ALDI Dog Food Julius Gold, Thoughts?

melfes on 02/07/2016 - 19:10

Hi All

Was in Aldi today and had a look at their Dry dog food, Julius ($7.5/4kg). States all natural ingredients. seems pretty good.

Grabbed one since dog food is running out at home. When I got back though, I had a search for reviews—pretty negative (poor meat ingredients, a lot of wheat/grain fillers). bit scary.

Tried any of these? What are your thoughts?
Also some suggested other brands albeit more expensive, dog eats far LESS so in long run cheaper than these supermarket ones. Is this true? Any recommendations?

Thanks

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Comments

  • shapers on 02/07/2016 - 19:21
    +5

    Well honestly i wouldnt even be giving it a go after seeing reviews like: "Started feeding my dog this to save money and almost immediately she has had a loss of energy and/or appears a bit low. Doesn’t care about her toys, sleeps all day. This stuff is horrible!"
    and "I fed my two doggies (14 yo Red Kelpie & 12 yo Staffy x Jack Russell) this food for a few weeks, until they both became sick. Both had no energy, became thin, had trouble moving and both became incontinent. I thought they were going to die. I took them to the vet, and he suggested changing their food. I changed to Advance and they are now both heathy and happy, now, aged 15 & 13 years old. I almost lost them."

    • melfes on 02/07/2016 - 20:19

      Yes horrible reviews. But hope to hear what fellows OZB have to say about this food.

      I have been feeding her off Supercoat (what her parents have according to the breeder). When I got it from petbarn, one of the reps said this is like Maccas and looking at my dog (then a puppy) "she wont have energy." Yet She is full of energy growing strong 1 year and 4 months now. So I am a bit skeptic about the expensive dog foods, esp when ingredients dont look too different.

      • [Deactivated] on 03/07/2016 - 23:19
        -4

        Supermarket dog food is worse than Maccas. It's like feeding them cat shit - delicious to them, but no nutritional value.

        Don't trust a pet store what to feed your pet.

        Don't try to be your own food scientist just because you think that the ingredients look similar on the side of the pack.

        Stop being (an unnecessary) tightass on your pet, go to the vets and ask them what they recommend for your dogs situation.

      • snook on 04/07/2016 - 10:57
        +5

        Don't ask the vet. Vets are sponsored by pet food brands just like Doctors get free med samples. Vets used to recommend Eukanuba but it's full of grains and fillers and has given one of my dogs really allergic skin.

        Just do you own research HERE:
        http://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/dry-dog-food/best-dry-dog-f…

        The best food is actually something as close as possible to natural diet - which would be fresh not processed.

        • Skinnerr on 04/07/2016 - 19:17

          Hmm, turns out the 2 costco ones are 4 star respectively. Good to know as I'm a member.

          Also, why7 dont they review canned foods on that site? bummer…

        • [Deactivated] on 04/07/2016 - 19:18

          Sorry that your dog had a reaction to particular brand of food (as is the risk with any them) but Most vets the world over think that the grain-free diet ("similar to what they would get in the wild") is bullshit and not based on any scientific evidence.

        • daleyboy79 on 05/07/2016 - 11:11

          @thedude23: Which ones do costco sell? and whats the price?

        • melfes on 05/07/2016 - 13:23

          True, Vets can have vested interests
          What brand do you use?

        • [Deactivated] on 05/07/2016 - 18:25

          @melfes:
          Anyone can have vested interest.

          Ask a vet that you can trust. If you can't trust your vet, try another.

          Asking a random person who is probably as qualified as you are on the subject, will lead no where. They may not have vested interests, but they also do not have the knowledge.

        • snook on 06/07/2016 - 12:13

          @melfes: I'm still trying to find something that doesn't make him itch and pull his hair out but it takes a while to get new things into the system and old things out. I'm currently trying fresh chicken and blackhawk grain free.

          The itch got bad because my food delivery was late and I fed the dog can food for two nights. Has set us back significantly. Only 2 nights.
          But I have two more and they don't have any allergies. They eat a mix of grain free and non grain free and chicken and some my dog.

