[Jenny F]

I started to experience some of the issues posted here with my 2-year old Frenchie. He has been on Wellness dry and wet food since he was a puppy. About a month ago, he started vomiting bile in the morning before breakfast and had diarrhea for two days. First day, he didn’t want to eat anything during the day -no even cooked chicken which he loves – but will eat at night – right on schedule at dinner time. On second day – same thing vomited bile in the morning first thing then didn’t want to eat so I let him fast till dinner time. Around noon on second day, he was running out to the yard every 20 minutes or so due to diarrhea and I saw he was having trouble eliminating and when a little bit of it came out it was dark like dead blood. I rushed him to the vet and on our way there I could hear and feel his stomach rumbling with gas. At the vets run all sorts of tests for virus and x-ray since I thought he had something stuck in the intestines (he has a history of been a little vacuum cleaner since puppy) but since vet could not determine what was making him sick they gave him antibiotics in case it was some sort of virus until the culture came back. He tested negative for everything and did not have anything blocking his intestines. Vet also put him on IV since he was getting dehydrated and as we all know that is life threatening. In the meantime – I was feeding him just cooked chicken and brown rice with grated carrots and some fried eggs with just a pinch of olive oil – you can also fried eggs with water; that’s all he ate for a week. After that, I started cooking his meals and added some more veggies (chicken, green beans, brown rice, grated carrots or ground beef, chopped celery, spinach and potatoes boiled together – drained chicken/beef broth since too much can cause proteins to enter his kidneys – and put it in a container in the fridge I make enough for 6 meals breakfast and dinner for 3 days) and he has been doing better since then. Has puked probably twice since then – early morning – but just a little bit of white foam not bile. I know it is hard sometimes to cook even for ourselves due to busy schedules but I figured that I can make two meals with the same veggies and the basic chicken and ground beef for me in my dog by just adding salt. Makes me feel better to know that my little guy is eating fresh and natural food. Now, I am on my search for a good probiotic and enzymes to add to his meals since I know he definitely needs that and feel like that’s why he is having issues with his digestive system. In the meantime, I’m adding oatmeal gluten-free and a bit of barley to his diet. I would only feed barley during the day since tents to be heavy a night – even for humans. We’ve also found a store for treats called The Bone Appetite Barkery shop in New Jersey by accident. Their pumpkins treats are also good for digestion and taste delicious – yes I tried it! Lol they are all made with natural ingredients – I highly recommend it. Tip: ice cubes are good for when dogs are not drinking enough water. Hope this comment helps : )

[aquariangt]

Something most likely has happened to this poor guy. Aggression issues aren’t something that will go away in the near future, but lots of hard work, patience, and positive training will eventually (hopefully) lessen that problems.

First, I would always have treats available when you’re working with him. When getting ready to put a leash or collar on him, have treats, and counter condition that act to be a good thing. Make sure you approach him from the side with your body turned so you aren’t coming directly at him. Squat down, hand to the side, ive him a treat. Get another one ready for while you are leashing him up, and give another one, with praise for putting it on well. Do this slowly, and if he reacts, back away. Wait for him to calm down, and try to repeat the process. Don’t let him greet anyone on the street, if they get offended, explain he is a foster with some aggression issues you are working on. Anyone that you may have in his space, make sure they are using proper dog language to greet him, and no one is rushing the dog.

Resource guarding can be tricky- toys shouldn’t be left out for the dogs unless you are there monitoring, and if things turn from friendly rough play to aggressive guarding, the toys and treats go away. Reward good play and sharing with treats

Good luck

[matt n]

First off, I’m glad I found this site. If I hadn’t, this puppy would have eventually been given the Cesar’s brand of wet dog food. It’s been interesting to read about rotating foods, calcium levels, grain-free foods and other things. I’ve mainly been looking at the large breed and giant breed thread as it’s very informative but, my dog will not be a large breed. She’s more of a medium breed. By math she’s ~68% golden retriever and the rest is toy poodle. The puppy is now 6 weeks old and the breeder estimated she would end up being 30-35lbs. So, what I’m wondering is, does my puppy not being classified as a large breed change the food she should eat? What about the calcium levels?

Right now she’s eating Life’s Abundance along with Nature’s Variety Raw Medallions for treats(not sure if this info is relevant but here it is nonetheless).

I was eying Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch or Meadow Feast as they’re pretty high rated and I’ve seen tons of positive reviews.

Any suggestions or information is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

• This topic was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by matt n.
• This topic was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by matt n.

[Ann Marie M]

WildSide Salmon – Wild Alaskan Freeze Dried Salmon Treats for Dogs

[aimee]

Hi USA Dog Treats,

Nice post! I agree completely with everything that you wrote.

[Dori]

Hi Chuckles. I don’t have a dehydrator either and also just use my oven. I have a double wall oven so it’s not a big deal that one is being used to dehydrate. I not only think that dog treats in stores are overpriced and overrated, but also full of a lot of garbage. My motto is that if I or my husband won’t eat it then we don’t feed it to our dogs. It’s a pretty simple philosophy that we have here at home in regards to treats. There are just so many healthy foods (hopefully) that we have at home, why not just feed the dogs those. Anytime I’m having a fruits I share with the girls. This way I also know exactly what they are eating. I also don’t feed them anything that has ingredients that I can’t pronounce and haven’t got a clue what they are.

[Lori]

Thanks for the input! I give my lab 1.5 to 2 cups per day and my Cocker Spaniel 3/4-1 cup per day, depending on what extras they get. I have switched to veggies and fruits for treats along with maybe some chicken breast pieces or I make sweet potato chips and liver treats with nothing added. I don’t have a dehydrator, but I put the oven on 200 and let it be for a couple of hours. A pound of liver costs me $4.99 and the sweet potato maybe $1.69. I break them up into small pieces so it lasts a very long time and you can freeze the liver treats too. Dog treats in the store are overpriced and overrated I think 🙂

[Dori]

I feed my three toy dogs commercial raw diets. Very high protein, moderate fat and low carbs. My dogs weight 7 lbs., 6 lbs., and 5 lbs. If anything, I have problems keeping weight on them. They range in age from 5 years old to 15 years old. So to the question of what is the right amount of fat or protein, I don’t believe it’s a question that anyone other than the dog guardian can answer. Every dog is different. Every dog assimilates ingredients and levels differently. Protein in foods I feed my three little girls can range up to 54%, fat can at times hover around 36 – 38 %. I believe someone mentioned that it’s the quality of fats in a diet, not the actual percentage in the food. Same holds true for protein. Low carbs as I feed grain, potato, soy, etc. free. The only treats they get are organic small pieces of fruits or veggies.

