I currently feed my 11wk old boxer pup "Pedigree puppy" b.c that is what the breeder was feeding him and I didnt want to switch.
I know its not the best quality dog food but its ok. It has all the same ingredients in it as Iams. How much does dog food really matter.
I dont want to spend a boat load of money on all natural or organic dog food. There are some people that will go to an extreme and pay an arm and a leg for it. I just cant afford that all of the time.
Any real every day pet owners out there with opinions that arent breeders or all organic nuts? haha sorry. I dont mean to offend anyone.
I just am curious as to if there is really a difference other than branding and price.
Answers:
i feed my dogs pedigree and they do just fine. they all started out on pedigree puppy and when they were a year old, i gradually switched them to adult small bites. one of my dogs is now almost to the point of going on senior food - i have to check and see if there is a pedigree senior. if not then i will leave her on what she is eating now. none of my dogs have ever had a problem on pedigree and they love the taste of it. they also haven't had major teeth problems - i think because of the different shaped kibble
Good dog foods make a huge difference. The difference between pedigree and a high quality food like Canidae, Timberwolf, etc, is like the difference between you eating Mcdonalds everyday vs. organic meat and veggies.
The more expensive foods seem more expensive but in the long run don't cost any more because you feed less because they don't have fillers.
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_...
Either one of them is fine. You do want to feed your dog good healthy food if you want him to stay healthy.
Try SKIPPY especially the beef stew! My dogs used to love it and its not expensive. Availabe at most grocery stores. Alpo is good also,but usually more expensive.
The Goodlife Recipe is an awesome all natural dog food (not organic just chemical free) and wasn't part of the big dog food recall that happened a few months ago, i believe Pedigree was a recalled brand. They have a website you can go to. I get mine from the local Walmart it runs about $12 a bag. I have 4 dogs and it lasts a week. I wouldn't use IAMS they do animal testing!!!
I think you need to reconsider your question. When a food is certified organic it means that not only is it not genetically altered (which isn't really that big a deal to me because peas have gone through the genetic twister), but most importantly, they are pesticide free.
Dogs are much much smaller and weigh a lot less than we do. They also metabolize things very differently than we do. So pump them full of chemicals and you are going to see a higher incidence of liver failure, of cancer, of bone problems, of poor teeth, a sickly coat, more likely to be overweight, and so on.
Good food actually doesn't cost as much as you think. Through PetCo or PetSmart you can become part of the buy 10 bags get one free. Also, with good high quality food that isn't filled with fillers, you feed your dog LESS of it so it lasts longer.
Good high quality food doesn't contain fillers, it doesn't contain meta by-products (think hot dogs for dogs) it doesn't contain wheat or corn (the top two ingredients that dogs are allergic to), and a lot of them are now staying away from soy.
Shop around, you will find that the more up front expensive brands are actually cheaper than you think because you will be feeding your dog a lot less of it. And organic isn't just a snobby word!
Invesitgate your options: read ingredients. Would you eat at McDonald's for every single meal? How about Taco Bell? Why not - because the food would kill you. Poor food will kill your dog also.
Check out:
Timberwolf
Avoderm
Innova Evo
Canidae
Natural Balance
You want to make sure that your dog food has meat as the #1 ingredient. This is very important. You get what you pay for, and you will have to pay a little more to get some better-quality dog food.
Pedigree is bad. Iams I think is better. I use Purina One. I have 2 boxers.
science diet, i think its the best,i also have a boxer pup 10 weeks old, i cook rice with carrots ,celery and meet(chicken or beef ) and mix with dry food half/half he is growing like crazy ,feed your pup twice daily
Good quality dog food really does matter! If your dog eats a poor quality food, he will have poor health period. Also, those all have "fillers" which take up your dog's food but your dog can't utilize them as well.
Canidae is much better than that junk. Pedigree is bad food, too much filler, dye, etc.
