[arwyru24]

That is exactly what I was searching to find out, but I don’t believe that is the case. It looks to me as though they are no longer going to carry any of their lower end products. They seem to have most of their reset done at this point. It looks like they got rid of all the friskies and meow mix dry food, also cat chow and really cut down on the Purina one I think theyre only offering 2 varieties of ONE now and they reduced their Iams section. Maybe they do this every year, cause they were liquidating some of the Wellness pouches (these were all sold out by the time I got there and not even at a great discount) all the canned solid gold, they were getting rid of the Halo Shredded (I bought some, cats hate it so I understand why) also the Canidae lifestages cans the regular green, and purple indoor ones they were clearing out as well as the jumbo bag of the green Canidae Lifestages dry cat food, but they are keeping different sizes and varieties of these brands so I am not exactly sure. It definitely looks like it varies from store to store as far as when they start doing the sale cause at my store the dog stuff has been long done. So to answer your question….I have no clue….lol 🙂

[arwyru24]

Thanks guys, for some reason I don’t think I got mine, or I cant find it anyway and with gmail usually I can just use the search feature and find anything buried really easily. 🙁

Here is a link to PetSmarts store coupon for $5 off natural or specialty dry pet foods. If you don’t happen to need anything at the moment, they do have 4lb bags of Authority on sale for $5.99 so after the store coupon it comes to 99 cents which makes for a nice donation item. Personally, I am planning to stack this coupon with my wellness coupon if I can ever find it.

http://pets.petsmart.com/food-center/index.shtml

[tracy b]

hello every one I am a new member here and love that there is a discussion on large/giant breed food. I have 2 great dane males who are little mates (siblings) . they are 1 and 1/2 years old now. we have always fed them Royal Canine giant breed stages right now they are on the giant junior and will soon be transitioning over to adult food. I just had them to the vet yesterday to get their rabies shots and heath exam in preparation for neutering. my vet also owns a great dane so I feel lucky that my vet knows specifically about the breed and their potential heath problems. I always thought I had made good choices in their food and yesterdays appointment had them scoring perfectly on coat, growth, teeth, heart, etc. I feel a bit dismayed about some of the negative reports on the brand of food I have chosen its score of 2.5 stars and the comments on the ingredients leave me wondering if I have made a poor choice. we did try to switch twice once at 4 months and again at 8 months to other brands (blue and arcana) each time we tried they were not happy seemed to not like the flavor had bad gas and diarrhea although not too bad with the blue brand and I did switch very slow mixing the existing brand with the new gradually. it cost me $86.00 every 6 days to feed the boys a bag of dry food plus $9.00 in toppers. I just need to know I have made the right decision
thank you

• This topic was modified 11 years, 10 months ago by tracy b.

[William N]

HELP – we switched our 9 week old lab from the PPchow to WEF dry – did it over a week or so transitioning a little more each day. Been on WEF about 3 weeks and now have diarrhea. Used pumpkin, firmed her up, mixed WEF (grain inclusive)back in – stool getting soft again – soooo I am guessing she is sensitive to this food. (Stool free of worms etc.) Any other recommendations to try – at about same cost for food? Thanks.

[Tina]

So as an experiment I purchased a small bag of Wellness Simple Salmon and Potato and a matching can of wet food. Shadow, my finicky eater, loved the dry food but recently I added some wet food he completely turned his nose up. I offered the plain dry food again and he ate it up with some hesitation but not much (I think he thought the wet food was mixed in). On another occasion I purchased a can of Wellness Core Grain Free Turkey, Chicken Liver and Turkey Liver Formula. The very first time I gave him some of the wet food he loved it but the second time he turned his nose. Has anyone else tried Wellness wet food and if so do you have the same problem? Is the dry food better then the wet?

[Karen B]

Has anyone used products by Wondercide.com? My lab got fleas last month (Jax beaches) and then got tape worms. I had to put Advantix II on her to stop the fleas. I was waiting for my order from wondercide. After I sprayed the yard with the natural cedar, I used the indoor spray around the doors in my house but did not put any on my pup as she was on Advantix. Two days after spraying my yard (I did do it with full strength) my Lab’s eyes and whole face swelled up. Benedryl and a steroid shot later finally took the swelling down. In the meantime we had rotated to a different boost food from NV and gone swimming in the ocean. Not sure which of these things caused the swelling but the vet thought she possibly had gotten bite by something. Anyone ever go through this?

[Shawna]

I think maybe they just don’t know what to say to help but they want to try to make you feel better!! As I noted in my first post Dr. Dressler says tcbc is very treatable.

You also can’t beat yourself up over choices you’ve made up to this point or from this point forward. Everything we do, we do with our pups best interest in mind.. If you weren’t treating and she got heartworm you would have been kicking yourself for not giving her the preventatives. We all do the best we can with the information we have at the time. You simply can’t do better than that!!!

I definitely would hold off starting too many supplements (unless made from food) to make sure one doesn’t counter or have a negative reaction with another etc. My dad is a Master Herbalist and I know he would give me some guidance if needed — if some of the supps are herbal that is. The food ones (if therapeutic) I would introduce slowly so as not to initiate to fast of a healing. I also think it is VERY important for you to read Dr. Goldsteins chapter on the healing crisis in his book. Do you have a library close?

