[Jimmy R]

Hello everyone. I am picking up my lab puppy this Friday 1/20/17 and I just want to give him the best food possible. I have heard many great things about orijen in the past, but now I am concerned. Do you guys think I should give orijen a shot? I bought the puppy large breed. Or should I go with Victor active dog and puppies. A food that I also found here at food advisor…

/dog-food-reviews/victor-grain-free/

Please let me know what you would do in my place, I am hearing nothing but complaints about Orijen now.

[Kristen L]

Crazy4cats is correct. That makes sense for what happened with my girl. The meds killed the good bacteria. Good news is, they recover, but don’t do another treatment unless you know for certain your dog needs it. They don’t tell you how bad it is for them (the metronidazole). The panacur on amazon is safe though. Do that instead if needed. Victor is good food.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Jan D-
I can also relate to your situation as my pups both had several rounds of medication for Giardia. It was a tough case where they kept giving it back and forth. And yes, their tummies were messed up for months! Metronidazole is a strong antibiotic that helps kill parasites and bacteria, but unfortunately also kills the good bacteria. Here is some info: http://www.akc.org/content/health/articles/metronidazole-for-dogs/

I would feed the prescription food for a while to help heal the tummy as you mentioned in an earlier post. I don’t think it will have to be a permanent diet. I used a few supplements that contain probiotics that I believe helped as well. You probably would NOT want to use these with prescription food, however. They are Vetri Science BD, Gastriplex, Perfect Form and/ or Forti Flora.

The food that they finally did well on was Victor Grain Free Hero Formula. I can’t be certain it was the food or the fact that their tummies were finally getting better after so many rounds of Metronidazole and Panacur. But, I was ecstatic either way!! Oh yes, they also managed to get Coccidia in which they had to take meds for. 🙁

Here is a site with some helpful info on healing tummies: http://www.dogaware.com Check out their digestive disorders section. I hope this is helpful. How is it going now?

[crazy4cats]

Interesting about peas, hmmm? Sorry to hear Annamaet didn’t work out, but happy you got a better response from Victor this time around. I think it is hit and miss with their customer service.

Wow! You really do research the food, don’t you? I didn’t realize you are a breeder. I like NutriSource as well, but most of their foods are higher in calories than I like to feed. Especially during seasons where we don’t get out to get much exercise. But, their coats always look great when on NutriSource.

I wish Victor was more available in my area. Also, their prices keep going up since I started feeding it. Was thinking of trying a less expensive grain inclusive formula if I feed it again. Right not mostly feeding Whole Earth Farms. Thanks for your responses and best wishes for you and your dogs!

[SummerRainAussies]

Hi C4C,

I actually about a week in a half ago switched back to the Victors because I was not getting the bowel movements I want. However.. Now they are having less than perfect (better than Annamet) on Victor but I get impatient and switch things around to quickly. Annamaet may have worked over a longer period of time. Perhaps I will try it again later.

I have tried all the grain free, Professional, and High Pro Plus.

I have in my never ending research discovered I am no longer going to give my dogs peas or at least until they are retired. I am a competitor and my dogs are in a breeding program. Peas (along with a million other factors) can cause infertility issues.

Since we talked last I have called Victor and talked to a guy who answered all my questions, was really knowledgable, and had great customer service so I am more comfortable with Victor than I ever have been.

I am currently feeding the High pro plus which is not grain free but pea free. I really do love their food. All the dogs are back to their dark stool even though its not perfectly firm YET.
🙂

[SummerRainAussies]

I dont like that Alfalfa ingredient either. sometimes you have to gain some and loose some… especially with kibble.
I actually know a ton about Annamaet. I did a bunch of research on them. The company is amazing. Has never had a recall. Its a super small family company with great customer service. What really sets Annamaet apart is they make their own vitamin and mineral pack and by doing this they can guarantee nothing is sourced from China which most companys can not do. They also seem to change the formulas somewhat frequently as they learn more about what is best and what isn’t. This could be a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it. They have a wide selection. I tried my dogs on their Ultra 32/20 and after a couple weeks I simply couldn’t get solid stools. I may have not given it long enough and may try it again in the future.
I have a girl with skin issues and she seems to do best on Victor although her issues may not be food related. Coconut oil twice a day with her food has made a worlds difference. 🙂

[Dye H]

You rate the Victor Grain Free as a 5 Star? However, it is not mentioned on your Editors Choice list? I nominate Victor Grain Free. Also, where can we see the Best Dog Foods for Small Breeds like our Miniature Dachshund?

Thank you.

[SummerRainAussies]

I agree with Jane E that adding a meat based food with some grains would help add some weight. I would actually find a performance food. They tend to have a min of 30% protein, 20% fat, and some grain as a source of energy/carbs. I raise Aussies and these are very high energy working dogs that until about the age of three are really hard to keep weight on without a decent amount of fat in the diet.
The two that I have had the best luck with are Victors High Pro Plus and Annamaet Ultra. I know Nutrisource has a couple performance foods also.
Best of Luck!