          I completely disagree about trusting Vets. They are not nutritional experts and mostly, like doctors, they are only having a best guess and at food? Are they eating it? The market is tough. Vets are expensive to attend. They want clients to keep coming back. They aren't going to diss the food or care the client can afford in a pink fit. That would be professional suicide. We're only talking about some animals here and Vets are only attached to repeat business. If they didn't get repeat business, they wouldn't have a business.

          The biggest issue I have with processed dog foods is that it contains food that is illegal for human consumption. The cheaper the food, the more crap it contains. Dogs aren't cheap and dogs that get things wrong with them are very expensive, usually when they get old. Am I going to feed them food I wouldn't touch or that would make me sick? Well I did, and look what happened. Itchy dog.

        • StuBargainHunter on 18/04/2017 - 17:39

          Thanks Snook - Analysis of all the five-star rated dog foods below and rough pricing

          Product Size (kg) Cost Cost/KG
          XP3020 15 $79.92 $5.33
          Artemis Pro Power 18.1 $114.99 $6.35
          Meals for Mutts 20 $139.99 $7.00
          Ivory Coat Australian Natural Health 13 $99.99 $7.69
          Artemis Fresh Mix 12.7 $98.95 $7.79
          Stay Loyal Grain Free 15 $117 $7.80
          Taste of the Wild 13 $119.99 $9.23
          Earthborn Holistic Grain Free 12 $122.99 $10.25
          Canidae PURE (Grain Free) 10.8 $112.99 $10.46
          Frontier Pets 12 $146.85 $12.24
          Wellness CORE Grain Free 10.9 $146.99 $13.49
          K9 Natural 3.6 $156.45 $43.46
          ZiwiPeak Air Dried 0.454 $23.79 $52.40
  • loulou1 on 02/07/2016 - 20:26
    +5

    On a particularly money-tight week I bought the Julius dry food for my dog. Terrible idea. Initially she wouldn't eat it, but eventually got hungry enough to eat it. Then for the next few days she vomited on and off. I won't buy it again.
    I buy supermarket dog food, usually what is on special, my parents always did the same. All of our childhood pets loved long, happy, healthy lives. We feed a mix of dry and tinned food as well as table scraps, treats, raw bones, and occasionally fresh meat specifically for dogs. I take my dog to the vet for her regular checkups and the vet is happy with her condition.

    • melfes on 02/07/2016 - 21:12
      +1

      Thanks Loulou, what dog food do you buy? Btw great to hear you feed a good combination of everything.
      Do you just go to the local butcher to get the bones? What bones and How much?

      • loulou1 on 03/07/2016 - 08:04

        My local Woolworths actually sell them so I get them there. Couldn't tell you the price sorry.

    • snook on 04/07/2016 - 11:01
      -4

      Meat specifically for dogs from supermarkets is nothing but scraps full of colours and preservatives.

      Whenever I have been too lazy to be organised and have used supermarket dry food, a dog always ends up vomitting after a period of time. Once a dog gets used to a proper diet, it can't eat crap and it will make it sick. You Loulou have just got lucky with the dogs you have had.

      Why don't you eat nothing but processed foods for a couple of months and see how you feel.

      • loulou1 on 04/07/2016 - 13:18
        +2

        I do not buy meat specifically for my dog from the supermarket, the bones come from the supermarket. The meat comes from the butcher.

        Any dog that is fed a particular type of food will have an adjustment period when you alter their diet, same as a human would.

        I think you have misunderstood. My dogs have not eaten nothing but processed foods. My dogs have always had a variety of foods offered. I eat processed foods myself, along with a variety of other food. Same with my husband and child.

        I feel like your comment is rather judgemental. Personally, I know that for humans we are probably best eating zero processed foods, all organic blah blah blah but how many of us actually do? Almost none. As stated before, I have discussed the food options I provide my dog with my veterinarians and they are all satisfied that it is fine for my dog.

        • snook on 04/07/2016 - 13:49

          I buy supermarket dog food

          … and every dog i've ever known has been ok …

          When I was young and stupid I killed a dog feeding it supermarket dog food and no vet told me my dog was in bad condition until it was too late … and when it's too late, it's too late. Just said you've been lucky. No need to be defensive about it.

        • loulou1 on 04/07/2016 - 13:58

          @snook:
          the comment "why don't you eat nothing but processed foods for a couple of months and see how you feel" was pretty judgemental.

