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What brand dog food should I buy to save money?

I have a great dane, a catahoula cur (<another fairly large dog), 2 yorkies and 2 chinese cresteds. My problem lies with the larger dogs. I go through a 50lb bag of dog food every other week-which costs over $20. Each large dog is eating a tea pitcher full a day. Would they eat less on a different brand, or am I just feeding too much?

Public Comments

1. You need to feed a good quality food, it is very important for the life of your dogs. If you can not afford them, please find them a better home. Canidae is a premium food that is relatively cheap. It is about 40$ for a 30lbs bag.
2. A 50 lb bag for $20? You won't get any cheaper than that. they would eat less on a different brand, but that brand would be more expensive per bag.
3. I would just find the cheapest food that meets AAFCO minimum growth/maintenance requirements. The quality brands should feature that somewhere on the bag.
4. Premium food:$30-$50 pr 30lb bag, but you don't need to feed as much for them to stay healthy because they're getting more nurishment from the food. Plus your dogs will be healthier which = fewer vet visits.
5. A 50lb bag of food for $20 likely contains a bunch of crap including fillers. They may be eating a lot but they are not getting what they need from it. By going with a better quality food, they will get the nutrients they need minus all the crap that is in most dog foods. Good food can save you vet bills down the line, especially with a Great Dane!
6. They need a good balanced diet but maybe you could mix a good brand with a cheaper brand or if you and your family are eating boneless chicken and rice you could give them the same.
7. Give your dogs to somebody who can afford quality food for them! $20 for 50lbs.????? I can only imagine what kind of crap you are feeding them....Would you live of chips and water??? i can promise you that that would cause serious problems for your health and stomach pain...think about it.....
8. this is to all the people saying that you can't buy a 50 lb bag of dog food for $20 unless it's crap, that is SOOO not true. depending on where you go you can get a 40-50 lb bag of Purina Dog Chow for about $20. Purina is NOT a crappy brand. and $40 for a 30 lb bag is NOT cheap you dumba$$. if you go to any pet store (Petsmart, Petco, etc) that will be one of the MOST EXPENSIVE bags. as for the asker of this question, sorry but that is as cheap as you can get and you are NOT feeding them too much a day since they are giant dogs lol.
9. You will feed less of a quality food. Cheap dog food is like feeding fast food or potato chips every day. The Chicken Soup or Kirkland Chicken are going to be your cheapest kibble. They are both good. A lot better then some of the pricey cheap kibbles sold at petsmart. It also depends on how old your dane is. 4+ year olds can eat around 6 cups a day and keep good weight on Feeding chart. 2 months 2-4 cups per day - (divided into 3 meals daily) 3 months 3-5 cups per day - (divided into 2 meals daily) 4 months 4-6 cups per day - (divided into 2 meals daily) 5 months 5-7 cups per day - (divided into 2 meals daily 6 months 6-8 cups per day - (divided into 2 meals daily) 7 months..... 6-9 cups per day - (divided into 2 meals daily) 8 months..... 6-9 cups per day - (divided into 2 meals daily) 9 months..... 7-10 cups per day- (divided into 2 meals daily) 10 - 12 months....7-10 cups per day - (divided into 2 meals daily) 12 -18 months (males).... 8-14 cups a day (divided into 2 meals daily) 12 -18 month (females)... 6-9 cups a day (divided into w meals daily Recommended Foods for great danes - (No straight Lamb & Rice foods) Great Danes do NOT do well on lamb & rice! Adult maintenance only for puppies (NO PUPPY FOOD) Eagle Pack Brands of Holistic or Super Premium Natures Recipe Natura Pet Products brands : Calif Naturals - Health Wise & Innova Chicken Soup For The Pet Lovers Soul (made by Diamond) Wellness Dog Food Back to Basics, Prescise Plus, Nutro ULTRA - Adult only Kirkland Chicken & Rice (made by Diamond) If 18 months & older - Grain free kibble is wonderful. Will help to condition her quickly Orijen, Taste Of The Wild & Innova EVO Hope that helps. :)
10. I feed Taste of the Wild. It may not seem cheap up front at $42.50 (that's what it costs where I live) for 30lbs, BUT that 30lb bag lasts my dogs (38 & 25lb adults and an 8.5lb 14wk old puppy) a whole MONTH. The 38lb dog eats 1.75 cups/day and the 25lb dog and the puppy each eat 1 cup/day. Diamond NATURALS (must be the Naturals line, NOT the regular Diamond line) is also a decent food. I don't know about where you are, but I can get a 40lb bag for $26.50 and my dogs eat the same amounts as listed above for the Taste of the Wild. You have to remember that cheaper isn't always better! And yes, Purina IS CRAP!! Why don't you try doing a little ingredient comparison. Purina is full of CORN and byproducts! When was the last time you saw a DOG grazing in a CORN field??? Dogs need REAL MEAT in their diets!
11. Yeah, Purina is a crappy food. Sorry. It's true that you will feed less of a high quality food than something like Iams, Purina, Pedigree, etc. My dane is 2.5 yrs old, 140 lbs and eats 4-5 cups of food per day total. He eats TOTW mixed with Diamond Natural Lamb & Rice. If he was on one of the other foods mentioned, he could easily be eating twice that. Danes are prone to bloat, and stretching the stomach out with big meals is a bad idea. This means the piles in the yard are much smaller too.....
12. yes, with a different brand...a natural brand....they will eat less kibble to feel full like wellness large breed it doesnt have fillers, corn or by products so the kibble is more filling i have my dogs on wellness n they love it it is also possible yuor feeding to much, make sure to follow the guidline on the side of the bag
13. Taste of the wild is a great puppy and dog food !!! you can get it online and if you go to the website you can find stores near you .. they wont be at walmarts and the like... they are in feed stores .. NO fillers..corn...gluten..grains...by products!! check it out you wont regret it ! http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/ 6 out of 6 star rating around $42 for a 30 lb bag .... its the cheapest 6 star food .. and I love it for my puppy! http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/index.php/cat/1