River run. The red bag. We buy 100 pounds at a time and that lasts us a couple weeks maybe. The doggies love it.

Nutro. My dog is 9 or 10. Healthy as a horse. No issues with this food.

i fed my previous dog, a golden, Iams. She lived to be 15 years 4 months.

We have always fed Pedigree, our vet does the same. Our dogs have always led very long lives.

I discovered Nature's Recipe the grain free one, the chicken. My dog has such allergies to dog food, it's ridiculous. I assume it is because of the poor health she was in when she was a puppy and neglected before her rescue found her. She cannot eat a food with rice which rules out a lot of grain inclusive foods. She is doing great on this food that I just kind of stumbled upon. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they don't change the recipe!

Amylou a hundred pounds lasts a couple of weeks. How many dogs do you have?

Pedigree.

Mostly she eats boneless skinless steamed chicken breast Chopped up. She has very serious food allergies. I do keep out a small amount of special diet dry food the vet gave her. Occasionally she will eat a crunchy bit, not often. We tried for a while to add cooked white rice and fresh steamed vegetables Chopped up with the chicken. She started having more digestive problems so the vet said go back to the chicken with added Probiotics, a tiny bit of apple cider vinegar, and a dry pumpkin additive for fiber. That seems to be the winner. She takes her pepcid daily. Now she is taking her Lasix, vetmedin, and an antibiotic.

*100 pounds lasts*

She probably has one adult Labrador LOL.

When I asked my vet in TN what to feed my dog, she said it doesn't matter so much what but to be consistent in what you feed.

I currently have a 6 month old lab puppy that I feed Purina Puppy Chow, which is what the breeder was feeding him. I'll feed that til he reaches one year, then decide what to switch to. He is currently consuming about 36 pounds every 3-4 weeks, and is not fat.

It all depends on the level of activity as to the daily calorie requirements. Puppies require more calories than adult dogs. Many dogs do have intolerant digestive systems and sometimes trying different foods or ingredients can solve the problems.

There's nothing inherently bad about having grain in the dog food if the dog tolerates it well. Many dogs don't do well with diets too high in protein.

AND, as Kenn alluded to, MOST dogs are overweight and will live longer in better health at an appropriate weight. Ask your vet at the next visit whether your dog could stand to lose a few pounds. Most, if honest, will say Yes. Same is true for cats.

Up until recently, grain free is all I would buy for my lab but I changed Vets about six months ago. During our first visit she asked about Ellie’s diet and immediately asked me to consider something with a small amount of grains instead. She said that Vets have been seeing more and more problems with the grain free formula’s.

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/fda-grain-free-diet-alert-dcm/

When I got home, I did some research and ended up switching to Dr. Tim’s. He’s a Vet in Northern Michigan who with the assistance of a dog food Nutritionalist, developed the recipe she’s on now. The company is family owned, the food is sourced and made in the states. I go back and forth between the Kenisis & Weight Watcher recipes (both sold via Chewy). She likes them both.

https://drtims.com/

Purina One Smart Blend. Chkn & Rice or Lamb & Rice when Menard's is out of the chicken version. Picky Sheltie; he loves it.

I tried a grain free dog food when I had the Lab & the other Sheltie. Neither one would eat it & that's saying a LOT when a Lab won't eat. Then my vet warned me off the grain free formulas because of the suspected link to cardiomyopathy--especially in Labradors. I switched both dogs to the Purina One Smart Blend which they both loved and continued it for this dog. I went with Purina because they have had only one recall on Purina dry dog food and that was for possible salmonella contamination. Dogs are mostly resistant to salmonella; I suppose? the most most immediate danger would have been to the owners being exposed to the contaminated food if the dog was otherwise healthy.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-names-16-brands-dog-food-linked-canine-heart-disease-n1025466

We fed Purina until recently. DH wanted to try Diamond Naturals, which he orders on line. Our dogs like it okay and are doing well, but I'd just as soon go back to Purina. It's a tried and true brand, and we can get it at the grocery store, which saves two large cardboard boxes every month.

