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WVBill
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Dog food recommendation
02/05/03 01:23 PM
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We have a 2 year old spayed female Basset Hound, Lucy. We have raised her from a pup on Science Diet dog food as we did our Miniature Dacshund, Snoopy, for 13 years 'till we lost her.
Lucy, the Bassett, is an indoor dog but she gets a half-mile walk every day (weather permitting) and spends several hours a day outside on her run in the summer time.
Snoopy did well on Science Diet. Her health and weight were always good and the SD "filled her up".
Lucy, on the other hand, while being fine healty-wise is on the verge of a weight problem. We never give her table scraps, tightly control snacks and feed her just the recommended amount. While this keeps her weight under control (barely), she is ALWAYS hungry. She forages constantly, eating the tiniest dust bunny in the house.
At one point, our vet gave us some "prescription" dog food at $35 a bag. We were able to feed Lucy a little more of that at each meal than the SD but that did not really resolve the constantly hungry issue.
Anyone have any ideas on a low fat, low calorie dog food that will leave a dog satisfied and not scavenging for dust bunnies between meals?
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earthmother
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: WVBill]
02/05/03 02:48 PM
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Dog food is very expensive, we have 3 dogs to feed. You may try a cheaper brand or give your dog snacks of healthy food. Most dogs love raw carrots and apples. work up slow so the dog doesn't have diarrhea. Also try a diet dry food and put beef broth or bouillon on it for extra flavor. Of course there's always increasing exercise. Just like people, that will help. But I would try the veggies first. Most dogs love veggies, both raw and cooked. Mix in extra cook green beans, broccoli, spinach, etc. but go slow.
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pbenven
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: WVBill]
02/05/03 02:49 PM
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It is my understanding that as feed quality increases, the recommended amount decreases. I'd talk with the feed store owner - they often know what brand works better for certain breeds/conditions.
What I find amazing with my dogs is how sensitive they are to changes in quantity. Rook - my hyperactive German Shorthair, gets 6 cups a day. If I change it to 7, I can see a difference in 3 days.
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hazmat
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Most dogs love raw carrots and apples
Mine do. Vet says the ruffage goes right thru them w/o adding weight.
Hazmat
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WVBill
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: hazmat]
02/06/03 06:28 AM
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Thanks for the ideas. We'll try the veggies-as-treats idea and also look into another dog food. Makes sense that a lower quality dog food would have more "filler" so we could feed more and still get the same nutrition - just need to make sure the filler isn't empty calories. We'll talk to the feed store.
Thanks again.
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Boondox
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: WVBill]
02/06/03 07:12 AM
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On overweight rescues in need of reduction we cut their dog food and substitute an equal amount of canned (unsalted) green beans. Plenty of fiber and bulk, so they feel full, but they can't digest the stuff.
Pete
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Fred
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: Boondox]
02/06/03 10:02 AM
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Cooked Minute Rice is a good filler, too.
On another note, I can't remember where I read this, but for those feeding fruit and similar stuff for snacks (I do too) DO NOT feed grapes or raisins. They don't know why yet, but it has been found that a relatively small amount can cause kidney failure and death in a significant number of dogs. It might have said 50%, I'm pulling from memory here.
Fred
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RichZ
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: Fred]
02/06/03 10:27 AM
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Wow, I never heard that about grapes and raisins!!! Thanks for that info, I'll ask our vets if they have any info on that, and if they do, I'll post it!
While we're on the subject of what NOT to feed dogs, I hope everyone here knows that chocolate is toxic to dogs!!!
Rich
"What a long strange trip it's been."
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hazmat
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: Fred]
02/06/03 11:37 AM
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fred,
DO NOT feed grapes or raisins. They don't know why yet, but it has been found that a relatively small amount can cause kidney failure and death in a significant number of dogs. It might have said 50%, I'm pulling from memory here.
not that I dont' believe you, but where did this info come from? I'd like to learn more. My mom's cockerspainel loves grapes. I can't recall our vet telling us not to feed them to dogs.
