[Crystal J]

Thank you all for your replies. I feel more comfortable now. Both my dogs seem to do really well on this diet. I do also feed an egg or a little bit of meat sometimes. For treats I use Ziwipeak or Orijen treats, or bits of meat, I give veggies to Victor but Hitch won’t eat them, I give tiny bits of cheese to Hitch but not Victor because even the smallest bit gives Victor stomach issues.

[Cyndi]

Looks ok to me. My dog would like those, I know that, lol! I have also used ground turkey, mixed with an egg and cooked for treats. The raw would be fine too, I just wouldn’t use that many of them in a day or you’ll end up with a meatball for a dog, lol!

[Dori]

I am one of the regulars that feeds a rotational diet. The more quality foods that you can incorporate in your dogs diet the better they will be for it. None of us would eat the same food day in day out ourselves, not a healthy diet. Canines, like us, need variety. I feed many different brands and many different proteins within each brand. I rotate brands and proteins with each meal my three girls eat. I feed twice a day. I also rotate supplements and treats. The treats I feed for the most part are organic fresh fruits and veggies. No store bought treats. Too many recalls for my liking.

[aquariangt]

2 of mine did well on orijen, 1 did not. He has had issues on other rich things as well though. I know plenty of people that love it.

I kind of like their treats, the dogs love them. They do get a bit crumbly which can be irritating

[pugmomsandy]

I’ve only used the new Orijen treats which my pugs love, but pugs don’t snub any kind of food or treat 99% of the time. Mine already eat raw and they eat different forms of food so they are used to food/treat changes.

[InkedMarie]

I don’t know if they’re safe but considering there are hundreds of other dog treats out there without recalls, why feed them?

[Dori]

I wouldn’t add any more food to his meals. Just feed the amounts that you normally would. He’s used to getting treats, bones, etc so that may be making the difference but I would still hold off and add them back into his diet slowly as you planned. Don’t rush anything especially when he starts with those cute puppy dog eyes and you’re tempted to give him treats. He’s been sick on and off for at least a couple of weeks if not a little longer even so his tummy needs a little more calming down inside.

[Naturella]

Hey, all!

Many of you know Bruno was a little sick these past 2 weeks – it turned out to be food related with NVI Rabbit. First bout was horrible, 3 days of vomiting and jelly poop, every 2.5 hours or so, day and night… Poor guy was on bile and pushing water out… But then we stabilized him with Perfect Form, chicken, brown rice and pumpkin. I slowly introduced canned food (just chicken) and then I got a can of NVI Rabbit to try and introduce it and the kibble again, to see if that was the culprit for his sickness. Sure enough, about 3 or so days in on the kibble, just like the previous time, he started vomiting again, all night, and I took him completely off of NVI again. Recovery though was much quicker, same ingredients – boiled chicken, brown rice, pumpkin and Perfect Form. Stool was good, and when I started him now on Holistic Health Extension Grain Free Chicken and Turkey (something he’s had before and done well on), still with Perfect Form and pumpkin, and some of the chicken and brown rice stuff, but just for one day during the transition, stool is just fantastic – small, firm but not rock hard, no vomiting, all is well.

Except Bruno always acts like he is starved! Maybe he was a bit undernourished while he was on the chicken-brown rice-pumpkin mush (all ingredients blended with some water until porridge-like), but now he’s almost back to normal (I will start him back on his regular THK this week, and add his regular add-ins one at a time over 2 weeks), but he always licks his bowl looking for more food, and when he eats, he rushes like he never has. He gets a total of 3/4 cup of HHE per day plus the pumpkin and Perfect form. Before he would get the same amount, with additives, of HHE Lamb and Brown Rice (lower calorie by 20 kcal/cup than current HHE). Before that he was on 1/2 cup of Earthborn Holisitc Primitive Natural (higher calorie by 40 kcal/cup than current HHE) with additives, but didn’t appear starved.

So, question is – should I give him as much as he wants for a bit and let him self-regulate (he’s never been an uncontrollable eater, even as a puppy), or up his daily intake some in a controlled manner? Does he need that? Or should I start introducing some treats again here and there?

Thank you all in advance! 🙂

• This topic was modified 11 years, 2 months ago by Naturella.

[Kayla]

When I first got him, I feed him 4 cups because he was under weight from the Shelter. Once he got to the 40’s, I dropped it down to 3 1/2 cups.. mainly 3 cups. 1.5 in the morning and 1.5 at dinner time… I mix a little bit of wet food and a little bit of water in his kibble. Plus, few treats through out the day when he is behaved. On the back of the bag of kibble, it says to feed him 3 to 3 1/2 cups for his size. He is just now shy of the 50 pound mark but not actually 50 pounds but I’m sure within a month or so he will be 50 pounds.
I don’t think he will get any bigger than 65 pounds, but I don’t know.

