[theBCnut]

For people feeding grinds, they are a convinient way to get some fruit and veg in the diet. They have some good ingredients in them. I like the idea, but mostly I’m too cheap.

[Rudy_Chloe]

What are your pets experiences with Fruitables Dog Treats? I recently bought Pumpkin with Apple Flavor and my puppies love them as treats. And they have an overwhelming smell to them which they love as well. I looked online for reviews, but there weren’t too many. To the plus side, they are USA made so that’s awesome and they totally smell homemade. Any thoughts? Positive or Negative?

[somebodysme]

My dog loves to eat too but only gets her allotted amount of food and out of that I use kibble for training treats. If I put down 50 cups of food, she would eat it all, get sick and be looking for more I do believe. You have to be their guardians and control that for them because some dogs just will eat and eat. My dog is definitely a garbage disposal, she will eat anything she gets hold of!

[alsmomma]

We need to find a way to contact the company if this is happening, especially to this extent, to other dogs. Regardless of whether or not they’re processed in China, if the product is toxic to dogs in some way it needs to be addressed and removed from the shelves. I stopped giving my beagle those treats and she’s a lot better. She hasn’t thrown up one time since then. I have found a couple of other brands of treats made in the USA and she loves them and hasn’t had any issues with them.

[Hound Dog Mom]

I’d consider it a chew. I give them as treats occasionally, they keep the dogs busy for awhile.

[somebodysme]

Gosh there must be some bad a$$ stuff in there to make all the dogs so sick off just a tiny piece of one treat! I didn’t catch that part about it just being a sixth of a piece. That’s crazy! Again, I sure hope they recover! I tell ya, every time I open a new bag of dog food, I worry there’s something wrong with it!

[theBCnut]

I have no idea how much “one stick” is or if this is essentially a jerky or a ground up chicken product, but one stick split between six dogs, even if it is all fat and skin, still sounds like too small an amount to cause all of that. Of course, she may have four schnauzers, all prone to pancreatitis, for all I know. Chihuahuas certainly are tiny.

[labgirl]

rawhides do “blow up” in the stomach and expand a lot.. my dog used to get very sick from them. ive not started using more natural treats like Bully sticks/bullwrinkles – they chew like a rawhide but are 100% digestible and cause no bloating like rawhides do. id use that instead of rawhides. more safe in my opinion

[mkirsche]

I have six dogs. I decided to try this because the bag says its human grade, made in the U.S. FOUR of my dogs are very sick, sh#tting all over the house. Extremely concerned, I checked bag for an 800 number to call and there is nothing on the bag!!! Unbelievable. Do not buy this. I have receipt and am returning it. I am going to call the FDA and report this. Two of my dogs are terminally ill and I’m not sure they’re going to survive. One is 17, diabetic and very frail and the other was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer but was doing very well till I fed him this treat!!! I am horrified this treat is a fraudulent toxic import from China. My God. My two sick dogs were doing great (I’ve spent thousands in vet bills) and this one treat may have cost them their lives!!! My god…even two young healthy chihuahuas are sick. Most alarming is that I only gave them one stick broken into six pieces. Very little.

[CharlieBrown]

Hi All,
I am a new Yorkshire Terrier owner. He just turned one on June 26th. We received him from my sis in law who for a variety of reasons couldn’t keep him any longer 🙁 With him I received a bag of Purina and a bag of Kibbles and Bits dry food. Also some cans of Mighty Dog canned food. Ive never been a dog owner but after finding this site I see that those foods are not good at all. Can you please recommend a good food for him? I am on a budget but want to feed him good food.

Also she told me she mixes half a can of the wet food with some kibble twice a day. Is this a good feeding schedule with good amounts of food? Should I always mix the wet and dry foods or keep them separate?

And finally, she also sent a small beefhide bone that he seems to love and spends alot of time gnawing on. It actually came in a pack of four and he he has 3 left. Are these any good?

Thank you in advance!! I will love your suggestions on good budget friendly foods and treats. Also any suggestions from veteran Yorkie owners on any topic about them not just food!!

