Having trouble picking new Puppy Chow brand/variety - Page 1

 Some of you might have read my last post; about my Beagle puppy with dull coat/itchy/flaky skin.

Here's the update:

For 2.5 wks now, Hollie (now 11 weeks old today) has been getting 1,000MG of Fish Oil twice a day with her dry food, and 600MG of Omega 3 and Omega 6 Fatty Acids twice a day with her dry food. Here's what changed: her dry, lack-luster coat is now VERY shiny and glossy...Her skin, however, is still flaky.

Oh, she is also no longer itchy...just still REALLY flaky skin.

About a week ago, I also gave her a bath with Oster's Naturals Oatmeal soothing bath for puppies. Did NOTHING for her flaky skin, just made her smell good.

So here's what I really need help with...I want to keep giving her the Fish Oils and Omega 3s and 6s, as I have been doing, but I'd also like to switch her puppy chow.

I will  be buying the food from Petco (please no negative remarks about this choice, I don't really care what kind of practices they have, I just want to buy my dog some food) and I'm currently on their website in another web-browser window, narrowing down choices.

Here's what I'm looking for in a food:
1. MUST be puppy chow
2. MUST not have corn/corn-by-product as an ingredient
3. MUST be dry kibble, not moist, or semi-moist
4. Would greatly like a formula that would be beneficial for Hollie's skin/coat
5. Would like to be able to purchase a decent sized bag of it (Preferably 30lbs and more at a time)
6. Does not need to be holistic/organic, just a good quality food
7. Would not like to purchase the following brands: Purina, Iams, Eukanuba, Hills, Pedigree, or any of these brand's subsidaries.


Thanks so much, I know I'm kinda picky, I just am having a hard time trying to decide which food is going to be a good match for my baby, and yet not being $70 for a 10lb bag (hopefully a gross exageration)

Will also be checking my PM box if people would prefer private communications instead. Thanks for any help anyone can provide, and here's a link to the general dry kibble puppy chow:
www.petco.com/petco_Page_PC_productlist_Nav_1233_N_22+92+7671+30+4294958416_rpp_100.aspx

taste of the wild

 Thanks Uberland, but what variety of it? The brands I could probably pick myself, just not sure out of the seemingly millions of varieties of the individual brands I should pick.

Thanks

 Oh, and in case anyone wanted to see the Beagle Baby in question, here's her most recent picture...My husband is a semi truck driver, so we travel with him, ergo the International Logo pose :)

Hollie at 11 weeks old

Such a cute puppy,

I feed my 5 GSD (Other breeds) PROPAC.

They have different bags for certain types of puppies ( like large breed, and small breed, etc ), and some bags for adults.

Depends on what you're getting but hey have anywhere from 30% crude protein or fat to 28% crude protein or fat for puppies.

You can check it out, I just switched from EXCEED to PROPAC.

The bag that I have right now is about 30 lbs or so for about $30.00

You can also try EXCEED. This is more for people's budget nowadays. about 40lbs or 44lbs  for $30.00
30% crude fat or protein. For both adults and puppies. Very good for my dogs, they loved it, but they also love PROPAC's taste.

It all depends on you and your puppy

Good luck finding your puppy's new food!
Here is a picture of my puppy being fed PROPAC.

Don't know if you can pick up ToTW at Petco? I've never see it there.

Personally, as far as bang for your buck goes, I'd try the Whole Earth Farm brand my Merrick. I believe Petco just started carrying Merrick products, so you should have no problem finding it. It only has three lines- Puppy, Adult, and Senior, all are basically the same "flavor", none are grain free (unfortunatly!). Chicken/Turkey is your main ingredient, none of the bad food nasties(byproducts, corn, etc) and you can pick up a 35lb bag for under $40. I'm a big fan of this food, and fed it occasionally before I switched to raw.

TOTW Pacific Stream formula.

A pretty decent food you can get at PetCo is Natural Balance. I think they carry Blue Buffalo, too.

Merrick has really good foods, too. Does it HAVE to be Petco?

You can also supplement with vitamin e, and if it's cold where you live you can consider a humidifier in the main room she stays in. Works wonders for my dogs when they get dry and itchy over the winter.

I am also concerned with feeding my dogs well and I feed raw. 

You could not pay me to feed kibble to dogs.  after fours years of raw feeding my dogs coats are better, chronic allergies are cleared up and the dogs are in phenomenal health, including my 11 1/2 year old GSD.  Raw feeding is easy, convenient and easily managed.  I see no reason to feed kibble and will never go back.  I equate kibble with a diet of McDonald's and Cheeto's.  IMO, it is just as easy and economical to feed raw over kibble and more convenient.  Not too mention the health benefits for the dogs.  If you are serious about feeding your dog well and doing the best for your animal do some research on raw feeding and the "four D's" that go into dog food.

FWIW,

Jim

Jim, I'm going try starting partial raw myself. Any meat I see that's less per pound than my dog food, I'm going to start grabbing. Can't do all 6 six dogs with my itty bitty freezer, but if it goes well I'll invest in an extra freezer.

Kelly,
I average a little more than a dollar a pound of food to feed.  I figure it costs about $75 to $80 a month to feed my K9 who is very active and about 85 lbs.  The health benefits far outweigh the cost, not too mention the energy level and drive. 

Jim