[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, 9 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, 9 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.

[NectarMom]

I would react just like I did when my 2 got Pancreatitis and bad bacteria when on Darwin’s I immediately get them to the Vet. The food Company would not help after your pet gets sick….Honestly they do not care and feel like you are just blamming them and or their food so they blow you off. I can almost instantly read it in their voice. Yes I agree Customer service is important but it is certainly not there anymore these days from my experience. I am still trying to find the perfect Raw for my dogs that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to ship. I can get Vital Essentials and Primal and Natures Instinct but my problem with the Primal and Natures Instinct is the veggies and fruits they put in them. My dogs are doing good on the Rabbit from Hare Today and My Pet Carnivore but the $45 shipping is killing me. What if I feed Raw low fat meats just from the grocery and add in Steve’s mix? I just don’t want to do all kibble since I have not seen a huge improvement on it. It seems like I am fighting a never ending battle with my dogs are their diet these days. I am beginning to think it has nothing to do with food but the way man has bred dogs for the last years, The DNA code has been terribly messed up. I know dogs to this day that are fed Pedigree and thrive and have no health issues…I won’t feed cheap/grain food to my dogs and try to feed the best I can but it seriously back fires on me. I am to the point of buying my own meat and cooking the snot out of it and adding in supplements and maybe then I won’t have problems. Sorry just venting. I honestly do not know which way to turn in the food direction.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Sully’s Mom –

No, I’m not a vet but I am currently in school working toward it – so hopefully in a few years.

I don’t believe there is a thread on the forums dedicated to the arsenic and rice issue but you could certainly start a thread if you want input from other posters. I really haven’t researched the issue much as neither myself or my dogs eat much rice aside from germinated rice a few times a month. However, I feel that as long as you’re rotating rice-inclusive foods with rice-free foods it probably wouldn’t be a big issue. Dr. Mike does have an article about arsenic in rice over on the review site.

I’ve fed both Nature’s Variety Instinct and Nutrisca and feel they’re both good foods. When I used to feed kibble Instinct was a staple in my dog’s rotation – it’s a great food.

NaturalK9Supplies.com and K9Cuisine.com usually have a big selection of trial-sized bags and free samples. Also, companies will often mail you samples if you ask. As stated previously, I don’t feed kibble for meals any longer, I do still order samples frequently though. I like to try products with my own dogs so I can make better recommendations. I usually layer kibble and canned pumpkin and freeze it to give to my dogs as a treat.

My assumption as to why Dr. Tim would recommend Pursuit over GF Kinesis is the calcium levels – the calcium in the GF Kinesis is a bit high for a large breed puppy.

Hope that helps! 🙂

[starbright26]

Hi, I am new to this site but am loving all the information I have found so far! However, I believe I’m overloading myself with info and its all running together, confusing the heck out of me! So I would love to just give a little information and get a little in return if possible.. We recently adopted a young feral pup and have been working to socialize/rehabilitate her. She is a “lethal white” (I despise that term) Catahoula mix- who is deaf and partially blind as well… We were this sweet girl’s last chance at adoption and I am so grateful we found her because she is blossoming in our household! Anyway, at about ten months of age, when we adopted her, she tore her ACL and was recovering from that when we noticed her limping getting worse despite strict confinement. We took her for X-rays and the vet diagnosed her with severe hip dysplasia in one of her hips. Sigh.. I could not make this up if I tried.. Luckily the other hip joint looks amazingly healthy! We have no idea about her past and as she seems to be somewhat of a genetic anomaly, we just want to do whatever we can to help her have a healthy, happy, hopefully long life! This girl deserves it. She is a healthy 70lbs, but we are trying to slim her down slightly. She is curently on Blue Buffalo now, but my question is if there is a better quality food that would be better suited to her joint needs or if supplimentation would suffice. I just read the calcium levels are most important earlier on and now that she is about 15 months old am I correct to assume that it is not the main concern anymore? Should we go grain-free to help with inflamation? Suppliments? What is my ideal path here? Please advise anyway you can.. I should mention we have several other animals and actual children, with another on the way, and will hopefully send them to college one day so we are certainly on a limited budget 🙂 THANK YOU!!!
Rebecca

