[Natasha]

My F1B goldendoodle puppy weighs 15.5 pounds and I’m feeding her twice a day–breakfast and dinner. I also give her treats when training her and occasionally some teething bones.

Anyway I’m feeding her the Purina Pro Plan chicken and rice puppy formula. I’m only feeding her this because this is what the breeder fed her and I bought two bags of it. Once the bag I have now finishes, I’m switching my puppy over to the 5-star dry Wellness puppy formula.

I’m also mixing her dry Purina food with the wet Wellness Petite Entrees Mini Filets (4.5 stars). I feed her 1/2 cup of the Purina with one tub of the petite entrees for each meal.

I’m just wondering if it’s healthy since the petite entrees are meant for small breeds. My goldendoodle is small by goldendoodle standards, but apparently this is medium compared to most dogs. My vet says she doubts my dog will ever weigh over 25 pounds.

[chris]

I happen to have my dog on Merricks back country dry kibble. He’s been on Merricks for just over half a year now. This is the only food that I found he liked and didn’t cause any issues. He has a stomach hernia and the littlest things can effect him. Merricks has been perfect!

I’m glad that you have left us know about this. I really hope Merricks sticks to what they’ve been doing and not changing things around. That scares me quite a bit as i’m sure since they only did it to get there name out there more that they will try to go a cheaper route and a faster way to make the food for supply and demand.

[chris]

Red- Thanks, I already know about the food table for dogs as I’ve done so much research into it months ago. There’s a thread I had made that’s several pages long with going over things because my dog “spark” has a stomach hernia. Though I appreciate the reply! 🙂

DogFoodie- Yeah I don’t give him potato all the time it was just a rare occasion. I’ve been using a site that a few people from here actually recommended a long while back.
Great site for a list of basic foods that are great and a ton of information as well.

http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/02/fresh-whole-food-for-your-dogs-health.html

I was thinking of taking that list and coming up with meals that would be served as a topping on the dry kibble. I assume it’s better then most if all can foods out there. Plus he seems to enjoy it way more. Anyways, thanks for the information 🙂

[chris]

I usually buy a few cans a month of 5 star canned dog food, mostly the caster and pollux or natures variety. However, at the end of last month I ran out early as I was giving some to a family members dog to help out. That being said I decided to scrounge up what I could around the house and make my own as a topping for his dry food instead of the canned food.

I took a beef roast I had in the freezer cooked it with potato, carrots, green beans. I gave him a cup of it every evening as a topping for his supper. He enjoyed it so much more then any canned food I ever gave him.

Now doing this and seen how much he enjoyed it and knowing it is better for him. I don’t know a ton on the home made foods as I’m just learning and reading here and there. I was wondering does anyone else make there own home made foods for just toppings for on dry kibble? Also doing what I did was it okay to do so or should I have added other things for the right nutrition? I mean i’m sure he’s getting the minerals and nutrition from the dry kibble as well so i’m not so sure. Thanks!

[chris]

Sorry I never got back to an update for ya. I’ve been very busy with personal issues happening. Anyways, to throw an update up I have got them to finally go with Merrick’s and accept the price. Yeah it’s sort of expensive, but it’s worth it in the end.

Like I said they were feeding the dogs Diamond food. They realized the dogs weren’t eating much if it like they should be. They also would not even touch the food unless something was added to it which obviously gives you a clue of they don’t like it! So after they had told me this I thought about it and ran over a whole container full of the Merricks for there dogs to try. She’s said the past few days they’ve been eating every bite and even when it’s dry without any toppings and so they’re going to stick with it.

Thanks for the help everyone!

[C4D]

I loved using Merrick’s canned food, but only occaisonally used the dry. I also used to use Zukes and fed Evo when it was owned by Naturapet. From my experience, within a few months of P&G taking over Naturapet there were many people complaining about dogs having stomach upset and GI problems all over the internet. I have many friends in the dog world and some who did have some issues with Evo as well. I had stopped feeding Evo just a week before the buyout, simply because I had to drop it from my dog’s rotation to bring her weight down. As a result, I never had a personal experience with it, but I’m very wary of Big Guy buyouts. I haven’t bought Zukes since the buyout either. I’m currently on hold with Merrick just because of past history when the Big Guys take over the small companies. So that’s my take on it.

[Dennis H]

I have been breeding and showing dogs for fifty years. During that time I worked for two major pet food companies (25 years combined). Back when I began, Purina Dog Chow, Ken L Ration, Blue Mountain and Gains Meal where about the only dry foods around, canned was pretty much Skippy’s, Blue Mountain, Ken L Ration.
Loved the Blue Mountain baked kibble and their canned.
Since then I have used any number of foods some which worked well, some which did so-so and others which were a bust.
We have had basset hounds, rottweilers, miniature bull terriers and now have a young 8 month old airedale.
We were feeding her an expensive fairly new big brand puppy food and she began to loose coat. We changed to Kirkland Puppy and lo and behold the hair is coming back. She maintains good weight and we do free feed. She is not a glutton which helps. Just my two “sense” worth.

[Kristin C]

Have you looked at Zignature dry or canned food? Also, this might sound strange (but I feed my dogs raw), have you thought about feeding her pancreas? Like cures like philosophy. I tried it with heart and one of my dog’s heart murmur is almost gone. Just a thought, you could cook it and top her food.

