# Recommendation for puppy/adult



## Livvie712 (Dec 9, 2008)

Hi! I am getting a golden baby in June and I can't seem to figure out what is the best food to buy for her. 

With my first golden, my family bought Eukanba and then we used Nutro. 

But I have been seeing in my research that these are bad brands. 

What do you give your babies?

I am trying to see if I should get something like Innova, Wellness, or Dr. Harvey's Canine. Anyone has any opinion? Thanks!


----------



## Bock (Jun 23, 2008)

I used to feed Nature's Variety which is a very good food-however quite expensive for a food with grain.

I currently feed California Natural, but that is only because Tysen has some slight food allergies and this food, which is made for dogs with allergies, keeps his ears clean and he doesn't itch as much.

There are TONS of foods and just about everyone here feeds something different.

If you haven't, try dogfoodanalysis.com to read reviews and ingredients of many different dogs foods.


----------



## Packleader (Nov 27, 2007)

I use Taste of the Wild Prairie. It is a grainless food for all life stages. I feed it to all of mine from 7mo-7rs.


----------



## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

Livvie712 said:


> Hi! I am getting a golden baby in June and I can't seem to figure out what is the best food to buy for her.
> 
> With my first golden, my family bought Eukanba and then we used Nutro.
> 
> But I have been seeing in my research that these are bad brands.


 
Hogwash! They still are both good products today.



Livvie712 said:


> What do you give your babies?


We feed Eukanuba and have had great success with it for nearly 20 years. 

Eukanuba, Pro Plan, Eagle Pack and Nutro are all good choices for normal healthy dogs and puppies.


----------



## Livvie712 (Dec 9, 2008)

Thanks everyone for your advice! I am going to try to research all the foods I can!!


----------



## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

I feed my puppy eukanuba and she does fine on it. Everyone is always exclaiming what a soft coat she has and how pretty she is. Her energy level is good... I would say her stools are a little softer than I'd like, but that could just be puppy related stuff.

You will have a lot of fun with your new baby.


----------



## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

Livvie712 said:


> Thanks everyone for your advice! I am going to try to research all the foods I can!!


 
Sometimes you need to research the research to see if the claims are based on anything.

I stand by Iams/Eukanuba. I use Iams when I'm feeling frugal. Eukanuba when I'm not....It gives Lucky more energy then anything else I've tried and his coat looks its best...which is important as he has bad coat "genes". He needs the best.


----------



## msdogs1976 (Dec 21, 2007)

Lucky's mom said:


> Sometimes you need to research the research to see if the claims are based on anything.
> 
> I stand by Iams/Eukanuba. I use Iams when I'm feeling frugal. Eukanuba when I'm not....It gives Lucky more energy then anything else I've tried and his coat looks its best...which is important as he has bad coat "genes". He needs the best.


Iams not that low cost anymore. Petfooddirect shows it for $51 per 40lb bag. I saw it in Walmart the other day for $38.(I think 40lb bag) Three or four years ago it was $26.


----------



## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

msdogs1976 said:


> Iams not that low cost anymore. Petfooddirect shows it for $51 per 40lb bag. I saw it in Walmart the other day for $38.(I think 40lb bag) Three or four years ago it was $26.


Its not "low cost' but it costs less then Eukanuba. At Petsmart I can use my Petsmart card and get it for about $13.00 for 20lb (or is it 18lb??). Its about $18 (20lb?18?) at Kmart unless its gone up a whole bunch in the last couple of months...

I know all dog food has gone up....


----------



## Traz (Jan 19, 2009)

I did a lot of research lately because we were getting a new puppy & I had also heard bad stuff about Eukanuba & Iams which I used on my last dog. I decided on Fromm large breed puppy & will later switch to their 4 star line. I like that they make their own food in their own factory. They also specifically say equoxiphen ( sp?) free. MANY brands are made by Diamond products which I personally do not have a lot of faith in. Others I considered were Merrick and Taste of the Wild (only the one that doesn't have a high protein count because Goldens are large breed.


----------



## wabmorgan (May 6, 2008)

Junior was on Eukanuba.... but he didn't seem to like it.... it sat in the bowl more so than anything else. 

Junior is on Orijen For Large Breed Puppies 

http://www.orijen.ca/orijen/products/puppyLarge.aspx

He has done wonderfully on it. His fur is so soft and so shiny you could almost see yourself in it. :lol: More seriously.... I was in Petsmart one day and I had a woman ask me what I feed Junior..... unfortuantly Petsmart doesn't sell Orijen. 

