# Beneful dry food



## Sapphire-Light (Jun 9, 2010)

Poodle*love said:


> My vet suggested beneful for my spoo, is that food bad? What about Iams or puppy chow? Would any of these be ok?


What is your pup currently eating?

Those 3 are bad brands they are full of corn, unnamed meats and artificial dyes, you see years ago some reps gave me a sample bag of beneful in a dog show, I didn't had my pup in that time but I got it for a pet turtle I had in that time.

A few weeks later the bag that had ziplock was full of white worms see this video 


For information of high quality dog food look at this site http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/dry/ , they have classifided the quality in stars the safe way to go is to feed a brand of 3 to 5 stars.


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## Liafast (Apr 9, 2011)

YUCK!!! The food I feed my dogs will grow maggots very quickly but then doesn't all raw meat. Dog food drove me crazy! My understanding is when meat is an ingredient all that means is the animal once breathed, it could be dogs and cats.


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## Quossum (Mar 18, 2011)

Yeah, if you must feed a kibble, there are much better ones out there. Here's one site that did some evaluations of them; it's a pit bull site, but the article is sound for any dog breed:
Best Dry Dog Food, Best Kibble, Quality Dog Food Reviews | PitBulls

Though, personally, I feed raw. Raw Feeding FAQ

Good luck!

--Q


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## georgiapeach (Oct 9, 2009)

Most grocery store food is junk - full of animal by-products (hooves, horns, feet, and God knows what else), corn, wheat, soy, preservatives, and dyes. Please check out Dog Food Reviews - Main Index - Powered by ReviewPost. For those who say it's sponsored by a boxer site, who cares? It evaluates the quality of kibble, period. 

I would look at the 5-6 star foods. While they may cost more, you can feed less of them than the cheaper foods b/c they're more nutrient dense. For example, I feed my couch potato minipoo (around 13 pounds) Wellness Core, and he only eats 1/4 cup twice a day! A small bag lasts more than a month.

Whatever you decide on, transition slowly (at least 7-10 days; longer with a sensitive stomach), to avoid tummy upset.


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

Hi everyone, was just reading these posts -- you might want to check out Whole Dog Journal, which annually rates all the dog foods -- from kibble, to can to raw. It has very good information and well, I would trust that over a vet recommendation.


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## WestCoastSpoo (May 11, 2011)

Our trainer was just talking about Beneful and how unhealthy it is! I can't believe a vet would recommend any of those foods! After a lot of research I decided to feed Horizon Legacy dry kibble, but want to eventually add raw to his diet (right now as part of his training we only feed Huxley out of a Kong chew toy and the raw made a disgusting mess so I'm waiting until he starts eating out of a bowl!) lol


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## Purley (May 21, 2010)

Vets often sell dog food, but they also get a commission for doing so. I am prepared to believe that they will sell the food that gives the vet the highest commission. I would never feed my dogs food that Walmart or Safeway sells. 

"Cheap" dog food usually works out more expensive! Years ago I ran out of my regular dog food and had to buy something from the grocery store. It was half the price of my regular food but you had to feed three times as much!! Besides being more expensive in the long run and bad for the dog, when you put more in one end -- more comes out the other end!!

Good quality dog food means less poop for you to clean up.


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

Absolutely, and here in the US (not sure Canada) many veterinarian schools are funded by huge corporations who, surprise, surprise, manufacture dog food (and not all good food).


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## Poodle*love (Jul 4, 2011)

Wow! I took him to the vet for a health check and the breeder had him on ol'roy so I wanted to ask her for a recommendations and she said she feeds her poodle lab mix Baneful. Does any one recommend Wellness? Its a five star dog food. I know I have to continue with his current food until he completely makes the transition over to the new one.


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

*Would you eat this?*

Ground yellow corn, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, whole wheat flour, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), rice flour, beef, soy flour, sugar, propylene glycol, meat and bone meal, tricalcium phosphate, phosphoric acid, salt, water, animal digest, sorbic acid (a preservative), potassium chloride, dried carrots, dried peas, calcium propionate (a preservative), L-Lysine monohydrochloride, choline chloride, added color (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 2), DL-Methionine, Vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, calcium carbonate, copper sulfate, Vitamin B-12 supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin D-3 supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), calcium iodate, folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite.


