# Food advice - giving the wrong impression



## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

There are a lot of v strong feelings re what to feed (myself included). I am lucky that I can afford to buy what I want (within reason) to feed my dog.

Reading a post this morning has made me realise how I would feel if I couldnt afford the £15+ outlay for a bag of feed let alone forced to give my loved one stuff that others wouldnt touch with a barge pole. 

To be honest I'm disgusted with myself, I've been there as many of us have, on a budget to a weekly amount that wont run to £15 for the dog and only just cover the bag/cans for the week in the shopping trolley. Yes, I budgeted and put back so much each week etc. but it's not easy

Sometimes I say things like "it's ok, but I wouldnt use it", too many cereals, not enought meat etc. Not v nice if it's all you can afford.

I've noticed no one asks what to feed as says "my budget is??" How many people avoid asking questions because they feed what I wouldnt touch??

I wonder if I come across as "if you cant afford X - you shouldnt have a dog"!!

I would never have classed myself as a food snob but to a degree, I reckon I am - disgusting!!:cursing::cursing:

So what do you all think?? 
Am I the only 1?


----------



## hyper Springer (Jan 8, 2010)

Mum2Heidi said:


> There are a lot of v strong feelings re what to feed (myself included). I am lucky that I can afford to buy what I want (within reason) to feed my dog.
> 
> Reading a post this morning has made me realise how I would feel if I couldnt afford the £15+ outlay for a bag of feed let alone forced to give my loved one stuff that others wouldnt touch with a barge pole.
> 
> ...


good Post and a valid point on if you can only afford so much....

However if someone was on a budget im sure all the food experts on here would point someone to the best food for that amount of spend

and you think your a food snob.....i recon i spend more on Wilsons food per day than the chavs next door spend on a family of four for a day:001_tt2:


----------



## ClaireandDaisy (Jul 4, 2010)

Price has little to do with the quality of the food, unfortunately. There are some very expensive foods I wouldn`t give my dog. 
If you take quantities into account, it tends to even out. Comparing one food to another should always be done using the recommended feeding guide. 
If feeding raw or home-cooked, savings can be made by taking advantage of special offers and bulk buying. 
There is also the matter of health - a healthy dog is priceless! 
I used to feed kibble but had to add things to make the dogs eat it, plus chicken wings to keep their teeth clean. So if you take the additions into account - and the amount of kibble I was throwing away because they wouldn`t eat it, their current raw diet is cheaper.


----------



## 912142 (Mar 28, 2011)

I have to say I don't judge anyone on the food they give their pet - what counts is a steady home and a regular routine - we have all had to cut back unless of course you are extremely lucky.


----------



## new westie owner (Apr 30, 2010)

I buy Bobbys in bulk so if im short one week there is food for him but ww wet and dry are good prices and he is only small so doesnt need lot of feeding  most my dd off bank usually come at same time but usually manage okay


----------



## Staffybull (Jul 23, 2010)

Mum2Heidi said:


> There are a lot of v strong feelings re what to feed (myself included). I am lucky that I can afford to buy what I want (within reason) to feed my dog.
> 
> Reading a post this morning has made me realise how I would feel if I couldnt afford the £15+ outlay for a bag of feed let alone forced to give my loved one stuff that others wouldnt touch with a barge pole.
> 
> ...


Some good points here!
I think you are asking yourself this question only because you now know about dog food and what goes into it etc.
Dont take this the wrong way,but i bet you didnt know about dog food years ago,and probably fed whatever,table scraps etc,biscuits with pure cereal added,it goes on and on,and this also kept the cost down.
I had no clue about dog feed until only a few years back,and at the time my dog got whatever and lived a good age.
To answer your question about budget foods,if i had to go back to buying cheap and not so good food,it wouldnt worry me,i would most likely go back to what i fed years ago within reason,and buy the cheapest but passable tinned food or mixer


----------



## Rottsmum (Aug 26, 2011)

Mum2Heidi said:


> There are a lot of v strong feelings re what to feed (myself included). I am lucky that I can afford to buy what I want (within reason) to feed my dog.
> 
> Reading a post this morning has made me realise how I would feel if I couldnt afford the £15+ outlay for a bag of feed let alone forced to give my loved one stuff that others wouldnt touch with a barge pole.
> 
> ...


Good point - I think i'm a food snob, I cringe when I watch my sister dole out supermarket own brand complete to her dogs (otherwise known as "dumpey-doo" for the amount it makes them produce) when it's not like she can't afford better.

Having a Dane and a Rottie, I spend a small fortune on feeding them every month, but they are both raw fed so it's not as expensive as it could be.

That said, I have been in position where I had a very tight or no budget and under those circumstances the dogs got what I was able to give them, with no ill effect that I ever saw.

As someone else said, consistency in the feeding routine is probably the most important but that doesn't change the fact that I wince when at Pets at Home and see someone walking out with a sack of Bakers under their arm!


----------



## GoldenShadow (Jun 15, 2009)

TBH I don't think people should have dogs if they can't afford a good food. I've seen first hand issues caused by bad foods so you wouldn't catch me having a dog if I couldn't afford to feed him or her a good one.

Food is surely part of the basic outlay of getting a dog like insurance (for most), and I think it should be factored into whether people get a dog or not. Falling on hard times is different but I don't think anyone should get a dog if they can't afford an OK food.

As an example if I was to get a second dog right now I would not get a golden retriever despite how much I love them. Due to their size they eat a lot more, and they generally cost more than a lot of smaller breeds insurance wise. So I would make the decision to go for a smaller dog which I would consider more affordable for the kind of funds I have available.

I think its just being realistic tbh.

Plus you can get Skinners F&T for £20 a bag and that really is the best value for money hypoallergenic food in existence that I know of. That isn't expensive compared with the likes of Pedigree and Bakers is it. If people don't mention that they have a budget I just assume there isn't one


----------



## Bellaboo1 (Aug 10, 2011)

Bakers and the like aren't cheap either though i don't think. CSJ - ok not a fab food but much better than Bakers etc, £10 for 15kgs for Champ, so there are cheap alternatives.

I can't afford to feed Orijen Acana etc, i feed my dogs the best i can on what money i have and the fact that i have knowledge of good and not so good dog foods helps. There are lots of people out there who know zilch about foods so just go for Bakers etc because they know no different.

I sometimes get a bit miffed with people who feed Orijen etc or feed raw, some seem to think people who feed kibble or cheaper kibble are not doing the best by their dog. Raw does not suit every dog. It does sometimes feel as though its rammed down your throat to be honest. 

Of course money is a factor, if money were no object then i'd be feeding the best available but in the real world most if us have families to feed and bills to pay so as i said i feed the best i can afford, that may not be Orijen or Acana or Ziwipeak or whatever the latest thing is but its the best i can get for my money ! and it ain't Bakers !


----------



## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

As they say deffinately food for thought. We probably all feed our dogs the best we can, and some of the posts may just be for advice about the food the dog is currently on and is there something better. But we shouldnt forget especially in this economic climate the cost factor too. For someone who has had a change in circumstances what they are feeding is possibly the best they can afford.


----------



## cinnamontoast (Oct 24, 2010)

I think that if people are aware or are made aware of potentially dodgy ingredients then go crazy and complain that you've told them or ignore the dangerous stuff, then I will get snotty about it, but I won't ram it down their throats. It's their choice. I do think that it's important to feed the best you can afford and to research without blindly feeding something because you saw it on telly or it's nice colours. 

I'm passionate because I believe that I did wrong by my dog who had stomach and spinal cancer. Stomach cancer is directly linked to poor nutrition. If I can help someone avoid that, then yes, I get evangelical about it. 

I see that raw has become very popular recently: I think it's best for my dogs, but it's not for everyone and fair enough. I think there are good kibbles out there and I just started a thread elswhere with ingredients to avoid and kibble to be recommended. Raw is cheap, I doubt you can get cheaper, but it can be a pain to source. I wish the supermarkets would start stocking the better foods that can be tricky to get.

Education is key: advertising is very powerful but not particularly truthful. I don't care what people feed as long as it's not downright dangerous and full of crap and ultimately, it's their dog, they can do as they please, but it pees me right off to see people crowing that they fed their dog on xyz that contains e.g. carcinogens and they lived til they were 103. Yeah, whatever.


----------



## LeeM018 (Aug 26, 2010)

Mum2Heidi said:


> There are a lot of v strong feelings re what to feed (myself included). I am lucky that I can afford to buy what I want (within reason) to feed my dog.
> 
> Reading a post this morning has made me realise how I would feel if I couldnt afford the £15+ outlay for a bag of feed let alone forced to give my loved one stuff that others wouldnt touch with a barge pole.
> 
> ...


