[Stephanie S]

For anyone who has their dog on (or is considering putting their dog on) Taste of the Wild dog food, beware! There is an active Diamond Taste of the Wild Class Action Lawsuit!

Due to food allergies, my two dogs have (had) been on TOTW Pacific Stream for years. In June, 2018, my dogs became extremely ill (vomiting, bloody diarrhea) following two feedings from a newly opened bag. Three months and over $4,000 in vet bills later, my dogs are still trying to recover after eating TOTW’s poison. And, it is poison! You may already be aware, but on August 28, 2018, a class action lawsuit has been filed against Diamond Taste of the Wild dog food (http://truthaboutpetfood.com/taste-of-the-wild-pet-food-class-action-lawsuit/). TOTW’s Pacific Stream, Roasted Bison & Venison and the Puppy formulas have tested positive for arsenic, bpa, cadmum, mercury, lead, total pesticide and acrylamide. Many people have been posting complaints on ConsumerAffairs.com, Amazon.com, Chewy.com reporting symptoms similar to what my dogs are experiencing. Others are posting complaints regarding their dogs suddenly developing itching problems. A couple of people have even posted about their dogs dying after they began vomiting and having bloody diarrhea.

So stay away from TOTW dog food!!

[Stephanie S]

For anyone who has their dog on (or is considering putting their dog on) Taste of the Wild dog food, beware! There is an active Diamond Taste of the Wild Class Action Lawsuit!

Due to food allergies, my two dogs have (had) been on TOTW Pacific Stream for years. In June, 2018, my dogs became extremely ill (vomiting, bloody diarrhea) following two feedings from a newly opened bag. Three months and over $4,000 in vet bills later, my dogs are still trying to recover after eating TOTW’s poison. And, it is poison! You may already be aware, but on August 28, 2018, a class action lawsuit has been filed against Diamond Taste of the Wild dog food (http://truthaboutpetfood.com/taste-of-the-wild-pet-food-class-action-lawsuit/). TOTW’s Pacific Stream, Roasted Bison & Venison and the Puppy formulas have tested positive for arsenic, bpa, cadmum, mercury, lead, total pesticide and acrylamide. Many people have been posting complaints on ConsumerAffairs.com, Amazon.com, Chewy.com reporting symptoms similar to what my dogs are experiencing. Others are posting complaints regarding their dogs suddenly developing itching problems. A couple of people have even posted about their dogs dying after they began vomiting and having bloody diarrhea.

So stay away from TOTW dog food!!

[Stephanie S]

For anyone who has their dog on (or is considering putting their dog on) Taste of the Wild dog food, beware! There is an active Diamond Taste of the Wild Class Action Lawsuit!

Due to food allergies, my two dogs have (had) been on TOTW Pacific Stream for years. In June, 2018, my dogs became extremely ill (vomiting, bloody diarrhea) following two feedings from a newly opened bag. Three months and over $4,000 in vet bills later, my dogs are still trying to recover after eating TOTW’s poison. And, it is poison! You may already be aware, but on August 28, 2018, a class action lawsuit has been filed against Diamond Taste of the Wild dog food (http://truthaboutpetfood.com/taste-of-the-wild-pet-food-class-action-lawsuit/). TOTW’s Pacific Stream, Roasted Bison & Venison and the Puppy formulas have tested positive for arsenic, bpa, cadmum, mercury, lead, total pesticide and acrylamide. Many people have been posting complaints on ConsumerAffairs.com, Amazon.com, Chewy.com reporting symptoms similar to what my dogs are experiencing. Others are posting complaints regarding their dogs suddenly developing itching problems. A couple of people have even posted about their dogs dying after they began vomiting and having bloody diarrhea.

So stay away from TOTW dog food!!

[Stephanie S]

For anyone who has their dog on (or is considering putting their dog on) Taste of the Wild dog food, beware! There is an active Diamond Taste of the Wild Class Action Lawsuit!

Due to food allergies, my two dogs have (had) been on TOTW Pacific Stream for years. In June, 2018, my dogs became extremely ill (vomiting, bloody diarrhea) following two feedings from a newly opened bag. Three months and over $4,000 in vet bills later, my dogs are still trying to recover after eating TOTW’s poison. And, it is poison! You may already be aware, but on August 28, 2018, a class action lawsuit has been filed against Diamond Taste of the Wild dog food (http://truthaboutpetfood.com/taste-of-the-wild-pet-food-class-action-lawsuit/). TOTW’s Pacific Stream, Roasted Bison & Venison and the Puppy formulas have tested positive for arsenic, bpa, cadmum, mercury, lead, total pesticide and acrylamide. Many people have been posting complaints on ConsumerAffairs.com, Amazon.com, Chewy.com reporting symptoms similar to what my dogs are experiencing. Others are posting complaints regarding their dogs suddenly developing itching problems. A couple of people have even posted about their dogs dying after they began vomiting and having bloody diarrhea.

Stay away from TOTW dog food!!

[Stephanie S]

Diamond Taste of the Wild Class Action Lawsuit!

Due to food allergies, my two dogs have (had) been on TOTW Pacific Stream for years. In June, 2018, my dogs became extremely ill (vomiting, bloody diarrhea) following two feedings from a newly opened bag. Three months and over $4,000 in vet bills later, my dogs are still trying to recover after eating TOTW’s poison. And, it is poison! You may already be aware, but on August 28, 2018, a class action lawsuit has been filed against Diamond Taste of the Wild dog food (http://truthaboutpetfood.com/taste-of-the-wild-pet-food-class-action-lawsuit/). TOTW’s Pacific Stream, Roasted Bison & Venison and the Puppy formulas have tested positive for arsenic, bpa, cadmum, mercury, lead, total pesticide and acrylamide. Many people have been posting complaints on ConsumerAffairs.com, Amazon.com, Chewy.com reporting symptoms similar to what my dogs are experiencing. Others are posting complaints regarding their dogs suddenly developing itching problems. A couple of people have even posted about their dogs dying after they began vomiting and having bloody diarrhea.

So stay away from TOTW dog food!!

[Stephanie S]

Due to food allergies, my two dogs have been on TOTW Pacific Stream for years. In June, 2018, my dogs became extremely ill (vomiting, bloody diarrhea) following two feedings from a newly opened bag. Three months and over $4,000 in vet bills later, my dogs are still trying to recover after eating TOTW’s poison. And, it is poison! You may already be aware, but on August 28, 2018, a class action lawsuit has been filed against Diamond Taste of the Wild dog food (http://truthaboutpetfood.com/taste-of-the-wild-pet-food-class-action-lawsuit/). TOTW’s Pacific Stream, Roasted Bison & Venison and the Puppy formulas have tested positive for arsenic, bpa, cadmum, mercury, lead, total pesticide and acrylamide. Many people have been posting complaints on ConsumerAffairs.com, Amazon.com, Chewy.com reporting symptoms similar to what my dogs are experiencing. Others are posting complaints regarding their dogs suddenly developing itching problems. A couple of people have even posted about their dogs dying after they began vomiting and having bloody diarrhea.

