[dendad]

Update: My little Chihuahua continues to eat only Science Diet. It’s all she wants. I still believe that my late Dachshund’s problems may have been caused by Science Diet, but if my Chihuahua won’t eat anything else, what am I to do? I spent a bunch of money on various flavors of Merrick after reading about that brand on this forum. She hated it. Duck, Chicken, Pork, Beef, etc. She’d try. She’d put a bite in her mouth, walk across the room, then spit it out. Yes, I just gave her a little at a time along with the Science Diet, but to no avail. I also gave up on the making my own dog food. Too many risks there too. If anyone has any suggestions, I’d appreciate it. I really can’t afford to experiment much longer. I thought I’d try her on Bil-Jac? Thanks.

[londoncalling1996]

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply to my questions. It’s really so helpful, I find it all a bit overwhelming. I made the trip to Los Altos today to the pet store with LOTS of good dog food options. I got 7 small sample bags of different kinds of Fromm dry kibble for Lux to try. I also got a can of Trippett, Green beef tripe, duck and salmon. (I haven’t opened it yet though, got to psych myself up for that I think! :-)) And a can each of Ziwipeak venison&fish recipe and Nature’s logic rabbit dinner. After reading your advise, I thought, “well, cost isn’t really an isssue, man, what we paid for this dog!”, but then I got to the pet store and saw the prices! If my 16 year old is going to go to college, Lux might have to eat some kibble! These three cans I got cost 15 bucks and with a berner in the house, we might be eaten out of house and home! I am looking on line at some of the on line sites you suggested. Thanks! I do like to shop local and will, but since it’s about 20 miles to the nearest pet store with good food, I can justify not using the local shop for all of our dog food needs all the time. So, now you have me thinking about wet and raw food, do I also need to worry about the calcium content in those for the first 8 or 10 months of Lux’s life? Maybe you have a list of your favorite canned foods for Large and Giant Breed puppies that have the right amount of calcium? (Fingers crossed!) Where are you located? I’m on the San Francisco peninsula, about 20 miles south of SF. Thank you for everything! Cheers, Jules

[pugmomsandy]

tarynjodi,

When you see a tapeworm on your dog’s poop, you are just seeing a few segments of the whole worm that is already residing in the intestines. Tapeworms can grow up to several feet in length. Your pup probably already had them. Tapeworms don’t necessarily shed with poop all the time. It can be once a week that you might even see one. The tapeworm eggs are carried by fleas and when your dog eats one, it can become infected. Half of my fosters had tapeworms when I got them. But I didn’t see them in the stool always right away. Sometimes it will be a week before I see some. My personal dogs have been eating Trippett and other completely raw foods for a couple years and they don’t ever have worms. And I don’t even give them any flea prescriptions. But I’ve noticed that half my fosters during this time of year have tapeworms. They weren’t even treated at the vet for them before being released as they probably didn’t shed any in the stool while there or the tech just didn’t look at the poop up close!

[kcarter137]

I have been lurking around on a few of the “Raw Food” Forums and decided to do homemade-cooked food. I would do raw but my boyfriend has vetoed it (hopefully I can slowly incorporated some raw items without him knowing). I have Dr. Beckers book, I have read it a few times and understand that I am going to need to supplement her food due to lack of bones but still have some questions. We are going currently reintroducing foods after being on a elimination diet of pork and sweet potatoes for the last few months due to her allergies. So far we have discovered she is allergic to rice and chicken. She can have fish. I still have a few more weeks of reintroducing items. I know the rice irrelevant. The dermatologist she’s seeing said that if she is allergic to chicken then she cannot have any “feathered” protein.
Does anyone have any experience with this?
Will I need to supplement her feed with anything to make up for the lack of “feathered protein”?

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi juelz4you –

There have been some issues with obtaining the Canine Caviar information (there is actually a thread about this). When I created the list about a year ago the calcium level I used was listed as an actual (not min). I’ve been trying to contact the company for a week now (via email and phone) and have received no response so this food will be removed from the list. I’m currently in the process of updating the list and creating a grain-inclusive list.

[londoncalling1996]

I am hoping to do the best for our new, 11 week old Bernese Mountain Dog pup, Lux. We had a Berner, Bailey, who died way too young (3-1/2) and it took us a long time to get over the loss and risk another one (and their relatively short life expectancy) joining our family. We are hoping Lux will live a good long life, well past her predicted expectancy. So, here I am! I have been looking thru this wonderfully informative website, thank you, which is helping me, but also making my brain spin a bit! I have a couple questions, the first (I can’t seem to find anywhere here) is about the 4 and 5 star foods. What is the difference? Digestive aid, is this only if my dog develops a problem, like throwing up, or would it be beneficial for life? Also, toppers, like the green tripe, is that something I should give our pup? The breeder was feeding her Ekanuba Large Breed Puppy so I bought a big bag of it. Doesn’t sound like it’s a good choice from what I’v read here. I heard at a pet store, they used to be a better dog food before being bought out by a big agro corp. (If that’s true). I’ve printed your list of recommended Large and Giant Breed Puppy foods and I will take that with me to buy Lux some new food tomorrow. Anyhow, Hound Dog Mom, thanks for all your hard work and puppy love! Cheers, Jules

[Spencers Mom]

