Does anyone feed Authority?

GSPVIZ · Post by **GSPVIZ** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:15 pm

I recently saw this food at Petsmart and was wondering if anyone had experience with it?

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index. ... lmdn=Brand

buckwildbirddogs · Post by **buckwildbirddogs** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:41 pm

I was thinking the same thing. I saw it too and thought that it look pretty comparable to the Diamond brand. Plus they had the option to ship to your house each month.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? SERIOUS thoughts...not another fight over what is best what isn't.

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:27 am

if they will tell you the co-packer and its checks out, then try it out

i'd be most concerned about the co-packer

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:40 am

i will find out who actually makes it and get some idea of quality for you

bobbaganoosh · Post by **bobbaganoosh** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:31 am

Was able to find this info out.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food ... 94&cat=all

Ingredients:
Chicken Meal, Brewers Rice, Corn, Brown Rice, Animal Fat Preserved with Vitamin E (Mixed Tocopherols), Chicken, Corn Gluten Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Natural Flavors, Canola Oil, Dried Egg Product, Dicalcium Phosphate, Corn Oil, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Copper Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Niacin, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Riboflavin, Calcium Iodate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamin Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate.

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude protein (min) 23.0%,
crude fat (min) 12.0%,
crude fiber (max) 3.0%,
moisture (max) 10.0%,
calcium (min) 1.0%,
phosphorus (min) 0.9%,
vitamin e (min) 200IU/kg,
omega-6 fatty acids* (min) 2.0%,
omega-3 fatty acids* (min) 0.2%,
glucosamine* (max) 375mg/kg,
chondroitin* (max) 35mg/kg,
vitamin c (min) 30mg/kg.

nanney1 · Post by **nanney1** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:41 am

Authority is the house brand at Pestmart. They used to promote it as "oven baked" at lower temps which is supposed to increase nutrient availability or something along those lines.

In looking at the bag, I didn't see oven baked listed but it still may be. I've looked at it before but never purchased.

MikeB · Post by **MikeB** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:39 pm

You would have to feed much more food than you would a 30/20 food to keep weight on your dog. Probably fine for most pet dogs but certainly not working dogs like yours.

buckwildbirddogs · Post by **buckwildbirddogs** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:00 pm

This is what I found on the Petsmart website about the food. I have never tried it. I don't know if we were all looking at the same dog food as this analysis is very different than the one posted before. This is the one for "Large Breed Dogs". When I looked up their deffinition of large breed it was any dog that was 60lbs or larger at 2yrs. The large breed puppy food was for any puppy that Will Be 60lbs at 2yrs. The puppy food is designed to be fed for the full 2yrs if desired.

I don't know about your dogs but most of ours are 60lbs or better. I am not saying this is the best dog food out there. Just wondering what luck other people may have had?

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... lmdn=Brand

You want the best for your Dog. As the makers of Authority Dog Food, so do we. That's why Authority contains the finest ingredients, like real chicken as our #1 ingredient. We never use fillers, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. This recipe was designed for the specific needs of large breed adult dogs to provide exceptional taste with the high quality proteins and essential vitamins and minerals necessary for optimal health. It contains natural sources of glucosamine and chondroitin help maintain healthy cartilage and joints. From bright eyes and a shiny coat, to strong muscles, teeth and bones, there's a healthy difference you can see.

Ingredients:
Chicken, Chicken Meal, (Source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin) Brown Rice, Corn, Oat Groats, Corn Gluten Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavor, Dicalcium Phosphate, Dried Egg Product, Canola Oil, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Vitamin and Mineral Supplements (Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of Ascorbic Acid), Copper Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Niacin, D Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin, Calcium Iodate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamin Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Dried Chicken Cartilage (Source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin).

Guaranteed Analysis:

Crude Protein (min) 25.0%
Crude Fat (min) 12.0%
Crude Fiber (max) 4.0%
Moisture (max) 10.0%
Calcium (min) 1.1%
Phosphorus (min) 0.90%
Zinc (min) 175mg/kg
Selenium (min) 0.15mg/kg
Vitamin A (min) 15,000 IU/kg
Vitamin E (min) 225 IU/kg
Omega-6 Fatty Acids (min) 2.8%*
Omega-3 Fatty Acids (min) .20%*
Glucosamine (min) 400mg/kg*
Chondroitin (min) 300mg/kg*
Vitamin C (min) 20 mg/kg*
* Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profile.

