[Naturella]

The best thing for you to do is to see what you feed him now (maybe let us know), and then do an elimination diet – I think it’s something like cooking a basic homemade chicken and rice diet and slowly adding other ingredients from the food he is currently on to see if he reacts to one or more of them. But some of the pros on here could maybe able to better explain how to do an elimination diet.

Some more common allergens are various grains, corn, sometimes chicken or another protein, sometimes peas or tomatoes (or tomato pomace), sometimes yeast. So doing an elimination will help you know what to avoid in a food and it will make it easier for us to know what to recommend.

As for skin/coat issues, fish oil and coconut oil do some miracles. Also fish-based foods and treats. For my dog who had the worst case the vet has seen of fleas and wounds and hair falling out when he was found and taken to a vet, The Honest Kitchen’s Beams (dried fish skins to be given as chews/treats) did some miracles and then a teaspoon of coconut oil every other day continually enhances this miracle and his skin is nice and healthy and his coat is as soft and shiny as ever, I love it. No trace of wounds or missing hair – he is double-coated and his coat is very thick, soft, shiny on top and healthy. 🙂 He is also on mostly a fish-based food now so that probably helps too.

But as for pet dander – sometimes the above measures may help, sometimes not – the dog may just be genetically predisposed to extra dander. But it’s worth a shot to see if you can help it some too.

[Naturella]

USA Dog Treats,

I do want to try to make jerky-style treats sometime in the near future. For now though, I have come up with a new “ice-cream” recipe, here it is:

Ingredients:
1 tbs coconut oil
1 tbs coconut butter
1/2 tbs peanut butter
1/2 tbs tahini (sesame seed “butter” or paste)
1 tsp raw local honey (or any honey)
2 1/2 tbs Greek or plain yoghurt/kefir
1 tbs crushed fruit (peach, berries, mango, banana, etc.)
1 tsp flax seed meal
1 tsp almond meal
1 tsp coconut meal/unsweetened flakes
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Prep:
Melt the first 5 ingredients in microwave or on stove until super soft and easy to stir and homogenize. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spoon into sandwich bag and cut the tip off. Pipe into favorite toy (makes a hoof and a medium kong full of goodness plus some more) or pipe into little treat-sized piles on aluminum foil and freeze up.

These are quite caloric due to all the oils so serve sparingly. But they should be very good for coat (the coconut oil), digestion (yoghurt and flax seed meal), and overall immune support (turmeric – natural antibiotic; cinnamon – has some health benefits of sorts I hear) and health (no grain, healthy fats and carbs, some protein too). And great on a hot summer evening after a day of running/playing/swimming at a lake, beach, or the dog park! 🙂

• This reply was modified 11 years, 7 months ago by Naturella.

[Naturella]

I second Sandy’s advice – Bruno’s add-ins (various canned such as Merrick, Wellness, Nutro Ultra, etc.; THK Love, Embark, Force, Keen; yoghurt/kefir, cottage cheese, coconut oil, raw eggs, pumpkin, flaxseed meal on occasion, canned sardines on occasion, RMBs (pork necks and chicken backs at the moment), and raw spelts (small fish), and natural dehydrated chews – bully sticks, ears, snouts, chicken feet and necks, tracheas, etc.) constitute about 1/4 (25%) of his daily intake. However, THK and canned are also considered balanced foods (right?), so I think I am at below 20% with unbalanced additives. I just use his body condition as a guide, and will start keeping track of his weight (IDK if I will measure him though) – he is very active and runs a lot, and appears to be in tip top shape.

Also, I will give you Bruno’s weekly sample menu. He is an about 13lb, 1 year old, active Rat Terrier mix.
Kibble mix is: Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch:Vets Choice Holistic Health Extension Original:Victor Yukon Salmon in 3:1:1/3 ratio.

Treats: above kibble mix or NutriSource Seafood Select or Castor and Pollux Organix Adult (the last 2 are from samples). Also available are Nutro and Old Mother Hubbard biscuits for special occasions. Also for special occasions (or to keep him busy when I’m busy too) I make him ice-cream with yoghurt, peanut butter, coconut oil and coconut butter, and a sprinkle of cinnamon and turmeric, and I fill anything I can – his Kong, marrow bone, hoof, other toys with holes – and freeze. Rarely I give raw veggies/fruits like carrots, cucumbers, watermelon, apple, pineapple core, mango, raw coconut, etc. (safe stuff).

Monday:
Breakfast: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon coconut oil and water to make it soupy
Lunch: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon THK chicken and water to make it soupy
Dinner: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons canned and water to make it soupy

Tuesday:
Breakfast: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons yoghurt/kefir and water to make it soupy
Lunch: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons canned and water to make it soupy
Dinner: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon THK turkey and water to make it soupy

Wednesday:
Breakfast: 1/4 cup kibble with raw egg (no shell) with a sprinkle of flaxseed meal
Lunch: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon THK beef and water to make it soupy
Dinner: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons canned and water to make it soupy

Thursday:
Breakfast: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon coconut oil and water to make it soupy
Lunch: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons canned and water to make it soupy
Dinner: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon THK turkey and water to make it soupy

Friday:
Breakfast: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons cottage cheese and water to make it soupy
Lunch: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons raw organ meat (whatever I have) or raw meat/fish (whatever I have) or 2 teaspoons of canned and water to make it soupy
Dinner: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon THK chicken and water to make it soupy

Saturday:
Breakfast: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon coconut oil and water to make it soupy
Lunch: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon THK turkey and water to make it soupy
Dinner: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons canned and water to make it soupy

Sunday:
Breakfast: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons pumpkin with a sprinkle of cinnamon and water to make it soupy
Lunch: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons canned and water to make it soupy
Dinner: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon THK beef and water to make it soupy
RMB to cap it out