No, I think whoever told you that a dog needs 1 gram of protein for every lb they weigh is incorrect. We would have an awful lot of emaciated dogs running around. Maybe someone with a better grasp on how many grams of protein to feed per pound will add some info.

I feed each of my dogs between 2 to 2.5% of their body weight per day. I use a kitchen scale and I feed them twice a day.

Hope something I’ve added helps.

[Jennifer V]

I think being in a hotel for a week was just stressing Bella out, because no matter what I attempted to feed her (except her blueberry Palma Granit treats), she refused to eat. As soon as we came home she began to eat again.
As for Lucy, her diarrhea isn’t nearly as bad as it has been in the previous week. I’m thinking that the switch from regular name brand food, to the grain free Blue Wilderness, possibly was just a shock to her system. After some additional research I found that many dogs find switching to an organic/grain free food can have a temporary negative affect on their bowels.
Thank you all for your suggestions and genuine concern for my girls. It’s awesome to have a place to come and talk to others who feel just as I do regarding their pets. I have no children, so Bella & Lucy are my kids.
I do still think I’m going to switch to a different grain free/organic food. I want them to be excited about what they’re eating, and the Blue Wilderness isn’t it. Does anyone have any suggestions about a dry, organic, grain free dog food that would be good for both of my dogs?
Thank you
Jenny

[T]

Thanks for the idea, USA Dog Treats! I just went and changed the calculator to assume 8% ash content if it is not entered by the user. I got that number from the article about “ash” content on this web site. Where did you get the number 2-3% for wet food? I hadn’t seen that value before, but would like to learn more about it.

When I have more time, I will try to figure out how to give a choice between wet and dry with check boxes like you suggested.

Tabitha

[Claire]

I just joined the dog pancreatitis group – thanks so much for pointing me that way. Lots of good information there. 🙂

I baked some of his wet food last night so he can have some “treats.” He’s not very excited about his new diet, but he seems to be feeling a little bit better. Seems like it will take some getting used to. Going to keep an eye on him today and see if we’re going to make a trip back to the vet tomorrow morning. Hoping his poos start looking a little bit better this afternoon.

Once his tummy is stabilized I’ll definitely look for some no fat cookie recipes! He also might like some dehydrated veggies. Looks like I may have an excuse for a new kitchen gadget to make the little man some dehydrated snacks too. I think for the next few weeks he needs to stick to his diet to get his insides figured out. Poor little guy. It’s so good to know that all this is manageable though!

[Dori]

My major concern with your post is that you are saying that Bella has not eaten in four days. Regardless of whether this food is on EC’s choice or not, you have much more to be concerned about.

Please find a food that Bella will eat asap. As far as Lucy is concerned, I too have a dog with Cancer. She is a 15 year old Maltese with bladder and lung cancer. To date she remains asymptomatic. I have done extensive research since her diagnosis three months ago and all roads lead to raw food diet for canine’s with cancer. Fortunately my three dogs have been on raw dog food diet for at least a couple of years now. Obviously because of Hannah’s age and also because she is asymptomatic which have chosen not to go the chemo and radiation route. I have put her on K9 Immunity Plus which has been recommended by many on the various canine cancer sites. I have also added Denamarin to her diet which is a combination of milk thistle and Sam-e. Also I give her turmeric & curcumin daily (helps with inflammation). So far she continues to do well. Eating, drinking, playing, barking at anything that passes by (be it a car, person, or animal). We give her tons and tons of love, massages, and hugs.

Good Luck, I hope all goes well and that you can find a food that your dogs will eat.

Forgot to mention that because I feed my dogs raw, they eat no grains whatsoever. No corn, potatoes, rice, soy. I feed a high protein, moderate fat, low carb diet to all my girls. I also feed them organic fruits and veggies as treats. I don’t feed any commercial treats.

I not feed BB or Purina under any circumstances. If you are going to continue to feed a dry food though, you should add water to it. Of course, I would urge commercial raw foods, especially for Lucy, Bella can also certainly benefit from a commercial raw diet. But if not raw, then I would urge you to find a freeze dried or dehydrated dog food.

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

[zcRiley]

Train in your home or backyard. Yes, all four of them at the same time. Walk & stop. Use small low calorie treats or kibble. It will take a million times but your strong dogs will walk with the pace of your special needs dog because they all will be following where YOU go. You need to be alpha & they need to know you exist (because walks are so exciting!). You can do it.

[Harpers Mom]

Ysabella,

I can understand your frustration. I work at a Doggy Spa and Boutique and I take Harper, my English bull terrier/ border collie mix, with me to work very often. We have a cookie jar that sits on the counter full of assorted treats- mostly homemade. Harper is allergic to grains and chicken so I have to be very careful of what she gets, even treats. So many people would just toss her a treat if she was out roaming in the boutique, I got to the point where I put a sign on the cookie jar saying to ask before treating, and overall it has worked, if people want to give Harper a treat we have a little stash that are just for her, we use orijen dehydrated treats and she loves them and you can’t get much better than that.

So I would she tell everyone that she does have food allergies, and just put a sign on the jar stating that one of the dogs has allergies and to ask before treating.

Hope this helps, I know it can be hard to deal with eliminating all allergines.

~ Harper’s Mom

[Ysabella J]

Wow, so… Upon me searching food intolerance in dogs on the web, I got to thinking.. I am very fortunate enough to take my dog to work with me.. On the front counter we have a jar full of treats for dogs (they are allowed in the office). My golden generally gets a few of them throughout the day from customers visiting.. Now I usually notice her licking at work more often, but have noticed it at home too.. I am not fond of the treats that are put in the jar but also didn’t want to be a stickler about them. I just recently found out they are the science diet hypoallergenic treats – yuck! My boss bought them thinking they would be perfect for all dogs that come in since they are “hypoallergenic”. I don’t have the kind of funds to be buying treats for everyone’s dog who comes in (I spend too much money on my dog as it is) and have already told my boss that they aren’t the best treats to be giving out. She of course doesn’t believe me because the vet said they are great! What to do? Do you think by her getting a few of these treats 4 days out of the week, that it is causing this issue? And how to stop it? Tell everyone there that she has a food allergy? What if it happens behind my back?

