recommendations for dog food

**wulong32** · 12-21-2007, 01:02 AM

My dog has always been fed Eukanuba all natural lamb and rice formula. However, after looking at Costco last week, I realized that I could get a 40lb bag of other kinds of food for $15 to $20, whereas I pay $35 to $40 for a same size bag of Eukanuba.

Im seriously thinking about switching his food, but Im just worried about what it might do to his tummy. Are there any cheaper brands any of you could recommend? They had a 40lb bag of beneful for $15, does anyone know if thats a decent brand? My dog is my baby, I dont want to feed him anything thats not good for him.

**KJayEsq** · 12-21-2007, 01:17 AM

You have to be careful about what you feed your dog. Honestly, even though I'm spending much less on food for myself, my dog's food is still the expensive stuff. It's just better for them.

Some dogs do fine on the cheaper stuff too. My dog has always been on the expensive stuff and then appeared to develop some kind of issue with the protein, compounded by my running out of his food and giving him cheap stuff.

The bottom line is he ended up at the vet with very serious stomach issues on two separate occasions so I ended up with $1600 in vet bills in less than two months. I was a wreck thinking he had cancer or some kind of stomach perforation. I think we now have it sorted out and he eats the Eukanuba Low Residue GI food. There is no WAY I'm ever feeding him anything but that food or just plain rice and cottage cheese.

But if you look at the potential expense and complications (not to mention your worry and heartache) of buying the cheap stuff, my personal opinion is to stick with what you're feeding your dog and look to cut costs elsewhere.

**Ceashels** · 12-21-2007, 07:49 AM

We use ProPlan for our 3. Our vet recommends not giving the dogs or cats cheap food as they tend to have more complications as they get older. I can be cheap in other areas, but always frugal with the pets. (better food = healthier pets with fewer bills)

**Moor** · 12-21-2007, 07:56 AM

i know that some don't like to feed their pet's the cheaper stuff, but we have never had a problem with ole roy brand from walmart.
our dogs eat this all the time. i do supplement it with some canned food once in a while as a treat. but i have tried the more expensive stuff, and they get horrible gas. i mean, makes you want to puke kinda gas.
but i will tell you, if you are going to change brands, do so in increments.
ie:
if you feed two cups of food a day, then for the first week, feed 1 1/2 cups regular food, 1/2 cup of new food.
next week, one cup regualr, one cup new food
next week, 1/2 cup old food, 1 1/2 cups new food.
following week, all new food.
that gives them a chance to get used to the new food, without all the problems. if you are going to try a new food, buy a small bag, to make sure that they like it, and if they don't you are not out a whole bunch of money.

**leezza** · 12-21-2007, 09:46 AM

I'm a cat person myself, but I will say that sometimes you just have to spend the money, you get what you pay for.......a lot of the cheaper foods are filled with "fillers" and not good stuff......I would ask your vet, or even your local pet boarder.....

On trying to save money, you could see if larger bags or less per volume, you can check their websites for coupons.

Good Luck,
leezza

**nancycg56** · 12-21-2007, 09:54 AM

You need to read the labels and see what is in the food ~ some of it is just crap with lots of junk and sugars. If you go to Petsmart, ask someone to explain all the different additives to you.

My dog ate Nutro Natural Choice with Glucosamine Chondroitin and it helped his arthritis so much. My vet said nearly every senior dog in her practice was on that food. My DD's dog eats Purina One lamb and rice.

**wulong32** · 12-21-2007, 11:04 AM

To clarify, when I said cheaper I didnt mean of poorer quality, just maybe a good brand that you all feed your pets thats less expensive than Eukanuba. If I do end up switching, I will definitely do it the way you said to, Moor.

**Kitten20** · 12-21-2007, 11:14 AM

I personally would stick with what you are feeding and cut costs elsewhere. We feed our dog Innova puppy which is a little on the pricey side, but he is small and does not eat much. By the time we will need food again, he will be 10 months old, so we will mix some Evo Small Bites into his diet and eventually switch him over to that. Some people don't have a problem with cheaper food, but I had a dog who had horrible

when I fed him Ol' Roy (Wal-Mart brand). It just didn't look healthy! Read labels.

