Pedigree Dog Food

[Inky]

Sorry guys. I know this has probably been discussed many times before, but I'm having trouble searching for it. If I search for "pedigree" I get a zillion pages of threads, and most of 'em aren't about the food, and if I search for "pedigree food" I just get one thread.

Anyway, some of you may remember I've been having trouble with Toohey eating his BARF. I still haven't solved that problem, and in fact, it's gotten worse. At first, he just wouldn't eat his veggie mash. He ate the first batch with carrots and broccoli without any problems. The next batch had spinach in it, and that was ok for a while, but towards the end of that is when he started getting fussy and stopped eating it. After that, I changed back to carrots and broccoli, and he ate it with no problems the first couple of days, but then started fighting me again. Now he won't even eat the pure chicken pet mince I've been giving him for his dinner, which until recently he's been quite happy to eat. That started around the same time I got the mince from a new place (as the usual place was closed over Christmas and hasn't been open 'til today), so I dunno if he's got a problem with pet mince in general, or just pet mince from that place. I've been firm with him about it. If he doesn't eat it within 10 minutes or so, I pick it up and put it in the fridge and he gets it at the next meal. Eventually it gets eaten, but he's really not eating much and he's losing weight (he could stand to lose a few grams, but it's not something I want to see continue long-term).

ANYWAY... On to the Pedigree... Yesterday, I had to buy him some food. He was completely out except for one meal that I fought with him all day over. Due to time and budget issues, and the fact that the markets were closed until today, I wound up getting the Pedigree stuff that comes in a plastic tube. I was hoping that would be close enough to his BARF that he wouldn't raise an eyebrow at it. Gave it to him this morning for breakfast. WELL. He scarfed it right down. Frankly, I'm insulted. Not only does he seem to prefer it to MY cooking, but the little s--t even took a chunk of it outside and paraded it around the garden like he was proud of it.

So anyway. How bad is this stuff really? I don't wanna switch from BARF, but it's been such a trial getting him to eat it lately that I'm not sure if it's worth it. But then I look at the Pedigree stuff, and it just doesn't look appetizing at all. Well, not that the BARF does either, but the Pedigree just doesn't look right at all. It looks like Spam for dogs.

[Akitaowner]

JMHO but i wouldnt keep changing what ur giving him - by giving him alternatives - if hes hungary enough he should eat what u give him even if this means a few skipped meals - My boy must eat all his veggies before he can have his chicken carcass - it took him a little while to work it out but as soon as hes finished he comes back to me to ask for his meat! sometimes he tries to get away with not eating it all - simply no carcass until he does it like a naughty kid when they eat theyre dinner they get dessert!

if he doesnt eat the veggies or not enough - no carcass that evening i leave them down (as hes not a scoffer) and should he eat it all later then he can have it

i think the worse thing to do is to try to accomodate ur dog - simple if theyre hungary they will eat or u end up trying to find a different meal everyday as they didnt like the look of the last one??

good luck

(also personally i dont like the meal rolls - can u buy bones instead dont have preservatives etc in u can see its got nothing but meat and bone in it - Lenards sell chicken carcasses 3 for $1)

[Guest magnum]

I once used the BARF feeding way on my show dogs, it lasted 1 month not only was I sick of mashing muck but my dogs hated it.

My dogs are in tip top condition they are feed on Advance Pedigree dry food, fresh beef meat & they also get daily chicken carcasses or bones.

They have shiny coats, wonderful body condition even after a litter of puppies & the puppies are a bundle of health.

Advance spend thousands of dollars on research on their product so you know that the best is given to your beloved pooch.

BARF may work for some & that's great but it did make one of my GSD very sick I will never use that method in feeding again..

[Inky]

I don't keep changing what he eats, as this is the first time I've done it, since I didn't have the time or money yesterday to buy and make a batch of BARF for him, and the markets were closed anyway. Tomorrow I'll be able to. Yesterday I couldn't. And I'm not accomodating him, actually. As I said, I've been firm with him. This has been going on for a few weeks now, and some days he hasn't eaten at all, then went most of the next day without eating too. I think what he's doing is going out in the garden and chewing bark and plants when he doesn't eat inside. No, I can't really give him bones. He does get recreational bones, but I can't trust him with chicken wings, necks and carcasses, 'cause he's a wolfer. He just will not chew them. I've tried holding on to them while he chews, and after about a week, I thought he had it. But then when I let him eat on his own, he went right back to wolfing. I don't know if it's a throwback to the litter when he was bullied by his bigger sister, or if he's just a greedy guts by nature, but he'll swallow huge chunks of them when he eats. He hasn't choked on any yet, but he does bring them back up sometimes. He also drags stuff like that off under the furniture, which is a big nono. Don't know why he feels he has to do that. I've never, ever taken food away once he's parked his little bum on the floor and I've put it down, unless he didn't eat it. No way to keep him in the kitchen while he eats either, unless I can talk the landlady into having a wall built in, and I just don't think that'll happen.