I think it is kind of you to consider how others might feel when subjected to constant threads with respect to the best foods we can feed our dogs.

On balance though, prices aren't drastically different. Decent quality foods like skinners and CSJ are relatively cheap. There isn't an absolute requirement to spend £50-60 on a bag of Orijen or F4D. As others have said, couple that with the smaller feeding quantities then the price argument soon vanishes.

An example: Bakers Gravy Complete is currently £5 per 3kg bag at ASDA. Using their feeding guide I would need to buy 5 bags for a month for Ash, bringing me to a not too unreasonable total of £25. However, particularly after the recent glut of Bakers threads, most of us are aware that it is very poor quality and may in fact prove detrimental to your dog's health. A quick look on the CSJ website shows that I can get a much higher quality food in a 15kg bag for just £20, which would take my lad a little over a month to go through. So, better, cheaper and lasts longer - no brainer.

It's also worth noting that raw feeders have boasted some incredibly low costs to maintain their dogs using a diet that is infinitely superior to anything that Tesco or ASDA will chuck in a sack and sell to you.

I think it all comes down to education. Before coming on forums like this and researching the best way to feed my boy, I would have told you that Pedigree is a well known brand and probably sells decent food. How wrong would I have been.

So bottom line, I think forums and forumites like the ones found here are absolutely right to extol the virtues of feeding your dog the best you can get. As Golden Shadow says, in the normal course of your daily life, being able to feed your dog is a basic requirement of ownership and one of the first things you should be able to tick off. If you can afford to feed your dog at all, then you can afford to feed something half decent.


----------



## henry (Mar 16, 2009)

We're currently feeding Acana and Naturediet, Natures Menu, AG Partners wet. If funds became tight and I couldn't afford those foods I would personally buy one of the following:

Arden Grange Lamb and Rice (you can get this for around £25 15kg sack)
Skinners Duck and Rice (around £20 per sack)
Skinners Salmon and Rice (around £23 per sack).

I've used the AG Lamb and it's an excellent food and around the same price as Bakers!!

I'm just trying to do the best I can for Henry and if I can possibly afford the foods I consider him to do best on, I will buy them. However, like I said, I would feed AG Lamb without hesitation and this would save me quite a bit of money, without a doubt.

I think you can still feed a good food on a budget and people shouldn't feel guilty if they can't afford the top-end premium foods. If you can and want to spend your money that way, all well and good, but if not there are still good foods out there for less money.


----------



## Lyceum (Sep 25, 2009)

Mum2Heidi said:


> There are a lot of v strong feelings re what to feed (myself included). I am lucky that I can afford to buy what I want (within reason) to feed my dog.
> 
> Reading a post this morning has made me realise how I would feel if I couldnt afford the £15+ outlay for a bag of feed let alone forced to give my loved one stuff that others wouldnt touch with a barge pole.
> 
> ...


Great question.

I do usually ask what budget a poster has because I usually have a budget myself.

I think the problem is, bakers etc is actually more expensive than skinners. It's just that you can't grab little bags of skinners in the super market. If you feed pedigree, bakers etc, you will be spending more than £20 a month, just not all at once. And that's where the problem is. Sometimes people just can't afford the £20 at one time to get a bag of Skinners.

I have a budget, I do the best I can for the boys with that budget. They by no means suffer, they have an excellent diet. But I do never the less have to budget.

But am I a food snob. I suppose so to a degree, I will bang on about decent foods and cringe when I see people dole out wagg.


----------



## Lyceum (Sep 25, 2009)

GoldenShadow said:


> TBH I don't think people should have dogs if they can't afford a good food. I've seen first hand issues caused by bad foods so you wouldn't catch me having a dog if I couldn't afford to feed him or her a good one.
> 
> Food is surely part of the basic outlay of getting a dog like insurance (for most), and I think it should be factored into whether people get a dog or not. Falling on hard times is different but I don't think anyone should get a dog if they can't afford an OK food.
> 
> ...


What about people who get a dog and their circumstances change? The current financial climate means a lot of people have lost jobs and have to cut back on everything. Including dog food.


----------



## Staffybull (Jul 23, 2010)

GoldenShadow said:


> TBH I don't think people should have dogs if they can't afford a good food. I've seen first hand issues caused by bad foods so you wouldn't catch me having a dog if I couldn't afford to feed him or her a good one.
> 
> Food is surely part of the basic outlay of getting a dog like insurance (for most), and I think it should be factored into whether people get a dog or not. Falling on hard times is different but I don't think anyone should get a dog if they can't afford an OK food.
> 
> ...


If you lost your job and could not pay the morgage or similar and struggled to feed your self,would you give your dog or dogs away to someone who could feed them properly?

Or would you try and do the best you could for them,and feed them a lower quality food?


----------



## Paganman (Jul 29, 2011)

ClaireandDaisy said:


> If feeding raw or home-cooked, savings can be made by taking advantage of special offers and bulk buying. .


And making good use of the scraps,off cuts and out of date foods.

I make doggy veg soup from all the peelings.

If there is a bit of cheese gone hard where it's not been wrapped back up properly I will grate it into some oat and bran and make treat biscuits for them.

Any bones from cooked joints get boiled to make stock until they turn to mush and put that on their food.

Fish heads.

Out of date eggs.

The fat skimmed of roasting juices goes into oat and bran for treats.

Any stale home made whole grain bread gets soaked in stock.

Any left over rice, pasta or couscous.

I like being frugal and wasting nothing!


----------



## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

I was trying to highlight the lower end of the scale within half decent brands, rather than bakers/pedigree.

Skinners maintenance for instance, CSJ Herbie nuts etc. Some use the cheaper foods because it's all people can afford. I readily comment that I wouldnt feed it, without thinking that it's perhaps all that person can afford.

Years ago I fed supermarket stuff, knew no different but my dogs lived to a ripe old age, were loved and well cared for.

I think we need to point out the colour and preservative etc. pitfalls but dont agree that a dog should be denied a good home because it's fed on £15 per bag (or small bag equivalent). Raw may work out cheaper but I gather it involves initial outlay which people havent always got.

From what I remember years ago, rescue's relied mostly on donations and fed meagre brands. We cant reproach them and that's a good example. The dogs are rescued and fed

Most of us start by recommending £20+ foods, maybe we should set our sights a little lower just incase


----------



## dvnbiker (Dec 2, 2009)

I really do wonder whether it is worthwhile having a sticky about dry foods and one for wet foods i.e. for this price bracket these are the best and so on if you get my meaning. 

I have been there and done it, my hubby got made redundant twice last year and yes we were seriously strapped so yes we went on cheaper brands and so did the dogs but again I found the best food I could afford. Surely if people are buying the best that they can afford you cannot ask for more. 

I am lucky now in that I can afford to feed pretty much what I want now but you never know whats around the corner. The people I have a problem with is those who just automatically pick something off the supermarket shelf and dont give it a second thought as to what is actually in it.


----------



## hyper Springer (Jan 8, 2010)

In the current financial climes i feel a tad guilty spending circa £30 a week on dog food...but thankfully i can afford it and his lordships used to it now

make rod and own back......yep


----------



## GoldenShadow (Jun 15, 2009)

Lyceum said:


> What about people who get a dog and their circumstances change? The current financial climate means a lot of people have lost jobs and have to cut back on everything. Including dog food.





Staffybull said:


> If you lost your job and could not pay the morgage or similar and struggled to feed your self,would you give your dog or dogs away to someone who could feed them properly?
> 
> Or would you try and do the best you could for them,and feed them a lower quality food?


If you read my post you'll see that I put 'falling on hard times is different'


----------



## Staffybull (Jul 23, 2010)

GoldenShadow said:


> If you read my post you'll see that I put 'falling on hard times is different'


Ok so if you did happen to "fall on hard times"and you could not afford to feed your dog good food,what would you choose?

You say Skinners is good but what if you could not afford Skinners,and maybe your dog would not get on with this food?

What you said before"that people should not get a dog"if they cannot afford to feed it properly,is a bit cheeky really!

What does"to feed it properly"mean?


----------



## dvnbiker (Dec 2, 2009)

for me I would be ordering from CSJ - they have a massive range of food for all pockets and my dog did well on it when I used to feed it.


----------



## GoldenShadow (Jun 15, 2009)

Staffybull said:


> Ok so if you did happen to "fall on hard times"and you could not afford to feed your dog good food,what would you choose?
> 
> You say Skinners is good but what if you could not afford Skinners,and maybe your dog would not get on with this food?
> 
> ...


