Hi everyone,

I'm new here, (although I've been reading the forums for a few weeks now).

I just wanted to check to se if what I'm feeding my dog is ok, as I've seen so many people slate the more common brands of complete dog foods, I'm getting a bit worried.

I've got a 2 year old border terrier x parsons russell, and he's fed on Pedigree Chum complete dry food. He's healthy and happy, but I just wanted to check that this food is actually ok, 'cos I've read so much on here about protein levels etc, I'm a bit (very??) confused.

Hope someone can point me in the right direction :)

Cheers, C

As long as your dog is happy and healthy that should be all that matters. :)

Ho Goldmali,

Thanks for that, it's put my mind at rest. a bit :) I've always thought that as long as he is ok, then pedigree chum would be ok, but I also thought I had better check on here, in case there are any nasties in it that I should be aware of.

C

I have used it and not had any problems. :)

I agree as long as your dog is doing fine then that is all that counts.... :)

My rule of thumb is also as long as it does not contain BHT, BHA or Ethoxyquin or have animal By-Products in it.... The food should start with a Meat Meal or a Meat as the first main ingredients...

To add to Dollface - as a rule I stay away from anything that's extruded into cute shapes, more than one shape, or multi-coloured.   I'd rather the manufacturer spent money on quality ingredients rather than making the food look attractive to people.  I'd rather not pay for the extra manufacturing costs to produce "cute" food. 

Stacey

If your dog is happy to eat it, and looks good then its 'ok'.

The real question is, do you want 'ok' or do you want 'excellent'.

My dogs are happy to eat crud out of bins and for a long time would quite probably look ok (you can make a poor thin dog look quite shiny and bouncy if you fill it full of sugar and oils!!!!).

Are YOU happy with a 4% meat content, sugars, oils, colourants and preservatives, and a large proportion of the food being cereals - not a particularly useful food to dogs.

Em

I have to agree Iam not one for the shapes or the dyes, don't see the need to make food more attractive to the people.... Also if it can be purchased in a grocery store I stay away from it, I don't think they are as good and are a alot lower grade food. I like to compare ingredients.... I have carried bags around with me in a petstore comparing and also looking on the net lol

Pedigree chum-i wouldnt feed it to my dogs.

My dogs were happy on Pedigree for 3 years, then it started disagreeing with one of them so we have put him on James WellBeloved and will gradually switch the other two over as well.

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all of your replies. I think whoever said about being happy with ok, or excellent pretty much hit the nail on the head. He is ok at the moment on Pedigree Chum, but long term, I'm sure there is something else that would be better. I always wondered about the shapes too, they do it with cat food as well, like mine cares that it's a fish shaped biscuit!!

I've heard a lot of you talking about James Wellbeloved, and BARF, and Nature Diet. What are all of these types of food?? I'd never heard of tem before using this board. I would ideally like to keep him on a dry complete mix if possible. I have also looked in both of my local supermarkets, and they don't sell any of the above named brands, are they quite hard to get hold of?

Sorry for all of the questions, but the more I know, the more I realise I don't know, if that makes sense???

Thanks, Claire

Hi Claire

Do you have any pet shops local to you? They are a good place to start looking and comparing foods. The big chains like Pets At Home are good for having a big selection of foods, but the small shops are usually more than happy to get you stuff in if you ask.

Must admit that I'm not a fan of anything that looks like a bag of M&M's when you open it (unless it IS a bag of M&M's and it's for me not the dog - he-he!). Some of the food that is literally half the price of Pedigree can have better quality ingredients in it. James Wellbeloved is a dry complete, is good quality and fairly easy to get hold of. It seems expensive, but most dogs eat much less (and poo less) on food like this than they do on Pedigree or similar, so the price evens iteslf out. Nature Diet is in a plastic tray and although it can be fed as an exclusive diet is often used to add a bit of variety to dry foods (it is quite expensive to soley feed a large dog on). And BARF stands for Bones And Raw Food - it's a home made diet that requires balancing over a period of time. Many people use a combination.

Just remember to change him over gradually - 3 to 4 weeks is ideal. I've always done it in 25% stages i.e. add  quarter of the new food to three quarters of the existing diet for the first week, then 50/50 for a week, the three quarters of the new for a week, the n you should be changed over completely.

