Where do you find these dog foods you talk about?

meadowlark · #1 29th December 2005, 03:13 PM

I have come here several times to research foods for my new puppy (I'll pick him up Jan 9th). I'd like to stock up on foods before getting him home. I'd like to try some of the ones you all speak so highly of. CS, Canidae, Merrick etc. but I'm not certain where you purchase these. I've checked at Petsmart and didn't seen any of those. Unless I didn't look in the right place.

Can you all give me the places that you purchase your quality dog foods?

Thanks!!

**gmacleod** · #2 29th December 2005, 03:18 PM

Sadly, the big chain stores like Petsmart rarely carry quality foods. They stock mostly the low level stuff that they can shift in bulk. Some petsmarts carry Blue Buffalo brand though - and that's a very good food.

You will find the good stuff in some smaller petstores, and in feed stores. Most of the manufacturer websites (that you'd find easily with an internet search) also have store locators on them. They're not exhaustive, of course, but it's a pretty good start.

meadowlark · #3 29th December 2005, 03:23 PM

Thanks!

I was hoping that they could be purchased in stores and not exclusive to the internet. We have plenty of feed stores around, I guess I'll just make some calls and hope for the best.

Also, didn't someone post a list of the quality dog foods on here? I thought I saw it once. It was just a list with all the names of the best dog foods for boxers. If any of you know where to link me up to that, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks again!!

**gmacleod** · #4 29th December 2005, 03:31 PM

Feed stores are your best bet

Most of them seem to carry the good quality brands.

Oh - and the store locators on the manufacturer websites tell you about stores that carry it - it's not internet sales (though some may do that as well).

Here's the list you're looking for: http://boxerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66384 And the selection criteria used by the WDJ (which is similar to that at www.boxerworld.com/feeding ) is posted further down the same thread.

Not every food on that list is equal, of course, but they're all good quality and any one of them would be a pretty good choice.

If I had to list the "best" of them, that list would include Timberwolf Organics, Canidae, Chicken Soup, Innova (especially EVO if your dog is an adult, but not for a pup), Fromms Four Star, Artemis (especially the fresh mix), Wellness, and some formulas of Merrick.

meadowlark · #5 29th December 2005, 03:46 PM

Thanks again gmacleod!!

I made a few phone calls and found a feed store near here. The woman said she carries 14 different kinds and most are better quality and not the commercial brand. I named off a few and she had those. YEAH!! I'll go over tomorrow and check it out and buy a couple smaller bags to try out, slowly of course, for my little boy.

And thanks for the link. I'll write those down and your recommendations and see if this store has them. That would be great if I had a good choice of quality dog food. I might get some for my cats as well.

koaboy04 · #6 29th December 2005, 03:48 PM

The best thing to do is do a search on this. Or look in the Whole Dog Journal, but here are some for you.

Artemis Natural 6 mix
Azmira Classics
Back to Basics
Benson & Field Holisitic Natural Canine Formula
Burns Brown Rice & Ocean fish
California Natural
Canidae
Doctors Foster & Smith Adult Maintenance Fomula, Chicken & Brown Rice
Eagle Pack Holistic Select
Flint River Ranch
Go! Natural Super Premimum Chicken, Fruit & Vegetable diet
Hund-n-Flocken Nmillennia
Innova
Limited Diets Duck & Potato
Natural Balance Ultra Premium
Lifespan
Pinnacle
Prairie Lamb & rice Medley
Prime life
PHD Canine Growth & Maintenance
Royal Canine Natural Blend Diet
Snowbound Naturals
Timberwolf Organics
Verus GP Advantage Diet : Chicken meal, Oats & Brown Rice
Wellness Super 5 mix Lamb
Wysong Maintenance

I feed my 6 month old boy Canidae which he LOVES, I switched him from Wellness because he wouldn't eat it unless I mixed something in it. Canidae he will eat as is.

**gmacleod** · #7 29th December 2005, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meadowlark

I might get some for my cats as well.

Do!!
LOL - dry foods high in grains are even worse for cats than they are for dogs, and can cause some serious health issues (including obesity). Most of the high quality dog food manufacturers make good cat foods too - the best of which is probably Innova EVO (totally grainless).

Macon's Mom · #8 1st January 2006, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meadowlark

Thanks again gmacleod!!

I made a few phone calls and found a feed store near here. The woman said she carries 14 different kinds and most are better quality and not the commercial brand. I named off a few and she had those. YEAH!! I'll go over tomorrow and check it out and buy a couple smaller bags to try out, slowly of course, for my little boy.

And thanks for the link. I'll write those down and your recommendations and see if this store has them. That would be great if I had a good choice of quality dog food. I might get some for my cats as well.

You can even ask the store to get sample bags from their distributor. It won't cost them or you anything. The distributor gives them to the stores to increase business. Congrats on getting a new puppy and doing your homework first