          I am neither young nor stupid. What did your dog actually die of? Did you offer your dog other foods?

        • snook on 04/07/2016 - 14:04

          @loulou1:

          why don't you eat nothing but processed foods for a couple of months and see how you feel

          applies to anyone who feeds their dogs only this food and thinks it's ok.

          My original comments were not in response to you (if it's ended in that space then that was my mistake). Only that one line was included that said you were lucky.
          As I said - no need to be so defensive.

        • loulou1 on 04/07/2016 - 14:09
          +1

          @snook:
          You posted your comment as a reply to mine. Regardless of who it was a response to, I feel your comments are incorrect and judgemental.

        • snook on 06/07/2016 - 11:01
          -1

          @loulou1:

          Meat specifically for dogs from supermarkets is nothing but scraps full of colours and preservatives

          This is not incorrect.

    • PVA on 04/07/2016 - 11:34

      exactly what I was gunna write.

  • red-hot on 02/07/2016 - 20:50

    No, just no.

  • Binchicken22 on 02/07/2016 - 21:11
    +3

    Blackhawk is the best value high quality dog food, works out to about $4.50/kg if you buy in 20kg bags.

    • melfes on 02/07/2016 - 21:19
      +1

      Interesting brad, in Blackhawk website they suggest "Up to 5kg, 20 – 70g" while this Aldi "40- 150g". If thats the case, value is even doubled.

      What kind of dog do you have? Does their diet confirm this suggestion?

      • Binchicken22 on 02/07/2016 - 21:35
        +1

        I have a couple of Labradors, honestly I don't really measure how much I give them. I just give them each a bowl full, they do love it and the vet always comments how healthy they are/look on their vet visits.

    • Abaddon on 05/07/2016 - 14:02

      I'll second the vote for Blackhawk. Great stuff.

      My dogs are eating a third less BH than supermarket, and there is far less to pick up later (which doesn't smell terrible like it used to). Also the Emu oil in BH is a natural anti-inflammatory full of essential fatty acids.

      Can't recommend it highly enough.

  • ms_caz on 02/07/2016 - 22:10
    +2

    We have Labradors also fed on Blackhawk - usually fish and potato variety because I believe it is the lower calorie variety and being Labs they can run the risk of getting a bit chunky. Each of ours gets 2.5 -3 cups per day as their main food - that's about 350- 400g each. That's about 50 feeds per bag, so each bag lasts about three weeks. About $100 per bag from online supplier when on special ( other varieties are cheaper). It's really not all that expensive - take into account also the shiny coats, happy temperaments and especially the reduced volume of pooh - blackhawk wins for me hands down! ( but they also eat optimum, supercoat and the Costco variety of salmon and sweet potato when I get out to do a Costco run - it depends on the price cycle of the specials so sometimes there's a few bags of the supermarket brands in between the Blackhawk- preferably optimum)

    • melfes on 02/07/2016 - 22:48

      What interests me is that —- My pooch (maltese poodle) also has good coats, happy temperaments eating supercoat (always run like crazy but may due to her youth just one year + old). But she does poop a lot, sometimes twice when she is out. Quite inconvenient. But this may not even be a bad thing as more bowl movement for her. Cleaner bowl I suppose?

      • voiletmay on 03/07/2016 - 07:21

        I'm pretty sure that is normal. My cavalier will go 2-3 times on a walk.

      • ms_caz on 04/07/2016 - 11:29

        When you are talking Labrador pooh, you'd do anything to cut down on the quantity and improve the "quality" . I certainly notice that the quantity is reduced - they still poop when out walking but that is their routine (and yes I ALWAYS pick up after my dogs). More importantly to me though ( and probably to the boys too) the pooh is nicer - nice firm consistency and not as smelly. Supercoat is the worst of what I feed them, in terms of "pooh quality".

  • 2025 on 02/07/2016 - 22:25
    +15

    Its pretty bland, and I don't like the shape. Its inconsistent texture really got to me, so now I've started having it in the morning with milk and sugar after letting it soak a good 3-4 minutes.

    • altomic on 02/07/2016 - 23:35
      +5

      In a red wine casserole (with vegetables) it is great. I love it with a dash of Burgundy in the mix as well. And garlic + chive baked mini potatoes and a side of beans.

