Premium food poll 'what does you cuddly canine consume'?

Have been doing a LOT of reading and research in preparation for the arival of my baby girl Mardi in 5 weeks time. When I come to a decision about food I give her, I want it to be an informed one, though I am still undecided.

I plan to feed a predominantly BARF diet, but would like to suppliment it with a premium dry food. Do people think it is less important when it is used merely as a suppliment, as apposed to a complete diet?

I would like to get some data on Ausie owners. There are only a few of the top premium brands available in Australia and I would like to get an idea of what Aussies use and why. Certainly encourage comments and opinions from all members.

Perhaps if you use a food not carried in Aus, you could select which of the available foods you think is best and why.

Not sure how the poll will work, havn't done this before, but if you could select one of the brands and provide a breif explanation for your choice and if you are happy with it that would be good.

A couple of interesting articles I found in my travels included a dog food analysis, using a very comprehensive list of criteria to assess each brand based on a points system.
Dog Food Analysis & Grading

The premium foods were then ranked and the top 25 can be seen here:
Top 25

The complete list can be seen here:
Complete list

Also dug up the 2005 Whole Dog Journal 'Best and Worst Dog Foods'. Its a little old but many of the brands are still popular today.
Best and Worst 2005

This site is also quite useful. It lists nearly every commercial dog food available from different parts of the world and assigns it a rating from 1-6 stars.
Dog food reviews

Also thought this was a useful piece of information. It provides a simple summary of what you want and don't want to see in the ingredients of a quality food. It was usefull for me as a first time puppy owner to get an idea of what makes a good food. Can't remeber where I found it. Hope it's ok to post.

Here is my "short list" of rules when I am looking at dog food ingredients:

1) When I chose a dog food, I chose one high meat content. I want to see preferably at least 2-3 out of the top 5 ingredients be meat or meat meal (first ingredient must be!). Meal is simply the meat with the moisture removed.

2) I want to see higher quality grains, such as barley, brown rice, and oatmeal, instead of seeing wheat and corn. Or an alternative starch/carbohydrate such as potatoes or sweet potatoes.

3) I don't want to see any byproducts.

4) I don't want to see a lot of fillers.

5) I don't want to see preservatives that are believed to be carcinogens (BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin).

6) I don't want to see artificial colorings such as the Red, Blue, and Yellow dyes.

7) I don't want to see added sugars (sugar, corn syrup).

8) I don't want to see mystery meats (meats identified only as "meat" or "poultry".)


Well enjoy this bedtime reading. I certainly found it interesting. Like many owners I want the best for my little girl, but I don't want to overpay unecessarily for foods that aren't what they claim.

My old family Staff Gabby lived a long and fruitful life of seventeen years on a diet consisting primarily of Whiskers cat food (wet and dry). Though she did emit some potent gas and a kiss on the face was not a pleasant experience.

It is curious that I have never given my own nutrition a fraction as much consideration as I am now giving to my new baby girl... After all the reading I have done I am personally leaning toward DVP's Natural Balance ultra premium, but its bloody hard finding an Aussie distributer who actually has any in stock.

Anyhoo, please take time to fill out the poll. I will try to include all the major premium and sub premium brands I know of in Australia. Hope the links are useful.

P.S. will have more pics of my little cherub to share soon (too cute for words)

James.

Mine is on raw and i use iams as a mixer

cassie mainly raw, but a small bowl of \hills at present,I am in the process of changing her to Burns, if she will eat it

Hills but not Science Plan - my little toerag gets Natures Best. He's positively thriving on it.

James Wellbeloved Puppy - Turkey and Rice.

Angel - Orijen ..
Alfie - Orijen Puppy ..

Am currently researching myself , and am gonna try Alfie on Wainwrights .

It's such a mind blowing subject , also may give Pero for SBT a try ...

Tyson was on Hills science when I got him & had the runs big time. Forgot to tick it but he is now on Advance, pedigree puppy, Iams (I change his diet fairly often) & an assortment of meats (cooked & raw), dog loaves, vegis, fruit, rice, pasta, sardines, you name it & he prob eats it & he is one healthy, chunky boy!

Jett has been a painful eater he was on Advance when we got him when he wouldn't eat it anymore we changed to Royal Canin he still doesn't eat that much of it. We did try BARF it worked well for say 2 feeds now he wont go near it. Honestly we have tried heaps.

So he gets daily : Royal Cainn in morning (doesn't eat it though) chicken wing later maybe a pig ear. Dinner is Royal Canin with boiled rice and under cooked mince sometimes with an egg as well. He seems to like his food warm - strange dog.

However he looks good and has a great coat but he still eats very little.

Good Luck with the little one and I look forward to seeing pics.

My uys are on Super Dog Sensitive

http://www.burgesspetcare.co.uk/products/supadog/burgess-supadog---sensitive.html

I have had no problems with it. Recently though i have introduced more meat in to their diet

i feed my pair burns and they thrive on it , there some many foods out there , some suit some dogs but not others , i think its trial and era , good luck in your search