I use Hill's Science Diet. My dog loves it. She gobbles it right up. My vet gave grain free the two thumbs down.

It is interesting how they have flip flopped on the grain free. Back when I was trying to figure out my dog's skin issues, they suggested to try grain free but not one of her vets really ever recommended grain free unless it was just necessary because of allergies or intolerance. If she had no issues, I would probably feed Purina One. A lot of breeders recommend it and vets also recommend Purina quite often.

Verus Lamb and Rice.

chicken inflamed his digestive tract. so no poultry for him.

my girl gets Rachel Ray chicken and rice (and peas I think). I add to it in the evening - usual a veggie and some pumpkin (100% / not pie filling), sometimes part of a HB egg or some chicken. I steam veggies for her - grn beans, cauliflower or carrots. I chop them fine and mix with the pumpkin or egg and mix that with her dry food. It's cut back on the kibble and she sleeps thru the night now. She's 8 yo.

Raised generations on Max Nutro. Before that Pedigree for more average sized breeds. About a year ago Nutro changed something in the formula and my Rottie refused it. So she's on Royal Canine Adult Rottweiler now.

Never got on the grain free train. I have always had down to earth vets that gave me solid advice and grain free was known to be a bit of a trendy thing way back. Then recently it has been found to be not just trendy but an unhealthy, dangerous trend for many dogs.

My two have eaten Purina ONE all their lives. The dachshund is now 14 and walks over three miles a day and the Boston terrier mix is 12 and does the same hike in the woods. They have never had any health issues at all. They both weigh the same ...26 pounds and I give them 1/2 cup in the morning, and 1/2 cup at night but this time mixed with wet Purina ONE or Aldi's brand

Mine eat Dr. Gary’s Best Breed. Made locally (Ohio.)

My puppy eats Hills Science diet puppy bites.

Desertsteph, Rachel Ray's Nutrish is on the list of commercial dog foods that the FDA recommends to NOT feed your dog. Just so you are aware:

"We are concerned about reports of canine heart disease, known as dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), in dogs that ate certain pet foods containing peas, lentils, other legumes, or potatoes as their main ingredients," Martine Hartogensis, DVM, deputy director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine’s Office of Surveillance and Compliance, said in a brief from the FDA. "These reports are highly unusual as they are occurring in breeds not typically genetically prone to the disease."

https://www.bustle.com/p/potato-pea-lentil-based-pet-food-could-put-dogs-at-risk-for-heart-disease-according-to-the-fda-9757185

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-names-16-brands-dog-food-linked-canine-heart-disease-n1025466

An interesting observation that I've made over the years feeding my dogs some table scraps is that not one dog that I have had would eat potatoes (french fries excepted!) It's as if they were wired to know that potatoes were a food not to eat. Or, if they did eat some potato, they promptly chucked it up...probably leading them to not eat potatoes after that. No chance that a dog of mine will get any lentils table scraps because I heartedly dislike them! And this Sheltie is so picky he's not worth a hoot as a dishwasher pre rinse cycle so table scraps makes up less than 1% of his diet. He does enjoy a scrambled egg here & there. Hold the Tabasco!

That's great info! Especially about the sudden onset of congestive heart failure! That's what happened with Mia. But she has never had any of those brands because she just can't eat foods other than chicken. I tried adding steamed rice and fresh steamed vegetables for a few days but that wasn't tolerated. Her digestive system has always been so sensitive. I think it has to linked to what she was eating before we rescued her.

Our healthy lab has eaten Purina Pro Brand since she was a puppy. She’s now 13 and just recently has started to slow down. (13 for a lab is OLD.)

our neighbor, our vet, told us years ago to not fall for the hype about dog food and dog food ‘studies’. Dogs usually do fine without special diets. He also never had the need to sell dog food from his office, he’s an excellent, honest vet who is always busy.

I seem to remember that the reason that taurine was added to cat food about 15+ years ago was that it found that without it cats developed cardiomyopathy. There is a difference, or was, between dilated cardiomyopathy and regular cardiomyopathy but not looking it up. Among other things my husband developed cardiomyopathy from a virial infection and his cardiologist explained the different that was known at that time.

