Currently, we are using Purina Pro-Plan Puppy for small breeds. I’ve always been told that you need to look at the first 5 ingredients to determine if its a healthy food. I also know that real meat needs to be the first ingredient listed. No “by product” or anything like that. However, I’m confused about the grains. Is there suppose to be grains or not? Some people say yes, some say no. When I’ve had foods recommended to me, I read the first 5 ingredients and there always seems to be at least one thing that I’ve been told to avoid. lol I’m so confused. I’ve spoken with people at Petsmart, I’ve talked to my vet, I’ve talked to friends, I’ve talked with my breeder….. Everyone has slightly different advice and I’m still confused. lol
Here’s the first 5 ingredients of the food I’m currently using:
-Chicken
-Corn Gluten Meal
-Brewers Rice
-Whole Grain Corn
-Animal Fat preserved with Vitamin E (this just sounds weird. lol)
If someone could please tell me if its okay. If its not, what exactly is not good for them (and why if you don’t mind elaborating)? I’m just looking for a little education. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Earth Witch. GREAT site. Thanks, I’ve never seen that one before.
I hate trusting my vet and people at Petsmart about food because I feel like they are “sponsored” by a certain brand of food, so of course their gonna chat it up. Everyone has been helpful so far. Thanks so much!
Purina is crap. And, the people at PetsMart don’t know squat about dogs.
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Ok, so that advice that you got about the first 5 ingredients having to be good is BAD! I have spent a very long time in grocery store looking at dog food and I have NEVER found one that has everything good in the first 5 listed. Actually, by the first 4 something is there that I wish it wasn’t.
So i would tell you that just make sure the first 2-3 are healthy. I have dog food that only the first to are REALLY good ( lamb + brewer’s rice) and as the same with my 5 month old puppy. I just recently went to the vet (last thursday) and the vet said they were REALLY good and healthy weight, etc.
i hope this helps
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Many formulas now have breed specific food. That is the best. Purina is not one I would feed to my dogs.
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Don’t get “grocery store brands” like Purina and Iams. My dog (and cats) eat Evo.
It would be better if there was more meat and less grain and such. Avoid byproducts.
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Okay, I’ll try to make this as clear as I can.
Ing. 2-4 are all fillers. Corn is a major factor in skin allergies, obesity and yeast infections. Dogs don’t metabolize corn, it turns to sugar in their system, which in turn feeds yeast. All corn does is raise the protein levels in the food, but, it’s not protein that a carnivore can use. Brewer’s rice has NO nutritional value at all, if there is rice in a food, it needs to be whole grain for them to get any nutritional value from it.
Animal fat could be any kind of animal, not something I am comfortable with.
Try this website for more really good info on dog foods, http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com
30 years pro dog groomer, breeder, trainer, exhibitor
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You really don’t want to feed any dog food with corn as an ingredient! Corn is the #1 trigger of allergies in dogs (the symptoms are often overlooked). Also, when is the last time you saw a wolf chowin’ down on a nice cob of corn if there’s meat readily available?
Also, this food contains way too much grain. If you consider that ingredients are listed by weight and that “chicken” (probably listed as the #1 ingredient to fool you, right?) contains water and must be dehydrated before going into the kibble, it should be much further down on the list of ingredients (because you’re removing the water weight). If it listed “chicken meal” as the #1 ingredient, that would be different because “chicken meal” refers to the weight of the chicken AFTER it’s dehydrated.
Anyway, after removing “chicken” because it’s wrongly listed as the #1 ingredient, your main ingredients are corn, rice, corn again, and animal fat from an unknown origin. Not good. Dogs are carnivores and this food contains mainly grains. Grains aren’t meat which means this food is inappropriate.
Dogs need meat, meat, and more meat.
A great website is http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com. They list the ingredients of most commercial dog foods and why they’re bad.
My dogs are rawfed (whole prey model diet, not “BARF,” not RMB!)because that’s what I’ve found works best for them. It is the most healthy and natural diet I can provide for them. They are so healthy & all of the issues they had on kibble (sensitive stomachs, dry skin, weight maintenance) are nonexistent now!
If you’re skeptical or don’t believe you can feed raw (it’s the best and most natural thing you can do for your dog!), check out http://www.rawfed.com, especially http://www.rawfed.com/myths! Great information there.
I’m so glad you want to educate yourself about your dogs! I started out just like you a few years ago & now I know more than I ever thought there was to know about it!
Thank you for being a responsible pet owner!
ETA: Also I wanted to commend you for not trusting your vet about nutrition! Most vets were not educated in nutrition at all and if they were, they were educated by commercial dog food companies. Very sad but true. I mean, how many vets do you see pushing Hill’s?! It’s one of the worst foods out there!
Anyway, vets are great knowledgeable people & provide a service to petowners that we need — medical care. But most of them should really leave nutrition alone.
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com
http://www.rawfed.com
6 incredibly healthy dogs
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Dog food analysis is a crappy website run by get this an unlicensed nutritionist, heck the person is not a nutritionist at all.
Purina is perfectly fine. I have been feeding pro plan for years and guess what not one single problem came from feeding pro plan. All my puppies are raised on it and no problems. they are not grain sensitive and only one is and she is on the appropriate food.
There are plenty of well respected regulars here that will agree with me.
My guys have excellent coats, great bowel movements, do excellent in the ring and the field. They are thriving and are healthy.
Don’t believe this crap about pro plan or purina being bad, if a dog is allergic to grain there is something wrong with the line.
1 very healthy dog feed on a no grain food, 8 equally healthy dogs fed of purina pro plan.
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Dog food…oh yes! We want to feed our dogs good food, but it just IS confusing!
I have, over the decades fed so many brands, some changed recipes, some are no longer inexistence. I have joined yahoo dog feeding groups, compared notes with breeder and dog sport friends, researched, etc etc and to be honest, I am still confused! It is easy to jump on a bandwagon, but:
To be contrary, I have seen dogs live long, healthy lives on foods I would consider inferior and would not feed as Science Diet, Purina etc. I have seen dogs fed raw food (which is all the rage) that have many medical problems.
I will tell you one thing. In deciding on a dog food, choose one on availability in your area. Having to ship can be a pain, particularly if you do not calculate when you need to order more and find your cupboard bare!
Next: what will work for one dog, may not be the best for another.
I also chose by past “recall” history….
good luck!
1 very healthy dog feed on a no grain food, 8 equally healthy dogs fed of purina pro plan.
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