[Krista B]

Ok, you as well! 😉 thanks for your helpful advice!

[Krista B]

Ok thanks! I will definitely think about it. My dog doesn’t get much food either. She gets 1/3 in the AM. And 1/4 in the PM alone with two ounces of canned as a topper.

[Krista B]

Do you guys think an added 5% from veggies are ok? It’s not throwing off the balance in my opinion because I would still be feeding the same amount of food as if I wasn’t feeding them. The total I’m feeding now is 10% from supplemental oils and treats and 5% from veggies. Does this sound balanced to you guys? I’ve decided not to add the sardines and just stick with the fish oil. I’ve read that Karen Becker says it’s ok for 15% to be from extras, but no more than that. In the article in said up to 15% but preferably less than 10%. I’ll post it below.

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/3634992

[Krista B]

Ok thanks, I will just feed according to the bottle then.

[Krista B]

Ok thanks guys! That makes sense. I’m using a fish oil product called ultra EFA, the recommended dose is 1/2 tsp. Per day per 15 pounds. The total EPA and DHA is 450 mg per 1/2 teaspoon. Should I just give half the dose? It’s 20 calories per 1/2 tsp.

[Krista B]

I re read what you wrote and it makes more sense now. So I guess supplemental oils etc. count toward the 10% rule. ;( darn she’s already at her limit then. I might remove the veggies I have been adding because that adds an extra 5%. I did talk to several vets and they said 15% was ok but I wouldn’t imagine more would be balanced. My vet also said he loves it if you can add veggies to the diet. I still feel the 10% might be a bit more balanced than 15% though. What would you do, leave the veggies or remove them?

[Krista B]

Ok thanks, so when you say 10% do you mean total? For example her supplemental oils and supplements make up 7% of he diet, treats make up 3% of the diet. I’ve been adding some veggies which make up 5% of the diet. If I added one sardine to her AM meal three times per week it would be another 5% of her diet. All of this would total to 20% extras. (Not by volume, by calories.) is this ok or should I keep it to 10% only?

[Krista B]

Ok, thanks so much! So 25% sounds ok to you then? I’ve read the same but I just wasn’t sure. I actually have his book! He also recommends beef heart and eggs but I like that the sardines have the calcium in them plus EPA and DHA. In his book he says 15% of the diet (one abc day) can be unbalanced but I’m not sure if he’s accounting for treats and supplemental oils given.. I do think 30% would be too high, maybe that why he just says one day.

[Krista B]

Wow, sorry for the typos.. whoops lol.

[Krista B]

I contacted them and they said they wouldn’t advise storing it in the fridge or freezer because moisture can build up and cause further oxidation. I guess this makes sense. Too bad they don’t offer smaller bags, oh well.

[Krista B]

That was supposed to say 1000 mg of fish oil, sorry.

[Krista B]

Thanks guys. I just called my vet and he said 1000 of fish oil daily and some fish based kibble given several times a week is ok. I feed her meat based kibbles most of the time. I just thought it would be beneficial to feed some fish based kibble 20-30% of the time. I like to rotate brands and kibble as well as flavors, so she gets plenty of variety. My vet said this was fine as long as she is able to tolerate it. (Which she is) I will look into those brands you guys mentioned, thanks!

[Krista B]

Yes I agree. She’s had all her yearly checkups and has no health issues. But she had never had any bloodwork done yet. She’s currently 4 1/2 so her next visit would be an appropriate time for that. I also get her teeth cleaned yearly. The breed is prone to terrible teeth. Luckily her teeth aren’t that bad.

[Krista B]

Yes, thanks. At the moment Ihree small bags open. I do not plan on doing this again because it takes me a month just to use one. I agree after a month it’s probably not as good. (unless it’s been in the fridge or freezer) do you think it’s still ok to feed dry kibble? Or should I always soak it. I noticed my dog just doesn’t drink a lot of water. She only goes to the bowl maybe a couple times per day and just drinks a few sips each time. (I’m guessing she might be only drinking 1/2 cup per day total) And that’s when I’m not event hydrating her food. When I’m hydrating it I actually hardly ever see her go to the bowl. Is this normal for an otherwise healthy dog?

