[BryanV21]

Taste of the Wild is not what I’d call a “meat based” food. TOTW is a fine food, don’t get me wrong, but at around 40% carbs it’s certainly not the most ideal diet out there. For a few bucks more there’s Merrick’s grain frees, which are around 30% carbs.

[BryanV21]

One other thing… feeding the right food is just as important, because the calories that your dog gets still need to provide him/her with the proper nutrients. If you’re feeding a low quality food, and cutting back on the calories, your pup may not be getting all it needs to from the food. I recommend grain-free foods that are high in animal-based protein (aka “meat”) and low in carbs (fruits and veggies). Your dog will get more out of that type of food than a one with a high carb content, ensuring that your dog loses weight without losing out somewhere else.

[BryanV21]

If a low protein food is a must then I’d point to Solid Gold Holistique Blendz. However, most of the time the problem is not the QUANTITY of protein, but the QUALITY of the protein. Not knowing what you’ve been feeding makes it difficult to determine if that’s the issue, but if you’ve been feeding a food whose protein comes mainly from fruits and/or vegetables, going with a food with more animal-based protein (aka “meat”) may do the trick.

[BryanV21]

I’d look at getting a better food, one with more animal-based protein. You’ll probably find that your dog will go for them over carb-heavy foods like the ones you mentioned. One food I recommend quite a bit is Fromm. They have a wide variety of different foods, are a smaller family-owned company so you don’t really have to worry about recalls, do not use iffy ingredients like corn, wheat, or soy, and they put parmesan cheese in all their foods which dogs tend to love. The only downside is that it’s not easy to find, although they are available at many places on the net and would likely send you free samples to try first.

[BryanV21]

I don’t look down on anyone that is a vegan or wishes to feed their pets a vegan diet. It’s just harder for a dog to get a well-balanced vegan diet, since they don’t digest plant-based foods nearly as well as humans or other omnivores can. Is it possible? I believe so, it’s just harder to do. I’d be careful about going about a vegan diet is all.

Sorry, I wish I had more information about it.

[BryanV21]

I don’t understand having an issue with Diamond, but being okay with Hill’s. Diamond has its issues… no doubt, but I’d feed many of their foods over Hill’s.

I’m not saying I’d recommend Diamond (I wouldn’t), I’m just trying to drive home the point that Hill’s is far from an ideal food.

[BryanV21]

Anybody that says humans must eat me is a fool. On top of that, dogs and humans are NOT alike. Not at all. From their teeth, to their jaws, to the length of their digestive tract, and so on, they are different. So comparing their diets is ridiculous.

And there’s a difference between “thriving” and “surviving”.

[BryanV21]

I understand that it can be hard for a dog parent to not see their pets eat, but you have to face it… sometimes they just don’t feel like eating. It could be because they aren’t hungry, maybe they have an upset stomach, who knows?

Now, if a dog goes a couple of days without eating, then a trip to the vet may be warranted. In that case there’s a good chance there’s something else going on, because a dog will not starve itself if it’s healthy.

I’m not saying it’s silly to add toppers to food… not at all. As HDM pointed out it can be a good thing if done right. I’m just saying that there’s no reason to start pulling your hair out over this. If it’s an ongoing issue then go see your vet, otherwise stay the course.

[BryanV21]

4th ingredient

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4006848

BTW, if you get a higher quality food you don’t have to feed as much. Therefore, over the course of say a year, the cost difference is negligible.

[BryanV21]

What if a dog DOESN’T need a supplement that’s already been added to a food? What then? You can’t take it out of the food, let alone be able to purchase said food cheaper. And speaking of money, RC is a rip-off. Why in the World would you want a food that’s mainly corn? Whether that be for a human or a dog. Corn is a filler, and a poor one at that, so it’s insane that a food whose main ingredient is that should cost that much.

[BryanV21]

Acana is a good dog food. Hell, it’s MUCH… MUCH… MUCH better than Royal Canin. In fact, I could literally name a couple dozen other brands I’d feed my dog, or recommend to others, before Royal Canin. So right off the bat there’s a problem.

With that said, even if somebody fed Acana or almost any other food but RC, their dog may need a supplement(s) of some kind. Take larger dogs that are prone to hip and joint issues… you may want to add a chondroiton/glucosamine supplement to their food. Or say you have a dog prone to UTIs… add a cranberry supplement to their food.

As for your last eye roll inducing paragraph… just like not all different breeds have the same dietary needs, neither do two dogs that ARE the same breed.