[ZeeAndPalmer]

Enjoy your new little doxie! I have two rescued doxies, ages about 6 and 7 years, and every time we go to the vet they comment on how great their weights are. I am careful about the amount of food they get, but it’s the treats that add up! Mine LOVE carrots, fresh or canned UNSALTED green beans, and ooooo blueberries! I went to a dachshund race event a few weeks back and was stunned at the number of grossly overweight, unhealthy dogs I saw there, and these people purportedly knew how to care for dachshunds! Now I understand why my vet loves me so much 🙂
I have fed Wellness Super5Mix Small Breed for most of their lives; the smaller one is now on PUrina JM (joint mobility) food (I am not a Purina fan but the vet visited the company and recommends it highly – she IS less creaky in the hips since we switched) – I am considering a switch/addition to either Taste of the Wild or Innova EVO – it’s been suggested that a slightly higher protein level with different protein and carb sources would be beneficial. Still studying!

[somebodysme]

She does have a nylabone and that’s about all she can have now, she does have an antler that’s cut in half/split, she loves that thing.

Since I posted this, I’ve come to figure out that is wasn’t the rawhide that is causing the rash but it was causing her to scratch and her hair to fall out. She has not had any rawhide since and I will never give her another. There must be some chemical they use to process the hide that she is allergic to. Her scratching is gone but the rash on her back is still there. I can’t help but think it’s the Demodex that came back even though the vet said he didn’t find any evidence of it when he did a scraping. It just all adds up to Demodex, plus it doesn’t itch on the back. I’ve seen google images of Demodex that look exactly like what is on her. All of her other itching has totally gone away with a new dog food and no treats…everything BUT that stupid RASH! ARGH!!!!!!! 🙁

[theBCnut]

I’ll second the Vital Essentials!! My dogs are crazy about them.

[NOSH]

Thanks Sandy… I love these treats you have suggested. It’s even better when I can get them through Amazon.com’s Subscribe & Save program or use their Prime membership so I can get them within 2 days. I have added the Stella & Chewy’s to my list also. I just read an article today about Stella & Chewy’s…..

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/08/02/pet-food-safety-plan.aspx?e_cid=20130724_PetsNL_artTest_HP4SetB&utm_source=petnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=artTest_HP4SetB&utm_campaign=20130724

NOSH

[mah4angel]

I UNDERSTAND ABOUT LIVING WITH YOUR MOTHER-IN-LAW OMG. Mine says that my dog is too skinny when he’s THE PERFECT WEIGHT AH. When we went to Vegas for four days two weeks ago I gave her very specific instructions about his diet and she let my nieces feed him AN ENTIRE PACKAGE OF HIS FAVORITE, MOST EXPENSIVE, IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND dog treats because he’s “too skinny” UGH. She also keeps buying him snacks and treats (like Beggin’ Strips omg) and once bought him Cesar’s food (which is such bad food oh my goodness) -_____-
I would say to give it time! I was lucky in that my baby has LOVEDDD every bit of raw food that I’ve given him. I gave him some green tripe today and oh my goodness it was like the gates of Heaven opening up for him he just gobbled it up!
Let us all know how it goes ^_^

[pugmomsandy]

Stella & chewy’s, Bravo, Fresh Is Best have meat treats and I also like using Vital Essentials freeze dried nibbletts as treats and Instinct freeze dried for treats.

An easy homemade treat is pumpkin dog treats:

http://www.all-natural-dog-treat.com/pumpkindogtreatrecipes.html (grain free)

http://www.all-natural-dog-treat.com/dogtreatrecipe.html

[NOSH]

Thanks so much…I will order some today. I do occasionally use the ZiwiPeak lamb as treats, but mostly for puppy training class. But hey, they are so expensive !

Thanks for the good advice…and suggestions !

NOSH

[theBCnut]

Can I suggest that you take any meat, thinly sliced, and dry it on a low temp in your oven and use that for treats?

[Hound Dog Mom]

Some biscuits I’ve used that don’t contain guar gum or carrageenan are: Cloudstar’s Buddy Biscuits, Sojo’s Grain-Free Biscuits, Darford Zero-G Biscuits and Max & Ruffy’s Grain-Free Treats.

