# dog food for a valley bull dog



## granville (Mar 13, 2013)

Well this is my first post on here....looking for feedback from other people that have valley bulldogs or even english bulldogs or boxers....what foods have worked the best with your dogs....I am feeding my valley bulldog puppy wellness core right now....but researching foods to switch to in a couple of months .. Awesome site...have read back 20 pages and learned a lot.


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## granville (Mar 13, 2013)

after looking around today...bascially have 2 price tiers...the 60-70 dollar range{ where I would like to be} Fromm Gold $66, Nature Variety lamb or chicken $58-70, all of the Go line 64-70, nutri source grain free $ 63, Oven Baked $ 65 and Acana chicken and burbank at 54 .....OR the 70-80 range Fromm four star with grain 76-81 ( four star grain free is 91} , Acana ranchlands /grasslands 79 , Now line 77, Orijen line 84-91 all good choices ....hard to decide


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I'm a big supporter of Champion foods especially the Acana line. All of my fosters who are Bull Terriers have done really well on this food. Acana duck and pear is a new favorite


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## granville (Mar 13, 2013)

yes ...i noticed them... around 75 per bag


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

What about something like Evo or NV instinct? Or you could go with something cheaper and spend the difference in price on ground meat to cook and use as a topper.


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## Jace (Oct 3, 2012)

Is there a particular criteria that is important to you? Ingredient Sourcing, high meat protein, Canadian company? That might help to narrow it down too..


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## granville (Mar 13, 2013)

good quality food ...canadian or american...i picked up samples of the fromm four star...he liked them but they are so small ...he doesn't chew them ..just swallows them, I think that rules them out


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## RawPitbulls (Feb 7, 2013)

If I wasn't a raw feeder (which is what I reccomend 100% of the time), I would feed Orijen or Acana. The are the only foods I have seen with the proper meat content. I definitely am not impressed with Fromm.


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## PDXdogmom (Jun 30, 2010)

I would also take a look at the *Annamaet* brand. I understand that some Global Pet Food stores in Canada are now carrying it.

It is a family-owned company for about 27 yrs. that has its food manufactured at Ohio Pet Foods - a plant that has never had a recall. The owner has a nutrition background from University of Pennsylvania School of Veterninary Medicine. Customer service is good. I received an e-mail reply from the president, Robert Downey, in less than a day and he answered all my questions. Annamaet Petfoods - A Holistic & Natural Way to Feed Your Pet

As far as Annamaet formulas, there is both grain-inclusive and grain-free. Although my dogs have only been on one of the grain frees for a few weeks, I am very pleased so far. The 30% protein, 16% fat, fiber 3.5% and ash at only 6.8-7.5% make it a food, IMO, that hits a solid effective range. So many brands these days seem to be relying on lentils, beans, chickpeas, etc. which drive up the fiber to 5% and more. Or check out the ash % on Nature's Variety Instinct. They used to post ash percentage on their web site (10-12% was common), but now you have to call for that information.

As far as kibble size, which OP thought Fromm was too small for chewing, I've never seen my dogs actually chew any kibble.


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## flashyfawn (Mar 8, 2012)

My boxer did noticeably better on higher protein, grain free food. I rotated mostly between Wellness Core, Blue Wilderness, and Evo. Plus a little Orijen which he loved but it was too pricey for me. One of my dogs is on Petcurean's Now line, but I've been considering switching to Go instead. She loves it and is doing great, but she doesn't really have any particular issues with food. She's on the large breed senior and the kibble size is pretty big but I have no idea if that is because it's supposed to be a large breed food or that's just the way that brand looks. It's the first food I've seen her actually have to chew a little.


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## DaViking (Sep 27, 2011)

RawPitbulls said:


> If I wasn't a raw feeder (which is what I reccomend 100% of the time), I would feed Orijen or Acana. The are the only foods I have seen with the proper meat content. I definitely am not impressed with Fromm.


No canid on the planet eat anything close to the amount of protein a dog get per day from Orijen. Very few dogs need or should eat all this protein per day. If a an ancestral diet is the goal raw or pre-made raw is 1000% better, Orijen is just a poor compromise in that respect and raw will provide better quality and a more appropriate protein intake. As far as Acana goes, it's overpriced and a bad buy compared to other brands with similar energy distribution and meat content. Acana is 40 to 50% carbs, I repeat 40 to 50% carbs and for that they are asking +/- $70. That's $2.5/lb for a lot of carbs. Other (both US and Canadian) foods with similar meat and fat content sells for $1.40/lb. Other better foods like Horizon Legacy GF and Dr Tim's GF sells for around $2/lb. If you want to spend around $2.5/lb (which is fine, I don't have any problems with that) something like Go! Fit & Free GF with 16% starch and 34% protein is a way way better option than any Acana formula. Go Fit & Free is a better choice than any Champion product imho. Annamaet as mentioned by PDXdogmom is also a very good option.


