Would like some help in picking between dog food brands

[greychins]

So... my dog's currently on Nutro Natural Choice Chicken/Rice/Oatmeal, and it's ok (it was what she was on when I got her, and I never got around to switching it, but now she's old enough to get off puppy food), but I'd rather her go to what I would consider to be a "better" food. So I've narrowed down my choices to several... and she's really not picky, she eats anything, so it's probably not a matter of "will she eat it?" as it is a matter of what's best for her. So here are my choices... I'm wanting to know what food people would pick and why/why not. If I've somehow come across a bad one and listed it here, please let me know, cause I want to make sure my dog has a high-quality food.

#1 - Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Whole Ground Barley, Oatmeal, Rye, Whole Potatoes, Tomato Pomace (natural source of Lycopene), Chicken Fat (preserved with Natural Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Chicken Flavor, Whole Carrots, Whole Sweet Potatoes, Blueberries, Cranberries, Flaxseed, Barley Grass, Dried Parsley, Alfalfa Meal, Kelp Meal, Taurine, L-Carnitine, L-Lysine, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Yucca Shidigera Extract, Green Tea Extract, Turmeric, Garlic, Sunflower Oil (natural source of Omega 6 Fatty Acids), Herring Oil (natural source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Dried Chicory Root, Black Malted Barley, Oil of Rosemary, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin C, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Beta Carotene, Calcium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Folic Acid, Biotin, Choline Chloride, Dicalcium Phosphate, Zinc Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Zinc), Iron Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Iron), Copper Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Copper), Manganese Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Manganese), Potassium Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Potassium), Cobalt Proteinate (source of Chelated Cobalt), Potassium Chloride, Sodium Selenite, Salt, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus subtilis, Bifidobacterium thermophilum, Bifidobacterium longum, Enterococcus faecium.

Crude Protein 24.0% min
Crude Fat 14.0% min
Crude Fiber 4.0% max
Moisture 10.0% max
Calcium 1.0% min
Phosphorus 0.90% min
L-Carnitine* 100 mg/kg min
Omega 3 Fatty Acids* 0.25% min
Omega 6 Fatty Acids* 3.50% min
Beta Carotene* 5.0 mg/kg min
Glucosamine* 400 mg/kg max

#2 - Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Potato Starch, Turkey Meal, Whitefish Meal, Salmon Meal, Tomato Pomace (natural source of Lycopene), Chicken Fat (preserved with Natural Mixed Tocopherols), Oatmeal, Natural Chicken Flavor, Whole Carrots, Whole Sweet Potatoes, Blueberries, Cranberries, Flaxseed (natural source of Omega 6 Fatty Acids), Barley Grass, Dried Parsley, Alfalfa Meal, Dried Kelp, Taurine, L-Carnitine, L-Lysine, Yucca Shidigera Extract, Turmeric, Herring Oil (natural source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Dried Chicory Root, Black Malted Barley, Oil of Rosemary, Beta Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Niacin (Vitamin B3), d-Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Biotin (Vitamin B7), Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Iron), Zinc Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Zinc), Manganese Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Manganese), Copper Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Copper), Choline Chloride, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Salt, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecium.

Crude Protein 42.0% min
Crude Fat 16.0% min
Crude Fiber 3.0% max
Moisture 10.0% max
Calcium 1.0% min
Phosphorus 0.9% min
L-Carnitine* 100 mg/kg min
Omega 3 Fatty Acids* 0.25% min
Omega 6 Fatty Acids* 3.50% min
Beta-Carotene* 5.0 mg/kg min

#3 - Deboned Turkey, Deboned Chicken, Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Potatoes, Dried Ground Potato, Tomato Pomace, Natural Chicken Flavor, Canola Oil, Chicken Liver, Salmon Oil, Flaxseed, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Kale, Broccoli, Spinach, Parsley, Apples, Blueberries, Vitamins & Minerals, Chicory Root Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, Dried Lactobacillus plantarum, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Products, Rosemary Extract.

Crude Protein min. 34%
Crude Fat min. 14%
Crude Fiber max. 4%
Moisture max. 10%
Calcium max. 2%
Phosphorus max. 1.4%
Vitamin E min. 150 IU/kg
Omega 6 Fatty Acids* min. 3.25%
Omega 3 Fatty Acids* min. 0.70%
Glucosamin Hydrochloride* min. 250 mg/kg
Chondroitin Sulfate min. 200 mg/kg
Total Micro-organisms* min. 80,000,000 CFU/lb
Crude Protein min. 5 mg/kg

#4 - Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Ground Barley, Ground Brown Rice, Tomato Pomace, Rye Flour, Canola Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Tomatoes, Rice Bran, Deboned Whitefish, Natural Chicken Flavor, Carrots, Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Apples, Blueberries, Ground Flaxseed, Ground Millet, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Minerals [Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite], Vitamins [Beta-Carotene, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement], Choline Chloride, Taurine, Mixed Tocopherols (a natural preservative), Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, Chicory Root Extract, Garlic, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Green Tea Extract, Dried Lactobacillus plantarum, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation products.

