Q: Does anyone know a healthy dog food recipe?
I am looking for a healthy dog food recipie to feed my 2 boston terriers and 1 maltese. One boston has a sensitive stomach and needs a lot of water/broth in her food.

A: try rice, meat and some veggies

Here is some sites:
http://www.i-love-dogs.com/dog-food-recipes.html
http://www.recipezaar.com/59643
http://ruthannflynn.com/rdogfood.htm
http://www.recipezaar.com/51562

http://www.petfoodrecipes.com/index.php?detailed=80

Q: What are some good and healthy dog food brands?
I want to find a great dog food for my dog but I want the food to be good and healthy and tasty for my dog.

A: my dog has tried name brands like iams…and not liked it. the one she loves, and she thrives on it, is kibbles n bits homestyle, with real bits of beef in it. anything else i offer her and she just picks at it…this stuff she scarfs down, and she gets that wonderfully shiny coat and she is full of energy and happy.

Q: What kind of dog food is healthy, but yet flavorful to a puppy/dog??
My dog eats canidae, and i know thats healthy, but she rarly eats it…. like every other day… i gave her this beneful, and it smells tastey ,and she eats that, but that isn’t healthy dog food. What is healthy and flavorful?

A: Purina isn’t bad….. my dog likes it and it’s healthy

Q: Can anyone recommend a healthy dog food?
My dog is now 10 years old and at this point I have only just realised the crap I have been feeding him: Sainsbury’s complete. After a bit of research I found that this dog food includes animal derivatives, cereal and all kinds of other crap and I am now looking to change that and feed him a more expensive, healthy dog food.

Any recommendations?

Btw, he is a lhasa apso, shih tzu and poodle cross.

A: Here are some examples of other good dog foods:
* Artemis Fresh Mix
* Blue buffalo
* California Natural
* Canidae
* Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul
* Eagle Pack Holistic Selects
* EVO
* Fromm Four Star
* Innova
* Merrick
* Nature’s Variety
* Orijen
* Solid Gold
* Taste of the Wild
* Timberwolf Organics
* Wellness
* ZiwiPeak
I fed my dogs Blue buffalo, and they loved it, they were always happy!
So i recommend you feed your Dog blue buffalo!

List of BAD dog foods:
-Beneful
-Pedigree
-Iams
-Eukanuba
-Royal Canin
-Science Diet
-Kibbles ‘n Bits
-Dog Chow
- Ol roy
BAD dog food is sold in chain stores so be careful

GOOD dog food you can buy online or at petsmart or petco etc..
good luck!

Q: What Dog Food Is Healthy, Inexpensive, And Good For Small Dogs?
I have a 1 year old Pomeranian and a 4 year old Chihuahua Dachshund mix. They are eating a cheapy dog food right now that gives them bad breath and I wanted to switch. I want a good healthy dog food brand that is not to expensive. Any information would be greatly appreciated!

A: Hi Bella+Edward, that’s great that you’re taking the time to find a better quality dog food for your pups.

Check out http://www.dogfoodscoop.com/dog-food-comparison.html

They have a huge comparison chart of all the brands on the market, along with their dog food ratings.

Also read their article on Deciphering Dog Food Labels, so you’ll be able to tell for yourself a good food from the junky cheapies. Very eye-opening article.

If you can’t afford some of the premium brands, I’d say probably Chicken Soup gives the best bang for your buck. If you have to go supermarket, Harmony Farms looks the best pick.

Hope this helps!

Q: Is “Purina One-Adult Dog-Healthy Weight Formula” a good choice of dog food?
I have a dog who is about 4 years old and he is slightly overweight.
I am currently feeding him “Beneful” dog food, but I understand that that is not the best, healthiest dog food.
I plan to change him to Purina One-Healthy Weight and I was wondering if this is a superb choice?

Please, vets and experienced dog owners answer!

A: Nope! Any dog food made by Purina is Crap with a capital C!
Here is a site that will show you which dog foods are the best and the worst. I suggest that you get any one of the dog foods that are top rated.
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/
Most of grocery store dog food formulas, like IAMS, Pedigree, Science Diet, Purina,and etc contain “meat and bone meal” which has been known to contain dead dogs and cats that were euthanized in animal shelters. Their bodies are picked up and bought by the truck load by “rendering plants” , that also pick up road kill, dead live stock, and etc. They are shredded, and boiled. They skim off the fat on the top of the “soup” and collected it and sell it to pet food companies as “animal fat”, the rest of the animals’ remains are crushed up, dried and sold to dog and cat food companies as meat and bone meal.
You can read more about it here.
http://www.homevet.com/petcare/foodbook.html
Here is an article where the owner of a rendering plant talks about it. He says that cremating the dead shelter animals would cause pollution, and that rendering them is good.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m5072/is_12_26/ai_115041999
Here is further information on what you shouldn’t see in the ingredients list in your dog’s food.
http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=badingredients
Top rated dog foods like Canidae contain good healthy ingredients.

Q: Is the dog food brand, “Beneful” a healthy dog food?
I’m feeding my dog Bebeful right now and he seems to enjoy it a lot…… Is beneful healthy? This food seems to make my dog a little heavy. He is a black pomeranian/poodle.

A: No, it is one of the worst on the market. Please stay away from all Purina Brands. VERY low quality.

Q: What are the best healthy dog food recipes, i can serve my dog?
I have a dog but she is having health related problems for last 2-3 months, before that she was perfectly okay. I have consulted with Vet too, but he told me that it may be because of unhealthy and commercial food; so i should prepare home made food.
so my question; is there any guide available where i can learn preparing healthy dog food recipes? any help is appreciated.

A: There are guides, there are also Yahoo Groups that are based around home made dog foods, You can go do Yahoo Groups and search for them. As far as the best goes that is a matter of the individual dog and opinion. And there are some free recipes on line. I think what you really want to know is how much of what type ingredients your dog needs for a balanced diet. And if your dog does better on particular things or without particular things. Most allergies are to proteins, but that does not mean that a wheat or cornmeal is not at the root of ear infections in a particular dog, it might be. Bellow is a link to some recipes and I see if I can find you some nutritional info too.

Q: What is a really good and healthy dog food?
I have two semi large dogs. I have been feeding them Beneful dog food for as long as I have had them. I have had my oldest dog for nearly 2 years and the other over a year. However, they dont seem to be getting the nutrients that they need from this dog food. Are there any others that I could try giving them? Please help as I dont know what other kind to buy. I have tried a few other brands of dog food but they dont eat it. I appreciate your help.

A: Wellness
Eagle Pack, Holistic Select
Innova, Evo
Canidae
Merrick
Azmira

The foods listed are all holistic human grade foods loaded with vitamins. All made with “real meat”, no By-products, No corn, & No Wheat.

Q: What are some healthy dog food brands that my dog should try that will make him live long?
My dog doesn’t like his current dog food, but I don’t know what to give him that he will like. Please help me!

A: Most people don’t know, but the foods like Iams,Eukanuba, and Pedagree are cheap foods that have fillers in them. The more expencive isw usally better. You’ll be paying more but you’ll have your dog alot longer. Keep the same food and new food in the same bowl. Put more of the new food in over time. Also, your vet will tell you what dog food to get depending on what companies sponcer them. Most will lie because there told to by the sponcers so more people will buy the food. Good luck!

Q: What is a healthy, inexpensive dog food for my dogs?
I have 5 dogs, and I have been feeding them Blue Buffalo canned dog foods along with Blue Buffalo dry foods. The food is rather expensive though, and I can no longer afford to pay so much for their food. I do not want to feed them a crappy low quality food with fillers and by-products, but I cannot afford to buy them the absolute healthiest of foods. What would be a good food to feed them that won’t break my bank?

A: Taste of the Wild
Origen
are two that I recommed. Though they seem expensive, you feed less of it to your dog.
If you want the healthy stuff, you’re gonna have to pay for it. May be find a home for one dog, and that will save you money.

Q: Looking for recipe or ideas for making homemade AND healthy dog food? Prefer food versus treat recipes.?
Anyone know how to make HEALTHY homemade dog food? I have been able to find TONS of recipes for treats online but not really any for actual FOOD for my dogs. I have a 6 y/o Bichon Frise Male named Colbie, and a 1 y/o Teacup Chihuahua named Eris and of course I love them both dearly! I know that certain things that people eat are NOT good for dogs. But the ingredients in dog’s food has got to come from somewhere and I would prefer I KNEW where it all comes from…most of which can be obtained by ANYBODY I would imagine! I am pretty sure I can get around using horse hooves and still feed my dogs something that is safe and nutritious! Sorry~just pre-fighting off the naysayers who would have been bound to deride me for feeding my dog something it shouldn’t be eating because I certainly wouldn’t waste my time cooking for my dog if I was making it something that was worse for it than the food I can buy in less than 2 min. at the store! THANKS FOR THE ADVICE!!!!!!

A: I have done some research for you and this is what I have come up with, hope this is what you are looking for. I know this is for cats at the beginning, scroll down for the dog treats. I have cats and dogs. My dogs will eat the cats food as well. But maybe you can get something out of at least one of these.

Cat Treats and Cat Treat Recipes

Chick N’Biscuits

1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon soft margarine

Preheat the over to 350 F. Combine chicken, broth and margarine and blend well. Add flour and cornmeal. Knead dough into a ball and roll to 1/4 inch. Cut into one-inch sized pieces and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Makes 18 cookies.

Crispy Liver Morsels

1/2 cup cooked chicken livers
1/4 cup water
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup cooked carrot, mashed
1 tablespoon soft margarine

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Place well-done livers in a blender with 1/4 cup water. In a bowl, combine flour and margarine. Add liver mixture and carrots and knead dough into a ball. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut into one-inch sized pieces. Place cookies on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 325 F for 10 minutes. Makes 12 cookies.

Tuna Tidbits

6 ounce can of tuna
1/4 cup water drained from tuna
3 T cooked egg white, chopped
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup whole wheat flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine tuna, egg white and water. Add cornmeal and flour and blend to form a dough. Knead into a ball and roll to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into one-inch sized pieces. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes. Makes 12 cookies.
Cat Treats and Cat Treat Recipes

:

Savory Cheese Treats

3/4 cup white flour
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
5 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
1/4 cup cornmeal

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine cheeses and yogurt. Add flour and cornmeal. Knead dough into a ball and roll to 1/4 inch. Cut into one inch sized pieces and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Makes 2 dozen.

Homemade Dog Biscuit Recipes

If you are wanting to prepare homemade dog biscuit recipes made of chicken liver, cheese bone or anything else. You will find all of it pretty easy and simple. You can even treat dog fleas!
Chicken Liver Cookies (Treat)

2 cups Flour
3 tbs. Vegetable Oil
1 cup Wheat Germ or Cornmeal (or 1/2 cup each)
1 Egg; lightly beaten
½ cup Chicken Broth
(I use the liver water from boiling the livers)
2 tsp. Chopped Parsley
1 cup Chopped Chicken Livers, cooked
Preheat oven to 400oF. Combine flour and wheat germ (or cornmeal). In separate bowl, beat egg with oil, add broth and parsley, mix well. Add dry ingredients to bowl a little at a time, stirring well. Fold in chicken livers and mix well. Dough will be firm. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Roll out ½” thick and cut into shapes. Place on greased cookie sheets 1″ apart. Bake 15 minutes or until firm. Store in refrigerator or freezer.
Recipe from Marg MacFadden
No Flea Dog Biscuits (Treat)

(If your dog has a yeast allergy, I would not suggest making this)
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
½ cup Wheat Germ
½ cup Brewers Yeast
1 tsp Salt
2 each Cloves Garlic, minced
3 tbs. Vegetable or Olive Oil
1 cup Chicken Stock (or any flavor you wish to use)
· Preheat oven to 400oF. Grease two to three baking sheets. Combine first four ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine garlic and oil. Slowly stir flour mixture and stock alternately into oil and garlic, beating well, until the dough is well-mixed. Shape dough into a ball. On lightly floured surface, roll out dough 12″ thick. Using a 2″ biscuit cutter, cut dough into rounds. Transfer biscuits to prepared baking sheets. Bake 20-25 minutes or until well browned. Turn off heat and allow biscuits to dry in oven for several hours or over night. Store in refrigerator or freezer. Makes about 26 biscuits.
Cheese Bone Cookies (Treat)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cup cheese, any kind, shredded
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 tbsp. water

· Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine flour, cheese, garlic and oil, knead well. Add water, if needed to form stiff dough. Roll out on
floured surface to 1/2″ thick, cut into shapes. Place on ungreased
cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until bottoms are lightly
browned. Cool on wire rack. Refrigerate in airtight container.
Microwave Dog Biscuits (treat)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup non-fat dry milk powder
1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp. sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tbsp. instant bouillon granules – either beef or chicken
1/2 cup hot water
· Combine flours, milk powder, rolled oats, cornmeal and sugar in medium bowl. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg to dry this mixture, and stir. Add bouillon into hot water until dissolved. Slowly pour hot water/bouillon into flour mixture with a fork till all is moistened. Form dough into a ball and knead on floured board 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Divide dough in half and roll out each half to about 1/2 inch thick. Make cut-outs with cookie cutters, or make nuggets by rolling round into 1 inch diameter log, and cutting into 1/2 inch pcs. Arrange six cut-out shapes or 24 nuggets on a 10 inch plate. Microwave at 50% (medium) for 5 to 10 minutes, or until firm and dry to the touch. Rotate plate every 2 minutes and turn shapes over half way through the cooking time. Cool on wire rack. Shapes will crisp as they cool.

Dog treat Recipes
Liver Cookies (treats)

1 lb Beef Liver Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
Garlic Powder
Corn Meal
Whole wheat or White Flour
Blend in regular blender until liquid. Measure the Liquid content (cups) and add an equal amount of Corn Meal and Flour, split evenly. (eg. 1 cup liquid liver to 1/2 cup corn meal and 1/2 cup flour) Add 1/4 tsp garlic powder per 2 cup volume and blend the whole mess together. Pour into a greased, glass baking dish. Pop into the oven and bake for 1/2 hr. Reduce heat to 250 degrees and continue baking for another hour. Reduce to 200 degrees and bake for another 1/2 hr. Remove from oven and let cool in the fridge. Once cool, cut into 1″ square cubes. Freeze individual training portions in zip-locks or foil.

Q: What is a healthy, affordable dog food?
I want to feed my German shepherd healthy food, and I’ve done a lot of reading and concluded that most of the major commercial brands are not good bets. However, all of the foods that I have found that are considered to be very healthy are also quite expensive (Orijen, Innova, Candidae, etc). Does anyone know of an affordable, healthy option that won’t break the bank?

A: Petco and Petsmart are too pricey for me, but I refuse to go to a cheap brand of food for my dogs.

Look up feed supply stores in your area (google or yellow pages) and call them up to see what brands of Dog Foods they carry.

I feed my dogs Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul, a holistic, well-balanced food and both of them love it. It’s $35 here for a 30 lb bag, which feeds both of them for a month (50lb puppy and 70 lb. adult). The same Feed Supply also carries Taste of the Wild for $40, which has no grain whatsoever so is pound for pound a better dog food, but my dogs didn’t care for it much.

Other brand names you’ll come across that traditional feed supply stores carry is Diamond and of course Purina, neither of these foods meet my standards, although when we are pressed for $$ I do get a bag of one type of Diamond food to mix in, it has no wheat or corn. But still has other fillers. Shop around, compare prices!

I use dogfoodanalysis.com to break down the foods I’m considering. It’s the best guide I’ve found for ranking foods.

Q: What dog breed is on the Beneful Healthy Growth for Puppies dog food bag?
I feed my Pomeranian Puppies this food and am curious what breed is on the bag, they are soo cute! Here is a link with a pic of the bag. Thanks in advance.
http://www.beneful.com/Dog-food/Healthy-Growth/Default.aspx
I have never had any problems with this food, my dogs love it and they are all very healthy.

A: Sheep dog,and they are very cute.

Q: What are some good healthy dog food?
Right now I am feeding my two yorkies kibble and bits the soft hard food but this is my first time having my own dogs.. so what are so good/cheaper dog food?

A: Some healty pet food comanies are giving away free samples, try them:

Free Yarrah Organic Pet food Samples

http://wherecanigetfreethings.blogspot.com/2008/09/free-yarrah-organic-pet-food-samples.html

Eukanuba Naturally Wild dog food coupon book

http://wherecanigetfreethings.blogspot.com/2008/09/eukanuba-naturally-wild-dog-food-coupon.html

Greenies Pet treat sample

http://wherecanigetfreethings.blogspot.com/2008/09/greenies-pet-treat-sample.html

Q: Is Orijen dog food good for Yorkshire Terrier puppies?
I have a Yorkshire Terrier puppy I’m very concerned of the food that I feed him. As always I want the very best for my dog. Please let me know of any side affects ,or health issues surrounding the Orijen dog food?

A: Orijen is WAY TOO HIGH IN PROTEIN for most dogs especially little dogs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have researched this in depth since my poor dog died of kidney failure due to poor quality dog food!! (this is the only reason I answer these questions … to try and save a dogs life or at least to not let him/her suffer because of bad food)
Fromm Dog Food is Great for dogs and cats …http://www.frommfamily.com/ $42- $45 per 30 lb bag
NO fillers….some good quality grains….NO corn….gluten or by-products or wheatNO BHT, BHA OR ETHOXYQUINNO artificial colors or flavors!!!
ALL human grade food….fruits…veggies and probiotics!! WHOLE fruits and veggies!!!! Just like the kind we get at our grocery stores!MEATS ARE DEBONED BY HAND!!!! NOT BY A MACHINE
check it out you wont regret it ! FROMM 4 STAR product line is the best!!!!!!! FROMM is a 100% holistic dog food. FROMM also has a grain-free option called surf & turf
All meats,fish,fruits and veggies are from local vendors delivered as needed.to maintain freshness

TOTWhttp://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/ … has a high protein content (not recommeded for non athletic dogs) Some TOTW choices have lesser amounts of protein.
Taste of the Wild contains Ethoxyquin which is a toxic fish preservative. (TOTW says that the cooking process kills all of it but it scared me away from their product)
around $42 for a 30 lb bag …. its the cheapest 6 star food ..

