[BrianC]

I've finally managed to persuade the wife that we should get another dog (last one pasted away nearly three years ago) and we are currently going through the vetting process that the rescue agency requires. Assuming we get through that ok we are going to need to stock up on bit and pieces for the new dog.

Where do you recommend for the essentials and feed? I'm looking to switch to dry feed (our last dog was fed tinned dog food, yuk) if that makes any difference?

[Mep]

Personally we always support out local pet shop as opposed to the supermarkets or warehouse type places.

[Garrett]

Id start the pup of by mixing some food you want him to be on with the food the breeder used (they should give you some to take home with you), gradually over a week- or two.

Don’t add additive like adding calcium, the slower a dog grows the better.

I would recommend Burns dried puppy food, and if that’s not available James Wellbeloved.

[Mep]

I think dogs prefer meat to dried food and would recommend you check out Nature Diet.

[Jammyb]

It's a rescue dog and most likely not a puppy but I agree with your recommendations. Supporting local petshops is good.

Well done to the OP for getting a rescue dog.

I'm looking myself at the moment and am also considering not using dog food full stop, instead feed it cheap chicken, oily fish etc. Been doing a lot of reading about it and I think it may be the way to go, though how long I can be bothered to keep it up for is another matter.

[BrianC]

Yup, its not likely to be a puppy as all we have asked age wise is one under six years old, obviously we wouldn't turn a puppy down if offered one but I'd probably prefer a slightly older dog that has gotten past its "teenage" years.

I'd love to support our local pet shop but they don't have a decent range as they are a hardware shop as well. Our next nearest is a pet city (or whatever they call themselves these days).

I'll admit to looking at dried food for selfish reasons, we go camping quite a bit and as fridge space is limited when we go camping we won't have room for anything that needs the fridge. Tinned dog food will be avoided at all costs this time.

[Jenn]

I believe having dry and tinned food is good. Dry food is certainly good for the teeth and tinned food can be a bit of a treat.

My parents used to have two german sheperds and they eat A LOT so my mum used to cook their food with chicken or some other meat and potatoes and sometimes rice etc. Can't remember exactly everything that went in it... But they really liked it and were healthy.
Not sure it's recommended by professionals though, it's probably better to check what's best for a certain breed.

[Jammyb]

Apparently most vets know very little about dog nutrition. The only info they get at university is from lectures by dog food company reps, so not exactly impartial....

The author of this site makes some good points:
http://www.rawlearning.com/rawfaq.html

She feeds her dogs raw meats of all kinds, raw fish and eggs, that's it. Her dogs need far fewer trips to the vets and they poo a lot less because she's not feeding them a load of cereals (i.e. dry dog food) that they don't need in their diet.

I like the idea as well because we recently looked after a friends Staffy for 5 weeks, feeding it top quality dry food we were given. It ate it, but with no enthusiasm... A dog doesn't have a lot to look forward to in a day, going for a walk and eating it's dinner being the main to. I'd like to feed my dog something I know it's going to enjoy.

[jodenice]

Well don't trust just what your vet says. Ours recommended Hills Science (which gave our dog dreadful upset stomach) and then we realised that Hills Science sponsored them, provided all the food for them to sell etc!

We asked some dog breeders and some nutrionalists which one was the best and bizarrely they all came out with the same name.... Chappie! Because its cereal and meat based its really good for your dogs without making them totally hyper (unless you have a working dog) and we give them a tin in the evening and dried food in the day, only one that doesn't upset my female schnauzers stomach. plus its the cheapest. And I get my food delivered, for a fee of about a pound, from mobile pet foods a company that delivers to London and South East.

I would love to have given them fresh raw and healthy veg cooked every day but thats just not possible with my shifts etc - so they have normal dinner in the week, and special cooked meals (and roast dinner!!) at weekends.

[Pat_C]

Originally Posted by Jenn

I believe having dry and tinned food is good. Dry food is certainly good for the teeth and tinned food can be a bit of a treat.

I wouldn't let my dog anywhere near tinned food, and I've never come across a good breeder that uses it. I would suggest a good quality dried food (Burns or Royal Canin if you can find them, otherwise Science Plan) supplemented with tuna or chicken (doesn't need to be chicken breast but I suggest using only chicken you would eat yourself).

