Hi, Know this type of post seems to be all the rage at the moment, but am importing some food in from USA, hopefully next month.  Don't particularly want to give the name away, because it might bias your opinion, but would be greatful for any input good or bad that any of you have about the following food / ingredients.

Salmon, ocean fish meal (a source of fish oil), potatoes, peas, cracked pearled, barley, millet, egg product, oatmeal, canola oil, tomato pomace, natural flavor, flaxseed, choline chloride, dried chicory root, glucosamine hydrochloride, kelp, carrots, apples, tomatoes, blueberries, spinach, dried skim milk, cranberry powder, rosemary extract, parsley flake, yucca schidigera extract, L-Carnitine, chondroitin sulfate, Enterococcus faecieum, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Saccharomyces cerevesiae fermentation solubles, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

Protein 25%, fat 14%, Fibre 3% moisture 10%

and this one....

Lamb, lamb meal, whole grain brown rice, cracked pearled barley, oatmeal, millet, egg product, white rice, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potatoes, tomato pomace, flaxseed, ocean fish meal, natural flavor, choline chloride, dried chicory root, taurine, glucosamine hydrochloride, kelp, carrots, peas, apples, tomatoes, blueberries, spinach, dried skim milk, cranberry powder, rosemary extract, parsley flake, yucca schidigera extract, L-Carnitine, chondroitin sulfate, Enterococcus faecieum, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Saccharomyces cerevesiae fermentation solubles, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

protein 21%, fat12%, fibre 3%, moisture 10%

cheers
John

I don't know much about dog foods, i haven't a clue what most of those ingredients are :(

They both contain dried skimmed milk, a lot of dogs are lactose intolerant, so unless I knew my dog wasn't, I wouldn't feed either.

If I had a dog with a sensetive stomach I wouldn't feed the 2nd 1 because of the brown rice.

there seems to be a lot of cereal and additives, am really not an expert on dried food composition, am sure someone will come along with a more helpful response...

my only query is - why import from USA??? Is there nothing of a similar quality over here??

ocean fish meal??? always worried when i see vague terms like that, are these the dregs from the bottom of the net not wanted by anyone else?

what about this...70% meat...
ORIJEN dog food is different from other pet foods:

Higher protein content from fresh meat
Contains no cereals
Few carbohydrates
Rich in fruits and vegetables
Herbs and probiotic bacteria to promote health

High-Protein from Fresh Meats: Dogs are naturally not vegetarians; their short digestive tract is designed to consume and metabolize a meat-based, protein-rich diet low in carbohydrates. Dogs are very effective at utilizing protein as a source of energy. Only a meat-based food ensures the optimal health and vitality of your dog. Orijen dog food contains at least 70% meat, featuring regional Canadian ingredients that arrive at the factory fresh - never frozen or dried.

Fresh grain-fed Canadian chicken
Fresh wild-caught Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) from Canadian lakes
Fresh whole eggs from Canadian farms

No Cereals, Low Content of Carbohydrates: Grain is used as a cheap source of caloric energy and protein in dog foods, although dogs are simply not evolved to eat processed cereal grains. Biologically, dogs only require a very small amount of carbohydrates. Numerous veterinarians consider grains in food as the source of a host of health problems including obesity, diabetes, and digestive problems.

Healthy Fruits & Vegetables from Canada:

Apples: provide plant fibers for healthy digestion and are rich in phyto-nutrients with antioxidant, cell-protecting characteristics.
Cranberries: can prevent urinary passage problems and contain anthocyanins that improve sight, reduce chance for infections, and work to protect blood vessels.
Spinach: contains vitamins A and C, as well as Lutein and Flavonoids which help protect cells and prevent cancer.
Steamed Potatoes: are highly nutritional and contain B-vitamins and vitamin C as well as minerals.
Tomatoes: contain healthy vitamins and strong antioxidants such as beta-carotene and lycopene
Carrots: contain beta-carotene which is converted to vitamin A in the body
Kelp: contains 12 vitamins, 21 amino acids, and over 60 minerals and trace elements

Health-Promoting Botanicals: Dogs have the instinctive ability to choose to eat grasses and plants that enhance their vitality and well-being. The vitamin and mineral-rich botanicals featured in Orijen dog food are carefully-selected by holistic veterinarians.

