# Taste of the wild & Blue Buffalo



## Nate L (Jul 21, 2008)

Anybody feeding either of these?

What do you think?


----------



## gmmark (May 7, 2009)

I've fed the Blue - Large Breed for about 6 months now. Dawg does really good on the food and was also able to reduce the portion and maintain weight. I like it.


----------



## Decoyn (Nov 4, 2008)

Been feeding Taste of the Wild for 8 months and our dog has been doing great on it. Great looking coat, energy is better than with previous dog food we were feeding. Don't have to feed a lot to maintain condition.


----------



## Snicklefritz (Oct 17, 2007)

Been feeding my chessie Blue for 2 years. He's doing great on it. I use the lamb and rice formula for large breeds. 2 cups a day keeps him trim and full of energy.


----------



## Rtyler4616 (Jan 26, 2011)

I've been feeding my pup Blue Buffalo Large Breed, I have seen a big improvement in his coat sheen as well as stool is much more solid. He can't get enough of it, absolutely loves it, and as previously stated, it is in smaller proportions while giving the same amount of nutrients. A good food, but the price is up there.


----------



## MardiGras (Feb 9, 2004)

I've been feeding Blue -- one dog for about a year now and the other for about 6 months. They both really like it and have since added the canned food.


----------



## J. Walker (Feb 21, 2009)

Nate L said:


> Anybody feeding either of these?
> 
> What do you think?


I don't feed either one but just as points of interest, TOTW is manufactured by Diamond. Diamond has had multiple recalls of their foods in the last few years. I'm not setting off any alarms; I'm just saying that Diamond facilities have had some serious issues so it's something to consider.

I considered switching to Blue/Blue Buffalo. I contacted them and asked if they produced their own food. I was told they contract with a single company. I asked what company; they flatly refused to disclose that. I asked if they at least had an employee of Blue on-site performing quality control testing. Again, I was told they did not. Basically, there was little assurance that what the label states is really what's being shipped out. While they test random samples, that wouldn't keep product with safety issues or product that was mislabeled (cheaper poultry by-product meal instead of chicken meal, for instance) from getting out the door.

I'm not picking on these two brands. It's just that with the problems that so many foods have had over the last five years or so, I just think it's a good idea to know what you're buying and who is really producing it.


----------



## 150class (Jul 1, 2003)

Nate L said:


> Anybody feeding either of these?
> 
> What do you think?


Ive been feeding totw for about two years and have been very pleased. We'd been having some allergy issues with both Goldens and thet all but cleared up 100% after 30 days
We are feeding the pacific stream , blue bag. We were trying tk get away from grains and all poultry.


----------



## tshuntin (Mar 22, 2003)

J. Walker said:


> I don't fee either one but just as points of interest, TOTW is manufactured by Diamond. Diamond has had multiple recalls of their foods in the last few years. I'm not setting off any alarms; I'm just saying that Diamond facilities have had some serious issues so it's something to consider.


Um, unless I am mistaken, Diamonds recall (that was very serious) was back in 2005-06 and a lawsuit totalling around $3 million was paid out in 2008. Not sure if there has been others that would mean "multiple recalls" or if 2005-06 means "the last few years"... I would have to think that Diamond plants are as safe as any plants any where now. 

I really like the TOTW feeds, just too pricey for what I want to feed.


----------



## J. Walker (Feb 21, 2009)

tshuntin said:


> Um, unless I am mistaken, Diamonds recall (that was very serious) was back in 2005-06 and a lawsuit totalling around $3 million was paid out in 2008. Not sure if there has been others that would mean "multiple recalls" or if 2005-06 means "the last few years"... I would have to think that Diamond plants are as safe as any plants any where now.
> 
> I really like the TOTW feeds, just too pricey for what I want to feed.


Diamond cat food was recalled in 2009. So that's two recalls in five years with the latest one being less than two years ago, after Diamond stated how their safety and quality control would lead the industry after the 2006 catastrophe. They're not exactly instilling consumers with confidence.