Um, his paw size? Not sure. I’d say there big not huge…

http://tinypic.com/r/puj9x/8
http://tinypic.com/r/1hceic/8

[Kayla]

Okay, Dexter is really testing my buttons! I woke up this morning and I saw him eating a pair of jeans…I immediately took it away from him and said No, bad boy! He has learned how to grab clothes from the hamper. :/ I feed him 3 cups of kibble…little bit of wet like 1 to 2 spoonfuls and treats through out the day when he is good. I buy him chew toys but instead he wants to chew on things he isn’t allowed too. He is becoming the troubled pup here!

http://tinypic.com/r/o935lg/8

Do I need to take him to the vet? Or call the vet place? :/

[DogFoodie]

LOL BC, I’m definitely not that organized!

I have a couple of boxes of chews and treats in my dog food horde. I seems like I pull it out only once a week, on Sundays, to give one to each of my doggies; hence the name, The Sunday Box.

Yesterday, Sam was so cute with that Himmy. He even took a nap with it in his mouth because he didn’t want Bella to take a turn with it even though he was sleeping. By the end of the day, it started to get small and he would have the whole thing in his mouth with his teeth closed tight around it when I’d try to take it from him. I figured he was seconds away from swallowing the thing whole. I’ve found the remains of a bully sticks about three inches long while I was doing poop patrol and the Himmy was shorter (albeit fatter) than that. But the sound of him chewing it was making me nervous. It sounded worse than him eating a big fat turkey neck.

Needless to say, I got my reading glasses on and stuck my head in his mouth to inspect his teeth after I took it from him. Everything looked fine, but I was almost sorry that I let him have it as long as I did. He just loved it so much I hate to take it from him.

[Dog_Obsessed]

Yeah, I kept getting adds for DentaSticks so I finally looked them up. The ingredients were horrible. I guess it is better to give treats with bad ingredients once and a while then to give food with bad ingredients every day, but I prefer neither one.

[Kathy H]

I am starting my dog on a homemade cooked diet. I prepared for her the other day a cooked chicken/turkey with quinoa, baby green peas and a cooked carrot. This is why:
She had bouts of diarrhea and started to vomit after three days. Vet said the dog food is becoming an issue these days. It was a new bag, same dog food I have feed her for years but I have noticed her having this issue (without the vomiting) all this past Summer with every new bag. After a day or two, she would settle out back to normal. This time she did not. I had wondered about it being the dog food but after a week ago my vet confirmed my suspicion. Her bowels checked after the very first meal. 🙂

Tonight I cooked the following for her, what I am needing to know is what I put together tonight, is it a good complete nutrition? She is 16 and in good health. I plan on doing three or four different meal batches (freeze the bulk) each week to feed her a change up in her weekly of meals. I plan on making her a batch of fish (baked flounder) with good calcium source, omegas and fiber in the batch.

Is this a good mix of nutrition for her?

Proteins:
1 lb Laura’s beef 96% fat free
2 scrambled eggs, cooked without oil-along with the shells ground into a powder-(calcium)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt for the calcium and the probiotics
Fiber:
1 cup baby peas
1/2 large sweet potato
1 cup cooked white rice (all I have in pantry right now)
1 TBLSP Dried homemade mix of rainbow chard/kale, organic–high in vitamins A, K, and C, as well as fibre and protein
1 TBSP Ground flax seed–high in good omega’s

I feed her a meal of this tonight and she licked her bowl all over the kitchen floor, trying her best to make sure she didn’t miss a drip in her bowl, LOL!

Just want to know if this will be a good recipe to make for her. I am also going to give her some liver for treats during the week, not a lot, and some other things to keep her calcium and lot of vitamins up, not to miss anything.

Sorry for the book! 🙂

[Dog_Obsessed]

Hi everyone. I was wondering if anyone had advice on how to effectively brush a dog’s teeth. When I first adopted Lily, who is ~3, the vet said that there was some plaque on her teeth, not enough to need a professional cleaning, but that we should brush her teeth. Well, I decided to wait a week or two because she was new to our house. Then, I took the doggy toothbrush I had bought for her and put some TropiClean toothpaste on it. I put it near her mouth, and somehow expected her to open it. Not surprisingly, she didn’t. I then searched google for “how to brush a dog’s teeth” and I found something by the ASPCA about how to slowly acclimate them to having their teeth brushed with treats. I began to touch her teeth while she licked peanut butter off my hand, and then tried lifting her lips and giving her treats. Now, two months later, she has made a ton of progress, though i have not been able to really brush her teeth with a toothbrush. She will let me lift her lips for a few seconds and open her mouth for a split second as long as I am giving her treats, or let me rub toothpaste on her teeth. Sometimes she lets me touch the brush to her mouth. She is not a huge fan of any of this, but tolerates it. I also changed toothpaste, I now use CET poultry favored enzymatic toothpaste which she loves.

I give Lily “dental” Nylabones to chew, the flexible non-edible kind. These actually work for her, she chews them but doesn’t destroy them to much. I kind of doubt it helps that much though. She also sometimes gets edible chews, such as Himalayan chews. I know RMBs can help with teeth, but neither me nor the rest of my family is quite ready to use raw bones. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on her getting more accustomed to tooth brushing, because while she is making progress I am not sure if I will ever really be able to thoroughly clean her teeth. Thanks!

