[KarenC]

Lol! We call that “living room zoomies”. Deana does it when she hasn’t been walked yet, and a couple of the labs do it when they get all wound up over treats. They always look so surprised when they stop…like they didn’t know they had it in them!

[Mom2Cavs]

I think you can add an Avatar anytime, but I can’t remember how I did it LOL! Somehow through Disqus, if I remember correctly. Sorry I’m not anymore help than that. I did it awhile ago and just don’t remember how. Again, I’m sure some of the other regulars will post and help you out My Avatar is of Laverne. I have another Cavalier, Hazel and a Mixed Breed, Lucy. Pet Suppies Plus has some decent foods. I haven’t been in one for years but I remember they carried some good ones back then. Again, TSC has 4Health grain free, which is around 30.00-35.00 for 30 lbs. of food! It comes in 3 flavors, too. Their canned 4Health (I buy the grain free stews) are .99 a can….fantastic considering other foods go for around 2.70-5.00 a can!! Btw, remember when looking for dog supplies, like collars, leashes, beds, bowls, etc. don’t forget to check out places like Big Lots, TJ Maxx, Dollar Stores, etc. I don’t recommend buying food or treats from there but I’ve gotten some great buys for supplies from those kind of places. The fun is just beginning!

• This reply was modified 12 years, 5 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

[SandyandMila]

Yes, I’ve bought those treats at Walmart and the same yellow bile and stopped giving her them ASAP.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 5 months ago by SandyandMila.

[FreeholdHound]

I recently received the results from testing my Greyhound and the ingredients listed to “avoid” are chicken, turkey, venison, white fish, salmon, sweet potato, oatmeal, soy & milk.
He is currently eating Victor High Pro Plus kibble and doing as well as he’s ever done on any dog food (I have tried many in the year I’ve had him). It does contain some of the ingredients listed above ie: chicken meal, whitefish meal, oatmeal.
I know from experience turkey, chicken, salmon & sweet potato produce ugly results. He does enjoy sardines, and frozen chicken feet as treats with no adverse reactions. Is it best to avoid when possible & moderation is the key? I don’t think it’s possible to avoid all the listed items in a kibble.
Suggestions appreciated 🙂

[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.

[somebodysme]

Jo, I hope you can get the help you need…and you know how children are when they eat the wrong food and too much sugar how they are bouncing off the walls! So hopefully you will have some help with a good quality food! Keep us informed! I always love to hear how rescue dogs are improving. I hope you can get the help you need at the BC site. I think still baby steps with introducing him to a parked bike and lots of healthy treats…that sort of thing then move up to a parked truck…

[Jo Ingram]

I owned Oorang Airedales for 15 years and after losing both within a year and two weeks, I adopted a mixed breed german shepherd/border collie from a local pound last Fall. I named him Rain because it was raining when I picked him out and raining when I picked him up. The pound estimated his age at 0-6 months but I believe he’s alot older than that. I think he was at least a year old when I adopted him.
I fed my Dales “Taste of the Wild” and homemade treats but this boy suffered through terrible bouts of the runs when I tried their diet with him.
I backed off on the protein and tried him with Kibbles & Bits. It has so far cured the runs but he’s so hyper that I’m suspicious of the ingredients affecting his system. I’m thinking somewhat like a kid on a food that he’s allergic to. When I saw the ingredients and rating on this website I can see that I was correct to have concerns.
So, I need help trying to figure out what I can feed this poor kid without having another physical crisis but still see if I can help him calm him. The Airedales are rumoured to by hyper because of their terrier breeding, but believe me, they had NOTHING on this guy. Sometimes the way he just “goes off” would make an observer believe he’s totally insane. He’s not – he’s actually a great dog 90% of the time. I think I’m causing these meltdowns with what I’m feeding him. I bought a low price biscuit for him two weeks ago and within 36 hours he was completely out of control. That was when I realized I am causing the problem with his diet.
Please, has anyone some guidance or opinion that could help me?

[GSDsForever]

jewlz,

I highly recommend the membership to Costco, on its own merits, but not dog foods. On that note, Costco guarantees that you recoup your $50 membership within 6 months plus savings, and will allow you to cancel with refund and keep merchandise if you do not or are unhappy. Ask.

I’m a huge fan of Costco, but this is not one of their stronger merchandise sections. And be wary of the treats too; they often (not always exclusively) have China made stuff. I don’t recommend the Kirkland/Nature’s Domain foods because they are Diamond manufactured, which I believe makes them overly risky, and to get those low prices they cheapen & take short cuts on many of the ingredients and overall formulations you see, such that they are not really comparable to some higher quality foods.

I know little about Boxers & Bulldogs, really not my breeds, but enough to caution PLEASE be careful about whatever nutritional and life care precautions necessary re: dilated cardiomyopathy in which available taurine and carnitine factor and bone issues from extremely high breed incidence of hip dysplasia (Bulldogs; see OFA stats) to cruciate ligature and bone wear & tear stress w/Boxers.

