I wanted to add I fed him some ricotta cheese today on top of his Merricks and he enjoyed that a ton. I know one of you posted a link to taking kefir and fruit and making frozen treats out of it. I was wondering what fruits are best or are allowed for that matter. I know some fruits including grapes especially dogs can’t really have. I have a garden of my own that I have strawberries and blueberries growing all naturally as I don’t use pesticides or anything. Was wondering if they would be okay to use.
I also have home made sweet potatoes growing and was going to mash them up and put them on his food once in a while. š
I think Naturella fed one of their kibble recipes to Bruno, maybe catch up with her. One of the regulars, can’t remember who, feeds a freeze dried raw cat recipe in their rotation too. I have only fed cat food as a topper for Bobby when none of the cats liked it.
Hi Terry-
Dogs aren’t born with allergies, they develop them over time through overexposure to the same food. Even though you were feeding an excellent quality dehydrated raw diet, you didnt vary the proteins she got, hence the sudden onset of the allergy.
As for the myth about the wet food making the teeth worse, its just that, a myth. Every dog needs their teeth brushed regularly just like a human in order to avoid dental problems. Raw meaty bones are also probably the best thing to clean the teeth like Rhonda suggested. And if you were rehydrating the raw as you should its no different than the wet food getting on her teeth.
I would suggest keeping her on the dehyrated raw diet but changing the protein source and even brand, obviously now avoiding whatever protein she is allergic to.
Thank you so much for the link I will read it now. I just feel I can give him a better diet than cooked kibble. I support raw and feel that he should eat what I’m providing him with. But I know many people have this issue and worry when they transition, hence an urgent help appeal. The food he was on was given at double the recommended feeding guidelines and he was still not gaining weight. He ate it but it didn’t improve his health only he didnt react to it š
Why not cook the meat up for him a little bit? Why does he have to have raw? Why not stay with the food that agreed with him, maybe add something.
You may find some helpful tips here http://www.homeovet.net/dynamic/php/downloads/dog-c8470f2c75dbe4b683205c3919ee2310/dog_diet_complete.pdf
Please please helpā¦. I started my two German shorthaired pointers on raw on Friday. One canāt get enough of it, the other who has always eaten fine is totally upset with it. He went from Thursday until Saturday night not touching it (mince) with me putting it down for 30 and taking it back up until that meal he ate a little with a lot of coaxingā¦ Sunday he ate a bit for breakfast and a tiny bit this evening with coaxing. He is very underweight so we need him to have proper nutrition hence switching him to raw from Orijen. Any cheaper food makes him Ill with allergies, orijen made him loose 5kg he didnāt have but allergies healed.
Iām so worried that
A he wonāt start eating a full meal again
B he will loose more weight
C he wonāt accept it ever
D he will get really ill
Please can you help?
Please please help…. I started my two German shorthaired pointers on raw on Friday. One can’t get enough of it, the other who has always eaten fine is totally upset with it. He went from Thursday until Saturday night not touching it (mince) with me putting it down for 30 and taking it back up until that meal he ate a little with a lot of coaxing… Sunday he ate a bit for breakfast and a tiny bit this evening with coaxing. He is very underweight so we need him to have proper nutrition hence switching him to raw from Orijen. Any cheaper food makes him Ill with allergies, orijen made him loose 5kg he didn’t have but allergies healed.
I’m so worried that
A he won’t start eating a full meal again
B he will loose more weight
C he won’t accept it ever
D he will get really ill
Please can you help?
Since she was doing well on the dehydrated raw, how about trying another brand and protein? The Honest Kitchen, Grandma Lucy’s, Primal… all good options. As for her teeth, our yorkiepoo loves a nice leisurely gnaw on a recreational bone or bully stick.
I use THK, Grandma Lucy’s and Sojos in rotation. I normally use the premix and add fresh cooked meat to them. I also occaisonally use the meat inclusive and will sometimes add fresh cooked meat or raw eggs to these to up the protein level. My dogs love them all. š
I had a dog with yeast ear infections and potato definitely did not help. I put him on ground raw, no fruits or veggies and that worked. If you won’t do raw, look for a limited ingredient food, no potatoes.
