Getting a dog - please recommend dog food and chew toys

In My Humble Opinion
1

Hi - we’re getting a border collie (1 1/2 years old, female, spayed), and I’m wondering what kind of dog food Dopers would recommend.

She’s been fed no-name brand dog food from Costco, but I don’t know much about it. My previous dog always got IAMs but I’ve heard some bad things about the quality since then.

I know she used to chew when she was a puppy, and I’m a little concerned that she might revert to that behaviour with the trauma of the move. So I thought some kick-ass chew toys might help train her re: what she is allowed to chew.

Any help is appreciated …

Thank you,
S.

2

This page adresses some of the concerns about ingredients in pet foods which may be harmful, with a helpful chart that compares a few brands. I know, I know, they’re trying to sell pet food themselfves, but the information is pretty good.

You should avoid any pet food which has BHT, BHA, Ethoxyquin or EQ in it. This page adresses some of the health problems these chemicals cause. This page has a lot of helpful links.

This is not to say that you can’t feed your dog any commercial pet foods: just that some brands are better than others, and you should read the ingredients carefully before deciding.

It’s hard to recommend a chew toy because each dog likes something different. I can recommend a toy called a “Kong.” Hate to be crude, but it looks like a big, red, hollow turd. Stuff it with peanut butter and a few buscuits. Put it in the freezer overnight, and give it to your dog when you leave in the morning. She’ll have hours of yummy fun.

Some dogs like soft plush toys. You can sometimes buy stuffed animals made for children at discount stores at a much cheaper price than pet stores. Just make sure there are no plastic parts that the dog can choke on.

If your dog is one of those who love to rip toys apart, they sell some that has strong Velcro holding all the pieces in place. You dog gets the joy of ripping something apart, and you can simply put it back together aftewards.

Don’t give your dog real bones or rawhide. Both of those could be potentially harmful for your pet. Yes, people give them to dog all the time, and most of the time no harm is done, but the potential is still there. Splinters in the stomach, blockage . . . these are things you shouldn’t have to worry about with your dog’s toys.

Do not give the dog any of your old posessions as his toys. They smell like you and it’s too confusing: he’ll start thinking that all of your stuff is his to play with. A good way to teach your dog what is his is to put a drop of lemon juice or vanilla on all of his posessions. He’ll start associating that smell with his posessions, and know that anything that doesn’t smell like that isn’t his.

I’d suggest just getting a variety of toys and see what he plays with the most. You can always pass on unwanted toys to friends who have dogs. (Hint, hint! :smiley: )

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Lucky you! I love herding dogs.

A lot will depend on the dog. You can get those big rubber Kong toys and stuff them with peanut butter or small dog cookies. My dogs aren’t really chewers, but my Sasha liked those big chewable rope toys. She also liked some of the soft stuffed toys that squeak. (None of my other dogs really care for toys. Once in a blue moon Bouncer will play with one of Sasha’s old toys, but that’s about it.)

(Note: I used K-V Vet links because I shop with them, but I have no affiliation with them. I’m just a happy customer.)

As far as food goes, we’ve fed Solid Gold Hund-n-flocken to our dogs for most of the time we’ve had them. My Cammie dog (Australian Shepherd) has sensitive skin, and the Solid Gold worked well at keeping her skin problems to a minimum.

(Two of my dogs are now on Eukanuba Kidney Diet, but that’s cuz they’re old and their kidneys are starting to fail.)

Good luck! Post pictures when you have them! And have fun with your new dog.

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Thank you both - I’ve heard of those Kong toys, but not the peanut butter trick … very cool.

I’m off to the store now to get a longer leash (for some reason I bought a 4’ one), some toys and a brush.

I’m not getting her until Friday, so I have a little time to research the food aspect.

S.

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I second the Kong recommendation. (Note that they come in several sizes: I don’t think a Border Collie needs the largest.)

However, to really keep her from getting bored, you need to provide her with a couple of sheep or a wayward child.

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We used to have a border collie. My cousin and I would get out remote-controlled cars, and the dog would “herd” them. Fun for both species, it was.

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Solid Gold is a good food and pretty easy to find nowadays.

So is Fromm (harder to find) or Eagle Pack (easier to find).

I currently feed Innova ( http://www.naturapet.com ) and am REALLY happy with it. It gives the guys nice coats (my show dog looks smashing!), makes them poop less (cuz you feed less/less filler in the food) and our guy with the sensitive tummy has been on a roll of no assplosions and no upsettings!

I can’t say enough good about this food - when the dog gets older and you switch to senior food, it contains glucosamine and all that jazz for joints and such. Woo! My old boy loves it!

When it comes to toys - Kong toys are great, so are dental ropes if the dog likes to tug. If she likes fetching and frisbees, set your paws on some Aerobie Dogobie (or Squidgie) frisbees. They are soft, easy to throw, and the dogs LOOOOOOVE them. Also good are the H2O floating toys. If pup likes problem solving, my guys really like the I-Qube toy… and, of course, no one can go wrong with a Buster Cube! Hours of entertainment right there. :smiley:

8

My dogs get Wellness dog food, at the suggestion of their groomer. I haven’t noticed much of a difference activity or coat wise from Science Diet (which I used to feed them) but they sure do like the taste!