I really shouldn’t need to explain this to somebody with “doc” in their name, but alas…

[BryanV21]

It’s better to buy a good adult food and then add supplements to that. Most dry dog food makers add supplements to their food before cooking, and the food is cooked at such a high temperature that the supplements are all but gone.

Besides, wouldn’t you and/or your vet rather control the amount of supplements in a dog’s food, rather than having somebody else do it for you?

[BryanV21]

Breed specific foods is a marketing ploy… plain and simple.

[BryanV21]

As far as quality Weruva is very close, if not a bit better.

[BryanV21]

Solid Gold Holistique Blendz

[BryanV21]

To clear up possible confusion about the NV recall, it’s their ORGANIC chicken raw that was recalled. There do have regular chicken ones that are fine. The issue was pieces of plastic being found in a batch of the organic chicken. DFA has more info on the recall.

[BryanV21]

Dump the Ol’ Roy. Corn is it’s main ingredient and corn is high on the glycemic index, meaning it can raise your dog’s blood sugar levels, which I’m sure you know is not good for a diabetic dog. Besides that there’s not a single ingredient in Ol Roy that makes me say “well that’s a good one”.

A popular dry food we recommend is Solid Gold Holistique Blendz, as it’s low protein/low fat food that isn’t full of corn, soy, by-product, or generically named meats/meals.

Some people believe that even a diabetic dog should have a high QUALITY protein diet, that is also low in carbs, but I’ll let our raw food feeders cover the benefits of that one since I’m not as familiar with the subject.

[BryanV21]

Have you gone to your vet to get it checked out? Blood in the stool tells me something else may be going on, as that’s not normal when changing foods.

[BryanV21]

If you fed BB Life Protection formulas, then it could be the higher protein in the Taste of the Wild. Not that TOW is a low carb food, but it is a bit less than BB.

I’m in no way saying you should switch back, as dogs should be on a high protein/low carb/no grain diet IMO. Just sounds like you have a hyper dog. LOL, sorry

[BryanV21]

High protein is not necessarily bad for kidneys, as there is plenty of research out there showing the opposite. So don’t ward off higher protein foods, whether that be kibble or raw or whatever. Remember… all dogs are different, just like you and I. What works for one doesn’t necessarily work for another, and vice versa.

Without seeing the exact foods you fed, not just the brand of foods, I unfortunately can’t make solid recommendations. But it sounds like you’ve gone through enough, so perhaps just going with home made would be ideal. There’s a forum here for raw diets, which gives a number of recipes. So check that out, as it’s important that you give your pup a balanced diet. I know that doing homemade incorrectly can lead to many problems.

[BryanV21]

I’m late to the party, but when I have dogs with bad allergies I recommend Primal treats. They have nothing but meat in them, and come in a few varieties including venison.

[BryanV21]

I don’t remember you saying anything about skin issues in your original post that I responded to. If I missed it, my apologies.

Hearing that I wanted to say that if you continue to see any skin or coat issues after switching foods, then try adding some fish oil to your pup’s food. I’d recommend buying it in capsules, which you can break open and pour onto the food (as opposed to pumps, which allow air to get to the oil and can make it go rancid quicker).

[BryanV21]

You’ll notice Nutro is not on HDM’s list (which is awesome, btw). There’s a good reason for that.

[BryanV21]

I don’t know if you heard your vet wrong, but something he said doesn’t add up.

After you were told to stay at or under 21% protein, your vet then said it’s because of arsenic in rice. What does one have to do with the other? Rice doesn’t affect protein. If anything, going with a lower protein food oftentimes means more grains… such as rice.

Is there another reason he is recommending such a low protein diet? Maybe it’s higher quality/animal-based proteins that need to be fed, as opposed to plant-based proteins (for example, peas).

Like HDM, I wouldn’t recommend a food that low in protein unless there’s a legitimate health issue that calls for it. So I’m sorry, but I’m not listing any foods.

[BryanV21]

I would indeed stay away from common ingredients, particularly chicken, lamb, and beef. However, I would dump the Royal Canin as soon as possible. Your vet probably put your dog on it as it doesn’t contain any meat/animal-based protein, which is fine as that should allow your dog to heal up from the allergic reaction. But I would NOT feed it long-term, since dogs should be fed meat.

You can search the 5 star foods here at DFA, then weed out the ones that contain chicken. Some may not be available in your area, but you can always find places on the net to buy it for little or no shipping cost.

