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My dog gets Beneful dry food and treats, (along with chicken and duck jerky, and dried salmon bites that he really likes, except when he doesn't)  lol He also gets some cheap treats. I give hiim haf a can of Alpo dog food per day as well. He also gets the trimmings from the meat I buy in bulk.(I'll buy a whole strip loin and have it cut down specifically the way I like, and save the fat for my dog) He's not too spoiled. 
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
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I have never given any of my dogs canned dog food. Most of them just never liked it, so I gave up. I give my dogs all the trimmings when I cut up any type of meat. I just fry it up and put it on their dry food. If it's a lot, I might ziplock some and use it as treats.
I have seen the beneful in the fridges at the pet stores, but at well over 85lbs right now, that would cost me more than I spend on my kids, LOL.
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Science Diet is what my dog eats, oh and he gets the bag fries.
#GMSTRONG
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Beneful is on the list of worst dog food brands in just about every bad list I've seen. You might want to read what is in that stuff and what people say about it, it's not good.
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Quote:
Beneful is on the list of worst dog food brands in just about every bad list I've seen. You might want to read what is in that stuff and what people say about it, it's not good.
I have a friend that's somewhat of a bigwig now for a huge, multinational company. About 15-18 years ago, when he got a promotion, he went to a dog food company for this corp. He's a hilarious guy.......but on his first day, he was touring the floor. In came a few rail cars with the "chicken" that went in dog food. He thought it would be kinda neat to see what was unloaded.
He puked.
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Beneful is on the list of worst dog food brands in just about every bad list I've seen. You might want to read what is in that stuff and what people say about it, it's not good.
Well, my dog likes it, is healthy, and his .... ahem ....... digestive processes ..... aren't smelly like they are with certain "better" foods.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
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Hey arch,
I was security at a chicken processing plant back in the day when I was going to school. We used to "throw away" chicken that I would absolutely eat. If it touched the wrong surface, or God forbid, the absolutely sterile floor, it went in bins. The bins were sprayed with green dye every now and then so the "contaminated poultry never got back on the production floor. Again, green dye or not, I would have eaten this stuff any day.
Once a week a truck would come to pick it up to turn into dog food. I could be just about anywhere in the plant and I could smell him coming. He must not have ever cleaned that truck. I could not get within 100 feet of it.
But I'm sticking with my Blue Buffalo. It seem on the level to me.
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My dogs eat Wellness dry food, Blue canned food and Royal Kanin.. All are supposed to be rated very high. But I do roast chicken for them a well.
I buy a large package of boneless, skinless breasts, put them in a roaster in just water and covered. I roast it at 350 for 3 hours. It literally falls apart and I mix that with dry food.. They gobble it right up. (NO SEASONINGS NOT EVEN SALT OR PEPPER)
And both of my dogs are very trim and fit.
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.”
Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe."
Damanshot
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 Going to look at that site...thanks.
#gmstrong #gmlapdance
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A great reference.
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/best-dog-foods/
Thanks for that link, I'm going to read more from it. The food we buy got 3 1/2 stars, I'd like to do better than that. Education is good!
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If you have a Costco membership, the absolute best food out there (IMO) is Kirtland Dog Food.
I don't know which brand it is a rebranding of, but it gets four stars on that site (and at least 4-5 on another site I've looked at) and it is HALF the cost of anything else, especially when comparing to the likes of premium brands Innova, Canidae (what I used to feed my dogs), Merrick, or Blue Buffalo.
Browns is the Browns
... there goes Joe Thomas, the best there ever was in this game.
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I read that too about Kirkland. I was kinda surprised by how highly rated it was. We're considering the switch from Blue Buffalo. Reading some of the reviews it looks as though there are some folks that have had issues with it but some dogs are sensitive or have allergies. So it's probably just their dog.
Our pup's stomach is kinda sensitive to changes still so any switch will have to be gradual.
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Quote:
A great reference.
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/best-dog-foods/
That is a great list! The only thing I disagree with on that list is Innova Dog Food. It might have good ingredients, but that company had 4 or 5 dog food recalls this year alone due to Salmonella. So I would stay away from Innova.
