[Lola]

I recently weaned my 8 year old Belgian Malinois onto Blue Buffalo. I have had her since she was 7 wks. old. I know that there were some issues starting to crop up lately but couldn’t find anything concrete to substantiate them. Some people said that their dogs were getting sick, loose stools, etc. My girl has not seemed to have any problems but I am still concerned about keeping her on Blue. Any advice/suggestions? She is a rescue from a breeder that recommended Pro-Plan Large Breed and that is what I fed her (with some rare exceptions having had to mix with other dry foods) She is very active only when out in our yard but is usually taking it easy when in the house. I am so confused about what is best for her at this stage in her life and worried about so many recalls and problems with Dog food lately.

[pugmomsandy]

Since you have a small dog you might look into ZiwiPeak. They have dry and canned.

[CrystalGray804]

I need some help and advice. My dog Titus, a 12 year old Pit Bull, has terrible allergies. Well after one vet is now denying service because I am not satisfied with them after a $211 visit, one vet who I found is pretty decent I am at a stand still. His blood work is great, his lungs and heart clear, not really overweight it has been determined “ALLERGIES” We cannot afford to see a dermatologist or get the spots biopsied, can anyone, lol? So we were told change the food. She has recommended Hill’s Prescription Diet Z/D Canine Ultra Allergen-Free, I cannot afford this. Does anyone have any recommendations to an alternative? He will not eat dry unless I mix it with canned. He gets 1/2 can + same amount of dry mixed 2 times a day, vet is fine with this. She said change treats or do not give him any… does anyone want to tell him he cannot have a treat, lol? Please give me your ideas, thank you.

[pvelandia86]

Hello Pattyvaughn,

Yes, we have tried canned food for all kind of dogs, puppy, sensitive stomach, senior. All kind of dry food of all existing brands, chicken and rice as some other vet recommended and its always the same, its good for a couple of days, and then he vomits again. With some food, he vomits the food as not even processed, and some others is just water, large quantities of water. We do not know what else to try and what is wrong with him 🙁

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi taylorjesset –

The only K9 Natural’s formula I would consider feeding is the chicken. The beef and lamb formulas are way too high in fat (and this is coming from someone who feeds their dogs a high fat diet). For the average dog fat should be 50% of protein, for more active dogs or dogs prone to weight loss it’s fine to feed fat levels up to around 90% of protein, but unless a dog is a serious working dog (as in a sled dog in training or something similar) fat should never exceed protein. My dogs are extremely active hounds, I generally keep their fat levels between 60% and 80% of protein. The K9 Naturals Beef formula is 27.8% protein and 57% fat (on a dry matter basis) and the lamb formula is 28.9% protein and 53.8% fat on a dry matter basis! These foods have almost twice as much fat as they do protein. Eating a food this dense in fat could cause your dog to eat it’s daily amount of calories without fulfilling protein requirements. When foods are this high in fat it’s also a good indication that the meat used is very low quality (fatty cuts unwanted in the human food industry).

[taylorjesset]

Hello,
I was wondering if anyone knew anything about K9 Natural Frozen Raw Dog Food (Not the Freeze Dry food)? I was at Pet Food express and I was told this dog food is the way to go. My pup is my baby and I want the best for her!

[Hound Dog Mom]

My suggestion would be to just feed a quality food and brush your dog’s teeth. Feeding raw meaty bones will help or specially designed dental chews (in addition to brushing, not instead of) will help too. Other than prescription foods specifically designed for dental health (which contain low quality ingredients), there are no dry foods that are proven to improve dental health.

[rosek]

Hi I have only recently registered here, but have mooched lots of free advice and support over the past year or so. Hopefully, someone has some specific advice for me.

I have a recycled teacup Yorkie, Chanel (or rather she has me, but I digress…). She had a pretty rough life before she came to me, very underweight (less than 2 #), which we eventually got up to a stable 3.5 #. She has always been finicky, but I eventually figured out that, at least in part, her finickiness is sometimes due to a tummy ache/ gastric discomfort which resolves within 18/14 hours. Belly ache or not, she has also been very picky about her food. She would eat something well, even greedily, for a few days or a week, then go completely off it. So I would start again with a series of canned or dry food, finding something she would like.