[Kristin C]

So I am giving the raw beef ribs a thumbs down. Yes, they gnaw off the meat and the bone is clean. The problem I had today is that both my girls didn’t want to give up the bone afterwards. I was running around the yard trying to get them to drop it. Even my youngest one grumbled at me, but they weren’t aggressive just playful and protective. Once I got them into the fenced area I took out one of their chicken dinners and they both came running inside. So they will be sleeping it off in the garage for a while:) And I will be sticking with consumable bones and treats! I feel like the ribs are more like the marrow bones where they could break a tooth, another reason I am only trying this once.

[Cheryl O]

Many of the freeze dried raw diet foods that are ‘enthusiastically recommended’ have a significant amount of liver. I’ve heard that because of the high Vitamin A content of liver, this can be toxic to dogs. I’ve been feeding Stella and Chewy mixed with Wellness grain free. Also been giving Orijen freeze dried treats. Any comments?

[Karen J]

Wow this is all so helpful. Just got can of Merrick, BB Wilderness and Holistic select wet to try. Got test bag of Orijens kibble, beef and lamb family. Moist treats, grain free Natural Balance and just gave her some Vit C wrapped in boiled chicken breast. Will have to get cheese I think and proper dose. Also put Cranberry relief…also some Stella and Chewy.

When I make her food to wet she won’t eat it.

So that’s where I’ve started and sounds like of what I put one can each of the Merrick appears to be a favorite of the forum.

Always open to more advice, I’m starting to put together a menu for Trixie.

[Karen J]

Trixie a 1 year old Terrier Mix/Chinese Crested 12.8lbs, has some crystals in her urine, no infection no stones. I’m getting not one straight answer from any one on what to feed her.

I’m now using filtered water not tap.
I crumble Stella & Chewy onto her Blue Buffalo kibble but take out the dark bits. Was told I should get “low ash” kibble.
Was told not to give her kibble and wet food?
Was told to give her only freeze-dried raw.
I’m putting Cranberry Comfort powder on her food.
I give her bully sticks as treats and Natural Balance dental chews.
I was told to stay away from all fish products.
The vet wants to put her on some prescription food, I don’t believe that is best for her.
I’m so confused.

Karen

[Dog_Obsessed]

Thanks for the replies! It is probably time to toss the moist treats, because I have had them a while. They have citric acid, sorbic acid, and mixed tocopherols listed as preservatives.

[Naturella]

Kayla, my bad… Here is the link: /forums/topic/homemade-treats/

[theBCnut]

You can freeze canned, just put it into an appropriate container. You can freeze kibble, put it in a ziplock and squeeze all extra air out. Let it come completely up to room temp before opening the bag so you don’t get condensation on the kibble. Moist treats either go bad as fast as a moist human food or they have so many chemicals in them that you should be afraid, very afraid.

[pugmomsandy]

I’ve made the pumpkin dog treats from this site. It’s very easy and quick and I actually added just a pinch of cinnamon. I used brown rice cereal instead of cream of wheat.

http://www.all-natural-dog-treat.com/homemade-dog-treat-recipes.html

[Dog_Obsessed]

How long is dry food good after opening, if kept in its original package an sealed? I have heard up to 6 weeks. It takes Lily 4-6 weeks to finish a small bag, and I assume it would take her up to 8 weeks when mixed with wet food. I usually keep wet food for about 3 days in the fridge, does anyone know if it can be frozen? Also treats, I have heard it is just until the expiration date for dry treats, but what about moist ones? Thanks to all that reply.

[Dog_Obsessed]

Thanks everyone! Two more things I am wondering, first of all, how can I get sample bags online? I tried searching them on chewy and petflow, but I did not get anything relevant. Also, I was told by one of the pet store employees I should avoid chicken for Lily because she might have allergies. The Lotus dog food I bought does not have chicken, so if it helps then maybe that is the problem. I also heave some treats that have chicken though. Does anyone know if it is a good idea to avoid it no matter what? Thanks!

[Cyndi]

I FINALLY dehydrated (in my oven) a little bit of the deer liver I had gotten from a friend of mine. My Bailey is funny, she will eat chicken livers raw, no problem, but any other kind of liver she will not eat. So, before I dehydrated some of the deer liver, I gave her a little slice and she wouldn’t eat it. Damn mutt! So, I sliced off about 20 little slices and cooked them in the oven on low for a few hours and she LOVES it. It didn’t even smell all that bad while cooking, but it sure was gross slicing it up, lol! Next weekend I’ll do the rest and I’ll probably have enough treats to last a month. Yay for free liver treats! 🙂

[Kayla]

Thank you BC!! That helped me understand a lot and great advice and tips!!! I decided to not leave food on the counter or anywhere he can reach it! As for the incident…he hasn’t done it again and hopeful will be the last! I have gotten to the point where I can hear him if he is in the kitchen and I say ” No, Dexter” and he comes to me and sits down so maybe he is learning. Today, I actually caught him in the kitchen but this time he jumped up and his two front paws was on counter in-front of the sink and it looked like he wanted to do the dishes… He just smiled soo big and I said Dexter, what are you doing? And, he came to me and sat down lol Smart pup!

