# Switching a puppy's food.



## Noey (Feb 26, 2009)

Noah has/had dog food issues right from the start and they put him on Hill's Prescription Diet Canine z/d Ultra Allergen Free. Worked great and he has really nice soft fur because of it...well so they tell me. But the food was a god send for him. Nothing else was working...on z/d for two weeks and everything settled. 

My vet said many brands are good, you use what works with your dog. I was told to start with 1/3 let him adjust, 2/3 etc.


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

If she is doing well on Euk. I would leave her on that. I know my guys have very soft stools on the higher protein food.


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

I remember when we first got Sam he was on Hills Science Diet puppy food. His gas was so bad, that he'd drive us out of the room. We switched him to something else right away. Not a premium food either, in those days I didn't know any better. Ike has a smarter Mommy than Sam had. Ike has allergy issues though and he needs a specialty food. His puppy and adult food was ProPlan until his allergy issues popped up. Not the foods fault though, many feed it and are very happy with it.


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## magiclover (Apr 22, 2008)

I switched Jazz to the Innova Large Breed Puppy. She has done great on it but it is a bit pricey compared to Eukanuba. If she is doing fine why don't you wait and switch her later to an adult food?

Now that I am moving to the UK I have to switch her food again to something that is made in the US and the UK.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

magiclover said:


> I switched Jazz to the Innova Large Breed Puppy. She has done great on it but it is a bit pricey compared to Eukanuba. If she is doing fine why don't you wait and switch her later to an adult food?
> 
> Now that I am moving to the UK I have to switch her food again to something that is made in the US and the UK.


Yeah, that does sort of make sense. I guess I get so caught up in trying to feed Flora the best food possible that I sort of ignore common sense. Why fix what isn't broken?

I'm sure the UK members will help you find a good UK made food.


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

Eukanuba has worked very well for Lucky....I consider it a very high-quality food.


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

I had two goldens live into their teens eating Eukanuba, so sometimes I question myself about why I now feed Innova. It is because of stuff published about by products etc, but I question my food selection on a daily basis. I have nothing but sympathy for your uncertainty.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Ljilly28 said:


> I had two goldens live into their teens eating Eukanuba, so sometimes I question myself about why I now feed Innova. It is because of stuff published about by products etc, but I question my food selection on a daily basis. I have nothing but sympathy for your uncertainty.


I know, it's confusing, isn't it? You read so much about how dog food like Eukanuba is less superior to dog foods like Innova and Fromm, but if your dog is doing well on Eukanuba... then what? 

I think I'll keep her on Euk until she's a bit older (and I'm making more money) and then reconsider the food I'm giving her.


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## msdogs1976 (Dec 21, 2007)

Oaklys Dad said:


> If she is doing well on Euk. I would leave her on that. I know my guys have very soft stools on the higher protein food.


I agree. Don't try to fix what's not broken.


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## RummysMum (Jan 9, 2009)

Via a suggestion, we are switching Rummy to Blue Buffalo (my husband's choice - somebody RAVED about it to him.) I'm very happy with the list of ingredients in Blue Buffalo. 

Rummy has very stinky waxy ears and WICKED gas. If he flops his head, I can smell his ears 5 feet away. When he passes wind, we can smell it across the room. His poo is also very strong smelling and overly soft, at times a bit runny. His diet has always been Purina Pro Plan. We suspect it's the corn meal, so we are going to slowly change him. We won't even consider Eukanuba because of how much corn meal is in it, not to mention more by-product. Purina and Eukanuba are considered bottom of the barrel in terms of quality by http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com yet they sure do slap a high price tag on it 



Blue Buffalo will cost us only $20 more a month, a drop in the bucket for good nutrition. I'll let you know what we think about it.


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## agoldenliferanch (Aug 1, 2008)

Good stools should not be (IMHO) a prime indicator of whether or not you're dog is doing well on his food. Why? Many of the inferior foods on the market use corn, peanut hulls and other inferior products to bulk up,cheapen and add "fiber" to the diet. They do this for cost and for those firm stools everyone wants. Just look at almost any Science Diet formula and you will find peanut hulls in the ingredient panel. My vet years ago recommended R/D to get my Abby to lose some weight. We argued about the ingredient panel, I said I won't feed that to her and went on the web to search for a better food. At the time, Canidae was the choice and Abby lost 15lbs. That started my obsession with nutrition and it's been evolving ever since.

