Dog Food Brands

[GoldenGirl85]

Yes they just eat it raw

Word of advice, you dont cook anything that has bones in it, I dont even like defrosting it in the microwave because Im worried it will make the bones too brittle, if Ive forgotten to defrost Lexis chicken frame I put it in hot water in its freezer bag

[goldee]

Yes they just eat it raw

Word of advice, you dont cook anything that has bones in it, I dont even like defrosting it in the microwave because Im worried it will make the bones too brittle, if Ive forgotten to defrost Lexis chicken frame I put it in hot water in its freezer bag

Thanks. I did know not to give her any cooked bones as they may splinter. I'll keep it in mind and may have to pop to the butchers to see if they have any!

[MavericksMission]

I feed both my puppy and adult dog on Eagle Pack - Holistic Select food.

They do really, really well on it!

I tried supercoat and found especially in my puppy, he had loose stools and a very dry coat.

Big difference since making the switch between brands.

But it really is different for each dog

[Bluefairy]

I couldn't get the dry food my breeder was giving Zoe, so I got her the best I could get, Supercoat. But it gave her the runs, after taking her to the vets to be checked out before trying something new, the vet suggested Royal Canin, she has been on this now for the 8 weeks we have had her, she loves it, and no runs. As she likes it so much and her coat is so soft and she's very healthy I'll stick with this.

I think you have to work out what is best for your dog within your budget. Just make sure its the best you can afford to buy.

BF

[ophnbark]

Our pups all get Supercoat Puppy and we've never had a problem. Our adults also have Supercoat and there is far less output than we had when we tried Great Barko. Of course they are not fed solely dry food, they get chicken mince and veg and also sardines a couple of times a week.

[Mas1981]

I feed both my puppy and adult dog on Eagle Pack - Holistic Select food.

They do really, really well on it!

I tried supercoat and found especially in my puppy, he had loose stools and a very dry coat.

Big difference since making the switch between brands.

But it really is different for each dog

I love the Eagle pack Holistic Select food, my dog is on Hills ZD just to see if it makes a difference to his allergies but he is making far bigger poo's and some of them have been runny, so far I rate the Holistic Select above the Hills for my dog and I will be switching back in 2 months if it makes zero difference.

[missmoo]

one thing to remember about some brands of dry food or kibble that is manufactured overseas; when it arrives on our shores it can be up to 18mths old. the only way for the food to stay "fresh" is with preservatives and additives.

do your research and choose the food that the dogs thrive on the best....just because it is expensive or can only be purchased from a Vet does not mean your dog will find the food palatable or tolerable.

MM

[Yvette]

What about Purina? We received a 'puppy pack' which included a sample of their puppy food - Purina One "Growth and Development puppy formula". I can't find the breakdown of ingredients on the pack. Is this worth using, or should we just stick with fresh meat and bones?

[Sagittarian]

one thing to remember about some brands of dry food or kibble that is manufactured overseas; when it arrives on our shores it can be up to 18mths old. the only way for the food to stay "fresh" is with preservatives and additives.

do your research and choose the food that the dogs thrive on the best....just because it is expensive or can only be purchased from a Vet does not mean your dog will find the food palatable or tolerable.

:D

MM

Quite a sweeping statement - Personally, I have yet to see dry food arrive here that is already anywhere near 18 months old, after many years working in the pet food industry. Let's also keep in mind that not all preservatives are created the same, more and more often being naturally derived.

To the O/P, you have some great suggestions, so don't be afraid to keep asking questions as your baby grows and develops. Take on board all advice, but throw out what isn't suitable for your needs.

Pictures will be a requirement!

Sags

Edited May 20, 2010 by Sagittarian

[ChocDood]

I've been feeding Milo puppy advance for the past 2 months that he's arrived. He's doing very well on it and is going through one pack a week. As he's growing, the expenses will definitely go up as well. What cheaper alternatives (that are still ok?) are there? I'll definitely be looking at super coat and optimum when he turns 18 months.

[corvus]

My last dog was on Supercoat for many years and was fine.... or so I thought. When she was around 9 years old she started getting bouts of nausea every few months. She'd be terribly sick, not be able to keep anything down, then she'd recover and be back to normal. I ended up getting her blood tests and x-rays to try to work out what was going on, but they showed nothing. The vet suggested I try her on homecooked and the change in her was immediate and profound. She trimmed down and started acting like a puppy again. She suddenly had loads of energy and would do happy dances every meal time. In the next few months her arthritis cleared up completely and we had no more bouts of nausea.

I later went onto raw and don't do kibble at all anymore. Well, I have lately got some for training treats for the Manners Minder.

So, Supercoat was never great for my dog, but I didn't know it until I took her off it.

[Stera]

We just received a pup ourselves and have maintained weetbix for breakfast and Coles Puppy for tea (only two meals) as the breeder was providing.

Have found that there are a few things to pick up in the afternoon, but they appear all good.

Will make the change to something like Purina slowly shortly, just for the quality and see if there is a difference in coat and number of things to pick up.

Not sure about the science in food, I gather its like humans, if you eat well you feel well - The old you are what you eat!

I found a website that said if you change food, its best to do it over a 2 month process if you can, not just for the pups tastebuds, but their stomaches as they can be a bit weak. Thats why scraps tend not to be the best either!

Hope that helps!!