WHY?

[Magnolia618]

For those of you who feed a lower quality dog food (ie: ANYTHING from the supermarket, science diet, nutro etc...) , I am extremely curious... why not go for something better? Why not get the very best for your pet? It seems like people often get defensive when they are told that there is something better out there, but I really dont understand why.

I started Maggie on crap food(nutro). I didnt know better. I did my research, and found raw. In my opinion, it is the very best thing possible for a dog/cat. I wanted the best for my pets. There are also many high quality kibbles out there that I could have chosen from. Raw seemed to be the best option for me.

I'm not telling everyone to switch to raw, I just dont see the point of feeding a low quality kibble. Would you like to live off of McDonalds? Do you understand there are amazing benefits from feeding a high quality food? Better temperament, better health, better appearance. I always thought that Maggie had a beautiful coat... then I switched her to raw. WOW!

Your pet's health directly reflects what he/she eats every day.

This post is not directed at ANYONE. It was just something that I was thinking about.

[pitbullmamaliz]

When we first got Inara as a pup, we fed her Iams 'cause "it was the best." Then we switched to Nutro Ultra, then I did more research, bit the bullet, and jumped to Pinnacle Trout and Sweet Potato. We started off on the Iams because I had no idea it was bad food. I knew it was better than Purina and thought I was being a great mom. Finally I upgraded, and I liked the results. However, at the time, it was tough due to the price increase. That may have something to do with why people feed lower-quality kibble - that, or they just don't know? I also love raw - it's cheap, and I know it's great for Inara. But it was really scary at first, until I took the leap.

[luvmyangels]

When I first moved out of my house when I was 18 I decided I wanted a dog. I did not have much money but I was going to always make sure my dog was fed even if I didn't eat. Although I wanted to do what was best for my dog there were times my dog definitely ate better than I did. There were also times he ate purina because that is what I could afford because I had to pay rent too. So what I am trying to get at is that maybe people get defensive because they think they are doing the best for their dog and money is a factor. A lot of the kibbles such as TW are very expensive.

[BigDogBuford]

Unfortunately I think Americans are woefully ignorant when it come to nutrition for themselves let alone their dogs! Look at what parents routinely feed their kids. I was apalled when I watched Super Size Me.

I've believed for a long time that nutrition needs to be taught in school. Also we shouldn't be offering the crap rountinely given to kids in shcools for lunches and snacks. Maybe once we educate enough people they'll start looking more closely at pet nutrition?

[concreterose]

I think that quite honestly, nutrition is not a top priority for many pet owners.

[SisMorphine]

So what I am trying to get at is that maybe people get defensive because they think they are doing the best for their dog and money is a factor.

And that's what gets me. $20 for 30 pounds of Kibbles'n'Bits vs. $30 for Iams and $40 for Canidae. The Canidae will last longer than the other two because it is higher quality so you feed less. Plus, IT'S ONLY A DIFFERENCE OF $10 OR $20 BUCKS!!!!!!!!! That's a bottle of Jack Daniels or a trip to the movies with popcorn. It's nothing.

Plus I'm on the firm stance of "if you can't feed it and vet it don't get it." Too many people get dogs and then can't afford the vet care, can't afford the neuter, can't afford the good food. I'm sorry, it's not an excuse. Trust me, last fall I fell on some very hard times when the company I worked for shut down and I didn't have a job nor the time to work in most places (as I was in school fulltime and some classes were during the day, others at night, made it hard to find a job to fit the schedule). I spent every last cent I had on feeding Wally. I had adopted him when I could afford him, I fell on hard times and insisted on continuing the best care for him no matter what I had to do to achieve it. Now I am building up a dog fund so I am never in that situation again. If you put a certain amount of money in it each week it grows pretty quickly and then you won't have to worry about stuff like not having food for him for that month, or not being able to pay for a necessary surgery.