Case closed! Don't feed it to your dog.


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

Actually, those ingredients I posted are from Beneful.......Wellness is a good food. Just look at the ingredients -- if you KNOW what they are by reading, and there's not corn, by-products, coloring, etc., then chances are it's definitely better than Beneful, or any mass producted grocery store chain food. Sorry, I have pretty strong opinions on food. Jake was on raw for 10 years, but I purchased prepared raw, Stella's is great, since it also comes in a freeze dried for traveling, etc. The food it a little more expensive, but you will save on vet bills for sure.


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## Sookster (Apr 11, 2011)

Hello Poodle*love  

It's unfortunate to hear that the breeder had your pup on such a low quality food. That is a major red flag for me. Ol' Roy is about as low (about) on the totem pole as it gets in the dog food world, but Beneful is not much better. I really can't believe that a veterinarian of all people feeds their own dog such terrible quality dog food. 

Wellness is a good food. Other good brands to look for that aren't terribly expensive are Blue Buffalo, Solid Gold, Taste of the Wild (my personal favorite), Natural Balance, Canidae, Chicken Soup. 

If you can get it in the grocery store, DON'T buy it. These other foods are going to be a little more expensive, but in the long run you will have less problems with ear infections, skin infections, and other diseases caused by poor nutrition. Lot's of the cheaper foods also contain artificial flavors and preservatives that can be toxic and have harsh effects on your dogs organs. 

My suggestion is do your own research and find a food that works for your dog. Some websites to take a look at: 

Dog Food Reviews - Main Index - Powered by ReviewPost
The Dog Food Project - How does your Dog Food Brand compare?


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## Lilah+Jasper (May 13, 2010)

Taste of the Wild gets my vote - the fish formula Pacific Stream or the lamb formula Sierra Mountain Canine (my guys have allergies to any poultry ingredient)

Priced right and fairly easy to find around here. It does sell out quickly so I don't wait until the last minute to get the next bag.

Don't forget to give quality treats too


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## AgilityIG (Feb 8, 2009)

Purley said:


> Vets often sell dog food, but they also get a commission for doing so. I am prepared to believe that they will sell the food that gives the vet the highest commission.


A little off the subject, but we do NOT get a "commission" for selling food. We do make a small profit for selling food, but so does everyone else that sells a product. Dog food has a very small mark up.


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## faerie (Mar 27, 2010)

Poodle*love said:


> Wow! I took him to the vet for a health check and the breeder had him on ol'roy so I wanted to ask her for a recommendations and she said she feeds her poodle lab mix Baneful. Does any one recommend Wellness? Its a five star dog food. I know I have to continue with his current food until he completely makes the transition over to the new one.


i feed all 5 of my dogs wellness super5mix. it's been a consistent good feed for years and years. it's been around a while and just keeps being a good kibble.
my 6 year old cairns have been on it since i got lily as a 8 week old puppy.
with the cairns, I tried a lesser feed w/ them but wasn't thrilled with results. lackluster coat, stinky breath and poo butts.

when i got temperance and eva a year and half ago i tried other foods including grain free which was too rich for a few of them so i went back to wellness. the prices for the quality kibble are all about the same.
temperance, eva and seelie eat 1.5 c in morning and same in evening. they are 50-60# (well seelie is a puppy, but will be about that size as adult).
18 # cairns eat .5 cup in morning and .5 in evening. 
i decided if it ain't broke don't fix it.

it's about $30 for 15 pounds and $52 for 30 pounds (the size i need!) and occasionally offers coupons to save money. it's not too hard to find. natural food stores often carry it, quality pet stores, petco, etc. so no real worries about if you run low having to drive a zillion miles to get it. heck, with amazon prime online i found it for $30 for 15 pounds and free ship.

my dogs look great, feel great and have little to no gas & firm poos.


edit to add, i've tried all of the feeds that sookster mentioned and they are good feeds. i just happen to prefer the wellness brand. 

locally i have quite a few locations nearby to grab a bag. i have 2 stores i prefer (local owned and 1 does rescue) but there is a natural food store opened early and late so i don't ever have to worry about the pups missing a meal. heh.