My friendās very beloved four year old Yorshire Terrier has been on Stella and Chewyās dehydrated raw food her whole life. Her favorite is āDuck, Duck, Gooseā. Until recently, she did quite well on the food, but a few days ago she became very sick. The vet thinks she may have developed a food allergy. Does anyone have any recommendations for small dogs? The Yorkie only weighs about four pounds. My friend was advised not to feed canned food because Yorkieās are notorious with having dental problems caused by the canned food sticking to their teeth. Any help and recommendations will be truly appreciated! Thank-you!
Terry
Bobby tells me all the time cat food is fine for dogs when I catch him chowing down on it. He gets to eat any new foods the cats don’t like; it never goes to waste with Bobby around. AAFCO standards for minerals are similar for cats and dogs. It’s fine for dogs to eat cat food, but dog food is not fine for cats because they need added taurine in their food that dog food does not typically have in it. Some do, Fromm’s canned dog foods is one, Nature’s Variety frozen raw and canned dog food used to, but not anymore, and Wysong makes a kibble that is for both cats and dogs. I am sure there are other brands that add taurine to their dog recipes too.
Holistic Blends grain free it has a 5 star rating and is made in Canada. I pour coconut oil over this and my dogs love it. I also feed a dehydrated raw Big Dog Natural.
Yep, we’ll get there eventually. I’ll be happy to get Julie on board with the Darwin’s at least. Maybe the other 2 will come around, too. They are eating canned with a bit of raw so they’re not completely put off by the smell or anything like that.
nice progress JM! Dani ate a little of her Primal raw turkey with her FF turkey (no throw up btw), but shes still hesistant for the raw. I’ll sway her in time tho š
Has anyone tried Natures Variety Raw Daily Boost supplement?
I started my pups (mini schnauzer and GSD) on a total raw diet and then got over whelmed. Switched to a frozen raw and then to kibble and canned. My husband was not a fan of the canned and said we could make our own homemade (which is much less expensive.) I’m now giving them both Natures Variety Kibble and a homecooked chicken, veggies, salmon and coconut oil, yogurt and some pumpkin food. I’m liking the way it’s going. I am going to add a supplement though, which is what I’m researching now.
Thanks! I am just trying to get some opinions on which one people think is better.
I have been feeding my girl raw for a while now but the cost is just getting to be a little too much. So, I need to cut back somewhere. I was thinking about doing raw in the morning and kibble in the evening and then I remembered GLP and THK! Both of the foods are good and I just couldn’t see which one is better.
Do you know what the broken corn flake looking things are in GLP? Are those the chickpeas? Or the chicken?
We feed Blue twice a day with a variety of dehydrated, raw and kibble. His stools are just fine.
Breakfast-
2/3 cup Origen dry
2-3 Tbls homemade milk kefir (topper)
1/2 cup Grandma Lucy’s Pureformance/Honest Kitchen
Dinner-
2/3 cup Origen dry
2-3 Tbls canned dog food (topper) or sardines (not topper)
1/2 lb. package Darwins Raw
These foods are not mixed into one in his bowl just as we place our food separately on a plate. He absolutely doesn’t have a favorite and may start in on any one. He will usually finish one before going to the next food, but not always.
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This reply was modified 10 years, 10 months ago by
"Blue".
I haven’t heard that. Your dog is lucky to have different food types per day. Can you imagine eating the same food for years and years? I feed raw dehydrated for breakfast, a 5 star kibble for lunch and another 5 star brand for dinner. As a side (not mixed in), I rotate a canned food daily. The stools are medium sized firm and I make sure the total daily amount matches their activity level for the day (lots of swimming as summer approaches!). Dasuquin Advanced as treats and deer shank bones in between. Vet visits are a thing of the past. Just watch for any allergic reactions when introducing a new food.