Mind you, if this munchkin goes more than about 12 hours without eating, than I have to resort to a high calorie supplement (like nutrical), which she HATES. So I do whatever it takes to get her to get some calories on time (at least 3xday). She is otherwise a very healthy senior.

Anyway, I recently discovered a new pet food “boutique” here in Miami and the owner sold me lots of stuff that I asked for for my next “experiment”, but also highly recommended “Farm Fresh Pet Foods”, fresh, frozen pet foods. At this point, Chanel cannot get enough of the stuff, she jumps, spins, barks at the cats, I have never seen her so excited to eat in 2.5 years. She has been eating it for about 2 months.

My Concern is that no one I know has ever heard of it, and even this site has not yet reviewed it. It may be that they are a great product (as Chanel believes) and just haven’t done great marketing and distribution … Is there any one with specific knowledge of this product? They have a good website, but I would love to hear of personal experience.

thanks to all,
Rose

[Anonymous]

Hello Marcella. I recommend because I have started using with great success Nature’s Logic. You must order on line most likely but it is so worth it. You can contact the owner very easy too, he always answers my emails immediately with any info. Nature’s Logic has even signed the Susan Thixton’s pet food pledge. I use the cat food and I have a pitiful old cat who has always had a brown discharge from eyes and I have used many brands hoping to clear this up. Nothing worked until I tried Nature’s Logic. They have dry kibble, canned and raw. Just wanted to let you know. Beth

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Rambo and Fancy –

Another “prescription” option that would be much higher quality than the Hill’s prescription food is one of the formulas from Rayne Clinical Nutrition. They have a low protein formula for dogs with liver issues. The ingredients are: sweet potato, water, egg, butternut squash, canola oil, sunflower oil, vitamin and mineral mixture, fish oil, calcium. It’s 11.2% protein on a dry matter basis. The foods come in trays, probably similar in texture to a canned food, and are made using human-grade ingredients. I have no idea what the prices are (not cheap, I’m sure), but if it’s something do-able for you it’d be something to talk to your vet about. I’m not sure if you have your dog on a support supplement – but Standard Process has some good supplements that are available through veterinarians only. They have a “Canine Hepatic Support” supplement that utilizes herbs and glandulars that are known to support the liver. Just some more things to think about.

[Rambo and Fancy]

17.8 % protein dry weight

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Rambo and Fancy –

The problem is the minimum protein level allowed by the AAFCO for adult maintenance is 18%, so you’re probably not going to find anything lower than 18% (dry matter) unless you go with a prescription food. If your dog can handle 18% protein some options would be Addiction’s dehydrated line (they have a couple formulas that are 18% protein), Solid Gold Holistique Blendz, Flint River Ranch Senior Plus, Verus Weight Management (this formula actually has 17% stated, would be 18% dry matter), First Mate Trim and Light and First Mate Pacific Ocean Fish Senior/Weight Management.

Here are some links with information about homemade low protein diets for dogs with liver disease if home-cooking is something you’d be interested in:

www(.)dog-health-guide(.)org/canineliverdiseasediet(.)html
www(.)canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels(.)com/liver_diet(.)htm

(you’ll have to remove the parenthesis around the periods, for some reason whenever I post a link the forum puts my post in the spam folder so I have to disguise the links lol)

[turtlemom]

I have a couple Great Danes. I am always researching food and comparing dry kibble labels. They were on Blue Buffalo but my local store went up on the price to 65 bucks a bag I had to re evaluate my budget for dog food. I went to a crap food and they are eating twice as much so the search is on for a good food again. I loved Blue Buffalo but is there a better dry food out there????

I’d love a high calorie food so they don’t have to eat as much (less poo)
I’d love glucosamine and Chondroitin and Omega’s

What is a great dog food for Danes? I’d love to eventually do a raw natural diet….. but that is for another research day 🙂

Oh and sorry if this is already answered … I tried to search but only found large breed puppy info.

Thanks !

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi jlake88 –

No one can really tell you for sure if the calorie count is too low to too high because calorie requirements can vary drastically from dog to dog based on factors such as the obvious size and activity level, but also lean body mass, stress level, age, whether or not the dog is spayed or neutered, environment, breed, etc. For example, I have a 110 lb. unaltered 7 yo. male and a 8 mo. 70 lb. altered female that are both currently eating 2,500 kcal. per day and then I have a 2 yo. 68 lb. altered female that is eating 2,700 kcal. per day. All three are the same breed, kept in the same conditions and have roughly the same activity level. It would seem that my large unaltered male or my growing pup would need more calories than my spayed adult, but that’s not the case – I recently had to bump her intake up because she started to lose weight she didn’t need to be losing.

