[DogFoodie]

Hi Tiffany,

That’s great that you’re willing to cook for your dogs! A couple of great books to take a look at would be Karen Becker’s, Real Food for Healthy Dogs and Cats. You could also take a look at Steve Brown’s, Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet.

But, I agree…, you do have to know where to start.

I looked at the ingredients in the TOTW High Prairie Puppy formula you mentioned. There are a few things in that other than the proteins (bison, venison, fish) that could be the problem, such as tomato pomace or flaxseed. If you’re wanting to use kibble as a base, I’d start with a simple food that has one animal protein source and one starch. I might also try a food that doesn’t use chickpeas and lentils as binders since it appears as though your guy might have a sensitive digestive system and those are known to cause some gastric distress. Maybe try a limited ingredient food, such as Nature’s Variety Instinct LID. I’d recommend any of the formulas other than the lamb. You might also like The Honest Kitchen Zeal (assuming that he can eat fish). If you aren’t already familiar with THK, it’s a human-grade dehydrated food that you rehydrate with water.

I would start right now of keeping a list of everything that he eats, his reaction to it, etc. I did that and kept detailed notes and it was the way I discovered my dog’s food intolerances. Keep in mind the ingredients in any treats that he eats as well.

You could also try adding some plain canned pumpkin to his food to help firm up the stools to see if that helps. I’ve been using a product called Firm Up as needed which is dehydrated pumpkin and apple. It works great and I have much less waste because I never used a full can of pumpkin before it went to waste. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=bl_sr_pet-supplies?ie=UTF8&field-brandtextbin=Diggin%27+Your+Dog&node=2619533011

[InkedMarie]

Hi Tom,
First, thanks for adopting this senior gal! I would not feed that food. No offense to your vet but they get very little nutrition education.
Years back, we adopted a senior dog who was obese. She should have weighed about 25lbs but was 43.7. We used Wellness Core reduced fat & she lost the weight. For snacks, you can use some of her kibble from her daily ration, fresh green beans, we use The Honest kitchen quickies but they’re costly.ni think Buddy biscuit itty Bitties and Charlee Bear treats are low calorie.
What supplements are you using? I’ve used Joint Mobility Plus (from SwansonVitamins.com), green lipped mussel, salmon oil, Liquid Gold K9 and salmon oil for ours with bad joints.

[Tom L]

We recently acquired an overweight (78#) 12 year old Labrador with severe joint disease who can have limited walks and exercise due to bones rubbing on bones. This is a loving female who loves to eat and likes snacks and treats. Our vet recommended feeding her Science Diet Senior Food 1 cup in the morning and 1 cup at night along with supplements.
She hasn’t lost any weight and is always looking for snacks. We are concerned that this is the correct food for our overweight dog. Ideally, we would like to give her 3 small servings a day. Tom L.

[Carol M]

Hi Nancy,

Yes, it is unbelievable how much fluid she gets – 2 liters in a week, that’s about a half a gallon! That’s why we do “the procedure” twice a week; don’t think she’d be able to breathe otherwise.

My dog is about 30# – the vet recommended 1000mg (2 pills) 3x a day. I use Nature’s Plus brand, there’s a health food store nearby that carries it (couldn’t find it at some of the larger stores like Whole Foods). I tried going up to 1500mg 3x a day for a few months but didn’t notice any difference in the amount of fluid so I went back to 1000mg. Don’t know that it actually does anything but I’m not going to stop in case it does.

Haven’t tried Metamucil; that was the nutritionist’s suggestion as she read that a high fiber diet helps with chylothorax. Don’t know what the dosage would be though, need to ask vet.

There are no restrictions on activity because of the port itself; it’s all contained and can only be accessed by needle (looks like a lump on her side). Vet said to just treat her like a normal dog. She is less active when she’s filling up with fluid so she restricts herself. After we drain her, she goes (on her own) to her crate for about 20 minutes or so to rest. I don’t let her run around right after just as a precaution.

The specialist vet doesn’t carry Royal Canin but my regular vet does. The PetSmart here carries it & probably Petco does too; your vet would have to write a prescription for them to fill it. I feed the dry and mix in some canned with it. I just ordered a case of canned from Petflow (www.petflow.com) – price is about the same ($61 for 24 cans) but they deliver it (free shipping for orders over $49) and you can set it up to auto ship (and get 20% off the first order for auto ship). You’d probably want to get a few cans and/or dry to see if your dog likes it before ordering that much though…maybe another local vet carries it.

She eats quite a bit actually – close to a cup of dry with maybe 1/4 – 1/3 can mixed in twice a day. The other dogs get 1/2 cup in the morning & 1 cup at night of their dry food. Her appetite is good and she’s not gained or lost weight (other than after surgery).

I kind of jokingly asked the nutritionist if giving her boneless chicken breast would help with the protein loss. She said it couldn’t hurt, just be sure to boil it and skim off any fat – I trimmed all the fat & other yuck off and then boiled it in no-fat chicken broth and have been adding some to her food but just in the last week or so. When she had the surgery she wasn’t eating so I boiled chicken & rice for her and hand fed her and that worked. Then mixed it with the dog food until it was all dog food.

I tried giving her frozen green beans as a treat and that worked for a while…then she caught on that the others were getting real treats. So, I’m giving all of them Pupcorn treats (found at Fred’s or PetSmart has their own brand) as it’s 3% or lower fat and supposedly healthy. She’s not a chewer and not crazy about toys. Wonder if maybe a Kong or similar filled with something low fat would work for your dog?

Hope that helps – do check with the vet though before you do anything. Carol

[Barbara]

I did not realize that this information was in DFA before I originally posted. I know now to search for recalls by brand name. You can also just search the word recalls on the DFA homepage.
/dog-food-recall/dogswell-withdraws-dog-cat-jerky-treats
It appears that some of the packages state made in the USA but I understand from reading comments that you need to find out where the ingredients are sourced from by contacting the manufacturer. Sounds like a lot of jerky-type treats have ingredients sourced from China!

• This reply was modified 11 years, 3 months ago by Barbara.