Yes, the premium/holistic companies have different formulations and it's entirely possible that one formula might be too rich for your pup and your search should continue. I just very respectfully disagree with those who advocate staying with a food filled with so much inferior filler over finding choices that have a much better ingredient panel which will enhance your dog's health and longevity as well as the possibility of eliminating the chance of other problems popping up (allergies, ears, skin, etc.).

We've all heard testimonies from dog owners that my dog lived to 17 on such and such food and was never sick a day in his life. Those owners were incredibly luck and thankfully had dogs with good genes. We also hear in our own lives of humans who smoked, drank and ate meat and potatoes laden in grease everyday and lived to be 90.

At the same time we hear everyday on this forum another heartbreaking story of one of our dogs getting cancer. 60% of goldens will die of cancer. That's a horrible statistic and while there is no irrefutable proof that better diets will help stem that tide, the cancer researchers have diets for dogs with cancer that advocate fresh meats, vegetables, fruits and little or no grains. If that's the diet for the treatment of cancer that it make sense to me to use that as a guide to try and lessen the chances of getting cancer in the first place.

My dogs are on a diet of raw with fruits, veggies and supplements and very little grain (brown rice). My thyroid dog, Abby has never looked better and for the first time in her 7 years did not bulk up this winter and has a steady weight for the first time in her life. Teeth are glistening white, stools are firm, no gas, energy levels, etc. are all great.

For those who just can't wrap their heads around the work involved with a raw diet, please consider one of the premium foods with at least two meats in the first six ingredients and only whole grains if grains are used and no fillers, glutens, corn wheat or soy and that add veggies and fruits. It doesn't cost much more as the huge grain increases (corn) last year has significantly lowered the difference betweeen premium/holistic formulas and the lesser brands.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

kdmarsh said:


> So I've had Flora on Eukanuba large breed puppy for 8 weeks now. I had initially intended on switching her over to Solid Gold Wolf Cub since our old girl Carmella did so great on Solid Gold Hundenflocken. However, every time I have given Flora just a little bit of Solid Gold in her food, she gets very stinky farts and her poops are quite runny and plentiful! Last night she pooped at 8pm, then took a huge dump on my parents' Turkish rug at about 10pm. :doh: They thought she had just cut a really nasty fart until they saw the pile...
> 
> So I have several questions.
> 
> ...


If it ain't broke, don't fix it.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Ah, so many conflicting viewpoints! :

Flora's breeder claimed he fed all of his dogs Eukanuba, and his dogs were beautiful, healthy, and he said lived an average of 12-14 years, which is pretty good IMO. Of course, he could have had some sort of deal with Eukanuba and was being paid to say that, but I'd like to think that's not the case.

I don't know what I'll do. I guess I hate the idea of trying to switch her over to another food and getting the same results that I got with Solid Gold. I don't have the money to try 5 different bags of dog food before I find a good one for her.

However, I don't think the reason she had soft stools and gas was b/c of how rich the food was... I can give her really meaty marrow bones and she'll lick the bones clean, and she never gets gas or diarrhea from those. I mean, how more rich can you get than a meaty marrow bone?

Thanks for all of the insight! I like reading people's opinions on this. 

A little addition - I think that dogfoodanalysis website is sort of biased, although I can't remember why. I don't really trust it as a resource, although I won't argue with you that Eukanuba is probably an 'inferior' food compared to more holistic recipes.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

kdmarsh said:


> Ah, so many conflicting viewpoints! :
> 
> Flora's breeder claimed he fed all of his dogs Eukanuba, and his dogs were beautiful, healthy, and he said lived an average of 12-14 years, which is pretty good IMO. Of course, he could have had some sort of deal with Eukanuba and was being paid to say that, but I'd like to think that's not the case.
> 
> ...


It takes a significant amount of time for changes (beneficial or detrimental) to be evident when you switch foods - to try so many different foods would take a very long time, and possibly wreck havoc. Accounting for the time it takes for you to see that there is a detrimental result, and then the time that it takes to correct, I feel that if the dog is doing well on what you are feeding (regardless of what others, or a biased food rating website says), leave well enough alone. 
I have no problems with anyone feeding raw or whatever, but I really find it presumptuous to be told that what I am doing with my own dogs isn't good enough, or even harmful. Sorry, but good stools, excellent coats, _healthy _longevity and nothing but routine veterinary care speaks volumes. Genetics? Partly, but when I have fed not only several different generations within several different bloodlines, as well as several different _breeds _the way that I have - all with the same results - I have to believe that my commercial kibble with a low star rating isn't as bad as some would have you think.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Pointgold said:


