[Hound Dog Mom]

In general dogs with kidney disease don’t need low protein diets until the final stages – not sure where your girl is at as far as progression of the kidney failure. You’re not going to find a non-prescription food with protein levels that low because the minimum level of protein allowed by the AAFCO is 18% protein on a dry matter basis.

[Diana Reeves]

I am hoping someone can help with this. I have a 3 pound Yorkie who has kidney disease from a treat I fed her 5 years ago that was made in China. Her renal tubules are damaged and she has trouble reabsorbing protein. She is a fussy eater and the only thing she will currently eat is K-D prescription diet (14% protein, kibbles), which is made with GMO corn. GMO corn is linked to kidney disease and you have to wonder why why why? I have another dog who has the same problem and I have been home cooking her food – organic, 12% protein for 5 years. She is 16 years old now and has more energy than I do. Every year my little one gets a little thinner and there is nothing left for her to lose. I need to find a better food for her before it’s too late. Nothing that is organic is low enough protein – she really needs to be at about 12% max. If anyone has any suggestions or knows where I might be able to get someone to make some custom dry food for her, my family would be extremely grateful. Thank you <3.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi jnite –

I wouldn’t feed this food for a few reasons…

1) Supposedly this food contains nothing but meat and bone (with added vitamins and minerals). Therefore, it should have a very high protein content, moderate fat content and extremely low carbohydrate content. When I convert the guaranteed analysis to a dry matter basis I get that the min. protein is 29% and the min. fat is 26% (very very low protein for a food that is supposedly all meat). Assuming that the ash content is 8%, if I calculate the carbohydrate content (using the dry matter percentages: 100% – 29% protein – 26% fat – 8% ash) it comes up to 37%. Well there are no ingredients in the food that contain carbohydrates so there’s no way the food can be 37% carbohydrates (they actually state on their website “zero carbs”). So how can this be? How can a food with “zero carbs” be so low in protein? This leads me to believe the actual fat content is MUCH higher than the stated min. of 26% (and this is where that extra 37% of “assumed” carbohydrates is coming from). When you run into a situation like this where the fat content is so high, the company is likely using low quality fatty cuts of meat. The reason I say the missing percentages should be attributed to excess fat is because if it were coming from protein, the company would want to advertise that and would state a higher min. for the protein percentage.

2) The food contains menadione.

3) I personally wouldn’t feed a pasteurized “raw” food.

[Stewiesmom1]

Hello, I am new to this site and I am trying to find some recommendations on what I could feed a very picky eater. First I would like to give a little background. I started fostering him about 9 months ago. We think is about 2 yrs. old and a Spitz Breed. He looks just like the pictures I have seen online with a tail like a fox. When I got him he had been hit by a car and was thought to have a fracture that would heal. However about 2 month’s he still could not use his leg. I had to really be proactive to get them to have another Vet. to look at him and they found his leg was completely broken at the elbow. It was decided to have his front leg amputated. He’s has healed really good and is doing great with only 3 legs.

Now I need some help getting him to eat dog food. During his recovery I knew he had to eat and have protein to heal so we “doctored” up his food by adding baby food (suggested by the vet) he really didn’t like it much. Sometimes he will eat canned food, but I have not had any luck with any dry food. I don’t know what he was feed during the first 2 years, but I wouldn’t think they took good care of him since they pushed him from the car in traffic and someone hit him and the owners kept going.

I was thinking about making my own food, but concerned I will not get enough vitamins & minerals correctly. I am concerned that he gets the right vitamins & minerals to help his other 3 legs be strong and I need to kept his weight under control.

I have looked at a few places that sell homemade food, but $107.00 dollars for 21 days feeding is a bit more that I can afford. Can anyone give me some ideas as to my choices or cost in making his food or where to buy homemade food at a decent price?

Thanks so much and I look forward to your comments.

[Hound Dog Mom]

DoggieDoc22 –

There is also such a thing as consumers fooled by marketing tactics – you’re paying a premium price for a mid-grade food. You can’t put ground chuck into a recipe and come out with filet mignon.

[annideluc]

My dog had the same problem when I was feeding him Wellness Healthy Weight and ever since I switched him to Avoderm Weight Control the difference has been astounding. I think he’s vomited once in 7 months and it was related to something he ate. I also mix his dry food with a tablespoon of canned pumpkin and his weight has maintained (after losing the extra pounds.). He’s a six year old mini dachshund that wasn’t so mini for a while.

[DoggieDoc22]

@BryanV21 – There is such a thing out there as an educated consumer. Everything I listed is found right on the website for that food, and can easily be found by using google. I have been feeding my dogs Royal Canin for years and they do great on it.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi DieselJunki –

Nature’s Logic is a great product and I have a lot of trust in the company. My cats eat Nature’s Logic kibble and when my oldest dog used to eat kibble I used the Nature’s Logic canned food as a topper quite frequently. I’m also a big fan of their whole food supplement and occasionally use it in my rotation (although I’ve mostly gone to formulating my own supplements lately..).

