[Flossie]

Thanks so much! I was just about to email Fromm’s to ask about sodium; it really does sound like a good option. And adding some meat as a topper is a good idea–my dog would definitely be all for it! The day I started mixing canned food into his dry food was the best day of his life, so organ meat on a regular basis would enrapture him. (He still eats like a pig and is very energetic; my vet says he’s certainly not in the end stages or anything like that. But his heart is enlarged and there’s fluid in his lungs that causes coughing, and two diuretics and two heart meds haven’t been able to eradicate it. I’m hoping lowering his sodium and adding some supplements will help bring it to a minimum for now.)

[DogFoodie]

Hi Goldenlover,

Patty & HDM offered some great suggestions to make your current food more palatable, but it sounds like you’re also interested in finding a quality food that is still affordable and appeals to your dog.

Have you taken a look at this list of 5 Star Dry Foods: /dog-food-reviews/dry/5-star/?

Or this list of Best Foods (which includes 4 and 5 Star Foods): /best-dog-foods/best-dry-dog-foods/

Yes, Nature’s Domain from Kirkland is inexpensive and many of those on these lists aren’t, but there are still some that are affordable ~ probably many are still more than Kirkland’s ND. Also, ND is grain free and Rachael Ray Nutrish is grain inclusive and both of these lists include both grain free and inclusive formulations. One thing I’m not thrilled with the ND about is that it’s made by Diamond, which if you’re not already aware, has a horrible history of recalls and their handling of same. I don’t do any Diamond products and know there are others who feel the same.

If you like the Rachael Ray Nutrish product, you might also try the RR Zero Grain Nutrish, that’s a four star product, but it’s a bit more expensive than the RR Nutrish. Other more affordable foods you might want to check into are 4Health Grain Free (available at TSC), Victor, NutriSource, Earthborn Holistics, Dr. Tim’s, Fromm, Hi-Tek, Nutrisca, Pro Pac and Whole Earth Farms. Nature’s Logic is a bit more expensive, but a really great product.

Lots of foods have “loyalty” programs, like NutriSource for example, buy 12 and get one free. You can go to the NutriSource website and enter a contest to win a free bag of food and if you don’t win (I’m still trying) you’ll at least get a two dollar coupon emailed to you. Rachael Ray always has coupons available for the Zero Grain Nutrish on the website. Also, some online retails outlets will offer a discount for auto-ship orders, but you still have the ability to change shipping frequency and add or change items.

Five stars are great, so are four stars when your dog loves the food and does great on it!

[Nir_g5]

Hello ,
I have a four years old alaskan malamute male.
The dog is generally very healthy.weighting 62 pounds.
I feed him once a day.
The dog is active.
I always tried to upgrade his food quality .
But every time, when i got to point of homemade diet
it has been failed.
I read dr.becker’s and beth’s book,so i have the
knowledge.

The story goes like this :when feeding dry grained food like
canine caviar
and the stools are fine ,but eating dry foods with no grains
causes loose stools.
On the other hand,when feeding grain free canned food
and the stools are fine.
But when i made homemade diet raw or cooked with
grains or grains free and the stools are loose .

Here is the story from the last 3 days:

On Monday evening, i fed him peal millet canine caviar with
water which soften the food .
Result :fine stools

On Tuesday evening :small amount of home made cooked diet : 230 grams of cooked chicken breast ,100 cooked chicken liver ,100 gram of green pepper ,60 grams of carrot.caloric value:660

Result:the end of the stool was
loose with black color (maybe of the liver).

On Wednesday evening:grained home made diet : 280 grams of cooked chicken breast ,100 cooked chicken liver ,100 gram of green pepper ,100 grams of carrot,150 grams of cooked whole brown rice .cloric value :880

What do you think? what is best way to feed my dog ?
What are the possible reasons for these results ?

Thanks
Nir

[PugsleyOtisMom]

I have 2 chubby pugs. The oldest is a fawn 5 year old and his weight ranges from 23lbs to 25lbs. The other is a black 1 year old and he was 19lbs at last weigh in. Believe it or not I got the big fawn guy down from his top weight which was 32lbs. These guys love to eat and eat. I am very careful with how much I feed them and I try to exercise them regularly but the weight is not coming off. I realize that by feeding them BENEFUL that may be the problem. I am also having a lot of problems with their anal glands leaking. It seems like no matter how many times I get their anal glands expressed they are still leaking(food cause as well??). Any suggestions on the best food for pugs would be great!

p.s. The pugs also have lots of trouble with allergies… Coughing, ears itching, scratching.. you name it. Normally I give them a half a Benadryl and it does the trick but I am wondering if this is also food related?

[mah4angel]

Hi! I’d like to start out by saying to ChristyGH and dendad, I am SO SO sorry for your losses! I know it’s easy to feel bad about your choice of diet for your babies but it is absolutely NOT your fault!! We all can see how much love you had for your babies and all of us have been there! You had every reason to believe that you were doing the best for your babies and no one should ever begrudge you for it, including yourself <3

I’m on my way to feeding my Louie (a 10-pound Silky) 100% raw and had a few suggestions myself.

His previous owners had him on pretty much whatever was on sale at the grocery store/whatever they decided to pick up from Costco that day (Pedigree, Purina etc.). The one he was on when we took him home was Purina Puppy Chow (we got him four months ago and he’s three, not a puppy anymore).

I’ve personally found that it was easier to transition him from the CRAP he was eating before slowly up the ladder of great-quality foods. I would buy small batches of each new food (5-10 pounds if available) which would last him for a month or so and then move on to a higher quality kibble. Every time I’ve upgraded his food, he’s picked out the old one from his bowl! ^_^

It’s important to mention how to transition a dog. You have to transition SLOWLY, very very slowly. You’re going to keep a certain ratio of new food to old food for a week OR if her bowel movements change, wait until they turn to normal to move onto the next ratio. At first, have 25% of the new food, and 75% of the old food. Then (once everything is normal) do 50% new 50% old. Finally, 75% new, 25% old until it’s 100% new food.

