[LeahT]

Seeing all the hype about Blue Buffalo and other natural dog foods we asked our vet about switching both of our girls over to something else, but he said that most of the research behind grains causing health problems is somehow funded by these dog food companies themselves. It makes sense to me, since it’s pretty much the same with human food products too, but I’m not all that convinced.

We recently lost our black Lab just a few months after her 13th birthday. She had had seizures for years, but we were told that with her age and being a purebred she was prone to epilepsy. She also had a surgery just a few weeks before the seizures began to remove a tumor in her neck that was dangerously close to her spinal cord, so we always assumed that something might have gone wrong with the surgery. Her seizures weren’t bad enough for Phenobarbital up until the very end, but she had been on Neurotrophin PMG (from Standard Process). It seemed to help for a while, but shortly before she passed away her seizures started getting closer together.

Now though, our Jack Russell Terrier is beginning to have seizures. She has had maybe 5 over the past 3 months, and although they are not extreme, I can see the same signs in our Jack as in the early stages of our lab. It seems to be too much of a coincidence to not somehow be related to the food they both ate. We are going to try the Neurotrophin with her as well, but we were planning to try changing her dog food as well. Our vet recommended Purina or Pedigree, and she has been on Pedigree for most of her life. Based on what I have found I definitely need to take her off Pedigree. We also have an appointment with a new vet next week, so we are trying all the options. All the research I have been doing on dog food is a little overwhelming though, so I was hoping someone could direct me toward a brand to try with her?

Thank you!
-Leah

[brianb22]

I was about to ask the same thing.lol. That’s some good info. Thanks! I was researching stores in my city that would sell any of the higher rated brands and I only found one unfortunately. Trying to avoid shipping costs if I can. The ones they have listed are: Advanced Pet Diets, AvoDerm, Blue Buffalo, Canidae, Merrick, Natural Balance, Nature’s Variety, Pinnacle, Royal Canin, Taste of the Wild, Zignature. Seems like they have some that you guys mentioned so I might try those and go from there.
You mentioned transitioning slowly at first and I’ve read that in other places. Exactly what’s the best way of doing that? I’ve switched types of food but the same brand with the small one and she has never seemed like it bothered her. The big one I’ve given the same stuff but have fed her the little one’s food some when I’ve ran out and didn’t have time to go to the store and she’s been fine as well. Would a slow transition mean doing half old, half new for awhile or something like that? I’ve been feeding them eagle pack dry food for the past few years which was given a 4 star review on here so I at least feel pretty good about that. There’s still some red flags but they seem pretty small. I’ll think about keeping that brand in the loop depending on the costs I take on with the new stuff.

[Dustin-R]

Hello All,
I just found this site. It has a great wealth if information. I still am wondering about food for my 12 week Rottweiler. The breeder was feeding Blue Buffalo Wilderness Puppy , and I have continued feeding this since I picked him up at 8 weeks. I was wondering what would be recommended as a better food for him? It is stated as 36% protein, 16% fat, 6% max crude fiber, 10% moisture max, 1% calcium max , .9% phosphorus, .1% DHA, .9% omega 3 fatty acids. 3% omega 6 fatty acids. I have a TSC, PETCO, and Petsmart that are local. I would prefer local as to online. I would buy online if that was my only means to get what I needed for Him. I would also like to know what would be recommended when he is older.
Thanks
Dustin R

Ingredients:
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Tapioca Starch,Peas,Tomato Pomace (source of Lycopene),Dried Egg, Natural Chicken Flavor, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid), Fish Oil (source of DHA-Docosahexaenoic Acid), Potatoes, Flaxseed (source of Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids),Alfalfa Meal, Potato Starch, Whole Carrots,Whole Sweet Potatoes, Blueberries, Cranberries, Barley Grass,Dried Parsley,Dried Kelp,Taurine,Yucca Schidigera Extract,L-Carnitine, L-Lysine,Turmeric,Oil of Rosemary, Beta Carotene,Vitamin A Supplement,Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1),Riboflavin (Vitamin B2),Niacin (Vitamin B3),d-Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6),Biotin (Vitamin B7),Folic Acid (Vitamin B9),Vitamin B12 Supplement,Calcium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C),Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement,Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate,Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate,Choline Chloride,Sodium Selenite,Calcium Iodate,Salt,Caramel,Potassium Chloride,Dried Yeast (source of Saccharomyces cerevisiae), Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product,Dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation product,Dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi boxermim2013 –

