What is the best dog food to feed my German Shepherd and why?

Aside from cooking her meat myself, what’s the best quality dry dog food? I just spent $45 on a bag of Royal Canin, and Costco’s dog food has chicken & chicken meal as the 1st 2 ingredients, while Royal Canin’s 2nd ingredient is rice!

There is no single food that is "best". For example, some dogs thrive on grain-free foods, while grain-free is too rich for other dogs. What you want to find is the high-quality food that *your dog* does best on.

I recommend feeding dry food. It’s healthier for the gums and teeth.

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On choosing a good dog food:
Read the ingredients on the food you buy. Go with a high quality dog food. A grain should not be in the first couple ingredients ingredient (corn and such are mainly fillers, dogs don’t digest it well). Avoid foods that have a lot of "by products" listed.

Here is an article about byproducts:

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=ingrd

And an article on what ingredients to avoid:

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=badingredients

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Some GOOD foods are :
* Merrick – http://www.merrickpetcare.com/
* Solid Gold – http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/
* Canidae – http://www.canidae.com/
* Timberwolf – http://timberwolforganics.com/
* Orijen – http://www.championpetfoods.com/orijen/orijen/
* Wellness – http://www.omhpet.com/wellness/
* Chicken Soup brand – http://www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com/
* Blue Buffalo – http://www.bluebuff.com/
* Innova – http://www.naturapet.com/brands/innova.asp
* Innova EVO – http://www.naturapet.com/brands/evo.asp

Or check this website for good foods: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/
(I recommend only feeding foods rated 4, 5, or 6 stars. Anything 3 stars or less, I would stay away from.)

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Stay away from grocery stores brands. They are low-quality foods chalk full of fillers, preservatives, dyes, etc.. (Grocery store foods are those like Beneful, Old Roy, Alpo, Pedigree, Purina, etc.)

Beware "premium" foods. "Premium" does not mean good nutritionally, and is not a nutritionally high quality food. It has the same types of ingredients as grocery store foods, just a bit better quality of those not-so-good ingredients. (Premium foods are those like Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet, etc..)

Another thing to be wary of: A lot of vets will recommend what they sell in their office. They get profit from the brands they keep on their shelves, that’s why they push it. Truth is, vet schools don’t focus a lot on nutrition. It’s not saying that a vet is a bad vet because he recommends those foods, a lot of vets just are told "this is good food", so they pass the message along without proper nutrition knowledge. Also, some dog food brands (like Hills) support vet schools, so vets have heard of it from the time they start college, which makes them think it’s good as well.

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Higher quality food may seem more expensive at first, but it evens out. The higher quality the food, the less fillers eaten (and therefore the less poop comes out the other end). Your dog eats more to try to get the nutrition it needs, and most of the food just passes right on through. Also, it will make your animals healthier, so you save money on vet bills in the long run.

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"Big box" petstores like Petco and Petsmart rarely have quality foods. (I do believe that PetCo sells "Solid Gold" brand, which is a quality food, but most of the foods aren’t.)

Also, grocery stores and Walmart aren’t good places to buy food either.

Your best bets for getting quality dog food are:
- small, locally owned petstores
- dog boutiques
- farm supply stores

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When switching foods, do it gradually. I do this over about a two week timespan:
25% food A, 75% food B
50% food A, 50% food B
75% food A, 25% food B
100% food A
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Where can you get "Prime Rib of Beef" in London ?

Wher can you get that magnificent American cut of beef "Prime Rib" in London? I have been told that British butchers cut the animal in a different way from American so the "Prime Rib" cut (usually on the bone) isn’t avialable. Anyobe know a restaurant where it is?
Malta

Thanks for your answer. I agree. Perhaps those who think that it is obtainable don’t quite know what it is! Anyone out there – please help!!
Prime Rib to me is not really conventionally "steak". There is a good desciption of it on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Rib

OK – over to you all again. Wher can I get it in London??!!
10 points up for grabs! So far the recommendations have drawn a blank. The restaurants suggested don’t do Prime Rib. The butcher recommendation was good – but I don’t want to cook myslef! I want a good chef in a good restaurant to do me a Prime Rib !

Try the oldest pub/restaurant in London – Rules – went there the other day and my friend had Rib of Beef – looked spectacular!!! Comes with Yorkshire pud and creamed horseraddish!

Pork and Beans

Parody of the popular video cashing in on the memes.

Thanks to Tom Green, ZackScott, tribit, and buzzlitebeer for contributions!

