[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.

[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 10 years, 2 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 10 years, 2 months ago by Becky A.
• This topic was modified 10 years, 2 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.

[Pitlove]

As long as you follow the feeding guidelines for the canned food she wouldn’t become overweight. Same as with dry food. A dog can become overweight on any diet if overfed. You can find good quality canned foods that are low fat and high protein to help keep her trim. I wouldn’t totally throw out the idea of canned food IMO. It adds moisture to their diet and keeps them more hydrated, plus is a lot healthier than dry because of it being less processed. Whichever you choose, best of luck in finding something that she can eat!

[suztzu]

Hello, I am trying to figure out what to feed my 11yr old Cushings shih tzu 18 lbs hes a big shih tzu lol hes not overweight. I was trying Honest kitchen Force and he was loving it but started throwing up all the small food chunks and I found that even though I was rehydrating per the box instructions I was having to add much more water which made the food even bulkier and I think it was just too much food for his little belly. He was on Natures Variety Prarie dry mixed with canned instinct but I am really look to switch him to high moisture content food. Hes on Trilostan 30 mgs a day has elevated liver counts and his kidneys are deteriorating but not compromised yet hes very stable for now but ravenous for food all the time. So looking for any advice in feeding this type of dog would be very welcome Thanks in advance

[Angela B]

She doesn’t appear to have any pain or discomfort associated with her dry food. It is more of an observation that if given a hard treat (milk bones) etc, I have to break hers up into really small pieces. If I get the wrong bag of dog food (small bites vs small breed) the food is slightly bigger and she seems to have trouble eating it. I don’t really know if it has anything to do with the teeth or if maybe it’s just the size of her mouth. Again she is very petite. I do appreciate your feedback. If I were to switch her to a wet food she would likely become obese quickly simply because she would view it as a treat. I have thought of blending wet into her food but again the little heifer will eat the wet and leave the dry. She is such a ham. Lol

[Pitlove]

Only reason I ask is because canned food would be an excellent solution to your Doxie’s problem. It seems as though something is causing discomfort when chewing dry food. That can create a negative association with eating that food.

[Angela B]

Every dog I have ever fed wet food to has loose stool and awful gas. Plus the food itself smells rancid. I feed my dogs the better quality dog foods because they have less fillers and numerous other benefits. It’s just a preference. I do know, my husband likes to give them gainsburgers occasionally. My female will eat until every bit of it is gone even going so far as to pick it out of her dog food. She maintains a healthy weight on dry food, but if allowed what I consider junk food, she pigs out. She would become obese in no time.

[A K]

I have a 10 month old female lab about 60 pounds. She has had some significant issues with loose stools in the past. I tried a few dry kibbles and she kept having loose stools until I added Prebiotics and Probiotics to each meal. Right now, she is on Flint River Ranch – Lamb Meal, Millet, and Rice. If I don’t add a capsule of MicroFlora Plus (Prebiotics, Probiotics, Enzymes, and Herbs) to each meal, she’ll start having loose stools within a few days. I’ve been considering improving the quality of her food so I wanted to get some input on what type of food i should look into. I’m looking for the right balance of cost, convenience, and quality.

I’m afraid a homemade raw diet would be too time consuming, unless it was something easy such as Volhard Dog Nutrition – Natural Diet Food 2 (NDF2) which appears to be very easy and quick (just add protein to the premixed nutrients). The concern with NDF2 is that it would be too costly. It’s $75 for 10 pounds (good for about a month of meals from what I can tell) and I’m not sure how much the fresh protein I would need to purchase would cost.

There are also frozen premade raw diet options available. I assume this option would be very convenient, but I’m not sure how good they are or how much they would cost.

I’ve also heard of some people just adding some fresh raw proteins (ground beef for example) to their current dry kibble.

I’m also open to just a better quality dry kibble as well.

Out of the above options, which would you suggest for a good balance of quality, convenience, and cost? I’d like to stay under $75 a month, but could go up to $100 if necessary.

Thanks so much for any help!!!

• This topic was modified 10 years, 2 months ago by A K.

