Kelly Ryan
Boxer Buddy
Does anyone know what the top 10 dog foods are?? (according to the Dog Journal)???
Thank you!! I tried to search the web and was unsuccessful..:(
Thank you!! I tried to search the web and was unsuccessful..:(
Does anyone know??
- Thread starter Kelly Ryan
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buddy's_mom_29
Boxer Insane
Why search the web when you can search BoxerWorld
? Here's a link: http://www.simplyschnauzer.net/wdjtopten.html
? Here's a link: http://www.simplyschnauzer.net/wdjtopten.htmlKelly Ryan
Boxer Buddy
Thank you, Thank you!!! The closest I came brought me to where I had to pay a small fee for the info.....Originally posted by buddy's_mom_29
Why search the web when you can search BoxerWorld
I knew I came to the right place!!!
FYI: I have Lola on Canidae (#4 on the list).. That makes me happy!!! (we are still working on the switch to BARF, but until then I'm glad that she is eating a superior kibble)
Kelly Ryan
Boxer Buddy
Being in the top 10 is all I need to know!!
Thanks again!
GoCougs
Go Daddy Moderator<br><img src="/forums/images/mod
I've seen this list, BUT...
I have seen this list, but it seems a little biased to me. Not to be overly skeptical. This "Whole Dog Journal" is a holistic periodical, and obviously these foods are ideal for those who are convinced holistic is the way to go. I'm not against the holistic appoach, but people have been feeding their dogs Eukanuba, IAMS, Science Diet for years. In fact, those three are vet recommended. My vet even recommends a Purina brand (Pro Plan).
I've never had a vet recommend any of these, but they are raved about here. I guess my question is, why are so many people on Boxer World convinced of these brands, when the "pros" don't ever mention them?
I have seen this list, but it seems a little biased to me. Not to be overly skeptical. This "Whole Dog Journal" is a holistic periodical, and obviously these foods are ideal for those who are convinced holistic is the way to go. I'm not against the holistic appoach, but people have been feeding their dogs Eukanuba, IAMS, Science Diet for years. In fact, those three are vet recommended. My vet even recommends a Purina brand (Pro Plan).
I've never had a vet recommend any of these, but they are raved about here. I guess my question is, why are so many people on Boxer World convinced of these brands, when the "pros" don't ever mention them?
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JulieM
Boxer Insane
The Whole Dog Journal is not strictly holistic, rather it is open-minded. They discuss conventional issues as well as alternative ones.
Their listing is not developed because of the "holistic" nature of the foods, but rather because of the quality of the ingredients. I have posted in the past the criteria the WDJ uses to select their top foods; here is the link:
http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6030
Many people who use conventional veterinary protocols still understand the value of a quality food.
Vets don't mention these foods because these manufacturers are not major contributors to veterinary schools. Ask your vet how many courses he's taken in Companion Animal Nutrition. Chances are, it's one at the most. Then ask him how many books, brochures, pamphlets, free lunches, free food for his animals he got from Hill's (Science Diet) or Iams or Waltham. What type of food does he sell in his office?
Here is a snip from a past discussion with a veterinary student on this topic:
That entire discussion is here:
http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17803
Their listing is not developed because of the "holistic" nature of the foods, but rather because of the quality of the ingredients. I have posted in the past the criteria the WDJ uses to select their top foods; here is the link:
http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6030
Many people who use conventional veterinary protocols still understand the value of a quality food.
Vets don't mention these foods because these manufacturers are not major contributors to veterinary schools. Ask your vet how many courses he's taken in Companion Animal Nutrition. Chances are, it's one at the most. Then ask him how many books, brochures, pamphlets, free lunches, free food for his animals he got from Hill's (Science Diet) or Iams or Waltham. What type of food does he sell in his office?
Here is a snip from a past discussion with a veterinary student on this topic:
That entire discussion is here:
http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17803
GoCougs
Go Daddy Moderator<br><img src="/forums/images/mod
This only kinda answers the question...
I have seen these posts.
Again, perhaps I am being overly skeptical, but you insinuate that the person I pay and trust with the health of my dog will tell me to feed my dog something some "unbiased" party says I shouldn't because my vet has sold out to the large corporations? I'm not convinced of that.