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Does anyone else's dog leave food on the floor?
Mine takes her food out of the bowl 4-5 pieces at a time, and decides which ones she wants to eat. The others get left there for me to step on.
She used to throw her food in the air and try and chase it like it was a ball.
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Mine does the same thing . I hate to admit it but my dog loves McDonalds cheeseburgers in fact it is almost the only thing she will eat,or should I say gum because she has no teeth left . My wife hates it but the poor thing is 18 years old, blind, mostly deaf and is still recovering from a stroke so I say give her whatever pleasure she can get and if that is a cheeseburger then so be it.
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A great reference.
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/best-dog-foods/
Great reference site. I have looked it over before myself. Great way to educate any pet owner on nutrition.
We feed our dog Orejen. They have a very informative site if anyone is interested in the company. They source all ingredients locally, they are the only one's to manufacture their product. Our dog is happy and healthy as can be. All one really has to do is compare the ingredients on the back of the bag to find out if it's a quality product. Also, knowing how it is manufactured and where the ingredients are sourced.
For the most part, many of the big brands, Purina, Pedigree, Bil-Jac, Beneful, Hill's Science Diet, Alpo etc...do not provide your dog with proper nutrition. They are cheap to manufacture and contain mostly by products. Most likely, they are mainly filled with grain ingredients rather than whole foods. The first 10 ingredients on the bag are very important and should be whole foods and not grains.
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I've only owned mutts, so that's all I can speak to. However, I've always had extremely good luck with them in regards to health (all of them living to at least 12 or 13 years old) and temperament. And, they've all had very good barks, which is a great thing.
I've been a big dog guy for most of my life, but growing up our first dog was a terrier mutt. He maybe weighed 20 pounds, but he was a really good dog, smart, and had a pretty good bark.
I am unfamiliar with this feeling of optimism
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Quote:
Quote:
A great reference.
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/best-dog-foods/
Great reference site. I have looked it over before myself. Great way to educate any pet owner on nutrition.
We feed our dog Orejen. They have a very informative site if anyone is interested in the company. They source all ingredients locally, they are the only one's to manufacture their product. Our dog is happy and healthy as can be. All one really has to do is compare the ingredients on the back of the bag to find out if it's a quality product. Also, knowing how it is manufactured and where the ingredients are sourced.
For the most part, many of the big brands, Purina, Pedigree, Bil-Jac, Beneful, Hill's Science Diet, Alpo etc...do not provide your dog with proper nutrition. They are cheap to manufacture and contain mostly by products. Most likely, they are mainly filled with grain ingredients rather than whole foods. The first 10 ingredients on the bag are very important and should be whole foods and not grains.
I meant to type Orijen dog food, not Orejen. Oops.
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I don't have a dog now....but dang, I wasn't aware how sensitive they all apparently are to the food they eat.
I guess it's good I don't give a dog a home. My last dog ate plain old dog food. She was in good health until the tumor came. At age 9. Vet said this type of tumor will come back.......and if it does soon, he could operate again. If it took a year or more, he suggested it might be time to put her down.
We had a mutt growing up. It ate whatever we fed it. Including the rabbit I killed with a football. Abby lived 15 years.
I'm curious, when did dogs become animals that need to be fed gourmet food?
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j/c I'm going against the grain here. I fed my shepherd Iams and some other high priced recommended food, and he just didn't digest it well...frequent diarrhea. My vet said to switch him to a grocery store brand that had pasta in it (they don't make it any more and I can't remember the name) and that's what he ate until he passed at 13yo, which is good for a shepherd. The beagles get pedigree, and they're pushing 10 now without issues (they are a little overweight due to the table scraps. It's hard for the wife and kid to say no when they beg  ). I also have a healthy border collie that also gets the Pedigree. I think this dog food issue is blown out of proportion.
And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.
- John Muir
#GMSTRONG
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I think this dog food issue is blown out of proportion.
Me too. I don't begrudge people feeding their dogs whatever brand they want to. That's their choice. Spend a lot, spend a little.
