# Suggestions for a better dog food?



## NYBlueNose (Apr 22, 2012)

I have a 9 month old, 61 pound female blue nose. I currently feed her Blue Buffalo for Large Breed Puppies. I also mix cooked yams and wild salmon oil into her food for every meal. 

Does anyone have any suggestions for a dry food that is even better? Her food is not only incredibly healthy, but at $53 for a 30lb bag - its a great deal. I was thinking about switching to Blue Wilderness for Puppies, but I am also open to ideas about other brands, such as Wellness Core. Any ideas??


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## angelbaby (Feb 4, 2010)

large breed isnt needed this isn't a large breed of dog. there are many food threads on here already if youuse the search button at the top im sure you will find what you need.


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## NYBlueNose (Apr 22, 2012)

Right, but Blue classifies them as large breed, so it's a healthier food for them then the regular Blue puppy food. It's ok though, I just switched to Blue Wilderness for Puppies. The ratings are through the roof, 36% protein, and grain free.


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## papertissue (Apr 14, 2012)

NYBlueNose said:


> Right, but Blue classifies them as large breed, so it's a healthier food for them then the regular Blue puppy food. It's ok though, I just switched to Blue Wilderness for Puppies. The ratings are through the roof, 36% protein, and grain free.


I use BBWP and I'm switching mine off of is as quickly as possible. It's not a stable food. The company doesn't deliver a consistent product either. Switch to Acana. They have better options.


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## NYBlueNose (Apr 22, 2012)

papertissue said:


> I use BBWP and I'm switching mine off of is as quickly as possible. It's not a stable food. The company doesn't deliver a consistent product either. Switch to Acana. They have better options.


In what way is it unstable? I'm genuinely asking because I've never seen a negative review from a legitimate, credible source. I would LOVE to switch to Orijen, as they make an absolutely incredible food, but the price is just way too high.


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## angelbaby (Feb 4, 2010)

Have you looked into Acana , is it in your price range? same company as orijen but I had to switch to Acana from orijen as 6 dogs was costing me alot when i was feeding orijen. Acana is still pricey but not as bad as orijen I think it is costing me $50-$60 with acana where orijen was $70-$80 a bag.


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## NYBlueNose (Apr 22, 2012)

angelbaby said:


> Have you looked into Acana , is it in your price range? same company as orijen but I had to switch to Acana from orijen as 6 dogs was costing me alot when i was feeding orijen. Acana is still pricey but not as bad as orijen I think it is costing me $50-$60 with acana where orijen was $70-$80 a bag.


I'm looking into it right now online. Which bag do you get and where do you find it that cheap? The cheapest I see so far for a 30lb bag is $70. I've also heard that Canadae is incredible too, but I don't know much about it. Orijen is insane, but so are the prices. However, at $70 a bag for Acana, that is only about 4 or 5 bucks more than Wilderness if you look at the price-per-pound, so that's not too bad.


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## angelbaby (Feb 4, 2010)

I buy from a place called bosleys but it may be canadian. and the variety changes we stick to the grain free but they carry a wide variety there and I have found some times I cant get the one I was using. The last bag we just bought was pacifica, we get another one thats in the orange bag as well cant remeber what it was called though.


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## NYBlueNose (Apr 22, 2012)

angelbaby said:


> I buy from a place called bosleys but it may be canadian. and the variety changes we stick to the grain free but they carry a wide variety there and I have found some times I cant get the one I was using. The last bag we just bought was pacifica, we get another one thats in the orange bag as well cant remeber what it was called though.


I just did a pretty detailed comparison between the four that are grain free and it appears that the two best are Wild Prairie and Pacifica, I honestly wouldn't bother with the Ranch or Grasslands, not for my dog anyway. I think this is a great way to go though. She's 9.5 months now, I might as well finish off the Wilderness for puppies, but when she turns 12 months, I'll almost definitely be switching her to Acana Pacifica.


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## versatile (Apr 23, 2012)

i would never pay 70 bucks for a bag of dog food. I feed raw and it cost 40-50 bucks a week to feed 12 dogs. if you have to feed dog food I recommend 4 health (salmon and potato). best bang for the buck. Your dogs will look and feel great. i also wouldn't feed orijen.....owners think they are doing the best for their dogs because it cost so much but in actuality it is too much protein. no meat in nature would contain that much protein.


