# My take on Pet Foods (dog food type)



## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

Since we have wuite a few fur babies to feed our feed bill as well as dog piles can get excessively high. I also have a GSD that had both hips operated on for hip dysplacia. One of our dachshunds ha allergies that makes his fur on his back get very thin. All of the little dachshunds have bad breathe. None of the 6 dogs we have get table scraps, nor canned dog food except for a treat. We had used Old Roy (walmart brand) and found dog turds that would be huge, hard as a rock and bleached white in the sun that would not break up and dissapear. The shepherd and spitz always had a wet dog smell to them as did the long haired dachshund. Shepherd had a chronic case of ear problems........Numerous vet trips and $$$$ vet tells us to change the shepherd to a lamb and rice diet, as its probably the beef etc in the dog foods thats causing her ear problems and also to do the same for the weiner with sparse back hair. Was also told to switch brands and it may also make a difference in the way a dogs coat smells. We switched to Purina, and lo and behold the dogs coats did not smell anymore.......but the skin problem on the weiner was just as bad.......and the lamb and rice seemed to take care of the shepherds chronic ear problems.........but noe of the babies had a really what I would call shiney coat.....so we were always buying additives like folic acid, linotec oil etc etc to top dres their feed. Soon they started to get shine.......so we figured it has to be purina lacing in something, so we switched to another brand and gave it a try........same old stuff all over again, and in the end we must have tried most every brand of food out there with mixed results. 

Then about 2 months ago the wife came home with yet another brand of food called Nutro..... I shrugged my shoulders and said why bother, you just have to supplement the commercial dog food with additives to make it right......How wrong I was........in just (actually less than 2 months) the shepherds ears are fine, the bald one has his hair grwoing in like it never did before, their bad breath has dissapeared and they all have a very shiney coat and no odor........even the piles they leave behind is muich smaller, and they get fed less of this new stuff than the other feeds they were given before....... When we first tried this new Nutro brand food, we were advised to mix it with their old food and change them over totally to new stuff in about a week or two period of time. Funny thing is (all of them except the shepherd) actually picked out and ate the new food from day one and left the old brand in their bowls. Yes this food is a bit higher in price than the others such as Purina etc and even higher than Iams and Science diet etc, but you can actually see a vast improvement in the dogs. Its like night and day.......Until we figured in what putting all the extra additives etc in the food cost in addition to the food and then it only gave some degree of difference, it cost more in the ong run using additives and old brand of feed. What was really amazing is how the dog piles just decreased in size. Nutro is 100% naatural ingredients, no preservatives or by products of grains or animals. No beef, just chicken, lamb and salmon and whole grains (no corn of any kind or sorghum) and it also has glaucosimine and some other stuff for joint heaalth. It is the highest feed with somekind of linoletec acid and sunflower oils.........I know this may sound like a buildup to promote Nutro brand dog food, but I have no interests or investments in this company, and only wanted to pass on what we have found out about this dog food. Its funny though as I have had many dogs in my life, some fed off nothing but table scraps, others fed grains and anything they may have found in garbage cans, or the cheapest dog food I could find... and they all seemed like they had good health and lived long lives. Then again maaybe I did not notice minor differences like my wife does, but anyway I swear by this Nutro brand stuff and by the way they give you a guarantee that you will see a difference in a dogs coat and general appearance in 6 weeks time or your money back...... We were having to buy glaucosimine pills for the shepherd as her hips are acting up mainly from age, and there is also a large improvement with her hips as well, She is not going around limping like she used to. 

Just my take on dog foods.
About Nutro dog food


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## jodyand (Sep 16, 2003)

Chip are you into the dogs pudding again:lmao: Thats the same food we feed our rag mop Nutro Natural Choice Lamb meal & rice formula. She likes it and this is our rag mop Maggie May.

<img src=http://www.tractorforum.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=8901>


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## Michael (Sep 16, 2003)

When we got our NIckie 7 years ago (a male brittany) the rescue lady recommended Nutro Lamb and rice because he had a chronic ear and a extreme flea allergy causing a griant hot spot on his back. The first bag I bought as a experiment (44 pound bag at Petco). In a matter of 3 weeks his hair was growing back and his ear infection was gone (along with the antibodic. Well that sold me on Nutro Lamb and rice meal and after shopping around I found Nutro at the local Cenex (Coop) store and at a reduced price to any of the super pet stores. We lost Nickie to cancer this past April but we still feed Lady (my wifes football Llasha-Jack Russell mix) and our new companion Rocky (a brittany-springer Spaniel mix). The landmines from these two are always solid and never go to white and also easy to get rid of. I have always very satified with this great moderate priced premuim dog dog food. Just ask Rocky he loves it


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## Michael (Sep 16, 2003)

I forgot to post a picture of Rocky, So here it is. Oh one other thing the other day when I gave Rocky his bath I discovered we were out of dog shampoo so I used Head and Shoulders, It was a education in shampoos from now on. He smelled terrific and he did not scratch after is bath so its Head and Shoulders from now on. Its cheaper and does a terrific job on his fur.


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## psrumors (Apr 25, 2004)

Good info Chip. I have always used Eukanuba and had very good results. 

My wifes English Bulldog seems to have that wet dog smell no matter what you do. It's not good to wash them to often so maybe we will look at what he is taking in. He is due for a bag of food so I will talk to her and see. I will let you all know the results.