What you need to do is closely monitor your dog’s weight. If he starts dropping pounds really quickly – feed him more. If he’s not losing at all – feed him less. I’d say that he should lose no more than 1 – 2 lbs. per week, if he’s losing more than that it’s too quick. A good general recommendation is to feed him the amount recommended on the bag for what he should weight – not what he does weigh (although that’s just a guideline).

Another thing to look into – although I understand it can be a little pricey for large dogs – is a dehydrated or canned food. Not only are dehydrated and canned foods healthier than dry foods (more protein, more moisture, less processed, less carbs), but (due to high moisture content) they are much less calorie-dense so your dog can eat a higher volume of food. I think they’re great for weight loss. For example – on average most kibbles have roughly 400 kcal. per cup; most dehydrated foods have around 500 kcal. per cup but they are re-hydrated with around 1 1/2 C. water bringing that calorie count to 500 kcal. per 2 1/2 C. or 200 kcal. per C.; most canned foods have around 400 kcal. per standard 13.2 oz. can which equates to about 250 kcal. per C. Just some options to consider!

Remember, ultimately, weight loss is about calories in and calories out. If he’s consuming more calories than he’s burning he will not lose weight no matter how little it seems like he’s eating and if he’s burning more calories than he’s consuming he will lose weight. If he’s not losing he’s eating too many calories and intake needs to be decreased and/or exercise needs to be increased.

Good luck! 🙂

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi texasniteowl –

Completely understandable that you can’t do raw, it’s not possible for the majority but I thought I’d put it out there is case it was a potential option. I raw feed my crew of three large, extremely active bloodhounds and it gets very time consuming and expensive.

As for toppers – yes, all you would need to do is account for the calories. Generally speaking, the average 13.2 oz. can of dog food as roughly the same amount of calories as an 8 oz. measuring cup of dry kibble.

For fish oil you will want to go by combined EPA/DHA amounts. 100 – 150 mg. mg combined DHA and EPA per 10 lbs. is the general recommendation and what I’d suggest starting with, although I’ve seen sources recommend up to 300 mg. combined DHA/EPA per 10 lbs. for dogs with health issues. The product you’re looking at has a combined EPA/DHA of 610 per serving so that would be just about perfect for your 62 lb. dog.

Human probiotics are perfectly fine for dogs. In fact, I feel that they’re generally higher quality and (oddly) they typically cost less per dose. You certainly can go with a probiotic supplement marketed for dogs, but it’s not necessary. Just look for one with as many strains as possible. If you go with a human supplement, adjust the serving size accordingly. I’d give a 62 lb. dog 1/2 the recommended human dose (although there’s no need to stress about dosages too much as probiotics aren’t something that will harm your dog if you were to accidentally “overdose”).

[texasniteowl]

Thank you both Patty and Hound Dog Mom for your input. I recognize that RAW may be best but it seems intimidating and/or time consuming and/or expensive…and prepackaged/prepared *is* expensive. (Wilson weighs a little over his target weight of 62lbs…we’re currently at 66lb and going down slowly.)

So we do need to stick to dry kibble…at least for now.

I guess I’m leaning towards sticking with the bag of Earthborn Great Plains…at least to finish it…don’t know that I will buy it again. I do have some pumpkin I can add to his meals so I hope that will help with the alternate straining/soft movements. (Also, for what it’s worth, the Great Plains has a guaranteed protein of 34%…lower than the primitive at 38% yes, but much higher than the Fromm’s he was on (27% iirc).)

I will start looking at the options again to try to figure out which to try next. Also, I *am* open to using a topper…either freeze dried or canned. I suppose I just need to account for the calories, right? The rough calorie spot for Wilson’s kibble is 950-975 calories/day. He’s not extremely active…we do around a 1 mile walk daily and he doesn’t get all that many treats. On the Fromm’s, this target had him losing very slowly so I could cut it slightly a bit more, but I’m OK with the extra 5-6 lbs coming off slow.