My suggestion (after going through this whole process) would be to do this (remember to ALWAYS properly transition your pup between each step and add probiotics/digestive enzymes and fiber):

-Change from Science Diet to a four-star kibble (something like Nature’s Domain: http://www.naturesdomainpetfood.com/ which is sold at Costco in HUGE bags so it might not be the best for a little one like yours)

-Then from a four-star kibble to a five-star kibble (like Innova Prime: http://www.petco.com/product/118780/Innova-Prime-Grain-Free-Beef-And-Lamb-Adult-Dry-Dog-Food.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch, or Earthborn Holistic: http://www.petflow.com/product/earthborn-holistic/earthborn-holistic-primitive-natural-grain-free-dry-dog-food). I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend Earthborn Holistic products, they are GREAT quality and my Louie adores the Primitive Natural kibble.

-Then start SLOWLY adding in wet food to the kibble (like the Earthborn dinners: http://www.petflow.com/product/earthborn-holistic/earthborn-holistic-duke-s-din-din-gourmet-dinner-wet-dog-food).

-Then, switch from the five-star kibble to something that has raw in it like Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Boost food (which has bits of freeze-dried raw in it): http://www.petflow.com/product/natures-variety/nature-s-variety-instinct-grain-free-raw-boost-venison-meal-lamb-meal-dry-dog-food. Continue to add in the wet food.

-Then go to a 100% raw kibble like DNA (air-dried raw, stands for Dried N Alive): http://www.dnapetfood.com/node/20, or something similar. At first, I would continue to add in the wet food to this, but then I would transition her to 100% DNA (or whatever food you decide to use).

-And then transition from that to a pre-made frozen raw OR you could totally cut costs and make your own (which is what I’m doing), and then you’ll have 100% control over what she’s eating 😀

• This reply was modified 12 years, 5 months ago by mah4angel.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi londoncalling1996 –

That’s too bad your store didn’t carry any of the foods. 🙁 If you’re not opposed to online ordering there are many sites that sell a wider variety of foods than you could find in a store and they also typically have lower prices – most also offer free shipping with no weight limit when you spend a certain amount of money (usually orders over $49). I’d recommend checking out wag.com, chewy.com, petflow.com and naturalk9supplies.com. Also the new lists should give you many additional options to choose from.

I definitely feel that, if it’s financially feasible, non-dry foods should be fed as a sole diet or at least in addition to kibble. Dry food is actually the worst thing to feed a dog – however to to budget and time constraints it, understandably, comprises the bulk of most dog’s diets. I urge you to check out this article Dr. Marty Goldstein (one of my all time favorite veterinarians) posted on his blog, it ranks the different types of food from best to worst: drmarty.com/what-should-i-feed-my-pet-for-best-health/

If you add wet food you should count account for this in her daily food intake – just monitor her weight and if she’s gaining too much start feeding a little less. One of my all time favorite wet food toppers (especially for large breed puppies) is Tripett. I like Tripett for several reasons: 1) high protein/moderate fat/low carbohydrate (ideal); 2) it has a balanced calcium to phosphorus ratio but very low amounts of each, so it can effectively be used to lower the calcium to phosphorus ratio in any food fed to a large breed puppy without the risk of throwing off the balance and 3) dogs go absolutely nuts for it (people hate it – if you feed it you’ll see why – but they love it). The only thing I want to note with Tripett is that it’s not a complete and balanced food (it’s just canned green tripe) so if you do feed it make sure it doesn’t exceed 20% of the meal or you could throw off the nutritional balance. Some other more balanced canned foods that I like that could account for over 20% of the meal are: ZiwiPeak, Addiction, Nature’s Logic, Nature’s Variety Instinct and Merrick. Dr. Mike has a great compilation of high quality canned foods over on the review site as well. If you’re looking for a quality yet budget friendly canned food (canned food can be quite pricey, especially when feeding a large breed puppy) I’d recommend checking out 4Health (available at Tractor Supply, $0.99 per can), Pure Balance (available at Walmart, $1 per can), Kirkland Cuts in Gravy (available at Costco, $0.79 per can), Whole Earth Farms (available at many online retailers about $1.50 per can) – these foods are all 4 – 5 star quality. Some other toppers you could use are dehdyrated foods (i.e. The Honest Kitchen, Grandma Lucy’s, etc.) – these foods are about the same consistency as a stew type canned food when rehydrated, a balanced frozen or freeze-dried commercial raw food (freeze-dried rehydrates to canned food consistency) or fresh toppers such as sardines, eggs, plain yogurt or left over lean meat or steam veggies from your dinner.

Digestive aids aren’t necessary, but many feel they’re beneficial. Many of the regulars here supplement with probiotics and enzymes. I don’t supplement with either because my dogs eat a raw diet (naturally occurring enzymes) and consume raw green tripe (rich in enzymes and probiotics) and kefir (rich in probiotics) on a regular basis. If feeding cooked food only (like kibble and canned) I do feel that enzymes and probiotics can provide benefit.

