# Dog Food



## PocketLab (Apr 23, 2010)

Looking to make a change. What do you feed? Why?


----------



## [email protected] (Apr 13, 2010)

Enhance Endurance 27 protein 17 fat...good quality food, good stools,decent price. Used by well known trainers and kennels such as War Eagle Retrievers.
Supported by Ducks Unlimited and made by Arkat in Arkansas.


----------



## Joe Dutro (Nov 20, 2007)

Eukanuba-- Large Breed Adult and Large Breed Puppy. I use to feed the Preminum Performance but I couldn't see a difference in the dogs so I went back to the plain Large Breed Adult.
Joe


----------



## seandcso75 (May 12, 2009)

Pro-Plan Performance. Works well on my dogs.


----------



## rabersin (Dec 2, 2009)

I feed Pro Plan Performance. All of my dogs do very well on this food. Excellent shiny coats, good stools, bright eyes, no hot spots. Here are a couple of pics of my male and female. In this case a picture is worth a thousand words.
















And Oh by the way, the puppy likes to make the paw prints on the sliding door. But you cannot blame the food on this.


----------



## laker (Sep 12, 2008)

Enhance Pro Athlete 30/22.

My boy has never looked better..


----------



## Blackbear (Apr 23, 2010)

Before you decide go to this website: http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=labelinfo101

I would like to encourage you to educate yourself then decide. 
I have researched dog foods for a couple weeks now. You would not believe what’s really in the food. If you have a performance dog be sure you feed food that he/she will digest and get nutrients from. You will have a better dog!
It’s like this: If you have a race to run and the night before you eat Chicken Fried Steak, French Fries or mashed potatoes with gravy, fried okra, green beans . . . could you still run the race? Sure, but if you ate Baked Salmon, Fresh vegs, whole wheat pasta, fruit . . . you would not only feel better but your body would use the nutrients and you will run a much better race, without barfing  The same works for our dogs! 
I have two labs (11 months old) one at home and one in training – After educating myself; I changed both their foods, even the one in training where her food was included in the cost of training. It has made a HUGE difference in both my dogs! READ THE INGREDIANTS first, then the percentages, and find a food with good ingredients first and then good proteins and carbs. There are foods that will not break the bank and are great for your dog.


----------



## chjohnson622 (Jan 9, 2009)

I switched my dogs to Diamond chicken and rice and I'm very pleased.


----------



## Richard Finch (Jul 26, 2006)

Another vote for PP Performance! 




Richard


----------



## Dave Burton (Mar 22, 2006)

PPP for mine


----------



## Mike Boufford (Sep 28, 2004)

PMI Exclusive Chicken and Rice. Fresh ingredients and no corn or Chinese wheat. It's also cheaper than Pro Plan and I get to buy locally from the Mom and Pop feed stores instead of the chains.


----------



## leo455 (Aug 15, 2008)

Nutri Source Super Performance 32/21 My dogs never looked better and performed longer, as apposed to other brands that I have tired.


----------



## BriarBend Kennels (Sep 25, 2009)

Mike Boufford said:


> PMI Exclusive Chicken and Rice. Fresh ingredients and no corn or Chinese wheat. It's also cheaper than Pro Plan and I get to buy locally from the Mom and Pop feed stores instead of the chains.


Same here, cheaper than Pro Plan, and IMO a comparable food...


----------



## robertnla (Oct 16, 2008)

I second the Diamond Natural " Chicken and Rice" It is 26/16 and all they all do very good on it. They are all active and hard working. This food holds them well and it is only $28 for 40 Lbs at Tractor supply.
The ingredients are better than most High dollar foods I have seen. There are better foods but they are very pricey. My favorite if money was no object is BLUE . See how your food stands up against Blue: http://bluebuff.com/dog-lp-two/layout.html?gclid=COKCkueo8KECFQlinAodH3ElLA
30 lbs at $50 dollars is not a choice with 13 dogs to feed. However it is my choice of food to a whelping Dam and her puppies when they are in the growing stage.
Blue has :
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Whole Ground Barley, Oatmeal, Tomato Pomace (natural source of Lycopene), Natural Chicken Flavor, Chicken Fat (naturally preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Whole Potatoes, Peas, Flaxseed(natural source of Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids), Whole Carrots, Whole Sweet Potatoes, Blueberries, Cranberries, Barley Grass, Dried Parsley, Garlic, Alfalfa Meal, Dried Kelp, Yucca Schidigera Extract, L-Carnitine, L-Lysine, Turmeric, Dried Chicory Root, Oil of Rosemary, Beta Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Niacin (Vitamin B3), d-Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Biotin (Vitamin B7), Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Choline Chloride, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate, Salt, Caramel, Potassium Chloride, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecium .

Diamond Naturals Chicken and Rice has :

Chicken, chicken meal, whole grain brown rice, white rice, cracked pearled barley, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), oatmeal, beet pulp, egg product, flaxseed, natural chicken flavor, fish meal, salt, potassium chloride, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

Has no by-products, no corn, and soy.
Web site: http://www.diamondpet.com/products/.../dry_food/chicken_and_rice_adult_dog_formula/

Just make sure it says Diamond Naturals on the bag. Diamond does make other foods but is not near the same quality.


----------



## [email protected] (Apr 13, 2010)

This message is for Laker... I see you use Enhance Pro Athlete 30/22...I use Enhance Endurance 27/17, do you think there is a really big difference between the 2 formulas? I'm working my dogs almost every day land and water.
James
Bushmills British Labrador Retrievers


----------



## laker (Sep 12, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> This message is for Laker... I see you use Enhance Pro Athlete 30/22...I use Enhance Endurance 27/17, do you think there is a really big difference between the 2 formulas? I'm working my dogs almost every day land and water.
> James
> Bushmills British Labrador Retrievers


pm sent..

I've never tried Endurance so I really can't say.
I did try 2 bags worth of Hunters Edge. Stools were great and he ate it well but it wasn't putting the weight on him that I had hoped for.
Pro Athlete seems to be perfect for him. He looks great, finally put on a little weight and his stools are firm. I pay $28.00 for 40 pounds.


----------



## PocketLab (Apr 23, 2010)

Great info guys. Thanks. My dog is kind of a picky eater. By the end of the bag she is just picking around. If I change up a little she starts strong again. I have always beleived you stick to whats working but can't find one she will stick with. Robert, I tried Blue, thought she would love it but she barely ate one bowl. Had to mix it with another bag. Blackbear, good info on the website. What did you end up going with? Raber, that sure is a pretty pup you got.


----------



## [email protected] (Apr 13, 2010)

Thanks for the input Laker.
I'm up here in Canada and I will be meeting the rep from Arkat who makes Enhance. He would like me to change to the Pro Athlete to keep the weight on the dogs (not getting fat) so he is going to arrange to bring in Pro Athlete for me. I am paying 47.99 for a 40 lb bag of Enhance Endurance...which is a lot less for the food I used before which was Pro Plan Performance at 71.99/bag.
James


----------



## black0989 (May 11, 2010)

Blue Buffalo here. With only one dog, its not a huge deal as far as price is concerned. He eats less of it, looks a thousand times better in regards to coat, eyes and overall appearance. Cant go wrong with it, IMO.


----------



## Blackbear (Apr 23, 2010)

When it was all said and done, I have my Brody on Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream a grain free diet (I didn’t want to put him on duck because he fetches them) and Gracie the one in training on Precise Chicken Meal & Rice “Foundation”, I will probably switch her to their Competition or Endurance formula, next month, because they have a little more Protein. I wanted to keep Gracie’s on a good grain source for her carbs because she’s in training. It’s not that expensive and is a great formula; no by-products, no corn. 

When I looked at the labels I wanted to see a named “Meal” (like chicken, bison . . .) as the first ingredient unless it had a named meat (i.e. Chicken, Turkey) at the top it's good. The only thing with the raw meat is it’s weighed with the water which makes it first on the list because of weight, however when the water is taken out it drops the ingredient down on the list, so look at the ingredient listed after the raw meat(s). It needs to be a named “meal” (i.e. Chicken Meal). That’s good. I look for a nutritional carb source from brown rice, barely etc . . . – brewer’s rice has no nutrition and no corn or corn gluten– it’s hard to digest for dogs and humans and it’s a cheap filler, you don’t want this for a protein. (You will learn that on the site)

I began my research because my Brody had hot spots; a vet asked what are you feeding him? (His hot spots were not a food allergy; but food plays a part in immunity) I looked at my label and the first thing was Chicken by-product, corn, then the fat . . . (everything before the fat are the main ingredients) it wasn’t’ good. 

I got a lot of advice on dog foods to feed so I began looking each one up, putting them in a word doc (I will send it to you if you want [email protected]) with the ingredients to avoid. I was shocked at my results. 

