[anonymously]

Malaseb is the best gentle shampoo for dogs with allergies that require frequent bathing, otherwise, any gentle dog shampoo should be fine. Check chewy.com, compare prices.

Regarding food, mix dry with wet, 2/3rds dry, 1/3rd wet or a topper such as chopped up cooked chicken breast or scrambled egg (made with water), add a little water to meals.

Offer 3-4 small meals per day till about 6 months old, eventually feed 2 x per day.
I like Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea as a base.
Another important tip, if you want to avoid professional cleanings, start brushing the teeth once a day. See YouTube for how to videos. I like Petrodex and a medium adult tooth brush. It is more economical to get the 6.2 oz tube, found at chewy.com

Regarding housebreaking, take the pup outside every 2 hours during waking hours, at bedtime, first thing in the morning and after meals.
In an ideal world 🙂

I almost forgot. Puppy proof your house, they chew everything in site for at least the first 1 1/2 years! Get a puppy gate or LARGE crate for when you have to go out.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 10 months ago by anonymously.

[minnies-mama]

WOW!!! Thank you everyone for taking the time to respond!!!!!! I am pretty sure I will try Wellness core. I think that brand is the one I see that I like.

Do I only use dry, or wet food too? Of course I plan to speak to my vet, and our breeder. But I wanted to get some real people with dogs advice too!

I also saw A shampoo called Royal something…. can’t recall the name right now.

I just ordered my 2 crates, and a travel bag. I feel like I am nesting preparing for the arrival!

Thank you all for your advice!

[Robyn B]

Hi, just our experience to share. I’m sorry to hear your dog is so uncomfortable. My pug had allergy (allergies) that made him lick his feet frequently for probably 7 years (his skin darkened to black-ish and we were constantly needing to use malaseb skin cleanser/yeast killer to give him relief). I was told by vets that it was probably caused by the grass or something in his food but that it would be almost impossible to determine. All they had to offer were steroid meds but I wanted to solve the underlying problem. I switched his diet to grain free (dry and a can now and then for a little excitement). His constant licking stopped and his skin returned to normal for the last 6 years of his life. The foods we fed that solved his problem were Canidae grain free Pure, Wellness Core grain free and Castor & Pollux Natural Ultramix grain free and poultry free Salmon. The first two greatly reduced the licking but the Castor and Pollux eliminated it.
I hope you have success in solving the problem. Bulldogs are my other favorite breed, so adorable!

[Susan]

Hi My Patch was pooing red blood in his poos not everyday maybe once a fortnight when I first rescued him, vet said Colitis & he was put on Metronidazole (Flagly) he has food sensitivities to certain foods & irritating his bowel also fat, I had to watch the fat content in some foods…. he’s been good now I know what no to feed….
Start her diet again 1 protein & 1 carb then slowly re introduce ingredients again over 1 to 2 weeks adding 1 new ingredient & make sure you check her poos…..

My other dog a boxer pooed a heap of blood just after I rescued her she had worms & needed to be wormed again the RSPCA only wormed her the once & mustn’t of gotten rid of all her worms..

If she wasn’t getting the proper nutrition like your vet said her coat would be dull, no shine, itchy dry skin is one sign of low omega 3 & I’m pretty sure they don’t start pooing blood cause the diet isn’t balanced properly…other things start to happen……have a look at “Balance IT” you add to your cooked meals there also would be other supplements that balance the diet…. I live Australia I use Natural Animal Solutions DigestaVite Plus & the Omega 3,6 & 9 oil…. http://secure.balanceit.com/

[Susan]

Try feeding a wet tin food fat under 3% in fat, Wellness has their Small Breed Petite Entree’s in gravy with 2% min fat, the Petite Entrees casserole flavours have more fat around 5% when converted to dry matter (Kibble) that’s around 23-26% fat if it were a kibble…. Maybe Pancreatitis ask vet to feel around the pancreas area… even you can do it stand behind her or sit behind her then around the rib cage with both hands start pushing firmly as you go toward back legs, if she has any pain she will either flinch & turn & look at you or that area, cry or go to bite you…When my boy eats certain kibbles he gets his pain & goes off his food, now I ask him to pick which one he wants to eat, I’ve noticed he picks the kibbles that are easy to digest, Holistic Select, Eagle Pack, Wellness Simple Lamb & Oatmeal…… how I check if a kibble is easier to digest & doesn’t just sit in their stomachs. I get a glass of warm water & put a couple of kibbles in the glass of warm water, if the kibble sinks you’ll find it will take a while to soften, even if the kibble floats it can take over 1-2 hour to go soft…..Patch likes the kibbles that go soft within 20-50 mins….sometimes they are not being picky its cause the kibble does give them pain while its digesting…

[JeffreyT]

Hi minnie-mama, congratulations! Havanese is a great breed, very much like maltese, which I have.

