[Haley H]

I really like the ingredients of Farmina N&D. The lamb one is for all life stages as well…

Problem (which could also be a benefit) is that it’s made in Italy…meaning no supply store in CA. however, chewy.com has it. You’d think this brand would be more popular because of its high quality ingredients, I guess I’m wondering why it isnt…

Thoughts?

I’m planning on a fusion type diet, some raw (green tripe, mackerel, eggs, raw ground meat combos), some home cooked, some freeze-dried, all variants based alongside a high quality kibble. Also, like Dr. Ian Dunbar’s puppy training books suggest, I’ll be skipping the use of a food bowl…encouraging foraging “hunting” for food via puzzle/enrichment toys…like kongs (and the ethical pet tpr stuffables), both fresh and dried trachea tubes, raw hooves, bones, etc

I’m considering this brand for my malamute puppy, who will be coming home at 8 weeks this July.

Thanks in advance for the advice and input!

[Tim S]

We have been feeding our latest puppy the Farmina Natural & Delicious Chicken Grain-Free Large Breed Puppy Formula Dry Dog Food for about ten months after transitioning from another highly rated food (Orijen). We are quite happy with the results, the puppy loves the food and the kibble size is relatively large (works well as a training treat).

I am not familiar with Farmina’s marketing strategy in the U.S. although I would guess that their market penetration efforts are regional in scope … beyond the existing nationwide Chewy.com distribution channel.

[Scared D]

It is very average food. The company is very much like the Purina of Italy and I have seen it locally. Look on Italian website and look at the junky products that are available there. Rather than stimulate demand the right way they try to give you useless items like plastic tote bags and metal food containers. No store wants that junk to deal with.

I think the label suffers from translation issues that make it appear better quality like “dehydrated lamb” is just ‘lamb meal”. Also a lot of the marketing is copy cat. I had some samples and to me it smells like a yeasty substance or some sort of digest is on the outside. I also think 18 month dating is a lot of bull. Who wants to feed their dog food that is already a year old.

As far as food coming from Italy. I would be concerned because of the time and heat that builds up in ocean containers. It can easily sit for a week or more in very high temperatures at ports and get ruined. This could happen on both sides of the trip and Italy in south is quite warm, not to mention here in the summer. Before leaving Italy those boats can make several stops in hot weather locations. Italy, Spain, Portugal.

I would say its no better than an average food to be honest and not worth spending a lot of time on.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by Scared D.

[Haley H]

Dehydrated lamb is completely different than lamb meal though…that would be a serious mislabelling issue I find hard to believe… I’ll have to look at the ingredients in Italian and have my friend (who speaks Italian) translate it more thoroughly. It seems like pretty high quality brand if the ingredients are what they say.

[Scared D]

First, there is no approved definition in the US called “dehydrated lamb”. This is what leads me to believe the ingredient is the same as other companies use. Lamb Meal is dehydrated lamb products so a literal translation in error is the likely explanation. All meal products are dehydrated products. If you think slabs of lamb meat like jerky are in pet food I have some swampland to sell you.

In Italy I am sure the accepted term for our Lamb Meal is Dehydrated Lamb. They just haven’t been caught yet.

Another point, unlike chicken and turkey, mammal definitions can include by-products. So when you see Beef Meal, Lamb Meal, Bison Meal, Pork Meal etc, everything but hair, hoof and hides can be used and is predominately used. Not that its bad, but consumers do not understand this point. The best source of protein in pet food is Chicken By Product meal.

There are so many great foods made here I cannot see how this company will get any traction.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by Scared D.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by Scared D.

[InkedMarie]

I have used Farmina often; I like the food and my dog did well on it.
There were some issues with the Farmina distributor and that’s about all I know.
If you like it, keep feeding it!

[Haley H]

Imho, I would never feed any “meat by product meal”.

But to each their own. 🙂

Luckily I have a couple months before my puppy comes home. I would miss being able to go to any quality supply store and picking up a bag of dog food, and buying online as it is, can be a bit sketch. My family and friends have alllllll had phenomenal success and healthy longevity feeding Taste of the Wild (which I’ve been told is “trash”, despite dfa’s 5 star rating on some flavors). I know there is pea proteins and etc, but having giant breed dogs live to almost 14, for me, the proof is in the pudding. I *may* just resort to using this while supplementing with raw, freeze-dried, and home cooked…IDK! 🙂

Back to the drawing boards though, the wind has kind of been taken out of the SS Farmina sails.. not a bad thing certainly… I don’t mind comprehensive research. I enjoy it! 😉

• This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by Haley H.

[Susan]

Hi Haley, have you emailed Farmina? ask them any questions you may have.. I just google Farmina & clicked on the UK English link, send them a emailed they’d speak English…..link down the bottom..

