I NEED A FEED THAT PRODUCES LESS MESS TO CLEAN UP!!

[Bev]

ohlinger, Tractor Supply has the heated water bowls for less than $25 each. I bought 4 of them and it was the best $100 I ever spent. It absolutely ended my worry about whether or not the dogs were getting enough water when they wanted/needed it. Given the storm that has swept the country this week, I might also offer that dehydration will contribute to a dog freezing to death. They need as much (if not more) water in the winter as they do in the summer.

Edited to add: 2500 HD and I were on the same wavelength again, lol.

[packmaster]

I have been feeding sportmix 24/20 year round with good results.I also use the heated water bowls,and zip tie the cord down.so far so good.

[2500 HD]

I am the Michigan distubitor for Black Gold dog food and other than dealing with recent price increases, I have really enjoyed it. I have learned alot about dog food because so many people ask questions and I do my best to get them an answer. It is funny how many people analize the ingredients in dog food, when they almost daily eat fast food. LOL. Dog food companies do alot of research on different ingredients to give your dog a balanced formula. I beleive a a good vitamin supply is just as important as the first 3-5 ingredients.

As far as less clean up in the kennel, I think dogs get over fed to compensate for feeding the wrong formula. More food in, more waste out. I do not beleive you can feed the same protien and fat percentage year round. Young dogs require more protien than older dogs, just like hard running dogs require more fat than dogs that aren't run as often. More fat is needed in the winter than summer. Higher fat content will result in more waste if not run hard enough to use it up. I beleive you should be able to maintain a dog year round feeding the same serving size (with in a half cup) by changing formula's not amount. I have 3-4 different blend bags open in my kennel year round. Since I realized this my feeding cost and cleaning work are less.

[mybeagles]

2500 HD "I beleive a a good vitamin supply is just as important as the first 3-5 ingredients."

With this logic, I could eat burgers, fries, and milk shakes everyday as long as I pop a high quality vitamim.

I cant follow that logic.....Eating a healthy died negates the need to be eating vitamins and suppliments. The vitamins in a healthy died come naturally in the food and are superior to synthetic ones.

I prefer a food with quality top 5 ingredients AND some vitamin suppliments!

2500 HD I beleive you should be able to maintain a dog year round feeding the same serving size (with in a half cup) by changing formula's not amount.

If your feeding a premium feed, your only feeding 1 to 1.5 cup a day, so a half cup is a big increase, if your feeding cheap foods that require 2.5 to 4 cups a day to keep a dog up, you would have to add 1.5 to 2 cups to get same effect. In that case, a formula change would be needed.

I was slow to catch on, but when I switched to a premium food I was amazed how little I fed, and if you do the math its not that much more expensive; even paying $1.00 to $1.25 lb.

Mybeagles

[ohlinger]

I think that hydration has been a factor in my dogs this winter...had female that was not putting on any weight...I took her to the vet she checked clear of any illnesses and parasites. The veterinarian and I discussed the possiblity of dehydration...I guess i have to figure out a way to get electricity out to my kennel, so i can try these heated bowls. It's an idea i've been tossing around for awhile now! Building a new kennel this spring it'll def be an accomodation i take into consideration for next year! for now I'm sure i'll figure out a quick and easy way just worried about waterproofing the power strip and extenstion cord plugs any suggestions ?

[2500 HD]

2500 HD "I beleive a a good vitamin supply is just as important as the first 3-5 ingredients."

With this logic, I could eat burgers, fries, and milk shakes everyday as long as I pop a high quality vitamim.

I cant follow that logic.....Eating a healthy died negates the need to be eating vitamins and suppliments. The vitamins in a healthy died come naturally in the food and are superior to synthetic ones.

I prefer a food with quality top 5 ingredients AND some vitamin suppliments!

2500 HD I beleive you should be able to maintain a dog year round feeding the same serving size (with in a half cup) by changing formula's not amount.

If your feeding a premium feed, your only feeding 1 to 1.5 cup a day, so a half cup is a big increase, if your feeding cheap foods that require 2.5 to 4 cups a day to keep a dog up, you would have to add 1.5 to 2 cups to get same effect. In that case, a formula change would be needed.

I was slow to catch on, but when I switched to a premium food I was amazed how little I fed, and if you do the math its not that much more expensive; even paying $1.00 to $1.25 lb.

Mybeagles

Mybeagles I have noticed on here if people don't do things your way, they are doing them wrong!!!!!

I see your dog food also has some vitamin supplement (mentioned above). I mentioned that Vitamins were JUST AS IMPORTANT, never mentioned that it would replace quality ingredients!!!! I also notice you are feeding the same amount as I am ( 1- 1 1/2 cups a day) only you are paying twice as much per lb. Not sure where you ASSUMED that I was feeding more than that??? Except to my 85 lb coon houd!!! I beleive I mentioned that over feeding was not the answer( if you reread what i posted earlier)By the way wasn't feeding raw the only way to feed a dog about a year ago, according to you??? Why the switch if that was the only way to go????

When people are trying to help someone out, why do criticize them? I can't follow that logic!!!!!!!!!!!

[mjd]

if theres not a tsc near they $12 at rural king but im not sure where all their stores are at ,and $15 at menards

ohlinger, Tractor Supply has the heated water bowls for less than $25 each. I bought 4 of them and it was the best $100 I ever spent. It absolutely ended my worry about whether or not the dogs were getting enough water when they wanted/needed it. Given the storm that has swept the country this week, I might also offer that dehydration will contribute to a dog freezing to death. They need as much (if not more) water in the winter as they do in the summer.