[SummerRainAussies]

Right, completely agree. We will see if this works and if it doesn’t I will go back to victors because I have never had an issue with them. The only issue is me myself and I. I have tried many kibbles and end up back on Victors although I tend to give up pretty early. How long do you normally give a dog after they are transitioned before you would consider the food to not be working?

[SummerRainAussies]

Hi Crazy4cats!

Yeah I haven’t heard anything bad about them I just don’t like their customer service. They act like they are hiding something all the time. But I am pretty anal about dog food companies ;). Just a couple days ago got Annamaet 32/20. So far only after a couple days there has been a little bit of loose stool but I will give it some time. We will see how the annamaet plays out.. I LOVE the company but if their stools don’t firm up like I like back to victor we will probably go!
My dogs eat about 50% raw so the kibble doesn’t take up their entire nutrition.
Thanks for the reply!

[crazy4cats]

I have fed a lot of Victor kibble to my two large dogs. They both do really well on it. I have not heard anything negative about the company. I have had mixed results when contacting them with questions, however. Very recently, I emailed them with a few questions about their new canned food and they got back to me very quickly. That has not always been the case. I haven’t ever thought they are hiding anything though. But…if you are not comfortable with them, there are a lot of other good brands to feed. Check out the budget friendly Editor’s Choice List for some ideas. Best of luck to you!

[Linda H]

Summer—your dogs like Victor foods, but you do not like the company. What is it about the company that we need to be aware of? Thanks

[SummerRainAussies]

I guess I have more of a question than anything. Other than their homemade RAW they have done the best on victors kibble. High pro plus to be exact. Small dark firm bowel movements.
I switched to Annamaet 32/20 (my dogs need high fat) and it gave them soft stool that was much lighter in color and had a yellow look to it. Now I will admit I gave them the new food cold turkey.

The only reason I switched in the first place is because Victors wasn’t on the editors choice list and I am concerned about the quality of the food and their customer service.

Someone with knowledge on this please give me their thoughts.

[SummerRainAussies]

Victors is one of the only foods (other than raw) that my dogs have done really well on. Perfect bowel movements. I am not so sure about the company though which sucks. Every time I try a different food I end up back on Victors.

[SummerRainAussies]

This is a very good point. I have Aussies who I do all kinds of trailing with. It is near impossible to find a 30/20 food that has decent ingredients and is grain free.
Annamaet has a 32/20. Not grain free but a very good company
Victors has a 30/20 that my dogs have done really well on.
Victors also has a 42/22 grain free and you could mix it with their other grain free formulas and it would make about a 37/20

[SummerRainAussies]

My dogs have done really well on the Victors grain free and their high pro plus formula. They have perfect poop which is somewhat hard to come by with one of my girls.
My only concern is the company (Mid America Pet Food). They seem to ignore emails that they simply don’t want to answer. Does anyone know the quality of the company?

I decided to try Annamaet 32/20 because I love the company and their quality control but it gave my dogs soft gross poop with a yellow tinge to it. Maybe I simply didn’t give it to them long enough.

• This topic was modified 8 years, 12 months ago by SummerRainAussies.

[Susan]

Hi Kerrin, your best to make a balance raw diet or buy the pre-made raw diets or cook.
I feed my dog a cooked meal (Dinner) & rotate between “Taste Of The Wild” “Holistic Select Adult/Puppy” Fish grain free & Canidae Life Stages the Canidae Pure grain free gave Patch his pain, it may have been the Chickpeas & higher protein % but Canidae Pure formulas would be excellent for healthy dogs, the Canidae Life Stages has the big 44lb (20kg) bags at a very good price…Canidae uses human grade ingredients, kibble size is nice & small for dogs that gulp & don’t chew, easier to digest…

My Patch just turned 8 yrs old, he has no joint pain that I can see, body & coat looks excellent, the only problem is he has IBD mainly his stomach, to look at him you wouldn’t know he has IBD & is ill some days…..I put Patch down to being so healthy & getting better from cooked meals, fresh foods, peeled apple pieces as treats, Almonds as treats, broccoli, kale, egg, spinach parsley all cut up & mixed with lean pork mince or extra lean beef mince & made into 1 cup size rissoles & baked in the oven, sweet potato boiled & added to rissoles as well after cooked, I cant think what else I feed him, I feed what ever I’m eating & I rotate between kibbles, changing the proteins mainly feed Fish & Lamb kibbles, I stay away from chicken if I can, chicken is very high in omega 6 & low in Omega 3…
Omega 6 is pro anti-inflammatory & Omega 3 is anti-inflammatory & as we know chickens are pumped with hormones to grow quickly.

