# feedback on various dry dog foods



## Jstbcaz (Oct 1, 2012)

I am getting a new puppy and looking at the following brands of food

Fromms puppy or all stage food
natures variety instinct raw boost 
natures variety prairie large breed puppy
natural balance

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.


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## Shamrockmommy (Sep 10, 2009)

I love Fromm (all life stages- the grain free ones) here. My girls look beautiful on it, and I rotate through all the formulas, but prefer the Surf N Turf and the Beef Fritatta Veg ones. 
I may be getting another PWD pup in the spring, and I plan to feed him/her from these foods as well. Nice coats, nice muscle, nice teeth, good stools, they're happy to eat it. No complaints


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## monster'sdad (Jul 29, 2012)

If those are your choices I would use Fromm Gold and it is one of the rare cases I would use the puppy food. The Fromm GF's are a complete rip-off in my opinion, very expensive and just a lot of vegetable protein. Fromm Gold Puppy is a good value while the 4 Star foods including the grain frees are simply foolish and expensive.

Nature's Variety is just a bad, low quality, high ash marketing gimmick, in my opinion.


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## Losech (Jul 10, 2012)

My Shiba did good on one of the Fromm formulas and Nature's Variety Instinct. I haven't tried any Prairie formulas yet. I probably wouldn't bother with the raw boost stuff, it's a lot more money for less food. I have never fed Natural Balance, probably wouldn't either.


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## domika (Jul 15, 2012)

I tried the Fromm game bird but my shiba mix couldn't handle all the different proteins. That's the only one off of your list I have tried. I'd consider trying the nv but I would rotate with another brand because I do agree with monsters dad ( hate to admit) but it does have pretty high ash but I think if its rotated with another brand it's not a huge deal. I don't know if thy still source their rabbit from china so I'd avoid the rabbit flavors.


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## Georgiapeach (Jan 24, 2011)

I wouldn't feed Natural Balance unless you have a dog with allergy issues. It tends to be low in protein. I'd go with Fromm or Nature's Variety Instinct kibble. Do you have Acana Grain Free in your area? I'd go with that, if you have the choice.


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## Little Brown Jug (Dec 7, 2010)

I'm currently feeding Fromm Beef Frittata. My dogs all love it (but none of them are really picky), good solid, small poops, no runny eyes, no gas (or at least any more than usual), no stomach upsets. I'd feed the grain free lines again but here its $100 for the largest bag. A little too pricey for me and I'd have to drive 3 hours to get it. 

I've fed NV Instinct and would definately feed it again. We've had all flavours, dogs did very well on it, the boys probably disliked the rabbit/turkey one the most. but loved the chicken, duck and salmon ones. Again lovely outcome, nice coats, clear eyes, nice poop. When Boone was a puppy he had Prairie a few times and I don't remember any bad results from it. 

I tried a bag of NB Chicken LID and a bag of NB Venision LID (got them for free) coats where horrible, and their poos were horrible, would never feed it again.

Out of those you listed I'd go with Fromm and Natures Variety.


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## lovemydogsalways (Mar 4, 2012)

I would go with Fromm. I am going to feed it to my two eventually. The game bird.


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## DaViking (Sep 27, 2011)

From that list I would go with Fromm Puppy Gold. I have fed a puppy on the four star line and the result was nothing to write home about. And not good value for your money.


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## Shamrockmommy (Sep 10, 2009)

Monster'sdad, it's not gimmicky to me, at all. I cannot feed 2 of my girls anything with brewer's yeast (in puppy gold) nor can I feed the other the barley, as she's intolerant of that. I would appreciate them making a more simple line of foods, but thankfully the girls tolerate all the different proteins in it. 

I have tried MANY dog foods, and I keep coming back to Fromm grain frees, gimmicky or no, they work well for them.


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## Jstbcaz (Oct 1, 2012)

Thank you to everyone with your input on the foods I was thinking about feeding my new puppy that will be here in a week or so.
Even after doing alot of research, I guess there is no right answer except to pick a food and if that doesn't work switch to something else.


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## Shamrockmommy (Sep 10, 2009)

You've got it! Ultimately the last word about diet comes from your dog. In my own dogs I look for: healthy, shiny coat, minimal itching/flaking of skin, no ear infections, little to no gas and nice small, compact, low odor stool. In my own girls, the grain free foods produce these great results. Foods with grain generally cause those issues above.
It's nice to hear other people's thoughts but always look to your dog in the end.


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