What do you Feed your Dog?
- Thread starter lotuslily
- Start date
:dogbiggrin:
bellapup
Well-Known Member
I feed Bella large breed puppy dry food from Science Diet. I heard that it's better to mix wet food in as well, but I'm not sure if it's necessary or what ratio to mix. I live in the desert, so I make sure she gets plenty of water especially since she's on dry food.
I have a little doggy boutique in the area that sells high protein dog food such as mutton, venison, bison, etc. I personally think it's more of a fad and I'd rather spend the money on some good toys.
Bella's been growing like a weed so her food must be good!:doglaugh:
I have a little doggy boutique in the area that sells high protein dog food such as mutton, venison, bison, etc. I personally think it's more of a fad and I'd rather spend the money on some good toys.
Bella's been growing like a weed so her food must be good!:doglaugh:
lexio2
New Member
I feed Royal Canin to my cats and dogs. I do this mostly because i get a big 50% discount from my job and also because i really like how my dogs and cats do on it. I have a cat with a sever food allergy and irritable bowel syndrome, so she is on the prescription limited ingredient diet, and has finally stopped throwing up all the time. The adult dogs are on Royal Canin Medium Breed Adult, and the baby is on Royal Canin puppy.
That being said, if i didn't get that discount i would feed a relatively new product from Merrick called Before Grain (BG). I stumbled upon this food when poking around pet supplies plus and was shocked by how awesome the ingredients are in the dry, not to mention the fact that the wet food consists of NOTHING but the protein and water for processing. The wet food is NOT a balanced diet, so you have to feed dry in addition to it, but when i'm feeling generous it's the only wet food my pups get.
http://www.beforegrain.com/
That being said, if i didn't get that discount i would feed a relatively new product from Merrick called Before Grain (BG). I stumbled upon this food when poking around pet supplies plus and was shocked by how awesome the ingredients are in the dry, not to mention the fact that the wet food consists of NOTHING but the protein and water for processing. The wet food is NOT a balanced diet, so you have to feed dry in addition to it, but when i'm feeling generous it's the only wet food my pups get.
http://www.beforegrain.com/
leema
New Member
My dogs are fed a raw diet consisting of approximately 80% meat, 10% organ and 10% bone.
For training sessions with Clover, I used a kibble called 'Advance'. Unfortunately, I haven't been doing much training recently (I have injured my finger nail and can't get it wet and when I train I get food smells on my hand and I can't wash it off!!! AWFUL!!) but the kibble can sometimes take up a large portion of her diet, so it's important she has a 'good' one.
For training sessions with Clover, I used a kibble called 'Advance'. Unfortunately, I haven't been doing much training recently (I have injured my finger nail and can't get it wet and when I train I get food smells on my hand and I can't wash it off!!! AWFUL!!) but the kibble can sometimes take up a large portion of her diet, so it's important she has a 'good' one.
Both the boys are still puppies so we are on puppy food. They get Wellness Puppy and Artemis Small Breed Puppy mixed. Sometimes I throw some boiled chicken and rice in for a bit of a change. For their training treats we use natural balance turky roll cut up into microscopic pieces.
tigerlily46514
Honored Member
Here is what i feed my dog now. Is not the top be$t dog food, but he is thriving nicely.
I vary the kibble, but usually i buy "Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's soul" brand kibble. Is good dog food, for reasonable price. If a 6 star brand is on sale, i might get a small bag of this or that on sale.
If you read ingredient list, even most top brands go vegetable on 2nd or third ingredient, as opposed to Chicksoup for the DL, which has meat for top 4 ingredients, is made in America, has no CORN, and zero poisonous, carcinogenic preservatives in it.
I strive to get him variety as best as i can. this Chick Soup does have some oats and rice and potatoes, but first four ingredients are meat. No corn, no poisonous preservatives, is decent kibble, and not wildly expensive.
Over the top of this, i sprinkle whatever fish/ meat/ poultry we have on hand. It's usually 1/3 homemade, 2/3 kibble.....I kinda reduce down the amt of kibble /depending on how much of our meat he is getting on the top.
Or, if we are not eating much meat that week, i swap out the homemade-meat portion for some canned dog food.
Now and then, like every other week or so, I buy canned dog foods, top brands, all kinds and flavors, (I can afford one can of the top brand dog foods, it's not too costly, makes nice variety for buddy.)
Then i put a bit of that canned dog food over the kibble, i can make One can last for a few days that way!!!
This way, Buddy gets variety of types of food.:dogbiggrin:
I am fairly fussy about his treats, i make almost all of them myself and i keep them very tiny, (see my recipes) but i do buy store made treats for outings when my homemade -preservative-free treats would be nusiance.
