What dog food do you buy?

[Guest]

We recently got a dog (just about 2 years old) - a black lab male. Great puppy. Some friends of ours trained him and are insistent that he had a tender stomach as a puppy and that he has to have a certain flavor of a certain brand. When they gave him back to the organization he came from and we adopted him, they gave us a kind that our friends said had previously made him sick and the organization said he had been fine with it. We gave it to him with no problems and then proceeded to buy the flavor our friends had recommended. So either one worked with him at this point. Great, except, this dog food is pricey! I am just wondering if we might be able to switch to a cheaper food. Is a tender tummy common in puppies and something they grow out of? What kind of food are you buying for your dog? And if you are comfortable sharing, how much is it?

[Ellie]

I only buy Innova or Evo. They are expensive, and it isn't easy to find either. But it's worth it to us.

[gingersmom]

I use Eukanuba and it is about $30 for a large bag (maybe 25 pounds). 

 

My dog had a sensitive tummy as a puppy (or it was all the strange things she eats), but seems to have outgrown it (she still eats strange things). 

 

So many of the fancy dog foods seem to have recalls these days. 

 

She's a big bouncing healthy 90 pounds. 

[Desert Strawberry]

I buy Taste of the Wild. Iam's is fine, too. Anything else and her hair falls out and she gets red, itchy, dry skin and coarse, dry fur.

I have found that she eats much less of the higher quality foods. A small bag lasts longer than a 25 pound sack of the cheap stuff. There are fewer fillers, so she needs less. For her, about 75% less. She also poops less.

If you gave a feed store, the prices there are WAY lower than a pet store. I think a pay about 20% of the price for the same food. Crazy!

[itsheresomewhere]

Taste of the Wild here.  

[PeacefulChaos]

We buy the 4health brand at Tractor Supply.  (It's the only thing we go there for lol...)

It isn't the absolute best out there, but it's better than the cheapo stuff.  It runs about $32 for a large bag.

The really good ones run for over $50 for a bag that is smaller.  We just can't afford that, especially since our dog is 90 lbs.  ;)

[Guest]

I buy Taste of the Wild. Iam's is fine, too. Anything else and her hair falls out and she gets red, itchy, dry skin and coarse, dry fur.

I have found that she eats much less of the higher quality foods. A small bag lasts longer than a 25 pound sack of the cheap stuff. There are fewer fillers, so she needs less. For her, about 75% less. She also poops less.

If you gave a feed store, the prices there are WAY lower than a pet store. I think a pay about 20% of the price for the same food. Crazy!

 

I was just thinking about this and wondering if the trade off would be cost efficient or not. His food is limited ingredient, so it is pretty filling, I am sure. Hmmm...

 

[Aelwydd]

Taste of the Wild and Stella & Chewies raw food as a supplement.

[zimom]

I use Wellness Core currently for one of my labs, another version of Wellness for the other lab. I use a rotation diet every few bags. Just realized the Wellness was cheaper through Amazon subscribe and save versus my local Petsmart.

 

As others have said, although better food is pricier, you feed them much less per day, and they are healthier = less vet bills so how much are you really saving with that cheap food?

[Guest]

I use Wellness Core currently for one of my labs, another version of Wellness for the other lab. I use a rotation diet every few bags. Just realized the Wellness was cheaper through Amazon subscribe and save versus my local Petsmart.

 

As others have said, although better food is pricier, you feed them much less per day, and they are healthier = less vet bills so how much are you really saving with that cheap food?

 

I just looked on Amazon and it is the cheapest I've seen it. So, maybe we'll just go that route. I didn't consider that he's probably eating less of the better stuff. Okayyyy. You guys convinced me.

[Pawz4me]

I'm In limbo. Used to be a huge Innova fan but I've written them off due to recent recalls. I also won't feed anything manufactured by Diamond due to their atrocious recall history, so that excludes a lot of brands like TOTW. Right now my guys are getting almost all canned food until I decide on a kibble manufacturer to put my trust in, or maybe decide to go with a home-prepared diet.

[Desert Strawberry]

I was just thinking about this and wondering if the trade off would be cost efficient or not. His food is limited ingredient, so it is pretty filling, I am sure. Hmmm...

 

Definitely cost effective here. I have a little 14 pound dog. I buy the small bag of totw for under $12 at Tractor Supply. It lasts about 3 months. So, right now, we're spending $48 dollars a year. That's about half what we were spending before. She's much happier now, and clearly healthier.

I'm probably going to upgrade her one more time to Blue Buffalo. I think it's $4 more per bag.