[texasniteowl]

Thanks! I’ll check out Nature’s Logic and Dr. Tim’s.

Sorry you did not hear back from the guy at Victor’s. That would probably turn me off too…but we’ll see how Wilson does with the 5lb bag I picked up.

I did wonder about the lentils and such in the Orijen/Acana. My other pet store, not my feed store, had little 12oz bags of Orijen & Acana so I picked up a bag of Acana Pacifica and Acana Grasslands. I figure if nothing else, I can use the kibble as treats since we are doing clicker training!

I’d consider the Earthborn Primitive but since we had problems with the bison one (Great Plains?) we probably won’t try it.

[TheyCallMeBT]

Hi all. I’m having a hard time with my Bichon Frise. She’s 12 years old, 15 to 18 pounds. We’ve had her on Beneful original food for a while. At one point, her vet put her on a certain food (I forgot what it was) because it was the second time she had gotten surgery for bladder/ kidney stones and this had something in it to help with that. They were really bad stones, especially considering her size, with huge spikes.

So we tried that food for a couple of weeks. She hated it so much and was hungry to the point that she went kind of wild eyed. It was pretty bad. After dealing with that, we talked to the vet again and he agreed that it was better for her to go back to what she liked rather than be hungry and have a horrible quality of life due to that.

Fortunately, she hasn’t had trouble with the stones since then, which has been 2 or 3 years. We also switched her to bottled water only. So hopefully the tap water was the cause.

In the past month, she started having pretty bad upset stomach problems. She also likes to have treats, or else she very finicky. Even with the Beneful– which she would pick out certain pieces that she liked. The treats we have given her are Pupperoni and something that looks like bacon strips.

So a couple of weeks ago, we asked for advice and decided to try Royal Canin – Indoor Adult. We also completely cut out treats. She acted like she loved it at first. But I think she was just that hungry. Since then, she won’t eat it (without something in it) unless she gets really hungry by late in the day and knows that she’s not getting anything else. I have gone back to giving her a little piece of a treat and then she might eat the food with it. Or putting chicken in with it.

So at 12, I know she’s at a point in her life where she might only have a year left– or could still live eight or more years. That depends a lot on her food being healthy AND her liking the food and actually eating. So I’ve got to find something that she will actually eat that tastes good to her.

I appreciate any help you folks can give me. It’s frustrating when I know that she’s miserable and I can’t do anything to help.

[theBCnut]

I used to have this recipe for liver cake and that was really how the recipe went. You can put in so much, but if you want to use more… or less…You can add in this or instead that, however much sounds good to you. I finally figured out that the important things were the right amount of some kind of flour, the right amount of some kind of oil, 2 eggs, and the right amount of some kind of meatlike substance. After that it was fun to experiment with. It came out like liver brownies and the dogs <b>loved</b> them, but I’ve gotten lazy, and the dogs prefer pure meat, so that’s what I like best now. I’m on my second bag of Vital Essentials and my dogs are still going nuts for them.

Someone on one of my BC sites was asking about what everybody likes for treats and somebody mentioned how they use dog food for treats, so of course I had to tell them about the dog food I use for treats. 🙂

[rogerharris]

Here are top 10 wholesome dog treats you can make at home:

1.Dog Cookies: Include kiss me cookies, peanut butter cookies, pink delight paw print cookies, etc. that are specially made for puppies.

2.Pumpkin: You can use wheat cream or rolled oats with pumpkins. There is no need to cook first; you should bake for 20 minutes at 300 degrees F. This treat is made mostly for senior dogs.

3.Peanut Butter and Banana Dog Biscuits: This vegan diet is great for gluten intolerant dogs. You can use millet, almond, rice, corn or oat flour if your dog is allergic to wheat.

4.Apple Cinnamon Dog Biscuits: The treat is meant for dogs with arthritis and/or diabetes. This dish should be refrigerated overnight or for one and a half hours then baked for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

5.Oatmeal Bark Bites: This treat is good for dogs with pancreatic or liver disease since it has low animal protein and fat.

6.Veggies Treat: The treat contains low levels of phosphorous and fat. This is restricted for diets that curb liver and kidney diseases. When cooking, include vegetables like zucchini and sweet potatoes which are low in phosphorous.

7.Crispy Yam Doggie Snacks: Bake slices of sweet potato and make the dish sweet, salty, crunchy or spicy.

8.Vegetarian Muffins: Include ingredients for vegetarian diets like apples, carrots, wheat flour, molasses, oats, etc.

9.Beef Dog Treat: These biscuits are meant for dogs that love meat.

10.Chicken Dog Biscuits: To make the treat, you have to use organic low sodium chicken broth that is organic.

These and other dog meals are easy to make and the ingredients are readily available. These recipes are a great way to offer wholesome treats to your dogs unlike the commercial foods in the market which cause kidney complications. Make your dog treats from 100% natural and organic ingredients.

