What is the best budget dog food?

[TeamDisney1984]

I'm absolutely with you on this, which is why I suggested sticking with a better, less junky, more pricey brand that gets at least 4 stars like California Natural, Blue Buffalo and/or Kirkland. I don't care if we are financially struggling, Jack will always have good food that we know keeps him healthy and satisfied. I'm still trying to get by brother to switch from Beneful but it has been a struggle.

If we had kids we wouldn't cut back on the healthy foods, nor will we with our dog (CA Natural) or cat (Wellness).

Thank you for posting this!!

I agree on blue buffalo, wellness. Those are both great foods that won't break the bank. We feed EVO but have tried wellness, blue buffalo, canidae, horizon legacy, Timberwolf and they are all excellent foods. I never pay full price for these items and while it's not as cheap as a bag of pedigree at the local Walmart, it's still reasonable. Petsmart sells a decent selection of high quality dog foods and they always have sales or perk rewards.

 

[Jen12573]

Also, higher quality food will save you money in the long run. It has less filler, healthier ingredients that take longer for your pooch to digest therefore you feed smaller quantities at each feeding. We spend $42/month on food, it lasts a full month. Plus our local store gives you one free bag for every 10 you buy. Totally worth it for us. I mean essentially we spend $1.40/day to feed our dog. A bargain in our eyes. Plus, no extreme vet bills from junk dog food.

 

[Sandy61]

For the past couple of years I have been buying coupons on Ebay for Iams dog food. I think this is good dog food and you feed them less than the cheapest stuff. The coupons are $8 off a bag and I think a bag is about $12 unless you find it on sale. Maybe supplement dog food with table scraps. Does anyone know if this is ok for the dogs? I am talking about meat, bread and veggie scraps.

 

[Mom_Rides]

I can totally appreciate your situation. That was us 2 years ago. And until you've been there, you don't really understand how looking at every single item in your budget is important.

We feed our dogs Diamond Naturals. We had been feeding them just a store brand dog food and noticed that our older boxer dog seemed to not be feeling well, especially in his joints and his demeanor. We switched to the Diamond Naturals at the recommendation of a friend who works for a vet and our boy is doing so much better. He doesn't seem to be suffering from the joint issues any longer and he looks healthier. They also eat less food and seem more satisfied then when they were on the generic stuff.

Good luck to you and your family.

 

[mom2mikel]

We used Kirkland for awhile too, but it gave both of our dogs HORRIBLE, frequent gas!

I would definitely give it a try though

 

[GatorMama]

I'm another vote for a higher quality dog food. Our dogs are eating EVO right now, but we've fed Canidae and California Natural in the past. It's actually CHEAPER to feed Canidae than Beneful in the long run because you feed less food. It's more per bag, but still saves money in the long run. (I've been known to do all the math to calculate just how long it will take you to start saving... because I'm a nerd like that and I'm very VERY picky about what my dogs eat)

In response to Iams... Umm... that's a pretty pricey food and not a very good quality. And I'm hoping that the suggestion to supplement with table scraps was a joke.

 

[fakereadhed]

And I'm hoping that the suggestion to supplement with table scraps was a joke.

I don't see a problem as long as it's not junk. Our dogs get meat scraps and carrots and eggs with their meal once in a while. (Avoid garlic and onions as they can be toxic.)

 

[ceecee]

They say the first four ingrediants should be meat and grain free. I use Wellness, while it isn't budget my lab hasn't had an ear infection since we switched.
I have seen so many labs given to our local rescue because the owners can't afford them or they're moving!?! Seriously??? One is 10 yrs old...how can you give up your dog after 10 years? I would feed it anything in order to keep it, even cheap food.
Years ago I used Iams and while not the cheapest it is a 1 star food (I think they changed it when P&G bought them). I found the website dogfoodanalysis helpful in choosing a new food.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

I don't see a problem as long as it's not junk. Our dogs get meat scraps and carrots and eggs with their meal once in a while. (Avoid garlic and onions as they can be toxic.)

We also supplement with table scraps, but I think it ends up costing us more than the dog foods - and we feed EVO and Orijen. There's nothing wrong with giving your dog meats (fats trimmed off) and fish, whole grains like oatmeal and rice, and vegetables as a supplement to their dry dog food. What do you think dogs ate before dry dog food was invented?

