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Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul--good brand or no?

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Post  allaboutourdogs Sun Aug 29, 2010 7:50 am

I was feeding Alex, my golden retriever dog Eagle Pack up until now, but then I got into a golden retriever care discussion with a friend about raw feeding. She lives at home still and works full time and can afford to do so, I can't. So, we got into a discussion about dry dog food and what would be the best one. I spent a few hours looking into many brands available in my area, and after reviewing many, I decided to try Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul. I also want to switch my cats to this, and we just bought them a bag so we're switching them over.

What I'd like to know is if this brand is something others have tried on their golden retrievers as well, and how have the results been? I know from reading the ingredients and doing my research on dog food and dog food quality, along with things that should and shouldn't be in there, that it's actually a good food so far as ingredients go. Still, I'd like to hear from others who have fed their golden retriever dogs this, and see if it has been a good food for them?

I also wouldn't mind recommendations on other dogs foods, and why you might think they are better if you do.

Thanks! Very Happy
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Post  Emma Mon Aug 30, 2010 12:33 am

Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul--good brand or no? 378185

Hello and welcome here Smile

I feed raw, I think it is the best thing I could do. However there are several brands of kibble that are good quality, yet not all work for a specific dog. For instance I have had major problems with Acana, and as a result I will never recommend it, even if the ingredients listed are super. And I have heard numerous accounts pointing into the same direction, too.

What I worry most about dog food is that ingredients are not listed in percents. They list meat, perhaps even origin, but many many companies do not list a % of meat, veggies, etc. One can only guess...Besides they split ingredients of the same class (i.e. rice, brown rice, rice something) so it is extremely difficult to tell exactly how many fillers and in what quantity are they present in the food. Many also add fillers that are causing big problems on the long term (gluten is an allergenic for dogs) yet many use it because it adds to the quantity of food. I like to be in control of what a dog eats, so I chose raw for many reasons. No more recall lists visited every morning, I know exactly what's in the food, it's much healthier (this being the main reason).

This being said some dogs thrive of certain brands and do terrible on others. This site http://dogfoodanalysis.com/ has compiled a list of brands and it stars them according to the ingredients the companies listed on the food. I hope it helps to make a decision.
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Post  Emma Mon Aug 30, 2010 12:36 am

I would also stay away from carbs, dogs do not need those, and certainly not in the huge quantities some kibble has. Dogs are primarily carnivores, and their digestive system cannot process grains. Grains are the major culprit in many allergy cases...
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Post  allaboutourdogs Mon Aug 30, 2010 4:54 am

What a coincidence. My Golden also had a problem when we used Acana. I guess this is not fit for a Goldie.
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Post  allaboutourdogs Mon Aug 30, 2010 4:57 am

Thank you for the website, I found out that it has fairly good rating. I think I might try the brand. If Alex does not like it, I can always go back to the previous brand.
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Post  Emma Mon Aug 30, 2010 11:53 am

yes, of course Smile There are many brands to choose from, and if you buy smaller bags you won't have to regret the decision of Alex does not love it Smile Just make sure you do the right transition to avoid Alex getting the runs.

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Post  allaboutourdogs Tue Aug 31, 2010 2:27 pm

Thank you. Yes, I'll buy the smallest pack. If only they give free trials to dog foods, accessories, shampoo, and such, life would be simpler for us owners and for our dogs! Haha! I wish. lol!
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Post  Emma Thu Sep 02, 2010 5:36 am

Smile That would be great, indeed haha. Well here they also sell small quantities (as much as you want) but I don't like open bags...So even when I fed kibble I used to buy big bags...The last one was donated Smile

Right now Emma is going to enjoy a cooked meal for her. I rarely cook for her, but I think she deserves her favorite food once in a while. She makes some sweet sounds sometimes, something like mmm when I give her cooked food Smile I cook separately, of course, her food does not have spices or salt in it Smile And I also add some yogurt Smile

Last time I cooked for her I made her some fish with veggies. But the smell of fish while raw is so disgusting to me that I will think twice about cooking that for her! I really can't stand touching raw fish, or the smell. I wouldn't do it for us! But when it comes to Emma...yes Smile Fish for her is always served with some lemon juice Smile

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Post  allaboutourdogs Thu Sep 02, 2010 11:10 pm

What a yummy treat for Emma! I also love it when they make sounds like "mmmm". It makes all my problems and stress go away. I also give him some cooked meals. Alex loves carrots and broccoli mixed with some meat. Whenever I cook this for him, I wouldn't need to clean up his plate/bowl. He licks everything up to the smallest piece. Haha!

Oh yes, lemon juice! It takes away some of the foul smell of fish. I seldom give him fish because he doesn't like it. I mean, he eats fish but doesn't finish all of what is served for him.
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Post  Emma Mon Sep 06, 2010 12:24 pm

I prefer to buy canned fish though haha. The smell of fish is really unbearable and I think it will take a while before I consider buying more fish. I usually buy file since I don't have to handle it too much and bear the smell Smile))) She has canned tuna for now, and she will have it maybe tomorrow Smile

She loves broccoli too! We used to buy some frozen veggies with broccoli in it and guess what? She had it all, I really hate it!

I always give her fish with lemon. And when I cook for her I always add carrots and sweet red peppers - it smells so good I sometimes taste it! I don't boil her food too long, 10 mins maximum.

haha I know the thing about licking the bowl clean, Emma does that too, regardless of feeding her raw or cooked! She soooo loves her food and since she has been on raw she has never refused to eat. Prior to that she had like 2 months of starving herself and I was crying and begging her to eat. I tried tricks such as adding meat to the kibble, soaking it in chicken broth, but she would not touch kibble! She was on kibble strike and I finally decided to switch on raw. That was in May 2009. Right now I regret ever feeding her kibble...

Oh and she has a thing with rice. When she was on kibble she had diarrhea so often that I had to cook her rice + meat + veggies. If it's not basmati and a certain brand, she'd really pick rice apart or spit it out lol!

Seeing that, plus knowing that dogs and cereals don't do great, I stopped trying to feed her rice Smile But don't ask me if I cook rice for us...she wants it!
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Post  allaboutourdogs Sun Sep 12, 2010 1:54 am

Emma wrote: She was on kibble strike

Kibble strike? That's something new. Lol. Why didn't he like kibble?

By the way, I think we can't have our golden retrievers Emma and Alex share the same bowl - if the food has broccoli! haha! Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul--good brand or no? 703604 Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul--good brand or no? 5649 Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul--good brand or no? 723528



Last edited by allaboutourdogs on Thu Sep 16, 2010 3:27 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Post  Emma Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:24 pm

she was never ok on kibble, so she went on strike. Since I have switched her on raw she hasn't refused anything!

Oh yeah, they should share it Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul--good brand or no? Lol
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Post  allaboutourdogs Mon Nov 15, 2010 9:28 am

Hey buddy! I missed you and Emma. Been really busy this past few weeks. My golden retriever, Alex, is doing fine and loves his new companion, a cute lhasa apso named Love. They are now the best of friends! Smile

How about you? What's up with you and Emma?
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