He also actaullly eats the Orijen. I even put the two side by side one day... just to see what would happen.... he ate the Orijen.... he left the Eukanuba behind. 

Eukanuba has corn in it.... a lot of dog foods do... it and other grains are simply fillers and it is hard for dogs to digest grains. 

Btw.... it is not the protein count you need to worry about... it is the calcium.


----------



## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

wabmorgan said:


> Eukanuba has corn in it.... a lot of dog foods do... it and other grains are simply fillers and it is hard for dogs to digest grains.


There's a big anti-grain bias out on the internet predicated on the "dogs are carnivores" theory, but most dogs do digest appropriate amounts of grains just fine and they're a good source of carbohydrates, which dogs do need. "Fillers" in dog food are something else: a cheap material a dog can't really digest at all. Neither Iams nor Eukanuba has true "fillers."

Some of the claims about nutrition and dog food are based on unproven assumptions and interesting-sounding theories about dog digestion that have little basis in fact. 

We feed Eukanuba Performance, which has a very high fat and protein content, and the dogs have well-formed stools, shiny coats, bright eyes, and tons of energy. I wouldn't recommend it for a typical pet dog activity level, since it's calorie-rich, but for working dogs or dogs who get lots of exercise every day, it's a terrific food.


----------



## wabmorgan (May 6, 2008)

I don't know but off hand I am going to have to disagee... even as humans... we don't digest whole corn well. 

Well formed stools... if that is anything like Jr had when he was on Eukanuba... it was a lot of stool and it seem like he was even straining at times.... I haven't seen that in the entrire time he has been on Orijen. Stools should not be hard.... not for dogs or even humans for that matter. 

Corn also has been linked to ear and skin infetions. 

I know with Junior..... his ear when he was on the Eukanuba.... he had some black waxed build up which I haven't seen at all since switching him to the Orijen. He also had some minor scratching issues before.... he has none now. 

Jean-luc had horriable ear and skin infection his entire life.... His normal dog was Purina Pro Plan. I wish I known about grainless dog foods back then.... It may have helped him.

According to www.dogfoodanalysis.com Eukanuba does have fillers and is rated as a 1 star dog food.
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=109&cat=allhttp://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php/product/113/sort/2/cat/all/page/4


----------



## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

wabmorgan said:


> I don't know but off hand I am going to have to disagee... even as humans... we don't digest whole corn well.
> 
> Corn also has been linked to ear and skin infetions.
> 
> ...


I'm happy to have a friendly disagreement on the subject. dogfoodanalysis.com is a strange site because some of the criteria they use to judge food are based in sound science, and some criteria are based entirely on assumptions. They seem to have a great deal of unfounded bias towards certain ingredients, and thus certain foods have low ratings for reasons that seem to have little to do with careful scientific research. I frankly don't feel I can trust the site, since it seems more an expression of the biases of the individuals who run it than anything else.

Those ear and skin infections that are allergy-related are more likely to be related to protein allergies than to grain allergies. Without getting too far into the biological process, suffice it to say that the immune system is much more likely to overreact to a foreign protein than to anything else.

Switching to a grain-free food and seeing allergy improvement is more likely due to a coincidental switch in the source of proteins. Most of the Eukanuba product line is chicken-based with many other proteins involved, so it's very possible that a dog that's allergic to those proteins would have hot spots, gunky ears, and chew his paws. A switch to a simpler food with fewer kinds of proteins could absolutely help, but it's unlikely that the corn meal in the Eukanuba was the culprit.

I was not aware of any link between corn and ear/skin infections. Do you have a source on that?

What matters is that Junior is healthy and happy. Thanks for the friendly, frank discussion!


----------



## wabmorgan (May 6, 2008)

"The main grain in the food is corn. Corn is difficult for dogs to digest and thought to be the cause of a great many allergy and yeast infection problems."

quote is from http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=109&cat=all

Beet pulp.... also on the naughty list.... 

"We note that beet pulp is an ingredient that commonly causes problems for dogs, including allergies and ear infections, and prefer not to see it used in dog food."

Since you say you don't trust the site... the point is probably a moot one.

My vet had me feeding Jean-luc Purina HA for awhile. It didn't help at all. http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=1319&cat=all

After reading the the analysis link above... there is little wonder it didn't help.

