Thinking about changing dog food. I have been feeding the diamond high energy for a long time and dogs have done well on it but there coats just dont have the shine that i think the should lately. What is everyone feeding these days?

I like Diamond green bag. May sound silly, but for several years I used a cheaper food, and at the end of each season, my big male pointer, who has a 12 o'clock tail, as the season progressed, would have a tail that started at 12 o'clock at the base and ended with the tip at 6 o'clock. Pretty much limp. At the first of this 2016, I switched to Diamond Premium Adult, and his tail stayed straight up thru the end of the season, even though I was short of dogs, and he was pulling double duty. That tells me he had more energy. For what ever that is worth.

Nutrisource

Every dog is different and there is no one brand that will work 100% of the time but I use Victor and Purina Pro Plan. My bird dogs do fine on either and both brands offer an analysis for most any dog or need. I feed dry off season, moist when they are working. No stamina issues on three day hunts.

Dogs work off of stored energy, not from the food that is in their stomach.

I feed the Tractor Supply 4Health brand. Salmon off season and the performance during the season. It is a little expensive but comparable to many of the higher dollar grain free brands. A friend feeds Victor but I can't get it in the Valley. Read the label and compare. Check fat, protein calorie count per cup and the list of ingredients. Don't feed anything with corn in it. The 4health brand for performance and working dogs has the highest calorie count of any food I can buy down here. I like it because it is easier to keep weight on dogs during the season.

Believe it or not, the Costco Generic Kirkland has some excellent dog food for a very affordable price.

I don't exactly hunt with my younger dog, about 2 yo hound. he is 75lbs, tall and very muscular. Even our vet is impressed how strong and muscular he is, expecially for a suburban dog. She was a large animal farm vet previously and says she has not seen a dog that healthy/muscular since her farm days. Yes, i run and play with my dog alot (and I'll take credit for that), but i also think his nutrition is good. He's eaten Kirkland brand since 4 months old. That said, i'm old school Korean and was taught not to waste food so meat scraps, animal cartlidge, tendons and some veggies and carbs that we don't eat will go to the dogs in addition to the Kirkland food.

Don't know why people hate corn in dog food.
My dogs love corn, and pick their own from the field.




I know dogs don't digest whole corn, but thats not the case when its ground.

i feed Kal-Kan with fish oil and you can only get it at walmart. i raise Catahoulas and have tried all of the dog foods and have found all of my dogs do better and look better with Kal-Kan.

Biggest reason is, it's a filler that has no nutritional value. I would rather pay a little more to get a food that all or most of the ingredients are used / needed by the dogs body.

I can't feed a food with corn in it, because of one dogs allergies. He's not allergic to corn, but foods that contain corn have other ingredients that he is allergic to.
I will say my dogs had more endurance on Purina Pro that contains corn, than any other food I have found. So while some say it has no nutritional value, something in that food helps a dog store energy, and recover faster. My male hunts 7 months out of the year, and 2-3 days a week. Some days we hunt mornings, and then again in the evening.

I'm having to pay $60 for a 22 lb bag of dog food right now, and still addd supplements to try and even get close to the same performance level.

I think with Pro Plan you either love it, or hate it. There seems to be no middle ground.

Certainly agree with this statement but what you put in their stomach has everything to do with stored energy, stamina, or whatever you call it.

I've heard that a little bacon drippings on the dry food will help with a dull coat.

Ox doesn't feed his dogs. They just have stored energy, it's all they need.

So will any fish based food. Salmon and Menhaden are common ingredients in some dog foods. During the season I give the dogs canned mackerel as a snack mid day. High in oil, fat and protein. Each dog gets a small piece of mackerel--not enough to interfere with afternoon work just enough to keep energy level up--prevent hypoglycemia. Also, if the food doesn't contain a pro-biotic, I add some several times a week. You can buy probiotics for livestock at tractor supply--it comes in powder form and is the same bacillus that is in yogurt. Adding corn to dog food knocks down the calorie count but adds bulk--with working dogs you want to get a high calorie count to keep weight on.

I know for a fact if they drink a pot of fish grease they'll sht non stop for two days.

^^^ But it is shiny.

Food is either stored as fat or goes into a general metabolic pool after is has been digested. The general metabolic pool is regulated to stay within limits.

Look at cows that only eat grass. The grass is turned into energy, fat, or muscle.

The most important things in any dog food are palatably, stool firmness, and total calories. I get that out of Purina Dog Chow. You may or may not get the first two.

You will not be disappointed with this:
http://www.amazon.com/Solid-Gold-Hund-N-...ailpage_o09_s01

You can also get it at petco.

Dr Tim's has several options including a grain free formula. All ingredients from USA origin and the owner will personally answer your email or phone call and discus any questions you have.

Purina Pro Plan Performance. Never had any complaints about it.

I have a show dog (Labrador) that hunts as well. He weighs over 100 lbs and I feed him Purina Pro Plan.
For a shiny coat, give your dog a raw egg daily and see the difference.

We used Pro Plan Sport for a while. Loved it. Have a former hunting client that works for a major dog food manufacturer. He left Greenville TX for Edmond OK to follow his job. Sam's Simply Right High Performance comes from the same plant at less than half the cost. Dogs love it, and are doing great.

I've fed Diamond Naturals Beef and Rice for years.
Dogs look great.

I often add an egg. Coats look good too.

Victor