Dog Food

[Tywais]

Before I'm accused of being a speciesist, cat lovers and others are welcome to comment on their treats for their special species also.

I have a male golden retriever (pedigreed - name Jedi) about 4 years old now and I'm always concerned if I am feeding him right. I generally feed him Pedigree (adult) dry dog food but he will only eat it if quite hungry. So what I will usually do is either add a can of Pedigree (wet) or one of the Pedigree packets you can buy (also wet) and add it to the dry food. Add a little water to make a sauce and make sure the pellets are moist. I've read that one should mix it with your hands to make sure the scent/taste gets on the pellets.

However, I do spoil him and the wife gets annoyed at me saying he is too fat already. Just last night a made a pork roast with gravy just for him. Diced it up and added part of it with the gravy to his dry food. Gone in a blink. However that is only rarely done. (hmm, a pun in the making?)

He loves farang food (my food) and anytime I barbecue he's sitting there waiting and drooling. Tuna fish also. When he looks at me with those pleading brown eyes, I can't resist. I try to stay away from bones, especially chicken (but as you can see he likes KFC), but occasionally will give it to him. Pizza also, but he usually buries it for later.

I've read about the 'Rawfood diet' for dogs but probably too late to introduce it. Anyone with experience with this?

I also give him special treats occasionaly but not sure how good they are for him. Never chocolate though, especially after reading a previous topic on it. So what do you feed yours or how do you spoil them?

Dry dog food

His special treats

Paw licking good...

[billd766]

We have 3 dogs but they only have a degree from the temple where we got them. They are the last survivors of 3 generations of dogs that we have had over the last 4 years and the generally just eat rice and any leftovers. They are all outside dogs and are not allowed in the house nor where we are eating. I would say that they are guard dogs but they seem to sleep all day to save their energy to fight with the dogs next door after dark.

[Skyline]

I used to feed my Bulldog on Pedigree when we first got him and had nothing but problems with his fur and skin.We changed to Eukanaba and Science Diet and havent had any prolems at all for 3 years.

He also likes to eat plastic things for some reason!

[Tywais]

I used to feed my Bulldog on Pedigree when we first got him and had nothing but problems with his fur and skin.We changed to Eukanaba and Science Diet and havent had any prolems at all for 3 years.

He also likes to eat plastic things for some reason!

Had to look them up. The Science Diet looks interesting, is it readily available in Thailand? Found this site while I was searching for Science Diet. Changing Your Dog's food . Also found a dog food review site and what they contain. Seems Pedigree is not such a good choice after all. Dog Food Reviews

[Skyline]

tywais,

Science Diet is available at most pet stores.There are 5-6 shops in SriNakarin that sell it alone.....otherwise,if you are in BKK,you can get it delivered to your home by joining Shamu Shamu......www.shamushamu.com.

They have everything available by phone order.

Apparently,Pedigree is worse than some local dog foods!!!

[Tywais]

Apparently,Pedigree is worse than some local dog foods!!!

I think my wife has too high of an opinion on well advertised imports, Pedigree is her idea. Will have to educate her.

[longtail]

[size=4]dogs are about as dumb and people and will eat jsut about anything once they loose their natural insticts. A diet of fresh raw meat is the only diet really one should offer a dog. along with what he will eats in the way of wild greens once in a while.[[/size]size=4]

[Old Man River]

Tywais, I hope ghost Jedi is doing well.

I can't say about Chiang Mai, but in Bangkok Science Diet is sold at many pet stores. I feed my dogs (poodle hybrid and golden pedigree) Eukanuba. I have visited a number of vets in Bangkok and all sell different dog foods (including Science Diet). I always ask about Eukanuba and so far, every vet said it is the same as what they are selling. Hence, for me, it is Eukanuba, but from time to time I switch to Science Diet to give a different flavor.

My poodle hybrid (50% poodle, 50% we will never know) is a house dog and eats like we do (people food). The golden eats dry Eukanuba, but like Jedi, must have it mixed with something wet. Both love tuna fish, and the poodle will take pizza, but like your dog will usually put it aside for later. So far, the golden has not turned her nose up at any people food (includes spicy Thai food), but we don't give it to her that often so as not to spoil her, like the poodle who is beyond redemption.

