Life's Abundance by Dr. Jane Bicks

[Lynda Kamrath]

Ever heard of it?  I went looking for it in Monterey today but could not find it.  I thought it sounded interesting as it contains probiotics.  My guys don't want to eat the dry dog food (Solid Gold) but I think that is because I am giving them the good stuff (what we eat).

Anybody remember when our dogs all ate table scraps and were outside most of the time.  Maybe it was because we were on a farm, but I never remember buying a bag of dog food.  They ate what we ate.  I remember one of our dogs loved peas.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Most of the food on the Food Group's recommended list also contain probiotics; unfortunately, none of them, including L.A., contain enough to provide much benefit.

L.A. ( I don't like to use their name as I hate giving them publicity) is sold through a multilevel marketing scheme, otherwise known as a pyramid scheme. Dozens of layers of commissions go to various people with every bag. That's why you pay so much for a mediocre quality food. You can od much better for less money, including your Solid Gold, which we do recommend. Breeders recommend it because they get commissions when you order it. Nu-Vet vitamins is the same deal, same company. We have discussed this many times in TFG, I'll try to give you some links. 

We also do not recommend the food because the company is extremely secretive about their manufacturing and sourcing of ingredients. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Here's my response from a previous discussion, with links to others: 

Reply by Karen & Jackdoodle on March 3, 2012 at 6:30amDelete

Life's Abundance (and Nu-Vet vitamins)  is part of an MLM (multi-level marketing) company called Trilogy, which sells all of their products through a structured plan in which each person along the chain receives a commission. If your breeder recommends it, she receives a commission each time you order it using her number. The person who recruited her, the area director, a whole group of people each receive a commission each time you order the food. This is also known as a "pyramid scheme". Here's some info on this "business opportunity". Be sure to watch the video:

http://www.lifesabundance.com/Opportunity/Opportunity.aspx?realname...

This is why the food is priced so high. You are paying premium prices and getting a so-so food. All of the claims that the food is fresher, made in small batches, made to order, etc. that they use to justify the prices is hooey. The price is what it is because a whole lot of people are getting a bonus when you buy it. That's why the breeders, daycares, trainers, etc. recommend it. The food is a private label kibble like any other that manufactured in a plant like any other and stored somewhere until you buy it. They say things like "It doesn't sit on a shelf in a warehouse". Well, newsflash, it may not sit in a warehouse, but it sits somewhere. It's not like ordering a pizza, where they make that bag up fresh right then and there and hop in the car to drive it over to your house. The plant doesn't run one or two or twenty bags  at a time, lol.

We have some older discussions here about LA, including the one Laurie mentioned:

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/lifes-a...

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/lifes-a...

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/canidae...

One thing that I hate about LA is the secrecy surrounding the ingredients, nutritional profile, source of ingredients, etc. It's almost impossible to get this information. They say "we use, chicken, potatoes, etc." but they don't give you the simple basic nutitional profile or the actual list of ingredients as every other food does, and they will not give the source of their ingredients. Because of this, I cannot give you an actual analysis. The last time I tried researching it, it was an okay food in terms of ingredients and nutritional content, but I don't know if they outsource the ingredients. They also have a very limited selection of formulas. It's certainly better than Beneful or Pedigree, but for the price, you can do much much better.  .

Read more here: http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/life-s-...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

And be sure to take a look at their "marketing opportunities plan": 

http://www.lifesabundance.com/ftpdocs/compensation-plan.pdf

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

LA was used by a breeder I had a deposit with for a goldendoodle. But I didn't realize it till after I paid the deposit and saw all of the contract. It stated the only way the pup was guaranteed for the two years against health defects is if I used this brand and his code number to purchase it.

That is also about the time I found this website. I didn't like the idea of a breeder dictating what MY dog would eat for two years. So I forfeited my deposit and found what I thought was a more reputable breeder.

(Thanks again Karen)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm so glad you read the contract and found us before purchasing the pup, even though you had to lose your deposit to do so. There are quite a few breeders whose purchase agreements and health warranties depend on the owner buying the L.A. food or Nu-Vet vitamins, and of course the breeder gets those commissions for 2 years. Quite unethical IMO.

In my professional life, I was occasionally approached by someone wanting me to recommend or sell certain vitamins and supplements to my clients in exchange for a commission. I'm happy to say I never gave in to that, even though I did recommend that people take a multivitamin and could have made some easy $ by selling them myself. Breeders should certainly be advising their puppy buyers to feed a good quality food, but that's about as far as it should ethically go. 

[Lynda Kamrath]

I did not purchase a pup and did not make a deposit on one.  It was some sheepadoodle puppies I was going to see just because I am interested in the breed.  Sounds like the type of things vets are subjected to all the time (and also our doctors with pharmaceuticals).  I am so glad I checked it out here.  I may still go see the pups, but will definitely tell the breeder that I do not like her involvement with foods that want commitments from me or from breeders.  Not my kind of thing.  Thanks for your input.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Linda, my comment was in response to Leslie's comment that she did put a deposit on a puppy and lost it when she backed out because the breeder's warranty required her to feed this food. 

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Holy crap! What a scam!!!!

[Kyoko]

Shifty Breeder!

[Adina P]

I do think sometimes the people who sell it also 'drink the Kool-aid' so to speak.  They believe it is good and have bought into it being 'better' than what is out there.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

That's just ignorance and a failure to do any research. If you don't look beyond the dog food sold at Walmart or Target, it is better than what is out there. Then again, if you are making your living breeding and raising supposedly healthy dogs, isn't a little research into diets part of your responsibility? 

[Lynda Kamrath]

Thanks everybody.  Exactly what I needed to know.  I think I will stick with the Solid Gold.  Yes, my recommendation came from a breeder, and you had to have the product sent to your home.  I just wanted to try a bag first, but could not find it.