Dog Food

AlabamaSwamper · Post by **AlabamaSwamper** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 11:15 am

Anyone have any suggestions?????

Southern States charges so much to deliver that nobody around here sells it anymore due to the mill closing in Guntersville.

I have switched back to Diamond Hi energy for the time being. I can guarantee they will have the safest dog food on the market now. Quality I can't speak for but they are still the best around here.

For those feeding Iams and EukaPUKE, remember, they have supported and still support those who oppose us as hunters and dog people.

hounddog · Post by **hounddog** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 11:37 am

I'm thinking the same way there Swamper. My dogs do well on it, the Hi Energy diamond. I've try just about all the dog foods on the market and they are no better. When you're feeding 20 dogs like I am, those high price foods don't cut it. Plus they support a lot of groups that I would like to put my foot up their behinds.

hounddog
Jim Umbarger

crewchf · Post by **crewchf** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:14 pm

Got to admit,, during the Eukanuba Nats. last weekend I didn't see one Euk comercial for sporting dogs!!! Does make you wonder where we're a headin here??? darn, my hounds are doing good on it too!!!

Crew Chief

Duke · Post by **Duke** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:47 pm

I use Nutro high energy formula. 30% protein and 20% fat. They use NO GROUND CORN AND NO BY PRODUCTS. Has vitamins like zinc (studies say dogs that are supplimented with zinc have better performing sense of smell), magnesium, B-12 ect... and Glucosamine and Chondrotin for joints. A little expensive but it may give your dogs an extra year or two running with all the vitamins and joint supplements.

It cost a little more, but for the average beagle you only need to feed 1 and 3/4 cups per day. A lot less cleanup too. As it is very digestible it leaves a lot less waste.

SouthernBeagles · Post by **SouthernBeagles** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 4:29 pm

Alswamper,
All ya got to do is come running down here once a month and pick up a couple hundred lbs while you are here! That way you have an excuse to get them dogs out of the pen!

crewchf · Post by **crewchf** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 7:02 am

Hey Swamper,, I don't think IAMS is in bed with HSUS or PETA, way to much fighting over their test centers from a couple of years ago!!! I'd call it a truce from what I read. The good part of all this is Peta and Hsus seem to be in a riff over whos the best at screwing with people!!! Thats FUNNY, you can't get 6000 Americans in any orgs and expect it to funtion as planned, Look At Our Trialing Formats, for example??? This is typical American BULLSHIT the more members they get, the more they'll fight internaly!!! We all really need to join them like someone mentioned a while back!! A few hundred of us in there with em and they won't know which end is up for sure and I'm really serious here!!! Oh well, such is life in the good ole USA.. You know I can't believe none of these democrats here ain't blamed GWB for the Diamond mess YET!!!!

Rich Piacentine
Crew Chief

Briarhoppers · Post by **Briarhoppers** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 9:24 am

Swamper, I'm in the same boat as you...trying to find a good dog food after leaving Diamond. I just wish we still had Diamond's green bag back from a year ago.

Anyway, I tried a couple bags of SportsMix and in my opinion it is no good. I am now trying a couple bags of Hi-Pro, but so far all the dogs have loose stools. Verdict is still out, but so far it is not looking good. Not sure what to try next and trying to stay under $20 / 50 lbs. We don't have Black Gold in this area.

-Pete

Hunt6 · Post by **Hunt6** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 11:44 am

I'm - was a long time user of Diamond.Told many others over the years to try it.I went through two bad batches - formula changes.Dogs looked like crap.No more.

I will NEVER feed another cup full of it EVER safe or not.
Hunt6 David P.

Hunt6 · Post by **Hunt6** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 11:45 am

I'm - was a long time user of Diamond.Told many others over the years to try it.I went through two bad batches - formula changes.Dogs looked like crap.No more.

I will NEVER feed another cup full of it EVER safe or not.
Hunt6 David P.

Bunny Runner · Post by **Bunny Runner** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 1:39 pm

Anyway, I tried a couple bags of SportsMix and in my opinion it is no good. I am now trying a couple bags of Hi-Pro, but so far all the dogs have loose stools. Verdict is still out, but so far it is not looking good. Not sure what to try next and trying to stay under $20 / 50 lbs. We don't have Black Gold in this area.

That being said, I can tell you that anyone that continues to feed these types of foods are going to have problems at some time or another. There are many quality foods out there to choose from, but you will pay more for them. Someone posted not to long ago that they are using "Maximum Nutrition" from wally world. Surprisingly, when I looked at the ingredients, it doesn't appear to be that bad. It is a bit grain heavy in personal opinion, but for the money, it's not a bad food. Although, sometimes the ingredients can be decieving, so I could not honestly say that it's good in the long run.
Finding a company that stands behind what they sell, has good QC, and puts the time and money into the research is what I look for in addition the the listed ingredients. Most of these foods are more expensive because they are using better ingredients and WON'T substitute for lower cost raw materials to increase their bottom line.
Think about it this way, if they (a company that sells dog food for under $20/50lbs) can sell a bag of dog food for $18, they are having to use inferior ingredients just to break even. Dog food ingredients are commodities bought and sold like stocks on wall street (maybe a bad analogy), and these raw materials must be bought cheaply in order to maintain retail pricing. If on one day, horsemeat is cheaper than chicken by products, then HORSEMEAT it is!
It's not about the health and well-being of our dogs for alot of these huge conglomerates companies like Nestle-Purina, Diamond, etc. It's really about how "cheap" can they produce a product. Sure they may have a huge public image, but they have to maintain a price structure that is conducive to sales. People (the majority of people anyway) don't want to spend alot of money on their pets food, so in order to sell umpteen million bags of food, they MUST keep the price low. They are not going to spend more money to make less!

I feed 15 dogs and have come to the conclusion that I will NOT let price dictate my decision in what I feed them. I will feed them a food that is GOOD for them, regardless of what I have to deny myself (with the exception of my son). If I get to the point where I can't provide them with the proper nutrition, then I will sell or give them away to someone who CAN.

MDH68 · Post by **MDH68** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 3:39 pm

Do a search for Innova. I bet you will like what you see.

Mike

Bunny Runner · Post by **Bunny Runner** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 3:50 pm

http://www.naturapet.com

I use the Innova Adult (small bites) and the Innova EVO (grain free). I have been totally THRILLED with the results.

Bunny Runner · Post by **Bunny Runner** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 3:54 pm

Here are a couple of other sites for some exceptional dog foods.

http://www.eaglepack.com (some of you might want to check out the Prism line or the Power formula).

http://www.timberwolforganics.com

http://www.naturesvariety.com

AlabamaSwamper · Post by **AlabamaSwamper** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 4:08 pm

Finding good food isn't the problem.

Being able to buy it around here is.

Most feed stored either carry local stuff that is totally crap or Diamond.

I am going to check on a couple of more for Southern States soon. Maybe they'll have it.

Some of you apparently don't feed 10 dogs. If I fed one or two, I could afford $30 a bag but as it is, I can't. My parents feed their beagle some of that expensive stuff and I can't tell much difference in her or my dogs.

Alabama John · Post by **Alabama John** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 5:38 pm

Swamper

Try the Sportsman's Pride. They have had a problem with getting it out to the stores and running out. The big hardware store Marvins is carrying it.

Call Ed McKinney 1-800-633-3349 ext. 263, that's who I talked to and he is going to make it happen and happen right.

He thanked me for the call and wasn't aware there was a distribution problem. I'm sure he would like to hear from all you that want to try their feed.

I urge anyone to call him, they are looking for outlets. Find him one near you!