[Michelle R]

We have a female Boston Terrier (2 years old) we adopted from a rescue recently. We were wondering if anyone else out there that has a BT has recommendations on the best dry food to feed her?

[Naturella]

Hey, all!

Popping in for just a quick update, because I have a paper to write and I am so disappointed in myself and today overall…

I went to the same store I did yesterday, loaded up 2 Original Wellness COREs, 1 Ocean, and 1 Wild Game. 1 C&P Organix GF and 2 Ultramix GF. One Nulo. 12 cans total – 6 small cans of CORE and regular ones, and 6 of the tiny petite entrees. I went up to the register, and divided up the stuff in 2 transactions, Wellness stuff first, C&P and Nulo second.

The lady scanned all the Wellness stuff, then I showed her all the coupons, and she got so… confrontational. She was scanning them and ripping up the Petsmart ones after she scanned them. Then she said she scanned only 2 Petsmart ones and 4 Wellness ones, and I KNOW I had 4 Petsmart ones attached to each Wellness one. Well, she was ripping them up so I couldn’t prove it! Good thing I had an extra Petsmart one, so I gave it to her, and I gave her the stack of 12 $2-off any canned Wellness coupons, and she started freaking out, she scanned 6 of the $2-off ones and said she’s not doing any more, and she said she’s not going to take my extra $5-off Petsmart coupon either! So I would have returned 2 of the Wellness foods if she wasn’t going to give me the whole deal, and she was just trying her best to get me to argue with her, like so hard! She was rude, confrontational, and I was NOT going to argue at all. I was very polite and calm the whole time. She said she remembers me from yesterday and that she does not feel comfortable letting me do this with the coupons. She said she will cancel it all because she doesn’t want it on her record and get someone else to check me out. Maybe this is a good place to mention that she was a MANAGER, and she said she’s rather have an ASSISTANT check me out. I also didn’t want her to cancel the transaction as it wasn’t that bad, like in the $30s for 4 Wellnesses and 12 cans, but she didn’t care. Before signing off, she made sure to let the assistant know I “did this yesterday and I’m trying to do something funny with coupons again, and that she can’t handle it, she’s uncomfortable, and doesn’t want it on her record”.

When the assistant lady came, she was very polite, and I told her how the other manager from yesterday, the male one, checked me out with no problems at all, and she said that he shouldn’t have and she hopes he doesn’t get in trouble for it. I said I hoped so too.

So she began checking me out, and read every word on every coupon. In the end, I only got Wellness CORE Original and one small can of Wellness with the $2-off, the $7-off, and the $5-off coupons, and she said I can only use ONE of the $7-off of Wellness (per customer), and ONE of the $2-off for canned food (per customer). I said ok. I also got a dry Nulo for a total of $8-off with a Nulo coupon and the $5-off Petsmart coupon on a different transaction. UGH. At least she was polite, albeit super meticulous. Also, she said I couldn’t use the Castor & Pollux coupon cause it wasn’t original (?!?!?!) and that I can’t trust online coupons cause they are false, and on the C&P coupon it says “reproduction of coupon strictly prohibited” so she wouldn’t take any of them. Seriously?! How are you going to say the coupon is not original?

Ok, so I went to another store after regrouping to try it again. The cashier there was very kind, also kind of meticulous though, and she also read everything, but she was kind of confused, so she let me use the $7-off coupon of Wellness with the $2-off canned, and the $5-off Petsmart one for one bag and one can of Wellness together, and then she said she can’t combine coupons cause it says so on the Petsmart coupon, so I need to choose between the manufacturer coupon and the dang Petsmart coupon. So I did another transaction with one can of Wellness and the $2-off coupon, 1 bag of Ultramix on a super sale (expires soon), with the C&P coupon, and another bag of Organix with the C&P coupon (I shouldn’t have gotten it, it was just $5-off, but I was getting so confused). So all in all, I did 5 different transactions, 2 stores, and spent $44.00 for just 5 bags of food and 4 small cans… I am very disappointed and apparently store enemy #1 to my closest Petsmart, lol.

Anyway… Back to paper… blah… I guess for me it just depends on the cashier, cause I don’t want to argue, because I can’t really argue what the coupons says, it just depends who will let me get away with what. Either way, after 6 cans of Nulo for $3 that I WILL get, cause I have the coupons to, no more shopping, like, ever, for real, and I fail as a coupon student… Le sigh…

[Susan]

Look for a low carb food, my boy was licking & licking his paws & his paws smelt like corn chips, real yeasty & when he’d walk on wet grass, his paws would get red & itchy…..His 2 front paws are the worst, he can’t eat potatoes, Sweet Potatoes Peas, no starchy foods….also bath him & his paws in Malaseb Medicated Shampoo its an anti-fungal shampoo kills the bacteria but doesnt dry out his skin & the Malaseb relieves his itch & red paws & stops his smelly paws, so no licking…
Your best to feed either cooked or raw diet so u can control the amount of carbs he’s eating have you looked at “K9 Natural” freeze dried food. This food was invented for itchy dogs, has no beet pulp either, here’s their link to have a read….
http://www.k9naturalusa.com/ the Chicken & Venison has the least fat%

[Nancy M]

I need some opinions……FAST. Until I can get a vet appointment, I need some suggestions on skin issues. I have a year old mini Aussie, who has acquired a skin/hair condition over the last few weeks. I don’t know if it’s due to a diet change, the colder weather outside and drier, hotter temps in the house, or a flea med I’ve used lately; which was Advantix II ( this was just a couple days ago; the problem already existed beforehand).

She was on Diamond Naturals Puppy formula since 8 weeks old, but since it was time to change to an adult food, and I also just got a new Sheltie pup that was already on it, I’ve been transitioning VERY slowly, to a VICTOR formula; Hi-Pro Plus for Puppies and Adults.