Remember : You get what you pay for. Keep in mind the top quality foods cost more but you feed less because there are no fillers or
unwanted ingredients. So in the long run you will be saving money with food and vet bills because your dog/cat will be healthier.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/ lots of great dog food choices on this site !!(keep in mind this site rates on high protein and grain free foods)

Here are the best of the best:Fromm, Blue Buffalo, Canidae, Halo, Holistic Blend, Newmans Own Oranics, Wellness,
(all the above mentioned foods have ” ALL LIFE STAGES” formulas)
http://www.best-dog-food-guide.com/
http://www.petfoodratings.net/dogs.html

http://www.dogfoodscoop.com/

Orijen and Welness are great but it is $60 – $80 for a 30 lb bag… high protein as well ..not good for non athletic dogs Orijen is WAY to high in protein for a non working/non-agility dog ..

Fromm Is what my puppy gets it has a lower protein % and great ingredients! 5 outta 6 stars due to lower protein (but most dogs should not have high protein levels …. It makes their kidneys work overtime for no reason)
You can get it online and if you go to the website you can find stores near you .. they wont be at walmarts and the like… they are in feed stores .. Agway..tractor supply stores etc

IF your dog is not going to be a hard working/agility dog all this high protein can do more harm than good in the long run,,, you wont notice it now but it can take its toll on a dogs kidneys as it ages.

http://4healthdogfood.tripod.com/ …
there is also a brand called 4health at the tractor supply store.. it is only $30 for a 35 lb bag.. and it seems to be of good quality. (not as good as the foods mentioned above but it good for the price if you are on a tight budget.)
It is very close in ingredients to the more expensive brandsCheck out the ingredients for yourself… no corn, wheat or soy.A Very good choice if you cant afford Fromm, Wellness, BB, TOTW, etc…etc.
also if you go to http://www.tractorsupply.com you can get a printable $5 off coupon!!
(they have Blue Buffalo, TOTW and 4Health)

GOOD LUCK TO YOU AND YOUR FURRY FRIENDS!!!

Q: Is orijen dog food bad for small dogs?
I have a Maltese, shes aboit a year and a half old now. 7 pounds. I bought orijen dog food because shes a ery picky eater and she also has bad tear stains, so i want to put her on a higher quality food. The bag says nothing about it being only for large breeds, but i am now reading alot about it being too high in protien for small dogs?

Will my dog be okay to eat it? Or should i try something else?

A: if u decide to go with another brand that is also high quality

try Wellness small breed

also natual with no corn by product or fillers
5 star rated brand

that wut i use on my dogs n they never looked better

wellnesspetfood.com use website to get more info and store locater

Q: Is Orijen dog food as good or better than wellness? ?
I just took my dog to the vet and he has a very sensitive system. He has allergies and so she recommended wellness dog food. I went to the local pet store and the owner said that orijen dog food is even better because the ingredients are better and there are no grains. What do you guys think?
I had him on beneful because I had thought that it was a good dog food but because my dog has a sensitive stomach with allergies my vet told me to gradually switch to something of higher quality.

A: I think it depends on what kind of dog you have. Orijen is an excellent food with ingredients that are, possibly, superior to those in Wellness, as the pet store owner suggested. I know that Dogfoodanalysis.com gives Orijen six stars, and some of the Wellness foods also.

However, Orijen’s protein content is higher than Wellness’s. If you have a large-breed dog, that’s a good thing and you might want to go with Orijen. Both my vet and my breeder, however, strongly suggested that I keep my dogs away from food with a protein content higher than 25% (I have border collies, a medium sized breed).

Ultimately, both foods are excellent. If you really want to pick just one, I suggest taking into account your dog’s size and its level of exercise as the best way to determine which food is better.

Q: Did you know that Orijen dog food is actually NOT grain free?
How can a company market a dog food as GRAIN FREE when it is actually not? Orijen has deceivingly listed corn in the ingredients list as “zea mays“…how can that be legal? Corn is a grain.
Wow…thanks for the link to the FAQ…but, the reason I found out about this is because my friend`s dog is allergic to corn and had a major reaction to Orijen. So, I am not sure how they could say that there will be no reaction in dogs who are allergic.
One more thing…if you look up the definition of ZEA MAYS, it says GRAIN…so why would they not just say CORN SILK on the ingredients list, instead?

A: It isnt so much corn being in the food, it is about the ingredient being low quality. Knowing Orijen, the corn they use is high quality. It is a grain option, just like oatmeal or brown rice. As long as its high quality, then there is no need to worry unless you are feeding grain free for allergies or cancer.

Q: Orijen dog food as a high quailty food?
I just bought Orijen dog food today from my vet. I did some research on it, and most people love it, however, some posts have said that it now has citric acid in it (i checked and it does) is this bad for my dog? if so, what is a high quality dog food?

I also want to compete Meeko in agility (hes just started training now) so I needone that is high performance too.

A: It is a high quality. The only issue with citric acid is it has been linked to bloat if wet for breeds that are prone to bloat. Meaning deep narrow chested breeds like danes, dobes, greyhounds etc. Simply don’t wet food.

Q: Does any one buy Orijen dog food in around Toronto?
I’m thinking about switching my Alaskan Malamute Nemo to Orijen and I was wondering if anyone knows where to buy in the Toronto area and how much it usually costs? Thank you so much.

A: Here is the store locator for Orijen in Ontario:

http://www.championpetfoods.com/orijen/storeLocator/OntarioStoreListing.aspx

Q: How much does a bag of orijen dog food cost?
I’m not sure where to get the price online.

A: $60-30 lbs.
$35-15 lbs
$15- 5 lbs

Q: Has anyone used Flint river ranch or Orijen dog food?
If you have do you like it? Is it worth it? I researched it and it has human grade ingredients, what is your take on these 2 dog foods.
Thank you for your answers, they helped!!

A: Flint River’s quality doesn’t even begin to touch on the quality of Orijen. Worlds apart–I found out the hard way.

Orijen is a great dog food, but as it is grain free and high in protein, it really souldn’t be used to a moderately active or innactive dog. A dog that goes on multiple brisk tough walks a day, or runs, and does a lot of play is the best choice for a food like Orijen. Likewise for working dogs with tough jobs and activity.

Flint River gave our dog the soft-serves, along with the rescues we had at the time and our friend’s three dogs. It gave our bulldog horrible rashes in his folds. We’ve never encountered a wheat free, soy free, corn free food that was so horrible. I was really disappointed.

If you are interested in good human grade foods, try anything on the www.dogfoodanalysis.com website that is ranked a 5 or 6 star. Innova, Fromm’s, Wellness, etc. are great choices. If you’re looking for something like FRR that actually works (and in fact is better!), try Innova or Fromm’s. Wellness, I find, is okay, but tends to produce a lot more poop and can be a bit harsh on the system for many dogs. It is a hit or miss type food.

Good luck!!

Q: Orijen dog food good or bad?
I have been feeding my puppy Orijen puppy food for over 3 months now ( she is 7 months old right now) She is thriving on it and have been so pleased with it I recommended it to friends and family. Now it seems after only a few weeks of eating Orijen a friends dog has been diagnosed with kidney problems and my friend is blaming the problem on Orijen. I don’t think that the food was to blame. Her dog is a 7 year old cockapoo. I think Orijen is a great food. Am I wrong?

A: Actually – it may have been a good thing that she switched over to the Orijen as she may have not known until it was too late to save her dog that her dog had kidney problems. Her dog had kidney problems prior to the Orijen – not because of it. My aunt has renal failure – and she never was a protein eater – she is overweight and diabetic, but she used to binge on carb loaded foods. Now as they are doing dialysis and she is trying to get over a pressure wound they want her to eat more protein.

Anyway – my point is that the orijen did not cause it – it made her symptoms flare up, which in the end may have been a good thing because she may not have been aware of her dog’s kidney probelms til it was too late to do anything about it.

Q: Orijen dry dog food good or bad for dogs?
Does anyone think that is food will give my puppy the scoots? Or maybe I should’nt feed a puppy Orijen? Does anyone have other great foods for puppies?

A: I have researched this in depth since my poor dog died of kidney failure due to poor quality dog food!!
Fromm Dog Food is Great for dogs and cats …http://www.frommfamily.com/ $42- $45 per 30 lb bag
NO fillers….some good quality grains….NO corn….gluten or by-products or wheat
ALL human grade food….fruits…veggies and probiotics!!
check it out you wont regret it !

http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/TOTW has a high protein content (not recommeded for non athletic dogs)
Taste of the Wild contains Ethoxyquin which is a toxic fish preservative. (TOTW says that the cooking process kills all of it but it scared me away from their product)
around $42 for a 30 lb bag …. its the cheapest 6 star food ..

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/ lots of great dog food choices on this site !!

Orijen and Welness are great but it is $60 – $80 for a 30 lb bag…high protein as well ..not good for non athletic dogs
Fromm Is what my puppy gets it has a lower protein % and great ingredients! 5 outta 6 stars due to lower protein (but most dogs should not have high protein levels …. It makes their kidneys work overtime for no reason)
You can get it online and if you go to the website you can find stores near you .. they wont be at walmarts and the like… they are in feed stores .. Agway..tractor supply stores etc

IF your dog is not going to be a hard working/agility dog all this high protein can do more harm than good in the long run,,, you wont notice it now but it can take its toll on a dogs kidneys as it ages.

there is also a brand called 4health at the tractor supply store.. it is only $30 for a 30 lb bag.. and it seems to be of good quality. (not as good as the foods mentioned above but it good for the price if you are on a tight budget.)

also of you go to http://www.tractorsupply.com you can get a printable $5 off coupon!!
they have tons of low and high end foods there

Q: Do you know where I can buy Orijen Dog Food?
I’ve heard Orijen is a completely grain free dog food and is great for dogs with food intolerances. I have a Westie who seems to be intolerant to most foods, I’ve tried him on. I can’t seem to find any pet shops that sell Orijen.

A: Hello

You can get Orijen at an online pet shop called Mutley & Mog. It is based in the UK. I use them alot and they are really good.

http://www.mutleyandmog.co.uk/dog/dog-food/complete-dry-dog-food/orijen-dog-food/

Q: Is Orijen Dog food good for small dog (Westie)?
I have a one year old Westie, I’m feeding him Innova and he seems losing his hair. Therefore, I’m planning to switch to Orijen. The problem is I heard that Orijen has too much protein and it’s not good for small dog breed.

A: It is highly recommended by the Whole Dog Journal.The high protein is well metabolised by small dogs.Suggest you check thyroid function for the hair loss

Q: Is Orijen dog food sold in the UK/Ireland?
I’ve read on here that it’s one of the best things you can feed a dog. I have a medium sized 7 month old dog. Can anyone help?

A: It is made in Canada, so is most widely available in North America. But I found a link on their website that might help you to purchase it online and have it shipped:

http://www.championpetfoods.com/orijen/storeLocator/internationalonlinestores.aspx

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/

Otherwise, you can try and contact the company through email and see if they can help you out.

Good luck! It is an excellent food, my puppy is on it right now and is doing extremely well.

Q: Is Orijen dog food any good?
I have a 10 month old doberman, I have him on Nutrience Large breed puppy dry food. He never chews his food , just swallows. 50 percent of the time his stool is soft.
Im thinking about Orijen large breed puppy food.
Any body thinks its any good?

A: Yes, Orijen’s one of the better foods out there. When you make the switch, you need to do it gradually, over a period of 7 – 10 days, so your puppy doesn’t get diarrhea.

Q: What is the best dog food out there? Would you say Orijen is the best quality food for dogs? (General dogs)?
I know there isn’t just one good dog food and it all depends how your dog reacts to the food. But is Orijen the best dog food?

A: Maybe but not all dogs can tolerate the high protein. The best food for you dog is one that he can digest easily with no corn, wheat, fillers or by products and has meat and or/meat meal for the first couple of ingredients. Instinct, Evo, & Wellness Core are in the same catagory. Artemis and Fromm are also very good.

Many believe a raw diet is best, followed by a prepared raw diet like Bravo, which you buy frozen.

Q: Do you feed your dog Natural Balance dog food?
If so STOP RIGHT NOW and get you dog to a vet we have lost two dogs and it is all because of the food vets at Texas A&M did an autopsy on one of the dogs and they found it was the food that caused the deaths. Natural Balance dog food was added to the list yesterday.

A: lol they are more of a natural feeding group so there is a chance it was the game animal used in it.

What in it caused the death? Your vet could be like some I have seen claiming that even Innova was added to the list.

Thanks though. It was a side food I fed.

EDIT: Ok so I got this from the site.

NOTICE:
We are receiving consumer complaints regarding the Venison & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food, and Venison & Green Pea Dry Cat Foods. We do not know what is wrong with the food at this time, but we have heard that animals are vomiting and experiencing kidney problems. Although the problems seem to be focused on one particular lot, as a precautionary measure, we are pulling all dates of Venison & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food and Venison & Green Pea Dry Cat Food from the shelves.

Please discontinue feeding all Venison and Brown Rice Dry Dog Food, and Venison and Green Pea Dry Cat Food.

We are working closely with the FDA.
We will update this website today, as more information comes available.

NO OTHER NATURAL BALANCE PRODUCTS ARE AFFECTED.

So maybe it is the fish (or w/e venison is) that was infected

Q: Do you feed and like Natural Balance dog food?
I was looking at Natural Balance dog food it looks pretty good.
Does anyone use it if so which flavor?
Do you like it ok?
I also feed Royal Canin and she loves it I tried Canidae but she didn’t like it so I went back to Royal Canin.I am thinking of feeding the Natural Balance wanted to see what others say about it also..

A: Its too expensive for me. I used to use the Venison and Rice until the poison (melamine) scare last year. Natural balance made a deadly mistake while trying to cut costs. While trying to add new ingredients that artificially made the protein % appear higher they suspected they had poisoned some dogs. They made an immediate recall of all food contaminated, and reformulated several of their foods.
They are safe, but you can buy better foods for less money. Unless you “NEED” a single source protein food for a dog with allergies- I would find something else.
I switched to Cadidae All Life Stages. It too has been recently reformulated, but it is still a real good food for about $1.25 per pound in a large bag.
If you really want to look at how many foods stack up, try this site-

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/index.php

Q: Which dog food brand is better, Wellness or Natural Balance?
Hi Everyone, I work in a pet shop, and each month I get a free bag of either Wellness or Natural Balance dog food. I was wondering which brand you think is better quality for my Dachshund/Beagle mix. And if you could please tell me which flavor/type is the best of either brand. Thank You!!

A: Our breeder sent our Dachshund puppy home to us with a bag of Eukanuba puppy food. Our vet and puppy trainer both commented it was the best. We have recently changed to the Eukanuba Dachshund food since he is 9 months old now.

That is good enough for me.

Q: Is Natural Balance good dog food?
I am thinking about switching my dogs food again. I tried it once with Merrick and she got bad diarrhea from it so I stopped using it, but she does still like the merrick sausages. So I was reading people reviews about natural balance dog food and they all love it and also love the natural balance rolls. Does any of yous feed it or have good comments about it. I did read this one thing about how it was tainted the venison and brown rice dog food but it was from like 2 years ago. Thanks to everyone!

A: Yes, NB is one of many good dog foods.

Choosing a brand of dog food can be such a headache! Do go to the dog food analysis site someone else mentioned.

Over the years I have fed so many brands! Eagle Pack Holistic, Chicken Soup, Wellness Fish and Potato, Innova, Evo, Solid Gold, Honest Kitchen, Canidae, Premium Edge…..and our prior dogs did quite well on all.

My current dog came down with colitis and long story short, after diddling around for around 8 months I chose NB Duck and Potato (novel protein, novel carb and has least number of ingredients) and she has done extremely well on it.

Every dog is a bit different

Q: Natural Balance dog food, & Canidae?
Hi, I’m looking to switch my dog’s food brand sometime in the near future. I’ve been looking at a few different brands. Natural Balance food is a little cheaper than Canidae, but I have also heard that Canidae is a little higher quality food.?

I guess my question is, have you fed your dogs either of these foods, and how do they work for you? Also, wondering about opinions on whether the Canidae is worth the extra money or if either would be fine?

Thank you.

A: I have a Brittany and I have fed her both Canidae and Natural Balance. She seemed to like the flavor of Natural Balance better however Canidae made her coat look wonderfull. I feed her Solid Gold now and am much happier with that than either Natural Balance or Canidae. It is a little more expensive but in my opinion well worth the money. Her coat looks much better even when she was on Canidae. We struggled to keep her wieght down for a while but when i put her on solid god she has lost about 7 pounds. She also loves the flavor. So if you are looking for a more holstic or more natural food you might consider Solid gold if it is available to you. Other than that i would rather give my dog Canidae than Natural Balance. Good luck!

Q: Natural balance dry dog food?
Is this good dog food? I think I bought the original Natural balance dog food with Chicken in it. I wanted to try and feed my dog “healthy food with no fillers” for once to see if they like it, but they don’t seem to like it. When I feed them Purina dog chow, they seem to like that more. I guess my dogs like the cheap stuff because it taste better like some people who like fast food better than expensive/fancy food.

A: Natural Balance is an excellent food. Try it.
My dogs like Canidae and I have picky eaters. They also like Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul, another good food.

Q: We have an older dog that is on Natural Balance Dog Food Rolls Lamb Formula?
What do you think of it? He is an older dog that is have tummy problem with vomiting. Can I had water and dog food to this product? When you are cutting the tub VERY thick it like cutting meat. Please pass on as much info as you can. I am just wanting my do to get better….

A: A senior dog should be on a senior dog food, plus glucosamine/chondroitin. Talk to your vet about a good choice. I feed Pro Plan Senior

Q: CANADIAN DOG LOVERS- Did NATURAL BALANCE DOG FOOD REALLY GET RECALLED OVER THERE?
Somebody told me that (AUSTRALIAN-MADE) NATURAL BALANCE dog food was recalled there. Is this true?
DRY food (kibble)
DRY food (kibble)

A: only the wet food (canned) the dry is ok.

Q: is Natural Balance dog food on the recall list.?
Does anyone know what Natural Balance prouds were recalled and if not many is it a good brand of dog food for mixed dogs? Also does anyone give their doggies the Natural Balance dog food rolls? I have been told dogs like them and that Natural Balance is good on them.

A: It was all recalled, but the stuff on the shelves now is okay

Q: How long do Natural Balance dog food rolls last?
After opening the package and kept refrigerated.

A: I’ve kept Natural Balance Roll in a sealed zip-lock in the fridge for a month with no problem. It also freezes very well. Sometimes I buy the big roll, use 1/3 & freeze the rest in 1/3 parts. I’ve kept it in the freezer for 2-3 months.

