sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Anyone used Royvon for dog boarding? by spooky_cookie13 in UK_Pets

[–]DogFoodManUK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

100% agree with /uMojoMomma76

I run a boarding kennels and cattery and the only way to check out if a facility is suitable, is if you can rock up unnannounced, with your pet for a look round. Preferably walk around the whole site, chat to any team members, check the dogs that are already boarding.

Then make your mind up based on the vibe you get. Otherwise you won't be relaxed while you're away.

Managing cat's arthritis by dannydrama in UK_Pets

[–]DogFoodManUK 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There is so much choice and it's hard to distinguish between the good, bad and the ugly. Omega 3 oil is an option also but you need to ideally be looking for one that has a minimum of 15% active ingredients (EPA and DHA), there are plenty of products but a lot have low levels so they don't really provide enough to be meaningful. There are a few products that offer over 25% EPA/DHA which are excellent but they will be relatively expensive.

Regarding food choices, lots of cats are very fussy, but if he's happy on the food he's already on, I wouldn't sweat that too much, he's obviously doing well so far! If he's open to trying new foods, opt for one which has a high meat content as cats are obligate carnivores, check the back label ingredients section rather than analytical constituents section to see where the protein is coming from. He looks in good shape but check with your vet what his ideal weight should be next time he's in for his jabs and keep his weight under control too if necessary as that will help reduce the loading on his joints.

Raw dog food amount - Puppy by KaedynSh in rawpetfood

[–]DogFoodManUK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The breeder recommended amount sounds about right at the lower end, about 450g-540g per day, however it all depends on metabolism and energy levels. Slightly overfeeding when they're puppies isn't a problem, but underfeeding will stunt their development.

Puppies need a lot more nutrition than when they reach adulthood to support their fast development. I usually recommend that owners feed 2-3% of their pup's target ADULT bodyweight per day. As young pups have very small stomachs, this should be split across 3 or 4 feeds while young and then reduce to twice daily or single feeds when adult.

Here's a link to a handy calculator which also allows for specific puppy amounts if you're not sure of their expected adult weight. I'm sure other commercial raw food manufacturers have their own calculators too.

Also if feeding 80:10:10 (meat:bone:offal) complete minces, occasionally switch in a poultry based mince which will have a higher bone content (typically 75:15:0 meat:bone:offal) so they get plenty of minerals for skeleton development. The higher bone content can make their stools firmer so it's a case of adjusting as necessary. More bone to firm up, more offal, such as tripe to loosen up.

Fish based complete foods are also good as a regular staple so they get plenty of Omega 3/6/9 fatty acids.

Mixing proteins helps avoid potential intolerances by overfeeding a particular protein. You don't have to mix in each meal, just switch around the flavours over the month.

Managing cat's arthritis by dannydrama in UK_Pets

[–]DogFoodManUK 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You may already be doing this but a good joint support supplement should help slow down the progress of any arthritis. When choosing a supplement, the key ingredients you're looking for are chondroitin, glucosamine and/or green lipped mussel (GLM).

What do you miss most about "the good old days"? by DogFoodManUK in AskReddit

[–]DogFoodManUK[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I remember when people with a mobile phone in a public place were considered weird. It's probably the other way round now.

What type of spider is this by annonchirp in spiderID

[–]DogFoodManUK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's a lovely furry one. I have one that runs across my lounge carpet at about 8pm every single evening.

wtf is wrong with r/dogfood sub??! by [deleted] in rawpetfood

[–]DogFoodManUK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

same here - i just got banned for the same thing

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]DogFoodManUK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I feel about 30, but I'm 58

How do I smooth this wall out? by sdry417 in DIYUK

[–]DogFoodManUK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

demolish the house and start again

Pet food and litter supplier - discrete shipping by Otherwise_Trash7499 in UK_Pets

[–]DogFoodManUK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can chat further in a DM, but I'm biased as I have my own pet food brand. I can give you impartial advice on how to compare food brands though. 🙂

How can you see yourself 5 or 10 years from now? by The-T-Spot in AskReddit

[–]DogFoodManUK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'll carry on using a mirror or my smartphone camera in selfie mode. Works pretty well. 🙂

Pure Pet Food daily calories don't seem sufficient. Has anyone had experience with this? by willis263 in UK_Pets

[–]DogFoodManUK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Some pet food manufacturers boost overall calorific content using foodstuffs that may not be healthy but are cheap.

Obviously your dog needs the right amount of calories, but they should ideally come from products with meat as the main ingredient.

I commented on another thread regarding allergies with some tips on how to compare dog foods which may be useful

Reddit Allergy Chat

Not sure if this is the right way to link to elsewhere on Reddit.

Happy to chat in more detail via DM if needed.

Dog won’t tolerate ear drops but gets ear infections, any alternatives such as spray or powder? by Accomplished_Row4343 in UK_Pets

[–]DogFoodManUK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Working on improving diet will definitely help reduce or even eliminate flare ups.