[pugmomsandy]

There are so many to chose from. Go to the 3-4-5 star lists of foods and start reading them. Unfortunately Beneful has sugar in it so they may be quite addicted to it. Even a 3 star food without all the red-flag ingredients would be better than Beneful. Do you have a feed store you can go to. Sometimes they have a better selection than the big box stores. A new food just came out made for Tractor Supply – 4Health Grain Free with a good price point. You might even look into Amicus. It is a toy breed kibble. For my small dogs I’ve used or currently use Nutrisource, Nutrisca, Nature’s Select, Epigen, Instinct, Brothers, Amicus and Great Life.

[theBCnut]

Take the list with you to the pet boutiques near you and see what is available. That should help narrow it down. Pick a few you are interested in trying and rotate through them. That should give you an idea what your dog does well on. If they don’t work for you, cross them off your list and try something else. It’s good to rotate between a few different brands. It helps keep the gut healthy and if there is ever a recall, you can just switch because your dog is already used to switching.

[sotodog]

So I rescued a dog 2 months ago. He, Zeus, is about 38-40 lbs and about 1 year old and DNA says mutt (1/4 Amstaff, 1/8 boxer, 1/8 bulldog, 1/8 keeshound, 3/8 mutt). Zeus was a stray and came in the shelter at 18 lbs and gained about 10 lbs in the 2 weeks he was there. When we rescued him he was being fed Science Diet and we continued for a bag and did 1 small bag of Rachael Ray Nutrish 6. He checked out as being healthy, no shedding or itching at all but some dandruff. There was a vet visit where he had dropped a few lbs so vet told us to double food but when I switched to 100% Wellness Super5Mix for puppy it was clear I had to cut back (soft poops and farting). Now I am finishing Wellness and I just bought a bag of Blue Buffalo Adult fish and sweet potato. We have had Zeus for about 2 months and now he is scratching and shedding like crazy but no dandruff. So how can I tell if the food is causing the scratching and shedding or whether it is environmental? Unfortunately, I can’t place the exact timeline of when the shedding started and dog food changes were. We were feeding too much for several weeks I would say so could that cause these problems? It seems that as I’ve improved the quality of the food, his shedding and itching have worsened. Also, how concerned do I need to be to transition dog foods as it seems to be what is recommended? I had read that quite a few dogs have difficulties with chicken? Is that really a concern because it is the easiest protein to find. I have to say that I am not interested in raw food but would consider a canned and dry combo. I would love any advice/suggestions you have.

[pugmomsandy]

SanDnMila,

The necks I buy are skinless and my small dogs did not have any problems with them from the start. Neither did they with marrow bones. I normally don’t feed them low fat foods so they are used to eating normal fat and canned food seems to have more fat too. Mine started eating raw with commercial products so it was even higher in fat than the kibble. Then I introduced RMB after about a year of commercial frozen patties. I would start out with small marrow bones though maybe 1 – 2 inches versus the 4 inch ones to start but I don’t think skinless necks would hurt. Are you already adding some fat to her diet with oils like fish or coconut?

Here’s the thread with pictures:

/forums/topic/pictures-of-dogs-eating-raw-raw-meals/page/3/#post-19529

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u651/pugmomsandy/pictures%20for%20posting/ducky1_zps2c6ec569.jpg

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Amawil05 –

Going grain-free would be a smart idea – grains are inflammatory (something you really want to avoid when dealing with arthritic dogs). I’m assuming that by “Nature’s Instinct” you’re referring to Nature’s Variety Instinct. I would go with Nature’s Variety Instinct over Taste of the Wild. Nature’s Variety Instinct is manufactured by a reputable company, Taste of the Wild is manufactured by Diamond, a company known for producing low quality products and having frequent recalls. If you aren’t already giving joint support supplements, I would start a natural supplement regimen as well. Glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM and hyaluronic acid are all great for maintaining the joints; you can buy these supplements individually or in whole food form – some whole foods that contain some of these components and that are known for promoting joint health are green lipped mussel, sea cucumber, velvet antler, shark cartilage and eggshell membrane. There are also numerous natural supplements you can give that have anti-inflammatory properties – omega 3’s (up to 300 mg. per 10 lbs.), turmeric, boswellia, yucca, bromelain and tart cherry.

