# taste of the sickness



## RCTRIPLEFRESH5 (Feb 11, 2010)

there's a reason totw is 40 dollars, its not a good food. shane hasnt been doing well AT ALL. im returning the bag. i wasnt able to transition him that well, i started him on 1 cup totw 2 cups canidae gf, but i was out of canidae in 3 days, so i had to give him 3 cups of totw....but i heard once youre on grain free you can transition foods with no problems.

thinking of orijen red...or just going back to canidae grain free...since orijen scares me
also any food ifeed i will have to start feeding 100 percent of no transition since im ut of canidae.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Should have tried Acana grasslands, hands down one of the best foods on the market IMO of course.


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## Cliffdog (Dec 30, 2010)

Just because it doesn't work for your dog, doesn't mean it's a bad food. I know many, many people, and many breeders, who successfully feed TOTW. Also the fast transition probably made it worse.


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## coolstorybro (Nov 3, 2010)

how is it a bad dog food when only your dog does bad on it? my pup is on totw and all i can say is good things about it. his itching has gone down a lot, also his stool is a lot firmer/darker color, and he goes crazy for it when its time to eat. 

lol @ returning an opened bag.


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## PalmettoPaws (Dec 30, 2009)

What problems has Shane been experiencing from the food?


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## RCTRIPLEFRESH5 (Feb 11, 2010)

PalmettoPaws said:


> What problems has Shane been experiencing from the food?


hes just been vomiting everyday, and has nasty tears. also he eats the food fine, my guy is never a picky eater, however he doesnt go crazy for it. i care very much about him eating a platable meal. i tried giving him totw as a treat, and he looked at me like come on i want some evo...then i gave him evo and he ate it right up. the evo is evo red...so im thinking of trying orijen red....idk if its pre p and g or not. i know i got it after p and g took over, (its a free 5 pound bag)..but who knows if its pre or not..i dont seee an exp date.


coolstorybro said:


> how is it a bad dog food when only your dog does bad on it? my pup is on totw and all i can say is good things about it. his itching has gone down a lot, also his stool is a lot firmer/darker color, and he goes crazy for it when its time to eat.
> 
> lol @ returning an opened bag.


how is it funny to return an opened bag??? nearly ALL reputable dog food companies encourage you to do this for this VERY reason..... the risk you take with rotating, is that you might find a food your dog doesnt tolerate.
also me saying totw is a bad food is a little general ill admit, but your saying that ONLY my dog does bad on it is just as general if not a worse statement. plenty of dog's do badly on totw....plenty do well.....
his firm seems better on this food, but he vomits everyday, and has nasty tears.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> there's a reason totw is 40 dollars, its not a good food.


It's $40 because it's made by a huuuuge company with buying power.



RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> i wasnt able to transition him that well, i started him on 1 cup totw 2 cups canidae gf, but i was out of canidae in 3 days, so i had to give him 3 cups of totw....


Ok. I don't get this. 
You transitioned way too fast. THREE days? You pretty much did no transition, and then say it's a bad food?
You moved too fast. You need to do a slower transition. Seriously.....



RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> .but i heard once youre on grain free you can transition foods with no problems.


You should slap whomever told you this. 
While a lot of people find that when they transition within a brand, they can do it no problem, to say that you can do a transition with any "gran free" food in a matter of three days is just silly. 



RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> thinking of orijen red...or just going back to canidae grain free...since orijen scares me
> .


...lol....




RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> also any food ifeed i will have to start feeding 100 percent of no transition since im ut of canidae.


OR you could spend a couple bucks for a 15lb bag of Canidae and do what's best for your dog? maybe?


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## BoxerMommie (Jun 26, 2008)

I agree whoever told you once you're grain free you don't have to transition slowly is a nutcase. It has nothing to do with grains or not it has to do with giving their stomach different ingredients and nutrition amounts, some can tolerate it some cannot. Heck I can't go from Natural Balance's Sweet Potato and fish to the same brand of Sweet Potato and Bison without doing a 7-10 day which (typically 8 is okay for my guy) and the only real difference in the foods is the protein source. If I don't take those 8 days or so he has explosive diarrhea for at least a week. 