[DogFoodie]

Hey guys,

I just wanted to share these treats that I just picked up from Costco. I bought mine online at Costco.com: http://www.costco.com/Wildsky%E2%84%A2-Salmon-Jerky-Treats-for-Dogs-Two-24-ounce-Bags.product.11616688.html.

For $39.99 you get two 24 ounce bags (shipping is included). Each bag has four individually packaged bags of treats inside. Only the big bag is resealable ~ I put the opened package in a Ziploc bag and stuck it back down in the big bag. These salmon treats contain wild caught Alaskan salmon and are 100% human grade and produced in a USDA inspected facility in Alaska and are certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council. I also like that the company that produces them, works in partnership with small local fishing communities.

One thing I couldn’t believe was how good they smelled! I was so tempted to try one! They also are nice consistently sized meaty pieces. As I’m sitting here typing and looking at the bag, I’ve got both dogs practically climbing all over me because they think they’re getting one!

Here are the ingredients: Ingredients:
Alaska Wild Salmon, Brown Rice Flour (Organic), Cultured Dextrose, Sea Salt, Sodium Lactate (From Beets) Mixed Tocopherols, Ascorbic Acid, Rosemary Extract, Natural Hardwood Smoke.

The only thing that didn’t thrill me was the liquid smoke ~ ’cause if I’m not mistaken, that could be MSG, right? OK, so I’m pretty excited about these and so far, both pups are crazy about them.

Just wanted to share!

[BlondieMIA]

Ive been searching the web for some numbers, just out of curiosity I suppose, of what the best selling dog foods on the market are. I mean, we all agree that there are many dog foods that are on our personal do not buy list; whether it be because our dogs may not like the food, or because we do not like whats in the food, then theres the dog foods that people say they buy, but the real truth lies in the actual sales of these foods. I started searching for top dog food sales for the most recent year & I can’t seem to find anything definitive. I was looking for quantity as well as top sales. For example, Yum Yum Food sold 10,000 pounds of dry dog food or 2000 bags of dry dog food (I wouldn’t know how the companies break down their “quantity” sales). Then also Yuck Yuck Food sales were at $1.2 million. (both dog food names are just made up). Does any one know how to collect this data or find it? Any help would be appreciated.

Why did I start to search for dog food sales?
Well, I have 5 dogs. I love them all dearly, but dog food prices have really seemed to sky rocket. Back when I only had 3 dogs, they all ate “good” dog food. (Taste of the Wild). I actually switched from Eukenuba (excuse my spelling) because my oldest, Nikita, started to develop skin problems & allergies. Then when the youngest 2 we rescued joined the family, I was feeding them all Taste of the wild. But the $60 something plus tax with everything else, my 2 trips a week to the pet store was exceeding easily $300…$1200 a month just in food, treats ect. (edible items) So, I started buying both Taste of the wild and some less expensive food. My thoughts were to feed Nikita TOTW, & feed the others a mix of both. But of course they all want what the other has & lets face it, sometimes you just want Mc Donalds.

Now, I am aware of whats in certain foods and whats better for my dogs to eat. If I were able to, I would feed them the best of the best. If someone asks me what I feed my dogs, to be honest, my answer may vary depending on whose asking. The only one I know Im 100% truthful with all of the time is our vet. It seems dog food brands are becoming a “human” category. If I were to meet a person with a LV purse & a yorkie in it, Im most likely to say that all my dogs eat the best foods. Why? Im not sure, but I feel if I were to say for example, Pedigree, you might as well tell the woman you live under a bridge. The conversation would most likely end quickly & she would run in the opposite direction. (yes extreme, but just so you get the point.) Does buying Pedigree make you poor, cheap, uneducated about dog food or d. all of the above?

So that being said, Im curious to see quantity sales numbers vs revenue. How many people are actually buying quality dog food? How many pounds of dog food did pedigree sell vs taste of the wild or blue? I bet blues $$ numbers are up there, but Im assuming pedigree exceeds most in quantity (lbs).

Whats your perception of the top brands sold? Food for thought… Thanks in advance to all that can help me get this solved. 🙂

[pugmomsandy]

I don’t think I’ve given any treats with rosemary but alot of kibbles are also preserved with rosemary. Have you considered reflux as a possibility? Another option for USA meat treats are PureBites and Fresh is Best (freshisbestinc.com) and Stella & Chewy’s Carnivore Kisses. I’m currently using Vital Essential freeze dried nibletts as treats although they are food and also use PureBites.

[alsmomma]

I’ve been buying my beagle this brand of treats because they’re made in the USA and are 100% human grade treats. My beagle LOVES these treats! However, we’ve been noticing for several weeks now that she’s been vomiting a yellow foam (sometimes it’s white or brown foam). The ingredients of these treats (as listed on the package) are chicken and rosemary. I’m wondering if this is the cause of her vomiting, maybe an allergic reaction or something? Two or three times I didn’t give them to her and we don’t think she vomited but there’s almost no way to know for sure. Can anyone weigh in on this? If not the treats, what else could be causing the vomiting?

