Working Dogs, Active Dogs, Maintenance - Confused Over Dietary Require

[MattB]

Our two hounds have always been 'grazers' and picked at food throughout the day.

 

That was until we changed to a different dried food, and started alternating between breakfast and dinner. We mix this with some tinned. I feel like they'd got bored of the same diet day in-day out so would like to mix it up a bit.

 

My confusion is which dog foods are suitable. We've been going with a brand called 'Skinners' for a while now and mixing up different types such as:

 

https://www.viovet.co.uk/Skinners_Ruff_Ready_Dog_Food/c1118/?sct_t=1464449601&sct_q=skinners&sct_r=5

 

https://www.viovet.co.uk/Skinners_Field_Trial_Duck_Rice_Dog_Food/c1128/?sct_t=1464449618&sct_q=skinners&sct_r=2

 

https://www.viovet.co.uk/Skinners_Premier_Large_Bite_Dog_Food/c1116/?sct_t=1464449641&sct_q=skinners&sct_r=15

 

I'm now looking at something like this:

 

https://www.viovet.co.uk/Skinners_Field_Trial_Working_23_Dog_Food/c1126/?sct_t=1464449252&sct_q=skinners&sct_r=12

 

but this seems to describe more of a 'working' type of dog - does this make this unsuitable? Is this to do with protein content or carbs? Is there a lot of difference?

 

Any advice much appreciated!

 

 

[greysmom]

No info on that specific food, but in general, it's more about the outcome than anything else. For a typical greyhound who is normally (in)active you want a moderate protein level made up of mostly real meat (not protein from vegetable sources) that allows the dog to easily keep their weight steady, have good poops, and produce no gas. IMO, whatever dog food you can afford, that your dog will consistently eat, that does all that is whatever you should be feeding. Don't fall for expensive "fad" diets like grain free, or novel proteins, or vet diets unless there's a real medical reason for them.

 

I'm also not a big fan of free feeding, though again, it's mostly personal preference. I like being able to monitor exactly what my dogs are eating in case of illness, so I can pinpoint any loss of appetite, nauseau, beginning of diarrhea, food problems. It's also better if I need to administer meds with food since I know when they've eaten. I also think free feeding encourages pickiness, since the dog doesn't get hungry and can graze out all the "good" parts of a kibble/food. It also would never work in my house as I have one dog who would eat everyone's food immediately, and probably cause serious problems resource guarding.

[MattB]

No info on that specific food, but in general, it's more about the outcome than anything else. For a typical greyhound who is normally (in)active you want a moderate protein level made up of mostly real meat (not protein from vegetable sources) that allows the dog to easily keep their weight steady, have good poops, and produce no gas. IMO, whatever dog food you can afford, that your dog will consistently eat, that does all that is whatever you should be feeding. Don't fall for expensive "fad" diets like grain free, or novel proteins, or vet diets unless there's a real medical reason for them.

 

I'm also not a big fan of free feeding, though again, it's mostly personal preference. I like being able to monitor exactly what my dogs are eating in case of illness, so I can pinpoint any loss of appetite, nauseau, beginning of diarrhea, food problems. It's also better if I need to administer meds with food since I know when they've eaten. I also think free feeding encourages pickiness, since the dog doesn't get hungry and can graze out all the "good" parts of a kibble/food. It also would never work in my house as I have one dog who would eat everyone's food immediately, and probably cause serious problems resource guarding.

 

Thank you - Yes we no longer free-feed really either - though this was the hound's choice to eat in one go rather than ours!

 

One thing I've been trying to avoid are particular preservatives - BHT and BHA which I'd read negative things about. This is easier said than done as I find ingredient lists often fairly sparse so resort to e-mailing manufacturers instead.

[MattB]

For a typical greyhound who is normally (in)active you want a moderate protein level made up of mostly real meat (not protein from vegetable sources)

 

Also meant to ask what value would you class as a moderate protein level?