At this point, I’m not sure what’s doing this, or what is “lacking” for her, but she is obviously being driven crazy by itchy or dry skin; although the skin does not look irritated. She is consistently rolling and scratching herself on the carpet, leaving small areas of hair (all I can see. Who knows how much hair she’s rubbing off), and then she’s obsessed with “shaking” her body, like she trying to shake off water.

Anyone have suggestions as to what this is all about, or suggestions to relieve her until I can get her into the vet? Gave her a bath yesterday, hoping it would would help, but it hasn’t. I used baby shampoo since I was at my daughters for the weekend and that’s the best I could come up with.

Thanks!

[Karen L]

Any suggestions for dry beef based food?

[Susan]

I contacted the Probiotic company “Protexin” & asked when is the best time to give Patch his probiotic, its a powder that I mix 1 teaspoon to 10-15ml water & he just drinks it, the man at Protexin said its best to give a probiotic inbetween meals…..so I give his probiotic about 2 hours after giving him his breakfast….when Ive stopped Patches Protexin his poos were softer again, so he’s been on his probiotic now for over 1 year….

Very slowley add about 1 spoon of the Wellness food to his boiled chicken & rice & see over the next 2 days how his poos are going then after 3 days if poos are looking good increase to 2 spoon of the wet tin……the Wellness wet food with the lowest fat% is the Wellness Petite Entrees Mini fillets with only 2% fat, but their Pettite Entree’s Casserole have 5% fat, the Mini Fillets have less fat then their Casseroles…..If you convert 5% fat in wet tin food its about 22% fat when converted to Dry matter (kibble)….. thats only if ur boy has poo problems, if not he should be Ok …the wet tin stews are big, the Wellness Petite Entree’s are smaller…just a thought..

[Susan]

Hi Vicki, you have a beautiful girl, I have a English Staffordshire Terrier, he’s also short & real stocky, he too suffers from the stinky yeasty skin, paws, ears, mostly his paws now…

Everyone will tell you, put her on a grainfree diet. WRONG… Grainfree doesn’t work for yeasty itchy dogs… they have replaced grains with Starchy Potatos, Peas, Topioca, Sweet Potato, (a bit lower in starch) Legumes etc…
I had to do an elimination diet to find out which foods were causing Patches problems, I found Potatos, Sweet potatos, Peas, Wheat, Rye, Barley, Oats, Banana all made Patch itch even causing diarrhea (pototes) anything that was high in STARCH & Gluten, so now I try to keep Patch on a Gluten & Starch free diet….

You seem to be doing everything right, Maybe try the Antiseptic rinses with Betadine (Iodine) this really helps Patches red itchy stinky paws, it kills the bacteria..I use Detol Antiseptic lotion instead in a shallow bath, it works out cheaper then the Betadine you need the water to look like ice tea with the Betadine, you end up needing a whole bottle, where with the Detol antiseptic lotion, I only need a couple of caps to a shallow bath..

Now you need to start on the inside with her Diet…..

Kibble is NO GOOD, to make kibble they need binders to bind the kibble together Peas, Potato, Sweet Potatos, Rice, Oats, legumes etc these all are high starchy carbs causing yeast problems in dogs, the best way is no kibble… feed either a cooked diet or a freeze dry diet or both… no kibble….. 1 for breakfast the other 1 for dinner, I boiled chicken breast & add little boiled Pumkin for breakfast…

Have you looked at freeze dried foods like “K-9 Natural” instead of kibble, it has NO GRAINS, NO POTATOS, GLUTEN FREE, NO HIGH STARCHY CARBS…alot of people swear by K9 Natural, once you get ur girl off kibble the nightmare will start to end for both of you….. K9 Natural also makes treats, they do freeze dried & raw ….click on the product you want to have a look at & all the ingredients will come up……the chicken or the venison has the least amount of fat %…..even find another freeze dried brand with the same ingredients that K9 Natural uses if you can not find K9 Natural in pet shops…
here’s their link its worth a try…
http://www.k9naturalusa.com/

Good Luck with Gracie Mae

[Akari_32]

Here’s my Black Friday haul!

From left to right:

2x 35 lb Tidy Cat Litter Pails ($7.99 each)
24x Wellness Divine Dou’s (4x @ $1.59 each, 12x @ $1.34 each, 8x @ $1.30 each– 12 not pictured)
3x Nature’s Variety Instinct Pride ($1.15 each– not on sale, used as filler)
6x Halo Impulse Cat Food ($1.99 each)
1x Hill’s Science Diet Soft and Chewy Dog Training Treats (Free for getting to PetSmart at ungodly hours this morning)
48x Friskies Special Diet ($0.39 cents each)
1x Hill’s Ideal Balance Cat Treats (Free with the Hill’s dog treats)
2x Wellness CORE Puppy Food 4lb ($14.99– not on sale)
2x Nature’s Recipe Whitefish and Potato Dog Food 4.5 lb ($9.99 each)

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/Akari53/A729F6D9-874C-433A-A016-17B9FAB54F23_zps7y7blsco.jpg

Not Pictured:

1x PetMate Jumbo Litter Box
3x Zukes Dog Treats ($2.74 each)
3x Wellness CORE Cat Food 2lb ($8.99 each)
1x Natural Balance Ultra Cat Food Can ($1.69)
1X Blue Buffalo Naturally Fresh Cat Litter ($4.25)

All for a grand total of $58.38! The Wellness dry cat food, Natural Balance can, Blue Buffalo Litter, and 3 cans of Friskies were all donated to the local shelter. I should also note that I got the Duo’s at three different stores lol

The coupons I used:

3x $10 off $25 purchase (three separate orders)
1x $4 off $20 purchase
5x B2G2 Wellness Divine Dou’s
6x $1 off any Halo product
5x $7 off any Wellness dry dog or cat food
2x $5 off Nature’s Recipe dog food
7x $5 off any natural or specialized dog or cat food
4x $1 off any Wellness can (used on the Duo’s)
$2 off any Blue Buffalo Naturally Fresh cat litter

I did so many transactions and shopped at three different stores that I don’t even want to lay everything out for you guys– sorry lol But I left with $100 this morning that my uncle gave me and I didn’t even spend it all!

