Dry Dog food

I use an absolute mulch, Jollyes own brand fish and rice, with raw days (usually turkey drumsticks from Asda) and supplemented with tuna, sardines, eggs, natural yoghurt or a culture grown in milk that I prepare at home, which is pretty much the same thing.
Reason being, my dog is 'hot blooded' cannot tolerate high protein levels in dry food and he takes all his coat off and scratches til he bleeds.
It is the only dry food that he is stable on.

In an ideal world I would feed Arden Grange as it was designed for German Shepherds by GSD breeders and it is a good food IMO.
Or Skinners Duck and Rice as a cheaper alternative.
Or best of all, feed raw. Sensitive sod!!!!!

I am sure Bakers works for some dogs but if you look at all the colours and additives, and how many dogs seem to be overweight and hyperactive on it, it's can't be a coincidence.
As I said, just because the company has a big advertising budget, doesn't mean it is a good food.
 
I don't, generally speaking, but keep a bag of Fish4Dogs on hand for situations that aren't raw-friendly (travelling, overnight stays, durable pocket treats, spoiling my friend's dog).

She's intolerant of wheat and, to a lesser extent, rice and maize. Though not whole raw maize, for some reason. :confused: But basically anything grain based results in awful diarrhoea.
 
CaveCanem said:
I use an absolute mulch, Jollyes own brand fish and rice, with raw days (usually turkey drumsticks from Asda) and supplemented with tuna, sardines, eggs, natural yoghurt or a culture grown in milk that I prepare at home, which is pretty much the same thing.
Reason being, my dog is 'hot blooded' cannot tolerate high protein levels in dry food and he takes all his coat off and scratches til he bleeds.
It is the only dry food that he is stable on.

In an ideal world I would feed Arden Grange as it was designed for German Shepherds by GSD breeders and it is a good food IMO.
Or Skinners Duck and Rice as a cheaper alternative.
Or best of all, feed raw. Sensitive sod!!!!!

I am sure Bakers works for some dogs but if you look at all the colours and additives, and how many dogs seem to be overweight and hyperactive on it, it's can't be a coincidence.
As I said, just because the company has a big advertising budget, doesn't mean it is a good food.
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I'd love to feed raw but twice when I fed raw chicken my JRT x was very ill, heaven knows why but it's too much of a coincidence. The only raw he tolerates (and likes) is mince. But I'd like to feed Kibble? dry food aswell as he cant eat mince every day! so just wondered which is the best one to feed.
 
Mac, 11yrs old Lab and Ronnie, 8yrs old retriever are on wafcol senior
Pixel, my 4 month old cocker spaniel puppy, is on Royal Canin Medium Junior.
I tried to get her onto james wellbeloved but she went on hunger strike and with her eye problems (growth of optic nerve and actual eye) I couldn't risk her not getting everything and it works for her.

Every dogs different really, Ronnie can't tolerate James wellbelloved for some reason and I wouldn't risk him being on raw again with his neuropathy

Mac has a very sensitive stomach poos everywhere on anything other than Wafcol, Raw or Royal Canin. He has the same as Ronnie to make sure he gets level amounts due to poor bone density in one of his hip replacements.

Don't really like using Royal Canin because of the wheat but Pixel is really good on it. May try to change foods when she's older and less fussy :)

Elle
 
deicinmerlyn said:
I'd love to feed raw but twice when I fed raw chicken my JRT x was very ill, heaven knows why but it's too much of a coincidence. The only raw he tolerates (and likes) is mince. But I'd like to feed Kibble? dry food aswell as he cant eat mince every day! so just wondered which is the best one to feed.
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My bitch doesn't do great on raw either! Different issue though, nearly always ends in a puke or runs-fest.
Bloody nightmares, the pair of them :p
I know a few people who feed mince as the main meal, it's definitely not the worst thing you could be feeding, even if for only a couple of days a week.
 
My pug ended up with an ear infection, gooey eyes and itchy skin on raw food. So we feed Taste of the Wild, grain-free salon formula. He does fine with sardines, eggs and sheep yoghurt, so I add those to his food, as well as blueberries and kale. Over this way (US) you can get the dehydrated versions of raw food. My Boston gets Nature's Variety lamb patties when we're at home, and the dehydrated version when we travel.
 
I feed James Wellbeloved or Burns.