I can relate to you here. One of my girls, Gertie (the dog in my avatar) is extremely difficult to keep weight on. She was so scrawny as a pup I had tests run too and they came back clear. The vet told me once she was spayed she’d put some weight on, but she was spayed 2 years ago and keeping weight on her is still a struggle. With her, as long as her hip bones aren’t protruding I feel I’m doing good!

I wasn’t able to get her over 60 lbs. until I switched her to a high protein, high fat, low carbohydrate raw diet. I make her food and I generally keep protein between 45% and 55%, fat between 30% and 40% and carbs less than 20%. I’ve now got her holding steady at 68 lbs. – given her height she should be much heavier, but at least she doesn’t look emaciated any more. I also give her lots of treats between meals, I mostly feed balanced foods as treats so I can feed her more without throwing off her diet – i.e. freeze-dried raw medallions, frozen kongs layered with grain-free kibble and canned pumpkin, ziwi peak food for training treats and (prior to the recent recall) I was using EVO’s Wild Craving biscuits which conform to AAFCO nutrient profiles for balanced foods.

Some other options – Abady makes a very calorie-dense granular food – it has around 800 calories per cup (nearly double the calories of Blue Buffalo). I’ve used Abady and before and was pleased. I also know people that have put weight on their dogs with satin balls – you can look up recipes online – they usually include fatty hamburger, eggs, oil, molasses, etc. You could add a balanced omega 3-6-9 and/or coconut oil to his food for a fat/calorie boost. You could try supplementing with digestive enzymes to ensure he’s digesting everything he does eat. If you want to stick with kibble, I’d also recommend at least picking a more calorie-dense formula (>500 kcal. per cup). Some calorie-dense options include – Canine Caviar Grain-Free Puppy (636 kcal. per cup), Dr. Tim’s Momentum (588 kcal. per cup), NutriSource Super Performance (529 kcal. per cup), Timberwolf Organics (I believe all the grain-free formulas are over 500 kcal. per cup).

Good luck!

• This reply was modified 12 years, 9 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.
• This reply was modified 12 years, 9 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.

[boxermom2013]

I have a very underweight 5 year old boxer boy. I have had him fully tested by two different vets to the tune of over $2000 and he has no discernible medical problems. He is 42 pounds and my female is 68 pounds. They are currently on Blue Buffalo grain free puppy with access to food all day. What would you recommend I try to add weight to my male? Tried Merrick Turduckin, Evo high protein and Pet Fresh among many other tactics. Please advise.

[Anonymous]

I was talking with someone at a pet store recently and she was purchasing blue buffalo wilderness canned food and stating that she needed something high protein. I told her that the kibble was higher protein than the canned but she said that she was told not to use kibble food. Does anyone know what she should be using and why not high protein kibble?

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi loveall –

You’re on the right track by feeding a 5 star grain-free food. My only suggestion would be to rotate foods – don’t stick with just one. There is no “best food” – this is why it is important to rotatate, it compensates for the shortcomings of each food. Pick at least two or three different brands (or more) with different protein sources and switch every so often. Rotating foods with strengthen your dog’s digestive system, provide variety and provide you with alternative choices in the event of a recall or formula change. I’d also recommend topping the dry food with a high quality canned food, raw food or healthy leftovers (lean meat, eggs, etc.). Good luck!

[loveall]

Hello…i adopted a now 6 month old…what we think is a rotti/shepherd mix…we found him abandoned under a car outside my daughters school…after battling worms/giardia….he has grown to be approx. 51 pounds…my vet estimated he will be approx. 80 pounds at maturity…i started him on nutro natural…but have switched to blue wilderness…i’am wondering if anyone could give insight to this type/brand of food…since it is confusing with all the diff. Foods…i have remained on dry kibble only…i am hoping someone could give m some advice on what food is best for my lovely mix breed…thank you all

[REASMITH]

Great! Thanks for the info!! Will go by this afternoon after work and see what I can buy. Thanks for letting me know that Blue Buffalo maybe too much for him. So many options of food and I get overwhelmed and confused!!! Thanks for people, like you, that can help!!!!

