[LuvTaycieGirl]

[QUOTE=Britster;3331361]I totally admit-- when I first joined this forum... I was totally of the idea "it doesn't matter! dogs are dogs! all dog food is the same!" I thought people were way too in depth about their dogs food. Well, fast forward 2 years and my thoughts have changed a lot, mainly because I've seen my own eyes what good food as done for dogs around me, such as my dad's dogs who ate crappy food their whole life and how they began to get better energy, lose weight, firm stools, shinier coats, etc, from eating better food. Now, because of financial hard times, my stepmom bought Iams again for the last two bags. They do nothing but sleep, they're itchy, they've been puking more, had runny stools, etc, etc. And I've seen it time and time again with other dogs (I'm a dogsitter so I'm around dogs and can compare the ones fed good food vs. "bad food").

I just can look at Iams ingredient list full of corn, by-product, dried beet bulp, and all those ingredients nobody can pronounce or even know what they are... and compare it to Acana/Orijen, for example, which is filled with real chicken, lamb meal, fresh bison and boar, and the things dogs bodies are designed to eat. They are taxonomically the same species as wolves, and physiologically and anatomically the same and actually share 99.8percent of the same DNA. Size and appearance are in the less than .2percent differences. And a wolf would not be eating corn and by products and whatever other chemicals are thrown into a food.

Also, with better quality foods you are feeding less... as there is more calories. So Jackson, for example may have to eat 1 cups or more per day to feel full on Iams, but on Acana he eats 1/2 cup per day and he is 15lbs and very active. So a huge cause of stomach issues is usually caused by over-feeding. People feel they are not getting enough food when they truly are.[/QUOTE

I completly agree. I work as a nanny full time and Taycie goes to work with me. The family I work for has a large purebred boarder collie who is also fed Iams. Until I got Taycie, I had no Idea about dog food. I thought food is food and honestly before I even looked into nutrition my thought was to feed Science Diet because I thought that was the best.

My relationship with their dog has been frustrating. I feel for the poor guy but the guy poops 24/7 on this food. He constantly has loose poop or diaherra, which gets really frustrating constantly cleaning carpets, not to mention his poop is GIANT! He is constantly in and out of the vet with ear infections and scratches and itches like crazy, His teeth are a mess and he needs a dental done badly.

They also have a cat who was also fed Iams. Now at 2 she is now a diabetic. I will admit I know NOTHING about diabeties in felines or prevention/herditery issues, but the thought did cross my mind if maybe the food couldn't help but influence this? I know many pets are on high quality foods and still develop these health problems, but it still makes me wonder.

I understand frusting issues with food, Taycie has ONE TOUCHY tummy, But I know after watching this dog go through this day and day out, I can see the side effects of a poor quality food, its sad.

I don't want to hurt anyone's feeling because this is such a touchy subject, and I am no expert, or nutritionist. I just feel better knowing what is in my dog's food before she eats it