# how good is this dog food??



## havin_fun_huntin (Aug 31, 2009)

I used to use ol roy high performance dog food but was WAY unhappy with it. iv just changed to diamond hi performance. so far i think i made a great choice.  does anyone else use this dog food and what have been your results.. also is there maybe a better brand for my hunting dogs??


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## nanney1 (Aug 31, 2009)

Well, you've either purchased Diamond Performance 30/20 in the black bag or Diamond Hi-Energy 24/20 in the maroon bag. 

From what I can tell most people who've tried and liked Diamond get good results from either the Performance 30/20 or Premium 26/18 green bag.

With the Hi-Energy, results vary. Some love it while others hate it. 

If it works for your budget, and your dogs look good, digest it well, and have energy for whatever you need them to do, then it is a good choice.


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## havin_fun_huntin (Aug 31, 2009)

your right it was hi energy.


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## Tpr 325 (Aug 31, 2009)

Any dog food you go to will be better than OlRoy


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## Bryan (Aug 31, 2009)

I have no complaints with  D high energy xpet it keeps going up.


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## Ga. Black Gold (Aug 31, 2009)

Diamond 24/20.  Cost less than their maintenance formula.  Read between the lines.  The third ingredient is rice bran.  Diamond is paid to take this filler.  No way you can get a good stool.  Not much improvement over Ole Roy!  I know, it was cheap and well it's Diamond.  If your going with them, go with the 26/18.  Better grade of ingredients and yes it will cost more.  Do not go with a 30% protein.  All that will do is make your dog have a heat stroke.


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## SouthernBeagles (Aug 31, 2009)

I used Diamond for 10 years. In the early days it was a great food. After a while they became big buiseness and the quality went down hill.

I first noticed the hounds were thin. The vets couldn't find anything wrong with them (parisites) and suggested it may be the food. I called Diamond and asked them if they had changed the ingredients and was told "no".

I decided to try a different food with similar ingredients and protien/ fat levels and went with a Southern States generic feed. The dogs put on weight immediatly.

One year later many dogs across the country died that were fed Diamond from a fungus found in the corn. They didn't change the recipe, they just started using bottom of the barrell cheapest ingredients they could find!! 

I will never feed Diamond again.


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## hawgrider1200 (Sep 1, 2009)

I used Diamond with some old coonhounds I used to own. It worked real well. Dogs were very healthy. Then I read about the Diamond feed that was killing hounds, I quit buying their products. They claimed that they unknowingly bought some bad ingredients after first claiming the feed was not killing folk's dogs. I hear that the Black Gold dog food is better.


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## havin_fun_huntin (Sep 1, 2009)

*thanks everyone*

thank for the replies .. i think once this bag of food runs low im gonna start swithing my dogs over to black gold in the black bag. does this seem like a wiser choice??


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## GSP man (Sep 1, 2009)

Try the  Black Gold plantation blend, I started mine on it about a month ago and I am happy with the results so far.


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## Ga. Black Gold (Sep 1, 2009)

Well, yea!  Try this, start with the yellow bag (24/12).  Your dog is not used to a good food.  Let's not shock your dogs system.  First bag yellow, second bag black and then maybe Plantation.  Follow my PM instructions and watch em' go.


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## BBD 25 (Sep 1, 2009)

I feed my dog Sports Mix high energy (black bag)! Does anyone have a opinion on that feed!


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## SouthernBeagles (Sep 1, 2009)

Black Gold has been inconsistant since Sunshine Mills started making thier product. They were having problems with quality control. They have a new plant under construction and once that is finished and they have control of their product again, I will buy it again.

In the mean time I am bouncing around from feed to feed. I am using Pride and Pleasure (black Bag) at the moment and it seems to be doing well for them (less stool, good coat, plenty of energy) but rabbit season will tell the story when the hounds are hunted several times a week. It has been hard finding a feed that can keep the weight on the dogs when they are ran hard. Black Gold was doing the trick till a couple of years ago.........sure hope they get control of their product soon if the pride and pleasure fails me.


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## Ga. Black Gold (Sep 2, 2009)

Not quite true Southern B!


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## Wild Turkey (Sep 2, 2009)

Other than that little problem with the recall and dogs falling over dead a few years back, Diamond is good dog food.
I still use the green one for my labs.


