Has anyone fed this dog food? It is made for Tractor supply, out of Texas.
Good or bad response's greatly appreciated.

Thank you
Kay

I have been feeding the Chicken and Rice 4 health recipe and have seen amazing changes in coat (especially tails). My dogs stated to gain weight, had to decrease the portions. Far fewer piles to pick up in the yard. I am very pleased, because price per bag is cheaper and I am feeding less, so am saving that way as well. I give it a thumbs up.

I looked at this food and now do not remember if it contained beet pulp?? I had been feeding Diamond Naturals Chicken/Rice and both of my yellows starting getting red stains on feet, which they had never had before. Otherwise they did really well on the Diamond Naturals-coat, condition and weight. I have switched them back to Blue Buffalo and stains are gone. Not sure which ingredient is responsible. My black is eating the Diamoinds Natural and doing great on it. Has anyone else had this happen?
Thanks.
Julia

The beet pulp in dog food is from sugar beets, not red beets. Beet pulp has no color, has no flavor and has no sugar left in it when it is used for fiber. It clear, hair like structures and it does not turn a coat red and it has no nutritional value other than a stool firmer and a valuable food source for the viable bacteria of the gut. (sourced from the Great Dane Lady's web site) Beet pulp has been badly misrepresented when it's talked about as an ingredient in dog foods.

Red staining between toes is caused either by saliva staining or bacteria/yeast, as far as I'm aware. Same thing that causes tear staining from eye discharge on light colored dogs.

I have to disagree with you. My sister has a shih tzu who started getting staining near the vulva, the mouth, eyes and feet after switching to royal canin for shih tzu's. We called the company and they told us it was the beet pulp and to try taking her off it (her breeder was the one who suggested this and encouraged her to call). She was switched to Natures Variety and all staining went away-she never had allergies nor did she lick-this has never happened before that food or since the switch.

I'd google "cause of red staining on face and feet dogs" before relating this story to anyone. And then google "reason for beet pulp in dog food".

why-I'm telling the truth...I've seen the "staining" you may be referring to in your google search, but this was different. The only thing that had changed for this shih tzu was the food.
why would the royal canin rep give this advice and, it worked with the dog never having another issue?

Maybe it worked because the dog was sensitive to something in the Royal Canin, and not to something in the Nature's Variety. The staining is caused by bacteria or yeast which proliferates because the dog's immune system is set off by something.

Why would you think it's caused specifically by beet pulp? It could be caused by any number of ingredients. I doubt the rep is any kind of nutritional expert, and probably thinks (like half the population does, it seems) that the beet pulp they use is RED from red beets. Would make for the quickest explanation/excuse, wouldn't it?

Another valuable thread. I was hoping to follow the original thread to learn more about a specific dog food and the experiences from that particular product.

But instead the endless back and forth about something which does not follow the OP's question occurs and pretty soon we are talking about a vet's opinion about midline deformities as opposed to whether a particular breeder likes a cowlick (zipper).

Has anyone else used this food? I am curious.