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

[Candice S]

hi. i wrote to Wellness and asked about feeding trials. here was their response (i hope it is helpful to you): Dear Candice, Thank you for taking the time to write about Wellness Complete Health Dry Dog Food.
Wonderful! I am pleased to hear that. All of our formulas dry and wet meet or exceed AAFCO specifications.
We perform a limited amount of food trials. We are passionate about our pets and their nutrition. We are very fortunate to have many consumers and employees that help us during the development of our diets and treats. We provide product for in-home trials and we talk to every person to find out how their cat or dog likes the food or treat. We also learn about the stool quality and any other benefits the food may provide such as improving skin & coat or palatability.
It is also important for us to understand some other important nutritional information such as digestibility or how our food compares in taste to other brands. For this, we occasionally use kennels with standard processes that provide reliable information. The kennels are selected based on them sharing the same philosophy towards animal welfare that we do. For instance, the dogs are socialized every day and the cats enjoy a specially designed play area. The dogs and cats are also available for adoption to the kennel employees and their families.
As animal lovers, we have to be comfortable with the choices we make to ensure our diets are complete, balanced and proven. We are very proud to rely on our own consumers, employees, and like-minded kennels to stand behind our natural products.
Thanks again for contacting us.
Kim Yoder
Consumer Affairs Representative
WellPet

[Cyndi]

Hi USA,

Thanks so much for the response. I hope I don’t forget to address anything. First, I do have Bailey’s blood test results, that the quack vet ran. I don’t see anything on them that says T4. Would it be called something else?

Also, I was possibly thinking that it could be from the Sentry Natural Defense, but then I thought, that’s supposed to “Natural”. I just started using that on April 12. That could possibly be it. Her next dose of that is supposed to be this coming Saturday. Maybe I’ll hold off on that and bathe her real good today or tomorrow and see if that helps.

Also, the new treats I’ve started giving her, which I started about June 6 or so, are: Grandma Lucy’s Blueberry Oven Baked dog treats, Newman’s own Organics Chicken dog treats and Nature’s Variety Prairie Oven Baked treats with Bacon & Apple. She was also eating Merrick’s dehydrated beef lung, but finished those up a few days ago. She’s been eating those for a long time though.

I think I may hold off on the Benedryl too. Because when I give her a bath, I want to see if she’s still itchy and stuff.

Thank you again! I’m gonna keep thinking and probably still make a vet appointment.

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

[USA]

Hi Cyndi

I’m sorry to hear that Bailey is having issues with her skin and coat.

When did you start using the Sentry Natural Defense topical? Could it be related to the scratching? Below are the ingredients for the Sentry topical. It is almost 15% phenols. Phenols can be very irritating to the skin. Personally I would not use it. The Mercola product is much gentler.

Peppermint Oil 3.00%
Cinnamon Oil 4.50% (phenol)
Lemongrass Oil 4.50%
Clove Oil 5.00% (phenol)
Thyme Oil 5.00% (phenol)
Other Ingredients – (Vanillin, Isopropyl Myristate) 78.00%

A low thyroid is NOT always accompanied by weight gain, lethargy or hair loss. Another possible symptom would be aggression. Maybe a little more touchy or in a bad mood etc.

Some blood tests include a basic thyroid level (T4). Call your Vet (the quack) and ask if a T4 was done and what the value was. It is also a good idea to request copies of all the blood tests that Bailey has done so you can spot any trends that a vet might overlook. YOU are the best advocate for your dog. Also try to get a copy of the blood test that Bailey had before the last one and check that T4 value. If a blood test shows a low or borderline low T4 or a downward trend then a complete thyroid panel should be done to confirm. The good news is thyroid medication is pretty safe and inexpensive.

What about treats? Have you added or changed any lately? Can you give us a breakdown on the treats Bailey gets please.

For a soothing, cooling and pH lowering skin rinse I would get a gallon of Aloe vera liquid and pour out 2 cups of liquid (16 oz) and replace with 8 oz of raw apple cider vinegar and 8 oz of witch hazel. This will help with any bacterial or fungal issues that either caused or were created by the scratching and it will also cool and soothe the skin.

Benadryl 1 mg per lb can help but antihistamines are always less effective in dogs because histamine is not as responsible for the symptoms as it is in humans. The antihistamine with the best track record in dogs is Tavist (clemastine).

Give Bailey a belly rub for me!!!

[DogFoodie]

My Cavalier is a little piggie. She snarfs her food down and rushed over to my Golden’s boreal to try to muscle in on his food.

I’ve tried lots and lots of different foods for my dogs. My Cavalier does amazingly well on Wellness Core foods. Wellness Core Small Breed is very tiny, but she also eats Wellness Core Ocean without a problem.

My Cavalier lives Beans also, but I think most Cavaliers are prone to weight gain so I tend to like Wellness Petite Treats for her. There only a couple of calories each.

[Liz W]

Hi Cindi… yes, you are correct… in VERY good hands!

Hi USA Dog Treats! Thanks again for the great advice.

Update:
Tried ordering the probiotic you recommended but shipping adds $10 to the cost so I’m going to print off the label and take it to my local health food shops and see if I can’t find similar for around $20, if I have no luck, I will then order from their on line site. Thanks for the recommendation.

As for the K9 Choice foods I will be receiving a print out of the nutritional values but from what I recall, they were all decent. I’m leaning to the ones that are a bit lower in fat. I found another raw source made here in Manitoba which may be a bit more in line with what I’m looking for and also a little less $… haven’t finished my trials on that yet.

I am worried that the Honest Kitchen combined with the Kibble was the tipping factor in him bloating. Can’t be sure but I don’t want to risk that again. I may have to wait until I get to the USA to find the Pre Mix (Steve Brown’s) that you referred to. I can’t find anything like that here in our Pet Stores in Manitoba. I will keep digging to see if I can find something similar. Traveling and trying to feed exclusively raw is going to be a major challenge both in terms of cost and finding it when I need it. Actually I’m finding feeding a 110lb dog raw exclusively is going to be a real challenge to the dog food budget… oh well. We may have to put off getting him a little buddy for a while anyway while we “recover” from all the expenses of this experience.

I haven’t been to the grocery store yet but sardines are on the top of the list to start adding for the boy. Haven’t returned to the capsules yet… adding back to “normal” very slowly.

I must say he is “crazy” about the green tripe!!! First thing he dives for in his bowl and since I’ve been feeding exclusively raw he is excited at every meal. Maybe he is just feeling a lot better but it is sure nice to see him snapping his jaws in excited anticipation of his meals! 🙂

Again,
Thanks for answering my plea for help… I was feeling very alone as a mommy of a GDV recovering dog and trying to feed raw. There is not a lot of info or advice out there under this subject.
Wishing you the very best from myself and Big Lou! 🙂

[Michael C]

We like a Three Dog Bakery dog treats. Not sure how widely they are distributed, although you
can buy them on the Internet. At the Menards’ stores in Omaha I can buy a bag of Three Dog Bakery Apple and Cinnamon treats that smell so good. I’ve been tempted to try them. They’re crunchy so good for teeth.

