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Post by Sucosa on Aug 25, 2005 21:35:06 GMT -5
Since we have lost our Beloved Athena,- We have seriously started looking at the stuff we feed our dog. usually we give Dream ( our Border Collie) store brand dry dog food - but he is loosing interest and pigging out on all the table scraps we give him. Does anyone have any suggestions on what is a good dog food or dog treats?
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Post by T. Miller on Aug 28, 2005 21:54:03 GMT -5
Umm... definitely not table scraps. And definitely not store brand dog food. Having pissed away multiple years of my life employed in pet supply stores, I can probably field this one, but other comments are certainly welcome...
Look at the labels next time you're in the store, and compare store brand to a premo brand. The first ingredient in your store brands and nat'l crap brands will usually be corn or some sort of filler. That doesn't do anything but keep the poop machinery working. A lot of times meat will be the 4th or 5th ingredient listed, which doesn't do the average carniverous canine much good since ingredients are listed in order of decreasing quanities used in the product.
A significantly better food is one that lists meat FIRST. These cost more, but they offer much more healthful benefits. They offer nutrition for one thing, and there's less filler and useless additives for second. (A side note - Science Diet and Bene-ful - both crap. The former is a bloated name brand and the second is crap food passing off as healthy. It gives dogs the multi-colour runs - I learned this at the kennel I worked at last summer.) Anyways, these better foods cost more, but in the long run it'll be worth it since your pet will be healthier. If you go to a pet supply store, you'll usually get decent deals on premo and nat'l brands. A company I'd recommend is Nutro because they have various diets to suit individual dogs that are based on wholesome foods. Something to watch for is that sometimes Nutro is a bit too rich for dogs - if that's the case, just go with a formula that is based on a different, easier to digest meat. (in ANY brand, Lamb is always easiest on the stomach) Nutro also offers A LOT of coupons and discounts. Look for a place that has some sort of frequent buyer programs, and keep an eye out for mail-in rebates attached to the store shelf. They're usually for a free bag of food.
Proplan is another fairly decent brand. It's the upscale version of Purina, available in specialty stores as well as most grocery stores. They offer a large variety of meat bases, including turkey and salmon. You may have luck here with so much variety to choose from (more variety in the specialty stores).
Iams/ Eukaneuba is ok, but over priced (different brands, same company). Royal Canon or Waltham puts out some decent foods (different brands, same company). Some pet stores offer free samples - call around. Also, ask before you buy. If the dog won't eat it, you might be able to return it. Some places allow it.
Side notes - rice is healthy for the skin and coat. So is garlic or brewer's yeast. Since you have a collie type of dog, it may be something you want to keep in mind. It'll do wonders. Table scraps - generally not a good idea, but if you're going to indulge him, think a second. That big chunk of fat you wouldn't eat from your dinner - if it's not good for you, it's probably worse for the dog. Its ok to give meat, rice, and vegetables, but moderation is definitely key.
The only other advice I can think of is definitely keep up with the check-ups. Catching stuff in advance can save your pet's life.
Most of this info also applies to felines.
Hope it helps.
PS - wet food is horrible for any pet's teeth. I wouldn't use it unless instructed by a vet or you're tricking the critter into ingesting some sort of medication.
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Post by T. Miller on Aug 28, 2005 21:58:56 GMT -5
Oh... you asked about treats too... Store bought treats are ok in moderation. Think how often you should really be eating _(insert whatever you probably shouldn't be eating but do anyways here)_ and apply the same to the dog. Also play around with healthy foods your dog doesn't realise are treats. For example, get one of those Kong toys and pack it with peanut butter. Assuming your dog, like most dogs, likes peanut butter, doggie will be happy to have a treat as well as having something to keep the brain occupied for a while.
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