Calorie Content: 3,635 kcal/kg metabolizable energy (calculated)

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Wed Oct 14, 2009 12:32 pm

PM will not disclose the manufacturer, so......

1vizsla · Post by **1vizsla** » Wed Oct 14, 2009 2:10 pm

I don't know about any of the stuff discussed earlier but I know my dogs would not eat the treats or the food when we were given a sample.

Carla

buckwildbirddogs · Post by **buckwildbirddogs** » Wed Oct 14, 2009 5:46 pm

thanks that is all I needed to know.

Wlfdg · Post by **Wlfdg** » Wed Oct 14, 2009 8:12 pm

FWIW- Something I learned from a vet who specializes in K9 nutrition (most specifically for sleddogs) is and I quote "If there is anything other than meat or meat fat in the first 3 ingredients move on. Dogs are carnivores, not omnivores."

bobbaganoosh wrote: Ingredients:
Chicken Meal, Brewers Rice, Corn, Brown Rice, Animal Fat Preserved with Vitamin E (Mixed Tocopherols), Chicken, Corn Gluten Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Natural Flavors, Canola Oil, Dried Egg Product, Dicalcium Phosphate, Corn Oil, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Copper Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Niacin, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Riboflavin, Calcium Iodate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamin Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate.

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 6:01 am

Wlfdg wrote:FWIW- Something I learned from a vet who specializes in K9 nutrition (most specifically for sleddogs) is and I quote "If there is anything other than meat or meat fat in the first 3 ingredients move on. Dogs are carnivores, not omnivores."

bobbaganoosh wrote: Ingredients:
Chicken Meal, Brewers Rice, Corn, Brown Rice, Animal Fat Preserved with Vitamin E (Mixed Tocopherols), Chicken, Corn Gluten Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Natural Flavors, Canola Oil, Dried Egg Product, Dicalcium Phosphate, Corn Oil, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Copper Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Niacin, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Riboflavin, Calcium Iodate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamin Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate.

Its funny that feeding meat to a dog, raw especially, is looked at as a fad, isn't kibble the fad?

Wlfdg · Post by **Wlfdg** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 9:48 am

mcbosco wrote:
Wlfdg wrote:FWIW- Something I learned from a vet who specializes in K9 nutrition (most specifically for sleddogs) is and I quote "If there is anything other than meat or meat fat in the first 3 ingredients move on. Dogs are carnivores, not omnivores."

bobbaganoosh wrote: Ingredients:
Chicken Meal, Brewers Rice, Corn, Brown Rice, Animal Fat Preserved with Vitamin E (Mixed Tocopherols), Chicken, Corn Gluten Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Natural Flavors, Canola Oil, Dried Egg Product, Dicalcium Phosphate, Corn Oil, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Copper Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Niacin, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Riboflavin, Calcium Iodate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamin Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate.

Its funny that feeding meat to a dog, raw especially, is looked at as a fad, isn't kibble the fad?

My vet also compared feeding kibble to feeding a kid cereal for breakfast instead of eggs, meat, fruit, etc... I would say kibble is a fad. A fad that creates yeast which of course feeds cancer cells.

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 9:59 am

mine said it was like your dog eating Fritos his entire life

postoakshorthairs · Post by **postoakshorthairs** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 10:03 am

Its funny that feeding meat to a dog, raw especially, is looked at as a fad, isn't kibble the fad?

Fad Definition-"A fashion that is taken up with great enthusiasm for a brief period of time; a craze."

Guys-I don't want to get into the debate on what diet is better with you but kibble has been around since about 1900 from what I read. I don't know the percentage of users since then, but everyone i've ever know to have dogs has fed kibble as the primary food source (30 plus years). Those I've been around that didn't feed kibble fed tablescraps which is a crap shoot for sure. You might not agree with it but it's certainly not a "fad" after all these years.

