[horsegirl]

I was at chuck and don's , they gave me samples of a new dog food. One of my dogs does not like what I currently feed TOTW pacific. Both loved the samples of the new dog food with no tummy issues (first "other" dog food I have tried with good results). It is called Natural Balance "synergy"
what do you think?
ingredients:
Chicken, Brown Rice, Chicken meal, chicken fat, Beet pulp, pearled barley, lamb meal, salmon meal, oatmeal, dried egg product, ground flaxseed, brewers dried yeast, dried carrots, salmon oil, salt, then a bunch of vitamins ect..

I like the fact that salt is low on the list, TOTW salt is fairly high on the list.
I am not afraid of feeding some grains as long as the are good quality.
any help would be appreciated
thanks!!!

 

[sable123]

It is probably fine but those diets are very expensive for what you get. You can do just as well for substantially less money with going the Costco route.

 

[horsegirl]

I wish I had a costco membership , I agree this food is actually more expensive that TOTW.
thanks for the info, is there a specific brand at costco you were thinking of?

 

[GSDElsa]

Not overly impressed and I definitely would NOT do it if it's more than TOTW!

Costco is good for the price (I don't think memberships are very expensive--the savings in dog food might be worthit). I've also heard good things about 4Health from tractor Supply and I believe it's a reasonable price.

 

[Rerun]

1 yr memership at costco is $50. It'll pay for itself in the first month or two if you have multiple dogs. I fed it for years and was happy, but now feed something else.

 

[sable123]

It is probably fine but those diets are very expensive for what you get. You can do just as well for substantially less money with going the Costco route.

I meant to say WITHOUT going the Costco route. I wouldn't give any pet a D product with the exception of Canidae because it has the infrastructure to design and test foods made at the D plants.

I know **** Van Patten is a good guy but these are just good diets sold at great diet prices.

Earthborn has some nice kibbles that are not grain-free, or you can be really smart and try Pro Pac. Every bag has $2 coupon and the 10th bag is free on top of your stores buying program, so you may get 10 bags for the price of 8. The 44lb bags of adult are $25 before the free bags and discount. Made in an EU certified facility.

 

[horsegirl]

thanks everyone, I am so afraid of trying something new as my oldest does so well on TOTW. This is the first I have tried that he seems to do good with, is there something in the ingredients that stiffens stools that I should look for in other brands?

 

[sable123]

thanks everyone, I am so afraid of trying something new as my oldest does so well on TOTW. This is the first I have tried that he seems to do good with, is there something in the ingredients that stiffens stools that I should look for in other brands?

No, but whatever you feed should have beet pulp in it but fiber below 4% closer to three is best. Royal Canin is a very low fiber food, some below 2%, but it is so digestible and well made that stool quality is maintained. Beet pulp preserves the intestinal flora the best of the all the commonly used fiber sources.

 

[Emoore]

Chicken, Brown Rice, Chicken meal, chicken fat, Beet pulp, pearled barley, lamb meal, salmon meal, oatmeal, dried egg product, ground flaxseed, brewers dried yeast, dried carrots, salmon oil, salt, then a bunch of vitamins ect..

It seems like it has pretty low meat content. Once the chicken is dehydrated it's going to be much lower in volume, so brown rice is probably the actual main ingredient. I like don't have a problem with beet pulp but it's essentially a fiber/filler so I'd prefer to see it a little lower on the list. Since it's Natural Balance it's probably a bit overpriced for what you get.

 

[Stosh]

Maybe look into 4Health at Tractor Supply--

 

[clearcreekranch]

Too grain heavy according to my research.

 

[sable123]

Too grain heavy according to my research.

That is an internet slogan "grain heavy". You do know that a 25/15 kibble has to be 60% something else (including moisture and ash), right?

Very few, if any, companion animals especially large breeds get any benefit from protein above 25%.

The problem with that food is where it is made.

 

[Emoore]

That is an internet slogan "grain heavy". You do know that a 25/15 kibble has to be 60% something else (including moisture and ash), right?

Very few, if any, companion animals especially large breeds get any benefit from protein above 25%.
.

To me "grain heavy" does not necessarily equal "carb heavy." What worries m is when a food seems to get a lot of its protein from grains. I would rather feed a 25% protein food with a higher meat content than a 25% protein food with a higher grain content.

 

[sable123]

To me "grain heavy" does not necessarily equal "carb heavy." What worries m is when a food seems to get a lot of its protein from grains. I would rather feed a 25% protein food with a higher meat content than a 25% protein food with a higher grain content.

You can't determine this by the label. The internet tells you what to look for by looking at the first 5 ingredients but you really don't know the relative proportions. Potato also has protein as do peas. Does it matter? Is that non-meat protein better?


Let me ask you, if I told you that a dog food was 100% whole grain corn, what would you think the protein content would be?

 

[clearcreekranch]

To me "grain heavy" does not necessarily equal "carb heavy." What worries m is when a food seems to get a lot of its protein from grains. I would rather feed a 25% protein food with a higher meat content than a 25% protein food with a higher grain content.

Agreed....should have explained myself.

 

[Emoore]

100g corn kernels has about 600 cals, about 123g of carbs, 3g fiber, 8g fat, and about 9 g protein. So about 6%.

Kibbles n' bits top five ingredients are Ground yellow corn, soybean meal, ground whole wheat, corn syrup, and poultry fat and it manages to be 23% protein.

 

[sable123]

100g corn kernels has about 600 cals, about 123g of carbs, 3g fiber, 8g fat, and about 9 g protein. So about 6%.

Kibbles n' bits top five ingredients are Ground yellow corn, soybean meal, ground whole wheat, corn syrup, and poultry fat and it manages to be 23% protein.

Yes 6% is about right. Not talking about Kibbles and Bits, LOL. The soybean meal pumps that one up.

Here is a 30/20 performance kibble. Very simple to highlight no vegetable meals at all:

"Chicken Meal, Ground Yellow Corn, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Dried Beet Pulp, Natural Flavoring, Flaxseed, Yeast Culture, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine Hydroxy Analogue, L-Lysine, Vitamin E Supplement, D-Activated Animal Sterol (source of Vitamin D3), Vitamin A Acetate, Niacin, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Ascorbic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Folic Acid, Manganous Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Zinc Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Magnesium Proteinate, Copper Proteinate."

 

[Emoore]

But the kibble you just posted has chicken meal as its #1 ingredient. The food the OP posted has chicken, then rice, then chicken meal. As we all know, the chicken will lose a lot of moisture, making it likely that rice is the actual #1 ingredient once the chicken cooks down. The one you just posted likely has a good amount of meat, while the one posted originally may be a bit "grain heavy," especially for the price.

 

[sable123]

But the kibble you just posted has chicken meal as its #1 ingredient. The food the OP posted has chicken, then rice, then chicken meal. As we all know, the chicken will lose a lot of moisture, making it likely that rice is the actual #1 ingredient once the chicken cooks down. The one you just posted likely has a good amount of meat, while the one posted originally may be a bit "grain heavy," especially for the price.

I realize that but you don't really know the amount of protein from meat from the label. In that particular food there is also lamb meal, egg, salmon meal all are 65% protein or more. Add them up and they move up the ladder. Brown rice is about the same as corn. That food has a good amount of meat it is just spread around.

 

[horsegirl]

thanks everyone! you are all way too knowledgeable for me