# What's the best dog food available in the UK?



## JordanL

My dog is currently almost 8 years old. He's a hyper male Patterdale Terrier. For the whole of his life, my parents have been feeding him Pedigree and Winalot wet canned food, mixed with dry mixer. I didn't know how bad these foods were until recently. I'm now planning on changing his diet so he can live up until he's at least 18.

Pets at Home - where pets come first

This is the only pet store around here. What's the best dog food available there? Bare in mind, my family isn't too wealthy, so we can't afford £50 per small bag of dog food, but we're far from poor 

p.s. Is it a good idea to purchase a water cleaner, so it cleans out my tap water? Or would that just be a waste of money?

Thanks!  You'd be doing me a massive favour. It just confuses me.


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## toffee44

Water cleaner waste of time, my dogs drink from puddles and they are fine 


Look online, Orijen, Fish for Dogs have really good reputation. 

Lots of us feed raw, with a growing popularity (see sticky above)

If your determined for using pets at home you can feed raw with the stuff in the freezers. If not the Dry foods to get are probably James Welbeloved or Wainwrights but tbh they have high grain content which in my opinion are not that great.


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## newfiesmum

Well, the best food is the best food for your dog. My retriever lived to be nearly 14 on Winalot, but it was the meaty stuff back then which I don't think they do any more. I doubt you will be able to change an 8 year old dog who has had wet food all his life on to dry. He won't like it. You will need to mix in a little wet, and the best ones are probably Wainwrights, Nature Diet, Natures Menu.

The dried food very much depends on what suits your dog. Fish4Dogs is quite popular, as is Barking Heads. I feed mine Royal Canin which a lot on here say is crap. I don't know what is in it, but their waste is solid and their coats shine.

I think you need to start with a small bag of something and see how it goes. I went through loads of different brands when I was trying to sort out their tums.


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## Sarah1983

What's best can depend on your dog. Rupert did better on Wainwrights than on anything else despite it not being grain free. 

Orijen, Fish4Dogs or raw would be my first choice if I were in the UK.


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## Manoy Moneelil

Look at raw feeding, many of us find it very cost effective when you have a good supplier. 


Get a bucket, fill from the tap and leave to stand for 24 hours, then fil the dog's water bowl from that. 

The dissolved gases come out of solution when left to settle and make the water smell much better for the dog's more sensitive nose. Don't believe me? 

Try an experiment by filling an empty bottle with tap water, leave overnight, tap to free the bubbles from the side, place your nose next to the cap and open then smell, you dog gets that smell x1,000, something to consider.


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## JordanL

I'll try that water trick, thanks! 

He's currently on Nature's Harvest, but I'm not sure if Applaws is better.


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## cinnamontoast

http://www.petforums.co.uk/dog-health-nutrition/194976-wet-dog-food-index.html

Read this: ^^

Royal Canin:
Dog Food Reviews - Royal Canin Giant Adult Dog Food - Powered by ReviewPost

Barking Heads, not stunning either, too many fillers IMO.
Dog Food Reviews - Barking Heads Tender Loving Care - Powered by ReviewPost


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## sallygunes

toffee44 said:


> Water cleaner waste of time, my dogs drink from puddles and they are fine
> 
> Look online, Orijen, Fish for Dogs have really good reputation.
> 
> Lots of us feed raw, with a growing popularity (see sticky above)
> 
> If your determined for using pets at home you can feed raw with the stuff in the freezers. If not the Dry foods to get are probably James Welbeloved or Wainwrights but tbh they have high grain content which in my opinion are not that great.


 they also stock applaws for dogs but not in all stores which is a good grain free food


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## [email protected]

Have a look at Fish4Dogs Online Shop - Healthy Premium Complete Food & Treats for Dogs. Prices Include Delivery website and request a free sample if you need to try a taster (the dog that is!). I've been feeding it for years to my dogs and they regularly have offers on their diets and their treats. It is quite expensive but you dont need to feed as much as you would feeding what you have been feeding so sometimes it works out, pence per day, quite well. I also use the salmon oil which I notice theres an offer on (must tell the others) and the training treats for agility. Best of luck!


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## JordanL

Thanks for your suggestions, but I cannot buy anything online :/ Only in-stores. I have no credit card, and my parents will never let me use theirs.