You can reach me any time tomorrow from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm Central time. Tomorrow is house cleaning / laundry day. We may go out for lunch or dinner but otherwise I’ll just be cleaning. Try to get some restful sleep tonight.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 10 months ago by Shawna.

[Akari_32]

Here’s a pic of the Beyer Shampoo and conditioner.

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/Akari53/CA1154BC-DD2C-40EA-9C0B-9A64DAD19FB6_zpsqr72vruz.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/Akari53/E2293B99-6B82-4F82-B2B5-B90729E10C5E_zpsdm63bdqf.jpg

Sorry about the glare in the second picture. The bathroom has overhead lights lol

As for food, I’ve decided to ditch kibble right now (Pure Balance Salmon lol), and stick with just THK. Right now I have Force open, so I’ll use that. At a half cup a day, dry, the three grain free sample boxes won’t last long. I don’t think I’ll use the grain inclusive one (oatmeal). I’ll use it for the other dogs. They don’t care, they just like to eat :p

I’ll look into those shampoos, and bother mom about getting him a vet appointment.

Forgot to add, I’d like to get him on Pure Balance 95% canned, but in order to do that, I have to sell mom on the idea, and make room by getting rid of the THK taking up space in the cabinet lol

• This reply was modified 11 years, 10 months ago by Akari_32.

[Susan]

With food allergies dogs can have hive like lumps over their body, red itchy skin & diarrhea & other symtoms, it doesnt happen straight after eating, can take a couple of days for the reaction to show, maybe he needs his fur trimmed as summer is coming up if ur in America..vets normally have real good shampoos & conditioners for dry skin, I found shampoos & matching conditioner with oatmeal have helped my boys skin..

[Omayra R]

Yeah, we gave him baths. I do need to get conditioner bc his hair gets so dry after washing. I figured it was the food bc I notice the scratch right after eating. He has so much hair. Hard to see his skin. I’ll try to look again.

[Omayra R]

Hello all.

My sister adopted a puppy last month and he is the first dog to be our family member. He will be 3 months old tomorrow (June 8th).

We were told to feed him dry mixed with wet 4 times a day, up until July 19th. After that, 3 times a day dry.

His dry is the Blue Buffalo holistic life protection brand, and his wet is Wellness for puppies. For training treats we have Organix peanut butter cookies and Fruitables pumpkin and apple flavor.

Now his poop is finally coming out solid, but at the end it’s a little mushy. From my understanding, poop must be solid and not that smelly. At first he was pooping diarrhea, but that was before he got his deworming shot. After the shot, no more diarrhea but would like it his poop to be more solid and a tad bit smelly. This morning he pooped a lot! He hasn’t pooped since. I asked my sister how often does he poop now and she hasn’t been paying attention, so bare with me. As I don’t live with my family and the dog. I stay over the weekends to watch over him. Since I have a more flexible schedule, I can take him to the vet etc.

I notice after he eats, he gets itchy. I’m wondering if he has any food allergies? I know this mix is prone to skin sensitivity. I want that itching to stop. Also read that tear stains are more proned to his food, not breed. We clean his eyes often but would to see that decrease. It’s not excessive though.

Can anyone here suggest me a new diet, please? I’m looking into the raw brand route but i’m not sure how many times a day with these foods. Sorry, this all so new to me.

I’m also in the process of looking for a well reputable holistic vet. I’m just do terrified of all the horror stories with vets and diets I’ve been reading online.

We want the very best for our little guy.

Thank you 🙂

[Susan]

Yes, Shasta 220 is right.. treating the outside is just as importatnt with dry itchy skin, you need a real good medicated shampoo that kills bacteria (yeast) I use Medicated Malaseb shampoo & bath every 5-7 days as soon as Patch starts his scratching its bath time…His feet are real bad at the moment cause we are having heaps of rain so I fill a shallow bath & put a couple of caps of Detol Antiseptic lotion in water & soak his feet they smell awful like corn, you can smell him when he sits next to me like a bad yeasty bread shop a real yukky yeasty smell, after I soaked his feet, then I washed his feet in some Medicated Malaseb shampoo the reddness has gone & he has stopped licking… so we’ll sleep tonight..try to get a medicated shampoo that kills bacteria of the skin.. with food low carbs no potatoes, sweet potatoes, any foods that converts to sugar are NO good as they make yeast… scratching can start the bacteria breeding & spreading, so bath weekly…. If you cant find Malaseb look for Paws (Pure Animal Wellbeing) Nutriderm Replenishing Shampoo & Conditioner for dry itchy skin.. I bath in the Malaseb shampoo then the Paws Conditioner, the conditioner u leave on their skin to moisturise & soften the skin..u’ll need to do this routine probably for the rest of his life even though they start to look real good & stop scratching you can then maybe bath fornightly, in winter Patches itch slows down, then when summer is back so is his seasonal allergies..

