What kind of food do you feed your pet?

[ErinM]

I'm copying Chrisi (Bluemoose) and asking a pet poll of my own. Unfortunately for me, I don't know of all of the options so I'm running this poll like Kim's Where do you want to live poll.

What kind of food do you feed your pet?

Cody used to eat Iams mini chunks, but in the last part of 2003 decided that he just wasn't going to eat anymore. When I took him to get groomed, the groomer was quite concerned with the condition of his coat, as he had hair on top, but very little undercoat, and you could easily see his skin. He suggested he might have allergies and that I might try changing his food. She recommended Eagle Pack Holistic dog food. I was able to find it, and made the switch. Once again, I have a dog that cleans his dish once a day! It's made with wholesome ingredients that anybody would recognize. I think he likes it because it tastes the same was his treats do, which are also all natural with yummy things like garic, oatmeal, honey, carrots, carob, apples, potatoes, tomatoes, peanut butter, you name it, I think he's had a treat that has the ingredient.

We're working on the coat...it'll be awhile before we see improvement!

[aggie94]

Our dogs get Eukanuba Reduced Fat dry kibble. The cat gets Science Diet Light Hairball Control Formula, or something like that, also dry kibble. The bird gets Zupreem pellets, a teeny bit of seed every few days, homemade cornbread mini muffins, and pretty much anything else that I cook before it gets seasoned, etc. (like steamed veggies, poached chicken, pasta, beans, fresh fruit, etc.)

[Mimeea]

I ran a variation of this poll this summer dealing specifically with dogs; you can find it here (000000http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46334&highlight=dog)

We feed our two dogs (golden retriever & Aussie shep. mix) Pinnacle dry. It has made a drastic improvement from their last food (something I picked up from Costco).

The cats get Sensible Choice, put out by Royal Canin.

[mbrogier]

My kitties get IAMS weight control food. There's a PETA article about IAMS mistreating their animals, if I find this is substantiated by other sources I will find another food for them.

[jazzyjas]

My dog eats Solid Gold Hunden Flocken (or somethng like that) the lamb is imported to Germany from NewZealand where it is made into this natural food and then imported to the USA. I am a little conserned about all the unsustainability of global travel but was told because of the tormouline that it is good for epileptic dogs -- anyone else have an epileptic dog and what do you feed them (they also recommended another all natural product but I can't remember what it was

[yorkshirepud]

Originally posted by mbrogier
My kitties get IAMS weight control food. There's a PETA article about IAMS mistreating their animals, if I find this is substantiated by other sources I will find another food for them.

Really? This has me concerned me because I also use IAMs as my main brand for dry food for my cats. I'll look into it.

On occasion they get a treat of wet food who's name I can't recall, but I know it's one of the higher-end ones.

[BlueMoose]

Well, I'm el-cheapo here...he gets Purina dry. For awhile I wasn't feeding him any over the counter food...I was making all of his food. But that got so time consuming, as he's 90 lbs and eats a lot. I was cooking more for the dog than my family! I do make his biscuits, and he gets a lot of "people food". I guess I differ from a lot of people, in that I think that healthy people food is good for dogs. But I refuse to get in an argument about that on this board!;)

Chrisi :)

[gertdog]

I think I answered on the thread Mimeea mentioned, but I'll answer again here too! :)

Gertie gets Nutros Lamb and Rice dry food. Recently she developed some problems with itchy dry skin. Our vet told us to start giving her a supplement of essential fatty acids. I was doubtful about this but it really seems to have made a difference. She isn't itchy at all and her coat is softer and more glossy.

She gets all kinds of treats too- her favorites are Greenies. Back when Chrisi was still doing mail-order of her dog biscuits, Gertie had some of those and loved them (pizza flavor, I think).

[AndreaU]

Purina ONE for Tupper & Colby. On special occasions (New Year's Eve, Christmas, etc.) they get some canned food- but ONLY the kind that actually looks like food! Sliced beef, rices and vegetables is fine, mushy brown clump is not.

[sunberst]

IAMS

[wallycat]

Whatever our poor, old guy is willing to eat...
He's so small now that i've nick-named him "spindles" :(

We do give him a once a day oral vitamin (Nutri-cal) and his coat is unbelievably smooth and soft...it's a gel-goo like thing that is flavored.

[tamawrite]

IAMS.

When I was a kid, one of our cats got a major urinary blockage and nearly died -- the vet explained how cheap foods contribute to such things, and we've used Science Diet or Iams ever since. I do notice that the cats seem to need about 1/3 less food when I give them quality crunchies.

[badunnin]

Science Diet Fat Cat kibble for my little one.

mbrogier - be really careful about changing food on your pets. We almost lost my cat when we switched, even though we did it gradually.