> It takes a significant amount of time for changes (beneficial or detrimental) to be evident when you switch foods - to try so many different foods would take a very long time, and possibly wreck havoc. Accounting for the time it takes for you to see that there is a detrimental result, and then the time that it takes to correct, I feel that if the dog is doing well on what you are feeding (regardless of what others, or a biased food rating website says), leave well enough alone.
> I have no problems with anyone feeding raw or whatever, but I really find it presumptuous to be told that what I am doing with my own dogs isn't good enough, or even harmful. Sorry, but good stools, excellent coats, _healthy _longevity and nothing but routine veterinary care speaks volumes. Genetics? Partly, but when I have fed not only several different generations within several different bloodlines, as well as several different _breeds _the way that I have - all with the same results - I have to believe that my commercial kibble with a low star rating isn't as bad as some would have you think.


Oh, I wouldn't be switching her willy-nilly, I understand that it takes time for a dog's stomach (a puppy's stomach especially) to become used to a new food.

I'm actually not sure how "great" Flora actually is doing on Euk. Her stools are sometimes formed, sometimes soft. Yesterday she had horrible gas, and I don't know why (her main treat source are Charlee Bears, which I don't think would cause the gas). But her coat is great, energy level is good, and so far she's healthy! I guess I just need to mull things over.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

kdmarsh said:


> Oh, I wouldn't be switching her willy-nilly, I understand that it takes time for a dog's stomach (a puppy's stomach especially) to become used to a new food.
> 
> I'm actually not sure how "great" Flora actually is doing on Euk. Her stools are sometimes formed, sometimes soft. Yesterday she had horrible gas, and I don't know why (her main treat source are Charlee Bears, which I don't think would cause the gas). But her coat is great, energy level is good, and so far she's healthy! I guess I just need to mull things over.


I was feeding Euk when I switched to Pro Plan. My problem with it (in addition to the cost, given that my Pointers were eating 12 cups a day EACH just to maintain weight) was that it was becoming inconsistent. I have been more than happy with Pro Plan for well over 15 years. 

I might suggest a probiotic be added to her daily food, for many reasons, not the least being to alleviate the gas problem.


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## Traz (Jan 19, 2009)

You can use an adult food if the protein, calories & calcium are not too high. Goldens are large breed dogs & you want their growth rate to be slower. You should not feed them a regular puppy food, it should be large breed puppy. Our puppy we just got is on Proplan from the breeder & I am slowly switching her over to Fromm large breed puppy. I know it costs a little more but it is a great food, good reviews and quality ingrdients. No by products, no corn, no ethoxiquin which is carcinogenic. I figure while she is young is one of the most important times for her to have the best nutrition. Hopefully the extra money I spend now will save medical costs later.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Pointgold said:


> I was feeding Euk when I switched to Pro Plan. My problem with it (in addition to the cost, given that my Pointers were eating 12 cups a day EACH just to maintain weight) was that it was becoming inconsistent. I have been more than happy with Pro Plan for well over 15 years.
> 
> I might suggest a probiotic be added to her daily food, for many reasons, not the least being to alleviate the gas problem.


12 cups a day? Good grief!

I guess I sort of feel like if I'm adding to a food (adding oil, probiotic, etc.), then maybe I should look for a different food that already contains probiotics or omega 3s so that I don't have to bother with additions. Of course that's hypocritical of me, since I added omega 3s to Carmella's Solid Gold for YEARS without complaint. :


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## msdogs1976 (Dec 21, 2007)

I enjoy reading the nutrition threads for entertainment. The passion many have is truly amazing. Not a knock as it does show the love for their pets. But there is such a wide range of ideas. From the expensive 'premium' dog foods to the 'lower' commercial brands. I've mentioned before that my vet feeds her dogs Beneful. I play golf with her husband so I've been to their house and have seen the dogs. They all have pretty coats and look healthy to me. I know there is a poster on here that has 2 goldens who has said he feeds Beneful for budget reasons. The pictures he has posted look like great dogs too. My dog didn't do that well on Beneful as she was itchy and had nasty looking ears. So I made a change.

I guess the purpose of my post is what works well for some is not necessarily the formula for others. If the lower cost foods work well for you, go for it. If not, adjust.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

kdmarsh said:


> 12 cups a day? Good grief!
> 
> I guess I sort of feel like if I'm adding to a food (adding oil, probiotic, etc.), then maybe I should look for a different food that already contains probiotics or omega 3s so that I don't have to bother with additions. Of course that's hypocritical of me, since I added omega 3s to Carmella's Solid Gold for YEARS without complaint. :


The only thing I add is Nature's Farmacy Digestive Enhancer, a complete probiotic product, and the one that I consider the best on the market. I use it for many reasons. I do not believe that any diet available contains what it does, and as teh name suggests, it "enhances" digestion - helping my dogs get the most out of their food, and keeping the gut healthy and able to handle a myriad of stresses.


