What dog food do you like

[Tree Frog]

I guess corn cobs are safe for the dogs to eat, then? Can they eat the cobs after we've eaten the kernels from them? I've wondered about that, but have been afraid to give them to the dogs for fear of stomach upset.

Edited August 3, 2018 by wilrunner

[SamanthaCarter]

I think they get diahhrea from corn cobs actually. ?

[ktgrok]

12 hours ago, Spy Car said:

 

Dogs were not shaped by evolution to eat oatmeal, green beans, or carrots (much less the crap that's in commercial dog food).

 

Sounds like a smart dog, not a brat.

 

Smart dog. Good boy!

 

Bill

 

 

LOL, Bill, I offered him that (the other dog's food, who has neck/brain trauma and can't chew anything hard) because he'd already refused to eat the raw chicken leg quarter I gave him. Still think he's smart, lol?

(he did end up eating something a bit later, plain chicken. And ate his chicken leg quarter for dinner, but only after I took most of the skin off.)

Edited August 3, 2018 by Ktgrok

[ktgrok]

10 hours ago, Storygirl said:

Ugh!! I'm sorry he's so picky. I hope you can find something he will eat reliably. That would drive me crazy; my kids and cat are picky enough, and I don't need a picky dog, too!

 

47 minutes ago, SamanthaCarter said:

Yep, I’ve seen the dogs out at my parents place eat corn cobs like they’d found a treasure. 

Kgrok, I’m floored at the idea of a hound that’s a picky eater. Mine will actually raid my compost pile! She even eats things that are not food. I was reading some of the reviews on dog food and there was concern over many not including probiotics. I just laughed. I think my silly hound gets plenty of that in the backyard. 

Yup, he's always been picky. When we did kibble he ate about half the time, or less. And he's skinny, it's not that I'm overfeeding him. Like, I'm concerned, and he needs to gain 2 pounds skinny as I can now see his vertebrae. Sigh. 

 

[SamanthaCarter]

Maybe he’s holding out for road kill. Lol. 

[ktgrok]

7 minutes ago, SamanthaCarter said:

Maybe he’s holding out for road kill. Lol. 

Ha! Probably! 

Seriously, I have a 1 pound bag of freeze dried liver I got thinking he'd like it. Nope. Giving it to the neighbors. He spit it out. 

The only "treats" he will eat are grilled chicken cut up (if in the mood and hungry) and cut up hot dogs, which I try to avoid for obvious reasons. And even those things he will turn down if not in the mood, distracted, etc. If we are outside he won't touch food at all. 

He is 1/4 Newfoundland, maybe they are picky?

Edited August 3, 2018 by Ktgrok

[melmichigan]

I used to have an answer to this question.  Our dogs are being tested for taurine deficiency, so until those results come back I have no idea.  It really depends on the breed of dog.

[gardenmom5]

dd's breeder rec's Life's Abundance.   at least for the first year - since they're growing and really good nutrition does make a difference.   after that, the breeder wasn't as picky.

I think my dd changed his food to 'wellness'.   he'd been turning  his nose up at his food.  for days. the vet wanted him to get a bit more fat - so dh started adding a bit of hamburger grease to his food. . . . now he eats it in five minutes, and wants m.o.r.e. . . . . (it's not very much maybe one or two teaspoons to his dry food.)

he's easily got another five inches to grow at the shoulders.

[gardenmom5]

as for dogs and produce . . . my sister's dog eats raspberries off the vine.

 

 

 

[Spy Car]

On 8/3/2018 at 7:47 AM, Ktgrok said:

LOL, Bill, I offered him that (the other dog's food, who has neck/brain trauma and can't chew anything hard) because he'd already refused to eat the raw chicken leg quarter I gave him. Still think he's smart, lol?

(he did end up eating something a bit later, plain chicken. And ate his chicken leg quarter for dinner, but only after I took most of the skin off.)

Sure he's smart.

