[Mom2Cavs]

If your Rat Terrier is not all that active, i.e. couch potato like my Cavs, then I would definitely cut back on the food. Wellness is a brand I like a lot, myself. I don’t feed their kibble right now (due to its size and chicken in most), but I use their canned food almost everyday and also use their treats. Anyway, I have 3 small dogs. Two Cavaliers and one Mixed Breed. Lucy, my Mixed Breed, has always been 24-25 lbs., no deviation in all of her 12.5 years. She gets 1/3 c. of kibble in the a.m. and 1/3 c. in the p.m. She is not active….chases squirrels at times lol, but that’s about it. She does get about 1-2 tblsp. canned food added to the kibble at each meal. I use to give more treats than I do now, but recently have been giving either a Wellness Lamb grain free biscuit or Wellness Pure Reward treat in the morning and at night before bed. If they get anything else during the day it’s just their kibble (which they think is a treat lol)…maybe 3-4 pieces of it. So, long story short hahahaha……I would definitely cut down on your dog’s food. Btw, my Cavs weigh 17 lbs. and 19 lbs. and they each get 1/4 c. kibble a.m. and 1/4 c. p.m. with 1-2 tblsps. canned added. They are definitely couch potatoes, except when they’re doing their Therapy Dog work.

I also wanted to add that my dogs are 6 yrs., 8 yrs., 12 yrs. and have never eaten a senior food. They usually get an all-life-stage food. I am using Fromm 4Star Salmon a la Veg and Mulligan Stew right now.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

[Mom2Cavs]

Wellness has some “chunky” types. It’s what I buy my cat. They also have “minced” if you want it to be a little smaller. Weruva is def. a “stringy” type. I’ve never fed BFF. I’m pretty sure the other brands you mentioned mostly are pate style.

[Mom2Cavs]

Hmmm…..haven’t really tried Authority cans, but I think I’ll check it out next time I’m in Petsmart. Thanks.

[Mom2Cavs]

I agree with all said. I also belong to Susan Thixton’s site. Like said before, if not opposed to Diamond then TOTW is a great food. I’ve fed their wet food to my cat (Rocky Mountain) and she does like it. My daughter feeds TOTW dry to her cats and they are beautiful!! You can also get it in a larger bag. I try to stay grain free with my cat, but Tractor Supply does have their private brand 4Health that is decent quality and quite a bargain. When my little black runt cat, Smokey Jo, was living (she passed at age 21 yrs!) she loved Fancy Feast….now I’m not saying to feed FF, but I had to get her to eat, you know. If you buy the gourmet pate’s…the classics, like Salmon, chicken, etc., they aren’t that bad. They don’t contain glutens or menadione, if I remember correctly, but do contain some by-products. So, these are the only ones I would buy. She would occasionally eat wellness, too, so I would try to sneak some in hahahaha. I have also read catinfo.org.

[Mom2Cavs]

Like you and Patty said, if you can trust a dog food company and the food is rated a good one, then their cat food should be pretty good, too. Most people feel that cats should never eat a dry food. They are also obligate carnivores and need high protein, i.e. meat. Now…I will say I do leave dry out all the time for my cat to nibble on and she does like to do that occasionally. She gets fed a wet/canned food morning and evening. I add in missing link well blend to her food. She has some allergy responses and this seems to help. She loves Instinct kibble (not all flavors/kinds, though) but hates their canned food. She also likes Orijen/Acana. Currently, she’s eating Fromm Gamebird kibble and loves it. It also is doing well with her allergies. She eats Mulligan Stew canned, Fromm Gold canned, Wellness canned and pouches. She likes Weruva ok. I’ve tried premade raw with her a few times but she eventually won’t eat it. I keep trying, though, lol. She’s in perfect weight, as well.

[Mom2Cavs]

So sorry for your loss. My very first dog ever was a Beagle named Skipper and he was awesome. Henry you will be missed!