[londoncalling1996]

Hi Hound Dog Mom, I REALLY appreciate all you research and hard work compiling all the information on what to feed Large and Giant Breed Puppies, in our case, our 11 week old Bernese Mtn Dog. I printed your recommendations and took the list to our local pet and feed store. I was leaning to Fromm because it’s one of the lowest in calcium. The Fromm website listed our local pet and feed store as carrying two of their lines. Not only do they not carry Fromm, they don’t carry any of the foods on your list except Canine Caviar, which you said in a recent post that you are taking off the list. I can see this isn’t going to be so straight forward! I did call a pet store about 20 miles away and they carry Fromm, so I will go tomorrow and pick some up for LUX. Can you please tell me if feeding her just the dry food is good for her? Or should I add some protein? What about the green tripe? What about digestive aids? Should I add of of those to her diet? I do put a little wet food into the end of her kong and freeze it to give her a treat when I put her in her crate at bedtime. Should I count that as food and subtract some kibble in one of her daytime meals? Also, what do you recommend as a wet food to use in the kong and/or as a topper occasionally on her kibble? I want to do the best I can for her in her life and especially in the coming formative months! Thanks so much!!!! Cheers, Jules

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi DellUSN –

Yes – I feel that the sooner a rotational feeding program is implemented the better. There are several reasons foods should be rotated – there is no “best” or “perfect” food so switching brands will help to mitigate the shortcomings of feeding any one brand for an extended period of time, feeding a variety of foods helps to foster a strong and diverse population of microorganisms in the gut and by having several “go to” foods you’ll be able to make a quick switch in the event of a recall or formula change. Some also believe that rotating foods helps to decrease the risk of the dog developing a sensitivity to a particular ingredient later in life.

Initially, you may need to gradually transition your pup when switching brands. You would do this by feeding 25% new/75% old for a few days, then moving to 50/50 for a few days, then 75/25 for a few days, then transitioning entirely to the new food. If your pup is experiencing loose stools during the transition a spoonful of plain canned pumpkin and/or probiotics may help. My two dogs were both started on a rotational feeding plan upon coming home at 8 weeks old and neither experienced any digestive upset – but it does depend on the dog.

As far as which brands to feed, for the next four months or so I would recommend keeping him on a controlled calcium food. Any of the kibbles on my list would be comparable to Wellness CORE. I’m currently in the process of updating the list and by the end of this week or beginning of next week I should have a revised grain-free list, a grain-inclusive list and a raw list posted.

There really is no rhyme or reason to rotational feeding – everyone has their own method. I haven’t fed kibble quite a few years but for my last dog that ate kibble I got a new brand with a new protein source at the end of each bag and added a variety of canned food and/or fresh food “toppers” daily. When I got Gertie (currently two years old) I rotated between The Honest Kitchen’s (dehydrated) Love, Embark, Thrive and Zeal formulas and fed a different variety each day, I also mixed in a can of Tripett with her breakfast and gave her either a raw egg, a tin or sardines or plain yogurt at dinner. When she was 8 months old I switched her to a raw diet. Mabel (my one year old) transitioned to a raw diet as soon as she came home at 8 weeks. On their homemade raw diets my dogs get something completely different at each meal.

I would highly recommend adding “toppers” if you’re feeding kibble as the sole diet. Toppers will boost the “species-appropriateness” by adding some extra protein, moisture and providing your dog with some fresh, less processed food. Some people believe canned foods are unhealthy, however they’re actually much healthier than dry food – they’re less processed, higher in protein/lower in carbohydrates and have a high moisture content. The same applies to dehydrated foods and raw foods. If you’re adding a balanced canned, dehydrated or raw food you can top with as much as you want. “People food” is great too – any left over lean meat or veggies from your dinner, eggs, tinned sardines, plain yogurt, kefir and cottage cheese are all cheap and very healthy foods (just keep unbalanced extras such as these to 20% or less of the meal or you could risk throwing of the nutritional balance of the kibble).

Hope that helps! 🙂

[DogEDog]

Hello Spencer’s Mom,
If you believe that your dog has a food allergy (for instance chicken), it will not make a difference if that chicken is moist, dry, freeze dried, raw or raised in rolling meadows by nuns. It’s still chicken.
The fact that you have changed the protein multiple times muddles the waters as to what he is actually allergic to, if in fact, it is the food.
You need to place him on a food elimination trial with a novel protein and a novel carbohydrate. No treats, table food or trash can diving for the next 8 to 10 weeks. If you see an improvement, then add one additional food item and wait and see if there is an allergic reaction. If he’s rolling good, then add another food element. When you see that he reacts, remove the suspected food and see if he improves. If you really want to prove it, give him that last food and watch for a reaction and that will give you your answer. And I’ll bet it’s not grain that is the issue.
After going through the food elimination trial and there is no improvement, it’s obviously not the food and you should take him to the vet because NO ONE including a veterinarian can make a diagnosis of your pet without a physical examination and a history. In fact, you should take him now if he is that miserable.
Best of luck to you and your dog.

[Jessica1]

I just adopted a puppy from a rescue, his mom and her puppies were dumped. The mom is a smaller German Shepherd and the vet thinks he has Burmese Mountain Dog. He is the cutest and sweetest “little” guy. I can guess this is going to be a big boy. Ever since I considered adopting him I started doing research on dog foods, they have changed a lot since my last dog.
I feel like I’m studying for an exam and failing. I am so confused at this point. I looked into brands like ; Wellness, Blue Buffalo, Blue Wilderness, Canine Caviar, Innova, Natures Variety, etc etc … After speaking to many people they stated that the higher end brands were to rich for their dogs and or created loose bowls. I’ve looked at the med end, but not all that happy with some of the ingredients. I loved the information on the, “Large Breed Puppy Food List” with the calcium percentages, and the food with rabbit as the main ingredient sounded to be like one of the best meats to use. But I just don’t know which might work out best for him. I was able to bring him home today and they have him on Pedigree so I want to wean him off this as soon as possible. Also, I would like to find a good food that won’t break me. I don’t mind paying a little more for better quality but some of the pricing is way out there.
I really want something that is good for him but it has to be something he enjoys. Oh and I’m looking for a dry food.
If anyone has any suggestions or recommendations for me I would greatly appreciate it.

