What are you feeding your dog?

lorebringer

imokyrok wrote: »

I've been wondering about what food to try for a new rescue dog I've taken on. He has a dodgy tummy which makes cleaning up his poop very difficult. I've been trying him on versele-laga and the diet version of the same for my other dog but they just don't seem keen.

A lot of people seem to think the RC is overpriced for what it is and that Red Mills is just as good. I've also read rave reviews about Orijen but crikey it's very expensive!

James Wellbeloved and Burns are great for dogs with sensitive stomachs, if you buy it in bulk (bit 15kg bags) it works out very reasonable price wise. My guys (the ones that are not on veterinary diets!) are on JWB at the moment and are doing brilliantly. I feed Royal Canin at times, but it is over priced for what you get and I find JWB better anyway.

imokyrok

lorebringer wrote: »

James Wellbeloved and Burns are great for dogs with sensitive stomachs, if you buy it in bulk (bit 15kg bags) it works out very reasonable price wise. My guys (the ones that are not on veterinary diets!) are on JWB at the moment and are doing brilliantly. I feed Royal Canin at times, but it is over priced for what you get and I find JWB better anyway.

I've never heard of the James Wellbeloved. Is it readily available?

toadfly

imokyrok wrote: »

I've never heard of the James Wellbeloved. Is it readily available?

Thats what I was wondering, might try this. Is it only available online? Dont think I have seen it in shops.

imokyrok

I've just found it at zooplus. There's a couple of cereal free versions in the range and I must say the ingredients list looks very good.
http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/dry_dog_food/james_wellbeloved/wellbeloved_cerealfree/128196

lorebringer

The pet shop in Maynooth stock it (that's where I usually get it) but it is available online (zooplus and medicanimal). I have also gotten it from Petmania. €55 per 15kg bag - can't go wrong!

Here's a product list (on their site) --> http://www.wellbeloved.com/products/dog_food.aspx

Knine

lorebringer wrote: »

I found this was the case with some of mine on Burns - switched to James Wellbeloved and no sloppy poos anymore! I'm not saying they all had dodgy poos all the time they were on Burns, but every so often if would be very unpleasent for a while. Have never had a problem with JWB - brilliant stuff.

Which JWB do you recommend I try? One of my dogs has a dodgy stomach. It seems JWB is the same price as burns anyhow. I get mine from zooplus

Rommie

Best food for me, well for my dogs that is, is definitely Real Nature. With a red setter (one with a sensitive stomach) and a mad collie cross, it suits them both perfectly. Poos are rock solid (Not to mention its absorbed into the gut better thanks to high quality ingredients so there's less poop), there's no preservatives at all in it (so less worries about the chemicals), and though it's expensive (no more expensive than RC or Hills though), you feed a lot less of it so it even lasts longer. And a mix of blackangus beef, barbary duck and atlantic herring? Nearly tempted to try it myself.

As far as i know, it's only really getting popular in the last two years, but I would definitely reccommend it.

mymo

Rommie wrote: »

Best food for me, well for my dogs that is, is definitely Real Nature. With a red setter (one with a sensitive stomach) and a mad collie cross, it suits them both perfectly. Poos are rock solid (Not to mention its absorbed into the gut better thanks to high quality ingredients so there's less poop), there's no preservatives at all in it (so less worries about the chemicals), and though it's expensive (no more expensive than RC or Hills though), you feed a lot less of it so it even lasts longer. And a mix of blackangus beef, barbary duck and atlantic herring? Nearly tempted to try it myself.

As far as i know, it's only really getting popular in the last two years, but I would definitely reccommend it.

Where do you get this?
Any links or website with info?
I can't seem to find it online.

Rommie

I get it in the petshop Maxi Zoo in Tallaght, I think they have about 7 or 8 shops around the country altogether. I was going to start my fellas on Hills but when they told me about the Real Nature I went with it instead. You might be able to find some info on their website about it.

liquoriceall

i also use james wellbeloved for my basset (who has multiple allergies and colitis) and its the only food i have found where hes not up puking during the night and tearing his skin to bits can get it in maxi zoo and petmania in limerick (can also get 10% off if you keep your dunnes receipts with the thing on the back!

t4k30

lrushe

lorebringer wrote: »

I found this was the case with some of mine on Burns - switched to James Wellbeloved and no sloppy poos anymore!

Really?! I found JWB ran the guts out of my dogs :eek: Guess it really does depend on the individual dog as to what suits them.
I'm now feeding them GAIN complete (€18 15kg bag) and supplementing with fresh meat, veg, fish and fish oils and I'm really happy with the results, firm poops, glossy coat etc.

