Nutritional analysis of dog food, to change food or not?

Twizzel

Twizzel

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Can anyone explain why there is such a variety of dog foods on the market with such different protein levels? Are high protein levels suited to a particular type of dog? Our 10 month old Sprocker is coming to the end of a bag of Burns Alert Lamb & Brown rice and just wondering whether to keep her on it or swap her onto something else. She is very active and although eats all of her kibble over a 24hr period doesn't wolf it down, she grazes throughout the day and night.

So for the same price of the burns alert (£35ish for 15kg), is there anything else that's better or would suit her better? Does she need higher or lower protein levels- the current food is 20% protein 7.5% oil but I'm aware the Burns main ingredient is rice (58%) followed by lamb meal (24%)... thoughts please?
 
From my basic understanding you are trying to replicate in their diet what a dog would eat in the wild - Dogs are descended from wolves, and as such are designed to have a mainly meat based diet, although some say domestic dogs are omnivores so can eat both meat and plant matter.

So it's just a case of trawling thru the ingredients to find what you think is a suitable food for your dog and your pocket. Most big pet food Companies are in business for one reason and that is to make money! Meat is always the most expensive part of the ingredients, so the less meat (and more fillers) the bigger the profit margin.

I have recently switched to Applaws puppy food http://applaws.co.uk/dog_dry.php Because I was very impressed with the ingredients and the price!!

I like the look of Taste of the Wild and Orijen but I cant justify the expense for 3 dogs!

Fish for Dogs is also a very good one as is this that I found recently http://www.activepetfeeds.co.uk/index.php

But I also like to feed a bit of wet food for variety so I have been buying pure minced chicken, tripe etc from http://www.oneclickpharmacy.co.uk/p...meats-chicken-400g-p-130743.html?currency=GBP


Sorry for the repetition as a few threads have a similar theme today & I am not linked to any of the companies.
 
You'll find the protein levels in brands for 'active' 'working' dogs etc will be much higher.

Puppy food, especially large breed puppy food, can have rocket fuel levels of protein which can be very damaging for large breeds which are slower to mature - it makes them shoot up far faster than they are meant to and can cause growth rate problems.

However the protein in dry foods is protein from carbs and cereals, not meat content, so not actually quality protein IMO.
 
So for a 10mth old active spaniel, should we be looking at higher protein levels than 20%? I forgot to say she regularly has bones from the butcher as a bit of variety but don't have the freezer space to feed raw.
 
To be honest Applaws is very expensive! If I were to change to any feed more expensive it would probably be fish4dogs but a. I don't want the dog to smell fishy (!) and b. not sure how much difference we would see in her i.e. coat, energy levels, weight maintenance?
 
You're paying a lot for rice there. Cheaper to give more expensive food eg Applaws and bulk it up with home cooked rice! Google discount codes for eg Fish4dogs. I hear Ziwipeak is good, too.

If I were feeding wet, I'd give Wanwrights trays from Pets at Home or Nature diet
 
i feed natural instinct raw and my dogs are doing fabulously on it! Im currently raising my 8th pup and my husband commented today she is the healthiest looking of all we’ve had at a similar age. Her weight is fantastic, her stools small and firm and her coat is lovely. Ive also put my 18 month old bitch onto it as she was looking quite poor and she looks fabulous, the shine on her coat is just super!

this is the puppy version -

British duck with bone (35%)
British chicken with bone (35%)
British beef heart (10%)
British beef liver (5%)
Butternut squash
Apples
Carrots
Spinach
Sea kelp
Scottish salmon oil

YUM !! :D



It takes all the faff out of feeding raw as its already balanced and prepared. It isnt the cheapest but its comparable to the cost of feeding Arden Grange which we using before. Its cheaper than feeding fish4dogs too. If you look on their website there is a link to work out how much it will cost to feed your dog.

and yes the protein level is lower but as someone else said, its a better quality/source of protein:)

I do plan to put all my dogs on it but havent had the freezer space for enough for 6 dogs lol, although ive just procured a nice freezer for my kennels from gumtree so the food order will be going in soon :D
 
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I feed wainwrights trays and biscuits. I'm aware the biscuits aren't as good quality as some others, but they're ok, cheaper and the dog seems to do well.

Quick question, I have established that my dog is very sensitive to choc, a crumb seems to give him the runs, but he was bad again yesterday, and I have been militant on monitoring my choc crumb dropping habits :eek:

Would a raw bone from the butchers that took him 2 days to eat also cause the runs? It wasn't huge, just a small rib, but I'm wondering if it went 'off' and made him ill? I'm used to my parents dogs eating rotten rabbits and never having a prob, but thinking mine might be really sensitive?