With my lab, Mo.....vet told me one time "she's a bit overweight." Now, he was a friend of mine......but I told him "What? Look at you." He was about 5'11, all of 260 lbs.
Be it a dog, cat, or person.......if you live for longevity, you're missing out. Plus, as a person, you need to save more.
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My old lab Charlie, who lived to be almost 18, ate the cheapest Dads dry dog food the store sold ..... he loved it, and he was very healthy until the very end. He also got a half a can of cheap canned food, and cheapie dog treats. I think that the very last time I took him to the vet was the first time I took him for anything except shots or nails. When I found him he was eating out of trash cans. His diet after he adopted me had to be an upgrade.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
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Quote:
I read that too about Kirkland. I was kinda surprised by how highly rated it was. We're considering the switch from Blue Buffalo. Reading some of the reviews it looks as though there are some folks that have had issues with it but some dogs are sensitive or have allergies. So it's probably just their dog.
Our pup's stomach is kinda sensitive to changes still so any switch will have to be gradual.
Mix in 1/6 new food with 5/6 old food for a few days or so, then go to a 1/3 and 2/3s mix for a few days, then half and half, then a more new than old mix, etc, etc till your 100% new food.
Much much easier on Fido's belly.
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To those that question what all the fuss is about I look at the whole thing from a 'too each their own' point of view.
While they're animals and could subsist on dumpster scraps it doesn't mean it's what's best for their health. Anymore than eating fast food daily is good for humans. While it fills the belly and provides calories it's not what is best for the body. Dogs are carnivores by nature. Feeding them bags of corn and wheat isn't what's best.
So again, to each their own. I understand the financial picture isn't the same for every dog owner. But even if for a couple dollars a month you can provide a better diet, why wouldn't you? Personally I can't afford Taste of the Wild for my dog throughout his life. Just as I can't afford Whole Foods shopping, exclusively, for myself. That said I try to eat the best I can. And I'll do the same when providing for my dog.
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My shepherd lived to 13 without any health issues. My beagles are 9 and seem to be doing fine. They love the Pedigree. They'll eat as much as we feed them, and it sure seems to agree with them. Just what further benefits will I see? A slightly shinier coat? About the only problem we have is that the male beagle has bad breath. The border collie is 4 and is healthy also. Three dogs to old age and another healthy one all raised on grocery store food. I don't feel like I'm rolling the dice with their health, and I've saved a lot of money.
And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.
- John Muir
#GMSTRONG
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Quote:
To those that question what all the fuss is about I look at the whole thing from a 'too each their own' point of view.
While they're animals and could subsist on dumpster scraps it doesn't mean it's what's best for their health. Anymore than eating fast food daily is good for humans. While it fills the belly and provides calories it's not what is best for the body. Dogs are carnivores by nature. Feeding them bags of corn and wheat isn't what's best.
So again, to each their own. I understand the financial picture isn't the same for every dog owner. But even if for a couple dollars a month you can provide a better diet, why wouldn't you? Personally I can't afford Taste of the Wild for my dog throughout his life. Just as I can't afford Whole Foods shopping, exclusively, for myself. That said I try to eat the best I can. And I'll do the same when providing for my dog.
It is trying to hit this balance is why I said above that the Costco brand is the best there is. It is Canidae quality at Pedigree prices.
Browns is the Browns
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About the only problem we have is that the male beagle has bad breath.
My dog had really bad breath, so I bought him some of those teeth cleaning chew sticks, and his bad breath went away. His teeth were just dirty.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
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My shepherd lived to 13 without any health issues. My beagles are 9 and seem to be doing fine. They love the Pedigree. They'll eat as much as we feed them, and it sure seems to agree with them. Just what further benefits will I see? A slightly shinier coat? About the only problem we have is that the male beagle has bad breath. The border collie is 4 and is healthy also. Three dogs to old age and another healthy one all raised on grocery store food. I don't feel like I'm rolling the dice with their health, and I've saved a lot of money.
Again I'm not out to guilt trip anyone. It's my, your, anyone's choice how to raise their dog.
