canin, they used to recommend Science Diet, but I never liked that brand.

 

My older dog is a very picky eater. We've tried many of the ones mentioned here (FRR, Wellness, Avoderm) and she wouldn't eat any of them. She was on Nutro, but we've since switched her to the Royal Canin medium aging care 25 and she loves it.

 

We also have a Pug who will eat anything, that's just how pugs tend to be. They will eat until there is no more no matter what LOL. Because of this and recent numerous visits by Grandma (who doesn't know how to limit treats) he's a bit overweight. We switched him to Royal Canin Mini weight control and he goes bonkers over it. I recently heard they are coming out with a breed specific diet for Pugs, I can't wait to check that out.

 

 

All that to say I think with dog food it's a case of You get what you pay for.

[Ellie]

It is to me. As long as I can possibly afford it, I will buy the expensive food. I can tell a difference in my animals' behavior as well as in their coats when I feed them a high-quality food.

 

I also had a vet who had written a number of papers on the poor quality of most manufactured pet foods and always advised his patients to make their own. It was he who inspired the man who started NaturaPet, manufacturer of Innova and Evo; those are the only foods that my cats and dogs eat.

[Melissa in CA]

We fed our lab pup Origen until 12 months old and then tried Flint River, and Natural Balance. We are currently using Taste of the Wild and are happy with the product, and the overall price. I would prefer to keep my dog on Origen as I honestly think it's one of the very best...but it's just waaaaay to expensive. WAY. Taste of the Wild is very close in quality, but about $30+ cheaper per bag.

[camibami]

We feed our Lab Natural Balance, and for sure noticed the less poo benefit right away! She is very shiny and glossy, but she was that way on Pedigree when we first got her, too. She has cancer, but Labs are prone to it so I am not really blaming the 2 years of pedigree for that. Since she never had any allergies, we switched her purely for our comfort level- the dog would eat anything, LOL.

 

I think its nice to feed high quality food, but a dog with a loving home, consistent food available (no matter what it is) is already luckier than so, so many dogs. So I lump food choices into "small stuff" and would say "don't sweat the small stuff". I will freak out about dogs chained, or dogs left out in blizzards, or dogs abandoned on country roads, or dogs not fixed, but food? Not a biggie, to me.

[Melissa in CA]

We feed our Lab Natural Balance, and for sure noticed the less poo benefit right away! She is very shiny and glossy, but she was that way on Pedigree when we first got her, too. She has cancer, but Labs are prone to it so I am not really blaming the 2 years of pedigree for that. Since she never had any allergies, we switched her purely for our comfort level- the dog would eat anything, LOL.

 

I think its nice to feed high quality food, but a dog with a loving home, consistent food available (no matter what it is) is already luckier than so, so many dogs. So I lump food choices into "small stuff" and would say "don't sweat the small stuff". I will freak out about dogs chained, or dogs left out in blizzards, or dogs abandoned on country roads, or dogs not fixed, but food? Not a biggie, to me.

 

I read somewhere online (yeah, I know, real trustworthy huh? :lol:) that labs, especially, should eat a high quality non-grain food. That it is their predisposition to allergies, whether outwardly seen or not, that cause the cancerous and non cancerous tumors to grow. They should not, according to the website, be eating any dog food that contains grains (which is a known allergen to dogs period, but especially bad for labs). I don't know how true this is, but our grandpa lab (he's 10) has always had food allergies since he was a pup, and currently has huge tumors all over his body (has been getting them for years). He is not long for this world. We never fed him high quality food...never even knew to do so. :confused: We just bought food for sensitive stomaches. I didn't even know grain free food was available until we got our pup and I began researching. Having been raised on Origen, our pup is super duper healthy...no sign of allergies whatsoever. He's quite a specimen of health. ;) Origen is way out of our price range now, but we plan to stick with a good grain-free food for him for the long haul.

 

YMMV of course. ;)

[PollyOR]

For us it was a matter of gas :tongue_smilie:

[st_claire]

LOL because most vets are not trained in nutrition, and the training they get is from manufacturers AND vets make money selling the stuff. Color me suspicious about their impartiality. I'll start listening to vets & their prof associations more on this issue when they drop the funding & corporate ties.