[crazy4cats]

I finally found a food that my dogs do very well on that is affordable and easily available in my area. I’m sticking with both dry and wet WEF unless I start to see changes in it. Like I’ve stated before, Purina already dominates the grocery store type foods. I don’t think it would benefit them to lower Merrick’s standards. I certainly hope they are gonna be fine!!

[Pitlove]

You have to convert the wet food to a dry matter basis to get the actual reading of how much protein it is. Meaning the moisture has to be factored OUT.

[Peter H]

Greetings. First time poster here.

We just switched vets and asked him about how much dry food protein for our 14 y/o, 60# mix, who is in good health now. His reply was 26-28%.

So….Slobbermouth gets a scoop of dry and a 1/2 can of wet, AM and PM. Our Taste of the Wild Dry and Ziwi Peak dry lamb are about 32% protein. The wet she gets is around 10%.

Does this add up to 42% protein…or because she gets about equal portions of each….a lesser amount of protein ? (Maybe 21%) ?

Thanks

[Anonymous]

Did the vet do an x-ray to rule out an obstruction? If it was my dog I would go along with the blood work and other tests, a multitude of things can be ruled out.
Otherwise, I would keep the diet simple, if it is stress related it will resolve on it’s own.
Maybe a quality dry food, with a tablespoon of canned or cooked chicken breast (chopped up) as a topper…maybe add a splash of water.
I like Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea for dry and wet, Newman Organics has Grain Free Beef & Liver (no grains) canned that seems to be easy to digest.
Wysong is worth looking into. What does your vet recommend?
Good luck

PS: I have used prescription foods when recommended by a vet and noticed no adverse effects, it just seemed bland and boring to my dogs, from what I could tell 🙂
Also, at age 6 (7 is considered a senior) a blood panel would not be a bad idea.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by Anonymous.

[Paula W]

Hi everyone…. I have a six-year-old Shih Tzu boy (ChewieBahka) who has been having tummy troubles for about a month now. I’ve taken him to the vet twice in the past few weeks and the vet feels he may have colitis. I was given Forti Flora to add to his meal, Metronidazole (antibiotic), and Cerenia for his diarrhea. I fed a bland diet of chicken with rice. By day two of the meds he was feeling noticeably better, and didn’t need the anti-diarrheal.

He had previously been eating Hill’s Rx Science Diet D/D Egg and Rice kibble. I do not like this food at all. My other dog, my girl Lhasa Apso mix, Coco Latte’, (who I will post about later) was put on this food. I was told it was ok for Chewie to eat it also. (Really mad at myself for not researching into that further.)

His symptoms are as follows:

* Diarrhea – (Not watery, but not well-formed….almost like a cow patty.)
* Trembling (which I believe is due to the cramping he feels in his tummy)
* Periodic lack of appetite (He’s a foodie, so this is unusual!)
* Lethargy

His fecal sample was tested and the lab results saw nothing bad with it.
Temperature is normal. No dehydration. No vomiting. Chewie is about 1/2 a pound overweight, and has a very good appetite 95% of the time. He’s an active, happy, curious litte boy, but when his tummy is bothering him, lethargy sets in.

I was afraid that he may have eaten something in the back yard, and spent two days pulling every single thing I wasn’t sure about out of the ground. (Believe it or not, Chewie enjoys “gardening”. He watched me pulling weeds one day, and he mimics what he sees. He does eat them sometimes.)

I also think that stress contributes to whatever the problem is. My husband “threw me away last December”, and it was very unexpected. As you can imagine, depression/stress for me are very high. I know it transfers over onto my dogs. Coco handles stress pretty well, but Chewie is more of a gentle soul and it’s harder on him. Also, having nowhere else to go, I became a full-time caregiver to my mother who has dementia (a lot more stress.)

The meds helped, but his symptoms returned today (about two weeks later). The vet advised that if this happened we should look into doing blood work and changing his diet. He also suggested pumpkin and a high fiber dog food. I was wondering if anyone has had similar troubles with their dog, (or a diagnosis of colitis) and what you found helpful. I just want my little boy to feel better, and I’m open to all suggestions you might have for us.

I want to feed him the best possible food I can. What’s the best possible commercially prepared food I can offer him? Is canned food better? Dry? Raw or freeze dried? Should I home cook? I have a million +1 questions and would value your insights.
Thanks in advance.

[Bobby dog]

Hi Ashley:
My dog is six, can eat anything, and has no health issues other than a tendency to gain weight during hot weather months. For canned foods I only take brands, ingredients, calories, proteins, and GA’s into consideration. I feed whatever recipe fits the bill regardless of what is on the label, puppy, small/large breed, Sr., etc. I try to feed foods with a fat to protein ratio of 50% or less; equal calories coming from fat and protein or more from protein than fat. For example, a recipe that is 4% fat and 8% protein would be ideal for him, 7% fat – 8% protein not so much. Some of the f-p ratios I feed can be up to 70% which is okay at this time since I rotate foods.

My budget foods are Tractor Supply Company 4Health – Turkey & Sweet Potato, Beef & Veg stews, or Sr. Chicken & Rice recipes, Triumph Puppy or Turkey recipes, BJ’s Earth’s Pride Chicken & Rice, and Wal-Mart Pure Balance Stews.