[Desert Strawberry]

Oh. She smells better now, too. I bathe her less.

[shan.non]

Wellness, Nature's Variety, Orijin, and Taste of the Wild are brands I will buy. I love the first three but my senior dog has done much better on TOTW. She has stomach issues. I also used California Natural with good results but I can't find it locally. My top pick would be Nature's Variety but as long as the old gal is around we will stick with what works for her for all three pups.

The feed store is the way to go. Kennels are also good. I worked for one for years and the mark up was 10%.

[plath]

Labs are known for allergy issues. We feed our lab Earthborn Holistic coastal catch. It's grain free. Every other food we tried, our lab had skin and stomach issues. It is expensive, but it is worth not having to clean up dog vomit. YUCK!

I totally agree on the smell issue, too. When our dog had food with corn, she always smelled like corn chips. It was weird.

[swellmomma]

Currently we are using Purina one puppy mixed with pedigree wet food because that is what he was started on at the breeder.  I am going to switch him over to Nature's Variety Instinct raw bites, which is a frozen raw food in bite size pieces for a small breed (the cats are getting switched over too).  The purina one is better than other dog foods out there but I want him on a raw diet but just switching over right away would cause tummy problems for him, so we will start the transition when we hit the 1/2 way point in the bag of kibble.  Having them all on the raw will be much better.  Right now I spend about $20/month on the cats and another $20-25 just on the one puppy and the bigger puppy needs to come home, which will increase that cost.  When you factor in the mixing of the kibble with the wet and buying a better kibble, getting the raw costs nearly the same without the risk of other health issues. And the cats and dog like to play musical food bowls during meal time.  Switching everyone over to the raw will make that better for them too, because it is not ideal to have teh cats eating dog food and the dog eating cat food.  Now the bags aren't overly huge, the one I currently have is 4 lbs and I paid $26 but it lasts a couple weeks with the animals I am feeding, a lab would blow through it faster.  For a Lab I would either choose a different raw diet or I would mix the raw with a high quality kibble to stretch it further while still maintaining the healthiness of the diet.

[AngieW in Texas]

I have a German shepherd and they are known for having sensitive stomachs.

 

I alternate her between 4Health Adult Performance Formula (Tractor Supply exclusive) and assorted flavors of Taste of the Wild. I switch from one brand to the other at the end of each bag. At first, I spent at least two weeks on the transition from one brand to the other, but now I just transition for one week.

 

I want her to have at least two brands that she tolerates. I don't believe that any one dog food manufacturer has everything perfect for my dog. These two brands are reasonably priced (especially 4Health) for premium foods. Switching her between two brands means that she gets more than one manufacturer's idea of what the best balance is. It also means that if one of them ends up in recall or has a shortage for some reason, there is already another food that I know she will tolerate.

[JadeOrchidSong]

Definitely cost effective here. I have a little 14 pound dog. I buy the small bag of totw for under $12 at Tractor Supply. It lasts about 3 months. So, right now, we're spending $48 dollars a year. That's about half what we were spending before. She's much happier now, and clearly healthier.

I'm probably going to upgrade her one more time to Blue Buffalo. I think it's $4 more per bag.

Which Taste of the Wold do you buy? Thre are several kinds/meats and I want to find one for my 15 pound shih tzu Pomeranian. Thank you!

[TammyinTN]

Our girl, Ella Bella gets Iams and she has done extremely well on it.  Beautiful coat, perfect weight and we only have to give her a bath once a month.  She's super healthy according to our vet. 

[Halcyon]

I use Wellness Core currently for one of my labs, another version of Wellness for the other lab. I use a rotation diet every few bags. Just realized the Wellness was cheaper through Amazon subscribe and save versus my local Petsmart.

 

As others have said, although better food is pricier, you feed them much less per day, and they are healthier = less vet bills so how much are you really saving with that cheap food?

We use Wellness for our dogs and our cat, and get it through Amazon; much cheaper than Petco!

 

And they don't eat tons as it is such high quality.

 

They get Biljack treats too.

[Halcyon]

Wellness, Nature's Variety, Orijin, and Taste of the Wild are brands I will buy. I love the first three but my senior dog has done much better on TOTW. She has stomach issues. I also used California Natural with good results but I can't find it locally. My top pick would be Nature's Variety but as long as the old gal is around we will stick with what works for her for all three pups.

The feed store is the way to go. Kennels are also good. I worked for one for years and the mark up was 10%.

One of our terriers has a sensitive stomach and tolerates Wellness well. I am afraid to try anything else as when his stomach is upset, he goes all over the house! Blech.