      Goes well with a Shiraz.

      • 2025 on 03/07/2016 - 03:33
        +4

        I was actually wondering what to table it with. I might try it out with the future inlaws when they pop in tomorrow. I have a nice bottle or two. Thanks for the tip!

        • robertbruce on 04/07/2016 - 10:53
          +2

          Beer goes with this just as well, don't need all the fancy stuff…

        • devilbabies on 04/07/2016 - 19:35
          +4

          i make my julius gold casserole with free gumtree rabbit and port wine jelly for a robust and complex flavour

  • Savas on 02/07/2016 - 23:27
    +13

    I wouldn't personally eat it, I would only buy it if you own a dog.

  • voiletmay on 03/07/2016 - 07:25

    Someone told me it was high quality, have been using the dry food (small packs) for my dog and it's been fine.

    I'm pretty wary of expensive dry food, since prescription only Hills caused my cat to get diabetes. In the cat diabetes world, it's a common thing to get diabetes from this particular hills catfood.

    Oh what they do have that one of my walking friends got me onto is dried kangaroo chews - like smackos but kangaroo. Dogs just love them. My dog wont eat anything else kangaroo, but loves these.

  • atlant on 03/07/2016 - 14:44
    +1

    not sure about dry food but bought canned one once
    my ever hungry rotty would not even touch it.. just did not recognise it as food :-)

  • centrelink on 03/07/2016 - 20:39
    +1

    My dog absolutely hated it (wet food). Tried it for a month and every time I put the food in the bowl, he would smell it then gave a stare like he was saying "wtf is this crap?". He would eventually eat it after a long time but you could tell he was not enjoying it at all.

  • MrGareth on 03/07/2016 - 20:45

    Funnily enough by dog likes the Aldi wet (canned) dog food - everything except for the chicken one (in the green can, he won't eat it). He loves all the other varieties though. And he loves the Aldi kangaroo straps.

    For dry food - my general rule of thumb - look at the ingredients. If the first ingredient in the list isn't meat based, put it back! Pretty much all of the cheap crap at the supermarket has some kind of cereal as the first ingredient, which means the main ingredient in the food is just filler.

    Probably the cheapest semi-decent dry dog food I've come across is the Costco Kirkland branded one. I usually buy that, or whatever one is on sale at the supermarket (Usually the Optimum brand I think it is, as long as it has meat as the first ingredient though…. but even Optimum isn't all that good).

    • melfes on 04/07/2016 - 08:59

      even Optimum isn't all that good

      So true. I reckon all the cheap end dry foods are pretty much the same.
      I read some reviews that say if the first ingredient says "meat" then it is weighed before cooking. So the meat portion shrinks significantly afterwards. Then the second to come cereal becomes the main ingredient in the real food.

      • macrocephalic on 06/07/2016 - 12:01

        Many of them use ingredient splitting to make the meat appear higher on the list as well.

  • flipfire on 03/07/2016 - 22:05

    My dog eats about 800g of food a day (wet & dry) so value for money is important.

    I've heard of top breeders that swear by Supercoat. I buy 18kg Supercoat bags for $35 each with free delivery at Petbarn (on special)

    As for wet food my dog seems to really like the Julius Chunky chicken(3kg rolls from the refrigerated area)

    • melfes on 04/07/2016 - 09:03

      Her mom and dad enjoy a supercoat life and have been healthy. So I have done the same ritual until I read some reviews that prompted me to look into the ingredients——specially the chicken one——says poultry by product. As per the review poultry can mean anything not just chicken. like roadkill birds, 4D animals, beeks etc etc. Not even offal!

      • PVA on 04/07/2016 - 11:42
        +1

        think about that.

        A factory is not going to be travelling around collecting roadkill.
        They produce too much to rely on that.
        Poultry is probably the whole bird - and there is nothing wrong with that.

        • melfes on 05/07/2016 - 14:39

          They do not collect, those animals that need to be disposed of get sent to them. I do hope poultry means just chicken turkey etc

      • MrGareth on 05/07/2016 - 14:26
        +1

        What the heck are 4D animals - animals that transcend time and space? Have we just entered…. the Twilight Zone?

