[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.

[janet5130]

Hi there. I’m new to this site. I rescued a beagle/terrier/mix (maybe Jack Russel in her but must also be something bigger because she’s taller than a beagle and has a greyhound build) a few weeks ago named Sydney. Her foster was feeding her Purina Pro Plan Selects dry food and mixing in a tablespoon or so of wet Alpo canned food so I continued with this. I’ve noticed she scoots alot on the carpet and I see her licking her private area and butt and chews her paws sometimes. Her anal glands were expressed right before I adopted her so I don’t believe that is the issue. I also notice that when she does poo, it’s much more runnier than any dog I’ve had prior. I wouldn’t say it’s diarrhea but it’s mushy and you can’t really “pick it up” when she does it while I’m walking her.

I had a beagle prior to this dog and fed her Iams Healthy Weight dry dog food which I now see on this site is not good. She developed bladder stones later in life. I had to put her down a few months ago as she had cancer. :o( I’ve heard that feeding all dry dog food can cause bladder stones but I’m not sure that is true. I’ve also heard that feeding a dog dry dog food helps keep their teeth clean but I find that hard to believe also, since nobody brushes their teeth with a cookie. ha!

Anyway, sorry to go on and on…… My question is, bearing in mind that I’m not rich but I’m not exactly poor either, what would you all recommend I feed Sydney? I’m thinking of trying a grain-free food but there’s so much information on here I’m confused. I was thinking about Earthborn Holistic grain free but it is quite pricey. And then, I’m wondering, should I mix in some wet food also?

Also, what about better quality treats and bones? My hubby keeps telling me to stop buying the Dingo bones because they are made in China and probably horrible but what else is there?

Please educate me!

Thanks,
Janet

[DanielleD]

I have a 3 month old Cavalier King Charles and she has a sensitive tummy. What wet puppy food would be good for her? My vet gave me ID but said its really for older dogs, there for she can only be on it for a week. I just started to mix in her dry puppy Eukanuba food (which was what she was orginally on) with the ID. The vet told me to give it to her with the ID. She has giardia but the medicine made her sick so the vet is waiting for her tummy to get better before she takes a different medicine. She takes pepcid ac twice a day with meals. I would like to give her wet food in the morning and dry food in the evening. I would like to buy a good but reasonable price puppy food. I was thinking of the kirkland brand but someone told me not to buy anything that is made out of the US. Please give me advice.

[momofmutts]

Hi, I work in a pet food store, and I’ve come across some cans of Nature’s Variety Instinct lamb that have stale dated. I know that dry foods lose nutrients as they age and should be fed as fresh as possible, but what are your thoughts on canned food? We will definitely not be selling this food, but If it is still safe to be fed, it would be a shame to throw out such high quality food. I would much rather donate it to a shelter if possible.

I’ve always heard that with canned foods, if the tin isn’t bloated in any way, then the contents are still good.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[mydogisme]

hi, I had the same thing with dixie and she has been so sick i watch every sneeze. I had her on Earthborn then switched her to Instints. I gave her only a lttle dry with her wet food and the licking started so I know for sure there is something in the dry Earthborn.I bought the dry Instints to mix with the can Instints and she was still licking! so I took her off of all dry and she is eating 1 full can of eather chicken or beef Instints and she has stopped all licking. There is something in the dry foods,even the hosistic,grain free,the top of the best she cant eat. Somaybe its best to stay with a wet food.

[Rllshamrock]

Hi, I’m new to this website, and I would greatly appreciate some advice. We have an almost 6 year old female, half black lab/half pit bull, she weighs between 50 and 60 pounds. We had been feeding her Taste of the Wild for years, and it seemed to agree quite well with her, and the price was within our budget. We took her off of it as a precaution after a bunch of it was recalled (I learned recently the recall was not in our area…). We had to put her on what we could then afford at the time, which was not great, and it seems to be giving her skin issues now (thankfully, she has no other major medical issues). She has only been on this particular food for a few months, thankfully, and I’d like to get her switched over to something actually good for her ASAP! I was just wondering if anyone could tell me their top recommendations for a grain-free dry dog food, and what I could expect the price to be. Would it be safe to put her back on Taste of the Wild? I have had someone recommend Innova or Orijen, but I think those might be a bit out of our affordability range. Thank you in advance for anything you can tell me!