Toy wise, I’m a big fan of going to the thrift store and picking up used small stuffed animals. You can buy them for about a quarter each. The doggies tear them up and love 'em. However, I’m starting to rethink this after I finally broke down and bought a $5 dog toy from Target for them. The Target toy is seemingly indestructable. Maybe I just got lucky but this thing LASTS, and they love it. Plus, I don’t have to painstakingly pull off every little bow and eye and nose before I give 'em to the dogs.

They also like their Kongs.

They get rawhide on occasion too. Ya ya ya I know it’s supposed to be bad for them but so far, giving them a rawhide once a month or so hasn’t seemed to have done any harm. I buy the hard pressed rawhide bones. They love 'em.

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Also, you should enroll your dog in an obedience class, if you don’t think she’ll be too bored, or an agility class. This is good not just for her, but also as a way for the two of you to bond.

We feed our dogs Iams, but they have stomaches of steel and can eat just about anything. You might buy some of her usual cheap Costco stuff at first and introduce the new stuff slowly, if she shows signs of tummy trouble. She very well may have no trouble at all; it depends on the dog.

Get her microchipped at her vet, if she isn’t already. Establish house rules with her quickly, before she has time to learn anything different.

You can buy a few different kinds of toys and see which she takes to, and then stock up. They go through toys very quickly! You might keep her favorite toy away from her until you leave her for the day. That can be her “I’m all alone toy” and a comfort to her while you are gone.

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Border collie owner here.

Leashes: don’t get a long one. Keep the short one. The leash is for walking your dog under control. Walk him to where you’re taking him to play, and then take him off the leash when it’s time to play. Don’t get a longer leash thinking, “oh, he’ll get more exercise on this.” Longer leashes get tangled, and allow the dog to build up slack and get a running start when they see something they want, and basically just make it harder to control your dog. The retractable leashes are the most expensive, and the WORST. Don’t get one.

Toys: my BC loves to fetch, so a cheap ball is fine. Try to teach him to fetch. It’s great exercise. He likes to fetch in the house, too. Outdoors, he’s happy fetching a stick. Very cheap.

Food: My border collie (on Science Diet originally and then Iams) always had VERY dry hair, some itching problems, and was getting even a little patchy at 6. We switched foods to Verus and his coat has become shinier, fuller, and not as dry.

But, I think Verus is only local to Maryland (could be wrong). The point here is this: food can make a difference, and I think the health of your dog’s coat is a great indicator of how good the food is FOR HIM.

Generally, a BC needs exercise exercise exercise. Nothing will make him happier. If you don’t have a large area to play in, then start jogging, and bring him with you. Onthe bright side, in 6 or 7 years, he’ll start to calm down.

11

oops. I thought Verus was local to Maryland and THENI found that link.

Also,

Instead of

“Onthe bright side, in 6 or 7 years, he’ll start to calm down.”

I meant to write. . .

“Onthe bright side, in 6 or 7 years, he’ll start to calm down. BWAHAHAHAHA.”

12

Thanks everyone - I pick her up tomorrow night and I can’t wait!!!

I think she has enough toys to start with - I got one of each ‘type’ and this way I can see which ones she enjoys the most.

jeevwoman - I like your suggestion about saving the favourite toy for when we’re out!

Once she’s fully trained (she’s about 3/4 of the way there) and we’ve bonded enough, I definitely plan to get her into agility. And she’ll also be my exercise buddy in the mornings and evenings.

So far I’ve bought her a brush, leash, collar, kennel, 2 blankets, dog dishes, toothbrush, Nylabone, Kong, chew rope, stuffed animal, treats for training, and Iams biscuits.

I also bought the book by the Monks of New Skete - How to Make Your Dog Your Best Friend (the updated version). Most of it is stuff I’ve already used on previous dogs, but it had some great tips!

S.

13

One thing re: Nylabones - Tino used to love these, but small bits of the plastic would lodge in his throat and trigger his vomiting reflex. So we had to stop giving them to him. It may not be an issue with a dog who is not a power chewer, but Tino is a dog who, once he finds something nice to chew, will work on it until it is utterly destroyed.

Border collies are clever doggies, so you might also look at a puzzle toy to occupy her.

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Based on a couple of recommendations in previous threads I started feeding my dog Canidae. My dog loves it and there was a noticable difference in his coat within 2 weeks. Also, you can switch a dog over to it in one step - you don’t need to do it gradually- and there are no poop issues.

Kongs are good toys, as are the puzzle cubes. However, never overlook the simplicity of a tennis ball.

15

We use NutroMax Natural Choice for our mutt. She likes the regular stuff, but won’t eat the senior to save her life.

She gets pigskin treats that don’t splinter (but they do stink) and by her bouncy barking reaction, she loves them. I get them at Target.

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That’s a great book!

We have a plush football that squeaks and a lambswool (white plush stuff) doll that squeaks. Molly the Wonder Dog knows the difference between “Get your football” and “Get your Dolly.” She loves both of them.
She also has some tennis balls that are great for playing catch. Don’t buy them at the pet store, though - they’re way over-priced. Just get a can of them at Target or Wal-Mart. My dog also chews on them, like it’s a piece of gum. Very odd.

