[Bobby dog]

How is everyone’s summer going? The rabbit moved out a few weeks ago. There is a small bunny that I see sometimes when I am mowing. I like to think it’s him/her. Lol Now I have a nest of baby swallows in my barn. I have a family move in each year. The first nest was attacked by a black snake earlier last month. Needless to say I now look up before I walk into the barn now. Yuck, that was creepy to see that snake hanging from the rafters eating those eggs.

Sharon: I hope you are having a better time with flea meds.

So I did a little shopping this week. Stopped at the pet store and Bobby got many sample bags of Stella & Chewy’s “Carnivore Crunch” beef treats. Huge hit with him. They are about 1 x ½” long and are tube shaped. He also got samples of Precise Naturals GF Lamb, which he loved, and samples of PMI Exclusive Lamb & Rice and Chic & Rice recipes.

I found one new dry kibble for the kitties, Simply Nourish Source GF Chic & Turkey, they all love it. I like the shape; it is a small “T” shape, not too thick. I also got samples of Fromm’s Salmon ala Veg and Beef Livattini. They hated Salmon ala Veg, haven’t tried the other. It is half the size of Wellness kibble, round with two flat sides. Still searching for a third kibble for rotation. KLN’s Pure Vita might be a posssibility and the store is also selling Natural Planet Organics (both from Nutrisource’s parent company). Even though Organics is not GF I still might give it a try.

I tried the Freshpet Roasted Chicken too. Only two cats would eat it and they never cleaned their bowls. I mixed it with their usual canned and tried feeding it on its own. Archie ate a little then begged me for other food. Still trying to introduce it to them, but I don’t think they are going to warm up to it.

They had by Nature Organics Chic & Mackeral on sale so I thought I would give it a try. All the cats loved it. I am going to try the plain chicken flavor next. It didn’t have a bad regular price $1.39/6 oz. I don’t think it comes in this size anymore though.

The last food I tried was Purina’s new Beyond canned. Found it at my Wal-Mart for $1.07/can. Can anyone say overpriced? I picked up the GF chic pate’ and the GF turkey with gravy by mistake. I didn’t read the label properly because I don’t like to feed food with gravy. I fed both flavors, they loved them. The turkey with gravy is a small chunk style food with not too heavy gravy. I’ll feed the GF chic pate’ again, not the turkey because of the gravy; another food for the rotation.

[Bobby dog]

Love a nosy kitty! 😉 That’s great he’s a good eater, I thought for some reason he was one of your picky guys.

Can’t wait to try FreshPet for my kitties, fingers crossed for another option to feed them.

You should try some blueberries for Jake if you can. I have to tell you I cut the them in half when I feed them to Bobby or else he picks them out of his dish and carries them around the house and plays with them. I found out about this little game when I gave him frozen bb’s so I thought okay I’ll try fresh, but he still thought he should play with them. Cutting them in half takes the fun out of the game for Bobby and he eats them right away. There’s nothing like blueberry stains on the furniture and carpet. lol

I was disappointed today because the blu berries were not that ripe so I decided to go back in a couple of days to get more. I only picked a pint of them. The black rasberries were very plentiful so all was not lost. lol

[jakes mom]

Bobby dog, I’m not a berry fan myself, but maybe I should get some for Jake! That little piglet will try anything.
Dustin, my hyper-t kitty, is a pretty good eater luckily. And I can usually get a few extra calories into him because he’s also quite nosy, lol. Whenever I’m in the kitchen he comes in to see what’s going on so I’ll give him a bit of the Freshpet. He and Julie, my girl who loves raw, are the 2 that like Freshpet.

[Dori]

Thanks for your reply HDM. I’m not sure why I thought Freshpet was raw. I totally missed Primal, one of the foods I feed.

Anyway, thanks for the reply.

[jakes mom]

Tried the other Freshpet flavor today , beef/chicken variety does not contain fish. The same 2 kitties like it, the others don’t like either flavor, or maybe it’s the texture they don’t like, who knows. On the fish subject, another question. Is it just an issue for cats and not dog food? And why is fish oil recommended in some diets but not feeding actual fish? Does it depend on the type of fish? I know smaller fish are considered safer.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Dori –

Freshpet isn’t raw.

There are two raw foods currently on the list – Stella & Chewy’s and Primal. The list will be changing in the future as some companies are taken off and new companies are added so we’re always considering new companies to add.

Keep in mind that it’s also important for the list to represent brands that the average reader will want to feed their dog and that are readily available. The majority of pet owners do not feed raw. Many raw foods also have a limited distribution. So, while we definitely don’t want to exclude any raw foods deserving of recognition from the list, the bulk of the list is and will continue to be dry dog foods.

[Bobby dog]

Akari: Love the pic, he’s quite handsome with that new collar and tag!!!

