[Mountain Man]

Hi, all! Greetings from Virginia. We are proud parents to a wonderful little Vizsla male, “Mountie,” who is a fantastic and sharp guy even in his infancy of 10.5 weeks old! This post marks our first official question, and we thank you in advance for your advice and opinions. Q: Which of the kibbles listed below would you recommend highest for our Vizsla puppy?

I tend to be a bit over-analytical (dear wife would call it “OCD”), and have researched in-depth (via manufacturer websites and here @ dogfoodadvisor) puppy-appropriate kibble, in hopes of transitioning Mountie ASAP from his initial staple of Purina Puppy Chow (which we consider to be a lower-quality feed) to a much-better kibble. Narrowed it down to these, and really value your advice:

1. Taste of the Wild High Prairie (Roasted Venison & Bison) Puppy Formula (by TOTW, contract-manufactured by Diamond; USA) (~$52 / 30lb = $1.72/lb). Pros: Good “bang for buck,” well-rounded GF kibble, tasty. Cons: Surprisingly-low DHA for puppy blend, manufactured by Diamond (which has had an inexcusable number of recalls).

2. As ACANA Puppy & Junior (by Champion Petfoods; Canada) is not avail. in the USA, consider alternatives from the “all stages” lineup: ACANA Wild Prairie Grain Free (~$67 / 28.6lb = $2.34/lb); ACANA Grasslands Grain Free or ACANA Pacifica Grain Free (~$80 / 28.6lb = $2.80/lb). Pros: Appears to offer great alternative to uber-rich Orijen (albeit, adult formulas only). Cons: Puppy formula not available in USA, uncertainty re: appropriate calcium levels of these “all stage” formulas, lacking in Yucca extract (which does wonders to curtail feces odor).

3. Orijen Puppy (by Champion Petfoods; Canada) (~$75 / 28.6lb = $2.62/lb). Pros: A+ quality kibble. Cons: Many testimonials of young puppies getting diarrhea from rich formula, lacking in Yucca extract (which does wonders to curtail feces odor).

4. As Earthborn Holistic Puppy Vantage (by Midwestern Pet Foods; USA) (~$47 / 28lb = $1.68/lb) isn’t GF, consider alternatives from the “all stages” lineup: Earthborn Holistic Select Grain Free Coastal Catch* / Great Plains Feast / Primitive Natural. Pros: Very, very good “bang for buck,” well-rounded GF kibble, made by Midwestern Pets (nearly as reputable as Champion). Cons: Uncertainty re: appropriate calcium levels of these “all stage” formulas, limited first-hand reviews available.

5. Maybe: GO! FIT + FREE Grain Free (Chicken, Turkey & Trout) Puppy (by Petcurean; Canada) (~$67 / 25lb = $2.68/lb). Pros: Excellent Canadian kibble (appears on par with Orijin and Acana) by Petcurean (nearly as reputable as Champion). Cons: Very pricey, given very limited first-hand reviews available.

6. Maybe: Annamaet Manitok or Aqualuk (by Annamaet Petfoods; USA) (~$84 / 30lb = $2.80/lb). Pros: Well-rounded GF kibble (and Mountie likes the taste). Cons: Uber-pricey, given limited first-hand reviews available, no puppy formulation, uncertainty re: appropriate calcium and DHA levels (unlisted) of these “all stage” formulas.

We would be indebted for as many opinions as possible re: which of the above you all would recommend transitioning Mountie to.

Thanks so much!!!

Corey & Michelle
Powhatan, Virginia

[NectarMom]

Wow I thought I was the only one with a dog with such horrible symptoms as this. My chihuahua is like a walking epi pen I have to keep injectable steroids and injectable Benadryl on hand in case she gets stung by or bit by an insect. Shes highly allergic to them. I could loose her in. Matter of 2 seconds if I don’t inject her. We were using Acana and she had bad gas and bloat ( she has intestinal food allergies too) I don’t know what ingredient she is allergic to but I know for certain chicken does not agree with her. She also got bad acid reflux on it and so did my other 3 dogs. From what I gather they could not handle the high protein. We switched to Brothers Allergy kibble and the Allergy symptoms eased up but did not totally go away but improved a lot but the acid reflux stayed. ( For a kibble I would still recommend this food) I am still feeding it until I run out and we are now feeding Darwin’s Raw which in only 2 weeks doing a half Darwin’s half kibble a day plus probiotics and enzymes the results for all 4 dogs is amazing. Acid reflux is gone and no gas and stools are always firm. No licking feet and they all seem to have more energy. My oldest just got her teeth cleaned yesterday and my vet made the comment about her fur and asked what I was bathing her in because she had the softest fur. I told him its not the shampoo it is what I am feeding her “Raw”

Seriously, I am not one to push food on anyone with they’re pets but I swear by Raw now and only wish I would have started mine out when they were puppies on it. But if you just cannot feed Raw then I recommend Brothers Allergy or at least a limited ingredient kibble and possibly grain free. Good luck to you. This is one of the best sites and the people on here are very knowledgable and wise.