I can't even say for sure that Junior has allergy issues... if he does they certainly were minor in comparison to Jean-luc. I just thought I would try something else and when I saw the improvement in his fur and skin and ears.... decided to stay with the Orijen.

To me.... the grain free diet also makes a lot of sense.... I've never seen a dog attack a cornstalk :lol: but they will certainly go out of their way to catch a rabbit or even a fish.

There was also a discussion on the board the other night in regards to popcorn. Someone pointed out it can cause allergies as well. 

I don't know what it is.... but Junior won't even touch popcorn. :lol:

Regardless.... Junior also LOVES the Orijen. He awlays eats the Orijen and the Eukanuba would often lay in his dog dish all day long.


----------



## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

wabmorgan said:


> "The main grain in the food is corn. Corn is difficult for dogs to digest and thought to be the cause of a great many allergy and yeast infection problems."
> 
> quote is from http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=109&cat=all
> 
> ...


Well yeah, exactly. What are the dogfoodanalysis.com people basing those two claims on? Eukanuba gets the low rating simply because of its inclusion of beet pulp and corn meal. However, looking at those two statements, the English teacher in me can't help but think, "is thought" by whom? They are no citations that I can find as to the research behind those claims.

If I see convincing data that corn or beet pulp is either a common allergen or otherwise an inappropriate source of calories and fiber, I will jump ship on Eukanuba so fast it'll make yer head spin. As it stands, all I've seen is the general claim propagated on the internet without any basis in fact, research, or the science of the immune system. 

My guess, though, is that their anti-corn bias comes not from research about corn, but rather from a central assumption based on a theory of dog evolution. To quote the site itself, the biggest criterion for a good food is "Meat, meat and more meat products. Cats and dogs are carnivores, and a species appropriate diet for these animals must be based on meat. They have no evolved need of carbohydrates in their diet."

I challenge that core claim as based on assumption, not fact. Yes, dogs are now considered the same species as the gray wolf and thus have only evolved from that mostly meat diet for the last 10,000 years, give or take. That does not mean that the contemporary _canis lupus familiaris_ can't or shouldn't eat anything other than meat. Modern dogs need meat in their diet, and it should make up a substantial part of their calorie intake, but since they do have 10,000 years of evolution eating people food, they are more than capable of digesting vegetables and grains. Beyond that, the allergy-causing properties of grains are, in my view and personal experience, highly exaggerated. 

How many times on this site has the canned pumpkin trick been recommended for dogs with improper stools? It's the high fiber content that makes it work, fiber in quantities staggeringly higher than any pure carnivore would ever ingest. The fact is that fiber can be really good for dog digestion, so the inclusion of beet pulp in dog food is one of the reasons that many dogs have healthy stools from eating Eukanuba and similar foods.

Just to reiterate: I completely respect people who feed grain-free and raw. It's just not a choice I make for my dogs. And again, thanks for the thoughtful responses. People get really worked up about dog nutrition sometimes, and I think we can pat ourselves on the back just a bit for having such a worthwhile back and forth.


----------



## wabmorgan (May 6, 2008)

tippykayak said:


> How many times on this site has the canned pumpkin trick been recommended for dogs with improper stools? It's the high fiber content that makes it work, fiber in quantities staggeringly higher than any pure carnivore would ever ingest. The fact is that fiber can be really good for dog digestion, so the inclusion of beet pulp in dog food is one of the reasons that many dogs have healthy stools from eating Eukanuba and similar foods.


I hope "healthy stools" doesn't mean hard.... because as I stated before... stools shouldn't be hard. IMO... Junior's stools were too hard on Eukanuba.
It even seemed he was straining to go... which is not good. 

Hard stools are not good in dogs... nor humans for that matter. (Good way to get hemorrhoids.)

Do you have any proof that grains don't cause allergy problems??? 

[Reverse coin or devil's advocate position.]

Btw... it is NOT only www.dogfoodanalysis.com finds fault with Eukanuba. There are several sites that don't support/recommended it. 

Just google "Eukanuba Bad" and you will find several others. 