[pugmomsandy]

Tractor Supply will have some grain free kibble choices. They have their own brand called 4health Grain Free also. It might be too much for him to go from Iams Proactive Health to Blue Buffalo Wilderness if you were thinking of going grain free. Blue also has Freedom which you might consider first. It’s a mid-protein range grain free food. Wellness also has a allergy line called Simple.

[REASMITH]

Thanks for the info, but since I am in a small town, my choices are limited. I know I can order on internet, but I would like to purchase a can first to see if Zeus would eat the food. I didn’t know how good Purina Pro Plan for Sensitive Stomach & Allergies was. We do have a Tractor Supply which carries Blue Buffalo and would appreciate any feedback on the product.

[pugmomsandy]

Fallow,

Blue Buffalo Wilderness and Core have reduced fat/weight management recipes. Also with the higher protein foods I have always fed less than the recommended amount. There is also The Honest Kitchen Zeal formula which is high in protein and low fat and it is a dehydrated food so if you fed 1 cup of dry you would need to add at least 1 cup of water with it so you’re feeding extra volume which might help your dog feel full.

[pugmomsandy]

My foster dogs and mine have lost weight on grain free foods like Blue Buffalo Wilderness, Horizon Amicus, Wellness Core and Brothers Complete over the years and not the “diet” ones, just regular recipes. Recently my very obese foster lost 10 lbs on a grain free canned food/raw food combo diet – very low in carbs. My group only poops twice a day. Now they will poop during a walk or at the dog park just because they gotta leave one of theirs when they smell someone else’s and it’s usually not as formed because it’s usually not the time for them to go normally.

[merrymenagerie]

My other dog is eating Blue Buffalo Freedom. Would you switch her to that? I was thinking maybe she’s allergic to something in the food which is why I wanted to start her on a LID and then maybe switch her over to a regular grain free. Thanks for the info on fish oil.

[theBCnut]

First, go here and read /forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/
There is a google doc in there that Hound Dog Mom posted. She did a ton of research of which foods actually have the appropriate amount of calcium for large breeds. A lot of the so called large breed foods really are not ok for large breed puppies. They were formulated from old bad research that has since been disproven. Pick a few foods from her list and rotate through them, it’s ok to give your other dog the same food. Rotating foods is healthier for your dog, just like people should eat a variety of foods for optimal health, dogs should too.

[debdfwrealtor]

I have been feeding my 7 yr old lab TOTW Pacific Stream for a year now. He does great on it….wonderful coat, healthy…does have some gas. I just got a new lab puppy. i read the ingredients on the TOTW regular and puppy formula and the ingredients are pretty close to the same. Should I feed her (the pup) the puppy food or is the regular okay? Also, I was trying to find a food that was a little less expensive and have friends that feed their labs BB food. Are they comparable? And, none of the premium foods have “large breed” puppy food that I have seen in Science Diet, Iams, etc. Does it make a difference? I know there are several questions within this post, but just really need guidance to feed my kids. Thanks!

[theBCnut]

Seniors can lose some of the natural acidity of the stomach and that affects their ability to digest their food especially proteins, so the first thing I would try is to add apple cider vinegar to his food. I use about 1/2 teaspoon per cup of food and I mix it with water so my dogs don’t all of a sudden get a bite of pure vinegar. You may also want to add a spoonful of pure canned pumpkin to his food.

[DoggyDaddy]

I’ve been feeding my 14 y.o. mixed breed dog B.B.’s senior formula for a couple of years and he’s gotten along fine on it. Over the past several months his stool has become much more soft to the point of being plain gooey at times. Up until now he always produced firm stool on this food. Our vet hasn’t found any indication of digestive tract issues, so I’m quite puzzled. Any suggestions regarding another brand that might be worth a try?