Hi, Cindy! From my experience, it is okay to feed both raw and kibble. If they are two separate meals, you should have nothing to worry about, but I’ve even heard of people feeding raw and kibble in the same meal with no issues. So it really just depends on your dog – watch their stool and overall behavior for any signs of discomfort, but with me, it has always been fine. I feed a raw egg with kibble on Wednesday mornings and I feed kibble and canned for breakfast on Sundays and raw for dinner on Sundays with no problems.
Maybe others will chime in with more advice, but I think it should be totally fine.
I have a picky eater the only food she would eat is big dog natural dehydrated raw now she suddenly doesn’t always want to eat it, I got a bag of Holistic blend which has a 5 star rating and she liked it. Is it ok to feed the dehydrated raw in the morning and this kibble in the evening? I know some people say not to feed both raw and kibble.
bdog- im thinking you’re right. why toture her when i dont need to. i have so many other foods i can choose from that dont make her sick.
c4c- that is a great idea! i love that suggestion. and i love that part about if it shows up twice you stop feeding it. i am totally going to take that idea!
JM- well at least you’ve got one guy eating it! my kitten ate around the primal raw for the most part lol. Im gonna try the turkey with her and see if she likes that better since the one i gave her was beef and we have this beef issue now!
Pitlove-
You’ll have to make a throw up chart. LOL! I try to write down the day and name of food thrown up. If it shows up twice on the chart, I don’t buy it anymore. I don’t know if we will ever figure those darn cats out. Good luck at the vet. Sometimes they will suggest an Rx canned food just to settle the stomach and then transition back to their regular diet when ready. I don’t think you probably have much to worry about though. How’s the new litter box working out?
Jakes Mom- Bummer about the raw. It is always frustrating when you try out something that you are excited about and they don’t cooperate. That’s true for both our pets and our kids! They both sure can be brats! Glad to hear Darwin’s is being flexible with the auto delivery. I have auto shipments set up with chewy as well and they are also great about delaying and editing my orders.
That’s a great price! I have two co-ops that have delivery drop offs near me in SE Michigan. One of them only does bulk (cases of 40 pounds), and the other one will do individual tubs/containers. I don’t have a chest freezer yet so I have only ordered from the second one. I haven’t done a ton of shopping around yet – only started raw feeding about 6 weeks ago. Between what I ordered and finding a special on whole chickens for $.40/lb, I think I’ve probably spent about $120 for that 6 weeks for my one 35 lb puppy. Granted, I got a little eager and ordered some fancy proteins – llama, beaver, and emu which inflated that price a bit but I got so excited about them lol.
Once I get my chest freezer, which will be free as a gift from a friend who is upgrading hers, I can order from the better priced co-op, and I think it will work out to be about $80/month if I want to really rotate in a variety of proteins (venison, duck, quail, rabbit), or I could get as low as about $60/month if I stuck to just beef, chicken, and turkey. This is just calculating pure pre-ground raw (which are whole animals with meat, bones, organs, some I have to add organs). The 40 cents a pound chickens seem to be a common deal around here, so if I stock up on those when I find them I could cut that even lower. I broke down the chickens and feed them as whole bony pieces, so no cost for a meat grinder. I have a local middle eastern/halal market that sells me goat liver and kidney at 29 cents a pound, and that’s such a minor cost that I haven’t counted that in the totals. They also throw in free duck and chicken feet for me whenever I go in there.
I set my budget at $100/month when I first got my puppy 9-10 weeks ago, and I was definitely spending that and then some in the first few weeks when I was feeding kibble and cans.
I agree with Bobby dog. I would just stick with what’s working for her. Don’t drive yourself nuts. Vet visit would be a good idea but I wouldn’t worry about her, really. Probably just an ingredient that doesn’t agree with her, hard to figure out which one.
BTW, update on the raw transition…not going well, brats! Still only have Dustin eating it with enthusiasm. I delayed my first shipment. Darwin’s customer service is great, no problem with rescheduling. They sent me an email reminding me that the shipment was scheduled for the 10th and I replied, asking them to hold off for a couple of weeks.
