# best dry food?



## Rosie Tomato

Rosie Tomato is 6 months. I know that Havanese can be finicky eaters. I can't help but wonder if she just doesn't like the food she's been eating since she was born (Halo puppy chicken - also tried the Salmon). She occasionally eats on her own & generally needs prompting to eat. We have committed all sorts of errors by giving her treats, mixing in treats and chicken broth... She is very healthy, normal weight for her size, and very happy with a fantastic disposition otherwise. As a new doggie mom, I would welcome all advice!
Thanks,
Debbie


----------



## krandall

Rosie Tomato said:


> Rosie Tomato is 6 months. I know that Havanese can be finicky eaters. I can't help but wonder if she just doesn't like the food she's been eating since she was born (Halo puppy chicken - also tried the Salmon). She occasionally eats on her own & generally needs prompting to eat. We have committed all sorts of errors by giving her treats, mixing in treats and chicken broth... She is very healthy, normal weight for her size, and very happy with a fantastic disposition otherwise. As a new doggie mom, I would welcome all advice!
> Thanks,
> Debbie


There is an easy solution to this. Pick a dog food you feel good about. There are lots of good choices out therE. I fee Natural Balance Organic kibble, but this is FAR from the only choice. Whatever you choose, start at about 1/4c for each meal and adjust up or down depending on her weight. Put the food down twice a day. Leave it down for ONLY 20 minutes. No add-ons, no between meal treats, no cajoling, take it or leave it. Affter 20 minutes pick it up. Feed her her next meal at it's regular time, regular amount.

She may miss a meal or two, but very quickly she'll figure out that you mean business. This WILL NOT HURT HER, and she will not starve.

The biggest mistake people make with feeding their puppies is letting the puppies train THEM into catering to their whims. In the long run, it doesn't help the dog, and it will drive you crazy!


----------



## TilliesMom

VERY well said Karen!! :clap2:


----------



## Rosie Tomato

*Thanks!*

Thanks so much for the advice. 
I heard that Natural balance is a good food. I am looking for a food that she will find delicious, and that is also as natural as possible (amybe even organic?) with no corn, soy, byprodcuts or fillers. I liked the ingredients in Halo. I just think she might be sick of that brand/flavor. I will definitely re-establish an eating routine with her as well. I think I got lost somewhere along the way with that. Rosie is getting spayed in a couple of days, and I will start to transition her to another food after that. I'll let you know how it goes!
Thanks again, 
Debbie


----------



## ShirleyH

Rosie is a cutie!

Look at Life's Abundance kibble. When Keeper was Rosie's age, he was finicky. Now he is 20 months old and just about inhales his food. He gets 1/4 cup of Life's Abundance with a tablespoon of Wellness Chicken Stew mixed in for breakfast and in the evening 1/4
cup of the kibble again mixed with shredded Amish chicken which I cook. He is holding his weight beautifully. If you google Life's Abundance and get on their website, you will be able to compare kibble brands.

Good luck.

Keeper's Mom


----------



## Kathie

:welcome:Welcome, Debbie & Rosie Tomato! I agree with everyone but want to add one point. If you switch foods, please do it gradually over a week or two slowly adding in more of the new as you go along. This will keep from upsetting the tummy!

I'm not sure they ever get tired of the food. Abby has been eating the same food and flavor for three years and she eats it right away except for her morning meal - she doesn't like to eat first thing!

Let us know how Rosie Tomato does with her spay. Some people put a baby onesie on their puppies to keep from biting at their stitches.


