[Brandy R]

Hi All,
I have been doing a lot of research about the BARF diet for my K9 babies and come across this forum. I live in St. Louis MO, have 4 dogs. 6 yr old Jack Russell (Bella)-overweight at 19.4 lbs, 2 yr old Jack Russell/Shih tzu mix (Candy)-rescued her she is perfect at 15.4 lbs, 2 yr old Shihshon (shih tzu/bichon frise mix) (Falcor)-very submissive but perfect 17 lbs and last but not least my 10 month old beagle (Brutus)-he is my problem child right now weighing in at 30.2 lbs he has separation anxiety terrible-inside and out. Will tear the house apart if left inside and digs up my tree outside….super rotten but I love him dearly.
I am extremely nervous about starting a raw diet mainly because I want to gag thinking about all the raw boney foods they will be eating and gnawing on…yuk but also scared they will choke on bones. Candy is not a gulper but the other 3 inhale their kibble and its even worse when i add egg or yogurt or cottage cheese to it. I can’t imagine what they would do with a chicken back or neck or any other raw meaty bone for that matter. Any suggestions? Also I read to feed them 2% of their ideal weight per day split into 2 meals, does that sound right?
I recently started eating healthy myself (more veggies and meat-less carbs) and have been concerned about my Bella and how overweight she is, so i started doing some research and that’s when I came across the raw diet and what I have read it seems to be so much healthier for my dogs. I want to keep them healthy and happy for many more years without breaking the bank in the process.
It seems if I can find a distributor that would be extremely cheap. I plan to stop by a couple local grocery stores and meat markets in the next few days to speak with the Butcher about getting some parts they don’t sell.

[Barb D]

I have a nine month old Bichon shih tzu & I have tried Orijen, Acana, Blue Buffalo, Natural Balance both wet & dry & cannot get him to eat dog food. I have tried adding chicken broth & broiled chicken & salmon. He will pick out the dog food & will eat the chicken & salmon. The vet checked him out & there is nothing wrong with his health. I am at my wits end so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[banditsmom]

Definitely it’s Shih Tzus. No question!

[jay]

are there any reviews on treats on this site? i am looking for treats for my 6 month old shih tzu/papillin mix mostly for training and i want something good and healthy anyone can recommend anything that taste great and is good for training? thanks

[Kmsharp]

I’ve had shih tzus for 30 years and have tried all diets (we eat organic ourselves). Watch out for yeast if problems with dry skin or itching, may be also related to stomach issues. It looks like you can find lots of foods with high ratings here. We sometimes cook for our dogs – ground turkey, oatmeal, some veggies, olive oil. Make a large batch & freeze some – we do this to use all organic products. My dogs also do fine on a high quality dry food & wet food mix. I mix it up, add a bit of eggs when we eat them. One dog was allergic to beef. With a small dog like a shih tzu it’s easy to give them bits of healthy (fish, meat, sweet potato, cheese) leftovers too as a supplement (though some people never spoil their dogs like this!)

Good luck – these are fabulous, loyal, loving dogs!

[2doxiemom]

Daughter adopted 4 year old Shih Tzu from a Humane Society today and is trying to figure out what dry food to feed that will not make him have stomach problems. Lady who fostered him had been feeding “Showtime” dry but did not have any to send home and Daughter is unable to find this brand in her town or nearby. Foster mom was not really any help today in telling where she had purchased her supply. We looked up this dog food and it rated 2.5 stars on this site, but she intends to feed him Merrick grain free Duck (what we feed our dogs) in the future. What brand of food would be a good choice to switch him to now just to get him settled into a new home. She knows he will have to work up to the Merrick, but doesn’t want to stress him out and make him have stomach issues now. Sorry for the book, but felt the back story might be needed. Thanks for any help or suggestions.

[Earthwalks]

I’m an in-home dog breeder of Yorkies, Maltese and Shih Tzus. I have been using Diamond Small Breed Puppy for many years. It has a very high protein content of 32%. The bites are very small and the puppies take to it right away. I also feed it to some of my adult dogs because of their high energy levels. Pregnant and nursing Moms are also fed this food. I give puppy buyers a couple of pounds of this food to get their new baby off to a good start and recommend that they continue to use it. I can’t find any information on this food anywhere on the site. Could I please get some feedback? I want my babies to bring happiness to their new families: not heartache.

[GizmoMom]

I just switched my dog over to THK Preference mixed with cooked ground bison. He’s a 15 lbs. Shih Tzu mix. I am not sure if I am feeding him enough. He sure loves his new food though.

I am feeding him according to the guideline on the box, which is 1/2 cup dry Preference mixed with 3/4 cup water, and 1/2 cup meat (ground bison). I split the mixture and feed him twice a day. Based on nutrition data for cooked ground bison, 1/2 cup is about 116 calories. Mixed with 1/2 cup of Preference, which is 116.5 calories. The total is only 282.5 calories. Based on dog food calculators on this site, he should be getting 464 calories per day. When I used to feed him kibbles or premade raw, I used to give him close to 450 calories per day.

Should I add more ground bison to his food? I’m worried if I would make the food unbalanced. Or should I keep the same proportion of the ground bison and Preference and just feed him more food per day?