Here are some brands to check out that I currently feed or have fed:
Blue Buffalo Home-style, by Nature (no 95% recipes), California Natural, Canidae Pure Sky or Foundations, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Eagle Pack, Halo Spot’s Stew or Spot’s Choice recipes, Holistic Select, Hill’s Ideal Balance stews, Lotus, Nature’s Recipe canned or tubs, Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed recipes, Precise, Purina Pro Plan Natural recipes, Purina Beyond, Red Barn stews, Tiki Dog, Wellness – Core, Simple, Complete Health, or Stew recipes, and Weruva Human Style or Dogs in the Kitchen recipes only (Kobe/Kurobuta recipes are canned by Evanger’s).

Low fat recipes; most are available at my local stores. I order Life’s Abundance from their website. Generally I find stews to be higher in protein and lower in fat, but not always. These are between 12-20% fat and below 25% carbs on a dry matter basis using their label info:
Fromm’s Shredded Beef
I and Love and You Stews
Life’s Abundance Turkey & Shrimp or Chic & Crab stews
Nature’s Recipe Pure Essentials LID GF Chic/Broth or GF Lamb/Broth
Nature’s Recipe Pure Essentials tubs LID Duck or LID Venison
Nature’s Recipe tubs GF Chic & Duck in broth or GF Chic & Venison in broth
Nature’s Recipe tubs Chicken in broth or Chic & Turkey in broth
Nature’s Recipe GF Chic & Turkey stew or Chic & Venison Stew
Purina Beyond GF stews
Red Barn Beef Stew
Tiki Dog – Kauai Luau, Lahaina Luau, Maui Luau, or Tonga Luau recipes
Weruva – Marbella Paella, Bed & Breakfast, or Paw Lickin’ Chicken recipes
Wellness Core Weight Management

These are 22-25% fat and below 25% carbs DMB:
Halo Sr. Beef
Merrick Golden Years Medley
Nutro Natural Choice LID Sr.
Precise Holistic Pork w/veg in gravy
Red Barn Chic, Turkey, or Steak & Egg stews
Wal-Mart Pure Balance stews
Wellness Stews

Here are some freeze dried/frozen commercial raw and dehydrated foods I feed. I use the same guidelines for these foods:
I and Love and You dehydrated Turkey (I also want to try the Beef and Chicken)
Nature’s Variety Raw Frozen Beef, Lamb, and Venison
Primal FD Turkey & Sardine, Frozen Venison, and frozen Turkey & Sardine
Stella & Chewy’s FD Chicken

Here is some info you might find helpful:
/choosing-dog-food/canned-or-dry-dog-food/
/dog-feeding-tips/how-much-dog-food/
/canine-nutrition/low-fat-dog-food/
/choosing-dog-food/dry-matter-basis/
/choosing-dog-food/raw-dog-food-fat/
http://www.dogaware.com/diet/freshfoods.html
Carb calculator:
http://www.scheyderweb.com/cats/catfood.html

[Angel76736]

I have an American Bulldog who has skin issues and I am on a very limited budget. I need help finding a good dry dog food that will help with sensitive skin but can stay within my budget. Right now I have two dogs, both are a bit older. My Bulldog is 7 and my Pitbull is 10. My Pitbull has no issues other then age related such as her arthritis. I am currently getting a 50lb bag of dry dog food for about $25 and would like to stick in that range as I am disabled with no other income. They are currently eating Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition Chicken Flavored dry food. Any information is helpful. Thank you for your time. ~Angel

[Susan]

Hi, its good you now know what the problems is, yes the Hills W/d is low in protein-19.2% & low in fat-8.7% & very high in insoluble fiber-28.1% crude fiber-16.4% & low in soluble fiber-1.3%
….The only other thing you could do is write down the Hills W/d kibble insoluble fiber soluble fiber, crude fiber are then email a few kibble companies & ask about their weight management kibbles & see if you can find a kibble as close to the W/d & mix some of the
weight management kibble thru with the Hills W/d to get the higher protein & better ingredients…..but wait until he’s doing firm poos & is stable on the Hills W/d first before trying anything new….
I’m mixing Earthborn Ocean Fusion Natural with Patches Royal Canine Intestinal low fat at the moment to keep his weight on…..its hard to find a premium kibble in Patches case that has low fat & is also low in fiber, the weight loss kibbles normally are low in fat but high in crude fiber that’s where you may find a weight management kibble that is close to the Hills W/d kibble, I know the Earthborn weight Control kibble has 9% crude fiber so email Earthborn & ask what is the insoluble & soluble % in their Weight Control kibble, as you have to feed the Hills W/d for the rest of his life & the ingredients aren’t that great & see what Earthborn or other kibble companies email you back then that way you will have 2 kibbles you know he can eat if anything ever happens & you can’t get the Hills W/d…. I’m running out of kibbles to try now I have maybe 2 premium kibble left to try, I’ve tried most of them but I live Australia you have more dogs in America & have a bigger range of dog food companies to choose from…

My boy has Colitis from food intolerances to certain foods & high fat foods & was pooing blood & pooing jelly poos or the poo looks like a condom on the poo, when I first rescued him I was feeding him cooked meals, kibbles & wet tin foods I didn’t know about wet tin foods being higher in fat if it say’s 5% fat that’s around 22% fat when converted to dry matter (Kibble) then he can’t eat boiled rice but he can eat the grounded rice in kibbles,
it does your head in sometimes…. you’ll have to be careful when you introduce a new food just add 1 new food at a time with his kibble for 2 weeks to make sure he’s not having a reaction to the new food like diarrhea or bloody poos jelly poos condom poos then after trying the new food for 2 weeks & if he’s right then introduce another new food, have you tried sweet potatoes..Sweet potatos are higher in insoluble fiber I found this list to copy & keep it tells you what is high in soluble & insoluble fibers http://www.healthhype.com/list-of-high-fiber-foods-soluble-and-insoluble-fiber-chart.html
Earthborn Weight Control kibble http://www.earthbornholisticpetfood.com/us/dog_formulas/weight_control/ingredients.php

