Dog food question?

3catsn1dog · Oct 20, 2009

Do the same rules apply to dog food as they do with our cats? I have always had Franklin on Purina first for puppies then at 6 mths started switching him over to adult food. Currently he is on Purina One Lamb and Rice formula. This was recommended to me from BF's step mother who also has a mini doxie and she said it was recommended by her vet! Im wondering if once this bag is done if I should just do like I did for the cats and switch him over to TOTW, but he really loves his food I even get him the lamb and rice wet and lamb stew Beneful and he loves it...Even the cats because when Franklin gets fed they all come running and he willingly shares with them. Trying to get them away from his food is impossible he is fed in the kitchen and I can put him up away from them!
Any advice or ideas or recommendations are welcome!

Tyler

nekochan · Oct 20, 2009

Personally I try to feed grain free whenever possible. Dogs don't need grains either. Some people find that the grain frees tend to be too rich for their dogs but if that is the case it sometimes helps to choose one with a less high protein level.

3catsn1dog · Oct 20, 2009

What about Purina One then? The ingrediants list goes as follows
Lamb (natural source of gluclosamine), brewers rice, corn, gluten meal, whole grain corn, poultry by product (natural source of glucosamine), oat meal, animal fat preserved with mixed tocopherols (form of vitamin E), lamb meal, animal digest, calcium phosphate, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, salt, caramel color, choline choloride, L-lysine monohydrochloride, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, copper sulfate, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfate complex (source of Vitamin K activity), sodium selenate.
Guarenteed Analysis
Crude Protein (min)-26%
Crude Fat (min)-16%
Crude Fiber (max)-3%
Moisture (max)-12%
Linoleic Acid (min)-1.4%
Calcium (min)-1%
Phosphorus (min)-.8%
Selenium (min)-.30mg/kg
Vitamin A (min)-13,000 IU/kg
Vitamin E (min)-100 IU/kg
Glucosamine* (min)-400ppm
*Not recognized as an essential nutrient by AAFCO Dog food nutrient profiles.

**My brain is killing me from typing all that off the bag..lol..but honestly it makes no sense to me which is why Im asking on here! I just want to do best by my babies and make sure Im doing what I can to have him happy and healthy. If Purina One is still ok for him because he loves it so much I wont switch it. But if its like for my cats and not a good food then I will work to switch him over to TOTW canine version.**

sharky · Oct 20, 2009

Originally Posted by Nekochan

Personally I try to feed grain free whenever possible. Dogs don't need grains either. Some people find that the grain frees tend to be too rich for their dogs but if that is the case it sometimes helps to choose one with a less high protein level.

I agree try no grain but like cats it is the best you and the dog agree on... for me it usually = at least 50% homemade ( this is where I added about 10% grain) and 50 raw or commercial dry / canned

Originally Posted by 3CatsN1Dog

What about Purina One then? The ingrediants list goes as follows
Lamb THIS is a mostly water item and it is one that can cause inflamation in a dog with any inflammatory issues ( joints to allergies)(natural source of gluclosamine), brewers riceLOW quality ie can be floor sweepings , corn, gluten mealthis is a good one for a uti prone dog but the ave dog does not need it , whole grain corn, poultry by product (natural source of glucosamine)Corn like in cats is digested poorly and I WILL NOT do by products in a dry form , oat mealslow digesting grain good for stomach issues , animal fat preserved with mixed tocopherols I would avoid but fat is fat (form of vitamin E), lamb mealbetter if this is first on a lamb formula , animal digestby product like flavor agent , calcium phosphate, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, salt, caramel color, choline choloride, L-lysine monohydrochloride, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, copper sulfate, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfate complex (source of Vitamin K activity), sodium selenate.
Guarenteed Analysis
Crude Protein (min)-26%
Crude Fat (min)-16% I prefer higher ... 30-38% for most dogs seems solid in protein for a dry without adding alot of issues ... fat 20-25% I prefer
Crude Fiber (max)-3%
Moisture (max)-12%
Linoleic Acid (min)-1.4%very low and this fat aid s in skin and coat
Calcium (min)-1%
Phosphorus (min)-.8%
Selenium (min)-.30mg/kg
Vitamin A (min)-13,000 IU/kg
Vitamin E (min)-100 IU/kg
Glucosamine* (min)-400ppm 400 drops of glucosime in 1 million drops of water ...
*Not recognized as an essential nutrient by AAFCO Dog food nutrient profiles.

