Burns Dog Food

dev100

Hi just wondering does anyone feed their dogs with burns dried food. What do you think of it ? My vet advised using it . One good thing from it my dogs poops dont stink to the high heaven and are solid etc. Has anyone any opinion on this brand?

Sigma Force

Been feeding it for years only downside is the price, am having to start to mix it with a bit of other dog food because the price just keeps going up and up. All 3 dogs are all various sizes, collie (12yrs), mix breed(7 yrs), papillon(2yrs) and all are in great nick and their poops are ..if I do say so myself..rather lovely lol.
Although it's pricey it does still work out cheaper for me to feed than if I was feeding a tinned food like ped chum..which is awful stuff.
zooplus is one of the cheaper places to get it now.

dev100

Sigma Force wrote: »

Been feeding it for years only downside is the price, am having to start to mix it with a bit of other dog food because the price just keeps going up and up. All 3 dogs are all various sizes, collie (12yrs), mix breed(7 yrs), papillon(2yrs) and all are in great nick and their poops are ..if I do say so myself..rather lovely lol.
Although it's pricey it does still work out cheaper for me to feed than if I was feeding a tinned food like ped chum..which is awful stuff.
zooplus is one of the cheaper places to get it now.

Cheers Sigma

I have a collie mix breed myself. She was fairly rotten before i put her on this food. ( The vets assistant attacked me when left dog in over night to get spayed) I buy the biggest bag going think its about 55 or 56 euros. The vet gave me a scoup and it shows the daily amount on bag. We give her 3 scoups a day she s a fairly active dog always out and running etc but she is thin and only after getting her adult coat which is a bit dull. Just wondering is she lacking something in her food.

What are you paying for a bag?

boomerang

I always found with Burns that you have to feed a bit more than the recommended amount according to the info on the bag, in order to keep the weight on. But it is a very wholesome food - very little goes to waste, which is why the poops are smaller and, well, healthier.

The coat does change a bit after spaying - it can be a bit coarser. It can also looking a bit dull when they're moulting. Brush her regularly and she will come up in a shine.

CookieMonster.x

I get Burns High oats for my dog (overweight) and it's brilliant! He was on supermarket stuff before, then Burns (such a difference), then Hills and now Burns again. Burns is the best imo!
He has more energy and his poos are better. With Hills they weren't so good to be honest!
I chose Burns not only because the reviews were really good but because their customer service is really good. If you email them and ask about the food and which to buy, they'll send you out some free samples, a measuring cup and a really good booklet on dogs health (just ask for them). They always send same working day or the next day.
I saw on some reviews that the ingredients are better and there aren't as many (in high oats anyway) as fillers.
Have a look at their website and email and ask for samples. BTW, I pay 53 euro for mine. Look around to find the best prices.

Just to add about the coat, we used to add olive oil into his food sometimes, apparently it makes it shinier or better.

cocker5

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/dogs/dry_dog_food/burns/burns_adult/116367

Here's where i get my burns.... i get the 2 x 15KG bag.. yes initally its a large cost but lasts my cocker around 6 months and he is a big cocker (more springer in size).... its great... he is thriving on it..

I started getting mine from my vet initally but now order through zoolpus... they dliver to my work and i get a couple of other bits n'pieces too .. soo works out well price wise..

once a week i add a tin of sardines (in sunflower oil), and on another day a raw egg mixed in... its great for their coat and joints...

all in all i would say burns is excellent...

Best of luck :pac:

tk123

I had my guy on it and found it brilliant - it solved all the problems we had with RC - farts, getting the runs every second week, anal gland probs etc and I wanted a good low protein food to keep the weight/stress off his joints. He's on Luath now since December which is slightly different to Burns (the Burns bros fell out and one of them started up his own company) but I've found it suits him better. He gets it at daycare so it was just easier to have him on it at home so he wouldn't be chopping and changing - I didn't expect anything from it but it made his coat lovely and shiny.