[Mom2Cavs]

I will just tell you what I do. I do go to a holistic vet where they do titers as the norm. Every year my dogs go in for blood to be drawn. It is sent to a lab and takes about 2 weeks to get back. It will tell us if the dog is immune to the normal diseases they get shots for. I’ve been titering for 2 years now and so far each dog has been immune and not needed to be vaccinated. Now, my vet does not titer for Rabies (you can, but it’s much more expensive) and because it’s required by law to have the shot, we do get a rabies shot every 3 years where I live. Lucy, however, will never get anymore shots, though, because of her cancer. Also, my vet doesn’t titer for bordatella and leaves that up to the owner to decide if they want it. I do give the nasal bordatella to the Cavaliers because they do Therapy Dog work and are around quite a few different dogs when we have get togethers, parades, etc. So far it hasn’t been a problem, though I may discontinue giving it because my vet says it doesn’t cover all the strains anyway. I am so glad I switched to my holistic vet and started doing this! My old vet wanted dogs vaccinated yearly (with 3 yr. rabies) without question, even when Stella (rip dear one) had a reaction one year he wanted to continue giving all vaccines to her. I sadly admit to doing what he wanted. Never again! I love my vets I have now!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

[Mom2Cavs]

Betsy, I think Mulligan Stew’s canned food has no added vits/mins but their kibble does add some in, like vit. e, zinc and vit. d3. I’m actually feeding the Mulligan Stew canned food to my dogs as a topper and it’s my cat’s current wet food of choice. I just got a 5 lb. bag of the salmon kibble to try with the dogs. Stella couldn’t chew the bigger pieces back when I first tried it. Laverne doesn’t like Wellness because of its shape but seems to love the M.S. kibble. It’s a little softer due it being a baked kibble, I guess. I am using Fromm Salmon a la Veg as their base kibble right now, but would like another to use.

[Mom2Cavs]

Fwiw, Mulligan Stew is another brand that does not use synthetic vitamins/minerals.

[Mom2Cavs]

I have ordered from all kinds of different sites and haven’t had really any problems with any of them. Recently, I placed an order with Chewy’s. It came in the allotted time frame and the box was perfectly fine. But, when I opened it, it was missing some of the items even though the packing list listed everything I ordered. I immediately called their customer service and they were very nice. In addition to mailing out the missing items, they also gave me a credit for them! What good customer service. I will order from them in the future because they have some of the Vetri Science supplements I use that I can’t get anywhere else, but I do hope they check the order to the packing slip better next time.

[Mom2Cavs]

Well….they are both adults and since they are both in good health then you could feed them both the same food. You could use any all-life-stage food or any adult food. Some people actually feed their dogs puppy food even though their dogs are adults because they like the protein/vitamin/etc. percentages better than adult foods. I don’t know what you’re feeding now, but if I were you I’d look on this site at the 4-5 star rated foods, pick the ones you can get easily and you like the look of (ingredients, analysis, company, etc.) then go for it. Ease them in to the new food by gradually mixing it with what they’re eating now. I would also add probiotics to ease the transition. Some people use plain, natural yogurt with live cultures or add plain pumpkin (not pie filling) to ease the transition instead of buying probiotics. Start by adding 25/75 – old/new to their current food for a few days until you see that their stools are good then up it to 50/50 and so on.

[Mom2Cavs]

halo….the dogfoodadvisor rates food from the ingredient/analysis panel only. If Dr. Mike thinks the ingredients and analysis warrants a 4 star rating, i.e. enough protein percentage, decent ingredients, etc. then he will give it that rating. It really is up to us to try out foods and see how they do for our dogs. I actually use these ratings as a starting point (I want to feed 4 and 5 star foods to my dogs, for instance). I select certain foods and then I see if they work well for my individual dogs. So, just because your dogs did not do well with RR’s grain free doesn’t mean other dogs will not do well with it. No one food works for all dogs, of course. It may not be 4 stars for your dog, but to another it might be a 5 star. I’m not endorsing Rachel Ray’s food, as I don’t feed it but I just wanted to let you know how the food is rated on this site.

[Mom2Cavs]

Duh…like Pattyvaughn said, I also cut out the poultry from their diet along with giving them the snack so maybe that helped, too.