[Dori]

Hi Akari and all. As I mentioned, I donate food, treats, supplies once a week. Four times a year I make a nice size monetary donation to my local shelters and human societies. Unfortunately, though I’d love to donate time with the dogs I really can’t because I’m allergic to them. I always call when I’m on my way and one of the volunteers comes out to take my donations. I wish I could spend time with the dogs, but I do what I can.

[Marilyn E]

I’ve been feeding Darwin’s for 2 years and am very pleased with the quality. (darwinspet.com). I have a standing monthly order, and it arrives by UPS. They send return labels so you can ship the boxes back, which is Eco friendly. If I don’t get around to taking them to UPS, I just leave them out on the next delivery day and the driver takes them. Darwin’s has 2 lines of food, one is free range, no hormones or antibiotics; the other is human grade, USDA inspected. Darwin’s is an complete diet–includes veggies, organ meats, ground bone.
To answer the other part of your question: I supplement the raw with probiotics, coconut oil, omega 3s, and Spirulina-Astizanthan (Mercola Healthy Pets online). I do feed treats cuz I don’t know how you train without it, but if I don’t use meat leftovers, I use high quality treats, such as freeze-dried liver, Real Meat brand dog treats, or ZiwiPeak dehydrated raw food.

[Barbara]

Thanks Hound Dog Mom for the suggestions. I had not noticed that the Dogswell treats did not have a “made in the USA” until after I posted. I really liked the sound of the limited ingredients so it is too bad they are manufactured in China :(. I did know about jerky-type treats that are manufactured in China having major issues and that dogs have died and others had become seriously ill in the last few years. I wish it was easier to tell where a product is made when you are checking on-line. Last year I returned an unopened bag of Cadet Duck jerky dog treats that I had been giving to my dogs for over a year because I did not want to take any chances. I don’t understand why Costco still carries them. I think I will also look into Alaskan Salmon treats that have been recommended in the forum.
Thank you for your help.

[Barbara]

Thanks Hound Dog Mom for the suggestions. I had not noticed that the Dogswell treats did not have a “made in the USA” until after I posted. I really liked the sound of the limited ingredients so it is too bad they are manufactured in China :(. I did know about jerky-type treats that are manufactured in China having major issues and that dogs have died and others had become seriously ill in the last few years. I wish it was easier to tell where a product is made when you are checking on-line. Last year I returned an unopened bag of Cadet Duck jerky dog treats that I had been giving to my dogs for over a year because I did not want to take any chances. I don’t understand why Costco still carries them. I think I will also look into Alaskan Salmon treats that have been recommended in the forum.
Thank you for your help.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Barbara –

Strictly in terms of ingredients the Dogswell jerky treats appear to be a great treat. Unfortunately, Dogswell’s jerky treats are manufactured in China. Just in case you weren’t aware, there have been major issues with jerky-type treats that are manufactured in China over the past few years. Many dogs have died and many more have gotten seriously ill. Here’s some information on the situation. Dogswell was actually one of the companies that had to recall treats because they tested positive for an antibiotic that is illegal for use in food animals in the United States – more information on the recall here. If you’re looking for safe jerky treat with joint support I’d recommend checking out Bixbi or Earth Animal.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 3 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.

[Barbara]

I was curious what anyone thought of Dogswell Happy Hips Duck Breast, Salmon or Chicken Breast Dog Treats?? They appear to have only the protein ingredient plus Vitamin E Supplement, Glucosamine Hydrochloride & Chondroitin Sulfate. I saw them on Chewy.com. Thanks for any input.

I just noticed I cannot tell the country of origin of these proteins and the packaging does not state made in the USA so I am now skeptical of the source.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 3 months ago by Barbara.

[Jenny Rellick]

I am very concerned about the calories from treats. I budget an average of 50 calories in treats per day for my dog, Leo, a 50 pound Australian Cattle Dog. If I had a smaller dog, I would be even more restrictive. If the treat had equal nutrition to his food, I could simply reduce my dog’s meal calories on days with high treat calories, but I have not found a treat that is an Editor’s Choice dog food substitute. I classify treats as empty calories, even though some may have some nutritional value.

Another consideration is whether the treat serves the functions of a treat. I use treats for 5 purposes:
1. Drop that and chew on this–I use a cow leg marrow bone or an elk antler for this treat because Leo can express his nerves, annoyance, or stir-craziness with it for hours. He will drop the electrical plug, frozen food container, or plastic bag for these treats.
2. The potty treat. I give Leo a tiny 3-calorie treat for behaving and going potty in the right place in a reasonable time. He gets 6 per day usually.
3. The dental treat recommended by veterinary dentists. These are large, high calorie. and very expensive. I only give him 2 per week, which is less than the recommended amount, because of the calories. He won’t let me brush his teeth.
4. The cute dog treat. A treat for when I give in to his eyes begging or when he is being very good. This is different from the potty treat because it is not as automatic–I make him obey commands to get it– and it has to be more valuable to to Leo than the potty treat. These must be 5 calories or less.
5. Lastly, Leo needs a treat he would do ANYTH ING to get. In an emergency, I can use it to get Leo to come back if he runs out the door (after figuring out that it is not 100% latched and opening it himself!) In Leo’s opinion, the dental treat is the treat of the gods. He will run to me, faster than a bullet for it.

When it comes to the elk antler and cow bone, I am concerned that it is from a safe source and is stored and processed safely. He does so much work on them that he probably burns more calories than he consumes, so I am not worried about the calories in that case. My dog’s food is grain-free, but because the treats are regarded as empty calories in Leo’s diet and are given in small amount’s, I allow them to contain grains. If I were to use a treat as a food equivalent, I would need it to be grain free because Leo has food intolerances.
I hope this list of attributes helps the treat committee in their mission. I think most dog parents would agree with many of these criteria.