A balanced raw or cooked diet is the best to feed a cat or dog, kibble is just easy for us… have a look at Ziwi Peak Air Dried, Canidae Pure or Life Stages, Victor Super Premium or Sport Dog Elite, the Sport Dog Elite is similar to the Victor but cheaper, the Sport Dog Elite link I have isn’t working but it shows the Sport Dog Elite formulas & compares them to the Victors formulas….
http://victorpetfood.com/

[Liz H]

I love Victor. My dogs have been rotating the flavors for awhile now. Their coats got softer and shinier, and they seem to like it more than other dog foods. They’ll nose at the bag when I bring it in. I definitely recommend their grain free choices. I think it’s a good price for the quality.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Bill H-
I’m always surprised it is not on the Editor’s Choice list as well. The administators cannot tell us why brands are not chosen, which is understandable. But. I’ve hardly ever heard a bad word about their food. Many posters on this site recommend it. I feed it to my dogs now and then with great results. Most of their recipes are a little high in calories for my chubby labs to feed regularly, however. I have fed both the grain free and with grain formulas. My dogs also do well on Taste of the Wild and Whole Earth Farms which are a little less expensive and have recipes with lower fat and calories. Victor is also another great choice. But, their prices have gone up and their availability in my area is lacking. I hope you find something that works!

• This reply was modified 9 years ago by crazy4cats.

[Susan W]

I really, really like VeRUS. I tried Victor this summer because they’re made locally, but my dogs didn’t like it as well & t smelled like dog food. VeRUS doesn’t smell like dog food. Their Opticoat & Cold Water Fish Formulas smell like fresh, live fish – even at the bottom of the bag. Their website is veruspetfoods.com. There is a TON of great information on all of their food formulas & you can contact them & ask questions. They’ll also send you free samples.

[SummerRainAussies]

I have tried every premium food you can think of and Victors is one of my favorites. All my Aussies from weaning puppies to senior dogs do well on it.

[SummerRainAussies]

I am a mainly raw feeder for my very active competitive Aussie clan. I however would like to have a kibble on hand that I can use for connivance. I am having a hard time with which one. I really like that all the ingredients in the Now food are fresh and I LOVE the company and their ethics but I don’t love the lower protein. After talking with their nutritionist most of the protein in that food comes from eggs which I am unsure is a good or bad thing. I do think my dogs need a few carbs for accessible energy but there is of course a limit. I dont like the super high protein of Origin. I am looking for a happy medium. I am not looking to rotate between kibbles since my dogs get so much variety already.
Please any thoughts or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

[Susan]

Hi, have a look at “Sport Dog, Elite Series” its similar to Victor & is cheaper… When you click on a formula scroll down & you’ll see when compared to Victor formulas…
I don’t know which Diamond formula your feeding but read the protein%, fiber% & fat% & make sure you look for a kibble that has limited ingredients & is around the same amount of protein fat & fiber & slowly introduce & get him use to a bit more protein etc if its higher then his regular kibble formula, I feed “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roast Lamb to my boy that has IBD & Skin Allergies, he does real well on Taste Of The Wild kibbles.
It’s Summer in Australia & I’ve just introduced Patch to “Holistic Select” Salmon, Anchovy & Sardines, Adult/Puppy grain free formula, I’ve read reviews & a lot of dogs with stomach bowel & skin problems are doing real well on the Holistic Select Salmon, Anchovy & Sardines Adult/Puppy Grain Free formula..
http://www.sportdogfood.com/dog-food/special-diet/grain-free/

[Susan W]

I tried Victor because it’s made locally (well, 2 counties over). I actually called them and asked if they’d ever had a recall before trying it – they haven’t. With that being said, I wasn’t impressed. The food smelled like dog food – i.e. yuck. My dogs didn’t like it either. It was a VERY short break (i.e. I bought a 5 pound bag & didn’t use all of it) in feeding VeRUS dog food. VeRUS has never had a recall, either. When I contacted them, they sent me free samples! Nice samples! My dogs really, really like this food – think Happy Feet when I set it down for them! And IT DOESN’T SMELL LIKE DOG FOOD! The formulas that utilize fish smell like fresh (live) fish all the way to the bottom of the bag. I currently feed their LifeAdvantage formula & it has no discernible smell.
VeRUS has 2 puppy food formulas, one for puppies that will grow to be less than 60 lbs, and a large breed formula. Then, as your puppy becomes a grown-up, you can easily switch to another formula for adult dogs – they have several options. The pricing for this food is very good for a premium dog food, and the results are noticeable. My dogs poop more efficiently with VeRUS. I have been fostering my mom’s dog for 3 months & have switched her to VeRUS (the dog, not my mom – LOL). The dog went from 4 poops a day w/lot of little kernels to 2 poops a day w/no little pieces. This is significant progress.
Enjoy your puppy!!

[Susan W]

FYI – I fed 4Health before I started w/VeRUS & was not happy w/it. I tried Victor as it is made locally but after feeding VeRUS & knowing how fresh it smells, I couldn’t cope with the smell of Victor. (Victor smells like your basic dog food, VeRUS either smells like fresh fish – in their fish formulas – or it doesn’t really have a scent). My dogs didn’t like Victor, either.
I haven’t tried Whole Earth Farms or Taste of the Wild but Taste/Wild has had some recall problems. VeRUS & Victor have never had a recall.