Hi everyone, I have a 2 1/2 year old, male Yorkie. We had the pleasure of becoming his pet parents a little over a year ago. We are having issues with food allergies. He gnaws/licks his feet, so much at times their raw, he’s constantly scratching. No sneezing. When we first got him he was eating Purina moist & meaty/beef & cheese. We wanted to switch him to a little healthier product and to a kibble thinking a kibble version was better for his teeth. Since then, he has had issues. Funny he wasn’t having allergy issues on the Purina. We’ve tried Nutro, Blue Buffalo, Natural Balance LID, Taste of The Wild High Prairie, even a prescription dog food from the Vet, (which made him vomit several times in just 2 weeks) and many more I can’t remember at the moment. Of those brands we’ve tried Chicken, Turkey, Duck, Salmon, Venison – which we have him on at the moment even Venison jerky treats. We’ve tried grain free, limited ingredient, etc. The Salmon made him vomit, may have been too rich for him. I’ve researched and researched, some posts I’ve read said California Natural was great for dogs with food allergies, but I’ve seen they have had several recalls lately. Little scared to try that one yet. We are at our wits end!! Hate to see our baby suffering. We are wondering now is it the meat protein (since we’ve tried so many different proteins) he’s having issues with or could it be the “dry” formula in it’s self. We left him with his Aunt for a week and she feed him Fresh Pet Select, CHICKEN. She said he didn’t scratch or gnaw any that week. So are we on to something, or just barking up the wrong tree (pun intended)??? Could there be some difference between the dry and wet formula that would cause food allergies??

[somebodysme]

You can google for the dog food by name and find the company’s website which almost always has a “where to buy” link at the top and enter your zip code. They also have all the ingredients listed by variety. Each “flavor” varies so read them all. They may say duck but have fish too.

[guidosmom]

I have two Jack Russell Terriers. One is 14+, the other is 8. Both have always had fairly sensitive digestive systems. They had been on evo red meat, then switched to Orijen red about 6 months ago. They did fairly well on this. In addition they always got some veggies, plain yogurt, and cooked organic chicken breast mixed in. About a month ago my older dog got sick with some kind of intestinal issue and has since been refusing his food. We have tried all kinds of wet food products, canned pumpkin, etc… some he likes for a day, then refuses the next day. We have been to the vet multiple times, and everything has come back normal. He consistently likes treats though, but I try not to allow him to have many. He also will sometimes eat wet food off a spoon or my finger, just not in a bowl. He started seeing an acupuncturist who gave us some samples of darwin’s natural selections beef and veggie. She recommended poaching it lightly first for him. I also read on the darwin website they recommend doing this for picky eaters or older dogs. He LOVED it, and has since eaten consistently for two days in a row without any vomiting or diarrhea episodes. This is huge for him. I tried mixing the darwin’s in with some of his kibble. He picks all the darwin’s out, and leaves the kibble, making it a little difficult to transition. Our other dog happily eats it all. My question, is poaching the food first recommended only during the transition phase? Or is this recommended for all older/picky dogs? Wouldn’t this take away all the benefits of a raw diet? I am only lightly poaching it, so like to think there is still some benefit. Also, because he is picking out and refusing the orijen (kibble), but eating the darwin’s, will this completely shock his system? I would appreciate any advice or tips anyone has about switching their sensitive, older, picky dog to a raw food diet. I love my older guy, and seeing him refuse food breaks my heart. Thanks in advance!

[Hound Dog Mom]

I’ve never used the spray, I just use the topical. I don’t remember reading castor oil on the topical. It should be safe, some people react to it but I mean you can drink it so I can’t imagine it’d damage the skin too much lol

Here’s an article on it from Mercola:

articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/04/28/castor-oil-to-treat-health-conditions.aspx

[Cyndi]

Hi Ceara. You are in the right place, for starters. I have been feeding my dog raw for a little over two months now. I did a TON of research online and eventually, thank god, found this site. This forum section and the wonderful people on here, have been a HUGE help. Here is a link to the thread I started before I began feeding raw, while I was still in the research/question stage:

/forums/topic/help-with-starting-my-dog-on-a-raw-diet/

It WAS overwhelming, I do know that. Read thru that thread and maybe that will help. I asked alot of questions, so maybe some of that will help you…

I can’t help on the canned food topic, I’m not that knowledgeable, but I guess if you just go to the review section and look under some of the 4 and 5 star wet foods, that would be a good place to start. Also Kudos to you for not listening to your boyfriend about Beneful! That wouldn’t have been any better than the Science Diet.

Good Luck! 🙂

[somebodysme]

Isn’t that sarcoptic mange? It didn’t spread to you? I kind to thought that if she had that, then I’d have it too? I suppose it could be. The patches that pop up are red and inflamed looking, go away in a couple days…she is then left with a gray skin patch but there isn’t irritation on the skin anymore. Is that the sort of rash it would cause? Also, her back doesn’t itch. That’s one reason I thought maybe it was demodex because supposedly demodex doesn’t itch but sarcoptic mange does itch.

I’m really beginning to think that it was something that she had eaten that caused that to come up and get inflamed. It is all fading away now and she is on nothing but her food (NV LID Turkey) and a probiotic. All treats are just her kibble and no other supposedly LID treats anymore. No other supplements. There was a treat I’d bought that sounded like she shouldn’t have any problems with it..sweet potatoes and turkey and very little else but I do believe that was what she was allergic to. I think she’s allergic to sweet potatoes and white potatoes. I won’t know until I can add one new thing at a time though.

Thanks for that suggestion though, if it doesn’t go away I’ll ask the vet about that for sure!

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

[somebodysme]

I’ve also read that putting the food in the freezer kills those mites. I can’t remember how many days the article says…I’m sure googling it will tell you but I’m sure if you put it in there for a few days, that will kill them. I do remember that it said to allow the food to come to room temperature before you give it to them.

[kateagray]

Hi!

I’ve been posting in different threads with questions on different dog foods/supplements and then just realized…HELLO…there are forums on this website as well, thanks to Inkedmarie who suggested I check out a sub forum with different dog foods that were grain free with no potatoes. Thanks! I’ve decided to send my question out forum wise instead of post wise so I can keep better track of the advice that I am receiving.