My dogs stools are hard, their coats gleam, their eyes bright and teeth clean. I think the results speak for themselves!!
 
prosefullstop said:
I gave it seven weeks. I thought that was plenty of time to adjust. Maybe I'm wrong, but his ears were practically spouting wax by that point.
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Haha poor prince.

Abe was like it for almost 3 months and i was just about to give up but then one day it was like he totally changed.

Now he just got over an ear infection from being fed kibble for 2 weeks :)
 
I feed Acana, which is grain free and contain 60% meat. It's the only thing that doesn't give him explosive diarrhoea! I haven't the freezer space for raw, and this works so we're sticking with it.
He gets tuna and sardines in oil as a extra treat on top of his dinner, and Ziwipeak dog treats, which are all air dried meat and seafood. He's currently being entertained by a deer hoof!! :D
By going grain free he has put on weight(he was a skinny rake before!), calmed down no end and has the most beautiful coat! :)
 
katielou_houston said:
Haha poor prince.

Abe was like it for almost 3 months and i was just about to give up but then one day it was like he totally changed.

Now he just got over an ear infection from being fed kibble for 2 weeks :)
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Maybe we'll give it another go. They've just finished a carton of this http://www.answerspetfood.com/additional.html and I'm pleased to say that Prince suffered no adverse affects. It's bizarre that he tolerates goat and sheep dairy well but meat, chicken especially, turns him into a hive-ridden monster.
 
prosefullstop said:
Maybe we'll give it another go. They've just finished a carton of this http://www.answerspetfood.com/additional.html and I'm pleased to say that Prince suffered no adverse affects. It's bizarre that he tolerates goat and sheep dairy well but meat, chicken especially, turns him into a hive-ridden monster.
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Abe can't do chicken. Most of his diet is turkey. Although he can tolerate chicken livers.
 
katielou_houston said:
I don't.

But if i did it would probably be Taste of the wild or orijen because they are grain free and have actual meat in them.
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I was just reading a review on orijen earlier and the reviewers loved it saying that it is 80% meat and 20% fruits and vegetables and the meat is high quality. The same reviewers wrote about Bakers that they couldn't believe that it could even be called dog food ...

Katielou - I've never heard of Bakers over here but it was an American review I was reading. Is it one you can buy in a supermarket? I've don't remember seeing it in Petsmart, etc.
 
Galupy said:
I was just reading a review on orijen earlier and the reviewers loved it saying that it is 80% meat and 20% fruits and vegetables and the meat is high quality. The same reviewers wrote about Bakers that they couldn't believe that it could even be called dog food ...

Katielou - I've never heard of Bakers over here but it was an American review I was reading. Is it one you can buy in a supermarket? I've don't remember seeing it in Petsmart, etc.
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I have no idea if you can buy it here but its the equivalent of kibbles and bits.
 
I feed Dr Johns silver medal now with some Naturediet.

My staffie has had numerous stomach and skin problems and is also a fussy eater :rolleyes: We have tried many different foods including Eukanuba, JWB, Royal Canin, Autarky and most recently Orijen.

The Orijen was the best and most favoured until we stayed at OH's and his dogs had Dr Johns - Kc pushed a GSD off her dinner and tried with the Lab (like that worked!!). I then trialled her for nearly 3 weeks at home, OH's and the dog sitters with both foods - a bowl of each was put down (different bowls, different places etc) and everytime the Dr Johns was eaten :eek:

I have to admit for an extremely cheap food she is looking fab, weight good, no itchy's, great toilets and looks forward to meal times! I do add some Naturediet a few times a week to increase the quality though :o
 
I feed my lurcher girlie Arden Grange with some wet meat or fish mixed in, she really likes mashed potato stirred through her biscuits too and it encourages her to eat the dry stuff not just pick off the tasty bits! She looks great and her coat is really shiny. I continued to feed her AG as I got her from the Dogs Trust earlier this year and that is what they feed there. She is my first dog and I am obviously quite novice and am therefore finding this post (and others!) really interesting. My dog loves raw bones on the rare occasions we manage to get them from the butcher. I was then told by others that they always cook the bones before feeding! I have tried mine on one of those roasted bones from the pet shop and she is not interested at all!
 
Popple has Healthy Options bicuits, and Fraggle has James Welbeloved puppy food - in truth though, they both eat both.