[anonymously]

Corgis tend to put on weight easily, they are herding dogs and need to be active. I had to walk the one I had for 3 to 5 miles a day to keep her trim.
Feed measured amounts twice a day, I would not free feed. See tips in General Guidelines http://www.homeovet.net/dynamic/php/downloads/dog-c8470f2c75dbe4b683205c3919ee2310/dog_diet_complete.pdf

Make sure he is drinking adequate water, maybe add a splash to her food. I like Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea dry food as a base, but there are other good brands. Check Chewy.com for prices and delivery.
If they have an adequate diet, they don’t need supplements, unless your vet advises differently. I do add a fish oil capsule for dry skin.

I have found this site to be informative. http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/

[anonymously]

I like Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea (canned and dry), I use the canned as a topper and add a splash of water. I have switched dog foods without problems, but you could half and half (new and old) it for a few days to avoid GI upset. They like the canned turkey stew too. Newman Organics has a nice canned turkey (95%).
See Chewy.com for prices and delivery options.

[JeffreyT]

I use this toothbrush for our maltese but haven’t found a natural toothpaste I like so I use it with Mercola’s tooth gel.

I use a baby finger toothbrush for my younger maltese b/c she fights me less than when I use the above brush.

Sea Dent can be sprinkled on food, it’s natural and I’ve heard it works well.
http://animalessentials.com/#products:74

I read it’s a myth that dry food cleans the teeth. What is the water additive your vet recommends?

• This reply was modified 10 years, 2 months ago by JeffreyT.

[Anonymous]

We have recently adopted a two year old australian cattle dog (blue heeler) she will not eat dry dog food. we have tried a couple of good brands she turns her nose up. If I blend carrots and green beans and put on top or put a little chicken broth on it she gobbles it up. She even likes coconut oil on her food.

Any suggestions. Either she is a vegeterian or she was raised on canned dog food.

[aimee]

Hi Tabby,

In case this is directed to me as I have posted in this thread i want to clarify that I didn’t say that an anti yeast dog diet should be low fat. I did say that the yeast on a dog’s skin are “fat loving” but this doesn’t mean a high fat diet “feeds the yeast” and a low fat diet is recommended.

The yeast feed off of skin oils at the surface.. far removed from dietary fat. The “diet is very rarely involved in the causation or treatment of yeast infection of the skin”. Diet only factors into a yeasty dog if it is grossly unbalanced or if the dog reacts to an ingredient in the diet resulting in an adverse food reaction that changes the skin.

As to what constitutes a high fat in diets it is kind of relative to the animal and it’s needs. But in general for myself I consider anything at or above 40% of calories fed as fat to be high fat for a dog. This is equivalent to ~ 20% fat on a Dry Matter basis

[Judith M]

Hello,
My dogs are all sick and I believe it’s the dry food. Several days ago, I noticed that a couple of my dogs had diarrhea. At the time, I didn’t think too much about it because they are quite old and sometimes things just upset their stomachs. Over the next couple of days the diarrhea got worse and other dogs started having problems. Don’t think any of them are Then some of them started vomiting. At first, I attributed to something they got into in the yard, but after thinking about it, I realized that two of the dogs who were sick had not been outside. Yesterday and today the diarrhea has continued. A couple of the dogs seem to be stabilized, but the two older dogs are worse. I haven’t detected a fever in any of them. Since the dry food is the only thing they all have in common as far as diet, I have to believe that is the problem. I have searched online for recalls of the food, but see none. I have put them on a special diet of boiled chicken breast, white rice and yogurt. I have antibiotics and steroids to use if necessary, Any suggestions on how to research the dog food to find out if it’s contaminated?

[Tabby R]

Hi Aimee, you said anti-yeast dog diets should consist of a low fat diet. I feed my dogs blue basics lid lamb and potato http://bluebuffalo.com/natural-dog-food/limited-ingredient-basics/dry-food/basics-adult-grain-free-lamb-and-potato-recipe/
One of my chis is allergic poultry and the other one has yeast problems on his skin. They are both picky eaters and they love this food. What is cosidered high fat in diets?

