Hi everyone I don’t get on here much but though you could help. I have 3 Labradors and a feeding them sportmix from our local feed store. At first it seemed to be a good affordable food. Now I don’t know about it so much. My dog’s coats have gotten really bad and I’m looking for something else to try. I have tried diamond, PMI made by Purina, Nutrena Loyal, and really didn't care for none of them. We did try Purina pro plan and like it for our pups and adults. It is just a little pricey for me. So if you would please post what you use and I will make a list from that. I do not want to go raw I just want a store bought food that you are please with. PLEASE EVERYONE post what you use. The more options I have the better.
I feed Nature's Variety Prairie dog food. It's an "All Life Stage" food of premium quality. Because of the quality of the food your dogs will require less food to maintain a good body weight. For instance, my 93 lb. almost 6 yr. old boy eats 1 1/4 cups twice daily, my 19 month old 90 lb. boy eats 1 1/2 cups twice daily and my old girl at 67 lbs. ate 1 cup twice daily (she no longers eats kibble because she has lymphoma, she now gets home cooked food)My dogs look great, have nice coats, great energy levels and small poops. This brand of food is formulated to be able to switch for flavor to flavor without having to transition slowly. The food comes in five flavors, Chicken and Brown Rice $41.99 for 30lbs, Beef and Barley $43.99 for 30 lb, Lamb and Oatmeal $48.99 for 30 lb, Venison and Millet $52.99 for 30 lb, and Salmon and Brown Rice $52.99 for 30 lb. These prices may seem expensive to some folks but you do get what you pay for. You can buy food that is far less expensive but if the dog is not absorbing the nutrients from to food and just pooping it all out then you're feeding twice the amount of food needed and wasting money. So in the long run feeding less of a better quality more expensive food is not so bad. JMO Best of luck with your food choices.
Our dogs coats are going to look bad twice a year no matter what you're feeding. Let their coats shed out completely and give them several months to get back into good coat. Pro Plan and Royal Canin have given my dogs good coats but when they're blowing and shedding, you just have to wait it out.
I agree, you do get what you pay for. We are at a point where we need to be very cost conscious too. Pro Plan Performance is what we feed. I won't recommend raw because that IS expensive.
But if you are smart, you can work the deals with Pro Plan. Join the breeders club, save the circles to get coupon checks back. Petsmart/Petco often have sales. Petco does a Buy 200 pounds, get 10% off. The shelf life is pretty good on the bags, but if you don't think you'll go through 200#, find a friend...that's what I do.
I have been feeding my dogs Pro Pac Superpremium Pet Food for 5 years now and I wouldn't want another food. Their coats are super, stools are nice and firm and everybody are healthy and they like it. Never had a problem with it. I feed my adults Pro Pac Large breed adult and puppies from 4 weeks to 8 weeks Performance Puppy and after 8 weeks, Pro Pac large breed puppy.
Here's their website: Pro Pac
Curious what type of Diamonds you have tried. I love Diamonds Chicken and Rice -great coats, stool, energy, health, etc. There is a post about Diamond's C&R somewhere on here with many happy breeders posting.
if you look at he ingredients in kirkland chicken dog food and the nut. label it seems like a good food. I mix it 50/50. it saves on money and the results are pretty good
It rates dog foods on the basis of ingredients. It highlights possibly undesirable ingredients in each food. Enlightening to me, and on the basis of this, I have switched most of my dogs to Diamond Naturals. So far (still on the first bag) everything is great! Poops are solid, not a lot of them, dogs are thriving, coats are good. It is available at Tractor Supply, which I have near me. I was disappointed to see Royal Canin is only rated a 3, and most of Purina's foods are 2's! Of course, the proof is in the pudding, as the saying goes. My dogs are on their first bag, but we're maintaining weights, etc. on 2 cups daily for adults.
Checked the dog food advisor link. Holy crap! No wonder I am confused. There is an incredible number of different dog foods available.
This list appears to have a bias for "natural". Is there anything online that is strictly a chart that shows percentages of fat and protein and other ingredients?
