Canidae dog food
October 18, 2008
Filed under Canidae, Dog Food Reviews
Canidae dog food
Canidae dog food is considered to be a premium brand of dog food – being both highly rated and respected. While we do not have it ranked at the top of our recommended list, we have received many positive customer reviews of Canidae. It comes in 6 different formulas with five formulas certified suitable for all life stages and one (Canidae Platinum dog food) tailored as a weight loss formula and for senior and geriatric dogs. The makers of Canidae dog food claim their products to be “formulated for Puppies, Adults, Working Seniors (PAWS). Canidae comes in 6 different formulas that gives you a chance to mix it up. Canidae dog food is sold in 5lb,15lb, and 30lb bags.
Canidae is an all-natural dog food formula that uses only high quality meat meals from chicken, lamb, fish, and turkey. All of the meat meals have been processed in a human grade facility to ensure nutrient-dense products which can sufficiently supply the animal protein requirements of any age or breed of dogs. Meat concentrates are said to contain almost 300% more protein compared to their fresh raw forms.
Among the six recipes, only two have grain-free formulas, while four incorporate whole grains and diversified carbohydrates for a ready energy source. Viable sources of carbohydrates include brown rice, white rice, and rice bran. These are ready sources of energy for dogs.
Peas are also a good source of plant protein and natural fiber. Protein content of peas is often counted as part of the total protein content of the product.
Oatmeal and barley are sources of starchy carbohydrates and fiber. Oatmeal is a natural source of B-vitamins and is mostly gluten-free. Barley help provide stable blood sugar levels in dogs.
The company also claims the incorporation of essential vitamins and amino acids, chelated minerals, natural herbal preservative, viable microorganisms, and enzyme to help breakdown of cellulose.
Chicken fat provides the essential fatty acids which are needed for healthy cells.
The addition of tomato pomace is quite controversial in that although it has high fiber and nutrient content it is a cheap pet food filler that can be possibly include pesticides which can be found on the tomato’s skin before it underwent processing. Tomato pomace is a by-product when making tomato juice, soup, and catsup.
Ocean fish meal is another controversial ingredient. Although it’s a good source of protein, being a meat concentrate, it does not specify from what species of fish it has been obtained and from what specific parts of the fish. Most fish meals which are being used as feed ingredients are by-products of commercial fish processing.
Probiotics have also been added as coating for kibbles. These are beneficial microorganisms which can help boost the functions of a dog’s digestive and immune systems.
Chelated minerals boost the digestion and absorption of amino acids.
Looking at the over-all picture of its ingredients, it can be said that more than half of the formulation is made up of carbohydrates with only a below average amount of protein.
Customer Reviews
Satisfied users of Canidae dog food favor the use of the Platinum formula as it was effective in helping their pets lose weight in a healthy manner. Some dog owners also observed that the high grain formula worked well for dogs with sensitive stomachs. The lamb formula comes highly recommend for dogs which are experiencing diarrhea with the chicken formula.
Some negative feedbacks from dog owners whose dogs were given any of the Canidae feed formulas include elevated liver enzymes, diarrhea, itching, and hot-spots. Vomiting of undigested food has also been a common problem particularly for new switchers suggesting the need for an adequate adjustment period to ensure that the dog’s digestive system gets used to the new ingredients. When switching to Canidae dog food it is suggested that you switch over gradually. Switching over to quickly can lead to digestive and stomach problems. A good plan is to mix Canidae dog food with your older dog food brand. Mix 80% old and 20% new and gradually increase the Canidae for a smooth transition.
Please visit the links listed below for Canidae dog food reviews by formula.
Have a comment or question about our Canidae dog food review? Want to share your experiences with others? We welcome your comments!
Canidae Dog Food Review
Canidae Dog Food Formulas:
- Canidae All Life Stages dog food
- Canidae Grain Free All Life Stages dog food
- Canidae Grain Free Salmon Meal dog food
- Canidae Beef and Ocean Fish Meal dog food
- Canidae Lamb and Rice dog food
- Canidae Chicken and Rice dog food
- Canidae Platinum dog food
Canidae Dog Food Consumer Rating
I no longer consider this a high quality diet since they changed their formula without notifying the general public. I believe the change was made in June 2008 and we were caught up in the mess. It took me forever to figure out what was going on with my dogs (6 of them) because I knew I hadn’t changed their diet. They were all having different symptoms from rashes to gaining/losing weight and loss of their coats and energy.