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm192404.htm

Read the latest review below.

http://www.amazon.com/Solid-Gold-Ba...dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
(Solid Gold's "MO plant" is the one in Meta, MO, also known as Diamond Pet Foods.)

Taste of the Wild had a "silent recall" of its Pacific Stream (made in Diamond's Gaston, SC plant) about a year and a half ago. It wasn't a major issue as the moisture content was too low (better than too high which can cause mold.) Also, an unannounced protein source substitution caused dogs to get sick. My point is that Diamond has not exactly had the best track record. 

Interestingly enough, Blue/Blue Buffalo recently had a recall.

http://www.bluebuffalo.com/news/vitamin_d-voluntary-recall.shtml


----------



## Pudelpointer (Jul 27, 2010)

I switched from Blue Wilderness to Innova Evo Turkey & Chicken formula, my dogs did not like the Blue, they love the Evo, its 42% protien and 22% fat, feed less and they look great.
Calorie Content:
4,243 kcal/kg
537 kcal/cup


----------



## jwh1949 (Apr 10, 2010)

I feed nothing but Purina Pro Plan to our 3 labs. Reasons being they all do well on it (2 participate in HRC hunt tests), Purina uses american products whenever possible and I dont know of anybody that puts the time and money into research that they do to give you the best product for your dog. Diamonds a good food these days but the price is right up there with the ProPlan, Jack


----------



## J. Walker (Feb 21, 2009)

jwh1949 said:


> I feed nothing but Purina Pro Plan to our 3 labs. Reasons being they all do well on it (2 participate in HRC hunt tests), Purina uses american products whenever possible and I dont know of anybody that puts the time and money into research that they do to give you the best product for your dog. Diamonds a good food these days but the price is right up there with the ProPlan, Jack


To each his own but read the ingredients of the Performance Formula:

"Chicken, corn gluten meal, brewers rice, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), poultry by-product meal (natural source of glucosamine), whole grain corn, corn germ meal, fish meal (natural source of glucosamine), animal digest..."


Pro Plan is actually a very cheaply made food sold at premium prices. Given that "chicken" is really just chicken meal BEFORE the water has been removed, that actually puts chicken much further down the ingredient list making corn gluten meal the REAL first ingredient. Corn gluten meal is a cheap filler, likewise for brewers rice which is nothing more than a nutritionally devoid by-product of the brewing industry. While there's nothing wrong with using fat from animal sources, the fact that there isn't a specific source should be of concern. In other words, it could be any combination of chicken, beef, sheep, pig or even animals that aren't used for food in the U. S. at all. Poultry by-product meal has a low biological value. That's followed by more cheap filler and then animal digest. Purina is the same company that puts a known toxin in some of its foods (Propylene Glycol) as well as plain old sugar. Just remember that shoe leather is high in protein, by chemical analysis, but would make for lousy dog food.


----------



## jwh1949 (Apr 10, 2010)

I beg to differ with your view on ProPlan,but to each his own. I find it hard to believe that Purina is actually putting toxins in their foods as you stated and I also question your sources on some of the other info you offered. As I mentioned nobody actually puts the research and money into nutrition studies to give you the best product for your dog. For me the proof is in the pudding and after feeding the ProPlan to my labs, I got healthy,active and performing dogs, I've been using ProPlan for many years and happy with the results. Good luck with whatever ya choose and you need to go with what best works for you, Jack


----------



## TroyFeeken (May 30, 2007)

J. Walker said:


> To each his own but read the ingredients of the Performance Formula:
> 
> "Chicken, corn gluten meal, brewers rice, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), poultry by-product meal (natural source of glucosamine), whole grain corn, corn germ meal, fish meal (natural source of glucosamine), animal digest..."
> 
> ...


I actually contacted Purina regarding the weight of the chicken in the performance formula specifically and they noted that the weight of the chicken is the highest pre and post processing weight.


----------



## J. Walker (Feb 21, 2009)

TroyFeeken said:


> I actually contacted Purina regarding the weight of the chicken in the performance formula specifically and they noted that the weight of the chicken is the highest pre and post processing weight.


