[pugmomsandy]

Agree with Patty,

Seniors need more quality protein and most “senior” foods have a reduced amount of protein and an increased amount of fillers or grains which are actually more inflammatory. There are some exceptions like Amicus Senior, Merrick Classic Senior, Orijen, Blue Buffalo Wilderness Senior and a few others. But I would stick with an “all life stage” food with at least 30% protein.

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/05/05/surprising-findings-from-tufts-study-of-37-senior-dog-foods.aspx

There are several options to help with joints: green lipped mussel, omega 3, tumeric, Wysong Arthegic, Actiflex 4000, glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin, tart cherry, Esterifiedd fatty acids like cetyl-myristoleate, Yucca http://www.1800petmeds.com/Yucca+Intensive-prod10850.html

http://www.coxvetlab.com/products/acti-flexk9.htm

[Tambourineman]

Because of the Chinese dog food gluten scare, we researched our dog’s food and based on the rating and info here switched him to EVO Senior. EVO Senior(and related products made at the same plant) was recently recalled due to the FDA finding salmonella in one batch. So again based on reviews here we switched him to Orijen Senior. It’s made in Canada and I just discovered that during the mad cow disease, some of Champion Pet’s products may have used infected cows and were recalled. I do not know if Canadian dog food manufacturers are inspected similar to US ones. Whether a dog food is inspected or not is not shown in the ratings. Does anyone know how good the Canadian inspection agency is? What’s top rated dog food that is subject to a good independent inspection regime and preferably available off the shelf at PetCo, Pet Supplies Plus, or most vets or animal stores?

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Tigerlily –

Generally, dogs that are expected to be 60 lbs. or more at maturity are classified as large breeds. I’m not familiar with standard poodles or their genetic predispositions, but if you’re planning on breeding a litter these are issues you should be knowledgeable about prior to breeding. I’ve spoken with Champion’s reps several times concerning the calcium levels in their foods (Acana/Orijen) and the values on the package are not the actual calcium levels. The max calcium levels in their formulas deviate by 0.2% – 0.3% from the stated minimum. The actual would fall somewhere between the minimum and maximum values. Even if 1.3% was the “actual” calcium level (which it’s not) the food would still be too high in calcium.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 7 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.
• This reply was modified 12 years, 7 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Carolyn,

Congrats on the new pup! How cute is she?!

I actually was told recently when I thought it would be better to wait until 12 weeks, that if much time is spent with their siblings beyond 8 weeks, pups can start to develop a pack mentality. I brought home my Golden at 8 weeks and believe that’s the norm. It’s when I read about people bringing home a 5 or 6 week old puppy from a “breeder” that I get concerned. Your little girl is totally fine at 9 weeks, whether or not you have other pets, look for a puppy class ~ ask your vet if they have one.

As far as food is concerned… I’d give her a week or two to adjust and then begin the transition. Basically adjust the amount of the old food down and the new food up over a period of time. It shouldn’t take long. At each change in proportion, allow enough time for any stool issues to correct and then move forward. If she gets a little loose stool (most puppies seem to) add a spoonful of plain canned pumpkin to her food. It helps a lot with both loose stool and constipation. Orijen is great food, and the puppy formula is the only one I haven’t used ~ if it’s a little big for her soften it with some water or chicken stock or give it a whirl in the coffee grinder.

Have fun!

[Carolyn1965]

Hello, I need some help,
I bought a 9wk old Yorkie puppy and she is on Purina Puppy Chow. I want to put her on a healthier puppy food, preferably Orijen Puppy. How long do I let her get accustomed to me and a routine before I introduce her to the Orijen Puppy Food and in what increments do I mix them so that I don’t stress her and shock her system? It has already been called to my attention that the breeder shouldn’t have let her go to her “forever home” until she was at least 12 weeks old. So, this is a worry to me and I need your advice,
Thanks for your help,
Carolyn

[theBCnut]

That is quite a find and some of it is recent enough to have Orijen Whole Prey on it, so it isn’t that old.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi gmcbogger38 –

I completely understand – I’m a full time student as well and I feed my two bloodhounds raw, it does get pricey and also time consuming. If buying in bulk isn’t possible it would be fine to feed half kibble and half raw and no that would not make you a terrible dog owner. Your dogs would still be eating better than most other dogs. I would look into some more budget friendly kibble options, Orijen is great but I don’t think it would be a good way to cut costs – it’s ridiculously priced. I’d recommend checking out Earthborn or Dr. Tim’s – both rated 5 stars and much cheaper than Orijen. If you did kibble in the morning, then in the evening you could do say a turkey neck and some turkey hearts or a chicken back/gizzards/livers/raw egg or some green tripe, etc.