----------



## Jazz

Hi Debbie,
I had to go through some changes with my Havanese to identify a food that she liked and that agreed with her. After lots of research, I initially tried a high quality grain free product, but it did not agree with her. With food that she did not really enjoy, she tended to pick out the kibble of the new food and leave it on the floor! After additional research and tests, she is now on Fromm Salmon à la Veg AM and Fromm Surf & Turf PM -- both of which she really likes. She preferred Salmon à la Veg to the other 3 flavours of that group, but I think part of the issue is that she prefers the smaller kibble size of the Salmon & the Surf & Turf. 
Your pet food store should be able to provide you with samples that you can use to 'taste test' before committing to a full bag -- put down a few kibbles and see whether she seems to enjoy them and if so, mix in as 20-25% of her meal. The food store I use will also take back a bag of opened food that the dog does not enjoy and credit it towards a new purchase, which is great.
Karen's advice is good -- they will eat when they are hungry and the correct quantity if left to their own devices. You don't want to make a big fuss about eating. Although my Havanese is very active (walks, obedience & agility), there are days she does not finish her meals. Contingent upon her having a good level of energy, good coat and health, I assume that her appetite is the best judge of how much she needs!
Enjoy your new baby!
Wanda


----------



## Luciledodd

Back to the title of this thread--what is the best Kibble that can be purchased locally? 
Our Tractor Supply has Blue Buffalo and Taste of the wild along with all the regular ones. What about the Blue Buffalo? Rosie is not eating much kibble as I mix meat in with her kibble along with eggs cottage cheeze. But if I don't mix anything else with it she will eat a full bowl of just kibble. You know there are days that I just don't feel like cooking for Rosie or myself.


----------



## lkwilson

Coach eats California Naturals Lamb and Rice puppy kibble. I followed the same advice about not mixing in stuff or coaxing him as he was picky too. Now at 6 mos (and for the last two) he eats it, seems to enjoy it and has the best non messy poops.


----------



## krandall

Rosie Tomato said:


> Thanks so much for the advice.
> I heard that Natural balance is a good food. I am looking for a food that she will find delicious, and that is also as natural as possible (amybe even organic?) with no corn, soy, byprodcuts or fillers. I liked the ingredients in Halo. I just think she might be sick of that brand/flavor. I will definitely re-establish an eating routine with her as well. I think I got lost somewhere along the way with that. Rosie is getting spayed in a couple of days, and I will start to transition her to another food after that. I'll let you know how it goes!
> Thanks again,
> Debbie


Dogs will, literally, eat garbage. Don't worry about her finding the food "delicious". Pick something that YOU think is NUTRITIOUS, and stick to your guns. Before long, she'll be eating it with gusto!


----------



## Jplatthy

I did alot of research on dry dog foods before I chose Taste of the Wild mostly because that was one of the few dogs foods sold locally that had a really good rating and several people on the forum at the time was using it. All 3 of my dogs love it. That said, there are days that they just don't eat or skip a meal. I don't feed snacks in between except if we are training and/or grooming. 

Good luck!


----------



## Becky Chittenden

I'll probably get alot of negative feedback on this, but I feed my dogs Purina Pro Plan. It's not one of the "natural" foods, but Purina does tons of research on their food's nutrition. I've fed Purina products since the 1970's and my dogs are healthy, have good coats and like the food. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate those who feed the "natural" food and the raw, but for me, I'm not switching from Purina products.


----------



## Suzi

I just changed to Acana their are a lot of choices. I got one with chicken and fish. Read about it in line. I think it is a excellent dog food!


----------



## Jplatthy

Becky-I used the Purina Pro Plan too for years and did have my 3 on it and my vet actually sells that and highly encourages it but all 3 of mine went through a couple of months of having really bad upset tummies and were on the Purina EN from the vet and I before I put the back on dry food I did alot of research on pet foods......natural, raw, etc..........and after reading the ingredients in the Pro Plan vs some of the other newer products available on the market today I made the switch to Taste of The Wild............I also wonder if Purina has changed their formula from what it was 20+years ago..........but the bottom line is if you are happy with it and your pups are doing well on it then that's all that matters! Don't worry about what anyone else says!


----------



## SOPHIES-MOM

Sophie's not a big eater, so I do sprinkle her Taste of the Wild with parmesan cheese at dinner, but she eats it plain in the morning.


