Not rocket science - read the ingredients. If you feel good feeding what's in their food then, by all means, do so. However, if you're feeding it because of $ then maybe you can't afford a dog, or 2 or more. I did read an article (I think in the WDJ) that Hills has cleaned up their act (so to speak) with regard to their non-prescription food. Personally, I wouldn't feed it. Every dog does different. I knew a (now deceased) breeder/judge who fed basic Purina in the green bag (with no supplementing) for over 35 years. Her blacks had beautiful coats. Different strokes for different dogs.

Yes and all my dogs, but one, did great on it! But I no longer feed it because I have one with severe allergies and I try not to keep food or treats around that have ingredients he is allergic to.

I simply was asking for people's opinion/experience with this food. No where did I mention that I can't afford to feed the dogs I own. Nor, did I ask you to pass judgement on me and whether I should own dogs.

Thank you to everyone who was nice enough to respond in a productive manner. I appreciate it!!

Where does the OP says she wants to feed it because it's free and she can't afford to have her dogs otherwise? What a presumptive and arrogant statement.

I believe that's why she is asking if the food is good since she would be able to save money. Money that perhaps she could use to go to a show or whatever (don't we all like to save money?). I know if I had the opportunity to feed a good food for free to my dogs, I'd consider switching too.

I recently won a free bag of their maintenance formula and upon review of the ingredients I was pleasantly surprised to see the change to better sources of proteins and ingredients.

My cat eats the CD prescription formula for urinary health has he had a partial urinary blockage. Before this I fed a high quality food, but it wasn't enough. On the old food, once a year, he'd break out with bumps on his back and lose his hair. On the Science Diet he no longer does this and he has not had a re-occurrence of the blockage. The food works well for him.

Try it. You might like it.

No. I was told even by vets it's poor quality food.

If you want to save money try Kirkland. My dogs are on it for years and do well. It's a quality food with a lower price tag. It's made by Diamond for Costco. Look at the ingredients.

I don't feed it simply because I feed raw plus it is one of the more expensive foods on the market over here. What I do know is that a Labrador person ( has 3 chocolates but doesn't breed) fed her dogs only HSD and her Labradors had the most beautiful glossy dark chocolate coats in fact if you saw them in the shade you would have trouble telling if they were chocolate or black. They went through some tough financial times so changed to Eukanuba as it was cheaper. Gone were the beautiful coats, they were dull and greasy, really not nice. When their tough times got better she switched back to HSD and again beautiful coats, take from that what you will.

As a fellow Tech I can tell you I tried most of the foods available through a clinic. The one our Labs did best on - and everyone had awesome coats, condition etc was the PVD Maintenance lines. It's basically the same as ProPlan, just in a different package. Our clinic sold a lot of the PVD line - both the maintenance and prescription lines. I honestly liked it the best of all the "Vet only" lines.

The Hill's lines gave our dogs dry, brittle coats.

Hills SD Ideal Balance is on the 2013 approved list from the whole dog journal-hope that makes you feel better.

I will pass along my experience with Science Diet. I do a fair bit of rescue work with our county shelter, very often times, puppies. The shelter feeds Science Diet and provides this food when people foster puppies. I choose to feed the puppies I pull Pro Plan, which is what my Lab puppies get.

I am knocking wood as I say this but the puppies who are fostered by others who choose to use the SD don't look as good as the puppies I foster. The weight is not there and very often litters are not healthy enough to fight off viruses such as Parvo. My guys are exposed to the same things in the kennel that these other litters are but seem to have the strength from good nutrition to fight off some of this stuff.

Just my thoughts.