[jnconner]

Help! First, let me stated this is my first pet ever so I’m new to the dog game, so to speak. I’m an advocate for the healthy, wholefood, holistic approach as it relates to my family and I would like to include our newest addition as well. I have a four month old toy poodle name Coco who is currently on Science Diet. This is what his breeder was feeding him. After recently finding out the contents in dog food, I would like to switch him to a 4/5 Star quality dog food such as Wellness Core Grain Free puppy formula or Blue Freedom Grain Free for puppies asap.
My question is around the amount of protein. Should I be concerned with the percentage of protein for a dog of his size (3.5lbs)? Is 36% crude protein to high?
My question steams from my visit to PetSmart where a sale associate recommended me not to use Wellness Core Grain Free due to the high protein content stating it would be to much for his system to handle and toy breeds don’t need this much protein.
The Wellness Core Grain Free Puppy Formula has 36% crude protein and the Blue Freedom Grain Free Formula has 27% crude protein.
I’m just trying to find the best food for my toy poodle that will aid in his growth to becoming a healthy adult with many years of life. Thanks for your feedback.

[suztzu]

The associate was very wrong, puppies espcially need a good amount of protein and fat they are both essential to a growing puppy. Both are good foods the Core I thought was an all life stage food and the kibble is quite large for a small puppy if he’s a gulper like mine is. My shih tzu Leo would swallow them whole and throw it up a half hour later gross. Earthborn holistics, Blue Buffalo wilderness Innova prime, Natures Variety Instinct are also all good products. When you transition him over to a different food do it slowly because some of the grain free foods are also high in fat and can cause loose stool. I never feed my dogs anything with protein under 28 to 30 % if I can help it. I also will give them Natures Variety Instinct canned at least once a day mixed in the kibble to boost the protein levels. Have fun with puppy good luck

[Mom2Cavs]

suztzu…Core has developed some new formulas now that are different than regular Core. They have Core for small breeds, puppies, etc. I’m not sure about the size of Core Puppy kibble, but the Small Breed size kibble is tiny.

[DogFoodie]

I’m on a rotation of Nature’s Logic right now and love it. The kibble size is very small not much bigger than Canine Caviar, which I think of as tiny. If you’re interested in a natural food with quality ingredients and whole food vitamins and minerals, check out Nature’s Logic.

[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.

[InkedMarie]

Hey Jan…..do you post to the Dog & Puppy Forums with names of your dogs as your “SN”?

[DogFoodie]

I’ve used Nature’s Logic kibble for a couple of months, Jan. I started over the summer with their canned foods, which are also excellent. Both of my dogs really like both the canned and the kibble. Bella, my Cavalier was looking a little dry and flaky (when she was on the Canine Caviar rotation before starting Nature’s Logic) and she looks like my shiny, pretty little girl again.

In the canned, I’ve used the lamb and in the the kibbled formulas, I’ve used vension, beef and chicken ~ all with great results. It’s tolerated well… no gas, good stool quality and nice coats.

I’ve ordered it from both wag.com and petflow.com. I was also suprised when I used the store locator on the Nature’s Logic website because they happen to carry it locally at several natural food stores and pet boutiques near me. Try this, you never know: http://www.natureslogic.com/locations/. It’s really pretty affordable also. On petflow.com for example, it starts at about $2.20 per pound for a 26.4 pound bag. I buy the small bags only because “I” get bored quickly and change food on these guys A LOT!

Also, I discovered that Nature’s Logic is one of Susan Thixton’s favorite foods ~ which also meant a lot to me. : )

[Mom2Cavs]

@Marie….yes, that’s me LOL!

@Betsy….Thanks! I also knew that Susan Thixton likes it. I think I’m gonna rotate it in next (I also change foods alot because I, too, get bored hahaha!). My dog owner friends laugh at me all the time because I’m constantly trying something different with the girls. Hazel (my Black & Tan) sometimes gets dry and flaky, so this might help her…worth a shot. I also found it at Chewy.com. I know who carries it locally, but they will have to special order it for me and sometimes their special ordering isn’t the greatest, so I’ll just order it online.

[InkedMarie]

Jan, I never connected you so you probably didn’t connect me to InkedMarie on the forum! I did ask you on DF before I asked here.