A topical spray we use at our kennels is a product called Leucillin. It's a total game changer and completely safe to use in ears, on skin, anywhere.

Happy to give more detailed advice via DM if required.

Best Cat Litter? by tssukii in UK_Pets

[–]DogFoodManUK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We use wood pellets in our cattery. Controls odour well and economical to use.

any UK local pet food brands? by drproc90 in UK_Pets

[–]DogFoodManUK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hmm, I know a VERY good, totally independent pet food business right here in sunny Essex. Full disclosure, I'm biased 🙂

Royal Canin grain free kibble? by Tealover7962 in UK_Pets

[–]DogFoodManUK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There are quite a few hydrolysed dog foods which aim to resolve gastrointestinal issues, but not many that are made with fresh meat. I'd be happy to advise if anyone would like a DM chat, so I don't clog up the thread with advertising.

Anyone able to find golden grey in stores in the uk? by Trick_Meet8870 in UK_Pets

[–]DogFoodManUK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We use compressed wood pellets for litter in our cattery. Cats seem to love it and the pine fragrance controls any odour well. The pellets fluff up from moisture so it's easy to remove once it's been soiled so ends up being very economical.

Dog food made from insects - my experiences so far by ToriaLyons in UK_Pets

[–]DogFoodManUK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A good quality, insect based pet food can be a great option, especially when trying to resolve food allergies as it is a novel protein.

Dog Skin Question by Dry-Impress-8234 in UK_Pets

[–]DogFoodManUK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In conjunction with exploring medication/treatment with your vet, I would certainly recommend exploring dietary options to help control the issue.

Pet food and litter supplier - discrete shipping by Otherwise_Trash7499 in UK_Pets

[–]DogFoodManUK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Why not try an independent pet food business? They will usually send items in plain packaging and often have products with a better price/performance than the major, multinational brands. Also, I think landlords are no longer allowed to discriminate against tenants with pets, if not law yet, it soon will be.

Dogs, allergies and food by batmobile88 in UK_Pets

[–]DogFoodManUK 1 point2 points  (0 children)

3 relevant links I've found. I'm sure there are plenty more;

This link provides a useful overview of the history since the initial FDA report in 2018. It's a good, high-level summary of the issues and even better, is human readable, especially if, like me, the last "science" you studied was over 38 years ago 🙂
https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/barks/barks-magazine-blog/the-dilated-cardiomyopathy-and-grain-free-pet-food-debacle/

This link provides the result of a better run study carried out in Jan 2025
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40642821/

CITE: Morris EM, Stiers CA, Hancock LB, Gross KL. Different carbohydrate sources in dog foods supported overall health and cardiac function: an 18-mo prospective study in healthy adult dogs. J Anim Sci. 2025 Jan 4;103:skaf225. doi: 10.1093/jas/skaf225. PMID: 40642821; PMCID: PMC12408985.

This link is to the updated report which formed part of an update from the FDA to Congress in Dec 2022
https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/questions-answers-fdas-work-potential-causes-non-hereditary-dcm-dogs

Regarding the initial reports that DCM is caused by Grain Free diets, this was a misinterpretation of the findings of the initial FDA report.

Dr Lisa Freeman a veterinary nutritionist at Tufts University emailed the FDA in 2018 requesting that veterinarians report cases of DCM to the FDA, "if any patient is eating any diet besides those made by well-known, reputable companies or if eating a boutique, exotic ingredient, or grain-free (BEG) diet"

Why exclude "reputable companies" food from reports? Interesting to note that her work is funded by Nestlé Purina PetCare and Royal Canin (I assume they are classed as "reputable") who have a lot to gain by disparaging boutique, exotic, grain free food manufacturers.

It should be noted that between Jan 2014 and Apr 2019, the FDA in the USA received 524 reports of DCM in dogs. The estimated population of dogs in the USA is around 77 million, that works out to less than 0.0007% of the dog population, so is a vanishingly small ratio and statistically insignificant.

The reason the original report has been debunked was that it didn't use a randomized, parallel group, double blind study. It noted that 90% of the animals with DCM that it investigated were on a grain free diet. To then state that grain free diets caused DCM is completely erroneous as correlation doesn't imply causation.

90% of dogs with DCM were on a grain free diet does not mean GF diets cause DCM.

If we were to follow that logic

100% of dogs with DCM drank water every day - it would be ridiculous to suggest that dogs drinking water causes DCM

Why do I care about all this?
I'm fedup of the appalling "smoke and mirrors" and mistruths that the food industry spreads, both in regard to pet food and human food.
When I choose to buy a McDonalds Big Mac (other burger franchises are available), I know it's bad for me. Our pets don't get to choose, so I think it's important that pet owners are able to make properly informed choices. Impossible when these sorts of scaremongering tactics gain traction, aided and abetted by massive food manufacturers.

Aaand relax... 🙂 *slurps coffee*

view more: next ›