What do you feed your dog?

I breed Mastiffs and a raw diet would cost me an arm and both legs every month.

Get a good no grain dog food like Innova Red Meat and you will be fine. NO Grain is the key

Although....and you will think i'm crazy....I've had great success with and my dogs LOVE Alpo.

a few years ago there was an article in the WSJ that compared all the popular dog foods and beleive it or not Old Roy from Walmart came out the best for value and content. Things have changed since then but i think people pay too much for some comercial foods

best dog food hands down is Innova EVO.

Clackamas Coot
Sound like you really are devoted to giving your pups a lot of advantages.
Our lab is our best friend, I've trained him since he was 7.5 weeks. We lived in the country until last week and raised our dog off leash, he's def my best friend, I feel I can communicate better with him than any human.
Are you expecting a litter anytime soon?

I feed Mighty Dog from Purina... lol

I give my dog yogurt once a week....its supposed to be good with helping clean out the intestinal track of the dog. Dairy is not a major role in a dogs diet.
IMO Innova EVO is probably the best brand to buy if you cant feed raw.

Here are some things to consider about a dog:

First off its a dog (animal) Considered wild until people try and domesticate them.

Just because they can make good pets if properly trained doesn't mean we change diet as well. The genetic DNA of a dog does not change.

The dogs jaws,gums, and teeth are designed to tear at its food and swallow hole as if in the wild. They do not have a mouth designed to chew food and start digestion proccess in the mouth such as humans. Digestion begins in the stomach of the dog.

They simply swallow the food whole take the nutrients (mainly protein) and poop out the rest.

The closet genetic DNA today that science has suggest the dog is derived from the grey wolf. I forget the exact percentage but they are almost identical.

Just some of my thoughts on this topic

MY GIRL eats DIAMOND pet foods lamb & rice

What to Feed your Dogs

What to Feed your Dogs

My company formulates all-natural remedies, and a Longevity Program targeted to Dogs and Cats.

I can tell you what not to feed- ANY commercial dog food- wet or dry. No commercial pet chews either. RAW bones are very good. Cooked bones splinter.

Wild dogs eat fresh kill. They not consume dairy, so anything dairy sourced, including acidophilus, dairy is not natural, although raw milk would be OK to wean. If it's not natural it's probably not healthy for them.

The closest to fresh kill is fresh meat, or chicken, served raw, and preferably organic. But you need to transition to it, by first mixing 10%, 25, 50, 75 to whatever you are currently feeding, then finally 100%.

A raw diet is not sufficient by itself. Your dog also needs:

1. Soil-based Probiotic Organisms, which helps maintain the balance between aerobic and aerobic bacteria in the GI tract, stablize GI tract pH...
2. Digestive Enzymes to break down the food into small elements, so they are easily digested
3. Vital Lipids A combination of oils to maintain skin, eyes, nails, arteries, veins, heart...

We put these into our Longevity Program, which takes the guess work out of which supplements are best. When youi combine these with a raw diet, you won't believe the transition that takes place.

My website is www.vitalityscience.com you have to use the onsite search bar then type longevity program dog.

dwarfganja said:

I give my dog yogurt once a week....its supposed to be good with helping clean out the intestinal track of the dog. Dairy is not a major role in a dogs diet.

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I agree with most your points, however, I feed my dog yogurt every day. Yogurt, is indeed a dairy product, however a dairy product is not necessarily yogurt, dig? yogurt and kefir are both very good for dogs, because they are loaded with beneficial bacteria and yeasts, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, B. bifidum, etc. SCOBYs (Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast) often have as many as 15 different species living in the consortium.
The reason for feeding any mammal a food that has been cultured is to try to bring to a balance the ratios of naturally occurring microbes. I guess that one could still say it is "cleaning out" but it is a bit more complex than that. Plants (those grown without human interference, that is, or with the help of humans using biological methods) need microbial assistance to "digest" complex mineral compounds; it is not all that different for humans/dogs/horses/ etc.
And the few times I have fed milk, it has been raw, i.e. not pasteurized or homogenized, which naturally contains probiotics when the conditions are ideal/optimal.