Dogs like red meat best. Raw chicken takes getting used to. 

Bill

 

 

[Spy Car]

59 minutes ago, melmichigan said:

I used to have an answer to this question.  Our dogs are being tested for taurine deficiency, so until those results come back I have no idea.  It really depends on the breed of dog.

If the test is positive, beef heart is an excellent source of taurine.

A recent study suggests that pea/legume meal may interfere with taurine absorption. It is the once about "grain-free" foods.

Hope all goes well.

 

Bill 

[ktgrok]

7 hours ago, Spy Car said:

Sure he's smart.

Dogs like red meat best. Raw chicken takes getting used to. 

Bill

 

 

lol! I actually think he might be sensitive to beef. He'd had some ground beef mixed with a few things and that seemed to upset his stomach. Or, he just can't handle a lot of fat at once, and the beef was fattier. Or it was the egg, as that meal had egg too. Both beef and egg are in the top allergens, so maybe. But it definitely seems like he was skipping meals due to stomach distress, with loud tummy sounds to go with it. 

I went back to chicken only, and figured out that if I take most of the skin off the chicken he'll eat it. So now he's on raw totally (other than some table scraps) and the other dog is being switched over. I plan to try adding in some lean beef soon to see how that goes, and if it throws off his appetite or not. I bought beef heart (it's in my freezer now) to use, since it is so lean (and cheap, lol). That way I can figure out if it was the beef itself, vs the fatty nature of what he'd had.

On just chicken (oh, and frozen smelts - some days I add one or two of those and he likes them and they seem to agree with him) he is actually eating every meal, which is unheard for him. 

So right now in the morning he gets a mix of chunks of chicken thigh, chicken breast, chicken heart, and chicken liver (about 5% liver) and then in the evening he gets a chicken leg quarter and usually one or two smelts. Man do they stink though! But only for a minute. 

I do take his bedding out of his crate while feeding him, and wipe down the crate with a disinfectant wipe or spray (the method all natural mint antibacterial spray is good at getting rid of the smelt smell in the air, lol). Then  throw his bed back in. Not as convenient as kibble, but given that at least every other meal he would refuse to eat before, or spill the kibble all over the darn place that I then had to clean up, attracted ants, etc (just found MORE of it from a month ago at least under my couch of all places) I guess it evens out. 

And...even the cats now are supplemented with some raw! They love it. 

And Bill, I'll admit it, one of the main reasons we switched is you mentioning the price of chicken leg quarters. I had no idea they could be found so cheaply, and that led to looking into other cheap options. I'm finding leg quarters for about $0.60 a pound, heart for $1.99 a pound, etc. Kidneys, etc are also available at that price. Oddly to me, thinks like chicken backs/necks, neck bones, etc are all way more expensive than even regular cuts of meat, which makes no sense to me, but whatever. And I got the fun of exploring some ethnic grocery stores - I'd never seen so many body parts, lol. Pig and cow and chicken feet, fish heads, stomachs of various creatures, pig ears and tails, etc. 

Edited August 12, 2018 by Ktgrok

[ChocolateReignRemix]

I have found they all have a bit of an aftertaste.

[Spy Car]

@Katie, once you start stalking ethnic markets for dog bits you are going to be hooked. LOL. Your family will eat better too.

It is best IMO to reduce fat content just at the transition. Then to work up to full fat when kibble (and carbs) exit the diet. Fat is a vital source of energy. Dogs metabolize fat brilliantly.

The feeding set up sounds like an absurd amount of work. You can't feed in a bowl outdoors?

 

Bill

[ktgrok]

13 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

@Katie, once you start stalking ethnic markets for dog bits you are going to be hooked. LOL. Your family will eat better too.

It is best IMO to reduce fat content just at the transition. Then to work up to full fat when kibble (and carbs) exit the diet. Fat is a vital source of energy. Dogs metabolize fat brilliantly.

The feeding set up sounds like an absurd amount of work. You can't feed in a bowl outdoors?

