[Susan]

Holistic Select- Dry Senior Health Chicken Meal & Rice Fiber-3.50% Fat-10%.. Wellness-Wet Complete Health Senior formula Fat 3%..Im using the Eukanuba Vet Prescription Intestinal, I think its Iams Sensitive Stomach in America. Fat-10% & Fiber 1.75%, there’s NO by-Product in the Eukanuba.. Ive found the senior foods seem to be the lowest in Fat & fiber..

[Susan]

Saiq, where in Australia do you live? I live Newcastle NSW..Thats pretty good Oct 14, I bought the Holistic Select Duck meal from Pet Barn & use by was Jun 14, I think it depends where u live & how many people buy that certain brand..I bought Patch his Eukanuba Intestinal Vet prescription diet from vets & use by date is Feb 15, so it must be being used alot..Maybe its a good thing, we have strict laws, Australian Nutro Natural Choice which I found was really good, there’s no corn, wheat, articial colours flavours or preservatives. The Chicken is hormone free from Tamworth, Lamb is from New Zealand, Salmon is from Tasmania, all Australian made & grown, I’d prefer Australian made as I know our hygiene laws are very strict & have you noticed the dog foods made in Australia have never had any recalls that I know of…also there’s Black Hawk another good Austrailain Made & Owned natural food sold at Pet Stock…Go on the Black Hawks web page look at all their 4 diferent kibbles, pick one u think will suit ur dog & email them asking for a sample & they’ll send you out this beautiful little ingraved tin box with the sample kibble inside there’s about 3 cups in the sample, also Pet Barn & Pet Stock has samples of the Nutro Natural choice, if u look up Nutro on the reviews our ingredients are different, Australian Nutro is much better then the American Nutro..

[Melissaandcrew]

Big fan of the Acana and Orijen products here : ) What price range are you looking for? I rotate a bunch of brands and feed with kibble-which may be an option for you due to time constraints. for example, tonight is a 50-50 mix of Acana Lamb/Apple singles, and Grainfree Holistic Select sardine/anchovy/something or other, lol. It was on sale, so figured I would give it a try(they did not do well on the grain inclusive version) To top it off, will be a big old dollop of ground chicken quarters, veg, beef heart and turkey gizzard. They would have skipped the dry, but Mom was slacking and did not take out the raw to thaw long enough.

[Mom2Cavs]

Of the two you mentioned, I prefer Wellness Core. I am a Wellnss fan and use their canned food as well as their biscuits regularly. I don’t use their kibble, though. In the past it was too big and the small breed formulas all had chicken. Now they have some new small breed formulas I may check in to at a later date. I am feeding Victor to 3 of mine and my new one came with Blue Buffalo lamb & rice. I am trying to switch him off now. I did just get a huge bag of Precise Sensicare that looks promising at a tremendous price (35 lbs. for 26.00!) so will be using that in the future, too. I’m also fans of Fromm, Dr. Tim’s and Annamaet, and Holistic Select.

[Susan]

My boy has I.B.D & I too have him on the Eukanuba Intestinal, I think in America its called Iams Sensitive stomach, Ive tried other foods thinking that they’re more better but in the end we always go back to the Eukanuba Intestinal, Im finding high fat% kibbles are no good also high protein % & high fiber% is a no no also. Have you looked at the Holistic Select kibbles there’s the Adult health Duck Meal fat is 13% fiber is only 3.90% its also a single protein Duck being the only protein, so if he cant handle say fish or Lamb etc u know that there’s only Duck in this Kibble, sometimes its a meat or potatoes that can cause their diarrhea, Im going to try the Senior Chicken meal & rice as the fat% is the same as his Eukanuba 10% & fiber is only 3.50%..even though my boy is only 5yrs old the only thing difference in the Senior is that the Glucosomane is higher, but the fat% & fiber% are the lowest in the Holistic Select range, so I dont think it will matter that he’s not a senior at the moment, Im pretty sure WellPet make Wellness, Holistic Select & Eagle Pack….there’s the Complete Health Senoir in the Wellness but the fiber% was too high for my dog its 5% .. Look at the Guaranteed Analysis on ur Iams Sensitive stomach bag & look what the Fat%, Protein% & fiber% is & try to find a better kibble that is nilly the same in Fat% Protein% & fiber%, thats what Ive been trying to do..then see if he can cope.. also when you start a new kibble do it sooo slow I take 2 weeks, when I get to the second week thats when things start to happen that are going to happen with Patches Diarrhea…

[Susan]

Something that is low in fat, Ive been looking & found Wellness Complete health Senior wet to have the lowest fat 4% or the Complete health senior dry 10% fat or Nutro Lite kibble 9% fat or wet 4% fat, also Holistic Select senior health Chicken Meal & rice, 10% fat, Vet told me keep the fat under 9% its a bit hard when alot of the kibbles are 14%-20% fat, so I found the Senior ones are lower in fat, the Weight Management kibbles are low in fat BUT the fiber is really high in some up to 10% fiber too high when they have stomach problems I think…Ive been cooking boiled chicken Pumkin & sweet potato & just giving that for breakfast & the kibble of a night I have my boy on the vet prescription diet Eukanuba Intestinal 10% fat, I think in America you have the Iams vet diets…but the ingredients have corn but the corn must help something cause his poos are excellent..

[Susan]

No, Vet said I need a kibble that is 10% or under in fat, he said he likes 8% fat, for Pancreatitis, He showed me the Hills & Royal Canin vet diets & I dont like all the crap in them, its bad enough he’s on the Vet Diet Eukanuba Intestinal, but the Eukanuba seems a bit better then Hills & R/C so Ive been looking at all the kibbles & the weight loss kibbles are low in fat BUT the fiber is always high 7-10% so now Im looking at senior kibbles as the fat is normally low but Ive found that the Glucosamine is high in the Holistic Select its 750mg/kg. Im just woundering will it matter him being only 5 yrs old & having alot of Glucosamine…

[Susan]

Ive think I may have found a low fat kibble that I can buy, it’s the Holistic Select Senior, fat is 10% fiber is 3.50% But my boy is only 5yrs old when I’ve compared this kibble with other Holistic Select Flavours most of the ingredients are the same but the Glucosamine is 750mg/kg in the Senior, where the other kibbles the Glucosamine is only 340mg/kg.. Will that matter the Glucosamine being so high, Can a 5yr old be on a senoir diet will it matter to his health…

[Susan]

I forgot to write the food Im going to try, Ive looked & looked for a low fat & low fiber & found this one ‘Holistic Select Senior Health’ Chicken Meal & Rice the fat is only -10% the fiber-3.50% & the protein-26% see my boy isnt use to a high protein being on the Eukanuba Intestinal it’s only 23% so going to 26% I’ll see if he can handle it slowing plus Ive bought the Holistic Select Duck Meal before & its not a hard kibble it digest easily.. I always boil the jug, I put boiling water in half a glass & drop a kibble in for 40sec then pull out put kibble inbetween 2 spoons & try to crush it, if it crushes easily I know it will be good for my boy to digest if I have to really apply pressure to crush a kibble I take the bag of kibble back to Pet Barn, its too hard for my dog.. Before I knew a little about kibbles my dog was on the R/C Hypoallergenic & Sensitivity control they were hard kibbles thats when my poor dog started having all his stomach problems & vomiting now the vet say Pancreatitis..The only thing Im worried about this Kibble is for dogs over 7 yrs old, my boy is only 5yrs old 6 in November & it has 750mg/kg Glucosamine… I dont know if that matters the Duck Meal & other Flavours Lamb etc the Glucosamine is 340mg/kg..

