Are you guys Picky with Dog Food?

[Konotashi]

When I came to the decision to switch Ozzy's food, my choices were limited due to my criteria.

For me to consider a dog food, it must be:
Grain free.
Have a minimum of 34% protein.
Main meat source cannot be fish. (I'm weird).
I will also avoid specific brands entirely.
In my budget (obviously).

Ozzy prefers a food where the primary meat source is not chicken.

Leaving Taste of the Wild (for caloric reasons), I spent a lot of time looking at a lot of foods that not only met my criteria, but had more calories than TOTW. After a little bit of trial and error, Ozzy and I chose EVO.

Are you guys this picky with dog food, or am I just nuts-o? Haha. If I had the means to feed raw, I would do it in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, our freezer is already full of people food....

[jocoyn]

My main criteria are what works for a specific dog and I try to be open minded.

People seem to have a lot of "religion" concerning dog foods and blind faith in certain requirements [cough-as they go get their own lunch at the Mickey D driver thru-cough]. I see that in many directions (it is as bad, to me about the people feeding garbage dog foods as those ignoring a very good food because it has rice in it]

Why do you feel that 34% protein is necessary? Lots of good grain free dog foods at 26-30% protein. I rethought grain free though because white potatoes probably are not as good as rice/oats/barley if the dog does not have allergy problems...

I had my own dogs on Evo and it seemed ok but their blood chemistries went wonky and it is probably due to the high ash which is hard on the kidneys....not due to he protein but due to bone meal and other ingredients.

I guess what I am saying is there are some things I won't flex on. No animal digest or unknown meat meals for me and I don't but I do have to think about two of my dogs who went 15 years on Nutro with 26% protein and were in good health until the end. Now I won't feed Nutro anymore because of the menadione, but it does put t hings in perspective sometimes..

[Emoore]

No, I'm not. From my research, I just don't see any reason to be. Kopper does well on a 30/20 food, but Rocky's a senior with some liver/kidney issues and food that high in protein could be very bad for him. So he eats a lower-protein food.

In the entire course of my research (I've been reading university studies and papers on canine nutrition) I just can't find any reason to feed grain-free in dogs that aren't allergic or intolerant to grains. So I feed grain.

I am picky about the company that makes my dogs' foods-- I won't feed food from a company that's had a bunch of recalls.

But I'm coming to see that a lot of the "religion" on dog food just isn't justified. I feed what works for my individual dogs and my budget, not what a website or people on the internet tell me I should.

[I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO]

I'm super picky!
Grain-free
Not a lot of potatoes
I like several different meat or fish meals in one food
High protein
Very high fat
High calories
Company must source all ingredients from America, Candada, NZ, etc including vitamins
Ethoxyquin free fish meal
Avoid companies with a lot of recalls

So that leaves me with about three brands I can't wait to change to raw!

[Wolfiesmom]

I am very picky. It has to be a good quality, and not made by a massive conglomerate, as they seem to be the ones with all the recalls. If it has grain, it has to be a good grain, not corn, and it has to be made in the USA. I feed Fromms

[BlackGSD]

I agree with Nancy and Emoore.

I will say there are several kibbles I WILL NOT feed, I don't feel that it is necessary to feed something like Orijen that is WAY expensive either. I will also say that I would gladly feed Orijen IF it cost half as much as it does.

I had a dog that ate Atta Boy, Ole Roy, ect...for 10 years then ate Nutro Natural Choice for 7 years and she was as healthy as the day is long. The only time she saw a vet was when she was spayed. And YES she lived to be 17yo!!!!!! (She was not a GSD, she was an Australian Cattle Dog.)

[Josie/Zeus]

I am. That's why I feed raw.

I started panicking when I was all out of raw food for a week. I called Danielle and asked for her advise I literally had no idea which food to get.

[LaRen616]

I am picky, I am always looking for a better kibble.

Right now Sin eats Wellness Core and Mal eats Wellness Super5Mix for LBP.

I am happy and content with my choice right now.

[Germanshepherdlova]

I didn't use to be at all but I am getting there.

[jocoyn]

Of course I was so impressed with the neighbors 17 year old husky who goes for a 3 mile walk with her every day, I said "what do you feed that dog". She said "Pedigree" - so there ya have it