[Moose’sMom]

Hello. We have a 3 year old Boston Terrier; he has terrible gas, frequent diarrhea and allergies to just about everything. His allergies ranges from skin rashes to ear infections to swollen eyes and mouth and closing of his airways. Some days, he has so much gas his stomach feels extremely tight. It has been an on going issue and we have run out of ideas. We have spent too much time at the vet and emergency visits; we just want to find him a nutritionous food that doesn’t result in complications.

Over the past 3 years, we have tried the Orijen Regional Red, Orijen Puppy, Acana Pacifica, Acana Puppy and Junior and most recently, switched him to Acana Light and Fit as per the vet’s recommendation. We recently switched vets and he suggested Hill’s Prescription Gastrointestinal Health. Based on the ingredient list and the review on this website, I don’t feel comfortable feeling him this ‘food’. I would like to stay with the Acana/Orijen brand if possible but if there is anything else that anyone can recommend, I am all ears. Help!

[NectarMom]

Melissa, I know and it is because they do well on turkey and potato free as far as allergies and intestinal. Allergies but the acid reflux is a problem. I wasn’t sure what was causing the reflux until I read this thread and if it is the protein then I have to find a food that is turkey , lower protein and grain and potato free. I have even spoken to Darwin’s about the acid reflux and they said maybe it was because they were drinking too much water after meals which in result made them regurgitate up clear water but I know that would not cause acid reflux. Seriously I am getting tired of switching foods and waiting 6 months to see if it works only for it not to work and cause some issue with my dogs. It is very aggravating. They also had the acid reflux on Acana and that is when my one dog ended up with an ulcer.

[texasniteowl]

Hey all…I’m completely new here but have looked at a ton of the reports on the 4 & 5* rated foods. I have a 6yr old mixed breed (some lab) that we adopted at the end of December.
(Also, thru these descriptions, pls keep in mind that it’s been 20 years since I had a dog. We had some dogs when I was a child, but I haven’t had one as an adult.)

Anyway, Wilson came to us on Purina One Smartblend Lamb & Rice. I already knew that wasn’t a great quality food, so after a couple weeks I moved him to Fromm’s Duck & Sweet Potato.

That transition went pretty well but we’ve been fighting allergy issues since we got him. Now, it may turn out that he is just allergic to our grass (bermuda) and there is nothing to be done really, but I’m willing to experiment. (Also, he came to us with an ear infection, so we had lots going on there initially.)

About 3 weeks ago I bought a bag of Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Feast grain free (bison meal and also some lamb meal) from my local pet store (and they carry a great selection of grain free lines…Orijen, Acana, Wellness, Canidae, Cal. Natural, Taste of the Wild, Earthborn, Fromm’s and more…the only main one I wondered about was Merrick which they do not carry). We started off with a 1/4 new to 3/4 old. Wilson had some soft stool (but not diarrhea) for several days…it was almost a week before I moved the ratio up to half and half. We stayed on half and half for two weeks. Initially he also had soft stool again…but it also seemed like it alternated more…very firm (seemed like he was straining) one time and the next time, soft. Sometimes hard and soft at the same trip outside.

Also, he’s developed dandruff and is shedding a lot. Now, we are in Texas and we are having weather in the 70’s to even low 80’s one day already, so part of that is just the season. However, thru Jan. & Feb. he hardly shed at all. But the dandruff? And he also seems to me to be doing more butt dragging than previously. And he’s been doing a lot of paw licking and chewing the whole time we’ve had him.

Just yesterday, I finally upped his kibble to 3/4 new and 1/4 old. His morning poo was hard and seemed straining. His late afternoon poo was soft. (Not soft serve ice cream soft, but soft.)

I know it may be hard to separate the food reaction from the season or other issues (dryness in the house?/low humidity?) but all these things together have me leaning towards ditching the Earthborn and going back to his Fromm’s Duck & Sweet Potato for a bag and then trying a different grain free.

