[Denise V]

So I’m fairly new to this.. I have a XL Bully that has minor grain issues. I’m trying to find him a new food that’s healthy for him without having to add supplements. There is a local pet food company near me that makes their own slow-cooked food, I was hoping someone on this forum could review the ingredients and tell me if it sounds like a high quality food.

Brand: Pet Wants (Nashville, TN owned)
Ingredients:

Product Description
Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein, min – 30.0%
Crude Fat, min – 16.0%
Crude Fiber, max – 4.5%
Moisture, max – 10.0%
Omega 6 Fatty Acid * (min) – 2.85%
Omega 3 Fatty Acid * (min) – 0.50%
* Not recognized as an essential nutrient by AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles.

Ingredients Panel:
Whitefish Meal, Duck Meal, Chickpeas, Field Peas, Lentils, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Tapioca Starch, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Whole Ground Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Dried Seaweed Meal, DL-Methionine, Salt, L-Lysine, Choline Chloride, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Fructooligosaccharide, Turmeric Powder, Dried Carrots, Dried Spinach, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Acetate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Citric Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate.

[anonymous]

The numerous dietary choices for your pet can be daunting but if you pick an AAFCO approved food made by a manufacturer with a long track record, odds are good that you will find a suitable food for your pet. Most of the large pet food companies employ full time veterinary nutritionists and have very high quality control standards. That is not to say that a small company cannot produce nutritious and high quality food, but you should check out their website if it’s a company that is not familiar to you. Take the time to research, and ask your veterinarian if you have specific questions or concerns.

(above is an excerpt from)
https://www.mspca.org/angell_services/choosing-the-right-diet-for-your-pet/

Another site you may find helpful http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/

[Anonymous]

Before buying the dog food you must have knowledge of the ingredients. Following are the ingredients you should avoid in the dog food.
1. BHA/BHT
2. White Flour
3. Meat and Meat Meal
4. Artificial Colours
5. MSG
6. Gluten
7. Corn Syrup
8. Farmed Salmon
9. Xylitol and Other Sugar Alcohols
10. Nitrites or Nitrates
11. Soy
12. Sodium Tripolyphosphate (STPP)
13. Salt
14. Rendered Fat
15. Propylene Glycol
16. Vegetable Oil
17.Animal By-Products
18. Cellulose
19. Brewers Rice
20. Corn
21. Sodium Hexametaphosphate
22. Flavor
23. Animal Digest
24. Pea Protein

Don’t buy the dog food that has these ingredients in their food. If your dog food does not have these ingredients then your dog food is the best and is healthy for your dog.

[Chris F]

Always look at the first five ingredients. You want to see Good quality Protein, Complex Carbs and Vitamins/Minerals. Second look at the G’teed Analysis – you want to see high protein, low fat and low carbs. Next look at the calorie/cup. The higher it is the higher the fat content. Is the dog suitable for your dog’s age? Is there anything within the ingredients to suggest sub-quality foods, additives and other fillers?

There is some other great advice given in the thread to help you out make the best decision for your pet.

[Author]

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