I have been planning to add fish oil…or Omega 3…supplements. Am confused on amount…do I worry about the amount of epa/dha individually or combined? Example, one product I am looking at has a serving of 2 capsules. That serving contains 360 epa and 250 dha (with the two combined being 610). Is that enough for a dog his size or should I be looking to double that?

I had also been starting to look into Probiotics…HDM I see you listed several human probiotics…no problems with these? I had been looking at Nusentia’s Probiotic Miracle or NWC Naturals Total-biotics but the Swanson for example would be much less expensive.

sigh…apparently I can write novel like responses as well as original posts ;>

[Marvins mom]

Anyone try these “Dinovites” as advertised on the radio? What exactlly are they made of and are they even good for your pets? We’ve swtiched to a 4 star rated dog food for our older dog. He’s always had a bad itchy/smelly problem form about June- Oct comes on slow and then progresses…..seems to be seasonal, but since we’ve switched to NO grain dog food – 4 star – he doesn’t get as bad and doesn’t last as long. Also, in that period of time we us probiotics and extra fish oil….sometimes Benedryl.
Anyway, just want to know about Dinovites?

[texasniteowl]

Hey all…I’m completely new here but have looked at a ton of the reports on the 4 & 5* rated foods. I have a 6yr old mixed breed (some lab) that we adopted at the end of December.
(Also, thru these descriptions, pls keep in mind that it’s been 20 years since I had a dog. We had some dogs when I was a child, but I haven’t had one as an adult.)

Anyway, Wilson came to us on Purina One Smartblend Lamb & Rice. I already knew that wasn’t a great quality food, so after a couple weeks I moved him to Fromm’s Duck & Sweet Potato.

That transition went pretty well but we’ve been fighting allergy issues since we got him. Now, it may turn out that he is just allergic to our grass (bermuda) and there is nothing to be done really, but I’m willing to experiment. (Also, he came to us with an ear infection, so we had lots going on there initially.)

About 3 weeks ago I bought a bag of Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Feast grain free (bison meal and also some lamb meal) from my local pet store (and they carry a great selection of grain free lines…Orijen, Acana, Wellness, Canidae, Cal. Natural, Taste of the Wild, Earthborn, Fromm’s and more…the only main one I wondered about was Merrick which they do not carry). We started off with a 1/4 new to 3/4 old. Wilson had some soft stool (but not diarrhea) for several days…it was almost a week before I moved the ratio up to half and half. We stayed on half and half for two weeks. Initially he also had soft stool again…but it also seemed like it alternated more…very firm (seemed like he was straining) one time and the next time, soft. Sometimes hard and soft at the same trip outside.

Also, he’s developed dandruff and is shedding a lot. Now, we are in Texas and we are having weather in the 70’s to even low 80’s one day already, so part of that is just the season. However, thru Jan. & Feb. he hardly shed at all. But the dandruff? And he also seems to me to be doing more butt dragging than previously. And he’s been doing a lot of paw licking and chewing the whole time we’ve had him.

Just yesterday, I finally upped his kibble to 3/4 new and 1/4 old. His morning poo was hard and seemed straining. His late afternoon poo was soft. (Not soft serve ice cream soft, but soft.)

I know it may be hard to separate the food reaction from the season or other issues (dryness in the house?/low humidity?) but all these things together have me leaning towards ditching the Earthborn and going back to his Fromm’s Duck & Sweet Potato for a bag and then trying a different grain free.

Any feedback or suggestions? I was thinking that I should maybe look for grain free that is duck or fish based since he did well on Fromm’s Duck & Sweet Potato? Also I noticed that the Earthborn is potato free (has peas and tapioca)…maybe I should try a grain free with potato or at least sweet potatoes?

I guess any feedback or suggestions you have as far as what to try or what to look for in behavior/reactions when changing food would be welcome.

Thanks.

[lori]

I would like to know if there is a problem/your experience with feeding 1/2 kibble 1/2 raw in a single meal. I also add a Tbsp of yogurt, fish oil and probiotics, I am currently using Great Life Probiotic & Enzyme. Their other meal is kibble with veggies, yogurt, coconut oil and probiotics. I use commercial raw like Vital Essentials or Small Batch Pet or K9 Natural. They expect something on the top of their food that is why I don’t do veggie and raw as one meal. I do also feed freeze dry raw instead of raw a couple times per week so they get variety. Maybe too much variety? I have one dog with a gurgly stomach the younger one is fine.