[pugmomsandy]

You can do an elimination diet. Try a single protein and single carb for 2 weeks and check for reactions. Example fish and sweet potato. Or fish and quinoa (gluten free). Be sure no treats are given unless it’s the single protein or carb. You can add in a vit/mineral supplement later as a dog can have a reaction to any ingredient including supplements and you wouldn’t know if it was the food or supplement.

You can google more on elimination diets as there are probably some variations.

[EHubbman]

I know! That’s why I wasn’t expecting him to actually eat it! Typically he just sort of gnaws on it and a few shavings come off here and there. I looked up from my book to find antler chips and tiny bits of marrow all over the footer of my bed and he was just happily chewing away! He’s a great chewer with his food and treats, so i wasn’t worried about that, but I just was like “whoaaa calcium buddy” and just gave him something else to chew on.

Thanks so much for the great info. I think we’ll hold off on antlers for now.

I’m trying to find a food that he’ll eat. He was on TOTW and slowly just stopped eating it.
A friend noted that he’ll eat when he’s hungry, so I left him with his food while I was at work, and in a day and a half he had only eaten 1/4 c of food, even with coaxing. He’d eat anything else I gave him, had no change in stool, and wasn’t vomiting, just wouldn’t eat. So I got a few different sample bags to switch him over, so he picked out all the new food (NV Instinct – Rabbit) and left all the TOTW in the bowl. He was OBSESSED with the NV for about a day, now he’s doing the same thing he did with the TOTW. Any help or ideas?

His activity level is the same, he’s drinking lots of water, his stools are normal with nothing odd in them, he’s pottying fine, he’s not vomiting, his ears are clear and his eyes are a little gunky (have been since I got him), but it’s just regular eye boogies, no off color discharge. He’s growing quickly and I’m just getting concerned as I want to get him all the calories and nutrition he needs.

EDIT: we went to the vet on Monday for puppy checkup (he was still eating regularly so I didn’t think to note it, just thought he didn’t like the TOTW) and his fecal came back just fine, as did his physical.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 6 months ago by EHubbman.

[gmcbogger38]

Thanks guys for the information. I don’t feed rawhides anymore and haven’t for months. I buy them the antlers and I will start giving them some raw meaty bones. Any treats they have gotten lately were freeze dried liver and they got like maybe 3 total within the last couple weeks, so I’m pretty sure it isn’t from “extras”. I actually have looked into Annamaet foods and I like what I see. I will check out Nutrisca. I did get them some raw meat today and fed them a small amount to see how they liked it and they loved it. I really want to just feed raw only, but with one more year of school I won’t have the time. Thanks for the link to that enzyme. I will definitely get some of that. I will probably make an appointment with the vet for next week. Thanks, once again, for all of this information.

[gmcbogger38]

I apologize. I forgot to mention it will not be the chicken formula. I will rotate between the Regional Red and Six Fish and she is currently eating the ACANA Grasslands and that contains no chicken. I also do not give any chicken treats. I have already soaked her paws in a water/hydrogen peroxide/white vinegar soak that I heard in a video from Dr. Becker. Her ears are worse than her paws, but I am keeping them clean almost every day. The only ear cleaner I have, though, is the convenient ear pads that Walmart sells. I think I am just going to end up buying some higher quality ear cleaner soon.

[SandyandMila]

Came across this site on facebook with recipes http://www.k9instinct.com/1/category/homemade%20treats/1.html

[Saireah]

* Starbright:
You are most welcome! I wish you the best of luck!
And I’ve been trying to save money on treats and wanted something healthier for Quinn with her joints, so a few “healthy” suggestions are baby carrots, dehydrated fruit (we use our food dehydrator and make a bunch of apples and bananas when they’re getting a little soft for our taste or if we forget they were in the fridge drawer), and homemade treats (there’s some great peanut butter and pumpkin ones out there). Quinn loooooves apples (no seeds or core!) in any form and sometimes I sprinkle some cinnamon on them. They’re cheap and good for her. Try carrots for sure!
Also: we subscribe to a few monthly dog subscription boxes that gives us all of our treats — mainly because it feels like Christmas when I open up the boxes. 😉

[starbright26]

Hi Saireah,

You responded to my post about my pup with hip dysplasia and I truly want to thank you for the advice and encouragement.. It was extremely helpful. I certainly plan to help Sadie lose some weight being that even a few pounds seems to make a huge difference on a dog with HD. I’m looking into a food change of either Earthborn grain free or 4health grain free..as both of these seem to be highly recommended. Perhaps I can alternate them. I’ve also started supplimenting..

I have unfortunate issues with the exercise routines being that Sadie was feral and is being socialized+the deafness/vission issues-she has an extremely difficult time leaving the house even for small walks. We are in full swing rehab mode though so hopefully we can overcome these issues quickly to help rebuild her muscles. I want to try your air mattress technique though until we get further!

Because of her intensified sense of smell she is very food motivated.. this is is the main way we’ve been able to train and encourage her but Im weary of the treats we’ve been giving. I certainly want to watch her weight now. Do you have any good recommendations for healthy treats or those good for dogs with HD? Sorry if this doesnt really relate to this thread anymore but Im grateful to have any advice! Thanks again…

[winifred]

My comment on DinoVite: do not purchase this supplement without speaking with your vet first. My dog has had skin problems for the past few years, and my vet treats her with prednisone and other allergy medications. I feed her very high quality food. My husband heard Dinovite advertised on the radio and we decided to try it. After 2 days of giving her the supplement according to the instructions on the box, she had a horrible allergic reaction. Her eyes swelled up and she developed hives all over her body. She vomited repeatedly. We had to treat her with Benadryl and Prednisone to control the inflammation. The company is refunding my money, but none of my shipping charges. Not only do I have to pay to ship the product back to them for my refund, but they won’t credit my original shipping charges. The representative on the phone expressed no concern about my situation. I would never purchase from this company again.

[Anonymous]

I have a 6 year old 81 pound lab/retriever mix and a 10 year old 24 pound mix breed and am looking for a food that will work for both. I currently feed them Natural Balance Reduced Calorie, but my lab has loose stools often and can’t eat any other brand treats without distress. I like the smaller size kibble, easy for the little guy to eat. Can you recommend a food that will work for both size dogs and improve the digestion results? thanks for your help!

[pugmomsandy]

I think he’s holding out for all the treats!! LOL! You can add a little something to his kibble to make it more appealing. Like a little canned food or yogurt, or even coconut oil, maybe salmon oil if he likes the fishy smell. You can also use the kibble for treats. That way he’s actually getting something with nutritional value. I use Vital Essentials freeze dried nibblets for food and treats. And also freeze dried liver.

[Pakalolo]

He was eating Eukanuba large puppies until 3 weeks ago, when he refused to eat it, no matter how starving he was. We’ve switched to Blue Large Puppies recently and he seems to like it. I have given him all sorts of different treats because I keep rotating them on a daily basis. I have Blue bits chicken for healthy joints, heart and immune system; Blue Stix lamb and apples; Rollover Lamb Biscuits; Rollover crunchy beef biscuits; Blue bites chicken with dha for cognitive development; Nutro crunchy treats – PB, apple, pomegranate, banana; Get Naked cleaning teeth sticks. Some of them, as you know, are very tiny, so he gets many a day, depending on the number of times we go out for a walk and training.

Thanks!

[pugmomsandy]

What is he eating and what are the treats you are giving and how often?

[Hound Dog Mom]

Have you tried supplementing with digestive enzymes and probiotics? That would be the first thing I’d try. A spoonful of plain canned pumpkin also seems to help some dogs when they’re having a bout of diarrhea. All dogs are different so just because another dog had luck with one food or was determined to be sensitive to a certain ingredient doesn’t necessarily mean it will be the case for your dog. If you do want to try changing something with the food I’d suggest a limited ingredient food (single protein) with a novel protein. Limit the treats you’re feeding to the same protein source as the food until you figure out what’s going on.

[Pakalolo]

I have an 11-month old Bouvier who seems to have frequent bouts of diarrhea. He’s been checked by the vet a couple of times and nothing seems wrong with him. Because we’ve been training him with treats, I suspect there’s something there that does not agree with him. The obvious solution is to keep going with experiments, eliminating what could the the possible culprits; however, I was wondering if anyone here has been through the same problem and if they found out the exact treat that should be eliminated from their dog’s diet.

I’ve given my dog all sorts of natural “good brands” (or at least I’ve tried to buy what is deemed to be the best) and I don’t give him rawhide. MIght it be a meat-related issue?

Thanks for any input!

[pugmomsandy]

I use Vital Essentials freeze dried nibbletts as treats and food. Be sure to use a recipe book to make sure he is getting all the nutrients he needs. “Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet” by Steve Brown or “Real Foods for Healthy Dogs and Cats” by Becker/Shaw and Lew Olsen has books as well.

Another option to homemade is to use a Premix – where you just add meat or meat and oil. Ex: The Honest Kitchen, Urban Wolf, Dr Harveys, Grandma Lucys. These are easy to use until you get the confidence to make your own!

I had my raw recipe book for a few months before I got the nerve to do it. Now I thinks it’s easy.

[pugmomsandy]

“I have heard varying opinions in the forums about adding probiotics and enzymes. Someone said there are natural probiotics and enzymes without having to add and pay for supplements.”

There are naturally occurring probiotics in foods like kefir and yogurt and raw goat milk and tripe (which tripe also has enzymes). It really depends on how healthy or unhealthy your dog’s gut is. Has he eaten a variety of foods so that he produces a variety of natural gut flora? Or has he only eaten a few foods for a long period of time? Also yogurt usually only has a few strains of acidophilus. Some store bought probiotics have over 10 strains which I think is ideal. I have both Mercola and Dr Langers probiotics.

