• If you're a past member of the board, but can't recall your password any more, you don't need to set up a new account (unless you wish to). As long as you recall your old login name, you can log in with that user name then select 'forgot password' and the board will email you at your registration email, to let you reset your password.

Red Mills food

Karlin

Administrator
Staff member
For those of you in Ireland -- I've been really interested in trying out Red Mill's Leader brand of dry dog food -- this is the Kilkenny company and Leader is the premium line of dog food they do. A lot of Irish breeders feed Red Mills. It is hard to find though -- mostly sold through feed stores, and then, only the lower grade version.

Anyway I have been in touch with the company as I wanted their ingredients list and more info on stockists. Ingredients look good -- mostly chicken and herring. In the meantime TKC and I had been talking and she was also interested in talking to them. Anyway their sales rep rang me this morning nd I passed him on to TKC as Dog Training Ireland are going to start carrying this Irish line of food. :) So hopefully in the next few weeks you'll have the option of trying out this food if you want to 'buy Irish'.
 
Karlin would this brand be good for a dog with a touchie tummy? fred is not eating great that the moment he is not interested in the ID food the vet gave him, going to have a talk to the vet as i am sure they told me that i could change him back to his old food!
 
I had Prince on that food, there is a stockist in Newcastle but since I have moved to Westmeath I couldnt find anywhere that done it, I did find it very good though. The local feed store sold me the cheaper Redmills food, when I got home I read the bag and it was for greyhounds!!! I told him I had a King Charles and he said that would suit him, I had already opened it so I couldnt return it. The local dog trainer has given me food (cant remember the name of it, will post it when I get back) Prince was a bit over weight so I got the senior/light food, I find it great, he has lost a bit of weight and the food seems to really fill him up.
 
I think there's a sensitive diet amongst the varieties. Is the issue a sensitive stomach or the Freddie doesn't want to eat what's on offer? Two different issues.
 
It's a bif of both he has a sensitive stomach but the vet said that he could go back on to the Royal Canin when the bag of ID was finished!! Lately he is not interested in the food at all but i have being holding out giving him other things! He eats when he is hungry! Since all the scares with royal canin in the states i would really like to have another opinion!
 
I have tried my lot on everything from the not so good like Bakers to Beta and i always seem to go back to RC. They seem to like it the best.
 
There weren't any scares with the regular RC food in the states, it was only some specific special diets. Cathryn contacted them in the UK where they confirmed they do not use the types of protein associated with the main problems in the US and the corn gluten they use is sourced in Europe, not from abroad. It is a separate manufacturing process completely to the US. (y) So I wouldn't worry about the RC. There is an RC sensitive diet I think -- has a westie on the front I think -- so that might suit. James Wellbeloved also often really suits dogs with sensitive stomachs, especially something like the fish flavour.
 
I used to use Red Mills but they were not helpful. I found their food quite good but their service poor. I switched to Gain and am very pleased. I especially like their Puppy & Sapling (actually "specially formulated for growing greyhounds, pregnant and lactating bitches"). In my years with dogs I would have to say Gain (glanbia) has been the best food overall. Plus their rep is very helpful.
 
I do intend to change the food I use but I am bit reluctant to do it as Bella has a very sensitive stomach and is doing well on the Nutro. She couldn't take Burns - got D. Their poops are very small too on the Nutro which is good :) .

I may try RC soon as the bag of food is nearly gone.

Let us know how you get on with the Red Mills if you do use it, I do like to "buy Irish" so would be interested in hearing your views on it.
 
I found their food quite good but their service poor.

Yes it was a long process for me to taslk to them -- I actually contacted them first and then Tara did. Tara and Lisa would be stockists though so would be bulk ordering. The Dublin rep when we finally touched base was really helpful and was in regular contact but going directly to the company was slow.

It surprises me that that Gain (I've never seen it!) and Red Mills aren't sold more through normal pet shop outlets -- the only time I've seen Red Mills it is the regular food, not the premium, too. Seems neither are addressing a good potential market as I think dog owners are getting very educated on foods and want alternatives that are both Irish and good quality.
 