[Susan]

Hi Misha, I also live Australia, so you must shop at “Pet Barn” they are the only ones that carry the Wellpet brand Wellness, Holistic Select & Eagle Pack..

Have you looked at K-9 Natural freeze dried you just add water, Pet Barn sells K-9 Natural its in a packet… http://www.k9natural.com/product-information/dog-food-range-au.html scroll down to Freeze Dried then click on Lamb, Beef, Venison, Tripe, what ever one you want to see ingredients, K-9 Natural is fresh & your dog will love it, all natural & works out cheaper then wet tin foods also if you have a cat there’s Feline Natural excellent for cats…

Another one is Ziwi Peak, Pet Barn does not carry Ziwi Peak no more, it’s expensive but you can still buy online contact Ziwi Peak & ask for some of their air dried samples, Venison & Fish, Venison, Lamb or Beef & use their samples as treats…. http://www.ziwipeak.com/moist-dog-food-ziwipeak-daily-dog-moist-cuisine/

There’s Black Hawk wet tin food….Pet Barn carry the kibble but not their wet tin food yet, Pet Stock carries the whole Black Hawk range Wet & Dry…
http://www.blackhawkpetcare.com.au/grain-free-dog

At the Supermarket Woolworths & Coles have “V.I.P Natures Goodness” all natural grain free wet tin foods & dry…have a look at all their flavours,…. Chicken, Duck with garden veggies….. Kangaroo, Sweet potatoes & green beans……Beef stew, carrots & potatoes

If you feed kibble “Meals For Mutts” is for dogs with skin & food Sensitivities, its gluten, dairy & sugar free, Meals For Mutts has a few natural treats, their kangaroo Disc, Lamb Tripe & Carnavore, a few people have asked Meals For Mutts are they bringing out a natural gluten, dairy, sugar free wet tin food & they have said yes…

Visit this site “Pet Food Reviews” & you’ll get an idea of all the pet food names we have in Australia, then you can google them & look at their ingredients…. http://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/dry-dog-food/

I hope this helps, after I looked & looked for a good natural wet tin food & some of the prices… $4.30 for a tin of Wellness Core, Patch would need 3 tins a day & it didn’t smell that great, just looked like swollen kibble in a can with gravy….. I cook now & freeze meals, its cheaper & I know it’s FRESH…. the only wet tin foods that were really worth the money & smelt fresh was the K-9 Natural freeze dry, the V.I.P Natural Goodness grain free wet tin that was OK smelt & looked just like the Black Hawk grain free wet tin food…. I have never bought the Ziwi Peak wet tin, $6 a tin… I have gotten all their samples of their freeze dried & Patch just inhaled them, he didn’t even chew them 🙂

[zcRiley]

KEY NOTES: Not enough liquids consumed during the day is “probably” the most common cause for those benign struvite crystals being observed in your dog’s urine. A basic pH urine encourages struvite crystal formation, urine with a pH greater than 7. It might also be possible for pets forced to eat a bizarre vegan-type diet that supplied only plant proteins to produce basic urine that was more likely to precipitate struvite crystals. Example: diets that rely primarily on soy protein and beans rather than MEAT to meet the pet’s protein requirements – never a good idea.

ZiwiPeak is better than puppy food; I’m sure Cookie loves that you keep it around as treats or sprinkled on top of her meals! Buy it in small bags so it doesn’t dry out or go stale/mold on you. The word “puppy” in front of the word “food” is a whole marketing issue I won’t go into.

Royal Canin, Iams and Hills all have by-products and/or bad grains. If this was all that was left on Earth as dog food, I’d switch to human food. Of course, my opinion only. Chewy’s will refund your money on everything, just press the “Chat Live” button.

I forgot if I suggested ZIGNATURE ZSSENTIALS to you, also for your perusal on Chewy.com. It’s affordable ($9.99/4 lb bag) and:
-Grain-free and multi-protein formula
-Gluten-free diet
-No potato, chicken or eggs
-No guar gum or carrageenan
-Complete and balanced diet for all life stages.
My pups have been on it for over a year after becoming diarrhetic to Orijens Adult. They are now 75 lbs of lean, mean, loving machines LOL. And yes, they get urine tests done twice a year.

