Originally Posted by Woogie Man (Post 2418775)

Well, Ann, as you know, we are what we eat. Also, when you take into account that a puppy's organs aren't fully developed until about 20 weeks of age the need for a quality food becomes vital. I do think most breeders here recognize that and make sure their pups get off to a good start. On a side note, my brother has a Rhodesian Ridgeback that he's been fighting a constant battle with over allergies. He's spent soooo much at vet over it with no results. I got him to switch over to the dry food I'm using but still she was breaking out. I then found out that the canned food he was feeding her was the chunky kind, with the gravy. I told him to try the loaf style of the same brand and now she's fine...no breakouts for a good while. Turns out the chunky style used wheat gluten for the gravy. So many brands use this in their chunky formulas and it should be avoided. Just a little FYI for those that feed canned.....Jim

Originally Posted by Nancy1999 (Post 2418832)

Oh, I was waiting to learn what was bad about the ingredients listed, I think I missed a few replies. Sorry.

Originally Posted by phfgkl (Post 2418896)

Nancy, the one I had thought about getting before I got the solid gold was the pro plan with the salmon, and I didn't see anything bad in it, was wondering what everyone else thought of the ingredients in it, so you were kind of right..;) There were a lot of different pro plan ones, and I went through the ingredients in all of them(on the website) and the one with salmon really didn't look as bad as the rest of them

Originally Posted by phfgkl (Post 2418585)

Okay, just got back from the pet store a bit ago. I looked through all the bags of food that I was interested in(I had down to look at canidae, innova, solid gold, wellness and one other. anyway, I looked at the innova evo, and decided against that, it had way too much protein in it 40%, which I know is not good for their liver, so did decide on the solid gold weebits or something like that. It has no fillers, no grain, wheat or soy, and looked like a great food. The canidae she said, since they changed their formula, isn't as good anymore. She said they have lost a lot of repeat buyers in there that were buying the canidae. So, hopefully this one will be good for them. The nice thing is that it is small bites, so, the little ones can eat it better. I had done a check on the pro plan with the salmon, and the ingredients didn't look bad at all in that one, but, hubby said get one and stay on it.

Originally Posted by phfgkl (Post 2418049)

I know you can't get this at the grocery store or at walmart, I'm not sure about pet smart, I'm hoping my pet store in town has it..Like I said, I have 6 dogs, I can't (with the economy like it is) be spending more on my dogs food, than mine and my hubbys, if anything happens to me, these dogs would all have to be looking for new homes, as my husband travels. So, I want to find something they do well on for less money, I'm not single, Like a lot of the girls on here, I have someone besides myself and my dogs

Originally Posted by phfgkl (Post 2417371)

It wasn't, it was a vet. You just need to make sure it says AAFCO on the dog food bag.

Originally Posted by amandawash (Post 2417355)

Are you kidding me? So just because some reporter repeats something they were told makes it the truth? Wow. That's the problem with things these days, people hear something and just do/believe it. No one goes out of their way anymore to research and make their own educated decisions.
You can go ahead and feed corn, poultry by-products and animal digest to your dogs but I think it is a shame to promote that. I will continue wasting my money. My dogs are small enough that I feel the need to be proactive with their health and do everything I can to keep them nurished and healthy.

Originally Posted by tumismom (Post 2418053)

IMO, It makes me feel better that my kids are on the best possible diet. therefore, I give them NV raw and also Homecook meal planned by a nutrionist. Yes, it cost more than premium kibbles or even MORE than garbage kibbles they sell in grocery stores and etc. I would give them premium kibbles if I run out of raw or homecook but never the garbage ones they sell at the grocery stores even if they say the are approved by AAFCO. I made a commitment when I got my kiddos that I would give them the best and it is part of my responsibility to make sure they get it.

Originally Posted by tumismom (Post 2419366)

I just have to say that I do have someone beside myself and I am not single. I do have a husband who travel also. But I just have to say even in this tough economic times, I cannot cut back on cost when it comes to my kiddos diet and nutrition. I pay attention to everything that goes in their mouth. I have to say my girls are very healthy and they don't have to go to vet unless it's time for the annual shots. My hubby feels the same and he doesn't want anything less than the best for the girls. he loves his girls with all his heart and I know he will be very unhappy if i cut the cost on the food. we would instead cut back on other stuff that we spend on them such as clothes or toys or other unneccesary items.