On days when Bruno runs a lot (i.e. Dog Park days) I may switch his next meal’s add-in with raw egg or raw meat/organ meats/fish (or canned sardine) for added natural protein “post WOD”. Or give him a dehydrated natural chew like a bully stick, a cow/lamb/pig ear, or tripe stick, or you know – “richer” stuff to make up for the calories burned and supply some lean meat for his muscles. I really just kind of gage his body condition and appetite for stuff as far as additives go. And sometimes, if I’m out of canned, I put his plain dry kibble in a dispensing toy and let him play with it and eat it as is. I also do some training daily and reward with about 20 kibble bits, and, if I want to stress on something – an Old Mother Hubbard or Nutro biscuit. Oh, and I almost always add water (as you can see) for added hydration. But yeah… So far so good with this method of mine. Hope I’m doing it right too, lol.

But I’m sure you will figure out how to balance it for Jake. 🙂

[Mom2Cavs]

I don’t know anything about food and thyroid or Real Meat dog food, though I have used the Real Meat dog treats quite a bit and it was fine. I have also fed Victor dog food and I think it’s a very good food. I wouldn’t know which formula to recommend to you, but if you fb or email Philip at Sportdogfood.com he might have some ideas about which formula would best fit your needs.

[jakes mom]

Bobbydog, I’ve considered that but it’s pretty expensive to “use up” on Jake. Maybe there will be a 3.99 cat food sale one of these days! I’m guessing it’s a lot more expensive than cans anyway. I’d pay a little more for the convenience (and better for the cats) but the budget can’t change too much. BTW have you been on the HK site? If you decide to keep buying it may be better to buy from them rather than petflow. You can earn points toward free food and treats.

[Sue B]

I have two Cotons, and recently through bloodwork, we have found their thyroid levels have been fluctuating. My vet doesn’t think it’s a tumor, and it would cost between 800 and $1500 to get a sonogram taken. One specialist said there was some hidden entrails found in one pet’s dog food or treats which caused his thyroid to elevate. Although I think I give my boys the best foods, it would make sense since both of their thyroids have elevated and dropped. One much more than the other. And at times the levels are normal. Therefore, my vet suggested changing dog foods. I currently give them real meat, and plan on changing to Victor’s. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas? Thank you

[Shasta220]

Great job on catching him, staying on top of it 🙂 I know what you mean about the treats. I had a trainer advise using treats to try distracting Loki whenever he saw another dog. I shoved it right by his nose and he had NO desire to move his focus away from the other dog lol! (And they were the super yummy stinky ones!)

[Mike M]

Yes, I can tell Cyndi. 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to provide that level of detail Hound Dog Mom!

For the record, our dog Wally is 15 years old and is smallish, weighing in at about 17.5 pounds, needing to lose probably 2 of those.

Yes, I have read about most of what you suggested HDM, though it is still not clear to me that my dog will “need” liver, given everything else he will get. I did send an email to Urban Wolf – will see if they respond though they do suggest the liver supplement. They just responded, asking if I could give him liver treats but that’s all they offered.

I will have to reconsider adding the sweet potato and rest of the non-meat stuff since much of that is in the Urban Wolf (which I will start using on Friday) but if I do, it will be in “treat” amounts and I will use Wally’s poop status to help monitor. I do understand he needs adequate protein and I’m confident he’ll be getting more than he did with his Wellness canned food, who seemingly just began adding more liquid to their formula.

The nutritional yeast he just likes, if I did add any, it would be occasionally and just a small sprinkle.

Was thinking I should add just a sprinkle of calcium now and again because my plan was to feed Wally more Salmon — which has the phosphorous — than would be in the Urban Wolf recipe. Of course, the diet then becomes a bit less controlled or precise.

I’ve read the fat balancing discussions and it seems a little too much like rocket science to me but I will keep researching that and won’t stick my head in the sand on it. I’d rather not feed him beef but will if I need to.

Any further recommendations or discussion are welcomed ….. thanks again

[Leslie R]

Caroline, thank you. I have been feeding Buster Embark & Love. Wasn’t sure if they were low enough in carbs. I add sardines or eggs, sometimes chicken. I only give him protein treats. I got an email from Only Natural Pets ( I think thats the name) for their air dried food. The dogfoodadvisor list has this food at 25 % carbs & HK embark higher..can’t remember the exact number. Do you think I should change? I also add salmon oil, tumeric and a probiotic. We’ve only had him 1 month & it’s killing me. I’ve known him for 6 years as he belonged to my friend who passed away..her husband didn’t want him. Any advice is truly appreciated. Thanks for your help.Leslie

[InkedMarie]

I agree about THK and yes, while the FAQ does say that, I admit that I assumed if a food was removed, we’d have an explanation as to why. I realize it’s a moot point; we aren’t getting one. My mistake but I agree with what USA Dog Treats said about disclosure. Not all of us realized we couldn’t hear the reason why.

[Suburban Gal]

That said, I’ve also dealt with both puppies and picky eaters.

(I have a very long history with dogs. I just turned 37 and have never been without a dog in my life.)

In my experience, it’s best to just pick a food and stick with it. I’ve limited treat intake and have even withheld treats in an effort to get my dogs to eat their food.

Just put the food in the bowl, put the bowl down and leave it. Eventually, the dog will get hungry and eat. Don’t let the dog get the best of you either. You’re the master or pack leader. If you want the dog to eat XYZ, then this is what they’re going to eat.

The only time I’ve ever switched foods is if there was a problem and it didn’t sit well with my dogs after awhile.

I don’t know a lot about food rotation though I know some people do it.

