Tag Archives: grain

Which one is the best SENIOR dog food?

Posted on April 19, 2012 by admin| 8 Comments

We have to put Chuckles on a Senior Dog Food, which one do *you* think is better? I noticed that DN started with a grain, not a meat, is this better for a Senior? Also, do you know of any ‘cheap’ GOOD quality foods? (I know about Kirkland, but we never go to Costco.)

Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul Senior Dog Formula:

Chicken, turkey, oatmeal, whole grain brown rice, chicken meal, turkey meal, whole grain white rice, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potatoes, cracked pearled barley, millet, duck, salmon, egg product, flaxseed, natural chicken flavor, kelp, potassium chloride, salt, choline chloride, glucosamine hydrochloride, chicory root extract, carrots, peas, apples, dried skim milk, cranberry powder, rosemary extract, parsley flake. Vitamins and minerals.

Diamond Naturals Senior 8+ Formula:

Whole grain brown rice, chicken, chicken meal, egg product, oatmeal, beet pulp, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), flaxseed, natural chicken flavor, brewers dried yeast, potassium chloride, dried chicory root, glucosamine hydrochloride, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, chondroitin sulfate, beta carotene, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, L-carnitine, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

Thank you!

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What do you think of this dog food?

Posted on April 10, 2012 by admin| 4 Comments

Whole grain corn, poultry meal, soybean meal, beef fat*, brown rice, apples, peas, carrots, animal digest (source of chicken flavor), calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, salt, choline chloride, potassium chloride, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, vitamin A supplement, niacin supplement, D-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), minerals (ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), caramel color, yellow 5, yellow 6, red 40, blue 1, blue 2, rosemary extract.
* naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols.

I’m not going to tell you the brand yet.

Rate it on a scale of 1-10, and then guess the brand/type.

Good Luck!

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I’ve got another cat food question?

Posted on March 15, 2012 by admin| 6 Comments

So, I’ve been doing some research in the cat food area and I’d like to know whether the Wellness Complete Health Chicken or the Merrick Before Grain Chicken is a better dry food?

Here’s their information:

Wellness:
Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Rice, Ground Barley, Ground Rice, Chicken Fat(preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Natural Chicken Flavor, Salmon Meal, Chicken Liver, Cranberries, Tomato Pomace, Olive Oil, Chicory Root Extract, Cranberry Extract Powder, Cranberry Fiber, Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement), Choline Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Kelp, Chondroitin Sulfate, Glucosamine, Hydrochloride, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Enterococcus Faecium, Lactobacillus Casei, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Taurine, Rosemary Extract.

Before Grain:
Ingredients:Chicken Deboned, Chicken Meal, Potato Dehydrated, Turkey Meal, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols – a source of Natural Vitamin E), Sweet Potato Dehydrated, Dried Egg, Natural Flavor, Yeast Culture, Dicalcium Phosphate, Lysine, Sea Salt, Alfalfa, Salmon Oil, Choline Chloride, Acai Berry Freeze-Dried, Blueberry Dried, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Rosemary Extract, Taurine, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Chondroitin Sulfate, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chicory Root, Marigold Extract, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Enterococcus Faecium, Lactobacillus Casei, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin E Supplement, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Complex, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D3, Niacin, Lecithin, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Cobalt Amino Acid Complex, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate, Sodium Selenite.

Both foods contain:
Crude Protein (Not Less Than) 36.0%
Crude Fat (Not Less Than) 18.0%
Crude Fiber (Not More Than) 3.0%
Moisture (Not More Than) 11.0%

So, is the Before Grain a better food because it’s not made with grains? I’d like to know what your opinion is and if you could, explain why.

Now, I feed my cats dry in the morning and wet in the evening. Please, again, don’t lecture me on why wet is better.

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Taste of the Wild or Merrick’s Before Grain?

Posted on March 3, 2012 by admin| 2 Comments

Ok – I am considering switching to grain-free – and these are my two top picks as I like their ingredients and the fact that they are about 32% protein compared to 42% of Evo or Orijen. Does anyone feed either one and if you do – tell me why you picked the food you did. Thanks.

Taste of the Wild – Prairie
Bison, venison, lamb meal, chicken meal, egg product, sweet potatoes, peas, potatoes, canola oil, roasted bison, roasted venison, natural flavor, tomato pomace, ocean fish meal, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Saccharomyces cerevesiae fermentation solubles, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

Merrick Before Grain – Buffalo:

Buffalo Deboned, Chicken Meal, Potato Dehydrated, Turkey Meal, Canola Oil, Sweet Potato Dehydrated, (preserved with mixed tocopherols – a source of Natural Vitamin E and Ascorbic Acid, a source of Vitamin C), Yeast Culture, Natural Dried Chicken Liver, Dicalcium Phosphate, Lysine, Guar Gum, Sea Salt, Alfalfa, Salmon Oil, Choline Chloride, Acai Berry Freeze-Dried, Blueberry Dried, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Venison Broth, Zinc Amino Acid Complex,Chondroitin Sulfate, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Natural Venison Flavor, Chicory Root, Marigold Extract, Rosemary Extract, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Enterococcus Faecium, Lactobacillus Casei, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Natural Celery Flavor, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin E Supplement, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Natural Color (tumeric), Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Complex, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D3, Niacin, Lecithin, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Cobalt Amino Acid Complex, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate, Sodium Selenite.

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Canidae grain- free – more opinions needed?

Posted on March 1, 2012 by admin| 3 Comments

CANIDAE All Natural Ingredients
Chicken meal, turkey meal, lamb, potatoes, peas, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), lamb meal, ocean fish meal, tomato pomace, natural flavor, choline chloride, sun cured alfalfa meal, inulin (from chicory root), lecithin, sage extract, cranberries, beta carotene, rosemary extract, sunflower oil, yucca schidigera extract, dried enterococcus faecium, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation extract, saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation solubles, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid, cobalt proteinate, organic selenium, papaya, pineapple.

What do you think about the ingredients – sounds pretty decent except I was worried about the peas – I heard on here that they could cause bloat, but I have seen peas in several dog foods. I think Merrick has a few varieties with peas. I am feeding Canidae ALS but have heard good things about the grain-free (I would consider Orijen or Evo but protein is 42% – Canidae is 34%) and think my Bluetick would do better on a grain-free diet as my vet said some dogs don’t process grains well save for rice.

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