“How/when do I do this with a raw diet? How do I do this on his current diet while I’m transitioning to a raw diet? How do I transition to a raw diet?”

You can give probiotics and/or digestive enzymes with meals as you are transitioning and even when he is completely on a raw diet. I still feed kibble and raw so I still use these products. You can transition him to a raw diet in various ways. You can slowly introduce raw (like frozen raw medallions or raw bites like Instinct brand has) a couple times a day as treats to see how he does or you can feed one meal of old food and the next meal of raw food. Or every 3rd meal of raw food. Depends on how his stools are! Also raw foods generally have more fat so you must take that into consideration.

“Are there specific recipes for smaller breeds versus larger breeds, older versus younger dogs, etc.? Is it okay to feed him nothing but raw? Can I freeze/store what I’ve made if I’ll be on vacation?”

A homemade raw diet is good for all breeds and ages (except maybe for breeds prone to pancreatitis) and he can be fed nothing but raw. You can freeze in small batches and pull out what you need for 2 to 3 days worth. For vacation, if you’re taking your dog you might be interested in freeze dried raw as it is shelf stable. Some examples are Stella and Chewy’s, Nature’s Variety Instinct and Vital Essentials, Nutrisca and Primal. I wouldn’t give him marrow bones in the beginning as they are just fat.

Yes, he is an inactive dog. After you start feeding, be sure to weigh and/or monitor “body condition score” so that he is an ideal “shape”. My dogs are heavy but are still of good body condition for their breed. There a several “body condition score” photos you can see online.

[theBCnut]

The possibilities for stuffing a marrow bone are endless.

[beagleowner]

I feel so smug. Got a soup marrow bone for Henry. He loved it and it was gone in one long evening of gnawing. Then a light dawned. I filled each end of the bone where he had eaten out the marrow, filled the holes at each end with ground chicken hearts and gizzards. Then the next night did some peanut butter. Didn’t need much cause the smell stayed on and on. Made my own homemade kong and outsmarted that old Beagle. I am going to stuff the bone again and freeze it. Sure keeps him busy. He is happy. When Henry is happy, I am happy!

[theBCnut]

The probiotics and digestive enzymes are to address the loose stool issue. The training treats are to make sure she has something on her stomach so she doesn’t vomit. BTW, I really love Brothers too, and it has probiotics and digestive enzymes in it.

[theBCnut]

I think you are right, she has more than one thing going on. Even on the correct dose, I still am prone to tummy trouble, dry skin, etc. but to a much lesser degree than before, so I assume the same holds true for dogs. But I think that is just a facet of what is going on with her.

I don’t always like suggesting tough love, but I think to get a handle on what is causing her issues, you need to pick a food and stick with it. I know you said she vomits if she doesn’t eat, but you also said she is overweight. So this is what I suggest; get either the LID turkey or lamb or some other LID food that doesn’t have chicken or beef and feed that, with no toppers. Also find, make, whatever treats out of the same protein source. A couple times a day, do a little training so you can give her some of her treats, enough for her to have something on her stomach, not enough to be a replacement meal. Offer her her kibble twice a day for 15 minutes then pick it up and put it away. When she has been on one food for a few weeks re evaluate how her skin is doing and decide if you need to try a different protein source to make things better. If you could get probiotic and digestive enzymes into her it would be for the best. The goal is to get her skin calmed down enough that you can start switching to other protein sources and actually tell when something bothers her.

[4dogmom]

My guys love little bits of raw sweet potato and apple. Also – sweet potato jerky – slice ti really thin and cook on racks in a low oven for an hour or two. Unfortunately they are so good last time I made it I ate most of it.

[pugmomsandy]

I had to upload photos to photobucket. Could not post photos from shutterfly in the forum (this was a few months ago, so I’m not sure if shutterfly has changed or not).

You can thinly slice the hearts and livers and place in the lowest setting in the oven for a few hours like making chicken jerky.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 6 months ago by pugmomsandy.

[beagleowner]

Incidentally how do you post a picture on the forum. Would like to post one of Henry

[beagleowner]

Henry is doing better. Eating chicken breast and vegetables and loves it. He has lost a little weight. For a treat we got a soup marrow bone and gave it to him raw. He has been busy all evening. Hopefully this will all agree with him. Also bought chicken hearts and livers. Don’t know how I will feed them–raw or cooked or use as treats. Welcome comments and suggestions. We take walks each evening and he is doing great on them. Thanks for your suggestions and support.

[beagleowner]

Henry is 15 and now deaf. His eyesight and smell is good. He sleeps during the day but in the evening he barks constantly and wants treats. He is fed his fresh food of chicken and vegetables a day and so he is not Hungry but begs and barks constantly during the night. He doesn’t bother my husband as much but barks at me and sits in front of me all evening. Finally late at night he settles down and sleeps. He goes out twice during the night. He barks at 7 AM for breakfast and is patient then. It is night time that he is restless and barks, barks and barks. Foing to try getting bones or kongs . Maybe that will settle him down. Any suggestions on why he is barking at night.