[Brewski]

Sorry to hear that. That is one downside to our biscuits, but haven’t had many issues as of yet selling to dog owners. We are thinking of creating a biscuits with all the other great ingredients without the brewer grain. The upside is that spent grain is broken down and is easily digestible. Thank you for your feedback.

[NOSH]

Can anyone recommend dog treats without guar gum or carrageenan ? I’ve been using the Nature’s Variety treats the past month, but realized they have guar gum in them and I want to change to a treat without these two ingredients.

Thanks.

NOSH

[InkedMarie]

Unfortunately, I have a dog who can’t have grains so these are out.

[Brewski]

Our web address is http://www.brewskibiscuits.com

[Brewski]

We are a new Vermont all natural dog treat company. We infuse brewer grain from our local breweries into our biscuits. We only use quality gluten free flours, flax, raw Vermont unfiltered honey, fresh fruit, organic peanuts, fresh mint, coconut oil and many other healthy ingredients. We are brand new to the market and would like your feedback. We currently sell at our local farmers markets but hope to go retail. Any suggestions would be great!

Our current flavors are:
Cool Apple Ale Biscuits
Peanut Butter Honey Ale Biscuits

• This topic was modified 12 years, 5 months ago by Brewski.

[somebodysme]

I’ve been forced to make my dog treats and I’m not comfortable giving my dog anything that I don’t know if she’s allergic to so now she’s getting turkey meat balls. Just go buy some ground turkey, roll a marble sized piece in the palm of her hand and throw them in a skillet and cook on a slow burner until they are all done. Drain them on paper and put in the freezer. Can’t get much better than that and she does ballet dances for them…HEEHEE!

[Anonymous]

Rosemary is used to prevent the fat in the treats from going south as quickly hence it’s use in MANY foods and kibbles. That said, supposedly large amounts of it act as a neurotoxin. Example link: http://www.thedogpress.com/DOGFOOD/Rosemary-Neurotoxin-10032_Liquorman.asp

Small amounts don’t seem to be a great issue but if you’re already feeding them a food with Rosemary it may be upping the dosage to the point of bothering their stomach. Rosemary is a very strong and piney herb after all. If your dog is suffering ill effects I would definitely discontinue use. I’d wager it’s likely the rosemary or the green tea extract (used in several of them) if you’re having issues.

Contrary to some of the sky is falling posts I’ve read, Full Moon Freeze Dried Treats are produced with chicken in the USA provided by Perdue (Perdue also publically confirms this if asked) and all the ingredients, as mentioned above, are sourced in the USA. I didn’t get mine from Wal-Mart but I’ve seen them there since I bought my prior bag. We’ve never had issue with ours but when we got her she was on garbage food (Purina) so I’d bet her constitution is a little stronger then some sheltered pups. 🙂

[DogEDog]

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

[GSDFreuline]

Hello everyone and thanks for reading this. I am hoping someone can provide some guidance for me. I have 3 dogs – a14year old GSD, a recently rescued 6 year old GSD and an 8 year old greyhound. Currently I am feeding all three Hills for seniors because it has glucosamine for my older boy. I also mix in canned food with their dry and feed twice daily. My newly rescued girl has an extremely sensitive stomach and any variation from her diet or even treats will cause vomiting and diarrhea. Last week she vomited so I bought some cans (can’t remember the name but got at Petsmart and it was easy to digest). Well it was so easy to digest she had diarrhea for 2 days. My greyhound also has episodes of vomiting but it is down to about once every 3 months or so. My vet of course recommends Hills for GI but I am reluctant to try it because I’m just not crazy about Hills at this point. Now I have to feed all dogs the same food because if one leaves a little another finishes it up etc. It is just easier.
I live in a large metropolitan area so availability is not a problem, nor is price. I am just lost as to what to start looking for – could it possible be a grain problem? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated
Thanks

[Spencers Mom]