Q: Cheapest place to get Natural Balance dog food?
anyone feed their dog natural balance? where is cheapest place? Im currently paying $50 for the 28lb bag…
Im not going to wal mart and buying ole roy dog food…if you feed crappy food it shows through their coat and nails…my doberman is very well taken care of so ill just keep feeding natural balance
every petsmart ive seen doesnt carry natural balance…..

A: I find that the locally owned (independent) feed/supply stores have more reasonable prices. In my area, they generally run about $1 or $2 less per bag than Petsmart. That adds up! In my experience, I’ve always had better service at the smaller stores, and have encountered more knowledgeable staff.

Good luck!

ADD: Here is the “store locator” from their website. Just follow the drop-downs and find the stores in your area, then call around for prices.

http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/home/locator.tpl

Q: Which is the better dog food: Natural Balance or Wellness?
I use to feed my puppy Wellness when I first got her. Then I switched her to Natural Balance Organics. I have noticed that she eats my parents dogs Wellness Super5mix food. I don’t like switching her food so much but I guess I don’t know which is better.. probably whatever she likes I imagine… hard to know what she likes!

Anyone know the difference between the two brands?

A: Both are premium dog foods. If both are available to you and your dog does well on both, switch back and forth. It’s an old wife’s tail that dogs should only eat one brand of dog food forever. Most dogs do best if they are switched to a couple or more premium dog foods. No dog food is complete in all the amino acids and nutrients your dog needs. So, to be sure he is getting everything feed a few different foods.
I feed Canidae, Wellness, Innova. I’ll buy the large bag, which lasts a month and then switch to the next and the next and then back to the first, or I’ll try a 4th just for variety. My dogs never get sick and one is 16, the other 12, and the 3rd 6.

Q: Is Natural Balance Dog Food high quality dog food?
Would you feed it to your dog? I know it says ultra premium but of course all types of dog food say their brand is the best.

A: ~ Its a good food, much better than some of them. I think the main concern I would have is there is not a high meat content in this food. Also the calories per cup is lower than some I use and so you have to feed more which plays into the cost per dog. Overall it is definitely not a bad food. Also, they don’t do any laboratory testing on animals!!

Q: Where is Natural Balance dog food made?
It used to say MADE IN USA on the package but no longer does. I also noticed they removed all claims that it was made in the United States from their web site.

A: I just looked all over their website and couldn’t find the answer. I’d call them or email them and ask!

It sounds as though they have changed manufacturing plants, and may have even outsourced their processing and packaging to so me other company. I’d be careful with that new package–it’s probably a new formula as well!

Q: Natural Balance-dog food?
I`m giving my miniature schnauzer aged 1 and a half year new dog food,natural balance the fish and sweet potato diet.It`s a very new brand to me but I heard it`s a good brand and it doesn’t contain grain. Anyone know about this brand?

A: it’s actually manufactured by the same company as diamond pet foods. diamond was involved in the BIG pet food recall a few years ago. so, i stay away from anything manufactured by them including canidae, taste of the wild, chicken soup, and others! i’m switching by dog from canidae to innova now. i would trust anything made by natura pet foods (http://www.naturapet.com). evo is grain free. wellness is also a good dog food and the wellness core is grain free. they are more expensive, but much more digestible (because they have no fillers or by-products) so the dog eats less and they’ll also be less waste!

Q: For people who buy Royal Canin dog food?
How much do you guys spend a month on dog food, and what breed of dogs do you guys own?

I believe it’s getting a bit too expensive, in my situation. I have two 7 month old pit bulls, and I need to buy a 37 lbs of Royal Canin Large Breed Puppy bag every 12 days. I’ts an average of $44 everytime I have to buy them food.

So, are you guys happy with the results? And is it worth the price ?

A: I’ve tried several other brands for my 3 greyhounds and they just didn’t tolerate it. They were blowing coat and had the runs no matter how slowly I tried switching them, so I had to give up.

I’ve been feeding Royal Canin Maxi Mature for months now with great results, so yes, it is worth the price.

Q: Do you know anything about Royal Canin dog food?
I’m trying to find a dog food that is good for my sheltie. I am using Royal Canin now and she actually likes it (very picky!) but I just thought I’d check to make sure it is ok. I thought Science Diet was a good brand too, but earlier posts show that I was quite wrong! Thanks

A: Mid-grade food, better than what most people feed their dogs, but if you really want a good food, I’d listen to the others’ suggestions…choose Innova, Orijen, Wellness, Canidae, etc.

Royal Canin is MUCH better than Science Diet…a good rule of thumb that will work for many people: If Wal-Mart sells it, don’t use it…they don’t have ANY foods that are good for your dog.

Royal Canin’s first ingredient is rice…that’s not so good, but it is followed by chicken meal, and that’s better. This food contains brewers rice (a common allergen, though not all dogs are allergic). Corn gluten meal is #4 on the ingredient list. IF your chosen food contains corn, I prefer to see corn ground from WHOLE GRAIN…corn gluten meal is the “leftover” junk, and really just a filler…it’s awfully high on the ingredient list to use such a low-quality ingredient.

Bottom line, if Royal Canin is the best food you have access to, and your dog is thriving (healthy, shiny coat, proper weight, no allergies, etc)…keep feeding it. If you are in search of a better food, try one of the others listed above.

Q: Is Royal Canin dog food really that good?
I have a German Shepherd puppy (8 months). I was using Nutro before, but I tried Royal Canin, and he seems to like it better… I heard good review about Royal Canin, but it is quite expensinve. Is it really worth the money?

A: Nutro and Royal Canin are very similar foods. You may see differences with the Royal canin because they do make a specific formula for German Shepard’s. Honestly, with the price you are paying for Royal Canin, I would get a dog food like Canine Caviar. While Royal Canin is a very good food, there are better out there for a similar price.

Q: What is your experience with Royal Canin dog food?
I am trying to find the right food for my puppy. is this a good brand? is your dog healthy? tell me your experience.i want a happy healthy puppy.

A: Royal Canin is NOT a good quality food. It certainly isn’t as bad as Purina, Pedigree, generic brands, etc but it certainly is not a human grade holistic food.

Chelifan who claims to be a Vet Tech says that her dogs do great on the DD formula. Well this food contains corn (should never be in pet foods), beet pulp (should never be in pet foods), wheat gluten (should never be in pet foods), soybean oil (should not be used in pet foods), and so on. Foods like Iams/Eukanuba, Purina, Science Diet, etc are the same. They contain fillers, by-products, unidentified ingredients, cancer causing chemical preservatives and more.

I really wish people would start to put more energy into researching pet foods instead of supporting these mass marketed companies.

If you want your dog to be healthy, you sould be looking into human grade foods like Innova, Wellness, Solid Gold, Fromm, Canidae, etc. This foods contain only whole, fresh, human grade ingredients…no fillers or foreign ingredients.

Vets are NOT nutritionists. They do not receive training in pet nutrition and that is evident in their food choices. ANYONE who recommends Iams, Science Diet, Royal Canin, Purina, etc knows NOTHING about pet nutrition. Their advice should be taken with caution.

Q: what is wrong with royal canin dog food?
i have a puppy pug who is 7 months and ever since i got him he is been in royal canin brand puppy, but everyone says its a bad brand or that since its sold at petsupermarket or petsmart then its not that good….ok so then i have been trying to switch to Canidae but he is having diahrea and i want to go back to royal canin , he never had a problem with it so what do you think about royal canin brand……any thing wrong? or any feedback ?

A: My puppy had loose stools when I switched her from California Natural to Solid Gold. When you switch a dogs food, you should mix it half half and gradually decrease the amount of old food while increasing the amount of new food.

Dogs should be kept away from corn, wheat, soy and beef. Corn has almost no nutritional value and is used as an empty filler. Wheat, soy and beef can exacerbate allergies and make them not so healthy.

Solid Gold Hundchen puppy and California Natural Lamb and Rice puppy foods are really wonderful. No preservatives/artificial additives dyes etc… I’ve heard that Canidae is really good too!

My vet sells science diet and royal canin and when I read the lables, I was so disapointed in them!

Solid Gold and Cali Natural also didn’t have any recalls.

Q: which one is better nutro, natural balance, natures recipe, organix ,or royal canin dog food?
i am looking into higher quality dog food and im wondering which brand is the best to feed my baby (dog) hehe since i heard pedigree isnt that great i seached petco and just list some brands. please tel,l me which one you recommend

~ already know about blue buffalo and solid gold and eagle packjust wanted to know about those brands

A: Organix would be better for the fact that organic foods use no pesticides, chemical fertilizers, antibiotics or growth hormones. The best way to look for a good food beyond this is to check the protein source. Avoid by-products. chicken/beef meal is good but fresh is better. The protein source should be the very first ingredient, there shouldn’t be a lot of fillers such as corn, the food should be naturally preserved with vitamin E (mixed tocopherols), free of preservatives, artificial flavors and colors, the more protein sources the better, it is good to have digestive enzymes and omega 3 and 6 in the food. If the food is made by a major brand, avoid it…such as Science Diet Naturals. Major companies that put these products out are just trying to keep up with the profits and are more likely to use inferior ingredients. Natures Variety is a good organic food. I think Nutro is at the lower end of your list. the others are all good foods, just check ingredients as outlined above.

Q: what do you think about Royal Canin dog food?
i am thinking to change my dog’s food and i want to know if royal canin is a good dog food

A: Best rule of thumb if you can afford to do it is, if the first thing listed is anything but a true meat or vegetable its junk… and corn anything isn’t a vegetable its a starch… They often like using things like Corn and wheat to add filler to their food, and the higher up on the list and more often the term appears the more the food contains, the only thing this will do is make your dog fat, so if your dog is active that’s fine, but if its a sedentary dog its very unhealthy for it.

Old Roy, Royal Canin, and many others are common misconception foods carrying seals of approval from one group or another but are actually just starch grain and fat dog foods… which are very unhealthy.

Q: How long can Royal Canin Dog food last?
what is the life shelf for the Royal Canin MINI Puppy 33 Formula and Royal Canin MINI Adult 27 Formula Dog Food

A: Check on the bag of dog food there should be a expiration date.

Q: Royal Canin, Sensible Choice Dog food Recall-Beware?
Today’s paper showed Royal Canin Dog food recall. Their brand is Sensible Choice. 3 weeks ago I asked this question and was ignored. Todays paper carried the story and just now I received an email warning. I would suggest you all stop buying commercial dog food . This dog food said Made in USA!! so it all maybe contaminated.
Today is the start of me making all my own dog food. $250 Vet bill Friday. Sore abdomen, Liver involment etc. My poor dog. AT least I have some holistic remedies…
I believe before this is over, all commercial dog food, other than a few home grown products, will be found to be contaminated. This is huge. Flint River also sells natural homemade dog food but I am double checking.

A: I have a video on my site that tells you what you should look for and stay away from when reading the lable on your pet’s food. Check it out: www.feedfluffy.com. If anything, at least you’ll know what’s in your pets food.

I tried making my own for a while but I couldn’t keep it up. If you can do it, more power to you. What I have on my site is a good, all natural alternative to doing extra cooking at home.

Hope your dog feels better soon.

Q: Royal Canin vs Canidae dog food question?
I was told to get the Royal Canin dog food for my Giant Schnauzer puppy. I was wondering which you may reccomend. I am nervouse to try the Royal Canin beacuse I dont want my puppy to grow to fast beacuse that could cause
early problems such as hip problems. I have asked about Canidae which is highly recomended but i wasnt sure about Royal Canin so please let me know. Thank you very much!

A: I have always fed my dog canidae and I get tons of compliments about his fur and coat. I know Royal Canin is a good food, as my dog’s breeder has fed both of them over the years, and I trust her explicitly. I would not be too concerned about growing too fast, but rather feeding a completely balanced food, of which Royal Canin and Canidae both are.

Have fun with your puppy!

Q: I recently started feeding my dog Royal Canin dog food in respone to hives…?
per vet recommendation. While the hives have gone away, I have noticed my dog has bad breath (odd odor). Any one else have this problem with thi particular food, or with any special diet food? Any other thoughts?

We go to the vet on Tuesday for a check-up, so I will be sure to ask then about it, but I was just curious if anyone else had experienced bad dog breath while on special food.

Thanks!

A: the exact thing happend to my dog i simply switched the food until the hives went , good luck

Q: How do i get my dog to gain weight/experience with Royal Canin food?? (Belgian Malinois)?
I have a female belgain malinois. She is a little over 3 years old. She seems to have some weight issues, as she is only 50 pounds. (we were at the vet 2 weeks ago)

She has a very sensitive stomach. She was eating large bred pro plan, and i’ve taken the vets advice, and switched to Royal Canin. (the vet said this may help her gain) So far, she hasnt had any problems, or gained any weight!

How do i get my dog to gain more weight? I feed her more then she is to be fed, she’s not very active right now, due to the weather and a baby.

Have you given your dog Royal Canin dog food? Did it work out well for your dog?

A: This is not the most recent update, but foods are continually recalled for contaminated content. Royal Canin is a brand that has had many recalls in recent times.
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/petfoodrecall/
You might want to keep up with the fda update site because what happens is, when bad batches are processed, food companies coordinate with sellers to pull them from shelves. What has already been sold and could be in your cabinet is not on their shelves any more, but how are we to know?
Poor product often added to dog and cat foods seems to be the cause of serious illness and even death in animals.
Pets get the poor quality or left over stuff from slaughterhouse floors or grains that aren’t processed for people.
The first recalls were over a hundred product that contaminated glutens were added to. (wheat gluten, corn gluten, now rice gluten and rice protein concentrate, too.)
So I’d avoid foods with these ingredients.
For a dog with sensitive stomach I’d advise a balanced raw diet (grind the raw meaty bones) here’s a site:
http://www.rawdogranch.com
or a home cooked diet. (google Dr. Pitcairn).
Otherwise, I’d choose a dog food that does not have wheat, corn or rice glutens or rice protein concentrate.
Some brands that were not recalled in these recent recalls:
Nature’s Recipe Venison and Rice (no wheat or corn content at all), Orijen (no grains!), Canidae- no recall- but if your dog is sensitive to meats in it you may have a problem- or it could end up being a great food for your dog!
Wellness Duck and Sweet Potato- holistic brand for allergy prone dogs and sensitive stomach.
I feed mine Nature’s Recipe and add a Vet approved fish oil with Omega 3- human grade. In addition I sprinkle a bit of Brewer’s Yeast over the food (loaded with B Vitamins- natural source.)
Occasionally when I was rehabbing a dog I’d feed this and stir in a few heaping tablespoons of Cottage Cheese.
Another dog did better with a few spoons of plain low fat yogurt.
Some foods have more filler products than others and so while you feed a lot, there is a lot of product going out, too.
GL with choosing your dogs diet.

Q: What do you make of Pedigree, Bakers and Royal Canin dog food?
Good or Bad?

A: They all are ***CRAP*** in a bag foods!

Some good quality foods are :

Canidae

http://www.canidae.com/

Wellness
Wellness CORE

http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/

Taste of the Wild

http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/

Blue Buffalo

http://www.bluebuff.com/

Solid Gold

http://www.solidgoldhealth.com

Innova
Eagle pack Holistic
Chicken Soup for the dog Lovers Soul
Orijen
EVO
Merrick
Avoderm
Natural Balance
Fromms
Artemis
Eagle Pack Holistic
Pinnacle

Never get low quality foods like :

Cesar, Ol’ Roy, Purina, Pedigree, Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet, BilJac, Nutro , Dad’s, Royal Canin, Mighty Dog
Or ANY grocery Store brand!

This website should be able to help you on picking out a good quality food. Stick on the 4-5-6 star range.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/

Never get a dog food with Corn, Soy, and By-Products. But I would also suggest a wheat free dog food. When you change your dogs food to a better quality, you will notice these things :
Firmer Stool, Glossier Coat, and better overall health.

Just because it says “all natural” doesn’t mean that it’s good. ALWAYS check the dog food ingredients!

Corn – A low quality filler that is in a lot of dog foods, most dogs are allergic to it.

By Products – Anything from Roadkill to euthanized dogs to cow brains! It does *NOT* qualify for a meat source!

Raw Feeding is also good, but it can be pricey. Learn more at:
http://barfworld.com/
http://www.raw-dogs.com/
http://www.rawfeddogs.net/

http://www.rawlearning.com/

Chuckles

Q: Is Royal Canin breed specific formula a good dog food for boxers?
I am having problems trying to decide on a good dog food for my 1 1/2 year old boxer. I have been feeding him royal canin food for boxers but wasn’t sure if there was something better that i could be feeding him. I just want something that will be healthy for him to eat.

A: Royal Canin isn’t a very good food. It’s not the worst, but it’s far from the best.

Here is a review of it: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=1529&cat=all

Below the double line is my shpeel on choosing a good dog food:
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Read the ingredients before you buy. Go with a high-quality dog food.

Here is my list of rules when I am looking at dog food ingredients:
1) When I chose a dog food, I chose one high meat content. I want to see preferably at least 2-3 out of the top 5 ingredients be meat or meat meal (first ingredient must be!). Meal is simply the meat with the moisture removed.
2) I want to see higher quality grains, such as barley, brown rice, and oatmeal, instead of seeing wheat and corn. Or an alternative starch/carbohydrate such as potatoes or sweet potatoes.
3) I don’t want to see any byproducts.
4) I don’t want to see a lot of fillers.
5) I don’t want to see preservatives that are believed to be carcinogens (BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin).
6) I don’t want to see artificial colorings such as the Red, Blue, and Yellow dyes.
7) I don’t want to see added sugars (sugar, corn syrup).
I don’t want to see mystery meats (meats identified only as “meat” or “poultry”.)

Here is an article about byproducts:

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=ingrd

And an article on what ingredients to avoid:

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=badingredients

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There is no food that is the *best*, different individual dog may thrive on different foods. What is best for one may not be the best for the next. And just because a food is good quality, it doesn’t mean it will jive the best for your dog.

What you want to find is the HIGH-QUALITY food that *your dog* does best on.

Here are some examples of high quality foods:
* Artemis
* Blue Buffalo
* California Natural
* Canidae
* Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul
* Eagle Pack Holistic Selects
* EVO
* Fromm
* Innova
* Merrick
* Nature’s Variety
* Orijen
* Solid Gold
* Taste of the Wild
* Timberwolf Organics
* Wellness
* ZiwiPeak

Or check this website for good foods: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/
(I recommend only feeding foods rated 4, 5, or 6 stars. Anything 3 stars or less, I would stay away from.)