Homemade food made of chicken or beef meat (anything but fried) + rice and vegetables.
And some dried food from time to time as a snack.

pretty cool.. if i had the money i'd be doing this forsure
i stick to science diet, and almost EVERYTHING i eat my dog gets a piece..
sometimes i'll give her an entire steak to herself..
you know i think shes about due for one today.

anyways while the subject is up, what do you all think about rawhide treats and pig ears? my pittie loves that junk but i hear its not so good for them?

PetFlora said:

They not consume dairy, so anything dairy sourced, including acidophilus, dairy is not natural, although raw milk would be OK to wean. If it's not natural it's probably not healthy for them.

The closest to fresh kill is fresh meat, or chicken, served raw, and preferably organic. But you need to transition to it, by first mixing 10%, 25, 50, 75 to whatever you are currently feeding, then finally 100%.

A raw diet is not sufficient by itself. Your dog also needs:

1. Soil-based Probiotic Organisms, which helps maintain the balance between aerobic and aerobic bacteria in the GI tract, stablize GI tract pH...
2. Digestive Enzymes to break down the food into small elements, so they are easily digested
3. Vital Lipids A combination of oils to maintain skin, eyes, nails, arteries, veins, heart...

Click to expand...

I was just curious as to what your definition of natural is, as it is an extremely vague word, that connotes different meaning to different individuals. Digestive enzymes? Like the ones exuded by microbes? I think it is a bit hypocritical to say yogurt is unnatural to feed to a dog, but "digestive enzymes" are not.
I'm not trying to bash your company, but if you want to play semantics about what's natural, I'm sure we could start a whole new thread for that.
I try to raise my dog the same way as my plants, by sourcing as many local ingredients as possible, and emulating the type of nutrition he would be receiving if living in the wild.

I was thinking the same thing!

Natural as a "supplement" to Raw feeding would be:
Feed other organs: Heart,liver etc.
Also fish....the whole Fish great for dogs!

Trichgnomes said:

I was just curious as to what your definition of natural is, as it is an extremely vague word, that connotes different meaning to different individuals. Digestive enzymes? Like the ones exuded by microbes? I think it is a bit hypocritical to say yogurt is unnatural to feed to a dog, but "digestive enzymes" are not.
I'm not trying to bash your company, but if you want to play semantics about what's natural, I'm sure we could start a whole new thread for that.
I try to raise my dog the same way as my plants, by sourcing as many local ingredients as possible, and emulating the type of nutrition he would be receiving if living in the wild.

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i feed my dog nutro dog food. i hunt with blue ticks and it they eat and crap less. keeps them going. heres some info about the puppy feed.

WE DON’T JUST TALK ABOUT GREAT NUTRITION, WE GUARANTEE IT®
NATURAL CHOICE® Large Breed Puppy Formula is formulated to provide 100% complete and balanced nutrition for puppies. Like all NATURAL CHOICE® foods, this formula contains no chicken heads, feet or intestines, and no ground yellow corn. We use real chicken protein and high levels of linoleic acid for healthy skin and coat, and strong muscles. Gentle on puppies delicate digestive system. Naturally preserved. Rich in antioxidant vitamins for optimum health. Helps support learning by puppies.

Controlled Growth Formula®
Large and giant breeds are prone to rapid growth, which could lead to hip and joint problems. Our Controlled Growth Formula® provides a unique blend of key nutrients needed to help maintain healthy, balanced growth from weaning to maturity.

Natural Sources of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Building Blocks of Healthy Joints
Good nutrition is important to large and giant breeds for strong hips and healthy joints. Research shows that these two components found in chicken meal help maintain healthy joint cartilage.