The brands listed by WDJ were determined by content only, and not through feeding tests or other. That tells me that they chose these foods with personal bias, rather than the actual benefit to the animal. My vet is trusted with giving me advice that is to the benefit of my pet. WDJ's bias is in what they believe is the best source of proteins, etc.. All of those food listed are of the "health food" variety of pet foods.
I ask the question because I've been giving some consideration to switching to Canidae because of the talk around here. However, there must be a benefit to my Boxer (i.e. shinier coat, etc). I fear all this is just trendy.
I have seen these posts.
Again, perhaps I am being overly skeptical, but you insinuate that the person I pay and trust with the health of my dog will tell me to feed my dog something some "unbiased" party says I shouldn't because my vet has sold out to the large corporations? I'm not convinced of that.
The brands listed by WDJ were determined by content only, and not through feeding tests or other. That tells me that they chose these foods with personal bias, rather than the actual benefit to the animal. My vet is trusted with giving me advice that is to the benefit of my pet. WDJ's bias is in what they believe is the best source of proteins, etc.. All of those food listed are of the "health food" variety of pet foods.
I ask the question because I've been giving some consideration to switching to Canidae because of the talk around here. However, there must be a benefit to my Boxer (i.e. shinier coat, etc). I fear all this is just trendy.
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JulieM
Boxer Insane
No, I'm not insinuating that your vet has "sold out" - just that he quite probably is not well-educated on the topic of companion animal nutrition - and that what education he has had has been biased toward the major food manufacturers.
The Whole Dog Journal is probably the least-biased publication there is, as they do not accept advertising. Personal bias? Perhaps - but certainly not without the benefit of the dog always in the forefront. It is only common sense that real meat is healthier than meat by-products, or that natural preservatives are healthier than known carcinogens.
Who does anything without a personal bias? Our whole lives are defined by our biases; otherwise we would have no opinions, make no decisions, take no actions. Your vet is also recommending foods based on his personal bias, developed from his biased education.
The difference is that the WDJ contributors (at least one of whom, by the way, is a vet) have gone beyond the standard veterinary education and looked into actual quality of foods, instead of claims of quality by manufacturers. Jean Hofve, DVM (contributor to the WDJ) was a guest on the DogHealth e-mail list at yahoogroups some time ago; it might be very interesting for you to search their archives to see what she has to say about ingredient quality. She is a liaison to the AAFCO, and has an intimate knowledge of their food definitions.
Feeding trials are less than useful; dogs can survive on motor oil and cardboard during a feeding trial. That does not mean they are receiving quality ingredients, or that they are at their optimal health.
No, not at all. They are of the "high quality" variety. The "health food" variety include Purina's Beneful and Science Diet's Natural Diet (or whatever they call it) - neither of which can be called "high quality" foods.
Since you've seen both of the threads I noted, you must also have seen the link the the API article about what is really in pet foods, and the links to the AAFCO food definitions, so I won't bother to repeat them here, but I will suggest that you follow the links if you haven't already.
The benefits of feeding a high quality food are numerous - increased energy, better utilization of nutrients, improved skin, coat and teeth, better immune health - the list goes on. If you choose to follow the advice of your vet, that is your perogative; but many of us have gotten past the white coat blindness, and choose to look at the ingredients in the food instead of the name of the manufacturer. That is our perogative.
The Whole Dog Journal is probably the least-biased publication there is, as they do not accept advertising. Personal bias? Perhaps - but certainly not without the benefit of the dog always in the forefront. It is only common sense that real meat is healthier than meat by-products, or that natural preservatives are healthier than known carcinogens.
Who does anything without a personal bias? Our whole lives are defined by our biases; otherwise we would have no opinions, make no decisions, take no actions. Your vet is also recommending foods based on his personal bias, developed from his biased education.
The difference is that the WDJ contributors (at least one of whom, by the way, is a vet) have gone beyond the standard veterinary education and looked into actual quality of foods, instead of claims of quality by manufacturers. Jean Hofve, DVM (contributor to the WDJ) was a guest on the DogHealth e-mail list at yahoogroups some time ago; it might be very interesting for you to search their archives to see what she has to say about ingredient quality. She is a liaison to the AAFCO, and has an intimate knowledge of their food definitions.
Feeding trials are less than useful; dogs can survive on motor oil and cardboard during a feeding trial. That does not mean they are receiving quality ingredients, or that they are at their optimal health.