[Old Man River]

[size=4]dogs are about as dumb and people and will eat jsut about anything once they loose their natural insticts. A diet of fresh raw meat is the only diet really one should offer a dog. along with what he will eats in the way of wild greens once in a while.[[/size]size=4]

Longtail, while in the UK this summer, an expert on goldens told us that raw meat is the only thing we should be feeding out dogs. However, while the fresh raw meat in many countries is aged, in Thailand my wife and I are afraid that the cheaper raw meats may not be hygenic for dogs (or humans). If we give our dogs the same meat we eat, we might as well give them Eukanuba or Science Diet, which contain all the vitamins and minerals that they need. I realize there are two schools of thought on this, but the schools of thought on raw meat normally do not live in Thailand.

[Old Man River]

tywais,

Science Diet is available at most pet stores.There are 5-6 shops in SriNakarin that sell it alone.....otherwise,if you are in BKK,you can get it delivered to your home by joining Shamu Shamu......www.shamushamu.com.

They have everything available by phone order.

Apparently,Pedigree is worse than some local dog foods!!!

Skyline, several of the pet shops behind Seri Center (Srinakarin) will also deliver. For example, the large one on the corner just opposite Bua. Since you are on Bangna, it might be cheaper. I have never had our dog food delivered, but if you do and try one of the ones behind Seri, please let me know if it is cheaper. These dog expenses really do start to add up (as my wife keeps reminding me).

[Tywais]

These dog expenses really do start to add up (as my wife keeps reminding me).

They sure do. What with all the maintenance stuff, flea/tick powder, shampoos, grooming combs/brushes, etc, etc, etc. Our previous dog was a small Terrier and ate Thai food - rice mixed with other scraps like billd766's dogs. After getting the retriever and my wife's insistance on what dog food to buy, I break my back lugging home a 20kG bag. Though that does last quite a while even though he is a big dog. Will look around Chiangmai for the two brands recommended above. Thanks for that info.

[thaigerd]

My dogs don't touch any dry dog food, but it's my fault

My wife is in charge for their food:

2-3 times raw meat(beef)per week, boiled chicken meat and liver, beef heart one a week.

For the Boxer we can mix 50/50 meat and dry food.

The Rotti does not touch it when it was in the fridge(preboiled) for only one day.

We have a single fridge where my wife stores all the dog food.

For training sessions I am using cheese for them.

Gerd

[elfe]

pedigree dry food is about the worst you can feed your dog. a local golden breeder here lost almost all his dogs due to kidney failure after feeding only pedigree for about 3 years. high quality dry food is expensive and you better buy fresh food for that money! i have 38 dogs here and they get dry food as a base, i buy thai brands like mah kinny, dog mate, richy, bok dok etc and change them always. the dry food is always available for the dogs, usually i use the puppy-version. every day, in addition they get raw meat like chicken carcasses (about 15 kilos per day), meaty beef backbones and even meaty pork bones sometimes. if i have time i cook big pots with fish (pla o) or chicken or pork or liver, kidney, heart etc and add vegetables, some left overs, olive oil, vitamins and eggs and mix it with some rice. they always have the big cow legs for chewing lying around (a bit smelly though after some days )

to feed a dog only pedigree and processed dog treats is a very poor and one sided feeding and very boring for your dog!! the meat you can buy at the thai markets is surely fresher than in the big superstores back in europe! chicken carcasses are still quite meaty and are very cheap and healthy for your dog.

[sbk]

Wow, elfe, you are a one woman dog rescue! You have my deepest admiration

My dogs get fed cooked meat scraps (or fish) and mixed with cooked veg and rice. Sometimes dry dog food mixed in but one dog doesn't do well with the dry dog food (gives her skin problems) so mostly its meat or fish, veg and rice. We buy a cheaper rice just for the dogs, I might add.

[Tywais]

to feed a dog only pedigree and processed dog treats is a very poor and one sided feeding and very boring for your dog!! the meat you can buy at the thai markets is surely fresher than in the big superstores back in europe! chicken carcasses are still quite meaty and are very cheap and healthy for your dog.

