I am looking at switching the dog food that I give my lab. I was using the same stuff (cheapest stuff at wal-mart) the guy before me was using but I just dont think it is hearty enough for him. If I plan on taking him out and letting him burn calories in the blind and water, I figure I ought to give him some higher calorie food.

Any suggestions??

I would also like him to gain about another 15lbs. He is pretty skinny. The guy who had him before said he only fed him one scoop of food once a day and he showed it. I would bet that he has gained 5-10lbs since Ive had him. Last friday he weighed in at 71lbs. Someone recommended puppy food and I think Ill try mixing that in with his regular food.

We don't stick to one particular brand, but I do make sure that some type of meat is at least the first if not the first 2 ingredients. When the first ingredient is corn meal they need to eat more to get the nutrition they need, and you end up with a lot more mess in the yard.

If you can get Black Gold then try that, Busheitt's and MFA carry it and it is an awesome feed. I would still be feeding it if it wasn't such a far drive for me to get it, I really liked the way the dogs looked with it and they didn't poop everywhere like a gravy train. The Black bag is what I used, using High Standard now cause I can buy it wholesale but I DO NOT like it near as much and will probably just start driving further and paying more for Black Gold.

Pro Plan and Eukenuba are probably among the most popular if money isn't an option.
I've also heard good things about Exceed (sold at Sams)

Have been feeding Enhance by Arkat now for about 6 months and love it. My normal picky eaters gobble it up and my lean guys are really doing well as far as keeping weight. And the best part of it all is that it isn't overly expensive. A group of us in retrievers Unlimited bought a pallet and just coop it out.

I'm a proplan guy. During the season she gets it straight up. In the off season I mix it 50/50 w/ fit-n-trim. My Nes is gonna be 10 in March, and she's still hunting strong...

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/index.php/cat/1

innova evo is the best reviewed and value priced dog food on the market.

this has been a big buzz as of late, some of the scraps that dog food is made of is terrible

one item to note is holistic dog food

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/193671/the_benefits_of_holistic_dog_food.html?cat=53

do a search on rendering plants and you will have a second thought on any dog food you buy going forward

great topic alot of info out there concerning, focus on the dog owner forum boards

I fed mine proplan for the first 3 years and she started to get bored with it. I switched to beneful about 6 months ago and she loves it. I've got her on the healthy weight formula and cut back her servings so she's lost a little weight. She still has a ton of energy.

We've just switched to the Lamb and Rice from Loyall (Nutrena) Dolly was having some awful skin issues- and short of some of the ones that I really cannot afford this was what was suggested to me..
After a week on it her skin is already improving noticeably.
She's always been a little prone to allergy type skin issues, and for the longest time I fed them an organic bison and salmon formula that was superb.. but it finally just got too expensive.. :(
I 'd do most anything for my mutts, but when their weekly food bill exceeded our grocery bill.. sadly it was time to make some adjustments.

I feed exclusive and have had no problems. Great coat and lots of energy
very little stool which is a plus. You can get it in different formulas so you
can change protien content depending on what you are using the dog for
at the time. I use 30% protien during the season and back off during the
off season. As with all dogs each one reacts to food differently.

I have always used purina one lamb and rice. no issues with it at all.It runs about 20 bucks a bag.I had a checkout girl tell me that sure is high just for a dog. I told her i wish i could eat all month for 20 bucks.

I told her i wish i could eat all month for 20 bucks.
Well you could, but you'd be eating Purina One instead of your regular fare. :eek:

Man... I didnt realize all the options that were out there.

I also feed Purina One.

"I am looking at switching the dog food that I give my lab. I was using the same stuff (cheapest stuff at wal-mart) the guy before me was using but I just dont think it is hearty enough for him."

Never use the cheapest thing at Walmart. Also, check out the projected weight of your breed. They are supposed to have an hourglass figure. Most do not realize that their animal should not weigh as much as they think. I have had people say my 65 pound Husky was small, yet he is at the upper limit of the standard.

well im gonna probly stand out but we feed our dog purina dog chow and it works i think she weight 45 to 50 pounds

Hmmmm. We stopped feeding "bag" food a while back. Now we only feed raw food. We save the scraps from our deer, turkey, chickens and fish. Our dog seems as healthy as ever. We made the switch while my daughters setter was still alive. "Missy" was having trouble putting on weight and was very picky about eating. We started giving her raw food and she began to gain, grow a better coat and gnaw on the bones like a puppy.

BTW, since changing, the stools size have reduced dramaticly.

For years I have fed my labs Purina dog chow. Only switching to Hi Pro when the ice starts to form on the lakes, The hi pro adds a little octane to the fuel.

WalMart is not a good place to buy dog food if you are concerned about quality and price. They have a couple of products that are acceptable, but you are better off to go to a local feedstore that sells various animal feeds.

Most dogs will do well on most good feeds. I agree that I prefer meat as the first ingredient, usually some form of chicken. Several good products are available. You should choose dependant on your dog's needs. The advantage of going to a real feedstore is that there is likely someone there who can give you good advice. It's laughable to try to get good advice at WalMart.

I currently feed Loyall Active Adult to my yard dog, and I also feed it to my five-month Llewellin pup. Puppy feed is primarily a marketing ploy. I fed Diamond Premium for years with good results, and I have tried some of the others mentioned.

I have duscussed the "dog food analysis" group a few times on other forums. They have some good information, but I believe their standards and criteria are suspect to begin with. Their main objective is to sell expensive feed that is good but also unnecessary.

I don't know everything, but one of my degrees is in nutrition. Special dogs may have special needs, but i'm not sure Vets always give the best advice on feed. Find a good feedstore that has been in business a long time.

If you can get Black Gold then try that, Busheitt's and MFA carry it and it is an awesome feed. I would still be feeding it if it wasn't such a far drive for me to get it, I really liked the way the dogs looked with it and they didn't poop everywhere like a gravy train. The Black bag is what I used, using High Standard now cause I can buy it wholesale but I DO NOT like it near as much and will probably just start driving further and paying more for Black Gold.

I found a place right next to my work that sells it. It seems as if you look on line most people with working dogs rave about it. Purists seem to bash it because there is not a lot of pure meat in it. Has anyone else heard about this feed or tried it?

my dog eats Pro Plan Chicken and Rice formula. A while back they changed it, and now it contains the softer bits as well as the chunks. The dog always wants to eat the bits first, but does eat the rest afterwards. He's got a nice, shiny coat, fit and trim and best of all, his messes in the yard are easy to pick up.
I recommend it.

I found a place right next to my work that sells it. It seems as if you look on line most people with working dogs rave about it. Purists seem to bash it because there is not a lot of pure meat in it. Has anyone else heard about this feed or tried it?

Black Gold has good products. Find the product that fits your need and try it. I've read many good testimonies on the benefits of their products. I've looked at their ingredients, and I have visited their main distributing plant. I have no problem recommending them, although i have not used any yet.