[Blue8091]

I would be so grateful for some feedback. I have an 8.5 yr Shih Tzu. Allergic to poultry. For the last 2 years I’ve been feeding Urban Wolf. I have no complaints (just got a perfect health review from vet on annual check up) except for the expense and it’s labor intensive to make – I was doing 6 week batches at a time (bagging/freezing). Looking to reduce cost and time. So, I transitioned him into Bravo Beef Blend. I miscalculated the amount to feed (my bad) and even at just less than 3oz per serving 2x a day, I’m at around $70 a month (Urban Wolf was slightly less). I work a lot of hours and so defrosting has been trying and when totally thawed – GAG. Blood everywhere and I’m having a hard time hanging in there. I re-freeze (1 5lb chub was about 12 days worth) once bagged into indv servings. Weirdly this morning he threw up – (prior to being fed and after his walk). A lil scary since he never throws up. I also note that the amount of his poo has decreased by half since on Bravo, and it’s super soft- on the edge of runny. His whole life he’s been very consistent in the poo area and never super soft – I’m really nervous about this now. He may be a perfect candidate for Bravo, it might turn out that I’m not the perfect dog owner for Bravo (lol). Is all this unthawing and refreezing bad?

Once upon a time we did the Innova EVO Red kibble. So, this morning was reviewing here because I have a lot of respect for the opinions. I see Innova has a fairly new product (maybe a year or sold old) Innova Prime Beef/Bison and Salmon Herring kibble and also Innova Farmhouse stews (wet). I was thinking about topping kibble off with a spoonful of the stew. I’ve talked to a few locally owned pet retailers and they are all thumbing their noses at Innova (Natura) because of the pet food recalls. I understand that, but I’m also thinking that Natura is hopefully addressing what went wrong and are back to producing good dog kibble and food. I’m not going to be making the money I have been and I have to get Loki moved to a food which is both good, not so expensive and in terms of time – not labor intensive.

Innova gets good reviews here and I’ve not seen where this has changed due to the recalls. I’m wondering if anyone has some advice for me. I’d be truly grateful!

[theBCnut]

Hi Shihtzumom20

Steve Brown’s See Spot Live Longer Dinner Mix is really good, no potato,but you might have to add some veg or something for bulk. Dr Harvey’s Fine Ground Veg to Bowl is ok, a bit heavy on potato.

[Shihtzumom20]

Hi ScottsMomma! Thanks for rescuing a dog, he will be thanking you to! Seeing as you mentioned raw I would say that would be a great way to go! Raw should really help with any allergies and you can really customize the meal plan, anything that doesnt seem to sit well with him, you can simply move on to another protein. My shih tzu loves raw, its amazing how he took to it, and I am sure your terrier will love it too. While you are researching how to balance, Hound Dog Mom is the best for explaining that!, you can start with a pre-made raw or do a pre-mix in which you add your own meat to it. There is a great section for pre-made raw dog food here to help you choose the best, but I think a lot of people use Primal and Stella & Chewys I would to if I could get it! I have used Nature`s Variety and think its ok, Dawson loves it and he does well on it, but I like making my own then you know exactly what you put into it. But when I get busy I still use it.
For pre-mixes I know of a few, Urban Wolf, Honest Kitchen The Preference, Grandma Lucys makes one, Sojos I believe makes one, and one I think its called Steves Real Food, or something like that. I havent used them as Dawson doesnt really do so well on high potatoes, and urban wolf is the only one I can find here.
Check out the raw dog food forum, lots and lots of great help and questions that have already been answered. Here is a link /forums/forum/raw-dog-food-forum/
Oh and for the skin and dandruff, You can use coconut oil and a fish oil, I like to use krill oil, Here is an article from the whole dog journal on dosage:
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_9/features/Fish-Oil-Supplements-For-Dogs_20600-1.html
But now I five Dawson sardines instead of the krill oil, its cheaper and a whole food source he loves sardines!
And then coconut oil is half a teaspoon per ten pounds. I give Dawson his sardine requirements once weekly, so thursday, and then coconut oil every day, but you can do it however works best. I believe some people do every other day.
I hope this helps some! It is overwhelming when you first start, but its so much better for your dog than any kibble or canned food. I know more people with more knowledge than me will chime in!

[suztzu]

Hello, everyone I am in need of advice and since everyone has helped me in the past, I would love to hear from you all again. Heres the story I have a 10yr old shih Tzu named Leo and I brought him in for routine blood work for a dental, and his blood work came back with elevated ELT levels at 900 (supposed to be around 30) and elevated ELP levels. So my vet suspected Cushing’s disease even though he was not yet exhibiting symptoms like increased thirst and food drive. He is actually a little increased but barely. We did a bile acid test which was high at 30 (should be around 12) also the urine test commonly done to determine if he is secreting cortisol in his urine it came back positive but not too off the charts. Well next step is abdominal ultrasound which I got the results back today are pretty bad he has degenerative kidney disease ( not showing up in blood work yet) nodules on both adrenal glands and a small liver not cirrhotic yet. So she wants him on a diet change immediately and since he is not showing too many symptoms of Cushing’s disease we are not going to do anymore testing for that and cannot treat him for that without possibly creating a renal failure since Cushing’s medications can cause kidney dysfunction. So I guess my question is of course my vet gave me some Science Diet KD to start with but I am not a big fan of it can anyone recommend any other foods for kidney disease and also has anyone else had any experience with these diseases ? I thought he was doing so well for his age in great health at a good weight he’s has been active and happy, I am besides myself. He is getting a liver support antioxidants and vitamins with milk thistle from my vet as well. But I am at a loss at how to proceed, any help would be welcome Thanks for listening.

[Gizzy]

People please be aware that dog treats Made in China are killing dogs.