[Susan]

When I first rescued Patch he was having the rumbling bowel & blood in his stools vet said he had Colitis & I had to cut back on the fat % Patch was put on the Eukanuba Intestinal it has only 10% fat & 1.75% fiber the Eukanuba has helped, we’ve had no more rumbling bowel only when I tried mince meat he was up early hours of the morning & I could hear him coming he sounded like a car engine rumbling & grumbling.. so now I boil chicken breast & add some pumkin for breakfast, I put the cooked chicken & pumkin in a blender & munch up as Patch gulps his food this way Ive digested the chicken a bit for him. I also cant give any treats that are liver jerky treats this gives him diarrhea & the rumbling tummy… Ive been slowly trying Holistic Select Senior Chicken meal this kibble has oatmeal rice & pumkin so far so good.. I add water just to soften the kibble a bit so if he gulps & swollows the kibble whole its softer, just make sure u look at the fat% & the least ingredients the better, pumkin & oatmeal are really good on the stomach & bowel also the Eukanuba is a Low residue kibble that breaks up easy so is the Holistic Select kibbles easier on their digestion…..Chocolate would be high in fat hard fats….Also the Holistic Select Senior is high in Gluosamine supports healthy hips & joints. http://www.holisticselect.com/senior-dry-dog-food-chicken-meal-and-rice

[Kay G]

I am currently feeding Fromm GF dry & rotate the proteins. I also had in raw toppers once or twice a day. I have 3 Springers and 1 Cavalier. My oldest Springer (7) has numerous health issues which I have been told are immune related, one being bad allergies/yeast. He has had double ACL surgery, sees a chiropractor regularly and on supplements for his joints, immune system etc. but he just doesn’t seem “right”. After doing research, Nature’s Logic was suggested to me because it does not have the starchy carbs that feeds the yeast (potatoes, peas etc.) that is in the Fromm food. My only concern is the millet in the Nature’s Logic. I bought a bag of Chicken to try, so we will see how he handles it. I am also leaning toward switching the other three dogs over to Nature’s Logic mainly because it is easier for me to feed all four dogs the same thing….. does anyone have feed back on this they could share with me?

[Darryl C]

Hello,

I’ve been wondering if anyone could really explain the difference between dry dog food (kibble) and wet dog food (canned).
Is the wet dog food intended to be served one can at a time with nothing else? Or are you supposed to mix it with the dry?
Is that (not) recommended?
Thank you.

[Tina]

Anyone own a Golden Retriever? If so what do you feed yours? My Golden Retriever Angel is 8 years old and has these problems;
*dry skin
*itchy skin
*red skin
*weak hip and joints (she is on cohesion for this)
*sometimes over weight
*eats very fast
She is on Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Senior along with other small bags of stuff mixed in. She has only had chicken her entire life and as a younger puppy/adult was on;
*Eukanuba Puppy
*Purina Pro Plan Puppy
*Purina One Adult
*Hill’s Science Diet Large Breed Adult
*Royal Canine Golden Retriever
*Blue Buffalo Large Breed Senior
*Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Senior
None of these I was happy with and none of them did the trick except for Royal Canine (kinda). What can you suggest? I’m open to ANY suggestions, including all life stages dog food. My only thing is that I need it to be inexpensive, not cheap but not like $80 for a 24lb bag.

[Shasta220]

I only just skimmed through the posts, so I might be a replaying record – but if you’re not able to track a food suspect, it might be environmental allergies. I heard you mention mosquitoes – that’s very possible, also some dogs are sensitive to grass, pollen, etc.

Maybe try adding a little spoonful of raw organic LOCAL honey to his food daily and see if that eventually helps. I’ve heard of honey working miracles on itchy allergy dogs. If you want a “quick fix”, then you could try Benadryl (or the equivalent for dogs, I’m assuming you can find allergy tabs)

[Bobby dog]

Some signs of food intolerances are itchiness, dry skin, skin irritations (ex: hot spots), digestive issues, yeast infections in the ear, but there are many more signs as each dog is different.

[Terri P]

I have a precious 2 year old Rott male that has an overbite. I have been looking for a 5 star dry dog food that is smaller in size. Any ideas?

[Bobby dog]

Hey Akari:
That’s really good to read!!! Poor little guy. It is so nerve wracking when your fur baby is sick especially when you don’t really know the cause.

I suggest checking in with the Vet; it wouldn’t hurt to keep them up to date. They might give you some more instructions/suggestions to try no matter if he is the same or better. That way, if there is a need to take him in they know more about how he has been doing.

That’s great he likes coco oil. Mine don’t particularily care for it all the time. Archie eats it okay, the others sometimes. When they don’t eat it I just rub it on their fur. I am sure I have written this before, but any cats I get in the future will like and eat (with no issues, lol) pumpkin puree’, coco oil, never eat dry food, and never know the taste of fish. Pumpkin puree’ would be good for my kitty with hariball issues, but he smells it a mile away and would probably starve himself for a week rather than eat it. He is doing well with coco oil and daily brushings though, no hairballs since I began this routine. Oh well, like Jakes mom wrote, “when you know better, you do better.”

[lana S]

what about vital? It is a soft food that is not full of marketed ingredients and is a good source to use as a rotation or adding it to the dry your dog is already eating.