Hi everyone, I have a 2 1/2 year old, male Yorkie. We had the pleasure of becoming his pet parents a little over a year ago. We are having issues with food allergies. He gnaws/licks his feet, so much at times their raw, he’s constantly scratching. No sneezing. When we first got him he was eating Purina moist & meaty/beef & cheese. We wanted to switch him to a little healthier product and to a kibble thinking a kibble version was better for his teeth. Since then, he has had issues. Funny he wasn’t having allergy issues on the Purina. We’ve tried Nutro, Blue Buffalo, Natural Balance LID, Taste of The Wild High Prairie, even a prescription dog food from the Vet, (which made him vomit several times in just 2 weeks) and many more I can’t remember at the moment. Of those brands we’ve tried Chicken, Turkey, Duck, Salmon, Venison – which we have him on at the moment even Venison jerky treats. We’ve tried grain free, limited ingredient, etc. The Salmon made him vomit, may have been too rich for him. I’ve researched and researched, some posts I’ve read said California Natural was great for dogs with food allergies, but I’ve seen they have had several recalls lately. Little scared to try that one yet. We are at our wits end!! Hate to see our baby suffering. We are wondering now is it the meat protein (since we’ve tried so many different proteins) he’s having issues with or could it be the “dry” formula in it’s self. We left him with his Aunt for a week and she feed him Fresh Pet Select, CHICKEN. She said he didn’t scratch or gnaw any that week. So are we on to something, or just barking up the wrong tree (pun intended)??? Could there be some difference between the dry and wet formula that would cause food allergies??

[guidosmom]

I have two Jack Russell Terriers. One is 14+, the other is 8. Both have always had fairly sensitive digestive systems. They had been on evo red meat, then switched to Orijen red about 6 months ago. They did fairly well on this. In addition they always got some veggies, plain yogurt, and cooked organic chicken breast mixed in. About a month ago my older dog got sick with some kind of intestinal issue and has since been refusing his food. We have tried all kinds of wet food products, canned pumpkin, etc… some he likes for a day, then refuses the next day. We have been to the vet multiple times, and everything has come back normal. He consistently likes treats though, but I try not to allow him to have many. He also will sometimes eat wet food off a spoon or my finger, just not in a bowl. He started seeing an acupuncturist who gave us some samples of darwin’s natural selections beef and veggie. She recommended poaching it lightly first for him. I also read on the darwin website they recommend doing this for picky eaters or older dogs. He LOVED it, and has since eaten consistently for two days in a row without any vomiting or diarrhea episodes. This is huge for him. I tried mixing the darwin’s in with some of his kibble. He picks all the darwin’s out, and leaves the kibble, making it a little difficult to transition. Our other dog happily eats it all. My question, is poaching the food first recommended only during the transition phase? Or is this recommended for all older/picky dogs? Wouldn’t this take away all the benefits of a raw diet? I am only lightly poaching it, so like to think there is still some benefit. Also, because he is picking out and refusing the orijen (kibble), but eating the darwin’s, will this completely shock his system? I would appreciate any advice or tips anyone has about switching their sensitive, older, picky dog to a raw food diet. I love my older guy, and seeing him refuse food breaks my heart. Thanks in advance!

[metalotaku]

so my dogs can’t have any food or treats with potatoes in it as i will go into anaphylactic shock when they lick me.

nor can they have food that has a strong fish smell or odor, as i’m super sensitive to smells and the main caregiver. i will get sick just opening the food bin.

my new pup as has an allergy to red food dye.

our last attempt at a dog food was blue bufflo wilderness, water fowl. as one of my dogs is a lab mix and it was suggested, however something in it didn’t sit well with him. he lost the ability to control his bowels. we immediately switched back to the old dog food we has been using first before trying different blue bufflo flavors. which was beniful. and his issues cleared up.

our dogs are currently on beniful which the new pup can’t have because of her allergy, and she is on iams puppy formula for sensitive tummies, as she’s fresh from the pound. which gave her a mix of dog chow and iams. they are a lab basset mix and boston terrier fox terrier mix

other considerations are i’m allergic to nuts. but haven’t seen this in a dog food yet. only been issue in treats.

if anyone has any suggestions for a dog food that meets these needs i’d really appreciate it.

[kateagray]

Hi!

I’ve been posting in different threads with questions on different dog foods/supplements and then just realized…HELLO…there are forums on this website as well, thanks to Inkedmarie who suggested I check out a sub forum with different dog foods that were grain free with no potatoes. Thanks! I’ve decided to send my question out forum wise instead of post wise so I can keep better track of the advice that I am receiving.