[Debbie S]

First off let me say that I feed my Pomeranian Wellness Core Reduced Fat (Dry) and Wellness Core Grain Free Weight Maintenance (canned) and only USA made low calorie treats. The poor thing is a pound or two overweight so until she loses that she will continue on this. (thankfully she loves it).
My question is for my flesh & blood kids dogs. I don’t agree with the way they do things but there isn’t much I can do about it. They live in the country and the dogs live outside. They have a male black Lab, a female German Shepard mix and a male combination of the two. They can’t afford a high quality food and are currently feeding a Pedigree product. They’ve just asked me what is wrong with it (since a current recall) so I told them. Now I have the task of finding a decent inexpensive food for their three dogs. They have two small children under the age of five and both adults work so they don’t have time to cook for the dogs (rarely do for themselves) so anything that takes time is out of the question. I can relate with those of you that think they shouldn’t be allowed to have pets but the problem is that they DO. Can anyone refer me to a product that would be better than what they are getting now that could be bought at Walmart, Pet Smart or Petco?

[Genevieve K]

I want to go completely grain-free. I have a few specialty stores around that carry the higher-end foods. Petsmart now carries Wellness but does Wellness make a grain-free puppy food? I hesitate to deviate from the Large Breed Puppy foods because I know, as a puppy, he has different needs than an adult. Yes, there are All Life Stages formulas but I’m not confident those would meet his nutritional needs.

We’ve been giving him coconut oil this week. He LOVES it. I’m also hitting the butcher today and hoping they have some rabbit – have them grind one up, bones and all. I’ve not fed him raw before but, at this point, I”m desperate. I know I shouldn’t change everything at once because that makes it harder to identify the allergen but if he’s getting mainly meat and veggies with some supplements like coconut oil and maybe some calcium (unsure about that), I’d like to think he’d do ok with more limited ingredients. (OMG, carrots, broccoli and cauliflower are the best treats on earth for my dogs.)

Again, he’s a large breed and I want to make sure he gets what he needs to be healthy and strong as an adult. This makes me so sad, especially when there is so little, yet so much, information (all conflicting) out there on large breed foods and puppy needs.

[milly w]

In training your pet, it is important to have treats which will encourage good behavior. It is not a must to buy dog treats as they can be made at home. Homemade dog treats are not as difficult to make as most people would think. The secret is making the treats something that is healthy for your dog and delicious enough to keep them looking forward to the treat. The good part of making the dog treats at home is that you will have the opportunity to choose the recipe and make the contents as flexible as possible. Some of the ingredients that can be included in making the treats can be beef, rice, chicken, and lamb.

Ingredients for making the dog treats

The ingredients part should not be taken lightly because they will determine just how helpful the treats will be to your pet. If you buy dog treats and take a look at the ingredients, you will notice that they are things that you can eat yourself. Using the ingredients list on the processed dog treats you can create your own DIY treats for your dog especially with ingredients such as whole grains, kelp, beans and meat products.

Calories used

Calories are important for dogs as they are for humans. This means that when you are making the treats for your dog at home, you should pay attention to the calories. It is important that when you make the treats, you control the amount of calories because too much can lead to weight issues. A lot of dogs are overweight and this greatly affects their activity throughout the day. Check the amount of calories in all the ingredients you use in making the treats.

Treat Texture

The texture of the dog treats is something that most people do not pay attention to. Is the treat you are making hard or soft? Harder treats are better for average dogs and are beneficial in cleaning the dog’s teeth. Puppies and older dogs might have a difficult time chewing through the hard treats and thus you should consider making softer treats for them.

Recipes

It is important to have different recipes using the healthy ingredients that you choose for the treats. The alteration of the recipes will give your dog a different taste and avoid monotony of flavors. As long as the ingredients are safe for your pet, you can mix a few to ensure that the dog has a wide range of options. Keep in mind that you need to monitor the amount of calories to avoid any weight issues which might compromise their health and limit their activity.

Personalize the Treats

All dogs are not the same in terms of nutritional needs. This is why you should find out the needs of your dogs in relation to their age, health, and size. The treats should therefore address all the nutritional needs of your pet without causing any health issues. Check with the vet to understand better what your dog needs nutritionally to stay healthy and active.

[USA]

Hi sue

The oven doesn’t work as well but I think you are on to something! Dori (or anyone else) should probably make some treats in the oven first while they find out if making jerky is something they are going to stick with. Once you are making jerky regularly and want to go to the next level of quality and/or volume than the investment in a dehydrator seems more justified.

For an oven you would put it on the lowest heat and leave the door slightly ajar for better air circulation. For jerky that will last a long time without preservative you would cook until it it pretty hard and breaks easily into smaller pieces. For a raw fed dog like Dori’s you could cook it less because the dog is used to dealing with bacteria but you would only make a couple of days worth at a time (it will spoil) unless you freeze it.

You must remove any external fat from the neat before you slice it (no thicker than 1/4 inch) because fat goes rancid fast no matter how long you cook the jerky.

Hi Melissaandcrew

I am fearful of using anything other than 100% stainless steel for dehydrating foods. Plastics even if they are “food safe” and “BPA free” scare me.

[Dori]

Hi BRT. I had a dog once that always bit her nails. I didn’t give it much thought really. I just thought, well people bite their nails so why not dogs. The vet at the time had no suggestions as he’d never had a dog that bit their nails. Anyway, long story short. For other reasons I switched my dogs to grain free, corn free, white potato free, soy free, poultry (all fowl) free. Of course, any and all issues cleared up but it wasn’t until a long time later that it occurred to me that that dog I hadn’t seen her bite her nails in the longest time. So I looked at all her nails and sure enough, she had stopped.

As to the anal glands. That’s also an allergy issue. I went on line to check out the Wellness Bars that you give them and they contain grains so maybe give them something else instead. Carrots, string beans, a little apple (without the skin), fresh veggies and fruits are great for treats. That’s what I give all my dogs.

If it were me I would make sure to feed a grain free, also free of all the things I mentioned above. No more Wellness Bars. Also as to the aggression. There is some theory that was out there in the universe somewhere (Melissa knows about these theories lol) that white potatoes may feed aggression in some dogs. Is it true???? Who knows???? But it’s worth a shot. You never know.

A lot of what you’re saying really sounds like it’s being fueled by intolerances to what he’s eating. Definitely. Same for the nail biting. Food intolerance and stress. Food intolerances also may one stressful. This I know to be true because I myself have food intolerances and when I start getting really stressed or just downright unpleasant to be around I can almost always track it back to something I ate that I shouldn’t have.