[pugmomsandy]

It depends on the size of the pug. They come in so many sizes now. I don’t have “standard” sized pugs, lol! My “normal size” pugs at age 6 eat 2/3 cup a day and weigh 22-24 lbs. My 10 yr old large pug eats a rounded 2/3 cup a day with treats and weighs 28-29 lbs. I’ve fed my “standard” sized fosters 2/3 cups a day. My 15 yr old xlarge (and I mean tall and long – showing some Mastiff traits) pug eats 1 cup day. I had a large female who looked optimal at 27-28 lbs as she was wideset – big head, chest and hips and short legs like a bulldog. And sometimes they get a little wet food on top of the kibble. If they were only eating kibble and canned regulary, they would get 1/3 can and 1/4 cup kibble. The younger ones I might feed 1 cup a day. For my personal ones, they eat such a variety. Dry and wet, raw and wet, just raw, just RMB.

This is one of my standard ones: looks great, but technically overweight (that’s why I don’t go by weight, I use body condition)

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

This is a regular and large pug:

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u651/pugmomsandy/pictures%20for%20posting/0bd6f2d9-225c-454e-9521-122834da060d_zps44b288af.jpg

Here’s what I mean when I say they aren’t just “standard” size anymore! These are both adults:

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u651/pugmomsandy/pictures%20for%20posting/dooceyboss_zps22223e38.jpg

I’ve had obese ones here. And guess what – I fed them 2/3 cup of kibble to get them down. I’ve had a 43 lb pug before too. Down here in my area, it’s too hot now for outdoor fun. No walking or dog parks until October.

[Tina]

Anyone own a Golden Retriever? If so what do you feed yours? My Golden Retriever Angel is 8 years old and has these problems;
*dry skin
*itchy skin
*red skin
*weak hip and joints (she is on cohesion for this)
*sometimes over weight
*eats very fast
She is on Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Senior along with other small bags of stuff mixed in. She has only had chicken her entire life and as a younger puppy/adult was on;
*Eukanuba Puppy
*Purina Pro Plan Puppy
*Purina One Adult
*Hill’s Science Diet Large Breed Adult
*Royal Canine Golden Retriever
*Blue Buffalo Large Breed Senior
*Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Senior
None of these I was happy with and none of them did the trick except for Royal Canine (kinda). What can you suggest? I’m open to ANY suggestions, including all life stages dog food. My only thing is that I need it to be inexpensive, not cheap but not like $80 for a 24lb bag.

[Bobby dog]

Hi ab1028:
I give unrefined organic coconut oil internally and also use it externally for both my dog and cats. Initially I used it to help alleviate and improve some skin conditions both had. Now I use it for maintenance to keep their skin and coat healthy and moisturized; I really like the results. I feed it a few times a week and apply externally to one cat that has dry skin patches.

The most improvement in their skin and coats came from changing and improving their diets. You wrote that you tried to limit food. One suggestion I have for you is to try dog foods with different proteins (and starches if you feed kibble) to see if it may be a protein (meat or plant source) that does not agree with your dog. Keep the ingredient lists of each food and compare them if you observe a reaction to determine if they contain common ingredients that may be the culprit.

Another thing to consider is maybe your pup has seasonal allergies. I have never had a pet that suffered from this, but there are several posters on DFA that do. If allergies were an issue I would consider feeding local bee pollen or local honey to my pet. Here’s a link to a DFA forum on the subject and also a few articles about bee pollen and honey:

/forums/topic/bee-pollen/

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/10_9/features/Bee-Honey-Products-Help-Canines_15967-1.html

http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2014/01/honey-good-for-dogs-cats-honey-is.html

Here’s some links to articles about coco oil you may find helpful, good luck!

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/the-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil/

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/16_11/features/alternative-treatments-updated_20861-1.html?pg=3

http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.com/2012/02/coconut-oil-is-good-for-your-dogs.html

[RescueDaneMom]

You can add the coconut oil to her food as well. Check out Nzymes.com. My Dane has been on Nzymes for six years. He had really dry, flaky skin when I got him. I think this product along with the right food really helped him.

[tracy b]

hello every one I am a new member here and love that there is a discussion on large/giant breed food. I have 2 great dane males who are little mate brothers. they are 1 and 1/2 years old now. we have always fed them Royal Canine giant breed stages right now they are on the giant junior and will soon be transitioning over to adult food. I just had them to the vet yesterday to get their rabies shots and heath exam in preparation for neutering. my vet also owns a great dane so I feel lucky that my vet knows specifically about the breed and their potential heath problems. I always thought I had made good choices in their food and yesterdays appointment had them scoring perfectly on coat, growth, teeth, heart, etc. I feel a bit dismayed about some of the negative reports on the brand of food I have chosen its score of 2.5 stars and the comments on the ingredients leave me wondering if I have made a poor choice. we did try to switch twice once at 4 months and again at 8 months to other brands (blue and arcana) each time we tried they were not happy seemed to not like the flavor had bad gas and diarrhea although not too bad with the blue brand and I did switch very slow mixing the existing brand with the new gradually. it cost me $86.00 every 6 days to feed the boys a bag of dry food plus $9.00 in toppers. I just need to know I have made the right decision
thank you

[Lance & Nikki]

We have a 16 month old Great Dane and a 7 month old St Bernard and we feed them Merrick dry food (the Dane gets the grain free and the Saint is on the classic puppy) and every 3rd day we mix in a can of Merrick for each into their afternoon feeding. I like to spread it out so that they don’t get spoiled on the wet food and that it’s still like a treat for them. But on the evenings when it’s canned food night, they devour their meals.