[mah4angel]

SO. Thanks to HDM, it has come to my attention that making my own raw food for my Louie (10-pound Silky terrier) is actually more cost-effective than buying a high-quality kibble and is obviously much more healthy for my baby.
There are a lot of threads here, obviously, devoted to raw food recipes and diets. Currently my boy is on Earthborn Hollistic Primitive Natural. He’s not doing well on it. I had been feeding him a combination of that and the Earthborn Hollistic tubs (the lamb-based ones), but took those out to see if they were the cause of his upset. I think not. The tubs are expensive and I just have come to the conclusion that I’d rather he be on a raw diet. But, just like everything else, this task of changing his diet (yet again) is so daunting and I am so terrified and essentially stupid and ignorant and I really need you DFA Gods’ help!
I have heard varying opinions in the forums about adding probiotics and enzymes. Someone said there are natural probiotics and enzymes without having to add and pay for supplements. How/when do I do this with a raw diet? How do I do this on his current diet while I’m transitioning to a raw diet? How do I transition to a raw diet? Are there specific recipes for smaller breeds versus larger breeds, older versus younger dogs, etc.? Is it okay to feed him nothing but raw? Can I freeze/store what I’ve made if I’ll be on vacation?
My boy is essentially inactive. We go on walks every day and he gets very excited and runs around the house whether we’re coming home for work or from taking the trash out, but then he calms down and takes a nap. I heard 2% of his body weight for an inactive dog is what I should be feeding him. Is this correct? Does he fit the description of an inactive dog? What is the definition of an inactive dog?
There is so much misinformation out there! So many threads to read through, so much confusion! He’s my first dog and I want to do right by him, he deserves the best.
I always do these posts and I’m always very anxious about finding out how best to serve my canine baby because I know how important diet is, and I want him to have those perfect, firm stools and not feel lousy.
I guess I’m just being somewhat lazy to ask for a guide as to how to do this perfectly. I know it’s going to take some time and a lot of effort!

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Marty –

Calcium and phosphorus levels are really only a concern for joint health during the growth phase. Once large/giant breed dogs reach two years of age their joints are fully developed and at this point they’re either dysplastic or not dysplastic. Calcium and phosphorus levels obviously need to be in balance with each other (between a 1:1 and 2:1 ratio of C:P) but this is true for all dogs, not just large/giant breeds, and isn’t a concern as long as you’re feeding a balanced commercial food (where balancing C:P ratios come into play are with homemade diets). I personally feel that a diet high in protein, moderate in fat and low in carbohydrates is healthiest and most species-appropriate for healthy dogs. My three bloodhounds eat between 45% and 55% protein, 30% and 40% fat and <15% carbohydrates at each meal. If feeding a dry food, I would search for one with no less than 30% protein. I also would not limit yourself to only one brand – variety is important. I no longer feed dry dog food, but when I did I switched brands and protein sources at the end of every bag and I added different canned and/or fresh food toppers daily. I would recommend finding a minimum of three foods your dogs can eat (preferably different brands with different protein sources). Patty had a wonderful suggestion with online ordering if selection is limited where you live – some other sites that have a big selection and offer free shipping in addition to the two she posted are Wag.com, Doggiefood.com and NaturalK9Supplies.com. There are several supplements you can give your dogs that help to promote joint health and/or have anti-inflammatory properties. If your dogs don’t have any orthopedic conditions or arthritis a basic glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM supplement would be fine to start off with. Some other supplements good for joint maintenance are hyaluronic acid and esterfied fatty acids (like cetyl myristoleate). Some whole food supplements that are beneficial for the joints are eggshell membrane, velvet elk antler, sea cucumber, green lipped mussel and shark cartilage. Raw meaty bones (especially those high in cartilage such as trachea, chicken feet and gullets) are very rich in naturally occurring chondroitin. For dogs experiencing pain/arthritis some natural anti-inflammatories include high doses of omega 3 fatty acids (up to 300 mg. per 10 lbs.), turmeric, boswellia, tart cherry, yucca, bromelian and white willow. Generally human supplements are cheaper and higher quality than supplements marketed to dogs, adjust the dosage accordingly (a good rule of thumb is a 25 lb. dog would get about 1/4 of the recommended human dose, 1/2 the human dose for a 50 lb. dog, 3/4 the human dose for a 75 lb. dog and full human dose for dogs >100 lbs.). Also – as you may already know – the most important factor to maintaining healthy joints and staving off arthritis in large and giant breed dogs is maintaining a healthy body weight, it’s very important that large/giant breeds don’t become overweight as this adds a lot of stress to the joints.