[NectarMom]

Nutrisca is one of my rotation foods and we have not had any issues with it much but it is much like the other 5 star foods I have tried hoping to see improvements with intestinal allergies but never do. I bought a bag of the I Love and you venison treats and my dogs love them. I don’t normally give any treats but Brother’s Complete Biscuits but I gave I love and you treats a shot and they are a hit.

I switched jobs and I now work as a manager at a Pet store and I have had more people come in to buy 5 star foods and come back complaining that their dogs are having issues on it and most say they never had these issues when feeding Iam’s and or Purina and honestly I can also having dogs years ago that were on these types of food and I never had health issues with dogs like I do today. My Mom has always fed Iam’s and still does to this day and yet I am the one that feeds 5 star foods to my 4 dogs and I feel like I am always rushing one to the vet for something food related or allergy related which is also from the food they eat because it is always intestinal issues with food. I don’t know how much I trust this 5 star logic.

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

[crazy4cats]

Hi Tracey-
I just looked at the Nutrisource website. It states that the grain free chicken has 477 calories a cup. Also that it has 18% fat and 28% protein. I think it has higher calories than the average kibble. But two cups still doesn’t seem like it should cause weight gain for a large dog. Are you or someone in the household feeding extra treats? I feed my two lab mixes grain free Victor. It has about 400 calories a cup. The protein is 33% and the fat is 16%. Maybe this could be an option for you?

[Liz W]

Thank you Cyndi for “bumping me up” as you can see if you follow this thread “USA Dog Treats” has given me some very good suggestions and validated what I’ve already been trying to do.
Thanks so much for the suggestions USA Dog Treats! I didn’t realize that even after I hydrate the Honest Kitchen and Kibble well, they could still swell more or cause bloating. Thought that by hydrating the HK the day before and keeping it in the fridge it would be fine. Something obviously was NOT fine and I too have wondered if I didn’t soak the kibble long enough or what. I don’t want to make the same mistake again.
I started back on the three meals a day NO Kibble and NO HK for now… I may have to adjust the amounts as he has some catching up to do but I don’t want to increase the amounts too fast. I think an ideal finishing weight to keep him a bit leaner would be between 110 and 114. That is what I’m going to shoot for. I am presently feeding him about 12 -13 oz morning and supper and a lunch of about 8-10oz. I will adjust the amounts as slowly as I see if he begins to put on weight.
I just introduced frozen fresh green tripe to each meal… so far only about an ounce or two in any one meal. He loves it and I was told it’s extremely easy to digest and will provide all needed enzymes to his stomach. Do you agree?
I haven’t introduced probiotics at this stage as I’m not sure what to try or when… don’t want to make too many changes too quick but he just came off of an antibiotic 12 injection. I’m not sure if that’s as hard on the stomach as taking it orally but I’m sure there is some adjusting that is going on in his whole system. What do you think of using Acidophilus & Bifidus that I keep on hand in the fridge for myself as a probiotic for him?
The meat source I have found here in Canada that I like, is called K9 Choice (www.k9choicefoods.com) They sell in bulk 40lbs which is a bit more affordable for some of what I feed but what I like most is that the balance is right (approx 80/10/10) fat % is also very good and the animals are all raised on their own farm land and are grazing, free roaming and living long lives before they are humanly slaughter in a very non-stress producing, fast, humane way… away from the other animals. I like it that all the animals get to be the way nature intended, not crammed into feedlots/pen or horrible conditions. Although they are not listed as “human” consumption, I have talked to the owner and he said he believes his meat products are far more “healthy” for man or dogs than what is being sold in grocery stores due to the condition and treatment of their animals and the way they are “processed”. I would really like to believe him.
I will look into Steve Browns pre-mix when we travel in the States. I’ve never seen it here in Canada but I will check the website and see if they deliver here. I know Honest Kitchen also makes a premix (same hydrating issue I guess) but they did tell me to rehydrate and then refrigerate and it would not swell in the stomach. It would work for me to just take the pre-mix when I travel and then just add hamburger or what ever kind of ground meat I could get. Something I didn’t think of, so thank you so much for that tip. If I do the premix and ground meat, or on sale roasts!… how much sardines would you feed a 110lb dog? I used to add sardines and then stopped and substituted fish oil tabs that I was taking but couldn’t tolerate. (lousy fishy taste after)
I have never exercised before or after eating… my dogs always have rest periods of an hour or more before or after even if we are only taking a gentle stroll.
Another thing I do think you are right about… he drank too much water after his meal the night he bloated. I am now a fanatic to remove all but a cup of water because he likes to kind of rinse his mouth after he eats. Then I put out about a 2 cup bowl and freshen it up in between meals. I do believe this was another contributing factor to that horrible event.
Yes, the vet did attach the stomach to the rib wall and explained that it should never flip and twist again. He did say bloat however was still a possibility. He also had his spleen ripped away so it had to be removed which I guess is another bad thing that doesn’t always happen. My poor boy.
I did give him a big HUG from you… you are a saint to take the time to help me and encourage me. All I want is for this boy to have a few more good years with us.
Thanks so much for all your help… much appreciated.
Liz and Mr. Lou!

[USA]

Hi cmeeks

You said “that’s why I buy 100% meat jerky like a lot of you guys”

I make Jerky for my dogs and for a store that sells pet food and treats. 100% meat jerky is a great treat for dogs and cats, so whenever I hear about a jerky treat for dogs I take a look.

Did you know that the Rocco and Roxie treats are NOT 100% meat? They even contain Rice Protein and Nitrites. Because of this I would not recommend them.

This is the ingredient list for their “Beef Jerky”
Beef, Rice Protein, Spices, Salt, Sugar, Garlic Powder, Sodium Nitrite,

[Lilmonster]

Hi everyone!

Another lurker here eager and (almost) ready to make the switch to raw. Like other newbies, I have so much respect for everyone here for not only committing so much time and effort to their fur babies, but also taking the time to answer endless, potentially stupid questions from nervous dog moms like me! I would never even have known about raw diets, let alone been able to work up the nerve to take the plunge if it weren’t for this forum, so thanks to all of you!