[Melissaandcrew]

Hi Dori- I have a cheap, 5 drawer plastic tray model somewhere in my attic. I take it out perhaps5 times a year and dehydrate meat for the dogs as treats, which I then keep in my freezer. I lack patience and think it takes too long, but others that have seen it run think they are great..so go figure, lol. Would I buy another one? Yes, because I like to dehydrate pure chicken breast pieces and have them on hand for dogs with digestive upset.

[Susan]

Gee the dehydrators are dear, what about the old fashion way, in the oven on very low heat or doesn’t that work as good USA Dog Treats..

[Dori]

Hi all. I’m thinking of getting a food dehydrator to dehydrate for the dogs their raw treats. Would love to know your thoughts. Also, do you have one, are you happy with it? Wish you’d bought a different brand, if so which one? What do you dehydrate in yours? Pros and cons please. As always, a great big thank you for going on this ride with me as I continue my research and education on better nutrition for my canines on what I call DFA University.

[Wayne G]

I purchased a bag of Canine Carry Out bacon treats from WalMart 2 weeks ago. I fed my dog 3 treats late in the afternoon. By evening my friend collapsed and could not walk. I took him to the Veterinarian, they ran blood tests and said his liver was severely damaged, they suspected he had been exposed to a toxic substance. He passed away two days later.
The veterinarian said this was the second dog that had died in the same manner both within a week of each other. I just recieved a call from him confirming that the family of the first dog that died had fed these same treats just before the dog collapsed.
Both dogs were healthy and in the prime of their lives, both had been fed these treats and the only thing in their stomach contents were these treats.

[aimee]

Hi USA Dog Treats,

To clarify, I have no idea which foods do and do not meet AAFCO’s profile. Additionally, in no way did I mean for my inquiry to denigrate all of Hound Dog Mom’s work in any way.

I am questioning the nutritional information that companies pass on to the consumer. In conversation with several companies Customer Service departments I find their response to show lack of understanding of basic math in regards to nutrition.

I’m not sure where the problem lies but it makes me very nervous and I don’t feel comfortable feeding foods from companies whose information doesn’t “add up”

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Charles –

Non-raw treats definitely should not cause an issue with a raw fed dog. My dogs eat raw but receive all kinds of treats from cooked “human food” to biscuits and dehydrated meat-based treats. No issues ever.

Some things you may want to try which would be closer in resemblance to a fresh raw diet would be air-dried (like ZiwiPeak which BTW works great as training treats) or freeze-dried raw (my dogs like Wysong, Stella & Chewy’s, Primal, Orijen, Nature’s Variety Instinct and Vital Essentials).

[charles h]

Hi all,

I’m struggling to think of any raw food treats to feed to my dog when training. I know off the shelf foods mixed with raw food can cause serious digestive issues so did not want to mix this. Just not a fan of carrying around raw food when out and about with her…

Any ideas would be great..

Thanks,

Charles

[Mike Sagman]

USA Dog Treats,

AAFCO currently has NO nutritional profile specifically for large breed puppy foods. However, the National Research Council does indeed specify unique guidelines designed to address the energy content of these kinds of foods as those calories relate to each recipe’s calcium content.

HDM (on her own) generously posted a detailed list of some of her own recommendations for commercial large breed puppy foods. Her work was scientifically based and required a significant amount of personal effort. This completely voluntary project included the creation of spreadsheets, phone calls to manufacturers as well as online research.

That research even included reliable references posted for your benefit as well as the benefit of others. So, frankly, I find your criticism of her efforts here surprising and unwelcome.

In summary, a knowledgeable veterinary expert, HDM and I have been working diligently on an important project — including the development of costly software — to help our readers verify claims made by manufacturers regarding the nutritional adequacy of their products specifically for large breed puppies.

[Gail W]

1. Quality similar to food
2. Manufacturing standards similar to their food
3. Easy to give as a training treat or as a high value reward

Like other posters, I want treats that have similar quality as their food. We went with Orijen puppy because they comply with Canadian & EU standards. For high value rewards, we use Orijen Freeze Dried Wild Boar. Those treats don’t break apart all that well, so for puppy training treats, we are trying Sojo Good Dog bones. In the bag, there are very few broken pieces and little dust. They break in thirds or in half very easily for our young Yorkies.

[Charla H]

I like to have a variety of treats for my dog, Spike.

I like to feed him healthy, actual food that I could eat as a treat. He LOVES apple slices, cucumber slices, cherries and carrots. We frequent the farmers’ market, and some of the farmers treat him to bites of produce. He’s a picky eater — he turns up his nose at the homemade dog biscuit booth — he’d rather have a nice vegetable treat or even a bit of cheese from one of the creameries. And he LOVES popcorn.

The meat producers at the farmer’s market also sell dog bones. I buy beef, pork, lamb and bison bones for Spike as treats. I freeze them and give them to him outside on hit days — like a doggy popsicle.

I also give him Mingua Beef Jerky. It’s made by a family in my hometown, and it’s for people. I stay away from the spicy varieties. He loves his beef jerky!

There are also some freeze-dried liver bits that he loves. I am out of them now and can’t remember the name (if they change their packaging, I’m in trouble because I know them by their blue bag.) But they are just freeze-dried beef liver. They are about the size of regular dog kibble.

He also gets some treats to clean his teeth, freshen his breath and for his coat/skin.

For small training treats, I buy a small bag of dog food that is a different brand than his daily food. I can use lots of treats in training because I literally exchange the exact amount, whatever part that might be, from the food in his bowl. As long as the treat food is as good a quality as the dish food, you’re good on nutrition and safe on calories.

I also use the food treat exchange for socialization. I’ll take it in a treat pack on my belt and let kids at the market or whomever, offer him a treat, or give him a treat when he gets on the elevator, or whatever. He eats small bites, so he can be treated fifty times without a noticeable change (at least to him) in his food bowl.

Clearly, he is spoiled rotten. No, he doesn’t get all of these treats in one day! But he’s still rather spoiled.

