Royal Canin - my own controversy

[Craiga]

Why is it that Royal Canin is so highly rated ONLY among Royal Canin retailers? I use dogfoodadvisor, a website that does not make money off dog food sales or dog food makers. It is rated horribly there. If you read the label, it is filled with "fillers." I have visited "reputable" breeder sites and some brag about feeding the little ones only RC.

I can't possibly be the only who researched this.

I have kept my baby on Origen and Buffalo Blue (no grain), but she is almost 11 y/o and I want to switch her to wet food. That's why I began researching RC again. Things do not seem to have changed: A lot of people still singing the praises of mediocre-bad food...

[canana]

I hear you...

There are also several breeders on YT who also feed RC and highly recommend it. I'm not a breeder, but I highly respect the reputable breeders out there who have acquired the talent, skill, and 'art' to breed to the Yorkie standard. Because of my respect for them, I don't question what they feed their Yorkies. I think they have their bloodline's best interest and would only want to breed healthy Yorkies. It would make sense to me that if they're breeding healthy Yorkies that their diet is sufficiently healthy as well.

But...as a personal preference for my own Yorkies, I agree that there 'better' dog food available. I'm feeding both Scottie and Casie orijen, rotating them on the different flavours/meat proteins. Scottie who's 2 y/o has been on it for over a year now and Casie's only 7mo old.

At the end of the day, I think it's a preference. There's also the argument that feeding raw is better than kibble. And freeze-dried food is better than kibble. But it's whatever works for you and your pups. As long as they're healthy and producing healthy regular poops, it's all good

[Lovetodream88]

I personally don't like the dog food advisor. He rates solely on ingredients and ingredients HE thinks are good. Dogs are different then us so what might be great for us might not be the same for them. I am a huge fan of Royal Canin and their prescription food has saved and made my dogs life better. The guy who does that site is a human dentist I believe so I prefer to trust the science Royal Canin puts in their food and that dog nutritionists recommend it.

[Yorkiemom1]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88;4641119[B

]I personally don't like the dog food advisor. He rates solely on ingredients and ingredients HE thinks are good. Dogs are different then us so what might be great for us might not be the same for them. I am a huge fan of Royal Canin [/B]and their prescription food has saved and made my dogs life better. The guy who does that site is a human dentist I believe so I prefer to trust the science Royal Canin puts in their food and that dog nutritionists recommend it.

I agree....I have seen their establishment overseas, and I liked what I saw. I have fed this food since the late '70's....my dogs are totally healthy and beautiful, and while I do not recommend Royal Canin for human consumption, it is a great dog food and has served my group as well as legions of others, very, very well. That "dogfoodadvisor" is indeed a dentist....I do not rely on the expertise of my cardiovascular surgeon to direct me in the care of my ingrown toenails, nor do I rely on a dentist to provide me with guidance in what I should feed my dog. By HIS own admission, the dentist only recommends dog food based on what the particular dog food brand tells him.....oh wow....trust THAT! I trust "evidenced based results".....as is reflected in my dogs.

But everyone has their own favorite dog food, and if it works for them and their dogs, great! What one person considers a "great dog food", "a great car", a great grocery store", "a great brand shoe", "a great doctor", etc, etc, etc, other people wouldnt use at all....if it works for you and your dogs are healthy and happy, you are doing the right thing! Royal Canin is a proven product, with evidenced based excellent results in my dogs, as it has for hundreds of thousands of others.

[lovestiny]

When I had to switch my dog off nutrisource puppy - I tried to switch to a high protein food- soooo slowly - it was terrible - weeks of loose stool . Then Yorkie mom1 suggested Royal canin for Yorkie and immediately, healthy stool n happy girl. My pup came from Canada on a protein kibble- he arrived - would not eat. He only wanted Ella's adult RC - she kept getting some of his food and ended up not feeling well. Switched him to RC puppy and he has eaten every meal since.

I have some days I think raw diet sounds so healthy but boy, my dogs are healthy n happy on RC. To each his own

[Wylie's Mom]

I'm not a big fan of higher-carb / high-corn type kibbles, which is what RC is -- I think it can just cause too many problems in dogs later down the line. I'd rather see dogs on a more species appropriate diet where the protein is more prominent, as should be for a carnivore. Also, allergies in yorkies is just notoriously ridiculous at this point in the game, so that's just another reason I steer away from carb-rich/corn-rich diets....those ingreds can be so irritating to an already activated immune system.

That said, it doesn't mean I think RC is a "bad food" - I just don't think it's the right food for the majority of dogs. Many, many dogs here on YT do just great on it. Others do not. (which could be said for almost any food, btw !).

As for dogfoodadvisor, use it as a tool in your learning arsenal but don't view it as the end all be all -- it's written by a dentist as a hobby/side project. It does have some decent info available, though, for learning purposes in some areas. It's a good place to learn some things about individual ingredients.

