Like anything related to your pets, there are a lot of options, and your job is to gather data, be informed, and make the best decision for your lifestyle and your particular dog!

Dry food? Canned food? Raw food? Grain-free? Here’s some thoughts from MN Pit Bull Rescue friends:

Blue Buffalo.Recommended by Amy S for dogs with food sensitivities and for healthy skin.

Dry, canned, treats, varieties for different sizes/ages/breeds. From the website “Now you can feed your dog with the same care you’d feed a family member with the BLUE line of natural, healthy and holistic foods for dogs. All BLUE recipes contain real meat as the first ingredient, along with wholesome whole grains, garden veggies and healthy fruit.” Sold and Petcos, Petsmarts, Chuck and Don’s in the Twin Cities.

Chicken Soup for the Dog Lovers Soul.Recommended by Amy S and Angee Johnson.

Dry, canned varieties for different sizes/ages/breeds. The website has an ingredients glossary, which I thought was interesting – they’re not scared to tell you what’s in their products! Sold at Chuck and Don’s, and some other small/independent pet stores in the Twin Cities.

Taste of the Wild. Recommended by Sarah C (if she’s not feeding raw), and Lisa N.

Grain free.Dry, canned varieties for different sizes/ages/breeds, with flavor options. From the website “Made with real roasted meats and supplemented with fruits and vegetables, these grain-free formulas provide a superior taste sensation, highly digestible energy and natural antioxidants to support a healthy immune system and overall health.” Sold at Chuck and Don’s, and some other small/independent pet stores in the Twin Cities.

Pinnacle Potato and Duck. Recommended by Barbara J-F.

Dry, canned varieties for different sizes/ages/breeds.Grain free formulas also available. From the website “Pinnacle is allergen-free so even pets with sensitive systems can enjoy the fine flavors and health benefits of Pinnacle’s superior ingredients.” Sold at Petcos and Petsmarts in the Twin Cities.

Nature’s Recipe Healthy Skin Vegetarian. Recommended by Nikki M for skin issues and food allergies.

Dry, canned, treats in varieties for different sizes/ages/breeds. Grain free formulas also available. Nature’s Recipe is a Del Monte brand, and offers one formula of food that claims to be made from human-grade food. Sold at Petcos and Petsmarts in the Twin Cities.

Natural Balance Ultra Active.Recommended by Caitlin D. for active puppies.

  Dry, canned, treats in varieties for different sizes/ages/breeds, with flavor options. Natural Balance also offers food logs, which are great to cut up for training treats. They also offer organic and allergy formulas, which include grain-free options. Sold at Petcos, Chuck and Don’s, and other small/independent pet stores in the Twin Cities.

Solid Gold Wolf King.Recommended by Caitlin D.

Dry, canned, treats, supplements, and health and coat care products, including grain-free options, and flavor varieties. Solid Gold website includes testimonials from customers. Sold at Petcos, Chuck and Don’s, and other small/independent pet stores in the Twin Cities.

Fromm. Recommended by Caitlin D.

Dry, canned, treats in varieties for different sizes/ages/breeds. Grain free formulas also available. Made in Wisconsin! Their holistic gold nutritionals include three fresh meats, eggs, and cheddar. Sold at Chuck and Don’s, or through Fetch, Inc delivery in the Twin Cities.

Wellness Core.Recommended by Brandy L. and Darcy K.

Dry, canned, treats in varieties for different sizes/ages/breeds, including Simple formulas for allergies, and Super 5 Mix. Grain free formulas also available. From the website “We use delicious, real-foods like deboned meats, free of added hormones and steroids, wholesome grains and fresh fruits and vegetables to provide the perfect balance of protein, energy, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in the healthiest way possible.” Sold at Petcos, Petsmarts, Chuck and Don’s in the Twin Cities.

Canidae.Recommended by Jason B and Darcy K.

Dry, canned, treats in varieties for different sizes/ages/breeds. Grain free formulas also available. The website has a “cost to feed daily” calculator – interesting, and possibly helpful if you’re looking to calculate cost of dry vs. raw food, too. Sold at Chuck and Don’s, and some other small/independent pet stores in the Twin Cities.

Orijen 6 Fresh Fish or Regional Red.Recommended by Michael Sweeney and Darcy K.

Grain-free, dry food in varieties for different sizes/ages/breeds. From the website “Considered too expensive by conventional pet food makers, our fresh regional ingredients are unmatched in any other dog or cat food on earth.” PET FOOD OF THE YEAR AWARD, 2010-2011 Glycemic Research Institute of Washington DC.Sold at Chuck and Don’s, and some other small/independent pet stores in the Twin Cities.

Costco Grain Free All Life Stages and Costco Puppy. Recommended by Laura H. for the price (savings cover the membership fees).

Because of the membership necessary for Costco, not a lot for a company website. There are some reviews online though – Google it! Sold at….Costco.

Raw. If you’re considering feeding raw, do your research, ask people who are feeding raw for the benefits and considerations. Below are a few links.

http://www.rawsforpaws.com

http://www.amazon.com – a variety of books on the subject

http://www.woodyspetdeli.com/ - a local raw pet food deli, offering cooked, raw, and ground food options.

A great book: Raw and Natural Nutrition for Dogs 

For all of the above, there is a ton of information available on the web, including reviews. Check out http://www.consumersearch.com/dog-food for some good information!

By: Brandy L.