# Quality food



## Cami (Nov 25, 2007)

I am looking for suggestions for a good quality dog food that doesnt have corn and wheat as the main ingredients. Any suggestions?


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## Celeigh (Nov 29, 2007)

There are lots! Is it a puppy or adult dog? 

I feed my puppy Innova Large Breed Puppy Dry food.


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## Cami (Nov 25, 2007)

Puppy-11 weeks.


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## norabrown (Jul 20, 2007)

There are so many of them. Find a reputable place that carries many kinds. I have used Eagle Holistics, Merrick, Innova Large Breed Puppy, California Naturals, and more. We switch food manufacturer and protein source every 2-3 months.


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## Cami (Nov 25, 2007)

What about Canidae? Does anyone use that?


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## Sunshine Goldens (Oct 31, 2005)

I always refer to this site when looking for a quality grain-free food. Hope it helps! Dog Food Reviews - Main Index - Powered by ReviewPost


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

I would say Orijen is one of the best foods out there today. No corn and no wheat.


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## Merlins mom (Jun 20, 2007)

Cami said:


> What about Canidae? Does anyone use that?


We have been feeding Canidae All Life Stages and have since Merlin was about 10-11 weeks. He's 8 months now and doing great on it. It's a very good quality food and not too expensive for us.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

I start my litters off on Canidae ALS, and they do very well on it. Nice smooth growth.


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## foreveramber (Feb 25, 2007)

lots of people on here use canidae. i would use it if my dog would eat it!!! 
another cheaper one is nutro natural choice (no byproducts, corn or wheat). i use it because it is more easily found and jake loves it, and does wonderful on it.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

I use the Natural Balance venison & sweet potato and has no grains or fillers.


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## kalkid (Feb 22, 2007)

Just be a little careful. Many of the "premium" and especially grainless foods like EVO, Orijen and the others aren't recommended for puppies due to the really high protein amounts. Canidae is an excellent food and many on here have had great luck with it.


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## Charlie06 (Feb 10, 2007)

I use Innova, Merrick and Canidae dry foods and Evangers canned


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## GardenPaws (Nov 28, 2007)

I have a seven month old and have him on Avoderm Baked. His coat is beautiful. Kalkid is right check the protein content. I would never put a puppy on a totally grain free food unless it was balanced for a puppy. I've read it can actually be dangerous.
Read the labels or better yet go to the websites of the foods your considering and see what the manufacturer says is age apropriate.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

No secret here, I am a big fan of ProPlan. Beautiful coats, great skin, excellent general overall health, vigor and stamina.
It is readily available, and consistent in quality. AND, my dogs have _never _turned their noses up at it.


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## Big Mamoo (Jul 4, 2007)

My two eat Canidae ALS and love it.


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

i dont know if you are at all interested in feeding raw, but I've been feeding Sam Nature's Variety raw patties, and he is doing amazingly well on them. i have never seen such a difference in his itchy skin problems, his energy level, and his potty habits have changed drastically for the better. if you can afford it, i definitely would look into feeding raw... i know many on here are feeding either the NV patties, or The Honest Kitchen dehydrated raw food, which also has gotten great reviews from its feeders on this site.


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

I would have to disagree. I have never had a problem with the higher protein foods and puppies. I have had a litter on it and several puppies from 8 weeks on.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

*WOW!WOW!WOW! SO refreshing...*

I really feel compelled to make a comment. It is completely refreshing to discuss feeding dogs with both kibble feeders and proponents of raw diets without it turning into something akin to a Crips and Bloods gang war! I am on another Golden list, one geared towards serious breeders and exhibitors in all venues. Whenever the subject of feeding comes up, the gloves come off. There is a faction of raw feeders on that list (and, I am sure, others) who are simply fanatical, and completely berate those who choose another method. I actually had a raw feeder on that list tell me that I was "murdering my dogs" by feeding them kibble. (I coined the phrase on that list "Evil Kibble"). It is nearly impossible to have a civilized exchange of ideas there. My dogs are kibble fed. They are long lived. They are very healthy throughout their lifetime. In fact, it was pointed out that the person who wanted me tried for murder and treason for feeding kibble did not enjoy the same with her own dogs. She's always fed raw. Good for her, and I hope that eventually she sees better health and longer lives with her dogs, but at this juncture, it seemed odd to me that she would say that I was doing them harm when my dogs were doing better than her own. My own interest in the raw diets was, quite frankly, snuffed like a candle flame BECAUSE there were those who were attempting to shove it down my throat. I was told that if my dogs are doing well on the evil kibble, just _imagine _how much better they would be on raw! Well, honestly, I cannot imagine. Particularly when compared to the dogs of friends as acquaintences who feed raw, I am very happy with the results I am seeing with my own, on kibble. That is NOT to say that there are not dogs who thrive on raw and who are healthier and in better condition than mine. I am sure that there are. I am also not convinced that part of the reason doesn't go back to genetics... Not to mention that I am an "if it ain't broke don't fix it" kinda gal, and I tried to fix something that wasn't broke when I switched foods before and am not willing to go there again.
To read the experiences of those feeding raw on this forum, presented mater of factly, civilly, and strictly as a personal choice, is very interesting and much appreciated. Thanks!