We got a free measuring cup for our Burns last year at pet expo - the highlight of our visit lol!

tishandy

I started using burns when my pup (5 months) would not stop scratching. She has a wire hair coat and her skin looks quite pink and she was like a dog with fleas scratching non stop. Pet shop recommended it as its a holistic food and good for allergies in dogs.
Three months on all that has calmed down.

The only problem is she does'nt seeem to enjoy the taste. I have to wet it with a little hot water or mix in a little oil and even then its hit and miss. She tries to steal the cats foos.
I would leave her all day and she would rather go hungry than eat it.
Boyf was looking after her while I was on holiday and fed her all sorts of tinned food e.t.c , barely gave her the burns.
So now had to run to the shop the other day to buy rotten pedigre chum to mix in to get her to eat something.
Im going to go to the butcher today and get some scraps but she will prob gobble those and leave the burns behind

tk123

tishandy wrote: »

So now had to run to the shop the other day to buy rotten pedigre chum to mix in to get her to eat something.
Im going to go to the butcher today and get some scraps but she will prob gobble those and leave the burns behind

You could maybe try mixing in some Burns wet food?

tishandy

tk123 wrote: »

You could maybe try mixing in some Burns wet food?

Thanks! I did'nt know this existed. I will try it.

carleigh

My 13 y/o Golden Cocker has been on Burns Mini Bites for the last month. He had been on I/D for gastro problems, but he got sick of that, so the vet advised trying the Mini Bites for a while. He isnt a great eater, but its easier to disguise the Burns in his food as its smaller. Maybe your vet could give you some sample bags, as they come in different flavours, and see which one your dog prefers.

tk123

I'm glad peoples vets have recommended Burns because it proves that vet we saw one weekend when our vet wasn't there was an idiot - told me Burns was one of the worst things to feed him and RC and Hills were best!

TK - When is our vet in again? Grand we'll be back then.

35notout

I picked up a new dog at the pound last week (my Kerry Blue died a few weeks ago and I was lost without a furry friend)

Ordered a sample from the Burns website and they delivered within 2 days - brilliant service!

And more importantly Cooper loves it - will defo be feeding him Burns from now on

fits

cocker5 wrote: »

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/dogs/dry_dog_food/burns/burns_adult/116367

Here's where i get my burns.... i get the 2 x 15KG bag.. yes initally its a large cost but lasts my cocker around 6 months and he is a big cocker (more springer in size).... its great... he is thriving on it..

I started getting mine from my vet initally but now order through zoolpus... they dliver to my work and i get a couple of other bits n'pieces too .. soo works out well price wise..

once a week i add a tin of sardines (in sunflower oil), and on another day a raw egg mixed in... its great for their coat and joints...

all in all i would say burns is excellent...

Best of luck :pac:

Aah brilliant! A way for me to save some money. I spend 57 euro on one bag a month for my boys. This saving will cover their insurance now

jets799

its great stuff, price is high but would not go back to anything else, been useing it for 6years

Sigma Force

I sometimes soak the Burns for a change in texture, esp. in winter I soak it in warm water. I pay 57 for a 15kg bag locally but try to order from zooplus when I can, works out a lot cheaper to order two bags as said but sometimes the money just isn't there to order in bulk but it's the best way to go if you can.
I find the pork and potato will firm up the poops the most and they all love the flavour but they're on chicken and rice one atm they aren't too gone on the lamb.

I've used the Burns cat food on foster cats before for and it made a huge difference, cat poo is really gross at the best of times they liked the taste too.

I mix in other bits for variety now and then, I used to be more fussy because one of our dogs in particular has a sensative tum but it's just a matter of finding a balance and some foods in moderation are ok for her. They get Bonios as well as a treat, not an holistic food but they like them and they're cheap.
Burns do a dog treat called Kelties.

paultf

I find Burns to be a good food too. My dogs are in good health and they enjoy eating their Burns. They stools are good which makes a big difference.