I also think that he was abused in the past! Because every time, I say NO in a stern voice he freaks out and ducks like he is in trouble. Sometimes he goes a hides under the bed or table. I did raise my hand to test it, and he actually ducked down and curled up a little and tried to hide and his face looked so sad. I felt terrible, I was omg.. you poor thing! So, I am thinking he was abused. 🙁 It is sad how people mistreat animals, makes me so mad!

I started to basic train him with treats and when he sits, lays down or stays..he gets a treat! Now, he sits patiently in the kitchen while I am making his food! I think that is understandable, he is young and every-time I take him out he gets overly excited and wants to say hello to everyone including other pets. Sometimes he tends to drag me around because he gets so excited… I am trying to train him not to do that. Ha Thank you for your thoughts and advice!!

Dexter is around 45 close to 50 pounds and around 1 years old! Still young and tons of growing to do. I think, once he feels comfortable and everything he will grow out of it and not try to push my buttons at times but lately, he has gotten better.

[JeffreyT]

Our very picky little dogs love all the freeze dried they’ve tried so far…Stella and Chewys, Primal, Orijen, Big Dog Natural, Healthy Pet Products (both the freeze dried and frozen, it’s the only frozen food they gobble up..but since it has garlic we limit to a few times a week). They like Addiction, which is crumbly like Big Dog Natural, but Big Dog Natural is way more palatable.

They go crazy for Vital Essentials but it needs to be soaked overnight in fridge. We soak it in water along with some pumpkin, pureed veggies, Animal Essentials Green Alternative or Dogzymes Cornucopia fruit/veggie mix for added fiber and nutrition since this food has no fruits or vegetables. In the morning each piece is cut in half or thirds then put back in water where the rest is quickly absorbed. Once reconstituted it becomes chewy-like which gives it a novel texture and won’t turn to mush. We make a few days worth and take the chill off by placing stainless steel bowl with food in a hot pan with some water for a few minutes.

Even though their favorite is freeze dried and the bulk of their diet, they also eat Ziwi Peak, non-gmo small breed kibble and dehydrated. They will only eat Grandma Lucys or Honest kitchen if we add some cooked meat along with other enticing toppers like cheese, egg yolk or crumbled Origen or Stella and Chewy treats. We buy sample packs so it’s easier to augment with these foods.

NRG has quality ingredients but they wouldn’t eat it…reminded me of Sojos which they wouldn’t eat either.

Good to know you pup likes Stewarts b/c we’re trying that next. Dogs for the Earth looks good as well…it’s organic dehydrated patties but I believe meat is cooked first. We were also going to try Smack when it’s available again in US.

[Kathleen C]

Than what I was thinking last night is not a good idea. Giving him something with high protein and fat, like maybe the Core Small Breed with 36% protein and 16% fat would work better? The Wellness list says it has about 24% carbs. Since what I’m doing now isn’t working should point to doing something differently. He’s definitely not getting enough to eat with the 1/2 cup a day with a few low fat treats. I’m getting to the point of giving up. You have to take a course in nutrition these days just to feed your dog let alone yourself.

[Dog_Obsessed]

I am also wondering about commercial treats, for homemade I like to use bits of raw carrot or apple(no seeds or core), or plain, boiled, chicken. These can be un-ideal because they don’t keep long and need to be refrigerated, so I am also looking for low-cal commercial ones.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 2 months ago by Dog_Obsessed.

[Jennifer K]

Definitely want the high quality found in the 4 and 5 star foods but also want the dogs to really love them. Would like to see a few different categories. Some quick little treats but also some that will last awhile for a big chewer. Not super smelly would be a plus.

[Dog_Obsessed]

I once made pumpkin peanut butter dog treats that were a huge hit, but I can’t do it that often because of the time it takes. I’m thinking of making a big batch and freezing part of it.

Why was this topic reported? 🙁

[Dog_Obsessed]

I look for dog treats that have meat as the first ingredient, unless it is a fruit of vegetable treat in which case those should be first. I ideally look of grain-free, though it is not a must. No by-products. Sugar should not be in the first few ingredients, preferably not in there at all. I have also made my own treats, though I can’t do this that often because of time. There are these “Trail Buddy” treats I like, that are all chicken, lamb, or beef. I also just look at the ingredients in general of the treats, and take the info I know about dog food ingredients. Low- Calorie is also nice because I have a small dog. I have been guilty of breaking up treats into tiny pieces for training. 😀

[C L]

I can tell you what treats shouldn’t have, by-products, coloring, preservatives (other than vit E), but would be a plus to have organic ingredients. I posted a recipe for my dog treats on this forum where someone asked for recipes for home made treats.

[C L]

Hi Kayla, There’s no need to buy treats when you can make much better ones at home. If you did try and buy better ones, they are extremely expensive. My recipe comes to about $2 a pound to make. I can’t find the exact recipe right now, but this is close. I made it up myself and all the ingredients are safe AND healthy!

Costco organic peanut butter (has salt, has no sugar) 1/3 container = 9.3 oz.
chick pea flour
4 large eggs
iodized salt (1 tsp)`

Beat the eggs, beat in salt, then incorporate the peanut butter into it until it’s mixed pretty good. Add chick pea flour & mix in thoroughly. I can’t recall how much I use, approx 1 cup. The consistency should be extremely thick, if not, add more chick pea flour (possibly another 1/2 cup).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Oil a baking sheet or pan. Oil your hands to keep the mixture from sticking. Grab about a lemon-sized amount in your hand and press between your hands to form a thick patty, about 3″ wide & 3/4 in thick. Place on greased surface, bake on 2nd shelf for 8-10 minutes. You can place the cookies close together, because they will not spread while cooking.

