# HUGE dog food dilemma! ((ADVISE NEEDED))



## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

All that dye is not good for your pup. Yes I think she will get runny poop from the food you could give her pumpkin ( not pumpkin pie filling) to help with that.


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## aerolor (May 27, 2011)

Even though they may both be Purina I think they are different foods. The new bag looks like it has semi-moist nuggets in it and it appears to be full of colourants and probably also additives. Are you sure it is puppy food and not adult? To be honest, I would be reluctant to feed this to my own pup, although now it is open you will not be able to exchange it. I think I would go and buy a bag of the best quality puppy food I could afford. Once your puppy is happily eating the main food you could add small quantities of the coloured food into the main food so you will eventually use it up.


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## Pemphredo (Nov 14, 2011)

They are the exact same food (brand and type). purina puppy chow. big blue bag with a girl on it that has what looks like a deagle pup. they both said on the front in HUGE letters PUPPY CHOW. I have pumpkin (pure packed pumpkin) I will give her for sure. UHG. I still have my bag of TOTW that she refused to eat so maybe I will try to start her back on it and see how she does. See if she will maybe eat it now.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

LongLiveYourDog.com - Products - Purina® Puppy Chow® brand Puppy Food Healthy Morsels


If you look, there are 3 different puppy chows, all in blue bags. The 3rd one is marked soft and crunchy or something to that effect. It also shows pictures of the different kibble.


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## Pemphredo (Nov 14, 2011)

Penny & Maggie's Mom said:


> LongLiveYourDog.com - Products - Purina® Puppy Chow® brand Puppy Food Healthy Morsels
> 
> 
> If you look, there are 3 different puppy chows, all in blue bags. The 3rd one is marked soft and crunchy or something to that effect. It also shows pictures of the different kibble.


AHHHHH so I must have got Purina® Puppy Chow® brand Puppy Food Complete & Balanced before and now have Purina® Puppy Chow® brand Puppy Food Healthy Morsels™ Soft & Crunchy Bites 

..... there isn't a huge dif in the bag..... and it was all stacked in the same spot... like there wasn't any other spot in the store that had the other types.... so strange.... like this bag looks NO different then the other bag I got.... I see on it though that in blue writing not much darker then the color of the bag and fairly small writing Healthy Morsels.... UHG


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## Mosby's Mom (Oct 19, 2011)

Where did you buy the food? Some grocery stores/Walmarts will take exchanges for the food (even opened), so you could get her the kind you had before. There is no harm in asking the store, at least.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Check the ingredients since much of the "soft" additions to food are SOY... a huge allergen. Ick!


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## Pemphredo (Nov 14, 2011)

I got it at walmart. So Maybe I will take it back and see if they will take it back... I guess I needed to do like an intense inspection of the bag to make sure EVERYTHING matches exactly since out of all 3 puppy chow types there isn't much of a difference in the bags. SO STRANGE you would think they would make the bags look different...


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## Pemphredo (Nov 14, 2011)

Ingredients of the "new" food
Whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, whole grain wheat, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), soybean meal, brewers rice, meat and bone meal, beef, water, animal digest, propylene glycol, sugar, fish oil, salt, dried yeast, phosphoric acid, tricalcium phosphate, potassium chloride, sorbic acid (a preservative), dried peas, dried carrots, calcium propionate (a preservative), choline chloride, added color (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 2), DL-Methionine, Vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, calcium carbonate, copper sulfate, Vitamin B-12 supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin D-3 supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), calcium iodate, folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite. 
M-4037

Ingredients of the "old" food
Whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, brewers rice, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), soybean meal, egg and chicken flavor, barley, animal digest, calcium phosphate, fish oil, calcium carbonate, dried yeast, salt, potassium chloride, choline chloride, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, added color (Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 2), zinc sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, ferrous sulfate, DL-Methionine, manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, copper sulfate, calcium pantothenate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, Vitamin B-12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, Vitamin D-3 supplement, riboflavin supplement, calcium iodate, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite. 
W-4001


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Have to agree - I wouldn't feed it to my dog. The dyes ( are unnecessary and can be harmful) and propylene glycol (is antifreeze) used to keep soft kibble soft is not safe for ingestion at any level. I would work very hard at convincing puppy that a better food is truly good for her.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Take this bag back and exchange it for the the kind she was eating. If it were me I would put what is left of the old into a container, and then take the empty bag with me to make sure I get the same thing. 

