[Lisa O]

Hi. Just wondering if anyone has figured out which brands of good dry dog food have the best price tag? I use Acana, but wondering if there are comparible foods at a better price? Thanks

[crazy4cats]

This could depend on where you live and what is available. But, my favorite budget friendly kibble are: Victor, Eagle Pack and Horizon’s Pulsar. Others have mentioned they like Pure Balance and Earthborn. Hope this helps!

[LabsRawesome]

Hi Lisa, Here’s some budget friendly foods that I like. They are in no particular order. 4health GF, Authority GF, Fromm Gold, Evolve GF, Hi-Tek Naturals, Kirkland Signature, Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain, Whole Earth Farms, Nutrisource, Rachael Ray Zero Grain. And also all the ones that Crazy4cats mentioned.

[Barbara S]

I have used 4Health dry food and like the price and ingredients listed. The problem is that my dog’s stools are not firm when he eats this. This would not be a problem because we know that stools (of animals and humans) vary in texture, but I pick up after he does his business and can’t always retrieve all of a softer stool. It’s a weird reason to eliminate a food, just mentioning it. Otherwise, dog is fine on this food. Also, I know his food is what makes the stool less firm because I often bring him to doggy day care, where he is fed Science Diet. I have my own concerns about S.D. ingredients, but the stool is more firm after he eats this brand.

[Cheryl G]

I have been wondering the same thing also. I have 2 chihuahuas and they both have differant needs. One is overweight and the other has a very sensitive stomach. I have been using Science Diet but they just don’t like it. Their stools are nice and firm but their fur isn’t soft or shiny. Looking for something that is economical and I don’t need a grain free food. getting frustrated about A good dog food. Looking for something around 4 or 5 stars. Any suggestions?

[Lorrie D]

I switched from Science Diet to Fromm, and recently added some Honest Kitchen in for the variety. (My dogs get bored with the same kibble over and over.)
At my local pet store, Fromm is definitely cheaper than Science Diet, at least $5 per bag. Fromm gets 4 to 4.5 star ratings here too. They’re made to swap out with less likelihood of an upset stomach, so I can give my dogs more variety. I primarily use the grain-free Prairie Gold. It seems to be a higher quality food with a more moderate price tag than Science Diet. Two thumbs and all paws up approval here.
I got a great deal (BIG SALE!) on some Honest Kitchen to try with my dogs and I swear whatever is in it they absolutely LOVE it. I’ve mixed it with the Fromm kibble and they lick their bowls clean.
I also cook for them, to add variety to their diet. I made it easy on myself – if I’m baking something in the oven, I’ll toss some fresh or frozen veggies into a dish with some broth and cook those at the same time. Let it cool and mix it in with their next couple of meals – its easy for me and they love it. It’s an inexpensive way to feed dogs who get easily bored with their kibble. (I’d be going bonkers if I was stuck eating the same thing all the time!)

[Lisa O]

Hey Lorrie, I basically do the same thing you are doing. I use Acana kibble and top off with no more than 25% of her meal with Sojos freeze dried raw, which is a phenominal food. It has gone up in price, so now I went back to adding homemade which includes wild salmon, chicken, etc., sweet potato, quinoa and/or hard boiled eggs.Inthrow in some Chia as well.
seems like Earthborn is another food with decent ingredients and affordable.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 4 months ago by Lisa O.

[Brenda H]

After a LOT of research, we’ve found that the Kirkland (yes, Costco) brands are almost identical in ingredients and formulation to the Blue Wilderness brands. While the BW are universally rated 5 stars by this site, the Kirkland brands, especially the Signature line, have an average rating of 4.5. The BW brands cost around $55-$60 for 40 lbs., the Kirkland Signature cost $27 for the same amount. The Kirkland is also made by the same people, in the same plant as BW. Hope this helps and that you have a Costco in your area!

• This reply was modified 9 years, 3 months ago by Brenda H.

[aquariangt]

While I agree that Kirkland is a good food for the price-It’s not manufactured by Blue. It’s actually manufactured by Diamond-who has had a lot of issues so just go into that with eyes wide open

[Bobby dog]

FWIW, I contacted BB last fall to see who they used for their canned foods. In their reply they also included their kibble and treat manufacturers. At that time, along with their manufacturing facility in Joplin, Missouri (things might have changed in a year) they contracted with CJ’s, Triple T, Tuffy’s, American Nutrition, Pro Pet, Hampshire Pet, Healthy Partners, Mountain Country, and were no longer associated with Diamond pet foods.

[Carol W]

I bought a German Shepherd puppy in January from a breeder who used Kirkland dogfood for years, but she recently quit because she said some dogs in her area had died after eating it. I have never used it, but be careful and do your research!

[Rachel A]

I have done a lot of research and I’ve used a lot of foods over the years. I’ve been using Diamond foods and at first was happy with the results, but now after a year I’m done. Everyone loved it and I loved the price, but I noticed one by one my danes were getting diarrhea and losing their appetites. I started searching online and found several people having the same problem. I of course had to check to ensure everyone was ok. No parasites, no other symptoms of illness so everything points to diet. I researched Victor and was pleasantly surprised. A lot of giant breed owners had recommended this food and I was happy to see it has a 4.5 star rating. I was even happier to find it was only $37 for 40 pounds. So now we are making the switch and I’m searching for coupons. Every little bit helps. I read some of you were feeding Diamond products. Please sign up for the dog food recalls so you can be notified if any pop up.

[NATASHA S]

Rachel, I have been using Diamond Naturals for years. I also had the same problem. My Danes started getting Diarrhea and vomiting this month. At first I thought it was a virus, but finally found out it was the food. I tried Victor, but ended up with similar problems. Loose stool, but no vomiting. Finally, i threw everything out and started feeding Precise Naturals. Finally we have normal poop again!

[Lynda W]

Was surprised to see Kirkland pet food on your list. Isn’t Kirkland a Costco brand? After losing our chocolate dog to unknown or unforseen circumstances we are less than 10 days from picking up our newest chocolate lab puppy and want to make sure she has the absolute best dry food we can reasonably afford. We are Costco members, this would be appealing to us. Please give us the reasons why this is on your list. Many, many thanks for any help you can provide. Lynda W

[C4D]

Hi Lynda W,

Being a Lab lover and owner (Chocolate and Black), you might want to look into large breed puppy food both on this forum and on the DFA’s reviews. While Costco’s brand gets a decent rating (3.5 stars) there are many on this site that don’t use it because of Diamond’s history in regard to recalls. Here’s the link for the review area:

/best-dog-foods/best-large-breed-puppy-food/

While economy is on many people’s mind, you will save money in vet bills and help your pup live the best life possible if you feed the correct foods. Good luck with your new pup!

[Barbara S]

I was looking for quality affordable dog foods the last time I purchased same and wound up buying a large bag of Buffalo Blue, which happened to be on sale. Sure, the bag cost $44, but I would have put out $20-$22 for a bag each over two months, so it worked out the same. It’s amazing how everything goes up except one’s salary. 🙁

[Author]

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