Best complete dry food for an elderly Lab?

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MizElz

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Our old girl, China, looks considerably older than her years
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We bred from her when she was 5, and it all went horribly wrong, although we did everything by the book. The whole thing aged her so much, and at 11, she's getting very elderly, to the point that when we move house the dogs will no longer sleep upstairs, as China cannot manage the stairs any more. Recently, she's been looking very poor - her coat is horrendous, and whilst she isnt thin at all, she is lacking general condition - she's wasted away over her hips in particular. At present, she and daughter Dinnie are on a bog-basic working dog mix from Jollyes/Toomers - I think it's about £7.99 for a big bag. They've always been fine on it, but now we're thinking that China needs a little bit more - so what are your recommendations for not-too-expensive senior dog foods? Most people we've spoken to have recommended Beta Senior - China was actually on Beta Light when she had the pups, and did very well on it, so it might be the way to go! But we dont want to pay the earth - some dog food prices these days are just ridiculous
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Do you have any Kennelgate stores near you? If so, we use their bog standard working dog complete for all 13 of ours and they look brilliant on it. They have it ad lib and never overstuff themselves, even the pups love it and I've never seen their coats and skin look so well. It's something like £7.50 a bag.
Chappie Complete is also a very good one and likely to be better value than Beta.
You could try adding some rock sulphur to her water and giving a sulphur tablet each day; it is known as a good skin cleanser, also a knob of butter/marg in whatever you feed will help with the coat.
On the other hand, you could spoil her with a tin and meal each day.
I take it her teeth are in good shape?
 
As our german shepherd dog aged we changed her onto a feed for dogs with sensitive digestion and it gave her a whole new lease of life. A lot of manufactures make such a feed. We use Burgess Supadog but at 14 years old we are calling it a day and when the colt is gelded next month she will be pts at the same time as her quality of life is going fast now.
 
There dont seem to be any Kennelgate stores even remotely close!
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The sulphur idea is a good one though - she is on cod liver oil at the moment too. Her teeth are fine too, so she isnt having problems physically eating, which I guess is the main thing! Neither of them get meat as it just goes straight through them - and interestingly, we have had them on Chappie (and Pedigree Chum) before and both made them very farty! China often has an egg or some gravy in her tea as a treat though
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When you look at all the dogs foods in the store you go to, just be aware of the protein content. Both my dogs are working so they have a high protein content but this would be unsuitable for an elderly dog.

Peronsally I would go with the Beta, I have fed it before and was very pleased with it. I would also add a little bit of oil for the joints and coat.
 
Hi, my Lab is 13 now and has suddenly seemed to get old in the last year. Not wanting to go for walks etc just happily plonking aroung the garden. I had her on a senior diet but I was advised to pop her back onto a adult feed again for more energy and she is doing great. Ok, still only pootles around but seems happy and looks great and now comes down the road with me again. She is on James Wellbelloved now but was on cheap and chearfull Bakers for years and survived!
 
I highly recommend Beta. I've had three dogs on it now, from puppy through to senior and all have done really well. I went off onto other feeds once, Burns and James Wellbeloved and found they still did better on Beta (better on Beta
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, I'm a poet). It is middle of the range price-wise too. Certainly adding a little oil will help her coat also.
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