Hey guys thanks for the responses. So the Nature’s Variety beef is just pate. they only make pates. same thing with the FF but it does have sauce to it as many still do even if its pate. She has eaten a wide range of foods that have sauce including Nutro Max Cat and Natural Choice with no problem so thats why Im even more stumped.
Bdog- Im going to have to go over your grocery store cat food list you gave me again in this thread to see which ones you feed. I might have to limit her to those. She just ate the FF turkey & giblets no problem. I bought the FF variety pack Classic Tender Beef feast, Tender Chicken Feast and Turkey & Giblets Feast. The only one she cant tolerate is the beef.
I think Im gonna need to look further down the ingrident list and compare them all and I need to see what the others had that Merrick didnt since she ate it no problem.
The raw I kinda understood because I know it can be a shock to their system when they first get it. Im gonna try Turkey raw with her tomorrow morning.
JM- She threw up instantly the first time eating both FF and NV
Ok, Just talked to my contact (Galen’s breeder), and at the seminar, the expert (who raises great danes) Pat Hastings states that the puppy foods are a bunch of empty calories, and does not advocate using them, especially with giant breeds. She advocates weaning directly to adult foods, provided those foods have the low calcium/phosphorus levels at approximately 1% and a 1:1 ratio, and supplementing with raw, if possible (Galen is supplemented with Tripett food… green beef tripe). I don’t have a list of foods yet, but Galen’s breeder will be sharing that as soon as it’s made available, so it’s up to the individual to make sure they have the adequate numbers. I’ll be calling Canidae today to find out what the Calcium and Phosphorus numbers are for each of the foods in Canidae’s Grain Free Pure line of foods. I reviewed some Grain Free Pure Land a while back, and was quite impressed, and like that there are only 7 key ingredients.
Thanks Belinda! I’d love to switch Totem to to fresh raw foods but I’m a bit overwhelmed by all the info. We do have a small local company that sources grass fed and organic meats and organs and bones so I may still try to do it. She did really well eating her first raw turkey neck chewing every last bit really well. She loves the Primal stuff and sings when I mix it up but I’m also going to give her the Fromms LBP food in rotation so I don’t miss anything important in her diet.
alright guys, new issue arising for me with the kitty. 3 times now she has thrown up eating beef. Once it was nature’s variety, second it was fancy feast beef and now this morning she got a little bit of the beef & salmon Primal raw that I got in the sample pack from my pet store and threw that up and wont eat the rest. HOWEVER, last night she got a can of Merrick beef pate to test the waters…no throw up. suggestions? do I take beef out of her diet? Im so confused as to why she threw up NV fancy feast and raw beef but not Merrick…
edit: as i just finished typing this i look up to see her eating the rest of whats in her bowl (Max cat kitten chicken &liver pate mixed with the Primal beef& salmon) lol. I was about to go pick it up and throw it out
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This reply was modified 10 years, 10 months ago by
Pitlove.
I see on various forums the cost of feeding raw. I feed ground raw. I recently found a NH based raw food company that does drop off’s for a $10 charge & no minimum order. The prices are very good. We have a new dog arriving tomorrow & I want all three to be on raw.
My husband did the math & we can feed our three dogs (one 24lb, one 30lb & the other 33lb) for $152, including the $10 meet up fee, for 6 weeks. I was shocked! I didn’t think it could be that cheap!
Does anyone else figure out how much they pay for raw? I know whole meat prey model would be cheaper but thats not happening any time soon.
