is expensive dog food really worth it???

[LABS4ME]

I just can't do the Diamond thing. If you can, great, but I just don't trust them. To have that many dogs die because of their product, nope, can't do it.

Many dogs? Many of the claims were never proven. People try to get in a suit claiming their dog died during the recall or after a recall is over... Not saying there were not a few, but it wasnt wholesle massive 'Monty Python bring out your dead' piles of dead dogs eing carted off. Also, Diamond produces many label's of food. Some are the 'premium' brands. I had a buddy rip me for feeding Diamond and yet his food is produced by Diamond. He has nw switched to Diamond Naturals.

Fromms is great food, no way in h3ll I'm paying $200 a month to feed 3 dogs. I used to feed Fromms, before they became boutique. They were a quality, competitively priced food. Then they decided to come up with odd concoctions like Himalayan Yak - endangered giant Deep Sea scallops with truffle gravy to make their customers feel good. The urban dog owner is a huge segment of that market. Hunting dogs and sled dogs used to be their market. I bought it at the feed mill. Feeding them with food on par with human counterparts was a brilliant marketing idea. I refuse to buy into "use ths food and you can prove you love your dog more than anyone else" mentality that dog food producers are trying to engrained in the market.

There have been recalls on various food from your grocery market, Tylenol, even vehicles etc, yet we will continue purchasing all those.

My dog has a greater risk getting hit by a car (and they are never in the road) or dying from anesthesia during a routine spay / neuter or a snare trap while hunting than from bad dog food. If people are comfortable paying 2.50 a pound for dog food, by all means do so. You definitely should be getting good ingredients. I my self will carry on with Diamond Naturals. Did 10 years of Diamond green bag and now 6 years of Naturals and all dogs look and perform outstanding.

Good Luck!

Ken

[leech~~]

Have you ever seen how they feed a lot of sled dogs up in Alaska. They are some of the best fit dogs in the world and sale for $1,000's. Frozen half rotted fish and other scraps heated up in to a big gruel in a 55gal drum! I don't think you have to feel like you don't love your dog anymore then the next guy if you don't feed it $65 dollar bags of food!

[Todd Caswell]

I'm always trying to find the best value that my dogs do well on, that being said when FF started carrying Diamond I tried it, I was 50 50 two did well on the naturals two didn't, loose stools and ALOT of bad gas ( they all live in the house) The grain free I switched to is a salmon sweet potato blend from Costco, ( made by Diamond) But all four of them do well on it. .82 per pound. I agree I will not pay over a buck per pound, and yes I love my dogs it's all I do.

[Dave S]

I switched my Lab and GSP to Nutro senior formula. Their ages are 7 and 12. My GSP's health has been on the decline for the past few months. Eye sight is going, hearing is going, mind is going. They were on Purina One Lamb and rice. Since the switch to Nutro, the GSP has a little more giddy-up in her step and is far more upbeat than she was a few weeks ago. At the rate she was going downhill, she was going to be put down by the end of this month. Not any more. The change in diet didn't have any effect on the hearing or the sight but the overall mental and physical energy she's displaying is a big improvement.

My Wirehair is on Purina Pro-Plan. He loves the food, has a great coat and is high energy. So far so good.

[Early Riser]

Our 9 year old lab has been eating the Sprout active dog formula (the red bag) from Fleet Farm. It has gone up from about $18 to now over $22 for a 40 pound bag over the last few years. I tried switching her to the Sprout formula for less active dogs (yellow bag) and she was noticeably more lethargic and not as excited about eating it. I think a higher protein ratio is very important for large, active dogs. She typically ranges in weight from 70-75 pounds and we give her 3-4 cups of the dry food a day depending on her other dietary intake.

We give her baby carrots, a little shredded cheese in her dish, after dinner plates, and she is my constant companion when I come home from fishing or when taking apart deer in the garage. I have given her panfish skin, as well as livers and eggs from large fish since she was a puppy. People comment all the time at how her good her coat looks.

A good dog is great to have around camp, up at the cabin, and in the kitchen in general for cleaning off the floor and "pre-washing" all pots and pans. It drove my wife nuts at first, but she has since come a long ways and our dogs have always been very happy! They get plenty of exercise so we never have worried about their weight.

Speaking of eating excrement, our current lab is sometimes very interested in sniffing out and eating goose droppings in the fall, and does like to get into a good patch of certain types of grass now and again. She doesn't seem to bother with the deer droppings.

[DRH1175]

Yes they are worth it. Nutrisource is a great food for a good price. What kinda Purina are you talking here. You definitely get what you pay for in pet food. Cheaper foods substitute grain like corn or soybeans for meat. Grains have very little nutritional benefit to dogs. The cheaper the food the more you will have to feed. Example Nutrisource you will feed 3 cups a day. To get the same nutritional value on a cheap food you may have to feed 5 cups. Not much savings. And what goes in comes out. So as long as scooping [PoorWordUsage] is a hobby go for it.

