# This is what you should be feeding !!!!



## 3ToesTonyismydog (Dec 27, 2009)

I get so tired of seeing people here thinking that feeding liams, nutro, Royal Canin,Science Diet and other corn and wheat infested crap is good for their dog. I just don't get it!!! Here is a list of what you should be feeding and yes, I have missed some. Keep in mind that their are only 4 companies that produce thier own food,,, Champion makers of Orijen & Acana,,, Naturapet makers of Evo,Innova,California Natural,Karma & Health Wise,,, Horizon makers of Horizon Legacy & Horizon,,, Merrick/Fromm ,,,if you do not feed one of these you are taking a gamble of what is really in your dog food.

*Blue Wilderness,Go,Horizon,Horizon Legacy****,Evo****,Innova**,Instrinct*,Orijen******,Taste of the Wild*,Wellness,Acana***,Fromm**,Merrick**,Canidae,Evanders,Earthborn,Natures Logic,Natures Variety,Solid Gold,Pinnacle,Timberwolf,Blue Buffalo,Halo,California Natural**,Karma**,Heathwise***


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

I feed my boy Solid Gold and I convinced my friends to put their dogs on it and we all love it!!!


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

on your list there's 8 brands i feed my dog. i
always give my dog different brands of kibble and can.
i also feed my dog chicken, beef (ground), veggies and fruit.

are you sure there's only 4 companies that produce
their own food? 



3ToesTonyismydog said:


> I get so tired of seeing people here thinking that feeding liams, nutro, Royal Canin,Science Diet and other corn and wheat infested crap is good for their dog. I just don't get it!!! Here is a list of what you should be feeding and yes, I have missed some. Keep in mind that their are only 4 companies that produce thier own food,,, Champion makers of Orijen & Acana,,, Naturapet makers of Evo,Innova,California Natural,Karma & Health Wise,,, Horizon makers of Horizon Legacy & Horizon,,, Merrick/Fromm ,,,if you do not feed one of these you are taking a gamble of what is really in your dog food.
> 
> *Blue Wilderness,Go,Horizon,Horizon Legacy****,Evo****,Innova**,Instrinct*,Orijen******,Taste of the Wild*,Wellness,Acana***,Fromm**,Merrick**,Canidae,Evanders,Earthborn,Natures Logic,Natures Variety,Solid Gold,Pinnacle,Timberwolf,Blue Buffalo,Halo,California Natural**,Karma**,Heathwise***


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## roxy84 (Jun 23, 2007)

you seem to be recommending using companies that produce their own foods, but you list is full of companies that do not make their own food.

i am a bit leary of foods made by diamond. i think people should decide on their own what their comfort level with them is. there quite a few foods made by diamond, in addition to the Diamond branded foods. 

TOTW (an actual diamond brand)
Natural Balance
Solid Gold
Canidae
Chicken Soup
Kirkland

there are probably some i am missing. Timberwolf uses Chenango Valley, which has had their share of issues.

i prefer to stick to companies that make their own food and dont make food for anyone else. i think that lends itself to better quality control (but is by no means a guarantee).


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

I use Kirkland, it makes our dogs poop and pee less, which is good for us right now because we are trying to regrow our grass and our dogs love it.


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## zakkyboy (Mar 26, 2010)

Do you know what i get so tired of?..people telling me what to feed my dog!!!! No offense but people feed their dog what they can afford to feed their dog and what suits their dog, i doubt very much if anyone wants to feed a rubbish food. Its good that you are obviously passionate about educating people on what is a good food but the way you are putting it across is not so good. I feed the best food i can afford to feed my dogs, but if my life changed and i couldnt afford to feed a really good food i would feed a cheaper food and as long as my dog was ok on it and happy then i wouldnt feel bad about it.


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

zakkyboy said:


> Do you know what i get so tired of?..people telling me what to feed my dog!!!! No offense but people feed their dog what they can afford to feed their dog and what suits their dog, i doubt very much if anyone wants to feed a rubbish food. Its good that you are obviously passionate about educating people on what is a good food but the way you are putting it across is not so good. I feed the best food i can afford to feed my dogs, but if my life changed and i couldnt afford to feed a really good food i would feed a cheaper food and as long as my dog was ok on it and happy then i wouldnt feel bad about it.