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## DaViking (Sep 27, 2011)

granville said:


> after looking around today...bascially have 2 price tiers...the 60-70 dollar range{ where I would like to be} Fromm Gold $66, Nature Variety lamb or chicken $58-70, all of the Go line 64-70, nutri source grain free $ 63, Oven Baked $ 65 and Acana chicken and burbank at 54 .....OR the 70-80 range Fromm four star with grain 76-81 ( four star grain free is 91} , Acana ranchlands /grasslands 79 , Now line 77, Orijen line 84-91 all good choices ....hard to decide


Do you have a Global Pet Foods near you? They have an awesome selection and can pretty much order anything you need. Look for brands like Nutram (classic or grain free), Go!, Now, Annamaet, ProSeries, Pronature, Precise, Horizon, Fromm Gold, Eagle Pack, Holistic Select, plus probably a few I forgot. All these brands have quality formulas from their inexpensive classic lines to expensive grain free foods. Some places in Canada you can also get Natures Logic, RedPaw and Timberwolf.


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

you may have too switch food a few times before finding something
that your dog likes and it works for your dog. i switched my dog's brand 
of food often. i keep a variety of can food on hand. i use the can food
mainly as a topping. i also feed a lot of fresh meat, chicken and fish.
when i use can fish it's in water no salt added. blueberries, apples and pears
( a few slices). i feed a lot more things as a topping.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

have you looked at horizon legacy? it's comparable to acana, but I think is little cheaper.


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## granville (Mar 13, 2013)

thanks for all your replies...


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## BearMurphy (Feb 29, 2012)

DaViking said:


> No canid on the planet eat anything close to the amount of protein a dog get per day from Orijen. Very few dogs need or should eat all this protein per day. If a an ancestral diet is the goal raw or pre-made raw is 1000% better, Orijen is just a poor compromise in that respect and raw will provide better quality and a more appropriate protein intake. As far as Acana goes, it's overpriced and a bad buy compared to other brands with similar energy distribution and meat content. Acana is 40 to 50% carbs, I repeat 40 to 50% carbs and for that they are asking +/- $70. That's $2.5/lb for a lot of carbs. Other (both US and Canadian) foods with similar meat and fat content sells for $1.40/lb. Other better foods like Horizon Legacy GF and Dr Tim's GF sells for around $2/lb. If you want to spend around $2.5/lb (which is fine, I don't have any problems with that) something like Go! Fit & Free GF with 16% starch and 34% protein is a way way better option than any Acana formula. Go Fit & Free is a better choice than any Champion product imho. Annamaet as mentioned by PDXdogmom is also a very good option.


DaViking gives some really good advice here...in addition to paying attention to where the ingredients are sourced from and the company track record, take his advice on carbs and protein. One of the biggest enemies of the kibble feeder is too much carbs which I believe is the cause of a lot of modern day dog illnesses that could have otherwise have been prevented.

Also, something that dog food companies don't seem to acknowledge is the fact that the "true ancestral diet" of raw meat and bones no more than 30% protein because it's mostly moisture so I wouldn't feed a food with protein too much higher. If you look up each meat individually it's usually around 25% protein i think. Take a look for yourself here if you are interested NDL/FNIC Food Composition Database Home Page


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## Jace (Oct 3, 2012)

Any of these foods mentioned all meet your criteria, but can people weigh in on kibble size, maybe you need something bigger??? The NOW Large Breed is a bigger kibble, and the GO! is smaller. I use the NOW Large Breed for training treats for my small dog.


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## brindle (Mar 14, 2013)

My dog was having some itchy issues on dog foods with an extensive ingredient list (Acana, Orijen), I recently decided to try a dog food that worked well on a foster poodle that had skin allergies-- Healthwise Lamb and Oatmeal. 
My dogs skin went from alternately dry-oily and now, on Healthwise, her skin and coat are gorgeous, shiny and soft! 
I'm pretty sure that Healthwise is slightly on the heavier side carb wise but-- so far it has worked for TWO dogs that I have worked with! 
It is not wether the packaging is pretty or the labels are fancy but more (MUCH more) how each individual dog does on each specific food! Carb heavy or otherwise! 
DaViking gave you excellent choices for stellar dog foods. 
Note: NONE of the dogs that I have ever had Acana on did REALLY well on it. Most dogs I have fostered, as well as my current dog, have gotten quite itchy on all formulas.


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## PDXdogmom (Jun 30, 2010)

brindle said:


> My dog was having some itchy issues on dog foods with an extensive ingredient list (Acana, Orijen), I recently decided to try a dog food that worked well on a foster poodle that had skin allergies-- Healthwise Lamb and Oatmeal.
> My dogs skin went from alternately dry-oily and now, on Healthwise, her skin and coat are gorgeous, shiny and soft!
> I'm pretty sure that Healthwise is slightly on the heavier side carb wise but-- so far it has worked for TWO dogs that I have worked with!
> It is not wether the packaging is pretty or the labels are fancy but more (MUCH more) how each individual dog does on each specific food! Carb heavy or otherwise!
> ...


