Dog Food

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

I lost a beloved std poodle to crap food 1 1/2 years ago. Since, we've rescued 2 labradoodles. 1 from a puppy mill, 1 from shelter. I have been cooking for them & would like to share dinnertime ideas. What do you all feed your dogs? If I try to go back to premade now, they turn up their noses. My 8year old Bijon, who ate crap food for years has no more arthritis or tear stains since "real" food was put into his life. Any ideas or comments, thoughts?

[9pavxfihcp80]

A few months ago, we were researching dog foods and found an excellent website: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/index.php When we had our Cockers, we fed them Iams dry food, believing that was a good and healthy choice for them. This website showed us how wrong we were and that it was likely the cause of many of their health issues. We decided there and then to make a list of the foods that we felt would be best for our doodles and chose from it. We found a great pet supply store near my place of employment that sells all of the high quality foods and at very reasonable prices. We are currently giving them Canidae All Life Stages. For their Busy Buddy and other hide-a-treat toys, we fill them with Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul, and they love it. Down the road, We may alternate (as we've also heard was good to do-- we wouldn't want to eat the same food, every day, for our whol life!!!) and give them Merrick, Wellness, or Fromm.

I highly recommend checking out this website.

[z7nf6mq00mzr]

For us, it is about the best content for the monetary value. Just like eating well as humans, while sticking to a budget, we try to get them decent food that isnt' necessarily the priciest brand. We have chosen Kirkland ( made by Diamond) for our dogs. We went off of it when they had their recall last year, but we are back with it now.

[1np1tlyyqzo7v]

After Sadie started turning her nose up at Canidae...and after much research, we're on a new plan.
In the morning she gets Wellness Simple Solutions with some Ivo or Wellness canned added.

For her afternoon/evening meal she gets a raw patty. If I could afford it, I'd probably feel all raw but right now this is working well for us.

[1ujyjdfif35f8]

wow, I did not know all of this, good subject. We feed Dallas Pro Plan for sensitive stomachs. Anything else gives here the smelly ears. We found last year that she was alergic to the beef based products. She can still have som biscuits but in limited quanities. If she gets too much, her ears reflect this immediately. Her food is Salmon based and she loves it.

[29wtw5rzrcy8s]

Hi Lynne! I feed both my goldendoodles Nature's Variety Dry Kibble. I've had much success with this food. The great thing about it is that you can change flavours without having upset tummies!
- Salmon
- Beef
- Chicken
- Lamb
- Venison
I rotate all the time and they love it!
I am including the website as well for you to read on this...and if interested found a location close to you where you can get it.
Both my goldendoodles came from MossCreek (FL) and Kelli, the breeder, found out about this food and highly recommended it to us all.
Good luck on the food search!
Marina (Mati&Tomi)
http://www.naturesvariety.com/content.lasso?page=1136

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

Thanks Marina. I checked out the website & there's really no close sellers of the Natures Variety. I am having good success with the Innova Evo. I have it shipped monthly from www.onlynaturalpet.com. I mix it into my own chicken, veggies fresh cranberries and my dogs love it. I leave dry out all day & feed 1 can divided between 2 doodles & my food at dinnertime. The Evo is on the 6 star/top rating on dogfoodsnalysis.com, so I feel pretty good about this food.

[Mikelyn]

I feed Sam Innova Evo - we used that with our Weim. It seemed a little rich at first for Sam but he seems to have adjusted very well to it and he loves it. Of course, I think he would eat anything, lol.

I want to mix in some canned Evo, but haven't found the puppy canned food at the retail store where I buy the kibble.

I have also done a lot of research on dog food and it is amazing what you find out and learn. I fed my Goldens Pedigree years ago because I didn't know any better. They lived to be 12 and 13 and the only repercussion I could see later was that our male Golden had a lot of hot spots - which was probably related to the corn in his kibble.

I remember feeding my second dog, a cocker spaniel, (got her when I was 6 and she died when I was 18) Ken-L-Ration in a can. The only time she ever saw a vet was to get her rabies shot and once she feel off a log over a creek and broke her leg. We also lived in a very small town and she was allowed to roam free (that was also the days that most dogs could and did run free).

That was many years ago and you would think that dog food would have gotten better and not have all the problems and recalls it has today. I can't imagine what was in that can of Ken-L-Ration but she lived a long and healthy life.

[2hk9x8js46vxv]

When my goldendoodle, Luke was younger, he's now 4, he had a very sensitive stomach and would frequently show no interest in food and would vomit bile because his stomach was empty. After trying lots of premium foods, we settled on Innova EVO which has no grains. It was an immediate hit with him and his pickiness and stomach upset disappeared. We also were giving him a med for reflux and was able to discontinue it. We stayed on this diet until he was around 3 and then I tried switching him to Canidae, as it was a bit more economical and many other doodle owners I knew were having great success with it. We have continued on the Canidae for the last year and have had no further stomach issues with Luke or with the Std. Poodle we added to our family about 7 months ago. Both dogs have good coats, clean ears and solid poops. What more could I ask for?

[1ujyjdfif35f8]

oh oh, Heather, you have me real nervous now. we feed Dallas Pro Plan for sensitive stomach, Fish based, Salmon that is and she has done real well on it. Our vet recommended it to us and said it was a good dry food. Can you tell me why it is on your two thumbs down list?

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

Rachel, all I can say is do a lot of research. After my dog died, I scoured the Internet & bought several books on dog diet. I have completely changed my thinking about feeding dogs. I now believe that a dogs natural diet should be meat, not grains and not all the various "stuff" that is added to dog food. In the wild a dog would hunt, kill and eat raw. The only fruits, veggies or grains they would get is from the stomach of the animal killed. Now I don't say feed you dog raw meat (although many people do, I think it's the ick factor for me), but meat should be the first ingregient. Not meat by products or anything else.
I cook a stew for my dogs that includes a variation of chicken, beef, liver, or lamb and I add egg, broccoli, carrots, peas, rice, lentils or whatever veggies I have. I also will add apples or cranberries or blueberries or yogurt at times. I make a huge pot about once a week and I put all into ziplocks and freeze them. Then I add this to 1 can of Evo divided between 2 dogs. I also give a marrow bone every once in awhile.
I give a multivitamin and fish oil everyday. I also leave dry Evo out all day for grazing and have had no problems with over eating since the first week.
My dog food costs less than feeding only cans and it is more expensive than feeding only dry. But my dogs are healthy and happy. The doodles are young but my Bijon is 8 years old. He used to have tear stains, smelly ears and arthritis. Since my food has been put into his diet, he has NONE of those old symptoms. He runs around like a puppy. I have not been to a vet (except for rabies) in over a year. That's my proof. I also won't vaccinate without titering first. That way I don't over vaccinate, which is common now.
I can't tell you what to do except to do research and do what you are comfortable with.
I sometimes go a little overboard. For xmas I got a dehydrator and use chicken tenders and make my own jerkey, too. We have made dog bisquits and even a cake of liver for my girls B-day (her arrival day since she was rescued form a puppy mill). The point of all this is I will never go back to believing a dog food company. I will never feed one thing, every day for the life of my dogs ever again. I change it up every week with human quality food.
You need to decide what is best for you.

[Jacque Reynolds]

Good for you! I love it that you have taken this so seriously and that you have even made your own chicken tenders!
I keep telling people that if they would market chicken tenders, made in the USA, with no ingredients that are harmful, they would make a bundle! (hint, hint!)

[Danielle]

You have been really helpful! I was wondering if you could post or send me your recipe for your homemade dog food? I want to make some for my dog and see how he does on it since it seems like it is much better for them. I want a happy and healthy dog! :)