I have a similar problem with the Pro Plan puppy food I buy, the puppy food and the adult food both have weimeraners on them, and it is much too easy to pick up the wrong one.


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## Pemphredo (Nov 14, 2011)

Thanks all for your help and advise. Thank god the walmart is not even 2 blocks from me so it wasn't a hassle to go back to the store. I called them first and they told me to bring the bag back. They did take the bag back and I got a smaller bag of the puppy chow she first had and I am going to slowly mix in the bag of TOTW that I have in with it and see if I can get her switch 100% to it. Again thank you all so much for your help.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

I agree with trying to transition to a more meat dense food. The ingredients of the puppy chow show it to be sorely lacking in meat based protein..... there is no meat mentioned until the 3rd ingredient meaning the corn and corn gluten meal are the main ingredients. Also both have soybean meal ( to up the protein).... a very inferior ingredient.


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## Angelina (Aug 11, 2011)

I am sure you are sick of hearing this food is not good for your pup but just a suggestion...try another brand like Wellness and see if you can get the pup to switch. If you have Pet Express in your area they will take back opened bags because an animal doesn't like it. You can also get sample bags. It will just be so much better for your pup in the long run; health and allergy wise. My girls did not like Taste of the Wild either but love Wellness. When Cannella came to me she was full of hot spots and itchy from 'beneficial' and the change has been astounding. I put Angelina on it too (although she had been on good food before, just not grain free) and her ear infections are no more. It really, really makes a difference. Good luck to you.


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## Pemphredo (Nov 14, 2011)

she was on puppy chow when she came to me and I tried when I first got her to switch her right away ( with a slow transition) but she was real sick, under weight, and refusing to eat anything BUT the puppy chow she was already on. So that is when the vet said for right now lets not try to switch her just yet. lets get her healthy weight wise and not sick any more then we would try again to switch her. She is now healthy. She weighs 12lb 11 oz (as of her last weigh in yesterday) and so I think it would be a good time to switch her. I hated that she was on puppy chow. I researched the heck out of foods and ended up picking taste of the wild pacific stream. Since she had the runs real bad when I got her I wanted to remove all grain. Then finding out it wasn't food but it was coccidia that was her problem and her being so sick the vet threw a wrench in the mix when he told me to just stick with what she was on even though it wasn't the best food. to just get her gaining weight was the most important.


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## Angelina (Aug 11, 2011)

Yes I remember, you've been thru quite a bit with that girl! But heck, I bet it is worth it with her sitting on your lap sucking your thumb! Just take it reallllll slow and I know you will eventually get her on a healthier food.

My friend's dog that I'm sitting for gets 3 cups a day of the Walmart stuff (she can't even tell me what it is, he was eating it when she adopted him) and he is skinny. My girls ge 1-1/2 cup a day of wellness (plus some healthy treats and lots of exercise) and they are always on the verge of being over weight. It is the quality of the food I am sure. So Wellness is expensive, but you actually feed less.