There's absolutely no way that's possible. Chicken is about 70%-75% water.


----------



## J. Walker (Feb 21, 2009)

jwh1949 said:


> I beg to differ with your view on ProPlan,but to each his own. I find it hard to believe that Purina is actually putting toxins in their foods as you stated and I also question your sources on some of the other info you offered. As I mentioned nobody actually puts the research and money into nutrition studies to give you the best product for your dog. For me the proof is in the pudding and after feeding the ProPlan to my labs, I got healthy,active and performing dogs, I've been using ProPlan for many years and happy with the results. Good luck with whatever ya choose and you need to go with what best works for you, Jack



Question my sources all you like. Feel free to look things up for yourself if you think I'm inaccurate on anything I stated. A good starting point would be here:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=459


Exhibit A: Purina Pupply Chow:

"Whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, whole grain wheat, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), soybean meal, brewers rice, meat and bone meal, barley, beef, sugar, propylene glycol, animal digest,..."

From the Centers for Disease Control web site (relating just to topical application of propylene glycol, not actual ingestion):

Topical application to injured skin (as a component of burn creams) or intravenous administration (as an excipient in certain anticonvulsant, antianginal, antibiotic, or other medications) has sometimes been associated with

*Physiological Effects:*

Hyperosmolality,
lactic acidosis,
intravascular hemolysis,
complications of CNS depression,
seizures,
coma,
hypoglycemia, and
renal failure


----------



## mikebeadle (Dec 26, 2003)

Purina Puppy Chow (cheapest food you can buy) and Purina Pro Plan Performance are not at all the same thing. We fed Pro Plan Performance for years, dogs did allright, but keeping weight on one was really tough. We switched to Arkat, it kept the weight on, but the stools were horrid. We then went to Eukenuba Sporting/Performance. Most dogs did well, teeth were clean, but the amount of grain was too much for one of our dogs. I fed Euk for a couple years and Purina for 4/5 years. Now, we are currently feeding Taste Of The Wild. We use all flavors and it was recommended to switch flavors constantly. We use one flavor/bag, then switch to another flavor and so on until we've used all four flavors. All of our dogs are doing fine on it. Cost is out of this world, feeding 7 working/trial dogs on it now. I believe the cost is (bought in bulk through a distributor) $1.21 per pound. 

That being said, we are supplementing ALL of our dogs with one glucosamine/chondroiton pill and one fish oil pill every feeding! After talking with the Euk and Purina folks, it was explained to me that ONE bag of dog food contains the equivelant to ONE single pill. In other words, the amount of Chondroiton and Glucosamine put into each bag is just enough to say that it is in the bag.

I would highy recommend supplementing your dogs diet with Chondroiton, Glucosamin and Fish oil.

Mike


----------



## TroyFeeken (May 30, 2007)

J. Walker said:


> There's absolutely no way that's possible. Chicken is about 70%-75% water.


I'm just relaying what I was told directly from the mouth of one of the dietitians at Purina regarding their Pro Plan Performance blend.


----------



## J. Walker (Feb 21, 2009)

TroyFeeken said:


> I'm just relaying what I was told directly from the mouth of one of the dietitians at Purina regarding their Pro Plan Performance blend.


I didn't mean to imply you misstated anything. I'm sure that's is what you were told. However, look at it like this: chicken has a moisture content of about 70% when processing _begins_. Corn used for feed leaves the _field_ with a moisture content of around 20% and is roughly 15% when processing begins. So if chicken is going to lose 60% of its overall weight during processing while corn is only going to lose 5% of its overall weight to get down the the standard 10% moisture content, you don't need to be a mathematician to see that if corn is present in the first few ingredients, it is impossible for chicken to be the first ingredient _after_ processing.

