Premium dog food

[Maura]

Does anyone feed their dog Timberwolf Organics? I want to put dog and cat items in a corner of the store (books, leashes) and thought a high quality dog food might be a good addition, since nobody in the area sells this type of food. I looked up Wysong on the internet, since they are only about an hour or so from me, but Wysong is VERY expensive.

[diane]

I live in Michigan and I have never heard of either. I guess for me it would depend on the cost. There is Premium and there is PREMIUM.......know what I mean?

[southerngurl]

I had never heard of timberwolf organics. I skimmed the website, it looks like pretty good food.

I sell premium natural dog food. It is Flint River Ranch, it's natural and has human grade ingredients. My website is www.naturespets.com. I could help you if you were interested in selling it.

[james dilley]

The brand as far as i am concerned does not matter its the protein contentent ,and the ash and minerals I look for . If its not at least 27% i will not buy it.

[Nette]

Another vote for Flint River Ranch here. I bought it on-line and used it for my most favorite dog ever. She suffered from seizures as a result of an insulin-secreting tumor, and I had read that an all-natural diet could be beneficial.

[homebodybev]

Originally Posted by Maura

Does anyone feed their dog Timberwolf Organics? I want to put dog and cat items in a corner of the store (books, leashes) and thought a high quality dog food might be a good addition, since nobody in the area sells this type of food. I looked up Wysong on the internet, since they are only about an hour or so from me, but Wysong is VERY expensive.

Hey Maura ... I like the PetGuard line ... human grade food, no by-products.

http://www.petguard.com/

[frogmammy]

Originally Posted by Maura

I want to put dog and cat items in a corner of the store (books, leashes) and thought a high quality dog food might be a good addition, since nobody in the area sells this type of food.

Here's an idea...talk to your local dog clubs and poll their members to find out what people in the area would LIKE. Then go with that.

And...I fed Canadie to my dogs and buy direct from the distributer....get 5 of the 40 pound bags at once, no shipping charge. When I get a couple more people together, we'll buy it by the pallet. OH, and this food works great with the hyper BC, the old BC that tends to fat, the Belgian Shepherd who would NEVER gain & hold weight on anything else, and the young Belgian that does not know the word "slow". It doesn't even SMELL like dog food!

Mon

[BCR]

This is a timely question. I just bought a bag of the PetGuard premium adult dogfood. I gave my dogs about 1/4 cup sample to try. they like it all right. But it cost $17 for 8 pounds at my local co-op. I can save money if I buy large bags (38 pounds they said) but I have a large dog and a medium sized one....thats going to add up and I want to be sure. I thought that 24% protein might be a bit high for my large dog, who is aging and who currently eats Iams weight control formula. Winter is hard for him, so I decrease the calories then. I make their treats with many of the items in the PetGuard product (sweet potatos, seaweed, dried veggies, etc.).

What do you think about that high protein? Too much for a less active dog? Is another food similar/less costly? I cannot find Canidae or Wysong locally.

[KindredCanuck]

You might want to try the BARF diet ( bones & raw food )

http://bestfrisbeedogs.com/diets.html

"Bill Camp's Famous Flying Dogs" are fed a raw natural diet.
We began looking for the ultimate diet 8 years ago. Satin, a 70 lb. German Shepherd Dog (Bill's first Frisbee dog) was 12 years old. She was starting to show her age and we knew she probably wouldn't be around much longer. Well, Satin lived to be 14 years, 8 months and 3 days old. She passed away on August 18, 1998 of old age. She died peacefully at home. I truly believe that without THE change we made in her diet that she would have been gone long before this. She ate raw meaty bones right up until the end, though I did have to grind them(mainly turkey necks)the last couple of months. I'm sure genetics play a big part in longevity, but I believe nutrition plays an equal, if not bigger, part.

We feed a variety of raw meaty bones (RMB). Turkey necks, chicken necks, backs and leg quarters & pork necks. About 85% of their diet is raw meaty bones. We feed raw liver about 4 times a month and they receive an egg with crushed shell about 4 times a week.

As far as bacteria goes, I would have to say a healthy dog actually thrives on it. Notice, I said "a healthy dog". A healthy dog is one that eats bones and raw food. Chances are, a dog fed only commercial food is not really healthy. We do rescue work and I've been switching the dogs right on to BARF with no problems. Unless the dog is really old or immune compromised I can't see that there would be any problem. In my experience the dogs seem to take right to this diet. A dog or cat's digestive tract is much shorter than ours and the meat and bone just pass right through without causing any problems. Some people may want to go slower though, every dog is different.

Some people are concerned with bones causing a blockage. Well, carnivores (dogs and cats) have some pretty powerful stomach acids. Just remember, NEVER FEED COOKED BONES! Cooked bones can splinter and cause terrible damage to a dog.

