[Andi G]

Thank you crazy4cats! And by the way, I’m crazy about cats too 🙂
I went the next day and found Pure Balance canned food at Walmart for $1.00 each. That was awesome! My dog seems to be liking it. It’s weird, but he seems to like the mushed up canned-shaped slop better than the can of “stew-like” food. I guess what looks appetizing to dogs is totally different than what we think looks appetizing! haha

[crazy4cats]

Andi G-
I have two 80 pounders. I feel your pain. Sometimes I wish I hadn’t found this site. It’s costing me too much money! Lol! Anyway, I mostly feed my guys Victor grain free joint health kibble. It isn’t exactly cheap, but it is the best I have found that I can afford. I buy a 50lb bag for $75. For a topper, I use either Pure Balance (Walmart), Nature’s Domain (Costco) or 4Health (Del’s or Tractor Supply) canned foods. They are all $1 or less per can. I give them each a couple of Tbs. The can lasts for two meals each. In the evening I add in eggs and/or sardines a few days a week. Last night, they got left over chicken with their dinner. Victor also has a few formulas with grain that are also popular and are a little less expensive. Good luck!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by crazy4cats.

[Patrick S]

I don’t worry about my Saint no liking her food or skipping a meal. Frankly, I think over weight is the biggest health problem for large breeds. A dog will not starve because he doesn’t like the dry food. I think I’m going to try the Pure Balance from Wal Mart. I get Cosequine DS from BJs when they have a coupon. I get the Milk Bone chewies the same way. I have recently started the omega 3 and discussed using people capsules with the vet. When I use up my current supply I will order from Puritans Pride or somewhere. Omega 3 has definetly helped with her itchy skin.
You can put a drizzle of gravy or broth on the food. I would get low or no salt. I make broth for her when we have scraps or giblets.
I once had a trainer tell me that you should train dogs to eat at specific times by picking up food after 10 minutes. Never followed this, but if she doesn’t eat her breakfast until late in the day, I short her supper.

[Dog_Obsessed]

Ouch. Seeing a dog food with “By the makers of Ol’ Roy” on the bag would drive me away like mad. Pure Balance is a great food though, that I would feed if I shopped at Walmart and they had it near me. I guess looks can be deceiving.

[Bobby dog]

I am comfortable with Simmons & Ainsworth at this time. IMO it’s good to know and keep up with who makes what! It’s hard to find this info sometimes. My rule of thumb is if the pet food company won’t disclose their manufacturer or I can’t find out who makes it I don’t feed their food. There are other pet food companies who are transparent to choose from. I always start with the pet food company when I want to know who makes their food. My CS experience with Wal-Mart was that they took one month to answer my questions. I have seen a Pure Balance CS rep post here before, but I haven’t seen them in a while.

Edit: I feed other brands that Ainsworth manufactures.

[Bobby dog]

Hi Peggy,
I haven’t fed the dry, but do feed the stews & tubs; don’t feed the 95% canned anymore. Wal-Mart may have changed the labels, however on the stew cans I have “Premium dog food by Ol’ Roy” is written below the Pure Balance name. On the tubs & the one 95% canned I have left “The best ingredients pure & simple” is written under the PB name.

Wal-Mart CS would be the ones to ask about the Pure Balance brand, Ainsworth is only a co-packer. FYI, Simmons is the manufacturer of the canned foods.

[theBCnut]

Pure Balance came out with the words “by the makers of Ol’ Roy” right on the bag. Walmart wanted them associated.

[Peggy]

Why on earth is it so difficult to find out who manufactures certain dog foods?

I was browsing the internet this morning and came across several websites and forums where people have repeatedly stated that they will not purchase Pure Balance because it is an “upgraded Ol’ Roy dog food”. So, I set out to find the manufacturer. WOW it was like finding a needle in a haystack! I found the manufacturer only because someone replied to a question and she said she “thought” that PB is manufactured by Ainsworth Pet Nutrition. However I went to their website and PB is not listed anywhere. Soooooooo… I emailed them with my inquiry.

Question:
Why is Pure Balance not listed on your website as dog food that you manufacture?

Just received a reply:
“Dear Peggy,
Thank you for contacting us. Pure Balance is a private label food we make exclusively for Wal-Mart, therefor it is not a brand associated with APN”.

MY reply:
“Thank you for your quick response to my inquiry.
It took me the better part of my morning to discover the link between PB and your company.
Many people refuse to buy it because they can not find the manufacturer and think that it is just an upgraded Ol’ Roy food.
Perhaps this needs to change?
It would probably sell better if it was not associated with Ol’ Roy.

Thank you
Peggy Gurney”

Any thoughts on this?

[Peggy]

Update on the Pure Balance.

LadyBug and Tebow are both still lovers of Pure Balance Salmon & Peas grain-free dry and all varieties of PB canned and tub.

