Confusion over feeding - please help! - Page 1

I'm having a lot of problems trying to work out what to feed my GSD - a.g.a.i.n!
 I'm keen to try her on a raw diet, but with us moving around so much over this and the next few months (the perks or is it downfalls of being in the military!), I can't guarantee having access to quality meats or a fridge/freezer to keep it in! Is it bad to feed a dog dry and raw together? I've been advised this is the -worst- thing I can do, as it will upset her digestive balance???? I try to add a bit of meat for variety.
 I thought I had it all worked out what dry/raw foods to feed her, but with further research, it seems I am misled. She won't eat Royal Canin or Eukanuba anymore but I'm told these are rubbish anyway. I've got her on Eagle Pack Holistic Select, but while this has improved her coat, her poos STINK and she regularly scratches like crazy. This scratching could also be due to fleas, as I recently (2.5 weeks ago) treated her for them. 
 Bearing in mind I'm in NZ and most common or top quality brands you would normally recommend aren't available here, could you please give me some advice on:
- what is the best protein/fat/carbohydrate percentages for a GSD puppy? She's 8 1/2 months.
- what is the best main ingredient? I know grains and beef aren't recommended

in fact, just any advice that could help clear this up would be really awesome!! :)
I've been doing the whole "trial and error, learn what you can and make my own mind up" thing, but still really unsure. Cheers all

I'm not sure about raw diets, I don't use them myself, but, I use a Vitamin Mineral Supplement called Fido-Vite Flexx that would give you all the benefits of a raw diet. You mix it in with their dry food.
It improves health greatly. Improves virtually everything in your dog.

http://www.fido-vite.com/index.html

Just an option :)

The worst thing you can do is to keep chopping and changing.  Get her on a complete feed and stick to it, adding a little meat if you feel you need to.  Until she gets used to one thing her body cannot start to make the most of what you are putting in to her.

What makes you say Eukanuba is rubbish?  I have used it for over 20 years on different breeds and I sell dog food for a living.  Mine are reared on the puppy food and then junior, then adult maintenance unless they are working when they get the premium.  The main ingredient is chicken. 

Unless you have the balance exactly right you will never get the same effect with raw.  That is what these food companies pay thousands of dollars to find out.  With a good quality complete food all the work is done for you and you don't need additives.

I dont know if Skinners Field & Trial (Hypoallergenic) is available to you

www.vetuk.co.uk/pet-food-breed-lifestage-skinners-dog-food-c-62_420/skinners-salmon-rice-field-trial-15kg-p-2433

Our dogs and other people we know feed this and all seem well on it.

With your current moving around, I'd just stick to a good quality dry, and add raw meat a little at a time, from time to time.

 I will second what Doppelganger says about Eukanuba. It is a good food. It is very good at making nice coats on the dogs. It is price is decent and the quality in the ingredience is good. Maybe try the Skin and coat formula or the German Shepherd formula and see it that works for you.  Each dog is different, what is good for one dog may not be good for another. But I would not say that Eukanuba is rubbish, IMO.

If I was you I would decide what kibble you want to put your dog on and stick with that brand for at least 12 weeks and see if your dog has improved. If she has then stay with that food.  If you want to supplement I would just add some Wild Alaskan salmon oil to her food.  You can also give her some raw hamburger too. That will help her skin and coat too.

Good luck.

Eukanuba - cause my GSD hair lose and my GSD stared to bite itself to bleeding and cause injuries to himself.

I know that for the fact after I switched dog food, my GSD before was healthy for many, many years until someone suggest me Eukanuba. (Before I was feeding Nutro Natural Choice for GSD and it was good)

I recently switched from Taste of the wild to different Taste of the Wild.
The first one has to much protein 32% percent - to HIGH! cause itching the dog
www.bigwag.com/images/products/TOW%20High%20Prairie.jpg

And now I' am feeding this one below!
images.nitrosell.com/product_images/7/1581/Tas.PacificStreamCnw.DFb.jpg
This one is better only 25% percent!



Edit: Royal Canin I believe has no corn!!!!!!

Doppelganger and Jyl - I don't personally believe Eukanuba or RC is total rubbish, this is just stemming from what I have been told.  

She was fed Eukanuba for about a month, although she never ate it with enthusiasm and eventually turned her nose up at it. That's when I switched to RC (the GSD junior brand). She'd wolf it down and I've fed her RC for a good 4 months, before doing the same again. So now I have her eating Eagle Pack, has done for the last month-ish, and its done wonders for her coat. Coat aside, she scratches like crazy and has the worst stinky poos ever - same poo problem was encoutered with my friend's Great Dane puppy, as well as very gassy. Eagle Pack seems quite good, she'll eat it without fussing. It's a little difficult to source, but was the best thing I could find aside from Eukanuba or RC at the pet store.
 Most places here sell the standard Euk, RC, Pro-Plan, Purina, Tux or other cheaper brands and all have been sworn by from various breeders/shelters/vets to do certain wonderful things for coat/digestive health etc. Forgive me for being a little sceptical!
 I am interested in this dog food
http://orijen.co.nz/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_16&products_id=18
which at $135 for 13.5kg works out to be the same/slightly more expensive than RC and Euk, but seems to be good quality? (RC is about $120 for 13kg, Euk is $115 - $130 for around 15-16kg, Eagle Pack is $160)

I got told:
- my dog does not need beet pulp, so if its in the dry food, its no good.
- rice, grains etc esp brewers rice, are all fillers you don't need in dog food. If its the 2nd/3rd or main ingredient, the food is no good.
- the meat should be proper meat, if its offal or ground meal, the food is cheap rubbish.

Now I'm not pretending I totally agree with all this, or that it's all totally right. I'm just trying to find a happy medium of knowing what is cheap rubbish and what is not. I originally trusted Euk & RC as my first choices because of the good stuff I've heard, but my browsing and researching seems not to agree with this, so now being blonde & female, I'm thoroughly confused!! :P

Hi,just a quick tip,If she is doing good on the Eagle Pack leave her on it cause its not bad food.Its a decent food but if she's scratching and you have gotten rid of the fleas then she is probably reacting to something in the food.If she is ,you may want to try another protein source such as fish or duck or lamb from Eagle Pack.Origen sounds like an allright product but I think its to over rated.You are aware that the percentage of protein is over 40% in the origen right?They also make Acana which is just as good but with lower protein.What I can say to you is this,Remember what she did the best on and put her back on that food.If she misses a meal dont worry cause she has probably reached satiety and just is'nt hungry.I guaranty you she will eat when she is hungry.They all do that EVEN ON EAGLE PACK and as a matter of fact they use to have that written on there website as well.When they are satisfied they simply miss a meal or two.Again,if she is scratching thats another story and you shouls absolutely change to a simpler food like the Duck or Fish Eagle Pack.If she is NOT scratching then I stand by what I have already said.Good luck