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Higher quality food may seem more expensive at first, but it evens out. The higher quality the food, the less fillers eaten (and therefore the less poop comes out the other end). Your dog eats more of a low-quality food to try to get the nutrition it needs, and most of the food just passes right on through. Also, higher-quality food will make your animals healthier, so you save money on vet bills in the long run.

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Stay away from grocery stores brands. They are low-quality foods chalk full of fillers, preservatives, dyes, etc.. (Grocery store foods are those like Beneful, Old Roy, Alpo, Pedigree, etc.)

Beware “premium” foods. “Premium” does not always mean good nutritionally, and is not a nutritionally high quality food. Most of these foods have the same types of ingredients as grocery store foods, just a bit better quality of those not-so-good ingredients. (Premium foods are those like Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet, etc..)

Another thing to be wary of: A lot of vets will recommend what they sell in their office. They get profit from the brands they keep on their shelves, that’s why they push it. Truth is, vet schools don’t focus a lot on nutrition. It’s not saying that a vet is a bad vet because he recommends those foods, a lot of vets just are told “this is good food”, so they pass the message along without proper nutrition knowledge. Also, some dog food brands (like Hills) support vet schools, so vets have heard of it from the time they start college, which makes them think it’s good as well.

Hills company, the makers of Science Diet, are heavily involved in vet schools. “Hill’s scientists author more than 50 research papers and textbook chapters each year and teach at leading schools of veterinary medicine” (Source of quoted section: http://www.hillsvet.com/zSkin_2/company_info/company_info_general.jsp?JSESSIONID=HMz2B3Jn3hv0rnSoxCobfbBhOec35ODG7yh5t3P0vcvhOtzRlQ9M!598359213!167846923!7005!8005&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302026072&bmUID=1196192566575 )

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“Big box” petstores like Petco and Petsmart rarely have quality foods. (I do believe that PetCo sells “Solid Gold” and “Natural Balance” brands and Petsmart sells “Blue Buffallo”, which are all higher quality foods, but most of the foods aren’t.)

Also, grocery stores and Walmart aren’t good places to buy food either.

Your best bets for getting quality dog food are:
- small, locally owned petstores
- dog boutiques
- farm supply stores

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When switching foods, do it gradually. I do this over about a two week timespan:
25% food A, 75% food B
50% food A, 50% food B
75% food A, 25% food B
100% food A
.

Q: Do you use Royal Canin dog food?
If you use it does your dog like it? Do you see good results with it?
My friend tried many of the really good brands
Wellness,Natural Balance etc,but her dog really didn’t like them so she went back to Royal Canin her dog loves it and looks great.

A: I have a 10 month old chihuahua and use royal canin, baby dog food, small breed. And I have been very pleased with the brand. My dog likes it. Coat is always very shiny and I feed it to her dry so that the crunch of the dry kibble cleans her teeth. I am however getting ready to switch to the one specifically for chihuahua breed. I am not sure of the details but there are several levels or classifications of dog food and Royal Canin is one of the better ones. I was told by vets & dog trainers to make sure your dog food ingredients list some sort of meat in the first 3 ingredients rather than like rice, wheat etc. Dogs are carnivores, so they need more meat geared food. Hope this helped some.

Q: I’m looking for a comparable dog food to Hills Science Diet. Is there anything comparable for less cost?
I got a puppy a couple of months ago and was feeding her Purina Puppy Chow. She developed a bladder infection and the vet said it was probably the food I was giving her. She recommended Hills Science Diet. We got the pup meds and she is all better now but the food is about 3 times as expensive as most brands. Does anyone know of a comparable dog food for less cost?

A: I have researched this in depth since my poor dog died of kidney failure due to poor quality dog food!! (this is the only reason I answer these questions … to try and save a dogs life or at least to not let him/her suffer because of bad food)
Fromm Dog Food is Great for dogs and cats …http://www.frommfamily.com/ $42- $45 per 30 lb bag
NO fillers….some good quality grains….NO corn….gluten or by-products or wheatNO BHT, BHA OR ETHOXYQUINNO artificial colors or flavors!!!
ALL human grade food….fruits…veggies and probiotics!! WHOLE fruits and veggies!!!! Just like the kind we get at our grocery stores!MEATS ARE DEBONED BY HAND!!!! NOT BY A MACHINE
check it out you wont regret it ! FROMM 4 STAR product line is the best!!!!!!! FROMM is a 100% holistic dog food. FROMM also has a grain-free option called surf & turf
All meats,fish,fruits and veggies are from local vendors delivered as needed.to maintain freshness

TOTWhttp://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/ … has a high protein content (not recommeded for non athletic dogs) Some TOTW choices have lesser amounts of protein.
Taste of the Wild contains Ethoxyquin which is a toxic fish preservative. (TOTW says that the cooking process kills all of it but it scared me away from their product)
around $42 for a 30 lb bag …. its the cheapest 6 star food ..

Remember : You get what you pay for. Keep in mind the top quality foods cost more but you feed less because there are no fillers or
unwanted ingredients. So in the long run you will be saving money with food and vet bills because your dog/cat will be healthier.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/ lots of great dog food choices on this site !!(keep in mind this site rates on high protein and grain free foods)

Here are the best of the best:Fromm, Blue Buffalo, Canidae, Halo, Holistic Blend, Newmans Own Oranics, Wellness,
(all the above mentioned foods have ” ALL LIFE STAGES” formulas)
http://www.best-dog-food-guide.com/
http://www.petfoodratings.net/dogs.html

http://www.dogfoodscoop.com/

Orijen and Welness are great but it is $60 – $80 for a 30 lb bag… high protein as well ..not good for non athletic dogs Orijen is WAY to high in protein for a non working/non-agility dog ..

Fromm Is what my puppy gets it has a lower protein % and great ingredients! 5 outta 6 stars due to lower protein (but most dogs should not have high protein levels …. It makes their kidneys work overtime for no reason)
You can get it online and if you go to the website you can find stores near you .. they wont be at walmarts and the like… they are in feed stores .. Agway..tractor supply stores etc

IF your dog is not going to be a hard working/agility dog all this high protein can do more harm than good in the long run,,, you wont notice it now but it can take its toll on a dogs kidneys as it ages.

http://4healthdogfood.tripod.com/ …
there is also a brand called 4health at the tractor supply store.. it is only $30 for a 35 lb bag.. and it seems to be of good quality. (not as good as the foods mentioned above but it good for the price if you are on a tight budget.)
It is very close in ingredients to the more expensive brandsCheck out the ingredients for yourself… no corn, wheat or soy.A Very good choice if you cant afford Fromm, Wellness, BB, TOTW, etc…etc.
also if you go to http://www.tractorsupply.com you can get a printable $5 off coupon!!
(they have Blue Buffalo, TOTW and 4Health)

GOOD LUCK TO YOU AND YOUR FURRY FRIENDS!!!

Q: Is it okay to feed a cat Hills dog food in an Emergency.?
A stray cat came into my garden on Saturday night and was driving my dog wild, because she looked rather thin and hungry I fed her with some kibble from my Westie and then she went away. She now came back this morning and is looking rather thin and is crying again but I dont have anything to feed her also she seems to be deaf as she doesnt pay any attention to the dog or to my husband trying to shoo her away i
p.s shes all white

A: if you feed her she will continue to come back, if I were you I would do my best to get this cat, if you can go out and pick it up GREAT, do that or call animal control to come and set up a live trap for this poor cat. this poor cat isn’t going to survive very long out there especially if it is deaf. it needs to find a home where it can be looked after and taken care of and not be outside.

Q: My dog was put on hills ud prescription dog food and no treats.I am looking for a treat that my dog can have.?
Our dog had bladder stones removed by surgery.The vet had our dogs stones analized and determined the problem was protein in his diet.Our dog is a 3 year old chihauhau and loves his treats. I hope to find some other option so he is not confined to eating this one kind of food for the rest of his life.

A: Talk to your vet — if there’s a “no treats” rule, there’s probably a medical reason for that and you shouldn’t override it without consulting an expert.

Q: Is there a comparable hills rx kd cheaper dog food to buy?
I’ve heard mixed reviews on this dog food. It’s bad and the rx ones are good. I can’t afford 48.00 a bag dog food consistently. ofcourse i want the best for my dog, but the kids come first. does any one have suggestions?

A: Hills’ Science Diet is… CRAP! Just because a vet recommends it, doesn’t mean it’s good.

Some good quality foods are :

Canidae $44 for a 40 pound bag

http://www.canidae.com/

Wellness – $28 for a 15 pound bag
Wellness CORE

http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/

Solid Gold

http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/

Taste of the Wild – $25 for a 15 pound bag

http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/

Innova
Eagle pack Holistic
Chicken Soup for the dog Lovers Soul
Orijen
EVO
Merrick $12 for a 5 pound bag
Blue Buffalo
Avoderm

Never get low quality foods like :

Cesar
Ol’ Roy
Purina
Pedigree
IAMS
Eukanuba
Science Diet
BilJac
Beneful
Purina Dog Chow
Alpo
Nutro
Dad’s
Royal Canin
Kibbles ‘n Bits
Mighty Dog
Or ANY grocery Store brand

For they all have, Corn,Soy, By-Products, Artificial Colorings/Flavors, and other crappy stuff.

*** Vets are NOT animal nutritionists. ***

This website should be able to help you on picking out a good quality food. Stick on the 4-5-6 star range.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/

This website is good to!

http://www.thedogbowl.com/

Purina ONE ingredients :
Lamb, brewers rice, corn gluten meal, oat meal, fish meal (source of DHA), whole grain corn, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), poultry by-product meal, calcium phosphate, animal digest, potassium chloride, salt, caramel color, calcium carbonate, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, zinc sulfate, choline chloride, Vitamin E supplement, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, copper sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, garlic oil, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), sodium selenite

Eww! By-Products, Corn, Brewers Rice, and a whole lot of crappy stuff!

Taste of the Wild Ingredients :
Salmon, ocean fish meal, sweet potatoes, potatoes, canola oil, salmon meal, smoked salmon, potato fiber, natural flavor, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Saccharomyces cerevesiae fermentation solubles, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), 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 B2), vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

Way better then Purina! And, if you feed a better quality food, the less you have to feed! Also, better coats to!

Q: Is there an alternative to prescription dog food – specifically Hills c/d. Its extortionate!?
My dog is having hills s/d for one months to clear up struvite crystals (which is £160 for one month!!!) and then needs to go on to a maintenance diet for the rest of his life of hills c/d which is even more expensive.

What i want to know is whether there is an affordable alternative or i am happy to cook food for him myself if that is an option. Has anybody tried this, or is there something extra special about hills food that my dog needs? I expect not, but i will afford it if i have to.
My dog is insured, but dont want to go that route unless i have to. How does it affect insurance premiums?

A: The person who suggested adding cooked chicken gives sound advice. Chicken is about the best supplement to any prescription diet in my experience.

Two, more commercial, foods to be recommended are Royal Canin and Burns. A very dear (Internet) friend of mine, has a Yorkie who had to be put on a special hepatic diet following a number of severe problems. He was given one of the extensive Burns range, and he just went from strength to strength. My friend also added cooked chicken after a while and it turned out 100% successful besides economical.

Royal Canin is also a top quality diet if you want to check out the website. I know, practically all vets opt for Hills Science Diet … but not all dogs (or cats!) will eat it readily!!! None of these ‘better’ foods come particularly inexpensive but I always feel they are worth a try. I know, for a fact, you can get discounts if you order online.

Hills c/d, as far as I know, comes in a canned and dry variety. I am not sure if Burns or Royal Canin do ‘canned’, so please check all your options and always consult your vet first.

Good luck and hope your dog stays healthy & happy!

Q: What other choices of ID dog food can I get for my Shitzu,the vet gave him Hills ?
My dog is making these weird sounds from his tummy or belly, he burps,
the vet said that he may have allergy reaction to this premiun food he eats, so he gave him Hills ID,any other choice of food that will help him get better.

A: Every single formula that Hills makes are absolute crap. It makes me laugh that they say their products are “prescription”, and that they can help particular health problems when each and every one of their foods are nothing but corn and animal byproducts. Corn is the most common allergen, which can give your dog severe digestion problems. Look at the ingredients of Hills ID:

Ground Whole Grain Corn, Brewers Rice, Dried Egg Product, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Pork Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Powdered Cellulose, Dicalcium Phosphate, Chicken Liver Flavor, Iodized Salt, Potassium Citrate, Choline Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Dried Beet Pulp, Soybean Oil, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Taurine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), preserved with Mixed Tocopherols & Citric Acid, Rosemary Extract.

Everything after the corn and rice are only minor ingredients. Rice can be great on a sensitive stomach, and a lot of the high quality dog foods on the market have rice in them. Blue Buffalo has a chicken and rice formula, and it contains real chicken as the first ingredient. I switched my dog from Ol Roy to Blue Buffalo, and it made a huge difference in his digestion. California Naturals is also great for dogs with touchy stomachs, as it has no corn and a very short ingredient list.

Just to let you know: Most vets are not educated in dog diet, and what foods are better than others. Most vets get paid to endorse particular products, most of the time it is Science Diet.

Q: does anyone know who i can contact at science diet dog food (hills) if i want to become a dealer in the phils?
We are putting up a dog grooming and day care spa here in manila

A: Both SD and Hills are low end/ low quality foods. Why would you want to sell crap dog food to your clients?

Q: HELP My dog is on Hills Z/D dog food, I need recipes for treats I can make @ home to save $?
the vet just put my dog on Z/D hypoallergenic dog food. I need hypoallergenic treat recipes I can make at home
Are ther other sources to buy Z/D from that are not as expensive as the vet?

A: Trash the Hills Z/D. Hills/Science Diet is an expensive, crappy quality dog food and your vet only recommended it because he/she likely gets kickbacks from the company for pushing it. Vets get very little nutritional training during veterinary school and tend to have no idea what they are talking about when it comes to dog nutrition.

If your dog has food allergies, you should look into a high quality dog food.

Examples of low quality foods to avoid: Anything you can find in a grocery store will be low end, Purina, Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet, Royal Canin, Pedigree, Kibbles n’ Bits, Beneful, Ol’Roy.

Examples of high quality foods to look for: Innova, Wellness, Solid Gold, Canidae All Life Stages, Fromm Four Star, Merrick, GO Natural, Nature’s Variety Prairie, Nature’s Logic, Artemis Fresh Mix, Timberwolf Organics

Some of them have excellent allergy formulas. Natura, a very high end dog food company, puts out a great allergy diet called California Natural. Natural Balance (another better quality dog food company) puts out some good allergy formulas as well.

Another option would be to try a grain-free diet: Innova EVO, Wellness CORE, Blue Wilderness, Nature’s Variety Instinct, Orijen, Horizon Legacy, Merrick Before Grain, Canidae Grain Free All Life Stages, Fromm Surf & Turf, Now!, Sold Gold Barking At The Moon, Ziwipeak, and Taste of the Wild.

As for treats, that depends on what your dog is allergic to. Here’s what I found searching:

http://www.best-dog-treat-recipes.com/hypoallergenic-dog-treats.html

Darksong~

Q: ARGH… vet prescribed Hills food for my dog… yuck?
So here I am, $25 poorer and with a 10 pound bag of crap (or, Hill’s prescription diet i/d)… Anybody have any experience or knowledge about this food? Where is it on the dog food analysis list because the FIRST ingredient is some weird corn product. GROSS… and I did ask if there wasn’t a better quality food for her needs, but the vet said he felt it would work.
Am I right to be leery of feeding my 6 year old lab Hills food? Has anyone had any bad experiences with it? I’m just so worried… she was on science diet as a puppy and had so many allergy flair ups. She was on Natural Balance Duck/Potato, but that’s when her intestinal problems began, so that’s why they switched her to this…
Like I said, she was on Natural Balance, but it was the Duck and Potato so I’m wondering if something in the ingredients-either the duck or potato, bothered her…
I think I’m going to switch her to a lamb/rice formula…
Which brand has a good lamb and rice formula since she seems to do fine on that?
And in terms of “kick backs” from Hills, I’m sure my vet’s clinic does. Like (unfortunately) many other vets. Sadly as my mom put it, “most vets aren’t nutritionists”… and honestly, in terms of “needing” to switch vets, I’d be foolish at best to do that. Aside from disgusting food, I feel very blessed to have this clinic for my pets. They are honestly one of the best I’ve experienced/heard of…
Sorry, yes, it is for GI trouble… our vet said she probably is just hyper sensitive (my wording, not his) to what she eats… that’s why they put her on it.

A: Barf…. You’re better off cooking her oatmeal or rice/chicken(or beef)/egg mixture for a while.

http://metropetservices.com/product_detail.php?mcid=1&scid=36&pgid=316&sid=7a1eaac2207af8e0a6f0d74c8f5e57d0

If he suspects sensitivity, do as someone else said and cook for her for a while. Try different things and see how she does. You might consider switching to a raw/homemade diet. Lamb and rice is probably going to be your best bet as far as kibble goes. Try finding a lower protein lamb and rice formula.

http://metropetservices.com/product_detail.php?mcid=1&scid=36&pgid=348&sid=7a1eaac2207af8e0a6f0d74c8f5e57d0

ADD: I am in no way saying to mistrust your vets diagnosis. Just his suggestions on food. My vet doesn’t know squat about food, because he is interested in MEDICINE. He’s a wonderful vet, and still sells Science Diet. He no longer tries to sell it to me, but if something was to come up, he would let me know that I need to change foods temporarily and let me figure it out on my own…

Q: Is the a comparable substitute for Hills W/D dog food?
Vet recommended W/D because the dog is diabetic and requires 2 shots of insulin per day

A: + The best substitute for Science Diet would be another food, Science Diet is not a very good food and has a lot of junk and fillers. Here is some more info.

+All dog foods are not created equal. There is a huge difference in ingredients, quality of ingredients and company standards. When wondering what to get or comparing your current food it is best to do as much research as possible.

Your options are a raw diet, which is one of the greatest diets for dogs. To learn more go to www.barfworld.com. Raw really means nothing cooked; meat, bones and organs. This is not to be confused with allowing your dog to eat cooked bones, cooked bones are harmful, raw bones are not. This is the dog’s ancestral diet. If you think a dog should not be eating raw meat, go back and study wolves. Ask yourself what year was dog food made and then how long have dogs been around without our help of over processed dog food and gravy.

Another option is kibble and wet food. I think a good choice is both. Feeding Kibble 2x a day 12 hours apart and wet food 2x a week in place of 1 feeding of equal calories is a good balance. When you are looking for a healthy dog food it is important that not only the kibble be high quality but the wet food, treats and chews be high quality as well.