Crude Protein Not Less Than 22.0%
Crude Fat Not Less Than 12.0%
Crude Fiber Not More Than 3.0%
Moisture Not More Than 11.0%
Calcium Not Less Than 1.20%
Phosphorus Not Less Than 0.90%
Vitamin E Not Less Than 150 IU/kg
Omega 6 Fatty Acids* Not Less Than 2.70%
Omega 3 Fatty Acids* Not Less Than 0.80%
Beta Carotene* Not Less Than 5 mg/kg
Lycopene* Not Less Than 0.25 mg/kg
Taurine* Not Less Than 0.09%
Total Micro-organisms* Not Less Than 20,000,000 CFU/lb

So.... thanks for reading through all of that and thanks for your help in advance. Thoughts?

 

[Rickman]

A friend who breeds and raises somoyeds, gets food delivered bi-weekly, and we get it from her. Seems the dogs absorb quite a bit of it, compared to many retail brands, [less waste and clean-up] and our dogs have done real well on it!
Brand name is Diamond, available in many formulas, adult, puppy, etc. and we've never had a bad bag, or any quality problems!

 

[saphire]

I would be inclined to say, if your dog is a working active dog, you might want to give more protein, carbs and fat... otherwise if her weight is good I would go for the average.
How old is she?

I get a stomach reaction with brocoli, so I can only think that in can do the same to them. for me personnally #3 is a no no.

 

[cintistatern2005]

What are the brand names of #1-4. My miniature dachshunds are on blue. The blue buffalo company. It is expensive but i really like it and they do to. They were on science diet before and were shedding like crazy, now with this brand they dont shed nearly as much. Their coats look much shinier also.

 

[3CsMommy]

I think #3 is Blue Buffalo or Nature's Variety Instinct, both of which are excellent foods for a good number of animals (and I've fed to my former dog, I just don't remember which was which).

You'll want to switch her slowly, but getting her away from Nutro is a good idea in my opinion. They're better than, say Iams, or something from a grocery store, but I don't like the idea of foreign sourced ingredients if it's possible to avoid them.

 

[Rickman]

Diamond adult is about $25 a 50# bag. I know before we switched, I compared it to 4-5 other brands and it was as good or better than most, and $5 - $10 less expensive>
The samoyeds are show dogs, and their fur is wonderful!

 

[cintistatern2005]

I just looked at my bag of blue and actually #1 is the Blue.

 

[beanjelly]

Just wondering because I'm curious and maybe I'll learn something...

Why did you choose chicken-based food as opposed to beef/red meat?

 

[3CsMommy]

Dogs seem to be able to digest white meat better than red much of the time, beanjelly. The dog I lived with this summer had horrible digestive problems with (processed) beef or venison, but did well on lamb and chicken.

 

[jmdebb]

you might want to check this site out.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/

 

[RDZCRanch]

I'd go with a lamb variety if you have the option from one of those brands. Chicken is the number one food allergy in dogs and can be rough on their intestinal tract. My dad's 12 year old dog just had to switch off her chicken based food this year because she developed inflammatory bowel disease and was vomiting blood all over the backyard from the irritation it caused. Plus...working at a vet office...we've seen about six cases similar to my dad's dog not to mention the insane amount of food allergy problems from the chicken based meal. It still boggles my mind that the main foods out there continue to be chicken based...

 

[tunes]

Brand name is Diamond, available in many formulas, adult, puppy, etc. and we've never had a bad bag, or any quality problems!

I'm somewhat surprised that a reputable dog breeder would use Diamond, as most consider it 3 steps below Iams and 4 steps below Hills Science Diet. I personally consider it on par with Purina foods you buy at Wal-Mart. I would never feed this to my dogs.

I don't have the time to read through all those ingredients (they make my eyes cross) but I use a food made by Fosters and Smith for 3 of my dogs http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3307+8734+9414&pcatid=9414 and I use http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dogformulas/PandD.html for a dog who has allergies to pretty much everything, including and especially, brown rice.

 

[lilchinchilla]

For my poms, I use innova wet dog food and evo dry dog food. They love it, I love it, and so it all works out good.

I looked at a ton of different diets, I tried the Blue Buffalo and my girls refused it. I tried some others and they did not seem to go as crazy over them as they do with innova and evo.

The innova and evo seems to be their favorite though and I have no troubles with them eating it.
Site link for them:

http://www.naturapet.com/

 

[saphire]

Innova - Evo is an excellent product for cats dogs ferrets.
evopet.com

 

[equus_peduus]

I'd go with a lamb variety if you have the option from one of those brands. Chicken is the number one food allergy in dogs and can be rough on their intestinal tract. My dad's 12 year old dog just had to switch off her chicken based food this year because she developed inflammatory bowel disease and was vomiting blood all over the backyard from the irritation it caused. Plus...working at a vet office...we've seen about six cases similar to my dad's dog not to mention the insane amount of food allergy problems from the chicken based meal. It still boggles my mind that the main foods out there continue to be chicken based...