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## Auretrvr (May 6, 2008)

*Sensitive tummy...*

Henry had major issues with loose poops/diarrhea as a pup. Drove us crazy! We finally got him on Innova Large Breed puppy. Did fine...with a bit of pumpkin each meal until his digestive tract matured. 

Whatever you use, _don_'t go to a high protein food until he has reached full growth. You do not want to encourage fast development and have frame issues later. We have Henry on Evo now. It is high quality, no grain. Much less gas now and because it is dense, you feed a little less and he accesses more of the nutrients = less poop. Expensive, but I think worth it. I did a lot of research and lots of folks say it keeps allergies at bay. He is almost 2...we'll see.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Pointgold said:


> The only thing I add is Nature's Farmacy Digestive Enhancer, a complete probiotic product, and the one that I consider the best on the market. I use it for many reasons. I do not believe that any diet available contains what it does, and as teh name suggests, it "enhances" digestion - helping my dogs get the most out of their food, and keeping the gut healthy and able to handle a myriad of stresses.


I'll look into it. I have a natural pet market nearby that I frequent a lot, I'm sure they carry that or something quite similar to it. I know my parents will roll my eyes at me if I tell them I'm adding something to her food, though. They think I'm goofy with how concerned I am about Flora's food.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Auretrvr said:


> Henry had major issues with loose poops/diarrhea as a pup. Drove us crazy! We finally got him on Innova Large Breed puppy. Did fine...with a bit of pumpkin each meal until his digestive tract matured.
> 
> Whatever you use, _don_'t go to a high protein food until he has reached full growth. You do not want to encourage fast development and have frame issues later. We have Henry on Evo now. It is high quality, no grain. Much less gas now and because it is dense, you feed a little less and he accesses more of the nutrients = less poop. Expensive, but I think worth it. I did a lot of research and lots of folks say it keeps allergies at bay. He is almost 2...we'll see.


Yes, I like the idea of a grain free food, but I wouldn't want to feed Flora that stuff until she's much older and at her full growth. I'm trying to encourage slow growth (she's 4 months and around... 27lbs) so she doesn't stress out her frame.


Sorry I keep typing so much, but I really do relish these conversations. I love seeing what all different types of people have to say about different types of diets. It's good food for thought, no pun intended.


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## agoldenliferanch (Aug 1, 2008)

Pointgold said:


> It takes a significant amount of time for changes (beneficial or detrimental) to be evident when you switch foods - to try so many different foods would take a very long time, and possibly wreck havoc. Accounting for the time it takes for you to see that there is a detrimental result, and then the time that it takes to correct, I feel that if the dog is doing well on what you are feeding (regardless of what others, or a biased food rating website says), leave well enough alone.
> I have no problems with anyone feeding raw or whatever, but I really find it presumptuous to be told that what I am doing with my own dogs isn't good enough, or even harmful. Sorry, but good stools, excellent coats, _healthy _longevity and nothing but routine veterinary care speaks volumes. Genetics? Partly, but when I have fed not only several different generations within several different bloodlines, as well as several different _breeds _the way that I have - all with the same results - I have to believe that my commercial kibble with a low star rating isn't as bad as some would have you think.


For the record....and since you presumed incorrectly that anything I said was directed at you....

Proplan is not a bad food in its original form (not the new shredded blend version) the only ingredient I personally have a problem with is the corn gluten meal. It has a decent ingredient panel and if the costs associated are far less than other brands....more power to the Purina people.

I'm also entitled to my opinion without being labeled presumptuous and my only agenda is to further the discussion on nutrition for those interested in learning and who ask, it wasn't intended for those whose minds have been made up for years and are not open to discussing the latest news and research in health, cancer and nutrition in our dogs...


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## bwoz (Jul 12, 2007)

I have basically used the same food for the past 12 years because of the "don't fix it if it ain't broke" concept. But I always enjoy learning more and hearing of others' experiences. The only comment I want to make is regarding price of food. Just make sure you read the label and compare the suggested amount to feed. Some of the foods that are cheaper by the bag require you to feed more, so in the long run, it's actually more expensive. I look at the strong views we all have as a good thing, it means we actually care about our dogs . Do your best research and feed what works for your pup. Good luck, I know it's a whirlwind with all that's out there.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

bwoz said:


> I have basically used the same food for the past 12 years because of the "don't fix it if it ain't broke" concept. But I always enjoy learning more and hearing of others' experiences. The only comment I want to make is regarding price of food. Just make sure you read the label and compare the suggested amount to feed. Some of the foods that are cheaper by the bag require you to feed more, so in the long run, it's actually more expensive. I look at the strong views we all have as a good thing, it means we actually care about our dogs . Do your best research and feed what works for your pup. Good luck, I know it's a whirlwind with all that's out there.