[Nancy C]

Hi Pugsmom: My intro box of BigDogNatural just arrived yesterday. Their customer service is wonderful. My Question to you since you have experience: I’m transitioning my 10 yr old Golden to Raw. Historically she can eat anything anytime. The Homeopathic vet I talked to yesterday highly recommends this food and Darwin’s for raw dogs. Says he uses both (rotates) with his 6 dogs with great results.
The Customer Service urged me yesterday to feed it Cold Turkey – not to mix with kibble due to the length of time kibble requires to get digested. (That seems so severe esp for an older dog) but their rep was very clear about not mixing bec could cause gas and stomach upset. She said with the tripe and fermented veggies the dog will do FINE on it alone. The plan is to move to Darwin’s next. My Darwins arrived yesterday too. The vet yesterday said he thinks BDN will be more readily welcomed by the gut than even the Darwins, due to the fermentation and the tripe. But he really likes Darwins as well.
In her video Karen Becker suggests NOT mixing kibble with raw but to feed kibble and offer the raw separately as treats during the day, increasing the treats and reducing the kibble gradually.
The BDN woman said if I still feed kibble should feed it separately as a meal without raw, and feed the raw as a separate meal.
Any insights/ suggestions FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE will be welcome.
Thank you.

[Naturella]

The lady I babysit for – I also kind of took over her dog too, and I have successfully switched the dog (Snowy, female, 4 y.o. Shitzu mix) off of Kibbles ‘N’ Crap (sorry, I keep misspelling that – “Bits”). Too bad she already has 3 bumps on her lower ribs, that may be fatty formations, or something else, but I hope for the lesser evil… :/

I weaned her off with the help of Nutro Max, Simply Nourish, Whole Earth Farms, and Earthborn Grain Free in samples over 2 weeks, and I ordered the family 3 LiveFrees and a Wysong and they came in Tuesday. Next week she can start on those (she still has some WEF and Earthborn to finish up over the weekend). I am pumped that I can now take advantage of deals and not break my husband’s ban on dog food for our Bruno, cause we’re stacked full, lol. Snowy is, however, set till the end of the year, so Black Friday sales is when I will shop for her next! 😉

And, I still have some LiveFree Salmon and Wysong for Bruno from the first time they did the deal – the last I sneaked in before I really really stopped! 🙂 I really really like the Wysong and so does Bru Bru (we begged for some samples and graciously got them). 🙂

In fact… Here are the companies that have graciously sent me samples upon request:
Annamaet – GF foods samples and a full-size bag of GF Manitok treats.
Wysong – samples of foods and samples of treats.
Canidae – a whole 4-lb bag of Canidae Pure Sea and a full-size bag of GF Bison treats.
Nature’s Variety Instinct – a one-time voucher for a free product of your choice (includes 4lb bag of dry dog food or 5lb bag of dry cat food, and some canned/raw options).
Nulo – coupons only.

I had also contacted TOTW, Farmina, Fromm, Merrick, Victor – those sent no samples, but rather stressed on their money-back guarantees (Merrick and Fromm), and TOTW said to get samples from local retailers, and Victor said to just buy samples on their website. Farmina never responded. The search continues though! 🙂

• This reply was modified 11 years, 3 months ago by Naturella.

[pugmomsandy]

Cons: it’s the most expensive! Some brands might not hydrate as well as others.

Pros: shelf stable, easy to travel with, doggie daycare will serve it as opposed to frozen raw food, light weight, can be used as treats

[Jenny]

Hi friends,

Has anyone tried Okinawan Happy Dogs Brain and Memory Support Food Mix or any products from Okinawan Happy Dogs?

Here’s the link to the product: http://www.okinawanhappydogs.com/products/brain-memory-support (it looks very promising and is all-natural, gluten-free, GMO-Free, and no artificial preservatives or coloring added! Too good to be true?)

The company seems fairly new so I haven’t found any consumer reviews online… from the company’s website Okinawan Happy Dogs is “a division of Everyday Wellness Corporation, a US manufacturer of dietary supplements specializing in natural herbal nutrition for humans and pets.” But other than that, zero info.

To give you some background details: My dog is a 16-year-old toy poodle who is battling CDS (Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome) as well a reappearing mammary gland tumor and also developing a slight heart murmur (she’s a fighter!). She eats Earthborn Hollistic dry food, but has been losing her appetite recently and only wags her tail for her favorite treats, Dr. Becker’s Bites Grain Free Liver Treats.

If your dog is also fighting CDS, can you please share/recommend any products that have worked effectively for your dog?

Thank you so much!
J

P.S. After reading this old post from “banditsmom,” I’m thinking of trying Novifit if I can’t find a natural alternative for my dog: /forums/topic/cognitive-dysfunction

[pugmomsandy]

He-he! That’s just one wall. The closet wall has bags of kibbles and my personal small kitchen equipment and vitamins/supplements. The the third wall has some more foods, boxes of Halo Herbal Dip, other topicals for the fosters, extra dog beds, shampoos, cases of Merrick GI Bones, Ranger Ribs and Flossies. And I keep chicken treats in there too (tubs of Mother Clucker, Chicken Crack and Cluck Yah) and I just put three 7.1 cu ft freezers in that room too to fill with the 8 cases I just ordered from greentripe.com. And here’s the dog freezer in the garage:

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u651/pugmomsandy/pictures%20for%20posting/fulldogfreezer765x1024_zpsb5463b60.jpg

My personal dogs aren’t eating much kibble right now! I have 3 personal pugs and the rest are fosters. Sometimes I have up to 12 pugs total and they usually eat 1 cup of kibble per day with some toppers. Sometimes I give them a whole raw egg fresh from the coop! So to me, it really doesn’t matter too much if BDN is not aafco compliant like Neezerfan.

Here’s a picture of bath day:

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u651/pugmomsandy/pictures%20for%20posting/pugs8pugs_zps0cd62c42.jpg

My awesome Weston 22 grinder:

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u651/pugmomsandy/pictures%20for%20posting/IMG_5170952x1024_zpsec466d4d.jpg

• This reply was modified 11 years, 3 months ago by pugmomsandy.

[Beth G]

I have 2 dogs, a 6 year old pit/boxer mix and a 2 year old hound mix. Both are spayed female rescues with unknown histories. They have also both had pancreatitis (lucky me!). Neither EVER get table scraps/human food of any kind or even dog treats. We have switched them to eating Wellness Core low fat grain free and measure the amount they get meticulously.

