[Pitlove]

Are you able to order food online? Chewy.com has really good/low prices and they do repeat delivery if you find a food she likes. I’m not sure if a high protein food would be too rich for her, I think Blue is just not a very good food and I don’t think their sourcing is quality.

Fromm is an excellent food and has pre/probiotics sprayed on the food after it’s cooked for easy disgestion. It’s also a very palatable food. Might be something she would do well on.

[Pitlove]

Hi Merry- Very sorry for your loss. My dog is also eating Nature’s Logic currently and doing well on it. It is an excellent food.

[Pitlove]

Maria- My dog is not very active because of the summer heat down here in the south and he maintains an ideal weight with foods high in protein (above 30%),moderate to low in fat(low being under 10%, moderate probably being 10-20% just in my opinion) and low in carbs (something 30% or under on a dry matter basis). Also, your dogs will not loose weight without cutting back on how much they are eating as well. You need to feed them based on the weight you want to see them at, not the weight they are. Also, they can not be free-fed.

Leora- Same info applies to you as well. Not sure exactly what your budget is because everyone’s is different.

[Pitlove]

Any reason why you are blending the Purina ONE and the Nutrisca? The Nutrisca would be a lot better of a food nutrient wise than Purina ONE.

It might take a little time to start seeing a change in her coat. I worked at a grooming salon for a bit and a shampoo we would use on Yorkies a lot was Espree Silky Show.

Shampoo- https://www.espree.com/productcat.asp?sc=1&s=5&p=140
Conditioner- https://www.espree.com/productcat.asp?sc=1&s=6&p=139

Look into Sardine Oil or Krill Oil. A little better for the skin and coat than Salmon Oil. More expensive though too.

[Pitlove]

Orijen is an excellent food, that being said, it is not for every dog. I know a few people who’s dogs have severe allergies (they are GSD’s not pitbulls but still) and their dogs can ONLY eat Acana. My pit was the same exact way about food. He was not interested in eating. He would eat for a few weeks then he would walk away from the food and I had to hand feed it to him. When I introduced canned food into his diet, he instantly starting eating again. Now he loves eating so much I can add just 3 spoonfuls of canned food on top of his dry and he eats no problem. I can make 1 can last for 4 meals that way! Whereas before, I was blowing through 2 cans a day.

As I highly recommend keeping him on a high protein food given that for a large breed he is considered a senior and they do have a higher protein requirement.

If your bulldog is not allergic to chicken I would highly recommend looking into the Wysong Epigen 90. It’s the only food on the market that is completely starch free which would help with the gunk build up in the ears which sounds like yeast.

[Pitlove]

Hi Phyllis- They have not disclosed the full terms of the agreement between Merrick and Purina. Only that they will keep the management and employees Merrick had. There is no way of telling whether or not the formulas will change, the sourcing of the ingredients will change, or the quality will change. However, Merrick as a company was not perfect either and had some quality control issues.

My cat is the only one who gets a Merrick product and I have yet to completely decided if I’m going to switch her, as the Whole Earth Farms line is one of the most affordable canned foods out there for the quality. It will be a very tough choice for people who do not want to support Purina, but like the Merrick line.

If you are feeding one of the more expensive lines of Merrick, there are plenty of other brands out there that are compariable if not better than Merrick though.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

Senior dogs require more protein. Only reason I can see not to feed him a high protein diet was if he was in the late stages of K/D

[Pitlove]

I really don’t know a whole lot about this “warm, cool and neutral” protein stuff and I don’t have a clue what the ideology is behind it, but if you are looking for something starch free and are willing to feed a kibble, look at Wysong Epigen. They make a Vension. Yes it has potatoe protein, however potatoe protein comes from the starch being removed. Also look at diets with Millet as the carb source.

