# dry dog food



## Gerald Dunn (Sep 24, 2011)

what is the best commercial dry dog food on the market? I'm not wanting to ship it in. I want it to be available locally, not just sold in one part of the country and have to ship it in if you don't live there. :?::?::?:


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

For outside dogs, working dogs, what...?


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

I'm using *4health*. I like what it does, contains, and the price is similar to Diamond, which I also use. They have grades for most applications and it can be purchased at Tractor Supply.


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## Daniel Lybbert (Nov 23, 2010)

I like costco food


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

Kirkland Super Premium Chicken and Rice is in the feeders 24/7. Plus I feed each about 3/4 lb of raw chicken a day but that varies according to the size of the pieces. All processed food is actually junk food but it does have the Omegas and vitamins. I am always curious in these discussions as to why a working dog(bite sports) needs a radically different diet? How much actual time is the average dog being worked in an average day that requires all this special diet. Hunting dogs, stock dogs are in the field all day running hard and don't need all the special diets. Is it for the dogs or the owners?


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## julie allen (Dec 24, 2010)

I also feed 4health, have been real happy with it.


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## Tiago Fontes (Apr 17, 2011)

Orijen, plus chicken necks and carcasses.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

http://www.WorkingDogForum.com/vBulletin/f25/best-dry-dog-food-13878/

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/

http://forums.dogfoodproject.com/viewforum.php?f=1


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## Daniel Lybbert (Nov 23, 2010)

Owners.....


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Daniel Lybbert said:


> Owners.....


Dehydrated owners?


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## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

I feed my dog 'premium' dog food (orijen) because if I don't, he starts getting skinny. When I switched him off that food because I got a really good deal on another brand that is almost as good, it took about six weeks until he started to drop weight and then, despite doubling his portion, he was still losing. Good quality food, just didn't agree with his system. In the end, the advantages of paying more for a food that I feed significantly less of seems to weigh in favour of sticking with what works for him.

I suspect that dogs are like horses - there are easy-keepers - they seem to get fat on water and air, and there are hard-keepers - the ones you have to pump full of extras to keep decent weight on them so people don't think you're starving them. Maybe it's a breed thing.


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## Doreen Heywood (Dec 18, 2011)

I have always heard that Taste of the Wild is best. Don't like to feed raw. Afraid of worms also, yuck!.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Doreen Heywood said:


> Don't like to feed raw. Afraid of worms also, yuck!.


What kind of worms? Most of the worms that we usually mean when we talk about a dog with worms have nothing at all to do with the dog's food.


BTW, don't forget to do an intro/bio here:
http://www.WorkingDogForum.com/vBulletin/f20/

Thanks!  And welcome!





ETA
http://www.vet.uga.edu/vpp/activities/dogdocs/animaldoc/animaldoc_dogw.php
http://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/evr_dg_intestinal_worms_in_dogs#.Tvj71hw8w2Z


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Doreen Heywood said:


> I have always heard that Taste of the Wild is best. Don't like to feed raw. Afraid of worms also, yuck!.


WORMS!!! That is a joke, RIGHT!](*,)#-o:lol:

How 'bout spiders.

Mice?? Snakes??


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## Gerald Dunn (Sep 24, 2011)

I have two Lab's that work every day. one is 76 pounds 2 1/2 years and the other is about 100 pounds and one year old. we work out 3-5 miles per day and both are lean. I use Purina Pro Plan for large dogs but am not happy with it. ](*,)


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Gerald Dunn said:


> I have two Lab's that work every day. one is 76 pounds 2 1/2 years and the other is about 100 pounds and one year old. we work out 3-5 miles per day and both are lean. I use Purina Pro Plan for large dogs but am not happy with it. ](*,)


I would not be happy with it either.

Chicken, *brewers rice*, *corn gluten meal*, *whole grain corn*, poultry by-product meal, *whole grain wheat* .... 

All this and menadione sodium bisulfite too.




ETA
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/purina-pro-plan-dog-food-dry/comment-page-4/

(This site isn't perfect, but it's pretty good, IMO.)


