# Purina Beneful vs. Pro Plan



## utcarsons

Alot of folks here love ProPlan and I have not heard anything good about Beneful to be honest. I dont know about ProPlan puppy since I have no puppies in my life, but Im sure someone will chirp in here and comment. ProPlan has quite a following here on GRF and Im sure someone can help. Congrats on the pup!!! 

Jodie


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## fostermom

ProPlan is much better than Beneful, ingredient wise. I don't feed ProPlan, but that is my personal decision. But it is definately better than Beneful, by leaps and bounds.


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## Pointgold

I'd recommend the ProPlan. Beneful is seemingly a glorified Kibbles n Bits sort of food.


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## jwemt81

Thanks for all the help! I guess I'll be going with the ProPlan, which was my first choice, but I just thought I'd check!


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## Lucky's mom

I do know people that stand firm with Beneful , but I don't consider it any higher quality then Puppy Chow. Its basically the same ingredients. 

Puppy Chow and Dog Chow was Lucky's favorite and he did fine on it...but his coat did seem softer and fuller with Iams...though they go through bad hair stages as a puppy and its hard to know for sure if it was food or the stage . I changed to iams when he was almost grown. He's now on ProPlan...and we will see how that goes.


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## Pointgold

ProPlan is the food of choice of breeders and handlers of many of the country's top winning dogs in many venues. 
I have fed ProPlan for years and couldn't be happier. I have healthy, vigorous dogs with beautiful coats, and excellent longevity.


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## msdogs1976

My breeder also used Purina Puppy chow, so I stuck with that the first year. She did fine on it.


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## jwemt81

I guess I can always try the regular puppy chow and see how he does since that is what the breeder told me they will be using. I just thought that it wasn't the best. I will more than likely eventually change him over the ProPlan. We tried putting our German Shepherd on the ProPlan a while back, but she is VERY picky and will only eat Pedigree. We'll see how it goes!


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## SoGolden

Harry says ProPlan is his favorite!


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## Aprilpa

If the choice is between those two, then ProPlan is better than Beneful.


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## Pointgold

jwemt81 said:


> I guess I can always try the regular puppy chow and see how he does since that is what the breeder told me they will be using. I just thought that it wasn't the best. I will more than likely eventually change him over the ProPlan. We tried putting our German Shepherd on the ProPlan a while back, but she is VERY picky and will only eat Pedigree. We'll see how it goes!


The problem with Puppy Chow is that it is a soy based protein, and soy is nearly indigestible for dogs. Stools tend to be sloppy, and bowel movements frequent. You need to feed more of it because so little of it is being utilized nutritionally speaking.


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## Swampcollie

Of the options you've mentioned I would opt for the Pro Plan. I know many breeders, trainers and handlers that have enjoyed success feeding ProPlan.


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## dannyra

ProPlan, haven't used and haven't really looked at it. But Beneful seems to be one step up from dirt and rocks in my opinion.


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## jwemt81

Thanks for all of the responses! Does anyone know if Iams Large Breed Puppy is a good food? Right now, I am now torn between Iams and the ProPlan. My 3 cats have always eaten Iams and have never had any problems with it. I just want what is best for our new pup!


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## Lucky's mom

jwemt81 said:


> Thanks for all of the responses! Does anyone know if Iams Large Breed Puppy is a good food? Right now, I am now torn between Iams and the ProPlan. My 3 cats have always eaten Iams and have never had any problems with it. I just want what is best for our new pup!


Lucky did really well on Iams. Pro-plan is supposed to be a higher grade food and I'm opting to give Pro-Plan a good run...a full year to really test it out...but I had no complaints with Iams..

I would say that Iams is much better the Beneful or Dog Chow. Its protien source is based on meat, not soy or bone meal.


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## Pointgold

jwemt81 said:


> Thanks for all of the responses! Does anyone know if Iams Large Breed Puppy is a good food? Right now, I am now torn between Iams and the ProPlan. My 3 cats have always eaten Iams and have never had any problems with it. I just want what is best for our new pup!


I believe ProPlan to be a better food. I switched from Iams to ProPlan, having fed Iams for many, many years. Iams "plays" with their formulas too frequently for me. I have found ProPlan to be consistent, my dogs always eat it enthusiastically, and it is readily available.


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## kooie

*check this out*

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/

*Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom of the page... Pros and Cons of each food is listed.
You see what makes a 6 star food or what makes a one star.
Also if click on FAQ you can learn how they review and grade the foods.
*


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## TheHooch

I am a Purina man through and through but I would feed anything but Beneful. Pro Plan is my definite choice.


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## Pointgold

kooie said:


> http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/
> 
> *Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom of the page... Pros and Cons of each food is listed.*
> *You see what makes a 6 star food or what makes a one star.*
> *Also if click on FAQ you can learn how they review and grade the foods.*


 
I do not put a lot of stock in this site, personally. They are still directing people towards controversial articles which had been show to be if not altogether false, skewed. And the bend is definately towards the holistic/homepathic, and foods that don't appear to have any intensive testing or proof insofar as reporting goes.