Ok, so now I'm waiting for that picture of the thumb sucking (on the other thread!). PLEASSSSEEEE. :smooch: :thanks:


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## morbidangel (Dec 19, 2011)

this thing looks likes slow poision to me ...
from my knowledge the first 1 ingredient should always be a meat product + soy n corm are cheap fillers this food looks even worser den pedigree ....

i was complaining about royal canin & eukanuba but after looking at this food they look far better ....

i seriously advice you to not feed this food to your puppy ...
taste of the wild is way better ...
just camouflage the food with some yoghurt or some boiled vegetables 
Sweet pataoes , beet root / cauliflower / Carnot / a some spinach / 
or you can even try adding a little amount muesli , my baby loves muesli


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## morbidangel (Dec 19, 2011)

well sorry i din read the entire post ....
than am the 1 whose so unlucky ya ... 

the best available here in india is royal canin / eukanuba   
from what ever I've read on the net these foods are crap

but den i have no option either i feed her rc or euka or den pedigree or home food 
guys if you have any advice for the same it would be a big help


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## Pemphredo (Nov 14, 2011)

Angelina said:


> Yes I remember, you've been thru quite a bit with that girl! But heck, I bet it is worth it with her sitting on your lap sucking your thumb! Just take it reallllll slow and I know you will eventually get her on a healthier food.
> 
> My friend's dog that I'm sitting for gets 3 cups a day of the Walmart stuff (she can't even tell me what it is, he was eating it when she adopted him) and he is skinny. My girls ge 1-1/2 cup a day of wellness (plus some healthy treats and lots of exercise) and they are always on the verge of being over weight. It is the quality of the food I am sure. So Wellness is expensive, but you actually feed less.
> 
> Ok, so now I'm waiting for that picture of the thumb sucking (on the other thread!). PLEASSSSEEEE. :smooch: :thanks:


here is a video I took a while back of her thumb sucking LOL
from when she was 6 weeks old LOL


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

Charliethree said:


> propylene glycol (is antifreeze) used to keep soft kibble soft is not safe for ingestion at any level.


 
Not to pick nits but your statement is wrong. "Ethylene" glycol is antifreeze, propylene glycol is not. 

Propylene glycol is used in numerous food products, health products and medications for people and pets.


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

I tend to agree with your Vet, stay the course. Stay with the puppy chow until the pup is healthy and in the normal weight range for her age. (I don't think she's there yet.) 

When she gets to the point that she's ready to switch, make incremental adjustments not wholesale major changes. You're going to make better progress if you switch to something like Pro Plan or even Science Diet, before trying to put her on a botique food. 

Think of it this way, it would be very hard to transition a child from a steady diet of Captain Crunch and Fruit Loops to a steady diet of beef tenderloin without some unpleasant intestinal upset. It takes time for the digestive tract to adapt to the dietary changes.


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## Pemphredo (Nov 14, 2011)

Swampcollie said:


> I tend to agree with your Vet, stay the course. Stay with the puppy chow until the pup is healthy and in the normal weight range for her age. (I don't think she's there yet.)
> 
> When she gets to the point that she's ready to switch, make incremental adjustments not wholesale major changes. You're going to make better progress if you switch to something like Pro Plan or even Science Diet, before trying to put her on a botique food.
> 
> Think of it this way, it would be very hard to transition a child from a steady diet of Captain Crunch and Fruit Loops to a steady diet of beef tenderloin without some unpleasant intestinal upset. It takes time for the digestive tract to adapt to the dietary changes.


My vet wasn't a huge fan of the taste of the wild. he said ti was a good food but he recommended science diet. But again he said ONCE we were at a good weight we would talk about a plan for a slow and steady transition to that.


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

Hi, hm, purina puppy chow is crap, pardon my language. 
Science diet, well, I fed my boys science diet for several years. Now, I switched to Taste of the Wild roasted lamb formula. My boys love it. My golden has a tendency to skin problems so the Taste of the Wild helps. Science diet does not put enough animal protein in their foods. Yes, vets still recommend Science Diet over any other and that is, because they make deals with Hills. Hills also has the prescription vet diets. Once your pup is at a good age to switch, if you don't want to switch her already, take her off the puppy chow. I truly wish, they would pull the purina chows off the market. All it is is fillers and such that make your pet poop a lot but don't give them any nutrition. 
I am a licensed vet tech and we did learn about nutritional pet foods. Yep, Hill's reps and Iam's reps are the first to come to class and teach about nutrition. But there are so many new foods on the market, don't have to stick with the ol faithfuls. 
So far I am happy with Taste of the Wild. But there are other good foods and other grain free foods out there. So, it is up to each individual to chose the right food. But, puppy chow is not it and science diet and Iams not necessarily. 
I hope this helps a bit.