Thinking I’d see if they’d like the Bison/Veggies grain-free, when I was at Walmart a couple of days ago, I purchased a small bag of the Bison and Veggies dry food.

I fed that (PB Bison & veggies) to them that night (Thursday night), again with 1/2 tub each of wet PB. LadyBug does NOT like the Bison. She ate the little bit of tub food and walked away from the dry. I tried it again Friday morning and evening. Tebow ate it, but vomited it up in the middle of the night.

Did I give them something different too soon? Or is Bison just going to be out of the question? Thoughts?

[InkedMarie]

I would not use the vet food. What are the ingredients in the muffins?
I’d look at some limited ingredient foods. Some of those are Wellness Simple, California Natural grainfree, Canidae Pure, Zignature, Canine Caviar, Natures Variety, Natural balance LID (this would not be my first choice). I’d go with a different protein than he’s used to eating.

[Cheryl Pepper Millie Sophie]

Bobby,
as always thank you again for the info.
Unfortunately, as I live in LA. & take pepper to LSU Vet school I cannot talk to a nutritionist that can intelligently speak about a home cooked diet.
I will look into the other vet schools, I don’t hope if LSU is an example.pepper’s internist a lovely young man admitted to me nutrition is so lacking in all vet schools curriculum, they really are not taught much.
I did read Aimee’s posting and 1 less to dig deeper into.
I am getting out the food processor and cook & puree some veggies, I cook the protein already and stop making myself nuts.
I just want to make sure they are getting a balanced diet -I must just dive in & stop being afraid!

[Peggy]

LOL yes it does.

This morning I ventured to the Walmart in the next town where I found the tub variety of Pure Balance. Much to my surprise (I have NO idea why I didn’t look before) they also carry several different varieties (5) of the Pure Balance dry food, and 2 of them are grain free!
I purchased a small bag of the Salmon & Peas grain free. The other grain free is Bison & Veggies. I will rotate them with that one when the time comes. I just purchased the small bag to see if they’re going to like it, because I’m so disappointed that LadyBug does not like the Wellness Core which was $57!

Well! Got home, gave them a 1/2 cup each of the PB kibble and 1/2 tub of the PB wet, mixed it up and LO & BEHOLD my LadyBug, the picky dry food eater, ate every little morsel! 😀

I am a happy pet mama.

[Peggy]

ooohh I’m glad I found this thread.
Currently my 2 babies are eating Wellness Core Grain Free Reduced Fat dry food. I top it with Pure Balance tub food – 1/2 tub each.

I’ll admit that both myself and they are having difficulty with the switch to using wet meat as just a topper, as they are used to a 1/2 can each mixed in with their dry food.
Also, to be honest, neither one is liking the Wellness Core food. My LadyBug will NOT eat is by itself. As soon as the meat is gone, so is she.
My JRT will eat some of it after the meat is gone, but not much.

And we’re not even 1/4 of the way through a 26 lb bag! 🙁

[Bobby dog]

Hi kelsey s:
Wal-Mart has Pure Balance stews for $1/can and small tubs for 68 cents each. Here’s a thread that has suggestions for kibble sold at Wal-Mart. There is also info on where to find coupons for a few of them:
/forums/topic/need-advice-about-walmart-brands/

Like Akari suggested, stop by the coupon thread for sale info. Come over to the cat food thread, we have lots of budget friendly suggestions for cat food there. 😉

Consider rotational feeding. I feed my dog this way so he gets a healthy variety. Find at least three different brands of food with different carb and protein sources that your dogs do well on and like eating. Once your dog is used to eating a variety you never have to worry about a recipe changing and the possibility of your dog not liking it, a recall (can happen to any food at any time), or your food just not being available. The added benefit is that you can take advantage of sales and coupons to help with your budget. You can read more about it here:
/frequently-asked-questions/diet-rotation-for-dogs/

Edit: Also check out Tractor Supply and local feed, hardware, or garden supply stores. One line of food I like that you might find at feed stores is PMI Nutrition. If you can find it check out the Exclusive and Infinia lines. Here’s a store locator: http://www.pminutrition.com/main.html
Tractor Supply has 4Health kibble and canned food (99 cents). I would recommend the GF turkey, beef, or whitefish kibbles. Print a list of the 3, 4, and 5 star foods from the review side and take them with you to where you shop for food to see what is available within your budget.
3 star food list: /dog-food-reviews/dry/3-star/
4 star food list: /dog-food-reviews/dry/4-star/
5 star food list: /dog-food-reviews/dry/5-star/

• This reply was modified 10 years, 12 months ago by Bobby dog.

[Akari_32]

I would suggest you take up couponing. It’s easy, as long as you can do a little math and spare some time to search for deals. I get a lot of high quality food for $1 a pound and less. It’s a great way to take advantage of sales. Check out the thread i started on that. Everyone shares good coupons they find, and we all share our shopping sprees.

