Opinions wanted, can't decide

[LoveCharlie]

Hi all,

I've been reading a lot in the food section and the more I read, the more confused I get. So I decided to ask for your opinions. Most of you seem to know a lot about ''good dog food''. So here it is. Which one of these 3 is the best for my Cocker Spaniel puppy?

1 - ProSeries Puppy (http://www.proseriespet.ca/proseries-puppy)

INGREDIENTS:
Chicken Meal, Fish Meal (Herring & Anchovy), Ground Yellow Corn, Ground Whole Wheat, Chicken Fat preserved with Mixed Tocopherols (source of Vitamin E), Brewers Rice, Dried Brewer’s Yeast, Kelp Meal, Dried Beet Pulp (sugar removed), Chicken Liver, Malted Barley Flour, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Propionate, dl-Methionine, Flaxseed, Dried Yeast, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Choline Chloride, l-Lysine Hydrochloride, Inactivated Yeast, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, l-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C activity), Vitamin E Supplements, Biotin, Vitamin A Supplement, Zinc Methionine, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Selenium Selenite, Manganese Methionine, Copper Lysine, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K activity), Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Chondroitin Sulfate, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Calcium Iodate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Cobalt Sulfate, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Folic Acid.

2 - Go! Natural Salmon & Oatmeal (http://www.petcurean.com/index.php?page_id=42)

INGREDIENTS:
Salmon Meal, Salmon, Oatmeal, Whole Oats, Canola Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols [Vit. E]), Oat Fiber, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Dried Kelp, Vitamins (Vitamin A, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Niacin, Vitamin C, Inositol, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamnine Mononitrate, Ribolflavin, Beta Carotene, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12), Minerals(Zinc Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, **Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, **Manganese Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Chicory Root Extract, Lactobacillus Acidopholus, Lactobacillus Casei, Enterococcus Faecium, Bifidobacterium Thermophilum, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Rosemary Extract

3 - NutriFood Chicken & Rice Formula Appropriate for all life stages (http://www.nutrisourcedogfood.com/nu...products/adult)

INGREDIENTS:
Chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, barley, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), white rice, oatmeal, fish meal (a source of fish oil), beet pulp, natural flavors, flax seeds, dried egg product, brewers yeast, potassium chloride, salt, proteinated minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, cobalt proteinate, selenium proteinate), yeast culture (saccharomyces cerevisiae, enterococcus faecium, lactobacillus acidophilus, aspergillus niger, trichoderma longibrachiatum, bacillus subtillis), vitamins (vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, niacin, pantothenic acid, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), glucosamine hydrochloride, choline chloride, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), chondroitin sulfate, yucca schidigera extract, calcium iodate, rosemary extract.

I was feeding the ProSeries for puppies to Charlie for a while, then a staff at my local pet store said it wasn't a good food and suggested Go! Natural and this is what he is eating now. A friend of mine suggested NutriSource... Please let me know which one sounds the best. I am kind of hoping the ProSeries is an ok food because it is the most affordable for me. The Go! Natural is more than twice as expensive but I will buy it if it is the best.

Thank you so much, this is going to help me a lot.

[bendyfoot]

Originally Posted by LoveCharlie

Hi all,

I've been reading a lot in the food section and the more I read, the more confused I get. So I decided to ask for your opinions. Most of you seem to know a lot about ''good dog food''. So here it is. Which one of these 3 is the best for my Cocker Spaniel puppy?

1 - ProSeries Puppy (http://www.proseriespet.ca/proseries-puppy)

INGREDIENTS:
Chicken Meal, Fish Meal (Herring & Anchovy), Ground Yellow Corn, Ground Whole Wheat, Chicken Fat preserved with Mixed Tocopherols (source of Vitamin E), Brewers Rice, Dried Brewer’s Yeast, Kelp Meal, Dried Beet Pulp (sugar removed), Chicken Liver, Malted Barley Flour, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Propionate, dl-Methionine, Flaxseed, Dried Yeast, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Choline Chloride, l-Lysine Hydrochloride, Inactivated Yeast, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, l-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C activity), Vitamin E Supplements, Biotin, Vitamin A Supplement, Zinc Methionine, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Selenium Selenite, Manganese Methionine, Copper Lysine, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K activity), Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Chondroitin Sulfate, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Calcium Iodate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Cobalt Sulfate, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Folic Acid.