C4c is not the only one who has tasted FreshPet. There was a discussion a few months ago on the FreshPet Select forum and a few posters either tasted it before or decided to give it a try. Yuuuuuuuuuuck, hats off to C4c and anyone else for tasting or eating something that they would feed their pet though! ;0

jake’s mom:
I have been to the HK site and forgot about the samles. I will check it out again. If anyone happens to like it my local pet store sells the recipe recommended by Catinfo that I could pick up easily. And one of the things Bobby is good for is eating any cat food regardless if the cats want it or not. lol I agree, old cats, old habits. Oh well, they are eating much, much, much better food now. I can’t force them to eat what they don’t want to, but they are eating well.

On another subject, my cats who live outdoors have no fleas right now!!!! I actually did not use flea preventative on them this summer. It was a hard decision to make, but I thought I would give it a try. I have some flea stuff (chemicals), DE, and Halo flea dip on hand, haven’t had to use them. I have been flea combing them and have found nothing. I am sooooooo excited about this, eating well makes such a huge difference for our little furry friends. I used to spend an hour and a half flea combing everybody during flea season, don’t miss that. Now I am down to brushing, checking for ticks, and calling it a night.

[jakes mom]

Bobby dog, have you been on the HK site? You can get sample pouches so you can see if the cats will like it, without spending a lot of $$. My guys wouldn’t even taste it, they gave it a sniff then gave me a look that said, “what are you trying to do to me?”. The packets are not very big so if your guys usually have to try something several times to decide whether they like it or not, you’d need to take that into consideration. It’s good food, tho, I really wish mine would eat it. If nothing else, you’d have a new topper for Bobby for a few days. Right now my cats are eating good dry and mostly cans, now adding the Freshpet. And my Julie absolutely loves raw, so she gets a bit of that as well. The other cats really not interested in the raw so it’s just Julie and the dog getting the good stuff! Old cats, old habits I guess!

[jakes mom]

The FreshPet I bought was the soft kibble form. I’ve used the dog food rolls in the past as well. I paid $8.99 for a 2# bag at my local grocery store, probably cheaper at Walmart. Petsmart has it too, but I’ve no idea of the price there. I was just trying to find something different for the cats. I believe there’s a beef flavor for cats, too, I’ll give that a try next time. I was disappointed that none of them would even try THK. Not that it went to waste, lol, Jake was happy to take care of it for me.
Bobby Dog, thanks for the bunny update! They are adorable, aren’t they?

[Bobby dog]

I have some prices from my Wal-Mart on FreshPet Select rolls for dogs, $3.16, $4.86 & $12.86. I haven’t checked out the prices recently though, not sure how accurate they are.

It is a cooked product that must be kept refrigerated, as C4c wrote t comes in a roll form and also small nugget bites, tubs, and shreds for cats now. They have their own facility for making the food. They’ve added a few different foods and treats since I have looked at the website last. They have a line that is made from anitbiotic and hormone free poultry, grain free, and limited ingredient slections.

Bobby loved the FreshPet Select. I fed it as a topper once before I came to DFA. I will feed it again it’s just that I am all stocked up on dry, kibble, and raw for Bobby right now.

I am definately going to try it out for the kitties. Hopefully it will be something to add to the rotation. They have some shredded meat & gravy recipes for kitties that are only available in California; that’s okay since my cats don’t like shreds. lol

http://freshpet.com/

[arwyru24]

Is the freshpet raw?

[arwyru24]

I always forget about freshpet

[Akari_32]

I would just like to point out that I don’t find the price of Wellness canned high at all :p

C4C, glad the doggie is ok 🙂 Maybe some honey will help with the inflammation.

I always forget about FreshPet. How much fish does it have? Anyone have a price on it?

[Bobby dog]

jakes mom:
Thanks for the review! As much as I am in Wal-Mart buying canned for Bobby I always forget about FreshPet. I do want to try it for the kitties and I am putting it on my phone now so I don’t forget next time. I am now to the point of trying my best to keep fish at a two to three times a week feeding. They just revolt other wise. lol

The baby bunny is still living under my pumpkin plant. At least I think there is only one. I peeked on him yesterday morning when I was watering the garden. As soon as I saw the one moving I put the grass back in place. I would love to see more than one baby, they are so cute.

Only one of my cats visits the garden on a rare occasion. He only comes down to eat catnip and it’s in the other garden. Bobby hasn’t found the nest and I distract him when he heads for the pumpkin patch. I hope he doesn’t eat much from the garden when he’s out and about. lol

[jakes mom]

Has anyone tried FreshPet? The dog food gets a 3.5 star rating. I bought a small bag of the chicken cat food and 2 of my guys love it. Almost as convenient as dry. It does have fish in it, tho. Something else for the rotation list when the price is right.