Some background info: My fiancé and I just adopted our little one, Lily, two months ago from a rescue. She’s 41 lbs and the vet estimates her age at around 1, much younger than the rescue thought – her teeth were pretty yellow when we first got her but presumably because she wasn’t given anything to chew on to clean plaque, so they thought she was 2 yrs 8 months (!), which leads me to think she sadly may have been malnourished as a puppy since they were feeding her as an adult. As soon as we gave her bones and chew toys her teeth became pearly white. Anyway, we switched her to Fromm’s Surf and Turf kibble when we got her, but we noticed she started itching more and more. Took her to the vet to ask about the itchiness as well as a suspected UTI, but the diagnosis for the itching was understandably vague. We’re not sure if it’s a food allergy or environmental – she doesn’t have fleas, and we’re pretty sure it’s not a yeast issue. She doesn’t smell yeasty at all and I think the vet would have picked up on that. So after a recent bout of diarrhea due to too many high fat treats after a training session, I figured it would be a good time to begin the transition to raw after her system cleared up. I fasted her for a meal then fed her a mixture of white rice and pumpkin for two meals, which brought her poos back to normal, then began feeding her a 50-50 mix of ground turkey and pumpkin with the See Spot Live Longer mix added in. The vet is holistic and also trained in Chinese medicine, and she suggested that I switch to beef instead of turkey since chicken and turkey is considered “hot” and could be contributing to the itchiness, so yesterday I made the switch to ground beef and her poo was still fine this morning. But then I remembered reading somewhere (I think on preymodelraw) that it’s not recommended to start with beef, but I think for the time being I’ll stick with it just to avoid changing her diet too many times (unless anyone here would strongly advise against starting with beef?). At the moment, her daily food (divided into two meals) is 1 lb 90% lean ground beef + 2 tbsp SSLL + 1/2 tsp hempseed oil + 1 tsp coconut oil (just started adding it) + 1 human probiotic. She is also currently on a one week course of antibiotics for the urinary problem.

I have Steve Brown’s Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet, ordered the Dr. Becker’s book, and have read through many of the threads on this forum but like other newbies I’m getting lost in all the information and feeling as overwhelmed as Cyndi was in the thread where she first started, lol. I’m thinking of sticking to the ground boneless meat with the See Spot Live Longer mix for a bit while I figure out all the supplements that are needed and place my meat orders. A few questions that I’d really appreciate if someone could help out with:

– I know you can’t add the See Spot Live Longer dinner mix to bone-in meats, but am I also correct in assuming that if I begin adding RMBs in the PM and continue to feed boneless ground meat + See Spot Live Longer mix in the AM that it would be too much calcium? Ideally I’d like to continue using the SSLL simply because it’s the easiest way for me to not have to worry that her nutrition is unbalanced while I’m still learning to balance her meals myself. I did see the most recent topic mentioning CarnivoreRaw but that’s a bit out of my budget. Hound Dog Mom, do you use the Twinlab Daily One with or without iron? Also, I noticed the Twinlab does have calcium in it, does that not matter because the amount is so low? If I choose to go the multivitamin route, can I then add other things like fruits and veggies and such without worrying about overloading on a specific vitamin/mineral or will I have to be careful with what I add?

– This may be a bit much to ask, but if one of the veterans has the time to respond I would be so grateful. Could someone make a list of the essential vitamins/minerals (or alternatively, foods that will provide those vitamins and minerals) that MUST be added to a diet that consists of boneless meat in the AM and RMBs in the PM, and the approximate amounts? This is the part I’m feeling especially in over my head with. Vitamin D, vitamin E, fish oil, manganese, so many different things I’m seeing that they need, it’s hard to not feel kind of scared to do it all from scratch, which is my eventual goal. I think I’m having a hard time figuring out what is absolutely necessary vs. optional but ideal.

– So from what I’ve read so far it seems to be a good idea to start her on chicken backs and quarters, then begin alternating boneless meat every other meal. How many meals should I feed the backs and quarters before I begin incorporating boneless meals? Also, should I already be giving her supplements during this time, or should I wait until she adjusts then begin adding supplements. As for stuff like organ meats, heart, and green tripe, how long should I wait before beginning to incorporate those? I promise I have read the other threads, but I’ve seen a few different recommendations on timelines so I thought I’d pose the question again just so I can be clear about it.

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to take the time to answer my questions!

[Akari_32]

Good job! I did some couponing today for dry cat food at Pet Supermarket. I don’t use dry, so I took them to the Humane Society. They were very happy when I came in with three bags of food :3

1x 2lb bag of Hills Ideal Balance Grain Free cat food – on sale for $9.97
1x gourmet treat – 50 cents
1x $5 off any size dog or cat Hills Ideal Balance dry food manufacturer coupon (PetCo keeps these at the door with their fliers as you walk in)
1x $5 off any size cat Hills Ideal Balance dry or canned case Pet Supermarket coupon
Total after tax and coupons: $0.86 each transaction, and I bought three bags.
Total for all three bags and three treats: $2.58

[Jennifer H]

Thank you, everyone for answering my post. To be honest with you, I never really researched dog foods until he ended up with Pancreatitis. We have always had poodles and none of them ever had issues until Milo. It was when the Pancreatitis happened, that I found this site and began to truly research dog foods. I agree with you magnoliasouth that Natures Recipe is not the best food. I really do not feel right feeding him something I can not eat and is not the best after educating myself on what is truly in pet foods. Truly, I do not know what caused the attack, I am just going by what the vet said, that pig ears are high in fat. Milo had only eaten his grain free dog food, grain free treats and a pig ear before his attack. My neighbors were aware of his allergies and I have again made it clear that he is to have nothing to eat. The vet said that it would be hard to determine exactly what caused the attack, they are just speculating the pig ear is the cause of it. As for the Royal Canin, i stopped it within about 2 days of purchasing the case of it from the vet. I now realize that the vet promotes that junk.

I have looked at the list of low fat/low sodium on here but I am still worried that some of them may still be too high in fat for him. My other worry is with a lot of the limited ingredient diets, there is a lot of starchy foods instead of grain, which promotes yeast. I am still working my way through the list and was not aware of the other thread with the low fat/low sodium foods, so I will look at that as well.

Corinne, your post has been so helpful to me, with lots of information. I do not feel it was preachy at all, but very very helpful. Unfortanately, I am not at all happy with my vet. There answer was and still is “royal canin”. Most of the time, I am speaking with a tech. My vet has dismissed my concerns about Milo’s food allergies and continually states that it’s “season allergies”. Not to seem more knowledgeable then the vet, but I know how Milo acts when he is having a food allergy. I am looking for another vet in the meantime. I did give Milo some Benadryl, but I did not give him the Prednisone after the attack. I honestly didn’t know it could cause Pancreatitis, and I am now wondering why the vet did not know this as well. They actually gave him Prednisone for another issue in April, so I am wondering now if that is what caused the pancreatitis.