[Dolphina13]

Hello
I have a 2 years old lab/australian cattle dog mix and lately he’s been vomitting and having diarrhea quite a lot lately. He’s been fine on Pedigree puppy and adult up until now. I am some sort of on a budget and I can’t afford vet brand dog food so I was wondering a good pet store name brand for gastro diet dry food anyone would recommand.
Thanks for your help :o)

[doberdog]

Wow! Very impressed you make your own food for 3 dogs. That definately is something I need to consider. Thank you for your commercial suggestions. You have been very helpful!

[Hound Dog Mom]

If you’re referring to brands of raw, I make my own for my crew so I can be in complete control of quality. If I were to feed a commercial product Answer’s and Aunt Jeni’s would be my top picks.

[doberdog]

Hi Hound Dog Mom!
Are there particular brands that you prefer? The number of choices is overwhelming and we are trying very hard with these young dogs to give them the best dogfood. We have had other dobies in the past and believe that many of their health problems were related to food. Hence, we are trying to make sure that our babies maintain a healthy weight as well as making sure we don’t give them foods that are “toxic” to their bodies.

[Hound Dog Mom]

I don’t have dobermans, but I have “large active dogs” (3 bloodhounds). I’ve found they do best on a high protein, moderate/high fat, low carb raw diet without grains or starches. Their meals average around 50% protein and 35% fat. They seem to maintain their weight better with higher fat levels.

[doberdog]

Thanks for your reply! I welcome any other thoughts on feeding large active dogs!

[Melissaandcrew]

HI doberdog-

It really depends on the dog. My crew eats a variety of foods, and right now the dobers are eating Victor Ultra Pro-grain free and doing well on it so far. I will wait another week or two before deciding how well as they slow transition. They have eaten many foods in the past, and typically seemed to do better with a grain inclusive.

[doberdog]

I have 3 dobies between the ages of 1 to 2 years old. I have been feeding Blue Buffalo Life Protection Large Breed. To date we have had no problems but wondered what other foods you may be feeding to your active adult dobies?

[august]

Hello

I just want to say a huge thank you to Hound Dog Mom for all the work she’s put into this research. While our family has had dogs growing up (and we still have two lovely cuddlers) I am going to be getting a puppy of my own in 2 weeks. He will be a 9 week old black lab/great dane mix and I’m really excited.

From what I’ve seen on the forums here I’m planning on rotating between 2 different dry foods with some canned for breakfast and dinner. Using HDM’s list I’ve decided the first food will be Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain: Salmon because I know I can get it at our local Costco for $35 and it got 4 stars. I’ll choose another food to rotate from the list once I find out what we have in town.

My question is this: Should I factor in the calcium and protein levels of the canned food on top of the dry food? It seems pretty self-explanatory, I know, but I’m a new dog mom and I really want to get this right!

Second question: Does anyone have any recommendations for the amount I should be feeding? I’ll go through this topic again after I post to make sure I didn’t miss anything. This is the first time I’ve had responsibility for another being and I desperately want to make sure I don’t overfeed. Right now I’m planning three feedings a day with breakfast and dinner having canned food on the dry and the noon feeding being used mostly for training purposes.

Any advice welcome!

[theBCnut]

I’m feeding grain free because I have one dog who has a severe problem with grains and when I went grain free, I found out that that was the JRTs minor problem too.

[pugmomsandy]

I choose to avoid corn/wheat/soy 99% of the time because of the GMO factor. The 1% I use it is when making corn bread pudding which the pugs of course love to eat and then poop the whole kernels right back out!

[Melissaandcrew]

Sorry-nothing productive to add except that your comment Patty, cracked me up : )

gebo- I am one of the few that will feed a corn containing product from time to time as part of my rotation. Not that I believe its GOOD for them, but I also do not believe that its the end of the world for a small portion of their diet. I believe in hedging my bets on the current schools of thought to dog feeding. Could one version be better factually(not opinion) then another? Sure-but I do not feel that any methods provide enough definitive proof for me to subscribe to just one. Therefore, I feed grain free, grain inclusive, one that contains corn(from time to time-Pro Pac) raw, dehydrated, fresh, canned, home made etc. While not every one will agree on what method is best, understand that the majority of the regular posters have researched their choosen way/method and do not follow along blindly.

