My pup came home at 11 weeks after being weaned onto Iam's puppy, which we continued to feed her.  Now at 5 months she keeps stealing Bakers from the bowls of her friends who we go and visit - she seemed to really like it so I bought a bag...Now I'm not usually irresponisble :rolleyes: but I didn't even read the ingredients (slapped wrists, I know) - But it seems full of rubbish and contains sugars/sweeteners...Am I right?  Is it rubbish?  I want to feed my pup the best possible diet - can anyone recommend a good puppy food.  She's quite a pig, which I don't mind too much as afghans have a rep. for being picky...Oh and she gets a bit windy too :D
Thanks, Sarah

IMHO any dog food which doesn't list a meat protein as the first ingredient isn't worth buying.......

Bakers would not be in my top 100 to feed a dog.  THere is no need for added sugars or salts in dog food let alone colourings etc etc etc.

Burns produce a complete dry food which contains only meat, rice and vegetables.  Naturediet is a complete wet food which contains meat, rice and carrots.  Both may be fed to puppies and adults, you may wish to purchase the version of Burns without Sugar Beet Pulp which can ferment.

There are of course a myriad of other options but both of these are wheat, gluten, soya and maize free and contain no Brewers Yeast.

Bear in mind that food is labelled with its largest SINGLE ingredient first; however this does NOT mean that the food contains for example more meat than all the others put together!

Just wondering if you would be able to tell me which one of the Burns foods contains Sugar Beet Pulp please? I am just changing my Labrador over to Burns.

Thanks for your help,

Best wishes,
Val :-)

If you go on to the Burns site it helpfully gives all the ingredients of all the varieties. I believe it is the Canine Active Extra designed for working dogs.

HTH

Hello HTH,

Many thanks for your help, - and thank you for pointing this out.

Incidentally, in case others are interested, the Burns version I'm starting out with is the fish and rice one and I have definitely seen an improvement after a very short time (in particular improved coat and no shedding). Very impressed so far.

Best wishes,

Val :-)

My favourite completes are Arden Grange (they do two ranges, the classic has le3ss meat in than the original, but still much higher than most premium brands), and Autarky (which has added Herbs and vegetables) also containing a higher proprtion of meat protein than most.

The cooked Natures Menu by Anglian Meat products is a similar product to Nature Diet and all in one wet food made from mat rice and vegetables.

i feed Toby bakers for breakfast and barf in the evening he has been fed on bakers since he was 8 weeks old, he is thriving on it and has a beautiful coat, and the vet told me its a good complete food,
heidi

MY mutt Sam has been on Bakers for a couple of years as I found it was the only thing that didn't give her a runny tummy and she'll eat it continuously, whereas anything else she refuses after a month on it.

Dizzy is on Burns (over twice the price :rolleyes: ) but still would rather steal the bakers given half a chance   In saying that, sam is quite partial to the Burns :rolleyes:

The thing is I know many people who successfully feed Bakers which is why I had a go - Then I saw the ingredients list - meat and animal derivitives?  With 5% meat and various sugars which concerns me slightly!  So i think some of the ingredients may be there to be tasty to the dog and therefore satisfying for the owner, who likes to see their dog enjoy his food???  I dont know?  I've just ordered a sample of James Wellbeloved which doesn't contain beef, pork, wheat, wheat gluten, soya or dairy.  Neither does it contain artificial flavours or preservatives.  I think I will have a look at all the free samples I picked up at discover dogs :)
Sarah

:) Ohhhhh freebies :)

The bakers must be tastey as mine really love it - I think the colours and shaped pieces are also a ploy to get human approval.

What I will tell you is that I've never eaten bakers but after reading the ingredients on the Burns I had a nibble on some kibble and it tasted just like chicken and brown rice - lol! I'd prefer a little salt but I think the dogs can cope without ;)

I've a friend who swears by JWB and another who thinks Skinners Dog Food is the best thing in the world - even though it's cheap as chips!