I feed raw and I would just cut out the luxuries in his diet like fish and heart for a while 

I don't think its cheeky at all, if you can't afford to feed a dog properly then don't get one. To me properly = something that has no carcinogens pretty much. And sadly some of the lower end foods and some of the middle range ones do have carcinogens in


----------



## LeeM018 (Aug 26, 2010)

Staffybull said:


> Ok so if you did happen to "fall on hard times"and you could not afford to feed your dog good food,what would you choose?
> 
> You say Skinners is good but what if you could not afford Skinners,and maybe your dog would not get on with this food?
> 
> ...


You can get a 15kg sack of Skinners for just under £15. That will last a large breed about a month. Not bad for about £3.75 a week; you won't find many cheaper alternatives to that regardless of quality.

Better food doesn't have to be more expensive.


----------



## Lyceum (Sep 25, 2009)

GoldenShadow said:


> If you read my post you'll see that I put 'falling on hard times is different'


So what would you recommend to someone who had fallen on hard times?

Not trying to start an argument or being arsey, genuinely curious.

Not everyone feels confident enough to feed raw themselves from scratch.


----------



## GoldenShadow (Jun 15, 2009)

Lyceum said:


> So what would you recommend to someone who had fallen on hard times?
> 
> Not trying to start an argument or being arsey, genuinely curious.
> 
> Not everyone feels confident enough to feed raw themselves from scratch.


I don't know a huge amount about lower price bracket foods to know which are without carcinogens but Skinners at £20 a sack is a nice mid range kibble for most I would think. Say comparing it with the feeding guide of Fish4Dogs and upping a bit as it has less meat, I should be able to feed a 30kg dog on 300g a day. So that 15kg sack would cost £2.80 a week to feed which is incredibly cheap really. Besides that I believe the Alpha foods are without carcinogens and cost less than Skinners but have more fillers and unhypoallergenic meats.

I can't give you the ins and outs of what most should do because situations vary so much. I am fortunate enough to have savings and things like the car which I would sell in order to keep Rupert on his raw food.

I would give Rupert up before I fed him on something worse than Skinners because I do not think his body could handle it, simple as. With Milo our other dog I would take him on and feed him if my Mum couldn't, and I am sure she would do the same with Rupert also which yes is lucky. If this was not the case as said, I would not keep him because it would be unfair to Rupert (as a specific dog not just Joe Blogg's from down the road's dog) to put him on something lower quality than Skinners. TBH I don't know if I could even put him on Skinners when raw is cheap enough.


----------



## Staffybull (Jul 23, 2010)

LeeM018 said:


> You can get a 15kg sack of Skinners for just under £15. That will last a large breed about a month. Not bad for about £3.75 a week; you won't find many cheaper alternatives to that regardless of quality.
> 
> Better food doesn't have to be more expensive.


It may be cheap but it has a lot of rice in it and with not much meat content!

Some dogs dont do well on rice,do you have another food that you could recommend?


----------



## GoldenShadow (Jun 15, 2009)

Staffybull said:


> It may be cheap but it has a lot of rice in it and with not much meat content!
> 
> Some dogs dont do well on rice,do you have another food that you could recommend?


If we're on about dogs with intolerances and owners on a budget then I would recommend raw, no ifs or buts raw would be my sole recommendation.


----------



## LeeM018 (Aug 26, 2010)

Lyceum said:


> So what would you recommend to someone who had fallen on hard times?
> 
> Not trying to start an argument or being arsey, genuinely curious.
> 
> Not everyone feels confident enough to feed raw themselves from scratch.


The lowest supermarket own brand I found (after an admittedly cursory glance) was ASDA smart price at 59p/kg. So if you have a Lab or a Golden size dog or maybe a pair of smaller dogs, you'll end up buying around £10 worth of this a month. You assume this is as low as you can go.

Surely it's an extreme example if we're talking about somebody who really can't muster up another £5 over a month to considerably improve the quality of their dog's food. I'm not making light of this, as I'm sure there are people that have been hit hard and every penny counts, but we really are cornering this argument with an extreme example. Most people can afford an extra £5 a month. As to whether they should spend that money, it's clearly up to them, but I really can't understand why you wouldn't.

And then, also, there is the other side where people are paying_ more_ for crap food (Bakers, Pedigree etc) and could actually get something better for less.


----------



## Lyceum (Sep 25, 2009)

Staffybull said:


> It may be cheap but it has a lot of rice in it and with not much meat content!
> 
> Some dogs dont do well on rice,do you have another food that you could recommend?


Totally off topic, just had to say I love that pic of your dog.


----------



## LeeM018 (Aug 26, 2010)

Staffybull said:


> It may be cheap but it has a lot of rice in it and with not much meat content!
> 
> Some dogs dont do well on rice,do you have another food that you could recommend?


I agree. It's a fair point. CSJ is a possible alternative, although it still contains some rice. *EDIT:* _The cheapest skinners i saw was actually based on maize, not rice. I wouldn't call that ideal, but it gives you the alternative you're after. _

As for the meat content, depending on the type you get, there is around 20-25% meat meal (i.e. no moisture). That is significantly higher than pretty much any given supermarket or branded food. I don't see your argument on that point.


----------



## Staffybull (Jul 23, 2010)

Lyceum said:


> Totally off topic, just had to say I love that pic of your dog.


Well thank you,i think he looks a little bit goofy in the pic


----------



## Lyceum (Sep 25, 2009)

Staffybull said:


> Well thank you,i think he looks a little bit goofy in the pic


That's why I love it lol. All staffies seem to have a cheeky side and I love when it shows through.

What is his name?


----------



## cinnamontoast (Oct 24, 2010)

dvnbiker said:


> I really do wonder whether it is worthwhile having a sticky about dry foods and one for wet foods


Like this?
Recommended food and ingredients to avoid - Horse and Hound Forums
 I thought it was a good idea.


----------



## hyper Springer (Jan 8, 2010)

It's one thing falling on hard times but there seems to be plenty of chavvy types on the dole/low incomes who smoke/drink and have. Sky telly and moan there skint and blah blah want the moon on a stick/world owes them a living who would still fed there dog crap rather than give up there ****/booze

Proles like this won't change,I'm afraid and I only have sympathy with there dogs

If I fell on hard times I'd flog the laptops iPad kindles etc to carryon feeding my dogs good food

If it costs 15 quid for a bag of skinners to feed an average size dog for a month or 40 **** if u love your dog you'd buy the skinners.....there really is no excuses


----------



## auntiekatie (Aug 12, 2011)

So, any thoughts on low budget/medium/high budget dog foods that you guys would feed to your dogs. I'm soon to get a small breed dog (approx 14lb when adult) and the names Royal Canin, Orijen, Arden Grange, chicken and rice from our table, see to be mentioned frequently as dog food for those that value the health of their dogs.

Any thoughts on this; perhaps alternative products that aren't promoted as much, but equally worthy of the title of 4/5 star dog food?


----------



## LexiLou2 (Mar 15, 2011)

To be honest I think if we fell on hard times and couldn't continue to feed Lexi her current diet I would seriously have to look to rehome her. She is currently raw fed and has IBS and a massive cereal intollerance, she struggles with rice and pasta and has a very sensitve stomach. 5 months on raw and she has never been in such good shape. If i couldn't afford to feed her this way I would rather her go to someone that could then put her on a food that she wouldn't do so well on.
I think there is a massive difference between people who CAN'T afford to feed their dog a good quality food and the people who don't want to spend that extra. Alot of people don't want to spend that extra because well their mums cousins sons girlfriends parents dog lived until it was 14 on bakers so it must be an OK food.
The number of people who think I am crazy spending £35 a month plus extras on raw food plus £13 a week for training classes plus a dog walker and socialisation classes, I'm always been told I shouldn't be spending it on them they are 'just' dogs and spoilt dogs at that.....not sorry my dogs aren't spoilt they are well looked after well trained well socialised dogs and when I took them on I made a commitment to them that I would do my best by them no matter what. If it came to it the sky and all the other luxuaries would go first. Sorry mini rant.


----------



## cinnamontoast (Oct 24, 2010)

auntiekatie said:


> Royal Canin, Orijen, Arden Grange, chicken and rice from our table


I wouldn't touch Royal Canin, it is not well thought of.

Orijen
Acana
James Wellbeloved
Skinners
Pets at Home Fishmongers
Fish4dogs

All of these are good quality.


----------



## auntiekatie (Aug 12, 2011)

Thanks for that prompt response!

Orijen seems most likely the one I'll choose until piggy bank is empty!

Thanks again.


