What is an affordable, high quality dog food?

Question

I know I'm going to have to pay more for high quality but I cannot afford $60+ per month since I am a college student with only a part time internship. I want them to have good food though. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Before I switched to a raw diet my animals were fed Wellness. It has an amazing nutritional balance and all ingredients are human grade. It is a touch more than a lot of the others, but it's not too bad. A month of canned was about $50 and then the bag was another $50, but lasted many, many months. My other top choices would be Canidae and Merrick.

Answer 2

That's a tough question, since pet food is not regulated for ingredients by the FDA, companies can say whatever they want to make you buy their food.  I always look to make sure that the first 3-5 ingredients are real meat.  Animal by-products and meat by-products are usually what remains after an animal has been slaughtered, like the feathers and bones.  You also want to make sure the first ingredients are real meat and not gluten or rice, because that indicates that the food is really just grain and filler and contains no real sources of protein or iron.  If you spend more on quality food, you will save money in the long run.  It takes more crappy food for your dog to feel satisfied.  Your dog will feel full on a smaller quantity of good food.  

Answer 3

Try Orijen.  Great quality and fairly cheap.

Don't use anything that doesn't have HUMAN GRADE MEAT.

Other wise, like Wendy said, it's feathers, tumours, you name it.  They even use dead dogs and cats that have been rendered into fat and spray it on the food.  No lies, now you know what "animal byproducts" are.  

http://www.frrhealthypet.com/id35.html

Answer 4

I found a brand called Maximum at WalMart, not too terribly expensive, first few ingredients are meat, and is free of animal by-products, artificial colors, flavors and preservatives.  Comes for age specific, and different flavors

Answer 5

Solid Gold,

Prices range from $8.49 to $55.49.

http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/

Answer 6

I also feed Canidae All Life Stages. I pay $46 for a 40 lb. bag.  (but, they stopped carrying 40 lb where I get it)... The 35 lb. bag is $39.

Answer 7

Iams is a really good food for dogs. We have been to several different vet offices and they have all recommended Iams.

Answer 8

Canidae ALS - $40 for a 35lb bag...

Answer 9

Okay well it isn't the highest quality but it is pretty healthy.   Wal-mart started to carry a more affordable health conscious brand of dog food.  It isn't as good a Innova and Canidae but it is just a step down.    

But its called....Maxximum Nutrition.  Look it up you will see it is comparable.

We get a 20 pound bag  for about 17 dollars and it lasts us about a month and a half.   For two dogs, a toy poodle and a labrador/JRT/Chiuahua mix.

I'd look into it.   It may be something you can do until you can afford blue buffalo again or something else

Also for the same size bag you can get Innova for around 22 dollars atleast where we are

We use Maxximum Nutrition Lamb and Rice Formula

It really is comparable and they do not use animal by-products

Answer 10

well I just put my pup on Ealge Pack Holistic and she seams to like it..BUT she's only been on it for about 5 days so I don't know too much but it didnt cause diarrea or anything when I changed her food over

Answer 11

What breeds are they? I have a German shepherd and I feed her Solid Gold. It is a lamb based food with lots of natural ingredients. When you think about it, it's not too spendy because they eat less of it because it has less fillers and therefore they p**p less (bonus!).

Before I had my GSD on Solid Gold she was on Purina ONE. You would be amazed at how much less she ate and how much healthier her coat looked, etc. We gave her a little Purina ONE to see what would happen awhile ago and she scarfed it up like it was candy! So, I guess that is proof on the difference between some dog foods.

Good luck!

Answer 12

Chicken Soup for Dogs

Canidae

Pinnacle

Blue Buffalo

Answer 13

i feed nutro max and/or natural balance... canidae is good too

if it's a bigger dog that is affordable for them too...

If you live in Canada, there is also Oven Baked, by far one of the best foods out there, $35 for a 32 pound bag!

Answer 14

I know I'll get thumbs down for this because of all the crazy people insisting that their "organic" commercial dog food is better than other commercial dog food, but every vet I've talked to has recommended Iams or Science Diet.  We feed our dog Iams lamb and rice.  She's happy, healthy, coat and eyes are good.  

I always find it ironic that vets (who know more than the rest of us) always recommend Iams or Science Diet, but yet these other people insist that it will somehow kill your pets and that vets don't have the best interest of your pets in mind.  I have a damned good vet and he recommended Iams.  I would trust me vet (and yours) before the random people on the internet.

Answer 15

I would suggest Canidae ALS (all life stages).  Good for both dogs/puppies and affordable