I took a couple pictures of my stash after I tunred the spare room into the stash-room for all the dry food and random pet stuff :p The bests parts are:

78 lb of dog food
190 lb of cat litter
5 bottles of dog shampoos
3 bags of cat treats
5 bags of dog treats
150 cans of cat food
28 cans of dog food

*edit* sorry, the computer decided it didn’t want to live any more. Thankfully it still lets me edit on my phone lol Here’s the pics!

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/Akari53/DF3_zps26cc4d6b.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/Akari53/DF4_zps23ec278d.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/Akari53/DF5_zpsae3aa912.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/Akari53/DF6_zps05853349.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/Akari53/DF_zpsc7a61da8.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/Akari53/DF2_zps226c4e0b.jpg

• This reply was modified 11 years ago by Akari_32.

[Celine W]

Hello, I am the owner of two Bernese Mountain dogs (3 years and 11 month). I RAW fed them exclusively. As money is tight right now I might have to switch to half RAW and half dry food. As much as I don’t like the idea, I try to figure out what might be the best choice of dry food out there for a large Breed dog (one is 95 lbs. and the puppy is 11 month old). I really want to buy a high quality dry food (4 to 5 stars). I am still confused that there are so many opinions about the low protein and big dogs. Can anybody give me some recommendations – I am overwhelmed. THANK YOU…

[Randy P]

What is the best ACTIVE (20% fat-30% Protien) Dry food that you have found. I have hunting dogs and want to feed the 20/30 ratio?

[Pluto.the.St.Bernard]

Hi, all this information is so helpful, but just a tad overwhelming for me (so many opinions). I am curious about your opinion on a few things, I have a male st. benard pupp just about 20wks, been feeding him Natures Variety Instinct Dry($$$), and honestly looking to switch to something with less of a price tag, but without loosing quality as I want him in the best shape inside/out. His weight is good, looking/feeling healthy. I noticed the other saint owner was inquiring about Wellness Core Puppy, I am also curious about this brand of food –>> “Orijen product line includes six dry dog foods, five claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages and one (Senior) for adult maintenance”. Noticed it wasn’t on your list of approved large/giant breed foods, would you recommend (I’ve read pretty good things)? One last question what toppings would you suggest if not homemade food recipe ?
Hope none of this confuses you, thanks.

[Michael H]

Hi everyone!

We have 2 dogs:

Bernie, 9y M allergic-to-life Basset Hound
Zuli, 3y F Lab Mix

and our cat:
Sophie, 8y F Mackeral Tabby, borderline diabetic

Due to both Bernie and Sophie’s above issues, it seems like my best option at this point would be to try raw feeding. The dogs both enjoy the occasional chicken wing or turkey neck, but I have not yet tried feeding it as a whole diet. The cat, who was originally an outdoor stray who did hunt for her sustenance, does accept things like turkey and pepperoni, but for most of her life has been on dry food…which is probably why she had the October diagnosis for diabetes. She is near impossible to catch (the yearly vet visit can take us anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour to capture her-we’ve blocked off hiding spaces as we find them over the years, though once she actually broke INTO the wall to hide) and has a lack of scruff, and at this point I’m really fearing the ability to be able to administer insulin consistently. So, it seems that a diet change may be my only help with this. For Bernie, I can control what goes into the food, and avoid his allergens altogether.

I work from home, so cooking and preparing isn’t a big deal. I handle raw meat for my own consumption so that doesn’t bother me, and I’m very versed in the realm of preventing cross contamination.

My access to pastured/organic items is limited to either very far drives or possible home delivery (have to order a LOT at a time to make the shipping be affordable). For the delivery [ReelRaw] they do have a lot of variety, which is nice, but seems the most expensive option that I’ve come across ($300/mo for all pets, around 50lb of items, still cheaper than whole foods). I do have a butcher shop somewhat nearby, but the only organs they carry or process is beef heart, and the variety of RMB’s I can get aren’t much, as well as they do not carry any pastured/organic meats.

Upon my research, I’m finding a lot of conflicting information. It seems that on one side everyone is pro supplements to add to the meals, which I’m hesitant to do so, as I’m of the perspective to not take any synthetic or multivitamins myself since I feel I’m literally peeing the money away, and rather get what I need from whole foods. I know dogs cant digest fruit/veg well, as anytime I’ve given a piece I find it the next day pretty much intact in their waste. We do own a masticating juicer, so that is an option. I’ve come across some freeze dried foods (Big Dog Natural) that say they ferment the veg to make them bioavailable, which is interesting, though I’m unsure if it’s still too high-carb for Bernie. It could all be a bunch of hogwash as well. I do agree with adding omega 3/sardines at meal time, as I feel that the fats are too delicate for any processing procedure.

Then there’s all the premixes available with vitamins, minerals, kale, sweet potatoes, etc. (Urban Wolf, THK, SSLL Dinner Mix). It’s hard to find a premix without one of Bernie’s proposed allergens in it, and to be honest I’d rather keep the carb count for him down as much as possible, as Bassets are already yeast factories, and Sophie needs as little carb as possible-I don’t think I’ve come across mixes for cats anyways. What dog eats kale in the wild anyways? I have a hard time getting it down myself…lol.

On the other side, I’ve come across a few companies that don’t use added vitamins/minerals (Answers, ReelRaw), stating it’s complete/balanced as is, or with Answers, their own products they (conveniently) suggest to add, which is goat’s milk yogurt, or buy their combination product with veg, clay, cultured things, etc. Bernie is borderline allergic to cow dairy, so I’m unsure if he can even have that anyways. I’ve tried kefir with him before, but the yeast didn’t get any better, and would occasionally have putrid gas as well.