/forums/topic/coupons/

If you don’t have the time for that, Pure Balance is a pretty good food, as is Purina Beyond (a bit more expensive, but it’s higher calorie, so you feed considerably less), Rachael Ray Zero Grain or Simply Nourish (available only at PetSmart). There’s also Nutrisource, Dr Tims and Victors if you can find them, and Wellness isn’t too bad with the coupons they usually have right on their website if you don’t mind buying several small bags.

Momma dog will need to be on a good puppy food, and she will need to eat more than usual. I also urge you to get her spayed after her puppies are weened, and also ensure the pups are placed in homes where they will be spayed and neutered as well. They will live longer, healthier lives when spayed and neutered 🙂

As for the cats, it’s best to get them on canned food, but not all cats will eat it. Go for as high protein and low carb as possible. A pretty good “rule” to go by: if they make good dog food, they make good cat food. Here is another thread of mine, dealing with cat foods:

/forums/topic/cat-food-recommendations/

[Peggy]

Lou B. Pure Balance is fairly inexpensive, and you can get it at Walmart. It has a good rating on this site.

[Dog_Obsessed]

Aww. So cute! My dog, Lily, is the same way, except she just chews on the toy instead of bringing it back.

In terms of food, I rotate which food I feed my dog since no food is perfect. Many other DFA users do the same. If he is doing well on the Wellness, then you could keep him on that until he has lost some weight, but after that I would recommend rotating. If you want something less pricey, it should be fine to transition him to the Pure Balance as long as you go slow.

[Peggy]

Hi DogFoodie, I purchased the Wellness Core grain-free weight loss formula, on your advice and waiting for it to be delivered. It was cheaper to buy at Amazon.com and got free delivery. I noticed it gets 5 stars here at DFA.

I think after that is finished we’ll decide on whether to stay with it or switch to Pure Balance. Dog_Obsessed, which dry food to you feed your dogs?

Previously I had been walking each dog once a week, twice at the most. This past week I’ve taken them out every day. One at a time. The JRT is not used to walking on a leash so we’re working on it. LadyBug however, I’m sure was a leash walker with her previous owner as she loves it and all I have to do is say “walk” and she’s at the door, haha.
The next few days will be very busy so may not be able to walk them but we’ll get back on it after Christmas.

Tebow is a toy dog. Meaning, he loves toys. Squeakies, stuffed, rubber, balls of any kind, etc. His favorite indoor activity is for me to toss the ball UP the stairs to the second floor and he’ll run up the steps (12 steps total), retrieve it, run back down, drop it at my feet, sit and look up at me as if to say “Ok, ready!”. This happens at least 15 times before he stops bringing it back. That’s his way of saying “I need a rest now. Thank you”. 😀

• This reply was modified 10 years, 12 months ago by Peggy.

[Peggy]

Dog_Obsessed, I looked for Pure Balance wet food at my Walmart and they don’t have it, so I will have to go to the next town to get it. Dog Food Advisor gives it 4.5 stars. I’m impressed.

If Pure Balance had a weight loss formula I would buy it too, as the dry food has 4 stars.
They have a grain free formula, but not weight loss. 🙁

• This reply was modified 10 years, 12 months ago by Peggy.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 12 months ago by Peggy.

[Sadie’s Mom]

@ Nut – I guess I could do that. She always ends up on steroids in the winters because her back flares up. My parents probably couldn’t afford them year round. My dad got a new job a took a significant pay cut, so nice things are somewhat unattainable. Would the regular glucosamine chondritin supplements work? And if so what strength?

@ Dog Obsessed – All four were actually on Victor Grain Free Yukon River formula, but it ended up being too expensive. My parents went back to Beneful, but I’ve just about talked them into buying Evolve from the local HEB. It’s a 4 star food with no corn, wheat, or soy, which seem to trigger one of the dogs allergies. The dogs won’t eat Merrick for some reason. I haven’t looked at the Pure Balance though. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Dog_Obsessed]

I don’t know about food that is good for back problems, but there are some good budget friendly foods. Pure Balance is a poplar one at Walmart, that is pretty reasonably priced. NutriSouce is also good. Victor (at stores, expensive online), Earthborn Holistic, and Merrick/Whole Earth Farms are also good options. What does she eat the rest of the year?

[Dog_Obsessed]

You can use the feeding calculator on this site to see how much to feed him. Just enter his weight, activity level, and the Calories in a cup of his food. (It should say on the bag.) Make sure to subtract for canned, and look at the Calories for that as well. However, I would definitely not recommend the Pedigree for canned. It is not a quality food. Mixing in canned food is a good idea though, you could look around the review part of the site for some 4 and 5 star canned products to check out. Pure Balance from Walmart is a popular, high-quality canned food that is only $0.25 more per can than the Pedigree.

