Dog Owners Opinion

[fishinglibin]

To the dog owner members, My wife and I have decided it is time to get a dog after many years of not having one. New house and new dog. My questions are related to the dogs diet. Lots to consider. I honestly feel a lot of the kibble from a few years ago created cancer for dogs later in life. I have a great deal of research to do as I now may lean to a raw diet. As expensive and time consuming as it is, I have seen great results and found a local butcher who makes it. My sister in law makes her own. I have had a Bull Mastiff and she had a poodle. Feedback on breeds would also be welcome. I also like weimereiner, french bull, english bull and several others. May rescue a dog and would consider a mongrel or non allergic dog. So throw down some feedback re food and breeds. Paul

[angler]

Morley Mutt.

Cochrane Shelter.

Have yet to meet a 'bad' one and amazed at how many around Banff and Canmore.

Not much concern with in-bred medical problems of 'pure' breeds.

[eagleflyfisher]

Last 4 dogs have eaten the raw or BARF diet, coats are great, poops are small & keeps dog lean & trim.

We mix in raw coleslaw, bit of apple & banana couple scoops of meat & feed twice a day.

Buy it in douglasdale & it's not very expensive .

Haven't seen a vet hardly ever.

Current dog is silver lab.

Had a few other big dogs & 1 Min Pin, fun dog but a real pain in the ass health wise, exactly what the guy above me said with mix breeds.

[BBBrownie]

I've got a rescue special (Lab/Shepherd cross) that is coming up on 13 years old in December. 10 years of Acana Prairie blend. He has never had any sort of illness, he is in great physical condition (particularly considering his age- he has always stayed slim), he has one solid crap a day, and he still has a shiny coat. If you are looking for intelligence, longevity and overall health, in my experience mutts are generally better off than purebreds. I've thought about the raw food diet, but have never had any reason to switch over based on my dogs health record.

[monger]

I use Royal Canin for my German Shorthaired Pointer. Not much waste produced and good health at age 10+. Smart, athletic dogs that need to run.

I would imagine Weimaraners are similar. I hear they can be a little protective of master/home though. If you get a working dog, invest the time to let it exercise.

[BurningChrome]

If you get a working dog, invest the time to let it exercise.

This. Working dogs that don't get lots of exercise will put their energy to other uses, like destroying your house while you're not home.

[bcubed]

This. Working dogs that don't get lots of exercise will put their energy to other uses, like destroying your house while you're not home.

I just figured Shamus constantly was upgrading your truck while you're at work.

 

 

We recently got a rescue mutt (shes just over a year now), and would never look at going purebred again. She's awesome. A lot of work, but worth it all. Work in = work out

[eagleflyfisher]

let me clarify what I meant by mixed breeds.

I was reflecting back to a little pain in the butt miniature pincher I had.

Fun loveable dog but way too many health issues, skin, diet etc..

I formed the opinion that when you create a micro size version that it can mess up there immune system etc..

In the end he got smacked by a coyote.

Had a Weimaraner too, way to needy for me, got tons of exercise( we are in the country ) but needs lots of babysitting.

[fishinglibin]

Thanks guys. Keep it coming, and more about the diet please. Thanks Dave, I like the diet info and your dog is amazing. Where in Douglasdale please?

[Fisher]

I feed my GSP Acana. I did my research and trust this brand for my pup.

[eagleflyfisher]

Thanks guys. Keep it coming, and more about the diet please. Thanks Dave, I like the diet info and your dog is amazing. Where in Douglasdale please?

 

Tailblazers, $35 gets you 4 frozen bricks that last a 80lb dog just short of a month.

We feed him chicken with bone in.

[126barnes]

Eagle flyfisher

 

By miniature pincher do you mean German Pincher? If so that breed existed before the Doberman and was used to breed the Doberman by upsizing with a Rotty along with a couple other dogs.

 

Most not all health issues with purebred dogs lie more with the breeder and by breeder I mean backyard and puppy farms than with the dog themselves. If you go purebred, do your home work and find a breeder that health screens and are not scare of questions. Of course this will not eliminate all chances of health issues, but its remove a lot of them.

 

That being said mix breed dogs are solid and wonder pets.

[126barnes]

I'm feeding with kibble (fromms) with the odd bit of raw from time to time, meat with bone in, kippers, etc, but not pork that will give most dogs the runs.

 

We have a Boxer. Great with kids and other dogs and even cats, basically 70lbs lap dog. They are house dogs in our climate and don't tolerate cold or heat. They need huge amounts of exercise and training, they need to occupied, a bored boxer with destroy your home. If you do not have someone at home all day or want a dog that's think they are one of your kids, please do not get a boxer.

[Conor]

We recently got a 3 yo boxer. She is a great family dog. Not nearly as much trouble as you describe, Barnes. She is happy to excessive all day or lay around all day. We have only had her a month, but no damage to the house, to date. We do tend to crate her though, as she likes it.

 

We started on Acana. Good reputation and AB company. It is awesome to here a 10 yr reference as well. I do have more confidence in a raw diet, but baulked at the effort and cost. This thread had me dive in a bit more and it looks like costs are similar. Kibble these day is not the same as it used to be, for sure.

