How do you decide what to feed your dog? Share with tails.com – £300 voucher to be won NOW CLOSED

[JustineBMumsnet]

For many of us, dogs are part of the family. Choosing the right food for them can feel really important – but with so much choice, how do you know what’s right for your dog? Share your experiences of finding the right food for your dog, and be in with a chance of winning a £300 voucher for a store of your choice.

To get us started, here’s what Sean, the Head Vet at tails.com, has to say: “From raw feeding to grain free, we are seeing more human diet trends crossing over into the world of dog food. While trends come and go, I believe in three founding principles of a good diet to improve and extend your dog's life. High quality ingredients, tailored to your dog's individual needs, and fed in the right amount to keep them in great physical shape. The question is how do you find the food that meets all three principles?”

What do you prioritise when it comes to choosing food for your dog? How can you tell if the food you’re giving your dog is beneficial to their health and general condition? Do you have feeding tips that you’d like to share with new dog owners? If your dog has ever gone off their food, how have you encouraged them to start eating again? And if you’re thinking of getting a dog, what do you think you’d feed one - would you buy generic dog food or would you think more deeply about their diet?

Everyone who posts on the thread below will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher for the store of their choice.

Tails.com have supplied a 1 month free discount code - if you'd like to use this please click here.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

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A stock brand of dog food which we then top up with leftovers as and when we can. The dogs usually decide what they don't like and we take note.

We tried both dry and meat our dog Lady seem to like Dry better so she decide which she preferred

Our 'puppy class' teacher recommened ours to us and althought its expensive it's worth it x

We use grain free to prevent tummy upsets

To me meat content and lack of cereals / grains where possible is most important then cost, although cost is naturally a factor.

a mix of dry food and wet with the odd treats here and there. So far so good haven't had major issues with him.

By researching online to be honest, I cannot afford the most expensive feeds which are usually at the vets reception, but i also know the cheap brands are usually full of cereals etc, so i go mid range and look for the nutritional value, because I love her so.....

as long as its got all the required nutrients that our dog needs i dont think it matters to much what brand we give them.

15kg bag of kibble . My dog happy and keeps his stomach happy. Tried other things and they just don't work for him

i look at the protein content first and also work out cost per day, not bag! sticking to one brand and not changing/giving too many treats to stop fussy eating

I stare at his eyes and he tells me through his eyes what he wants to eat

Raw meat diet - takes up a lot of freezer space but well worth it

My dustbin chocolate black Labrador who will eat anything and everything - not at all fussy. But usually fed James Wellbeloved dry food

Our dog mostly has dried food but with an occasional treat of cooked chicken.

My dad has raised dogs for years so I ask him - it’s alwsys fresh meat x

my dog love scrambled egg, got to give the dog different foods, it cant eat the same thing all the time

We go on our vet's recommendation as he really does know best...

I always feed our dogs on a the best quality dry and complete food, Acana. It is more expensive but worth it as it is contains all the nutrition they need to keep them healthy and looking good.

Our Labrador has a very sensitive tummy she has dry food only. We do give her chicken, beef or tuna a couple of times a week as well.

I try to offer fresh meat where possible and use a mix of dry and wet food.

Grain Free!!! When we adopted our doggie he was really hyper and itchy - we have pebble dash on our house and he kept rubbing himself along the wall (and that pebble dash is sharp)! I went to a local pet shop for some soothing shampoo and the man there asked what the problem was, and that no dog should be so itchy - he didnt sell me the shampoo but what he did sell me was a big pack of grain free dog food and told me within 6-8 weeks when all the rubbish had got out of his system he would be a more calm and less itchy dog. He was right - we adopted our dog and the man in the shop said they will have fed him what they get donated and sometimes that is not good food but the rescues use it (obviously to keep costs down and to keep the dogs alive)! He is on grain fee food all the time now, his treats are more natural things like pig ears and dried tripe sticks and we dont have weight issues he is a very healthy dog. I am not so sure about all these other diet fads for dogs that cross from human diets such as vegan, vegetarian etc - but I do know that most dogs are allergic to grains and that is why they get so itchy (and for us it made a huge difference to him from being hyper to a much more calmer dog)! I think people who feed their dogs faddy diets should have to pay to see a dog nutritionalist as some diets are really not suitable and do not have enough vitamins and minerals and energy source for your dog to have a healthy happy life and be able to fight off infections and heal quickly from scrapes etc.

We have 2 boxer dogs age 6. When Oscar was a pup we found he had an allergy, He was biting his paws and scratching his ears, after numerous visits to the vet and many tests we found out it was his food so had to try lots of different foods before we settled with one that was right for him which was a good brand Hypoallergenic Dog Food and we kept both dogs on it with hardly any further problems.

When I first got my pup I refused to feed her any rubbish as I thought we don't eat the cheapest nutritionally deficient food you can buy so why should she as she is a part of the family too. I find it so difficult to find the right food. I want something healthy and nutritious for her but at the same time she is so fussy and will turn her nose up at a lot of it so I want something tasty for her too.
I try not to be too concerned with price though as just like with humans you have to pay for quality and if it means that I have to go without a treat or two to make sure she gets the proper food she needs then that's what I will do.

We took advice from the vet when we first got Molly to ensure she was getting appropriate and nutritious food

Our dogs refuse to eat anything they don't like and we wouldn't see them go hungry. They are both now on raw dog food and they gobble it up. They also have nice hard poos now where as before one of them had a dicky tummy so we had to be careful. Raw food was definitely the right choice for us even though its costly.