# Best Dog Food To Feed?



## GoldenChip (Apr 27, 2021)

Hi everyone! My boy is 14 months old on the Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Adult Chicken & Rice. He’s been on it for the last few months and he is doing great I would say. I am curious what everyone’s thoughts are. Is PPP Adult Chicken & Rice a “high quality” dog food to be feeding? What would be the highest quality kibble I can feed my guy? Someone told me feeding PPP is like feeding a human McDonald’s every day. I will upload some photos as well! He is 14 months @ 55 pounds getting 3.5 cups a day.


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## Tagrenine (Aug 20, 2019)

Purina Pro Plan is an excellent food


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## pawsnpaca (Nov 11, 2014)

What makes a quality dog food is a matter of great debate!  I personally believe there are higher quality foods than Pro Plan (higher quality ingredients, fewer grain fragments and by products, etc.), BUT among the "main stream" kibbles it's a pretty good food and it's fed by a LOT of knowledgeable dog owners. If your dog is doing well on it, I don't see any need to change.

FWIW, here is an article on what to look for when you are reading a dog food label. 








Best Dog Food | What To Look For In Dog Food


What's the best dry dog food, and what should you look for when shopping for healthy dog foods? Here's the criteria to look for, read on.




www.whole-dog-journal.com


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## GOAussies (Dec 3, 2021)

GoldenChip said:


> Hi everyone! My boy is 14 months old on the Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Adult Chicken & Rice. He’s been on it for the last few months and he is doing great I would say. I am curious what everyone’s thoughts are. Is PPP Adult Chicken & Rice a “high quality” dog food to be feeding? What would be the highest quality kibble I can feed my guy? Someone told me feeding PPP is like feeding a human McDonald’s every day. I will upload some photos as well! He is 14 months @ 55 pounds getting 3.5 cups a day.
> 
> View attachment 892413
> 
> ...


Pretty much any kibble on the market is bad for the dog's health. The two best dog food brands I know to recommend are more costly, but more worth it, because with dog ownership, you either pay now, or you pay later, so pick your battles. My two recommendations are Nature's Logic canned or raw, or Raw Dog Food Co.


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## Ffcmm (May 4, 2016)

for what its worth 'best' is relative to each dog and also dependent on your budget, some dogs fair well on kibble, others do better on cooked or raw etc. some do good on specific brands while it doesn't work well for others.. 

my dogs are raw fed, but i've fed PPP before and was happy with that when monty was a puppy.


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## Terindo (Jan 28, 2021)

I use different pro plans to feed my friend and sometimes I even cook specially for him, I also advise you to use the website to choose a special meal plan.

You'll get lots of recommendations - I feed Taste of the Wild, for example - but different dogs have different needs and there is, unfortunately, some trial-and-error involved. One of my three seems to need grain-free. Another seems to thrive on almost anything. A third is prone to pancreatitus and needs a low-fat diet.


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## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

GOAussies said:


> Pretty much any kibble on the market is bad for the dog's health.


You have made this claim in multiple threads.
Can you post any evidence and sources to back it up?


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## reneechristine8 (9 mo ago)

Dog food is certainly a hot topic and you'll hear really strong opinions on all sides! 

We personally use NutriSource because it's made locally (Minnesota, USA) and gets great reviews. They have a variety of formulas ranging from puppy, to allergy-specific, to weight loss, to different proteins. They're made to be rotational so you can switch it up and keep your dog excited about their kibble. Our boy is 5 months old so we're still on the Large Breed Puppy Chicken and Rice formula, but we will continue to use it into adulthood. So far healthy stools and a soft, thick coat!


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## okko (May 19, 2021)

My vet recommends (and sells) Dr. Harvey’s






Natural Dog Food & Supplements | Dr. Harvey's


Dr. Harvey's makes high quality, natural food & supplements for dogs that may support health challenges like kidney disease, cancer, allergies & more!




www.drharveys.com





He feeds to his own dogs, and is of the opinion “Don’t stress. If you’re too busy one day, feed whatever kibble you want.”

I find it pretty simple. InstantPot definitely simplifies things. For example, I can throw 6 chicken breasts and a cup or two of water in the pot on high pressure for 10 mins. When done I throw it in the kitchen aid mixer to shred it (comes out looking like pulled pork). Now I’ve got a big batch of chicken that can make many meals.

The actual mix is dead simple. Water into the electric kettle, pour, add meat and oil, stir, let cool.

Yes, it’s more expensive than kibble, but also much easier than raw (IMHO). It’s human grade food. Smells delicious. I would eat it, anyway.

Vary the protein based on your budget. Fish and chicken are cheap at Costco or BJs, for example. Beef is just not happening right now… I won’t even buy it for myself at current prices!


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## Dlightful15 (Oct 3, 2017)

GoldenChip said:


> Hi everyone! My boy is 14 months old on the Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Adult Chicken & Rice. He’s been on it for the last few months and he is doing great I would say. I am curious what everyone’s thoughts are. Is PPP Adult Chicken & Rice a “high quality” dog food to be feeding? What would be the highest quality kibble I can feed my guy? Someone told me feeding PPP is like feeding a human McDonald’s every day. I will upload some photos as well! He is 14 months @ 55 pounds getting 3.5 cups a day.
> 
> View attachment 892413
> 
> ...