        • melfes on 05/07/2016 - 14:40

          haha i know ! it is disabled dying dead and deceased

        • macrocephalic on 06/07/2016 - 12:03

          Aren't all things we see 4D (at least). If they didn't exist in the 4th dimension then they would only pass through our timeline at one distinct point.

      • sparkles on 06/07/2016 - 15:58

        Poultry by products could mean chicken frames, what's left after all the meat is removed. Take a good look at those dog food rolls next time you buy one, there are tiny hard bits in them, it's obviously cartilage.

  • jennkei on 04/07/2016 - 03:06

    For the fridge roll - Usual supermarket refrigerated food, though I feel it's better than some other supermarkets'.

    Feed in moderation and preferably with other stuff (mine get Black Hawk dry, though they're fairly picky and don't love anything…except actual chicken). I've never had trouble with Aldi's food. I have once seen a packet at the supermarket be all inflated so their QC is probably not the best.

  • melfes on 04/07/2016 - 09:07
    +1

    Update—-

    She is skinny but healthy and very active. Never seen her exhausted outdoors. Doesnt eat much food (supercoat chicken and aldi dry food) until the last minute, unless I toss the kibble like a chasing game. But will eat immediately after a hearty run.

    I guess if she is healthy, that is most important. Really dislike all the scary campaign, after all dogs are dogs, tough scavengers right !

    • snook on 04/07/2016 - 11:15
      -2

      Scavengers they are but in a natural environment they're eating real offal/food - which isn't bad for them. The bad that you do to dogs by feeding them this overly processed crap doesn't show until they are old and by then it is too late. Supercoat has always made my dogs vomit and supercoat doesn't 'appear' to be too bad.

      The very fact that your dog doesn't want to eat the food unless it's starving should tell you all you need to know about the food you are feeding it.

      Would you feed your children something from a bag for their entire lives? Why are you doing it to your dog?

      • pinchies on 05/07/2016 - 09:35
        +1

        Would you feed your children something from a bag for their entire lives? Why are you doing it to your dog?

        Because it's a dog, not a child? Pets are totally to be appreciated and treasured, but they don't complain about eating the same things every day - our pets look forward to it like the highlight of their day. A good quality pet-food brand, and a yearly vet checkup, I think thats treating your animal with care and respect.

        • snook on 06/07/2016 - 13:39

          See my response below

      • melfes on 05/07/2016 - 13:20

        You know what , I am thinking giving blackhawk a go

      • macrocephalic on 06/07/2016 - 12:06

        Your dog doesn't exist "in the wild". It's not just a couple of generations removed from a wolf, plucked from the plains. Your dog is the result of tens of thousands of years of domestication and selective breeding.

        I'm not saying that you shouldn't feed your animal a good diet, but don't pretend that it would be out killing antelope if you didn't feed it.

        • snook on 06/07/2016 - 12:38
          +1

          I feel this attitude in our society about keeping domestic pets is the same reason we have puppy farms - they're just pets, not children so who cares.

          You're committing to an animal and it's not cheap to have for life, so why are we going to feed it crap just because we know it will eat it?

          I want the animal I have, to have the best possible life. If I wasn't committed to that, I wouldn't get it in the first place. I don't understand how people can seek out the cheapest food and think it's ok to feed an animal this just because it eats it. A hungry dog will eat shit if it has to.

          A lot of the stuff in these foods are illegal for human consumption. What are the long term effects? I care about what I put into my body. I don't see the difference in caring about what goes into the body of the pet I've committed to.

        • Adz81 on 06/07/2016 - 12:53

          @snook: Exactly this.

        • macrocephalic on 06/07/2016 - 13:49

          @snook: Where did I say to mistreat the pet? I just said that using the rationale of 'it did X in the wild' is pointless - seeing as it's the product of tens of thousands of domestic breeding cycles.

          FWIW I did my research and decided that blackhawk foods were the best option. I decided that I probably wouldn't be able to create a decent balance of the necessary ingredients for my dog if I made the food myself.

          My dog gets the bulk of his food as blackhawk dry food, normally some sort of wet food mixed in, then other things (raw meats, cooked meats, some fruits and vegetables) as treats.

