How do you store dog food?

isuhunter · Post by **isuhunter** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 5:24 pm

Our puppy is starting to get more curious and mischievous! How do you guys store your dog food? Do you store it in container non heated garage, currently we have it in closet in the house.

RayGubernat · Post by **RayGubernat** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 5:31 pm

Unopened bags of dogfood are in unheated detatched garage up off the floor/ Bag in use is in a 32 gal plastic garbage can kept next to the dog runs. That bag is on a wooden platform that is just high enough to keep the bottom of the bag off the inside bottom of the garbage can.

Have had no problems this way. Food keeps well for weeks in the summer and months in the cooler weather.

RayG

Post by **Sharon** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 6:51 pm

I keep the bag in the house out of reach of sneaky dogs.

BigTub · Post by **BigTub** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 6:57 pm

We have these containers with giant square lids just inside the back door (too hot outside most of the year), called The Vittles Vault. Very satisfied with them and I hear they are ant proof.

Max2 · Post by **Max2** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 7:52 pm

Pro-plan years ago was giving away nice containers when you bought their food. Thought i might add in case any purina people might remember them. I still have a couple of them.

Fireside · Post by **Fireside** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 7:55 pm

Love my Vittles Vault for keeping the dogs and bugs out of the dog food. The screw top is easy to get into and keeps the food fresh

tahi193 · Post by **tahi193** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 8:16 pm

Fireside wrote:Love my Vittles Vault for keeping the dogs and bugs out of the dog food. The screw top is easy to get into and keeps the food fresh

Yes! I was also going to post about Vittles Vault. I found mine at TJ Maxx and they also carry them at Petsmart. It seals tightly and it seems that dogs can't really smell the food through them. Highly recommend.

http://www.gamma2.net/prime.htm

Elkhunter · Post by **Elkhunter** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:05 pm

I keep my dog food in the bag it came in!

MikeB · Post by **MikeB** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:10 pm

No matter what kind of container you choose I would recommend you keep the food in the bag it come in. Just in case something happens with the food, you can return it and get a full refund or you can contact the manufacture and give them manufacturing information on the bag. I also tape the receipt on the bag too. Just in case.

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:28 pm

I have a 40lb pound Vittles Vault as well. I have seen them in an 80lb size.

You can store directly in these.

Post by **ezzy333** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:35 pm

mcbosco wrote:I have a 40lb pound Vittles Vault as well. I have seen them in an 80lb size.

You can store directly in these.

Always keep the food in its original container. You can store it where ever you want but if it isn't in the original container FDA will hang you by your thumbs. No easier or quicker way to have them fail you on an inspection and then have lots of people talking about what a poor quality assurance program you have and they would never buy dog food from you again.

Ezzy

BigShooter · Post by **BigShooter** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:07 pm

Ezzy,

When is the FDA coming to an individual's home to check on whether we store the food for our pets in its original container?

bossman · Post by **bossman** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:44 pm

Vittles Vault 50 for our guys. We do always keep the empty bag in a container in the garage until the food is totally used and then get rid of the bag and the cycle continues. Keep a second bag next to "the "Vault" inside in the utility room.

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 11:01 pm

BigShooter wrote:Ezzy,

When is the FDA coming to an individual's home to check on whether we store the food for our pets in its original container?

Must be new.

OP, if you are buying a Vittles Vault shop around on-line the prices vary quite a bit. They are very well made containers compared to the knock offs you see all over the place.

Post by **ezzy333** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 11:11 pm

BigShooter wrote:Ezzy,

When is the FDA coming to an individual's home to check on whether we store the food for our pets in its original container?

The day they are investigating a manufacturing plant. You won't get in trouble normally as a private citizen but you will forfeit and claim in a lawsuit since you can not identify the feed and they will label it adulterated. They can and do occasionally trace a product to the final user.

They will go so far as to shut a plant down for that infraction though. I just want people to know the only safe way to identify the product is to keep it in the original container. You must have the label including Lot Number for identification purposes.

A little closer to home though is when you have an auto accident and some of your family or a neighbor comes to feed the dogs. They need to know which feed is which to get the job done right.

Ezzy

mister2 · Post by **mister2** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 11:17 pm

I just keep mine on the garage floor right next to the kennel. He stays in the garage when I'm not home. Never had a problem with him chewing through the bag or anything else in the garage. He knows what's in the bag but just doesn't care I guess.