Our pit mix has just come out of treatment for her 2nd bout of pancreatitis. When she is back to eating normally, my husband and I are interested in possibly introducing digestive enzymes to both of their meals.

The vet has not mentioned the use of digestive enzymes, but with both dogs having had repeat episodes I am left wondering what else we can do to support their pancreas and prevent further attacks (the vet says “nothing you can do”, but I don’t know if I believe that).

If anyone has experience or knowledge of using digestive enzymes after pancreatitis I would appreciate hearing! Thank you so much in advance!

[DogFoodie]

Hi BRT,

My dog with food intolerance issues sometimes will have a reaction to a food that slowly creeps us on us. It’s confusing and frustrating.

I still think I’d try another limited ingredient food, my two favorite bands of which are Wellness Simple and Nature’s Variety Instinct LID.

FWIW, one of mine reacts to fish; including fish meal and oil but he also doesn’t tolerate chickpeas, lentils or flax. NVI LID doesn’t contain any of those things out tomato pinnacle, another common problem ingredient. I would definitely consider that your pup’s problem ingredients could be another ingredient, like flax or something else.

If the Natural Balance worked previously, have you compared the ingredients of that to those foods you’ve tried? I just wonder if it could be a combination of problem ingredients beyond primary protein iin foods.

Coconut oil and diluted ACV might both help, but I think right now, I would eliminate supplements (non-prescription) and treats and just focus on finding one food that yours do well on.

One other thing, using kibble doesn’t make you a bad dog mom! I felt the same way, but when it came down to it, I just wanted to know my dog felt good.

[Susan]

Hi Lisa, with Endosope they can only go so far down the esophagus & like my vet said $1000 is alot of money, then she might find nothing, so I never did get an Endoscope done on Patch…I think you have your answer to what’s wrong with Chewy his blood test came back twice with elevated Amylase & lipase levels, looks like he has mild Pancreatitis, it can cause, loss of appetite, depression, intermittent vomiting, diarrhea & anorexia…with the meds that the vet said to trial ur doing the right thing, just see how Chewy does on the Hills Z/d first, then if he’s still vomiting ask about the Hills I/d Gastro or ask can you try the Royal Canin low fat as the fat is only 7% & alot of people have had really good results with their dogs on the R/C Low fat..before you try any meds like prednisolone (steriod)…when u go back to vets, write a little list of all the questions you need to ask cause you forget when your there, well I do, then I think, oh I forgot to ask her this. But hopefully everything will work out on this new food, just watch what he eats & no high fat treats, treats can set things off again, just use his Z/d kibble as a treat for now..

[Eric H]

Hi USA_Dog_Treats – thank you for your concern; as we know owning a pet is rarely all Sweetness and Light, right? 🙂

Otis has always struggled a little with his weight – we had another, his older companion, and she was always quite svelte, but our poor little pork-chop Otis, he’s a bit of a victim to his food-motivated personality it seems. I agree with your approach – we will be sticking with the food level and managing the treat level for now, see if that helps. For the treats we DO give, we have made changes to low-carb low-sugar veggie options like turnip instead of sweet potato as well.

The phenobarb – yes, it sucks I know. Regrettably we are in Canada and apparently we don’t have the same options as south of the border. The epilepsy and pancreas occurred almost simultaneously, if you can imagine – seizure one week, pancreas the next. It was a tough month for everyone!! So we are satisfied the pheno didn’t trigger the pancreas, although may now make it a little more sensitive. Regrettably Otis doesn’t have the benefit of a spectacular gene pool as his older companion did when she was around! Our Vet is quite fantastic, we went through a couple before finding her, and she is simply amazing, so we trust her and she seems committed to Otis’ health. She did mention that phenobarb isn’t her favourite but we didn’t have a lot of options and is monitoring his liver as a result.

Many happy days indeed – let’s hope!
🙂

[aimee]

Hi USA Dog Treats,

I paraphrased a proposed mechanism. I think we can agree that the cause of pancreatitis is not well understood. And yes it is the fatty acids, peptides and AA which come from the digestion of intact protein and fats that stimulate CCK.

I don’t see it as incorrect to have said “Protein though also stimulates CCK release.” as protein is the source of AA and peptides. The author also wrote “protein” in place of AA and peptides. (caps added by me) “PROTEIN is the second most important nutrient in STIMULATING CCK, so VERY HIGH PROTEIN DIETS SHOULD ALSO BE AVOIDED especially in the feline patient”

To further quote ” Some commercial treats can be very high in fat and protein, especially the meaty ones and should be avoided.” and again in the summary in regards to chronic pancreatitis “Very high levels of dietary protein should also be avoided.”

The exact mechanism of pancreatitis isn’t known which is why I wouldn’t say fat causes pancreatitis or that protein causes pancreatitis. The point of my post was currently it is being recommended to avoid both high fat and high protein in dogs with recurrent problems.

To see which intact proteins were tested you’d have to go back to the original research. For myself it isn’t that important to know as it doesn’t change the recommendation to avoid “Dry meat treats (jerky)” in dogs with chronic pancreatitis.

[Susan]

THANK-YOU Aimee, my vet did exlpained why Patch cant have liver treats, but I was so stressed at the time & cant remember that day too well, yes Patch can’t have a high protein diet either..Aimee what are you feeding ur dog that has Pancreatitis, I’m running out of foods to try for breakfast…I thought I had found the Tuna & pumkin for his breakfast, he’s been on the tuna since June & was doing real well but now he’s having his pain again & whinging after his breakfast these last 2 weeks…if I give him his kibble for breakfast or boiled chicken breast & pumkin he has his pain, I dont know what to give for breakfast no more, Maybe Patch just cant eat breakfast, he seems fine after eating kibble for lunch & dinner…I was going to try Rolled oats..Vet did want me to try Prednisone but I’ve been trying everthing possible before I try him on the Steriods.. Patch also has bad stomach reflux & acid always burping after eating & I thought the steroids will make things worse….Ive read on the Yahoo group “Dogpancreatitis” a few dogs are doing really well on the Vet prescription diet Royal Canin Low Fat kibble as the fat% is 7%….. Patch is on Vet Diet Eukanuba Intestinal its 10% fat & about 1 month ago I started introducing the Wellness Simple Duck & Oatmeal kibble the fat is 11.98%, I’m adding 1/2 the Simple & 1/2 the Intestinal for lunch & dinner at the moment, maybe that has started Patches pain again…. I dont know no more…its an awful disease…
Eric if your reading, did you ever give Otis any cooked meats, I read that the raw didnt work, my vet said NO RAW, thats was 1 thing I can remember Lol….I mite look up the Hills I/d GI restore, I bet we dont have that one in Australia alot of the Hills foods were cut back