IMHO, it’s really best to stick with one food. It’s something I’ve always been doing from the very beginning of dog ownership and it seems to work just fine. If anything, I’ll usually switch up the different kinds of hard and canned food I’m giving. In other words, I just don’t stick with Blue Buffalo Wilderness chicken. I also buy and feed turkey, duck, beef, venison, etc… . Once I’m done with the bag of duck, I buy a bag of the chicken. When I go get cans, I make sure I have a variety, at least 2 of each protein.

[Susan]

Hi, sounds like Colitis, when I first rescued my boy, he was pooing blood & had the gurgling bowel early hours of the morning, sometimes his poos had what I call jelly poos & blood.. vet said Colitis, lower his fat %.. since Ive put him on the Eukanuba Intestinal vet prescription diet this all stopped as the fat content is only 10% fat, look for a kibble that has low fat %… I boil chicken so the fat goes to the top, I rinse chicken in boiling water & I also boil pumkin, you can boil sweet potatoes, dont use too much pumkin about a big tablespoon of Pumkin, its good for their tummy & bowel but not too much as its a fiber.. I make little meals & freeze then. I boil an egg & add half of the egg as he’s only 17 kilos big dogs can have a full egg, also you can boil rice to fill them more, but chicken meat will be the lowest in fat meat thats cheap, or if you can get Kangaroo dogs love kangaroo meat thats real low in fat….. Pedigree isnt a good kibble, its full of grains & by-products.. try to find a better kibble. alot of ladys say they get good cheap kibble from I think they said Costo something like that, I’m in Australia its called K-Mart here..but Im sure if you put up a post someone will tell the name of places that have real good dog kibble that is cheap & better then Pedigree…if she isnt eating it she’s telling you that its yuk also when you do introduce a new food or kibble do it so slow I take 2 weeks when I change my boys foods..also when I introduced the home cooked it took him about 1 week for his poos to firm up to normal..also no treats that are high in fat they will irritate her tummy..I found liver treats set my boy off & gave him bloody poos…keep a dairy of the foods that may have given blood in her stools..

[RescueDaneMom]

Here are a few books that I have found very helpful for homemade dog food:

Dr. Becker’s Real Food for Healthy Dogs and Cats by Beth Taylor and Karen Shaw Becker DVM
Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet: Healthier Dog Food the ABC Way by Steve Brown
Feed Your Best Friend Better: Easy, Nutritious Meals and Treats for Dogs by Rick Woodford
Dr. Khalsa’s Natural Dog: A Holistic Guide for Healthier Dogs by Deva Khalsa

All are available on Amazon and most in Kindle ebook format. The first two are great for explaining the nitty gritty details of food like protein, fat, etc (what they need and why they need it). It’s more than just recipes. I would recommend getting at least one of those. It’s very important to make complete and balanced meals if you’re doing homemade. I make some homemade food for my dog. I don’t have time to do solely homemade. It can definitely be affordable. You’ll probably want to buy meat in bulk at a wholesale club (sam’s, costco, etc) and incorporate foods that are on sale at the time.

Edit: This is also a great online resource for homemade food- http://www.dogaware.com/diet/homemade.html

• This reply was modified 11 years, 7 months ago by RescueDaneMom.

[Marietta B]

I purchase all of my dog food and treats online and I’ve had no problems at all. We have a vacation home in Florida and everything has arrived fine. I have found that it’s cheaper to buy online and I can find the “hard to find products” that local stores don’t carry. Chewy.com, wag.com and doggiefood.com are my favorite sites and they always have sales. Happy shopping!

[Naturella]

Akari and Bobby dog,

I think freezing is a great idea – problem is only freezer space we have is from the apartment’s kitchen’s fridge, which we share with another guy, so yeah, it barely holds our food, wedding cake topper for us to eat on our first anniversary next year, the roommate’s occasional frozen dinners, and Bruno’s raw and frozen treats… so not freezing kibble soon unless we obtain a chest freezer, which I want, but idk if and when we could do that.

Other than that, though, I think Bru will be ok with the THK as a diversifier. How do I need to store those suckers, can I open a few at a time?

Also, Bobby dog, what you said about my baby melts my heart! I really try to keep him in good health and good shape! This websote has been a godsend in that area! Need to do that for myself more, lol. 🙂

[Wanda F]

Sue, I use the chicken liver very sparingly since it’s organ meat but the chicken hearts are considered muscle meat; I still use them only as treats and not as a meal. I don’t cook them at all. Brewer travels with me as a therapy dog so I’ll put a half dozen frozen hearts in a baggy then by the time he starts meeting with our folks they’re thawed and ready to munch.

[Wanda F]

Course you wouldn’t eat bones and fat sue66b…you’re not a dog; what a silly thing for a vet to say. I’m truly astounded how little vets. know about canine nutrition. I’ve never seen Brewer jump from the car and run into a corn field for a snack but he does get dangerously close to my daughter’s chicken coop. I’m using chicken hearts for treats and he loves chicken livers; when I can find them fresh. I did some research on See Spot Live Longer and I think it’s reasonably priced and contains all the special xtras Brew needs to balance out his diet. I can do the rest from my kitchen, I think. He’s doing okay on Nutrisca but honestly, he “poops” 4 times a day and he’s back to scratching!!!
Oh, and I agree “CSollers,” I think dog food companies pay/bonus the vets. to push their food. Thanks for all the info.

[Suburban Gal]

Unfortunately, dog food companies like Science Diet, IAMS, and Purina are a driving force behind what veterinarian’s learn about pet nutrition in veterinary school. The books they’re given on pet nutrition may contain a lot of great basic nutrition information that’s factual, correct and unbiased, but the authors of those books are researchers from Science Diet, IAMS, Purina and other companies that make sub-par foods so they were quick to promote their own line of pet food.

