Can anyone recommend a good dried food please

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Nelliebelly

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I have always fed my two border collies who are 11 and 9 on Bakers Complete and it has suited them quite well but a friend recently told me that nutritionally it's not the best. I was quite surprised when I looked a little closer - only 4% meat content, mainly cereal and a good sprinkling of chemicals! I'm looking for something that has as few artificial additives as possible and a higher meat content but that's not ridiculously expensive. Wheat free might also be a good idea as one dog has a skin condition (I'll do a separate post on that one as I need more advice!) and the vet said it may be worth trying her with a wheat free diet. I spent this morning browsing different foods but I'm really confused now. I looked at a couple that seemed to be what I was looking for but they were working dog blends and I'm worried that they would make the dogs totally hyper! Any advice gratefully received
 
I feed my mini schnauzer on Burns feed. It's a natural one developed by a vet. Good for her as she can't have too much protein and it has the least protein of most foods.
 
I forgot to tell you about oscars when I spoke to you earlier....they deliver too so you would nt have to visit the nasty retail park...lol.x
 
Mine have James Wellbeloved which is wheat free and natural. At one point they stopped eating it and I swapped to Burns which is a very similar formulation but they stopped eating that too so now they're back on JW with a mashed sardine in oil to make it really tasty. In hindsight I think it was only the hot weather that affected their appetites.
 
Oscars dog food.....you pilchard. lol. Its ok we do know each other!
They come round in a little van and deliver your food and stuff. Will find the number if your interested.
 
Oh no! We have used Bakers since we found that one of our dogs had a wheat allergy - I hate having to source something new
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Bakers is handy because of the size of the packs and the fact that I can get it with the weekly shopping in the supermarket
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At our dog training group, we were told that dried food such as Bakers (which I have used in the past) is full of chemicals, colouring, and not much else! Makes dogs hyper, they reckon! They recommend Oscars, which I have used, but it is quite expensive. I now use Autarky Spring (for puppies and "junior dogs" - love that term!) and Summer (for adults), having a Springer, Retriever and Munsterlander between the ages of of 15 weeks and 2 years. I always check the labels of anything new to see what the protein levels are. My neighbour feeds her dog on tinned meat, which our training classes really frown upon. Could this be the reason why she has lost two collies, both to cancer, at the relatively young ages of 9 and 10??? I use James Wellbeloved for my cats and the woman who bred our 15 week old Munsterland used Burns (although I can't get it locally). Autarky has added herbs and is gluten free, as is Oscars. I also add fresh meat to their biscuits (which I soak before feeding) on a fairly regular basis. I buy Oscar treats as we have an Oscar stockist opposite the stable yard. Expensive, but healthy!
 
My last dog had itchy skin and a delicate stomach. We found James Wellbeloved Lamb and Rice was excellent for him.
Its also cheaper than Science diet and Iams.

Penny
 
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JW with a mashed sardine in oil to make it really tasty

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Thats exactly what minnie has, we tried loads and this has worked out best of all, and she doesnt have lethal farts with it - got to be a good thing!
 
Both ours are on the Tesco version of Bakers. One collie and one spaniel....I can assure you it doesnt make them hyperactive and they are both very, very healthy.
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My mum fed their BC on Bakers for years and she developed a skin condition. Switched to burns (when I told her what I had found out about bakers) and the skin cleared up...

I think you can also feed JWB as this is good or a wet food like naturediet of forthglade?

Just look at the ingredients on the bags of food - avoid anything with meat derivatives - look for low protein (Oscars and nutro choice both quite high protien i think - which would be bad if your dog hyper? Burns is Protein 18.5% but Oscars is 30% protein in the lamb one).

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Nelliebelly, Oscars doesn't have high protein levels (unless you go for the working dog variety) which is why it's recommended at our dog training classes. My Springer didn't really seem much different on Oscars (energy-wise, I have no doubts it is healthier than something like Bakers, which is full of artifical colourings). As I said in my earlier post, I now use Autarky, which is gluten free and has added herbs. It's protein levels are similar to Oscars, but it is a lot cheaper. I often add cooked or raw meat to it, which our dogs love.
 
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I feed my mini schnauzer on Burns feed. It's a natural one developed by a vet. Good for her as she can't have too much protein and it has the least protein of most foods.

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I feed my mini schnauzer on Burns too, the breeder said she swears by the stuff and nutritionally it's the best. Puppy seems very happy on it
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I feed my Weimaraner and Boxer on Chudleys original. My weimaraner is 12 years of age and i find Chudleys keeps her looking really well. Its made by Dodson & Horrell. I fed my Boxer the Nutro choice feed as a puppy and i would recommend this also, they love it!!
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I fed mine on Autarky, but Im just changing to raw meat as of now, nothing wrong with the Autarky though, Amber just wasnt very enthusiatic about it.
 
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Nelliebelly, Oscars doesn't have high protein levels (unless you go for the working dog variety) which is why it's recommended at our dog training classes. My Springer didn't really seem much different on Oscars (energy-wise, I have no doubts it is healthier than something like Bakers, which is full of artifical colourings). As I said in my earlier post, I now use Autarky, which is gluten free and has added herbs. It's protein levels are similar to Oscars, but it is a lot cheaper. I often add cooked or raw meat to it, which our dogs love.

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keeperscottage - not doubting you - but I looked at the Oscars website and the protein was 25% or 30% in the normal dried foods? Which is quite alot higher than the figure I mentioned above for burns... and I also just checked Naturediet - which is 10% protein. Have I looked at the wrong bit of the Oscars site?
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Do you know what the anyalsis of the food is? Would like to know for future ref...

edited to say - I found one dried adult dog food which was 23% protein on their website - which is lower than the other amounts I found.
 
Mine are a bit fussy but they do like the Skinners Field and Trial working dog puppy food.

They've also tried the adult version and enjoyed that as well but the pup is still better on puppy food at the mo so that is what they get. They adore Iams but because the company that own Iams test on animals, I dont feed it to them. Makes me feel funny to feed my dogs something that is linked to animal testing.
 
Blimey, this thread could run and run!

As a nutitional advisor (and specifically for Oscar pet foods) I can tell you that Oscar, Burns, Hills, Royal Canin et al are good foods, JWB doesn't seem to be as well liked as it used to be (and the retail price is now £37.99 which is high for wheat gluten free). Autarky is very good for the price (£16.50 ish), but some cheap wheat free foods will use another cereal such as barley as a filler, so the most important thing you can do for your dog is check the label on the bag. If it doesn't say what is in the food, or the quantities, walk away. A good feed or pet shop should be able to advise you, if not take your business elsewhere! Oscar works as a franchise company, if you open www.oscars.co.uk and put in your postcode, you should find a contact name and number of someone (or the main helpdesk) who can advise and probably visit you to discuss your dogs, and Oscar does not have a hard sell policy, so there is no need to part with any cash!

The law disctates that if a food says it is (for example) chicken and rice, that food must contain a minimum of 4% chicken and 4% rice. Check the labels of most of the supermarket popular brands and you will find this is exactly the case! Wih regard to wet food, again check the labels, most are around 80% moisture - that's 80% water you're paying for! If your dog prefers food moist, add natural yogurt, fabulous for their gut flora, just like us.

If anyone wants more help/info, PM me, I will do my best!
 
fair point about the protein... but then you wouldn't eat steak everyday
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but the dog will eat the same food every day... Also dogs don't work in the same way as people (in terms of metabolism - sure you know that, but others might not)

I've not heard much about Oscars before this thread... have always only been told burns and jwb are the two good dried foods - but as jwb now taken over by Pedigree am not surpirsed the dogs have gone off it
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