Hi Everyone,

Reading up on dogfoods when I was deciding what to feed my dog, I read something so horrendous about IAMS, that I'm never ever going to buy it (I'm not going to to post it here, it's too distressing, but PM me if you really want to have nightmares...) and wondered if anyone knows of dogfood which is humanely produced and tested, as well as being healthy for the dogs? Other than buying and cooking Free Range Organic meat??

The best I found was DENES foods for cats and dogs, anybody else used it? (started by the late great Buster Lloyd Jones - look for his books "The Animals came in one by one" and "Love on a Lead" on Amazon if you don't know him.) but they only do Puppy and Adult, not Junior, and I understood one should feed Junior between the ages of, say, 8 and 18 months, is that right?

So anyway, I've been feeding my 8 month BC on Junior Pedigree dry food, and Tesco Junior tinned food, and Royal Canin dry food, now  I've introduced Tesco Adult Premium food, as it's lower in protein.

Second question: Anyone think tinned food is better (or worse) than dry food?  When I researched catfood ages ago, I learned that dry foods weaken cats' kidneys, and that most of their diet should be fresh or tinned; I don't know if that's still thought to be true? And whether it's true for dogs?
Thanks for any info/opinions...

"When I researched catfood ages ago, I learned that dry foods weaken cats' kidneys, and that most of their diet should be fresh or tinned; I don't know if that's still thought to be true?"

Tinned food has a high water content which in turn 'flushes' out the cats urinary tract and keeps everything 'moving'. Cats tend not to visibly drink as much water as dogs, so need to take fluid in from other sources. Fresh and tinned food provide a reliabe source of fluids. Many cats survive very well on dry foods, but others struggle because they are not getting enough fluid. A mixture does seems to be best.

Dogs tend to drink more when on complete diets but like with cats, most manage very nicely and don't have any problems. The best dog food for your dog is the one that they look good on and keep condition. This varies from dog to dog and there are no set rules :)

I think anyone who is not aware of iam's practices has been living under a rock for the last 20 years :(

Skyblue there is no need for puppy food,junior food,senior food etc. etc. An all life stages adult food will suffice most dogs,some may need the extra calories,fat etc. contained in puppy food,but the point of a junior food has always escaped me I guess if a company put's out  'puppy' 'junior' 'adult' 'senior' 'large breed' versions then all of these will have to take up alot of space on the pet shops shelves,hence making them the more prominent brand in the customers eyes. If you stand infront of the pet food isle and your bombarded with 6 or 7 different versions of a particular brand you will be more likely to buy it.Well this at least is their marketing departments hopes :p

>wondered if anyone knows of dogfood which is humanely produced and tested, as well as being healthy for the dogs?<

This question does not gel with these brands

>Junior Pedigree dry food, and Tesco Junior tinned food, and Royal Canin dry food, now  I've introduced Tesco Adult Premium food,<

The 4 commercial brands i  recommend would be JWB(dry),naturediet(wet),wafcol(dry) and burns(dry).I dont think i've heard of Denes,do they have a website which lists their ingredients?

I like to rotate foods,i dont think it is a good idea for any dog or human for that matter to eat the same brand food each and every day for it's entire life.This method to me is completely un-natural,by rotating you ensure your dog wont miss out on any important vits and mins that one pet food may lack or another may have too much of :)

Thankyou both very much for your replies, very helpful.

Hailey, I only got my first dog this year, so I'm still new to dog-owning. Lots to learn still, I'm sure you were once a beginner too?

Hi skyblue,
Course we all once had our 'first' dog.However it does not require an experienced owner to read a pet food label or know instinctively what a dog needs :)

Look for foods that  state a meat source,such as chicken,turkey,salmon,lamb etc.as the first or second ingredient, stay away from foods that list by-products,cereals,derivatives,maize,soy or pretty much anything that you cant pronounce or have no clue what it could be

Hi skyblue, we buy Arden Grange , it claims to be ethically produced. Type it in and you'll get to there website. Delivery is fast, and although at first you may think it is a bit pricey,( I did ), it is made from good ingredients and therefore you don't need as much of it compared to a lesser quality brand . Our GSD is very picky and he eats it quite happily. Have a look at their site and see what you think, regards DD.

I think before you buy in totally to what is told to you on the internet about various companies you need to consider at least a couple of things. 
Firstly you need to consider the possible motives of the people disseminating the information together with any previous activities they have been involved in before deciding whether you would consider their integrity likely to lead to you being told the absolute truth ;).
Secondly, in terms of this particular story, I think you need to consider the tremendous cost that would be involved in running experiments of the kinds indicated by these "anti-groups".  They would have to be conducted under very strict laboratory conditions to exclude all outside contaminants and conducted by training personel in order to make the results at all worthwhile none of which comes at all cheap.  All this when the alternatives of running basic health tests on consumers dogs and consumer satisfaction surveys would give you all the information you would need to market a good product.
If following that consideration you still feel it likely that you have been told the entire truth then its a free country buy from someone else :)

>Firstly you need to consider the possible motives of the people disseminating the information together with any previous activities they have been involved in before deciding whether you would consider their integrity likely to lead to you being told the absolute truth<

WHAT????

What has a persons integrity and previous activities got to do with choosing and identifying a good dog food

Talk about straying way off topic!