----------



## Luciledodd

Becky I have also fed Purina Pro Lamb & Rice to my dogs for years at least 30. My guard dog never had anything but that. The poop is not a problem with Purina (less of it). If you have a large dog fenced in your back yard, you get real knowledgeble about poop. But lately the food has changed. The last bag of Lamb and Rice now has big pieces of cardboard looking stuff along with the kibble. Rosie picks out the big pieces and just tosses them all over the floor. So I was looking for another product. I agree that the dog food is just as good as natural ones. Some natural foods are harmful or just not needed for a dogs health.


----------



## MicheleS

Our prior dog had to be put down after years of suffering with digestive problems that required him to be on Prednisone long-term. He ate a vet-recommended prescription dog food that I later found out was full of by-products and chemicals. Since I suffer from an auto-immune disease and my symptoms are much worse when I eat unhealthy foods, I really tried to do my research on dog foods when we got Cappy. I didn't want him to develop digestive problems like our last dog. Karen is right - there are lots of good choices out there. I choose Wellness Puppy for Cappy and actually only give him Wellness puppy treats for training as well. He loves it and eats it like it's his favorite meal every time. I also liked Halo and some of the others already mentioned. Good luck finding a food that works for you - but once you do, stick with it. Like others have said - I haven't yet heard of a healthy dog starving himself


----------



## DonnaC

Luciledodd said:


> Back to the title of this thread--what is the best Kibble that can be purchased locally?
> Our Tractor Supply has Blue Buffalo and Taste of the wild along with all the regular ones. What about the Blue Buffalo? Rosie is not eating much kibble as I mix meat in with her kibble along with eggs cottage cheeze. But if I don't mix anything else with it she will eat a full bowl of just kibble. You know there are days that I just don't feel like cooking for Rosie or myself.


We feed our puppies Blue Buffalo and are happy with it. I like the ingredient list, and the dogs seem to like it. Neither of them (the Hav or the Dachshund) is the most eager eater, but they it it consistently and go to the bathroom fine. I did some research before choosing it, and it seems well liked.


----------



## davetgabby

:canada:


Jazz said:


> Hi Debbie,
> I had to go through some changes with my Havanese to identify a food that she liked and that agreed with her. After lots of research, I initially tried a high quality grain free product, but it did not agree with her. With food that she did not really enjoy, she tended to pick out the kibble of the new food and leave it on the floor! After additional research and tests, she is now on Fromm Salmon à la Veg AM and Fromm Surf & Turf PM -- both of which she really likes. She preferred Salmon à la Veg to the other 3 flavours of that group, but I think part of the issue is that she prefers the smaller kibble size of the Salmon & the Surf & Turf.
> Your pet food store should be able to provide you with samples that you can use to 'taste test' before committing to a full bag -- put down a few kibbles and see whether she seems to enjoy them and if so, mix in as 20-25% of her meal. The food store I use will also take back a bag of opened food that the dog does not enjoy and credit it towards a new purchase, which is great.
> Karen's advice is good -- they will eat when they are hungry and the correct quantity if left to their own devices. You don't want to make a big fuss about eating. Although my Havanese is very active (walks, obedience & agility), there are days she does not finish her meals. Contingent upon her having a good level of energy, good coat and health, I assume that her appetite is the best judge of how much she needs!
> Enjoy your new baby!
> Wanda


Welcome Jazz, I like your idea. Go to pet specialty store ,ask for a sample of their five healthiest foods and let the dog decide. :canada: But I wouldn't let them decide how much they need.


----------



## Jazz

Hi Dave,
I agree that my comment about letting the dog decide quantity could be faulty. I owned Goldens previously, and would NEVER have let them decide quantity (retrievers work more on the 'open the bag and inhale until someone removes the bag' methodology). Our Havanese seems to self-regulate -- she leaves food if her activity level has been lower than normal. This has lulled me into the 'let her decide' philosophy. I do pick up an uneaten food after 20-25 minutes. 
Wanda


----------



## krandall

davetgabby said:


> :canada:
> 
> Welcome Jazz, I like your idea. Go to pet specialty store ,ask for a sample of their five healthiest foods and let the dog decide. :canada: But I wouldn't let them decide how much they need.


