Save my marriage!

[TxJole]

"Nutro is the best dog food brand. Not really any arguments about it"

Thats a joke right????

[gride]

Yes. Its just what works for my crazy hypoallergenic dog. All dogs, even of the same breed, require different foods for their individual needs.

[aarond0083]

Nutro is the best dog food brand. Not really any arguments about it.

It sounds like your dog does well on Nutro but I would have to disagree here. Orijen makes the best kibble dog food. 80% meat content, 20% fruits & vegetables, grain-free. All ingredients are regional, never frozen, and make the grade for human consumption. You can't really feed any better or natural than Orijen unless you go to a raw diet.

[ccs]

Simple solution -- leave the dog on the shore - between the hair getting stuck in the carpet and potential toenails puncturing the seating -- We love our Golden Retriever, but on our Nautique, No Way !!

[scott resick]

indeed. I just went out for an after work cruise and hair flew up everywhere from the weekend. I got disgusted, went back to the dock, went and got the trailer and just finished detailing every square inch. I even had to vac the inside of my cover. Last boat trip for the dog for a while. This is insane.

[swankster]

My buddy trained his dog to be the spotter. When the rider went down the dog would bark, every time, better that most people on the boat. It was great when there were only two of us on the boat and the boat was his. But not on my boat, it's not worth the mess. Oh and sunflower seeds are banned, too.

[scott resick]

trudat swankster! And corn chips....... after I asked her not to bring them........the big D may be an option after all. ( still an exaggeration)

[gride]

Do y'all just clean like howie mandel for resale value or bc of personal preference?

[scott resick]

Both

[Blue Ski]

In the spirit of banning sunflower seeds, I won't allow the big open Solo cups. My friend's now ex-wife slipped on with a cup full of cranberry juice and a clear Russian liquid. Fortunately the only spill from hitting a wave went on her... that, and she's not around anymore.

[swankster]

Do y'all just clean like howie mandel for resale value or bc of personal preference?

More personal for me. When I had a Bayliner I wasn't as picky. Now that I have a 2010 SANTE 230 it is a different story. I want to keep a great looking boat looking great.

[ers906]

Real quick, a few thoughts regarding some of the comments I have read. A bit of background, I am a veterinarian and have co-authored and consulted on several peer reviewed nutrition papers and articles.

First, about the shedding. The best way I have found to avoid shedding is to pre-empt it. I use and industrial strength dog dryer (blow dryer on steroids) which blows the thick undercoat and loose guard hairs (the hair which typically gets over everything) out. You can find them at Ryans Pet Supply online. This is also amazing for drying them off after they go in the lake, pool, or get a bath. Cuts drying time by 500% (guestimate). I also use a shedding tool (looks like a rake) for further minimization of hair on the boat. I have a worse time with toenails on the vinyl, but I use a dremel to round them so they do not scuff the interior. Furthermore, please do not shave your dog. It does cut down on shedding but dogs skin has evolved (in most breeds) to be shielded from the sun and UV radiation. Clipping the hair is like taking a albino person to new zealand where the ozone is depleted. We are seeing a higher incidence of skin cancer in dogs than has been recognized in the past. In my practice, antidotal evidence shows that there is a larger percentage of dog that develop cancer that have been shaved at one point. Not slamming anyone, just the latest thoughts and evidence so I figured I would share.

Secondly, about the food. The governing body that control dog food (like our FDA) is extremely lax on what they consider organic/All Natural. Not all of the ingredients have to be organic or all natural. All Natural is something like 3% of ingredients need to be natural, and organic is not much different. Holistic dog food is the largest scam of all, there is no definition for holistic foods so they can put that label on any bag of food (or roadkill for that matter). There are a large number of great foods on the market, but please do not fall for the marketing. Dogs are omnivorous, meaning that they can eat grain and corn. The corn does need to be processed (making it a byproduct), but It is a great source of vitamin B, etc. 97% of all food allergies in dogs are related to the protein source (Chicken, beef, lamb fish etc.). Food allergies tend to be individual specific, and one brand or type of dog food may not fix a different dog. With my dogs (Leonbergers - essentially long haired 150# mastiff style dogs who love the water), I have found that feeding between 3,000-4,000 mg of omega fatty acids daily minimizes dry skin, and excessive shedding. I am not going to say what I feed my own dogs, because I don't want to seem like I am pimping a product. I am huge believer in omega FAs, in that they not only help with skin and shedding, but cardiac health, a natural anti-inflammatory for joints, cognitive function, ophthalmic health, and much more. Newest research also indicates that they may also have anti-neoplastic (cancer) properties. Just my $0.02. A personal experience with Blue Buffalo, which tends to be a quality food, is not the greatest. About two years ago there was a human error in the production of certain types of their foods, which caused may thousand times the amount of Vitamin D into the product. This caused several dogs from our practice who had been eating the food to develop hypervitaminosis D, and progressed to kidney failure. Both dogs survived, but last I heard BB was fighting having to pay for the veterinary care (even tough I personally spoke with their veterinarian in charge and received the ok to treat, etc.) Once again, not putting down the company, just sharing my experience. Hope it helps.

[Nautiquehunter]

The best I have found so far is the Dewalt DC500 corded/ cordless vacuum and Soft Paws nail covers. That and being pretty Anal about the boat keeps it pretty clean between full details. The dog is a yellow lab ,Loves water and sheds like crazy. As much as I love my 210 I love the dog more so if it takes an extra 5-6 hours a week to clean so be it .