Esp to anon 101 since you asked: we were feeding Natural Balance, mixed poultry and brown rice, small bites. Even though its not very highly rated, the dogs seemed to do well on it. We became acquainted with them when we had an IBD dog who could only eat lamb & brown rice. They are not out of business, but they stopped making their mixed poultry/brown rice in small bites. (Also, in my world, this rating is only one more piece of information. A very good piece, but the major factors are avoid China, do the dogs like it, eat it , and not have diarrhea, vomiting, etc..)
The Fromm recommendation is excellent. My only concern with them is the oat groats and pearl barley. Good nutrition, but I’m not sure if our dogs would break down the whole kernels well.
The other food we have been looking at is Wellness, turkey and oatmeal, for small breeds. Our vet likes the oatmeal base. Highly rated.
I try not to start from too high a protein content simply because we almost always add something: chicken breast, cod or salmon, scrambled egg, etc. It’s easier to bring the protein content up than it is to drop it down.
FYI: our shelties are English. Our “little one” is only 14 lb (healthy, happy, energetic, but small); the other two are just under 20 lbs. and just under 14″ at the withers. Smaller than American. (They regard the American Shelties as “cloddy”) At any rate thank-you for your help. I always worry when I have to change foods.