[DieselJunki]

I have my 6 month old AmBulldog on Fromms at the moment. He’s done well on it from what I can tell. I add ProBiotics and Digestive Enzymes to it but I can tell he’s already less gassy than when I had him on Natures Variety: Rabbit and was adding the ProBiotics and Enzymes to it. Each dog is different but so far Fromms gets a thumbs up from me.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Lola –

I wouldn’t say that holistic foods are any less safe than non-holistic foods and I wouldn’t shy away from higher quality foods just because some have issues or have had issues in the past. For every holistic food with quality issues there’s a non-holistic food out there with quality issues as well. It’s important to research the manufacturer prior to feeding the food. Call the company and ask questions – ask if they’ve had recalls, if yes – ask what the recalls were for, ask if they outsource production, if yes – ask where, ask where they source their ingredients, the grade of the ingredients, etc. etc. Check online forums such as this before feeding a food to read the opinions of people who have actually fed it. It’s important to do your homework. There are many very reputable companies that make natural foods. Also, keep in mind no company is immune to experiencing a recall. A recall can happen to any company at any time and shouldn’t necessarily be grounds for dismissing a company – some very reputable companies experience recalls the important thing is how they handle the recall and what measures they take to ensure the same mistake won’t happen again the future.

[InkedMarie]

Merrick I’m not a fan of but Fromm, Earthborn, Brothers, dr Tims, Annamaet have had no recalls. Brothers has to be ordered; the others may or may not be available local to you. I order all dog stuff, Hesperus, usually no shipping and I can sit home and wait for it to be delivered.

[Lola]

Hi again,
I agree that we need to stop the Blue Buffalo but am just having difficulty trusting these newer, holistic foods since so many of them have been having problems. As I mentioned, I had one of my girls for 17 years until 1991. There were no holistic foods and no recalls, sick dogs, etc. I fed her the old standard Purina products and she did great. I want to do what is best for my baby but am really worried about all of the recalls. I had purchased Natures/Natural? Balance at the store mgrs. suggestion and got it home to find that they were having some problems and that’s why I switched to the BB. Have you found that the Fromm, Merrick, etc. have been better than the more standard foods? Thanks so much for all of your help and advice.

[InkedMarie]

Lola, you have to do what you feel is best. Me, I could not feed a food that has been making dogs sick. There are so many good dog foods out there to choose from; some have never had a recall: Fromm, Dr Tim’s, Annamaet…

[Lola]

Okay, so it is true that dogs are getting sick. That is what I had heard and read and why I am concerned. It’s only been 2 days that she is on 100% BB & I hate to have to have to change her diet so soon but it seems the best option. Honestly, I wonder if the old “tried and true” Pro Plan could be the best thing for her. I don’t ever remember these problems in all the years that we used Pro Plan and they have now improved? their line of products. It just seems that there have been many more problems with the newer, holistic, grain free, specialty foods than there have ever been with the premium, older major brands. So confused. Thanks so much for everyones help.

[theBCnut]

A lot of people are complaining about their dogs getting sick on BB. I haven’t heard about reports to the FDA, which would probably be essential before a recall could happen.

[InkedMarie]

Lola, it may not have been a recall, now that I think about it. Read the Blue thread on Dog Food Advisor; I think people have had dogs sick on it.

[Lola]

Thanks,
I can’t find anything linking it to a recall since 2010. I’ll look into those other brands now.

[InkedMarie]

I believe Blue has had a recall. I like Annamaet, Fromm, Brothers nd Earthborn.

[Lola]

Thank you so much. She seems to like the fish alot and I always heard the BB was an excellent, premium food. I’ve also heard good things about Merick’s. I remember a much simpler time when there were only 2 or 3 brands of food and no recalls. I had one of my girls for 17 years before there were any premium foods and Alpo was at the top of the list until Pedigree was developed, lol. Why did it have to get so complicated? Thanks again 🙂

[dowsky]

we feed our dogs raw and merrick’s grain free, have had no problems. if your worried about blue buf then I suggest you switch to keep your peace of mind. there are lots of good foods to choose from, I suggest you look right here at 4 and 5 star foods. a few suggestion are merrick’s, fromm’s canidae all grain free would be my suggestion. sometimes the grains can cause loose stools. good luck