[Hound Dog Mom]

I agree with Sandy – active dogs should have high fat/high protein foods that are calorie-dense. Just because he’s a “police K9” wouldn’t make his dietary needs significantly different than another other highly active dog. I have two extremely active bloodhounds and they eat a grain-free raw diet with protein levels ranging from 45% – 55% and fat levels ranging from 30% – 40%. We keep carbohydrate levels low. Inked Marie had a great suggestion with Dr. Tim’s (I’d recommend the Momentum formula which is 35/25). The NutriSource Super Performance mentioned by Sandy is another good option. Some other dry performance foods I’d recommend checking out: Native Performance Level 4 (35/25), Pro Pac High Performance (30/20), Artemis Pro Power (30/20), Victor Hi Pro Plus (30/20), Redpaw X-Series Perform 3 (32/20), RedPaw Poweredge 38K (38/25) and Abady Maintenance and Stress (32/29).

[Ronald]

Excuse me for the tears, I am having a beer and a very hot Dearborn sausage. And it is hot..

Inkedmarie the hip is doing fine, takes a long time to completely heal. Been going on almost 5 months and the hip pain is gone in fact the hip replace never gave me any problem, just the shaft part that goes into the thigh bone.. They cut the muscle and it takes time to build it back up.. I walk with a limp because I can’t put my full weight on that leg yet..so I also use a walking cane..

I will look at NutriSource so are so many out there it’s hard the choose from. I lost eddie because of the way we fed him and of course he ate it all no matter what he got..He ended up being a bad diabetic..

Bluetic thanks, I have given Abby some can food containing lamb.. I found out she is not keen on dry food, I ot some canned food and she gobbled it up, still learning her little things, after all she had 7 years with someone else feeding her..
Her little traits are starting to show now. She like people food, but she will get none to very little, she has a excellent memory, I have been walking about four times a day and she knows the times, because she comes to me and makes little groaning noises and gets excited..Can’t put my hat on in front of her that means walk time, I opened the van door she jumped in and refused to get out stood her ground..so she loves car rides..Her traits are starting to show..and she is relaxed now with us..she knows the kids, they stop by just about every day and Sunday is like a restaurant around our place for breakfast..

Ron..

[bluetichound21]

try Innova fish or lamb exspensive but easy on the dog

[InkedMarie]

Hi Ron,
I’m sorry for the dog you lost but glad you, your wife & Eddie found each other! I think NutriSource would be a great food to try!
Not dog related but how’s your hip doing? My surgeon will replace my right one any time I want.

[Ronald]

Thanks for all the good comments.. I’ll be sticking around I like it here, I feel great being surrounded by all these great women, is there any guys posting..

I have a forum I am trying to build up at the same time.. http://pawsandtailsinheaven.com/index.php not only memorials but talking about animals also..Still looking for ideas to add to the board..

I guess we forgot about what we started out for dry dog food.. Doesn’t matter as long as the owner doesn’t holler at us.. I think this is a great forum and very informative Board..

Ron..

[Cyndi]

I completely agree Karen. My friend owned my previous dog’s mother and father. When the mom got pregnant, I delivered the whole litter when it came time, which included my doberman Moose. I was holding him when he took his first breath and I was holding him 11 years later when he took his last. I wish I could have had many, many more years with him, but I could never, ever imagine dumping him or abandoning him. & now I have Bailey, who was scared of everything and growled and barked at everyone because of who knows what kind of abuse. She has come so far in the almost 6 months I’ve had her and I made a promise to her that she would never, ever be hurt again.

Oh, and btw, Ron, you are a good man for what you do and for giving Abby a home. We hope you’ll stick around and keep us posted on how she is doing! 🙂

[KarenC]

If I didn’t go through bags of food so fast I’d be a hoarder too! It just so happens that my bags and cans run out right at pay day so I never have much hanging around. Just enough to start on the new while there’s still a day or two of old to mix with. I’ve never really transitioned a food. I always just add to the last of what’s there and go for it! I’ll risk a few days stomach upset, though it’s never really been an issue. Even with the fosters and the who-knows-what they’ve eaten in the last few days.

Abby is extremely lucky! And Ron is right. Too many people consider their pets throw-aways. We get several a year through the rescue just because they don’t like the new puppy. That is the most jaw dropping reason I’ve ever heard. I appreciate people who see their pets as a commitment. So few do. No matter how you acquire your pets, either via shelter, rescue, or breeder, you make a promise to them. Sure, unforseen circumstances happen, but you’ll always see a person’s true character when you watch how they care for their animals.

[DogFoodie]

That’s the truth, KarenC! I’ve learned so much here, but unfortunately I’ve also turned into a dog food hoarder as a result! LOL!

I believe, Ron’s story about Eddie and the kinds of things he says about commitment and ours being a throwaway society say a lot about the kind of people he and his wife are. Abby is lucky to have them ~ she’s found a safe, loving home with them. : )

[KarenC]

That’s such a sweet story about your Eddie! He knew he would be safe with you (and have a full tummy!). Dogs always know when they are rescued, don’t they? I hope Abby fills what you’re missing from Eddie.

Someone said above to stick around here and you’ll learn a lot…They aren’t kidding! I’ve always been a kibble feeder (due to budgets and lifestyle constraints), and have always gone for the best I could afford at the moment. Believe me that there were some days when me and all the dogs were sharing a bologna sandwich and can of soup. But reading here and the review comments has taught me so much. Things that now make perfect sense, but I never really thought of before. Rotating being one of them. My dogs never ate one single food for years and years because I tried to improve as I could, but now I know that rotation more often is even better! They’ve also gotten cooked or canned toppers as often as I could, but I never would have considered sardines or other canned fish! There hasn’t been a single question I couldn’t get answered by some of the experienced posters here. Stick around and you’ll learn a ton!

[DogFoodie]

Hey KarenC,

Ron shared the sweetest story about how his first dog, Eddie, came into his life on a thread that he started called “Best Dry Dog Foods.” : )

[Ronald]

Thanks…. I believe in commitment. If you take any kind of animal, dog or cat, that is a commitment for the life of that animal..