Now I feel guilty as h3ll. I never researched it before and assumed since it is such a big product line in the US it must be OK. What about the two products mentioned before. The information I found seems they use real meat and other good additives where as I just found out that Pedigree is nearly all grains, except for the canned Pedigree I add to it.

The 'dog treats' are only every one or two months, but will have 2nd thoughts about them now. Will blame the wife, she insisted that it is the best. I just don't know if he will eat raw meats, he's used to cooked. I'm going to print out that guide I mentioned earlier 'Changing your dog's food'.

Thanks for that info, I want him to be around for a long time.

[Tywais]

My dogs get fed cooked meat scraps (or fish) and mixed with cooked veg and rice. Sometimes dry dog food mixed in but one dog doesn't do well with the dry dog food (gives her skin problems) so mostly its meat or fish, veg and rice. We buy a cheaper rice just for the dogs, I might add.

Our previous dogs, just your basic mixed breeds, that is what we fed them - also the cheapest rice. But when she (wife) got our retriever she insisted on the Pedigree dog food. I'm certain she will be shocked and concerned when I discuss this with her. We are both now better educated.

[sbk]

Like I said tywais, even my Thai dog was having problems with the dry dog foods (all of them, even the Pedigree). She developed skin problems, not mange, the vet thought it was allergies to the dry food. Took her off it, skin cleared up right away.

[elfe]

just try it and offer many different foods to your doggie, even my goldens who had been fed exclusively dry food their whole life went mad when i offered them their first chicken neck!

[Old Man River]

pedigree dry food is about the worst you can feed your dog. a local golden breeder here lost almost all his dogs due to kidney failure after feeding only pedigree for about 3 years. high quality dry food is expensive and you better buy fresh food for that money! i have 38 dogs here and they get dry food as a base, i buy thai brands like mah kinny, dog mate, richy, bok dok etc and change them always. the dry food is always available for the dogs, usually i use the puppy-version. every day, in addition they get raw meat like chicken carcasses (about 15 kilos per day), meaty beef backbones and even meaty pork bones sometimes. if i have time i cook big pots with fish (pla o) or chicken or pork or liver, kidney, heart etc and add vegetables, some left overs, olive oil, vitamins and eggs and mix it with some rice. they always have the big cow legs for chewing lying around (a bit smelly though after some days )

to feed a dog only pedigree and processed dog treats is a very poor and one sided feeding and very boring for your dog!! the meat you can buy at the thai markets is surely fresher than in the big superstores back in europe! chicken carcasses are still quite meaty and are very cheap and healthy for your dog.

Elfe, my wife and I understand that meat in Thailand would be fresher than many other countries because they don't age meat in Thailand as they do elsewhere. The freshness of raw meat is not our worry. What we are concerned about is the potential that raw meat in Thailand could have harmful organisms that cooking the meat would kill. Thailand's meat processing plants appear not to be held up to the same hygenic standards as in some of the other countries. Are our fears unfounded?

Also, we have heard that we should never give our dogs cooked bones, but it seems that you do given you throw in fish, chicken, pork etc. into your stew. Is this wise, or have we been mis informed about cooked bones?

[thaigerd]

You are absolutely right: Never give them cooked bones!

For the fresh meats I go to TOPS or another good supermarket.

When not 100% sure of the quality boil it before feeding ur dogs.

Gerd

[sbk]

I have one dog that had a bad experience with a fish bone caught in her throat (she eats too fast) and now she won't eat fish! I pick out big fish bones, and never give them chicken bones (a friend of mine's dog died when a bone perforated his intestine--probably ate too fast too ). I tend to the overcautious so also cook all my dogs food.

[Tony Clifton]

My dog ate dry dog food when younger but quickly got tired of it. I used to buy chicken carcasses at Tesco, liver, chicken feet, cook those in large amounts mixed with rice and refrigerate. She also loved fried eggs. Meat is rather inexpensive here, why not.

She looked very healthy compared to all other dogs in the moo ban. Unfortunately, she has disappeared after I untied her at 1 am. According to the neighbour, she was probably a prime piece of meat for the construction workers living here temporarily.

