[Marionne H]

Thanks pugmomsandy! I’ll have to give some of those kibbles a try! Always great to have recommendations! I’m not familiar with Pro Pac or Nutrisource, I’ll have to look them up.(My last dog was larger so kibble size was not an issue)

And thanks to the other poster as well. My little girl isn’t a senior, she’s about 3, but she’s a Chihuahua x Dachshund and has a smaller mouth. She just did not care at all for the typical sized Acana kibble, too big to eat easily and didn’t seem too excited about the flavor either. I’ve had to use some form of top dressing with my other dogs too, but hoping to find a kibble she’s interested in…and we’ll add broth or top dressing as we need to.

Thanks much!

[Marionne H]

I’m looking for recommendations for kibble for the small breed dog I recently adopted. She’s on Evo Small Bites Chicken and Turkey, but I have concerns about Evo’s quality record. I did a bunch of research and decided we’d try Acana…got a bag of Wild Prairie today and offered her a few kibbles. The kibbles are just a little too large for her, she has to pick each one up and break it and didn’t seem at all thrilled with the taste of it. So, back to the drawing board for me. Recent changes in the pet food market make it difficult to know what is safe. Looking for a high quality petite kibble from a reputable company.

[Ed W]

Has any one tried Acana Puppy Large Breed Formula . I would like to here back on any ones thoughts . Thank you Ed .

[Marionne H]

Thanks zcRiley – good point about how the smallest change can throw everything out of balance. Looks like the Acana will certainly be changing as they change local sourcing from Canada to Kentucky. So it’s going to change no matter what. I just hope it’s as good and they maintain the same standards of quality. I may have to give Zignature another look; I tried it with my previous dog and it was not the solution for him but seemed like an excellent food. Thanks again.

[Mallary P]

Hi all:

My beloved (spayed) Shih Tzu will be 9 years old this year and I’ve recently [this month] switched her to the Fromm Surf and Turf Grain Free food, which she seems to enjoy. My dog has LOTS of food allergies and we spent about two years plus lots of trial/error to find her a good food. In the beginning the vet had her on Science Diet and steroids for about a week, but that was not a long term solution. She gets whelps (almost like acne) all over her and it’s very itchy. Poor baby. For a long time, she was on Nature’s Recipe limited Ingredient Chicken and Sweet Potato Food. She did well on it [no breakouts], but it wasn’t as great when I read the report on her. Given that she is moving into her senior years, I want to make sure she has the best quality everything because I love her and I want her around for a long time. She gets a decent amount of exercise for a Shih Tzu and is a good weight–according to the vet.

I see some of the forums on here suggesting that they given their dogs different high quality foods in rotation. She’s really enjoying Fromm, but I would like to give her another high quality food to give her some variety. Any recommendations? Acana, Orijen, etc?

She generally does better with Chicken, Salmon, and duck. Beef, Pork, and too much diary has proven to be no-nos in our house. She loves raw carrots as a treat and antler bones to chew. Sometimes I give her high quality canned food, so if I could get both kibble/ canned food recommendations that would be great!

[zcRiley]

Orijen started building its new facilities 2 years, stating it couldn’t meet the demands for the US and shipping costs were rising, etc. After 3 years of rotating high quality dog foods, I’ve learned that the smallest change can wreak havoc on a great dog food. The look and smell or a bad reaction from my pups (gas, diarrhea). Kentucky is not Canada no matter how you slice n dice it. See if your pet does well on Acana now, if yes, you’ll eventually get a bag made here in the states. My babies were thriving on Orijen Adult until they made a tweak in the ingredients resulting in tons of vet visits. We are now extremely happy on Zignature Zssentials and Halo Vigor and ZiwiPeak.

[Marionne H]

Hi Deb B,

Yes, the change is majorly featured on the Acana website. The fact that they are being open about it and are promoting the change is a good sign, but it still makes me nervous. We’ve seen too many changes in the dog food industry that are not for the better. You can find the info here:
http://acana.com/dogstar-kitchens/?lang=usa

Acana intended for the US markets will be manufactured in the new Kentucky kitchens. I believe that Orijen intended for the US market will also be manufactured in Kentucky over time. There is a mention of Orijen being produced in Kentucky on this site, and I am still researching that.

[Marionne H]

I’ve been debating on switching my dog to Acana. I like that it is made by Champion (same manufacturer as Orijen) and that it is manufactured in Canada. However, Champion is moving the manufacturing for Acana to Kentucky. I am concerned that the quality could begin to slide. Any thoughts on this?