Karen · Post by **Karen** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 5:15 am

We also keep upopened bags in the garage. Once opened, they're dumped into one of these:

http://www.tractorsupply.com/bergan-lar ... er-2439598

It holds just over 40 lbs

When we travel, we keep horse feed in a 5 gallon bucket with lid (it keeps it fresh and mold-free for months), and dog food in a Tidy Cat kitty litter bucket like this:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... d=11164126

BillGraves · Post by **BillGraves** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 6:24 am

In a 50 gallon galvanized trash can next to his food dish outside.

stlgsp · Post by **stlgsp** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 8:06 am

I usually buy several bags at a time and store the unopened bags off the ground in a cool dry room. I still have and use two of the containers Pro Plan gave away years ago and use those for open bags. The hinge on the lid is starting to crack on one so won't be long before I'm looking for something to replace it. For travel I like the Boyt feed bags or those rubber dry bags canoers use.

Grousewing · Post by **Grousewing** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 8:44 am

50 gal plastic trash cans. Have been doing this for over 10 yrs now. This is keep in my kennel building, never had any issues. I also store my quail feed this way.

isuhunter · Post by **isuhunter** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 9:24 am

Thanks everyone for your responses!!! I'll figure out what works best for all of us at our home.

wems2371 · Post by **wems2371** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 9:53 am

Unopened bags in the garage. Rubbermaid for one brand of food...and I have an ancient Pedigree storage bin, from many years ago, for my old lab's food.

BigShooter · Post by **BigShooter** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 10:10 am

ezzy333 wrote:
BigShooter wrote:Ezzy,

When is the FDA coming to an individual's home to check on whether we store the food for our pets in its original container?
The day they are investigating a manufacturing plant. You won't get in trouble normally as a private citizen but you will forfeit and claim in a lawsuit since you can not identify the feed and they will label it adulterated. They can and do occasionally trace a product to the final user.

They will go so far as to shut a plant down for that infraction though. I just want people to know the only safe way to identify the product is to keep it in the original container. You must have the label including Lot Number for identification purposes.

A little closer to home though is when you have an auto accident and some of your family or a neighbor comes to feed the dogs. They need to know which feed is which to get the job done right.

Ezzy

Al, I kinda figured that all out on my own. However to your point ... what I do is completely empty the Vittles Vault first, then I pour food in, leave the unused portion in the original bag stored in a cool location, when I finally empty the bag into the storage container, I hang on to the empty bag until the food is used up. When I'm at a location where I can pour the entire contents into a container, I still hang on to the bag until the food is gone. For the three or four times I've briefly fed canned food in the last eight years or so I've always hung on to a can from that lot for testing, until I'm relatively certain no contamination has been reported. Anal retentive or what?

RayGubernat · Post by **RayGubernat** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 10:42 am

As far as travelling with food, I use recycled paint or pastry filling buckets with new lids, so the gaskets are intact.

I put a garbage pail liner in first, fill up the bucket with feed, twist tie the bag closed and close the lid until it snaps. If the lid is closed the bucket can get upended and bounced around without spilling. I have a 5 gallon and a 2 gallon bucket for feed. On a weekend excursion, the 2 gallon is usually plenty. If the lid is closed , you can even leave the bucket outside in the rain.

RayG

Post by **ezzy333** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 11:49 am

BigShooter wrote:Ezzy,
Anal retentive or what?

Probably pretty close :roll: Sad thing is most government agencies force you to be that way.

Ezzy

Outlaw · Post by **Outlaw** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 11:13 pm

I store my food at home the same as how I transport it on the road....white food grade 5 gallon buckets from home depot, put the lid on them and the food is safe from rodents, bugs and everything else...it does stay fresher as well (not much air seal with opened bags). Buckets are labeled "Dog food only" and two five gallon buckets hold a 37.5 -40 lb bag perfectly and 2 quart stainless bowls can scoup food right out of them (perfect fit)- I keep all my bags because I save the circles off of them for rebates, so I never open a bag until it's ready to hit the buckets. Bags are stored high and dry on shelving above my runs until they are opened and then hit the buckets....have never had an inspection issue and have had several comliments on my food storage and health conditions.

Fester · Post by **Fester** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 5:51 pm

I use a 55 gallon drum with a lid
Fester

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