[Ashley W]

The budget isn’t really a concern. I wish I had the time to do the raw food but I don’t even cook for myself anymore. I’ve just been doing research on dry food and what I’ve found makes me sick. I want something that is going to be good for them. I’ve had dogs my entire life and I’ve always fed them pedigree. I know… I know… I’m just looking for the best option.

[Lilian B]

I think my boxer’s skin condition may be due to food allergy. His stool is sometimes also loose. He is currently getting Blue Buffalo Wilderness red meat and Weruva Jammin Salmon. From my research, a lot of hypoallergenic food contain salmon. Is that the least allergenic meat? What about rice? Even though he’s getting grain-free, as another post said, food still contain carbohydrates like potatoes. Which vegetable(s) are less allergenic?

[Yorkieville]

Hi, Ashley.
I feed my 3.5# Yorkie canned food. Dr. Karen Becker has a video, and she discusses the best foods for dogs.
#1 Raw
#2 Excellent Quality Canned
#3 Dehydrated Raw

Last on the list is Dry Food.
“Many pet owners mistakenly believe dry food cleans their dog’s or cat’s teeth. That’s a myth. Dry, crunchy kibble doesn’t clean your pet’s teeth any better than granola or crackers clean yours. ”

I’ve had Yorkie’s for 34 years. It wasn’t until my late Yorkie’s, Sweet Sydney and my precious little Kia, were older, that I learned the best food for them was canned.

My Yorkie is 16 months old now & has the cleanest white teeth.

[Anonymous]

If you soak dry food overnight in water in the fridg (2-3 day batch) it is okay as a base, then add a spoonful of chopped cooked chicken breast, lean meat or chicken liver.
Occasional canned food as a topper instead. Maybe a little dry kibble as a treat now and then.
It’s all good.
My senior does well on Wysong Senior. My other dogs (one with allergies) does best on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea.

Don’t free feed…..see General Guidelines for tips : http://www.homeovet.net/dynamic/php/downloads/dog-c8470f2c75dbe4b683205c3919ee2310/dog_diet_complete.pdf
Hope this helps.
Oh, and brush their teeth once a day, see Youtube for how to videos.

This has been what works for me.

[Lisa F]

Thanks for your reply. My pet store gave me sample bags I think of every dry food Signature makes! Call us strange, but I plan to put a few kibbles of each out and see which one he goes to first. With the Fromm we always fed him two different flavors mixed and switched up when one was empty.

[Ashley W]

I’ve been doing some research and have found that canned food seems to be better than dry food. Any opinions would be great 🙂
I have a 25 lb 7 year old male neutered Mullin’s Feist and a 32 lbs 4-5 year old female spayed mixed breed (he is ideal, she is overweight). I’m looking to feed them a better food. Currently they are eating Purina One Smart Blend dry.

[Lisa F]

Looking to switch from Fromm to Zignature or Now. I did not see Zignature on your Editors pick and wonder why and how you choose something FOR your picks, even if it has a 4.5 rating. Our dog was just hospitalized for constant vomiting, after x-rays, blood work, nothing serious thank God, but while we wean him back on to dry food, thought we would change it (my boyfriend read ONE thing bad about Fromm), but I told him it’s okay to change, and it’s a good time to since we have to do it slowly. Any comments on Zignature or Now (Acana doesn’t give our pet store samples) would be greatly appreciated.

[Susan]

Hi Xavier G, my boy gets the red in between his toes & red just after the big pad, he gets it when he eats kibbles with corn & maybe chicken? he was put on a vet diet for his IBD Eukanuba Intestinal, the Eukanuba Intestinal helped his IBD & he was pooing firm poos but got real red toes & paws, vet kept saying grass allergies, then I changed his kibble to a Gluten, Dairy, Sugar & Potato free, fish kibble & his paws cleared up within 2 days, so I looked at the ingredients in the Eukanuba Intestinal & it had to of been either the Gluten corn, Maize or the chicken……just before bed I was putting Cortic-DS 1% cream hydrocortisone acetate 10mg/g you buy over the counter at chemist, I was putting cream in between his toes with a cotton tip & on the fur/skin just after his big pad, then I was putting on socks, when he’d wake up in the morning his paws would be all clear, no red in between his toes or red about the big pad, then I’d feed him the Eukanuba Intestinal kibble for breakfast, then go on his morning walk come home & he’d start licking & licking his paws, I’d look & his paws would be red again, finally worked out it was his kibble, he was sensitive to an ingredient….. also I’d bath in the Malaseb Medicated shampoo when his paws were red it helped his paws ……
I’d change his kibble to a limited ingredient kibble with a different protein (Fish) & carb (Brown rice) something he hasn’t eaten before….. I find limited ingredient kibbles with brown rice work the best for Patch & bathing his paws/body in the Malsaeb shampoo, I think Walmart sell an antifungal/anti bacterial dog shampoo with the same ingredients as the Malaseb but I can’t remember the name, it started with a M cause a lady was saying how they have the same ingredients & is cheaper & helped her dogs red paws…….
The Antibiotics will not fix the red paws, not if he’s reacting to a food ingredient…also fish oil capsules or give some sardines in spring water as a treat…
if you cant afford the California Natural Lamb & Rice try the “Racheal Rays Nutrish Just 6” Lamb Meal & Brown rice sold at Walmart http://nutrish.rachaelray.com/dog/dry-food/just-6-lamb-and-brown-rice … its gluten free, corn, wheat, soy, free, no preservatives, byproducts fillers etc …