----------



## mollymo (Oct 31, 2009)

Well I feed my dogs what suits them and not what it costs.
In my opinion not the most expensive foods are the best foods and I have tried them and they did not work for our girls.

I am lucky Im in a situation at present where that I can if I want to buy the best complete .... but I dont as I said and Im happy with what they are on a middle of the road complete with good ingredients and yes containing ricehmy:

I do think that people really have no idea about whats in dog food and just take it for granted that its dog food on the tin and its fine
Not everyone is like us on here Im afraid and I think people can see no wrong in what they are feeding in bakers etc but alot of us were most likely like that at one time......me included

When you do get people ask here for a better dog food and people answer with lots of different foods of course trying to help then people do become bewildered with it all and some of the completes suggested are very expensive for some people and also people may not want to spend a fortune but just have reasonable price food of good quality for their dog and there are lots out there


----------



## Lyceum (Sep 25, 2009)

hyper Springer said:


> It's one thing falling on hard times but there seems to be plenty of chavvy types on the dole/low incomes who smoke/drink and have. Sky telly and moan there skint and blah blah want the moon on a stick/world owes them a living who would still fed there dog crap rather than give up there ****/booze
> 
> Proles like this won't change,I'm afraid and I only have sympathy with there dogs
> 
> ...


This is the reason I think a lot of us become food snobs.

People are sat there channel hopping on their sky, lighting **** and telling you about the great night out they had then ten seconds later telling you they can't afford better food for their dogs. It makes it hard not to look at them and thing 'WTF?', a bag of Skinners cost the same as three/four packets of ****.

Last month I had an unexpected bill, paid it and was left short, was meant to go out for a friends birthday and it was either that, or buy the dogs the usual food. You can guess what won (but I am unfortunately on a tight budget).

I'm not saying they come first, I'm not suggesting selling things and giving things up to feed them, just maybe put a few quid by a week, don't get that one packet of ****, have two drinks less, ditch a one of the sky entertainment packs you never watch the channels on.

I just don't think it's that hard to buy basic, good food. So I suppose when I think about it again, yes I am a bit of a food snob. And I have to say, I don't like that one bit.


----------



## Staffybull (Jul 23, 2010)

Lyceum said:


> That's why I love it lol. All staffies seem to have a cheeky side and I love when it shows through.
> 
> What is his name?


Sorry of topic to others!

Lol,ye i have yet to see a staffy without a cheeky side,i had to lie down on my patio to take that pic,and he was barking and bouncing about thinking i was wanting to play,i think i took about 30 pics and this was the only 1 that turned out ok,all the rest were blurred or just got a pic of his nose or ear lol.

His name is Ace,20 months old and is a wee rascal,full of mischief but so lovable!

I see your staff has recently been to the butchers and stole the largest sausage they had!


----------



## Lyceum (Sep 25, 2009)

Staffybull said:


> Sorry of topic to others!
> 
> Lol,ye i have yet to see a staffy without a cheeky side,i had to lie down on my patio to take that pic,and he was barking and bouncing about thinking i was wanting to play,i think i took about 30 pics and this was the only 1 that turned out ok,all the rest were blurred or just got a pic of his nose or ear lol.
> 
> ...


He's absolutely gorgeous.

LOL, he carried that half a tree around for almost an hour lol, he could barely pick it up but would he heck as like put it down lol. He was so proud of himself.

One of the many things I love about staffies, the cheek, and the fact they can be a cheeky as you like but you can't get mad because they are so blooming adorable.


----------



## Helbo (Sep 15, 2010)

I've made the point a couple of times on food threads that have got a bit heated, that some people feed X because either its all they can afford and/or getting to the petshop isn't as easy as the supermarket. 

We can't all drive. We're not all physically mobile. Its not convenient for everyone to order online. We can't all afford the same food. 

On the affordability thing I've been shot down before with people saying X is more expensive than Y, and Y's a good food. Yes but if you can buy X at £5 a time rather than Y at £30 a time, then sometimes you have to buy X...



So it's a good point you've made mum2heidi. We should give people a bit more benefit of the doubt that they're doing their best on this forum, and realise we all have slightly different circumstances and reasons for doing things.


----------



## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

Helbo said:


> I've made the point a couple of times on food threads that have got a bit heated, that some people feed X because either its all they can afford and/or getting to the petshop isn't as easy as the supermarket.
> 
> We can't all drive. We're not all physically mobile. Its not convenient for everyone to order online. We can't all afford the same food.
> 
> ...


This is exactly what I am trying to say. I would rather see a dog fed and happy than homeless, as long as harmful ingredients are avoided.

When I recommend foods I start at the £20 price bracket. Because that's where the decent foods start in my opinion.

But it's far better people get advice than be afraid to ask for help because they cant afford the £20 outlay.

Finally managed to say what I've been struggling to get out


----------



## Guest (Aug 28, 2011)

I feed my shelties royal canin 20kg = £46 (in store at [email protected] its £52 for 15kg) 

My Scorcher Raw food, I have yet to see how much taht costs but I did buy £35 worth of raw food this month.

CSJ, Skinners, Simpsons. 

Although royal canin is probs not the best food out there my dogs excel on it and all came on it from their breeders. Their coats are great, stools are firm and are a picture of health.


----------



## beris (Aug 30, 2010)

GoldenShadow said:


> TBH I don't think people should have dogs if they can't afford a good food. I've seen first hand issues caused by bad foods so you wouldn't catch me having a dog if I couldn't afford to feed him or her a good one.
> 
> Food is surely part of the basic outlay of getting a dog like insurance (for most), and I think it should be factored into whether people get a dog or not. Falling on hard times is different but I don't think anyone should get a dog if they can't afford an OK food.
> 
> ...


As I see it the only person who should decide what is a good dog food for their dog, is the owner. 
What I would class as a good dog food may not be the same as someone else.
I would rather see a dog given love, a good home and fed on the best food a person could afford than a dog be in kennels or pts.


----------



## Ian57 (Aug 29, 2011)

Hello everybody, this is my first post and I hope you don't mind me asking a question.

I have a Black Lab, Hector. He's very slender and incredibly fast, approx 28kg. We walk him everyday over the moors. I feed him Jollies Lifestage but I'm now starting to find this food rather expensive, it seems that every second or third time I buy a sack it's gone up in price, now >£28 was <£18 five years ago (isn't that +10%pa?). Can somebody kindly advise an alternative dry food. I really don't know where to start, I'm afraid that I don't know very much about nutrition.

Thanks
Ian


----------



## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

GoldenShadow said:


> I feed raw and I would just cut out the luxuries in his diet like fish and heart for a while
> 
> I don't think its cheeky at all, if you can't afford to feed a dog properly then don't get one. To me properly = something that has no carcinogens pretty much. And sadly some of the lower end foods and some of the middle range ones do have carcinogens in


And what do you count as carcinogens. Are you a nutritionist. Do you think you know more than the dog food companies that employ nutritionists to produce a diet that will suit most dogs and be a safe and healthy food. I think there are a lot of myths about dog food. Different foods are produced for different dogs and if you want to feed some horrendously expensive food it is totally your choice but dont knock those that have equally healthy dogs on the food they have chosen.

When I was very poor my dogs were fed on sheepdog mix. It was a cereal based very very cheap food and I could feed a collie and two shelties for less than it would have cost to feed one dog on a more expensive feed. They were perfect weight, very fit, lovely coats and were not in the least bit fussy.
When I had a collie with a problem that could have been food related I experimented with slightly more expensive food till I found one that suited.

Now I am better off and I have two small dogs they will get what suits them - but I would not go out and choose an expensive food. Unfortunately Candy needs a urinary food so is on a very expensive royal canin which I can afford. Years ago it would have been out of the question and I would have had to have found an alternative. But then years ago there was probably no such food so it didnt matter.

I am not fanatical about my own diet and I am reasonably healthy and a decent weight and I am certainly not going to be fanatical about my dogs diets or suggest that anyone else should spend a lot of money on fancy food or try to make them feel guilty because they dont want to put the effort into raw feeding which anyway is not thought to be a balanced diet by a lot of nutritionists and vets. But again if it suits you and your dog I am sure if it is the best thing for you to feed.

And it is amazing how many dogs are fed on Bakers. I tried it once but the dog laid on weight at an alarming rate so came straight off it again. But if it suits the dog then feed it if you want to.


