Dog Food

[Ok Grumpy AKA Cindy~~ 9]

What do you feed your dog? The reason I ask is I have 4 dogs 3 of them over 60 pounds, 2 so far are not iching and the other 2 are itching like crazy.  I have not seen any fleas and I treat them for fleas, as well as my yard.  I think it might be allergic reaction to the dog food.  I've give them benerdyl it seem to help.  I was talking to a professional trainer and she is feeding that raw dog food the stuff that comes in the tube.  She was saying that it would cure the skin condition the ear problems everything.  So I'm wodering what you feed and if you have any special benifits that you get from feeding what you do.

Thanks

[Momoffive aka Loretta 34]

We have used Iams forever.  Less poop, less gas.  Our Chloe is very active and we do not have any weight issues with her.  They do have a less active and lamb and rice formula too.  We used the lamb and rice formula for our Italian Grayhound years ago.  She had issues and this formula worked very well for her delicate stomach.

[campingpixi 11]

Tink is a ceasar dog.

[PureTcrazy...rita 380]

Hmmm, I just picked up a different food for Lola because they didn't have the one I usually get and she has been itching. I never would have thought of an allergy. I checked her for fleas too. I guess it's back to the regular for her. I'm not sure what kind it is, just know it when I see it.

[Avatab.... Steve 124]

We use Purina Fit and Trim. When one of our Labs became diabetic, The vet told us the Fit and Trim was a good food for her. Low Calorie, Low Fat, inexpensive compared to the "high end" dog foods, and we could feed the same thing to all the dogs, just adding some Walmart canned food for the other dogs who need a little more fat in their meals.

It has worked great for 6 or 7 years so far and is widely available when we are on the road  :)

Another tip:  If you buy canned food be wary of the labels. If it say's "gravy" anywhere it means that you are paying for water instead of food.  You get more dog food for the dollar if you get the non gravy LARGE cans and add your own water.

:rofl2: :rofl2: :) :) :)

[Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo..Karla 77]

Every spring one of our dogs gets itchy skin, runny eyes and nose...a sure sign of allergies. We've never had him tested but his allergies occur about the same time as ours.

We use Innova dry dog food and I home make their other food. [ftp=ftp://naturapet.com/brands/innova.asp]http://naturapet.com/brands/innova.asp[/ftp]

California Natural is also very good and it's sometimes easier to find than Innova.

For bathing we use Veterinarian's Best. They have a very good allergy itch shampoo (scroll to bottom of page). [ftp=ftp://vetsbest.com/products/dog-shampoos.php]http://vetsbest.com/products/dog-shampoos.php[/ftp]

[campingpixi 11]

before we had to get rid of our dalmatian Jack he was on Science diet UD! It was $68.00 a bag! I am afraid to know how much it costs now!!

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

We use Pro Plan. I have one chihuahua with Spring allergies but we have never had an issue using this. They eat the chicken kibble :banana:

[SCTigerCock 171]

Nutro Large Adult.  This is one of the best foods with added joint suppliments.

We add a fish oil pill as a "treat" as well as bathe them with an oatmeal shampoo.

Both appear to allergies during the pollen seasons and they get benadryl as needed.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

We see more and more dogs in rescue these days with skin allergies - including my in-laws' border collie who came into rescue with scabby, oily skin and hardly any hair on his back.

99% of the time it ends up being a grain allergy - and unfortunately most commercial dog foods are loaded with grains, the cheaper brands primarily corn.

Raw would certainly be an option (we feed our dogs raw), but it's not the only one.

There are lots of good, grain-free kibbles out there. The ones that have a fair amount of carbs in them typically are potato based.

They're harder to find in the super markets, but places like Petco/Petsmart are carrying more and more of them. The Whole Dog Journal does an issue every year on good dry foods. I might have one hanging around if you're interested, or you can look it up on their site http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/

One thing to keep in mind if you're going grain-free, that means no grain in treats or any people food either.