[Mom2Cavs]

It may be she needs a snack before going to bed at night. I do this with my dogs because one of my Cavaliers would have a queasy/gurgly stomach in the morning and sometimes vomit bile. I just give a small amt. (tblsp.) of their kibble to them right before bedtime. It hasn’t happened since I started doing this.

[Mom2Cavs]

Thanks, Pattyvaughn! I hope it works, too! It can’t hurt, though. I wonder if the bladder mass that could not be easily surgically removed due to its location caused her to have this cancer appear? Who knows….everything I’ve read says vets don’t know what causes it. I misspoke earlier, it’s called Cutaneous Epitheliotropic T-cell Lymphoma (CETL). Certainly a shocker for us. She seems to be taking it in stride atm thank goodness. I’m not changing her diet except to add supplements. She’s always had such a beautiful coat and it’s sad to see it looking like it does. She doesn’t seem sick at all and I’m dreading that time, although these dogs don’t die a natural death from this disease. It’s usually a matter of the owner deciding to put down due to the skin lesions becoming so prevalent and the comfort and quality of life for the dog.

Btw, I’m sorry for hijacking this thread…..

• This reply was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

[Mom2Cavs]

Yep, I agree Pattyvaughn!

[Mom2Cavs]

Well….you are not alone in this. There are many dogs that seem to “enjoy” doing this. I had a Cavalier (at the bridge now) that has been known to partake. What I did with her and it seemed to work was I added enzymes to her food. In her case I used a supplement called Solid Gold Seameal. I think sometimes it can be a behavior, attention getting problem. Sometimes it can be the food, I believe. In Stella’s case I’m not sure what it was because she was eating a high quality food, but the Seameal worked. A little while after I started adding it to her food she stopped doing it. I added a canned topper to her dry so put the Seameal in that. As for the Science Diet kibble being the cause, who knows….I do know that you could probably find a little higher quality food for her. I’m not a Science Diet fan, myself, sorry. But if you don’t want to change her food at least adding enzymes or a probiotic/enzyme supplement can’t hurt.

[Mom2Cavs]

Bets175….Hi, yes I’ve heard of Glandex! In fact, I have a bottle. I bought it when I was dealing with Laverne’s anal gland problems. I admit, though, I haven’t really used it properly so can’t comment on how it works.

[Mom2Cavs]

Betsy Greer….thanks so much for your kind words. Lucy is actually doing quite well, except for the lesions she has on her skin and the baldness that comes with them :(. Lucy has never had skin problems, at all, so this was a shock to see these places on her. I first noticed places by her mouth and under her chin. Then the groomer noticed one on her back when he was blow drying her. Looked like nothing I had ever seen before. My first thought was an allergic reaction to something!? It all started about 2 weeks after I began feeding TOTW Pacific Stream so I actually considered it might be the food, but she had never had allergies in the past…though I know they can come on anytime. It just seemed so odd. I took her to my holistic vets and they really weren’t sure what it could be, either. We took a blood test and it showed slightly elevated kidney levels and slightly low thyroid levels. So….we kinda expected the kidney values with her bladder tumor (she’s had for a year now) and we thought she might be having a skin issue due to thyroid. But the vets had never seen skin problems like hers with thyroid before which is why we opted for biopsies to be sure. They took from 3 lesions, which had worsened and multiplied since the groomer found the one on her back. It came back as canine epitheliotropic T-cell lymphoma or CETL. Very rare cancer, happens to mostly older dogs. Can happen out of the blue, no known cause. Prognosis is poor usually and generally no treatments help. Dogs can live a few months to up to 2 years with it. It all depends on their comfort level and the seriousness of the lesions. She wears a T-Shirt around the house so she won’t bother them. Thankfully, she’s accommodating with that. She still eats great, plays more than the Cavs and is her usual self right now. In fact, Lucy’s is the first case in all the years my vets have been practicing that they’ve seen! So….we are taking it one day at a time. My vet gave me a supplement from Vetri Science called Maitake DMG Pro. They’re chews, which she readily takes (and this is a dog that’s very picky with her treats lol). It is an immune supplement. They’re very new, I can’t even order them yet. I can get it in liquid form right now, though, so I ordered that and I’m hoping she likes it mixed with something. Safflower oil has been known to help some dogs, so I have started with that, too. I’ll keep everyone posted on how she does. Again, thanks for the kind thoughts!

