# DOG FOOD - Here we go again ...



## Lila (Apr 9, 2013)

OK. I have a favor. I won't go into detail about Mikey's food changes because we've all done it trying to find the best for our little buddies. Mikey is on Orijen right now and was doing good for the last month but now he's developing gas - pew!! I hear high protein is good, high protein is bad, grains are good, grains are bad ... blah blah blah ... :doh: so -

My favor is: For those of you that have used a dry kibble that you're happy with and your dog seems to be doing good on, could you please just post what it is? Not necessary to have long posts just the name of the food. Kind of like the post that asked how many Hav's we all have.

It would be great to see a list. I know a lot of you cook your own and believe in it and I'm sure it's great but I'm not able to do that right now.

I'm sure it would help a lot of people to see a list of good dry kibble you all use that you're happy with.

THANK YOU GUYS!!!!! :hail: :hail: :hail:


----------



## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Oijen is a good kibble. Dogs really don't need carbohydrates, (GAS) ... THIS is from ORIJEN site ..."The more protein in the food, the less room for carbohydrates. And that’s good. Because while protein is essential, dogs and cats have no requirement for carbohydrates. In fact, for dogs and cats, carbohydrates are ‘empty calories’ that provide little nutritional value beyond their controversial energy potential"

Yet today’s dry kibble averages somewhere between 46 and 74 percent carbohydrate. National Research Council...... you tell me, whether we're being taken for a ride?


----------



## Pucks104 (Aug 16, 2012)

Fromm grain free for three older dogs and Fromm Puppy food for Leo. All doing very well.


----------



## m0rg4n (Feb 8, 2013)

Thank you for starting this thread. Indy is currently on a local food:
http://www.platinum.com/index.php/en/our-products-dry-dogfood/puppy-chicken.html

It's supposed to be fantastic food but since switching he's started 
to be gassy and his poops are much more runny than they used to be.
We're going to wait a little longer to see if it is something else bothering him
but having a list of other good dog foods is always nice to have on hand.


----------



## marlowe'sgirl (Jun 17, 2010)

Orijen - currently a mix of red meat and the regular adult dog flavor. My pup wasn't a fan of the 6 fish version. I also add half a scrambled egg 3-5 mornings/wk.


----------



## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

as much as I'm not a fan of this site , they did get this right..http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/canine-nutrition/dog-food-carbohydrates/


----------



## FancyNancy (Oct 7, 2009)

That's so weird because Sabine insisted that henry's formula have carbs - either sweet potatoes or split peas. How come she insisted on this if carbs are not necessary?


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Lila said:


> OK. I have a favor. I won't go into detail about Mikey's food changes because we've all done it trying to find the best for our little buddies. Mikey is on Orijen right now and was doing good for the last month but now he's developing gas - pew!! I hear high protein is good, high protein is bad, grains are good, grains are bad ... blah blah blah ... :doh: so -
> 
> My favor is: For those of you that have used a dry kibble that you're happy with and your dog seems to be doing good on, could you please just post what it is? Not necessary to have long posts just the name of the food. Kind of like the post that asked how many Hav's we all have.
> 
> ...


Kodi hasn't been on a lot of different foods, but I did try him on Orijens (after a s-l-o-w transition. Orijens is the only food we've given him that gave him nasty gas. I know lots of other people use it and like it, but it didn't work for us.

Kodi eats Natural Balance Organic, and does great on it... Has for almost 3 years.


----------



## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

FancyNancy said:


> That's so weird because Sabine insisted that henry's formula have carbs - either sweet potatoes or split peas. How come she insisted on this if carbs are not necessary?


 I'll let her explain that. will get back to you asap . Nancy.


----------



## sandypaws (Aug 8, 2012)

Tyler is on Natural Balance Sweet Potato and Fish. No more gas or soft stools but best of all is that he loves it and eats with gusto.


----------



## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

NANCY this is from her site as well..."Among other things, glucose is necessary for the nervous system to function properly and a limited amount is stored in the body ready for release into the blood if needed. Excess amounts are metabolized into fat for more "long term" storage - which may lead to obesity. The dog's metabolism is very proficient at hydrolizing glycogen from protein sources, so large amounts of carbohydrates are not required in the diet.

