Eukanuba for Cocker Spaniels

[Maggies Muggles]

Maggie turns one on halloween (the little terror) and we're about to ease her into adult food.

She has been on Eukanuba puppy food and seems to have done very well on that. I've come across a particular Eukanuba product specifically for Cocker Spaniels and wondered whether anyone has had any experience with this?

Here is the weblink:

http://www.eukanuba.co.uk/DNA/uk/en/our-products/overview/eukanuba-cocker-spaniel/index.html

[Abby]

Hiya,

I'm not familiar with the product, but have had a quick look and must say I would be dubious as to why Cocker's need a specific dry food for them.

Also, I'm afraid I would never feed Eukanuba as they test their products on animals, and if I used dry still (I feed Barf these days) I would choose one that had a clean animal testing record. There are other great dry complete foods around such as Arden Grange and Burns, and Nature Diet (I think is its name) is fine too. I'm sure someone else will come along with the others I've forgotten.

[Beth]

There are other great dry complete foods around such as Arden Grange and Burns, and Nature Diet (I think is its name) is fine too. I'm sure someone else will come along with the others I've forgotten.

Autarky

[suki1964]

Looking at the list of ingredients, this for one would stop me from buying it "dried whole sodium hexametaphosphate," I looked it up and heres what I found http://chemicalland21.com/industrialchem/inorganic/SODIUM%20HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE.htm

[Tasha]

sorry i would not feed Eukanuba to my dogs... personal preference. The company have had alot of bad press.

[Beth]

Looking at the list of ingredients, this for one would stop me from buying it "dried whole sodium hexametaphosphate," I looked it up and heres what I found http://chemicalland21.com/industrialchem/inorganic/SODIUM%20HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE.htm

Ooh err

Seems to me like a company thinking about their "target market", picking a very popular breed and trying to make money off them.

[Trischie]

Eukanuba is one of the main dried dog food producers over here in Germany. They haven't got a bad reputation and is supposed to be one of the better brands. They have several ranges and one of them is the breed range, which does different dried food for several different breeds. The one for cocker spaniels is supposed to be not to fatty, as cockers easily gain weight and has omega stuff for nice fur.

Oscar has been on it for a few months now. He likes it and I'm happy with it.

Love Chris

[Helen]

given their 'reputation' for testing their products on animals (including dogs),  I wonder if they tested on cockers to see if it was 'suitable' for them? 

[Pammy]

I personally wouldn't touch Euk (Iams) as it's additives affect many dogs, mine included, and can make them hyper, making it an unsuitable food let alone the ethical issues. But if it suits your dog then that's fine.

She should be well off puppy food now anyway - about 9/10 months should be the time for adult food for a cocker.

Personally I think this move to produce breed specific foods, Iams are not the only one, is putting yet more pressure on owners for what they "must" feed their dogs when it's not necessary. Not all Cockers are prone to weight issues. My jasper is much thinner than Buddy and always has been/will be, it's his make up - so feeding this would see Jasper being even thinner while Buddy's weight would be under control. Mmmmm - it's under control now because I simply feed him less than Jasper - sorted. They are simply capitalising on another emotive subject where we will feel we are not doing the best for our dog if we don't feed this breed specific food because our breed needs such specific dietary requirements. News flash - they don't!

[Trischie]

As far as I knew, dog food manufacturers had to test their food on animals to pass the requirements on marketing it? Animal testing, in this case being to feed their food to normal healthy dogs living in homes over a period of time. I don't think that in this case animal testing is the horrific animal abuse often asumed when this term is used. I may be wrong, because I haven't done any reasearch - just what I picked up from other forums.

No need to put "reputation" in inverted commas - I was just answering the original question as to my experience with the food and no offence was intended.

Love Chris

[Helen]

As far as I knew, dog food manufacturers had to test their food on animals to pass the requirements on marketing it? Animal testing, in this case being to feed their food to normal healthy dogs living in homes over a period of time. I don't think that in this case animal testing is the horrific animal abuse often asumed when this term is used. I may be wrong, because I haven't done any reasearch - just what I picked up from other forums.

No need to put "reputation" in inverted commas - I was just answering the original question as to my experience with the food and no offence was intended.

Love Chris

Hi Chris

The testing I'm referring to is live animal testing in labs, ie open muscle tests (where they cut chunks of muscle out of the dogs for testing ) amongst other testing in caged lab animals.

...and the reason I put reputation in inverted comma's is because there are very strong pro and anti sites on this, so I am never 100 percent sure of either camp -  but here's a quick link for you anyway  http://www.iamscruelty.com/introduction.asp

If you just google Iams and cruelty you'll get several more.

[Aearoniel]

The company who make eukanuba - Iams use Invasive animal testing (Vivisection) to test the products rather that just taste testing. Not only this but the firms they fund to test their products in this manner are poorly run, dirty (Overcrowded, animals not checked everyday etc) and often in a dangerous state of disrepair. They use people who have not been properly trained to carry out the testing and provide no pain relief for painfull and distressing testing. This was all exposed in 2005 by the U.S department of agriculture and they have not done anything about it.

[Hurtwood Dogs]

It's not a product I would feed to my dogs, not least because I feel there is too much unnecessary 'stuff' in it... then there is the animal testing too . Mine are both on Burns and thriving.

I think the Cocker Spaniel specific food might well be a marketing ploy too.. what with them being the second most popular breed in the UK etc and no other dog food manufacturers producing breed specific foods as of yet it could well be a great idea as a nice little money spinner for them.

Individual dogs vary greatly even within their own breed, I feel that this is a bit like a company saying we've developed the perfect food for all Welsh people and another specifically for all Scottish people... You must have it now! It's a crazy concept

Hannah x

[JenSam]

Sam was brought home from his breeder on Eukanuba and personally I found that it made him hyper and his skin was very flaky.  He has now been on Burns since he was 14/15 weeks old and the condition of his coat has significantly improved and his behaviour.

If you are happy with the food then it's really your choice what you want to feed your dog.

[Trischie]

Ok, I honestly didn't realise that the kind of animal testing they did was the non-feeding/developmental kind.

Which companies don't do this kind of testing? It's so hard to know what to buy nowadays.

Love Chris