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## SouthernBeagles (Sep 2, 2009)

Ga. Black Gold said:


> Not quite true Southern B!



What isn't quite true?? The fact Sunshine Mills is making the product now?? or the fact they they have a quality control issues???
I emailed BG back and fourth several times when the dogs were doing poor this past winter. They had a problem and they knew it and are working to correct it. Atleast they didn't lie about it like Diamond did. When Black Gold is right, its a great food! Just wasn't right when I switched. When they get control of their product again and if my dogs don't hold up on the pride and pleasure I will use them again. But please don't say I am a "not quite the truth" teller.
I take the health of my hounds VERY serious

here are a couple of their responses for those in doubt.


> In response to your question about Sunshine. Yes, we have Sunshine make some of our feed for some of the southern states to offset high freight just like we contract with American Nutrition in Utah to make some of our feed to offset freight to California and the Northwest US. All companies do this to some extent to keep prices down to the consumer. For the manufacture of Black Gold, Sunshine adheres to our defined ingredient specs and manufacturing parameters. In fact, we have one of our employees inside their plant to help assure quality control.



OR This?? A few weeks later after I kept complaining after they tried to buy me off with free dog food instead of addressing the problem???


> Thank you for the input.  Not sure who you talked to before but we take quality issues very seriously.  We know there are quality problems and we are trying to address them.  Do you have a specific code date on the feed so we can replace it with correct feed?  We have not intentionally changed anything...Our problem is Sunshine.  They cannot consistently make quality product.  We knew they had a reputation of inconsistency going in but it was the best option at the time.  Please respond.
> 
> John Allen
> Black Gold Pet Foods, Inc.


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## Ga. Black Gold (Sep 2, 2009)

First, we do not have a plant under construction.  We wish we did, but no we don't.
Second, we do not offer to buy people off.  We offer complete satisfaction or your money back or replacement of food.  If you had taken the free food, I would have personally delivered it to you.
Third, Black Gold quality is probably the best it has ever been because of people like you letting us know when there is a problem.  Name another pet food company owner who would take time to write you a personal letter being as honest as he can be.  Name another owner who is at Autumn Oaks this week.
If you like that Pride stuff, you need to try our newest feed, Old Glory.  I'll be coming to a dog event near you soon giving it and Black Gold away.
If you haven't figured it out, I'm a full time Black Gold employee and proud of it.  We think highly of our hounds too.  That's why, if it doesn't work with our dogs, you cannot buy it!


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## SouthernBeagles (Sep 2, 2009)

First........The "plant under construction" comment came from an email from Mr. Allen. Maybe I missunderstood??? He said we are "under construction" I assumed a new plant. I will post it below so you can see.

Second......The first fella I spoke with (Not Mr. Allen but don't remember his name) gave excuse after excuse and offered me replacement feed and excuses about a couple of bags I had with golfball clunks and the poor condition of the hounds.....HE MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WAS JUST CALLING FOR FREE FOOD...and he would give me a free bag. I addressed this with Mr. Allen.

Third.........As of January they had a problem. Has it been corrected?? Possibly...Hopefully.....Will I ever buy the BG again?? Absolutly!! Do I respect the company??? You becha!! Will I ever buy Diamond again??? Not a chance!!!


Fourth, would be glad to meet you and shake your hand. I respect someone that is proud of their job and takes pride in their work. I am not attacking BG, just stating a fact about a problem I am many others had last winter. I can also understand you defending your product you sell. No harm, no faul.



> Fair enough.  It could also be that you are not feeding the correct formula for the hunting conditions your dogs are being subjected to.  If you are in GA, the quality of the 26/18 Performance blend has not really been a problem.  We are under construction but it will be several months until we have control of our own manufacturing.  Check back next year...
> John Allen
> Black Gold Pet Foods, Inc.


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## 281 (Sep 2, 2009)

i would not feed black gold to a cow.midway gave me 4 bags onetime my dogs would walk over and smell of it and go lay down. i feed pride 24/20  17.75 a bag.


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## Bayin'Blues (Sep 2, 2009)

I got a new pup commin, and I just bought a HUGE bag of Purina pro-plan for pups, any comments or things I should know about it? what are its protein percentages?