Here is my dilemma:

In 2006 I took Nikki, my 13 year old Miniature Schnzauzer in for allergy testing – she is allergic to pretty much everything environmental is what I found out. She was on a duck and potato formula then. She had a couple of bouts of pancreatitis due to some pain medication she was prescribed for something else and then because someone in my family was naughty an fed her some sausage. My vet put her on a prescription diet of Purina HA. I believe that my vet is being super cautious as schnauzers are prone to bladder stones, pancreatitis/hyperlipidemia, and hypothyroidism. Nikki seems to do ok on this dog food, which I get but every time I ask her for an alternative she says absolutely not this is the only dog food she can tolerate. I don’t like that answer. There has to be alternatives.

I called them back recently and got a different vet in her practice – my regular vet is out for a time due to sick family member, and he couldn’t figure out why Nikki was on this dog food. He thinks it’s because of the food allergies. I ask him what food allergies and he can’t answer me. I thought she was on this food due to a sensitive stomach. So, I’m confused. I was also told to give her rice cakes as treats and tofu to give her any medications so that is all she has been getting. She can’t eat anything other than that is what she tells me and she pushes low protein which I’ve been reading may not be the answer. She’s been on this prescription diet for a few years and everything I’m reading now says that it might not be good to have a dog on that diet for so long. She’s been on and off antibiotics, anti bacterial pills, temaril p for years to help with her allergies and yeast infections. Nothing really seems to help and I’m worried I’ve just completely ruined her system with years of this. Purina HA has a low protein (18%) and fat content (8%) with hydrolyzed protein of soy. I honestly feel I can do better by her with a different dog food.

About a year ago Nikki was diagnosed with Melanoma. A tumor on the pad of her paw that was removed (but not a clean removal). She has been taking the Melanoma Vaccine every 6 months. The cancer does not look to have come back so far. (knock on wood) She also has gallstones that don’t seem to bother her but do show up in x-rays. She has a heart murmur and Also, on her last urinalysis I was told there was protein in her urine. We did a protein/creatinene ratio and it came back ok, so I’m told I don’t need to worry about that right now.

I’ve been researching dog food and supplements now for about 2 weeks and am now more confused than before. I purchased a probiotic from Nusentia (waiting to get it in the mail) that supposedly should help with her yeast issues and possibly allergies.

Do I stay with her current food and just give supplements or do I completely switch foods over (slowly)?

She’s 13 years old with a lot of health issues – I don’t want to rock the boat, but I also want to do my due diligence in finding her something to make her healthy and happy for the remainder of her life.

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide. I may have left some things out and if so, I’d be happy to clarify.

Kate

[Anton Quinn]

I give my dogs some sweet potato/carrot treats and they love them. I came across these at a dog event and now order them online for my golden (and peanut butter banana for my boxer).
http://www.alphabone.com/product/sweet-potato-carrot

[theBCnut]

If it has calories, it can put weight on so just adjust her meal size. My dogs work the hardest for real meat treats, so I’ve been using freeze dried dog food for treats. The one I’m using is called Vital Essentials and my dogs are crazy for it.

[KarenC]

Retractable leashes. Can I rant a second? I guess it’s not really the leash that I despise, it’s the dumb-dumb on the other end of it. Deana, my mostly dobie, is not super duper strange dog friendly. She’s good in most situations, but doesn’t care for strange dogs running up on her while on lead. In order to work with her we go to PetSmart when it’s not busy, either right at opening or a little before closing, and walk around a bit and look at new treats and what not. We stay far enough away from other dogs that she is exposed to new things and new dogs, but not close enough that a dog on a traditional leash can come up and she only gets about 6 inches of leash to play with (I keep about an 8 foot berth). Well, today, this nincompoop was talking on her phone and perusing treats and not paying ANY attention to her flufflykins and that he was now 10 feet away from her screaming his little lungs out at us and trying to jump on Deana’s face. I couldn’t turn out of the aisle fast enough, as someone had come down the aisle behind me, so I’m screaming “MA’AM! MA’AM! YOUR DOG! HE’S GOING TO GET BITTEN!” while holding Deana’s mouth shut and trying to shoo the little pup away with my foot (her dog was a 2 chomper-2 chomps and gone). Without getting off her phone she looks at me and says “He just wants to play. At least HE is friendly.” Being that it wasn’t one of my finer moments, I said “Try running up at me screaming and see if you don’t get bit!”. She got huffy and raised a stink with a nearby manager about allowing dangerous dogs in the store. Luckily the manager is a friend of mine and explained how she was at fault and we weren’t thrown out of the store. What would you guys have done? Next time I think I’ll say “Oh yeah! She loves little dogs. She thinks they taste like chicken.” and see how fast the little one gets reeled back in.