[Kayla]

I am not sure if he has wheat sensitivities. I do know anything corn does not settle well with him. So far, He is doing really well with Chicken and Brown rice dry food by Pure balance and had no unwanted accidents or smelly gas or anything like that. I recently started to transition Pure Balance Grain Free Bison and Pea dry food mixed in with the other food and he is still doing really well! Personally, I think he likes the Bison better than the Chicken one. lol But, I wanted to try the Grain free/different flavor because I heard Rotation is a good thing. He also does well on the wet food but I switch it up with different flavors.

[Kayla]

He seems to love the Pure Balance treats, the dry food and also the wet food by Pure Balance also! I am just trying to find different brands besides sticking with the same one lol

[Kayla]

I currently use Pure Balance and they have grain free dog food! They have Bison and pea recipe and they also have salmon and pea recipe. It’s sold at Walmart and not too expensive either. I am not sure if Salmon and pea recipe is sweet potato free and pumpkin free… I am pretty sure it doesn’t have any of that in it by looking at it. However, I know for a fact that the Bison and Pea Grain free doesn’t have it in it because I am currently using that for my pup and he loves it!

[Kayla]

Thank you 🙂

When I go food shopping again, I will look for some of those treats. In the mean time… I still have Pure Balance treats to give him.

[LabsRawesome]

Hi Bobby D. Have you ever considered canned dog food? It’s more species appropriate than kibble. And not too expensive, if you only have 1 dog. I use Pure Balance Stews, It receives a 5 star rating, and is $1 per can at Walmart. I also use 4health cans from Tractor Supply 99 cents, and Nature’s Domain canned from Costco $20.99 case of 24 cans. Or you can do a can/kibble mix, which is what I do, because I have 3 dogs. Kibbles that my 3 love, and don’t break the bank are Victor, 4health, Pure Balance, Rachael Ray Zero Grain, Nature’s Domain, Earthborn, Authority Grain Free, Whole Earth Farms by Merrick, Evolve Grain Free. Big Lots has Nutro Ultra Grain free @ $12 for a 12lb bag, and a 22lb bag is $24. I was told the reason the food is being sold at Big Lots is the line has been discontinued by the Manufacturer. 🙂

[Naturella]

Hi, Bob. I second both Akari and Dog_Obsessed. See what you have around as far as dog food stores (or Walmart), and try to steer away from Purina, Beneful, Iams, Hill’s, Ol’ Roy, Alpo, and the like. Rachael Ray is an okay food, and Pure Balance is pretty good for a grocery store food.

Usually to get a dog to eat kibble they may be iffy about, putting some canned and water in it helps. Make sure it is nice and mushy and that all the kibble is coated with some canned. Pure Balance cans and tubs are very affordable at Walmart and decent too.

If you have actual pet stores around, try to look for brands like Earthborn Holistic, Victor, NutriSource, Wellness – these brands tend to be on the affordable side (depending on where you live though, NutriSource in my area is quite pricy), and having fed some of them, they seem pretty yummy to my dog at least.

Don’t be afraid to try different foods and see what Dixie likes, but do make sure to do it slowly in the beginning – like Dog_Obsessed said, transitioning over a week or so while monitoring her stool would be a good amount of time. If her stool is too runny, give more of the old food and reduce the new until she’s stable again, then introduce some more new food and reduce the old food a bit.

Good luck, and let us know what you picked and how she’s doing! 🙂

[Kayla]

I am currently using Pure Balance treats. But, I am looking at another treats but when it comes to ingredients on what is a no no and what is safe… I have no idea!
Can someone give me an insight on this?

I found Dream bone treats and here are the ingredients.

• This topic was modified 11 years ago by Kayla.
• This topic was modified 11 years ago by Kayla.

[Kayla]

It’s okay 🙂 I am using Pure Balance right now.. I was looking at another brand… Dreambone because it said it has no wheat, corn or soy… But, I also don’t want to give him something that is bad and will harm him.

[Akari_32]

Smart dog for refusing Purina! If it’s price you’re after, try Pure Balance, from Walmart. If that’s not a problem, Wellness is a great brand, and it comes in a variety of flavors.

[Dog_Obsessed]

I just realized that I had mixed up the treats you are currently using, you are using Pure Balance and I thought of Pure Bites. Sorry about that! I think the Pure Balance treats are good, the food is good anyway and while I can’t seem to get the ingredients online it says the do not contain corn, wheat, or soy.

[Dog_Obsessed]

If you are talking about the DreamBone chew treats, I would definitely not recommend them. Here is the ingredients list for the chicken treats:

Corn, Chicken, Sorbitol, Glycerin, Fructose, Pork Gelatin, Barley Malt Syrup, Maltodextrin, Sweet Potatoes, Peas, Carrots, Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, Ferrous Sulfate, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Sulfate, Artificial Flavor, Niacinamide, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate (preservative), Sodium Pyrophosphate, Sodium Propionate (preservative), Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Vitamin E, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Manganese Sulfate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, FD&C Red 40.