Foods to avoid: Pedigree, Beneful, Purina, Iams, Nutro, Alpo, Ol Roy, Mighty Dog, Ceser, Eukanuba, Science Diet, Purina, Royal Canin, Eagle Pack (not to be confused with Eagle Pack Holistic) and of course all grocery store brands i.e. Publix brand dog food, Winn-Dixie brand dog food etc.

These foods have low quality ingredients that can cause allergies, diabetes, bloat, overweight, oily skin, excessive and or runny stool and a myriad of other problems. Most of these brands are owned by companies like Del Monte, Proctor and Gamble, Mars and Nestle. Do you really believe that a company like Proctor and Gamble who makes beauty products, household cleaning supplies, baby items, prescription drugs and many others is the best suited company to make quality products for dogs? 50% of Mars is pet food, 45% is unhealthy snacks like candy bars. Does this sound like the best company to make dog food? All of these companies have one thing in common, they have the advertising to make you believe pictures of meat and veggies and healthy dogs running around on the commercials is what you will get. Knowing the truth about what is in these foods is devastating.

Quality dog foods: Innova, California Natural, EVO, Karma, Wellness, Wellness Core, Orijen, Canidae, Merricks, Artemis, Taste of the Wild, Nature’s Variety, Solid Gold-Barking at the Moon and Timberwolf.

Here are several websites to do your own research, which I highly suggest. A lot of questions here about dog’s health problems are a direct result of the food you are feeding. Read the ingredients label on the back, go to the website and see who owns the dog food, look up the ingredients and learn why it is used and what the pros and cons are. Changing to a healthy low grain, no grain dog food will relieve most of your dog aliments and give you a healthier and happier dog.

www.naturapet.com

www.dogfoodproject.com

www.dogfoodanalysis.com

www.api4animals.org/facts.php?p=359&more=1

www.feedmypet.com/dog-food-comparison.html

Q: Where can I find the hills z/d dog food?…?
My dog is now on it and it is extremely expensive! Any place where I can get it cheaper?

A: i think this one may help

http://www.petsupplyonlinestore.com

Q: Side effects of hills prescription diet food for dogs?
Are there any known side effects with hills prescription diet dog food.
My spaniel has been put on this from our vet, since this she has come out in what looks like septic spots.
Any advice?

A: I am with Bobby, it’s possible that your dog has an allergy to one of the ingredients in the new diet. This type of situation isn’t because the food is “bad for dogs” but rather that an individual’s body has an abnormal reaction to something. You should discuss the issue with your vet.

Q: Tricks to get my dog to eat bland food?
My dog was recently diagnosed with a heart murmur. As part of his new health regiment, he has been put on a prescription low sodium dog food (Hills k/d). The problem is he won’t eat it.

He ate it when I was mixing with his old dog food but since we have gone full blown on the K/D he won’t eat.

I would add something to it but the whole idea is to decrease his sodium intake…so I’m looking for suggestions on what to add.

I talked to my vet and their response was to add canned dog food of the same prescription…which I am leary of because it would also be low in sodium and tasteless.

Any suggestions?
I’ve already talked to my vet and they said some dogs just won’t eat the food. The rule that they will eventually eat it doesn’t apply to ALL dogs. The vet admitted that.

A: I would definitely try the canned K/D. Although it is much more bland than other types of canned food, it will be much less bland to your dog than just the dry kibble. I prescribe K/D and other Hill’s prescription diets at my practice, and I find that often the dogs do not take well to that particular type. Try the canned, and if it doesn’t work, try adding salt-free canned green beans to his dry food. If this still doesn’t work, ask your vet for other alternatives.

Good luck!

Q: Is hills science diet a good dog food?
Recently we saw a vet who recomended it. She said the food we had our puppy on (blue buffalo) was new and she knew very little about it. She then tried to push hills on us saying that it was the best brand out there. Is it good? Does anyone know anything about it?
Lots of good answers. Thanks everyone. Could anyone recomend another good food in case we decied to switch him off blue buffalo?
Altttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
We also feed our dog charlie bear dog treats..are those healthy good treats?

A: No it is not good, Blue buffalo is excellent but if you want better try blue wilderness

The only reason the vet recommends science diet is because they get the food for free

Blue wilderness is the same company as blue buffalo, its just blue wilderness is a 6 star and blue buffalo is a 4-5 star

try this website http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/index.php

Q: my dog has a sensitive stomach (hills id food)?
i keep hearing its crap and people keep talking about the raw diet but that sound scary to do to my dog raw food couldn’t be good with all that bacteria…what dog food can i give him with out upsetting his stomach i didn’t really trust the doctor with hills id

A: A raw diet is anything but scary.

A dogs stomach is naturally designed to digest bacteria and germs that naturally occur in meat, a dogs stomach is not like a humans. The organ, meat and bones provide wonderful essential vitamins that can help with a dogs overall condition and teeth.

I recommend a raw diet over any kibble food.

You have a sense to not trust Science Diet, its nothing but expensive crap some do well on it but it is fileld with fillers and perservatives that can harm or cause serious allergic reactiosn in dogs. There are healthy all natrual kibbles like:

Taste of the Wild
Orijen
Blue Buffalo
Blue Diamond
Blue Wilderness
Canidea
Wellness

Q: Is it ok to feed a puppy raw dog food?
I asked a friend about dog food for my new puppy and they suggested Bravo Raw food. Is this good for a maltese puppy? Is this better for a puppy than other brands, like Canidae or Innova?

A: Raw is fantastic if you do it properly!

Here is a great resource:

http://www.basaltcanyonkennels.com/Basalt_Canyon_Kennels/Raw_Diet_%26_Health.html

Q: How do you feed a dog raw food after they have been feed commercial dog food all their lives?
I was JUST WONDERING. How do their jaw muscles get used to the new raw food, since the other dog foods don’t help with building jaw muscles in a dog.

A: I assume they would be fine with it. I have always fed my dog dog food and one day he decided to steal all of the raw hamburger meat from the counter and eat it. He was fine. I think it is just natural for dogs to eat raw meat.

Q: Has anyone ever used Nature’s Variety Raw Dog Food? What do you think of it? How does your pet do on it?
Are you’re pets any healthier on the raw food than the dry? Do you feed it to your dogs or cats or both? Have any conditions or diseases they had gotten better? Did they like it? Any other info/input is welcome. Thanks!

A: It’s a pretty good raw food, although it has some things mixed into it in the cat variety that are unnecessary. However, it’s readily available and convenient to feed, and certainly much better than dry of any kind. Dry food, by necessity, has grains in it that can cause sensitivities in dogs and cats. Our pets fed dry are much more likely to have skin issues like excessive shedding, urinary tract issues, inflammatory bowel disorders or “sensitive” stomachs. They also become obese on dry food because the nutrition is so diluted with the grains. They aren’t satiated by dry food, and eat, and eat, and eat. This may also increase the risk of diabetes, particularly in cats who as carnivores are more at risk for issues with carbohydrates.

Q: Any suggestions for a homemade raw dog food for an older herman shepherd?
I have an older German Shephard (about 10-12 ballpark age+100pounds) and he has been having trouble digesting his dog food so we’ve started feeding him rice with any random meat scraps we have, and decided to start him on a raw food diet, we really aren’t sure what kind of diet would be best for him to make sure he gets all the nutrients he needs, so any type of input on this would help alot. Thanks

A: If you can afford it the prepackaged raw diets are really nice and handy.
Like Primal, Bravo, Nature’s Logic, etc

If not, please check out http://www.rawdogranch.com/ which is a great website that will walk you through just what to do.

And : ) Lauri has (and has had) German Shepherds!!

Q: What are the benefits of a RAW dog food diet?
What are the benefits of feeding my dog Raw dog food?
What has it got to offer that food from pedigree,orijen,royal canin and other high name brands cannot offer.
They hate raw?
Or they hate the others?
I had to post this.

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL at pedigree bottom.

A: No fillers
No worries of recalls
YOU control what is in your dog’s food
Cleaner teeth
Stronger Jaw and neck muscles from actually chewing and tearing their food
Better coats
Better health
Smaller and less fragrant piles to pick up
Less money once you find a good supplier of food
less ‘doggy’ smell and breath
better health overall

Q: Anyone know any good raw dog food recipes and raw treat recipes?
I am looking for some raw dog food recipes to start feeding raw for only part of the time. Have any ideas? Any healthy raw treat ideas? Summer treat ideas?

Thank you!
What about fruites and veggies?
I tried feeding raw once. It made one of my bullies sick…it was not a kind I made it was a store bought kind. I want to try it again very slowly because I believe it will be better in the long run. What about eggs? I have heard raw eggs are good for them as well.

A: It is something that should be researched thoroughly. For example, you don’t want to feed too many organs or weight bearing bones. Also, to reach the maximum benefit, you should donate your bag of kibble. It doesn’t benefit the dog to have both as they digest differently in the body.

I serve my dog a whole chicken in the morning and in the evening I serve ground up meat-ground with the bones in it (whichever meat I have for that day, venison, lamb, etc) with pureed (from food processor) veggies and fruits mixed in. My dog prefers not to have the veggies, so if I don’t serve it this way, he won’t eat them.

Many people say that veggies and fruits are not necessary, but some do and I feel better knowing he has them. Dogs are omnivores and in the wild will eat grass.

I cook a box of brown rice once a week and I daily add 1/2 cup of it to his evening meal.

I am giving you some links that can go into more detail about the diet. I wish you the best and thank you for feeding your dogs the healthiest diet!

The links I have prepared for you are ones that I have researched myself as well as ones that were sent to me when I joined the yahoo group for rawfeeding. I would suggest signing up for it. It is free to register, they don’t spam you and you can opt out at anytime. http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/rawfe…

Why I chose to feed my dog a raw food diet:

I adopted my lab/pit mix at 1 year old. He had been a stray and was the most amazing dog I have ever met. It was love at first sight. When I brought him home, I fed him (quality) kibble. He had daily diarrhea, often several times a day. I felt horrible for him. We were at the vet twice in the first month for his bowel problems. My vet told me to feed Science Diet, Sensitive Stomach Formula. I knew that SD is crap food, but I was desperate to help my dog. It worked! Then I found out that not only is there no nutriton in SD, but they add stool hardeners! I was so mad. The food was only masking the problem.

I knew there had to be a better way. I was heavily reading everything I could about canine nutrition. I had my dog tested for allergies. (dogs can be sensititve to something without being allergic) I changed food every few weeks trying to fnd something nutritious that wouldn’t make his bowels expode.

I started cooking boiled chicken and rice for him and only feeding him that because that was the only way he’d stop having diarrhea and I could actually know exactly what he was eating. There had to be a better way.

I had heard of raw feeing but it sounded crazy to me. I mean, feeding your dog bones? That’s insane! They could choke! Well, after careful research and consulting with my vet, I decided that I had tried everything else and this was worth a shot. It turns out raw bones are GOOD for them! They don’t splinter like cooked bones. They clean the dogs teeth. This is what a dog’s digestive system was meant to eat!

Aside from the diarrhea, my dog suffered frequent ear infections, UTIs, and anal gland infections. He had gas, bad breath and the frequent diarrhea. All of that is now gone! He is so healthy and his immune system fights off everything on his own. There are no more monthly trips to the vet (so costly!) and he has so much energy.

I always suggest everyone should at least look into raw feeding, even if their dog is already healthy. Keep him that way, right?

My dog is almost 80lbs and he eats 2.5 lbs of raw a day. He gets half of a chicken in the morning and his evening meal varies including eggs, veggies, duck, venison, bison, beef, turkey, fish, organs, etc. He loves it! There is nothing more satisfying than hearing him crunch on those bones because I know it makes him so healthy and happy.

Keep in mind, you have to be careful with bone/meat ratio (explained in links) and what kinds of raw you are feeding. (example, too many organs or weight bearing bones can be bad)

Links:

http://www.rawfed.com/
http://www.rawlearning.com/
http://rawfeddogs.net/
http://www.rawmeatybones.com/ http://rawfed.com/myths/preymodel.html
http://www.rawfed.com/myths/index.html

I wish you the best and if I think of anything else, I will edit!

I feed him a tablespoon of yogurt a day – I put plops of yogurt on a freezer safe Tupperware and stick it in the freezer. I give him one a day as a treat. I don’t believe it is necessary, but he hasn’t had any digestive problems since I’ve been doing it. It’s used as a treat.

Other treats I have used are raw baby carrots, sliced apples and green beans. I also puree liver, mix it 50/50 with water and put it into ice cube trays as a treat.

I used to buy from www.omaspride.com but now I do it myself. It isn’t terribly cheaper but for me it is more convenient to pick up stuiff for him at my weekly trips to the butcher shop, which sells only organic fed, free range meats and dairy products. Also consider making your own jerky (or purchasing) out of venison, chicken, duck, etc.

Q: any suggestions on feeding a raw dog food diet?
I’m thinking of adopting a great dane from a rescue facility and have been hearing about the raw dog food diet. I’m really interested in feeding any future dogs this type of diet. I have done some online research and know the basics but I’m wanting to talk to people who actually own danes and feed a raw diet. I’m mostly curious as to how much more expensive this would be than feeding top quality commercial food (say, $30 for a 40lb bag), the quantitiy usually fed (I know it depends on the dog’s age, amount of exercise, ect) frequency (once or twice daily) and the different types of food fed. I’d appreciate any feedback on this! Thanks!

A: there are a TON of raw or Barf diet web sites out there. here are just 2 of them

http://barfworld.com/

http://presagirls.tripod.com/id14.html

there are a lot of yahoo groups out there too.
just do a search for BARF or Raw feeding for dogs.

I have been using it for about 3 yrs now and LOVE it.
I find it can be cheaper then the HIGH end dog foods too.

there are a lot of repackaged raw foods now too. That is how I got started then started to make my own.
http://www.katberard.com/hol_bonesandfood.htm
the above site has lots of info and also has links to prepackaged foods too…..

also a good starter book is
Natural nutrition for dogs and cats
Auther Kymythy r Schultze, c.c.n., a,h,i,

READ UP ON IT AND SEE WHAT YOU THINK

I get 40 lbs of chicken backs for $13.00. 40 lbs last me about 1 month. I am feeding 3 dogs.
I also make my own meat and veggie mix and that cost about $20.00 a month depending on the types of meat I put in it.
so I am spening about 33.00 or so a month. but this is 3 dogs
2 dogs are about 30 pounds and I have a 70 pound dog too.

just found 2 yahoo groups. You will have to join but they may have more answers.
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/GreatDanesNaturally/

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/WholesomeDane/

Q: Can i feed raw food with dog food to my pup?
I’m thinking of purchasing a high quality dog food such as canidae or innova but adding maybe a raw chicken leg. I’m not planning to mix them together, but maybe throw a chicken leg for breakfest then the other 2 meals would be the dog food. Is this acceptable and since it’s raw i’m thinking the pup will get some benefits.

A: Raw diets are very beneficial for dogs, my dogs used to be on complete raw diets, but with expenses and availability had to cut back to half raw half kibble (raw morning, kibble night). I’m glad you already plan to not mix them (was my first thought when i read this question), as the two substances digest at different rates and can increase their chance of getting worms and salmonella.

Though I am reluctant to feed them alot of kibble (due to the very poor ingrediants used in most), there are some high quality foods out there. Canidae was one for a while, though i’m not sure about its current rating. Taste of the Wild, Premium Edge, Fromms, Evo: red meat, Evangers, some of these foods are good for dogs and are either low in grains or grain free.

However, raw diets are not something to just jump into, so be sure to do your research on the subject before you begin. Dogs of different sizes/weights have different ratios of RMBs (raw meaty bones), organ meats, and muscle meats measured out by the ounce. For example, giving a small dog a whole chicken leg would be giving far too much calcium, etc than it’s body needs, the same as giving a large dog only a raw chicken leg will be giving it too less. Chicken necks are a better protein source as they are said to have a good balance between bone and meat on them (you can buy them from your local butcher).

Again, please do the research before you start and raw is a very healthy diet for your dog

Q: How much veggies should I give my dog with his raw food?
I feed my dog raw food, and the one he is eating right now doesn’t have the veggies mixed into it like some brands, like urban carnivore. I want to give him fresh veggies with his meal but not sure much to give him. Hes a 17lb French Bulldog X Boston Terrier and he is 11 months old.He eats a half pound patty a day.
Yes they do need Veggies!

A: No they don’t!!

While a dog may enjoy the odd carrot or piece or fruit, they have no nutritional need for them. They have no molars for grinding, amylase in their saliva or fermentation bacteria in their intestines – all proof that dogs do not need vegetables or have the ability to properly digest them.

Q: Does anyone make their own raw dog food patties?
My dogs eat raw, for patties we feed Natures Variety patties, I have heard of people making their own patties with a meat grinder and food processor. If you make your own can you tell me a recipe you follow and how you like it?

A: I feed my dogs raw, but I don’t make patties. I feed them the biggest chunks possible. This gives them a mental work out, and is better for the teeth than ground.

Occassionally they do get ground meat in their kongs, but that’s usually when hamburger or some other ground meat goes on sale.

Q: Can anybody tell me a recipe for raw dog food?
I don’t want a website, I have already looked at all of them. I want to know if anybody can tell me how much of each thing to put in the food.

Eg.
1 cup raw chicken
2 cups vegetables
and so on.

If anybody could help me that would be great, but I’m thinking of mixing it with kibble, so if anybody can tell me how much of kibble and how much raw would be awesome!

Thanks

A: 75% – 6 ounces (3/4 cup) coarse-ground or chopped meat, raw or cooked. A variety of meats, poultry and fish (organic is better) should be rotated: Beef, Chicken, Lamb, Turkey, Rabbit, Venison and their organ meats. Salmon (no skin) Sardines, Smelt and other whole fish. Ground meat mixes better with the vegetables. Chopped meat is also excellent.

25% – 2 ounces (1/4 cup) ground, mixed vegetables, raw or cooked. Any and all of the following vegetables can be used. The more veggies you combine in one meal the better. Feed what’s in season. Asparagus, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chicory, Green Beans, Greens (at least one of the following per day: Dandelion, Kale, Swiss Chard, Parsley), Kohlrabi, Okra, Parsnips, Peas, Pumpkin, Sprouts, (Alfalfa, Bean, Sunflower), Squash (Winter and Summer), Sweet Potatoes, Yams, Turnips, Rutabagas.

