[Haleybop]

Thanks. Along with all the info, it doesn’t help that you have a vet that you’ve been trusting and going to for 18 years who follows AAHA’s guidelines of no raw. Really hard to find a holistic vets in my area but I now have a lead on one. Just found out that the beef hearts I bought for the ABC diet, when I bought my grass-fed/antibiotic free beef, aren’t grass fed. Sigh. We try and try to do the best for our babies. Sometimes, I wish someone would tell me exactly what to do but it might not be the right thing for my pup (or me). I’m still going to keep on learning!

[Haleybop]

Clarifying…stick to three meals a day, that is. I appreciate all the other suggestions!

[Haleybop]

Ok. Lexi is on a pretty darn regular schedule! 🙂 Plus, she eats her meal slowly but as soon as I put it down (she is also trained to wait until I tell her it’s OK to eat). I do add in soil based enzymes and probiotics with the meal I add extra stuff to. I would definitely notice if she wasn’t eating regularly. I’ll have to give this some more thought but I think I’ll probably just stick to what I’m doing right now – it makes her bathroom habits very predictable, also. Thanks everyone for all the help!!!

[Haleybop]

Thank you, everyone. While the twice a day feeding to give their digestive system a rest totally makes sense, why can’t I find ANYTHING talking about this on the internet? There are so few good sources on dog nutrition. 🙁 Anyone have anything they can link to?

[Haleybop]

This is where I found my potato free food. I went with Back to Basics but I notice it has flaxseed in it. I was thinking maybe the pork variety might be an option for you to switch from the fish and give some variety, but now that may not be an option. This list might be a good place to start searching, though. Good luck!

[Haleybop]

Thanks, Aimee. Sometimes, there’s just too much information out there. Some say it’s ok to mix raw and kibble, others say feed them separate – they digest the different types of food differently…it’s so overwhelming. If anything, I know Ziwi Peak will be an excellent training treat. Thanks, again!

[Haleybop]

Oh, I have another related question. I know you’re not supposed to feed raw with kibble – they should be separate meals. What about treats? I have a bunch of samples from Ziwi Peak. Is it ok to use that food as treats in between meals? Thanks, again!

[Haleybop]

Sorry I haven’t been on to thank you for the replies. A friend died and I haven’t been up to much of anything.

So, thanks to everyone who offered suggestions. I’m happy to take even more! 🙂

[Haleybop]

Thanks, all, for your suggestions. I wasn’t sure why everything I read said to stop feeding them three meals after six months of age. Now, I know. 🙂

And, thanks for the general support. Ultimately, I know it’s best to go raw. I just haven’t done it before and my husband isn’t sold that I’ll be able to keep up on it (because of my disabilities). That may make him sound bad – trust me, he takes care of EVERYTHING else, lol, and would do this also if it weren’t for the fact that I WANT to take care of my baby. Plus, I seem to make everything more complicated than it is and it seems so confusing to me, balancing the diet and what not.

So, another question…how long do you go between the two meals? I know feeding them more than every 12 hours was mentioned. For instance, my dog generally wakes up between 8:15 and 9am every day and is usually back in bed by 9:30pm. Like I said earlier, I need a little help figuring things out. What would you recommend for feeding times? Right now, I feed her at around 9am, 2pm and 7pm.

Thanks, again, for the help and general support!!!

[Haleybop]

I recently found Off Leash treats produced in small batches at Buddy’s Kitchen Head Quarters, in Aurora, Ontario. Apparently, so have others. They went from $2.50 a bag to $5 a bag. Luckily, I stocked up. From dog.com…

Proudly made in Canada
All-natural
No grains, wheat, soy, corn, artificial flavor, or colors
Soft, chewy, semi-moist treat
Only 4 calories per treat
Comes in a convenient re-sealable pouch; perfect take-along on outdoor excursions
Easy to break in half- a perfect calorie reducing benefit for pet parents who are constantly rewarding their dog

They come in chicken, beef and peanut butter. They smell sooo good, I’m tempted to try the beef and chicken myself. The peanut butter – not too crazy about the smell. I like that they use buckwheat flour, which is not a wheat nor a grain – it is a fruit seed related to rhubarb. Buckwheat is gluten free and nutritionally rich. I’m also able to break each pencil size piece into four pieces for training treats for my beagle. They do, however, fall apart when very fresh. If you let them air dry a little, like in a treat pouch, they don’t crumble as much.

I do wonder what the “natural flavors” are, though. Anyone else have any experience with these? Is the vegetable glycerin anything to worry about? Ha ha, now I’m second guessing my choice…

[Haleybop]

Thanks, once again! 🙂

[Haleybop]

Thanks, BCnut! I appreciate your input! Have any thoughts on toppers for her food? I already add water to it (and the other stuff I mentioned) but am wondering about even more protein and moisture. I’m thinking of getting some canned green tripe, sardines and maybe just some really good canned dog food. I just figure that the less processed, the better since she’s already on a kibble. Thanks, again!!!

[Haleybop]

Hound Dog Mom – I got my Swanson Ultra Soil Based Organisms and put one in my pup’s food. She is a dog that actually chews her food. You guessed it, powder everywhere and a very confused look on her face. Will the acids in her stomach destroy the product before it gets a chance to get to her intestines if I open the capsule and sprinkle it on her food? I know one of the concerns with probiotics is getting them to the right place for them to be effective. What are your thoughts? Thanks!

[Haleybop]

Hound Dog Mom – It’s funny…I’ve been contemplating the Swanson Probiotics Dr. Stephen Langer’s Ultimate 16 Strain Probiotic with FOS all day because it’s B1G1 and an additional 20% off until the end of the day with code 20PERCENT. I hesitated because of the ConcenTrace® Trace Mineral Complex (from the Great Salt Lake, 72 naturally occurring minerals, plus other minerals found in seawater). I noticed the Soil-Based Organisms has that, too. Are those ok to give my dog without knowing what they are??? I went ahead and bought them because I figured if it’s not ok for my pup, I can use them. Also, she’s only 10 months and 25 pounds. Would I give her a whole pill. I do know I would only give her one or the other, not both supplements at the same time. I needed some probiotics, too! Thank you!

[Haleybop]

Who knows?! She insisted that it included TOTW – I told her I thought she was confused. Thanks for making me feel better. I just didn’t like her leading people in the wrong direction. Recalls or not, TOTW is much better than so many others.

[Haleybop]

Oh, she’s referring to this article, insisting that Natura makes TOTW http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-04-09/business/sns-rt-us-mars-pgpetcare-acquisition-20140409_1_royal-canin-pet-food-brands-mars-bars

[Haleybop]

Oh, she’s adamant about it but wouldn’t give me any proof. For a minute, I thought she was just trying to discourage TOTW sales. She insists that because she owns a pet food store, “I’m a retailer I get notifications from my suppliers on when companies change hands or manufacturing. I can’t share those publicly.” Why not? I’m not sure her intentions but she has a lot of people believing her. You’re all right, though. I’ve spent too much time debating something I believe to be true and I’ve wasted entirely too much energy and emotion on it. Thanks so much for your input!

[Haleybop]

This lady insists it’s not and has never been. She says it was manufactured by Diamond, but, well, you see what she’s saying. We’re having a rather heated debate. Sigh. You wouldn’t think it’d be so hard to find information on who owns what and who makes what. Thank you!

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