[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi DawnieStrohl –

My advice would be to stop looking for the “best food” – there is no best food. All foods have their pros and cons. Dogs, like every living creature, need variety. Feed several difference foods with different protein sources, this will help mitigate the negative aspects of each food. The less processed the food is the better – so raw foods are healthiest, followed by fresh cooked foods, dehydrated and freeze-dried foods, canned foods, then dry foods. Feeding dry food is fine (it’s convenient and budget friendly) but try topping it with some canned food or fresh food at least a few times a week. Some healthy additions to dry food are eggs, lean meat, tinned sardines, cottage cheese, plain yogurt, kefir and cooked low-glycemic vegetables.

[theBCnut]

Acid reflux meds treat the symptoms without trying to solve the problem and sometimes that makes the problem worse. Your dog should be weaned off the prilosec over the course of a few days, not stopped abruptly. My dog had to be feed small meals a often as I could for a while. The thing that seemed to help the most was 1/2 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar per cup of food and soaking the food. It seems counter-intuitive to add more acid to the dogs stomach when they appear to have an acid overload problem, but really the opposite is at work. High grain diets alter the normal pH of the stomach and the sphincter muscle at the top of the stomach is acid sensitive so isn’t closing all the way. My dog was having problems with this as a 8- 10 week old pup, when we changed his diet to high protein and started adding the vinegar, he ceased to have problems with vomiting anymore, and hasn’t since. He is now 14 months old.

[thecmist]

Thanks Hound Dog! I have been feeding her 3 small meals a day and with the medication its under control. Her two week course of meds ends this week and we’re hoping the reflux will end. I just don’t want to keep her on ID gastro food, its not the best quality food and can’t switch her back to her old food.. Need other food suggestions from anyone out there with dogs who also suffer with acid reflux.

Thanks!

[Hound Dog Mom]

I’ve always heard that dogs with acid reflux should eat 3 – 4 small meals per day, rather than one or two larger meals and that the food should be low in fiber. Wet foods (canned, dehydrated, raw, etc.) are preferable to dry for dogs with acid reflux – if you feed dry wet it prior to feeding. I’ve also heard that supplementation with probiotics, digestive enzymes and unfiltered apple cider vinegar can help.

[thecmist]

My dog has been having a problem with Acid Reflux and was put on Prilosec and ID dog food for 2 weeks.. I was feeding her Natures Variety Instinct Limited Ingrediant, but since the acid reflux she can’t be on it because of the Higher Protein and Fat Content.. Any suggestions are appreciated..

[aussiemom]

What is labeled as chicken meal + depending on the product salmon meal, beef meal etc. are ground items produced at rendering companies. Those rendering companies are not monitored for safety regarding types of animal parts used. They will and do toss any part of an animal into the mix. It was reported that this often includes the packaging in which the parts were shipped to them .Including the styrofoam container + plastic wrapping. All parts of the chicken are included, guts, feet, beaks etc. Once the process is completed to create this toxic mix into meal it is distributed to companies that then add it into dry dog foods. I did read that even some of the best dog food manufacturers do not check on source of meal used.
So when a product is labeled as containing chicken meal it’s not really telling you anything about what’s actually in that product. The problem for dog owners is how to avoid such products. Reading a label that states only ‘chicken meal’ doesn’t tell you from what source that chicken meal was derived.
I have in the past used hund n flocken but the dogs seemed to grow weary of it. Now using Fromm gold mixed with Canidae canned. Is this safe?? Impossible to know.

[Magnus Campbell]

New to the forum.

Just got a 3 and half month old german shepherd/rotti mix from a local animal rescue.

I’ve been reading this forum the past few days trying to find the best food to buy our little guy (trying out some Wellness Core Puppy and Avoderm Rotating Menu – Trout and Peas), but for the past two days he won’t eat any kibble.

I also got him a few cans to top of the kibble and he will eat that. It looks like he doesn’t chew his kibble when eats it and then he ends up throwing it up (I assume because its upsetting his digestive system). He seems totally normal and not sick at all, just won’t eat the kibble and when he does he doesn’t chew and usually yacks later.

So, since he eats the wet and has no problem with it, what would be the best wet food to give him while we slowly ween him onto kibble again?

I want a wet food that would meet Hound Dog Mom’s recommendations for the dry food (i.e. a good calcium/phosphorus ratio). He’s going to be a big boy, so I want to make sure he’s getting what he needs to avoid joint/growing issues.

Thanks!!!

Nick

• This reply was modified 12 years, 11 months ago by Magnus Campbell.