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## CharlieMyPoodle (Jun 22, 2011)

for $5-$6 extra per 6 pound bag, you can do a lot better. 

We switched from Science Diet to Blue Buffalo, and the results were visible right away: more energy, Charlie loved the food, very small poop, smaller feeding portions.


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## ArmyWife (Jun 8, 2011)

My very close cousin is a vet. She said that she loses thousands of dollars a year because she refuses to support hills science diet. She said that she was given a four hour nutrition course over her entire twelve year college experience. Shes a specialist. I am a certified trainer, and she frequently calls me to ask questions about kibble. That scares me a bit.


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

You will find good information on this forum. All 3 are poor quality foods, and it is especially important to stay away from corn, fillers, and chemicals, all of which are in those foods. Check out Whold Dog Journal list of kibbles, or look at some of the earlier posts.


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## LEUllman (Feb 1, 2010)

Someone called it "Baneful," which is about right! At the very least, look for a "grain free" label on kibble, treats, and anything else you are going to feed. It's amazing how many products have wheat as their first (main) ingredient. I'm no expert, but Beau's tummy is, and wheat = poopie butt.


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

I am going to play devils advocate:

Good food is expensive. For example, a 6 pound pag of Blue Buffalo lamb puppy food is $19.95 six pounds- about 6 or 7 days for a spoo puppy. Blue Buffalo is a reasonably priced quality food, too. Many of the better foods without any grain are even more than that. 

The US government sets requirements for the minimum needed nutrients for a dog. Commercial dog food must meet those minimums. Most of us want to do more than the minimum for our pets, but not everyone can. If we demand that everyone feed their dogs the very best food there will be a lot of dogless homes.

My secretary at work has a puppy that she has been feeding Beneful and the puppy is growing and healthy and shiny without runny poops. It is not an evil food, just a less expensive one. It is more money than Purina because it is slightly better than Purina. 

Nutrition is a significant source of mental and physical health in people. Those who eat high fat, high salt, processed foods and fast food get overweight, lethargic, more illnesses and are mentally dull. The same happens to dogs on a low quality diet. A better food makes an enormous difference. It isn't just poop picking up that is easier. The dogs are more vibrant, smarter and have a stronger immune system on a healthy diet.

Even though I believe is excellent nutrition for all living things, Beneful will keep them alive, healthy and growing. It isn't the worst of the shelf food out there. Think of all the people feeding Old Roy! You might as well feed your dog cardboard. You get what you pay for in dog food just as you do in life. If Beneful is the best someone can afford than they are doing better than most people do.


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## Sookster (Apr 11, 2011)

I have to disagree with the cost aspect... 

Poor quality pet foods such as Purina or Beneful contain so many _harmful_ ingredients. For example, menadione sodium bisulfate complex, which is a nasty chemical linked to numerous health problems. Beneful contains so many artificial colors and dyes, many of which are known to cause a whole host of health problems, even cancer. Pets fed poor quality foods with lots of grains in them tend to have a higher incidence of skin and ear infections, which mean more vet visits. In the long run, I think the higher price of kibble vs most likely more vet visits cancel each other out.


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

I am not saying that I would ever feed these foods because I won't. I prefer to feed the best I can afford and make sure to have variety. What I am saying is that MOST of the dog homes in the country DO feed shelf food bought in the grocery store. Dogs are not dropping dead left and right, so it isn't going to kill them. You will not have the most vigourous, healthy dog in the world, but you will have your dog. 

There was a noticeable difference in my puppy when I switched her from a cheaper food to Blue Buffalo. Within a week she was a different dog. I believe in paying for a quality food. I am just realistic enough to know that many people have trouble buying quality food for themselves, let alone their dogs. Everybody should have a dog in their life, poor, middle class or wealthy not just those that can afford to feed all raw or grain free.


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## plumcrazy (Sep 11, 2009)

outwest said:


> I am just realistic enough to know that many people have trouble buying quality food for themselves, let alone their dogs. Everybody should have a dog in their life, poor, middle class or wealthy not just those that can afford to feed all raw or grain free.