[theBCnut]

A lot of it sticks to the oils on the food. I feed dry kibble once in a while and just sprinkle the powder on top and stir up the bowl. But it sounds like she likes her arrangements just fine and doesn’t intend to change them until something forces her to. To each his own, live and let live, and all that.

[DogFoodie]

I thought about that Patty. I even brought “extra” Mercola probiotics and enzymes to work the other day in case she was interested, but she feeds her Cocker and a second, much bigger dog, out of the same bowl of dry food. She doesn’t add anything to the dry so the powder would sit there and get sifted to the bottom of the bowl where it probably wouldn’t be ingested.

[Becky]

I have a 1.5 year old pug who started with those exact symptoms at about that same age. We went though all kinds of tests and could find nothing wrong. After trying different foods, including prescription, I’ve discovered she can’t eat dry food. As long as she eats canned food, she’s OK. I figure it must be some kind of preservative on the dry food that she just can’t tolerate. She gets baby carrots for treats and chews on nylabones and the vet said her teeth will be fine.

She’s been eating the canned Nutro Limited Ingred Lamb & Rice and now I’m hearing some scary things about them, so I’m a little worried. I came here to see what I could find out. Does anyone know anything about this?

[Melissaandcrew]

Hi Nectarmom-

I have been trying to reply for two days, and finally its letting me at least post to this thread. My crew eats a variety of food without issues and none have become picky eaters as a result. If anything, they have become more excited about eating to the point of being obnoxious when the bowls come out(working on that!) However, I do agree that a sensitive stomach dog is a “beast unto itself” My dobergal has had issues on and off for 4 years-and only recently have we started getting it under control. The Abady granular worked well,. and now the Victor Ultra pro dry food. However, rotation for her is not the same as the rest of the crew. Her baseline food will stay the same-Victor Ultra Pro, but we will rotate her commercial raw, as well as her canned to offer her some variety.

My point being, not all rotation will be the same for each and every dog. By rotating out the topper portions, we will be able to offer her some variety in her diet. While it will not be as frequent or as extensive as the “normals”, something, imo, is better than nothing.

[donnaf]

I too am very confused. I’m told certain fillers/ingredients (presently using Iams dry food) can cause the dog to smell – mine stinks! He’s a 4 month old golden . We’ve tried several tactics – different shampoos, powders, sprays – he still smells like wet dog at all times!! Anyone have any suggestions as to what food may help ?

[stormaf]

I notice that you have no reviews or ratings for Nutro Natural Choice Ultra dry dog food. Do you plan to do one soon? Thank you very much.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi hassiman –

Your breeder could not be more incorrect. You can’t feed a dog “too much” protein – excess protein that is not used by the body is passively excreted though the urine causing no stress on the organs. Protein is very important for all dogs and especially growing puppies. I wouldn’t even feed a food with 21% protein to an adult dog, let alone a puppy. I always recommend picking a dry food with at least 30% protein and topping with high quality canned foods, raw foods or healthy “people” food (sardines, eggs, lean meat, etc.) to boost protein further. I have 3 bloodhounds – an 8 month old puppy, a 2 year old adult and a 7 year old senior – that all eat a raw diet with protein levels in the 45-55% range. It is now known that reducing protein levels does nothing to prevent renal failure and that protein levels should only be reduced in the late stages of renal failure. Orijen is a wonderful food (the best dry food available in my opinion) and I think you made a great choice that you should stick with regardless of your breeder’s (incorrect) beliefs. If you go to the “library” on Orijen’s website they have some wonderful articles about the importance of dietary protein and the myths surrounding high levels of dietary protein. I’d highly recommend you read these articles to ease your mind. The three I’d recommend you read are: “Myths of High Protein” which was written by Kenneth C. Bovee, DVM, MMedSc at Penn State’s veterinary school; “Effects of High Protein on Renal Function” by Delmar R. Finco, DVM, PhD for the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at the University of Georgia’s school of veterinary medicine; “Pet Food Safety: Dietary Protein” by DP Laflamme, DVM, PhD, Dipl ACVN. To get to the articles from Orijen’s homepage click “FAQ” on the top menu, then click “Library” on the new top menu that appears. You may also want to refer your breeder to these articles before he/she provides any more unknowing puppy buyers with such misguided advice.

