# Good reasonably priced food?



## lostbear (May 29, 2013)

I was made redundant a couple of years ago, and things are tight and getting tighter. I want to do the best for our fur babies, but as economically as possible.

Can anyone recommend a good but reasonably priced dog food? W're using Royal Canin, and worked out that it's costing about £30 a week (yes! £30) to feed a great dane, a staff and a westie. Just can't do it. None of them are overweight so we aren't overfeeding, but Loki just eats such an huge quantity of food. A giant bag (can't remember the size - it's in metric) costs almost £50 and acts less than a fortnight. Any recommendations will be gratefully considered.


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## IncaThePup (May 30, 2011)

There's a thread on here somewhere called 15kg for £20 or something similar and they talk about big bags of foods that are cheap. Someone mentioned one place offering free delivery on two big bags (maybe CSJ?) so may work out cheaper for you that way with having such a big dog?


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## Izzysmummy (Oct 12, 2011)

We found skinners field and trial Duck and rice kibble to be a good budget option food. A 15kg bag prices around £25 I think and such as amazon will offer a discount if you order regularly or buy 2 at once?

We were pairing the skinner with wainwrights wet trays for Izzy and it was costing about £1 a day to feed her, we've now changed to raw and its now costing 50-70p/day. She weighs 20kg, just to give you an idea of cost/kg for your lot!



ETA; this is a great thread for you to see cost and quality of a wide range of dry foods so you can work out and get the best for your budget! http://www.petforums.co.uk/dog-health-nutrition/255727-updated-dry-dog-food-index.html


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## GoldenRetrieverman (Sep 7, 2012)

lostbear said:


> I was made redundant a couple of years ago, and things are tight and getting tighter. I want to do the best for our fur babies, but as economically as possible.
> 
> Can anyone recommend a good but reasonably priced dog food? W're using Royal Canin, and worked out that it's costing about £30 a week (yes! £30) to feed a great dane, a staff and a westie. Just can't do it. None of them are overweight so we aren't overfeeding, but Loki just eats such an huge quantity of food. A giant bag (can't remember the size - it's in metric) costs almost £50 and acts less than a fortnight. Any recommendations will be gratefully considered.


Skinners field and trial Duck and Rice 15kg - £20-23
Skinners field and trial Salmon and Rice 15 kg - £24-27
Arden Grange Adult 12 kg - £25.50-£30
Gelert country choice hypoallergenic 15kg - £20-£23

All these foods are both cheaper and better quality than Royal Canin.


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## labradrk (Dec 10, 2012)

I feed Autarky Chicken and Rice to my lot. It is £18.99 if you by two bags from Berriewood Wholesale, so 30kgs will cost you £38 which is pretty decent.  Free delivery too.


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## GoldenRetrieverman (Sep 7, 2012)

This website is great for deciding which foods and gives alot of info on how to choose a good food. Which Dog Food.co.uk

I think you will be shocked at how poor Royal Canin is rated on their.


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## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

GoldenRetrieverman said:


> This website is great for deciding which foods and gives alot of info on how to choose a good food. Which Dog Food.co.uk
> 
> I think you will be shocked at how poor Royal Canin is rated on their.


I'm trying to wean my cats off RC honestly I really do wonder what it is about it but its the only food they both love and will eat!


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## GoldenRetrieverman (Sep 7, 2012)

Lilylass said:


> I'm trying to wean my cats off RC honestly I really do wonder what it is about it but its the only food they both love and will eat!


What other foods have you tried?


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## lostbear (May 29, 2013)

Thank you to everybody who has offered suggestions - I'm going to go through them and try them out.

I've toyed with a raw food diet for them for a while, but thought it would be dearer - surprised to see that it was about 30% cheaper from one of the posts. I'll go online and look this up. Also, Skinners and Arden Grange are ones I've heard good reports of, so I'll probably try them first - many thanks once more.


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## PetloverJo (Nov 4, 2011)

Lilylass said:


> I'm trying to wean my cats off RC honestly I really do wonder what it is about it but its the only food they both love and will eat!


Try switching over to Acana Wild Prairie, looks more expensive but you feed less, also grain free. Cheapest at the mo on VioVet .


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## Izzysmummy (Oct 12, 2011)

Ive just worked out that a whole 15kg bag if we'd fed just kibble would have lasted us about 2 months so thats about £12/month if she had been fed just the skinners kibble, it was the wainwrights wet trays that made it more expensive for us.

I will say though that some people seem to be able to feed raw for much less than we do, we shop around and get stuff from the halal butcher, tescos/morrisons discount section, a local farm shop and an online supplier. Some people seem to have found good local butchers who are happy to supply them and they can feed multiple dogs for much less than we pay for one. With raw its always best asking around, speaking to butchers, trying local meat/fish markets before you start to get an idea of how much it will actually cost as if you. Durham animal feeds may be an option for you with the amount you would be feeding (we use MVM as we have a great local supplier in our area but Im not sure what suppliers they have in the NE).