I like them to come out firm, but soft. My dog likes them that way. I have a Chihuahua, so I keep one cookie in the refrigerator that will be good to feed her (pieces of it) for 4 days. I freeze the rest, since there are no preservatives. They are her most favorite cookie ever! My dog is 3-1/2 pounds so I don’t want to make the treats super small, but you may want to make it to a smaller serving size if you’re feeding an entire cooking at a time. Be aware, too many of these treats will make your dog fat. I give my dog a tiny piece when I go out (she can’t choke on it), and a tiny piece in the afternoon and a tiny piece in the evening. Good luck! Whoever makes this, your dog will love you even more!

[Susan]

Hi, has the vet tried him on a vet prescription diet kibble yet like the Royal Canin Gastro Intestinal low fat or the Sensitivity Control….My boy was put on the Eukanuba Intestinal vet diet, it only has 1.75%-fiber 10%-Fat, he was put on the Intestinal Plus 4%-fiber first, he was still doing very sloppy poos after 2 weeks, then I had to order another bag, the lady made a mistake & gave me the Intestinal instead of the Intestinal Plus it was a blessing making the mistake as the Intestinal is only 1.75% crude fiber, as soon as he started the Intestinal 1.75%-fiber his poos were back to normal within 2 days, thats when we realised he needed less fiber, vet said she wanted him to stay on the Eukanuba Intestinal for 1 year but around 6 months when he was doing real well, I started trying other kibbles, I stay around the same fat% protein% & I tried to find a low crude fiber% as his Intestinal Vet diet but it was hard as the vet prescription diet only had the real low crude fiber, even when I give Patch Pumkin I cant give him more then a little teaspoon, if I give more his poos are very sloppy, he cant have too much fiber or fat..
Have you ever done an elimaintion diet, thats the best way, I found that Patch was getting real bad diarrhea from potatos & itchy skin & Sweet potatos made his ears itchy when I did the elimination diet, Vet tried him on the Euknuba FP for his skin last December 1 week after just introducing 1/4cup of the FP to his Intestinal for the whole week, (I slowly introduce new kibbles I use to take about 1 month) he had real bad diarrhea as soon as he ate something he had to run outside & do water poo, so I took him straight off the FP vet thought it was from the higher fat% as it was 15% where his Intestinal was only 10% then 6 months later when I started the elimination diet, I realised it was the potatos in the Eukanuba FP as it was Fish & Potato giving him the bad diarrhea…the less you give the better, there has to be a food that stops his diarrhea, on the yahoo groups there’s a group called “IBDogs” & most of the dogs with real bad diarrhea are put on Prednidsone (Steroid) has he been put on a steroid yet, its for inflammed bowel, I never put Patch on the steriod as I got his diarrhea under control, he was put on the Metroniazole for 2 weeks & when he has had a flares, he gets put on the Metronidazole (Flagyl) for 2 weeks,
Most of the kibbles that you have tried have they been grainfree, try & get a kibble with low fat, low protein, low fiber & not a grainfree kibble as some grain free kibbles are higher in fat & protein, try a limited ingredient kibble.. after trying about 6 different kibbles, I put Patch on the Wellness Simple Duck & Oatmeal first then I realised it has Potato protein (he started to scratch) then I changed him to the Lamb & Oatmeal it has Oats & rice I found Patch does better on grounded rice & oats kibbles, the fiber is 4.75% I was a bit worried to try but it had been over 6months since Patch had a real bad flare, last December but I still do his Eukanuba Intestinal for dinner & the Wellness Simple for breakfast & lunch… I have to give Patch smaller meals thru the day he doesnt do well on 2 large meals a day.. Have you tried the Wellness Complete health Puppy Large breed Deboned Chicken & brown rice.. I was going to try the Large breed if the Wellness Simple didnt work, but there was too many proteins in it & it has brown rice, brown rice is higher in fiber thats what worried me.. try to get a kibble with just has 1 protein that’s why I tried the Lamb & Oatmeal & the Duck & Oatmeal cause there’s just the 1 protein but it has peas & Patch farts cause of the peas…. Less is best..
Another kibble some of the ladys are using on the IBDogs is “Natural Balance” limited ingredients…try one that has the less ingredents some have more ingredients then the other limited ingredient kibbles… here’s the link to have look at the ingredients in the LTD kibbles, the Kangaroo has just Kangaroo & Potato & the fiber is 3% fat-10% there’s Bison & Sweet Potato but it has has peas, I wouldnt try a kibble with peas just yet, there’s the Potato & Rabbit that doesnt have peas or too many ingredients, have alook at all the Limited ingredients kibbes & pick one with just 1 protein that he has never had before the Kangaroo looked the best & had the least ingredients..the other one was the potato & Rabbit also didnt have too many ingredients to irratate his bowel..
http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/product-category.aspx?…
Or start an Elimination diet & don’t start with chicken as u’ve tried the Chicken & it didnt work, another protein like Lamb, kangaroo, rabbit, fish, one lady feeds her dog horse meat, if you can find a place that sells horse meat, cook it, not raw yet & dont do the boiled rice, Patch can have grounded rice in kibbles but not boiled rice, it irritates the bowel for some dogs, maybe try potato or sweet potatos instead of the boiled rice if he goes good then add another food.. or ask vet put him on a vet prescription diet like the Royal Canin Gastro Intestinal low fat alot of dogs do real well on the Royal Canin Gastro Intestinal or the Royal Canin Sensitivity Control its just Duck & Tapioca & no other foods, no treats etc then when he’s better after 6months try & find another kibble with similar ingredients to the vet diet he’s on..
He would be so skinny as he wouldnt be getting any nutrition cause he’s pooing it back out…something is really wrong with Banes digestion, vet may need to do bi-opies to find what the problems is.
I feel for you & Bane there’s a few Great Danes on the IBDogs group if you join they also may be able to help you out as they have & are going thru the same thing, also Coconut oil at this stage is a No No when he’s going real good then maybe introduce new things but sooooooo slowely cause 1 thing can make him have a real bad flare & then you’ll have so much touble getting them back to pooing normal again like last December, it took me nilly 3 months to get Patch back to doing nice firm poos again & on the Wellness Simple he does nice firm poos, I think he did better poos on the Duck & Oatmeal it had less peas cause they used the Potato protein & not as many peas in the Duck & Oatmeal…. Good-Luck have a look at the Natural Balance LImited ingredient kibbles…