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

Oops forgot, I would also stay away from other typical supermarket brands such as Kibbles and Bits, Alpo, Ol Roy etc etc etc.... Nutromax is sold in supermarkets now, but that is not a bad diet either, it's better than Iams. I do not like Iams at all, because whenever I fed that to any of my dogs, they would get anal gland problems. Take the Iams away, voila, no more anal gland problems. It is also not one of the most nutritious diets either.


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## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

Propylene Glycol is used in antifreeze and other products. So its NOT antifreeze

My dog never did well on Dog Chow and never did well on high foods like Wellness. He is on Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach. I know its not the best food but it works for him. He has normal stools. It doesnt have corn, wheat or by products in my formula I feed. Maybe look into that. Some dogs cannot handle rich foods..and I wouldnt force it upon my dog just for the sake its healthy for him


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## Pemphredo (Nov 14, 2011)

Lincoln_16 said:


> Propylene Glycol is used in antifreeze and other products. So its NOT antifreeze
> 
> My dog never did well on Dog Chow and never did well on high foods like Wellness. He is on Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach. I know its not the best food but it works for him. He has normal stools. It doesnt have corn, wheat or by products in my formula I feed. Maybe look into that. Some dogs cannot handle rich foods..and I wouldnt force it upon my dog just for the sake its healthy for him


Sharlette REFUSES to eat the taste of the wild. I have been mixing small amounts in her chow to try to slowly transition her and she is so funny she will eat around the taste of the wild. LOL she will eat all the chow and leave any taste of the wild still there. IF and this is a HUGE if IF she gets a taste of the wild kibble in her mouth she spits it out. :doh: I am going to see if she will eat Purina pro plan... :crossfing


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Swampcollie said:


> Not to pick nits but your statement is wrong. "Ethylene" glycol is antifreeze, propylene glycol is not.
> 
> Propylene glycol is used in numerous food products, health products and medications for people and pets.


 
Propylene glycol is a cosmetic form of mineral oil found in automatic brake fluid, hydraulic fluid and industrial antifreeze. 
Material Safety Data Sheet warns to avoid skin contact, as it is a strong skin irritant and can cause liver abnormalities and kidney damage.

Feel free to feed it to your dog - I won't feed it to mine.


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## msdogs1976 (Dec 21, 2007)

Charliethree said:


> Propylene glycol is a cosmetic form of mineral oil found in automatic brake fluid, hydraulic fluid and industrial antifreeze.
> Material Safety Data Sheet warns to avoid skin contact, as it is a strong skin irritant and can cause liver abnormalities and kidney damage.
> 
> Feel free to feed it to your dog - I won't feed it to mine.


It is also used as a moisturizer in medicines, cosmetics, food, toothpaste, shampoo, mouth wash, hair care and tobacco products. Now you may not use any tobacco products, but you got your work cut out avoiding everything else that it is used in.

Propylene glycol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## crazy daisy (Jul 3, 2011)

my puppy was on wellness puppy... started with the breeder and continued on with it. though some times she didn't want to eat it. nothing like a touch of peanut butter doesn't help

iirc, petco sells wellness.

after about a year, she's on flint river ranch.

ps... there is no nutritional value in corn to dogs... with the purina puppy chow having the first 2 ingredients as corn.... you get the point. it's going to take some trial and error to see what your dog likes an how the body reacts


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## Maddie'sMom2011 (Apr 26, 2011)

Corn makes fat dogs.


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## Golden999 (Jun 29, 2010)

Maddie'sMom2011 said:


> Corn makes fat dogs.


Um, she said her dog is _under_weight, so corn being fattening (if accurate) would actually be a plus in this case. 