[Lola]

I recently weaned my 8 year old Belgian Malinois onto Blue Buffalo. I have had her since she was 7 wks. old. I know that there were some issues starting to crop up lately but couldn’t find anything concrete to substantiate them. Some people said that their dogs were getting sick, loose stools, etc. My girl has not seemed to have any problems but I am still concerned about keeping her on Blue. Any advice/suggestions? She is a rescue from a breeder that recommended Pro-Plan Large Breed and that is what I fed her (with some rare exceptions having had to mix with other dry foods) She is very active only when out in our yard but is usually taking it easy when in the house. I am so confused about what is best for her at this stage in her life and worried about so many recalls and problems with Dog food lately.

[turtlemom]

I have a couple Great Danes. I am always researching food and comparing dry kibble labels. They were on Blue Buffalo but my local store went up on the price to 65 bucks a bag I had to re evaluate my budget for dog food. I went to a crap food and they are eating twice as much so the search is on for a good food again. I loved Blue Buffalo but is there a better dry food out there????

I’d love a high calorie food so they don’t have to eat as much (less poo)
I’d love glucosamine and Chondroitin and Omega’s

What is a great dog food for Danes? I’d love to eventually do a raw natural diet….. but that is for another research day 🙂

Oh and sorry if this is already answered … I tried to search but only found large breed puppy info.

Thanks !

[doberdog]

I have 3 dobies between the ages of 1 to 2 years old. I have been feeding Blue Buffalo Life Protection Large Breed. To date we have had no problems but wondered what other foods you may be feeding to your active adult dobies?

[lisabethholly]

I need to switch my dogs to a budget friendlier food. I have an 85 lb lab who needs grain free food & a 105 lb rottie with hip dysplasia (13 months old). They’ve been on Blue Buffalo Wilderness Large Breed formula but I just changed jobs & took a huge pay but (but even bigger happiness raise) so I need to find something more affordable.
Does anyone have any recommendations?

Thank you!
Holly, Brody (the rottasaurus) & Faith (the golden child)

[Jfa0930]

Ok, guys. I’m back. I had switched my Doberman puppy from Blue Buffalo Large Breed Puppy to Earthborn Holistics MeadowFeast because the Blue Buffalo was giving her diarrhea and now the Earthborn is doing the same thing. I want to feed her a 5 star food within the same price range that does not give her the poops! Any suggestions? I need to make a decision soon because I’m getting low on the bag I have and I’ll need enough to transition properly. Someone mentioned to me that they could have too much protein for her?

[Wellington]

After months of trial and error, our 7-year-old female Boston terrier is finally settled down with a mixture diet of Blue Buffalo’s wild mixture of grilled chicken and salmon (canned) and boiled fresh potatos. I mash and mix them, then warm the mixture in the microwave and serve.

We would like to not have to cook potatoes two or three times a week, and have tried different no-grain dry foods. But, so far all have resulted in either allergic reaction (scratching) or a return to the watery stools she had before we got her stabilized on the current diet.

Yes, I know–if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. However, I would like to experiment with a dry food that contains the basics of potatos and some kind of fowl such as chicken, turkey, duck,etc.

If it doesn’t work, we go back to boiling potatos.

If you know of a product that tends to be pure without a whole lot of additives such as blueberries, cranberries and multi-vitamins, please let us know. We would be most grateful for any recommendations.

[theBCnut]

Note that James has known this about Tyson for a while, yet he misrepresented himself to Toxed, saying he was asking about Blue Buffalo and Solid Gold. And his only purpose is to find another way to bash Brothers. The problem is that Brothers has Tyson make them a custom chicken meal, this has already been hashed over on the Brothers thread, and his custom mix doesn’t have Naturox in it. Keep searching James, keep searching, but you don’t need to lie about your motives.

[Tracy]

I read an article on here that it was good to rotate your dog’s food for various reasons. So that’s what I did. I changed my Shih Tzu puppy’s food after every bag (about 3 weeks) and recently she’s started to become a VERY picky eater. She used to like Blue Buffalo but when I tried to switch her back to it, she wouldn’t eat it. So I started adding various things to it, like bits of cheese or peanut butter, and that’s the only way she would eat it.