I agree with this, but then there are people like my husband's brother who could quite EASILY afford a decent food for his small poodle mix, but buys Beneful instead.

He CHOOSES to buy the cheap stuff because he (apparently) doesn't feel his dog is worth better... I've tried to educate, but they keep getting that dye, sugar, salt, chemical laden garbage... It makes me feel bad for his dog because she can't help living with a cheapskate (and I can say that because he's my brother-in-law!!!!) :angry:


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

Sookster said:


> I have to disagree with the cost aspect...
> 
> Poor quality pet foods such as Purina or Beneful contain so many _harmful_ ingredients. For example, menadione sodium bisulfate complex, which is a nasty chemical linked to numerous health problems. Beneful contains so many artificial colors and dyes, many of which are known to cause a whole host of health problems, even cancer. Pets fed poor quality foods with lots of grains in them tend to have a higher incidence of skin and ear infections, which mean more vet visits. In the long run, I think the higher price of kibble vs most likely more vet visits cancel each other out.


Thank you for saying this. I agree completely. There are foods that are on the lower cost spectrum that do not contain such poor ingredients.


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

Chocolate Millie, do you know of a cheap dog food for people without the means to pay for high quality that will allow them to feel good about what they feed their dog? My secretary is a wonderful person, but she is supporting 6 people on her one measly salary. She feeds beneful because it is all she can afford. It wouldn't be appropriate of me to buy her dog food, but she loves her dog. That dog gives her more pleasure than the other 5 freeloaders combined. I can't solve her personal problems, but I would love to be able to suggest a better food that does not cost more for her to feed her beloved dog.

plumcrazy, those kind of people irritate me to no end! Keep on his back. Maybe you can offer a bet and say to feed a good food for two months and see if he notices a difference.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

outwest said:


> Chocolate Millie, do you know of a cheap dog food for people without the means to pay for high quality that will allow them to feel good about what they feed their dog? My secretary is a wonderful person, but she is supporting 6 people on her one measly salary. She feeds beneful because it is all she can afford. It wouldn't be appropriate of me to buy her dog food, but she loves her dog. That dog gives her more pleasure than the other 5 freeloaders combined. I can't solve her personal problems, but I would love to be able to suggest a better food that does not cost more for her to feed her beloved dog.
> 
> plumcrazy, those kind of people irritate me to no end! Keep on his back. Maybe you can offer a bet and say to feed a good food for two months and see if he notices a difference.


Uh, well, seeing as I don't feed kibble I really am not much help. I do know, however, quite a few people who are on a budget and feed Kirkland. 

Don't forget that foods like Beneful are filled with "fillers" and you must feed more than more dense, high quality foods. The caloric density is much different as is the nutrient density. I would feed Purina One before I'd feed Beneful.


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## Ruth (Nov 18, 2010)

If there's a Tractor Supply close to you, you can find 4health, which a reasonable priced kibble with decent ingredients, and I have heard good comments about it. I have never used it though, but some people recommend it for those in a budget.

4Health Dog Food Brand


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## papoodles (Jun 27, 2011)

If I have chosen to bring pets into my home, then I feel that it is my obligation to feed a healthy, nutritous diet- and not just a minimal diet that is enough to sustain life, but I would want to feed a diet that will be optimal for a long and healthy life. 
There are no guarantees -but I have to believe that diet and nutrition have a big impact on quality of life? So I think-what is wrong with aportioning the family food budget in such a way that there is enough money to feed your pet a top quality diet? For me- I would look at that household budget and see what nonessentials could be pared- sodas, chips, cookies, prepared foods, paper products,etc. those would be the first items to go, and the big savings would be put towards a better diet for my pets. There are many other small ways one could economize to afford a better food for one's pet- who is, after all, a most valued family member.
I think it is a choice one has to make- for me-I wouldn't like to eat like a king if my dogs had to be feed like paupers..Just my two cents worth...


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## lilypoo (Jul 25, 2011)

I had my border collie mix on Kirkland up until recently. A friend and I had researched it and found it to be high quality considering the price--I think she read that it's made by Diamond or something similar. 