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

[Akari_32]

The $5 off ones reset monthly, which means you can click the print button twice every month (but your printer should override the sites coupon program, and you can tell it to print however many coupons you want), and then in a month, you can do it all over agin. I usually print 10 coupons per click.

I tried to sign up for the Holistic Select, but their site hates my iPhone. I’ll have to do it on my computer Thursday at school. 🙁

Isn’t he funny?? I love how he went cross eyed LOL

It depends on what store I shop at, and even what manager is there and who checks me out. The manager at PetSmart hates me, and the big boss manager at Pet Supermarket is the only one there that likes me (all three managers were there today when I went, and the other two make using coupons so complicated– only one of each kind of coupon per order, and you can’t use two coupons for the same item, blah blah blah). He let’s me do whatever I want, as long as I don’t do anything that will make them loose money, which I don’t. The manager at PetSmart doesn’t let me do anything anymore. When I use $4 off $20 coupons and other coupons, she makes me use the other coupons first, and then if my order is less than $20, I can’t use my $4 off coupon, which is total crap. I’m very close to reporting her to corporate. There are a few cashiers there that don’t care though, and I try to go when they’re there, and avoid the cranky lady lol

No, you can’t use two manufacturer coupons for the same item together lol Stores make 8 cents off every manufacturer coupon, but ONLY if the restrictions are followed. So, if you use a $5 wellness coupon, the store will get that $5 back PLUS 8 more cents. If you used the $5 off coupon and the $3 off coupon at the same time, the store would loose $8, rather than make 16 cents, and they’d hate you lol

[Bobby dog]

First, as Akari wrote above if you go to Wellness’ site and find the “check your bag” icon, it’s usually at the top of their homepage, if it isn’t, search their website til it pops up. That is their $5.00 coupon promo that you can only access monthly and to quote Akari again “print out a crap-top of them,” or as many as you need for the month! The $1.00 off cans or $3.00 off bag coupons for dogs or cats are e-mailed monthly and you receive them by joining their “Wellness community.”

So unless they stop these promos, you should be getting $1 & $3 coupons monthly if you sign up for their “Wellness community” and still be able to access and print more check your bag $5.00 coupons in July as well as the coming months!

Check out my other post above for signing up for the Wellness community to get monthy coupons for cats or dogs and for the promos from their sister company Holistic Select.

I never use the $3 Wellness coupons because I use the $5 check your bag coupons but I still use the $1 Wellness coupons for cans and both ($1 off cans & $3 off bags) of the Holistic Select coupons they e-mail monthly.

Happy couponing!!!!!

[Akari_32]

I get the wellness coupons emailed every now and then, but not monthly. Weird. I’ll just go resign-up for it LOL To get their $5 off bag ones you just do the “check your bag” thing, and then print out a crap-top of them :p Who needs the $3 off when you have $5 off??

I’ll sign up for the holistic selects, thanks! My lps carries that brand. I’ve signed up for most of the brands that are carried around here, as well as PetPerks, VIP, and Pals lol

Don’t be jealous of my words :p

[Bobby dog]

Hi All:
Just an FYI, you may already know this, however if you don’t you can sign up for Wellness’ “join our community,” which you can find on the right side of any product page on their site, and they will send you $1.00 off cans and $3.00 off of bag coupons (for dog or cat products) each month. The same thing with their sister company Holistic Select. When you join their club, it looks like you will get a $5.00 coupon for something this month, but I also receive $1.00 off cans and $3.00 off bag coupons each month. Their offer is on their homepage.

I think I have signed up for just about every pet food company birthday, news & events, our community, and whatever else they call promotions that my pet store carries. Most have some kind of offer/coupon at some time throughout the year of value to me. Happy savings!!!!

[RescueDaneMom]

Hi Patrick. I don’t have experience with GSD’s specifically, but I do know that large breed puppies have specific dietary needs. You have to have the correct amount and balance of calcium and phosphorous in the food or they could develop orthopedic issues. Also, you must not overfeed. Slow and steady growth is best. The large breed puppy nutrition thread is a great resource.
/forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/
Hound Dog Mom, a very knowledgeable member made a list of foods appropriate for large breed puppy growth. All foods on the list are 4 or 5 stars. See here: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFTXhUdi1KazFzSUk/edit

There are some affordable 4 and 5 star foods that won’t break the bank. You can get the best selection and price by ordering online. I like Chewy.com and Petflow.com. Both ship free with a $49 order. The most affordable foods with grain from the list are: Dr. Tim’s Kinesis, Nutrisource Large Breed Puppy, and Victor Select (Chicken & Rice or Lamb & Rice). The most affordable grain-free is Earthborn Holistic (Meadow Feast or Coastal Catch). Other grain-free foods I would consider are Wellness Core Puppy and Nature’s Variety Instinct Turkey. Grain-free foods are more expensive but you can offset the cost of feeding grain-free by alternating with grain-inclusive foods as long as your dog tolerates both. It’s best to rotate through different foods and not feed the same thing all the time. I hope this helps. Someone else may chime in and give you more specifics about GSD’s specifically.

[Mom2Cavs]

Although, personally I don’t recommend Blue Buffalo I’m not sure about the statement of being bought by P&G. Maybe, but P&G did buy Natura a few years ago. Anyway, you are right that quite a few of the more cost conscious foods are made by Diamond. Some foods that I feel are good foods that are not made by them are: Earthborn, Victor, Dr. Tim’s, Fromm Gold (I feel the 4Star line is expensive), Annamaet, Wellness, Holistic Select, Precise, Nutrisource, Merrick (even though I don’t like them now), 4Health grain free only (TSC’s house label, the grain free is made by Ainsworth but the grain inclusive by Diamond). Also, some of these may not be local to you but if you’re not adverse to ordering online sometimes you can get deals and free shipping. I order my Annamaet, Dr. Tim’s and Victor online.

[Mom2Cavs]

A couple others, Simply Nourish Limited Ingredient Salmon, Annamaet Option or Aqualuk, Holistic Select grain free. Like sandy, I’m not sure if they have egg. Oh and I noticed you wanted grain free, so forget the Annamaet Option.

[pugmomsandy]

You might look into Smack Salmon Fusion, Canidae Pure Sea, Horizon Legacy Fish, Horizon Pulsar Fish, Hi-Tek Naturals grain free fish, Zignature trout and salmon, Avoderm Revolving Menu trout, Core Ocean, Holistic Select grain free sardine, Nature’s Logic sardine. Not sure if they contain egg or not. There are a couple canned food options, too: Nature’s Logic, Hound & Gatos, Wellness Core and Wellness Simple, Weruva Cirque de la Mer and Marbella Paella.