Farmina kibble looks like a 5 star food & the ingredient list they write, Fresh Boneless Chicken (28%) dehydrated Lamb (27%) being written in the UK they would have translated everything & the Dehydrated Lamb must be dehydrated lamb not Lamb Meal… Farmina was invented with the help of an English company its all in the link below…

I love how Farmina writes the percentage of the meat which is excellent, you know how much protein your getting also the kibbles with grains Farmina writes oats-10% etc……Most kibble brands just write protein % under Guaranteed Analysis, the plant protein & meat protein are put all together & you don’t know if the kibble has more plant protein or meat protein….. I just looked at Farmina’s “Analytical Compounds” (Guaranteed Analysis) & Farmina have written it saying “Raw” the way all kibbles should write their ingredient list…. When ingredients are written it’s done when the ingredients are raw not cooked but they don’t tell us that on the kibble packet or on their online site.. I learnt thru Rodney Habib F/B page when Rodney brought out a video showing us how kibble companies con us, they write Turkey # 1 ingredient then the next ingredient is potatoes or corn, when potatoes are cooked they weigh more then cooked turkey, so really the potatoes are #1 ingredient or corn & your kibble bag is full of corn or potatoes…. an meat ingredient being 1st ingredient is good, but you need at least 2-4 meat ingredients as 1st 2nd 3rd & 4th ingredients, then a carb.

also about the shipping from Italy to America, I live Australia & we get kibbles all the way from America…. I was told by Sunday Pets the shipping containers that were shipping their Sunday Pets (New Zealand Brand) from NZ to Australia the containers were pack with some type of cooling ice packed foam to keep the containers cool…I don’t know if all kibble companies do this but ask Farmina & ask where is the food is made that comes to America is it made in the UK or Italy?
I got a bag of Canidae Pure Land the other month & when I opened the bag the kibble smelt so fresh & that has come all the way from America, no dogs had died yet in Australia from kibbles from overseas…
If you like the look of Farmina Pet Food then buy a small bag, smell it, even taste it, if your pup does well on it, then feed it….Farmina may be too rich, he may have diarrhea being around 42% protein you wont know unless you try it,…
The best diet for any cat or dog is a raw diet so maybe contact a nutritionist & have a raw diet made up.. Here’s an English Farmina link hover over “Farmina” & read all about the Russo family when they started in 1965 then in 1999 started making Pet Food then Farmina was created in 2008 with the help of an English company. Good luck with your new pup…. http://www.farmina.com/uk/d-dog-food.html

[Haley H]

Susan, thank you for your thoughtful response. I’m really interested in reading more about Rodney Habib and his research on kibble contents…that sounds really interesting. 🙂 it would definitely change the way I look at kibble. I’ll email Farmina also, just to get some clarity on the ingredients too, what a good idea.

Scared D, I’m not quite sure how to respond to your continual comments about kool-aid, swampland, and certain kibble choices being trash, in many of my posts, but I’m here to learn and research in a positive and kind environment. I think you have a lot of knowledge to offer, but when it’s delivered in a way that some may consider to be rude or abrasive, the efficacy is kind of lost on your audience. I’m not sure if that’s how you meant to come across, but it’s just something to think about…we are all humans on the other end of the screen, and we are here to learn and support each other in giving our dogs the best nutrition we are able to. I’d like to think dfa provides a safe and encouraging space to do that.

As for the by product meal, it has nothing on the fresh, grass fed, raw source. Here’s what I’ve read about it:

/choosing-dog-food/animal-by-products/

Not bad, I guess, it’s largely a cheap source of protein.
Nearly incomparable with fresh, raw, grass fed tripe and organ meats/bits.

[InkedMarie]

Haley,
If you are on FB, look for Planet Paws; it’s Rodney’s page.

[Crystal P]

I know this post is somewhat old, but I want to put my knowledge in. There is a Farmina plant in PA and they are putting on now in CA. What I’m told is their almost done with it. If you look on the bag it states Italian formula.

[Crystal P]

Also, Farmina gives tons of free samples. Just message though fb. You’ll talk to a very nice and knowledgeable man by the name Josh. I talk to him a lot and he answers every question.

[Sara M]

Farmina is the best dry food on the market! Instead of meat meals (the inedible part of the animal ultra-heated) they use dehydrated meats, for their meat concentrates. They don’t use any cheap filler protein boosters likes peas, chickpeas or lentils. It is low glycemic, free range and non-gmo. For dry food, there is none better than Farmina

[Nadia K]

My pup is currently on Farmina Cod Ancestral Grains. She absolutely loves it. I buy the food directly from the Farmina website. Any concerns anyone has can be addressed with a private message on facebook. They are very quick to respond to questions.

[GSDsForever]

Nadia,

My dog has been doing really well on Farmina and enjoying it. We’ve tried the Cod and Herring formulas, so far.

Did you have any problems on the Farmina Cod with Ancestral Grains or did you stop feeding it due to your concern about alfalfa?

• This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by GSDsForever.

[Jerry R]

You feed your dog hay?

[GSDsForever]

Jerry,

Be well. I am not interested in engaging in the debates you wish to have.

Perhaps you might wish to open a debate thread for promoting your feeding preferences and beliefs?

Good luck to you & your dogs! Happy holidays!

[Jerry R]

Well no wonder some of you are jumping from one dog food to the next because of issues. Pototoes? Seriously? If raw potatoes are toxic to dogs why would you feed kibble that has potatoes in any form?
And seriously hay? Sorry I find that unbelievable. Grains and cereals are the main cause of food allergies in dogs. I wonder how many of their ancestors were out grazing in a hay field?