BEWARE OF THE NEW FORMULA
We have been feeding our 2-yr old German Shephard Canidae for about a year, and she thrived. We didn’t know they changed the formula until last Thurs. when she had a considerable amount of blood in her diarrhea. We immediately took her to the vet who said the dog’s large intestine was inflamed and irritated. The vet took x-rays and checked her stool and found no blockage or parasites so we decided that she had eaten something bad. The vet gave us an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory and told us to feed her ground meat and rice for few days until her stomach settled down.
Then I stumbled upon a website, http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/canidae.html, and learned about all the problems other dogs are experiencing. Some dogs had to be hospitalized and put on IVs.
Since we took her off the Canidae, she is feeling all better–no more bloody diarrhea. I spoke w/ my retailer who has heard rumours of a recall. I can’t believe Canidae raised their prices, decreased the size of their bags, and changed a perfectly good formula to a potentially toxic one. We were so lucky to have caught this in time; some were not so lucky.
CALL YOUR LOCAL VETS AND LET THEM KNOW! You could save another pet’s life.
I have 4 dogs who all did very well on Canidae until they changed their formula. Suddenly, I had 4 dogs with constant bloody diarrhea and vomitting. I contacted the company and their response was that not all dogs will do well on all food. A few weeks after we replaced the Canidae, they improved and are back to normal, happy and healthy dogs.
Like others in this section, I have also seen adverse affects of Canidae dry dog food. My dog is only 10-months old and suffers from a number of the same symptoms as others have listed on the comsumeraffairs.com web site. I also contacted my vet and plan to bring some documentation to the pet store where I have been buying this product. People should know the risks. I for one refuse to risk the health and life of my puppy! She deserves better!!
Beware consumers….do your homework!!!
Cheryl
What can the guys from CANIDAE say about this?
I am a dealer of CANIDAE DOGFOODS, and I demand an explanation from them (CANIDAE).
They didn’t tell us about the new formula, they just told us about the price increase or the repacking but not the new formula.
What will I tell my customers about this?
Will they (CANIDAE) be responsible for the loss of the dogs caused by their formula?
They should.
Canidae made the change in the formulation in an effort to provide the most nutritious, all natural, palatable products for your pet. We continuously monitor advances in pet nutrition and only implement changes in our formulas that will increase the quality of your pet’s food.
The new formulation has increased levels of meat protein, lowered carbohydrates, and an increased overall complex carbohydrate quality. For your pet, this means more meat and more sustained energy. Guaranteed viable microorganisms to help build a stronger immune system and cranberries for better urinary tract health.
We’re aware of the concerns that have been posted on the Consumer Affairs site and we’ve posted a statement in response. We’re working with Consumer Affairs staff to contact those consumers individually to help address their concerns.
We encourage our customers to contact us directly so that we can answer any questions, address concerns, and follow up, if necessary. At Canidae, we are committed to providing you, our valued customer, and your pets the highest standard of excellence for product quality, palatability, and customer satisfaction. Please let us know what we can do to serve you better. For additional assistance, please call 800-398-1600.
Sarah@ Team CANIDAE
Like many who have already commented, we had to switch from Canidae. My Golden Retriever started on Canidae A.L.S. in late summer/early fall of 2007 and things were fine. She seemed to like the taste and did well on it. Then this past Summer 2008 she started itching and had increasing bowel problems (including anal gland issues which are NOT normal for a larger dog). This seemed to coincide with the timing of the “formula change” that was not communicated. It is so unfortunate b/c I felt that Canidae was a really great product offered at a reasonable price. As it is, we are still on a quest for a better food as I think she has developed grain and chicken intolerances… but it is a shame that Canidae has developed a bad reputation due to lack of proper communication with its distributors and customers.
I have 5 mastiffs that have all been on Canidae for a few years. At the end of last year I really noticed a difference with my dog’s coats, overall appearance and their stools. Recently, a couple of my dogs are having problems digesting the food and you can tell by their stools…. they are not healthy. Last week, one of my dogs started to bloat (took her to the vet) and I have finally decided to change foods. I spend thousands a year buying Canidae food and products and I no longer trust their product. It saddens me that Diamond now makes their food (at least that’s what I was told) and Diamond was responsible for the death of many animals in the past. They actually had several deaths on the east coast, way before the actual huge food recall a couple years ago. I am finding that many dog food companies are being extremely irresponsible when it comes to animal food and that includes the highly respected lines. People need to do their homework by reading the labels and researching the food….. not everything is as it seems. Shame on these companies.
is the company willing to recall their products?
HELP!!!!! I Have a very sick dog on my hands with 24/7 iching himself raw going on. He’s been treated in the past with steroids for his itching problems;stopped that and put him on Canidae thinking I was helping him.
IS THER ANY DOG FOOD OUT THERE THAT I CAN TRUST TO BE GOOD!!!!
Lucile,
I would guess you are feeding dry? Try a quality canned food, it has moisture that dogs need. I use Wellness Sr. and Eagle Pack canned for our 3 dogs in the morning and homecook the evening meal. Have been doing this for a year now and amazingly no diarrhea, no vomiting. There are some books I would recommend by Dr. Martin and Dr. Robert Goldstein, Dr. Shawn Messonier, and try Better Food for Dogs by Dr. Grant Nixon.
In the meantime give your dog some chicken and rice w/plain yogurt for a few days until things clear up then gradually get him on different food. If it doesn’t clear up call your vet.
If you decide to homecook make sure you know not to use onions! and that you need bonemeal for calcium (Solid Gold) and a pet vitamin, not human. Macaroni gives firmer stools, I use half regular and half Barilla with ground chicken or turkey, vegetable broth from green beans or peas, aspargus when it is on sale.
I was also feeding Canidae dry before I started homecooking, same senario as everyone else wrote about…the end for Canidae and me.
Best of luck to you. Hope your dog feels better.
In previous post I left out the fat source for homecooking, canola oil and the salt substitute for potasium chloride. Also use sweet potatoes and boil the peelings and use the broth on their food for extra nutrition and a spoon of plain yogurt on top.
Hi
This is in response to Sarah from Canidae.
Your response is so typical and full of crap!!! I own a store and sell your food, I called your main office with questions regarding yor formula change not once was I given a straight answer. NEVER did you people tell us about a chane in your formula or the fact that it is made in a Diamond factory. At one time I was proud to sell your food, at this point I am trying as fast as possible to switch my customers. We pride ourselves in honesty to our customers your company does not, you care about money only!!!
Shame on Canidae, you had a great product.
I am looking for a very safe and nutritional dry food for my bulldogs! I had a friend tell me about Canidae! But now I am not so sure about this food after reading all the comments on this website! Can somebody PLEASE help me with finding a good food for my Bullies! Help me in Lancaster!!!
Scott!
I put my Old English Sheepdog puppy on Canidae ALS in 2004 & she thrived wonderfully on it until late Oct/early Nov 2008 when she started raking her face into the carpet after eating & developed an overall itching. This itching increased until she was scratching out undercoat, (OES are not a “shedding” breed) then she started leaving a trail of fur clumps behind her everywhere she went. Her skin developed an overall “doggie odor,” her coat lost its softness, and she started licking her rear until I was smelling anal gland on an almost daily basis.
My dog was reaching the point of round the clock torture, so I went on the Internet to see what I could do before taking her to the vet. This is when I learned of Canidae’s formula change & was stunned to read multuous accounts of similar & worse problems. I studied the info on http://www.dogfoodproject.com/ & finished switching to Wellness Super5mix Valentine’s Day 2009. Within days the itching markedly subsided, my dog started kicking again after pooping, it is now St Patrick’s 4 weeks later, the softness is retuning to her coat & she is no longer losing fur.
My dog food choices are limited by the low protein needs of an OES, but Innova, Natural Balance & others appear also good. I am not sure which brand I will settle on & one has to study the nutritional needs of one’s breed to determine a kibble right for them.
I learned the ratio of Omega 6 (Linoleic Acid) to Omega 3 should be no more than 7 to 1 and notice Canidae changed from within that range to almost 7 1/2 to One, they went from chelated to sulfated minerals, other than that I cannot put a finger on what went wrong. All I know is switching dog foods saved me a trip to the vet.