PLEASE DO NOT BUY ANY CHEWMASTERS (CELEBRITY PRODUCTS INC.) TREATS FOR YOUR DOGS.

I bought Chewmasters Chicken Fillets for my dogs, the company REMOVED the Made in China from their packaging as a way of tricking people into buying their products thinking they are safe, they are NOT safe. This product KILLED my 7 year old health shih Tzu Gizzy on November 22 of this year. She went into full kidney failure within 2 months of having this product. Please if you love your pets don’t buy them anything made in China, and don’t buy Chewmasters because they are Made in China, the company just doesn’t tell you that. Over 3,600 dogs have become sick and or died from these treats!!

[esklader]

Hi – I am new to this board. I have an 8 1/2 year old shih tzu and a 5 year old havanese. My shih tzu has had terrible itching and allergy issues for the past 4 or 5 years. About a year ago, I changed to Blue Buffalo Wilderness Small Breed, as vet said it could be at least partly a food allergy. While they both did well on the food, it did not solve the problem.Vet now says it’s an environmental allergy, and has given me all sorts of shampoos, ointments, etc. to try to help. But he also told me to go with a food that had no chicken. After checking out all the reviews here, I am transitioning them to Merrick Grain Free Texas Beef and Sweet Potato (with a little Merrick non-chicken wet food on top). Both of them went absolutely nuts over it, especially the shih tzu. The problem is, they are both begging for food earlier and more often than usual. I generally feed them once a day, around dinner time. I am trying to figure out if they are actually not getting enough food (I feed them around a cup each) or if they just really, really love the food and are trying to get more. Any thoughts?

[InkedMarie]

Natures Logic has teeny kibbles.

[Benf207]

Hi,
I have a Shih-Tzu and a medium sized Collie, we are currently on Castor & Pollux Organix, but it is getting harder to find around here. I’m looking to start getting dog food off of Amazon, is there a better option out there?

Thanks

[GizmoMom]

The size of Earthborn kibbles are pretty small. They are good inexpensive kibbles.

[theBCnut]

Leave him on RC at first so you don’t upset his tummy while he is missing his old home. After he is used to his new home, feeding a rotational diet is best. This means finding a few foods that he does well on and switching between them. A rotational diet helps to keep their gut healthy.

I’ll have to leave it to someone else to suggest small kibbles that are a good price. I only know a few small kibbles and not necessarily at a good price. I can recommend NutriSource Small and Medium Breed as being easy to transition to and a decent quality at a good price. Have fun with your new puppy!

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

[Kirstie]

I will be getting my own little Shih Tzu puppy in early December. He will be about 4.5 to 5 months old when I get him. He is a very small little guy; the breeder predict he will be about 6.5 lbs fully grown. I know the breeder feeds her puppies Royal Canin Mini Puppy. She’s very enthusiastic about how great a food it is for her small breed puppies, but I haven’t seen very positive reviews of Royal Canin on here. What do y’all say would be the best thing for my little guy both when I first bring him home and then as he gets older? I would of course like to get as much quality for as little cost as possible. I want something that is good and healthy for my little guy, but I am still a College student paying for all my own expenses.

[BRT]

Thank you so much for this link!!! The bacteria overgrowth is exactly what we’ve been going through with my maltese/toy poodle. The confusing part is that my other boy, a 2 year old shih Tzu/yorkie hasn’t had any problems at all.

I also saw your post on another thread about doing probiotics for two weeks after they finish the metrodanizole (sp?). I feeding him the canned W/D now and will continue to add Fortiflora once a day.

[mikereyes001]

Hi All,

My finance moved in with me earlier this year and brought her two 5 year old shih-tzu’s. I’ve never had small dogs before, but they are really great. A bit like stuffed animals really.

She asked me to go pick up some dog food, and I was surprised to find that the Wellness Small Breed 12lb bag was $35; about a month’s supply.. I’m not opposed to paying for quality, but wonder if there are any cost effective alternatives? I noticed the standard Wellness Core food was $50 for a much larger bag. Do small dogs really need ‘small breed’ formula or is the standard variety ok?

Thanks!

Mike

[suztzu]

Thanks all I have not contacted Wellness yet have to go back to the store, and hunt down the lot number and see if they have a record of my purchase. Right now he’s eating Fromm Chicken and veg along with my shih Tzu Leo. Boris is feeling much better after his vet trip he received a shot and some antibiotics I guess I will have to keep the bags from now on for sure. I wish I had room and enough money to home cook but cooking for a 150 lb dog is a little daunting. Thanks again for the responses.

[PrincessPiper]

I’ve heard that most allergies are not caused by food but by environmental. I have a friend that has a Shih tzu and she would cry while biting at her legs. They tried everything and after many visits to the vet they have finally determined that she is allergic to grass. She asks to have her feet washed whenever she comes in from outside now.

[mfulton7]

I have a 7 week old doberman pup who is currently on zignature trout & salmon. She has been pooin a lot and she been on it for a week. No diarrhea these are normal stools, no parasites etc she just poos 6-10 times a day. Shes eating a total of 2 cups a day sometimes a little less. I feed her 3 times a day. I also have 2 other small dogs. One of them may have allergies not completely sure though. She cannot eat totw wild it makes her vomit horribly. The 2 dogs have been on natural balance lid, zig, nutrisource. Is there a dog food that would be good for all 3 of my dogs? I like fromm but the price of the grain free is on the pricey side. What about nutritionals? I know it doesn’t say grain free BUT it does say no wheat, corn, soy does this mean its similar to grain free? Other brands I’ve been looking into are merrick, wellness core, halo, castor & pollux ultramix, avoderm, natures variety prairie, whole earth. Would any of those work for a dobie, shihtzu mix and a chihuahua?

