"wet" Dog Food For Dogs

[Katdogs]

Having a Lab X and a Kelpie, and in the past Lab fosters, I really can't imagine what it's like to have to encourage a dog to eat all its food! The foster failure SWF needs a slightly smaller kibble, but even with missing teeth he scoffs it down. We feed Big Dog Barf patties at night, and various dry in the mornings.

[Mason_Gibbs]

I won't even jump in here as to me kibble is as bad as the rolls lol

Oh fair enough! What do you feed your dogs?

and weasels - I love that dog roll freaks you out but I cant think of why! haha

Mine eat fresh meat and Vets All natural complete mix. I used to make my own veg mix but this is easier

[Pretty Miss Emma]

We're on a mix of nutro & supercoat dry, just because that's what i had! Normally it's just the nutro dry. But the mix doesn't seem to be a bad thing.

As for wet, I've always given either natures gift tinned or beneful. Natures gift is a good price, looks good, smells as good as dog food is going to and it's Australian (unless anything has changed since I researched it!). So it's my preferred option, and really it's just added to make dinner a bit more interesting so about a tablespoon or so. Beneful looks good but lots of gravy, more expensive, so it's just every so often if I feel like getting it or if it's on special!

[dasha]

If you buy supercoat tins, buy the kangaroo casserole as it has my kelpie on the label and it would look good for supercoat if it sold well!!!!!!!

[Leelaa17]

If you buy supercoat tins, buy the kangaroo casserole as it has my kelpie on the label and it would look good for supercoat if it sold well!!!!!!!

Firstly, thank you all so much for your opinions and advice! I dont feel bad for feeding my dogs supercoat anymore! Thank you!

And dasha, that is awesome! Im going to go and buy some natures gift today but i will definitely get some of that supercoat as well!

Thank you all again!

[shmoo]

I won't even jump in here as to me kibble is as bad as the rolls lol

Oh fair enough! What do you feed your dogs?

and weasels - I love that dog roll freaks you out but I cant think of why! haha

Mine eat fresh meat and Vets All natural complete mix. I used to make my own veg mix but this is easier

Mine too and they love it and they will turn their nose up at almost everything else. I have a highly sensitive dog so feeding purely commercial is not an option for me. I also like how much cheaper it is to feed raw and make it myself.

To the OP. You could spend hours reading about diet, reading ingredient lists etc but I say feed what your dog does best on.

[Mason_Gibbs]

I have tried sooo many things for my Mason, he is allergic to wheat, chicken and beef, and corn. Seems to be allergic to processed foods too as I have tried to feed him a range of grain free kibbles and he just cannot tolerate it at all the last attempt ended up in him pooing blood so for us we have to stick to raw. Figured if I'm doing it for one I may just doit for the puppy too.

[Nekhbet]

supercoat keeps them full ... saying that I suppose if you dont mind cleaning so many big poos a day then stick with it. It sells a lot but personally I think it's rubbish. Whatever comes out of the back of your dog is food that is not digested - compare that to how much goes into the dog a day and you will see how much of that food you buy is actually eaten. Adult is about 22% protein ... saying that how much of that is actually quality, digestible protein or is it mostly cheap much added to bump the analysis up to a minimum.

Meat and meat by-products (from beef and/or chicken), wholegrain cereals (wheat and/or sorghum), cereal bran and/or other cereals, beet pulp, iodised salt, vitamins (A, D, E, K, B1, B6, niacin, riboflavin, folic acid, choline, biotin, B12) and trace minerals (iron, zinc, copper, manganese), mixed natural tocopherols (vitamin E), rosemary plant extract, lutein, whole linseeds, garlic and kelp

In fact these cheaper foods have quite similar foods to chicken/game bird pellets. I didnt mind paying more for food if it meant my lot looked really good and I only went through 15kg in just over a fortnight, further if I gave them more fresh or missed kibble days totally.

Why dont you give your dogs meat? They're dogs. How much healthier could you get then nice fresh raw meats and bones. Your dogs will fart the place out because their stomachs are not used to having to digest real food. Keeping them on cans, tins and rolls gives dogs lazy stomachs and rubbish digestion hence the stench that comes out of both ends. Start slowly, a bit every day and you will notice your dogs will tolerate it more to the point they can have a whole meal of fresh.

I really dont understand the obsession with feeding such a highly processed grain based diet to your dogs, and raising puppies on the same stuff no wonder the dogs grow up not being able to stomach anything else. So many people who feed their dogs these diets say their dogs are doing OK and looking good, but so many have come back and said 'wow we didnt realise how much better they can be' when they improve the diet, either fresher or up in quality. Unless the dog has a dietary problems there is no reason why they cant eat raw meat and fresh bones.

Edited January 7, 2012 by Nekhbet

[BoStoNmAdNeSs]

supercoat keeps them full ... saying that I suppose if you dont mind cleaning so many big poos a day then stick with it. It sells a lot but personally I think it's rubbish. Whatever comes out of the back of your dog is food that is not digested - compare that to how much goes into the dog a day and you will see how much of that food you buy is actually eaten. Adult is about 22% protein ... saying that how much of that is actually quality, digestible protein or is it mostly cheap much added to bump the analysis up to a minimum.