[Annette]

My dogs started out with same problems you mention. I got them when they were about 3 months and everything was fine. When about a year old they began having problems with loose stools/diarrhea. Switched their food a few times over next 1/2 year. Vet thought allergies and through process of elimination found my dog Gracie had allergies to things like artificial flavors and grains. George improved a little but then began to have frequent ear infections. Ended up using a limited ingredient diet but George just kept getting loose stools/ear infections, then began having yeast and bacterial skin infections. Turns out George has allergies to artificial ingredients, certain proteins (lamb & chicken for sure), grains, potatoes, peanut butter, and unknown outdoor allergies. After blowing up my brain with all kinds of research and having an extensive talk with the vet, I put both dogs on a low glycemic, organic, grain free diet (Nutrisca Salmon & Chickpea dog food). George began improving within 4-6 weeks but, I did have stay on top of things by keeping him bathed, daily ear cleanings, etc. At that point I began to add organic coconut oil into his diet. It is 1/2 tsp per 10 lbs but you must do it gradually or they will get gas and greasy loose stools. I have mastiff mixed breeds (110 lbs) so I started with a teaspoon and gradually increased about every 3 days or so. George’s skin and ears have improved greatly and no more diarrhea! This is the first time ever in 2 yrs I have gotten to a 3 month point without seeing the vet! (I should mention that they get a little fish oil and the treats I give them are organic, grain & potato free – made with pumpkin and turkey and they like them.) I will be adding some probiotics into their diet this month but haven’t decided exactly what brand yet, I’ll talk to the vet about it when he goes in for his shots. These things may or may not work for you but worth a shot.
Anyway, the site I found most helpful (besides Dog Food Advisor) was the Whole Dog Journal. I could have saved my brain a lot of damage by looking at them first. They had a canine allergy download that explained canine allergy issues thoroughly and in a way I could understand so that I could have meaningful discussions with my vet. I am less frazzled now and feel I have a better handle on helping my dog live a healthier life. Lol, did that just sound like an ad for them? If, knock on wood, we have George’s food issues pretty well cleared up then we’ll be tackling the outdoor allergen issues next. Keeping my fingers crossed!

[harpersmom]

Thanks HDM! Boy, you’re a font of wisdom. Anyone tell you lately that you help the world by posting answers to people’s queries? You’re a good person. Be proud.

I used to be a HUGE fan of those dried liver treats. Sometime ago, i stopped`, probably the cost or the time it takes to get to the store that carries them… I’ll see if i can order online for a reasonable amount. I can also make her my mom’s chicken liver recipe! This whole thing: Surgery, staying home, supplements- costing a fortune! She’s worth it, but i’m definitely needing to watch my budget, big time! 😉 Thanks again, HDM

[beagleowner]

Thanks HDM. He is a heavy chewer with those strong beagle jaws. The kongsickles sound like something that would keep him busy after dinner and stop ‘bugging” me. I have him sooooo spoiled! The raw meaty bones sound good. Don’t I have to be afraid of splintering since he has strong jaws and a ripping method with bones. We got knuckle bones and par boiled them at the advice if our vet. No luck. He pulled at them and knawed. When the meat was cleaned off, he wasn’t interested. Didn’t take long. He doesn’t seem to like raw meat. We tried the bones before par boiling and just got one of those beagle disgusted looks.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Another idea – you can make kongsicles by filling a kong with fresh foods and freezing it. Some good items to use might be: fresh minced or pureed cooked or raw meat, diced hard boiled eggs, pureed fruits, pureed veggies, plain yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Raw meaty bones (turkey necks, chicken leg quarters, etc.) or, if he’s not a heavy chewer, recreational bones (knuckle bones, marrow bones, etc.).

[beagleowner]

I don’t have a solution only a question. . I have 14 year old Henry Besgle. He is on herbs for his lipomas and the herbs have liquified them and we are hopeful that they will dissolve. However the main instruction is fresh food only. The food is going great BUT he is a beagle. I need to keep him busy at night. He barks for treats, and more treats. Are there any suggestions for treats to keep him busy at night that will fit in with fresh.