[Nancy C]

The Homeopathic vet I have worked with recommends BDN and Darwins as raw food options that HE stands behind. I have asked him point blank about BDN and he says it is excellent food, he knows the company (has no ownership and is not personally involved) and he knows the food and therefore recommends it on his website.
I called them (BDN) today to ask about the calcium/phos ratio for beef. no problem: It’s 1:1. I do not understand the issue with BDN but my dog gobbles it like there is no tomorrow and I am going on my vet’s recommendation because he is extremely particular. Has 6 dogs himself, including several Grayhounds I think he said (or some large specialty breed) and feeds it and Darwins to ALL SIX of his dogs. Loves both foods. To find his website can google Dr. Charles Loops DVM. He is VERY intelligent and has been a homeopathic vet for 30 yrs. Pays attention to things that regular allopathic vets do not. Treats lots of dogs with Cancer succesfully. His recommendation goes a long way with me.

[Tiffany K]

What do you think about stuffing a Kong with organic peanut butter (maybe lower sugar than regular) some chopped apples , carrots , baked sweet potato with butter and small bits of very hard cheese? (not too much cheese in case of dietary issues.) Or, if you will be there, stuffing it with boiled chicken so he has to work to get the chicken out. (making sure what he doesn’t get out is washed out later.)

I have found this will keep my dogs entertained as they work to get the treats out and they like the challenge. The Kong also helps work some plaque off their teeth that brushing cannot remove or between cleanings.

Also, this may gain me a “web beat down”, but all of my dogs (four) love Blueberry Frosted Mini Wheats. The sugar is 14 grams, so I don’t give it to them everyday, but the fiber greatly helps my 13 year old St. Bernard mix’s daily bathroom trips. They go crazy for them.

These things do not cost as much as treats, especially if you go to a farmer’s market or buy on sale, and you can buy a Kong which will last a very long time. I run the Kongs through the dishwasher to make sure they are clean.

[Bobby dog]

Not that homemade treats aren’t good, but I would probably give THK a try for Ginger. She sounds like she needs a soft food and if she likes it, why not use it up on her. If she doesn’t then throw some treats together.

He looks so handsome and fluffy. I hate having to worry about pets eating things they shouldn’t. Like we don’t have to supervise them enough. lol I hope he is just a little under the weather and it’s nothing serious.

When Bobby was a puppy he chewed my computer cord, two pairs of glasses, my favorite hand crème, and various other things. I just forgot how puppies were it had been so long since I had one. I would think I had a room puppy proofed, but nooooooo he would manage to find something to destroy. Don’t miss those days. When he chewed open my hand crème I remember thinking Bobby smells so good today as I was petting him. Then all of the sudden I realized he smelled like my hand crème. lol It was all over my bed. Thank goodness he only chewed the container and didn’t eat any quantity of it; it must not have tasted good. In all fairness to Bobby, the lady from the rescue did warn me he liked to chew computer cords. He must have been pretty excited when I left my laptop out that day. Imagine telling your professor you didn’t do your homework because the dog ate your computer cord. lol

[Bobby dog]

Hi Haleybop:
I also mix kibble and commercial frozen, dehydrated, or freeze dried with no issues. I prepare several meals a week using it as a topper. I have been using Stella & Chewy freeze dried Phenomenal Pheasant for his treats.

[pugmomsandy]

I use ZiwiPeak as treats as well. My dogs eat around 730-830 am and then dinner is 830-1030 pm.

[aimee]

Haleybop… So sorry for your loss….

Ii feed freeze dried raw both as a topper and as treats. I’ve also used Ziwi Peak as treats.