I think it's a matter of approving the ingredients then finding what your dog likes (this is where the freebies as treats should help) then compromising with what you can afford (if necessary).  It's been the biggest worry since we got Dizzy but I'm happy enough with how she's coming on now :D

Hi Wishfairy...A nibble on some kibble eh! :D - Leads me to a funny story...Made my first liver cake last week, very proud, cut some up and took the dog for a walk.  While we were out we saw a lady in her heels and long fur coat and a jack russell who she couldn't get back on its lead.  I thought a bit of liver cake may help, so I walked over and said "would you like a treat" - She replied "ooh thanks" as she took a piece of my cake and ate it :D :D - It looked well stodgy as well and she was having a really good chew on it...Didn't have the heart to tell her it was for the dog - Who went without :D
Sarah

Brilliant! :D :D

Kath.

Well never fed it as mine are raw fed but thought I would let you know for those who do that it is buy one get one free in Tescos right now passed it tonight..

Pam

<But it seems full of rubbish and contains sugars/sweeteners...Am I right?  Is it rubbish? >

Yes!

snomaes

Talking about eating dog food!  I remember years ago when one of my mums friends son ate some of the rolls that you can get of dog food.  He asked his dad where did he get the meat from as it was delicious!!  Yuck.  As this meat is very cheap and when I looked at the contents once it was nearly all water can't imagine what he liked about it.

My hubby went missing when he was a child - was found under the car with a pack of butter, a knife, a packet of bonios and Grandads dog - he was buttering the Bonios and feeding one to the dog and one for him...........

:D

I know someone who recently had a litter & was using loads of welpi.
Because she was getting through so much she made it up & stored it in plastic milk bottles in the fridge (it was labelled dog) but her son obviously hadn't noticed when he splashed it on his cornflakes & sat & ate them. They only realized later when the son said his cornflakes tasted "different".   :)

Is Bakers available in the supermarket?If it is then i wouldnt use it,there are too many more healthier foods out there to be feeding inferior brands,but then what do you do with the fussy dogs that wont eat anything else?Both my dogs have thus far refused to eat all the dry foods i have bought,i have 5 opened bags in the cupboard :( I'm not sure if they would eat any supermarket brand as i havnt tried it,probaly wouldnt be worth it anyway coz of the crap ingredients i may as well wip up a batch of wheat,soy,rice and a minute amount of offal and by-products :D
Have you guys heard of the brand "INNOVA"? I saw it advertised in the u.k mag your dog,this is the brand i want my dogs to eat but so far no go!The website is www.naturapet.com it has excellent human grade ingredients,altho it is very expensive,a 1 kilo bag cost $20

Christine,  Australia

Sorry but both my dogs are fed Bakers and they have thrived on it.  I tried them with several complete foods and Baker's is the only one that they have not cocked their noses up at after 2 weeks of being feed it.

To be truthfull my dane actually loved Bakers but i changed to JWB which she can take or leave.
My dad saw a documentary years ago where they said that cat food wasn't full of crap like dog food because cats were more fussy, and since then he has always fed his dogs cat food roflmao and they have all lived to be over 15!

I'm sure there is logic in that somewhere! ;)

Smell a piece of dog kibble and compare it to a piece of cat kibble,the dog food has a wheaty smell where as the cat food has a much,much stronger smell,i have tried mixing in cat food with my dogs kibble but they still will not TOUCH it,i am at my wits end! This morning i made up their favourite meal of roast chicken with some raw chicken wings minced in with it,i added a teaspoon of dry food each and they refuse to eat it,but i am putting my foot down now i will leave it for 1/2 hr. then i will take it away and give it again for dinner.
You should all think yourselves lucky that your dogs will eat dry food no matter what brand it is.

Christine

Cats are TRUE carnivores where as dog's aren't - there has to be a certain amount of protein/thiamine in cat food as they cant possibly cope without meat - that may have something to do with the difference in taste and smell?
Sarah :)

Hiya Christine
                What part of Australia are you from?? I am visiting Perth in the next few weeks with a view to emigrating there in the future, I've heard though that you need special permission to have over two dogs :( which is not good for me as I want to take eight or nine with me...