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## angelbaby (Feb 4, 2010)

versatile I agree with orijen being too high in protein if dogs are laying around being couch pets , if you work your dog adequately { not just a hand walk a day } but work out, weight pull, spring pole, flirt pole, running or swimming or other harder working acivitys the protein is just fine. You have to find what works for your dog. I fed orijen since day 1 and have dogs going on 4 years - 1.5 years and havent had any issues with the protein levels. although they are now on acana for price wise. i think when we fed raw it was working out to the same price about within $10 or feeding orijen, maybe depends on your area and what meat prices are. I know down town here meat prices are way over what we paid, close to triple the prices .


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## NYBlueNose (Apr 22, 2012)

I have to agree, completely. The protein IS bad for most dogs if - and only if - they aren't properly exercised. Orijen is not made for your average dog though. Even foods like Wilderness or Wellness Core isn't made for average dogs. However, anyone who has a pit bull and doesn't exercise it...should have gotten a different dog. My little girl does a LOT of running with other dogs at the park, 3 mile walks, sprints, fetch, etc. Acana would be perfect, however, Orijen is not only too expensive, but its overkill for her because I'm not trying to turn her into a massive ball of muscle and teeth.


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## versatile (Apr 23, 2012)

angelbaby said:


> versatile I agree with orijen being too high in protein if dogs are laying around being couch pets , if you work your dog adequately { not just a hand walk a day } but work out, weight pull, spring pole, flirt pole, running or swimming or other harder working acivitys the protein is just fine. You have to find what works for your dog. I fed orijen since day 1 and have dogs going on 4 years - 1.5 years and havent had any issues with the protein levels. although they are now on acana for price wise. i think when we fed raw it was working out to the same price about within $10 or feeding orijen, maybe depends on your area and what meat prices are. I know down town here meat prices are way over what we paid, close to triple the prices .


go to the halal markets......if they keep the meat for over one day it is useless or it drastically is reduced in price. most halal food is killed that day. they are generous with meat they can't use.....


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## papertissue (Apr 14, 2012)

NYBlueNose said:


> In what way is it unstable? I'm genuinely asking because I've never seen a negative review from a legitimate, credible source. I would LOVE to switch to Orijen, as they make an absolutely incredible food, but the price is just way too high.


When I got my first bag of BBWP the kibble was really small. Just like you'd imagine puppy kibble to look like. The next bag however was huge compared to the previous bag. The next bag had "life bits" in it. I went off and asked PetSmart if I could see what the adult BBW looks like and the food was EXACTLY the same. The same smell, the same size, everything. The only difference was the price range. They were charging me more for puppy food when I could get the adult food about 8 bucks cheaper. They also got in trouble for having too much protein in their food which was causing severe kidney problems in dogs. Not to mention quite a few deaths. Other dogs were having skin allergies and poopy troubles.

As someone in the same boat as you. [I'm a college student with pretty much 0 income at the end of the month.] If it means that my Ruby is getting a consistent, healthier dry kibble that won't kill her from the inside out, then I'm going to splurge on the kibble I know is going to work well with her kidney problems and corn allergy. Not to mention the wet food I make for her as well.

I haven't tried Acana yet. But as soon as her last bag of BBWP is half empty I'm going to buy a bag and see how it works with her.


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## NYBlueNose (Apr 22, 2012)

papertissue said:


> When I got my first bag of BBWP the kibble was really small. Just like you'd imagine puppy kibble to look like. The next bag however was huge compared to the previous bag. The next bag had "life bits" in it. I went off and asked PetSmart if I could see what the adult BBW looks like and the food was EXACTLY the same. The same smell, the same size, everything. The only difference was the price range. They were charging me more for puppy food when I could get the adult food about 8 bucks cheaper. They also got in trouble for having too much protein in their food which was causing severe kidney problems in dogs. Not to mention quite a few deaths. Other dogs were having skin allergies and poopy troubles.
> 
> As someone in the same boat as you. [I'm a college student with pretty much 0 income at the end of the month.] If it means that my Ruby is getting a consistent, healthier dry kibble that won't kill her from the inside out, then I'm going to splurge on the kibble I know is going to work well with her kidney problems and corn allergy. Not to mention the wet food I make for her as well.
> 
> I haven't tried Acana yet. But as soon as her last bag of BBWP is half empty I'm going to buy a bag and see how it works with her.


