THE FOOD GROUP GUIDELINES

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

WELCOME TO THE FOOD GROUP- PLEASE READ BEFORE STARTING A NEW DISCUSSION!

We started this group because of personal experiences with many of the issues that are commonly discussed on dog forums regarding food, and because these experiences have led us to do extensive research in an attempt to obtain FACT-BASED knowledge of these issues, rather than relying on anecdotes, myths, and junk-science, much of it put out there by people who are trying to sell something. The 2007 pet food recalls in which thousands of dogs and cats died or were permanently sickened by foods that contained melamine from China substituted for glutens had a profound effect on some of us, and this group was started as an attempt to help educate others on manufacturing practices and pet nutrition so that they can avoid losing beloved pets because of unacceptable foods made by "Big Dog Food" companies. There are also many issues we would like to explore. We thought it would be helpful to put all of these questions, information, and feedback into one place here on DK where everyone can find it, contribute to it, ask questions, and learn together.  
 You can start a new discussion if you have a question, or you can continue in an existing discussion if you prefer. Please do try to use the search feature before starting a new discussion, though, to help eliminate duplicate discussions on the same topics. You can search through past discussions for a topic by clicking "View All" at the bottom of the Food Group discussion forum, and then entering a word or phrase in the box. You will usually find lots of info and possibly the answer to your question. There is a wealth of information here from many good sources.  

Products on our recommended lists have been screened not just for the ingredients themselves, but also for the sourcing of the ingredients.

Membership in this group is voluntary. Everyone is free to feed their dog whatever they choose, but it is assumed that you are here because you want to learn about better nutritional and commercial food options. All questions are welcome. Proselytizing, however, is not welcome. If you want to feed your dog Beneful or Ol' Roy, that's your right, and if you want to learn why those foods may be dangerous to your pet's health, we're happy to tell you. But recommendations for these, Iams, Purina, Hill's, and other products  that have killed other group members' dogs are not okay here, and may result in your being suspended from the group. Similarly, if you believe that the only proper way to feed a dog is with a prey model raw diet, that all kibbles are harmful, and/or that raw food or "holistic" diets and/or supplements such as coconut oil will cure diseases or health conditions, this is not the right group for you. We are fact based. Anyone recommending raw feeding or any type of holistic diet or supplement as a cure or treatment for allergies or illnesses will be suspended from the group.  

Welcome, and thanks for reading!
PLEASE NOTE: WE ASK THAT YOU NOT POST ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRODUCTS FOR WHICH YOU RECEIVE ANY TYPE OF COMMISSION OR COMPENSATION, NOR ANY LINKS TO ADVERTISING. THANK YOU.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I started a new discussion with your question:
http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/canola-...

[Joan and Hunter]

Hi KAREN

I am so glad I found this group!!  I posted on the medical group about panosteitis and my 8 month old Hunters limping problem  and they recommended the food group with Karen as this diagnosis seems to be associated with too much protein in the diet?!  I am new to forums in general and very new to this one!!  So much information! I will scan through as much as I can find. It seems a common thought here that in general people are fed up with inferior dog food and misinformation from the manufacturers!  I was saddened when my vet tried to push Science Diet for Hunter who at the time was very young... like 3 months!  They told me corn was actually a good source of protein. (It is the 1st ingredient).  Wow,  really?   As I stated in the other group, knowledge is power!  Thank you SO MUCH.  And the links to other web sites!! It is GREAT!

[SD Suz - Mom of 3 Doodz]

I am SUCH a latecomer to the party! So much so that I'm not even sure if this is the right place for this. A few days ago there was a post that mentioned EPO. Java is our 50 pound Chocolate Mousse (or Moose, depending on how much room she decides she needs on the bed), always itchy and I'm thinking EPO might help. The bottle I bought says 1300 mg but it's mainly Omega 6. I thought I'd read that they don't need much/any Omega 6 so what's the story and is one capsule a day too much? (Yes, I did search and saw a few posts but none that had amounts suggested.) Java and I would love it if she weren't so itchy.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The standard EPO dosage for dogs is 500 mg., 1 to 3 per day. Most people give just one per day.

Evening primrose oil is a rich source of GLA, gamma linolenic acid, which is a form of Omega 6 fatty acid that has been shown to be effective in reducing inflammation and is considered beneficial, unlike linoleic acid, which can actually exacerbate skin inflammations.

 

From the Univ. Of Maryland:
The average North American diet provides more than 10 times the necessary amount of linoleic acid and tends to have too much omega-6 fatty acids compared to omega-3 fatty acids, another important class of EFAs. In fact, for optimum health, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids should be between 1:1 and 4:1. The typical North American and Israeli diets are usually in the range of 11:1 to 30:1. This imbalance contributes to the development of long-term diseases such as heart disease, cancer, asthma, arthritis, and depression as well as, possibly, increased risk of infection.

Interestingly, not all omega-6 fatty acids behave the same. Linoleic acid (not to be confused with alpha-linolenic acid, which is in the omega-3 family) and arachidonic acid (AA) tend to be unhealthy because they promote inflammation, thereby increasing the risk of the diseases mentioned when consumed in excess. In contrast, GLA may actually reduce inflammation.
Much of the GLA taken from the oils mentioned or as a supplement is not converted to AA, but rather to DGLA. DGLA competes with AA and prevents the negative inflammatory effects that AA would otherwise cause in the body. Having adequate amounts of certain nutrients in the body (including magnesium, zinc, and vitamins C, B3, and B6) helps to promote the conversion of GLA to DGLA rather than AA.

[SD Suz - Mom of 3 Doodz]

Thanks Karen & Jack.

[Merrie Lynn & Buddy]

Can I get some comments on Science diet dog food?  I was buying an expensive brand but fell on some hard times and my vet said science diet is good.  help

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Merrie, vets know nothing about dog food or dog nutrition, and Hill's Science Diet pays for what little education they do get on this in vet school. Science Diet is horrible.

Please check our Recommended Brands list for the foods that we feel comfortable recommending. However, there are none that are very inexpensive. Keep in mind that with better quality foods, you feed less and therefore a food that costs less for the samw weight may not last as long or save you any money.

What were you feeding before?

[Merrie Lynn & Buddy]

Purina one

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Well, there probably isn't anything on our Recommended list that is going to be less expensive than Purina One, which isn't one of the foods we recommend, either. There is really nothing you can buy at the grocery store or places like Target or Walmart that are recommended, both because of the ingredients in the foods and the sources of those ingredients. The "Big Dog Food" companies (Purina, Iams, Science Diet, Nutro, Eukanuba, etc) are all owned by huge corporations who purchase their ingredients from third world countries through third-party food brokers, and these practices were responsible for the deaths and serious permanent illnesses of thousands of dogs and cats during the 2007 recalls. The practices have not changed, and the regulations and quality control issues have not improved, either.

You might look at pricing for Holistic Select or Blue Buffalo. You might also check pricing for the on-line companies like Petflow that ship most of our recommended brands, sometimes that can be cheaper.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

And just keep in mind that if an inexpensive brand causes an illness, you may end up spending MUCH more on Buddy than you would have with just a slightly higher priced food.

Try Blue Buff.  Also the feeding amounts may be less for the new food -make sure you take that into account. If a bag lasts longer, the increase may not be as bad as you think.

Good luck.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

RECOMMENDED BRANDS

[Marilyn and Sherlock]

Getting my golden doodle in Oct...mother is 60 lbs and father is 45 lbs....getting a male....should I use large breed puppy food....I have seen so much about how important the additional protein is but also read that too much protein is detrimental...... Would like your feedback...... I always fed Natural Balance but I understand there are some changes in it now...