If dogs were never exposed to chicken, no dogs would develop chicken allergies. Chicken is one of the top meats dogs can be allergic to BECAUSE it's one of the most common meat sources in dog foods. If lamb or beef or kangaroo were the most common meat source in dog food, we'd be seeing a lot more allergies to those ingredients.

 

[greychins]

Wow, sorry, I completely forgot about this thread. The reason I didn't list the brands and stuff for the dog food was because I moreso wanted them evaluated on what was in them, rather than "oh that's a good brand, go with that." But I see several people knew what they were anyway, so...

My dog is a year and a half old, she's very active, and she's around her ideal weight. She's never been fat, she stops eating when she's full.

#1 is Blue Buffalo - Chicken and Rice Recipe
#2 is Blue Buffalo Wilderness
#3 is Wellness Core Original Recipe
#4 is Wellness Supermix 5 Complete Health Chicken

I have nothing against foods with red meats, and I suppose some good foods are maybe red-meat based... the only reason none are listed here is simply because the brands that I chose as my narrowed down brands don't have that. Blue Buffalo and Wilderness seem chicken, lamb, or fish based... Thanks by the way to 3CsMommy for explaining about the red meat

There are lamb options for several of these foods.... but I had a question, for the chicken allergies, I mean RDZCRanch posted about that, and I have no doubt that some dogs develop allergies to chicken... but is it really something to worry about? I mean most people I know feed their dogs chicken-based food, and have never had problems.... so I'm sort of wondering, like when I got my dog, someone said that I should get her tested for Von Willebrandt's Disease (sp?) because apparently shelties can have that. I never did have her tested, partially because I was told, yeah, they can have that, but it's not common enough to really worry about it. So I'm wondering if the chicken allergy is something like this?

 

[3CsMommy]

I'd probably go with Blue chicken-rice for the switch over, just b/c it's closer to what she's already eating in the Nutro (which honestly I'm gearing up to feed my kittens if they can't handle the premium foods any better than they are ).

As for chicken allergies, they aren't uncommon, but in my experience, not as common as GI problems with red meats. Of course, there are also dogs like my friend Crystal's that are allergic to *all* meats. He eats Blue Fish/Potato blend, and chopped up carrot, green beans, and cucumber as treats. *shrug* Reading up on the signs of a food allergy is probably a good idea (if you don't know them already) just in case she turns out to react to her new food

If she's from a good breeder, Von Willenbrand's shouldn't be an issue bc good breeders test for it before they breed. I'd say know the signs of it and just keep her in the best shape you can unless you're planning to breed her.

 

[6Dusters]

I use Wellness and Blue for my cats. Buy a food with ingredients that you would eat yourself. If it works for your animals then stick with it. My kitty is a diabetic and would NOT eat that crap Science Diet the vet wanted him to live on. My kitty told me it was s**t and he wouldn't eat it. He's has been a diabetic now for three years and doesn't eat any "RX" food. He's 13 now. People DO NOT FEED YOUR ANIMALS ANYTHING THAT HAS BYPRODUCTS ON IT. It can be feathers, bones, hide, ect. It is NOT meat and is almost always listed as the second or third ingredient. Ingredients in any product are listed in order. The first three or four are the main components of the feed or your food or your health care products ect.

 

[chinsNdobermans]

Remember that some of the top-of-the-line brands such as Innova and the like can sometimes be too rich for some dogs. It depends on the dog.

Myself, I feed Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach, which isn't considered to be the absolute best but is still a good food, many allergy dogs do well on it, and my old one gets that mixed with Blue Buffalo canned salmon dinner once a day to help encourage her to eat. She has allergies to a lot of things and I have found that this combination works well for her.

I also like the Taste of the Wild foods for dogs who do well on grain free but find Innova too hard to handle. It comes in several different meat varieties for those who have picky dogs.

 

[Jenn]

I feed my doberman Nutro Ultra, I believe. Can't recall exactly as I've thrown away the bag and have the food stored in a bin. I thought it was a pretty good brand but am always willing to go with something better. My dog has a very sensitive stomach, and I actually only feed him half of the dry, and make my own food for him to mix in with it. I make brown rice, burger (drained of all fat, but the vet had suggested chicken breast), sweet potato, mixed veggies, and yogurt. He does well on this diet, has a great coat, but if I feed him too much of the dry he gets diahrea and bad gas. I noticed on the ingredients list that the crude protein varied from 22%-42% so I called the vet who said that the protein should be kept at the low end - 22%. Otherwise, I think I'll transition him to the Blue brand #1 and see how he does on that. Hopefully the cat Blue brand is equally good and I'll switch them over as well. Sometimes it is hard to know how to read the ingredients and to really know what is best for our pets.