Optional Ingredients: Whole eggs (including shell) Alfalfa, Kelp, Barley or Wheat Grass, Garlic, Chlorella, Spirulina, Apples, Pears, Bananas, Parsley, Nettles, Walnuts, Almonds, Sunflower seeds. 2 ounces (1/4 cup) purified water (especially if you are going to freeze.

Q: What is the best brand of premade raw dog food?
We have been feeding our dog Nature’s Variety raw but our local store also carries Stella & Chewy’s. They seem to be pretty comparable (in comparing the same protein source) but Nature’s Variety has slightly more crude protein, more carbohydrates and less crude fat. Is there a different brand all together we should be considering? I’ve seen Bravo mentioned occasionally in doing research as well but I’m not sure if any of the brands are actually superior to the others. Many thanks!

A: They are pretty much the same but you have to find one right for your dogs system. Watch your dog and if he is having a bowel movement more that 2 times a day he is throwing the nutrients off and not absorbing them as he needs to for proper nutrition. Of course it may take a week or more for the dog to adjust to a new food, so after changing to a new food, observe your dog and keep track of how many times a day he is pooing.
It also depends on what kind of dog you have. If you have a dog like mine-a mastiff, large breed, you do not want a diet too high or too low in protein for proper bone development and growth. My mastiff was basically on the B.A.R.F. diet(bones and raw food) for the first 1 1/2 yrs or until he had most of his heigth growth.
So just do some research online for your type if breed and watch how the foods adapt to your dog.

Q: Any advice on supplements to add to my raw dog food?
I have been feeding my dogs a raw diet for a couple of years. I give them a fish oil capsule daily but am wondering if I should be adding something else. Does anyone have any recipes to share? Thanks.

A: This is the exact recipe I have used for years but I do not add grapes:

http://www.homestead.com/VonHapsburg/Barfdiet.html

It has always worked well with my dogs!

Q: Recommend me a brand of commercial raw dog food?
I don’t have the time and effort to spend to find meat sources, prepare everything, add supplements and such.

Someone please recommend me a pre-prepared raw diet?

A: I started exactly the way you did. I work, go to school, and try to give my spare time to my dogs. I didn’t think I had time to make meals either.

I used Nature’s Variety and Bravo for the most part. I like them both (and still occasionally add some to my home-made meals today).

More than likely, you will begin to find that throwing together portions yourself is really not difficult. Not to mention, having bone-in meat is much better for teeth than totally ground raw diets.

If you want to use prepared foods to get started, those were ones I liked. But, remember, don’t discount making your own. I actually spend less time feeding my raw fed dog every day than I do with my kibble fed old man (he gets a couple different supplements with his food).

Q: I want to feed my dog Raw food instead of junk from bags! I need recipes and how to plz!?
How do i make meals for him. He is a French bulldog about four months. What are some good foods to feed him that are raw. and how do i do this. Do you have any recipes or anything like that? Please help me i don’t want my dog eating that nasty stuff that comes hidden in dog food.

A: Google raw feeding. Start with BARF. There is so much. It’s a commitment.

Because you won’t go cold turkey, begin to mix foods with kibble to slowly make the transition:

http://www.dogaware.com/dogfeeding.html#reference

Here are more references:

http://www.rawmeatybones.com/

http://www.rawlearning.com/rawfaq.html

http://www.justamere.com/newsletter/rawfeeding.asp

Q: Why do people say Science Diet Dog food is junk?
I have heard many people say that Science Diet dog food is junk and terrible to feed to your pet. Why do they say that?

A: Science Diet used poor quality ingredients, such as corn and by-products instead of actual meat and grains. Studies back in the 1980’s showed that corn protein cannot be utilized by cats and dogs. Science Diet continues to use corn anyway.

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/

Q: what does science diet dog food look like?
I recently adopted a dog from a local shelter and they gave me a big box of food – no labels or anything. After it ran out I changed him over to pedigree and he has had nothing but runny poop since. I contacted the shelter and they said that they get food donated all the time and have no way of knowing what it was that we were given. They were little round, flat bits of food. They were very compact… I mean that there was not much dust at the bottom of the bag. That leads me to believe it was a good brand of food such as Science Diet. I would run out to the vets to see what Science Diet looks like, but the vet is a money grubbing pig and would probably charge me $55 for an office visit!
How about Iams? What does that look like?

A: I have never used Science Diet to me its a expensive brand of dog food that you pay for just for the name of it. I have never had any of my dogs on that just purina or something like that and they have all been fine .

anytime you change dog foods the dog will get runny poop for awhile till their bodies get use to it. Once he gets use to it and you stay with the brand you like you will be okay .

Expensive brands are not always the best way to go and Science Diet is not a cheap brand of food to buy

Q: How good is Science Diet Dog food?
My Husband and I have a 7 month old Jack Russell Terrier/ Border Collie mix puppy who gets lots of activity! We’ve been feeding him a mix of wet and dry Iams puppy food but noticed that he would frequently have diarrhea. I used to work at a pharmacy that sold Science Diet to customers whose vets had prescribed it and they had great things to say about it so on our last trip to the pet store we picked some up to try. But now that I’ve read some reviews here I am having second thoughts. Is Science Diet really that bad? What makes it so bad. We are first time dog owners and just started feeding him what they recommended at the pets store, but now we want to make sure that he gets everything he needs. He seems to like the Science Diet much better, but we want to make sure that it’s good for him too. Your opinions and recommendations would be much appreciated!! Thanks!!

A: Your dog is so lucky that you are trying to feed him the very best. Good nutrition is your very best investment.
Science diet isn’t as bad as grocery store brands, but there are several that are much better..I bought two 5 year old (show ) dogs that had been raised on Sciience diet kibble, and both of them had poor dental health, and dry skin.

There are many high quality dog foods available these days..I used to feed Nutro Chicken/Rice…My pups grew great, and, as my breed is long-coated, they had gorgeous coats in no time…
However, their teeth were always stained..I never knew why, but they seemed to need constant cleaning, to be ready to show..

So, I switched to Eukenuba, and they had better teeth, and nice coats..but bowels were always loose…

I fed Abady’s for 2 litters, and liked what it did for the pups..but it stank..and was too un-handy….

I fed Purina Pro Plan when it came out..Pups did well..no complaints…

However, my supplier recommended Canidae 21/2 years ago..WOW! I never knew that my oldsters could be so rejuvenated! Suddenly they were putting on gorgeous coats, and acting as puppies..full of play..dancing as we walked…It just blew me away…
Then I took a 10 year old to have a cyst removed, and the vet came out amazed at her blood-work..he said that it was that expected in a 4-5 year old…He also said that he always cleans teeth while they are ‘under’, but that her teeth were absolutely clean..

I took another in to be spayed, at 7 years old, and the vet was amazed at how white and clean her teeth were..and then when he took out stitches..commented that she healed so fast that the incision was already hard to see…

All my dogs have just thrived on Canidae, and I would sure recommend it..It is made from all human grade ingredients, and natural preservatives..
there are other foods that are likely as good..but, as Canidae is easy to find, and they are doing so well, I wouldn’t want to switch..
Other great dog foods that you can find most places, are Wellness, Innova, Solid Gold, Wysong, Natural Balance, Royal Canine…
Here is a good site to help you select a quality kibble> http://www.consumersearch.com/www/family/dog-food/review.html

Q: If the Veterinarian recommends Science Diet Dog Food…should I look for a different DVM?
I am interviewing new DVM’s, because I am moving…A few of the vets I spoke with feed and recommend Science Diet Dog Food, so they must know little on dog nutrition.

Am I being too picky?
I am really going to miss my current DVM….she’s the best and I want the best for my pets!

A: Is that going to be relevant to your dog? If not, disregard it. If you already know about the right nutrition for your dog… i don’t see how their recommendation is important.

What is their diagnostic and treatment history like? That would be my main concern, my only concern really since i don’t require much else from them.
Can they tell me what is wrong with my dog when he is sick?
Can they treat him?
How long have they been practising?
Have they had any complaints against them?
What do other people in the surgery say about them?
Those would be my questions, i wouldn’t be interested in their opinions about anything other that healthcare.

But, then again, i don’t like to complicate things.

I’d also be very wary of anyone calling themselves a canine nutritionist… anyone can call themselves that. Heck, i could set up a business and call myself one tomorrow. Nutritionist is not a legally protected term and requires no certification, no schooling and no anything to call yourself one – goes for humans also.
Dietican is the legally protected term, and i have heard of zero canine dieticans.

Q: Why don’t people like Science Diet dog food?
I’ve been answering lots of these dog-related questions the last few weeks and several of them have been about what type of dog food to feed. Several of those asking questions and several of those answering have said that they would not feed Science Diet.

Why?

A: Adult Active 1st 5 Ingredients:
Ground Whole Grain Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Dried Beet Pulp, Soybean Oil

Compare to Canidae All Life Stages
Chicken meal, turkey meal, lamb meal, brown rice, white rice,

3 meat proteins in the first 5 for Canidae and 1 in Science Diet – and it’s not even the first ingredient!!

Won’t even go into the fact that it’s by-procuct meal!

Dogs aren’t meant to have grains as the main portion of their diet.
It would be a bit like us eating McDonalds for every meal. We’d live but we wouldn’t be healthy!!

http://www.dogaware.com/ is a great site to read about dog nutrition and health (I am not affiliated with that site in any way, it’s just a favorite!)

Q: What do you think of science diet dog food?
i am feeding my puppy science diet and it is pretty expensive so i am thinking about switching. is it quality food? what do you think?

A: it is very bad for your dog ..

I have researched this in depth since my poor dog died of kidney failure due to poor quality dog food!!
Taste of the wild is a great puppy and dog food and has great cat foods as well ..wet and dry!!! you can get it online and if you go to the website you can find stores near you .. they wont be at walmarts and the like… they are in feed stores .. Agway..tractor supply stores etc

NO fillers….grains….corn….gluten or by-products
ALL human grade food….fruits…veggies and probiotics!!
check it out you wont regret it !
http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/
6 out of 6 star rating
around $42 for a 30 lb bag …. its the cheapest 6 star food .. and I love it for my puppy!Check this link as well!
www.dogfoodanalysis.com
Orijen is great but it is $60 – $80 for a 30 lb bag…

Q: Nutro Ultra & Science Diet dog food is bad?
I was reading a few different posts people made about dog food. Many people said that Nutro & Science diet was bad. I always read ingredient labels and was sure that if corn and a by-product meat wasn’t in the label it was a decent food (as well as supplemented vitamins & minerals.) What makes these brands of food so bad?
I realize that corn and by-products are bad & I just looked at the science diet label (they’re in there!), my fault. But Nutro Ultra is bad?

A: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=1049&cat=all

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=129&cat=all

Above are some samples of the ingredients of both. I personally don’t like the fact that the Science Diet uses so much wheat, and am not a big fan of corn gluten.
The Ultra is a little better, but many of their products still use corn gluten, so how they can call themselves holistic is beyond me.

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/newpetfoodrecalls/brand_list.cfm?Trade_Name=NUTRO%20ULTRA&pet=Dog

Above is the most recent FDA recall on Nutro Ultra. As anyone can see, with doing some simple research, there has been no recall since the big recall of 2007.

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/newpetfoodrecalls/

Above is the current FDA list of recalled pet foods. As anyone can easily see, Nutro is ONE product in a HUGE list of manufacturers who had food recalled back in 2007. To make a ridiculous statement that Nutro was responsible for killing dogs is just ignorant. The true culprit was China, who added melamine to their exported corn gluten, which many US dog food producers purchased because it was cheaper than sourcing in the US.

Personally, I would not feed either products to my dogs.

Take a look at the ingredients in the below foods. None of them are similar to Science Diet or Ultra.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=530&cat=all

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=2108&cat=all

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=2292&cat=all

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=1602&cat=all

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=1326&cat=all

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=2296&cat=all

My advice would be to read all the ingredients, look at the feeding requirements, and choose the best food you can afford to feed your dog.

Q: How much is Science Diet dog food?
We just rescued a Black Lab/Spaniel mix 2 year old and we want to continue Science Diet beings how that’s what the shelter fed her. I’m just curious as to how much this is going to cost me?

A: Call a pet food store.

Q: Is Science Diet dog food healthy?
Does anyone know if Science Diet Adult-Original is a good quality dog food? My baby was eating Pedigree but we decided to change due to digest issues.

A: It’s better than Pedigree but still a low quality food.

Not all pet food is made equally. A lot of it is full of corn, by-products, dyes, unhealthy preservatives, filler grains and all sorts of nasty stuff. A lot of pet food companies are perfectly happy to dump cheap leftovers in. Will it kill your dog? No, it has to be nutritionally complete and safe to even be marketed. Is it healthy? Not by a long shot.

Corn is a low quality ingredient you never want to see in your pet food. Corn and low quality grains are two of the biggest culprits when it comes to food allergies in our pets.

Thankfully, there are some excellent dog foods being made these days that include organic, human grade ingredients rather than trash not fit for human consumption.

Examples of low quality foods to avoid: Anything you can find in a grocery store will be low end, Purina, Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet, Royal Canin, Pedigree, Kibbles n’ Bits, Beneful, Ol’Roy.

Examples of high quality foods to look for: Innova, Wellness, Solid Gold, Canidae All Life Stages, Fromm Four Star, Merrick, GO Natural, Nature’s Variety Prairie, Nature’s Logic, Artemis Fresh Mix.

Although the high quality foods are more expensive, you’re getting what you’re paying for. Less filler material means more concentrated nutrients… this means you typically need to feed far less of the high quality food than you would of the low quality one. Which also means less poop!

A great option is to go with an entirely grainless diet. Many of the high quality foods now put out grainless formulas. Some good grainless diet’s include: Innova EVO, Wellness CORE, Blue Wilderness, Nature’s Variety Instinct, Orijen, Fromm Surf & Turf, Now! and Sold Gold Barking At The Moon, Taste of the Wild.

Some pretty decent foods can even be found in common pet stores. Petsmart carries Blue Buffalo products (such as the excellent grain free diet Blue Wilderness). Petco carries Wellness, Solid Gold, Natural Balance, Eagle Pack Holistic, Blue Buffalo, Castor & Pollux Organix, Pinnacle, and Halo. If you can’t find a food, most of the high quality food brands have websites with store locators on them.

Remember that foods should be switched gradually, especially when switching to a higher quality one, so as not to upset tummies.

Another option for feeding dogs is to feed raw. This is something that should be thoroughly researched before being attempted:
http://www.barfworld.com/
http://www.rawfed.com/
http://www.rawlearning.com/

http://www.wysong.net/controversies/rawmeat.shtml

More on dog food:
http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=main (Learn how to determine the quality of your dog’s food.)
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/ (Dog food reviews. Anything with five or six stars is a great food.)

Q: Is Science Diet dog food really bad?
I’ve read a lot of posts on here saying that Science Diet dog food is not good. We feed it to our puppy, and she seems to like it and is healthy. But should we stop feeding her Science Diet? I am really curious to know why so many people don’t like it.

I’ve seen many people say that vets only recommend it because they get paid to endorse it, for example. But I’d like to see some opinions backed up by actual proof, please. I want to make sure I’m feeding our puppy the best food possible.

A: If she likes it and is doing well on it, she will probably be fine. My parents’ first cat lived to be 18 on Purina cat chow and a few table scraps.

Science Diet, like Iams and Eukanuba, has been very well marketed, but these “specialty foods” are not necessarily better than some other brands. Look at the ingredient lists–lots of filler like corn meal.

You might want to go to a specialty pet store and look at some of the “natural” foods. Meat should be high on the ingredient list (you probably know that the ingredients are listed in descending order, so the first ingredient makes up the highest percentage of the food) and fillers like corn meal should be lower on the list. And get on the internet and do some research–but remember that every food company’s main business is, of course, to sell their food.

You can also ask your vet, but also ask him or her to be completely honest with you–Science Diet and other companies do often give vets good deals to endorse their food. Not that Science Diet is bad–but you might find something that is better for your particular puppy.

And if you do switch foods, be sure to do it gradually, mixing the new in with the old for awhile, so your puppy has an easy time adjusting to it.

Also like Alyssa’s answer–and I feed my dogs and cats Chicken Soup. Used to feed Canidae, Nutro, and Felidae, which are also excellent, but more expensive than CS.

Good luck!

Q: Science Diet Light a good dog food?
My dog has to lose about 8 lbs and my vet recommended Science Diet Light or MediCal (dry dog food). I’m leaning towards Science Diet Light because the MediCal is very expensive. However I’ve read some mixed reviews about the Science Diet food. Does it have a lot of filler junk in it or is it a good quality dog food. My dog needs a low calorie, low fat dry dog food.

A: Science Diet Light is a weight reduction food so it fills the dog up without putting tons of calories in his system. They dogs that have been eating it at the clinic I work at have all loved it so I’m assuming it doesnt taste like crap.

Hope this helps.

Q: What are your thoughts or experiences with Science Diet dog food?

A: sounds tasty

Q: Thoughts on Science Diet dog food?
My dachshund puppy turns 1 in early March, and I’m researching different foods to switch him to. I’m looking at Nutro, Science Diet, and Canidae.

If anyone — particularly vets or breeders — have any input on these foods, it would be greatly appreciated.

A: Science Diet is better than most grocery store foods, but it’s definitely the lowest quality of those three. The other two are included in the “Best 20 Dog Foods of 2006″ list done by Whole Dog Journal.

The two most important things about a dog food is that the first ingredient is a meat proten and that it does not contain corn. Dogs shouldn’t be fed strictly carnivorous diets now that we’ve domesticated them, but they do need more protein than carbohydrates, vegetables etc… Dogs can’t digest corn very well(although most of them love the taste), so corn products should not be in their food.

I agree with the poster who said that Canidae is probably the highest quality food of those three. My dogs eat Nutro Natual Lamb Meal & Rice because one is picky and will only eat Lamb & Rice. I can’t buy Canidae in the store near me, and to ship it would be twice as expensive as it is. My vet is happy with Nutro, it does come highly recommended, and even the breeders I’ve spoken with don’t think the added expense would be worth it. (If I could buy it in the store, I would, though.)