Here’s some good information on the importance of a rotational diet. I changed my pups’ diet a few days after they came home and used probiotics, enzymes and pumpkin to avoid stomach issues, and still use first two for good digestion and to keep their immune systems strong.
/frequently-asked-questions/diet-rotation-for-dogs/

Dr. Karen Becker’s newsletter gives excellent nutritional advice, and I use the Mercola enzymes, probiotics, krill oil and multi vitamin she recommends. Mercola also makes a natural flea and tick repellent that is the best smelling one I’ve used, and it works.
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/07/21/13-pet-foods-ranked-from-great-to-disastrous.aspx

I highly recommend the book Scared Poopless to help avoid cancer and other diseases later on. The author’s website is loaded with helpful advice on avoiding vaccine overdose (especially important for small dogs), and how to do heart worm meds safely.
http://www.dogs4dogs.com/

Mine get a variety of the five star freeze dried and dehydrated foods (all you have to do is add water) with some home prepared meals using Dr. Harvey’s premix and organic meat already made from Whole Foods. Their main meal consists of these foods, and at night they get a light meal of dry and a topper like lean meat, egg yolk, yogurt, cottage cheese, goat cheese, a sprinkle of parmesan, a sardine from the can or ground salad or vegetables (never feed onion). As long as you keep toppers and treats under 20% of their daily intake, the diet will stay balanced.

I always get grain-free and gmo-free foods. Their favorite dry foods are air dried like Ziwi Peak, Real Meat Food Co, Only Natural Max Air Dried and Wellness Core Air Dried. Some of the better kibble foods that my picky ones have eaten are Petcurean Go Now, Farmina, Amicus and Wellness Trufood Baked. You can call the companies to get samples, and make sure to get the small breed puppy formula. I always buy the smallest bags, and do not keep food over one month because it starts to go rancid.

The treats they go crazy for are Stella and Chewys, Orijen, Lakse Kronch Wild Salmon, Primal and Dogs for the Earth. Dogs for the Earth also makes an organic food that they love.

Make sure to avoid synthetic shampoos and other toxic products. Earthbath puppy is a good one that is non-toxic. For face, when mine were puppies, I used Castle Bath which is a non-toxic face cleaner and powder to keep faces clean and avoid tear stains….cotton baby washcloths work best with this. Baby shampoo from the healthy food store is also good for faces. Avoid drug store brands because they’re loaded with toxic chemicals.
http://www.castlebaths.com/tear-stain-remover.html

Before I got my maltese I joined an online maltese forum where I learned a lot about food, training and grooming… you may want to consider one for Havanese.

Good luck!

[Sadie’s Mom]

Hi c4c!

We have 6 dogs total and if I feed one of them (Sadie) wet food all the others whine and cry to get some lol. But I will definitely look into those brands and see where they fit in my price point.

Also when I give her any wet she will then refuse to eat dry because she likes the wet better. I hope she is just being picky as well. She has always been a picky eater but it has gotten worse these last few weeks. Even with daily walks she will turn her nose up at food just because. Hopefully her appointment Tuesday will shed some light on her eating habits!

[Jenn H]

Jeffery T had some good advice.
My dog has also been experiencing symptoms of IBD and pancreatitis off & on for the past yr.
After much research and different gets & specialists I have it pretty under control (knock wood).
The most recent specialist was adamant about not giving her any raw meat or goat milk. She was put on a probiotic, pumpkin, bland diet, etc.
It’s been 2 months w/o relapse so I’m thinking of getting her off the prescription can food and trying something else. She gets very little kibble. Not even 1 cup/day.
She continues to get 30 mg Pepcid 2x/day and 2 Tbsp pumpkin for breakfast.

My problem with changing her diet is that low fat is recommended and she’s so active. Keeping weight on her can be tough.

I’m told to try a food with highest protein possible, low carbs and 10% fat on DRY MATTER BASIS (cans seems to be working better for her). Because she’s a GSD that’s kind of low as they really should have about 19% fat. So we’ll see.

The lower the meat protein, the more carbs there will be in the food. The source of the carbs can be difficult on the GI.

The kibble she gets now is Wysong And then
Her wet food is i/d. Usually turkey. Sometimes the stew (not her favorite) or chicken (that’s low fat).
I’m about to try Wysong Epigen cans.

Basically I have had success so far by cutting out raw animal products, probios, pumpkin and lower fat & carbs.

You may find adding enzymes to be helpful also. And maybe even try a novel protein. (If you choose fish be certain no one uses Ethoxyquin as a preservative.)

Remember to make sure the makers of your supplements aren’t sourcing anything from China.

Good luck to you.

[Donna S]

I would like to nominate Earthborn dry and canned dog food,

[Louis G]

Hello everyone,

I have a 3 year old Lab Mix named Tina. Since I got Tina at 7 months we’ve fed her a home cooked diet. Although she has a sensitive stomach, she has always been healthy until last week she had an episode of diarrhea. I noticed a few drops of blood at the end of the poop, a day later her stool was firm but had a generous amount of blood in it. We took her to the vet and had a full check up done including blood and stool tests. The results came back all clear, in fact the Vet said she was a very healthy dog, she continued to eat and drink during this time. (our thought is that she ate something while staying over at a friends house) Our vet recommended the Hill Prescription Digestive Chicken stew to try out. At first she would not eat it, but after topping it with a small amount of cooked white meat chicken she has been eating it and the results have been instantaneous. Her stools are good and firm and the diarrhea and blood went away. I would like to put her on a dry and wet dog food diet but am confused by all the contradicting information on dog food. Some praise Hills, some condemn it. Some praise Blue buffalo but they just paid millions in lawsuit for false advertising the ingredients in their kibble. I would just like a straight answer as to what dry and wet food I should feed my dog going forward. Vet recommended Hills Science Dry and Hills Balance Wet. I love my dog and if could continue to cook for her I would but I work longer hours now and my vet felt there was a possibility that she wasn’t getting the proper nutrition from the cooked food. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Jody R]

I would like to suggest Nutram Dry food for editors choice status. I see it’s listed as a 5 star product, but it does not appear under “editors choice”. Our dog had early signs of kidney issues and it was suggested that we switch to a lower phosphorous dog food. Nutram and Wellness I learned are lower in phosphorous than other dry dog foods. Since starting the new food his USG levels have improved significantly.