 

Bill

Tried outside. He dragged a chicken quarter all over the patio, dropping everywhere, and then tried to go out and bury it. He likes to bury EVERYTHNG if you let him. Confined in the crate he knows he has to eat it or lose it. Plus I can make sure each dog gets their own food, and they don't try to steal from the other. 

[Spy Car]

25 minutes ago, Ktgrok said:

Tried outside. He dragged a chicken quarter all over the patio, dropping everywhere, and then tried to go out and bury it. He likes to bury EVERYTHNG if you let him. Confined in the crate he knows he has to eat it or lose it. Plus I can make sure each dog gets their own food, and they don't try to steal from the other. 

 

Maybe a Plan C? 

Bill

[HollyDay]

we started using Earthborn just over a year ago and now their Venture line of dog food.  The dogs like it.  I like that there are multiple protein sources available.  They do get bored with the same thing over and over, so we mix up the protein each time we buy a bag.  Staying in the line, we've never had tummy issues. 

Grain free?  I don't know where I fall on that one.  My littlest (and oldest) dd has a history of seizures.  We try to keep her diet fairly simple.  She does like Pet Supermarket's Performatrim Ultra products and she has never had a problem with them.  I'm not talking about Nutro Ultra as I don't have any experience with that line of dog food. 

[GoodGrief]

Well, we had good success feeding our various rescue dogs Purina One for years and years, and they had minimal health problems. Then we stumbled into Great Dane ownership and got nervous about food quality. I was doing homemade good for a while because that was what he was used to from the breeder. But it was too high maintenance of a routine for me, with three dogs (because of course the rescue dogs can't have lesser food anymore!) Did Taste of the Wild for a while, but then started getting the Kirkland brand because I didn't have to stop at a special store to get it. The Dane is two now and super healthy. We ran into his father the other day, and he is way taller than his dad.

As far as produce, all our dogs have always enjoyed eating grass, berries, whatever, when they are out on walks, and they love getting various vegetables from my husband. Fairly certain wild canines eat vegetation too. ?

Edited August 12, 2018 by GoodGrief

[Jann in TX]

On 8/1/2018 at 12:36 AM, laundrycrisis said:

Tractor Supply 4Health lamb and rice.  Our vet recommends it. 

We use this with our German Shepherd and Shepherd/Lab mix.  Both have excellent coats and zero tummy/gas issues.  Neither one can tolerate wheat or corn fillers.

We feed dry kibble with a can of wet (split between them) as a topper.

[Ausmumof3]

I haven’t read the whole thread but we have a couple of fussy border collies in our family and they all love rabbit.  Have you tried rabbit?  Desexing also helped my skinny boy put on a bit of weight.

we avoid SuperCoat as our last dog was on that and all his hair started falling out.  

[Ausmumof3]

On the topic of dog feeding, dh talked to a lady whose Great Dane had allergies and had to be on a crocodile and venison only diet.  This dog eats 2kg of meat a day.  Unless you can find a local hunter venison is around $50kg in the shops and I hate to think how much crocodile cost.

[Ausmumof3]

As far as dogs eating vegetation goes ours goes crazy for figs when they are in season.  He sits by the fig tree begging!  We also find fox scats full of fig seed when they ripen.

[Alicia64]

I feed our shepherd Costco's brand -- Kirkland -- that's well rated. Then on top of that I include always pumpkin, and scrambled egg or cheese, or cottage cheese. Sometimes we cook hamburger.

Spy Car -- if you're still reading, what would you recommend goes on top of dry food? I can't commit to a total raw diet, but I'm open to cooking more for him. Thanks!

Alley

[Spy Car]

16 hours ago, Alicia64 said:

I feed our shepherd Costco's brand -- Kirkland -- that's well rated. Then on top of that I include always pumpkin, and scrambled egg or cheese, or cottage cheese. Sometimes we cook hamburger.