[Pitlove]

Eh I use a prong collar for Bentley (I exhausted all other options first for his pulling), however I took the time to watch proffessional trainers show how to properly put them on. Aside from that I had the same idea of SkeptVet lol. Not to mention he doesn’t actually post scientific evidence stating the raw diets are pointless, he simply says there is no scientific studies showing the benefits. Not to mention science is changing all the time, therefore, as all my human bio, psych and regular biology teachers have told us, there is no absolute truth in science. Not to mention all the feeding trials that people want to see to prove whether or not a food works successfully do not show long term (5+ years) effects of use. It would be impossible to have a feeding trial last that long. Thats why despite it not being “scientific”, people’s experiences with prolonged longevity in their dogs based on whatever diet they are feeding has to be taken into account.

[Pitlove]

It is extremely dangerous to recommend only one source of info constantly which you do with SkeptVet and the constant recommendation to only speak to ones existing vet and not look further for information. I can tell you this from personal experience dealing with human doctors. It took 3 doctors– 2 of which dismissed my symptoms as “back spasms”, 1 of which laughed at me and asked me if I had a medical degree because I said I thought it was something with my kidneys– to figure out I had a UTI that was causing me the most severe back pain in my life. Vet’s are no different. Trusting the opinion of one vet over the internet or one source over the internet and in real life is highly dangerous and might not lead to a solution.

[Pitlove]

I have. He is extremely against raw diets. All he talks about is how there is no evidence stating the need for a raw ancestral diet and there is too much risk of bacterial contamination. The OP doesn’t need someone who isn’t going to objectively say ‘ok lets try to figure this out and not jump to the conclusion that it’s the raw diet’.

Third article down in that link and the next 2 prove my point.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

My dog had the same thing happen on Sojo’s freeze dried. Very very weird. He normally poops 2 times a day MAYBE 3 if he ate something that is causing loose poop or diaherra, but normally 2. All the sudden on Sojo’s he’s pooping 3-4 times a day. They were small compact solid poops, but he was going way more frequently. Another poster on here, Dori, mentioned that her dog did the same thing. It’s got to be something with freeze dried raw. Personally I’m stopping the Sojo’s to see if there is an improvement. I know you don’t want to change foods again, but you might need to look into something else for his diet.

[Pitlove]

Great thanks. It works out perfectly to 4 meals, so I’m quite happy about that and once again this morning he ate no problem and was much more excited to eat than with the Sojo’s. And ya that’s true about the leftovers lol. I’m still working on some tuna salad from a few days ago!

[Pitlove]

It’s unlikely the raw diet is causing the UTI’s, but it isn’t impossible. Raw diets have extremely high moisture content and should be flushing the kidneys out enough to stop the formation of crystals. That being said, perhaps there is an ingredient in the diet or another cause that is forming the UTI’s.

Consulting and working with your vet is great, but like with humans sometimes one persons opinion is not enough to solve the problem and one person might not have all the info. I would highly suggest contacting other vets and possibly even a nutritionist to make sure the raw diet you are feeding is appropriate and doesn’t contain anything that could be causing these frequent UTI’s.

Edit: For the record, SkeptVet is not the only source on the internet and he already has a bias opinion about raw.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, appreciate it as always.

C4C- How long can you leave canned food in the fridge? I’d be needing it to last for 4 meals, so 2 days. I took your suggestion and tried 3 spoonfuls of canned with his dry and he ate no problem. I could save a lot of money doing this as I would only need 1 case of food a month instead of 2 or more. Thanks for putting the thought in my head to try this again!

[Pitlove]

Maybe something like Sardine oil or Krill oil? Both are suppose to be excellent for the skin and coat. I know Nature’s Logic makes a Sardine oil and Grizzly makes a Krill oil.

[Pitlove]

I was thinking coconut oil as it is high in calories, however it’s so high that I’d be concerned about it being counter productive to her weight loss.

Hopefully a more experienced raw feeder can help you, as I’m not. Mainly just wanted to come in and say how awesome it is that you decided to switch to all raw for your girl! Much more appropriate for a senior dog 🙂

[Pitlove]

Hi Carter- I don’t have a bulldog exactly, but I do have a pitbull, which are known for the same problems as bulldogs as they come from their lineage.

My first question is how old is your boy? Second, can you list me the order in which you tried these foods?

My pit did excellent on Orijen. No issues that you are having. My boy has always been gassy though. We aren’t really sure what it is. Our vet said it’s likely a food allergy, but I disagree.