You don’t want to feed treats with Corn, or Fructose, or artificial sweeteners, or coloring. The Pure Balance treats (the freeze-dried ones anyway) are great though. Head over to the “most recommended dog treats” thread (stickied at the top of the page) to get some more treat ideas.

[Kayla]

Has anyone used this brand of treats before? Any opinions on it? I usually get Pure Balance treats since my Dog is doing really well on it and also really loves the Pure Balance food. However, I am looking to get him new treats for Christmas.

[theBCnut]

First, you need to know that while your puppy is growing is not a good time to experiment with whether or not you got the diet balanced right, so I always suggest commercial raw meals or using a premix to which you just add the correct amount of boneless meat.

I don’t think there is really and argument about whether or not veggies are necessary. It is known that they are NOT necessary, but that isn’t the same thing as beneficial. Some dogs have constipation issues on a raw diet and veggies add fiber to help with regularity. Veggies also offer different antioxidants that may help if your meat source is not as pure as you could wish. Veggie have micronutrients in them that may be missing from over grazed soil and so missing from meat animals. Adding veggies make up for some of what would be missing if you don’t feed tripe.

Bone, meat, and organs are supposed to be specific amounts of the diet, and you can do that feeding organs a few times a week, but organs are rich and in some dogs cause stomach upset if too much is given at one time.

[Terry P]

Pure Balance Apple and cranberries dog treats gluten free no soy wheat of food coloring all natural

[Akari_32]

Alright, so I have a little update for you guys. Mom came home to Ginger having pooped all over her cage, her bed (another new one, btw, just for her cage, and her big round one pictured above is for outside the cage lol) and herself the other night. She’s been using Bentley’s cage and bed the last couple days while we clean the heck out hers. I’ve got her off canned completely, hoping to eliminate some fat out of her diet. I’m now offering her only dry food softened with plenty of water.

She’s also on Wellness Simple Small Breed Salmon and Potato right now. Next up after that will be Nature’s Recipe Whitefish and something or another. I’m trying to find something that I can afford that has no white potato or chicken in it. It’s proving quite difficult. The Nature’s Recipe I picked out does have some potatoes, but not much, I don’t think. I may have to try Pure Balance Lamb. Was hoping I could put her in the bison one, but its got chicken in it. Trying to not do chicken and potatoes for a couple months to see if that helps her any.

She’s also beginning a few new behaviors that I’m not very comfortable with. When she has any exposure to food, or even just asking her if she’s hungry, she will chatter her teeth and look quite distressed and anxious. She also has been extremely cuddly the last several days. Last night she laid pressed as close to me as she could get and put her paw and head on my shoulder, and stayed like that for several hours. She also lets me pick her up with out any fuss at all, and gives me quite a pathetic look when I get her up, and she either shakes something terrible, or completely relaxes and looks ready to go to sleep. She’s also been sleeping a lot more than usual. All of this on top of the terrible poopy troubles she’s been having recently… We may need to take a trip to the vet if this doesn’t stop soon.

[Kayla]

I am a college student so I understand about money haha

I am using Pure Balance, and I got a 30 pound bag for 30 to 32 dollars at Walmart! It is good quality and you can look at the reviews on here! They also have wet food and also treats. My Aussie Dog loves them! They also have different flavors so you can rotate. They also have grain free I believe too. The prices vary but I think the most is 40 dollars for a 30 pound bag. So far, I am on my second 30 pound bag and no issues with my Dog. He is happy, healthy and very active. His coat actually looks better too 🙂

[Jennifer H]

Hi all! You all gave ma great advice when my Kaia was suffering from some intestinal issues, so thought I would get some additional ideas on foods. We currently have her on Canidae Pure Sky, which she seems to love. The vet recommended a hypoallergenic food, but the prices at the vet’s office for those foods is astronomical. They said Canidae would be a good option. However, after reading some other things on this site. I’m beginning to wonder if we made the right choice? She was on TOTW Roasted Fowl, which she loves as well. But I also noticed the Canidae was extremely high in protein.

Can anyone recommend a budget-friendly dry food, that is lower in protein, that is grain-free and is a LID diet? What do you all think of Natural Balance?

Thanks so much!

[crazy4cats]

Did you have a complete urinalysis done? If yes, What was the crystal level? Was there any bacteria suggesting an infection? I just want you to be careful because increasing canned and water did not fix my cat. I’m lucky he’s not dead. I don’t think dogs are at the same risk as male cats, but you still should be careful. Anyway, Nature’s Domain found at Costco, 4Health @ Tractor Supply and Pure Balance at Walmart are my favorite budget canned foods. Too bad you have to work. Have a great Thanksgiving!