Edited to add: 2500 HD and I were on the same wavelength again, lol.

[mybeagles]

By the way wasn't feeding raw the only way to feed a dog about a year ago, according to you??? Why the switch if that was the only way to go????

Raw diet is by far the best, but when your 3000 miles away its pretty tough......cant expect my wife to keep up with feeding RAW to dogs she doesnt like anyway and take care of 4 kids.....

I'm not criticizing you, I just disagree.

Vitamims are not just as important as top 3-5 ingredients. If you fed premium ingredients, but didnt put any vitamins in the dogs would be fine......if you feed them garbage (Corn, wheat, soy)and add some good vitamins its not as good. So I dont think they are just as important......

I also didnt say anything about how much you feed. It was a comment highlighting the difference between good feed and bad and how much more you would need to feed.

I agree with you, that if you have to add more that 1/2 cup a food, you either need to upgrade or change formulas.

......I agree with you on some points and disagree on others, I thought that was the point of these topics. If everyone just agreed with your opinions on dog food, everyone could commend you on your dog food nutrition knowledge and we would never have to discuss dog food again. I think you will find that there are some pretty diverse opinions on this subject, and I'm no exception.

Sorry if it looked like I was singling you out.....I can assure you its not personal.........

Mybeagles

[2500 HD]

I'm not criticizing you, I just disagree.

Vitamims are not just as important as top 3-5 ingredients. If you fed premium ingredients, but didnt put any vitamins in the dogs would be fine......if you feed them garbage (Corn, wheat, soy)and add some good vitamins its not as good. So I dont think they are just as important......

I also didnt say anything about how much you feed. It was a comment highlighting the difference between good feed and bad and how much more you would need to feed.

I agree with you, that if you have to add more that 1/2 cup a food, you either need to upgrade or change formulas.

......I agree with you on some points and disagree on others, I thought that was the point of these topics. If everyone just agreed with your opinions on dog food, everyone could commend you on your dog food nutrition knowledge and we would never have to discuss dog food again. I think you will find that there are some pretty diverse opinions on this subject, and I'm no exception.

Sorry if it looked like I was singling you out.....I can assure you its not personal.........

Mybeagles

I do not add vitamins to what I feed, every dog food manufactored has some amount of vitamins added to it's formula to create a balance needed for your dog. I believe that those that feed raw suppliment with vitamins???? You say corn is garbage, and I agree, whole corn or ground corn does your dog no good, but corn meal is broke down to allow a dog to digest it. IMO it is a good source of protien, besides corn is a natural grown vegatable.

I am no way an expert on dog food, but I do have my own opinion as well. Apology accepted...... your wording directs thing to be personal at times.

[Alabama John]

I try to stay out of the feed debates, but one thing to consider is in hunting season our beagles get in addition to their feed, they also get protein and other nutrients from rabbits they catch and eat plus the guts and organs, especially the heads we give them at each one we shoot.

[RiverBottom]

John, you always have a way of saying a lot with few words!

The best feed for rabbit dogs is RABBITS!!

[Bev]

Not trying to fan the flames on the dog food debate, but here's something to consider. Commercial dog food is for convenience sake. Commercial dog food has only been around for about 60 - 70 years. Guess what those high-performance hunting dogs thrived quite nicely on before that?

Same thing I fed Dolly until put her to rest one week ago today. At age 14 her kidneys were going. One of the side effects of kidney failure is nausea and vomiting. Not realizing that, I took her off all commercial dog food and began feeding her scraps -- all she wanted, all she would eat. I made her bacon/egg/cheese omelets in the morning, pot pies or beef stew full of vegetables at night. Sometimes she just ate what I was eating -- a sandwich, or whatever was on the go. She loved it and it sustained her for some weeks, and then she began to lose her appetite altogether. The big side effect I was waiting on of feeding her greasy ol' whatever was loose stools, or big stools or too hard stools. I'd brought her in the house for good months prior, so I would certainly know if that happened. Her stools never changed.

I think we try to make too much science of things sometimes.

On the flip-side, since we are mostly using the convenience of commercial dog foods, we might as well use those that a dog can get the most out of. When they live on scraps they get a variety of food groups, textures, fat percentages, natural fibers...and probably some stuff they don't need. When we feed a dry kibble, there's absolutely no variety to their diet whatsoever. So when we opt to put a dog on a diet that has zero variety, it does indeed become science in the effort to make sure they are truly getting everything they need. And just as no 2 humans can tolerate all of the same foods equally, we seem to expect 25 dogs in one kennel to handle the precise same formula exactly the same.

I take it with a grain of salt when discussions lean toward the absolutes. JMHO.

[bucks better beagles]

I think it all boils down to feeding the best food you can, or, are willing, to afford. I am not willing to pay for the high priced spread so I try to find something that does the job and satisfies my mind.

[KILLNTM]

Purina Pro Plan should give you alot less mess to clean up. I was so impressed with the amount of time I saved cleaning kennels, that I figured my time alone was worth the high price. Unfortunately, my hounds couldn't hold their weight while on it. I increase their feed, and it didn't seem to help. I switched back to Sportmix and the weight came back, but so did the large amount of waste. Of course, the fat content in the Sportmix is higher. I'm now feeding the Pride 26/20, but haven't been on it long enough to tell anything.

BiL

[rabbitsmoker]

I seen my grandpa go down to the local diner and get 5 gallon buckets of scraps when i was just a kid back in the 70s to feed his dogs and let me tell you you couldnt tell if you was feeding the best dog food in the world those hounds would run 8-10 hours a day everyday (But Grandma used to walk to church every Sunday to times have changed)