[James D]

I want to say first amazing site. Been viewing it for months before pulling the trigger and becoming a member. So far, not even a second thought.
So, now I’m looking for help since I can’t decide on a food or treat.

Background: He’s a 3 y/o Plott Hound mix, near perfect weight of 64 lbs. He runs with my wife and recently did 12 miles with her. He doesn’t play much but LOVES walks, hikes, jogging, runs, etc.

Help: We will eat any food we give him and take just under 1.5 mins. to finish the bowl (with bloat stop). I’ve been researching all the choices here and it’s a bit overwhelming. Problem #2 is he’s not a chewer with anything but a himalayan bone and we can’t let him have it more then 5 mins for fear of him choking on the pieces.

Summary: Best food option for his 4+ miles a day and long lasting chew (20+ min) Love the idea of grain free foods and edible treats without worry of choking.

Thanks!

[Naturella]

James,

As far as chews – have you tried an antler? They are naturally-shed, they do not splinter or break easily (never seen one break), they have great minerals that are beneficial for your pooch, they come in all sorts of different sizes, and they last a good while. 🙂

As for foods, maybe Dr. Tim’s Kinesis (Grain Free) or RPM (also GF I think) may be good for his athletic endeavors. The kibble size is small, but not tiny at all, and hopefully he will like it. For athletic/active dogs, Victor, Annamaet, and Earthborn Holistic are also good brands with many grain-free options, as well as any high-protein, high-calorie food – you can feed less, but they will get more out of it.

[crazy4cats]

Hi James D-
Welcome to DFA! I’m glad you pulled the trigger! I feed my dogs grain free Victor with various toppers. They have a grain free Ultra Pro formula that is 42% protein and 22% fat that might be a good option. Also Nutrisource has a few formulas for active dogs that are a lot higher in calories than average.
As for the chews I can totally relate. I have two golden labs that compete for food so they tend to gulp things before they should. They have actually passed a few socks. Yikes! I feed them thick bullysticks that are attached to vice grips that prevent them from swallowing too soon. I also,give them raw marrow bones that are at least 4 inches or bigger. However, some don’t recommend marrow bones for fear of breaking teeth. So far so good! I’m thinking of trying knuckle bones next.

[James D]

Thanks for the input. I’m looking into the options you’ve both mentioned but have yet to find those brands in my area. The highest options I’ve found is the Blue Wilderness brand. Any bad feeling about them?

As for chews I’ll check out the antlers and the knuckles. I’ve had a friend give them to his lab mixes but they are more lickers then chewers. How do you feel about the edible nylabones?

[Naturella]

James,

Is shopping online an option? If so, you can order Victor, Annamaet, Earthborn, Dr. Tim’s and NutriSource from sites like: http://www.petflow.com , http://www.chewy.com , http://www.wag.com for less!

As for the chews, I have given Nylabone ones (which they do have edible – digestible ones – but they are more like a “dental” chew/biscuit, and they have the non-digestible ones that a dog can still pass), but I still prefer antlers, bully sticks, and real natural edible chews. The Nylabone ones last about as long as an antler too.

[InkedMarie]

James, as Naturella said, look at shipping. I believe a good amount of us here buy our food online. I recommend Chewy for first time ordering a new food, simply due to their return policy. I use Chewy allowed the time. If you’re ordering dr Tims, Farmina or Victor, also look at SportDogFood.com

[Author]

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