I break their feed into 2 meals a day. Although it seems like a small amount, I am following the feeding guidelines on the bag: 10g/Kg. I spoke to the Burns customer support before (which are brillant!) and they say Burns dogs are always slim and research has shown a slim dog lives 2 years longer. One customer support agent told she has a Springer Spaniel that gets 4 hours exercise a day and only gets 70 grams of Burns a day!

Another time one of my dogs wasn't eating his Burns with the same gusto and I thought I needed to change flavour or even brand. I spoke to Burns and they said the dog wasn't hungry enough. The agent was right - I cut back on treats and everything was back to normal. The agent also said that her colleague's dog has been on the chicken and brown rice flavour for the last 13 years!

So overall I think Burns is a good food. I have tried a few others but I have always gone back to Burns. I can get a 15kg bag for €45 which I think is good value.

dev100

Thanks everyone for the replies:)

jets799

paultf
were do u get the bag for 45euro, i want to go ther!!!!:)

tk123

jets799 wrote: »

paultf
were do u get the bag for 45euro, i want to go ther!!!!:)

Zooplus.co.uk

Does anyone feed the wet pouches? I mix some in to my guys dry some times and he LOVES it I picked up a bag of the mixer too to try so i can mix it with some cans of Natures Menu and Lukullus so it doesn't go to waste but i'll be sticking to Burns wet from now on I think. The egg one is nice and sticky so will be handy for his kongs

35notout

Switched my lad over from Royal Canin to Burns this week - he loves it!

However he seems to need more - or is constantly looking for more food. I'll up the dose a little, which is no harm as he is very underweight. I got him in the pound and he was skin and bone

he weights 20kgs and I was feeding him 220g a day - half in morning and half in evening. He is still looking for more - he used to leave the RC!

lorebringer

35notout - we fed Burns for a while, still do on occasion, and we feed more than the RDA on the pack because some of my guys lost weight while on it. Once we upped their intake they were grand so, if you think your dog needs more, give him more!

35notout

Thanks Lorebringer! I dont mind feeding more than the RDA of the Burns, as he seems to love it and I know there is no crap in it!

Poor thing is so skinny - but he'll come good now he is with me

Sigma Force

yeh it depends on how active the dog is but I do find you have to feed a bit more than it says on the pack but the same can be said of a lot of foods, I'm mixing the burns with wagg at the mo. You can get a Burns mixer now as well.

planetX

I've got a 16 week old puppy on Burns puppy food, and I'm feeding him more than recommended amount. He still seems ravenous after every meal.

Sigma Force

@planetx puppies tend to eat till they burst anyway so I'd rekon it's more that than the food. They don't know when to stop when they're that age

tk123

Sigma Force wrote: »

@planetx puppies tend to eat till they burst anyway so I'd rekon it's more that than the food. They don't know when to stop when they're that age

My retriever is 2 and he still hasn't learned!:pac::pac:

ISDW

35notout wrote: »

Switched my lad over from Royal Canin to Burns this week - he loves it!

However he seems to need more - or is constantly looking for more food. I'll up the dose a little, which is no harm as he is very underweight. I got him in the pound and he was skin and bone

he weights 20kgs and I was feeding him 220g a day - half in morning and half in evening. He is still looking for more - he used to leave the RC!

35notout wrote: »

Thanks Lorebringer! I dont mind feeding more than the RDA of the Burns, as he seems to love it and I know there is no crap in it!

Poor thing is so skinny - but he'll come good now he is with me

If you're trying to put weight on a very skinny dog, the trick is to feed little and often. So still feed the 220g, but if possible, break it up into 4 meals a day, so that his body digests the food completely each time. Obviously if you're working during the day, this can be difficult, but even 3 times a day can be beneficial.