 

My vet is supportive of raw & actually encourages raw. What with the recalls, the contamination, the importing of ingredients from who knows where, the use of fillers & food industry scraps and sludge.....she considers it risky.

 

She encourages raw or homemade, lots of variety & made from human grade ingredients. There are a handful of commercial diets she recommends for those folks who just don't want to go raw & those are the premium diets I listed. And she recommends supplementing with EFA's for ALL, even those on kibble because EFA's degrade fast & there's not enough of them in there.

 

For me, the risks of kibble outweigh their benefits.

 

The other issue that strikes me about the issue of nutrition - as an LC, I know many mothers heard for many years that feeding formula meant that you knew they were getting good nutrition. It's 'scientific'. It's 'complete'; it's balderdash. It IS a great thing we have formula avail, and it's great that we're constantly researching it & trying to make it healthy but bottom line is that it's not the BEST. Real food is the best, not something cooked up in a lab.

 

As always, ymmv. Kibble is convenient, there are brands which are good & I think some dogs do well on them - as I've said, some of my fosters have been on them so I'm not a "raw & only raw" fanatic.

 

But the way the issue of risk was expressed in your post really pushed a button for me :-)

 

Actually vets recieve a lot more training in nutrition than I have. And she didn't push their brand of dog food, so there was no financial incentive. We can each have our opinions. But IMO raw food is a fad with tons of risks. Many people who feed raw also don't vacinate their dogs. They buy large numbers of suplements. They have no nutritional training whatsoever. I think these things demonstrate a lack of scientific understanding on the part of most raw feeders. I'm sorry if that pushes your buttons, but the OP ask for opinions and this is mine.

[LisaNY]

I went grain-free about 2 years ago, as one of my dogs developed a skin condition. I don't regret it for a minute. My Shepherd's shedding reduced by 50%, and three of my dog's coats are really nice.

 

I was using Evo, but it is very high in protein. (42%, I think) I read somewhere that it is too high for dogs that are not very active. I switched to Taste of the Wild, and my Shepherd is doing fine. My two Poms are on a grain-free food specifically made for smaller breeds.

 

I also read that it is a good idea to rotate/switch dog foods now and then. I also give my dogs some canned food with their dinner feeding - just as a treat.

 

I think the lower-priced dog foods are pure junk. I have read that "meat by-products" can include road kill. I kid you not.

[Saille]

That link is freaking me out a little. We do Iams, and I'd do Science Diet but can't afford it....they're both rated one-star foods? It sounds unlikely that I'd be able to afford the higher-rated foods, although I'm going to town today and will hit a store that carries some of those brands.

 

The sad thing is, she was on Beneful when we brought her home, and I have seen an immediate improvement on both of the premium foods (our vet gave us a good-sized sample bag of science diet)

[Carrie12345]

That link is freaking me out a little. We do Iams, and I'd do Science Diet but can't afford it....they're both rated one-star foods? It sounds unlikely that I'd be able to afford the higher-rated foods, although I'm going to town today and will hit a store that carries some of those brands.

 

The sad thing is, she was on Beneful when we brought her home, and I have seen an immediate improvement on both of the premium foods (our vet gave us a good-sized sample bag of science diet)

 

 

I started doing some price comparisons last night. Beneful runs about $1/lb, while some of the premium foods seem to run $1.60/lb. However, the premium foods are more calorie-dense, and appear to require about 25% less food per day.

If I'm doing the math correctly, getting some of the 6 star rated foods would be the equivalent of spending $1.20/lb. vs. $1 (because they last longer).

Edited August 30, 2009 by Carrie1234
Added the all important "some of the".

[mchel210]

That link is freaking me out a little. We do Iams, and I'd do Science Diet but can't afford it....they're both rated one-star foods? It sounds unlikely that I'd be able to afford the higher-rated foods, although I'm going to town today and will hit a store that carries some of those brands.

 

The sad thing is, she was on Beneful when we brought her home, and I have seen an immediate improvement on both of the premium foods (our vet gave us a good-sized sample bag of science diet)

 

We started on Dick Van Pattens Natural Balance Ultra...a dark blue bag. My dog had allergies to the corn in Royal Cannin. BUT...the Natural Balance only cost 7.99 for a 5lb bag at pet supermarket (and pretty much all the others) and we only have to do a 1/2 cup morning and 1/2 cup night. (my dog is small) Our feeding cups are less per pound and when you figure it out...sometimes it is cheaper. We also tried Taste of the wild and chicken soup for the pets soul is a great food too. NB is just so much easier to find.