Spy Car -- if you're still reading, what would you recommend goes on top of dry food? I can't commit to a total raw diet, but I'm open to cooking more for him. Thanks!

Alley

Alley, if I were attempting to supplement the Kirkland kibble (which has chicken as the source of almost all the animal protein) I'd concentrated on adding red-meat and organs.

If the supplementation is regular and makes up a significant portion of the diet you must learn to balance phosphorus-rich meat with a calcium source.

People like myself who feed PMR (prey model raw) feed 10% soft-edible bone (like bone-in raw chicken pieces) to balance calcium. If you are not feeding raw bone at 10% you'll need to add bone meal or ground eggshell. Eggshell is added at 1/2 teaspoon per pound of meat. I'm not an expert in how best to supplement calcium (bone meal vs eggshell, etc). I do know it is important to keep near a 1.2 : 1 Calcium to Phosphorus mineral ratio. When homemade diets are criticized for potentially being "unbalanced" it is generally this mineral ratio that's at the crux of the potential problem.

Not an insurmountable problem. Easy in fact.

When adding supplementary meats, start lean then work up to full fats. Fat is very good for dogs. It is their optimal fuel. Burning fat provides a very different type (highly sustainable) of energy supply than the peak and crash that comes with carb burning. But dogs do need to adjust to higher fat rations.

A great inexpensive starter is beef heart. Heart is rich in taurine and supermarket beef heart is trimmed and very lean (too lean for the long-term were it the sole protein).

In PMR we feed 10% organs (half being liver the other half being things like kidney, "melts" (spleen), "sweetbreads" (thymus/pancreas), or other "secreting" organs. Heart does not count as an "organ" in PMR ratios.

I'd do the same when supplementing. Organs are packed with nutrients. Better to serve frequently in small amounts.

After beef (or after chicken if one were not starting with a chicken based kibble) you could try adding other proteins. Nice cheap fatty pork cuts like leg or butt are good after working up fats slowly.

Pieces of raw oily ocean fish like mackerel, sardines, anchovies are good on occasion. Don't ever feed PNW salmon or trout species raw.

Egg is good. If one feeds a lot of egg it is good to set the whites by cooking. An occasional raw egg is fine. Raw yolks are fine.

HTH,

Bill

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[melmichigan]

On 8/12/2018 at 1:10 AM, Spy Car said:

If the test is positive, beef heart is an excellent source of taurine.

A recent study suggests that pea/legume meal may interfere with taurine absorption. It is the once about "grain-free" foods.

Hope all goes well.

 

Bill 

I am involved with two FB pages that are working with Dr. Stern, who is leading the study for taurine deficiency DCM in golden retrievers.  The taurine problem is now showing up in a variety of breeds, as shown by blood testing, some of which are coming down with DCM.  The FB group is collecting anecdotal blood testing records on all breeds, with both abnormal and normal levels, across a large variety of foods.  It's actually very scary to think that they may be the tip of the iceberg.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed, as we have always supplemented with various meats and eggs.  We were feeding Acana/Orijen foods, and there are dogs showing taurine deficiency on these foods, one having died just this last weekend. 

I will be going through old posts to see what you have recommended.  I've never thought I could do raw but we will be supplementing from here forward if not switching completely.   

Edited August 18, 2018 by melmichigan

[Pawz4me]

This SkeptVet blog has more info on the potential DCM/grain free food issue, along with reference articles.

I've read other vet musings that there may be/probably are two separate issues  currently causing/contributing to the increase in DCM, with one being related to dietary taurine and the other cause still unknown and perhaps not even related to diet. But I haven't found any good explainers for that other group yet. (And then there's a third group of breeds who are genetically susceptible to developing it.)

