# Looking to change from Fromm



## Shamrockmommy (Sep 10, 2009)

I have been a long time fromm feeder, especially the four star. I trust the company since they have never had a recall but the dogs' stools are huge even with reduced portions. Their bodies are squishy, again, despite smaller portions and coats aren't as nice. Not sure what's going on. 

Acana is out, it constipated my poor Bichon terribly, as did the grain free California Naturals. 

What's everyone having good luck with thee days? Not too high protein and calories though!


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## NewfieAussie (Feb 19, 2013)

I started reading here 7-8 months ago knowing very little about kibble. Got some good recommendations, have learned a lot and I tried about five kinds on my 4 dogs- all sizes and ages. What worked here for everyone was Dr Tim's Kinesis and Pursuit. He also has a grain free. Right now in the summer I am feeding Kinesis, order from chewy.com.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

My recommendation as always is Horizon. They even have a line designed for small dogs


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## Grey (Jul 6, 2012)

I'm transitioning to Dr. Tim's grain-free Kinesis right now from Fromm's (note that the kibble is meatier, bigger -- so something to keep in mind). We'll see how it goes, but just an idea -- you should consider adding a fish oil pill to whatever food you choose. Really makes their coats shine on my labs and I can imagine it'd be beautiful on a Bichon. Obviously great for their health, too.

Here's some nice info on it -- by no means pressuring you, but I started doing this with my dogs after never have doing it before... has helped with itchies and joint issues with Quinn.
http://www.dog-swim.com/clinical-services/nutritional-supplements/fish-oil

We had issues with Acana, too -- and Taste of the Wild. 

I received samples of Earthborn's GF line after contacting their rep. That has great reviews. You should look into them, too. Also has flatter, smaller kibble. There's four grain-free choices that are less money than Fromm's. They have different protein levels, so definitely look into that. I thought the kibble size was interesting particularly for a smaller dog, though.


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## Georgiapeach (Jan 24, 2011)

I know you said that CN didn't work for your dog, but have you tried the CN Salmon and Peas? It has peas, rather than the potatoes that most of their varieties have. Peas tend to loosen up poo, rather than bind it. The protein is 28%, I think, which isn't too high. My westie mix, who has LOTS of allergies, does well on this kibble.


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## Jacksons Mom (Jun 13, 2010)

I'm so glad I'm not the only one with these 'issues' while feeding Fromm. Still feel the company is great, just never worked for my dog, and believe me I tried. 

I started this thread a little while ago, http://dogfoodchat.com/forum/dry-ca...body-condition-after-switching-off-fromm.html


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## domika (Jul 15, 2012)

I've been looking to add a few new foods to my rotation and have been looking at Annamaet, Pure Vita, Go! Sensitivity & Shine (mainly the turkey recipe), Now! and the Wellness Super 5 Mix Small Breed Adult.  Not all of these are grain free and I'm not sure how "low" in protein you want to go. Go! Fit and Free looks nice, as well as Horizon.


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

i'm always switching my dog's kibble. i use can food as one of his toppings and i
i use several different brands.


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## SpinRetrievers (Jun 1, 2013)

I am sure nice people work at Fromm but I think the company's business model is very much like companies that sell shampoo and conditioner. 

Fromm unabashedly markets to women with catchy names and ingredient lists that are clearly developed in the Marketing Department.

The company is well run and makes safe foods but I see no real expertise there other than a keen understanding of which member of the family makes the decision - mom.

I think what you see in the weight gain and lack of muscle tone is the reliance on unproven vegetable proteins. Pro Plan uses quite a bit too, but dogs on Pro Plan don't look flabby or have bad coats, the opposite actually.

In looking at the grain free foods (if that's what you just have to have) out there now, I would have to go with Dr. Tim's or Annamaet's because there is demonstrated level of expertise, professional use and the priorities are right in the formula.

Horizon looks good just haven't used it.