Marshmallow Root, Chicory and Psyllium: supply soluble fiber that soothes and nourishes the digestive tract, optimize nutrient absorption, and reduce insulin levels, especially in dogs. Marshmallow Root is also an anti-inflammatory
Burdock and Milk Thistle: defend and strengthen the liver. Burdock also provides an excellent source of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), acting as a prebiotic to support healthy intestinal flora
Fennel Seed and Chamomile Flowers: soothe and tone the digestive tract. Fennel has additional influence as an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant, and chamomile contains essential oils that have strong cutaneous and anti-itch effects
Marigold Flowers: are a rich source of lutein and provide a significant antioxidant effect. Marigold also has a hypoglycemic effect by reducing blood sugar variances, helping to slow gastric emptying time and enhance digestion

Probiotics: favorably alter the intestinal microflora balance, inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria, promote good digestion, boost immune function, and increase resistance to infection.

Essential Fatty Acids: from chicken fat, salmon oil and sunflower oil ensure healthy skin and glossy fur

Proteinates: minerals and trace elements in natural, organically bound form for better biological availability

Glucosamine and Chondroitin: aid in protection of the cartilage thus ensuring healthy joints

L-Carnitin: for an optimal metabolism.

or if you want a fish one...(both available online in the UK)
ORIJEN Fresh Fish adult dog food is different from other pet foods. It is also very well-suited for dogs with allergies and food incompatibilities:

Fish is the only source of protein
Potatoes are the only source of carbohydrates
High protein content made up of food-grade fresh fish
High content of valuable essential omega-3 fatty acids from fresh fish for healthy skin and glossy fur
Does not contain grain
Low in carbohydrates
Rich in fruits and vegetables
Contains herbs and probiotic bacteria to promote health

High Protein Content from Fresh Fish: Dogs are naturally not vegetarians; their short digestive tract is designed to consume and metabolize a meat-based, protein-rich diet low in carbohydrates. Dogs are very effective at utilizing protein as a source of energy.
Only a meat-based food ensures the optimal health and vitality of your dog. Recent studies show that a higher protein content can also have positive effects on kidney functions. ORIJEN dog food contains at least 70% food-grade fish, freshly-caught in Canada's vast freshwater rivers and lakes and the oceans surrounding Canada (the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic). These include:

Salmon
Northern Lake Whitefish
Lake Trout
Walleye
Freshwater Cod and Herring
Fresh fish provides especially easy to digest proteins and fats, and has a high content of activated Omega-3 fatty acids (DHA, EPA) for healthy and glossy fur.

No Cereals, Low Content of Carbohydrates: Grain is used as a cheap source of caloric energy and protein in dog foods, although dogs are simply not evolved to eat processed cereal grains. Biologically, dogs only require a very small amount of carbohydrates. Numerous veterinarians consider grains in food as the source of a host of health problems including obesity, diabetes, and digestive problems.

Healthy Fruits & Vegetables from Canada:

Apples: provide plant fibers for healthy digestion and are rich in phyto-nutrients with antioxidant, cell-protecting characteristics.
Cranberries: can prevent urinary passage problems and contain anthocyanins that improve sight, reduce chance for infections, and work to protect blood vessels.
Steamed Potatoes: are highly nutritional and contain B-vitamins and vitamin C as well as minerals.
Kelp: contains 12 vitamins, 21 amino acids, and over 60 minerals and trace elements

Health-Promoting Botanicals:Dogs have the instinctive ability to choose to eat grasses and plants that enhance their vitality and well-being. The vitamin and mineral-rich botanicals featured in ORIJEN dog food are carefully-selected by holistic veterinarians.