Well said :thumbup:


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## roxy84 (Jun 23, 2007)

zakkyboy said:


> Do you know what i get so tired of?..people telling me what to feed my dog!!!! No offense but people feed their dog what they can afford to feed their dog and what suits their dog, i doubt very much if anyone wants to feed a rubbish food. Its good that you are obviously passionate about educating people on what is a good food but the way you are putting it across is not so good. I feed the best food i can afford to feed my dogs, but if my life changed and i couldnt afford to feed a really good food i would feed a cheaper food and as long as my dog was ok on it and happy then i wouldnt feel bad about it.


definitely agree. if i added another dog(s) to my household or my budget needed to change, it is very likely i would revisit what i feed my dogs. while i have concern about certain companies, i would still have to find what i felt was the best quality food that i could afford. the only caveat i would add is that the cheapest foods are not always the cheapest to feed. (for example, ive seen people feeding super low calorie foods at 6 cups/day--even if the bag is cheap, there is value lost when feeding that much).

i think if a member asks opinions on a given food, then you are going to get strong opinions one way or another, but telling people what to feed when it was unsolicited comes accross as heavy handed.


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

zakkyboy said:


> Its good that you are obviously passionate about educating people on what is a good food but the way you are putting it across is not so good.


qft. 

I think if you really want to help people it would be better to work on the way you come across. When you come across demanding and arrogant it automatically puts people on the defensive and they aren't going to hear a thing you say.


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## lrodptl (Nov 12, 2009)

My 10 year old GSD does not get the Orijen like the pup does and has always gotten mainstream kibble with no health issues ever.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

what does qft mean??


Lin said:


> qft.
> 
> I think if you really want to help people it would be better to work on the way you come across. When you come across demanding and arrogant it automatically puts people on the defensive and they aren't going to hear a thing you say.


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## Kayla's Dad (Jul 2, 2007)

doggiedad said:


> what does qft mean??



*From about.com

Answer: **This peculiar QFT acronym expression stands for "Quoted For Truth".* It has two particular meanings when used in a discussion forum.

*1) QFT is an expression of agreement and support, where the user stands behind you and one of your statements.* This commonly occurs in controversial topics where opinions are very heated, and people will choose sides in an argument. If someone "quotes you for truth", they are paying you a compliment, and siding with you in the discussion. 

*2) QFT can also be used to preserve an original forum post, so that the original author cannot edit after the fact.* A user who copy-pastes the original forum content will sometimes put the letters "QFT" at the top of the copy-paste. It is a type of forensic stamp, commonly used during very heated discussions on a controversial topic. The original author can no longer change their original text, because it is now preserved through someone else's post. The original author is prevented from denying what they originally wrote because the QFT public copy can refute any denial.


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## 3ToesTonyismydog (Dec 27, 2009)

zakkyboy said:


> Do you know what i get so tired of?..people telling me what to feed my dog!!!! No offense but people feed their dog what they can afford to feed their dog and what suits their dog, i doubt very much if anyone wants to feed a rubbish food. Its good that you are obviously passionate about educating people on what is a good food but the way you are putting it across is not so good. I feed the best food i can afford to feed my dogs, but if my life changed and i couldnt afford to feed a really good food i would feed a cheaper food and as long as my dog was ok on it and happy then i wouldnt feel bad about it.


So you have a money issue, no biggy we all go through that sometime during our life. Why don't you just say that and ask for a little help??
My list for the best food for the best price would be
1. TOTW, good price for a great food.
2. California Natural, pretty good price.
3. Health Wise, 35bucks for 35 lbs for a very good food.
4. Kirkland brand, pretty darn good food for the money.

