Dog Food Search

[Guest AngelPup]

Hi all,

 

I've decided I'm going to try another dog food for our Cindy Lou. She's never had any digestive issues, although I've always fed her Iams Green Bag. I want to try another food because, over time, I've had to add one thing or/and another for issues that have cropped up. I've added fish oil because she has TERRIBLE dandruff, I've also added joint supplements because of arthritis. I'd much rather find a food that encompasses ALL her needs. Because she's small and a light eater, I can go with a higher end dog food, but would still like to find something that is reasonable.

 

Because my head is spinning looking at ALL the dog food out there, I've decided to ask those that feed dog food that fits our criteria to chime in and let me know what they are feeding.

 

Ideally, I'd like to find a dog food that:

 

Isn't crap (no fillers, preservatives, biproductsk, etc.)

Med to Large size kibble (this isn't as important as the rest since sometimes she chews the large Iams kibble and sometimes she just swallows it whole, so...)

Fish/Salmon Oil

Glucosamine

No ingredients from China

Low rate of or no recall record

 

So far, the one that stands out from the rest is Merrick, but I'm afraid that might be too rich for her. ?

Then there's Wellness

 

Both of those are on the expensive side, but I most likely won't have to feed her as much. Both are also higher in protein so I'm guessing they will be more satisfying for her appetite.

 

I've also been looking at the new grain free dog food by Tractor Supply, 4Health. I especially like the ingredients of the Duck and Sweet Potato one, but they don't seem to be carrying the large bag at our local store.

 

Any suggestions?

 

[cleptogrey]

can you find blue seal? manufactured in kansas, no recalls, great buy for the buck, . http://blueseal.com/product-search/results/

my dogs have been on it for 2 years or so, i only supplement w/ cold pressed fish oil. msm is cheap and pretty good for arthritic pain(shared by my greyhound rep who is a vet). greyhounds have such thin skin it seems as if one really can not get away from a skin supplement. what ever is in the food just ain't enough to make a difference. also when they blow coat(it's happening right now) they always get a bad case of dandruff.

 

i have been serving their lamb and rice crunches. check out all the kibbles, not bad, i pay $39 for 40#. the fish oil supplement comes out to $90 a year(just changed to grizzly salmon oil, Laksche Cronch became too expensive, but it's excellent.

 

fromm is another american produced food w/o links to diamond. they co-manufacture just about everything.

Edited April 3, 2014 by cleptogrey

[Guest AngelPup]

I've heard of both, but can't remember seeing either of them at our local feed stores. Dog food comparisons make my head spin.

 

I think I'm just going to try the 4Health large breed dog food for now. Seems like a decent dog food that is inexpensive. My only concern with it is that I believe it's manufactured by Diamond (lots of recalls), although maybe they finally got their act together.

 

:::sigh:::

[CharlieRhea]

For a low cost, grain free food i would suggest Taste Of The Wild. Also, you can add coconut oil to Cindy Lou's diet. I switch between salmon or sardine oil and coconut oil. Neither of my dogs have had any dry or flaky skin from this long, cold Winter. You will have to melt approx a tbsp of coconut oil in a little hot water 1st and mix into the food. Easily digestible and very healthy. I use unrefined raw coconut oil. T.O.W. was involved in a recall a couple of years ago because it was in a facility that had tainted food. None since.

[Jerilyn]

Are you familiar with Fromm? http://frommfamily.com/ High quality food made at their own family owned factory here in Wisconsin. I feed the Large Breed Adult Gold. They also have a “fancier” 4-star line with all kinds of fun flavors, including some grain free. Their kibbles are quite small, especially the 4-star ones. They do not sell at big box pet stores, so you would probably need to check feed stores or specialty stores to find it.

[Hubcitypam]

I'm not sure that you will be able to find kibble with no preservatives. By its very nature any dry kibble has to have preservatives.
As far as glucosamine and fish oil, many, including my vet and my boss when I worked as a demo person for Blue Buffalo, think that it is impossible to put beneficial levels of either in kibble.

Sometimes it is better to have a recall than not have one.
http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/ucm217086.htm
I personally don't trust Merrick any further than I could throw them. Garth Merrick built his empire selling really cheap food by the trainload to Wal-Mart. Then he reinvented himself as an upscale brand. For several years Wal-Mart carried canned Beef N' More. With the exception of one vegetable it was Identical to Merrick Cowboy Cookout. Same company, same plant. One was .55 a can and one was over $2 a can. There was a big discussion years ago on another breed board where people called the plant and were told the exact same beef went to each food.

