# the infamous dog food question....



## officeprincess (Jan 4, 2011)

Presently we have 7 beagles, 2 huskies, a snauzer and a mutt .... we feed all our dogs the same food. River Run. I am looking for a different feed ... preferrably one with more "oil" or omega 3's ... any advice? We typically purchase our food from local feed store ... Thanks for any advice.


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## JimDraper (Jan 4, 2011)

All I use is Black Gold for all 5 of my Labs


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## crbrumbelow (Jan 4, 2011)

I use Faithway feed Premium Gold Top Energy.  19.95 #50 bag.  24 protein.  20 fat.  HiTek has a feed called Intimidator and its 28 to 34 $ a bag and has 31 protein and 24 Fat.  Its a little rough on the dogs stomach for some reason at first.  After two bags of it I went back to faithway.


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## coltday (Jan 4, 2011)

I always liked Showtime or Black Gold.


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## K9SAR (Jan 5, 2011)

Why not just get a jug of Fish Oil and pump some on each bowl before feeding? Not a fan of Black Gold since it contains cornmeal and other by-products.  If you're going to look at the Showtime foods, consider "Showtime Extreme."  It doesn't have any corn, etc. in it.


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## Meat Dog Mafia (Jan 5, 2011)

If the feed store carries River Run talk to them about getting Loyal Dog Foods. It is Nutrena's top line of food. www.loyallpetfood.com


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## grouper throat (Jan 5, 2011)

What kind of River Run? I use the 24/20 and 27/18 and they've never acted or looked better. Once the black gold went to $25/bag I had to find something different..


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## officeprincess (Jan 6, 2011)

thanks everyone for replies ... we were using the purple bag of river run and have forever ... recently my husband dropped down to the white bag with less protien. I guess I could adjust it by adding fish oil - does it come in a large quantity container? All of our dogs seemingly thrive well off it with the exception of my girls ... the snauzer and mutt... it seems like it is causing skin issues. So I thought I would switch everyone over to something with more oil and perhaps a chicken base rather than corn. Is there such a thing in an economical sort of fashion??? Thanks again!


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## K9SAR (Jan 6, 2011)

officeprincess said:


> thanks everyone for replies ... we were using the purple bag of river run and have forever ... recently my husband dropped down to the white bag with less protien. I guess I could adjust it by adding fish oil - does it come in a large quantity container? All of our dogs seemingly thrive well off it with the exception of my girls ... the snauzer and mutt... it seems like it is causing skin issues. So I thought I would switch everyone over to something with more oil and perhaps a chicken base rather than corn. Is there such a thing in an economical sort of fashion??? Thanks again!



Both corn and chicken can cause skin issues, but so can the Winter season.

Yes, Fish Oil is sold in large containers with a pump, but you'd have to ask around for it (feed stores, etc.)  

Diamond Naturals Chicken and Rice doesn't have any corn in it, and it's pretty inexpensive.


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## grouper throat (Jan 6, 2011)

officeprincess said:


> thanks everyone for replies ... we were using the purple bag of river run and have forever ... recently my husband dropped down to the white bag with less protien. I guess I could adjust it by adding fish oil - does it come in a large quantity container? All of our dogs seemingly thrive well off it with the exception of my girls ... the snauzer and mutt... it seems like it is causing skin issues. So I thought I would switch everyone over to something with more oil and perhaps a chicken base rather than corn. Is there such a thing in an economical sort of fashion??? Thanks again!




The white bag (21%) is not on the same quality level of the 24/20 or 27/18 IMO. It's corn based and the other is meat and bone based. My dogs turn their noses up at the 21%


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## officeprincess (Jan 6, 2011)

Thanks for the FYI on the white bag ... I am not impressed with it. I will be checking on diamond naturals...I just need to find something of good quality, nutritional, good for their skin, etc.  without breaking my wallet .... or perhaps I should just hold a dog adoption day ... we have one of practically every kind ... JK  Thanks for the information - all is greatly appreciated.


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## wbrown4 (Jan 6, 2011)

Loyall by nutrena is all I have fed mine since six weeks. I have been very impressed a little on high side but have not found anyone yet that has tried it to go to anything else.


