It sounds like Premium/Holistic/Natural dog foods are the way to go (allergy, poop)

[titaniummd]

From the numerous threads that I have read here and on Dog Forums - Your #1 Pet Forums for all dog breeds and needs., it sounds like the longevity, poopy smell/consistency, dog health, allergies, skin problems, etc are less with premium dog food.

Solid Gold
Eagle Pack
Canidae
Innova
Natural Balance

I guess I will be returning the "Nature's Recipe", unless you all tell me otherwise. Is that one really that bad? Can I buy the premium bag on the next 'grocery run'?

I definitely want to buy something that aren't byproducts of scraps and junk that I wouldn't want to eat - if I were a dog/pet. I just was overwhelmed by all of the things that I had to buy and I didn't research dog food before I saw several aisles of dog food bags.

[Sam I Am]

Nature's Recipe is a great dog food. I supplement my dog's raw diet with it strictly for vitamins - they probably don't get a half cup a day - but the ingredients list is pure, with no additives, preservatives, coloring, wheat or corn. The ones you have listed are ultra premium foods. My dogs never did well on Canidae or Innova, although we couldn't figure out why.

Dog food is by and large a personal preference...personal to the dog. I have a friend who would love to feed the top notch stuff but her dogs have....ummmm....intestinal problems on it, and strangely enough, skin problems. The only thing they've been able to stick with and not have any problems is the high grade Purina (Pro Plan, maybe?).

If this is for your foster, be aware that many of these foods are protein dense and may be a little too rich for a puppy's stomach. You can cut them a little bit with cooked oatmeal or barley. Also, if it's for your foster...don't price yourself out of the market. Many people will not be able to or want to afford the highest of the high. There's one premium I would love to feed but can't due to cost (which is a large portion of why I feed raw) - with 7 dogs I'd need at least one more job.

Maybe I missed another post, but what is the problem with Nature's Recipe? Asking an honest question here - I can't use your link, it wants me to register - and I don't need another registration to anything!

[titaniummd]

Originally Posted by Sam I Am

Maybe I missed another post, but what is the problem with Nature's Recipe? Asking an honest question here - I can't use your link, it wants me to register - and I don't need another registration to anything!

I read in one post that someone stratified food as The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.

The Dogs Dinner: All You Wanted to Know About Food For Fido - GlobalPaw - Dog Communities and Dog Forums

It put Nature's recipe in the Bad

The Bad
Well, they aren’t BAD, they just don’t quite make the A grade cut. No-one should look down on you for feeding this to Fido and Spot, its good, just not the best. Dogs will do well on these.

[Sam I Am]

Thank you for the info....hmmm....maybe I will reconsider since my dogs get such a small amount daily and raw is the largest part of their diet. Have to look into this one some more to figure out what's not Grade A about it - I would suspect the protein content?

[cleosmom]

If you go with Eagle Pack, get the Maturity Formula. I can't recall exactly what it is, but one ingredient in there prevents the rust stains from the tears appearing on the face. Excellent food, all domestic and yes it has corn that is cooked in a three step process, so it's not like corn you'd find in utilitarian foods.

[titaniummd]

Originally Posted by cleosmom

If you go with Eagle Pack, get the Maturity Formula. I can't recall exactly what it is, but one ingredient in there prevents the rust stains from the tears appearing on the face. Excellent food, all domestic and yes it has corn that is cooked in a three step process, so it's not like corn you'd find in utilitarian foods.

I read that about Eagle pack, too. I also read that about Solid Gold (that reminds me of that dance show from the 80s) and Canidae.

[APBT_Samara]

BARF is the best and most natural. Right now we are feeding commercial dry with added foods. Once we get a new freezer we will return to the BARF diet.

Those are some very high quality feeds you listed though. They are very good for your dog.

I have noticed that pedigree poo seems to stink a lot. We can always tell who feeds pedigree at the dog shows, their dogs poo smells bad.
Diamond poo gets hard and dried out. I've noticed comparing it to my dogs, when I'm not here to clean up after my dogs (on vacation) the dog sitter doesn't poop scoop. The poo is gone pretty quickly even if no one picks it up. Dogs I've seen on Diamond the poop gets hard and white and builds up quickly, they poop a lot and if its not picked up the waste just stays around. So much waste and indigestible crap it in is why. On the BARF diet it will be a little bit slimy at first and then get to where its hardly nothing. It dissolves into a dust almost right away. Reminds me of snake poo.

[southward bound]

Originally Posted by cleosmom

If you go with Eagle Pack, get the Maturity Formula. I can't recall exactly what it is, but one ingredient in there prevents the rust stains from the tears appearing on the face. Excellent food, all domestic and yes it has corn that is cooked in a three step process, so it's not like corn you'd find in utilitarian foods.

I've read that corn is to be avoided, that it's a filler and nothing more because dogs don't digest corn.

Have I misunderstood that about corn?

[cleosmom]

Originally Posted by southward bound

I've read that corn is to be avoided, that it's a filler and nothing more because dogs don't digest corn.

Have I misunderstood that about corn?

If the dog has no allergy to corn and the corn is cooked/baked the right way, it's no problem at all. You do not want it as the first ingredient nor do you want corn gluten as a "protein" source. That is how so many grocery store (brands you find at the grocery store, Walmart etc) get away with saying "high protein", it's not from a meat source; chicken, fish, lamb, turkey etc. , it's from wheat gluten, corn gluten, etc.

[deegers]

Originally Posted by Sam I Am

Thank you for the info....hmmm....maybe I will reconsider since my dogs get such a small amount daily and raw is the largest part of their diet. Have to look into this one some more to figure out what's not Grade A about it - I would suspect the protein content?

Sam, can you explain your raw diet for you dogs and where do you get it? Do you do it yourself? I know one lady who orders it special. I wanted to see if it's cheaper than dry dog food. I know it's better since dogs are naturally predators..