The others I haven’t fed so I can’t really give you an opinion on them. Go! is a good food from what I’ve heard and I have not heard anything about NOW. Obviously Acana is an excellent food as it is still under Champion.

Are you able to order online? I’m not sure if chewy.com can ship outside the U.S, but if they can look at Nature’s Logic or Wysong Epigen 90. They are excellent for breeds prone to yeast (which is likely what that build up in his ears is). Also, you may need to clean his ears out a lot more than normal because of the breeds predisposition to yeast. Also being consistant about cleaning the folds on the muzzle.

[Pitlove]

Deanna- As far as I’m aware Orijen LBP now meets the requirements for calcium and phosphorus. Orijen is an excellent food and a great choice compared to ProPlan. Another food that I really like and intend to use for my next dog which will also be a large, actually giant breed, is Fromm Gold Large Breed Puppy.

Protein is of no concern when it comes to optimal growth for large breeds. Many many current studies have disproven the myth that high protein diets can cause overgrowth in LBP’s. You can feed low, normal or high protein with no different effects as long as the calcium and phosphorus levels are correct.

To answer your last question, you can start with the recommended amounts on the bag and adjust as you moniter is growth. You will be feeding less with Orijen than ProPlan because it is a more nutrient dense food.

Lastly, congrats on your Boxer! They are great dogs 🙂

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

Hi Emily- Here’s a few brands that I like and would recommend for a LBP

Precise Holistic Complete- Large/Giant Breed Puppy
Fromm Gold- Large Breed Puppy
Wellness CORE- Puppy
Holistic Select- Large Breed Puppy
Fromm Four Star Nutritionals- Chicken A La Veg
Fromm Four Star Nutritionals- Duck and Sweet Potatoe
Wysong- Epigen

[Pitlove]

C4C- When I started giving him canned I gave him a whole can with his dry food on top because he wouldn’t eat any other way. I didn’t want to fight with him anymore about eating and was worried about him going days without eating. I cut back on the dry food to make sure he didn’t gain too much weight and he hasn’t which is good. Now that he is on Nature’s Logic he will eat without canned which is something that impressed me about the food as I mentioned on the NL review. I’ve thought about stopping the canned or the dehyrated raw, but I can’t bring myself to only feed him kibble. Thats why I thought about adding the ground beef or turkey. But you’re right. I never thought of how much kibble he would need to balance the raw. The recommeneded amount on the bag for a less active dog, which he is right now because of the humidity, is 2 cups a day. I’ve been giving him 1/2 a cup of the Sojo’s and 1/2 of the Nature’s Logic. But does that actually equal out to 1 cup considering they are different types of food? I watch his weight constantly and he gets weighed pretyy frequently. He’s still at his ideal weight so I haven’t changed the way I’m feeding him.

Just looking for a more affordable way to feed him and keep him healthy. It’s so hard 🙁

[Pitlove]

Hey I’m sure the OP appreciates any advice he/she can get! No reason to slam someone who is doing the right thing for their dogs anyway! I hate putting chemicals into my dog as well and I try to avoid it as much as possible. I still give the Nexgard because my boy got fleas as soon as he was due for it and I wasn’t able to get to the vet. Probably shouldn’t have brought him to the dog park though, so that was our fault! However I give heartworm every 45 days instead of every 30 and I don’t give it in the “winter” time. I also don’t give flea + tick and heartworm in the same week and I don’t plan on revaccinating my dog except for a 3 years rabies because of the laws. I plan to titer him for the other vaccines instead. Doing all that makes me feel SLIGHTLY better about an oral flea and tick, though I’m still not happy with it.

[Pitlove]

Hi Kristin- Wow! Someone else from CT! I was born and raised there but living in Louisiana now. Very very different climate. Fleas and ticks weren’t nearly as big of a concern up north as they are down here. Also the mosquitos are so rampant down here, heartworm is a scary and real concern for me. Myself and the OP are both in the same state.