Duration : 2 min 26 sec

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Cook And Dine Teppanyaki Style Cooking

The word “teppanyaki” is derived from teppan, which means iron plate, and yaki, which means grilled. Japan – In Japan, teppanyaki may refer to any of a number of dishes cooked using a teppan, including okonomiyaki, yakisoba, and monjayaki, frequently with the hot plate located in the center of the diners’ table. The form of teppanyaki most familiar to North Americans consists of steak and other meats, along with vegetable accompaniments. In North America, it is also known by the name of hibachi, and the establishments are often referred to as “Japanese steakhouses.”

Ingredients – Typical ingredients used for teppanyaki are beef, shrimp, scallops, lobster, chicken and assorted vegetables. Soybean oil is typically used to cook the ingredients. In Japan, many teppanyaki restaurants feature Kobe beef. Side dishes of mung bean sprouts, zucchini, garlic chips or fried rice usually accompany the meal. Some restaurants provide sauces in which to dip the food; usually, in Japan, only soy sauce is offered.

The whole experience of eating teppanyaki, however, proves this word is far more than the sum of its parts. Teppanyaki is stir-fried meat and vegetables cooked and eaten off a large, table-top grill. It is a mouth-watering form of cuisine which continues to increase in popularity as adaptations are made to suit local taste preferences.

Teppans are made of stainless steel of varying shape and size. A large teppan, including the surrounding counter from which diners eat, can seat as many as 20 people, allowing just enough elbowroom for diners to sit comfortably while watching the chef prepare their meal on the grill in front of them.

Teppanyaki chefs, even more than bartenders, have ample opportunity to demonstrate their skill. The flashing tools of their trade are a knife, a fork, and two metal spatulas. In spectacular displays of dexterity, chefs cut, stir, season, and divide each diner’s portion onto plates on the teppan. As the food is prepared on the same surface that keeps it warm, meals are served as soon as they are ready. Teppanyaki has to be eaten leisurely. The chef only works on one course at a time; there is no rushing him. Watching the chef adroitly wield cooking tools over the shining teppan is fully part of the meal. While veteran teppanyaki-diners drink, eat, or converse while admiring the chef’s expertise, first-timers may have difficulty taking their eyes off the performance in front of them.

Watching the chef prepare teppanyaki is an important part of the meal. The diners’ plates rest on the hot teppan, assuring their food will not get cold.
Teppanyaki differs from traditional Japanese cuisine in many ways. With teppanyaki, the soup is served first, folowed by salad, the main course, vegetables, fruit, and dessert. Main courses usually consist of beef, lamb, chicken, and seafood. Soup, salad, and dessert are usually Western-style. Often made with a cream base, soup comes in many varieties: cream of mushroom, cream of corn, cream of seafood, cream of vegetable, French onion, or seafood consomme. Unlike its Western counterpart, the salad is rather small and the dressing usually sweet or sour.

Not restricted by seasonal availability, stir-fired bean sprouts are almost always served, along with a side dish of chopped onions. Seafood can include prawns, fish fillets, cuttlefish, scallops, clams, oysters, eel, lobster, and abalone. Fish is usually salmon, pomfret, or porgy, depending on season and availability. Sashimi (raw fish fillet), while not itself a teppanyaki-style dish, is often on the menu.

Light seasoning and fresh ingredients are the keys to teppanyaki’s success. This is especially important because teppanyaki-style cooking enhances rather than covers up the original flavor of its ingredients. Seasonings are usually limited to soy sauce, wine, vinegar, and salt and pepper. Garlic is used generously when preparing bean sprouts, meat, and chicken.

There are clear advantages in going out for a teppanyaki meal. When ordering teppanyaki, the diners can tell the chef exactly how they want each dish prepared. Health-conscious customers can determine the variety and amount of seasoning and oil they want in each dish. With the chef working right in front of you, it is easy to make sure he follows instructions. In some restaurants diners can even select their own chef. The quality of teppanyaki ingredients also make it a healthy choice compared to other barbecue-type cuisines.

Duration : 0:1:14

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Pork bone soup (“gamjatang”)

How to make delicious Korean pork bone soup, enough for 2 or 3 servings.
Full recipe is on my site: http://www.maangchi.com/recipes/gamjatang

Duration : 0:6:30

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FOOD: Lamb Lollipops

What man wouldn’t love a serving of tender lamb? In this video clip, Steve Ricci, executive chef at Prime restaurant at the Windsor Arms Hotel, fires up the grill and cooks lamb ribs to perfection. If you host hockey on Saturdays or football on Sundays, this dish is an excellent finger food to serve friends gathered around the TV. It’s easy to prepare, and a good excuse to visit your local butcher.

Duration : 0:1:52

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What’s the difference between Prime Rib Roast and Beef Loin New York Roast?