[gmcbogger38]

Ok, so I currently feed a prey model raw diet to my 3 dogs and they are doing great on it and their teeth are getting so clean it is amazing. Well, one of my dogs wouldn’t eat her raw and this went on for 3 days. I know I should have given her some more time and made her eat the raw, but I decided to just buy a small bag of Orijen kibble just so she would eat something. Of course, she ate the kibble no problem. I love feeding raw, but the fact is it is costing me more money right now because I don’t have a separate freezer to buy in bulk like I would need to to make it cheaper for 3 dogs. If I decided to put my dogs back on kibble and gave them a raw meaty bone 2-3 times per week or so, would that make me a terrible dog owner? lol. I want the benefit of cleaning their teeth, but I’m going broke because of it due to my current situation. I am also a full time college student and work a full time job, so I barely have time to go buy the food and then bag it all up for the week and a half that it lasts (that’s all I can fit in my freezer/fridge at the moment).

[pugmomsandy]

EmilyAnn,
Have you tried the Instinct Salmon since he is used to eating fish? You can also top the kibble with some canned food to make it more appealing and then slowly decrease the canned food. Several brands have a fish formula like Nutrisource, Brothers, Orijen, Epigen, Avoderm Revolving Menu, Horizon Legacy, Horizon Pulsar.

[dog34747]

I have an 8 year old male, retired racing greyhound with a very sensitive stomach and allergies. He’s had severe ear infections, nasal congestion, compulsive licking and digestive problems. He is also hyper allergic to flea bites, with them even turning in to mini staph infections at each bite. Over the past 3 1/2 years I have tried nearly every brand on the market from Purina on up to Orijen. If it’s sold anywhere between the specialty boutique shops and PetsMart, I have probably tried it. I’ve tried grain-in, grain-free, corn-free, soy-free, gluten-free, chicken-free… etc. etc. I have tried chicken, turkey, fish, lamb, beef, bison, and I think one even had ostrich or something. Basically I’ve tried everything. I have even tried the high-end frozen raw diet food, he just simply won’t touch it. He does not appear to be allergic to chicken specifically, I’ve tried poultry based foods and foods with absolutely no poultry of any kind and the result is the same.

Every single grain-free food causes, horrendous breath, loose stool and severe gas. No amount of pumpkin, yogurt, supplement pro-biotics or pre-biotics seems to fix it, sometimes those relieve things for a day or two but never permanently. It seems directly linked to the percent of protein, above a certain point and these issues start. He seems ok around 22% but usually anything in that range is not grain-free.

The grain-in foods (and treats) increase his nasal congestion (like a kid sucking the snot in vs. blowing his nose, not the same as a reverse sneeze) and the obsessive licking, and they also exacerbates the ear infections. He has had the ear infections recurring, or perhaps even continually but low level, since I got him. He was on a grain-in food when I got him and I immediately switched to grain-free but the ear never fully cleared up even on grain-free. The ear is finally cleared up (for now) after lots of meds though I’m worried his diet will bring it back.

I have tried some raw foods and veggies but they seem to pass through him without even being digested at all.

Any kind of food with potato as a major ingredient seems to act as an immediate diuretic, causing him to be constantly thirsty, panting and drinking and therefore needing to go out 7+ per day every few hours and even having accidents in the house which otherwise he has never had before. This includes all those limited ingredient foods because they all seems to be potato based.

The only time I have had any luck with a food is with Iams Sensitive Naturals Ocean Fish. Yes, I know it doesn’t rank highly and many people here are against it, but it was literally the only food that stopped the breath/stool/gas problems in their tracks, nearly overnight. I’ve heard others say they had similar good luck with Iams and attribute it to the beet pulp, not sure if that’s really true but I can say it worked for my dog. He went about eating it with no digestive issues for 9 months or so but the silent ear infection got worse and worse and the nasal issues got worse. Then we tried Eukanuba Wild Salmon/Rice and the ear/nasal continued to get worse and the licking started. The only benefit to the Eukanuba was his coat was suddenly full, fluffy and soft and the traditional greyhound bald spots were even filling in. I was bothered by the increase in allergies so I’ve gone back to looking for something else.

