Getting a dog soon, need help to stockpile food

[Kim1013]

I've never been to this forum before so HELLO. We are finally on the hunt for a dog and might have found a Doberman/German Shorthair mix puppy. If we don't get this puppy we are looking for a large dog that will serve as a protector/guardian and family companion. We live out in the country so our dog will have lots of space to run but has to be big enough to intimidate coyotes. Anyway, I haven't even begun to stockpile food so I was wondering if there are some good deals going on right now or where do you buy your dog food for a good price? I have a Dillons, Target, Walmart, KMart, Hy-Vee and a Petco (new store in town and never been there). Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[cheapcheap]

Getting a new dog is very exciting -- congrats! There aren't any good deals out at the moment, but I can give you some advice about general savings on dog food. If you periodically email different companies, they will mail high-value Qs. Keep all those Qs together with any from inserts so you'll be prepared when an unadvertised sale pops up. Contrary to what pet food manufacturer's recommend, you can switch brands. Just mix in a bit of new food with old one for a few days to let their tummies adjust. Nutritionally, it gives them variety. And buy the best you can afford -- it'll save on vet bills down the road. Good luck!

[kval07]

My advice would be to check out this thread and read up on some of the links there. You should know what is in the foods you are feeding your dog.

[neelia]

Another tip I have is to not feed only the food you stockpile, in my experience (I've had LOTS of cats and dogs) if you feed them better quality food, they end up at the vet a lot less often. Shelling out $35 for a bag of dog food sucks, but a vet bill will usually run you more than a years worth of food.

Not trying to preach, just some friendly advice. I have 4 dogs and 3 cats right now and since I've stopped feeding them low quality food (i.e. MOST of the food from grocery/pet stores) I've had ONE sick pet in the last 3 years. The one that got sick was from the low quality/cheap food I was mixing in to save money, sadly. So in my effort to save money, it cost me WAY more. So now he just gets the higher quality food. Other than that we've had a few run in's with the vet, but due to dogs getting in fights, etc.

What I do is mix 70% high quality food and 30% low quality food if I got it at an amazing price, otherwise I just feel all high quality food. In the end you're paying more for food, but there's much less out of pocket due to vet bills.

Again, not trying to preach! Sometimes people take things the wrong way and I don't want to come off that way.

[Kim1013]

Thank you so much for the advice everyone. I know getting a dog is a big commitment and we've never owned a dog before so all advice is welcomed. We're still in the process of looking for a dog but I would like to stockpile a little before we get one to cut down on the cost. Thanks again.

[kval07]

Originally Posted by neelia In the end you're paying more for food, but there's much less out of pocket due to vet bills.

OP, in that dog food thread I linked to, you'll notice people have mentioned their dogs eat considerably less when fed the high quality stuff. The reason is low quality stuff is full of fillers - stuff that fills you up only temporarily. You pay more for high quality food, but you don't feed as much because your dog won't need to eat as much!

[neelia]

^I definitely agree. If you follow the feeding instructions on the bag, you have to feed less of the higher quality food.

[cupunlvr]

I wholeheartedly agree with feeding premium foods. My daughter is a vet assistant and she agrees there is a definite correlation with quality foods and your animal's health. That being said, I would wait to purchase any food until you actually get the dog. Then buy in smaller quantities while you figure out what the animal can tolerate and will eat. Some animals have allergies and digestive issues. You don't want to be stuck with a huge bag of expensive food that your pup can't/won't eat. Petsmart and Petco both have store loyalty cards and will send you email coupons if you subscribe. Best of luck

[motherofmolly]

i am on the otherside of the fence...owned dogs all my life...and trained them for 7+ years....i have done the all natural food from the all natural food store to purina...

i currently do a mixture of any of the name brand foods....science diet, eukanuba, purina, etc.....toss them all in a big bucket...

i have never had a problem with any of my dogs. i had a lab that lived well past 14 and a mixed rescue dog that lived to 13....currently have another lab and a belgian malinois (he is 12)....

if you are thinking a big dog (german shephard size) 4 cups is usually a good feeding for full grown....each food is different....but, this is a decision you need to make based on the individual dog (some are picky), your budget, your own personal opinions etc...

i will say that i NEVER buy that generic off store brand that no ones ever heard of for my dogs...i dont trust that stuff....i dont trust old roy either from walmart...but that is a personal opinion....my dogs also get supplemented with canned food here and there as an extra treat...this is only when i get it for almost nothing after coupons/sales....

[Kim1013]

I'm definitely going to have to do some more research based on price per feeding and not just quantity. I think I'll have to go visit the Petco here in town soon to help in my research. Thank you all so much. And kval07, I have read the whole thread on what do you feed your dog. It sure gets heated over there ;)