After I put our new pup on Blue Buffalo (which was kind of an accident but it worked out because she does well on it) and I saw how compact her stools are, as well as less frequent, I decided I'd try it for our big dog too. 

I figured out that we would be feeding less quantity, so it wouldn't be as much more expensive as it initially seemed. I took over feeding so I could make sure it would be measured and she seems to have more energy and she's definitely more shiny!

The 40# Kirkland bags that were $24-ish were lasting us 4-6 weeks...the $46 bag of Blue Buffalo (30#) should last at least 4 weeks if I've calculated it right. I figure for roughly $20 more a month it will be worth it, especially since who knows--it may save us vet bills in the future. $20 is less than one fast food trip for our family, so it's easy to balance that out.


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## JE-UK (Mar 10, 2010)

I feed Orijen, as it is the very best dry food I can get my hands on in the UK. It's mixed with a wet food, quality as above, using human grade lamb and vegetables and nothing else. Plus some home cooking and table scraps.

My last dog died of a splenic tumour at 10, a moderately rare ailment. He ate Purina Pro Plan, as this was before excellent quality dog foods were available. Having read extensively about what is permitted to go into dog food "meat meal", i.e. rotting meat, meat from downer cows, euthanised pets, etc., I can't help wondering if his diet had something to do with his premature death. 

I won't risk it again.

My S.O. and I joke that if zombies attack, we'll be fighting Vasco for his kibble. Orijen ingredients are:

Fresh boneless chicken*, chicken meal, fresh boneless salmon*, turkey meal, herring meal, russet potato, peas, sweet potato, fresh boneless turkey*, fresh whole eggs*, fresh chicken liver*, fresh boneless lake whitefish*, fresh boneless walleye*, sun-cured alfalfa, pea fiber, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), organic kelp, pumpkin, chicory root, carrots, spinach, turnip greens, apples, cranberries, blueberries, licorice root, angelica root, fenugreek, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, chamomile, dandelion, summer savory, rosemary, vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin E, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, d-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, selenium yeast, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Enterococcus faecium. 

* DELIVERED FRESH, preservative-free and never frozen.


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

Orijen is an expensive kibble and contains no grain. Some dogs find grain-free kibble too rich for their systems and have diarrhea. I thought I should throw that out there. All dogs are different.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

outwest said:


> Orijen is an expensive kibble and contains no grain. Some dogs find grain-free kibble too rich for their systems and have diarrhea. I thought I should throw that out there. All dogs are different.


Grain is not species appropriate for any dog.


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

I disagree. Dogs are non-obligate carnivores with omnivore tendencies, not pure carnivores, but I won't go into that again. 

Another issue with grain-free foods is that they are very expensive. If a person can afford grain-free foods and it doesn't cause diarrhea in their dogs because of the high protein then it is a terrific choice. I am not against grain-free and use grain free canned with kibble containing high quality grains. I just want people to know purely grain-free isn't a perfect food for every dog.

Some dogs have allergies to all grains, some to just wheat, but if your dog has a powerful immune system (as a well bred poodle should), grains won't cause any issues.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

outwest said:


> I disagree. Dogs are non-obligate carnivores with omnivore tendencies, not pure carnivores, but I won't go into that again.
> 
> Another issue with grain-free foods is that they are very expensive. If a person can afford grain-free foods and it doesn't cause diarrhea in their dogs because of the high protein then it is a terrific choice. I am not against grain-free and use grain free canned with kibble containing high quality grains. I just want people to know purely grain-free isn't a perfect food for every dog.
> 
> Some dogs have allergies to all grains, some to just wheat, but if your dog has a powerful immune system (as a well bred poodle should), grains won't cause any issues.


Being capable of eating grains is not synonymous with needing them or with them being appropriate. Grain free foods are more expensive because they are more dense, caloric and have less fillers. You feed less and over time the difference is not significant when you consider amount spent and the health of your dog.


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## JE-UK (Mar 10, 2010)

ChocolateMillie said:


> Being capable of eating grains is not synonymous with needing them or with them being appropriate.


That is what I told Vasco, as he was ripping an ear of corn off the stalk and racing away with it to gobble it down, in complete defiance, as we walked through the corn field :smile:.


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