Most of you have read this before but it's helpful info. I've done a lot of reading about dog nutrition over the years and feeding a quality diet is really the number one best thing you can do for your dog.
I have fed most of the foods below and there is a huge difference between these high quality kibbles and plain ol' Purina and such. I'm currently feeding Timberwolf supplemented with Raw and my dog is doing superbly on this diet. Each dog is different so it's a good idea to try a few foods to find what works best for your dog.
This is by Pat (barbponys) who has over 10 years experience with dog institution and health. She has seen how different foods effect dogs and the results of good nutrition. Cross posted with permission:
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Permission of the author of this information (Pat/ barbponys/ elf65) has been withdrawn.
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Edited to add:
I see I forgot to post the link to this dog food info site:
http://www.doberdogs.com/menu.html
It's a very useful site about dog foods and how to pick a good one. Here is their page on how to read the labels:
http://www.doberdogs.com/foodcht1.html
And then there are all the dog foods in charts so you can read what's in them You can compare most all the brands. Most foods are under the "Pet store/Feed store brands" but if you don't find it, check the other pages.
It's such a helpful site I am surprised I forgot to post it!
A young dog will look good on a crappy food but it takes its toll as they age and their health really suffers in the long run. It's a false economy to feed a low quality food. With a high quality food, the dog gets better nutrition so they poop less and you also feed them less because they get more out of the food.
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