[Desert Strawberry]

Which Taste of the Wold do you buy? Thre are several kinds/meats and I want to find one for my 15 pound shih tzu Pomeranian. Thank you!

 

We alternate. She's only on her second bag. I will change it up each time because, like PP, I don't think any one food is fully complete. I'd rather she have at least 2 or 3 in the rotation. 

 

I think the bag says which breeds each food is suitable for. She's a chihuahua-rat terrier mix. She's had wild boar and roasted fowl. She's been fine with each one. 

[NorthwestMom]

We have a lab with a sensitive stomach and he gets Costco weight control dog food. I was surprised, but the vet and our trainer both recommended Costco brand, and I am up here in the very foodie PNW where even pets get organic, free-range food grown by vestal virgins who live within 100 miles of here.  :lol:

[Dandelion]

I am up here in the very foodie PNW where even pets get organic, free-range food grown by vestal virgins who live within 100 miles of here.  :lol:

 

This made me LOL.  Grown by vestal virgins. *snort*   :smilielol5:

 

We feed our dog Iams, and he's very healthy and looks great.  But I've been thinking about upgrading his food, so it's good to see everyone's input on this thread. 

[Parrothead]

Diamond is what both the dog and cats get.

[Ellie]

I'm In limbo. Used to be a huge Innova fan but I've written them off due to recent recalls. I also won't feed anything manufactured by Diamond due to their atrocious recall history, so that excludes a lot of brands like TOTW. Right now my guys are getting almost all canned food until I decide on a kibble manufacturer to put my trust in, or maybe decide to go with a home-prepared diet.

 

But other foods have been recalled, as well, including people food. Salmonella can happen anywhere, KWIM? I have not noticed any lack of quality in the food itself, as witnessed by my pups' coats and general health. :-)

[Miss Peregrine]

Costco.

[Dory]

I buy Blue Buffalo but I have dogs with severe allergies here.

My rule of thumb is no grain, no fillers like beet pulp, and real meat needs to be in the first two ingredients. Don't worry about brand so much, just read the ingredients and check the protein levels.

[Caitilin]

Blue Buffalo. :)

[stripetetra]

I also use Earthborn Coastal Catch. My dog was throwing up about every other day and since the switch has stopped.

[milovany]

Basic NutraNuggets from the local superstore. $23 for a 40 pound bag (I think). Different from others of this genre (iow, basic, cheap stuff you get at the grocery store) in that cornmeal isn't the first ingredient, but lamb meal. Have used it for years and our dog is doing great.

[Stuart]

We buy taste of the wild from here. http://www.petflow.com/

It is cheaper than in store, I can always find a coupon, there are usually really cheap healthy treats on sale and it comes within 2 days. I had to contact customer service once(forgotten item) and they responded within an hour and rectified the problem.

[bobbeym]

Taste of the Wild here too.  We try to switch up her flavors, although she doesn't care much for the wild boar.  It's the best we've found since she gets skin rashes if she has grain or yeast.  She's 85ish lbs and a 30# bag ($50 at our feed store) lasts 4-5 weeks.

 

(The kitties all get TOTW too.)

[SailorMom]

We've tried a few.  Our Lab did well with Lamb and Rice foods for his skin allergies, but never had any tummy problems with other foods.  We really like the Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul brand, and would still be using it, except that out dane puppy seems to get mild potty "issues" with it.  The Wal-Mart we were living by in Florida had Lamaderm Lamb and Rice which we LOVED and could get without getting it shipped (it is not a regular supermarket food...  look it up), but we can't find it anywhere near here (we moved a few weeks ago).

Right now I am waiting to get a delivery of Precise Foundations.  It is $40.99 for a 30 lb bag on Chewy.com (free delivery by Fed Ex).  Gets great reviews, and is recommended by other large breed owners. 

[RoughCollie]

I check Dog Food Advisor before I buy dog food.  http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/

 

I signed up for their email alert for dog food and treat recalls.

 

Basically, I feed Aidan 4- and 5-star foods, and I make sure none of the foods are manufactured by Purina or Diamond Pet Foods.

 

Right now, he eats Fromm Four Star Nutritionals Grain-Free and Back to Basics, in rotation.  Sometimes I feed him Dog Lovers Gold.

 

I also give Aidan an egg three times a week and various people food (plain cooked chicken, beef, salmon, carrots, blueberries, and green beans) in addition to eat dog food.  He won't eat fruit except for blueberries, which he loves.