[Pitlove]

zcRiley- LOVE your new avatar! Your babies are gorgeous. I was going to get the Wysong Epigen 90 as well and I still might have that in my rotation every once in a while since it’s so expensive. I still really want to try it. Seems like an amazing food. Right now my pit is on Nature’s Logic Beef and doing really well.

Best of luck with the allergy panel! Let us know when you get the results.

[Pitlove]

Weezerweeks- I’m SO sorry to here about your girl. I don’t think it matters how many other animals you have, you will still feel the pain of losing one as if it was your only pet. I’m getting a little teary reading your post remembering how I felt losing my cat last year at only 6 yrs old. I hope you feel better! I know the pain you’re in.

[Pitlove]

Alright guys. I was looking into Holistic Select LBP for my boss because we weren’t sure if the calcium and phosphorus levels were too high and we carry it at work. The levels that are listed as the minimum when put into Dr.Mike’s calculator tool put it at 1.4:1 which is already approaching high. So I emailed WellPet for their as fed levels and they wrote me back today:

Dear Christa,

Thank you for taking the time to write about Holistic Select® Large & Giant Breed Puppy Health Recipe dry dog food.

Here are the nutritional values you have requested:

Large & Giant Breed Puppy Health Recipe:

Calcium: As Fed: 2.21% Dry Matter:2.40%

Phosphorus: As Fed: 1.25% Dry matter: 1.36%

Thanks again for contacting us.

Sincerely,

Michael
Consumer Affairs Representative
WellPet

When you put that into the calculator the ratios are too high. So would that be the correct levels I want to put into the calculator or the mins? I’ve been trying to find other foods to recommend LBP customers besides Fromm and Wellness Puppy to have more variety, but now I dont know if this one is safe.

[Pitlove]

Hi Tyler- Why not feed her both? Both Orijen and Acana are very high quality foods and offer a lot of different formulas to use in a rotational diet. Variety is very healthy for dogs, just like it is for humans.

If she needs to gain weight I would feed her the recommended amount for her weight or maybe just a little bit more and then add something like coconut oil to her food. Coconut oil is very high in calories, but also offers great health benefits for humans as well as dogs and cats. Once she is at an ideal weight you can cut back on the coconut oil.

[Pitlove]

OMG Kevin! Im sorry. She really can’t get a break. The breeder warned me about pitbulls when I got my boy and now I can see from mine and others experiences like yours that they really are prone to skin issues.

Happy that the switch is going well! I know we are all looking for our dogs to be healed instantly, but sometimes its not always fast. However, if she gets worse you will know fast.

[Pitlove]

Looks like you have good options. Are you going to be feeding canned, kibble and some form of raw all together? I tend to lean towards feeding just 2. I was feeding canned and kibble before and now I’m using kibble and Sojo’s dehydrated raw. I feel like if I added canned in there as well it would come to too many calories. I’m feeding 1/2 cup rehydrated Sojo’s and 1/2 Nature’s Logic kibble. I tried to feed him more than that and he couldn’t finish it, telling me I was feeding him too much. Feeding 1/2 and 1/2 he finishes all of it.

OR are you wanting to switch it up daily and do like some form of raw and kibble one meal and then like canned and a form of raw the next etc etc?

[Pitlove]

Hi Jack- Congrats on the new puppy first off! Secondly it would definitely be wise to avoid Diamond products as you will see recalls fairly often with them. They have a long recall history already.

My dog is currently on Nature’s Logic which is an all life stages food, so your puppy can eat it. So far I really like this food and others have commented with positive results from it as well. Other brands to look into would be Orijen/Acana both made by Champion Pet Foods out of Canada (no recalls) and Fromm Family Foods out of Wisconson (no recalls either).

[Pitlove]

SkeptVet- I think you’re assuming that we are lumping all veterinarians together into one uneducated category. We’re not. We are fully aware that veterinary nutritionists exist and have extensive training in canine nutrition and that integrative vet’s also have more education on the subject as well. We are specifically talking about your run-of-the-mill, average vet that went through vet school and persuded nothing else in the way of canine nutrition education. If my vet can not have an intelligent, opened minded discussion about nutrition and food and is only pushing whatever presciption foods are on their shelves or only willing to recommend foods high in corn, wheat, soy, by-products and a bunch of other junk, I think it’s safe to assume they don’t have much training in nutrition, hence why I mentioned people’s testimonies of their vets flat out admitting they are NOT given much education about canine nutrition in vet school. Are they lying? Do you think they would put their reputation on the line by being dishonest about something like that? I don’t.