My Brody is a picky eater as well; he stopped eating 2 dogs’ foods. I put 1 table spoon of yogurt in the food to keep him eating it. The vet said that was good and it helped with gas. I will continue that after he’s on this new food for a month. He had a dull coat, and cracks in his pads. After making the switch a week ago his coat looks like pearls, his hairs growing back and his pads look much better but more important he’s happier. It takes at least 4 weeks before I will see the full result. 

For the stools Precise gives you a great firm stool it has beet pulp in it as a source of fiber, plus the brown rice. 
I would have gone to Innova, but it was too expensive. We have two dogs and one on the way. I will feed the new puppy Precise Plus Puppy Formula. http://www.precisepet.com

I wanted to give you the website so you could choose for yourself it’s a great tool. Rick look at the labels no matter what. 

Can I tell you that when I was out at my trainers the dogs were playing in the water having fun and a few of them threw their food up that was eaten the night before – the pieces where whole and looked like it was just soaked in water, that made me think; how much nutrients was my Gracie getting? I am no expert but I wanted her to eat better and hopefully more food will get digested now. She is an amazing dog a real go getter and super smart for 11 months old. 
I hope this helps. Let me know if you want the word doc. And what food you decide on.


----------



## road kill (Feb 15, 2009)

Native Level 3
Made by Kent Feeds in Muscatine IA.
They support our games as well.

http://www.nativedogfood.com/products/level3.php


stan b


----------



## jtfreeman (Jan 6, 2009)

Acana. Because it is supposed to be one of the best and it's not that much more expensive all things considered.


----------



## MSDOGS1976 (Mar 7, 2009)

rabersin said:


> I feed Pro Plan Performance. All of my dogs do very well on this food. Excellent shiny coats, good stools, bright eyes, no hot spots. Here are a couple of pics of my male and female. In this case a picture is worth a thousand words.


Good looking dog. I feed Eukanuba Large Breed most of the time. Sometimes Iams when I'm in a pinch and can't make it across town to Petco. I have thought about Enhance, but would have to order it from a feed store and I'm not much on planning ahead.

Here's a pic of my guy. He's got a great coat, good energy and has firm poops so no need to change that I can see.


----------



## Clint Watts (Jan 7, 2009)

Taste of the Wild High Prairie:
Protein 32% Fat 18%
Both dogs love it.


----------



## Bmiller (Apr 23, 2010)

I feed Sportsmans Pride Pro 30/20 i know alot of guys that feed it and my dogs have never looked better. Also it dosent hurt that i pay 22.00 for 50lbs


----------



## az hunter (Nov 13, 2008)

I agree with "blackbear" first post do your research and find what food works good for YOUR DOG, not everyone is the same not every dog is the same and not eveyones training is the same. If you are on this forum for a while you will notice there is a lot of arguing about dog food but what works for them may not work for you. Me i found that PPPP works good for my young yellow female and eukanuba performance was great for my old black male, but he had to recently switch to natures recipe senior due to excess of protine in urine. Just do some homework and im sure that you will find a food that works for you.


----------



## George C. Tull (Aug 25, 2006)

Enhance 30/22 here cause it seems to be the best fer the $$.


----------



## GulfCoast (Sep 24, 2007)

Euk 30/20 for mine.


----------



## Ken Parrott (Feb 5, 2005)

Diamond Naturals Chicken and Rice here as well!


----------



## HarryWilliams (Jan 17, 2005)

Native Level 3 . HPW


----------



## choclab32 (Mar 10, 2010)

any puppy food preferences ?


----------



## freefall319 (Jan 31, 2010)

choclab32 said:


> any puppy food preferences ?


No expert here, but I fed mine Euk large breed puppy & she has a great coat, firm stools and is health as can be. I also tried the Pro Plan, she seemed to like the taste a little more than the Euk and I got the same results so that's what I went with.

If anyone carried Enhance in my area i'd try that. But since they dont I am sticking with the PPP.


----------



## laduckdogman (Dec 30, 2007)

We feed Enhance Pro Athlete and Endurance formula,quality food and great price. Been working for our dogs at the kennels in training and also for my personal dogs as well.


J.Moll
STDT Kennels
Norco,La.


----------



## ZMan079 (Aug 1, 2009)

I looked at the brand that blackbear referenced, ingredients looked good, but it is rather pricy. I recently looked at the line that TSC is carrying, Ingredients look prety good. 

For my dog I feed him Annamaet Ultra 32-20 during hunt/training season and Annamaet Encore 26-14 the remainder of the year.