Hi Phoebe,

Thanks for clearing that up, although I wish you hadn't mentioned M&M's, I'm trying to diet !!;)

I think I'll try the James Wellbeloved, there are a couple of pet shops near me, and a Pets at Home store in the nearest big town (I avoid it like the plague usually - bank balance can't stand it!).

I definitely won't be going for the BARF diet, I don't hink I'd trust my self enough to get all of the balanced diet bit right, at least wth a complete it's kind of all done for you!

Thanks again for your help, I'm sure I'll be back along soon with more questios :)

Claire

Hi,
I used to used nature diet and the dogs loved it, it really suited them and calmed them down, but over time, they lost weight on it and it was very expensive to feed on its own.  I have since moved them to Burns which is a dry food - just meat and brown rice.  It can be ordered off the internet (do a search for Burns dog food - it is based in Wales ) and they deliver a 15kg bag the next day to your house.  Free delivery for that size bag. About 35 pounds, which last my 2 medium sized dogs a month.  They really like it - the meat is different flavoured per bag.  So far they have liked everyone we have tried (lamb and venison).  The nutrition phone line at Burns is really helpful too and they will send you free samples.  I have really noticed a difference in their coats - they look so much healthier, softer and shinier.  Other people I know who have their dogs on it say that it has drastically reduced the amount of molting their dogs do, although as mine don't molt, I couldn't say.  Anyway, I have been really pleased with it and I know a few other people who are too.  I wouldn't do pedigree, too many additives, even though my dogs liked it.  I do add boiling water to the burns and leave it to cool for 5 mins.  Hope this helps!
Vanessa

>>they deliver a 15kg bag the next day to your house.  Free delivery for that size bag. About 35 pounds,

oo looks like a get a good deal on my big bags of burns then. i get mine from a local dog kennel and feed place and i only pay £31 per 15kg bag :D

Your right vanessa about burns info line being help full, the only caution i have was their advise about dropping the pup down to adult rations at 10mths old....mine is a large breed and still has lots of growing to do so shouldnt have had feed reduced until well past a year old. I told them the breed aswell, so maybe some people on their phones have more knowledge than others :)

Apart from that we have fantastic results with burns, we add some naturediet to it just to give the fuller belly feeling quicker. works well for us :)

That sounds like a good deal.  What flavour is that?  The venison is 32 pounds on the internet but everything else is 35.  There are very few stockists where I am - it's just so convenient having it delivered to the door - lazy I know! 

thats all of them barring the venison, thats a bit dearer i think, not tried that flavour as kai is happy with the chicken one and some naturediet :)
I would have it delivered ( heavy bags!!) but everyone thinks my address is in the highlands and islands category so i get penalised by big delivery charges :( (im an hour south of inverness! where do they think the highlands are )

<<I do add boiling water to the burns and leave it to cool for 5 mins.  Hope this helps!>>

Hi Vanessa, according to Burns the vitamins are heat sensitive and would be damaged by adding boiling water :-( I put cold water with mine and leave it 10 minutes and it works the same. Have you tried the ocean bites yet? If you do be very careful, they are very high protein and can have interesting results :-D so feed sparingly! My dogs love them and the kelties :-)

Vanessa please do not put boiling water over dry food,it will kill the supps,vits/mins that the manufacture put in after the cooking process,they do this because heat destroys them.

I just wanted to add that James Wellbeloved & Burns are 2 complete foods that are used as examples of 'excellent' completes but they don't agree with every dog so be careful.  None of my Munsters can tolerate either diet, they all get the runs on both but are ok with PC!    

One litter I bred,  I had them all on Nutro from conception to leaving home (In my opinion Nutro is a very good food).   I have a supplier not too far away and I told this to a family who lived not far from the supplier too, but they swapped the pup to JWB and not long after he was at the vets with colitis!    Which is something JWB claim their feeds prevent!   So just be wary of changing.

Hi,

What is PC?  One of mine was on nutro when I had her from the breeder but I couldn't find a local supplier at all.  She did like it though!  It's so hard to know what to feed them on.  The burns seems to be going down well at the moment though so I'll stick with that.  I definately agree it depends on the dog, as what is fine with one of mine, makes the other howl terribly.  It's amazing what difference food can make.
Vanessa

PC=Pedigree chum.