----------



## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

Ian57 said:


> Hello everybody, this is my first post and I hope you don't mind me asking a question.
> 
> I have a Black Lab, Hector. He's very slender and incredibly fast, approx 28kg. We walk him everyday over the moors. I feed him Jollies Lifestage but I'm now starting to find this food rather expensive, it seems that every second or third time I buy a sack it's gone up in price, now >£28 was <£18 five years ago (isn't that +10%pa?). Can somebody kindly advise an alternative dry food. I really don't know where to start, I'm afraid that I don't know very much about nutrition.
> 
> ...


Hi Ian and welcome to the forum.

If I remember rightly, Jollyes own brand has a larger RDA than most so ends up more expensive in quantity as well as price.

What sort of budget are you working around??


----------



## Ian57 (Aug 29, 2011)

Mum2Heidi said:


> Hi Ian and welcome to the forum.
> 
> If I remember rightly, Jollyes own brand has a larger RDA than most so ends up more expensive in quantity as well as price.
> 
> What sort of budget are you working around??


Hi and thank you for the welcome;

We've used Jollies Lifestage from getting Hector as a pup. First the pup/young dog version and then the adult version. The reason we use that is that the salesman in Jollies recommended it. I just think its getting rather expensive, that's not altogether correct! It's more a case of Jollies seem to keep increasing the price every few months and I'm starting to feel ripped off. So really what I want to know is what alternative can I get for the £20 ~£25 price range and is it going to be better than Jollies Lifestage.

I don't want Hector to suffer because I've got the hump with Jollies, so I need to know that if I change to another brand, that Hector gets something out of it, ie a better, taster food!

I've seen some food for working dogs and assume that if its for working dogs then that must be good, but whereas I think Hector is fairly active its not exactly working?

How does CJS stand up against the likes of Jollies Lifestage?

Best
Ian


----------



## SixStar (Dec 8, 2009)

Ian57 said:


> Hi and thank you for the welcome;
> 
> We've used Jollies Lifestage from getting Hector as a pup. First the pup/young dog version and then the adult version. The reason we use that is that the salesman in Jollies recommended it. I just think its getting rather expensive, that's not altogether correct! It's more a case of Jollies seem to keep increasing the price every few months and I'm starting to feel ripped off. So really what I want to know is what alternative can I get for the £20 ~£25 price range and is it going to be better than Jollies Lifestage.
> 
> ...


Skinners field & trial hypoallergenic is a very good food for the price, it's within your budget and you won't get any better for that price bracket really. They do salmon, duck and turkey ones (although I think turkey is a touch more expensive).

Skinners Field and Trial Salmon Rice Dog Food 15Kg - £22.92

It's labelled as working dog food, but don't pay too much attention to that, it's fine for pet dogs.

I'd avoid CJS personally - too much wheat for my liking.


----------



## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

Hi Ian,

Skinners duck or salmon and rice is def good. Meat content is a bit low but the only cereal is rice and you could add a bit of wet food if you wanted. The cheaper end of CSJ have more cereal but to be fair I think the Jollyes own does too so it would be an idea to have a look at the CSJ foods and compare.
May be send Ceri at CSJ the list of ingredients from Lifestage and see what she recommends. (NB, Their new tripe variety sounds good and a decent price) Ceri is v helpful. Also quite a few feed the basic CSJ and their dogs are doing great.

From memory the Skinners RDA is 100g per 8K of dog weight - I'm sure Lifestage is more than that
Hope you find something that suits.


----------



## Ian57 (Aug 29, 2011)

Mum2Heidi and Sixstar,

Thank you very much for taking the time to answer my queries, I appreciate it. I shall now attempt to obtain some samples.

Once again thank you very much and best regards.

Ian


----------



## Cockerpoo lover (Oct 15, 2009)

Sixstar and mum2heidi so nice to see helpful people and even better that Ian appreciated your help and said thanks 

Now that's the best thing on forums helping people and be appreciated for doing so.


----------



## Bellaboo1 (Aug 10, 2011)

Just to put my tuppence worth in  if you do decide on Skinners Ian, the cheapest place i've seen it online is VetUK, the salmon is about £23 and the duck is around £20 i think plus free delivery !


----------



## haeveymolly (Mar 7, 2009)

Give your dog the best you can afford i think has been the best comment so far, i do feel a bit bad now harping on in the past about only giving a good quality food i hate to think is the poster at the time was short of money how he/she must have felt I think its very wrong to say someone shouldnt have a dog if they cant feed the best quality or one of the better quality of food.ok food is an important part of dog ownership but it certainly isnt the be all and end all.


----------



## 1290423 (Aug 11, 2011)

Mum2Heidi said:


> There are a lot of v strong feelings re what to feed (myself included). I am lucky that I can afford to buy what I want (within reason) to feed my dog.
> 
> Reading a post this morning has made me realise how I would feel if I couldnt afford the £15+ outlay for a bag of feed let alone forced to give my loved one stuff that others wouldnt touch with a barge pole.
> 
> ...


Great post! well deserved rep coming your way! (shame it aint worth so much now)

And yes!! have to agree with everything you say! You MAY have noticed - I have laid off the food threads of late!!! And there was NO onewho banged on about food more then me in the past!

All I can add is there must be many folk at their wits end wondering how the hell they are going to feed themselves let alone the their pets! GREAT SHAME!


----------



## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

DT said:


> Great post! well deserved rep coming your way! (shame it aint worth so much now)
> 
> And yes!! have to agree with everything you say! You MAY have noticed - I have laid off the food threads of late!!! And there was NO onewho banged on about food more then me in the past!
> 
> All I can add is there must be many folk at their wits end wondering how the hell they are going to feed themselves let alone the their pets! GREAT SHAME!


Thank you - that means a lot.
I struggled to put into words what I was feeling. It was the death row dogs that did it for me. Food comes way down the list for them:crying:

So many times folk say how food is only part of the parcel and it's true. Yes, it's great to afford better quality food but a dog can live a happy life without the best and I would much rather they have a life.

Someone mentioned somewhere that their dogs went from the best to basic and there was no difference in them whatsoever.

I would hate to think my advice meant a dog went without a home

Rep right back at ya for such lovely words of support and appreciation


----------



## Ian57 (Aug 29, 2011)

Ive got to say that Ive meet a lot of people who spend an absolute fortune, at least in my opinion, on their dog/dogs. The very best food be it fresh meat or premium Kibble, a gorgeous bed/basket, lots of toys but exercise is a waddle from the house to the nearest lamp post and back .. thats surely a much much worse consideration then what food they are on, economy or premium.

Ian


----------



## 1290423 (Aug 11, 2011)

Mum2Heidi said:


> Thank you - that means a lot.
> I struggled to put into words what I was feeling. It was the death row dogs that did it for me. Food comes way down the list for them:crying:
> 
> So many times folk say how food is only part of the parcel and it's true. Yes, it's great to afford better quality food but a dog can live a happy life without the best and I would much rather they have a life.
> ...


Awwh!
you have always reduced me to tears!
PEREHAPS the first thing we should ask when banging on about food is what the posters budgetis like!!BECAUSE! I do honestly thinkifwecansteer folksaway from bakers andwagg that can only be a good thing! And we both know there are good quality lower price foods out there!

Mymaddog for starters!! OK!!NOT the best - but better then many for those on a budget!

DT


----------



## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

DT said:


> Awwh!
> you have always reduced me to tears!
> PEREHAPS the first thing we should ask when banging on about food is what the posters budgetis like!!BECAUSE! I do honestly thinkifwecansteer folksaway from bakers andwagg that can only be a good thing! And we both know there are good quality lower price foods out there!
> 
> ...


That was one of my points - all well and good suggesting skinners salmon/duck and rice (no disrespect, it's probably the best of the budget brigade)but if you dont have the £20 you may as well be suggesting the moon. Once we've said it - is OP gonna own up that they cant afford that all in one go, or at all?? Probably cringe and go away to save humiliation.

Errmmm not sure if you mean boo hooo tears or laugh my sox off tears

Off to have a look at Mymaddog - dont think I've heard of that one


----------



## 1290423 (Aug 11, 2011)

Mum2Heidi said:


> That was one of my points - all well and good suggesting skinners salmon/duck and rice (no disrespect, it's probably the best of the budget brigade)but if you dont have the £20 you may as well be suggesting the moon. Once we've said it - is OP gonna own up that they cant afford that all in one go, or at all?? Probably cringe and go away to save humiliation.
> 
> Errmmm not sure if you mean boo hooo tears or laugh my sox off tears
> 
> ...


----------



## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

Could never be anything but nice to you DT - you's got a good heart and soul:smilewinkgrin:


----------



## Goblin (Jun 21, 2011)

Budget is a concern for most people. I don't think many people on this forum would criticize anyone for having a budget. After all circumstances can change for the worst. You therefore have to do the best you can with the money you can. 