Also to add more moisture to Cookie’s diet (put on top or to the side of dry, the case of 12 will last a looong time, refrigerate an opened can):
Canine Caviar 95% Venison Grain-Free Canned Dog Food OR
ZiwiPeak Daily-Dog Cuisine Lamb Or Beef Canned Dog Food

Affordability, long term health issues, ingredients plus either “striving on” or merely “surviving on” certain foods are all controversial topics that these forums help further our insight.

[Pitlove]

Hi Juanita- “The only thing I do not like about Zignature is although it stops the itching and there are no synthetic vitamins it appears it doesn’t have all the necessary nutrients in it but I might be wrong.”

Zignature does use a premade synthetic vitamin pack. There are only 2 food brands (dry kibble) on the market that don’t- one is Nature’s Logic and the other is Carna4. Also Zignature is a complete and balanced food, so it does have the necessary nutrients.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 2 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 2 months ago by Pitlove.

[Juanita B]

Go to AllergicPet.com A lot of positive results for all types of issues. I use the oil and spray on my dog and it helps but I just use it on his paws. There is also a powder to put in the food. Review. You might like it. All natural ingredients.

The allergies are not the food but the protein in the food. The brand also makes a difference. A dog may be allergic to one protein and not allergic to another protein in another brand depending on the combination of ingredients and other proteins interacting with each other. A neighbor of mine uses Zignature for her dog. The only thing I do not like about Zignature is although it stops the itching and there are no synthetic vitamins it appears it doesn’t have all the necessary nutrients in it but I might be wrong. The allergies could be environmental too. My dog is itching a lot this time because he keeps laying by the heater and maybe he has dry skin. I purchased Furminator itch relief shampoo; other than mild surfactants it has all natural ingredients. I also put a Furminator (all natural) conditioner on it afterward. It is not a cure but it helps. There is also tearless puppy shampoo. There are no parabens and no chemical dyes and is made in the United States. Go to furminator.com or amazon.com. Maybe chewy.com sells it too. I get mine from PetSmart.

[Juanita B]

My American Pit Bull Terrier has allergies too.

I have head wonders on Zignature (go to chewy.com and read the reviews) but it has peas in it and my dog quit itching but there is a lot of alfala for my dog. He is 2 1/2 now and has allegories since he was a puppy so I know what you are going through. I was just advised by a nutritionist to try Origen Tundra and all food must have absolutely no chicken of any type and no eggs. She also mentioned Acana Lamb and Apple but that has canola oil in it and that is made from a toxic plant. http://breathing.com/articles/canola-oil.htm

Go to http://www.orijen.ca/products/dog-food/dry-dog-food/tundra/ Don’t just go by the ingredients below; look at everything such an amino acids and other ingredients. I do not see anything your dog is allegeric to except peas but that is not on the top five ingredients. My dog is very sensitive and picky and he loves this especially with the freeze dry crumbled on it. I also add Answer’s raw goat’s milk which is supposed to help allegories. I don’t know the results yet. It has only been one week. I have noticed that his stool is better.

INGREDIENTS
Goat*, venison*, mutton*, bison*, whole arctic char*, rabbit*, duck*, whole steelhead trout*, whole pilchard*, whole alaskan cod*, goat meal, venison meal, alaskan cod meal, mutton meal, blue whiting meal, red lentils, green peas, duck fat, herring meal, pollock meal, garbanzo beans, yellow peas, alfalfa, dried kelp, pumpkin*, squash*, cod liver*, goat tripe*, goat liver*, mutton liver*, mutton tripe*, venison liver*, venison tripe*, carrots*, spinach*, apples*, pears*, cranberries*, freeze-dried elk liver, freeze-dried venison liver, freeze-dried bison liver, freeze-dried goat liver, zinc proteinate, mixed tocopherols (preservative), juniper berries, rose fruit, dandelion root, elder flowers, marigold, dried chicory root, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product.