[Naturella]

Kim M., welcome to the forum, you will find tons of useful information here! 🙂

And you are welcome, anytime! Happy to help if I can. Actually, my list has expanded as I have done more research, but just know, these are MOSTLY poultry-free (if not, it is notated), but I was not looking for potato-free options necessarily. Some do happen to be potato-free, but you would have to look into it separately. Here is my updated list:

Orijen
Six Fish
Regional Red
Tundra (duck – MAYBE)

Acana
Wild Atlantic
Appalachian Ranch
Grasslands (duck, eggs – MAYBE)
Freshwater Fish
Heritage Meats
Wild Mackerel
Lamb and Apple
Pork and Squash

EVO
Herring and Salmon Formula
Red Meat Small Bites

Nature’s Variety Instinct
Salmon
Rabbit
Raw Boost Lamb

Castor and Pollux
Ultramix Salmon
Ultramix Red Meat with Raw Bites

Merrick
Backcountry Raw Infused Pacific Catch Recipe
Backcountry Raw Infused Great Plains Red Meat
Grain Free Salmon and Sweet Potato
Grain Free Real Texas Beef and Sweet Potato
Grain Free Lamb and Sweet Potato

ZiwiPeak (air-dried, not kibble)
Venison and Fish
Venison
Beef
Lamb

Annamaet
Aqualuk
Manitok

TimberWolf Organics
Ocean Blue
Wilderness Elk and Salmon
Black Forest Venison and Lamb
Lamb with Potatoes and Apples

Wellness Core
Ocean

Victor
Yukon Salmon and Sweet Potato

Horizon Legacy
Adult Fish

Fromm Gold
Salmon Tunalini
Beef Frittata Veg
Lamb and Lentil

I and Love and You
Simply Sea
Red Meat Medley

Holistic Select
Grain Free Salmon, Anchovy, and Sardine Meal

Only Natural Pet
Just Fish Feast
Red Meat Feast
Lamb and Cod Air Dried
Beef Air Dried
Lamb and Sweet Potato Easy Raw
Beef and Sweet Potato Easy Raw

Wysong
Epigen Fish
Epigen Venison
Anergen 2 – Rabbit

Canine Caviar
Wild Ocean
Wilderness
Open Range
Open Meadow

Earthborn Holistic
Coastal Catch
Great Plains Feast

Zignature
Whitefish
Trout and Salmon
Kangaroo
Lamb
Zssential (turkey, duck – MAYBE)

Canidae Pure
Sea
Land

AvoDerm
Trout and Pea
Lamb and Sweet Potato

NutriSource
Seafood Select

Pure Vita
Salmon and Peas
Bison and Pea
Venison and Red Lentils (fat product – MAYBE)

Farmina (eggs – MAYBE)
N&D Grain Free Fish and Orange
N&D Grain Free Lamb and Blueberry

Weruva (eggs – MAYBE)
Venison and Salmon Meal Dinner with Pumpkin
Lamb Dinner with Lentils

Taste of the Wild
Pacific Stream Puppy
Appalachian Valley (egg, duck – MAYBE)
Pine Forest (egg – MAYBE)
Southwest Canyon (egg – MAYBE)
Sierra Mountain (egg – MAYBE)

Dogswell LiveFree (egg – MAYBE)
Salmon
Lamb

Nutrisca (egg – MAYBE)
Salmon and Chickpea

[Laura M]

I also highly recommend Acana. Great quality and my super fussy boy loves it. They opened a manufacturing plant in Kentucky and they are changing formulas very soon so I am cautiously optimistic their food remains top notch with the change of plants in the US and new formulas. I think their standards are high and will remain so.

[Deb B]

Hi Debbie…been trying to reply to your question, but having trouble. Anyway…we fed proplan to out 13 year old lab up to about 6 months ago…just felt it was time to give her a better quality food after all these years! We decided on Acana…and she loves it, and it is a little more pricey, but I think worth it. Coming from Canada, we are also happy to support a Canadian brand…you might want to check it out…really good quality.

[Mary Susan S]

We have two bichons. One of them (now almost 12) has been diagnosed with allergies ever since she was two, and the baby of the family (now three) may be developing them. We want to feed them the same kibble in any case. The senior dog’s allergies got worse last year, and we started looking at a food component for the first time.

We have the joy and trouble of having a very particular veterinary allergist. She wanted originally to sell us a prescription diet, which “is not rated due to its intentional therapeutic design” here on the DFA. But the ingredient list speaks volumes: “Dried potato, venison meal, coconut oil, potato protein, hydrolyzed soy protein, natural flavors, vegetable oil, fish oil, ….” I dug my heels in. Luckily for me, they had added the hydrolyzed soy protein when my allergist’s back was turned. Supposedly, this doesn’t trigger allergies the way plain soy does, but I could claim principle. Really, I objected to feeding my dogs potatoes flavored with venison!

At that point, the doctor wanted us to cook for our dogs, which I also refused to do on the grounds that I don’t cook for us, either. However, if you are willing to do so, you will definitely know what your dog is getting. With otc kibbles, apparently, you don’t, not really. Even a high-quality company (one that actually makes their own kibble) probably makes different formulas on the same equipment, and might or might not clean thoroughly enough in-between runs. My allergist knows of a website that helps with balanced recipes for dogs, and if you like, I could find out what it is.

But we forged onward, valiantly. Our allergist likes Champion because they make their own kibble and in general maintain very high quality. So first I went for ACANA Lamb & Okanagan Apple Singles Formula. However, doc cited research at Cornell that a diet limited to lamb is linked to heart disease in dogs. Pork is a common allergen, too, so we first picked a rabbit-only kibble that did fine in terms of allergies but had our younger dog eating dirt. I wish Acana made Singles in the more unusual meats, like venison! But we then tried Acana Singles Pork and Butternut Squash, and fortunately, our dogs seem to be doing well enough on it. (Yes, on top of drugs — Atopica — for our senior dog.)