ETA: I think one thing to keep in mind is that the vets I'm reading aren'tdefinitively saying this is a problem with peas, potatoes, etc. They're also saying it could be an issue with exotic proteins either not having enough taurine or the taurine in some of those exotic  proteins not being as bioavailable as that in other meat protein sources. It's long been known by the big pet food companies and veterinary nutritionists that the taurine in some foods (like lamb) isn't as bioavailable as that in other foods (chicken is usually the comparison). Everybody's jumping on the "peas and potatoes are bad!" bandwagon (jumping on bandwagons w/o any proof or with cherry picked data sure seems to be an American thing!), but that may not prove to be the real issue.

Edited August 18, 2018 by Pawz4me

[Chris in VA]

We used Nutro Max with our Golden Retriever, and supplemented with occasional table scraps and raw beef bones (sometimes roasted). He couldn't do salmon (smelled fishy after eating it) and chicken gave him diarrhea, and lamb made him smell, too! So we did beef. Whenever we exchanged dog-care with our dear friends, we just had him eat what they served (and vice versa). Poor Riley couldn't tolerate the whole chicken and supplements they cooked for their sweet pup in their crock pot--it seemed so very healthy but just wasn't for our dog. He came home and poo'd a huge, loose bm that told me his tum was way upset!

 

Anyone else get a smelly dog on lamb and salmon-based foods?

[Spy Car]

4 hours ago, Pawz4me said:

This SkeptVet blog has more info on the potential DCM/grain free food issue, along with reference articles.

I've read other vet musings that there may be/probably are two separate issues  currently causing/contributing to the increase in DCM, with one being related to dietary taurine and the other cause still unknown and perhaps not even related to diet. But I haven't found any good explainers for that other group yet. (And then there's a third group of breeds who are genetically susceptible to developing it.)

ETA: I think one thing to keep in mind is that the vets I'm reading aren'tdefinitively saying this is a problem with peas, potatoes, etc. They're also saying it could be an issue with exotic proteins either not having enough taurine or the taurine in some of those exotic  proteins not being as bioavailable as that in other meat protein sources. It's long been known by the big pet food companies and veterinary nutritionists that the taurine in some foods (like lamb) isn't as bioavailable as that in other foods (chicken is usually the comparison). Everybody's jumping on the "peas and potatoes are bad!" bandwagon (jumping on bandwagons w/o any proof or with cherry picked data sure seems to be an American thing!), but that may not prove to be the real issue.

4

 

I must say that based on reading previous articles on the SkeptVet blog that I have a very jaundiced (or should I say "skeptical"?) view of this person's honesty in presenting accurate information and the strong tendency to shade the truth by bending evidence to seemingly support his/her position. 

I simply do not trust the information from this source. It claims to be "science-based" while at the same time abusing the truth. Not good.

No dog is getting "too few grains." Carbohydrates are not essential parts of a canine diet, and they do harm. Adding back grains is not the answer.

The problem with lack of taurine is due either to not enough meat, the way the meat was processed, or the presence of dietary items that block the conversion of other amino acids to taurine.

SkeptVet will miss--and even denigrate with false and misleading information--the obvious solution, which is to feed dogs real food instead of the unnatural junk food diets that are causing the problem.

Bill

 

 

 

 

[Spy Car]

13 hours ago, melmichigan said:

I am involved with two FB pages that are working with Dr. Stern, who is leading the study for taurine deficiency DCM in golden retrievers.  The taurine problem is now showing up in a variety of breeds, as shown by blood testing, some of which are coming down with DCM.  The FB group is collecting anecdotal blood testing records on all breeds, with both abnormal and normal levels, across a large variety of foods.  It's actually very scary to think that they may be the tip of the iceberg.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed, as we have always supplemented with various meats and eggs.  We were feeding Acana/Orijen foods, and there are dogs showing taurine deficiency on these foods, one having died just this last weekend. 

I will be going through old posts to see what you have recommended.  I've never thought I could do raw but we will be supplementing from here forward if not switching completely.   

2

Let me know if I can be of help. The advice to Alica64 above has the basics.

