Dry DOG Food ???

[TCJatko]

I feed my five Iams in the green bag and normally add some canned dog food and warm water to soften it somewhat and allow it to swell (veterinarian recommendation to avoid gastric torsion). All five look and act healthy, with shiny coats and high energy levels. I guess the real trick is to find something the dogs will eat and do well on, and stick with it. Switching diets tends to produce upset stomachs. In the past, I tried the senior versions of Iams (less fats, apparently) but their coats always looked dull.

Addendum: From you post: "The 2 girls eat about 100 pounds a month + another 50 or so pounds if I get a new big dog. The girls never know hunger as there is always food in their dishes & the eat when ever they want. Very busy & active girls, mother is almost skinny & daughter husky, neither fat."

My five (four roughly 75 lb each, one about 50) eat about 100 lb per month in total. Your figure of 100 lb per month for two 40 lb dogs seems high in comparison. Perhaps much of the food you're buying isn't digestible (useable) to the dogs?

 

[dave1949]

On a recent visit home to NW Ohio, I had occasion to be in Leipsic. Lots of corn and soybeans grown in that area.

There is a huge bioethanol refinery there (One of 27 POET refineries: POET - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).

Next door to POET, and sharing the same rail line spur, is another good sized building. The sign out front says P & G (Procter & Gamble) and below that, "Eukanuba and Iams."

It makes a person wonder just what products those two places share, if any.

 

[TCJatko]

On a recent visit home to NW Ohio, I had occasion to be in Leipsic. Lots of corn and soybeans grown in that area.

There is a huge bioethanol refinery there (One of 27 POET refineries: POET - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).

Next door to POET, and sharing the same rail line spur, is another good sized building. The sign out front says P & G (Procter & Gamble) and below that, "Eukanuba and Iams."

It makes a person wonder just what products those two places share, if any.

One of the ingredients in Iams is corn, I imagine the waste from that goes to the ethanol plant.

 

[dave1949]

One of the ingredients in Iams is corn, I imagine the waste from that goes to the ethanol plant.

http://www.agrilabs.com/t-BHWA-EthanolCoProducts.aspx

Animal feed, "corn gluten meal" is a valued by-product of corn ethanol production. I'm thinking the direction "waste" goes would be the other way around.

 

[IXLR8]

Another Taste of the Wild user here, buffalo/venison, from TSC as they are about the cheapest we can find it here. We have tried Canadae and Science Diet. Our dog is happiest with the TotW, least amount of gastrointestinal issues.

 

[dmccarty]

The wifey was feeding our dog a variety of expensive dog foods we bought from a specialty pet store. The store closed so we ended feeding the dog a raw meat diet. We buy meat on sale and go to a butcher shop that saves scraps for dog food. The dog certainly is healthy and the volume of her poop is MUCH less even with the good quality food we were feeding her.

Price is about the same or a bit less for the raw meat. Usually the dog is fed pig or beef but she also gets cheap canned salmon when it goes on sale.

Later,
Dan

 

[EarPlug]

Switched to Blue Buffalo Grain Free. One of our female dogs had urinary incontinence and was on medication. Switched to Grain Free and problem gone.

The cheap foods are "nutritionally acceptable" according to the "standards" but are really all bulk. While the quality foods seems expensive you actually feed much less so the cost per serving is not that much different. The quality foods are processed in the body much better and you will notice it when cleaning the back yard.

Also, be aware of the Caloric value you are feeding. A couch potato needs much less calories that a working/hunting dog.

 

[coobie]

I would like to hear what you feed your dogs & would you recommend it.

I currently have 2 girl dogs about 40 pounds each, My big girl died about 5 months ago & I would like to have another big dog. Some where in the 100 pound range.

Been up & down the internet looking & just about every recommended food is something I've never heard of.

Currently feeding food called Old yeller & one called Apptito, one from Kroger & the other from the local feed store. 1 has corn as its first ingredient then wheat & the other Wheat then corn, then meat "Products.

The 2 girls eat about 100 pounds a month + another 50 or so pounds if I get a new big dog. The girls never know hunger as there is always food in their dishes & the eat when ever they want. Very busy & active girls, mother is almost skinny & daughter husky, neither fat.

I was thinking maybe add 1, 50# bag of food that has meat first on the ingredients list.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

You need to research HERE.Dog and Cat Food, Treats, and Supplies | Free Shipping at Chewy.com We feed blue buffalo or taste of wild.

 

[kenmac]

I buy from the local feed store. I couldn't tell you what's in it...All I know is it's 21% protein . Coon dog seems to like it.. She doesn't complain

 

[DuckSlayer1017]

Another vote for taste of the wild. Look for the first ingredient to be a protein, the best grain is rice.