Here is the list of “Best foods”
Artemis: www.artemispetfood.com
Azmira: www.azmira.com
Back to Basics: www.beowulfs.com
Bench & Field Holistic Natural Canine: www.benchandfield.com
Blue Buffalo: www.bluebuff.com
Burns: www.bpn4u.com
by Nature BrightLife: www.bynaturepetfoods.com
California Natural: www.naturapet.com
Canidae: www.canidae.com
Canine Caviar: www.caninecaviar.com
Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul:
www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com
Cloud Star Kibble: www.cloudstar.com
Drs. Foster & Smith: www.drsfostersmith.com
Eagle Pack Holistic Select: www.eaglepack.com
Evolve: www.evolvepet.com
Firstmate Dog Food: www.firstmate.com
Flint River Ranch: www.flintriver-pet-food.com
Foundations: www.petcurean.com
Fromm Four Star Nutritionals: www.frommfamilyfoods.com
Go! Natural: www.petcurean.com
Hund-N-Flocken: www.solidgoldhealth.com
Innova: www.naturapet.com
Innova Evo: www.naturapet.com
Karma Organic: www.karmaorganic.com
Lick Your Chops: www.healthypetfoodsinc.com
Lifespan: www.petguard.com
Limited Diets: www.royalcanin.us
Merrick Pet Foods: www.merrickpetcare.com
Mmillennia: www.solidgoldhealth.com
Natural Balance Ultra Premium: www.naturalbalanceinc.com
Natural Choice Ultra: www.nutroproducts.com
Newman’s Own Organics: www.newmansownorganics.com
NutriSource: www.nutrisourcedogfood.com
Organix: www.castorpolluxpet.com
Performatrin Ultra: www.performatrinultra.com
PHD Viand: www.phdproducts.com
Pinnacle: www.breeders-choice.com
Prairie: www.naturesvariety.com
Premium Edge: www.premiumedgepetfood.com
Prime Life: www.ompetproducts.com
Royal Canin Natural Blend: www.royalcanin.us
Timberwolf Organics: timberwolforganics.com
VeRUS: www.veruspetfoods.com
Wellness: www.oldmotherhubbard.com
Wellness Simple Food Solutions: www.oldmotherhubbard.com
Wenawe: www.wenawe.com.uy
Wysong: www.wysong.net
Zinpro: www.lincolnbiotech.com

Q: Where can I get a real & legit science diet dog food coupon?
I need a coupon for a small bag of science diet for my dog
pls. help

A: try signing up for they’re newsletter. Companies usually send coupons through email to users who sign up for their newsletter.
I signed up for Wellness dog food newsletter and they send me coupons through email all the time.

Q: Science Diet Dog Food?
Does anyone know where I can find 40lb. bags of Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Large Breed Dry Dog Food at a reasonable price? The cheapest I’ve found is $36.00. Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

A: Try this link it has lots of links for hill’s science diet, it even has one for the manufacture of science diet food. http://search.yahoo.com/search?search=Hill%27s+science+diet&ei=UTF-8&fr=ks-ques&p=Hill%27s+science+diet Good luck.

Q: What kind of homemade Dog food we can give for 3 months puppy?
I have a 3 months Rajapalayam puppy, What kind of homemade Dog food we can give for 3 months puppy for a good growth? shall we get good growth in puppy with homemade food itself? Give all your friendly suggestions to have a healthy puppy. Thanks in advance.

A: ground beef and rice is good but should be mixed with high quality commercial puppy food to ensure the dog gets all the nutrition it needs.

Q: Do you know any homemade dog food recipe that you can share with me?
I’d like to cook food for my dogs. Do you have any recipe of a homemade food that your dog likes to eat?

A: When we used to live on a farm, we hated wasting any part of an animal.

Boiled goats head and feet were usually a big hit with the Great Pyrenees we had, they seemed to prefer goat meat over other types, other than pig but that wasn’t very healthy for them.

Q: Why would you have to check with a vet before switching to homemade dog food?
If not all store-bought dog food is good and home-made is probably better for the dog, why would you have to check with your vet? I mean, I get that a change might upset the dog, but what if you mixed his dog food in w/ the homemade food like you would as if you were changing dog foods…. or am I completely wrong? Would feeding a puppy with homemade food be a bad idea, or better than store-bought pup food?

A: Personally, I wouldn’t check with the vet at all. The average veterinarian was never taught anything about proper pet nutrition. Even my own vet told me that feeding Orijen was overkill and Purina was fine. Now my dog is on a raw diet and my vet giggles over this.

Just make sure your homemade food does not include anything that is toxic to dogs (based on your dogs size, your dog may be able to tolerate smaller amounts)

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1659&aid=1030

http://www.petalia.com.au/templates/storytemplate_process.cfm?specie=Dogs&story_no=257

Q: Could you suggest a dog diet or book for cooking homemade dog food?
I have two 18 month old chihuahuas. They got sick ( runny doo doo ) The vet suggested a temporary diet where I cook for them. bland mashed chicken and rice, then switch back. Switching back made them sick again. They are doing okay now with the homemade food.

After looking at the ingredients in a lot of dog food brands, I have decided I don’t want to buy pre-made food anymore.

Can you suggest a cook book for dogs?
Yes I will verify with my vet.

A: Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats

http://www.booksvariety.com/natural-nutrition-for-dogs-and-cats

The Healthy Dog Cookbook: 50 Nutritious & Delicious Recipes Your Dog Will Love

http://www.booksvariety.com/the-healthy-dog-cookbook-50-nutritious-delicious-recipes-your-dog-will-love

all the best

Q: What all the things I have to add to make the homemade dog food?
Hi yahoo friends… I would like to make the homemade food for my dog so can anyone suggest me the procedure to make the homemade dog food…

A: Do not feed your dog bones, especially cooked bones. Fragments can become lodged in the digestive tract. Canines in the wild who eat bones have the benefit of consuming hair and hide too, which have been found to ‘pad’ the bone fragments and aid in their passing. Other foods to avoid that are dangerous for dogs are chocolate, avocados, mushrooms, macadamia nuts, grapes, raisins, onions, and garlic. The best way to know what goes into your dog’s food is to make it yourself. With the recent pet food recall, many pet owners are doing just that. Though some experts argue that a homemade diet is best for dogs, this is best done temporarily until you can consult your veterinarian, as canines have definite nutritional requirements.

Q: Homemade dog food – more variety, frequent transition to different foods – would this cause stomach upset?
We have always been told to feed our dog the same food every day and that if we change his food, we must change it gradually so that it does not upset his system. I have seen what a quick change in diet can do!

How does that work with homemade diets? We could gradually switch to homemade, but then after that he will get different homemade foods all the time… will this constantly upset his system?

Why do they tell us that dogs have to eat the same thing every day so that they won’t get sick but humans can eat a variety of different things.

Is eating human food on a consistent basis enough of a pattern in itself to avoid stomach upset?

Thanks in advance!

A: Dogs who only eat one type of food only have the bacteria in their gut for that type of food. Changing foods at that point is rather like a human raised on a bland diet of beef and potatoes suddenly having a meal of Afghani food. The intestine just isn’t set to deal with it… yet millions of Afghani people eat it without an issue.

Dogs who go through their lives eating MANY different things develop intestines that are nearly indisruptable. Right now my dogs are busily eating fermenting blackberries off the bushes.

I feed a primarily raw meat/bones/organs diet. I use high quality kibble as “treats” and because I train extensively they get a LOT of treats. I rotate what sort of kibble constantly.

My treatment for an upset tummy is 12-24 hours of fasting with only live culture yoghurt mixed with Lactobacillus (Acidophilus) given. I’ve never had it not work… even when I’ve been at shows where everyone else’s dogs came down with giardia.

Yes, if I were starting a dog on a new food I would do it slowly.. but you also need to realize that often one of the symptoms for decontaminating the body of toxins (of which non-premium dogfoods are riddled) is diahrea.

Q: Does anyone know of good recipes for homemade dog food that would meet all of a dog’s nutritional needs?
In light of the recent recall on commerical dog foods and also because of the way it is made with by-products, etc., I want to make my West Highland White Terrier’s food. The vet’s do not usually agree with this decision, but I know a lot of people have done it and their dogs are much better because of it. My dog is also a little overweight, she weighs 24 lbs. and should be not be more than 20. I’m hoping that with homemade food she may be able to lose this extra weight. Since she is a small dog and does not eat that much, I’m sure that any additional cost would not be that much. If there are any vet’s reading this post I would be interested in hearing your side of this issue, especially if you have positive imput.

A: i’m doing the same thing(dogs alway got table scraps though) it not hard..and i have kids so making the treats is fun for her…it good to feed cats this way to as they get in to lots of problems with dry food.

found another one this is good in telling u what your dogs nurtritional needs.

http://www.thepetcenter.com/imtop/contrast.html

this one tells ya where the amino acids come from.(what food to eat)

http://www.answers.com/topic/essential-amino-acid

EDIT i just found this site so far i think its my fav.

http://www.seefido.com/html/dog_food_recipes.htm

Q: Can you freeze batch of homemade dog food with Calcium Citrate added?
While preparing homemade dog food – and balancing Calcium/Phosphoros ratio can you freeze batch of the homemade food with the Calcium Citrate already added to it?

A: yahoo health say’s that calcium citrate needs to be stored at room temp away for heat and moisture. You may also check webmd. I didn’t check there. that is my most popular website.

Q: Is it healthy to feed my dog homemade food?
Well, after watching so much youtube videos about homemade dog food, I just wanted to know if it is really nutritional and healthy for my dog. The ingredients are frozen carrots, chicken liver, frozen beans/peas, sweet potatoes, and white rice. Is that good or bad? Why? Thank you for helping me!!!

A: Hi Charlito,

Thank you for asking a great question. It shows you are a great pet parent with concerns for your pet’s long term health. Yes, it is very nutritional and healthy for your dog. Many dogs who are fed home cooked or raw diets live longer, healthier lives. “You are what you eat” pertains to dogs as well. I am a Canine Chef and have been home-cooking for my dogs for over two years now as they were very sick. I have studied and read every book and worked with a Holistic Animal Nutritionists when creating my business to help busy pet parents who don’t have the time to cook. Our recipes were created with a Holistic Animal Nutritionist, which humans can eat as well, but it is all about catering to your precious pet! We love our vet, but no longer have vet bills, except for our annual checkups.

It is very important to know what you can and cannot feed your pets. Many dog cookbooks and websites list ingredients that are not the best for your pet. Do not use white rice as it is hard for dogs and humans to digest. Use Brown Rice, quinoa, barley or oats, preferably organic.

Try to stay away from peas and carrots as they are genetically modified. Try to use fresh vegetables and cook or lightly steam them. Other than raw carrots, raw veggies are hard for most dogs to digest and they will just throw them up. Sweet Potatoes or Yams are great. Do not use white potatoes as they can be carcigenic. Do not use wheat or white flour or soy. “Why?” can be found on our website.

Try to use meats that do not have any hormones or antibiotics. We only use 100% Grass Fed meats, which are more expensive that meats from feed-lots, but well worth the price in long term health, happiness and preventing illnesses. Plus you support local farmers who ethically raise their animals.

Variety is key, as many nutrients are provided. Feeding the same meal to your pet can eventually cause allergic reactions. Make sure you are feeding the right proportions of protein, good fats and carbs. A Good Rule of Thumb is about 55-60% protein, 25-30 veggies and 10-15% grain. Make sure to “always” add a supplement from whole foods as well. Stay away from synthetic vitamins as their digestive system does not readily absorb these.

I recently saved $8,000 in surgery for luxating patellas on my dogs Cleo & Patra. How? Feeding whole foods that are nutrient dense and medicinal, along with acupuncture and raw marrow bones, which we sell.

Dogs need alot of calcium and raw dairy is great for cats and dogs that are lactose intolerant. It also helps humans with allergies and asthma. It is the pasteurization process that everyone is allergic to, which destroys the lactic acid that your body and pets need to digest. Give them raw cheese as a snack as well. Remember to start slowly with anything new.

At Cleo & Patra Canine Cuisine, we create healthy home-style cooked meals for dogs using only nutrient dense ingredients you can pronounce and your dog can easily digest. We have had much success in helping dogs get off their food allergy medications after two months on our food. Transitioning your pet’s diet SLOWLY is very important!

For more information and the many benefits of a home-cooked diet, check out our website at www.cleoNpatra.com. I’ve done all the homework for you.

I’ve listed a few other sites below that will be helpful as well. We were the featured “Pet Food” product in Doggie Afficionado’s “Green Living” Winter issue, which you can read on our site.

Yes, our food is more expensive than kibble. Grass fed meats cost more as the animals live twice as long as animals from feedlots.
All our preparation, cooking and vacuum-sealed packaging is done by hand . All our food sources are from the USA and we ship across the USA. “Know Your Source” of food is our motto.

Our Canine Connections page lists our farmers so you can order from them for yourselves and your pets, as well as many good books, DVDs and website links on this subject.

Either you are going to spend your money upfront on good nutrition or down the road on vet bills. Take you pick!

Good Luck on your venture and don’t hesitate to ask any more questions. Our concern is that pet parents are cooking properly for their pets, with the best intentions. Sorry for the long answer, but I am so passionate about this and want everyone’s dogs to live as long a life as possible!

Bone Appetit!

Q: How do you make homemade dog food?
I am pretty satisfied with commercial dog food and I have no problem sticking with it, but I would just like to know how to make nutritional homemade dog food. My dogs are a golden retriever, beagle, and dachshund if that information is needed. I would like advice also, like what supplements to put in the food, and the right portions, and a professional website would be the best. I don’t really want just homemade dog food that isn’t any better than commercial dog food. Please help out. Thanks.

A: Do not feed your dog bones, especially cooked bones. Fragments can become lodged in the digestive tract. Canines in the wild who eat bones have the benefit of consuming hair and hide too, which have been found to ‘pad’ the bone fragments and aid in their passing. Other foods to avoid that are dangerous for dogs are chocolate, avocados, mushrooms, macadamia nuts, grapes, raisins, onions, and garlic.

Try one of these easy dog food recipes and watch your pup smile.

Q: How expensive is it to make homemade dog food?
About how expensive is it to make homemade dog food? My four dogs (3 large, 1 small) are currently on Science Diet (Large and Small bites) and it costs about $25-30 a week to feed them all. Does making homemade dog food with quality ingredients generally save money over feeding commercially marketed brands like Science Diet?

A: You’ll have to do your own math here, based upon the ingedients you wish to us.

For me, it was slightly more expensive to make my own– boiled chicken with baked sweet potato and parsley. The parsley was home grown.. I factored that at .0$ because I was using as much in my own cooking as it was for the dog. The split chicken breast I could purchase at about 99cents a pound when I was lucky. Same price for the sweet potato.. so I added the cost of the energy to fire up my stove & stovetop, as well as the price for my time.. And the multiple vitamins I added… Probably +$1.50 a pound, but it was worth it.

You can stretch that and reduce the price per pound by ’stretching’ the chicken and potato with boiled rice, but of course you have to keep a closer eye on nutrition, since dogs aren’t primarily vegetarians, I’d be reluctant to go too heavy on the rice for fear of ill effect.

So, start with your own recipe, factor in price per pound of the components, divide by the ratio/s in the recipe, then you’ll have your price. If you’re lucky enough to have a hunter in the family, or can get your hands on free meat, then your cost is reduced accordingly.

Q: What would a veterinarian say about homemade dog food?
I want to start making homemade dog food. but i heard that sometimes the homemade stuff doesn’t always have Essential vitamins that my dog needs. what would a vet say? is it dangerous to change their diet from store bought dry food to homemade wet food mixed with the dry food.

btw the recipe i was thinking of have lamb, brown rice, carrots, broccoli, and potatoes.

A: Unless your dog has special needs, such as no teeth, I would feed a raw diet. If you have to cook the food, do it properly. Below is a link to Dr. Pitcairn. He is well known and offers sound advice for cooking for your dog.

http://www.drpitcairn.com/

Q: Any suggestions for a basic homemade dog food with all neccessary nutrients?
I want to start my dog, Story, on homemade dog food because she has a sensitive stomach. Lab/bull dog mix. She has been responding well thus far. White rice, chicken, carrots, cottage cheese, egg, and crushed egg shells. 40% meat and 30% carb and 30% vegetable. Her poop is no long runny. I just want a simple cut and dry recipie that I can switch out a few items for variety bi-weekly. I want to make sure she’s getting proper nutrients and even if I have to give her suppliments; any suggestions. There are so many recipies that vary with ingredients like flax seed and cornmeal and oatmeal and other items. A list of different basic veggies, meats, and grain would be great. Nothing fancy. Thanks in advance. Serious responses only please.

A: I feed raw, but one of my dogs doesn’t like raw so I have to do homemade with him.

Here’s our recipe:
1/3 oatmeal
1/2 meat
1/6 veggies
an egg
canned Jack Mackerel/Sardines
+ yogurt/supplements and maybe a couple organs (liver, hearts, gizzards)

The key to homemade diets is variety. Use turkey, beef, rabbit, pork, whatever meat you can find. Heck, I know some dogs who eat kangaroo and bison! Use varying types of veggies, like bok choy, kale, chinese cabbage, carrots, peas, alfalfa, etc. Whatever veggies you eat, save a little for your dog (as long as it’s not poisonous like avocado). It’s nice to have a basic recipe, but as long as you have a wide variety, your dog’s diet will be “balanced over time”.

Q: What is the best homemade Dog food for a Miniature Pinscher?
What is the best homemade Dog food for a Miniature Pinscher between his 3-9 months of age?

A: You can make this in batches and freeze the portions
500 gms of good minced beef,250 gms carrots chopped fine
100 gms green beans, few cloves of garlic,300 gms of brown rice, 150 gms of mixed lentils( wash before)

Put the rice, and veggies in a pressure cooker with 5 cups of water and cook till done- Have 12 plastic containers ready , cool the food and fill the containers ( the amount your dog eats) and cover tight with cling film or foil and deep freeze- Take out each container in the morning and let it thaw at room temp- You can microwave it for 2 minutes before serving it-
Its healthier & cheaper than store bought dry food- You can also use 250 gms of chopped liver instead of meat or chicken or lamb

Q: Does anyone have any good homemade dog food recipies they can pass on?
I have a male chihuahua who has lost a little weight , due to his female companion recently giving birth, according to the vet. He told me to make him some homemade dog food, only he did not suggest any. He said , some dogs lose their appeitite and need a little special treatment. Suggestions Please!

A: 1) Take your dog’s dry food and soak it in warm water for about 13 minutes.
2) Put a small amount of canned food in a bowl.
3) Drain the dry food (which should now be soggy) and grind it up so it is more of a dough.
4) Mix the canned food and the dry food.
5) Add one egg for every 2 cups of dry food that your dog usually eats.
6) Mix it all very well.
7) Spread it in a pan and have it be at least 1/2 an inch thick.
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-13 minutes.
9) Let it cool and then cut individual pieces.
10) Make sure to refrigerate them!

