The best cheap food for small dogs?

Discuss ways to improve the quality of your dog's life and longevity through proper nutrition; a place for all of your questions and answers about feeding your pooch!

Please keep discussions fun, friendly, and helpful at all times. Non-informative posts criticizing a particular brand or another poster’s choice of food are not allowed in this Forum. References to any brand of food as "junk," "garbage," or other harsh names will be removed.

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Ellie CGC

Born to be Wild

Barked: Fri Oct 5, '12 9:51pm PST


	May I clarify something about the Nutro Max? The statement on the bag doesn't say no corn...it says no ground corn...and I know that sounds like picking nits but there is a difference in digestibility for food with "whole ground corn" "ground yellow corn" or "ground corn..." Dogs (and people) don't digest the yellow shell on a grain of corn or the husk or a lot of other stuff that comes in "whole ground corn." If you want to check out more about Max, go here: http://www.nutro.com/natural-dog-food/max-dog-food.aspx?sc_ci d=paidsearch_MAX-Branded_MAX-Branded-Dog-Food-Broad_max-nutro-dog-fo od You can also use that site to find stores that sell it, and you can probably get a coupon off of the rewards tab which could help with the cost. Dog Food Advisor rated Max 3.5 stars out of 5 and recommended it. http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/nutro-max-dog-fo od-dry/ Max also has a 100% money back guarantee...so if you try it, hang onto the bag and your receipt. And also, as you do try other brands, ask your store what the refund/return policy is, as you may have to try a few brands to find the one you and your dog like best.

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Monnie

Spreading Smiles- As A Tribute For- Lexi

Barked: Sat Oct 6, '12 3:55pm PST


	We personally feed grain free. If you must feed something with grain feed brown rice no corn of any kind. I agree with others. An expensive food is worth it in the long run as you do feed less. I weigh 70+ lbs and only eat 2 1/2 cups a day and have maintained my weigh for the last 5 yrs.

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Mya

1250966

Barked: Sat Oct 6, '12 10:18pm PST


	Corn gluten meal has a lot of benefits and is a source of protein, amino acids and antioxidants. It is the white portion of corn and is highly digestible. It is also great for the skin and coat and makes the food more palatable. It helps keep the pH level of the urinary tract acidified to help prevent urinary tract infections. It is a less expensive ingredient which is why the price of Max is lower. As Ellie stated there is no ground or yellow corn in Max.

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Maxwell

I'm triple- superior MAD- now!

Barked: Sun Oct 7, '12 7:24am PST


	Corn gluten meal is not more palatable. This is for cattle but I doubt dogs like it any more than cows do! "Corn gluten meal usually is not included in mixtures at levels greater than 15 percent or fed at a rate greater than 15 percent or fed at a rate greater than 5 pounds (2 ¼ kg) per cow per day due to poor palatability above these levels." http://www.labudde.com/Ingredients-C-D.htm#CORN-GLUTEN-MEA L and it isn't a very good source of protein at least for carnivores either. Cat study. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc1250243/ and dogs in particular. http://www.iams.com/pet-health/dog-article/importance-o f-animal-based-proteins-in-dog-foods "Compared with dogs fed a diet with 100% chicken protein, dogs fed diets with decreasing levels of chicken and increasing levels of corn gluten meal had decreased lean tissue ncreased body fat decreased levels of blood proteins routinely used as markers of superior nutritional status This was independent of the overall dietary protein level (12 or 28%), which was also examined in each of the four test groups." It has been 15 or more years since I first saw Nutro at the store and I didn't like it as a food then [been too long and I don't remember why] and I am still not a fan but this is all about how YOUR dog does on it, not reading a label. Please don't try to determine which food is best because nobody knows which will be best for your dog. Try any one of the foods suggested and if there is a positive change in the dog's condition then fine. If not then buy a different brand of food a week before the first bag is gone and mix it in the old food in increasing amounts to gently transition the dog to the new stuff.

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Charlie- Chaplin

A day without- laughter is a- day wasted

Barked: Sun Oct 7, '12 7:27pm PST


	Thanks all, I just needed some names for starting points. She's a picky eater so I'll likely get some samples and what not. Now my boyfriend and I have some options to look and new information after this thread.

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Indy

Can I get a- belly rub?

Barked: Sun Oct 7, '12 9:13pm PST


	My sister feeds her dog whole earth farms and does really well on it, it s pretty affordable, around $37 for 35 lbs especially if you can get it at a feed store vs petco. Edited by author Sun Oct 7, '12 9:15pm PST

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Lady

968249

Barked: Tue Oct 9, '12 10:04am PST


	Wow, sounds like someone is a Nutro rep.

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Milton

Im just a little- guy

Barked: Wed Oct 10, '12 8:58pm PST


	I don't think Nutro is the best food for the money. There are cheaper foods with similar ingredients or better ingredients. There are a lot of plant ingredients in this. While chicken meal is listed first, keep in mind there are a lot of grains and plant ingredients. This means this food is mostly grains. There's nothing real bad. No by-products or unspecified animal ingredients. Nutro was using menadione. This ingredient was banned in human consumption and has been linked to health problems. I don't see it in the ingredients anymore. Other dog food companies were using it too. Nutri Source was using it and have stopped. I think Nutri Source, Diamond Naturals and the Walmart Store brand Pure Balance are better foods. However they also use some of the filler plant ingredients like dried beet pulp too. None of these products use corn gluten meal like Nutro. To be honest I have never fed Nutro, but have fed Nutri Source, Diamond Naturals, and currently feeding Pure Balance. I don't have problems with those foods. I fed my dog Royal Canin Small breed and it has Wheat gluton. My dog did awful on it. I think he may be gluton intolerant. He does great on the 3 I listed and there are many similar ingredients but no gluton. I don't know if gluton allergies are common with dogs, but they are with people. Nutro ingredients, not impressed. Chicken Meal, Ground Whole Wheat, Wheat Flour, Ground Rice, Rice Bran, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols), Corn Gluten Meal, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Natural Flavors, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), L-Carnitine, Potassium Iodide, Copper Sulfate, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Manganous Oxide, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of Vitamin B1), Vitamin A Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B6), Riboflavin Supplement (source of Vitamin B2), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid.