# Experiences w/ Honest Kitchen??



## allisonglass123456 (Oct 22, 2009)

Hi I was looking on the web for people's experiences w/ The Honest Kitchen dog food since we use Grandma Lucy's. Wanted to see comments & experiences. I know Pancreatitis is treated w/ low-fat food. 

Let me tell you our true story of using Grandma Lucy's chicken and how it resolved my Yellow Labs Hi cholesterol & Hi triglycerides in less than 5 months. She had recuring Lipomas and had 3 different surgeries over 3 years to remove them b/c there was always 1-2 located at her arm &/or back leg where it growing bigger could interfere w/ mobility. After less than 5 mos on Grandma Lucy's Chicken, feed 2 x's a day (plus I gave her 1 Kirkland 1000mg Fish Oil pill & 1 Kirkland Signature Extra Strength Glucosamine Chondroitin pill w/ each meal since she weighs 70lbs +) my dog's cholesterol fell over 120 pts and her triglycerides went down from high range to low normal range. She also lost weight from 79lbs to 66lbs, which I believe was in part due to the very low fat of the food plus she runs 4 miles a week on top of walking 2 miles a day. I started adding 1 tablespoon of olive oil to her food at night which has helped her maintain her 70lbs. Now after over 1 1/2yrs on grandma Lucy's dog food, her lipid panels are fine and she has NO LIPOMAS.

I know that Grandma Lucy's is not cheap but I figure it comes out to about $2.10 a pound which compares to Halo dog food. Compare to 3 surgeries that cost over $1500 each time plus the misery my poor baby suffered & our worry of how the anesthesia would hurt her; I feel the extra cost is worth it especially given that she is at least 8 yrs old now.

I have also read that people use it for dogs w/ Cushings disease b/c it is a low phosphorus food.

My husband has tasted it and says it tastes like regular chicken stew that needs some salt/ seasoning so it is real food.


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## committed2excellence (May 2, 2011)

I used the dehydrated blend for about a month back in 2008. I was feeding to a 9 and a 10 year old who were at the apex of health and had been fed raw all of their lives. All I remember is hearing my dogs drinking water at 2 and 3 o'clock in the morning. It was winter time and they were not doing any work and between the two of them they were consuming close to 2 gallons of water a day. Keep in mind 60 lb dogs. I knew that this couldn't be great for their aging systems and I opted to discontinue. For what it's worth they seemed to enjoy it.


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## frogdog (Aug 10, 2011)

I had a very short experience with Honest Kitchen Zeal...two whole days. My dog, Yogi, basically refused to eat and had to hand feed him with his mouth sneering up in total disgust. He had a full blown allergy breakout from Honest Kitchen and that was enough for us. Zeal had no ingredients listed as known allergens for Yogi. I believe it was the alfalfa in their product. Also, I was not impressed with the company considering most of their ingredients are imported.


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

Not a big fan. I don't like how it's marketed as 'raw food!!!' when it's dehydrated. I know it's not technically cooked, but to me a rehydrated mush is not the same as feeding a real raw diet, at all. If raw meat is added it's better than a kibble only diet, but it's still not great. 

I also know dogs with pancreatitis that do fine on a prey model raw diet with a little less fat than what you would feed a normal dog. Certainly more than what is in the majority of kibble. Processed food probably plays a bigger part than just fat.


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## InkedMarie (Sep 9, 2011)

I have fed The Honest Kitchen on & off for years. Mostly I've used the Embark, which is grainfree turkey. Every single dog who has eaten the stuff (a total of 6) have loved the stuff. They go a little nuts when it's hydrating. I also use a thicker mixture to stuff Kongs, works great and better for them than peanut butter and less poops. My deceased sheltie, who died in July 2010, was unable to eat himself at the end. I was very thankful that he was used to THK because I don't know what I would have done. My 14mos old brittany has eaten their Keen, which is turkey but not grainfree and oh man, the poops! I tried Zeal but my dog didn't care for it. It has a strange consistency.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

We have several customers that use it and swear by it- particularly for their Dalmatians. But, I also think it's a bit of a stretch to be marketed as a raw diet. 
That being said, I do think that a few things put it above kibble, and for that reason I'm considering taking Murphy (the cocker spaniel RESIDENT at my boarding facility) off of California Natural Herring... and putting him on this, but with his terrible food sensitivities, I'm nervous to switch him to anything. I'd love to have him on PMR, but I'm not there for so many of his feeding times, nor am I there to monitor stools and make it work for him.


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## InkedMarie (Sep 9, 2011)

PuppyPaws said:


> We have several customers that use it and swear by it- particularly for their Dalmatians. But, I also think it's a bit of a stretch to be marketed as a raw diet.
> That being said, I do think that a few things put it above kibble, and for that reason I'm considering taking Murphy (the cocker spaniel RESIDENT at my boarding facility) off of California Natural Herring... and putting him on this, but with his terrible food sensitivities, I'm nervous to switch him to anything. I'd love to have him on PMR, but I'm not there for so many of his feeding times, nor am I there to monitor stools and make it work for him.


this is one reason I went to THK. My pbgv had recurrent yeast ear infections. Ca Nat herring was the first food he did okay ok. I wanted to try him on something else and the Embark worked


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

InkedMarie said:


> this is one reason I went to THK. My pbgv had recurrent yeast ear infections. Ca Nat herring was the first food he did okay ok. I wanted to try him on something else and the Embark worked


I have this serious hangup on the mush consistency... but I suppose kibble is equally unnatural.


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## schtuffy (May 17, 2010)

I also don't know I feel about the mush. I gave my dog some samples I got, but they just made him throw up.


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## IslandPaws4Raw (Sep 7, 2011)

I have mixed feelings about the product as well. I've been using the Thrive for a short time, with mostly positive results. My dogs love the flavor, and it helped almost immediately with stool consistency. For me it is the perfect transition to the PMR diet. Since it isn't advisable to mix raw meaty bones and kibble, THK was a great substitute for kibble, while the dogs adjusted to raw.

I will still feed THK to my aging Chihuahua, since he has terrible teeth, not sure if he will be able to chew bones. So I mix in boneless meat with his meal. He hasn't been this excited about mealtime in a while.

For my larger active, young dogs though I will be feeding the exclusively PMR. I don't think the HK by itself has enough substance for them


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

Give the little Chihuahua a wing or drumstick and see how he handles it. Bet he will surprise you. :smile:


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