I think Healthwise is a great value for the money. My daughter and her husband had their lab mix on it for years with good success. Sometimes "simple" is better.

I also noticed that one of my dogs got itchier with the new formula changes in the Acana line - one reason we're trying Annamaet now.


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## brindle (Mar 14, 2013)

PDXdogmom said:


> I think Healthwise is a great value for the money. My daughter and her husband had their lab mix on it for years with good success. Sometimes "simple" is better.
> 
> I also noticed that one of my dogs got itchier with the new formula changes in the Acana line - one reason we're trying Annamaet now.


I agree, the price is excellent for the quality. No ingredient changes in the 5-6 years that I have used it, even since P&G took over .. (I just started using it on my dog but I have used it for fosters over the years). 
Even BEFORE the ingredient switch my fosters (and current dog) have always had itchy issues on Acana. I honestly believe it is some of the botanicals that cause issues. If an animal has environmental issues, it could be plausible that some of those alfalfa or botanicals might be problematic for them. 
I also don't particularly like using potatoes as the binder, but that is just a personal preference... 
I also really like the look of Nutri-source. There is a grain free in that line as well although I would personally use the grain inclusive... yes even with the corn. 
Corn is one of the things that has helped my daughter since her switch to a gluten free diet so I don't think there is much to complain about when it comes to corn as a binder (another personal preference).


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## DaViking (Sep 27, 2011)

brindle said:


> My dog was having some itchy issues on dog foods with an extensive ingredient list (Acana, Orijen), I recently decided to try a dog food that worked well on a foster poodle that had skin allergies-- Healthwise Lamb and Oatmeal.
> My dogs skin went from alternately dry-oily and now, on Healthwise, her skin and coat are gorgeous, shiny and soft!
> I'm pretty sure that Healthwise is slightly on the heavier side carb wise but-- so far it has worked for TWO dogs that I have worked with!
> It is not wether the packaging is pretty or the labels are fancy but more (MUCH more) how each individual dog does on each specific food! Carb heavy or otherwise!
> ...


Healthwise is an excellent and budget friendly alternative. Even more so if you use it as base where you add some raw and/or cooked items throughout the week. For example sardines, spinach, apples, blueberries, cheap steak cuts, offals, fats/oils, etc. This way of feeding is way better than trying to mimic an ancestral diet in a kibble. That always mean questionable compromises.

There are many other similar (and relatively cheap) foods/brands too that are great on their own or as a base but many overlook this way of feeding because they read all the negative and judgmental comments coming from the ingredient police.


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## PDXdogmom (Jun 30, 2010)

DaViking said:


> Healthwise is an excellent and budget friendly alternative. Even more so if you use it as base where you add some raw and/or cooked items throughout the week. For example sardines, spinach, apples, blueberries, cheap steak cuts, offals, fats/oils, etc. This way of feeding is way better than trying to mimic an ancestral diet in a kibble. That always mean questionable compromises.
> 
> There are many other similar (and relatively cheap) foods/brands too that are great on their own or as a base but many overlook this way of feeding because they read all the negative and judgmental comments coming from the ingredient police.



After going down a lot of different dog food paths in the last few decades, I now am also very in tune with the advantages of a good base kibble with the addition of fresh or cooked meat from your own kitchen. I believe you are getting a less-processed meal at a much better price. It's not necessary to pay top dollar for a kibble that contains several "fresh" meats like chicken or salmon when in reality they are exposed to the high heat of manufacturing any way. The "fresh" in these kibbles is actually a slurry of not the prime parts. Purchasing your own fresh meat of whatever quality suits you to add to the kibble guarantees a much more valuable ingredient in your dog's meal. 

That said, there are still a number of lower-priced kibbles I wouldn't feed as a base if they contained corn gluten, potato protein or pea protein as primary ingredients. Healthwise has none of those.


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## brindle (Mar 14, 2013)

DaViking said:


> Healthwise is an excellent and budget friendly alternative. Even more so if you use it as base where you add some raw and/or cooked items throughout the week. For example sardines, spinach, apples, blueberries, cheap steak cuts, offals, fats/oils, etc. This way of feeding is way better than trying to mimic an ancestral diet in a kibble. That always mean questionable compromises.
> 
> There are many other similar (and relatively cheap) foods/brands too that are great on their own or as a base but many overlook this way of feeding because they read all the negative and judgmental comments coming from the ingredient police.


I agree with you as using it as a base. I love to put toppers on my dog's kibble, as she never has any digestive issues. 
She LOVES sardines! Well.... she LOVES everything


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