If your dog is experiencing problems, please file a Pet Food Report via the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine Safety Reporting Portal at http://www.safetyreporting.hhs.gov. You also need to contact your state’s Bureau Chief with the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and report your dog’s illness. You can find the contact information of your state’s Bureau Chief at http://www.aafco.org/Regulatory/State-Information. The Bureau Chiefs are also reporting issues to and working with the FDA Complaint Coordinators and both organizations need as much information as possible.

[Alice B]

@Acroyali Thanks for the great information
I needed company after my lovely husband passed away last year,
So I now have great company in my little Yorkies, lots of fun for me & keeps me busy

Both puppies love eating, I will keep portions small, I want to keep both guys healthy
I’m feeding the boys Wellness core puppy food, 4 small meals a day

[Linda K]

I feed my 11-month-old dog Zignature Zssentials. He has a history of off-and-on, come-and-go vomiting about twice a week after eating when he was younger. The breeder was feeding him (gasp!) Iams puppy! The vet said he had “a sensitive belly,” advised me to try Hills I/D for 30 days, and then slowly wean him onto another limited ingredient food. I chose Zssentials, and he has not vomited a single time in three months. The listed ingredients are turkey, turkey meal, salmon, duck meal, chickpea flour, peas, chickpeas, alfalfa meal, flaxseed, sunflower oil, salmon oil, and then a bunch of other stuff. THe protein is 32%, fat 16%, fiber 5.5%, moisture 10%, calcium 1.2%, phosphorus 1.0%, omega 6 fatty acids 4.5%, omega 3 fatty acids 2.0%. The omega 6 and 3 are not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient profiles. I don’t know if the quantity of chickpeas and peas is particularly high since they are not first on the list of ingredients. Dog Food Advisor rates Zssentials, catfish, and pork formulas 5 stars.

I do know the FDA has come out with a statment indicating they are investigating a potential connection between diet and cases of canine heart disease (DCM), and they implicate as suspect diets frequently listing potatoes or multiple legumes such as peas and lentils early in their ingredient lists. As I read the alert, the low taurine levels caused by grain-free diets is the target of their finger-pointing. However, more research must be done.

[Molly H]

Hi!

I have a 4-month-old Newfoundland puppy and 2 adult Havanese. Right now I am feeding Victor’s Nutra Pro but the kibble is so tiny I was hoping to find some more foods to choose from. Are there any good large/giant puppy foods that aren’t crazy expensive and also good for my adults?

TIA

[Lauren H]

Thank you so much for all the replies!! Great to get others opinion and experience. I still go back and forth on feeding raw but have seen so many improvements with all three of my dogs in doing so. I’m receptive to veterinary ‘science’, but I also understand that there is a lot of influence and funding coming from these commercial foods as well. Also, most vets have very minimal training in nutrition. My vet is actually an advocate for raw, just wants it to be from a well known and trusted raw dog food company, but even he said that he’s no nutritionist. Sounds like maybe I just need to bite the bullet and pay for quality raw to be safe.

acroyali- thank you for taking such time to write such a detailed response. I was ordering from hare-today but after their shipping prices increased for the summer, I stopped buying from them. I started ordering from raising-rabbits.com instead. Have you or anyone else heard about them or their quality?

Like I said earlier, I’ve seen huge benefits to feeding raw. In my lab mix with Addison’s, before raw, he was drinking a ton of water and I mean a ton! He had horrible breath and he had a lot of tartar on his teeth. My shiba mix would eat about 2 meals worth of kibble and then quit eating eating it either because he was bored or just didn’t like the taste, no matter the brand, protein, etc- we tried it all. My shiba seems to be less anxious too. Our 5 month old puppy was the first dog that we started on raw from 8 weeks raw, she’s done great on raw. No bouts of diarrhea, never gotten sick, and has been a dream to house train.

My vet said that I could mix kibble with the raw to help with the costs. I’ve read a lot of conflicting information on this, any thoughts? I’m certainly open to switching back to kibble but would be hard pressed to go all the way back since my dogs are clearly doing so much better on raw. There isn’t a whole lot of scientific proof on raw feeding but who’s funding these other ones saying that raw is harmful for dogs? Just to be safe though, I think I will stop feeding them grocery store meat and stick with the ones I can buy at a pet store. I’ll check out mypetcarnivore as well. How much veggies do you all like to add?

Sorry this ended up being so long but again, I greatly appreciate your time and responses.

[Lauren H]

Hello,

My dog, Tarzan, a 6 yr old 75 lbs lab mix was just diagnosed with Addison’s disease last week. I had been noticing signs of a decline in energy and overall health with him for the past year. I switched to raw 6 months ago hoping that would help. He did improve for awhile but he later declined in overall health and energy after a few months. Luckily we found the cause and he is acting like a puppy again! So happy to have my boy back.

I’d like to continue to feed him raw as I believe it does a better job keeping him properly hydrated and feel like it is the healthiest diet for him. My vet believes in a raw food diet but he thinks the food should come from a trusted dog food company that has been specifically processed for dogs to eat raw. Previously, I’ve been feeding my dogs based off of the prey model and adding about a tbsp of veggies to their meals. Sometimes, I’d even feed Tarzan whole rabbits, fur and all, which he happily ate, no problem. My vet doesn’t think this is a good idea to buy whole rabbits or to buy my food from a grocery store even though I buy high quality, organic, grass fed or pature raised meat. He’s worried that since my dog has a weakened immune system that his body might not be able to handful the potentially harmful bacteria that resides on grocery store raw meat.

I’m really not sure what to think. I want to do the best thing for my boy but there is so much conflicting information out there. Does anyone have experience feeding raw to a dog with Addison’s? Do you worry about their immune systems not being able to process all the bacteria that an average dog would have no problem with? How much veggies do you like to add?

Currently I’m buying either vital essentials or small batch prey model patties or chub and adding Sojos premix, about 2-3 tbsp per meal. He also gets turmeric, green mussel and fish oil each meal as well. This has become quite expensive and I’m not sure how long my husband will allow this to carry on….I could be spending half the amount I am now if I could go back to feeding him the whole rabbits, grocery store meat and fish.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Susan]

Hi,
I would look for a limited ingredient single protein dry kibble, this Victor Active has 4 meats, excellent for a dog who has a healthy Intestinal tract..
My boy has IBD I had to start with a vet diet, then once we found a vet diet that agreed with him & firmed his poos & was doing 2 small firm poos a day “Eukanuba Intestinal” Low Residue formula he had to stay on Eukanuba Intestinal vet diet for 6-12months to strengthen his immune system (Gut), then after 9months, I started trying a new dry kibble but it had to have 1 single meat, limited ingredient kibble & he finally did well on Taste Of The Wild Pacific Stream, Smoked Salmon but in Australia our some of our TOTW formula’s do NOT have any Peas, Lentils Chickpeas like the America TOTW, we still get the old TOTW formula’s.. he did really well on the peas free TOTW Pacific Stream Salmon formula except he started vomiting back up the dry kibble, now I’ve learnt to stay away from any fish kibbles as they are higher in Contaminates & Toxins, I changed him over to the TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb formula it just has Lamb as meat protein & he did really well, no skin problems & firm poo’s, then I started introducing other foods in his diet so he’d get use to different ingredients, I even went thru a Animal Nutritionist & put him on a raw elimination diet, Kangarro & blended veggies, his poos were beautiful BUT he kept regurgitating back up water & some digested raw, then he was getting bad acid reflux & after regurgitating the raw the acid burnt esophagus so I put him back on dry food & started to cook the raw diet & feed it for Lunch & feed 4 smaller meals thru the day..