**Moor** · 12-21-2007, 12:28 PM

some dogs can't take the ole roy. but ours can. they really can't handle anything else.
make sure when reading labels, that the first thing is not corn meal. that is just a filler.

**Daisysmom** · 12-21-2007, 12:36 PM

Hi I have the perfect dog food for you and it's at Costco! It's their Lamb and Rice formula. I have a black lab - Daisy - and when we adopted her the woman who I affectionately call the dog lady because she wasn't too keen on my kids said that many dogs have allergies to corn and wheat. She said the food she feeds to all the dogs she gets is the Costco brand as it has no wheat and other fillers that dogs can be allergic to. My dog loves it. Good luck!

**kaykwilts** · 12-21-2007, 01:38 PM

We feed our dog the cheapest stuff we get from Walmart which is Ole Roy. Of course she is a mixed breed we got from the Humane Society. I think mixed breed's stomachs are less finicky. Mixed breeds seem to be more hardy too.

**justpeachy92** · 12-21-2007, 04:07 PM

We use the natural choice products, we buy them at the Tractor Supply store because they have the best price. Here is a link to get a free bag of this type of dog food, and if you decide it is good for your dog, after you fill out the form for the free bag, it will bring you to another page. Click on programs at the top and there is a frequent buyer program, after every 10 bags you buy you get a free one.

http://www.nutroproducts.com/yourfamily/

**Sari** · 12-21-2007, 09:46 PM

I agree with those who said you get what you pay for. I don't feed myself or others cheaper (low quality) stuff, why would I feed my dog that?

I feed my pets Iams that I get at BJ's for about $28.00 for a 48 pound bag. There are coupons all the time for Iams also.

**Moor** · 12-21-2007, 10:28 PM

we have a full blooded gsd, and he hates the expensive food. the only thing that we splurg on them, is the can food. i give them three cans a week as a treat.

**Lori Biever-Launder** · 12-22-2007, 04:10 AM

Ol' Roy is essentially all the feathers and sweepings left over on the floors at the plant.

ANY food that has corn as a major ingredient can be a problem. First of all, dogs do not digest corn, so it is just a filler. Secondly, many, many dogs are allergic to corn. It can cause MAJOR skin issues.

Also, foods like Beneful are basically just edible Play Doh. They are filled with artificial colors and piles of preservatives. dogs don't see in color and they don't care if the food is shaped like bones!

As for a mixed breed dog being healthier than a purebred, this is a common myth. ANY dog, whether s/he is purebred or mixed, can have health issues. My last dog, a mix (Lab/Boxer/Pit) cost me several thousand dollar sin vet bills over her life time. My current dog, a purebred form an ETHICAL breeder (not from a backyard breeder/ puppy mill/pet store) has had zero health issues. I have worked for years with hundreds of dogs as a shelter volunteer, trainer, shower/handler and can tell you that this is one of the oldest myths in the book. Hybrid vigor just plain doesn't cut it in the dog world.

As for GOOD food, it depends on what you need. The Costco brand mentioned (Lamb and Rice) is an excellent, moderately priced food. It is also sold by Fred Meyer as Nutranuggets. It is made by Solid Gold, which is a super premium food.

If you want or need an even higher end option, check out Solid Gold, Canidae or Bil-Jac.

Also remember that the higher quality a food is, the less waste comes out the other end and what DOES come out will be less smelly. You will also be able to feed a LOT less (quantity-wise), which may actually cause the premium food to be cheaper in the long run!

If your dogs is not a very active breed, or doesn't get a lot of exercise, stay away from the "hi protein" varieties. They are "hotter" and can cause skin issues if the animal eating them isn't able to work off all that extra protein. They are great for working hunting dogs, dogs that herd for a living and the like, but a dog who is basically a couch potato does NOT need this kind of food.