ZMan079


----------



## CMRR&GC (Apr 3, 2010)

Strongpoint Hi-Pro


----------



## Bobcanoes (Jul 31, 2008)

My 23 month old eats Canidae ALS Grain Free 34/18, as she had problems with an odor and very soft runny stool from foods with Grain. I feed Eagle Pack Performance 30/20 to my older Girl. 

Both foods are great and both dogs do very well on them.


----------



## Peggy Snyder (Jan 12, 2008)

You want to check the phosphorus and sodium level...the lower the better then the protein and fat level..if you have high protein and fat AND high phosphorus and sodium
not good.


----------



## Peggy Snyder (Jan 12, 2008)

oh also in nutrition class we were taught that in dog food the first ingredient is not
the ingredient that is the predominate food in the dogs food. Meat is primarily water
and really is low when you look at the amount in the food.


----------



## chrism (Oct 2, 2009)

i feed my 85 and 102 lb labs diamond natural extreme athlete. It seems to work really well for them


----------



## Bill A (Jan 17, 2008)

Taste of The Wild Wetlands - tried PPP and Euk with terrible results. Also tried the TSC 4Health and again no good. You have to be willing to try different food because as has already been said - It will be different for YOUR dog.

choclab32 - I had great results with Wellness puppy

Bill


----------



## kcrumpy9 (Sep 29, 2008)

black0989 said:


> Blue Buffalo here. With only one dog, its not a huge deal as far as price is concerned. He eats less of it, looks a thousand times better in regards to coat, eyes and overall appearance. Cant go wrong with it, IMO.


Same here... I feed there large breed adult formula, and mix in a little of the BB Wilderness Duck formula in. The Wilderness is High protein (34%) and moderate fat (15%), so I don't worry about them putting on any extra weight.


----------



## ErinsEdge (Feb 14, 2003)

I think what every one misses with the great food debate is the quality of ingredients. Not all ingredients are the same, and thats how Diamond got in trouble. If a company buys poor quality ingredients to keep it's prices low they will end up with molds, alfatoxins etc. Labels don't tell everything.


----------



## M&K's Retrievers (May 31, 2009)

We're still feeding Extreme Dog Fuel with great results but it's a pain to find where we live.


----------



## laker (Sep 12, 2008)

black0989 said:


> Blue Buffalo here. With only one dog, its not a huge deal as far as price is concerned. He eats less of it, looks a thousand times better in regards to coat, eyes and overall appearance. Cant go wrong with it, IMO.


How much are you paying for Blue Buffalo?


----------



## Robert (Feb 28, 2006)

After seven (7) years feeding PP with good results we switched to Enhance Pro Athlete 30/22.

We couldn’t be happier. More food for the dollars. PP just got too expensive, shreds, etc


----------



## black0989 (May 11, 2010)

laker said:


> How much are you paying for Blue Buffalo?


I think we pay around 45-50 for a 30lb bag. But he eats 1/2 to 2/3 the amount he would eat on PPP or a similiar food.


----------



## Barry Brandt (May 10, 2010)

After seven (7) years feeding PP with good results we switched to Enhance Pro Athlete 30/22.

We couldn’t be happier. More food for the dollars. PP just got too expensive, shreds, etc
__________________
"A pointing dog trial is where everyone gets together to see which trainer has the best dog. A retriever trial is where everyone gets together to see which dog has the best trainer." 

Do you feed Enhance Pro Athlete all year round? I feed the 27-17 Endurance formula to my older dog. I am thinking for feeding the Enhance Pro to my new puppy when it is time, but don't want to put to much weight on him. I am no expert, but I did notice the Pro Athlete has no corn in it where the Endurance has some corn as the third ingredient.


----------



## Robert (Feb 28, 2006)

Yes, feed the Pro year round. We simply adjust the amount of food based on activity level.


----------



## windycanyon (Dec 21, 2007)

I feed my puppies (thru age 1) Eukanuba Lg Breed puppy. All my adults have been on Canidae ALS for ~11 yrs or so with very good results. It's not for dogs w/ meat protein allergies though, since there are multiple sources for protein (chicken/turkey/lamb/fish) but it doesn't have corn, wheat or soy, the other biggies. Also, they use human grade ingredients (holistic), no artificial colors or flavors. Anne


----------



## Bobcanoes (Jul 31, 2008)

Peggy Snyder said:


> You want to check the phosphorus and sodium level...the lower the better then the protein and fat level..if you have high protein and fat AND high phosphorus and sodium
> not good.


