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1

Dog foods / Re: Confused about food

« on: Oct 29, 2015, 07:13 »

Thank you so much Dottie for your reviews 
I also saw another one called Arden Grange sensitive.  It's not scoring so high but there was some good remarks about it from owners on another pet forum.
I have contacted Millie's Wolfheart and they suggest the countryside mix which can be purchased in small samples for £1.50. Arden Grange are sending a free sample 
I'll def look into the local stores and their own brands for the walking the dog one.... Thanks for that - it's a bit cheeky though that they do that isn't it!
I agree that Wainrights would be the most convenient ... I actually have a Pets at Home within walking distance from me. I think I will try this one first.... I'll get a small bag and let you know how it goes.

2

Dog foods / Re: Confused about food

« on: Oct 28, 2015, 09:24 »

* Type of Food - dry (remove ticks from other boxes)
* Food Properties - place ticks in these boxes: Natural, Hypoallergenic, Grain free and Clearly labelled
* Rating - move the slider to 3.5 to 5.0 stars
* Avoid Ingredients - Place a tick in the box All red ingredients and in All cereals
* Nutrient levels - move the protein slider to 26% - 40%
*Click 'Go'
Please post back if you need any further help or an opinion on a particular product that you have selected.  Also, it would be nice to hear how she gets on.
[/quote]
Thank you so much for your advice Dottie
I've had a look using your guidelines .... There was only 2 pages so I'm not sure what I did wrong.  No worries though -  there was a lot to read - although most of them at the top end of my budget. Maybe I'll have to rethink that! There's 4 brands that have caught my eye - I wonder whether you could help me a bit more with them.  They are quite different in prices and I wondered if this means that the quality is better?
I'm tempted by Wainwrights grain free  which would be easy to get hold of from my local pets at home.
Millie's Wolfheart grain free keeps coming up when I search ... Which is quite expensive too.  There was a review from one of the pages which took me to Walking the Dog Grain free - this seemed quite good?
Then a friend swears by James Well Beloved so I looked at that too.  Do you think any of these would be worth a try? Do you know if there is any way of buying samples of them .... I am getting a collection of large bags of uneaten food!!
A local breeder recommended Asda Hero! This was way down on the ratings on this site so I haven't given that any real consideration. I guess I should steer away from the 1 star ones - which Bakers falls into! The advert on the TV says Bakers is the best British dog food! The more I read on this site though, I can see there are benefits of finding a better quality food. For me, I'd like; firstly for her to like it but also to improve her smelly wind, firm up her stools ( to make them pick upable without leaving a smear on the grass!), improve her smelly breath and improve her coat.... A big ask but one I will continue to strive towards! Looking forward to your thoughts

3

Dog foods / Re: Confused about food

« on: Oct 27, 2015, 09:52 »

Thank you for your replies... I had originally wrote a whole lot more but it seems to have been lost during submission. I have updated the original submission.

4

Dog foods / Confused about food

« on: Oct 26, 2015, 11:33 »

Hi ... I am hoping someone can give me some advice about dried complete dog food.
We took in a stray Westie at the beginning of September. She was in a very bad condition... Dirty, smelly, long hair and nails etc and a very baggy tummy. We think she had been used for breeding.  After door knocking, social media, posters etc as well as visits from the the local dog warden and the subsequent 28 working day wait, we have fallen in love with this dear little doggie.
When my daughter bought her home it was late and I only had 5 minutes before the local store closed! They only brand name they had was Bakers - as I didn't know how long she would be with us, I got a small box.  She didn't really eat much at all for the first week or so. I tried Iams too but she liked that even less. I started reading on this website about which brands are best and am very confused! I've stuck to dried because I've read it's better for their digestion. I'd like to get it right ... I've stayed away from wet food - I have a feeling that this will affect her output ... Which I'd like to be manageable.  It's pretty soft at the moment. I read on here that Chappie got got reviews for sensitive stomachs, so I gave that a go too but wow that made her windy and she didn't really like it much! So I'm in a bit of a pickle about what to feed her.  She's off her food after being spayed this week - so it would be an opportunity to try something more appetising for her.  She's being spoilt with fresh chicken - which she loves!  I realise that I can't keep changing the food as this in itself will cause problems for her digestion. I have been using bakers as the base and adding chappie. To be honest Bakers is what she is eating most of. The vets face said it all though when I told him what I was feeding her! I don't mind paying a bit more to get it right for her but wouldn't be able to go to the. £40 plus bags of food.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated... I'm new to being a dog owner but so far am besotted with my new best friend !