[Naturella]

Just as an example, my 14.5-15-lb dog Bruno “should” get 1-1.5 cups of his current food daily. He gets a little over 1/2 cup (or a bit less than 3/4 cup) of his food together with additives, so calorie-wise he probably gets around 1 cup of dry per day, but it is not all from the dry. If I wanted him to lose weight, I would reduce the amount of dry I fed him as well as the amount of additives. But for his metabolism and daily exercise, the current plan works well for him and he is in his ideal body condition. Also, make sure you go by the body condition more so than the weight itself. Here is a link you may find helpful: http://fremontanimalmedicalclinic.com/dr.-lurz-s-tid-bits/how-to-body-condition-score-your-pet.html

[RebeccaRose]

Hello all. E W, thank you for that point of view. I will definitely keep that in mind. How is it diagnosed? Good luck to you hope your pup gets better.

Well my Shih Tzu is doing much better. She has not had biopsy but the vet thinks IBD is a strong possibility. The Wellness never did work for us. After repeated episodes like in my original post, although not as severe, we moved completely away from chicken &/or turkey foods and she improved. It wasn’t easy… we went through 3 or 4 more foods before finally finding one that she loves & her poops are great & she has very minimal vomiting.

She now receives a 1/2 a 10 mg Pepcid every night very late, about midnight. Her meals are still spaced out with the last being at 10 pm. The food she is currently on is higher in fat that any of the other foods she’s been on but it has helped the most of any food she’s ever tried. We have been on it for 7 months. It is Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach Salmon.

I hesitate to even put that in my post because I know the hatred this community has for Purina… but I have learned the hard way that you feed what works. And this works for us. I am including the name so that it might help others from what I’ve been through. You can spend all the money you have on premium bags of dog food & still have sick dogs, I can speak from experience as I have tried some of the best, most expensive foods & she still was sick.

I keep a list of foods that I am going to try should we start having problems again. Maybe this list will help others if they are looking for a food that is either low in fat, good for a predominantly vomiting dog, sensitive stomachs, upper intestinal IBD, wanting/needing to stay away from chicken, or wanting a LID diet, or wanting to start a novel protein…

*Natural Balance: Potato & Rabbit, or Sweet Potato & Bison, or Potato & Duck, or Legume & Duck, or Sweet Potato & Venison. All these NB choices are around 10/11% fat & 4% fiber.

*Acana Singles (might have to order online) 15% fat 6.5% fiber.

*Zigniture Brand.

*Rayne Dog Food: Rabbit & Sweet Potato Dry (have to order online).

*First Mate.

*Fromm Gold Coast Weight Management Ocean Fish, 10% fat 7% fiber.

*Annamaet 24% Option Formula Salmon & Venison, 13% fat 4% fiber.

*Wellness Simple LID Healthy Weight Salmon & Peas, 8% fat & 6% fiber.

[Aileen R]

Solid Gold? I feed my 1.5 year old (5lb) chihuahua Solid Gold “Wee Bit” for all ages small breed. I asked a few breeder friends and they told me they had great ingredients and my lil guy has improved from dry skin and actually eats it without having to add warm water and etc. The kibble is also smaller. Any other foods with smaller kibble?
Thanks. I’m shocked it’s not up here.

[Naturella]

How about Only Natural Pet’s Canine Power Food: http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/products/Only-Natural-Pet-Canine-PowerFood-Dry-Dog-Food/999219.aspx

two of the formulas are poultry-free.

Also, I and Love and You is pretty meaty and potato-free, at least 2 of the formulas are (I would use the Nude Food line, it is the better kibble they have).

[InkedMarie]

Did you check the review side, clicking the “best grain free dry foods” link?

[boobear27]

Thanks Pitlove!..I’m gonna try mixing the canned food in with the dry..I guess she might be associating her upset stomach with her food..She did fine eating that kibble for 4 months and now she won’t eat it..She use to eat Wellness for small breed but she was gaining alot of weight..She is also a senior dog..I gradually switched her to Wellness core reduced fat and she shed the pounds and started to be more active.

[boobear27]

My dog recently had an upset stomach and I fed her boiled chicken and rice with a little bit of canned pumpkin for a few days,,Now she seems to be doing fine, she’s her old self again:)..Now I’m starting to transition her back to her kibble gradually starting with 75% of the boiled chicken and rice and 25% of the kibble I also add water to it to soften it..The problem is she will just eat the chicken and rice but won’t eat the kibble..I feed her a high quality kibble Wellness Core reduced fat dry food..She ate it just fine before her upset stomach she would gobble it all up now she won’t eat it..Is there any other tricks to get her to eat it again?

[Marilyn G]

I have read Steve Brown’s Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet and See Spot Live Longer. I would like to begin with the ABC plan once a week. I have an 11 pound Silky Terrier and I feed him Acana Wild Prairie dry food. On the bag is says Crude Protein (min.) 31% and Crude Fat (min.) 17%. So, I’m assuming that I would feed him the ABC2 plan. Would that be correct? Also, in the table there is no column for a 10 pound dog, so I’m wondering if it is safe to assume that I would feed him 4 oz. of heart, 3/4 can of sardines, 1 egg white, 1/4 egg yolk, 2 oz. vegetables and fruit. Would that be correct? Also, is the weight of the heart before cooked or after? I want to be sure that I have the amounts correct because I don’t want to cause him any health issues and possibly shorter life. I want to do what’s best for him. Any comments would be appreciated. Thank you.

[Susan]

Hi, try “California Natural” limited ingredients, Lamb & Rice it has only 4 ingredients, there’s small breed & large breed… http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products
Why your dog is doing well for 1-2 weeks then reacting it takes 1 day to 6 weeks to show food sensitivities/intolerances, this is what confused me… Patch would do really well the first month then he’d start reacting to the kibble, then I started to feed a kibble that’s is just Fish & Rice no peas, no chick peas, no potatoes, no lentils, just fish & rice….. also get a good dog probiotic to build up the immune system & always make sure you read what the omega 3 & 6 % is in the kibble…. I’ve read some kibbles are higher in omega 6 & low in omega 3 & dogs making dogs itch & scratch & have dry skin….. the California Natural shows all the Nutrient Analysis… also when he comes back inside, wipe him down, I use “Huggie Baby Wipes” Aloe & Cucumber a new wipe for each section of the body… sardines in spring water are excellent to give as a treat..

[anonymously]

Check Wysong http://www.chewy.com/dog/wysong-senior-dry-dog-food-5-lb-bag/dp/50242
It is always best to add a spoonful of scrambled egg or something, make it more interesting. Think of the kibble as a base.

[Jim G]

I am really trying to like Life’s Abundance dog food but have a problem. My 4 month old lab has been on it since I picked her up from the breeder. Her stools have always been loose, and at times, she has a hard time holding it in. I switched started giving her cooked chicken and rice. Stools were perfect and no accidents. I slowly reintroduced Life’s Abundance and the loose, mucusy stools started again. I have heard that a raw diet could be the way to go, but I am on a budget. Has anyone’s dog had loose stools with Life’s Abundance and if so, were you able to find a quality dry food that worked.

I’m not knocking Life’s Abundance. I’m sure it is great for some dogs, just not mine.

Thank you.

[Freddy w]

You May want to try
http://www.chewy.com/dog/merrick-grain-free-real-texas-beef/dp/47176

Or in search type in no potato or grain dry dog food

Good luck 😊

[Lauren D]

My American Bulldog, approx 3 years old, has been dealing with horrible allergies for most of his life. He was allergy tested in April of 2015 and the food issues for him are: Egg, soybean, duck, rabbit, yeast (scored lowest possible), oat, and potato.

I switched his food over to Zignature Turkey He seemed to do well with it for the first couple of months, but I’m not convinced it is having a positive effect anymore. I did have him start allergy injections in October 2015 (focusing on some food and some environmental like human dander).

He has a pattern of doing ok for a week or so and then once I think he’s doing well he turns all red and inflamed, sometimes gets hives, his legs and stomach are raw and he sometimes scratches so hard he bleeds and scabs over, eyes are swollen and red, his hair thins out a lot, and he smells horrid. I bathe him in a medicated shampoo on a regular basis.

With his food restrictions, does anyone have recommendations on dry food brands to look in to? I can’t afford anything over $70 per 30lb bag. I have two other dogs and they switch to whatever food he is on as I don’t want any chance for cross contamination. I’ve also looked in to the addition of supplements such as coconut oil, fish oil, and digestive enzymes. Thoughts on any brands or whether or not that would be worthwhile to do very much appreciated.

• This topic was modified 9 years, 10 months ago by Lauren D. Reason: wrong html code

[losul]

Interesting theory on the palatibilty enhancers, Dr Carol.

I don’t think this is the one that Aimee referenced, but here is a survey/study that could give insight.

http://www.associationofanimalbehaviorprofessionals.com/boze412010.pdf

At least 50% of my dogs diet is homemade raw, with limited (35%) kibble, but I have had no experience with coprophagia so couldn’t help there.

I found in the the following article in Can Vet, that seems to be relative to what you have asked.

“The dog should be fed a consistent, good quality
diet, high in fat and protein and low in carbohydrate,
with no treats or scraps. Diets high in carbohydrate
tend to enhance the drive to eat stool. The dry food
component of the diet should be reduced and replaced
with a high protein food. Although dry food is generally
a good diet, it has been shown clinically that the
above diet change will often lessen the drive to eat
stool. The addition of vegetable oil (increased slowly
over 7 days, to 15 mL/4.5 kg of body weight/day) is
also helpful. Sufficient food should be given twice
daily, on a regular schedule. Adding the fat and feeding
twice a day helps suppress the appetite for a longer
period, reducing this particular stimulus for stool
eating. Often, a diet change, maintained for 4-8 weeks,
may be all that is required to stop the behavior, in conjunction
with the decreasing strength of the drive as
the animal ages.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1680886/pdf/canvetj00575-0079.pdf

[Becky A]

Hey Richard,

Check out taste of the wild High Prairie Puppy Formula with Roasted Bison & Roasted Venison (no chicken or chicken by products! :D). I absolutely love this company (as your local mom/pop pet food store if they carry samples) and have fed my pups this brand before switching them over to Orijen and Acana earlier last year. Also, If you want to add more veggies and meat to his diet try mixing in some Sojo’s or Honest Kitchen. All you need to do is add water and mix it in w/ his kibble or just give it to him as a full meal (i’d recommend mixing in w/ his dry food as Sojo’s and Honest Kitchen are a little on the pricey side)

http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/dog-formulas/high-prairie-puppy-formula-with-bison-roasted-venison/
Shop All Dog
https://www.sojos.com/products/dog-food

[Dave G]

I live in San Diego county. When I adopted my chocolate lab from San Diego County Animal Control, I dropped into the Kahoots store in Fallbrook, CA, to pick up a few items. When the sales lady found out I had a new doggie she loaded up my bag with four different free samples of Kahoots private label dry dog food. These were big sample baggies and I got two full meals for my dog out of each one. I forget what flavors they all were, but I remember my dog seemed to be a little constipated with the chicken dog food. The one she really seemed to like best was their beef & boar. I stopped in at Kahoots this week and they had their private label food on sale. The 30lb. bag of beef & boar was less than $40, so I bought their last bag. My dog sure likes it.

[Susan C]

Hi Shichon:

I am new to this forum but not new to dogs or shihtzus and their itching problems. I’m not new to dog allergies or food problems. I have a shihtzu/lhasa apso mix who has suffered since I’ve had her (7 years–got her as a rescue). She has terrible flea allergies, so much so that she digs and chews until I can see either bruising or blood where she has been chewing. I’ve fed her commercial foods, prescription foods and finally settled on home cooking using organic ingredients, non-GMO meats, and free-range eggs.

I have found during all this research (and I mean RESEARCH—FOR YEARS) that a lot of itching has to do with what season we are in and where the dog goes outside. I live in a condo and we have hired a landscaping company to cut the grass. They use Round-up or similar pesticides and when I take my dog out to pee, she walks on the grass. The Round-up is made to kill weeds–and some of these weeds are beneficial to keeping away certain insect populations. The problem is that without the weeds, fleas and other insects overgrow and while we have a nice pretty yard, it’s full of fleas and other itch-making insects. Not to mention the exposure to the pesticide that my dog gets with just walking through the grass.

I use a homemade concoction to spray her every day and increase the usage when she starts itching. It’s made of apple cider vinegar and chamomile tea (brew it and let it cool). I keep it in the fridge and spray her paws before and after she goes outside. I also spray her backside as well because that’s the area that gets closest to the grass.

I mentioned the season earlier in my post because right now where I am, it is 70 degrees and in the middle of winter. This unseasonable warmth throws everything out of whack–I have flowers blooming, fruit trees with leaves, etc, all sorts of unnatural things happen when the environment is screwy–including my dog’s ability to fight off allergies and certain illnesses. When nature gets out of balance, it affects everyone, even humans. Even right now, the murder rate is doubled here in Birmingham, Alabama since the first of 2016…everything is crazy. Up until December 26, we had 70+ temps. It is supposed to be in the 40’s during the day in the winter in Alabama.

I feel our little shihtzus are very sensitive to all this, not to mention they are cold weather dogs and we put them in our US climate where it gets hot every summer. Our dogs are from the Himalayas. Not exactly tropical climate there. My suggestion to you is to spend a little time brushing your dog, use the spray I mentioned above, keep the puppy cool, and only bath him once a month, or once every 3 weeks. But brush his coat twice daily. I am a groomer as well, and we bath our dogs entirely too much. It is nice to have a sweet smelling pup but weekly bathing leads to changes in the dog’s natural ability to fight skin rashes and itchiness greatly decreased. Their skin is too dry, it starts itching, they scratch, we bathe, they scratch, they bite, we bathe—get the picture?

Just for what it’s worth–I feel your pain. I can share more info if you want. Just let me know. This is a problem that won’t go away once and for all. It’s ongoing so buckle down and get ready to spend some time with your puppy. Look at it like this, more time for you to enjoy him. Little shihtzus are the most precious.

Sissi

[Erin N]

Hi I am a newbie to this site and owning a dog. Our family just adopted our first puppy and we are smitten!! “Charlie” is 9 weeks old. His mom is a lab/shepard mix. We don’t know what the dad was. The foster mom and vet are guessing he could grow to be 40-50 pounds.
The foster mom was feeding him Great Life dry dog food (Salmon) so we are continuing to do that for consistency. I see it is only rate 3.5 stars on this site and I would like to feed him a 5 star food for the best health possible.
He has had diarrhea since we brought him home a week ago. I’ve been giving him a little organic pumpkin with his dry dog food and it seems to help a bit but I would like to transition him to a 5 star food that could also help with the lose stool.
I would so appreciate any dog food brand recommendations any of you may have. Thank you in advance for your help!!!!!

[Leslie C]

I know a little bit about seizures as I have had two dogs, a Bernese Mountain Dog and a Golden Retriever that did not live together and both had seizures. The Golden we bought as a puppy after the first Berner female died. I did a lot of research on the breeds and the issue of seizures. Bernese Mountain Dogs are prone to seizures as they age, Goldens are not. And no one knows what that means, prone to, or why. We believe that initially, the Berner had a brain tumor or cancer that travelled to her brain. I was using a regular vet who just put her on anti seizure meds that really didn’t help. No seizures, no personality, she only lived a month after we put her on the meds. As a puppy she never had seizure, therefor, we knew that she was not epileptic. Epilepsy is diagnosed before or around two years of age. The Golden was having seizures that were probably unrelated to his diagnosis, osteo-carcenoma (bone cancer) which he got at nine. He actually lived another year after he was diagnosed- usually the diagnoses is six months. Since he lived way beyond his prescribed “end”, probably because I was cooking human grade food, and because of the attention he got from his family, at his last visit to the vet they believed that perhaps tumors form elsewhere in his body may have metastasized to his brain. He got real bad real fast only in his last ten days. So I think the food was a big part of lengthening his life, making him happy and giving him the best quality nutrition, and sometimes there is just nothing else you can do. Heavy meds do not make a happy dog. He died Spring of 2015. My current Bernese Mountain Dog (unrelated, but from the same breeder as the other dog) has had four unpredictable seizures in the last year and a half. I thought at first that it might have been from the dry food because of the Golden’s seizures. I got rid of the enormous cookies (Pro-Pet) we got from Agway with our grain and hay deliveries. The dogs liked coming to the barn and chowing down on big bones. Its very odd though, his blood work was good, especially for a 9 year old Berner. My vet is a holistic vet, who gives our dogs (we have a Wheaten too) supplements to help them maintain an effective system. (Like vitamins). They are also regular vets that give shots and operate, and they absolutely believe that foods can be toxic to pets. Especially poor brands of pet food. (Look at what the first ingredient is on the label). HOWEVER, more toxic are the many unnecessary shots that they give. Really. The puppy shots and rabies (every several years depending on the dogs age) are necessary, but there are many other shots that you can ask your vet to omit. In addition, you are worried about cleaning products? If you’re okay, your dog should be okay, but you never know. I think that lawn products, stuff on the sidewalk, stuff that your dog can lick off his paws and get sick from are real problems. I am trying to find out if any of the dry foods I feed them have caused seizures or something else. The now get Merrick and Blue, and Blue Dog Bakery biscuits. Has anyone said anything about Milk Bone? (I think the UPS delivery guys give them Milk Bone when the drop boxes off). But really, I find it easy to cook for them, making chicken or fish for the family, I just make extra. We also have chickens so they get a lot of eggs, those small carrots, peas, cooked yams, apples, and even plain yogurt. If you know where it came from and if your eating it yourself its safe. Allergies are another story. I hope this helped a little bit… And please, if anyone discovered more about this bizarre and mysterious seizure conundrum, or about the dog foods and treats I listed above, please post!!

[Aprille L]

I am looking for a dry food for my Cavalier King charles spaniel, he is 8 years old, has skin allergies

[anonymously]

I think I understand the point Ed is making. Find a good quality food that agrees with your dog and that your vet approves of. That’s what works for me. I like Nutrisca.
PS: However, I have noticed a difference in the cheaper foods, they seem lighter, more like sawdust. I would never feed only dry, but some folks do.

[Susan]

Hi Bobby D, Yes a dog can take up to 6 weeks to show any signs of a food sensitivity…. My Patch was doing really well on the Wellness Whitefish & Sweet Potato (Read ingredients hardly any sweet potato full of barley) after 5 weeks he started scratching, hive like lumps under skin & sloppy yellow smelly poo’s, so I emailed Wellness Well Pet & the lady said yes it can take any where from 1 day to 6 weeks to show any signs of a food intolerance…

A few people have been complaining about Taste Of the Wild their dogs have dry skin & are real itchy, if you look at the Omega 3, it is lower in some flavours & higher in other flavours…..
Change brand of kibble with higher omega 3….. start adding a couple of small sardines in spring water (69c at Aldi) to 1 meal a day or give as a treat…..I have found just feeding a Fish & Rice kibble with no other ingredients my boy does the best on…I also feed a cook meal for dinner so only 1 meal is kibble… if you can feed freeze dried or raw is the best if your dog can handle a raw diet…

[El]

Hi Pitlove

“I was speaking to him as though he wanted to use a dry kibble and not homecook”

And I was speaking to him as though he might want to know what’s the best option for determining if his dog has a food allergy.

[Andrew B]

Suggesting you with my experience, when Rex (my dog) was overweight, I just took him to the vet for checkup and after his opinion I made some changes in his diet. The vet also advised me to give dry salmon pet food and take him for a walk at least 1 hour daily. I hope this works for you too 🙂

[Kayla M]

Note: We currently feed our two cats orijen dry food and merrick/tiki cat wet food, all grain free. I know both of these companies also make dog food, would these be a goof choice for our new puppy as well? Is grain-free a good way to go for dogs as well?

[Kayla M]

We get to bring our new puppy home on March 9th and we want her to be on the best food possible. She is a female red merle miniature Australian Shepherd, when we bring her home she will be 8 weeks old. What foods do you guys recommend? We have two cats but this will be the first dog in our home. I have done a lot of research on cat food and nutrition and I know there are a lot of differing opinions out there on that (raw vs. wet, etc.) so I am sure it will be the same with dog nutrition as well. Should we feed her wet food? Dry food? Some type of raw/freeze-dried raw? A combination of these? Any recommendations you guys can make or great educational sites you guys can lead me to are greatly appreciated!