[mommaofbluetick]

If you are using Chef Michael’s Dog Food, or thinking about using it for you dog, no matter what breed please read my story:
I have a large breed BlueTick and was trying to ‘budget’, save money, I’ve had dogs all my life, never used Chef Michaels, but found a good deal when on Chef Michaels. Began feeding her the recommended serving. Yes, she did eat it. Then I took her on her to walk hours later. Pure diahreah *sp?*. Didn’t think that the food may be causing the diarheah together until DAY 3 when she almost passed away, STRAIGHT TO VET, because she had had so much diareah outside, then she couldn’t even control her bowels inside (very very unlike her!!!!).
Then it got so hard for her to even walk, THIS FOOD WAS KILLING HER, no she didn’t ‘get into anything’ or eat something she shouldn’t have. I am a telecommuter and keep a watchful eye on her. Had to take her to a 24 hour vet, because she was so bad off I had someone carry her to the car (I thought she was going to pass away). They examined her, the only change in her life was the food (I’ve changed food before, never a problem). The vet said that if I kept feeding her the same food, she wouldn’t get better she would get worse, they xrayed her, thourghly examined her, stool sample, took blood, gave her fluids. She was very close to getting BLOAT, which can kill a dog in one hour.
Vet prescribed her some light food for her tummy for a few days in small amounts, then I was to give her what I did before the Chef Michael’s junk food – INNOVA, IAMS for treats. Little by little she regained strength, luckily I had a very caring vet, who monitored her for a very long time, spent lots of time with her, then the vet tech sat with me and my dog.
Please, if you use this food, STOP, it almost killed my dog! After every test they did IT WAS THE FOOD! As she is very well taken care of, has been for years, yes I tried ‘budget’ dog food, my mistake. I repeat CHEF MICHAEL’S DOG FOOD ALMOST KILLED MY DOG.
Thank you for your time.

[Anonymous]

I joined as I have a problem with what to feed my Lab with yeast infections and itches. A small amount of fish and above ground vegetable are the only things that seem ok for her. I don’t think this is healthy long term, but maybe sometimes we have to choose between this or medications. She is down from 2 pred a day to 1/2 every other day since feeding this and looking good.

I am not a vegan or vegetarian. I love veges, but do eat meat and chicken.
She loves veges and at the market have to watch she doesn’t eat the greens. When I caught my other Lab in the refrigerator trying to get the ham and cheese, she was under the table eating a bunch of chard. I use beans as treats as she loves them so much.

[Ronald]

I use to give my eddie and heart shape treat called Guilt Free http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/guilt-free-treats-bacon-amp%3B-cheese-8-oz

[KarenC]

Lol! We call that “living room zoomies”. Deana does it when she hasn’t been walked yet, and a couple of the labs do it when they get all wound up over treats. They always look so surprised when they stop…like they didn’t know they had it in them!

[Mom2Cavs]

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

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

[FreeholdHound]

I recently received the results from testing my Greyhound and the ingredients listed to “avoid” are chicken, turkey, venison, white fish, salmon, sweet potato, oatmeal, soy & milk.
He is currently eating Victor High Pro Plus kibble and doing as well as he’s ever done on any dog food (I have tried many in the year I’ve had him). It does contain some of the ingredients listed above ie: chicken meal, whitefish meal, oatmeal.
I know from experience turkey, chicken, salmon & sweet potato produce ugly results. He does enjoy sardines, and frozen chicken feet as treats with no adverse reactions. Is it best to avoid when possible & moderation is the key? I don’t think it’s possible to avoid all the listed items in a kibble.
Suggestions appreciated 🙂

[GizmoMom]

I have a small picky Shih Tzu too. When I first got him from the shelter, they were feeding him Purina One. I switched him to other healthier kibbles, and he’s been eating better, but still picky. Once I switched him over to raw, he’s been licking his plate clean every meal.