[LABS4ME]

Like I've been saying, price isn't the only way to pick out quality food. Todd showed he is getting a good grain free food for under .90 cents a pound and I am doing a good grain free food for 70 cents a pound... I can lay all the same claims as these feeding food for 1-2 dollars a pound. 2.5 - 3 cups a day. Good firm stools, nice coats, great health and vigor, long lived, good stamina.

Price is not the only determining factor in quality food vs. low quality food. Price paid per bag is a badge worn by the owners... The dogs have no idea what is being spent. I will seek out the least expensive way to feed the best food value to my dogs. That makes sense to me.

We all make decisions every day where our discretionary income is spent... Mine is not on dog food... It may be for others, but generally the extra dollars spent on expensive food are only for solace to the owners not improved vigor of their dogs.

Good Luck!

Ken

[BLACKJACK]

Labs, I thought that the heartworm medicine that we give once a month also took care of any other worms that they get??

[LABS4ME]

I believe it will cover hookworms and round worms. Unless it has changed it does not over tape worms. I would ask your vet. I know my cats ate mice and baby rabbits, both carriers of tape worms, dogs ate both of their droppings...

If I remember... Tape worm meds work by dissolving the tapeworm. Heartguard paralizes worms but did not affect tapeworms. Been over a decade since I had this talk so maybe a quick call to discuss with your vet will give the proper answer.

Good luck!

Ken

[CANOPY SAM]

This question about dog food is an interesting one. I really, really wonder what type of protein truly goes into "good quality" dog food? I mean, can anyone here honestly say they know?

I know this, I put myself thru my first two years of college working at a turkey processing plant. By the end of each day of processing we had a full length semi trailer filled with primarily feathers, but also heads, feet, guts, blood, and anything else found "Not for human consumption".

This trailer was hauled to the dog food manufacturing plant.

Now I can't say I know that they labeled their dog food as containing turkey meat, as I never have purchased that brand of dog food, but I seriously wonder if the same "ingredients" don't go into other dog food brands...being supplied by other livestock processing plants?

I believe the true amount of pure meat protein going into dog food is extremely questionable. Let's face it, good quality meat at the market isn't cheap! Even the low quality stuff isn't cheap!

So how much pure meat protein do you really believe these manufacturers are feeding our dogs? I'd wager the majority of protein comes from nothing more than powdered bone meal, and other animal byproduct. And that byproduct contains a very low percentage of actual pure meat protein.

Now taking this fact into account, it may not actually be as bad as it initially sounds. Dogs, like any canine, have eaten ALL of the animals they killed for thousands of years, so perhaps some of this processed dog food really isn't all that different then what they would eat in the wild?

[Scott K]

Hmmm, yet they say not to feed your dog turkey??

I know a certain chicken place local to me, has about the same set up. A chicken dies, it gets tossed in a pile for dog food. Not really sure how long they sit in said pile, or truck, before it gets frozen, hauled off, and processed at the dog food plant.

[Gordie]

All I can say is that I went to a higher priced dog food , (because it comes with a higher price) one with no corn in it and it has made a huge difference. My lab has allergies that are food related and the food w/o the corn and other type by products seams to be helping her. I have started to also feed her fish eggs from the pike that I have speared and it has also made a big, big difference.

If She still has problems this spring I am thinking of trying a all meat diet next.

I was also told by a vet that the foods with a high salmon content is good for them too.

[LABS4ME]

I think if it is labeled as chicken meal it has to come from parts of the animal other than head, feet, feathers, bone, blood and organs.... by products are all the rest.

I can pretty much guarantee there is not a truck load of chicken breasts waiting to be ground into dog food, but wing tips, necks, backs, butts all are eesentially useless in the grocery store, yet almost identical to the parts we eat as far as nutrition... that I'm sure is where alot of the meat portion of dog food is derived from. Add in 'meal' which is ground up clean skin/fat from a chicken and the by-products... feathers, organs, head, feet etc.