So I’ve since re-tried several other grain-free foods and the Biljac Sensitive formula, all produce the same old problems. Re-tried a limited potato food, same problem.

I’d like to note he has been tested repeatedly for worms, giardia, heartworms, etc. and all negative. He has had bloodwork taken regularly and it is all absolutely perfect, including thyroid. His teeth have been cleaned by the vet recently and are good. He has absolutely no medical issues outside of the allergies and stomach sensitivities. Also, several vets and others suggested giving him claritan or benedryl to relieve the nasal and skin related reactions but it seems to do nothing for him.

I’m sorry this post is so long, thanks for reading all of it, I was trying to give the full background so folks know what I’ve already tried on this great food adventure. I’m looking for any suggestions, advice, testimonials, whatever on food and treats. I’m willing to try any food to get him to be comfortable, as long as it doesn’t require a second mortgage to pay for it. Thanks in advance!

[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. 🙂

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Mary –

Of the foods you mentioned I believe Orijen is the best choice. I would never feed TOTW as it’s manufactured by Diamond. Fromm is a great company but the food is really overpriced for the quality and not worth the expense (imo). I wouldn’t stick with one food though. Rotating foods often will keep your dogs interested and will also strengthen their digestive system. If they prefer canned and you can afford to feed only canned this is actually preferable to feeding dry food – canned food is more species-appropriate than dry food due to the fact that it’s less processed, high in moisture and higher in protein. Most dogs also find dehdyrated or freeze-dried (both of which you rehydrate prior to feeding) and raw foods more palatable than dry food – these options are healthier than dry food as well. For the loose stools try adding a spoonful of plain canned pumpkin and a probiotic supplement to their meals, this may help.

[harp31]

I have 2 Boston’s, one is 11 mos old and one is 11 weeks old. They have been eating Wellness Core dry (adult small breed formula for the 11 mo old and puppy formula for the 11 week old, since they don’t offer a small breed in the puppy formula) with a little (1 tsp or so) Wellness Just For Puppy canned mixed in. They are not too interested in the dry alone and are both losing interest in the canned as well. They both have loose stools with this food and I am currently looking for something to provide good nutrition as well as a firmer stool for them. I am considering Orijen or Taste of the Wild or Fromm’s. Most of these would have to be ordered via the internet, due to no availability in my local Petsmart. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Mary

[DogFoodie]

Hi guys!

I feel like Sandy would recommend Nutri Source Small & Medium Breed Puppy at 513 kcals/cup. I haven’t personally used it, but I know she’s mentioned before that the kibble size is very tiny. Since I haven’t used it, I can’t speak for the kibble size personally, but I trust Sandy’s advice. It’s not grain free, but it’s well tolerated and I trust the brand and I know Sandy and Patty do as well. Nutri Source is also a very budget friendly food. They always offer coupons (text “source” to 55678 for a chance to win a free bag and a $2.00 coupon if you’re not a winner) and have a loyalty program (buy 12, get one free on dry and cans).

Nature’s Logic and Amicus are very small and when I last used Canine Caviar, that seemed small as well if memory serves. Orijen Puppy is the only Orijen formula I haven’t used, but all of the Orijens that I have used are some of the largest kibbles I’ve used. Abady granular would be easy for her to eat and is very nutrient dense (over 800 kcal/cup) ~ it’s grainy like brown sugar and the philosophy behind the food takes some getting used to. Abady isn’t rated here and gets a bad rap from lots of folks, but I tried it and had no issues with it whatsoever. My Cavalier is currently eating Castor & Pollux Ultramix right now and she loves it ~ they’re small kibbles and they’re really cute…, if that matters! They’re little hearts. : )

Solid Gold Just a Wee Bit is tiny, but is one of their products that’s made by Diamond, so I wouldn’t recommend it for that reason. I’ve used Wellness Small Breed, which is tiny, but my pup wasn’t thrilled with it, same with Artemis Fresh Mix.

What about giving her kibble a whirl in the blender, coffee grinder or hand held food chopper?