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## 91xjgawes (Jan 6, 2011)

i have had good luck with diamond.


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## FrancoMo (Jan 7, 2011)

try Rex Caliber. 26/18


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## officeprincess (Jan 21, 2011)

husband brought home red flannel ... I have never heard of it ... suggestions or thoughts on it???


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## bigt61 (Jan 21, 2011)

Yes, corn is terribly bad for any dog breed.

River Run, Ol' Roy, etc..... are just kockoffs.  Private labels made by major companies with less than stellar ingredients.

If you want real quality food, and want to kno what goes in it, cook your own, or feed them Blue Buffalo is what I reccomend.  Your pet will eat better, eat less, and will be healthier and will thank you for it.


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## officeprincess (Jan 21, 2011)

Thanks very much. I did google blue buffalo ... excellent ingrediants almost good enough for us to eat. I have not seen it in our local feed stores. Would you happen to know what area it is sold in and the price? Thanks again!


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## Cobra (Jan 21, 2011)

Try Tractor Supply. They carry Blue Buffalo,I have not tried it but our vet recommended this type dog food.Our dog had two seizures all blood work came back good so we are changing our dogs diet to see if this helps.


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## officeprincess (Jan 21, 2011)

Goodness I am so sorry about the seizures. I certainly hope changing the diet does the trick. Thank you for suggesting Tractor Supply - I forgot about them. Have a safe, happy weekend! Thanks again.


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## longbeard83 (Jan 21, 2011)

K9SAR said:


> ...Diamond Naturals Chicken and Rice doesn't have any corn in it, and it's pretty inexpensive.



I found out about Diamond Naturals on this forum and been using it ever since.  I did an EXHAUSTIVE search for a dog food without by-products and where its main source of protein wasn't corn.  Read the ingredients on the bag... Diamond Naturals is better than Blue Buffalo Holistic Dog food and 1/2 the cost ...

$30 for 40lbs at tractor supply. 

Here are links about dog food ingredients and etc

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=labelinfo101

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=badingredients

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=dog_food_reviews


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## officeprincess (Jan 21, 2011)

Thank you very much for that input. With the number of furkids we have I want to feed them healthy food - and still be able to feed us as well. lol I very much appreciate everyone's input and taking everything into consideration. Thanks so much. Be safe and enjoy the weekend.


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## longbeard83 (Jan 21, 2011)

Also better than Eukanuba ... I have yet to find another dog food with more natural and healthier ingredients than Diamond Naturals...

Since I have labs Ill post the three compared for Large Breeds

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Chicken Byproduct Meal


AAFCO: Consists of the dry, ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs, and intestines -- exclusive of feathers except in such amounts as might occur unavoidably in good processing practices.

Chicken byproducts are much less expensive and less digestible than the chicken muscle meat.The ingredients of each batch can vary drastically in ingredients (heads, feet, bones etc.) as well as quality, thus the nutritional value is also not consistent. Don't forget that byproducts consist of any parts of the animal OTHER than meat. If there is any use for any part of the animal that brings more profit than selling it as "byproduct", rest assured it will appear in such a product rather than in the "byproduct" dumpster. 

Fish Meal


AAFCO: The clean, rendered, dried ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish or fish cuttings, either or both, with or without the extraction of part of the oil.

Like with all other animal sources, if a type isn't specified, you never know what type or quality of fish is used.
According to US Coast Guard regulations, all fish meal not destined for human consumption must be conserved with Ethoxyquin (unless the manufacturer has a special permit). This preservative is banned from use in foods for human consumption except for the use of very small quantities as a color preservative for spices. So unless the manufacturer either presents a permit or states "human grade" fish or fish meal is used, you can be pretty sure Ethoxyquin is present in the food even if it is not listed.



Corn Germ Meal


AAFCO: Ground corn germ which consists of corn germ with other parts of the corn kernel from which part of the oil has been removed and is obtained from either a wet or dry milling manufacturing process of corn meal, corn grits, hominy feed, or other corn products.

