Dog Food Reviewed
Ranked #8,519 in Pets & Animals, #215,538 overall
Finding the Right Dog Food
When a dog owner enters the pet store, she is confronted by aisles upon aisles of dog food in numerous forms. Look at the packages, and you see delightful pictures of happy pups beside dishes of delectable pieces of meat or colorful piles of kibble. The labels list what should be delicious ingredients for any carnivore--lamb, salmon, beef, chicken.... I used to simply look for what sounded like the most delightful meal to me and buy that food for my dog--often Bailey got Turkey dinner for Thanksgiving.
The problem is, you can't always trust the packaging to give you a good indication of whether the food is actually good for your dog. Of course, if you're in a local pet store with an owner you trust, you can talk to them about your options. But if you buy dog food online to save money, like I do, sometimes all you have to go from on the retailer's site is a picture of the packaging and the price. Shopping for your pooch's dinner this way is not safe. Some dog foods on the market can make your favorite canine very ill, or even kill him! That's why you should spend a good amount of time researching different brands before settling on the ideal formula for your dog. Read on to find information I've tracked down on some particular brands.
The problem is, you can't always trust the packaging to give you a good indication of whether the food is actually good for your dog. Of course, if you're in a local pet store with an owner you trust, you can talk to them about your options. But if you buy dog food online to save money, like I do, sometimes all you have to go from on the retailer's site is a picture of the packaging and the price. Shopping for your pooch's dinner this way is not safe. Some dog foods on the market can make your favorite canine very ill, or even kill him! That's why you should spend a good amount of time researching different brands before settling on the ideal formula for your dog. Read on to find information I've tracked down on some particular brands.
Finding Dog Food Reviews
Where to Look for Information on Specific Brands
First I'd like to give you some links to sites where you can find reliable dog food reviews. Many of them have reviews by dog owners just like you, while others have reviews by critics or organizations.
Dog Food Analysis - Reviews of kibble
Dog Food Analysis offers independent dog food info more...0 points
Dog Food Chat
Get dog food ratings based on what consumers think more...0 points
ConsumerSearch.com
Dog Food buyer's guide from ConsumerSearch.com. To more...0 points
Dog Food Advisor | Dog Food Ratings
The Dog Food Advisor's unbiased dog food reviews s more...0 points
Canidae
Most review sites rate Canidae dog food in general very highly. Their formulas tend to have a high meat content, with much of the meat being in "meal" form--arguably the best form for dog food. Also, they don't include any controversial ingredients. However, a couple years ago Canidae changed their formula, causing a bit of a controversy amongst dog owners. If you look at the comments on the review sites, you'll note that many people report intestinal problems in dogs since the change. Talk to your vet about this particular brand. Many people swear by it, but others have become wary. Eukanuba
The top ingredients in Eukanuba dog food tend to be of lower quality/value than those in Canidae, for example. They list ingredients in their whole form, which means that when those ingredients are dried out for use in the dog food, they really ought to be dropped further down in the list of ingredients. Also, Eukanuba uses rather low quality fillers like sorghum and animal by-products as well as other controversial ingredients. Eukanuba is probably one to stay away from. Evo
Evo dog food seems by all accounts to be a top quality dog food. The formulas have a very high meat content, a high fat content, and a small amount of carbohydrates. On top of that, they are grain free foods. If you're looking for a good, mass-produced dog food, this may be the way to go. Be careful, though. Not all dogs respond well at first to such a high protein diet. Talk to your vet about your dog's specific breed. Hills Science Diet
Hills Science dog food is another brand that dogs have had adverse reactions to--some intestinal, some allergic. If you take a look at the ingredients, you may see the problem immediately. Four of the first five ingredients are grains or soybean. Even the one meat ingredient in the top five is listed as the whole ingredient, rather than as a meal, so you really have no idea how much of a percentage of the food the meat actually makes up. STAY AWAY. Iams
Iams dog food is definitely a low-grade dog food. It contains many ingredients that dogs have trouble digesting, including corn, sorghum, and brewer's rice. Many dog owners report health problems in their pets after giving them Iams. Furthermore, Iams has been targeted by PETA for animal cruelty violations. If you care about dogs at all, stay away from this one. There are many healthier, more humane, reliable dog foods at reasonable prices to choose from. Go with any one of those over Iams. Merrick
Merrick dog food is a much better big-name bet in dog food. It contains reliable meat ingredients, plus relatively good grain sources and vegetables. However, it's still not exactly heavy in meat. Many rate Merrick as a high rate dog food product, and there don't seem to be many complaints about dog health problems related to the brand. Still, if you're looking at going the low-grain content route, keep looking. Natural Balance
Natural Balance dog food is a fairly average dog food--nothing worrisome, nothing outstanding. They do offer organic options, so if you're interested in the health and environmental benefits of feeding your dog organic food, you should look into this one. Consult your veterinarian. However, they also offer vegetarian options, which might make dog owners incredibly wary of the brand as a whole. Dogs were never intended by nature to be vegetarians. Humans can arguably maintain a healthy diet on a vegetarian plan, though typically nutritional supplements will be in order. Dogs, on the other hand, are much more naturally carniverous than humans. Please, don't make your dog a vegetarian just because you are. The facts of life are that animals eat other animals. If you're concerned about the humane treatment of the animals that go into your dog's food, perhaps consult your veterinarian about making your own dog food from animals grown on local, humane farms. Royal Canin
Royal Canin gets mixed reviews. Some consider it a quality product, while others contest that it consists mostly of fillers and low-quality grains. However, there aren't as many complaints about dogs getting ill after eating this one. Still, I'd suggest sticking with a dog food that has a higher meat content. Again, look for meats listed in the first few ingredients in their meal form. by lizwalks
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