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## Ga. Black Gold (Sep 2, 2009)

Southern B:  The old mill that made our feed in Dexter, Mo. was for sale.  It was owned by Mars.  They agreed to sell it to us in the fall and then in Dec., they called and said NO.  John asked why, and they said they did not have to tell him anything.  They then closed the doors, along with 4 other plants, put several hundreds of people out of work and called 180 of their 190 different dog food company's and said we will no longer make your dog food.  This was to make Walmart happy.  I'm not going into all that.  Needless to say, you now know why I want everyone to know about Mars and there great organization.

281:  I would not feed Black Gold to your cow either.  It will kill it.  That feed you got from Midway was probably old.  He quit selling it 3 years ago.

Bayin'Blues:  Pro-Plan puppy, 28% protein 18% fat.  Great food, over priced.  Black Gold is compared to Pro-Plan's quality.  Black Gold is half the price.  Why?  Who sponsor's all the big bird hunt's?  P-P and your paying for that.  Who's advertised on TV?  P-P and you pay for that.  Who sponsor's your UKC and AKC coonhunt's?  WE DO, but BG pays for that.


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## Bayin'Blues (Sep 3, 2009)

Bayin'Blues:  Pro-Plan puppy, 28% protein 18% fat.  Great food, over priced.  Black Gold is compared to Pro-Plan's quality.  Black Gold is half the price.  Why?  Who sponsor's all the big bird hunt's?  P-P and your paying for that.  Who's advertised on TV?  P-P and you pay for that.  Who sponsor's your UKC and AKC coonhunt's?  WE DO, but BG pays for that.[/QUOTE] 

thanks man.. IDK where to get it from locally though..


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## Ga. Black Gold (Sep 3, 2009)

I'll pm you that info.


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## Vineyardhunter (Sep 14, 2009)

D hi-energy is great or at least my pitbull loves it and it makes her as purdy as ever!


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## quackwacker (Sep 14, 2009)

I was feeding Diamond and couldnt get a good stool!  I have switched over to BD Plantation and my dogs coats are better and the stool is much better!

The energy level is where I need it to be so Im sold!


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## irocz2u (Sep 14, 2009)

any  body  try  nothin better  dog food


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## Killa (Sep 14, 2009)

pride been feedn 4 bout 6yrs and the best


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## thomas williams (Sep 14, 2009)

How much are yall paying for BG either the yellow or black bag in your area?


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## sweet 16 (Sep 14, 2009)

I have two pointers, I stopped using Diamond 2 years ago and switched to Purina. My Seed and Feed store stopped stocking Purina so I tried some Legacy Brand. They would let it sit all day before they would eat. I just recently went back to Diamond Premium. Dogs love it.


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## hoochfisher (Sep 17, 2009)

> Any dog food you go to will be better than OlRoy




a lesser known fact:

ol roy is made by pedigree.  i was a stocker at the time of the last pedigree recall, and the recall papers stated all foods manufactured at this certain plant with certain upc #s was to be recalled.  letter was writing by pedigree, under a pedigree letter-head.  ol roy was right under the pedigree on the list, followed by the tractor supply store labels.



i have tried diamond food a few times. i used the puppy blend and it made my dogs sick. they kept pukeing it up. feed a few other foods and realized my pups had sensitive stomachs.  now that they are older, i have used purina dog chow, and many other brands with no ill effects. i tried to get them back on diamond twice. once they absolutly would not eat it. and once it made them sick yet again. to the point that one of my dogs kept puking and loseing wieght for a week after.


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## browning84 (Sep 17, 2009)

Pedigree foods are crap and for that matter so are most others. If the first ingredient is not a protein (protein by products don’t count) it’s no good. I would be willing to bet most of your pedigree foods start with corn which can’t be digested so all it does it fill the dog and in some cases cause allergies, if you have ever notices your dog smells live corn chips (freetos) or cheetos or any other kind of chip it because the food you feed has corn or the main ingredient it corn, I know that might seem weird but some dogs smell so strongly like corn you don’t even have to get down there and play with them to find out. There are some decent foods out there that won’t break the bank completely but yes you will pay more than $12 for a 50 lb. bag. Even if you paid $50 a bag that is a dollar a pound. So if the dog eats 1.5 pounds to 2 pounds a day you end up paying $1.50 - $2.00 a day to feed the animals you love. Find a food that starts with a protein, and at best doesn’t have corn at all but those are harder to find. For those that feed Purina I have heard (this is hear say and not fact, so ask Purina) that yes pro plan start with chicken but the ingredients say it is real chicken which means it has not been processed, what this means is once they process it and put it in the food, that so much water has now been removed from the ingredient that it no longer is the first ingredient in the list, next on the list CORN, and yes I am speaking of the Performance Formula.