[Happy Dog]

Yes the vet gave some anti-histamine pills. When its really bad, I give the dog 1 pill and he’s fine (& very sleepy). But once he’s off it, its scratchy-scratch.

I feel the same about the oatmeal shampoo. It worked great with my previous Chi (passed last year at 14yr), made her all fluffy and soft feeling, smells great!
On Happy (the JRT-CHI mix), it seems to have the opposite effect – makes his fur dry and smells more ‘dog’ after 1-2 days of the bath.

Just wondering:

Canned vs Kibble. Canned is better (thanks for the Mercola link to Dr Karen Becker). Would canned food be less likely to cause allergies although it may have a similar ingredient make up as the kibble? I have been feeding grain free kibble with the exception of the Acana & Lamb. Could it be possible that the way kibble is processed just isn’t very good on the whole for dog with allergies, regardless if it is grain free or grain inclusive?

And would an allergy to a certain protein mean the dog would be predisposed to be allergic to similar proteins for example:
Chicken -> Duck, Turkey (all birds?)
Beef -> Bison, Kangaroo, Lamb (all red meats?)

I ordered the Mercola Probiotics. Hopefully some probiotics would help.

[Constance D]

I am new to this board, and looking for good senior food for the 9 year old foxhound mix that I have inherited. It appears to me, after cruising the website this evening, that all the senior foods (wet and dry) receive only a 3 or 3.5 rating, no matter how well the product line is reviewed overall. Why is this? Please help me know why this is, so I can make an informed choice. Thanks, Connie

[Eric Q]

well its been a few days and the merrick grain free roasted duck and sweet potato kibble with wingaling or southern comfort wet mixed in seems to do the trick. she still doesn’t eat all I give her or sometimes eats around the dry food. but at least she is eating something. im still going to try other foods. someone also suggested zignature (that is not a typo its spelled signature with a z) thanks for everyones advice. ill keep updating

[Shasta220]

I feel so horrible for her. I think I will wait a few weeks and then ask the owner to try a 4-5 star food, and if his dogs don’t improve in a month or so, then he can go back to the crappy stuff….. He gives Kibbles n bits canned as well now (used to be Alpo and Pedigree). It has flavors like Burger Dinner and Pasta Dinner. UGH (they look and smell like, well, canned ravioli or something!)

But I don’t get as offended about the canned as I do the dry, honestly… I would be a billion times happier to see them on that junk canned food, but at least have a quality kibble…

I’ll keep y’all posted when/if I give him that suggestion. Poor babies…

[Tina]

Merrick Adult All Breeds
AAFCO Dog Food Nutritional Facts
Real Chicken Brown Rice + Green Pea Recipe Adult Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages.

Merrick Puppy All Breeds
AAFCO Dog Food Nutritional Facts
Real Chicken Brown Rice + Green Pea Recipe Puppy Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages.

Merrick Senior All Breeds
AAFCO Dog Food Nutritional Facts
Real Chicken Brown Rice + Green Pea Recipe Senior Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages.

Merrick Grain Free All Life Stages
AAFCO Dog Food Nutritional Facts
Merrick Grain Free Real Chicken + Sweet Potato Recipe Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established
by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages.

Halo Adult
HALO, Purely For Pets® Spot’s Stew® Adult Dog Formula Wholesome Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food is formulated to meet nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages.

Taste of the Wild Puppy
AAFCO Statement
Taste of the Wild® High Prairie Puppy® Formula is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages.

These are just some examples from the company Merrick, Halo, Taste of the Wild,. Why do the bags say adult, puppy or senior but the AAFCO label says All Life Stages?

[Chris K]

I have two questions. First some background, I have a 9 month old German Shepherd female that is at 52 pounds and hasn’t grown much in the last month. I suspect she may be the runt of the litter so am not worried about the diminuitive size. But she looks kind of skinney.

We buy dry diamond puppy food for her. She does not eat unless we are there with her or she’s really hungry. I bought a couple of cans of wet food and she ate pretty well yesterday. First question, is canned dog food bad for them and how do I know if its good dog food?

This morning she went outside to do her buisness before she ate. I noticed she ate some grass as if her tummy was upset then hacked up a little something. Second question, if I give her some food she likes in the A.M., like a bit of canned dog food do you think maybe her stomache will not be upset and she won’t go outside and eat grass?

Thanks,

Chris

[AUDREY G]

Looking for Rabbit or Kangaroo based protein grain free dry food. I joined editor’s choice but it’s very time consuming to search through every recommended brand looking at the ingredients. I would like to search for primary protein source to narrow down the choices.
Any advise?