I'm not going to argue with people and say that Purina is better than other more upscale dog foods or anything like that. It probably isn't, nutritionally speaking. But if it's all you can get your dog to eat or the best you can afford, it'll do the trick.

My parents have an active older mixed breed dog who's fed Purina Dog Chow and he does great on it. I'm feeding my golden Purina and he does pretty well on it (Though he has allergies, so I might have to see if there is something different I can afford that might be better for a dog with allergies- don't know what he's allergic to, may not even be food related. In the meantime, I give him generic benadryl to help with the allergies.). I'm not sure what the dog I had as a kid ate, but I know it was something in the ballpark of Purina, Pedigree, etc.- and he was active and running around- eventually got cancer at like age 9, but a very large percentage of goldens get cancer, it's genetic.

I'm of the school of thought that says that if you can afford a nicer food and the dog will eat it, great, but if you can't afford it (my situation) or the dog won't eat it (the original person's situation), there's nothing that wrong with regular old Purina or whatever. Dogs do alright on it, generally. I mean, with the original poster's dog, better a less nutritious food like Purina the dog will eat enough of, than a more nutritious food that the dog refuses to eat, right? All the nutrients from the expensive brand aren't going to get absorbed if the dog won't consume it.


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## newport (Aug 8, 2011)

corn is not just fattening.... it also is highly suspect for allergies. It is not a nutritious food additive. Really just a cheap filler. I would say that before getting a dog ( or any pet) you need to know that you can afford to feed him the proper food and not junk food. Having a pet is a huge responsibility not just a whim- Vet care, good food etc all come into play with pet ownership. Regular ol Purina is just not an option in my book.


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

There is so much mis-information in this thread it's no wonder that new puppy owners get confused about dog food. I'll start out making it clear I don't feed any of the many products made by Purina. 

The complete lack of common sense exhibited in this thread is mind boggling. Does anybody have any idea about how many millions, yes MILLIONS of puppies have started life on Purina Puppy Chow? Most puppies thrive on it, although it is very expensive to feed through adulthood and an even bigger pain in the but to clean up after in the yard. 

The anti-corn crowd needs to go back to school and take some coursework in the sciences. Let's see it's empty filler, it causes allergies, it makes dogs fat, all in one thread. :uhoh: How can corn make a dog fat if it is filler? 

"Processed" IE cooked corn is easily digestible by dogs. The number one top selling dog food in north America (Old Roy), is nearly all corn and the millions of dogs that eat it everyday are not starving to death, so obviously corn is not a filler. (It also won't make dogs fat. Fat dogs are caused by humans putting too much food in the bowl.)

The many boutique foods available to you are different options or choices. However don't confuse "different" with "better". There is no evidence what so ever to substantiate that the molecules of protein or fat in something like Wellness are somehow "better" than the protein and fat molecules in something like Purina Puppy Chow. There is no documented science that demonstrates a grain free diet is "superior" to a diet that contains some grains.

Make your dog food decisions based upon what helps your dog to thrive, not marketing hype.


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## Mssjnnfer (Aug 9, 2009)

Swampcollie said:


> There is so much mis-information in this thread it's no wonder that new puppy owners get confused about dog food. I'll start out making it clear I don't feed any of the many products made by Purina.
> 
> The complete lack of common sense exhibited in this thread is mind boggling. Does anybody have any idea about how many millions, yes MILLIONS of puppies have started life on Purina Puppy Chow? Most puppies thrive on it, although it is very expensive to feed through adulthood and an even bigger pain in the but to clean up after in the yard.
> 
> ...


:appl::appl::appl::appl::appl:


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## 2Retrievers222 (Sep 5, 2007)

You can also try Raw Diet.

http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/raw-diets-homecooked-diets/


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## aerolor (May 27, 2011)

I am not keen on foods with a high proportion of corn in the ingredients. Corn is added to provide carbohydrate and calories and also is used because it is glutinous and makes the kibble ingredients stick together. It does have a nutritional value, but corn is not easy for dogs to digest unless it has been finely ground and cooked. I believe there are better cereals for dogs - brown rice for preference, but oats and barley I would prefer before corn. If a food's main ingredient is corn I would not feed it because I think meat protein should always be the first (main) ingedient listed on the pack.