**My brain is killing me from typing all that off the bag..lol..but honestly it makes no sense to me which is why Im asking on here! I just want to do best by my babies and make sure Im doing what I can to have him happy and healthy. If Purina One is still ok for him because he loves it so much I wont switch it. But if its like for my cats and not a good food then I will work to switch him over to TOTW canine version.**

Taste is far better ... I do suggest the fowl or one that is chicken and duck over read meat

2dogmom · Oct 20, 2009

It's a rare dog that won't gobble up whatever you set down. Grain is usually added as a filler, but most dogs do just fine on it. I personally would not feed Beneful as it contains food coloring and a lot of additives that I think a dog is better off without. If you can afford TOTW and your dog enjoys it then go for it. I think in the long run it will pay off in healthy skin and coat.

3catsn1dog · Oct 20, 2009

Well thankfully I only paid .34 cents for the 8lb bag of food and 2 cans of wet purina one and 2 things of beneful. I got coupons from Purina for them and figured what the heck I would try it out because I did use Purina Healthy morsels but Franklin picked and chose which pieces he would eat which I didnt take as a good sign. Hence the reason for a switch. This weekend I will go and get a bag of the TOTW for him and just mix in the Purina One like I mixed in the Purina Indoor for the cats.
Another question to throw in for you guys. How much amount wise would you feed a miniature doxie. He weighs about 11 lbs of solid muscle he is not fat AT ALL! Actually to me he almost looks skinny but when I looked up his breed standard he is perfect for what they recommend. So I dont want him to gain weight or anything. Currently he has pint dishes for his food and water and his food one is filled in the morning and then topped off before I go to work but when I get home from work its normally almost all gone. The bag says between 1 and 1 1/3 cups. But he is pretty much free fed like the cats because he hasnt gotten porky from being free fed. I guess what Im asking is if hes not getting fat from being free fed is it ok to continue this way......Also how do I keep Fatman from eating his food. For some reason Fatman loves the dog food and will snack on it while also eating cat food!

nekochan · Oct 20, 2009

Personally I prefer to not free feed for several reasons. One, if you just fill the bowl when it gets low it can be hard to judge how much the dog is actually eating, and changes in appetite or not eating are often an early warning sign of a medical problem. However if you measure the food out but then just leave the measured amount out all day for your dog to eat this may not be an issue (if you still measure the food, you can tell how much they've eaten.)
Two, dogs are not grazing animals. In the "wild" canines do not eat all day and it's not really natural for them to do so but free fed dogs often will do this. If they do tend to graze or eat when they feel like it, that can also make it difficult to know when they need to be taken out to potty-- if they are not on a food schedule you can't predict when they need to "go."

The only way to really keep the cat from eating the dog's food is to feed on a schedule. It's a lot easier to keep dogs out of a cat's food since you can put the food where the dog can't reach it, but you can't really do that with a dog's food!

sharky · Oct 20, 2009

I meter free feed dry to a dog just like I do the cats...

I measure out the amount in the morning and leave it out all day ... I split the amount in half so I have a morning and evening feeding

Willowy · Oct 22, 2009

Some dogs develop training issues from free feeding (food guarding, etc.), and it's very hard to potty-train a free-fed puppy. But if he doesn't have any problems with it, then, like sharky said, measured free feeding is fine.

3catsn1dog · Oct 23, 2009

He doesnt have any bathroom problems. Most of that is probably because someone is ALWAYS home with him. Im generally home during the day Mon-Fri so he lets me know when he needs to go out and on the weekends BF checks in on him to let him out. But he doesnt food guard either he is very good about me messing with his food or him while he is eating. Also I noticed too he only eats when we eat. Breakfast he will munch after I dump his food out and give him fresh food and water and then again at lunch and dinner. He isnt an eat all day type of dog which probably helps with him not having accidents in the house or anything. When we got him he was 2 1/2 mths old and already partially house broken and even then it only took us about a week to completely train him. Now if only he would sit and stay..lol..He dances like a champ but heaven forbid he stay where he sits! haha

plebayo · Oct 23, 2009

I have three dogs. I feed Canidae which is one of my favorite dog foods. I also like Natural Balance and Innova. Canidae works pretty well for my crew. I have a 13 year old 26lb dog who gets 1 cup per day [half am/pm], a 50lb 4 year old who gets 1 cup per day [half am/pm], and a 55lb 1 year old who currently gets 4 cups per day [2 am/pm].

None of my dogs can be free fed because both LiLo and Seth will eat until their sides are bursting.

Dog food question?

3catsn1dog

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