[Hound Dog Mom]

My oldest dog used to eat kibble and Nature’s Variety Instinct kibble was one of the foods I used frequently in his rotation. He did really well on it and I think their kibble is one of the best dry foods available. I use the Nature’s Variety Instinct freeze-dried raw medallions once in awhile for treats. I’ve never fed their frozen raw and I personally wouldn’t because it’s HPP, but due to the fact that it’s HPP it might be a good option for a dog that’s never eaten raw before to help them ease into a less processed diet.

[soho]

Hi ashylynn

Natures Variety Instinct line of foods is what I would recommend from Natures Variety.

If you are going to feed dry food I consider Orijen and Wysong Epigen 90 to be top of the line kibbles.

You could also supplement whatever dry food you feed with up to 20% fresh, lightly cooked meats. More than 20% would unbalance the vitamins and minerals in the kibble. For the fresh meat stay within the same meat groups as the kibble you are feeding, ie: add poultry to poultry based kibble, add red meat to red meat based kibble and so on. Eggs are a great protein and you can add a little to any kibble.

Whenever you change or add something new to your dog’s food remember to start slow. It is much better to be overly cautious when introducing new things than to try to undo a bad reaction to the new food or ingredient.

[Vigilent]

My 8 year old Doberman has been eating Purina Pro Pla salmon for sensitive stomachs and her dry skin, typical in Dobes, has gotten better, however, I am considering a better quality food for her. She seems to have an allergy that could be related to the food. I’m considering the Acana brand, however, she still needs an ingredient to deal with her dry skin. Anyone out there with experience with this? Thank you!

[InkedMarie]

Raw, canned and dehydrated is better for dogs. Dry food can leave dogs chronically dehydrated.

[BarneyBo]

Hi, PLEASE, NEED ASSISTANCE FROM OTHER PET PARENTS! About 10 days ago we got a Yahoo News alert stating the FDA was re-releasing a pet food recall list with 180 companies’ pet foods on them, (including Iams, Eukanuba, Purina, Alpo, Science Diet, ETC.)
Reason given was the food (wet, dry and some treats) have toxins in them, chemicals called melamime and cyulaic acid, when combined together they can cause kidney disease in dogs and they could die from it.
Our 9-year-old Labrador/Rhodesian Ridgeback mix, Barney, had passed away suddently just about a week before, on April 3, 2013, and the symptoms described for this kidn of poisoning sound a lot like what he had.
Please pass on any info you have on this. The FDA list was released in 1997, but apparently made the news again recently because of these pet foods causing new outbreaks of salmonella. How do we know that any of these pet food companies cleaned up their act since this recall in 2007? How do we know any pet food is safe?
Our Bishon Frise, Bo, who is 6, is lost without Barney. When he joined our family as a 5-month-old puppy (who is learning disabled due to being dropped on his head by his former owner), Barney was already here, and as “big brother,” he taught Bo everything he knows. Now he howls, hangs his head, looks for Barney everywhere, and will not eat. He has been showing signs of kidney disease as well, drinking a lot of water for one thing. He will be getting checked out at the vet asap.
When I called the vet about Barney, and later mentioned about the recall, he advised me to throw out the dog food and fix Bo chicken with rice, Tums, and to bring him in for a checkup.
We are scared of the long-term exposure Bo has had from the same food Barney ate, mostly small-sized crunchy type Kibbles and Bits types of dry food, and Alpo wet food.
Can anyone help us and give us some direction on this? Why would a list that was released in 2007 be re-released in 2013? Evidently at that time (2007) the govt. said this batch came from China, but who knows if any of it is safe? It appears the FDA is not too stringent on these companies or our own government’s standards. Experiencing outrage, grief and extreme concern for our surviving pet and many, many other dogs, cats, horses and their owners who have suffered needlessly. The ASCPA web site has a lot of great info on this. Thank you and God bless. -Barney and Bo’s Mom and Dad

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Shelties Mom –

My dogs get RMBs for dinner every night and I brush their teeth daily. All three have pearly whites with no visible buildup – even my 8 year old senior. As far as small breed dogs being more prone to dental issues I can’t say for sure, I’ve never owned a small dog. I can say though, my grandmother has a 1 year old yorkiepoo that had visible buildup by 8 months of age (she eats dry kibble and gets bones a few days a week). I was a little shocked seeing buildup on such a young dog that eats quality food and gets bones. I’d be curious to hear experience from other small breed owners.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi loveall –

You’re on the right track by feeding a 5 star grain-free food. My only suggestion would be to rotate foods – don’t stick with just one. There is no “best food” – this is why it is important to rotatate, it compensates for the shortcomings of each food. Pick at least two or three different brands (or more) with different protein sources and switch every so often. Rotating foods with strengthen your dog’s digestive system, provide variety and provide you with alternative choices in the event of a recall or formula change. I’d also recommend topping the dry food with a high quality canned food, raw food or healthy leftovers (lean meat, eggs, etc.). Good luck!