It’s been rough, because our babies like their treats and kongs and such. The only “limited diet” canned food I’ve been able to find that my allergist didn’t promptly dismiss out of hand is Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet. (Although I have to confess, she really wants us to go with baby food. Sadly, the only single-protein baby food we could find was too runny to keep inside a kong.) At least rabbit or pork (and nothing else) treats have been findable on Chewy.com, although they’re expensive.

The key to what you’re doing is to know your kibble ingredient list, cross your fingers and hope that that is actually all that’s in the bag, and not buy anything else. No treats from the table (except for steamed or raw vegetables), that sort of thing. (Oddly, peanut butter was fine with a veterinary allergist!) Oh was there joy in this house when we got to the point of adding cheese back into the dogs’ diet!

Be especially careful with eggs, by the way, because it’s in just about all the quality foods (like the Fromm brand you’re talking about), and is apparently a very common allergen. We probably won’t ever try putting it back. You need to go at least two months with a given set of foods before adding anything, and then one at a time.

I hope this helps, especially the warning about an all-lamb diet. Unfortunately, I don’t have an actual citation for it.

[Tyler G]

I recently just adopted a 4 month old puppy (estimated we really don’t know how old she is but that’s what the adoption center told us). I currently have my two year old dog on Acana singles. Will my puppy be ok to eat that because I would love to keep them on the same foods. They’re both dachshund mixes. I was considering switching to Fromm or Merrick. Any advice?

[Cannoli]

Fromm, Acana, and Origen are all great foods. When my pup was under 8 months old these were part of my rotations. He did great of them. None of these companies ever had a food recall.

But then I realized that I can home feed my pup the same meats that Origen provides at the same price so I dropped the kibble part. Why pay so much for processed food when I can pay the same amount for fresh meats,fruits, and vegetables.

In regards to your second question I concur with Pitlov. Although Origen does do a freeze dried version of their foods that is for all life stages.

[Lorelee H]

Hi guys!
I’m new here — just found this forum. Thank goodness for you all!

I have a 13 month old labrador retriever, large, stocky English lines, currently weighing around 87 lbs. He was neutered 3 weeks ago.

His breeder had him on Purina Pro Plan puppy and I kept him on that until he was diagnosed with acid reflux. He is on a daily Pepcid and per vet he has been on Royal Canin prescription high energy food for several months. No more problems with reflux.

SO, my first question (if you made it this far!): I’d like to transition him to another food. Vet (of course) suggests that he stay on Royal Canin prescription or Hill’s or an over the counter Royal Canin.

I’ve checked out Fromm, Acana, Wellness, Orijen. Also the food sold at Costco (my last lab was on their lamb and rice and did great).

Second question: Should he be on the puppy version OR the adult version?

Thank you SO much for your advice!

Lora (and Truman!)

[Lisa O]

It simply means you are going to have a big dog lol! Nutritional requirements are based somewhat on the breed,,but more so on what the average optimal weight of that breed should be. Larger breeds usually reach their height around the 1 year mark and then may fill out a bit more throught second year. Stick to a good brand that does not have more calcium than is needed and optimum protein levels. If your dog is growing at fast rate, as mine did, feed three meals a day so that she gets a steady flow of nutrition and not overload her body, as I am sure she is pretty active and has high energy needs.
I now only feed Acana or Orijen to my dogs along with some homemade fresh food. The actual,best way to tell if you are over or underfeeding is by the body shape. They should not be rotund and you should be able to feel a bit of the ribs. Obviously, weighing her every few weeks is a tell tale sign. Hope this helps!

[Karen D]

Hi, I started feeding my soon to be 14 yr. old the Orijen Senior on recommendation from this site last Nov., she loved it for the first 15# bag, the next 28# bag not so much, to the point of spitting it out… she has been diagnosed with a heart murmur recently & put on Vetmedin & Vet says the Orijen Sr. has too much protein at 38% & she would like to see it around 26-27%. I don’t know if not feeling well contributed to her not liking it or what, so I ordered Acana Duck & Bartlett Pear with 27% protein. I gave the neighbor dog a sniff of the Orijen instead of her usual Fruitable treat & she walked away. maybe I got a bad batch?

[Jazzlover]

Yes, this is the Dip I use, however because Jazz is a black lab it’s advised to NOT use the peroxide as a dip because it can bleach the black fur per Dr. Karen Becker. Watch this one it’s full of insight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl_X1I1GJ1Q.

I do believe Jazz very well may be allergic to grass and that could be exasperating the yeast. I had switched from Orijen Adult to Acana limited ingredient initially thinking he could be allergic to chicken. Unfortunately, I just found out that the Acana limited has more carbs then Orijen (& the yeast became worse) – Orijen Tundra has ~17.5% carbs (the least of all in their lines). I’ve always fed grain-free and now trying low-glycemic. Going raw for a 90lb papa is not affordable sadly w/ 2 teenage boys in the house.

I’m open to other healthy toppers or 1 raw day if someone has suggestions!