Unfortunately, all of the Nature’s Logic foods are MUCH too high in calcium for a large breed puppy (I’d wait until your pup is at least 6 months old and through his rapid growth phase before trying this food). Generally, in order to get the actual calcium level you have to call or email the company because most companies only list the minimum calcium percentage on their packaging and website and often the actual calcium percentage is much higher than the stated minimum. Nature’s Logic, however, is one of the few companies that discloses actual nutrient levels on their website – the reason I know they’re actual is because at the top of the analysis for each food it say “Actual Analysis Units Dry Matter Basis” and there’s no “min” before the calcium percentage. All of their dry foods are 2.123% calcium and well over 5.5 g. ca. per 1,000 kcal.

When I compiled my calcium list I called or emailed every company with a grain-free food rated 4 or 5 stars on DFA. Some companies never responded to my emails, didn’t pick up the phone or wouldn’t disclose the actual calcium level so it’s possible that some 4 or 5 star grain-free foods are appropriate and not on the list, however I think I’ve covered the majority. If you do call a company to get the calcium levels be sure to ask for the actual level and make it clear this is what you’re looking for (otherwise they may give you the minimum). If they don’t have an actual level from a lab analysis ask for the maximum and calculate values based off this.

[Jackie B]

I ran across this document, made by another DFA user, that shows prices to star ratings. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmNw5KB82-n_dGtyOEpVVXhPQ2tfeU1FUGdEdjVnTkE&hl=en#gid=1

It is fairly accurate and should give you a few ideas.

[BryanV21]

^ *cough* rep *cough*

[NectarMom]

I feed Brothers Allergy to 3 out of my 4 dogs. The only one of my dogs that can eat the White meat formula from Brothers always does fine on most anything except shes still scratching like mad on her sides but it could be environmental also because even my other 3 on the Allergy formula are scratching and right now my skin is really dry. We have been on this brand for 6 weeks , maybe a bit longer and I am giving extra Enzymes and Probiotics to all 4 every feeding and they all had horrible gas before and now none of them have gas but all 4 have acid reflux and they never had that before. My one with intestinal allergies sometimes will walk through the house and spit up watered down kibble. I limit how much they get each feeding. I feed 1/8 cup morning and 1/8 cup evening. I have 3 Chihuahuas and 1 Imperial Shihtzu. It is like pulling teeth to get them to eat the Allergy formula but they have to like it and thats all they get because my one hadn’t had any bloating and discomfort in quite a while since switching to Brothers Allergy formula but she cannot eat the white meat recipe nor any of the biscuits from Brothers. Intestinal allergies are very painful for a dog and I can tell almost immediately when something does not sit well with her. All 4 of my dogs ate the Original Allergy formula much better than since they added the Menhaden fish to it now. I wonder if they ever plan to switch back at all. I don’t mean to be a downer about this food but when 4 dogs do not want to eat it unless they are just so hungry then it must taste pretty bad.

[aboyandhisdog]

First, I guess I’d say you might want to see your vet. re: that bald spot. But, I have had some luck putting a squirt of Salmon oil on top of the dry food. It seems to help my dog’s coats and I think shedding has decreased somewhat. But he might have more going on than just dry skin so have a vet evaluate.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi DieselJunki –

If a dog isn’t getting enough omega 3’s in it’s diet, it can cause skin and coat issues. However, you’re feeding extremely high quality foods rich in omega 3’s so I don’t think that’s the issue. I wouldn’t recommend supplementing with any additional omega 3’s as too much omega 3’s can be just has bad as not enough – the omega 3 to omega 6 ratio should be between 1:5 and 1:10 (omega 3:omega 6). I would try supplementing with a little coconut oil – coconut oil is rich in medium chain triglycerides and can help the skin and coat. The Answer’s goat’s milk you’re feeding does have added probiotics – supplementing with more wouldn’t hurt though. If you can get kefir that would be a great option to rotate with the goat’s milk – kefir is extremely rich in probiotics and most varieties have 10 strains or more. I wouldn’t bathe him too often – that can dry out the skin. Get bath wipes to use in between baths if you need to. My dogs get about 4-5 baths per year. I use Earth Bath shampoo and conditioner and spray them with mink oil afterwards – it leaves their skin and coat nice and soft. From the picture you posted it looks like he’s a pit(?) – pits (unfortunately) are notorious for skin issues.

[DoggieDoc22]

Best dry food to feed Yorkies hands down would be Royal Canin’s Yorkshire Terrier, or their Yorkshire Terrier Puppy if we are talking puppies.