RUN AWAY!!! It's LOADED with grains, corn is the third ingredient, they've added salt, there's no whole meat in the first five ingredients (only meals) and, oh yeah, it's got menadione Stop feeding this food!

2 - Go! Natural Salmon & Oatmeal (http://www.petcurean.com/index.php?page_id=42)

INGREDIENTS:
Salmon Meal, Salmon, Oatmeal, Whole Oats, Canola Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols [Vit. E]), Oat Fiber, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Dried Kelp, Vitamins (Vitamin A, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Niacin, Vitamin C, Inositol, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamnine Mononitrate, Ribolflavin, Beta Carotene, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12), Minerals(Zinc Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, **Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, **Manganese Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Chicory Root Extract, Lactobacillus Acidopholus, Lactobacillus Casei, Enterococcus Faecium, Bifidobacterium Thermophilum, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Rosemary Extract

This is better. You get whole meat (salmon) in the first five ingredients. Some dogs find fish-based foods a bit rich, so that's something you need to consider, otherwise salmon is an excellent source of omega fatty acids and good protein. I personally prefer grain-free food for dogs, so I'm going to be biased against the heavy oat content.

3 - NutriFood Chicken & Rice Formula Appropriate for all life stages (http://www.nutrisourcedogfood.com/nu...products/adult)

INGREDIENTS:
Chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, barley, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), white rice, oatmeal, fish meal (a source of fish oil), beet pulp, natural flavors, flax seeds, dried egg product, brewers yeast, potassium chloride, salt, proteinated minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, cobalt proteinate, selenium proteinate), yeast culture (saccharomyces cerevisiae, enterococcus faecium, lactobacillus acidophilus, aspergillus niger, trichoderma longibrachiatum, bacillus subtillis), vitamins (vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, niacin, pantothenic acid, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), glucosamine hydrochloride, choline chloride, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), chondroitin sulfate, yucca schidigera extract, calcium iodate, rosemary extract.

Well, it's got whole chicken as the first ingredient (good) but the rest is uglier than the first one...salt, colouring, again TONS of grain -good grief, WHITE rice? You might as well feed pure sugar! Oh, yeah, and MENADIONE. FAIL.
Nope nope nope, not in a million years.

I was feeding the ProSeries for puppies to Charlie for a while, then a staff at my local pet store said it wasn't a good food and suggested Go! Natural and this is what he is eating now. A friend of mine suggested NutriSource... Please let me know which one sounds the best. I am kind of hoping the ProSeries is an ok food because it is the most affordable for me. The Go! Natural is more than twice as expensive but I will buy it if it is the best.

Thank you so much, this is going to help me a lot.

My personal choice for dry food, if that's what you prefer to feed, is Orijen. There are a number of other really excellent choices, I'm sure the other members will pipe up with their favourites.

[bendyfoot]

A good link about why you don't want menadione in your dog's food: http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=menadione

Here are the ingredients for Orijen puppy, see the difference?

Fresh deboned chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, russet potato, fresh deboned salmon (a natural source of DHA and EPA), herring meal, sweet potato, peas, fresh deboned lake whitefish, salmon meal, fresh deboned walleye, chicken liver, fresh deboned turkey, chicken fat (naturally preserved with vitamin E and citric acid), fresh whole eggs, fresh deboned herring, sun-cured alfalfa, salmon oil, chicory root, dehydrated organic kelp, pumpkin, carrots, spinach, turnip greens, apples, cranberries, saskatoon berries, black currants, choline chloride, psyllium, licorice root, angelica root, fenugreek, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, chamomile flowers, dandelion, summer savory, rosemary, sea salt, vitamin supplements (vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin E, niacin, vitamin C, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12), mineral supplements (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, selenium), dried Lactobacillus acidophilus product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product.

[LoveCharlie]

Thank you so much for the quick and detailed response bendyfoot. This is very helpful! I have never seen Orijen at my store, I will double check next time I go for sure

You mentioned that you prefer grain free dog foods... Go! Natural has a grain free food... Should I consider this one instead?

Go! Natural Grain Free Endurance Formula

INGREDIENTS:
Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, de-boned Chicken, Russett Potato, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols (vit. E), Whole Dried Egg, Salmon Meal, Apple, Peas, Natural Flavour, Tomato Pomace, Duck Meal, Salmon Oil, Flax Seed Oil, Yeast Extract, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Pumpkin, Carrots, Bananas, Blueberries, Cranberries, Lentil Beans, Broccoli, Spinach, Cottage Cheese, Alfalfa Sprouts, Chicory Root Extract, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Lactobacillus Casei, Enterococcus Faecium, Bifido-bacterium Thermophilum, dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract, Vitamins (vit. E, vit. C, niacin, inositol, vit. A, thiamine mononitrate, d-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, beta-carotene, vit. D3, folic acid, biotin, vit. B12), Minerals (zinc proteinate, copper sulfate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), Ascorbyl-polyphosphate, Garlic Powder, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Rosemary.