[LOREN L]

DRY DOG FOOD – ADD WATER
By Loren D. Lasher

For the past 5 years I have been adding water to my dog’s dry kibble. Letting it soak for 12-15 minutes before serving; I have found many benefits. For my older dog, who had been plagued with digestive problems, they have all been resolved. In my research, I have gotten some support and some conflicting ideas but I believe if you read on, you can make up your own mind. There are many, many benefits of soaking dry food. I share this information, not as an expert, but as a person with some experience wanting to add to your ‘perspective’ and the health of your dog and/or cat. Read this article, check with your Vet and make up your own mind.

First, dogs, cats and many animals were designed to eat foods which were 70%-90% moisture. Dry kibble is dehydrated to about 10% moisture. When a dog eats the dry food, the food is seeking moisture and robs the animal of important vital fluids and creates a situation of the dog being dehydrated and needing to rehydrate. With dry food both the stomach and intestines are upset. Important digestive fluids are taken up by the dry food in the stomach and in the intestines. Intestines are designed to get nutrition from moisture. Dry food prevents much absorption of nutriments in the intestine. When an animal eats the dry food and fills their stomach and afterward water is added, from drinking after eating, the stomach swells and may contribute to bloat. The dry food swells in size and robs the dog of important digestive fluids.

Do an experiment and decide for yourself. Take two cups and put about 1/3 cup of dry food in each cup. Keep one cup dry and to the other cup, add half of cup of warm water and let it set for 15 minutes. Compare and think about what is happening to your dog’s stomach.

There are many benefits to adding water and soaking. First, the dog becomes and stays hydrated. Second, it reduces bloating. Third, it is easier to chew and digest. Fourth, with a bit of ‘gravy’, it tastes better. Fifth, with warm water the ‘aroma’ is inviting. Dogs like good smells. Sixth, the dog will eat less food and be full. You can reduce the amount of dry food served. I feed my 90 pound lab 2 cups of kibble soaked; 1 cup morning and 1 cup night. Finally, with wet food, the dog will eat slower.

Some people might argue that eating dry food cleans the dog’s teeth. Not so! Most dogs do not chew enough with the dry food. If you want cleaner teeth, you have to clean their teeth. Some chew bones may help, but not kibble.

Bottom Line: Bringing dry food to higher moisture content will benefit the animal in many ways. They will be healthy and hydrated. Add equal or more water per kibble. One cup kibble, one and one half cup water (minimum), soak 12-15 minutes. For a little extra, you might add a bit of low salt broth.

[Debbie W]

Our 6 month German Shepard scratches frequently around the chest and neck area, yet we can’t find any sores or rashes. She also nibbles on her legs and rump areas. What are some common reasons for frequent scratching? Is there a puppy food that addresses dry, itchy skin, which is our first idea for her ailment?

[anonymously]

Smaller bags, empty plastic coffee containers, in the freezer or fridg if you have room.
Divide the dry dog food up, use a 1 week supply at a time.

Yes, fish oil can go bad, keep in a cool dry place, but do not freeze. I just use a fish oil capsule per day for each dog, I nip the capsule with scissors and add it to the meal. I take the same stuff myself.

I don’t go near coconut oil, too fatty (imo). You might find some helpful information here: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2015/04/coconut-oil-for-pets/

[Oceans11]

I purchased a 25 lb. bag of Orijen Adult dry kibble and there is no way we will use in a reasonable amount of time. The bag has not been opened. Is there anyway I can preserve it, i.e., freeze or use a food sealer and put in smaller bags? I know I can donate it but am trying to recoup the cost.
Also, how much coconut oil would you add for 17-20 lb. dog. And, how much salmon oil to give?
Lastly, can the salmon oil become rancid?
Thank you for your advice!

[nick r]

Hmm, I have always thought it was chicken as the main ingredient. Is turkey any good? I mix this with the Simple Salmon/Potato dry food as well. What food are you using nowadays that you cut this one out?

