These foods are worthy of your consideration. Scan the brands and flavors to learn of many options.
------- Trying to simplify my life...
March 26, 2026, 06:15 AM
benny6
Have you heard about dogs in the wild that eat plants or grains, rich in carbs and fiber? Nope. We feed our dog what we eat; meat. Beef, chicken, fish, pork.
They get taurine from dark meats and organs, so cook up some liver or a chicken heart once in a while. Taurine is naturally highest in (a little help from AI):
-Dark poultry meat (chicken thighs/legs, not just breast) — significantly more than white meat.
-Turkey dark meat (often one of the richest common options).
-Fish and seafood (salmon, sardines, tilapia, shellfish like mussels or clams if you can source plain versions).
-Organ meats, especially heart (chicken or beef heart is excellent and affordable) and liver (in moderation, as it's nutrient-dense but shouldn't exceed ~5-10% of the diet long-term to avoid vitamin A excess).
If I can't expect to eat and thrive on kibble or commercial dog food, why should I expect my dog to?
These foods are worthy of your consideration. Scan the brands and flavors to learn of many options.
I am leaning toward making my own dog food, but this one seems to have the best ingredients so far from what I've seen (with a reasonable price). I may give this a try. My concern with making my own is simply the time involved.
These go to eleven.
March 26, 2026, 10:00 AM
TMats
I followed the Red Ridge link. We used to feed our GSD Fromm Rancherosa. It’s listed at $87 for a 26# bag. The Skoki dog food I posted on page 1 is also a 5-star rated food and costs us about $65 for a 40# sack. Using my ratio/proportion math from school days, that makes 40# of the Rancherosa, $133.85!
_______________________________________________________ despite them
March 26, 2026, 10:05 AM
Pizza Bob
We have a neighbor who works animal rescue and for her dogs she uses Annamaet. She said that she has researched it and even spoken to the owner of the company. We have been using it for almost three years for our GSP and she is thriving. There are different varieties and they are available through Amazon.
Adios,
Pizza Bob
NRA Benefactor Member
March 26, 2026, 12:36 PM
tatortodd
My neighbors have an awesome, friendly dog that is 50% English bulldog and 50% boxer so not too different from OP's dog. I asked him what he feeds the dog and this was his reply:
quote:
This is what we’ve been feeding her. No digestive issues at all. Purina® Pro Plan Complete Essentials Shredded Blend Adult Dry Dog Food - Chicken & Rice
She licks her paws a lot so the vet recommended switching her to salmon version because of allergies. Will try it next time I buy her food.
Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity
DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.
March 26, 2026, 03:07 PM
hapevo
quote:
Originally posted by benny6: Have you heard about dogs in the wild that eat plants or grains, rich in carbs and fiber? Nope. We feed our dog what we eat; meat. Beef, chicken, fish, pork.
They get taurine from dark meats and organs, so cook up some liver or a chicken heart once in a while. Taurine is naturally highest in (a little help from AI):
-Dark poultry meat (chicken thighs/legs, not just breast) — significantly more than white meat.
-Turkey dark meat (often one of the richest common options).
-Fish and seafood (salmon, sardines, tilapia, shellfish like mussels or clams if you can source plain versions).
-Organ meats, especially heart (chicken or beef heart is excellent and affordable) and liver (in moderation, as it's nutrient-dense but shouldn't exceed ~5-10% of the diet long-term to avoid vitamin A excess).
If I can't expect to eat and thrive on kibble or commercial dog food, why should I expect my dog to?
Just my thoughts on the matter.
Tony.
100% on this Benny.
We have been home cooking for our dogs since 2014. Our ingredents are pretty much the same as benny6 uses. We do add some supplements like seaweed calcium and Lyon's Mane Mushroom powder.
Our oldest lived to be 19, second one made it to 18, and our current senior just turned 17. Sadly we lost one at 13 to congestive heart failure.
Our vet mentioned the other day that our 17 year old is the oldest dog in her practice which has five vets on staff. And she a an advocate of raw or lightly cooked meals.
______________________________________________
"Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever." - Karen Davison
"Man can measure the values of his own soul in the look of the eyes of an animal he's helped" - Author Unkown
March 27, 2026, 07:19 AM
Aglifter
If you have a malamute, etc then yes, it was bred on a meat diet.
Most other dogs have been on a diet similar to humans for millennia.
Until… what WWII? dogs lived off scraps, and left overs.
I had a Boston with stomach issues - what finally worked was making food for him - an instapot would have made that very simple.
Dog and equine genetics collapsed on quality, after WWII - but most vets have suggested recipes for dogs - at least mine did.