[Susan]

Do u mean Tylosin {Tylan} thats tablets isnt it, I asked the vet about Tylan she said that they probably cant get it in as its used more for pigs, so he was put on Metronidazone another stomach & bowel antibiotic..the Metronidazole seems to fix things up but in about 3 months time it all happens again vomiting, bad wind, soft poos about 3 a day, he is also getting stomach acid with it too, I thought Stomach bacteria that gives you bad acid.. Ive google S.I.B.O it doesnt tell me much, what foods to feed him or how to stop him getting the bacteria overgrowth, thats why Im wondering has anyone else been thru this S.I.B.O & what has help stop the bacteria Overgrowth he’s on a very good probiotic for dogs {Protexin} it cost me $65 for 2 months worth, I changed from the Protexin & got a cheaper one on the net in December then about 2 weeks later he started to be unwell again, Patty said a low card diet, he’s on the Eukanuba Intestinal only cause the fiber is low only 1.75% he cant have too much fiber either, the intestinal is corn based, I looked up is corn a carb & it said yes, I dont know what other kibble to feed him as I cant find another low fiber one here in Australia…I tried the Holistic Select Duck as it was a single protein & a hydrolized kibble but the flaxseed gave him bad wind & he was getting up early to poo & I has only given him quarter to his cup of Intestinal, so imagine a full cup of the Holistic Select..hes getting better cause he’s been on the Metronidazole for over 1 week now, everythings back to normal the vet wants to keep him on the Metronidzole but a lower dose, I said no, we’ll wait & see if he gets sick again & i’ll have a blood test to check if his folate is high, I think thats what they look for with S.I.B.O..

[RescueDaneMom]

Hi crazy mom- There are some affordable, high quality foods out there. I have an almost 8 year old Great Dane and I understand how pricey it can be to feed them.

Annamaet Ultra from HDM’s list is $70 for a 40 pound bag which comes out to $1.75/pound. It has 480 calories/cup so you’ll feed less of it than you would other foods which will also make it stretch further- a good bang for your buck. http://www.chewy.com/dog/annamaet-ultra-32-dry-dog-food/dp/41926

Annamaet Extra is also a possibility. It is lower protein at 26% instead of 32% (I prefer higher protein for my dog). It is $53 for a 40 pound bag ($1.33/pound). It is not as calorically dense as the Ultra at 425 cal/cup so you would need to feed a little more of it. http://www.chewy.com/dog/annamaet-extra-26-dry-dog-food/dp/41927

Dr. Tim’s Kinesis is good too. It’s $61 for a 44 pound bag ($1.39/pound). It has 415 cal/cup and 26% protein. http://www.chewy.com/dog/dr-tims-kinesis-all-life-stages-dry/dp/37810

Victor Select Chicken Meal and Brown Rice or Lamb Meal and Brown Rice are also affordable. The chicken is 391 cal/cup, 24% protein, and $55 for 40 pounds ($1.38/pound). http://www.amazon.com/Victor-Dog-Food-Chicken-40-Pound/dp/B00COVMFW4/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1389619583&sr=8-6&keywords=victor+select+dog+food
The lamb is 381 cal/cup, 24% protein, and $59 for 40 pounds ($1.48/pound). This would be good so you can alternate proteins and not feed just chicken all the time. http://www.amazon.com/Victor-Dog-Food-Chicken-40-Pound/dp/B00COVSBL8/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1389619583&sr=8-9&keywords=victor+select+dog+food

Those are all grain-inclusive foods. Grain-free cost a bit more and I don’t know exactly what your budget is. I think Earthborn Holistic is the most affordable and high quality grain free food out there. Meadow Feast and Coast Catch are on HDM’s list. They are both $47.99 for a 26 pound bag ($1.85/pound). The MF is lamb-based, 26% protein, and 400 cal/cup. http://www.chewy.com/dog/earthborn-holistic-meadow-feast/dp/36414
The CC is fish-based, 32% protein, and 435 cal/cup. http://www.chewy.com/dog/earthborn-holistic-coastal-catch/dp/36406

As far as your Danes putting weight on, as long as their not ribby it’s ok for them to be on the lean side. It’s better to be lean than overweight. You don’t want added stress on the joints.

I hope I helped with the food recommendations. If you can afford it, I would try alternating the grain-inclusive foods with grain-free foods. You could do Annamaet Ultra, Earthborn Meadow Feast, Dr. Tim’s, Earthborn Coastal Catch. That way you rotate protein sources (chicken, lamb, and fish) as well as protein percentages (32% and 26%).

[Susan]

Hi Rose, Healthy anal glads empty when a dog has a bowel movement. Unfortunately some anal glands dont work as they should because of inherited malformations or cause of a history of poor-quality foods that produce poor quality bowel movements found in alot of rescued dogs. Why did u change from Natural Balance & why is ur dog on a grain free diet some dogs do better on a grain diet while other dogs do better on a grain free diet. With the Wellness Core original the fat is 16% & the protein is 34% fiber 4%..My boy also has colitis & anal gland problem & has to go vets every 2 months to have them expressed. My vet told me with the colitis he needs a lower fat diet maybe the N/B was lower in fat.. I was going to try the Core original as my boy Patch is on a vet diet kibble & I hate the vet diet foods but the fat is only 10% & the fiber is 1.75% Patch also cant have too much fiber, he’s poos are beautiful & we are not waking up thru the nite with a grumbling tummy with the colitis at the moment.. Maybe try a kibble that is lower in fat but u’ll find the fiber will be higher thats the problem I’m having at the moment finding a low fat & fiber kibble, But ur girl mite be able to handle more fiber… I also found another kibble I like Holistic Select Duck the fat is 13% the fiber is 3.9%. made by Well Pet that makes Wellness Core .Im in Australia we dont have the Natural Balance & some of the other American kibbles.. But ur girl might of inherited the anal gland problems next time ask the vet & see what the vet says…

[nicoles]

My 20 month old kelpie x german shep has a ridiculously high metabolism. I can barely keep the weight on him and we’re giving him 1 cup of dry food in the morning, and 3 cups of dry with one cup of cooked food in the evening. And he can barely get through the evening food. We moved him to adult food but then shifted back to Giant Puppy Holistic Select because it had a higher fat content and he was getting an upset tummy from the adult food. He doesn’t stop moving all day chasing flies, bugs and birds and is just burning it all off though – and it didn’t help matters when my dad took him to the dog park in the morning and the beach in the afternoon over Christmas break!

Am wondering if anyone can recommend one of the 5 star rating dry dog foods (or even a wet food) which will be better for a “working dog” that’s just working at keeping our yard safe from insects and birds.