You see the name of one of my dogs who passed away "BENO"??? I had to put him down because he had a giant tumor, GUESS WHAT CAUSED THE TUMOR ??? You guessed it, cheap corn and wheat infested crap food. Now you know, IT CAN KILL your dog, I know because it happened to me and verified by our vet....And this is why I push good foods so hard because if it happens to you, you well be unreal hurt because you now know my story. Beno used to throw up and I thought it was because he drank dirty toliet water, because the kids did not flush. Boy was I ever wrong.


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## 3ToesTonyismydog (Dec 27, 2009)

Lin said:


> qft.
> 
> I think if you really want to help people it would be better to work on the way you come across. When you come across demanding and arrogant it automatically puts people on the defensive and they aren't going to hear a thing you say.


I actually help those who want help about food on the site below and I go by the name Jess. If you need to know anything about dog food all you have to do is ask. Eric, Michelle or myself well be very happy to help you out or direct you to a site than can help.

Dog Food Reviews, Ratings and Comparisons


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## roxy84 (Jun 23, 2007)

3ToesTonyismydog said:


> I actually help those who want help about food on the site below and I go by the name Jess. If you need to know anything about dog food all you have to do is ask. Eric, Michelle or myself well be very happy to help you out or direct you to a site than can help.
> 
> Dog Food Reviews, Ratings and Comparisons


ive perused that site enough to have come to the conclusion that there are people here more knowledgeable about nutrition, especially as it relates to gsd's.

if you really want to push what is best for a gsd, then kibble should not even be in the conversation. it is hard to argue with the results and logic of feeding a properly executed raw diet. many of us dont do raw, but it is more out of concerns of cost, sourcing issues, convenience, or some combination of those three things.


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

I do not need assisting in choosing a kibble. I have been feeding raw for years. I have also worked for a high quality kibble company. 

Again, if you want to help people knock off the arrogance.


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

Lin said:


> I do not need assisting in choosing a kibble. I have been feeding raw for years. I have also worked for a high quality kibble company.
> 
> Again, if you want to help people knock off the arrogance.


:thumbup:


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## zakkyboy (Mar 26, 2010)

Im sorry but where in my post did i say i had money issues?! I feed a good quality food to my dogs thank you and do you know what i worked out which food was good quality all by myself. I was just saying IF i had money problems that i would not feel bad about swapping to a cheaper food as long as that food agreed with my dogs. Im sorry to hear about your dog but i cant believe there is a vet alive that would have told you that it was down to the food you were feeding and that alone. Just my opinion obviously. You have your opinion and i have mine


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

I dont feed raw because of meat recalls and mad cow disease. I am sure kibble has downfalls as well but meat scares me more than kibble.


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## lrodptl (Nov 12, 2009)

3ToesTonyismydog said:


> So you have a money issue, no biggy we all go through that sometime during our life. Why don't you just say that and ask for a little help??
> My list for the best food for the best price would be
> 1. TOTW, good price for a great food.
> 2. California Natural, pretty good price.
> ...


Sugary or acidic environments nourish and feed tumors,is that what he was indicating?


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## milkmoney11 (Feb 11, 2010)

3ToesTonyismydog said:


> Beno used to throw up and I thought it was because he drank dirty toliet water, because the kids did not flush. Boy was I ever wrong.


Hahahahahahah. I found this quote funny because for somebody with such a passion for making sure dogs get the proper food, you would think they would take precautions to make sure their dog didn't drink toilet water filled with p*ss and sh*t. 

Anyways, one problem I sense on this board is that people are naturally very defensive about being told what to feed, how to train, etc. etc. much like they would be if you told them they were a lousy parent to their children. Although you have a good message, the delivery is what is causing feathers to be ruffled here.


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## roxy84 (Jun 23, 2007)

LaRen616 said:


> I dont feed raw because of meat recalls and mad cow disease. I am sure kibble has downfalls as well but meat scares me more than kibble.


i also feed kibble, but i would certainly trust the meat i bought at the market more than the meat that the manufacturers put into their kibble.

i guess im not sure how using kibble over raw alleviates concerns over something like mad cow disease. if it is a concern about what animal meat is being used, that would be controlled by a raw feeder anyway.