[theBCnut]

There are a few with pugs on here. They would be more aware of things like kibble size.

And as far as how many different foods are on the lists, I have found that only a very small number of them are actually available in any given area, of course if you read about one that you really want to try, you can always order online.

[Josiesmom]

I’ve spent about 2 hours reading dozens and dozens of reviews and q&a on this site. None seem to fit my situation so I’m posting it. Please forgive me if I missed a thread. My dog Josie is a 4 year old terrier mix. She’s a rescue so, that’s all we know. While I don’t have a lot of money, I would and have spend just about anything to get and keep her healthy.
She seems to have major diet, digestive, allergy issues. I don’t say I’ve tried “everything”. I surely haven’t. The short and skinny is, allergies have always been an issue. Flaky coat, itchy ears, scooting, ugh. Always with the scooting!! Anyway always been an issue. Then she got a hold of an ibuprofen bottle a year after I got her (I know, I’ll never forgive myself. I was gone 15 minutes and she got it off the table). She almost died, went to the ER, etc but all tests after that were normal and they said she was “fine and would have no long term damage”. Well I call bs on that. She has been a ridiculously finicky eater ever since. One day it’s fine, next day it’s not. If she doesn’t eat for 12 hours or more she’s throwing up bile everywhere. Not to mention her stools. She either strains to go and it’s tiny, it is super loose and smelly, completely loose, can’t go at all, I mean, it’s awful. You’ve never seen someone so excited when their dog has a normal stool. I’m jumping around the backyard, “good girl!” as if she controls it.
She’s recently been diagnosed with hypothyroidism so she’s on meds for that and now her left elbow is making a popping noise when she walks sometimes. Oh, and she’s overweight at least 5 lbs. The vet is so fed up bc we have wormed her twice, blood work, xrays, etc. Nothing. He says she’s fine. She’s not fine. I spend you can’t imagine how much time trying to get her to eat (so she won’t vomit) and coming home to let her out bc her her bm are so inconsistent. I can list all food she’s been on over the years but that would make this post too long. Currently, she is on (and refusing to eat) NVI LID LAMB.She was on the turkey, hated that too. I top it with with NVI canned. Hates that for the most part. Gave in and started topping it with NVI raw bites. Tried to pick out the raw and eventually refused it too. Stella and Chewys freeze dried she likes but will spend an enormous amount of time picking it out of her kibble. Even moistened I don’t think that’s enough moisture and due to cost, I’d really like to use kibble as a base. NV is not the issue issue don’t think but I don’t know. She did worse on other foods but I’m happy to switch her again. Considered Brothers but their use of turkey, beef etc concerns me since these are known allergens.
What a mess. And poor Josie. I’m a vegetarian and really don’t want to do full raw unless I have to. (Plus, she seems to have little interest in raw.) Sorry the post is so long. Thanks…

[niveus]

This has me very worried, I started feeding my dogs royal canin last fall I had just had a litter of puppies and put them on it. Just recently I’ve noticed they have been getting diarrhea frequently, nothing else has changed yesterday I made home made food for them and mixed it with the dry food and have already seen a improvement. I’m going to the vet on saturday to have their feces tested to make sure there isn’t something else going on, but besides a couple dog shows they havn’t even been anywhere else. Have you both stopped feeding the royal canin?