[Kayla]

Weird question!!

My Dog is an Aussie and he is around 1 years old…He will be 2 years old in August. I have been feeding him Pure Balance dry food and sometimes a little bit of Pure balance wet food as well has treats. I feed him 3 cups of food and some treats…He is also 50 pounds. However, lately.. My dog looks like he is a little Skinner? Why is this? Do I need to feed him more? or what?

Dexter is not sick, no puking and also his stool is normal and hard. He goes twice a day. Morning and night… sometimes 3 times total but very rarely.

[Naturella]

Hey, guys! So, I am dog-sitting the dog that belongs to the family for whom I also babysit. Her name is Snowy, a shitzu-Maltese looking mix, maybe Lhasa Apso mix, don’t know, but it is one of those fluffy ones. She is adorable, incredibly submissive to humans, but likes her personal space when it comes to dogs. She is okay with Bruno as she is around his size (if she were a bit fitter, she would probably weigh as much as him) and has met him before, but I was worried that my roommate’s dog would eat her, lol… They had met once before but both were leashed and Snowy doesn’t like having her butt sniffed, so she growled at Casey and Casey growled back and Casey being around 60lbs I was worried that they wouldn’t get along. But, I brought her in, and they were both free (unleashed), with me and Casey’s alpha (my roommate) around and after the initial sniffing and slight fussing they were fine around each other. Casey is now in her room (my roommate’s room), and Snowy and Bruno are hanging out between my room and my bathroom. Bruno is being a tad of a bully and every time Snowy lays down on her bed that I brought from their house, he goes over there and tries to rub his smell on it, thus pushing her out, lol. She acts like a grumpy old lady (albeit only 4 years old) and fusses and leaves.

Now, I am so excited because I have permission to bathe Snowy tomorrow and I can’t wait to because she’s a tad smelly and also because I can condition her hair with my blend of oils and she will be soft, shiny, and smell good! I will also wash her bed tomorrow so it matches her cleanliness.

I have a question though – I have been in charge of her menu (foods) and feeding so far, but today one of the daughters had put a ton of food in Snowy’s bowl, and like a good piggy, Snowy ate it all! She ate at least a day and a half’s worth of food! I am really thinking about a giving her a fast day tomorrow, with a small breakfast just because I will be feeding Bruno sardines (Saturday is Sardines day!) and I want to split the can between them. I was going to give her just 1/4 cup of kibble and the 1/2 can of sardines and call it a day for her. Do you all think that would be okay? I would do that to Bruno if he overate one day.

Also, Snowy’s owners said that recently she had begun drinking a lot more water. And she does drink a lot! Doesn’t seem to have trouble holing it in (no excessive urination that I can tell), but is drinking a lot of water not a sign of diabetes? Should her owners be concerned if she’s not also excessively urinating? Or, is she just trying to stay well-hydrated even though I have been trying to feed her “soups” (kibble with water and coconut oil) for dinner every workday (M-F) for a couple of weeks now. The owner said the water drinking started before I switched her over to good food though. Before she was on Kibbles ‘N’ Bits, Beneful, Pedigree, and the like. Now she’s been on Dogswell LiveFree, Wysong Nurture with Quail (now), and I plan to put her on Earthborn next and I am so excited! I will try to get 4 Earthborns on sale and alternate them with some Pure Balance and Victor or whatever other deals I can find, lol. I want to get this pup to be healthy!

I also don’t know if they use any preventative as far as heartworm and other parasites go. She does get her rabies shot every 3 years. They don’t use anything against fleas and she used to have them bad in the summer. Oh, and remember how I said I thought her bumps were gone? Yeah, no, they’re still there, I found them again, and they are pretty hard and don’t move around. Each is on each of her sides, at the end of her ribcage. I wonder what they may be…

[Karen J]

Trixie, the dog that had crystal in her urine and having a puddle in the house occasionally is now taking d-monnase & vit c using cream cheese as a delivery vehicle – nothing else hides it.

no grain, she was eating Blue Buffalo Basics, grain free, small breed “lamb& potato with Stella & Chewy chicken dinner patties crushed -sprinkled on top.

stopped eating kibble and stella just started a few days ago. Poops though. She gets Good Lovin Lamb & Kiwi blend freeze dried treats, grain free treats, Natural balance dental chews and bully sticks, so she’s not getting that much of it. Occasionally a pure bites chicken breast treat freeze dried.

She’s active and healthy and as far as I can tell pees and poops outside on the patio thru the dog door and when we go on walks.

last few days won’t eat the kibble and stella & chewy mixture at all.

What gives – do I change her food again?

don’t know if she still has the crystals, supposedly no infection or stones prevailed.

[Dog_Obsessed]

I am always looking for healthy treats that are either complete and balanced or pure meat or veggies, and so that I don’t have to worry as much about feeding too many. I am not opposed to raw feeding in general, but I don’t really want raw treats because it is harder to use good sanitation practices when giving treats throughout the day. Anyone have suggestions?