I’ve never had a problem mixing different food types together.

[Akari_32]

Thanks for sharing! I have almost a whole bag I opened and never finished sitting on top of the fridge that I want to do something with lol Not sure if I’ll use it as a topper for Ginger, or if I’ll make treats with it.

As for the cat, I think he’s got another blockage. This cat is as bad as a puppy when it comes to chewing on things! Mom bought this cool portable camp fire thing, where its a log, with some holes cut into the top with starter and whatever in it, and since its a natural log, its got bark on the outside. Well, the cat has a paper and cardboard fetish and he has to eat anything papery, and I noticed a few days after mom bought the log that there are several large (like 3+ inch squares!) areas missing out of the bark. The dogs are locked up all day, and when we’re home, they’re under our feet, or sleeping on the couch. The cat is out and about in the house, and he’s just down right naughty, so I know who to blame when it comes to the missing bark.

Anyways, he’s not eating like his usual “starved” self, and when he does, he doesn’t eat much. He’s even turning down Friskies, which is just crazy. He’s been working on his current can (which is spiked with enough coconut oil to kill a horse, and some of the dogs liquid fish oil) for a good 24 hours. Todays food was supposed to be Wellness Beef and Chicken, but I’m not going to put down a $2 can of food for him to let sit all day (and he’s still willingly working on that can of Friskies). In fact, I’m not going to give it to him until he’s passed all that bark he’s eaten, and is eating his food properly again. I don’t want $4 worth of food to go to waste! He’s also spending a lot of time stretched out when laying down, and licking his tummy and “special place”. I think he’s about finished the can of food thats down, so I’m going to put down some fish oil in a bowl, and let him lick at it when he’s hungry tonight.

So far, no puking like last time, and fingers crossed it doesn’t get to that point. The bark is papery, so it should move out with some buttering up, and not actually completely block him like last time.

To end on a positive note, I had a helper while doing my homework tonight. Heres a picture of him eating my ($170) textbook *rolls eyes*

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/Akari53/EEC881D8-3847-4DDC-8CCE-74467D7D41E2_zpshq9q1qjp.jpg

And him pretending to have no bones LOL

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/Akari53/88A86A9F-431B-4F5E-A015-971B4694BA22_zpswf0pw4wc.jpg

[Haleybop]

Oh, I have another related question. I know you’re not supposed to feed raw with kibble – they should be separate meals. What about treats? I have a bunch of samples from Ziwi Peak. Is it ok to use that food as treats in between meals? Thanks, again!

[John D]

Sue,
I have been told he (My pup) might have Pancreatitis as well. (Not definitive, but a suggestion from my Vet) Petey has been doing great for about two years, but I was going crazy the first two years of his life trying to find the right food, and combination of treats that he could tolerate. Being a Boston he should be known as a vacuum cleaner because he will try to eat everything. I would love to join your group on Yahoo. My email is [email protected]
I was thinking the coconut oil was a tad bit too much for him since it was just introduced to him a week ago. He loves the Grizzly Salmon Oil that is making his coat remarkably good. Thanks again for the suggestions from both you and Katy. Cheers

[DogFoodie]

I recently figured out that flax was a problem for my sensitive boy also. He ends up with loose stool from foods that contain it, although he does get two small treats daily that have ground flax seed as the sixth ingredient (Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Treats); apparently, it’s not enough to cause problems for him, but I do avoid foods that contain flax. He can’t do chickpeas or lentils either, but those cause gas, followed by loose stool – I have to avoid those for him completely.

[Bobby dog]

Hi Laura:
I like and regularly feed Wellness kibbles/canned and Holistic canned to both my dog and cats. I haven’t tried the Holistic kibbles, but they are on my list to try.

I would look into feeding different proteins and carbs, but more importantly I would begin keeping a list of all the proteins and carbs in his diet. IMO if it is a food allergy or sensitivity saving the ingredient lists from each food (including treats and canned foods) and comparing these lists in order to find the offending ingredient(s) is the best approach; it is also time consuming.

There are quite a few fish based kibbles. I found three that fall under my specific criterion without potatoes of any kind, but two of them have high calcium and phosphorous ratios and of these two one has low nutrient levels. I decided not to consider them after looking at their websites and reading comments about the companies on DFA. The third is Blackwood Large Breed Adult Dog Whitefish Meal & Oatmeal Recipe, however it also includes duck meal.

This list may or may not be what you are looking for; none contain salmon, most contain sweet potatoes, some have flax seed, and some have fish you haven’t fed. Review the recipes carefully, they may include ingredients that you are trying to avoid:

• Blackwood Large Breed Adult Dog Whitefish Meal & Oatmeal Recipe – potato free, includes duck meal
• Pioneer Naturals Grain Free Whitefish
• by Nature Ocean Whitefish & Green Peas Recipe
• Wellness Complete Health Adult Whitefish & Sweet Potato
• Wild Calling Whitefish recipe

Here’s a link to carb values for Wellness kibbles:
/forums/topic/carb-values-of-wellness-kibble/#post-54314