I feel sort of dumb saying this, but I have /never/ taken that into account! My jaw keeps dropping at the price of these "grain free" formulas, but I completely forget that I would most likely feed my dog significantly less food than if I were feeding my dog a food with grains in it. Thank you for bringing up that point.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

agoldenliferanch said:


> [...] my only agenda is to further the discussion on nutrition for those interested in learning and who ask [...]


And that's all I want to hear here. If we could keep to the topic and stray from anything negative, I'd love that. Agoldenliferanch, I really think the idea of feeding raw is incredible and would love to try it myself, but at this current time it's just not suitable for my lifestyle (I live with my parents and my dad would freak out if he knew I was feeding my dog raw chicken. He has enough trouble with the marrow and knuckle bones. ) Just curious - I assume you do the BARF diet. Why not the prey diet? Do you think dogs need vegetables and fruits in their diet?


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

Well, things are bound to be a leeetle bit negative when you have such different lines of thought in food. Just comes with the territory. 

I trust the well-known commercial brands over the well-known holistic. And I don't trust *any* that aren't well-known and well-tried. 

A healthy dog is really the best clue to how its doing. And generations of dogs using a food or brand gives good insight on whether there are long-term problems.


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

After going through countless food and allergy woes with my dog, I can understand the frustration that comes with having a dog with runny poos, itchy skin, gunky ears, etc from the food that you are feeding them and not knowing how to proceed. It sucks. When I got Sam I first picked a food that appealed to my "dogs are carnivores" senses and picked a food that was meat as a protein heavy but not grain free. I went with Innova and Sam did ok on it. He had itchy skin, but his poops were good and his ears were fine. When the skin itchyness wouldn't go away, I began to look for an alternative and decided to go grain free at that point. Again he did ok. Itchyness was lessened.. but still an issue for me. I tried three different grain free kibbles. Different protein sources, etc.. hoping to find SOMETHING that would work. The last kibble he was on was Timberwolf Organics Ocean Blue. He did significantly better on the fish formula... and I thought I had finally found "the food" for him. He still itched though, every so often. It was almost like he'd be fine for a day.. then the next day be itching like crazy.. then go 3 days without itching.. then itching like crazy again. By that time I had reached my limit on what I could spend on an expensive kibble, and thought, well he does ok on this one.. he may itch a bit, but he is much better. I could have left it at that. But I was not satisfied... and I kept researching... and that's when I began feeding the raw diet. And the changes were instant. No exaggeration. Within a week I noticed 100% improvement. His skin stopped itching, and probably the best and most unexpected result.. he started pooping MAYBE twice a day, but usually only once, and the poops were TINY  I was thrilled beyond thrilled that finally I found something that just.. worked.

My point in this long drawn out post? Not to say that a raw diet is the end all be all of diets for dogs.. not to say kibble is poison or any other nonsense. Just... don't be "just satisfied" with what you are feeding your dog. I could have kept it at the Timberwolf kibble that he did the best on at that time.. heck I could have kept him on the Innova in the beginning, I mean everything but his itchy skin was fine with that. It's only now that he's been on a raw diet for over a year now that I see how not fine he really was, and how much he's thrived on it.. how much relief he now gets from not having the itchy scratchies constantly, how much his coat has really blossomed (although that could also be due to him maturing, etc), and let's not forget how awesome those tiny little raw poops are to pick up  

If you feel something is not right with your dog.. if she's got insanely bad gas, or gunky ears, or itchy skin.. make a switch. Try something else. Give it some time, because yes, it can take some time to see effects from a food change.. and find THAT FOOD for your dog.


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## agoldenliferanch (Aug 1, 2008)

kdmarsh said:


> And that's all I want to hear here. If we could keep to the topic and stray from anything negative, I'd love that. Agoldenliferanch, I really think the idea of feeding raw is incredible and would love to try it myself, but at this current time it's just not suitable for my lifestyle (I live with my parents and my dad would freak out if he knew I was feeding my dog raw chicken. He has enough trouble with the marrow and knuckle bones. ) Just curious - I assume you do the BARF diet. Why not the prey diet? Do you think dogs need vegetables and fruits in their diet?