[mfulton7]

I am looking to find a new dog food that will work for all my babies. I am currently feeding them Zignature trout & salmon mixed with some samples of Fromm grainfree (food store gave me a bunch). The zignature seemed to fine BUT we recently brought a doberman puppy to come live with us she is is almost 8 weeks and is pooing like crazy on the zignature. Its not runny or anything like that she just poos constantly. 6-10 times a day. We are feeding her 3 times a day and I put 2 cups in her bowl. Recommended amount for 10lb dog is 1 cup. Now that Ive been mixing it with the Fromm she has pooed slightly less today maybe only 5 times today. I went to 4 local pet food stores and one highly recommended the Fromm for the doberman. Which brings me to my next question. My other pup is 7 months and we recently found out she has a autoimmune skin disorder called pemphigus. When all of her symptoms began we assumed it was a food allergy so weve tried different types of food so many times a change in food doesnt affect her or my chihuahua. She is doing well on the zignature and the mix of fromm. Weve tried diamond naturals and totw which made her vomit everywhere i will never try a diamond product again EVER! Weve tried natural balance the L.I.D. fish and sweet potato she seemed ok on that. Weve tried nutrisource fish grainfree also and that seemed ok too. Now the fromm, which seems really great BUT the price not so great! I want to find a good kibble that all of the dogs can do well on.
Ive been researching the different types fromm makes and am confused by the grainfree and the nutrionals. The nutritionals do not contain certain grains so does this mean this food could be good for skin type issues? Other brands Im considering are Merrick, Wellness Core, Fromm. Im hoping to get a 30lb bag for no more than $60. I also want to rotate bags around. Which type of food would work best for a dobie, a shihtzu poodle mix and a chihuahua?

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Shihtzumom –

The pouched baby foods are fine. I actually use them when I’m short on time. I like Plum Organics, Peter Rabbit Organics, Earth’s Best and Happy Baby. 1 tbs. should be plenty for a small dog – when I give it to my girls I split the pouch between the two of them (they’re 68 – 75 lbs.). Only give the calcium when you’re feeding boneless meat – at the rate of 800 – 1,000 mg. per pound of boneless muscle meat or 1,400 – 1,600 mg. per pound of organ meat. Swanson’s has several wheat grass products available – this is what I use in my green blend: https://www.swansonvitamins.com/starwest-botanicals-wheat-grass-powder-organic-1-lb-pkg . For flax I would suggest adding 1 tbs. per pound of meat, if you can get sprouted that’s better. I order this from Swanson’s: https://www.swansonvitamins.com/navitas-naturals-sprouted-flax-powder-8-oz-pkg . For the Tripett I would suggest mixing in 1 – 2 tbs. with his meal. I’m glad you like Swanson’s – I’m obsessed. I go nuts every time I order from them – I just got a huge box of supplements in for myself! 🙂

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Shihtzumom –

I must have somehow missed your previous posts, I just saw them today.

Because Dawson is getting the Ziwipeak for one meal a day I wouldn’t get overstressed about whether or not his raw meals are completely balanced – any minor deficiencies will likely be covered by the Ziwipeak. Your recipe looks really good! If you were to feed 1/4 tin of sardines per week, in addition to the cod liver oil, his DHA/EPA needs should be covered. If you can’t get him to eat fruits and vegetables this should be okay seeing as he is getting a green superfood supplement (just make sure to rotate ingredients often). You may, however, want to add an ingredient with some fiber for the meals where he’s not getting bone if he’s not eating fruits and veggies either – some flax meal would work and it would also have the added benefit of helping to balance the fats in his predominantly chicken diet. I would still include a small amount of organ meat in the diet even though he’s getting the glandular supplement. I would suggest about an ounce or an ounce and a half of liver every week and an ounce or an ounce and a half of kidney (or another organ, if you can get it). If you’re concerned about his weight and want to keep fat levels low 95% lean should be okay, I wouldn’t go any leaner than that though. You could also use heart and gizzard as part of his muscle meat component – very lean and also pretty cheap. The only other suggestion I would make is to incorporate some nuts or seeds occasionally (I like sprouted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia or flax) and possibly a few canned oysters as well. The nuts/seeds will provide trace nutrients such as manganese and the oysters are rich in copper and zinc. You should also add a very small amount of salt. This aren’t additions that need to be made daily, but occasionally to help fill the gaps. Variety is key.

[kennekra]

Hey all,

My 15 year old Lhasa/Shih Tzu mix has been diagnosed with the onsite of chronic kidney disease. He’s on Azodyl and until recently was eating Blue Buffalo’s Homestyle Recipe Senior. The vet is recommending we put him on Prescription Diet K/D. While the ingredient list isn’t horrid, it ain’t great either. And I know it’s going to be pricey.

Since Thorndyke only eats canned food these days, what foods would you recommend for him?

Thanks!

