Best dry dog food?
- Thread starter Alissa
- Start date
danisgoat
Moderator
You will not find one best dry dog food. There are different foods for all different needs.
Please feel free to browse through our Commercial Food threads and you will find many many threads discussing different brands.
tofu pup
Moderator
Dog food is like politics and religion... everyone thinks they're feeding the One Best Food, and they might just be right.
Iams may be the right food for you (is your dog in good condition? are you and your vet pleased with your dog's health? can you afford to feed that food? are you satisfied with the size/quantity of waste your dog produces?).
If the answer to any of those questions is "no", then you might consider a different food. But if you're satisfied, there's no reason to upend the apple cart, so to speak.
We feed Eukanuba. We have healthy, hard-running dogs with great muscle tone and lovely coats. We end up with strong brood bitches who have plenty of milk and thriving puppies who gain weight and wean easily. Food isn't the only thing that goes into the equation - genetics, supplements (if any), environment, and sheer luck also play their parts - but I'm very pleased with the results on Euk.
Ann
Moderator
As TofuPup said, you will get as many different opinions on food here as we have members. There are many, many good kinds of kibble on the market. So it comes down to basics: What's in the food? You have to read the label, and know what it means, to choose a good food.
The first ingredient must be meat or meat meal. For example, chicken or chicken meal. Or, if it's a fish-based food, for example, salmon. There should be NO meat by-products, corn, wheat, soy or artificial preservatives in your dog's food. This is the critical factor in a good food that is healthy for your pet.
After that, it boils down to how much protein does your dog need? There are varying levels, and that's a personal preference depending on your dogs' needs and what your vet suggests.
Again, there are lots of excellent brands on the market, and your choice depends on what is available in your area or if you're willing to have your food shipped. For the reasons I've stated, my dogs eat Go! Natural and Artemis Fresh Mix. Hope this helps!
The first ingredient must be meat or meat meal. For example, chicken or chicken meal. Or, if it's a fish-based food, for example, salmon. There should be NO meat by-products, corn, wheat, soy or artificial preservatives in your dog's food. This is the critical factor in a good food that is healthy for your pet.
After that, it boils down to how much protein does your dog need? There are varying levels, and that's a personal preference depending on your dogs' needs and what your vet suggests.
Again, there are lots of excellent brands on the market, and your choice depends on what is available in your area or if you're willing to have your food shipped. For the reasons I've stated, my dogs eat Go! Natural and Artemis Fresh Mix. Hope this helps!
BarbV
Forums Celebrity
Ann summed it up nicely.
There is no perfect answer and lots of opinions.
The primary consideration is the first ingredident - as Ann said should say meat or meat meal. Secondarily, you want to look at protein and fat levels. How old is the dog, is he overweight? Protein can be a concern for some dogs (e.g. mine) while others thrive on it. So research this carefully.
Then grain or grain-free? If not grain-free what grains are in there? Some grains are better than others.
Alot of people would caution you away also from corn supplement as a filler. I would agree. Corn does not have alot of vitamin in itself.
Good luck!
I'm in process of deciding whether to switch foods or not. I haven't really made the decision to do it, because my dogs seems to be doing well on their Now! diet. (I just don't like the big poops!)
There is no perfect answer and lots of opinions.
The primary consideration is the first ingredident - as Ann said should say meat or meat meal. Secondarily, you want to look at protein and fat levels. How old is the dog, is he overweight? Protein can be a concern for some dogs (e.g. mine) while others thrive on it. So research this carefully.
Then grain or grain-free? If not grain-free what grains are in there? Some grains are better than others.
Alot of people would caution you away also from corn supplement as a filler. I would agree. Corn does not have alot of vitamin in itself.
Good luck!
I'm in process of deciding whether to switch foods or not. I haven't really made the decision to do it, because my dogs seems to be doing well on their Now! diet. (I just don't like the big poops!)
ClantyreSheltie
Forums Sage
You don't have to worry about what is the "best" if you feed a variety of foods. Just switch bags around, and buy a different kind every time. Then there is no stress about getting the "perfect" mix of ingredients.
BarbV
Forums Celebrity
Although some dogs don't tolerate mixing up dog foods that often. Or maybe its just a reaction to mixing in a food that does not agree with them?
I could see find a maybe 3 different brands that they tolerate and either mixing them all together or alternating. But a new brand or new flavour everytime? Nope. I like to keep things stable. No surprise tummy upsets, thanks!
ClantyreSheltie
Forums Sage
It's a vicious circle. You only feed one thing, so the dog can only eat one thing. Then suddenly the dog is "sensitive" or "doesn't react well" to other foods. Once you can break through that initial upset and get the gut flora going, then you don't have to worry about it.
Ann
Moderator
Although some dogs don't tolerate mixing up dog foods that often. Or maybe its just a reaction to mixing in a food that does not agree with them?
I could see find a maybe 3 different brands that they tolerate and either mixing them all together or alternating. But a new brand or new flavour everytime? Nope. I like to keep things stable. No surprise tummy upsets, thanks!
I agree. In my experience, mixing foods up has not been successful. Even in my dogs who don't have gastric issues like colitis, there's a "break-in period" of loose stools, bags of food they aren't fond of, etc.
I can also see switching foods once in a while to change protein sources, but it's not something I would do as a regular practice.
Good point about the grain-free choices, Barb...I forgot that one. One of mine eats grain free and the others don't. For some of mine, grain is needed to keep things moving, so to speak.
I'm not sure there's one all purpose food for every dog. I think you have to assess your dog's needs and find the food that works best for them.