Many grocery stores/butchers will also practically give away things like chicken and turkey necks and backs, and these are a great food source for dogs. Raw poultry is fine to feed to dogs - it's only the cooked bones and splinter and that are dangerous.

We feed grain free because my male German Shepherd has all sorts of food intolerances, so I'm no help on the budget side of dry food, though.

 

[dntd]

Am I the ONLY one irritated by this post? Not trying to start a debate but Your dog deserves good food just like you do. Surely there are other things you can cut out of your budget to keep from feeding your dog crap dog food. Cheap dog food can lead to health problems, allergies, poor coat, intestinal issues, Weak immune system etc.......We have a English bulldog and I wouldn't dream of feeding her cheap dog food. Not just because of her breed, but because she's a part of our family and we love her. High quality dog food doesn't have to be expensive, use coupons, shop sales, call manuf and ask for coupons for the products. Whatever dog food you pick, please don't feed beneful. It's garbage for dogs.

When people think high quality they think of brands such as Euckanuba and royal canain(sp?), both have caused major issues in my pets causing vet bills. IDK, if you have a choice either feed the god or kid, the kid wins....
I go with either merrick's cheaper line, walmarts holistic line or presidents choice. I mix it up for the dogs a bit, if I can find other natural foods cheap I will pick that up.

 

[miralys]

OP, I don't know what area you are in, but check to see if you have any feed stores near you. That's where we get our food and our pups have never been healthier. It's the best price we have found for quality food (high protein, no grain fillers, etc). Good luck whatever you choose to use!

 

[hsmamato2]

I don't see a problem as long as it's not junk. Our dogs get meat scraps and carrots and eggs with their meal once in a while. (Avoid garlic and onions as they can be toxic.)

sigh..... you all realize that for thousands of years,dogs lived alongside all of us humans,eating alongside,working,playing,etc. And around the world, millions of dogs still thrive in this 'outdated' mode. Expensive dog food was created after the big wars, directed at consumers with money to spare,since now that the depressions was over, people were looking for ways to spend well.....
You DON'T need to buy bags of dog food,of any type,to raise and keep a healthy,happy dog. There are many options that don;t involve dry premade kibbles. When a person loses their job,perspective is very important. and b/c one person might choose different dog foods for their dog than another, doesn't mean less or more caring for our dogs.
Flame away- but when a job is lost,and a person needs to cut back,I'd assume that includes all members of the house.... donning flame proof suit now.

 

[Dax]

I have been in this situation..

I lost my job 2yrs ago, and was out of work for over a year. I have 4 dogs, and 4 cats. I cut back on a lot of other things to be able to afford to feed all of my animals, and giving them up was not an option.

I also found the higher the quality the food, the healthier the animal, and less $$ in vet bills.

I tended to hit the sales, get stuff on sale. I know what works with my animals, and what doesn't.

I agree with PP about going to the feed store. Tractor Supply has its own brand of food called 4Health, which is VERY good, and they have a GREAT price on Taste of the Wild as well. Both of these work great with both my dogs and my cats, and are not loaded with fillers and crap. I still use both of these brands today, and I am now back working.

 

[java]

To those saying cut other things first. I had my lightbulb moment as I was buying my $50 bag of venison and wild rice for my dog when I realized he was eating BETTER than we were. Sorry but my kids come first. I researched and discovered the Kirkland brand. It met all my requirements, healthy, inexpensive and the dogs loved it.

 

[java]

Tractor Supply Company sells Retreiver dog food..high protein...50lb bag for $18.99....My 200lb mastiff loves this and one bag lasts 1 month - so this is a great deal

I just looked this one up and it's $21.95 around here still a great price thanks for posting that one I'm going to check it out next time I am in there.