Well done for taking him on, I hope the pair of you have a very long and happy life together:)

paultf

The folks on the Burns website are always talking about how dogs on Burns are slim dogs and how research has shown a slim dog will live 2 years longer.

Came across this on one of John Burns's blogs:-

"Too lean for the show ring
From time to time we receive complaints that show dogs fed on Burns lose out because they do not have enough “body” (that means they are not fat enough.) In these days of grossly over weight pets and owners you would be forgiven for thinking that it would be a good thing to keep pets lean. That thought hasn’t filtered through to the Kennel Club or their show judges. Now Fiona (our Head Nutritionist) has drawn my attention to a new dog food on the market called Fat Boy which, as the name suggests, is designed to fatten up dogs for showing. Could it be a spoof? No it doesn’t seem to be."

Fat Boy dog food does exist: http://www.totalpetnutrition.co.uk/#/fat-boy/4551281374

BTW I am not encouraging anyone to use it!

Sigma Force

Different foods suit different dogs in the end, depends on how active a dog is too. My collie would do fine on the recommended amount on a Burns packet if she was a lazy lump but she's very active so needs more. I do find if I feed just the Burns that my middle dog seems to be always hungry..she's a bit of a greedy guts anyway so it's another reason why I've started to mix it with another brand.

ferretone

Totally agree that show dogs seem to be preferred on the chubby side a lot of the time. I have a fit, active Dobie, watched Crufts in 2010, and just could not believe that BoB Dobie that did so well: she was defo overweight in my book.

Now, as to Burns, I do believe it is good food, a lot better than say Hills, RC, or most of the rest of what is on the market, but I do not feel it's the best that is out there. Perhaps for older dogs it may be the best option, as one really has to be careful with protein levels for them, but younger dogs really do better on a grain-free food, and yes, while it's not as bad as other grains for their digestion, rice is still a grain.

I feed my Dobie Orijen, which, while it is more expensive per bag, less than 1.5 cups a day are sufficient, as compared with the 3 cups mentioned by the OP for her collie, so I'm probably paying no more for her food, and quite probably less per month. And if I feed her something with grains in, she gets scabby ears from an auto-immune problem, which she doesn't get if I keep her on the Orijen. Nor on the cheaper alternative produced by the same company, Acana, which is also grain-free.

I know not all dogs are suited to the same food, just throwing the grain-free options into the mix, as dogs really cannot digest grain, so these are very often the best option for those wishing to feed dry or just commercial foods generally.

Graceland

35notout wrote: »

Switched my lad over from Royal Canin to Burns this week - he loves it!

However he seems to need more - or is constantly looking for more food. I'll up the dose a little, which is no harm as he is very underweight. I got him in the pound and he was skin and bone

he weights 20kgs and I was feeding him 220g a day - half in morning and half in evening. He is still looking for more - he used to leave the RC!

I also feed my dog on Burns. He weighs about 20kg so I was feeding him the RDA of 220g a day, but I think I should be giving him more as sometimes he looks a bit thin.
How much more do you think I could give him without overfeeding him.

Cherry Blossom

35notout wrote: »

Switched my lad over from Royal Canin to Burns this week - he loves it!

However he seems to need more - or is constantly looking for more food. I'll up the dose a little, which is no harm as he is very underweight. I got him in the pound and he was skin and bone

he weights 20kgs and I was feeding him 220g a day - half in morning and half in evening. He is still looking for more - he used to leave the RC!

When did you get the dog? If he has been fed RC (or another high protein food) for a while you cannot just suddenly go from 30% protein to 18%, this is why the dog is hungry, it's having protein withdrawal symptoms! If there is a big drop like this in protein levels you need to switch the foods very gradually over a few months.

crally

i feed my dogs Burns as one of my dogs had hot spots, Burns has gotten rid of this. They dont feed intensively farmed chickens which is the reason why i buy it but it obviously pays off. zooplus.uk is the cheapest place that i have found 78Ster for 2 15kg bags.