I have a question about the Kongs. Lissa, you freeze the peanut butter inside? Does the PB get all over the floor?
I have a quick question about the rawhides, if you don’t mind me hijacking the thread for a moment.
I have a lab (adopted at 3 from some friends of friends), and the people we got her from said she went through one or two a week. I’d always heard they were dangerous, and was a little leery about giving them to her, but bought one anyway. She has yet to actually eat it. Instead, she just sort of gnaws on it, and licks it. She carries it around a lot, kind of like a security blanket. When we come home from being gone, she runs and gets it and shows it to us, as if to say, “See my bone!” The she drops it and gets petted.
When she goes out in the yard, she takes it with her, and drops it right outside the door. Then she picks it back up on her way back in. What is with this odd behavior?

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[QUOTE=jeevmon]
One thing re: Nylabones - Tino used to love these, but small bits of the plastic would lodge in his throat and trigger his vomiting reflex. So we had to stop giving them to him. It may not be an issue with a dog who is not a power chewer, but Tino is a dog who, once he finds something nice to chew, will work on it until it is utterly destroyed.
QUOTE]

Another thing re. Nylabones - I bought these for my dogs and, once they got a little bit chewed, there were some sharp edges caused by the chewing. I had to take them away from my dogs as their mouths both started bleeding and the bones were covered in blood. I think hard rubber toys and tennis balls are the best. One of my dogs likes a Kong stuffed with biscuits, the other one disdains it.

My younger dog, Dylan, was a year old when I got him last year [he’s half border collie], and for the first six months he had a war on plastic - destroying Remote controls, answering machine, phones, nylon collars, leads and harnesses, and even the double glazed cat flap on the back door. He seems to be settling down now, though I’ve learned to put small plastic items on shelves where he can’t reach them.

Good luck with your new dog, Stainz :slight_smile:

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Yeah, you put it inside. it’s got a rather narrow opening, so the dog really has to work at it to get it out. I’ve never had a problem with it getting on the floor, so either it doesn’t, or my dog licks the carpet clean.

If she tears off little bits of it, it can ball together in the stomach, and get lodged in the intestinal tract. Some of them have bad chemicals in the hide, but probably not enough to really harm her if all she has is this one bone.

As I said before, you’ll probably never see an ill effect from it: but it’s possible. Many dogs have died needlessly. It’s just a risk I personally prefer not to take, especially with so many alternatives available.

Just a dog being a dog.

In the first behavior, she’s presenting you a gift: her favorite posession. It’s a bit of doggy anthrpromorphication (would that be caninemorphication?). She doesn’t realize you think the thing is gross. She’s assuming you want it just as much as she does. She lays it at your feet to placate the Alpha Dog and his mate. Apparently, it works, because Alpha Dog pets her when she does it. It’s a Good Thing.

The second behavior is similar to putting down your briefcase before getting a newspaper. You want it where you know its location, but your hands (in her case, mouth) must be free to pick up other things. She can always keep her eye on it, but still be free to try to eat a grasshopper.

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Like I said, she’s not eating it, she just carries it around and occasionally licks it. It’s not really gross - it’s a little dirty, but it’s dry. Not slimy and half-gnawed, like the ones that belong to our friend’s dogs. When we come home (of one of us comes home) and she brings it to us, we always say, “I see your bone! What a nice bone!” and pet her. Yeah, we’re morons who cater waaay too much to our pets. :wink:
I’ll have to try the PB in the Kong. She’d LOVE that.
I thought of another good toy. We call it her Rag Bone, but it’s not made of rags. It’s a bone made of strings, tightly twisted into a bone shape, with knots. Beyond the knots, the strings are loose and fringy. She loves that one, too. She can chew on it like crazy. She’ll throw it up in the air and catch it.
They come in several different sizes, too, for tiny little dogs all the way up to big beasties. Here’s one. (no idea on the website, I just Googled “dog toys.”)

20

Allow me to support this. Ethoxyquin nearly killed my beloved dog D.J. She started developing horrible skin rashes, really bad stuff, at around 3-4 years old. No treatment helped and she was in terrible discomfort. Our veterinarian insisted it was a “flea allergy,” which was remarkable in that she did not have fleas. This went on for well over a year.

After seeing an article about ethoxyquin we checked and, sure enough, it was in her food. We switched foods. The rashes were gone in a week and never recurred.

We switched vets, too.

As to toys, I am surprised nobody has recommended a few tubes of tennis balls. Tennis balls are ideal dog balls; they’re soft, kind of fuzzy, the right size, durable as hell, easy for you to throw, and very cheap. Kongs are good too, though pricier. Some dogs love stuffed toys, too - D.J. adored this ugly-ass thing called a “Lurky,” which was apparently a Strawberry Shortcake character - but look out for plastic noses or other things that can break off.

The “Rag bones” Bibiocat refers to are also excellent toys, durable, and cheap. I’ve never seen a dog that didn’t love them.