[nagdu] dog food

[Nicole Torcolini]

The first thing to remember is that every dog is different. Some dogs can
eat literally *anything*, food or not, and still be fine where as other dogs
need a certain type of dog food. Start by knowing what your dog needs. Any
allergies? Then look at the different types of dog foods. Stay away from any
foods that have a lot of filler, even if they are cheaper. With some dogs,
what you attempt to save by buying cheaper dog food you will more than
compensate for in vet bills from a sick dog. Consider the main source of
protein in the dog food. Most dogs do fine with the regular lamb and/or
chicken, but others need the duck or, so I have heard, rabbit. One dog of
whom I know, who was allergic to almost everything, had soy dog food at one
point. Most foods also have some kind of grain or other carbohydrate, such
as rice, oatmeal, or potato. All of these are fine as long as your dog is
not allergic to grain. Make sure that the food has some source of fiber.
Different dogs need different amounts of fiber. If you cannot find the right
balance of fiber and protein, you may end up doing what I do, which is
feeding two different foods. Finally, beware of too much fat. Some dogs are
not bothered by it, but others are. Low fat content was the main driving
factor in finding the food that Lexia currently eats as she had pancreatitis
twice. If a food advertises having some benefit, such as better coat, make
sure that whatever that is does not mean some other drawback, such as more
fat; I think that that was what happened with the food that Lexia ate before
this one. Finally, foods sometimes change, so stay on the look out. Your dog
will let you know if the food is not working. Some signs include:
1. A lethargic dog
2. Soft or hard stool
3. Difficulty defecating
4. Defecating often and/or a large amount
5. dog won't eat (definitely a sign of a problem if you have a Labrador)
6. An upset stomach or other health problems
I feed Lexia Blue Buffalo Chicken & Brown Rice Healthy Weight Adult Dog Food
for breakfast and dinner. If you are interested, I can also tell you what I
feed her for lunch and treats. The Blue Buffalo costs about $30.00 online
for a fifteen pound bag, but it is usually possible to get some sort of
discount and/or free delivery. Let me know if you have any other questions.
If you ever want to email me off list, my email is ntorcolini at wavecable.com.

Nicole and the happy, healthy Lexia

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rachel Becker via
nagdu
Sent: Sunday, June 22, 2014 4:38 PM
To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [nagdu] dog food

Hi Danielle. Welcome to the list and thanks for starting an interesting and
important discussion. I will also be getting a guide dog this summer. I will
be going to Guiding Eyes starting on July 27. Nicole, I'd be interested in
knowing how you decided what to feed Lexea. Personally, I'd like to find a
reasonably healthy food option that's also practical for a grad student
living in a dorm. Any recommendations? 

Thanks all for your input.

Rachel

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