[Xavier G]

Hello Susan, the antibiotic is because inbetween his paw digits he has a bad alergic reaction to what we do not know yet. As for the soft stool I feel like it started when we got the new pup. (althoug it can just be coincedental) So we have been feeding him Natural Balance since he was a pup and around 2 months ago we got a new puppy, i noticed his stool soft around that time. But we were also looking to change his food around the same time because we were trying to save money since we now had a second dog. So we started him on Diamond Naturals and his poop stay soft and maybe even got a lil softer. I may have transitioned it to soon but idk. So then we took him in for his regualr yearly visit and mentioned it to vet. The vet prescribed I/D prescription food for the soft stools, she said it should help. The antiobotic is for the redness in between his toes. i thnk it might be infected or just bad enough she wanted to prescribe antiobotic. and i think she said his poop could be soft because of the irritation in the toes so thats that. So i dont know what to do. His poops is still soft and his toe are still red but we were also not giving him the correct amount of meds so we are going to start giving him his (two) doses starting tomorrow. I just want to get his poop normal and his poor paws back to normal. Not to mention his dry cracked nose. (luckily we have a great cream, ointment for that) but as for the other things were still working on the them w not much luck. I will look into your recommended food more in detail. i need to find a food that will help him or maybe its not the food idk anymore.

[Missie]

Hello,

I’ve tried giving both my dogs a probiotic and both got sick from it. I purchased VetriScience Vetri-Probiotic everyday chews from chewy.com. I have a 1 1/2 year old beagle and a 14 week old beagle puppy. I talked to my vet about a probiotic and she thought it was a great idea. I’ve given the probiotic just once after a meal. 1 chew for my 1 1/2 year old and a half of a chew for the 14 week old as the directions indicated and gave them the chew after one meal. I feed 3 times a day and they got the probiotic on their second meal of the day. After their final meal of the day, they both vomited. I feed the 1 year old Earthborn Holistic Meadow Feast dry food and the puppy get Wellness Core puppy dry food.

Upon looking at the ingredients for both dry foods I noticed that they do contain similar ingredients to the probiotic and if maybe that caused them to get sick? I’m wondering if maybe someone else has ran into this issue because I’ve never heard of dogs getting sick after having a probiotic.

Thanks!
Missie

[Michael C]

Check out Lotus Pet Foods, they have some formulas that are low in phosphorus, such as their grain-free fish formula that only has .77% phosphorus. They also bake their foods, as opposed to extrude them, so you don’t have to feed as much as you do extruded foods (according to their web site). http://www.lotuspetfoods.com/dry-dog-recipes-nutrient-table/

[Heatherly C]

We are looking for an affordable meat based dry dog food. Is it reasonable to think we can find one for less than 2.00 per pound?

[chris]

Hello again,

Recently a family member of mine had decided to adopt a Old English Bulldog. Now I’ve tried helping them a ton of the matter of what he should be fed and how to keep a healthy weight amongst so many other things. However, they can’t decide on a basis dry food for him. They apparently researched online on several sites that are about and for English Bulldogs and have read that Diamond or Blue is the best and proper food for Bulldogs. I have argued this statement only because yes they might be good foods (opinions very) However that does not mean it is the proper food for any species of dog.

I gave them several of the top 5 star brands that I am sure would probably be great far as Orijen, Acana, Natures Variety, Merrick’s, Wellness Core. Though they seem to can’t afford those type of foods, so they’re looking for more of a cheaper route to go. Especially since this is not the only dog they have. They have 5 dogs total to feed.

Also for canned food they were feeding Pedigree and Gravy Train very very cheap foods that almost made me cry inside after hearing about it. I finally got them to switch to Tractor supplys brand 4 health which is still cheap but way better then most cheap canned foods.

Any help or recommendations to let them aware of would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Raquel A]

Hello everyone!

My name is Raquel Astacio and I run Doggy’s Digest along with my boyfriend, Alexis. We are a site dedicated to thoroughly covering the topic of probiotics for dogs. I originally reached out to Dog Food Advisor to see if we could contribute a post; unfortunately they do not accept any but did say we can post in the forums.

Many dog owners are not aware about canine probiotics and our mission at Doggy’s Digest is to help increase awareness. I am posting the original article that I was going to contribute to Dog Food Advisor. If this is an inconvenience or violates guidelines, please do let me know. If you find the content informative and have questions, please let me know and I will be more than happy to answer! Thank you.

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The Benefits of Canine Probiotics

For years now, we as humans have been learning the many health benefits of probiotics. Just like humans, dogs need healthy food, plenty of exercise, vitamins, and probiotics in order to be in optimum health. Probiotics are bacteria and live yeasts that improve overall health, especially in regards to our digestive systems. We usually think of all bacteria as being harmful and causing diseases. When we hear the word “bacteria” we think of antibacterial products and antibiotics that we use to destroy unhealthy bacteria.