Hi, sounds like IBD, you need to find a good vet that knows the breed & knows about IBD, a few vet are useless when it comes to IBD a good vet spots IBD straight away …..try lowering the fat sounds like Acid reflux with the licking the air & licking the floor, high fat diets are no good for acid reflux….also kibble isn’t good for acid reflux… what I do is I soak the low fat-10% Hypoallergenic, Gluten, Sugar & Dairy FREE kibble, when the kibble is swollen, I drain all water then I put thru a blender comes out like wet tin food but its not soggy the soaked kibble seems to fluff up this seems help with digestion & the acid reflux also I give Zantac tablet 1/3tablet every 12 hours 1 hour before eating but lately I’ve been giving Mylanta 3-5mls in syringe 30 mins before food or if I see him with discomfort (having to rub his stomach after eating)…. you can also try Famotidine (Pepcid) ant acid meds or the liquid Pepto bismol …you can get from chemist….. Zantac is better as Zantac doesn’t affect the bowel where all the other ant acid tablets can affect the bowel…. with kibble try a kibble that’s around 10%min fat so max % will be around 12-13% if I go over 12% fat Patch starts swollowing, grinding his teeth, licking paws & licking has blanket… also look for a limited ingredient kibble as some ingredients can make stomach acid worse & give diarrhea…. try a limited ingredient lower fat kibble & she if she improves… something like the “California Natural” Hypoallergenic limited ingredient, there’s their Lamb & Rice large breed it has just 4 ingredients http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products
She may need an Endoscope + biopsies done this way you will get answers instead of spinning your wheels & going in circles like I did for 2 years, I wish I did the Endoscope + Biopsies when all the problems started… Patch is a rescue..
Sometimes the diet that you don’t like is the diet that will agree with your dog.. I had to put my boy on Vet prescription vet diet Eukanuba Intestinal low residue diet….. high soluble fiber diets were no good, they just sit in the stomach & ferment giving acid reflux, stomach pain, bad breath etc the fiber in the Eukanuba Intestinal was only 1.75% then when Patch was stable & doing really well I started introducing new kibbles & none seemed to work as a lot have peas, potatoes, tomatoes, chickpeas, lentils, these foods are all high in Lectins.. Lectins can cause Leaky Gut…so now I stick with kibbles that have rice & I have no problems…. One month ago I saw a Naturopath & started low fat raw diet, Kangaroo mince with blended veggie & fruit, carrot, broccoli, celery, banana, apple & I have to use Digestive Enzymes & live probiotic to stop any nausea & diarrhea from the raw so far everything is good, this week I have been cooking the raw & veggie mix minus the fruit & making a meat loaf with all the ingredients & then adding boiled Quinoa to fill him more…. Patch cant eat boiled rice it irritates the bowel.. I don’t have to use a digestive enzyme either with cooked like I do when I feed the raw diet…I give the cooked meal for breakfast (I pre make & freeze all the meals) & I give the soaked Hypoallergenic gluten sugar & dairy free kibble at night for dinner ……Ask around & try & find a good vet in your area & keep a diary so when new vet asked when did that happen you have dates & how many times it happened & what she was eating if she had diarrhea or vomiting … the antibiotic she was put on was probably Metronidazole its an antibiotic for the gut & bowel… my vet has given me a few repeat scripts, I just go to chemist & get out, its 1/4 of the price.. when I see Patches poos not looking too good, I start him on the metronidazole for 2 weeks & go back to a very bland diet to get him stable again before it gets real bad …. Have you joined any German Shepherd groups?? there’s one on yahoo …. oh also a few people in a group I’m in who have German Shepherds with stomach/bowel problems feed “Taste Of the Wild” kibble…. Good-luck
I agree with Marie. I tend to not like to feed anything under 30% and I like to see whole meats or meat meals as the first three ingredients. It lets me know that carbs are not making up the majority of the food. A healthy dog will process quality animal protein efficiently where as they won’t process plant based proteins as well. And carbs are just unneeded in a dogs diet, however there is no such thing as a carb free kibble as carbs are used as the binder to hold the food in its kibble shape.
Dogs who eat raw eat upwards of 40%+ protein and everyone i’ve ever talked to that feeds raw has had amazing success with it and finds their dog to be far more healthy than the average dog eating kibble. Hence why I stick to very high protein diets. Some I’ve used include Orijen and EVO(before I knew they were bought by Proctor&Gamble).
edit: The % difference when you look at the reviews on this site is a difference in the dry matter basis vs whats on the GA. The dry matter basis is how the carb levels are determined as well. It means that all the moisture content has been factored out just leaving the the meats grains carbs etc left.