She was a soi pup when I found her but became a great companion, would sit on command, lay down etc.. I surely miss her.

[elfe]

there are certainly risks in feeding bones, raw or cooked, as sbk already described. it also depends on the dog how he eats, if he just swallows as quickly as possible or takes his time to chew the bones well. i have two dogs who would throw up bone parts the next morning after eating them the night before. with these dogs i'm more precautious and give them mainly chicken necks or fish without bones. as with your dog getting him used to raw feeding and eating different foods from kibble, start with chicken necks first as the bones are very tiny in there. see how it goes and then gradually give carcasses and beef back bones. raw pork meat or bones should rather be avoided because of the danger of aujetzky disease. big beef leg bones are very safe and give your dog a good entertainment. even big pork bones, cooked for a few minutes.

when i cook chicken i cook it rather long, to make a good soup and i always take away the oil on top of the soup. i mainly cook so the dogs have a change in food and to be able to add eggs, oils, vitamins etc sometimes, like once or twice a week. for dangerous organisms i'm not sure, never had any problems there, once the dog is used to raw feeding the digestion is very strong and the stomach acid will improve and digest everything very well. also it will provide your dog with a better immunity system

[Tywais]

You are absolutely right: Never give them cooked bones!

For the fresh meats I go to TOPS or another good supermarket.

When not 100% sure of the quality boil it before feeding ur dogs.

Gerd

I was wondering if the bones have been boiled (with the meat on them) wouldn't that soften them enough to not be a problem? I know fried meat with the bones the bones splinter easy and can be a problem. And I also get the meat from TOPS and get the lowest price pieces. Looks like I have to rethink my whole diet for him now. Certainly appreciate this feedback.

[Old Man River]

You are absolutely right: Never give them cooked bones!

For the fresh meats I go to TOPS or another good supermarket.

When not 100% sure of the quality boil it before feeding ur dogs.

Gerd

I was wondering if the bones have been boiled (with the meat on them) wouldn't that soften them enough to not be a problem? I know fried meat with the bones the bones splinter easy and can be a problem. And I also get the meat from TOPS and get the lowest price pieces. Looks like I have to rethink my whole diet for him now. Certainly appreciate this feedback.

Tywais, this is all getting so complicated. I am now watching how my dog's eat and frighteningly, they eat like I do. They gulp down their food. Maybe I should stay away from bones as well.

[pistonpilot]

Pedigree - I fell for it. I bought the 20kilo bag for 700 baht - on sale.

She hates it. It sits in her bowl - I"m going to have to give her cat food until I can go get some decent dog food.

Eukenaba - Science Diet - all good foods. Expensive thought.

What do I do with the Pedigree? Feed it to the soi dogs?

[Tywais]

What do I do with the Pedigree? Feed it to the soi dogs?

Seems the soi dogs have no problem with it. If I leave the gate open and there is some left in the bowl, the bowl comes out clean as a whistle.

At the moment Jedi is not eating anything. The neighbors dog is in heat.

[RamdomChances]

Mine are like Billd766's dogs. They just eat what they can find, my biggest dog tends to eat all the scraps the smaller ones eating whatever he leaves and then just whatever they can find around the farm. One has become pretty good at getting the odd mouce, lizard or frog. They tend to hang around the farm at milking time to get any leftover milk and cow food that fallen on the floor....they are'nt house dog's

[pistonpilot]

Bought some Eukanaba. I figured I'd outsmart her and mix it half and half with the Pedigree.

She left the Pedigree sit all day and when I mixed it, she managed to eat all the Eukenaba and leave the Pedigree.

Now I want to give it away - Tony's Shelter? Take it to the beach and feed the soi dogs? I can see food fights if I do that.

What to do with the big bag of Pedigree?

[Tywais]

Bought some Eukanaba. I figured I'd outsmart her and mix it half and half with the Pedigree.

She left the Pedigree sit all day and when I mixed it, she managed to eat all the Eukenaba and leave the Pedigree.

Now I want to give it away - Tony's Shelter? Take it to the beach and feed the soi dogs? I can see food fights if I do that.

What to do with the big bag of Pedigree?

You could take it to a wat (temple), they often take care of stray dogs and probably be happy to receive it.