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 10:30 am

i'd rather not argue, but essentially all commercially produced dog food was canned until the extrusion method was invented by Purina in the 1950's..that is a fact..if you have a Vet that's old enough to remember that like me (thank god his daughter is a Vet at the practice too!!) he can tell you that's when bloat, diabtetes & rotten teeth hit the charts...enough said its Indian food day at the office...yummi

postoakshorthairs · Post by **postoakshorthairs** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 10:43 am

I'm not looking to argue. I know purina started in the 50's with a more commercialized production but James Spratt came up with a dried food in the 1890's and eventually went into purina in the 50's. I'm not even going to argue about the increase in issue since dried dog food introduction, but 50 years plus of "kibble" feeding isn't a fad. Healthier or not, the vast majority of dog owners...especially those with multiple dogs...are not going to pass up the convenience and availability of kibble for a raw diet. It's the same reason most americans are overweight...more convenient to drive thru mcdonalds that fix your lunch to go.

Post by **ezzy333** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 11:09 am

I think the question at hand is "have you fed Authority dogfood". It seems no one on the board has but if it's been around for a few years you can rest assured a lot of people have fed it but I have no idea what the outcome has been. Evidently a lot of people have bought repeatedly or it wouldn't still be on the shelves which might tell you something. It would be my opinion that several other feeds look from the look of the guarantees might perform better for the active sporting dog but it does have a pretty good list of ingredients and should be a good maintenance type feed especially for the pet dogs.

Try it and see what you think is the only way you will know how it works.

Ezzy

Post by **ezzy333** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 11:14 am

mcbosco wrote:i'd rather not argue, but essentially all commercially produced dog food was canned until the extrusion method was invented by Purina in the 1950's..that is a fact..if you have a Vet that's old enough to remember that like me (thank god his daughter is a Vet at the practice too!!) he can tell you that's when bloat, diabtetes & rotten teeth hit the charts...enough said its Indian food day at the office...yummi

This is not true on several counts.

Ezzy

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 11:41 am

I should have been more specific but the fact is that it didn't become widely available and marketed until extrusion was invented by Purina. Canned food was the norm until then.

Post by **ezzy333** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 2:01 pm

Wrong again!!!!!!!!!!!!

stlgsp · Post by **stlgsp** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 4:45 pm

I don't care who feeds raw and who doesn't, who was the first to manufacture dry food, when they did it and who was feeding what in 1900 or 1950. But thought I'd jump in and offer my opinion of Authority because I did try their puppy food. The ingredients didn't look too bad, it was on sale and there was a coupon so a 40 lb bag ended up at about $15. The pups ate it, but then again they'll eat just about anything..... I had to increase the amount I was feeding, their stools were bigger, loose and light colored. The pups are back on Pro Plan Performance, stools are firm, smaller and I'm not feeding as much. Personally, I won't buy it again.

buckwildbirddogs · Post by **buckwildbirddogs** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 7:06 pm

ok then what are you to feed your dogs then? Not everyone can afford an all meat diet. I hate to do it but I'm gonna start it... IN YOUR OWN OPINIONS

What is the BEST dog food to feed your dog?
What is the first three ingredients in it?
How much does it cost and where can you purchase it from?

If we all can't get some good ideas and some possible new info that we may have not known before in a civilized manor then we have a problem.

BigShooter · Post by **BigShooter** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 7:32 pm

buckwildbirddogs wrote: What is the BEST dog food to feed your dog?

Please define "BEST" for us. We've already had lots of food threads with oodles of opinions about what's best for our dogs. I see no point in another thread on that topic. Do an advanced search and you will find about as many opinions as we have members who contribute to these food fights ...er ..discussions.

P.S. I feed with authority!

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 7:50 pm

Ok, in my opinion the best commercially available food is Abady Granular, it is high in animal protein (chicken & fish), several sources of fat, and one grain which is white rice and a small component. The formula I feed has over 800 calories a cup, over 90% of the protein is from animal sources, its has no expandable fiber. It has been on the market for over 30 years. The formula I use is about 33% protein/29% fat.