An inexpensive by-product of human food processing, rich in protein but sadly often used as a booster in poor quality foods. It is not a harmful ingredient but should not rank high in the ingredient list of a quality product.

Corn Gluten Meal


AAFCO: The dried residue from corn after the removal of the larger part of the starch and germ, and the separation of the bran by the process employed in the wet milling manufacture of corn starch or syrup, or by enzymatic treatment of the endosperm.

An inexpensive by-product of human food processing which contains some protein but serves mainly to bind food together. It is not a harmful ingredient but should not rank high in the ingredient list of a quality product. 


Apple Pomace


AAFCO: The mixture of apple skins, pulp, and crushed seeds.

An inexpensive byproduct of human food processing. Does not contain the whole complement of nutrients as whole fresh or dried apples. 


Poultry Meal aka Chicken Meal


AAFCO: The clean combination of poultry flesh and skin with or without bone. Does not contain feathers, heads, feet or entrails. If from a particular source it may state so (i.e. chicken, turkey etc).

Note how in this product the source is not defined as "slaughtered poultry".The manufacturer does not disclose the species (or the mix of species) of the poultry used. The fowl can be obtained from any source, so there is no control over quality or contamination. Any kind of animal can be included: "4-D animals" (dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter), turkey, chicken, geese, buzzard, seagulls, misc. roadkill, birds euthanized at shelters and so on. 


Brewers Rice


Also appears in ingredient lists as ground Brewers Rice.

AAFCO: The small milled fragments of rice kernels that have been separated from the larger kernels of milled rice.

A processed rice product that is missing many of the nutrients contained in whole ground rice and brown rice. Contrary to what many pet food companies want to make you believe, this is not a high quality ingredient, just much cheaper than whole grain rice. 


Lamb meal is a popular ingredient in dog food.[1] It is the dry rendered part from mammal tissues, specially prepared for feeding purposes by tanking under live steam or dry rendering. Though the meat has been cooked, dried, and ground, it is still meat, and has not had any blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach or rumen contents added to it.


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Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy 

Ingredients
Chicken,  Corn Meal,Chicken By-Product Meal (Natural source of Chondroitin Sulfate and Glucosamine), Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Brewers Rice, Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Flavor, Dried Egg Product, Fish Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Brewers Dried Yeast, Fish Meal, Potassium Chloride, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Fructooligosaccharides, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Carbonate), DL-Methionine, Vitamins (Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement (source of vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), Inositol, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Vitamin E Supplement, Marigold, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract. 

Blue Buffalo Large Breed Puppy

Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Whole Ground Barley, Oatmeal, Tomato Pomace (natural source of Lycopene), Natural Chicken Flavor, Chicken Fat (naturally preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Whole Potatoes, Peas, Flaxseed(natural source of Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids), Whole Carrots, Whole Sweet Potatoes, Blueberries, Cranberries, Barley Grass, Dried Parsley, Garlic, Alfalfa Meal, Dried Kelp, Yucca Schidigera Extract, L-Carnitine, L-Lysine, Turmeric, Dried Chicory Root, Oil of Rosemary, Beta Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Niacin (Vitamin B3), d-Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Biotin (Vitamin B7), Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Choline Chloride, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate, Salt, Caramel, Potassium Chloride, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecium .


DIAMOND NATURALS LARGE BREED PUPPY

Lamb, lamb meal, egg product, cracked pearled barley, millet, ground rice, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potato protein, oatmeal, potatoes, tomato pomace, flaxseed, natural flavor, ocean fish meal, salmon oil (source of DHA), potassium chloride, salt, choline chloride, dried chicory root, kelp, carrots, peas, apples, tomatoes, blueberries, spinach, dried skim milk, cranberry powder, rosemary extract, parsley flake, yucca schidigera extract, L-Carnitine, dried fermentation products of Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.



To me it seems like Diamond Naturals is about the best you can get and for half the price of the two I compared here... 

Sorry to be so long winded...


