[Ed W]

The new malady seems to be pet owner obsession with pet foods. Being a victim of marketing, the quest for the “perfect” list of ingredients and paying through the nose to get them. As part of this, regular forum members that have crowned themselves as “experts” that will stop at nothing to provide even medical advice.

The vast majority of problems are dreamed up by pet owners in order to try the next latest and greatest product, or just overfeeding or excessive treats. Yes, this is in fact true.

My advice is just buy an easily available food like Pro Plan and find something better to do with your time. Stop being a sucker for upstart companies with no expertise in making pet food.

• This topic was modified 8 years, 10 months ago by Ed W.

[Coonhound Mama]

I don’t think these kinds of comments will be welcomed here very readily, Ed W. I suggest you find another forum to voice these sentiments.

[anonymously]

I think I understand the point Ed is making. Find a good quality food that agrees with your dog and that your vet approves of. That’s what works for me. I like Nutrisca.
PS: However, I have noticed a difference in the cheaper foods, they seem lighter, more like sawdust. I would never feed only dry, but some folks do.

[Ed W]

The point is also this. The best examples of every breed and the most experienced breeders , trainers and handlers use either Pro Plan, Eukanuba and Royal Canin.

Are they wrong, clearly not…..

[anonymously]

Most ailments that pets unfortunately suffer have a genetic component. A healthy diet will help prolong life, but the best food in the world can’t reverse some of these conditions.
We all do the best we can, within our means….I know my dogs eat better than I do, iol

[Ed W]

But people get suckered into paying extremely high prices for products that are just not worth it.

And sites like this don’t help.

[anonymously]

As someone that works in healthcare, I understand your frustration.
That is why I recommend this site: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/ Check out his blogs on nutrition
This is the internet, people can say whatever they want, whether it is true or not.
The best thing to do is to provide the information you believe to be factual, share your experience, and hope that someone benefits.
Opinions are like noses, everyone has one.

[Ed W]

But they get credibility when in fact these people are average pet owners with absolutely no expertise at all, none.

Maybe there should be a policy that if you push raw foods, dehydrated foods or foods like Orijen, which cost 3,4,5, times what a perfectly good food costs, then you should offer to buy it for that person???

How is that??

[aquariangt]

I work with performance dogs, and im not sure any of my clients feed any of those three brands. In fact, someone i work with-her dog got selected to be on proplan treats. She got a bunch of them, her dog is advertised as a “Purina ProPlan Dog” but she feeds raw. /shrug

[crazy4cats]

HaHa! Sounds good to me, Ed!

• This reply was modified 8 years, 10 months ago by crazy4cats.

[DogFoodie]

OK, gosh. Thanks, Ed.

Here I thought it was up to me to make choices for my pets based on their unique nutritional requirements; but, you’re telling me I should just feed them all Purina.

Interesting.

Whatever.

Sounds like “Alex Woodward” has now made his way to the forums.

[Ed W]

Really, Aquarian, you have never been to a real event then, AKC bench or performance, NAVHDA, etc. You are an example of someone that just pretends to be an expert on-line.

I would guess 50% at least of all the top dogs at any bench, field or sporting event eat Pro Plan Sport. If you don’t believe me ask on those forums.

There are some other like Dr. Tim’s for example that show up as well, but Pro Plan and Euk Premium Performance dominate.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 10 months ago by Ed W.

[aquariangt]

Oh, I guess you’re right, I must never have been to a real show…

AKC, USDAA, Cynosport, DOCNA…all in my mind

I suppose the same could be said of you with your comments. On line expert. I have no idea if you’re a real person involved either, just like you don’t know that about me. However, Purina is an expert marketer to make you think that way 🙂

[crazy4cats]

Well, Ed, I will most likely not feed any of the foods you mentioned. However, I would like to release some of my dog food obsession and concentrate a little more on my own diet! I do feed more simple less expensive kibble, but… like Anonymously and probably most others, I do like to add a little less processed toppers to it. If I recommend those to others, should I have to pay for them? LOL!

Thank you for your recommendations, but you most likely aren’t going to change very many minds on this site! Good luck to you.

[Ed W]

Crazy4cats, another amateur.

[Coonhound Mama]

DogFoodie. Thank you.
Absolutely terrified by this recommendation to feed Purina Pro Plan….

[crazy4cats]

Ed W-
Yes, I’m absolutely an amateur. I do not have show or performance dogs. I don’t attend shows or sporting events. I just have mutts and kitties that I love to rescue and spend time with. I do like hearing about others who do have other types of pets, such as yourself and what they feed them. But, I don’t like being called names or judged by what I feed my family.

