# Need Advice Switching to Grain Free



## hudsongold (Aug 1, 2009)

So Hudson has been on chicken and rice for a few days now and is doing better. Instead of going back to the Innova Puppy I thought it would be a good time to switch to grain free.
Orijen would be my first pick but I can't find any local retailers. Our local pet store carries Evo but after seeing some posts I am nervous it might be too rich for him given his poop problems. They also carry Wellness but I am not sure if they carry Core.
If they do carry Core which out of the 2 would you recommend. We also have Petsmart nearby that has BB Wilderness but I don't think that is as good.
I would rather not have to order food but if Orijen is simply the best I will.
Thanks!


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## Doc (Jan 17, 2009)

I would look at Natural Balance. They have a good line of products. Pennicle is a good product too.


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## Mr K (Jan 26, 2009)

natural balance puts grain before the meat not good


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## Doc (Jan 17, 2009)

Check out the NB Lamb Meal and Rice

Lamb Meal, Brown Rice, Ground White Rice, Rice Bran, Canola Oil, Lamb, Tomato Pomace, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Natural Mixed Tocopherols, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Manganese Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Folic Acid.
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
Crude Protein 21.0% minimum
Crude Fat 12.0% minimum
Crude Fiber 4.0% maximum
Moisture 10.0% maximum
Calcium 1.2% minimum
Phosphorus 1.0% minimum
Omega-3 Fatty Acids 0.3% minimum
Omega-6 Fatty Acids 1.7% minimum

Lamb meal first. Not a bad product particularly if you add some additional meat.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

you could try acana provincial its 34% protein as opposed to 40% in orijen. Another good brand is Horizon Legacy, its almost identical to Orijen, but cheaper, though it hard to find, I cant find it locally so I'll have to order it online. 

Theres also Natures Variety Instinct, Canidae grain free, TOTW, Artemis Maximal, Merrick B.G


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

If you can find the Acana, I would go with that......Drumroll please! I've put my 2 EBT's on Acana for about 4 days now as I will be leaving tonight on vacation, my housesitter was very unsure of feeding a raw diet. My female who had digestive issues her whole life until I switched to raw has done really well on the Acana, I almost tried the Evo, but thought twice because of the richness. The switch was smooth, and no runny poops, nice and firm. As soon as I get back they go back on raw, after a day of fasting.


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## pokey (Oct 5, 2009)

I also feed Acana Pacifica and my pup is doing well with it. If you can not get Orijen, you most likely will not be able to get Acana as they are both Champion products. I like that Acana is grain free, but not quite as high protein as the Orijen; still a great food from a good company.


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

For the record, Acana is actually not grain free. It does have oats and rice in it. 

Orijen worked really well for my friend's puppy who kept having loose stool issues, and I haven't heard of anyone who's had a problem with it. IMO it's probably the best option as far as grain free goes. 

Evo is also good, but I've heard of so many people on here with dogs having digestive issues from it, I'm not sure how great it really is. I'd love to hear from anyone who is having positive results with it. 

Merrick's BG is supposed to be really good but I don't know of anyone who feeds it. 

Blue Wilderness and Wellness Core worked well for my dogs for the short while they were on it before raw. 

If you go with Core, get the regular or original kind for your puppy.


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## pokey (Oct 5, 2009)

Acana absolutely has a grain free line, although they also have a line with grains. Acana Provincial is the grain free line and the formulas are- Pacifica (fish), Grasslands(lamb), and Prairie Harvest (chicken).


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## hudsongold (Aug 1, 2009)

Thanks Everyone!
I think I will stay away from Evo. I can't get Acana locally either. If I can find Core I guess I will try that. Will let you know what happens.
Thanks!


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

rannmiller said:


> Merrick's BG is supposed to be really good but I don't know of anyone who feeds it.


The ingredinets in Merrick B.G. are decent, but their different "formulas" are a bit of a lie. The first ingredient is deboned whatever-formula-it-is but always followed by Chicken Meal and other chicken sources follow down the list. We all know Meals have more true weight in dog food than deboned meats.
As far as being a true protien source switch before formulas, absolutely not, which is suprising because the BG cans are 100% whatever they say they are. 
They would be more accurately named
BG Chicken with a little Buffalo
BG Chicken with more Chicken
BG Chicken with a little Salmon


First ten or so ingredients of each:
BG Buffalo
Buffalo Deboned, Chicken Meal, Potato Dehydrated, Turkey Meal, Canola Oil, Sweet Potato Dehydrated, (preserved with mixed tocopherols – a source of Natural Vitamin E and Ascorbic Acid, a source of Vitamin C), Yeast Culture, Natural Dried Chicken Liver, Dicalcium Phosphate, Lysine,


BG Salmon
Salmon Deboned, Chicken Meal, Potato Dehydrated, Turkey Meal, Canola Oil, Sweet Potato Dehydrated, Dried Egg, (preserved with mixed tocopherols – a source of Natural Vitamin E and Ascorbic Acid, a source of Vitamin C), Yeast Culture, Natural Dried Chicken Liver,

BG Chicken
Chicken Deboned, Chicken Meal, Potato Dehydrated, Turkey Meal, Canola Oil, Sweet Potato Dehydrated, (preserved with mixed tocopherols – a source of Natural Vitamin E and Ascorbic Acid, a source of Vitamin C), Yeast Culture, Natural Dried Chicken Liver, Dicalcium Phosphate, Lysine

Anyway, still a good food, I don't know why a Buffalo or Salmon food being mostly chicken bothers me so much, but it does. Still good foods, though. lol


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

Haha yep, that's what I figured.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

acana has a grain free line called provincial.