[Shihtzumom20]

Hello Everyone,
So I have decided to take the plunge and make homemade raw for Dawsons pm meal! He will still get ziwipeak in the morning, for a couple reasons one its convenient mornings tend to be pretty busy! And I like their quality of meats so I think it is important Dawson gets it. He is getting the lamb variety so I think I will mostly use chicken for his dinner, but I may switch it up for beef every now and again as a treat.
Here is what my menu looks like, HDM could you take time to check how balanced it is I would greatly appreciate it!
So every am Dawson gets ziwipeak air-dried lamb. 1 ounce
pm- (3 ounces totatl) 90%-95% lean ground chicken, 200mg calcium citrate, ¼ tsp Carlson Cod Liver Oil, ½ capsule vitamin E, ½ tsp of organic wheatgrass powder+ organic kelp powder+ organic turmeric powder (mixed together in equal parts), Raw multiple Glandular supplement
*NOTE* Every 4 days Dawson consumes 1 pound of meat. On the 5th day he will get an rmb, either chicken wing with no skin (want to keep the fat fairly minimal) or beef/pork rib equaling three ounces.
Every pm meal for supplements he will get his (minimal lol) whole food supplement, and the calcium citrate but NOT on rmb night. Only 2x per week he will get 1/2 capsule vit E, and twice every 4 days he will get 1/4 tsp Carlson cod Liver oil.
I wasnt sure if I should include some liver/organ in his meal since he gets the ziwipeak in the morning and it has organs, I was hoping the raw glandular supplement would take care of that? I was also unsure what I should get for the chicken, I dont want a lot of fat since Shih tzu’s are prone to obesity and we are heading into fall/winter lol! I decided to use the cod liver oil for his vitamin d for now till I get used to it, but then I may try to give more variety using keifer, raw eggs etc.
I also want to add canned trippett, and 1/4 tin of sardines in the four day period. I think by using both the cod liver oil and sardines he would meet his omega 3 requirements and not need krill oil. But if thats wrong I will get the krill oil too! I want to take it anyways so I will have it on hand. I cant access the canned tripett website today. My computer wont let me into it, could you tell me how much and when I should I add it in?
Well how did I do? Please let me know if anything is in excess, missing or unnecessary!

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi shihtzumom –

Both of those products look good to me. Conventionally raised meats are fine in the event that naturally raised meats are either unavailable or unaffordable. While naturally raised would obviously be better, fresh conventionally raised meats are still superior to anything you’d get in a processed commercial food. You could give krill oil, tinned sardines, or reduce the amounts you feed of each and give a combination of both. He definitely wouldn’t need a whole tin of sardines a week – 1/2 tin per week would be plenty for a small dog. I’m not sure about the exact omega 3 content of the krill oil capsules you’re using but I’d guess 1 capsule every 2 – 3 days would be plenty.

[ShihTzuOwner]

So if anyone has checked out my other topic, I’ve been feeding my Shih Tzu Blue Buffalo’s FREEDOM Grain-Free Puppy Formula. On the side of the bag it says to feed my puppy 1/4 of a cup based on his weight. Now when I saw this I thought 1/4 a cup for EACH feeding. So all this time, I’ve been feeding my puppy 3/4 of a cup everyday. Sometimes he eats all of it. Sometimes he leaves some.

However, 1/4 of a cup daily divided between 3 feedings? 3 teaspoons a feeding?!? That sounds like such a small amount.

[dbd0002003]

I have a 7 month old Shih Tzu that has been having stomach issues for about 3 weeks off and on. I switched him to Eagle Pack after we got him in late April. It seemed to agree with him, but he
has always had what we considered excessive amounts of poop (sometimes he goes 4 to 6 times a day). So I decided that a grain-free food might help.

I started very slowly switching him to Blue Freedom Grain Free. He started with diarrhea almost right away, so I decided it was the new food. Vet said Pepto, which helped, and I fed him the Hill’s I/D (2 cans total over about 5 days). During the last day and a half of the canned food, I mixed a small amount of the Eagle Pack into the food. Within 36 hours of switching him back to the Eagle Pack, the diarrhea returned. Started this past Friday afternoon. I withheld food at dinner that night and took him to the vet the next morning. He got an injection of antibiotics and a bit of steroids along with something to help the vomiting he had the night before. Also sent him home with something for the diarrhea and the I/D food. I have not had to give him that medicine. He ate the special food yesterday and his poop was back to normal this morning.

I’m sorry for the long explanation, but thought the history night be helpful. I now need to figure out what kind of food might work for him. The vet recommended Innova EVO, Wellness Core, or Taste of the Wild. First thing I saw was the recall on Innova. After reading information and comments on this site, I am considering Fromm Surf & Turf, but would really like some opinions from members of this site. I feel so sorry for the little guy…he really needs some food that will help him thrive. Thanks for any advice.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Shihtzumom –

Unfortunately that supplement wouldn’t be safe for a dog. It contains green tea extract which contains caffeine, caffeine is toxic to dogs – this was actually the main reason I asked for the ingredients list, most “green” supplements for humans contain green tea extract. It also contains grape extract – grapes are toxic to dogs (grape seed extract is okay though).

If you’re feeding an unbalanced diet and want some extra nutritional assurance I’d go with a basic one a day type human multi that has no calcium or that is low in calcium (<5% dv) so you don’t throw of the calcium to phosphorus ratio of the meal. For a small dog I’d give just 1/4 of a human tablet. No, the green supplement I have posted wouldn’t be a substitute for a multi, it will however provide trace nutrients and immune boosting effects and would be great to give in addition to a multi. You could use the glandular supplement as well – you can give this as daily if you want or just a few times a week (my dogs get a capsule of a glandular three days per week).

[Mom2Cavs]

Here goes with my bunch…

Before we had human children, my husband and I had 3 cats. Their names were Jezebel, Solomon and Delilah. After they passed and years later when we had children we got another small black female cat, the runt of the litter. The kids named her Smokey Jo. She lived to be 21 years old and passed away last year. Then we started with the dogs….

