I spend a little extra on my dog food and go only to pet stores that specialize in natural, organic foods.  I'm lucky that here in Denver/Boulder we have several to choose from.

My family always kinda chided me for "spoiling" my dogs and treating them like children rather than animals.  Just because i didn't feed them alpo i guess and spent more than most people do to give them the very best.

And now -- in the news all the bad things that have come out about the companies that put cutting corners above the wellness of our pets.  Not saying they did it intentionally but it sounds like now it was chemicals to enhance the protein rating of food that has been making so many sick or dying.

My family actually thinks differently now and tells me I was really smart to be so choosy when i buy things for my dogs!

It's sad that it takes a health crisis for people to question the mass marketing machine -- and think about what they are putting into their own and their pets bodies.  I would encourage people to support small batch, small company feed producers that emphasize organic ingredients. 

The Whole Dog Journal is an excellent reference for good ones.

I consider myself really lucky. I have had the good fortune, along with a lot of others out there, of choosing a healthy, natural dog food for my three canine friends. But a lot of others have not had that good fortune, which is really a shame.

It all started with the Menu Foods Recall, which encompasses over 50 brands of dog food. That was a shock to millions in itself. But as the days go on, more & more brands have been recalled. Many due to the wheat issue, and now because of the rice. It seems like it is never going to end!

I stated earlier that I considered myself lucky. But our dog's good fortune didn't come easily and without pain. See, my dog Bandit, whom I love with all my heart, became paralyzed in the hind legs one night back in December. Needless to say, we were freaking. It was so sad to see him in this state. We felt so helpless. I mean, you can't just look at your dog and say, "Hey, what's wrong Bandit?" and receive a reply.

So we rushed him to the Vet to get looked at. To make a long story short, he had cancer on his spine. We had it removed and all is good at this point. But the story doesn't stop there.

When I got home, I went to the internet to look for information. I had no clue where to start, so I went to Google and typed in different searches. I accidentally stumbled across a website that talked about commercial dog foods and all the problems associated with it. It also listed what the recommended dog foods were.

So I said to myself, "Enough is enough.", and I began to educate myself about dog food. I began reading all about commercial dog foods, natural dog foods, and organic dog foods. I was on a mission to fix things, as most men try to do, much to the chagrin of our female partners. Hot tip for the guys out there: Women hate when you try to fix everything in there lives...they just want you to listen.

Anyway, we decided on Canidae Dog Food

We felt it was the best choice, based upon research, and the fact that we have 3 dogs at all different stages in life. The dogs seem to love it, and we feel good because we know that this food is good for them.

Edited by: dogcritic on Aug 20, 2007 11:22:22 AM

Are you still happy with Canidae?  I have been wanting to switch and after reading lots of info it seems like that and  Innova are the favorites.  Thank you!

Edited by: JenJen on Aug 20, 2007 4:52:05 PM

Edited by: Tupelo Phenomenon on Aug 30, 2007 9:48:07 AM

Edited by: chinchillables on Jun 4, 2008 11:06:50 AM

We've been feeding our dogs and cats natural, raw, whole organic food for over several years now. They thrive on it... much like people do when eating well of course.

I don't know why I was surprised when I found out how empty and unnatural most standard pet brands are (including some I had always considered to be quite healthy). The food industry has done so with human's food, so why wouldn't we think otherwise about our pet's food?

For example... cornmeal in cat food? Cat's are not grain fed animals. My vet informed me that most tooth problems in cats come from the cornmeal fillers in most commercial cat food (too much vitamin D).

I am so pleased that natural pet stores seem to be popping up all over the place these days. You can also order it online.

Edited by: chinchillables on Sep 13, 2008 12:02:01 PM

I have cats. Few of the problems related to feeding cheaper foods are, teeth and gum problems, urinary tract problems in male cats and weight issues. I've also heard that cats don't have the enzymes to properly digest grains. Which makes sense in that cats and dogs are carnevours. A number of the makers of the higher quality pet foods are making grain free/whole food products. I feel that my cats are healthier (fewer vet bills) and they look healthier (shinier fur, maintain healthy weight).  A few of the brands that I've tried and like are EVO, Innova, and Wellness. The brand with corn and other grain fillers are like feeding them junk food says my vet.

Edited by: chinchillables on Oct 26, 2008 7:34:14 PM