[aimee]

Hi Eric,

I nearly lost a dog to pancreatitis. Scary stuff. Glad you found a diet that is working for your boy. Take a good diet history of everything your guy eats. Calories from “treats” shouldn’t be more than 10 % total diet calories. Trim back if they exceed this. Excess calories lead to weight gain. Research doesn’t support that the common belief that carbs and sugar cause weight gain in the absence of excess calories.

[Susan]

Hi Eric, Your lucky that ur boy is keeping on his weight, my boy has Pancreatitis IBD & Skin Allergies, I’m having trouble keeping on his weight, 1 month he’ll start to look all muscle & nice & solid then this month I can see his spine when he’s curled up sleeping & bottom of his ribs when walking, I dont know about ur boy but my Patch can’t eat Jerky meats, thats how he started to get ill with his Pancreatitis, I’ll tell you what Patch eats as treats, a little thin slice of banana mashed up but banana is a high carb fruit, Rice Cake biscuits, I break one rice cake into a quarter then break little bits off the 1/4 biscuit & he thinks that he’s getting alot but really he isn’t, his kibble I use that as a treat, he has tuna in spring water drained & add a little of boiled pumkin & mash all together for breakfast Watermelon in summer & thats about it….We do walk alot Patch goes on about 4 walks a day, up the shops, dog park, beach… I think thats why he’s having trouble keeping on the weight… too much walking, but our walks are only 15min long maybe 20mins, all up its about 1 hour walking a day & no fat in his diet only whats in his kibble, also Patch has trouble with proteins meats he seem to have his pain after he ate his boiled chicken, so I changed to tuna, I use to mix a boiled egg with his tuna & pumkin but he had pain I’d say the egg yolk too high in fat, also just reduce his kibble, take out about 8 kibbles from his bowl, then you can use those kibbles as treats thru the day, walk him & the weight will come off, & try pumkin instead of sweet potato, I cant give Patch Potato he gets a rash on his stomach then has diarrhea….

[somebodysme]

What kind of daily exercise does he get? It could just be that he, just like you and I, need more exercise daily than what we are getting.

The treats really don’t seems like much but they can add up quickly before you know it, you’ve given them a lot of extras. Remember he’s very little so he shouldn’t get but a few treats a day. Here’s another way to trick him into thinking he’s getting lots of treats, cut them into smaller pieces. My dog thinks she’s getting lots of treat and they are the size of a pea each time…HEEHEE! 🙂

[Sallynova]

The best treats we found are only 2 ingredients. Beef and blueberries or chicken and apples. They are 100% organic and human grade. They are dehydrated not processed like kibble and our whole neighborhood uses them. I think they also have chicken breast and rosemary or it might have been just a seasonal treat. You only get 10 in a bag but my sister’s yorkie only gets a quarter of a biscuit as a treat so they last. They do get crumbly sometimes but we pour out the crumbs from the bottom of the bag and add a little warm water. I’ve read so many posts tonight and just have to tell people about how good Dogs For The Earth food and treats are because everyone who uses their food sees such a difference in their dogs. Our family likes that everything is 100% organic because all of us only want organic food so we like it for our dog too.

[Sallynova]

The best dog food and treats come from Dogs For The Earth. It’s 100% organic and dehydrated. Our whole neighborhood uses it now. Everybody talks about how good their dogs do on this food. If you go to their web site http://www.dogsfortheearth.com you can read about every single ingredient in the food and the company is owned by an animal scientist / nutritionist. I can’t tell you the amazing difference this food has made to so many dogs around here. They ship it to you and you can have a standard order. Ours comes every 2 weeks. Try it – your problems will be over.

[USA]

Hi Omayra

A 5 month old puppy chewing carpets can be anything from normal puppy behavior (most common reason) to something nutrient related to a behavioral issue and so on. I would not rush into a nutrient deficiency diagnosis so quickly!

Before anyone can suggest any supplements for your puppy can you please tell us his current diet including treats please be as specific as you can.

What is his day like? Yard, Walks, Toys, People always around? How much time does he spend alone? Does he sleep and spend any other time in a crate?

Can you please also tell us what brand/type of shampoo and conditioner that you use and how often you bathe him.

And can you please tell us any medicine he is currently taking, including flea control. How much and how often and his vaccine history.

And last but not least has he had any blood, urine or fecal tests run and were there any abnormal or out of range results.

Is there anything you would like to add that will help us to know him better?

I don’t mean to pry but you must take into consideration the WHOLE dog to start figuring things out. Looking at a symptom or a behavior without knowing more about a dog usually results in treating a symptom instead of curing the cause of the symptom by returning the dog to complete and overall optimum health. This may not always be possible but starting with the whole dog is the way to go!!!

Keep Up The Good Work!!!

[Susan]

Hi USA Dog Treats Thank-You, now more confussed which product to use but I mite try the Dermoscent Essential Spot on’s first & see how he goes…. Patch isnt scratching at the moment, he just has a few hive like lumps on the white part of his head & his paws, inbetween his toes are always red by night time, I put Cortisone 1% cream at night before bed, when Patch wakes up inbetween his toes are all good again, no redness.. its been raining again for a few days & his paws are real red & sore after the rain… Patch hates his baths so he hasnt had his Malaseb bath for 2 weeks & he’s a bit stinky, yeasty smell…the Malaseb medicated shampoo clears everything up, his toes all clear up but then after a couple of days walking his toes are red again…In the summer I make shallow bath & wash his feet in the Malaseb Shampoo but its cold at the moment & if he hears that bath running he’s off.. He runs around the furniture, I cant catch him, then I think if he hates baths that much, I dont bother …Summer is coming & I want to start him on something by the end of August so he’ll be right for hot summer..
A lady just rung me from Blackmores she asked what did the vet recommend & I said the vet reconmended the “Dermoscent Essential Spot on”, she said try that first & see how Patch goes cause its applied on the skin there’s less chance of an upset tummy/bowel.. Blackmores also makes PAW Dermega Omega-3 & 6 oral supplement or PAW Coat Skin & Nails multivitamin chews..but again he has to take these tablets or treats..