[Bobby dog]

I have tried Freshpet for Bobby and he loved it. That sounds like something to give a try for your kitty.

I have not fed anything with large chunks like that. My cats always licked the sauce off of any chunky styles and wasted the rest.

Does the food smell like something that we would eat? I have fed a few brands that have smaller chunks & sauce like this. Only one of my cats ended up liking them and I thought maybe it had to do with the ingredients. It actually smelled like something you would cook for yourself. They seem to like pate’s or Tiki, Weruva, Soulistic, or Against the Grain chicken shred flavors and some of the fish recipes of Tiki and Weruva.

One other suggestion I have for you is to check out Weruva’s website. They have pictures of their food. I think C4c feeds some Cats in the Kitchen. I have fed a few varieties of Weruva. They include more veggies and looks like a little less gravy, but maybe there are some options for you. Here’s a link:

http://www.weruva.com/cat-cuisine.php

[aquariangt]

I can’t seem to get a picture to load on here, but if you google wellness healthy indulgence, the 2nd picture looks about like the one I took

I stopped and picked up an authority stew yesterday, no go. I’ll try the wellness cubed-the google image search looks about the same consistency. I’ve never been able to get her to go for any sort of pate (too bad, wellness duos look cool) and I’ve tried a few shredded stews as well, so that cubed one may work out.

Has anyone tried freshpet?

[aquariangt]

is that freshpet vital or another brand? Freshpet is on there if so

[Cyndi]

From being on this site and reading what others have posted about dogs with seizures, you should try and eliminate as many toxins in your home as you possible can AND please, get your dog off beneful. Any kind of air freshners, cleaning sprays, flea products, etc. can all contribute to seizures. Hopefully BCnut will see this and respond, because I’ve learned alot from her advice to other people. As for food, I’m sure someone can give you some good options. I feed my dog a balanced raw diet, which is the very best you could do for your dog, but it’s not right for everyone.

Just curious, why don’t you want to order online? It is so convenient and you have access to so many good foods. Most of the 5 star foods on this site can be easily ordered online. What about Freshpet Vital? Have you looked into that. That is a 5 star food that you can buy at most Petsmarts or Walmart and it’s 100 times better than Beneful. I feed that to my dog occasionally and she loves it. I also use cage free fresh chicken eggs or sardines as toppers.

[aquariangt]

I would try some raw and see if that gets her going. Nature’s Variety Instinct, Sojos, The Honest Kitchen, if you have a place you can get something like bravo or primal (ive never used them, but people seem to like them) or even maybe freshpet chubs or bags of food. Try just that to start, and if she goes for it, mix in some kibble

[Bobby dog]

Hi Cjenius:
I have fed Freshpet Select to my dog; he loved it and did well on it. It was before I began researching pet food; however I would feed it again without hesitation.

I looked into carrageenan and I agree it is controversial. It is a questionable ingredient in my mind especially since the European food market has restricted its uses in human foods.

Since it is a common ingredient in our pet food I do pay attention to the foods I feed that contains it and I take this into consideration for my rotation schedule. If any of my pets had digestive issues I might consider feeding foods that don’t contain it, but I am not too concerned about feeding food with carrageenan on a rotational basis at this time.

[KD]

I was considering moving my dog to freshpet vitals. She is a very picky eater. Tried multiple dry and canned foods, as well as freeze dried like Grandma Lucy’s. Some things she’ll eat for awhile, although only small amounts, and eventually turns her nose at them. Others not at all. I’m desperate for a high quality food that she will eat consistently. This looked great until I saw the use of carrageenan. It is a controversial food additive used in a variety of both human and pet foods that acts as an emulsifier and thickening agent. It has been linked to serious illnesses in some research, often attributed to its inflammatory properties. It’s a hotly contested topic, and I don’t know enough to say whether it is safe or not. Does anyone have any opinion on this? It’s looks like a great product and certainly more appetizing for my pup, so I’d love to use it if safe.

[Dru N]

My 9 year old American Bulldog has a inoperable tumor and has been on prednisone for the past year. His appetite is extreme. We have been feeding him FreshPet Select for about a year now. He also gets a lot of snacks. He is still losing weight and rather than increase the FreshPet which is expensive, we would like to give him a high calorie dry food in addition to the FreshPet to keep his weight up.

He should be about 120 lbs. He’s lower than that now, probably closed to 105 to 110. The last time we tried to give him Blue Buffalo he got really bad gas. He also has a lot of skin allergies. Do you have any suggestions on a dry food that would be good?

[aquariangt]

Freshpet, or other fresh/raw are going to be the best bet.

