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Comment by Judi, Dawn, Soffie & Griffyn on September 11, 2009 at 2:51pm

We've been feeding Soffie & Griffyn the EVO reduced fat and they liked it very much. But it's hard to find if you're on a road trip back home to Florida from Maine, and you run out of dog food because the trip took an extra day because the battery in your vehicle decides to die when you're out in the middle of nowhere in the Poconos in PA!!! LOL!!! After searching with our GPS we finally found a Petco in NC, and after discovering that they don't carry EVO I picked up a bag of Wellness Simple5mix weight control. They LOVED it!! Which made me happy because I was thinking of switching to Wellness anyway. Actually, I'm thinking of alternating between the Wellness Core reduced fat and the EVO reduced fat. Not every other bag but every so often to give a little variety. After all.... I'd get bored eating the same thing all my life!!!

Comment by Linsey & Grissom on September 10, 2009 at 8:00pm

Amanda- IMOP, Wellness is great food. That's what I had Griss on when I very first got him, before going raw. I would have put him back on it, other than the daycare I started working at lets me buy my foods at cost, and we don't carry wellness, but Innova is incredibly similar and we do have that here.
Canidae's horror stories are a bad business move made by the company. They did not make a public announcement when they changed their formula. The change was not for the worse, but it was enough of a change to have the same effect as giving a new food. Customers didn't know, therefore didn't "phase" bags of the new formulas in with the old. Canidae is a decent food, for not being grain free, and if I could't aford Evo, I'd feed canidae in a heartbeat.
Yes, they are both made by P & G. Technically, P&G is primarily responsible for the many many cruel animal tests that happen associated with the pet food industry- primarily in the name of Iams products. ironicly, a lot of these tests have to do with testing how little nutrition a dog can survive in. Sounds like P&G trying to raise their bottom line.
Jane- That is Iams as well as a lot of other dog foods. I have mixed feelings on the Whole Dog Journal.I think it's good for referencing, but always be open to doing your own further research. If I remember correctly, the WDJ praises Nurto as well. (hey, another one of those brands that was once decent!)

Comment by Jane Christensen on September 10, 2009 at 6:23pm

Isn't Iams the company that used to be better and then sold to someone else??? Science Diet it sounds good doesn't it??? Like people really studied what should go into dog food...like CORN...Read the labels!!! Yes those cute little colorful bones and other shapes make some people think they really giving their dog something special...but I won't say what! I feed my dogs Premium Edge (salmon) and yes it is an offshoot of Diamond foods but it is recognized in The Whole Dog Journal as a good food. This newsletter is great and publishes lists of the better dog foods and their ingredients both canned and dry a few times a year so you can compare right in this newsletter along with many other good articles on dogs.

Comment by Amanda on September 10, 2009 at 6:15pm

Oh -- and also, isn't Eukanuba made by the same company that makes Iams?

Comment by Amanda on September 10, 2009 at 6:14pm

I have Dax on Wellness Core. I just switched him from regular Wellness to Core. I always wanted him on Core because I suspect a grain allergy, but no one around here sold it. Petco just starting carrying it around here, but they only have the original kind and they only have the small bags, so I'm stuck with that for now.

I would LOVE to feed Dax a raw diet, but like you said, some situations don't allow it to happen. Wellness is the best I can find around here. Before I started him on it, I looked all around for Canidae because I had heard great things about it, but couldn't find it around here either. Since then I've heard about some bad experiences with it, but I've also heard some terrible stories about Wellness as well -- every dog will react to foods differently. I had Dax on Blue Buffalo for a while, but he was allergic to something in it (probably the grains). I switched him back to Wellness and his itching and watery eyes disappeared almost immediately, not to mention his coat is much shinier now.

Comment by Amanda & Tuck on September 10, 2009 at 6:04pm

I got Tucker (my first dog as an adult) 6 months ago. My dog growing up always ate Iams - and I know my brother had his three dogs on Pedigree or something like that. Those dogs are the center of his world and when I talked to him about what to feed Tucker I thought he'd have some great advice and he said Pedigree! He's since changed what he feeds them but I think people just go by the commercials they see, or what the vet/breeder tells them without doing thier own reserach. I did some research and decided to feed Tucker Wellness but I still feel like there are so many conflicting opinions I really don't know what is best - feels like any kibble is considered a no-no by many.

Comment by Linsey & Grissom on September 10, 2009 at 5:55pm

I am a big believer in prey model raw, and have been doing it, but right now my living situation isn't allowing it. I've been feeding EVO to my shepherd mix. Grissom had a tough time with lose stools coming off the raw diet, so he's temporarily on california natural, a simple diet, until he adjusts a little better. He's solid now, so I'll put him on Innova probably next week.
I don't think everyone needs to feed raw. It can be difficult to fit into some lifestyles, I admit that. It's not for everyone. (every DOG, yes. every person. no) There are a few kibbles I see as being decent. Innova, EVO, california natural (for sensitive dogs) canidae, merrick, etc.

Iams and SD tick me off the most, as well as nutro.
Did the recall of 2007 not hit ANYONE over the head or what?

Comment by Amanda on September 10, 2009 at 5:38pm

Well said. I hate the "they're fine on the cheap kind" excuse and I almost die when I hear "they're just dogs." Well. Your kids are just kids, why don't you just let them live off of macaroni and cheese...I mean it's cheap, right? The fact is you shouldn't own a dog if you have the "it's just a dog" attitude. These people make me sick. My sister has a beagle who used to eat Ol' Roy (probably the WORST food ever made), now she feeds her Kibbles N Bits. The poor dog is only 4 years old and she's so sluggish and sad looking, her coat is dull, her teeth are disgusting which makes her breath horrible. I don't know if she thinks the switch made a difference or what. I'd like to take the dog and keep her for about two months, put her on a good quality food, and see how she improves. I pretty much put all grocery store brands on the same level. If you can buy it at walmart, it's not good for your dog. It's like the dog version of fast food, because they LOVE it...but its so bad for them.

My mom's boyfriend told me once "feed him either Pedigree or Purina, those are the best two out there." I couldn't help but think like...what makes you think these foods are good? Because they're "name brand"? They contain the same ingredients as Ol Roy or some other crap brand, and if you're going to feed them that anyway, you might as well save your money and go ahead and buy the cheapest thing on the shelf. Of course, this is also from a guy who feeds his dogs the largest can (1 can each) of dog food the (grocery) store sells every night, and doesn't want to admit that his dogs are overweight.

What upsets me even more is when people are actually TRYING to feed their dogs good food, but they don't know anything about it, so they take the vet's advice and end up feeding them some crap food like Science Diet, which is almost just as bad as grocery store brands, and think that they're feeding the best food out there.

Anyway, sorry I went off on a tangent, I just get kind of worked up about the whole feeding issue. Just out of curiosity, what do your dogs eat?

Comment by Jane Christensen on September 10, 2009 at 5:25pm

I wish people would wake up and not only look what their animals are eating but they themselves too! I live in the middle of farm country and around here people also feed the cheapo food...I think for many people here a dog is a dog is a dog...but people who even care about there dogs are very uninformed about their dog's food...I have suggested to many people a "better" food and no corn...but they just don't "get it"! have to drive 30 miles to get my dog food and would drive further. I don't know how we can change things...it kind of like buying our food from the dollar store...HELLO...but people do it! If they don't read food labels for their own food do you think they're gonna read it for there dogs food???