In addition to providing course materials for veterinary students, Science Diet, IAMS, Purina and other well-known companies that make sub-par foods tend to offer additional perks for veterinary students. Purina, for example, provides several wonderful monographs on a variety of topics, including radiology, cytology, bone marrow disorders, and urinary problems. Science Diet has a program that allows struggling veterinary students to pay just $3 a bag for Rx food which would normally cost $25. All of these companies also offer small stipends to veterinary students to study something specific and provide the diets used in veterinary hospitals to feed patients, which are then offered free or at a greatly reduced price to students and staff.

Science Diet, IAMS, and Purina have also managed to partner up with shelters and rescues groups. Not only do they supply them with large quantities of food several times a year in the form of a generous donation, but they also give them adoption kits to give out whenever someone adopts from them. The kits contain their food and literature published by these companies in addition to coupons for their food and treats.

I hate to say it, but money talks.

[Diana M]

I am a long time Dane owner, currently have 3, 2-6yr olds and a 9 month old puppy. Great Danes absolutely need to start out their lives on a low protein diet, puppy food and higher than 24% protein can be disabling and painful. The higher protein causes their bones to grow more rapidly, and any Giant pet owner knows they grow fast. My guys grow a pound a day on a “low” protein diet. When the cartilage can not keep up with their bones (on a higher protein diet) the bones start to rub and it is painful for them to walk. Even on a low protein diet this can still happen, and happened to me. I kept the runt of a litter, had to tube feed him when he was born, about 5 months of age on a low protein diet he couldn’t walk. I fed him an 18% protein food and he was walking in no time. My thought process is if your Dane does well on the low protein as an adult continue to feed him/her that. If they do not, a slightly higher protein may be your answer. They are a naturally lean dog so the low protein helps them with their weight, but if they have bowel issues, by all means try a higher protein diet. Another note: All of my Danes, have had issues with beef, lamb, chicken has always been my go to. I dehydrate chicken breast for them for their treats. It’s easy and cheaper than purchasing that garbage from China.

[LexiDog]

Plato’s Farmer’s Market treats are fairly large with good ingredients. My dog likes the Chicken & Vegetables one.

[Shasta220]

FreeholdHound, glad they’re tripe treats….. Would one have to trip over trip treats? XD sorry, couldn’t resist that one! LOL!

There are countless brands that you can find at boutique stores, and the ones above suggested are good. Just avoid any problem grains, sugar, and other unneeded additives (if an ingredient raises a slight red flag, just say no).

Honestly though, I’d think it would be best to just do a web search for “wheat free dog treat recipes” (or grain free). You can cut then out to those big-bone sizes. Home made jerky is also great….just pop some meat slices in a dehydrator or oven until jerky-like.

[JamesKelly]

I had a miniature poodle who loved Xxxxx treats. She got blood in her stools, vet found very high liver enzymes (couldn’t figure out why). Suspicious me, I then took her off of Xxxxx treats. While she was disappointed, her appetite did improve. About about a year later wasn’t looking too lively, took to vet for standard testing. She died when her liver fell apart & she bled out at the vet’s office.

Don’t care to get sued so I leave it to you all to figure out who is Xxxxx.

No idea which ingredients destroyed her liver or where Xxxxx is made.

I do know that most of us European-type humans have eaten grain for the last 5000 or so years. Don’t believe Dogs participated in the agricultural revolution. I only get dog food or treats with no grain, made in USA and ingredients I can pronounce. No guarantees, but if you buy grain Dog may not digest it well. Even many humans can’t handle the gluten in grain varieties developed over the last four or so centuries. Wolves/Dogs eat meat, and some vegetables.

If you buy Chinese food for your own use, you get what you deserve. Your pet does not deserve anything from China.

[Suburban Gal]

I’ve always used a myriad of different treats for training. I’ve found that my dogs like a variety and are always excited to see what I pull out of my treat pouch next.

That said, some of the treats I use and have used for training in the past include but aren’t limited to the following:

-Bil-Jac Little-Jacs
-Bil-Jac Original Recipe Dog Treats
-NATURE’S RECIPE Dog Training Treats
-Hill’s® Science Diet Ideal Balance Soft & Chewy Training Treats
-Crazy Dog Train-Me! Mini Training Reward
-Pet Botanics Mini Training Reward
-Butcher’s Selects Premium Treats
-My Little Wolf Dog Treats
-Omega Paw’s Thins
-Lassie Natural Way Flavor Bites

I try to buy treats with good ingredients that are made in the United States. However, I also try to buy treats I’ll know my dog will eat. If I use something for training purposes and my dog won’t eat it, we have a problem.

Whatever you’re using for training purposes be sure your dog likes it. It’s more important your dog likes it than who makes it, where it’s made and what ingredients are in it.

If I have mostly good treats for training and one or two sub-par treats like Pup-Peroni who cares. My dog is mostly getting good treats and it’s not like they’re really getting them outside of training, which is usually an hour once a week for about 5 to 8 weeks.

[USA]

Hi scottny,

Why does it have to be a cookie type treat? I make jerky treats for my dogs using free-range chickens and wild caught fish. They are 100% meat or fish which is much more appropriate for a dog than a cookie type treat. They will give the stomach acid something to work on to help with the regurgitation issues. Dogs absolutely love all meat jerky treats. Chicken is the most universally liked dog treat I have ever seen!

A simple recipe is use any fish fillet or chicken breast or piece of meat that has no external fat. Slice thinly, turn oven on lowest setting. Place on cookie sheet and if possible leave the oven door slightly ajar to let the moisture out and bake until treat is able to be broken in half by bending.