~Thanks

Thanks for the cream info!

[Jazzlover]

You can also buy witch hazel wipes. Witch hazel is also recommended by Dr. Karen Becker. Sherrie, please share the name of the wash & cream you mention? Unclear what the cream is for.

How about yeasty feet remedies that work please? I just began doing foot baths w/ vinegar & water, & the off days cleaning webbed feet and nails w/ same but wiping w/ cotton balls. Will bathe 1x/wk w/ antibacterial/antifungal shampoo.

Has anyone had success w/ a cream to fight the bacterial/fungal after cleaning the paws? Now I’m trying coconut oil.

I’m actively trying to remedy this… I switched to from Orijen (other), Acana & Merrick canned to Orijen Tundra because I called and this one has the lowest carbs of both (all) lines, and to instinct canned. I will continue to use sardines as a now and then topper aswell. Adding plain greek yogurt & oregano or ACV.

[Sandra C]

I just bought some on line – I used to buy Flint River Ranch – but found they went out of business this month. The distributor I bought FRR from is now selling Tender & True.

I also use ACANA.

Would be useful to get a review on this product.
I tried to check all the ingredients carefully.
Thanks

[Aimee]

I recently got a 4-year old pure bred Brussels Griffon (11 lbs) from a breeder. The dog is in PERFECT shape for his breed! Lean and trim with plenty of energy, clear eyes and good breath, does his business regularly and eats heartily.

I work long hours Monday-Friday (typically 11-12 hour days) and I’ve been taking him to a dog sitter every day I work so he can have plenty of attention and exercise. This dog sitter also walks dogs as a business, so my dog gets to join him on a lot of those walks a few days a week, so he gets pretty great exercise. I’d say on average, he probably walks 10-16 miles a week between the sitter and myself.

I feed my dog around 1/2 a cup of very good quality (Acana) dry food in the morning and he gets a few tablespoons at night. I send him to the sitter with usually a few tablespoons of some veggie, like steamed broccoli or raw baby carrots that is his treat mid-day. He also gets usually 4 of those fresh breath chewsticks and training treats a week along with usually 1-2 bully sticks a week. Once a week I’ll give him a little peanut butter or cottage cheese too.

The sitter has his own dog that he’ll feed fruit to every day (usually melons, like honeydew) and will give my dog a few pieces usually. I don’t really like this because I want to have control over everything my dog eats… but I also know that my dog is getting a lot of exercise and it probably won’t hurt him.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you think a little fruit and veggies during the day is ok? Like I said, his poops are consistent and not runny and he doesn’t seem to be gaining any weight from it.

[Karen D]

I guess I’m the only one who has had a dog faint? Back to Vet yesterday & showed her the ingredients from Orijen Senior & she says all good stuff EXCEPT too much protein 38%, she would like to see 27-28% & she recommended dry Hills W/D, I bought a 8# bag against my better judgement. Pnut spit it out but she has also spit out the Orijen since she fainted but ate it with gusto for the past 3 months but eats the Acana Duck/Bartlett pear I bought as a sample.

[Linda H]

I ordered Acana but the shoppe called to come pick it up and it was orijen when I got there. So we have used Orijen large puppy food and the pup is happy and her coat more shiny.

[Anne C]

I would like to see Performatrin Ultra Grain-Free Ocean Recipe – love it!! Tried to change to Acana but the ‘tummies’ didn’t care for it but Performatrin was and is fantastic for my dogs.

[RebeccaRose]

Hello all. E W, thank you for that point of view. I will definitely keep that in mind. How is it diagnosed? Good luck to you hope your pup gets better.

Well my Shih Tzu is doing much better. She has not had biopsy but the vet thinks IBD is a strong possibility. The Wellness never did work for us. After repeated episodes like in my original post, although not as severe, we moved completely away from chicken &/or turkey foods and she improved. It wasn’t easy… we went through 3 or 4 more foods before finally finding one that she loves & her poops are great & she has very minimal vomiting.

She now receives a 1/2 a 10 mg Pepcid every night very late, about midnight. Her meals are still spaced out with the last being at 10 pm. The food she is currently on is higher in fat that any of the other foods she’s been on but it has helped the most of any food she’s ever tried. We have been on it for 7 months. It is Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach Salmon.

I hesitate to even put that in my post because I know the hatred this community has for Purina… but I have learned the hard way that you feed what works. And this works for us. I am including the name so that it might help others from what I’ve been through. You can spend all the money you have on premium bags of dog food & still have sick dogs, I can speak from experience as I have tried some of the best, most expensive foods & she still was sick.

I keep a list of foods that I am going to try should we start having problems again. Maybe this list will help others if they are looking for a food that is either low in fat, good for a predominantly vomiting dog, sensitive stomachs, upper intestinal IBD, wanting/needing to stay away from chicken, or wanting a LID diet, or wanting to start a novel protein…

*Natural Balance: Potato & Rabbit, or Sweet Potato & Bison, or Potato & Duck, or Legume & Duck, or Sweet Potato & Venison. All these NB choices are around 10/11% fat & 4% fiber.

*Acana Singles (might have to order online) 15% fat 6.5% fiber.