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## T&T

pointgold said:


> i Do Not Put A Lot Of Stock In This Site, Personally. They Are Still Directing People Towards Controversial Articles Which Had Been Show To Be If Not Altogether False, Skewed. And The Bend Is Definately Towards The Holistic/homepathic, And Foods That Don't Appear To Have Any Intensive Testing Or Proof Insofar As Reporting Goes.


I Think It's Great That Consumers Are Reading Labels More & More ! 
What Site Do *You* Recommend For Someone Who Wants To Research Ingredients ?


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## Pointgold

T&T said:


> I Think It's Great That Consumers Are Reading Labels More & More !
> What Site Do *You* Recommend For Someone Who Wants To Research Ingredients ?


 
I think that it is great that consumers are, too. I don't recommend any site. Using a site as a "clearing house", where labels ingredients are available in one place is good, but I think that their "ratings" are presumptuous. If there were a truly independent site which rated foods based on scientific proof, rather than one that is skewed towards one type of food or another, that might be a different story. Feed what your dog does best on.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom

The dog food analysis site is a great location for finding, all in one place, ingredient listings, for a multitude of foods. I do agree, however, that they are very biased towards grain free foods with many other quality foods being much further down their listing. I applaud anyone who reads labels and goes even further in educating themselves into what is BEHIND the label and what it means ( just as true for our foods too). As I think most of us agree there are many quality foods out there and what works for one may or may not work for another. If you are equipped to analyze the ingredient/nutritional values of each food, you are well on your way to paring down the food you find acceptable and are comfortable with, and then it is trial and error as far as what works for your pet ..... IMO.


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## T&T

Pointgold said:


> ... Feed what your dog does best on...


YES AND HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT'S WHAT UNLESS WE DO A LITTLE RESEARCH ... I THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD PLACE TO START 
http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/showthread.php?t=41392

IN THE END ... NO MATTER WHAT SITE YOU GO TO, ie BHA, BHT, ETHOXYQUIN, ARE WHAT THEY ARE. THERE IS A REASON WHY THE FDA ASKED PET FOOD PRODUCERS TO "VOLUNTARILY" LOWER MAXIMUM LEVELS OF THESE INGREDIENTS ... ie FOR A 44 lbs DOG IT REPRESENTS CONSUMING 26 LBS OF SUCH PRESERVATIVES A YEAR ... WHY DOES PURINA, WHO HAS DONE SO MUCH RESEARCH ... AND IS SO CONCERNED ABOUT OUR PETS WELLNESS ... PRODUCE SOME OF THE WORSE FOODS IN THE INDUSTRY ??? I DON'T THINK ANYONE CAN ARGUE THAT THE ABOVE INGREDIENTS ARE HEALTHY ... OR THAT CORN/GRAINS BEING THE #1 INGREDIENT (ALTHOUGH NOT ALWAYS LISTED AS SUCH ON LABELS !) IS BEST FOR A DOG ... YET A LOT OF PURINA FOODS/TREATS ARE JUST THAT.


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## Pointgold

T&T said:


> YES AND HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT'S WHAT UNLESS WE DO A LITTLE RESEARCH ... I THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD PLACE TO START
> http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/showthread.php?t=41392
> 
> IN THE END ... NO MATTER WHAT SITE YOU GO TO, ie BHA, BHT, ETHOXYQUIN, ARE WHAT THEY ARE. THERE IS A REASON WHY THE FDA ASKED PET FOOD PRODUCERS TO "VOLUNTARILY" LOWER MAXIMUM LEVELS OF THESE INGREDIENTS ... ie FOR A 44 lbs DOG IT REPRESENTS CONSUMING 26 LBS OF SUCH PRESERVATIVES A YEAR ... WHY DOES PURINA, WHO HAS DONE SO MUCH RESEARCH ... AND IS SO CONCERNED ABOUT OUR PETS WELLNESS ... PRODUCE SOME OF THE WORSE FOODS IN THE INDUSTRY ??? I DON'T THINK ANYONE CAN ARGUE THAT THE ABOVE INGREDIENTS ARE HEALTHY ... OR THAT CORN/GRAINS BEING THE #1 INGREDIENT (ALTHOUGH NOT ALWAYS LISTED AS SUCH ON LABELS !) IS BEST FOR A DOG ... YET A LOT OF PURINA FOODS/TREATS ARE JUST THAT.


I don't disagree that doing a little research is a good idea. I just don't feel that a site that is rating dog foods, with an obvious bias towards a particular method of feeding, is giving a completely accurate assessment. I don't like to see people who are feeding a food that their dog is doing very well on, feel that because this particular site has not given it a five-star rating that they should all of a sudden change their dog to a food that may. They are being persuaded to do so without consideration to what might be the best thing for their dog.

