" wrote in
oups.com:

Do the high
end dog foods like Science Diet and Pro Plan have any substantial
effect on canine behavior, either negative or positive, over regular
dog foods like Pedigree and Alpo? Is it worth the extra money? My vet
keeps telling me to switch to Science Diet, but I suspect that might
have something to do with the fact that he sells the stuff.

This is just from my personal observations. I am no expert of dog diets or
health or anything like that.

We normally buy Science Diet for Moogli (10 lb shih-tzu/min. schnauzer
mix). For whatever reason, when we went to buy SD the last time, there was
none left, so we bought some Beneful (he really liked it as a puppy). The
differences were remarkable. First, his poops are bigger, smellier and
softer. Second, his bowl is getting to be more of a mess. He is picky with
the 3 or 4 kinds of kibble in Beneful, and will spread out the ones that he
want, shoving his face deep into his bowl to try to get at the ones that he
wants. His energy level is about the same, but he seems to be more,
unfocussed is the closest I can get to the term. He also eats more of the
Beneful, so while it is cheaper, the bag doesn't last as long.

--
Marcel and Moogli

wrote:
We've all heard the phrase "You are what you eat".

How does this apply to the various commercial dog foods? Do the high
end dog foods like Science Diet and Pro Plan have any substantial
effect on canine behavior, either negative or positive, over regular
dog foods like Pedigree and Alpo? Is it worth the extra money? My vet
keeps telling me to switch to Science Diet, but I suspect that might
have something to do with the fact that he sells the stuff. We
currently feed Alpo dry, and my dog seems to be thriving. He is a 3
year old Collie.

Thanks in advance,


Doug Miller



Hey doug

when it comes to dog food you are paying for convenience in my view.

I feed pedigree kibble, (
http://www.pedigree.co.nz/products/p....asp?product=1) (dont know if
you get it anywhere else, but it's a high end dog food out here in new
zealand. The regular commercial kind found in super markets.

Also when caught short Ill feed the dog roll. Which is a sausage.

I give them half and half tho. Half kibble and half stir fry chicken,
mince (ground beef) with a bullion cube, an egg and veggies, (handful or
two from the freezer) and some garlic. Just a couple of cloves. Mixed
together with basmati rice or brown rice. (Cooked.) Only takes five
mins to whip up a stir fry for them. Just a tsp of oil thats all.


My dogs generally live for 15 to 20 years and apart from the
occaisional lump or wart that generally comes with old age they rarly go
to the vet. Say for jabs etc. Okay, I dont ahve breeds. I always take
on the animals that come my way. that were other wise unwanted. Got 3
dogs now.

http://homepages.e3.net.nz/~kirsten.nick/gallery.htm



Hounds love it and they are getting regular food along with a "balanced
diet". Dont know so much about the u.s but out here the general belief
is you get what you pay for. In other words, you buy cheap food you get
crap. Works for me.


cheers. Trog

How does this apply to the various commercial dog foods? Do the high
end dog foods like Science Diet and Pro Plan have any substantial
effect on canine behavior, either negative or positive, over regular
dog foods like Pedigree and Alpo? Is it worth the extra money? My vet
keeps telling me to switch to Science Diet, but I suspect that might
have something to do with the fact that he sells the stuff. We
currently feed Alpo dry, and my dog seems to be thriving. He is a 3
year old Collie.



my dog will not eat Science Diet. I even tried the new stuff, Science Diet
Nature or something like that. He won't touch the stuff. He eats Pro Plan
currently though I didn't consider this high end and wanted to switch to
something better. Now, I am not sure.

is there anyone out there that can recommend a food for him? stick with pro
plan? switch to something else?

" wrote in message
oups.com...
We've all heard the phrase "You are what you eat".

How does this apply to the various commercial dog foods? Do the high
end dog foods like Science Diet and Pro Plan have any substantial
effect on canine behavior, either negative or positive, over regular
dog foods like Pedigree and Alpo? Is it worth the extra money? My vet
keeps telling me to switch to Science Diet, but I suspect that might
have something to do with the fact that he sells the stuff. We
currently feed Alpo dry, and my dog seems to be thriving. He is a 3
year old Collie.