 

I was feeding my cats IAMs and it cost me less to switch them to Royal Cannin. Now they eat only 1/2 cup a day and their poops have so much less of an odor. The white cat was turing a yellowish color on IAMs now she is back white as can be. I purchase the 30lbs for the cats and freeze it till I need it.

 

BUT>.....If you sit down and do the math...and it costs a lot more to do expensive food...then I would compare several and go with the best value even if it is not the BEST food. You dont have to have the highest food...but in the long run...using a higher rated food prevents expensive vet bills in the end. I dont think the ones in the vet are really the best foods, they are just the ones the vet gets commissions to sell from the companies. (just my opinion)

 

Here is a LONG list that I found on a different forum...

 

How to grade your dog's food:

Start with a grade of 100:1) For every listing of "by-product", subtract 10 points

2) For every non-specific animal source ("meat" or "poultry", meat, meal or fat) reference, subtract 10 points

3) If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points

4) For every grain "mill run" or non-specific grain source, subtract 5 points

5) If the same grain ingredient is used 2 or more times in the first five ingredients (i.e. "ground brown rice", "brewerâs rice", "rice flour" are all the same grain), subtract 5 points

6) If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points

7) If it contains any artificial colorants, subtract 3 points

8 ) If it contains ground corn or whole grain corn, subtract 3 points

9) If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 more points

10) If the food contains any animal fat other than fish oil, subtract 2 points

11) If lamb is the only animal protein source (unless your dog is allergic to other protein sources), subtract 2 points

12) If it contains soy or soybeans, subtract 2 points

13) If it contains wheat (unless you know that your dog isnât allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points

14) If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isnât allergic to beef), subtract 1 point

15) If it contains salt, subtract 1 point

Extra Credit:

1) If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points

2) If the food is endorsed by any major breed group or nutritionist, add 5 points

3) If the food is baked not extruded, add 5 points

4) If the food contains probiotics, add 3 points

5) If the food contains fruit, add 3 points

6) If the food contains vegetables (NOT corn or other grains), add 3 points

7) If the animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic-free, add 2 points

8 ) If the food contains barley, add 2 points

9) If the food contains flax seed oil (not just the seeds), add 2 points

10) If the food contains oats or oatmeal, add 1 point

11) If the food contains sunflower oil, add 1 point

12) For every different specific animal protein source (other than the first one; count "chicken" and "chicken meal" as only one protein source, but "chicken" and "" as 2 different sources), add 1 point

13) If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, add 1 point

14) If the vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are pesticide-free, add 1 point

94-100+ = A 86-93 = B 78-85 = C 70-77 = D <70 = F

Dog Food scores:

Alpo Prime Cuts / Score 81 C

Artemis Large/Medium Breed Puppy / Score 114 A+

Authority Harvest Baked / Score 116 A+

Authority Harvest Baked Less Active / Score 93 B

Beowulf Back to Basics / Score 101 A+

Bil-Jac Select / Score 68 F

Blackwood 3000 Lamb and Rice / Score 83 C

Blue Buffalo Chicken and Rice / Score 106 A+

Burns Chicken and Brown Rice / Score 107 A+

Canidae / Score 112 A+

Chicken Soup Senior / Score 115 A+

Diamond Maintenance / Score 64 F

Diamond Lamb Meal & Rice / Score 92 B

Diamond Large Breed 60+ Formula / Score 99 A

Diamond Performance / Score 85 C

Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium / Score 122 A+

Dick Van Patten?s Natural Balance Venison and Brown Rice / Score 106 A+

Dick Van Patten's Duck and Potato / Score 106 A+

EaglePack Holistic / Score 102 A+

Eukanuba Adult / Score 81 C

Eukanuba Puppy / Score 79 C

Flint River Senior / Score 101 A+

Foundations / Score 106 A+

Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold / Score 93 B

Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium / Score 73 D

Innova Dog / Score 114 A+

Innova Evo / Score 114 A+

Innova Large Breed Puppy / Score 122 A+

Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables / Score 110 A+

Member?s Mark Chicken and Rice / Score 84 C

Merrick Wilderness Blend / Score 127 A+

Merrick HomeStyle Blends / Average Score 125 A+

Merrick Beef N More / Score 125 A+

Nature?s Recipe / Score 100 A

Nature?s Recipe Healthy Skin Venison and Rice / Score 116 A+

Nature?s Variety Raw Instinct / Score 122 A+

Nutra Nuggets Super Premium Lamb Meal and Rice / Score 81 C

Nutrience Junior Medium Breed Puppy / Score 101 A+

Nutrisource Lamb and Rice / Score 87 B

Nutro Max Adult / Score 93 B

Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice / Score 98 A

Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy / Score 87 B

Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Wheat Free / Score 86 B

Nutro Natural Choice Senior / Score 95 A

Nutro Ultra Adult / Score 104 A+

Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice / Score 23 F

Premium Edge Chicken, Rice and Vegetables Adult Dry / Score 109 A+

Pro Nature Puppy / Score 80 C

Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach / Score 94 A

Purina Benful / Score 17 F

Purina Dog / Score 62 F

Purina Come-n-Get It / Score 16 F

Purina One Large Breed Puppy / Score 62 F

Royal Canin Boxer / Score 103 A+

Royal Canin Bulldog / Score 100 A+

Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult / Score 106 A+

Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+ / Score 63 F

Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies / Score 69 F

Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice / Score 97 A

Solid Gold / Score 99 A

Summit / Score 99 A

Timberwolf Organics Wild & Natural Dry / Score 120 A+

Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken / Score 110 A+

Wolfking Adult Dog (bison) by Solid Gold / Score 97 A

__________________

[sagira]

Thanks, that last link is very helpful. We're getting a puppy next Spring and I plan on feeding her Wellness Puppy food.

[Pamela H in Texas]

I started doing some price comparisons last night. Beneful runs about $1/lb, while some of the premium foods seem to run $1.60/lb. However, the premium foods are more calorie-dense, and appear to require about 25% less food per day.

If I'm doing the math correctly, getting some of the 6 star rated foods would be the equivalent of spending $1.20/lb. vs. $1 (because they last longer).

I didn't check your math Carrie, but I appreciate you doing it. I've been having trouble wrapping my brain around using the higher quality for my lab mix because of cost. Your post on top of the other posts about shedding, gas, etc have made me feel a lot better about giving her quality food despite times being TIGHT.

 

ETA: I think I *am* becoming a dog food snob. LOL Well, I won't judge anyone else (won't even know, probably, anyway), but I definitely want to do better for my own doggies. In the long run, I don't think it's really any more expensive. And the benefits outweigh the short term expenses by far.

Edited August 30, 2009 by 2J5M9K

[Carrie12345]

I didn't check your math Carrie, but I appreciate you doing it. I've been having trouble wrapping my brain around using the higher quality for my lab mix because of cost. Your post on top of the other posts about shedding, gas, etc have made me feel a lot better about giving her quality food despite times being TIGHT.

 

 

 

I'm pretty sure the math is trickier than simple multiplication and division, but now I'm fascinated, lol.

 

If Beneful has 345 calories/cup and EVO has 537 calories/cup, 3 cups of EVO have roughly the same amount of calories as 5 cups of Beneful. I have 2 large dogs, so that's 6 cups/day vs. 10 cups/day, which is actually 40% less by volume (for me).

EVO is about 4.4 oz/cup, but I can't find that info for Beneful, so I can't do a by-weight comparison. Yet. ;)

[Tree House Academy]

It really depends on the dog. I have a cocker spaniel and he has TERRIBLE allergies. By terrible, I mean that if he doesn't take allergy shots and stay on good food, he breaks out in staph all over his entire body. It is NOT pretty.