Although I wouldn't feed their foods, the article below is a good chicken v. chicken meal issue.

http://www.blueseal.com/techtalks/30/


----------



## J. Walker (Feb 21, 2009)

mikebeadle said:


> Purina Puppy Chow (cheapest food you can buy) and Purina Pro Plan Performance are not at all the same thing. We fed Pro Plan Performance for years, dogs did allright, but keeping weight on one was really tough. We switched to Arkat, it kept the weight on, but the stools were horrid. We then went to Eukenuba Sporting/Performance. Most dogs did well, teeth were clean, but the amount of grain was too much for one of our dogs. I fed Euk for a couple years and Purina for 4/5 years. Now, we are currently feeding Taste Of The Wild. We use all flavors and it was recommended to switch flavors constantly. We use one flavor/bag, then switch to another flavor and so on until we've used all four flavors. All of our dogs are doing fine on it. Cost is out of this world, feeding 7 working/trial dogs on it now. I believe the cost is (bought in bulk through a distributor) $1.21 per pound.
> 
> That being said, we are supplementing ALL of our dogs with one glucosamine/chondroiton pill and one fish oil pill every feeding! After talking with the Euk and Purina folks, it was explained to me that ONE bag of dog food contains the equivelant to ONE single pill. In other words, the amount of Chondroiton and Glucosamine put into each bag is just enough to say that it is in the bag.
> 
> ...


You said you "find it hard to believe Purina is putting toxins in their food." They obviously are. Who cares if it's a different formula? The _company_ is still doing something very shady which, to me, makes everything they do suspect. As for the glucosamine issue, you're dead on. The amounts in _any_ foods are trace amounts at best.


----------



## TroyFeeken (May 30, 2007)

J. Walker said:


> I didn't mean to imply you misstated anything. I'm sure that's is what you were told. However, look at it like this: chicken has a moisture content of about 70% when processing _begins_. Corn used for feed leaves the _field_ with a moisture content of around 20% and is roughly 15% when processing begins. So if chicken is going to lose 60% of its overall weight during processing while corn is only going to lose 5% of its overall weight to get down the the standard 10% moisture content, you don't need to be a mathematician to see that if corn is present in the first few ingredients, it is impossible for chicken to be the first ingredient _after_ processing.
> 
> Although I wouldn't feed their foods, the article below is a good chicken v. chicken meal issue.
> 
> http://www.blueseal.com/techtalks/30/


How in your eyes is it not possible to have the highest weight before and after cooking of a particular ingredient? Obviously you can amass enough post cooked chicken to be higher than that of corn. Just because it looses a lot of its weight due to water extraction during the cooking process doesn't mean it has to be lower on the list.


----------



## jwh1949 (Apr 10, 2010)

Mr Walker-You stated-"Who cares if it's a different formula? The company is still doing something very shady which, to me, makes everything they do suspect-"
To start with in the world of chemistry the formula is everything,its the actual makeup of the compound and can be the difference in a harmful product or a safe one.
"Propylene glycol is an approved food additive for dog food under the category of animal feed and is generally recognized as safe (GRAS[25]) for dogs.[26] Similarly, propylene glycol is an approved food additive for human food as well.[27] The exception is that it is prohibited for use in food for cats because of a species-specific reaction in the body, as noted in 21 CFR 582.1666." In researching the compound I found its in alot of our products as ,toothpaste,deoderant etc.
Secondly how could it be considered "shady" if its on the label.

Just out of curiosity what is your food of choice ?


----------



## 2labs (Dec 10, 2003)

J Walker
What do you feed??
I apologize if I missed it in your previous posting
Thanks
Dave


----------



## tshuntin (Mar 22, 2003)

J. Walker, I think I also missed it, what do you feed? Thanks


----------



## 2tall (Oct 11, 2006)

mikebeadle said:


> Purina Puppy Chow (cheapest food you can buy) and Purina Pro Plan Performance are not at all the same thing. We fed Pro Plan Performance for years, dogs did allright, but keeping weight on one was really tough. We switched to Arkat, it kept the weight on, but the stools were horrid. We then went to Eukenuba Sporting/Performance. Most dogs did well, teeth were clean, but the amount of grain was too much for one of our dogs. I fed Euk for a couple years and Purina for 4/5 years. Now, we are currently feeding Taste Of The Wild. We use all flavors and it was recommended to switch flavors constantly.  We use one flavor/bag, then switch to another flavor and so on until we've used all four flavors. All of our dogs are doing fine on it. Cost is out of this world, feeding 7 working/trial dogs on it now. I believe the cost is (bought in bulk through a distributor) $1.21 per pound.
> 
> That being said, we are supplementing ALL of our dogs with one glucosamine/chondroiton pill and one fish oil pill every feeding! After talking with the Euk and Purina folks, it was explained to me that ONE bag of dog food contains the equivelant to ONE single pill. In other words, the amount of Chondroiton and Glucosamine put into each bag is just enough to say that it is in the bag.
> 
> ...


Why do you switch flavors? I have gone through the exact evolution you have with regards to dog foods; first PPP, then Euk performance and now TOTW Wetlands Formula. I chose this formula because the fat/protein amounts was closest to the performance feeds. Why would you switch, since each formula is designed for different needs? Really curious about this. I agree the price is very hard to pay. I also worry about Diamond but I don't think there are any feed mills with perfect records. And last....do you put the fish oil capsule in the food whole and do the dogs notice it?


----------



## BoilerMan1812 (Feb 6, 2010)

2tall said:


> Why do you switch flavors? I have gone through the exact evolution you have with regards to dog foods; first PPP, then Euk performance and now TOTW Wetlands Formula. I chose this formula because the fat/protein amounts was closest to the performance feeds. Why would you switch, since each formula is designed for different needs? Really curious about this. I agree the price is very hard to pay. I also worry about Diamond but I don't think there are any feed mills with perfect records. And last....do you put the fish oil capsule in the food whole and do the dogs notice it?


I could be wrong...but I believe the wetlands and prairie formulas are the same 32 % protein 18% fat...the pacific stream is 25%/15%.


----------



## mnduckhunter (May 4, 2010)

I feed my YLF, blue buffalo chicken and rice. She didn't like the lamb and rice stuff.


----------



## labraiser (Feb 5, 2004)

"Pro Plan is actually a very cheaply made food sold at premium prices. Given that "chicken" is really just chicken meal BEFORE the water has been removed, that actually puts chicken much further down the ingredient list making corn gluten meal the REAL first ingredient. Corn gluten meal is a cheap filler, likewise for brewers rice which is nothing more than a nutritionally devoid by-product of the brewing industry. While there's nothing wrong with using fat from animal sources, the fact that there isn't a specific source should be of concern. In other words, it could be any combination of chicken, beef, sheep, pig or even animals that aren't used for food in the U. S. at all. Poultry by-product meal has a low biological value. That's followed by more cheap filler and then animal digest. Purina is the same company that puts a known toxin in some of its foods (Propylene Glycol) as well as plain old sugar. Just remember that shoe leather is high in protein, by chemical analysis, but would make for lousy dog food."

Propylene Glycol is used in a lot of food consumed by humans. Here is chemistry 101 for the non chemist on here.

Propylene Glycol- non toxic used in toothpaste, bread, shampoos ect

Ethylene Glycol- Toxic to animals and used in your auto.

these are two different compounds, schools over!


----------



## 2tall (Oct 11, 2006)

labraiser said:


> "Pro Plan is actually a very cheaply made food sold at premium prices. Given that "chicken" is really just chicken meal BEFORE the water has been removed, that actually puts chicken much further down the ingredient list making corn gluten meal the REAL first ingredient. Corn gluten meal is a cheap filler, likewise for brewers rice which is nothing more than a nutritionally devoid by-product of the brewing industry. While there's nothing wrong with using fat from animal sources, the fact that there isn't a specific source should be of concern. In other words, it could be any combination of chicken, beef, sheep, pig or even animals that aren't used for food in the U. S. at all. Poultry by-product meal has a low biological value. That's followed by more cheap filler and then animal digest. Purina is the same company that puts a known toxin in some of its foods (Propylene Glycol) as well as plain old sugar. Just remember that shoe leather is high in protein, by chemical analysis, but would make for lousy dog food."
> 
> Propylene Glycol is used in a lot of food consumed by humans. Here is chemistry 101 for the non chemist on here.
> 
> ...