I also don’t really understand how it doesn’t make sense to you that a raw diet or homecooked diet would not be better for a species that existed for thousands of years without Science Diet and Purina. Commercial dog food has only existed for about the last 100 years, so tell me, what did dogs eat before that first bag of “dog food” was created?

Commercial dog food doesn’t exist because it is nutritionally more sound for dogs, it exists because of the convenience factor for the human providing for the dog. The average person does not have the time to prepare meals for themselves, let alone their animals, as their animals often come second to their human families and children.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

So this brings us to the problem with kibble in general. Those starchy carbohyrate sources provide one main thing in kibble; a binder. In order to have it’s shape kibble needs a carbohydrate to bind the food together, therefore you will never see a kibble that is completely carb free. Wysong Epigen 90 is the closest thing at only 4% carbs. Impressive for a kibble. It is really a shame that Nature’s Logic has alfalfa in it because millet is a hypo-allergenic seed and is easily digested by dogs. Millet being the carb source in NL.

If your dog is prone to yeast, staying away from starchy carbs is best, but IMO the lesser of all the evils in that list is lentils and chickpeas.

Most people will tell you that completely getting rid of allergies requires a raw diet and to be honest thats probably true. But that would take working with a nutritionist and developing recipes that would work for her and then actually making them.

Canned foods also will offer you more choices that kibble of less grains and starches, however they are not without them. Maybe look into dehyrated raw?

Edit: Also on the subject of Tripe. Most tripe is not considered complete and balanced. I know Tripett isn’t for one. One that is complete and balanced is Solid Gold’s Green Beef Tripe. I’ve used that for my dog and he loved it. Didn’t smell bad to me either.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

Hi Wendy- Before you recommend a Diamond product I would take a took at their long recall history and the fact that every brand that has come under Diamond has had a recall as soon as Diamond started manufacturing their foods. I also believe it was Diamond who the FDA said was using cardboard and duct tape to repair their machinery in their processing plants.

[Pitlove]

It’s no problem! I enjoy being helpful where I can. Even though she is not a huge fan of chicken I would 100% look into Wysong Epigen 90. It is completely unlike any other food on the market. It is completely starch free.

/dog-food-reviews/wysong-epigen-90/

See if any of her red-flags are on there but I doubt it. The meat protein isolate per Dr.Wysong’s website is pork by the way.

If she isn’t actually allergic to tapioca itself then I wouldn’t imagine that it being considered a grain digestivly is an issue. “Grain” is such a broad term and I do not believe a dog can just be allergic to grains in and of themselves, it would have to be a specific type of grain or test positive in rare cases as being allergic to every type of grain present in dog food.

NV is a good food, my dog however didn’t like it because he is a pain in the butt lol. But that aside I like the food and it could be worth trying out.

I would have suggested the food my dog is currently on which is Nature’s Logic, however it contains alfalfa.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

I’m gonna take a guess and says she allergic to chicken too? If she isn’t look at Wysong Epigen 90.

This is what I got when I put in the limited information you gave us::

Acana Singles – Duck and Bartlett Pear

Acana Singles – Lamb and Okanagan Apple

Addiction (canned)- Hunter’s Venison Stew

Canine Caviar- Lamb and Pearl Millet Dinner

Canine Caviar- Large Breed Puppy Dinner

Canine Caviar- Open Sky GF

Canine Caviar- Wild Ocean GF

PetCurean Go!- Sensitivity + Shine Venison

Check some of those out. Not sure what else your dog is allergic to or what results you got using that tool, but thats what I got with what info you gave.

