# Pedigree/Bakers Dog Food!



## Mind-Maze (Jan 11, 2015)

Hi everyone 

I've been reading about different dog foods for several months now, and am left more confused than ever. However, 1 big question I have is.....Is Pedigree and Bakers Dog food really as bad as I've been told? I've been told to avoid it like the plague and that it's full of total rubbish!


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

Pretty much .... yes.



Pedigree Adult dog food

GROUND WHOLE CORN, MEAT AND BONE MEAL, CORN GLUTEN MEAL, ANIMAL FAT (PRESERVED WITH BHA/CITRIC ACID), SOYBEAN MEAL, GROUND WHOLE WHEAT, BREWERS RICE, DRIED PLAIN BEET PULP, NATURAL FLAVOR, SALT, VEGETABLE OIL ([SOURCE OF LINOLEIC ACID] PRESERVED WITH BHA/BHT), POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, VITAMINS (CHOLINE CHLORIDE, a-TOCOPHEROL ACETATE [SOURCE OF VITAMIN E], NIACIN, BIOTIN, d-CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT [VITAMIN B2], PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE, VITAMIN A SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENT, THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], VITAMIN D3 SUPPLEMENT) MINERALS (ZINC SULFATE, ZINC PROTEINATE, COPPER SULFATE, POTASSIUM IODIDE, COPPER PROTEINATE, MANGANESE PROTEINATE), ADDED FD&C COLORS (RED 40, YELLOW 5, BLUE 2). 

Bakers Adult Chicken

*Composition*

Complete pet food for adult dogs
Cereals, Meat and animal derivatives (15%1 in the chunk, 8%2 in the brown & red kernels), Vegetable protein extracts, Derivatives of vegetable origin, Oils and fats, Various sugars, Vegetables (1% dried chicory root (natural ingredient), green & yellow kernels: 0.6 % dried vegetables, equivalent to 4% vegetables), Propylene glycol, Minerals.


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Hi Mind Maze and WELCOME!
I assume you are in the UK? What country and I may be able to recommend a decent brand.

*It's always been my rule to NEVER feed anything that is UN-NAMED.*

*Pedigree Adult* dog food: GROUND WHOLE CORN, *MEAT AND BONE MEAL,* CORN GLUTEN MEAL, *ANIMAL FAT *(*PRESERVED WITH BHA*/CITRIC ACID), SOYBEAN MEAL, GROUND WHOLE WHEAT, BREWERS RICE, DRIED PLAIN BEET PULP, NATURAL FLAVOR, SALT, *VEGETABLE OIL* ([SOURCE OF LINOLEIC ACID] PRESERVED WITH* BHA/BHT*), POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, VITAMINS (CHOLINE CHLORIDE, a-TOCOPHEROL ACETATE [SOURCE OF VITAMIN E], NIACIN, BIOTIN, d-CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT [VITAMIN B2], PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE, VITAMIN A SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENT, THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], VITAMIN D3 SUPPLEMENT) MINERALS (ZINC SULFATE, ZINC PROTEINATE, COPPER SULFATE, POTASSIUM IODIDE, COPPER PROTEINATE, MANGANESE PROTEINATE), ADDED FD&C COLORS (*RED 40, YELLOW 5, BLUE 2*). 

*UN-NAMED Meat and Fat.

*
*B**P**A** o**r**nbi**s**p**h**e**n**o**l** A**: *causes precancerous conditions, kidney and developmental problems in animals. 

*Animal Fat: “This ingredient determined by the FDA to possibly contain euthanized animals.” 
*
*Yellow #5: From the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI): “Blue 2 cannot be considered safe given the statistically significant incidence of tumors, particularly brain gliomas, in male rats. It should not be used in foods."*

*Red #40: From CSPI: "Red 40, the most-widely used dye, may accelerate the appearance of immune-system tumors in mice. The dye causes hypersensitivity (allergy-like) reactions in a small number of consumers and might trigger hyperactivity in children. Considering the safety questions and its non-essentiality, Red 40 should be excluded from foods unless and until new tests clearly demonstrate its safety."*

*Blue #2: From CSPI: "Blue 2 cannot be considered safe given the statistically significant incidence of tumors, particularly brain gliomas, in male rats. It should not be used in foods."* 

*Meat & Bone Meal: *AAFCO: The rendered product from mammal tissues, with or without bone, exclusive of any added blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices. 

*Bakers Adult Chicken: Composition**: Cereals, Meat and animal derivatives* (15%1 in the chunk, 8%2 in the brown & red kernels), *Vegetable protein extracts, Derivatives of vegetable origin, Oils and fats,* Various *sugars*, Vegetables (1% dried chicory root (natural ingredient), green & yellow kernels: 0.6 % dried vegetables, equivalent to 4% vegetables), *Propylene glycol*, *Minerals*. 

