Healthy Option vs James Wellbeloved?

[zeb]

I have a three year old golden labrador and i am thinking about swapping from James Wellbeloved to Healthy Option, for numerous reasons:

1. its cheaper
2. it is full of natural ingredients
3. i have read that it reduces coat shedding (good as my lab is constantly shedding and it does my head in)
4. Reduces bodies toxins
5. and APPARENTLY reduces the smell of their poo's and makes them go less and the rubbish that goes in has to come out.

Can you please advice me on your experiences of which ones you have used?

Much appreciated

 

[Shipley]

i swapped onto james welbeloved from bakers as its healthier (sp) and its meant to reduce the smell and I certaintly have noticed a difference not heard of heathy option so no help on that one I am afraid

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Have used JWB in the past - and still do when I when I get a 20kg sack for a fiver!!

- but have swapped to Skinners. Is basically the same - gluten free etc - but is cheaper and also VAT free as is for working dogs.

 

[zeb]

[ QUOTE ]
Have used JWB in the past - and still do when I when I get a 20kg sack for a fiver!!

- but have swapped to Skinners. Is basically the same - gluten free etc - but is cheaper and also VAT free as is for working dogs.

[/ QUOTE ]

a 20kg bag for £5!!!???

my god, how come? can you get anymore for that price?

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

No - it was 2 sacks that had just gone out of date

!! The dogs didn't notice though.........

 

[competitiondiva]

never heard of healthy option.. I swopped from JWB to autarky as also hypoallergenic. How much is the healthy option? do they do a mature dog diet?

 

[KarynK]

Very sceptical about the association with the claims, they are almost a direct lift from Ian Billingshurst's book on raw feeding, but I fail to see how a processed food can make those claims, it might contain better quality ingredients than most and therefore be better than some brands, but at the end of the day it is a cooked highly processed food that comes in biscuit form, but then when you look closely there are a lot of coulds and implied associations in that wording!!!!!

There is no way a that rice (listed first and I am thinking is the main ingredient possibly) is in any way a natural food for dogs, it’s a bulk to make the food affordable instead of the wheat used in other brands, likewise the Maize and peas all high in carbohydrates that a carnivore has not evolved to eat as a staple of their diet. Protien is expensive especially quality protein, if this food contained the amounts fed by those like myself that feed raw, then it would be very expensive. This food also has a shelf life so it will have preservatives and stabilisers that stop the fat seeping out in storage.

On raw meat and bones I can feed two cattle dogs for a month on a species appropriate natural diet, buying left overs of human grade from the Butcher for around £15, no additives of any kind and no need for supplements and I see all the health benefits listed.

 

[Puppy]

Ahh, this is the dog food that I've been trying to recommend on here for ages, but recently have not been able to find a link to

"Healthy Option" dog food (assuming you mean this one: http://www.muckypupz.com/page/healthy_option_pet_food), as it's now known, I gave to my old dog (Puppy - my namesake) and I truly believe that it gave her another year + of life - I have no doubt about that

She was *very* *very* sensitive with her digestion in the last 18 month of her life, and thanks to the recommendation of my local feed merchant, this gave us so much more time and happy memories

Popple (my young, little dog) hasn't even half finished the bag of JWB junior biscuits I have in the cupboard which I bought *many* months ago, and used to mix with her Wainwrights meat...

She far preferred the healthy option biscuits I used to buy for Puppy and we fed her the rest of those after Puppy died... I have now got a bag of wainwright biscuits, which Pops loves

but I am very tempted to buy her a bag of this next as I couldn't believe the magic it worked with Puppy

I have also known friend who have bought this for their eldery labs, and had magic results. Certainly a product that I would recommend

 

[Kizi_Wizz]

I feed both my lab and Lagotto Romagnolo on JWB. They both seem to like it!

My mothe rin law feed the sister and mother of my lab on Waggs and what ever cheap brand is on sale at the whole saler at the time.... plus all the fat and drippings from the family cooking.

Both her dogs have dull coats and poor itchy skin... The sister is quite lean and has a few issues, and the mother is as fat as a house!!! Although they are both out all day and active.

MY friend put her lab on JWB and that stopped his itchy skin with in a month.

I dont know a huge amount about dog nutrition but i know that my dogs (Who get no more bathing and brushing than my mother in laws) look a million dollars, and are very healthy (vet check).
Im very pleased as they both are a good weight and happy.

My other half ran out of JWB when i was away for a few days so picked up some butchers at the petrol station on the way home! I have never seen two more hyper out of control dogs in my life!!! Butchers in now banned in our house! lol

 

[millimoo]

My Lab ended up with chronic diarrhoea on JWB Puppy.
She became completely intollerant on it, although she was originally put on it to move her off Chudleys (she came from the breeders on it).
It took about 8 weeks for her to become intollerant, and I know it was the JWB as once recovered and re-introduced it only took 1/2 a day and an inch in a cup to set her off again.
She's now on the 'Natural Dog Food Company' - recognised by the Holistic Society etc. She can also stomach Burns.

 

[BBH]

I swapped onto JWB from Bakers after advice on here about my dogs poor skin. I have also bought some pooch and mutt biotic biotin and aloe vera gel but its too early to say if its making a difference. He eats it all up though which is good.

 

[zeb]

thanks for all your replies. Sorry I can't remember the cost perg, i just remember working out that over a long period of time it would become <font color="red"> significantly </font> cheaper!!!

 

[Minxie]

i also feed my GS on raw meat - although didn't think of getting it from the butcher so its a bit pricey. BUT i'm constantly amazed as to how tiny her poop is. Granted it honks but she passes so little its no hassle to pick up at all. i'm assuming its because there is no bulking agent in it as such. I'm worried that now she's older she's getting too much protein but aside from our scare with her hips yesterday, she is in fantastic shape and has never ever had an issue with her digestion / coat etc.

 

[Annette4]

JWB is the only think my dog isn't obese on. He was fed under the RDA on bakers and was 4kg over weight despite our best exercising efforts. I've not heard of Healthy Option but I'd be interested in hearing from someone who's fed it to a dog prone to weight gain.