science diet dog food?? - Page 2

>  I have fed all my previous Police Dogs as well as my current partner  Science Diet. All my previous partners lived to old age with "little to NO" health problems, just about all their health problems were work related.. Their coat was as shiny as any other Shepherds, and I can't recall a single skin or ear problem with any of them.

I agree, Science Diet is no good.  I don't feed any kibble but if I did it would be a grain free kibble.

Mirasmom:
The dubious honor of being the one to "invent" kibble and sell it in the  USA goes to Jack Spratt from Ohio in the 1800s:

http://tolldenfarms.ca/Articles-on-Health/kibble-history.html

 http://www.beard-redfern.com/bernerboris/can_nut.html

 http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/history-of-dog-food/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratt's
 

His "Spratt's Patent Meat Fibrine Dog Cakes" were sold in London in 1860, he expanded his market to the USA in 1870.  " In 1908 the F.H. Bennet Biscuit company opened, making biscuits shaped like bones, and also made the first puppy food, and was the first to package different-sized kibble."  In 1931 this was renamed and repackaged into "MilkBones".  The last time I looked at a package of Milkbones (granted it's been a few years), I was surprised to see they actually provided instructions on feeding Milkbones as regular meals.

The fact is it's healthier to feed a dog fresh food not kibble.  The dog food manufactures told people they couldn't possibly figure out the complexities of feeding a dog a balanced diet so that people would buy dog food instead of feeding table scraps.  What they did was sell people a bill of goods.  They told people it was a balanced diet when in fact cheap grains/rice/oatmeal were used as  fillers, cheap meat by-products (diseased animals and parts not allowed for human consumption) were used, air was pumped in, and rancid fat was used to make the food palatable.  umm umm good.

I have to say that I have one of my GSD and another dog (small hound) - both rescues - on Science Diet for active dogs.  Several large bags were donated to me.  The small dog already had a nice coat, but he's doing fantastic on the SD, and the GSD is THRIVING.  Huge improvement in coat  - quality, texture, and shine, and in all around general health.  Happy  & healthy.  For whatever reason these two showed great improvement on the SD, it really agrees with them, so I'll keep feeding it to them.  I'm sure some dogs don't do well on it - just like some dogs don't do well on super premium foods.  These guys were actually on TOTW before.  Go figure.

  I will feed Science Diet until it doesn't work. I figure some people can not eat certain things why wouldn't it be the same for dogs. It works for some and it won't for some. But for those of you who do feed it. I promise all ingredients are lab checked before entering our plants and again checked thouthout the whole cook process to the ware house it is checked several times over by different operators down the line. I'm sure of it. I am one of them.  
 The prescripiton diets are also very helpful when needed. If anyone has joint issues I have heard the J/D works wonders. I haven't had to use anything like that yet but I know of a couple people that did with huge success. Just an idea for a just in case. Happy Training!!!!! 
Cathy

Science Diet contains BHA/BHT as a preservative. It is linked to cancer.

There is a whole lot of corn in Science Diet, but I don't see any BHA/BHT preservative.
My Hero cannot eat barley, and I'm not to excited about chicken by-product meal, so its not an option for us. My parents had a cat that lived 22  years soley on Science Diet, he was healthy and fiesty untill that last 3 months. I have to say that for cats, at least, it can't be all that bad. I say that if you are happy with the results, then go for it.

BTW, for thoese who use it , they offer a $5.00 coupon on their website.......

Nature's Best® Chicken & Brown Rice Dinner - Adult
Ingredients: Chicken, Brown Rice, Whole Grain Wheat, Cracked Pearled Barley, Soybean Meal, Chicken Meal, Pork Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Dried Egg Product, Natural Flavor, Whole Grain Oats, Apples, Cranberries, Soybean Oil, Peas, Carrots, Dried Beet Pulp, Iodized Salt, Flaxseed, Broccoli, Vitamins (L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid, Calcium Carbonate, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract.

Hill's® Science Diet® Adult Large Breed
INGREDIENTS
Ground Whole Grain Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Soybean Meal, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Soybean Oil, Chicken Liver Flavor, Flaxseed, Iodized Salt, vitamins (L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Dried Chicken Cartilage, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Taurine, Potassium Chloride, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), L-Carnitine, preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract.

For me to truly break down the dry dog food argument would take way to long and most likely would be a waste of time. In my years of breeding and kennel ownership I have only found one acceptable dry dog food http://www.martinsk9formula.com. first of all it is a food that is personally produced by a small non corporate company that produces food to improve k-9 health, second it is made for working dogs and third it is a low residue food that dogs really enjoy. Martin would be the first to tell you that dry dog food should only be for caloric intake and that variety is the most important part of a dogs diet. Basically dry dog food is mashed potatoes. I understand that lack of interest in feeding raw but want you to know there are alternative methods. Simple diets that consist of a good dry dog food and sour cream one day, tuna fish the next day and olive oil the third day will vastly improve your dogs health and stop diet related health issues in your dog. Problems like allergies, ear infections and poor kidney function in older dogs as a result of high protein based garbage foods that are produced by multi national human food companies that use their scraps to produce dog food. below I added a article from the animal protection institute on what is really in dog food!

AN API INVESTIGATIVE REPORT
by the Animal Protection Institute.
http:www.api4animals.org

Here is a review on Science Diet - sorry - not a good choice:  SEE here:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Bulldogs-2360/2008/12/Science-Diet-good-sorry.htm

HOPE this helps and BEST wishes with the new pup...