*UN-NAMED Cereal, Meat, vegetables and fat*! *Sugar??? Really???*

*Propylene Glycol:* The Material Safety Data Sheet from the Department of Commerce provides the following warning regarding ingestion of propylene glycol: _“May cause gastrointestinal irritation with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Low hazard for usual industrial handling. May cause emoglobinuric nephrosis __(which is _oliguric renal failure: defined as an abrupt or rapid decline in renal filtration function or decreased output of urine)_. May cause changes in surface EEG.”_ 
**Pr**opylene Glycol**: **According to Dr. Wendell Belfield, DVM, states that propylene glycol (a pet food ingredient closely related to anti-freeze) causes destruction of red blood cells.* According to Kevin Woodward in the book “Veterinary Pharmacovigilance,” *propylene glycol is toxic to dogs, cats, horses, cattle and other animals. *

Moms


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Mind-Maze said:


> Hi everyone
> 
> I've been reading about different dog foods for several months now, and am left more confused than ever. However, 1 big question I have is.....Is Pedigree and Bakers Dog food really as bad as I've been told? I've been told to avoid it like the plague and that it's full of total rubbish!


Our local shelter feeds Pedigree. Never heard of Bakers.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

I've mostly only known this food by reputation (not good)...until recently. Our rescue just pulled a Shepherd that had been free-fed Pedigree in his former home. He's FAT, with almost no muscle tone. His torso looks like a big, soft, round sausage, and his coat is coarse and dry, even though he was an inside dog. I do not like what this corn-packed food did to his body. Some of that is surely due to free-feeding, but the poor coat tells the real story.

Put him next to any of the dog's I know who get quality food, and the difference is remarkable. The coat is dull, coarse, and thin. There's no lushness or shine to it like my dogs, or any of my friends' dogs' coats.


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## scarfish (Apr 9, 2013)

i feed pedigree and alpo. but only like 2 small spoonfulls ontop of their higher end kibble and mixed in to add some moisture. that's also only sometimes. sometimes they get beef or chicken broth mixed in. sometimes a broken up slice of bolgna or cheese. i have 1 picky eater and i have to add a little something interesting to get her to eat.

i would never feed a whole can of pedigree as a main meal. i see it like bad human food. small amounts won't hurt.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

scarfish said:


> i feed pedigree and alpo. but only like 2 small spoonfulls ontop of their higher end kibble and mixed in to add some moisture. that's also only sometimes. sometimes they get beef or chicken broth mixed in. sometimes a broken up slice of bolgna or cheese. i have 1 picky eater and i have to add a little something interesting to get her to eat.
> 
> i would never feed a whole can of pedigree as a main meal. i see it like bad human food. small amounts won't hurt.


I think everything one eats adds up, in the long run. A little bit of crap, over a year, adds up to a lot of crap.

If the dog is "picky," it may be a clue to change the food.


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## scarfish (Apr 9, 2013)

Sunflowers said:


> I think everything one eats adds up, in the long run. A little bit of crap, over a year, adds up to a lot of crap.
> 
> If the dog is "picky," it may be a clue to change the food.


no, it doesn't add up. it gets pooped out daily. a couple teaspoons of pedigree once in a while isn't as bad as you're making it sound. 

i tried raw. chicken parts and organs are cheap but she won't touch them.

i have the most picky eater with allergies.

we've changed julie's food many time before finding natures variety grain free didn't give her food allergy rashes on her belly. so we stick with that but she doesn't like it or any dry kibble unless it's moistened with a small amount of wet. sometimes it's a large spoonfull of pedigree once a week. 

the dogs eat better than me. calm down!


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## Hineni7 (Nov 8, 2014)

Picky eaters are pain in the patutie! My girl loves her Fromm - when she wants to eat... Some cat food though helps her eat everything, that and mackerel or whatever fish (canned) is on sale.. Loves chicken too.. But, on occasion I too will add a bit of canned food, and while I try to find the best within financial reason, sometimes it is Priority (pedigree). A little on occasion is not likely to cause permanent harm (No more than occasional fast food does for us). She gets what she needs via high quality kibble but that is only effective if she eats it, and if that means she has to have a topper of less quality, so be it.. But I definitely would not advise feeding it as a main source - ever..


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## scarfish (Apr 9, 2013)

sunflowers, i like you. you're actually one of my favorite people on this board! but until you obtain 100 dogs and give 50 food and another 50 the same food with a couple teaspoons of pedegree once in a while and scientifically calculate the results over the life of the dogs and provide some evidence i'll believe you.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

scarfish said:


> no, it doesn't add up. it gets pooped out daily. a couple teaspoons of pedigree once in a while isn't as bad as you're making it sound.
> the dogs eat better than me. calm down!


Why do you get so defensive when someone points out the obvious?

Have you read the ingredient list on that stuff (two posts up)?


