# Help me pick a new dog food. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 4, 2017, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-dog-food/776283 "2017-01-04T00:08:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Brodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Brodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brodi)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-dog-food/776283/1 "2017-01-04T00:08:01Z")
I have three dogs: Deputy, 9 years old, 70lbs, not really all that active, but not overweight. Mysti, 3-5 years old, 40lbs, athletic with nearly zero body fat. Kieber, 3 years old, 13-15lbs (hasn’t been weighed in awhile), moderately active, but turning into a lap dog as he ages, plus has back issues. Not overweight. Right now they are free fed 4Health Little Bites by Tractor Supply. The only reason they are on it is that it was the only food my late Pit Bull mix, Zane, could eat. Now that he is no longer with us I would like to get a food for them that is widely available. No known allergies. No health conditions requiring specialized diets. It has to be dry and come in a bag over 20lbs. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-dog-food/776283/2 "2017-01-04T00:39:25Z")
Our 5-6 year old shih tzu always eats Purina One Small Bites, we get the beef and rice formula. He seems to enjoy it, although I always add a good teaspoon of pumpkin to it. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-dog-food/776283/3 "2017-01-04T00:44:38Z")
I’m not sure what size bags it’s available in, we get a 10 or 11 pound bag, but I know it comes larger. Sorry, just remembered you said 20 pound size. 😊 ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-dog-food/776283/4 "2017-01-04T01:11:13Z")
My dogs are all setters, thus high energy. I have been feeding Victor High Energy dog food for the last 4 years with good results. I get it from [Chewy.Com](http://Chewy.Com) on a biweekly delivery of a 40 lb bag. One of my boys is 12 years old, so I tried feeding him a senior food for a while. It didn’t seem to have any noticeable benefits above and beyond the high energy formula, so I went to back to feeding all my dogs the high energy formula. It is easier, obviously, when all dogs in the house can eat the same formula. Victor is a premium brand and well rated, but is not as pricey as most of the premium brands since they don’t advertise. They have a number of formulas, one of which might be perfect for your gang. ---
**Author:** ![Brodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Brodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brodi)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-dog-food/776283/5 "2017-01-04T02:39:48Z")
> [@Patx2](#): > > I’m not sure what size bags it’s available in, we get a 10 or 11 pound bag, but I know it comes larger. Sorry, just remembered you said 20 pound size. 😊 You’re good, it comes in bags over 20lbs.🙂 > [@stillownedbysetters](#): > > My dogs are all setters, thus high energy. I have been feeding Victor High Energy dog food for the last 4 years with good results. I get it from [Chewy.Com](http://Chewy.Com) on a biweekly delivery of a 40 lb bag. > > One of my boys is 12 years old, so I tried feeding him a senior food for a while. It didn’t seem to have any noticeable benefits above and beyond the high energy formula, so I went to back to feeding all my dogs the high energy formula. It is easier, obviously, when all dogs in the house can eat the same formula. > > Victor is a premium brand and well rated, but is not as pricey as most of the premium brands since they don’t advertise. They have a number of formulas, one of which might be perfect for your gang. I’ve seen their ads and looked at their site a time or time. That food sounds good, too. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-dog-food/776283/6 "2017-01-04T13:40:38Z")
I feed our dogs [Merrick’s Backcountry](http://www.merrickpetcare.com/dogs/backcountry) food. I’m very pleased with the [results](http://s681.photobucket.com/user/kayaker01/media/20141005_181355_zpsbdc256c3.jpg.html). I buy 25(?) pound bags. A bit pricey, but worth it IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-dog-food/776283/7 "2017-01-04T14:05:26Z")
I’d recommend the Fromm line from long experience, but mostly I’d recommend [Chewy.com](http://Chewy.com) to give you vast selection at very good prices, and free shipping to boot. Buying large bags of dog food online is not something I ever foresaw… ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-dog-food/776283/8 "2017-01-04T23:34:48Z")
I used to give my dog Purina Dog Chow. He likes the Alpo better, but it is not his only food. My dog gets a fair portion of what I cook and eat myself, including fresh meat and vegetables, and I think it’s healthier than spending a lot more money on a small brand made with salmon and sweet potato, or suchlike. ---
**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-dog-food/776283/9 "2017-01-05T01:58:52Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > I’d recommend the Fromm line from long experience, but mostly I’d recommend [Chewy.com](http://Chewy.com) to give you vast selection at very good prices, and free shipping to boot. > > Buying large bags of dog food online is not something I ever foresaw… We give our dogs Fromm. We just give them the standard purple bag, but they have increasingly fancy offerings that peaks a grain-free rabbit and duck blend. But for multiple dogs (we have three), here’s what they get. [Fromm standard dry food.](https://frommfamily.com/products/classic/dog/dry/#adult) ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-dog-food/776283/10 "2017-01-05T02:20:01Z")
About once a month, I buy the cheapest chicken at the local market, usually bone-in thighs, usually under a buck a pound. I put about 6 pounds of this in my big stockpot, along with a couple of pounds of gizzards (these are usually $2 a pound), cover with water and simmer for an hour. Take out the thighs, let cool, pull off the meat, fat, skin, and cartilage…throw away the bones, return the rest to the pot along with two cups of rice and a few large carrots, sliced, and some salt. Boil, cover, turn heat to low for a half hour, then shut off the stove and let the rice suck up the broth for the rest of the afternoon. Eventually it’s a solid mass of food. I freeze it in quart Chinese food containers. It’s enough food for a month for my two 15 pound poodles, and even cheaper than dry commercial dog food. They also get table scraps. And our vet says “Your dogs are certainly livin’ the life, aren’t they?” ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-dog-food/776283/11 "2017-01-05T03:10:44Z")
My buy my dog food from a natural pet store and feed him ’ Grandma Mae’s Country Naturals '. It has no grains and no chicken , my dog can’t eat chicken. I never buy dog food from a grocery store their pet food is junk ! My dog just saw the vet today and the vet was pleases with dog weight , he a small dog and his weight has been good on this food. It good for dogs of all ages and sizes. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-dog-food/776283/12 "2017-01-05T11:53:53Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > About once a month, I buy the cheapest chicken at the local market, usually bone-in thighs, usually under a buck a pound. I’ve heard of homemade diets such as you are providing being problematic wrt calcium. Some people crush/bake eggshells into the food or add bonemeal. ---
**Author:** ![Emergency911](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/43a26b/32.png) [@Emergency911](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emergency911)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-dog-food/776283/13 "2017-01-05T14:11:24Z")
I’ve been feeding my Labs Diamond brand food for years. [http://www.diamondpet.com/](http://www.diamondpet.com/) It’s not the cheapest, but far from the most expensive and my Vet said it was fine. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-dog-food/776283/14 "2017-01-05T14:44:18Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I’ve heard of homemade diets such as you are providing being problematic wrt calcium. Some people crush/bake eggshells into the food or add bonemeal. When we eat yoghurt, we let them lick out the bowls! ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-new-dog-food/776283/15 "2017-01-05T15:00:32Z")
I fed Diamond Naturals chicken and rice for many years, until my English Setter developed skin problems and the vet recommended trying different foods. I started he on Purina ONE True Instinct, venison and turkey. The LOVE it and are all doing wonderfully on it. It’s about $39/36 lbs.