March 27, 2026, 11:32 AM
Prefontaine
Having done rescue work and training working dogs since 2008, and have trained k9’s for 30+ years at this point, this food thing is complicated. I have an older Mal currently and she gets a mix of Nutro. 2 flavors mixed for every meal. When I rescued her (1 year old) I went through various brands/flavors until I figured out her stool. That’s the goal, figure out the stool. Grains or no grains. If the stool is right, then it’s right for them. The working line GSD breeder I’ve used in the past, their kennel is all Nutro. But food is very much breed and individual k9 dependent. You just keep trying food, rotated in, in very small amounts until you figure out what works. My Mal I had her on very premium kibble in the beginning, and it didn’t work, so I dialed it back and eventually went with Nutro. But Nutro isn’t some magic food, you just have to try decent brands until you get it right.
What am I doing? I'm talking to an empty telephone
March 27, 2026, 12:41 PM
Fly-Sig
quote:
Originally posted by hapevo:
We have been home cooking for our dogs since 2014. Our ingredents are pretty much the same as benny6 uses. We do add some supplements like seaweed calcium and Lyon's Mane Mushroom powder.
A couple of quick questions if you don't mind:
1) How often do you cook for the dog? e.g. Once per week, daily, etc.
2) Do you freeze pre-prepared food for long term storage?
March 27, 2026, 01:08 PM
benny6
quote:
Originally posted by Fly-Sig:
quote:
Originally posted by hapevo:
We have been home cooking for our dogs since 2014. Our ingredents are pretty much the same as benny6 uses. We do add some supplements like seaweed calcium and Lyon's Mane Mushroom powder.
A couple of quick questions if you don't mind:
1) How often do you cook for the dog? e.g. Once per week, daily, etc.
2) Do you freeze pre-prepared food for long term storage?
I sometimes cook up to 2 weeks of food in one sitting and I bag them in individual snack bags that cover 2 to 3 meals. I put them in the freezer and pull out one every day or two. Sometimes I run out and I just scramble an egg for him when we make our eggs in the AM and I slice some meat for him when we eat meat for dinner. He also gets some cheese and some leftover rice (the wife eats rice, not me).
When we do cook for him, it's either ground beef, pork or turkey and it's mixed with peas and carrots and sweet potatoes.
Note: my dog is a 14 pound Bichon Frise. He doesn't eat much compared to someone with a larger breed. If I had a larger dog, I'd just cook as if there was a 4th person in the house.
1) How often do you cook for the dog? e.g. Once per week, daily, etc.
2) Do you freeze pre-prepared food for long term storage?[/QUOTE]
I usually cook main proteins twice a month and freeze them in containers that hold 2 pounds each. I rotate the proteins often.
I'll cook the organ meats once a month in the InstaPot once a month and freeze them in smaller containers.
I prep their breakfast and dinner once a day. I should have prepped meals frozen ready to go, one of these days, lol.
I try and have a lot of back up ready in the freezer.
______________________________________________
"Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever." - Karen Davison
"Man can measure the values of his own soul in the look of the eyes of an animal he's helped" - Author Unkown
March 27, 2026, 09:05 PM
irreverent
I feed Nutro to my dogs. Supplement with beef or chicken broth whenever I make those items, freeze leftovers and feed it out with whatever scraps I have around. It works for us. I am not a fan of grain free. Dogs are omnivores.
__________________________
"Trust, but verify."
March 28, 2026, 08:53 AM
snwghst
I’ve been happy with Fromm for many years. I rotate between the flavors each time so they don’t get bored.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Live today as if it may be your last and learn today as if you will live forever
March 28, 2026, 09:17 AM
gojoe
Tractor Supply, the 4-Health brand in a flavor the dog likes.
March 28, 2026, 02:18 PM
Nontypical
We feed our dogs Royal Canin.This message has been edited. Last edited by: Nontypical,
March 28, 2026, 07:44 PM
jaaron11
Purina Pro Plan was recommended by our vet when we got Wrigley six years ago. We've never seen any reason to change. He likes it, he's healthy, and we can get it delivered via Amazon Subscribe and Save.
J
Rak Chazak Amats
March 28, 2026, 08:53 PM
reflex/deflex 64
When living on the farm our dogs ate as much corn as the cattle, ie., all they could get. Coyotes will clean up a gut pile from a deer including everything in the intestinal tract.
----------The weather is here I wish you were beautiful----------
March 29, 2026, 05:16 AM
sourdough44
I do the 4Health from Tractor Supply. Like any, they have many types & flavors, high fat, ‘active’, senior, whatever.
I get a good quality, but don’t want her to overeat anyway. Say you got a high fat ‘puppy chow’, they’d gobble it up. My 11 year old Shepherd will eat her food straight, when she’s hungry. At times I put a dollop of cheap Great Value gravy on some, as a treat. I also may add a portion of a can of cheap dog food, or even Enders from cooking.
I’d experiment a little. I know dogs like to scrounge, but I kinda feel if they get hungry, more likely to eat what you offer. A little Parmesan or sprinkled cheese makes most any dry food palatable.