Alternative to Wellness Super 5 (Lamb mix, green bag)?

howetechnical · 11-24-2009, 12:01 AM

Hi all,

Our Jasper has always eaten Wellness Super 5 food. He loves it, and I'd like to keep giving it to him, but at $54 for a 30lb bag (that lasts just over 3 weeks), it's going to get expensive.

Do any of you know a good alternative that has the protein and fat that Wellness does, as well as anything else that is necessary, but in a cheaper form? IAMS is half the price for 40lbs, and some others look tempting too. Just getting your input.

Our dog is an 85lb English Pointer / Lab mix who is very active and loves to eat. He's 1.5 years old.

howetechnical · 11-24-2009, 12:10 AM

How does this look? It's the Iams Adult Large Breed Formula in the green bag.

Ingredients: Chicken, Corn Meal, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Chicken By-Product Meal (Natural source of Glucosamine), Ground Whole Grain Barley, Fish Meal, Dried Beet Pulp (Sugar Removed), Chicken Fat (Preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Natural Chicken Flavor, Dried Egg Product, Potassium Chloride, Brewers Dried Yeast, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Flax Meal, Sodium Hexametaphosphate, Choline Chloride, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Carbonate), Dried Chicken Cartilage (Natural source of Glucosamine), DL-Methionine, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (Source of Vitamin B1), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement (Source of Vitamin B2), Inositol, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Source of Vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Fish Oil (Preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), L-Tryptophan, Rosemary Extract.

Guaranteed Analysis:

Crude Protein (min) 23.0%
Crude Fat (min) 13.0%
Crude Fat (max) 16.0%
Crude Fiber (max) 5.0%
Moisture (max) 10.0%
Omega-6 Fatty Acids (min) 2.30%*
Omega-3 Fatty Acids (min) 0.23%*
Glucosamine (min) 350 mg/kg*
* Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.
Calories: 3,588 kcal/kg, 374 kcal/cup

Feeding Recommendations:
The following guideline amounts are a starting point and your dog may need more food depending upon age, activity and temperament. In order to reach optimal body condition, you may need to adjust food intake. This chart represents the total recommended volume of food per day. You should divide the total recommended feeding amount by the number of times you feed your dog per day to get the actual portion size per feeding.

Daily Feeding Guide:

Pet Weight : Cups per Day

50 - 60 lb. dog: 2 - 2 1/3 cups per day
60 - 80 lb. dog: 2 1/3 - 2 3/4 cups per day
80 - 100 lb. dog: 2 3/4 - 3 1/3 cups per day
100 - 120 lb. dog: 3 1/3 - 3 3/4 cups per day
Made in the USA.

**Criosphynx** · 11-24-2009, 12:15 AM

iams has fillers in it...so you end up feeding MORE food to get the same amount of nutrition...so in the end you pay about the same

If your on a budget Chicken Soup for the dog lovers soul is often recommended for people on budgets

Quote:

Ingredients Chicken, turkey, chicken meal, ocean fish meal, cracked pearled barley, whole grain brown rice, oatmeal, millet, white rice, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potatoes, egg product, tomato pomace, duck, salmon, flaxseed, natural chicken flavor, choline chloride, dried chicory root, kelp, carrots, peas, apples, tomatoes, blueberries, spinach, dried skim milk, cranberry powder, rosemary extract, parsley flake, yucca schidigera extract, L-carnitine, dried fermentation products of Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid

vs Iams

Quote:

Ingredients: Chicken, Corn Meal, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Chicken By-Product Meal (Natural source of Glucosamine), Ground Whole Grain Barley, Fish Meal, Dried Beet Pulp (Sugar Removed), Chicken Fat (Preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Natural Chicken Flavor, Dried Egg Product, *snipped*

the bolded ingrediants are fillers...your dog will just pass them as stool

howetechnical · 11-24-2009, 12:22 AM

Ooookkk, I just measured the amount of food we've been giving him (per the previous owners instructions). He's supposed to get 2.5 - 3 cups per day, according to his weight, and we've been giving him just under 2.5 cups each meal time. Two meals per day, that's why he's going through the bag so quick and probably why he has the runs half the time.