Some dog foods do have taurine added but and this is just my suspicion, it is either not enough, not digestible, or something in the other ingredient's interferes with the absorption. Having taken thyroid supplements since I was eleven I know that there are some things such as soybeans and anything in the cabbage family changes the effectiveness of my medicine.

I use Walmart's Pure Balance, its grain-free. All my dogs have loved it

Those using Rachel Ray, Nutro, blue Buffalo and other top brands please read the links above and the list of food causing serious heart problems!

My DD's dog is fed a gluten free kibble because he has two issues with it: one is a fluid filled cyst on his chest that enlarges, and the other is arthritis flares. She has challenged him several times with the same results, so we are convinced. Rice makes him very gassy, but otherwise no issues other than he can be a bit picky and also has a strong preference for the cat's food. He is a Shar Pei mix.

Our cats both lived to age 20 on grocery store dry food: Purina, Iams, Chicken Soup for the Soul ... whatever I had a coupon for or was on sale.

List of ingredients of Wal-Marts grain free Pure Balance:

Ingredients: CHICKEN, CHICKEN MEAL, DRIED PEAS, PEA STARCH, WHOLE GROUND POTATO, TURKEY MEAL, CHICKEN FAT (PRESERVED WITH MIXED TOCOPHEROLS), WHOLE FLAXSEED, NATURAL FLAVOR, DRIED CARROTS, DRIED CELERY, PEA PROTEIN, SALT, FISH OIL, DICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, TAURINE, ZINC PROTEINATE, DRIED BEETS, DRIED PARSLEY, VITAMIN E ...

Dried peas, pea starch, whole ground potato, pea protein...the same ingredients that vets have been warning people to avoid feeding to dogs because of the suspected link to dilated cardiomyopathy. My vet mentioned chick peas/ garbanzos as another one to avoid.

Not my intention to belabor the subject--only to try to help increase awareness. I was completely ignorant of the problem until I mentioned to my vet that my dogs wouldn't eat the grain free dog food that I had just bought. The two of them hadn't consumed two cups of it between the two of them. I returned the food to the store and switched to Purina One Smart Blend. They had both lost weight during the week or so the grain free was in the house and really laid into the Purina when I brought it home.

So in y'all's opinion, how does peanut butter fit in? It is a legume like a pea. My dog loves a dab of peanut butter in a kong as a treat. (BTW I always check and make sure there is no xylitol in the peanut butter I buy).

I was told by a vet that peanut butter is okay in small amounts as an occasional treat, if the dog tolerates it. Peanut butter is high in fat and isn't necessarily easy to digest.

Remember that dogs do best when their food isn't changed and when human food is limited or avoided all together.

and when human food is limited or avoided all together.

We've had numerous threads about this subject right here on KT, with people reporting conflicting vet advice. My dog is none the worse for having human food occasionally.

The only time that I give a dog peanut butter is a smear on a bread dough ball in order to get a pill down 'em. A small amount of legumes occasionally surely isn't the same thing as being a mainstay of a dog's diet. And, so far as I've read, legumes are 'suspected' as being associated w/ dogs developing cardiac problems. Nothing that I know of has been proven. Until we do know for sure, it just makes sense to avoid them where they comprise a large percentage of the kibble you give your pup...i.e, not one of the first ten ingredients listed on the bag.

"We've had numerous threads about this subject right here on KT"

I guess you consider that to be expert advice? Perhaps it is for those who don't know the difference.

Who you are, who you ask, and what the relationship is between the people affects the answer you get. As with most things.

Purina smart blend has only 3.5 stars. Pure Balance has 4 stars Dog food reviews

Dogfood Advisor is an non-authoritative, uncredentialed site. They masquerade as info site but their business is to earn referral commissions from dog food sold via its links. Completely unethical.

I hate the term fake news - it's used by lying, dishonest people to try to misdirect people and discredit the truth - but in this case, I'll borrow the phrase and call this site fake information.