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## hudsongold (Aug 1, 2009)

Well I went with Core and got some yesterday. I gave Hudson some with dinner last night and breakfast this morning. He seems to like it so we will see how it goes. Keep your fingers crossed.
The one thing I am a little worried about is that it says on the bag that it is not for puppies under 1 year old. Should I be worried? He will be 1 in January.
Thanks.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

hudsongold said:


> The one thing I am a little worried about is that it says on the bag that it is not for puppies under 1 year old. Should I be worried? He will be 1 in January.


No, not at all.


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## EnglishBullTerriers (Sep 10, 2008)

I like both Orijen and Wellness Core, but I also have Titus on the Merrik Before Grain and he is doing really well on it. Those are the three that I will rotate out depending on what is closer to me at the time that I need food. I think that I have been lucky and not had to buy food every other week like I was on some of the other foods that he was on. I will also sometimes add the BB Wilderness. He was weaned from mom to that cause that was what I could afford and before I knew what I know now about foods. But it is still a good food if that is all you can get.
I have Owen on raw and Titus is kibble with RMBs at least once a week along with one egg a week. I will give raw fish once to twice a month for Titus and that also helps to keep his teeth a little cleaner with the chewing.  On his kibble, I give him 2 salmon oil capsuls for a little supplement. 
Titus is on the BG right now and like the Orijen and Wellness Core, he only eats about 3 cups of food twice a day. With the other brands, including the BB Wilderness, he was eating 5-6 cups twice a day. (He is not neutered and has a high motabolism and is around 100lbs at a year old!) I must say that it really does cost more to feed Titus then Owen, even if they both were the same size. But I do what I can.  :biggrin:


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## EnglishBullTerriers (Sep 10, 2008)

CorgiPaws said:


> The ingredinets in Merrick B.G. are decent, but their different "formulas" are a bit of a lie. The first ingredient is deboned whatever-formula-it-is but always followed by Chicken Meal and other chicken sources follow down the list. We all know Meals have more true weight in dog food than deboned meats.
> As far as being a true protien source switch before formulas, absolutely not, which is suprising because the BG cans are 100% whatever they say they are.
> They would be more accurately named
> BG Chicken with a little Buffalo
> ...


I noticed that too, but I fugure at least it has MEAT and not Grains and other products!  I like most of the rest of the ingredients. They are better then other brands. I don't care if I buy the chicken of the red meat, as long as it doesn't cause problems.


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## hudsongold (Aug 1, 2009)

Wow that's a lot of food each day. What kind of pup is Titus? He has a healthy appetite. 

I'm glad to hear Core is ok for puppies. Now it's a wait and see game.
Thanks again for all the great info!


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## EnglishBullTerriers (Sep 10, 2008)

hudsongold said:


> Well I went with Core and got some yesterday. I gave Hudson some with dinner last night and breakfast this morning. He seems to like it so we will see how it goes. Keep your fingers crossed.
> The one thing I am a little worried about is that it says on the bag that it is not for puppies under 1 year old. Should I be worried? He will be 1 in January.
> Thanks.


No worries. They are only refering to the caloric intake, which is another 'nutritionist' ploy that is trying to say that the dog will not do well with a certin number that they don't even know what it does. They are trying to tell you that your dog can't have more then what they say, but if your dog is doing well and isn't loosing weight or gaining too much, then all is fine!


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## EnglishBullTerriers (Sep 10, 2008)

Titus is a Neo Mastiff - Pitt mix. He is a big guy that is still growing, believe it or not! I think that he grew another inch in this last month.


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## hudsongold (Aug 1, 2009)

That sure is a lot of dog. He must be a "big" mush.


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## EnglishBullTerriers (Sep 10, 2008)

hudsongold said:


> That sure is a lot of dog. He must be a "big" mush.


Great big and VERY mushy! 
But he doesn't like people. We are working on that though! He is getting better with people that come in and reward him for not barking at them.


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## hudsongold (Aug 1, 2009)

Rewards & treats can do wonders. I'm sure he will get better.


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## EnglishBullTerriers (Sep 10, 2008)

hudsongold said:


> Rewards & treats can do wonders. I'm sure he will get better.


Yeah, he has a long story for being only one, but I have had him back in my house since May this year and he has gone from nervious with people, to mean with people, and now he is cautious with people that come in the house. I have worked hard with him to get him back to where he was when I first had him. I was lucky because he has always looked at me as an authority figure in his life and takes commands and corrections from me really well, but that is about where it ends. He will only take basic commands from the rest of the family and they are not allowed to correct him. He will ignore them and continue to do what he wants till I say something. So when they are here, I have to keep an eye on him and correct him if he does something he knows he isn't supposed to. He is good with my neice and nephew though, He will take basic comands from them and will sit, down and 'leave' (meaning leave me alone, if they don't want him to play with them). They are 4 and 3 years old. I have worked my tail off to keep his attention and work off voice commands, just incase he is across the room from me and I can't do anything but say something. I am also working with Owen and Titus on hand signals. That is a little tricky with 2 dogs that have ADHD and can't pay attention for more then 3 seconds. But we are making headway with that too!  
Anyway, Thanks. Hope the Wellness Core works for you as well as it has worked for me. :biggrin:


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## hudsongold (Aug 1, 2009)

Sounds like you are working really hard with him.  I know it's not easy and takes a lot of time. Good luck.
I really hope Core works out too. Thanks!


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