    • PVA on 04/07/2016 - 11:44
      +2

      exactly. The dog is happy, the vet says healthy. what more do you want.

      Just mix it up and buy some different brands.

      • snook on 06/07/2016 - 12:42
        -2

        Can you imagine what would happen if you took your dog to the Vet and that Vet said - your 0.40c per kg food is no good, you must swap to $10kg food - ?

        You'd change Vets. Vets only care about repeat business. If they didn't, they wouldn't have a business. Especially in these times, when paying for a Vet is way down the list of financial committments.

        • macrocephalic on 07/07/2016 - 15:28

          If my vet said that, I would research his recommendations and reasons and choose the best food for my dog. Just like if my doctor told me I need to stop eating pizzas and eat vegetables, I'd find the best place to buy vegetables. Good dog food is already over $5/kg, and is about $10 per kilo in small bags when not on sale.

  • Squidmcsproggen on 04/07/2016 - 11:46

    If you want grain free buy Stay Loyal.
    No grains at all, dogs cant process grains.
    Plus Australian owned and made

    • KMeister on 04/07/2016 - 21:35

      No grains at all, dogs cant process grains.

      Not true! Unless you feed them raw grains.

      • Squidmcsproggen on 06/07/2016 - 11:55

        ok dogs can partially process grains but there stomach is too short to digest them fully, they use more energy trying to process grains than they need to. lots of dog foods are corn based, ever looked in the toilet the next day after eating corn? whats the point of feeding that to a dog with a mutch shorter intestines than a human.

  • Onysius on 04/07/2016 - 12:41
    +4

    I've been feeding my 18 month old Staffy 1 1/2 scoops of the Julius Dry Dog food every morning, before I go to work, for the past couple of months, and it just hoovers it down. I feed it mince, pasta/rice and vegetables at night.
    I have discovered that it also eats bird seed (if I don't place the bag high enough), lemons (directly off the tree), and anything else that it thinks might be food (including but not limited to Vicks vapor rub, Vaseline, etc.); and it is still perfectly healthy and active.

    • melfes on 04/07/2016 - 22:58
      +1

      Haha this makes me laugh. So much reminiscent of my own. She goes after everything now even wouldnt mind if its mildly hot. Yours even do Lemons…hmmmm

  • goosegog on 04/07/2016 - 14:10
    +1

    Our vet thinks our 14 year old Great Dane X bull mastiff ( rescued from Shenton Park dogs home in Perth when he was apx. 18 months old) will make the Guinness book of records as he is still so strong, fit with a very good heart strength. Still tries to leap up for a walk & the appetite of a lion. He is becoming arthritic though ( but then so are we)
    Our other boy was rescued from Safe in Broome - he's a golden retriever , border collie mix with a very long body & very short legs ( we had him flown down 3 years ago - unsure of age, told 3 at the time but our vet thought more like 6 ) doesn't matter to us , at least he is well loved & cared for now - instead of being starved & caged with many other dogs on a home west property where they were all finally left abandoned with no food or water after the tenants were evicted.
    Feeding wise - used to give them Advance, but really feel they have priced themselves out of the market. Now we stock up with Optimum when it's on special Large dog for Jake ( G.D. X ) & light / healthy adult for Paddy ( bitzer ). Haven't heard of Blackhawk before but will look into it to see if it's available in W.A. In addition I cook up vegetable peelings ( potato,carrot,any greens in gravy stock - in the microwave for a few minutes, easy ) brown rice add any leftovers + dog roll or some tinned food ( Coles ones seem good to us ) then comes the magical ingredient - my home made " Sooper Dooper ".
    This a powder made up from many hours of research made mainly from Spirulina + many other herbs & spices. I've feed them this for quite a few years now & it certainly seems to be working! Just a teaspoon in with dinner each. Not trying to promote it - it's just something that I looked into so to extend our dogs lives while keeping them fit & active.
    We did look at the Julius dog food in Aldi's last week but didn't feel the brand was healthy enough - just as another person commented, it would be like feeding them on junk food takeaways every day. I know there are many bad parents out there who are happy to feed their children that way on a daily basis, but we have more caring for our dogs.