/choosing-dog-food/dry-matter-basis/
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This reply was modified 10 years, 10 months ago by Pitlove.
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This reply was modified 10 years, 10 months ago by Pitlove.
Hi, I live in Australia & it’s the only premium kibble that was Hypoallergenic Gluten Sugar & Dairy free……the only other novel protein & gluten free kibble was the vet diet Royal Canine “Sensitivity Control” Duck & Tapioca, it cleared Patches red paws up but he still stunk & was scratching.. I don’t think the R/C Sensitivity Control it is in America only Australia & Europe… Iams has their “Skin & Coat Plus Response KO Kangaroo” you could try this diet & see if his skin starts to clear up, then if yeast goes away start looking for another kibble or stay with the Iams KO & give only as 1 meal & cook or give raw for the other meal & see how he goes…The Iams Skin & Coat Plus KO would be better then the Royal Canine Rabbit & Potato kibble.. Iams use Oat flour which is suppose to be a very low carb… I’d stay away from potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas….also make sure your bathing in an antibacterial shampoo weekly….. I found the Malaseb to be the best for Patch…
Hi Kenneth, I cant see the Royal Canine Rabbit & Potato diet helping as Potatoes are very starchy & yeast loves sugar & starchy carbs… can you feed a raw diet?? I started a raw diet thru a Naturopath cause my boy has IBD & skin problems, within 2-3 days his red stinky paws cleared up, shaking his head with itchy ears stopped, no more stinky dog after just 1 week, I couldn’t believe it, I bath him in Malaseb medicated shampoo aswell & his smell has not come back on the raw diet..
I feed Kangaroo mince & blended broccoli head, 1 apple peeled, 5 celery sticks & 1 carrot peeled, all blended in a blender then I added 2 spoons of the blended veggie/fruit mix to 1cup Kangaroo, you can also make all this into a meat loaf style rissoles & bake in the oven if you don’t want to feed raw but I found the raw easier or if you want to stay with a kibble try the “California Natural” Hypoallergenic limited ingredient foods…the Lamb & Rice has just 4 ingredients http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products….
I’ve been feeding the raw for breakfast then a Hypoallergenic Gluten Sugar & Dairy FREE kibble, Salmon & Sardines with brown rice & veggies-(Bok Choy & Broccoli) its an Australian made kibble…most of the grain free kibble diets will have Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Peas, Lentils, Lemuges etc as they need to bind the kibble….so I feed a kibble with brown rice + a protein, it seems to work as long as I feed the raw or cooked as a main meal & try to feed less of the kibble….
Kenneth-
The best food for a dog that is stone prone dog is a low carb wet one. Moisture is key to keeping the urinary tract flushed. Try to feed as much canned, raw, or fresh foods as possible.
Which type of stones is your dog prone to?
I have 1 1/2 yr old German Shepard that we got last Sept.. since then she’s had episodes of diarrhea, about 6-8, 4 of which we took her to the vet because she was having bad abdominal pain(When you touched her stomach she’s yelp). The other times, it passed with her eating a lot of grass then rice and chicken for the day or two after. (She tires to lick all the hair off floor and eat anything when she goes into these fits, as she like licks the air).
Im thinking I need to switch her food, been reading a lot about German Shepard with their stomach issues! What should I be looking at for protein, fat, and carb percent’s? My understanding is a moderate fat of 17-23 is ideal .
She’s on Natures Variety Raw boost duck (and turkey I believe, whichever is the duck one). It seems to have higher carbs then some other options(Are these harder on her stomach??).
Ideally, I’d feed her and my Belgian Milionis the same food, but can do separate.
Not crazy after Blue Buffalo /Royal Cainin/ Science Diet.
Each time we’ve gone into the emergency room, they don’t seem to care what I’m feeding her, and they don’t have any recommendations… just give her a nausea shot and then send me home with diarrhea pills and tell me to come back the next day if she doesn’t start feeling better.