Common carbohydrate sources in dog foods are corn, rice, wheat, sorghum, millet, barley and oats. As long as they are properly processed (dogs do not produce the enzymes required to break down plant cell walls), they are readily metabolized. A moderate amount of quality grade grains contributes many nutrients as well as fiber. In many inexpensive dog food products, grains and grain byproducts are mainly used as a cheap (and incomplete) source of protein, not because of their carbohydrate content"

this is from aan old email from her...."In terms of commercial dry food, as noted elsewhere on the site:
"Fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables add vitamins, minerals and various phytonutrients. They are nice ingredients but by no means necessary and mostly only included in insignificant amounts. If a brand of food contains high quality protein, carbohydrate and fat sources but no fruits or vegetables, it's still a better choice than one with less ideal main ingredients that does have a few pieces of blueberries, peas or carrots added to make the ingredient list look more impressive. Sharing some of the fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables you eat yourself will add much more nutritional value to your dog's diet"


----------



## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

krandall said:


> Kodi hasn't been on a lot of different foods, but I did try him on Orijens (after a s-l-o-w transition. Orijens is the only food we've given him that gave him nasty gas. I know lots of other people use it and like it, but it didn't work for us.
> 
> Kodi eats Natural Balance Organic, and does great on it... Has for almost 3 years.


exactly Karen , that's why it's useless to recommend a certain food in a lot of circumstances. ALL DOGS ARE DIFFERENT. I fed Orijen for a while , Molly has never farted lol.


----------



## Tuss (Apr 22, 2012)

i like orijen, but it was a bit too rich for Gemma (made her have diarrhea) so i switched to Acana (made by same company) and on the recommendation of a couple people tried their fish blend (the extra fish oils are really good for her coat) found a winner. Finally have a food that both my dogs are happy with! Orijen is grain free whereas Acana has some grain in it. For both my dogs the small amount of grain firmed up their stools. Every dog is different. JUst make the transition very slow. Also, don't forget to rule out other problems such as giardia. Also, Gemma never did well with beef for some reason and gave her loose poo and stinky farts.


----------



## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Tuss said:


> i like orijen, but it was a bit too rich for Gemma (made her have diarrhea) so i switched to Acana (made by same company) and on the recommendation of a couple people tried their fish blend (the extra fish oils are really good for her coat) found a winner. Finally have a food that both my dogs are happy with! Orijen is grain free whereas Acana has some grain in it. For both my dogs the small amount of grain firmed up their stools. Every dog is different. JUst make the transition very slow. Also, don't forget to rule out other problems such as giardia. Also, Gemma never did well with beef for some reason and gave her loose poo and stinky farts.


exactly.


----------



## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

lol, Tillie has never farted either. she burps though! 

On the rare occasion she eats kibble she LOVES and does VERY well on Dick Van Pattens Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Lamb and brown rice


----------



## emichel (May 3, 2012)

I am feeding mostly home cooked and other fresh foods now, but supplementing with Nature's Variety Instinct, grain free chicken variety. He has also gotten the salmon variety, and did well on both. I prefer to feed primarily fresh foods at this time, but my dog seemed to be doing fine, in terms of health and poops, on just the kibble. I can't say that he has never farted, though, but not too often. :biggrin1:


----------



## Zarika (Dec 16, 2012)

I have Hobbes on grain free b/c it seems to help with his skin itching. 

I use Wellness Core kibble (I use the reduced fat version, but that's up to you) and also use canned Blue Buffalo Wilderness. I like to use a mix of two foods, less chance of missing a nutrient IMO.


----------



## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

Taste of the Wild High Prairie flavor for both Jack (Hav) and Nessie (Aussie). Jack occasionally toots up a storm. Nessie never seems too. I am slowly switching to their Wild Boar flavor to see if that lower the stink bombs.


----------



## My2Havs (Jun 5, 2009)

davetgabby said:


> as much as I'm not a fan of this site , they did get this right..http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/canine-nutrition/dog-food-carbohydrates/


I don't know why you don't like that that website, Dave, it's been very helpful to me. And it's very easy to find the carbohydrates percentage there. I've rotated through quite a few 5 star foods over the years (including Orijen), my dogs are ages 12 and 9, but just because it's a good food doesn't mean it's going to agree with your dog, Lila, it's trial and error. Mine have been on Nature's Logic for 6 mos. always with either Honest Kitchen or Sojos added with fresh meat. But I'll probably be switching the kibble again in a few months to keep it interesting.
Monica, Dooley & Roxie


----------



## MarinaGirl (Mar 25, 2012)

I tried Orijen when Emmie was a puppy but it gave her gas and loose stools. I feed her ZiwiPeak moist food in the morning and air-dried food in the evening. I also rotate the different flavors they offer (Lamb; Venison; Venison & Fish; Tripe, Lamb, & Venison).