[Krista B]

Thanks, yes I tend to favor the Acana and Fromm over the Natural Balance. I just had some leftover Natural Balance in the pantry from a while ago. I don’t like that Natural Balance uses over 50% potatoes/carbs. I still think Orijen is one of the best brands available.

[Krista B]

The brands I used to try this were: Fromm four star line, Acana regionals and Natural Balance. The Natural Balance actually soaked up about 90% of the water which was really impressive. The other two soaked up about 60-70% of the water.

[Krista B]

Try fruitables, it’s a digestive supplement. Also perfect form by honest kitchen is a good one. Sometimes adding some calcium will firm up loose stools. For example in canned whole sardines there are soft bones that provide calcium. Also RMB’s (raw meaty bones) will work.

[Krista B]

Hi, I just tried soaking several brands of kibble using 1/3 cup kibble to 1/2 cup water. I used hot water and let the kibble soak for about two hours. They all soaked up most of the water! I used a tablespoon of fruitables digestive supplement that u added to the water. The kibble soaked up more than half the water and the resulting water became like a pumpkin gravy. The brands I used were natural balance, Fromm and Acana. The natural balance actually soaked up 90% of the water, which was very impressive. The other brands soaked up about 60% of the water and then the rest of the water became like a gravy. Very nice results! I will be soaking my kibble from now on. Very happy with the results. My recommendation is letting the kibble soak for at least 45-60 minutes if not longer or even overnight. If you let in soak overnight I’m sure it will soak up almost everything.

[Krista B]

This is a great food! I don’t think you have anything to be worried about. I would say all their varieties (excluding the classics line) are all great and very high quality. I think the classics is just ok and seems a little on the low end of protein. I would rotate through all the protein sources available though. It’s good to give your dog some variety.

[Krista B]

How much fish oil should I give if I’m using coconut oil too? I’ve been using one Nordic naturals pet omega 3 daily but I wanted to now add coconut oil. The dosage I’m giving says it’s good per 20 lbs but it’s 1/4 tsp. Of oil which is 10 calories. I also wanted to give 1/4 tsp. Of coconut oil which would be another 10 calories. Should o rotate these instead of giving them on the same day. The fish oil dose seems rather big for a dog of only 20 lbs so I don’t know if it would be good to add more oil. 1/2 tsp of oil seems like a lot for a 17 pound dog.

[Krista B]

I fed my dog (homemade) raw for a year. It’s a great way to feed and I think it’s great you are feeding this way! The cost became to much for my family so I switched to commercial dog food, otherwise I would still be feeding raw. I currently feed half kibble and half freeze dried raw and canned. My dog will eat literally anything you put in front of her so this hasn’t been an issue to switch.

My advice would be to Remeber to switch protein sources! Dogs need lots of variety and shouldn’t be fed only one protein source. Try to feed at least 3-4 or more.

[Krista B]

Hi,

For anal gland issues try adding produce like canned pumpkin, other veggies and small amounts of fruits. Have you heard of olewo.com? They have dehydrated beets and carrots that you rehydrate and add to your dogs meals. These foods have fiber so this will be beneficial for the anal glands. There’s also a supplement called perfect form by the honest kitchen that can be used for fiber and to regulate stools. Fruitables has a digestive supplement that can be used as well which also has pumpkin as it’s main ingredient. Probiotics are good for helping firm up stool. You can but probiotic powder or use foods that naturally have probiotics in them such as yogurt, Keifer, or fermented vegetables. Also just ground bone from sardines will naturally firm up the stool. There’s many different ways to add fiber. You can pick one or a few and you will be good to go. Good luck!

[Krista B]

Does it just depend on the dog? My dog in general doesn’t have any sensitives and has so far been on 15 different brands in the four years I got her. I only had a problem with one in particular. Other than that she has done well. I would of course narrow my number down to 10 or less total brands. I think 15 might be a bit excessive. Are there benefits to just sticking to one brand though?