I still need to start the card file I keep saying I’m going to start and take pictures of all my kibbles when I open something different. : )~

[Puppygirlsmom]

Good idea, Patty Vaughn, to blend the chicken livers in the blender and making them into a gravy to freeze. I will try that. She may get more of it that way. She has such a tiny little mouth and tiny tiny teeth, we can see her struggling to eat the TOTW kibble. So we do think that she needs a kibble that is smaller. So my search is on for a grain free Puppy kibble that is tiny. If anyone knows of one for sure, please, let me know. Even though Orijen has been recommended, I do not know the size of the Puppy Kibble. I would hate to have to buy too many bags of food in order to find a small Puppy Kibble. We adore Ellie, but we also live on a pretty strict budget and cannot afford to do that.
So anyone out there…do you know of a grain free puppy kibble that is high in fat that is also a tiny dry kibble for our 2.5 lb. Yorkie, Ellie??????????????????????????????????????????
She needs to gain some weight and get healthy again.
Thanks!

[BlackAndTan]

hi puppygirlsmom,

Orijen is considered, by most accounts, to be a very high quality dog food. My guy’s neurologist seconded this. We switched off it mainly because of his gas, and because I was happy to find a lower protein grain free option (his regular vet suggested lowering protein).

How about using a high quality dog food and then add fish oils/omegas? IF I am correct yorkies are also prone to some skin irritation, so the oils would be good for that too!

[Puppygirlsmom]

Have you looked at the ingredients in Orijen dog food? I am not familiar with what a dog cannot have if it is having seizures. Orijen is a grain free dog food. In fact, I am looking into it right now for our one Yorkie who has lost weight, but all tests show that she is fine, just skinny. So my Vet suggested putting her on a Puppy Food that is higher in fat. He suggested Royal Canin, but it is not grain free. So I have been doing a lot of research and found Orijen that is grain free and I like everything that I read about it when I googled it.
Wish you success!

[Sussieque]

Go to the FDA.gov website to find out the latest recalls. I guess all brands have had recalls at one time or another. I would just change the brand of food and stay away from any Large-Corporate-under a different name, brand pet foods. I feed Orijen and Acana (same maker) brand currently just because of their processing practices.

[Sussieque]

Kangaroo – REALLY? I don’t know the breed’s in-nature diet but……

Best to change food: I highly suggest Orijen or Acana Brand dog foods. (sold on the internet or in pet stores)

[Sussieque]

Dear ORENC26,

RE: Diarrhea in Puppies

I also recently got a Cavalier King Charles puppy. She had the same problem with diarrhea (really bad). When I first got her @ 9 weeks old, the previous owner was feeding her Purina Special Blend (i think).

Anyways, we had rain here for over a week straight. Poor baby had to do her business in the rain and walk on the wet grass. I took her to the vet for her second vaccination and was told that she had a Yeast infection (in her ears which also gets in their digestive system) The vet gave me an anti-fungal med., an ear med. (Zymox is better) and a stool hardener. You can use Imodium Advance. ONLY 1/4 tablet daily and for just a 2 days!!! (go by weight of dog) Brandi was 5 lbs. then.

She (Brandi) got a little better but still had some diarrhea problems. I researched the internet and spoke with the vet & a local breeder.

They all suggested to feed her Boiled Chicken (white meat to start) with cooked white rice, mixed with some 100% Pumpkin. I fed this to her for 2 weeks. (note: adding a good vitamin may help but check the ingredients carefully!). After feeding Brandi the Chicken-rice combo for 2-3 weeks I wanted to get her back on a dry (kibble) puppy food. I chose “Orijen” Brand 80/20 Puppy dry food. Available at most Pet Stores and online.

I mixed it 50/50 with the Orijen and Purina One Beyond (White Meat Chicken & Whole Barley flavor) and 1 heaping Tablespoon of 100% Pumpkin. (NOT the pumpkin pie filling!!!) I introduced this mixture over 10 days (see the internet on how to do this). On the 10th. day she was eating just the dry kibble food with the pumpkin. At this point I added a Probiotic (you can pick up at pet stores – capsule form and read how much to add per day – goes by weight). Come to find out that the Orijen 80/20 puppy dry food has natural Pre & Pro Biotics (for GOOD bacteria for their digestive system) in their puppy food.

DIARRHEA IS COMPLETELY GONE!!!!! Thank God!