missmarstar said:


> i dont know if you are at all interested in feeding raw, but I've been feeding Sam Nature's Variety raw patties, and he is doing amazingly well on them. i have never seen such a difference in his itchy skin problems, his energy level, and his potty habits have changed drastically for the better. if you can afford it, i definitely would look into feeding raw... i know many on here are feeding either the NV patties, or The Honest Kitchen dehydrated raw food, which also has gotten great reviews from its feeders on this site.


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

i am definitely not of the mindset that feeding a dog kibble is "murder". that is absolutely ridiculous! up until less than a month ago, i fed Sam kibble every day and he did ok on it. Sam has allergy issues and so I've been on a mission of sorts to find the food that works best for him. i am a firm believer in a dog food being best for each dog, and there is no universal "best" food, although i do believe some are better than others. my dog has severe grain allergies and will throw up any food that has corn or wheat in it. he also has less severe, but still bad itchy skin issues due to his allergies to a few other grains used in kibble. that being said, the kibble he did best on was Timberwolf Organics ocean blue formula and i thought he did well on it.. until i tried the raw food and immediately saw a difference for the better in him. do i think kibble is inherently bad for dogs? NO!! do i think kibble is not as good for MY dog as the raw food? yes! but i am definitely not a "raw snob" and i am definitely not going to criticize people for feeding a food to their dog that works the best for them. and i am most certainly not going to tell someone they are murdering their dog by feeding them a kibble simply because its not the food i choose to feed mine! 

now on the other hand, if someone comes here and is concerned about an issue their dog is having related to food issues, i will definitely share my experience switching to raw food and how well it worked for Sam in as you said, in a "matter of fact, civil, and personal choice" way, especially if i feel it will help someone out to care for their dog. after all thats what we're here for right? 





Pointgold said:


> I really feel compelled to make a comment. It is completely refreshing to discuss feeding dogs with both kibble feeders and proponents of raw diets without it turning into something akin to a Crips and Bloods gang war! I am on another Golden list, one geared towards serious breeders and exhibitors in all venues. Whenever the subject of feeding comes up, the gloves come off. There is a faction of raw feeders on that list (and, I am sure, others) who are simply fanatical, and completely berate those who choose another method. I actually had a raw feeder on that list tell me that I was "murdering my dogs" by feeding them kibble. (I coined the phrase on that list "Evil Kibble"). It is nearly impossible to have a civilized exchange of ideas there. My dogs are kibble fed. They are long lived. They are very healthy throughout their lifetime. In fact, it was pointed out that the person who wanted me tried for murder and treason for feeding kibble did not enjoy the same with her own dogs. She's always fed raw. Good for her, and I hope that eventually she sees better health and longer lives with her dogs, but at this juncture, it seemed odd to me that she would say that I was doing them harm when my dogs were doing better than her own. My own interest in the raw diets was, quite frankly, snuffed like a candle flame BECAUSE there were those who were attempting to shove it down my throat. I was told that if my dogs are doing well on the evil kibble, just _imagine _how much better they would be on raw! Well, honestly, I cannot imagine. Particularly when compared to the dogs of friends as acquaintences who feed raw, I am very happy with the results I am seeing with my own, on kibble. That is NOT to say that there are not dogs who thrive on raw and who are healthier and in better condition than mine. I am sure that there are. I am also not convinced that part of the reason doesn't go back to genetics... Not to mention that I am an "if it ain't broke don't fix it" kinda gal, and I tried to fix something that wasn't broke when I switched foods before and am not willing to go there again.
> To read the experiences of those feeding raw on this forum, presented mater of factly, civilly, and strictly as a personal choice, is very interesting and much appreciated. Thanks!


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

I like Iams....but of course it does have that corn.

Innova was a food Lucky loved and I really trust the company (natura). Its not grain free...which means its ok for puppies.... but has no corn or wheat. Is expensive compared to something like Nutro but you'll find your mouth watering when you read the ingredients. If I didn't want corn or wheat its the one I'd go with...


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## Luvinmygoldens (Jul 16, 2007)

I use Canidae ALS for both my pups, one 7 1/2 month old, and one 8 year old. They both do great on it.