----------



## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

My2Havs said:


> I don't know why you don't like that that website, Dave, it's been very helpful to me. And it's very easy to find the carbohydrates percentage there. I've rotated through quite a few 5 star foods over the years (including Orijen), my dogs are ages 12 and 9, but just because it's a good food doesn't mean it's going to agree with your dog, Lila, it's trial and error. Mine have been on Nature's Logic for 6 mos. always with either Honest Kitchen or Sojos added with fresh meat. But I'll probably be switching the kibble again in a few months to keep it interesting.
> Monica, Dooley & Roxie


I'll pm you.


----------



## Gabs (Apr 15, 2012)

We're on Acana - started last month and so far it's going really well. She's transitioned well. At first tried the lamb but it didn't agree with her (loose stool)...so I tried the chicken and its been great. She loves it...and is doing very well on it.


----------



## Nancy Collins (Mar 20, 2013)

Canine Caviar's Wild Ocean Grain Free. Best transition to a new food ever! I like changing kibble for variety...will soon try Pioneer Naturals Whitefish and Mulligan's Stew (made Susan Thixton's 2013 food list she would feed her dog


----------



## Lila (Apr 9, 2013)

Thank you everyone. This is VERY HELPFUL 
Mikey has firm stools in the morning and then looser in the day. He only farts at night - right around the time we are relaxing and watching TV. Fun, fun 
I'll check out some of these foods you all mentioned.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

davetgabby said:


> exactly Karen , that's why it's useless to recommend a certain food in a lot of circumstances. ALL DOGS ARE DIFFERENT. I fed Orijen for a while , Molly has never farted lol.


I think there are as many brands of food (plus home cooked and raw) as there are shampoo brands on this forum!!!<ggg>


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Tuss said:


> i like orijen, but it was a bit too rich for Gemma (made her have diarrhea) so i switched to Acana (made by same company) and on the recommendation of a couple people tried their fish blend (the extra fish oils are really good for her coat) found a winner. Finally have a food that both my dogs are happy with! Orijen is grain free whereas Acana has some grain in it. For both my dogs the small amount of grain firmed up their stools. Every dog is different. JUst make the transition very slow. Also, don't forget to rule out other problems such as giardia. Also, Gemma never did well with beef for some reason and gave her loose poo and stinky farts.


I've never wanted to feed fish-based food, because I can't stand the smell, or the smell of their breath after eating it. But Kodi's vet wants fish oil in his diet to protect his joints, since he works hard and does agility regularly. So I feed him Nordic Naturals fish oil capsules. These are lemon flavored and have NO fishy smell. He also likes them. He chews them right up.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Tuss said:


> Also, Gemma never did well with beef for some reason and gave her loose poo and stinky farts.


Yeah, Kodi can't eat beef at all. Even small amounts give him loose stools. Which is opposite of most dogs who have a problem with a protein source. Many more have problems with poultry, but Kodi does fine on that.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

TilliesMom said:


> lol, Tillie has never farted either. she burps though!
> 
> On the rare occasion she eats kibble she LOVES and does VERY well on Dick Van Pattens Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Lamb and brown rice


I really like the Dick Van Patten foods. I think it's a really ethical company. When I feed canned, I use their Limited ingredient chicken.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

emichel said:


> I am feeding mostly home cooked and other fresh foods now, but supplementing with Nature's Variety Instinct, grain free chicken variety. He has also gotten the salmon variety, and did well on both. I prefer to feed primarily fresh foods at this time, but my dog seemed to be doing fine, in terms of health and poops, on just the kibble. I can't say that he has never farted, though, but not too often. :biggrin1:


I don't know that Kodi has "never" passed gas on the NB... I assume he does, since it's a natural part of the digestive process. But we don't SMELL it, and that's all I care about!


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

MarinaGirl said:


> I tried Orijen when Emmie was a puppy but it gave her gas and loose stools. I feed her ZiwiPeak moist food in the morning and air-dried food in the evening. I also rotate the different flavors they offer (Lamb; Venison; Venison & Fish; Tripe, Lamb, & Venison).


