Dog Food - Analysis

Paul91

Hey there, you can check out what you feed your dog here http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog-food-index-a.html

6 star good - 1 star bad - I'm changing the food i just changed to i think

funkyjebus

Hi Paul,

Thanks for that, what have your been feeding yours on?

I've been using royal canin, but it doesn't get a good write up on this. It expensive too!!

star-pants

You also have to take into account your dog as well, some dogfood won't sit well with certain dogs. I have two Lhasa Apsos and they're both on different foods because the younger one gets a reaction in her skin to the food the older one is on.

Paul91

the lab/boxer was on select gold large breed (maxizoo own brand) with "real nature" meat mixed in one morning and sardines the next, in the evening just the nuts, seemed to do well on it, when we got the shepherd because she was so underweight we got her the royal canin as recomended by the Vet, but that's only two star, then swapped (not straight swap mind you) to red mills on recomendation of fellow worker who has greyhounds, but that looks terrible, now trying to find a good one which is not too expensive and available in Ireland (should be fun)

jimmyn

I agonized over all this stuff for a very long time. I studied Dog Food Analysis in-depth until I knew everything that I should be looking for, then went researching the availability of quality dog foods - to the point of having rows with pet store owners over their recommendations. I wanted to make sure my boy was only getting the very best. I even mixed good dry food with elements of a RAW diet. So believe me, I know where you're coming from.

You know what? It's an awful lot of work. It can be very time consuming and very expensive if you get too crazy about all of this. I had settled on James Wellbeloved (a 3 star food) - it was very expensive and the supplies were unreliable. I often couldn't get a bag when I needed it. The dog did ok on it. I switched to Husse Optimal Super Premium (http://husse.ie/view-product-type.php?type=Super%20Premium%20Dog%20Food&Sect=Products) due to short supply, and within a couple of weeks, the dog was looking great. Healthy, happy, shiny coat and solid poop. The Husse stuff gets a 2 star rating, but my dog has never been healthier.

The Dog Food Analysis site ranks foods based solely on the ingredients list. This is very informative, but it doesn't take into account the full picture, such as quality of ingredients, manufacturing quality standards etc. They even admit this on the site.

I believe now the best thing is to find something that works for you and your dog. Learn to "read" the dog and see how he looks in the body, coat, poop, and general energy levels. I think that's the best for both of you in the long run.

Call me Socket

There's a lot of info/advice/opinions from members here on the dogfood issue discussed a while back....worth a read http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055566030

heno86

my dogs food isn rated but i researched enough to know what to look for and couldnt be happier with it,its called orijen great protein sources no grains etc.

lorebringer

heno86 wrote: »

my dogs food isn rated but i researched enough to know what to look for and couldnt be happier with it,its called orijen great protein sources no grains etc.

Orijen is rated - 6 star!
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showcat.php/cat/8

jimmyn wrote: »

I agonized over all this stuff for a very long time. I studied Dog Food Analysis in-depth until I knew everything that I should be looking for, then went researching the availability of quality dog foods - to the point of having rows with pet store owners over their recommendations. I wanted to make sure my boy was only getting the very best. I even mixed good dry food with elements of a RAW diet. So believe me, I know where you're coming from.

You know what? It's an awful lot of work. It can be very time consuming and very expensive if you get too crazy about all of this. I had settled on James Wellbeloved (a 3 star food) - it was very expensive and the supplies were unreliable. I often couldn't get a bag when I needed it. The dog did ok on it. I switched to Husse Optimal Super Premium (http://husse.ie/view-product-type.php?type=Super%20Premium%20Dog%20Food&Sect=Products) due to short supply, and within a couple of weeks, the dog was looking great. Healthy, happy, shiny coat and solid poop. The Husse stuff gets a 2 star rating, but my dog has never been healthier.

The Dog Food Analysis site ranks foods based solely on the ingredients list. This is very informative, but it doesn't take into account the full picture, such as quality of ingredients, manufacturing quality standards etc. They even admit this on the site.

I believe now the best thing is to find something that works for you and your dog. Learn to "read" the dog and see how he looks in the body, coat, poop, and general energy levels. I think that's the best for both of you in the long run.

I know how you feel - my lot have been on every food under the sun, not to mention all the research I have done to fine what is best for them. My biggest problem is that I have dogs with different needs (one high energy, one has a heart problem etc.) so I have resigned myself to feeding them different foods, as much of a pain in the ass that it is (not to mention the expense). If a food that is of decent quality agrees with your dog, then, my opinion anyway, is go for it with feeding them. I always recommend Orijen, it's the best stuff I have come across but it doesn't agree with one of my dogs, each dog is different.

Some day, in my wildest dreams, they will all be on the same food and I will not be plagued by numerous bags of food at feeding time... some day...:rolleyes:

Paul91

heno86 wrote: »

my dogs food isn rated but i researched enough to know what to look for and couldnt be happier with it,its called orijen great protein sources no grains etc.

hey heno - where did you get the orijin from ?

heno86

Paul91 wrote: »

hey heno - where did you get the orijin from ?

zooplus.ie very handy and only takes a couple of days to be delivered....best food i could find

smilerf

i feed mine arden grange its only rated 3 stars on dfa but he loves it and is in great health.
its trial and error
aslong as you know whats good and bad
dfa is not the god almighty on dog food as far as im concerned

mymo

just checked that link, the reviews on my dogs food are 4 years old and the ingredients are different to the bag I have here.
Not sure how they rate the foods, but I've two very healthy happy dogs, on a food my vet says is a great food(and no he doesn't sell it) so i'll stick to what I'm feeding.

lorebringer

mymo wrote: »

I've two very healthy happy dogs, on a food my vet says is a great food(and no he doesn't sell it) so i'll stick to what I'm feeding.

This is the way to go IMO, of all the work and research I have done on food for my lot this is the conclusion I go by - if the dogs are happy and healthy, and the food is a decent quality, then your on the right track! It can be a trial and error job (such a pain) but all worth it

leopardus

Orijen is great, had my Belgian shepherd on it from puppyhood and alternate between the fish and normal adult at the moment. A really high grade food in my opinion. Some poster here helpfully pointed out in a previous thread that if you order items from 'zooplus.co.uk' rather than 'zooplus .ie' it works out considerably cheaper.

Blueprint

Zooplus.ie and .uk are pretty much the same nowadays pricewise, I always try doing up my orders on both and then comparing the prices and the .ie site has ended up one or two Euro cheaper in the last few months.

+1 about the Orijen though!