Dog Food...

Derek and Xena

Derek and Xena

Active member
First off, HAPPY NEW YEARS to all!

I was just wondering what kind of dog food you all are using? Both of my dogs were on NUTRO as puppies but I can't afford that anymore so I recently switched to PMI RED FLANNEL PRIME. That might have been a mistake. Since then both spayed females have had a bladder infection ( within a week of each other) and Xena was diagnosed with incontinence. They act normal and their stools have been normal, just the bladder problems. I just wanted someone else's opinion. I can't pay for the expensive stuff but don't want to feed them a bunch of corn and other fillers, which the red flannel apparently has. I've heard the CHICKEN SOUP for the dog lover's soul is ok, also the KIRKLAND Signature Costco stuff made by Diamond is supposed to be pretty good for the price. Any input would help. Thanks.
 
I have fed Diamond for years....some people like it...some cuss it. I have used both the Lamb and Rice based and their high protein varieties, no problems with either. The lamb and rice is what I have fed the most. I also can't afford the pricey stuff either.

Not sure about the bladder infections being related to the food.

Matt
 
Certainly good food is important to your dog. I have seen the results of bargain basement food on a dog and it wasn't pretty.

That said, I have fed Otto Purina - Pro-Plan, One, and regular Dog Chow; Diamond and Eukanuba, to try and limit his skin infections - nothing has helped. I am now feeding regular Purina Dog Chow because it seems to be just as good as the other stuff at a fraction of the cost. My last bag was 44#s @ $20.75 versus my last bag of Pro-Plan was something like $40 for 34 #s. They keep raising the price and making the bags smaller and smaller. I spoke to the Purina rep at Pheasant Fest last year and all I got back was a smart-ass remark.

Years ago we had a feed mill in town that did custom grinding in as little as 100lb lots. For years I fed my dogs a recipe that was given to me by an old guy that ran hounds - my dogs coat, stamina, etc was excellent during that time. Guess what - it was 50% corn. At that time it was $15/100#s. If I could find a local feed mill to grind it for me I'd do it again. Don't discount a food because of corn. I'm not saying that other foods aren't any good but why pay for the super premium food when it's not warranted. I did for the past 8 years but won't any more.
 
I feed Diamond and really like it. I can't afford the top tier foods myself either. I do suppliment with raw leg quarters to keep teeth clean 1-2x a week too but they get some kibble with it.

Have no issue using their higher protien diets to keep weight on my boys without significantly increasing the volume of food they consume. I feed the High Energy variety in the warm months and switch to Performance in the cold months. Dog's have always had sound weight, great coat, and never had an issue.
 
Dog Chow works best for my dogs. Czar had allergies and the only thing I could feed him was Pro Plan or regular Dog Chow. Balvenie's breeder gave me the name of some food I never heard of, and can't remember, because she said it was the only food he could handle, and he too is fine with Purina Dog Chow.

Hitch
 
I have used the chicken soup for the dog lovers soul since my yellow lab was a puppy till now at the age of 7years old ,he is healthy and strong is 94 Plus lbs . I would higly recomend it ,my lab has no side affexts from this type of dog food.A20# bag cost me $22.oo when mixed with other foods it lasts about 3 to4 weeks. I'm on the buying plan with concord pets store and after the 10th bag I get the 11th bag free.
 
I have been training and running hunt tests and field trials for almost 20 years now. Food and energy level of my dogs is a very big concern.
What I always look for is the condition of there coat and there stool. I used Purina Dog Chow for years, but they were bought out by Nestles over 6 years now. The Chow was never the same after that. Dog coats went flat and had to feed larger Quantities to maintain weight levels. Pro Plan was a mu7ch better food but very expensive.
Did a lot of research and have been using Exceed from Sam’s club. With me training a min. of three days a week now and six days during the summer I needed a good maintenance food. It, 30% Protein and 20% Fat. The product uses REAL chicken and rice. Also contains gulocosamine (sp) for the joints.
 
Pete,

Interesting you mentioned a local mill grinding a custom mix. Years ago you could do that here also at a local Co-Op. The place was sold when financial troubles surfaced and small scale custom milling is history. The new owner (Intermountain Farmers) still carries dog food but it is milled to the chains specs. I find it a bit frustrating that when the world changes it isn't always in a positive manner....

Matt
 
Matt, we too use Diamond Naturals for our kennel. I see where you list the lamb as a preferred flavor. A vet once told me not to feed lamb to young dogs.
Apparently as dogs age, some develop various allergies. According to this vet, lamb food has natural immunities, but if a dog is using lamb before allergies exist , they build they build immunities against the benefit of the lamb, and thus have no food choice to switch to later.
 
Thank you all for your replies. I think I will try the CostCo stuff. They have chicken & rice and lamb & rice in the Kirkland brand made by Diamond. $25 for a 40 lb. bag.

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Eucanuba Large Breed and Premium Performance. Up until a few years ago I had tried everything and I was back to Eucanuba. When we got Deuce the breeder recommended Pro Plan and all the trial people were "Pro Plan yada yada yada". I tried it and he didn't do well on it in my opinion...I expected more. He ate too much and his shit stank real bad. Back to Eucanuba and his coat is fantastic, he free feeds and eats much less and when he poops its hard and it doesn't stink.

Sometimes I think that much like people, dogs are predisposed to GI health and stool consistency. I know if I was a dog my owner would curse me when he cleaned the kennel run! On a positive note Deuce and I both started out 2010 right with a morning constitutional so at least everything is still functioning properly.
 
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I know if I was a dog my owner would curse me when he cleaned the kennel run! On a positive note Deuce and I both started out 2010 right with a morning constitutional so at least everything is still functioning properly.
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Jay,

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much information.

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My Boykins (12 & 3 years old) are basically healthy but I've had food issues with both. Diamond lamb & Rice agrees with them but isn't super easy to find around here. Proplan One Lamb & Rice is easy to find they both do fine on it.
 
http://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com I used to feed Eukanuba and Pro Plan performance, both very spendy...but I hunted with a friend who was a beer distributor and he supplied a bunch of grocery stores in Eugene Or. Well, he never fed the same thing twice, he would take free damaged bags from his route and I noticed his hounds....a couple of English setters and a nice little chessie, never had a problem with this varried diet, and so I started using this method, that being varing the diets, basically buying the cheapest stuff I can find at either the grocery stores or Wally World and my pups are all doing well on that, but I do as my buddy did and add all the table scraps my children can muster(and it is a lot):>)) to the bowl each time I feed. I used to pay I would bet 35 bucks a bag for 40 LBs....now it's usually 12 bucks for 50 lbs. I read a pretty good article on a blog called the Terrierman's Daily dose about this that basically said all dog food in the US commerically manufactured has to meet a standard and that there isn't much difference between them. You can find that article at the link above and search for dog food.
 
We feed our adult labs Diamond Hi-energy for Hunting dogs .
We feed at the lower end of the chart for each dog to keep them at their proper weight.

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[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]_____________________________________________ You get out of a dog, what you put into a dog !


Diamond in....Diamonds out??


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[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]_____________________________________________ You get out of a dog, what you put into a dog !


Diamond in....Diamonds out??
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[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]LOL, That would be time and training .[/font]
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[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica] Diamond in back yard land mines out LOL

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