One of the wonderful side benefits when you decide to explore dog nutrition is that is that there is no one perfect answer for every owner and every dog. Dogs are different in their genetics and how they were raised and while I am an advocate for feeding your dog the best product you can manage, that can take you down many great paths.

At the end of the day, you have to feed what you are comfortable with as well. Both in the preparation and in the price point. 

In my case, I make up meals once to twice a week. In order to do that I need a 30cu ft freezer and a doggie dedicated fridge. When you feed in whole foods, it's incredibly voluminous and certainly not for everyone.

Raw feeding does take many forms and I choose to feed a combination of raw (turkey necks, marrow bones, ground mix, veggies, fruits, oils and eggs) because I want to bolster their immune systems with antioxidants, good fatty acids and fiber (veggies and a very little brown rice) and whole fresh meats. Basically my diet is the whole food version of many holistic dry kibble diets out in the market, just not in their reduced kibble form. It does get much more work, but is not that much more expensive. I also supplement with fish oils, a multi-vitamin and glucosamine. 

But there are many different ways to enhance your dog's diet without going full boar into raw or a homemade diet. As for the prey question, I just don't think that diet is complete and while others are strong advocates of no fruits or veggies, just raw meat based on the wolf prey model, I don't ascribe to that rigid way of thinking, but to each his own.


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

agoldenliferanch said:


> But there are many different ways to enhance your dog's diet without going full boar into raw or a homemade diet. As for the prey question, I just don't think that diet is complete and while others are strong advocates of no fruits or veggies, just raw meat based on the wolf prey model, I don't ascribe to that rigid way of thinking, but to each his own.



I do feed a prey model diet, and feed several different protein sources each week (chicken, pork, turkey, fish, and sometimes beef, rabbit, and whatever else I can find for a good price) and tend to stick with just meat, bones, organs... but, I do give mine berries, apples, pears, whatever fruits I happen to be eating, they usually get some of.  We have a few strawberry plants in the front yard that are in major full bloom right now so they've been getting lots of those. They get eggs, they get mashed potato leftovers... and for the past couple months I've been giving them a half cup of The Honest Kitchen dehydrated raw for breakfast, just so I have something to mix their Bug Off Garlic powder with, and also so I can more easily portion out their daily food without having to cut large meaty bones into small pieces for 2 separate meals. I guess what I'm saying is the bulk of their diet is the prey model diet. But they still get plenty of other "supplements" and its worked well for both of them for a year now. 

Oh, and they also get raw green tripe once a week as a full meal. That's their favorite day I think. haha


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## agoldenliferanch (Aug 1, 2008)

Oh, and they also get raw green tripe once a week as a full meal. That's their favorite day I think. haha[/quote]

See and other than Merrick's Working Dog Stew, I don't do tripe because I can't STAND the smell!!!


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

agoldenliferanch said:


> See and other than Merrick's Working Dog Stew, I don't do tripe because I can't STAND the smell!!!



I just breathe through my mouth and wash my hands REALLY WELL afterwards hahaha I also don't let the chubs thaw out quite all the way, just enough to cut in half and dump it in a bowl for them.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

You guys make the raw diet sound so glamorous...  Tripe, yummy!


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## agoldenliferanch (Aug 1, 2008)

kdmarsh said:


> You guys make the raw diet sound so glamorous...  Tripe, yummy!


You have no idea how glamorous a gooey, gloppy, raw/holistic diet is to prepare...I feel like Martha Stewart every time I go through it and to top it off I get very tired of the family complaining that the dogs eat better than they do


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

agoldenliferanch said:


> You have no idea how glamorous a gooey, gloppy, raw/holistic diet is to prepare...I feel like Martha Stewart every time I go through it and to top it off I get very tired of the family complaining that the dogs eat better than they do


...I'm not sure I'd consider raw chicken backs and tripe to be better fare than what I normally eat! :yuck:


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

kdmarsh said:


> You guys make the raw diet sound so glamorous...  Tripe, yummy!



haha yea it's pretty gross sometimes, especially for me.. I have SERIOUS raw meat squeamishness and can't stand to touch it. Also it's a pain in the butt when I buy a big bulk order, have to wait for 200 lbs of meat to defrost, then sit there and portion and bag it all.. then try to make it all fit in the freezer. Fun stuff. lol I only do it because I see how well the dogs do on it.. believe me, I'd MUCH rather just scoop some kibble into a bowl


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

agoldenliferanch said:


> For the record....and since you presumed incorrectly that anything I said was directed at you....
> 
> Proplan is not a bad food in its original form (not the new shredded blend version) the only ingredient I personally have a problem with is the corn gluten meal. It has a decent ingredient panel and if the costs associated are far less than other brands....more power to the Purina people.
> 
> I'm also entitled to my opinion without being labeled presumptuous and my only agenda is to further the discussion on nutrition for those interested in learning and who ask, it wasn't intended for those whose minds have been made up for years and are not open to discussing the latest news and research in health, cancer and nutrition in our dogs...