To many people believe in the throwaway society, easy come, easy go..

Animals are born into our society with no rights, and depend on one of us to care for them..

Ron..

[DogFoodie]

Aww, Ron, that’s a very bittersweet story about Eddie.

It sounds like he found the home he needed with you and your wife. Most people would’ve never had the kindness or the patience Eddie deserved.

That explains your avatar, too. : )

I hope that Abby fills that empty space that Eddie left in your heart a bit.

[Ronald]

I never had a dog except when I was a kid living with my mom and dad, many, many moons ago..

10 yars ago our outdoor floodlights kept coming on for maybe three or more nights..so I got up one night to check and seen this little red dog outside in the bitter freezing cold..
Went outside to see him, he wanted nothing to do with me, tried a few times to nip my ankle, no way was this guy going to do this..

I made a box for him with blankets, even opened the side door to the garage for him to go inside out of the weather..Nope didn’t want that..

Next morning I asked the wife to make me a small bowl of warm oatmeal..That did it, he ate so fast I gave him a little more plus a nice drink of water..

I still couldn’t get near him, then a day or two he came up to the door and I opened it and in he came..He stayed inside where is was warm and cosy and he got fed very well.. I took him to the vet and had him checked out all the shots..

Kept him in a create for maybe a month, always left the door open so he could come and go..This is when he bonded to me and just tolerated the wife, even though she fed him his daily food..He was a one person dog, and that was me..

He was so protective of the wife and I, no one got near us until they got through him first.. But he had problems, very mad little guy, didn’t tolerated people or other dogs. Once a person was accepted by eddie they were OK with him they could come in the house..

He was like a shadow, where I went he went, good thing I was retired, because he’d never let me out of his site..He was a Vizsla mix, all red, red nose and red eyes, no tail..He also fit the Vizsla, he was a home dog..
He may have had problems, but to the wife and I he was our little guy, and always will be..He is waiting in the Rainbow Bridge..
Sorry I am getting choked up. See you later.

Ron…

[DogFoodie]

I know what you mean… I still will never forget the day I had to put down my black lab, Hannah. It was 03/03/2003, and I swear every time I talk about it, it makes my heart ache. It always feels like it was just yesterday. Hannah was the best dog ever (well, one of them).

It wasn’t until 04/29/2011, that I could bring myself to get another dog. That’s when my sunshine, Bella my Cavalier, came into our lives.

[theBCnut]

Vets have to know about medical problems in a whole host of different species, so they don’t spend much time on what nutrition looks like in a healthy animal.

[Ronald]

Thanks for the heads up on the Vet. You’d think they would know about diets, oh well as bad as family Doctors..

Thanks for the kind words on eddie.. I still miss the little guy, and it still brings tears even after this long..He was my sidekick for 10 years, I couldn’t even get out of the front door alone..

I have a friend in the UK who lost his Cavalier about a week later..

So I have a Hosting program, so I opened a web forum for Memorials and just talk about our animals..
Ron..

[theBCnut]

Hi Ronald

I’m sorry to hear about Eddie. It’s so hard when we lose them.

[DogFoodie]

Aww, Ron, I’m sorry about Eddie. : (

A lot of us here aren’t crazy about the foods our vets recommend. Vets get very little education in nutrition and what they do get is usually sponsored by the very same brands they usually sell in their clinics and recommend to their patients. I see an integrative vet and love that both she and the vet I see for my pup’s chiropractic care, prefer raw ~ but, they’re both far from the norm in their philosophies. All the vets at the practice where I see my integrative vet are Purdue vets (which, being a Purdue alum myself, I love), but for the most part, it’s traditional veterinary medicine.

Keep asking your questions here and stick around, you’ll learn more than you ever thought imaginable about dog food!

[Ronald]

When it comes to our pets, do we ever stick to a budget..

I just got out of having a total hip replacement, the day I came home my other dog I had for 10 years passed away the night before..Replacement was March 1st. Eddie passed away March 3rd..

He had been sick so we took him to the Vets, found out he had very high sugar put him on the needle. But he was also ill in the upper GI, had medications to help, but he still passed away.
We spent just under $4000. trying to keep him alive..
So I don’t think we follow budgets very good..

I just thought maybe NutriSource might be a good selection, since it is a well known brand..
I am going to take Abby to the Vet’s and will see what he recommends..

[DogFoodie]

Hi Ron,

Congrats on the new pup! That’s awesome you’ve adopted a more “mature” pet! Labs are so great, aren’t they.

I will totally second Patty’s recommendation for NutriSource. It does seem that it’s very easily transitioned to and I know that they carry it at PSP, that’s where I buy mine. By the way, NutriSource also has a loyalty program ~ ask them about it at PSP. Also, you can get coupons all the time from NutriSource by texting the word “Source” to 55678 ~ at the store where I shop, there’s also a really sweet NutriSource rep there frequently and she readily hands out coupons ~ even leaves them sticking out between the various stacks of their product at the store when she leaves.

OK, so I don’t work for Nutri Source and there are definitely other foods I like as well. Do you need to try to stick to a particular budget?

[pugmomsandy]

She might also have tummy troubles from switching from her previous food to shelter food then to Pedigree in a short amount of time.

[Ronald]

Got my little avatar, thanks for the help..

[Ronald]

I talked to the girl that has the shelter, she told me Abby was like that when she got her, so she mixed some wet food with the dry food..
I went and got a can of wet food, mixed some with her dry and away she went, just gobbled it down..

But I will switch her to a more healthier diet. PSP has like two or four rows of dog food dry, all different brands and types.. I will also check out TS.. I will check out NutriSource..

Thanks for the help..