I have similar questions about dog food. I was using Open Farm white fish recipe but when I found out my golden Coco had an enlarged heart the vet at Tufts said to stay away from any food with lentils in it so they recommended Purina Pro plan. She seems heavier and more lethargic on this food though and the ingredients seem like they could be better so I'm looking to switch. So overwhelming the choices!! Someone recommended Stella and Chewys frozen raw surf and turf recipe but it's so expensive but I'm willing to maybe supplement her current food with it for awhile to see if it helps her.


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## eviegoldengirl (7 mo ago)

pawsnpaca said:


> What makes a quality dog food is a matter of great debate!  I personally believe there are higher quality foods than Pro Plan (higher quality ingredients, fewer grain fragments and by products, etc.), BUT among the "main stream" kibbles it's a pretty good food and it's fed by a LOT of knowledgeable dog owners. If your dog is doing well on it, I don't see any need to change.
> 
> FWIW, here is an article on what to look for when you are reading a dog food label.
> 
> ...


Fewer grain fragments in dog food is not a good thing. Boutique brands that advertise "grain free" or similar types of food have been linked by the FDA to be connected with heart failure in Goldens.









FDA Investigates Potential Link Between Diet & Heart Disease in Dogs


Latest update on the FDA’s investigation into reports of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs eating certain pet foods.




www.fda.gov





My suggestion would be to avoid any food being associated to FDA complaints related to DCM. That is more important than looking at the ingredient list, which provides misleading information. And there are brands where the ingredient list is decided by science, and brands where the ingredient list is listed by marketers. There isn't lots of regulatory overview over dog food labels.

Certain dogs do have sensitivities to ingredients in pet food, so trial and error can be a good idea if there are issues.

I feed my dog royal canin, per the vets and breeders recommendation. PPP is also a brand that my vet recommends.


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## pawsnpaca (Nov 11, 2014)

eviegoldengirl said:


> Fewer grain fragments in dog food is not a good thing. Boutique brands that advertise "grain free" or similar types of food have been linked by the FDA to be connected with heart failure in Goldens.


I'm not saying that a food should have less or no grain. "Grain fragments" are a lower quality ingredient than whole grains. So, "rice" is a higher quality ingredient than "brewers rice" or "rice bran," and "corn" is a higher quality ingredient than "corn gluten meal."

FWIW the FDA has not yet determined the cause of DCM and how/why it seems to be linked to some grain-free food. One theory is that the lack of grain seems to be less a factor than that the legumes that replaced the grain is somehow causing the issue in _some _dogs, BUT actual _causation _has not yet been determined.









The (Dis)connection between Grain-Free Foods and DCM


Almost 4 years ago, in July of 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a public alert stating that they had reports of an apparent increase in the national incidence of Dilated Ca…




thesciencedog.com





I have nothing against grain-inclusive diets - I feed one myself (in addition to a primarily raw diet). I just feel it's important that ALL ingredients in our pets' food should be the highest quality we can afford. For me that means avoiding low quality, poorly handled "by products," whether they be animal or vegetable.


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## OllieMama (Jan 1, 2021)

okko said:


> My vet recommends (and sells) Dr. Harvey’s
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Can I ask how your dog is doing on Dr. Harvey’s? I’ve been looking at it and I’m definitely curious.
I like the idea of the new complete meals they just came out with. I ordered a trial bag of the chicken recipe and Ollie loved it!


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## eviegoldengirl (7 mo ago)

In my opinion the Tufts Vet School has some of the best resources for pet food nutrition. Unlike most other pet food resources on the web, it dosn't push food's that give affiliate links (or any brand specifically).









Best Food for Your Pet


Determine the quality of pet foods by learning how to read and understand labels and nutritional information.




vetnutrition.tufts.edu


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## GoGoHoneyBubbles (2 mo ago)

GoldenChip said:


> Hi everyone! My boy is 14 months old on the Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Adult Chicken & Rice. He’s been on it for the last few months and he is doing great I would say. I am curious what everyone’s thoughts are. Is PPP Adult Chicken & Rice a “high quality” dog food to be feeding? What would be the highest quality kibble I can feed my guy? Someone told me feeding PPP is like feeding a human McDonald’s every day. I will upload some photos as well! He is 14 months @ 55 pounds getting 3.5 cups a day.





Dlightful15 said:


> I have similar questions about dog food. I was using Open Farm white fish recipe but when I found out my golden Coco had an enlarged heart the vet at Tufts said to stay away from any food with lentils in it so they recommended Purina Pro plan. She seems heavier and more lethargic on this food though and the ingredients seem like they could be better so I'm looking to switch. So overwhelming the choices!! Someone recommended Stella and Chewys frozen raw surf and turf recipe but it's so expensive but I'm willing to maybe supplement her current food with it for awhile to see if it helps her.


Glad to see this thread. I have similar questions related to the best foods. So many say one thing - others another. I feed PPP and to one of our dogs Royal Canine. Fruits, healthy treats, eggs and more. Seems to work. Our dogs have really great coats. Very silky. Doing something right but I appreciate following along here to see what pops up for added suggestions and tips.


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## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

okko said:


> My vet recommends (and sells) Dr. Harvey’s


Which came first 'Recommends' or 'Sells'


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## GoGoHoneyBubbles (2 mo ago)

SRW said:


> Which came first 'Recommends' or 'Sells'


That is such a good point!


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