Here’s some links to articles about allergies/food sensitivities in dogs:
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/grain-free-dog-foods-solving-yeast-and-skin-issues/
http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/caring-for-a-dog-that-has-food-allergies
http://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk/itchy-dogs-%E2%80%93-is-food-the-problem#.VDbE_LnQOpo
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2499

[John D]

I have two dogs. One is a small Yorkie and the other is a 27 lbs Boston. I was wondering if either Salmon Oil or Coconut Oil has caused any tummy problems with their pets. I WAS giving the Boston two squirts of Grizzly Salmon Oil in the morning. (His normal diet is Natural Balance Salmon and Sweet Potato) and I give a small amount (less than a teaspoon of coconut oil (organic) in the afternoon. I have had times where he has a sensitive stomach and the poor dog is sick to his stomach for days with excessive vet bills. (Not all the times, but occasionally.) His only treats are baby carrots which he loves. Am I over doing it on the oils? I have tried many types of foods and the only one his stomach can tolerate is the Natural Balance. The Yorkie has no issues and loves his diet with no repercussions. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I respect some of the comments on here.

[Bobby dog]

Hi all:
I signed up for Honest Kitchen’s newsletter a while back and the other day I received some treat recipes from them; they have others posted on their site too, but I didn’t see these recipes there. So, since Bobby isn’t thrilled with eating THK I read through them and it looks like a perfect way for me to use up the boxes I have. I think Bobby would gladly eat them. Although they list specific flavors to use for each recipe I don’t think it would matter if you add a different flavor and they also look like recipes that you could play around with the ingredients if you wanted to.

Since you guys have run into the same issue as I have with Bobby not liking THK, I thought I would post them in case you would like to give making treats out of THK a try:

~Chicken, Pumpkin & Apple Loaf
Ingredients:
2 C THK Force
2 C warm H2O
½ C plain pumpkin puree’
1 apple de-cored & finely chopped
2 eggs lightly beaten
½ C cooked diced chicken
¼ C grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven 350 degrees
2. Hydrate THK with 2 C warm H2O and mix well
3. Mix the pumpkin into the hydrated THK and then add the chopped apple, eggs, cooked chicken and cheese.
4. Stir mixture thoroughly
5. Pour mixture into greased loaf pan
6. Grate a little extra Parmesan on top if desired and bake for about 50 minutes or until the top is firm to tough and slightly crispy
7. Cool thoroughly and cut into slices appropriately sized for your pet

~Duck & Ham Dumplings
Ingredients:
1 C THK Halcyon
1 C warm H2O
1/4 C plain pumpkin puree’
2 slices nitrate-free ham, torn into small pieces
½ t cinnamon
3 T sharp cheddar cheese
1 egg lightly beaten

Directions:
1. Preheat oven 350 degrees
2. Hydrate THK with warm H2O and mix well
3. Thoroughly mix in remaining ingredients to form a thick batter
4. Using your hands roll the mixture into small balls or dumplings and place onto a greased baking sheet
5. Bake for 20 minutes and serve when cooled

~Pumpkin Ginger Nibbles
Ingredients:
1 C THK Love
1 C warm H2O
1 C lean ground beef
½ C pumpkin puree’
2 T honey
¼ C cream cheese
½ t ginger
1 egg lightly beaten

Directions:
1. Preheat oven 375 degrees
2. Hydrate THK with warm H2O and mix well
3. Mix in ground beef, pumpkin, honey, cream cheese & ginger
4. Add egg and stir well
5. Using your hands scoop out small marble to golf ball sized quantities and shape into balls; place directly onto a greased baking sheet and flatten gently
6. Bake for 30 – 45 minutes and serve when cooled

[aimee]

“This lets me know that BDN is not following the regulations for labeling dog foods. That is not a good sign for me” + 1 USA Dog Treats.

No information on the label WOW just WOW!!!

[Naturella]

Dori,
Ah, those damn shots!!! 🙁

In either case, nothing I can do now… glad to know it is not the Sentinel, although I will keep an extra eye on him November 1st (his next pill).

Also, he has MOSTLY been grain free, but just this past food I was transitioning him out of was lamb and brown rice, so it is not that new to him, he has certainly had it before, but not such gas. Pumpkin is something he hasn’t had in a while, but that shouldn’t be causing his gas, should it?

Also, I was going to add in THK tomorrow – wanted to go simple with just chicken, rice, and pumpkin before I add stuff so that I know what works…

As for that same food, NVI Rabbit, he had a sample of it, and he had it just fine as treats… either way, I am thinking of scrapping the NVI and moving on to Wysong Quail instead… it has brown rice, and I am scared of the rabbit now, lol…

I did certainly look through his stool and vomit too… nothing too crazy or unusual that I could see – whatever it may have been, he must have digested it at least some before it upset him…

In the end, whatever it was, I can’t really undo it now, I can just try to help him get over it and feel better. I will add THK Perfect Form tomorrow and hope for the best. If all goes well, I will add canned on Thursday/Friday, and begin introducing the Wysong Saturday/Sunday, so we’ll see how it goes.

Thank you for all the help!!! It is so much appreciated, Dori, really! And I don’t mean to hoag the thread, I just kept posting here to make sure it is not the Sentinel that could have been causing this.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 2 months ago by Naturella.