Purine Pro Plan

[SueEllen]

I currently feed my puppy Bailey Pro Plan only because that is what the breeder fed him and I have not switched yet. I was surprised to tell you the truth that many breeders are feeding Pro Plan but somehow I figured they were subsidized when a local breeder was doing a promo at Petsmart.

I feed my cat Natural Balance Duck since she has allergies to chicken and maybe beef. I am thinking of switching Bailey to something not chicken based because Molly got into Baileys food a few weeks ago and got sick from her allergies and has a rash all over her neck that is just starting to get better...hundreds of vet bills later:-o.

I am thinking Natural balance and have heard good thing about totw too.

Any suggestions for a non chicken based protein?

 

[bkzoo]

I currently feed Merrick grain free buffalo and sweet potato and Cookie does very well on it. He has some sheltie friends (Skye and Webster) at camp who eat Pro Plan, and honestly they are much chunkier and less defined and not as shiny as Cookie is. Now they may be feeding too much, feeding bad treats, other factors may be involved, etc, but as someone who picks up a lot of dog poo on a daily basis, I would hate to have dogs with stools like Skye and Webster's. It is consistently mushy, large, and generally gross.

Merrick is not available at Petsmart, but Petco does sell it. That said, it is infinitely cheaper online, as are most pet foods. I rotate Cookie's food with other grain free dog foods that have different protein sources (I and Love and You and Honest Kitchen, for the most part) and he also loves those two brands. He has small firm stools, gorgeous shiny coat, minimal shed, well defined muscles, and decent breath for a dog.

Pro Plan has a list of ingredients that, while they may be "sufficient," they really just aren't the best, in my opinion (soybean, by product meal, corn gluten, wheat, etc).

There are a lot of decent foods available in pet stores but you will pay more compared to online. If you don't mind paying more, Taste of the Wild, Merrick, etc can usually be found in store.

I was very interested in Merrick, but got scared away by the protein (38%). I had read on these forums that closer to 28% is best.

 

[BarbV]

I was very interested in Merrick, but got scared away by the protein (38%). I had read on these forums that closer to 28% is best.

I'm scared by super high protein as well because of Bacca. I think a protein between 26 and 30% for a normal dog is a safe bet. That's why I'm still comfortable with TOTW puppy for Callan and Now! Senior for Indy.

I will likely transition Callan to Now! eventually, but its working for him, so if it ain't broke, I won't fix it.

 

[roxyllsk]

I feed my puppy Pro Plan. My older boy gets Wellness Super 5 Chicken and Rice, and has a lovely coat, firm poop, etc. I wanted to switch the puppy to Wellness Puppy. Tried slowly 2x and when I got about 50% she had the trots really bad. So for now she will stay on the Pro Plan. I'm not crazy about it but it seems to work for her. Nice coat, firm poop, no tummy issues.

When she turns a year I will switch her to Wellness like my older boy. The puppy version has salmon in it, which the Pro Plan puppy does not have. i think that may be what her tummy doesn't like. The adult Wellness does not have it.

I spent a lot of time researching dog food. Tried BB but that was too rich for my dogs - they all got loose poops from it. Tried Wellness Core, same thing. The Super 5 mix is a decent dog food and they do well on it. Plus I can get it at Petsmart or online (that was my other criteria - had to be able to get it locally although I do order online as well).

 

[sscrugg]

Pippa gets Pro Plan Sport because the breeder recommended it, but she has grown really bored with it. I went to our locally owned pet products store and they gave me samples of a bunch of brands. They gave me a lot of the Fromm brand, as I type, she is eating (as in bringing a mouthful at a time into the room with the carpet) Acana Ranchland formula mixed with a little of her Pro Plan. I may mix a new brand in with her remaining Pro Plan.

 

[alonsoe]

Dow chow puppy

I'm thinking of switching my shelties to Pro Plan. What are your honest opinions. It's so much easier and more convenient for me to get. The only way I can get there current food is to order it.

Hi, I food my 4th months shelties whith Dow Chow puppy of Purina because is the food that my breeder recomended to me. But I thik is because they obtain it free, a kind of marketing... but my dogs often eat the materials of the wall and eat sand, coal.....and I have heard that this is because they have less minerals by their food. The breeder also recomended me to give them a yogourth a week, so I think he realices that they need more calcium than the quantity oobtained whith teir commercial food.

What do you thik about this?

Thanks in advance!