[pugmomsandy]

I use Wagatha’s organic dog biscuits. They are wheat free, just not grain-free. I have used Instinct biscuits before and they weren’t small. They’re grain free freeze dried Raw Boost treats might work too.

[scottNY]

My 70 lb, 16 month old pit mix has always had regurgitation issues, particularly in the morning. He was checked out by my vet and it seems like an irregular esophagus, nothing too serious.

One of the things I have found that helps is getting him to munch on something to absorb some of the overnight stomach acid build up prior to giving him water in the morning. Unfortunately, he loves the large Milk Bones, but of course, I don’t.

I have tried the Old Mother Hubbard Classic Bac’N’Cheez Biscuits Baked Dog Treats, which are a great size, but they are not that healthy and aren’t grain-free. Of course, my dog doesn’t like them as much as Milk Bone, either. I am trying to find something large, at least relatively healthy [he only gets one a day] and definitely grain-free that I can use. It seems almost everything that is healthy and grain-free is small.

I always get good advice here and much of my dog’s dietary/nutritional routine comes from DFA. Any ideas?

P.S. If anyone is wondering why I don’t just give him a few different healthy, grain-free cookies, the answer is my dog has always been a picky eater and I consider it a success if I can get him to eat one thing in the morning. Multiple cookies are a chore.

P.P.S. If anyone is searching the word “regurgitation” and finds this post, I would be glad to share the things I have done to minimize the problem. One idea I got from this forum was to add Iceland Pure Sardine Anchovy oil to his diet. I went from at least 1-3 regurgitations a day to 1-3 per week, maybe fewer. Coincidence or not, I don’t know, but amazon.com ships me my supply monthly and we aren’t stopping it – ever!

• This topic was modified 11 years, 7 months ago by scottNY.

[Nina Z]

My dog recently had another bout of vomiting/diarrhea (both at the same time this time) so I decided to take the plunge and have her tested for allergies. Her results came back and her food choices are super limited, as she tested borderline to potatoes, beets, and peas (among the more common beef, wheat, etc). Thankfully, the only protein she was definitely allergic to was pork.

My question is, should I follow the food recommendations given to me or can I fudge a little with the peas/potatoes/beets? The options given to me were AvoDerm, Pinnacle, and California Naturals, along with prescription diets. I would probably go with the Pinnacle if I had to, but I really don’t want to go with any of them. The other choice I have is Honest Kitchen Thrive, but I was really hoping to get a kibble for cost/convenience.

Any suggestions? Any other foods that don’t include peas/potatoes/beets that other people are feeding? I could also live with a mix of the HK and Pinnacle, using the kibble as treats or something I suppose.

[Liesa K]

My dog has grandma seizures I am able to keep them down to (1) every nine months with no cluster seizures, have the vet run a (5) panel thryoid and check sugar levels, did you have any pesticides put on your lawn, or flowers, could your dog have eaten any dangerous plants in your yard. Unfortunately once a dog has a seizure they are prone to seizures, you need to find the underlying causes. My dogs thyroid is being attacked by his system we suspect yeast is the offensive underlying problem, the thryoid when it isn’t able to work properly drops his sugar levels, which causes the seizures I have a blood glucose testing kit for him, he is not diabetic. I am positive this was the cause from giving the chicken jerky treats as I had another dog who ended up with cushing confirmed by blood tests but he never lost his hair, he was also yeasty he passed before he was 7 years old.
I use Azmira Herbal products line and this is why I am able to keep the seizures down to (1) every nine months. Over exercise causes him to have seizures and the heat which causes yeast over growth. still trying to get a handle on the yeast, he is (5) years old and a tibetan Mastiff (pure blood). If you get the thryoid test have it checked by Dr. Jean Dodd she has incredible expertise in the thyroid epidemic, please be careful with seizure medications as this can cause more seizures and is very hard on the liver, my dog was never put on seizure medicine, also as soon as he has a seizure I start putting organic honey which is very thick not runny like most brands and this brings him outta of the seizure quicker and helps to not have the cluster seizures. Good Luck.

[Naturella]

Cindy_g, I would say you can finish off your bag of Blue (if you haven’t yet), but slowly be weaning your dog off to Merrick, then try something else too!

Lynn J, you can look into Victor Grain Free, and maybe Nature’s Variety Instinct, they do have chicken meal in some, but not all recipes, and are pretty good, 5 stars as well.

Becky G, why don’t you try topping with canned when you transition between foods? Most dogs like canned and would eat just about anything mixed in with it. Then you can (if you want) slowly reduce the amount of canned, until he eats the kibble alone. Canned is even better to keep in the diet though, so up to you. Also, you could add pumpkin, yoghurt, cottage cheese, kefir, or something else instead of canned if you’re up for that – my dog loves all those toppings too, and even though he licks them off first and licks and spits out the kibble at first, once the “topper” is gone, he eats whatever is in his bowl and licks it clean. Another technique that may work is, get (if you can) a sample size of a different food. Victor, Earthborn Holistic, Nutrisca, Taste of the Wild, Canidae Pure, Nature’s Variety Instinct are some that I have seen samples of. Then use those kibbles as treats and do training often – see if you can trick him to like any of them. It may take a while, but it works – I have gotten my dog used to new food this way before too. Good luck!

[Shasta220]

I wouldn’t be too concerned about the protein/fat, since obesity isn’t a concern for Bru. I have no clue about the added taurine and stuff…. Probably be better to stick with dog food and maybe using the cat Kibbles as training treats on occasion? I’m just about to give my dog a can of catfood. Maddy ate some for a few days, but when it sits in the fridge (air tight container, yes), she gets picky and won’t eat. Dogs don’t mind at all though, hah. I figured it’ll make a great treat for ’em.

