What do you feed your dog?

[LiveYourLife]

Would a slow switch need to be done on the puppy as well? or since he's so new to food itself, would it be ok to just to switch him, or is more sensitive since he's so young? The local Petsmart carries Blue Buffalo (which is what I've been considering for my older girl, she's 9 by the way) but they do not carry Taste of the Wild, it would be great if I didn't have to go to multiple locations to purchase their dog food.

Thanks again everyone.

Minerva, you may want to keep the puppy on ToTW, if that is what the breeder has him on. When you take the new guy to your Vet for his first wellness exam (usually breeders require this to happen within the first 72 hours that you have taken ownership of the pup), bring the ToTW with you. A puppy and 9 year old dog should not be on the same food. Puppies need "puppy" food that is high in fat and protein to give their active little bodies all of the proper nutrients. A 9 year old dog may need a more senior type dog food, that is low in fat and protein since they are not as active and don't burn off the food as easily. I didn't realize there was such an age difference between the two dogs. You can probably get them on the same "brand" of dog food, however, the same life stage of dog food just isn't possible because of the age difference.

The reason I suggested you take your ToTW with you to the wellness exam for your new guy, is, I'm not sure if that has the proper nutrients, fat, and protein contents for a puppy.

Absolutely you want to make a gradual switch to a new food until you get to know your dog. While some dogs have an iron stomach and can handle dietary changes on a dime, others cannot, and gastric upset can be very uncomfortable for a dog. Why risk it, just do the gradual change to be on the safe side.

Again, good luck and welcome back to puppy-hood!!!! It's amazing how after 9 years you forget about all of the good ( and sometimes bad) that comes along with a puppy! Please don't forget to share pics!!!!

 

[LiveYourLife]

And I realize I never answered your original question! Oops!

Our JRT is on Royal Canin Rabbit and Potato, which is a prescription dog food from our Vet. It's not the best quality, but unfortunately he gets severe gastric upset any time I try to switch him to a better food (ie: Natures Variety Instict, Natural Balance LID, Acana, Canidae, Fromms, etc).

Our Bichon is on Natural Balance LID Sweet Potato and Venison. He gets very bored with food every six months, so when he gets bored of this, I will go back to the potato and duck version of this same brand.

I, like others never knew the importance of feeding your dogs a quality kibble and/or canned. There are so many out there, and that is why I recommended www.dogfoodadvisor.com Pretty much every dog food imaginable is listed, and great information is provided!

 

[ilovepcot]

I was able to buy top of the line dog foods while in FL, but here in NC it isn't available in my area. Refused to settle for what is available, so now I make my own.

 

[LiveYourLife]

Our dog eats a raw diet, beef specifically from Primal. Our dog's coat is as soft and shiny as a puppy's and the diet has helped her mobility (she was born with luxating patellas in both rear legs). I am a firm believer in a raw diet, it is a different diet though, so it requires slightly more effort than scooping a cup of kibble out of a bag.

Now, I give it about 5 posts before someone will post something bad about raw diet and I have read many reports/reviews people often post and most are hypothetical in nature or refer to the risk to humans, rather than the health of the dog. Recalls have been very rare with raw diets, especially with the major brands like Primal or Stella and Chewy's, and of the one recall I recall with Primal, it was with their chicken line and they immediately changed their process to use a high pressure processing technique in their poultry products that pretty much eliminates any pathogen.

Referring back to risk to humans, like any raw meats, you need to practice safe handling procedures, this includes washing their bowls with hot water and soap, washing your hands after handling and keeping the food refridgerated (unless it is freeze dried). The risks often refer back to safe handling, but honestly, that's more informational than a risk. If it was a risk, every package of meat sold would have a big fat warning sticker on it; but rather it comes to common sense, raw foods have to be handled properly.

