Agnes has a 7 pound ,4 y.o. fox terrier.

When she buys dog food she gets better quality dry food in bags.
And she gets enough for six or 8 weeks.

She dumps it in a large plastic air tight container.

Question is
Does dog food go bad?
Should she be buying smaller bags more often ?

I'd call the maker but the bag is long gone.

Do animals care what food taste like?

Breakfast goes out at 9: a.m., but she makes it last till 1: p.m. or so.

Then supper at 4:00

Dogs care less about what the good tastes like and more about how it smells.

For that reason, and to keep bugs and other things out, we stow our dogs' food in plastic container.

Every bag of dog food you buy will have a "Best Before" date somewhere on the bag. That date is usually about a year or more from purchase date. No where on the bag does it (usually) state a shelf life AFTER the bag is opened. So theoretically, it's good all the way up until the "Best Before" date when stored properly. That said, I would contact the dog food manufacturer for their recommendation. There are lots of different formulas to even dry dog food. There is no one size fits all.

I buy enough for about 3-4wks. That's a 35lb bag for my two miscreants. I transfer the kibble from the bag to an airtight container.

My neighbor of 5 years and with the same dog that lives on the enclosed back porch with the sliding door always slightly open, so the dog can come and go ... buys 50lbs of plain Purina Dog Food at a time and leaves the open bag on the back porch. Pretty much about all I can say is that the bag of dog food is out of the rain. And it lasts the one (big) dog (much) longer than a month. Haven't seen the dog sick yet ... but wouldn't recommend the same feeding (non) care.

If a dog is hungry enough, he will eat almost anything, sometimes without hunger depending on the dog. Enjoyment isn't really a factor. This should not be construed as accepting any random substance as "good nutrition." Humans are much more concerned with this than their charges are. Hell, I'll even scarf down a bag of Cheetos from time to time, even though I know better. With that in mind, pretty much anyhting on the shelf of a pet store retailer is going to be adequately healthful for the great majority of dogs of any size. Paying attention to how certain foods affect the behavior and healthfulness of our friends is not the stupidest thing one can do, but it seems to me that vendors are strongly motivated to make more of the very occasional allergy/sensitivity issues than is realistic. So to address the specific questions:

quote:

Does dog food go bad?

Yes. but most have a "best by" date on the label that is extremely pessimistic. So in terms of practical life time, probably not.

quote:

Should she be buying smaller bags more often ?

It probably doesn't make any difference from a health perspective, but the dog might appreciate a little variety in their diet. (Or not. They aren't talking.)

quote:

Do animals care what food taste like?

Absolutely! But how this translates to what you should be feeding them on a daily basis in not completely straightforward. I had one of our leftover take-tree-down candy canes today, it was tasty, but not something I'd want as a core diet.

6-8 weeks is nothing. Dry dog food last a long, long time. Even storing it in a plastic tub is probably unnecessary, for longevity/spoilage purposes.

quote:

Originally posted by Dr.Red:
I’ve always steered clear of Amazon for dog food as well, I’ve heard horror stories about mold.

I've had nothing but good experiences with Amazon for dog food. No mold problems or anything like that. I buy almost all of my dog food through either Amazon or Sam's Club, with the occasional purchase from someplace like Chewys or Tractor Supply if they happen to have it on sale for less than the two usual sources.

My 130 pound dog eats a little over a pound of Iams Proactive dry dog food per day. I keep two 30 to 50 pound bags on hand at any given time, one opened for use, and one still sealed for storage. When the opened one runs out after a month or two of daily feedings, I open the sealed one, and order another 30-50 pound bag to replenish the storage, based on whatever size bag is cheapest per pound from whichever source.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
6-8 weeks is nothing. Dry dog food last a long, long time. Even storing it in a plastic tub is probably unnecessary, for longevity/spoilage purposes.

Yep, I do it for sanitary reasons. Bug and ants and stuff. Well that and I don't want my kitchen smelling like dog food all the time ... and the smell is fresh each day at mealtime for the miscreants.

At Dad's animal hospital we fed the kennel and our own dogs and cats a Nutrena product mixed with canned mackerel. The Nutrena came in 50 pound bags. Dad would buy 10 bags at a time and we used it from a metal pail probably 10+ gallon size. Looked like a mini trash can.
Never had a problem from shelf life.

Food you say? It was 13 full years ole Spot got the last bite of every sandwich I ate at home. Every damn one. And he knew it was coming, so he was as patient as he could muster. The carpet had a stain where he'd sit impatiently waiting. He knew dad was dependable if anything. So what food you say? What you're eating. If its good enough for you, its good enough for him.

As noted above, dog food lasts a very long time if handled appropriately. That said, I always buy smaller amounts than I could and purchase more often. I just like the idea of it being fresher. And no, dogs dig getting fed, not so much what they're being fed.

My only suggestion would be to have Agnes pick up the food dish after about 20 minutes whether the dog has eaten or not. It's a good practice to condition dogs to eat on a schedule, not whenever they get around to it. My hound gets fed twice a day, once around lunch and once around dinner time, and he's finished in less than five minutes after the bowl hits the floor.

quote:

Originally posted by Hobbs:
My neighbor of 5 years and with the same dog that lives on the enclosed back porch with the sliding door always slightly open, so the dog can come and go ... buys 50lbs of plain Purina Dog Food at a time and leaves the open bag on the back porch. Pretty much about all I can say is that the bag of dog food is out of the rain. And it lasts the one (big) dog (much) longer than a month. Haven't seen the dog sick yet ... but wouldn't recommend the same feeding (non) care.