  • goosegog on 04/07/2016 - 14:10
    +1

    Our vet thinks our 14 year old Great Dane X bull mastiff ( rescued from Shenton Park dogs home in Perth when he was apx. 18 months old) will make the Guinness book of records as he is still so strong, fit with a very good heart strength. Still tries to leap up for a walk & the appetite of a lion. He is becoming arthritic though ( but then so are we)
    Our other boy was rescued from Safe in Broome - he's a golden retriever , border collie mix with a very long body & very short legs ( we had him flown down 3 years ago - unsure of age, told 3 at the time but our vet thought more like 6 ) doesn't matter to us , at least he is well loved & cared for now - instead of being starved & caged with many other dogs on a home west property where they were all finally left abandoned with no food or water after the tenants were evicted.
    Feeding wise - used to give them Advance, but really feel they have priced themselves out of the market. Now we stock up with Optimum when it's on special Large dog for Jake ( G.D. X ) & light / healthy adult for Paddy ( bitzer ). Haven't heard of Blackhawk before but will look into it to see if it's available in W.A. In addition I cook up vegetable peelings ( potato,carrot,any greens in gravy stock - in the microwave for a few minutes, easy ) brown rice add any leftovers + dog roll or some tinned food ( Coles ones seem good to us ) then comes the magical ingredient - my home made " Sooper Dooper ".
    This a powder made up from many hours of research made mainly from Spirulina + many other herbs & spices. I've feed them this for quite a few years now & it certainly seems to be working! Just a teaspoon in with dinner each. Not trying to promote it - it's just something that I looked into so to extend our dogs lives while keeping them fit & active.
    We did look at the Julius dog food in Aldi's last week but didn't feel the brand was healthy enough - just as another person commented, it would be like feeding them on junk food takeaways every day. I know there are many bad parents out there who are happy to feed their children that way on a daily basis, but we have more caring for our dogs.

  • mowgli on 04/07/2016 - 14:14
    +1

    Please check out petfoodreviews.com.au

    http://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/dry-dog-food/aldi-julius-go… The aldi food rates extremely poorly!

    I would recommend the costco food (Kirkland Signature Natures Domain) as the best value for money of the GOOD foods out there. It is around $63 for a 20 kilo bag and rates the same as black hawk which is the second cheapest good quality food out there (more around the $100 for a 20 kg bag)

    Costco doesnt have a puppy food, so if possible feed black hawk (or other highly rated food) for the first year then transition to Natures Domain

    You need to feed less of the higher quality food (in some cases half as much so it lasts twice as long!)

    • Cyphar on 04/07/2016 - 20:41

      I would avoid the Costco food. It's the same stuff that was responsible for many dog & cat deaths a few years back.

  • dogboy on 04/07/2016 - 15:00
    +1

    I thought I would give it a try but my dogs wouldn't touch it. They know quality.

  • [Deactivated] on 04/07/2016 - 15:40
    +7

    9 out of 10 Pensioners believe it tastes delicious

    • ChatCPT on 05/07/2016 - 11:16
      +2

      although this may sound funny - its actually really sad

  • FloatingPoint on 04/07/2016 - 16:14
    +1

    $7.5/4kg all natural ingredients

    Look at the ingredient list and think about which 'all natural' stuff you can get for $7.5 to make up that 4kg.
    You are not really saving much as dogs would tends to eat more if you feed them those cheaper brand. Health issues will show up later when they get older, a few large vet bills will easily wipe out all the money you saved on dog food (and end up with a very sad pet). It just false economy.

    • melfes on 05/07/2016 - 13:15

      Thanks! what alternative brand you would recommend to go true economy?

      • FloatingPoint on 05/07/2016 - 13:48
        +1

        As many already suggested Blackhawk is the best value quality pet food you can get.
        A 3kg bag usually last 6 weeks on my 6kg Chihuahua x mini foxy. That only cost 55c /day.

  • mrfatman on 04/07/2016 - 18:05

    We have a labradoodle, when we got him he was being fed pedigree (rescue dog), trainer recommended black hawk, have not looked back.

    We feed our boy a little more than the recommended (2.5 cups) each day and he loves the food.

    In comparison to pedigree i would say that his coat looks healthier (Not sure if it was the food or just that we are looking after him) and less comes out the otherside.