These are the kibbles I’ve tried. They’re all listed as 5 star food.
/dog-food-reviews/dogswell-nutrisca-dog-food/
/dog-food-reviews/earthborn-holistic-grain-free/

He was very interested in the kibbles the first few days, then he would turn his nose up. I have to crumble some treats on top of the kibbles, and he would eat them. These are some of the ones I use to add to his kibble.
http://amzn.com/B000Z3ODTG
http://amzn.com/B001NIZUA8

I switched him to Ziwipeak and never had to add anything. He loves the food.
/dog-food-reviews/ziwipeak-dog-food-dehydrated/

Ziwipeak was getting too expensive, then I switched him to PMR, and never looked back. I still add pre-made raw to his diets for variety.

[somebodysme]

Jo, I hope you can get the help you need…and you know how children are when they eat the wrong food and too much sugar how they are bouncing off the walls! So hopefully you will have some help with a good quality food! Keep us informed! I always love to hear how rescue dogs are improving. I hope you can get the help you need at the BC site. I think still baby steps with introducing him to a parked bike and lots of healthy treats…that sort of thing then move up to a parked truck…

[Jo Ingram]

I owned Oorang Airedales for 15 years and after losing both within a year and two weeks, I adopted a mixed breed german shepherd/border collie from a local pound last Fall. I named him Rain because it was raining when I picked him out and raining when I picked him up. The pound estimated his age at 0-6 months but I believe he’s alot older than that. I think he was at least a year old when I adopted him.
I fed my Dales “Taste of the Wild” and homemade treats but this boy suffered through terrible bouts of the runs when I tried their diet with him.
I backed off on the protein and tried him with Kibbles & Bits. It has so far cured the runs but he’s so hyper that I’m suspicious of the ingredients affecting his system. I’m thinking somewhat like a kid on a food that he’s allergic to. When I saw the ingredients and rating on this website I can see that I was correct to have concerns.
So, I need help trying to figure out what I can feed this poor kid without having another physical crisis but still see if I can help him calm him. The Airedales are rumoured to by hyper because of their terrier breeding, but believe me, they had NOTHING on this guy. Sometimes the way he just “goes off” would make an observer believe he’s totally insane. He’s not – he’s actually a great dog 90% of the time. I think I’m causing these meltdowns with what I’m feeding him. I bought a low price biscuit for him two weeks ago and within 36 hours he was completely out of control. That was when I realized I am causing the problem with his diet.
Please, has anyone some guidance or opinion that could help me?

[GSDsForever]

jewlz,

I highly recommend the membership to Costco, on its own merits, but not dog foods. On that note, Costco guarantees that you recoup your $50 membership within 6 months plus savings, and will allow you to cancel with refund and keep merchandise if you do not or are unhappy. Ask.

I’m a huge fan of Costco, but this is not one of their stronger merchandise sections. And be wary of the treats too; they often (not always exclusively) have China made stuff. I don’t recommend the Kirkland/Nature’s Domain foods because they are Diamond manufactured, which I believe makes them overly risky, and to get those low prices they cheapen & take short cuts on many of the ingredients and overall formulations you see, such that they are not really comparable to some higher quality foods.

I know little about Boxers & Bulldogs, really not my breeds, but enough to caution PLEASE be careful about whatever nutritional and life care precautions necessary re: dilated cardiomyopathy in which available taurine and carnitine factor and bone issues from extremely high breed incidence of hip dysplasia (Bulldogs; see OFA stats) to cruciate ligature and bone wear & tear stress w/Boxers.