[Susan]

Thats what I’d like to also know, my boy doesnt have Pancreas but if it wasnt for his blood test coming back good, Id swear he had Pancreatitis, instead the vet said he has IBD & Colitis & Canin Atopy… Ive been looking & looking on the net for a low fat, low fiber premium food, the foods I like are in America, L.I.D Natural Balance & Canidae.. Im in Australia & cant get them.. So Ive come up with 2 that I really think are good..The Wellness Core Oringinal but the protien is 34% fiber-4% FAT-16% Wellness also have “Simple’or “complete Health” also Well Pet the company that makes Wellness also makes another kibble ‘Holistic Select’ Duck meal… Ive read & read all their ingredients & I like the ‘Wellness’ Core or the ‘Holistic Select’ Duck formula as the Holistic Select duck is only 13%-fat-3.9% fiber.. I suppose we’ll just have to slowley introduce one of the kibbles & pray that our dogs tummys & bowels also like what we have picked for them..Ive read that the food is very palatable but after my poor boy being on such a stricked diet he’d eat anything….So sad, I wish he could talk for just 20mins & tell me how he’s feeling & what feed makes him feel ill or better.. My Vet likes that his poos are good now but I know the Eukanuba Intestinal that we have him on makes him either feel sick or gives him stomach acid as he sometimes licks & licks his mouth after his kibble in the morning & wants grass & his breath smells like something fermenting. Then some days he doesnt do his licking & his breath smells good..
Good-Luck

[RescueDaneMom]

I’m not sure if you are feeding grains or not. I’ve fed my big guy Annamaet and Earthborn Holistic with great success. My grain-free picks from the list would be: Annamaet Aqualuk (fish), Earthborn Meadow Feast (lamb) or Earthborn Coastal Catch (fish). Canine Caviar Wilderness (venison) or Open Sky (Duck) look good too- never personally fed this brand but I like the looks of it. My grain-inclusive picks would be: Annamaet Option (salmon and venison) and Victor Select Lamb Meal & Brown Rice. I’ve never heard of Pet Pantry dog food so I googled it. It looks like a pretty good food. I think the Buffalo and Duck would be worth a try. I’m currently feeding The Honest Kitchen and raw to my Dane and he is loving it. The Honest Kitchen Love is beef (though it’s pricey). Let us know what you end up with and how it goes. 🙂

[pugmomsandy]

Horizon Complete, Victor, Nutrisource, Nature’s Select (Hi-Pro formula), Holistic Select have grain inclusive foods similar to Synergy. Merrick does also but it’s notably higher in protein than the others including Synergy. And there’s also Infinia Chicken and Brown Rice.

[Akari_32]

YES (those on this list are definite options)
California Natural Chicken Meal and Rice Puppy
California Natural Lamb Meal and Rice Puppy
*Canidae Life Stages All Life Stages
Dr. Tim’s Kinesis All Life Stages
Dr. Tim’s Pursuit Active
Eagle Pack Puppy (yellow bag)
Eagle Pack Pork Meal and Chicken Meal (large and small bites)
Eagle Pack Power
Earthborn Puppy Vantage
Earthborn Small Breed
Earthborn Costal Catch
Earthborn Great Plains Feast
Earthborn Primitive Natural
Fromm Gold Small Breed Adult
Fromm Gold Puppy
Holist Select Radiant Adult Health Lamb Meal
Horizon Pulsar Grain Free Fish
Merrick Classic Real Chicken, Brown Rice and Pea Adult
Merrick Classic Real Lamb, Brown Rice and Apple Adult
*Merrick Classic Puppy Real Chicken, Brown Rice and Green Apple
Merrick Classic Real Chicken, Brown Rice and Pea Large Breed
Healthwise Chicken Meal and Oatmeal
Nature’s Variety Prairie Kibble Chicken and Brown Rice
Nature’s Variety Prairie Chicken Meal and Brown Rice Puppy
**Nutrisource Performance
**Nutrisource Super Performance
Nutrisource Adult Large Breed Chicken and Rice
Nutrisource Small and Medium Breed Puppy Chicken and Rice
Nutrisource Grain Free Heartland Select w/ Bison
Nutrisource Grain Free Seafood Select w/ Salmon
**Nutrisource Grain Free Chicken
**Nutrisource Grain Free Lamb
**Nutrisource Grain Free Chicken Large Breed
Nutrisource Grain Free Lamb Large Breed
Precise Endurance Formula
Precise Natural Grain Free Chicken
Vets Choice Health Extension Little Bites
Vets Choice Health Extension Original

MAYBE (foods on this list are more for sale watches or when I have a bit more money to spend)
By Nature—Pork
Castor and Pollux Beef and Barley
Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lovers Soul—Large Breed Puppy
Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lovers Soul—Puppy
Eagle Pack Original Lamb Meal
Eagle Pack Large and Giant Breed Adult
Earth Born Vantage Adult
Earthborn Ocean Fusion
Earthborn Meadow Feast
Fromm Gold Adult
Holistic Select Radiant Adult Chicken Meal and Rice
Holistic Select Large and Giant Breed Adult
Merrick Whole Earth Farms Puppy
Merrick Classics Beef, Whole Barley and Carrot Adult
Natural Balance Ultra
Nutricource Adult Chicken and Rice
Nutrisource Large Breed Puppy Chicken and Rice
Nutrisource Large Breed Adult Lamb and Rice
Precise Sensicare Lamb Meal and Rice
Precise Chicken Meal and Rice Foundation
Premium Edge Weight Reduction
Wellness Complete Health Chicken
Acana Chicken and Burbank Potato

NEED MORE INFO (these need more digging to find calorie counts)
Nature’s Recipe Easy to Digest Fish Meal and Potato
Nature’s Recipe Large Breed
Nature’s Recipe Easy to Digest Chicken Meal, Rice, and Barley
Nature’s Recipe Healthy Skin Venison Meal and Rice
PetGuard LifeSpan

* Just over 4 cups for Dweezle
** Less than 4 cups for Dweezle

[pugmomsandy]

Look into Wellness Core Ocean, Horizon Legacy Fish, Horizon Pulsar Fish, The Honest Kitchen Zeal, Smack Pet Food Salmon, Nature’s Logic Sardine, Nutrisca Salmon, LiveFree salmon, Holistic Select Sardine, Nature’s Logic canned sardine, Nutrisca canned salmon, Hound & Gatoes canned Trout or Salmon, Great Life Grain Free Salmon. You can also use canned/pouched sardines packed in water/no salt added for human consumption, and even raw sardines or mackerel. The Honest Kitchen Zeal is low fat and has a moderate amount of fiber and you can make just a spoonful if you wanted and it tends to generate a formed stool. I’ve used it before. For other novel proteins besides fish foods, there is also Grandma Lucy’s Pureformance in goat and rabbit.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 1 month ago by pugmomsandy.
• This reply was modified 12 years, 1 month ago by pugmomsandy.

[RescueDaneMom]

Ok, so you are looking for a food that is free of fish, peas, and potatoes that is acceptable for a large breed puppy, right?

You could try the Earthborn Holistic Meadow Feast. There is no fish or potatoes (white or sweet) in it. If there is no improvement, then it could be the peas.

If you don’t mind grains, Nature’s Variety Large Breed Puppy has no peas or potatoes but it does have salmon oil. Pinnacle Chicken & Oatmeal has no fish or peas but does have potatoes. The Victor Select Chicken Meal or Lamb Meal are both free of peas, fish, and potatoes. They are budget-friendly too. On Amazon the 40lb bag of Chicken Meal & Rice formula is $55.

You might have to go through the list of appropriate foods for large breed puppies and look at the ingredients in each one. Then you can determine if the price is right and if you can get your hands on it. I wish you the best of luck!

[RescueDaneMom]

Here is the link to the top rated puppy foods: /best-dog-foods/best-puppy-foods/
I don’t shop at Petsmart so I’m not sure what they have there. I skimmed the list for what I thought you could find at Tractor Supply/Petco.