Hazmat
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Fred
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: hazmat]
02/06/03 12:41 PM
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Found it!
It was in March's issue of Dog Fancy, the one with the Norwegian Elkhound on the cover. The article was written from information gotten from the address I have typed (not sure if it will come out as hypertext or not).
BTW, while we're on toxins, uncooked onions are bad news, too. And green potato skins.
http://www.aspca.org/site/DocServer/grapes.pdf?docID=189
Fred
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hazmat
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: Fred]
02/06/03 01:55 PM
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Fred,
Thanks, I'll pass it along to my mom. More tasty grapes for me 
Hazmat
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WVBill
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: Fred]
02/06/03 02:26 PM
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Ourt Bassett got ahold of a grape once. It was a riot watching her roll that thing around in her big ole mouth "feeling" it and trying to figure out what to do with it! 
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Bird
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: RichZ]
02/06/03 03:17 PM
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I, too, had heard that chocolate was toxic to dogs, so I never gave any to a dog, but my brother had a dog for many years that loved to share his cashews and M&Ms (brother told me he hadn't heard that dogs couldn't handle chocolate and apparently "Curley" didn't know he wasn't supposed to eat it either so he loved M&Ms). 
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hazmat
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: Bird]
02/06/03 04:09 PM
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My mom's cockerspaniel, ate an etire box of fund raiser chocolate bars (5#). She was running around the house, & didn't sleep all night, but made it thru w/o any heart failure.
Hazmat
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Fred
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: hazmat]
02/06/03 04:52 PM
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From what I remember reading somewhere (and please don't ask me to look this one up, I wouldn't know where to start  ), it's really the baking chocolate that can mess a dog up. I'm not sure how many people bake from scratch anymore, but I remember it as bitter tasting and looking like regular chocolate chips. You really need to give a dog a lot of the other chocolate, proportionate to its size of course, for something bad to happen. I still stay away from it though. For them, not me 
Fred
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RichZ
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: Bird]
02/07/03 07:44 AM
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Hi Bird!!! I was wondering when I'd see you on CBN!!!
Apparently there's a chemical in chocolate that is actually toxic to dogs. I don't remember the name of the chemical,  but my wife (Earthmother) probably will. She won't be on-line until Monday, but I'm sure she'll post what it is!!
Rich
"What a long strange trip it's been."
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WVBill
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: Bird]
02/07/03 09:48 AM
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Almost every time I see or hear a discussion of "Chocolate is toxic to dogs", it is accompanied by several stories like "My dog ate the chocolate easter bunny and didn't die." but I've never heard even one like "My dog ate a hershey bar and died."
I don't know if it is an urban legend or not but we keep chocolate far away from our dog just in case. Why take the chance?
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Boondox
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: WVBill]
02/07/03 10:24 AM
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It's toxic, but apparently the quantity needed to do damage is up there a bit. One of our rescues (80# male) ate half a pound of my wife's absolute favorite chocolate fudge. We rushed Killian Red to the vet immediately and were informed that he was in more danger from my wife than from half a pound of fudge.
Pete
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hazmat
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: WVBill]
02/07/03 10:27 AM
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ASPCA Chocolate toxicity
Sorry we've wander off course a little bit. Like every other toxin it is a matter of the concentration that it takes to cause harm or death. Some nasty stuff is lethal in extremely small quantities, other stuff takes years of exposure and/or a big dose to cause a problem
Hazmat
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Alan_L_Texas
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: WVBill]
02/08/03 12:14 AM
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Our cocker weighed 42 pounds, and was getting little pudgy. We changed from Iams lamb and rice to Iams "Weight Control" and he has lost down to 35 pounds in a few months. He seems to like it fine and we keep it down all the time.
He had back surgery and has not had a lot of exercise (running and jumping) for 2 months.
One problem we have is keeping him out of the cat food however.
Alan L. - Texas
North of Mustang
South of Bugtussle
On the Banks of Buck Creek
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WVBill
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In reply to:
One problem we have is keeping him out of the cat food however.