Bernie is currently on Orijen, which he does seem more energetic and less itchy, however the gas has been atrocious, and even though he’s not been really red and itchy on it, still is having a yeast issue (underarms, ears, back of legs). This is a dog that sleeps 14 hours a day on those areas, so not much air is circulating. The gas has gotten better by feeding him less of it, but it can still clear a room. I think it’s due to the lentils/chickpeas-while he’s not allergic to them, doesn’t mean he can digest them well.

So to end my novella for how, I’ll boil it down to some questions:

-Do you feel that the supplements are needed if I use the cheaper conventional meat from the butcher? Or would possibly they be getting enough if I splurge for the pastured meats/organs/rmb? It’s doubtful I can afford both the pastured and supplements.

-Do you feel premixes are worth it, and would make the conventional meat balanced? (again, may not be able to do both pastured + mixes)

-How important do you feel variety in meats is? If I shop locally, I only really have access to beef, chicken, and pork, which I myself am even tired of, haha. Most any recreational or RMB’s I can find in the area are meant for soups and have very little meat left on them. With delivery I can get many more options, but I pay out the wazoo for it.

-Would maybe just doing the freeze dried route be the best idea? Between the issues above and our cat, I’m also leaning towards this route. I’ve also heard that cats don’t dig cool meat very much, and as its the winter now I don’t want Sophie to lose any weight form refusing food. The 2 dogs will eat anything so I’m not worried there. I know I have to avoid giving Sophie all ground meat due to taurine loss. My wife also would rather rip off her eyebrows than touch raw meat, so if it comes a time when I cannot feed them, I’d have to have an alternative on hand anyways.

Thanks for any input!

[Yonatan L]

Hi Guys,

I used to feed my dog with Earthbornd grain free. However, a lot of friends suggest me to move to Nutra Gold
http://www.nutragold.com/products/dogs/dry_food/turkey_and_sweet_potato/grain-free/

Is there any review that will come in closest future? 🙂 I want to be sure that my husky getting the best food:)

[jcmccallum]

Thank you for the quick responses everyone! The breeder is currently feeding the pups Nature’s Domain Grain Free Turkey Meal and Sweet Potato (3.5 stars). I will do some research on rotational feeding and start to figure out how to best introduce new foods into his diet once he’s settled. From personal experience, how often do you rotate your dry kibble? Anyone have any recommended canned food you and your dogs are particularly fond of?

• This reply was modified 11 years, 1 month ago by jcmccallum.
• This reply was modified 11 years, 1 month ago by jcmccallum.

[jcmccallum]

Hi there! I am both new to the puppy/dog world and new to Dog Food Advisor. I am in the middle of researching the best puppy foods for my future pup (I pick him up December 7th!), and have (probably) settled on feeding him Fromm Gold or Horizon Complete kibble. I am not entirely sure, however, whether I should also be feeding him a wet topper. What are the benefits? Are there any disadvantages? Should I not feed wet food until he’s older?

Jenny

[Kersi B]

Hello everybody!

I am new here and tried to find some informations on my own, but I am lost…

I move from Germany to California this January and take my 6-year-old Chihuahua (3kg or 6,6p weight) with me.
He already has a light cardiac insufficiency, but the doc said that he doesn’t need any medicine yet.
Here in Germany I feed him with wet (in the late afternoon), dry (he has a extra bowl with some in case he is hungry) and own-cooked food (as often as I can instead of wet food). His treats are 100% dry meat only. And I give him Vitamin K1 and homeopathic Crataegus supplements to his food to strengthen his heart.
But none of the brands I am feeding him right now are available in the US.
So could you please help me to find the brands with the highest quality but affordable for a student? Thank you so much! <3 :*

• This topic was modified 11 years, 1 month ago by Kersi B.

[iggymom]

I’ve been researching dog foods for about two weeks now and I just can’t decide on what I think is best for him. He’s 4 months and about 7 pounds, and IG’s typically need a high protein high fat diet but I can’t help but be cautionary of very high protein foods (Orijen?) because he’s so tiny. I’ve been looking at Canine Caviar, Acana, Orijen, the Petcurean Now!/Go! line, etc…. Thoughts?

Please help! 🙂

[Merry G]

I don’t understand how a dog’s BUN numbers can be elevated either by dehydration or a sign of kidney problems. You’d think that they wouldn’t even mention dehydration! He did tell me that she can live with it for quite some time before it worsens but didn’t say how quickly it can progress or what to watch for. She doesn’t really like the KD Science Diet and I found some dog food online that has low protein and I ordered a case hoping she’ll be happy eating it. I don’t mind making my own food for her. I’ve been boiling and crock potting chicken for her for more than a year because she decided regular dog food was beneath her “diva dignity.” I mix it with brown rice sometimes and she gets the broth and carrots too.
I like to squirt a bit of fish oil in her bowl but that dog can sniff it out and then she will not eat it!
I would have no problem cooking her whatever kind of food would be good for her I’m pretty much used to it now.

I read a paper written by a Vet about putting a dog on low protein food in the early stages of renal failure. His name is Kenneth Bovee, DVM, MmedSc, (Dept of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.) It reads kind of dry and technical but I did my best to understand it. It seems that there’s quite a controversy about if a low protein diet actually helps but Vets have been told it works so they’ve been recommending it for a long time.
I’ve read about herbal supplements that can help the kidneys function better, or “cure” renal failure but I don’t believe there’s a cure!

