# Question about Pedigree dry food....



## Sandra1961 (Oct 14, 2005)

Its took me about 5days to wean Milo onto Eukanuba food, and hes had a few fully dry meals 

But yesterday, we went to the vet and recieved a free complimentary puppy pack, it included booklets on how to look after a dog, training, obedience, illness, diseases etc.., and also had some treats, some wet meat and a big box of Pedigree complete dry food!
I opened it, and gave Milo one to try, and he absolutely loved it!
He couldnt get enough, he kept checking my hand for more and more, and he eventually had a meal out of it!

My question is, the Pedigree food is very impressive in my eyes, with what it says on the back, and the way is presented.
But some people have told me its not good, because you can buy it from practically any good shop, and thats apparently not good for a chihuahua

On the back of the box, it explains how they want to help puppies grow into healthy strong adults, with nice clean strong teeth etc etc
And also tells you about the things inside the food, like vitamins, calcium etc

But Milo loves it, so what should i do?


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## Ms_P (Apr 25, 2004)

The site on this link has extensive information about dog food and the ingreadients that you do and don't want in the food.
http://www.mordanna.com/dogfood/


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## lecohen (Feb 13, 2005)

Hi Sandra..


Scruffy has that and he LOVES it as you know.

:wave:


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## Sandra1961 (Oct 14, 2005)

Thanks for the link Ms_P

This is the information i got about the food Milo likes:

*Pedigree - Healthy Start Dry Food For Puppies

Ingredients:
Ground yellow corn, chicken by-product meal, rice, corn gluten meal, animal fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, source of vitamin E), natural poultry flavor, wheat, potassium chloride, dicalcium phosphate, salt, brewers dried yeast, wheat flour, caramel color, wheat gluten, vegetable oil, calcium carbonate, taurine, vitamins (dl-alpha tocopherol acetate [source of vitamin E], choline chloride, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate [source of vitamin C], vitamin A acetate, thiamine mononitrate [vitamin B1], d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin D3 supplement, riboflavin supplement [vitamin B2], biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), marigold meal (source of lutein), trace minerals (zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide)

Guaranteed Analysis
Protein: 27% 
Fat: 11%
Fiber: 3% 
Moisture: 12%

Calories
345 Kcal/cup

Other Nutrient Guarantees
Calcium: min 1.1%
Phosphorus: min 0.9%*

So whats everyone think?


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## Ms_P (Apr 25, 2004)

Since the first ingredient is corn, that means there is more corn in the food than any other ingredient. That's a no no.

Did you read any of the information about what _should_ be in the ingredients?


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## Nona (Mar 27, 2005)

I don't believe it's a bad thing to feed him Pedigree dry food, I was sceptical about it at first but my vet said it'd be ok. I mix it with Science Diet's Natural puppy dry food, and I also give her wet puppy food now and then too.

:wave:


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## Courtney (Jun 2, 2005)

http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=comp-wiz

This is a good website to go to and compare dog foods. It will tell you all the ingredients in the food, etc.

Hopefully this helps. :?


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

yes while the first ingredient is corn its also important to find a food the puppy likes...obviously he does, and so long as he likes it its a fairly ok food.
my parents spaniel has an extreemly sensitive stomach, we tried hi on many brands the vet suggesting spending on the BETTER brnads, and ALL made him sick, then one day we were at mums frinds house and charlie ater their labs pedigree, he loved it and we were like oh no hes gonna get sick...and he didnt...it is the ONLY food (including id which also upsets his stomach) that he can eat, hes a healthy weight gorgeous soft shiney coat and otherwise is extreemly healthy.
the chis are on Royal Canin ini and chi mixed together however they ofen help themselves to charlies pedigree with no ill effects and like cracking open the big peices (my guys are strange lol)

i say if your vet thinks its ok, and your puppy loves it...
in my opinion its better to have a food that might not be as good for the but they eat than something you spend a whole lot on and they go hungry...

i would however give a little fresh food with the dry pedigree just to make up what the food could be missing, a little scramble egg (nothing added just egg) or some chicken with carrots or peas, a little potatoe and some gravy. (its also a nie treat)

my parents old feild cockerspaniel was also on pedigree she was a working feild dog, ate only pedigree dry food all her life and died at 20 yrs old of natural causes, she was always happy with a healthy coat and a healthy weight....so i wouldnt worry!


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## Blue Velvet Elvis (Dec 23, 2005)

I would think it would be like us eating only fast food or only sweets. Yes, it tastes great and some could possibly get away with it, but probably not a great option. I used to own a meat processing plant and I wouldn't feed my dogs anything with any kind of meat by products in it. That means it's such gunk that they sold it to a rendering plant.


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## Nona (Mar 27, 2005)

I think for us in the UK in particular, it's very hard to find a suitable food for our Chi's as there is a lot less choice. 