In addition, the fact that Merrick owns several dead livestock pick up services and has an on site rendering plant just skeeves me.

Edited April 4, 2014 by Hubcitypam

[KristenMichele]

I currenlty have Fanny on Authority Grain free Chicken and Potato . The price is reasonable. The only down side is they only make a 15lb bag of food.

[Guest WhiteWave]

This food is about as close as you are getting to your list: http://usa.farmina.com/?q=content/product/chicken-ancestral-grain-recipe-adult

 

Just became available in the USA. Chewy.com is selling it now and should start showing up in stores. Already tried samples and my dogs went nuts over it.

 

92% or more of protein comes from meat. One of the highest rates of foods available.

[Guest AngelPup]

Thanks all.

 

I have heard of Fromm and love the idea that it's manufactured in a family owned plant here in the states (that's something I'd spend a few more bucks on). I'm just not sure I've ever seen it around here... I'll have to check it out at a pet food store near my work--they have TONS of different, higher end dog foods. I'd be surprised if they don't have it. I'll definitely check it out.

 

Had NO idea about Merrick--well that just makes me SICK! :::sigh::: It comes up consistently at the top of every dog food rating website I've been to. It's REALLY high in protein and I'm not sure Cindy Lou needs that much. Besides what appear to be good, wholesome ingredients, it's one of the few dog foods that have over 1,000 mg of glucosamine, which is what our vet recommended and fish oil.

 

Chemical preservatives are what concern me--not the natural ones. Sorry, should have specified. There are a surprising number of dog foods that have many chemicals and dyes in them--even higher end varieties. Go figure.

 

I'm just trying to find a dog food that is as close to my criteria as possible without going NUTS. I'm not expecting perfection. ~ ; )

 

I know a lot of people have had success feeding Taste of the Wild--it certainly is readily available and less expensive at our local Tractor Supply. Before I try that, though, I'm leaning toward the 4Health grain free. They are less expensive and manufactured by a company that lacks the recall history. And I do realize that recalls happen and I'd rather a company be proactive and DO a recall than try to hide it to look good. Unfortunately Diamond has had a LOT of recalls over the last few years. Just makes me nervous.

 

So here's my updated wish list:

 

Isn't crap (no fillers, chemical preservatives, biproducts, soy, etc.)

Fish/Salmon Oil & Glucosamine

No ingredients from China

Low rate of or no recall record

High quality/reasonably priced (Ain't no way I'm spending over $50 a bag)

Locally available/easily accessible

Available in large bag

Med to Large size kibble (this isn't as important as the rest since sometimes she chews the large Iams kibble and sometimes she just swallows it whole, so...)

 

Pluses: Grain free, sweet potato, added fruits/vegis, beet pulp

 

Of course, none of this even matters if Cindy Lou can't tolerate it, but I won't know that until I try it.

 

Just opened her last bag of Iams, so have some time to figure this out.

 

Thanks again!

[Guest AngelPup]

This food is about as close as you are getting to your list: http://usa.farmina.com/?q=content/product/chicken-ancestral-grain-recipe-adult

 

Just became available in the USA. Chewy.com is selling it now and should start showing up in stores. Already tried samples and my dogs went nuts over it.

 

92% or more of protein comes from meat. One of the highest rates of foods available.

 

WOAH! This is the mother of all dog foods! Haven't checked it out on Chewy.com yet, but that has GOT to be one expensive kibble! Thanks for the info!

[Guest AngelPup]

After looking at Fromm and Farmina, they appear to be exceptionally good kibbles. Unfortunately, I'd either have to buy online or go out of my way to purchase it at a pet store--just don't want to have to do that. I love everything about Fromm, but nobody in my area sells it. It is a bit over my budget, but love the family owned, USA sourced and manufactured! Oh well.

 

Thanks again for the great info!

[Guest carriej]

We feed Orijen, but that's a Canadian made food and I'm not sure it's available in the states?

 

They have some whole prey foods, etc... It's pricey. Like $85 for the big bag.

 

http://www.orijen.ca/

 

Just checked. It's available in the states.

Edited April 5, 2014 by carriej

[Hubcitypam]

Maybe check into Nutrisource? It looks like Pet Supplies Plus is in your area and the one here carries it (as well as Fromm's).

Then there is Nutrisca. I've fed the chicken and chickpea with good results and here you can *gasp* get it at the grocery store - both Safeway and Kroger carry it. It just warms the cockles of my heart that a food rated 5 stars by the sainted Dog Food Advisor is at the grocery stores. So much for the tilted nose sniff and the statement "we don't sell or recommend grocery store brands".