I had a sample from a dog show, but I don't know which variety it was and I'm afriad my lot (didn't have Teddy then-he eats anything) wouldn't eat it. Usually they've liked a sample of something ,prompting me to buy some , which they then decided to dislike.
 
I used to use Red Mills but they were not helpful. I found their food quite good but their service poor. I switched to Gain and am very pleased. I especially like their Puppy & Sapling (actually "specially formulated for growing greyhounds, pregnant and lactating bitches"). In my years with dogs I would have to say Gain (glanbia) has been the best food overall. Plus their rep is very helpful.

Gain is very popular here in Laois, seem to buy it anywhere, it is only £16 for a 15 kg bag. Have been told by a couple of people including my vet that its total rubbish. Wouldnt the price reflect this?
 
I bought the Red Mills premium brand at woodies DIY a couple of months back. My guys didn't find it very appetising at all I'm afraid, I mixed it with their usual food for a couple of days and they actually managed to eat around it! Eventually I gave it to them on it's own and they ate it very reluctantly and only when they realised there was nothing else forthcoming.

Still have half a bag somewhere.
 
One of my Tri girls, Cherry, who is a dustbin in disguise, ;) was given some Pedigree Chum I was given at Crufts as a sample, she looked at her bowl, looked at me and turned her back on it with a look of disgust on her face, and tried to steal one of the other dogs RC instead! A case of voting with her stomach if ever I saw it!!

Haven't had the chance to try Red Mills as yet, hopefully I will find one of their trade stands at a show when I get out and about with Darcy later in the summer!
 
Red Mills pet brand that they sell in shops is 'Winner', and the actual premium brand is 'Leader', which they tend to sell directly to breeders/show dog owners. Though maybe they were also selling the Leader line in some shops. A lot of these brands have a premium food they sell directly to trainers/breeders. The Gain product Rosspenn is talking about would not be the food generally available in shops but the one sold to trainers/breeders.
 
When I was trying to get Red Mills I was trying to 20 bags at a time and the price they were quoting me was the same price that I would buy it in the shops.
I use Gain Active.
"Active is a complete food for working dogs with high physical activity. It is also a Super-Premium diet for show dogs and females during gestation or lactation. The inclusion of high quality proteins, including egg, ensures that the optimum amino acid balance is achieved, for highly-active dogs. Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids are balanced to improve skin and coat, boost the immune system and promote overall well-being. This diet is prebiotic enriched with fructooligosaccharides (FOS), to help digestive function, improve stool consistency and reduce unpleasant odours."
I use Gain Adult for older dogs and I also use Record Breaker for some after a litter of pups.
I have a bitch that had a litter six months ago and she is back in the show ring in open bitch six months later. That is something extremely good as it usually takes much longer for a bitch to regain her coat. This was achieved using Active and Record Breaker.
Record Breaker is the "first racing diet to include fresh meat (never frozen) as its main ingredient". Record breaker is a racing greyhound food so it is very high in protien and would not suit most Cavaliers.
 
The breeder I bought finn from gave me a bowl, collar a tag and a bag of red mills food which finn loves but I haven't seen it anywhere else.:)
 
Just seen the leader brand in atlantic homecare in tullamore offaly. They have it in adult 15 kg for £34.95. might give it a try when i finish the RC
 
I have just googled Red Mills and went onto their website www.redmills.co.uk there is a section in the main menu to find your nearest store in the UK and Ireland, simply enter your postcode and it will throw up stockists nearest to you. Worth a try I reckon?
 
Last edited:
I have just googled Red Mills and went onto their website www.redmills.co.uk there is a section in the main menu to find your nearest store in the UK and Ireland, simply enter your postcode and it will throw up stockists nearest to you. Worth a try I reckon?

Unfortunately that doesn't work on the Irish website :rolleyes:
 
Back
Top