Reddit mentions: The best wet dog food

Look and see if your vet has a program like the one ours does. It's a flat $400ish dollars a year but it covers your yearly checkup,shots, blood work and dental cleaning plus free office visits during the week. Great way to be frugal and be a good pet owner as the yearly checkup and dental cleaning would cost more then the $400 anyway and you can take the dog in without worry for the smaller things (ours is prone to eye issues so it's already paid for itself)

Other ways to be frugal is getting the big stuff on craigslist (namely a crate) and waiting for sales at petsmart and the like for toys.

Also I agree with the other owners regarding the good quality food. Amazon subscribe and save can help a little with the costs there.

You can also get used blankets and stuff from good will for a bed (dogs don't know the difference and I'd actually do this in puppy hood anyway as lots of dogs chew their beds)

For treats one of the best "bang for your buck" ones is dog food rolls (red barn makes them as well as a few other brands). It's like 8 bucks for a 4lb roll but it lasts for about 2 months of training and dogs love. Way cheaper then getting normal dog treats.

Here's my list of "favorites" for my GSDs:

Chuck-It Balls. By far, the most durable balls I've found. They've got some "give", so they seem to enjoy chewing/chasing them more. Remember, once the ball can fit between their back teeth, it's time to upgrade to the larger size.


The Shark Vacuum is a beast. We've tried any number of vacuums over the years, this one falls into the "Not Stupidly Expensive and Totally Worth It" category. Getting a decent Undercoat Rake goes hand-in-hand with a good vacuum. Rake once a week (three times during shedding season), brush 1-3 times a week, you'll give your back a break no matter what vacuum you buy.

In terms of training treats, we really like the Red Barn Chicken and Liver Rolls. After a while, we use them exclusively for scent training, but it's an excellent (and not expensive!) treat for any kind of training. Cube small, you'll get a ton of mileage out of one roll.

Herm Sprenger Dog Collars make great training collars. Not everyone likes the idea of a pinch/prong collar, so if it's not your thing, look elsewhere. However, if you are planning on training with pinch, these are the best, bar none. We use the small size and just add links as our dog grows - it's almost impossible to injure them with the smaller prongs and they tend to respond better. Please learn how to use a pinch before using one of these extensively - they shouldn't be used for restraint and you should probably wait until 8+ months (a number of people I know even wait till 14+ months for any obedience aside from the "necessities") before doing a ton of training anyway.

I'll stay away from food recommendations as it seems to be such a controversial topic. I will say that there are a ton of good sites out there to research - first figuring out whether you're feeding raw, tube, or kibble and then what to do once you decide.

Last - look for a dog club in your area. I personally like the German Shepherd Dog Club of America - Working Dog Association, but there are a number of places like this. I can tell you irrefutably that my dogs' favorite day of the week is training day. Nothing like getting out there with other GSD lovers and doing some tracking/obedience/protection work.

Hope this helps! Good luck :)

My boy is 18 months old and is prone to clogged pours/black heads on his hindquarters. What has been working best for us is a once a week bath with warm water and a luffa. I use this shampoo and it seems to be working great for us. Smells wonderful as well. Looking forward to seeing more pics of beautiful pup. :)


edit: also, ive found keeping the little bit of hair he does have on his hindquarters as short as possible helps with skincare.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B12PM2Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have a dachshund that does this sometimes. I started mixing in a tablespoon of wet dog food with his kibble and now have no problems. I just keep the can in the fridge, takes us about 4-5 days per can. Got one of those can saver lid things to pop on the top.

Used to buy Nutro from PetSmart but now I now buy I&love&you brand from amazon, natural ingredients, smells like human food. Lol! Decently cost effective. Seems that he prefers purina salmon kibble with beef booyah stew the most... but then sometimes he’ll start refusing again and then I’ll switch up the wet food and he’s fine. Maybe he’s just bored with no variety? ¯_(ツ)_/¯ go figure.

I and love and you” Beef Booyah Stew Grain Free Canned Dog Food, 13 oz (Pack of 12) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N26TKSM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_E3h3BbFG34KMG

Ethical 3-1/2-Inch Pet Food Can Covers, 3-Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002ARWTA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_L4h3BbF1VHFJH

Last year I found out that my pooch Finnley has ridiculous allergies, including being allergic to the cat! I'm also still trying to figure out how to settle his digestive issues. He's allergic to dry food and so I feed him a mixture of this canned food and chicken and veggies whenever I get a chance. As you can imagine it gets pricey having to buy him cans all the time (I usually feed him a can in the morning and one at night). I just had to get his yearly shots this month and of course they were all at once so that was a nice $300 bill. I love that guy to death and all I want for him is to be happy and comfortable. He's just been very expensive while I try to adjust his diet and allergies. It would be so nice to have a break on my pay check for one round! Also... his favorite ball bit the dust this morning so he is in need of a new one. He loves to herd it down the hallway and shake it about. It's the only one I can get him to play fetch with long enough to tire him out.