*Zigniture Brand.

*Rayne Dog Food: Rabbit & Sweet Potato Dry (have to order online).

*First Mate.

*Fromm Gold Coast Weight Management Ocean Fish, 10% fat 7% fiber.

*Annamaet 24% Option Formula Salmon & Venison, 13% fat 4% fiber.

*Wellness Simple LID Healthy Weight Salmon & Peas, 8% fat & 6% fiber.

[Naturella]

I have a list of foods for my dog, for whom I need to use chicken-free foods, and I would steer clear of all poultry just in case, but I have all those foods on my list, plus some more. I would share it with you, but I didn’t look for potato-free options – you can check them out and see which ones fit your bill – but the foods mentioned above are all meaty and potato-free from what I saw, so they should work for you. 🙂

Here is my list, in case you are interested, and FYI, not all are labeled if they have eggs – only if they have the actual meat like duck or turkey:

*Orijen*
Six Fish
Regional Red
Tundra (duck – MAYBE)

*Acana*
Wild Atlantic
Appalachian Ranch
Grasslands (duck, eggs – MAYBE)
Freshwater Fish
Heritage Meats
Wild Mackerel
Lamb and Apple
Pork and Squash

*EVO*
Herring and Salmon Formula
Red Meat Small Bites

*Nature’s Variety Instinct*
Salmon
Rabbit
Raw Boost Lamb

*Castor and Pollux*
Ultramix Salmon
Ultramix Red Meat with Raw Bites

*Merrick*
Backcountry Raw Infused Pacific Catch Recipe
Backcountry Raw Infused Great Plains Red Meat
Grain Free Salmon and Sweet Potato
Grain Free Real Texas Beef and Sweet Potato
Grain Free Lamb and Sweet Potato

*Farmina* (eggs – MAYBE)
N&D Grain Free Fish and Orange
N&D Grain Free Lamb and Blueberry

*Annamaet* (has potatoes)
Aqualuk
Manitok

*TimberWolf Organics*
Ocean Blue
Wilderness Elk and Salmon
Black Forest Venison and Lamb
Lamb with Potatoes and Apples (obviously, has potatoes)

*Wellness – Core*
Ocean

*Victor*
Yukon Salmon and Sweet Potato

*Horizon Legacy*
Adult Fish

*Fromm Gold*
Salmon Tunalini
Beef Frittata Veg
Lamb and Lentil

*I and Love and You – Nude*
Simply Sea
Red Meat Medley

*Only Natural Pet*
Just Fish Feast
Red Meat Feast

*Wysong*
Epigen Fish
Epigen Venison
Anergen 2 – Rabbit

*Canine Caviar*
Wild Ocean
Wilderness
Open Range
Open Meadow

*Earthborn Holistic*
Coastal Catch
Great Plains Feast

*Holistic Select*
Grain Free Salmon, Anchovy, and Sardine Meal

*Zignature*
Whitefish
Trout and Salmon
Kangaroo
Lamb
Zssential (turkey, duck – MAYBE)

*Canidae Pure*
Sea
Land

[Naturella]

Orijen is another great option, with 2 of the formulas being poultry-free; Acana has some that fit the bill; Timberwolf Organics too (but has sweet potatoes), Nature’s Variety Instinct, Farmina (has eggs) – those are all options you may wish to consider. 🙂

[Renee D]

Hello, I’d like to nominate THK Embark in particular. Have been using this since Oct. 2015 for my 2.5 y/o Golden Retriever after switching from kibble. He previously ate Acana or Orijen exclusively. I am thrilled with results for him! On acana and orijen he always had soft smelly stools no matter what I did. Not so on THK. Great stool. I also include PRIMAL DEHYDRATED NUGGETTS on rotational basis( lamb, beef, turkey/sardine) and think this product deserves consideration. I plan on rotating more formulas with these 2 brands and feel I’m feeding the best of the best for my boy. Please consider. Have been disappointed to not see it as they are both on other sites as top quality food.
Thanks for what you do!
Renee and Marley

[Marilyn G]

I have read Steve Brown’s Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet and See Spot Live Longer. I would like to begin with the ABC plan once a week. I have an 11 pound Silky Terrier and I feed him Acana Wild Prairie dry food. On the bag is says Crude Protein (min.) 31% and Crude Fat (min.) 17%. So, I’m assuming that I would feed him the ABC2 plan. Would that be correct? Also, in the table there is no column for a 10 pound dog, so I’m wondering if it is safe to assume that I would feed him 4 oz. of heart, 3/4 can of sardines, 1 egg white, 1/4 egg yolk, 2 oz. vegetables and fruit. Would that be correct? Also, is the weight of the heart before cooked or after? I want to be sure that I have the amounts correct because I don’t want to cause him any health issues and possibly shorter life. I want to do what’s best for him. Any comments would be appreciated. Thank you.

[Jenn H]

Wendyz I had replied this morning, but am just noticing that I must not have hit “submit”. Therefore I apologize for the delay.