[theBCnut]

You have to go to Gravatar dot com to add an avatar. Melissa suggested some really good foods and I really don’t want to add to that list, but I do want to let you know that NutriSource tends to be a food that is easy for dogs to switch to. Also I wanted to reinforce what Melissa said about picking a few different foods and rotating between them. It really is much healthier for your dog, and while you may have to switch slowly the first few times, as your dogs gut gets healthier, there will be less and less need to transition from food to food until one day you can just switch cold turkey to whatever you want. That is a healthy gut.

[Mom2Cavs]

I think you can add an Avatar anytime, but I can’t remember how I did it LOL! Somehow through Disqus, if I remember correctly. Sorry I’m not anymore help than that. I did it awhile ago and just don’t remember how. Again, I’m sure some of the other regulars will post and help you out My Avatar is of Laverne. I have another Cavalier, Hazel and a Mixed Breed, Lucy. Pet Suppies Plus has some decent foods. I haven’t been in one for years but I remember they carried some good ones back then. Again, TSC has 4Health grain free, which is around 30.00-35.00 for 30 lbs. of food! It comes in 3 flavors, too. Their canned 4Health (I buy the grain free stews) are .99 a can….fantastic considering other foods go for around 2.70-5.00 a can!! Btw, remember when looking for dog supplies, like collars, leashes, beds, bowls, etc. don’t forget to check out places like Big Lots, TJ Maxx, Dollar Stores, etc. I don’t recommend buying food or treats from there but I’ve gotten some great buys for supplies from those kind of places. The fun is just beginning!

• This reply was modified 12 years, 5 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

[Ronald]

Thanks for the reply. I have a Pets Supplies Plus store near by, I also have a animal supply near by and two Tractor Supply Stores near by..

My last dog loved the Pedigree so I bought it again.. But Abby doesn’t like it, so I’ll have to try another..

My last dog passed away after 10 years, and we gave all the doggie stuff to a rescue home, never thinking we’d have another dog..

I’ll mark these foods down and look them up..

Thanks Ron..

PS how many postings do I need before I can add a Avatar..

[Mom2Cavs]

Hi, Ron! It is so exciting for you and your new doggie friend to have found each other. As for food recommendations, I would suggest starting with this site and looking at the 4-5 star foods. If you find one (or a few, to rotate with) that you would like to try with your dog then I would see if you can get them locally. Some of us also order foods we can’t get locally from online stores (many have free shipping). I like to buy locally because I like to look at the expiration dates myself before I buy them, but I have bought online, too. Also check out any local feed stores that might be in your area. Tractor Supply has a wonderful, inexpensive house brand, for instance. Also, Costco has some foods people love. Some of the brands I will recommend are (in no particular oder):
Merrick, 4Health grain free, Nature’s Variety, Fromm, Earthborn, Wellness, Holistic Select, Acana, Nutrisource. These are just a few, there are many more. I hope this helps some. I’m sure HDM, InkedMarie, Pattyvaughn, etc. will also have some good suggestions. 🙂

[Ronald]

I have just adopted a abandon Lab. she is 7 years old, very settled and very gentle, seems to have taken to the wife and I, we have had her for one week now..
Trouble is she ate good the first day, now she just nibbles.
I always thought that Pedigree dry feed was good, but upon reading more I see it is loaded with corn filler..
Can I ask what is a good dry food I can give her..
Another thing she doesn’t eat and veggies or fruit..

My passed dog ate all kinds of veggies and fruit he loved these food products, and I guessed all dogs did, but I’m afraid not so..

Thanks
Ron..

[jewlz2121]

Hi everyone! I’m brand spankin new here, so hello. I am adopting a 4 and a half month old American Bulldog/Boxer-Hound puppy who currently weighs 41lbs. He’s estimated to be 80 plus lbs as an adult. He has been fed a petsmart store brand dry food up until now. For obvious reasons, I want to change this and feed him something much better. I have looked through the 10 page awesome large breed puppy thread as well as the created doc file on the best foods with lower calcium. Cost is a factor for us. We wanted to go with a Dry Kibble that was able to be bought at a pet store or easy delivery service. From the list, I was leaning toward Wellness Core Puppy and the Kirkland brand. However, I don’t have a Costco membership so that might be a problem! Can anyone help point me in the right direction to make sure puppy has a better finish to his puppyhood than he started out with? He’s currently eating 2 cups in the a.m. and 1 cup in the p.m. – seems like a lot??? How long to stay on a puppy food? Thank you SO MUCH!

[theBCnut]

Brands that advertise are the ones selling the most. That makes them convincing to the masses, not good. Most people think dog food is dog food. They think that the AAFCO statement means something other than that a food met the most basic bottom of the barrel requirements to sustain life. And as long as Fluffy doesn’t die immediately after eating, they don’t care to find out better. There aren’t any of the top brands being sold that I would allow my dogs to eat.

BTW, if you care to impress the ladies with purse dogs, you need to tell them you feed filet mignon. No dry food would be good enough for GiGi.

[Newfs]

Hello Hound Dog Mom and all remaining Members 🙂
I am here new, for the last few days I read this forum and I found here many interesting and useful information 🙂
I would like to ask for the help in the selection of the fodder for mine 3,5 the monthly newfoundland pup.
Unfortunately the most recommended feed by you is in Poland inaccessible or they are in cosmic prices.
I consider following fodders, the most of them contains unfortunately cereals: Fromm Family Gold http://frommfamily.com/products/gold/dog/dry/large-breed-puppy-gold or Enova ( http://www.penner.ee/index.php? http://www.enovapetfood.com/default.aspx?mid=18456 page=138&action=show_product_details&product_id=508&group_id=45 or http://www.e-karma.pl/product-pol-750-ENOVA-Breeders-Bag-Grain-Free-Simple-20-kg.html ) or Husse Valp Maxi http://www.husse.co.uk/dog-food-products/dry-food-for-dogs/?product=110 or Canidae ( in Poland are accessible: All Life Stage Formula, CANIDAE Grain Free Pure Elements: chicken, turkey, lamb, ocean fish)
Possibly: Nutra Gold http://www.nutragold.com/products/which_formula/dogs/large_breed_puppy/ or Hills ( http://www.hillspet.com/products/ha-canine-puppy-large-breed-healthy-advantage-dry-dry.html or http://www.hillspet.com/products/sd-canine-puppy-large-breed-dry.html or http://www.hillspet.co.uk/en-gb/products/nb-canine-natures-best-puppy-large-breed-giant-dry.html )
What do you advise to me ?
I greet