Here is my dilemma:

In 2006 I took Nikki, my 13 year old Miniature Schnzauzer in for allergy testing – she is allergic to pretty much everything environmental is what I found out. She was on a duck and potato formula then. She had a couple of bouts of pancreatitis due to some pain medication she was prescribed for something else and then because someone in my family was naughty an fed her some sausage. My vet put her on a prescription diet of Purina HA. I believe that my vet is being super cautious as schnauzers are prone to bladder stones, pancreatitis/hyperlipidemia, and hypothyroidism. Nikki seems to do ok on this dog food, which I get but every time I ask her for an alternative she says absolutely not this is the only dog food she can tolerate. I don’t like that answer. There has to be alternatives.

I called them back recently and got a different vet in her practice – my regular vet is out for a time due to sick family member, and he couldn’t figure out why Nikki was on this dog food. He thinks it’s because of the food allergies. I ask him what food allergies and he can’t answer me. I thought she was on this food due to a sensitive stomach. So, I’m confused. I was also told to give her rice cakes as treats and tofu to give her any medications so that is all she has been getting. She can’t eat anything other than that is what she tells me and she pushes low protein which I’ve been reading may not be the answer. She’s been on this prescription diet for a few years and everything I’m reading now says that it might not be good to have a dog on that diet for so long. She’s been on and off antibiotics, anti bacterial pills, temaril p for years to help with her allergies and yeast infections. Nothing really seems to help and I’m worried I’ve just completely ruined her system with years of this. Purina HA has a low protein (18%) and fat content (8%) with hydrolyzed protein of soy. I honestly feel I can do better by her with a different dog food.

About a year ago Nikki was diagnosed with Melanoma. A tumor on the pad of her paw that was removed (but not a clean removal). She has been taking the Melanoma Vaccine every 6 months. The cancer does not look to have come back so far. (knock on wood) She also has gallstones that don’t seem to bother her but do show up in x-rays. She has a heart murmur and Also, on her last urinalysis I was told there was protein in her urine. We did a protein/creatinene ratio and it came back ok, so I’m told I don’t need to worry about that right now.

I’ve been researching dog food and supplements now for about 2 weeks and am now more confused than before. I purchased a probiotic from Nusentia (waiting to get it in the mail) that supposedly should help with her yeast issues and possibly allergies.

Do I stay with her current food and just give supplements or do I completely switch foods over (slowly)?

She’s 13 years old with a lot of health issues – I don’t want to rock the boat, but I also want to do my due diligence in finding her something to make her healthy and happy for the remainder of her life.

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide. I may have left some things out and if so, I’d be happy to clarify.

Kate

[spaniel39]

Morning
I got the same internal service error but yet got an email from them that it was received.
In any case, I heard from someone this morning via email-dawn
HDM, perhaps you can call her. Here’s the email (and my reply)
Good morning dawn,
I did not receive any email(s) from you and not available today as traveling but
could call tomorrow.
I am also going to relay your number to a member of dogfoodadvisor.com
whom you can speak to
But basically, just want to be sure that the canine caviar large breed lamb puppy dinner is 1.3 calcium/1.0 phosphorous instead of the higher and dangerous levels
of 2.3 and 2.0 written on the bag

Thank you
Michael S Bosse
Chicago

In a message dated 7/10/2013 8:33:37 A.M. Central Daylight Time, [email protected] writes:

Good day Sir,

I have not heard back from you so I wanted to write again in case the email did not go through.
Once again, I have spoke with our support group and read your email.

May we have a conversation as there are several clarifying questions that I have?
I am eager to address your concerns.
Feel free to contact me or provide a number where I can call you.

We do appreciate your suggestion and willingness to help.

Sincerely,

Dawn Barraco
714 223 1800 office
970 576 8775 cell
[email protected]

also, HDM
my email is spaniel39
and I’m on AOL

[Hound Dog Mom]

I attempted to forward my concerns to Canine Caviar this morning via the online contact form on their website but every time I hit submit it read “Internal Service Error” (surprise). I’ll try to call them later and see if that gets me anywhere.

[Mike Sagman]

Hi Milasmom,

Since we get so many requests, we would love to review this product. However, since we can’t find this info on a company website, we would need the following help from one of our readers:

1. A readable photo image of the complete ingredients list

2. A readable photo image of the label’s “Guaranteed Analysis”. This panel contain the protein, fat, fiber and moisture content of the recipe

3. Question: Is there only one recipe for Sheps Dog Food (flavor) — or are there different versions of the brand?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Mike Sagman, Editor
The Dog Food Advisor

[BlackAndTan]

It is the very rare dog owner who reads ingredients, much less nutritional breakdown. It is the even more rare dog owner who knows what any of it means, or is concerned.

I’m not surprised they feel no rush to change their bags. If pugmomsandy is correct, they are also under no obligation to do so. If anything, their labelling error could lose them customers, so they are doing this at THEIR own risk.

Going to news outlet seems a highly overblown reaction, and will unlikely be taken seriously. I would support that course of action if the food was toxic or the misprint was WILDLY misleading, but that is not the case here.

[Anonymous]

I’d think dog stomachs to be more sensitive than a chickens. Heck, I’ve seen chickens eat broken glass. Even still, there are writeups based on the nutritional value for things like poultry @ http://www.alpa.org.ve/ojs/index.php/ojs_files/article/view/22 . The protein it adds is the yeast and I’ve seen more and more of this in many foods now a days as it’s dirt cheap and easy. I end up with with massive amounts of it a year with other hobbies so it’s never been an issue to me. Just remember, it has a strong laxative effect in quantity and that might not be something you want to give your dog. 😉

Another option might be some mold derivatives that break down the same substance without causing the alcohol byproduct (which is what the mother is added to eat) if you’re going to go this route. Perhaps Monascus purpureus (Red Rice Yeast) or Aspergillus Oryzae (White Koji) mold with a yeast kicker would be a better option to accomplish the above task as they would further break down the starches and minerals plus create more yeast byproduct. They could also be done with the protein present without hurting anything at least for short periods of time. Be careful of the Red Rice Yeast if you go that route though as large amounts can be hard/dangerous on the kidneys.