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## Saphire (Apr 1, 2005)

Hey everyone..........I haven't posted in awhile and have started reading and catching up here.

I stressed myself over food for my boy for a very long time. He has EPI and believe me it was not easy to find something that worked for him. In the end I found the chicken Soup was the one food he could tolerate with minimal digestive enzymes added. Is it the best food out there? Definatately not, is it decent....yep and has it worked to keep my dog comfy, good coat and normal stools? 4 years later he still eats it and doing great!!!

In the end like one of the other posters said.........you have to do what works for you and your dog.

Cathy


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## ch3ckpo1nt (Nov 30, 2009)

Saphire said:


> Hey everyone..........I haven't posted in awhile and have started reading and catching up here.
> 
> I stressed myself over food for my boy for a very long time. He has EPI and believe me it was not easy to find something that worked for him. In the end I found the chicken Soup was the one food he could tolerate with minimal digestive enzymes added. Is it the best food out there? Definatately not, is it decent....yep and has it worked to keep my dog comfy, good coat and normal stools? 4 years later he still eats it and doing great!!!
> 
> ...


Amen, praise the lord!!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

LaRen616 said:


> I dont feed raw because of meat recalls and mad cow disease. I am sure kibble has downfalls as well but meat scares me more than kibble.


That make absolutely no sense at all...so do your dogs eat fruit and veggies?


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## lcht2 (Jan 8, 2008)

i've said it before and ill say it again...feed what works for the dog. if you can afford the expensive grain free foods, thats great, if you cant, then at least feed them! 

there are 2 critical preiods in a dogs life where nutrition is very important..when there puppies and when there seniors. 

im not too sure why your (the OP) so into smashing it into peoples heads about dog food. your really not saying anything that some of us that have been on this forum for a while havent already read. 

nutrition may be your number one priority for your dog and thats great. i stressed for a long time trying to find a dog food that was "good enough" for my dog. i researched to no end on dog food, ingredients, and the quality of those ingredients. i threw out a lot of dog food, trust me. i am not feeding what you might call a quality dog food but if you asked my dog, he would bite you for trying to touch his bowl. until i start seeing issues that are abnormal that may be caused by food related problems, then i will not fix what is not broken.


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

I tried TOTW. The dogs did HORRIBLY on it. not to mention that with its low calories, they hate twice as much as other quality foods. It's actually rated middle of the road on most analysis sites, mainly for that reason.

I'm sure most people here are open to ideas on different foods. but cramming things down their throats and imitating that only YOU know what's best isn't going to win people to your cause. Neither will disparaging other people's research and opinions..


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## Aldo (Mar 19, 2010)

There is also an INCREDIBLE level of arrogant assumption in KNOWING this: _"I had to put him down because he had a giant tumor, GUESS WHAT CAUSED THE TUMOR ??? You guessed it, cheap corn and wheat infested crap food."_ What specific tumor? Cell type? Etiology established how?

To claim that you KNOW a particular malignancy was caused by a particular food is ludicrous. Exactly what in wheat and corn are mutagenic in canines? Would you care to share the research to support this? What constitutes a basis for _KNOWLEDGE_ to you? Feelings? Internet legends? 

Since deciding to get the puppy and doing a good bit of research, it has been astounding to me to see the assertions that are put forth around the issue of feeding. There is NO DOUBT that there are some very bad practices in the pet food industry. I agree that IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT then buy a food that uses GOOD ingredients. I do not see a reason to introduce corn and wheat into my puppy's diet, but that is a FAR CRY from claiming that a specific malignancy is caused by such ingredients. Cancer happens, particularly as animals get older. Are certain food ingredients potentially carcinogenic? Yes...but there is a lot of hysteria around this as well. We get all excited about insecticides, but I would rather (for example) control mosquitoes and the risk of malaria if I lived in the tropics (rather than just let the mosquitoes do their thing).