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Magwart said:


> I've mostly only known this food by reputation (not good)...until recently. Our rescue just pulled a Shepherd that had been free-fed Pedigree in his former home. He's FAT, with almost no muscle tone. His torso looks like a big, soft, round sausage, and his coat is coarse and dry, even though he was an inside dog. I do not like what this corn-packed food did to his body. Some of that is surely due to free-feeding, but the poor coat tells the real story.
> 
> Put him next to any of the dog's I know who get quality food, and the difference is remarkable. The coat is dull, coarse, and thin. There's no lushness or shine to it like my dogs, or any of my friends' dogs' coats.


When talking about dog food with my vet she mentioned that she had seen dogs on the good stuff with horrible coats and dogs that had beautiful coats on the cheap food.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

I fed numerous dogs Pedigree for years with no issues. No dull greasy coats, no gunky eyes and no giant poops. I cut the amounts recommended by 2/3 and supplemented with fruits, veggies and meat. 
Here's the kicker, when you over feed any food your dog will simply poop out all the excess, the 5-6 cups a day Pedigree recommends is way more then they need. A 95lb dog in my house was getting 2-3 cups a day plus extras, ample water and exercise and had a great coat, good tone and healthy weight. Over feeding causes large loose stools, gas, bloating and general poor health, just like in humans.
I tell people to feed the best food they can afford, find a food they can get and that the dog will eat. The best food in the world is no good if you can't get it anywhere, or the dog will not eat it. And with all the abuse and neglect that dogs suffer, a loving owner who is trying shoud not be harassed for feeding a lesser quality dog food.
I stopped feeding it largely because of their refusal to answer why BHA/BHT were still being used in spite of the fact that they are know cancer causing agents.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Sabis mom said:


> I fed numerous dogs Pedigree for years with no issues. No dull greasy coats, no gunky eyes and no giant poops. I cut the amounts recommended by 2/3 and supplemented with fruits, veggies and meat.
> .


So you were not really feeding Pedigree


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

Sunflowers said:


> So you were not really feeding Pedigree


 Ya, not really. But I feed a different kibble now, First Mate, with the same fruit veggies, meat, organs and the occasional raw chicken quarter. I have the same issue with the suggested feeding amount. This says for Shadow 4-5 cups, she gets 2. On average I add 1/2 cup or so of other stuff to their food. It's just the way I've always fed. Other then the chicken most of the stuff is just kitchen scraps or left overs. The dogs do not care if the fruit is a bit bruised, or the veggies a bit dry or soft, and they happily take the organs or meat trimmings that humans don't want. 
Our dogs on the farm ate egg shells, onion peels, apple cores, bread heels and whatever else came from the kitchen.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Sabis mom said:


> Ya, not really. But I feed a different kibble now, First Mate, with the same fruit veggies, meat, organs and the occasional raw chicken quarter. I have the same issue with the suggested feeding amount. This says for Shadow 4-5 cups, she gets 2. On average I add 1/2 cup or so of other stuff to their food. It's just the way I've always fed. Other then the chicken most of the stuff is just kitchen scraps or left overs. The dogs do not care if the fruit is a bit bruised, or the veggies a bit dry or soft, and they happily take the organs or meat trimmings that humans don't want.
> Our dogs on the farm ate egg shells, onion peels, apple cores, bread heels and whatever else came from the kitchen.


Sounds like a wonderful diet. The dogs did so much better when they were fed leftovers from their humans.
Somewhere along the way, dog food manufacturers convinced people that their product was better for dogs, and in huge quantities, too-- because the more you feed, the more you buy! They went so far as to convince people that giving them table scraps was bad.
I am convinced your dogs did well because of all the other things you fed them, not because of the Pedigree.


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## scarfish (Apr 9, 2013)

Sunflowers said:


> Why do you get so defensive when someone points out the obvious?
> 
> Have you read the ingredient list on that stuff (two posts up)?


i didn't mean to sound so defensize. i just hate when i feel like i'm being made out to be a dog abuser if the dogs get a small amount of less than the healthiest food once in a while. 95% of what my dogs eat is the grain free natures variety lamb, turkey or duck kibble. it's good food.

i don't care about the ingredients in pedigree. a miniscule amount doesn't hurt. a small amount of wet pedigree or alpo just to moisten expensive kibble once in a while is fine and is not damaging the dogs. i don't even toss the dogs human food ever. 'cept cheese or hot dog pieces once in a while as a small treat. sometimes a broken up slice of ham or bolgna but rarely 'cause there's a lot of sodium in there.

i am very health and food conscious with the dogs, just not a food nazi.


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## Nikitta (Nov 10, 2011)

I feed my dogs Natural Balance lamb and rice. I also buy their meat rolls. I mix 100% pumpkin in with it for their morning feed and cottage cheese and yogurt in their evening food. Everyone keeps telling my how gorgeous Xerxes is and someone I think was trying to steal him on 2 different times.


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