Oh, but it was, whether directly or not, because I do feed commercial foods , and I do consider quality/quantity of stool an important indicator of how well a food is performing - as do trained nuitrionists and gastroenterologists - it's valid.

I don't see where I stated that you have an agenda, and as for presumptuos - beleive me, I've had raw feeders accuse me of, and I quote "killing my dogs with kibble", and my statement as such was to those people in general who do in fact have no qualms about telling kibble feeders that how they are feeding is bad. 
Actually, I've be very open minded about foods, and at one point did switch to a "holistic diet with ultimately disastrous results. (I gave it over a year...) I've not attempted to dissuade anyone from feeding raw/holistic, and have simply shared what I do and what works for me.
(Just that opinion that we are all entitled to.)


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## agoldenliferanch (Aug 1, 2008)

No, it's not the turkey necks and raw mix that gets my family, it's the fresh blueberries, yogurt, cottage cheese, our farm fresh eggs, beans, spinach, etc. that I use when I make my holistic gruel that gets added to the raw mix that the fam gets a little jealous of...cause I agree they have no problem with the turkey necks or raw marrow bones


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Wow. Your dogs eat better than I do! Of course, that's my choice - I could certainly eat better if I wanted to.


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## agoldenliferanch (Aug 1, 2008)

Well, I try to feed my family as well as the dogs...it doesn't always work! However, just like an infant, they can't choose what to eat, they eat what we give them. We choose for ourselves 

Good Luck in your journey to find the right food for your pup.


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## RummysMum (Jan 9, 2009)

*Our review of Blue Buffalo after his transition* *and eating it up to 20%* *to 30%*
Our Blue Buffalo trial was a total failure. After a few days on the new diet, he 

1. Vomited

2. Urinated all over himself

3. Urinated every 20 minutes (Rummy holds it for 6-8 hours and we have very few house breaking issues with him) 

4. Urinated in his crate (which he has NEVER done) 

5. Got a very runny drippy nose

6. Became very lethargic and visibly sick. 

7. He got the runs

8. The only thing we DID like was the ingredients, but it sure was a LOT of fish. We suspect his body reacts poorly to so much fish.

We did a very slow introduction _and_ he barely ate it, tried to pick around it and get to the ProPlan which is crazy, he doesn't like the ProPlan plain (as a puppy at the breeders it was mixed with a touch of Goats milk and he ate that ok, but no goats milk... he didn't like it.)

Went back on the ProPlan and he within a day of being off of the Blue Buffalo there was marked improvement. After a few days he was back to his old self.



---------
We still don't like all the corn in ProPlan, so after loads of research and wanting a corn free and byproduct free diet, we actually put him on... _*drumroll*_ Kirkland's Brand. 

Somebody at PetSmart (who breeds show Rotties) recommended it when I mentioned we wanted a corn free diet that would cost the same or less than Blue Buffalo (we didn't mind spending money but there has to be a limit on what one can spend.) A friend of ours also feeds her dog Kirkland (Costco) (her very much adored and loved Pug Gizmo) and raves about it. So we read the ingredients, read reviews and wow, I was really impressed! One breeder/Ch Conformation review we read that breeds (saw photos - amazing coats) Burmese Mtn Dogs stated that while at a show, an Eukanuba dog food representative told her that Kirkland was their only real competition. It's made by a major company -Diamond- and is the SAME as the Diamond foods, yes... the exact same.
---------




*Our review of Kirkland after his transition* *and eating it now 100% of the time*
Rummy actually likes eating it (a lot more than the ProPlan which he hated eating) and he has adjusted to it fantastic with zero side effects. 

1. He has a noticeable amount of increased energy since the switch over from ProPlan

2. We notice him chewing on his legs and feet a LOT less (another concern which I had a hunch stemmed from a corn-filled diet.) 

3. His poop smells better, his ears no longer smell, and his breath is quite nice, I actually find myself kinda liking his breath. 

4. Price wasn't a problem for us (Blue Buffalo isn't exactly cheap) -however another perk is this huge jumbo bag of puppy food was 2 dollars _*less*_ than those tiny ProPlan bags that barely lasted a week at 3.5 months of age with far superior ingredients. $15 bucks vs $17 CAD When he is full grown, that is going to make a major difference in our pocket book.