For the record, I am a physician; my sister is a DVM. We talk about these sorts of issues. I am certainly aware of how big Pharma has influence over medical practice standards; pet food companies have SOME ability to influence vets, but there is plenty of research out there to assess. I am feeding my puppy Blue Buffalo Fish/potatoes + a bit of Origen adult + canned tripe (and a bit of salmon, chicken, etc) as I am willing to go to this cost (and can afford it). But the _emotional_ leap that the original poster engaged in just does not fly.


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## Jessica H (Mar 14, 2009)

I haven't posted in a while but I will on this one. I am a stickler for feeding my dogs the best foods, currently I am feeding Eagle Pack and TOTW (I switch back and forth with FROMM as well) which may not be considered the best for all but works for my dogs perfectly. 

Dog food has become just as sensitve as rasing a child. Everyone knows whats best for everyone else. People need to lay off others and let them do what they can. I was a person that had an opinion about this until a friend of mine ended up adopting a dog (that she didn't plan on adopting, he was about to be put down at a shelter) that had a HARD life, she can't afford to feed the best foods BUT that dog has a great life, is healthy and is not in some shelter somewhere or worse off dead. So I say this with those type of people in mind that I would much rather see a dog eat not such a great food than be in that situation. 

I can afford to feed the best foods so I do but others cannot. Its funny because this was never an issue when we were kids, ALL of my dogs grew up eating cans of Pedigree, they all lived well over their life expectancies and had great lives (our lab died at 17!!!!).

So I will always feed what I can to keep my dogs thriving and healthy. I do not think anyone would feed something that would purposely not be good for their dogs.

I think that people on here need to think before they write and not insult others so much, this is a forum and EVERYONE has a different opinion and that needs to be respected.


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## roxy84 (Jun 23, 2007)

Aldo said:


> There is also an INCREDIBLE level of arrogant assumption in KNOWING this: _"I had to put him down because he had a giant tumor, GUESS WHAT CAUSED THE TUMOR ??? You guessed it, cheap corn and wheat infested crap food."_ What specific tumor? Cell type? Etiology established how?
> 
> To claim that you KNOW a particular malignancy was caused by a particular food is ludicrous. Exactly what in wheat and corn are mutagenic in canines? Would you care to share the research to support this? What constitutes a basis for _KNOWLEDGE_ to you? Feelings? Internet legends?
> 
> ...


 
this is a well balanced post. i would only say that i think certain pet food manufacturers have more than some influence on vets. all the vets my local clinic (most of whom attended either Purdue or MSU Veterinary Schools) have admitted that Hills had a hand, in one form or another, in virtually all of what little education they got regarding canine nutrition. the fact that so many members on this board (and many others) have vets who either push Science Diet and/or know very little about the alternatives in the marketplace indicates a much too heavy handed influence of that company on veterinarians. i also feed orijen, some other grainless products, and some raw. i havent even met a vet who has ever heard of orijen, but they happily reccoment Purina Pro Plan, Iams, or Science Diet without batting an eye.

it is a rather inexplicable shortcoming of veterinary schools when one considers the level of trust that customers put into their vets recommendations on what to feed their dogs.

there are exceptions; some are fortunate enough to have found vets that have taken it upon themselves to become more knowledgeable about canine nutrition. i seek these vets out, but i also need to evaluate their abilities to diagnose and treat my dog regarding medical issues and perform any necessary procedures competently. one of the vets i trust implicitly with any medical issues has the most archaic, uninformed positions on dog nutrition. so, i live with it.:shrug:


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## roxy84 (Jun 23, 2007)

Jessica H said:


> a friend of mine ended up adopting a dog (that she didn't plan on adopting, he was about to be put down at a shelter) that had a HARD life, she can't afford to feed the best foods BUT *that dog has a great life, is healthy and is not in some shelter somewhere* or worse off dead. So I say this with those type of people in mind that I *would much rather see a dog eat not such a great food than be in that situation.*
> .


:thumbup:

this is such an important point. a perfect world (in part, anyway) to me would be a world where every dog had a loving home, regardless of what they were eating. i think all anyone can do is make an effort to do a little research and find the best food that fits within their means. there are some pretty fair foods that are considerably cheaper.