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## Laney Rein (Feb 9, 2011)

I know you don't want to ship in but going thru Amazon for some of the brands - Diamond, blue buffalo, nature's whatever......is usually cheaper than local plus shipping on most is free. I buy Premium Edge which is pretty reasonable $38 for 35# bag. If you look at ingredients of lamb and rice - that's what's in there plus veggies and fruits, vitamins and minerals. No corn, wheat, soy, this meal that meal. Dogs love it and they have several varieties.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Gerald Dunn said:


> what is the best commercial dry dog food on the market? I'm not wanting to ship it in. I want it to be available locally, not just sold in one part of the country and have to ship it in if you don't live there. :?::?::?:


The short answer is that it depends on how your dog does on it. A $80 bag of food will not help if they won't eat it, have loose stool or vomit, or lose (or gain) a bunch of weight on it. And a $25 bag of food doesn't help if you have to feed them a bunch more. Sorry to give a "it depends..." answer.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Feed fesh turkey necks...only when ******** are in short supply!](*,):mrgreen:


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## Thomas Barriano (Mar 27, 2006)

Connie Sutherland said:


> Dehydrated owners?


Only if they're certified organic ;-)


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## Kathy Barker (Nov 8, 2011)

We feed Diamond but also like Natural Balance in the past. Diamond is a better value. The boys love it.


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## kerry engels (Nov 7, 2010)

I feed Diamond naturals, it seems to be the best bang for the buck, I have also had good luck with 4 health.


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## Charlotte Hince (Oct 7, 2010)

Maren Bell Jones said:


> The short answer is that it depends on how your dog does on it. A $80 bag of food will not help if they won't eat it, have loose stool or vomit, or lose (or gain) a bunch of weight on it. And a $25 bag of food doesn't help if you have to feed them a bunch more. Sorry to give a "it depends..." answer.


 Pretty much.My guys get Natural Balance because it's reasonably priced where I live but Zephyr is turning into my sensitive snowflake and can't handle it without some digestive pyrotechnics. She also can't manage Pro Plan (what she was on before I got her) or the one variety of Blue we tried. 

If I had a Costco in a reasonable distance that would be my first try. Whatever they have is made by Diamond and is very reasonably priced for a good quality kibble. 

Wellness Core intrigues me too but I can't get the variety I want without a special order at the local place. There's a local food made by Seminole which I can get not too expensively which I'm willing to try if three weeks on TOTW don't resolve the digestive issues. I'll be looking at Diamon and 4Health too but it will be a haul to find a retailer.


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## Laney Lejeune (Apr 22, 2011)

I use Evo red meat formula, it is great. My dog is a busy one, and I work him and run him everyday. It is a higher calorie per cup. I had him on blue wilderness salmon, but it just was not giving me results.


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## kerry engels (Nov 7, 2010)

I'll be looking at Diamon and 4Health too but it will be a haul to find a retailer.[/QUOTE said:


> http://www.tractorsupply.com/StoreByStateView?storeId=10551&catalogId=10001 O


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## Jaimie Van Orden (Dec 3, 2008)

Charlotte Hince said:


> I'll be looking at Diamon and 4Health too but it will be a haul to find a retailer.


Noticed today that my local walmart is carrying 4health. was shocked


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## Stuart Stuart (Dec 25, 2009)

I have a gsd female with a lot of drive have a hard time keeping weight on her. I feed Barking At The Moon.


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## joshua thor (Jun 18, 2010)

How come you feed Diamond?


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## julie allen (Dec 24, 2010)

Wow, Wal mart is carrying 4 health? I thought it was a TSC brand? I'll have to check the prices.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Jaimie Van Orden said:


> Noticed today that my local walmart is carrying 4health. was shocked


 What's the cost for 35# bag?


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

joshua thor said:


> How come you feed Diamond?


Diamond a recall some time back. I haven't had issues with it and change it out with 4health. Never an issue with either brand.


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## jeremy anderson (Mar 19, 2010)

I started with TOTW, & Diamond & couldn't keep my dogs from looking skinny & sucked up & it always seemed like I was feeding them more to try to keep weight on them. A friend was feeding Pro Pac Performance & I tried it for a couple weeks & like it much better. Dogs look healthy, keeping weight on & dark hard stools. Not sure about the ingredients compared to the others but it works for them. $34 for a 33 lbs bag, 2 bags a month http://www.propacpetfood.com/us/dogs/high-performance.php


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