I think it is really great of you to do this! Thanks for hosting.

edit Bonus photo of Finn and his best friend that he is allergic to.

I like using baby food, especially the kind that comes in squeeze pouches. Purina also makes something that's kind of similar that I've used before, but my dog doesn't seem to like them as much as literal baby food haha. It's nice because I can just stick the tube in my dog's mouth and kind of lead her along until we pass her anxiety trigger (strange men). Like, she's still concerned about them, but the food is too delicious and also RIGHT THERE and she's too busy licking to bark :D

It's not as messy (like grease on the hands) as hotdogs or rotisserie chicken unless I accidentally oversqueeze and squirt it everywhere, but I like to think of those moments as jackpot treating lol :P

Plus another pro is that you can cap it and stick it in the fridge. Usually a pouch will last me a week.

Yes, stock is like a brick of fat that people put in their soups to make them more rich. I'm no chef though, so I could be wrong.

They sell pumpkin specifically for dogs. I'm not talking about the pie filling, I'm just talking about canned pumpkin. This is a specifically dog-friendly canned pumpkin brand (that's a box of 12). You could try searching for something like this at dog stores where you live, or order some online.

Sweet potato is also a favorite of my dogs. You can purchase some sweet potatoes and boil them, and then mash them up really good and add a little bit to her kibble each day.

My 12 lb Chihuahua / Terrier mix is the same way; not very motivated for regular dog food, a little excited for "treats", and pretty excited for actual meat.

I feed him and our other 6lb Chihuahua at dinnertime, once a day only. They get Organix wet food mixed with taste of the wild dry (links below), some water added, and then microwaved for a few seconds.

Dog food goes bad just like our food. Think about what the dog food looks like right when you open it, and a week or two after that; it looks different because it is different, and they can smell it way before you or I can.

My other dog is food motivated, and his behavior when I would open a new bag of food is what tipped me off this might be it. He can smell it when I open a new bag of food and get really excited about it. Because of this, I get the smallest bag of food I can find, and sometimes toss it when it has been open a while and they both seem less than enthused about their dinner.

It's possible your dog is just really sensitive to the smell of the food after a couple of days and just doesn't like it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004DCVNV6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0097EP4NS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've seen my late dog aggressively devour tuna, and I've seen him devour raw tofu with the same zeal. Dogs are food driven but things other than meat taste good. We are, after all, talking about the same creatures who like to eat feces.


Also, most people who say that their dogs need meat are just feeding them whatever dry kibble they find. The "meat" part of that is not quality or prominent. We mostly feed my girlfriend's dogs this food and they love it.

I tried and tried and tried (and started when she was a puppy), but I just could never get her to tolerate it. So I gave up and I give her dentabones and put drops in her water (which is nice because it's good for cats and dogs). So far so good... and her teeth at least look really clean (no brown plaque build up or anything).

I feed my BTS dog food and veggies. I buy a single can of dog food and mix in whatever veggies are in my fridge (squash, greens, carrots, etc) and freeze it in ice cube trays. A single cube is one feeding and I feed both mine once a week as they are adults. My cresties eat Pangea which is just mix powder with water and feed. A can of dog food lasts me somewhere around 1 to 2 months but I'm feeding two BTS and a redfoot tortoise. I currently have 4 cresties and two golden geckos eating the astronaut food and I go through around 1lb in 2 or 3 months. I'm pretty sure the BTS food is cheaper because a can of dog food is ~$2 or $3 at most and veggies are inexpensive.

Edit to say the amazon link for the dog food is for a CASE, not a single can. You can get single cans at Petco/Petsmart.

These are the best I've found, dogs love them, and since they are a food alternative you don't have to worry about them eating too much junk food. It's cheap, and you cut it up yourself, that way you can decide how big or small you want the treats. There is also a selection of flavors to change it up every once in a while.

Thank you! We give him Wellness Chicken Recipe:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BORBHO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and sometime complement with Wellness canned stew:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VIWN1C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I haven't noticed any connection to the canned food and allergy. The treats were mainly Cadet's duck breast. He also had occasional Greenie and sometimes food from my husband's plate... I am yet to train this human how to behave with the dogs.

Before you have your dog go vegan/vegetarian check with your vet.

Some dogs, just like some people, will need extra attention after going meat free. Some dogs might also be grain intolerant!


I know natural balance(vet recommended brand) has a vegetarian canned dog food. I've got a chihuahua and she tends to go on hunger strike in the middle of a veg can more than any other variety. Each can usually lasts 4-5 days. Nothing bad happens to her in the short term on the veg food. If anything it's the least hard on her stomach judging from poop quality.


So I mean, you can feed them commercially available dog food that's just as balanced as normal dog food. You might have a dog with grain intolerance which mean these veggie formulas likely won't work out for you, but if you consult with your vet before switching over they can tell you what to look out for.

Edit: Here are some amazon links if you want to read up on this brand or the food.

Dry: https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Balance-Vegetarian-Formula-28-Pound/dp/B000634HD2?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0

Wet: https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Balance-Canned-Vegetarian-Recipe/dp/B004HFRMFA/ref=pd_bxgy_199_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=2PJRCKWEG5SJEYGJ6H18

Thanks for reminding me! I've had so much on my mind that I forget simple stuff.

For anyone wondering, Amazon has Solid Gold green tripe for about $2.50 a can. I'll get it from town today since 2-day shipping would have it here on the 30th but if she likes it I think I'll get it from Amazon afterwards.

I try to use natural treats whenever possible - here is a list of items we use/are commonly used as high value treats

• hot dogs
  
• string cheese
  
• ham sticks
  
• carrots (depends on the dog, not all will find carrots strongly reinforcing)
  
• freeze dried liver
  
• fresh raw offal (usually liver - we keep it in a small Tupperware container and pinch of tiny pieces when working in extremely distractign environments)
  
  Actual dog treats that we have used:
  
  
• Zukes minis (wild rabbit and the salmon flavors are our personal favorites)
  
• Natural Balance 'logs' (look like summer sausage)
  
• Blue Buffalo Stix
  
• Plato Thinkers
  
  Treat preference will vary from dog to dog - if you find something that works USE IT - but be sure you ONLY use it for training. If we are working on something particularly difficult, we usually pick out one treat he very very rarely gets or is brand new and give him that treat ONLY when working on that particular skills. For example: when potty training he got the freeze dried liver when he peed outside and no other time; He only got ham stick hunks when working on ignoring other people and dogs on leash; etc
  
  The few things to keep in mind when picking out treats are:
  
  

• How it fits into your diet- if you are doing longer training sessions with these treats/giving more than 1-2 a day, you need to adjust their meals to compensate for the extra calories.
  
  
• Avoid low quality ingredients- treats high in sugar or that are mostly 'junk food' should be avoided if possible (things like pupperoni or beggin strips. If you have ever read the ingredients in those treats you would cringe)
  
  
• Avoid anything your dog may be allergic to- kind of a no brain-er, but many treats include corn or other fillers so read ingredients carefully.
  
  
• Avoid anything crunchy (if possible) or big - you want your dog to be able to slurp down the treat instantly, not have to sit and chew. Avoid things like milk bones or dog biscuits that take some time to eat (for training, anyway).
  
  
• Avoid anything TOXIC - grapes, onions and garlic are all on the list of foods toxic to dogs. If you are going to feed 'real' foods, be sure you know what you are feeding is safe for dogs (all meats should be safe unless your dog has allergies.)

Jack's Pizza: $2.75 @ 1110 kcal = $4.95 per 2000 kcal
Alpo Beef: $0.85 @ 917 kcal = $1.85 per 2000 kcal

The winner: Dog Food.

https://www.amazon.com/Purina-Beyond-Natural-Apple-3-2-Ounce/dp/B00XKLCRAM

This. It comes in a few varieties. You can also dribble some milk over the food too, that’s generally good. If you’re in a real pickle a little Parmesan works well, too.

The vet recommended chicken and rice for my Aussie. After so long, her issues didn’t clear up. We switched her to a duck based wet food and her issues cleared up pretty quickly. We’ve since gotten her off of chicken, chicken meal, chicken broth, etc.

This did the trick for us. It’s a little pricey so we didn’t keep her on it long term but it was good for isolating chicken as the problem.

https://www.amazon.com/Instinct-Limited-Ingredient-Natural-Natures/dp/B06XZMM5LG

Hooman says Amazon has stuff called "Nummy Tum Tum Pure Pumpkin For Pets". It comes in can. Petsmart has stuff in supplemental section as well if you want to get today.

The Pet Botanics food roll is a good alternative.

Well cooked chicken bones are actually safe for dogs.

Hey dude, you a fan of rotisserie chicken with bacon and cheese?

Natural Balance dog food roll. Comes in lots of different flavors. Dog is 100% attentive with this stuff.

Redbarn Food Rolls are cheap for the next 4 hours as part of Prime Day. $7.91 for chicken, $9.19 for lamb, $7.90 for beef. iirc the lowest they normally are is around $9.99.

Other deals now/coming up that stood out to me: Best Bully Stick stuff, wet and dry dog food (Natural Balance, Pro Plan), treats (Wellness, Blue Buffalo), Amazon's version of the Cooleroo elevated bed, Whistle GPS tracker.