Honest Purina Dog Food Review: Pros & Cons You Need to Know
Okay, so, I figured I'd share my experience trying out Purina dog food for my picky eater, Max. It's been... a journey, let me tell ya.
It all started when Max, my golden retriever, just suddenly decided he was too good for his regular kibble. One day he's chowing down, the next he's turning his nose up like I'm offering him dirt. I was like, "Seriously, dude?" Vet said he's healthy, just being a brat. So, Operation Find-a-Food-He'll-Actually-Eat began.
First, I did the whole internet deep dive. Purina kept popping up, and a bunch of people seemed to like their Pro Plan line, especially for sensitive stomachs. Max doesn't really have stomach issues, but I was desperate. So, I hopped online and ordered a small bag of the Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon Formula. Salmon seemed fancy enough, right?
When the bag arrived, I was cautiously optimistic. It smelled... okay. Not like some dog foods that make you wanna gag. I poured a little into Max's bowl next to his old food. He sniffed both. Then... he actually ate some of the Purina! Victory? Maybe. He didn't devour it, but he ate. I counted that as a win.
I slowly started mixing more and more of the Purina into his old food. For a few days, things were looking good. He was eating most of his meals. I was patting myself on the back, thinking I'd cracked the code.
Then, BAM! Back to square one. He started picking out the old food and leaving the Purina. I swear, this dog is smarter than me sometimes. I was not happy.
Alright, Plan B. I decided to try a different Purina formula. This time, I went for the Purina ONE SmartBlend Chicken & Rice Formula. Chicken is usually a safe bet, right? Grabbed another small bag from the store.
Same process. Introduce it slowly. He ate it a little better than the salmon one, I think because it smelled more like, well, chicken. But again, the honeymoon didn't last long. He'd eat it for a couple of days, then get bored. It was exhausting.
So, what did I learn? Purina isn't a magic bullet for picky eaters, at least not for my Max. The quality seemed good, and the ingredients looked decent enough. He just got bored quickly. I ended up donating the leftover food to a local shelter – at least it wouldn't go to waste.
My takeaways:
- Don't buy big bags until you're sure your dog likes it. Seriously, save yourself the hassle of trying to get rid of 20 pounds of uneaten kibble.
- Rotate flavors and brands. I'm now mixing different brands and flavors every week or so. Seems to keep him interested.
- Sometimes, they're just being jerks. Max is still a pain in the butt when it comes to food, but at least he's healthy and getting enough to eat.
Would I recommend Purina?
Yeah, sure. It's a solid brand. Just don't expect it to solve all your picky eater problems. It’s worth a shot, especially the Pro Plan line. Just remember to start small and be prepared to experiment. Good luck!