I have to be honest, I've never heard anything like that before. I've also had nothing but relentless success with Blue's foods and treats. Moreover, I've also never had any discrepancies in what the food looks like. I could obviously be wrong, but I'm guessing they simply got a shipment that underwent some issues at the factory.

As far as too much protein goes...I'm not sure that's really possible. 36% protein isn't anything crazy and there are quite a few brands out there, such as Orijen, that boast much higher rates. Wilderness and all foods like it are meant for very active, muscular dogs, so if some fool was buying it for his Teacup Yorkie...well that's his own fault. I've done quite a bit of research on the protein myth as well, including consultations with 4 different vets and they all say the same thing: it is extraordinarily hard to give a dog too much protein when feeding them dry kibble, the real issue comes from people giving their dogs too much calcium.

I am no expert and do not claim to be one, however, I do quite a bit of research before forming any opinions of my own. I'm certainly not a representative for Blue, but I do have trust in the brand. My dog gets showered with so many compliments about her health, body, and coat that it's actually a little obnoxious and she's been on Blue since day one. With that said though, she will be going straight to Acana when she reaches 12 months, because as good as Blue is, it's not as good as Acana.

I am in no way arguing with your opinions, I'm simply stating mine as well to provide a little "food" for thought.


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## papertissue (Apr 14, 2012)

NYBlueNose said:


> I have to be honest, I've never heard anything like that before. I've also had nothing but relentless success with Blue's foods and treats. Moreover, I've also never had any discrepancies in what the food looks like. I could obviously be wrong, but I'm guessing they simply got a shipment that underwent some issues at the factory.
> 
> As far as too much protein goes...I'm not sure that's really possible. 36% protein isn't anything crazy and there are quite a few brands out there, such as Orijen, that boast much higher rates. Wilderness and all foods like it are meant for very active, muscular dogs, so if some fool was buying it for his Teacup Yorkie...well that's his own fault. I've done quite a bit of research on the protein myth as well, including consultations with 4 different vets and they all say the same thing: it is extraordinarily hard to give a dog too much protein when feeding them dry kibble, the real issue comes from people giving their dogs too much calcium.
> 
> ...


I've done tons of research on kibble that I thought was going to be good. Apparently the whole BB scare just happened because I never read anything about this last year. I was told by TONS of people that BB was the way to go. But because Ruby has a corn allergy I had to get the BBWP. And I never saw/heard one person who had used it, personally.

If you look a bit back more you can see a question I posted about BBWP. And the answers I got are related to the answers I'm giving you on this post. If you do a bit more Googling around you can find the articles about how BB as a company isn't that great. But their Wilderness line seems to be doing WAY better than the other food offers they have. Especially the Salmon Wilderness food. Which is why I said _inconsistent._ Also I'll have to pull up the article but I think it was calcium problems and not protein. :hammer:

I really think, personally, that BBW is a good food. If you exercise your dog and give them plenty of water. Then it's WAY better than feeding them something like Old Roy. And I'm always on the hunt for a better food. And BB paid for tons of people's vet bills. So as a company they seem legit. But for my Ruby it's a love/hate kind of thing. After 3 inconsistent batches of food I'm not really eager to buy any more. And I still have one more bag to go. I also have to deal with her kidney problems and corn allergy to begin with so maybe that's why I'm just so picky.  If something doesn't work with her body then I'm worried for those around me.

Just giving my two cents. ^_^


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## aj_harness (Sep 22, 2011)

I'm also a college student who spends most her money on her dogs so I can't say I buy the most expensive or best dog food. I've heard many say that the dog food brand don't make your dog live longer. But if your training her to be in competitions or something then brand would matter I'm guessing. I feed my dog Blue Diamond. He was on regular dog chow but I decided why pay $20 for a food that's rated one star. Different sites say different things but Blue Diamond was ranked four out of five stars. It don't have meat by products so I was happy. At TSC it was $30 for 40 pounds so I was happy and it was easier to buy in my area than ordering online. He loves it and it comes in big chunks which makes him chew and not swallow it whole. I also tried the RAW diet and he liked it but it was time consuming and I didn't have time to make sure he ate his food and didn't try eating it when it spoiled in mornings before class.


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

NYBlueNose said:


> Right, but Blue classifies them as large breed, so it's a healthier food for them then the regular Blue puppy food. It's ok though, I just switched to Blue Wilderness for Puppies. The ratings are through the roof, 36% protein, and grain free.