I haven't seen any benefit to GF foods, so I stick with a tried and true approach of chicken, fish & egg with various whole grains.


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## bett (Mar 15, 2012)

well one of mine cant have chicken or fowl, so i'm kinda limited. the other i home cook for and my easy guy does really well with fromm, marketed to women or not.
and after a zillion years, they must be doing something right, because they've never had a recall, of any kind. that kind of says a bit more than mom keeps the factory clean.

my fromm guy is all muscle, always has been so i dont necessarily credit fromm for that.. he looks like what a lab should look like. not flabby, no fat, all muscle. coat is beautiful. 

so, while some, like spin think it's a gimmick for us silly women and that they have no expertise, they seem to have enough to stay in business a zillion years, with many happy women dog owners (i highly doubt they are all women) and happy, sturdy dogs who dont need to switch for some ungodly reason, like a recall, (perish the thought).
do i think that their last bag of pork and peas is great? nope i dont and wont use it.

that being said, not all mom's pick kibbles and bits. some actually think long and hard ,about why they choose a particular food.
i cant use dr tim's or a horizon, because this mom, actually can read, and figure stuff out. i even went to try the others recommended by spin. doesnt work for my girl. chicken carcass or chicken fat, no matter how down on the list (oh i hope i dont get reprimanded for this silly comment) allows her to suck on her feet and scratch. go figure. 
when tim makes a fish , gf food, maybe i'll give it a try. and i sure hope he doesnt pick a really butch name -for my girl. 

fromm uses catchy names, no more or less than any other brand out there. and if you all dont give your pups a taste of "wisconsin" cheese once in a while, or a blueberry or two, or a slice of banana, that's ok too. some folks i guess just pour from the well made bag, and are done. and if that works for you and your pups, great.

i sure wish all of mine could eat the same stuff, as it would make my life that much easier.


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## shellbeme (Dec 8, 2010)

My dogs also tend to put on weight when on Fromm-so I reduce the amount just a bit to make sure they don't get fluffy or lumpy or whatever you want to call it. When a dog is gaining weight on a formula and losing so much muscle, I have noticed people don't seem to get the concept of feeding less and of exercising more. On the other hand, maybe people don't want to feed less and exercise more  - then so be it. There are so few kibbles I would feed anymore. I have one maltese with fine hair and another with kinda curly hair that has some thicker strands-on any kibble I have tried but Fromm his thicker hair gets almost wiery.

I have started leaning more towards dehydrated mixes, The Honest Kitchen, and I am anxiously awaiting samples from Ziwi Peak.

Have you tried or considered Nutri Source? I also like canine caviar-though my second dogs coat was very rough on it. I have looked at the Dr. Tim's that many rave about here but I'm not a big fan-to be fair though, I have never given it a try.


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## NutroGeoff (May 15, 2013)

I have had a lot of success recommending Natural Choice Grain Free. The protein level in the regular formulas are 21% and the fat is 12%. The small breed part of the grain free has 26% protein I believe. The grain free is not only grain free but is also limited ingredient too so it helps with allergy issues. I have had this food help quite a bit of my customers.


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## lovemydogsalways (Mar 4, 2012)

What about Wellness Core?


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## PDXdogmom (Jun 30, 2010)

SpinRetrievers said:


> I am sure nice people work at Fromm but I think the company's business model is very much like companies that sell shampoo and conditioner.
> 
> Fromm unabashedly markets to women with catchy names and ingredient lists that are clearly developed in the Marketing Department.
> 
> ...


That is what I was going to say also about the possible reason for lack of muscle tone and the weight gain. A few years ago I fed my dogs the Fromm Surf and Turf and they did fine on it. Since that time that formula has changed as well as their others; plus new formulas have come out. There seems to be an increasing reliance on plant proteins in the primary ingredients even though the total protein percentage may remain the same. Fromm is not unique in this respect. It seems to be an industry trend - Orijen and Earthborn are two other examples. 