[crazy4cats]

Hi Camano-
Welcome to the cat food thread. Most of us on this thread often mention catinfo.org as one of our favorite sites for cat food information. Lisa Pierson is a vet and author of the site. She highly recommends feeding species appropriate wet food to cats. This tends to help prevent urinary tract problems and blockages especially in male cats. She suggests not using any dry at all. That being said, it is expensive to feed my four cats all canned, dehydrated or raw. So, I feed about 3/4 canned and 1/4 dry. My big male cats are the ones that eat more dry. I tend to believe that most of the high quality dog food makers also make high quality cat food. My cats are indoor only, so I lean to lower calorie kibble. Right now, I am feeding Wellness Core kibble with budget friendly canned such as Authority, Chicken Soup, Nutro Max, Soulistic and even some Friskies and Fancy Feast to keep the costs down. I have also fed Taste of the Wild, Earthborn, and Premium Edge dry foods. I’m sure a couple of the other regulars will pop in and give their recommendations as well. Oh, yes, I try to stay away from fish as my 15 year old cat has hyperthyroidism. Again, welcome!

[Dori]

Summit Dry Dog Food? Seriously? How did that make the EC list. Very low protein, low fat, and sky high carbs. I’m really confused. HDM or Mike can you comment please.

[Dori]

Hi Serena. One of my dogs has a lot of food intolerances as well as environmental allergies. Definitely going grain free will help. Also try to avoid foods with corn, soy, white potatoes and too many peas. As far as the shampoo is concerned, notwithstanding the fact that oatmeal shampoos are typically recommended for itchy dry skin, my girl does much worse when shampooed with an oatmeal shampoo. I’ve tested this out with her. I use dog shampoos for sensitive dogs, usually soap free are more gentle.

[Jackie B]

There are a few things you can do.

A hypoallergenic food can help.

An otic cleanser like Zymox or an ear powder like Thornit (have to special-order from the UK, a poodle rescuer friend says this is the best) are also good things to try.

You also have the physical attributes of the ear to consider. Dogs have a vertical ear canal, unlike humans, so moisture will fall down into the ear canal after swimming or bathing and is difficult to remove. Keep the ear canal well-plucked, use cotton balls in her ear during bathing to keep out water, and consider shaving her ears. If you can’t bear to shave her whole ears, shave about a 1.5 inch wide strip. A friend of mine with a Standard male does this, and while it looks different it does have kind of a cute pig-tailed look– and the lack of hair helps the ear canal dry out and become less hospitable for bacteria.

Good luck!

[arwyru24]

So I am no Akari when it comes to scoring great deals but I do like to keep my eye out for deals I just can’t pass up, and I do like to donate food to rescues/shelters whenever possible.
So yesterday I went to Petco and got one 3.5lb bag of Purina One sensitive systems dry cat food, Six 5.5oz cans of Iams Pate (2 lamb and 4 turkey and giblets), one 5.5oz can of Halo Shredded Turkey, and two 5.5oz cans of Canidae lifestages indoor cat food and my total was just under $8 (I threw away my receipt and can’t remember exactly not that it really matters) I thought that was pretty decent.

My local TNR group uses the small bags of dry food to give out to their colony feeders (the feeders have to take the food to the feeding stations so it has to be easy to transport and they try to be as invisible as possible) and one of the local supermarkets I think pretty regularly donates cases of the 3lb bags of their store brand so I think that is a good place for the dry food. Or, the local shelters I think usually use most of their dry food donations like that for their pet food pantry so that is another option. And I have a friend that is currently feeding a lot of cats, she is always rescuing and helping out animals in need so I have a big 13lb bag of Purina Cat Chow naturals that I got for free to bring up to her and I have also been collecting cat food cans for her over the last few months so I will add the Iams and Canidae to that collection since the Canidae has rice. And my cats will get the shreds. I am really pretty broke but I try to help when I can.

[cindy q]

regardless of price which brand of dry dog food do you feel is the best.

[mogavero1955]

I had replied under shiatsu then read advice on how to post. I am desperate. My vet said science diet for sensitive stomachs but it is junk I’m told…..One of my beagles has beef allergy. The last two years, I have been testing and searching for a dry kibble that won’t make his stomach so loud and gassy in the morning where he wants grass and will vomit. He will eat boiled chicken but I need a limited ingredient, sensitive stomach food. He’s been on Eukanoba Response FP (just disliked after ten years), TOW venison, Acana fish, Fromms fish, Blue Wilderness salmon, Earthborn lamb, Blue Wilderness Chicken SENIOR. He likes chicken and lamb. Problem is the gurgling and he won’t eat in the morning. He throws a few times a week. I hear his tummy across the room. Blood test good, stool test good. HELP!! ,

[mogavero1955]

One of my beagles has beef allergy. The last two years, I have been testing and searching for a dry kibble that won’t make his stomach so loud and gassy in the morning where he wants grass and will vomit. He will eat boiled chicken but I need a limited ingredient, sensitive stomach food. He’s been on Eukanoba Response FP (just disliked after ten years), TOW venison, Acana fish, Fromms fish, Blue Wilderness salmon, Earthborn lamb, Blue Wilderness Chicken SENIOR. He likes chicken and lamb. Problem is the gurgling and he won’t eat in the morning. He throws a few times a week. I hear his tummy across the room. Blood test good, stool test good. HELP!! ,

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Nat R –

Just so you know, no studies exist demonstrating that protein has negative effects on giant breed puppies or adults – anything you read about this is myth and nothing more. There is, however, a lot of research proving the protein is not harmful.