In any event, when brewing fermented beverages the PH and alcohol content helps to kill off the dangerous pathogens. Similar thing with things like Sauerkraut minus the alcohol. But open air fermenting for short periods of time will up the rate of mold growth too so you wouldn’t want to do very much and feed it IMMEDIATELY after a short “fermentation.” Also, depending on your locale, open fermentations can produce some nasty flavors. We keep some dried sourdough starter to activate for making bread every so often since the flavors of open air done sourdough here are just terrible.

[Shihtzumom20]

Hi Hound Dog Mom,
I see what you mean about the Greens supplement now, I will just use a regular human multi vitamin. So here is my “meal plan” so lets see how close to right I get it, Lol!
am- Ziwipeak Daily Dog air dried cuisine-Lamb

pm- (I would make up a batch of a pound then divide it into his appropriate meal size)
– 1Ib boneless lean ground meat (chicken, beef, or pork) could I also use chunks for his size?
– 1/4 Ib vegetables, cooked and pureed… perhaps I could use organic baby food? To see if he will even eat any “slop” veggies?
– daily 1/4 tab multi-vit without calcium
-800mg calcium
– krill oil or another fish oil or sardines whatever I feel like that day lol.
– Swansons Glandular supplement, 3x a week or daily?
-Swansons Fruit concentrate, daily? or 3x a week?
How is that looking? Then I may need to add in the fiber, he does already get 1 tablespoon or so plain natural yogurt with his evening meal as his BM’s were fairly mushy on the Grandma Lucy’s Artisan. Speaking of that I guess I will use my leftovers as a kong stuffer or a quick meal… maybe give it a couple times a week in the am instead of his ziwi till its gone. He likes it well enough and I feel ok about it, but I would like it more if it didnt show up in his poop so much looking the same way it went in! Oh and maybe add some garlic into his meal… Does anyone know where I can get the Bugs Off Garlic in Canada? I looked on the website but it wouldnt ship to Canada at least when I last checked.
I completely agree, you are so patient with is newbies Hound Dog Mom, all your advice and time is greatly appreciated!

[Cyndi]

Hey Everyone! I have a question about pork necks. I haven’t given these to Bailey yet and I’d like to start. Right now I alternate chicken backs and turkey necks for her dinners and I’d like to start adding pork necks into the rotation. Do I have to freeze these for a certain length of time before I feed them, and why? I think I’ve read before that I do have to, but I couldn’t find where I read it.

Also, another question that has me wondering….. Bailey gets gas, really stinky gas, but I haven’t been able to narrow it down on what it is. I believe it might either be from the turkey livers or the whole ground rabbit carcass. Any ideas which it might be and why? She never had a problem with gas up until I started feeding those two things, which I started right about the same time, so I can’t figure it out which one it might be…

[BlackAndTan]

Hi everyone

I recently posted asking for gluten-free suggestions for my 6 year old rottie with a mild seizure history over the last year. I got some good suggestions and checked a number of products out, eventually landing on Canine Caviar (CC) (dry dinner, venison).

My big concern was that my dog’s Orijen had been making him sluggish in recent months, and the longtime producer of AWFUL (!!!!!!!) gas.

I am extremely happy with the CC. The gas is pretty well eliminated, bowel movements barely smell, but here’s the real kicker: my dog was always regular, but would often need to walk for an hour to be ready to ‘produce,’ even if he’d been moaning to go out. I figured it was a behavioural thing. But, since starting the CC, he will have a bm within a block of leaving home (and perfect, healthy formation). With the massive heat wave we’ve been having, and the risk of him over-exerting and over-stressing, this has been a lifesaver.

Just sharing this experience in case someone has a dog with mild constipation who must be gluten free. This could be a good solution for you. Might be the lower protein?

[EHubbman]

Hey Sbrooker, My guy is on the rabbit too (3.5 moz pup), we rotate that and the LID Turkey (with some canned here and there to keep it interesting). To introduce probiotics into his diet, I started giving him a small amount of regular plain yogurt with meals(not vanilla, not light or low fat, and made sure that the label notes that live cultures are used.). The other people on this thread likely have much better suggestions, but this was just my experience. It’s helped my guy digest a lot better. Also, yogurt with a 3.5 month old pup.is pretty hilarious to watch. Haha!

[KarenC]

That’s such a sweet story about your Eddie! He knew he would be safe with you (and have a full tummy!). Dogs always know when they are rescued, don’t they? I hope Abby fills what you’re missing from Eddie.

Someone said above to stick around here and you’ll learn a lot…They aren’t kidding! I’ve always been a kibble feeder (due to budgets and lifestyle constraints), and have always gone for the best I could afford at the moment. Believe me that there were some days when me and all the dogs were sharing a bologna sandwich and can of soup. But reading here and the review comments has taught me so much. Things that now make perfect sense, but I never really thought of before. Rotating being one of them. My dogs never ate one single food for years and years because I tried to improve as I could, but now I know that rotation more often is even better! They’ve also gotten cooked or canned toppers as often as I could, but I never would have considered sardines or other canned fish! There hasn’t been a single question I couldn’t get answered by some of the experienced posters here. Stick around and you’ll learn a ton!

[DogFoodie]

ROFL, Sandy! That story about Pluto, Rain Man, is hilarious!

My two furballs are Arabella, who my daughter likes to call Arabella Louise and Sam. Poor Sam. Sam is registered, well not yet though, because we have yet to file his paperwork. I can’t decide on a good name for him.

Arabella, my sweet Cavalier, came from a rescue when she was 8 months old. The rescue was a small family operation and they actually had both of Bella’s parents. Bella was born there and both of the adults and all the pups were adopted out. The owner of the rescue was keeping Bella as her own. However, she quickly realized that Bella needed a much smaller family where she would get a lot more attention ~ the woman who had the rescue had several dogs of her own and all were large breed dogs. The day were adopted Bella, we didn’t get to meet the owner of the rescue in person because she couldn’t bring herself to be there and see Bella go. I completely understand. Arabella was given her name at birth by the owner of the rescue and it means answered prayer in Italian. I wasn’t about to change her name when I learned what it meant. My daughter was previously scared to death of dogs and Bella completely brought her out of it. Which brings us to Sam…

“Mom, may I pleeezzz have a Golden Retriever puppy.”