WTF!!!! They are STILL chemicals that do absolutely nothing for the nutritional value of the feed! Just because I they are in tooth paste, bread, whatever, does not make them all right!!!! Why don't we stop all this chemical loading **** and feed our dogs and eat our own food without it????


----------



## zlatni lovac (Oct 4, 2005)

I trust raw diet (BARF) and that's what i feed my dogs. dogs do just fine on it. it is bit more work getting all the vegetables mixed but dogs like it. i can buy 10lb of chicken quarters for $5.25 and vegetables for the same amount and feed two dogs all week. (they eat once a day). on Sunday's they get eggs, cottage cheese and tuna fish in the morning and milk bone biscuits in the evening. Their cots are nice and shiny, stool is not sticky or stinky and is easy to clean up or leave in the backyard for 3-4 days and it's nice fertilizers for grass as it turns into dust. They keep nice weight, teeth are clean, no ear infections or other health issues and are full of energy. 
I have tried feeding Taste of Wild - chicken flavor but dogs didn't care much for it. 
bottom line is, i know what my dogs eat.


----------



## zlatni lovac (Oct 4, 2005)

2Tall - I've been told by an animal nutritionist that dogs can build allergies to foods if you feed them same formula all the time. apparently the can build allergies within 6 months to certain food/flavors, that's why they recommend switching flavors every other bag of food.


----------



## Victoria Jones (May 29, 2010)

I have been feeding TOTW Wetlands for some time now. Good results in both performance and aesthetics. Also, my vet recently said many clients were reporting positive results from feeding TOTW.


----------



## 150class (Jul 1, 2003)

zlatni lovac said:


> I trust raw diet (BARF) and that's what i feed my dogs. dogs do just fine on it. it is bit more work getting all the vegetables mixed but dogs like it. i can buy 10lb of chicken quarters for $5.25 and vegetables for the same amount and feed two dogs all week. (they eat once a day). on Sunday's they get eggs, cottage cheese and tuna fish in the morning and milk bone biscuits in the evening. Their cots are nice and shiny, stool is not sticky or stinky and is easy to clean up or leave in the backyard for 3-4 days and it's nice fertilizers for grass as it turns into dust. They keep nice weight, teeth are clean, no ear infections or other health issues and are full of energy.
> I have tried feeding Taste of Wild - chicken flavor but dogs didn't care much for it.
> bottom line is, i know what my dogs eat.


Ok now wait a minute - are you going to sit here and try and convince me your dogs crap doesn't stink??


----------



## zlatni lovac (Oct 4, 2005)

150class said:


> Ok now wait a minute - are you going to sit here and try and convince me your dogs crap doesn't stink??


Nope, i am not going to try to convince you or anyone of that, but i sure can't smell my dogs crap standing 3 feet away from it, but i can smell my neighbors dogs crap on the other end of their yard. i think if dogs poop smelled bad all the time, that would be pretty good sign for me to try changing his/hers diet and see what happens.


----------



## Jamee Strange (Jul 24, 2010)

I have been feeding TOTW pacific stream for a couple years now and my parents' dog eats it also. There's and one of my 2 have REALLY bad food allergies. After feeding their dog (who has test confirmed allergies to just about everything) TOTW pacific stream she does not have ANY problems, her coat looks great and her stool production decreased and the "quality" of it improved (more solid and easier to pick up-gross I know). My dog that has not been allergy tested seemed to get sores all over him and itch CONSTANTLY on any food that had rice or corn in it. I tried blue buffalo and he liked it and did well on it but it was SO expensive at the time I couldn't afford it and it never really improved his stool. HE is almost 100 pounds so his output is quite a bit. He has been on TOTW for a long time now and loves it, has a really shiny coat and his stool output improved and he has plenty of energy. 

I work both my dogs twice a day most of the time and they both have plenty of energy and their weights are great and healthy. I have tried to avoid the grains and fillers in my dog food now and I've seen lots of improvement. Hope this helps!


----------

