Cesar- Soon Dogs Will Be Setting The Table! (Cesar)

Member Name: Machair1

Product:	Cesar
Date:	17/01/09 (90 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lots of flavours and many have vegetables.

Disadvantages: None except more messy than dry food.

I read somewhere that the best things in life are not things. I love that but I would go so far as to say they are dogs. All they want is to be loved, a warm home with a nice bed, a walk and above all a bowl of their favourite food. It's not much really and I for one feel privileged to have been the owner of a gorgeous little Shih Tzu called Molly for the last 8 years.

I wasn't going to get a dog as we have Persian cats but when it became clear that one of my daughters wanted to be a vet we acquired all sorts of creatures to encourage her and when she asked us to get a little dog I was sceptical. Why? I don't know because the joy and the happiness she has brought to us is really incredible.

The choice of food for dogs is really quite vast and my son who lives in Arizona actually manages a chain of pet food stores devoted to natural home made meals including beef, yams and broccoli. I know many people who cook for their dogs but sadly I am not one of them. Instead, ever since Molly arrived in my life I have bought her Cesar - the dog food specifically designed for little and medium sized dogs. She adores it but that sadly is no guide to quality as my Persian cats can easily distinguish between Gourmet and Kitekat and will stand proudly waiting until someone gets this right! Molly on the other hand gobbles everything in sight and is not discerning.

Cesar comes in several different forms. Small 185g tins of rabbit and chicken and then the trays of food, as well as more exotic Mediterranean dishes and of course Senior Cesar. I went to Pets at Home recently and was delighted to see a new version of Cesar in large tins - economical if you have two small dogs or are prepared to store in the fridge overnight. These are also in the supermarkets and are great value.

So how much to feed a small dog to keep them healthy? Small dogs are prone to being overweight and it is true to say dogs eat for pleasure, not appetite and will scoff anything and everything. So here's my guide which has kept Molly in top shape and ideal weight: for breakfast she has 2 Shapes biscuits then mid afternoon ½ tin of the large Cesar and a bit later a Boneo. That's it, nothing else at all. No titbits, human food, or anything except water. My daughter says that is correct for her, but she would prefer to see me serve the food in two meals as this would help to prevent any possibility of a serious emergency called GDV [Gastric Dilation (bloat) with Volvulus (torsion), where the stomach twists] Normally seen in larger dogs, Shih Tzu's are prone to this and should be fed in a calm place with small meals and not be exercised afterwards for at least an hour. So I should follow this advice and must do so.

The large tins of Cesar slice in half the cost of feeding a small dog as they work out at 25p per day. They come in packs of 4 in 2 different sets the Country Casseroles - lamb and veg medley and succulent chicken - this one has pasta shells and carrots in and looks tasty, and the second set: Rabbit and Beef have 2 with tender rabbit pasta and green beans and 2 with beef and garden veg.

In general the pouches are moister with gravy and visible veg but the small tins are more a solid lump of meat. Whereas the large tins are gravy filled and luscious!


A good guide is that Molly hates strangers and the postie knows his place, we even have an outdoor mail box or she chews up the letters. This afternoon I had a delivery from the Waitrose home delivery service, Ocado, and she happened to be eating her Cesar when he arrived. As the driver dropped off the shopping into the kitchen she came face to face with him, but never even lifted her head. Praise enough I think!

I don't think Cesar is any better than other dog foods at all though. I think the advertising they do which is often on national television makes us more aware of the brand but by that token inflates the price. However I think it appeals to me because I enjoy the choice of flavours (Molly has tried them all) and now with the larger tins the cost is a good incentive to purchase.

I wouldn't rate it above the others - just a good choice and if your dog likes dry food I would also recommend the breed specific varieties made by Royal Canine as these work out cheaper.

One final point about the varieties of Cesar not in the small tins. These are all rich in gravy and if you have a breed like mine, it will result in a very messy dog afterwards so keep them away from your best settee - also a good reason to consider breed specific Royal Canine!

Summary: A good food for small dogs but not out on its own in front of the competition.