Any feedback or suggestions? I was thinking that I should maybe look for grain free that is duck or fish based since he did well on Fromm’s Duck & Sweet Potato? Also I noticed that the Earthborn is potato free (has peas and tapioca)…maybe I should try a grain free with potato or at least sweet potatoes?

I guess any feedback or suggestions you have as far as what to try or what to look for in behavior/reactions when changing food would be welcome.

Thanks.

[Mom2Cavs]

Betsy, I haven’t tried the Nature’s Logic yet….we still have some Acana Duck and they are doing so well on it that I haven’t had the urge to change it. When these bags of Acana are almost gone, I’ll probably start mixing in the Nature’s Logic. I do want to try the Ranchlands Acana or the Lamb & Apple, if I can get my hands on it locally. They are loving the Primal freeze dried added in. I haven’t used cans in awhile…been using Primal and Stella & Chewy’s and Vital Essentials FD. I like them better than canned. Still have lots of good canned food, though. I do give a church member dog food for his Yorkie and his daughter’s dogs, so I most likely will give them some of my hoard of food. I’ve also noticed that Laverne does have intolerances and if I’m not careful will have bouts of colitis. So I really need to narrow my rotation down to what works with her and leave it at that for awhile.

[Mom2Cavs]

You’re right, I do believe my vet…I switched to this holistic vet which is almost an hour away because my old vet did not diagnose one of my dogs correctly and treated me badly (which was the last straw). The old vet also knew nothing about nutrition. My new vet actually carries Nature’s Variety in his clinic, along with Steve’s Real food. He’s very knowledgable about nutrition, among other things…like the breed I own, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. And no thanks, I won’t be speaking with Bil-Jac anytime soon. I am very happy with my Acana and Primal. Thanks, though. We each have our own opinions and I just prefer to leave it at that.

[Mom2Cavs]

Via my vet, corn, wheat and soy can be highly allergenic in dogs. Also, sometimes they are added to bump protein levels while using less meat. So, after hearing that, I’ve never fed foods with those ingredients. If my dogs have issues with other ingredients I am feeding, then I will stop feeding the food they’re eating. So far, my dogs have done exceptionally well without eating corn, wheat and soy. This is just the way I want to feed my dogs. I’m not against grains and I do sometimes feed foods with whole grains included in the ingredient panel, like Acana Duck & Pear which contains oats.

[Mom2Cavs]

gebo, I’m glad Bil-Jac is working for your dog but I did do my research and don’t want to feed it to mine because of the ingredients. I also remember when I worked at a pet specialty store that carried Bil-Jac it, along with Purina products, were the foods that got “buggy” most often, so that alone will keep me from using it. I’m not saying other foods can’t get bugs in them, of course they can, but this happened often at our store and we were very careful about storing things correctly. Also, you don’t have to be rich to feed a good food. Merrick has Whole Earth Farms that is cheaper than Iams in a lot of places. Tractor Supply, and many feed stores, carries foods that are very budget friendly and have decent ratings and ingredients. I choose to feed Acana (the formulas with oats, so not grain free) and I also choose to use freeze dried raw along with some highly rated canned food. Now these foods are more expensive than alot of others, but thank God I can afford them right now. If that ever changes, I have done research on cheaper foods that are still better quality…you never know in this world what life might bring. My point is, you should feed the best food you can possibly feed within your budget that works for your dog. It is okay to read rating sites and forums for other people’s opinions but you should do your own research in the end.

[Mom2Cavs]

I haven’t fed the NVI Raw Boost kibble to my dogs, but my cat eats it for her kibble, along with her canned and other moistened freeze dried foods, like Stella & Chewy’s and Primal. She loves this kibble way more than some others I’ve fed her….Orijen/Acana, Fromm, Nature’s Logic….so this is what she gets.

[Mom2Cavs]

While Natural Balance does use Diamond for one of their manufacturers (and I won’t feed a Diamond food), they might have a food that fits your bill in their LID food, Potato and Duck. They have it in dry and canned form and even biscuit treats. And since you’re already using Blue, have you considered trying their Turkey and Potato grain free Basics food? I also want to mention that I’m using Acana Duck currently and it seems to be working with my sensitive stomach dogs. It does contain potato and while it has your normal vitamins included it doesn’t have many ingredients and is considered hypoallergenic. Pinnacle is another brand that has a Turkey and Potato food that might be worth checking out. Wellness also has Simple Solutions, which is their hypoallergenic food and I believe it may have a Duck formula. I hope this helps some.

