Nothing Beats Burns (Burns Real Food for Dogs)

Member Name: FourPaws

Product:	Burns Real Food for Dogs
Date:	04/07/08 (415 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: High quality, no additives/colours, hypo allergenic, natural

Disadvantages: Not widely available

*What is Burns?*
Burns is a range of pet foods which caters for dogs, puppies, cats and rabbits, produced by veterinarian John Burns as an alternative to the highly popular but very low quality brands such as Pedigree and Bakers. Both dry food and moist diets are available but during this review I will be concentrating on the Dry Food for Adult Dogs.

*The product itself*
As anyone with a dog will understand- from the moment they bounce into your life, they become so much more than 'just a pet', they become a member of the family, and a best friend! Therefore we all what want is best for them, but with so many different brands and variety of food available, what best to choose for your dogs diet can be a very confusing task, especially to the first time dog owner. The most popular dog foods sold in England are Pedigree and Bakers, but one look at the ingredients and the product, it becomes very hard to understand why. These food are designed to be appealing to owners, not dogs, therefore are pumped full of bright colours, sugars and additives, which may create a very appealing looking meal but all end up inside your dog- often resulting in a hyper, always hungry dog lacking in body condition. Pedigree, Bakers and the like contain just 4% meat, and the rest is made up from meat and animal derivatives- bits of skin, ground bone, feathers, beaks, blood- they all go in to create that lovely meal for your dog, and then a cocktail of artificial flavourings finish it off.
Burns however is different, it was created by vet John Burns, and contains all natural ingredients- a minimum of 20% human grade meat or fish, 60% brown rice, vegetables and oats. It's a hypo- allergenic food which means it contains no wheat, soya, beef, dairy products or egg, which are all known to cause skin allergies and digestive problems in dogs, it also contains no artificial colours, flavours, preservatives or additives which can help to calm hyperactive dogs, soothe itchy skins, improve dull coats and bad breath, treat digestive problems such as sickness and loose stools, and lastly, the high meat and rice content make it an exceptionally tasty meal for dogs! The kibbles are small enough for all breeds of dogs to eat, and are suitable for dogs over 1 year old (a puppy version is available for younger dogs) and a pale brown in colour, compared to a bowl of Pedigree it looks very boring- but that's because it doesn't contain all the artificial colours that Pedigree does!

Pedigree Adult Complete with Chicken: Cereals (min 4% rice), Meat and Animal Derivatives (min. 4% chicken), Oils and Fats, Derivatives of Vegetable Origin, Vegetable Protein Extracts, Minerals.

Burns Adult Complete with Chicken: Brown Rice (min 63%), Chicken (min 20%), Oats, Peas, Chicken Oil ,Sunflower Oil, Seaweed, Minerals & Vitamins.

Comparing the ingredients of Pedigree and Burns, its not hard to see which one you dog will be fitter, healthier and happier being fed on.

*Packaging*
Burns comes packaged in thick paper bags coloured differently according to the flavour and is very basic in looks- with a black sketch of a dog, the product name and variety printed on the front, with a feeding guide, ingredients list and contacts details for Burns on the back, should you have any comments or complaints. There is also a short paragraph about the product, and how beneficial the food is to the health of your dog.

*Price & Availability*
Burns isn't stocked in supermarkets or regular pet shops- it can be ordered directly from the Burns website and they will deliver straight to your door, or if you prefer to shop yourself you can find the details of your nearest specialist supplier on their website too. Prices vary slightly according to flavour (chicken, fish, lamb, duck and venison are available), but the prices are as follows for the chicken flavour:
2kg- £7.49
7.5kg- £21.99
15kg- £41.99

It is very expensive considering a 3kg bag of Pedigree costs just £5, but the difference in price is made clear when you compare the ingredients of the two brands!

*My opinion*
My dogs are the loves of my life, I think you all pretty much no that by now! I try to give them the best of everything, and the food I feed them is no exception. They are both walking dustbins, willing to eat absolutely anything that can get their paws on, and would quite willing wolf down a bowl of Pedigree should I put it in front of them- but considering how active they both are already, the thought of how hyper they would be full with additives doesn't bear thinking about, so Burns (or the equally high quality James Wellbeloved) is the only option I will consider when it comes to dinner time for Grace and Benson.
To put it simply, the dogs adore the food! Their bowls are completely clear within minutes of me serving their breakfast or dinner and as the food is of such a high quality there is very less waste product to come out the less pleasant end of the dog- making cleaning up after them very quick and easy. Their coats are gleaming, very shiny and with healthy supple skin and the crunchy kibbles keep teeth clean too- no smelly breath or body odour from either of the dogs, unless they decided to supplement their diet with a rotten substance whilst out walking, or indulge in a full mud bath. Eyes nice and bright, they are both always alert and full of energy, have strong healthy bones, are of an ideal weight for their breeds, have a healthy amount of strong muscle and a healthy wet nose each- overall, two very healthy dogs whose food plays a huge part in their physical condition.
In conclusion, I really wouldn't feed Grace and Benson anything other than Burns (or Wellbeloved, as mentioned before), their weekly food bill may be twice as much as mine considering they get through a 15kg bag every fortnight but knowing the quality of the food, and the condition my dogs are in after being fed on it, I am more than willing to pay that bit extra.

*Pro's & Con's*
+ Hypo-allergenic
+ All natural ingredients- high human grade meat content
+ No artificial colours, flavours or preservatives
+ Very tasty (apparently)
+ Dogs in excellent condition- shiny glossy coats, no odour, clean teeth, small stools
+ Helps relieve skin and digestive problems
+ High quality feed, will need to feed much less than other cheap brands
+ Variety of flavours available
+ Puppy food, and versions for working or pregnant dogs available, aswell as a special pork and potato version available for dogs allergic to chicken and/or rice
+ Kibbles an ideal size for all breeds of dogs

- Price perhaps
- Can only be brought from specialist retailers/online

Summary: Paws up from Gracieboo & Benson- gets my vote too.