I would take baby steps, you will know once she has stopped taken all her meds…
Why does your 4-5 month old pup have UTI’s, she is so young?? also the pancreas test, you’d know if she had Pancreas problems, she’d be vomiting sometimes, eating grass & having pancreas pain & maybe sloppy poo’s, but her Pancreas would young & healthy??
I really think she is too young to be having problems with her Pancreas??..
What colour are her poos?? if her poos are yellow, smelly & sloppy look into Small Intestinal Bowel Overgrowth, S.I.B.O……while she was taking Metronidazole (Flagyl) were her poos better? sometimes they need to take the Metronidazole for 21-28 days to kill any bad bacteria in stomach/small bowel.. this is what Patch ended up having SIBO & Helicobacter-Pylori, it took a few years to get everything healthy aagain, now I can feed him any foods as long as he’s not sensitive to those ingredients, he does well on Chicken for stomach & bowel BUT not for his skin, he gets red yeasty paws & red skin around his mouth after he eats Chicken, Barley, Oats, Tapioca, Corn & cooked Carrots make his ears itchy…

If you can afford a vet diet that’s where I’d start, as Intestinal Vet diets have FOS, MOS, Inulin, Vitamin B, Beet Pulp, everything to help make the Intestinal Tract healthy, then once she is stable on a vet diet for at least 6 months then start her on a premium dog food that only has 1 meat protein & a few carbs..but slowly start introducing over 2 week period if you see her poos going sloppy while introducing new food, then stop new food & go back a few steps & stay on what she was doing firm poos on & keep a diary write everything down, food, ingredients, flea med, worm meds etc just in case you needs to remember certain things….I wouldnt give her any of those Flea chews yet, just use the spot on flea repellents for now till you work out her stomach bowel problem, just in case she has a very sensitive stomach/bowel, I just read a post on a Staffy f/b group, the lady gave her dog a Bravecto chew will the vet gave her dog the Bravecto chew & he’s been in vet hospital on a drip now for 1 week, dont ever vaccinate, worm & give flea chews all at the same time some vets do this on vet visits I know teh rescue vets do this & some dog can not cope always leave 1-2 weeks inbetween meds vaccination & flea repellents etc
How much does the bag of kibble say to feed her for the weight of your pup? maybe feed 3 smaller meals a day, thats what your suppose to feed a puppy 3 meals a day then they go to the 2 larger meals as they are older.. also have you tried boiled chicken or turkey breast & some boiled potato or try boil rice & see are her poos firm?? maybe for lunch over weekend try a small cooked meal, or a wet can vet diet the Royal Canine Intestinal low fiber is really good, some vet diets are formulated for growning pups your vet will know which ones Im pretty sure the Hills I/D Digestive Care wet & dry is formulataed for growing pups this way you”ll see does she do firm poos over a 2 week period? or try the single meat limited carbs next & see if poos are sloppy then try a vet diet.. Keep us informed with what happens with Zanya’s health….

[Katie K]

I’ve heard about this twice within the past week and tried researching it. It sounds like the majority of people in this thread read the same article that I did. To me, it was very unclear. What makes them Think certain foods are causing this? Is it simply because the number of dogs with heart problems have gone up and more and more people are feeding their dogs grain-free? I would think that they would want something more conclusive before spreading this belief. What if a new vaccine is causing it? Or something environmental? Or it could be genetic, with the amounts of dogs in puppy mills. And the way it talks about taurine… A lot of dogs with a heart disease are deficient in taurine. But then again, a lot of them aren’t…?
My dog does have sensitive skin. He has allergies to some things. I feed him grain-free. He does great with the food I have him on. Is he allergic to grain? I don’t know. I do know that when his skin is irritated, he chews. When he chews, moisture gets into his skin and yeast starts to build up. Grain feeds the yeast and causes it to spread. A grain-free food won’t worsen the problem. If you feed a grain-free food with the right balance/amounts of probiotics, it actually fights the yeast. If, for some reason, his food were to cause a taurine deficiency, I would rather give him a supplement than switch him to a food that causes him to be itchy all the time.
This article isn’t just recommending to stay away from grain-free foods. It also says that “boutique” foods can cause heart problems. That term, “boutique foods” is kind of vague, no? So grain-free foods, “boutique” foods, and a raw diet.. According to this article, they’re all no good. Well, what does that leave us with? Hills Science Diet? This article talks about a vet who is researching this whole grain-free causing heart problems. Morris Animal Foundation is funding his research. Who started this foundation? The same person who started Hills Science Diet. What kind of food are vets recommending we switch our dogs to? Hills Science Diet.
Vets have been recommending and selling this food for decades. The more they sell, the more perks they get from the company. This food is so unhealthy but was very popular for a very long time because people trusted their vets. Now that we have the internet, more and more pet owners are educating themselves and making informed decisions on what to give their dog. I am sure Hill’s sales have dropped dramatically. It sounds to me that they are desperate to get back on top.
In my opinion, if your dog is doing well with the food s/he is eating, don’t change their diet. ESPECIALLY to Hill’s Science Diet. If they ever have proof to back this theory, of course I will take it seriously. But for now, it seems to me that they’re trying to take advantage of our love for our dogs to line their pockets.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Tara-

Congratulations on your new pup. Sounds like she’s having a bit of a rough start. I would not change anything yet! She has already been through so much. Most of the time it’s best to leave a new puppy on the food they were eating when you first get them. This allows them to get settled in a bit before you switch things up. However, it’s too late for that. Pumpkin never worked for me either. Let her tummy settle down a bit after finishing up her meds and dewormer.

Did the vet recommend using FortiFlora? That always seems to help my dogs when they get loose stools. Are you feeding 3 or 4 small meals to her? Also, if her UTI pills are an antibiotic, they tend to give dogs (and humans) loose stools. I know it’s tough because I’ve been there. Constantly changing things can make it worse. You’ll never figure out what is causing the issue then. As long as she’s staying hydrated she’ll be OK.

Give it another week and ask your vet about a probiotic, such as FortiFlora. I’m curious, how was she doing on Beneful when you got her? Also, do you know how big she will get?

I’d love to know how she is doing. I went through something similar with my dogs. Report back and good luck!