Chicory and Psyllium: supply soluble fiber that soothes and nourishes the digestive tract, optimize nutrient absorption, and reduce insulin levels, especially in dogs.
Dandelion, Fenugreek, and Licorice Root: protect and strengthen the liver as antioxidants, and support kidneys with diuretic, tonic, and stimulant functions.
Peppermint, Turmeric, Fennel, and Chamomile: soothe and tone the digestive tract. Fennel has additional influence as an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant, and chamomile contains essential oils that have strong cutaneous and anti-itch effects
Marigold Flowers: are a rich source of lutein and provide a significant antioxidant effect. Marigold also has a hypoglycemic effect by reducing blood sugar variances, helping to slow gastric emptying time and enhance digestion

Probiotics: favorably alter the intestinal microflora balance, inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria, promote good digestion, boost immune function, and increase resistance to infection.

Essential Fatty Acids: from chicken fat, salmon oil and sunflower oil ensure healthy skin and glossy fur

Proteinates: minerals and trace elements in natural, organically bound form for better biological availability

Glucosamine and Chondroitin: aid in protection of the cartilage thus ensuring healthy joints

Do you know a good white-fish based dog food manufactured in the UK? Because I don't want to feed imported food.

Hi JG

I was just reading this and thinking that the Orijen sounds good - why wouldnt you feed imported - because you like to support british or because of the 'standards' being different - just curious......

>why wouldnt you feed imported

Several reasons, not least of which is the massive amount of polluting fuels needed to get the stuff here! We're supposed to be trying to reduce our carbon footprint, not increase it. The issues of supporting British manufacturing (local jobs for local people!) and the different standards of ingredients allowed under UK law as opposed to some other countries are other hugely important factors. :-)

Well said Jeangenie :)

Don't know how good this food is, but it's fish-based & from a UK company in a 'DEFRA-approved factory in the West Midlands'.

http://www.fish4dogs.com/cms/default.aspx

Arden Grange have a white fish and potato complete food (are taties OK for Dals?). Nature's Harvest has a fish and brown rice food if you like the wet stuff. They're both made in this country by British owned (I think) companies. Arden Grange is my preferred kibble. Or if you really need to watch the ingredients for a special little piglet :) I get chunks of white fish frozen from prize choice (more expensive than the meat or poultry I'm afraid) but maybe not as much as some of those completes.

I don't know what is best now at all :(
Feed orijen as it has really great ingredients
Or feed arden grange which isn't as good but does good in all other ways

So confused. I want to do best by everything but it never seems possible! Save the planet or give the dogs the best food!!!

Lots of good points to think about though from JG (as usual).

For the fish based food as people have said Arden grange now do one but it has potatoes as the first ingredient

White fish (not oily fish) and tatties are great for dals, so that's certainly one to look into. Thanks! :-)

I looked into the fish 4 dogs food but one of the things that put me off was that I didn't get an answer about what the fish was preserved with - the website says the food contains no preservatives so the fish must be preserved beforehand (?) but with what I don't know. Also the ingredients listed are wrong - it doesn't contain barley but does contain brewers yeast.

>So confused. I want to do best by everything but it never seems possible! Save the planet or give the dogs the best food!!!

I would choose 'give the dog the best food'. This food,and many others are going to be imported all around the world regardless,and the health of my dogs is the most important factor,I'm not going to let their health suffer because of a fear of leaving a carbon footprint...
There wouldn't be a need for importing foods if the countries that bring them in simply made a comparable product!! But it just seems too hard,i don't get it!!

I think the opposite - the planet is more important than an individual. :-)

I talked to my mum about it as we just had some orijen delivered and she had been thinking exactly the same thing!
I am very concious about the environment and had been thinking about this fact for a while (thanks JG for helping me make my desicion)

We are swapping the dogs to Arden Grange to support British foods and it looks the best we can get in this country.

I also like the selection of flavours the dogs get as this was limited when feeding orijen.