Peg,

What is considered a low level of Phosphorus and Sodium? Any suggestions be helpful.


----------



## Guest (May 27, 2010)

I strongly recommend a raw food diet, if you have the energy to try it. The diet focuses on a staple of raw chicken necks, supplemented a few times a week with organ meat, muscle meat, and a blended veggie mix we make at home. It's kind of a pain, but our labs are slim, have high-energy without being overly-hyper.


----------



## theeaterofshades (May 19, 2008)

PocketLab said:


> Great info guys. Thanks. My dog is kind of a picky eater. By the end of the bag she is just picking around. If I change up a little she starts strong again. I have always beleived you stick to whats working but can't find one she will stick with. Robert, I tried Blue, thought she would love it but she barely ate one bowl. Had to mix it with another bag. Blackbear, good info on the website. What did you end up going with? Raber, that sure is a pretty pup you got.


You may want to check into Fromm Family Foods (made in Wisconsin). They have 2 lines worth noting: 

Gold: I am ready to start on LB Puppy in about a week

http://www.frommfamily.com/products-g.php

And in the 4-star (You are supposed to be able to rotate food formulas w/ in the line with little to no problems. I have not tried this, so i cannot verify. 

4Star: http://www.frommfamily.com/products-fs.php


----------



## ErinsEdge (Feb 14, 2003)

theeaterofshades said:


> You may want to check into Fromm Family Foods (made in Wisconsin). They have 2 lines worth noting:
> 
> Gold: I am ready to start on LB Puppy in about a week
> 
> ...


Fromm's has their own growers and they are very selective about their ingredients.


----------



## BirdNMouth (Sep 16, 2008)

Been feeding Diamond Naturals Beef and Rice to my 7 dogs (6 Goldens and a 7 month old Lab pup) for several months. Great coats, small, firm stools, good muscle-tone, loads of energy.

I had originally tried Diamond Naturals Sporting Dog Formula but due to some defiencies, I was getting the "pink" cast to the coat on feet, armpits etc and that is when I switched to Beef and Rice and the "pink" went away.


----------



## Peggy Snyder (Jan 12, 2008)

Bobcanoes said:


> Peg,
> 
> What is considered a low level of Phosphorus and Sodium? Any suggestions be helpful.


You want to get them as low as you can go under 1.o.
Taste of the wild, Diamond natural, and alot of the 50+ food are
high in phosphate and sodium because they have to keep dogs
eating the food the sell it at 50 a 35lb bag. Protein and fat are
important but if you are killing your dogs kidneys it won't matter
how much it has in it. There is a site that lists phos and sodium
levels in different dog food. If anyone want it I'll look it up and find 
address.


----------



## Tim Culligan (Nov 21, 2007)

Fromm Surf and Turf. Its grain free and has the protein fat levels I liked.


----------



## ZMan079 (Aug 1, 2009)

Could not find any ingedients listed in Annamaet that mention Phosphorus, Could it be in another ingredient (i.e part of a compound)? The only reference I could find of sodium was Sodium Selenite, it was like the 2nd to last ingedient (if that means anything).


----------



## Alan Sandifer (Oct 17, 2007)

I will stick with the Euk 30/20 , works great on my water wolf .


----------



## ErinsEdge (Feb 14, 2003)

ZMan079 said:


> Could not find any ingedients listed in Annamaet that mention Phosphorus, Could it be in another ingredient (i.e part of a compound)? The only reference I could find of sodium was Sodium Selenite, it was like the 2nd to last ingedient (if that means anything).


Phosphorus is a percentage total in the dog food, not an ingredient -like calcium. Go to the company and ask the %.


----------



## az hunter (Nov 13, 2008)

Peggy Snyder said:


> You want to get them as low as you can go under 1.o.
> Taste of the wild, Diamond natural, and alot of the 50+ food are
> high in phosphate and sodium because they have to keep dogs
> eating the food the sell it at 50 a 35lb bag. Protein and fat are
> ...


I CAN NOT agree more. i fed eukanuba sporting/permium for many years now my 10yo had some major problems with his kidneys leaking protein and bleeding changed food and after antibiotics everything is back to normal. DO NOT FEED HIGH PERFORMANCE IN OLDER DOGS!!!


----------



## glenndon (Dec 29, 2008)

The guy at the dog food store suggested I start using this:

http://www.petcurean.com/index.php?page_id=116

Summit Large Breed Puppy. Anyone ever have experience with this food?? Currently I'm feed Euk Large Breed Puppy.