Have a pet store, so the options to get basically any food is there, just so confused.. each company reps tells me their food is best for her obviously.. but not totally sold that nurto max is the best lol.
I already give her a probiotic spray on her kibble, and going to start giving her Great Life enzymes pro(digestive enzymes).
Raw is unfortunately not an option ( great for my chi mix but can’t afford it for the big ones!)
thanks so much for ANY help!!!!
I’m new to Dog Advisor and want to find out a replacement for the I/D can food my vet put my senior dog on due to loose stool. I don’t think the food is very good so I’m trying to find something better. She was always a “chow hound” and never had any problems with anything she ate before. Most of her life she has been on the raw diet but it seems that is causing the problem now. Of course, the vet recommended a dry food loaded in corn which I never give her and won’t now. She just turned 12 and has always been very active (Wire Fox Terrier) but has just recently gone blind on me. She has lost some weight, still eats pretty well but I want to find a better food for her. I’d appreciate any help or thoughts. Thank you.
Cotons Mom: I feed prey model raw, in ground form. It is meat, bone, organs & some have tripe. I add a scoop of tripe to the ones that don’t have it. Prey model does not need anything else. I add supplements for specific purposes: ACV, Bug Off Garlic, salmon oil, eggs, joint supplement for one; no vitmins. Not needed.
I add the above to breakfast meal, nothing at dinner. Did I answer your question?
We have 4 month old Shiloh Shepherd and I’ve had her on Fromm Gold Large Breed Puppy and THK Embark/Love mixed in. I also add krill oil and occasionally ground lamb or a sardine and a couple times a week she get a frozen raw beef rib bone with meat on it for her teething so I think I’ve been feeding her ok.
I want to transition her to raw eventually and I’m trying out some of the Primal formulas to start with rather than jump into full force to start. I’m just using the freeze dried nuggets right now for convenience. My question is are the suggestions on HDMoms PDF still pretty valid and would the Primal formula suggestions on it apply to the freeze dried as well? I just want to assure I’ve got her on the right path.
Thanks for any help
I have two miniature poodles, one five and one four years old. I had nothing but trouble with the younger one when I first got him. Paw chewing and licking till the fur on his paws turned red. Both poodles are light colored by the way. I tried all the dried dog food with no improvement. (Including the expensive so-called natural and no fillers etc.)
Three years ago I stumbled onto the Dinovite website and decided to try their food additives with a raw meat diet. Started using their product (and their recipe) and lo and behold. Both dogs are thriving bundles of energy. No chewing, licking or scratching of any kind, and the only time I see a vet is for their shots.
I live in Canada near the border, so I have it shipped to the USA side and pick it up, so freight is only six bucks.
I feed them twice a day and mealtime for them is party time!
You can check it out at dinovite.com and watch their short video and pricing.
Oh, by the way, I have no afilliation with Dinovite in any way.
I have read/heard accounts of people who swear by consumption of all-raw and improvement in teeth condition of dogs. But brushing or an equivalent method is also essential. What I use on Bruno are small gauze patches wrapped around my finger with some coconut oil on them, and I scrub his teeth with it. For the back teeth I do need a brush though because his mouth is small.
We recently rescued a small mixed-breed dog and I have been looking at Dog Food Advisor when considering food options for her. We are looking at Pet Value brand Performatrin – Ultra Grain Free (dry), which rates a 5 star on this website. The bag claims about 37% protein and the rating here claims 41%. I was in a pet store today and the owner felt that 20-30% is a better protein number for your average household dog. This means that I am back to the drawing board on food options. We have also tried a food that isn’t on this site – Performatrin Limited – Ultra Limited Potato and Turkey formula. It is less ingredients and less protein. I am at a crossroads. At this pet store, the recommended brands were: Pet Kind, Spring Naturals, Nutri-Source, Orijen, Acana and First Mate. I am on here doing further research. Any insight is appreciated. Is there a FB group for this?
I give them the occasional raw frozen beef marrow bone because I know they enjoy it.