At my Pets At Home, the only choice of wet food is Pedigree pouches for puppies or gigantic Butchers pouches (this is not puppy food though!) There are also tins of Science Diet wet food, but those are so huge that it'd just go to waste as Lexi wouldn't eat all that in less than 4 days!

For me it's most important that she's healthy, lively and happy. 
I don't want my dog eating animal derivatives and stuff like that but short of spending a fortune on making up my own food, I have to make do with what the shop supplies :? 

A company should make food specifically for Chihuahua's only! And sell it worldwide!!


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## *Sarah* (Apr 19, 2005)

my 2 are on royal canin puppy but I am considering changing them to nutro or JWB and they have naturediet puppy a a wet food


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## Angelab (Nov 26, 2005)

I agree with foxywrench, that it's also important to find a food that your dog likes. I know several people that use this brand a lot more than I do with no ill effects at all. I would also substitue home food with this once in a while.


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## Nona (Mar 27, 2005)

Well when I opened the bag of Science Diet Natural Dry Puppy Food (which cost more than twice the price of Pedigree!), I thought to myself "this smells tastier than the pedigree dry food, she'll love it" but whenever I give her that on its own she just picks at it!
Hardly touches it.

I find Lexi actually prefers wet food to dry. I don't like to give her wet food as much as the dry because I heard that dry food is better for them.


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## Angelab (Nov 26, 2005)

My Socrates loves wet food also but has a problem with placue on his teeth if he eats it too often, so he is on dry dog food with a treat of wet sometimes. I have found a food that he really enjoys too and since he doesn't enjoy teeth scraping or tooth brushing...I think it's a good compromise.


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

the dry food is only realy "better" for the dog because it helps keep their teeth clean, however if your regularly brushing your dogs teeth a good balanced wet food is fine.
as i said, ives known many dogs eat it their entire lives and be healthy as a horse and ive known some who tried it and didnt like it/it just didnt work for them...its all a matter or finding somehting that works.


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## Sandra1961 (Oct 14, 2005)

Thanks for all the replies 

Well Milo has been a bit picky today for some reason...hes been off his food, he hasnt eaten like he usually does.
He usually gobbles his food down, but today, he wasnt really interested in his food.
(i put down his usual Eukanuba) and he wouldnt touch it, 3hours later i was trying to encourage him to eat something, but he wouldnt, so i added a little wet meat into it, and still no sign of him eating it, then i added a few of the pedigree biscuits, and still wasnt interested.
Eventually though, he did eat some, about 3/4's of it 

But he hasnt eaten any supper, which im abit surprised about, i dont want him going hungry in the night :?

So maybe i need to take a trip to my local pets at home superstore and check out the Royal Canin all you people seem to be boasting about 

Thanks


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## Bijou (Aug 6, 2005)

Dang! Where do you all get these picky Chi's?? My Bijou is an absolute PIGGY. I took her to the vet the other day and he said, "She sure is a solid little thing". Yeah, "solid". FAT is more like it. If it can be consumed it goes down the hatch. 

Pedigree is ok. There are worse and there are better. I do agree with the poster that told you what it actually is (junk, basically). I do feed a much higher quality of food to my dogs. I have heard that corn is BAAAAAAAAAAAAD and that "meal" anything isn't what you want to feed. That said, it's like anything else. I've seen people who eat a terrible diet do terribly and people who eat a terrible diet do really well! I've also seen health-freaks, like an uncle of mine, die of cancer at a young age and his brother, my father, smoke and drink all his life and die at a young age from the effects of that. I personally think a lot of it has to do with genetics. When it's your "time to go" you will.

On that note, my neighbor is a smoker and swears smoking doesn't effect your health because nothing has ever happened to him :roll: . Yet he's had TWO sisters (smokers as well) die of lung cancer. Whatever you do to your body, be it eating poorly or healthfully, will have SOME sort of effect on your health one way or the other. You may live forever eating Twinkies but you are NOT going to feel as well as if you ate a good diet. That, any doctor will tell you.


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## dastowers (Mar 24, 2005)

Yes, Please do try the Royal Canin. You will be shocked at the change in your Chi's coat! I was, I took Daizy to the vet and he ACTUALLY comment on the difference between Pebblz coat (shiny and glossy) and Daizy's coat (dry and flaky)! I have been feeding Pebblz RC for 8 months now and just got Daizy a few weeks ago. She was eating a cheapo dog food and it she really suffered. She has gained 10 oz since she has been here, she was literally skin and bones before. I wholeheartedly endorse RC. BTW I have to drive 45 minutes to get it, so it would be much easier to get something else, but Pebblz will only eat the RC ( believe me I tried to get her to eat something else when I first got her as the drive is VERY long. But now I wouldn't consider it! LOL!

Davena


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