Orijen has peas very far down
Nature’s Logic has no peas
If you don’t mind Natural Balance some of their LID has no peas

[Danni D]

Ugh…if you can get your dog off of the Pedigree.
It’s just not good for them.
I can vouch for Pure Balance, I rotate that in my Rottie’s diet, he also gets raw, freshpet and canned. I change his kibble every bag though. But he has done well on it.
Here is a controversial one to some but I have had great luck and health- Diamond Naturals not the plain cheaper Diamond. I fed my last rot this food for 15 years along with Raw and he did fine- it is also in my current rotation. It is not a bad food but Diamond has had a history of recalls. Many other Pet food makers have had recalls. Many are skiddish about Diamond because of this but it’s not a bad food. They make many other brands as well.
You can get Diamond Naturals of all kinds for great prices at Menards.
I wish I could tell you about 4health but living where I live we don’t have many feed stores. I do want to try it though as well as Eagle Pack.
Victor is a great food for my Rot, he likes it. My Pom got sick on it but he has a sensitive belly- kibble doesn’t sit well.
I bought Authority once and found maggots so ugh…not one I would feed but I know many do.

Hey Betsy- if you don’t mind little hijack- where do you get raw meaty bones? Butcher?

• This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by Danni D.

[Cyndi]

I feed my dog homemade raw, but occasionally I buy Freshpet Vital. Bailey loves it and it’s rated very highly on here.

[aquariangt]

I am not very versed in large breeds, but brands that don’t suck from petsmart (and again, this is just based on BRAND, nothing to do with large breed nutition-though I will type in ones that aren’t grain inclusive as per BC’s comments on wolf hybrids, also which I have no concept of):

Wellness Core
Nulo
Castor and Pollux Ultramix
Freshpet Vital
Simply Nourish Source

Really the only ones I care about there-and I only feed 1.5 of them. I did however see at my Petsmart the Nature’s Variety Instict (including Raw) were on their way in, so that’s good.

Also-love the name Khaleesi. I have a Daenerys 🙂

[Hound Dog Mom]

Just to clear up some confusion –

The Editor’s Choice list is comprised of companies, not of foods. We chose to take a holistic view of the companies themselves when determining who made the list and who didn’t – obviously the quality of their products factors in. It’s very possible that a company could have a few formulas that have received slightly lower ratings – such as 3 or 3.5 stars – and still make the list. In fact, there are very few companies out there they don’t have a least a formula or two that have received lower ratings. If you take any 5 star food from the review section and look at all of the formulas the company produces, 9 times out of 10 there will be at least one or two that have received less than 4 stars. Concerning FreshPet specifically – the vast majority of FreshPet’s formulas have received very high ratings and we found them to be a great company, the fact that they have a couple formulas rated 3 or 3.5 stars shouldn’t eliminate them from the running.

Authority and Nutromax are not on the Editor’s Choice list. On the budget friendly list, the foods that are both budget friendly and on the Editor’s Choice list are clearly labeled. The list at the top says “Budget-Friendly Dog Foods That Are Also Editor’s Choice Brands” and the list at the bottom says “Other Budget Friendly Dog Foods.”

If you would like more information on how the companies were selected, visit this article:

/choosing-dog-food/brand-guidelines/

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

[aquariangt]

All the freshpets are highly rated, haven’t had recalls, and are widely available, which is why they made it on the editor’s choice list.

I believe that the budget friendly is just a list of 4-5 stars that are less expensive than the usual 4-5 stars, as a helpful tool. If they were the best of the best, they’d be under the editor’s choice review section. That’s my take on it at least

[T]

Have you tried feeding him any of the canned foods (Nature’s Variety Instinct, Merrick, etc.), fresh commercial foods (FreshPet, Just Food For Dogs, etc.), or considered cooking for him (Just Food for Dogs is a good option if you need a recipe)? Digestive enzymes may help as well as some alternative therapies such as herbs, acupuncture, food therapy, etc.

Westies are sort of known for exactly these sort of issues you’re describing. As they get older, it can definitely be even more of a challenge to figure out.

I’m a holistic veterinarian in Phoenix. If you were in my town, I would evaluate all of his symptoms, habits and preferences to try to identify imbalances. Then I’d use acupuncture, Chinese herbs and food therapy to help balance him. If you’re interested in this sort of veterinary care, you could check if there is a vet near you who knows about TCVM here: http://tcvm.com/Resources/FindaTCVMPractitioner.aspx

If you would like to read my articles about pet food, here is a link: http://naturalalternativesvet.com/category/blog/food-therapy-for-pets/

Good luck!
Tabitha

[T]

My dogs love the beef flavor of Freshpet Select as well as the chicken flavor. ‘Course they love pretty much any kind of fresh food!