Today I bought Wellness, a brand she’s never tried before, and she wouldn’t eat it either.

Am I rotating foods too often, causing her to be a picky eater? I assume adding things to her food is definitely making her picky, so I won’t be doing that again.

But what about rotation? I’ve read on another website that rotating foods is pointless and that you should just stick to one food.

I’m confused. Should I stick to one food from now on, and should I just not rotate as often?

Advice would be cool. Thanks.

[DogFoodie]

Can’t seem to open this myself at work right now; but, I just got this in an email from Susan Thixton’s site, The Truth About Pet Food, regarding Blue Buffalo changes: http://truthaboutpetfood2.com/blue-buffalo-kibble-change

[jnconner]

@suztzu @Mom2Cavs
All, thanks so much for the information. I did find the statement from the PetSmart associate hard to believe and I’m glad I was able to get some feedback here. I purchased the ‘Blue Buffalo Freedom Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Puppies’ yesterday afternoon and the kibbles are very small. However, having read your post last night, I’m wondering if I should take the Blue Buffalo back and get the ‘Wellness Core Grain Free Puppy Formula’ since the crude protein content is 36%. You also mentioned supplementing with can to up the protein. Is there a reason you do both dry and can dog food outside of providing the additional protein? I’m wondering if this is something I should consider as well.
Does anyone know if the Natures Variety Instinct brand is sold at PetSmart I would like to stick with a 5 Star that I can purchase locally if possible.

[Mom2Cavs]

As far as I remember, Fromm’s Surf & Turf has tiny kibble, as well as some of their other formulas. Nature’s Variety Instinct also has tiny kibble pieces. I’m sure there are others but these 2 came immediately to mind. Oh and Wellness Core Small Breed plus Wellness’s regular Small Breed. Blue Buffalo also has a Small and Toy formula, I think. Hope this helps. 🙂

[suztzu]

The associate was very wrong, puppies espcially need a good amount of protein and fat they are both essential to a growing puppy. Both are good foods the Core I thought was an all life stage food and the kibble is quite large for a small puppy if he’s a gulper like mine is. My shih tzu Leo would swallow them whole and throw it up a half hour later gross. Earthborn holistics, Blue Buffalo wilderness Innova prime, Natures Variety Instinct are also all good products. When you transition him over to a different food do it slowly because some of the grain free foods are also high in fat and can cause loose stool. I never feed my dogs anything with protein under 28 to 30 % if I can help it. I also will give them Natures Variety Instinct canned at least once a day mixed in the kibble to boost the protein levels. Have fun with puppy good luck

[Anonymous]

You didn’t say what food & treats you were feeding. So many health problems are food/treat related.
My Shih Tzu had pancreatitis at 12 yrs. Plus terrible allergies with both my dogs & getting steroids. I started studying dog nutrition. I decided to try Blue Buffalo as this was the only company to write back out of 3 others I contacted.
Within 3 weeks all allergy related problems started going away. in 2 mo. the pancreatitis was GONE and she has never had another bout. She is now 15 1/2 and the boss of the house. no steroid shots or pills for over 3 yrs.
Hound Dog Mom is very knowledgeable so you might also ask her.

[KC-Cajun]

I have an 11-year-old Lab who has battled ear problems all of her life. The vet said it’s a yeast problem. Now she has some raw spots on her skin, the skin on her belly and privates is very dark, and she’s covered in lumps. I had a Golden before that never had lumps and only an occasional ear problem. I also have a 7-year-old Beagle who’s had exactly one ear infection in her entire life.