I appreciate all your feedback and I hope that I can help Sage live the rest of her time with us in a painless, quality way. I still marvel at what a dog can add to one’s life and how completely smitten we can become over them! I’ve had 4 boxers in my life and I’ve loved every one of them equally and my life was enriched by their love.

http://www.dogfoodscoop.com/support-files/bovee_protein_renal.pdf

[Susan]

Hi Amber, can you do home cooked or raw as it would be the best as you will know exactly what she is eating & can start an elimination diet.. also with the raw or home made cooked meals you can see what foods are causing these problems with the elimination diet……or if you get a freeze dried or dehydrated diets, get ones that has limited ingredients, so there’s less chance of food intolarances….I found my boy can’t have Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, peas, wheat or boiled rice so far…..has she stopped her sratching on the Back to basic kibble?? if you can, get her off the dry kibble its over processedm its only good for us humans, as it is quick & easy……

[Amber M]

I have a 4 year old lab that has allergies (scratching jaw, itchy body, sore/irritated paws that she chews, licks, and bites) and I have been looking at alternative diets to kibble. From researching and speaking with many dog food companies, I have found that even high quality kibble is not the best option for dogs.

I have looked into freeze dried diets, dehydrated diets, raw diets, and spoke with many different companies for each type of diet. I am still very unsure of what to do and would like to get input from people other than the dog food companies.

I have mainly been looking at Sojos, Grandma Lucys, The Honest Kitchen, BarfWorld, Vital Essentials, and Nature’s Variety. I am currently feeding Back to Basics dog food, which is a dry kibble. I am planning on giving a probiotic and fish oil, but cannot decide what to feed. Or if I should just keep her on dry kibble.

[Dee J]

HELP! I adopted my 6 year old Puggle from a family that had her since she was a puppy. They were kind enough to give us a big bag of her dog food – BENEFUL. There’s no way I’d feed a dog Beneful. I fed it to her for a week or two while trying to figure out the best food for her. I have another dog who has food allergies and I feed him Wellness Simple Canned Duck & Oatmeal formula. That keeps his skin from getting red and itchy and keeps his ear infections to a minimum.

I started her on a dry Wellness Simple. She didn’t like it – literally spit it out. So I tried Taste of the Wild. That made her sick – vomiting and diarrhea. Then I tried Natural Balance. We came home to poop in the living room. I let someone talk me into Sprout, the Fleet Farm brand. She was fine for a few weeks and now she has diarrhea again.

I always transition her slowly from one food to another, so I know that’s not the problem. She eats a lot of grass which may be an issue. I’m wondering if too much protein upsets her tummy. The weird thing is, she’s usually fine for a few days (even a few weeks) and then boom – poop everywhere. The only dog food she hasn’t had any issue with is freakin’ Beneful. Any suggestions?

[crazy4cats]

Hi Tiffany-
I am all about budget friendly! The best valued can food, IMO, is Costco’s Natures Domain Turkey and Pea Stew, Walmart’s Pure Balance, and Tractor Supply’s 4health canned. They are mostly all rated 5 stars. I also use eggs and sardines a few times a week as well. The best prices for sardines are at Winco or Walmart. Walmart also sells a brand of canned called Variety that is a little more expensive, but cheaper than most.
If you have Victor dry food in your area, it is more budget friendly than Wellness. Those are lucky dogs you are taking care of. Thank you!

[Kristen K]

Hello, my vet recommended that I feed my dog kibble that is baked rather than extruded, as it is more easily digested, but I don’t see information on whether kibble is baked or extruded in the reviews. Can you recommend your top choices for baked food?

[Barbara]

I was wondering after reading some of the comments about digestive enzymes if it is okay to continue using THK perfect form for any length of time just to keep stomach issues from reoccurring? I am talking like 6 months at 1/2 dosage for 2 of my 3 dogs (one is a lab and the other a Husky mix both about 75+ lbs) they each seem to have a loose stool maybe a few of time a week still. I had been using it full dosage for about a month when I switched them off of Taste of the wild because of diarrhea even when I was switching them slowly…I think part of it was I first went to Earthborn Holistic Primitive Natural which was too rich for them. I like Victor the best of the dry dog foods I have tried but want to keep switching the protein. 4 to 5 star Dry is about 2/3 of the their diet plus canned Kirkland’s ND Turkey and pea stew is 1/3. They get good human food toppers a couple of times a week also. I just want to be sure it is okay to continue to have them be on THK perfect form at 1/2 dosage since they both can have sensitive tummies occasionally… Thanks!

• This reply was modified 11 years, 1 month ago by Barbara.

[Becky H]

I currently have been feeding both my dogs Lifes Abundance dry dog food. While the food seems to be very nutritious and was recommended to us by the breeder at this time My veterinarian has recommended that I switch to Royal Canine Prescriptive dry formula for my Golden Retreiver’s skin sensitivities and allergies. While I appreciate that it may be a good dog food the cost is very high and I am not convinced it is my only or best option?

Additionally, I will want to change both of my dogs to the same diet for conveience as well as reducing the temptation for my Golden to endulge in the old formula. My second dog is a toy poodle. I look forward to your feedback?

Bsherrup

• This topic was modified 11 years, 2 months ago by Becky H.

[Karen E]

My five month old Labrador puppy, Beans, spent a night in ICU this weekend due to extreme diarrhea and vomiting. The ultimate diagnosis is that he has an intolerance to chicken. He has been eating Wellness Large Breed Puppy dry kibble since I got him at eight weeks old, but suddenly he can’t digest it. We will keep him on Prescription I/d for a week, but I need recommendations of another protein dry food to substitute in for next week. My research indicates lamb or venison may be best, but would appreciate advice from others who have been through similar experiences. Thanks! Karen

[InkedMarie]

The best way to get more water is to feed a raw, canned or dehydrated food. If you must feed dry, add some canned to it with water.

