Hi,
I currently feed my 2 year old BC bakers complete, and my 10 month old retriever pedigree puppy complete, both dried food. I am thinking about changing the pup to adult food soon and as i know these foods are not considered ideal i'm looking for an alternative that i can feed both. I started megan off on pedigree puppy but i was advised by my trainer to switch to something with a lower protein content as she was hyperactive. I found bakers to be a better alternative and have used that ever since. We started ellie off on wafcol puppy as reccommended by the vet, but she had digestive problems when she was younger and found this slightly better on pedigree, but she is occaisionally a little loose. I was talking to a friend with a staffy puppy today and she was telling me how he had been really hyper, chewing everything and being agressive towards her and her partner and s she consulted her trainer. She suggested changing to a lower protein food (he was on a mixture of wet and dried pedigree) and she suggested nature diet as my friend wanted to feed wet food. My friend noticed a difference straight away, and as she recently ran out and couldn't get any for a while has noticed the difference since she had to feed pedigree again.
The thing is Megan is very active (as i would really expect with a border collie of her age) but she has also started being agressive to other dogs and towards ellie. Whilst i know this is a behavioural problem which needs sorting, sometimes it seems like she is so wound up she just can't help herself so i wondered if changing her food might help. The thing is for both of the dogs nature diet is quite expensive, and i'm afraid we are on a budget, and i would also prefer a dried complete food. Does anyone know of a dried complete that is similar to nature diet in content that will not break the bank? (I am willing to spend a little more than i have been recently, but cannot afford too much.)

Just been doing a serach, and it seems Burns is mentioned quite a bit. I've had a look on the website and some of them are certainly lower in protein than bakers and pedigree puppy. I see they deliver, but can you get them from the vets or small pet shops? (Somebody mentioned that they do not supply large independent chains.)
Also as my pup is only 10 months and a large breed, would you reccommed feeding burns puppy or the canine extra (which says for large breeds), as it still has a lower protein level than pedigree puppy. Or would the ordinarly burns be ok for both as it would be easier to feed both the same soon.
Alternatively, can anyone suggest any other possible alternative?

Worth having a look at Autarky, as it isn't to High, but has a good meat content compoared to other completes, and lots of herbs.

http://www.autarky-foods.com/

Interesting! Do you know the list of nutrients in it? % of protein e.t.c., as it doesn't seem to say. Also do they deliver, as the stockists aren't very near me?
I can't seem to find out how much it costs either, it just says its vat free.

Right dig their literature out.

It has a high dry chicken contendt.  Puppy has 45%, Adult 28%, and Mature 165.

Analysis for the adult is:
Protein 22%, Oil 12%, Fibre 3%

Ingredients are: Maize, Chicken Meat Meal, Rice, Chicken Fat, Carrot and Green leaf Vegetables (min 4%), whole linseed, Beet Pulp, Praaire meal, mixed herbs and Spices (min 2%), Yucca, Yeast, Contains natural antioxidants, lecithin, mixed tocopherols (Vit E), Vitamin C, Citric Acid.

If you believe that your dog has problems that may be triggered/exacerbated by diet then I would strongly suggest that you avoid any food which contains maize especially as the largest single ingredient.  Maize is deficient in the essential amino acid tryptophan which is a precursor of serotonin a "calming" message to the brain.  Tryptophan can be found in all animal proteins but, in some dogs, larger doses may be needed and may come via a carbohydrate such as baked potato or rice.  Turkey is allegedly high in tryptophan :D

Clomicalm, a drug used for anxious dogs contains tryptophan.

High protein is often quoted as a cause of hyperactive etc behaviour; it is rarely that simple; :) There are other factors involved which are often conveniently ignored by both the manufacturer, vet and owner :)

Those of us who feed raw and therefore "high protein" do not have any more problems than those who feed a commercial diet. :D

Hi,
I used Autarky last year, and it cost £12 for a bag (15kg).  Our pet shop does stock it now, but before that I used to get it delivered, two bags at a time, and delivery cost £6.
  Hilda