[BlondieMIA]

Ive been searching the web for some numbers, just out of curiosity I suppose, of what the best selling dog foods on the market are. I mean, we all agree that there are many dog foods that are on our personal do not buy list; whether it be because our dogs may not like the food, or because we do not like whats in the food, then theres the dog foods that people say they buy, but the real truth lies in the actual sales of these foods. I started searching for top dog food sales for the most recent year & I can’t seem to find anything definitive. I was looking for quantity as well as top sales. For example, Yum Yum Food sold 10,000 pounds of dry dog food or 2000 bags of dry dog food (I wouldn’t know how the companies break down their “quantity” sales). Then also Yuck Yuck Food sales were at $1.2 million. (both dog food names are just made up). Does any one know how to collect this data or find it? Any help would be appreciated.

Why did I start to search for dog food sales?
Well, I have 5 dogs. I love them all dearly, but dog food prices have really seemed to sky rocket. Back when I only had 3 dogs, they all ate “good” dog food. (Taste of the Wild). I actually switched from Eukenuba (excuse my spelling) because my oldest, Nikita, started to develop skin problems & allergies. Then when the youngest 2 we rescued joined the family, I was feeding them all Taste of the wild. But the $60 something plus tax with everything else, my 2 trips a week to the pet store was exceeding easily $300…$1200 a month just in food, treats ect. (edible items) So, I started buying both Taste of the wild and some less expensive food. My thoughts were to feed Nikita TOTW, & feed the others a mix of both. But of course they all want what the other has & lets face it, sometimes you just want Mc Donalds.

Now, I am aware of whats in certain foods and whats better for my dogs to eat. If I were able to, I would feed them the best of the best. If someone asks me what I feed my dogs, to be honest, my answer may vary depending on whose asking. The only one I know Im 100% truthful with all of the time is our vet. It seems dog food brands are becoming a “human” category. If I were to meet a person with a LV purse & a yorkie in it, Im most likely to say that all my dogs eat the best foods. Why? Im not sure, but I feel if I were to say for example, Pedigree, you might as well tell the woman you live under a bridge. The conversation would most likely end quickly & she would run in the opposite direction. (yes extreme, but just so you get the point.) Does buying Pedigree make you poor, cheap, uneducated about dog food or d. all of the above?

So that being said, Im curious to see quantity sales numbers vs revenue. How many people are actually buying quality dog food? How many pounds of dog food did pedigree sell vs taste of the wild or blue? I bet blues $$ numbers are up there, but Im assuming pedigree exceeds most in quantity (lbs).

Whats your perception of the top brands sold? Food for thought… Thanks in advance to all that can help me get this solved. 🙂

[Care4Kooper]

Can anyone offer suggestions/experience/advice if vitamin or other supplements are necessary to add to a raw diet and mixed 5 star wet and 5 star kibble for a Vizsla puppy. This will be my 3rd Vizsla – want to start off doing things as best as I can this time now that I have learned more information (scared about what I didn’t know before – its no wonder the first two died of cancer). I’m all for preparing most of the raw diet recipes I’ve seen and then interchanging with some of the higher end 5 star wet and dry mixes but I don’t want to overlook any nutritional supplements that may be inadvertently left out – especially at the puppy phase.

[Cyndi]

Paige you can’t believe everything you read on the internet. Look what Purina Beneful’s website says about their food “Help keep your dog happy and healthy with a perfect balance of real, wholesome ingredients, quality nutrition and great taste found in Beneful® brand dry dog food.” If THAT was true, why would so many dogs be dying on it. That is one of the worst of the worst foods.

& Dr. Mike isn’t basing his reviews on “his opinions”, he is basing them on fact, the ingredients, black & white! Go try to sell your food somewhere else!

[LoveMyFurBabies]

Patty, thank you very much for the links! I have spent a lot of time looking over everything and I think I will give Fromm a try….using dry and wet food. Perhaps I can get freeze-dried occasionally to give them some variation. As you said, it is expensive. Thanks again!

[somebodysme]

That yellow discharge could be infection and that smells nasty too. It really to me sounds like food allergies. The allergies start at the feet. I saw it explained why but of course I can’t remember now…like that’s where dogs sweat so that’s where the toxins come out? I actually had two vets tell me it was most likely food allergies and to try something without grains and without chicken. My vet had to give her an antibiotic shot for the infection in her paws…it was that bad. To me it smelled like stinky cheese…kind of like cheetoes or parmesan cheese which I thought was yeast. I just think it’s best to go at least to the vet so they can tell you if it’s yeast or not and if there’s infection…it won’t heal up without antibiotic. At least if it’s not yeast, you won’t have that to worry with. My vet suggested a venison or duck limited ingredient food and also said that fish would be ok too. If it’s yeast…one of the few dry kibbles I’ve seen that is supposed to be ok for yeast is Nutrisca. I would definitely stay away from chicken until you figure it out. My dogs symptoms were swollen infected paws, itching bald spots in various places on her body, watering eyes, pink inside to ears with some brown discharge and itching in them, just a whole lot of scratching going on all over but mostly the paws. She was having to wear a cone because she was chewing her paws. I really wasted a lot of time trying to self diagnose because believe me I am so anti-doctor it’s ridiculous. HA! If the vet tells you it’s food allergies, you do not have to buy their dog food! When I made a face at the suggestion of IAMS RX…my vet suggested a venison or duck grain free food of my liking…HAHAHA! But she had to have a shot to clear the paw infection! Believe me, I am kicking myself for not taking her to the vet sooner! It would have saved us both a lot of pain and suffering!

