Changing Diet

[benretriever]

Hi Everyone,

I know this ground has been covered to some extent, but I hope I could get some more opinions specifically relating to my context.

I have 2 Golden Retrievers, now both about 13 months. Since getting them at around 10 weeks old we have been feeding them Science Diet Puppy Large breed and recently switching to Adult. Science Diet was recommended by our vet. I only just recently started wondering about whether it was really any good after one of the dogs spent some time not eating well and generally being ill (although this seems to have cleared up, and may have been a food allergy to something in the Puppy Science diet according to the vet).

Anyway, general internet consensus seems to be that Science Diet is not particularly good (no news to you all, I know), we were naive in selecting it, but we just went along with what the vet said.

So now I'm thinking about switching to something else, but given recent media on imported dog foods either including harmful substances or being irradiated to levels which modify the molecules!! I'm a bit unsure which path to follow.

Advance is Australian made (according to the website), and I note that the ingredients list doesn't list grains as the primary ingredient in the Adult food... which gives a couple of points to choose it over Science Diet.

There also seems to be a lot of talk about EaglePack from the US, but I wonder if this is exposed to radiation on import (which is required if imported foods are not already exposed to 100degC for 30 minutes during manufacture).

Finally, of course, there is the option to make their meals myself, following the principles of BARF or similar. This is not out of the question, but given current commitments, finding the time for this will not be easy!

Have there been any significant and scientific comparisons of dog food available in Australia, for which the results are available?

Having already exposed them less than optimum nutrition for the first year of their lives, I think it's time for a change!

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Ben

[Ravyk]

I feed my dogs the BARF diet [biologically accurate raw food/bones and raw food diet] which consists of mainly raw meaty bones and pulped up raw veggies with egg and other things added to it. I find it quick easy and cheap [the dogs get the veggie scraps from the main meal]. They get a range of meaty bones, from chicken wings/necks to lamb offcuts and occasionally a beef bone sliced down the middle so they can get to the marrow. If you want a list of what I feed my dogs, I'm more than happy to give it to you

If you are interested, read the book "Give your dog a bone" by Dr Ian Billinghurst [founder of BARF]-I found it really good. It goes through commercial dog food, whats in it and why it isnt the best for your dogs, and then goes through all the main food groups [meat, grain, veggies, fruit, other] and the pros and cons of feeding that to dogs. makes a very interesting read.

[Rachel27]

I feed both our dogs Purina ProPlan performance formula with water. My dogs both love it. One of my dogs didn't really have much of an appetite before we started her on this, however, now she eats it all up. And as they are of the spitz breed, i give them two tins of sardines a week with their ProPlan.

[Golden Rules]

Hi benretriever

Welcome to DOL!

Some people find the BARF diet confusing or feel it's a lot of work (for me it's the latter) but would still like to feed as natural a diet as possible to their dogs.

I'm a Goldie lover too and because they love their food and have a tendancy to put on weight easily, I find a diet with less grains and more raw food works well.

I do feed dry food when I forget to take something out of the freezer, currently it's the last of the Orijen and I won't buy more due to the cat food fiasco.

I have used Coprice in the past which was great - it's Australian made with Australian grown rice - rice being a low allergen food which is something to consider with all Goldens. I'll order more when the current food runs out.

However, the main diet for my dogs (including a little Terrier) is a Prey Model diet which consists of raw meat and raw meaty bones. If you search 'Prey Model' in the Health section here, you'll come up with a few threads.

I add in some sardines, yoghurt and raw eggs each week, as well as table scraps.

My dogs thrive

ETA - it's the cheapest way to feed a dog too!!

Edited January 14, 2009 by ~ArtyFarty~

[Odin-Genie]

currently it's the last of the Orijen and I won't buy more due to the cat food fiasco.

I was feeding both my dogs (including a golden retriever) Orijen as well. They just moved from puppy diet to adult. But after the irradiation issue, I changed to Artemis which is equally good.

Also, Artemis is one of the brands that has confirmed that their food does not go through teh irradiation process that caused problems with Orijen.

Edited to add last line.

Edited January 14, 2009 by Odin-Genie

[mrsgrumblebum]

I feed our fussy JRT Artemis. Before having this dry food she would sniff the dry food, turn up her nose and walk away. Since she has been on the Artemis she eats with gutso , she seems to prefer it with a little warm water on it and then licks the bowl clean. I am amazed as I have spent a small fortune trying to find a dry that she will eat.

Good luck benretriever

[alanglen]

Just so that you do know, Hills large breed puppy is Australian made, no chinese ingredients in any Hills Science Diet foods. Be careful to find some actual research on the food that you are choosing rather than just, "this is what I feed my dog" details. Whilst personal references are good, dogs are different and it's good to have some factual info behind why you feed what you do. Then I think you'll find that Hills is the biggest researcher in dog food at present.

PS I have no linking at all with Hills! I just find the internet way too biased towards unbalanced natural diets that I see lots of complications with down the track.

[labsrule]

Just so that you do know, Hills large breed puppy is Australian made, no chinese ingredients in any Hills Science Diet foods. Be careful to find some actual research on the food that you are choosing rather than just, "this is what I feed my dog" details. Whilst personal references are good, dogs are different and it's good to have some factual info behind why you feed what you do. Then I think you'll find that Hills is the biggest researcher in dog food at present.

PS I have no linking at all with Hills! I just find the internet way too biased towards unbalanced natural diets that I see lots of complications with down the track.

What sort of complications? and what do you mean by "unbalanced natural diets"?

[murphy001]

i feed my boy purina pro plan large puppy with water also he also loves it and wont eat anything but that.

[alanglen]

What I mean is, just because it might be raw or a natural food, it doesn't mean that it covers the nutritional requirements of that breed, age group or pets's nutritional requirements. I am not saying this is true of all raw and natural diet but many are unbalanced and not formulated to provide for all vitamin and mineral needs. And yes, ask any vet about rickets in pups or thiamine deficiency in meat fed cats and most will shudder. The days of commercial foods has made a significant contribution to pets lives.

Anyway really keen not to hijack the thread but didn't want another person out there thinking Hills was evil or anything because a great deal of dogs do fantastically on it!