[Mom2Cavs]

Since I’ve taken Laverne (all 3 dogs) off poultry she’s been doing 100% better. Since I last posted here in August we’ve gone through different dry foods (can’t even remember what all), but currently they’re eating Fromm Salmon a la Veg. It does have some chicken cartilage in it and grains (which don’t seem to be a problem). I’ve been using only canned foods without poultry, as well. I’ve used Wellness a lot, especially their 95% and stews. I have on hand some Simply Nourish Fish & Potato, Weruva Cirque de la Mer, Fromm 4Star Pork and some others that I’ve fed. Also, I’ve noticed that when a food has a lot of peas Laverne has issues, too. I also have been adding in probiotics/enzymes. They get 2 treats a day. One in the morning, Wellness Lamb grain free biscuit, and one during the day, Wellness Pure Rewards Beef. Lucy, who you may have heard has CETL (skin cancer) gets some other supplements. Anal glands and itching have been gone since I’ve changed to this regimen. It might not work for all dogs, but has been good for mine. 🙂

• This reply was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

[Mom2Cavs]

Hmmm…I’ve never heard of this food, so I looked it up. Not bad (except it has corn which I won’t feed) and not great. For a skin and coat food it’s omega 3 ratio is average to me. I’m feeding Fromm Salmon a la Veg and its omega 3 percentage (as fed) is 1.00 % whereas the Genesis is .70 %. I’m sure people with more knowledge than me, or someone who might’ve fed this food will respond shortly.

[Mom2Cavs]

I currently don’t feed commercial raw, but I have and will again I’m sure. First off, dry kibble does not help keep dogs teeth clean. In fact, if they chew it at all (most tend to swallow it whole) it merely sticks to their teeth, much like when we eat crackers or cookies…way more than canned or raw. Actually, the commercial raw would do a better job at keeping teeth clean because it has a more natural component and more readily available enzymes. I would definitely add raw, meaty bones as a component of your dog’s diet. I’m sure others who feed this way will be more able to direct you in how to do this. You’re on the right track with your pup, congratulations with the new addition!

[Mom2Cavs]

Pattyvaughn has some good suggestions. I also have Cavaliers and small dogs are notorious for having bad teeth (not just Cavs) so it can be a constant problem, even shortly after dentals. I have had dentals given to mine off and on and their teeth stay good for only awhile. I do brush their teeth, but admit it’s not as often as I should. They are not good chewers, either, which makes it doubly hard to keep teeth clean :(. As for the breath issue. I have found that when mine eat something they are intolerant to or get into something they shouldn’t their breath smells bad. When anal glands are acting up their breath smells bad. Giving probiotics and enzymes helps tremendously. Also, feeding a high quality food and treats (I’ve actually cut them out 99% of their diet) has helped mine. Currently, I’m feeding Fromm 4Star Salmon a la Veg. Now I do also top their kibble with quality canned food (tblsp.) and mix in their prob/enz. When one of my Cavs had a poop eating problem (enzymes solved this, too, for her) her breath was atrocious! So in a nut shell it could be from:

1. the food they eat.
2. anal gland problems (they’re full).
3. eating things they shouldn’t (like poop or bugs, etc).
4. having a cracked tooth or something wrong with gums, teeth, etc.
5. needing a dental (no lie, some dogs need dentals more often, especially small dogs).

First, I would have your vet inspect your dogs mouth to see if anything is stuck in there, or a cracked tooth, etc. Your vet will probably recommend another dental, which isn’t always feasible at the time. I personally do them either every year or every other year. I don’t like to put my oldies under the anesthesia that often.
Giving raw bones can help keep teeth scrubbed clean. Brushing their teeth can help a lot. Even trying some of the dental sprays and gels, like Mercola’s, or Tropiclean can’t hurt either. Good luck to you, I know the pains of owning small dogs with bad teeth. I hope this helps some.