Is this better than the other 3 I posted originally?

[bendyfoot]

The Go grain free is a GAZILLION times better than the other three (especially the first and last...the Go with oats isn't terrible, just grainy), good job! My only beef would be the addition of flavouring... No whole meats, but meals are the next best thing, and it's got good variety, and many proteins in the first 10 or so ingredients. No grains, only potato as the starch.

[bendyfoot]

On a side note, you may pay more upfront for a good food, but most people find you can feed a considerably smaller amount of it because it's not full of bulk/grainy fillers...so the bag of quality food lasts longer than the crappy stuff.

[LoveCharlie]

Actually I don't mind paying a little more for quality. I did notice that he doesn't need as much as when I was feeding him the ''bad stuff''. I noticed a big difference in his stool as well. Much smaller and more solid than before. I guess it's a good sign.

I think I know where I'm going now lol. Thanks for the advice.

[happycats]

I used this site (and the good members here)to pick my dog food.
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog-food-index-c.html

I buy my Orijen at Global pet foods.

[rainbow]

LoveCharlie, I agree with everything that bendyfoot said and would also choose Orijen. Here is their store locator for Nova Scotia ....

http://www.orijen.ca/orijen/storeLoc...reListing.aspx


Orijen is made by Champion Pet Foods who also make Acana Provincial which is also grain free. It also has great ingredients but the protein content is a little lower so therefore it is a bit lower in price. It should also be available at the same places that sell Orijen.

[LoveCharlie]

Thanks to all for your suggestions, I really appreciate it. I was at Global Pet Food today and they do sell Orijen. And I was very happy to see the price lower than the food I am buying right now.

[bendyfoot]

Don't be surprised if you see some soft stool/diarrhea for a few days...it's normal when going to a grain-free diet.

[Myka]

Wow, lots of Orijen feeders here! I also buy Orijen.

Yes, be very cautious when going from a "less desirable" brand to a grain free kibble. I like to take about 10-14 days to make the transition to avoid the runs.

[LoveCharlie]

Well it has been close to a month since I switched Charlie's food to Go! Natural Grain Free Endurance Formula and we are doing great. He loves it.

I only noticed one thing that worries me a bit. I don't know if it's only a coincidence or what but it seems to me that Charlie is a lot leaner or thiner. Did he just lose his puppy fat or is it something else? Now I am afraid that I am not feeding him enough food. The chart says to feed between 1 cup and 1/4 to 1 cup and 3/4 per day for a puppy his age and weight. I am feeding him the maximum (1 cup 3/4) and I also feed him some fruits and veggies. I can't see his ribs or anything but he has a lot less lose skin on his neck and stuff.

Should I be worried?

[bendyfoot]

Contrary to what a lot of people think, unless the puppy is REAAAAALLY young, there's no need for it to be "roly-poly" to be healthy. It's perfectly fine for pups to have a nice sleek build. If you can't see ribs, I wouldn't worry at all. Do you have any pictures of him standing from the side?

[Marty11]

I have two terrier dogs on Go Duck tried this to rule out allergies, I am totally thinking of switching to Go grain free. My manchester 27 lbs gets thick around the middle on Go food, my boston 20 lbs is very slim and lean. Vet loves her weight. They eat the same amount. I think it's the make up of the dog.

[LoveCharlie]

I will try to post a picture of Charlie tonight (side view) although he is overdue for grooming. He might show bigger than he really is on the picture. Our groomer is quite busy, she can only take us on March 22nd but she is worth the wait.

Charlie has never been a big eater. He doesn't throw himself on his bowl as soon as it hits the floor. I normally feed him 1 or 2 kibbles from my hand before putting his bowl on the floor and he takes his time eating. He is probably not starving. But I was just worried about the sudden loss of extra skin...

Thanks for reassuring me and I hope I can get good pictures to post for you.

[Marty11]

My dogs like a can topper, try adding just a few spoons of high quality canned, I've been using wellness and bit of water. Mine are very anxious and finish every drop.