[Naturella]

OMG, USA Dog Treats, thanks so much for the informative post! Our clippers are guillotine – so yeah, I think that’s why Bruno didn’t quite like them.

But I really want to get a Dremel and try that soon, so I will keep you posted! Payday on Wednesday! Woohoo! 🙂

[Shasta220]

Very nice info, USA dog treats! I also find that for wiggly dogs, it is usually fine to just clip the middle two nails on all four feet and then the dewclaws (if needed, my boy has a rear dewclaw on one side that is huge and in a half-circle, we are slowly “moving” the quick back. The other one? It got torn off when he was a pup, and now it only needs to be clipped once every 7-9mo).

Most of the time, the two outside nails don’t need more than a tiny sliver removed, if that. So if you can at least get 8-10 nails out of your dog in a day, then that’s great.

I find going for regular walks/jogs is plenty to keep the rear nails filed (whew! Loki hates having those ones messed with)

[GizmoMom]

USA Dog Treats, Thank you for taking time to write a very long informative post. It is very helpful.

[USA]

Currently I make dog treats and I am a canine massage therapist and I make essential oil based flea products for dogs and cats. I used to be a groomer. My expectations for using a dremel where high. It does not cause as many nail bleeds as a nail clipper but if you press hard and keep going the nail can still bleed. However, it vibrates the nail and this can be a problem. So here is my mini guide to nail clipping.

Heavy Grit Nail File – Puppies and any super sensitive dog can benefit from a nail file. First you begin to associate good things with your dog letting you handle their feet. Treats, toys, love, whatever is a high value reward for YOUR dog. Stay below their freak-out threshold. This means that if your dog freaks out the minute you get close to their foot you stay just outside that threshold and reward. You slowly move closer and closer to the foot each time stopping just before they reach their freak-out threshold and you reward. If you go too far just stop for the day and continue tomorrow.

Once you can handle the foot without a reaction you touch the file to the nail and if everything is still good you give a stroke and so on. This requires patience and determination but you will soon be filing your dog’s nails. If you file your dogs nails regularly you will not have to do anything else.

Nail Clipper – Only use pliers type clippers or scissor type clippers. Guillotine style clippers have a cutter on only one side and are much more likely to crush or pinch a nail. Any nail clipper you use MUST be super sharp. As soon as they begin to dull throw them away and get a new one! If your dog’s nails are very long and there is a nice chunk of nail that you can cut without hitting the quick then DO NOT use a grinder. Grinding large amounts of a nail are usually more upsetting to a dog than one quick clip. When clipping a nail don’t softly squeeze the clipper. One firm squeeze and your through. A firm squeeze IS the way to go. If your dog has dark colored nails and you can’t see the quick, cut small slivers and look at the nail from the bottom where you just cut. As you get close to the quick you will begin to see what looks like a black dot in the center of the bottom of the nail. This is the vein canal and you are getting close to the quick and you have gone far enough. In light colored nails the vein canal will show as a pink dot. If the nails are still touching the floor at this point you should cut a sliver a week until you get the nails just above the floor. Each time you cut a nail close to the quick the quick recedes a little and in a week you can cut another sliver. If you wait two weeks or more then the quick is right back where it was and you will not be able to get the nail any shorter than the last time.

Dremel – Good for finishing any nail to remove the sharp edges or to slightly shorten a nail. If there is long hair you can slide your free hand under the hair and pull it back. Long hair can get wrapped around a dremel and upset you and your dog!!!

Walking on concrete helps any dogs nails and with enough walking some dogs never need their nails cut. Dewclaws never touch the ground so they must ALWAYS be checked!

Dang, that might be the longest post I ever wrote!

[Shasta220]

If this food is helping, then certainly stick with it. If not, then possibly try an elimination diet….not always are allergy tests accurate. Try to do a super simple home made diet, or stay with the food (making sure she has no more allergic reactions), then add chicken for a week or two. Then try rice, or potatoes, or any other suspect allergen food. It’s time consuming, but well worth it.

Most of the time, for allergy prone dogs, home made and raw diets do the best anyway. It’d also be better since you could know exactly what goes in her bowl, no more looking at the ingredient list!

About the treats, I am disappointed with natural balance treats since they add molasses (sugar)…. Try some home made treats (keeping em simple….fruits, veggies, meat, and coconut flour or something if necessary. Bake in the oven for about an hour until nice n dried)

[Maureen P]

I am looking for a 5 star (or as close to) quality Grain Free and Potato Free dog food in both kibble and wet dog food for my 12 year old JRT @ 13 lbs, 11 year old CHI @ 6 lbs. and 9 year old Yorkie @ 7 lbs. – They all have terrible itchy and dry skin, licking paws and pink irritated belly skin – Where my pups are concerned no price is to high for their well being. I know I am over the top and love them like my children ( crazy dog lady here!)

They currently eat Artemis Small Breed Adult Dog food. Two of the 3 are on benedryl with every meal – Will not give them the predisone, only helps when they are on it.

I give them the Coco Therapy coconut chips, fruit and veggie crunch treats. At dinner in their food they get cosequin plus MSM, as well as brewers yeast and garlic tablets, Dr. Mercola krill oil. In their Poland Springs water (have never had tap water, as I live in NYC) I put 1 tsp.of Bragg Organic/unfiltered apple cider vinegar.

I bathe them monthlywith Dr. Mercola Peppermint Shampooand also use the same conditioner, both are recommeded by Dr. Mercola for skin problems. I have even tried no conditioner at all and only using 1/2 water and 1/2 Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar with no rinsing. This all started about 18 months ago.

Please. . . . any help or information would be greatly appreciated !!!! Thank you all . . .