With all my recent research, I did read about the pancreatic enzyme, which I am starting to give him. I would love to fed him a homemade diet w/ supplements. Another area I have read a lot about. Corinne, is there any pointers you can give me? Or maybe steer me in the right direction of recipes, supplements, etc. to begin dong this? Also, I have read that Chicken and Rice diet is ok to feed him, while I know it is not balanced, would it be ok to feed him this diet until I have his food situation under control?

You have given me so much direction, I am very thankful and plan on getting to work on as much as I can right away.

[Alexa G]

I just started feeding my dog these treats and 2 out of 3 are fine. My third dog refuses to eat her food. I will not stop feeding my other 2 dogs these. I agree with ark golfer. If my dogs are happy I’m happy. If your dog isn’t having a problem with the treats then let them eat it. I believe the only reason one of my dogs did not agree with the treats is because she has allergies. There is an ingredient that involves corn which is one of the top 5 foods dogs are allergic to. Dogs only live for around 10 years Let them be happy.

[Susan]

Hi Lisa, my Patchy has this, Chewy has to have a low fat diet, nothing over 10% fat, if he cant stomach his kibble either wet it to soften & drain the water or look for a wet food that is very low in fat around 1-2% fat cause when wet tin food is converted its higher, say the wet tin says 5% fat if it was a kibble it would be around 22% fat% when converted..so the boiled chicken & pumkin is safer or like Ive been doing for Patches breakfast I buy the light tuna in spring water & drain water & add pumkin, Patch has been better since having the Tuna, he still got his pain when I boiled the chicken breast, must still be too high in fat. …poor boy, he would of had pain after he ate to much fatty foods & spewed, they have pain on their right side under their rib cage, Patch comes to me & sits & lifts his paw for me to rub his tummy…the Rx food do they have it in wet, I dont know about RX but I know all the vet prescription foods are money back guaranteed maybe swap for some wet food.. I’d say the fat is low for the vet to prescribe…other people would know of a low fat wet tin foods that have helped their dogs that have had Pancreatitis, you’ll have to always watch his fat in food now, no treats that are high in fat etc, its good they found something now you’ll know whats happening…also dogs with Pancreatitis cant stomach kibble, its too hard for them to break down in their stomachs, that’s why Patch is on a low residue kibble, it breaks up real easy, easier on their stomach & Pancreas..wet is best for this..

[spaniel39]

Hi Hound Dog Mom et all:
I just can’t seem to keep Sophie the Komondor’s stools firm;
Have her on Nutrisource Large Breed Lamb, which she loves; not really giving her
treats; She does go the the dog beach and park (where she could pick up something
whether a “bug” or eating something bad); but been tested for Giardia, etc
(which I know doesn’t always show) so I just do a course of Panacur or Metronzadole.
She is happy, healthy, but Pudding poops
I read a thread about D. Earth, adding a tablespoon to her food daily. could try that.
In addition, she gets probiotics (Coagulans Bacillus) and NWC total Biotics.
Also done the boiled chicken/rice/sweet potato/canned pumpkin
Thanks!

[DogFoodie]

Hi Lauren,

I’m of no help either. Sounds like you’re doing a great job and your raw diet is probably ideal. While we’re waiting for him to see your posts, maybe you’ll find something that would be helpful in his comment history: /forums/users/usa-dog-treats/

He has the same user name on the review side, unfortunately I’m unable to share a link there.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Lauren-
I do not have any experience with diabetic dogs at all, thank goodness. I’m “bumping” up your post in hopes someone else will chime in. There is an expert on this site that goes by USA dog treats. Good luck!

[Naturella]

Hey, all!

Well, Photobucket seems to hate me tonight so I will have to just write out the picture of Bruno’s 2014-2015 Menu, all gotten through coupons!

Starting Point – Mid-July, 2014.

1. Earthborn Holistic (EBH) Primitive Natural (Grain-Free, Chicken) – 14 lbs – 3 mths – till mid-Oct, 2014 – got for $20 with Petland coupon for $10 off $25+.
2. Back to Basics (B2B) Open Range (Grain-Free, Red Meat) + 3 samples of Victor Joint Health (Grain-Free, Beef) + 3 samples of Victor High Pro (Grain Free, Beef) – 5 lbs – 1.5 mths – till end of Nov, 2014 – got for $13 with manufacturer coupon for $7 off.
3. Holistic Health Extension (HHE) Lamb and Brown Rice (Grain-Inclusive, Lamb) – 4 lbs – 1 mth – till end of Dec, 2014 – got for FREE with Petland coupon for a free small bag of that brand.
4. Dogswell LiveFree Salmon (Grain-Free, Salmon/Fish) – 4 lbs – 1 mth – till end of Jan, 2015 – got for $4 on Petflow sale.
5. HHE Allergix (Grain-Free, Chicken) – 4 lbs – 1 mth – till end of Feb, 2015 – got for FREE with Petland coupon for a free small bag of that brand.
6. EBH Great Plains Feast (Grain-Free, Buffalo+Lamb) – 14 lbs – 3 mths – till end of May, 2015 – got for $20 with Petland coupon for $10 off $25+.
7. Wysong Nurture with Quail (Grain-Free, Quail) – 5 lbs – 1 mth – till end of June, 2015 – got for $5 on Petflow sale.
8. Nature’s Variety Instinct (NVI) Rabbit+Raw Bites (Grain-Free, Rabbit) + 1.5 lbs of Victor Ultra Pro (Grain-Free, Chicken) – 6.5 lbs – 1.5 mths – till mid-July, 2015 – NVI for FREE with manufacturer one-time coupon; Victor Ultra Pro is from samples and 1lb from a friend – all FREE.

PLUS: The Honest Kitchen (THK) Force (Grain-Free, Chicken); Keen (Grain-Inclusive, Turkey), Love (Grain-Free, Beef), and Embark (Grain-Free, Turkey) as toppers – 2-lb boxes of each for $4 each on sale from Petflow – should last till mid-July, 2015 too BECAUSE one box makes 6-8 lbs of wet food and dilute it lots so I will say that THK’s 8 lbs of dehydrated food will make 32 lbs of wet food. That’s $16 ($20 with shipping) for 32 lbs of food!

Total food weight: Kibble – 56.5 lbs. THK – 32 lbs. Total – 88.5lbs.
Total spending (with $5 shipping from Petflow for the THK): $82.00.