5. Most important we are very pleased with the ingredients list. No corn! No by product! Chicken and eggs and barely and rice and other good stuff. 

At first we had a hard time coming to grips with a "cheap" dog food, but it's not really a cheap dog food, just like so many other things Costco sells, name brand with a Kirkland label, so all in all, we couldn't be happier.

Dog Good Analysis rates them as a 3 for the Puppy Food, which is exellent for a kibble
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=1030&cat=all

*Diamond Pet Foods / Kirkland Signature Range Super Premium Puppy Chicken, Rice & Vegetable*
Chicken,chicken meal,whole grain brown rice, cracked pearled barley, egg product, beet pulp, chicken fat(preserved with mixed tocopherols and Vitamin E), potatoes,fish meal, flaxseed,natural flavors, brewers dried yeast, millet, potassium chloride, salt, choline, carrots, peas, kelp, apples, dried skim milk, cranberry powder, salmon oil (a source of DHA), rosemary extract, parsley flake, dried chicory root, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Right now I've completely switched Flora over to Solid Gold Wolfcub. She loves it and I like the ingredients, although her poop output is still about 4 a day, which I would like to decrease (I know puppies poop more, though.) Her poops are better though than when she was on Eukanuba. They're much more solid (although her afternoon poops can still be fairly soft, but I attribute that to the antibiotics she's on for her UTI.)

I've heard good things about the Kirkland food and have thought about it. I may eventually switch over to it or something like it because Solid Gold is REALLY expensive and I'm on a fairly fixed budget. Although I've also considered switching her over to a grain free diet when she's older to save money, since I won't necessarily have to feed her as much food as I would with a diet containing grains.

Thanks for the info about Kirkland!


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## RummysMum (Jan 9, 2009)

kdmarsh said:


> Right now I've completely switched Flora over to Solid Gold Wolfcub. She loves it and I like the ingredients, although her poop output is still about 4 a day, which I would like to decrease (I know puppies poop more, though.) Her poops are better though than when she was on Eukanuba. They're much more solid (although her afternoon poops can still be fairly soft, but I attribute that to the antibiotics she's on for her UTI.)
> 
> I've heard good things about the Kirkland food and have thought about it. I may eventually switch over to it or something like it because Solid Gold is REALLY expensive and I'm on a fairly fixed budget. Although I've also considered switching her over to a grain free diet when she's older to save money, since I won't necessarily have to feed her as much food as I would with a diet containing grains.
> 
> Thanks for the info about Kirkland!


Oh, I've heard awesome things about SolidGold and on that website it gets 4 stars and I believe it deserves every single one ofthem. We were also interested in it, but none of the pet stores around here that I have seen have it, Petco, PetSmart, or PJ's Pets.

Without a single shadow of a doubt, that Blue Buffalo was causing urination problems (does that mean kidney - eek!) with Rummy.

Ugh, antibiotics can really mess up a digestive system. I know as a lady I really hate taking them. :yuck: They mess up my insides. I hope she gets over the UTI soon, so miserable! 

It's tough to keep switching, but if you ever feel you might want to or find SolidGold to be too pricey, I'd definitely recommend Kirkland/Diamond. I will mention he poos one time in the AM and one time at night and they are nice and solid.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

RummysMum said:


> Oh, I've heard awesome things about SolidGold and on that website it gets 4 stars and I believe it deserves every single one ofthem. We were also interested in it, but none of the pet stores around here that I have seen have it, Petco, PetSmart, or PJ's Pets.
> 
> Without a single shadow of a doubt, that Blue Buffalo was causing urination problems (does that mean kidney - eek!) with Rummy.
> 
> ...


Huh. I wonder why Flora poops so much and she's older than your guy. Even as a baby she had an incredible output (up to 6 or 7 a day), so maybe that's just her. Sometimes they're quite small.

I've heard positive reviews of SG and negative reviews. We fed Carmella SG for over 10 years and she really did fantastic on it. Her coat was incredible and she had a wonderful energy level pretty much until the day she passed. I had decided when I got Flora that I would switch her over to SG one day just because we had years of positive experience with it.

Yeah, I really hate having her on antibiotics for so long. It will be a month this Wednesday, and I really hope she's cleared up this time. :crossfing

Btw, I can get SG at Pet Supplies Plus and Petco, plus a bunch of natural pet food stores around here. Here, a 33# bag is $55.00 :uhoh:.


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