Super Premium Foods, Opinions

[HuntinHound]

FTR : Panda has indeed made some VERY good points resulting from his/her research What I was saying is that IN MY OPINION there is absolutely no need for comments such as “But since I did a lot of research about some of the premium brands like SD and RC, I threw both bags in the bin” or “Don't touch Science Diet”. That’s biased and whether or not either company really cares what Panda thinks it’s uncalled for IMO. What about Freedom of Speech?? Certainly YES, I agree you should be able to voice your opinions but how about saying, like so many other people here on DOL, “IN MY OPINION I prefer to use …………. For this reason …………….” I also don’t work for or personally feed my dogs either of these foods although I have used both in past with varying results.

From the Ingredient list of EP Holistic Chicken below and from YEARS of researching Canine Nutrition IMO it would appear to be an extremely good, high quality diet for your dog. I have however heard from friend using EP that they have seen an increase in ‘stool’ production? My only concern here would be how much of the food is actually being absorbed & utilised by the body and how much is being expelled as waste? As I have not personally fed my dogs EP that is something I am unable to pass judgement on. All in All from the available information EP has my

Another good food for those who have difficulties sourcing EP is Nutro, mentioned previously in this thread – relatively new to Australia and sometimes hard to source but definitely ‘up there’ as far as quality goes in comparison with other Super Premiums Available in Australia. My dogs are all exclusively fed Nutro and have never been healthier or happier.

The best advice anyone can give you is to RESEARCH your food labels and Ingredients!! Compare products and make informed, responsible choices about what you feed your dog.

ETA: Regardless what you feed your dog there will always be 'better' out there and there will always be more to learn.

You can check out a basic explanation of Label Ingredients here http://www.doberdogs.com/foodcht2.html

Eagle Pack Holistic Chicken

Chicken Meal, Ground Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Natural Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid), Anchovy & Sardine Meal, Pork Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Whole Ground Barley, Tomato Pomace, Dried Egg Product, Flaxseed, Canola Oil, Dried Apples, Cheese Meal, Dried Carrots, Air Dried Peas, Sun-cured Alfalfa, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Quinoa (Organic), Inulin, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Dried Cranberries, Dried Blueberries, Beta-Carotene, Dandelion (Organic), Garlic, DL-Methionine, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Choline Chloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Biotin, Rosemary Extract, Inositol, Dehydrated Kelp, Polysaccharide Complexes (sequestered) of Zinc, Iron, Manganese, Copper and Cobalt, Potassium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Enterococcus faecium, B. Subtillus, Bacillus lichenformis, Bacillus coagulins, Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus niger.

Nutro Natural Choice Chicken & Rice

Chicken Meal, Rice Flour, Ground Rice, Rice Bran, Poultry Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of natural Vitamin E), Oatmeal, Sunflower Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of natural Vitamin E), Natural Flavor, Dried Beet Pulp, Potassium Chloride, Dried Egg Product, Dried Kelp (source of Iodine), Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Ascorbic Acid (source of Vitamin C), Biotin, Niacin, Garlic Flavor, Manganese Oxide, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (source of Vitamin B2), Vitamin A Supplement, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of Vitamin B1), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B6), Chondroitin Sulfate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K activity), Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid.

Edited November 2, 2005 by HuntinHound

[My Feloe]

Hi all,

Panda, Thanks for your compliments!! I didnt take that photo, his breeder did. I think he looks like an old man in that photo lol

Thanks all for your insight and knowledge of EP and other foods, but please dont argue over this

Regards,

[Staff'n'Toller]

Questions about food brands tend to open a can of worms My Feloe don't stress too much about it...

If you can afford to feed duck I would go for it my food choices are based on what the dog does well on, as well as research...as most people do.

My senior dogs do excellently well on Hills Senior, and my Staffy has bad skin so she is on a Hills Prescription diet with low mollecular proteins and does great on that.

My Toller pup didn't do as well as I'd like on the Hills puppy, so I decided to try something else.

Cheers,

Mel.

[KitKat]

Some dogs do well on some foods, some do great...others don't do so well it comes down to the individual dog.

[raz]

Out of interest, how long have you been researching pet nutrition, Panda? I imagine there is a lot in it.

[My Feloe]

For all of these people who study pet nutrition, I was wondering what you think about raw feeding? (I feed kibble in the morning and raw at night)

Regards,

Daisy

[KitKat]

My Feloe that's the kinda question to start a thread on...but if you do a search you will find several indepth threads on that very subject in this forum.

[morgan]

Have had the Nutro recommended to me, but the actual kibble size is totally inadequate for very large dogs.

I got some samples of the large breed puppy food, and it was the same size as their kitten food. Considering my pups weigh 15 kgs and my kittens less than 1 kg, I thought this was somewhat ridiculous. Poor pups really had problems with it.

[nobul]

From my experience and dont all jump down my throat at once. The super premium foods wether you feed advance, science diet,royal canine, eagle pack etc is a COMPLETE food NOTHING else should be added. I find most people feeding premium foods go through the motions they buy it and then start adding everything else Why? then they say its crap and try something else. It also takes a long time to get an improvement or lack of it. it wont happen over night so if the diet you started on now may take a while for all the toxins break down and get out of their system. i have seen many a person do this over the years they start feeding crap and at first the dog looks great then 12 months down the track the dog turns to yuk and they dont know why. So please if you are feeding a premium food dont add anything else and give it time to work

[Aly]

Nobul,

You say not to give anything else with their premium food. I have just started Aly on Eagle Pack, I do give her a few chicky necks every couple days also.