Pesto had actually had very large poos (for her - she is a small dog) and they weren't as solid as they were on previous foods so I had been thinking of swapping her anyway.

She obviously does well on a bit of grain but just not too much. What is given to dogs must always be tailored to the individual as no two animals are the same. She did really well on orijen to begin with but it doesn't seem to agree with her any more.

Thanks

Ktee, I believe you have children?
Surely keeping the planet safe for them, and any future grandchildren is more important?
Are you this fussy about your own food?

I remember hearing that for every transatlantic flight each passenger should plant two trees to offset the pollution caused by the flight, to have a clearer conscience. Assuming Ktee's IP country is accurate then the food will have travelled further to her so she'd need to plant three or four trees for every bag of food she imports. :-)

>Ktee, I believe you have children?
>Surely keeping the planet safe for them, and any future grandchildren is more important?
>Are you this fussy about your own food?

Yes i have children.
Yes i hope the planet remains safe for them,but i think we should put this into proportion..We are talking about dog food,and buying imported dog food wont,, i don't think make a great deal of difference to the ozone layer...

No i am nowhere near as fussy about my food as i am my dogs(and my children),to be honest my diet is pretty bad :( However i have only myself to blame and can only rely on myself to eat properly,no one else is responsible for me.
My dogs however rely totally on me to give them the very best care i can,and this includes the very best foods,fresh and commercial i can get my hands on,and if this means buying a food made overseas than so be it.And like i said i doubt very much that the people who buy dog food made OS are contributing very much to the deterioration of our planet,wouldn't it be nice if it was as simple as that.

I am so positive a healthy species appropriate diet is one of the best health insurance guarantee's(obviously not 100%) we can give our pets i am willing to do just about anything to get hold of the foods i want for them,and believe me i have gone above and beyond many times to get them what i think they need. To me,feeding 'supermarket type' foods,or anything less than the best super premiums is almost blasfamas (sp?)
I should also mention that commercial food makes up a teeny portion of their diet. 1kg of dry lasts them over a month.

I am all for better dog food and wish we had more choice and better quality available here but the attitude that small things don't make any difference I find sad.You could apply that to anything and say "why bother ,my contribution doesn't make any difference" from recycling paper to chosing walking instead of driving.Nothing will change unless attitudes do.

> "why bother ,my contribution doesn't make any difference"

you'r right that is sad :(

I know that the little bit I do for the environment will not make a difference BUT with enough people doing thier bit it all adds up.

Ktee if the commercial food you import (due to it being 'the best' ) only equates to 1kg per month, does it really have a nutritional impact (as opposed to 'the best' UK food)? 

Thanks for all your replies

Just want to clear a few things up-

What I meant by import the food, was to become a distributor for a US company, not bring a couple of bags over for my own personal use, I as well as most people on this forum am concerned about my carbon footprint and the environment, but lets not fool ourselves that everything we own/buy is sourced from the UK. You would be suprised if you scratch the surface how many dog food companies produce "in the EU"
I have been researching dogfood for the past 6 months in great detail. A good site to educate yourself is www.dogfoodanalysis.com but most of you will have been to this site before. I spoke to, or tried to speak to every company that has a food rating of 5 and 6 stars to see if they would consider exporting direct to the UK. There was only one, who shall remain nameless, and they wanted me to buy a 24 tonne minimum order.
The only company that were helpful were the company that produced Taste of the Wild (6*) but as it is a new product it has not passed the relative tests to import it into the EU. However they do a 4* food (listed above) that is still ranked higher than nearly all other dog foods available in the UK, that is why I chose it to import.
As far as UK produced food, I have no problems with it! Arden Grange do very good food!!

PS - if you are worried about carbon footprints, bear in mind that if you buy from zooplus.co.uk, your shipment comes from their warehouses in Germany

I get what you mean Charlie,and i'm sorry that i make you and Mlover sad... ;)

But just because i wont skimp on food doesn't mean i don't do many other other things to help our planet.