[Susan]

Hi,
are the foods you have tried have Potato & Sweet Potatoes? as Potato & Sweet potato normally form up stools, look for a limited ingredient single protein kibble that has Potatoes or Sweet Potatos there’s “Wellness Simple” Turkey & Potato, “Natural Balance” LID Potato & Duck… If the pumkin made it runnier then she needs Less Fiber the Natural Balance Potato & Duck is 3% fiber (I Think) I feed “Wellness Core” Large Breed Adult kibble…..
You’d have to look at the Wellness Core Puppy formula as they might have Lentils or chickpeas, these ingredient make my boys IBD worse..

Alot of people have success with “Natural balance” Limited Ingredient dry kibble but read the ingredients as some N/B formula’s have Pea Protein, Chickpeas etc

[RottieMom]

Hey guys – new to the forums but not the site. I have a problem that i hope you can help with. My 4 month old female pupsters has had potty issues since i got her on Mothers dsy weekend. Breeder had her on beneful and when ingot her i switched her over to Victor active dog and puppy grain free beef grain free (the red bag) and her stools were the color of the food dark brown-and mixed from a good solid stool to a soft or even runny dirrhea like stool in the same go. Went to the vet and did anfecal exam it was clean so chnaged her food to a lower protein food, purina pro large breed puppy chicken. Same issues with the mixed stools actually more softer this time and the color was the same as the food once again. Stools have looked playdoh like at times or straight liquid when not solid. Took her to the vet again for her last round of shots/rabies and did another fecal test again clean. So vet gave me an antibiotic to help with the diarrhea as well as a probiotic. She is also on another antibiotic for a UTI and on pancur c.

We have finished the diarrhea meds, on day 2 of pancur (3 pack dose) and has about 5 days left on her UTI pills. She is still having soft stools where its hard to pick it all up with diarrhea drops towards the end. Vet says if she still has issues after all of this, she wants to take blood to look at her pancreas. Can anyone give more of an insight of this? Vet does not mention or think its Giardia.

Should I try to changer her food to something else? Oh and i have tried the pure pumpkin before and it didnt help. Possibly made it runnier. She is also NOT showing any other signs. Has never vomited, eats very well, drinks water, very active (too active lol), no fever, no pain or discomfort when you touch and feel around her belly or lower areas. She just has mixed stools. That’s it. Am I over feeding her maybe? I give her a total of 4-6cups a day max and that’s if someone mistakenly feeds her not knowing I did.

Any ideas would be welcomed. Thanks!

• This topic was modified 7 years, 5 months ago by RottieMom. Reason: Added more information

[Susan]

Hi
I learnt on here “DFA” to Rotate my dog diet, also Hills say on their Vet Diet formula’s when you feed your dog the same diet year after year your dog can start reacting to certain ingredients causing food sensitivities…
Rotating a dog diet strenghten their immune system, stops food sensitivities also if the food/brand your feeding your dog isn’t balanced properly or is high in contaminates & toxins, then when you rotate your dog diet he isn’t eating the same food 24/7 causing health problems….
You will see a big difference in your dog coat, skin & over all health, my boy has IBD, if I stay on the same dry food for more then 3 months my boy starts reacting, he goes down hill, starts doing his smelly sloppy poos, so around 3 months I start to introduce a new dry food, I look for a new kibble/freeze dried raw that’s “around” the same Kcals per cup, fat% & protein %, the fiber doesn’t seem to matter withPatch as long as it’s NOT higher then 6%… He does get 2 Freeze dried Green Lipped mussels daily & something different for lunch everyday thats not a dry kibble…

Patch will be 10yrs old in November & he still acts like a puppy, running, jumping, playing ball etc people think he’s a young pup… He doesnt suffer with Arthritis, I keep him lean & all muscle, he isnt over weight to put any pressure on his joints, he gets walked twice a day & has a very active life for a dog, I think this also plays a big part in a dogs life…

Have a look at “Canidae Ancestral raw freeze dried coated formula’s..
https://www.canidae.com/dogs/canidae-grain-free-pure-ancestral-raw-coated-dry-red-meat-formula-with-lamb-goat-wild-boar/

[Jill M]

My vet wants our picky 2 yr old standard poodle to put on 5 lbs … I’m thinking of going back to puppy food. We stopped feeding her puppy food at 18 months. Since then she’s lost 4 lbs that she really couldn’t afford. B

[Susan]

Hi Robert,
have you tried any puppy formula’s that have 1 single meat protein & Sweet potatoes or Potatoes, also adding boiled pumkin to his meals & see does he need a higher fiber diet?add 1 spoon of boiled pumkin to his next meal & see how he goes…
Pumkin can be boiled then frozen, it freezes ok same as sweet potato..
Potatoes & Sweet Potato seem to help dogs with gastro problems..

“Natural Balance” LID Potato & Duck Puppy formula, fiber is 4%
or there’s N/B Potato & Duck Adult & fiber is lower at -3%
https://www.chewy.com/natural-balance-lid-limited/dp/126515

or try the N/B LID Sweet Potato & Fish formula fiber is 5%, pea free, chickpea free..
You have to read all the Natural balances LID formula’s ingredients as they all vary

or try the “American Journey Limited ingredient Lamb & Sweet Potato formula, the fiber is 7%, the peas are 4th ingredient instead of being 2nd or 3rd ingredient like the other American Journey LTD formula’s are.
Here’s the American Journey LTD ALS Lamb & sweet Potato link.
https://www.chewy.com/american-journey-limited-ingredient/dp/148425

The Hills I/d prescription formula you’re feeding now is low in fiber 1.7% so maybe try a higher fiber diet……
also you need to find out WHY this happening? what does the vet say??
he’s young so he cant have IBD yet but if he continues with his diarrhea & sloppy poos he will end up with thickening of the bowel, when I got my boy he was a rescue & 4yrs old so I’d say someone just kept feeding him the cheap food that irritated his bowel & casued his IBD he has now… the Eukanuba Intestinal Low Residue dry vet diet formula was to only vet diet that ended up working for my boy, its low in fiber, my boy doesnt do well on high fiber diets….

Take back the Hills I/d Digestive Care vet diet that isnt helping him, vets diets are money back guaranteed & ask vet nurse can you try either the Royal Canine Gastrointestinal Puppy formula or Gastrointestinal Fiber response the fiber is 12%
Have you tried the Purina FortiFloria probiotic?? strengthen his gut?

Also reassure him when he is stressing out, tell him it’s OK, calm down down & stroke him & calmly speak, settle him down, also he may need to start gaining confidence, he may have low confidence, I rescued a dog she had very low confidents she had to go to puppy school & learn how to met other dogs etc…also never get cranky with him if he has an accident in house etc, whoever owned my boy must of belted him as he is so paranoid about pooing, it has taken me 4 yrs & Patch now FINALLY poos on grass BUT only if he knows he’s doing a firm poo, if he knows his poos is going to be very sloppy he wont poo on grass he holds it until he finds a bush or somewhere he can hide his poo.. I’ve reassured him & told him it’s OK Patch but he still starts to panic if he’s going to have diarrhea, as soon as he does do his sloppy poo or diarraha I praise him & tell him GOOD BOOOOY, you got it out, that after he has ran & looked & looked & panic stressed himself out, Im just relieved he fianally did his diarrhea lol
Here’s Royal Canine Digestive foods see which one is different to the Hills I/d formula he’s eating now, there’s also a Gastro Intestinal Kit

https://www.royalcanin.com/products/vet/digestive-support
keep me up dated what happened?