All in all though, Fromm has good customer service and reliable quality control. That's saying quite a bit these days and if I had a dog that did really well on one of their formulas I probably wouldn't look elsewhere.

As far as their marketing, every company finds its own angle. Leaving gender out of it, Fromm definitely has chosen the homey kitchen approach with the dog in a chef's hat - probably not the first food that a person deep into the hunting or dogsled racing scene will look at. I hope most of us on dog boards look past the superficial marketing and study the food, the company and most importantly the results with our dogs. 

The combined issues with my two dogs requires me to look at non-chicken grain-free foods if I'm to feed just one food. Happily, I've made a great find with Annamaet. They have 3 grain-frees. I've been feeding the Annamaet Aqualuk (salmon & herring) going on my 5th month. My dogs are at the best they've been in a long time. At some point I may try the Annamaet Manitok (red meat) for variety. While not inexpensive, the saved money in vet bills combined with not needing to spend money on heart-worm or flea and tick prevention in my area, makes it a reasonable choice for us.


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## flashyfawn (Mar 8, 2012)

I also look for a food with more moderate protein and lower calories. I've been having great luck with Petcurean's Now Large Breed Senior, which obviously wouldn't work if you're dealing with small dogs, but there may be something else in the Now line that would work. Right now I'm trying a small bag of the Go Fit & Free senior. It's a little higher in protein and calories but lower carbs. Not sure yet if I'll stay with that or put her back on the Now, but I've been super happy with how she's done on this brand. Her body condition looks better, her coat is great, and her poop is totally fine. Before switching to the Fit & Free I went through one little bag of the Annamaet Lean and my dog was a little iffy on eating it and had huge soft poop (I mean, she's a big dog, but the amount of poop was ridiculous.) I have never used Fromm or Dr. Tim, or any other Annamaet variety.


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## Ziggy (Mar 25, 2013)

My mixed breed was doing fine on Fromm Chicken A La Veg but he is now getting soft stool. Am thinking about trying Pure Vita - wanted to try Annamaet but it is not distributed in Las Vegas - the speciality store I go to is going to look at Annamaet in July during the dog food convention here. Found out through my own experience that I cannot have UPS/Fed-Ex cosmetics / food delivered once it is over 105 degrees outside. There I am limited to what I can get at the speciality stores - Any suggestions would be appreciated. I hope Fromm did not change its formula - Ziggy was fine until the last bag; had a complete work up on him and he has no parasites, nothing - and he is only a one and 1/2 year old GSD/Lab whatever mix.


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## SpinRetrievers (Jun 1, 2013)

Ziggy said:


> My mixed breed was doing fine on Fromm Chicken A La Veg but he is now getting soft stool. Am thinking about trying Pure Vita - wanted to try Annamaet but it is not distributed in Las Vegas - the speciality store I go to is going to look at Annamaet in July during the dog food convention here. Found out through my own experience that I cannot have UPS/Fed-Ex cosmetics / food delivered once it is over 105 degrees outside. There I am limited to what I can get at the speciality stores - Any suggestions would be appreciated. I hope Fromm did not change its formula - Ziggy was fine until the last bag; had a complete work up on him and he has no parasites, nothing - and he is only a one and 1/2 year old GSD/Lab whatever mix.


Try Pro Plan Sport 28/18. That looks like a very nice food. Certainly no issues finding it.


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## InkedMarie (Sep 9, 2011)

For the OP: why do you want not too high protein?


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## Mad Max (Jun 26, 2013)

My dog was packing on the pounds eating Fromm 4 Star since October of '12. Recently switched to Orijen and she's starting to look slimmer. She's also very active.


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## Ziggy (Mar 25, 2013)

I am now feeding Salmon A La Veg and Ziggy has the best stool he has had in a long time - I do mix it with the Chicken A La Veg - Ziggy cannot eat Pure Vita Chicken and Rice - I think Georgia Peach may have been right about changing protein source - will see; however Annamaet may become available in August in Las Vegas.


