Guest Willow Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Which would you consider to be the "best" of the "budget" brand complete dry foods? Please, please, I don't want this to turn into a smack-down between BARF advocates & Super-premium advocates .......I'm trying to give the best advice I can to someone who doesn't have a lot of money right now, and wants to do the best they can by the dog, as cheaply as possible. My guys are on Supercoat special care Sensetive, which I suggested (suits my kids well), but it doesn't agree with their dog, so that's a no-no!!! They don't have a freezer, so can't do raw or BARF patties & freeze it, but they could do home-cooked that would keep in the fridge for three or four days if they had a suitable cheap recipe. Does anyone have any good advice??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zensu Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 We use Pro Plan - this is a premium however i do on occasion mix it with Bonnie and my kids seem to love it. Bonnie is about $38 for 20 kgs, I have one of my dogs that eats "Great Barko" which is about $30 for 22 Kgs. In my Opinion.... Dog food isnt about premiums, budgets, etc etc. It is what works for YOUR dogs. Some dogs dont do well on premium - my GR CH dog doesnt, he looks awful when i fed him Proplan, just didnt agree with his system, what works for him is cheap Barko. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmolo Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 What about Natures Gift? Could combo biscuits and wet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 (edited) The best dried food I've bought is very good quality but reasonably priced. It is from www.pricelesspets.com.au and the only dried food they sell. Its about $70 or so for 15kgs, no additives and small, flattish, easy to eat biscuits. I've never come across a dog that hasn't loved it and that's saying something (I've had over 50 foster dogs!). I use the cheapest sardines in a pack of three from Woolworths, costs $1.60 for three. Also use no frills tuna. All in spring water only. Sweet potato (cooked) and basmati rice are also good to add in - don't need a freezer for any of these options! Edited February 11, 2009 by dogmad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pandii Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I have feed the select brand from safeway and have not had any problems with it Someone else here feeds it too but cant remember Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Willow Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Bonnie is about $38 for 20 kgs,I have one of my dogs that eats "Great Barko" which is about $30 for 22 Kgs. In my Opinion.... Dog food isnt about premiums, budgets, etc etc. It is what works for YOUR dogs. Some dogs dont do well on premium - my GR CH dog doesnt, he looks awful when i fed him Proplan, just didnt agree with his system, what works for him is cheap Barko. Good luck I will suggest that..... I agree, that premium isn't for all dogs (changed my two from Hills J/D to Advance, then to Supercoat, and they have done best on the Supercoat) I could just see a thread like this turning into a bashing for someone feeding their dog a cheap "supermarket" food instead of what a lot consider "proper" food!!! Thought is I got my plea in first it might help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoGoGidget Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Try boomer, recommended for active and show dogs and is around the $40 for 20 kgs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 When we don't have meat.. we use Great Barko .. the dogs do really well on it,and it's cheap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellz Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I've fed the Select brand from Woolworths as well as the Woofbix biscuits from Big W. I'm told that they are both manufactured by Coprice. My "budget" food from preference is Great Barko or Uncle Albers. I feed these in preference to so-called "premium" dry foods and have absolutely NO complaints whatsoever with either the weight on my pocket, the weight of my dogs OR their output. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniMum Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 What about Natures Gift? Could combo biscuits and wet? Nature's Gift is the only one that TD will eat and can tolerate. I've spent a small fortune trying others Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Monster Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Another Great Barko fan here.... both my dogs lost weight on Orijen & Eagle Pack but are maintaining on Great Barko - and with a $100 difference every 3 weeks I'm stoked!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kemulvak Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I've recently bought my first bag of Great Barko. My dogs love it, and it seems to agree with them. Many of the cheap food spray out the other end, but Great Barko doesn't! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weimlover Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Yet another Great Barko fan here, the added bonus is that it is cheap Both Rossi and Keesha are doing really well on it, their coats are shiny, skin clear, ears clear and they are good weight. I have noticed that their inputs have increased slightly but not by much. Bailey is on half Great Barko and half Eagle Pack and he is doing better with the added GB now than just EP, although he has Pancreatitis and has very sensitive stomach so I have kept him at half half. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Willow Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Thanks everyone....looks like Great Barko has a lot of fans!!!! I will suggest that as a starting point for them since it seems to have so many thumbs up!!!Does anyone know of stockists in WA???? I've never heard of it before Dogmad, your added veggie/rice suggestions were good!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 We dont get great barko in WA so dont bother looking. Coprice has been a good budget brand available from better pets & gardens.Other than its trial & error. We use to use through the boarding but it doesnt cut it any more.The coprice is way better. We have aselection of budget to premiun for the kennels as all dogs are different Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Willow Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Haha...that would explain why I've never heard of it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I didn't mind Great Barko. Natures Gift isn't what I would call budget. The biggest bag is 4kg for $19. A big bag of a premium works out cheaper. Don't mind it as a food though. Don't mind Purina One. I have noticed a reduction in coat and skin quality since my experiments so will be returning to Proplan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pebbles Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 One problem I find is that I cant get any of the premium brands in small, 1kg, bags. My littlies dont have much, mainly on raw. I did get a sample pack, half kilo, of one of the best brands and one of mine had the itchies within a week so back to Supercoat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniMum Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I've come to the conclusion that for us kibble is more expensive than raw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthernStarPits Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Mine are all on Cobber and doing great! farm dog for the oldie, working dog for the younger. works out $1.20 a kilo, and costs me 60cents a day to feed 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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