[theBCnut]

Yeah and kids will play in the street if you don’t stop them, that doesn’t mean I’m going to push them.

[gebo]

Wow,

This is one mean spirited place to post. You need to wear body armor to come here. Somebody asks a question, you give your opinion, then you get bitten by someone on the sidelines if your opinion or experience is different than theirs. You don’t have to worry about me posting again. As Rodney Dangerfield said, “Man, rough crowd!”

Mom2Cavs,
Please accept my apologies if you thought I was calling or suggesting you (specifically you) were ignorant. That was not my intention. I was writing with an audience in mind when making those inferences.

Dogs will lick each other urine, eat one another’s turds, munch on dead carcasses, eat their own and one another’s vomit, leak each other’s privates and drink water out of an old mud puddle but bless my soul, no grain will ever touch their lips. Yeah, it seems a little extreme to me as well 😉

[InkedMarie]

from gebo “. Doggiedoc22 doesn’t need to supply his/her credentials. ”

IF he/she is a vet, she is supposed to post her real name. It says so under the “our community guidelines” link. If he/she is not a vet, posting as DoggieDoc for a name here is misleading

[Mom2Cavs]

Believe it or not, I’m not ignorant on all the facts. I have done my own research to my satisfaction and I have concluded I don’t want to feed foods with corn, or that contain any of the things I mentioned in my post above. You can do whatever suits you and your dogs, and I’ll do what I feel is best for mine.

[gebo]

C’mon guys and gals. Doggiedoc22 doesn’t need to supply his/her credentials. Please read her posts. She is simply saying to do some research on our own and quit listening to everyone’s opinions. It’s better to make decisions based on facts, right?. I don’t see why we need to remain ignorant if there is scientific research out there that can help us and our dogs. I actually spent time researching “corn” and found out what I had been told and believed was not exactly true. I’m just pushing for informed dog owners. You can feed whatever you like and I’ll probably not change the world but there may actually be one person who’ll read this and go and study the research and be able to make a decision based on facts, not merely “he said-she said.” I empathize with some of you as it took me 15 or so years to actually look at the facts concerning dog foods. I’m still today studying and reading to decrease my ignorance. I’ve still got a ways to go as long as I’m feeding Bil-Jac 😉

[Mom2Cavs]

Thanks HDM for saying what I couldn’t seem to lol. I appreciate your remarks. I must admit I’ve never had someone try to “push” foods with corn to someone like me….a staunch advocate for a more natural approach to feeding.

[Hound Dog Mom]

DoggieDoc22 –

The way you are pushing Jan to research corn, wheat and soy, you seem to be implying that someone that does not feed a food containing soy, corn or wheat will be harming their dog and that foods with corn, wheat and soy are superior to products without corn wheat and soy. Please provide evidence supporting why a food containing corn wheat and soy is superior to a food without corn, wheat and soy – otherwise stop being pushy. Most people here have thoroughly researched what they feed their dogs in order to make the best choices nutritionally and don’t need to be talked to as if they’ve done no research. People also definitely don’t need to be told by some random on an internet forum that their trusted vet is providing them with false information.

[theBCnut]

So DoggieDoc22, just how much nutrition education do you have and who provided it?

[DoggieDoc22]

“We each have our own opinions and I just prefer to leave it at that.”

Nutrition and the effects of food on the health of your dog has nothing to do with opinion. It is science. The negative things that your vet is telling you about corn, soy, wheat, etc. has no scientific basis to it, and there for is incorrect. There is a lot of misinformation in the dog food industry, manufacturers capitalize on a lack of a strong regulatory body, and on the general lack of knowledge in the customer base. Do a little bit of your own research, the truth is out there.

[Mom2Cavs]

You’re right, I do believe my vet…I switched to this holistic vet which is almost an hour away because my old vet did not diagnose one of my dogs correctly and treated me badly (which was the last straw). The old vet also knew nothing about nutrition. My new vet actually carries Nature’s Variety in his clinic, along with Steve’s Real food. He’s very knowledgable about nutrition, among other things…like the breed I own, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. And no thanks, I won’t be speaking with Bil-Jac anytime soon. I am very happy with my Acana and Primal. Thanks, though. We each have our own opinions and I just prefer to leave it at that.