This makes all the foods an average of $0.93/lb. I’m quite happy with it cause for less than $100, it is all pretty good foods, and Bruno is set for a YEAR. 🙂

Not to mention the multitude of free samples he has that we use as treats and the $60 box from Best Bully Sticks that is full of dehydrated goods that should last him quite a while too, maybe a year if I’m lucky. So yeah. $142. Great local stores that give coupons and free samples. Great friends and good manufacturer deals – I think $142 for a year’s worth of food, chews, and treats for a small dog is pretty good. 🙂

Good luck to all with your couponing endeavors! 🙂

[Naturella]

For me, treats that are as nutritious as the food are great. I use Annamaet treats sometimes, and Grandma Lucy’s (not that amazing, I know, but oh well don’t use them as much anyway). Most often, though, I use just kibble samples as treats. Or the actual food Bruno is on (although he has a lot of samples now, so I like the variety). That is what I use for training. For special occasions or after an “undesirable situation” such as de-shedding, nail trimming, bathing, etc. I give a meat-based chew – cow/lamb ears, pig snouts, chicken feet, beef/lamb lung, bully sticks, etc. I use those for dental treats along with RMBs. So they are not “treats” in the same sense, but they are A treat to him when he gets them.

Aside of using kibble as treats, I would love for a commercial treat that is not just empty calories but is also nutritious, to be fit for a larger dog, but to be able to be broken into good sizes for medium and small dogs. And I am personally ok with foreign ingredients aside from Asian or African ones. South American beef is awesome, and I trust Australia, Western Europe, and New Zealand. And North America.

[Marcus P]

Hey All,

Wondering if anyone can help out. I am looking at getting a new Mastiff puppy and dont know what the best food choices are for a giant breed. I do know that the breeder has been feeding him Victor Super Premium since 7 weeks. He is now around 8 weeks. From my research on the Forums so far I have found that the calcium levels in this food may be to high? I was looking at Earthborn Holistics (meadow feast and/or costal catch). Is that a good substitute for the Victor, or am I way off base? Is it necessary to add anything to the dry food like some kind of wet food? Also, I had always believed that big dogs should be fed from elevated bowls, but I have found that this may also not be the case as it may increase the chance of bloat? Due to the need to regulate a giant breed dogs calcium intake what type of treats and bones can they have? Is there anything I am missing that I also need to know about feeding a giant breed? Sorry about all the questions, I just want to make sure I do right by the little guy and he is with us for as long as possible. Thanks for any help.

[InkedMarie]

There are many dog foods out there. If price is an issue, look at Victor, Dr Tim’s, Hi Tek. I would never feed an inferior food as Beneful. If your dog is healthy, practice tough love. Put the food down, leave for 15 min then pick up. He gets no food or treats until the next meal. Pick a quality food, add something healthy such as canned, little yogurt etc.

[Jonathan L]

I’m sure there are probably many brands of dog food out there that haven’t been reviewed. Here in the LA area we have a certain brand that I have seen in a number of different feed stores. I have personally used this food for our dog for many years and we recently had to put our dog down just shy of 4 years old. She stopped eating her food. We tried different foods but the only thing she would eat in the end were treats. She eventually even stopped eating those and stopped drinking. We finally had to put her down. We were told by the vet that her issues were not related to her food, but there’s something that keeps nagging me about the food. She never seemed to be fanatic about eating but after a period when our normal food was not available when we finally got it she started refusing to eat it. We now have another dog we rescued and are feeding her the same food. She too doesn’t seem very interested in the food unless we add a little bit of wet food. I’d be very interested in how our dry dog food compares to some of the other foods. We have been using Ace Hi Feeds – Dog Chunk Bite Size it is made by Star Milling Co. Would it be possible to review this sometime? They have information about their products at http://www.starmilling.com.

[Sylvia S]

I do agree with everything said above. I would divide the “treat” problem into two:
TRAINING TREATS, which should be small and delicious, relatively soft enabling the dog to swallow them down quickly in order to continue the training.
CHEWING TREATS: to substitute raw hides, greenies, antlers’ horns and other treats which are reputed to be noxious for our pets. They should be large and somewhat harder without endangering the teeth but hard enough to keep the pet busy and entertained for a long time. They should preferably be “acceptable” for inside the house (not like raw kneecaps which are very smelly!)

[Sarah Y]

I’m trying to find a good, safe dental chew for my dogs. I have heard mixed reviews on greenies though they seem to be the most popular. One of my beagles can be an aggressive chewer too. I remember reading greenies should not be swallowed in pieces. My beagle tends to chew a piece then swallow it whereas my other two beagles will thoroughly chew their greenie. Soooooo, I stopped giving greenies to them because one not not chew through the whole thing. I bought nature’s recipes dental chews today but honestly am not sure if they are good or not.

I do brush my dogs teeth and to be honest, it’s not consistent. Sometimes its 2 or 3 times a week for a few months then it’s once a week, sometimes once every couple of weeks. They have had dental cleanings too. So overall their teeth are pretty good.

Any suggestions on good dental chews/treats?

[Cyndi]

🙁 My dog won’t touch ANY of that stuff. She makes me so mad sometimes, lol! I eat alot of fruits and raw veggies & I haven’t found any of them that she’ll eat. I was hoping to use those as treats, but she won’t eat them.

[Susan]

Hi Maureen, My boy has Pancreatitis & IBD, I noticed when I gave my boy a kibble that was higher in protein he got his pain back, I tried the Holistic Select Senior Chicken Meal & Rice the fat was min-10% on bag, I emailed Holistic Select & max Fat was 11.98% the protein was 26%, I thought good higher protein then his Eukanuba Intestinal vet prescription diet which is 23% protein fat-10% that he was put on but I dont know if it was the fat% being 11.98% or the higher protein at 26% but he started his whinging again & had his pain, so now Im tryng the Wellness Simple “Duck & Oatmeal” fat% is min-11% on the bag & max fat is 11.98% the protein is lower at 19% but he seems better on the Wellness Simple…Duck & Oatmeal, Im mixing the Simple with his Eukanuba Intestinal .when looking for a new kibble try to match the Fat % & the protein% & fiber%..the Wellness simple has their Healthy Weight Salmon & Peas Grain free the fat % min 8% the protein is 26% fiber is 6%, the fiber is a bit to high for my Patch, maybe this will be similer to the Hills W/D diet & its grain free.. he’s a link if u want to compare things you might see another flavour that is closer to his Hills W/D diet, & slowly so slowly start just adding a bit of the new kibble with his old kibble..Ive taking 2 weeks & Im still just adding 1/4cup & using the Wellnes Simple duck kibbles as treats.. having the IBD on top does not help. http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/categories.aspx?pet=dog&cat=3

[Dori]

Grapes and raisins are no no’s but I gave my three girls all the fruits you give and then some. I also give them raw veggies. They love them all. I use them as treats because I don’t trust any store bought manufactured dog treats. Too many recalls for my liking. You’re Yorki is lucky to have you. I have a Maltese, a Yorkipoo and a Maltipoo.