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## Golden999 (Jun 29, 2010)

newport said:


> corn is not just fattening.... it also is highly suspect for allergies. It is not a nutritious food additive. Really just a cheap filler. I would say that before getting a dog ( or any pet) you need to know that you can afford to feed him the proper food and not junk food. Having a pet is a huge responsibility not just a whim- Vet care, good food etc all come into play with pet ownership. Regular ol Purina is just not an option in my book.


I would challenge anyone taking that stance (At least in the case of Americans) to take a careful look at the ingredients in the food they eat and feed their children (if they have children). Corn and corn by-products are by far the biggest staple in the American diet. People don't always realize that, because most foods that contain corn are not something that obviously contains it, like corn on the cob or mixed vegetables or whatever.

The vast majority of major bread brands, for example, contain some sort of corn, usually in the form of high fructose corn syrup and/or regular corn syrup. The most common exception I've seen to this is some types of rye breads, and it's possible that the real upscale or organic brands may not have it, but the normal brands of white bread you see on the shelves at Wal-Mart or the average grocery store do. Fruit juice, also (Unless it's the 100% no-sugar-added stuff). Ketchup, also.

It's not limited to bread or juice or condiments by any means, though. Those are just examples. You'd be surprised what has some form of corn in it. Most things do. Take a look at the ingredients list on the nutritional labels for everything you consume for a week or two. If you've never done it before, you might be shocked.

That's not necessarily entirely a bad thing, though. Corn is a good source of calories. Most historical great civilizations have either had to rely on corn, rice, or wheat as their main staple. It's what enables them to feed large masses of people at a reasonable cost. If corn disappeared off the face of the earth tomorrow, food prices in this country would skyrocket, and we'd have mass starvation. They'd have the same issue in China if rice all disappeared suddenly from the face of the earth.

It's extremely unlikely that we could build up enough reserves of cattle, pigs, and birds to feed most people on the globe a diet that consisted primarily of pure meat. There wouldn't be enough land for them to all graze on or enough grass and grains for the food animals to eat! That's people.

So, when folks suggest that all dogs must be fed a diet that is predominantly meat, no exceptions, and that it's irresponsible not to, they aren't considering the big picture. I am not saying "Don't feed your dog a food that contains meat as the number one ingredient" by any means, just that it's not the only way to go, especially for people with tough financial situations or who have dogs who literally refuse to eat the more upscale stuff.

I don't want go down the road of arguing directly with some of the elitism present in the whole "Don't buy a pet if you can't afford to feed it a diet of steak and caviar and take it for expensive blood tests every few months 'just in case'" type worldview. I get too mad arguing with those sort of comments and lose my cool. Let's just say I find it extremely offensive and leave it at that.


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## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

I used to believe that you should only feed a dog high quality foods. Until I had a dog who didnt do well on them. Then I realized I was being silly. I am not to picky but I refuse to feed anything with corn, wheat or by products. I also dont really like unspecified animal meats like "animal fat" BUT, I have a dog who happens to be doing excellent on Pro Plan Salmon/Rice...so why should I switch him to a food he cannot tolerate just because its politically correct and "quality"?

I tried Orijen, RAW, Taste of the wild...didnt do well on it. His poops arent even that bad on Purina Pro Plan. 

I wouldnt feed Dog/Puppy Chow, but if you can afford to bump him to the Purina Pro plan Salmon and Rice I swear by the food. Its $59 for me in Canada. But, in the US its much cheaper for a 40lb bag. 

ANYTHING you eat has chemicals in it. Any makeup you use, shampoos etc. Thats how I see it anyway.