Lucy Mae – we adopted her from a local non-kill shelter. They found her wandering the streets in the month of May covered in Mud, oil, grime. They already had another dog they were calling May, so the spelling Mae was chosen. I really didn’t like that for her total name so we decided on Lucy Mae.

Desi Ray – a few years later we decided Lucy needed a playmate/companion. I wanted a purebred Shih-Tzu because a friend of mine had one from a litter that was precious and I wanted one from that same litter. My husband said they were too expensive and a friend of his at work knew someone that had Shih-Poos that were inexpensive…ACK! I didn’t know a thing about dogs then! Anyway, we ended up with Desi, but he looked like a Poodle, not a Shih-Tzu. I wanted to name him Sandy for his coloring or Ricky (Lucy & Ricky Ricardo lol!) but no one else liked either name. Then I decided on Desi with Ray for the middle name and it stuck. He is at the bridge now, too.

Stella Agnes – I had decided to work parttime for a local pet store because the kids were grown and I thought it’d be fun. I became their food specialist and learned quite a lot about pet foods and nutrition. There I met a breeder of Cavaliers who always bought her food there. After we became friends she offered to have me visit a retired Blenheim girl she had. When I visited she offered to give her to me!! The rest is history lol. This was Ch. Stonecroft Sincerely Yours, aka Stella Agnes. We gave her the middle name Agnes because my husband’s grandmother’s name was Stella Agnes!

Hazel Louise – A few years later the breeder called me and asked me if I wanted to adopt a Black & Tan female that was 2 years old. Wye Witch About It, aka Hazel Louise, and her brother came directly from England when they were 2 months old. At Ohio State when they were health tested it was found that Hazel had a grade 1/2 heart murmur. When she was 2 years old I adopted her and gave her the middle name Louise.

Laverne Marie – Two years ago, right after Desi passed away (I like to say Desi sent Laverne to me lol), the breeder called me about Athercroft Isle of Ewe, aka Laverne Marie. I adopted her, of course, and gave her the middle name Marie because that was Laverne’ middle name on the TV Show lol!

Here’s a bit of info.: Both Laverne and Hazel have the same birthday, August 16th. They’re 2 years apart in age. Desi passed away on August 16th.

Princess Di – Now for the cat LOL……My daughter lived and worked an hour from us right after college, she was a high school math teacher. She was kind of lonely and her landlady allowed her to adopt a cat for her apt. We went to the town’s local non-kill cat shelter and chose a pretty little Tortie they were calling Princess. My daughter wanted to change her name but when she found a really cute food bowl with “Princess” printed inside she decided it was fate and kept her name. When my daughter moved again, she couldn’t take her with her so asked us if we’d “board” her and she’d take her back when she could (hahaha…I told her that her Dad would not give her back…he’s a real cat person). Well, needless to say, we didn’t give her back. Now my daughter has 3 more cats (named Penny, Leonard and Sheldon after the Big Bang Theory). I added the “Di” as her middle name because it just fits.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi shihtzumom –

Unfortunately I can’t seem to find an ingredient list for the “Greens Multi.” Some human multi’s (especiall those with added whole foods) can contain herbs or fruits/vegetables that are unsafe for dogs so it’s important to know that all the ingredients are safe prior to feeding.

I use both the glandular and fruit complex – they add an extra immune system “boost” but would not take the place of a multivitamin.

You can use sardines or krill oil. If you’re using krill oil give enough to provide about 400 – 600 mg. combines EPA and DHA per day per 20 lbs. body weight. If you’re feeding sardines give 1/4 can per 5 lbs., 1/2 can per 15 lbs. or 5/8 can per 25 lbs. per week.

I feel that vegetables provide important antioxidant benefits, however if your dog won’t eat them they aren’t essential. I would however be sure to add a green superfood supplements (kelp, alfalfa, spirulina, chlorella, wheat grass, etc.). Depending on whether or not you’re feeding bone, you may also need to add some supplemental fiber (such as psyllium) if you aren’t feeding any vegetables.

[NectarMom]

Yes HDM they got Salmonella from Raw and Pancreatitis. My shihtzu was hospitalized and had to be on IV fluids for 2 days. My vet handed me a stack of paperwork talking about the risk involved in feeding Raw. I know most vets are unless holistic vet are against feeding Raw and because they did not take courses in canine nutrition so they do not understand the Raw thing and simply do not agree with it. It scared me to death and I thought I was going to loose her because of something I chose to feed her. Now I am super careful what I choose to feed and it cannot be very high fat for sure. Dogs can also get Salmonella bacteria from kibble so I do take this all with a grain of salt. I am honestly more Leary of kibble these days than Raw.

[NectarMom]

I do know what to make of it other than my Shihtzu is now allergic to turkey protein. This has been an n going problem with her and the symptoms are she is constantly turning around looking at her rear end as if something is bothering her. She has thrown up once in the last couple of days and now I started cooking ground white turkey and adding in See spot live longer dinner mixes and she ate some at first and now she totally is refusing any and all food. We are on Turkey and egg kibble and have been for a while. She is my one who was hospitalized a few months back for Pancreatitis and what my vet thinks was Salmonella Bacteria. $1300 later and blood work and a lot of test sent off coming back nothing. Now shes acting the same way once again. It did get worse when I fed her the all white ground turkey so I am seriously thinking she has issues with turkey.