[Natasha F]

Our rescue bully, Henry is chubby. We feed him 3/4c 2x daily & a handful of green beans of Solid Gold Wolf King right now, but after realizing that Diamond manufactures it, beyond using a different food, I will likely switch brands. We walk him every day, which he grudgingly does, although he can only go about 4-6 blocks before he is too tired to walk (has had to be carried home before!). He weighs 56-60lbs and the vet says he is 5-8 lbs overweight for his build. We throw his ball for him, which he will sometimes do, but he is a lazy bugger. He also has a bad rear foot & leg as a result. The vet thinks that his foot was broken as a puppy & never seen to. We got him when he was about 2 so we don’t know. As a result, he gets sore & tired, & limps fairly fast.
So, I am looking for a new food that is very good quality but would be good for weight loss. He gets a freeze dried sweet potato chew once a day, 2-3 baby carrots or other veggies for treats…but no biscuits or other treats of that nature. We already feed him less than the recommended amount so I think a different food is a good idea?
He is prone to yeast infections in his folds, toes & ears which I treat w unfiltered cider vinegar, natural ear wash & daily wipe downs.

[Cyndi]

I use a grinder/dremel. I bought it at the hardware store. When I had my Doberman, I used to take him to the groomer inside Petsmart to have his nails done. One time when I took him, some f’n b**ch hacked everyone of his nails down to the quick. It hurt him to even walk. I couldn’t even get him to go back into Petsmart after that, he was THAT traumatized. Needless to say, I got that b**ch fired and ever since then I do my dog’s nails myself, with a dremel. It does take some getting used to, and some dremels are quieter than others. My Bailey is really good about it now, but it did take alot of treats to get her used to it.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 7 months ago by Cyndi.

[Naturella]

Hello, wonderful people!

Ok, my next topic of research are pawdicures – do you do them yourselves for your fur babies, or do you let the professionals do it? Do you trust your vets, or commercial groomers such as those at a Petco or Petsmart?

If you do your dog’s nails yourselves, do you use a nail clipper or a nail grinder, or both? What is best (particularly for a small dog, 13lbs)? We have a nail clipper for Bruno but he seems to be afraid of it no matter how slowly we condition him to it, or give him treats. He also gets spooked by the sound of the nail being clipped…

Any input or shared experience will be appreciated!

[Suburban Gal]

I give Gizmo, my 7-year-old papillon, Greenies and he really enjoys them.

I’ve never had a problem with giving a dog Greenies. Greenies were awarded the VOHC® Seal of Acceptance in 2007 and good for a dog’s overall oral health.

I think Greenies are just as safe as any other chew. There’s always going to be a risk of choking or intestinal blockage, but that’s with any chew-type treat. If an owner is really THAT concerned, then I think Greenies and other chew-type treats should be given under direct owner supervision and be taken away from the dog if there appears to be a problem.

[Susan]

Hi again, What I do when I buy a new kibble, Patch cames to the pet shop with me (we can have dogs in Pet Barn as the shop is for them) & I show him the new kibble when we get home, then I start the new kibble as treats & give it to Patch only as a treat for a couple of days, then I mix a very little thru with his old kibble to get his tummy & bowel use to it, I only start adding under 1/4 of a cup for 1 week then if his poos look Ok & he doesnt seem to have any pain the next week I start adding more just under 1/2 a cup with his old kibble I start to know by now if he’ll get his pain from a kibble..In Lew Olson book she has a section about Picky dogs & what not to do..I also show Patch the 2 different kibbles & let him smell them both in the palm of my hands & I ask, “which one do u want to eat” & he’ll pick which hand he wants to eat, its always the newer kibble he picks cause Ive been giving it to him as a treat so he much think its special..

[Naturella]

Hi, all – again! My new question is, how safe is it for a dog to consume cat kibble? For example, I noticed that the Nature’s Variety Instinct cat kibble of the Rabbit variety is 40% protein, and similar ingredients to the dog one. I am pretty sure the proportions would be different, but… how different? I know the cat is an obligatory carnivore, so the cat food SHOULD be even more meat-based than the dog ones. In fact, the NVI Rabbit for cat has the first 4 ingredients of meat origin, then peas, then rabbit. Then more meat in the freeze-dried bits. So yes, mucho meat.

I am just wondering. I do give Bruno said kibble (I got a small sample of it) as treats once in a while, don’t think it should hurt him – right?

The pet boutique I shop at often told me that the main difference is the protein level and the taurine – which is supposed to help with eyes. So, yeah, basically is “good” cat food safe for a dog to eat?

[crazy4cats]

Frank-
I think most of the 4 and 5 star foods are dye free. Also, there is a video that was posted today on allergies on the review side of this site under off topic discussions. It’s pretty informative. It talks a little about ear infections you might want to check it out. It’s posted by USA Dog Treats.

[chris h]

Hi,

My dog is a golden/collie/spaniel mix that we rescued a couple years ago. She had terrible yeast issues when we got her, her skin was black which looked strange on a dog with golden fur. After too many antibiotics and recommendations from various vets, I decided enough was enough. I researched foods and put her on the Natures Variety Instinct limited ingredient turkey meal formula. I then researched probiotics and I ordered the probiotic miracle on amazon. I get the year supply for $39.99. It took six months and lots of research but her skin is now pink and healthy, her fur is silky and she is a happy dog. We really can’t try too many different foods or else she will start itching and having trouble again but she gets carrots and duck treats which she loves. The probiotic miracle has done wonders combined with the right food. Hope this helps.

[aquariangt]

They’re good, and the good dog ones are small so they actually work for training treats too even though they’re crunchy. Not too high in cal count either. The classic line (Duck/Cherry, Chix/Veg, Sweet Potato/+Cant remember? Salmon?) Are a bit bigger, but easy to break and not too crunchy. I like them.

