Is Tin Dog Food Good Or Bad?

[goldee]

Is tin dog food good or bad?

I tried some 'My Dog' tin food and she loved it - but i am just wondering if its 'safe' and still healthy for them - even tho its made for dogs. Is there a better brand or is it more about personal choice?

Any advice helpful!

thank you

[W Sibs]

Personally, I've never fed my dogs tin food, so I won't know if they are a good or bad.

From what I've been told, it's mostly water in it anyway.

Edited May 21, 2010 by CW EW

[JulesP]

I am happy to use Nature's Gift tinned food and dry. I've had a couple of good chats to them on the phone. I prefer the Nature's Gift tinned to the Eagle Pack etc tins. The dogs only get about 1 tin a week though.

[spottychick]

Another one who will use Nature's Gift - because I know it's not full of rubbish and fillers. It depends on your dog and why you want to feed her canned food. Most canned food is a waste of money. But you may have a reason - like I do with my dally who's a stone-former. But I prefer to feed raw food if possible

[persephone]

So many of the tinned foods are made to be very appealing.......to OWNERS

they look like we would like food to look - so we think it's good . the dogs enjoy the flavours .. so we feed it .

There is a LOT of water in it - and usually flavourings etc ... it is kinda like doggy junk food,IMO Ok if you are travelling, or dog is feeling like not eating because of the heat or being pregnant ,or something ...

What you spend on tinned food- perhaps buy fresh

[Starkehre]

The only difference between a pet food in a tin (wet version) and the exact same equivalent brand and type of food in the dry version is approx 60% water. The tin version is 80% water and the dry version is approx 20% water. So, if that was your analysis, you would summize that comparing the 2, why would you spend the extra money on the water and the tin, and also have to deal with the mess of wet food, discarding of the tin and extra expense of the tin food.

So, you canot really say on the whole that tin food is bad, because it depends entirely on what brand and type of food it is, except no matter what the brand, it has a lot more water in it than the same food in the dry form.

But, this is not really your comparison as what you are asking about is the quality of My Dog itself, and it is a wet food in a tin.

So, firstly what you have is a lot of water. You miss out on the benefit of the crunch and chewing action that dogs gain from eating dry food with some added teeth benefits. But more importantly, My Dog is particularly high in sodium, boosters, flavour enhancers. My Dog makes no secret that they cater for fussy eaters. Most dogs do love My dog, and that is because it is the mcDonalds of dog food. The sodium levels in this food is very unhealthy and I would not be feeding it.

I would feel like I was feeding my dog chicken stock... water and salt.

...snap Perse

Edited May 21, 2010 by dyzney

[huski]

I don't and can't foresee any time when I will, but I do feed my dogs tinned mackeral, tinned sardines, natural yoghurt, egg etc. Lots of ways to mix it up if you are just feeding dried food I feed two of mine on raw but one on a combination of dry and nice 'extras'.

ETA: I often use the same analogy as Dyzney, most canned food is the doggy equivalent of MacDonalds.

Edited May 21, 2010 by huski

[julesluvscavs]

In the past I have fed dogs canned food, cheap and expensive brands. Some were worse than others. The only real thing I noticed about them that they sometimes gave my dogs the runs, and their farts would always be smelly ! eeek

I did however give vegetables as well, or left over food from my jobs (if suitable for dogs)

For the last 4 years or so with our Cavs, we have never given them tinned food, except for on special occasions they have had those small gourmet tins (I think its natures way, with pics of Cavaliers etc on the front of the tin?)

I don't think its the best way to go feeding a dog imo, but I don't think it's going to hurt if you feed them it sometimes... depending on the your dog's food tolerances.