If you aren’t familiar with Royal Canin, they are the industry’s leader in science and research, accounting for over half of all research done in the dog and cat food industry. They develop diets based on thorough feeding trials and scientific studies to meet the specific needs of the pets that each of their diets target.

The important things to keep in mind when feeding Yorkies are that:
1. They are notoriously picky eaters – The reason for this is that Yorkies actually have a reduced sense of smell when compared to other breeds. They have a lower number of the neurons used for sensing smell than the average dog. Royal Canin’s Yorkshire Terrier formula has a unique blend of aromas and flavors to stimulate the Yorkie’s fussy appetite.

2. Yorkshire Terrier’s, as I am sure you are aware, are well known for their long, silky coats. The Yorkie, unlike most other breeds, do not have an undercoat, and instead have long individual hairs. This makes them susceptible to breakage, and feeding a diet that strengthens their coat is extremely important. The Royal Canin diet is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids from fish oil to help support their delicate coats.

3. The Yorkie, being a smaller breed, has a longer life expectancy than the average dog. Royal Canin’s Yorkshire Terrier formula contains antioxidants to maintain healthy cells and help to fight the effects of aging.

As far as supplementing, it is important to choose a diet that is complete and balanced, if you choose the right dry kibble there is no need at all for supplementing, and doing so will actually have a negative effect.

[pugmomsandy]

This is another whole food supplement. It doesn’t have rice or natural bacon flavor like the one mentioned just above.

http://natureslogic.com/products/fortifier.html

[mlp576]

I have been using a whole food supplement and my dogs have been doing amazing. There moods are calmer yet they seem to have more energy. The coat looks amazing and my oldest is getting up the stairs easier. http://www.friendsfurlife.rockyandbella.com I totally recommend it. I use Pedigree maintenance however surviving and thriving are 2 different things all together. My Aunts dog is diabetic and told me that she has been able to cut down on the amount of meds for him so that is a testimony in itself.

[Mike Sagman]

Hi hamiltonmom,

So glad you chose to adopt this deserving rescue. My little guy, Bailey, had a similar history. And like you, I also discovered that “topping” his otherwise lifeless dry kibble with fresh or canned dog food makes him really enjoy his meal. You can learn more about diet rotation on our FAQ page.

Keep up the good work!

[pugmomsandy]

I currently use krill oil, probiotics and enzymes couple times a week. Mostly mixing it in with their kibble or canned food. I don’t supplement raw food usually although hiding a capsule in a ball of raw meat works very well. I’m currently using the Mercola brand but there are several others. Nordic or Grizzly for fish oils. Nzymes brand. OnlyNaturalPet.com has a selection. Sometimes I just give them a raw whole sardine instead of fish oil and then sometimes I just feed them raw tripe which has enzymes and beneficial organisms. Another brand I use is Garden of Life.

[sharyorkie]

Does anyone use supplements? Such as salmon oil,probotics,digestive enzymes?? Would love to hear your suggestions
Thanks

[sharyorkie]

THANK YOU Very Much for the info!! I called a couple of stores and found the Tripett I am going to get a few cans tomorrow.

[DieselJunki]

I have an 10 week old puppy that is extremely picky. Hound Dog Mom suggested the Tripett to me and my dog LOVES it. We went from having to sit at the bowl with him to just putting it on the floor and leaving him be. He won’t pick his head up until it is ALL gone and then stands and licks the bowl and floor. If you can get some Tripett do it! A couple spoonfuls and some warm water mixed in good with the kibble works wonders.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi sheeklouch –

Orijen is a wonderful food (it’s actually the best dry food out there – imo), however (unfortunately) none of their formulas are appropriate for large breed puppies – they are all much too high in calcium. For this reason, I’ve never fed Orijen to any of my pups but I have fed it to my adult with great success.

Gertie my now two year old female ate The Honest Kitchen (Zeal, Love, Thrive) and Tripett until she was 8 months old. Mabel, my newest addition, who just turned 7 months old has been on a controlled calcium homemade raw diet since she came to me at 8 weeks (my other two dogs eat raw now as well).

I think that most dogs do well on high protein foods (Gertie and Mabel both ate >40% protein on average) – if your dog is having loose stools with high protein foods I’d suggest trying a spoonful of plain canned pumpkin, a multi-strain probiotic and digestive enzymes at each meal.