[Bongo Buddy]

Just wanted to introduce my self quickly here. I have a 3yr golden retriever who got IBD this past Jan. Had no idea it would take this long to fix. It was much quicker to fix Bongo when I rescued him at 10mths w severe malnourishment, tapeworms & eye & ear infections. VB12 shots & raw goat milk has helped the most. Switching him off can to kibble, but want to do half raw & half kibble for now. Thanks for reading!

[Cyndi]

Thanks Sandy, & yes Bongo Buddy it did clear up. Here is a link to the thread that pugmomsandy was talking about. The last 2 comments of mine address that issue.

/forums/topic/all-natural-dog-shampoo/

My suggestion to you Bongo Buddy, read, read, read, take notes, ask questions, etc. I researched for about 2 and a half months before I finally bit the bullet and started my dog on raw. I am SO glad I did!

Good luck to you! There is A LOT of information in the forums and you can always ask questions. The people here helped me more than I could have imagined and if it wasn’t for them, I don’t think I’d have stuck with it! It’s the best thing you can do for your dog!

[Saireah]

I was compelled to post in this thread again after I read Hound Dog Mom’s post on the grain-free Four Star Nutritionals page by Fromm: “I think Fromm is a good company but their food is way overpriced for what it is. A 26 lb. bag of the grain free is (depending on the variety) $65 – $70 at my feed store. No way would I pay $65 – $70 for 26 lbs.of food that only has 28% – 30% protein. IMO – there are much better options where you can actually get some meat for your money.”

Can you clarify what other options you personally find suitable? I value your opinion from this thread and have been considering switching my puppy/adult to Fromm’s 4 Star Nutritionals — but am dismayed by the downgraded rating save the salmon recipe which was due to was “due to a change in our minimum protein requirements to qualify for the 5-star category.” (Thanks Dr. Mike!)

Updated stats: I have one 8 month old lab/mastiff mix (64 pounds) and a 2 year old lab/viszla mix (43 pounds). Currently, they are on Fromm’s Large Breed Puppy Gold and Large Breed Adult Gold. I’d love to switch them to something that’s:

* Grain-free
* Suitable for all life stages
* Has not had recalls

I’ve been intrigued by BOGO Bowl as it’s an Iowa company, but it’s simply too much money despite it being for a wonderful cause. What I absolutely loved about the idea of Fromm’s grain-free line is that there’s tons of flavors to choose from and I could mix it up a bit, but the price tag is just not wonderful for a bag of food that’s less than 30lbs when you have TWO big dogs.

I was considering Dr. Tim’s (grain-free Kinesis), but I noticed that they’re not on your list likely due to the calcium (1.51%)? I’d love to find something that’s a 30lb+ bag of food for $50 – $55. I as intrigued by Dr. Tim’s because both the grain inclusive and grain-free are 5 stars on DFA. Now that he’s passed 8 months, do you think I could switch him to Dr. Tim’s?

Would you mind sharing what you personally feed?

Also, as I’ve recently subscribed to Pawalla, they include wet foods in their boxes. Do you suggest adding wet foods to add some variety as a topping to dry every once in a while?