[Sandi S]

I work in a large steak house and can get unlimited amounts of cooked beef. Filet mignon, NY strip, rib eye and prime rib. I wash them very well before use. I also get sweet potatoes. I know the cuts of meat all have different percentages of fat and protein and that is my biggest concern. Also what else do I need to add to make a complete daily balanced dog food. If I completely stop feeding dry dog food what is the best way to keep my dogs teeth healthy? She doesn’t get cooked bones, Should I give her raw bones? Also I read that she needs raw chicken and egg shells? occasionally I also give her chicken and salmon that I get at work I’m trying to keep this as simple as possible.I refuse to feed my dog cheap dog food and I really can’t afford the better dog food on the market. It is hard for me to throw it all this meat away! Thanks to anyone who can help 🙂

[Richard N]

I have a 9 year old mix with the body of a wiener dog and face and fur of a spaniel. She has had back surgery gets around great until she goes through a spell and has trouble walking for a while. She thinks she is a hunting dog and lives to chase squirrels and chip monks which are every where here. Looking for a new dry dog food that she will like and is good for her.

[Dori]

Hi Courtney. If your dog does wind up having crystals be sure to ask what type. As far as the UTI the other posters have helped. It is important that your dog is walked often and that she drink plenty of water. If you are feeding her kibble then please add water to it and let is absorb the water before feeding her the food. It’s a good way to get more moisture into a dog that doesn’t drink enough water. As the others have suggested, dry food (kibble) is not what she should be eating. Commercial raw foods (if you don’t want to hassle making your own), dehydrated, canned, freeze dried. In that order would be the best way for you to go imo. Normally I would put freeze dried before dehydrated but a lot of freeze dried foods don’t absorb water very well. There are plenty of quality dehydrated foods so your dog will win with the moisture and the quality of the food.

You didn’t mention what food you feed your dog. How many meals a day does she get and hopefully you leave water down for her all the time.

[InkedMarie]

Hi Courtney,
I had a dog with frequent UTI’s and he was diagnosed with struvite crystals. My vet had me give him one 500 mg vitamin C a day but you don’t do this without your vets okay. It is extremely important to get enough liquid into your dog. Dry food is the worst you can feed. Best is a raw diet, canned or dehydrated. If you must feed dry, add canned & water to his food.
Don’t worry about low oxalate foods unless it’s needed. I would not use a prescription food at all. If your vet tells you to, I’d find a holistic vet to go to and get their advice. Keep us posted on how she is.

[Kristin C]

Hey Jan -that’s a tough one. I am scrolling through dry dog food ingredients and can’t come up with one. Have you considered freeze dried? I feed my dogs raw, I make most of it, so cooking and storing may be the best option for you to control the ingredients. Hopefully someone else pipes in with a solution for you.

[Tanya C]

Thank you everyone for your comments. theBCnut I did not get my dogs from a breeder they are all rescues and up till now have been fed commercial prepared dry/wet dog food. I never even heard of Raw Dog Food until Chance came to us. Then I started researching and like I said above it is all so confusing one site contradicting the other etc.. so I appreciate any and all comments. I bought my meat straight from a butcher, it came pre-grounded. I was told that the 10lbs was a mixture of heart,brain which I understood to not be considered organ meats and then kidney, liver and spleen with I know are organ meats. I also know that tongues are included but wasn’t sure what they are considered. If I added lean ground beef to my recipe say 10-15 lbs would that balance it out better. I am making very large batches as I try to make at least a weeks worth at a time. My Danes range in size from 90-160 lbs so I have been feeding them approx 2% of there ideal body weight per day which is about 3.5 lbs if I worked it out properly, I feed them half in the morning and half in the evening. I will not add the extra egg shells next time and do what I normally do, add them to my garden instead. pugmomsandy the chicken I purchased was from my local grocery store and I ground it myself in a hand grinder at home. I believe I should have called them quarter chicken legs they were thighs with legs attached and bones still in. The next batch will be purchased from the butcher chicken backs with bone in pre-ground. I will look into those books as well, I have a tablet and an e-reader so I should be able to get them. Thank you all so much, I really do appreciate the comments !!! I’m so new at this and I find it confusing even though I did research. I’m still trying to figure out what meats are what hence the mistake with too much organ meats. I just want to make up for my past bad food mistakes and do what is best for my fur babies. Thank you !!

• This reply was modified 11 years, 2 months ago by Tanya C.
• This reply was modified 11 years, 2 months ago by Tanya C.
• This reply was modified 11 years, 2 months ago by Tanya C.

[theBCnut]

You can also put dry through a coffee grinder and then add water, but that isn’t really the best solution. At her age, she needs to be eating foods that have plenty of moisture in them. And she may not produce the stomach acid that she once did so you might want to add 1/2 tablespoon of unprocessed apple cider vinegar for every one cup of food.

[theBCnut]

It’s not canned, but rather dehydrated, look into The Honest Kitchen Zeal. Fat is a big issue. Usually when you lower carbs, you raise protein and fat. THK Zeal is the best one I know of with good levels, though in your case, I still might add lean meat to lower the carbs even more. Zeal comes as a dry powder that you add water to. If you add water right before feeding then you have a soupy mixture. If you prepare it a while ahead of time, it is more like a thick paste or pate style food. My dogs love all of THK’s foods.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Kayla-
I always mix something in with my dog’s kibble. I have two golden labs. Both male and about 80 pounds. Every morning they get a few heaping Tbs of canned with their kibble. In the afternoon, they get either eggs, sardines, dehydrated or fresh meat with their dry food. I don’t think that dry kibble is the best to feed regardless of how many stars it gets. However, it is convenient and budget friendly. I do believe that a premium canned food is healthier, but also much more expensive. Especially with two large dogs. And oh yes, four medium cats! Good luck and welcome to DFA!

