Supercoat

[KitKat]

Now my esperiance with a raw/by the book diet...was that i was feeding copious amounts of food to my GSD's and they were barely keeping weight on - certainly no money saving and as far as i was concerned no health saving either since they were having to eat so much to not even be in condition. I put them back on a high quality dry diet and they got their condition back and kept it up - not saying all high quality kibble got me that reaction (had same problem with Nutrience as i did with raw/barf).

How thin did your dogs get?

How much condition do you like your dogs to have?

Can you feel their ribs?

How thin did they get? - They lost muscle even tho they were doing as much exercise as usual. Due to their long fluffy coat that it wasn't visable but their lack of muscle and too easily felt bone was obvious to touch. I was already feeding way more then the recommended amounts before they got to that, and yes they were wormed on a regular basis (or more regular due to my thought it might have been the problem). I then doubled/tripled the amounts they were getting and gave up and put them onto Royal Canin 4800 as their base meal and meaty bones as well, within weeks they were back up to scratch.

How much condition do you like your dogs to have? - I like to 'see' (mind the fur) the last rib or so and visually see (again mind the fur) a waist. Good muscle that can be felt if not seen, a tad of extra padding around winter as they eat more anyway, but it doesn't last long come the warmer months.

Can you feel their ribs? Yes and without digging for them, other then through their coat. The only time not feeling their ribs was ever an issue was when One started stealing the others food - that was quickly stopped, and it didn't take long before weight was back to normal.

[ncarter]

Feeding dogs is like politics and religion. Everybody believes they are right and any discussion invariably turns into a shitfight. And nobody has the right to dictate to anybody else what they should feed, or belittle them or talk down to them from a superior height just because they believe they are right and the other person is wrong.

Nobody has a crystal ball. Only hindsight is going to tell you whether a particular food was good for a dog its entire life. You can't say at the age of 2 if a dog is going to live until it is 20. All you can do is base your opinions on what a dog looks like, acts like and how many trips it makes to a vet.

Live and let live people.

Exactly ellz Each to their own I say and no imposing your views on others.

I feed a combination of raw and premium but I am not about to say to you, "Ellz what your feeding your dogs is crap, dont you know about the raw food??, it is the best things for dogs, i have obviously done a lot more research than you, its because I care about my dogs so much (more than you do it seems), you cant seriously tell me that Uncle Albers is the best food for your dogs''. Because this is how some of the dialogue in this thread has come across.

Edited April 5, 2010 by ncarter

[Jed]

Best layers in my experience were burned out battery girls. They were good for 3 eggs over 2 days, which is pretty good, they live forever, and they lay for a very long time. The very best thing about them is that they so love to be"free" - they sit on the ground like stunned fowls looking at everything, and once they are over the shock of it, they lay their little hearts out.

You can regularly adopt these chookies as well - tho it appears they turn up almost naked of feathers...so i'll take the time and set up my pen and then keep an eye out for some 'retired' ex battery hens to take over the yard after the main bit of winter is over. As long as the GSD's don't realise the chooks are covered meaty frames on legs we'll all be fine!

You go, girl. I've had expensive POL pullets, all very nice, laid lots, but it feels good to save someone's life, and they certainly know how to repay. Ask around produce agencies, or phone up one of the battery places, they often know. Ours came from about 40k away, $1 each!! The odd one dies but most are ok. Probably cost more now.

[centitout]

Best layers in my experience were burned out battery girls. They were good for 3 eggs over 2 days, which is pretty good, they live forever, and they lay for a very long time. The very best thing about them is that they so love to be"free" - they sit on the ground like stunned fowls looking at everything, and once they are over the shock of it, they lay their little hearts out.

You can regularly adopt these chookies as well - tho it appears they turn up almost naked of feathers...so i'll take the time and set up my pen and then keep an eye out for some 'retired' ex battery hens to take over the yard after the main bit of winter is over. As long as the GSD's don't realise the chooks are covered meaty frames on legs we'll all be fine!

You go, girl. I've had expensive POL pullets, all very nice, laid lots, but it feels good to save someone's life, and they certainly know how to repay. Ask around produce agencies, or phone up one of the battery places, they often know. Ours came from about 40k away, $1 each!! The odd one dies but most are ok. Probably cost more now.

At one of the local sales they have here once a month,a whole cage of 25,went for 20 cents each.And they didnt look too bad,you might have lost one or two,bu t a pretty good investment!

[ACDs Rock]

Has anybody had a problem with supercoat kibble, mainly dogs having the runs??

Asbolutely. I have used it for about 10 years without a problem. This is the first litter with problems, they had the runs. I changed to advance and the problem went. Am notifying the manufacturer.

Edited April 6, 2010 by ACDs Rock

[conztruct]

To clarify....I use the term Food Nazis to refer to ANYBODY who dictates to others what they should feed their dogs and yes, that includes dry food nazis.

Nobody has the right to refer to any other form of food as "rubbish" just because they don't feed it. Many do that and have never fed the food that they are trashing.

I have said REPEATEDLY (and you'll see this if you search my posts).....the best food is the food your dog does best on. Whether others agree with your choices or not.

I feed what I feed because I get the results that suit me. Nobody has the right to tell me that I'm doing the wrong thing.

I totally agree Ellz. I tried supercoat on mine and it turned my boy into a fountain....yuk!!! It just didn't suit him - he's got a very fussy gut (shame about his mouth, I'm sure it likes everything but then the stomach has to make up it's mind) - but I don't necessarily think that supercoat is crap because of that one experience - my girl ate it without a problem.

Since then I've fed a mainly raw diet but it certainly wouldn't qualify as BARF - I've just tried things and stuck to what's worked and I'm happy to be doing my own thing, as I read about different things people do I try them sometimes continuing and sometimes stopping. Just my choice - I don't side on any particular part of the argument.

I would like to know of people's experiences with different dry food brands as I believe there's a place for it in the diet I feed mine as part of a meal to beef them up, and this thread has provided a few good ideas and options for me.

Apologies up front to those who have got a bit emotional in this but the sniping was jolly entertaining too