The health, condition, and longevity of my dogs is of the utmost importance to me. To have people say that I am feeding some of the worst food in the industry is offensive to me. I don't presume to tell people who choose not to feed their dogs the same way that I do that what they are doing is wrong, particularly if it works for them. 
Because I have been so happy with the results of having been feeding ProPlan for so many years, I will continue to trust that Purina does in fact know what it is doing. It would seem very unlikely that given the litigious nature of our society, that Purina would risk either it's reputation, or even the very existence of it's company, by producing foods that are going to cause harm to the animals that they are being fed to.

I suppose that the reason my dogs live long, healthy lives is because they are so "well preserved". :doh:


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## Lucky's mom

Purina is a company that has served its customers well through our great system of capitalism. They offer many products designed to meet the different needs and budgets of a variety of consumers. These products have degrees of quality and offer choices so that people can decide what is best for their situation and their dogs. This is why they produce Dog Chow and Pro-plan Select and all inbetween.


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## Orion's Goldens

I have also heard that Iam's messes with their ingredients all the time. Thanks for reminding me of this as I am in the process of finding a new dog food for my two younger Golden's.


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## Orion's Goldens

*Thank you!*



Lucky's mom said:


> Purina is a company that has served its customers well through our great system of capitalism. They offer many products designed to meet the different needs and budgets of a variety of consumers. These products have degrees of quality and offer choices so that people can decide what is best for their situation and their dogs. This is why they produce Dog Chow and Pro-plan Select and all inbetween.


I would like to THANK YOU for reminding all of us that Purina offers so many varieties. I fed Purina Dog Chow for many years maninly because growing up, we had always used this brand and never had a problem with it. I also appreciate you mentioning that some wonderfully responsible dog owners can not afford the higher priced brands and Purina is a sound brand for them. Great advice!


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## WasChampionFan

What I have found over the years is that dog owners with the least experience spend (and waste) the most on dog food and switch constantly. They could never know if a food was good because the dog isn't on it long enough.

There are some expensive foods I find interesting, like Back to Basics, but I would never considered it better than Pro Plan ALS Chicken & Rice. I don't feed Pro Plan because I get a great deal on what I use but I would have no issue using it.


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## Swampcollie

WasChampionFan said:


> What I have found over the years is that dog owners with the least experience spend (and waste) the most on dog food and switch constantly. They could never know if a food was good because the dog isn't on it long enough.
> 
> There are some expensive foods I find interesting, like Back to Basics, but I would never considered it better than Pro Plan ALS Chicken & Rice. I don't feed Pro Plan because I get a great deal on what I use but I would have no issue using it.


I have to agree. 

To really know if a food is good or not, a dog or dogs has to eat it for an extended period of time (60 to 90 days minimum). Then you have some basis upon which to measure and make an educated decision. 

Nestle Purina makes a wide variety of foods for pets, litterally hundreds of product options so people can find something they find reasonable to feed their pet. 

(And no I don't feed Purina.)


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## Swampcollie

Orion's Goldens said:


> I have also heard that Iam's messes with their ingredients all the time. Thanks for reminding me of this as I am in the process of finding a new dog food for my two younger Golden's.


 
The Iams Company like Purina does not "mess with their ingredients all the time". In fact it is very difficult (and expensive) for large companies such as Iams or Nestle Purina to make changes to a product. 

The small botique pet food makers make more frequent changes to their products.


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## WasChampionFan

Swampcollie said:


> The Iams Company like Purina does not "mess with their ingredients all the time". In fact it is very difficult (and expensive) for large companies such as Iams or Nestle Purina to make changes to a product.
> 
> The small botique pet food makers make more frequent changes to their products.


Maybe, maybe not. Some companies label ingredients in a way that allows them to make changes legally whenever they want. When you see "ocean fish meal" or "fish meal", for example, the company has a wide range of options.

If it says "menhaden" or "herring" at some point a change has to be noted on the bag.

Generally, thought you are right. Smaller companies make more changes and mostly for the better while the big ones make changes that cheapen the food.


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## msdogs1976

WasChampionFan said:


> Generally, thought you are right. Smaller companies make more changes and mostly for the better while the big ones make changes that cheapen the food.


Depends on how you look at it. Smaller companies are more likely to change so they can label their bags with the more trendy ingredients. That may or may not be good. But they are selling to a niche market so it works for who they sell to. Larger corporations may change suppliers because of pricing, but the ingredient profile remains basically the same. One might argue the quality could go down as a result, but companies like Eukanuba and Pro Plan have too much on the line to let it drop off too much...... if any at all.


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## Orion's Goldens

Swampcollie said:


> The Iams Company like Purina does not "mess with their ingredients all the time". In fact it is very difficult (and expensive) for large companies such as Iams or Nestle Purina to make changes to a product.
> 
> The small botique pet food makers make more frequent changes to their products.


I appreciate your comment. My Vet also commented on Purina as being the most consistent in their ingredients. I also appreciate everyone else that has commented on their personal dog food brands, but not only do I live in a small town that does not carry most of the brands that have been recommended, cost really is a factor for me. I have switched my Golden to Iam's and so far he loves it. I previously had two Golden's and my Newfoundland on Iam's and they were in perfect health. We'll see how it goes! :crossfing


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