[Krista B]

So if I were to use to to ten brands would I see loose stool? I talked to a vet and they said I should only use 1-2 brands otherwise I might see loose stool. Would this be the case? I favor quite a few brands and would love to try them out but I don’t want to cause loose stool. What’s your thoughts on this?

[Krista B]

Hi Kenneth, I was going to reply but I see
crazy4cats has already answered your question.

[Krista B]

About 10 different supplements that dr. Karen Becker recommend in her homemade book. I believe the didn’t necessarily need it to be balanced but I felt better adding it in. I also used (and still use) fish oil, a joint supplement and currently a multivitamin. I just purcahsed a small box of honest kitchen today. I’m excited to try it tomorrow! Looks like a wonderful food. As far as fiber I talked to the people at the store and they said it shouldn’t be a problem which is good. It’s a little more pricey then kibble but well worth it!

[Krista B]

I was going through a supplier called reel raw. Their ground party’s are pretty pricey. I was also using prey model guidelines but then adding in produce and supplements. It was time consuming for me because I would have to grind all the supplements and produce. It would take several hours plus clean up time. I was feeding 3 small dogs, one of them was mine. So it would last several months. But it also took up freezer space which was a hassle. Plus I’m starting school soon so I didn’t want to have to much on my hands. I just decided feeding commercially prepared foods was a little easier for me.

But I defiantly agree it can be pretty cost effective in some cases and its a great way to feed dogs. If I have more time (and money) I would defiantly be willing to feed it again.

[Krista B]

I think raw is great! My dog was fed a homade raw for a year but it was very time consuming and expensive. I would grind up supplements from dr Karen backers book. And then I would also grind up fruit/veggies along with ground meat. My dog did fantastic on it. I just use high quality kibble along with the occasional meal of dehydrated raw or canned. My dog also does very well on this. I will defiantly look into grandma Lucy’s dehydrated raw!

[Krista B]

Perhaps I will try it then. If I do I will buy the smallest box. It’s worth a try I guess. Thanks!

[Krista B]

Thanks pitlove for telling me that. I don’t think I will not try it then. That’s what I assumed might happen. I usually get concerned when I see fiber content above 4-6%

[Krista B]

I agree with you, I think rotating brands is great for almost any healthy dog. Have you heard of Orijen? They only have 20% starch. My dog has done well on this food, I think it’s great. The Acana lines are also great. They have about 25-30% carbs. I think no food should have more then 50% carbs and preferably lower (about 35% max) I like Fromm a lot too! There are many great brands out there.

[Krista B]

Thanks so much for chatting with me, you are very helpful!

[Krista B]

Ok sounds good, thanks. Do you think its better to feed two brands vs. just one? I wanted to try honest kitchen but the fiber content is so high on some of them. Have you tried this before? What do you think? Doesn’t high fiber cause loose stools?

[Krista B]

Do you feed like two at the same time? I would only be able to feed two at the same time because one 4/4.5 pound bag lasts my dog a month. So it would be fresher if I just used two at a time.

[Krista B]

Ok yes that’s what I thought too. So is it ok to feed two different brands in one day? That’s what I’m doing now. I’m feeding Fromm and Acana. Do you do that or just use one brand at a time?

[Krista B]

Those all sound like fantastic brands. Is it ok to feed 38% protein to a dog that probably Only needs about 30% max? I’m assuming this since she is not very active. I wanted to try natures logic but it’s pretty high on protein. Do you think this will be ok?

[Krista B]

Yes I defiantly love Acana!

[Krista B]

Also what brands do you use? That would be interesting to know. Thanks.

[Krista B]

Is it ok to use two brands in one day?

[Krista B]

Oh wow ok! Good to know. There’s quite a few I like so I will just use more then. That’s fine then I’m assuming right? Do you buy them one at a time or do you buy a few at a time. It takes my dog one month to go through a small bag so the most I could see buying is maybe two. That way it stays fresher.

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