Can Anyone Recommend Good Quality Kibble?

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

3. Premium brands - Iams/Euk, HSD, Nutrience, Royal Canin - as some examples. Usually sold at vet surgeries as well as pet food stores. Often 'recommended' by vets. Contain a higher percentage of animal based foods than categories 1 & 2, but still full of things a dog doesn't need such as fillers.

Could someone please clear this up for me? Isnt RC and Euk super premiums? Im pretty sur they arent just premiums,

I use RC, and it is $120 or so a bag, how could it not be a super premium?

cheers

Nope, read the ingredients lists carefully. Look at the fillers and preservatives for a start. Look at the primary protein source. Check the *quality* of each ingredient...whether it is organic or mass-produced, for example.

Price is not the sole indicator of quality when it comes to processed dog foods. It can help sort the good from the bad and the average, but the ingredients list (and knowing how to decipher it) is where you see the real differences between foods of a similar price. Personally, if I were to spend that sort of money on a processed diet, I'd be spending it on Eagle Pack Holistic. But that's my opinion. I find a raw, whole foods diet works better for my dogs anyway, so that's what I do.

[I Love Lucy]

I've just switched my dog over from Hills Science Diet to EP Holistic Chicken & Rice in the last few months, after hearing about EP on DOL.

I enquired with my vet who was more than happy to look into it for me. They contacted EP and came back and said it sounded good and was worth trying. They now order it in for me, which isn't really inconvenient, I just call them when I'm getting low.

I know I can get it at a few retailers in Melbourne who have it in stock, but it's more convenient to get it from the vet. I normally call the retailer to check if they are offering any specials and if not, I just get the vet to order it in for me.

Anyway, within weeks of putting my Lab on EP I saw a difference. She looks amazing, so shiny and healthy. And her temperament has also been more even. At first I put this down to co-incidence in her maturing at the same time, but the vet seems to think it is quite likely to be the removal of preservatives from her diet.

Since finding out about it a few of the staff at the vet clinic and a few of their other clients have moved their pets to EP and they are all very happy with the results.

A 15kg bag will last me 2 months and works out to less than $2 a day. This is based on 2 big cups a day.

A friend has put her dog on the EP Natural formula, which is a LOT cheaper than the holistic range, and she is just as impressed at the results in her dog.

From my own research I think a BARF diet would be worth trying too, but all that mucking around with fresh meat etc is not going to work for me, but that's a personal choice. I would reconsider it if there weren't super premium foods on the market that she did so well on.

As an aside, I always fed my last dog on Bonnie Complete. When she was a pup and came off puppy food, I did my research and ended up choosing Bonnie as it had no artificial colours etc and was cheap too. At the time (1995) I dont even recall what other brands were on the market, but money was very tight and being cheap was a big part of my decision. I didn't ask any more questions or do any more research for about 9 years. She was on Bonnie the whole time as her main diet, with raw bones a few times a week and the occasional table scraps. I could have easily afforded to spend more on dog food, especially towards the end of her life, but it never occurred to me to change her diet.

When she started to have digestive issues at 9 and a half years old I did some more research. I was told then that "Bonnie complete' is not actually a complete food, and dogs need some other nutrients not provided in Bonnie. I switched her to a super premium food immediately and was devastated that I may not have been providing her with all the nutrients she needed for all those years.

The digestive issues turned out to be several cancerous tumors through her whole body including her bowels, and she died very soon after these symptoms began.

I know I may be very hard on myself, but I still feel some guilt over this, and I wonder if my choices led to her illness.

It may not be the case, but I will never know. I know she had the happiest 9 years a dog could have, but a year later I am still getting over losing her and I still wonder if I could have done better by her.

My personal choice is now to feed the best food available and make other sacrificies in my budget if necessary. But I don't have kids etc and I have this luxury, I know it's not always possible to families.

I contemplated whether to share these thoughts or not, as I didn't want to make it sound like anybody who can't afford a super prem food is not doing the best thing for their dog. Of course, these foods don't suit all dogs either. I just wanted to make the point that I wish I had kept abreast of the facts and the available products and I had been aware earlier that I wasn't feeding her a complete food and I might have at least tried some others. I would always prefer to make my decisions based on knowing all the facts, even if I still chose a cheaper food, I would do so with the power of knowledge. Sorry if this story has diverted from the topic or brought anybody down. But I wish somebody had told me that story several years ago, so on that basis I decided to go ahead and share it.

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

ILL, I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. And I have also experienced guilt at what I fed my beautiful boy named Aussie. He was a cattle dog cross staffy and he died at 13.5 yrs of age. He was fed on canned and kibble, the lower end products b/c that was within my budget and knowledge at the time. If I'd known then what I know now, I would have fed him a raw diet. But I didn't know and he was fed on cheaper foods (with raw bones a couple of times a week for something to do).

He declined in health and well-being rapidly once he turned 12 yrs. He developed canine dementia but we initially put the symptoms down to adding Ruby to the family (she was six months old when we adopted her as a companion for him).