[loveall]

Hello…i adopted a now 6 month old…what we think is a rotti/shepherd mix…we found him abandoned under a car outside my daughters school…after battling worms/giardia….he has grown to be approx. 51 pounds…my vet estimated he will be approx. 80 pounds at maturity…i started him on nutro natural…but have switched to blue wilderness…i’am wondering if anyone could give insight to this type/brand of food…since it is confusing with all the diff. Foods…i have remained on dry kibble only…i am hoping someone could give m some advice on what food is best for my lovely mix breed…thank you all

[pugmomsandy]

Fallow,

Blue Buffalo Wilderness and Core have reduced fat/weight management recipes. Also with the higher protein foods I have always fed less than the recommended amount. There is also The Honest Kitchen Zeal formula which is high in protein and low fat and it is a dehydrated food so if you fed 1 cup of dry you would need to add at least 1 cup of water with it so you’re feeding extra volume which might help your dog feel full.

[REASMITH]

Have a 10 yr old Boxer who has a sensitive stomach and also “chews” his paws. He has been eating Iams ProActive Health mini chunks, but recently has started vomiting “little piles”. I need advice on which is the best canned food to feed him. He doesn’t chew the dry food, so therefore, canned food will be the best option. Several years ago he was diagnosed with pancreatitis and recovered and no problems until now. I have read information on several canned foods that will help with sensitive tummy and allergies, such as chewing paws. Any advice will be appreciated and I value advice from dog lovers and hands on experience.

• This topic was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by Mike Sagman. Reason: Fix Duplicate Topic Title

[cms60]

Short of feeding the all fresh meat diet (with 5 animals that could be pricey), what food do you suggest for a dog who has tested allergic to rice, barley, peas, carrots, flaxseed, alfalfa, soybean, sunflower, and peanuts? All the meats are OK, and oats, wheat, corn, canola, and cotton seed are OK.

For sake of getting a consistent feeding schedule with all my family members helping, I use dry food with table scrap flavorings/moisteners. The crunch seems to keep my dogs’ teeth in pretty good shape. I could go with canned I suppose, but then I need to figure out a way to keep the tartar off of her teeth regularly. Plus also figure out a way to not make the other animals think they are deprived if I give this one something really select.

The allergy symptoms are licking and chewing the fur off of her front paws. No GI symptoms.

Thanks for the help!

[spoonyspork]

Thanks for the quick reply Patty 🙂

I can very well imagine the dry food could have caused the infection, but I doubt it on the vesibular disease — only because he had the first of the fresh bag after the first signs of the later (the bloody problems started about 24 hours after his first meal from the fresh bag, about 36 hours after he fell the first time — the other dog started having loose stools about 48 hours after her first meal from the fresh bag, but it hasn’t gotten worse than that)

I’ve actually been considering switching away from TOTW since the big scare a while back, but my other dog does *not* react well to any other food we’ve tried. We ended up using it originally because it was the only thing she would keep down after an emergency trip to the vet (neighbors – who are no longer neighbors thankfully – poisoned her — she’d had to get her stomach pumped, went blind for a while, etc). Prior to that we were feeding California Natural (which as I understand it is now less good than it was before, while also having gone up a LOT in price?). She doesn’t even react well to switching *flavors* — only the one with the duck will do XD

[spoonyspork]

Okie, I’m sorry this is so long, but want to give as much background as possible for the best choice in foods.

I have an older dog — 14 years old, lab/plott hound mix, currently approximately 60 lbs and looks a little on the lean side to my liking.

We’ve been feeding him Taste of the Wild (can never remember the exact one as I just grab it based on color — it has ducks on the bag?) dry since adopting him 5 years ago, and he has thrived pretty good on that. When we first got him from the shelter he had bald patches all over (almost completely bald on the bottom half) caused by a severe allergy to fleas, and was also rather overweight. Within a few weeks he was lean and shiny with a much higher energy level, etc.

Well over the last year he has begun to show his age. He’s been developing benign tumors all over (each is kept checked by the vet), and his hair has again been falling out. He also constantly has a flea problem despite lots of flea treatments and keeping both inside and outside as flea free as possible (we have no carpet in the house and his bed is switched and washed weekly). In spite of this, he still has a very high energy level and good weight though he’d been starting to look a little TOO lean despite upping the amount of food.