I also don't approve of their testing methodology.... 

http://www.peta.org.uk/factsheet/files/images/iams%20factsheet_UK72.pdf

Btw, Jean-luc took part in an in home dog food test that was being ran several years ago... I didn't notice any real improvement fore say... although the vet told me they did have one dog that had a really bad reaction to the food. (This test was not on the Purina HA. It was a blind test so I have no idea what food it was or if it was ever produced.)(I doubt it.)(I did get free food and wellness visits to vet paid by the manufacturer.) 

There are certainly worse dog foods on the market than Eukanuba... but it certainly is not on the top of my shopping list. 

I don't know why Junior didn't like Eukanuba but he certinly didn't seem to like it. I have in a pinch and running low or out.... I have to order the Orijen.... feed Junior Wildness by Blue Bufflo(I can get that at Petsmart) he eats it better than the Eukanuba but not better than the Orijen. 

Jean-luc... despite his allergy problems... lived a long and otherwise healthy life and was primarily on Purina Pro Plan for most of his life.... although I wish I would have known about grainless foods back then.... maybe it would have made no difference... maybe it would have... I just would have liked to have tried it. (The one thing that always broke my heart was seeing Jean-luc suffer from his allergy problems.) (Btw.... his allergies did improve greatly from about age 12 forward.) 

I will say this... if your dog eats whatever dog food you have them on and doesn't have any problems then it probally OK for them... Obvisouly IF they aren't eating it or have problems... it is time to consider a change.


----------



## msdogs1976 (Dec 21, 2007)

People will believe what they want to believe about different ingredients. Personally I think any site like dogfoodanalysis that has Eukanuba and Pro Plan lumped in the same bracket as Alpo, doesn't know what they are talking about. I'm sure not saying these two are the best, but they are head and shoulders above that. 

So are grains ok for your dog? I don't really know. But I do know I don't have the budget for $70 a bag dog food like dogfoodanalysis pushes.


----------



## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

Dogfoodwhateveritis.com is not in the least bit credible as a source of information on canine nutrition. The ratings are based solely upon the opinion of the site's authors, none of which have any professional credentials in Veterinary Sciences or specifically Canine Nutrition. If a food conforms to the sites' authors' views, it receives high marks, if it doesn't it receives low marks. It's more based in political correctness than it is in nutrition.

Just how many Veterinary Specialists in Canine Nutrition are involved in designing that rating system? (I'll give you a little hint, NONE!)

AG had posted this link a while ago, it's worth a look. 
http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=grading_kibble


----------



## wabmorgan (May 6, 2008)

"While I do not regard grains as a "bad ingredient" in dog food per se, there is evidence that some dogs are more sensitive to it than others and benefit from being fed products that are formulated with non-grain sources of carbohydrates."

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=grain_free


----------



## msdogs1976 (Dec 21, 2007)

wabmorgan said:


> "While I do not regard grains as a "bad ingredient" in dog food per se, there is evidence that *some* dogs are more sensitive to it than others and benefit from being fed products that are formulated with non-grain sources of carbohydrates."
> 
> http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=grain_free


Which comes back to the basic rule that what works for one dog, may not work for others. Pro Plan, Eukanuba and similar brands probably works fine for the masses, but may not for *some*.


----------



## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

msdogs1976 said:


> Which comes back to the basic rule that what works for one dog, may not work for others. Pro Plan, Eukanuba and similar brands probably works fine for the masses, but may not for *some*.


 
Exactly! 

Dogfoodwhateveritis.com makes a tacit *assumption* that ALL dogs have a problem with grains in general and corn specifically. That assumption is a total load of manure.

Dogs can not survive only consuming meat. They need a balanced diet that includes many other nutrients as well, including carbohydrates. There is no scientific evidence whatsoever that carbs from fruits or veggies are somehow superior to carbs from grains. NONE!


----------



## msdogs1976 (Dec 21, 2007)

Swampcollie said:


> Exactly!
> 
> Dogfoodwhateveritis.com makes a tacit *assumption* that ALL dogs have a problem with grains in general and corn specifically. That assumption is a total load of manure.
> 
> Dogs can not survive only consuming meat. They need a balanced diet that includes many other nutrients as well, including carbohydrates. *There is no scientific evidence whatsoever that carbs from fruits or veggies are somehow superior to carbs from grains. NONE!*


Fruits and veggies are 'feel good' ingredients manufacturers use. Nothing wrong with them as shown in your source, just not proven better. Used more for marketing. 

I certainly don't have a problem with anyone going with grain free dog food. That's a personal choice and it may work better for some dogs. I do get tired of people trying to shove this approach down my throat as though it's the *only* approach.