Appreciate the reply!

[nick r]

Has anyone else noticed this? They now use turkey as the main ingredient from chicken. Do you still use this food, or have you transitioned to something else? Thank you

http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/product-details.aspx?pet=dog&pid=68

[JeffreyT]

Hi Nina,

We have two very picky maltese (not unusual for the breed) and found the freeze dried and dehydrated foods to be the most palatable for them, and also healthier than dry and canned. It’s also a joy for me to see their anticipation as I prepare their favorite foods, then watch them enjoy every bite. My pups bring so much love and laughter to our home, giving them healthy, delicious foods is the least I can do for them!

Here is my reply to another dog owner with a picky pup. I think I left out Dogs for the Earth, one of their favorites….expensive but worth every penny. And occasionally I buy Wellness Core Air Dried or Wellness Tru Food because they are very palatable and easy to serve when pressed for time. Both come in puppy formulas. I try to keep dry food under 25% of their diet.
/forums/topic/very-picky-eater/

I hope you find some foods your pup loves!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 2 months ago by JeffreyT.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 2 months ago by JeffreyT.

[Ksenia M]

Hi

I just recently emailed Taste of the Wild to ask them about certain ingredients listed in their dog food. I also have a large breed dog and inquired about their Calcium and phosphorus levels in their foods. They have the Kcal/Kg of each type of food on their website. You can use the calculator found on this website to calculate the ratios. See the email reply below.

Thank you for your inquiry.

Our bison, beef, roasted venison and buffalo originate or are sourced from suppliers in Montana, Colorado, Wyoming and Australia. Our lamb and lamb meal come from New Zealand and Australia.

Lamb meal is lamb that is cooked and ground to a fine consistency. We receive it as a dry ingredient. Egg product is cooked and dried whole eggs. Natural flavor is an ingredient that is applied to the outside of the kibble to enhance the flavor and acceptance of the dry pet food. It can be from vegetable or chicken sources (it does not contain MSG). Examples are parsley or other herbs and hydrolyzed proteins (processed so the average molecular weight of the protein is too small to be detected by the immune system which helps avoid adverse reactions in allergic pets, there is no intact protein from the chicken).

We also received your second email. The levels below are based on an as fed basis of a typical analysis of the formula.

Phosphorus Calcium
High Prairie Dog with Roasted Venison and Roasted Bison 0.9% 2.1%
Pacific Stream Dog with Smoked Salmon 1.5% 1.9%
Sierra Mountain Dog with Roasted Lamb 1.1% 1.6%
Wetlands Dog with Roasted Wild Fowl 1.1% 1.4%
Southwest Canyon Dog with Wild Boar 1.1% 1.9%
Pine Forest Dog with Venison and Legume 0.9% 1.4%
Appalachian Valley Dog with Venison and Garbanzo Beans 0.9% 1.8%

Sincerely,

Ivie
Product Specialist

I hope this helps anyone who feeds their dogs Taste of the Wild dog food. Not sure about the formatting, but the first percentage is phosphorus and the second percentage is calcium. Based on the calculator found on this website, the Roasted Wild Fowl has the optimal ratio.

[Susan]

Hi, have you looked at the Royal Canine S/O Urinary? When I rescued my boy he was weeing blood, while he was being desexed he had an ultra scan & he had Crystals stones, he was put on the Royal Canine S/O Urinary wet & dry for 6 weeks, after 6 weeks he had another ultra scan to see if the crystal had dissolved & they had all dissolved, the Royal Canine worked, vet said he must of been used for breeding… Patch also has skin problems when he eats any Hills vet diets, he itches real bad, but while he was eating the Royal Canine S/O he never scratched…

I went thru a Animal Naturopath cause Patch has IBD & Skin problems, Jacqueline Rudan put Patch on a Raw maintenance Diet, that I cook now, minus the bones, here’s the Diet but scroll down & click on the “Acidifying Urinary Crystals Diet” & see what foods Jacqueline recommends you feed for your dogs health problem….
http://www.naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/natural-diet.html