I will say that after about 20 GSDs in 35+ yrs only 1 of them had pano. That was when I was a teenager. Therefore I had no control on what the dogs were fed. I just fed them according to parents’ instruction. At that time Pedigree, Purina, Blue Seal, etc were considered great food. Canned was to be used very rarely and only to give pills or extra during very cold times.
That dog grew very big very quickly. At 2 he was heading toward 100#s. Since he died suddenly at 2.5 from torsion we’ll never know what he would’ve topped out at.

With the exception of a couple of dogs I have adopted as adults, none of the 20ish dogs I’ve had have gotten hip/elbow dysplasia, OCD, arthritis, etc. With the proper diet, exercise & supplements the arthritic dogs became noticeably better. (Supplements are a whole other conversation.)

I worry about my pup because I have no idea what his father is like. His mother was a “midnight rescue”. She is 90+ lbs. His confirmation isn’t ideal. Angulated hips, roach back. Since switching him tho he has developed more muscle tone which I think has gotten him to stop walking on his hocks and has a better coat. He is also more satisfied after meals despite being fed much less amt.

It appears that quality of the proteins is more important than the quantity. Stay away from plant based. Go for meats/fish/eggs as a source. Higher biological value. Protein is important to build muscle.

You also want to control the rate of growth. GSDs can grow until they’re 3 y/o. My boy has steadily gained 2 #s/wk his whole life. Once in a while he doesn’t gain anything, but will gain 3#s the next wk.

It’s perfectly fine to give joint supplements at 6 months. Right now he gets 1.5 tabs Cosequin DS (the kind WITHOUT vitamins & minerals).

Make sure that if fish is in the food it is NOT preserved by the supplier or manufacturer with Ethoxyquin. Solid Gold & their suppliers do not use that.

If you want to have more control over proteins The Honest Kitchen may be a good choice. Even if you only feed 1 meal/day or a few meala/wk. When I contacted them regarding the puppy they suggested this:
4-6 mon Thrive
After 6 months transition/rotate with Embark, Love, Revel, Brave (that’s a LID of fish).
They make human grade dehydrated base mixes. You add the protein yourself. They include the suggested amts, but really it’s up to you.

I like to keep my puppies on the leaner side while they grow. A roly poly puppy is cute, but not ideal. I find 22-25% protein to be a good amt. But I care more about what type and the calcium.

Other LBP foods on my short list are:
*Orijen LBP/Acana
*Fromm LBP Gold although I’m hesitant to try it since a lot of people are complaining their dogs are getting sick from their gold line.
*Solid Gold Hundchen Flocken Lamb & Rice. I used it when I couldn’t find Wolf Cub

Just an aside…I appreciate that you asked for my advice and am very happy to help. I am not a vet or a nutritionist. All I have is experience. Dogfoodie, Pitlove, Houndmom (I’m pretty sure that’s her name) are about the only 3 people who seem to be as conscientious as I and have offered some valuable & helpful advice. They are very good sources to reach out to also. I know there are some significant differences between GSDs and other large breeds, but there’s more similarities when it come to prevention of musculoskeleton problems.

Another aside is that I think I may switch my Lab mix to Solid Gold Barking at the Moon. I can let you know how that goes.

Good luck with the pup. I’m sure he’ll be just fine. I doubt that bout of pano will be a problem. You understand that calcium should not exceed 1.5% and the calcium/ phosphorus ratio should be around 1:1-2:1.

If I think of anything I may have forgotten I’ll let you know.

[Becky A]

Hey Richard,

Check out taste of the wild High Prairie Puppy Formula with Roasted Bison & Roasted Venison (no chicken or chicken by products! :D). I absolutely love this company (as your local mom/pop pet food store if they carry samples) and have fed my pups this brand before switching them over to Orijen and Acana earlier last year. Also, If you want to add more veggies and meat to his diet try mixing in some Sojo’s or Honest Kitchen. All you need to do is add water and mix it in w/ his kibble or just give it to him as a full meal (i’d recommend mixing in w/ his dry food as Sojo’s and Honest Kitchen are a little on the pricey side)

http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/dog-formulas/high-prairie-puppy-formula-with-bison-roasted-venison/
Shop All Dog
https://www.sojos.com/products/dog-food

[Becky A]

I agree I have one dog that’s really enthusiastic about his food and the other not so much. I’m guessing since your pups are little they don’t need a huge bag so a 5lb will do? if so try these, they’re high quality dry dog food and won’t break the bank either.

– Taste of the wild
– Merricks
– Organix
– Canidae
– Wellness Core
– Lotus (they bake their dog foods)
– Acana (if you want orijen quality but at a cheaper price, same company)

I received samples of these foods from my local dog food store and my dogs had no problem eating them nor have any tummy troubles. Also, try adding some coconut oil into your dogs food to add some flavor. It’s tasty and good for their skin and digestive systems.

