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My husband and I have been doing alot of research on raw dog food diets and other diets that we would prepare at home, but we still arent sure if we want to do anything like that or not. As of right now our dogs are eating Dick Van Pattens Natural Balance Ultra Premium Dog Food. Its says its for puppies to adults, complete and balanced for all breeds. Its also says it has no artificial preservatives, flavors, colors, or bleached ingredients and no corn, soy, wheat, eggs, dairy products, or sunflower oil. The ingredients are.. chicken, brown rice, lamb meal, oatmeal, barley, duck meal, potatoes, corrots, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), tomato pomace, natural flavor, canola oil, brewers yeast, fish meal, salmon oil, lecithin, whole ground flaxseed, potassium chloride, choline chloride, inulin, taurine, spinach, parsley flakes, cranberry, lysine, l-carnitine, yucca, kelp, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper solfate, potassium lodide, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B-1), manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin a supplement, biotin, d-calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxinehydrochloride (vitamin B-6), vitamin B-12 supplement, riboflavin (vitamin B-2), vitamin D supplement and folic acid (vitamin B).
Sorry.. I know that was alot! So anyway, we were thinking that if this is a good food we might just keep them on this instead of putting them on a new diet. Both of our dogs LOVE the food and they are very healthy. It is more expensive than the food we were feeding them a few months ago (I think my husband said it was $25 or $28 and their old food was around $15-$18?), but I know that doesnt nessecarly mean its much better. I really dont know too much about what brands are good and what brands are not good so, I need some help! lol! What do you think??? Is this food good or not so good??
.................Sorry.. I know that was alot! So anyway, we were thinking that if this is a good food we might just keep them on this instead of putting them on a new diet. Both of our dogs LOVE the food and they are very healthy. It is more expensive than the food we were feeding them a few months ago (I think my husband said it was $25 or $28 and their old food was around $15-$18?), but I know that doesnt nessecarly mean its much better. I really dont know too much about what brands are good and what brands are not good so, I need some help! lol! What do you think??? Is this food good or not so good??
Hi there PBM
Go to the post in this thread called: "OK, so after all of the pet food recall, which one do you..... ".....I posted it, because I was pretty confused with the food, the recalls etc. (my head is still spinning a wee bit...lol)
Ton's of people responded, with some VERY, VERY good info about dog food.....check it out, it might answer your questions.
I know it helped me out a ton.
Good luck!
Last edited by MB2; 06-16-2007 at 06:55 PM..
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Hi PBM,
I used to work in a pet supply store, and looking over that list of ingredients you posted, I would definitely say it is a good food. More than anything, don't feed them something where the first ingredient listed is corn, soy or wheat. Those are just filler ingredients with no real nutritional value for animals. It just makes the food bulky and causes them to go to the bathroom a lot, since they can't readily digest it.
It might be expensive, but you're on the right track and have chosen a good food for them!
It is $25.99 for a 17lb bag. It is more expensive than their old food, but I think it is really worth it. We do not mind paying extra money if it is worth it.. ya know? lol! We just want our babies to be as healthy and happy as possible! : )
Other than the lamb meal and the duck meal, it sound pretty good. "Meal" means it's not really the best, but more like byproduct...beaks, feet etc... It doesn't sound bad otherwise. The advise posted is good to, when looking for a good food, the first ingredient should always be the protein source (chicken, turkey, lamb, fish, whatever).
Other good really good, high quality foods are Innova, Wellness, Canidae, California Natural...there are more, but this is what pops into my mind.
There has been alot of discussion on this topic, so you can definitely take some time to go over all that info, there are alot of good, helpful posts to be found.
Other than the lamb meal and the duck meal, it sound pretty good. "Meal" means it's not really the best, but more like byproduct...beaks, feet etc... It doesn't sound bad otherwise. The advise posted is good to, when looking for a good food, the first ingredient should always be the protein source (chicken, turkey, lamb, fish, whatever).
What you are describing here is a by-product meal. Lamb meal, chicken meal, duck meal etc. etc. is the meat that has been cooked, dried and ground and does not contain other things such as hooves, hair, beaks, feet etc.
What you are describing here is a by-product meal. Lamb meal, chicken meal, duck meal etc. etc. is the meat that has been cooked, dried and ground and does not contain other things such as hooves, hair, beaks, feet etc.
That is what I had heard. I heard that the lamb meal, chicken meal, duck meal, etc.. was good. I thought that if there is any by-product in the food it would say chicken by-product, beef by-product, etc.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PitBullMommie1206
That is what I had heard. I heard that the lamb meal, chicken meal, duck meal, etc.. was good. I thought that if there is any by-product in the food it would say chicken by-product, beef by-product, etc.
It would.
"Meal" simply means the meat has been baked to remove the moisture content. If you have two 20-lb bags of dog food, of which bag A is chicken and bag B is chicken meal, bag B would actually give you more meat.
Don't feed some of it - it's been recalled for rice gluten contamination...
From their website - Natural Balance - Recalled Products (broken link)
This list was from April 20 but has not been updated on their site.
We Have Recalled the Following Products:
Venison and Brown Rice Dry Dog Formula
Venison and Brown Rice Canned Dog Food
Venison & Brown Rice Formula Dog Treats
Venison and Green Pea Dry Cat Formula
Chicken Formula Canned Dog Food
Lamb Formula Canned Dog Food
Beef Formula Canned Dog Food
Ocean Fish Formula Canned Cat Food
Let the buyer beware - I'm sorry, I can't buy that part of it is contaminated but the rest may not be.....I feed raw, it's easier and cheaper and my mind has been at rest through this whole ordeal. Much, much better for your dogs as well - you would be amazed.
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