[gebo]

Mom2cavs,

In response in why I go to the manufacturer, they are the ones making the food. When I talk to the nutritionist(s) and find out more about their ingredients as to how they are handled and where they come from and why they use such and such, I am better able to use that info in my research. I don’t go to a Ford dealer when I want to know about a Chevrolet. I’ll go to a Chevy dealer first, evaluate what they tell me and then i might make a trip to a Ford dealer to get their opinion as to why their Ford is better than a Chevrolet. Make sense? I’m not so naive that I just believe every single word a company says about their product. But I am wise enough and open minded enough to hear them out and then make a reasonable decision based on what they tell me.

You believe what your Vet told you and I understand where you are coming from. I left a Vet I’d had for over 10 years who I would have trusted alone with my wife. He diagnosed one of my dogs with 2 types of cancer. I went for a second opinion and it turns out they were fat deposits. He cannot look at me in Walmart. He and I know what he tried to do. Hey, I don’t always believe what my personal Doctor tells me. I like to look at actual research and listen to that still small voice on the inside of me. When you have some time to kill, call up Bil-Jac and ask to speak with their nutritionist. You know, just for kicks. Ask him all the questions you have about canine nutrition. He spent over 45 minutes with me one afternoon. After he explained their ingredients, suppliers, their unique manufacturing process, etc., I was convinced to give it a try. I realize you may never get past the corn, but at least you may be able to reinforce your current beliefs.

[Mom2Cavs]

Via my vet, corn, wheat and soy can be highly allergenic in dogs. Also, sometimes they are added to bump protein levels while using less meat. So, after hearing that, I’ve never fed foods with those ingredients. If my dogs have issues with other ingredients I am feeding, then I will stop feeding the food they’re eating. So far, my dogs have done exceptionally well without eating corn, wheat and soy. This is just the way I want to feed my dogs. I’m not against grains and I do sometimes feed foods with whole grains included in the ingredient panel, like Acana Duck & Pear which contains oats.

[DoggieDoc22]

Mom2cavs, it’s great that you have parameters as to what you will feed your dogs. You clearly have good intentions and want what’s best for your pets which is great. I can understand your stance against artificial preservatives and some of the other things that you mentioned but I’m curious as to what you have against corn wheat and soy. Unless your dog has allergies there is honestly no reason to be against any of those ingredients. Corn in particular, being that it is the one you singled out earlier. Why the anti corn stance?

[Mom2Cavs]

gebo, one thing I want to say about your post is that the suggestion you made “call a few companies” might be the wrong one…..any company you call is going to recommend their own food, aren’t they? I do believe in feeding what works for your dog, but I have to set some parameters. I wouldn’t feed my dogs just anything because I felt it might “work” for them. There are just some ingredients that I will not feed. I still say there are some foods that are reasonably priced that contain better ingredients than Bil-Jac (which btw isn’t all that inexpensive, if I remember correctly from working at a pet specialty store that carried it). I won’t feed corn, wheat, soy, artificial preservatives, synthetic vit. k, ethoxyquin and dyes. There might be a food that my dogs seem to do well on with these ingredients, but we’ll never know because I won’t even look at them twice. Those are the parameters I start with, along with others like made in the USA, sourced in the USA and preferably made by the company selling it (this is one I might let slide). Anyway, after a food passes all these parameters then I’ll consider feeding it. If it works, great…we have a winner. Again, I’m glad you feel Bil-Jac is working for your dogs but it would not pass my parameters to even be considered for mine. Differences of opinions, certainly.

[gebo]

Sharyorkie,

If you haven’t made up your mind, try a 6 lb bag of Bil-Jac Small Breed select. It has worked for me as I had 4 picky eaters and this is the only food I have found they all love. It will make you giggle when you watch them tear after it as I am 55 years old an have never seen anything like it. Some people will tell you that corn in a dog food is a bad ingredient and you should avoid it at all costs. I believe otherwise. I used to automatically eliminate any food that had corn in it because I read on the internet that it was bad for dogs. This is a great website but it is mostly made up of opinions (me included) and people’s personal testimonies. Do more research and call a few companies.