[LoveMyFurBabies]

Hi all,

I am completely overwhelmed with all this information, but so grateful to have discovered this website! I HAVE to make a change in my dogs’ food. My 7 year old Husky started having diarrhea last week and vomited one day. I took him to the vet Monday, who said she noticed bad bacteria in his stool and prescribed an antibiotic. Today (Wednesday) I see another recall for Innova (salmonella), which is what my husky eats, so I called the vet to ask is this could have been the cause of his symptoms. She said yes and prescribed another med.
Obviously, I’m done with Innova. I was thinking about switching to Fromm, but I really want to do what is best for my dogs. I recently moved to the middle of nowhere, where the only place to buy dog food is Walmart. No way.
What I’m thinking of doing is ordering Fromm dry food online, and topping it with some canned foods — I can get different flavors to keep them happy and that won’t upset their tummies, right? (I have two dogs – the husky and a shepherd mix approx 50 lbs.) I was also thinking of adding in carrots…should I clean them and feed raw or cook them first? The yogurt sounds like a good idea, too. Would it be better to purchase dehydrated or freeze-dried food and top that with some fresh goodies? I have never heard of being able to purchase dehydrated/freeze-dried food so that’s a totally new concept to me.
Thank you so much for any thoughts or input. I want my dogs to live the longest healthiest life possible.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi gsdmommy89 –

I think the new formulation for Orijen Large Breed Puppy should be okay. For some reason Orijen’s website isn’t working for me right now but I believe the minimum and maximum put it at right around the 3.5 g./1,000 kcal. level (maybe slightly lower than 3.5 g. basing the calculation on the min and slightly more basing it on the max).

The Earthborn Primitive Natural formula is too high in calcium but I believe Meadow Feast and Coastal Catch are okay if you’d be interested in either of those formulas. The calorie content for the Earthborn Primitive Naturals is 3,800 kcal. per kg. of food or approximately 445 kcal. per cup.

The calcium levels in Nutrisca are too high: 1.7105% for the chicken formula, 2.2294% for the salmon formula and 2.1516% for the lamb formula.

I really like Nature’s Variety Instinct and they do have two formulas with appropriate calcium levels – the Rabbit Meal formula and the Limited Ingredient Turkey Meal formula.

All of the Merrick formulas are too high in calcium to the best of my knowledge. When I last emailed Merrick they had just reformulated their grain-free line and did not yet have the lab results back with the nutrient values but I was told the calcium levels were expected to be roughly the same as in the old formulas and all the values in the old formulas were around 2.0%.

I think Orijen would be a great food to try, I think it’s one of the better dry foods available. The best recommendation I could make would be to find several quality foods that are high in animal-based protein and rotate through them. It’s also a good idea to mix in canned or fresh foods if possible – this will boost the protein levels and provide some less processed food for your pup. In my opinion it’s very important that dogs get variety and have some fresh foods incorporated into their meals occasionally. Once your pup is around 8 months old and through the rapid growth phase, I wouldn’t worry so much about calcium but when the pup is young and growing rapidly it’s important. So some of the foods you mentioned (Nutrisca, Earthborn Primitive Naturals, Merrick, etc.) would be fine to try later on but I’d wait until the pup is at least 8 months old.

Good luck 🙂

[LolaPalooza]

Good afternoon all!

This website is a huge source of information!!! Kudos to all who contribute!

I am currently researching a suitable replacement for Hill’s® Prescription Diet c/d® Canine Urinary Tract Health dry dog food. I have a 4.5 year old beagle who is on it due to her tendency to develop crystals in her urine. I tried switching her to the same product my other dogs are eating, Acana Wild Prairie, but she developed issues within a couple months. So far, I’ve learnt that a low phosphorus and low sodium is the main differences and I’m having a problem finding something suitable. The best I have found is the Kirkland’s Senior with a phos level of 0.7 (c/d is 0.59) but no sodium info.

Does anyone have any other recommendations? I hate the ingredients in c/d and I want her to get onto better food than this stuff!

Thanks for your help!!

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi yevincent –

Yes – calcium needs to be converted to a dry matter basis for wet foods due to the high moisture content. Calculating calcium levels on a kcal. basis (versus percent of weight basis) is the most accurate way to evaluate the appropriateness of foods as it accounts for varying caloric densities between different foods. For a large breed puppy you’d want to feed a food with 3.5 g. calcium per 1,000 kcal. or less. I’ll walk you through the calculation. Let’s say the food comes in a standard 13.2 oz. can, has 400 kcal. per can and the company tells you there is 0.3% calcium on an as-fed basis.

1) Convert 13.2 oz. to grams (easier to perform calculations using grams): (13.2 oz.)(28 grams/1 oz.) = ~397 g.

2) Calculate how many grams of calcium are in the can of food: (397 g.)(0.003) = 1.19 g. calcium per can.

3) Calculate how many grams of calcium per 1,000 kcal.: (1.19 g. calcium per can)/(400 kcal. per can) = 0.00298 g. calcium per kcal. (0.00298 g. calcium per kcal.)(1,000 kcal.) = ~2.98 g. calcium per 1,000 kcal.

————————————

If you wanted the calcium level on a percent basis:

1) 100% – % Moisture = % Dry Matter
2) [(As Fed Calcium %)/(% Dry Matter)] X 100%

BTW – I’d highly recommend Tripett as a canned topper for large breed puppies. It’s not a complete and balanced food as it’s green tripe only but it makes a great topper if you’re feeding a balanced kibble. Green tripe is high in protein and naturally has a balanced calcium to phosphorus ratio but contains very low levels of each (only about 0.3% calcium on a dry matter basis if I recall correctly). The best part is dogs go nuts for it.