So last year, on July 4th, we picked out Sam. When he was officially 8 weeks old, a scant two days later, he was ready to come home with us.

So, maybe you guys can help me finishing naming Sam! The name of the kennel is Five Shy, so that has to be the first part of his name and the rest is up for grabs. He’s been Five Shy Katie’s Firecracker Sam and he’s been Five Shy Samuel Angyus Adams.

I don’t mean to hijack the thread, but you opened the door! : )

[DogFoodie]

Hi Ron,

Congrats on the new pup! That’s awesome you’ve adopted a more “mature” pet! Labs are so great, aren’t they.

I will totally second Patty’s recommendation for NutriSource. It does seem that it’s very easily transitioned to and I know that they carry it at PSP, that’s where I buy mine. By the way, NutriSource also has a loyalty program ~ ask them about it at PSP. Also, you can get coupons all the time from NutriSource by texting the word “Source” to 55678 ~ at the store where I shop, there’s also a really sweet NutriSource rep there frequently and she readily hands out coupons ~ even leaves them sticking out between the various stacks of their product at the store when she leaves.

OK, so I don’t work for Nutri Source and there are definitely other foods I like as well. Do you need to try to stick to a particular budget?

[Hound Dog Mom]

That’s wonderful that you’re considering starting half raw – you may very well find he isn’t as sensitive to certain ingredients when they’re served raw. The enzymes are great, in addition to enzymes (if you aren’t already) you may want to consider supplementing with a high quality, multi-strain probiotic supplement. Probiotics help to strengthen the gut and, ultimately, the immune system and there’s some evidence suggesting that they can help with food intolerances.

[Boerboel Daddy]

Hi

I’m not sure if you have answered a similar question before as i haven’t read through the entire thread.. but here it goes

I have a 2,5 yr old Boerboel ( South African Breed similar to a English Mastiff) who has just mated a week ago. I am currently feeding Eathborn Primitive natural (2.4% Calcium). I will natural feed the pups one of the other Eathborn Foods you have already recommended due to the lower calcium content… (thanks for that info by the way)
.Other articles I’ve read warned against feeding too high levels of calcium to pregnant dogs and recommend switching to a puppy food of a quality dog food. (it had something to do with the contraction of the Uterus)

Finally the Question…: can I keep her on Earthborn Primitive natural (2.4% calcium) or should I switch to another Earthborn product (1.2 – 1.3% calcium) until after she has given birth and continue with primitive natural then?
also if I give her a calcium ascorbate supplement, does this affect the amount of calcium in the diet?

Any advice give will be appreciated, My girl Jordan and I thank you in advance

[Blue1693]

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

[Cyndi]

Or……you can just go over to the review part and maybe go to the Off Topic thread and post a picture of him there…… 🙂 Then the pic will be bigger than a little thumbnail and I can oooooohhhh and ahhhhhh over him! Lol!

Here’s a link for you to make it easier
/off-topic-discussion/

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

[texasniteowl]

I want to give another try to grain free for my lab mix, Wilson. Our first try was with one of the Earthborn Holistic foods (bison I think) and it didn’t go all that well. We mixed in slowly and still hadn’t transitioned completely after 3 weeks with still unpredictable poo. So he’s been back on his Fromm’s Duck & Sweet Potato for now.

I know that Orijen and Acana are some of the most touted grain free foods out there…but the price per pound is up there too. They are still on my list of possibles though.

In the meantime, I had the following on my short list (number in parens is the approx dry matter protein):
Victor – Grain Free Yukon River Salmon (36%)
Taste of the Wild – Wetlands or High Prairie formula (36%)
Wellness Core Original (38%)

I’ve heard mostly good things about these and ToTW is very easy to find as is Wellness Core.

However…a feed store relatively near me…25 minutes away…carries the Victor products. And from a price/pound perspective, Victor is right there with ToTW for value. And since it is also a 5 star food I decided to pick up a 5lb bag of the Yukon Salmon formula to try.

The attributes I was looking for includes: grain free, protein between 30-40% (his Fromm’s is 27% so I wanted to go up but not jump over 40% like the Victor GF Ultra Pro), approx. cost less than $600/yr (Wilson is a 65+ lb lab mix…I have a whole spreadsheet to calculate approx. cost for Wilson per year for around 50 different formulas…yes, I’ve gone a little overboard) AND preferably no recalls…at very least no recent recalls (though iirc, ToTW was part of the Diamond recall last year?).

Anyone, if Victor works well for us then great!

If not, what are some other options I should put on my list?

[jewlz2121]

Hi everyone! I’m brand spankin new here, so hello. I am adopting a 4 and a half month old American Bulldog/Boxer-Hound puppy who currently weighs 41lbs. He’s estimated to be 80 plus lbs as an adult. He has been fed a petsmart store brand dry food up until now. For obvious reasons, I want to change this and feed him something much better. I have looked through the 10 page awesome large breed puppy thread as well as the created doc file on the best foods with lower calcium. Cost is a factor for us. We wanted to go with a Dry Kibble that was able to be bought at a pet store or easy delivery service. From the list, I was leaning toward Wellness Core Puppy and the Kirkland brand. However, I don’t have a Costco membership so that might be a problem! Can anyone help point me in the right direction to make sure puppy has a better finish to his puppyhood than he started out with? He’s currently eating 2 cups in the a.m. and 1 cup in the p.m. – seems like a lot??? How long to stay on a puppy food? Thank you SO MUCH!

