If I find a website 'issue' may I post it here please

[Meg]

I would like to sort foods using the already available "user rating" option.
However, trying this today I got the following message:

can't connect to database0:Unknown column 'b.white_label_id' in 'group statement'

Wanted to let you know, thanks for any help with this

[Pegasus]

I have to stick up for David here! Just a quick look at one wholesaler it lists over 2000 dog food lines. this doesn't account for the independents, BARF, Crown, own label, supermarket or international ones which would easily double (if not triple) the number of foods available in this country. Since this site was started, there have been many progressions such as cold pressed, 80 - 20, extrusion from fresh meat and grain free diets and its probably more important to keep up with these changes rather than new packaging or slightly different products.

[Dottie]

I agree that it is all but impossible to keep up with every new product. Every week there seems to be something new on the market, not to mention product refreshes which can change the formula and analysis considerably.  It would need a team of people to do this, not just one person.  It's one of the reasons why I think the Instant Review Generator is useful. If a pet owner is thinking of trying something that is not yet in the directory they can at least  get some idea of the product.

[Dottie]

As a moderator I usually email David if there is something I need help with and what you describe is an example of this. There are benefits to reporting problems on the forum because it might be of help to other people and might initiate  discussion. On the subject of where to post, it is best to put it in the forum that is most relevant  to the issue.

[David]

Sorry about taking so long to come back on this.

First off, I'd like to offer a very warm welcome to you, Meg! We do indeed go way back - in fact I've just had a look at our correspondence and your first email arrived in March 2012, just a week after the first incarnation of the site went live! Your feedback really has been instrumental in the development of the site so thank you!

Thanks also for letting me know about that database error. I have fixed it now so the rank by user rating function should be working.

Personally I have no problem with you or anyone else posting problems here or emailing them directly to me, as long as they reach me. I know the site is not perfect and without feedback it will never improve.

I've also added those brands you mentioned to the to do list but in the meantime, don't forget that you can always use our review generator to shed a bit of light on foods that we haven't yet featured.

Thanks again and do please keep the feedback coming!

It's great to have you on the forum!

[Meg]

How kind of you David,thank you. The website is an invaluable source of help and is available to everyone and that's an admirable achievement. You've surely helped numerous  dogs and will go on to help many more, so all praise to you.

[Meg]

.....forgot my manners...sorry... I meant to thank you for fixing that sort by user rating function bug so quickly David.

[David]

Always very happy to help

[Meg]

David,
When you are coding for the nutrient levels, will you please consider changing the current limits. A forum user mentioned being unable to search for food with fibre content >6%.
Also some foods 'drop' out of the sort once you click the nutrient levels box as they are already below/above the default levels. Try Lily's kitchen as an example.
Thanks for a great site & thanks for all your help with this.

[David]

Hi Meg. That should be fixed now. Many thanks

[Meg]

That's great David - many thanks for doing this, and so promptly too! Much appreciated.

[Meg]

So many of us struggle when we have a poorly dog....and aside from a myriad of other things,..... we may want to know what food may help our pooch feel better.

David you already have an excellent article on feeding a dog with Pancreatitis on the allaboutdogfood website.

I wonder...... can I encourage you to write further articles for dogs with health issues that may be helped by diet.

And/or possibly add in another option of a named health condition to the dog food directory which would then list the appropriate and recommended foods; or would list a suggested level of the various nutrients so that an owner can further search using these as a base.

[Dottie]

Good point and one which David and I have discussed before. I seem to remember that liver disease has cropped up on the forum in the past.  I am hopeful that David might be able to give some general dietary guidelines.  However, I have recently been researching this alongside my friend who has an elderly Labrador with this problem and she, like me is thoroughly confused.  Some say low fat, low protein. Others say the dog needs protein and fat. Then there is the issue of copper storage which some dogs have.  Thankfully our vets don't push the prescription diets and she just suggested that the dog is kept on her normal, fish based food. 

[David]

Yes indeed, as Dottie says, both of those ideas are in the pipeline - a series of articles for owners of dogs with specific health conditions and a 'targeted condition' filter for the directory. I've been collecting data for the latter for a while now so it won't be long before I'm ready to begin the programming. Watch this space!

[Meg]

This is really good to hear and will for sure be beneficial to helping poorly dogs.

I thought I'd mention your really helpful article (particularly the table) about presciption diets in the allaboutfogfood website here: http://www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/articles/prescription-veterinary-diets.php

Sadly we know how helpless we can feel when our dog is poorly. And as Dottie says 'thoroughly confused'.

Consolidating the information in that article mentioned above -  (plus from elsewhere in the website) together with your new data - to the 'targeted condition' filter will make the information quicker and easier to access for owners.

Also the individual articles of dietary implications on health should really help owners to understand why the amounts of nutrients are suggested as they are, and for what particular aspects of canine health could be improved. In a nutshell why give x to a dog, because it could help with y, and that is not working correctly due to z.....

 This not only helps an owner to understand, yet also to feel more in control of what foods can really be given to help their poorly dog, and why.