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## KathyG (Nov 21, 2011)

This could be long..
When I brought my puppy home, at the time, he was the smallest in the litter but 'tested' the best. I fed him Canadaie as the breeder did. He didn't gobble it like a puppy should so I switched. Right now I can't remember what that was I switched too, but all of the sudden he started eating like a puppy should (IMO). At this point (2 years later) he is bigger than all his siblings.
However, we had terrible stool problems. Described by the vet as pudding. Soft, unformed and volumous. Began trying all different foods. Fromm, Taste of the Wild, EVO, Arcana, Orijen. You get the idea. Nothing helped. Multiple CBC panels, worming etc etc.
Finally put him on Science Diet Digestive Health and it was magic. Immediately eliminated his problem. Turns out, it wasn't a protein sensitivity as we thought, but he was not tolerating the higher fat in these diets. S/D is a very low fat, like 9%. 
Now we had to find a diet that was good quality, low fat BUT had the necessary metabolized energy that he requires without having to feed 6 cups a day. Most of the year he is living with a field trainer and is a hard working dog.

Surprisinly, none of the 'premium' foods made the grade. Finally found one food that is working. Its California Natural Grain Free. Since transitioning to it he is normal for the first time in his 2 year life!!! Fat is only 11% but it has 450+ kcal/cup, which is better than normal. The point is, its not just the protein / fat levels and ingredient lists that are important when choosing foods, but the energy per cup.

My other dogs are on Pro Plan salmon and do very well.


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## desi.n.nutro (Mar 18, 2011)

@ cgriffin -I am unsure what Nutromax is but Nutro's MAX isn't sold in groceries. MAX is one of the only premium foods with a grocery store price point though. By premium I mean you'll *never* find any chicken by-product meal, ground corn, sorghum, rye or any artificial colors, flavors or preservatives in MAX. 

@ swampcollie - I think propylene glycol is used as an anti-freeze (food and make-up and other applications) but it has been found to be an irritant to skin and digestion at certain amounts. 

@ pemphredo - No pet food company would make a food that would harm your pup but I agree there are many avenues to improve the diet. I love that you are paying attention to labels. Take a look at the Nutro ingredient glossary (Natural Cat & Dog Food Ingredients | Glossary | The Nutro Company) site. It gives you definitions in plain language. If you land on Nutro, I am confident Sharlette will not spit it out. Let me know!


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

Isn't Nutro's Natural Choice lamb meal formula made by Max? It says "Max" on it and has the same packaging. Is sold here in some of the supermarkets/grocery stores, the normal formula called Max also. It is also being sold in the commissary on post, often there is an annoying sales rep present that stops everybody and tries to get them to purchase the Max food. So, Desi.n.nutro, I do not know why you would not be aware of that.


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## desi.n.nutro (Mar 18, 2011)

cgriffin said:


> Isn't Nutro's Natural Choice lamb meal formula made by Max? It says "Max" on it and has the same packaging. Is sold here in some of the supermarkets/grocery stores, the normal formula called Max also. It is also being sold in the commissary on post, often there is an annoying sales rep present that stops everybody and tries to get them to purchase the Max food. So, Desi.n.nutro, I do not know why you would not be aware of that.


Nutro has 3 lines of dog food and 2 lines of cat food. We have Ultra, Natural Choice, and Max for dogs. I was unsure which food you were mentioning. We have Natural Choice and Max for cats. While we typically are not offered in groceries, we have always been loyal vendors for the commissaries and exchanges. Additionally, you are right. Nutro makes a good food.


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## Lilliam (Apr 28, 2010)

I had Max on Purina Pro Plan Chicken and Rice which is what his breeder had him on. Just shy of twelve months I transitioned him to Innova and he's doing great on it. I have Billy on EVO, that's all he ever had his entire adult life, just like my other two border collies. 
I plan on transitioning Max to EVO now that he's a year and a half. 
I don't want corn in my dogs' food. Dogs can live and thrive on corn based foods, just like humans can live on Big Macs. But it's not ideal.
Food is a sensitive subject and gets people upset. I feed what I feel is best based on materials I've read, vets' recommendation, and my own observation.


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