So why would we want to willingly ingest or feed something to our dogs that has live bacteria in it? The answer is that digestive systems naturally consist of a correct balance of both “good” and “bad” bacteria. Illnesses, diet, medications, and our environment can upset this balance that is needed to stay healthy. The bacteria from probiotics is healthy bacteria. The microorganisms in probiotics are actually alive. They produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which inhibit the growth and activity of harmful bacteria. They can greatly improve a host’s gut and overall health when ingested in the proper amounts.
Probiotics are a relatively new, healthy trend in the dog and pet industry. People are realizing how essential it is to provide their pets with healthy supplements to their diet. Probiotics promote a healthy gastrointestinal system and intestinal balance in your dog. The healthy bacteria can also build up the immune system.

Veterinarians prescribe probiotics for many different conditions. They are recommended for dogs who suffer from SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), chronic diarrhea, auto-immune disorders, skin problems, irritable bowel, and intestinal infections like Giardia and Clostridia. They may even reduce allergic reactions and prevent urinary tract infections.

Once you have decided to provide your dog with probiotics, how do you choose which kind to use? It is first important to make sure that you are getting a quality product. New canine probiotics are being advertised all the time and dog food brands are adding probiotics to their foods. The challenge is that dog probiotics, like all probiotics, are live cultures that are unstable in their active states (yogurts or liquid-containing products). When exposed to extreme conditions, much of the bacteria can die off and lose their beneficial properties before reaching the intestine. This is the case for a lot of canine probiotics. This means that you need to choose a quality brand that has taken these things into account and are not just cheap probiotics added to a brand for marketing purposes.

It is first important to check the kinds and amounts of probiotic strains and amount of CFU in the probiotic. Look for 2-4 billion CFU and 8 or less strains of bacteria. Significantly less CFU may not provide any added benefits to your dog’s diet, and much higher CFU and a high number of strains may be indicators of possible harmful combinations.

Probiotics come in various forms: maintenance, intermediate, and concentrated. Maintenance probiotics are usually in powder or granule form and are used to combat everyday stress such as changes in environment or being left alone. Intermediate probiotics are usually powders and fed to your dog daily to deal with chronic stress and digestive issues. Finally, concentrated probiotics come in pastes or liquids and are temporarily used for the duration of a pet’s illness.

For everyday uses, probiotics in dry form are good options to consider. These provide a healthy and convenient option for dog owners. They contain stabilized strains of bacteria that will come back to life once they have reached the dog’s stomach. They then move to the intestines and multiply hundreds of times. Since they are not in an unstable, liquid form, they do not require refrigeration. It is simple to sprinkle these probiotics on your dog’s food.

Freeze-dried probiotics are another viable option. These probiotic microorganisms do not lose any of their potency or viability until they are mixed with water. This will happen naturally during digestion.

Whichever probiotic product you choose, you must be sure to store and use them properly. If you are using powder or granules, keep them closed and dry until feeding time. You may freeze dried forms once, but they may not be repeatedly frozen and thawed. If you choose a paste or liquid form, it must be refrigerated but cannot be frozen. Lastly, follow label instructions for proper dosage. Canine probiotics can be a wonderfully healthy addition to your dog’s diet and improve their vitality for years to come.

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Please let me know if you have any questions. I hope you enjoyed the post!

• This topic was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by Raquel A.
• This topic was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by Raquel A.
• This topic was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by Raquel A.

[Pitlove]

Hi Anna- This is just my opinion and interpretation on grain free vs grain inclusive, but here it goes.

Dogs don’t have a high requirement if any for carbohydrates. They can break down carbs to be used as energy, but not as well as we do. Dogs derive energy better from animal proteins and fats. Dry kibble is always going to contain carbs because they are the binding source for the kibble. It could not retain it’s shape without a carb source. Grains have become demonized as a filler ingredient in dog food and so the pet food industry answered that with a new marketing plan; grain free dog food. It’s marketed as better for dogs with “allergies” and overall marketed as being superior to grain based foods.

My first problem with that is that resolving a dogs food allergies or more commonly their food intolerances can’t be done without knowing what they are intolerant to. If my dog is intolerant to chicken, but not rice, feeding a grain free chicken based food is not going to fix the intolerance.

Also, many people are under the impression that grain free means carb free. It does not. Grains are replaced by peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, lentils etc in grain free foods. All of which are also things dogs can be intolerant to, but aren’t nessesarily. Same thing with rice, barley, oatmeal etc.

Grain free foods however, do have a tendency to have a higher meat content than grain based foods. That is not always the case though. Plenty of grain free foods are guilty of sacrificing meat content for carbs.

I know plenty of dogs including my own that do just as well on grain based foods, as they do on grain free. I’m currently feeding a grain based food, however I’ve fed both, mainly grain free. Some people don’t feel comforable feeding grain based foods. I don’t care because to me they are getting carbs either way, which they don’t need in their diet. I consider all carbs to be filler ingredients.

Again this is my opinion and lots of people will disagree, but I thought I’d share my perspective.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by Pitlove.

[Anna S]

Could someone explain to me the benefit of grain-free dry dog food? I see that many manufacturers offer this alternative to their regular dry food. Do some dogs do better on a grain-free diet? Thank you.