[InkedMarie]

Ed,
No one claimed to be an expert. Most of us are just pet owners doing the best for our dogs. I can say the bulk of us don’t feed any of the foods you mentioned. I can say, for me, they are not good enough for my dogs. I know what ingredients/nutritional analysis/companies make a good food. You’re free to disagree.
Regarding breeders, handlers, trainers….one of my dogs breeders fed Eukanuba when he was a puppy, 10yrs ago. I have no idea what she feeds now, she isn’t a breeder. Another breeder of my dogs sent me home with either Canidae or California Natural. Been five years so I am not positive. We just got a puppy in November. Between my breeder & her partner, there are alot of dogs in the home. They feed 4Health grainfree.
I don’t know any “professional anything” who feeds the foods you mentioned, except for some vets. The vets I’ve had in the last 10yrs feed Science Diet, Purina & RC. I disagree with what Anony,ously said aout a food the vet approves of. I personally don’t care what my vet thinks about what I feed which is raw only to two & my brittany eats a mix of raw and kibble (currently going from Annamaet Aqualuk to Open Farm turkey; Dr Tim’s RPM is next).
If you don’t agree with what is posted her or on the review side, feel free to find another place to read & post. If you choose to stay here, be aware that you won’t be changing the minds of us “experts”.

[Shawna]

Although the article has since been archived and can now only be found in references, Dr. Patty Khuly wrote an piece for PetMD websites blog FullyVetted. The name of the article is “What’s Up With People Hating on Some Commercial Dog Foods?” In the article she wrote
“This is, we’re in the midst of a sea change in how we treat our pets now that so many of us consider our pets family members. And that means that what we view as OK to put in our pets has changed too.”

“When the very same conversation is taking place with respect to higher quality human foods, it’s no wonder foods like Science Diet (foods that have traditionally been viewed as the best of the bunch) no longer cut it compared to those that offer much more in the way of highly digestible animal protein and higher quality carbohydrate sources.”

“Many of us now want to see more biologically appropriate, recognizable ingredients, a variety of them, more animal protein than veggie protein, and an obvious commitment on the part of the manufacturer to the kinds of ingredients we’d be willing to serve our human families, too.” http://truthaboutpetfood.com/one-vets-stand-on-science-diet-pet-food/

Some don’t consider their dogs to be family members, that’s fine but many of us here do and we chose to feed the foods we deem highest quality not simply the food that’s the most easily available. Convenience is factored in to our food buying decisions but it is just one of the factors considered. Most of us here understand the importance of nutrition in the overall health of not only our human family members but our four legged family members and that understanding plays a significant role in the foods we deem suitable. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist, vet or pediatrician to understand that the quality of what goes in has an impact on the health of the eater be it human or canine.

[C4D]

Hi Alex Woodward, I mean Ed W.

So you’ve made your way on to the forum side. It seems really inappropriate to tear down people on this site, particularly the regulars. I’ve seen many of their posts and I see them regularly suggest, to people that are asking for suggestions, food that is compatible with their price point. I do the same. They generally preface it with the fact that these foods have worked for them and that it might or might not work for their dog(s).

You said: “The vast majority of problems are dreamed up by pet owners in order to try the next latest and greatest product, or just overfeeding or excessive treats. Yes, this is in fact true.” Could you please provide links to back this comment up?

There are many people who have genuine issues with their dogs, myself included in the past, that would like a bit of advice, particularly when whatever they are doing is not working. I wouldn’t consider it an obsession when someone’s dog has ear or skin infections, vomitting, diarrhea, etc. and are going back to the vet several times for the same problem and they start on a merry go round of antibiotics, steroids, etc. In many cases, a change in diet worked wonders and completely cleared the dog(s) issues.

I have many personal friends that work and have worked in the dog world, including myself. They have trained, showed in AKC agility, conformation and field trials. They have finished dogs, dogs with Regional and National Championships. They feed a variety of food, including some who feed raw. None, that I know, are feeding proplan.

If you want to talk about expensive dog food, Royal Canin, which you suggest, is probably the most expensive dog food on the market, making Orijen, which is an expensive dog food, seem cheap by comparison.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 10 months ago by C4D.

[Mae A]

I think nowadays people mostly opt for the packaged food rather than the traditional food, I prefer giving my dog meat and dried shrimps which I buy from buy fish food
as they are safe and hygienic so I don’t have to worry while feeding it to my dog.

[Author]

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