I wish Ziwi Peak was readily available here. I really like that food. I DO use their lamb jerky for training treats. It's NOTHING but NZ lamb, and the strips are soft enough to break up easily into training-sized bites.


----------



## PSUHavanese (Jun 4, 2012)

We feed Phantom Merrick Classic Adult Real Lamb with Brown Rice & Apple Dry Dog Food. We switched foods after he was sick as a puppy. He seems to enjoy this and has been doing well on it.

-Dave


----------



## Karen Collins (Mar 21, 2013)

I've tried almost every brand out there including raw and homecooked mainly for variety. Some were good, some were not-so-good for us. But I keep going back to Pinnacle Trout and Sweet Potato. My dogs always do very well on it.


----------



## wynne (Apr 30, 2011)

Maya is on Merrick and loves it. Comes in Many flavors.


----------



## misstray (Feb 6, 2011)

Brody eats Orijen. He was a gassy puppy, but isn't anymore. He really likes it and is healthy, so I didn't mess with the food and just tolerated the silent toots. I'm glad it went away.


----------



## Dory (Jan 4, 2012)

I feed Quincy Earthborn http://www.earthbornholisticpetfood.com/us/. He loves it and no gas that I notice.

I started Q on the Coastal Catch and am now introducing some of the bison so he doesn't get bored and I can switch them up once in a while. Imagine the same old thing every day!


----------



## Pixiesmom (Jul 31, 2008)

I started giving them ziwipeak venison and fish air dried. I remember from a while back that Marinagirl fed it, and just ordered it on a whim. I got it from amazon so really anyone can start it (it's not cheap-about $15+/pound). I have to watch because they were starting to put weight on. I think I was feeding too much, even though I was going by the recommended amount. They inhale it. Pixie still likes wilderness kibble for dinner. She's been on that since she was a puppy. We also have had good success with Merrick canned. Tried Sojos and they HATED it. So, kinda still rotating the menu...


----------



## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Pucks104 said:


> Fromm grain free for three older dogs and Fromm Puppy food for Leo. All doing very well.


 We have gone threw three small bags of Fromm Adult Gold it has duck, chicken and lamb. It also has cheese which seams weird. I didn't buy the small breed formula because it costs more and the sisters eat the larger kibble just fine. No gas no but baths!:hungry:


----------



## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Dory said:


> I feed Quincy Earthborn http://www.earthbornholisticpetfood.com/us/. He loves it and no gas that I notice.
> 
> I started Q on the Coastal Catch and am now introducing some of the bison so he doesn't get bored and I can switch them up once in a while. Imagine the same old thing every day!


 Zoey couldn't handel Acanna or Earth Born. She would have to have but baths. 
We Started with. 
#1 Science diet Both did good
#2 ? cant remember Must not have done good *
#3 Blue Buffalo Both did good
#4 Acanna Zoey but baths
#5 Wellness * Recalls
#6 Tast of the wild * Recalls
#7 Back to wellness * Recalls
#8 Back to Acanna 
#9 Earth Born Zoey but baths 
#10 California natural Both did good but my guy at natures pet wanted me to try Formm
#11 Formms

* recalls. Sometime they have gas :banplease:


----------



## Anna6 (Oct 21, 2012)

Nina is on Taste of the Wild the one with buffalo. 

She has also had lamb before. I think those are the only two with no chicken. I try to find food that is higher protein and calorie for volume, no corn, preferably no wheat or chicken. Also I do not like dog food with a strong smell, so no fish. Her stools are solid and very low odor. The only snacks she gets is liver bites and duck jerky in very modest amounts. Her stools is what convinced me that for her it was good to have her on this for now. I am not thrilled to read that brand was also recalled at one time.


----------



## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

FancyNancy said:


> That's so weird because Sabine insisted that henry's formula have carbs - either sweet potatoes or split peas. How come she insisted on this if carbs are not necessary?


Nancy , this is from Sabine ...
While dogs don't have a demonstrable requirement for carbs that doesn't mean they can't digest and utilize them.

It's not like carbs are devoid of nutrients that can help balance out the diet overall.

Plus not all dogs are the same in what they can tolerate, not every dog out there will do well eating a diet that is just based on meat (and hopefully some edible bones - otherwise there's going to be a lack of minerals)."

"


----------