Cost to feed for me since I am not a breeder and cannot buy direct from the company is about $1.30 per day, assuming I fed it exclusively. If I used it exclusively the ration would be about 2.5 cups. My dog weighs between 90 -95 lbs. A setter-sized dog would do well on half what I feed.

A breeder can buy direct at a 20% discount.

It is a little more expensive than most kibbles but one ear infection that's needs a visit to the vet would cost $100 or more in NJ. Clean-up is like picking up tootsie-rolls.

I have used it for many many years and like the fact it is essentially made to order.

Post by **slistoe** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 6:26 am

You are implying that not one single dog on Abady has or will have an ear infection and if you feed some other food that they will. That is stupid.

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 6:37 am

I have had very few instances of ear or skin problems over the many years I have used it. I did not say it would never happen...did I say that in the post? No I did not and it was not implied.

$100 saved at the vet is 2 or more months of feeding costs for me.

Post by **Greg Jennings** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 7:04 am

mcbosco wrote:I have had very few instances of ear or skin problems over the many years I have used it..

I've fed Eukanuba, ProPlan, Exceed, and since the Great Exceed Interregnum, Native for 25+ years (with minor side trips to other foods: Canidae, Flint River Ranch and a couple of others). None of my dogs have been to the vet for anything other than required vaccinations and a couple of hunting-related injuries.

If Abady was readily available here, I'd sure give it a try, but I'm not feeding anything that I can't get in a store while running my normal errands. My life is too hectic as is is. Raw Food: sheesh, I can't find enough time to feed myself right. Lots of "looks like it's chili *week* complaints from the kids.

BTW, in all that time, I have been happiest, overall, with the Exceed before the manufacturer switch...and before the price increase. I'm also a bit lost since Exceed was interrupted. I'm OK with Native, but it has changed both dogs' schedules and they're doing they need to go out in the middle of the night. Not optimal for my sleep schedule.

Post by **ezzy333** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 7:08 am

mcbosco wrote:I have had very few instances of ear or skin problems over the many years I have used it. I did not say it would never happen...did I say that in the post? No I did not and it was not implied.

$100 saved at the vet is 2 or more months of feeding costs for me.

I guess I must be lucky but I have never had a dog with ear or skin problems over the many years I have fed the poor stuff. And that probably covers 20 different feeds, several hundred dogs, and many years. That even dates back before we had kibble type feeds readily available and many dogs were fed Pig Creep feeds or sweet cattle feeds. I think that pretty well debunks the theory that our dogfood is causing problems that an expensive feed will eliminate.

Our vet clinic is fairly expensive too, I think, but have never been there except for rabies shots, one injury, and the puppies get one visit when they are 3 to 4 weeks old. So in total I have been inside the door 7 times in 6 years.

I have never seen the Abady Granular you talk about and have wondered how they process the feed into a granular form or does it mean something else? It sounds strange to hear of a raw feed being granular.

buckwildbirddogs,

I have stated my opinion on the best feeds many times on this forum and have not seen any facts that would change my mind so there is no need to do it again if you will look back through the archives. If you can't find it and want to know ask and I can post it for you.

Ezzy

Post by **slistoe** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 7:11 am

The food I am feeding cost me about $0.55/day average for 12 dogs over the course of a year. It is Chicken Meal, Ground Rice, Whole Grain Corn, Chicken Fat.
My vet bills for the year for the 12 dogs was $250 (I administer my own vaccinations, this was the off year for rabies which would be $600).
The dogs have the nutrition to train and compete on the field trial circuit and maintain a show quality coat at the same time.

You implication that I should spend another $2500+ on dog food in a year to save a vet bill that I don't have or to fix something that is not lacking is absurd.

My brand of dog food (Nutram) is nothing special - anyone can achieve the same thing with any of the premium brands available - Pro Plan Performance, Eagle Power Pack and Eukanuba Pink bag all gave me similar results when I fed them. Feed it to your dog and assess how well they do on it. Availability and performance in your dog are the keys.

Post by **slistoe** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 7:17 am

mcbosco wrote:I have had very few instances of ear or skin problems over the many years I have used it. I did not say it would never happen...did I say that in the post? No I did not and it was not implied.