[mbrogier]

Evidently PETA did an expose on inhumane treatment at a IAMS facility where they tested their pet food on cats and dogs. The problem I have with this would be the accuracy of the article because of PETA's bias against using animals as pets. The article was also poorly written and didn't have many specific examples of abuse or documentation. I'm not going to discontinue use of IAMS food unless I read more reports. I chose IAMS food because they do not use rendered animal protein that contains euthanized shelter animals like other lower quality foods do. I have some friends checking with their vets about this issue. I'll let y'all know if they come up with anything.

[Gecko]

I am pretty sure you are probably talking about dogs and cats but we don't have one. We only have Oreo, and she is a bunny. She is kind of fussy - she doesn't like apples or pellets. She loves the high end things such as banana chips, dried coconut, honey log treats from Petland and celery. We have only had her a short time, and I have never owned a bunny before so it is a learning curve for both of us.

[Paula H]

My dwarf rabbit Gellar gets rabbit pellets from a local pet shop called Tabitha's. If you get the pellets from another shop, Wet Pets, he won't eat them. No way, no how. (I don't really blame him, the Wet Pets' ones look kinda drier and nastier.)

Then there's a diet of outer lettuce leaves, apples, red peppers (no other colour) (and only if they're served skin-side down, otherwise he'll ignore them) (same with apples), weeds like dandelion leaves and puha, clovers, and whatever organic green veges are growing in my garden - celery, beans (and the leaves), peas (and their pods), cabbage... if I buy any of these from the supermarket, he'll ignore them.

And carrots! But only if they're cut into carrot sticks.

He also has a passion for hard bread (as in, left on the windowsill for a few days) and nuts - particularly if they're scorched almonds and I've sucked the chocolate off. Oh the things I do for my bunny...

[Gecko]

Originally posted by Paula H
My dwarf rabbit Gellar gets rabbit pellets from a local pet shop called Tabitha's. If you get the pellets from another shop, Wet Pets, he won't eat them. No way, no how. (I don't really blame him, the Wet Pets' ones look kinda drier and nastier.)

Then there's a diet of outer lettuce leaves, apples, red peppers (no other colour) (and only if they're served skin-side down, otherwise he'll ignore them) (same with apples), weeds like dandelion leaves and puha, clovers, and whatever organic green veges are growing in my garden - celery, beans (and the leaves), peas (and their pods), cabbage... if I buy any of these from the supermarket, he'll ignore them.

And carrots! But only if they're cut into carrot sticks.

He also has a passion for hard bread (as in, left on the windowsill for a few days) and nuts - particularly if they're scorched almonds and I've sucked the chocolate off. Oh the things I do for my bunny...

Gellar sounds like he has a real personality - I like that in a rabbit. Glad to hear that our bunny isn't the only fussy one. I guess it will be trial and error until we find out all of her favorites but I am going to try the things you have mentioned. I guess I could force myself to suck the chocolate off of scorched almonds for her :D . We inherited her from a family that found her in the middle of the road. They were going away at Christmas and asked us to mind her. When they got back they informed us that they no longer wanted her and they were going to take her to the humane society unless we were interested. I just couldn't send her away, although she makes me sneeze a bit. I can live with it and she is so cute. I just took her to the vet for a checkup as she has been biting at her hind legs. He has given her some antibiotics and I have to trim her fur and then let it grow back. Other than that he proclaimed her healthy. I think she is a Holland Lop.

[Paula H]

Originally posted by Gecko
Gellar sounds like he has a real personality - I like that in a rabbit.

So do I - even our vet comments on how such a small rabbit has such a big personality. He definitely knows what he likes, and has me fairly well trained - if I'm playing with him and he presses his head against the ground, or nudges at my hand until his head is under it, that means "please massage between my ears now!". It's one of the many tricks he's taught me. He isn't very fond of men, apart from my best friend (and his co-owner/parent), with much growling usually (although he'll tolerate both our fathers), so it's quite a relief that he's quite taken with my boyfriend. Love me, love my bunny!

Oh, he also likes watermelon (I'll eat watermelon until there's only a thin layer of pink (don't know what to call it) left, then give it to him - he loves both that and the rind) and broccoli, especially if I get one with leaves still attached. That way I get the florets and he gets the rest!

From my list of foods rabbits like, you could also try pears, tomatoes, cucumbers and turnips. Apparently these are all fine for rabbits!

Oh, and the scorched almonds are only for a special treat. For both of us.