[sharyorkie]

Hi. This is to Veggienut. I have had the same problem with my Yorkies What works for your yorkie?? I REALLY need to find a great dry kibble that they will eat and not give them loose stools!

[InkedMarie]

Samlover: maybe I’m missing something but if you think your dog has an intolerance to chicken, why are you using boiled chicken?

[theBCnut]

The probiotic and digestive enzymes are great to add whenever you are transitioning to a new food.

[Hound Dog Mom]

If he’s gassy try supplementing with probiotics and digestive enzymes.

[samlover]

We are very slowly transitioning Sammy to Acana duck and pear right now. Since we didn’t have a food to use to transition him properly due to his apparent intolerance of the chicken and potato, I’m still using boiled chicken and pumpkin puree with the dog food-he thinks he’s in heaven lol. So far so good…keeping our fingers crossed this works. He did have some baaaad gas the other day and I was worried we were going down the intolerance path again, but his poop has been solid and blood free so far!

[Mom2Cavs]

veggienut, I understand your frustration and I’m usually a firm believer in using what works, but I do have parameters and corn cannot be in my dogs’ food, so I would be looking for a new food still, if it were my dog. Alas, it’s not my dog, so….

Btw, I posted on the Acana Intolerance thread, as well.

[Mom2Cavs]

Wow, veggienut, that sounds terrible! I don’t know if it’s the food, but I do know a couple of people with Yorkies and they both feed high protein foods to them and they do fine. Foods like Acana, Fromm grain free, etc. And I’ve been feeding Acana Duck for about 2 weeks now and my dogs are doing well on it. I’m also topping with either Primal FD or Stella & Chewy’s FD and adding probiotics (which I do to any food I feed). I do believe that some dogs may need certain percentages of things or certain supplements depending on their overall health issues but, I’m sorry, I don’t think certain breeds need foods made for “Yorkies”, “Poodles”, etc. For instance, I have Cavaliers and they’re known for heart problems so I sometimes supplement with things that benefit the heart, like coq10, hawthorn, taurine, l-carnitine, etc. I have an old mixed breed and she has bladder problems so I give her a urinary supplement. If certain breeds need to eat certain brands/foods made just for them, then where is the “Cavalier” food? I’m not trying to be rude, just my opinion. Also, you state your Yorkie needs carbs in his diet and Acana has none….it really does, because all kibble has to have some carb binder to hold it together. Some may have more than others, and of course there are different kinds of carbs to use. The fact is that not one food will work for all dogs, so I just think that Acana may not work for your Yorkie. Perhaps in the future, when his digestion settles down, you can find a different food to try for him that is better quality than RC.

[theBCnut]

Your dog needed more fiber, that’s all. By the way, Acana does have carbs, it’s just not mostly carbs, which dogs don’t need anyway. They can break down fats into sugars relatively easy.

[Anonymous]

I had similar issues using Acana with my Yorkie. I noticed that the stools were darker than normal. Then within a week I started him on the Acana, it was blood. He couldn’t fully get his poo out and when I pull it out, it was a string of blood….and off to the Vet I go. They told me it was too rich for him and he needed to have some carbs in his diet, of which Acana has none and is too high in protein for the Yorkshire Terrier breeds.

[BryanV21]

Acana is a good dog food. Hell, it’s MUCH… MUCH… MUCH better than Royal Canin. In fact, I could literally name a couple dozen other brands I’d feed my dog, or recommend to others, before Royal Canin. So right off the bat there’s a problem.

With that said, even if somebody fed Acana or almost any other food but RC, their dog may need a supplement(s) of some kind. Take larger dogs that are prone to hip and joint issues… you may want to add a chondroiton/glucosamine supplement to their food. Or say you have a dog prone to UTIs… add a cranberry supplement to their food.

As for your last eye roll inducing paragraph… just like not all different breeds have the same dietary needs, neither do two dogs that ARE the same breed.

I really shouldn’t need to explain this to somebody with “doc” in their name, but alas…

[Anonymous]

I was told by my Vet that “Acana is too rich for my Yorkie & I need to switch him again. I hate to admit that he’s been on over 10+ foods that I can’t keep track. But after I think he’s doing fine on the food, he doesn’t like it and literally has gone 3 days without eating. Recently for a week he only ate once a day and not the whole amount. But we’re sticking to the same food (RC) and just not heating it up anymore.

[Hound Dog Mom]

“These are special dogs and can’t tolerate the natural no grain type of foods, such as Acana.”