They have this with Wainwrights meat, but also home cooked liver and mince, plus often eggs and tuna. Everyone comments on how shiny they are :)
 
Hopefully this is not seen as advertising.... (other stockists do supply - partners pets for one and I think Scampers do as well) but we've just got http://www.k9natural.co.nz/ this product in. Herman adores the little bits he's been allowed to have and while I am fully sold on the benefits etcetc, for a big dog it's just too expensive for me. I have 100% recall with the treats as well (although, to be fair I haven't tried them with other dogs about yet). If you had a smaller dog (say, under 15kg) then it works out to be about 80p a day (I think!!).

Because I'm mean and won't sell a kidney to pay for his dog food, Herman gets Royal Canin Maxi Sensible mixed with a quarter of a tray of Natures Harvest. He looks good on it and his ear-issues have cleared up since going onto that.
 
My springer was fed bakers before we rehomed her, I've tried others, JWB, F4dogs, she doesn't like it when the kibble is all the same.

Does anyone know of a food that has similar shapes as Bakers but healthy ?
 
kirstyl said:
I feed my lurcher girlie Arden Grange with some wet meat or fish mixed in, she really likes mashed potato stirred through her biscuits too and it encourages her to eat the dry stuff not just pick off the tasty bits! She looks great and her coat is really shiny. I continued to feed her AG as I got her from the Dogs Trust earlier this year and that is what they feed there. She is my first dog and I am obviously quite novice and am therefore finding this post (and others!) really interesting. My dog loves raw bones on the rare occasions we manage to get them from the butcher. I was then told by others that they always cook the bones before feeding! I have tried mine on one of those roasted bones from the pet shop and she is not interested at all!
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I didnt realise the Dog's Trust feed AG - makes me like it even more. I've fed it to dog and cats. I like the sourcing of the meat content amongst other things.

The raw bones keep the teeth so good but are hard to get, and those marrow cooked bones if they like them. A dog here keeps a stack of them in her box and picks one out for a re-chew when she feels like it - bit like dog chewing gum!!
 
Mines on the 'Natural Dog Food Company' - not the cheapest, but a little goes a long way as not full of fillers and rubbish (wheat, soya, dairy & maize free etc).
http://www.naturaldogfoodcompany.com/
Natural, Holistic and Hypoallergenic, and uses human grade meat.
Owned and run by a really nice couple.
I had a disaster with James Wellbeloved (chronic sickness & the runs), and they were ever so helpful.
Arden Grange was going to be my 2nd choice, but my Labs tummy settle so well on this we never looked back
 
NOISYGIRL said:
My springer was fed bakers before we rehomed her, I've tried others, JWB, F4dogs, she doesn't like it when the kibble is all the same.

Does anyone know of a food that has similar shapes as Bakers but healthy ?
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I don't think it's the varied kibble that will be keeping her interested (although it may be helping!) but the fact that Bakers tastes good to them! A bit like a child being fed on junk food constantly, they would turn there nose up at a healthy meal and demand chips!
I'd stick at it with the 'healthier' dog food or if you have the freezer space what about raw? Tuna always seems to tempt fussy eaters, so try mixing that in with her grub. Good luck! :D
 
For fussy dogs I just mix a handful of salmon Skinners with the basic duck one.
I also keep naturediet handy as well as bones & lamb in the freezer.

Wafcol salmon and potato is a good itchy dog standby or treat food.
 
kirstyhen said:
I don't think it's the varied kibble that will be keeping her interested (although it may be helping!) but the fact that Bakers tastes good to them! A bit like a child being fed on junk food constantly, they would turn there nose up at a healthy meal and demand chips!
I'd stick at it with the 'healthier' dog food or if you have the freezer space what about raw? Tuna always seems to tempt fussy eaters, so try mixing that in with her grub. Good luck! :D
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Ok thanks, I wish they did trial packs so you can see which one they like without spending a 10er.

She has sardines in the morning, and JWB sachet in the eve, we just leave the dry food down if she feels hungary through the day, she doesn't always eat it.

She's just running out of the bakers now, everyones put me off it. I just don't know which ones to try :-(

Nobody seems to have mentioned BURNS, is that any good ?

The salmon and potato one might be a good one, will have a look on tinternet
 
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