Making the switch: Dog Foods

[sara]

I've been doing some research on dry foods, I came across a fantastic article... (propaganda page?) for Orijen (Champion foods in Alberta Canada) It is a heck of a dry food. I have no desire to switch to a raw diet, dont have the time or the freezer space for it. Orijen seems to be as good as you can get as far as kibble goes. Orijen is expensive however. but since I have 2-25lb dogs, I will manage. Right now I have them both on different foods, one on Light and Fit Acana (Champion foods again, but not grain free) and Scout is on Spot's Stew Salmon recipe (Halo) both are excellent foods, but I am leaning towards the grain free Orijen (prob the 6 fish one as one of my dogs is sensitive to chicken). My sis is a (human) Nutritionist, but I sent her the article to see if she could verify the science behind it. I dont want to spread it around if the science is bogus. Orijen is available around the world (not widely, but their website has a list of where you can get it), according to their website, except Australia (something about shipping) Orijen has won some big awards too in the States. So I have made the decision to switch as soon as the food that I just bought is gone. I will also be supporting a local industry as I live in AB, Canada. Acana is made here but Halo is American, so It'll be nice to have both my girls on Canadian made food!

 

[snooks]

One thing to consider is how much of the food is bio-available to the dog to digest. Often I've found with higher quality kibble it takes less to maintain body weight. Feeding to maintain a lean but not skinny dog is your goal so going by kcal/cup isn't always absolute. I also agree the amounts on the bags have always been too much for my dogs.

If some of your other food is not as digestible then you're paying for calories that go right out with the poo. Orijen is a good kibble IMHO and you might not end up spending as much as you think. Just food for thought. :dogwub: My dogs have smaller poop on all Canidae and Wellness than the lower quality kibbles. This tells me more is being utilized than pooped.

And yes I do have a separate fridge in the garage for all this doggie food. It's space intense. :dogtongue2:

 

[sara]

its funny you should say that about their poop. I've noticed a huge decrease in my one dogs poop since switching her to Halo. She goes only once a day now too. when I first adopted her, she'd go 3-4 times a walk (we went for 3 walks per day) I have no idea what her issues were, but they settled when I got her off of chicken.

I never feed the amount they say to feed on the bags, my dogs would be seriously obese if I did. I hate seeing overweight dogs. mine are both at an ideal body weight now (both had to lose weight after they were adopted)

I agree also, that the better quality you feed, the less you have to feed (and the less it costs). I've always bought the higher end stuff, but then, I am not feeding giant dogs either.

I dont have the option of another freezer, I live in a tiny condo, one day tho!

 

[snooks]

I too have a problem seeing an obese dog. To see them struggle and suffer and die to soon just breaks my heart.