Balanced Calcium-Phosphorus for Healthy Balanced Growth of the Skeletal SystemResearch shows that large breed puppies have a reduced requirement for calcium and phosphorus so NATURAL CHOICE® Large Breed Puppy provides the ideal calcium-phosphorus requirement.Adjusted Protein and Fat Levels
Excess weight can cause bone and joint problems for large breed puppies. NATURAL CHOICE® Large Breed Puppy provides optimum protein and fat levels to help balance growth while providing plenty of protein for muscles, skin and coat.

Real Chicken Protein
High quality real chicken protein for muscle development and body growth.
L-Carnitine to help utilize fat
L-Carnitine helps utilize fat for lean muscle growth.
Chelated Minerals for Added Health
Chelated minerals are more easily absorbed into your large breed puppy’s system. By providing chelated zinc, and other important minerals, NATURAL CHOICE® Large Breed Puppy helps your dog stay healthy throughout its life.
Guaranteed to Improve Skin and Coat
With high levels or linoleic acid, combined with other key vitamins and minerals, all the nutrition your puppy needs for healthy skin and shiny coat.
Guaranteed Great Taste
We guarantee the great taste of NATURAL CHOICE® Large Breed Puppy so you can be sure your puppy will eat enough to meet it’s nutritional requirements.
SMART START™
SMART START™ featuring ALA and DHA helps puppies with learning, brain and vision development.
ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid)
Research shows that puppies naturally convert ALA (Alpha-Lenolenic Acid) to DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) to help support better learning. Puppies want to look their best, so we supply fatty acids for a healthy, shiny coat.
DHA
Formulated with high levels of DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) from fish oil, a proven nutrient for brain development.

WE DON’T JUST TALK ABOUT GREAT NUTRITION, WE GUARANTEE IT®
NATURAL CHOICE® Large Breed Puppy Formula is formulated to provide 100% complete and balanced nutrition for puppies. Like all NATURAL CHOICE® foods, this formula contains no chicken heads, feet or intestines, and no ground yellow corn. We use real chicken protein and high levels of linoleic acid for healthy skin and coat, and strong muscles. Gentle on puppies delicate digestive system. Naturally preserved. Rich in antioxidant vitamins for optimum health. Helps support learning by puppies

anyways while the subject is up, what do you all think about rawhide treats and pig ears?

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I do not know for sure but I have also heard they are not great. I would stick to raw bones, from a grass fed cow, sourced locally if possible.

Guys - I go to my local country feed store & my dogs are all on 16% River Run kibbles, moistened with some fresh, still warm goats' milk in the morning, plus visits to the neighboring hunting camp's gut pile...

Shiniest, healthiest dogs you've ever seen!

steppinRazor said:

pretty cool.. if i had the money i'd be doing this forsure
i stick to science diet, and almost EVERYTHING i eat my dog gets a piece..
sometimes i'll give her an entire steak to herself..
you know i think shes about due for one today.

anyways while the subject is up, what do you all think about rawhide treats and pig ears? my pittie loves that junk but i hear its not so good for them?

Click to expand...

Make your own jerky. Dogs love it

My (Jack Russel crossbreed) dog gets cooked chicken wings (just cooked in the oven) for her main meal, plus an ample supply of biscuits (markies, gravy bones) just lying around. Also dental sticks and glucosamine sticks (she's middle-aged and starting to suffer from arthritis).

Plus she snaffles the cats' dinners when she can get away with it!

steppinRazor said:

anyways while the subject is up, what do you all think about rawhide treats and pig ears? my pittie loves that junk but i hear its not so good for them?

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My dog got very sick for quite a few days. The ones from China, which is what most stores carry, are treated with arsenic, nickel and other bad things. My vet told me many dogs die from them and he recommends never giving dogs rawhide bones. Even if they are treated properly they can block up the dogs intestines if they are prone to swallowing large objects. They can die without surgery to remove the blockage......

If the dog vomits bile you can assume the rawhide was treated with arsenic....

PetFlora said:

Make your own jerky. Dogs love it

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dude if i made my own jerky, probably less than 1% would go to my dog.. im a fiend for that stuff