Knine

lrushe wrote: »

Really?! I found JWB ran the guts out of my dogs :eek: Guess it really does depend on the individual dog as to what suits them.
I'm now feeding them GAIN complete (€18 15kg bag) and supplementing with fresh meat, veg, fish and fish oils and I'm really happy with the results, firm poops, glossy coat etc.

Where can you get this? I'm in Dublin. Thanks

lorebringer

Knine wrote: »

Which JWB do you recommend I try? One of my dogs has a dodgy stomach. It seems JWB is the same price as burns anyhow. I get mine from zooplus

Usually get either "Senior/Light" or the "Fish" one, but all of the flavours that I have tried have been fine. I'm feeding multiple dogs JWB, all with different needs, and all are doing very well on it.

I also give some of human food (meat, veg, tuna etc.) with the dry kibble (not everyday!) to vary their diet a bit.

lrushe

Knine wrote: »

Where can you get this? I'm in Dublin. Thanks

Perfect Pets on the Longmile Rd, Crumlin.

andrewire

The problem with most of the dry dog food you all have mentioned is the ingredients. Look at James Wellbeloved, for example:

Ingredients:
Rice, lamb meat meal, ground whole barley, whole linseed, lamb fat, lamb gravy, sugar beet pulp, alfalfa, sodium chloride, natural seaweed, calcium carbonate, chicory extract, lysine, D,L-methionine, yucca extract, thyronine, JWB special ingredients.

Cereals are not good for dogs. Therefore, rice, barley, linseed, corn, etc. are controversial ingredients because they can cause allergies (corn especially). Beet pulp is an extremely dangerous ingredient for dog food as well since it affects their intestine. It's a by-product of the sugar production. What about "JWB special ingredients"? What do they mean by that dubious line?

I feed my dogs Royal Canin and it's the same thing. Unfortunately, we don't get any decent quality food here on most shops. I'm trying to change to Orijen now... but it has a weak distribution system. Most commercial dog food brands are owned by larger companies that use all their by-products and left-overs for the production of dog food. Mars owns Royal Canin, Pedigree, JWB, Whiskas... Nestlé owns Purina, Dog Chow, Bonio.... Procter & Gamble owns Eukanuba... It's rather depressing. Maybe I am overreacting but I want my dogs to be healthy.

TaraR

We feed our 4 pooches Wagg and Pedigree Wet Food. Up North A 17kg Bag of Wagg Is €10 Dublin Is €15. When we go up north we tend to buy in bulk. A bag does us a week. Sometimes we get bones from the butcher.

toadfly

Ok so what do ye reckon I should try? Have tried Hills (not impressed) and RC (found it ok but not happy with protein %). Maybe Orijen? Will it take them a while to adjust as there is no rice etc?

I only have about a week supply of their own food left so maybe I should get another bag of RC each then change more gradually when I do change?

andreac

TillyGirl wrote: »

Ok so what do ye reckon I should try? Have tried Hills (not impressed) and RC (found it ok but not happy with protein %). Maybe Orijen? Will it take them a while to adjust as there is no rice etc?

I only have about a week supply of their own food left so maybe I should get another bag of RC each then change more gradually when I do change?

Really depends on your budget. What would be your monthly budget for dog food?

Owen

Our hound usually gets Burgess, or Barking Heads. Friends of ours opened up a shop in Cork only doing healthy dog foods without wheat/fillers like rice so we've been trialling a load of them out. We got a load of sample bags of food first to try them out, and we found the Burgess stuff seems to be the best. Lasts ages too.

Molberts

TillyGirl wrote: »

RC (found it ok but not happy with protein %). Maybe Orijen?

Its the quality not the percentage of protein that is important

There's not one magic food that suits all dogs, but there are only a handful I'd be happy to feed my dogs or recommend to others. Most commercial dog foods are dreadful, and actually cost more as you feed so much more due to flavor enhancers, salt, sugar etc.

My own dogs get alternating bags of Orijen and Ziwipeak. They are calm, happy and in great condition. These are both grain free, high protein (in both quality and quantity) foods.

toadfly

andreac wrote: »

Really depends on your budget. What would be your monthly budget for dog food?

Well not a hugh amount but they are both so small and dont eat much! I got them 2kg bag of RC each maybe 6 weeks ago and I am nearly out now!

Molberts wrote: »

My own dogs get alternating bags of Orijen and Ziwipeak. They are calm, happy and in great condition. These are both grain free, high protein (in both quality and quantity) foods.