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## KITTIEG (Feb 28, 2010)

:thumbup:


roxy84 said:


> :thumbup:
> 
> this is such an important point. a perfect world (in part, anyway) to me would be a world where every dog had a loving home, regardless of what they were eating. i think all anyone can do is make an effort to do a little research and find the best food that fits within their means. there are some pretty fair foods that are considerably cheaper.


 
:thumbup:

Growing up I had a husky that lived to be 15 w/ no health issues. He lived on Purina, table scrapes & bones from the butcher (my folks worked at a grocery store, it was a perk) He had no allergy problems, no GI problems & no health issues; he saw the vet for vaccinations only. 
I also had a spitz that live 20 years (I got him at 2 from the pound) I can’t remember what I feed him but when he got to needing something soft we bought the cheapest can. Again, he had no allergy problems, no GI problems & no health issues; he saw the vet for vaccinations only.
Dogs aren’t wimps, they can survive eating out of garbage cans & drink out of mud puddles.


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

KITTIEG said:


> Dogs aren’t wimps, they can survive eating out of garbage cans & drink out of mud puddles.


Yes, but surviving is not the same thing as thriving. In the case of your parents dog the table scraps were giving him additional nutrients that were lacking in the kibble. Many dogs fed low quality foods do fine on them for this reason. 

But most of the people on this site aren't satisfied with "surviving" "fine" "ok" but want their dog to thrive and be the best they can be 

To help understand, put it into human terms. You could survive fine and live for 90 years eating fast food every day. Just because it didn't kill you does that mean its the best diet possible? How do you feel after eating lots of junk, compared to how you feel after eating really healthy? Humans have those pesky emotional ties to food, its much more difficult for us to eat what we should or stop when we've had enough. Dogs don't have this problem and depend on us for what they eat and how much they eat. So feed the best you can (and don't let sticker shock get you, since you need to feed less of nutrient dense foods) and at the right amount.


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## TYE (Mar 31, 2010)

zakkyboy said:


> Do you know what i get so tired of?..people telling me what to feed my dog!!!! No offense but people feed their dog what they can afford to feed their dog and what suits their dog, i doubt very much if anyone wants to feed a rubbish food. Its good that you are obviously passionate about educating people on what is a good food but the way you are putting it across is not so good. I feed the best food i can afford to feed my dogs, but if my life changed and i couldnt afford to feed a really good food i would feed a cheaper food and as long as my dog was ok on it and happy then i wouldnt feel bad about it.


 i AGREE :thumbup:


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## Kruzayn (Jun 9, 2006)

3ToesTonyismydog said:


> I get so tired of seeing people here thinking that feeding liams, nutro, Royal Canin,Science Diet and other corn and wheat infested crap is good for their dog. I just don't get it!!! Here is a list of what you should be feeding and yes, I have missed some. Keep in mind that their are only 4 companies that produce thier own food,,, Champion makers of Orijen & Acana,,, Naturapet makers of Evo,Innova,California Natural,Karma & Health Wise,,, Horizon makers of Horizon Legacy & Horizon,,, Merrick/Fromm ,,,if you do not feed one of these you are taking a gamble of what is really in your dog food.
> 
> *Blue Wilderness,Go,Horizon,Horizon Legacy****,Evo****,Innova**,Instrinct*,Orijen******,Taste of the Wild*,Wellness,Acana***,Fromm**,Merrick**,Canidae,Evanders,Earthborn,Natures Logic,Natures Variety,Solid Gold,Pinnacle,Timberwolf,Blue Buffalo,Halo,California Natural**,Karma**,Heathwise***


how does Merrick relate to Fromm? Last i checked they are not related at all, unless its really well hidden...


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## onefastcobra (Apr 12, 2010)

I use Ole' Roy. It works great!!!! Just kidding. I tried Orijen with my 11 month old and she really didn't take to it. I switched to Acana and she loves it. Her coat seems better and attitude is amazing. Since I put her on it training has been a breeze. It is expensive but worth it to me. I know I sound like an advertisement but I swear by it.


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