[Hound Dog Mom]

The same kibble day in and day out with no treats, canned food or fresh food – I guess that is tough love!

I’m a firm believer that feeding the same food daily – no matter how high quality it is – and denying a dog fresh food (healthy “scraps”) is the worst thing anyone can do for their dog nutritionally.

You ask – “I was lead to believe that dogs do not need variety like we do so please enlighten me where it is stated that dogs need a variety in their diet?” Well, let’s think about this – what living thing, if left to their own devices, would eat the same food every day (especially dry pellets)? Do you honestly think there is one food that can provide every single nutrient a living thing needs to thrive (note I said thrive, not survive)? Different proteins have different amino acid profiles, different proteins have different balances of fatty acids, different trace nutrients, etc. etc. Rotating foods allows you to mitigate the shortcomings of any one food – and every food has shortcomings. It is pet food companies themselves that create the “dogs don’t need variety myth.” They do this to create brand loyalty – don’t be fooled. If you went to your doctor and he handed you a meal replacement bar and said “Look, this processed meal replacement is all you need to eat for the rest of your life. It it 100% complete and balanced and if you try to eat other foods you’ll cause digestive upset.” What would you do? I know I’d laugh and find a new doctor. I hope you understand how ridiculous the idea of feeding one food for life and denying a dog fresh food is.

[Hound Dog Mom]

A balanced raw diet would be best, canned would be second best, dry would be worst (granted they all have the same rating). Pick something that’s convenient (some people don’t have the time to prepare or properly research a raw diet) and affordable (raw and canned foods are much more expensive than dry foods) to you. If you go with kibble for convenience and budget reasons (which is understandable), I’d recommend picking a 4 or 5 star kibble and, when possible, topping the kibble with a quality canned food and/or healthy fresh cooked or raw leftovers (lean meat, eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt, tinned sardines, low glycemic veggies, etc.).

[petshop18]

Dry food,canned, wet food, raw food … it’s all so confusing. So, What kind of food should I feed my dog?

Pet Shop 18 – Online Pet Shop

[Mom2Cavs]

While Natural Balance does use Diamond for one of their manufacturers (and I won’t feed a Diamond food), they might have a food that fits your bill in their LID food, Potato and Duck. They have it in dry and canned form and even biscuit treats. And since you’re already using Blue, have you considered trying their Turkey and Potato grain free Basics food? I also want to mention that I’m using Acana Duck currently and it seems to be working with my sensitive stomach dogs. It does contain potato and while it has your normal vitamins included it doesn’t have many ingredients and is considered hypoallergenic. Pinnacle is another brand that has a Turkey and Potato food that might be worth checking out. Wellness also has Simple Solutions, which is their hypoallergenic food and I believe it may have a Duck formula. I hope this helps some.

[Wellington]

After months of trial and error, our 7-year-old female Boston terrier is finally settled down with a mixture diet of Blue Buffalo’s wild mixture of grilled chicken and salmon (canned) and boiled fresh potatos. I mash and mix them, then warm the mixture in the microwave and serve.

We would like to not have to cook potatoes two or three times a week, and have tried different no-grain dry foods. But, so far all have resulted in either allergic reaction (scratching) or a return to the watery stools she had before we got her stabilized on the current diet.

Yes, I know–if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. However, I would like to experiment with a dry food that contains the basics of potatos and some kind of fowl such as chicken, turkey, duck,etc.

If it doesn’t work, we go back to boiling potatos.