[Pitlove]

Hi Tom and Nickie- This is only a guess based on what I know about how Dr. Mike and all the editors rate dog food, but I’m going to say it’s because the grain-free Duck has a high content of meat based protein. The first 3 main ingredients when I looked at the BJ’s website were: Deboned Duck, Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal. The first 2 ingredients in the Chicken and Rice were whole meats or meat meals followed by a grain (Rice). Dr. Mike states in the reviews that because of a canines carnivorus bias they favor foods with a higher meat content. I would 100% agree with that. Judging by the look of the ingredients by themselves I would have to choose the GF Duck over the Chicken, also because my boy has messy poo’s with grain inclusive foods.

Hope this helped some!

[Pitlove]

Hi Northcove- On the bag I have and on the website it states Made in the USA. On the front page of the website, it says family owned, however I could not find where they sourced their ingredients from on the website. You would most likely have to call and ask. Their full contact info is listed on the bottom of their website. They seem like they would be willing to disclose that info.

As for the chicken fat and pork liver. I have heard that dogs who have chicken allergies can still eat chicken fat, however maybe you shouldn’t take the chance. Also the Sardine Meal formula has chicken fat, but no pork liver.

I’ve fed 2 meals of Nature’s Logic so far and my dogs stool has improved 10 fold and he actually ate without canned food for the first time in over 6 months. I’m quite pleased with Nature’s Logic right now. That being said, there is always a chance this food would not be right for your dog.

[Pitlove]

Hi- I haven’t use Farmina however I’ve heard good things about it. Something else I can suggest to you that I’m trying with my pitbull right now to manage his yeast and this would be good for allergy dogs too is Nature’s Logic. They make a Vension and also a Rabbit and they use Millet for their carbohydrate source which is known as a hypoallergenic seed. They are also only one of two companies who do not use a synthetic vitamin pack. All their vitamins and minerals come from natural sources.

[Pitlove]

Sounds an awful lot like what happened when EVO, Californal Natural and Innova etc got recalled under P&G…

[Pitlove]

Jonathan– Yes! anything over 50lbs at mature weight would be large breed and I believe most Boxers will reach that weight if not a little more. Also even if the dog does not quite hit 50 lbs you can still feed them like a large breed and it will still aid in preventing skeletal disease.

Alison– You’re welcome! I know it is very stressful. I will feed raw at some point in my life, but I can’t yet for certain reasons. If you have the aid of a properly trained canine nutritionist to help you with recipes, it will be as easy as following them and from what I hear once people make the recipes enough it comes as second nature about what to add and how much.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

I use canned pumpkin only when I see loose stool. I don’t know about everyone else, but that is how I use it.

[Pitlove]

Hi Carlos- Congrats on your move! I just moved out of New England to the south myself last year and it has been a nice change. Hope you and your family are enjoying your new home!

To answer your question, since your boy is getting up there in age you are definitely going to want to provide him with a high protein diet if you have not being doing so already. Contemporary research (even Purina’s website says this!) shows that senior dogs have an increased need for protein, unlike what was previously thought.

Variety is the spice of life for humans and dogs alike. I’m sure you would not want to eat the same old food day in day out your whole life and your dog probably wouldn’t want to either! So yes, changing brands or even just proteins can keep your dog healthy and provide him with a nice variety in his diet. Most of us on here have a few brands that we keep in a rotational diet that we change to every bag. I’m limiting my dogs brands for the moment because he has skin problems I need to address, but I’m still trying to find 2-3 foods that have wide ranges of proteins to rotate with. Both cats and dogs also benefit from a moisture rich diet, which kibble lacks.

If your cats were free fed and ate a food high in carbs that could have contributed or even caused the diabetes. I’ve always had overweight cats, however my current cat and my dog are both very healthy weights.However, I know your cats are a moot point.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

Hi– I completely feel your pain. I’m on the Northshore of LA and we just got done battling fleas. They really have been terrible this year. I started my dog on Nexgard as soon as he was able to take a flea and tick medication and it has worked really really well. Even Comfortis didn’t kill all the fleas on him they were so bad.