Huh. I know a few people with Yorkies who feed high protein grain-free foods and their dogs do great. My grandmother has a Yorkie/Poodle mix that eats a rotation of high protein grain-free foods and Acana is in the rotation, the dog is very healthy…

[Anonymous]

I also have a Yorkie. I’ve had so many issues of him eating as well. He’s been on Pro-Plan as well as numerous of others to name. These are special dogs and can’t tolerate the natural no grain type of foods, such as Acana. I found this out when he had bloody stools right from the start of eating this brand. He’s back on Royal Canine for Yorkshire Terriers (again). At first he was eating this, now he’s not unless I add something. Then he went for it, then he didn’t. Heated it up and then he went for it for a while and now I’m back to just giving him dry. At times or should I say most times, he has to play before he’ll eat. Never a dull moment with the little guy. I’m sure you have experienced this and these little guys will hold out for the good stuff, but don’t worry in time they will eat. You need to stick to one food especially made for Yorkshire Terriers.

[Mom2Cavs]

Betsy, Thanks! I ordered some last night and I’ll definitely let everyone know how it goes. Currently, we have to get through the bag of Acana Duck (which I’ll keep in our rotation). I ordered a few small bags to start (I’m a dog food junkie lol!). If I remember correctly, I ordered Lamb and Duck & Salmon kibble and Lamb canned.

[Mom2Cavs]

Sorry to hijack…Betsy, how long have you used Nature’s Logic? Which formulas have you fed? Sorry for the questions, but I want to try this food for my girls. While I like the Acana Duck, I do so like the fact that NL doesn’t use synthetic vits. I’ve been going back and forth on it because I either have to have it special ordered or I have to order it online. I’ll do that, but it is kind of a pain. I’ve als been thinking about adding Nature’s Variety Instinct LIDs to their rotation, too.

[Mom2Cavs]

No advice, but I find it odd that your vet wanted you to use a limited ingredient diet and then recommended Acana Grasslands, which has lots of ingredients in it. If I were to use Acana I would use their Duck and Pear food, which is one of their 2 limited ingredient diets…the other being the Lamb and Apple. These formulas contain one protein and one starch (oatmeal) and have way less ingredients than the other Acana formulas.

[DieselJunki]

I would supplement with a hip and joint supplement anyways. Especially since you said she was or is having issues.

Here are a few companies that I’ve looked into and I’ve heard of others using.
Welly Tails
Vet’s Best
K9 Joint Strong
Mercola

And also a link to a thread I had started that has good information from Hound Dog Mom on joint supplements.
/forums/topic/mercola-joint-supplement-vs-others/

As far as a food similar to Acana I’m not sure on that.

If it was me I would just find a good dog food high in protein, low in fat (since you said she was overweight) and add the hip and joint supplement instead of trying to find a food you think might have the appropriate levels to support healthy joints along with low fat and high protein. But I am certainly no expert so perhaps others will chime in.

[weimlove]

All of the brands you’ve been feeding are very low quality. The best diet for your dog is a raw diet. If you don’t want to go the raw route, try to find a kibble where atlesdt the first three ingredients are meat and that is grain free. Some quality brands are orijen, acana, taste of the wild, natures variety, and blue wilderness. Another great option is freeze dried food which all you do is add water and it re hydrates. A great one is the honest kitchen. When transitioning dry dog foods, gradually mix in the new food and then add more new food and less of your old brand over a one or two week period. If you are switching from a low quality to high quality, you may experience some loose stool at first, but you will be very happy because you don’t have to feed as much because there are more nutrients in higher quality foods. Hope that helps!

[theBCnut]

I think that soon all the food shortages that Champion has been experiencing will be a thing of the past. Now that they have their kitchen repaired, they are back in full production, so soon it shouldn’t be a problem anymore.

[InkedMarie]

I can’t answer about what is similar but we adopted a dog that needed to lose almost half her weight. We used Wellness Core’s reduced fat, feeding her the amount for what she *should* weigh.
I am not sure but I thought I heard people say that sometimes the glucosamine that is in dog food is baked away, so to speak; maybe someone can answer this but you may want to give her a separate supplement.