[John M]

Hello everyone,
I have a 10.5 week old GSD. He is an absolute beautiful pup. We are thinking of going raw. I made the decision to try out this brand:

/dog-food-reviews/raw-wild-dog-food-frozen/
https://www.rawwild.com/

I read in many places that the 3% of body weight in terms of feeding is recommended for adult dogs (and that seems to be the general agreed rule of thumb).
However, the guideline for puppies seems to be very variable. I see lot of places recommend 10% (my GSD puppy currently is 20 lbs, so I would give 2 lbs of this item (divided by the number of meals of course)). That seems excessive? Once again, I may be completely wrong so please excuse my unprofessional opinion and I apologize in advance. I see other places recommend 7%-10%, and some others recommending 5-8%.
I know that either answers could be correct and is dog dependent, and can always adjust based on how the pup is doing (if getting to chubby, cut back, and vice versa). However, if you guys a magic number for the percentage of body weight to feed, what would you guys say?

Thanks in advance!
John

[Amy F]

Hi – I have 3 Large Breed Puppies and 2 Senior small mutts. My Large Breed Puppies are 1) Full Black Lab 7 Months (11/17) 2) Sisters – LabraDane Mix 4 Months (estimated age, abandoned, I adopted) 3) Senior Pups are Terriers Small 14 yrs and 6 years – Both under 20 lbs

I have been feeding the puppies a mix of 1/2 Orijen LB Puppy and 1/2 Acana All Stages Various Flavors. The Seniors get the Acana. I am following recommended feeding per the bag and vet says weight is fine all seem healthy and doing fine. Some Skin issues on the Labradanes around Collars but we live in AZ and I attributed mostly to heat. I have been leaving collars off when I can. Otherwise fine.

Here is my issue – I am spending almost 400 a month on Dog food. Its becoming a bit of a financial issue, we can manage it if there are no substitutions that are just as good but Im looking for suggestions. Comparable Foods/Quality maybe that might help reduce my month food costs.

Thanks for any input – Appreciate It

[Cavalierluvr]

Unfortunately my budget does not allow me to feed raw. I’m not opposed to rotating. I have a 9 year old Cavalier and I do rotate brands with him. I switched him to grain free when he was around 2 years old. He was on Fromm Gold and had developed a yeast infection…that’s when I switched to grain free. I’ve only had my pup for 3 1/2 weeks. I didn’t want to start rotating foods until he is and adult. I have several stores I can shop at and many carry quality brands. It just seems there are so few puppy formulas. I really do not want all life stages. It sure can be overwhelming. With the food he is on, he can both firm stools and soft stools. Since I have a probiotic for my older dog (Nusentia Probiotic Miracle) Ive been giving it to the puppy too.

[pitlove]

Hi Jennifer-

What about Royal Canin are you not liking besides how much you are feeding? They make some great large breed puppy foods. If you can tell me more about your dog I can help with why you are feeding so much. There is also a possibility that you are over feeding him.

My favorite large breed puppy food is Pro Plan personally and it does not contain any of the ingredients your son is allergic to.

[Susan]

Hi Nicole,
maybe start with Freeze Dried Raw & see how he goes, but make sure its a limited ingredient freeze dried or Air Dried diet there’s “Ziwi Peak” look at the Venison or Rabbit formula, https://www.ziwipets.com/ the Ziwi Peak wet raw can food is really good but it’s expensive but its balanced & all ready to go, email Ziwi Peak & ask for samples..
at first slowly introduce the freeze dried or Air Dried with his kibble he’s doing OK on, add new freeze dried slowley over 2 week period & see how he goes, or I went thru a Animal Nutritionist with my boy who has IBD, you can still feed the kibble he’s eating now, just feed the kibble for breakfast then feed the raw meal for Dinner or the other way around but when I first started Patch on a raw diet he was hungry cause he was use to eating a dry kibble that was high in carbs that kept him feeling full longer, I had to feed him a small snack at lunch time to get him thru to Dinner…

Go on facebook & search for “The Australian Raw Feding Community” facebook group, or buy “Lew Olson” book her f/b group is called “K-9 Nutrition” or Dr Karen Becker has a book, both books are very easy to follow, I just went to the library & borrowed the books to make sure they were OK before I bought them…Dr Karen Becker is bringing out her latest new book it should be out by now, go on her f/b page “Karen Becker” & ask her is her lastest raw feeding book out yet?
or you can start feeding the Pre-Made raw but I was advise NOT to feed Patch any Pre-made raw dog diets you buy from pet shops, home made raw is more fresh & you know what your adding into your boy raw diet..
I had to start Patch on 1 meat protein-Kangaroo mince feed at breakfast with blended veggie/fruit mix & Chicken Breast cut up for dinner with blended green veggetables, broccolli, celery, parsley & 1 fruit-apple peeled. remove all seeds, cut up then put in a blender add 1-2 spoons of the veggies /fruit mix to 1 cup of meat, then I froze the remaining fruit & veggie mix in ice cube trays covered in cling wrap then you take out 1 cube = 1 spoon when you need it & I also added the Digestavite Plus powder to balance the diet cause Patches diet had no bone or organ meats yet cause of Patches IBD, we started him on an elimination raw diet in the beginning, this is why it might be best to see a Holistic vet or Animal Nutritionist to formulate a raw diet for a growing puppy who has IBS…
Here’s the Nutritionist I went thru she does Skpe, emails or rings you, here’s her “Maintenance raw diet” she gave me for Patch & I had to pick 2 meats, 2-3 vegatbles & 1-2 fruits to begin with, but we would email back & forth… http://www.naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/education.php

[Ami B]

Hello all, I’m getting a Doberman puppy in just a few short weeks and I’ve been absolutely obsessing over what to feed the little guy to ensure proper growth and development and lessen the chances of any issues from too much calcium. I’m torn between a few different brands but always seem to come back to Annamaet even though they don’t have a food that branded for large breed pups. After some correspondence with a rep I was told that the Salcha, Sustain, and Manitok formulas were the grain free options that fell within the nutritional ranges for LBP. Does anyone have any experience feeding this or any insight/advice to offer me? Would any of those be a good choice for my pup?

[Nicole M]

Hello everyone!
I have a 6 month old beagle mix puppy named Finn, and since I’ve gotten him he hasn’t been doing so great on kibble. I’ve had him a few months now and his stool is always pretty soft. At first it was like diarrhea, but since I’ve switched him to a grain free lamb protein LID kibble it’s been a bit better. We’ve ruled out parasites. I’ve been starting to wonder if maybe raw feeding would be a better option for him, but I have absolutely no idea where to start with it.
I guess my main questions are:
What exactly would he need to be fed?
Where have you guys found it easiest to get the food from? (ie. can I get everything from my local Wegman’s or should I look for a smaller butcher?)
and honestly any other tips or recommendations you can give me would be much appreciated!
Thanks so much! 🐶

[Jennifer W]

Hi there. My son is allergic to some foods that are commonly found in dog foods. Meaning that if our puppy eats any of those allergens and there is any pet licking then my son has a reaction.