I am on the bb wilderness, has no corn or rice fillers, grain free and it works great for my pup. I will say about the way dog food classifies their weight suggestions is similar to what they have as food suggestions. They said for my boy, 58lbs to feed him 3-4 1/2 cups of food, so that I run out faster and need to buy it quicker, lol. The large breed is sometimes more expensive, or has less pounds per package to offset the same price. I feed my boy a cup and a half of kibbles with pumpkin for his belly and fish oil for his skin plus tons of grain free biscuits throughout the day and some cheese for training. I cut back on his kibbles because I like giving him the biscuits, lol. Basically even if the food is rated what your pup MIGHT end up weighing and they consider over 50lbs large breed, it doesn't mean that they are correct. Just find a 4 or 5 start rated one that works for your pup and go with it.


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## Vilebeast (Feb 29, 2012)

aj_harness said:


> I'm also a college student who spends most her money on her dogs so I can't say I buy the most expensive or best dog food. I've heard many say that the dog food brand don't make your dog live longer. But if your training her to be in competitions or something then brand would matter I'm guessing. I feed my dog Blue Diamond. He was on regular dog chow but I decided why pay $20 for a food that's rated one star. Different sites say different things but Blue Diamond was ranked four out of five stars. It don't have meat by products so I was happy. At TSC it was $30 for 40 pounds so I was happy and it was easier to buy in my area than ordering online. He loves it and it comes in big chunks which makes him chew and not swallow it whole. I also tried the RAW diet and he liked it but it was time consuming and I didn't have time to make sure he ate his food and didn't try eating it when it spoiled in mornings before class.


When you say Blue Diamond you mean Diamond Dog food in the blue bag? I feed my pup Diamond, just make sure you werent in the recall they had not to long ago, I think the info is still on there site. Granted I am working my way toward buying what I need for RAW but that is a different topic.

I honestly think, the only thing on food that everyone here would agree with is. Feed the best you can afford and have time for.


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## papertissue (Apr 14, 2012)

ames said:


> I am on the bb wilderness, has no corn or rice fillers, grain free and it works great for my pup. I will say about the way dog food classifies their weight suggestions is similar to what they have as food suggestions. They said for my boy, 58lbs to feed him 3-4 1/2 cups of food, so that I run out faster and need to buy it quicker, lol. The large breed is sometimes more expensive, or has less pounds per package to offset the same price. I feed my boy a cup and a half of kibbles with pumpkin for his belly and fish oil for his skin plus tons of grain free biscuits throughout the day and some cheese for training. I cut back on his kibbles because I like giving him the biscuits, lol. Basically even if the food is rated what your pup MIGHT end up weighing and they consider over 50lbs large breed, it doesn't mean that they are correct. Just find a 4 or 5 start rated one that works for your pup and go with it.


Yeah my Roo is 30lbs and can munch on 2 cups all day. I think a lot of people are just over feeding them.


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## aj_harness (Sep 22, 2011)

Yeah I think its blue and I haven't heard any recalls though I think I did long time ago with different kind of blue diamond. I made sure to watch out for recalls when I decide to go with this brand. Hes been on it for months now and hes fine. I think he loves it more than the dog chow I used buy from Walmart. Makes his coat really shiny which I love  but it don't stay that way very long because he likes to roll in dirt after baths . I knew a guy that had a pit bull from same litter of mine and she was like dog show material and lean with muscles. He fed her ol' roy dog food and she looked better than mine lol so I really doubt food plays a toll on dogs unless they are special needs like allergies.


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## KMdogs (Apr 22, 2011)

aj_harness said:


> Yeah I think its blue and I haven't heard any recalls though I think I did long time ago with different kind of blue diamond. I made sure to watch out for recalls when I decide to go with this brand. Hes been on it for months now and hes fine. I think he loves it more than the dog chow I used buy from Walmart. Makes his coat really shiny which I love  but it don't stay that way very long because he likes to roll in dirt after baths . I knew a guy that had a pit bull from same litter of mine and she was like dog show material and lean with muscles. He fed her ol' roy dog food and she looked better than mine lol so I really doubt food plays a toll on dogs unless they are special needs like allergies.


Diamond had a recall just 3 or 4 weeks ago on their Lamb Meal.. Last year they had 2 different recalls alone due to contamination.. The SC factory is still shut down, to my knowledge, for a "cleaning" which they closed just week and a half after the contamination on their Lamb... Diamond is ALWAYS trying to cover their tracks up and the quality is poor. Last time i went to their factory it was utterly disgusting, they supposedly cleaned it up since i've been there but i have heard from sources its more or less the same..