If you have questions about specific foods, then feel free to ask. But make sure to put it in the proper forum, so that way it’s seen by more people.

And FYI, here are a few I’d suggest if you were in my store, as they are grain free and don’t contain any chicken, lamb, or beef…

Merrick Grain Free Duck or Pork
Zignature Trout & Salmon or Turkey
Acana Pacifica

You may want to check out a dehydrated/freeze-dried food such as those made by Honest Kitchen and Grandma Lucy’s, or even raw.

[BryanV21]

There’s no research? Are you kidding? There’s a TON of research that shows why corn, wheat, soy, and grains in general are not ideal for a dog’s diet.

And where do you think nutrients come from? INGREDIENTS!

Just quit… please. For your sake and mine.

[BryanV21]

HDM is being kind calling it “mid-grade”. I consider mid-grade something like Natural Balance, which is a fine food, but a little low in meat for my tastes. Anything with corn as a main ingredient is “poor” in my opinion.

I can find all sorts of misinformation on the internet, so telling me I can find it on their website or any other website means nothing. I choose to learn about the ingredients and go from there. And why the hell would you take what the company selling the food has to say? That’s idiotic. I mean… what do you expect them to say? “Our food is filled with corn, which isn’t a great ingredient”?

[BryanV21]

Taste of the Wild is a Diamond product, so they were indeed part of the Diamond recall last spring. Not all of their foods were affected, as only one plant (I believe their South Carolina one) had an outbreak, but things like that have been happening with Diamond for a long time now. So I’d move away from them.

[BryanV21]

I don’t really know much about Rachel Ray’s food, other than the fact I’ve heard it’s not great, but I’d be suspect of any company that didn’t respond to multiple inquiries. Either they’re hiding something, or their customer service makes it so they aren’t worth your time and money.

[BryanV21]

I haven’t found or heard of any definitive way to find out where a company gets their ingredients, other than calling them and asking. Even then, though, there seems to have been confusion as the customer reps don’t always seem to know for sure.

[BryanV21]

Donating is a great thing, but a lot of the time it’s being done for the wrong reasons. I don’t believe Pedigree donates out of the goodness of their hearts, but they are doing it in order to get publicity so they can sell more food.

[BryanV21]

I’m not sure of the calcium content of Nutrisource, but Hound Dog Mom created a list of good foods for large breed puppies and Nutrisource is not listed. If you want the list then let myself or HDM know, and we’d be glad to send it to you.

[BryanV21]

^ *cough* rep *cough*

[BryanV21]

Due to the fact that all dogs are different, in terms of what they like and what works for them (same with humans), it’s going to take a bit of trail and error to find what works for you. Thankfully, most good foods will offer free samples, which you can bring to your dogs to first make sure they’ll eat it. After that you can purchase small bags to feed them, and monitor how they do with it (firm stools, good weight, etc).

I’d go with a food that is grain free and higher in protein, whether that be kibble or whatever type. A dog’s system is designed to process protein, rather than carbohydrates, so your big dog won’t gain too much weight due to grains and carbs, and your little dog will be able to get more out of the protein-rich food and put on some weight.

What it will come down to, I believe, is that you can’t just free feed them. Meaning that you simply keep their food bowls full, and let them eat at their own leisure. If you think of them as children, you’ll know that they aren’t going to regulate how much they should or shouldn’t eat… that’s mom’s job. I know it can makes things tougher, but as long as you’re having weight issues then I don’t see any way around it.

[BryanV21]

Just like how humans have many differences from one to another, so do dogs. So I wouldn’t be surprised if one food that isn’t great for some dogs, IS great for another. As long as the food isn’t full of junk, then the fact it works is #1.

While Canyon Creek wouldn’t be at the top of my list, it’s not a poor food. It’s not full of corn, wheat, or soy. It has chicken and chicken meal among it’s first 3 ingredients (well, the chicken and rice one, that is).

If you’d be interested in finding a higher rated food, and I’d suggest looking around myself, let us know what particular formula you used. We may find that it all contains an ingredient known to cause issues, and can steer you in the right direction.

[BryanV21]

If you’re dog already has bad teeth (tarter/plaque buildup), then I’d suggest trying a food additive made of seaweed. I carry a product called PlaqueOff that works incredibly well. Some people will use that all year long, but I suggest only using it once or twice a year… kind of like how we’d see the dentist for a professional cleaning once a year. In between uses of PlaqueOff you could use a water additive or foam/gel that will help fight bad teeth. Tropiclean makes a couple of products that work well.