Meat and meat by-products (from beef and/or chicken), wholegrain cereals (wheat and/or sorghum), cereal bran and/or other cereals, beet pulp, iodised salt, vitamins (A, D, E, K, B1, B6, niacin, riboflavin, folic acid, choline, biotin, B12) and trace minerals (iron, zinc, copper, manganese), mixed natural tocopherols (vitamin E), rosemary plant extract, lutein, whole linseeds, garlic and kelp

In fact these cheaper foods have quite similar foods to chicken/game bird pellets. I didnt mind paying more for food if it meant my lot looked really good and I only went through 15kg in just over a fortnight, further if I gave them more fresh or missed kibble days totally.

Why dont you give your dogs meat? They're dogs. How much healthier could you get then nice fresh raw meats and bones. Your dogs will fart the place out because their stomachs are not used to having to digest real food. Keeping them on cans, tins and rolls gives dogs lazy stomachs and rubbish digestion hence the stench that comes out of both ends. Start slowly, a bit every day and you will notice your dogs will tolerate it more to the point they can have a whole meal of fresh.

I really dont understand the obsession with feeding such a highly processed grain based diet to your dogs, and raising puppies on the same stuff no wonder the dogs grow up not being able to stomach anything else. So many people who feed their dogs these diets say their dogs are doing OK and looking good, but so many have come back and said 'wow we didnt realise how much better they can be' when they improve the diet, either fresher or up in quality. Unless the dog has a dietary problems there is no reason why they cant eat raw meat and fresh bones.

Great post. Blending some BARF components into that diet too is the way we go.

Or I should say, we tend to more heavily lean towards fresh meat and bones, but some veggies/fruit too

Edited January 7, 2012 by Bullish

[Maddy]

We normally feed raw but my pet meat place is closed for christmas holidays and although I thought I'd ordered enough meat to last us, we ran out yesterday and had to get something from the supermarket.

There was only one packet of chicken necks left so the OH got dog rolls..

The dogs were not impressed :rolleyes: Neither of the girls would go near them (can't say I blame them, dog rolls smell vile) and the poor boys didn't get much say in the matter because the chicken necks had to go to the girls.

I'm really not looking forward to cleaning up what comes out after eating those rolls so this weekend will be spent trying to find an alternate source of good meat (not supermarket junk) to last five large dogs for six more days :/

[Nekhbet]

I had the same problem HA, even the ferrets were not impressed with their lack of fresh food over xmas

[Maddy]

I had the same problem HA, even the ferrets were not impressed with their lack of fresh food over xmas

I'd stashed a whole heap (about 30kg) of lamb in the freezer for the dogs to last once their mince mix ran out but I get the feeling I dropped a zero or something in the calculations

Sally (my old girl) will eat the starlings she ninjas off the lawn if I don't retrieve them fast enough but the look on her face when I offered the roll was like.. "How could you? I thought you loved me.." Kind of worrying that manky dead bird is more appealing than dog roll.

[Nekhbet]

Sally (my old girl) will eat the starlings she ninjas off the lawn if I don't retrieve them fast enough but the look on her face when I offered the roll was like.. "How could you? I thought you loved me.." Kind of worrying that manky dead bird is more appealing than dog roll.

Probably more nutritious then the dog roll anyway :p

[poochmad]

A few months ago I was chatting with a very successful breeder about what we feed our dogs and she feeds Pal, dry and tinned. Always has done, she said, and her dogs look fantastic.

When I used to subscribe to the Oz dog show email list, I was surprised by the amount of breeders who fed their dogs Woofbix, the Big W home brand kibble.

I think we can get very hung up on what our dogs eat, and lets face it.....much more than the dogs do! Mine aren't averse to digging up months old bones and have a gnaw on them. I used to feel guilty about having to stop feeding raw as one dog vomits it all back up about 15 minutes after she's eaten it, but the dogs don't care, they look better on Black Hawk kibble/Natures Gift tins than they ever did on raw chicken and lamb. And they enjoy it just as much.

I agree with this. We started off feeding that kibble that got banned (killed cats), changed to pro plan, then meat, veggies, pasta, egg, sardines mix. The male was actually losing condition, so we started to mix with kibble and now just feed kibble. Up until recently we were feeding supercoat but the male started to scratch a lot. Changed to another brand and hey presto, he eased up on the scratching that very night. Now they get a mix of beneful wet and dry and some wet supercoat. Both dogs are doing well on it. The female has the shiniest and healthiest coat we've ever had.

I think whatever your dogs do well on, continue. When I think back to my childhood and dogs just got pal kibble and lived until they were 15 without going to the vets except when required, I wonder what happened to change the way people think. As time goes on, I have changed the way I think about dogs and how I train them, and that has worked well.

Edited January 7, 2012 by poochmad

[poochmad]

And I'm sure people will say that the dogs are eating junk food. Show me the evidence and I may consider changing. But before you do, there are lots of dogs that are fed on what some consider 'junk food' and are not the worse for it. The only difference is, that they may be too scared to be honest here for fear of being knocked down. I say, whatever works for your dog continue with that.