 

If I had a limited budget, I would feed my dog Taste of the Wild or Tractor Supply's 4 Health, both of which are manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods.  I'd also be sure to sign up for the email alerts, and to either keep the information from the bag, or store the food in its bag. 

 

 I'd be sure to check the expiration date on the bag before I bought it.  I have bought 4Health before and didn't notice that it had expired many months previously until I got home.  I've also not bought dog food at Tractor Supply because the food I wanted to purchase was on the shelf, but the expiration date was expired.

 

PS  We are on a limited budget, but my dog is, shall we say, indulged.  This is what happens to some of us when our cute little boys turn into big, hairy men. :-)

 

 

 

 

[elegantlion]

I use Purina Healthy Morsels for my lab. Budget is a huge issue. My dog is half lab/half German Shorthair. She has seasonal allergy issues, not to the food. She doesn't have a sensitive stomach however. She had issues with regular Purina. 

[celticmom]

We use Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul for our dogs. I buy it at the feed store and a 35 lb. bag costs a little less than $40.

[J-rap]

Purina. And they've always been healthy and lived to a ripe old age.

[dirty ethel rackham]

Our dog needs grain-free and chicken-free dog food - not an easy compbination.  If he has either of those, you really don't want to clean up his poop, KWIM?  Plus, he has allergies and grains make them worse.  Since he is a large, active dog, he needs higher protein dog food.  He had been on Evo Red Meat formula, but two recalls in a row meant we had to find another dog food for him.  Right now, he is getting Wellness Core Ocean.  I don't think he likes it as much as the Evo Red Meat, but it doesn't have the offending ingredients.  My dog definitely eats less and poops less than other dogs his size due to higher quality food with less fillers. 

[Suzanne115]

Wellness food practically saved my male standard poodle's life.  He has irritable bowel disease and we almost lost him.  It was a combination of Wellness food and medication that finally put him in remission.  He was about a year when he was finally diagnosed.  He is 11 now!  They didn't have Wellness Core when we started him on Wellness or I would have tried it.  Now, I don't want to try anything new with him so we stick to the original Wellness Fish and Sweet Potato Food.  Our female standard poodle is on Fromm's grain free food.  She has done wonderful on it. 

 

 

Suzanne

[arnold]

Taste of the wild and grandma Lucy's. Sometimes if you get food with too much fat content itwill bother a dog with a sensitive stomach.

[sixpence1978]

We use Simply Nourish from PetSmart.  Slightly cheaper than Blue Buffalo, Wellness, etc, but still great quality.  Not manufactured by Diamond.  Their canned foods are also amazing.

[Jann in TX]

I have German Shepherds with sensitive tummies--

I use 4-Health Salmon (Tractor Supply) and often alternate it with Taste of the Wild... like Angie said it is nice to have 2 brands that they can tolerate (Tractor Supply is in the next town over and local feed stores have Taste of the Wild). 

We also add in some 4-Health wet food on occasion-- much cheapter than other brands.

 

My dogs just do better and have a better coat (besides the tummy issues) when they are grain free.

[Pawz4me]

We use Simply Nourish from PetSmart.  Slightly cheaper than Blue Buffalo, Wellness, etc, but still great quality.  Not manufactured by Diamond.  Their canned foods are also amazing.

 

Do you know who manufactures it?  How did you find out?  IME until a food is recalled, it's very difficult to find out who manufactures it.

[Guest]

I went into our Pet Wash where I buy the dog's food today to buy some cat food (I bought her Blue Buffalo to try out!) and we talked a little bit about food. She mentioned they really are liking, I believe it was Earthborn? I think I saw a few people mention it upthread. I'm going to look up that site that RoughCollie linked to and read reviews on that. They also sell the Blue Buffalo and Taste of the Wild, so I think we're in a good place as far as getting our food, from the sound of what you all are buying.

[Guest]

Oh and thank you all for contributing to this thread, it has been very helpful!

 

ETA: I do find it slightly comical that no one has mentioned the brand that we are using!

[Desert Strawberry]

Phoenix, what brand do you use?

[MomtoCandJ]

We are trying to find the best yet not too expensive food for our 3 year old dachshund and 12 year old cat... Any suggestions? Oh and Bob (the cat) prefers seafood :)

[Guest]

Phoenix, what brand do you use?

 

We use Natural Balance, which apparently isn't as good or expensive as I thought! :)

[beckster]

Just want to say thank you to everyone who commented that Wellness is cheaper on Amazon.  I have added it to subscribe and save!!!  SOOOOO much cheaper!!  Doing the happy dance here!  Thanks again!!!