[Jen P]

I have a chi mix who is in the midst of a full blown fungal/ yeast invasion, poor little guy. My vet, who I normally adore, has been useless in this case. Anti fungal pills, antibiotics, and $30 bottles of anti fungal shampoo. He just kept getting worse. Finally I did my own research. Sugar feeds yeast – so no more sugars or carbs….no dog foods with rice or potatoes, no treats with corn syrup as the second ingredient, as most of the commercial ones have…and no shampoos with oatmeal – yeast loves oatmeal! The first change had to be the dog food, so no more Freshpet Select. Thank goodness freshpet just came out with their Vital line, which has no grains or potatoes. Temporarily, I am giving yogurt daily, to try to get his good bacteria back in charge, and trying to feed other immune system boosting goodies – liver, garlic, etc, all in limited amounts, of course. I am also doing every other day vinegar rinses on him. Little by little, he is getting better….but it has been a loooong road.

[Bobby dog]

Oh my goodness! Puppies always manage to get their selves in trouble don’t they? Wal-Mart is stocking alot more healthy foods for pets now so you have a pretty good list to look into that are 3.5 – 5 star foods at affordable prices. PB is $1.00 for stews and $1.25 for 95% meat and I believe all others mentioned are between $1.30 – $1.80 each. I am not sure on their price for Freshpet, but that is a 5 star rated food and Wal-Mart’s price was comparible to the price I pay for it at BJ’s. Goodluck!!!!

[Bobby dog]

Hi Sheltie Pom:
I recommend you check out DFA’s canned food list for 3.5 – 5 star canned foods to start with and for the DFA ratings of the brands I have listed below to help with your decision. If you are looking to purchase food from Wal-Mart I suggest you look at Pure Balance stews & 95% canned selections, Rachael Ray Nutrish tubs, Freshpet, Newman’s, Variety, Natural Life, and Evolve. Not all Wal-Marts carry all of these brands.

If you are looking for budget friendly canned foods also look into Kirkland Cuts and Gravy from Costco (you have to buy a case, they are about 75 cents/can) or 4Health from Tractor Supply $1.00/can.

Since you are feeding a puppy, look for puppy or all life stages to be listed on any brand you decide to feed; not adult only food. I am not sure which brands meet the puppy/all life stages criteria out of the brands I have listed.

I also recommend you look into rotational feeding for your pup. Here’s a link to a DFA article about rotational feeding:
/frequently-asked-questions/diet-rotation-for-dogs/

I feed Pure Balance along with some of the brands I listed above to my dog; he loves the taste, and does well on both Pure Balance varieties and all flavors.

[Seany711]

Has anyone here tried Freshpet Select Chunky Beef, Vegetable & Rice Dog Food Recipe? My dog Baxter, LOVES the Chickedn & Rice forumula; I was just wondering what your dogs think of the beef formula.

[shawnapage]

So sorry about your pug! I have a Boston/Rat terrier.She is 3 years old and I have just found a food that she does not throw up! She usually throws up about 1/2 hr after eating so it is not from eating too fast….she just seems to have a very sensitive tummy (says the vet).She is also very very picky.I tried changing her diet to no grain,no chicken no meat, etc…to no avail. Four weeks ago I decided to try the refrigerated dog food FRESHPET Select. She LOVES it.She will only eat the chicken/carrot/spinach….BUT she eats it and so far she has not been sick once! Also…when my large dog got an intestinal infection,the vet gave me a powdered probiotic to take with the antibiotic so that the good bacteria does not end up getting killed off also. It balances his stomach…it might be a good idea to keep your little pug on probiotics indefinitely. I hope he feels better soon…i know how hard it is to watch them be so sick from the natural act of eating.

[Mom2Cavs]

I agree with sandy. Walmart carries Freshpet. They have different varieties like rolled that you have to slice off, cups with gravy, and a bagged food that’s shaped like kibble but soft and meaty. This seems like it would be a great solution for your dog. I have used the bag kind as a kibble topper once and my dogs loved it. I used to feed it to my cat, and still do sometimes, but I like variety and the bagged kind only comes in chicken flavor, I believe. Petco carries Vital, which is made by the same company but is grain free, versus Freshpet which I believe has rice or some whole grain in it. Both would be much, much better than what you’ve been using, imho. My local Kroger also carries it. I also believe the Freshpet is less expensive. Go to their website and check them out. Google either Fresh Pet, or Vital Pet….something should come up. 🙂

[emchide]

Hello again everyone,

I’m not sure this will be of more than speculative interest to most of you, unless you also live in the the greater Baltimore metropolitan area, but I think I’ve found a very appealing raw food source at a great price point. Any insights or thoughts will be appreciated, but it seems this company at the moment isn’t shipping product at all and is only available locally. Nonetheless, I am excited by the affordability/quality intersection as I see it.

Dogs Gone Wild

Currently offering one pound chubs, beef marrow bones, turkey necks, and chicken necks at one of the smaller, locally-owned pet stores (Howl, Dogma, and Bark!)- I have two others to explore and see if more variations are available. The PetCo and PetSmart stores nearby don’t carry DGW.