[Leah12345]

Thanks so much! I stopped the benadryl and no additional itching so I am cautiously optimistic. I agree Sue66b about buying this stuff and getting stuck with the products when they don’t work. I have gotten better at returning when possible. USA_Dog_Treats thanks so much for your help and for explaining the ingredients. I am going to stick with this while it works and then change to oil supplements later. My experience says she will need a change in a while. Thanks again and for anyone who comes later, I will try to remember to give an update in a month or so with a better informed rating of this product.

[Susan]

Hi Leah, have you tried “Dermoscent Essential 6” spot on, here’s a link… https://www.pawbyblackmores.com/products/essential-6-for-dogs ..after seeing what is in the Alerderm liquid, Im no sure about giving it to Patch with his IBD & Pancreatitis… I mite try the Dermoscent Essential Spot On instead, that way its on his skin & not in his stomach… what I hate is you pay all this money then Patch has a reaction, my cupboard looks like a chemist shop…
USA Dog Treats where did you get the ingredients for the Allerderm liquid as I’d like to know what is in their Allerderm EFA-caps HP as they are higher in Omega-3 200mg & 88mg omega-6…when I looked it just gave the omega-3 & omega-6 mg’s, not the ingredients what I need…

[Dori]

Hi Kristin. I switched all three of my girls a bit over two years ago due to all the issues that Katie was having. At that point while I researched dog foods and her issues on line I was fortunate to come across the Dog Food Advisor and as I have mentioned more times than I can count my girls and I will be eternally grateful to Dr. Mike. Unfortunately it was Dr. Mikes loss of Penny that set him on his quest to find a better dog food his canine and we have all benefited from it. I still grieve for him, his family, and, of course, Penny. Anyone of us that has lost a dog or any other pet understands his plight. He actually did something about it that has benefited so many of us and our pets.

Anyway, your question to me, specifically, was what am I feeding Katie. I feed all three of my little girls the same exact food because I don’t want to take a chance that my “delicate flower Katie” gets into anything other than what seems to work for her. I mostly feed commercial raw foods: Primal Formulas, Answers Detailed, Stella & Chewy’s Raw Food, Darwin’s (on line delivery and auto-delivery only), Natures Variety Instinct Raw, Vital Essentials Raw. I rotate their foods between these are probably other raw foods also. I do add at times proteins that I’m preparing for my husband and myself. I add either Natures Logic Sardine oil, or canned sardine’s in water two or three times a week. On the days that I split a can of sardines in water amongst the three of them I omit the sardine oil (kept refrigerated-important to keep oils refrigerated), I add a little coconut oil to their meals once a day every day. I also give them as snacks organic fruits, veggies. I do not feed any commercial treats whatsoever. To many recalls, too many issues with gmo ingredients, too many ingredients not disclosed from China. Katie has too many food intolerances for me to feed any commercial treats. Most are bound by oatmeal, barley, or some such grain. I choose not to do that. We adopted her at the age of 9 weeks old. She was the runt of her litter and was going to be “euthanized”. Friends told me about her knowing what a complete SUCKER I am. I need to have that tattooed on my forehead. She has food and environmental issues. She has had many dental issues and at the age of 8 months old she had a severe luxating patella issue that was severe enough that she had to have surgery, water treadmill therapy, etc. etc. With all her issues she is the mushy gushiest lovey dog I have ever come across in my 65 years of age. You get what you give. The reason for my reply to you initially is that I truly believe that you have to pay it forward in this life. Some people read and study the science, I have always learned and lived from experience. Not saying that the science is wrong or that anyone that wants to go that way is wrong, not at all. It’s everyone’s choice. I choose experience. I know that Katie was a mess, completely a mess when I got her at 9 weeks. She is a fabulous dog and a real happy camper at this point. She loves everyone and everyone loves her. Anyway, Kristin C. That’s my experience with Katie. I have also thanked Dr. Mike, Sandy S., and HDM as well as anyone and everyone here on DFA for their kindness, knowledge, and love of animals. MY other two dogs that have had no issues concerning diet whatsoever, Hannah my 15 year old Maltese, and Lola my 5 year old Yorkipoo but have benefited exponentially from everyone here on DFA. That’s what I’ve learned from my fellow posters and that’s what I’ve tried to “pay it forward”. Gotta go now. My husband is yearning for some “Cold Stone” ice cream. He has macular degeneration and can no longer drive so I reap the benefits from his ice cream urges. Hot Fudge sundae for me. I hear it calling my name.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by Dori.

[Tiffany K]

A treat that does not cause constipation or bowel problems is critical. I have found that many chews or bones, even ones that claim to be easily digestible and premium, can cause my four dogs’ stools to be too dry and triggers straining when going to relieve themselves.

I stopped feeding them commercial treats entirely due to this issue. Instead, I feed them boiled eggs, apple, peanut butter biscuits made at home and carrots. However, when traveling, a commercial, non messy treat that would enhance their health and life experience would “hit the spot.”

[Mary L]

This discussion is very timely for me, been using Natural Balance for training (3 dogs) and breaking them up, but just last night I noticed they have molasses and other “sweet” ingredients so I’m looking for something else. I have used ZiwiPeak, they’re easy to break for training and the dogs love them, but sometimes can crush into unusuable crumbs. I do feel concerned about using freeze dried treats for training because I want to make sure the dogs get enough water. Looking for healthy, quality ingredients, nothing artificial, non-GMO is a plus, and preferably no sweeteners. I prefer it be made and sourced in the USA but I don’t object to other countries if it’s quality food. China is a no. Anything with that spongy/gummy texture makes one of my dogs vomit. We use Best Bully Sticks for long term chewing.