about to buy this...need help

[Chels*Claud*Midas]

we are looking for a new food for Midas. we are switching to adult food from Purina one large puppy (which was what the breeder had been giving him) we bought science diet, but heard it is no good. what should we buy? we hear Blue Buffalo is great..but now im reading many dogs diarrhea and can cause liver damage! we are looking into the orijen brand.. any tips? about to go buy food and take pics with santa! lol

sorry im posting here and not in food group..but i need answers fast! :)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

"Latest discussions" is just a way to see the most recent discussion topics in the Main forum. It doesn't mean you get a response any faster, and it doesn't mean the discussions are any newer than many in the groups. The discussions in the groups don't show in the general forum. Everyone who is involved in a group sees all the new discussions as soon as they are posted, and the group leaders generally respond right away.

You should also consider the source of the responses to anything you post. In the groups, you get responses from people who have knowledge and experience with that subject. In the main forum, you get responses from anyone and everyone. If I were looking for a new camera, I would rather get the opinions of people who are experienced photographers in the Photography Group than just anyone who happened to see my question in the main forum. If I had a training problem, I would rather get advice from people who have successfully trained their dogs and have experience with training methods in the Training Group than just any newbie with their first dog in the main forum. If I had a question about grooming, I would rather get the opinion of someone who has years of experience in the Grooming Group than (again) just anyone in the main forum. All opinions are not equal. We've been researching canine nutrition and all brands of kibble and posting the info in The Food Group for four years. Our advice might be better than someone who just got their puppy a month ago and is feeding Pedigree and happens to see your question in the main forum. 

 Plus, often the information you need is right there in the groups and you don't have to wait for a response at all, like in this case. If you'd looked at the Recommended List, you wouldn't have ended up buying Science Diet to begin with, lol, and you;d know that Blue Buffalo doesn;t cause liver damage and wouldn;t have had to research it elsewhere. A lot of time and effort has gone into providing DK members with the FG info for this very reason.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Touche`.

[Elizabeth, Bailey & Bruin]

Chelsea, I can tell you that I switched from a "over the counter" brand to Orijen.  Bailey has had no problems at all.  She is a healthy girl and has a beautiful soft coat with no allergy problems.  I switched her from her puppy food to Orijen Adult Dog Food...Not large breed...just the Adult Dog Food.

If you do switch, switch gradually.  Do check out the Food Group.  There is a lot of really good advice from Karen and F...

 

Good luck

[Chels*Claud*Midas]

thank u... we just switched to Orijen.. it is a little pricey, but my husband is a personal trainer and is all about giving Midas something healthy to eat! lol..

I tried science diet because my vet recommended it..and now i dont know why.. but i thought since she recommended it it would be good..

no need for anyone to take offense in what i mentioned about blue buffalo... i read that it said something about liver damage and respected everyone here on DK's opinion that i posted it to see if anyone agreed or if it was false..i never said it was true or i believed it..i just was wondering what everyone else (people who know about this stuff) thought about it.

also i am fairly new to DK...and saw that the food groups page was last active 16 hours ago...and i said to myself ok maybe people arent on that group right now, so maybe i should post it quick on the main forum to get quick responses... i wasnt aware that the people in those groups get emails..and there for i would be responded to just as quick. i dont see the need for anyone to jump on me because i posted this question in the main forum if i wasnt "supposed" to post it here..okay now i know why.. but no need to attack someone for being new to the site who has a question.. that will just discourage other new DK members to ask a question here.. i have no problem with someone commenting on something i too was wondering was true or false...and i have no problem with someone telling me more about how this site works.. but the fact that people are writing "touche'" on here regarding some of the comments is really making it like this is a fight when, its really someone asking some advice..

either way i needed some advice.. and to the people who were nice and informative, thank you.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Well worth the price! We switched to Orijen awhile back and have no regrets!!

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

Totally. I learned from the Food Group that with high quality food the dogs actually eat less because of all the protein and nutrition there is in the good food. So yes, the food is more expensive than a $20 Kibbles'n'Bits, but it actually has all the good stuff in it without all the fillers. I'm feeding the boys Acana after experimenting with the kibble for the longest time with Monty. Got lot of great advice from Karen and the Food Group.  

[BG and Gavin]

Don't be put off Chelsea - what you got here was a little frustration.  Imagine if you spent four years researching and putting together and updating a comprehensive catalogue on dog food.  Doing it out of passion due to losses you or others you know experienced due to tainted food from unscrupulous companies.  You do it for no compensation.  It is a wealth of information for everyone to access.  Then imagine that newer persons come on the site (not just you - it happens very frequently) and does not do a search that would bring forward information from this incredible compilation instead just asks the same question over and over again.  And you have to re-answer the same question several times a week, 52 weeks a year for four years.  Well it gets frustrating. Other old-timers and group leaders (my self included) tend to sympathize with that frustration.  So that's what you saw here.  But again, please do not be put off.  Once you take some time to get to know the site and the people and read through the awesome compilation of information on all things doodle, you too will understand.  Ask questions, but also first take the time to do a search and gather info from the same question that has been asked before. 

Good luck with the Orijen for sweet Midas.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I certainly did not mean what I said to offend you or to be fighting words. I was merely applauding Karen's explanation that some opinions, because the writer is informed and experienced and bases the opinion on fact,  are worth more than others.

[Elizabeth, Bailey & Bruin]

Try checking into some websites to buy Origen.  I know there are a few sites out there that might be a little less expensive if you do auto shipping.  I order from www.petflow.com. 

Also, always store your food in the original bag, it is foil lined for a reason.  I store Bailey's in the bag and then in a container with a locking lid.  It also helps to store it in the original bag just in case of a recall.

 

 

[Katie and Sophie]

Figuring out what is best to feed them can definitely be confusing!  I'm glad you found something you are happy feeding.  Its a good choice!

[Chels*Claud*Midas]

thank you! im excited too see how it works for him!! :)

[Koilaf Friesen]

We also tried Blue Buffalo which sounds great and has a terrific website with sound research behind it, but our Max had explosive diarrhea on it.  We thought he was ill, but after testing our vet recommended changing his diet after his stomach settled. We returned the food, and the Royal Canin rep happened to be at the store.  We had Max with us, and she recommended a breed specific dog food they offered.  In Max's case, she recommended the large food for Shepherds (not Poodles) because he has large wide spaced teeth and because it's designed for dogs with sensitive stomachs.  It worked like a charm and we've never wanted to experiment with anything else.  It also smells appealing.  However, we have to buy the small bag, because if we get the large bag he can't finish it soon enough, it becomes stale, and the bottom third of the bag gives him gas.  Tricky - he really does have a sensitive stomach.  Our dog trainer swears by the RAW food diet though, and recommends that.  I just can't get past the idea of handling raw meat, and don't want to tamper with something that seems to work, so it's Royal Canin for Max.