If you really can't go get a small bag of Canidae to switch over to something else then you can do homecooked chicken and rice for a couple of days and then slowly switch over to whatever new kibble you choose from there. 

But again have to agree with others that saying TOTW is a bad food is ridiculous. YOUR DOG happened to not tolerate it well but you also set him up for failure by only giving him 3 days of a transition and doing a 1 cup to 2 cup transition is WAY too fast as well. With a bazillion food allergies as well as colitis my boy does GREAT on TOTW's Pacific Stream formula (ever think maybe the formula just doesn't set well with him? They have 4 to choose from all very different) when he did HORRIBLE on almost every other food on the market but NB's limited ingredient diets (3 of them not the entire line). Doesn't mean Evo was a bad food, he simply had issues with it for one reason for another.

I'm sorry your pup had issues, trust me been there done that way more times than I care to remember, but when you didn't transition and haven't given enough time for his system to then adjust to the new food it's really out of line to say a food line is "not a good food" simply because one formula didn't work for your one dog when you yourself admit that there was more than one wrench in the works.


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## coolstorybro (Nov 3, 2010)

RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> but your saying that ONLY my dog does bad on it is just as general if not a worse statement.


look at your op, you say shane does bad on it, and that totw is bad food overall just b/c he does bad on it.


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

You have no problem feeding Diamond brand foods which have had numerous recalls and problems in the past but are scared of Orijen? Because of one irradiation incident which Orijen has stated they will not send to Australia because of it now? You live in the US I presume so there shouldn't be an issue at all.

Orijen is a brand with a much much better reputation.. you need to calm down, and do things right. Buy a bag of canidae to do a proper transition to w/e food you choose. Of course your dog did bad on it with next to zero transitioning. Taste of the wild seems like a decent food overall.. I don't do well eating beef... does that mean it's a bad food overall? No.

Some of your posts are rather outlandish..


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## coolstorybro (Nov 3, 2010)

RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> how is it funny to return an opened bag???


do you have any feelings towards retail/local stores? do you think they like getting opened/used returns? all this does is cost more money to the buisness, and jack up the prices higher


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## coolstorybro (Nov 3, 2010)

RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> plenty of dog's do badly on totw....


i never said they didnt..

also why would you buy a 30 pound bag of dog food your dog has never tried..


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## BoxerMommie (Jun 26, 2008)

coolstorybro said:


> do you have any feelings towards retail/local stores? do you think they like getting opened/used returns? all this does is cost more money to the buisness, and jack up the prices higher


No the local businesses get reimbursed from the dog food manufacturers. That's one I'll agree with the OP on. I've returned probably $800 worth of dog food (heck maybe more) when my dog was going through finding what he was allergic to and his colitis could and couldn't handle and his allergies could and couldn't handle. It's the dog food companies that have the guarantee not the store, they get reimbursed and I have talked to the mom and pop places aorund here, they encourage people to return them if they don't work out and have said that they are not hurt at all by it. That 100% satisfaction guarantee saved my booty back then that's for sure! Yes it comes from the manufacturer's pocket, but if it hurt THAT much or they had that much of an issue with it then they wouldn't offer that guarantee in the first place.


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## coolstorybro (Nov 3, 2010)

BoxerMommie said:


> No the local businesses get reimbursed from the dog food manufacturers. That's one I'll agree with the OP on. I've returned probably $800 worth of dog food (heck maybe more) when my dog was going through finding what he was allergic to and his colitis could and couldn't handle and his allergies could and couldn't handle. It's the dog food companies that have the guarantee not the store, they get reimbursed and I have talked to the mom and pop places aorund here, they encourage people to return them if they don't work out and have said that they are not hurt at all by it. That 100% satisfaction guarantee saved my booty back then that's for sure! Yes it comes from the manufacturer's pocket, but if it hurt THAT much or they had that much of an issue with it then they wouldn't offer that guarantee in the first place.


ya either way the manufacturer gets the hit. i worked retail for 5 years, and whenever we had opened/used items return, my store manager would never take it back, he told customers to contact the manufacturer. that is why i said retail/local stores.