[pugmomsandy]

gmcbogger38,

Check out the Raw Dog Food Menus section for some ideas. Also some good reading is “Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet” by Steve Brown and some books by Tom Lonsdale “Work wonders, Feed Your Dog Raw Meaty Bones”, Dr Pitcairn, nutritionist Lew Olsen. There’s a recipe book by Becker/Taylor “Real Food for Healthy Dogs and Cats” that I used when I first started making my own raw. You can also buy quality items from Hare-Today Gone Tomorrow and My Pet Carnivore.

[gmcbogger38]

I talked with a co-worker of mine this morning and have decided not to go with the premixes. I found a local butcher that can order meat in bulk and it is not very expensive. He told me to feed 80% muscle, 10% bone and 10% organ. Is this a correct ratio? It’s not that I don’t believe him, but I thought I read somewhere else online to feed only 5% organ meat. Would a whole chicken (neck and insides included), a turkey neck and a whole fish be considered one single meal for a 115 pound dog? I have 2 other dogs, 60 pounds and 20 pounds, so I know I can just figure out the amounts to feed them based on how much I feed my 115 pound dog. I just don’t know how to formulate a meal. I know how much, in pounds, to feed based on the 2-3% of body weight and I know it is beneficial to fast them one day per week. I just don’t know how to plan the meals out right now and that is what is worrying me. Would I even need fish oil if I feed fresh frozen fish 2-3 times per week? Would I even need any other supplements or will the diet cover that?

[DieselJunki]

I’ve head if you are going to use salmon oil that you should be making sure it says “from wild caught salmon”. Wild caught salmon aren’t fed grains like those ones that are mass farmed, making the oil better. I read it somewhere. I’m pretty sure there might have been other benefits too I just can’t remember.

[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.

[BoRegard]

Hello, my name is Bo, I’m from IL. I am looking for advice because my 8 year old mixed breed Rockie hasn’t been eating regularly and has occasional diarrhea and even vomited twice in the last 2 weeks and once or twice in he prior 2 week period. Right when we think she is getting better, she has a couple bad days. She used to devour her food in 30 seconds flat, but now she just looks at it, eats a kibble, spits it out, and if she does decide to eat, it will take her 5 mintues to finish 3/4 cup. Lately she will wake me up at 5am (normal eating time) whining, so I will put food in her bowl and she will just look at the food, then look at me with a sad face.

She has been on blue buffalo for a few years, currently chicken and brown rice. The sickness started shortly after a family picnic where she consumed plenty of table food and possibly some raw chicken juices momentarily before I ran over and stopped her. Yes I was a very bad doggie dad that day! Right around that time is when we opened a fresh bag of Blue Buffalo as well. That was a month ago and she hasn’t been right since. Since then we have been extremely careful to keep her away from any table food and garbage but she still has loose stool, vomits occasionally and has lathargic days. Occasionally her stomach will growl so loud we can hear it across the room. Yeserday she had bad gas, which is rare for her. According to some reading I’ve done on this website and consumeraffairs.com it seems there might be some bad Blue buffalo food going around recently, and I am not sure if the food is to blame for Rockie’s problems. Certainly I wasn’t doing my job a month ago, so bad parenting may be to blame. My wife and I are contemplating switching her food to see if that makes a difference. We had a vet appt last week, then for 2 days before the appt, her stool was normal and she was eating somewhat normal. So we canceled the appt. Might be time to make another appt.

There are a lot of variables here, I know. Any input is appreciated. I really want to get my girl back to the happy and healthy dog she used to be!
Thanks, Bo

[Newfs]

Hello Hound Dog Mom and all remaining Members 🙂
I am here new, for the last few days I read this forum and I found here many interesting and useful information 🙂
I would like to ask for the help in the selection of the fodder for mine 3,5 the monthly newfoundland pup.
Unfortunately the most recommended feed by you is in Poland inaccessible or they are in cosmic prices.
I consider following fodders, the most of them contains unfortunately cereals: Fromm Family Gold http://frommfamily.com/products/gold/dog/dry/large-breed-puppy-gold or Enova ( http://www.penner.ee/index.php? http://www.enovapetfood.com/default.aspx?mid=18456 page=138&action=show_product_details&product_id=508&group_id=45 or http://www.e-karma.pl/product-pol-750-ENOVA-Breeders-Bag-Grain-Free-Simple-20-kg.html ) or Husse Valp Maxi http://www.husse.co.uk/dog-food-products/dry-food-for-dogs/?product=110 or Canidae ( in Poland are accessible: All Life Stage Formula, CANIDAE Grain Free Pure Elements: chicken, turkey, lamb, ocean fish)
Possibly: Nutra Gold http://www.nutragold.com/products/which_formula/dogs/large_breed_puppy/ or Hills ( http://www.hillspet.com/products/ha-canine-puppy-large-breed-healthy-advantage-dry-dry.html or http://www.hillspet.com/products/sd-canine-puppy-large-breed-dry.html or http://www.hillspet.co.uk/en-gb/products/nb-canine-natures-best-puppy-large-breed-giant-dry.html )
What do you advise to me ?
I greet

[DieselJunki]

Patty the vets never found the worms. His stool sample was clean as a whistle like it always has been. All I know is they were white and about as long as my pinky nail. They gave him the wormer anyways. Of course I never thought to bring that poop I saw them in with me! I figured if I was seeing them then it would show up on a sample.

I now incorporate 2tbsp of DE into his morning meal and since the 3rd day on raw I am happy to report his loose stool issue has ceased so far! So hopefully if the wormer didn’t take care of it the DE will, but I’ve read it can take anywhere from 30 to 60 days. I however will be feeding DE every day 365 days a year from now on. Will keep this problem from cropping up again.

[somebodysme]

Would one 4 or 5 mg pill be enough for a 50 lb dog? I think I saw the pills they have on Puritan’s Pride (where we order from ALL THE TIME!) they were either 5 or 6 mg. I definitely want to get on raw feeding and she absolutely loves raw food and has no stomach issues with it but I have to get this skin rash sorted out and all healed up before I can think about anything else. It appears as if the NV instinct LID Turkey is going to work out…she’s already stopped scratching. I had noticed every day on the Earthborn that her itching was coming back more. I’ll have to return the unused portion of that.