I am trying to find a healthy large breed PUPPY food that does not contain peas, chickpeas, lentils.

I have been searching specifically for a kibble. Right now we use royal canine large breed but are not in love with it. It calls for ya to feed him nearly six cups a day which seems like a lot!
Thanks
Jennifer

[Susan]

Hi Brianne,
My boy has IBD, he gets bad acid reflux & gets Pancreas/stomach pain lifts his right paw up whinges & wants me to rub around his stomach & Pancreas area, we have done the blood test & Ultra scan for Pancreatitis & everything comes back OK his Gastro vet says its his IBD, its his stomach….
If your dog isnt really interested in his Blue Bufflo kibble change it & find a kibble or low fat wet can or Freeze Dried raw kibble to feed him, I have found I need to rotate between a few foods that agree with him, they must be low/medium fat around 10%min to 14% max in fat, Protein over 25% & Carbs under 30% & fiber under 4%..
A dogs digestive tract is short & ment to digest a raw meaty diet not these processed dry kibbles, this is why I think so many dogs are having stomach & bowel problems……

My boy loves the Hills I/d Chicken & Vegetable Stew wet can food & the Royal Canine Intestinal Low Fat wet can food I just get a paper towel & pat down & dry all the oil from the Royal Canin low fat wet food, Why I buy teh Vet Diet Wet can foods cause the fat is low where pet shop went can foods are higher in fat…
Patch gets his acid when a food has fish/salmon oils, he does well on Canola & sunflower oils…
Have you tried an ant acid reducer like Pepcid or Zantac ? you give 30mins before 2 of his main meals a day, my boy is on an ant acid blocker now he started off on Omeprazole (Prilosec) took it for 2 yrs then around December last year I moved & Patch went down hill really bad, I asked his vet can he do another Endoscope + Biopsies you must ask for the Biopsies so the vet knows what is really happening in stomach, my Patches Sphincter flap isn’t closing & the acid is coming up his esophagus into his mouth & went back down into his wind pipe this probably why he became so unwell the beginning of the year, I nilly put him to sleep he just gave up it was awful to watch, also his Helicobacter-Pylori were come back & he had Gastritis stomach…so he was put on 21 day triple therapy meds Metronidazole Amoxcillin & Prilosec given every 12 hours with a full meal, then after the 21 days I continued giving just 1 x 20 Prilosec tablet of a morning for his acid reflux & to keep his Helicotor away, it lives in their stomach walks & loves sugary carbs (kibble)
In the end I had to stop any wet foods cause they kept coming up into hois mouth causing bad acid reflux, I found Wellness Core Large Breed dry kibble & he’s doing really well now, he’s acting like a puppy, he isnt a large breed dog he’s an English Staffordshire Terrier, the Wellness Core Large Breed formula is low/med Fat-13%, Protein-35%, Carbs-31% low in Kcals per cup -345Kcals per cup & is high in Omega 3 & has Glusomine & Chondroitin helping his joints & bones he’s 9ys old & it has no chickpeas or lentils…

I’d change his diet, if you can cook 1-2 of his meals a lean white meat with boiled sweet potatoes, sweet potato freezes really well & feed his other 2 meals the Wellness Core large Breed formula, try & feed 3-4 smaller meals a day, I feed him at 7am, 9am-1/2 cup kibble both times 12pm-wet can food or cooked food or his freeze dried raw food & 5pm -1/2 cup kibble & 8pm-1/3 kibble, & try an ant acid reducer first either the Pepcid (Famotidine) or Zantac (Ranitidine) 30 mins before 2 of his main meals, if they dont really help him then ask vet about trying Omeprazole (Prilosec) 20mg best given first thing of the morning just wait about 20mins then feed him but you dont really dont have to wait before feeding him as Prilosec is a Protein Pump Inhibitor (PPI) sends a msg to the brain not to make as much Hydrochloric acid in the stomach, where the Zantac & Pepcid works differently & I found didnt really help Patch… You will see results within 2-3 days after using the Omeprazole..
Sometimes I also give Patch either 5ml liquid Mylanta or 1/2 a Quick-eze chew when he has vomited up acid these line his throat & eosphagus & make him feel better…

[Tracy O]

I have to say I came on saw the issue, my dog all of sudden had loose bowel movements and hoax or not changed her to zignature and everything has stopped. She is gaining weight from the loose stool problem, which now I feel terrible about because I kept on thinking she will get use to the dog food and continued to feed it and sorry but the miraculous change in my puppy is incredible. Could be just her and this food was never going to be good for her, but I am glad I switched the more I read it isn’t a hoax and that high priced dog food should not have the levels that it does for the buck……

[kathleen p]

If you still have issues after the transition try out Sport Dog Food…(sportdogfood.com). I ended up putting my weimaraner pup on it when he was5/6 months old due to itching, gas, bad breath,and all those other things that come with some dogs. Within 1 to 2 weeks there was a BIG difference! Their food does not contain all the unneeded ingredients that you find in pretty much all food now. Also, when feeding if your dogs stool is too loose it indicates they’re getting too much, if it’s too hard they’re not getting enough; that’s how I found out how much to feed Loki. He now has well formed, firm stools. Flax seed can cause alot of issues with loose stools and their food does not have it. They have “All life stages” food which is great so there’s no switching from puppy to adult. They are a little on the expensive side but well worth it. They have different formulas, but I’ll bet you could find something that would work for your pups. Good luck!

[mojoh]

Hi folks,

First time poster here. I have 2 Rhodesian Ridgebacks, 1 8 weeks old and 1 10 mos old and I am searching for an all life stages brand as I want to feed them as a group. I’m currently feeding them Precise Naturals Large & Giant breed puppy formula.

I do have a number of things I’m hoping to avoid:
1. Trace contaminates from the manufacturing process. I try to vet the dog foods here: https://www.cleanlabelproject.org/product_category/dog-food/

2. Can be grain or grain free (Rice generally has arsenic but grain free blends tend to have more contaminates just as brands with fish tend to as well) Ref: https://www.cleanlabelproject.org/pet-food/ and https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/11/arsenic-in-your-food/index.htm

3. Would like to avoid high levels of pea/pea protein/legumes as they could potentially have long term health effects on dogs: Ref: https://truthaboutpetfood.com/grain-free-equals-peas-peas-and-more-peas/

4. No canola oil. It seems to have more health risks than benefits: https://draxe.com/canola-oil-gm/

With my current feed, I cannot vet it for trace contaminates as there has not been a review. Another similar one that has been reviewed is Eagle Pack Large & Giant breed (Ref: http://www.eaglepack.com/product-dog.aspx#.WubEFtKG99A ) but it is puppy and adult formulas instead of all life stages. The Great Life brand appears to have an all life stages ones but peas are in both grain and grain free formulas: http://www.greatlifedog.com/# and am waiting on a response as to their current calcium/nutritional profile. Also, the original google linked list appears to still have valid formulas except many of them have been tested to have contaminates at various stages of either manufacturing or pre-manufacturing individual product growth.