[Steve M]

Reading Dr. Mercola’s website where she says that one should not buy any pet food that is not labeled “okay for human consumption”. Does anyone know on any for dogs (dry)?

[Pitlove]

Are you against feeding grain inclusive foods? That could be a good option if you aren’t.

This is what my dog eats and its grain inclusive, but no peas or pea fiber: /dog-food-reviews/fromm-dog-food-gold-nutritionals-dry/

a lot of grain-free foods use peas as the carb source in replacement for grains.

[Brooke B]

Hi All,
I have a 7 month old Golden- about 3 months ago he randomly started having diarrhea and continues to have very soft stools. We have tried taking away all bones and treats and it had no affect, we’ve tried a few new ones as well. We also switched to a higher quality food and tried adding fiber and didn’t see much of a change either. The vet has tested for parasites (which I’ve heard can be hard to detect), worms, blockage, ect. and is now recommending a prescription bland dry dog food.

I know it sounds like many changes but it has happened over a a few months and has been a slow process.. some stools get slightly better but never completely normal..So, now I’m stuck and feel awful for him as he probably never feels 100% with an upset stomach.

Anyone else had this issue and not been able to find the cause? Any suggestions or recommendations are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Howard C]

Is anyone aware of a high quality grain free dry food that does NOT contain peas or pea fiber. I have a Golden that seems to be sensitive to these ingredients.

[Pitlove]

They can’t be sold to customers or given to customers or even staff, but they can be donated. I’m guessing that a supermarket manager probably doesn’t think about donating to shelters. We’ve given past expiration canned food and dry food to shelters with no issue.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by Pitlove.

[roxanna s]

hi,
Penelope, 10 yr old Chihuahua shithzu mix, has short hair like Chihuahua, 13 lbs, has been eating acana ranchland. On her 3rd 15 lb bag. She does not have fleas but she itches and has small dry red irritated areas on chest and legs. Not real bad but noticeable.
She rolls on her back a lot to scratch her back. She even uses whatever she can push up against that will serve as a back scratcher, she seems miserable sometimes.
Could it be the food? What do you recommend for a 10 year old couch potato that’s rather finicky. I would like to know of some canned foods that could be used to mix in the kibble to make it more palatable. thanks

[Bobby dog]

Hi t.n:
Sounds like there are allot of empty bellies at the shelter and eating a food with corn would be the least of their problems IMO. Since you are not in the states the foods you mentioned likely have different ingredients than they do here anyway. A food like Acana might cause digestive upset for some depending on the food they currently feed, but it does sound like any food is better than nothing.

If the shelter is in extreme distress as you have written, I personally would want to donate more of a volume in hopes it would feed more. I would try to find something within your budget that does not have chemical preservatives (bha, propylene glycol) dyes (added colors, iron oxide, titanium dioxide), or meat and bone meal if possible. Visiting clinics to see what your options are is a good idea. Check out prices and read the labels to see what brand has the least DFA “red flagged” ingredients.

I have several Pro Plan formulas (wet and dry) in my dog’s rotation, he does very well on them, and I have had great results in the past feeding PP to my JRT.

I am sure whatever you are able to donate will be greatly appreciated by the shelter and the dogs. They are lucky to have you thinking of their well being!

[pugmomsandy]

The Editor’s Choice list can change and previously Honest Kitchen has been on it. Their Zeal formula is the one that is highest in protein currently. You might also want to check out Grandma Lucy’s Pureformance freeze dried food. It rehydrates well. There are other dehydrated foods like Only Natural Pet MaxMeat or ZiwiPeak but I don’t know how they hydrate. Stella and Chewy’s and Primal freeze dried seem to hydrate well (although I serve mine dry).

[Norene D]

We have been feeding our dogs Diamond Brand Naturals Lamb and Rice for several years. We thought we were doing the right thing by purchasing a kibble that was off the shelf…and not loaded with corn. Our border collie/german shepherd mix who is two now, recently started having some skin issues. We did a process of elimination and the only thing left was the dry dog food. We have a good veterinarian, but I am well aware of the expense of lots of testing that she would want to do. I’m also aware that skin issues can be derived from many different things. So, I did some research on our dry dog food. I learned that they recently changed their formula a little and learned that alot of people had dogs with very similar issues. So now, we have determined that we need to change their food. I’ve been on this website many times over the years, but I’m determined to wittle this down somehow and find a good dog food that isn’t terribly expensive. I belong to a Facebook group for GS/BC mix and I posed the question to them. I got some good responses, but still too many choices. I’m leaning toward a dog food that is made in Canada as opposed to the U.S. Why? Just a hunch. So I would like to pose the question here as well. Is it the Diamond Dog Food? And what should I feed my girl. I live in a rural area and our shopping choices are few. But I did get recommended to petflow.com, so I may have to do my purchasing through them.

[Richard R]

Life’s Abundance All Stage Dry Dog Food

[DogFoodie]

I recently organized a donation drive for my local shelter.

One of the items they needed most was HE laundry detergent. The other much needed item was/is cash for medical care.

Also, the shelter uses one specific brand of food that they buy from a local feed / garden type store. It’s some horrible disgusting brand of food that’s full of grain, but they keep the dogs on the same food the whole time they’re at the shelter. I don’t like it, but it’s what they use. So rather than donating bags of food to them, I collected cash donations and went to the feed store and bought a gift card. The shelter gets a discount on their purchases at the feed store and they’re tax-exempt. So, it just made more sense to be able to give them a gift card which when redeemed by them goes much further than my dollars would if I had made the purchase.