Chicken: 70% chicken / chicken bone
20% vegetables – broccoli, kale, carrots
10% organ meats
$2.50/lb

Turkey: 70% turkey / turkey bone
20% vegetables – green beans, carrots, yellow squash
10% organ meats
$2.65/lb

Beef: 70% beef / beef bone
20% vegetables – butternut squash, green beans, kale
10% organ meats
$3.05/lb

Duck: 70% duck / duck bone
20% vegetables-butternut squash, carrots, zucchini
10% organ meats.
$4.00/lb

Lamb: 80% lamb / lamb bone
20% vegetables – zucchini, carrots, parsley
**was out of stock**

Chicken & Veggie Mix Crude Protein (min) 12% Crude Fat (min) 10% Crude Fiber (max) 2% Moisture (max) 72%
Turkey & Veggie Mix Crude Protein (min) 12% Crude Fat (min) 5% Crude Fiber (max) 2% Moisture (max) 76%
Beef & Veggie Mix Crude Protein (min) 14% Crude Fat (min) 10% Crude Fiber (max) 2% Moisture (max) 70%
Duck and Veggie Mix. Crude Protein (min) 14% Crude Fat (min) 5% Crude Fiber (max) 2% Moisture (max) 75%
Lamb & Veggie Mix Crude Protein (min) 11% Crude Fat (min) 25% Crude Fiber (max) 2% Moisture (max) 61%

When thawed, the grinds look very appealing and fresh – softer and looser than my only comparisons, the FreshPet Vital refrigerated chubs which are firmer in texture and ~$6.00/lb.

I expect a significant contributor to their pricing involves not having supplemental vitamins included and thus not being certified as a complete food or whatnot. I’m curious about the perspectives of the knowledgeable members here.

• This topic was modified 10 years, 7 months ago by emchide.
• This topic was modified 10 years, 7 months ago by emchide.

[mickeywess]

Lost our chocolate lab, Ollie, last week. Probably lung cancer. From first symptom he lasted 3 days. Same exact thing happened to his sister last year. And 1 1/2 years before that, lost another sister to lymphoma. They were from the same litter, Ollie was 10, Molly 9, Angel 7. Whether it was bad genes or the food, I can’t say. We were feeding them Purina brands products. We have switched our remaining lab (their mama, 12 1/2 yrs old) to FreshPet. She seems in good health other than age related problems (arthritis, cataracts). I feel guilty for feeding them substandard food all those years. Trusted the dog food companies – big mistake. RIP Ollie, Molly and Angel.

[dendad]

Thank you Mah4angel. I wished my little one liked dry food for many reasons, but she just spits it out. Even the small bites versions. My next attempt at finding a five star food she will eat is Freshpet. Wish me luck!

[somebodysme]

Get some of that Freshpet Select Chicken and see if she does good at your home…it could be possible it’s environmental. But HEY if it worked at your Aunt’s then sounds like you’ve found a food. It’s a 5 star food. If you are worried about her teeth, then just brush them.

[pugmomsandy]

Since you have a small dog, you might be able to feed him some rolled dog food or even canned dog food. Deli Fresh Slice and Serve, FreshPet Select Slice and Serve are in the refrigerated section in the pet food isle and I think even Walmart has them. Beneful also has sugar which I’m sure makes it real tasty!

[Shihtzumom20]

Hello again, I have been on the site many times since my last post and was hoping to get some more help again. Since my last post I took Dawson off Big Country Raw, I wasnt impressed with there customer service, most of the time my questions were brushed off and when I would place my order they seemed annoyed. Plus I found some things in the dinners I was not impressed with. So shortly after Dawson had a “sickness” episode (he was no longer on BCR) he vomited like 20 times before noon, and it was just bile. He was extremely lethargic and wouldnt eat or drink anything, but his bloodwork was relatively normal and in 2 days he was starting to be back to himself. He started drinking water on the 3rd day then the next day his appetite was back.Im fairly certain it was the freshpet he was eating that made him sick. After that episode I was afraid to start him back on raw, so I ordered in some ziwipeak air dried which he absolutely LOVES! Then once he was feeling better, i fed him ziwipeak in them am and then canned in the pm, I wanted to give him a meal with moisture in it like his raw meals. I switched his canned out for Grandma Lucy’s Artisan which he likes, and I like some things about it but its not ideal.
he has been doing well on that, but there is an Irish Wolfhound breeder at school who feeds her (very large,lol) gang raw. When we went to visit her and her wolfhound she had at school (who Dawson loved, I guess he likes the Big Girls, lol) she gave Dawson a tripe and veggie mixture to take home and try. Well He loves that and his tummy has seemed to be ok on it, which is what I had been worried about, so I was thinking about starting him back on raw, but im still nervous. I was also thinking of continuing his ziwipeak in the am, and trying the orijen freeze dried for his pm meal, but I was wondering if that would be too much fat for him to handle? He walks 2x a day, but I worry about inducing pancreatitis in him. Plus I like that the meats are free-range, antibiotic, hormone free. For raw the best I could probably do for a while would be grocery store as I cant seem to find organic free-range around here. At least until I can find a good source of meat… I really want free-range, antibiotic free meats for his tiny body, unless its ok for him to have typical “store bought” meats? If you think raw is still the best option I would like to prepare it myself this time around.
Sorry for the extremely long post, you guys are such a wealth of knowledge and the vets at school are very pro-Hills, Iams types. I really do like ziwipeak and so does Dawson, but I also want to feed him a meal with moisture in it as I think thats important too. Any input would be greatly appreciated! If you think is current diet is really decent, or if the ziwipeak, orijen freeze dried would be excellent for him, or if raw still would be the best (perhaps for his pm meal) even with store bought meats. And if you think of anything else that might help him after hissickness`supplements, tips etc. Thanks in advance, and hope you are all enjoying the long weekend!