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## longbeard83 (Jan 21, 2011)

Here is Purina Puppy Chow 

Ingredients
Whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, whole grain wheat, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), soybean meal, brewers rice, meat and bone meal, barley, beef, sugar, propylene glycol, animal digest, fish oil, tricalcium phosphate, salt, phosphoric acid, dried yeast, sorbic acid (a preservative), potassium chloride, dried carrots, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, dried peas, calcium propionate (a preservative), choline chloride, added color (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 2), Vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, niacin, manganese proteinate, Vitamin A supplement, calcium carbonate, Vitamin B-12 supplement, DL-Methionine, calcium pantothenate, copper sulfate, copper proteinate, thiamine mononitrate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin D-3 supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), calcium iodate, folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite.
J-4037


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## officeprincess (Jan 21, 2011)

oh my thank you so very much ... I appreciate you being "long winded". You have by all means educated me which is exactly what I have been trying to do. Your time into your information is awesome. Thanks so much!!! I do all our shots and minor vetrinary services for all of our animals. I am very happy to be gain such helpful knowledge. Thanks again! Bless U


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## officeprincess (Jan 21, 2011)

I feel like an awful Mom to my furkids. They all appear very healthy and happy - but we have been feeding them crap. Good Grief Charlie Brown. This will be remedied this weekend. Thanks again for all advice, opinions, suggestions, etc.


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## bigt61 (Jan 21, 2011)

longbeard83 said:


> Here is Purina Puppy Chow
> 
> Ingredients
> Whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, whole grain wheat, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), soybean meal, brewers rice, meat and bone meal, barley, beef, sugar, propylene glycol, animal digest, fish oil, tricalcium phosphate, salt, phosphoric acid, dried yeast, sorbic acid (a preservative), potassium chloride, dried carrots, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, dried peas, calcium propionate (a preservative), choline chloride, added color (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 2), Vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, niacin, manganese proteinate, Vitamin A supplement, calcium carbonate, Vitamin B-12 supplement, DL-Methionine, calcium pantothenate, copper sulfate, copper proteinate, thiamine mononitrate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin D-3 supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), calcium iodate, folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite.
> J-4037




DEFINETLY- BAAAAAAAAAADDDD STUFF- Purina is just sugar coated dookie!

Also, I believe that Blue Buffalo has never had a recall or any product issues, while Diamond was one of the major suppliers to have recalls and issues and buy lots of their ingredients from China.

Check this website out for a list and review of Dog Foods- http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/


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## officeprincess (Jan 21, 2011)

Geeeeeeez now I am feeling like a really awful mom to my furkids. It's a wonder they still love me. for all I know they may all get together tonight and plot some sort of revenge against me tomorrow..... uggghhhhhh


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## lab (Jan 22, 2011)

Red flannel is made by PMI Nutrition
http://www.pminutrition.com/main.html
I just bought a bag of the Exclusive line from them.
http://www.exclusivepetfood.com/dog/ECMD2-0031755.aspx


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## officeprincess (Jan 22, 2011)

The beagles and huskies seem to like it ... but my girls seem to not care for it. Such a challenge to find a balance.....


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## StevePickard (Jan 23, 2011)

Check out the info on Tractor Supply 4Health Dog foods at this dog food comparison site. 
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/4health-dog-food-dry/ 
I've switched from Blue Buffalo to this.  Although I've heard it is made by Diamond, it has a higher rating than Diamond by this independent site.  My dogs are doing well on it and it is very reasonably priced.


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## ylhatch (Jan 24, 2011)

you can't go wrong with showtime hi pro.it's all i feed


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## officeprincess (Jan 24, 2011)

Thanks. Haven't heard of it. Where abouts is it sold and do you have prices by chance? Be Safe!


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## futurerabbithunter17 (Jan 25, 2011)

be carfull with high protian feed year round it will tear there kidneys up


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## ylhatch (Jan 27, 2011)

officeprincess said:


> Thanks. Haven't heard of it. Where abouts is it sold and do you have prices by chance? Be Safe!



i get it from my local feed store.i only feed hi pro during hunting season then i switch to the showtime 21% when it goes out.


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## lab (Jan 29, 2011)

Well did you get any other dog food?  If so what and how do you & the dogs like it?


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## officeprincess (Jan 29, 2011)

Thanks but no.....on dog food choice overload...............


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