Money is not an excuse. If you can't afford it from the get-go don't get an animal. If you fall on hard times in between don't give up on that animal by feeding crap. If you had kids and were going through hard times would you feed them twinkies just because they were 50 for 2 bucks? Suck it up, make sacrifices that will affect you and you only, and don't let other lives suffer because of your bad luck.

Sorry . . . it's just something that irks me greatly. People need to set their priorities straight.

[ParisStreetPitCrew]

Your pet's health directly reflects what he/she eats every day.

I'm going to have to disagree with this-- your pet's health reflects both what it eats AND there are contributing genetic factors.

[Maryellen]

jesse started out on purina one..when i started doing research on food (i was told by a friend to upgrade) i listened and put her on a better food- canidae.

some people dont know, some dont care, some cant afford it.

[turtle]

Yes, good point. My dog was eating Pedigree when I got her 4 years ago and she looked fine. But I started reading and learning about dog foods and how much they vary in quality. I had not had a dog in 8 years and things had changed greatly as far as dog foods. The big companies were adding horrid things like rancid restaurant oils and animal digest to their pet foods... ugh!

After studying and learning what a good kibble should read for ingredients, I started feeding her Innova Regular Dog kibble mixed with CA Natural Chicken & Rice. She looked even better! More reading and I tried a few other foods like Canidae and Wellness, she did great on all but the Wellness.

Then I started looking into raw. I began by feeding her raw in the morning for 3 or 4 days a week. I also added salmon oil and kelp to her food. Her coat got even softer and shiner and there was less poop...

Now I am feeding half raw in the mornings and Timberwolf kibble at night. She is doing super, she has never looked better. That diet works for me and my dog.

I have to say it is a false economy to feed cheap food. Good nutrition is the number one best thing you can do for your dog. A well fed dog needs fewer vet visits, and you feed less if you are feeding a high quality food. So really you save in the long run and your dog benefits immensely from a high quality diet.

Yes, I don't see why people will say they can't afford to feed a high quality kibble. But what is the real cost difference? It's just pennies a day. I run across this a lot and I try to explain why it's such a huge benefit to a dog's health to eat good food...

And none of this is directed at anyone here as I think we are all on the same track, I'm just commenting in general to Chea's post....

[concreterose]

So what I am trying to get at is that maybe people get defensive because they think they are doing the best for their dog and money is a factor.

And that's what gets me. $20 for 30 pounds of Kibbles'n'Bits vs. $30 for Iams and $40 for Canidae. The Canidae will last longer than the other two because it is higher quality so you feed less. Plus, IT'S ONLY A DIFFERENCE OF $10 OR $20 BUCKS!!!!!!!!! That's a bottle of Jack Daniels or a trip to the movies with popcorn. It's nothing.

Plus I'm on the firm stance of "if you can't feed it and vet it don't get it." Too many people get dogs and then can't afford the vet care, can't afford the neuter, can't afford the good food. I'm sorry, it's not an excuse. Trust me, last fall I fell on some very hard times when the company I worked for shut down and I didn't have a job nor the time to work in most places (as I was in school fulltime and some classes were during the day, others at night, made it hard to find a job to fit the schedule). I spent every last cent I had on feeding Wally. I had adopted him when I could afford him, I fell on hard times and insisted on continuing the best care for him no matter what I had to do to achieve it. Now I am building up a dog fund so I am never in that situation again. If you put a certain amount of money in it each week it grows pretty quikcly and then you won't have to worry about stuff like not having food for him for that month, or not being able to pay for a necessary surgery.

Money is not an excuse. If you can't afford it from the get-go don't get an animal. If you fall on hard times in between don't give up on that animal by feeding crap. If you had kids and were going through hard times would you feed them twinkies just because they were $50 for 2 bucks? Suck it up, make sacrifices that will affect you and you only, and don't let other lives suffer because of your bad luck.

Sorry . . . it's just something that irks me greatly. People need to set their priorities straight.