Feeding Large Breed Puppies by Susan Winn DVM (Featured in IVC Journal)

“A common misconception found in many internet articles is the claim that dietary protein should be controlled in large breed puppies to prevent skeletal abnormalities. This theory was disproved some years ago (Nap, 1991). Most commercial puppy foods contain more protein than is thought necessary, but studies have shown that protein contents of 23% to 31% (dry matter) do not have a deleterious effect on growth.”

“Decades ago, we considered some adult diets appropriate for puppies. However, a calorie-calcium mismatch is probably common. Adult maintenance foods are often less calorically dense than puppy foods. Additionally, these diets may have calcium and phosphorus levels that are higher in relation to energy density than a large breed puppy diet. If a rapidly growing puppy has to eat more food to obtain enough calories for growth, a calcium overdose is possible.”

“Most nutritionists recommend that large, fast growing puppies eat diets containing AT LEAST 30% protein and 9% fat (dry matter basis).”

The Effect of Breed Size on Nutritional Considerations for Growing Puppies

“Excessive intake of dietary protein has been suggested as a contributing factor to skeletal developmental problems, such as osteochondrosis, in large breed dogs. This hypothesis was tested by feeding Great Dane puppies either 15%, 23% or 32% dietary protein (13%, 21% or 29% of energy). While the low protein diet reduced growth, no detrimental effects from the higher protein diets were observed.”

This is a FANTASTIC article (one of my favorites) on large breed nutrition written by Susan Lauten PhD – I would HIGHLY recommend reading it in its entirety, however here are some of the highlights:

Nutritional Risks to Large-Breed Dogs: From Weaning to the Geriatric Years

“Currently, no evidence exists to suggest that high-protein intake contributes to the development of orthopedic disease in growing large-breed puppies. Previous studies suggesting a risk for high protein and DOD were confounded by higher energy intake in high-protein foods. In general, large-breed puppy diets are formulated to contain approximately 30% protein (DMB) similar to other puppy foods.”

“…feeding adult foods to large-breed puppies before 1 year of age is not recommended because the calcium-to-energy ratio is generally lower in adult foods compared with large-breed puppy food. Feeding an adult food can actually result in greater intake of calcium than feeding puppy foods. Because the puppy must consume a larger portion of adult food to meet energy needs for growth, total calcium intake may actually be higher than with a properly formulated large-breed puppy formula.”

Here is the link to a study done on Great Dane pups that was featured in the Journal of Nutrition. The study concluded: “the differences in protein intake per se did not affect the occurrence of disturbed skeletal development in young Great Danes.”

Do You Know What to Feed Your Large Breed Dog? By Karen Becker DVM

“Studies have repeatedly concluded dietary protein levels have no effect on the development of skeletal problems in large and giant breed dogs. But still today, many breeders of large dogs, owners and even some veterinarians will tell you protein is the problem, even though there is no evidence to prove it. Protein excess is not the problem. In fact, it’s often a dietary protein deficiency that contributes to skeletal problems.”

You may find this of interest as well. Here Dr. Becker interviews a Newfie breeder (not Great Danes I know – however Newfies are generally considered to be a giant breed). This breeder feeds his dogs HIGH protein raw and his dogs don’t experience many of the health problems typical to giant breed dogs and his dogs live much longer than most giant breeds (he had a dog live to be 17 – the typical life span of a giant breed is about 8).

Sorry to bombard you with reading, but large breed nutrition is one of my favorite subjects and I like to make sure people have the facts. 🙂

• This reply was modified 11 years, 10 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.
• This reply was modified 11 years, 10 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.

[zcRiley]

Two myths. A food is “too protein rich” & loose stools is directly related to a food. Your dog will urinate out the extra protein he doesn’t need. Either feed canned or dry, different types of food digest at different rates causing imbalance in his tract. Check for Giardia. And do not leave any kibble “out at all times”. I’m sure you wouldn’t leave your breakfast cereal “out at all times”.

[InkedMarie]

I can’t answer your food question except to say that a dry food is the worst food you can feed a dog with uti’s. Moisture is of the utmost importance. You’re much better off to feed canned, dehydrated or raw. If you must feed dry, add some canned to it along with water. She also needs ample opportunities to urinate.

[Bobby dog]

Archie update: His fur is really growing in nicely. Still a little sparse in places and his skin is still dry. However, the dry patches are past the point of scabbing over and it is more like a bad case of dandruff in those areas. Still giving him probiotics, coco oil 2x/wk, fish oil 3/x week & MSM in his morning food. The most improvement in his skin/fur came with the addition of probiotics.

Akari:
Can’t wait to see the videos, I love watching cat tricks!

Here’s my coupon questions:
What is the original price/can of the Sheba?
Is it on sale? If it is, what is the sale price/can?
Are you using the $3.00 off/24 cans coupon?

Jakes mom & C4c:
Okay, I have fallen behind a little on my ABC diet, but I did take out some beef liver that I froze the other week and will be adding it to Bobby’s dinner this evening. Although I gave him a few raw pieces as I was preparing to freeze it, which he seemed to like, I decided I would lightly cook it.

Since the few raw choices I have made so far have not gone over well, I thought I might need to take a different approach with him. I will lightly cook, then serve. In the future I will try cooking a little meat and serve it with a little raw and see how that goes. He did end up eating the chicken gizzards and hearts I first tried after I lightly cooked them.

