What brand of dog food is right?

Question
Hi, I have a 3 year old choc lab and I find now with having a baby and not getting him out as much that he has gained some weight. We cut down on the amount we gave him throughout the day (dont feed him three times a day we give him a certain amount at supper and that lasts a whole day) I find now that he bags alot, and if walk away and my daughter has food he will try and take it, which he never did before. I am wondering if the Purina Dog Chow doesn't have the right nutrition in it? Should i change to something different and if so what brand?

Thanks Tamara

Answer
If otherwise he is doing well, I would stick to the Purina.  It and all the rest of the modern foods are all formulated to have the nutrients the AAFCO specifies for dogs.  Most other foods have less corn providing a more concentrated food.  That would mean feeding even less.  Many tout that as a great advantage, but I question that with a Labs that really love to eat.  It doesn't make good sense to me to carefully choose a highly concentrated, expensive food the dog doesn't get much of and then add green beans or pumpkin to fill it up.  If you want to fill it up with vegetable fiber, why not the corn based Purina?   

There are any number of other foods out there costing more and with a story that sounds good.  Nobody has been able to give me any proof that dogs fare better on foods with ingredients that people find more appealing.  Dog food marketing is full of hype, emotional button pushing, half truths, and lies.  You can change food if you want to, but I doubt it will make much difference.  

Labs are just that way.  You might try keeping him out of the room while you are feeding the baby.  Over Christmas, we had 6 dogs, a 3 year old, and a 10 month old in the house.  If we let them, the dogs would have been under the high chair ready to forage what they could.  We have to watch the 3 year old or he gives his food to the dogs.