[paige-s]

i made this thread to put the awarness out there of a good food for many different issues that dogs have.. thats all. whether the food is or isnt a type of dehyrdrated raw – ive done alot of research myself and others have and the company says it not on any packaging but when i spoke to them-.

so whether theyre wrong, so be it. and i will appoligize if thats the case.
I would completly agree with everyone else on beneful and purina, whiskas, iams and those companies who advertise how amazing they are and they arent. i know there are lawsuits out there against beneful because there dogs get so sick.. i would never feed my dog nor recommend a food sold in grocery stores. or any food with corn, by products, gluten and so forth,

it sickens me as well that companys are able to get away with things, and how companys lie proctor and gamble who have no business owning pet foods, can buy natura pets .. as we have all seen the massive recalls recently. Even most vet foods arent that good either however sometimes i understand a dog needs to be on it. my dog was on medi-cal hepatic for a long time for her liver and it didnt help… when i learned about canine caviar special needs for the first time a while ago i put her on it and her liver enzymes have gone down now.. so ALL i wanted to do was spread the word that i have clients and myself on this food and its doing fantastic things for many different dog problems, or just allow them to have normal bowel movements as the food isnt filled with alot of stuff.

this thread was not intended to be a back and forth argument. there is alot of stuff i know a lot of people disagree with the things dr. mike does say, or how he gives out his stars. its not just me, im just voicing i disagree with him on some things. some things i do agree with other i do not. why should foods with 5 stars be allowed to be a 5 star food if it constantly has recalls? i base my food on ingrediants, and also recalls are taken into consideration.

i just want people to know that CC is a good food and does good things ! i could easily of started a thread of another food, but right now i know many people who arent aware of this food because in canada its newer and hasnt been around that long here, i know its been around since for about 15-17 years or so in the United States.
thats all i wanted to do.

[Cyndi]

Paige you can’t believe everything you read on the internet. Look what Purina Beneful’s website says about their food “Help keep your dog happy and healthy with a perfect balance of real, wholesome ingredients, quality nutrition and great taste found in Beneful® brand dry dog food.” If THAT was true, why would so many dogs be dying on it. That is one of the worst of the worst foods.

& Dr. Mike isn’t basing his reviews on “his opinions”, he is basing them on fact, the ingredients, black & white! Go try to sell your food somewhere else!

[Cyndi]

mah4angel, I know exactly how you feel. I have only been feeding my dog raw for a little over a month and a half, but I researched and read everything I could for a few months before I finally pulled the trigger and did it. I don’t feed my Bailey nearly as complex as what HDM and other feed, but my dog IS 100% completely on raw now and doing great. I feel silly now for being so nervous about starting, but I agree I did get REALLY overwhelmed and almost decided not to get into raw feeding. But, luckily you, like I did, found this site and any questions you have someone can answer them. If it wasn’t for HDM and others on here, I don’t think I’d still be feeding raw to my dog. I had so many questions and everyone so graciously answered them. It DOES get easier, trust me! If I can do it, anyone can! Good Luck! 🙂

[somebodysme]

I’ve read good things about Canine Caviar too, no one near me sells it though. I agree with Sandy, start with a LID and go from there. I recently tried Earthborn Holistic’s Coastal Catch but after two weeks I didn’t see any change at all with my dogs allergies…am trying NV LID now. Unless you get allergy tests done, it’s just trial and error. I’ve even heard that the allergy test isn’t really all the great either…any opinions on that subject? $300 isn’t all that bad if it tells us accurately what to feed our dogs!

[paige-s]

I just wanted to start a thread to tell everyone about Canine Caviar 🙂

Its very similar to a raw diet but in kibble form. There is many options to choose from aswell.
Grain free has 3 options – venison, duck, herring (all are single protein, no potatoe)
Lamb and pearl millet
Chicken and pearl millet
Special Needs
Puppy grain free

The special needs diet can replace almost all Science diets from a-z from the vets office. Personally i have my girl who has a liver disease on it and is doing better then ever.
Its great food for diabetics, sensitive stomachs, dogs who throw up alot, colitis, ibs, kidney problems, pancreas problems, and more.

the food has a proper alkaline level and pH level as well. i have seen this food do fantastic things for dogs (i work with clients directly helping choose dog foods and nutritional based questions).
For any dog with allergies this food i great because there is no grain, no potato, and no chicken in 3 of its options.
For dogs with sensitive stomachs, colitis, ibs, any tummy problems, the entire line has pre and probiotics in the food too, as well as peppermint to help calm the stomach. Check the food out for yourself and put your dog on it and you will see amazing results.. !!

[Cavalierluvr]

What type of issue is you dog having? I originally thought my 4 year old Cavalier was allergic to Chicken and/or dairy products. He would get an upset stomach and would always want to go out and eat grass so that he could vomit, not his food, but mostly bile. I would switch brands (I was using Fromm Gold) to Canidae Lamb and Rice. It would make a difference for a while and then it would start all over again. Switching a recipe would help occasionally until this past Spring and nothing I did seemed to help. The vet checked him out and found that he had quite a bit of yeast in his stool. Grain-Free foods didn’t really seem to help him, so the Vet recommended a probiotic. He had Purina Forti-Flora in stock, but after 2 weeks it wasn’t making a difference. I went on a forum here and someone recommended Mercola Complete Probiotic for Pets. What a difference this product has made! I saw immediate relief. It’s hard enough trying to get your pet to switch to a new dog food if his original recipe has already been changed. I would highly recommend giving the probiotic a try! Good Luck!

