So I'm wondering, what do you feed your bird dog? Or, what do you feed any dog you have?? There are so many dog foods out there to choose from. Some come in cans, some in dry form, like we use, some people actually make their own home made food, and then there is refrigerated foods prepared with natural ingredients and fortified with vitamins and minerals. It's hard to know what is really good for your dog. The proof is in the pudding!
So lets see which type is more popular. Tell me what kind you use, and if there is a particular reason you chose that type food or at least what you like about it.
No matter what kind of dog you have, tell us the breed and age, and their name too.
And we'll just see which is most popular!
Karen, I've been feeding Diamond Feeds, Hi-Energy. With 24% crude protein and 20% crude fat. Seems to work very well with my gang. I remember Norm telling me about it when he brought Gus out here.Wow!! That was 6 or 7 years ago. I was lucky the feed store in town carried Diamond brand. Well, that's my 2 cents, see you soon,
ReplyDeleteMikey
During an annual checkup we found that Ginger, our 15 YO setter had very elevated amylase and lipase levels indicating a problem with her pancrease. Erin, our 10 YO started having trouble with commercial food last year(I tried three different ones) and finally had an acute bout of pancretitis which forced me to start cooking for the both of them! Brown rice, chicken, sweet potato, carrot and zucchini. (I added bonemeal and a good vitamin). Gin's enzymes came down to high normal and Erin was doing good on the mixture but I always felt they were missing something. I started them on the Purina EN a month ago with some of the homecooked mixture and they are both doing fine. I only have to cook up a batch about twice a week. Pancreatitis is no joke and diet is about the only way to control it. You have to watch the level of fat and most commercial foods probably have too much. I'm trying to find the right balance to keep them healthy and symptom free. Sorry for the dissertation.
ReplyDeleteMikey, Thanks for your "2 cents worth". I have to say, you have always had pretty healthy dogs with great coats. I'm looking at the options. Just trying to get an idea of which is best. Well, if there IS just ONE BEST.
ReplyDeleteArt, I know you've had trouble with Ginger, but I didn't know that Erin has trouble also. I've read a little bit about making home made dog food. Looks to me, that you have the essentials in your recipe above, combined with the Purina. Pancreatitis is very serious and very tricky indeed to deal with. I did a post on "Fat, His, Mine, and The Dogs?" that dealt with pancreatitis.
I took a look at Purina EN, to see what it was. I may try this for my 13 yo, Happy, as he gets older.
This is Purina's description:
With moderate fat and low fiber, it is gentle, highly digestible, as well as good tasting. Medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) provide a readily digested and utilized energy source. Available in dry and canned forms.
Learn More @ www.purinaveterinarydiets.com
We have 8 working dogs. We feed a compound dry food, Skinner's Maintenance which we top up with table scraps.
ReplyDeleteSkinner's isn't the best food on the market, but it's an uneasy compromise as to our budget and the ingredients (e.g. labeled meat, not animal derivatives). The dogs like it and thrive on it.
Some of the dogs are 'good do-ers' and only require an extra feed during the season. Others don't hold their weight and get tripe, oil, and eggs for fats and proteins. They work so hard we have more of a problem with keeping weight on than with keeping it off!
Luckily, none of our girls has any digestive problems or major health problems. The 2 older girls get Glucosamine & Chondroitin supplements and that makes a huge difference to their movement.
Karen,
ReplyDeleteWell believe it or not Lucy, aka the bog monster, has something of a very delicate constitution when it comes too what passes through her system (besides rancid ditch water apparently!) twelve months ago she was nearly lost to us, unable to keep food down an anything that did pass came out as pure liquid and was something that she could not control. £3000 later and every veterinary effort, technique and process you could think of apart from opening her up (thank god for pet insurance or the house mortgage would have increased considerably!) the only thing that brought her literally from the brink after months of soul searching (nearly 2/3 weight loss) was the youngest vet around (just qualified and new to the practice that day)) suggesting strong antibiotics just on the premise that her aunts dog had the same symptoms years ago and it worked! She’s now on a diet of dried food called ‘Jame’s well beloved’ which has nothing artificial in its make up (according to the bumf that is). She looks and acts like a million dollars on it so that’ll do for us, she does occasionally get a treat of chicken n rice or a taste of toast and honey when the mood takes me. Hope this is what you’re hoping to hear in reply.
Regards,
John
They both like the dry EN, and the canned for that matter, but the canned looks like spam mixed with wax. My vet feeds the dry mix to the dogs in her kennel with good success and she recommended I give it a try. So far so good! Its expensive ($54 for 18LBS) and, based on the ingredients, should not cost as much as it does but they both like it and its doing the trick. I'm not going to argue with success and if it keeps me out of the kitchen so much the better.