[crazy4cats]

I feed mostly Whole Earth Farms, Nutri Source, Victor or Taste of the Wild kibble to my large breed dogs. I mix with either Nature’s Domain or 4Health canned foods for morning meals. In the evening, I add either eggs, sardines, tripe or raw nuggets to their meals.

Hope this helps!

• This reply was modified 9 years ago by crazy4cats.

[Larry C]

I have a new bulldog and the breeder had the litter previously on Diamond and switched to Victor. Anyone have experience with Victor? I have never heard of the brand and it is not so easy to find. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

[Susan]

Hi T.G has your girl only ever eaten just Orijen kibble have you tried any other kibbles cause of her poos are soft?
you need to try a lower protein & a lower fat kibble some dogs just do not do well on high protein high fat kibbles, I have to stay under 28% for protein & stay under 15% for fat & need a lower Kcal/per cup ME kibble, under 380 Kcals/per cup….

I would not feed a senior kibble to a large breed puppy the senior kibbles have more Glucosamine, Chondroitin & Phosphorus, supplements for older dogs joints & you have a large breed you don’t want her bones to grow too quick…maybe someone else may know more…
I’ve emailed kibble companies cause I’ve seen large breed kibbles that have ingredients that my boy can eat & the fat & protein is what Patch does well on, I’ve asked them can I feed a large breed formula to my medium size dog & they have all yes its Ok to feed my boy a large breed kibble but I don’t think it’s a good idea to feed a senior formula to a large breed growing pup…
My boy is turning 8 in a few days & I don’t feed him a senior kibble some are too high in fiber for him & all the supplements they add don’t survive or aren’t as strong as when you add your own supplement to their diet & add a healthy fresh whole food to their diet…

You have to be careful with your dog doing sloppy poos everyday that she doesn’t get thickening of the bowel as she gets older. My boy is a rescue & has IBD, his vet was very worried that Patch may have thickening of the bowel & I didn’t want Patch opened up to find out so Patch had an Ultra Scan of the bowel, pancreas, stomach etc & from what the vet could see it didn’t look like Patch had thickening of the bowel….after rotating cooked foods & different kibbles he can just be put straight onto another brand of kibble that he has eatin before I don’t have to re introduce the kibble like I use too 3 yrs ago, but I stick with kibbles that are lower in fat & lower in protein cause he just can’t handle the higher Kcal formulas.. I also fed a home cooked meal for breakfast or swap around & feed cooked meal for dinner…

I’d start rotating between different brands & proteins this way if 1 kibble isn’t balanced properly, or something else is wrong with the kibble like the omega 6 is too high & the omega 3 is real low causing health problems this way they are not eating the same kibble for too long to cause any serious health problems…
I’d start looking at other large breed formula’s where the protein fat is lower then what she’s eating at the moment also change the protein get a different protein…

There’s Earthborn Holistic, they have never had a recall, there’s “Victor” or “Sport Dog Food Elite” Sport Dog Food has similar ingredients as Victor kibble but is cheaper, there’s Ziwi Peak is air dried raw & has wet tin foods as well my cat loves Ziwi Peak…There’s Canidae there’s a few really good kibbles around, they all don’t have to be 5 stars kibble…start adding fresh whole foods to the kibble…I follow Rodney Habib on face Book he’s got a really good video this week about chicken kibbles being high in omega 6 & very low in omega 3….
Start rotating one of these brands in your rotation that is lower in fat & protein with different ingredients also look at the Kcals per cup, pick a kibble that is lower in Kcals per cup then the Orijen she is eating at the moment…I can not feed any kibbles that are over 400Kcals per cup to my IBD dog, it’s just too much for him to digest & he does sloppy big poos about 3-4 a day…
I like kibbles where he only does 2 poos a day, “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb & Canidae Life Stages, All Life Stages formula, he only does 2 firm poos a day & poo’s are small….

Home Page

http://www.sportdogfood.com/grain-free-large-breed-large-bites-30-14/
http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
http://ziwipeak.com/

[Susan]

Hi, yes Dogs & Cats are dying younger & getting cancer more now then back in the 60’s 70’s & 80’s, our pets were being feed more home cooked meals & less kibble, they weren’t being vaccinated as much, we didn’t have all these toxic flea products, come on, read the instructions to a Flea Spot treatment, it says “Wear Gloves when applying” so imagine what the flea spot on does to our poor pets skin 🙁

Our pets did live longer years ago…Now more & more dogs & cats are dying from cancer &
other diseases….

Have a look at Maggie the oldest dog in the world, she died this year at the age of 30, yes 30yrs old, Maggie lived on a dairy farm here in Victoria Australia, she drank 1 fresh glass of milk straight from the cow 6am every morning till the day she died, she was not feed any dry kibbles, she was feed table scraps, raw & sometimes ate the placentas when the baby calves were born & also ate a dead calves that were born dead…Maggie ran 20-30km a day, about 15km of a morning rounding up the cows & 15km of an afternoon bringing the cows back home, Maggie was only vaccinated when she was a pup & that was that no more vaccinations…

It was all these big kibble companies that put the fear into people, telling them “Do not
feed cooked foods to your dogs, back in the 90’s these big kibble companies started saying home cooked meals & table scraps can kill our pets, they have done studies & proven dogs feed a few veggies & fresh meat added to their kibble 3 times a week reduces their risk of getting cancer..