Thanks for your suggestions! 🙂

[lisam]

Hi everyone,
I wanted to update you all on my beautiful dog Bleau. He is still in quarantine until Saturday due to the law. I did look up the side affects of rabies vaccine and I am so 100% positive that is Bleau’s problem. Like I said this is just not Bleau’s behavior. I have contacted the vet and I am looking into the lot # brand, and the location of the shot & I can’t prove this but back in November we took our son’s dog in and our dog in for updates on their shots and i requested Bleau have all of his shots he needed at that time which included the rabies vaccine.
I didn’t receive the tag for it & I just thought next time when I take them in for their nail trim I will pick it up which was in janaury. we went in and I mentioned to them you had forgotten to give me his tag. She said he didn’t have it and I said I am pretty sure he did. NOpe didn’t have it at least that is what they said so I said well let’s give him the shot today this was the end of January and after reading this article about the side affects I am very sure that not only is this a reaction to it but I believe he received a double dose the second in January. The other reason I believe this to be true is we had a very odd credit on our account the next time we went in for nail trims & I asked them why and nobody can tell me why. I called today and asked them again what the credit was for and nope nobody knows. So I am going after work in about a 1/2 hour to pick up all the paper work of his shots the dates, lot #’s, locations and brands.
I am now in the process of looking for a holistic veterinarian and I think we have one somewhat close to where i live in Alexandria MN.
I will keep you all posted on the next part of this journey with our beautiful Bleau.
Thank you all for being so kind and offering advice, it has definately been a god send.
Lisa M

[Orwellian]

Hi Folks,
Can anyone recommend which dog food brands tend to be both healthy for dogs and less expensive than other healthy brands? In other words, which of the good brands are more affordable than others? My dog is a large breed mix (German Shepherd, Lab, etc.). She is 3 1/2 yrs old, healthy, happy, obedient, and very active. I would like to upgrade her diet from Dog Chow and Iams mixed with Alpo. Any advice about which of the better brands are less expensive than other better brands?
If this topic has been discussed elsewhere already, please refer me to that forum. Thanks.

[GSDsForever]

I think that we need to have this thread.

We need to be able to place all info and media we come across about AAFCO’s “Meat and Bone Meal” ingredient in one place, to refer visitors and encourage them to read it. Many dog foods people routinely buy contain it.

Rather than just individually try to explain to each new visitor who comes to this site saying . . .

What’s wrong with X dog food?
I/others have fed it for years.
My dogs like this food.
My dog is “fat and healthy.” Glossy coat.
My dog has tons of energy, runs around all day doing xyz.
At least it’s not all corn, soy, and grains. It’s got real meat! What’s wrong with that?
All dog foods are the same. This one isn’t overpriced like the others.
I had a dog who lived 15, 20 yrs on X brand.
My dog’s never been sick a day, never has to go to the vet.
My dog’s poops are always normal/super small.

. . . and explaining individually each time what the ingredient can include and why to avoid it in dog foods, or have someone feel we are “picking on” just his specific brand/formula, we can refer them to one place. Let’s KEEP putting more references, expose articles, evidence here.

To start off:

/dog-food-industry-exposed/shocking-truth-about-dog-food/

Graphic Video Evidence: Pets Rendered into Commerical Dog and Cat Food (FF to about 4:24):

***related 2010 thread discussion at http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message1163244/pg5

[InkedMarie]

” If you find that the increased amount of boneless is the only thing that makes her pass stools, you could continue with what you’re doing however I’d recommend adding a multi (it would be the simplest thing to do to ensure balance). I’d give one at about 1/4 of the recommended human-dose of one that would provide about 100 mg. calcium for that dosage. It’s just with 75% of the diet being un-balanced foods I’d be concerned about her getting adequate levels of vitamins and minerals.” from HDM

I know it is here, somewhere, on some thread but can you or anyone else tell me what a recommended multi is? Not a chewable unless I can crush it up.

I believe we will be going back to Darwins when I’ve exhausted most of what I have for boneIN.
My head is spinning with information however and I am confused as to what I do for a mix (of Darwins and boneLESS). Are you saying that if I use Darwins as my boneIN, I can add the boneLESs as I have been and just add the multi?

What if I want to do a mix of foods, with raw, canned and dehydrated? Do I still need the multi? This won’t come for awhile, need to exhaust most of my Hare.