Wilderness is decent but far over priced for what you get, especially if you happen to buy at Pet Smart or another big chain store as mark ups are increased.. Wilderness is made in the same factories as BB, same quality ingredients just more ingredients thus consistency is so-so. Its decent feed but at an average price of $55 - $65 a 24lb bag depending on your area and where you buy, it ain't worth it..

Especially considering you can get higher quality, slightly more pounds, for similar or just a tad higher in price.

Just because a dog does well on a certain feed doesn't meaning they are thriving to the fullest of health potential. A dogs body is naturally rugged and tough, being able to consume a wide variety of foods and objects passing with relative ease.


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## NewPttMom (Mar 20, 2012)

I am no where near as knowledgable (or opinionated, lol) as many here but I do know that quality of food does make a difference. Not just nutrition, but look of coat, how well it fills them up AND how much comes out the other end!

With 2 boys & a limited budget, I did try a less expensive, though not bottom of the barrel food. One would barely eat it & the other STAYED hungry, always looking for more food. Their coats showed a dramatic change and the poop patrol was at least twice the work. It isn't cheaper if it takes twice as much kibble per meal....which was almost the serving difference indicated on the bag.

We loved BB, but are currently trying out TOTW Pacific Stream as one of my guys seems to have gnarly allergies. If this doesn't solve his issues, I will more than likely go back to BB, feeding that has been the best for us so far.


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## SECD (Jan 17, 2011)

Geez you are feeding a great food, that is like feeding a ghetto child a five star mill. Find something that the dog likes and use it.


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## aj_harness (Sep 22, 2011)

KMdogs said:


> Diamond had a recall just 3 or 4 weeks ago on their Lamb Meal.. Last year they had 2 different recalls alone due to contamination.. The SC factory is still shut down, to my knowledge, for a "cleaning" which they closed just week and a half after the contamination on their Lamb... Diamond is ALWAYS trying to cover their tracks up and the quality is poor. Last time i went to their factory it was utterly disgusting, they supposedly cleaned it up since i've been there but i have heard from sources its more or less the same..
> 
> Wilderness is decent but far over priced for what you get, especially if you happen to buy at Pet Smart or another big chain store as mark ups are increased.. Wilderness is made in the same factories as BB, same quality ingredients just more ingredients thus consistency is so-so. Its decent feed but at an average price of $55 - $65 a 24lb bag depending on your area and where you buy, it ain't worth it..
> 
> ...


Oops I'm a blonde. I feed my dog diamond naturals. I knew it had diamond in it :stick: Even if you said my brand had a recall it wouldn't honestly surprise me. Every food even peoples food is getting recalled even organic for people and five star food for dogs. You can only fully know what your dog is getting if you prepare it yourself. I have fed my dog expensive dog food like taste of the wild and I didn't really see a big deal of change in his health or anything. My best suggestion is pick a food and try different kinds until you find one you and your dog both enjoy. All dogs are different and some benefit more from different foods.


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## KMdogs (Apr 22, 2011)

aj_harness said:


> Oops I'm a blonde. I feed my dog diamond naturals. I knew it had diamond in it :stick: Even if you said my brand had a recall it wouldn't honestly surprise me. Every food even peoples food is getting recalled even organic for people and five star food for dogs. You can only fully know what your dog is getting if you prepare it yourself. I have fed my dog expensive dog food like taste of the wild and I didn't really see a big deal of change in his health or anything. My best suggestion is pick a food and try different kinds until you find one you and your dog both enjoy. All dogs are different and some benefit more from different foods.


Expensive is relative.. TOTW is just Diamond or "Diamond Naturals" with more of the "better" ingredients, same company produces all plus a few others.

Yes, just about every single dog food has had a recall at some point for various reasons. However knowing WHAT those recalls are, trends with companies, how many recalls and how often do these companies attempt to cover it up is beneficial...

I've worked as a dog feed distributor, whole sale and general retail as well as studied dog nutrition for years..

Your right, the only way to know fully what your dog is getting, quality and consistency is to make it yourself however there are a FEW good kibble based feeds out there that provide you as close to peace of mind as possible.


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## SMiGGs (Jul 6, 2011)

2 cups in the morning of (Kirkland, Natures domain, or NutroNugget) 1 at noon, and 1 chicken leg quarter at night.


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