$100 saved at the vet is 2 or more months of feeding costs for me.

Very few? I had one Lab that had an ear problem one summer. That was 24 years ago. I have never owned a dog with a skin problem.

In order to save money you must guarantee that you will avoid something that was an inevitibility, otherwise no savings can be assessed.

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 7:23 am

I dont feed raw exclusivley i would say 50/50, I have said that many times before but he always gets raw with the Abady...as far as how its made its a 4 or 5 step process, its expensive to make and to my knowledge no other company offers a food like this.

I am glad you guys dont have problems, but many people do...

Someone asked a question and was looking for opinions and I responded..isn't that right?

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 7:29 am

My cost is based on a big dog, a Brit would eat only 55 cents a day of Abady at retail cost, not breeders cost.

sal

Post by **slistoe** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 7:31 am

mcbosco wrote: Someone asked a question and was looking for opinions and I responded..isn't that right?

If you had left out the malarky about saving money at the vet I wouldn't have cared.

How much do you think a 90 lb. Lab would eat? I would hazard a guess that the per pound metabolic requirements of most Brits are a little higher than your Spinone.

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 7:43 am

About the same as mine, mine is young and intact. Clay has a setter that eats 1 cup per day and I friends with border collies on a horse farm that go about a cup.

I would assume a Brit would eat about the same.

Really, malarky, for many dog owners skin and ear problems are a costly nightmare. I can tell you on the east coast they are.

Post by **ezzy333** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 7:50 am

mcbosco wrote:I dont feed raw exclusivley i would say 50/50, I have said that many times before but he always gets raw with the Abady...as far as how its made its a 4 or 5 step process, its expensive to make and to my knowledge no other company offers a food like this.

I am glad you guys dont have problems, but many people do...

Someone asked a question and was looking for opinions and I responded..isn't that right?

I think you are right except there is no evidence that the dogfood causes the problems so till it can be shown that is what caused it you can't claim it and you are giving false at worse but definately misleading info. We need to stick to the things we know and not what we think in many cases.

We have hundreds of people on this forum that are feeding dry kibble without having problems and we have a very few that feed raw without having any problems except, there are a couple of the raw feeders who want to deny the quality and success of the dry food and the dogs that are fed it exclusively by making false claims. I just don't see what is to be gained or why you feel the necessity to do that. The rest of us seem to be able to accept that people can feed what they like and have good results. I think from the picture of your dog that it seems to be well fed and I would sure hope you could acccept the same of the other dogs you see on the board, even though 99.9% are being fed with the feeds that you keep saying cause health problems. It just ain't so! And it should be evident.

Ezzy

Post by **slistoe** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 7:55 am

Ok mcbosco, I will reduce my estimate from $2500 extra per year to $1500 per year since I really have no direct experience with feeding Abady and I will go with some of your testimony on feed rates. I did try feeding Orijen and it was easily double the cost.

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 8:04 am

hey you guys started it on this thread not me....

there is plenty of evidence but the people who present it are viewed as heretics...

sal

BigShooter · Post by **BigShooter** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 8:10 am

Sorry, but for many of us 2nd, 3rd & 4th hand anecdotal stories & opinions are not acceptable as proof of cause. They aren't even close to being the same as scientific double blind studies.

Post by **ezzy333** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 8:18 am

BigShooter wrote:Sorry, but for many of us 2nd, 3rd & 4th hand anecdotal stories & opinions are not acceptable as proof of cause. They aren't even close to being the same as scientific double blind studies.

So very true. You can't pick out people you agree with an use their opinion as evidence. Do the research and do it right and then come back and tell us what the results were. Other wise you are just repeating gossip and rumors in many cases.

Ezzy

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:38 am

Well isn't that hypocritical. I never hear you guys talking about the scientific studies linking corn gluten meal to decreased muscle mass and weight gain, among other things.

Why is that?

Post by **slistoe** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:27 am

I haven't had the pleasure of reading anything about that study. Do you have a copy?

