Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2011 1:54 pm Post subject: Burns Versus Skinners
Does anyone have experience of feeding both?
After well over a year on Chappie Complete, (Frank simply wouldnt settle on anything else) we found Burns Pork and Potato and both dogs look well on it - Frank has lost weight on the Burns - but I have struggled to keep weight on Rosie.
In addition my local pet shop is now selling Burns for £46-99 for 15kg's and to get it cheaper I have to travel quite a distance. Now I work every other Saturday, I have less time to traipse the other side of Reading to get dog-food.
So I'm thinking about switching from Burns to Skinners. My only concern is that the Burns is relatively low fat and low protein - i.e. 18% protein and 8.5% oil, and the Skinners is a bit higher at 21% and 12% respectively. I'd like Rosie to maintain her weight and Frank to shift a bit...would this small increase in protein and oils make any difference, do you think?
The price I can't argue with - 15kgs at about £34 - but is it the same quality?
Or; is there something else thats a good alternative to the Burns with the same quality but a bit less pricey?
____________ Jane - Rosie, Frank, Suki, Lily, Lewis
Hi Jane,I swear by Arden Grange Chicken and I can normally get it online from Vet UK for about £34 or less and free delivery. I tried Lottie on Skinners and she was quite ill on it but I know it's really popular on here. Burns gave her really bad wind
The recommended amount for Lottie (25kg) is over 310g but she actually has more like 240g and maintains her weight to the gram virtually! She is very active and out with me on all my clients walks. I've also recommended it to a few of my clients and their dogs are all very happy,slim and healthy.
To be honest I can order the Burns online; but I dont want the hassle of having to order online and get it delivered, mostly because I work shifts now so my hours are all over the place. I'd rather just pop round the corner to the local pet shop.
____________ Jane - Rosie, Frank, Suki, Lily, Lewis
I switched Milo onto Skinners maintenance which is 18% protein I think ....however it's really not suited him, he had softer stools as we switched over, I kept him on it for a month hoping he would get used to it (and on advice from here), he didn't get used to it and we had regular trips to do his anal glands, so I figured I'd rather spend the vets bills (and save his discomfort) and spend on a better food....we're now on Arden Grange Sensitive, and as we switched he did get firmer, hoping to be able to figure out something more economical once he's properly settled on it.
However, I got an online order, not sure if I can say who from on here so I'll FB you, but they didn't even ring the bell, left it on my doorstep, and it arrived really quickly....they also do Burns if you're ok on that and they do seem to be the cheapest I've found.
The anal glands thing is a particular problem of Franks; but the Skinners Lamb & Rice is 4% fibre which is higher than the Burns Pork & Potato at 3% fibre; so I must admit I wasn't too concerned; it's the fibre content I look at and higher fibre means healthy poos and healthy anal glands. Also, Frank has a daily portion of bran so that helps
The Skinners Maintenance is 2% fibre so the Adult Lamb and Rice would definitely be a better choice.
____________ Jane - Rosie, Frank, Suki, Lily, Lewis
Have you got a Pets at home nearby? If so, what about Wainwrights Salmon and Potato, that seems to get good reviews and its cheaper than Burns. Never used it myself though so can't give a personal experience!
If you have a safe place that a delivery driver could leave your order then Berriewood Wholesale do Burns P+P for £38 a bag if you buy two plus free delivery.
Murphy has the P+P for tea and raw for breakfast, I find the same as you - his stomach is brill but he is very slim. I'm thinking of trying Wafcol salmon and potato for his kibble meal and seeing what thats like.
I tried the Skinners duck and we had slops and wind....perhaps the lamb would've been a better choice!!
I have always fed Coco Burns chicken and brown rice and more recently Burns Canine Alert chicken & brown rice (virtually the same but with a few "brain food" supplements added). Alert is meant for assistance dogs so is VAT free as it is for working dogs but without additional protein. I get it for £37 per 15kg bag.
I tried a small bag of Skinners salmon & rice and also duck & rice but Coco was quite loose on both of them. I came to the conclusion that Burns use brown rice whilst Skinners use white rice (cheaper and less digestible) and Coco wasn't able to digest the white rice as easily.
I trust Burns to use quality ingredients, they are very willing to talk about what they put in and how it differs from their competitors and they don't big themselves up in an attempt to sell their own products against anyone elses.
Do you need a rice free variety or is that just what you have been using? Wainwrights and JWB both do grain free foods but the prices are on a par with Burns really.
Burns do next day delivery if you know you will be at home. If not, try your local independent pet shop/pet feeds store as most of them have access to a wide range of foods that they can order in for you within a few days and quite a few of them will deliver free too. I use an independent and just let him know when I want a sack, he buys in on Thursdays and Sundays so I never have to wait long. He is slightly cheaper than the Burns website too. Another local shop can get me next day delivery to their shop of virtually any type of food I want.
I was speaking to a pet food supplier who now has his own brand manufactured, he previously worked in pet food factories. He doesn't rate Wainwrights (he said the samples that went for analysis weren't really consistent with their general production) but couldn't find anything bad to say about Burns.
I've no experience of feeding Burns, so can't give direct comparisons to Skinners.
However, I fed skinners for quite a long time. Think I paid about £22 per 15kg for duck and rice, and about £16 for maintenance.
I found the dogs did well on it. Good coats, maintained weight well (I tend to have trouble keeping weight on them rather than keeping it off), and poos were ok. Better poos on maintenance than on D&R. I think the D&R is quite rich, so poo a bit softer.... but still easy to pick up. Boots was pretty windy on skinners.
Skinners isn't as good a food as burns, so I predict you won't like it as much. The poos are likely to a bit bigger and not as firm in comparison.
I'm now feeding Barking Heads and really quite like it. I pay about £30 a bag.
I have recently started using Skinners Field and Trial Working 23 even for the dogs that aren't working and I've been really impressed with it. The added bonus is that they produce nice dark firm poos . I think its the addditives in the Duck and Rice that cause some problems.
I have to say the poos are better than on F & T Maintenance too though.
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