Geoff :)

You are right the number of dogs varies according to where you live.  I know two Australian breeders, and one who had a puppy from me is only allowed to keep four dogs (other than puppies under 14 weeks) and the other is allowed to keep 5 (they are in Adelaide), but one of their daughters is in an area where 6 dogs are allowed.

Hi Geoff,
I live in Adelaide,i think Brainless is right, the max. here is 5 dogs unless you live in the country,there you can have as many as you like,Adelaide is so small the country is only 1/2 hour drive from the city.I'm not sure about Perth but only allowing 2 dogs seems a bit excessive? Post your e-mail and i will ring around and will let you know about the Perth laws if you want.
Perth is just a bigger version of Adelaide we are almost twin states,what made you decide to come to Australia,How long will your babies have to stay in quarantine? I admire you for bringing your fur family across the miles,alot of folk would just leave them behind :( and you have 9 of them,good on ya! I know i could never leave my 2 girls behind altho it would break my heart to see them in quarantine,is it 3-6 mths.?

Christine

Hi Christine...
              Quarantine in Australia, if you're travelling from England is 30 days, which is not too bad, we're allowed to visit Monday to Friday as often as we like....

Thought about moving to Australia for a few years now & have a friend who moved to Perth 10 years ago, he loves it.. my daughter did a school exchange there 3 years ago to the Gold coast & she loved it..

Although we have chosen W.A. iI think New South Wales also sound good, as long as the weather is good & I can bring my dogs I don't mind where we go to be honest.

Geoff :)

oh, if you click on my name you'll find my email address...

Geoff :)

I'm wouldn't be keen on feeding my dogs a food with lots of different coloured bits in it.  However if anyone is undecided about what to feed then it is worth bearing in mind that Iams, Eukanuba, Pedigree and Bakers are all involved with experiments on animals and, to the best of my knowledge,  James Wellbeloved and Naturediet are not.

Sally

Nor is Burns.
:)

Yes, sorry missed that one off. Can't find the complete list.

James Wellbeloved has for a while now belonged to Pedigree, and so does Royal Canin.

Proplan and Beta all come under the Friskies Petcare Umbrella.

Now obviously Dog Food has to be tested on animals (feeding trials, and tests on how their health and condition fares on the latest recipe), so it is important to know what one means by animal testing.

I mysrlf like Ardeng Grange, and also Autarky both being British prodeced foods, that have higher than most meat content.

As I feed Naturediet I haven't done too much research but I stopped feeding Eukanuba when Iams was bought by Proctor and Gamble.  And yes you are right JWB does now belong to Pedigree, I forgot that.  I am aware that some testing involves over-feeding, starving, and removing kidneys.  It's all on the Peta website I'm sure.  I need to be in the right frame of mind to go there though.
Sally

I have tried so many different foods with my dog and she turns her nose up at all the best ones, burns she HATED, likewise Arden.  At the weekend I tried her on Bakers (the 'meaty chunks' one) and it is the only complete food in the year and a half I have had her that she has eaten without it being hidden in something else.  Now I feel awfully guilty feeding her such rubbish but the little git has me wrapped around her little paw. 

I tried by bitch on Beta today and she cocked her nose up at it.  

Hi
My aunts 2 lurchers are fed on bakers, anything else makes them really really sick.

Debbie

Well Lana has been on JWB for nearly a week now - she does like it but recently been playing with it rather than eat it :rolleyes: - Well I had my cuppa this morning and put some of the water from the kettle on her breakfast, you could really smell it.  The dog loved it, scoffed the lot!
Sarah

Hi Rozzer

My schnauzer is fed on Nutro Choice kibble  (we switched her to this at around 12 weeks old).  She wasnt keen to start with as she had been fed on tinned food, but we found that a dash of very hot water stirred in did the trick and she still prefers it that way now.  She's now mastered the art of eating a whole meal in about 30 seconds flat and then pushes the bowl around the kitchen just to make sure there's nothing left!

Good luck

Brainless,

As far as I am aware, there are no requirements that a food must be tested in feeding trials on dogs.  Anymore than human food need to be tested in feeding trials on humans.

Stacey