 

We have a friend with a Dalmatian. It was diagnosed with liver failure, given a few months to live and they were sent home with instructions to bring her back when she got too uncomfortable. They put her on a raw diet and she made a complete recovery and is still kicking 5 years later.

[scel]

We recently got a Border Collie(dad)/Australian Cattle Dog(mom). I guess it is called a border heeler. Whatever it is, it is a full-on working dog from working lines. People warned me about the time requirements. I understood, but I did not really *get* it. My wife has had several herding dogs. It was my first dog. We opted for a puppy because of our cats. He is now 6 months old. The dog is incredibly smart and willing to please with a seemingly unending font of energy. He still attempts to herd my cats. He has not yet had the existential crisis that he is trying to herd that which cannot be herded.

Unless you are interested in amping up your fitness, I would not recommend a dog like mine. It takes a 4 km run around the neighborhood, a minimum of 30 minutes fetch/frisbee (at least an hour of dedicated exercise), and 30 minutes of training/obedience. That is a total of 1h30 of time that we need to allot to the dog every day and I suspect that it will likely increase (obedience requirements will fall, but exercise will increase). A month ago, it was 2 km and 20 minutes of frisbee. I am not really complaining---since moving to a 4 km run, I have lost 10lbs and I am noticeably healthier. I can deny him his exercise for a single day. By the second day, the destruction begins, starting with the relentless harassment of the cats and assorted 'home renovation' projects (he likes ripping the carpet off the stairs). I cannot fault him for this destructive behavior---it emerges because of my laziness and I deserve it. My dog is awesome and he helps me be a better person.

 

Our vet is a professor at the U of C. He is a specialist vet at the CARE centre. He works 2 days a week at a local clinic. I had an extensive discussion with him on this topic.

He was involved in a long-term study. Apparently, there is no substantial evidence a raw diet is better than a high quality dog food (like Acana, Go!, Orijen, EVO). There is evidence that a raw diet can result in malnutrition, especially in younger, growing dogs. But it would be foolish to deny the anecdotal testimony of dog owners and raw food---my wife's parents are included in this group. It seems raw diet owners have only good things to say about their choices. My vet likened the argument of raw vs prepared dog food as the equivalent of organic vs conventional produce. Based on pure nutrition, there is little evidence there is any significant difference but people tend to *feel* better about organic food.

 

So, we have gone with a combo. We feed our puppy a nutrition-balanced wet food and kibble (Acana and Go!) and some raw food. My dog is picky. Yes, a picky dog. I did not even know they existed. He will not eat the same food 3 days in a row---variety seems to help. His top 3 favorite foods are: lip balm, shoe laces (the shoe is untouched), and anything the cats are eating.

 

EDIT: Oh, and cat poop. He loves eating cat poop. Humans have 5 million smell receptors; dogs have 225-300 million smell receptors. The simple human palate simply cannot process the depth, intricacy, and sophistication of feline feces. Dogs are kinda gross.

[126barnes]

Conor

 

She is no trouble for me, because I got what I was expecting.................a high energy, affectionate working dog who will want to rule the house. My dog is crate trained as well, that's where she sleeps, I wouldn't want her in there all day long ontop of that thou. That's why I mentioned best to have someone home all day, I guess a day kennel could be an options.

 

If you have a 3 year old boxer, that you have had for a month and is well trained, you should thank the previous owners or you are a dog whisperer.

 

absolutely love the breed, hoping for another one this spring.......................but they aren't for everyone.

[jgib01]

On the food side of the discussion... Our 4 y.o. shetland sheepdog is a very picky eater, which I understand is a bit atypical for the breed. We thought for a while we were going to have to look at that "expensive and time-consuming" option of raw or variant thereof. Tried Orijen, Acana, Blue Buffalo, Darford, & a few others I can't remember. Then stumbled on a dehydrated food on the advice of a pet store employee, made by Canisource. He's been on Cani for almost two years now, and shows no sign of tiring of it. He lasted only a couple of months (or less) on the others before he lost interest in them. Even with the Canisource, we have to be careful. If it is approaching the best before date, he won't eat it; or if we try to slip him the fish variety instead of the red meat, also puts his nose in the air.

 

Our sheltie is intelligent (he has trained us well) but quite independent and somewhat aloof. He came to us at 8 weeks already house-trained, and got the basics of obedience shortly thereafter with very little effort. He could care less if he receives any physical contact, but is keenly aware of what everyone in the house is doing at all times. During the day when we are home, he will always be around us, but never goes as far as to intentionally sit with us. He will work for food, but not praise or petting. Like the eating habits, I think his personality is somewhat atypical of the breed.

[Pipes]

I have a couple gun dogs. My experience over the years on diet is dog dependent. What works for one of my dogs doesnt work for the other. It also can change over time. I've learned to adapt to their needs. You have to educate yourself on food, but in general there are a lot better food out there now than even 10 years ago. But do your homework. There are so many factors that dictate the health of a dog. Buying dog food at a pet store for me is a lot easier than alternative diets.

[bigalcal]

I can't believe my family dog growing up, survived 14 years on Gainesburgers!!