[Cyndi]

HDM, thank you so very much for your opinions and suggestions. I do still have her on the probiotics. Or, I should say I put her back on them when the loose stools started again, along with pumpkin. I’m wondering, instead of the freshpet tomorrow morning, like I have been giving along with a couple other things, maybe I should give her a rmb for breakfast? She hasn’t pooped since this morning so I am going to be on pins and needles till she does go tomorrow. I will keep an eye on her in the yard and not leave her out for a few days, as hard as that will be. And you are correct (good memory) that she was on Fresh pet, well, Deli Fresh and Nature’s Variety Instinct. I do still have her on the Deli Fresh, which I give her in the mornings along with whatever else I have, like chicken grind, or ground beef, etc.

My gut tells me to ride it out and give it just a few more days. I’ll try to keep her diet as regular as I can and see what happens AND supervise her in the yard. I guess I just needed to hear it from someone else. Thank you HDM, so much. I really, really appreciate it! And if you would, could you please cross your fingers for me, lol! I need all the luck I can get. Thanks again!! Have a good evening!

[Jazzys_Mom]

We have a 5 year old Poodle mix that has been diagnosed with a liver shunt. As with most dogs with this problem, she is a very picky eater.
The only food she will eat ongoing is Freshpet Homestyle Select Lamb in the tub. I am told it has 27% protein which is too high for her.
How do I figure out protein %? If I add steamed vegetables to her food, does that lower the %?

[Cyndi]

Thanks again, everyone, for all the info. I’m starting to get overwhelmed again though, lol! It doesn’t take much. I posted a question a few posts back and from what I’ve read, no one seemed to give me a definitive answer on that particular question. I’ll post that part again…. (only because I want to be absolutely sure on what I’m feeding and don’t want to start off wrong…

So, if I kept Bailey on the Deli Fresh, which I feed her in the evenings and she gets 1/2lb. of that, and I started her off with say a chicken back for the first week or so is that ok? I do prefer to feed twice a day and if she will only need like 1-1 1/2lbs of food per day do I need to add anything else? The Deli Fresh is the Chicken, vegetable & rice flavor and I know there is alot of other ingredients and vitamins and stuff in that. Maybe, I’ll switch to the Turkey flavor, if I’m starting her raw diet with chicken…

I’ll also post the ingredients of the Deli fresh/Freshpet that I plan on keeping her on, for a while anyways.

Ingredients:
Chicken, Eggs, Chicken Liver, Chicken Broth, Carrots, Brown Rice, Peas, Rice Bran, Dried Kelp, Carrageenan, Natural Flavors, Salt, Inulin, Flaxseed Oil, Green Tea Extract.

Vitamins:
Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Biotin, Riboflavin Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid.

Minerals:
Calcium Carbonate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Niacin, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganous Oxide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite.

If I start her on chicken and use a chicken leg quarter or chicken back every day, is that too much bone? I think I may just be over thinking all this, and I apologize for all the questions, but I want to be sure, especially with keeping her on the Freshpet for one meal a day for a while…

Thanks again for all your help everyone! I sincerely do appreciate all your help. I’ve been printing out all your replies and referring back to it all.

[Anonymous]

Hi Cyndi,

Prey Model Raw is by far the easiest and cheapest way to feed raw, in my opinion. You can spend as much or as little as you want. Since you only have one dog, it isn’t necessary to have to stock up and freeze meat if you don’t have the room or money. Your 50 lb. dog will probably need only need 1 to 1 1/2 lbs. of food per day. Buy a pack or bag of chicken leg quarters, and work around that, filling in the rest of the diet with different proteins/organs that are on sale/clearance. This does not have to be complicated, and it’s all about “balance over time”.