[Mom2Cavs]

As far as I know, there has been no recall of any Rachel Ray’s food. If your dogs were doing well on the Just 6 and not so well on the grain free it could be because they have an intolerance to something in the grain free that is not included in the Just 6. I don’t know the protein used in the Just 6, but the grain free uses Turkey, I believe. It could be a protein intolerance….or one of the other ingredients, too. I would just put the dogs back on the Just 6 flavor you were using and see how they do. I have a dog with intolerances/allergies and I can tell within a few days if a food is going to work, or not. I really can’t change her up, like I would like, so she eats pretty much the same kibble for a long period of time. To give variety, I give different brands of canned food (without her intolerant protein/ingredients) and cottage cheese, yogurt, sardines, etc.

[Mom2Cavs]

I’ve used the regular joint health chews and the advanced joint chews when they came out. With Desi, my now deceased Shih-Poo who had both rear luxating patellas that were bad, I used the regular joint health and they kept him surgery free all his life. Of course, I did curtail his jumping a little. Once Lucy apparently pulled a muscle in her leg (or something?) and I immediately started giving her the advanced chews. She was better in no time! I love Springtime supplements and have used them for many years for my dogs.

[Mom2Cavs]

I don’t know if this helps but my Petsmart carries Zuke’s, Fruitables, Wet Noses, Newman’s Own, Wellness treats, Castor & Pollux, and their brand Simply Nourish. These are all treats I have used at various times with success. Some have grain frees available, as well as chews, soft and biscuits. Petco carries Wellness, Zuke’s, Fruitables, some Wet Noses, Instinct biscuits and freeze dried, Nutrisca freeze dried. These are the ones I can think of off the top of my head, they may carry more good ones than I’ve listed. I’ve actually cut out most treats and just use kibble for treats primarily. When I do give a treat….if it’s a biscuit they get Wellness grain free lamb or Fruitables biscuits. I like Wet Noses, too. If it’s a soft treat I use Pure Meat or Wellness Pure Rewards or Fruitables. I use to use Zuke’s quite a lot, but for some reason went over to Fruitables more. For chews they mostly get The Honest Kitchen Beams (dried fish skins).

• This reply was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

[Mom2Cavs]

How about Pinnacle Trout and Sweet Potato?

[Mom2Cavs]

Hmmm….this is a company I have trusted. My holistic vet even sells their probiotic mega and I’ve bought some from them. Whenever I’ve used the probiotic mega it has worked for my dogs. I also have used their Cardio Strength supplement.

[Mom2Cavs]

I actually bought some. When it came it looked like freeze dried ground beef (which is good since I bought the beef one lol) and it had a vinegary smell to it, which I attributed to the fermented veggies that are in it. It didn’t work out for my dogs, though….they had some pretty bad diarrhea from it. I do think I probably transitioned too quickly but I just don’t want to chance it again.

[Mom2Cavs]

I’m not a vet or professional, but it sounds like IBD or something like that to me. If it were my dog I would find a good limited ingredient diet with a protein other than chicken or even other than any poultry. I would give the dog a good probiotic/enzyme supplement along with the diet. This site has a list of hypoallergenic foods. I’d look for the one with the lowest to most moderate fat percentage. Also, canned foods are good or even freeze dried (like The Honest Kitchen) if you want to go that route….or to add to the kibble. There are also other people on this site with way more knowledge than me that I’m sure will respond soon to help you, so please keep checking back.

[Mom2Cavs]

My dogs are eating Fromm kibble, Salmon a la Veg, topped with canned food. Right now I’m using either TOTW Pacific Stream or High Prairie, Wellness Beef Stew, Wellness Simple Salmon or 95% Beef, 95% Salmon or Weruva Cirque de la Mer, Fromm 4Star Beef or Pork. Currently I’m adding Wholistic Pet Digest All Plus every meal and 3 days a week they get Wholistic Pet Salmon oil in the morning. The Cavaliers are also getting Vetri Science Cardio Strength twice a week.