[Mom2Cavs]

Like HDM said, Tractor Supply’s 4Health is a fantastic bargain! The regular size cans are .99, and even the biggest cans are only 1.59! I’ve started to use it to top my dogs’ food and they like it and are having no repercussions. I buy Simply Nourish sometimes, but imho it’s not all that budget friendly. On sale it’s 2.00 a can, but it’s a smaller can (only 10 oz., compared to 13.2 oz.)….it is similar to Weruva and definitely cheaper than that lol. TOTW is a little cheaper than alot of the other canned foods, too. I can usually find it for 1.99 a can. Fromm, at least where I live, is not all that cheap…the Gold cans run around 2.99 a can and the 4Star are almost 4.00 a can! I’ve decided to try and stick with 4Health, for the most part. Fyi…it does come in pate and stew styles. I believe the stews are better because they don’t contain carageenan. Also, look at the ingredients and calorie content (and the style of food your dog prefers) when making your choice. I have also recently been looking for a replacement for Natural Balance LID Fish (merger with Del Monte) and looked at Wellness Simple (transition did not go well…Laverne can’t/won’t eat the kibble due to the shape/size). It also has tomato pomace and carrots which I believe makes her allergies flare up. Bought a small bag of Simply Nourish Salmon LID, but again…tomato pomace and/or carrots….stool still not very good. I do know how to transition and can tell pretty quickly if a food is gonna be bad for the long haul. Anyway, I’m supposed to be getting some coupons from Hol. Select, but I’m not confident it will work for Laverne. So…they’re still eating the NB I have, but I did buy a small bag of 4Health grain free Whitefish yesterday. It is not a small kibble, but Laverne seems to be able to eat it better than the Wellness shape. I’m starting to use it as treats and I’ll be mixing it into their NB soon. It is kinda limited in its ingredients and doesn’t contain tom. pomace or carrots (or Rosemary). It does have beet pulp, so we’ll see. Darn merger!

• This reply was modified 12 years, 7 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

[harpersmom]

Can anyone suggest great supplements for a 4.5 year old, Otherwise Very Healthy ,Female Akita who just had TPLO surgery, and will go back in in 8 weeks for the other leg? She’s no dummy, naturally cutting back her own calories when free feeding kibble- due to the reduction in energies spent. I feed Wellness kibble along with a Multitude of Fresh proteins & whole foods. I rotate, advocating variety: chicken, buffalo, salmon, mackerel, fresh caught river trout , a bit of seaweed for iodine, raw farm fresh eggs, some cooked whole grains (everything from barley to quinoa to oatmeal, i rotate), some greens, some fruit & veggies (avocado yesterday). I give a Fish Sourced Omega Oil supplement w/dha (extra now, for inflammation), glucosamine/chondroitin MSM, I’m making fresh chicken broth to give her collagen, and mixing the broth with gelatin for chicken blox treats. Extra protein right now for healing skin, ligaments, muscle. Normal supplements include daily and rotated treats, too: brewer’s yeast, marrow bones, cultured dairy (she LOVES my homemade creme fraiche and yoghurt), probiotics (daily, especially since she’s on antibiotics right now…wellness kibble has prebiotics in it, too), seasonally: fresh raw local honey w/pollen for allergies. Perhaps i’m leaving some basic vit/min supplements off this list, but are there any supplements that will specifically aid in healing, recover, address inflammation, or help reduce pain that i’m missing? The vet has her on Rimadyl, antibiotics, tramadol. Thank you… And if you’ve personally gone through a TPLO with a Big, Young, Active dog, i’d LOVE to ask you some very specific questions, if anyone has the time… I appreciate your help.

[Anonymous]

I found Dog FOod Advisor quite a long time ago-actually from a person who works at Dinovite. I really enjoy this site. I must make some comments here, although I have never commented on a blog. Dinovite saved my dog’s life. My dog came to me as a rescue that was going to be put down due to so many unexplained health problems. This dog had been through it all from steroids, skin scrapings, antibiotics, medicated sprays and creams, special dips, shampoos. You name it, they tried it on her. Poor Lola.

I took her to actually make her last days in a place where she would feel loved. But it was hard because she stunk and had such balding, awful skin. No one wanted to touch her.

I got her on a good 5 star kibble (yes, I used this site to find a good food for her). And I added Dinovite to her diet. Lola really liked it and I thought if it made her happy, it was the least I could do. I thought she was dying. I also looked at the ingredients and realized that I also take a number of the things that are in this and I know how it keeps my energy level up and keeps me healthy.

Well, that was 2 years ago. Lola did not die. In fact, she’s a happy girl with NO health issues at all. She is 6 or 7 years old (a good guess) and I’m sure she has at least that much more life to live. It was a long road but little by little, I saw her energy return, then her hair start to regrow. HEr awful gray, bumpy skin got nice and pink. And one day I realized she did not stink anymore. Instead of making her last days bearable, she has made my life wonderful. It’s been about a year since she has had any problems at all. She doesn’t even shed, only during shedding season.

So, unless you have actually tried it, I don’t think you have much to say. The people at Dinovite have been wonderful to work with every step of the way. They made suggestions. Pointed me at this site. Helped make good decisions for Lola’s diet. Encouraged me when I wnated to give up. Their products are made in the USA. And it’s hard to find a business that is this helpful these days.

And if you don’t like how it’s working for your dog they have a good return policy too.

So that’s my two cents for what it’s worth. I just thought someone who uses their products regularly should speak up. I use Dinovite and Lickochops. I also use the peppermint shampoo and Lola absolutely loves the free treats that come in the box.