Tractor Supply:
4Health puppy formula (4 stars)

Petco:
Castor and Pollux Natural Ultramix Puppy (4.5 stars)
Castor and Pollux Organix Puppy (4.5 stars)
Halo Spot’s Stew Wild Salmon Puppy (4 stars)
Halo Spot’s Stew Wholesome Chicken Puppy (4 stars)
Holistic Select Nourish Puppy (4 stars)
Holistic Select Small & Mini Breed Nourish Puppy (4 stars)
Holistic Select Grain Free Adult and Puppy Health (4.5 stars)
Nature’s Variety Prairie Puppy Chicken Meal and Brown Rice Medley (4.5 stars)
Solid Gold Just a Wee Bit (4.5 stars)
Solid Gold Hundchen Flocken Puppy (4 stars)
Wellness Super 5 Mix Just for Puppy (4.5 stars)
Wellness Super 5 Mix Small Breed Just for Puppy (4.5 stars)

Note: I think the Wellness is called Wellness Complete Health now instead of Super 5 Mix. I like the look of the 4Health (it’s lamb), Castor and Pollux Natural Ultramix Puppy, Wellness Puppy, Halo Chicken Puppy, and Nature’s Variety. I would also use any of the canned foods by the brands above. Just make sure the can says for puppies or all life stages.

I hope this helps.

[InkedMarie]

I’d feed Dr Tim’s, Eagle, EArthborn, Holistic Select, Natures Variety, NutriSource and Acana

[Akari_32]

Revised list. Not too different. Took some off, and added markers at the beginning of each different food.

-Dr Tims’s Pursuit Active
-Dr Tim’s Kinesis ALS
-Avoderm Natural Chicken and Brown Rice
-By Nature Active
-By Nature Pork
-California Natural Chicken Meal and Rice Puppy
-California Natural Low Fat Chicken Meal
-Canidae Life Stages ALS
-Canidae Beef and Ocean FIsh Meal
-Castor and Pollux Ultramix Beef and Barley
-Castor and Pollux Large Breed
-Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul ALL
-Eagle Pack (all but reduced fat and senior)
-Earthborn Puppy Vangate
-Earthborn Small Breed
-Earthborn Primitive Naturals
-Fromm Gold ALL
-Holistic Select Vital Senior
-Holistic Select Radiant Adult Chicken
-Holistic Select Radiant Adult Lamb
-Holistic Select Large and Giant Breed
-Holistic Select Anchovy
-Horizon Pulsar Grain Free Chicken
-Horizon Pulsar Grain Free Fish
-Merrick Whole Earth Farms Adult
-Merrick Whole Earth Farms Puppy
-Merrick Classic Beef
-Merrick Classic Lamb
-Merrick Classic Chicken
-Merrick Classic Adult Large Breed Chicken
-Healthwise Chicken Meal and Oatmeal
-Nature’s Recipe Adult Lamb and Rice
-Nature’s Recipe ETD Chicken Meal and Barley
-Nature’s Recipe Venison
-Nature’s Recipe Large Breed
-Nature’s Recipe ETD Fish Meal
-Nature’s Recipe Healthy Weight
-Nature’s Variety Lamb and Oatmeal
-Nature’s Variety Chicken Meal and Brown Rice Puppy
-Nutrisource Lamb Meal and Rice
-PetGuard LifeSpan
-Precise Naturals Grain Free Chicken
-Premium Edge Healthy Weight 1 Weight Reduction
-Solid Gold Wolf Cub
-Vet’s Choice ALL
-Wellness Complete Health Chicken
-Wysong Adult
-Wysong Growth Puppy
-Acana Chicken and Burbank Potato

[Akari_32]

Would a few of you guys care to make a top 10 (or however many) list for me from my 4 mile long thing here? I think I’m over the Grandma Lucy’s (btw, they told me I could BUY samples from them. What the crap good does BUYING samples do for me?? I don’t have the money for that crap, that’s why I asked for some! ‘Tards…).

Small to medium kibbles would be best (for Bentley– Haley and Dweezle do fine on the smaller piece), a few adult-appropriate puppy foods perhaps, and different meats. And please don’t give me all the more expensive ones.

Dr Tims’s Pursuit Active
Dr Tim’s Kinesis ALS
Avoderm Natural Chicken and Brown Rice
By Nature Active
By Nature Pork
California Natural Chicken Meal and Rice Puppy
California Natural Low Fat Chicken Meal
Canidae Life Stages ALS
Canidae Beef and Ocean FIsh Meal
Castor and Pollux Ultramix Beef and Barley
Castor and Pollux Large Breed
Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul ALL
Eagle Pack (all but reduced fat and senior)
Earthborn Puppy Vangate
Earthborn Small Breed
Earthborn Primitive Naturals
Evanger’s Chicken and Brown Rice
Fromm Gold ALL
Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Grain Free Pork
Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Grain Free Chicken
Grandma Lucy’s PureFormance Chicken
Holistic Select Vital Senior
Holistic Select Radiant Adult Chicken
Holistic Select Radiant Adult Lamb
Holistic Select Large and Giant Breed
Holistic Select Anchovy
Horizon Pulsar Grain Free Chicken
Horizon Pulsar Grain Free Fish
Merrick Whole Earth Farms Adult
Merrick Whole Earth Farms Puppy
Merrick Classic Beef
Merrick Classic Lamb
Merrick Classic Chicken
Merrick Classic Adult Large Breed Chicken
Healthwise Chicken Meal and Oatmeal
Natural Balance Ultra
Natural Balance Fat Dogs
Nature’s Recipe Adult Lamb and Rice
Nature’s Recipe ETD Chicken Meal and Barley
Nature’s Recipe Venison
Nature’s Recipe Large Breed
Nature’s Recipe ETD Fish Meal
Nature’s Recipe Healthy Weight
Nature’s Variety Lamb and Oatmeal
Nature’s Variety Chicken Meal and Brown Rice Puppy
Nutrisource Lamb Meal and Rice
PetGuard LifeSpan
Precise Naturals Grain Free Chicken
Premium Edge Healthy Weight 1 Weight Reduction
Solid Gold Wolf Cub
Vet’s Choice ALL
Wellness Complete Health Chicken
Wysong Adult
Wysong Growth Puppy
Acana Chicken and Burbank Potato

[Mom2Cavs]

There are plenty to choose from on the market. It might take trying a few to see which works the best for you, but some I’d recommend are:

Nutrisource
Earthborn
4Health – grain free only
Fromm Gold, or any Fromm (but Gold is more cost effective, along with their Classic line)
Merrick
Holistic Select
I also like TOTW, but be aware that it is a Diamond product.