While this attitude is good in theory, most pet owners do not think this way. MOST pet owners will not spend their last dime on their pets. MOST pet owners don't look at sacrificing a few extra bucks for their dogs instead of entertainment. MOST people do not consider their pets their top priority. It's really funny to me sometimes to deal with people on message boards, then deal with people in the 'real' world.

I was talking to a guy yesterday (REAL young guy) that does unoffical 'rescue' in my community. He takes peoples pit bulls that are abused and neglected and does the best he can to take care of them, and if he can't he takes them to the humane society. He swears by Eukanuba. I know other people that feed grocery store food even though their dogs have continual ear infections, allergies, etc. I tell them about nutritional alternatives, but it's just not a big deal to them. They won't spend their last $10 on their dogs. And I wouldn't call them 'bad' or irresponsible owners. I am just glad to see these dogs happy, with shelter and a place to run and play.

As the number of homeless, abused, and neglected pets grow, I have learned to pick my battles. And the dogs surely don't know that they aren't eating 'premium' food. I think that we need to remember that most of us are probably WAY more into our pets than the general population, and not be so quick to judge those whose standards are not the same as ours.

[luvmyangels]

I too worked full time and went to school full time and had my own apartment. My dog had all the vet care and emotional care he needed since family always came to visit. Maybe it was more of not knowing at that time too considering there was not as big of a push on dog nutrition 16 years ago as there is today.

[SisMorphine]

I too worked full time and went to school full time and had my own apartment. My dog had all the vet care and emotional care he needed since family always came to visit. Maybe it was more of not knowing at that time too considering there was not as big of a push on dog nutrition 16 years ago as there is today.

Right there wasn't. But once it became an option you educated yourself, did some research, and changed, correct?

It's the people who refuse to educate themselves on new things that cause problems. If they took the time to look into nutrition when someone mentioned it to them, they would see and change their ways. But it's the people who refuse to educate themselves that's the problem.

We've all fed our animals crap at one point or another, before we knew better, but because we were open to change and education they now eat well.

[turtle]

While this attitude is good in theory, most pet owners do not think this way. MOST people do not consider their pets their top priority.

I know other people that feed grocery store food even though their dogs have continual ear infections, allergies, etc. I tell them about nutritional alternatives, but it's just not a big deal to them. They won't spend their last $10 on their dogs. And I wouldn't call them 'bad' or irresponsible owners.

Oh, that's so true! Most folks just don't know and don't care... I have neighbors who are Du Ponts, they have an older Chow mix with thyroid and coat problems. What do they feed her? Kibbles and Bits.

I have tried to suggest that a better food would help their dog so much, they agree and then do nothing. It's not like they can't afford it, they just don't bother. I even said how TW can be delivered right to the door and she liked that, no more lugging big heavy dog food bags... But they still buy the crap food...

[a-bull]

Your pet's health directly reflects what he/she eats every day.

I'm going to have to disagree with this-- your pet's health reflects both what it eats AND there are contributing genetic factors.

I agree.

I fed my first pitty nothing but Pedigree kibble and wet because I thought it was good food, and he lived to be a solid 15 years old, and may have been 16 or 17 according to my vet.

It's no different than with people. Some people eat natural foods and some people eat junk. I had a friend who ate nothing but natural food & exercised, and she died at 40. I know plenty of people who eat really trashy, low quality food and they're in their 70's.

[luvmyangels]

Right there wasn't. But once it became an option you educated yourself, did some research, and changed, correct?

It's the people who refuse to educate themselves on new things that cause problems. If they took the time to look into nutrition when someone mentioned it to them, they would see and change their ways. But it's the people who refuse to educate themselves that's the problem.

We've all fed our animals crap at one point or another, before we knew better, but because we were open to change and education they now eat well.

You are correct about that. All three of my dogs are on Raw for a week and a day now.

Sometimes people are just narrow minded and have their blinders on and don't see anything past what is in the middle. I do try and tell people what I know about nutrition which is not much. But I am still learning and everyone I meet I learn something new from them.