Think I will try Orijen. Molberts where do you get it? Zooplus?

Thanks guys.

EDIT: Will Orijen be ok for Tilly as she needs a light food? Thanks!

lisar201

Knine wrote: »

Where can you get this? I'm in Dublin. Thanks

petmania stock gains food there is one in santry

toadfly

I'm off to Enniskillen on Sat just rang Jolleys (petstore!) and they dont stock it. Anyone know where I can get it in Enniskillen? Too late to order online as I need it now.

Cherry Blossom

TillyGirl wrote: »

EDIT: Will Orijen be ok for Tilly as she needs a light food? Thanks!

Again, to me a 'light' food means low protein, in order to be low protein the food would have to have ingredients other than meat in it. Can't have it every way I'm afraid.

Beet pulp isn't a by-product of sugar production its processed and dehydrated whole sugar beet, I've seen this somewhere else as well and at the time it looked to me like something someone with some limited knowledge of horse feeds (which I have vast knowledge of) regurgitated on to a dog website somewhere. What it does is expand to 5 times its volume when it gets wet, eg. in the dogs stomach, as do all dehydrated ingredients in dogfood and the percentage of it used is tiny. I assume it's used as it is very high in calcium. For horses beet pulp if fed, is a good chunk of their meal (usually 50%) so extra care needs to be taken as you prepare it yourself as opposed to in a complete processed feed. It is also the only dehydrated food fed to horses so thats why you will find special emphasis on it in this area. The other difference is this - horses are grazing trickle feeders they are designed to take in their food over the course of the whole day so their stomach is very small in comparison to large feeds of concentrate food a domestic horse will be getting. Dogs are designed to eat big meals a few times a day so they are far better equipped to deal with the expanding of dried food and they have a completely different digestive process. If anyone is still worried about dehydrated food swelling in your dogs gut just add water to it and let it soak first before feeding, it isn't necessary though.

If your dog can't deal with a high protein diet, it has to have some kind of filler in it.
I had first planned to feed my puppy Orijen and would not dream of it now given that she has shown that she has a mild reaction to high protein foods never mind the fact the vet has recommended you keep Tilly on a light food. Burns do a food with potato in it instead of grain if that appeals to you more.

toadfly

adrenalinjunkie wrote: »

Again, to me a 'light' food means low protein, in order to be low protein the food would have to have ingredients other than meat in it. Can't have it every way I'm afraid.

Well no the RC Light has 30% protein & 11% fat. The Regular has 27% & 16& fat.

Who would have thought dog food would be so complicated!

andreac

TillyGirl wrote: »

Well no the RC Light has 30% protein & 11% fat. The Regular has 27% & 16& fat.

Who would have thought dog food would be so complicated!

Sorry but even 27% protein is far too high unless its for a puppy or a working dog. I cant beleive the light food with RC has 30%, thats madness!! I wouldnt even put a puppy on 30% protein, its way too much.

You should be looking at somewhere between 20-24% protein max for a normal pet dog that doesnt have high energy needs and the lower the better for a dog that has weight problems.

I would look at Burns, or Arden Grange maybe or JWB or Clinivet as their protein should be a lot lower.

Cherry Blossom

TillyGirl wrote: »

Who would have thought dog food would be so complicated!

Indeed
So it's a low-fat diet she needs? Wasn't completely sure if it was the protein or not (Protein levels is pretty much top of the list of importance when feeding horses :rolleyes:)

If the Vet suggested the nutrient levels to look for, you probably know better than anyone. If s/he suggested the specific food then I'd go back and ask their advice again.

The whole dog food thing does wreck my head as well

Jolyees does stock Burns btw - just a bit of random information that you didn't ask for at all

smilerf

i feed my westie Arden Grange

toadfly

andreac wrote: »

Sorry but even 27% protein is far too high unless its for a puppy or a working dog. I cant beleive the light food with RC has 30%, thats madness!! I wouldnt even put a puppy on 30% protein, its way too much.

I would look at Burns, or Arden Grange maybe or JWB or Clinivet as their protein should be a lot lower.

I know thats why I am changing them. Only went to RC as she was on RC Obesity Management so changed her to the light when she reached her ideal weight.

adrenalinjunkie wrote: »

Indeed
So it's a low-fat diet she needs?

Jolyees does stock Burns btw - just a bit of random information that you didn't ask for at all

Yes! I think I will just have a look at a few of the foods on Sat and decide then.

I was between RC light and Burns the last time in Jolleys and they recommended RC (it was £4 dearer per 2kg :rolleyes: but I took their word!). My head hurts!