What people cannot accept a lot of the time is when someone is told things are bad, given the reasons why it is bad and then give the they impression that they can't be bothered to change or look into it more deeply. It should always be remembered that giving the wrong impression is fairly easy on a forum where it is only the written word.

I do think the best advice people can get isn't simply a list of recommended foods but explanations into how to read the ingredients list and what methods are used to disguise the fact that poor quality ingredients are used. If you supply people with this information they can make a better informed choice regardless of budget or what's available to them.


----------



## Staffybull (Jul 23, 2010)

My first bag of dry food,was from Mymaddog!Got reminded there from DT!

15kg PREMIUM HYPOALLERGENIC CHICKEN & RICE DRY DOG FOOD | eBay

If your dog is fine with a few grains,then this food is ok!


----------



## tinaK (Jun 12, 2010)

I must admit not working and been on disability benefits I do struggle to afford a food clover will eat. She will only eat ziwipeak, and I do sometimes wish she would eat something cheeper, not cheep and crap, but just cheeper  

My confession, the other week I had run out of Ziwipeak. It was a Monday night,and I couldn't afford anymore until the Wed. So she got fed chicken for a couple of days, and i basically went without. 

I hated the feeling that Clover had run out of food, felt i'd let her down. So now I keep a spare in too, but it all costs money


----------



## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

Dont feel ashamed cloversmum. 

The fact that you went without for her to have speaks volumes.
If it meant she had to have budget food for a while (not that she would eat it), she still got you, her lovely home and lifestyle. Given the choice and understanding the situation, I bet she'd "woof" it down.

The shame comes, as Goblin points out, when you ask for advice, know you could do better with what you can afford and cant be bothered.

I think a lot of people hold back here for fear of being slated because they cant afford the food we suggest. That's what this thread is all about - I want to be able to help those who are struggling not alienate them.


----------



## hyper Springer (Jan 8, 2010)

Ian57 said:


> Ive got to say that Ive meet a lot of people who spend an absolute fortune, at least in my opinion, on their dog/dogs. The very best food be it fresh meat or premium Kibble, a gorgeous bed/basket, lots of toys but exercise is a waddle from the house to the nearest lamp post and back .. thats surely a much much worse consideration then what food they are on, economy or premium.
> 
> Ian


very true... a dog needs a loving\ playful environment but if you can afford to buy top notch food why not?


----------



## hyper Springer (Jan 8, 2010)

cloversmum said:


> I must admit not working and been on disability benefits I do struggle to afford a food clover will eat. She will only eat ziwipeak, and I do sometimes wish she would eat something cheeper, not cheep and crap, but just cheeper
> 
> My confession, the other week I had run out of Ziwipeak. It was a Monday night,and I couldn't afford anymore until the Wed. So she got fed chicken for a couple of days, and i basically went without.
> 
> I hated the feeling that Clover had run out of food, felt i'd let her down. So now I keep a spare in too, but it all costs money


Good on yer....
But If i was on benefits i would not be feeding ziwipeak but summat a lot cheaper but still healthy eg AG partners,WW etc


----------



## Ian57 (Aug 29, 2011)

DT said:


> BUT!!! you can still pick up AG lamb for £25 inc postage somaybe thats worth considering!


I've looked on line and I can't find it for that price delivered, please advise where you've seen it for that price .... we are talking 15kg aren't we?

Best
Ian


----------



## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

Ian57 said:


> I've looked on line and I can't find it for that price delivered, please advise where you've seen it for that price .... we are talking 15kg aren't we?
> 
> Best
> Ian


I am assuming it's this Ian
Multi Bag Deal-Arden Grange Adult Lamb & Rice 15kg- 2 bags @ £26.13/bag, 4 @ £24.88/bag, 6 @ £24.46/ bag + FREE DELIVERY on everything you order. - Berriewood Pet Supplies


----------



## tinaK (Jun 12, 2010)

hyper Springer said:


> Good on yer....
> But If i was on benefits i would not be feeding ziwipeak but summat a lot cheaper but still healthy eg AG partners,WW etc


Thanks  To be honest if she would eat something cheaper I would feed her it, but I spent her first year trying everything, The only thing she will eat reguarly and consistently is the ziwipeak


----------



## Horse and Hound (May 12, 2010)

I won't judge anyone on the food they give their dog, just like I wouldn't judge anyone on the way they bring up their dog. You don't do it to people with kids, so why should pets be any different.

I tore myself to bits recently on here as I'd had to feed Butchers tins on top of their kibble because we were in a really bad financial situation (well, ok, not bad, but OH had lost his job and we had to make a lot of cut backs!) but my dogs ruddy loved it, and I noticed no difference in their poops, coats or anything.

Then once we had a bit of money, I bought a cheap bag of Arden Grange that was going out of date in a few months to see if they like that. They did so made the decision to keep em on that, until the Protein started sending harvey doo-lally.

So now they are both getting AG and a mix of Skinners F&T Maintenance, which is £16 for a massive 15kg bag. That will last both of mine well over 2 months. Alongside this I feed either AMP minces or Natures Menu tins. 

Once the AG has run out, they can both go on the Skinners F&T Maintenance as Roo seems hell bent on eating that now anyway instead of his own, but I'm going to keep a careful eye on him to make sure the grains etc don't give him bad skin. If it does, then I'll look at moving them back onto the Duck flavoured one...but I'm trying everything I can to see if I can stop harvey being as bloody hyper. 

I could be wrong, it could be nothing to do with food...so we will see. If the Maintenance doesn't work, they can go back onto Skinners duck...but that will be it then! 

But that's what suits me and my budget. There's something out there for everyone.


----------



## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

My friend feeds her Jack F&T Maintenance, it's all she can afford. Absolutely no probs and she doesnt have half the tum probs Heidi does. Gets a bit of raw etc. to boost it occasionally.

I read somewhere that someone went from top of the range Lily's/Orijen back to basic CSJ and there was no difference in their dogs at all


----------



## 1290423 (Aug 11, 2011)

Ian57 said:


> I've looked on line and I can't find it for that price delivered, please advise where you've seen it for that price .... we are talking 15kg aren't we?
> 
> Best
> Ian


try Dog Food, Pet Food and Pet Accessories - Berriewood Pet Supplies

Also GTitmuss charges the same

2 bags of the lamb inc delivery costs £52.25

TBH I don't use so much AG but the last time I brought one bag off an ebay seller and it were £25 - you just haveto keep checking


----------



## Emmastace (Feb 11, 2011)

ClaireandDaisy said:


> Price has little to do with the quality of the food, unfortunately. There are some very expensive foods I wouldn`t give my dog.
> If you take quantities into account, it tends to even out. Comparing one food to another should always be done using the recommended feeding guide.
> If feeding raw or home-cooked, savings can be made by taking advantage of special offers and bulk buying.
> There is also the matter of health - a healthy dog is priceless!
> I used to feed kibble but had to add things to make the dogs eat it, plus chicken wings to keep their teeth clean. So if you take the additions into account - and the amount of kibble I was throwing away because they wouldn`t eat it, *their current raw diet is cheaper*.


I totally agree. Feeding raw is not only the best thing I have ever done for Mia and her health and well being - it is also about half the price of the food she had before that was making her hyper and anxious and aggravated her bladder. That was Skinners F&T which seemes to be one of the ones that is generally accepted as pretty good on here.
Saying all that, I most certainly spend more on Mia than I should in other ways - toys, equipment, beds etc. If my kids looked at me with liquid chocolate eyes the way Mia does I would be bankrupt............


----------



## Horse and Hound (May 12, 2010)

Emmastace said:


> . That was Skinners F&T which seemes to be one of the ones that is generally accepted as pretty good on here.


Just goes to show doesn't it, horses for courses...I give my two raw bones and they have the squits for days afterwards.


----------



## hyper Springer (Jan 8, 2010)

ClaireandDaisy said:


> Price has little to do with the quality of the food, unfortunately. .


Agreed when you look at the price of bakers etc....However Food such as Lillys\hermanns, Organics,Terra Cannis use premium ingredients organic\muscle meat(not roadkill) so IMO justify there price...

Same as Orijen your paying for quality and meat contents as opposed to some cheaper kibbles that are predominantly laden with Grains and have a low meat content

A dog may not notice the diffrence but you have to pay the price if you want high meat content\good ingredients......although stuff like Partners\WW are good quality and a reasonable price....