[Kersi B]

Thanks to the Search function and “Hound Dog Mom” I finally found some interesting brands and websites, what do you think about them? Can everybody recommend them? (I just kind of copy pasted this I hope it is okay…)

brands:
– 4Health (sold at Tractor Supply),
– Kirkland Cuts in Gravy (sold at Costco),
– Pure Balance (sold at Walmart),
– Natural Life (sold at Walmart and some grocery stores),
– Whole Earth Farms (sold at Petco, specialty retailers and many online retailers)
– By Nature 95% Meat (sold at specialty retailers and online retailers).

Which ones are the best and which ones do your dogs prefer?

websites:
wag.com, chewy.com, petflow.com and naturalk9supplies.com.

Do you have any favorites?

Thank you very much in advance!

Kind regards from Munich 🙂

[Naturella]

Hello, all!

I know we all have a passion for dog health and love to spread the word to other dog lovers. This thread can be for our success stories, if anyone cares to share.

For me, I have several (3, really). I think you have heard them before, but one is a close friend of mine who used to feed Shep and is now a crazy dog food lady like me, feeding 3.5-5-star foods, rotating all the time, and giving canned or THK as toppers. Another friend used to feed whatever Walmart carries and is cheap, so Beneful, Pedigree and the like. Now she feeds Victor, TOTW (every once in a while), Holistic Health Extension and Pure Balance, with various canned as toppers. The third story is the lady I babysit for and they used to feed their dog Kibbles ‘N’ Bits, Beneful, Iams, etc, and now I am in charge of their dog’s menu and I also shop the dog food for them on a budget, so she ate 3 bags of Dogswell LiveFree and is about to start a Wysong bag. She also had 2 bumps on or really close to her ribs before I started her food change, and I almost can’t believe it, but I can’t feel those bumps anymore! Is that even possible? I don’t know. I plan to get her 3-4 bags of various Earthborn Holistic next and maybe a bag of something else to stick in the middle. I’ll see what deals there may be around Black Friday online and in stores. She’s also been on a daily teaspoon of coconut oil for about a week now, and also I advised the family to use it as a “leave-in conditioner” after bathing her, so she gets it on her skin and coat as well. In a month or so she should have nice, healthy, shiny coat, in addition to loving her food and being more energetic. I want to introduce her also to having a lightly cooked or raw egg once a week and maybe some sardines too. I will take it slow though – I want them to notice the benefits of coconut oil first so that they know I am not doing crazy experiments with their dog, lol.

[Naturella]

Melissa, if shopping online is an option for you, websites such as http://www.petflow.com , http://www.chewy.com , http://www.wag.com often have great sales on food, especially on Petflow you can find stuff for about $1.00/lb, which is a great deal. Just check those sites about once/week or so and type in the word “trial” for Petflow and it will give you deals with “trial” sizes (usually smallest size bags – 4-5lbs, but for $1/lb). They have other great deals too, on food and treats and supplies. 🙂

But I second DogFoodie on her suggestions for budget-friendly foods – I have used Dr. Tim’s, Earthborn Holistic, and some of Victor (and a few friends have used it too) with great success and no issues, plus, they are quite affordable. One other option, if you must, you can also use Pure Balance from Walmart – it is not half bad for the price it is.

[Bobby dog]

I am glad you stopped by with an update! It sounds like you are doing everything within your means to help these dogs. Other than a change in diet and seeking medical attention for their teeth, I still recommend probiotics if it is feasible. I listed some suggestions for them in my previous post.

Were the dogs able to transition to Pure Balance without any digestive upsets?

Does she have yeasty skin or just itchy from allergies?

What is the can size of the sardines you are feeding? About how many cans/week are you feeding each dog?

Healthy teeth and gums are very important for all of us; when they are unhealthy it can lead to other diseases. I would certainly address the situation in my dog. The only suggestion I have are for the owners to seek medical care ASAP. Do they have trouble eating kibble? Are the dogs given anything to chew?

I really recommend Steve Brown’s download, “See Spot Live Longer the ABC Way.” It will help you with what you are trying to achieve for these dogs economically. More importantly, it is specific as to the quantities/types of fresh foods to feed and keeping the diet balanced; it would also benefit your dog regardless of the quality of kibble he currently eats!
http://www.seespotlivelonger.com/home/sll/page_41/see_spot_live_longer_the_abc_way___electronic_down.html

Here’s a DFA thread about adding toppers:
/forums/topic/toppersadded-nutrition/

Too many raw egg whites can interfere with the absorption of biotin; egg whites contain avidin which binds with biotin preventing dogs from absorbing it. Lightly cooking some of the eggs you feed or just the whites can remedy this. Dogs the size of Labs should probably be fed about 4 – 5 eggs per week depending on their body condition and weight. Check out this thread for some suggestions from theBCnut on feeding eggs:
/forums/topic/how-many-eggs-shell-or-no-shell/

Other canned fish you can feed is mackerel or wild pink Alaskan salmon; avoid tuna due to possible contaminates. Be sure to feed only fish packed in water with no salt added.