Oh well, time for something more fun. A 4 mile hike with my golden at a local state park. Lot's of swimming ahead for her. Same place as in the below pic.


----------



## wabmorgan (May 6, 2008)

www.dogfoodanalysis.com and www.dogfoodproject.com are basically making the SAME statement in regards to grains... neither state grains cause a known reaction in all dogs. 

"Corn is difficult for dogs to digest and thought to be the cause of a great many allergy and yeast infection problems." 

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=109&cat=all


_"While I do not regard grains as a "bad ingredient" in dog food per se, there is evidence that_ _some_ _dogs are more sensitive to it than others and benefit from being fed products that are formulated with non-grain sources of carbohydrates."_

_http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=grain_free_

Both are simply stating that grains have been known(thought if you prefer) to cause allergic reactions.

No one is trying to shove it down your throat.... but IF you dog is showing allergy 

problems(OP dog has shown allergies problems) trying a different kind of dog food is certainly worth a try. 

IF the grains are causing the allergies.... you certainly won't see any real change in keeping the dog on a grain based product. 

IF you dog has no allergies... you don't have an issue to begin with.


----------



## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

From what I read, a protien source is more inclined to be an allergen. So banning chicken doesn't make sense unless its a problem. The same with corn.

Ground and cooked Corn is just as digestible as any other grain. The statement what dogs have difficulty digesting it is totally false. Absolutely a lie. Sure...corn on the cob doesn't digest well....its encased in a hull and swallowed with little chewing. What dog food has corn on the cob in it?


----------



## wabmorgan (May 6, 2008)

What evidence do you have that is a lie????


----------



## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

My evidence is that it is a statement repeated verbatem accoss the internet but has no source.

People digest cornbread and dogs digest ground corn.

This is the comparison of grain brought up on the Dog Food Project's site. Its helpful to see how grain stands against each other. Corn doesn't look bad...and research has led Eukanuba to use a Sorgumn/corn blend. Research has shown that this blend creates a better metabalism. You can find information regarding THAT on the internet.


http://www.dogfoodproject.com/downloads/grain_comparison.pdf

I know we need to be comfortable with what we feed, and I'm not beating up Holistic or grain-free and personally I think corn has more of a chance to be tainted with mold....so I can see why someone would want to avoid it. I just think some things on the dogfoodanalysis site is just false and I hate seeing it used as the know all source.


----------



## wabmorgan (May 6, 2008)

Sorry.... I wouldn't call that evidence... you even admit it has no source. 

Equally and conversely, there plenty of statements across the Internet that do support the poor digestibility of grains. 

IF grains did not present any problems in regards to digestibility or allergies then there would be little point to grainless dog food. (I have no doubt.... you will state there is none.) 

Albeit from the manufacturer's website..... 

"ORIJEN is bursting with the protein-packed human-grade meats (minimum 70%) that your growing puppy needs—and none of the grains or carbohydrates that are biologically inappropriate to him. Instead of grains, ORIJEN contains a full complement of the regional fruits and vegetables (minimum 30%) that are highly digestible by puppies and that supply important natural antioxidants, phytochemicals and enzymes to encourage healthy growth and development." 

This tends to support the idea that grains are not digested well by puppies/dog. 

Lastly... both sites.... dogfoodproject.com and http://www.dogfoodanalysis.comdogfoodanalysis.com state a possible linked to allergies linked to grains. (The dogfoodanalsis.com site does seem to be pro-meat... but I don't consider than a bad thing.) 

As I have said before.... if your dog has no problems... and he/she is eating the food you are giving them.... then I probably wouldn't be concerned. If you dog is having allergy issues(concerns).... I certainly would consider a change in food to see if the dog food isn't the cause of the allergies.


----------



## boomers mom (Sep 17, 2008)

we began with canidae, but they switched their formulas and boomer got sick. so we went to innova puppy large breed and have had no problems since!


----------



## msdogs1976 (Dec 21, 2007)

wabmorgan said:


> www.dogfoodanalysis.com and www.dogfoodproject.com are basically making the SAME statement in regards to grains... neither state grains cause a known reaction in all dogs.
> 
> "Corn is difficult for dogs to digest and thought to be the cause of a great many allergy and yeast infection problems."
> 
> ...