Edited April 5, 2014 by Hubcitypam

[Guest WhiteWave]

 

WOAH! This is the mother of all dog foods! Haven't checked it out on Chewy.com yet, but that has GOT to be one expensive kibble! Thanks for the info!

I got the low grain formulas and it was $46 for the chicken and $53 for the cod for 26.5lb bags. TOTW is $50 for 28lb bags and my dogs all did horrible on it and Joey looked like an anorexic crack ho on that food eating 8 cups a day!

 

Grain free is a bit more. Pieces are big, like the size of Iams Large Breed. But even my 17 yr old JRT mix could eat it. My dogs didn't want to go back to their other food after we ran out of samples. Company is very nice and very willing to chat with you and very open about their ingredients and where they come from and why they use what they use.

 

Going to do a month trial and see how the dogs do on it. If Joey can keep weight on with it and stay in good condition will be the true test. Dogs like Joey are great for testing formulas because of how much nutrition it takes to maintain them. Dogs like Ripley my Amstaff can eat just about anything and do just fine. She is an easy keeper.

[Guest DogNewbie]

We feed Wiley http://www.acana.com/, specifically the grain free "Wild Prairie" and we have had good results. It is made in Canada with ingredients from Canada. It is pricey, we pay about $46 per month for a 6.8kg bag. But, because it is good quality, we can feed less. We do give Wiley one 1200mg Omega-3 capsule (for his dandruff & arthritis) and he gets a Joint supplement for his arthritis. he takes both of these very well and is always happy to have them.

 

It is tough! There are SO many choices and every food brand says they are great and it is so hard to choose! Please let me know what you decide as I am always interested in what other people feed.

 

Good luck!!

[Guest AngelPup]

Great tips. I've heard of all those and they are indeed well worth the price. My head spins at all the different choices! I didn't realize Pet Supplies Plus carries Fromm (it wasn't listed on Fromm's website).

 

I've already decided to try 4Health Duck and Sweet Potato from Tractor Supply. Stopped down there this past weekend and it appears that they are carrying the large bag. I like what's in it and the price is definitely right! I can't afford something on the expensive side right now with us trying to figure out what is going on with her leg (she's had a limp for several weeks now and we've been to vet appt after vet appt). Now we're headed to a PT Vet that charges $125 a visit...

 

Hopefully she tolorates it well. If not, we'll try something else.

 

Thanks for all the great info everyone!!

[Guest Leaveittoweaver]

Great tips. I've heard of all those and they are indeed well worth the price. My head spins at all the different choices! I didn't realize Pet Supplies Plus carries Fromm (it wasn't listed on Fromm's website).

 

I've already decided to try 4Health Duck and Sweet Potato from Tractor Supply. Stopped down there this past weekend and it appears that they are carrying the large bag. I like what's in it and the price is definitely right! I can't afford something on the expensive side right now with us trying to figure out what is going on with her leg (she's had a limp for several weeks now and we've been to vet appt after vet appt). Now we're headed to a PT Vet that charges $125 a visit...

 

Hopefully she tolorates it well. If not, we'll try something else.

 

Thanks for all the great info everyone!!

 

How's the food working out? I know you already made a decision but I also wanted to throw out there if it is available, Nutrisource's Pure Vita line works really well and so does Zignature for my dog.

 

Zignature is less expensive then Pure Vita. Also agree with the previous poster about the levels of glucosamine and fish oil put in the food. It's not very much and a lot of it is cooked out during the manufacturing process. You're better off adding fish oil or coconut oil on top of the food and doing a separate glucosamine supplement.

[Guest Bean_Scotch]

I've fed Authority Lamb and Rice from Petsmart for a good 10+years. Never had a recall. Big pieces. No dandruff on my black coated dogs, no flakeys. No issues when they hit their 'senior' years. All dogs tolerate it very well. I've never had to supplement it with anything. Awesome stuff. 30.00 for 34lbs of food.

[sobesmom]

I've been feed 4 Health for quite a while now, and am very happy with it. OH, yeah - Diana is too. LOL!

[Guest AngelPup]

So far, so good. I'm not completely out of the Iams yet and have been mixing it 1/2 and 1/2 with the 4Health. She seems to like it and is doing well on it. I agree with everyone about just supplementing fish oil and glucosamine. For whatever reason, Cindy Lou has extraordinary dandruff and if I stop supplementing the fish oil, it gets bad again. She likes the glucosamine treats I got from the vet, but I'll be ordering something similar but much less expensive online.

 

Authority is a good food, but Tractor Supply is right down the road from me and I drive by it all the time. I don't always get to PetSmart, so it's just a convenience thing for me.