Of course you will want/need to feed variety, but I find that this is very affordable when you make chicken the staple. If you can get some chicken backs at the meat market, start with those for at least a couple days. They are soft/bony and recommended to start with. If you can’t find them, you can use leg quarters. You are fine feeding just chicken for a couple weeks. You will however need to start alternating in some boneless meals (every other meal if you feed 2x per day or every other day) or your dog may get too constipated from the bone. All 3 of my dogs are different, and one dog can handle more bone. You learn these things as you go along, and you adjust the diet accordingly.

Once your dog adjusts to chicken, you move onto something like turkey for a couple weeks. You can alternative it w/meals of chicken. Then you will move on to pork, beef, etc.

Heart is very rich yet very nutritious, and it’s considered muscle meat, not organ meat. It can be a staple as well for most of your boneless meals. You are fine feeding a meal of canned sardines/mackerel instead of raw once a week or so.

You don’t even need to worry about organ meat for at least 2 months. When you DO introduce it, go very slow or your dog will most likely end up with diarrhea. I’d even personally start out feeding small amounts of it along with a bony meal. Only 5 to 10% of the diet needs to be organ meat. You need to feed liver, and it’s best you feed another organ as well. If you feed chicken backs at first, your dogs will get some of the little organs that are attached early on–I never removed any of them and all was fine.

Here are foods I feed/have fed: Chicken – Frames, Backs, Leg Quarters, Legs, Breasts, Necks (to my smallest dog), Thighs, Hearts/Gizzards, Feet, Liver. Turkey: Necks, ground. Pork: Butt, Chops, Roast, Heart, Kidney, Liver, Pigs Feet. Beef: Heart, Ground, Steaks, Roast, Liver. Duck: Heads, Feet, Wings. Fish: Various frozen (thawed) and canned sardines/mackerel.

I recommend you read WORK WONDERS by Tom Lonsdale. It’s a wonderful book and easy to read/understand. Even he says that many peoples’ dogs do fine on primarily all chicken. I know my dogs get a lot of it.

Also, check out: http://www.preymodelraw.com. This site helped me learn how to feed properly.

If you’re not comfortable, you could always do a partial raw diet. I have actually been doing that for almost a couple months because I am having a graduation party soon and desperately need my freezer space for that food. So, I have been feeding part PMR and part kibble to 2 of my dogs, and PMR/canned to my other dog. Once the kibble is gone and the party is over, I would like to go back to mostly PMR, but would like to incorporate some days of canned food. Maybe you could do that OR feed raw along w/the FreshPet.

Hope this helps. Again, these are my opinions and what has worked for my dogs.

[Cyndi]

Hi, I will try to make this as short as possible. Ok, I have a newly adopted dog Bailey. She is a 1 1/2 yr. old border collie/Pit bull mix and she weighs 50lbs. I HATE all the stuff I hear about commercial dog food. I am just recently into researching everything. I had a doberman who died at the age of 11 from an undiagnosed problem and I have a feeling it was from either commercial dog food crap, vaccines, topical flea stuff or all of the above. I am fully committed to doing better by my new dog. I just recently switched to Nature’s Variety Instinct kibble (I was using Purina One) which I feed her for breakfast. For dinner, I switched her to Deli Fresh by Freshpet. I really, really want to switch her to a raw diet, but I have no clue where/how to start, what foods to feed or not to feed, if I can afford it, etc. I’m afraid once I start I won’t know what to feed and and how much and if I am giving her the right variety of stuff. I’ve looked up raw “menus” online, but it sounds like there is so many different things that I would have to feed Bailey, that I might end up going broke. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated…

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi sp464 –

I would check out Earthborn – it’s similar in price and rating to TOTW and Canidae but it’s not made by Diamond.

suztzu had a great suggestion with the canned food. Tripett is one food in particular that dogs love – I’ve never heard of a dog that turned their nose up to green tripe. Tripett is just plain canned green tripe so it’s to be used as a topper only, not a complete food. You can take some and mash it up with warm water to make a gravy and completely coat the kibble.

There’s also the option of feeding only canned or a fresh cooked food (such as Freshpet or use a Premix – such as THK’s Preference or Sojo’s) and adding your own fresh meat – dogs seem to prefer these types of foods to dry food, however it could get costly with a larger dog like a great dane.

Are you giving her anything for her joint stiffness? Wysong makes a great supplement called “Arthegic” that has boswellia, sea cucumber, turmeric, ginger, devil’s claw, yucca, red pepper and cetyl myristoleate – all powerful natural anti-inflammatories. I use it occasionally for my senior after he’s had some heavy exercise. You may also want to give her some fish oil daily, the omega 3’s act as a natural inflammatory and seniors can benefit from additional DHA in the diet.