I actually did a little reading last night on this whole dog food debate. Some of the articles are contrary to what our thoughts as owners are. Cal Poly did a study that shows domestic dogs and their wolf couterparts do not digest food equally. Neither are truely carnivore, both are considered omnivore. Domestic dogs have the ability to digest starch which wolves do not. Surprisingly the study showed corn is a good grain to use and dogs do get multi benefits from it. (fiber, Omega-6, carbs etc) Many new designer foods have potatoes which they concluded are poor sources of carbs for dogs. It went on and on waaay over my head. I ended up clicking on the Purina sight for dog food analysis and see they have some of the same info. What was another eye opener was 94 out of 100 winners at the national dog show this year were fed Purina Pro plan. I used to feed that years ago and can say my dogs did very well on it. It has quite a bit of corn in it. (that is why I chose to leave it) The 1st ingredient though is "chicken". When printed that way it is actual chicken flesh. Not skin, not heads, but chicken meat. The study went on to say that they are now begining to see a new wave of Kidney failures from all the high protein meat based diets on the market. They say domestic dogs are not engineered to handle that much protein going through their systems... All interesting reading. They also went on to say less than 1% of all dogs actually have a grain allergy.

In the end, we form our OPINIONS, then we base our decisions on those, but it is eye opening when those with high degrees in animal studies and nutrition can debunk much of what we believe... I like to think I'm well informed, but find myself believing my own opinions... mayn times probably not true. I think all should use what they like, what they have been having good luck with and take in as much info as possible to formulate future decicions.

Good Luck!

Ken

[wannafish2]

Diamond is not considered a Premium dog food, although it may be perfectly adequate.

The easiest way to explain the difference between a premium food and a non premium dog food is to say it is similar to you eating at Steak and Ale VS McDonalds. While both are able to sustain life, one is preferable over the other when it comes to health.

Premium foods are most cost effective when fed at the recommended meal sizes.

Because of the higher quality ingredients, your pet will eat less of a premium food than a lower quality food. They will also utilize the food better, which translates into less and fewer bowel movements, which means less for you to pick up.

There are many premium foods to choose from, and most will be perfectly fine for your dogs. I have had customers experience the best results when they feed NUTRO brand dog food. NUTRO is made from quality ingredients and is very good for your dog. You will notice improvement in their attentiveness, skin and coat, eyes will be brighter, and your dog will have more energy.

I recommend Nutro to all my dog loving friends. I don't have a dog, but I have worked with many pet food reps and vets and when you talk to people who have changed to Nutro they usually don't change to anything else.

You may be able to find a coupon online to help offset the cost.

Unless your dog needs a RX food, Nutro will be fine.

Again, there are many premium foods to choose from. NUTRO is just the one I have the most success with. I am sure other premium foods are just as good. So to answer your question, YES, premium foods are worth every penny. Just don't over feed. Too many steaks aren't good either. LOL

[DaSwede]

Wow...never said I "loved" my dog more than anyone. I just said I won't feed him Diamond products. I believe I also said, if you do, that's "great." We all do what we think is best for our four-legged friends. Also, if I had three dogs, I would probably also look at alternative foods, but since I have one, and only plan on having one, I will continue to buy Fromm.

I know there are a lot of good foods out there. The OP asked about expensive dog food, and I told him why I feed Fromm. No need to get overly defensive...

[Lunker]

So I've seen mentioned above that there are grain-free products for .80 cents per pound, and .90 per pound. Which brands are we talking about here?

[LABS4ME]

Swede,

Defensive? Nope. My post mirrored yours, just from the other side of the fence. I said if you want to feed 2.50 a pound food by all means carry on. I also said I fed Fromm's for a couple years before they got all wrapped up in designer food. Loved it. It was great food at a great price. I said everything you said, just in the inverse. I think the original OP asked if 'expensive' foods are worth it. I am giving him an alternative to feed good food at a competitive price. I did say if you are paying 2.50 a pound you should be assured of getting good food.

Good Luck!

Ken

[LABS4ME]

Diamond is not considered a Premium dog food, although it may be perfectly adequate.

The easiest way to explain the difference between a premium food and a non premium dog food is to say it is similar to you eating at Steak and Ale VS McDonalds. While both are able to sustain life, one is preferable over the other when it comes to health.

Premium foods are most cost effective when fed at the recommended meal sizes.

Because of the higher quality ingredients, your pet will eat less of a premium food than a lower quality food. They will also utilize the food better, which translates into less and fewer bowel movements, which means less for you to pick up.

There are many premium foods to choose from, and most will be perfectly fine for your dogs. I have had customers experience the best results when they feed NUTRO brand dog food. NUTRO is made from quality ingredients and is very good for your dog. You will notice improvement in their attentiveness, skin and coat, eyes will be brighter, and your dog will have more energy.

I recommend Nutro to all my dog loving friends. I don't have a dog, but I have worked with many pet food reps and vets and when you talk to people who have changed to Nutro they usually don't change to anything else.

You may be able to find a coupon online to help offset the cost.

Unless your dog needs a RX food, Nutro will be fine.