I feel the best advice that I can give anyone considering a raw diet for their dog or cat, (and, by the way, America's Best Frisbee Dogs has 4 cats who love this diet) is to read, research and then use common sense.

KC~

[goodlifefarmer]

We feed INNOVA about 11 bucks for 5 pounds human grade for a little sweetie last about 1 and half months.

[Cygnet]

My .02 is that unless you have a specific medical condition that requires dietary restrictions -- allergies, organ failure, etc. -- most dogs will do just fine on ordinary "middle of the road' dogfood.

*shrug* I had a 17 year old aussie who ate purina from the time we got her at four until a few weeks before she passed away, when I switched her over to a prescription diet food for specific medical reasons. She jumped a 5' fence at sixteen even though she was blind!

Last several cats I've had have died of old age at 15, 17, 22, and 19 -- all ate Purina until they needed to go onto a special diet for lack of teeth, kidney failure (at age 17 and 22), etc.

My dogs now are eating purina ... no problems.

If you've got a REASON to feed a fancy diet, fine, good, do it. Some dogs need it. Most don't. Most of the time, you don't need to pay the extra $$. Spend the $$ on a few good bones or chewies instead, which will make your dog happy and keep his teeth clean. *grin*

Leva
(BTW, anyone wants some roosters in AZ for BARF diet? *LOL* $4 each and I've got lots and lots. Nobody wants the layer types ... the maran cockerals are sold literally before they hatch, but the catalanas nobody wants and I've a yard full!)

[Maura]

Thank you, all you dog lovers out there. I feed my dog BARF, but I've noticed so many people have an aversion to it and have no concept of good nutrition for their dogs so,... in my store I want to sell a premium dog food. I was going by Whole Dog Journal's recommendations. All the brands I'm looking at have no BHT or BHA, use whole meats, etc. As for the percentage of protein, that can be a misnomer because if the protien is not in a form the dog can use, he's not getting it.

Wysong is super concentrated, just way too expensive for this area. There is a store that sells Eagle Pack, but I wouldn't be competing for his business, so there s a possibility. Since I'd have a storefront I don't think I fit the independent rep for Flint River, though I have suggested it to others. Looking on the websites, I'm finding that some of them don't tell you what the cost is, even for retail.

I have heard that Canidae is really good, and it is listed in WDJ as a top food.

[KindredCanuck]

keep feeding BARF.. forget what others say Try selling Solid Gold brand

KC~

[moonwolf]

My dogs have done well with Technical Doc Kennedy if I can get it.
Premium Shemium, most is branding and marketing. So is the BARF diet. I have some concern about my dog to eat chicken bones and possible contamination to feeding raw. I might feed raw frozen fish if I had huskies, and that wouldn't bother me. Wild dogs can eat raw meat and bones, but they have limited life. }
JMHO. To each their own. I've been in groups of dog shows with breeders and handlers. The opininion on which 'premium' brand is all over the place. Also, a long time friend and steward of a breed has done well on the brand I don't use, and suggested my brand which she agreed works well. The protein content is most important and the less of those additive like a human also shouldn't have, the better.
I kept dogs since a youngster, have shown, hunted with them, and mostly companion living long heathty lives.
I like to cook liver and rice together and add about a couple tablespoons a day (terrier sized) to the top of their kibbles. They're happy and well conditioned and nutritioned, and that's what matters.

[southerngurl]

The brand as far as i am concerned does not matter its the protein contentent ,and the ash and minerals I look for . If its not at least 27% i will not buy it.

No, no, no, it doesn't matter what the bag says. What matters is that the nutrition is absorbed. If you get a bag that says 27% it may be that less protien is actually absorbed than the bag that says 22%.

Same thing with minerals that aren't chelated.

Ingredients matter.

[Quint]

I'm probably in the minority but I believe that dry dog food, premium or otherwise, is just proof that if you starve a dog he will eat anything.

I fed my dogs and cats meat and rarely anything but meat. My dog lived until the ripe old age of 16. Cats lived even longer.

[southerngurl]

Well, my dog would eat the food if her belly was the size of a blimb, LOL.

I do agree, fresh meat is the best. I did that for a while, but I had a hard time finding affordable fresh meat to give them.

[Rivka]

you could become a Bravo distributer. The dog groomer in town is one-and seems to do quite well. It's great for those of us that do feed raw- you can pick up dinner if nothing is defrosted- she also has access to things I can get around here (pork bones, bufallo necks, etc)

[Maura]

Bravo? A new one on me. I'll look it up.

I think we can all agree that we have taken the time and thought to take care of our four legged loved ones.

[travlnusa]

I guess i am alone on this one. I have a rule that I will not spend more per lb of dog food than I do on people food.

I buy 50 lbs for around $9-$11. Will also give bones left over from dinner.

I did not know that cooked bones can shatter. I will start to debone before cooking when it makes sense.

Dogs on my farm live to 12-15 yrs old.