You can try foot baths & rinses. Below are links to several different baths & rinses that would help with skin and coat issues. If you decide to try the povidone iodine solution foot bath or rinse, since the dogs go outside, rinse with clean water afterwards because it makes the skin sensitive to the sun:
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/10/25/dog-foot-bath.aspx
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/05/03/eating-these-foods-can-make-your-dog-itch-like-crazy.aspx
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2009/12/16/thirty-seconds-to-relieve-your-pets-itchy-paws.aspx
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_01/features/Pet-Uses-Of-Apple-Cider-Vinegar_20435-1.html?pg=3

Ol’ Roy is definitely not my choice for a healthy food, but it sounds like it’s your uncle’s. Keep encouraging him to rotate and hopefully feed a better food. Other places to look for affordable dog food are whole sale clubs, hardware, large animal feed, and garden supply stores.

If your uncle will not invest in better food, maybe you can try to research some kibbles that are in the same price range that don’t contain as many undesirable ingredients, chemicals, and dyes. One brand that comes to mind is PMI Nutrition; they make three grades of dog food. I often read comments from people on hunting dog forums recommending their Red Flannel line, their lowest grade of food. I don’t recommend this food, but perhaps it (or another similar food) could be considered the lesser of two evils.

Here is PMI’s website with a store locator:
http://www.pminutrition.com/main.html

DFA review:
/dog-food-reviews/red-flannel-dog-food/

[Tiffany K]

Hi Jenny!

Four of the dogs were “mine” and the other four were dumped over the past year. I may have found a home for one, but my idea of what constitutes good dog stewardship is vastly different from my neighbors. I really have to vet the backgrounds because these dogs have been through enough.
I have a huge fenced in back yard and then I let all but one come inside. It is not as bad as it sounds as I live alone and have a larger home. A chow mix I call Carleen is terrified to come inside,(when I was cutting the mats out of her back legs she was trembling so violently, it was terrible) so I bought her an insulated dog house with a heating pad, and then put the dog house in my attached garage. I then put a rotating ceramic heater about 3 feet away from her. This is where she goes when night falls. She is warm as toast on the few nights it was cold, snug as a bug and when I peek at her, she is snoozing soundly. She is cat aggressive, which is unfortunate because she is a love bug and is so obedient. But, until I can find a five star, no child, no cat home, they are better off with me.

But I can’t take on anymore. It is too much. It is a losing battle here. I took one dog to an no kill animal shelter because I was not sure about him with my small dogs and I gave them a $300 donation to insure he was taken care of. The Sampson County animal “shelter” does not even have photos of dogs for adoption on petfinder. It is disgusting. It is something I can’t dwell on because I cannot change these people’s minds about dogs. They throw them a dirty bowl of Old Roy (not Pure Balance!) at the end of their chain and call it day. If you knew how many times I have risked arrest to make sure these dogs on chains have water in the boiling summers. I have cut it close. It is scary but in my DNA…I will never stop.

[Victoria W]

So I thought I would give an update……the choco lab with the skin allergies is doing better still not 100% but better.Unfortunately they have only been fed a good food ( pure balance ) 1.5 months and since my uncle picked up ole roy this weekend to replace the dwindling bag of pb I guess my hope of them having seen the improvement with the food change was unrealistic. I now feed all the dogs coconut oil on top of their kibble and I stocked up on sardines from the local Aldis. Currently they each get 3 sardines every meal and 1 or 2 raw eggs cracked over their food at supper. I bought a small bottle of the malasab to use on all of the “itchy” dogs and it helped…until it ran out 🙁 I brush all the dogs every night and I’m doing my best to keep them clean and as flea free as possible ( since they are hunting dogs who routinely go out into the woods this is proving very hard to do ). All the dogs seem happy and are at least recovering some of their hair. My other concern is that the black lab 8 y.o. and the golden retriever 4 y.o. both have lost almost all their teeth, I mean they have worn them down to the point that all that is left of some is the red inside part and they are even with their gum line and their canine teeth are only half left ….I don’t know how long theyve been like this but I’ve been with them for 7 mo. now and I can only assume they have had no teeth ( maybe from all their chewing on themselves ) for several years now. It looks so painful and Im worried its a way for dieseases to enter into their bloodstream. Their vet says its no big deal but what Ive found online says this is something that should be taken care of immeadately. I think its also the reason they are lethargic, they just dont feel good. I see a bleak road ahead and if you have any advice I can pass on and implement while I am here I would again greatly appreciate it.