Beniful a Bad Dog food??

Question
I have been informed recently that Purinas' Beniful dog chow is a bad choice for providing good nutrition to my dogs--it is "on the level with Kibble n' Bits". My dogs, growing up as a child I remember, were fed on purina dog food... and when we (my sister/room mate and I) got a dog naurally that is what we feed. I am wondering if this is bad?? While Beniful dose provide a base to our dogs diet, it is not all we feed her. She is also served cooked chicken (human food grade boiled) with the "gravey/juice poured over the food to entice her to eat-- she doesn't seem to like the adult original --but loved the puppy while she was on it.

She is very picky about her food, and I am wondering if there is a better alternative food, one that is not as expensiive as the Purina A/D.

What can you suggest? OR where do you suggest I begin looking into a better diet for my chihuahua??

Answer
Hi Shannon,

Beneful is one terrible product. I am very glad you're looking to make a switch! I am no fan of Purina anything, believe me. The good news is that you can now obtain very high quality commercial foods, that will cost you more (there is no getting around that) but ultimately repay greatly in terms of veterinary savings as well as a healthy long lived dog. Of course, nutrition is only one cornerstone of health, and even dogs on the best diets do get sick; but  it IS a cornerstone, and one you have control over.

I would like to see your chihuahua on one of the following:

http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/products/showproduct.php?id=68&code=140


http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products/default.asp?id=1671


http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dogformulas/ultra.html
(small breed forumla)

http://www.championpetfoods.com/acana/show-product.php?formulation=asb
(My personal favourite, I am using Acana with one of my own dogs)


Please let me know if you have any more questions.  I'd love to hear if you make the switch and how your dog does. Remember if you're going from a food like Beneful to one of these higher quality brands, you shoudl introduce it slowly, especially with a sensitive little chihuahua. Try adding it in 1/3 ata  time. Always feed toy dogs several times a day, too, as they can develop hypoglycemia more easily than most larger breeds.

All the best, Catherine