1) Science Diet and Pro Plan are *not* "high end" dog foods. they're the
same old stuff in a fancy package.
2) you're right. your vet is pushing Science Diet on you because he sells
it, and because his "nutritional training" (if he got any), came from
Hill's, the maker of Science Diet.

i usually recommend these high end, pricy foods, with fancy ingredients and
all that. we're currently feeding Pinnacle Trout and Sweet Potato (sounds
like something you'd get in a fancy restaurant doesn't it?). but then one
of my dogs gets rashes and licks herself like crazy if she eats corn or
wheat products. the first few ingredients a
Trout, Oatmeal, Toasted Oats, Herring Meal, Oat Flour, Canola Oil, Sweet
Potato, Calcium Carbonate, Flax Seed, Lecithin, Grapeseed Oil
fancy stuff.

but honestly, if your dog is thriving, if he's healthy, happy, and
energetic... you might as well just keep feeding what you're feeding him.

-kelly
not a vet.

" wrote:
Do the high
end dog foods like Science Diet and Pro Plan have any substantial
effect on canine behavior, either negative or positive, over regular
dog foods like Pedigree and Alpo? Is it worth the extra money?

Dog foods like Science Diet and Pro Plan are only marginally better than
Pedigree and Alpo. It's all junk.

Yes, food can have an effect on behavior. Maybe somebody who has more
thoroughly researched that end of it can chime in with some examples (I've
heard that cutting down on protein can calm an overly-hyper dog, but wouldn't
swear to it).

If you're looking for a good food, you have to look for foods that (1) contain
human grade ingredients, (2) use fresh meat as the protein source, (3) aren't
mostly filler with just a smidgen of meat, (4) use whole grains.

In PetsMart, there's only one food I'd recommend - Blue. Maybe Royal Canin.
The other decent foods can be found in feed stores, grooming shops, dog
bakeries, but not in retail chains.

Though there is another poster who disagrees with me waves :, I like this:
http://chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com . It's a good food at a reasonable
price, and fairly easy to find.

---
Family Dog Trainer
"It's A Dog's Life"
http://hometown.aol.com/dfrntdrums/m...age/index.html
Get Healthy, Build Your Immune System, Lose Weight
http://www.re-vita.net/dfrntdrums

My Bullmastiff died last week. She had a very sensitive digestive track and
I tried many foods and did lot's of research. I found that Solid Gold, (I
think the name is Hundenflagen) is one of the best. Science and Iam's
advertise well but one of the lesser quality brands own them. Solid gold
does not have wheat, has mostly human grade ingredients and is not very
expensive. I think it is $29 for 33 pounds. Lucy had serious acne and gas
until she started eating this stuff. Several friends switched to this food
and their dogs showed remarkable improvement.
max

wrote:
We've all heard the phrase "You are what you eat".

How does this apply to the various commercial dog foods? Do the high
end dog foods like Science Diet and Pro Plan have any substantial
effect on canine behavior, either negative or positive, over regular
dog foods like Pedigree and Alpo? Is it worth the extra money? My vet
keeps telling me to switch to Science Diet, but I suspect that might
have something to do with the fact that he sells the stuff. We
currently feed Alpo dry, and my dog seems to be thriving. He is a 3
year old Collie.

Thanks in advance,


Doug Miller



Hey doug

when it comes to dog food you are paying for convenience in my view.

I feed pedigree kibble, (
http://www.pedigree.co.nz/products/p....asp?product=1) (dont know if
you get it anywhere else, but it's a high end dog food out here in new
zealand. The regular commercial kind found in super markets.

Also when caught short Ill feed the dog roll. Which is a sausage.

I give them half and half tho. Half kibble and half stir fry chicken,
mince (ground beef) with a bullion cube, an egg and veggies, (handful or
two from the freezer) and some garlic. Just a couple of cloves. Mixed
together with basmati rice or brown rice. (Cooked.) Only takes five
mins to whip up a stir fry for them. Just a tsp of oil thats all.


My dogs generally live for 15 to 20 years and apart from the
occaisional lump or wart that generally comes with old age they rarly go
to the vet. Say for jabs etc. Okay, I dont ahve breeds. I always take
on the animals that come my way. that were other wise unwanted. Got 3
dogs now.

http://homepages.e3.net.nz/~kirsten.nick/gallery.htm



Hounds love it and they are getting regular food along with a "balanced
diet". Dont know so much about the u.s but out here the general belief
is you get what you pay for. In other words, you buy cheap food you get
crap. Works for me.


cheers. Trog