(Note: Every recall I've seen on raw diets has been related to poultry, not saying that you should avoid it, but honestly, even with human food, poultry tends to be the dirtiest and one you really have to watch out for when looking at meats)

I don't see any problems with people choosing to go the RAW diet route at all. If that type of diet works best for the dog, I'm happy. What I do take issue with is those RAW diet pet owners (not you at all), who say that those of us who choose a non-RAW diet are basically killing our dogs with a traditional kibble/canned diet. I am a huge supporter of pet owners feeding their dogs the highest quality dog food possible, whether it be traditional or RAW. It's like the SAHP vs Working Parent debate, or breastfeeding vs formula feeding. You have to do what is best for your family, and everyone has that freedom of choice, and I am not going to knock anyone on their choices based on my choices.

 

[Tarheel Tink]

I feed mine Royal Canin diets.

 

[elfling8]

We just switched our coonhound from Science Diet (DS had to hold his breath and run from the room whenever we fed her) to Fromm. So far so good. Smaller poops and no digestive issues. It is also one that you can feed the different flavors interchangably. So far we have just done the Chicken a la Veg. It is cheaper than the Science Diet too.

 

[Minerva Mouse]

Minerva, you may want to keep the puppy on ToTW, if that is what the breeder has him on. When you take the new guy to your Vet for his first wellness exam (usually breeders require this to happen within the first 72 hours that you have taken ownership of the pup), bring the ToTW with you. A puppy and 9 year old dog should not be on the same food. Puppies need "puppy" food that is high in fat and protein to give their active little bodies all of the proper nutrients. A 9 year old dog may need a more senior type dog food, that is low in fat and protein since they are not as active and don't burn off the food as easily. I didn't realize there was such an age difference between the two dogs. You can probably get them on the same "brand" of dog food, however, the same life stage of dog food just isn't possible because of the age difference.

Yes, yes. This much I did know, I was just trying to avoid going to two different stores to pick up the two different bags of food, because the local Pet Smart doesn't sell Taste of the Wild. There are some places around town that do, I just wish they were a little closer together.

And we have the puppy's wellness check scheduled for Monday.

Thank you again for your advice.

 

[maxiesmom]

My lab gets Iams Ocean Fish, which has helped tremendously with her skin problems. She used to have what looked like really bad dandruff. My coonhound gets Blue Buffalo weight control. They both also get a little scoop of canned food on top. That food varies, but none of it is the cheap stuff. Blue Buffalo or Wilderness.

Someone recently posted a link on my facebook page to a web site that rates dog food. I had one little can of pedigree floating around in my pantry, and after reading that web site, it went in the garbage!

 

[mumto3girls]

We just recently switched our dog to an adult food from the puppy food she had been eating. I spent some time researching the different foods and ingredients and went with Blue Buffalo. She is on the small breed formula. We did do a really slow switch--took about a month, but now I am wondering--if we would use the same brand, but switch flavors--chicken to lamb or salmon etc, do we have to do another gradual switch? She had some intestinal issues a couple of times when she was a puppy and I really don't want a repeat of that!

 

[Poohforyou]

Our 10 month old puppy eats royal canine dry food and Merrick wet food. Sometimes I give him a little chicken and sweet potato as a treat. We tried wellness but he didn't like it.

 

[usnuzuloose]

My one dog had bad allergies and I switched food, and I feed both of them New Balance. It has one Protien, and on carb. They both do real well on it.

 

[TinkerBelled]

Our dogs eat a salmon based food (can't remember the name but not a grocery store food, no fillers)

They have the most horrific gas ever! DH will get up and leave the room!

Never thought it could be the salmon.

I'm sure it's different for everyone, but for us, it was an absolute no-go. Everything got a little...fishy. We braved out our 11-lb bag, but heavens, it was nice to go to chicken the next time.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

My GSD is 11 now. She gets whatever the heck she wants.

 

[ilovejack02]

my 2 ate wellness for years , but we got a new puppy who had HORRIBLE gas on it. Now two eat beneful weight control ... yes I KNOW , fillers etc, but no nasty yard accidents or gas , so we will stick with it. My oldest eats a low sodium diet that I order from vet due to heart issues. I cooked for him along time, but it got old.