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## GardenPaws (Nov 28, 2007)

I really like this thread! I'm always interested in learning more about dog nutrition. The high protein being very bad for puppies actually came from a phone conversation with a customer service person at Wellness, not from my own personal experience. I have real concerns about food for my boy Fire since I believe it was a very bad bag of dog food that started my precious Magic to an untimely death. I researched all kinds of food for my new puppy and really wanted him to do well on what I felt was best. He didn't..... so I researched some more, talked to my vet who is also a 30+ year breeder of sporting dogs. She feeds what I do and some grain free as well. Grain free is expensive if you have a lot of dogs. Anyway, basically I gather the info and do what works for my boy. I may try grain free after he's 1 year old but for now, the kibble with no corn, wheat, or soy works for him. (I always said that the first time I ever threw my dog a raw chicken leg he'd choke and die LOL. ) Let's face it I'm sure a few of us have known of dogs that were fed nothing but canned Alpo and Ol Roy and lived to be 15 with no health problems. I think food threads are great for offering suggestions and input when thing just don't seem to be right and we want to know what's working for other caring pet owners. 
BTW- Marlene, I LOVE the Paw shot. That's how my DH and I wake up every morning! It's nice to know somebody else is getting the same treatment. I think Fire and Sammy would get along just fine!


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

GardenPaws said:


> BTW- Marlene, I LOVE the Paw shot. That's how my DH and I wake up every morning! It's nice to know somebody else is getting the same treatment. I think Fire and Sammy would get along just fine!


haha yea the paw shot was more the result of him pushing my face away, being annoyed that i was trying to take pics of him while he was sleeping next to me on the couch... lol this is the same dog that just a min ago plopped all 50lbs of himself on my lap between my face and my computer because he's so "STARVED" for attention!! :doh:


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

i switch between Innova and Canidae... They have done great on both....


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

oh and in response to the OP also, another food i like that other people have mentioned is Innova (not the EVO, just regular Innova).. Sam LOVED it, but it still made him get itchy skin so i had to go the grain free route and switched to Timberwolf Organics Ocean Blue which i also feel is a good food, although now they are having some ingredient discrepancies that i dont really know about. i tried him on that new food Taste of the Wild (the fish formula, before i tried the TWO food) and he ate it for a few days mixed with his Innova food, but then refused to eat it outright. he NEVER refuses food of any kind so i dont know what that was about!


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## Fredd17 (Dec 10, 2007)

I use "Blue Buffalo" lamb and rice... no corn or wheat... My Annie loves it.


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## kalkid (Feb 22, 2007)

Ash said:


> I would have to disagree. I have never had a problem with the higher protein foods and puppies. I have had a litter on it and several puppies from 8 weeks on.


Well I guess I'll disagree back. If the manufacturer of the foods are telling you not to do it then that's enough proof for me. I believe it's on the EVO website under facts and it's also stated on the dog food analysis website. Of course if it's working for you so be it and I do believe your preferred food Orijen if I remember makes a puppy formula as well. As usual if you research there certainly are differences of opinion. I know I read on my beer bottle last night that it may be bad for my liver but I actually felt better so they must be wrong


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## goldenmsc (Aug 1, 2007)

Have to careful of which higher protein because some contain too much calcium for puppy stage.


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## alliegirl (Oct 26, 2007)

I use Nature's Variety Adult Dry....there are several different kinds and they are meant for rotational feeding...I love it cuz it would be boring to eat the same stuff daily. It comes in Chicken/Brown Rice, Salmon, Beef, Venison, Lamb....I buy 5 lbs of each one and rotate. She has done beautifully on this stuff. I previously had her on Nature's Variety Raw and she did well on that too.


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## alliegirl (Oct 26, 2007)

Also, the Nature's Variety is for all life stages...just follow feeding guidelines they give for puppies/adults/seniors.


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## Rosco's Mom (May 1, 2007)

We first started Rosco on Iams....after he turned a year, when we switched to Large Breed Adult, he stopped eating it. So we switched to Nutro Natural Choice Glucosamine & Chondrit-something or other...he did really well on it, but after the recalls i decided to switch to Canidae after hearing all the great reviews. Rosco did okay on it for about 6 months and then he decided to stop eating it. So we switched him back to Nutro and we haven't had a problem.

We tried the Nutro Lamb and Rice.....but he didn't want anything to do with it!


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## monty's mom (Dec 23, 2007)

We feed Nutro Venison Natural Choice. We tried some of the higher up foods and all we got was diahrrea


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

foreveramber said:


> lots of people on here use canidae. i would use it if my dog would eat it!!!
> another cheaper one is nutro natural choice (no byproducts, corn or wheat). i use it because it is more easily found and jake loves it, and does wonderful on it.


I'm glad to know that my boys aren't the only ones! 
I had them on Nutro Natural Choice and tried to switch them to Canidae because I'd heard such great things about it. Neither one of my boys wanted any part of it. As soon as I started mixing it with the Nutro, they started picking at their food. And Riley normally _inhales_ his food. (I actually had to start feeding him by hand, to get him to slow down a bit.)