Try a good food like Canidae-for us it costs $8 for a 6.6lb bag and last longer than the short time we used puppy chow (10lb at $12) and longer than when we used Science Diet (5lb for $10).
I don't know if you have a Wal-Mart near you but I buy my dog a brand called Maxximum. It's decently cheap and it's a good dog food. The way to tell a good food from a bad one is to look at the first 2 ingredients. If one of them is meat and/or rice, its a good food. Now if the first 2 are some kind of meal (ex. corn meal) then I don't suggest buying it! Hope I helped!
feeding a good food is important. having said that, keep in mind that if they are aafco approved (will say on the bag), they will meet all of the feeding requirements for your dog. it's true that pedigree isn't the best, but it's just fine.
i feed eukanuba to my 2 dogs- and i love it. i actually get compliments on my dogs' hair coats all the time. it is expensive- but i appreciate the shiney coats, and smaller stools
iams, proplan/purinaone (those two are the exact same thing sold to different markets), and science diet are some higher quality foods that aren't so pricey (they are even cheaper in the grocery store). they are more nutrient dense, and have less fillers. you will notice a shinier coat, smaller, firmer stools (SOOO much easier to clean), and you will need to feed less food overall. invest in an airtight container, and you can save $ by buying the food in larger amounts.
if you switch foods, make sure to do it gradually. also, if you decide to upgrade- get the "large breed" formulation if it's offered. it keeps the dog from growing too fast which is better for their bones and joints. in foods like puppy chow it doesn't matter b/c the food isn't as rich.
if $ is an issue- i think it's better to spend it on proper vet care and training.
good luck with your new pup :)
My feeling on dog food is if you can buy it at a grocery store it's probably not the best food. I like Royal Canine which you can find at petsmart or petco. There are other good brands. A trained salesperson at either one of these stores should be able to guide you. You may consider these more expensive but they are much better for your dog as they do not have as many fillers. Your dog will eat less as it is a better quality. Less fillers also means less poop. When changing food brands you should add it gradually to what you are feeding them now until you are only feeding the new food, otherwise they may get diarrhea. Good luck with you new puppy.
please consider CANIDAE DRY DOG FOOD, ALL LIFE STAGES.....this dry dog food is an, ALL NATURAL, ALL HUMAN GRADE INGREDIENTS, NO BY-PRODUCTS, NO FILLERS OR CORN OR WHEAT, NO BEET PULP OR SALT, ALL USA INGREDIENTS, NO CHEMICALS OR PRESERVATIVES, and it has lots of vitamins and enzymes, that are good for dogs !.after MAJOR RESEARCH, after all the recalls started, i switched my 2 dogs to Canidae, and so did my daughter in law, switch her 3 BIG dogs to Canidae !! all 5 dogs love Canidae, and my JRTerrier especailly loves Canidae, and eats HALF as much as Purina One lamb %26 rice, his previous food, and leaves me HALF as much residue on the grass ! Purina One, lamb %26 rice, cost me around $ 28 a 40 lb bag at Sam's, and Canidae is $ 34 for a 40 lb bag here in TX, so the price is very close, yet the QUALITY IS MILES APART ! purina One is JUNK, fillers, %26 by products %26 such !....MANY BREEDERS RECOMMEND CANIDAE, and many petqna.com people have USED CANIDAE FOR MANY YEARS, WITH MUCH SUCCESS AND SATISFACTION !!. go to Canidae.com for more information, and real dog owner's testimonials, and a list of dealers near you, by Zip code...Canidae dry dog food, all life stages, is worth the effort to feed your dog, in my opinion, THE BEST DRY DOG FOOD, AVAILABLE ANYWHERE, THAT IS AFFORDABLE FOR MOST DOG OWNERS !!...Canidae has a money back guarantee, if you are unhappy, for ANY reason !!...so try it, you and your doggie will love it !...any more questions about Canidae, or my research, email me !
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