But last week I thought sure I was about to lose him. Long story short, he was diagnosed with vestibular disease and sent home, told it usually improves on its own and the cause is usually never figured out unless it’s tumors on the nerves or an obvious ear infection, but if he improves it’s likely not tumors. He did improve, but the next day his appetite was gone and later started squirting diarrhea that was more blood than stool (hours prior it was normal stool)… so straight back to the vet where he was additionally found to have a GI infection, and put on antibiotics and a wet canned food (Hills I/D). Additionally, the vet suggested I put him on a combo flea/worm pill since topical stuff doesn’t seem to be helping him anymore. His stool sample didn’t show worms or larvae/eggs. I said no to the pill as I wanted to research it first (which I’m pretty sure will be a ‘no’ after reading the side effects! Even just the common side effects were terrible)

It’s been a week now, and he’s slooooowly gained back an appetite as well as near normal mobility (slight head-tilt as I was told would probably happen as well as random missteps or falling over if he tries to take off at a run too quickly)… and now will not *touch* his dry food beyond a couple bites. He doesn’t seem to be being picky about it (and really isn’t a picky dog at all as a rule) — he seems to have trouble actually eating it — after a few bites his head starts to tilt worse and he seems to lose focus and get dizzy, then lose interest. I do have to put his bowl somewhere off the floor as keeping his head down for the amount of time it takes to eat seems to make him dizzy again. His stools are almost normal again though he still seems very raw and sore while trying to ‘go’. I was considering getting more of the I/D from the vet as I thought surely they gave it to us based on it being something easy on his stomach… but reading the ingredients here I’m kind of surprised he didn’t get *worse* on it.

So now my actual point! He is out of the ‘food’ from the vet so this afternoon’s meal will have to be something different (don’t worry; he’ll eat *something* if I don’t get an answer for a while!). I have the looong list of ‘best wet foods’ and was thinking of just switching to taste of the wild wet formula, but I wanted to make sure that is the ‘best’ choice as far as cost-effectiveness as well as with an older dog with the background he has (fleas, skin condition, benign tumors, etc).

I will say I have tried some freeze-dried ‘raw’ diets in the past and my dogs just never seemed to do well with it, and the extra cost, mess, amount needed to feed our large dogs etc just didn’t seem worth it. I will also say I am now somewhat leery of taste of the wild in general, as I may be taking the other dog to the vet as she’s been having very loose stools the last few days too (no blood or pure liquid like his were, but we’re keeping an eye on her) and she just started being fed from the same freshly-opened bag he’d been eating from last week (she had been eating from the older bag while he’d been eating from the freshly opened bag. Trust me it makes sense — they get different amounts that are separated by meal so sometime one ends up eating from a different bag than the other for a couple days)

Okay, I think I’ve given as much info as possible, lol. Thanks for any help!

[Anonymous]

Hi Cyndi,

I’m glad you have made this decision. It will make a big difference–especially with dental health. All the raw feeders on here are giving great advice. 🙂

Here’s a little advice I will give from observing my own dogs. When they got ALL raw, which normally consisted of a boneless meal and a bone-in meal (a leg quarter, a leg, a thigh, wing) each day, and even 2 bony meals per day, they were fine. When I started experimenting w/using dog food for one meal, and a piece of bone-in chicken for the next, I would notice their poops were getting too hard/dry at times. I know dog foods include ingredients to help firm up stools. SO…since chicken backs are SO bony, I don’t think I would feed those every single day if I were you. They are GREAT to start with, but I really think once your dog gets used to them that first week, I personally would just buy leg quarters. My one dog is 50+ pounds and I still feed him drumsticks quite a bit. If you buy a package of quarters, you can just cut the legs off each quarter too. Sometimes THAT becomes my dogs’ entire meal for the day—the drumstick becomes the breakfast, the other part becomes the dinner. I feed whole leg quarters at times too–those are great for cleaning the teeth. I just prefer feeding 2x per day, so sometimes if that’s all I have thawed, it works best to split it up into 2 meals. Plus, I have to pay close attention to portion control for my dogs.

Just keep an eye on things when you start. If stools get too firm, lay off the chicken backs for a day or two. Don’t let this scare you, as once you get going with it, it becomes very natural. I would stick with feeding only chicken for a couple weeks. People on the forum can help you along when the time comes. It’s all about how YOUR individual dog responds to this diet. Two of my dogs have NO problem with more frequent bone-in meals or even a couple days of just boneless meals. My other dog gets looser stools easily, and does better with more bone in his diet.

