The Hunt for Dog Food

Remember that Will Ferrell skit on SNL a few years ago, Dissing your Dog?  If not, check it out on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2s8x5XhCGA

You'll get a feel for the great search for a lasting dog food I've been on for 2.5 years.  The short version of this dog food round robin I've been on with Coop goes something like this:

1. Organic, expensive food, only available at specialty food stores (can't remember this brand)
2. All-natural, less expensive food, available at specialty pet stores (Natural Balance)
3. High quality, but regular food, available at all stores (Purina One)
4. All-natural cheap food available at the grocery (The Goodlife Recipe)
5. Almost buying bottom shelf dog food spam, but choosing the brand that's on sale instead (Pedigree- they were on sale, not bottom shelf!)

I've done research, I've shopped on price, I've tried switching from the wet food formula to the dry food formula, but Coop has bested me each time.  He has liked all of the food I've given him, for a time.  But Coop likes to go on hunger strikes.  At first, when there was no Pete in the picture, Coop would just neglect to eat for a day or two or three. 

I assumed he didn't feel well at first, but he ate his treats, so that clearly wasn't the problem. Over time, I figured it out.  Coop gets bored with his food . These days, he can't really full-out hunger strike. If he waits too long, Pete will eat his food, so he'll hold out until Pete goes for the bowl and then eat it while watching him from his one eye. But regardless, he's giving us the message that he's over the food I'm giving him.

As evidenced by number 5 above, I'm not being too picky with my choices these days. A few weeks ago, Pedigree was on sale, so  Pedigree was the winner, based purely on price.  That made me feel like an irresponsible dog-mom until John did some research.

Pedigree is sold by Mars(R) food company (you know the guys who make Snickers, M&M's, etc?).  They also created the Pedigree Foundation, which helps shelter dogs find loving homes.  Now a lot of corporate foundations only give a portion of proceeds, but the Pedigree Foundation actually donates 100% of their proceeds after a small budget for maintaining the website. 

I am a HUGE proponent of adopting a shelter dog and the Pedigree Foundation goes the extra step by donating a bowl of food to a shelter every time someone becomes a fan of their facebook page and they donate money to shelters in need every time you buy their food.

The most important part is of course that Coop & Pete like the food, which they do, but if the past is any indication, Coop will probably get bored again.