If you're switching off a pretty standard commercial food (any of the big grocery store brands, Iams, Purina, etc.) you definitely want to switch SLOWLY to the grain free stuff. If you get a little bit of diarrhea in the beginning, try adding a bit of plain canned pumpkin (not pie filling) or dry potato flakes - they help firm things up.

FWIW we've fed our dogs raw for over 2 years now. Prior to that we fed good quality kibble (Timberwolf, Taste of the Wild, Evo), which just kept getting more and more expensive. It's been terrific! I finally made the switch after all the pet food recalls/deaths occurred. (I figured at least I'd know what my dogs were eating if I was preparing it myself)

We feed whole raw, not ground/processed - which means whole meat, bones and organs. The ground/prepacked stuff is fine too - it just tends to be more expensive.

It's a bit more work/planning if you go whole raw - especially at first until you get a system down - but after the first few months it became routine and not a big deal at all. We even feed raw when we're at the Fort for 3 weeks - which generally means the TT freezer is chuck full of meat for the dogs.

If it's something you're interested in you need to do your homework. There are a lot of good resources out there now for raw diet info. The key to a good raw diet is variety (i.e., you can't just feed chicken every day) and balancing out the bone and organ content. Sounds more complicated than it really is.

Good luck!

[freshlybarked 4]

We have used Innova for several years. Jesse, our Golden always has allergy problems from Jan. through May. We won't change foods with these two as they are too old (13/14), but I am thinking about Nature's Variety for our next. Kibble, canned and raw to choose from.

[freshlybarked 4]

UPDATE Because of the sale of Natura (Innova, EVO, etc) to P&G we are slowly switching over to TOTW. I didn't want too high of protein for our old girls. It will take a few months of slowly mixing. I just figured P&G would eventually use less quality ingredients to increase profits. Lots of friends use TOTW.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

We fed TOTW before switching to raw and had very good luck with it. We had been feeding Timberwolf prior to that, until the price hit almost $80 a bag.

[keelysmom 0]

I use Blue Buffalo which I love, it is holistic and great for dogs with allergies. The thing about vets is they get little to no nutrion training for dogs. To sell dog food I had to take a dog nutrition class, and anything you can buy at Wal-mart is not a good dog food. The first ingrediants do not need to have a by product of any kind or corn. Also dog food does not need to contain BHA it is a cancer causing agent. I only give my dogs natural or holistic food and or treats. Basically giving your dog purina, alpo, etc. is like feeding your kid candy all day. Zero nutritional value. The good food may cost more, but it is so much better for your dog and they will eat a lot less of it and be satisfied and healthy.

Eagle Pack anchovy is also good for dogs with allergies. (Also holistic)

My bf did the raw diet for her dog, this is great also.

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

We use Blue Buffalo too.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

... The thing about vets is they get little to no nutrion training for dogs.

Sad, but all too true!!

The good food may cost more, but it is so much better for your dog and they will eat a lot less of it and be satisfied and healthy.

I tell people they can either pay a little more for good food now... or pay the vet later.

Or I just introduce them to Brady - my 9+ year old border collie... if you don't look super close at the few gray hairs in his face, and you watch him run and play, you'd swear he was no older than 2 or 3 tops.

In fact I was walking him at the Fort last year and a couple stopped us to say hi. They gave him some attention after he bounced up to them and they said, "so he's what, about 2 years old?"

This is him in his first agility trial last year at age 8...

[ftwildernessguy 778]

We feed our nearly 14 year old beagle Natures Recipe.

[BRDof3...Rob 40]

So, what's the best choice for our lab mix? Someone told us that she sheds worse because of the corn and fillers in our food- admittedly from Wally World. Would a better food mixture help cut back the shedding? I think my lungs are coated with dog fur.

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

So, what's the best choice for our lab mix? Someone told us that she sheds worse because of the corn and fillers in our food- admittedly from Wally World. Would a better food mixture help cut back the shedding? I think my lungs are coated with dog fur.