Good luck! 🙂

[Worrier]

Have been feeding my diabetic dog EVO weight management “lowest carbohydate” dry food for 3 years. Her insulin dosage is stable based on her stringent diet. When the EVO was recalled in March, I managed to keep her fed because of the kindness of my retailer who gave me all of the samples they had that did not have the recalled lot numbers. The day I ran out of food, I found another retailer some distance away who had pulled all the recalled EVO and said he had received the new supply of EVO weight management in the 28 pound size. I drove the distance, paid a hefty amount for the food and rejoiced that I had my dog’s regular food (I mix some shredded boneless skinless chicken breast that I bake on the kibble for some flavoring). I felt confident that her levels would remain stable. Well this evening I got the dog advisor alert that the recall had been expanded. Does this apply to the EVO that has just been redistributed to the retailers? I have fed my dog from this bag three times already. Thanks for your help.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi jayjacobs –

As a fellow large breed owner I can tell you that large breed dogs do not need low protein foods. I have three bloodhoubds ranging in size from 68 lbs. to 110 lbs. and ranging in age from 9 months to 8 years and they all eat 45% – 55% protein at every meal. I would never feed my dogs a food that low in protein. I suggest picking another 4 or 5 star food with at least 30% protein. It’s also better to rotate brands – it provides your dog with variety and in case of a recall you’ll have other brands you know you can use.

[jayjacobs]

I have a 5 year old great dane. He has been on Innova Large Breed Adult dry food. As you know the brand has been recalled. Now I need a quality replacement. What do you suggest? I read that great danes need a protein less than 24% and a fat content of 12-14%..not sure how accurate this is for an adult great dane.

Innova was:
Protein-25%
fat-14%
calcium.6%

What would you suggest?

Thanks Jay

[Crepuscular]

Best bang for the buck? We have adopted a 6 month old 30 lb multigeneration mixed breed dog. She is very active (particularly with our twin 6 1/2 year old boys). We are of modest means. I’ve been considering Innova Prime Grain Free (Dry), Wellness Core Dog Food (Dry), and NutriSource Lamb Meal and Rice, or Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain. There are so many great foods on the site and we want to give “Mitzi” the best food we can afford. Any recommendations for the best possible food that is still reasonably priced??

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi ksufan –

Pooping 3 – 4 times and day and not being able to hold it for more than a few hours is not normal for a dog that’s over a year old. I’d suggest just giving another 5 star food a try. If you could feed all canned food or raw food or substitute half her kibble for canned or raw that may help too as canned foods and raw foods typically contain less filler than kibble and are highly digestible. I’d also recommend getting her on a digestive enzyme supplement to ensure she’s digesting all her food as efficiently as possible.

[ksufan]

I have a 15 month old female great pyrenees that I got from an animal shelter. She is 75 pounds and is eating 4 cups of Taste of the Wild Bison a day- 2 cups in the morning and 2 cups in the evening. She has 3-4 bowel movements a day. Is this normal?? Her previous owners did not crate train her. I tried for 6 weeks but she was so fearful and anxious in it that I would have to give her a bath every time she was in there because she drooled so much.

I have been leaving her out if I have to leave and she doesn’t chew anything up, but WILL go to the bathroom. Because she has such frequent bowel movements, it’s difficult to be able to leave the house for more than an hour or two.

Is there another dry food that would produce less stool??

Thanks for any advice you have!

[Hound Dog Mom]

Has anyone used “Healthy Pet Products” brand raw food? I got a 5 lb. roll of the beef I was going to try out. Dr. Mike hasn’t reviewed it but it doesn’t look too bad and the price was reasonable for a pre-made beef-based food ($3.39/lb.).

Ingredients:
Certified Organic, Range-Fed and USDA Beef, Beef Hearts, Beef Lung, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Beef Tripe, Ground Beef Bone, Fresh Whole Eggs, Carrots, Celery, Sweet Potatoes, Garlic, Apples, Cranberries, Vegetable Fiber, Calcium, Dicalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Niacin, Iron Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Acetate, Copper Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Managanous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Biotin, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Sodium Selenite.

General Analysis:
51% protein and 25% fat (dry matter)

Not a huge fan of the inclusion of synthetic vitamins and minerals and the fat content is a bit lower than what I’d typically feed my crew but I figured it’d be worth a try and it’d be something different for the dogs (they don’t get commercial raw too often).

[catherine_mcdaniel]

Can anyone recommend a dry dog food that is both chicken free AND grain free, but does not have potatoes (sweet or other) as the main ingredient? Thanks for any recommendations…

[Anonymous]

Hello everyone,

I am using nutritiondata.self.com to find out exactly what nutrients are in my homemade dog food, but does anyone know how to calculate the percentage of carbs/fat/protein in homemade food? Since I don’t know the dry matter basis, I’m not sure how. I tried dividing the total # of grams by the grams of protein, but the result seemed absurdly low, and of course I don’t know the moisture content of the food. That website does show the “caloric ratio” of the recipe though, the percentage of calories from fat/carbs/protein.

