How to get sample of Costco's Kirkland dog food?

[HoTiCE_]

Hi,
We'd like to try Costco's Kirkland food for our puppy and was wondering how to get a sample as their bags are too big.

We just want to make sure she can ate the new food before doing a full switch...

[Manatus]

It's Costco, so if your dog doesn't like it then you can return the opened bag for a refund. In fact many pet stores does this, I know with Global you can definitely returned an opened bag of food if your pet didn't like it. Many brands of pet food don't come in sample sizes.

[Poulet]

Just buy the bag. If the dog doesn't like it, donate it to the local dog shelter. :)

[etceteraism]

They'll take it back if your dog doesn't like it. Plus the puppy food is only $15 for a massive bag, so if for any reason they didn't take it back, you could donate it to a shelter like poulet mentioned and you won't be out much.

We fed our pug puppy the Costco food until now-but we are switching him to a grain free food now that he needs to switch to adult food.

[penipitcher]

I hope you are aware:


http://forums.redflagdeals.com/diamond-pet-foods-kirkland-costco-recall-1172896/

[cliff]

I hope you are aware:


http://forums.redflagdeals.com/diamond-pet-foods-kirkland-costco-recall-1172896/
The recall did not include the kirkland puppy food, but it did include most/all? the adult/senior varieties.

[Shaner]

When switching food you should stick with the new food for at least 6 weeks to allow your dog time to adjust. Unless there are obvious Problens, then Of course you should switch sooner.

[valinrace]

Just buy the dog food bag sir, I know you can return it within 7 days if the dog does not like it.

[Stock R]

7 days? THis is costo. You could return the empty bag if you wanted and had no shame.

[Scott M.]

Agreed with all the others -- just buy it. Costco is great at returns.

We've had to return two types from there that my dog Toby didn't like (wouldn't eat it after first try-- even when mixed with his old one he did, he'd "pick around" the new stuff to get at the old stuff). Also had to return two open bags during the recall (as well as two closed ones), again not a problem.

[andsoitgoes]

I know this is a personal choice, but ugh please don't buy Kirkland food for your pets. These foods are the equivalent of buying hungry man dinners for a human. Sure, they're technically complete but.. Ugh. Yes it's more money to buy higher quality food but... Anyway, I don't mean to preach but if there's any chance you can afford it, any chance..

One thing to note, there is much good to a wet food that is relatively inexpensive called Lean Cuts. It's not top shelf dry food, but it's pretty stellar for a wet food, no fancy excessive ingredients.

[emmsmama]

I know this is a personal choice, but ugh please don't buy Kirkland food for your pets. These foods are the equivalent of buying hungry man dinners for a human. Sure, they're technically complete but.. Ugh. Yes it's more money to buy higher quality food but... Anyway, I don't mean to preach but if there's any chance you can afford it, any chance..

One thing to note, there is much good to a wet food that is relatively inexpensive called Lean Cuts. It's not top shelf dry food, but it's pretty stellar for a wet food, no fancy excessive ingredients.

If you look at the ingredients in Costco pet food, they are as good or better than the ingredients in quite a few of the "quality foods" that are heavily marketed and promoted by many veterinarians. My only concern about Costco pet food is that it is made by Diamond which has had at least a couple significant recalls in the past. It has decent ingredients for an excellent price and my cats and my dog do well on it.

[andsoitgoes]

If you look at the ingredients in Costco pet food, they are as good or better than the ingredients in quite a few of the "quality foods" that are heavily marketed and promoted by many veterinarians. My only concern about Costco pet food is that it is made by Diamond which has had at least a couple significant recalls in the past. It has decent ingredients for an excellent price and my cats and my dog do well on it.

You know what, I take back what I said. After looking at the ingredients and comparing it to the food I spend a LOT more on... It's not bad AT ALL. It's still better to go raw or really HQ dry food (Go, I'm looking at you!) but this is a bazillion times better than almost any other "regular" dry food available (Iams and such).

So please, by all means snag this. I do see your concerns with Diamond, and I think that may have clouded my judgement and it still worries me regarding long term usage, but if I remember correctly there were loads of kibble producers that were hit. It wasn't just diamond I don't think.

[Stock R]

You know what, I take back what I said. After looking at the ingredients and comparing it to the food I spend a LOT more on... It's not bad AT ALL. It's still better to go raw or really HQ dry food (Go, I'm looking at you!) but this is a bazillion times better than almost any other "regular" dry food available (Iams and such).


I'm glad you looked further into it. Most people don't. I have found a lot of people just jump on Kirkland pet food and harp on it w/o really looking into what's in it and automatically assume it's crap. No, it's not a 5* dog food... but it's not the 1* stuff everyone seems to automatically think it is. Especially their Nature's domain food which is grain free.

I agree w/ the above posters, it is definitely not a bad food, just some hesistance because of the occasional recalls.

We don't feed our dog Kirkland but let me tell you, sometimes I wonder whether Orijen is worth 3x the price considering the ingredients aren't that far off. I don't even feed myself the quality of food I feed my dog!

[niagarabeech]

My one dog has a sensitive stomach and would get diarrhea easily.
Since I have switched him to Kirklands Natures Domain Grain free dog food he NEVER gets diarrhea, and has smaller stools.
For around $30 for a 35lb bag, you can't go wrong...

Even the regular Kirklands puppy(or dog) food is a decent kibble. Puppy food just has more fat than regular.
Just buy a bag and try it. If your dog doesn't like it (he will like it) then Costco will give you a full refund.

[joeyjoejoe]

My one dog has a sensitive stomach and would get diarrhea easily.
Since I have switched him to Kirklands Natures Domain Grain free dog food he NEVER gets diarrhea, and has smaller stools.
For around $30 for a 35lb bag, you can't go wrong...

Even the regular Kirklands puppy(or dog) food is a decent kibble. Puppy food just has more fat than regular.
Just buy a bag and try it. If your dog doesn't like it (he will like it) then Costco will give you a full refund.

So now you have a dog too... stop shilling!

[CompWizrd]

I fed Nutro for years (sorry doggie!) and then switched to Evo(self imported from the US at about 45 a bag vs the 90+ w/tax it is over here), then over to Costco's Natures Domain Seafood, and I will be switching him to their Turkey next to see if he likes that. I stopped feeding Evo because the border guards were getting to be a pain.(apparently you can't import or export dog food if it's not in the original bag, and even then it can't contain certain ingredients.. i guess the Canadian pet food stores complained too much about the exact same bag of food being half the price in the US).. discovered my costco was starting to carry the Nature's Domain, and switched to that.. as cheap as the garbage the supermarkets sell, and a MUCH better food. Even their actual Kirkland brand dog food is good, but I haven't seen a grain free version of it, or I'd try that. My mother used to feed her ~20 lb mutt Beneful... About 3 cups a day... And the dog was STILL losing weight. I finally bought her a Costco membership, pointed out the Kirkland food, told her to start feeding him that. He's eating whatever amount is actually appropriate for his size, and his weight is normal now.

I found out last year my dog is allergic to wheat, it's a good thing he was already on a grain free diet for the last 5 years or so.

And yes, Costco has a great return policy.... "he didn't like it" is all they'll ever want to know. I don't know if your local humane society will take a donation of food, as many of them have agreements with Hill's and other crap foods like that. My local one will take canned food though.

As for the recall, yes, Diamond has had a few.. and after looking at the reports on the latest recall, they did some bloody stupid crap... But look at this way.. they're now less likely to have a problem in the future because they just spend a huge amount of money recalling this, and they face lawsuits in the US over it.