Originally Posted by stedmansmommy (Post 2418356)

I'm not trying to sound rude but it's probably going to come off that way (I don't mean it to, I swear). But if you can't see the nutritional differences by reading the ingredient list on a bag of Purina or Pedigree versus a bag of EVO, Nature's Variety or Natural Balance (or whatever) well - then I just don't know :confused: There really IS a difference. It's right there in the list of ingredients on the back of the bags of food printed as clear as day.

It sounds to me that the issue here, with you, is not so much that you don't want to feed your babies something that is good for them, because I for one believe that you DO - but maybe it's the PRICE. It sounds like perhaps you can quite afford the higher quality brands out there because, yes, SOME of them do have a higher price tag. That being said, maybe you are trying to convince yourself, and us, that the cheaper foods are "just as good" and are "ok" to feed because of this very reason. The thing is, most people here know that there IS a difference in the quality of different brands of dog foods, so they (we) are firm in this knowledge and feel very strongly about it.

No matter what we disagree on though, you do have alot of dogs (I myself have 4, plus our cat) and I do have to say that at least you are FEEDING your babies. So many dogs out there are neglected and don't get ANY food AT ALL. However, to actually "recommend" the lower quality foods I just simply don't agree with. BUT - we all have our opinions :)

Originally Posted by no3yshhc0la (Post 2419478)

I just got done reading this whole post. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE this site. I've learned so much on here, but the thing that really aggravates me if that people think they know everything. The OP posted something that he thought was interesting that he heard on the news. There's absolutely nothing wrong with people feeding their dogs pedigree or purina. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I don't it's right at all to go pointing fingers at people saying "why would you wanna feed your dog something with corn & byproducts in it?" everyone is different and to be perfectly honest, i do know of people that have had their dogs live long healthy lives being on those foods.

I myself chose to buy a more expensive food. I don't have to, but I chose to because it's what the breeder originally had her on, but just seeing how some people on here argue like that is wrong. People are entitled to their own opinions and shouldn't be knocked for what they're feeding their dog or what kind of decisions they make for their dog. It's things like this that make me not want to be on this site anymore.

Originally Posted by tumismom (Post 2419366)

I just have to say that I do have someone beside myself and I am not single. I do have a husband who travel also. But I just have to say even in this tough economic times, I cannot cut back on cost when it comes to my kiddos diet and nutrition. I pay attention to everything that goes in their mouth. I have to say my girls are very healthy and they don't have to go to vet unless it's time for the annual shots. My hubby feels the same and he doesn't want anything less than the best for the girls. he loves his girls with all his heart and I know he will be very unhappy if i cut the cost on the food. we would instead cut back on other stuff that we spend on them such as clothes or toys or other unneccesary items.

Originally Posted by phfgkl (Post 2419533)

You have to remember, I have 6 dogs, and 2 of them are big, they eat 4 cups of food apiece a day. If I only had little ones, the cost wouldn't be a problem, or if I only had 2

Originally Posted by no3yshhc0la (Post 2419478)

I just got done reading this whole post. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE this site. I've learned so much on here, but the thing that really aggravates me if that people think they know everything. The OP posted something that he thought was interesting that he heard on the news. There's absolutely nothing wrong with people feeding their dogs pedigree or purina. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I don't it's right at all to go pointing fingers at people saying "why would you wanna feed your dog something with corn & byproducts in it?" everyone is different and to be perfectly honest, i do know of people that have had their dogs live long healthy lives being on those foods.

I myself chose to buy a more expensive food. I don't have to, but I chose to because it's what the breeder originally had her on, but just seeing how some people on here argue like that is wrong. People are entitled to their own opinions and shouldn't be knocked for what they're feeding their dog or what kind of decisions they make for their dog. It's things like this that make me not want to be on this site anymore.