Assuming you want to stick with a dry food, here is a list of recommended foods. Sometimes it’s trial and error and you may need to try a few foods before you find on that works for your dog. Some dogs are just more sensitive than others.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFY183Q0NVRXlidWc/edit

[Mom2Cavs]

I’m gonna suggest some foods that my Cavaliers like, but your dogs still may not. So…it’ll have to be a trial and error process, I’m afraid. Some pet food stores will have samples of certain foods, so you might ask your local pet store about that. Also, some foods have a money back guarantee and will allow you to take opened bags back to the store (I always save my receipts, just in case) for exchange or refund. Now….my small dogs like Merrick very much! Merrick has grain free and a small breed formula that does have a small amount of whole grains. I have used both with great success. It’s what mine are eating now. Fromm is another food that picky eaters might like. They also have grain inclusive and grain free formulas. Nature’s Variety is another food that I would recommend to try with picky eaters. They have grain inclusive and grain free versions. Merrick and Nature’s Variety are available at Petco, while Fromm is sometime harder to find and only available at independent pet stores. Of course, there’s also Blue Buffalo and Wellness, and also Innova that are popular foods. Earthborn Holistic is one I’ve heard people like, as well. I hope this helped some. 🙂

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi sharyorkie –

I’m not sure what your budget is – but raw, homemade, fresh cooked (like Fresh Pet), dehydrated (like The Honest Kitchen), freeze-dried raw, air-dried (like Ziwi Peak) and canned foods all seem to appeal to picky dogs more than kibble. They are all more expensive to feed than kibble, but also healthier and more species-appropriate.

If you need to stick with kibble, I’d recommend trying something like Tripett (canned green tripe) – you can add just a spoonful or so to some warm water, mash it up to make some gravy and then completely coat the kibble. I’ve never heard of a dog that didn’t love green tripe. I’d try this trick with any of the 4 or 5 star kibbles.

[sharyorkie]

Hi I have never posted before.But I am on here all the time reading the dry food reviews.I Am now totally confused? I currently feed Pro-Plan small bites chicken and rice I now know it is not the best.My Yorkies are VERY PICKY and I usually have to add canned food to get them to eat.ANY suggestions on a good dry food for small Yorkies that are very picky!! I have tried Nutro, Taste of the Wild and Acana and they will not eat any of these.If anyone has any suggestions I would greatly appreciate them
Thank You

[hamiltonmom]

We adopted our 5 year old black lab from an animal rescue two years ago. Hamilton was four years old and had spent two years in shelters before he wound up in a shelter in our area. Hamilton appears to be an allergic dog, he has very dry skin and is constantly licking his paws. On our vet’s advice we have him on Omega 3 capsules and an antihistamie. Hamilton is also a very fussy eater, liking a food one day and turning his nose at it the next. He currently is eating Merrick Classic with a scoop of Natural Balance Stew mixed in. He seems to be doing well on this food combination, with his weight holding steady at 71 pounds

[Honeybeesmom1]

Hi, I’m an hour away from Petco & Petsmart. My son went shopping and asked what dog food to get at Petco. I said Wellness Core fish.
I get the bag and the kibble feel huge! I have small older dogs – and I just can’t see them struggling to eat that. I emailed Wellness asking about the size…and they start off saying they use no artificial colors or stabilizers – batches look different in color and size from time to time.- and they want me to call them with where I bought the bag size and so on.
I just want to know the SIZE of kibble. LOL

I know they have small breed size in turkey ( wellness)…but they just finished turkey in Eartborn and now eating Merrick in Buffalo flavor.
I just hate to open the bag- if I know I may not use it.
Do I just return it for small breed or just add water and broth to moisten it. Is it a good idea to add liquid to it? I don’t see them eating this food dry. Thanks

[pennypea]

I have a cockapoo ( cocker spaniel- poodle) and I was wondering what type of food we should use because he doesn’t seem to like the food we are using now (Purina one beyond dry). It is hard to find a good type of food for my dog because of his sensitive skin. Advise would be appreciated.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi again!

If you’re just using the canned as a mix in I wouldn’t be too concerned about the calcium. A trick to stretch the canned out is take just a couple spoonfuls, mash it up, mix in some warm water to make a liquid and stir in the kibble and coat it all in the liquid. If you can find it Tripett is great for a topper and can get even the most finicky dogs to eat – a little goes a long way. Also, since it’s just canned green tripe the calcium levels are very low. It’s not a bad thing if you have to add canned food to get him to eat, canned food is (generally) much healthier and more species-appropriate than dry food.

[nrite71]

My soon to be 2yr old rescued pitmix seems to have a slightly different problem. Her glands seem to express themselves too often and at crazy times. We tell her she has stinky butt and she walks to the bathroom and waits patiently to be wiped and spritzed. I have taken her numerous times to the vet, only to be told “there is nothing there”…nothing there because it’s on my couch or carpet! I have taken to making her crazy HIGH fiber dog cookies at home..but we are not always consistent with how many she gets and how often throughout the day. Sometimes my kids give her a ton and other days not so many. She currently eats Wellness Complete Dry. I want to change her food to maybe something with more veggie fiber but the idea of switching her is not appealing. She has the most sensitive GI track and if she gets the runs…well that doesn’t help with her anal sacs. If we could keep her consistently draining them when she went out side for potty breaks that would be great. Unfortunately she can just be laying around and you get a whiff of it and want to die! Can anyone suggest a dry dog food that is good all around and might be higher in veggie fiber. So far she doesn’t have allergies but her eyes do get yucky if her ears start getting messy. She is a sweet girl and we love her ..and her stinky butt…but we would love for everyone’s sake if we could get rid of the stench. I am going to look into the miracle homeopathic stuff mentioned in an earlier post… maybe it will help her.

[January]

My 6 year old doberman wont eat dry food unless I put some canned food on it and he has real dry skin and a bald spot on his back that comes and goes. I have had him a little over a year now and have switched from pedigree to taste of the wild (pacific salmon) and now Victor professional formula. Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated.

[soho]

Hi Krist

A lot of dogs seem to be on only one type of insulin and it is usually a medium acting insulin which has a slope like a long in distance, short in height hill. This type of insulin makes it pretty impossible to control diabetes well. A dog must eat at the same times each day and the same amount of food at each meal.

In humans the best control of blood sugars is achieved using a very long acting insulin like lantus combined with a short acting insulin like humulin R. The short acting insulin is taken about 30 to 45 minutes before meals and the long acting insulin is taken once or twice daily to cover the glucose that is constantly being produced by the liver.

This type of insulin regimen requires more daily injections but it allows for several things that are not possible with a more simple insulin regimen:

1)Meals can be eaten at any time of day or night.
2)Meals don’t always have to be the same size and contain the exact same amount of carbs.
3)If your dog is sick or not eating you don’t have to freak out because you are worried that your dog will have low blood sugar because they didn’t eat.
4) You can adjust one of the insulins without also increasing or decreasing the size and content of meals.
5) Your dog will have much better control of his/her diabetes.

With the more intense insulin regimen meals and liver metabolism are handled separately allowing for a more effective control of blood glucose.

FOODS

I believe that carbs are the enemy of anything (human, dog or otherwise) that has diabetes. I don’t agree with the Glycemic Research Institute that dry foods such as Nutrisca and Orijen are optimal for a dog with diabetes. Nutrisca has an estimated 36% carbs on a dry matter basis. Orijen has 25% carbs as estimated using the NFE (nitrogen free extract) method (this is extremely reliable). I think either % of carbs is waaay too much for a diabetic dog. If there were several foods with let’s say a carb content below 15% then I would look for the one with the lowest glycemic load. But if one food has 35% carbs and another food has 15% carbs it wouldn’t matter to me what the glycemic load of the first food was, I would choose the food with only 15% carbs!!!!

In dry foods (kibbles) the lowest carb content I have found is EVO which ranges from 12 to 18% carbs depending on the variety and Epigen (Thank you Hound Dog Mom) which has only 11% carbs in either of the 2 formulas.

In wet foods maybe you could just add some fresh meat which is in the same family (red, poultry or fish) that you are feeding at any particular meal. You are guaranteed a much higher quality topper if you add your own rather than a canned food.

Good Luck!!!

[crazy4cats]

Hi-
I have found a great website regarding cat nutrition as I have also been looking for quality cat food at a reasonable price. The author does not recommend any dry food at all, but has a couple of charts of canned food that include fat, protein, carb, and phosphorus levels. It was eye opening to me. The site is: http://www.catinfo.org. Hopefully it will be helpful to you also. Deanna

[soho]

Hi Mike,

I would love to see more disclosure about the ingredients in a companies foods. All companies use the prettiest marketing terms to describe the quality of their ingredients “only the best” “highest quality” “human grade this or that” etc.

I like the way the Whole Dog Journal won’t review a food if it doesn’t disclose who manufactures it. In the beginning some companies balked at this idea and refused to disclose the manufacturers name and the location of the plant. They used terms like proprietary information as an excuse not to disclose. WDJ stood firm and now they all disclose because they all want to be in the WDJ’s dry food list of top foods!!

Many companies use your websites rating to promote their foods. “fill in the blank” received a 5 star rating from the Dog Food Advisor. You could easily ask a manufacturer to disclose more info to be reviewed on DFA. Who actually manufactures their human grade this or that. Where do their meat meals come from, their vitamins, their meats, their fats etc.

This would accomplish several things. Manufacturers would start to disclose more, consumers would get a chance to learn more, companies that use inferior ingredients would start to upgrade their ingredients in order to get your coveted 5 star rating and people would start to avoid the companies who refused to disclose.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi dave and AngieH –

The difficult thing with colitis is that it can have many different causes and it can be acute or chronic. Dietary changes often can help ease the symptoms of colitis. Most dogs with colitis respond well to increased levels of dietary fiber and/or a hypoallergenic diet. Many dogs with colitis also seem to better tolerate foods that are lower in fat. When trying a new food make sure that you don’t feed anything else to your dog during the trial period (no treats!) and give the diet three to six weeks to see if there is improvement (remember, the improvement won’t be immediate and in some cases your dog’s diarrhea can even worsen in the initial stages of the switch as the dog is becoming accustomed to the new food).

For increasing the fiber level, rather then looking specifically for a high-fiber food, I would recommend just adding some canned pumpkin or psyllium to a high quality food. Both are high in fiber and will increase the overall fiber content of the food being fed.

For choosing a hypoallergenic diet you want to pick a food that has a protein source and carbohydrate source (if applicable) that your dog has never been exposed to. Making a homemade food is a great option here.

Two supplements I would definitely start immediately
1. Probiotics – these will help replenish the good bacteria in the dog’s digestive tract and keep pathenogenic bacteria in check.
2. Digestive Enzymes – These will give the dog a boost in digesting their food so the dog’s already stressed digestive system doesn’t have to work as hard at producing its own enzymes.

Some other supplements you may want to try that have proved successful for some dogs suffering from colitis:
1. L-glutamine – An amino acid that helps to repair the mucosal lining of the digestive tract.
2. Slippery Elm – An herb that helps to sooth the digestive tract and relieve inflammation.

I think in the case of colitis, that a high quality home-prepared diet would be best and most easily customizable to the dog’s individual needs. However, here are some commercial foods that are hypo-allergenic and lower in fat that may be worth considering:
1. The Honest Kitchen’s Zeal – Dehydrated, fish-based food, 9% fat on a dry-matter basis.
2. Grandma Lucy’s Pureformance Rabbit – Freeze-dried food, 15% fat on a dry-matter basis.
3. Nature’s Variety Instinct – Limited Ingredient dry foods are all under 20% fat on a dry-matter basis and include a turkey, duck and lamb variety.
4. Addiction’s Dry Foods – salmon-based, venison-based and lamb-based options, all around 13% fat on a dry-matter basis.
5. Addiction Dehydrated Foods – brush-tail, kangaroo, venison, lamb offerings, all around 9% fat on a dry-matter basis.
6. Addiction Canned Foods – brushtail, venison and salmon are only 10% fat on a dry-matter basis.
7. Great Life – Dry foods Buffalo Rx and Duck Rx are both 13% fat on a dry-matter basis.
8. Tiki Dog – canned food with some low fat hypoallergenic options.
9. California Natural Grain-Free – kangaroo, salmon, lamb and venison options, all 13% fat or less on a dry-matter basis.

*Some of the foods I recommended are a little low in protein for my taste, unfortunately when feeding a commercial food most of the foods that are lower in fat and that contain a novel protein also contain less overall meat and thus less protein – this is why I think homemade is the best option. If you are feeding one of the lower protein dehydrated or kibbled foods I’d highly recommend adding one of the recommended canned foods to boost the overall protein content. Also, this is not an exhaustive list – check out the foods Dr. Mike has reviewed on DFA and you’ll likely be able to find more – these are just some brands that first came to mind.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I need the best cat foods, canned and dry for my cats. I have switched over to the Nature’s Logic dry, they like, and I am still feeding two cans of the pate Fancy Feast a day due to finicky cats. I want to upgrade to a better canned that they will eat, that is key!! and does not cost much more than $1 a can. Only one cat like the Bravo raw, but I couldn’t really afford to go completely raw with the dog on raw. Thank you for any info! Beth

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Dr. Mike –

This is a great question and I think it will make for a great discussion as everyone’s criteria are so different.

First off, in answering it for myself, I’m going to assume we’re looking for dry dog foods – otherwise I, obviously, would give preference to raw foods.

1) The first thing I look at it protein content. I won’t typically consider a food with under 35% protein – however if the food fell between 30% and 34% but had several other exemplary qualities I may make an exception (I would never go under 30% though).

2) I then look at fat content. I typically like dry foods with at least 15% fat (I feed much higher fat levels with raw, but dry foods are generally fairly low in fat).

3) I then look at ingredients. I always want a meat ingredient first – no exceptions. I prefer a fresh meat followed by at least one meat meal – but I would not rule out an otherwise good food if it only contains meat meals. Although there are some exceptions, I typically won’t feed a food that contains by-products. I never feed a food that contains any unnamed animal ingredients – such as animal fat, animal digest or animal by-products. I won’t feed foods with grains and look, instead, for foods that use potato, tapioca, legumes or pseudo-grains (or some combination of these) as a binder. Other ingredients that I look for and would not feed to my animals are: chemical preservative (such as BHA), menadione, artificial colorings, propylene glycol or any sort of sugar (sugar, molasses, honey, etc.). I also prefer to see a short list of added vitamins, minerals and amino acids – this tells me that much of the nutrition is derived from the ingredients in the food itself and there’s less reliance on synthetic supplements.