I need to stay away from poultry as much as possible for one of my Cavaliers, who seems to have intolerance/allergy to it. The other two eat what she can eat.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

[Mom2Cavs]

Wholistic Pet has Digest All Plus, which is what I’ve been using. It has pre/probiotics and enzymes. I really like their products. Their salmon oil is great, too.

[Mom2Cavs]

All I know is that Earthborn is made at Midwestern Pet Foods, located in Evansville, Indiana. For anything else, I would contact the company itself.

[Mom2Cavs]

I don’t know what his allergies are exactly, but from what I’ve read Nutrisource grain frees may be a good fit. The gf lamb and their seafood select don’t have potatoes at all, I believe. Check ’em out here nutrisourcedogfood.com.

[Mom2Cavs]

Believe it or not, I think peas might actually be the culprit with Laverne’s issues. I am feeding TOTW Pacific Stream. It doesn’t have peas, or flaxseed. I initially thought maybe flaxseed was the problem, but I’m giving them Missing Link (more for Lucy’s benefit) now and Laverne is fine with it. It has flaxseed as one of the first ingredients. Every other food she has reacted to, even NV LIDs, have peas in them! I don’t know for sure, of course. But, here’s the rub with it, though……I give canned foods and many of those have peas as an ingredient!! Sometimes, though, her stools are still better than others. Maybe they’re the best when she gets pea free canned food, too. I’ll have to pay closer attention from now on. I’ll let everyone know. Hmm….

[Mom2Cavs]

Bee pollen granules can be found at springtimeinc.com. They have awesome supplements and have great sales, too.

[Mom2Cavs]

I think if I couldn’t have a Cavalier, though, I’d pick from pugs, papillons, Pomeranians or Japanese Chins or toy poodles. Can you tell I like small dogs? LOL!

[Mom2Cavs]

I’m not sure if you mean which one of your own dogs you like the best or which dog breed. Anyway, of course Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are my favorite breed LOL. As for my own pack, I love them all but Laverne demands more of my attention because she is a diva!

[Mom2Cavs]

mfulton7…..maybe you could just try to add some probiotics and/or enzymes before switching to a new food to see if that helps. However, rotating foods is something I think can be advantageous, too, so it would be fine if you found another food you could interchange with the Earthborn. Some people add plain, natural organic yogurt to the kibble for probiotics but I use a powdered supplement since I also feed canned food. Also, plain pumpkin in a can (not pie filling) can be added to help with loose stool, if you didn’t already know that.

[Mom2Cavs]

I know about the Nutrisource….I so wanted to try it, but it seems like most contain some kind of poultry ingredient, drat it all. Keep us updated on what you choose, I’m def. interested.

[Mom2Cavs]

Yes, my Cavalier that has allergies has anal gland issues as one of her symptoms. She can’t have poultry, at least chicken, but just to be safe I’m staying away from all poultry. I am using grain free, poultry free dry and canned foods. I also make sure any supplements or treats don’t contain offending ingredients. Since I’ve done this her symptoms are gone.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

[Mom2Cavs]

I used to feed Canine Caviar, and liked it a lot for my dogs at the time. I haven’t fed it since they have their new grain free formulas due to it not being available local. I could order it, but just haven’t. Anyway, I just don’t see how, if it’s an extruded kibble, it can be considered a raw product. Stella & Chewy’s is awesome, though. I think you could use the CC if you want, as I believe it is a good product but I just don’t know if I’d consider it a raw product….?

[Mom2Cavs]

Well….I say no. Anything with kibble in its name is not a true raw food. It may be less processed than other kibbles, but it’s still a somewhat processed food. I’m sure HDM or others will comment soon.