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

My local pet store takes food back as well.. my dog is on raw, but my cats aren't, and one of my cats is really picky when it comes to his cat food. He eats popcorn, beans out of a can, bananas, muffins, candy, meat.. but will not touch most cat foods.


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## Ania's Mommy (Feb 8, 2009)

coolstorybro said:


> ya either way the manufacturer gets the hit. i worked retail for 5 years, and whenever we had opened/used items return, my store manager would never take it back, he told customers to contact the manufacturer. that is why i said retail/local stores.


I would not shop at that store.

RC - It sounds like the transition may have been rushed. I think that this is the main reason for Shane's troubles. I would buy a small bag of Canidae and try the transition over again. Whether it's to TOTW again, or another food entirely.

I really think you should give the regional red a shot, though. You know you want to. :wink:


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## coolstorybro (Nov 3, 2010)

Ania's Mommy said:


> I would not shop at that store.
> 
> RC - It sounds like the transition may have been rushed. I think that this is the main reason for Shane's troubles. I would buy a small bag of Canidae and try the transition over again. Whether it's to TOTW again, or another food entirely.
> 
> I really think you should give the regional red a shot, though. You know you want to. :wink:


basically once you return something that is opened/used, the store can't put that back on the shelves, and they end up refunding the customer, and throwing away the return which costs stores a lot of money. there is no returning the used/opened item to manufacturer unless it is a manufacture defect/guarantee. also on back of receipts, it stats all returns must be unopened/new condition. you should see the customers at our store and the items they try to return after it opened/used. i use to work at michaels.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

off topic:
I own a business that sells premium dog foods.
Rarely so we ever get reimbursed for opened returns. VERY few manufacturers honor it.

Coupons ALWAYS get reimbursed.
Opened returns- rarely. 

That being said, we do take returns on open foods.
I admittedly get really annoyed when people bring back bags all the time.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

But you can donate it to the local shelter and if you have enough, you can deduct it on your income tax if the manufacturer doesn't guarantee their product.


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## BrownieM (Aug 30, 2010)

Interesting...I once accidentally bought Innova adult instead of LB Puppy. I opened the bag and then did some research and decided it would be better to feed large breed instead. I went to the store to buy a new bag and I just assumed I couldn't return it. The owner insisted that I return it because she could send it back to Natura. 

Also, when I purchased Acana several months later the owner reminded me when I purchased it that I could return it if it didn't work out.


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## BoxerMommie (Jun 26, 2008)

whiteleo said:


> But you can donate it to the local shelter and if you have enough, you can deduct it on your income tax if the manufacturer doesn't guarantee their product.


My local shelter does not accept opened bags of food. Liability reasons. All donated food must be in the original unopened container.


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## SamWu1 (Oct 15, 2010)

Every company has different policies. Their distributor is a factor as well. Some distributors will credit you with just the bar code no questions asked while others require you to fill out a huge form with a signature from the customer.

I personally won't touch any kibble besides Champion, just my humble opinion. I simply believe from what I've learned while in the petfood industry that it seems to be the best.

I've attended training seminars for all the major premium petfood manufacturers i.e. Petcurean, NV, Natura, etc, and Champion stood out.


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## kevin bradley (Aug 9, 2009)

RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> there's a reason totw is 40 dollars, its not a good food. shane hasnt been doing well AT ALL. im returning the bag. i wasnt able to transition him that well, i started him on 1 cup totw 2 cups canidae gf, but i was out of canidae in 3 days, so i had to give him 3 cups of totw....but i heard once youre on grain free you can transition foods with no problems.
> 
> thinking of orijen red...or just going back to canidae grain free...since orijen scares me
> also any food ifeed i will have to start feeding 100 percent of no transition since im ut of canidae.




RC, is MILK bad for you? If you are allergic to Milk, you can get violently ill. 

Seafood can kill you if you have an allergy. If not, its some of the healthiest food one can eat. 