That is exactly what dogfoodanalysis.com is doing in their rating system. Just look at Pro Plan and Eukanuba. Both rated 1 star as is Alpo. Do you really think PP and Euk belong in the same bracket with Alpo? They are put in that bracket because of their bias against CORN. 

Again, people use this site as the Bible for supporting their case for a grain free diet. Grain free may be needed for some dogs, but not the majority. 

Looks like there is a 3rd category that is difficult to discuss. We all know politics and religion are two. Dog nutrition is the third.:doh:


----------



## wabmorgan (May 6, 2008)

I'm not saying they belong in the same category.... but where would you place them IF you were rating them???? 

I still think a 3 would be about as far as I would be willing to give them. 

Btw.... Alpo used to owned by GrandMet Corporation. (They are the same corporation that owns Burger King.) 

Purina now owns Alpo.:doh: {Not sure WHY Purina wanted Alpo. It was a money loser for GrandMet. One would hope that Purrina would have improved Alpo... but the only thing that probably got improved was the advertising budget.  }


----------



## wabmorgan (May 6, 2008)

msdogs1976 said:


> That is exactly what dogfoodanalysis.com is doing in their rating system. Just look at Pro Plan and Eukanuba. Both rated 1 star as is Alpo. Do you really think PP and Euk belong in the same bracket with Alpo? They are put in that bracket because of their bias against CORN.
> 
> Again, people use this site as the Bible for supporting their case for a grain free diet. Grain free may be needed for some dogs, but not the majority.


I think their approach is simply one of what is best for all dogs... not just the majority. In other words.... if something is known(or thought if you prefer) to be a allergen.... it is counted against them. In other words, lack of a known(thought) allgren certainly is not going to produce negative effects even in dogs that don't suffer from the any allergies. 

The site also pro-meat... which IMO is not a bad thing.


----------



## msdogs1976 (Dec 21, 2007)

wabmorgan said:


> I'm not saying they belong in the same category.... but where would you place them IF you were rating them????
> 
> I still think a 3 would be about as far as I would be willing to give them.


I would say 4 or a A,B,C,D,F system a 'B'. BTW, I don't feed Pro Plan or Eukanuba. Just using these 2 for discussion purposes.


----------



## Livvie712 (Dec 9, 2008)

The weird thing is everytime I decide on a food I am leaning towards, I find a negative review or something. I was debating Fromm Gold and Wellness. But lots of reviews I have read say it upsets their dogs; stomach and some even found larvae in a bag. 

I am also looking at Eagle Pack, Innova, and Evo.

Does anyone use Merrick's Before Grain? Someone I know gives it to their kitties.


----------



## AmberDawn (Dec 26, 2008)

I have recently mixed in some of the Before Grain Salmon. Just a tiny bit. I also feed Turducken (also made by Merrick) blended w/ Innova. Before Turducken I fed Puppy Plate.
I'm very happy with both Merrick and Innova. I have to say that the Merrick family seems to have quite good customer service.


----------



## Traz (Jan 19, 2009)

After a lot of looking I went with the Fromm. One thing I really liked is they have their own manufacturing plant. There food is not made where other brands are made. I am using the Large breed puppy right now & will go to their other line as an adult. 
Orijen was on my top list but then I found out it is manufactured by Diamond products. There was also the recent scare of the large peices on bone in some of the fish ones. 
Merrick was another I really considered & was probably my 2nd choice. I didn't look at the grainless by Merrik. Taste of the Wild is another one I considered. For a puppy be sure it is the one that doesn't have real high protein. Pet Lovers Chicken soup is a quality food for the price. It is almost ingredient by ingredient the same as Orijen. However, it is also made by Diamond products. For me after all their recalls I prefer to stay away from Diamond products.
I used Iams with my past dog. When they were bought out, Iams & Eukenuba both changed their formulas. In my opinion, they are not the top quality food they once were.


----------



## egcc (Feb 23, 2009)

Our Ellie LOVES the large breed puppy Blue Buffalo food. There is no corn, soy, or wheat. There is no animal byproducts--just the good stuff. She has good poops with it, and I feel good giving it to her. 

When I was deciding a food for her (the breeder gave her Pedigree, and I did not want to give that to her), I did lots of research and compared lots of brands. Although I ultimately decided on Blue, I think I probably would have been happy with just about any food that was good for her. My advice--don't stress too much! I did, and it was not worth it.


----------