[katetk]

Inky, Your boy sounds exactly like Harvey to a 'tee'. He wouldn't chew bones (wings, necks) he would inhale them meaning i would have to stick my hand in his mouth and get it. He also refused to eat his new diet when i changed back to RAW, he hated it, he maybe didn't eat a full meal for about three days.

But, do you know what he loves on his vegies and chicken mince... coconut. Perhaps give that a try or find something that he really likes. Now i can leave out the coconut and change what vegies and fruit are in it and he scoffs it down.

He now can have a meal of just chicken necks... i simply cut a neck in half or thirds (depending on size) and he actually crunches them up now, it was like he had to learn to chew again or something BUT i only give them to him when i am there at night and say "i wanna hear crunching" LOL so perhaps cutting them up may help... still not game to try a wing though . But recently have got my hands on some lamb necks so will be giving them a try (just reminded myself it get it ot of the freezer)

[Vehs]

LOL I love how he was parading!

Uhm, Dog World sells a meat and veggie loaf that is similar to 'spam for dogs' but is all natural and supposedly promoted by BARF dieters -- it isn't a Billinghurst loaf and I think is sold for about $7 which might last your dog 2 weeks?

Although I say I feed D a natural diet he does get a lot of variety (dry and wet cat food, rare tin of dog food, spam for dogs, human sandwich....)

[Poppy's mum]

I have been cooking rice and adding flaxseed, mince and vets all natural (seed and grain mix). They love it. When I find them flagging bcause quite frankly, they seem to get sick of the same thing all the time, I grate cheese over the top OR add some of that liver sprinkle treat stuff from the supermarket - they love both those. Sometimes I mix in canned food (OMG!!!!) for variety. They also get wings and greenies.

[aatainc]

mix your vegies into his mince and offal etc and leave it there. Don't take it away, he may just need to take longer over his food. I wouldn't care if my dogs refused to eat for 4 days - so long as I knew they weren't sick.

Try feeding his chicken frames outside. He's only a little dog, he can't possibly swallow the frames all in one go - he won't swallow anything that won't go down - don't worry about it! All mine are scoffers adn after 4 years of scoffing they're all still right as rain. Also, in the house he may feel pressured to eat more quickly because you're all around. IF you let him take his bone into the yard then he may feel more isolated there and may take longer over it.

As for the search, most people use the term "Pal" not pedigree - so try that.

Magnum quote:

"Advance spend thousands of dollars of research on their product so you know that the best is given to your beloved pooch"

Are you serious?

[Dogsfevr]

Some think barf is gods gift others find something that works well for there dogs,quite frankly i dont give a s*** what you feed as long as the dog is feed,is happy & looks healthy that is all that matters.

I feed a premiun brand plus other bits & pieces & i dare say my dogs are in good a nick as any barf feed dog if not better.

I now there are some foods i will not eat no matter what why should the dog be any different?It seems people feel because there a dog they should eat whatever is put in there bowl.Yes some dogs are fussy eaters & you dont pamper to there needs but other dogs are great eaters but wont eat some things.

Until someone can prove to me that a barf feed dog lives longer & is far more superior in condition to my dogs i have no intentions of changing my wy of feeding which my dogs are more than happy to eat

Dont feel guilty if you feed something else you now your dog & if your happy & hes happy then enjoy your days with your dog

[Guest magnum]

Hi Aataine,

yes I'm serious thank-you....

My dogs are in excellent condition & they are fed Advance.

I have even taken my dogs once to vet Billinghurst who I was told was once a school teacher. I had a bitch desxed there, put it this way she did not go back there.

But I know of some that hold him in very high regards & some of his feeding methods seem good (the bones)....

[Guest Dianne]

Every dog owner and everydog will have found 'their perfect diet"..no need to go with one or another, circumstances.social/financial will dictate this

What suits your dogs and is keeping them in health and good condition is what is best for your dog.

barf is not my 'choice'..but having said that our kids get..a good mixture of all.

We again use Pedigree ..went away from the company for some time as the company couldn't see that excessive food dyes could harm anything.. and "after all madam, the supermarket housewife likes to see red meat/white bones/green veges.."

Went away from Bonnie........used it for years before it became a fashion statement and Purina purchased the company..WHAT HAVE THEY DONE

but getting back to our diets..

Pedigree, with a healthy dose of mince/veges/bones/pasta [italian hubby!!!] and

wait for it canned Tuna..the noname brand.

Just what suits.