[Jazzlover]

I’ve yet to find a dry food w/out alfalfa, pumpkin, carrots, tapioca; high glycemic foods. I’ve been feeding Orijen, Acana, Merrick canned & sardines (1x/wk). I know this are high quality kibbles, but still these ingredients a present in the dry foods. I looked at Brothers and only see complete. These ingredients were there as well, w/ a ton of ingredients I could not pronounce vs. what I’ve been using. Help! I’m willing to try raw 1 day/wk, if I could get a great recipe (which could be varied). I love Dr. Karen Becker’s video on yeast http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/05/03/eating-these-foods-can-make-your-dog-itch-like-crazy.aspx and I’m doing my best to rid our 90lb male lab, Jazz. ~Thanks

[crazy4cats]

Hi Becky-
Glad to hear your dog has been checked for any health conditions. The Wellness Core reduced fat recipe looks like it may be a good choice. It’s turkey and contains 360 calories per cup. Which, I believe, is quite a bit less than the Acana you are feeding. It is pretty high in fiber at 8.5% although. That is pretty typical of weight loss type food. It may cause larger or more frequent poops! Hope it works out for you. Give us a report on how he likes it! Best of luck.

[Becky A]

Hey Crazy4Cats,

I feed him about 1/2 cup in the morning and 1/4 cup at night now. He’s been cleared for cushings, diabetes, and hyperthyroidism. He’s just a very hungry pup, lol! I was feeding him orijen and switched him to Acana hoping it would help. He’s always hungry since i don’t give him a full cup like I used to back in the day ): My vet keeps recommending I feed him Hill’s Rx but I absolutely HATE that brand and its fillers esp since it contains corn/corn meal. I never had any problems feeding him orijen last year and his weight was kept in control and he even lost weight! ):

[crazy4cats]

Hi Becky A-
It seems like you are feeding about the right amount unless there are treats being added as well. Those can add up fast especially with a smaller dog. Has he had a blood test to check his thyroid levels? Some dogs are prone to hypothyroidism.

If it is a case where you are feeding treats in addition to his one cup of food per day, you might want to switch to a food with less calories. The Acana has over 400 calories per cup. I feed lower calorie food with low to moderate fat to keep my dogs weight under control because they didn’t want me feeding them less! Lol!

[A K]

Thank you all once again for the help! After hearing your concerns with NV Raw Boost and the amount of raw pieces, I think I’m going in another brand altogether. I’ve heard great things about Acana and Orijen on the forums so I’m looking into one of these at this point.

My dog is now on Flint River Ranch – Lamb, Millet and Rice so I’ll probably stick with Lamb as the main protein source.

Dogfood Advisor’s gives these with Lamb as the protein source all 5.0 stars:
Acana Grasslands – Lamb & Duck
Acana Ranchlands – Lamb, Beef, Bison)
Orijen – Regional Red – Lamb, Beef, Bison

Would one of these be a good option to try for my growing 10 month old female lab?

Thanks for all the help everyone!!!!

[Becky A]

Hey there,

I’m looking to see if anyone out there can suggest a high end dry dog food for my Schnauzer. He’s about 36lbs and his ideal weight is 25-30. He’s overweight and the dry dog food I’ve been feeding him seems to be making him fatter. I switched him to Orijen about a year ago and recently changed his food to Acana Low Glycemic Chicken and Burbank Potatoes. I want to keep his food GMO free.

He gets fed 2x a day 1/2 cup morning and night.
He gets daily walks about 15min 2x a day morning and night

Thanks in advance!

• This topic was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Becky A.
• This topic was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Becky A.

[Sara J]

They are ‘young adults’ and are Italian greyhounds, I was feeding them Prima-Edge switched to ACANA

[Juanita B]

My American Pit Bull Terrier has allergies too.

I have head wonders on Zignature (go to chewy.com and read the reviews) but it has peas in it and my dog quit itching but there is a lot of alfala for my dog. He is 2 1/2 now and has allegories since he was a puppy so I know what you are going through. I was just advised by a nutritionist to try Origen Tundra and all food must have absolutely no chicken of any type and no eggs. She also mentioned Acana Lamb and Apple but that has canola oil in it and that is made from a toxic plant. http://breathing.com/articles/canola-oil.htm

Go to http://www.orijen.ca/products/dog-food/dry-dog-food/tundra/ Don’t just go by the ingredients below; look at everything such an amino acids and other ingredients. I do not see anything your dog is allegeric to except peas but that is not on the top five ingredients. My dog is very sensitive and picky and he loves this especially with the freeze dry crumbled on it. I also add Answer’s raw goat’s milk which is supposed to help allegories. I don’t know the results yet. It has only been one week. I have noticed that his stool is better.

INGREDIENTS
Goat*, venison*, mutton*, bison*, whole arctic char*, rabbit*, duck*, whole steelhead trout*, whole pilchard*, whole alaskan cod*, goat meal, venison meal, alaskan cod meal, mutton meal, blue whiting meal, red lentils, green peas, duck fat, herring meal, pollock meal, garbanzo beans, yellow peas, alfalfa, dried kelp, pumpkin*, squash*, cod liver*, goat tripe*, goat liver*, mutton liver*, mutton tripe*, venison liver*, venison tripe*, carrots*, spinach*, apples*, pears*, cranberries*, freeze-dried elk liver, freeze-dried venison liver, freeze-dried bison liver, freeze-dried goat liver, zinc proteinate, mixed tocopherols (preservative), juniper berries, rose fruit, dandelion root, elder flowers, marigold, dried chicory root, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product.