We keeep the cat's food downstairs in the rec room where Lucy can't go - or she would be in that too.
We have her on Science Diet Light. Her weight is under control it's just that the poor dog seems to be hungry all the time. We'll be trying the suggestions others have mentioned.
My wife found another food - Nutro Natural Choice that seems to have all the nutrients as Science Diet. Mayb it will fill her up more. We'll see.
Thanks again
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Ducklady
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: WVBill]
09/22/04 08:57 AM
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well for one your dog is just reaching her mature age thats when they tend to start filling out . did you try feeind her less amounts during the day say when you get up in the morning give her 1\2 cup of foood . they agian maybe at lunch time . and then again at dinner time. try healthy snacks apples carrots etc. and i would . call the vet and tell them about the problem and that the food isnt working . and that you need something more affordable . the prices they charge for special foods is out ragois. i know we have three dogs 2 cats. 
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Handyman
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: Ducklady]
09/24/04 11:28 PM
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something to think about...
1st off... Bakers Chocolate is the deadly form of chocolate that will have deadly effects on a dog, but they have to eat quite a bit of it too.
M&M's.. even with nuts isn't harmful to dogs. What I was told by a emergency animal vet was that they could eat a whole bag of them and all it might do is give them diarrea and maybe an upset tummy.
There is NO conclusive proof that grapes are harmful, at least the seedless kind anyhow. 2 or 3 or 5 isn't going to hurt any of them. But you have to keep in mind of body weight/size also...
Dog food... I suggest Flint River Ranch. It doesn't cost any more than Iams or Science diet..
What most people don't realize is the poor quality of ingredience these dog food mfg co's use. They have to coat the food with "Animal FAT" to make it tasty.. the better it tastes, the more fat.
FRR is all natural, no preservatives, uses human grade ingredients and its shipped to your door.
I use the senior/overweight formula for my Boston because he spends so much time sleeping (I drive truck OTR) and he looks great.
Call them and they will send you a free sample of what you want
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Fred
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: Handyman]
09/25/04 05:10 PM
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I didn't go through this whole thread (I may have even posted in it before ), but grapes and raisins ARE harmful to dogs. There HAS been studies done and I believe even Dog Fancy had an article. If I remember right, and I don't always, I think the the kidneys are in danger.
I feed Canidae. I used to feed a BARF diet for 3-1/2 years, but when I moved to the country I didn't visit my city butcher as often as I used to and he stopped getting in chicken backs for me. Canidae isn't as pricey as FRR, is considered holistic, has been in the top 10 in Whole Dog Journal for about 8 yrs now, is one of the few foods that doesn't swell when wet (or in your dogs stomach) and is great for dogs with allergies or bad skin/coat.
I get to see dogs and the effect of their food every day and I will admit, some dogs seem to do well no matter what they eat (such as Ol Roy), but those dogs also eat at least twice as much as dogs on *good* food and cleanup is also twice as much.
Different foods affect dogs different ways, too. Even if they are *good* foods. Two of my dogs didn't do well on Azmira. I had a customer that also fed Azmira PLUS the dog got antacids and yogurt with every meal. I told her something wasn't right even if it was a highly rated food and told her my dogs experience with it. She switched and no more stomach problems or gas in her dog, but I'm sure there must be dogs that thrive on that food or they wouldn't make it.
Find what works and don't be afraid to switch.
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Koolaide
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Re: Dog food recommendation
[re: WVBill]
09/26/05 08:05 PM
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Hi
We have a Black Lab and a small poodle. We feed them Diamond Dog Food. It comes in about any combination you want. We pay 21.00 for a 40.00 lb bag and it last a long time.
It doesn't have a bunch of fillers in it. They eat less and don't have to go to the bathroom as much.
They look good too. He (the lab) has a beautiful shiny coat.
Vet just did his check up last week. Commented on how nice he looked.
We buy this dog food at a feed store.
Hope this helps.
Koolaide in SW Illinois
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