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## lostbear (May 29, 2013)

GoldenRetrieverman said:


> This website is great for deciding which foods and gives alot of info on how to choose a good food. Which Dog Food.co.uk
> 
> I think you will be shocked at how poor Royal Canin is rated on their.


Just had a look at this site - thank you for the link! I can't believe how badly Royal Canin fares - especially at the price charged for it! I think there's only Baker's that's worse! Hell's Bells.


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## lostbear (May 29, 2013)

Izzysmummy said:


> Ive just worked out that a whole 15kg bag if we'd fed just kibble would have lasted us about 2 months so thats about £12/month if she had been fed just the skinners kibble, it was the wainwrights wet trays that made it more expensive for us.
> 
> I will say though that some people seem to be able to feed raw for much less than we do, we shop around and get stuff from the halal butcher, tescos/morrisons discount section, a local farm shop and an online supplier. Some people seem to have found good local butchers who are happy to supply them and they can feed multiple dogs for much less than we pay for one. With raw its always best asking around, speaking to butchers, trying local meat/fish markets before you start to get an idea of how much it will actually cost as if you. Durham animal feeds may be an option for you with the amount you would be feeding (we use MVM as we have a great local supplier in our area but Im not sure what suppliers they have in the NE).


Great advice - thanks!


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## dandogman (Dec 19, 2011)

Simpsons premium - you can pick up a breeder bag - 15kg for £28.

Google it, it's a quality food.


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## sianrees1979 (Feb 27, 2009)

auturky from berriewoods, either the chicken Autarky Adult Chicken & Rice 15Kg - Berriewood Pet Supplies or the salmon Autarky Adult Salmon & Rice 15Kg - Berriewood Pet Supplies (i feed our GSD the autarky salmon and he loves it)


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## GoldenRetrieverman (Sep 7, 2012)

lostbear said:


> Just had a look at this site - thank you for the link! I can't believe how badly Royal Canin fares - especially at the price charged for it! I think there's only Baker's that's worse! Hell's Bells.


Well its not as bad as bakers but it is very over priced. I think their clever marketing tricks people into thinking its a high quality food. Even the name `royal canin` sounds like it must be good. One thing you have to look for with dog food is, the manufacturer may claim the food to be naturally preserved, but if their suppliers of their meat/fish are adding artificial preservatives to save money, they are not legally obliged to tell you! and can still claim the food is `free of artificial preservatives`.
I also avoid Vitamin K3 as it is banned in human foods.

I feed Arden Grange and on the website they clarify that there foods are
free of artificial preservatives (raw ingredients and finished product) and Vitamin K3.

Someone mentioned Simpsons dog food, i know they are free of these also.
Skinners is free of the preservatives but contains Vitamin K3.
You will have to make your own mind up about vitamin k3, i personally avoid it.


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## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

GoldenRetrieverman said:


> What other foods have you tried?


Without hijacking the thread ...... every dry available on Zoo+, several others from [email protected] and local pet shops ..... seriously .... everything!

I'm having small success with Purina One (probably not much better) but they really only pick at it

Thankfully, I've now managed to find a wet food they'll both eat (Mia wouldn't eat any wet at all before this!) so at least this is reducing the amount of dry they are getting


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## victoria171168 (Apr 8, 2013)

Simpsons dry dog food and despite their feeding guide (grain free) I actually only feed three dogs a third of it so a sack along with the extras I get from my local butcher lasts me a month.

its a good quality food


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## toryb (Jul 11, 2011)

We feed both our lurchers burns lamb and rice...its the only kibble thats consistently worked for them both. ..They seem much better on rice based as opposed to potato based kibble. I feed much less of it than other kibbles (AG, skinners, simpsons, wainwrights, naturediet wet, jwb etc). They both get 200g per day each with half a can of lukullus wet each per day so a 15kg sack lasts me about 5 weeks and I get it for £38 per sack


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## GoldenRetrieverman (Sep 7, 2012)

Lilylass said:


> Without hijacking the thread ...... every dry available on Zoo+, several others from [email protected] and local pet shops ..... seriously .... everything!
> 
> I'm having small success with Purina One (probably not much better) but they really only pick at it
> 
> Thankfully, I've now managed to find a wet food they'll both eat (Mia wouldn't eat any wet at all before this!) so at least this is reducing the amount of dry they are getting


Have you tried mixing abit of fresh meat or fish in with it to make it more interesting? i sometimes poach some fish in water and soak the kibble with the water. Also make sure you aren't over feeding. i used to go by the feed guide on the Arden Grange bag. Iv cut her feed down by 100g, shes a healthier weight, doesnt poo as much and hungry at meal times so doesnt leave anything.


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