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## Greg (Sep 16, 2003)

Chipmaker,

Great info, thanks. I have tried all brands with mixed results. We've been looking for a good all natural one for T4 and Nutro looks like it. Plus, it's sold at the farm supply store, right around the corner from my JD dealer and at the PetCo a mile or so down the street.


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## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

i had a bulldog that had bad allergies.. skin was always flaking dry and irritated in spots.. i used to add corn oil to his food which helped greatly.. (linoleic acid spelling probably wrong) 

ill have to try some nutro.. my old boxers been eating purina One for 10 years now.. she seems to like it... and besides for some rank bad breath.. her skin & coat seem pretty good...


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## Stewart (Sep 17, 2003)

Just a word of caution if you do change foods. Do it slowly, add a little at a time with each feeding untill you have them changed over. If you don't you can cause a nice little battle in their tummy and it can be a nice "loose mess" Spoken from experience!!!

We feed Eukanuba and have for the last 12 years. It make some real nasty gas, but our dogs seem to like it. I can't say if it has cut down on the land mine population but they are normally firm, you just let the sun bake em for a day or so before collecting them. We might have to look into the Nutro, our springer has had a couple of hot spots this summer and if it helps it might be worth it. 

We usually use something like pert with a combo shampoo/conditioner for our springer. It does make her smell real nice and it makes her coat real shiney and smooth. You don't need skin problems. eace:


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## psrumors (Apr 25, 2004)

Another good idea for the coat and skin is to pressure cook a whole chicken bones and all. It takes a couple hours but will mush up into a fine meal. Add a couple table spoons to a daily feeding and the oils will make the coat and skin very nice.

The dogs do get spoiled with this and require it every time.


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## bontai Joe (Sep 16, 2003)

Doesn't anyone here own a cat?


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## Stewart (Sep 17, 2003)

Ya, I got one of those too.........We do feed it Nutro. I was trying to forget! That is one of the most independent animals I have ever seen. It only does what it wants when it wants! If my son and wife wouldn't disown me I might think about the three s method of cat removal. Shoot, shovel and Shhhhhh! Just kidding I have a very soft heart for animals. I will never figure it out though!:smoking:


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## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

> _Originally posted by bontai Joe _
> *Doesn't anyone here own a cat? *



I thought this was a cat!!!:furious: :furious: 

<img src=http://www.tractorforum.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=8901>


just kidding you jody... thats probably gonna be our next dog.. the girlfriends been wanting one... and my neighbor has one its a real nice little dog...


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## Stewart (Sep 17, 2003)

One word.....bait!!!!



Just kidding! Dogs is cool, now cats that is another story!!!


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## Durwood (Sep 16, 2003)

This is what Ole Roys dog food from Wal-Mart will do to your dog! Stay away from it.


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## Stewart (Sep 17, 2003)

What happened Durwood???


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## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

durwood what are you saying? 

i do not use old roy food.. but i do get the cans of food from time to time for a treat for my dog.. and i get their 'treats' instead of the name brands that cost about 50% more... 

ive never had any problems.. of course im not the one eating them... 

maybe we have to ask chippie which flavor he prefers... oh iforgot... thats just iced cream:furious: :furious:


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## Durwood (Sep 16, 2003)

Do i have kittys?


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## Durwood (Sep 16, 2003)

Do i have kittys?


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## Durwood (Sep 16, 2003)

I had heard on another forum where people were talking about how sick their dogs had gotten and when they took them off the ole roy dog food they immediately became better. The wife had been buying ole roy for a while and i think he might of actually died of malnutrition. He was the sons dog and when he moved he left him here. I really didn't have the money to put into him either and He was only about eight years old so it wasn't old age.


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## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

All I know is that when we fed Ol' Roy dogfeed the dogs had such a wet dog odor we almost always kept them outside. And my way of thinkin g is Cheap is not always better and can actually be more expensive in the long haul. I think the same of my fur kiddies as I do my wife, and sure am not gonna cut corners on feed if the feed is better and costs more. A dog to me is a lifttime investment......from the day you take it home until the day comes he goes to doggie heaven he is your responsibility and proper food fits that requirement. Has anayone ever read about all the stuff that goes into dog food of various makes???Its unreal. Lots get their proteins from chicken guts and pig snsouts, and grains especially sorghum and corn which are hard to digest inmost dogs...


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## Hutch001b (Sep 16, 2003)

Jody, Here's Cosmo our rag mop. He eats the Nutro too:
Could be a twin to Maggie May when his hair is long:


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## jodyand (Sep 16, 2003)

So Hutch is Cosmo a lap dog too Maggie has to be in someones lap just about all the time. When I'm at home and on this computer she tries her best to get in my lap. But i cant type with here in my lap so she goes over to the couch and get in this large stuff rabbits lap:lmao: Its the funnest thing i ever seen this little dog laying in this rabbets lap.


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## Hutch001b (Sep 16, 2003)

Cos isn't necessarily a lap dog but he's got to be close to his people. One of his favorite places to get is when I'm leaning back in my 'puter chair my feet don't reach all the way to the floor and he gets right under my feet so I can rub him. Getting a little worried about him lately. He's having trouble breathing lately.He's gonna be 10 next month. We have a traveling vet who comes to the house and my wife's gonna get her out for shots and to look at him.


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## jodyand (Sep 16, 2003)

Hope hes alright Maggie about 8 years old and the sweetest dog don't know what the wife would do if anything happen to her.


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## Hutch001b (Sep 16, 2003)

We had to have our Pomeranian put down earlier this year. Now the problems with Sonny. We don't need any trouble with Cosmo now.


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