Glenn


----------



## MSDOGS1976 (Mar 7, 2009)

glenndon said:


> The guy at the dog food store suggested I start using this:
> 
> http://www.petcurean.com/index.php?page_id=116
> 
> ...


The majority of these specialty foods are simply not sold in my area. One reason I'm with Eukanuba. But it works anyway.


----------



## HuntingWithLizzy (May 1, 2010)

Diamond Naturals. We use this on my 1 yr old Lab and on Dad's 4 yr old Border Collie. No problems. Make sure its the Naturals though... It makes a difference.


----------



## PocketLab (Apr 23, 2010)

Sorry guys, internet issues lately..... No one likes Native?


----------



## Matt Weberpal (Oct 9, 2009)

I feed California Natural Lamb Meal and Rice Large Breed Puppy right now and the dog seems to be doing well with a nice healthy coat and lots of energy. It's supposedly made with all-natural ingredients but is getting upwards of $60 for 30lbs. I'll be switching in a few months to a more performance based food.


----------



## Lucky Number Seven (Feb 22, 2009)

Native is a great food. I fed it for a while and my boy loved it! Just got too expensive so I moved to something different.


----------



## Rick_C (Dec 12, 2007)

OSAGE said:


> After seven (7) years feeding PP with good results we switched to Enhance Pro Athlete 30/22.
> 
> We couldn’t be happier. More food for the dollars. PP just got too expensive, shreds, etc
> __________________
> ...


I've wanted to try Enhance for a while. Unfortunately the one place in town that carries Arkat doesn't carry Enhance and their prices are so high on the regular adult ($44 per bag) that I haven't bothered to ask them about ordering Enhance.


----------



## BWCA Labs Margo Penke (Jan 20, 2010)

www.frommfamily.com Adult Gold
Because recently it was rated #1 on a list we saw at our Vet Clinic...The ingredients list is very important to us.
and Fromm's has been the 'Best to Us' lately...they've been nice to work with and are really good to our kennel.


----------



## [email protected] (Apr 13, 2010)

Stick with Enhance, either Endurance 27/17 or Pro Athlete 30/22...the big guys use it, besides good quality the price is not bad. Up here in Canada Endurance is selling at $47.99/bag compared to the other well known foods which start at $59.99 - $85.99 per bag.
James
Bushmills Kennels


----------



## Bo Joe (Jan 4, 2010)

Bill A said:


> Taste of The Wild Wetlands - tried PPP and Euk with terrible results. Also tried the TSC 4Health and again no good. You have to be willing to try different food because as has already been said - It will be different for YOUR dog.
> 
> choclab32 - I had great results with Wellness puppy
> 
> Bill


I too feed Taste of the Wild. I use to feed Blue Buffalo but when I tried to contact them for over two weeks but was never able to......I switched. 

Might want to check out this thread....

http://www.retrievertraining.net/forums/showthread.php?t=50571&highlight=blue+buffalo&page=2

~J


----------



## Bill A (Jan 17, 2008)

Peggy Snyder said:


> You want to get them as low as you can go under 1.o.
> Taste of the wild, Diamond natural, and alot of the 50+ food are
> high in phosphate and sodium because they have to keep dogs
> eating the food the sell it at 50 a 35lb bag. Protein and fat are
> ...


I'm not sure of the phosphorus level but TOTW has sodium listed at 0.3% max. I also just contacted TOTW to inquire about ethyoxyquin and they responded quickly and informed me that they do not used the preservative and also stated that their fish supplier does not use it either. Just some FYI for everyone.

Bill


----------



## jlupi (Jun 17, 2010)

dogfoodanalysis.com

I use nutro ultra w some orijen mixed in.

orijen is prob one of the best out there but its quite pricey


<<<There is a site that lists phos and sodium
levels in different dog food.>>>>

im interested


----------



## jlupi (Jun 17, 2010)

I would not say phos kills a dogs kidneys but higher protein foods will have higher phosphate which MAY be bad for an older dog with kidney problems. That does not = high protein (high phos) foods are bad. dogs are carnivores there diet whould therefore benifit (in general) from high prot diets.


in fact there is some that dispute that high prot is bad for kidneys in dogs
dogaware.com/health/kidneyprotein.html


----------



## Crusher (Jun 7, 2010)

I read an article last year about all the money that Eukanuba donates to anti hunting groups, I will no longer purchase any of their products, just my 2 cents. My breeder researched a lot of different brands and they found the Costo Kirkland brand is just as good or better than a lot of the name brands. I agree with what I read above, research it yourself and go with your gut.