[Pitlove]

Hi Aimee- Thank you! Yes, he’s doing quite well. I’m not/can’t home cook so we will have to introduce both together. He said we will talk about over the counter foods I could use. I’ll use whichever dry kibble he suggests. He is not much a fan of the over the counter limited ingredient diets for the reasons you explained, but he knows I can’t afford the rX formulas forever.

El Doctor- I was speaking to him as though he wanted to use a dry kibble and not homecook. You and I simply have two different trains of thought- neither is wrong. It simply depends on what the OP would like to do. Hell, he might not even be interested in a food trial at all. I simply wanted to provide the reason for my vet recommending this food as we did not talk about homecooking since he knows I can’t/don’t do that.

Both Aimee and I agree that “If using commercial foods, use food from the vet office that have been made specifically for this purpose.”

[aimee]

Hi Bobby D.

I’ve read that if sensitized, the response following reexposure is within hours but up to 14 days. “Symptoms can appear within an hour of eating the offending allergen, but may be delayed with a peak in clinical signs noted to be up to 14 days in one study.”

www dot lsu dot edu/vetmed/veterinary_hospital/services/dermatology/ce_lectures/food_allergy.php

When doing an elimination diet home cooking with one protein source and one carb source that your dog hadn’t previously been exposed to is the “Gold Standard. If pursing that do not buy ground meats as the grinders are often not well cleaned and there could be cross contamination. You need to buy large cuts and grind yourself.

If using commercial foods, use food from the vet office that have been made specifically for this purpose. They are costly as you are paying for extensive quality controls ( ingredient “fingerprinting” PCR analysis, complete breakdown and cleaning of all equipment and closing the plant to any ingredients except those in the diet being made) to ensure no cross contamination. Limited ingredient diets from retail sources are often cross contaminated with other proteins which will interfere with your results.

IMO a skin reaction 6 weeks out is less likely to be a hypersensitivity unless a newly developed one and if related to the diet may have to do more with the full nutrient profile not supporting skin health.

I know when I’ve trialed other foods it is usually 6-8 weeks before I note problems with Brooke’s skin and coat( dry flakes, dullness, and increased shedding)

Pitlove: Glad to here your dog is doing well. Is the plan to introduce each ingredient separately before changing the diet completely? For example add potato for several weeks and if all well then test the variety of fish in the food you are considering.

[Becky A]

I agree I have one dog that’s really enthusiastic about his food and the other not so much. I’m guessing since your pups are little they don’t need a huge bag so a 5lb will do? if so try these, they’re high quality dry dog food and won’t break the bank either.

– Taste of the wild
– Merricks
– Organix
– Canidae
– Wellness Core
– Lotus (they bake their dog foods)
– Acana (if you want orijen quality but at a cheaper price, same company)

I received samples of these foods from my local dog food store and my dogs had no problem eating them nor have any tummy troubles. Also, try adding some coconut oil into your dogs food to add some flavor. It’s tasty and good for their skin and digestive systems.

[Jazzlover]

I’ve yet to find a dry food w/out alfalfa, pumpkin, carrots, tapioca; high glycemic foods. I’ve been feeding Orijen, Acana, Merrick canned & sardines (1x/wk). I know this are high quality kibbles, but still these ingredients a present in the dry foods. I looked at Brothers and only see complete. These ingredients were there as well, w/ a ton of ingredients I could not pronounce vs. what I’ve been using. Help! I’m willing to try raw 1 day/wk, if I could get a great recipe (which could be varied). I love Dr. Karen Becker’s video on yeast http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/05/03/eating-these-foods-can-make-your-dog-itch-like-crazy.aspx and I’m doing my best to rid our 90lb male lab, Jazz. ~Thanks

[Bobby D]

I put my dog on Taste of the wild dry dog food starting December 2nd 2015. Approximately 1.5 months later he developed a skin problem (bumpy sores all over his body). Is it possible for a dog to be allergic to a certain food and have them be symptom free for over a month or should an allergy show up much sooner than that? I’m not sure if I need to be trying a food change or if I’m looking at external allergens here.

[James L]

My K9 unit is having trouble getting the dog food we want to use. The store we buy it from can’t get more than a few bags at a time it seems and they blame the supplier and company for low inventory. With 6 dogs in our unit we pretty much take all the food they can get in and still have to wait sometimes to get a bag of food. We currently use Royal Canin German Shepard because of the size of the kibble. We hand feed our dogs and use food as a reward for training so the giant size kibble of Royal Canin works very well. When trying to use smaller kibble it falls through your fingers and gets all over and just doesn’t work well. Does anyone know of a brand that has giant size kibble similiar in size to Royal Canin? Royal Canin is star shaped (1/2″ thick) with a diameter of about a quarter. Any help would be appreciated.

• This topic was modified 9 years, 10 months ago by James L.