I don't know Rob I feed my dogs a good dog food and I still vacuum enough hair everyday to make another Chihuahua :rofl2:

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Better food *might* help some, but when it comes to shedding sometimes it's just the dog and type of coat.

When it comes to labs, it's often the fine undercoat that's the culprit. My mom's lab/pit leaves clouds behind pretty much all year long.

Regular brushings to catch as much of that undercoat as you can might be your best bet.

Still... couldn't hurt to try a change in diet to something better in general and see if it helps. :)

As to which brand... just read the ingredients. The first 5 are the most important and those are the ones where it should be REAL food...

- some form of meat: preferably whole to "meal" but it should be at least identifiable protein like lamb, chicken, beef... and not "meat"

- steer clear of corn and any kind of "glutens" or fillers in the top 5 ingredients

- ditto beet pulp... it's a cheap way to add bulk but very little nutrition

I like Whole Dog Journal for good info on how to choose a dog food. They don't tell you which to buy (they accept no advertising) but instead tell you what to look for on the label and which companies have transparency when it comes to things like where they source their ingredients. For me, if a company doesn't want to disclose where they're getting stuff from, that sends up a big red flag - especially after all the contamination problems in the last few years.

[4mickey2 41]

you know rob, you can have your lab shaved. they are kind of neat when they get haircuts. trust me-it helps a lot with the shedding. i used to help our groomer and i was surprised to see her clip a lab,golden rtvr, etc. the goldens look like labs when they are done. :)

we use wellness lamb super5 mix. expensive but, our bichons are prone to allergies. blue buffalo is also good food. we have tried it. but, when i open the wellness -- it really does smell like food. i know strange, but it does smell a lot better than most bagged foods.

[freshlybarked 4]

I really like Whole Dog Journal also. Great food info.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

I especially like that they don't "rank" foods. They tell you what their criteria is for picking "good" foods - which is pretty simple! The biggies are look at the ingredients (should be real food) and does the company disclose where they source their ingredients and have transparency in their practices. Then they give you all the info on all the foods that fit that category. And in the process they give you good info on what to look for yourself.

The fact that they don't take any advertising is a biggie for me.

I'm always leery of vets that are pushing "prescription" foods, or ANY foods they're selling for that matter.

I have a hard time taking nutrition advice from a vet that's basically selling something just because a food company rep came in and bought them lunch, and not because they actually went out and did any sort of research on canine nutrition.

(getting off my soap box now)

[fishngjb 2]

I use Blue Buffalo which I love, it is holistic and great for dogs with allergies. The thing about vets is they get little to no nutrion training for dogs. To sell dog food I had to take a dog nutrition class, and anything you can buy at Wal-mart is not a good dog food. The first ingrediants do not need to have a by product of any kind or corn. Also dog food does not need to contain BHA it is a cancer causing agent. I only give my dogs natural or holistic food and or treats. Basically giving your dog purina, alpo, etc. is like feeding your kid candy all day. Zero nutritional value. The good food may cost more, but it is so much better for your dog and they will eat a lot less of it and be satisfied and healthy.

Eagle Pack anchovy is also good for dogs with allergies. (Also holistic)

My bf did the raw diet for her dog, this is great also.

[fishngjb 2]

I switched to the Blue Buffalo too, after the contamination scares. With my MinPin I had before, Iams Fish and Potatoes worked well. She was a gulper and was prone to throwing up. My Vet suggested it and it worked well for 14 years of her very active years, plus she loved it. I do like the idea that I can pronounce all the ingredients in the Blue Buffalo and no corn.

No way am I going the "raw " route with dogs who sleep in my bed and live in my house. I know it is debatable with vets and owners, but I agree that dog is no longer a wild undomesticated animal. Their digestive systems have changed since man has taken them into their lives like family. We are told to use caution when preparing foods for ourselves, why not our pups ?:popcorn: