If the pet food corporations were honest about the ingredients and nutrients in the food, there would not be conspiracy theories and you and Glen would not have to do these videos. How many foods have you reviewed that you say are not good? "All life stages," ingredient splitting, holistic food, ancient grains, extra protein. Hiding the nutrient levels. As Yul Brynner said in "The King and I," etcetera, etcetera, etcetera!
I guess there's always been snake oi salesmen (now women too) but reading the comments of caring pet parents watching all those misleading videos was too much for me! So when I found Dr Rea I thought I should add my voice too! I realize Im just small potatoes on UA-cam but at least I'm doing something!@@edschulhof6303
MARS makes Royal canin. The same company that makes all those poisonous and disgusting junk food for humans. Huge huge multi billion dollar corporations have never had anyone’s best interest and especially not health in mind.
I’m very glad you decided to start doing UA-cam! The information you’re providing is very enlightening. I have only ever seen great results with Hill’s food but it feels like the whole internet is always trying to convince me that I am poisoning my pets lol. Not sure if you’d be able to speak on this at all, but would you be able to explain what happened during their last recall with the elevated vitamin D levels? I often see that mentioned as a reason that Hill’s is a bad brand or can’t be trusted or whatever.
Violet, Thanks for writing! You are not alone, having had great results with Hills. I had such a great life spending 34 years in vet clinics every day and seeing how Hills diets helped manage horrible diseases and save so many lives. For an animal lover, no better job! The recall was devastating to me. How could such a thing happen? because lawyers got involved so quickly it was hard to get valid info. But basically, Hills had a supplier in TX that provided premixed vitamin/ mineral supplements that Hills used. This supplier had been trusted for 15 years and had rose to a level of trust, I forget the term, but like a certified supplier. Well, they screwed up a batch they sold us, which could have been sold to anyone. I believe, because of their status, hills was trusting them to test and certify the finished product rather than testing it themselves. like other suppliers. That seems to be accurate because the batch was not tested by Hills. My heart breaks for anyone who lost their pet due to the food that was contaminated but it is strange that I as a rep had 110 hospitals and had no deaths. In fact, most dog owners said they saw no effect on their pets, including many Hills employees and others had diarrhea or vomiting short term. I of course, also talked with other reps throughout the country who had similar stories, so the claim of hundreds or thousands of dogs dying seems inaccurate to me. It was just canine cans, no dry, no feline product at all. the next morning talking with one of my vets, sick over the news, he suggested I think about the decades of good Hils has done in saving thousands and thousands of pets. Human error happens. the people that go after Hills will totally ignore all the animals Hills saved and the literal millions of dollars spend on canine and feline nutrition research, clearly more than any other food company, and will focus on that one event. and since that recall, Hills nutritionists and chemists have launched more diets with the most innovative research in GI microbiome, cancer management, dermatitis, etc. yet the people attacking Hills ignore that and get sucked into playing that ingredient game of what's the first ingredient or My Dog is A Wolf BS! sorry for the rant butyes, its a touchy subject with me! 💔
Important, informative, science based content. I saw your videos about the recent kibble craze. I feel relief now after seeing this video. I have active sporting dogs and like to believe they’re on a balanced diet. With everything going on I almost switched to RAW… until I saw your videos along with Dr.Rea.
I am trying to be open to your message and can understand how nutritional values should be more important than the ingredients list. However when considering SD Adult Chicken I can’t help to notice that in addition to the large amount of carbs in the food, ingredients like Chicken Liver Flavor raise doubts about the quality of the ingredients used. Your feedback is welcomed.
Well, that is a good question. I don't have a good answer for you. The whole industry needs accountability but I don't see it trending that way. I think it comes down to evaluating the company's history and achievements and then taking that leap of trust.
Thanks for your time and input I have a Rottweiler struggles with allergies, ear infections, and being sluggish. Been feeding origin so I watched a video on origin, real buffalo and was very impressed with your study. I’m still looking for a good dog food though.
After watching this one and seeing Dr. Rea series on Farmina, I reached out to Farmina to see how one of theirs compares on a 100 KCal basis. Farmina Ancestral Grain Chicken and Pom. small bites came back: Protein 7.51, Fat 4.5, Calcium 230, Phosphorus 200. I also did the Lamb version and the protein was 7.1 but the calcium went up to 280. Thanks for all the insight.
Hi Glen, you are very brave for having all these grandchildren together for a week (LOL) !!! WOW! Quite an advendture! Good for you!I I guess they keep you young in your retirement!. So, indeed, I have binged-watched all of your videos in the last three days and I have become your biggest fan from Quebec, Canada, for sure! And thanks to your good comments about Dr Rea, I have also started to watch her videos. I must say that I have learned more from you in the last three days about the pet food industry and its "twisted" marketing strategies than ever before in my 40 years spent with my dogs and cats of past and present. I now realize that I should have trusted more my vet of 25 years when she would praise the scientific research behind companies like Hill's, RC and even Purina, rather than those "fad" diets coming out of left field!!! Of course, like many other pet parents out there, I thought I was buying the best food for my pets, until I found you and that you explained all about ingredients and nutrients! So, I have put all that "fancy ingredient" food aside and ordered Science Diet for my dog and my cat which I just received this morning. I'm hoping that my pets will accept their new food well, so that pet-mom here can feel better about giving them the best! Thanks a million for doing this, you have put me on the right track, after all these years! Cheers from Canada!😻🐕🦺🐕
Thank you for all the info on your channel. I’m about to get a golden retriever puppy here soon. He’ll be 8 weeks old. I’m debating between pro plan large breed puppy and pro plan puppy. The regular puppy has a golden retriever on the bag. The fat is 18% which I thought might be a lil high for golden. The large breed version is 13% fat. All else the same, which would you choose?
New sub so I love your channel and your approach but then again I'm not taking the time and reading the science to double check so I am still on board and hoping your not on Hills payroll!😬👍 With that confidence I am about to get my giant Malamute pup friday and I will be purchasing Hills Large Breed Puppy food. Praying this is truth and she does amazing. I know giants are not recognized but she is eight weeks old and around 40lbs already. I've fell down the dog food rabbit hole and now I frankly fear for her life with what kibble I feed! I have a bag of Lifes Abundance but thats just for transition because the price is insane and other reasons. Will my girl do good with Hills or is there a better food considering her size? Any help would be much appreciated!
I bet she is beautiful! The main concern of giant puppies is not feeding for maximum growth too fast. We raised 4 Berners and a Lab on that diet and they did great. Large Breed Puppy foods will work fine for her. I did a video on Large Breed Puppy foods. That might help your anxiety. Puppies are all different as far as which puppy foods they do well on. Personally if she doesn’t do well on Hills I’d try ProPlan Large Breed Puppy. Don’t worry if she doesn’t eat the amt on the bag. Just judge her size and weight as she grows. No supplements as a puppy. The food is balancing all that. Best of luck! And no, I’ve been off the payroll for 19 months now! But they should pay me! lol!
@@catherinerobson5482 well the best would be no higher than 1 % Calcium and .8 phosphorus. Not many will meet that standard. And I mean dry matter percentage.
Hello Glen, after watching this video a second time, I am puzzled and disappointed to see the high numbers of Calcium and Phosphorus in the ProPlan diet. I just don't understand that as a giant of the pet food industry for so many years and being one of the big 3s that do research, how can ProPlan's numbers still be so high? How can they not know that their calcium and phosphorus levels are way out there??? Please enlighten me!
Can’t enlighten you much! It’s a great question! That’s why I am not a big fan of Purina and Mars. They both do great research and make some great diets. Then they turn around and make very unhealthy diets! They know better! Perhaps they’re so huge that profit becomes too tempting? It shows it’s a challenge for the big three to decide between profit and nutritional value. But I suppose even small companies have to decide the same thing! I continue to watch Hills, hoping they never compromise quality. So far so good! And they still don’t make any bad foods.
@@PetFoodPuzzleGuy Thank you for your input! By the way, I just happened to browse around the Hill's Canada website and there seems to be one of the SD formula which is grain free: "Hill's® Science Diet® Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin Grain Free dog food" with chicken, yellow peas and potatoes as the first three ingredients. As to the Calcium and Phosphorus levels they are at : 1.08% (C) and .75% (P). I know your numbers are in mg but Dr Rea's numbers are in % and according to her reference chart, C should be at 1% max and P at 0.8% max. It seems like the levels are still pretty good for this grain free recipe but what do you make of the first 3 ingredients and the grain free formula? Isn't that a first for SD?
Hi! I love your channel! So glad you did this comparison. I am currently feeding Purina Proplan Large breed and senitive stomach salmon and rice for my 72 lb. Husky. He is sensitive to chicken and I found the science diet Lamb and brown rice that I believe he could have. But, it says that it is recommended for 1-6 years old and he will turn 7 in November. My question is could I possibly feed this on to him even after he turns 7? There is not a science diet senior that he can have due to the chicken allergy. I called Purina got the totals on a dry matter basis. The science diet lamb is lower in calcium and phosphorous. (Although the Lamb calcium level is 1.09%. I believe that is a little high for science diet) Do you know the calcium is 1.49% in the Purina?! I was shocked. Anyway, I can also run this by my vet, but since you look the nutrients I wanted to ask you this. Thanks and Happy Father’s Day!
Kelly, Hills does not make any organic foods and they don't promote using non GMO. if they did, I would probably buy it. I realize there is no hard evidence that organic is better for us but it just seems right. GMO's scare me to death. I love science but are we going too far and being naive about unforeseen consequences? but if I try and stay with what we do know, excess protein, minerals, etc are harmful to our pets as they age and definitely increase the risk of clinical disease. So for that reason I stick with Hills.
Use a tight lidded container for a reasonable amount of food over a week or two then consider heat sealing a portion or the balance of the bag, just like any potato chip bag. While the content is fresh, cut the bag into smaller sleeves or envelopes, add product and heat seal the ends..I use a regular iron. Squish out as much air as possible before sealing. Any Mylar type bag will do the trick.
I have miniature schnauzers currently on Farmina quinoa line debating if I should stay there or go to the Pro Plan 20/16 or Small breed Royal canin what do you think ?
Very informative video. I recently did the Embark breed and DNA test on my dog and they listed Hill's Science Diet Adult Chicken & Barley Recipe Dog Food as the best food match. I am having difficulty navigating the Hills products, as I noticed there is only small and large, no medium breed science diet products. She is a one year old, 27 lb Shepard/husky/poodle mix. Any recommendations on the specific Science Diet blend I should get. Thanks!
Hey Dan, there’s really no need for specific size diets after the animal reaches adult size and weight. Any of the Adult diets would be fine. If your dog turns out to be very energetic and can’t maintain weight, the ProPlan Sport is a good option. If finicky, which I doubt with those breeds, the Hills Sensitive Stomach and Skjn is a winner. I fed it for years. My kids dogs all do fine on Adult, Large Breed Adult, and Adult Small Bites, all casually the same nutritional value.
Awesome stuff! I currently feed pro plan development puppy 30/20 for my active mini dachshund pup. I think he will benefit the most from its nutrient profile right now. Definitely will probably switch to science diet later in his life
Is this what I need or do I have to do more calculations? How do nutrients look for adult 5 year old golden? Protein: 26.63% Fat: 13.84% Fiber: 3.95% Carbohydrates: 45.78% Calcium: 0.89% Phosphorus: 0.78% This was response when I asked for nutrients on dry matter basis
Can you please tell me if Science Diet has bpa in their canned dog food? My dog is doing great on the SD kibble, but he's so picky he hates it! I am spending a small fortune on putting The Honest kitchen bone broth on his kibble in order to get him to eat it. I was thinking of trying the SD canned food instead. Or is it ok if I just add some eggs/cooked meat to his kibble? He's in very good shape and an excellent weight, according to his vet.
Eggs are a great addition, just remember no more than 10% should be other foods from the diet. Canned is pretty expensive compared to dry. I put some boiling water in with the dry and let it sit for a few minutes and my girls think thats a treat! there are some other flavors of Hills Adult diets too! you can try them and just take back to the store for a refund if they arent happy with it.
@@PetFoodPuzzleGuy thank you, seriously I owe you a Christmas present or something for all the valuable information you share all the time!! I actually called Hills this morning. They gave me great service!! They also confirmed their cans are bpa free. Thanks for the tip about boiling water added to kibble to make it a treat because yes the canned is very expensive. I did buy some this morning, but I'll try your advice too. My dog is sooooo picky (his breeder fed him raw, and I just continued on until I found your channel....another reason to not feed raw is it makes them not want to eat anything else). I forgot to mention, you have lovely grandchildren, so brave to have them all at your house though lol! I have two teenagers, my dog, and two cats are my therapy lol!!
Claire, I trust the main brands with their lower calcium and fat to reduce rapid growth rate. There’s really not a big need for large breed adult diets.
Ironically, I caught the video about what you feed your dogs. I have a toy poodle and every food I have tried, he only grazed on them. I switched to Science diet and he eats it like a meal. He definitely likes it. Thanks 😊
Your grandkids are so cute. You are one lucky "Puzzle Guy!" Do I really need to watch beyond that? LOL My daughter has two pit bull mix that are rescues. They eat dry food that comes out of a 40 or 50 lb. plastic bucket. ? They also get table scraps. My daughter is a trained chef. The dogs also get some freeze dried kibble added to the other.
to be honest, I don't think I could survive all of them all the time at once! Four are in MN and four around the corner that we help raise since my son is a single dad, all adopted from foster care! Life comes with surprises, doesn't it!
Having no clue what to buy for my first dog - a chihuahua - I went into Pets at Home (UK superstore). I instinctively swerved anything that sounded like human food fads. Wolves/paleo, gluten free, no preservatives... Anthropomorphic orthorexic woowoo. I figured big brands ought to be safe as they'd have solid histories. I looked at Royal Canin, which I'd heard was recommended by a lot of vets, but I just couldn't believe there's that big a difference between chihuahuas and pomeranians. That turned me off from RC but perhaps unfairly. I ended up buying Iams because it was a major brand, had a small breed kibble size, and was reasonably priced. I have since learned about wsava and as Iams isn't produced by Iams in Europe. It's a Dutch company called Spectrum, owned by United Petfood. I don't know if they have the same standards as in the US, so I'm not sure I'll buy a second bag. RC, Purina and Hill's are the three brands that are aligned with the wsava guidelines in the UK. So this video will help me choose what to try.
@@PetFoodPuzzleGuy Our second bag is Purina Beta, which is sort of the equivalent of Purina One. Over here Purina has Pro Plan, which is the same. But then it goes down to Beta and then at the supermarkets they have Bakers. I think Bakers is the marketing equivalent of Dog Chow. They also have a brand called Winalot in the supermarkets and I don't know where that fits in. There's a wet food that's been around for ages called Butcher's. It's grain free but they don't use legumes to bulk it out. It's really just mostly meat. I mix that with the Purina kibble because I just don't feel good putting a small amount of kibble in the bowl. (He's a small dog!) I think this is just my human emotions. We often think of food = love and I enjoy doing a bit of easy prep, it's like I'm satisfying my own desire to nurture. But I have been pureing some mixed frozen veg (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots) and using that to bulk it out without adding too many calories and I think I could leave out the wet food entirely and just use the veggies, thereby relying on the Purina formula for my dog's macros and micro nutrients. What do you think about that? He's an active dog and a healthy weight and doesn't seem very picky about food, so I'm lucky.
@@dumbartonyankee I’m not a fan of toppers for that very reason of throwing off the balance of the diet. The verges would be much better idea. Sounds like your pup is lucky to have you!
Since the Pandemic I have gone through hell with dog food. I was using 4 Health from Tractor Supply for years. Then all the sudden my dog stopped eating it. When she did she would throw it back up 7 to 8 hours later and it hadn't digested because it still was in the kibble form. I changed to Gentle Giants which she liked but it caused her stole to be runny. Changed to Chicken and Rice Purina Pro Plan. She liked it. After 3 35pd bags I tried the Beef and Rice. After 4 days she wouldn't eat it. She started scratching which she never has. She was only 4 months on her Soresto Flea Collar. She stays inside 90% of the time. Now I have about $75 of food she won't eat. I have had many dogs and I have never gone through this. I live on a Disability Check and I can't waste money on high priced dog food she won't eat.
hello glen I sow and audit your channel this is very helpful . but some issue found your channel such as title issue, tag issue and other issues interrupt to be reach to many people. if you solve those issues then increase your channel day by day and get reach many people.
You finally did RC! Yay! I think this is the first video in which you didn’t add the definition of healthiest lol I do believe you need a trophy for spreading the truth and nothing but the truth to people. I hope more and more people will start watching your videos! What do you think of Farmina? They have many diets with mineral contents on the lower end, but I don’t like how they market their diets based on ingredients like quinoa, ancient grains, pumpkin and recently they’re coming out with a tropical range. They do some research, some of which is self published but they also have ones in peer reviewed journals but nothing compared to RC, SD, or ProPlan. They claim to do feeding trials but not in controlled settings like the others do. And finally, would you consider making a video on diet associated DCM?
LOL! Yes, finally did RC! working on a feline Hairball Diet comparison and using RC again! But spoiler alert....they won't be happy! i actually spoke with the folks at Farmina about a year ago and checked out a few of their diets. Though their protein levels were a bit high for my taste , their mineral levels were excellent. I really need to do a comparison on them. As far a DCM, I don't really feel qualified. there are many more questions then answers. There seems to be a connection but doesn't seem to be causal in nature. We had the same issue with cats back in the 80s and solved it by supplementing taurine in every cat food brand but still never answered many questions about why there were deficiencies when there was enough taurine in the diet. To me, it proves all nutrients/ingredients act on each other and formulating a diet is much more complicated than people realize. when the industry is run by marketers choosing ingredients based on marketing and not science, bad things can happen. Personally I wont feed a grain free food, but mainly because I refuse to buy into and encourage the dishonest marketing of it!
Why is the calcium level much higher in science diet adult lamb dog food vs science diet chicken. So is the Vitamon E very high compared to chicken. Very confused when they are ment for adult dogs.
Hey Warren, had to make a few calls on your question. Turned out lamb as an ingredient will drive calcium higher than chicken. The minerals are a bit higher in the m lamb version across the board. This is a great example of choosing ingredients based on preference or variety, but ignoring every ingredient delivers certain nutrients. The Lamb diets are within healthy parameters so that’s fine but as you noticed, the antioxidant package is much higher. Again, that’s based on all the ingredients. As someone who didn’t look at Science Diet much since my main focus was Prescription, this is all news to me! Great question!
Thanks Glen. I now also follow the Nutrience levels. New to me. Opened my eyes on food. I think I will assume with adult sensitive skin adult science diet. Gis snacks on science diet dental. Need to start photo gallery all for all you followers to add they healthy pets. Have great weekend.
Glenn. I am now a " show me Your Nutrients ". Learned a lot from you. Lots of " so call experts who do not know much of nutrition" Question Gus is 50 lbs in great shape. I fed him science diet adult chicken. Then give him Science diet dental as treats. I feel Glucosamine is important. But only the large breed science diet has it. Can I feed my Gus the large breed. What is the difference.
Thank you so much! The marketing for pet food is nuts. Dozens of rows in the pet store with 100s of different products. And the marketing is all nonsense!
Glen Frontin you've worked for Hills Science Diet for nearly 37 years as a territory manager, and yet you don't disclose that which to me is as disingenuous as I've seen in a long time who wants to me a UA-cam content creator. Be honest, ethical and transparent if you want to me on UA-cam. You made SD out to me the best at the end of the day. You're 100% biased.
@@BrianEpstein-nn5dr hey Brian, where you been??? I mention my experience often. I’m being honest, ethical and transparent. If you find anything I say incorrect or questionable be sure to address it. I won’t ignore you. I think you should watch my video on Bias. I would never listen to someone who claims to be unbiased on a subject they think they are knowledgeable of. You will notice I judge all foods the same. Some are good some are bad. And I think I know the industry and the marketing tricks pretty well.
@@conormcquail3504 sadly most wolves do not survive to be geriatric and deal with age related diseases. I suppose there would be cases in captivity where they live much longer. The diet of a wild dog, wolf, coyote, etc is pretty irrelevant to using nutrition to extend life and/ or manage disease. Good science improves on nature basically.
Well Conor, the actual board certified vet nutritionists I worked with for 34 years disagree with you. Sounds like you’ve been listening to the Ingredientists on social media. I hope my videos will give you another perspective to consider!
I love this video. Thank you. Question tho- Can I help my dog live a longer, healthier life by giving this kibble as a base, and adding a small portion of a food like Ollie or Farmer’s Dog? I’m thinking I’m giving her some kale and blueberries and sweet potatoes etc when I’m giving her a small portion of Ollie with her kibble, but I don’t know if I’m wasting my money. Are there some things I can add to help increase her health and longevity without throwing off her overall nutrition or having her gain weight?
My daughter has two pit bull mix that are rescues. They eat mostly dry food. They also get table scraps. My daughter is a trained chef. The dogs also get some freeze dried food added to the kibble. You could start by asking your veterinarian. He/she knows your dog.
Kelli, just remember everything you feed delivers nutrients. If you’re feeding a good balanced diet you don’t need to add more nutrients. Having said that, the general rule from nutritionists is 10% additional food is fine. I’d use egg, fresh verges, even good table scraps, rather than an expensive prepared diet. I never added table scraps but now that my girls and I are getting older, I enjoy spoiling them a little. But if I overdo it they throw up or get diarrhea ! So a little extra is fine but not necessary. Keeping them lean does more for longevity!
Such a logical approach, I wish more people put nutrients first and all the conspiracy theories second
I’m learning from the best!
If the pet food corporations were honest about the ingredients and nutrients in the food, there would not be conspiracy theories and you and Glen would not have to do these videos. How many foods have you reviewed that you say are not good? "All life stages," ingredient splitting, holistic food, ancient grains, extra protein. Hiding the nutrient levels. As Yul Brynner said in "The King and I," etcetera, etcetera, etcetera!
I guess there's always been snake oi salesmen (now women too) but reading the comments of caring pet parents watching all those misleading videos was too much for me! So when I found Dr Rea I thought I should add my voice too! I realize Im just small potatoes on UA-cam but at least I'm doing something!@@edschulhof6303
MARS makes Royal canin. The same company that makes all those poisonous and disgusting junk food for humans. Huge huge multi billion dollar corporations have never had anyone’s best interest and especially not health in mind.
So you admit that it’s a marketing gimmick to sell food that is breed specific….but still stand by the company whole heartedly???
I’m very glad you decided to start doing UA-cam! The information you’re providing is very enlightening. I have only ever seen great results with Hill’s food but it feels like the whole internet is always trying to convince me that I am poisoning my pets lol.
Not sure if you’d be able to speak on this at all, but would you be able to explain what happened during their last recall with the elevated vitamin D levels? I often see that mentioned as a reason that Hill’s is a bad brand or can’t be trusted or whatever.
Violet, Thanks for writing! You are not alone, having had great results with Hills. I had such a great life spending 34 years in vet clinics every day and seeing how Hills diets helped manage horrible diseases and save so many lives. For an animal lover, no better job!
The recall was devastating to me. How could such a thing happen? because lawyers got involved so quickly it was hard to get valid info. But basically, Hills had a supplier in TX that provided premixed vitamin/ mineral supplements that Hills used. This supplier had been trusted for 15 years and had rose to a level of trust, I forget the term, but like a certified supplier. Well, they screwed up a batch they sold us, which could have been sold to anyone. I believe, because of their status, hills was trusting them to test and certify the finished product rather than testing it themselves. like other suppliers. That seems to be accurate because the batch was not tested by Hills. My heart breaks for anyone who lost their pet due to the food that was contaminated but it is strange that I as a rep had 110 hospitals and had no deaths. In fact, most dog owners said they saw no effect on their pets, including many Hills employees and others had diarrhea or vomiting short term. I of course, also talked with other reps throughout the country who had similar stories, so the claim of hundreds or thousands of dogs dying seems inaccurate to me. It was just canine cans, no dry, no feline product at all. the next morning talking with one of my vets, sick over the news, he suggested I think about the decades of good Hils has done in saving thousands and thousands of pets. Human error happens. the people that go after Hills will totally ignore all the animals Hills saved and the literal millions of dollars spend on canine and feline nutrition research, clearly more than any other food company, and will focus on that one event. and since that recall, Hills nutritionists and chemists have launched more diets with the most innovative research in GI microbiome, cancer management, dermatitis, etc. yet the people attacking Hills ignore that and get sucked into playing that ingredient game of what's the first ingredient or My Dog is A Wolf BS!
sorry for the rant butyes, its a touchy subject with me!
💔
Important, informative, science based content. I saw your videos about the recent kibble craze. I feel relief now after seeing this video. I have active sporting dogs and like to believe they’re on a balanced diet. With everything going on I almost switched to RAW… until I saw your videos along with Dr.Rea.
Iris, I’m glad you found me and especially Dr Rea. She’s awesome. She was actually my first subscriber!
Great video! Got my new puppy couple of months ago and I am glad I discovered your channel! Such a smart and intelligent guy!
You are so kind! I'm just doing my best like everyone else. I just have lots of experience!
Thanks!
Would love you to do essence dog food
I am trying to be open to your message and can understand how nutritional values should be more important than the ingredients list. However when considering SD Adult Chicken I can’t help to
notice that in addition to the large amount of carbs in the food, ingredients like Chicken Liver Flavor raise doubts about the quality of the ingredients used. Your feedback is welcomed.
Carbs are ok though....
So helpful, thanks fo much for all you do
I appreciate the kind words! We all love those crazy furry creatures!
Been struggling to understand what is the most optimal food for my dog. Thank you!!
It's Hill's. They are on top!
Great video and I just subbed. I look forward to more.
Thank you so much for this video I just got a new puppy and this was very helpful in deciding on a dog food. You explained this beautifully
Glad it was helpful!
How do we know pet food companies are honest on their labels? There is no federal governing agency over pet food makers.
Well, that is a good question. I don't have a good answer for you. The whole industry needs accountability but I don't see it trending that way. I think it comes down to evaluating the company's history and achievements and then taking that leap of trust.
Thank you very helpful
Glad it helped
Thanks for your time and input I have a Rottweiler struggles with allergies, ear infections, and being sluggish. Been feeding origin so I watched a video on origin, real buffalo and was very impressed with your study. I’m still looking for a good dog food though.
Of course you have to have a big dog needing expensive food. I did a 3 part video on allergies and options you’ll find in my video list.
After watching this one and seeing Dr. Rea series on Farmina, I reached out to Farmina to see how one of theirs compares on a 100 KCal basis. Farmina Ancestral Grain Chicken and Pom. small bites came back: Protein 7.51, Fat 4.5, Calcium 230, Phosphorus 200. I also did the Lamb version and the protein was 7.1 but the calcium went up to 280. Thanks for all the insight.
Such a helpful video, thank you from Brazil!!
@@luarantes2009 well thank you! I appreciate that!
Hi Glen, you are very brave for having all these grandchildren together for a week (LOL) !!! WOW! Quite an advendture! Good for you!I I guess they keep you young in your retirement!.
So, indeed, I have binged-watched all of your videos in the last three days and I have become your biggest fan from Quebec, Canada, for sure! And thanks to your good comments about Dr Rea, I have also started to watch her videos. I must say that I have learned more from you in the last three days about the pet food industry and its "twisted" marketing strategies than ever before in my 40 years spent with my dogs and cats of past and present. I now realize that I should have trusted more my vet of 25 years when she would praise the scientific research behind companies like Hill's, RC and even Purina, rather than those "fad" diets coming out of left field!!! Of course, like many other pet parents out there, I thought I was buying the best food for my pets, until I found you and that you explained all about ingredients and nutrients! So, I have put all that "fancy ingredient" food aside and ordered Science Diet for my dog and my cat which I just received this morning. I'm hoping that my pets will accept their new food well, so that pet-mom here can feel better about giving them the best! Thanks a million for doing this, you have put me on the right track, after all these years! Cheers from Canada!😻🐕🦺🐕
Thanks so much!
Thank you!!
Great video, thank you! :)
Hi.I’m looking for the best dry food for maltese puppy.thank you
Thank you for all the info on your channel. I’m about to get a golden retriever puppy here soon. He’ll be 8 weeks old. I’m debating between pro plan large breed puppy and pro plan puppy. The regular puppy has a golden retriever on the bag. The fat is 18% which I thought might be a lil high for golden. The large breed version is 13% fat. All else the same, which would you choose?
@@justinsnow3979 I’d go with the large breed. Just feed with the idea of not creating a fat puppy. Good Luck! Enjoy!
Thanks for the quick response sir!
New sub so I love your channel and your approach but then again I'm not taking the time and reading the science to double check so I am still on board and hoping your not on Hills payroll!😬👍 With that confidence I am about to get my giant Malamute pup friday and I will be purchasing Hills Large Breed Puppy food. Praying this is truth and she does amazing. I know giants are not recognized but she is eight weeks old and around 40lbs already. I've fell down the dog food rabbit hole and now I frankly fear for her life with what kibble I feed! I have a bag of Lifes Abundance but thats just for transition because the price is insane and other reasons. Will my girl do good with Hills or is there a better food considering her size? Any help would be much appreciated!
I bet she is beautiful! The main concern of giant puppies is not feeding for maximum growth too fast. We raised 4 Berners and a Lab on that diet and they did great. Large Breed Puppy foods will work fine for her. I did a video on Large Breed Puppy foods. That might help your anxiety. Puppies are all different as far as which puppy foods they do well on. Personally if she doesn’t do well on Hills I’d try ProPlan Large Breed Puppy. Don’t worry if she doesn’t eat the amt on the bag. Just judge her size and weight as she grows. No supplements as a puppy. The food is balancing all that. Best of luck! And no, I’ve been off the payroll for 19 months now! But they should pay me! lol!
Thank you so much for your reply! She is a HUGE handful but worth every minute! 😊 I appreciate your input and will be transitioning to Hills soon!
What is a measure of low calcium and phosphorus
@@catherinerobson5482 well the best would be no higher than 1 % Calcium and .8 phosphorus. Not many will meet that standard. And I mean dry matter percentage.
Where do ypu find this information on the bag?
You won’t find any real info on the bag. You need to try website but I usually have to call them.
Hello Glen, after watching this video a second time, I am puzzled and disappointed to see the high numbers of Calcium and Phosphorus in the ProPlan diet. I just don't understand that as a giant of the pet food industry for so many years and being one of the big 3s that do research, how can ProPlan's numbers still be so high? How can they not know that their calcium and phosphorus levels are way out there??? Please enlighten me!
Can’t enlighten you much! It’s a great question! That’s why I am not a big fan of Purina and Mars. They both do great research and make some great diets. Then they turn around and make very unhealthy diets! They know better! Perhaps they’re so huge that profit becomes too tempting? It shows it’s a challenge for the big three to decide between profit and nutritional value. But I suppose even small companies have to decide the same thing! I continue to watch Hills, hoping they never compromise quality. So far so good! And they still don’t make any bad foods.
@@PetFoodPuzzleGuy Thank you for your input! By the way, I just happened to browse around the Hill's Canada website and there seems to be one of the SD formula which is grain free:
"Hill's® Science Diet® Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin Grain Free dog food" with chicken, yellow peas and potatoes as the first three ingredients. As to the Calcium and Phosphorus levels they are at : 1.08% (C) and .75% (P). I know your numbers are in mg but Dr Rea's numbers are in % and according to her reference chart, C should be at 1% max and P at 0.8% max. It seems like the levels are still pretty good for this grain free recipe but what do you make of the first 3 ingredients and the grain free formula? Isn't that a first for SD?
Hi! I love your channel! So glad you did this comparison. I am currently feeding Purina Proplan Large breed and senitive stomach salmon and rice for my 72 lb. Husky. He is sensitive to chicken and I found the science diet Lamb and brown rice that I believe he could have. But, it says that it is recommended for 1-6 years old and he will turn 7 in November.
My question is could I possibly feed this on to him even after he turns 7? There is not a science diet senior that he can have due to the chicken allergy. I called Purina got the totals on a dry matter basis. The science diet lamb is lower in calcium and phosphorous. (Although the Lamb calcium level is 1.09%. I believe that is a little high for science diet) Do you know the calcium is 1.49% in the Purina?! I was shocked.
Anyway, I can also run this by my vet, but since you look the nutrients I wanted to ask you this.
Thanks and Happy Father’s Day!
Hello Glen, thanks for the great videos! Can you advise if science diet has an Organic Non GMO food available?
Kelly, Hills does not make any organic foods and they don't promote using non GMO. if they did, I would probably buy it. I realize there is no hard evidence that organic is better for us but it just seems right. GMO's scare me to death. I love science but are we going too far and being naive about unforeseen consequences? but if I try and stay with what we do know, excess protein, minerals, etc are harmful to our pets as they age and definitely increase the risk of clinical disease. So for that reason I stick with Hills.
Hello doctor, which one would you choose between Proplan and Royal Canin?
how long will hills science kibble last after bag is opened?
Use a tight lidded container for a reasonable amount of food over a week or two then consider heat sealing a portion or the balance of the bag, just like any potato chip bag. While the content is fresh, cut the bag into smaller sleeves or envelopes, add product and heat seal the ends..I use a regular iron. Squish out as much air as possible before sealing. Any Mylar type bag will do the trick.
I have miniature schnauzers currently on Farmina quinoa line debating if I should stay there or go to the Pro Plan 20/16 or Small breed Royal canin what do you think ?
Very informative video. I recently did the Embark breed and DNA test on my dog and they listed Hill's Science Diet Adult Chicken & Barley Recipe Dog Food as the best food match.
I am having difficulty navigating the Hills products, as I noticed there is only small and large, no medium breed science diet products.
She is a one year old, 27 lb Shepard/husky/poodle mix. Any recommendations on the specific Science Diet blend I should get. Thanks!
Hey Dan, there’s really no need for specific size diets after the animal reaches adult size and weight. Any of the Adult diets would be fine. If your dog turns out to be very energetic and can’t maintain weight, the ProPlan Sport is a good option. If finicky, which I doubt with those breeds, the Hills Sensitive Stomach and Skjn is a winner. I fed it for years. My kids dogs all do fine on Adult, Large Breed Adult, and Adult Small Bites, all casually the same nutritional value.
Awesome stuff! I currently feed pro plan development puppy 30/20 for my active mini dachshund pup. I think he will benefit the most from its nutrient profile right now. Definitely will probably switch to science diet later in his life
That makes total sense to me. with that breed, watching their weight is critical. Thanks for the compliment!
Do you recommend Blue Buffalo Life protection over all? I know in one video you said it’s better nutritional wise than its Blue Wilderness.
I really don't recommend any Blue diets. Too many other foods better and even lower priced.
I was surprised to find my vet sells Science Diet for around $2 a pound. Now my service dog has Science Diet breath.
You've got a good vet! he's barely making any profit on that. Good for him! and you!
Is this what I need or do I have to do more calculations? How do nutrients look for adult 5 year old golden?
Protein: 26.63%
Fat: 13.84%
Fiber: 3.95%
Carbohydrates: 45.78%
Calcium: 0.89%
Phosphorus: 0.78%
This was response when I asked for nutrients on dry matter basis
Yes! I’m impressed! What food is that?
Royal canin golden retriever adult dry
@@StephanieStoudt-uv8nv good to note!
Can you please tell me if Science Diet has bpa in their canned dog food? My dog is doing great on the SD kibble, but he's so picky he hates it! I am spending a small fortune on putting The Honest kitchen bone broth on his kibble in order to get him to eat it. I was thinking of trying the SD canned food instead. Or is it ok if I just add some eggs/cooked meat to his kibble? He's in very good shape and an excellent weight, according to his vet.
Eggs are a great addition, just remember no more than 10% should be other foods from the diet. Canned is pretty expensive compared to dry. I put some boiling water in with the dry and let it sit for a few minutes and my girls think thats a treat! there are some other flavors of Hills Adult diets too! you can try them and just take back to the store for a refund if they arent happy with it.
Oh sorry! No, Hills cans don’t have boa, according to a few sources.
@@PetFoodPuzzleGuy thank you, seriously I owe you a Christmas present or something for all the valuable information you share all the time!! I actually called Hills this morning. They gave me great service!! They also confirmed their cans are bpa free. Thanks for the tip about boiling water added to kibble to make it a treat because yes the canned is very expensive. I did buy some this morning, but I'll try your advice too. My dog is sooooo picky (his breeder fed him raw, and I just continued on until I found your channel....another reason to not feed raw is it makes them not want to eat anything else). I forgot to mention, you have lovely grandchildren, so brave to have them all at your house though lol! I have two teenagers, my dog, and two cats are my therapy lol!!
What do you recommend for giant breeds, adult and puppy?
Claire, I trust the main brands with their lower calcium and fat to reduce rapid growth rate. There’s really not a big need for large breed adult diets.
Ironically, I caught the video about what you feed your dogs. I have a toy poodle and every food I have tried, he only grazed on them.
I switched to Science diet and he eats it like a meal. He definitely likes it. Thanks 😊
That is awesome! Great!
Your grandkids are so cute. You are one lucky "Puzzle Guy!" Do I really need to watch beyond that? LOL My daughter has two pit bull mix that are rescues. They eat dry food that comes out of a 40 or 50 lb. plastic bucket. ? They also get table scraps. My daughter is a trained chef. The dogs also get some freeze dried kibble added to the other.
Hope you feel better.
question .
do i need to call the companies to get the nutrients? 23:12 mineral and phosh
what about meat coated stella & chewys.
@@christineperry4700 yeah, it’s a pain but most companies don’t put the info on their websites. Mostly flowery propaganda!
to be honest, I don't think I could survive all of them all the time at once! Four are in MN and four around the corner that we help raise since my son is a single dad, all adopted from foster care! Life comes with surprises, doesn't it!
@@PetFoodPuzzleGuy Life swerves, indeed!
Love love RC not the price but I know the pandemic is still affecting companies but my dogs have never been healthier.
What about cats what’s the best
@@luciking1745 I have a few videos on cat food comparisons. I like Science Diet and Purina ONE Urinary Care. And Iams as a budget food.
No one is good like should but RC still the best
No, it's Hill's, Hill's is superior
@ really ? I have golden I usually give him just Hill and than I switch for RC. Ok I’ll go back to Hills
Having no clue what to buy for my first dog - a chihuahua - I went into Pets at Home (UK superstore). I instinctively swerved anything that sounded like human food fads. Wolves/paleo, gluten free, no preservatives... Anthropomorphic orthorexic woowoo.
I figured big brands ought to be safe as they'd have solid histories. I looked at Royal Canin, which I'd heard was recommended by a lot of vets, but I just couldn't believe there's that big a difference between chihuahuas and pomeranians. That turned me off from RC but perhaps unfairly.
I ended up buying Iams because it was a major brand, had a small breed kibble size, and was reasonably priced.
I have since learned about wsava and as Iams isn't produced by Iams in Europe. It's a Dutch company called Spectrum, owned by United Petfood. I don't know if they have the same standards as in the US, so I'm not sure I'll buy a second bag. RC, Purina and Hill's are the three brands that are aligned with the wsava guidelines in the UK. So this video will help me choose what to try.
Dunbar, I agree the breed specific is a bit much but most RC formulas are good. Your instincts are correct. Easier to rule out brands first.
@@PetFoodPuzzleGuy Our second bag is Purina Beta, which is sort of the equivalent of Purina One. Over here Purina has Pro Plan, which is the same. But then it goes down to Beta and then at the supermarkets they have Bakers. I think Bakers is the marketing equivalent of Dog Chow. They also have a brand called Winalot in the supermarkets and I don't know where that fits in.
There's a wet food that's been around for ages called Butcher's. It's grain free but they don't use legumes to bulk it out. It's really just mostly meat. I mix that with the Purina kibble because I just don't feel good putting a small amount of kibble in the bowl. (He's a small dog!) I think this is just my human emotions. We often think of food = love and I enjoy doing a bit of easy prep, it's like I'm satisfying my own desire to nurture.
But I have been pureing some mixed frozen veg (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots) and using that to bulk it out without adding too many calories and I think I could leave out the wet food entirely and just use the veggies, thereby relying on the Purina formula for my dog's macros and micro nutrients. What do you think about that?
He's an active dog and a healthy weight and doesn't seem very picky about food, so I'm lucky.
@@dumbartonyankee I’m not a fan of toppers for that very reason of throwing off the balance of the diet. The verges would be much better idea. Sounds like your pup is lucky to have you!
@@PetFoodPuzzleGuy I'm the lucky one!
Since the Pandemic I have gone through hell with dog food. I was using 4 Health from Tractor Supply for years. Then all the sudden my dog stopped eating it. When she did she would throw it back up 7 to 8 hours later and it hadn't digested because it still was in the kibble form. I changed to Gentle Giants which she liked but it caused her stole to be runny. Changed to Chicken and Rice Purina Pro Plan. She liked it. After 3 35pd bags I tried the Beef and Rice. After 4 days she wouldn't eat it. She started scratching which she never has. She was only 4 months on her Soresto Flea Collar. She stays inside 90% of the time. Now I have about $75 of food she won't eat. I have had many dogs and I have never gone through this. I live on a Disability Check and I can't waste money on high priced dog food she won't eat.
What are u feeding now
I am trying Rachel Ray's Chicken and Rice. So far so good.
hello glen
I sow and audit your channel this is very helpful . but some issue found your channel such as title issue, tag issue and other issues interrupt to be reach to many people. if you solve those issues then increase your channel day by day and get reach many people.
You finally did RC! Yay!
I think this is the first video in which you didn’t add the definition of healthiest lol
I do believe you need a trophy for spreading the truth and nothing but the truth to people. I hope more and more people will start watching your videos!
What do you think of Farmina? They have many diets with mineral contents on the lower end, but I don’t like how they market their diets based on ingredients like quinoa, ancient grains, pumpkin and recently they’re coming out with a tropical range. They do some research, some of which is self published but they also have ones in peer reviewed journals but nothing compared to RC, SD, or ProPlan. They claim to do feeding trials but not in controlled settings like the others do.
And finally, would you consider making a video on diet associated DCM?
LOL! Yes, finally did RC! working on a feline Hairball Diet comparison and using RC again! But spoiler alert....they won't be happy!
i actually spoke with the folks at Farmina about a year ago and checked out a few of their diets. Though their protein levels were a bit high for my taste , their mineral levels were excellent. I really need to do a comparison on them.
As far a DCM, I don't really feel qualified. there are many more questions then answers. There seems to be a connection but doesn't seem to be causal in nature. We had the same issue with cats back in the 80s and solved it by supplementing taurine in every cat food brand but still never answered many questions about why there were deficiencies when there was enough taurine in the diet. To me, it proves all nutrients/ingredients act on each other and formulating a diet is much more complicated than people realize. when the industry is run by marketers choosing ingredients based on marketing and not science, bad things can happen. Personally I wont feed a grain free food, but mainly because I refuse to buy into and encourage the dishonest marketing of it!
Why is the calcium level much higher in science diet adult lamb dog food vs science diet chicken. So is the Vitamon E very high compared to chicken. Very confused when they are ment for adult dogs.
Hey Warren, had to make a few calls on your question. Turned out lamb as an ingredient will drive calcium higher than chicken. The minerals are a bit higher in the m lamb version across the board. This is a great example of choosing ingredients based on preference or variety, but ignoring every ingredient delivers certain nutrients. The Lamb diets are within healthy parameters so that’s fine but as you noticed, the antioxidant package is much higher. Again, that’s based on all the ingredients. As someone who didn’t look at Science Diet much since my main focus was Prescription, this is all news to me! Great question!
Thanks Glen. I now also follow the Nutrience levels. New to me. Opened my eyes on food. I think I will assume with adult sensitive skin adult science diet. Gis snacks on science diet dental.
Need to start photo gallery all for all you followers to add they healthy pets. Have great weekend.
Glenn. I am now a " show me
Your Nutrients ". Learned a lot from you. Lots of " so call experts who do not know much of nutrition"
Question
Gus is 50 lbs in great shape. I fed him science diet adult chicken. Then give him Science diet dental as treats. I feel Glucosamine is important. But only the large breed science diet has it. Can I feed my Gus the large breed. What is the difference.
@@warrenhorowitz-vp6ul you absolutely can, or you can buy Cosequin at Costco. I just started One of mine on that.
Just ordered it at Costco. Thanks
Thank you so much! The marketing for pet food is nuts. Dozens of rows in the pet store with 100s of different products. And the marketing is all nonsense!
Rodrigo, it’s getting like everything else. There’s too much money in it these days.
Glen Frontin you've worked for Hills Science Diet for nearly 37 years as a territory manager, and yet you don't disclose that which to me is as disingenuous as I've seen in a long time who wants to me a UA-cam content creator. Be honest, ethical and transparent if you want to me on UA-cam. You made SD out to me the best at the end of the day. You're 100% biased.
@@BrianEpstein-nn5dr hey Brian, where you been??? I mention my experience often. I’m being honest, ethical and transparent. If you find anything I say incorrect or questionable be sure to address it. I won’t ignore you. I think you should watch my video on Bias. I would never listen to someone who claims to be unbiased on a subject they think they are knowledgeable of. You will notice I judge all foods the same. Some are good some are bad. And I think I know the industry and the marketing tricks pretty well.
Why don’t wolves suffer from kidney diseases? Aren’t this 3 some of not the biggest donors to veterinary schools?
@@conormcquail3504 sadly most wolves do not survive to be geriatric and deal with age related diseases. I suppose there would be cases in captivity where they live much longer. The diet of a wild dog, wolf, coyote, etc is pretty irrelevant to using nutrition to extend life and/ or manage disease. Good science improves on nature basically.
The use cheap ingredients that aren’t even be identified by the dogs system. Which will make them deficient .
Well Conor, the actual board certified vet nutritionists I worked with for 34 years disagree with you. Sounds like you’ve been listening to the Ingredientists on social media. I hope my videos will give you another perspective to consider!
Nutri source is that a good treats for my dogs and is golden rewards duckjerky
Alcohol kills germs! Go for the brandy! 🧫🩺
I love this video. Thank you. Question tho- Can I help my dog live a longer, healthier life by giving this kibble as a base, and adding a small portion of a food like Ollie or Farmer’s Dog? I’m thinking I’m giving her some kale and blueberries and sweet potatoes etc when I’m giving her a small portion of Ollie with her kibble, but I don’t know if I’m wasting my money. Are there some things I can add to help increase her health and longevity without throwing off her overall nutrition or having her gain weight?
My daughter has two pit bull mix that are rescues. They eat mostly dry food. They also get table scraps. My daughter is a trained chef. The dogs also get some freeze dried food added to the kibble. You could start by asking your veterinarian. He/she knows your dog.
Kelli, just remember everything you feed delivers nutrients. If you’re feeding a good balanced diet you don’t need to add more nutrients. Having said that, the general rule from nutritionists is 10% additional food is fine. I’d use egg, fresh verges, even good table scraps, rather than an expensive prepared diet. I never added table scraps but now that my girls and I are getting older, I enjoy spoiling them a little. But if I overdo it they throw up or get diarrhea ! So a little extra is fine but not necessary. Keeping them lean does more for longevity!
@@PetFoodPuzzleGuy GREAT answer! Thank you!
Great information, Glenn.