I would appreciate any advice on calculating the percent of carbs, fat, and protein in homemade food!

Thank you,

Heath

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi NectarMom –

If Darwin’s telling you the fat levels aren’t what I told you then they’re likely trying to give you the “unconverted” fat levels. To obtain the true fat level it’s necessary to convert the fat to a dry matter basis (same goes for protein) – to get an accurate representation of the nutrient values this is especially crucial for foods with high levels of moisture (raw and canned). Darwin’s general analysis states that the food has 7% fat, but the food is 74% water (this means the fat levels are much higher they’re just diluted by the water). To calculate you first need to determine the percentage of dry matter, we’ll do this by subtracting the wet matter from 100%: 100% – 74% moisture = 26% dry matter (this means that for every 100 g. food you feed 74 g. are water and 26 g. are actual food, this is why the fat levels appear lower than what they actually are on the general analysis). Next, we divide the “as fed” fat level provided on the general anlysis by the percentage of dry matter we just calculated: 7% fat/26% dry matter = 0.26923. We now want to convert this value to a percentage: 0.26923 X 100% = ~27% fat. This is the only accurate way to truly compare fat levels because for example, the fat levels for kibble are practically on a dry matter basis. Kibble is generally only 10% moisture so if the fat level is, say, 15% on an as fed basis the “true” fat level is 17% (doesn’t change much). I hope all that makes sense.

My question is this – did Darwin’s tell you the fat levels I stated were higher that what the actual fat levels after you told them your dog got pancreatitis? They should have a general analysis with all the nutrient values on a dry matter basis and to try and fool you into believing what I told you is not accurate – especially after when you have a dog with pancreatitis – tells me they’re either 1) clueless or 2) trying to be deceptive in an attempt to sell food. I’m not a fan of Darwin’s customer service so neither would surprise me.

I’m going to have to agree with Patty – use a pre-mix and make your own food using extra lean ground turkey. Steve Brown has a great balancer powder that’s specifically designed to balance the fats in poultry (seespotlivelonger.com).

[jmurphy6]

Thank you very much for your response, it was very helpful! I actually do live new a farmer supply store that carries premium brand dog foods (this is where I saw the diamond gran-free). I went by there just a little while ago and got a sample of the diamond. Their prices are very good and only $21.00 for the medium size 14lb bag. I am a little weary because of the recalls in the past but am hopeful all has been resolved. I’m going to try the sample and see how my dog reacts to it. Hopefully it will be a good fit for him. Thanks again for your reply! Have a good day/

– Jon

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi jmurphy6 –

Are you located near a Tractor Supply? Tractor Supply’s store brand 4Health has a new grain-free line of food out that is running $36.99 for 30 lbs. They have a poultry, beef and fish formula – the poultry and beef formulas both contain 28% protein and the fish formula contains 25% protein. The other great thing is this food is manufactured by Ainsworth (not by Diamond like the grain-inclusive line of 4Health). From what I’ve seen the Diamond Grain-Free food is running over $40 for a 28 lb. bag (2 lbs. less than the 4Health) and the formulas only contain 24% protein. Diamond has also been involved in a long string of recalls making many question their level of quality control. So, if you’re trying to cut costs and you’ve got a Tractor Supply nearby I’d highly recommend checking out the new 4Health Grain-Free. If you’re located near a Petsmart another option would be their new Authority Grain-Free – 26% protein and $18.99 for a 15 lb. bag.

[jmurphy6]

Hello,
I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with Diamonds new grain-free dry kibble. I currently feed my dog Wellness Core but it is a little pricey and Diamonds new formula is $15 cheaper for a comparable sized bag. I’ve scoured the internet looking for reviews but haven’t found anything (probably because it’s such a new product). Anyways, I would greatly appreciate any information regarding this food.

thank you,

Jon

[Mom2Cavs]

I don’t know about all the ingredients, but Wellness Core Small Breed meets a lot of those criteria. My Cavaliers are eating it as their dry now and Lucy is eating the Small Breed Healthy Weight (not gf).

[Kevinh219]

We just got a french bulldog pup, shes currently on dry puppy kibble by Fromm.

We were talking to our vet, and they reccomended for our frenchie, that we should find a food with:
-Grain-Free
-Over 30% protein
-Glucosamine
-L-carnitine
-Chondroitin

I know that our Fromm exceeds the protein, but i’m having trouble finding a food that has all of these in it. And when i was at the vet i figured i’d ask after we checked out and didnt see her again, we’re going back in two weeks, but i’m just trying to figure this out now if possible.