One note, I’m not a fan of water additives, because you can’t tell how much of it your dog is getting each day. Do they drink the same amount each day? Probably not. So some days they will get a lot of the additive, other days not so much.

[BryanV21]

Coconut oil is very good for dogs, due to it’s anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. Our stores not only sells it as an oil, but has chips of it to be given as treats as well. As long as the sugar content is okay, and there aren’t any other “iffy” ingredients, then I don’t see why you can’t give it to your dog.

[BryanV21]

Check out commercial raw foods, such as those made by Primal and Nature’s Variety. They offer a variety of different meats, are very low in carbs, and no grains, which makes them much easier for a dog to digest as they aren’t “set-up” to process carbs.

[BryanV21]

To start, for the gas issue, try adding a pro/pre-biotic to the food, which will help aid digestion. Adding plain yogurt will sometimes help, but the higher amount of good bacteria that a pro/prebiotic provides would likely work better.

As far as adding more calories/fat to the food, you can try Evanger’s game meats. They are not a full diet, but are meat-only, so are to used as a topper not a replacement. That way you don’t have to worry about anything like extra minerals, you’re just adding fat and calories.

[BryanV21]

Normally my response to questions regarding weight loss mention lowering carbohydrates, and feeding a food with more meat/animal-based proteins, based on the fact that a dog’s system is designed for digesting animal-based proteins moreso than carbs.

However, you’re feeding a food that I’d normally think was good. So perhaps we need to take another step and look at the calorie content of the food, along with possibly adding a supplement. What you can do is try the Pacifica from Acana, which is the sister brand of Orijen, as both are made by Champion Pet Foods out of Canada. The Pacifica is 421 kcal/cup, where as 6 Fish is 480 kcal/cup.

You can also try adding pumpkin or green beans, and cut back on the food a bit. The pumpkin and green beans should add minimal calories, without any added, but will “bulk up” the feeding. Now, you don’t want to cut back on too much food, as you still want to give your pup enough of the vitamins and minerals that a full diet provides.

[BryanV21]

Thanks for pointing that out… seriously. It’s interesting to read things like that. However, since I can find studies to prove anything, whether they are contradictory or not, I don’t put a whole lot of stock in them. Just another example of science failing or confusing people. Which is why I’m an advocate of the ancestral or evolutionary diet.

Besides, it’s not as if a dog owner doesn’t need to practice good oral hygiene anyway. And if an owner is doing that, then it doesn’t matter. The more important thing is which food is best, not which is dry or wet.

[BryanV21]

Patty made it clear that it’s a history of recalls that’s the issue, not one in particular. History shows that it’s quite possible for another recall/issue to arise in the near future… that’s the problem.

And their rating here at DFA is indicative of their ingredients and dry analysis, it is not based on their history pertaining to recalls or other health conditions. Which is why I tell people that inquire about Taste of the Wild that it is a good food per it’s ingredients, however Diamond’s history keeps me from recommending it.

Another case where needing to look into the gray area is necessary, as it’s not a black or white thing.

[BryanV21]

Wet food is not bad for teeth. You should be cleaning the dog’s teeth fairly often anyway, whether that be with brushing or using other teeth cleaning products. I’ve read that giving dogs raw meaty bones is a great way to keep teeth clean as well.

And if you’re being told that dry food is good for teeth, as it cleans them while chewing then ignore it. It’s a myth. Dry food crumbles when bitten down on, especially by the dog’s conical shaped teeth, so it’s not “scraping” the teeth at all. And a bad dog food is going to have ingredients that are more “sticky” and keep the mouth dirty anyway, whether it’s dry or wet.

[BryanV21]

It could be that your dogs are still hungry. I’ve heard about many dogs from places like puppy mills eating their poop because they aren’t getting enough food. Talk about a sad story, right?

Victor is not a bad food, however it is fairly low in protein, and kind of high in carbohydrates. It’s guaranteed analysis is 24% protein, and using Dr. Sagman’s calculations it’s around 47% carbs. I recommend foods a bit higher in protein, meaning at least 30%, with a carb content of no more than 40%. That’s because a dog’s system is designed to process animal-based foods (meat, organs, etc), and has a harder time with carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, grains). Not saying they can’t have carbs, just that they have a harder time getting enough out of them compared to meat, organs, etc.

With a bit better food you may find that your dogs are getting more out of it, and therefore don’t feel the need to eat “other” things to compensate. And your dog’s stools should improve with a better food as well. Again… not saying Victor stinks, but there are better alternatives.