I'd strongly urge you to switch over to a PMR style diet (as opposed to supplementing kibble) if you are open to the idea. There is nothing in kibble that is worth keeping in your dog's diet. It is junk compared with real food. Sorry to use strong words, but it is the truth. Kibble diets are harmful to dog's health.

If you switch over you will soon see big differences in your dog's condition and stamina. Better teeth, dog will lean out while getting more muscular, and there will be more vitality. And no more issues with taurine deficiency.

Bill

 

 

 

 

 

[Pawz4me]

45 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

 

I must say that based on reading previous articles on the SkeptVet blog that I have a very jaundiced (or should I say "skeptical"?) view of this person's honesty in presenting accurate information and the strong tendency to shade the truth by bending evidence to seemingly support his/her position. 

I simply do not trust the information from this source. It claims to be "science-based" while at the same time abusing the truth. Not good.

No dog is getting "too few grains." Carbohydrates are not essential parts of a canine diet, and they do harm. Adding back grains is not the answer.

The problem with lack of taurine is due either to not enough meat, the way the meat was processed, or the presence of dietary items that block the conversion of other amino acids to taurine.

SkeptVet will miss--and even denigrate with false and misleading information--the obvious solution, which is to feed dogs real food instead of the unnatural junk food diets that are causing the problem.

Bill

 

 

 

 

Yep. There's sure a lot of that going around everywhere. It is epidemic, including on this board.

I don't always agree with what he has to say, but at this point--regardless of what vets or laypeople want to speculate--there's very little known for sure. The information he presented in that post is as sound as any I've seen so far.

[Spy Car]

9 minutes ago, Pawz4me said:

Yep. There's sure a lot of that going around everywhere. It is epidemic, including on this board.

I don't always agree with what he has to say, but at this point--regardless of what vets or laypeople want to speculate--there's very little known for sure. The information he presented in that post is as sound as any I've seen so far.

 

I'm with you that there is a paucity of clear evidence at this point. I've never believed the hype that carbohydrates from grains are any worse than non-grain carbohydrate sources and remained concerned about plant-based protein sources be they corn gluten or pea protein.

If I had a dog from a breed prone to DCM (like  Golden) I'd be more motivated to act on what is incomplete information in an abundance of caution. Otherwise, there is much that falls into speculation at this point.

Bill

 

[melmichigan]

54 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

I'm with you that there is a paucity of clear evidence at this point. I've never believed the hype that carbohydrates from grains are any worse than non-grain carbohydrate sources and remained concerned about plant-based protein sources be they corn gluten or pea protein.

If I had a dog from a breed prone to DCM (like  Golden) I'd be more motivated to act on what is incomplete information in an abundance of caution. Otherwise, there is much that falls into speculation at this point.

Bill

 

We tested because one of our dogs is a golden retriever/poodle mix.  We did test all our dogs because I'm aware of a standard poodle that has recently been diagnosed with TD DCM at 18 months of age, and I was spending all the money to ship overnight anyway.  

Dr. Stern's initial findings will be published shortly, so hopefully more information is coming and more studies can be done.  Many manufacturers of dog food are already responding to the taurine issue in some form or another.  Some are changing formulas, either publicly, or quietly, while others are adding taurine, although how helpful that will be dependent on what is actually causing the deficiency.  

I'm not advocating for people to suddenly make changes, but be aware the FDA  statements and keep informed. 

Edited August 18, 2018 by melmichigan

[EKS]

We used to use Iams but now use Taste of the Wild.

[Spy Car]

6 hours ago, melmichigan said:

We tested because one of our dogs is a golden retriever/poodle mix.  We did test all our dogs because I'm aware of a standard poodle that has recently been diagnosed with TD DCM at 18 months of age, and I was spending all the money to ship overnight anyway.  

Dr. Stern's initial findings will be published shortly, so hopefully more information is coming and more studies can be done.  Many manufacturers of dog food are already responding to the taurine issue in some form or another.  Some are changing formulas, either publicly, or quietly, while others are adding taurine, although how helpful that will be dependent on what is actually causing the deficiency.  