ReplyDeleteKaren, With the many health issues that we deal with, with our dogs, We feed our dogs dry pedigree. Having four dogs three of which are on medication we brib them to take their meds with a tablespoon of can pedigee. We tried science diet and added fish oil for a while because our Sib x stayed on the thin side... but we never noticed a differance and went back to the pedigree as it was affordable. The two dogs that arent on a strict diet (meaning they dont deal with being on the hefty side) we also give them their far helping of scrambled eggs as well.
ReplyDeleteJennifer, Thanks for your input and stopping by! I noticed from your blog, Milkweed and Teasel, that you have a lot of dogs so if they are all doing well, you must be doing something right.
ReplyDeleteJohn, Regardless of the swamp water, Lucy looks very healthy. Man! That Vet was there at the right place and right time, huh? I'm so glad you didn't lose her!
Art, I'm with you...if it works well, it's well worth it. Especially if you have a particular diet to provide, like for a pancreatitis condition like you have with Erin and Ginger. I also believe that dogs are individual, to some degree. I do know that some breeds are more pron to digestive troubles than others.
Hi Leigh, We too tried fish oil. The dogs gave us a look as if to say, "Are you kidding me??" So we got rid of that and are now using Flax Seed Oil. Not sure that's making any difference either, but we'll see. Thanks for your info. and input!
ReplyDeleteKaren, I've used both the flax and fish oil for dry skin and arthritis. I used the capsuls and put it in liverwurst. Some sources say that the fish oil is more effective because the flax needs to be converted to another form and some dogs can't make the conversion. I don't know. I didn't see a big effect with either one but I'm sure they can't hurt either. I know for a fact that the dog was not happy when she bit into a capsul of the fish oil. Here's a post I found that discusses the pros and cons of flax vs fish oil.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.preciouspets.org/newsletters/articles/fish-oil-pets.htm
Karen, I've tried both the fish and flax oil. I didn't really see a big effect with either one. Some sources say that the fish is supperior to the flax because the dog has to convert the flax to a usable form and not all dogs can make the conversion. Here is a post I found that talks about the issue:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.preciouspets.org/newsletters/articles/fish-oil-pets.htm
Art, Thanks for the info. I read the article and darn it, you just about have to be a scientist or chemist to figure out what is the best balance for your dog. Happy had a patch of dry skin along his back toward his tail. Recently, it got worse . If I scratch him there, the dry skin flakes off. His hair has also become a little dryer. I think part of this is winter and our warm dry house. Part of it may be aging. He is 13 now. So I started the Flax seed oil to see if it would help. Haven't seen any difference yet. Maybe he just needs a really good "after winter" bath! That's coming tomorrow when Dan is here to help. I'm thankful it's only dry skin and not something more serious at his age.
ReplyDeleteGood article on fatty acids if anyone is interested. Cut & Paste the address from comment from ArtOC.
Had the same problem with Gin, that was one of the reasons for the oil. I agree with your assessment on the dry winter weather being part of the cause. I tried the flax and fish oils and didn't really see a big improvement. The medicated shampoo seemed to help. I though part of the problem was the low fat diet and I had to be careful what I fed her. After awhile, it cleared up and looks pretty good now. Dry skin and a duller coat seems to be part of the aging process. I hope Happy is easier to wash than Ginger!
ReplyDeleteHappy doesn't seem to mind having the flax seed oil on his food. But he does hate taking baths. It takes Dan and I both to get the job done. He is due and is going to get one today or tomorrow. It takes practically the whole day, between preparing, bathing, drying, brushing, and the clean up! And of course Dan and I get a bath also in the process! I do have a tip on giving baths that I am going to post in the next few days. Watch for it!
ReplyDeleteI have been feeding my 9 month old male, Taste of the Wild. I switch between the differnt kinds so he doesn't become bored with only one flavor of food, and he handles it well. He seems to have unending energy and a gorgeous coat which he receives comments on every time we're at the dog park. Anyone else have any experience with TOTW?
ReplyDeleteHi Justin, No, Sorry, We've not heard of Taste of the Wild dog food here. What state are you in, and where do you buy it? Anyone else heard of it?
ReplyDeleteTaste of the Wild is made by Diamond, It's there version of an all natural diet which I've heard pretty good things about. I sell and feed Canidae, Wellness & Holistic select. They are all natural holistic foods.
ReplyDelete