Which Puppy Food?

MrsElle

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We are getting our new addition in a couple of weeks and am looking at what to feed him. He is a JRT x Lakeland, from working parents and is very very cute :D

OH and I look after works JRT four or five days a week and he is on the awful Bakers, but I don't want Little Frank to be exposed to that rubbish, so I am hoping I can talk bosses into letting me change their dog onto something that will also be suitable for Little Frank in future.

So, what to feed Little Frank, and what to feed a slightly allergic (probably to all the additives in the Bakers!) adult JRT?

Price isn't an issue.
 
That's a great website BC. I just looked up the awful Bakers and am truly shocked at how bad it is. I knew it was bad, but blimey, it's worse than bad. Can't believe people (inc my bosses!) are happy to feed their dogs on this!
 
Bakers contains BHT/BHA, both proven carcinogenics, plus tons of wheat and sugar which make dogs hyper and itchy as hell. I can't believe they're allowed to sell it as food! :mad3:

There's a sticky on here re good and bad dry and wet food. Here: http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/foru...he-Dry-Dog-Food-Index&p=11176258#post11176258

As they're both little dogs, I'd say Orijen or Acana, you feed very little and it's amazing stuff. Fish4dogs used to be amazing, but they've drastically upped the pea flour content which is basically pointless :(

Forthglades make the Wainwrights trays from Pets at Home and I put my bil's puppy on that almost immediately we got him. Their Fishmongers kibble contains more fish than Fish4dogs, good reviews. Nature Diet trays available there are also fab.

If you fancy a really natural food, Natural Instinct is fab, ready made raw with all the good stuff in it, not the cheapest, but all done for you and all fab, no processed rubbish. Or go crazy and go raw, it's a piece of cake tbh and with two little dogs, you'd only need a normal freezer space.
 
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Meant to say: puppy food is mostly a marketing myth and looking at the puppy v adult food on many brands, they're almost the same, exactly the same in many cases. I started the bil's pup on adult trays because the protein was exactly the same in both.
 
Fish4dogs used to be amazing, but they've drastically upped the pea flour content which is basically pointless :(

Yup, this is why I no longer feed it - poo volume doubled on the new formulation, all that pea was just passing straight through as bulk! Used Skinners D&R for a long time until R became loose on it (wonder if their ingredients have changed too?) so switched to the Markus Muhle which is decent in both quality and price.

It's the sugar content of Bakers that gets me frothing, MrsE - dogs fed on it have such manky rotten mouths. That site's review of it is a lot more polite than mine would be. :p

For ready-made raw I like Nature's Menu, I'm using a lot now my stock of bunnies and pheasants has been used up and I'm impressed, their delivery service is reliable too.
 
I would love to feed raw. I used to feed my big dogs on it, but had outbuildings, a large chest freezer in the barn and a local supplier. I now live in the middle of nowhere, and haven't the room anywhere to put in another freezer. I am liking Millies Wolfheart, but still investigating :) I agree with the puppy food marketing, I reckon a lot of companies make smaller kibble, stick it in a bag marked 'puppy' and slap a few extra ££££'s on it. Oh how cynical I am! :D :D :D
 
I managed to get a Hills rep to admit to exactly that after much squirming. Their 'large breed' version of one of their ranges is also the exact same as the normal adult version only with a 15% mark-up!
 
Do they sell Hills at your work, BC? I'd be sticking little labels on the bags detailing the rubbish in them! :eek3:

The sugar in Balers is awful, but it's the cancer causing stuff that gets me, I can't see how it can be sold :confused3:
 
To be fair to them the Hills range stocked isn't too bad - named meat source, greater meat content than supermarket stuff, fixed grain source and not too many added nasties. Still more grain than I would ever feed a dog and at an extortionate price compared to other dry foods.

The prescription diets are another kettle of fish, some of them are ok but others are bloody awful. Previously stocked Royal Canin as well which is way worse for quality IMO.

ETA: I have to be careful what/how I say it but I can discuss feeding in my puppy sessions. ;)
 
To be fair to them the Hills range stocked isn't too bad - named meat source, greater meat content than supermarket stuff, fixed grain source and not too many added nasties. Still more grain than I would ever feed a dog and at an extortionate price compared to other dry foods.

The prescription diets are another kettle of fish, some of them are ok but others are bloody awful. Previously stocked Royal Canin as well which is way worse for quality IMO.

ETA: I have to be careful what/how I say it but I can discuss feeding in my puppy sessions. ;)

Royal Canin were emailed by a mate and came back with an admission that their food also contains BHT/BHA! Outrageous for the price they charge!
 
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