Every year for Christmas dinner I rotisserie a prime rib roast but I see an ad in my local paper for beef loin New York roast. Will this be just as good, only leaner?

It is like the difference between a New York Strip Steak and a Rib Steak. Rib steak is more tender but has more fat.

is there a substitute cut of beef for prime rib?

I’d like to do a standing rib roast but, not real keen on spending so much money. The last one i did was about $40. I have an excellent recipe that I use. I know it won’t be the same but, anything tasty that you’ve tried?
i shopped at Publix on the monday after easter and they had just gone off sale but, the associate in the meat dept (who is also my next-door neighbor) suggested Winn Dixie and alas, crisis averted. Got a 3-rib roast for a mere $25.

Always wait until the standing rib roast or prime rib goes on sale to buy. That’s the best way to afford it. Nothing compares to a good Prime Rib roast. It’s the best. They’re costly, but if you keep your eyes on the weekly grocery sales, you can find them on sale mostly during holidays.

The only cut I can think of that is like that is the rib eye steak, and that, indeed, is a steak.
Good luck.

Why is it such a big deal to enjoy your meat well done?

I love steak and burgers, I find it a lovely and decadent meal every now and then, I love the sides, the atmosphere etc at a steakhouse, the drinks, the aromas, the fireplace in the corner, I even kind of think the moose on the wall is okay. I like it all except for having to beg them to cook my food all the way through and then being mistrustful that they will. They look at me like I am committing a sin…or worse they give you this condescending nod and walk away shaking their head…like…"you poor thing, you just don’t know how to eat"…like you have ordered a can of Spaghetti-O’s at their fancy place. I think well done meat (not cooked to pieces) is very flavorful, not tough, and the best tasting way to enjoy my meat, whereas even medium rare makes me want to gag and all that blood running off the plate ruins the whole meal for me. It is a whole different flavor and texture, and I think it is almost barbaric and gross to eat it that way. I do realize that I don’t speak for everyone and I want them to order they way they love to eat their food.

I also don’t need any encouragement about it. I don’t feel less than, it doesn’t even hurt my feelings, I’m just curious about how we got to the place where asking for your food to be "well done" means you don’t have a sophisticated palate. Why is it not a legitimate standard of quality in cooking meat?
Janet it is a texture thing for me too! It feels mushy and way too wet.

Eating medium or rare is supposed to infuse the meat with more flavor, and make it more tender. Most people who ask for it well done are very health conscious, considering you’ve cooked out all the bacteria.

I say ignore the waiters, and enjoy your meal.

Since humans are just a form of animal, aren’t we being cannibalistic when we eat the meat of other animals?

HEALTH CONCERNS ABOUT MEAT
What’s the beef with meat? This question can be answered in two nutritional words: fat and cholesterol.

Too much fat. No matter how you slice it, meat is high in fat. Unlike milk, in which you can separate out part or all of the fat, you can never get rid of all the fat in meat, no matter how well you trim it. Even the lean parts are laced with fat. Extra lean select-grade beef contains around seven percent fat.

Wrong fat. Not only is there too much fat in meat, it’s the wrong kind. Nearly half the fat in meat is the artery-clogging, saturated type. And, of course, meat is also high in cholesterol. Beef fat is more saturated than poultry fat because the bacteria in the ruminant stomach of cattle hydrogenate, or saturate, the fats in the plants that cows eat. It’s like having a fat factory inside the food source.

Fat without fiber. Unlike meat, plant foods that are low in fat and high in fiber tend to pass through the intestines rapidly, causing less upset and fewer problems, such as gastroesophageal reflux. Meat has a double fault. It’s high in fat and contains no fiber, so it takes longer to empty from the stomach and pass through the intestines. While most people do not experience "indigestion" from meat, those who suffer from reflux should not eat much meat, as it may aggravate the problem.

Problems with protein. Not only are the fats in meat unhealthy, meat proteins have also recently come under fire. Recent evidence suggests that animal proteins increase blood cholesterol levels, while plant proteins, especially soy, decrease them. Meats contain high levels of the amino acid L-lysine, which increases insulin production, prompting the liver to release fat and cholesterol into the bloodstream. If L-lysine is experimentally added to animal diets, blood cholesterol levels increase by over fifty percent and the animals get plump. Studies show that substituting 30 grams of soy protein daily for a meat meal dramatically reduces cholesterol levels. So, the Japanese may have lower cholesterol levels than Americans, not only because they eat less meat, but also because they eat more soy. The quality of meat protein ranks below that of egg white, fish, and dairy products.

I’m a veggie.