What is a protein that likely dogs are not going to have an allergic reaction to? I am talking intestinal allergic reaction. I have tried Rabbit and she does not like it and I have tried Chicken and same reaction as turkey so I am at a loss on what to feed since beef seems to be high on the list of allergic reactions. I need limited ingredient foods. This is really getting frustrating. Years ago I never had these issues with any dogs. Seriously what in the hell are they putting in foods these days?

[NectarMom]

It can depend on the dog or dogs IMO. Two of my dogs got Pancreatitis and bad bacteria from Raw but two did fine. There are A LOT of factors to take into consideration when starting to feed a Raw diet. You have to learn what your dogs can handle fat wise and Protein wise. I have small dogs, 3 Chihuahuas and a Shihtzu. I believe in feeding an all Raw diet and I saw a huge improvement in my dogs teeth, breath and coats and over all activeness but we for sure paid the price with a $1300 vet bill with one of ours. Do lots of home work before you start it. I only feed mine a lower fat Raw such as Rabbit and Turkey but we have been off of Raw now and just on kibble for a couple of weeks now but we are about to start up the low fat Raw once again.

[GizmoMom]

I have a small picky Shih Tzu too. When I first got him from the shelter, they were feeding him Purina One. I switched him to other healthier kibbles, and he’s been eating better, but still picky. Once I switched him over to raw, he’s been licking his plate clean every meal.

These are the kibbles I’ve tried. They’re all listed as 5 star food.
/dog-food-reviews/dogswell-nutrisca-dog-food/
/dog-food-reviews/earthborn-holistic-grain-free/

He was very interested in the kibbles the first few days, then he would turn his nose up. I have to crumble some treats on top of the kibbles, and he would eat them. These are some of the ones I use to add to his kibble.
http://amzn.com/B000Z3ODTG
http://amzn.com/B001NIZUA8

I switched him to Ziwipeak and never had to add anything. He loves the food.
/dog-food-reviews/ziwipeak-dog-food-dehydrated/

Ziwipeak was getting too expensive, then I switched him to PMR, and never looked back. I still add pre-made raw to his diets for variety.

[Blue1693]

I need help finding a good dog food for my 2 and a half year old, 15 pound Shih Tzu. While at a friend’s house, he was given some Purina Beneful Healthy Weight. I was so happy and shocked that he was eating because he is the pickiest eater in the world. I have tried numerous dog foods like two flavors of Blue Buffalo, Caesar’s, Pedigree, a hypoallergenic type, etc. Well, I ran out and bought a bag of the Beneful because I was so happy my dog likes a food…until I read the ingredients. CORN? Chicken BY PRODUCT? EW! I read some reviews and found it to be the worst dog food that can have serious health consequences. I threw that bag away and informed my friend. Unfortunately, I am back where I started, my dog still refuses to eat and I do not know what to do. I mixed the dry food with water, warmed it up, and added some turkey. That only seems to help for a day and then my dog gets tired of it. I even have resorted to feeding him turkey and rice almost every day just so he will eat and even know he still backs up from food. The vet said that a dog will not starve themselves and there are dogs that live to eat and then there are dogs that eat to live (mine would be in the second category). I then bought Newman’s Own Organic Adult Formula and mixed some water in and he ate it. I want to know if that brand is good? And if not, are there any other brands that are healthy and have no recalls?

[GSDsForever]

Article on Longevity in Dogs:
http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/features/dogs-and-life-span-which-breeds-live-longest

Life Spans for Popular AKC Dog Breeds, per World Atlas of Dog Breeds:

Labrador retriever — 10 to 14 years

Yorkshire terrier — 12 to 15 years

German Shepherd — 10 to 14 years

Golden retriever — 10 to 12 years

Beagles — 12 to 14 years

Boxers — 11 to 14 years

Dachshunds — 12 to 14 years

Bulldogs — 10 to 12 years

Poodles — 10 to 15 years

Shih Tzu — 11 to 15 years

Miniature Schnauzers — 15 years or more

Chihuahuas — 15 years or more

Pomeranians — 13 to 15 years

Rottweilers — 10 to 12 years

Pugs — 12 to 15 years

German shorthaired pointers — 12 to 15 years

Boston terriers — about 15 years

Doberman Pinschers — 10 to 12 years

Shetland Sheepdogs — 12 to 14 years

Maltese — 15 years or more

[NectarMom]

Since I have small dogs that cannot handle higher fat Raw meat right now I have started out with feeding Raw in the morning and kibble in the evening. Here is what I feed now

My dogs are 6,6,8,10 lbs. My shihtzu is the only one that requires more food because her metabolism is quite a bit faster than the other 3 Chihuahuas. So she 6lbs and could stand to gain a pound so she gets 1/2 cup of Raw Rabbit with bone and organs in the morning and in the evening we feed Brothers Turkey and Egg and she gets 1/4 cup a day of that and sometimes more if she acts still hungry. The others get 4oz of Raw Rabbit with bone and organs in the morning and 1/8 cup of kibble in the evening. We are going to slowly build up to higher Raw fats but for now we will be on Raw Rabbit for a month and then try young beef and then maybe Raw Turkey. Should I still add a Tsp of Raw sardines with the Raw meal once or twice a week since they are still on kibble too? So far this is working out but I am not holding my breath since its only been three days back on Raw but I hope it works out.

Please feel free to let me know if I need to change something I thought about adding green beef tripe too.

PS I am still giving Mercola probiotics and Enzymes and glucosamine tabs and spirugreen.

[BRT]

Hi Everyone,

I just want to start off by saying that I am so relieved that I found this forum.