IT IS REALLY HARD TO FIND GOOD, TRULY NUTRITIOUS, STORE-MADE DOG TREATS!! They are all full of flour, corn, sugar!! salt, etc etc.
Anyway, as time goes by, maybe i will advance along to try raw diet, but for now, this is what i am doing.
So i just posted this, cuz i often see people asking around "What do you feed your dog?" For now, this is what we are doing for now.
ANYBODY KNOW OF ANY GOOD BRAND OF STORE MADE DOG TREATS? My homemade dog treats don't store well at room temp if we are on long outing....If i start out with them frozen is okay, but still, i am going blind trying to read all the labels to find some treat that is nutritious...
I vary the kibble, but usually i buy "Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's soul" brand kibble. Is good dog food, for reasonable price. If a 6 star brand is on sale, i might get a small bag of this or that on sale.
If you read ingredient list, even most top brands go vegetable on 2nd or third ingredient, as opposed to Chicksoup for the DL, which has meat for top 4 ingredients, is made in America, has no CORN, and zero poisonous, carcinogenic preservatives in it.
I strive to get him variety as best as i can. this Chick Soup does have some oats and rice and potatoes, but first four ingredients are meat. No corn, no poisonous preservatives, is decent kibble, and not wildly expensive.
Over the top of this, i sprinkle whatever fish/ meat/ poultry we have on hand. It's usually 1/3 homemade, 2/3 kibble.....I kinda reduce down the amt of kibble /depending on how much of our meat he is getting on the top.
Or, if we are not eating much meat that week, i swap out the homemade-meat portion for some canned dog food.
Now and then, like every other week or so, I buy canned dog foods, top brands, all kinds and flavors, (I can afford one can of the top brand dog foods, it's not too costly, makes nice variety for buddy.)
Then i put a bit of that canned dog food over the kibble, i can make One can last for a few days that way!!!
This way, Buddy gets variety of types of food.:dogbiggrin:
I am fairly fussy about his treats, i make almost all of them myself and i keep them very tiny, (see my recipes) but i do buy store made treats for outings when my homemade -preservative-free treats would be nusiance.
IT IS REALLY HARD TO FIND GOOD, TRULY NUTRITIOUS, STORE-MADE DOG TREATS!! They are all full of flour, corn, sugar!! salt, etc etc.
Anyway, as time goes by, maybe i will advance along to try raw diet, but for now, this is what i am doing.
So i just posted this, cuz i often see people asking around "What do you feed your dog?" For now, this is what we are doing for now.
ANYBODY KNOW OF ANY GOOD BRAND OF STORE MADE DOG TREATS? My homemade dog treats don't store well at room temp if we are on long outing....If i start out with them frozen is okay, but still, i am going blind trying to read all the labels to find some treat that is nutritious...
lorna
New Member
Fussy eater
my 9 mth old C King Charles Spaniel has been getting Royal Canin Dry Food since she was a little puppy and is now on the adult version. I was giving her whatever meat we were having, chicken, minced beef etc along with her dry food but she now just picks out the meat and leaves her dry food.
She is really slim, but has plenty of energy when training/playing but I don't know what else to do / try with her.
We also tried the dry food from Science but she didn't like that either.
Any tips would be welcome.
my 9 mth old C King Charles Spaniel has been getting Royal Canin Dry Food since she was a little puppy and is now on the adult version. I was giving her whatever meat we were having, chicken, minced beef etc along with her dry food but she now just picks out the meat and leaves her dry food.
She is really slim, but has plenty of energy when training/playing but I don't know what else to do / try with her.
We also tried the dry food from Science but she didn't like that either.
Any tips would be welcome.
tigerlily46514
Honored Member
Try "Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul". (see thread above). The first FOUR ingredients are meat. THAT is very hard to find in the dog food world, even the ka-ching! super expensive dog brands go vegetable by second, or third ingredient.....
"Chick soup F.D.L.S." has no toxic preservatives, no corn. If your dog food contains corn, and almost all of them do contain corn, get a new dog food. Dogs cannot digest corn, it only fills their stomachs for fullness.
Be aware, when a dog food lists a meat as first ingredient, such as "chicken", well, ingredients are listed in order of WEIGHT, and the "chicken" is NOT yet deydrated so it gets listed as heaviest (first place) item. After deydration, the meat may not be anywhere near first place, see? and that second ingredient may now be in first place, see what i mean?
Also, no harm, in every once in a blue moon, skip a meal. We did that to Buddy once when he was getting way too picky. Perked his appetite right up!!
"Chick soup F.D.L.S." has no toxic preservatives, no corn. If your dog food contains corn, and almost all of them do contain corn, get a new dog food. Dogs cannot digest corn, it only fills their stomachs for fullness.