I tried that when Kodi was a puppy. He liked them all in small quantities.:biggrin1: And the trouble was that small quantities don't give you time to properly transition to a new food, or enough time to see how your dog does on the food. I remember trying one food that was highly recommended on the forum (I can't remember which one any more) and having it give Kodi TERRIBLE gas. No one wanted to even sit with him!ound: We wouldn't have been able to determine that without having him on it for a while.

But on top of that, as Sabine pointed out, the "5 healthiest" is very much in the eye of the beholder. Many people won't touch a dog food with wheat or corn in it... and Sabine says both are fine unless the dog specifically has a problem with those ingredients. That's just an example. I'd trust Sabine to help choose a good food for my dog, or if you have someone local, like I do, who is really knowledgeable about nutrition. But I wouldn't trust people at a pet store (even an independent specialty dog store) to help me with that any more (probably less!) than the vet's office.


----------



## krandall

Jazz said:


> (retrievers work more on the 'open the bag and inhale until someone removes the bag' methodology)


ound:ound:ound:

Maybe Kodi is part Golden Retriever.ound: Actually, I don't know that he'd eat himself sick, but I'm SURE he wouldn't maintain his svelt figure left to decide for himself. Hey, that's what _*I*_ need... someone to handle the portion control part for me!ound:


----------



## davetgabby

Yeah Wanda , I hear you. According to Sabine some dogs do self-regulate. Not my Molly, LOL


----------



## Rosie Tomato

Wow! I'm so glad I found this forum. Thanks so much for all of the thoughtful discussion. Rosie Tomato was spayed last week, and has been wearing an e-collar without diapers. She had terrible diarrea after wards for a few days which the vet said was due to the anethesia. Long story short, it was recommended that we swich her food to rice and chicken or rice and hamburger. Since she's been on the burger and rice, no more diarrea and her appetite is phenomenal. I plan to purchase either Wellness LID, Fromms, or Blue Buffalo or one of the foods mentioned here tomorrow and slowly start to integrate that with the burger rice. I have noticed less eye secretions in the time she's been eating the burger, so I'll shy away from anything with chicken in it. Your advice is still very welcome! I'll keep you all posted!
Thanks again, 
Debbie


----------



## Jazz

Hi Debbie,
Best wishes to Rosie Tomato for a speedy recovery!
Wanda


----------



## DonnaC

Rosie Tomato is an awesome name!


----------



## littlebuddy

ditto on picking up the food. my vet told me years ago when we had the same issue, a dog will never go hungry, they may miss a meal but they will eat. i am experience this issue right now with my hav who is 71/2. sometimes just like us , they don't want to eat. keep an eye on him however because he is a puppy.


----------



## Flynn Gentry-Taylor

:hungry:If you want a good site to compare dog foods try
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com
I enjoyed looking at all the comparisions of Blue Buffalo, TOTW, HiTek, and several other dry or canned foods I was considering. But most of all I enjoyed viewing the video you will see listed on the left side about how to choose a food for you pet. Dr. Becker has 3 videos actually and well worth the time it takes to watch them. I finally felt I could intelligently read the ingredients listed on the package and it made sense. 
She is also on Mercola.com, click under pets...again, it is an education, or at least it was for me..


----------



## littlebuddy

because of djangos addisons and his bout of pancreatitis a few years ago and allergies to beef, lamb, chicken and wheat we eat california natural herring and sweet potato. i've done research and california natural is great for dogs with sensative bellies. 
the other thing i learned a few years ago is that if you feed your dog fish for example, their treats should also be fish. keep their food and treats in the same family.


----------