If you know of a product that tends to be pure without a whole lot of additives such as blueberries, cranberries and multi-vitamins, please let us know. We would be most grateful for any recommendations.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi hwballew –

If you go to the review section of DFA and read the reviews for Purina and Iams you’ll see that they are all very low quality foods. Dry food is definitely more convenient, but a balanced home prepared food is the healthiest. By type – from worst to best: kibble < canned < dehydrated < commercially prepared fresh food < balanced home cooked < commercial raw < balanced homemade raw (granted the foods are rated the same). If you want to stick with kibble for convenience reasons, I'd recommend picking out 2 or 3 (or more) 4 or 5 star dry foods and rotating – top the dry food with a quality canned food, raw food or healthy "people" food (eggs, tinned sardines, leftover lean cuts of meat, etc.). Canned foods, dehydrated foods and commercially prepared cooked and raw foods would be a step up from kibble and wouldn't require the time and knowledge that a home-prepared diet requires. These options are more costly than dry, but if cost isn't an issue they'd be a big improvement over dry food. If you do want to home prepare her meals, research first. It's not difficult to prepare a balance diet but it does take some research. There are many great books available with recipes formulated by veterinarians and nutritionists. Dogaware.com is probably the best online resource for homemade diets. The homemade food and raw food forms here have some useful information – my dogs' menus are posted on the suggested menu thread in the raw food forum.

For digestion problems I would supplement with a high quality probiotic supplement, enzymes and a little bit of plain canned pumpkin. Remember, because she's eaten lower quality foods for so long she may experience some digestive upset when you switch foods. These supplements will help a bit – make sure to do a gradual transition.

Is she on a joint supplement? I just posted some supplement recommendations to another poster on the "Mercola Joint Supplement vs. Others" thread under the "Dog Supplements" forum.

Good luck!

[hwballew]

I have a 7 year old Clumber Spaniel.

I’ve been feeding her Purina her whole life, switching between Pro Plan and One. She has also been fed Iams.
She’s very active for her breed (which to any other breed would still be incredibly lazy), and has never been overweight.
She is having digestion problems recently, and with the death of her littermate last Thanksgiving, she has dropped to 48 pounds when she should be between 55-65 pounds.
She shows signs of hip dysplasia, and I was wondering if there is a better diet for her. She just had entropion surgery a month ago to preserve the eyesight she has left, and is doing very well, but I would like to know if there is a diet out there to help protect her eyes.

As a college student, I would prefer dry food recommendations for convenience, but would be able to prepare food for her if it would be best. I’m not worried about cost, I will do anything to lengthen the life of my best friend and keep her healthy. I would love to have my dog for many years to come.

[ptoe]

I have a very picky 15 mo CH Cardigan Corgi.
He will go days without eating.
Turns up his nose at Purina Pro-Plan, Artemis, Taste of the Wild.
He loves 4Health dog biscuits.
Tough love started yesterday. No treats, just kibble.
Didn’t eat last night, so sick in the night.
Today around noon he chose some (very small amount) Nutro Max over Artemis and Pro-Plan.

Any suggestions on irresistible kibble?
He is just a bad about canned food.

I’d love it if you would include a palatability rating on the dry foods as well.

[NectarMom]

I would not give her steroids unless you just have too. I can speak from expierence on this level because time after time my vet put one of my dogs on steroids and now from her being on it so long it is taking her longer to go through a detox period. I wish I would have found Dr Karen Beckers info a long time ago because then I wouldn’t have to be dealing with so many issues with my girl.

I feed her now Brothers Allergy Formula and I use Mercola brand probiotics and enzymes on her food. Dr Becker and Brothers recommend a no potato, grain and no sugar diet. Now I have been on Brothers Allergy since Sept 2012 and it has been a rough road and still is a bit bumpy at times but things have improved alot. My girl still would lick her feet constantly and so I read Dr Beckers solution for this and it has worked so far. She advises to mix 2 cups of white vinegar to one gallon of water and soak your dogs feet and do not rinse but towel dry. ( Keep mixture away from your dogs eyes) Also when giving your dog a normal bath only use a shampoo that is tea tree oil and Aloe. Using oatmeal baths only feeds the yeast. I don’t mind getting my food shipped in if my little dogs are going to be comfortable with the out come of their diet. Now I tried the white meat formula from Brothers and this made us go on a set back once again because of the sweet potato and fruits added in it so we are back on the Allergy and things are getting back to almost where they were. Good luck with your sweetness. Oh and if your dog has problems with yeasty ears then Dr Becker has recommended “Witch Hazel”