Sorry if I;m being dense.

[GSDsForever]

Thanks to HoundDogMom and Susan Thixton (Truth About Pet Food website) for this:

http://truthaboutpetfood2.com/which-pet-foods-have-bpa-free-cans

This topic HERE has had little traffic, but is being discussed on other threads on this forum. So I hope this information will help others and not just me!

[Hound Dog Mom]

I can imagine how frustrated you must be! If it were me, assuming the stools aren’t completely liquid diarrhea and you really want to make a raw diet work, I would ride it out awhile longer. Some dogs just take longer to adjust to changes in diet. Although I don’t feel it’s common, a raw diet just may not be right for some dogs. Do you have her on a probiotic supplement? (I’m almost certain this has been discussed already, but I thought I’d check just in case). If not, that could help. It is possible that she could be eating something in the yard – if you suspect this is the issue, try not letting her outdoors unsupervised for a few days and see if things clear up. Ultimately, you need to follow your gut and do what you feel is in the best interest of your dog. There’s no reason to feel guilty or like you’re not doing the best you can for her by not feeding raw. If I recall correctly you were feeding Fresh Pet and a 5 star kibble prior to trying raw, while this may not be a raw diet be comforted in knowing this is better than what about 95% of dogs are eating. There are also several non-raw options that, with the addition of digestive enzymes, could be nearly as good as a raw diet. You could try a homemade cooked diet with enzymes and see if she tolerates this better, Fresh Pet + enzymes, a dehydrated food + enzymes (The Honest Kitchen, Grandma Lucy’s, etc.) or a high quality canned food + enzymes. If any of these combinations worked out you could attempt to incorporate a RMB 2 – 3 times a week just as a treat and not at the main component of the diet so that she would get the dental benefits a raw diet has to offer.

[Hound Dog Mom]

As long as the homemade portion is 20% or less of the meal you don’t need to worry about balancing it. If you plan on feeding more than 20% of his diet as homemade food you’ll need to balance the recipe. Add a variety of fresh cooked and pureed vegetables , pureed fruit (don’t go overboard, fruit is high in carbohydrates) and fresh minced herbs (parsley, cilantro, etc.). To balance the fats in the turkey add 1 tsp. flax or chia oil or 1 tbs. ground flax or chia seeds (provides essential fatty acids without contributing to the level of linoleic acid which is already high in poultry) per pound of turkey. For dogs with cancer the recommended dosage of fish oil is the amount that provides 300 mg. combined EPA and DHA per 10 lbs. of body weight – so for your dog you’d be aiming for around 1,200 mg. combined EPA and DHA daily (most fish oil capsules have around 300 mg. combined EPA and DHA). If you’re feeding predominantly homemade, I would recommend making one of the capsules a vitamin a and d rich quality cod liver oil (I like Carlson’s brand). I would definitely feed eggs once or twice a week – cage free are best as they’re higher in omega 3’s and vitamins such as d and e. I would supplement with around 100 IU vitamin e daily (could give a higher dosage 2 – 3 times a week). You want to add 1 ground eggshell per pound of meat to balance the calcium to phosphorus ratio. I’d also add a whole food supplement comprised of nutrient rich “superfoods” – you can buy pre-made supplement’s (such as Nature’s Logic All-Food Fortifier, Dr. Harvey’s E-mune Boost, Wysong’s Wild Things, etc.) or make your own. I make my own, I buy bulk ingredients from human supplement stores – the current blend I’m feeding is 1 part kelp, 1 part spirulina, 1 part alfalfa, 1 part wheatgrass and 1 part bee pollen. Whole food supplements will help supply vital trace nutrients. Lastly, I would recommend switching up protein sources often. Is there a reason you’re looking at feeding only turkey? If your dog doesn’t have any sensitivities it’s best to feed a variety of poultry and red meats (if you’re feeding red meat use hemp seeds/oil instead of flax or chia).