I still give her the Orijen and the Purina One Beyond with pumpkin (she is 3.5 months old now) Still NO diarrhea. : ) HAPPY MOMMY HERE.

I think I will switch to Acana Brand – Wild Prairie dry kibble soon because it is a bit less expensive and made by the same company. Plus it has less of a high protein content. Below are their websites:

Orijen: http://www.orijen.ca/
Acana: http://www.acana.com/products/regionals/wild-prairie/

These pet foods are made in Canada with only natural products (Grain Free). They have their own Processing Plant and process ONLY their dog and cat foods. BTW – My cats love their 6 Fish Dry Cat Food.

These foods are a bit more than your cheaper store-bought brands but worth getting rid of the diarrhea for good. Plus knowing she is healthy, happy and growing as she should be.

Hope this helps and good luck with your new baby cavalier. Precious, aren’t they? ; )
Sussieque

[Boxermom]

I think Acana and Orijen (Champion Pet Food) have not had a recall as well.

[SandyandMila]

Bummer I thought I had gotten a good product and started giving it to her today. 🙁 I didn’t find what I was originally looking for (spirulina powder, chlorella powder, wheat grass powder etc.). I feed mostly raw (commercial and homemade) but also kibble (NV or Orijen) and canned (wellness, weruva) when I don’t have raw. I also just got Preference to feed with grinds for the added fruits, veggies, vitamins, and minerals. So I would have to get a whole foods supplement + a multi? I also saw this at the store, it is human-grade but they had it in the pet section as well. Is it a better option? http://www.solgar.com/pub/supplement/1180.pdf. I’ll read your post on the other forum. Guess I’m still confused with all if this. Can I feed the one I got with grinds and my RMB meals and just add a whole food supplement, if I can find one?

[Hound Dog Mom]

I’m not familiar with any Canadian review sites but I know many of the foods reviewed here are available in Canada. Some of the more highly rated formulas being Orijen, Acana, Petcurean, Holistic Blend, Pronature, First Mate, Nutreco, etc. You may want to go over to the review section and talk to Storm’s Mom – she’s one of the “regulars” and lives in Canada. She could probably help you out. 🙂

[DogFoodie]

OK, I truly do not want to be an alarmist, but I saw that Sully’s Mom just mentioned something about adding water to prevent the possibility of bloat and I searched, without success, for the article Alexandra recently posted about not adding water to kibbles that contain citric acid (due to the increased risk of bloat) during a conversation with HDM. Does anyone else remember that?

My memory stinks.

Edit: Ah ha! Found it!

For a valuable discussion on adding water to food / bloat; go to this page: /dog-food-reviews/orijen-dog-food-adult/. The conversation begins six days ago with JohnandCristos post that begins: “PREVENTION OF BLOATAND TORSION IN DOGS
Bloat and torsion are maladies that strike seemingly without warning in dogs of any age, but most commonly in deep chested breeds. Victims usually have an increased or ravenous appetite several days before onset, and usually show decreased intestinal motility, i.e. constipation. Most animals also have one vomiting episode approximately twelve to twenty-four hours before the onset of bloat.”

[mommyvar]

Hello HDM. I have an 11 week old St. Bernard. I have been researching food since I brought him home at 8 weeks. He is still on the food that the breeder had him on, Royal Canin. I want to change foods, and I was told Orijen LBP was one of the best out there, but it is not on your list. What was the problem with this food? If I should not feed Orijen LBP, what would the best choice be? Would Nature’s Variety Instinct be okay? I was hoping for a food made in Canada. My puppy is also taking two supplements NuVet Plus, and Arthri-Soothe Gold. Your help is very much appreciated. Thanks.

[poodlemom]

I also forgot to mention Wellness Simple Line Dry Food (Turkey & Potato) is also one I am considering, along with Orijen, Merrick Duck & Sweet Potato.

[poodlemom]

My standard poodle puppy is having intestinal problems. I have tried Wellness Large Breed Puppy and Acana Chicken & Burbank potato. Is Merrick Grain free dry Duck and Sweet potato for all life stages safe for a large breed (will be 65 lbs.) poodle puppy (5 months old and 45 lbs.)? I would appreciate your help. I am also considering Orijen for Large Breed Puppy (many say this one is very rich and causes diarrhea. I am also concerned about bloat. Hope you can help!!