Gunner seemed to have a problem with the bite size. The pieces are quite a bit smaller than the Nutro ones and he'd get a mouthful of it and start coughing, like he was swallowing it without being able to chew it adequately. After a few minutes of that, he turned his nose up and walked away from it, so we just stuck with the Nutro.

But I'm glad to know that my guys aren't just weird... or unusually picky.


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

Blue is good, available at Petsmart


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## HovawartMom (Aug 10, 2006)

I switch in bet.Canidae(ASL),Innova Evo & Bark at the Moon from Solid Gold.All of them are good food and my dogs love them,all!.


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## Kzwicker (Aug 14, 2007)

I feed California Natural Lamb and Rice.. I am not sure if it has wheat or corn, but I dont think so..


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## Rachel's Mom (Feb 26, 2007)

Sunshine Goldens said:


> I always refer to this site when looking for a quality grain-free food. Hope it helps! Dog Food Reviews - Main Index - Powered by ReviewPost


thank you! I know I didn't ask this question but I am going to book mark this site! thank you!


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## bwoz (Jul 12, 2007)

I feed Canidae Chicken and Rice and also their Snap biscuits. It's a single protein source so maybe gentler on the tummy if that's a concern. Maybe I am just lucky because all of my dogs loved Canidae and they did great on it. My advice would be just check out the foods out there that are available to you and try to get the best ingredients that you can. Good luck!


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

One thing I know for dead certain--no one dog food is best for all dogs. I belong to an all breed forum where nutirtion threads get very heated from time to time. If you feed any form of Purina, Science Deit (even prescription which is the ONLY thing that works for you dog) Pedigree, Iams, even Nutro, you get slammed for "not loving your dog enough: to take proper care of it.

Jut last week there was a big discussion on Canidea. It seems several of the dogs can't eat it because it gives them very runy poop, some itch, etc. Others dogs are doing great on it. 

We have also had the discussions on the proteint levels for puppies and seniors effects of grains on arthritis and cancer, etc. Because KayCee is almost 8 1/2 and has a touch of arthritis in her knees--it set in MUCH later than expected (knee surgeries at 16 and 30 months), I am switching her over to Taste of the Wild grain free. Bl=ought a bag of the bison kind but still had a tad of her Nutro left to finish off before going fully to the TOTW. Honey is on Purina One weight control.

Several on that all breed board that was on Timber Wolf is going off it because of them changing formulas and not marking it on the bags and making up lame excuses. They don't feel TWO can be trusted any more. Many of them are going to the Taste of The Wild. Have several different ones--bison, salmon, duck, venison, etc. They are high in protein, no grains, so should be great for older dogs, especially ones with arthritis or cancer.


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## tintallie (May 31, 2006)

*maybe Monomer can chime in!*

Please be aware that according to the Whole Dog Journal (WDJ) June 2007 issue, they have an article stating that ,"Puppies need more protein, fat, calcium, and phosphorus than adult dogs do, but too much calcium can lead to serious orthopedic problem." (Straus, 2007, p.7) Also, the article states that it is better to keep large breed puppies lean and growing slowly by limiting the amount you feed your dog, and not the percentage of protein in the food you are feeding (Straus, 2007, p.8)

Since the pet food recalls, WDJ had 4 issues (May-August) that deal with preparing home cooked and raw diets at home if you are leery of feeding a commercially prepared diet. The articles talk about supplements that can be added and the proportion of calcium to phosphorus ratio required for puppies and adults.

The other thing I've always wondered if how the percentages of protein in raw diets compare to something like Innova EVO or Orijen if the raw diet was dehydrated for the comparison. You have to realize that there is still water in a raw diet and I've noticed my dog doesn't drink as much water as he used to.


Bibliography:

Straus, Mary. Now We're Cooking! _The Whole Dog Journal_, 10(6), 3-9.


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## CindyLNC (Jan 2, 2008)

I am new here and enjoying going through the threads. I have two golden's 6 month old Lucy and 8 year old Maize. They are both on Canidae and are doing well on it. I do want to have a couple of other foods in the mix though. I am looking at Innova Evo and Solid Gold Barking at the Moon. What are your thoughts?

From here I am going straight to the behavior forums to get some advice on Lucy! Who my husband affectionately calls Lucyfur. lol


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

I use the Canidae and Innova..Mine love both.....


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

I have read about people that mix the foods and I like the idea. Although, I worry about mixing too many meat sources. If I was going to mix it would the Canidae Chicken and Rice which is also and All Life Stages food and another food with similar meats. I don't like the chicken, beef, lamb, fish its just too much.


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## EddieME (Nov 25, 2007)

"From here I am going straight to the behavior forums to get some advice on Lucy! Who my husband affectionately calls Lucyfur. lol[/quote]"

That just caught me off guard and made me laugh out loud....

oops, this thread is about food. How about Evolve puppy?


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