[DocsDoctor]

Be aware that in the UK the label 'Working Dog Food' is largely a tax dodge - a product labelled as such is exempt from the VAT (17.5% is it?) charged on pet food.

 

A useful site for analysing the content of different British dog foods is http://www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/

but I think as greysmom says it's about finding what suits your dog's digestion, not to mention your pocket.

 

Ken does well on 'Pet Greyhound' which is made by Dodson and Horrell to the RGTs recipe and with a contribution going to them: http://www.dodsonandhorrellpetfood.co.uk/dog-food/greyhound-food/pet-greyhound. it's not expensive and his predecessor Doc preferred their Gusto which was even cheaper.

[RedHead]

Not familiar with that food, but not sure why they would call that a "working food." It is only 23% protein...most working dog diets have a much higher protein. I guess a bit of a novelty trying to make people to buy into it more??

 

 

It looks like a lot of those foods have glucose syrup in them...it is the #2 ingredient in some of the foods, and the website says they spray the food with it. I would personally stay clear of any food coated in a sugar type ingredient.

[MattB]

Thank you so much for checking those out that's really kind.

 

DocsDoctor 20% VAT these days !

 

RedHead I hadn't really twigged re: glucose - when you say it like that....

 

I got on to Skinners after it came recommended on a UK fb page so that maybe clouded my judgement.

[moofie]

I'd only feed the field & trial hypoallergenic ones out of the skinners range, we've fed the salmon or duck and rice (doesn't suit mine as well as fish) as there classed as working i.e VAT free = cheaper. I currently feed Autarky salmon as similar to skinners but its cheaper, my favourite dog food so far has been Lukullus dry from zooplus which is rated 4.4/5 and yet £30-35 a bag, its cold pressed so doesn't swell up in water and smells nice even to me,all 4 dogs loved it, output was firm and their coats beautifully soft & shiny but alas had to make some cutbacks.

Edited May 29, 2016 by moofie

[greysmom]

20-25% protein is usually fine for most pet greyhounds, though individual needs should be taken into account.

[cleptogrey]

interesting looking at the analysis of the foods, especially the pet greyhound. that's what a good pet food looked like in the 70s in the states. then in the late 90s protein content started to rise. now, many of the foods are rocket fuel which really isn't that necessary.

 

i found it interesting that after my male needed to go on a low fat diet, which is what the #s are for all of the foods linked above i saw no difference in his coat. i was expecting dry awful coat/skin. he's fine. the main ingredient in the english foods seems to be a grain, nothing wrong with that. i fed grain based food for many many years, that's what we had. the foods look fine, your dog's coat, health and stool will show you what works best.

 

as in america, it's the fattening of the people and their pets. there are more obese pets around, simple good, nutrition is the key for everyone. enough of my rant! enjoy your pups~!~~

[moofie]

20-25% protein is usually fine for most pet greyhounds, though individual needs should be taken into account.

 

i agree and most of the dog foods i pick tend to fall within this range, those with higher protein aimed at pet dogs do tend to have different RDA based on activity level and the feeding quantity can be much lower than usual.

It seems common with greyhound rescues in UK to advise to feed under 20% protein, possibly it started to avoid adopters feeding the active racing greyhound foods . I feel its too simplistic to look at protein level alone and not take into account ingredients, digestibility of protein source or quantity consumed. Plus wet food can labelled as 12% protein is often nearer 40% when moisture removed to compare properly. My greyhounds maybe lazing around all day but still need to eat more than my heavier more active mutt does daily to keep weight on.

[Banjoman]

I started Chancey on the RGT dried food but she seemed to do the most enormous poos which were really soggy so I eventually changed to Burns Fish and Brown Rice and only add a little water and some tinned or packet food to make it more interesting each day. Now both Chancey and lurcher Nutmeg are happy eating that although both could do with a little more meat on their ribs but I don't want to over feed them now they are spayed 'cos the weight goes on round the waist rather than the ribs.