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi acs379 –

Nope, there’s nothing specific about excess fat that will cause developmental issues. Many veterinarians and breeders just tend to recommend lower fat foods because they generally have a lower calorie count per cup and they feel that it will be less likely that the dog will consume too many calories. However, as long as portion sizes are controlled it doesn’t pose an issue. My experience with my hounds has actually been that I have difficulty keeping weight on them – they tend to be on the thin side if anything, so for me it’s been really important to use more calorie-dense foods.

First off I would like to say that it is wonderful that your breeder is recommending the inclusion of fresh foods. Many breeders and veterinarians don’t recognize the importance of fresh foods. Fresh meat, plain yogurt and eggs are wonderful additions to dry kibble – they boost the protein levels and the species appropriateness. Adding eggs and boneless meat will also help to reduce the calcium to phosphorus ratio of the food as they’re high in phosphorus but low in calcium. Just be sure to keep the unbalanced extras to approximately 20% or less of the meal or you could skew the calcium to phosphorus ratio too much and potentially throw off the balance of the other nutrients in the food. Canned foods and dehydrated foods make great toppers too, if feeding a balanced canned or dehydrated food with appropriate calcium levels you can add as much as you want, if feeding a food with higher calcium levels or an unbalanced canned topper follow the 20% rule. Tripe makes an excellent topper – especially for large and giant breed puppies, the reason being that tripe has has a naturally balanced calcium to phosphorus ratio (1:1) but very low concentrations of both minerals (only about 0.3% if I recall correctly). So feeding tripe will dilute the overall calcium levels without the risk of throwing of the c:p ratio. When Gertie was a pup she ate THK and I generally fed her 4 C. THK + 1 can Tripett (canned green tripe) daily (and some fresh additions like eggs, plain yogurt and tinned sardines a few times a week). Mabel started right off on raw and ate raw green tripe as about 25% of her diet for the first 6 months to keep her calcium levels low. Another benefit to tripe (if you can get it raw) is that it’s loaded with probiotics and digestive enzymes.

I generally recommend not supplementing with vitamins (unless per veterinarian recommendation) for those feeding a balanced commercial food, however vitamin c and vitamin b are water soluble vitamins so they are not harmful in excess, if you wanted to add them it shouldn’t cause any problems. The problems arise with certain minerals and fat soluble vitamins as these can be harmful when consumed in excess. Because balanced commercial foods already contain vitamins and minerals adding additional vitamins (fat soluble) and certain minerals could potentially result in toxicity. I would definitely not supplement with vitamin d or calcium – vitamin d is a fat soluble vitamin and adding calcium would likely throw off the calcium to phosphorus ratio and high levels of calcium are what need to be avoided for large and giant breed puppies.

Now onto discussing the Science Diet Adult Maintenance recommendation. I see many breeders recommend putting large breed puppies directly onto an adult maintenance food and this is extremely poor advice (imo) and often based on faulty logic. The reason breeders typically recommend adult foods is because adult foods tend to be lower in fat and calories than puppy foods – from the previous discussion we know that this isn’t an issue as long as portions are controlled. Feeding a puppy a food designated for adult maintenance puts the puppy at risk of not getting enough fat, protein or certain vitamins and minerals. SD is extremely low in protein – to be honest I wouldn’t even feel comfortable feeding a food that low in protein to an adult dog, let alone a growing puppy. I don’t ever recommend feeding foods with less than 30% protein (for adults or puppies) and the SD only has 24.5% protein. Also, if you go to SD’s website and read the product description for the adult maintenance food you’ll notice they state “Not recommended for puppies, pregnant or lactating dogs” – this is because dogs in their growth phase or in the stressful phase of pregnancy or lactation need high levels of protein, higher levels of fat and higher levels of certain vitamins and minerals. I personally wouldn’t ever feed or recommend any Science Diet Products. I would recommend checking out some 4 or 5 star foods with appropriate calcium levels. It’s also better if you rotate foods, don’t stick with just one – dogs need variety. I’d say at a bare minimum have three go to brands (preferably made by different companies and with different protein sources) and rotate through them. Rotational feeding has benefits including fostering a diverse population of gut flora, mitigating the short comings of feeding any one single food (no food is perfect) and providing alternatives in the event of a recall or formula change.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 6 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.

[NectarMom]

That is why it is best to space out each feeding by quite a bit. Like I feed Raw in the morning at about 5:30AM and then at around 6pm I feed kibble and I do add enzymes and probiotics. It woks for us because we spread each meal out to where the first meal is digested before we feed the 2nd meal.

The only time I had an issue is when I mixed kibble with Raw trying to do a switch over to Raw and now I know and have learned we can switch to certain Raw food with no issues but just no mixing in kibble with it.

[acs379]

Hello!

I just found this site today, and I’m really appreciative of all the helpful information posted on here (especially Hound Dog Mom!). I read a few of the articles you posted, including the one discussing nutritional risks to large-breed puppies. One thing I found in that article that I feel hasn’t been discussed in these forums–at least from what I can find–is the fat percentage. The article stated that the food chosen should have a fat percentage less than 15-16%. I was looking into the foods that are recommended frequently on this forum–especially Nature’s Variety Instinct and Orijen–and though they have great stats on calcium, calcium-phosphorous ratio, protein, and energy, their minimum fat percentages exceed the 15-16% recommended value. I would really appreciate any help/clarification!

[theBCnut]

Freeze dried is GREAT, but really expensive to feed as their sole food. I have multiple dogs so for financial reasons need to feed some kibble, but I add to it to make it better. The reason I replied though was to make sure you are aware that there are several companies that offer free shipping on dog food if you are spending over a certain amount. That’s how I can get a good variety of good foods, because I live in the middle of nowhere. I didn’t think I would like ordering dog food because I’m a label reader and I feel cheated when I can’t, but I LOVE getting dog food delivered to my door. Look for chewy dot com and petflow dot com. I can’t off the top of my head remember if it is dogfooddirect or doggiefooddirect dot com. Someone else should pop up with more.