Just like you I’m extremely worried about putting chemicals on top of chemicals in my dogs body, so I try to min max as much as I can. I use a HW preventative because of the reasons you stated about our state, but I administer every 45 days instead of 30 since they are effective for 45 days. My 1yr 2mo old pit is due for his next rabies on Aug 27 which I will be doing a 3 year since LA allows 3 year. I also will not be doing annual vaccines. Instead I’ll be doing titers on him and re-vaccinating as needed. Doing this things makes me feel A LITTLE better about doing an oral flea and tick. I also don’t give the Nexgard the same week as the HW meds.

You could talk to your vet if you feel they are open-minded enough to offer you other solutions for your senior, as I would also be worried about an oral flea and tick med for a senior dog.

[Pitlove]

Kevin, it is our pleasure! Like I said, I know what you are going through. My AmStaff is having skin issues as well AND on top of that we just fought off fleas. He was torn apart by them, but just like your girl, my boy is always full of life and energy and hasn’t let his itchiness get him down. During the fleas I did notice him not as livly though and it killed me. I always tell him I’m sorry I’m failing him in fixing his issues, not that he knows what I’m saying lol.

[Pitlove]

Hi Alison– First I want to say congrats on your Boxer pup. My aunt had one when I was growing up and he was such a great dog. Jonathan offered some good advice, but one thing I NEED to stress to you is the importance of being aware the large/giant breed dogs (like a boxer) have very special dietary requirements from 8 weeks of age to 8-10 months of age. They require proper calcium levels and a proper calcium to phosphorus ratio in order to support proper slow growth and help in preventing skeletal diseases that are common in large/giant breeds. If you are wanting to start your guy on raw which I highly recommend as large/giants have been known to live a lot longer on a raw diet, PLEASE make sure you consult with a nutritionist who KNOWS the actual dietary needs of a large/giant breed. Most should, especially if they are supportive of a raw diet.

Here is a testimony of a Newfoundland breeder who feeds a raw diet to his pups and his Sir’s and Dam’s. One of his newfie’s lived to the impressive age 17 years old!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=806j18u4S_g

[Pitlove]

I understand your logic on that Aquariangt and dear god that is a crazy selection of dog foods! They almost have a better selection than the small pet store I work at! Very impressive for a Ace Hardware. I can imagine that people that don’t know about it give you funny looks when you say you buy your dog food at a hardware store lol

[Pitlove]

Hi again Jonathan-

I’ve heard a lot of things about pet food storage as well. I work at a small pet boutique that mainly carries natural dog foods with natural preservitives. If we catch a bag with a hole in it, even a tiny one, it gets damaged out and put on the return shelf because once air has started hitting the food the fats start going rancid.

Most of what I’ve heard about what size bag to buy depends on how fast you go through the food. I can buy 5lb or 15lb bags for by 68lb dog and I store them in a Gamma Vittles Vault air tight container. A 5lb bag will last slightly under a month and a 15lb bag will last me well over a month for him. I don’t buy the largest size bags anymore as I switch foods more frequently than that size bag would allow. That being said a small breed dog or toy breed dog is not going to eat a 30lb bag before the food would start to go rancid, so it would not be smart to buy such a large bag for a small dog. That size would be fine however for a large or giant breed dog that was not eating canned food as well (my dog eats canned so my dry food lasts longer).

[Pitlove]

Great Life pulls Buffalo Kibble

Eh, I mean, that isn’t something that would honestly concern me. But thats just me. They pulled it off the shelf for a rancid smell. Thixton doesn’t state how they handled it at first, which I’m surprised she doesn’t.

I looked on Ace’s website and found mainly Purina, Science Diet, Nutro, Blackwood and the like. Wonder where Kevin lives that they are carrying Orijen/Acana!

[Pitlove]

I’m disturbed by that for some reason, but regardless what DogFoodie said would work. I have used Lifeway kefir from Walmart and it’s worked very well for when I switch my dogs food as I don’t transition foods anymore.

[Pitlove]

Kevin– You can do that however, I would look into a probiotic to help the tranistion. If you are shopping at a store that carries Orijen and Acana you are probably shopping at a small pet store similar to where I work. They carry different probiotics. See if any of the store employees are knowledgable with that kind of stuff.

[Author]

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