Spoon River NAVHDA Chapter

To whom it may concern,

I have been reading the forums and talking with Terry on the types

of dog foods available for our dogs.

Here are some of the issues:

1. Cost of the product seems to be at the top of the list.

2. Getting the most out of the product for our dogs.

3. How can we separate the hype and get to the truths.

Can we get a premium dog food at a cost that fits our wallets?

I was feeding Dalton 2 ¼ to 2 ½ cups per feedings on his old diet. Now I’m feeding

him 1 ½ to 1 ¾ cups per feedings. His weight is 59lbs.

I was feeding him 4.5 to 5 cups per day on the old diet. On the new diet 3 to 3 ½ cups

per day. This is 30% less than the old diet feedings. Remember this is a blend mix of old diet and new. I check for weigh loss at the end of this week.

I have him on a 50/50 mix at this time, I had him on a 25 /75 blend earlier for a period of 14 days.

Later that day I met with a representative from Blue Buffalo Company. We discussed

different foods on the market and how to change to a new food. The rep did not put down

the other foods on the market. But encourage me to read the ingredients and compare the

foods available. I was direct to the mid-range of their food line. I was also told it would be OK to

move Dalton to the 50/50 blend at this time.

I’m not pushing the B.B. Company but, I’m saying that we need to look into better diets for our

canine friends. Some of you can relate to this: when I was younger I ate at those greasy spoons and it didn’t seem to be harming me. Now that I’m older, what is the doctor telling me and maybe

some of you. You have to change your eating habits and take this pill and that pill. How much are you spending on pharmacy bills. Now ask yourself was that fast an inexpensive meal really CHEAP?

Here we are caring for, training, and grooming our champions. Then we flip them a ear of corn.

I’m sure we all have heard stories of I fed my dog nothing but cheap food and he lived to be 150 years old. That comes from good genes and being lucky. Now ask yourself how many of those stories can you count, did you make it past 5 fingers. How many dogs are there in the club and in the town that you live. As you can see the odds are not in our favor.

So you spend all that time getting Old Blue to come, point, retrieve and all that good stuff and lose him or her at an early age. Because we didn’t feed them quality food to help improve the dogs immune system to fight off diseases and slow the aging process. Remember our breeders do the best they can to provide us with a pure canine representing that particular breed. To achieve that there was some cross breeding and line breeding. This can leave hidden deficiency in the gene pool including the immune system.

Please leave your comments and any question you would like me to research on this subject.

I’m not convinced which is better at this time. But I’m convinced that I need to provide the best food for my dog that I can afford.

Update on Dalton’s diet:

Starting weight 59lbs Oct. 18

Starting diet blend 25% new 75% old. December 1st

Increased blend to 50/50 blend. December 12th

Weight on the December 18th 58 lbs.

 Decreased the feedings between 1 to 1 ½ cups per day

on the blend mixture. Active level did increase over this period.

This could account for some of the weight lost. I will change the

blend to 75/25 and keep the feeding at the current 3 to 3.5 cups

per day.

I've been using the new Purina pro-biotic product for about 2 weeks now--the gas has gone done considerably and Brahms is pooping less when he hunts.  I'm seeing a noted difference in these two things.  The stuff runs about 20$ for a month's supply--cheap compared to some others.  I'd recommend it if your dog's got a sensitive stomach.  A product that truly has delivered--I know, it's hard to believe.