No, not at all. They are of the "high quality" variety. The "health food" variety include Purina's Beneful and Science Diet's Natural Diet (or whatever they call it) - neither of which can be called "high quality" foods.
Since you've seen both of the threads I noted, you must also have seen the link the the API article about what is really in pet foods, and the links to the AAFCO food definitions, so I won't bother to repeat them here, but I will suggest that you follow the links if you haven't already.
The benefits of feeding a high quality food are numerous - increased energy, better utilization of nutrients, improved skin, coat and teeth, better immune health - the list goes on. If you choose to follow the advice of your vet, that is your perogative; but many of us have gotten past the white coat blindness, and choose to look at the ingredients in the food instead of the name of the manufacturer. That is our perogative.
bustermom
Boxer Insane
Re: This only kinda answers the question...
I fed all my dogs Iams for 14 years, because that's what was recommended by my vet and I trusted (and still do) the folks who care for my dogs.
Earlier this year when we brought our elderly rescue shepherd home, I started doing some research on dog food. He was in a sad state and I wanted to give him the best nutrition I could. In the process, I learned quite a bit that surprised me. I learned what dogs can and can't physically digest, what balances of protein/carb/fat are appropriate based on their anatomy, and a host of other things.
Frankly, I was disappointed to learn that the widely available foods deviate quite a bit from what would be considered appropriate. Yes, they do provide nutrition, but it's not high quality. For myself, I compare it to eating a staple diet of fast food - you can live off it, but there are healthier alternatives.
After all this research, and looking around locally to see which foods were reliably available and affordable, I settled on Canidae. Our shepherd, unfortunately, succumbed to testicular cancer/degenerative myelopathy before the switch.
Since switching, my 7 year old Boston Terrier has shown some significant health improvements - much softer coat (to the point where those who know her comment on the change), less frequent/less severe seasonal allergy attacks, smaller/firmer stool, and more energy/stamina. She's also leaner, more muscular, and probably in the best shape she's ever been. When it became available, I changed her food to the Canidae Platinum, which is for older dogs - she continues to thrive.
Buster, our 5 month old Boxer, has been on Canidae since day one and is doing exceptionally well. When I compare his outward health to other boxers in his age range at the dog park, I'm amazed at how soft his coat is and how much more lean and muscular he is (which could of course also be a result of exercise and genetics).
I've always mixed a small amount of various foods (eggs, veggies, cottage cheese, etc.) into their kibble, but I truly believe that their dietary staple is now much healthier and will translate into longer, healthier lives for them.
Sorry so long, but it sounds like you're in much the same boat I was, and I just wanted to share my experience...
I fed all my dogs Iams for 14 years, because that's what was recommended by my vet and I trusted (and still do) the folks who care for my dogs.
Earlier this year when we brought our elderly rescue shepherd home, I started doing some research on dog food. He was in a sad state and I wanted to give him the best nutrition I could. In the process, I learned quite a bit that surprised me. I learned what dogs can and can't physically digest, what balances of protein/carb/fat are appropriate based on their anatomy, and a host of other things.
Frankly, I was disappointed to learn that the widely available foods deviate quite a bit from what would be considered appropriate. Yes, they do provide nutrition, but it's not high quality. For myself, I compare it to eating a staple diet of fast food - you can live off it, but there are healthier alternatives.
After all this research, and looking around locally to see which foods were reliably available and affordable, I settled on Canidae. Our shepherd, unfortunately, succumbed to testicular cancer/degenerative myelopathy before the switch.
Since switching, my 7 year old Boston Terrier has shown some significant health improvements - much softer coat (to the point where those who know her comment on the change), less frequent/less severe seasonal allergy attacks, smaller/firmer stool, and more energy/stamina. She's also leaner, more muscular, and probably in the best shape she's ever been. When it became available, I changed her food to the Canidae Platinum, which is for older dogs - she continues to thrive.
Buster, our 5 month old Boxer, has been on Canidae since day one and is doing exceptionally well. When I compare his outward health to other boxers in his age range at the dog park, I'm amazed at how soft his coat is and how much more lean and muscular he is (which could of course also be a result of exercise and genetics).
I've always mixed a small amount of various foods (eggs, veggies, cottage cheese, etc.) into their kibble, but I truly believe that their dietary staple is now much healthier and will translate into longer, healthier lives for them.
Sorry so long, but it sounds like you're in much the same boat I was, and I just wanted to share my experience...
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