Why is Iams the best?
- Thread starter JoshDT33
- Start date
Iams is NOT the best 
Pedigree IS a step down....
check out The Dog Food Project - How does your Dog Food Brand compare? , specifically ingredients to avoid for starters...
A lot of shelters, vets, etc recommend things like Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet, Purina, etc for a couple of reasons. Usually, they really don't know any better. Also, Food reps come out to do 'nutritional trainings' (and endorse their product, of course), and they make a profit off of them.
I know some here feed Orijen, Taste of the Wild, Natures Variety, etc. If you want to compare the ingredients with the Iams to some of these brands, you can tell a pretty big difference
Pedigree IS a step down....
check out The Dog Food Project - How does your Dog Food Brand compare? , specifically ingredients to avoid for starters...
A lot of shelters, vets, etc recommend things like Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet, Purina, etc for a couple of reasons. Usually, they really don't know any better. Also, Food reps come out to do 'nutritional trainings' (and endorse their product, of course), and they make a profit off of them.
I know some here feed Orijen, Taste of the Wild, Natures Variety, etc. If you want to compare the ingredients with the Iams to some of these brands, you can tell a pretty big difference
Iams is not what I'd consider a good food, but it will feed a dog. I consider it a grocery brand in the same category as pedigree but slightly above Oh say Ol Roy.
Shelters operate on low margins so many just feed whatever they can get cheap to free. Sometimes for a simple endorsement they get their food donated so I don't blame them in the slightest for using it.
Shelters operate on low margins so many just feed whatever they can get cheap to free. Sometimes for a simple endorsement they get their food donated so I don't blame them in the slightest for using it.
Iams is NOT the best
Pedigree IS a step down....
Pedigree IS a step down....
Iams is a well advertised food that has reps doing a darn good job of promoting it as slightly higher quality than what else is widely available at the grocery and big box stores. IMO the money made goes right back into advertising etc. instead of into the food.
A lot of the foods on the market that are actually great are not going to be foods you've commonly heard of, because they don't pay an arm and a leg for advertising. You'll also need to look further than your nearest grocery store or big box store. Look at smaller pet stores (not puppy stores, but pet supply stores), that's where you'll find a lot of the better foods as a general rule.
And definitely check out The Dog Food Project - How does your Dog Food Brand compare? since it's a fantastic resource for someone just starting out! You'll need to know what to look for in a GOOD food, (and what to avoid!).
Iams is NOT the best by a long shot, as others have already said!
I feed my dogs Taste of the Wild. If I could pick ANY kibble without regard to cost, I'd feed Orijen, but I can't afford that. Eventually Gavroche at leeast will be switched over to prey model raw. Logan may be at some point too. Not sure when either will happen though.
I feed my dogs Taste of the Wild. If I could pick ANY kibble without regard to cost, I'd feed Orijen, but I can't afford that. Eventually Gavroche at leeast will be switched over to prey model raw. Logan may be at some point too. Not sure when either will happen though.
I feed prey model raw, but Orijen, Acana grain free, or Nature's Variety Instinct would be my first choices if I had for some insane reason to go back to kibble. I don't plan on ever going back to commercial pet food if I can help it though.
You can do much better than Iams and Pedigree, both are awful.
You can do much better than Iams and Pedigree, both are awful.
Iams/Pedigree/anything you can buy in a grocery store is definitely NOT the best food for your dog. As others have said, oftentimes shelters get food donated by Iams/Eukanuba/etc, which is great, because in a shelter situation, food is food. They then recommend that food - but it's definitely not the best.
I love the Dog Food Advisor site - it lists a huge number of food brands, goes through each ingredient and explains why it's good/bad/controversial, and then gives each food a summary and a rating. I would recommend the Five-Star Foods or Four-Star Foods.
I'm not sure where you're located, or what's available near you, but those lists would be a good place to start.
I love the Dog Food Advisor site - it lists a huge number of food brands, goes through each ingredient and explains why it's good/bad/controversial, and then gives each food a summary and a rating. I would recommend the Five-Star Foods or Four-Star Foods.
I'm not sure where you're located, or what's available near you, but those lists would be a good place to start.
Thanks. I will look into all of this as I am looking into many things right now. He's a pretty good puppy so far towards most things. The biggest thing for me right now is crate training. I will be posting in another spot about this but if anyone has any information about a dog crying after you put him in the kennel let me know. He's pretty good for the most part and only cries for a minute, not even. Then he stops until I get him which could be 10 minutes or could be 3 hours. I'm doing short term confinement for the time being.
Either one is a decent food. I'd personally go with the Wellness CORE or the Blue Buffalo Wilderness, but I also have decided that I'm only feeding grain-free from now on. I would probably pick the Wellness, just a personal preference.
Prices vary A LOT across the country, but where I am Taste of the Wild is a good bit cheaper than even the not-grain-free varieties of Wellness and Blue Buffalo. Taste of the Wild can usually be found at independent pet stores (NOT Petco or Petsmart) and at feed stores, and Tractor Supply.
Prices vary A LOT across the country, but where I am Taste of the Wild is a good bit cheaper than even the not-grain-free varieties of Wellness and Blue Buffalo. Taste of the Wild can usually be found at independent pet stores (NOT Petco or Petsmart) and at feed stores, and Tractor Supply.
Well, I guess if you took the "made of carbon" meaning of organic... :rofl1:
Just because they're not organic though, doesn't mean they're not good. Actually I can't think of an organic food that would top my list at the moment, but then again I really don't pay attention to whether something's organic or not. A food could be made with corn, soybeans, and wheat - and no meat - and still be organic.
Just because they're not organic though, doesn't mean they're not good. Actually I can't think of an organic food that would top my list at the moment, but then again I really don't pay attention to whether something's organic or not. A food could be made with corn, soybeans, and wheat - and no meat - and still be organic.
^ Absolutely. I should have clarified this in my post as well.
Organic simply means the food products are produced without synthetics and/or chemicals. You can have a dog food proclaiming ORGANIC GOODNESS all over it and the main ingredients can still be whole corn and meat by-products as the first ingredients, for example.
The best simple way to choose a good food is to look for high quality meats ant meat meals (meat meals are better, and avoid anything with "by-product") as the primary imgredients(1-6 on the ingredient list) and if the food is grain-inclusive, look for healthy grain sources. The resources and info earlier in this thread are fantastic.
Organic simply means the food products are produced without synthetics and/or chemicals. You can have a dog food proclaiming ORGANIC GOODNESS all over it and the main ingredients can still be whole corn and meat by-products as the first ingredients, for example.
The best simple way to choose a good food is to look for high quality meats ant meat meals (meat meals are better, and avoid anything with "by-product") as the primary imgredients(1-6 on the ingredient list) and if the food is grain-inclusive, look for healthy grain sources. The resources and info earlier in this thread are fantastic.