[Akari_32]

This is really long, so don’t go running away screaming lol

Dr Tims’s Pursuit Active
Dr Tim’s Kinesis ALS
Avoderm Natural Chicken and Brown Rice
By Nature Active
By Nature Pork
California Natural Chicken Meal and Rice Puppy
California Natural Low Fat Chicken Meal
Canidae Life Stages ALS
Canidae Beef and Ocean FIsh Meal
Castor and Pollux Ultramix Beef and Barley
Castor and Pollux Large Breed
Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul ALL
Eagle Pack (all but reduced fat and senior)
Earthborn Puppy Vangate
Earthborn Small Breed
Earthborn Primitive Naturals
Evanger’s Chicken and Brown Rice
Fromm Gold ALL
Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Grain Free Pork
Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Grain Free Chicken
Grandma Lucy’s PureFormance Chicken
Holistic Select Vital Senior
Holistic Select Radiant Adult Chicken
Holistic Select Radiant Adult Lamb
Holistic Select Large and Giant Breed
Holistic Select Anchovy
Horizon Pulsar Grain Free Chicken
Horizon Pulsar Grain Free Fish
Merrick Whole Earth Farms Adult
Merrick Whole Earth Farms Puppy
Merrick Classic Beef
Merrick Classic Lamb
Merrick Classic Chicken
Merrick Classic Adult Large Breed Chicken
Healthwise Chicken Meal and Oatmeal
Natural Balance Ultra
Natural Balance Fat Dogs
Nature’s Recipe Adult Lamb and Rice
Nature’s Recipe ETD Chicken Meal and Barley
Nature’s Recipe Venison
Nature’s Recipe Large Breed
Nature’s Recipe ETD Fish Meal
Nature’s Recipe Healthy Weight
Nature’s Variety Lamb and Oatmeal
Nature’s Variety Chicken Meal and Brown Rice Puppy
Nutrisource Lamb Meal and Rice
PetGuard LifeSpan
Precise Naturals Grain Free Chicken
Premium Edge Healthy Weight 1 Weight Reduction
Solid Gold Wolf Cub
Vet’s Choice ALL
Wellness Complete Health Chicken
Wysong Adult
Wysong Growth Puppy
Acana Chicken and Burbank Potato

I was really surprised at how cheap the Grandma Lucy’s is– 51 pounds for 60 bucks, and for a really god one?? I’m all about that!

Not too sure on the Solid Gold, but its just kind of hanging out there for now. I dunno what it is about that brand that gives me the heebyjeebies.

Some of these other ones (By Nature, Vet’s Choice, Premium Edge, and a few others) are cheap and look good too. As it gets cooler and my food supply starts to dwindle, I’ll look into this online dog food shopping thing, I think.

[Mo’s Mom]

After being a lurker for awhile, I wanted the opinion from some of the very knowledgeable commenters here at DFA. My dog, Mocha, gets mostly dry food (Victor ALS) with some green beans and can food as a topper because she can sometimes be finicky (and, if she doesn’t eat, my parent’s bloodhound is all about some stealing 🙂 ). Right now, I’m using Newman’s Own Organics as her can food, but I’d like to switch between a couple of different can foods since I cannot switch between her dry due to expense (the place I work at sells Victor, so I get an employee discount on it, which is one of the reasons I use it).

I’ve been looking at the following on Wag.com:
*Fromm
*Wellness
*Wellness 95 percent
*Wellness Core
*Newman’s Own Organics
*Holistic Select

Any other suggestions? (Please note that I can’t go much over 30 dollars for the 12 can-case, and I need something that is NOT a stew/in gravy for the very personal reason of I can’t stand stewed/gravy can food for some reason).

Thanks in advance!

[Mommadog]

I have been feeding Holistic Select Duck and they seem to be doing well on it. But I am thinking of trying them on Merrick due to it having more protein. I have no problem recommending Holistic Select, it is a pretty decent kibble. I have 7 dogs ages 10yrs down to 5 months and they all eat it and like it. Poo is more consistent then what I was feeding before, no gas, no vomiting (which I had issues with when feeding Precise brand sensicare lamb & rice formula). I have 3 cockers that are sensitive to something I haven’t figured out yet. They did eat to much with the precise and prior brand I used, with Holistic Select they are not over eating. We are on our 4th bag of it now. ~Karla

[Mom2Cavs]

As you all may remember, I’ve been battling things with Laverne. She would have anal gland issues and goopy eyes, she would lick her forearm and scratch her back sides. Sometimes she would lick her back knee?…I guess that would be what it’s called lol. She would scoot only sometimes. Her stool would be loose to full blown diarrhea at times, except when we tried NV LIDs…then she was too constipated (they all were) and the other symptoms were still there. Finally, one of her breeders told me that her brother and mother could never have poultry! So….I’ve been working on getting poultry out of the house. We have tried Zignature, still didn’t do the trick (maybe I didn’t give it long enough). We then went on Holistic Select grain free. Things were a little better. Now, I also top with canned food (and something tells me sometimes it may be the canned that’s causing the problem). I’ve narrowed the canned down to a few kinds whereas I was using quite a lot of different kinds before. Things were a little better, still not where I would like, though. In there as well I used some Natural Balance I had in the dog closet to see if it would be better than the Hol. Sel. I had the Lamb & Rice and the Swt. Pot. & Fish. Things were even a little better. I used to like N.B. but am leary of it now..bummer. When I finished with the N.B. I transitioned in a small bag of Acana Lamb (from the dog closet, of course!) This is what they are on now. We’re only on the first day with only Acana Lamb & Apple as the kibble, but so far so good. I’ve stopped treats for the time being, as well. I’ve been using the kibble, which they all readily take (even picky Lucy…don’t know how long this will last). Today I gave Acana topped with Wellness 95% Salmon for breakfast and only dry Acana for dinner. I think that’s my plan….kibble and can for breakfast and dry for dinner. They also get part of their dry right before bedtime as a snack. It’s really too soon to tell but today has been fine with this arrangement. I pray it keeps on working….I like Acana and maybe eventually I can use other flavors, like Ranchlands. I’ll keep y’all posted. Please keep us in your thoughts.

Oh, I wanted to mention that I did order some Big Dog Natural in beef. While the dogs all loved it very much, it really did a number on Laverne’s bowels!! Too, too much for her so…..we will not be using it in the future.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 3 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

[cdubau]

Here is my situation

One large breed dog and one small breed dog. They are both around 7/8 years old and over weight. Recently we changed the older dogs food from Nutro to TOTW due to the interest in the grain free aspect and better quality food as well. We have restricted both food intake and started exercising them. With the food change Emma has stopped rubbing herself all over the house (shes always been itchy but checked out okay per the docs) and her ears are no longer red (they were red but had no infection per the docs). Since reading about all the Diamond food recalls I was hesitant about trying TOTW and still alittle leery about it.

While at the doc we brought up to that Emma, was drinking alot of water. Turns out she had a UTI. He mentioned she might have Cushings due to the protein in her urine and said we need to have her tested for that eventually. After doing some of my own research and reading articles on this site (theres a post about cushings) I am convinced I really need to cut her fat intake back and increase her protein as that is said to help with aspects of Cushings. While she hasn’t been diagnosed she really shows some key signs of it. We are hoping to test her in the next couple months. For any interest she is constantly drinking ALOT of water, constantly hungry (eats poop if we miss a clean up, as well as will tear into anything she can find), easily stressed or aggravated most the time, has a hard time getting up/down the stairs and doesn’t get on the couch as much, pants when the other dogs aren’t panting and the AC doesn’t go higher then 76, her extra weight seems to only be in her chest/abdomen and she has developed a heart murmur that is very LOUD.