4) I then look at the company. I won’t rule out a company if it’s had recalls, but I do take into consideration how many recalls the company has had, how far apart they were and how the company handled the recalls. I like a company that is open about where they source their ingredients and that doesn’t source from China. I typically call or email the company’s customer service before feeding a food and if either a) I don’t get a response b) the customer service rep seems knowledgeable c) customer service is rude or d) I get the impression the company is giving me the run around when I ask a question – I will not feed the food.

[Mom2Cavs]

Yes, I subscribe as well. They have lots of good info. and articles to read. Their dry food reviews are done in Feb. I believe, but I can’t remember when they do their canned and raw food reviews. It’s not the only thing I use when deciding canine things, though. I use other sites/publications, too, but I believe it’s well worth it.

[InkedMarie]

As some of you know, we adopted a 9yr old sheltie on Saturday. She has no teeth and has been eating Grandma Lucy’s PureFormance chicken since she got here. She loves it, thankfully! Since day one, I have been giving her Mercola’s probiotics and digestive enzymes. She was on amoxicillin but got the last one yesterday morning.
These are the other supplements my other two get, in addition to the Mercola products:

apple cider vinegar
salmon oil (I use one by Vital Choice)
coconut oil (one of them gets this)
Bug Off Garlic

Her coat is disgustingly dry: the dandruff just flakes off & rains down to the floor. She is scheduled for a bath on Monday February 4th (or whatever that Monday is). What is best to use, internally, for her coat? Both the salmon and coconut oil? If yes, both daily?
Her poops are pretty soft, which I assume is from the dehydrated food. Should I add some pumpkin to her meals? With every meal? I don’t know if I should attempt to add in a dry food or not, with her having no teeth.
I think she has some hip problems. She’ll be ten in June so can use some type of a joint supplement. Any suggestions for one that is powder or liquid? No teeth, don’t want her to attempt to chew something.
She does have an appt at the holistic vets in three weeks. She has a little hair loss on her eyelids, that and the icky coat have me wondering if she has a thyroid issue but she seems to be at a good weight.
Also, when should I start adding more stuff in? I started putting the Mercola stuff in on Sunday morning.
thanks all!

[setrina]

I have a 76 pound White Boxer name Blanca. She has thee worse gas ever. LOL … I feed her the best food but starting to wonder if I should consider switching her to grain free. She currently eats Innova dry food and Merricks wet food mixed. I am trying to figure out the benefits of grain vs. grain free. I know Innova and Merrick both have a grain free option but trying to first see if that is the best route for her to help decrease her gas. She loves the food and looks forward to feeding time every day! 🙂 Anyone have any thoughts of the benefits of grain vs. grain free?

[Anonymous]

a note to Chauncey, the Acana Regionals Grasslands kibble was a good size. Slightly larger than what I would normally feed my Pom but she chewed it up just fine. I would say the pieces were just slightly smaller than a dime. Round disk shaped and maybe an 1/8th of and inch thick. So if you are looking for a bit larger kibble this might work well for you.

[Anonymous]

thank you for the input! My pom did not get sick from her food. One incident I think was too many rawhides at a friends house and another was frosty paws treats. So I am VERY careful now what I feed her.

I think I’ve chosen to go with the Acana brand. They have a high rating and I like what they have to say about the source of their ingredients. But no one in my area carries the small breed or light and trim choice. I bought a bag of the grasslands variety and will slowly work it into her diet. She seemed to like the Acana last night. She picked out the few pieces that were in her bowl and ate those first!

I’m eager to see if there are improvements in her weight and energy!!

[DogFoodie]

Good Morning Everyone!

I’d like to get your feedback on grain inclusive diets.

Do you feel that there are some grains that are “less worse” than other grains; ie: millet or barley versus corn or wheat, etc.? Do you ever or would you consider grain inclusive foods?

I recently was reviewing Susan Thixton’s favorite foods and was considering trying a couple of them (my poor little guinea pigs!) but I like the looks of the following kibbled foods:

Nature’s Logic (I have tried their canned and like it), but the dry contains millet (2nd ingredient – NOT in red on DFA);

and Mulligan Stew which contains brown rice (2nd ingredient – in red on DFA) and oats (third ingredient – NOT in red on DFA).

I appreciate your input!

Peace & Blessings, Betsy

[Mom2Cavs]

According to the Whole Dog Journal’s 2012 dry dog food list Blue Buffalo is made by a number of different manufacturers. They list CJ Foods, Ainsworth, ProPet, Triple T Foods, Tuffy’s, ANI/Vita-Line. Diamond does not make Blue Buffalo. Hope this helps.

[NectarMom]

Ok I have to comment….CUTE Pugs!!! Love them and excellent post!