[Wendy E]

Hi all,
I’m new here, so hello! Lots of good reading here! I have a 5YO Cavalier female named Willow, who was just diagnosed with a grade 3 heart murmur, which seems to have developed very quickly (our regular vet did not hear it just 6 short months ago, but the cardiologist found it this past saturday at a heart clinic). I’m trying to research what the best food and supplements are for this condition. I really prefer feeding her a dry/kibble food. The vet recommended a low-sodium food (have no idea what I should choose – nothing seems to be marketed specifically as low-sodum), and supplementation with CoQ10 and Vit E. My head is swimming with everything I’ve found in just a short amount of time researching. Are these the only supplements you’d recommend? I’ve also read quite a bit about glandular therapy for heart health and am wondering what everyone here thinks about that and what a good supplement for that would be.

I found this website when searching for glandulars. http://www.pethealthandnutritioncenter.com/natural-heart-cardiovascular-remedy-treatment-dogs-cats-pets.html wondering about the Heart Tonic product and the Daily Multi Complete (which has glandulars in it). Anyone have experience with this supplier or these products?

I’m also wondering (and these might be ultra-basic knowledge to most, but I can’t find anything that will tell me): If I do a Fish Oil like this one http://www.pethealthandnutritioncenter.com/nordic-naturals-fish-oil-supplement-for-pets.html do I also still supplement with Vit E and CoQ10?

I hate researching this stuff because there always seems to be such conflicting information out there. Any help anyone could give me would be SO appreciated! TIA!

Wendy
mom to Willow

[Dori]

Kristin C. As others have posted, the food is air dryer which would be a dehydrated food. It’s different than any dehydrated food. When rehydrated, as others have said, it looks and smells like ground meat. Also as cindy q. said, you do need to add water, but I also don’t add as much as they say. This is basically a personal decision as to how much water to add. Depends on how your dog likes his food. Some like real mush and don’t want to have to chew anything at all, lol, and others like a more substantial chunky food. As I’ve mentioned before I food rotational so the GA and analysis don’t really make a difference to me and my dogs. I rotate with every meal.

Cindy q. The trick with THK is to either not add as much water as stated on the box (I never do) or make up a batch that will last two or three days and put in the fridge. At meal time scoop out as much as you need for the meal. If your dog doesn’t like cold food then just leave it out on the counter until room temperature. I do it both ways but overnight works best. Also Cindy q. before spending money on actual size bags or boxes of the foods you’re trying out ask for samples at your local small pet stores, they always have samples or email or call manufacturer of food. They’ll pretty much always send you out samples for either a very nominal fee or others just have you pay for the shipping which is also a small fee. You’re going to go through way to much money buying the actual boxes or bags of the food. Also, if you rotate your foods you should try to buy the smallest size so that the individual foods won’t go bad. I realize the small bags/boxes will cost you a little more but you’ll be sure to be able to rotate and not have the bottom of bags or boxes go bad before you get to the end. That’s important with rotating foods that are not frozen and kept in freezer. Also BDN is less expensive than Sojo’s. I don’t particularly care for Sojo’s so I don’t feed it. The only foods I presently feed other than commercial raw foods are THK, BDN and in a pinch if I won’t be home or dogs left with someone else who refuses to feed raw (jeesh) I use Nature’s Logic dry. Excellent as kibbles go. They also have a good canned food but the canned foods all contain something or other that my allergy/intolerant maltipoo, Katie, cannot tolerate. It’s the only kibble they do well on and that I don’t feel awful feeding them.

[InkedMarie]

I can’t help with the leakage but I wanted to comment on the crystals. A previous dog had recurrent crystals. My vet said special food wasn’t necessary. It’s very important to get enough fluid into your dog. Dry food is the worst; wet food is best: raw, dehydrated, canned. If you must feed dry, please add canned & water to it. Aldo make sure he has ample opportunity to urinate. My vet also told me to give my dog one vitamin C tablet but don’t do that without talking to your vet.

[Mom2Cavs]

I’m sure others will post, but you most likely won’t see Blue Buffalo listed on the editor’s choice selections. Even though, ingredient wise they rate high on the list they have a few problems. They use lots of co packers, have been reported to allegedly make some animals sick. These are just a few of the reasons I’m aware of. Imho, I’d choose Wellness Small Breed over Blue Buffalo hands down. I feed it in my rotation. They manufacture they’re own food now, or outsource very little of their dry. They claim to use non-GMO ingredients. They don’t contain the lifesource bits…..even though years ago when I fed it for a short time my dogs ate them, I like the fact that Wellness doesn’t have them. Wellness also sends out coupons every month and I like their newsletter. Each of us must do what we think is best for our pets and I just am not comfortable with Blue Buffalo anymore.

[Nancy M]

I have very recently acquired from my daughter, an 8 month old mini Aussie, who is currently about 20+ lbs. She has been on Diamond puppy formula, dry, since 8 weeks of age. Not being a Diamond fan, and not willing or able to go with the RAW, I am looking for suggestions as to a more healthy and favorable dog food for her. I have always used the premium brands with my previous dogs, hoping to offer much better nutrition than the run of the mill, grocery store brands, but there have become so many choices, I have no idea where to start to switch this girl over. Being an energy, performance type of breed, opposed to my more calm, laid back lifestyle, I do not wish to feed a formula that will create more energy. Truthfully, I’m not sure she will be happy with or acceptable, of a more sedentary life with me, but rather than allow her to be given off to a stranger, I am just trying to give it my best and see if it can work. I’m not sure this is going to do her justice, but time will tell.

In the meantime, I want something substantially better for her than Diamond. Suggestions, please. My first inclination would be TOTW, but depending on what her system may accept and thrive on, I could be on a trial and error rollercoaster. I thought all of this was behind me for a good while, until I lost my beloved Sheltie a couple weeks ago and now trying to give this pup a new home. Now it starts all over again. Whoopy!

Looking for input soon, so I can try to get started. Thanks much to all!

Nancy

[Ivan L]

Hi
I’m very new on this dog food subject.
I have three dogs and I’m lost of what is the best way to feed them.
I have a 10 years old cocker spaniel and 2 shih tzu that are 4 years old.

Should I use dry food or wet food?
Should I mix them?
What food do you recommend taking in consideration one is a senior dog all of them are small breeds?