If you want to see food disappear almost instantly put a bit of scrambled egg in front of my dog

[Steven]

That's true that. Dogs lover yolk? The puppy always rushed over when you cook (back when it was younger, now 8-10 months old), and when my idiot brother got startled and dropped his fried egg, the mutt gobbled up the yolk first, looked at you for more and when it wasn't coming, finished off the white.

[Jenn]

Originally Posted by Pat_C

I wouldn't let my dog anywhere near tinned food, and I've never come across a good breeder that uses it.

Sorry if it sounds stupid, but can I ask why? I'm not a dog owner and am intrigued as to why it wouldn't be good (other than maybe they use all the **** to make it) ?

[PAH]

My parents, who also only get rescue dogs to hopefully give them a better life, used to feed them pet mince from the local butchers which was dirt cheap, obviously made from the stuff they couldn't sell to us humans. Doubt it was very healthy and used to stink the kitchen out as they'd always heat it up first in the microwave. Fortunately they got the dogs their own microwave as I couldn't imagine cooking anything for myself in there afterwards, the smell alone used to make me feel sick.

Nowadays following advice from the vet (which by the sounds of it might not be all that good!), they use dry food and measure it out so the dogs don't put on too much weight.

[Mr_Wistles]

Originally Posted by Pat_C

I wouldn't let my dog anywhere near tinned food, and I've never come across a good breeder that uses it. I would suggest a good quality dried food

I think exactly the same about dried food. Puts a much larger strain on the internal organs as have to drink so much more water.

[Pat_C]

Originally Posted by Jenn

Sorry if it sounds stupid, but can I ask why? I'm not a dog owner and am intrigued as to why it wouldn't be good (other than maybe they use all the **** to make it) ?

You seem to have answered your own question Jenn. I don't even like to think what goes into tinned dog food.

[Pat_C]

Originally Posted by Russell_Piper

I think exactly the same about dried food. Puts a much larger strain on the internal organs as have to drink so much more water.

I'm no expert, but I've met quite a few experienced dog breeders and all of them use dried food as the base diet - and even then only the quality brands.

Why would drinking water put a strain on internal organs?

[Mr_Wistles]

Obviously drinking a normal amount of water does not.

Imagine if you had toast for every single meal, you would drink a lot of water to compensate for the lack of moisture in the food along with your normal allowance, then imagine this for every single meal of your life, it puts undue stress on their liver and kidneys.

My vet said dry food all the time was not good, and they earn through Hills like many others have said.

The cheap meats are obviously crap, 70p for a 800g can, you know it will be bad for them, at the end of the day you get what you pay for.

[shodan]

The cheapest, and best food for your dog is.... Tripe!!! My Jake has half a block with a cup of mixer each day and he is in great health!!! Trick is to soak the mixer first for 10 mins. You'll see it expands by twice its size. If we don't do it then then it expands in the dog's stomach and causes him no end of stomach problems.

I get my tripe from http://www.mincedtripe.co.uk/index.h...d=39065.816250

Also use Kingston Kennels off the A127 for all other doggie supplies. They also supply tut for other "pets" too like cats etc. and are very nice, knowledgable people. Good prices too!

[markstephenhall]

Try looking on www.pet-supermarket.co.uk

It sells all the top brands at much better prices than my vet.

[Jenn]

Originally Posted by Pat_C

You seem to have answered your own question Jenn. I don't even like to think what goes into tinned dog food.

I would think it all depends on what you buy though. Obviously value supermarket brands won't be made of sirloin.
But when you think about it, if you left dogs to be what they are and feed on their own, they'd eat everything on an animal including the guts, bones etc. not just the fillets.

My cat gets fed dry food everyday but every so often (once a week or so) she gets a pouch of meaty stuff. She certainly loves the pouches and I can see her eyes sparkle (seriously !) after eating one.

[udsf]

Originally Posted by shodan

The cheapest, and best food for your dog is.... Tripe!!! My Jake has half a block with a cup of mixer each day and he is in great health!!! Trick is to soak the mixer first for 10 mins. You'll see it expands by twice its size. If we don't do it then then it expands in the dog's stomach and causes him no end of stomach problems.

I get my tripe from http://www.mincedtripe.co.uk/index.h...d=39065.816250

Also use Kingston Kennels off the A127 for all other doggie supplies. They also supply tut for other "pets" too like cats etc. and are very nice, knowledgable people. Good prices too!