[pugmomsandy]

mspaulypompom,

What food(s) did you try that resulted in bad diarrhea? How much were you feeding as compared to what you were previously feeding? Do you go by calories? Or were you feeding the same amount of previous food as you were the new foods? Has your pom been eating a variety of foods or just mostly one kind most of her life? And what has she been eating and how much? Have you used any probiotics or other digestive aids (canned pumpkin, digestive enzymes, yogurt, raw goat milk)?

I have lap dogs. They do absolutely nothing but follow me around! But they eat foods that have at least 30% protein and moderate fat. This includes kibble, canned, raw, freeze dried and dehydrated. They are able to maintain a steady weight but more importantly, they maintain a good body condition score. Keep in mind pugs are short, cobby, thick dogs, but they still have an abdominal tuck, a tapered waist viewed from above and not much fat pad. They will never look like a greyhound but for pugs they are in great shape. Weight is not everything. In fact mine are overweight to obese if you just look at the number (24 lbs). I’ve recently put some photos in the Dog Food Calculator section while discussing weight loss and body condition with another poster in December. Check them out. They’ve actually gained weight and muscle mass on this type of diet. These are my overweight pugs: (click on the photo)

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u651/pugmomsandy/pictures%20for%20posting/IMG_2852640x539_zps1c019b19.jpg

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u651/pugmomsandy/pictures%20for%20posting/plutoharness2_zps6d5c006c.jpg

I didn’t know about probiotics and digestive enzymes a couple years ago when I went to a grain free high protein food so one of mine took maybe 2 months to transition. Had soft poop but no diarrhea. But now that I’ve been using probiotics and enzymes (periodically still) they are able to eat anything and have formed stool. Their gut has become healthier over time and they are able to eat a variety of foods as they should. I also feed less volume of a mod/high protein food. On their old food, they would’ve needed 1 cup to 1.25 cups but right now they only get 2/3 cup. Overfeeding a mod/high protein food can be another reason for poor stools (that and a not healthy gut) or transitioning too fast. If they have undesirable stool, cut back the amount of new food until they firm up. No need to transtition a dog in a week or 10 days.

Also you can start your pom on a moderate protein grain free diet instead of going high protein off the bat like EVO. I’ll use Nutrisource Heartland Select and Grain Free Lamb Meal as examples. They are 25% and 28% protein and my fosters eat it and only take a week to transition to it cold turkey. No diarrhea, just some soft stools initially. I also give them ground psyllium in the beginning. And I have no idea what the fosters have been eating their entire life before coming to my house.

As far as more energy goes, I like to think of it as more vitality.

[Anonymous]

I’m also interested in any suggestions here. I have a 3 year old Pom who needs to lose 2-4lbs. I’ve been feeding her Royal Canin weight control but recently started looking into better quality options. Our vet suggested Royal Canin. I’m thinking of switching her to either Acana or Wellness brands. Both have weight control options but not sure if she really needs that. I have 2 specific questions:

1. I’m cautious about switching to a grain free option because some folks have mentioned lose stool. I have had 3 BAD diareha episodes with her that resulted in expensive vet visits. Any suggestions?

2. Some folks have said their dog has “more energy” after switching to Acana. Any comments? Even their website says your dog will show signs of more enegy. I guess this is due to higher protein?

[pugmomsandy]

Other than getting a kibble for large breeds, the biggest kibble I’ve come across while finding food for my pugs is Core Reduced Fat and Core Original. It’s sort of triangular last time I used it and would consider it medium sized. I thought it was a little large for the smaller pugs. Although kibble is hard to digest so getting a larger kibble would make digestion more difficult. The smaller surface area and diameter of kibble the easier it is to breakdown. (Although size of kibble is not the only factor in good digestion). I’ve read here that some large breed owners dogs did better with smaller kibble versus large kibble. Specifically someone’s large dog did better digestion-wise on EVO Small Bites (which he accidentally bought) vs the regular size EVO. Same flavor of kibble, just purchased the wrong size. That being said you have the option of adding a probiotic/digestive enzyme to help with digestion if you go with a larger kibble. Most dogs don’t chew so a large kibble might be a choking hazard. If your dog likes to play with food how about putting the small kibble into a treat ball (like an IQ ball or Kong) where he has to work to get it out.

[ChaunceyML]

Yes pugmomsandy, I do mean medium to large kibble. NectarMom, we have recently discovered the food we are feeding him is not very good. we’ve decided to take a more healthy approach to his diet. Thanks to you both for responding! Any suggestions?

[Rambo and Fancy]

HDM, thanks for the advice. I’m in the process of transitioning my 15 w/o chinese cresteds from the Royal Canin they were on when I got them to Blue Buffalo Wilderness. They seem to have no issues with the switch, I did just 1/4 of the new for only one day then switched to 50/50. I guess so long as I stay with a high end grain free we should be OK.