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## Ga. Black Gold (Sep 18, 2009)

Pedigree, Ole Roy, Nutro, all Kroger and Publix brands and a few others are made by Mars.


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## Murphy (Sep 18, 2009)

1-Chicken 2-Corn Gluten meal 3-Brewers Rice 
  on my bag of Pro Plan Performance


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## lab (Sep 18, 2009)

Diamond Naturals
Chicken & Rice Adult Dog Formula

    * No Corn, No Wheat
    * Fresh Chicken is the #1 Ingredient
    * Antioxidant Formulation
    * Balanced Omega Fatty Acids for Skin and Coat
    * Crunchy Kibble Helps Clean Teeth and Reduce Plaque
    * Natural Formula with Vitamins and Minerals

The 26% protein and 16% fat formula will provide your dog with the nutrients necessary for optimal health and an active life. Guaranteed levels of vitamin E and selenium ensure that your dog is receiving optimum antioxidant nutrition, and crunchy kibble helps clean teeth and reduce plaque.

Protein: 26% Fat: 16%
Calories: 3,708 kcal/kg (368 kcal/cup) Calculated ME
Sizes Available: 40 lb. and 6 oz. sample
Ingredients

Chicken, chicken meal, whole grain brown rice, white rice, cracked pearled barley, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), oatmeal, beet pulp, egg product, flaxseed, natural chicken flavor, fish meal, potassium chloride, choline chloride, 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, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.


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## will hunt 4 food (Sep 18, 2009)

I got a black bag of BG back in the winter some time that smelled like cow manure(it was rotten). I started feeding other things for awhile, and went back to the gray bag. Fed it for a wile and they started to have a strong odor, so now I'm back with the black. the odor went away, feed smells good, and all is well right now. Ga. Black Gold you might want to pass it along to whom it may concern, any more problems and I probably won't be back. It has never failed to keep my dogs looking and feeling healthy however. I just can't trust it if it smells rancid from time to time.


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## BSC Libertarian (Sep 19, 2009)

First, this is a great thread. Anyone who cares about their dogs is always concerned about what they feed. So I will see what the opinion is on what we feed. 

We have a 3 year old springer (Gidget) and an almost 2 year old Lab/Border Collie mix (Gus - or "border line collie" LOL) and we feed Science diet. When we just had the springer and all those foods were getting recalled we were feeding Iams - so we stopped feeding her that and went to SD. 

Gidget (Springer) is a picky eater but keeps weight on well and has lots of energy, bright eyes, great coat etc. Gus (lab/BC mix) is not very picky except that he only likes dry food (i'll get to that in a minute) and he does have a sensitive stomach. He gets diarrhea from time to time but that is probably more because he likes to eat (yes eat) his toys  must be the lab in him. He is a little overweight according to the vet but he gets a lot of exercise (we walk them twice a day religously for at least 30 minutes and we walk fast - my wife runs w/ them about 2-3 times a week too) and we feed him a little less than what's recommended for his size. He is pretty lazy in general but, again, bright eyes great coat and except for when he has eaten a toy (or a sock or his bed etc.) he has normal stools. He's always ready to play but also good for a nap whenever too. 

We used to mix some canned Science Diet in w/ the Gidget's food but she decided she doesn't like it anymore - she just refused to eat it one day and that was it (which is fine it's expensive). My wife cooks up some ground Turkey or chicken once a week or so and we put that in w/ the Gidget's kibble (morning and night) for some extra protein and fat etc. and because I think dogs should eat meat - it's cheaper than the canned food too. Gus gets a little but he really only likes kibble. 

We are feeding them both Science Diet Sensitive stomach because we were sick of buying 2 kinds of food and Gus can't eat the regular - gives him the runs. 

Our dogs are inside dogs and we obviously don't hunt with them or anything they are just family members (we don't have kids) so they are pretty spoiled.  

What is the consensus on Science Diet? We have been happy with it and except for Gus being a fat boy they always check out great at the vet and are very healthy. 

Maybe if it ain't broke don't fix it?


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