Edited May 21, 2010 by JulesLuvsCavs

[GoldenGirl85]

My JRT had eaten tinned food exclusively until recently, a few weeks after I got my Goldie I decided to slowly change them onto a better quality dry food and I think its the best thing I ever did for them, I looked at the feeding guides of the cheaper foods, and the recommended amount to feed was nearly twice what the higher quality foods was, which means you are buying twice the amount. Along with the kibble my girls will either get a tin of sardines (60c a tin), or some pet mince (minced chicken frames, $1.50/kg) an egg (free when your grandmother owns chickens lol) or Lexi will get a chicken frame once a week (usually get about 4 frames for $1.50)

Id guess Lexi alone would go through at least 4 big tins of food a week and at $3-5 thats an expensive way to feed them, Id rather spend the extra $$$ on a big bag of superpremium kibble and not have to make that sort of purchase again for a while, then spend the few odd dollars each week on the mince or whatever, its better for their teeth too to eat crunchy food (unless your goldie is like mine who doesnt chew)

[Dame Aussie]

Our dogs have had canned food maybe 5-6 times in their life.

They LOVE it, so we have bought it about 5 times and mixed in a wee bit with their dry. They go off tap Normally they get dry food and raw meaty bones/hearts/necks etc. I agree, it's kinda like doggy junk food.

[Just love my dogs!]

Personally, I've never fed my dogs tin food, so I won't know if they are a good or bad.

From what I've been told, it's mostly water in it anyway.

I agree. My vet also said that tin food is a waste of money due to all the water in it.

[indigirl]

I think tinned food is pretty much just slop. Having said that I have fed my puppies on optimum tinned puppy food, dry food plus raw meaty bones.

I also add approx a tablespoon or so to my dogs dry food now to make it more appealing. I also add yoghurt/sardines/egg etc, plus they get raw brisket bones.

I think dogs who are fed nothing but tinned food have stinky stinky poo and really poor teeth.

[Tilly]

When I was feeding dry food my boys had occassionally been given some tinned food ... I tend to think of it as feeding kids MacDonalds.

I have usually resorted to tinned when I want them to swallow a tablet and don't want to try to shove it down their necks ... smother it in a little tinned stuff and it is inhaled

My boys are now fed raw and absolutely love it...

[ILK]

My OH knows the owners of a very reputable upmarket dog food company so I know what goes into it.

I feed my dog tinned food along with a mixed fresh food & home cooked diet. My personal belief is that moderation in everything is good. I don't think that a dog fed purely on tinned food can be the healthiest he can be, but if I only had the time and choice of tinned food, I would mix it up and feed different brands rather than one personal favourite because I personally perceived it to be ideal. I would also mix it up with dry food and bones.

[fainty_girl]

My dogs eat nature's gift canned food...then they also get things like chicken drumsticks, lamb shanks, tinned sardines, etc.

Edited May 21, 2010 by fainty_girl

[PuddleDuck]

As others have said, tinned food is about 80% water. So - for every $1 you spend on tinned food, you spend 80 cents on water. Better to give them water from the tap and go buy yourself a real drink

I agree that its basically canine mcdonalds as well

[furballs]

I am ashamed to say, I fed my German Shepard Pal tinned food for the first 8 years or so of her life. She was a very healthy, happy dog and lived to be almost 16 years old. I only feed my dogs top quality dried food or homecooked food now but looking back, she was the longest living dog I've had and it certainly didn't hurt her in any way.

[Primedogs]

I have fed a few can's of natures gift(? 80% sure it was this) to my current dog only becuase we won it as a prize at our obediance day and he loved it but it is not a regular occourance

saying that the family's previous dog happily lived off can food/dry mix of a mixture of brands and he was fine with it and looked great

[Tara and Sam]

I am ashamed to say, I fed my German Shepard Pal tinned food for the first 8 years or so of her life. She was a very healthy, happy dog and lived to be almost 16 years old. I only feed my dogs top quality dried food or homecooked food now but looking back, she was the longest living dog I've had and it certainly didn't hurt her in any way.

We also use Pal Pedigree for the last 13 years for both dogs

both canned and dry dog food

both are good weight and healthy according to vets

nice shiny coats , pretty good teath according to vets

about 70% is canned food

the rest is fresh chicken mince , vegies , bones etc

hasnt caused problems with my 2 dogs over 13 years

[Fleuri]

We feed our dog dinner leftovers mixed with dry food. Can food makes him have big mushy wet poo.