Rodney Habib & Dr Karen Becker have an up hill struggle trying to educate the world that dry foods (kibble) aren’t as great as they say they are…Image if us humans just ate dry biscuits 24/7 our whole lives, I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t live as long as the person who ate freshly made meats & veggies…
Also we do not need to over vaccinate our dogs & cats we don’t get vaccinated every 1-3 years so why are vets vaccinating our pets?? there’s no need, Dr Ronald Schultz studied every major vaccine in over a thousand dogs and every study he delivered the same conclusion, every time vaccines for diseases like distemper, and canine parvovirus, once administered to adults animals provide lifetime immunity.
There’s is no need to vaccinate every year, if your worried then do tilters instead, it’s a simple blood test done in the vets clinic…
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/titers-avoiding-over-vaccination-in-dogs/
your pets will be fine…

Here’s Maggies Story, the interview with Maggies dad, just put your name & email then click sign up, then sit back, it’s a beautiful video Rodney has put together after Maggie passed away this year. there’s also a follow up video underneath Maggies video, Rodney
talking about what contributed to Maggie living so long, 30yrs old.

Home – new

[crazy4cats]

Hi Byron-
Is your dog a full grown adult? If yes, you don’t necessarily need to choose a large breed recipe. I’ve fed both Victor and NutriSource senior/weight management foods successfully. But, I mostly just try to pick kibble that is a little lower than average in both fat and calories and then add a little topper to keep them feeling full. The brand I feed my lab mix dogs most often is Whole Earth Farms. Good luck to you.

[Leslie P]

Thank you all for your comments. We did try the Victor Grain Free last week, only giving our 9-month old dog 10-12 small pieces of kibble. By day 5 the diarrhea started again. I’m really not sure at this point how to get him on a premium kibble since every reaction is the same. The ironic thing is that our dog HATES the Science Diet food. I put it down and he literally walks away. I have to add some ground turkey or other things to make it go down. We did try the Taste of the Wild lamb. Same results. I’m pretty sure he has irritable bowel syndrome and isn’t just a picky eater. Does anyone have experience with this?

[Freddy w]

Ops here is the link for victor dog food that I use

https://www.chewy.com/victor-hero-grain-free-dry-dog-food/dp/120702

[Freddy w]

Hello
I sort of had the same issue with my shepherds
But I found a solution that works well for them
It’s a dry dog good made by Victor

You can find it on chewy.com

There small bites so don’t get fooled by the photo of the German Shepherd
For my dogs the other dog foods had way to much fiber
Also my dogs are real active

Bets of luck to you

[Leslie P]

Hello, our boykin spaniel puppy came to us on Hill’s Science dry puppy food. After having researched this dog food we decided to upgrade his food to a higher quality product. We have now attempted to transition him FIVE times. Each and every time results with bad diarrhea that just won’t stop and this is only giving him a very small amount. So far we have tried Orijen, Fromm’s, Victor Grain Free, Taste of the Wild and Acana.

Does anyone have any suggestions? We think he may be allergic to chicken and we really prefer a grain-free diet for his breed.

[pitlove]

Personally, my food allergic dog can not handle grain free and gets the most severe stomach upset when he eats pea heavy foods. We made the mistake of trying NutriSource Seafood Select (since he does best on fish) and he ended up at the vet from a bad reaction to it.

There are plenty of really good grain inclusive foods out there. Dr. Tim’s, Victor, Fromm etc

[Susan]

Hi Jeff, why not keep Taste Of The Wild in your rotation & look for another 2 premium kibbles. Have a look at “Victor Premium” “Sport Dog Elite Series” “Earthborn Holistic” Primitive Natural & Coastal Catch
http://www.sportdogfood.com/dog-food/active-sporting/performance/
http://www.earthbornholisticpetfood.com/dog-food-formulas

[Pamela C]

Horizon Legacy with Salmon All Life Stages Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Victor Yukon River Salmon & Sweet Potato

[joanne l]

I just want everyone to know that evangers and Victor dog food is made by the same manufacture.

[Linda H]

Naturella: I went to the small family owned pet place this week to ask for Merrick because of it’s high ratings. The owner said they don’t carry Merrick since Purina bought them out.
She recommended Victor pet food because it is family owned and has always only made dog and cat food. I am sure there were other reasons also.

[InkedMarie]

This is an updated list of grain & white potato free foods. I included dry food only, no wet, raw, dehydrated or freeze dried. I included no part of white potato. Some foods on the prior list have been discontinued and a couple I can’t find ingredient lists for. I used the foods websites, not a pet food sellers website.