[theBCnut]

I used to have this recipe for liver cake and that was really how the recipe went. You can put in so much, but if you want to use more… or less…You can add in this or instead that, however much sounds good to you. I finally figured out that the important things were the right amount of some kind of flour, the right amount of some kind of oil, 2 eggs, and the right amount of some kind of meatlike substance. After that it was fun to experiment with. It came out like liver brownies and the dogs <b>loved</b> them, but I’ve gotten lazy, and the dogs prefer pure meat, so that’s what I like best now. I’m on my second bag of Vital Essentials and my dogs are still going nuts for them.

Someone on one of my BC sites was asking about what everybody likes for treats and somebody mentioned how they use dog food for treats, so of course I had to tell them about the dog food I use for treats. 🙂

[rogerharris]

Here are top 10 wholesome dog treats you can make at home:

1.Dog Cookies: Include kiss me cookies, peanut butter cookies, pink delight paw print cookies, etc. that are specially made for puppies.

2.Pumpkin: You can use wheat cream or rolled oats with pumpkins. There is no need to cook first; you should bake for 20 minutes at 300 degrees F. This treat is made mostly for senior dogs.

3.Peanut Butter and Banana Dog Biscuits: This vegan diet is great for gluten intolerant dogs. You can use millet, almond, rice, corn or oat flour if your dog is allergic to wheat.

4.Apple Cinnamon Dog Biscuits: The treat is meant for dogs with arthritis and/or diabetes. This dish should be refrigerated overnight or for one and a half hours then baked for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

5.Oatmeal Bark Bites: This treat is good for dogs with pancreatic or liver disease since it has low animal protein and fat.

6.Veggies Treat: The treat contains low levels of phosphorous and fat. This is restricted for diets that curb liver and kidney diseases. When cooking, include vegetables like zucchini and sweet potatoes which are low in phosphorous.

7.Crispy Yam Doggie Snacks: Bake slices of sweet potato and make the dish sweet, salty, crunchy or spicy.

8.Vegetarian Muffins: Include ingredients for vegetarian diets like apples, carrots, wheat flour, molasses, oats, etc.

9.Beef Dog Treat: These biscuits are meant for dogs that love meat.

10.Chicken Dog Biscuits: To make the treat, you have to use organic low sodium chicken broth that is organic.

These and other dog meals are easy to make and the ingredients are readily available. These recipes are a great way to offer wholesome treats to your dogs unlike the commercial foods in the market which cause kidney complications. Make your dog treats from 100% natural and organic ingredients.

[DogFoodie]

Hey guys,

I just wanted to share these treats that I just picked up from Costco. I bought mine online at Costco.com: http://www.costco.com/Wildsky%E2%84%A2-Salmon-Jerky-Treats-for-Dogs-Two-24-ounce-Bags.product.11616688.html.

For $39.99 you get two 24 ounce bags (shipping is included). Each bag has four individually packaged bags of treats inside. Only the big bag is resealable ~ I put the opened package in a Ziploc bag and stuck it back down in the big bag. These salmon treats contain wild caught Alaskan salmon and are 100% human grade and produced in a USDA inspected facility in Alaska and are certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council. I also like that the company that produces them, works in partnership with small local fishing communities.

One thing I couldn’t believe was how good they smelled! I was so tempted to try one! They also are nice consistently sized meaty pieces. As I’m sitting here typing and looking at the bag, I’ve got both dogs practically climbing all over me because they think they’re getting one!

Here are the ingredients: Ingredients:
Alaska Wild Salmon, Brown Rice Flour (Organic), Cultured Dextrose, Sea Salt, Sodium Lactate (From Beets) Mixed Tocopherols, Ascorbic Acid, Rosemary Extract, Natural Hardwood Smoke.

The only thing that didn’t thrill me was the liquid smoke ~ ’cause if I’m not mistaken, that could be MSG, right? OK, so I’m pretty excited about these and so far, both pups are crazy about them.

Just wanted to share!

[BlondieMIA]

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

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

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

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

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

[pugmomsandy]

You can do an elimination diet. Try a single protein and single carb for 2 weeks and check for reactions. Example fish and sweet potato. Or fish and quinoa (gluten free). Be sure no treats are given unless it’s the single protein or carb. You can add in a vit/mineral supplement later as a dog can have a reaction to any ingredient including supplements and you wouldn’t know if it was the food or supplement.

You can google more on elimination diets as there are probably some variations.