[Happy Dog]

Glad to have found this site, it’s a wealth of information.

Needing some advice for my dog I adopted from the local shelter last August.
He came with the itches, pink/red patch on his belly, under his chin, face, around the eyes etc. Fur was really coarse yet greasy to touch. Chews his paws till it bleeds.

The fosterer recommended that we put him on a fish kibble. They weren’t sure what he was allergic to but it may have been chicken. So we put him on Wellness Simple –Salmon & Potato. Since then he has gone through:

Wellness Simple
Wellness Core Ocean
Acana Pacifica
THK Zeal
Orijen 6Fish

Topper: Fish 4 Dogs Salmon or Trout Mousse. Cooked salmon or any other fish once a week.

He was on Orjen 6 Fish till recently. We had him on through 3 bags, and he gets 1/3 cup + 1 /4 pack of Fish4Dogs Fish Mousse per meal. Twice a day.
He actually did quite well on it, less itchy, and started putting on weight. Still chews his paws though, I think he may have some allergies to grass. He was also getting quite chunky.

I thought I should started rotating him on different protein so he can eventually get some variety in his diet and went for Acana Lamb and Apple.
Before I committed to the Acana Lamb & Apple, I mixed a can of lamb and tripe to his kibble and he ate fine.

He’s been on it for 2 weeks. I mix the Acana Lamb & Apple (1/4 cup) with the Orijen 6Fish (1/4 cup). I had the kibble serving reduced as he was putting on weight.
I also switched to an oatmeal shampoo.

He seems to be worse now. Scratches more, the dry coarse fur is coming back, pink around the eyes, nose and under his arms, paws. One ear seems to be red inside, the other is fine (is it normal to have 1 inflamed ear instead of both?). Smells more ‘dog’.

So should I ditch the kibble? Or could it be the shampoo?

I was hoping he could eat more than just fish based food. I’d like to have him on a mix of kibble, canned food and homecooked meals 2x to 3x a week. Raw – I can get Primal, Addiction and some THK.

He didn’t do too well on THK zeal though. Went through 2 packs of the Zeal. He was pooping 4x a day (poop had stalks and bits of stuff that.. doesn’t seem digested), ate lots of grass (grazing like a cow), and was losing weight that’s why I put him on 6Fish. I though he needed more protein.

Any suggestions? I could go back to 6Fish, or I could go with another fish kibble like Core Ocean?

[Hound Dog Mom]

If you by “too rich” you’re suggesting that the food has too much protein and/or fat – Orijen has less protein and fat than WEF canned. So if your dog does well on WEF canned Orijen wouldn’t be “too rich” for your dog. There are a variety of reasons why your dog may be experiencing loose stools after consuming Orijen. It could be the result of an ingredient sensitivity, it could be that your dog doesn’t tolerate dry kibble well (as opposed to the moist canned) or the dog could just be adjusting to the new food. All dogs are different and some just don’t do well on certain foods. There have been quite a few reports of dogs not doing well on the new Orijen formulas (they removed the white potato and added legumes). You can try giving the dog more time and supplementing the diet with probiotics and a little canned pumpkin, sometimes this can help with loose stools.

[Bobby dog]

C4c:
I feel bad for you and your pups. Maybe Costco will hear from many, many customers why they shouldn’t discontinue the food.

I have never tried to feed Bobby dry kibble other than for a reward, I bet he wouldn’t like it much either. Tell your husband to stop picking on the dogs! lol

Do you have a Del’s Feed & Supply near you? They sell 4Health pet food. They are affiliated with TSC somehow. Maybe they are TSC’s wild, wild west chain? IDK

http://www.delsfarmsupply.com/store_locator.php

Looks like TSC moved the Whitefish GF from Ainsworth to Diamond. Reportedly the Beef & Turkey GF are still made by Ainsworth; don’t know about the cat food. That was one of my budget kibbles. It was also helpful for when I couldn’t find anything on sale, the ol’ stand-by.

I have been eyeing Infinia at a pet boutique by my house. It is about $1.00 more per bag. That might end up being my stand-by brand if TSC phases out Ainsworth. This boutiqe is normally a few dollars more on most things, but I guess since their business consists of a lumber supply/feed store, two other large animal feed stores, and this boutique they must order PMI products in bulk passing the savings on to their customers. Betsy Greer suggested this food a while ago in one of her posts to someone so I started looking into PMI. I like the recipes & ingredients so I need to pick up a bag sometime in the next couple of months to see if Bobby likes it. If you read this, thanks Betsy!!!!! 🙂

[crazy4cats]

Bobby dog-
I went and bought 4 cases today of the KCIG since it is being deleted. When that is gone, I’ll have to get some more budget friendly canned dog food advice from you. I didn’t think my dogs were picky about their food. But, I found out different yesterday. We went to the ocean and I just took some dry food to feed them their dinner on the road. They haven’t had just plain dry for a long time. One of my dogs just looked at me like, “this is it?” He actually wouldn’t eat it until I picked some up and he ate it out of my hand. But, very hesitantly. My husband, of course thinks that they are spoiled. I’m sure after he was hungry enough, he’d eat it. Of course, he will eat poop, wood and cardboard though. So, anyway, I guess I’m stuck using toppers for them.