Dear All

Poppy is now 10 weeks old, and is on dry complete puppy food (with a little water added). The brand is Asda Hero, as this is what she came with (but also had some complete tinned meat). I have been advised that there are better quality complete foods available, which might be better for her, such as Arden Grange or Iams. Does anyone have any comments on this? Is it worth changing her?

Thanks for any advice
K.

If she is doing well on it, then I would not bother, but if her coat could do with that extra shine, or her motions are rather soft and copious, then a change would address this.

I have found Ardem Grange Prestige great for my puppies and lactating bitches, and feed the Adults the Adult version (not the classic range).

Hi Karen

Rufus is on Eukenhuba Complete (Puppy small breed).
It is considerably more expensive but his fur is so fluffy and shiny.

I was once advised to look at the ingredients, and if meat is not listed first then it tends to be filled with wheat etc to fill the dog up.
This tends to be very true of the cheaper brands.

Eukenhuba is around 20% meat, and they puppy also needs less to fill up.

I would say we speand about £14 a month presently to feed Rufus.
We do not touch tinned food, on the advice of the breeder and vet.

Louise x

I think there are some better quality complete feeds about, but if you do decide to change her diet do it very, very gradually. Mini Schnauzers can have sensitive stomachs (although they are greedy eaters). I've tried a number of the complete diets to-date and the one I'm really pleased with is WAFCOL. I found the lamb based completes could upset Stan's stomach but he transferred to the WAFCOL Fish and Corn very well. Both my whippet (a very,very fussy eater) and mini like this particular one, and they don't seem to be getting bored of it either, like they have with some of the others. They also like the WAFCOL salmon and potatoe, which does seem to give their coats a nice shine and is good for sensitive stomachs.

The more you pay for a dog food, the better the overall quality.
My weim as a puppy was on pedigree advance, she hated it& so did I, so I tried Eukanuba large breed, same again, we then tried Bakers, it what I call one of the mickey mouse complete foods, altho I didnt think this at the time. She pooed like a Mr Whippy Ice cream machine!

I doubt ASDA know an awful lot about canine nutrition especially in puppies. If I were you I would choose a good brand (IMO- Royal Canin/ Denes/ Oscars) and stick to it. As for my much loved mutt, she now a BARFer!!

Vicky

Dear All

Thanks for the tips. We have about a weeks supply of the ASDA complete/dry food, so I shall be off to the shops tomorrow for something of better quality - I can then spend the next week gradually transferring her from one to the other.

Incidently, I have just checked the ingredients and it is mainly cereal based with meat/chicken derivaties -so probably not the best.

The Mr Whippy problem sounds like a nightmare - particulary in house training days !!!!!

K.

I must say that ASDA probably son't know much about dog food, but the own brandsa arre usually produced by a company that makes food of their own, and market it under a brand name, or make lots of own brands. The formula should certainly7 be adequate, as it does have to reach a standard laid down by whoever licenses such products.

Also the most expensive does not mean the highest nutritionally speaking ingredients. Sojme very expensive foods (usually imported or vet endorsed) are still cereal based.

From a biological point of view dogs are designed to assimilate animal protein best, and the vegetable and cereal are indigestible unless highly proicessed (which takes away a lot of their goodness, which has to be replaced with synthetic vitamins and minerals).

The best complete dry foods are those where the first ingredient is meat. Actually the most digestible protein source is egg, then followed by white meat, red meat etc.

The best food s are like3ly to be dearer than the cheap ones, but the highest price does not equal the best, and some dogs do better on one food, and some on another. Try to avoid those with artificial preservatives, and go go for those preserved with viatamin c and e, or mixed tocopherols!

Dear All

Went on my shopping spree this morning and opted for Eukanuba Puppy/Junior for small dogs. As recommended by RUFUS :-)

It is interesting to compare the ingredients, the Euk is >26% chicken, then followed by a list of cereals such a maize, wheat. It also contains animal fat, fish meal, poutry meal along with dried whole egg etc. It claims to have no colourants or preservatives added.

The ASDA hero's main ingredient is cereal and direvatives of vegetable origin and then meat and animal derivatives, 4% chicken/turkey.

I am sure that as some of you have mentioned if she looks health she will be fine on the Asda as with all things sold by these professional and well monitored outlets, it must meet minimum stands. However, as I have found the Euk in a local pet shop and the ingredients do look a little more pleasing I have decided to gradually try and switch her over during the next week.

Thanks to you all
K.