On topic of treats, we just got in some of THKs, and while my dogs love them, they kinda said they were quick eats so they still worked for training, and during agility last night, the pecks took Dani so long to eat that it was a bit of a hindrance, and she made a huge mess of them. Cool idea, but not sure i’ll use them much

[jakes mom]

Here in Ohio we only do HW meds june-nov unless it’s been an unusually warm year. Seems to vary from vet to vet whether dog gets tested every year.
Bobby dog, Jake had his second piece of chicken back and it was about like the first time. I gave it to him and he just kind of looked at it, then me, back at the chicken, gave it a lick. He played with it for a couple of minutes, kept glancing at me. I told him he was on his own, I wasn’t going to hold it again! After playing with it he settled down and chewed it up!
I wish I knew what he was thinking. He likes it obviously, since he ate it, but he doesn’t go crazy, all bouncy and excited, like he does with other treats. Bobby sounds like a cutie, that’s quite a combo! I love it when the ears don’t match the body! Or ears so long it looks like they’ll trip over them! lol
Jake found a bunny nest on our walk in the woods today! He was sniffing under a log and lifted his head, had a tiny bunny in his mouth! Really tiny,eyes still closed. Lungs worked, tho! Was squealing like crazy! I put my hand out and told Jake to drop it and he gave it to me. Seemed ok, wiggling all around , no blood. Jake has a pretty soft mouth. So I put it back into the nest and we’ll stay away from that area for a while! I’ve read that bunny moms don’t care if there’s human scent at the nest, they’ll still care for the babies. So I hope that’s the case anyway! It was so tiny, I could have fit 2 in the palm of my hand! Just adorable!

[Elisa C. R]

Hi everyone!

There may be a mention of Sojos somewhere, but thought I would just start a subject line. I, for the most part, make my own dog treats, but came across the Sojos that are wheat and corn free. Has anyone had any experience with these treats? Your opinion?

THANK YOU!! : )

[Mom2Cavs]

I use to use their treats every day, but have since stopped all soft treats. I liked them a lot for my dogs and they liked them, too. If I wanted a soft treat, they would be some that I would buy again, along with Wellness Pure Rewards. I’ve seen their food online but have never seen it in the stores. I’ve never tried it. I’m not sure but if memory serves me correctly it’s similar to Ziwipeak.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 8 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

[Susan]

You said that ur dogs itch none stop, you must start with an elimination diet, I started one about 1 month ago as my boy has Pancreatitis & enviornment allergies we dont know if he has food allergies that’s why I’d say the vet suggested an elimination diet, The vet said the first month just feed boil chicken but I knew my boy could eat boil chicken so I added cooked pumkin, then when I saw he wasnt scratching or rubbing his tummy on my beautiful white rug the next week I added sweet potato within 2 days Patch was rubbing on my carpet so I stopped the sweet potato & know he cant have sweet potato or a kibble with sweet potato…. then I added pasta another NO it made him itch then I read dogs with skin problems like yeast & bacteria shouldnt eat carbohydrates, potatos, sweet potatos etc, then I added half a boiled egg & he’s been good, Im thinking of adding broccoli next.. Im reading Raw & Natural Nutrition for Dogs by Lew Olson PhD she has help me understand alot of things & this group its a easy book to read & very easy recipes, she explains what foods aren’t good & what foods are good for certain illness, like Skin problems & what causes ur dog to itch, Pancreatitis Diabetes, Gastro problems, feeding senior dogs, getting a pup onto raw etc, she has cooked recipes & what supplements to add.. in the elimination diet you cannot give any treats nothing, just that one food for 2 weeks then 2 foods so on.. you must cook all vegetables so they are fully cooked, she even suggest to pulped vegetables as dogs digestive system weren’t meant to eat vegies, here’s one of her recipes for Skin allergies a Low Glycemic regular fats Diet..this is for a 50 pound dog to be divide into two or more smaller meals per day.
8 ounces 1 cup regular fat ground beef
2 ounces 1/4 cup beef liver or kidney
2 eggs scrambled or boiled
4 ounces 1/2 cup steamed or boiled broccoli
4 ounces 1/2 cup cooked yellow crookneck squash
4 ounces 1/2 cup whole milk yogurt
Serve meat cooked or raw combined with cooked vegetables eggs & yogurt if serving meat cooked wait until meat & eggs have cooled before stirring in the yogurt…..
What I do is I cook once a fornight & freeze everything except the egg then put in fridge the night before to thaw for next day…

[Naturella]

Hello, all!

So, I figured I would ask – what do you all give to your dogs (if anything) for the ailments in the topic? When we got Bruno they told us that Trifexis was the most complete pill, for all them worms (treats and prevents), and kills adult fleas. Well, he was on that till March, when the vet decided that he had plateaued on weight and will probably never leave the 11-20lb segment. So they told me I can no longer buy the individual Trifexis, but only 6-month supplies at a time. So I went online (for financial reasons) and was about to get him some Trifexis, but I saw another drug, Sentinel, which claimed to also treat and prevent all the worm types and kill flea eggs (not adult fleas). It was also cheaper by like $100!!! So we got a 6-month supply of that. Bruno had his first April pill with no problems.

Well… My question is… Is it good enough? Is it really comparable/better than Trifexis? Do I need a complete pill or can I do the twice-a-year shot for Heartworm that my friend does for her dogs and not worry about fleas and such? What about topical anti-flea solutions? Do they work, are they good for the dog? My cousin was saying that he thinks it is much better to put chemistry (topical anti-flea stuff) on the dog than inside (pills that make his skin toxic to fleas), but he’s never had a dog. And what about Heartgard? My roommate uses it, but I think it’s just for Heartworm…

Basically – is there a “best” combination, and what is it, or what is it that works for y’all?