Thank you for the advises

[Karen G]

I’m needing help finding a good large breed puppy food. I have my pup on a dry kibble that is highly recommended but because the ingredient list isn’t percise, I can’t tell if the ratios are the best for my large breed pup (the kibble is for puppys but not specific to large breeds and it only lists “min” and “max” amounts so it’s hard to tell how much of each ingredient is in it). My vet is recommending Hills Science Diet large breed puppy because you can tell with more detail what the ingredient ratios are and it is formulated specifically for large breeds, I’m considering this food right now. Does anyone in this forum have personal experience with a dry large breed puppy kibble that he/she would be willing to share? Thanks in advance for your help!

[Patricia G]

My one year old Lab can clear a room with her gas. I’ve had her on the Iams Low Residue food as recommended by our vet, and it helped alot. I started introducing raw venison and Dog Lovers Gold (which is what our other dogs eat) and the gas is coming back. Any advice on best food for a gassy dog? Should I go grain free? All raw or natural? My vet said she could be on the Low Residue long term, but it’s pricey. She is a very high energy, active young dog and loves to eat, so I’m not worried about her being picky. I just want to find a solution for her and us!

[Michael L]

Hi Again,

So I think it was a little too early to call that success.

Based on this link /reports/editors-choice/
I decided to try Annamaet Grain Free Manitok however after two days my dog just stopped eating it. I mean he won’t even sniff it. At first I thought it was still his allergies but once I gave him some of his old food (Orijen puppy large) he finished that in 2 seconds.

I found this link:
/best-dog-foods/hypoallergenic-dog-foods/
That talks about Suggested Hypoallergenic Dog Foods
And more specifically I decided to try ACANA Duck & Bartlett Pear Singles Formula Dry

This food has limited ingredients and I figured it would be a good place to start as it’s based on duck and not chicken like the orijen one.

My dog loves it, I mean he chases me when I go get it, which he has never done before (very picky eater).

However I’m not sure about the dosage and/or if it’s suitable for large breed puppies. My golden retriever is 9 months old and weighs about 83lb.
The label says that there’s 1.3% calcium which I think should be okay (as per my understanding as long as it’s less than 3.5% it’s all good). Can someone confirm that?
http://www.acana.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/ACA-SINGLES-WEB-PDF-2014-DUCK.pdf?20c636

Can someone confirm that?

Thanks in advance.

[vfs]

Hello everyone,

I have a wonderful rescue dog, his name is Lenny. He is 4 years old, 20lb, white coat, just adorable. Ive been feeding a mix of Science Diet dry and wet food for quite a while now. He eats twice a day and poops 3 to 4 times a day (normal poop). I mentioned to the Vet and he told me that its normal…I started searching about Science Diet and Ive been seeing some really bad reviews so Im ready to get him a better food. He poops so many times, so it does say what type of quality Science Diet might be but by my vets recommendation, I was continuing feeding him Science Diet. Any recommendation for a good quality dry and wet food for Lenny? Thanks a bunch.

[Nicolette G]

My 6yr old Shiba 2 months ago had surgery. He had a full bladder of Struvite Crystals. The month before he had his first UTI. He had always been a heathly dog. Of course the vet wants to put him on Royal Can os. I have for yrs had him on the best foods. Dry and some times can. Im very confused what I should be doing with him to many mixed messages. Im so lost. He also doesnt drink alot having problems with that as well and he needs to drink and pee more. I want to try and find a food that dry and can or even other stuff to put on or in the food that will help prevent this from happening again to him, with out going to a low quality food. any help out there???

[Bobby dog]

Hi Erin:
I have a bag of Natures Recipe chic, sp, & pumpkin in my pantry. The fat is 12% minimum and protein is 27% minimum so you would have to contact the company to see what the maximums are.

Below are links to lists of low fat dog foods. These brands/recipes are not necessarily for dogs with pancreatitis. One list pertains to low fat & low sodium foods. I know you are not looking for low sodium foods, but they might be a starting place to find brands to look into further.

/best-dog-foods/suggested-low-fat-dog-food/

/forums/topic/dry-dog-food-with-low-salt-and-low-fat/

[Sandra R]

I have a two months old french bulldog and I’m feeding her for now Acana for puppies. For now she is doing Ok, but I would like to know about your opinion about rotation diet and how to do it
And if i can give her a raw diet or should I wait until she is an adult? What is the best dry food for French bulldog puppies?
Thank you so much for your help.

[Bobby dog]

Hey everybody! I have been really busy this past week so I have only been popping in here and there.

I have tried some new foods, canned and dry, and will stop back to give some reviews.

C4c: Love the story it brought tears to my eyes too. I get emotional reading or hearing about rescues. 😉

Sharon: I have never tried Go! so I will be interested in what the food is like.

Also, funny you just posted and reminded me of your sensitive kitty. I was just checking out a website I used to visit quite a bit last year. I don’t know if you ever visited it, but they have a good cat food list that I have used in the past. The list is not that long and I know you have fed some of them. Anyway, you might find the description of each food helpful if you are interested in trying something new for your sensitive kitty. Here’s a link to the food list:
http://www.naturalcatcareblog.com/2010/12/the-7-best-natural-commercial-cat-foods-so-far/comment-page-2/

We have had a few weeks of fairly cool weather and only a few days mixed in with high humidity so Bobby was out and about a little more than usual. However, the heat and humidity is coming back which will turn him into a house dog again. lol

Bobby hasn’t marked anymore territory in the garden, but the sweet potatoes are doing really well. Maybe Bobby has the magic touch?

He was ornery the other night though; he managed to eat two dinners. He apparently was hanging around the kitchen while I was outside doing yard work looking very hungry and pitiful. I went inside to get a drink of water and was told “don’t worry about your poor dog, since you were so busy and forgot about him, I fed him.” lol