[Mom2Cavs]

I know you make your own food and that’s fantastic, but this site has some good info. on dogs and seizures……www.dogtorj.com

[Mom2Cavs]

My regular vet I used to go to insisted on vaccinations yearly. Stella (rip) even had a reaction once and he just gave her a cortisone shot (or something) and continued to vaccinate her yearly, except for the rabies which was every 3 years. I was ignorant at the time and went along with this! I finally switched to a holistic vet practice, which also does some traditional practices, and they do titers. I pay 85.00. When I started with them, and told them about Stella’s reaction they recommended we not give her any more shots at all, even rabies, due to her condition and age! My other vet would’ve still be vaccinating her, if allowed. I can’t believe how I subjected my babies to that…..glad I know better now.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

[Mom2Cavs]

If you are not adverse to shopping online, then most foods are available online. Some offer free shipping and often there are sales.

If I were you, I would first go to my local pet stores (or stores where you will be purchasing your pups food) and look to see what they have. Talk to the clerks (note that some will be more knowledgeable than others, so beware of this) to see what they recommend. Tell them you are looking for a 4-5 star type food for a large breed puppy that has no corn, wheat, soy, artificial preservatives, menadione. There are puppy foods and there are all-life-stage foods that will work. Let them know if you want to feed grain or gluten free. They ought to be able to point you in the right direction. Then you can read the labels on bags and If you find something there you are interested in then come to this site and look it up to see how it’s rated, etc. You could then ask on the forum who makes it, any recalls, etc.

One important thing to note is that you are getting a large breed puppy and they need special nutrition in order to grow correctly. I don’t have large breeds, but there is a thread on this forum that lists appropriate large breed puppy foods. You must use a food with the correct amount of calcium to phosphorus ratio. I believe it’s no more than 1.5/1.0….and this is dry matter, not as fed. I know that’s probably confusing, too, so it’s nice to just have the thread that does list foods that are appropriate.

I know this response seems jumbled but I am writing things down as they come into my head LOL….sorry about that. I hope it helps you some. 🙂

[Mom2Cavs]

That good….I would check into them, if I were you. I also keep folders for each animal with all their vet invoices/records in them. I have 2 therapy dogs and have to keep up with their records for sure.

[Mom2Cavs]

There are plenty to choose from on the market. It might take trying a few to see which works the best for you, but some I’d recommend are:

Nutrisource
Earthborn
4Health – grain free only
Fromm Gold, or any Fromm (but Gold is more cost effective, along with their Classic line)
Merrick
Holistic Select
I also like TOTW, but be aware that it is a Diamond product.

[Mom2Cavs]

I’ve been receiving the Whole Dog Journal for many years now. I had never gone to a holistic vet but some friends of mine who work with rescue used one along with the rescue’s regular vet. When I decided to never go back to my regular vet after some bad things happened while using him I started going to the holistic vet (which is 45-50 min. drive away). I love them! They are actually integrative. The do chiropractic, acupuncture, Chinese medicine diets, etc. They carry premade raw and Nature’s Variety in their clinic and actually know about other foods! I do titers now for my dogs, except for rabies which is 3 years. They are small but they are good. I also have been to our local emergency vet, which thankfully is only 15-20 mins. away. Oh, and I have also used ginger snaps for upset tummies :).

[Mom2Cavs]

BRT….Sounds like you have a good plan. Mine don’t seem to like the taste of pumpkin lol. I tried ACV years ago with my 2 mixed breeds and Lucy WOULD NOT take it in any way, so I gave up. Haven’t tried it since. I used to have to give my boy mixed breed, Desi, a joint supp. due to both rear luxating patellas. I gave Springtime Joint Health chews and they worked great for him. I like all Springtime supplements. But, Lucy doesn’t like Longevity at all lol. So I just use their chews and their Omega 3-6-9 (when I use an omega supp., that is). I started adding a little of the Beef Frittata in and so far, ok. But I am so worried it’s not gonna go as well as I hope with the Fromm. They really do well with the Pacific Stream, though I think Lucy is not doing as well as the Cavs with it. It could be the fish protein with her. My cat, Princess, does really well with Earthborn, Fromm, Tiki Cat canned food and loves Instinct, Orijen and/or Acana dry. I just bought a bag of Fromm Gamebird for cats and she is loving it! She is fed canned am and pm and the dry is left out for her to graze on.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

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