<p>^^Yes, that is what we were also advised decades ago when we got our first dog. They “know” what time food time is if you have a routine for them. We also feed quite abit less than advised on the package about 1/2, but our dog stays “in weight” at the lower amount of food and tends to gain weight if we feed more but it works out because I know he eats whatever cat food the cat doesn’t eat at his feedings but then the cat has been spotted eating the dog food.</p>
<p>My oldest doesn’t care what time breakfast is, but eats with gusto when it is put down. But, at 5:30pm she is in my face barking for dinner like clockwork. I don’t care if she has had breakfast at 5:30 or 9:00, she wants dinner at 5:30!</p>
<p>
That’s an enterprising dog - and one willing to put a little effort into the snack!</p>
<p>I always recommend that dog owners feed 30% less than is suggested on the bag. Reasoning is … the feeding trials are not done for our inactive pet dogs, but rather dogs in kennels where there is activity all day. If the dog is hungry, feed a little more.</p>
<p>Re Blue Buffalo … this is a food that is local to me, but sold nationally. They have a serious ad campaign going with full pages and double page spreads in magazines such as Martha Stewart Living, Prevention, Better Homes etc. </p>
<p>Their initial roll out was into Petcosmartland … but it tends to be most available in the independents. Little known fact … this company has a sister company with a similar product, no lifesource bits, that is available in the grocery aisle. You’ll only know if you are (1) very familiar with the packaging of all the lines under the Blue label and (2) read the labels very carefully for the corporate HQ information.</p>
<p>I’m acquainted with the company owners, one of whom shops in my store! It’s a good food with an interesting concept, and most dogs seem to like it. Some of them have a <em>thing</em> about the “lifesource bits” where the vitamins and probiotics are hidden, but lots of dogs will scarf up the food.</p>
<p>“lifesource bits”???</p>
<p>Iam’s dry, in green bag, both my previous and current medium size dogs love it-- but it IS pricey–maybe I’ll try the make and freeze method, but is it still cheaper if you factor in the electricity to keep it frozen I wonder?</p>
<p>Well, I went to PetSmart and Costco and got a few different ones. My dogs usually eat about 7am and about 7pm.</p>
<p>My plan is to wait until about 8:30 am to feed them (hoping that they’ll be hungrier) and try some of the new food.</p>
<p>I wonder if I should set out one choice or should I put out a few choices to see if they pick a favorite.</p>
<p>Our older Setter is getting very picky so we change up every few days for him. I recently found that he enjoys apple sauce on his hard food. I will try pumpkin- I have it on my oatmeal so no reason he can not have a dollop in the morning. He tries to bury his food under pillows when he is tired of what he has been getting so we know when it is time to change.
Our two little guys are easy. They eat any hard food mixed with chicken and brown rice</p>
<p>I have four dogs, two of whom I show in agility trials, so they need to be in excellent condition. I feed them Merrick’s dry food, which is highly-rated on dog nutrition websites. It is pricy, but I like to keep my dogs very lean, so I do not need to feed them much. They all love the Merrick’s food (although they would love anything, I suspect); the most expensive variety, which is based on game meat, smells appetizing even to me. Merrick’s is well-tolerated by the one of them that has a touchy system. Other premium foods (Innova, Solid Gold, etc.) gave her the runs.</p>
<p>A lot of serious agility competitors feed their dogs a raw diet, but this is too complicated for me. I want to come home from work at the end of a long day and take it out of a bag.</p>
<p>I’ll get back to you after I’ve asked her!</p>
<p>Oh yes. Blue’s lifesource bits. Their unique selling proposition is that it is not a good thing to cook the antioxidants … so they cold process the vitamins and probiotics into (what I call) a yogurt drop … and they call a “life source bit”. That part of the food is made in a different factory from the kibble, and then they are combined at the kibble plant. Please note the lifesource bits are not blue. The protein source is not buffalo. It is an extremely confusing name …</p>
<p>We currently have no pets- but on a walk around our neighborhood yesterday I had to check out a cat they had in the window for adoption & watch the dogs get their xmas photos taken.
The store is pretty careful about the products they offer- you may be able to get some suggestions here.