Be aware, when a dog food lists a meat as first ingredient, such as "chicken", well, ingredients are listed in order of WEIGHT, and the "chicken" is NOT yet deydrated so it gets listed as heaviest (first place) item. After deydration, the meat may not be anywhere near first place, see? and that second ingredient may now be in first place, see what i mean?
Also, no harm, in every once in a blue moon, skip a meal. We did that to Buddy once when he was getting way too picky. Perked his appetite right up!!
lorna
New Member
Thanks for the info. I tried feeding her canned and dry last night and she nearly finished all. This morning however it was a different story. Ate the canned and left nearly all the dry. Think she is trying to tell me something. I am taking her to the vet tomorrow for a check up as she is losing her hair and to also make sure she is not too thin at 9 mths (weighs in at 5.6 kg).
snooks
Experienced Member
canned food
I think most dogs given a choice go for canned. At least all of mine have like gangbusters. As long as it's a good quality canned food there is not a thing wrong with feeding it instead of kibble. I would get ur pup used to brushing teeth regardless what you feed. You only need to brush the outside of the teeth where the tongue isn't able to touch and clean. If you ever look where tartar accumulates it's on the outsides of the molars and canines so it's not as hard as it seems..you don't have to brush them like you do your own teeth.
Since Cav's mostly die of heart disease dental health is very important so keep and eye on the teeth. If you get a clean bill of health you might want to consider slowly changing to a new canned food. The best food in the world won't do much good if it doesn't get inside.
Good luck with ur pup's exam...hope all comes out well.:dogblush:
I think most dogs given a choice go for canned. At least all of mine have like gangbusters. As long as it's a good quality canned food there is not a thing wrong with feeding it instead of kibble. I would get ur pup used to brushing teeth regardless what you feed. You only need to brush the outside of the teeth where the tongue isn't able to touch and clean. If you ever look where tartar accumulates it's on the outsides of the molars and canines so it's not as hard as it seems..you don't have to brush them like you do your own teeth.
Since Cav's mostly die of heart disease dental health is very important so keep and eye on the teeth. If you get a clean bill of health you might want to consider slowly changing to a new canned food. The best food in the world won't do much good if it doesn't get inside.
Good luck with ur pup's exam...hope all comes out well.:dogblush:
snooks
Experienced Member
healthy treats
For non-refrigerated treats I like boulder gourmet dog food company's treats and i mail order them. The bison jerky is already scored so it breaks into perfect training size bits very easily. I also like the bison bits and liver biscotti. All low fat and great ingredients. The alternative is to dry ur own meats in a dehydrator. I tried the wellness soft treats b/c I could buy them at a store and I like wellness foods but both dogs got diarrhea. http://www.boulderdogfoodcompany.com/dog_treats.htm?gclid=COPR6drlkZwCFQZfswodbB_HfQ
Another option is smart balance peanut butter in a squeeze tube-no refrigeration needed and they take some of the sat fat out and sub in flax (omega 3) fats instead. Other option is canned squeeze cheese. I have to be careful and squeeze out about 1/4 inch (a tiny bit) and let them lick it off the nozzle....otherwise i can't see how much is going into their mouths.
http://www.petexpertise.com/dog-training-aids/dog-training-pouches-bait-bags/dog-training-food-tube.html?sef_rewrite=1
You can find other great healthy treats at http://landofpuregold.com/store/sogood.htm#Primal
but they are expensive through this site--you can get the facts and nice write-up’s on LOPG's site then find them elsewhere for much cheaper and sometimes free shipping.
For non-refrigerated treats I like boulder gourmet dog food company's treats and i mail order them. The bison jerky is already scored so it breaks into perfect training size bits very easily. I also like the bison bits and liver biscotti. All low fat and great ingredients. The alternative is to dry ur own meats in a dehydrator. I tried the wellness soft treats b/c I could buy them at a store and I like wellness foods but both dogs got diarrhea. http://www.boulderdogfoodcompany.com/dog_treats.htm?gclid=COPR6drlkZwCFQZfswodbB_HfQ
Another option is smart balance peanut butter in a squeeze tube-no refrigeration needed and they take some of the sat fat out and sub in flax (omega 3) fats instead. Other option is canned squeeze cheese. I have to be careful and squeeze out about 1/4 inch (a tiny bit) and let them lick it off the nozzle....otherwise i can't see how much is going into their mouths.
http://www.petexpertise.com/dog-training-aids/dog-training-pouches-bait-bags/dog-training-food-tube.html?sef_rewrite=1
You can find other great healthy treats at http://landofpuregold.com/store/sogood.htm#Primal
but they are expensive through this site--you can get the facts and nice write-up’s on LOPG's site then find them elsewhere for much cheaper and sometimes free shipping.