[somebodysme]

The Viszla is not a large dog, is considered medium at approx. 50 lbs. Kind of looks like a Weimaraner only a reddish color and smaller.

[InkedMarie]

I met a Viszla pup over the weekend! Sandy, I believe they’re a Hungarian hunting dog.

[pugmomsandy]

I don’t know what a Vizsla is but if it’s a large or giant breed, you might want to check out the “Large and Giant Breed Puppy Nutrition” thread. It has the list of foods for the large breed puppies.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 8 months ago by pugmomsandy.

[polyxen]

Acana Puppy&Junior too is in my potential next puppy food to buy … please give me advice !

[polyxen]

I’m about to get a 2nd Vizsla here, my first one was grown on a low quality food, full of grain, rice, meal etc etc… stools were really really really softs if not liquid… but that’s what my breeder uses so I let her on that.
I use Acana Pacifica right now for my Vizsla and wow … she’s athletic, hard dry stools once a day, eat 2cup a day .. I think it’s a really good dog food for that kind of dog.

I wanted to know if the Orijen puppy was suitable for this king of puppy, with all I’ve read on calcium, protein level etc… !

Need advice please !

Thanks !

[DogFoodie]

Hi Somebodysme,

Yes, Orijen replaced white potato with chickpeas and lentils when they reformulated earlier this year.

I wish the trend in dog food hadn’t taken the apparent direction of putting chickpeas and lentils in place of white potato. The trade off for poor Sam was yeast for some serious GI upset and has still resulted in an awful lot of foods he cannot eat.

Sweet potatoes in place of white potato would’ve been a much better trade for us.

[somebodysme]

Looks like Orijen is changing their ingredients to be potato free. Anyone notice this or am I the last to find out? HA! Pretty sure my dog cannot eat potatoes, not sure about yams though.

[WarHorn Clan]

I have two 8 year old daschunds, a 4 year old shepherd, and a 7-8 month old rescue that appears to be a shepherd/melanois/lab type of mix. I am currently feeding all of them Orijen Senior, but in varying amounts based on their breed/size. I’m looking for a food that is the same, or almost the same nutritionally, but a little less expensive. We are going through about one 15lb bag every 1-1.5 weeks, at $50/bag. Ideally, I would like to feed them all the same food…so I guess I’m looking for an “all life stages” or quality puppy food? Since they’ve been on the grain free (I think the Orijen is grain free), I think I should keep it that way? One reason we like the Orijen is for the glucosamine/chondroitin…Anyone have any suggestions?

[Mom2Cavs]

dowsky, Dinovite comes with an omega oil supplement…either chicken fat or fish oil can be chosen when you order. I like Nature’s Variety Instinct, Earthborn or Acana/Orijen.

[guidosmom]

I have two Jack Russell Terriers. One is 14+, the other is 8. Both have always had fairly sensitive digestive systems. They had been on evo red meat, then switched to Orijen red about 6 months ago. They did fairly well on this. In addition they always got some veggies, plain yogurt, and cooked organic chicken breast mixed in. About a month ago my older dog got sick with some kind of intestinal issue and has since been refusing his food. We have tried all kinds of wet food products, canned pumpkin, etc… some he likes for a day, then refuses the next day. We have been to the vet multiple times, and everything has come back normal. He consistently likes treats though, but I try not to allow him to have many. He also will sometimes eat wet food off a spoon or my finger, just not in a bowl. He started seeing an acupuncturist who gave us some samples of darwin’s natural selections beef and veggie. She recommended poaching it lightly first for him. I also read on the darwin website they recommend doing this for picky eaters or older dogs. He LOVED it, and has since eaten consistently for two days in a row without any vomiting or diarrhea episodes. This is huge for him. I tried mixing the darwin’s in with some of his kibble. He picks all the darwin’s out, and leaves the kibble, making it a little difficult to transition. Our other dog happily eats it all. My question, is poaching the food first recommended only during the transition phase? Or is this recommended for all older/picky dogs? Wouldn’t this take away all the benefits of a raw diet? I am only lightly poaching it, so like to think there is still some benefit. Also, because he is picking out and refusing the orijen (kibble), but eating the darwin’s, will this completely shock his system? I would appreciate any advice or tips anyone has about switching their sensitive, older, picky dog to a raw food diet. I love my older guy, and seeing him refuse food breaks my heart. Thanks in advance!