[All</a> The Best Pet Care | Natural Foods, Treats & Toys for Dogs & Cats | Seattle, Mercer Island, Bellevue, Redmond, Issaquah](<a href=“http://www.allthebestpetcare.com/]All”>http://www.allthebestpetcare.com/)</p>
<p>Anyway- my dog loved Orijen dry food ( the only dry food we gave her- just a bit , we mostly fed her Wellness canned & freshpet refrigerated food)
I tried a packaged raw food - but she became ill afterwards & it might not have been connected but I didn’t want to risk it.
She did become a tad pickier as she got older & the vet gave her carafate or recommended prilosec for her tummy.</p>
<p>I think quality food made a big difference in the lives of our pets- our cats lived to be in their early 20’s and our lab, till she was 16.</p>
<p>We use dry NutraPro lamb and rice (about one cup a day), but will add some of the wet stuff on top from time to time as a treat. Also do Hill’s prescription diet dental chunks (big chunks, a few sprinkled on top of regular food) a couple of times a week. Dog loves the chunks, though since her run-in with a car 18 months ago, a chunk sometimes get stuck in the side of her mouth and I have to fish it out for her (minor residual facial nerve damage).</p>
<p>She is very fond of brisket, pulled pork, chicken and turkey. The Food Fairy leaves the occasional pieces in her bowl, lest she starts mooching. She also has a finicky stomach, so we limit how often she gets the rich stuff. She has learned when we’ve baked a chicken or turkey – the nose goes wild. She is also clearly Jewish – if someone leaves the challah out, she claims it. Won’t do that with any other bread.</p>
<p>She’s a 30 bound border/beagle mix, eats to live, doesn’t live to eat.</p>
<p>The woman who runs the rescue where we got our dog recommended a tablespoon or two of plain or vanilla yogurt over dry food for her coat and digestion.</p>
<p>we feed our two corgis Precise Foundation because that is what the breeder had been feeding them. I have to buy it at a small pet supply store , but I like that it is a " mom and pop" operation.
Neither of them are picky and one would eat literally anything ( she is an eating machine ) For the amount of food they eat, it really isn’t expensive…approx $1 per lb.
The newer of the dogs was eating a food for sensitive stomachs , but we switched and he is doing fine.
I met a vetrinarian at my business this summer that wrote a book on homemade dog food that is breed specific…he kindly sent one to me , but I admit I haven’t yet tried it out</p>
<p>My dogs love my cooking the best. It is too bad that the rest of the family is not so in love… Our dogs almost always clean out the bowl in seconds flat. We usually feed the big dog dry food and the little one eats wet. It is a pity that so much of the commercial food is really garbage. Speaking of which, my old lab loved and my new retriever loves garbage…found whereever and whenever (UGH).</p>
<p>I have had cats that liked my cooking too, but they are much pickier eaters.</p>
<p>Our dog also eats Authority from Petsmart, the chicken flavor. We had started him on Iams, but then couldn’t find it in the store. Apparently Iams had some manufacturing problems, and one of the employees said he fed Authority to his dog. Ours is very happy with it.</p>
<p>Dog Purina ONE</p>
<p>Cat Purina ONE</p>
<pre><code> I buy bags only where there is a lot of turnover and get the furthest out freshness date. That’s a good idea with any brand.
The cat in particular started life as a 2-3 week old outdoor kitten raised with some KMR and food from the vet. This kitten was such a mess the vet did a feline leukemia test (negative). I switched him to Purina ONE and he thrived and turned into the glossiest black kitten ever, like obsidian in sunlight.
I have a long history in the dog/cat/shelter/train/show fancy and one thing to watch out for: these food companies change hands and watch out when that happens.
</code></pre>
<p>We have a lab, so this might be the most irrelevant question ever…</p>
<p>My dogs eat Natural Ultramix. I’d like to make their food one day, as I think it would be best, but financially can’t yet. They don’t love it, they love the Kibbles and bits they get on special occasions. If I had kids though, I wouldn’t give them twinkies because they didn’t like salads. On my price budget, its whats best for them. Plus they get all the people left overs that aren’t unhealthy for them.</p>
<p>My dog who passed away used to bite herself to death - “hotspots.” Today I think it was due to the low quality food we fed her (she “loved” it) and our vet never suggested changing it. When I actually changed my health around (and began to read ingredients) I did the same for the dogs. Wish I would have known then, I would have saved her a lot of discomfort.</p>
<p>As was stated here, I always read the ingredients. I avoid stuff with corn, soy, wheat, by-products, etc.</p>