Dianne

*spell check edit..AND CHICKEN WINGS/FRAMES/NECKS..Geez take out the pedigree and almost BARF

Edited January 12, 2005 by Dianne

[Inky]

katetk, that's a good idea. He adores cheese, so maybe if I mix it in he'll eat it. Can't sprinkle it on the top tho. He'd just eat it and leave the rest. His lunch is part veggie mash/part pure mince. When he was still eating the mince he would eat just that and leave the veggies (which are also mixed with mince and offal, of course), even tho they were all in there together. Another thing I might try is mixing the sardine oil in with it, instead of giving it to him with the sardines.

aatainc, it's not the going down that worries me, it's the coming back up. I've seen him wolf down chunks, then bring 'em back up a few minutes later 'cause apparently they don't feel very nice sitting in his stomach like that. As for frames, can I cut them? I already get chicken frames for soup, so getting those is no problem, but I think a whole chicken frame might be too much for him (he's a really little guy). I worry about giving him cut ones tho, 'cause of the sharp edges. Also, I have a very tiny freezer, and the frames take up too much space if I store them whole. I've already had to change the way I shop for people food to accomodate Tooz's BARF. I'm not sure how much more my freezer can take. Will try feeding him in the garden, but if he leaves it for more than a few minutes, the magpies and mynahs will eat well. They already hang around for his bones and the food the landlady leaves out for them. The frames will just be a bonus. Oh, and I generally leave the food out as long as I can without it going off in the heat. He's not dawdling, he's ignoring it altogether.

Maybe it's time to take him back to two meals a day... Maybe that will help. And maybe now that he's six months old I should be starting to cut him back towards adult amounts instead of puppy amounts. It's just that I have no clue how and when to do that. I've never fed a dog raw food before. It's always been dry food, and they've always regulated themselves on that.

Anyway, tomorrow's shopping day and all the bloody shops are finally open after the christmas break (the frame and mince place finally opened back up yesterday ), so maybe I can get something he'll eat.

[Tralee]

Hi Inky.

There was a site cited, in a thread, recently about the research done on processed foods for dogs.

Unfortunately, I didn't tab the link when I had the opportunity. (Does anyone remember this one?)

The research was American and basically it found that there are long term deleterious health effects caused by a diet of processed pet food.

However, I doubt that many people feed their pets exclusively on tinned food. (I could think of a few but it wouldn't be helpful).

The correct diet is essential to the health and well being of a dog.

I don't understand why some people can be so frivolous about what they feed their dog.

Personally, I am in the same situation as you. The jury is still out until I have gathered all the facts, or a reasonable synthesis of logical arguements can be made.

This topic too important and is bound to be a recurring one as people face this problem at different times and in different situations.

Myself; I have a puppy and while I am happy, and she is happy, to continue with the Breeders diet chart I don't want to have to look back at any time and have to say: :I wish I hadn't been so frivolous".

[Rebanne]

You don't have to feed vegies. I don't, I just feed raw meaty bones, liver, hearts, tinned mackeral eggs etc. Only vegies, rice or pasta my dogs get nowadays are left overs from our plates. If you read the original book by Billinghurst, vegies were not fed every day. This is something that seems to have crept into the barf diet.

[aatainc]

vegies are needed at least once a week though, even in the original barf book. There are a number of vitamins that can only be got through vegies and a dog fed without them will eventually become ill.

[chris64]

My staffy has been on BARF since he was 6 weeks old. He is the first dog I have had not to had tinned food. He is a beautiful strapping 5 mth old now picture of health and energy. I do give him veggies but its only a very very little, perhaps a tablespoon every meal and if i am lazy he gets only meaty bones etc, I find if i add to much he wont eat his tea. One day out of the week he wont eat his dinner but am not worried about it. But i do give him fruit which he loves, he especially loves pears on a hot day.

I think with diets we all have different opinions but all in all we have only the best interests of our pets

[Rebanne]

vegies are needed at least once a week though, even in the original barf book. There are a number of vitamins that can only be got through vegies and a dog fed without them will eventually become ill.

not on the prey diet they're not :rolleyes: Reasoning being if you feed grass fed animals to your dog, they get what they need from the meat of said prey.

You are right though in this, my mistake; in the original book it is stated 2 or 3 vegie meal, in a 2-3 week span, 1 or 2 milk meal, grain meal in same time frame. Big difference from nowadays.

[Alison]

Maybe try mixing a little chicken stock in with vegies. Tyler has been on BARF for almost a week. The first night I mixed kidneys in with her vegies, she hated it! Second night I mixed a little chicken stock with vegies, she ate them all. From then on I haven't mixed the vegies with anything and she eats them all up, licks the bowl clean and loves them. I gave her a vegie mix of pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots, celery, beans, coconut, broccoli and cauliflower.

Edited January 13, 2005 by Alison

[GSD4ME4EVA]

Here we use a combination of minced chicken bones and off cuts, frames, wings, lamb flaps off cuts, beef minced, bonnie dry dog food like dianne have used it for about eight years, and some pal meaty bites the mince and veges one, I couldnt be bother mashing all that stuff either and mine look fine, shiny coats, good weights etc. So I tend to think stick to a good thing, to raise puppies I use bonnie puppy, pal puppy food and puppy porridge, chicken necks etc and they are all doing great on it. You can buy the barf patties now as well if that makes it easier.

**edited for spelling mistakes **

Edited January 15, 2005 by GSD4ME4EVA

[Pandora]

Hi! Do you mean Pedigree Pal dog food?

Ive got the website, if you wanna take a look its: http://www.pedigree.com.au/