[gixx0r]

Hi all,

I just picked up an 11 month old Bichon Frise and want to do my best in ensuring it eats quality foods that help its coat and mitigates the potential for allergies that Bichons tend to have when messing with their diet.

He is currently on Life’s Abundance Premium Health for Puppies and Adults. We got him as a dog that needed a rehome after the breeder had sold it to family that realized they couldn’t handle him. That family had been feeding it Purina Pro Plan Focus Toy Breed Puppy kibble.

Any suggestions for a good rotation as it enters adulthood?

[theBCnut]

Bichons can be prone to bladder stones, so I suggest a high moisture diet, like canned food, or add water to his kibble.

Nature’s Variety Instinct, Nature’s Logic, and Brothers Complete are all good foods with small kibbles. Nature’s Variety Instinct and Nature’s Logic also have canned.

[pugmomsandy]

In addition to what Patty uses, we use Nature’s Variety Instinct, Back to Basics and Nutrisource grain free and Amicus. My mom’s 7 or 8 yr old bichon eats Merrick currently with various grain free canned foods.

[gixx0r]

Thanks Patty and Sandy for the comments. How are Blue Buffalo products for Bichons? We’ll definitely consider adding a little moisture to his diet. This is completely new for us so any recommendations are appreciated.

In terms of canned foods, what do you use? Same brands?

[theBCnut]

A lot of people are reporting diarrhea problems with Blue Buffalo right now.

[pugmomsandy]

I like Wellness Stews, Merrick Classic and 96%, Tripett, Weruva, Addiction, and dehydrated foods like The Honest Kitchen.

[gixx0r]

Thanks again for the suggestions, I now have our boy Dez on Core Wellness Small Breed kibble, but have gained the sudden fascination of the raw diet. I am close with my local butcher shops so I think the meat products won’t be a problem, my question is, from a pure cost standpoint, is it cheaper to create my own raw menu or use premium kibble?

I know the cost of pre-packaged raw balanced diets are far greater than kibble, but how about preparing your own?

[pugmomsandy]

It depends on the cuts of meat you’re using for the homemade raw and if it’s regular, free range, grass fed, antibiotic free, etc. You probably don’t want the regular chickens that have been injected but rather get some that are less processed, no antibiotics. You can find discount prices when the sell-by dates are coming up. At the health food store, I can get a package of turkey neck with giblets for around $1.49/lb. But duck necks are about $2.69/lb. Ground beef 80/20 is less than $1/lb and containers of heart and gizzard are under $2/lb. I guess it also depends on your area of the country. There is an initial investment of freezer space and a meat/bone grinder but they are well worth it. Or you can use boneless meats and supplement with bone meal or other source of calcium. The recipe book “Real Food for Healthy Dogs and Cats” by Karen Becker/Beth Taylor has simple recipes with and without bone. I would say my average (guessing) would be $2.20 a pound and my dog would eat 6 oz per day = 11.25 lbs per month = $24.75 per month PLUS supplements. Kibble would be $15.60 per month for me ($79 for 100 cups). I don’t ever use the $0.39/lb bag of chicken thighs!! But yes, you can get homemade to be real cheap. Let’s say a combo of ground beef 80/20 or 70/30 and chicken heart/gizzard and some supplements would be cheap, in rotation with the Core. I think it would work out. You can also join a local raw feeding group and order in bulk with them. I like to buy tripe which is $2/lb for me. I also feed raw sardines which I bought on sale for $1.19/lb. You can also add up to 20% of unbalanced raw food to his diet without having to worry about extra vit/min supplementation. Maybe give him a chicken wing, a heart and piece of gizzard a couple times a week.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 3 months ago by pugmomsandy.

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