 

[GatorMama]

sigh..... you all realize that for thousands of years,dogs lived alongside all of us humans,eating alongside,working,playing,etc. And around the world, millions of dogs still thrive in this 'outdated' mode. Expensive dog food was created after the big wars, directed at consumers with money to spare,since now that the depressions was over, people were looking for ways to spend well.....
You DON'T need to buy bags of dog food,of any type,to raise and keep a healthy,happy dog. There are many options that don;t involve dry premade kibbles. When a person loses their job,perspective is very important. and b/c one person might choose different dog foods for their dog than another, doesn't mean less or more caring for our dogs.
Flame away- but when a job is lost,and a person needs to cut back,I'd assume that includes all members of the house.... donning flame proof suit now.

I'm not flaming!

I just think there is a difference between "table scraps" and feeding a healthy raw diet. Way back when dogs were eating alongside humans, they weren't being fed leftover boxed macaroni and cheese and pizza crust. They were getting the carcasses of the animals that had just been hunted and butchered to feed the humans first. Any vegetables or grains they got were mostly from the contents of the stomachs of the animals they ate.

I think the OP has been given several choices for quality kibble that is more than reasonably priced. And the argument that truly BETTER kibble may cost more per bag but less in the long run in a completely valid point. The RAW vs kibble debate is probably best suited to another post. (I'd love to read it as we've considered going RAW for our pups for years and just never taken the leap... maybe if we ever get a deep freezer I'd be more inclined to switch)

 

[DCLbrideSept2009]

We feed our dogs grain-free food. While it's not THE absolute best DH found, it is THE best for the money by far. Nature's Domain. We get a 35-pound bag for about $28-30 at Costco. (The one DH REALLY wanted to get is about $80 for the same size bag. HUGE price difference for basically the "second best" DH found.) We have 3 dogs, and it lasts about 3 weeks.

 

[labdogs42]

We also supplement with table scraps, but I think it ends up costing us more than the dog foods - and we feed EVO and Orijen. There's nothing wrong with giving your dog meats (fats trimmed off) and fish, whole grains like oatmeal and rice, and vegetables as a supplement to their dry dog food. What do you think dogs ate before dry dog food was invented?

Many grocery stores/butchers will also practically give away things like chicken and turkey necks and backs, and these are a great food source for dogs. Raw poultry is fine to feed to dogs - it's only the cooked bones and splinter and that are dangerous.

We feed grain free because my male German Shepherd has all sorts of food intolerances, so I'm no help on the budget side of dry food, though.

I generally feed my dogs Canidae that I buy at Pet Supplies Plus. I try to get it on sale and I pay about $1 a pound. They also have a frequent buyer program that gets me a free bag after I buy 12. I have four dogs, so every little bit helps!

BUT, I have recently discovered that feeding RAW can be checp[er and healthier for my dogs! My friend feeds her dogs exclusively raw and she found that Wegman's sells chicken leg quarters for $0.49 a pound. So, that's half the price of my bagged dog kibble! And, I'm going to ask around to see if I can find necks and backs for that price or cheaper. I won't go totally raw, but I think I might replace half of their kibble with raw chicken which will be a bug savings and it will be great for them! I have actually wanted to try raw for a long time, but I always thought it had to be crazy expensive. Turns out, that isn't true!

I wish I had a Costco near me, that Kirkland food looks like a quality food at a great price! And, for the folks feeding Beneful, do yourself and your dog a favor and look into something else. That stuff is like doggie cheetos. esides the corn content, it also has added sugar and lots of artifical colors. Blech. I know the commercials make it look great, but the label tells a different story.

ETA, Member's Mark dog food also gets a very low rating. Goes to show that not all club store foods are equal! Darn, I wish I had a Costco!

 

[sydneysmom]

Don't buy the cheapest dog food you can just to get by..... in the end you will wind up with greater problems with your dogs health. There are plenty of good brands at good prices. If you go out to different websites, you can sign up for coupons and promotions then match them to PetSmart.... and sign up to get emails from PetSmart...we always are getting $5.00 off coupons.

Dogs are family members. Would you feed your baby or your child table scraps? no, you'd buy the best you could with what you could afford. Same with your dog.

If you go out to Pedigree's website or any of the others, you'll find great coupons.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

This is what we use. It's about $25 for 40 lbs.

Kirkland brand is what we use. Our Lab came to us on Beneful and the poor thing was super itchy and her coat was very dull and didn't feel nice. We switched her right away. Kirkland has great ingredients and is a great price. Her coat is beautiful now!