It seems like Applaws, or Natures Harvest are my only options... Should I just feed him both brands? 

p.s. A part of his poo was green today.


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## tabulahrasa

Fishmongers looks like a good quality food and is sold at pets at home.


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## Mum2Heidi

I second Fishmongers dry from [email protected] and their Wainwrights wet trays.
The trays work out cheaper in boxes of 12 and imo are one of the best UK wet foods available. Not too much rice and it certainly mashes up to a nice amount in the bowl. It's a complete food so you really dont need to add any dry if you dont want to.

Whatever wet you chose that has been recommended output will be halved compared to Chum.

Another good wet is Butchers tinned tripe loaf (available from [email protected]) but I find WW trays work out more cost effect. Heidi needs 1/3 can of Butchers compared to 1/2 tray of WW.

Well done for trying to find a better diet for your lovely dog.


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## IncaThePup

Pets At Home sell Fishmongers which is similar to Fish4dogs but cheaper and no grains just salmon & potato or I think there is a white fish variation too. You can get wet trays to add to it too and they are only 99p..handy for stuffing in kongs too as a treat.


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## Firedog

Thread is a year old.


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## 1290423

Depends what you want to feed, wet, dry or BARF
I have never done the BARF so cannot comment
But have used wet (nature diet) for years with good results!!
BUT that said considering changing to eden now . NO other dry interests me, apart from millies


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## GoldenRetrieverman

I would say Wainwrights trays. I think it is the best wet food on the market for the price! Its exclusive to Pets at home so readily available in your local store. Low feeding amounts and very good value! Personally i have gone off dried food, i think a good wet food is much healthier than any dry food IMO. Just looking at a video on youtube of how dry food is made put me off lol.


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## 1290423

[email protected] said:


> Have a look at Fish4Dogs Online Shop - Healthy Premium Complete Food & Treats for Dogs. Prices Include Delivery website and request a free sample if you need to try a taster (the dog that is!). I've been feeding it for years to my dogs and they regularly have offers on their diets and their treats. It is quite expensive but you dont need to feed as much as you would feeding what you have been feeding so sometimes it works out, pence per day, quite well. I also use the salmon oil which I notice theres an offer on (must tell the others) and the training treats for agility. Best of luck!


Have fish4dogs changed their recipe recently?
and if so do you know why Mel?


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## 1290423

I have been on naturediet (my dogs have rather)
for over 8 years, I started buying the stuff from berriewood at around 30p a pack, its now up to around 70p and yes they have changed it, but its still good and the dogs look great on it.
Considering moving onto either millies wolfheart or eden though as will suit me better whilst travelling this summer.


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## Phoenix85

toffee44 said:


> Water cleaner waste of time, my dogs drink from puddles and they are fine
> 
> .


 I assumed the OP meant a purifier - which (is said to) remove chemicals in tap water like fluoride and water treatments etc.

Mine drink out of puddles, which is probably better for them than drinking all the chemicals in tap water.


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## StuW

Mine are raw fed, but if had to feed kibble it would be Eden. UK made, cheaper than Orijen/Acana and the only UK food to have a 5 star rating on whichdogfood.co.uk.


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## IncaThePup

Phoenix85 said:


> I assumed the OP meant a purifier - which (is said to) remove chemicals in tap water like fluoride and water treatments etc.
> 
> Mine drink out of puddles, which is probably better for them than drinking all the chemicals in tap water.


Mine have that pet fountain thing..Inca likes drinking from the spout, the puppy doesn't like the noise it makes I have to turn it off but the water has been 'oxygenated' as it goes through the filter. The second one (replacement one) seems noisier than the first one was..not sure why!


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## [email protected]

I agree with toffee44....


> Look online, Orijen, Fish for Dogs have really good reputation.
> 
> Lots of us feed raw, with a growing popularity (see sticky above


These do tend to be more expensive though I'm afraid although you feed less of them per day so still much cheaper than tinned. I feed the fish4dogs diets and have done for years but do appreciate it isnt cheap.

You will get a lot of good advice on this forum re diets but keep an open mind too!


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## friscokid

Hi!,

Have you considered CSJ Dog Food?

The website is Dog Food for gundogs, sheepdogs, agility dogs, and show dogs..


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