Alys Mum

[nobul]

I wouldnt be they are a complete diet sometimes you have to see which one works best though i myself had have great results with Advance and Science Diet It was hard at first to change my thinking as you do want to do the best you can but after having tried i have found the results fantastic and in the last few years a lot of my friends have been using it with great results.

[HuntinHound]

Aly - I can see/understand what Nobul is saying and to an extent I agree. Chopping and changing foods will not help your dogs digestive system any and as Nobul stated results from some foods won't be instantaneous (sp?) ... they need time to take effect - similar to if you personally were to start a healthier diet - you wouldn't see instant results

Having said that IMO giving your dog chicken necks/carcasses as a treat every couple of days etc. won't hurt them. But remember, as Nobul said the Super Premium (no matter which brand) is a COMPLETE & BALANCED diet so you don't need to go 'supplementing' with vitamins etc. etc. and always make sure Fresh, Clean Water is available - Super Premiums have a tendancy to make your poochy want to drink more (well, in my experience anyways)

Morgan - I haven't seen the kitten samples for about 12mths but I hope they haven't increased their size that much my 10wk old Hamiltons are on the Puppy Large Breed Lamb & Rice - will have to go open a bag of normal Puppy Large Breed now and compare. VERY Interesting observation you've made That's certainly something that needs to be brought to their attention.

ETA: what breed do you own Morgan?? (if that's not a rude question)

Edited November 7, 2005 by HuntinHound

[goldielover]

Some of the superpremium foods are COMPLETE, meaning to add anything could cause nutritional imbalances. Eagle Pack is designed so that you can just feed it by itself or you can feed up to 25% other foods, so don't worry Aly's mum. It's a great food!

[My Feloe]

From my experience and dont all jump down my throat at once. The super premium foods wether you feed advance, science diet,royal canine, eagle pack etc is a COMPLETE food NOTHING else should be added.

I know that these foods are "complete and balanced" but I like to give my dogs variety, and there isnt anything better than fresh meat. I would feed raw full time if it wasnt for lack of time and freezer space.

[nobul]

Good point make sure their is plenty of fresh water available as the food doesnt contain it unlike tin food which can be 80% water. They do drink a lot more, as for variety I do not add anything else my pups are weened from mum straight onto a premium food, they have never not knocked back any of their meals (if they do I know there is something wrong straightaway) I admit it took me a while to get used to the idea, but once the concept was explained to me and I learnt the hard way (skin problems) having fed this way now for about 10 years the results have been fantastic.

[sugar]

Say for example, the packet says 6 cups per day for COMPLETE nutrition (on dry food)

But, you give 3 cups per day in the morning, and then raw meat/vegies etc.. in the evening. Then, I would say that the complete daily nutrition would balance out. If you were feeding 6 cups per day, plus extras - then you would be overdoing it and probably have an overweight dog.

[catzatsea]

Please forgive my ignorance but is changing from say EP holistic Fish to say EP Holistic Duck classified as change of diet????

Even though they are the same branding is it possible to rotate between the two to give your dog change and variety with the expectation of a good result??? (bearing in mind both are compatiable foods for the pooch.)

[HuntinHound]

For myself Sugar & Felobe I agree with Nobul and only feed Super Premium foods BUT I do offer treats such as Chicken necks & carcasses occassionaly.

This is NOT to say that what/how you feed your dog is wrong - it's just different to Nobul, Myself and no doubt many others. If however you check the current votes on the Poll I started http://forums.dogzonline.com.au/index.php?showtopic=44139 you will find that of those who have generously voted that MOST feed BARF with the current 2nd runner being those of you who choose to Mix Both BARF & Kibble.

But, you give 3 cups per day in the morning, and then raw meat/vegies etc.. in the evening. Then, I would say that the complete daily nutrition would balance out. If you were feeding 6 cups per day, plus extras - then you would be overdoing it and probably have an overweight dog.

I see the validity in this comment and have to agree in principle. As many have offered in this thread and past posts - IF your dog is doing well on what you are feeding it than ;) , if not then it's time to look for something different.

[HuntinHound]

Please forgive my ignorance but is changing from say EP holistic Fish to say EP Holistic Duck classified as change of diet????

Even though they are the same branding is it possible to rotate between the two to give your dog change and variety with the expectation of a good result??? (bearing in mind both are compatiable foods for the pooch.)

I have found that changing between the formulas offered by my chosen Super Premium has not adversely afffected my dogs - but in fact they do much better on some formulas' than others and at times I have mixed a couple together. They love their food and regardless of the formula I feed they all do really, really well.

My own personal view however is that you shouldn't chop and change the BRAND you are feeding as this can have some dire effects on your little ones digestive system and you are not giving that particular brand a chance to proove itself or not as the case may be.

Just My Thoughts

[morgan]

Have been feeding RC for a number of years now, and all of my dogs get chicken or turkey necks daily in addition to the recommended amount of dry food. I would never substitute bones, meat etc for dry, so as not to upset protein balance etc.

I find that dogs only have to be on RC for a fortnight before showing improvement in coat quality (shine, lack of smell etc).