Digestability is determined by the quality of the proteins, fats, and carbs in the food. So, the better the food, the higher the rate of digestability and the less feces being deposited. It's not so much a matter of how much "crap" you have to clean up, as opposed to the health of your dog(s). Sure, the fringe benefits of less clean up is great, but feeding a better quality food for healths sake is a MUCH better reason to switch to a better food.
Determining the digestibility of the protein in a dog food is not an easy task, but if you follow some general rules, it makes it easier to figure which food is the "best" buy.
As we know, dogs do much better with meat-based foods, but all meats are NOT created equal. For instance, meat and bone meal can be ANY type of meat with bones added. This meal has very high mineral content which can be hard on the kidneys, liver, and circulatory system. Also, foods with this type of "protein" is inconsistance in it's digestability because different "meats" are digestable at different rates, not to mention the meat source will vary from batch to batch. This is why a dog can do well on a food for a while, then lose condition or coat. A better source of protein would be a specific type of meat meal, such as "chicken meal". According to AAFCO regulations, a listing like this MUST contain chicken, exclusive of feathers, beaks, heads, and entrails. So, you are basically talking the MEAT of the chicken and maybe some incidental attached bone (but not added extra bones).
Cheaper, bargin foods use alot of grains and grain fragments (parts of grains listed separately). The reasons for this is "bulk". Sure, these grains contain protein and I am not opposed to WHOLE grains of good quality, but the food should NOT be using high amounts of grain AS a protein source. This should be left up to the MEAT. Yes, grains do also offer EAA (essential amino acids), but again, they should not be utilized AS protein. Here is where digestability is determined. When there are alot of grains present, there is alot of fiber as well. Fiber is NOT digested (for the most part) by dogs and is usually just "pooped" out. The more fiber, the more "poop".
Here is some info about dog foods and the ingredients they contain.
http://www.dogfoodproject.com
Right now, I feed my beagles, Eagle Pack Original Adult.
http://www.eaglepack.com/pages/ep_orig_adult.html
I feed my small dogs and bred/lactating bitches Innova EVO
http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d= ... 1246%27%5D
I also add the EVO into my beagles food from time to time, as well as, some raw meats, fruits and veggies, along with other fresh items.
I feed 14 dogs total and not all dogs are the same. One food doesn't fit all, so you must know your dogs and what their specific needs are.
I pay $40.00 for a 33 lb bag of the EVO, but feed only about 1/4 cup per small dog daily and about 1/3 cup for my 13" beagles when they get it added. This food last me better than a month. The EP Original is the beagles staple diet and they get 1cup daily if that is all they are getting. If I add anything, I reduce the kibble amount somewhat. The EP Original runs me about $30 for 50lbs and well worth every penny. It last me 2 weeks.