As far as labels go, I wouldnt trust a dang thing any of them said anyway. As a truck driver, I’ve been in enough dog food plants to know I wouldnt feed that garbage to my dogs. Dead animals rotting away that stink to high heaven are ground up and put in dog food.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by Jerry R.

[Marisa J]

I work at a pet store and I can tell you I’ve only ever had one dog deny Farmina so far. And the dog was fed raw and they were looking to find a kibble. So, when going from something so fresh to something cooked and not fresh it’s pretty hard.

Farmina is awesome though! They are a high protein kibble and low carb. They are from Italy so the standards there are much higher than any USA dog food.

They produce bags to vendors orders. So it’s nice to know that these bags are not sitting on a shelf waiting for dust.

They also press fruits and vegetables together and spray this on their kibble for a vitamin supplement. So no random vitamin E supplement purchased from the market. And I think this is why so many dogs and cats love their food.

They also cold press their ingredients into the shape.

Farmina is an awesome kibble! Their bags range in price too depending on proteins and flavors too.

[Nadia K]

I actually stopped feeding my dog Farmina. Not because she didn’t like it, but because even after a slow transition and a few months eating it she still had a loose stool. I have recently transitioned my girl to raw and am thrilled with the results.

[Patricia A]

Nadia are you now using raw frozen food? I know I remember you wrote that you were using freeze dried I believe. Which brand/brands are you feeding? I am giving more primal proteins now then the Stella’s. Primal doesn’t have synthetic vitamins as stella’s does. I also want to try Vital Essentials . My pet supply doesn’t carry this brand so would have to order.
Right now I stick to Primal duck and turkey and sardine. I want to switch up the proteins in Primal to the ones which have no HPP. I know all of Stella’s proteins use HPP and I believe vital essentials also. Not totally against this step since I still think freeze dried using HPP in these brands is better then kibble or canned any day.
I’m quilty of trying to stretch the freeze dried by using kibble at times as a base since I have two. I’m thinking of switching up again frtom Stella & Chewy’s baked raw coated to slowly introducing Natures Logic Distinction. I’m liking that they use no synthetic vitamins, and No corn, wheat, rice, soy, peas, tapioca, or potato with no artificial flavor, color or chemical preservatives.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by Patricia A.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by Patricia A.

[Nadia K]

Hi Patricia. Yes I am now feeding raw frozen patties and my pup Lacey loves them. I did a lot of research and came across a site by Susan Thixton. https://truthaboutpetfood.com/

She puts a list out every year of pet foods she recommends. After reading the reviews and researching the companies, I went with Raw Bistro. https://rawbistro.com/collections/raw-food

Dog Food Advisor review: /dog-food-reviews/raw-bistro-dog-food/

This is a small business in Minnesota. Their food is also recommended by Dr Becker who’s opinion I value. I bought it directly on their website. They shipped it very quickly in a foam cooler with dry ice.

I started Lacey on their turkey patties and transitioned her very slowly over about two weeks. She had no upsets from the food whatsoever. Perfect poop every time. Right before the transition she was eating the Primal freeze dried turkey/ sardine. I would put the Primal on one side of her bowl and the Raw Bistro on the other side. I would intentionally turn the bowl in different directions and she would always eat the Raw Bistro first. She likes the Primal but much prefers the Raw Bistro.

The only down side to the raw frozen patties is that you have to remember to take out the patties the night before so they have a chance to thaw in the refrigerator. We actually just bought a new standing freezer which is wonderful. No more bending over and looking for stuff that has fallen underneath and gotten lost. Raw Bistro does a dehydrated raw as well so I did purchase a bag in the event I forget to get the patties out of the freezer.

[Patricia A]

Hi Nadia. I’m so glad to hear how well Lacey is dong the frozen raw. It gives me confidence to to switch over from the freeze dried with my two Chihuahuas’. I know it will be cheaper with the frozen also..But I do like the convenience of not having to defrost. I always forget even to defrost my meat so another thing to remember for me. lol I remember a few years ago when there was a rep from Stella & Chewy’s at my local Pet Supply store with samples of their freeze dried. I didn’t even stop to get a pamphlet. It was so foreign to me to give anything else but kibble. After I saw the film as you did Truth about pet food I tried out the freeze dried. I subscribe to Thixton’s list also every new year. So happy that Tia and Loli are doing so well on the different brands and proteins . Just feel good about feeding them what I feel is a much better diet then kibble or canned.I enjoy their enthusiasm when eating and never any stomach problems. My next step is to stop the kibble base. I only give five or six with the freeze dried. I throw that in after I add warm water to the food so it stays crunchy. . I’m worried they’ll miss the little bit of crunch if I stop. lol
Going to order a small Raw bistro from my pet supply store. Maybe use as treats along with the Bixbi Rawwbles I now use. Happy Holidays to you and Lacey!

• This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by Patricia A.

[Nadia K]

Good luck Patricia. Hope your sweet pooches love it. Merry Christmas !!!

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