 

We have been using Flint River Ranch for years now and really love it. Between it and the allergy shots, Rosco is doing great. No staph in over 2 years! We buy from www.flintriver.com. A 20lb bag of food is $38.00 but it lasts Rosco 6-7 weeks at a cup to a cup and a half a day. The site I get it from also charges no tax and ships to your door via UPS for free! :)

 

Flint river ranch is human grade food and does not have all the additives and processed corn that the ones in the grocery store have. If Rosco was NOT so allergy prone, I would have probably stuck with Iams or something I could get locally for a bit cheaper. I would never buy something like Old Roy, though, just because of the lack of nutritional value.

[Pamela H in Texas]

nevermind. I misunderstood.

[jubulibee]

In my 14 year experience with very large labs (over 100 pounds), we found that a high-end food works better, and is actually more cost effective than mid-range. They poop less, and it is easier to clean and pick-up (very important when you are walking them!). They have less gas, and they actually eat less. When we tried the mid-range and low-range foods, they ate so much more, and we had to deal with the unpleasant side effects (see above). Now, we didn't do the most expensive, but would usually stick with Iams, and we found our best deals at Petsmart.

[Carrie12345]

I'm pretty sure the math is trickier than simple multiplication and division, but now I'm fascinated, lol.

 

If Beneful has 345 calories/cup and EVO has 537 calories/cup, 3 cups of EVO have roughly the same amount of calories as 5 cups of Beneful. I have 2 large dogs, so that's 6 cups/day vs. 10 cups/day, which is actually 40% less by volume (for me).

EVO is about 4.4 oz/cup, but I can't find that info for Beneful, so I can't do a by-weight comparison. Yet. ;)

 

Okay, got it!

Beneful is about 4.65 oz/cup. Now I have to do pound conversions. Ick!

Beneful: About 53 cups in a 15.5 lb bag

EVO: About 56 cups in a 15.5lb bag (if they made them that size!)

 

Beneful would last me 5.3 days (for 2 dogs)

EVO would last me 9.5 days (for 2 dogs)

 

$15/5.3= $2.83/day

$43/9.5= $4.52/day

 

In our house, that would be about $0.80 more per dog per day.

 

Now, my dogs are nearly 100lb each. My brain will explode if I try to figure that out for smaller dogs!

[mchel210]

My sister has a great dane and was feeding one food that was 9 cups a day per size and another food brand was 7 cups a day....and yet another she tried was only 5-6 cups a day. Such a difference. There is a huge difference in cost over a month when you have a big dog.

[hornblower]

Actually vets recieve a lot more training in nutrition than I have. And she didn't push their brand of dog food, so there was no financial incentive. We can each have our opinions. But IMO raw food is a fad with tons of risks. Many people who feed raw also don't vacinate their dogs. They buy large numbers of suplements. They have no nutritional training whatsoever. I think these things demonstrate a lack of scientific understanding on the part of most raw feeders. I'm sorry if that pushes your buttons, but the OP ask for opinions and this is mine.

 

OK then - let's try this:

 

"I asked the local teacher at the high school about homeschooling; she said it's risky. And you know what? She has an education degree and I don't! She didn't push HER high school on my child so I know she wasn't biased.

 

IMO homeschooling is a fad with tons of risks. Many people who homeschool don't vaccinate their children.

 

They buy lots of weird curriculum and supplies. They have no educational training whatsoever.

 

I think these things demonstrate a lack of psycho-educational understanding on the part of most homeschoolers.

 

I'm sorry if that pushes your buttons but I'm entitled to my opinion."

 

:tongue_smilie::tongue_smilie::tongue_smilie:

[Janet in Toronto]

You have received lots of good advice here. I will concurr that our terrier's skin issues (itchiness, likely an allergy) have completely resolved using a high quality feed and a less common protein. I changed again when I noticed his stools were kind of loose. We've settled on Nature's Variety Venison and Millet kibble in the morning and we rotate Wellness Venison canned with Nature's Variety Raw frozen venison medallions in the evening. (We feed twice a day since he is under 20 pounds.) He is healthy, itch-free, nicely formed stools, and his weight stays at a good level.

 

One thing that helped is getting a daily caloric requirement from our vet and then calculating how much to feed. I believe our vet told us 450 calories per day or something like that, so we feed 2/3 cup kibble in the morning and 1/2 can wet or 4 medallions at night. My dog is a vacuum when it comes to food, so I cannot rely on how MUCH he WILL eat, but rather how much he NEEDS to eat. For example, the medallions are eaten in, like, 10 seconds. But I know that he's getting the nutrition and calories he needs, so that's it.

