Authority Brand Dog Food???

[Eric Vecc]

Has anyone ever heard of, or tried, Authority Brand dog food. It is sold at PetSmart. Please, before you dig into me for considering a "less expensive food", understand that I am on a budget. Anyway, I do not have a list of ingredients but plan to look next time I am at PetSmart. I was told the food is similar to Nutro and is cheaper because it is sold exclusively at PetSmart. A 40# bag is only $23.99. And usually on sale on top of that. So if anyone has any experience (BAD OR GOOD) with this food, please enlighten me. And again, becasue I know that this subject gets a little heated, I am currently feeding Bailey Nutro and am fine with the cost and outcome, just want to explore what is out there.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/evecchiola/in401195large_cd75.j pg

[Susan Baxter]

I feed my 11-month old pup Authority Baked Chicken for puppies. She really likes it. I don't think it's as healthy as the Avo-Derm I was feeding her but she quit eating that. (I was mixing the two together). I figured, why buy something I'll have to throw out, so I put her on Authority exclusively. I recently tried slowly switching her to Blue Buffalo. It's quite pricey. She seemed to like it at first but then started to actually take the pieces out of her bowl so she could more easily get to the Authority. I now have almost 3/4 of a bag of BB that she won't eat. Not even as treats!

I'm going to stick with what she'll eat. I plan to slowly switch her over to the adult version.

The only thing my vet specifically said when we discussed getting her off puppy food was "stay away from the big, yellow bag." That could be one of two brands so I've avoided those.

McKenna is healthy, happy and very energetic, so the Authority is working for her.

[Jarrod Stafford]

If you are currently feeding Nutro I would not switch to Authority, as it is a lower quality food.

[Grace Erick]

Eric,

These are the ingredients off of the lamb variety of hard food:

Chicken
Excellent source of high quality protein.
Supplies calcium and phosphorus for strong bones
Lamb
Excellent source of high quality protein
Supplies calcium and phosphorus for strong bones
Brewers Rice
Excellent source of available carbohydrates for energy.
Highly digestible for smaller, firmer stools.
Ground Corn (Chicken Formulas only)
Good source of highly digestible carbohydrates.
Excellent source of fatty acids for a healthy looking pet.
Corn Gluten Meal (Chicken Formulas only)
Excellent source of highly digestible protein.
Provides essential amino acids important for a glossy coat.
Canola and Corn Oils
Provide Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, which are essenntial for a glossy coat and healthy skin.
Dried Beet Pulp (Chicken Formulas only)
A high quality fiber source which helps promote a healthy digestive tract.
Helps produce smaller, firmer stools.
Ground Wheat (Lamb Formulas only)
Good source of highly digestible carbohydrates.
Good source of fatty acids for a healthy looking pet
Wheat Germ Meal (Lamb Formulas only)
Excellent source of vitamins and highly digestible protein.
Provides essential amino acids, fatty acids and vitamins important for a glossy coat.


The chicken variety has corn listed twice and then one is gluten (yuck), not good, then the beet pulp is suspect and just filler and the lamb has wheat twice, not good since it's not highly digestible as they say. I'm going by what Susan the nutrition person said about wheat on doggiedoor.

Did you look at **** Van Patten's Natural Balance or Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul for a price comparison? Nutro makes all different levels of quality of food so it depends on which one you are comparing it to. Even the Ultra is misleading saying it has chicken, lamb and Salmon, I believe were the 3 proteins, but lamb and salmon are listed way, way down on the list so it's debatable on how much is really in the food.

I do understand feeding a big dog is expensive. The think is your won't see poor results from feeding poor quality food right away. It can take years to develope problems. Yeah, we can eat all wheat or corn every day and live, but how healthy will we be and what kind of illnesses would it bring on later?

[Susan Baxter]

I would love to feed McKenna a higher quality food. Price isn't an issue. Availability is, as I care to order anything online. I really liked the ingredients in the Blue Buffalo, but McKenna stopped eating it. If she won't eat it, it won't do her any good. I don't subscribe to the old adage, "she'll eat it if she gets hungry enough".

I am going to try Wysong as I can get that at a local place. If she won't eat it, it'll be back to Authority and trying another brand.

Feeding dogs has become very confusing. Over the years I've had lots of dogs. Two of them ate nothing but Purina Dog Chow (before PetsMart and Petco were even around) and both lived to be 18 and never lost a tooth. Only one suffered any allergies. One ate Nutro's Natural Choice and was healthy and happy on it for 16 years. Others ate "Super Premium" food and only lived about 12 years, had to have teeth pulled and suffered all kinds of allergies. So, who knows. Genetics can play a big part in all of that I'm sure, just like it can with humans.

I try to do what's the best for my dog, but with a thousand differing opinions it gets confusing.

[heathea]

If I were in your position of "price doesn't matter" (I dream of being there, by the way...:) ) I would mail order my dogs Steve's Real Food. Look into it, apparently dogs love it. It is a frozen or freeze dried diet that I would absolutely love to be able to afford.

And you are correct, it is all about genetics, at least up to a point.

Take care.
Heather

[Susan Baxter]

Thanks Heather. I've heard of Steve's but I don't like the idea of mail ordering or online ordering dog food for some reason. I don't really know why.

"Price doesn't matter" for me only means that if a 6 lb or 10 lb. bag of dog food is $12.99 versus $8.99 I don't mind paying the extra $4. On the other hand if a 10 lb bag costs $25 plus shipping, handling etc. that WOULD matter (greatly!). :-)

Tomorrow is McKenna's first birthday so I'm late in getting her off the puppy food.

[heathea]

That is just my "dream food". I have heard such good things. I completely understand where you are coming from. I have 2 large dogs, they eat a lot of food. My friend has a shih tzu and feeds <shudder> Ol' Roy. Not only that, but she got upset when he wouldn't eat b/c she spent all her time giving him those soft treats. You know, the ones that look like play-do. I tried to explain to her that those treats run at about $7 per pound, for that amount she could be feeding the best food in the world.
Just a personal pet peeve. I wish I could buy food that was great, as it is I can only afford Nutro (and that is stretching our budgets).

Good luck finding the right food for you, and as a side note, I know many people who are very happy with the doctors foster and smith mail order food, it is supposed to be good.

Take care,
Heather

[Grace Erick]

Susan, I agree with you about when they are hungry, they will eat. Capri did not like her Eukanuba and ate very little of it, so she would throw up bile and she stayed skinny. I don't believe in forcing a dog to eat something they don't like. It also makes me wonder about the food too.

My costco has great real baked chicken jerky for about $11.99 for a two pound bag. It's a great deal, plus there are no preservatives. Your friend may want to look into that. They don't always have it in stock. It just seems to disappear right away when they get it in.