ACANA-Meadowland Regional
Wild Atlantic Regional
Appalachian Ranch Regional
Heritage
Heritage Freshwater Fish
Lamb & apple singles
Pork & squash singles
duck & pear singles
Wild Mackerel singles
Grasslands

AMICUS-small & mini breed adult
small & mini breed senior & weight management
small & mini breed puppy

ANNAMAET-Salcha Poulet

ARTEMIS-Osopure salmon
Osopure bison

AVODERM-senior health
joint health grain free chicken
Revolving Menu-all

BACKWOOD-buffalo & field pea
chicken & field pea
salmon & field pea

BROTHERS COMPLETE-all

BY NATURE-grainfree turkey & sweet potato
grain free ocean whitefish & green peas

CALIFORNIA NATURAL-all grain frees

CANIDAE-PURE Land
Pure Wild

CANINE CAVIAR-grainfree puppy
Leaping Spirit
Open Sky
Wild Ocean

CHICKEN SOUP-grainfree beef
grain free lamb

DAVES-both grain frees

DOG FOR DOG (formerly Freehand) both grainfree’s

DOGSWELL-Live Free salmon
Live Free chicken
Live Free turkey
Live Free lamb

EARTHBORN-Great Plains Feast
Meadow Feast
Large Breed
weight control

EVANGERS-grainfree whitefish & sweet potato
grain free chicken
grain free Meat Lovers Medley

EVO-all

FROMM-4 Star lamb & lentil
4 star pork & peas

GO! Sensitivity & Shine LID Duck
Sensitivity & Sine LID salmon
Sensitivity & Shine LID venison
Sensitivity & Shine grain free turkey

GRANDMA MAE’S COUNTRY NATURALS-grainfree only

GREAT LIFE-Dr E’s LID buffalo
Dr E’s LID duck
buffalo
salmon
chicken

HALO-Vigor turkey, chicken & salmon

HEALTH EXTENSION-grainfree buffalo & whitefish
grain free venison & chickpea
grain free duck & chickpea
grainfre salmon, herring & peas

HI TEK NATURALS-lamb, sweet potato & herring
chicken & sweet potato
Alaskan fish

HOLISTIC BLEND-Marine 5

HOLISTIC SELECT-grainfree adult health

HORIZON-Pulsar: fish
chicken
turkey
Legacy: salmon
adult
puppy

I AND LOVE AND YOU-salmon & trout
Nude: Simply Sea
Poultry Palooza
Red meat medley
Naked Essentials-lamb & bison
chicken & duck

KASIKS-Wild Pacific Ocean
Free Range lamb
Free Run Chicken

LOTUS-oven baked grain free turkey

MERRICK-grainfree rabbit & chickpea
grain free venison & chickpea

MUENSTER-grainfree all life stages

NATURAL BALANCE-Wild Pursuit: Trout/Salmon/Tuna
chicken/turkey/quail
lamb/chicken/guinea fowl
LID: legume & duck
legume & Wagyu Beef

NATURAL PLANET-rabbit & salmon
duck & whitefish

NATURAL PLANET ORGANICS-all grain frees

NATURES RECIPE-grainfree chicken, sweet potato & pumpkin

NATURES VARIETY-Instinct: all

NRG-Optimum line

NULO-all

NUTRISCA-all grainfree

NUTRISOURCE-grainfree chicken & pea
grain free seafood select
grain free lamb & pea
grain free small breed chicken
grain free Prairie Select

ORIJEN-all

PET BOTANICS-Healthy Omega chicken
Healthy Omega salmon
Healthy Omega lamb

PET KIND-all

PINNACLE-grainfree trout & sweet potato
grain free duck & sweet potato
grain free chicken & sweet potato

PIONEER NATURALS-all grain free

PRECISE-both grain frees

SOLID GOLD-Mighty Mini
Lil Boss
high protein with duck

SPORT DOG FOOD-Elite Beef
Elite whitefish
Elite chicken
Elite venison

TASTE OF THE WILD-Appalachian Valley
Pine Forest
Southwest Canyon

TUSCAN NATURALS-Ocean

UNDER THE SUN-All grain frees

VICTOR-grainfree active dog & puppy
Yukon River
lamb
chicken
Ultra Pro
Hero

WELLNESS-Core Wild Game
adult chicken
Tru Food: adult salmon & turkey
adult lamb
adult chicken
puppy

WILD CALLING-Rocky Mountain Medley-all
Western Plains Stampede all
Xotic Essentials-all

WYSONG-Epigen 90

ZIGNATURE-LID trout & salmon
LID kangaroo
LID turkey
LID lamb
LID duck
LID whitefish
Essential multi protein

ZOIC-all

4 HEALTH-puppy
small breed adult

[Susan]