[Robin W]

My small jack russell Clairibel & medium rat terrier Buzzy are currently eating Merrick Grain Free Beef & Sweet Potato (dry), with Merrick Wing Lings (grain free, canned)– both are 5 Star. Also my grown son feeds his Golden/Newfie the same. But since Nestle Purina (who also are Koch Brothers companies) bought Merrick, we’re heartbroken. Trust issues big time with Purina, Nestle also has ethical issues (google Nestle & water), and well, google Koch Brothers, I prefer food without a big old dose of politics lol.

Deby G, I recommend Merrick canned at least until this deal takes effect, then I would as I said before, have severe trust issues. Merrick has been great, but Purina OWNS them. It’s like they married Cruella. Otherwise I would have stayed with Merrick forever. I bought a ton of the canned Thanksgiving Dinner & Wing Lings before the buyout. My son & I used to joke that if there was an apocalypse, we’d split up the canned dog food & just sprinkle some seat salt on our share. Maybe hot sauce on our Wing Lings.

I am leaning toward Orijen Adult for the switch; I’m going for the smallest amount of fish (we get our water from the Savannah River & even though I filter it for the dogs & us, at the least humans in the house may already be radioactive from showering…).

Am going to look into Life’s Abundance also, haven’t yet.

Curious about how everyone feels about Purina buying Merrick.

[Luisa P]

Wow, that baby is beautiful. Kudos to you for rescuing this baby. Now there is a wonderful dog DNA test that I did on my adopted dog. The test I did with the best reviews is the Wisdom Panel DNA, it was awesome!! As for the food, the more I read the more I read the more I don’t care for dry kibble, especially because of having a Dalmatian who has very special dietary needs. I was feeding a food high in protein to my bigger dogs since they are more active and was giving the same to my little dogs and after a few months it gave them (all the little guys) horrible breath, they literally all started to smell as if they were eating dog poop (which I know they didn’t). So, I have decided to make my own food using rice, healthy veggies, and gluten free pasta. I also make home made bone broth. I am currently using half the amount of kibble then before and the rest home made food. I also make sure my kibble is grain free, have had too many allergy problems with a previous dog and don’t care to have any of my other babies suffer like that.

[InkedMarie]

Hi Joanna,
If I were you, I’d try the Annamaet first. It’s one of my favorite dry foods. I have a 5yr old brittany!

[Anonymous]

“So what I’m wondering is what can I do to improve all my puppies health? Should I start making homemade puppy food? What supplements and flea medicines should I be giving them? They have to be on a leash outside so do you have any fun exercises I can do with them? Any other advice you want to give me, especially towards the new puppy”?

I think you should ask your vet these questions when you see him. He looks like he may be a small breed mix, dachshund? There is a dog dna test you could try when things get settled, if you must know.
Puppies do well with 3 or 4 small meals a day, soft and dry mixed with water. They sleep, play and eat…..see if he will play fetch? Carry him to the area you would like him to use as the bathroom every 2 hours so he will get the idea.

[chris]

Red has given many great suggestions towards taking steps on helping you provide better care. I have a beagle as well and you can check my thread out I had made a few months back as my beagle was abused and also has very bad stomach issues with constipation.

Suggestions I found that worked the best is definitely finding a great substance and well balanced food. I have been feeding Merrick’s Back Country for the past 4 months (basically since they came out with it) and he enjoys it. The thing that helps the most is what you give him with it. I have my beagle on a schedule of different things to help with his constipation. I also feed him about 2 cups of canned food on top of his dry food.

1 TBS Coconut Oil twice a week
1 TBS pumpkin organic, or sweet potato once a day
2 TBS Kefir, cottage cheese, plain yogurt every few days

The coconut oil will help with allergies, skin issues, and constipation.
Pumpkin and Sweet potato have several health benefits, vitamins and are high in fiber
Kefir, yogurt, both bave natural prebiotics and probiotics for the stomach

Other things I give him once in a while are:
Sardines or any fish cooked
swanson soil based organisms
Cheese cut up into bite size pieces
Canned Green Tripe

Now far as the legal issues go, I do agree with red that you might want to look into that as something could be done. Especially since the fireman himself was speeding. Hope this helps though and keep us updated on how things work out for ya!

[Joanna Y]

I’m looking for a lean dry dog food that is not chicken based.
I currently have my 2 dogs on the Annamaet Lean – which has great reviews – but I think they are allergic to chichen.

Any recommendations?

Thank you

[Sheryl P]

Has anyone used the NuVet vitamins and/or joint health supplements? I have been giving them to my almost 15 year old Aussie and my 5 year old Golden Retriever for about 3 weeks now. The Aussie’s joints seem to be not quite so stiff now. He had actually stopped swimming with my Golden about 6 months ago and has just in the last week started getting back in the water. My Golden is prone to hot spots because he practically lives in the water year round (we live on a farm surrounded by ponds and creeks) so his fur stays damp pretty much all day until I dry him off to come in at night! I can honestly say he has not had a outbreak since he started on these supplements. Just wondering if anyone else had used them and what kind of results they were having. I also have a 16 week old Aussie pup and was wondering at what point I should start joint supplements on him. He is on a premium puppy food (4.5 rated at DFA) so I’m not sure if he needs any supplements yet.