Speaking of alternatives, you mentioned other foods that are within the same price range. Well I did a quick Google shopping search, and found a 5lb bag of grain-free Victor going for $15. There’s a fairly new brand of dog food out there, which I’ve talked about quite a bit, that’s grain and potato-free, higher in protein and lower in carbs, and is priced right around there. It’s from Zignature. It may be hard to get at stores near you, but I’m sure ordering through the internet isn’t hard. And the company may be willing to send you free samples to try before buying.

[BryanV21]

I hear this issue a lot, referring to picky dogs. More often than not it’s owners that are unwilling to give their dogs tough love.

Just like anybody else, they are going to prefer one type of food over another, but that doesn’t mean you have to be a big softy all the time and give in. If you put down dry food for your dog and it doesn’t eat, that doesn’t mean running to the pantry and putting down wet food instead. Sometimes your dog just isn’t that hungry, and would rather wait and see if it will get it’s favorite food instead.

Of course, if your dog has gone a day or two without eating, then it’s okay to be concerned. In that case I’d look into alternate dry foods. Normally those with a higher amount of meat are more palatable. My store recently received the new line of Merrick foods, and so far I’ve had a few people rave about how much their dogs like it. Fromm foods are very palatable too, as they put Parmesan cheese in all their formulas, and dogs tend to love cheese.

While the Pro Plan is not “Beneful” bad, I’m not impressed by the ingredient listing. Chicken comes first, followed by barley, dried egg product, and then chicken meal. Chicken, or any meat, is about 70% water, so when it’s cooked the water is gone meaning the weight of the chicken goes down quite a bit. Therefore this food has more barley and dried egg product than actual meat. So I’d definitely have you try some different foods in order to entice your dog to eat more… assuming that’s a problem, and not a temporary situation.

And as for the weight loss thing… you’ll find that you don’t have to feed as much with foods containing more meat, or animal-based protein. A dog’s digestive system is designed to digest meats, organs, and other animal-based foods. I’m not saying dogs can’t have fruits and vegetables, or even some grains, just that their bodies have a more difficult time with those. For example, humans and other omnivores have salivary amylase, which starts to break down the cell walls of plants right away, making it easier to digest once it gets down to the stomach. Not to mention the fact humans and other omnivores have a longer digestive tract, unlike dogs and other carnivores whose digestive tracts are shorter, and thus don’t have as much time to process the foods.

And if your pup is still hungry, that doesn’t mean adding more of the dry dog food, which will add extra calories and fat. You can simply add some thawed frozen green beans to the food instead, as they won’t add any more calories or fat, but your dog will be fuller and satisfied.

[BryanV21]

I know it’s easier to see things in black and white, as it requires no thinking on the part of those that listen/read, but there is a gray area to just about everything.

[BryanV21]

I’d steer clear of grains and white potato, due to how they can raise blood glucose levels (see “high glycemic foods”).

Check out this link for some great information http://www.gripetfoods.com/index.htm

[BryanV21]

If I don’t say “it’s a fact…” then it’s clearly my opinion, and as such it shouldn’t be taken as gospel. If somebody does take it as gospel, then that’s on them… not me. Nor do I take what other people say as fact, unless they state it as such, and even then I’m skeptical. Perhaps you’re new to the internet, but that’s the way it’s always been.

I can’t stand it when people need things spelled out for them. I don’t cater to idiots and a**holes… not in real life, and not anywhere else. If naive people continually get treated differently, then they’ll never learn NOT TO BE NAIVE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

So if you think I or anybody else should always add “IMHO” to every post then you’re the one that’s out of your mind.

[BryanV21]

Yeah, if a food doesn’t have that much protein or other nutrients, or has inferior ingredients, then it doesn’t matter whether it’s dry, wet, dehydrated, freeze-dried, raw, or whatever.

I don’t think kibble is best for dogs by any means, but I totally understand the cost and convenience of it being more attractive to dog owners. But I like that you top the food like that.

[BryanV21]

I always tell people when starting a new food, go with the recommendation on the label. BUT! Always look at the shape of the dog, as chances are you will need to feed a bit more or a bit less. Like humans, not all dogs gain or lose weight the same.

So I’m with Patty on this. If you’re dog looks good as far as not having any extra pudge, along with a nice shape, then don’t worry about it. But if you’re seeing ribs, or the shape of the dog doesn’t look right, then don’t be afraid to change things up.

[Author]

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