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## Shamrockmommy (Sep 10, 2009)

InkedMarie said:


> For the OP: why do you want not too high protein?


I totally forgot about this thread. I prefer protein under 28% because for one, the food usually has a LOT of calories and I have to feed a very small amount of food to compensate for that. Then I get hungry dogs who puke bile between meals because they're hungry (or in the case of my chihuahua, just go ahead and eat poo to make up for the empty tummy). For two, the higher protein ones seem to cause loose stool which is no fun to clean up after four dogs. 

I'm trying PetGuard Lifespan on 2 of my dogs, and they are adjusting well. One is on canned Innova (the chi) and my puppy is finishing up a bag of Precise small breed puppy and will be transitioning him onto NOW! Small Breed soon. He is gassy on the Precise. 

I think I'm just going to rotate around through the better brands and not worry too much, like doggiedad. I'm topping right now with a spoonful of The Honest Kitchen and everyone seems to be doing great.


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## Jace (Oct 3, 2012)

I feed the NOW Small Breed, and am happy with the results. I have also tried the Fit + Free but my pup also likes her food. She used to have anal gland issues, and the increased fiber seems to help..


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## Matsuro (Apr 19, 2013)

I just purchased the Fromm's Salmon A La Veg, I told my sister that it would pack the weight on the dog so to cut it from 1 cup to 1/2 cups two times per day, so she gets 1 cup instead of 2cups. She cut the canned food out awhile back as well. I will see how the dog does on it. I will switch if I have to, but I would hate doing so.


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## Dr Dolittle (Aug 2, 2013)

SpinRetrievers said:


> I am sure nice people work at Fromm but I think the company's business model is very much like companies that sell shampoo and conditioner.
> 
> Fromm unabashedly markets to women with catchy names and ingredient lists that are clearly developed in the Marketing Department.
> 
> ...


hey SpinRetrievers, I am not defending Fromm here but you are exactly right about niche marketing. Anyone in the industry will tell you pet food marketing today is directed at the woman of the house. I know for a fact that is true. Rit or wrong, even if it makes Bett mad, any good marketing person will target the woman. If you are selling beer, you target the men. USB watch commercials during Monday Night Football! Even I get embarrassed for us men! The Customer Knows Best is actually a marketing term for the consumer that "researches" on the Internet and knows better than anyone else. Marketing people target those folks and know just what floats your boat. Notice there's not much difference in the messaging out there, is there? Even the more scientific companies have jumped into the game to get their piece of the pet food pie.


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## Dr Dolittle (Aug 2, 2013)

Jace said:


> I feed the NOW Small Breed, and am happy with the results. I have also tried the Fit + Free but my pup also likes her food. She used to have anal gland issues, and the increased fiber seems to help..


Hey Jace! Are you feeding sawdust to your dog to increase fiber!? Just kidding. I had someone ask me about NOW cat food last month, having never heard of it. I was very impressed with the nutrient levels, since I don't look at ingredients, and they make it themselves in Canada. I haven't looked at the canine formulas. So that's my 2 cents!


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## Jace (Oct 3, 2012)

> Hey Jace! Are you feeding sawdust to your dog to increase fiber!?


Haha.. It's soluble and insoluble, last time I checked sawdust was strictly a insoluble, not _quite_ what I was looking for in my situation ..


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## Ziggy (Mar 25, 2013)

I have been feeding my 71 pound mixed breed - 1 1/2 years old, Salmon A La Veg for a few months now - he is doing really well on it and has not gained weight. Ziggy eats three cups a day mixed with a little chicken a la veg and a small amount of Fromm Chicken pate as a topper - I am starting to give small amounts of the Salmon to my 8 year old GSD because she really loves the taste of it. Hopefully I can get her off the awful W/D she is on for a GI disorder. Fromm seems to be the best for Ziggy of all of the foods I have tried - he cannot eat beef at all and the duck upsets his stomach so the salmon has really been a help.


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