 

I get great advice from my local pet food store regarding treats, and they helped me switch foods to firm up his stools. The employees there know me and my dog and are very knowledgeable about the products in their shop.

[Pamela H in Texas]

EDITED: Carrie put a post below altering the price of the EVO.

 

Here are my dog's:

 

Lab mix: Beneful would be $1.23/day while EVO is $0.97 daily!

Lhasa mix: Beneful would be $0.42 while EVO is only $0.30 daily!

 

It is CHEAPER to feed my dogs (who are considerably smaller than Carrie's) some of the BEST food on the market than it is to feed them the worst food on the market!

Edited August 31, 2009 by 2J5M9K

[LynnG in Arizona]

I started doing some price comparisons last night. Beneful runs about $1/lb, while some of the premium foods seem to run $1.60/lb. However, the premium foods are more calorie-dense, and appear to require about 25% less food per day.

If I'm doing the math correctly, getting some of the 6 star rated foods would be the equivalent of spending $1.20/lb. vs. $1 (because they last longer).

 

Nice analysis!

 

We recently had to wait 6 weeks for our puppy, and I spent some of that waiting time researching dog foods. I had *no* idea that some of the so-called premium foods actually use too much corn (a common allergen for dogs) and meat "by-products", as well as dubious fillers.

 

We called several of the top dog food companies and asked for samples, which they mailed to us. We then let our puppy pick which one he liked best. After numerous blind taste testings (mixing up the order of the bowls, etc.), his verdict was: Wellness.

 

Every time I try to give him one of the other samples, he looks at me as if to say, "Can you just give me the good stuff, please?" :D

 

Now I am making a science out of watching the sales at Petco and trying to buy it at the cheapest possible price. It is definitely expensive food, no doubt about it, but he adores it . . . and we love his healthy, glossy coat and shiny eyes. I've read enough independent reviews to know that it is definitely one of the top foods available (and I also know that there are several other excellent choices as well, which may appeal to different individual dogs/families.)

[Carrie12345]

Okay, got it!

Beneful is about 4.65 oz/cup. Now I have to do pound conversions. Ick!

Beneful: About 53 cups in a 15.5 lb bag

EVO: About 56 cups in a 15.5lb bag (if they made them that size!)

 

Beneful would last me 5.3 days (for 2 dogs)

EVO would last me 9.5 days (for 2 dogs)

 

$15/5.3= $2.83/day

$43/9.5= $4.52/day

 

In our house, that would be about $0.80 more per dog per day.

 

Now, my dogs are nearly 100lb each. My brain will explode if I try to figure that out for smaller dogs!

 

OMG, I did the math wrong!

The EVO is about $43 for the 28lb bag!!!! The real equivalent would be $23.80 for 15.5 lbs. Which changes everything. That would be $3.07/day, or $0.12 more for each of my dogs each day.

 

Now, if anyone is willing to double check that, that'd be great!

[st_claire]

OK then - let's try this:

 

"I asked the local teacher at the high school about homeschooling; she said it's risky. And you know what? She has an education degree and I don't! She didn't push HER high school on my child so I know she wasn't biased.

 

IMO homeschooling is a fad with tons of risks. Many people who homeschool don't vaccinate their children.

 

They buy lots of weird curriculum and supplies. They have no educational training whatsoever.

 

I think these things demonstrate a lack of psycho-educational understanding on the part of most homeschoolers.

 

I'm sorry if that pushes your buttons but I'm entitled to my opinion."

 

:tongue_smilie::tongue_smilie::tongue_smilie:

 

It wouldn't push my buttons, because in fact you are entitles to your opinion. And I have studied education much more than I have studied animal nutrition. Also, being a human I can understand human needs much better than I can understand the needs of other species.

 

And yes, many people who homeschool do lack a basic understanding of scientific concepts and I wouldn't be surprised if many didn't vacinate. Don't think that those haven't been downsides to us homeschooling. From my perception of people on this board for example, I'm pretty certain very few would allow their children into our home, and visa versa. But homeschooling also gives our children a chance at a vastly superior education. Therefore, IMO, the benefits outweight the risks.