Thanks!

[Mom2Cavs]

Hey all! I was at a local specialty store that carries name brand dog foods and noticed a new food from Natural Balance. It’s actually called FAT DOG food lol! They have one for cats, too. Anyway, it is not grain free, but it is a decent protein percentage (for dry food) and very low fat and high fiber. It might be a good food for a dog that has pancreatitis or other fat issues. The calories are very low, though, so you would have to feed more. They are claiming that the food will satiate a dog so it won’t beg for food and that the dog will lose weight. Hmmm…..just an fyi. I was surprised to see it.

[suztzu]

I am looking to add more moisture to my dogs diet he’s been eating Natures Variety Prarie Dry he does not do well on grain free foods. I want to add canned to his diet or a premade raw for variety and a little more protein without all the extra fat. I cannot decipher these canned labels ( I try but am not very successful) I would like to have something in the mid-fat range hes a shih tzu and gains weight very easily. The canned food reviews Ive been looking at are 20% and higher do I need to worry about the fat levels if it is not his main diet ? Even the 4 star foods are really high in fat. Am I missing something, I would feed him canned all the time if I could figure out how not to turn him into a blimp in doing so I know canned/raw is a healthier option for him. Any advice to alleviate my confusion would be helpful Thanks

[BJJ42055]

Any suggestions for storing dry dog food? I am considering the Pet Silo or the metal Simplehuman pet food stainless Steel container w/sealing gasket. If I used the stainless steel bin, I would store the food in its original bag inside the bin. Would opening the bin and exposing the dry food to air degrade the food faster than using the pet silo system? I would consider buying smaller sized bags and buying more frequently in order to use the kibble up before it could spoil.

Thank you for your thoughts.

Beverly

[Cherrie]

Hello!

Over the years we have adopted 4 stray dogs who have drifted onto our small acreage. For the majority of those years I fed them Solid Gold……until the the size of the largest bags became smaller.

I wanted to ask the forum for recommendations on the best quality and quantity for the buck.

I have tried Canidae…..the best option for size @ 44 lbs. Around $60. But it’s also manufactured by Diamond. I realize Solid Gold is packaged by them as well, but all S.G. varieties smelled great and my dogs loved it!

I have also tried a couple different varieties of Tractor Supply’s 4health. And Diamond Naturals. 35lbs @ $35 or $37. And each type r-e-e-k-e-d of the most horrible dogfood smell. Surprise, surprise: Made by Diamond.

Currently I feed them Merrick’s Whole Earth Farms Adult Food. 35 lbs for around $40. Made by Diamond. *Sigh* But at least it passed the smell test!

I have been trying to find a premium dry kibble in the largest bag possible (35+ lbs) for up to $60 (hopefully not packaged by Diamond)……but I have run out of options and I am hoping the members of this forum could make suggestions for me.

Thank you in advance!

[rustyhorse]

I need help also. I have a seven year old female lab/pointer mix. She was found abandoned as a puppy, full of ticks, mouth sores and mange. About two years ago she started scratching under her mouth and licking her belly so much it became raw and infected. I visited several vets who would put her on antibiotics to clear up the belly, but it always comes back. It is now mostly cleared up and itching controlled somewhat with Benadryl. I have talked with the canine dermatologist at the local university and she wants me to do the 8 week food trial before she does a blood test for allergies. She said use a food that has only ingredients that the dog has never had before. Therein lies my challenge. She has previously been on many different foods. I did an 8 week trial using Canidae Pure Sea, but she is still scratching, has terrible flatulence and gurgling stomach. Can anyone recommend a food to try since it now appears she has a sensitive stomach also. The vet also said to avoid grain and chicken. Thanks in advance for your help.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Lola –

I wouldn’t say that holistic foods are any less safe than non-holistic foods and I wouldn’t shy away from higher quality foods just because some have issues or have had issues in the past. For every holistic food with quality issues there’s a non-holistic food out there with quality issues as well. It’s important to research the manufacturer prior to feeding the food. Call the company and ask questions – ask if they’ve had recalls, if yes – ask what the recalls were for, ask if they outsource production, if yes – ask where, ask where they source their ingredients, the grade of the ingredients, etc. etc. Check online forums such as this before feeding a food to read the opinions of people who have actually fed it. It’s important to do your homework. There are many very reputable companies that make natural foods. Also, keep in mind no company is immune to experiencing a recall. A recall can happen to any company at any time and shouldn’t necessarily be grounds for dismissing a company – some very reputable companies experience recalls the important thing is how they handle the recall and what measures they take to ensure the same mistake won’t happen again the future.