----------



## Bmiller (Apr 23, 2010)

Heres a question i had been feeding sportsmans pride pro 30/20 and had been very happy with it then started having loose stools my vet had me switch to euk so i went with the 30/20 there too,But the loose stool turned out to be something else,so the question is i was gonna switch back to sportsmans pride mostly cuz i was happy before and its alot cheaper,now i saw some very good reveiws for diamond extreme athlete 35/22 so i work my dog this time of year a min of 45 min a day and up to 2hrs when it cools off, is he not active enough for the high protein/fat food what could it cause? and would he get over weight? What to do? if the extreme athlete will do what the reveiws say it does but with no bad after effects i would like to switch to it.So basicly is my dog active enough for the extreme athlete without getting loose stools from too much protein or over weight from too much fat. Im confused!.........Brian


----------



## mlp (Feb 20, 2009)

Bmiller said:


> Heres a question i had been feeding sportsmans pride pro 30/20 and had been very happy with it then started having loose stools my vet had me switch to euk so i went with the 30/20 there too,But the loose stool turned out to be something else,so the question is i was gonna switch back to sportsmans pride mostly cuz i was happy before and its alot cheaper,now i saw some very good reveiws for diamond extreme athlete 35/22 so i work my dog this time of year a min of 45 min a day and up to 2hrs when it cools off, is he not active enough for the high protein/fat food what could it cause? and would he get over weight? What to do? if the extreme athlete will do what the reveiws say it does but with no bad after effects i would like to switch to it.So basicly is my dog active enough for the extreme athlete without getting loose stools from too much protein or over weight from too much fat. Im confused!.........Brian


Brian 
I work my dogs about the same according to how hot it is and the 30/20 is wat to hot for my dogs. It may be to rich of food , or they may be eating to much that could cause this. You might go with a lower protein and fat and that may help.


----------



## Paula H (Aug 2, 2004)

Enhance Endurance 27/17. It's a little bit of a drive to get it, but I really like the food. I have fed Pro Plan Performance for years, but the feed store near me jacked the price up to abot $47 for 37.5 pounds. The guys are doing well on Enhance Endurance.


----------



## Tim Culligan (Nov 21, 2007)

I was feeding PMI Exclusive but my 2 yr old blm was always scratching. I switched to Fromm surf and turf and he is doing great on it.


----------



## jlupi (Jun 17, 2010)

Bmiller said:


> Heres a question i had been feeding sportsmans pride pro 30/20 and had been very happy with it then started having loose stools my vet had me switch to euk so i went with the 30/20 there too,.........Brian


if you were happy and the dog did well thats prob most important. However their website does not list ingredients so its hard for me to judge the food and makes me a little nervous. 

generally speaking meal (ex chicken meal) is good, by products bad, corn not so great


there is a good general guide on a boxer forum
http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/view_choosing-a-good-kibble-dry-dog-food.htm


----------



## Creek Retrievers (Jul 1, 2005)

scully said:


> I was feeding PMI Exclusive but my 2 yr old blm was always scratching. I switched to Fromm surf and turf and he is doing great on it.


I feed Fromm and I am happy with the results! I use to feed Eagle Pack.


----------



## Wayne Beck (Mar 22, 2010)

Paula H said:


> Enhance Endurance 27/17. It's a little bit of a drive to get it, but I really like the food. I have fed Pro Plan Performance for years, but the feed store near me jacked the price up to abot $47 for 37.5 pounds. The guys are doing well on Enhance Endurance.


I just changed my dogs over to Pro Plan. My pup is on large breed puppy, and my YLM large breed adult. 

where do you guys buy your proplan. and what do you usually pay? i think im like 43 bucks a bag


----------



## Greg Seddon (Jan 7, 2005)

I am feeding my dogs Fromm and really like the results after feeding Eagle Pack for over 8 years. The place I buy my food from sells all their food for 10% above what they buy it for so if I remember Pro Plan Performance is around $32 last time looked walking by it.

Fromm Gold is $30

Fromm Four Star 

Duck & Sweet Potato $35
Salmon A La Veg $38


----------



## Rick_C (Dec 12, 2007)

Feeding Pro Plan Performance currently. $40.99 per bag at PetSmart.