I don’t think food, bones/chews, sprays or additives work any miracles on their teeth, though.
I brush their teeth with Petrodex and a medium sized adult toothbrush (hardest I can find), I count to 100 (for each section) and really scrub the sides and the back where the tartar builds up, this takes about 5 minutes for each dog per day.
Some dogs just have lousy teeth, sometimes it’s genetic, and will need one or two professional cleanings in their lifetime no matter what you do. But the brushing does make a big difference.
LM, thanks for the info! Yeah, Bruno is on a roundworm preventive pill, and I will monitor his stool even when one day we have a yard, but I would feed him raw on the grass. But good to know!
Also, he digests bones well, but it essential for every pet owner to monitor their pet while chewing on chew toys, natural or artificial, or consuming an RMB. So yes, if the dog is having issues, then they should be given something else, but it is a good thing to try as it has many benefits for their health.
Chris, as for the venison, I would be just fine giving it raw. Also, you can even feed grocery store (human grade) meat. Organic and grass-fed is best for humans and dogs, but the “regular” grocery store one is OK too. So I would be pretty comfortable with the farm-fresh meat from your butcher, but that’s me. Just watch your dog, his stool, and go from there.
Surprisingly I live on farm lands and in the woods as well and my dog runs my property everyday, and I check him every night for ticks, flees, and also worms when he goes to the bathroom and have yet too ever have any problems. *Crosses fingers*
That link you shared LM is very interesting and I have it now saved on bookmarks for later use.
Speaking of raw foods again…see I would love to try it for him, however, I am pretty scared to try it. Reason being is because, yes we have a local butcher that sells meat right off his farm, but if I go in and ask if it’s organically grass fead and he says yes and I take his word for it and feed it raw to my dog. There’s always that chance of him lieing. Though, I go hunting, and I have several frozen bags of Venison in the freezer right now that I could possibly get out and feed him some of that. Do you guys think Venison would be a good choice of raw? I know it’s listed in that link LM gave, but figured to ask you guys your opinion on that.
http://www.homeovet.net/dynamic/php/downloads/dog-c8470f2c75dbe4b683205c3919ee2310/dog_diet_complete.pdf
Natural Diet for Dogs: Guidelines for Optimal Nutrition
Have you seen this diet I posted before? Raw food is mentioned, and I think there are a lot of good tips.
chris- most of the risk of salmonella is to the human not the dog, from what i’ve read. thats why when preparing any raw food you need to make sure you follow very strick cleanliness routines. raw food is what a dogs body was biologically designed to eat. many people who have switched to raw find that their dogs are far healthier and only need to go to the vet for annual checkups. this is however on an all raw diet, but adding the fresh raw helps add live, unprocessed, uncooked food back into their diet to balance out the kibble and the kibble intern provides the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that the piece of beef doesnt have. it is far from dangerous for the dog though. its great for cats too! hell, even better for cats
I have a poodle that I’ve been through food and skin allergies with also, so I feel your pain. I have been going through this for six plus years, and within the last month, I came upon a lady with a holistic pet food store in Boca Raton, FL who has been invaluable. I had been feeding my dog venison and I believe he has become allergic to it. He’s also allergic to all novel proteins. She recommended rabbit and a probiotic, and it appears to have taken care of not only the allergies but the reflux he was beginning to have. Her web address is holisticpetcuisine.com. After years of reading pet food labels, and having to email the parent companies to see what “liver” or “flavor” might refer to, she speaks the language fluently. Her name is Barbara. She sometimes recommends a raw diet, which I have heard mixed feedback on from both sides, but tend to cook the food. Be sure no treats from China, and no cross over ingredients in treats that have proteins your dog might be allergic to. I feel your pain. I have found that not even vets can deal with these issues very well. Email/call Barbara. She will be a new best friend.
Yeah I understood the other things you mentioned to adding here and there to the kibble. Though when you guys mentioned about raw meat is what threw a flag up because I never knew you could do that, plus I figured that could be dangerous to do.
2 months, 1 week ago