I have looked on the suggested low fat list but most the listed dry kibble is NOT grain free, if they were they weren’t in my budget by any means. I couldn’t find anything that was below 13% Fat in a grain free formula on my own that was in my budget. After seeing such an improvement over the grain free I am having a hard time switching her to any of the “low fat list” foods that include grains. So I am looking to other people for their opinions and maybe experience with this. I just feel like I’m at a loss and I’ve spent days in front of the computer trying to figure this out.

Current Food
TOTW Pacific Stream dry dog food 15% Fat 25% Protein

Here is what I found that I can afford FROM the list – Not grain free:
AvoDerm Large Breed Chicken and Rice 11% Fat 29% Protein
Fromm Gold Reduced Activity Senior Dry Dog Food 12% Fat 26% Protein
Wellness Super5 Mix Large Breed Adult 12% Fat 28% Protein

Here is what I found on my own that IS grain free – NOT on the list

GO! Senior 14% Fat 32% Protein
Merrick G/F Texas Beef 15% Fat 38% Protein
Holistic Select 13% Fat 28% Protein

Thank you for any input!

[Mommadog]

You can always order online, there is petflow.com, wag.com, chewy.com and some others. Amazon sells the senior for 52.00 with free shipping. Merrick is priced well and is a very good brand. High protein, lower fat. They do have a senior and grain free. I feed my 7 dogs the same food, just less for my 10 year old who is a bit overweight. I am feeding my bunch Holistic select Duck formula right now.

I was feeding precise sensicare )lamb and rice) but even after several months we were having to many poops and loose stool. We are over half way through the Holistic select right now and they are doing so much better on it. But I want to give them something with more protein so I am going to try the Merrick Texas beef and sweet potato and the Pork (all grain free formula’s). My dogs range in age from 4 months up to 10 years.

I personally do not want to feed senior or eight loss formula’s, I am not impressed by any of them. Feeding a high quality higher protein (over 30% from meat) with fat less than 15% and then just give the overweight dogs a bit less is better I think.

http://www.merrickpetcare.com/consumer/products/product.jsp?id=147&page=2&view=list&sort=category_3&order=asc&name=Grain_Free_Real_Texas_Beef_&_Sweet_Potato_Recipe&categories=Dog-Grain%20Free-Dry&age=All_Life_Stages

Karla (AKA Disqus user name Zombie Chick)

• This reply was modified 12 years, 3 months ago by Mommadog.

[cdubau]

Hello everyone! My name is Carla and I’m the mom of three pups. Emma and Kelsey are my older girls. They are both about 7 and my new pup, Bode, is about 4 months now. We have had him about three weeks now. On our first vet visit the doc explained how too much calcium was a bad thing for large breeds and while I had looked to this site 5/6 years ago I decided to check it out again! Anywho we don’t really know what breed Bode is but he looks like possibly a Dobi, Black and Tan hound or rotti mix. Basically he will be big and he’s Black and Tan lol.

I have read the literature provided and done hours of research as to what brands are available with prices in my area. I dont feel I have many affordable options. I’m left with a couple questions probably due to confusion. We have fed our dogs Nutro in past since it was what we could afford but recently switched our older dogs to taste of the wild. Looking at the information of their website it lists their Nutro MAX large breed puppy as having a Min 1.00 and a Max of 1.5 for Calcium and caloric energy is 3580kcal/kg and 347 kcal/cup. **which number am I supposed to compare the calcium to when doing my own research? And the phosphorus should be half of that or double that? I don’t want to feed him nutro it’s just a brand I am familiar with.

My petsmart is fairly small. It only stocks Blue (and petsmarts Simply Nourish brand), Caster and Pollux, and Wellness as higher end brands. It also carries Royal Canin. There are a couple local pet stores that carry Taste of the Wild, Premiun Edge, Chicken Soup FTDLS, Holistic, Innova, Victor and Blackgold–in very limited selections. Driving an hour away adds Halo, Natures Variety, Nutricsource and By Nature (only ocean fish). Some of those brands are really out of my price range such as Halo, Wellness and Royal Canin. Also Newmans Own. I’m very leery of buying online to several fraud issues I’ve had in the last couple years causing me to change entire account numbers.

I want to feel my new pup the best that I can afford but times are tight.

Thank you in advance for any help.

Carla.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 3 months ago by cdubau. Reason: Adding

[Mom2Cavs]

One of my Cavaliers (in my avatar pic, Laverne) has anal gland problems off and on. I attribute it to allergies with her. I have taken her, all the dogs, off all poultry. She is now eating for kibble Holistic Select grain free. It is a poultry free, fish based kibble with a pretty decent fiber content at around 6% max, I believe. It does have potatoes, but they don’t seem to be a problem with my dogs. I do top with canned foods and have been keeping them poultry free, as well. So far, I’ve been using Wellness for the majority….95% Salmon or Beef or Lamb, Beef Stew, and Simple Salmon or Lamb. This seems to be working. She hasn’t had any issues since I switched to doing this. I was using Zignature kibble, and will probably keep it in the rotation. I just bought some Big Dog Natural dehydrated raw in beef flavor that I plan on trying in the mix. I also add probiotics and enzymes to my dogs’ food. There are lots of them recommended on this site. Currently, I’m using Wholistic Pet Digest all Plus (or something like that lol!). This is all I do, no other supplements atm. Oh…I almost forgot, I do give a biscuit at night before bedtime. I’ve been using Wellness Lamb grain free or Whitefish (not grain free). Any soft treats given, usually during therapy dog visits, are Wellness Pure Rewards beef. As you can see, I like Wellness hahahaha. 🙂 I’m not saying this regimen would work for your dog, but to think about allergies….perhaps do away with chicken and definitely grains. Go from there. I’ve been battling this with Laverne for awhile now and I feel I finally have a handle on it.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 3 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

[Mom2Cavs]

Of the ones you mentioned I like Core, but I would think it’s the most expensive of the lot. Nutrisource is a decent priced food for the quality, imho. I personally would not feed any thing from Natura (Innova) due to the recalls for salmonella they’ve been having lately, and especially if you have kids that play a lot with the dogs. Taste of the Wild is a popular food, even my daughter and son-in-law feed it, but it is made by Diamond and they have poor recall history. My daughter’s dog has never had a problem with it, though. She also feeds the brand to her cats. Tractor Supply, if there’s one near you, has a great grain free food that’s made by Ainsworth….their grain inclusive is also made by Diamond. It’s their private brand called 4Health. The largest bag runs around 36.00 for 28 lbs. or more. Their canned food is only .99 a can. Great bargain, imho. But, of the three you mentioned I would use Core or Nutrisource (NS is cheaper than Core). There are also other affordable foods out there, if you have access to them. Some can be ordered online and delivered right to your door with little or no shipping costs, as well. Wal Mart has a newer food called Pure Balance that others say is good and inexpensive. Rachel Ray has a food, also available at Wal Mart, called Zero Grains that’s not bad. Fromm has a Classic line that’s less expensive. Merrick has Whole Earth Farms. I’m using Holistic Select and it’s not that bad of a price, either, especially for the grain inclusive. Anyway, I hope I haven’t muddied the waters. If I were you, I would look at the 4-5 star foods on this site and check them out for price and availability. It is also not bad idea to pick a few and try them out or rotate the brands to give your dog some variety. 🙂

[Mom2Cavs]

Some of these may be smaller than others….

