[sganow]

I completely agree Brit! We used to feed our dogs Pedigree. Yes, they smelled like dog, had gas, shed like crazy, had horrible breath, but were all otherwise healthy. As I said before, it is good enough to sustain life. There are many companies that make foods that look great when looking at the ingredients list, but the quality of their ingredients and their processing facilities and practices leave a lot to be desired. First a person needs to set a budget, then find the best food/foods they can get within their budget. If that is Pedigree then so be it. I go with a more middle of the road food because I just can't afford the best foods. Right now I am feeding Fromm 4-Star and it is at the very top of my budget. I am also considering trying Hi-Tek Naturals or going back to Nature's Variety Prairie (chicken). The store I buy from feels the quality of the ingredients in NV has gone downhill some since they have expanded their market and moved into the big stores like Petco. It is tough when you want to give your babies better foods than you can afford and you feel like you're compromising or settling for less than they deserve. But the reality is we need to live within our means. Heck, we don't all go buy Prime meats to feed to our family. We buy what we can afford even though we know there is better out there. Do what's right for you, your family, and your pet.

Oh, and sorry for my poor choice of words regarding Pedigree. It is a lower quality food, just like eating cheap hot dogs and french fries all the time. What are the long term effects? Who knows. A lot depends on each individual and how well they tolerate that diet.