----------



## Goblin (Jun 21, 2011)

It's worth noting that quality of food may not be apparent in the short term but can have long term effects. Trying to get the best food within a budget is important and you need to look at the ingredient list. The main thing I would avoid is additives. Some of the additives allowed in dog food is thought to be carcinogenic and cancer rates in dogs are high. I would also prefer meat (not byproducts) to be first on the list of ingredients. Many people have pet insurance but feeding a quality food may save some money later when it comes to vet bills as well as heartache.

I would also say, quality of food is not always shown in the price. Buying expensive food does not mean it is necessarily good.


----------



## Ian57 (Aug 29, 2011)

Emmastace said:


> I totally agree. Feeding raw is not only the best thing I have ever done for Mia and her health and well being - i*t is also about half the price of the food she had before*


I don't understand how that's possible, I'm not trying to be contentious or anything, I just don't understand how.

If I take Hector, a very agile 28kg Black Lab, presently he's fed Jollys Liftstage 15kg @ £28.50. This lasts approx 6 weeks = 67p/day. To feed him 2.5% body weight would equal 700g/day of raw, how could I possibly feed a 700g raw diet for 67p.

I've read a large portion, well 30 odd pages, of the Raw Feeding thread and there were lots of discussion about what to feed but very little in cost unless of course you happen to live near to one of the suppliers for local delivery/collection, Essex to darkest Yorkshire is I think too far for their freezer delivery! Buying from Asda/Morrisons/Sainsburys is not achievable (blanket statements .... I shouldn't make blanket statements, they comeback to bite you in the butt)

If you can advise how you manage I'd be very grateful.

Best

Ian


----------



## Goblin (Jun 21, 2011)

Some of it is obviously depending on the starting baseline. The rest really comes down to suppliers. I know of some people who get quite a bit for their dogs from the butchers for free or very little money. Abattoirs are potentially another source. Shopping around for special offers in the supermarket and buying in bulk can also reduce costs. Freezer space is always recommended.
I know in the States they form co-ops so they can use bulk purchase power to lower costs.

Feeding raw can be cheaper than most people expect however I don't think anyone will say it's the cheapest option.


----------



## IncaThePup (May 30, 2011)

My dog Inca was on cheap food as a puppy as its all I could afford and I didn't know any better.. She had a mixer and webbox then moved onto Bakers! 

She was really hyper..just at that time my income went up luckily so I could afford a food a bit better I wasn't on internet at the time but a local farm/kennel shop recommended James Wellbeloved to me as they had an offer on at the time for 2kg bags (had no car at time so had walked there with Inca) ..she has been on JWB since.. first the regular adult (with rice) then the senior. 

When I got JJ whose had food/tummy issues since getting him I was recommended he needed a good food with no cereals and Eden was strongly recommended. It was expensive more than I've ever paid out for a dog food my family thought I was mad as our family pets both lived to 17 on pedigree canned food and mixer perfectly healthily! (if you don't count the extremely noxious smells :crazy: : )

Unfortunately it didn't suit him or my older dog not sure whether it was too many types of protein, just too high, or the eggs in it but despite it supposedly been 'the best' it didn't work for mine and considering the price the customer support was not there. 

Bob & Lush is a good single ingredient premium food, looks and even smells good (considering its dog food!) but a little too rich for my pup. There customer service was at least good though, but it seems to go straight through him. 

Tried a cheaper working dog food that had better ingredients than the vet recommended Hills. (or so it seemed at the time) when it arrived the ingredients on the bag are not in same order as they were on the site..Maize is highest ingredient ..where human grade chicken and rice were first on the website page...he is back to itching more and is giving off some deadly fumes!  but I can't afford to waste another bag so he's gonna have to finish it. 

I did try change Inca too thinking I'd find her a 'better food' she tried Fish4dogs weight control but seems too rich for her and doesn't seem to fill her. JJ's food fills her she doesn't get the gurgly tummy or been sick but they both seem to sound 'chesty' at night on it. 

I think we're going back to JWB despite it only been considered as an 'orange' food on these boards and been told grains are bad in dog food..Inca seems to need rice in her food so is going back on Senior, JJ is going to try the cereal free version as I think he'll do better without any cereals in his food but a lower protein level and single protein source. (fish or white meat based only) 

They also get home cooked mixed in and I recently discovered wet food when looking for a food that JJ could tolerate and Inca is enjoying it too having never had wet food before (well.. not since the webbox sausage I used to buy from Wilko's!)


----------



## SixStar (Dec 8, 2009)

IncaThePup said:


> I think we're going back to JWB despite it only been *considered as an 'orange' food on these boards* and been told grains are bad in dog food:


You must remember that the Index is MY opinion ONLY. It is not to be taken as gospel and it does not reflect the view of the whole forum.


----------



## Coffee (Jul 31, 2011)

IncaThePup - have you ever thought about trying JJ on raw, with all his food/stomach concerns? 

I admit it, my name is Coffee and I am a food snob. I will never EVER go back to feeding commercial food and any future dogs will be on raw from day 1. I like to think I'm polite about it though... I would never force my opinions on others and I don't even comment on what friends/fellow dog walkers feed their dogs _unless they ask_. Then they get told... politely of course 

I must admit, I am at a loss to understand though why anyone would feed their dog such sh!te as Bakers and the like. The information is out there, easy enough to find in this day and age of the internet. The stories of "oh my dog ate Bakers all his life and lived to be 25" do nothing to change my opinion either. The plural of anecdote is not evidence


----------



## PennyGSD (Apr 16, 2012)

Coffee said:


> The plural of anecdote is not evidence


I'm stealing this as my signature!


----------



## victoria171168 (Apr 8, 2013)

I have had years of dogs who have dicky tummies. Beau my dearly departed newf had every test going for loose stools and in the end after trying loads of different foods we found Orijen was the wonder food for him.

However it is too expensive for me now and as Beau passed on last year to cancer we have looked at alternatives as my gsd cross has ibs . I am glad I did all the research and learnt about dog nutrition as it really is amazing how many people l know end up asking me for advice.

I now feed Simpsons though I stick with the grain free, its affordable as a bag lasts me a month for three large dogs and I love the fact that there are small trial bags so I could work out which one each liked.

Jessie loves the chicken and potato, merlin loves the salmon and potato and Max would just eat anything.

I also buy good quality foods from ebay when I see them on offer and also take advantage of discounts from zooplus especially if something reasonable like Purizon is on offer.

Also another good source is talk to your local butcher , I have a catering butcher nearby and he sells me bones, chicken carcasses and other close to date foods for a pittance but its cheaper than him paying to dispose of it.

I also buy my brothers dog food for him as he is on a very tight budget and a friend of mine who has a dog with a sensitive stomach splits a bag of food with me so she can afford to get something that works with her dogs problems.

if you are on a budget then feed a cheap food but bulk it out, someone l know has gone from Eukanuba to gusto but has added a pound of chicken or tripe to it for all her dogs and she hasn't noticed any issues.

I am lucky now that l am better informed and even though l will always try to steer people to better foods rather than Bakers I also understand the need to economise and try to help out where l can.


----------



## Hanlou (Oct 29, 2012)

I've been wondering why I bother stressing out over food this week. 

My sister feeds Tesco dog food (and cat food to the cats) and her dog and cats look brilliant. Shiny coats, bright eyes, bags of energy...... 

Whisper scoffed a full tin of said food at my sister's house despite her many, many hang-ups with eating lol. 

You do start to question yourself......


----------



## Born2BWild (Jun 6, 2012)

Great post - I am guilty of jumping in and recommending what i consider are great foods without taking in to account the op's situation...

I know too well budgeting - last year my partner was made redundant so had to make huge cuts - we went from a fantastic food to a middle range one to half the costs - my dogs still got unconditional love, walks, routine etc. 

However, vet bills rose and their general condition suffered - going from foods that suited them to a cheap alternative didn't really save much money! Cleos sensitive digestion and IBD was effected as was Molly's weight.

Now income is back to how it was my dogs are back to how we knew them best without the vet bills. 

Sometimes you need to make the cuts, it helped us through a tough spot, but there were consequences thankfully rectified and were only temporary!


----------



## pogo (Jul 25, 2011)

We have always been on a tight budget, live paycheck to paycheck like a lot of people do, but we feed what i consider the best diet and it does fit into our budget


----------



## GoldenRetrieverman (Sep 7, 2012)

GoldenShadow said:


> TBH I don't think people should have dogs if they can't afford a good food. I've seen first hand issues caused by bad foods so you wouldn't catch me having a dog if I couldn't afford to feed him or her a good one.
> 
> Food is surely part of the basic outlay of getting a dog like insurance (for most), and I think it should be factored into whether people get a dog or not. Falling on hard times is different but I don't think anyone should get a dog if they can't afford an OK food.
> 
> ...