Sorry to hijack :p
 
Stencilface said:
I feed wainwrights trays and biscuits. I'm aware the biscuits aren't as good quality as some others, but they're ok, cheaper and the dog seems to do well.

Quick question, I have established that my dog is very sensitive to choc, a crumb seems to give him the runs, but he was bad again yesterday, and I have been militant on monitoring my choc crumb dropping habits :eek:

Would a raw bone from the butchers that took him 2 days to eat also cause the runs? It wasn't huge, just a small rib, but I'm wondering if it went 'off' and made him ill? I'm used to my parents dogs eating rotten rabbits and never having a prob, but thinking mine might be really sensitive?

Sorry to hijack :p
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well chocolate is toxic to dogs so im no surprised it gives your dog the runs. Ive known bones from the butchers to cause the runs but usually its the marrow that does it...
 
I know choc is toxic, just neve had one with such a reaction, it would appear every other dog I've ever known has been a four legged dustbin!!

Interesting re the marrow, not heard that before, he enjoys his bones though, I'll have to look into whether certain bones and marrow are worse than others, thanks :)
 
Stencilface said:
I know choc is toxic, just neve had one with such a reaction, it would appear every other dog I've ever known has been a four legged dustbin!!

Interesting re the marrow, not heard that before, he enjoys his bones though, I'll have to look into whether certain bones and marrow are worse than others, thanks :)
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i always had to scrape the marrow out of bones before giving them to my lab, unless i wanted an unholy mess to clean up *bleeeurgh* Not sure how much marrow would be in a rib though :confused:
 
Lol, it's like his bum is a chocolate fountain, poor puppy! :eek:

Certainly not going well with my house training and trying to get him used to being left though.

Maybe I'll try fish scraps....

(he's four, not a puppy, but cute enough to be :D )
 
Thanks everyone. I've ordered a bag of the salmon fish4dogs and a few of the fish treats they do... will see if she likes it or not! I don't think she's overly fussed with the burns at the moment, so hopefully this will encourage her to eat properly and not graze over the day.
 
Twizzel said:
So for a 10mth old active spaniel, should we be looking at higher protein levels than 20%?

........
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NO CERTAINLY NOT. Those dogs with a natural and a boundless energy need a lower protein diet, unless that is, you can handle a whirling dervish!! There is no question, that just as with the "EEEEEs" which are available in the sweets and drinks for human children, so high protein feeds for puppies "Can be, and generally are", the reason for near manic behaviour.

The other point which we could consider, is that we question just how these proteins are sourced, and it can be an important factor in the cost of the feed, and or the ethical stance of the manufacturer. I suspect that generally speaking, the high protein feed manufacturers are vying with each other on cost, and cost alone. I don't care what they claim, they should all be viewed with suspicion.

My own view, and I'm happy for others to disagree with me, is that with the exception of some breeds, which are in numerically low numbers, and probably so inbred as to produce major flaws within not only their ability to reproduce, their olfactory system and probably their digestive tracts, the bulk of our canine companions, being basically scavengers, benefit from a low protein diet. ESPECIALLY with those breeds which whilst growing, and are likely to have a finished growth rate in excess of 18kgs, the most dangerous advice which we can follow is to listen to the feed manufacturers, their salesmen, or those vets who sell the products manufactured by Hills or Eukanuba (to name but two, and they aren't alone).

It's a subject about which I have very strong views, but that doesn't mean that I wont listen to or discuss the issue with others, so please, feel free to contradict me. :D

OP, most young dogs will benefit from a base diet of about 16%, with the odd raw or even cooked kitchen scraps.

Alec.
 
I've tried my dogs on the fish4dogs fish jerky treats and they go mental for them! (They make your fingers smell tho-have to wash my hands straight away :-/ but they don't make the house or the dogs smell:))
 
I have 5 Lurchers, they all live in the house and all eat fish4dogs. None of them smell of fish! They are sometimes a bit stinky but it's definately foxy not fish ;)
 
Orijen is the best bar non . Although its £59.99 per 13kg bag it works out cheaper than most to feed because you feed less quantity. I have two 30kg Boxer dogs and feed them 300 grams each a day. The ingredients are cereal and grain free and there is no better alternative on the market. The big surprise for us was how little you feed compared to the others. Now we have our dogs on the best food available at a similar cost to the run of the mill pet foods. Added benefits are smaller stools as more is being digested and used by the dog. They are less smelly around the house and their coat is the best its ever been.
 
I tried Origen as it one of the best but it went straight through my boy and he wasn't that fussed about eating it either. Tried barking heads fusspot (salmon & sweet potato) and he loves it and clears his bowl poop consistency fine. I sometimes swop the odd meal with a pack of the frozen meats with bone from pah or whatever is on the whoopsy counter at asda Or some chicken thighs/wings for crunch
 
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