[Rebecca S]

I am a first time dog owner and I have done more research than I care to admit on dog food… Even made an extensive exel sheel on them 😬. I am not entirely grain-free is a necessity (see it similarly to the paleo fad for people). I have no clue what the protein/carb/fat should be. My puppy is about a year old and is about 10lbs. She is an aborable schnauzer/poodle mix. She is currently on wholehearted food from petco but I would like to change it. I was really looking for small breed specific food but it is hard to find at a good price. The MOST I can spend (being a poor college student) is 1.60 a pound but I would rather 1.20 a pound. My question is: What is the best food for the value for a small breed dog.
Thanks in advance!

[Lora J]

Congratulations on your new dog! I have large breeds, myselfso I cannot comment on that. But I have found this dog food rating system on this website a valuable tool for finding the best food for our budget. I have found it takes some time to search through the higher rated foods, thrn shop around to price check, but worth it. Buy the highest rated food you can afford. I also supplement my dogs’ dry kibble with raw carrots and broccoli as treats for additional enzymes and antioxidents. I am sure you will get additional helpful comments here. Good luck!

[anonymous]

I like Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea as a base.
https://www.chewy.com/nutrisca-grain-free-salmon-chickpea/dp/35033
Or:
Newman’s Organics https://www.chewy.com/newmans-own-organics-advanced/dp/33521

Add a splash of water and a bite of something, scrambled egg (in water), chopped up cooked lean chicken, beef, tuna….something.
Check out chewys auto ship plan. You could order a large bag every 2 or 3 months. Divide it up and store in air tight containers or bags in the fridg or freezer if you have room.
I wouldn’t go too cheap, you may regret it.
Also, you need to set aside money for an an annual checkup and lab work with a veterinarian.
Heartworm checks, flea and tick preventives. About $1000 a year (maybe less) and that’s not counting food.
Ps: Don’t waste your money on supplements, unless a vet that has examined the dog advises you to do so. Most of them are scams. I do add one fish oil capsule to their food once a day, not sure if it actually does anything 🙂

[Rebecca S]

Thank you! I have started looking through all the brands but I keep getting overwhelmed by how many foods are out there! Right now I’m looking at canidae all life stages and TOTW wetlands…. Canidae fits better in my wallet but I love the ingredents list on TOTW (and they have a small breed food if she needs it) I have some samples from them on the way!

[Rebecca S]

And to Anon101 I will look into those! And I have already created a budget for next year including vet visits, treats, toys, food, and everything else! I budgeted up to 1.60 per pound just in case but was looking to see if I could bring it down!

[anonymous]

Natural Balance has some nice selections too.
Ps: Budgets don’t work, just saying, unexpected stuff happens. You can count on it.

• This reply was modified 8 years ago by anonymous.

[anonymous]

Oh, and give her a raw carrot (or 1/2 of one) to chew on, no more than once a day, not the baby carrots (choking hazard)

[anonymous]

Ps: Feed twice a day, measured amounts, otherwise you will end up with an overweight dog.
Don’t leave food down, just have fresh water available, always.

[Rebecca S]

thank you for all the insight! What nutritional benefit do the carrots have? I remember reading somewhere that they are hard for them to digest but I’m not sure if it was from a reliable source or not

[anonymous]

They are low calorie, they satisfy the need to chew (good for the jaws and teeth).
Yes, they are high fiber, so you will see carrot chunks in the feces, they don’t digest them, but it doesn’t hurt them.
Too much might cause loose stools, otherwise it’s all good.
Btw: Small breeds have lousy teeth, get some Petrodex toothpaste (chewy dot com) and an adult medium toothbrush, start brushing the teeth once or twice a day. See YouTube for how to videos.

[Rebecca S]

Thank you! I have already purchased doggie toothpaste and it came with a brush however I have not started using it yet. I was also thinking about giving her the dentastix chews to help clean her teeth and keep her occupied while I am at class. Would you reccomend the carrots over the chews?

[anonymous]

Yes, carrots are a vegetable, however, you can’t leave a dog unattended with any type of chews (including carrots), some dogs gulp things down (choke hazard)
I don’t use any phony baloney dental chews, I think they are chemical junk.
No matter what you do, your dog may need a professional dental cleaning at least once or twice a lifetime plus extractions. The only thing I have found makes a significant difference is the daily brushings, but you have to get way in the back and sides/insides. Takes about 5 minutes once you get in the habit of it.

[anonymous]

I use a toothbrush and Petrodex toothpaste. I get the toothpaste at chewy dot com.
I never give my dogs bones, they don’t clean in the back where the tartar tends to build up, I don’t consider them worth the risk of broken teeth and intestinal blockage.
Ask your vet. Hope these articles help.

Give a Dog a Bone (Not!)–FDA warns of dangers of feeding bones to dogs

http://www.embracepetinsurance.com/blog/harmful-side-animal-sourced-dog-chews

[Rebecca S]

Wow! Thank you! Thats one product I’m taking out of my shopping cart! Alot of the food you listed before are organic or all natural, and I am not sold on organic foods for people or dogs! Do you have and specific views on TOTW? It is in my price range and I do love the ingredients list, I will start giving her carrots and start brushing her teeth. Thank you for all your help and the articles were great reads!

[anonymous]

I have not tried TOTW, but it looks like a good dog food. Good luck.

[Kristi D]

Rebecca S,
that is a great question! It is so confusing when you go to the pet stores and see aisles and aisles of food! You might want to fill out a pet profile with pawTree and see what they recommend. And they have a coupon for a free bottle of their dog and cat food seasoning. You just pay taxes and shipping. PAW5AEC is the coupon code.
Good luck!
kristi

[Author]

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