Looking for something not as "hot" as my almost 2 yo BLM is always a little loose. I'm going to try Enhance if I can find a local supplier. Unfortunately the dealers listed on their website for my area either a. Don't carry it or b. are 200+ miles away.


----------



## [email protected] (Apr 13, 2010)

Pro Plan Performance up here in Canada is $71.99 bag plus 13% tax, total $81.35.
Now I'm using Enhance, which is a better food at $47.99 bag plus 13% tax, total $54.23
Savings - $27.12
But the main thing is, Enhance quality is just as good if not better.


----------



## Wayne Beck (Mar 22, 2010)

Yikes but in Canadian dollars right?


----------



## Howard N (Jan 3, 2003)

ccm352 said:


> Yikes but in Canadian dollars right?


Doesn't make much difference nowadays. $US = $Can almost one for one.

Canadian gas prices aren't in funny money anymore.


----------



## robertnla (Oct 16, 2008)

Blue Buffalo Chicken and Rice. real deboned chicken, chicken meal and lots of quality stuff.


----------



## gundog3664 (Feb 19, 2010)

ive been using Enhance hunters edge. i think im gunna switch to pro plan though cause the dogs dont seem to care for it that much. Also my year and a half chocolate lab is startin to look a little lean and she doesnt have the greatest lookin coat.


----------



## Maxs Mom (Sep 17, 2009)

We are in the process of switching right now from TOTW to Blue Buffalo Chicken and Rice. My big lab especially didn't get along with either the grain free or richer food. It has been HORRIBLE when we come home from work... we just cleaned the carpets, and the Tuesday.... 

I hope they all do well on the Blue. I do like the look of the ingredients, protein levels, etc. 

We were on Nutro before TOTW we put the pup on TOTW when the food we were feeding changed it's formula. Then we thought why not just feed one food to all dogs. Nutro also changed their formula. So we switched. My other two dogs were 'ok' on the TOTW, but even they have had 'stool issues'. Just not as bad as my big dog. Hers could be to a result of her recent "incident" and medication but we couldn't go on. 

Blue comes highly recommended. 

Ann


----------



## duckwater (Apr 23, 2010)

I have to give onother vote to PP performance,i have been feeding it for 12 yrs. Shiny coat,solid stool!


----------



## retrieverman (May 20, 2009)

Taste of the Wild all varieties. My dog had trouble with grain and this was the solution. I also give him a supplement called Missing Link which appears to help his coat and has reduced shedding.


----------



## MarkyMark (Jun 5, 2010)

Ol Roy topped with Mighty Dog


----------



## Wayne Beck (Mar 22, 2010)

MarkyMark said:


> Ol Roy topped with Mighty Dog



Cant beat that Ol Roy!! Thats the best on the market!


----------



## jlupi (Jun 17, 2010)

I dont love the ing in pp. PP performance looks to be primarily a corn/brewers rice based food. However, the most important thing is how the dog does on their food.

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 bran,

note that chicken listed as the first ing is not meal so its inclusive of 80%water that will be gone when dehydrated..


----------



## savage25xtreme (Dec 4, 2009)

currently feeding wellness just for puppy its 50 dollars for 30 pounds he loves it and does great on it, I also give 2 spoon fulls of yogurt and I have mixed some diamond naturals in large breed when he was younger to help firm up stools, puppy food is very rich:

Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Ground Barley, Salmon Meal (a natural source of DHA - Docosahexaenoic Acid), Canola Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Ground Brown Rice, Tomato Pomace, Rice Bran, Tomatoes, Natural Chicken Flavor, Rye Flour, Carrots, Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Apples, Blueberries, Ground Millet, Ground Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Minerals [Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite], Vitamins [Beta-Carotene, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement], Choline Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Taurine, Mixed Tocopherols (a natural preservative), Chicory Root Extract, Garlic, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Green Tea Extract, Dried Lactobacillus plantarum, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation products.

when he turns 9 months old I will start transitioning to Wellness Large Breed: 

Deboned Chicken, Deboned Whitefish, Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Ground Peas, Ground Barley, Ground Brown Rice, Tomato Pomace, Salmon Meal, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Tomatoes, Natural Chicken Flavor, Ground Flaxseed, Carrots, Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Apples, Blueberries, Minerals [Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite], Vitamins [Beta-Carotene, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement], Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Chicory Root Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Mixed Tocopherols (a natural preservative), Dried Lactobacillus plantarum, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation products.


I have to drive about 30 minutes to get it, but we go to that town a few times a month anyways.


----------