Also, reading some of the original links and posts it appears that the recommended protein for some studies is 29 to 34% yet other studies shows that 23% protein had no statistical difference on growth. So, is there a recommended range that is statistically proven?

Any thoughts?

Regards,

John

[Anabel S]

Hi! Just got a Dobie puppy and I’m searching for a good quality food for a large breed without braking the bank. I’m not sure what is the protein, calcium and phosphorus % that I should stick with. Appreciate some food recommendations and clarifications about how to feed my type 2 puppy. Thank you!!

[Wei A]

So of course I found out about the lawsuit after I came home with the new bag of Orijen Puppy Large 🙁

I’ve been feeding my GSD Orijen Puppy Large and my cat Orijen Freeze Dried Regional Red and Freeze Dried Angus Dog Treats (the cat version is the same, except smaller pieces, are hard to find, and a lot more expensive per ounce than dog version).

Guess when we go to the vet (in the next couple weeks), I’ll ask for heavy metals, BPA, and acrylamide testing. Whether or not we switch to something else will be determined by the results.

Does anyone know if there are better tests than others for these things, or are they all about the same/only one choice? Anything in particular we should do/not do the day before/day of the vet visit in preparation for the tests? Does cat or dog make a difference? Would it be better to get the tests ordered and done by a different vet since my vet doesn’t like Champion Foods and he only recommends Purina and Science Diet products?

Hopefully everything will be fine.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr… hisssssssssssss…

• This reply was modified 7 years, 7 months ago by Wei A.

[Joseph Z]

I currently feed my 3 yr old GSD 4Health and I am picking up an 8 week odl male GSD Sunday. I saw that 4Health Puppy didnt make the list for a top brand. Is it any good and if not taking in budget restraints, what brand would be a good one for my boy?

[Tiffany A]

My husky is 8yrs old and we just figured out she has hypothyroidism. On top of that she has slightly elevated liver enzymes(we still dont know why) and high calcium (which we strongly believe is her parathyroid). She has not eaten a consistent meal for over 2wks now and I am stressing the heck out. She is on antibiotics and thyroid meds(theze only a week now) a pain killer for her back legs which we believe she has arthritis. I am completly tapped financially from the past three weeks of tests and buying her any food I can think of she might eat. I am at my wits end. My vet is stumped. She is normally very very food motivated. I have tried the following foods.
Northwest naturals (her original diet which raw isnt the best right now with her body going through so much)
Hills i/d (she ate ok for 3 or 4 days)
Vitality (ate for 2 days)
Pet pantry(cooked stew)
Koha(canned cooked stews)
Acana meadowlands(she was on before raw)
Boiled chicken and beef with rice(chicken one meal beef the other ate for a couple days)

She will beg for my food even thougb she knows I wont feed it to her I know she is hungry. She wont touch tripe I have tried gravy tricks,toppers,etc. Maybe I am switching to much but with all these meds she needs to eat something. She is already dropping weight from the thyroid meds and her energy is now through the roof. Its early but my vet agreed to lessen her does a bit because she has been panting and tanking water.

I know no one here is a vet her anything but I just dont know what to do anymore 🙁 am I supposed to just medicate her and wait until she is hungry enough to eat here or what? She hasnt fought me on food like this since she was a puppy.

[Angie W]

My 19yo’s collie puppy (16 months old) got the Rimadyl that my German Shepherd was taking off the counter and ate the entire bottle. It was two week’s worth of Rimadyl and my GSD had only been taking it for two days (had just had surgery).

We didn’t find out that it had been eaten until about 12 hours afterward. I left for work and my oldest daughter found the chewed up bottle about 30 minutes later, but thought it had been an empty bottle from the recycle bin (she’d been on Rimadyl before the surgery too), so she didn’t say anything or think anything of it. I found out when I went to give my GSD her pain medication after work and found the chewed up bottle.

We took all the dogs (also have a Golden Rottie mix) to the emergency vet and they were on IV fluids for 5 days. At that point their BUN and creatinine were normal. They never had any symptoms during this time and still have not shown any symptoms.

At this point, the collie puppy has creatinine 1.8 and is starting to spill protein. This is after one week off of IV fluids. We are going to do a full panel in four weeks to check everything.

The vet said that at this point we do not want to restrict her protein or phosphorus and is worried about blood pressure possibly becoming an issue as well. She said to keep her on her regular kibble, but add water to it. If our golden rottie mix (6yo) has an increase in creatinine, then she said she will recommend switching her over to a senior food for lower protein but not putting her on a prescription diet yet unless her creatinine goes up much higher. Right now the collie puppy’s creatinine is 1.8 and the golden rottie’s creatinine is 1.9.

What I have been feeding her is Kirkland Super Premium Adult Dog Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables Formula. The local Tomlinson owner is very knowledgeable about dog foods and recommended using Lotus Dog Food. I do like that they list the actual values in their food rather than minimums and maximums.

Any specific recommendations? The collie puppy does not like canned food and never has. She likes crunchy dry food, so I don’t know how she’s going to react to having water added to it. We are going to start adding it in a little at a time and hopefully she just goes along with it. She’s a picky eater

[Lorena]

Suzanne, I stopped using Costco food after my Frenchie had anemia and died. She also had a uti and other issues. Both my Boston Terrier and Frenchie were throwing up at least twice a week on Costco food (kibbles and canned) and unfortunately I didn’t switch foods soon enough. Marylou, dogs know when the food is bad as they can smell a lot better than we can. My daughter’s cat does the same thing, sometimes the canned food she opens, the cat will sniff and walk away even though it’s the same food he goes crazy for. She then knows it’s a bad batch and opens a new can. If all the cans have the same lot # then most likely they’re all bad. You should return the food to Costco and get your money back! They require at least 50% but if you tell them it got your dogs sick they should take it back regardless.

My 10 yr old Boston Terrier is doing well on her new food (Acana duck and pear and I top her food with 1/2 patty of Duck Duck Goose raw freeze-dried dinner patty from Stella & Chewy’s). I’m spending more on food now but it’s worth it if it saves me on vet visits and illness. I’m also feeding my Vizsla puppy the same food because it’s for all stages (it has DHA and Glucosamine). I don’t buy canned food anymore as mix in, the freeze-dried patties are enough as my dogs love these. They tried the lamb patties, but they prefer the duck. I highly recommend Acana, Orijen, or Fromm.

[Andy M]

Just following up on this topic. I’ve been feeding my 20 month old English Mastiff (about 190 lbs) Kirkland’s Adult Dog Chicken, Rice, and Vegetable (not grain free) dry kibble since we moved off the Diamond Naturals Large Breed puppy food and he’s been fine until this past week, he seems to not be eating as much and today didn’t eat breakfast at all. I dont know if he’s sick on something else or if the food is making him sick. I dont know what to do.