Hi Peter, I have the same problem with my dog Patch that has IBD & food/skin allergies, tooo many big poo’s on certain kibbles…..Look at the Protein % as well, too much protein can also make poos bigger & softer, when my IBD boy eats a kibble with 30% & over in protein, he does 4-5 poos a day & when he eats kibbles with fillers like corn, gluten meal, barley, oats, millet, he gets itchy smelly skin & does big sloppy poos.. when I feed a kibble with under 30% protein around 26% protein & grain free with limited ingredients, my boy does only 2 poos a day…Taste Of The Wild, Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb seems to suit him the best out of all the kibbles I have tried & Canidae Pure Land, he does 1-2 small poos a day. Both these kibbles have limited ingredients…

Just keep rotating different brands of kibble until you work out which brands your pup does the best on, then rotate between them, never just feed the same brand for years & years also start adding some fresh whole foods to his kibble as well…

Finally people are telling these pet food industries, we’ve had enough, we love our pets & we want the best for them & don’t want to feed a kibble with maize, corn gluten meal, beet pulp, tallow, by-product meats, preservatives, food colouring etc…..
Back in the 1940-1980 dogs were feed table scraps & those dogs were much more healthier, they were not feed processed kibbles with maize/corn, gluten meal & by-product meats, they ate what we ate…then in the 90’s Hills & a few other pet food companies started saying, Don’t feed foods we eat, it’s not good for your dog, your dog needs a well balanced diet dry KIBBLE & people followed like sheep & still to this day, there’s still some un educated people who say “Oh no, you can’t feed your dogs & cats foods we eat”…..
50 yrs later finally people like Rodney Habib (someone you should follow on F/B) is saying enough is enough to these pet food companies & educating people to feed fresh meats, fresh fruits, fresh veggies again like our parents did…..Back in the 50’s 60’s & 70’s, dogs didn’t get cancer & have all these food & skin allergies, dogs didn’t have as many health problems as they do today, why??
Watch a video Rodney Habib put together called “Maggies Story the Oldest Dog in the World” Maggie was a kelpie X Cattle dog that lived on a dairy farm, Victoria Australia, she wasn’t over vaccinated, she only had her puppy vaccinations, she wasn’t desexed until she was 14yr old cause a dairy worker brought his dog with him & Maggie fell pregnant, she lived till she was 30yrs old & just passed away in her sleep this year…she wasn’t feed kibble, you have to watch the video to see what she ate & drank…

Your on the right track, you’ve know about ingredients in kibbles, now start looking at healthy foods to add to the kibble, they did a study & found dogs that were feed 1 tablespoon of fresh foods added to kibble just 3 times a week reduced their chances of getting cancer, the post is on Rodney Habib F/B page, there’s lots of excellent info on Rodney F/B page https://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib/?pnref=story

Have you tried Ziwi Peak Air dried raw?, I use the Ziwi Peak as treats when I don’t have any fruit like apple, water melon or raw almonds & I have just started my 5 month kitten on the cat Ziwi Peak & then when she loses her teeth I will be giving her a chicken wing once a week to clean her teeth, look after your pups teeth, small breeds are prone to teeth problems, give a raw chicken wing once/twice a week for breakfast, peel off the skin so there’s less fat…also email kibble companies & ask for samples..Ziwi Peak sends out samples http://www.ziwipeak.com Good-Luck

[crazy4cats]

Hi again-
The food that worked the best for my dogs when they were going through a similar stage was a Victor’s grain free formula. But I’m not sure if it is suitable for a growing large breed pup. You also may want to think about using a supplement that contains a probiotic and ingredients that help soothe and heal the gut. I like and still use from time to time supplements such as Perfect Form, Vetri Pro BD, Gastriplex, Forti Flora or Phytomucil.

I have two lab/retriever mix male siblings who turn five this week. We had a rough start too, but are doing well now and can rotate between a few different kibbles and toppers finally without issue.

Best of luck to you. I know it’s stressful!

• This reply was modified 9 years, 5 months ago by crazy4cats.

[Kim B]

Mike,
I have giant schnauzer puppies, the breeder now uses Victor Active Dog & Puppy Formula.
First pup is 10 months old, new one is 8 weeks old. I want to know if this is a quality product?

When I got the first pup, tried Origen but it was too rich for her – Black stool and then diarrhea. Ended up trying 2 others with the same result and then ended up with Hills Diet Ideal Balance large breed puppy chicken and brown rice. Appears to be doing well, and shiny coat. Should I switch my new pup over?
Victor is rated 5 star but is not listed anywhere on editor’s choice. The Hills Diet Ideal Balance
was listed as a secondary or alternative choice for puppy foods?

How can I feed the right food when breeder tells me one thing, trainer says another, vet does not suggest a specific dog food only says no to certain brands and watch calcium level, and your forum says something else…Very confused and frustrated. The first 6 months are the most important for development and I am again unsure what is best. I know kidney issues are prone to this breed so a diet that is too rich can stress the kidneys over time. Please help!
Kim

[crazy4cats]

Hi harp31-
I know the ingredients do not look very enticing in the prescription food and is more expensive than it should be. But, have you considered feeding it for a while to heal your puppies tummies? I have fed it to one of my cats and both dogs after they suffered health conditions. They are now all transitioned to non-Rx food and doing great. My dogs with tummy issues do well on kibble that is a little higher in fiber and mid range protein. They did great on Pure Vita Turkey and do fine on the Whole Earth Farms, Nutrisource, Victor and 4Health grain free brands. I also want to try the Fromm weight management kibble.

