# Anyone have any experience with Holistic Selects?



## kimrisa (Jan 17, 2010)

Particular those of you with dogs with sensitive tummies?

Thanks!


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## meggels (May 30, 2010)

you still haven't found a food to work for your guy? what have you tried????


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## kimrisa (Jan 17, 2010)

I found a good food that worked very well and then they switched the formula and it's not agreeing with him like the old formula. So I'm in the process of researching to see what else is out there!


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

I stopped carrying this food because it did not sell well. A lot of people bought one or two bags, but no really long-term customers on it, so I nicked it. 

Would you mind sharing what did and did not work, and a timeline, so perhaps we can help you further?


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## kimrisa (Jan 17, 2010)

Hi CorgiPaws....I don't meet to be sly about the dog food but to be honest it wasn't a high rated dog food (tried some of those (C. Natural, Fromm and Wellness) and they didn't agree with my dog). I've been "belittled" in the past by some posters on this site for my choice of dog food (which left me feeling really bad since I come here for great advise from wonderful posters like yourself and didn't feel the criticism was warranted!) so I choose not to open myself up to an unsolicited criticism and prefer to just get input on good dog foods. I've never tried grain free so that is an option I'm open to. Lamb seems to agree best with my dog (salmon and chicken not so much.)


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## stajbs (Jun 5, 2010)

For some reason Holistic Selects sells well for one of my local Ag Supply stores, and one that is closer has just been getting this food in recently. Our local k9 force uses the Duck Formula for their GSD's, they have for years, and then they switch to the senior.

I've rotated with the Anchovy/Salmon/Sardine formula and the Duck, and two other foods from different manufacturers. All has been well until recently with a bag of Duck and my one senior sibe. We suspect a bacterial bloom(long story) and even though two fecals were negative I still need to treat for whip, because I have had it be an underlying issue for another much younger dog a few years back. We have had recent wildlife travelling over the property too so I am not sure yet what is going on. Just starting the whole meds/bland food and then progression as he progresses path. The other sibe who is also a senior is not having trouble with the Duck formula. Honestly I have loved the coat I see on both my dogs with the Duck formula, very full, shiney, and dense. I buy the 30 pound bags and my dogs rotate kibble about every two/three months.

Like I said, not sure what is up with our boy yet...whether it's a Duck sensitivity, or other food issue, bacterial bloom or another problem. I am taking it one step at a time, and since he looks so good, and is improving I am hoping we don't have a more serious problem.

I know of no changes to the formula recently. Sold to WellPet what about a year or two ago from Eagle Pack. WellPet also does Wellness and Old Mother Hubbard I think.

Even though I am having a problem I would say it appears it may be dog specific and not a problem with the food. Not sure if any of this helps, but we have fed both these formulas for about 5 years in a rotation and been happy with the results.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

kimrisa said:


> Hi CorgiPaws....I don't meet to be sly about the dog food but to be honest it wasn't a high rated dog food (tried some of those (C. Natural, Fromm and Wellness) and they didn't agree with my dog). I've been "belittled" in the past by some posters on this site for my choice of dog food (which left me feeling really bad since I come here for great advise from wonderful posters like yourself and didn't feel the criticism was warranted!) so I choose not to open myself up to an unsolicited criticism and prefer to just get input on good dog foods. I've never tried grain free so that is an option I'm open to. Lamb seems to agree best with my dog (salmon and chicken not so much.)


I apologize that's been an issue in the past. :frown:
I can't give much suggestion without knowing what you've tried in the past, and with what results. 

Have you tried each formula of California Natural? I hear more positive feedback from my customers with the Herring formula than the others, but they do have a lamb one, too. They also just came out with a few grain free formulas that look pretty decent, too. Might be worth checking out.
Taste of the Wild now has a lamb formula as well- Sierra Mountain. It hasn't been out long, but you may want to look at that. It is grain free, and lamb based. 

I actually have heard a lot of dogs with sensitive tummies not being able to handle many of the super rich grain free foods. Both with my own dogs before going raw, and with my many customers, it seems to be too much for sensitive tummies. That being said, it could be grains in general causing the issue, and not a true, overall, sensitive tummy. Since you have not tried grain free foods before, I would say that's probably your best bet. If I were in your shoes, with what I know, I would be looking at the grain free cal. nat lines first, and then the TOTW Sierra Mountain. Then if I still had no luck, I'd probably give something like Orijen a shot, if it were in my budget. Generally I'd recommend Orijen over the other two, just not so much in the case of a dog that's had a very difficult time stomaching rich foods. 

I'd be more than happy to give you a more personalized response via PM, so you can share the feeding history without unwanted criticism. :smile:


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## stajbs (Jun 5, 2010)

Corgipaws, I have been researching California Natural now as well, due to the present situation, and grain free option as well. Our guys enjoyed samples of the Herring and Sweet Potatoe formula, and I may need to switch for the reasons mentioned above. Or I may go back to fully cooking for our dogs or perhaps Honest Kitchen, right now we just want to get the boys diet under control and work through the process to figure out if it's a food sensitivity, and I dread how long that may take, I just want him to be all okay again. 

Kimrisa, our guys have always done well on two grain free foods and these two Holistic Select formulas, or Honest Kitchen Force, plus some Merrick BG with their evening meal, or lightly cooked meats, but now Blaze has gone and thrown a monkey wrench into our system that worked so well for years I sympathize with you.


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## meggels (May 30, 2010)

Kim, I'm not sure if you remember me...

I remember some of your posts from dogforums.com several months ago. I too am from Connecticut, and have the french bulldog named Murphy who has lots of allergy issues. I know your boy had allergy issues too right? Does he still have them?

Anywho, I think grain free is the way to go. Murph is currently on TOTW pacific stream, and like CorgiPaws mentioned, they do have the lamb formula. I think that it would be worth checking out, and it's more moderate protein at only 25%. 

Anyways, Murph's allergies still bother him, but I also know I need to step it up in a few areas. But being on a grain free food with a pump of salmon oil a day has transformed his coat, and I'm hoping if I just keep him on the TOTW for a few more months I will see even more improvements with his skin and coat. 

Good luck with your boy, I love that Halloween pic of him.


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## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

If you dog is having sensitive stomach issues, it could definitely be from the grains. My dog doesn't do well on grains. He does ok on the low to mid range protein foods. Next up is instinct, so I'll see how he does on the higher protein foods. I would definitely try going grainfree. If you could afford acana, that would be great. It's less expensive than origen, has lower protein and is still a great food. If not, TOTW makes a decent line up. Starting out on the lower protein grainfree's is the best way to begin. TOTW sierra and pacific are 25% protein. All the california naturals are in the low 20% except the grain free chicken formula. It has 34%. Start out in the 20's and go from there.


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## stajbs (Jun 5, 2010)

I forgot TOTW has a lamb based grain free formula now, thanks for the reminder, I'll have to look into that as well, and at a moderate protein level. We also like the Acana, and it is part of the rotation here too, or at least it was, or will remain so for one of the dogs. Gahhhh, I hate digestive issues, always so challenging to figure out.


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## vigornj (Nov 4, 2010)

My Dobe is always sensitive to grains, his poop was just a big pile of mush and would occasionally throw up.

Switched him to a non-grain food and his poops are now perfect and have not seen him throw up since.


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