Here is the KT previous discussion, worth the read if you have a minute, complete with differing vets advice: https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5838129/what-type-of-dog-food-do-you-use#n=88

My criteria for dog food is:

The dog likes it.

Affordable

Popular brand available locally to ensure a high turnover of product--Fresh, not a bag of something that has been sitting on the shelf for weeks & weeks or months. Removed from bag (plastics) & stored in metal container just after purchase.

Meat is the first ingredient & primary protein source

Rice the preferred grain ingredient

Not grain free & any legumes are listed towards the end of the list of ingredients

Made by a company with zero recalls for melamine or aflatoxins

Made by a company w/ few to no recalls for any other reason

Because this thread is getting a lot of traffic, I'd like to post a new Recall on canned cat food in case anyone is feeding it to their cats.

It's called Natural Balance, and sold here in Canada as well. Pet Value, Pet Smart, Ren's all stock it.

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2020/07/04/j-m-smucker-company-recalls-canned-cat-food-causing-potentially-deadly-side-effects/

How would choline chloride get into the food?

Another question for those of you who feed your pets cut-up chicken, etc:

do you mix anything else into the food?

ci lantro and raven

Desertsteph, Rachel Ray's Nutrish is on the list of commercial dog foods that the FDA recommends to NOT feed your dog. Just so you are aware:

thx for the info. when that 1st came out I checked her food (and many others) and hers isn't grain free, and I checked the akc website and it says peas are fine.

I cook up a chicken breast (or 2) in the IP for my girl. If it's really thick I slice it lengthwise. I put about 1/2 cp of water in the bottom with the chicken (no trivet) and set it for 0 minutes and then release the steam. I cut it into small chunks to freeze. She doesn't get very much of it at one time.

Elmer, the way that you’ve catorgorized the comment about Food Advisor is not accurate. Food Advisor’s relationship is with Chewy.com and the like, not the individual food manufacturers and there is nothing wrong or unethical with that. Chewy.com is the Amazon.com equivelant in pet food, FoodAdvisor.com is nothing more than a resource for information and they’re transparent about the information they provide. There is nothing wrong with that either, actually transparency is something I find lacking in many sites that provide information. I have referred to their site many times over the years and have always found their analysis and write ups to be helpful.

https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/disclaimer-and-disclosure/

Financial Disclosure

We do not accept money, gifts, samples or any other incentives from pet food companies in exchange for special consideration in the preparation of our reviews.

Nor do we accept paid advertising from pet food manufacturers.

However, we do receive an affiliate fee from certain online retailers(like Chewy or Amazon) when readers click over to their website from ours.

This policy helps support the operation of our blog and keeps access to all our content free to the public.

In any case, please be assured it is always our intention to remain objective, impartial and unbiased when conducting our analysis.

When I adopted Misty from the Humane Society she was approximately 10 years old and had been given up 3 times. Her last owners were vegetarian so Misty was not fed any meat. They did give her fish so when I got her I started feeding her PC Nutrition First Grain-Free Adult Dry Dog Food, Salmon and Potato made with fruits and vegetables. I have had her for 5 years now.

Misty loves her fruits and vegetables except for raw carrots and lettuce. Since being here she has also found a taste for meat and goes crazy when she smells it and licks the air whenever I cook meat haha she is so funny. My brother started giving her pieces of meat from his dinner plate so she is no longer vegetarian and she also enjoys eggs. This week I have run into a problem with her food, the shelves are bare, and the manager of the one store said they weren't getting it in so now I have to find her an alternative dry food.

Loki, my lab mix lived until he was 17 and always ate Beneful so we picked up a small bag for Misty until I can find a better replacement. We don't know what breed Misty is but she does have Rottweiler in her for sure. She is 15 years old and I know the change of food is going to upset her stomach. I hope her food is not being discontinued. She is loving the chicken Beneful

Cherryfizz, that’s a very sweet story about your dog. It made my day. Aren’t you in Canada? I would try Amazon, Petco, Petsmart or Chewy. They should all have some of the food you need for your pup and be able to ship it to you.