[Mom2Cavs]

I have Cavaliers, who by nature of the breed, can have heart problems. One of mine has a murmur, last time assessed at a grade 2. As far as I know, atm, the other one is currently fine. My oldest was heart clear until about 10 years old and then I was told she had a grade 5 murmur and probably heart disease. She actually never really had any problems of note, though, with her heart. She just recently passed to the bridge at 12 years old, but it wasn’t her heart….she had a neurological disease (SM) that Cavs also are prone to and that caused her death. Actually, having a Cavalier reach double digits in age is great! Anyway, on to your question……while I don’t feed a “heart diet” I do try to feed as top of the line food as I can (which my holistic vet is fine with). I know that prey raw or homemade is probably the best, but either is not my choice. I have fed a variety of different kinds of food over the years. I’ve fed premade raw, freeze dried raw, dehydrated raw, canned and kibble. I’m currently feeding Acana Singles (Duck & Pear or Lamb & Apple) topped with either Primal or Stella & Chewy’s freeze dried raw or The Honest Kitchen Embark. Sometimes I top with canned foods like Instinct, Wellness Stews, Weruva, etc. I was using Merrick grain free kibble until I had an issue with a bag of the Pork grain free (strange looking and colored kibble pieces caused diarrhea). I’ve also used Merrick canned but have decided to go away from them, too, as they contain carageenan, and ingredient I’m not too comfortable with. I do know about BPA in cans, as well, and that’s why I like the freeze dried or THK. With each kind of food I have often supplemented with a heart targeted supplement (again at the advice of my holistic vet, who btw carries Nature’s Variety in his clinic). Some of my favorites are: Bio Cardio, Cardio Strength, Nature’s Farmacy heartwise and Standard Process Cardio Support. I’ve also given pre/probiotics and enzymes which I think can’t hurt. The heart supplements often contain things like COQ10, hawthorn, taurine, L-Carnitine and omega 3’s. You could also supplement these things individually. Please note that I’m not a vet, but a furmom with babies that more often than not have heart issues. I hope this helps some and gives you something to think about. 🙂

[BeagleLover]

Hello,
We adopted our beagle when he was six-months old. At the time, he had ear issues-itching, excess wax, bad smell, etc. After the traditional vet treated him several times for the same symptoms, I figured it was related to his food. Back then I didn’t know about grain-free dog foods and simply searched online for allergy free dog foods.

I found the Holistic Select Brand-Duck & Oatmeal and he was on that diet for about three years. In November, my dog started developing stomach symptoms similar to colitis/IBD. Just last week I had him tested for food allergies using the saliva test-Nutriscan but won’t have the results back for a couple of weeks.

In December, I had switched his dog food again, just to get him off of the grains. The holistic vet I took him to said to feed him a limited dry dog food until his stomach issues are resolved. He recommended Acana Grasslands and my dog has been on that diet close to eight weeks. While his symptoms have not disappeared, they are much better than before. My only concern is that the Grasslands formula has duck in it too. Doesn’t this seem like an unlikely choice?

[NectarMom]

I feed Brothers Allergy Formula and my largest Chihuahua was 17.5 lbs and she has lost 6.5lbs in the last 3 months we have been on Brothers. She still needs to loose a few more pounds and I feel very confident if I keep feeding her the recommended amount then she will loose the rest in no time. I don’t mind getting my dogs food shipped to me since they all seem to be doing well on this brand. The only thing is since the ingredient change with adding Menhaden Fish my dogs don’t eat their food as well so I am hoping by the time I order another bag that they will have changed the Formula back to the original ingredients. But I am grateful that my one with intestinal allergies has not had any issues since we switched off of Acana onto Brothers Allergy Formula. We are still having detox issues though , all 4 of my dogs are still licking their feet and scratching like mad but I am hopeful that this will pass once we are on Brothers for approx 6 mos. I am also adding Mercola Enzymes and Probiotics on their food and that is all they get. No treats or anything else

[kyle6286]

We’re currently feeding our two shih tzus Acana Grasslands topped with Merrick canned. We’ve been mixing water into their bowls for the last two weeks to help them get some extra water.

Also, having water around constantly isn’t an issue, since they’re both only 15 and 23 lbs. We make sure they both always have access to fresh, cold water.

I read online about cranberry extract and how it can be beneficial for a dog’s urinary system. We picked some up and we’ve been adding it to his food. He doesn’t seem to like it, so we have to figure out a way to mask it.