[Mom2Cavs]

@Marie…Oh…I guess I didn’t connect the dots. Senior moments happen alot to me lol. I post there, Dogster (but not in awhile), Dogfoodchat, Dogforum and, of course, here! There may be a few other places, but I can’t remember them lol.

[jnconner]

@suztzu @Mom2Cavs
All, thanks so much for the information. I did find the statement from the PetSmart associate hard to believe and I’m glad I was able to get some feedback here. I purchased the ‘Blue Buffalo Freedom Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Puppies’ yesterday afternoon and the kibbles are very small. However, having read your post last night, I’m wondering if I should take the Blue Buffalo back and get the ‘Wellness Core Grain Free Puppy Formula’ since the crude protein content is 36%. You also mentioned supplementing with can to up the protein. Is there a reason you do both dry and can dog food outside of providing the additional protein? I’m wondering if this is something I should consider as well.
Does anyone know if the Natures Variety Instinct brand is sold at PetSmart I would like to stick with a 5 Star that I can purchase locally if possible.

[Mom2Cavs]

Hi, jnconner. I supplement with canned food or freeze dried w/water added for moisture and variety and taste. Lots of people feed just dry, but I recommend adding something to the kibble, at least every now and then, for moisture or freshness, taste and variety. You can do lots of different things. Some people add veggies, fresh meat, sardines, egg, canned food, yogurt, cottage cheese, etc. Also, Nature’s Variety is not sold at Petsmart, but is sold at Petco. Hope this helps.

[DogFoodie]

Can’t seem to open this myself at work right now; but, I just got this in an email from Susan Thixton’s site, The Truth About Pet Food, regarding Blue Buffalo changes: http://truthaboutpetfood2.com/blue-buffalo-kibble-change

[InkedMarie]

Jan, I also post on Dog Food Chat!

[InkedMarie]

Betsy, I just got that as well.

[Mom2Cavs]

I know guys…I just got the email, too. I could relate due to the weird thing I had happen with the Merrick Pork kibble. @Betsy….what Nature’s Logic do you think I should start with? I have senior dogs and kinda want to get away from chicken. Thanks!

[DogFoodie]

Hey Jan,

They’re all good in my book. If you’ve been doing a lot of chicken and are wanting to get away from it a bit, I have this idea that maybe the lamb and venison are more easily digested red meats than beef. I could be completely wrong about that though. : ). I started with the lamb canned and the venison kibble and they were both good from the start.

You know, I avoided grains at all costs and Nature’s Logic contains millet; but, after doing some research about it and after getting some more information from HDM and Shawna about it, I’m OK with it and would have to say I definitely prefer it over some other binders.

I’ll be eager to hear what you think of it!

[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.

[DogFoodie]

Hey Jan,

I’ve been wondering if you tried any of your Nature’s Logic, yet. If so, I’m curious to hear what sort of success you’ve had with it so far. I got a bag of the sardine recently and it’s a toss up which I’ll open next… that, Mulligan Stew or the new Orijen. ::shameless dog food junkie::

[InkedMarie]

ROFL@”shameless dog food junkie”

I was telling my husband bout some of you gals who “hoard” dog food…..he thought I meant like the mix we have here, til i showed him someones freezer. He said I’m no dog food hoarder LOL

[theBCnut]

I have about 1/4 of a freezer and a row of food behind the crates and my husband thinks I’m nuts. I haven’t showed him the picture of Sandy’s freezer or whoever was kind enough to post the picture of their dog food pantry. HeHeHe, He already thinks some of my friends are crazy.

[InkedMarie]

We are crazy but in a good way!

[pugmomsandy]

I’ll be adding some raw trachea and stuffed cow hooves to the dogs’ freezer! We made a group order down south from GreenTripe(dot)com. I need to go grind up that beef spleen that’s been thawing out…after I get some sleep…and that pet pantry keeps getting more stuff added to it! I need to rearrange it!

[theBCnut]

So it was your pantry…

Yes, we are crazy in a good way.

[InkedMarie]

Yep, must’ve been Sandy’s hoard, LOL.
Never heard of that Green Tripe place; off to look!

[pugmomsandy]

This group might be able to hook you up with local resources:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CarnivoreFeed-Supplier

and also the BARF yahoo group as well. Raw feeders post all the time for group orders. Someone wants to put a large HareToday order currently and last month a group ordered from Iowa (Medford Meats?)

[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.

[Author]

Posts