[Lisa C]

Tundra is a beautiful kibble. Pricey, but beautiful. I agree with Pitlove that “novel” proteins should be used in place of other more “traditional” proteins that may be causing health issues, mainly allergies.

I have my Dane/Coonhound, Fluke, on Tundra because it is the only Acana or Orijen formula that does not use rosemary. Fluke has idiopathic epilepsy and rosemary (and other mint family plants) are not recommended.

[Brenda V]

We have 2 shitzus. One can eat just about anything without a problem and the other has Crohn’s. We were feeding them Acana singles without a problem but then out of nowhere the dog with Crohn’s had a bad flare-up. I don’t fault the Acana, I think she had some treats that contained chicken (I learned later it is hard for dogs to digest chicken). She was hospitalized and the vet wanted to put her on Prescription Diet IBS Formula. I asked her if I could try something else and she said a limited ingredient food would probably be okay. So I rotate between the Zignature lamb and kangaroo (because I was told these are the easiest proteins for a dog to digest) and it’s been over 6 months and she is doing great! On the other hand, my other dog that can eat anything is getting bored with Zignature so I am rotating it with the Acana. Hope that helps.

[Jane D]

I breed Shih Tzu and have for the past 28 years. For the last fifteen they have been on Solid Gold puppy and dog food till this summer.
I have spoken to the owner Sissy( who I believe is in her eighties or just about there) and she told me she had sold only the manufacturing part of the company. She also stated it was in the contract that No changes were to be made to the recipes or the company reverted back to her. Well this summer all my dogs started throwing up! I mean constantly not just once in a while. I started looking for a new great food for them and one young man took the time to teach me about Acana foods and why they would be so good for my dogs!
I have one allergic to chicken so we started on Acana Grasslands and they love it! The puppies were put on Acana puppy and the loved it as well.
Go check it out at http://www.acana.com or http://www.acanadogfood.com, ask can never remember which it is.
READ how it arrives, how it is cooked and what is in it. It is certified human grade meaning it is fit for human consumption as it is made with the same grade of meats, vegetables, fruit etc that we eat!
It is cooked in its own juices with no added water( means your animals will drink more water of course) no additives, no bad stuff at all!
I am keeping them on it! They are very healthy which is important to me and the cost is about what I was paying for Solid Gold.
I am sold on Acana products!
Check it out for yourself!

[DogFoodie]

Hi TH,

I went to Chewy.com and did a search of foods with fish as the primary protein. There are lots to choose from that are poultry free. Orijen Six Fish, Acana Pacifica, Zignature Trout and Salmon, Wellness Core Ocean, several varieties of Fromm, Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch…, are all brands that are on the first page of the search that I’d use, that a quick glance of the ingredients seems to indicate contain no poultry. There are lots more than that to choose from.

FWIW, I believe strongly in a rotational diet. If you’ve been using fish based foods for a while, maybe it’s time to try a new protein for a while. A variety of proteins is important for a complete amino acid profile. Rotating foods also helps to avoid prolonged exposure to less desirable ingredients.

Good luck finding something new!

[Arby A]

Liya,

Can you tell us which Acana recipe you’re feeding and what type of treats you may be giving him?

Whether or not the current food is the culprit, you should get him to a veterinarian if you haven’t already done so, especially since he was a stray.

[Laura M]

I use the large sized “bites” as treats but I would not feed this as a regular diet. Read the ingredients and you will agree I think. I attended a dental seminar recently and they recommend what is on the VOHC website for oral care, but as stated previously, the only way to keep the teeth in good condition is to brush and regular cleanings as recommended by your vet. Although not all vets are doing the best dentistry treatments either. The doctor was a specialist in the dental field. I live in an area where there are a lot of specialty veterinarians so I am lucky. I love your breed, had two minis at one point in my life. I feed my dogs a variety of things right now. One I feed Acana, my puppy I feed Nutrisource puppy and my old girl I feed Holistic Select turkey and lentil. Hope you find a good diet for your special friend!

[Flowers]

Thank you all so much. I went for Acana because it is supposed to be one of the best but honestly I am dissapointed also by their customer service they don’t respond to questions and I am still waiting!!!
I wonder if because there are so many fruit and plant and vegetable ingredients it is hard for the tummy to tolerate also.
I am confused about high and low protein what should a dog be having? How high is too high?
I shall definitely look at nutri source that sounds good thank you all for the recommendations.

[Stanley E]

Had the same problem on Acana. Add pumpkin for additional fiber to eliminate diarea

[Stanley E]

We have owned Rottweilers for close to 30 years. This year for the first time one of our Rotts tore her rear cranial cruciate. She is 2 1/2 year old and has been on Acana Duck dog food her entire adult life. She also received yogurt and pumpkin. Does anyone relate any of these to Cruciate tears?

[Stanley E]

Our 10 year old Rottweiler whose organs were all sound based on ultra sounds a year ago, suddenly developed a fist sized cancerous tumor on his spleen. Removed the spleen, but he died passed away 6 weeks later. Was on Acana Duck dry food plus yogurt, pumpkin, twinlabs liquid collagen, and apple cider vinegar for over five years. Does anyone connect any of these to carcinoma?