Again, there are many premium foods to choose from. NUTRO is just the one I have the most success with. I am sure other premium foods are just as good. So to answer your question, YES, premium foods are worth every penny. Just don't over feed. Too many steaks aren't good either. LOL

Your basis on what is and what isn't a premium food is based on what? fact or opinion?

Diamond Naturals ing list:

Chicken, chicken meal, whole grain brown rice, white rice, cracked pearled barley, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), oatmeal, beet pulp, egg product, flaxseed, natural chicken flavor, fish meal, potassium chloride, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid

NUTRO list:

Chicken Meal, Ground Whole Wheat, Wheat Flour, Ground Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Rice Bran, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols), Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Natural Flavors, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), L-Carnitine, Potassium Iodide, Copper Sulfate, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Manganous Oxide, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of Vitamin B1), Vitamin A Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B6), Riboflavin Supplement (source of Vitamin B2), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid.

I don't call Diamond a 'premium' food. I call it a good food at a great price. It starts with chicken (whole meat)as it's first ingredient. No corn or wheat... and from there mirrors up with Nutro.

I can lay all the rest of the claims as far as health of my dogs too and for waaaay less than a dollar a pound.

Good Luck!

Ken

[LABS4ME]

Lunker,

Diamond Naturals chicken and rice. Maynerds is $28.00 a 40lb bag.

Good Luck!

Ken

[Todd Caswell]

Lunker,

Costco, salmon/sweet potato and Turkey/sweet potato both grain free 29.99 35# bag..

[Todd Caswell]

Hmmm, yet they say not to feed your dog turkey??

I know a certain chicken place local to me, has about the same set up. A chicken dies, it gets tossed in a pile for dog food. Not really sure how long they sit in said pile, or truck, before it gets frozen, hauled off, and processed at the dog food plant.

Where did you hear or read that turkey was bad for dogs???

[setterguy]

Is running sea foam through all your engines every fall worth it...to me its the same question. Some guys dont bother and have never had a problem. To them its probably not worth the time and energy...some guys like me will have a problem with every motor I own if not taken care of properly so I do the preventative stuff. Same goes for my dogs, I feed TOTW and have been very impressed. I switched to a different grain free brand about a year ago and the shedding became too much. My 46lb male who runs 5-10 miles a day with my wife gets 1 1/4 cup twice a day and looks like a million bucks. Rock hard stools and clear eyes and teeth are clean. If you have a cheaper option that works for you, say thanks. To me I've found something that works and I'm sticking with it.

[leechlake]

"if a chicken dies it gets put in a pile for dog food"

I worked for years for a company that sold truckloads and railcar loads of items to feed companies; cattle feed, hog feed, pet food etc.

any entity of any size at all isn't going to deal with a single cow or hog let alone a single bird. They are buying 44,000 pound truckloads of chicken meal or larger or any ingredient put in their food. Theses entities can't just put whatever they want into feed. Yes, the standard is lower, many dog food ingredients are "non-edible" grades of ingrediants meaning not for human consumption standards. Luckily canines aren't human even though mine sleep on a couch!

[natertater83]

I always fed my dogs science diet which was expensive so I figured it was great food, I then did some research and found that if the first ingredient was corn meal and not some form of meat it was not very good. so I switched to Costco brand dog for. $32.00 for a 35lb bag and the dogs love it. less [PoorWordUsage], coats are better, less gas. and they seem to have more energy. Everyone is going to tell you this or that dog food is the best, it really comes down to what you want for your dog and what you want to spend!! if people saw how and what cattle and pigs were fed people would never eat them. cardboard, plastic, anything that gets thrown into the grinder gets fed to the animals and they eat it. Probably no worse then humans drinking soda and putting tobacco into our systems.

[nofishfisherman]

I don't think there is any solid answer to the question. Its all up to the individual dog. We all have heard stories about some dog that ate nothing but the cheapest grocery store brand that was mostly saw dust, corn, and chicken feet and the dog ended up living to 104, and we've all heard the stories of a dog that made some miraculous turnaround after switching to one of the higher priced foods.

Truth is each dog is different just like all people are different. For some reason I can eat anything I want and not gain a pound while maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. Then there are people who eat nothing but salads and lean protein and they struggle with poor health everyday.

Does a good diet help? Sure it does. But what gains are you really seeing is a hard question to answer. I know I've had my vizsla on a few different foods and finally settled on Nurta Source Grain Free and he's done great on it and I'd saw I've seen an improvement. Now will this relate to longer life or better quality of life? I don't know and there's really no way I ever will know since to compare effectively I'd have to have an exact replica of my dog and feed it nothing but low end food.

In the end the only important thing is that you find a food that your dog does well on, whatever food that may be. Only suggestion I'd make it to make sure that there is as little filler as possible in the food. No reason to pay for something that doesn't do anything for the dog, just a waste of money.