When he was almost 13, he lost a lot of weight over a short time, and we naturally took him to the vet. We could have had some tests to determine cause, but the OH was going away and I didn't want to be faced with a difficult decision at that time. Instead, we changed his kibble to a high energy (working breed) formula to get more calories into him, which seemed to stabilise his weight. The vet gave him a course of injections to boost the change in diet (steroids? for memory) which did help a little.

Within six months of these initial symptoms, weight loss and cough, Aussie died. He experienced a massive internal bleed and we had to help him cross to the Bridge.

I have always suspected intestinal cancer and heart failure as a result of poor nutrition. He apparently had a mid-grade murmur during his last checkup but the vet didn't think to mention it at the time. Had I known better, he would have had a better diet...but I knew very little about canine nutrition and the vets that cared for Aussie never suggested a switch in diet. He always *seemed* to be in good health, but now that our dogs are raw fed, I can honestly say that he could have done much better.

BUT it's not worth beating myself up over. He had a great life, and as he was a rescue, it was a miracle he survived at all.

We do what we can with what we have. And that's all we can do at the time.

[Zorro_007]

The only time that I would recommend commercial dog foods is when I get the opportunity to visit the various 'PREMIUM' dog food companies and can see for myself EXACTLY what ingredients are being used meanwhile I choose to trust a few vets that have done just that and make it a point to recommend the BARF diet

[I Love Lucy]

Thanks Lillysmum, It's nice to know I'm not the only one. I'm sorry to hear about your beautiful Aussie.

[Gillian]

Hi everyone... my 8 month old Dane is on Supercoat but he seems to be going off it...

He was a rescue and we kept him on the same diet that his previous owners had him on

I feed him twice (morning & night) a day. He normally gets his supercoat and some pasta mixed in.

In the morning I also give him about 200g of VIP meaty bite (log)

He's eats it eventually but I know he's eating it because he's hungry - I dont think he really enjoys it.

he doesnt come running upto his food like he used to so I'm thinking maybe he's needs a bit of a change.

A friend suggested VIP muesli... so now I give him his normal meal in the morning and then in the evening he gets the VIP muslie, pasta or rice and about 100g of mince (chicken/beef) through it.

I've been doing this for the last week and he's enjoying it.

The vet suggested that I keep giving him his supercoat kibble (and adding anythin extra I want through it) because it will at least make sure he's getting all the necessary nutrients.

Am I feeding him the right amounts - how do I know if I'm doing the right thing...

I also need to know if I should just try a new kibble or should I try the BARF diet....

How do I know how much to feed him if I do go on the BARF diet?

Thanks in advance

- Gillian

[Melisski]

Personally, with a Great Dane I'd be inclined to try either a BARF diet or a better quality dry food, such as ProPlan, Euk, RC or Advance. I don't have a large breed but I'm pretty sure you want to make sure they grow slowly as well which means you have to be very careful with their diet.

There's a couple of BARF books you should borrow/buy - I'm not a BARF feeder though so I'll leave that up to the experts.

Maybe you could do a google search on BARF and/or feeding large breeds in general? Sorry I can't be of more help but I wouldn't want to advise you of the wrong thing!

[Alibi]

I feed my two dogs the Eagle Pack Holistic. They mostly have the chicken formula, but have tried the fish, lamb and duck, all are great!!

They enjoy eating it, unlike when they were on Eukanuba, and they are both very healthy.

[Gillian]

Thanks Melissa and Melt for the advice - I've google searched "Barf diets" but could not find anything for giant breeds...

I'm just really worried that I might get the amounts wrong...

any suggestions on some good books...

Thanks

Gillian

[Hazz]

With the giant breeds slow steady rate of growth is required for sound development.

We feed our St's on the BARF diet.

Dr Ian Billinghursts, Give your dog a bone is good reading.

Edited May 3, 2006 by Hazz

[Melisski]

Try this website, they have information on the books too

http://www.drianbillinghurst.com/

I think you can also buy pre-made BARF patties etc., if you're worried about making them up yourself. There are a couple of members who do this, it might be worth sending them a message? Also check out these threads (that are on DOL anyway):

BARF vs. Kibble thread http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=62530&hl=

Premium Dog Foods http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=62342&hl=

BARF Diet http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=59731&hl=

BARF patties http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=58935&hl=

There's heaps more, just do a search for 'BARF' on the forums (click the button in the right hand corner of the screen.) As for amounts, you might want to email some of the Great Dane breeders/owners listed on DOL, I'm sure some would be happy to help you out

[Gillian]

Thanks guys - will do more research and see how we go

Cheers

Gillian

[boxagirl]

Bondi gets either Optimum Puppy, or Purina Proplan and shes never looked better

[cactus]

My mothers dane is 6 months old- he's getting 7 cups of eukanuba large breed puppy food, plus chicken frames/wings/necks, liver and kidney, and fruit (he loves his fruit). Some days he is ravenous, other times his usual meals fills him up- all depends on his growth spurts I guess. He's growing at a good rate, is lean and glossy, so its working well for him. BARF for a dane pup would be a scary proposition IMO and cheap kibble even scarier.

[Gillian]

Hi guys,

Not to keen on eukanuba - heard/read that the company does mean things to animals...

BARF for a dane pup would be a scary proposition IMO and cheap kibble even scarier

Cactus what do you mean???

- Gillian