[USA]

Hi InkedMarie

Your response is highly unlikely, but I would like to thank you for your comment. I knew nothing about the additional dangers of lead poisoning that come with drinking or cooking with hot water from the <b>hot side</b> of the faucet. I only knew about the sludge and sediment dangers!

“Hi Ladies,
Please don’t add hot or warm water from a tap or faucet to your dog’s food. Water from the hot side of a faucet has gone through a water heater which is full of slime and sediment. That is not something I want in my dog’s food!”

“InkedMarie
USA Dog Treats: no offense but if my tap water is good enough for me to drink, it’s good enough for my dogs.”

[Jenn F]

We have been trying that method too & the only thing between meals is maybe a treat (small milk bone), if that. My other female is diabetic, so we try not to feed treats & or just a treat a day to keep her glucose level steady. Another prob is I think she may be a “grazer” & in this house that doesn’t work, you eat it when its put down, not an here & their, but her foster never said she had probs with her eating. I would think with the 2 others watching her she would wanna eat it instead of leaving it, that’s usually how it works….not with her!!! I may try to add H2O to her dinner & let it sit to soften it & see if that helps at all, but I doubt it. I have never in my life had a dog this picky, its ridiculous!!!

• This reply was modified 11 years, 5 months ago by Jenn F.
• This reply was modified 11 years, 5 months ago by Jenn F.

[InkedMarie]

USA Dog Treats: no offense but if my tap water is good enough for me to drink, it’s good enough for my dogs.

[Cordell N]

Hello,
I home cook for my three dogs. A 7 month old Australian Shepherd, a senior Boston Terrier and a senior Bassett Hound. I make their food in a crock pot twice a week.
I use a combination of meats which usually include chicken thighs or chicken quarters and ground beef and chicken gizzards. I also add ground lamb if I can find it in the discount area.
I throw in carrots, green beans and other vegetables from my garden like squash and tomatoes. If I have some fruit that needs to be eaten I throw that in also. I add some water and cook until done. I remove the everything and debone the chicken and mash with a potatoes masher and mix well. I then cook my carbs in the liquid. Sometimes rice, potatoes, lentils, oats or barley. I least that cook until very well done add a can of pumpkin and mix it all together. I would estimate that the meat comprises about 75% of their diet.

I add a supplement I make at feeding that includes ground egg shell, nutritional yeast, kelp powder, lecithin granules, ground multivitamins, salmon oil, yogurt, apple cider with the mother and Brazil nuts. I also put a cube or two of cooked beef liver or canned sardines on top a couple of times a week.
I would like to add some raw food and bones to their routine.
I bought the following at the Asian and Mexican markets.
Chicken and turkey necks
Pork neck bones
Beef feet cut up
Pork heart.
My questions are can I give a neck a couple of tomes a week as a treat?
Are raw pork neck bones and cut up raw beef feet safe as treats?
Should I cook the pork heart in the crock pot with my other meat or serve a small portion raw on top of their cooked food?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Cordell

[Katie J]

He actually watches the other dog eat. So I asked my boyfriend, who he apparently eats better for, if he bring my terrier in for feedings. He does not. I thought he had been being that I told him to… Lol. I had been separating the pair in the bathroom of all places. It was just a convenient place at first. It is quite crowded with the three of us. But I do have to keep any dog getting something special out of sight of the spaniel as she is very territorial over food/treats/anything special. Perhaps the extras I having been giving my terrier will just have to be after I feed the pup for now. I don’t have an ideal situation currently. Eventually they will have special places to eat.

I had planned to switch to 2 meals and found out that the boyfriend fed lunch today. I will just give him a very small dinner to hold him over. We’ll go to 2 tomorrow. I am nervous about having him eat just dry as he hasn’t been forced to suffer that torture in about a week. 😉 Would doing a mostly dry meal in the AM and a mostly wet meal in the PM be a good compromise?

I had a sneaking suspicion that I was totally getting played with the spoon feeding. And there is a reason that I have furry kids and not the human kind. I guess I would be that mom forcing food down her kids’ mouths! It’s been several years since I’ve had a puppy as opposed to an adoloescent or adult. I have been extremely paranoid and concerned with every bit of him.

I did a bit of online vet work to see about his water habits. And I was figuring that he just hadn’t understood that water isn’t just a boredom thing. His potty training has been coming along so I was thinking about letting him get a few more water breaks so he can get the hint. I will discuss his habits with our vet just to be sure as he acts like a normal puppy.

We just picked up some new goodies for him tonight: 2 samples of Signature and two cans of Wild Calling. And since the price was good on the Orijen Treats, he got those too. We almost picked up a small bag of the Stella raw, but we were wanting to try a small bag of the rabbit before committing to a big bag.

Crazy4cats – Thank you. He’s my little special man. I just want the best for my little guys!

[Dori]

If I were to use commercially made treats I would want them to be made in the USA and sourced in the USA. They would have to be human grade made in a human food facility that is regularly inspected by the USDA. They would need to be of limited ingredient. Organic would be best. Small in size to be used as training treats if one wanted to use them for that purpose. No grains, corn, soy, wheat, alfalfa, tomato or potato. No known high histamine ingredients. Low in calories.

I have used Vital Essentials tripe treats once in a while. So far I find that I trust Vital Essentials. I used to feed THK treats once in a while but I no longer feel comfortable with that company so I stopped using them quite a while ago.

Treats I give my girls (all teeny tiny dogs) are blueberries, carrots, string beans, coconut chips, broccoli, etc. In other words all healthy organic if I can find them fruits and veggies. Mango, all types of melon, apples, etc. I guess, basically, whatever is in my fridge. No sweet potatoes as they contain too much sugar for my liking. My girls like them all and I don’t have to worry about which manufacturer is going to have the next recall and where they really source their ingredients.

[Elizabeth P]

My veterinary dentist says that things like Himalayan dog chews are too hard for dog teeth. That is how dogs break teeth. If you can’t score it with your finger nail, it is too hard. Go to http://www.vohc.com (Veterinary Oral Health Council) for treats of appropriate hardness.