[Lola]

Hi again,
I agree that we need to stop the Blue Buffalo but am just having difficulty trusting these newer, holistic foods since so many of them have been having problems. As I mentioned, I had one of my girls for 17 years until 1991. There were no holistic foods and no recalls, sick dogs, etc. I fed her the old standard Purina products and she did great. I want to do what is best for my baby but am really worried about all of the recalls. I had purchased Natures/Natural? Balance at the store mgrs. suggestion and got it home to find that they were having some problems and that’s why I switched to the BB. Have you found that the Fromm, Merrick, etc. have been better than the more standard foods? Thanks so much for all of your help and advice.

[InkedMarie]

Lola, you have to do what you feel is best. Me, I could not feed a food that has been making dogs sick. There are so many good dog foods out there to choose from; some have never had a recall: Fromm, Dr Tim’s, Annamaet…

[Lola]

Okay, so it is true that dogs are getting sick. That is what I had heard and read and why I am concerned. It’s only been 2 days that she is on 100% BB & I hate to have to have to change her diet so soon but it seems the best option. Honestly, I wonder if the old “tried and true” Pro Plan could be the best thing for her. I don’t ever remember these problems in all the years that we used Pro Plan and they have now improved? their line of products. It just seems that there have been many more problems with the newer, holistic, grain free, specialty foods than there have ever been with the premium, older major brands. So confused. Thanks so much for everyones help.

[InkedMarie]

Lola, it may not have been a recall, now that I think about it. Read the Blue thread on Dog Food Advisor; I think people have had dogs sick on it.

[Suresh PM]

Fact is one of the raw material of dog food is meat and bone waste taken from slaughter house as dry product and they are unfit for human consumption since it contains blood, hair, hoof, hide rumen etc. companies don’t provide the information about the animal they use to get the meat. it may be goat, cow, chicken or even dogs and cats. Also the meat which is stored for long days may turn poisonous even its preserved sometimes. So, i decided to avoid pet foods which does’nt contain these meat.

My doubt is- i know many types of grains has proteins, fiber contents than meat….. is it advisable to avoid meat?.. will my dog fall ill if i don’t provide him the food with meat content.?
If no, kindly provide me with brands which produce meat free dog food…

Pls Mail me to pmsureshjai@gmail.com

• This topic was modified 13 years ago by Suresh PM. Reason: Spelling mistake

[NectarMom]

Wow I thought I was the only one with a dog with such horrible symptoms as this. My chihuahua is like a walking epi pen I have to keep injectable steroids and injectable Benadryl on hand in case she gets stung by or bit by an insect. Shes highly allergic to them. I could loose her in. Matter of 2 seconds if I don’t inject her. We were using Acana and she had bad gas and bloat ( she has intestinal food allergies too) I don’t know what ingredient she is allergic to but I know for certain chicken does not agree with her. She also got bad acid reflux on it and so did my other 3 dogs. From what I gather they could not handle the high protein. We switched to Brothers Allergy kibble and the Allergy symptoms eased up but did not totally go away but improved a lot but the acid reflux stayed. ( For a kibble I would still recommend this food) I am still feeding it until I run out and we are now feeding Darwin’s Raw which in only 2 weeks doing a half Darwin’s half kibble a day plus probiotics and enzymes the results for all 4 dogs is amazing. Acid reflux is gone and no gas and stools are always firm. No licking feet and they all seem to have more energy. My oldest just got her teeth cleaned yesterday and my vet made the comment about her fur and asked what I was bathing her in because she had the softest fur. I told him its not the shampoo it is what I am feeding her “Raw”

Seriously, I am not one to push food on anyone with they’re pets but I swear by Raw now and only wish I would have started mine out when they were puppies on it. But if you just cannot feed Raw then I recommend Brothers Allergy or at least a limited ingredient kibble and possibly grain free. Good luck to you. This is one of the best sites and the people on here are very knowledgable and wise.

[Lola]

Thank you so much. She seems to like the fish alot and I always heard the BB was an excellent, premium food. I’ve also heard good things about Merick’s. I remember a much simpler time when there were only 2 or 3 brands of food and no recalls. I had one of my girls for 17 years before there were any premium foods and Alpo was at the top of the list until Pedigree was developed, lol. Why did it have to get so complicated? Thanks again 🙂

[dowsky]

we feed our dogs raw and merrick’s grain free, have had no problems. if your worried about blue buf then I suggest you switch to keep your peace of mind. there are lots of good foods to choose from, I suggest you look right here at 4 and 5 star foods. a few suggestion are merrick’s, fromm’s canidae all grain free would be my suggestion. sometimes the grains can cause loose stools. good luck