[Frank K]

The Wellness Core Puppy formula is well-rated, as is the Adult version. I particularly appreciate the consistency of their product, the ease of use, and the overall health of my pups. To the best of my knowledge, there have never been any issues with the company or the food either. I spend $114 buying 2 26 pounds every 6 weeks for my 2 American Pit Bull pups who are now 11 months old and weigh 118 and 85 pounds (1 male, 1 female). When I initially received my dogs, they did experience 3-4 days of soft stool when starting the Wellness Core Puppy, but I am not entirely certain whether it was related to the food or the stress associated with moving. I do not routinely supplement with anything else, although they do occasionally receive some tasty meat and vegetable leftovers! While I am certain there are many excellent brands available, consistency IS a huge consideration. You must also objectively assess just how much time and effort you can regularly offer in purchasing and preparing the food. For dogs with digestive sensitivity, even minute alterations in diet can provoke distressful symptoms, which makes consistency ever MORE vital. For this reason, I would probably NOT use raw foods with your dog. Commercially available meat can vary enormously in quality for a multitude of reasons–FDA inspected and all. If you raise your own meat and absolutely know that it has been correctly handled start to finish, it may be a different story! We actually DO raise and butcher our own meats but I still stick with the dry food because I know that I cannot always spend the time prepping for the dogs–no matter now good my intentions may be! Be wary, also, of advice you receive on the internet from self-professed experts. (Mine included!) In the majority of cases, the individuals giving it are not sufficiently educated on the most current scientific research available and are basing their comments on anecdotal experiences and personal bias. And while there is certainly nothing wrong with experience, it is usually specific to that individual situation and may or may not have relevance to you. In the end, you want a cost effective, efficient, consistent, healthy, and uncomplicated diet for your dog without the hassle and expense of experimenting with a million different magic formulas. Finding a veterinarian who specializes in gastroenterology/nutrition through any of the veterinary colleges may actually save you money in the long run and would guarantee your dog the benefit of the most up to date information, as well as a individualized treatment approach. I wish you all the best in finding whatever works for your pet and many joyful years together!

[El]

Hi Rachel S

I’m very sorry that your pup is having digestive issues 🙁

I believe that proper nutrition is instrumental to raising a healthy and happy dog. That’s why no matter what the current issue with your pup might be, I would look for ways to improve his nutrition. Any extra money spent on improving his nutrition is like an investment that I believe will pay dividends down the line.

Those dividends are things like a longer, healthier and happier life. You could also wind up saving money by spending less on vet bills, tests, medicines, etc.

So, please don’t lower the quality of his current diet and instead look for small ways to improve it. Some of the things you could try are;

– Adding canned food to a dry (kibble) diet. Canned foods ate less processed than dry foods and they include the much needed moisture that’s missing in dry foods.

– Top off his kibble with fresh lightly cooked meats that you buy in the supermarket. Make sure these toppers are not more than 15% of his total diet or else you could unbalance his nutrients.

– Make one day a week a home cooked day where you feed him the same meats and veggies you eat. This option requires some research on your part so that the meal you make him is nutritionally balanced and fit for a king, I mean dog 😉

Whatever path you choose, I wish you and your “hounddog” the best, and if at any point you have questions about anything, please feel free to ask!

P.S Huge poops are usually from the starches and fiber in a dry food diet and things like pre and probiotics are very beneficial to the long term health of the gut and the immune system!

[zcRiley]

January 29, 2016 FYI FYI FYI FYI FYI FYI

Those who buy Canine Caviar know what it looks and smells like. Very small round dark dark brown kibbles, smells like aromatic herbs. I’ve been buying a lot for rotation since mid 2015, no issues with the Coconut, Coconut Oil, Anise Oil, Thyme Oil formula. My pups loved it, I loved smelling it.

I opened a new 4 lb bag yesterday, back upper left of bag printed “BEST USED BY 11FEB17 EW2 0150821972 233 15:08 MO”. This was what I found:

It smelled just like when you open up a bottle of synthetic vitamins. Each kibble shape was similiar to a soft contact lens, but a flatter cupped saucer, nickel/dime size. Hard, dry, gray beige in color. Crumbled like plaster when I broke it in half with my fingers. To me, it looked and smelled like they ran out of venison meat and the oils and the production just kept cranking it out. My 1st strange, brow raising experience with a dog food bag.

I did not give it to my pups to eat. I’m being sent a replacement bag but before I toss it out, of course I’ll compare batch #’s and the contents.

[Becky A]

Hey there,

I’m looking to see if anyone out there can suggest a high end dry dog food for my Schnauzer. He’s about 36lbs and his ideal weight is 25-30. He’s overweight and the dry dog food I’ve been feeding him seems to be making him fatter. I switched him to Orijen about a year ago and recently changed his food to Acana Low Glycemic Chicken and Burbank Potatoes. I want to keep his food GMO free.

He gets fed 2x a day 1/2 cup morning and night.
He gets daily walks about 15min 2x a day morning and night

Thanks in advance!

• This topic was modified 9 years, 10 months ago by Becky A.
• This topic was modified 9 years, 10 months ago by Becky A.

[Teresa K]

What is the best (5 star) weight loss grain free food that is dry AND does not contain chicken?

[A K]

Thanks for the suggestions. K9 Raw Feeding looks too expensive unless I’m using the calculator wrong. It looks like it will be about $150 per month for me and my 60 pound lab.

I think I’m going to stick with a dry kibble. The one that I’m considering is the Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Boost – Lamb and Salmon Meal Formula.
http://www.instinctpetfood.com/product/instinct-raw-boost-grain-free-kibble-dog-food-lamb

It has a 5 star rating on DogFoodAdvisor reviews.

Would this be a good high quality kibble to try, or would you recommend another brand, or something else entirely?

Thanks for the help!

[Maureen C]

Chewy.com has all varieties of the dog food “Taste of the Wild” on sale. Free shipping with any $49 order. example of sale: 30lb dry bag normally $59.39 is $43.99

It may not be a huge discount over your own local store, it is for me, the only states listed for tax are: FL, NV, PA.