Man, I can't imagined treating my 2 boys like that. I noticed with an opened bag, the smell of the food kind of disappeared after a week or so.
So now I keep the the dog food in one of these. They have it at Costco for 19.99 . A 35lb bag of Kirkland fits perfectly in it. It keeps the food smelling fresh for a long time.

https://bargainbabe.com/wp-con.../2017/06/vittles.jpg

Yes, my experience says they do care what it tastes like, but it won’t stop them from eating it if they’re hungry (maybe it’s the smell, too, but I’ve had mine turn their noses up before at a food they didn’t like, and I’ve respected that, or at least looked into why).

Yes, it can go bad. Depends on what kind of food, how it’s been stored, and what, if any, preservatives are used. Solid Gold, for example, went bad for me rather quickly, and I didn’t realize what was going on right away, because I hadn’t had that issue before. I had a Plott that went through a bag in a few weeks tops, so it wasn’t due to time, it was due to storage. I thought storing inside was sufficient, but it was a warm summer that year. Never used solid gold again after I figured it out. I just don’t have the storage capacity in my frig/freezer.

When I was little, my dad bought Tuffys food for our little pet mutt (back in the 70’s before designer dog food even existed). We stored it in a standard metal garbage can in our back hall. Every so often, he would take it out to the driveway and dump it out, for the crows to come pick out the bugs that had inevitably hatched. Childhood memories

ETA: are you concerned because the dog makes the food last for hours? That may be a normal trait for that dog..some are grazers, some gulpers, some are cachers... every dog is different. I have 2 that gulp, and 1 that grazes, and 1 that caches. Now, if this out of the typical behavior, I’d look closely at the food. Could be rancid, but in that time frame, I’d be checking ingredient list for preservatives.

Yes, dog food does go bad once exposed to air. Dumping it into a plastic bin is better than nothing but it won't significantly extend the useful life of the food unless you are vacuum sealing it each time you open it.

At our service dog facility, we stock food for 4 weeks. We won't use it after that amount of time.

Doesn't mean the dogs won't eat it, but they don't know any better. It's our job to take care of them.

Buying smaller bags more frequently is slightly more expensive, but it's important enough that it's worth it.

We keep our dry dog food in a 5 gal plastic bucket with a lid on it. It's easier to scoop out of a bucket than a bag, and it keeps the bugs out of it.

It's not around long enough to go stale, and I doubt if it'd matter to our two labs anyway. Hell, if I don't keep a close watch on them they go out in the pasture & eat horse turds, so it's not like they're picky eaters.

Yes sir, I agree that dog food can go bad, and keeping it in the manufacturers original bag is often helpful . The bags are designed to help keep the product fresh to the "Best Buy" date, and will be helpful, especially with some premium diets that have higher levels of omega 3 fatty acids. We just put the bag in the dog food bin, and close that to keep the bugs ( and the Lab) from getting to the food.
Smaller bags make sense if you are finding the food is not used by the expiration date, but otherwise it is more economical to buy big bags.
Dogs react more to smell then taste, as has been noted, but also to social cues and to pet owner behavior, so be careful thinking a dog does not like a food, when in reality they know not eating will get you to come give them treats or your food !

Our dogs definitely appreciate a "better tasting" dog food.

Our golden was having some allergy issues, but would eat his kibble "normally". No big rush, but wouldn't skip a meal either. Then my wife switched to some fresh, but frozen stuff from The Farmers Dog. Stuff is supposed to be healthier. It probably is better for him, but it certainly is EXPENSIVE. (allergies to appear to be better). Anyway - he absolutely LOVES this food. He can't control his excitement when we are getting it ready. He's jumping up and down, going crazy. Of course I make him "sit" before putting it down, but he is pretty much beside himself trying to wait. It's actually kind of funny.

Our other dog (black lab) - who would occasionally skip a meal or two or three (she's a weird lab) hasn't skipped a meal since switching.

quote:

Originally posted by dgrdvm:
The bags are designed to help keep the product fresh to the "Best Buy" date!

The "Best by" or "use by" date refers to the shelf life of an unopened bag. Once you open the bag, it's a different story.

I think ALL Dog food is crap, even the most expensive!
Look at the garbage they sell for humans to eat, can you imagine exactly what they make Dog food out of?
We had 4 large dogs. We always bought them the best rated dry food.I finally decided that for what I was paying for the dry food ($100 a bag)I should make food. I have been for about 3 years now.
I certainly don't save money but I know they are getting quality food.
We know have 2 large dogs, both can't wait to get fed every day.
I make the food in a 18 quart container and then divide it into 8 quart plastic containers. It then goes into the refrigerator.
12# of Costco 80% ground beef,8 sweet potatoes ground,4# carrots ground,2-3# of beets ground,1 large can of pumpkin,8 med. Apples ground, 8 bananas ground,12 eggs ground with shells,1 large jar of peanut butter,3/4 bag( large) of Quaker Oats until mixture is thick, 1 cup of salt(kosher), 1/4 cup of whole black pepper corns. All cooked.
If I only had 1 small dog, it certainly would get home made food.

quote:

Originally posted by Dr.Red:

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:
Dogs care less about what the good tastes like and more about how it smells.

For that reason, and to keep bugs and other things out, we stow our dogs' food in plastic container.

Bingo! As long as it’s kept dry and free of bugs it’s GTG. I’ve always steered clear of Amazon for dog food as well, I’ve heard horror stories about mold.

I've been feeding our Belgian Sheepdog Solid Gold Hund n Flocken since he has been able to eat adult dog food, over 14 years now. The last couple of years they stopped selling his brand of food locally, within 20 to 30 miles. I have been ordering it from Amazon since then. It gets here in two days and I have never had a problem with mold. How would the mold get into a sealed bag of dry dog food?