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]my experience of feeding tripe to Labradors is that it gives them the most noxious farts i have ever had the misfortune to suffer

having had quite a few working and pets Labs i've tried most foods - Beta seemed to be the most popular from the dogs point of view - but as one poster has said dogs have very little to look forward to in their day - dinner being one - so now i use the Pedigree Chum pouches currently the Better by Nature range

certainly they are enthusiastically received - and NO not all labs are pigs who will eat anything!

i also supplement this daily with one of the following

a) chicken
b) salmon
d) mackerel/herring/sprats
e) liver/kidney
f) some fresh veg/fruit - current Lab loves peach and raspberries!!![/FONT]

[Pat_C]

Originally Posted by Jenn

I would think it all depends on what you buy though. Obviously value supermarket brands won't be made of sirloin.

I'm sure that there is variance in quality between brands. But I also suspect that many 'top' brands have more to do with marketing than the quality of ingredients.

But when you think about it, if you left dogs to be what they are and feed on their own, they'd eat everything on an animal including the guts, bones etc. not just the fillets.

I think it is probably survival instinctive for a dog to do that, but it doesn't necessarily mean that it's good for them. A bit like kids being left to their own devices and living on Big Macs or whatever.

There are obviously different views on ideal pet diets. I just happen to think that feeding dogs the way that people who breed and show dogs do is a pretty good starting point.

[BrianC]

I regret asking about dog food now

Thanks for the replies so far, I think I'm going to stick with dried food (but try soaking it like shodan suggested) otherwise we can't take the dog camping and I'm not at all keen on leaving it at a kennel six/seven weeks of the year as I'm soft like that.

Couple more quick questions:

Any recommendations for extending dog leads/collars? We used to use choke chains but that was with much larger, stronger dogs but I'd rather not use them again. Besides, they never worked for my late granddad when ever he used to walk his two St Bernards, they would drag (well I think flying would be closer) across the road if they saw a cat.

I've read that dog crates are meant to make the dog feel more secure rather than a normal bed, doesn't seem right to me?

[johnscarlet]

With regards to food, why not buy small bags to see what the dog likes ? It may or may not be possible to get sample bags , although I have never seen them .Nothing worse than Buying a 10kilo bag of food , only to discover your dog won't eat it . I have always thought that branded food is branded food , all pretty much the same . I buy what i know my dog will eat . But I agree with feeding them what the rescue centre does , for a while at least

John

[Jammyb]

I reccommend Victoria Stillwells 'It's me or the dog' book, covers pretty much every scenario you can imagine in a simple no nonsense way. From different leads, collars, crates food and loads of training and behavioural stuff.

[Pat_C]

Originally Posted by johnscarlet

With regards to food, why not buy small bags to see what the dog likes ? It may or may not be possible to get sample bags , although I have never seen them.

Promotional/trial samples are available from good pet shops, I've had a few (all free from memory). Sometimes from vets too, and registered breeders who presumably get supplied with samples to hand out.

[BrianC]

Originally Posted by Jammyb

I reccommend Victoria Stillwells 'It's me or the dog' book, covers pretty much every scenario you can imagine in a simple no nonsense way. From different leads, collars, crates food and loads of training and behavioural stuff.

Ta, I've ordered it from Amazon.

[ji_]

EXtension leads are pretty good - if you want to train the dog to stay at hell, partially pressing the locking button and dragging the lead sharply towqards you makes a rattlinmg nboise that the dog is curious about. When it looks round to see what the noise was, reward with a treat and / or attention, and shortly you'll have a dog that walks well at heel. NOTE - don't press the locking button too hard, or the dog will come flying towards you and possibly be injured!

[udsf]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]an old but very effective gamekeeper method of teaching dogs to walk to heel is to use a short length of holly bush - gentle touch on the nose when they go too far in front - works a treat[/FONT]

[eFGee]

Originally Posted by udsf

my experience of feeding tripe to Labradors is that it gives them the most noxious farts i have ever had the misfortune to suffer

And I think anyone who’s had one can vouch for the ferocity of lab farts.

I've got a lab and a cocker and they've been bought up on IAMS dry food which gives them all the vitamins and nutrients they need.

The secret though is to supplement it with other cheap foods to maintain their interest, so they always have either cheese, eggs, fish, sausages, corned beef, mince, chicken, etc with it. All the cheapest cuts, so its cheap, quick and convenient.

And of course, you can always give them the leftovers from your meal as long as you’re sensible and avoid spicy food, etc.

Ours love nothing more than their Sunday diner although the lab always leaves the carrots for the cocker. That dog will never get to see in the dark.