1. Wellness Core and Regular small breed
2. Merrick
3. Fromm – the grain frees, the 4star salmon, duck, chicken
4. Holistic Select small breed
5. Instinct
6. Solid Gold Just a Wee Bit
7. Earthborn Coastal Catch
8. 4Health small breed bites
9. Now! Small Breed
10. Simply Nourish small breed

Some of these may actually be rated 4 stars, not 5 but they are still good foods. There are even more I’ve not listed and I’m sure others will help.

[Mom2Cavs]

I’m sorry to hear about your problem, magnoliasouth. I would recommend a few foods to try that are somewhat more budget friendly than Core. Tractor Supply (if you have one near you) has a house brand that is a very decent food. It is their 4Health grain free whitefish formula. I’m in Ohio and I can get a 30 lb. bag for 36.00 so it’s a pretty good bargain. I fed it for awhile and would still be feeding it if not for the size of the kibble…one of my Cavaliers thinks it’s too large lol…it is kinda large, but on the other hand, so is Core. Some other pretty good priced foods that might fit the bill are Zignature Trout. A large bag here is around 49.00. Also, Holistic Select (same parent company as Wellness) has a fairly new grain free fished based (I’m using it and Zignature, atm) that is around 50.00 for a large bag. I do know that Holistic Select will have coupons available from their site and FB. I hope that helps some. Prices and availability might be different where you live, but 2 of the 3 can be bought online with some free shipping on various sites. TSC’s 4Health is only available through them, of course. I’m sure others will post and be able to help, as well. 🙂

[Mom2Cavs]

There are plenty to choose from! Some I recommend are Fromm grain frees, Wellness Core Small Breed, Merrick grain free, Solid Gold Wee Bits, Nature’s Variety Instinct, Avoderm Revolving Menu, Now! Small Breed, Earthborn Coastal Catch, Pinnacle grain free, Orijen, Acana (kibble are a little bigger but most small dogs do ok), Zignature (what I’m feeding atm), Nutrisource grain free, Holistic Select grain free. These are just some I recommend. There are still others and I’m sure someone else will let you know soon. Hope this helps! Btw, you could choose a few and try them. When you find some that work a rotation between them would be good. 🙂

[Duke The Boxer]

Hey there hdm. First off thank you for all the information about the dog foods I currently have an american bulldog boxer puppy who is 3.5 months and he is 20 pounds. I was thinking of switching to the earthborn holistic coastal catch but am concerned with how kittle proten it has. I was looking also at the Blackwood Sensitive Diet Salmon Meal & Rice Recipe 7030 Dry Puppy & Dog Food cuz my boy has been having somewhat loose stools. Can you recomend anither brand with low calvium percentage and around the price of earthborn. The natures variety is a little out of my price range. Thank you so much to snyone who helps me. Oh btw duke is currently eating nutro natural selection lamb for large breed puppies.

[mah4angel]

Even better!! That should make the transition easier and much MUCH shorter, actually ^_^ Wet food is, in general, healthier than dry food! Now that I know that your baby is already eating wet food and doesn’t need to be transitioned from dry to wet, I can offer you a whole new (shorter) transition plan (if you don’t mind), I just copied and pasted my old plan and deleted and reworded some stuff haha. All I can say is remember to transition properly! It’s very important!!

-Change from Science Diet to a four-star wet food (something like the Nature’s Domain wet food-which is sold at Costco and is not yet listed on this site but that I’m positive would receive a four-star mark: http://www.naturesdomainpetfood.com/about-natures-domain/natures-domain-grain-free-turkey-and-pea-stew-for-dogs, or Artemis Fresh Mix canned food: /dog-food-reviews/artemis-fresh-mix-dog-food-canned/).
I’ve selected these because they have decent fat-to-protein ratios. The fat-to-protein ratio should be around 50% (Hill’s Science Diet Adult Canned Dog Food has an average fat-to-protein ratio of 68% so we’re trying to start to reduce the fat-to-protein ratio with these four-star foods).

-Then from a four-star wet food to a five-star wet food (like the Earthborn dinners: http://www.petflow.com/product/earthborn-holistic/earthborn-holistic-duke-s-din-din-gourmet-dinner-wet-dog-food).
These tubs have an average fat-to-protein ratio of about 47%, pretty much perfect. Like I said before, I HIGHLY recommend Earthborn products!! These come in great, easy to re-seal tubs in a variety of flavors. I used them for Louie to get him used to a higher moisture content.

-Then go to a 100% raw kibble (these raw kibbles come “dry” BUT they need to be re-hydrated with water so it really is more of a wet food than anything) like DNA (air-dried raw, stands for Dried N Alive): http://www.dnapetfood.com/node/20, or something similar.

-And then transition from that to a pre-made frozen raw OR you could totally cut costs and make your own (which is what I’m doing), and then you’ll have 100% control over what she’s eating 😀

• This reply was modified 12 years, 4 months ago by mah4angel.
• This reply was modified 12 years, 4 months ago by mah4angel.

[Mom2Cavs]

Simply Nourish is a fine food and the kibble is small. Their canned food is awesome, too! 4Health, Tractor Supply’s private brand has a small bite kibble that’s really reasonably priced, around 1.00 lb…but remember to get their small bites because their other foods may be too large size kibble. Their grain free canned food is good, too, and only .99 a can! I will also recommend, like the others, Wellness Small Breed, Earthborn, Merrick, Holistic Select, Nature’s Variety.

[gsdmommy89]

Hi HDM,

I’m somewhat curious as to why you recommend Victor Select Chicken Meal/Lamb Meal and Brown Rice. I saw in one of your responses that you wouldn’t recommend a kibble with only 24% protein/12% fat. But I’ve been researching all the kibble on your new updated list, and both these Victor formulas have 24% protein and 12% fat. Is it because the calcium content is low, and that’s what makes it a good fit for large breed puppies?

Also, I’ve researched the Earthborn Holistic formulas and the Meadow Feast states a calcium content no less than 1.2%. The Puppy Vantage formula also states the same, although it is grain inclusive formula. Do you prefer the Meadow Feast over the Puppy Vantage?

[Mom2Cavs]

Hi, Ron! It is so exciting for you and your new doggie friend to have found each other. As for food recommendations, I would suggest starting with this site and looking at the 4-5 star foods. If you find one (or a few, to rotate with) that you would like to try with your dog then I would see if you can get them locally. Some of us also order foods we can’t get locally from online stores (many have free shipping). I like to buy locally because I like to look at the expiration dates myself before I buy them, but I have bought online, too. Also check out any local feed stores that might be in your area. Tractor Supply has a wonderful, inexpensive house brand, for instance. Also, Costco has some foods people love. Some of the brands I will recommend are (in no particular oder):
Merrick, 4Health grain free, Nature’s Variety, Fromm, Earthborn, Wellness, Holistic Select, Acana, Nutrisource. These are just a few, there are many more. I hope this helps some. I’m sure HDM, InkedMarie, Pattyvaughn, etc. will also have some good suggestions. 🙂

[Mom2Cavs]

Look at Holistic Select’s new grain free….it’s poultry free and pretty small bites.