 

[ugadog99]

Flame all you want, but my dogs have always eaten Pedigree. They have always been healthy and long lived dogs. One dachshund lived to 18, and I now have two that are 13 and one is 14. Pedigree will always be my choice.

 

[bittybabygrower]

We have a dog with a chylothorax (build up of lymph around the lungs) and she eats Beneful..because it one of the lowest fat foods, she can't have high fat foods and we have to supplement her with coconut oil tonkeepmher hair from falling out ( has to do with long chain fatty acids versus shirt chain). We have had her on this food for 4 years and we have had her 2 more years than they thought we would.

 

[Tralliam]

We're a bit complicated.

The cat gets Blue Wilderness, we vary which protien each time we get a bag.

The older two dogs (one is 9 the other is somewhere between 12-16) get grain free we will vary protiens as well as brands between natural Choice and Blue Wilderness.

Then there's Myst, our 2 yo supposed-to-be-miniature-but-only-grew-to-toy-size poodle. She get's Instinct Raw, frozen medalions. and again we vary the protien with each bag.

 

[CaptainObvious]

Our dog eats a raw diet, beef specifically from Primal. Our dog's coat is as soft and shiny as a puppy's and the diet has helped her mobility (she was born with luxating patellas in both rear legs). I am a firm believer in a raw diet, it is a different diet though, so it requires slightly more effort than scooping a cup of kibble out of a bag.

Now, I give it about 5 posts before someone will post something bad about raw diet and I have read many reports/reviews people often post and most are hypothetical in nature or refer to the risk to humans, rather than the health of the dog. Recalls have been very rare with raw diets, especially with the major brands like Primal or Stella and Chewy's, and of the one recall I recall with Primal, it was with their chicken line and they immediately changed their process to use a high pressure processing technique in their poultry products that pretty much eliminates any pathogen.

Referring back to risk to humans, like any raw meats, you need to practice safe handling procedures, this includes washing their bowls with hot water and soap, washing your hands after handling and keeping the food refridgerated (unless it is freeze dried). The risks often refer back to safe handling, but honestly, that's more informational than a risk. If it was a risk, every package of meat sold would have a big fat warning sticker on it; but rather it comes to common sense, raw foods have to be handled properly.

(Note: Every recall I've seen on raw diets has been related to poultry, not saying that you should avoid it, but honestly, even with human food, poultry tends to be the dirtiest and one you really have to watch out for when looking at meats)

Raw is the absolute best way to feed your dog, only someone uneducated about dogs would ever say anything bad about you feeding raw.

I wish I had the time, patience, and money to feed my American Pit Bull Terrier raw!

 

[maxiesmom]

Beneful is bad bad bad. There is actually a facebook page devoted to getting it banned as it has caused so many dogs health problems.

And do you know what the first meat type food is in pedigree canned dog food? The scrapings off of the slaughterhouse floor. No decent meat in it at all!

Just as with human food if it is cheap it is junk.

 

[Minerva Mouse]

Wow, So many choices. I wonder if people do this much research for their 2 legged children as well.

I made a trip to the elietist puppy store today. Spoke with the owner, and picked up a small bag of the TOTW for the new puppy. I then left, went home did some research then went back. My oh my the research. The owner of the store suggested Merrick, which receives a FIVE star rating from the dog food advisor. However a 25lb bag of Merrick is $55 and a 30lb bag of TOTW (which receives a 4.5 rating from the dog food advisor) is $50. I have decided that I will introduce TOTW to my senior dog over the next week or two, and we'll see how it goes. The owner of the store also gave me a few samples of other flavors in case she doesn't like the one I picked.

I feel bad for not doing this research sooner, call me oblivious I guess. I knew she wasn't receiving, top of the line dog food, but I was clueless as to what she was actually eating. I feel so empowerd now, like I'm doing something good for her, and hopefully improving her quality of life.

For the millionth time, thanks again everyone! P.S. Pic's of the puppy to follow in the next few days.