Thanks for the help

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi thesamster –

I wouldn’t look for a large breed specific food – large, medium and small breeds don’t have different nutritional requirements, size/breed specific formulas are just marketing. I also would focus on finding a high quality (high protein) low fat food and not worry about the fiber content of the food, the fiber can be added as a supplement (either psyllium or plain pumpkin). High quality low fat foods are few and far between which is why I recommend just worrying about the fat and protein level and supplementing the fiber, if you also look for high fiber you’ll likely end up having to settle for a lower quality food. In order to reduce the fat content most companies remove most of the meat and replace it with filler (grains, starch), there are only a few foods available that keep the fat levels low while keeping the protein levels (meat) levels high. Some low fat 5 star foods: Wysong Epigen Original, Venison and Fish formulas (all 11% fat), Wysong Epigen 90 (12% fat), California Natural Grain-Free Chicken (12% fat), Wellness Core Reduced Fat (10% fat), Blue Buffalo Wildnerness Healthy Weight (10% fat), The Honest Kitchen Zeal (9% fat), Grandma Lucy’s Pureformance Chicken (9% fat), Annamaet Lean (8% fat) and Acana Light and Fit Fit (10% fat).

[InkedMarie]

Anniebug: why don’t you order it online? Many places sell Acana with free or very cheap shipping. I’ve never heard that about pumpkin helping them feel full; I’ve always used fresh green beans.
I’ve never understood how people think their dogs feel they’re starving. They’re dogs. Most of them will happily “beg” for food but that doesn’t mean they’re hungry.

[anniebug]

i have had my over weight dog on acana light & fit and she did good on it the only problem im having is it seems to be really had to find near me so i am thinking about switching to something new but not to sure what, i have been cutting down her food & replacing it with canned pumpkin which helps with weight loss & makes your dog feel full (being a lab she thinks she is always staving!) & fruits & veggies that seems to be working slowly. how do you find out how many carbs are in the food i cant seem to find it on the bag

[anniebug]

we got our 7 year old lab over a year ago & the same thing she was quite over weight, she is also a low energy dog which i know is strange for a lab. i have spent over a year trying anything & everything & she always seem to loose a bit then put it back on, but lately fingers crosses she seems to be loosing weight. She is eating acana light & fit , the suggested feeding says she should be on 3 cups a day i started with that then every 2 weeks if there was no change in her food i would drop her feeding by 10% until i started to notice a change & we are now down to 1and a half cups a day which to me sounds every low for a big dog but as i said she is less active & because of her being a lab shes always looking for food so i add fruit & veggies to her food & she gets 2 spoons of organic pumpkin a day which is great for weight loss & it also makes them feel full http://www.nummytumtum.com/products.html

[anniebug]

i spent a long time trying out dog foods for my over weight lab/collie. when i got her almost 2 years ago she had issues with her joints & she has always been over weight, i finally decided on acana light & fit. the reasons i decided on acana was the high glucosamine & i really liked the reviews i read on it. she does really well on the food she has no joint issues anymore & cutting down her food mixed with pumpkin & other friuts & veggys she has been loosing weight nicely. but latley i have been finding it harder & harder to get my hands on acana all the stores close to me seem to always be running out. I’m not sure what food is smilar?

[samlover]

Sammy goes to the vet every 2 months for a CBC, and he has a history of colitis with dietary issues and stress, so the streak of blood wasn’t too concerning. I did call his vet and he does want to see him if it doesn’t clear up, but on the flip side we don’t want to stress him out and increase make the issue worse…catch 22. He has been eating pumpkin, rice, and boiled chicken for a few days now, and I’m anxiously awaiting his poop to see if it’s more solid (I know that sounds gross-but it’s true!) Once he clears up, I guess I will introduce the new duck and pear Acana with some pumpkin/chicken and see how it goes. If it’s a no-go, I guess we’re going back to Royal Canin HP. Thanks guys-wish us luck lol!

[Mom2Cavs]

Yes, thank goodness. Let us know if they are normal now. All 3 of mine had normal stool today, Yay! Knock on wood, lol, it stays that way. I’m feeding mainly the Duck & Pear (5 lb. bag) with a couple of sample bags of the Lamb mixed in with it. The dogs love the taste. I’ve been topping with a pattie of S&C’s, Fresh Digest, and adding water. Today, tho’, Lucy (Mixed Breed who has been known to be picky) wouldn’t eat! I was hoping it wasn’t the Acana….I dumped out the food and put some Wellness Stew canned in her bowl with some Acana and the Fresh Digest instead of using the S&C’s patty and water. She ate just fine. I think maybe she didn’t want to patty for some reason…? You never know with her hahaha. She is turning 12 this year and has a mass of some kind on her bladder. We know this and she does get supplements for urinary. We aren’t doing anything else, atm, because she isn’t acting sick at all (praise God!). But, when she gets picky like that…I will try to cater to her a little bit :).