Topics on food for dogs invariably become emotive on here, everyone will tell you the food they feed is best, be it tinned, dry, BARF, Uncle Tom Cobbly and all ;) As has been said, find a food which suits YOUR dog and stick with it. Posh names and prices will not always be the best for your pooch :)

>everyone will tell you the food they feed is best

Not everyone ;)  I don't believe any one food is best

yeah whatever :)

Whatever what? :)

I would say the majority of people on here, believe they are feeding their dog/s the food which is best for them? Would you disagree with that? :)

I'm feeding the food that best suits my dog, it certainly changed her behaviour.  However, I know that the food I give my dog doesn't suit all dogs.  Horses for courses

I don't know really, personally I feel I feed a food that suits my dog very well but I don't really doubt there are a great many others to choose from that would suit her just as well, certainly by the testimonials on here.

Ladies, please can we not turn yet another 'food' thread into a bun fight. Many thanks

'Bun fight'! LOL! Nice one, Admin! :D :D

LOL @ Admin, choose your seconds, handbags at dawn! ROFLMAO

I am not talking about the choosing and identifying of a good food I am talking about the disseminating of disparaging information about individual companies in which case the motives and previous activities of the authors are entirely relevant.

I think that if anyone seriously thought that commercial interest played no part whatsoever in the production of any food products then they would be under a sad misapprehension! However, as with human food, there are companies who don't see that there is a contradiction between ethical policies and the need to make a profit from their activities. This we make our choices based on how much importance we give this factor - although it is US that are making the choice for our dogs since the dogs can't exercise the same freedom of opportunity! Ultimately, most people tread a middle course because ethics have to be balanced against what a particular dog will eat and what suits that dog best, healthwise.  

I don't eat factory farmed human food. I am iffy about additives. Therefore I am particularly keen to apply similar principles to my dog's diet. At the same time, however, I have to ensure he benefits, rather than suffers, from my political viewpoint! And yes, it doesn't seem reasonable to judge anyone's advice on their activities but let's be realistic here. If someone is KNOWN to have an abiding passion for a cause then their advice will be coloured by their passion. Not a problem, so far as I can see provided they recognise that not everyone will share the same passion.

>>I am talking about the disseminating of disparaging information about individual companies

Unless, I assume, that "disparaging" information is true???

>>in which case the motives and previous activities of the authors are entirely relevant.

Why?  If the information provided is accurate, what difference would it possibly make?  I am lost.  Let's say I am a drug dealer who fights pit bulls.  Does that somehow make me less qualified to recommend a dog food than someone who say, feeds their dog flavored corn?  If so, why?

If the information is true.  When you have only the word of the informant the integrity of the informant becomes relevant.  In the UK we have had animal activists capable of desecrating graves, they have also demonstated a great deal of apathy towards capitalism in the past so it seems entirely possible to me that such people would be capable of any motive or action.
My points by the way have nothing to do with people recommended any foods quite the opposite they are regarding the denegration of certain foods.

>>When you have only the word of the informant the integrity of the informant becomes relevant.

Do you have some reason to question Hailey's integrity?  If so, shouldn't you let us all know what it is?  And if you have no reason to question her integrity, why do you insist on placing not so discrete innuendoes here and there that imply that you do?  Are you on a mission?

>>In the UK we have had animal activists capable of desecrating graves, they have also demonstated a great deal of apathy towards capitalism in the past so it seems entirely possible to me that such people would be capable of any motive or action.

Is Hailey one of these activists?

>>My points by the way have nothing to do with people recommended any foods quite the opposite they are regarding the denegration of certain foods.

Certain foods deserve denigration.

If you think I was refering to Hailey you have clearly not read my posts correctly.

>>If you think I was refering to Hailey you have clearly not read my posts correctly.

Okay.  It is easy enough for anyone to click on Hailey's name, look at her posts and your responses and THEN form their own conclusions. 

In the same way that one can view your responses to Isabel's posts! ;)

Actually if you click on the entire thread you will see my first post was to the OP which Hailey then responded to, what conclusion would you like us form from that :)
Actually I have no complaints at all to Hailey responding to my posts that is what adult debate is all about it is this sort of personal nonsense that stiffles it. 

>>Actually if you click on the entire thread you will see my first post was to the OP which Hailey then responded to, what conclusion would you like us form from that

That's certainly not the way it threads on my computer.  OTOH, I have heard a few complaints on this board about the threading so you may well be right.

probe1957 - I have just read this thread and I do believe you deserve the Order of the Wooden Spoon!

Admin [DELETE]

At the end of the day, we all have different views about things, take different moral stances.   Who is to say what is the "correct" moral stance?

Feed the food that maintains your dog in good health, that fits your budget, and that you, personally, feel comfortable about buying.

And that's my philosphy - I'm not entering arguments/justifying my point of view - just setting it out. :) .  I'm not saying that anyone is right or wrong - its just something that everyone has to decide for themselves.   After all, we can all google, do our own research etc.

Do we ask each other what we ourselves should be eating and get so het up about it? :D

Margot

Do we ask each other what we ourselves should be eating and get so het up about it?

Jamie Oliver does :D

Now can we get this thread BACK on topic please? :)

>Do we ask each other what we ourselves should be eating and get so het up about it?<

We can read,our dogs cant.We have a choice,our dogs dont :D