[Mason_Gibbs]

I find my 2 fart like 2 strokes if they get kibble, pup was fed RC lab junior when he came home and the farts were unbearable!!

[Dame Aussie]

We normally give raw meaty bones in the morning and a mix of dry and something else at night. the something else can be sardines, tuna, chicken, egg, yoghurt etc.

We have tried many different dry foods and the ones our dogs like the best is plain old Pedigree

They won't touch some of the premiums but the Pedigree!! They love it We do still feed premium though 'cause I just don't feel right giving them the cheapest stuff and we sometimes put a little bit of wet on top of the food but that's very rare.

They get lots of meaty bones like chicken frames, lamb necks, cut offs, ribs, hearts/kidneys, shanks etc, we have moved though and are finding it hard to find somewhere to get good dog bones reliably!

[dasha]

I have trouble finding bones that are suitable for my dogs too.

Mine are absolute pigs.

Chicken necks are out for 3 as they eat them like a seal eats a fish - NO chewing just enter mouth and swallow in any direction

Chicken wings are out for the same reason.

Lamb necks are ok but I still worry about one of them trying to eat it whole.

Big beef bones are not mush use as they are mainly teeth breakers and not a lot of meat on them.

Lamb briskets are also a bit of a worry as they can swallow some of those bones in one piece too.

My old dog had surgery last month to remove bone from her bowels and that was very costly and painful for her at 12 years old. It looked like a piece of vertebrae from lambs neck but hard to tell as she also eats whole rabbits and possums.

So until I can find something that is good, mine are primarily dry food with either roll for training treats or budget mince that has arteries and all in it for other alternative meals

[Guest Augustine Approved]

I am offering my advice with a genuine interest for the health of your dogs, and I speak with no invested interest in mind. I have spent what seems like a lifetime researching every aspect of food for dogs and it is my conclusion that you will not find supreme health for your best friends in a biscuit, and especially not in a can. If any vet would like to query me on this I would be happy to answer their questions.

There are dozens of contributing factors to your dog's health but the most important one is diet.

What food you should feed your puppy really comes down to what you would like to get out of your dog vs available time and financial constraints. I only recommend a fresh balanced diet, especially if you can prepare it yourself. This includes but definitely not limited to very regular servings of bones that are soft enough to help maintain their teeth and gums and not hard enough to do damage. If you have all the time in the world to research, prepare food that not only meets their daily requirement of protein and fat, but also ensure that it gives them a wide variety of nutrients. Ensure that EVERY ingredient has a purpose and is not just there to meet a logistical or financial need.

When we start comparing the way we select the food our dog eats to the outlook we have towards our own health, things become far more clear. Two examples:

- "My dog loves the taste". I love the taste of McDonalds but even their management has publicly told us not to eat their food every day. Canned and dry dog food is designed to appeal to a dog's pallet, not necessarily because it is good for them.

- "My dog looks healthy so it must be good". Think about how many things we consume now that give us energy boosts (energy drinks etc, sugar filled products). We do not always see the negative effects up front. Good food is appreciated much like a home video - many, many years down the track.

There are dozens of articles you can access through google that highlight the negative effects of dry and canned food.

Canned Food

Why wouldn't I feed Augustine canned food, regardless of the "grade" or "cost"?

Canned food goes through a sterilisation process called "retorting" once the can is sealed and this is to give it a long shelf life. This is the same for most human canned food. The process involves reheating the can once it is sealed at very high temperatures to kill bacteria. Naturally when it is heated so much not only the bacteria dies but the nutrients as well. It is pretty safe to say that the meat & vegetable content in canned products is left with no nutritional value and instead the products rely on supplement powders to meet a dogs minimum nutritional requirements. Then, just like dry food there are fillers and preservatives etc. that serve no benefit to the health of a dog, and can be in many cases harmful especially over long periods of time.

Dry food / kibble

Apart from the obvious problems with some imported dry food being irradiated, there is no way it can provide optimum nutritional benefit to a dog because not only does it not come in the form fresh food that a dog's digestive system is made to digest, but because to get it into a dry biscuit form, ingredients that have no benefit to dogs must be added to "stabilise" it so that it can be on shelves for long periods of time.

If your dog's poo stinks, it is not being processed correctly.

Even when dogs are on a raw balanced diet they still need something to grind on. On the contrary to popular belief, dry food does not help clean their teeth and this is the most overlooked issue that leads to many dental problems in the later years.

I hope that this information is of some benefit to you and your dogs. I will post some free healthy recipes on our website once it goes live.

[minxy]

And I'm sure people will say that the dogs are eating junk food. Show me the evidence and I may consider changing. But before you do, there are lots of dogs that are fed on what some consider 'junk food' and are not the worse for it. The only difference is, that they may be too scared to be honest here for fear of being knocked down. I say, whatever works for your dog continue with that.

Agreed. Sometimes you need to try a few different brands/types before you find the food that your dog does best on.