I changed her over to Blue Buffalo Salmon about 5 months ago and it seems to have eased up, but it’s still there. And I’ve spent THOUSANDS of dollars over the years on vet bills for the same problem, over and over again. (Vet #1 always found it necessary to run the same expensive tests every time I brought her in–“We can’t be sure it’s the same issue..”, and after 10 years, I switched to Vet #2. Vet #1 also charged $18 to examine their teeth {approximately 15.5 seconds}, but I digress…)

What can I do to cure her of this? Am I doing something wrong? After reading a lot of your posts, I feel terrible that a change of diet could possibly have prevented those horrible lumps/tumors. Any advice would be most appreciated–I want her golden years to be as comfortable as possible as she has been a loyal and beautiful friend 🙂

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi thesamster –

I wouldn’t look for a large breed specific food – large, medium and small breeds don’t have different nutritional requirements, size/breed specific formulas are just marketing. I also would focus on finding a high quality (high protein) low fat food and not worry about the fiber content of the food, the fiber can be added as a supplement (either psyllium or plain pumpkin). High quality low fat foods are few and far between which is why I recommend just worrying about the fat and protein level and supplementing the fiber, if you also look for high fiber you’ll likely end up having to settle for a lower quality food. In order to reduce the fat content most companies remove most of the meat and replace it with filler (grains, starch), there are only a few foods available that keep the fat levels low while keeping the protein levels (meat) levels high. Some low fat 5 star foods: Wysong Epigen Original, Venison and Fish formulas (all 11% fat), Wysong Epigen 90 (12% fat), California Natural Grain-Free Chicken (12% fat), Wellness Core Reduced Fat (10% fat), Blue Buffalo Wildnerness Healthy Weight (10% fat), The Honest Kitchen Zeal (9% fat), Grandma Lucy’s Pureformance Chicken (9% fat), Annamaet Lean (8% fat) and Acana Light and Fit Fit (10% fat).

[Shelley919]

Hi All!

This is my first post here. We have an almost 5 year old greyhound (Dyna) that weighs about 65 pounds. Right now, we are feeding her Castor and Pollux Organix Chicken and Rice Formula for adult dogs. She absolutely loves the food. After discovering this website, I tossed out the Purina Pro Plan and tried first Blue Buffalo and then Innova, both of which she didn’t like. Now I finally found a great food that she loves, but she’s a big dog and the kibble is awful small. We have a stainless steel ball that we put in her bowl to try to slow her down and force her to chew, but that’s not working all the time. I have also tried feeding her on a cookie sheet, which seems to work but isn’t really a long term solution. I actually emailed Castor and Pollux and received a response within an hour and they told me their Ultramix for Large Breed Dogs is a little bigger, so I went and check it out and it is smaller than the size of a dime. Does anyone have any suggestions without me having to switch the food, because she loves it so much and I know it’s good for her. If I do end up having to switch, does anyone know of any of the 4-5 star brands that make a larger kibble? Preferably something other than Blue Buffalo and Innova, as she showed almost no interest in them.

Thank you so much in advance for your help!

[jismys]

I feed Taste of the Wild to my 9 month old Doberman. He is not my first Dobie but I noticed that he is very hiper since a few month, he was on Blue Buffalo but I had to stop because he got diarrhea from it. Can anyone. Give me some info, thanks

[pugmomsandy]

KGM801,

Also feeding different forms of food can be beneficial like incorporating some canned food, freeze dried or dehydrated and even raw. You can even add eggs or sardines to the kibble. Right now I’m mixing in some Vital Esssentials freeze dried nibblets with my dogs kibble. Sometimes it canned and kibble. Then some days they just get a raw meaty bone or whole raw sardine.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Back when my oldest dog was eating kibble I switched to a new food with a new protein source at the end of every bag (for him this was about every 3 weeks). I know many that rotate this way and others that feed one food for several months and then switch. I currently feed all three of my dogs a homemade diet and they get something completely different at every meal. I would say that as long as you’re switching at least every 6 months you should be fine. Just to warn you though – the first few times you switch you’ll probably need to do slow transition and you may see some loose stools. This is normal for dogs that aren’t used to switching foods – the probiotics and pumpkin that I mentioned before will help with this. Once your dog is used to switching her digestive tract will become more resilient and you should be able to switch cold turkey with no transition.

[KGM801]

Thanks again, I think I will go with Earthborn Holistic Meadow Feast. One more question and I’m sorry to bother you but how often do you recommend switching up your dog’s food? You are my hero!!!