[Airseabattle]

I just read that there is salt in the sardines I bought. Would the water from that be healthy to mix with my puppy’s food? Considering there’s salt included, Is feeding her canned sardines daily healthy? She’s just a five pound chihuahua. The canned sardines at my grocery store all have salt. Should I feed raw sardines instead?

• This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by Airseabattle.

[Ella R]

Hello Friends, From the Last few days I read so many Nutrition Book. My Question is Can Dog eat Raw Carrot Food 🥕. Can i use Raw carrots as a treat for My Puppy? What Precautions Io i need to take before to feed it?

[crazy4cats]

Hi Lauren-
Congratulations on your new adorable puppy! Looks like he found a great home.
I do like to rotate foods a bit also. I usually feed one brand for four or five months, rotating through their different flavors paying particular attention to calories and fat. I like to feed them food that is around the same amount of calories. It just keeps it simpler for knowing how much for everyone in our house to feed them and to keep their weight fairly stable. I add a couple of spoonfuls of canned food, sardines or eggs to their meals. I used to feed some commercial raw as a topper as well, but NO more after all the recalls of late!

I pretty much feed my cats the same dry food and switch up their canned food for some variety in their diet.

Good luck with your new pup. Keep it simple! I’m learning that feeding them different foods is probably as much or more for our own enjoyment as it is theirs! LOL! Best Wishes.

[Richard H]

I have been away for a while and had a friend recommend a new “better” dog food. I re-joined the website to check it out,however, much to my chagrin it has changed. It used to be a great “independent” place to go to compare values. Apparently they have moved to the “we only test and evaluate the really expensive dog food” review. I have to assume that there is compensation of some type or another to blame. Testing only the 20 -30 highest cost foods is of no value to me. When I joined we were feeding Royal Canin, the site tested it against Kirkland Small Breed Dry (Costco) and we were able to reduce our food costs and increase the quality but alas, i’m sure Costco wasn’t cutting any checks to The Dog Food Advisor for this advertising. Sorry I rejoined, I will not be recommending this site to any of my puppy parents as I had in the past.

[Heidi M]

I’m curious as well! I’ve been feeding my 2 Goldens Merrick chicken and sweet potato but I’m getting a new puppy in a few weeks and just learned about the whole “calcium” thing! So now I’m on a hunt for a food with less calcium and was thinking about Whole Earth Farms which is on the approved low calcium list. And at least it’s made my Merrick which has worked out well for my dogs so far. Paying attention to your thread.

[crazy4cats]

My 6 1/2 year old male labs are eating a Fromm weight management formula right now and really like it. I also feed Whole Earth Farms frequently with good results. I hope you find something that they like and is a good large breed puppy food! Good luck.

[Sue H]

John, I am so very, very sorry that you lost your Saint Bernard puppy. Thank you for sharing this sad post.

I have always monitored the intake and output of my dogs, as they eat different food for a reason and at times, may or may not be on a medication as well. I use different bowls and different colored bowls for each dog to prepare their meals and I also feed them separately so I can be sure they are eating, and if they are not, monitoring why they are not eating and calling my vet.

[John D. H]

Galliprant was prescribed to my Saint Bernard puppy for treating panosteitis. After about a week and a half he began to lessen his food intake. Three days later he hadn’t eaten in a day and a half. Rushed him to emergency vet. Stayed two days with interveinious feeding and pain med. After four days back on Galliprant he stopped eating again and rushed to regular vet for emergency surgery to relieve his blockage form his intestine. After returning home we started the Galliprant again and within 3 days he stopped eating again. 12 hours later he was dead. I never made the connection with the Galliprant neither did the vet.
Please if you use Galliprant carefully monitor your dogs eating and eliminating.

[Derek D]

I usually get either the chicken, beef, or turkey benefuls wet dog food for my dog as a sometimes treat instead of just kibble as she gets bored of eating the same thing. they didn’t have any the last time I went to DG but they had the Mossy Oak Chicken, Beef, or Salmon flavored wet food. One thing I’ve always noticed with the beneful wet food is she always burps really loud after eating it, then about 1/2 an hour later if that she’s at her food bowl eating some kibble and it does make her stool soft but still formed. With the Mossy Oak wet food (only tried the beef and chicken, don’t know that she’s ever had fish) not only was she full after she ate it, but there was no burping or gas or anything of the sort. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen her lick a bowl so clean before. For anyone noting that their dog’s poop is orange, have you seen the sizes of the carrots, etc. in the Mossy Oak food compared to the other wet foods? With the size of the chunks in that food I’m not surprised it might be turning their poop orange, but I haven’t seen any indication of my dog having an issue with the food, like I said it seems to go down better than the benefuls. The other thing I’ve noticed is when she eats the Mossy Oak wet food she seems to have a more complete bowel movement. Every dog will react differently to the same exact food so just part of being a responsible slave to their puppy overlords err I mean pet owner just keep an eye on how they’re doing with it and how much you feed them at a time when transitioning foods. Many dogs can have a sensitive stomach, irritable bowels, etc. and you’ll never know it until you feed them that one certain thing, etc.

[Susan R]

Does any know if feeding a white puppy a certain type of food will help prevent staining around their mouth, as well as giving them non-tap water? Has anyone heard of this and, if so, any recommendations for a type of food? My mind goes to chicken breasts. Will I have to cook chicken breasts for my puppy?!? Thanks, in advance, if anyone has any advice or suggestions.

[pitlove]

Hi Ange M-

The best thing you can do is find a food that states it is for a large breed puppy. Now I will warn you, some that make this claim are not actually large breed puppy safe because the company formulating the food doesn’t actually understand what causes developmental issues in growing LBPs on the diet side of things. Holistic Select was a really good example of a company like this.

The companies that are going to have the most trustworthy large breed puppy foods are Purina, Science Diet and Royal Canin. There is no reason to “avoid” any ingredients in a puppy on the assumption that maybe just maybe, he could one day develop a food sensitivity. This is absurd and will only cause you to be more confused. There is also no need to feed a puppy a rotational diet as suggested above. If something does happen, it will be almost impossible to know the cause. I went through this myself, so I can no longer recommend rotational diets.

[haleycookie]

So protein doesn’t matter (unless your dog is sensitive which is unlikely at that age) the most important thing you’ll want to find at the moment is a proper large breed puppy food. Two of my favorites are wellness and Fromm large breed puppy foods. Feed that for about a year and a half to two years and after that it doesn’t really matter what you feed. One of the only difference between a large breed adult food and a regular adult food is pieces are bigger for a bigger mouth. So I’d recommend if you try the Fromm to just switch to adult fromm at the right time and just rotate flavors to prevent any sensitivities from popping up. Or even do a rotational diet of all the food brands he likes best and agrees with him and that you like best just to mix things up and to avoid any chances of a recall or recipe change if you’re feeding the same food for years in and out.