I need to switch dog foods. Help on brands?

[CityGirlintheCountry]

I'm currently feeding my two boxer mixes the Natural Balance brand. It's great, but it costs $35 a bag. Eek! Due to the tightening of my economy, I need to switch to something less expensive. Any tips?
My dad suggested looking at the Sam's Club premium brand. He also mentioned Purina One. They've eaten that before and done okay on it. I just need something that is nutritionally balanced and good for them. I don't know that the all veggie based products are.
Any thoughts?

 

[NewChickenMom]

veggie based is BAD for your dog. dogs are omnivores to a point, but mostly need protein in the form of meat.

i also have had to switch foods because of costs. i have found diamond to be a great food and also would reccomend purina one or purina dog chow.

 

[hencackle]

If you are getting enough eggs at this time, why not stretch the dog food with cooked eggs? I know of someone that warms green beans and mixes those into the dry feed--that was suggested by the vet as her dogs are overweight. So, maybe a combination of green beans and eggs might work for your dogs.

 

[Farmer Brown]

We feed Purina One. Even our toothless iggy eats it. We use the sensitive system "flavor" because our lab is "special" as are all the other critters. We can't seem to have a normal animal at our house. (or person for that matter) I expect any day to find square eggs in the coop!

 

[carousel]

One thing to factor in when you decide to change food is how much you need to feed.
not all dog foods are created the same, the once that cost less, well cost less to produce and have more fillers - as a result you need to feed more.
so you might see about stretching the food you are feeding now if you dogs do well on it.
Take advantage of Petco - by 10 get a free bag or buy 250# at once and I think they also get a discount, or buy when it is on sale. These are some of the changes I have made.
I have a 2 yr old 60# intact active male that eats 4 cups a day. Te rest of my group eats 2 cups or less a day, but when I picked up a bag of another brand (happened to be Nutro Natrual choice - feeding the same amount, all my dogs lost weight, they needed to eat a 1/3 to 2x as much to hold weight.)
So you might track how much you are feeding your dogs.
my dogs get non fatty meat left overs and eggs a few times a week.
when I process my Cornish Crosses they are getting many of the "goodies" so that these things don't go to waste.
for what it is worth,
thanks

 

[RockyToggRanch]

I was using Iams when I first bought my silky, then we adopted a big furry mixed breed and I couldn't buy the expensive stuff in that large of a quantity. I bought him pedigree at walmart. The little silky refused to eat Iams after he tasted the pedigree. They've both been on it for 3 years now. They also get fresh goats milk.

 

[mullers3acers]

I buy a bag of Mainstay about every three weeks for our Abbie. It cost $6.49 for a 25 lb bag.

 

[mullers3acers]

I buy a bag of Mainstay about every three weeks for our Abbie. It cost $6.49 for a 25 lb bag.

 

[mullers3acers]

sorry for the double post I don't know what happen.

 

[Shared Acres]

You might want to also go to the peta website as they list brands that have done some really nasty testing on animals (even with dog food!)

Our lab was having bloody urine and we were told that she needed to have meat as the top listed ingredient. I've read online that it shouldn't be chicken.

Eggs are great for their coats, etc. I don't like egg yolks, so when I boil eggs, my lab gets egg yolks, she loves them.