I'm not advocating for people to suddenly make changes, but be aware the FDA  statements and keep informed. 

I think you are acting very responsibly. 

IMS many pet food companies add taurine in the form of a powder that's imported from China.

Me? I'd rather feed items like beef heart.

Bill

 

 

 

[zimom]

Raw is simply not an option for us.  I've tried to use what I consider a high-quality kibble but Orijen/Acana is supposedly being bought by Nestle/Purina so I'm switching our lab again.  She is one that must be switched very slow as she has a sensitive stomach.  I stumbled upon RAWZ on another forum so am giving it a try.  Right now she is getting Acana, Rawz, Missing Link Ultimate Hip and Joint, Doggie Daily Probiotics, pumpkin, and yes taurine (made in the USA!) during the transition.   Her plate looks more appetizing than my dinner most of the time.  

So even though I can't feed raw, I try to make up for it the best I can with good supplements.  SpyCar, if you have any other NON-raw ideas, I am open.  

 

[Pawz4me]

55 minutes ago, ZiMom said:

Raw is simply not an option for us.  I've tried to use what I consider a high-quality kibble but Orijen/Acana is supposedly being bought by Nestle/Purina so I'm switching our lab again.  She is one that must be switched very slow as she has a sensitive stomach.  I stumbled upon RAWZ on another forum so am giving it a try.  Right now she is getting Acana, Rawz, Missing Link Ultimate Hip and Joint, Doggie Daily Probiotics, pumpkin, and yes taurine (made in the USA!) during the transition.   Her plate looks more appetizing than my dinner most of the time.  

So even though I can't feed raw, I try to make up for it the best I can with good supplements.  SpyCar, if you have any other NON-raw ideas, I am open.  

 

Why not home cook? It's what compromises the majority of my dog's diet, and has for years. ATM he's having some steak bits (lightly seared) for his lunch. I'm having a salad and DH is having tomato soup. The dog eats better than we do. ? You do need to do a bit of homework to balance out the calcium:phosphorus ratio. But it's far from rocket science.

[zimom]

Pawz4me...  among other things, we travel waaaay too much.  Sometimes she comes with us (she is my daughter's service dog), but sometimes due to where and how long our trips are she has to stay with her original puppy raisers and I can't ask them to feed her that way.   Not to mention I don't cook for myself LOL

[Pawz4me]

Just now, ZiMom said:

Pawz4me...  among other things, we travel waaaay too much.  Sometimes she comes with us (she is my daughter's service dog), but sometimes due to where and how long our trips are she has to stay with her original puppy raisers and I can't ask them to feed her that way.   Not to mention I don't cook for myself LOL

I understand not wanting to cook, especially for a larger dog. Travel is why I said home-cooking compromises the majority of my dog's diet instead of all of his diet. We travel quite a lot and he always comes with us. Usually when we're traveling I rely mostly on commercial food.

[zimom]

Just now, Pawz4me said:

I understand not wanting to cook, especially for a larger dog. Travel is why I said home-cooking compromises the majority of my dog's diet instead of all of his diet. We travel quite a lot and he always comes with us. Usually when we're traveling I rely mostly on commercial food.

Her tummy would never tolerate the back and forth.  It is generally a two week process to switch foods for her and an upset tummy is still very likely.  

[school17777]

We use a food that I haven’t seen anyone mention yet, Verus.

[Guest OliviaBrown99]

I love Fromm (you can find  fromm dog food reviews here ). My two dogs have gorgeous, soft, fluffy coats, no itching, decent poops, good skin.

I'm not sure how I feel about their newer additions - the pork and peas and the lamb and lentils. The price is way high. But still well worth each penny
 

[DawnM]

Whatever the lamb and rice costco brand stuff is called.

[Pen]

Zombie thread? With spam 2 posts back Guest OliviaBrown?  I don’t want to report a possible genuine newbie but am suspicious.