[ChristineVA]

I have been using Innova for my two dogs. After having several of my previous dogs getting cancer, I really started to research pet food and found that most of the foods touted as premium dog foods (Science Diet, Iams, Purina, etc) were really made with horrible by products, rendered beef, etc. They are fairly carcinogenic. So I started buying dog foods made with "human grade" ingredients. Innova was one of them. There are several others (California Natural, Wellness, Karma, etc), that are dry foods but made with the same quality ingredients you and I would buy at the grocery store (hey, but even those are questionable, right?). Anyway, my vet (who carries Science Diet at his office) really complimented my dogs on their coats and musculature. He asked me what I was feeding them and seemed very impressed by how they look.
Christine

[AZLorena]

We have recently started our little brood on ProPlan. I have been pretty impressed so far. The love the taste of it. Goosey tries to open the plastic container with her paws.

Lorena

[colleency]

Floating food sticks for meals. Freeze dried shrimp for treats. Special occasions call for live gold fish and the occassional water plant....for our turtle.

[ellamay]

I chose IAMS food because they do not use rendered animal protein that contains euthanized shelter animals like other lower quality foods do.

:eek: :eek: :eek:

I had no idea about that...our dogs and cats both eat Iams (specifically Iams for Large Breeds for the dogs and Weight Control for the cats) but I had no idea other pet food contained protein from euthanized animals!!!

[lhall]

Vlad gets Prescription Diet K/D dry and canned w/minced chicken or "Heaven in a can"

Flick is currently on Meow Mix (I felt cheap), but he's a fatso and will got on a weight control food when the other stuff is gone. Probably Science Diet. He does get canned 9-lives 3 time a week.

Leigh

[AmyO26]

We used to feed Bicardi Iams Mini Chunks, but several months ago we compared the nutritional information on the Iams bag with several other mid-priced dog foods (we didn't go for the cheapest ones)...based on that we've been feeding her Beneful. She loves it, and it has cut down on her gas problem! We usually feed the cats either Meow Mix or Purina Cat Chow (they like both)
Amy

[Cookin4Love]

What I feed the beast is irrelevant; what he EATS is much more interesting. Kleenex, paper towels, aluminum foil, earplugs, most recently the wooden pusher to my KA grinder attachment. I thought it was odd when I came home yesterday and the bottom door of the hutch was open (where I keep said KA and attachments). First I thought he had thought of making me cookies, then DH found the mangled wooden pusher. I thought about doing a little pushing of my own..... :D

And HOW did he know it was in there and figure out how to pull on those tiny little handles to get the door open, then reach his stupid doggy head all the way to the back to get it, without knocking out all the other stuff in front of it?

Oops...I think I need to go visit the "Let it Out" thread...;)

[golden1225]

My senior golden gets fed Science Diet R/D prescription food as she's 92 pounds!! Her problem is the same as cookin$love's dog...it's what she EATS that gets her trouble!
My other 2 (a mutt and a little golden retriever mix) get Science Diet for Senstive Skin.
My 4 cats are fed Science Diet Senior Hairball Control.
Do you want to know what the cows and sheep get?
:) :)

[ErinM]

Originally posted by golden1225

Do you want to know what the cows and sheep get?
:) :)


Sure, why not, what the heck? :D ;) Feel free!

[golden1225]

Ok - what the heck! An ENORMOUS round bale of hay is delivered every 2 weeks, and then each day I pick up all the "culls" from a local produce market and put them out in the field. If there isn't much produce, I supplement with grain.
They're really a lot of fun...the cows are like big dogs, and the sheep are just silly, goofy little things. They are so delightful to watch!
:)

[Goldie]

Originally posted by BlueMoose
I guess I differ from a lot of people, in that I think that healthy people food is good for dogs. But I refuse to get in an argument about that on this board!;)

Chrisi :)

No arguments here Chrisi! You just need to be a bit careful to give them a good balance and avoid a few key things (e.g. onions).

My 2 dogs are my kids; we spend a lot of time training and going to obedience and agility trials – they are very important parts of my life. My girl dog was having some serious immune system problems which the ‘normal’ vet could not fix, so I took her to a holistic vet, and the first thing he asks is “what does she eat”?

Now the normal vet has never ever asked that question, or if I told him, he just kind of shrugged and said “OK”. Can you imagine going to a people doctor and having them be so disinterested in your diet? I DON”T THINK SO!!!

The holistic vet had a lot of suggestions, mainly regarding food, all of which I’ve implemented, and lo and behold, I now have a healthy dog (well 2 actually).

Anyway, that’s my rant. My dogs get ½ kibble, which is rotated every 6 months from a list of healthy dry foods (Solid Gold, California Natural, etc.) For the other half I cook fresh chicken and brown rice, plus ground-up raw vegetables. For supplements my girl dog needs ProZyme to help her get the good stuff out of her food. And they both get salmon oil every day. Both are very healthy and look great.