[Hound Dog Mom]

I would add Tripett (or just plain meat) to the Orijen or Chicken & Burbank Potato. Both are too high in calcium so if you mix them together it won’t solve anything. You could, however, mix in another brand of a lower calcium food 50:50 with one of those formulas and you’d likely be at (or at least close to) an appropriate level. It would probably be easier to just go with a food that is appropriate though – you’ll have plenty of time to feed Orijen and Acana in the future.

[theBCnut]

None of the Acana formulas are appropriate for LBP. Adding Acana to Orijen would make the calcium even higher.

All Life Stages foods are puppy foods. The AAFCO recognizes 2 nutrient profiles, growth and maintanance. If a food meets the requirements for growth, the manufacturer can choose to have it labeled AllLife Stages.

Meat has phosphorus and not much calcium, so when a kibble has a little too much calcium in it, you can add a little meat without messing up the balance too much.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Dogmom –

As Patty stated I’m currently in the process of updating the grain-free list and creating a grain-inclusive list. I have already sent inquiries to all companies that have 4 and 5 star puppy foods and am in the process of waiting for the responses to come in. I can tell you, however, none of the Acana formulas are appropriate for large breed puppies. The new Orijen Large Breed Puppy formula is lower in calcium than the previous formula but will not be included on the list – it’s still a tad high. But, to give my honest opinion, if you add 20% or less of an all meat topper or all meat canned food (like Tripett) I think it would be fine.

[theBCnut]

It’s true about the Orijen LBP. I don’t know about the Acana.

HDM is in the process of updating her list, but hasn’t finished yet. And she is also making a grain inclusive list.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 8 months ago by theBCnut.

[DieselJunki]

I have never fed Science Diet and luckily become dog food savvy before getting sucked into the “My vet knows everything” deal. I do know the ingredients are crap, however.

Dendad, have you looked up all the 4 and 5 star foods here? I personally would stay away from Blue Buffalo and anything Diamond has had their hands in making. Here is a link to the Diamond (people who make blue buffalo among others!) recalls
/dog-food-recall/diamond-dog-food-recall-expands-again/

I know some people here feed Nature’s Variety, Orijen, Fromms, Annamaet, Brothers, just to name a few. I know some people on here are have found a decent brand at their Costco that is pretty budget friendly but I have forgotten the name. If you want to know of more 4 and 5 star foods on this website just click “Home” at the top and on the left there will be a link “Dry Dog Food.” click that and from there you have the option to click how many stars.

Remember though variety is key! Choose a couple different brands and rotate at the end of every bag, or every couple months. Change the protein source, if the source in the food you are feeding is beef, choose chicken next time, so on and so forth. And remember to rotate SLOWLY, especially if you know your dog gets an upset tummy when you switch to fast.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 8 months ago by DieselJunki.

[BlackAndTan]

I just switched from Orijen to Canine Caviar and am very happy with their food. The Wilderness, Open Sky, Puppy, and Buffalo recipe are fish-free. All formulas are for all life stages (though the puppy formula is targeted, I would guess).

[BlackAndTan]

Hi everyone

I recently posted asking for gluten-free suggestions for my 6 year old rottie with a mild seizure history over the last year. I got some good suggestions and checked a number of products out, eventually landing on Canine Caviar (CC) (dry dinner, venison).

My big concern was that my dog’s Orijen had been making him sluggish in recent months, and the longtime producer of AWFUL (!!!!!!!) gas.

I am extremely happy with the CC. The gas is pretty well eliminated, bowel movements barely smell, but here’s the real kicker: my dog was always regular, but would often need to walk for an hour to be ready to ‘produce,’ even if he’d been moaning to go out. I figured it was a behavioural thing. But, since starting the CC, he will have a bm within a block of leaving home (and perfect, healthy formation). With the massive heat wave we’ve been having, and the risk of him over-exerting and over-stressing, this has been a lifesaver.

Just sharing this experience in case someone has a dog with mild constipation who must be gluten free. This could be a good solution for you. Might be the lower protein?

[texasniteowl]

Thanks ladies. I’m starting to mix in the Victor’s Salmon to his normal Fromm’s Duck & Sweet Potato. The Acana/Orijen foods are still on my list to try as is Nature’s Logic at the moment. Also since we’ve done well on the Fromm’s I will likely try one of their grain free’s too.

