Best low cost dog food

[bagendhens]

if your looking for a GOOD low cost food
and have a costco membership...

kirkland brand is a very good food for the price. low fillers, first ingredient is meat (not byproducts) no corn.
its not the best brand, but it rates an A and at about $25 for a 40lb bag its priced right!

remember, the better the food the less they eat and the less they poop...spending a little more on a higher quality food, actually saves you more in the long run.

look at your ingredients...
corn is a cheap filler and shouldnt be anywhere on the list (rice is also a filler but of higher quality and is digestable)
byproducts are BAD byproducts are all the parts they couldnt sell for human consuption, in the case of chicken that would be the head (yes including beak, skull, eyes ect...) feet and feathers.

you want the first ingredient in your dogs food to be an identified form of meat or meat meal (meal is simply ground meat)

 

[IcarusSomnio]

I gave up on dog food altogether

They DO NOT sell decent dog food in my town! I didn't want to feed the Ol' Roy anymore because of the ingredients list so I just told myself "Aw heck. I'll make this homemade/natural/raw diet work if it kills me!"

My Boxane Hazel has been on a 100% natural diet for a week or two now, deer meat (raw and cooked) and fresh deer bones, homemade gravy, veggies, eggs, etc. No grains! No sugars! And she LOVES it, she'll clean out her entire bowl and ask for more. No barfing, no farting, nothing. Holding weight beautifully too. I want to add a smidge of oil to it for her coat though, now that winters struck her skin has gotten really dry and itchy (I know the feeling, happens EVERY winter). She's also on antihistamine pills (twice a day) to help her over the allergies caused by the Diamond dog food until it clears out of her system. Duke stopped farting as soon as I stopped feeding the stuff.

My Weimaraner is a different story, he's still mainly on the Ol' Roy kibble (he doesn't fart or vomit, thank god), but is slowly adjusting to the homefed diet. Hazel will guzzle down cooked organ meats (she's not a fan of raw organs) while Duke just looks at me like "You want me to eat what?!"

Hazel's more focused and mellow now. Still extremely energetic and playful, just not as "OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG" spazzy. Ol' Roy had so much sugar in it, I might as well have been feeding her crack. Duke is just Duke!

 

[australorpchick]

We fed Ol'Roy to our dogs for awhile, since our Akita is very picky. We noticed a huge difference in coat quality. The chocolate lab's coat became caramel in color and had lots of fly-aways. We switched to Diamonds Natural and their coats have gone back to looking nice. It think it's like $27 for a 50# bag. It lasts us 2 weeks for 90#, 80# and 55# dogs. Any cheap food is better than no food, though.

 

[Hound]

Quote:
exactly

And as for the comment suggesting "if you can't afford to feed 'the best' then you shouldn't own dogs"

There are MANY much loved, happy dogs out there who aren't fed top shelf foods.

I don't recall reading such a comment anywhere in this thread

Feeding a dog well and buying the most expensive dog food you can find are two different things.

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:

And as for the comment suggesting "if you can't afford to feed 'the best' then you shouldn't own dogs"

There are MANY much loved, happy dogs out there who aren't fed top shelf foods.

I don't recall reading such a comment anywhere in this thread

Feeding a dog well and buying the most expensive dog food you can find are two different things.

"I wouldn't feed mine 'cheap' food anyway (all 6 of them), I figure if I can't afford to feed them properly i'd rather not have them."
Perhaps I took this comment out of context, reading more into it than you intended. If so, apologies.

Guess I get defensive 'cause I grew up with dogs who were well loved but fed "low quality" dog foods...

 

[Ashmeade]

I also feed the "lower quality" dog food and all of mine are healthy and look it with no issues at all. I hear frequently about folks who turn up their nose and even berate folks at the kind of food I feed mine and insist dogs have to have expensive brand, etc. and they complain frequently of allergys, skin issues and all sorts of digestive issues.

I think dogs, like people, are unique and it just depends on the dog and his individual digestive needs on what type of food is "needed". I think in some cases, a more expensive brand might be needed if the dog has special needs, but just because a dog is on a "bad" brand of dogfood compared to what is popular at the time certainly does not mean he not healthy or well cared for.

 

[redhen]

I agree.. i think each dog is different.
Like my female does FINE on Purina One large breed... shes the correct weight and has no skin/coat issues. Her energy is fine.. etc..
But not my male. His skin and coat are bad and he has hot spots and itchy ears.. and hes thin..(even with eating 10 cups a day..)..

Thats why i switched over to the TOTW.. to see if it will help him out any...
Well see how that goes..its only been like a week so far..

 

[Brindlebtch]

redhen, I have a dog with allergies that are not food related, they are inhalant. Always remember it doesn't have to be food.

 

[b.hromada]

Quote:

 

[Livinzoo]

My indoor dogs eat raw, but my failed LGD eats costcos dog food. Not bad ingredient wise. Certainly not the best though.