So, anyway, I don’t think you have to be afraid of the Rx food to help your dog’s heal. I believe that it can serve a useful purpose in certain conditions. Best of luck to you. I dealt with yucky poop for a long time and I know it gets stressful!

[boobear27]

Looking to switch my senior dog’s food..I have an 11 year old Rat terrier and I use to feed her Wellness complete health small breed dry food, but it was causing her to gain weight even when I gave less her less she just wasn’t shedding the pounds..When we took her out to the yard to play and have some exercise she will play for a little then just lose interest and not being too active like our Toy poodle is..She is kind of a couch potato too:) We switched her to Wellness core reduced fat and she loved it! She loved the bigger sized kibble she’s a small dog but a large dog chewer:) She actually crunched and munched on this formula, with the Wellness small breed tiny sized kibble she would just inhale it..This was also why we had to buy a small feeding bowl..She shed all those unwanted pounds and started being more active again:)..The problem I’m having now is that she lost interest in this formula..She is a food obsessive kind of dog everytime I use to give her her meal she will dig right in and now everytime I give her her meal she looks at it and walks away for a while then will come back and she will eat some of it then walk away again for awhile and then come back eat some more and then walk away again..It’s like she’s just forcing herself to eat it because she’s hungry and she won’t eat the whole portion I give her..The only way she gets excited about the food is when I put water or chicken broth in it and then she will dig right in and eat her full portion, but I don’t wet her food all the time I switch it up by giving it to her dry or wet..She also has a gas problem she has really stinky farts and I noticed she gets these loose or soft stools..We have to express her anal glands like twice a month. I was looking to switch her food to a different grain free food something that’s also reasonably priced..I was looking at the brands taste of wild, Victor, and 4Health, but can’t decide which would be the best choice..I’ve read some mixed reviews and they had some recalls in the past..Has anybody had any luck on these brands? Which will be the better choice for my senior dog? I’m gonna make a vet appt to get her teeth checked, but I think I’m done with the Wellness brand..My toy poodle doesn’t seem to be interested in her Wellness small breed either.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Linda C-

Both Victor and NutriSource have senior recipes that are higher in protein than most senior foods that I have fed. But, I think the best thing you can do for your dog is to add meal mixers or toppers to your dog’s meals to increase the nutritional value of dry dog food.

Adding less processed foods such as, eggs, sardines, canned and/or fresh foods, I believe is a big boost to my dogs’ meals.

Here is a download that may be helpful:
http://www.dogwise.com/ItemDetails.cfm?ID=DN330EBK
It is only $2.95 and may give you some good ideas. Here is another link that can give you some free ideas:
http://www.dogaware.com/diet/freshfoods.html

Hope this helps. Good luck!

[Megan N]

I keep hearing things about Victor dry dog food. Does anyone have information on this brand? What grade via the DGAdvusor has or would give it? TIA

[Susan]

They send out samples as well, it’s on their Face Book Page, they also give a $15 coupons with the samples, there’ s a link on “Sport Dog food” F/B to get your samples….I think who makes Victor makes this new Elites line cause Victor is on their F/B page as well…..

[DieselJunki]

For an 18 month old I wouldn’t worry about having to feed him a specific large breed dog food. When he was a puppy feeding a food specified for large breed puppies would have been best but don’t panic if you didn’t. It’s just due to the fact that large breed dogs supposedly have slightly different nutritional requirements in their early growth stages. Now you can feed just about whatever you’d like.

Orijen is top of the line but extremely expensive, especially when you’re feeding 4 cups a day like I do for my big guy so I just can’t swing that type of price for a 26-28lb bag.

You mentioned you were a member of the Editors Choice here. There are loads of brands to look into there and they even have a Budget Friendly list. For my 100lb Ambull I feed Dr. Tims, Victor, and Wellness Core so far. I buy their biggest bag which is usually anywhere from 26-30lbs and change to the next protein source within that brand or change brands completely after each bag. I also top the kibble with some canned food every so often (when budget allows) and do fish oil on the kibble as well.

[DieselJunki]

If budget is an issue for you and Orijen is too expensive (as it is for me at the moment, trust me, wish I could feed it!) there are a few budget friendly dog foods out there like Victor, which I just ordered their Ultra Pro 42 Grain Free but they do have a puppy and active dog bag. Dr. Tims is another brand, one highly spoken of here although they don’t specifically have a puppy formula they do have an All Life Stages one.

All these can be found on the Chewy website. I live in CA, ordered Thursday and the food was here today even though it said it may be here Tuesday of next week. Very impressed with that.

I add fish oil to my dogs food everyday. Occasionally I’ll top my dogs food with an egg, a decent 4-5 star wet food with the gravy in it, or some raw meat if it’s gotten a little freezer burned in my freezer and I don’t care to eat it that way.