Q: What is a good grain free dog food?
Does anyone know about Orijen dog food? My dog was just diagnosed with bone cancer and because it was found early diagnoses with chemo looks really good. Because cancer cells feed on carbohydrates, I am looking for a grain free food. I came across this food on a cancer site and am thinking about trying it out. Is it a good food or is there another one that would be better?

A: Yes orijen is a great dog food. Other high quality grain free foods are Solid Gold Barking at the Moon, Canidae grain-free formula, and Evo. Good luck with your dog!

Q: Are there places here in Orlando that supply FREE Food for Animals? Free Dog Food, Cat food no payments?
Just a thought but any places like that around town that have free dog food and cat food that you do not need to pay for?

A: Rare.

Try joining up with your local Freecycle list in your city, put a ‘wanted’ on it for cat food, you may have people contacting you. You can try Craig’s List also.

Q: Where can I get free dog food samples?
Where online can I get free dog food or treat samples? I have been looking everywhere and I can’t find anything!

A: You can get a free sample of Blue Buffalo dry dog food and a $3 coupon at http://www.bluebuff.com.

Q: What are the advantages of grain free dog food?
I plan on feeding my dog Canidae grain free dog food.

A: Grains are not readily digestible to dogs. Grain free is good because it is easier on their digestive system. It is also good for dogs with allergies to grains. Higher quality foods may still contain grains, but they are more likely to be brown rice or barley. Lower quality grains are corn and wheat. Some dogs do well on foods with higher quality grains, while others need a grain free diet.

Q: Is there a grain free dog food with glucosamine in it?
I have a 10 month old German Shepard that I am currently feeding Taste of the Wild. After he turns one I would like to switch him to a food with glucosamine in it. I do like the no grain foods though. I was wondering if there was a grain free or a dog food with little grains that include glucosamine in it.

Thanks for your time!!

A: Most foods that contain glucosamine don’t have enough to really make a difference. You would do better to buy a supplement and give that. At least you would know how much your dog is getting. Talk with your vet about what brands are safe and how much to give. There are some made for humans that are safe, but not all are. Dosing can vary from brand to brand.

Q: why do people feed grain free dog food?
im trying to switch my dog food for my Katahula and I found this grain free diet stuff…what’s the difference?

A: A lot of people are saying that dog’s don’t digest grain well and that it is not really necessary in their diets. If a food contains a lot of grains, it tends to have less of the nutrients that a dog does really need. Taste of the Wild is the grain-free food I use and my dog does really really well on it. They have a long explanation about their ingredients on their website that may provide more information for you: http://tasteofthewildpetfood.com/products/ingredients/

Q: Does Petco or Petcity offer free dog food samples at their store?
I just foudn a stray, and the owner wasn’t found. Now I want to raise her. Does anyone know if petco or petcity offer free dog food samples at the store?
I live in westminster california

A: if you can’t even afford food, why keep her?! It take more than food and love to keep a pet.

Q: Can anyone reccomend a good grain free dog food?
I’m using EVO but it has too much protein and is too rich for my dog. Are there any other foods that are grain free, but not as rich?

A: This is a great question and you should do your research very carefully! Everyone is going to have their opinion but that does not mean it is the right food for your dog. I just lost my seven year old German Shephard to cancer and that is when I went searching for the cause. I came across a website on the internet that shocked me into disbelief that I probably had poisoned my dog to death and didn’t even know it. Most dog foods are loaded with hidden poisons and other obsenities I still have a hard time grasping. I am going to give you the website address so you can read this report and learn what is really in commercial dog foods and you can make an educated decision like I did on which dog food to buy! I wish you all the best!

http://www.realdogfoodcomparisons.com/recommends/dogsecrets.php

Q: Is there a cheap, grain free dog food?
I rescued a very thin dog who is not doing well on our current dog food. I am looking for an economical grain-free dog food OR a rescue near Bristow, OK who can take in a wolfdog. So far, I’ve had NO luck.

And I have contacted wolfdog rescues, most are full or not even up and running anymore. Please help, this dog needs help!

And feel free to contact me if you can provide a good home for her.

A: Putting the word CHEAP in your question is sure to get you flamed. Cheap is usually POOR QUALITY.

If you want economincal way to feed him while you have him, find your local abbatoir (slaughter house) and get tongue, heart, liver, anything they will give you inexpensively. It should cost no more than 20 cents/pound that way. and you crock pot it and towards the end, add rice. When you turn off the pot, if there’s still a lot of liquid, put in some oatmeal. Rice and oatmeal are good grains for dogs (unlike corn) and this is a simple way to feed the dog. You feed him about 1% of his body weight at each of 2 meals per day or 1% for breakfast, and kibble for supper. I feed homemade dogfood in the monrning only, so the other nutrients they get from the kibble I feed for supper.

I prefer Diamond Naturals. They have several with rice. The best foods are expensive.-!-

Q: Where can I find cruelty-free dog food?
I don’t want to use Iams anymore because of their testing procedures. What kind of dog food is cruelty-free? I am looking for something that is high quality, but is easy to find in stores such as Target, Petsmart, Walmart, etc.

A: Ellen DeGeneres has a cruelty free line of pet food. I think you can find it on her website.

Or, you can go to the PETA website and they have a list of cruelty free products of all kinds. You don’t have to necessarily agree with all of PETA’s policies to find cruelty free products.

Q: Are there any places that can help with the cost of dog food or get free dog food?
I lost my job, and my unemployment has ran out, I have a dog who has been eating iams large breed puppy food, and for medical reasons, I cant change her food, does anyone now where I might get some free or discounted iams dog food?. I have sent in for all the free samples and coupons for iams, but are there any other places?

A: Ask your local shelter. Sometimes they have too many donations and sometimes if the option is either helping you keep your dog or them ending up with another dog to place they’ll toss food your way. I can’t think of any medical reason that you dog needs to stay on Iam’s large breed though…

Q: Has Natural Ultramix natural dog food by Castor & Pollux been rated re: cruelty free food?
I’ve been reading about euthanized animals being used in dog food. I’m trying to find an all natural, cruelty free dog food. Anyone heard of the food put out by Castor & Pollux and has it been rated?

A: It look like it got a 4 out of 6 star rating! http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=1911&cat=all

If you are looking for a good 6 star natural, cruelty free food then here are a few

Solid gold
EVO
Taste of the Wild!

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/

Q: Grain free dog food for puppy?
I just found out my puppy is allergic to the grain found in most dog foods and will need special grain free food. Does anybody know the names of grain free dog foods and the places or websites to buy it at?

A: I’m a bit wary of feeding high-protein to puppies. (There’s about a 50-50 split whether high-protein is good or bad for puppies, I prefer to err on the side of caution and not feed over 30% protein to puppies.)

A couple grain-free foods that are moderate in protein:
* Taste of the Wild ‘Pacific Stream’
- http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/products/dogs/pacific_stream_canine_formula/
* Timberwolf Organics ‘Ocean Blue’
- http://timberwolforganics.com/s.nl/it.A/id.85/.f?sc=2&category=-102

Some grain-free brands:
* EVO
* Wellness CORE
* Nature’s Variety Instinct
* Orijen
* Taste of the Wild
* Blue Wilderness
* Timberwolf Organics (select varieties)
.

Q: Why feed grain free dog food?
Friend insists on grain free dog food. What are the benefits, if any? my dogs are healthy, no special dietary needs.

A: dogs dont really digest grains. They are nothing more than fillers.. you’re paying money for dog food that mostly just fills your dog up and does not provide as much nutrition.

Grain free is more properly digested.. because there’s more nutrition to it, your dog eats LESS of it. Your dog also poops less and has smaller poops.. dog food that is grain based creates larger poops that are mostly bulk that your dog did not digest!

Dogs are CARNIVORES, not omnivores. Even their teeth are designed for eating meat, not vegetation!

I think some people want to believe that their dogs are omnivores because they want to try to humanize their pets as much as possible. They just dont want to think of their dogs as a killing meat eating machine.

One person pointed out that dogs eat grass.. ya, but they also ussually THROW IT UP! Our pet dogs may eat fruits and veggies, their TASTES have altered to accept the same foods we eat.. they know that we eat it so it must be food, that doesnt mean that their body actually digests it and makes use of it. My dog will eat cat poop and diapers if given a chance, should I consider that part of his diet?

Berries may be readily available, but wild canids only resort to using vegetation matter as food when MEAT cannot be obtained. Meat is far preferred. Things like berries are nothing more than “filler” to stave off hunter until a real meal can be found. It doesnt mean the dog gets any nutritional value from it.

Q: We are switching to gluten free dog food-can we sanitize the food container or do we need a new one?
We have a plastic food storage container to keep the food fresh that we paid quite a bit for and also a “self-feeder” for her (the dog) to use, but we don’t want to contaminate the new food with gluten as we are dealing with the switch for a child who has celiac disease and the contamination can be deadly.

A: Hi. I would just clean the feeder in the dishwasher if possible with hot water and dishwashing soap (then run a rinse cycle with vinegar in the empty dishwasher after wards.)

If for some reason your child does touch the pet food or anything with gluten in it (which will happen at some point.) all the child needs to do is to wash their hands. The gluten molecule is too big to pass through the skin (UNLESS the child has an outbreak of a DH rash and the gluten gets int he open sore. That is the only exception.) Yes children an accidentally eat (or purposely!) try to eat pet food, but one accidnetal ingestion is not deadly to a person with Celiac. It is horribly uncomfortable and depending on your symptoms, it can be painful, but one accidental ingestion does not kill (unless your child also has an allergy). Trust me, life with Celiac involves lots of accidental ingestions of gluten because the restaruant industry hasn’t caught up. Even places like Outback that have GF menus will screw up!

Lotions, creams, etc, all with gluten are ok! The only non food products necessary to change are toothpaste (bc it goes in the moutn) mouthwash, lipsticks, chapsticks, etc, anything that the child can put in their mouth. Many parents of very young Celiacs stick to GF bath products bc of young children’s love of eating bubbles!

If u are new to Celiac, I suggest these sites and books:
“Celiac Disease A Hidden Epidemic” By dr Peter Greene
“Living Wheat and Gluten Free for Dummies” by Danna Korn (Korn also wrote other books for parents of children with CD and started a support group for them called R.O.C.K.- raising our celiac kids.)

www.csaceliacs.org
www.celiac.com
www.celiac.org
www.celiaccentral.org

Best of luck and feel free to email me with any other CD related questions.

Q: Is innova dog food good for a chihuahua?
I switched to this dog food about a month ago. I used to feed him Royal Canin but I switched to Innova because on a dog food rating website it said that it was better. So what do you think. Good food or bad?

A: Excellent food for chihuahuas in my opinion, I feed mine a rotation of Evo small bites red meat, Merrick’s Before Grain and Nature’s Variety Instinct. I have two chis, one is 6mo and the other is 7yrs. Their coats are soft and shiny, energy is very good even for my older boy, no stomach upset, they are in excellent shape.

Q: How to read the Innova dog food expiration date?
I bought a bag of Innova senior dog food, the small bag 6lbs, the expiration date reads AUG 08 09 1542. So does that mean Aug of 2008, or Aug 8th of 2009. Does Innova include the day in the expiry date? I appreciate the help.
In the case of Aug. of 2008, I thought the 09 some meaningless number, since other dog foods I’ve purchased only have the month followed by year.

A: that would be aug 8 2009… i’ve never seen the year put before the day on an expiration date.

Q: Innova dog food small enough for my chihuahua to chew?
I tried Innova wet food because my chihuahua doesn’t like to eat dry all day, but it’s a bit too mushy (I thought it would be chunkier). So I’d prefer she just stick with dry food in general.

I was wondering about the size of the dog food, though. Sometimes I wonder if kibble is a bit too hard, though I know it helps clean the teeth. What does Innova dog food look like, and do you think it’s ok for a chihuahua’s tiny teeth?

Thanks : )

A: Innova makes a “small bites”. When we went in for our last bag for our bigger dogs, I asked if they had anything for my little one, he only weighs 8 lbs, they gave me a bag of Innova small bites, he loved it, came in a yellow package, just waiting for him to finish his cuurent bag of food and than Im gonna switch him over. My baby has tiny teeth as well and he was fine with the small bites! Hope this helps you

Q: Innova dog food versus Eukanuba, which is better for Rottweiler?
I have a growing Rotti puppy. I’m feeding her Innova large breed puppy food, but my breeder says it’s not nutritious and recommends I feed her Eukanuba instead. Which one is better? Or is another brand of dry dog food better than both of these?

A: For many large/giant breeds it is too rich. I feed my Newfs large breed adult from 10 weeks on, as even the large breed puppy is too high in fat and protein. Large and giant breeds should have ideally 24% protein. Nothing more. Slow growth is what you shoot for. Now if Innova large breed adult meets that, fine…although my Newfs never could tolerate Innova and thrive on Eukanuba.
According to many on here, Eukanuba is a BAD food, but my dogs do great on it and do not do great on some of the foods they call good…like Innova, Canidae, Wellness…and so on. You have to judge what your dog does the best on that is in the pretein levels that suit your breed.

**After seeing the analysis on it, you can feed the large breed puppy. It is 24% protein, so it should be fine.
If your dog does well on it, I would not change.

Q: Where can i get innova dog food?
I’m getting tired of buying cheap dog food and want to try something that is healthy for my dog. I’ve heard good things about innova and I’m wondering where I can get it. Does petco sell it or petsmart?

A: http://www.naturapet.com/where-to-buy/

there is a store locator on their website

Q: What kind of Innova dog food should I use for a dog with a tumor?
He is on nd Prescription now, but he has started to bite his paws. I think it’s from this food. I want to switch to an organic dog food. What type do you suggest?

A: I would ask your veterinarian before you switch to anything because the N/D is a diet formulated for dogs with cancer and since it is a prescription you really need to ask first. I think that Science Diet is the only company that currently manufactures a diet designed for dogs with cancer, but I am not positive.

I have heard of a study where the dog with cancer was put on high level of fish oils and it helped some, but there have been no definitive tests saying that it helped.

Q: Where can i get cheap Innova Dog food?
I need innova large breed puppy food and a lot of it, but it’s so expensive. Where is the best place to buy it? any websites have good deals? any coupons?

A: You get what you pay for…Innova is a high quality food, so it’s not going to be cheap. The best thing to do, would be to call around to different stores that carry Innova and see which is the least expensive.
You can find some good deals online, but you usually get screwed with the shipping charges, which makes it not even worth it and the only Innova coupons I’ve ever seen were on eBay.

Q: Has anyone with a shih tzu had trouble with Innova dog food?
I put my 4 month old shih tzu on Innova puppy food because of the health benefits but ever since I did so, he has eaten less frequently. I’m not sure if he doesn’t like it or if he is just sick. Has anyone else with a shih tzu had trouble with Innova?

A: Some dogs are just picky…we feed both of our dogs California Natural (made by the same company as Innova) and a lot of people have said that their dogs wouldn’t eat it, while our dogs LOVE it!
As long as your pup isn’t losing weight, then you shouldn’t worry about it…

Q: Where can I find Innova Evo dog food and puppy food?
I am planning on changing my dog’s diet to a better quality dog food, and I found that Innova Evo is one of the best ones. It has NO grain products that are bad for the dog. I am also getting a puppy soon(less than 2 weeks), and I was planning on starting him out on their puppy food…I am having a hard time trying to find it. I checked www.petsmart.com and they do not have it. So I probably won’t find it at my local Pet Smart. Does anyone know of any reputable online websites that have it or any other pet stores that might carry it? If it helps, I live in North Carolina.

A: You can get it online at petfooddirect.com and have it delivered. I used them before i decided that the best diet is a natural one and went to raw, whole prey diet. Evo is good but why can good meat when you can feed it as it was intended.

Q: Anyone heard of Innova dog food?
I hear it’s good for dogs, and am interested in switching from proplan just because my dog doesn’t seem to like it anymore (switched to adult). Anyone know price or any problems with it? She is an 9 month old lab (because she’s young i’d prolly do Innova puppy because adult is very high protein). Speaking of which does anyone know of any problems of switching back to puppy food when they’ve been eating adult?

A: Innova is a very good food.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=154&cat=3

Q: how long does a large bag of Innova dog food cost?
i got a pug yesterday and choose to get a large bag of innova how long do they last for?

A: for a pug it will last a few months or more.

I can see it lasting 6 months at the most

Q: What is the price difference between a 8 kg bag of Innova dog food to Pedigree dog food?
What is the price difference between an 8kg bag of Innova dog food to Pedigree dog food in Western Australia?

A: lots, but innova is worth every penny. pedigree is crap

probably about 25-30$ for innova and 10-15$ for pedigree.’

edit: http://www.petfooddirect.com/store/product_detail.asp?pf%5Fid=2011215&dept%5Fid=130&brand%5Fid=9&Page=
Innova Large Breed Adult Food Dry – 16.5-lb bag = $26.29

http://www.petfooddirect.com/store/product_detail.asp?pf%5Fid=2016703&dept%5Fid=1&brand%5Fid=15
Pedigree Complete Nutrition – 20-lb bag = $13.39

edit… Australia? sorry too lazy to look it up again, just do what i did and search for an online store that sells dogfood in Australia.

Q: Where can I buy Innova dog food in Australia?
.. except at Pets Paradise that is… so freakin’ expensive there! (a 10kg bag costs AU$130). On or offline stores are ok. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
No it’s not the kangaroo meat. It’s an American brand.

A: Is that the Kangaroo meat? My vet recommended us to buy that for my dog’s sensitive stomach- she throw up all the time.
They sell it in PetSmart.

Q: Innova Dog Food in the Philippines?
Hi! does anyone know where i could get Innova Dog Food here in the Philippines? Local stores where i can go to, not webstores. Thanks for the info!
their website doesn’t have information regarding a local Philippine distributor…:(

A: Did you try e-mailing Natura Pet?

http://www.naturapet.com/about-natura/contact.asp

Try to e-mail them and ask if they have any retail stores that sell Innova. And, good choice in dog food! I feed it to my 2 dogs and they love it.

Hope you find it!

Q: Where to buy Canidae or Innova/Evo dog food?
Where can I buy Canidae or Innova/Evo dog food for my dog in London England? Preferably not online, are there any stores or vets that carry them?

A: they are usually found in local pet stores or your vets. just ask around. it’s a popular brand so you should be able to find them easy. anyway, you should also invest in good pet food containers so that the dog food that you buy by the pound won’t go to waste. check here for more: http://www.pampermepuppy.com/dog-bowls—dining-pet-food-containers—dog-treats.html