    In the balance of the costs i would say it works out about the same, 20kg of Black Hawk usually get it for $99.

    • devilbabies on 04/07/2016 - 19:29
      +1

      a poodle plus a labrador is a poobrador

      • syousef on 05/07/2016 - 19:55

        Thanks for the belly laugh!

      • macrocephalic on 06/07/2016 - 12:11

        what about if you breed it with a spoodle? Do you get a lapoopoocock?

  • Sinful on 04/07/2016 - 20:05
    +2

    Tastes alright, but Chum tastes better.

    • azshade on 06/07/2016 - 02:25
      +1

      Well yeah but Chum is the gold standard.

  • Cyphar on 04/07/2016 - 20:42
    +1

    Look at the top 5 ingredients. You want at least 3 of them to be a meat meal and a meat dirivitive, preferably with something starchy as filler, rather than a grain. If those don't match, then the food isn't very good.

  • JV159 on 04/07/2016 - 23:19

    I don't know much about dog food except that my dog loves the stuff.
    Maybe you should taste it and tell us what you think?

    • devilbabies on 05/07/2016 - 00:21

      my dog tells me that it looks and tastes suspiciously like supercoat .. my dog reckons he heard a rumor that it comes from the same factory as supercoat (nestle purina in blayney), using almost the exact same recipe

      • JV159 on 05/07/2016 - 11:53

        smart dog that one!

      • [Deactivated] on 06/07/2016 - 10:30

        Im gonna say you know exactly wheee it comes from as i do reading this thread.

  • SupeNintendoChalmers on 05/07/2016 - 13:53

    Give him people food- our dog has never touched the wet or dry stuff, can't believe people feed their beloved dogs such rubbish.

    • syousef on 05/07/2016 - 20:01
      -3

      Dogs will eat each other's poop. I can't believe people spend so much on dogfood.

    • macrocephalic on 06/07/2016 - 13:51

      I can't believe that people think that dogs and humans have the same dietary requirements.

      • SupeNintendoChalmers on 07/07/2016 - 13:58
        +1

        you do realise Humans and dogs have coexisted long before the advent of "Dog Food"?

        • macrocephalic on 07/07/2016 - 15:24
          +1

          Yes, and this is exactly my argument against the people who say they need a diet like they had 'in the wild' - as if there are wild poodles and frenchies running around.

          There are many things that humans eat that dogs shouldn't, and dogs have different dietary requirements to humans. The easiest way to fulfill these requirements is to feed them a quality complete diet food. You can do the same with ingredients intended for human consumption, but I don't agree that you should just feed your dog the same thing you eat. It might survive, but I don't think it's the best for it.

        • SupeNintendoChalmers on 08/07/2016 - 15:52
          +1

          @macrocephalic: well yes, that common sense. For example, I'd never feed my dog something spicy, or things with onions and garlic, and of course grapes, nuts and chocolate.

  • Adz81 on 05/07/2016 - 18:43
    +3

    I make my own dog food, I ran the recipe past my dog's vet, and her response was (talking to my dog), "You're happy, you're healthy and you're spoilt, sounds like you landed in the gravy…"
    I'll prepare (on a weeklyish basis), the following: 1.5-2 kg of meat (chicken, beef, pork, whatever is cheap, this week it was 500gm of beef mice, 500gm of turkey mince, 400gm pork steaks and 500gm of round steak). Two cups of brown rice, a mix of vegetables (sweet potato, pumpkin, broccoli, beans) amounts vary, but I try to make sure more than half of her meal is made up of meat, six eggs (for protein) and 8 fish oil capsules… each morning, I'll give her a take away container of food, plus treats at night… yes it takes some work, but dogs are the best and worth it.

    I'll feed her a decent dry food once a week, but will add a can of tuna to it…

    Labs aren't fussy, by any stretch of the imagination, but she seems to like it. Don't, whatever you do, overfeed your dog. There's nothing good about obese dogs.

  • Euphemistic on 05/07/2016 - 22:16
    +1

    I thought about getting some, but my dog just won't eat it. Just runs around in circles until his batteries run out.

  • skozak on 06/07/2016 - 12:09

    My staffy (6 years old) is quite picky and gets all sick (vomity) when I change her food. She likes 'Nature's Gift' brand a lot.

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