I dont agree with this. There is lots of dogs without a home. Im sure a caring owner and a warm place to sleep is more important than a over priced bag of food.


----------



## tia maria (Sep 16, 2012)

Our dog was adopted at 5mths from a rescue and was being fed Wagg
She had some bald patches which we were told may be grass allergy but I thought along the food train of thought and changed to food with less cereal

She's 16mths now and no bald patches, but doesn't like dry kibble on its own, so I choose to add Butchers mixed tripe ( not other varieties of butchers ) as it has no additives

At the moment she is costing £36 per mth in food...which I'm hoping to cut down by buying bigger bags

The sad thing is I suppose many dog lovers on really low incomes won't even know which are the better quality lower priced food


----------



## GoldenShadow (Jun 15, 2009)

GoldenRetrieverman said:


> I dont agree with this. There is lots of dogs without a home. Im sure a caring owner and a warm place to sleep is more important than a over priced bag of food.


If you can't afford £20 for a bag of dog food how will you afford £45 for a booster or £30 for a vet consultation? I think it's wrong to seek dog ownership if you are aware you cannot afford an OK food no matter how much that is. Dog food recipes change your dog might not get on with the cheapest one you buy and may require hypoallergenic. Then what happens if you can't afford it? Some people will shove it along to its next home.

Be prepared or don't get a dog. If someone with a caring attitude had Rupert it would not be enough. He has cost me and my insurance company bucket loads, love isn't everything.


----------



## totallypets (Dec 30, 2011)

Ian57 said:


> I don't understand how that's possible, I'm not trying to be contentious or anything, I just don't understand how.
> 
> If I take Hector, a very agile 28kg Black Lab, presently he's fed Jollys Liftstage 15kg @ £28.50. This lasts approx 6 weeks = 67p/day. To feed him 2.5% body weight would equal 700g/day of raw, how could I possibly feed a 700g raw diet for 67p.
> 
> ...


I fed Poppy first on Fishmongers and then Applaws at just over £1 a day for a 25kg dog, however neither of them suited her, so having read so much about raw feeding on here I decided to give it a go. She has 700g a day and it costs me about 80p a day. She has an egg or 2 a week at 20p each, a tin of pilchard in tomato sauce a week at 90p a tin, she has mince in the morning (approx 450g) which costs between 55p-65p a pack, plus a bony meal in the evening. Liver and kidney costs 50-80p a week. I get all my bones for free or very little (£1 for 4kg) from local butchers. I now get all my meat from them rather than Sainsburys, and that hasn't worked out more expensive, some things are more and some less... instead of the 700g pack of mince I used to buy for £7.33/kg I get 500g for £6.99/kg (actually the same amount of meat as it doesn't shrink down like supermarket mince does). Sausages are more expensive, but bigger so I don't need so many. The quality of the meat is so much better for us.


----------



## PennyGSD (Apr 16, 2012)

GoldenShadow said:


> If you can't afford £20 for a bag of dog food how will you afford £45 for a booster or £30 for a vet consultation? I think it's wrong to seek dog ownership if you are aware you cannot afford an OK food no matter how much that is. Dog food recipes change your dog might not get on with the cheapest one you buy and may require hypoallergenic. Then what happens if you can't afford it? Some people will shove it along to its next home.
> 
> Be prepared or don't get a dog. If someone with a caring attitude had Rupert it would not be enough. He has cost me and my insurance company bucket loads, love isn't everything.


I have to say this is my opinion too.

We worked out recently that Jack costs us upwards of £600 a month now as he has so many ailments/vet visits/medications/hydrotherapy/specialist food. And if I wasn't such a canny shopper it could easily be a £1000/month. Without this spend his quality of life would be much less, and I can imagine a lot of people would have had to let him be PTS. But he's happy and content 90% of the time, so that would be a very difficult decision.

Food costs are just a tiny part of being responsible for a dog.


----------



## SLB (Apr 25, 2011)

I feed raw to 72kg of dog (3 combined weights) each needing 3% of their body weight (they get a fair bit of exercise) which amounts to 500g-800g a day; all for £40-£50 a month. They get two meals a day. I get little to no freebies and buy from a supplier and butchery departments. 

So work that out - that's about £13 a month per dog. 13/30 (average month) is about 43p a day to feed one so £1.29 a day to feed 3 of them. 

However - I will point out to someone that what they are feeding is rubbish (if it is) and put a link to Sixstars indexes. 

Diet is one of the main responsibilities when taking ownership of a dog - or indeed any other animal. That is ONE thing a dog cannot go without. So why would you skimp on the price. Yes we want things cheaper, but would you consider feeding yourself ready meals every day because it's cheaper, quick and easy or would you buy proper ingredients and prepare a proper meal? Why should it be different for dogs?

Yes 4/5 of mine do well on dry food - I would buy skinners for them. But I have one with a suspected grain intolerance so he can't have any of the cheaper foods. 

What do people who can't afford £20 sacks of food do if their dog has a grain intolerance?


----------



## GoldenRetrieverman (Sep 7, 2012)

GoldenShadow said:


> If you can't afford £20 for a bag of dog food how will you afford £45 for a booster or £30 for a vet consultation? I think it's wrong to seek dog ownership if you are aware you cannot afford an OK food no matter how much that is. Dog food recipes change your dog might not get on with the cheapest one you buy and may require hypoallergenic. Then what happens if you can't afford it? Some people will shove it along to its next home.
> 
> Be prepared or don't get a dog. If someone with a caring attitude had Rupert it would not be enough. He has cost me and my insurance company bucket loads, love isn't everything.


Well I see your point but there is lots of people with dogs who regard them as 'just a dog' Not everyone sees their dog as a member of their family as im sure the people in here do. I think its a little insulting to people who cant afford better food to be saying that. I think it was sixstar said she feeds 5 dogs on raw for £30 a month.


----------



## DoodlesRule (Jul 7, 2011)

Thread is nearly two years old 

I feel strongly ................ about what I feed my dog. What everyone else does is there business really


----------



## PennyGSD (Apr 16, 2012)

DoodlesRule said:


> Thread is nearly two years old


Never noticed that before! How/why did it get resurrected!


----------



## RachRubyx (Jan 23, 2013)

Funny how this is 2 years old but I don't think OP a dog food snob. There is plenty of decent dog food on mark for £20 mark. *Skinners duck and rice *comes to mind. My partners family dog has allergies and constant ear infections. I researched about it and done a thread on another forum that had a pet thread. My OH parents would feed *Asda Heroes Wet Food *but its full of cereals. A helpful and knowledgeable forum member commented that a dry food such as *Autarky Salmon* would be actually cheaper to feed as feed less and also should help clear up Allergies. You could get *2x15kg of it for about £35 delivered*.

She wasn't keen on the salmon as doesn't like fish flavoured kibble but is now on *Skinners Duck and Rice*. Her ear infections have cleared up. However it took alot of me persuading them it be better and work out cheaper and contacting people for samples. You see they don't pay for vets but go to PDSA, so they don't have to pay for ear infection treatments so would just keep treating it with meds rather than get to the root of the problem.

I have to pay for vets and am on Job Seekers as I study part time in college. Jobs are hard to come by but I volunteer at least. So I really struggle with money as my dog has to have meds every month for epilepsy and also anal glands emptied. I feed my dog *Fishmongers Wet* and *Eden Dry food*. So am sorry if I can do it on with only £30 a month left after keep to parents, buses to college, food and phone bill then you can feed a decent dog food. I just don't go out partying for a couple of months or buy expensive clothes. My dog comes first and always will. I have bought her dog food before rather than food for myself as been that poor.

Though my dog is small so a wet tray alone would last her 4 days and cost £1 so 25p a day. It was even cheaper on *wainwrights* when it was *2x12 trays for £16.* *Eden cost £50* but only feed 50g a day with 40g wet. So Eden lasts me 300 days a bad almost a year :O even if I feed that alone still be 5months worth. I know it be harder with a bigger dog though. But as I said before *Autarky and Skinners are still budget friendly.*


----------



## kazters (Jul 31, 2010)

the original poster has a good point. the dog i had when i was growing up was fed winalot and she thrived on it. but that was in early 1990s and dry food wasnt really around. but when we got Willow in 2010 we did lots of research and went with burns as she needed gluten free. Also was happy with human grade meat, but we live in the north of Scotland and it was hard to find. we moved to wellbeloved. we are quite expensive every 2 months for food but we buy in bulk (having two dogs). 

But my thought is simply by the best food you can afford and thats properly good for your animal.


----------

