# Dry Food recommendations



## DogLover (Apr 13, 2009)

My wife and I are looking to change dry dog food that we feed out dog. We have a German Shepard and a Schiperke mix. Currently we are feeding them Purina One but after hearing about the stuff that is in commerical pet food we have decided to switch to a more natural food.

A friend of my wifes uses Nutro so that is what we have been thinking about but I have read mixed reviews on this brand. Does anyone have any input or a recommedation on a brand that will be suitable for both dogs. 

What is the difference between Adult dog food and Adult Large Breed? Would Large breed be bad for the Schiperkee?

Any help would be awesome.

Thanks:biggrin:


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

I don't think you are improving your food very much by going with Nutro. If I had to feed a kibble it would be either EVO or Orijen. They both have a lot of meat and very few carbs compared to most other dog foods.


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## ImWithThePyr (Apr 8, 2009)

There are only a handful of kibbles that I would even consider feeding my own dog. 

Is the dog an adult or puppy? The reason I ask is because you have a large breed and large breed puppies need to have their calcium intake regulated. Orijen Large Breed puppy is wonderful. As are the three TOTW formulas, but the one I would feel comfortable feeding a LBP is the Pacific Stream formula. 

If the dog is an adult, I'd go with EVO, Orijen, TOTW, or NV Instinct. All are grain free and high in meat. Maxwell the Pyr has eaten all three of these foods and has done wonderfully on all of them.


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

I'd recommend going with a grain-free food if possible and avoid Nutro like the plague. While some dogs do just fine on it, others have been getting pretty sick off of the stuff, and it's mostly grain fillers anyway. 

As far as good grain free foods go, I'd recommend Innova Evo, Orijen, Blue Buffalo Wilderness, Merrick Before Grain, Nature's Variety Instinct, and Wellness Core. 

As far as good non-grain free foods go, I'd recommend Natural Balance Ultra, Wellness, Innova, Blue Buffalo, and Abady.


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## lorih1770 (Jun 17, 2008)

I agree with all suggestions above. I feed my dogs Orijen. They (St. Bernard and Pit Bull) do great on it and they love it. 

I definitely do not recommend Nutro. I actually have an almost full 40# bag of Nutro given to me by the rescue group I foster for about a year ago and I can't even bare to give it to the foster dogs. I feed my fosters the same food I feed my dogs or either Wellness or Innova Puppy (when I have little puppies). How can I say, here you eat these cheap grains and cancer causing chemicals while clyde and lulu eat high quality, grain free, and chemical free food? lol


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

DogLover said:


> My wife and I are looking to change dry dog food that we feed out dog. We have a German Shepard and a Schiperke mix. Currently we are feeding them Purina One but after hearing about the stuff that is in commerical pet food we have decided to switch to a more natural food.
> 
> A friend of my wifes uses Nutro so that is what we have been thinking about but I have read mixed reviews on this brand. Does anyone have any input or a recommedation on a brand that will be suitable for both dogs.
> 
> ...


Nutro is manufactured by Menu foods which have had numerous recalls not a good company and also stick away from Diamond foods horrible companies.
I right now am trying wellness core reduced fat for my one lab which is for weight management, and I also have the superfivemix healthy weight for her variety the spice of life! And I have wellness superfivemix lamb and rice for my other pups and also I have merrick bg Before grain buffalo which is a great protien level and EVO turkey which is for over 1 year old dogs. If yours is a puppy try superfivemix wellness puppy foood which you can find at Petco.
Look at your ingrediants on the food label, like chicken meal (meat products) is best. They should be listed first no corn or gluten or beet pulp or wheat . Go to like the wellness web sight and read the ingrediants lists this will help you and also ask what the difference is between large and adult food! I know kibble size is one thing in large breed food!


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## Doc (Jan 17, 2009)

Orijen is also a very good line.


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## ImWithThePyr (Apr 8, 2009)

Doc said:


> Orijen is also a very good line.