[Melissaandcrew]

Hi CP-

Pick some foods that your rescue would be interested in and either email or call them. Explain that you are a rescue and are wondering if they have “kennel” discounts.Some do, some do not. You may find one that is willing to partner with your program the same as SD. As a kennel owner, I found that many of the companies gave me their distributors info and I was able to call and check out pricing-there are volume discounts out there, but other than SD(last I knew food was free, shelter paid for shipping) I really don’t know of any that do that-I would suggest trying Fromm, Nutrisource and Victor for decent foods in bulk.

momofmutts -Acana/orijen breeder program is buy 6 and get 1 free-but all 6 bags have to be purchased at the same time.

[momofmutts]

I work at a pet food store and I know that some dog food companies do have special deals for breeders. Pro plan is one that gives a lot of perks. Their food isn’t that great, but it is a step up from SD. Acana/Orijin has a deal where breeders buy 5 they get one free. They might offer something similar for rescue groups. Otherwise try talking directly to your local pet store owner, especially a smaller independent store. Ask if they will sell to you for cost, plus 10%. We do that for a local rescue with kitten formula. If you offer to direct new pet owners to that store for their pet supplies, it is a win/win situation.
Good luck!

[Melissaandcrew]

Dogs can have a small tinge of blood in the stool if they have been straining from either constipation or diarrhea. I agree however, and a vet should check the stool for parasites as well. That extremely foul odor often occurs with IBS issues as well as small intestinal bacteria overgrowth from my experience.

[Mom2Cavs]

It probably is fine, Betsy, but you can only open it to find out if the kibble looks “funny”…..so, I do respect your decision. The only bag that had the “funny looking” kibble was Pork. And it was a 4-5 lb. bag. None of the other bags I had, even the big bag of Duck had it in there. Like I said, this is the first time for me to ever see “funny looking” kibble in any I’ve bought, and I feel lucky none of mine needed to go to the vet with anything serious. It was probably just a more concentrated piece of the kibble mix, but whatever it was it sure caused some very loose/diarrhea stool, and weird colored, too. None of them acted sick, though, thank goodness, but it sure wasn’t right or normal for them to have that. Hazel started with it and at first I didn’t really think it was the food. But when my daughter told me all 3 were doing it then I started to worry and wonder. I was using probliotics and enzymes, too. But, after it all went out of their systems and I started them on Acana everyone seems pretty much back to normal now in the stool area. I hope it stays this way. I do love Acana…..and I finally think they’re distribution is getting back to normal, too. Currently, I’m using the LID formulas with the oats because I wanted to introduce a more simple food atm.

[BryanV21]

Have you gone to your vet to get it checked out? Blood in the stool tells me something else may be going on, as that’s not normal when changing foods.

[Mom2Cavs]

Thanks, Melissa. The dogs’ stool is getting back to being more normal (fingers crossed!). I’ve been using Acana Lamb and Apple with a small amount of Stella & Chewy’s FD crumbled on top, all mixed with some water. They’ve also been getting Fresh Digest (double dose) mixed in. Too bad about the Merrick. I know that every food company can have problems at one time or another, but it seems like Merrick has been known for some quality control issues here and there (from reading about other’s experiences) and I don’t want to give them another chance right now, especially when there are so many other choices out there. We’ll keep on with the Acana and see how it goes. I’ve always liked it.

[Melissaandcrew]

Hi Jan-

It was the duck variety we had the issues with as well, that I was talking about on the review section. I had three dogs vomiting undigested kibble, some had gas that could kill a maggot(horrible sulfur odor), a few had “off color stool” and I was just generally unhappy and very disappointed in the products results. I returned the second bag that I had purchased and that was unopened. In contrast, I picked up a bag of Fromm Salmon a la veg as well as a bag of Grandma Mae’s country naturals(grain free) that same day. I mixed half a bag of each in my bin with 1/2 bag of Grasslands-despite these both being new foods, stool was normal and better than it had been in several days-no gas either. Point in telling that part is that its not my rotating or a fail to properly introduce it. For some reason, my dogs just did not do well at all with the new Merrick grain free. right now, should be the time I rotate in Acana Lamb/apple, but my store here has not had it in a while, hence the Fromm addition : )

[samlover]

thanks for the responses, guys! going out to get him pumpkin today-just took him out and his poop was super foul, loose, and there was some mucus and a small bit on red blood. He has had the small amount of blood before when he had some stress issues, so I figure this is just from inflammation. Otherwise he is acting fine and normal!