My question now is, is it OK to cut him back to just over 1.25 cups per meal if he's used to having more? I would assume so, but as my wife just said, "I don't want him to go after Cassie" (our cat). Hah.

**Criosphynx** · 11-24-2009, 12:25 AM

How much does he wiegh again?...sorry I forget. :P

I have five dogs and use less than 4 cups a DAY and its the same food.

howetechnical · 11-24-2009, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Criosphynx

How much does he wiegh again?...sorry I forget. :P

I have five dogs and use less than 4 cups a DAY and its the same food.

We were told he's 75lbs
Here's a picture to show you his body size (we're getting the carpet cleaned this wednesday...those brown spots are his stomach telling us it didn't like something...twice).

**Criosphynx** · 11-24-2009, 12:43 AM

oooo...yucky tummy...poor guy.

hes much bigger than I thought he would be!

anyway, yes its ok to cut him back, just watch his wieght, you can always re adjust it.. You may want to add rice or veggies, or som'thing else to make the meals seem bigger in his tummy...the portions on these premium foods are so small...they are getting enough nutrition from it, but their tummys empty faster.

howetechnical · 11-24-2009, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Criosphynx

hes much bigger than I thought he would be!

Now you see why we were a bit scared at first when he would growl at us or show his teeth. Now we've realized that he does that to people he really likes, even though he doesn't do it to me (the alpha).

Even this last weekend during the Charger game, he as usual started enthusiastically barking at my dad nonstop as soon as he arrived, so we put Jasper outside for an hour. After that, I have no idea what changed, but Jasper became my dads best friend. Last time he kept barking for hours outside, so we had to put sheets over the windows (very large windows from floor to ceiling) so he couldn't see my dad. But yesterday he even played with my dad, and started the growling thing when my dad was leaving that he normally does with my wife.

I digress...anyway...yeah he's big, so his bark and growl can intimidate

What would be a good quick add-in for his food, to make the portions larger? I don't want to have to cook rice or veggies every meal, but will if that's the best/cheapest add-in.

**Criosphynx** · 11-24-2009, 12:58 AM

just give raw veggies...I think most people use green beans or carrots...maybe others will chime in...I've never done it.

Oatmeal is fast/easy to ad in...thirty seconds in the microwave...it will also help with his upset tummy.

Iam so happy he is fitting in with you guys now!

Mikey · 11-25-2009, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Chicken Soup for the dog lovers soul is often recommended for people on budgets

Quote:
Ingredients Chicken, turkey, chicken meal, ocean fish meal, cracked pearled barley, whole grain brown rice, oatmeal, millet, white rice, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potatoes, egg product, tomato pomace, duck, salmon, flaxseed, natural chicken flavor, choline chloride, dried chicory root, kelp, carrots, peas, apples, tomatoes, blueberries, spinach, dried skim milk, cranberry powder, rosemary extract, parsley flake, yucca schidigera extract, L-carnitine, dried fermentation products of Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid

That actually looks like a super food Crio !! I can't find one thing I don't like about...

He's BIG!! OMG He does not look 75lbs in his pictures!

Quote:

Iam so happy he is fitting in with you guys now!

Ditto!!!

That's wonderful!

Quote:

What would be a good quick add-in for his food, to make the portions larger? I don't want to have to cook rice or veggies every meal, but will if that's the best/cheapest add-in.

You should probably, given that he's had an upset tummy-add one new food at a time (and make the dog food switch slowly) just so you know what he's not tolerating should something make him upset.
Carrots, apples, banana and berries are great healthy additives that most dogs love.
I also like to add some canned salmon, crab or herring for a treat that's healthy-it also entices Mikey to eat more