I have a 7 year old male maltese/toy poodle mix (20 lbs) and a 1 year old male shih tzu/yorkie mix (11 lbs). They both are currently eating Natural Balance Venison and Sweet Potato. My 7 year old has always been an itchy dog and cannot tolerate poultry so he’s been on this food for awhile. They both are doing well on the food and have nice, firm stools. No complaints.

However, I’m having a personal problem with Natural Balance still being manufactured by Diamond. Thankfully, we haven’t had any issues with the food, but it’s really bothering me.

I have been on this website daily trying to figure out which food to switch them to. I’ve looked at Fromm, Canine Caviar, Regal, Wellness, Nature’s Variety etc. However, their vet wants them to stay on a food that has protein in the low 20s, which is making my search even harder. The top foods are all very high in protein. They are moderately active and my older boy puts weight on very easily.

I was all ready to switch to Canine Caviar Wilderness Grain Free, but then read on their website that that food is perfect for large and giant breed puppies.

Could someone please help me narrow down food choices? I am getting more and more confused by the day. I know I need to do better for my boys.

Thank you so much!

[NectarMom]

All the Raw is spoken for locally. My crew is being switched back to Brothers Allergy since they have went back to the original ingredients. Hopefully we will not have any more issues. My shihtzu seems to be doing much better and my one chihuahua is also doing better and both finally had firm stools. Sometimes things do not workout and I am just grateful that my girls are recovering. Thanks for all of those concerned 🙂

[NectarMom]

Just picked up my shihtzu from the vet and she not only has Pancreatitis but also Salmonella poisoning. And now one of my other Chihuahuas has runny poop with blood in it so I will bet shes got Salmonella poisoning too. We have a whole freezer full of Raw and it looks like its all going to go to waste because I am not feeding it anymore. This is horrible that my sweet girls have to go through this. 🙁

• This reply was modified 12 years, 11 months ago by NectarMom.
• This reply was modified 12 years, 11 months ago by NectarMom.

[NectarMom]

Thank you Weimlove. Pancreatitis is brought on by high fatty diet. We maybe switching just our shihtzu back to kibble due to she was only given 1 teaspoon of raw when we got back home and I ended up rushing her back up there, she blew out basically nothing but watery diahrrea and was trying to throw up the teaspoon that I fed her so it is not looking good for Raw for her in which I really hate it. Shes going back in tomorrow for more test and I guess they enjoy trying to see how many times they can stick her to get blood 🙁 Poor baby, Vet said once again no food for 24hrs….shes going to starve to death and I feel so bad while everyone else is eating and shes sitting there licking in the air……….. 🙁

Weimlove, how is your baby today?

[NectarMom]

Don’t beat yourself up Weimlove, you could not have known this would happen and it can happen feeding dogs anything these days. My husband is giving me grief over 2 of ours getting Pancreatitis from feeding Raw and now I am scared to death that if I get my shihtzu cleared up that giving them it again will be even worse and my husband isn’t helping matters. I hope your baby will be ok, did they run a test for Pancreatitis on your baby? Its so very painful watching your babies hurt 🙁

[NectarMom]

Alright just a few questions because I am noticing things since my dogs have been on just Darwin’s meals and nothing else. They still have acid reflux and they are eating grass again like when they were on kibble? I give them Nyla bones to chew on and when they were on kibble they rarely chewed on them and now since being on all Raw Darwin’s meals they are tearing into the nyla bones. What in the world are they lacking? My shihtzu also threw up her morning meal of Darwin’s and then a couple of hours later I offered her more and she ate it without throwing any up. This is the first time she has done that in 5 weeks so seriously I am stumped on it and wondering why she is walking around now like she does not feel good and keeps sniffing her own behind? They all 4 are licking their feet like crazy once again and eyes are tearing really bad so I am wondering if this is still a detox that they are going through after being on Darwin’s for 7 weeks now? My one chihuahua has made her webs inbetween her feet raw and red from licking so much. What in the world??

[suztzu]

My shih tzu Leo goes through this every late summer into fall, and I have yet figure out why. My vet suspects seasonal allergies affecting his internal systems. Hes been thyroid tested had all kinds of bloodwork done etc. When this happens I have to give him a acid reducer half a pill in AM and half at night before bed. She also prescribes Metroclopramide it helps slow down the emptying of the stomach. Has he had and allergy testing done skin scratch testing done ? When my guy starts vomiting he can only keep down Wellness chicken or turkey and sweet potato canned food other brands make him throw up. He can only eat kibble that is super small. Is the food whole when he vomits ? Is it immedietly after eating maybe Mega Esophogus ? I’m sure they would of found that out by now, poor guy he sounds miserable. I know what its like to clean up vomit everyday its awful. I know the allergy thing is way out there but you never know. Good luck hope you find answers soon

[suztzu]

I am looking to add more moisture to my dogs diet he’s been eating Natures Variety Prarie Dry he does not do well on grain free foods. I want to add canned to his diet or a premade raw for variety and a little more protein without all the extra fat. I cannot decipher these canned labels ( I try but am not very successful) I would like to have something in the mid-fat range hes a shih tzu and gains weight very easily. The canned food reviews Ive been looking at are 20% and higher do I need to worry about the fat levels if it is not his main diet ? Even the 4 star foods are really high in fat. Am I missing something, I would feed him canned all the time if I could figure out how not to turn him into a blimp in doing so I know canned/raw is a healthier option for him. Any advice to alleviate my confusion would be helpful Thanks