Post by **ezzy333** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:34 am

mcbosco wrote:Well isn't that hypocritical. I never hear you guys talking about the scientific studies linking corn gluten meal to decreased muscle mass and weight gain, among other things.

Why is that?

You did it again. Just hard not to when you are trying to support some of the things you are trying to sell. Show us the research that supports that. And may I ask why you would care as long as you are not using it?

I do have some evidence that cheese can be fatal but the subject has never come up so I haven't said anything about it either.

Ezzy

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:35 am

i will send to you, there are a few actually, one was done by Iams. stock market has me jumping today, ill get to it later, things are starting to worry me again

buckwildbirddogs · Post by **buckwildbirddogs** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 7:23 pm

Ok Ezzy,
I searched the previous posts and noticed you had mentioned Diamond before. We are located in NE Kansas and seem to be limited on our choices of kibble. (we do not feed raw, all though we have caught them eating the sour and sweet cherries off the trees, apples, pears, and any other fruit they can get). Currently we are feeding Diamond Hi-Energy 24/20. We free-feed our GSPs. And I can't help but think that our male is not as, how should I put this, "built" (for lack of a better word) like I would like. He is 60lbs but appears lanky and thin. He does have a wonderful coat. Firm stools. No problems with bloat etc. He just is almost TOO HI-ENERGY for the feed.

I was looking at the Diamond Performance and Diamond Premium and was wondering what your opinion was on these two. As you seem to have the same shall we say mind set about feeding programs as I do.

Post by **ezzy333** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:22 pm

I have only used the Premium in recent years so I do not feel qualified to compare them from personal experience. I have heard sever people though that felt they got better results from the Premium compared to the high energy. If I have read all of the posts right I would suggest maybe trying the Premium and then possibly mix or switch to the high Energy when actually working the dog a few days in a row. and see how that works. Personnally, I have never found a need to change foods during hunting season but I do feed extra the evening after they have worked hard. With that I see little change in weight and I have never seen a change in energy in the dogs no matter what I fed as long as they got enough to satisfy their hunger.

I really do think we do way too much changing or supplementing a quality feed instead of keeping them on their regular feed but just feed more to satisfy the bodies needs with the least chance of upsetting the digestive tract and coming up with runny stools or dogs that are upset in someway. I even carry our own water so that isn't changed which will cause problems sometimes too. Plus I think their water consumption is greater with what they are used to.

Ezzy

buckwildbirddogs · Post by **buckwildbirddogs** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:35 pm

So what if he is on the High Energy now...We can't feed more as he is unlimited as to what he is able to eat/drink. Our vet recommended supplementation with a weight booster but I really don't think he needs that if we can get him on a better feed that will stand up to his constant activity. He is ALWAYS on the go. There is no slowing him down. He did great on the Hi-Energy until he hit 2yrs. Now for the last 6months he still eats the same as he always does but he seems to be leaner/lanky. Surely he still wouldn't be growing at 2&1/2. (BTW: He is UTD on all shots, wormer, and on heartgaurd).

Thanks,
a stumped owner

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 6:42 am

you mentioned you free feed and you have more than one dog? how do you know how much is he eating?

Post by **ezzy333** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 12:49 pm

buckwildbirddogs wrote:So what if he is on the High Energy now...We can't feed more as he is unlimited as to what he is able to eat/drink. Our vet recommended supplementation with a weight booster but I really don't think he needs that if we can get him on a better feed that will stand up to his constant activity. He is ALWAYS on the go. There is no slowing him down. He did great on the Hi-Energy until he hit 2yrs. Now for the last 6months he still eats the same as he always does but he seems to be leaner/lanky. Surely he still wouldn't be growing at 2&1/2. (BTW: He is UTD on all shots, wormer, and on heartgaurd).

Thanks,
a stumped owner

I think you have a dog that has pretty much matured and has muscled out making him look lean. However, you say he has unlimited energy , a nice coat, and is eating well. I understand what you are saying but I am not sure I would change a thing for a simple cosmetic reason when all of the important stuff sounds perfect. YOu might give him a pat of lard or butter everyday but other than that I would just wait and as he ages it will get better. I was thinner when I was a teenager and had a lot more energy too.

Ezzy