How about nuts? Great healthy food. 


Come on, you are smarter than this. Shane not doing well on TOTW doesn't prove anything except that either you introduced it wrong --or-- it simply doesn't agree with him.


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## meggels (May 30, 2010)

I've had several dogs do well on TOTW. Very well. 


RC you just continue to leave me dumbfounded.


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## Little Brown Jug (Dec 7, 2010)

My two did well on it. There is no one food that is perfect for every dog. If your dog does better on Canidae or Evo then great but just because he didn't do well on TOTW doesn't make it a bad food for every dog out there.


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## chocolatelabguy (Nov 17, 2009)

As many previous posters have stated, the 3-day transition from the old food to the TOTW was set up to fail. There's a saying in the business I work in that says "Failure to plan on your part should not constitute an emergency on my part." In this case, failure to plan ahead for a gradual transition to a new food caused an "emergency" in the reaction by the dog. Many users here (myself included) feed TOTW with fabulous results - not the least of which is that it's a very good quality food FOR ITS PRICEPOINT. Certainly not the best possible kibble available, but it allows those of us on budgets to feel like we're providing a decent quality food at a price we can afford. Having stated that, if that is what you are looking for with Shane, I'd follow the advice of numerous other posters here and purchase a small bag of the old food and try the transition to the TOTW over a period of weeks rather than days - it is far more likely that by the end of this transition period, you may have a good quality food that you can feel good about providing at a price you can afford. 

Good Luck!


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

Try a whole different brand then if your dogs not doing well on TOTW. There is a lot of brands that are descent around that price range. Also look for coupons! Slowly transition and see what happens. Your dog didn't ingest anything other than the food did he? Could be too rich for him the food. If he's no better a trip to the vet may be a good idea. Good Luck!


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## ann g (May 6, 2010)

I just switched Frodo off TOTW 3 days ago, he wouldn't go near the bowl. It was mixed with old food. He's a picky eater so we've switched foods quite a bit but he wouldn't touch this stuff. After what he would eat (very little) in 3 days he had awful diarhea. He has never had this reaction to a new food. I returned the bag (15lb). I debated whether to just throw it away since I've never returned anything. They took it back and offered store exchange, got holistic select and he loves that.


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## StellaLucyDesi (Oct 29, 2008)

My dogs do not do well on TOTW, but my cats do fine. Anyway, I don't think it's a bad food. My dogs are eating Natural Balance LID's and most people don't think this food is very good, but it sure is working for my dogs! So, IMO, there is not one dog food that works for all dogs. On another note, I've worked at 2 different pet stores and both of them take back opened or unopened bags of dog food if they don't work for your dog. I've only done this a few times, when I was trying to find a food for my allergic dog.


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## ForMyDogs (Jan 5, 2011)

*Science of Transition?*

I wholeheartedly agree that a dog should be transitioned slowly from one food to the next, whether it's kibble to kibble or a raw protein to another raw protein, etc. 

But can someone explain the science behind why a dog's stomach needs this transition? I simply would like to better understand what physically takes place when a dog's stomach/intestines are used to one food, then a new one is abruptly introduced. And why there can be negative side effects if a new food is introduced too quickly. In my non-scientific mind, the stomach seems like it should be able to digest what it receives, but obviously this is too simplified.

Curious minds. :wink:

Thank you!

Amy Jean


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## RCTRIPLEFRESH5 (Feb 11, 2010)

Ania's Mommy said:


> I would not shop at that store.
> 
> RC - It sounds like the transition may have been rushed. I think that this is the main reason for Shane's troubles. I would buy a small bag of Canidae and try the transition over again. Whether it's to TOTW again, or another food entirely.
> 
> I really think you should give the regional red a shot, though. You know you want to. :wink:


thanks richelle. im still thinking about things. i think the bad phase is over,and ill just continue with the totw..and he will either get used to it or notl if he doesnt ill transition him into the red meat from orijen from the totw.

my question is...i know orijen changed their formulas. was the red meat changed too? it says 75 percent not 80? was it always 75, or did it used to be 70?


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