My approach to my dogs nutrition is similar to mine. That's all.
I know when I eat well I feel better. Eat right, feel light. Eat heavy, feel sluggish. Eat fried foods, get oily skin. Etc... My dog can't tell me how he feels. But his coat, energy level, growth, weight all indicate health. So I'll feed him the best my budget can allow to allow for what he can't say. It's just my choice of what to do with some of my discretionary income.
I grew up with dogs. We could only afford grocery store food and table scraps. Our dogs lived happy and healthy. There were only vet visits for shots. That was my dad's choice. This one is mine.
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What's the story on rawhide? I've heard it before that it's no good,but we have that to my dogs growing up without issue.
There is no level of sucking we haven't seen; in fact, I'm pretty sure we hold the patents on a few levels of sucking NOBODY had seen until the past few years.
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We gave it to my dogs as a kid, too.
However, as an adult, I watched my sister's dog nearly choke to death on a piece of it. Regardless of whatever other issues there may or may not be because of that, I'll never give it to any other dog, ever.
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We gave my wife's dog rawhide "Dingos" and she choked and threw up so bad, I actually thought I might see her rectum come out her mouth.
Blue ostriches on crack float on milkshakes between the sidewalk titans of gurglefitz. --YTown
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Quote:
We gave it to my dogs as a kid, too.
However, as an adult, I watched my sister's dog nearly choke to death on a piece of it. Regardless of whatever other issues there may or may not be because of that, I'll never give it to any other dog, ever.
My dogs just chew on it, they don't eat it and swallow it. My vet says that's fine. But, if they swallow it, it could be bad in the long run. Again, according to my vet.
#GMSTRONG
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Jc
The reason rawhide is bad is because its not digestible and some dogs swallow it whole when they chew it down to a small piece. So it has the ability to cause a blockage in the gut. Either take it away when it gets to be a small piece or give them pig ears which is more easily digested.
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Potential intestinal blockage is the problem several vets have warned me about. Apparently small, dry pieces will expand in their stomachs and intestines.
Nylabones are good. I always used to get a piece of legbone from the butcher shop for my large dogs. Pig ears are good, too.
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Seriously.....go to the local pound and find the dog that speaks out to you and reaches for you.....it will be there. If not on this trip, the next or the next.
You will find the one soon enough.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn. GM Strong ![[Linked Image]](http://www.dawgtalkers.net/uploads/small-gator-chomp.gif)
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Yeah, I give my dog the dental sticks or pigs ears. I gave him rawhide a couple of times and he wound up choking on them, so he doesn't get them anymore.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
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Quote:
Thinking about getting a dog. Need a small one.
Thinking about getting a miniature laberdoodle mutt from a shelter.
Any thoughts?
I am new to this. Hoping to find one that looks more like lab and less like poodle but still reasonably small.
bad...my son has a Labradoodle and I have to say, she is very cool dog.. "scary smart".
They got her at 8 weeks of age and she is now a 1.5..she is the product of a Labrador sire and a (standard size) Poodle dam..thus, she is good sized girl, standing approx 26-28 inches at the shoulder. She loves to play catch and is very athletic and graceful.
Anyone wanting this breed should be prepared to spend time exercising the dog, helping it to burn off some of the stored energy, with play time or walks daily.
To get a miniature Labradoodle, the poodle must be a toy or miniature, crossed with a Labrador. I have no experience with the miniature, but I would think they would be similar in temperament to a standard size Labradoodle.
Finding a good breeder should be your first concern...that can be a challenge. Also, you should see the mother and father if you are buying a pup. The health and temperament of the sire and dam will give some idea of what their offspring will be like.
...like I said, Labradoodles are very cool dogs...good luck.
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After reading the comments on the Kirkland food and doing some research, I went out and bought a big bag of it and gradually switched my dog over to it. At first, I was worried, because she would pick through the mix to get her old food and leave it behind. But now, she devours the Kirkland brand and her energy is up and her BMs are much more consistent than they were before. Thank you so much for the recommendation!
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