I was just trying to give a reason for why sometimes people don't do what we know is right. I am sorry if you became offended by my reasoning and experience. Hey I probably wasn't that smart with the reasoning of getting a dog at that time too. But he lived well.

[concreterose]

While this attitude is good in theory, most pet owners do not think this way. MOST people do not consider their pets their top priority.

I know other people that feed grocery store food even though their dogs have continual ear infections, allergies, etc. I tell them about nutritional alternatives, but it's just not a big deal to them. They won't spend their last $10 on their dogs. And I wouldn't call them 'bad' or irresponsible owners.

Oh, that's so true! Most folks just don't know and don't care... I have neighbors who are Du Ponts, they have an older Chow mix with thyroid and coat problems. What do they feed her? Kibbles and Bits.

I have tried to suggest that a better food would help their dog so much, they agree and then do nothing. It's not like they can't afford it, they just don't bother. I even said how TW can be delivered right to the door and she liked that, no more lugging big heavy dog food bags... But they still buy the crap food...

I GAVE my neighbor (she has bulldogs too and comes and lets my dogs out every day while I'm at work) a weeks supply of chicken backs and necks to try on her allergy dog. I GAVE her a bag of Canidae when I switched Vicki all the way to raw. She used every thing, even bought some ACV and started swabbing her dog's ears with it. Her dog stopped itching within the week (I was surprised didn't expect for her to see results that soon) and rubbing her fur off. When she ran out of the stuff, guess what she wen't out and bought? A bag of Beneful
She always says what great shape my dogs are in, and has seen first hand how I control Vicki's allergies, and still won't change. Oh well. I still love her though, and she most certainly loves her dogs.

[Jenn]

I just didn't know, and was feeding Eukanuba for years... If you ask someone (at a pet store) what is the best, they will point you that direction.
Then I joined a message board or two in 2004, kept hearing all this hype about Diamond this, and Diamond that ~ so I switched. I was grateful that I thought I was feeding a better food, and even more grateful that it was easier to get, and cheaper. I listened again to a friend and eventually changed their food to the DVP Natural Balance. I'm very happy with that food, and it's the only one I can really get without shipping, or driving a hundred miles. I've been reading when I get a chance, and considering raw. Right now they will remain on DVP, though they seem to be enjoying the heck out of their RAW bonuses here and there.

[Malli]

For the first year or 2 of his life, I couldn't afford anything better.

Now he eats top quality kibble made to aid in the reguvination of his skin.

I personally do not agree with raw, home made done very carefully perhaps; but I suppose thats a whole other topic.

Malli

[katiek0417]

Personally, I would never feed my dogs anything besides good feed....but I'm definitely in the minority. I know many people who feed Nutro, Pedigree, etc....Why? Well, I think there are several reasons.

1. People simply don't know any better and fail to educate themselves on feeding better foods (and the benefits of doing so).

2. I have several friends who feed "not so good" foods...they do it because they simply don't have the money to do otherwise. This is not a question of a bottle of Jack Daniels....these are people who look for "free" things to do in my area (which isn't hard since the Smithsonian museums are free, etc)...they really don't have the extra money.

While I think we know how important it is to feed good foods, if one of us found ourselves in a very bad financial hardship, we might also have to feed one of these "less than very good" foods. We may not want to do it, but might have to in order to eat ourselves.

I think it's important to know about a person's reasons for not feeding better foods. If it simply a matter of "non-education" then we can educate them (provide artilces, etc). I think if it's a matter of money, then we can't really judge them. If it's a difference between feeding a "not as good food" or giving the animal up...well, I think we all know what we'd rather see....

[luvmyangels]

I personally do not agree with raw, home made done very carefully perhaps; but I suppose thats a whole other topic.

Malli

It took me a long time to start with Raw. My mother on the other hand thinks it is disgusting and feeds her dogs another high quality kibble. Everyone has to do what they feel is best for them.