As for toppers, Wilson pretty regularly gets some yogurt or pumpkin or cottage cheese. Only recently did I buy a small can of tripe and he loved that so I’ll probably pick up some more ;>

[Mom2Cavs]

Merrick was one I was thinking of….there’s also Acana Ranchlands and Orijen Regional Red. I’m not sure about the size of those kibbles but I think they’re bigger than Merrick. Earthborn also has Great Plains Feast and the kibble is bigger than Merrick. On their site they might even have a kibble size chart with pics that you can look at. 4Health has a new grain free Beef formula that has fairly large size kibble. They’re made by Ainsworth. One solution to the gulping/swallowing whole would be to buy a “slowdown” bowl. I used to have one for my Shih-Poo, Desi, who inhaled any food he ate. It helped a lot. Also, you could put a rock, or ball in the bowl so the dog has to eat around it. Some people put food on a sheet pan to make the dog eat slower, as well. I hope this helps a little. 🙂

• This reply was modified 12 years, 9 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

[BlackAndTan]

Just wanted to clarify a few things (don’t see an edit button)

“And it isn’t just one suspicious bag; he’d shown these problems over the course of over ten bags of food.”
The gas has been present for this long or longer (a bag of food or so a month). The sluggishness was since March or so.

He’s probably been on Orijen more like 4 years. Reading now about their use of chickpea fibre, I’m wondering if anyone knows if this is a recent change? I’ve noticed changed packaging but wasn’t aware of ingredient changes.

[BlackAndTan]

Hello everyone! First post here. Hope it’s not too long; just want to be thorough 🙂

My Rottweiler is 6.2 years old with a history of seizures over the last year. Despite the fact it is unusual for dogs of his age and breed to be idiopathic epileptics, we found no evidence of underlying causes in his diagnostics. He is being treated with standard anti-seizure drugs and is doing well, by all measures.

I’ve had him on Orijen for over 3 years. His neurologist and regular vet agree that grain-free is a particularly important factor for dogs with seizures.

Over the last 9 months – maybe more? – he developed horrible gas. Seriously, his gas could peel the paint off the walls. In February, I switched his food from Orijen Adult to Orijen 6-fish and this coincided with a cluster of seizures, so I switched him back to be safe. I tried adding probiotics, but no help.

In the last few months, his energy levels really dropped. He started acting sluggish, would drag on the leash, struggled to get up, etc. I worried about him but didn’t want to panic. I also considered it could be related to age: 6 is senior for a Rottie, I think. A few weeks ago he came down with haemmorhagic gastroenteritis and was hospitalized. But here’s where things get interesting: post-hospitalization and particularly when on the vet’s prescription GI diet (which I don’t even think is particularly high-quality), he has been a renewed dog. A ton more energy, zippy and peppy. His old self. And, the gas was COMPLETELY gone when off Orijen. Since being back on Orijen and off the vet food, the gas is creeping back.

It’s time for a change. I do not want to see him get sluggish again and the gas certainly is not welcome. There was such a marked difference when he went off Orijen – from acting like an old senior to the endurance athlete he’s always been – that I feel strongly the food isn’t agreeing with him any more. And it isn’t just one suspicious bag; he’d shown these problems over the course of over ten bags of food.

I welcome all suggestions for a high-quality grain-free alternative.
I’d been looking into EVO but have read a lot about recalls.
Ideally I’d like something low-sodium with a limited ingredient list.

Thank you SO MUCH, everyone, in advance!!!

[Melissaandcrew]

Hi there-

I have used the Victor AlS grain free and the Ultra Pro, as well as one of the grain inclusives. By far, I prefer the Ultra pro.I feed it to my high energy/drive Dobermans and its one of the best foods I have found to keep weight on them, as well as the lower fiber content has stopped my one dobergals IBS/Colitis.

The rest of my crew eats a lot of the Champion products, both Orijen and Acana and never a problem for them. Nutrisource is another fav of mine to use in the rotation, as well as Fromm from time to time and several others.

[theBCnut]

Balanced raw is always best. Store bought meats are still better than any kibble. With that said, you are feeding better than 99.9% of the population, so don’t feel bad if you decide to stay where you are or do partial raw, partial ziwipeak, partial Orijen freeze dried.