[Britster]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

I'm not a big fan of higher-carb / high-corn type kibbles, which is what RC is -- I think it can just cause too many problems in dogs later down the line. I'd rather see dogs on a more species appropriate diet where the protein is more prominent, as should be for a carnivore. Also, allergies in yorkies is just notoriously ridiculous at this point in the game, so that's just another reason I steer away from carb-rich/corn-rich diets....those ingreds can be so irritating to an already activated immune system.

That said, it doesn't mean I think RC is a "bad food" - I just don't think it's the right food for the majority of dogs. Many, many dogs here on YT do just great on it. Others do not. (which could be said for almost any food, btw !).

As for dogfoodadvisor, use it as a tool in your learning arsenal but don't view it as the end all be all -- it's written by a dentist as a hobby/side project. It does have some decent info available, though, for learning purposes in some areas. It's a good place to learn some things about individual ingredients.

Absolutely, to all of this.

For what it's worth, I would definitely feed RC before I fed Blue Buffalo.

[Silver Lace]

I just wanted to say that my Joey is 6 years old and has had health problems for 4 of his 6 years. He started having diarrhea and was put on another prescription food for this and was on it for some time too and it did not help. I discussed this with his vet and he decided we should try him on RC hydrolyzed protein, dry and canned. He is doing fine now. No more issues with the diarrhea and he has fine stools now. So I am quite happy and glad to have him on this RC food and he is happy to eat it too.

[lovestiny]

The blue buffalo high protein food didn't agree with Ella, we went so slowly over several weeks. Just curious why you have a poor opinion (unfortunately I do now too but only bc she didn't do well on it). Thanks, just curious!

[Britster]

Originally Posted by lovestiny

The blue buffalo high protein food didn't agree with Ella, we went so slowly over several weeks. Just curious why you have a poor opinion (unfortunately I do now too but only bc she didn't do well on it). Thanks, just curious!

Blue Buffalo is just another marketing company. They are overpriced for what it is, imo, and have been involved in lawsuits and recalls where they basically admitted to BS'ing customers. Also, most dogs (not all) I know that have eaten it had major GI and stomach issues from it.

Blue Buffalo admits to bulls**tting consumers, lawsuit with Purina heats up - Poisoned Pets | A look inside the pet food industry

[lisaly]

Originally Posted by lovestiny

The blue buffalo high protein food didn't agree with Ella, we went so slowly over several weeks. Just curious why you have a poor opinion (unfortunately I do now too but only bc she didn't do well on it). Thanks, just curious!

Originally Posted by Britster

Blue Buffalo is just another marketing company. They are overpriced for what it is, imo, and have been involved in lawsuits and recalls where they basically admitted to BS'ing customers. Also, most dogs (not all) I know that have eaten it had major GI and stomach issues from it.

Blue Buffalo admits to bulls**tting consumers, lawsuit with Purina heats up - Poisoned Pets | A look inside the pet food industry

A Google search about Blue Buffalo reveals many problems with The food. It might be an issue with Blue Buffalo quality control or other ingredients rather than the high protein.

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...-food-now.html
See posts 1 and 26

[lovestiny]

How crazy! Ugh. My old vet recommended blue.
I wish it was just one food, but Ella also didn't do well having some of Hudson's original food- taste of the wild. Thanks for the links, so scary.

[Aprilgrl921]

I feed my puppy health extension dry food which he loves and science diet wet food.

[LadyGemma]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

I'm not a big fan of higher-carb / high-corn type kibbles, which is what RC is -- I think it can just cause too many problems in dogs later down the line. I'd rather see dogs on a more species appropriate diet where the protein is more prominent, as should be for a carnivore. Also, allergies in yorkies is just notoriously ridiculous at this point in the game, so that's just another reason I steer away from carb-rich/corn-rich diets....those ingreds can be so irritating to an already activated immune system.

Absolutely agree.

[LadyGemma]

Originally Posted by Craiga

Why is it that Royal Canin is so highly rated ONLY among Royal Canin retailers? I use dogfoodadvisor, a website that does not make money off dog food sales or dog food makers. It is rated horribly there. If you read the label, it is filled with "fillers." I have visited "reputable" breeder sites and some brag about feeding the little ones only RC.

I can't possibly be the only who researched this.

I have kept my baby on Origen and Buffalo Blue (no grain), but she is almost 11 y/o and I want to switch her to wet food. That's why I began researching RC again. Things do not seem to have changed: A lot of people still singing the praises of mediocre-bad food...

You are not the only one who has researched this. I am not a fan of Blue Buffalo or RC, and definitely not a fan of lots of grain or corn in dog food. Wet food brands I highly rec are Weruva, Party Animal. Nulo, Zignature, and I And Love And You are also good. I like to freeze wet food in a kong or small hollow marrow bone so she is stimulated while eating and also keep her teeth strong.