I got sick and tired of feeding some of the 5 Star foods and watching my dogs not eat it, get runny stools, get weird skin issues, runny eyes, fart up the living room, etc. I went contrarian and fed Bil-Jac and won’t go back. Hey, give it a try. They say they actually have a money back guarantee on their food.

[pugmomsandy]

You can type in the words “grain free” in the search box and it will bring up grain free dry and wet foods.

Also there’s an article about kibble and clean teeth:
/choosing-dog-food/dry-dog-food-cleaner-teeth/

I give the dogs rib bones and marrow bones for their teeth. Raw. If your dog will take a pill, then you can give it that way, if not then open it up and sprinkle it on the food.

[Hound Dog Mom]

There are grain-free and grain inclusive wet foods. Dr. Mike doesn’t have separate lists for grain-free and grain-inclusive wet foods like he does with the dry foods, he just has a 5 star, 4 star, 3 star, 2 star and 1 star list. Most of the 5 star wet foods will be grain-free. There will probably be a few grain-free options on the 3 and 4 star list as well. You’ll just have to check out the review and read the ingredients.

[janet5130]

Hound Dog Mom – I’ve read your post many times to take it all in but i have a few questions for you. First off, aside from dry dog food being cheaper than wet, is there any other reason to feed a dog dry food? As far as adding a supplement from the health section of the grocery store, do you mean in pill form? And, if so, do you mean opening it up and putting the powder in the dog’s food? And my last question is, you give your dog raw bones? You don’t even boil them? Why do I think this is bad? Am I wrong to think they could harbor bacteria or something? Also, I thought that certain bones can splinter and cause issues? Maybe that’s from cooking them? Please educate me further 🙂

Thanks,
Janet

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Janet –

If you’re sure the “scooting” is not due to anal gland issues I would bring a stool sample to the vet to check for parasites just in case (certain worms – such as tapeworms – can cause “scooting”).

To help with the stools and the transition to a new food I would add a spoonful of plain canned pumpkin to each meal and supplement with probiotics and digestive enzymes (there’s no need to buy a “pet” supplement, something from the health section for at the grocery store with suffice and likely be cheaper). You can continue the pumpkin and supplements permanently if need be.

Grain-free foods are, unfortunately, pricier than grain-inclusive foods. Earthborn is probably one of the most budget-friendly grain-free foods available. Some other options would be Nutrisource, Taste of the Wild, The Source, Victor, Authority and 4Health (note: Taste of the Wild and 4Health are manufactured by Diamond). NutriSource, Taste of the Wild and Source run about the same price as Earthborn while Victor, Authority and 4Health are slightly cheaper. Authority Grain-Free is available exclusively at Petsmart. The Source and 4Health are available exclusively at Tractor Supply. Earthborn, Taste of the Wild and Nutrisource can be found at most high end pet specialty stores and online. Victor will likely be the most difficult food to locate – I haven’t been able to find an online retailer and it’s not sold in my area but if you can find it, it looks like a fantastic food and it a great bargain.

You’re correct that dry food doesn’t really clean teeth, that’s a myth. I wish it wasn’t though – I’d eat potato chips and cookies all day and use the excuse that it’s for my dental health lol. 🙂 Canned food is actually healthier and more species appropriate (higher moisture content and higher protein levels) so if you can afford to occasionally buy some quality canned food (4Health has some grain-free varieties that are a bargain at only $0.99 per can) that would be great for your dog. Healthy “people food” is good to add to kibble too – eggs, tinned sardines, leftover lean meat, plain yogurt, cottage cheese, low glycemic veggies, etc.

I think raw bones are best for dental health. My dogs eat a raw diet and get raw bones daily – beef ribs, pork necks, turkey necks, chicken backs, etc. If you’re going to buy something from the store I’d go for “natural” chews (make sure they’re made in the US) such as dried tracheas, bully sticks and pig ears – these are species-appropriate (high protein, grain-free) and great for dental health. As far as “treats,” I’d go with high protein meaty treats such as jerky (made in the US of course), grain-free biscuits or freeze-dried raw foods. I’m a big fan of Nature’s Variety Instinct dog biscuits, EVO biscuits and Darford Zero-G biscuits (although I’m not sure if the Darford biscuits are being made anymore 🙁 ). I also feed freeze-dried raw (such as NV Instinct and Stella & Chewy’s) as treats.