Big Orijen fan over here :biggrin:


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## Winniesdad (Nov 25, 2008)

I'm feeding Taste of the Wild right now. I add a little Evangers canned meat in. I rotate between the High Prairie Formula and the Water Fowl formula. Winnie seems to do pretty well. She had bad gas and loose stools on her other foods (including Wellness which I know is a good food, just not for her I guess).


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## sweetpoison (Apr 23, 2009)

NUTRO....BAD, BAD, CHOICE..... My lab has been on it and is sick as a dog..... I mean really....if he eats it...he throws it up. Checked consumer affairs and searched for Nutro..........ALOT of animals are being effected like this in the last few weeks....I am switching him to Orijen.....Hope that works.

Vicki


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## ChattyCathy (Nov 22, 2008)

I wouldn't use Nutro. I'd try Innovo Evo or Wellness Core. There are quite a few others out there that are good as well. Have you gone to Dog Food Analysis yet? They give you lots of information (reviews) on different kibbles.


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## IRHusker (May 5, 2009)

My lab has been on Nutro for 8 years and no problems. He only gets sick when he has to switch and eat another brand. 

I've never heard of EVO or Orijen but may need to do some research. Are these foods that you would need to get from a Vet or order online?


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

IRHusker said:


> My lab has been on Nutro for 8 years and no problems. He only gets sick when he has to switch and eat another brand.
> 
> I've never heard of EVO or Orijen but may need to do some research. Are these foods that you would need to get from a Vet or order online?


EVO and Orijen are both grain free foods, and big chain stores like PetCo and PetSmart don't carry them. (In fact the only good thing petco carries is the Wellness line) Depending on where you live you shouldn't have to order online, and a vet office more often than not just carries Science Diet or Purina One- totl crap. You can find higher quality foods in smaller mom and pop stores, often time doggy daycares will carry some, and boutiques. They are a little pricey, but they're definately worth it. If you think your pup has no problems now, you'd be amazed at what a high quality food will do for him/ her.


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## Guest (May 5, 2009)

IMO, whatever you choose, just make sure it is convenient to get and within your price range.


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## domari (Jun 17, 2008)

Winniesdad said:


> I'm feeding Taste of the Wild right now. I add a little Evangers canned meat in. I rotate between the High Prairie Formula and the Water Fowl formula. Winnie seems to do pretty well. She had bad gas and loose stools on her other foods (including Wellness which I know is a good food, just not for her I guess).


I've been feeding my Pit Bull/Boxer mix TOTW for a while now. He's had stomach problems with a lot of other food and this seems to be working better for him. We first fed him 
Pacific Stream formula and decided to try the High Prairie formula. The High Prairie gave him horrid gas so we went back to Pacific Stream which he tolerates much better. We haven't tried the Water Fowl yet, don't think I want to switch again just in case he doesn't tolerate it.


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## ChattyCathy (Nov 22, 2008)

IRHusker said:


> My lab has been on Nutro for 8 years and no problems. He only gets sick when he has to switch and eat another brand.
> 
> I've never heard of EVO or Orijen but may need to do some research. Are these foods that you would need to get from a Vet or order online?


Innova and Wellness and Orijen are all grain-free foods and may be too rich or high in protein for some dogs. After you do your researching you'll see that they contain the best ingredients compared to other kibble products. I tired both Innova and Wellnes for my dogs and took them off of them because they both had very loose stools. After using Ultra Natural Balance for awhile I've decided to try the Orijen fish mix kibble. 

When switching food you need to switch slowly starting with mostly the "old" kibble mixed with the new and increase the new kibble over a period of perhaps a couple of weeks. I'd be interested to know what you decide. Good luck.

I forgot to mention that these kibbles can be rather expensive and you may want to go w/a less expensive kibble. I would then try the next tier of foods down from Innova, Wellness and Orijen.


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