# What Kibble and Canned Topper



## LProf (Nov 12, 2013)

Assume that you were going to feed a kibble along with a wet topper. Which brands would you choose? If possible, please eliminate kibble with flaxseed as an ingredient.

I am particularly interested in companies that you trust, if any.

Please no suggestions to feed raw. I fully understand the reasoning, but would appreciate a direct response to my question.

Thanks.


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## channeledbymodem (Dec 25, 2008)

For mixing with kibble, I would use a 95% meat formula with a different protein source from the dry food. These are by definition grain free and very low carb. Merrick, Wellness, Wysong, Hound & Gatos, and Dave's come to mind. Dave's is the best value; most of them are more expensive than conventional canned diets. However all canned foods have a higher meat content with lower carbs than kibble so using a 95% meat formula isn't a requirement. Pates generally have fewer carbs than "gravy" formulas, but some dogs like the gravy. Of course you can accomplish the same thing by adding a little warm water to pate food and kibble and mixing it to make your own gravy train. Note that there are relatively few facilities that can manufacture canned foods. Most companies do not own their own cannery. So the differences between canned formulas, even more than with dry diets, probably come down to a matter of marketing. The most expensive is not necessarily any better than a less expensive brand, although supermarket brands will tend to have unnamed meat by-products which a lot of people won't feed. There is also a school of thought that says that canned food is a waste of money because it's mainly water and doesn't offer anything not already in the kibble. But I usually add a couple of tablespoons of canned anyway, possibly as much for my benefit as my dog's.


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## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

I don't usually feed can as a topper, but these are the "canned", I feed. Kona-goat (what I usually feed), salmon, venison, and kangaroo (very seldomly), Simply nourish pouches-salmon is what I feed but there's a variety and most, imo, seem to be better as toppers (very sauce or gravy like), Wholesome farms-red meat, 93% Merricks, and a bunch of others that I'm not sure would be good toppers (big pieces). The kibbles would be simplynourish wilderness, wholesome farms-red meats, turkey and duck; organix, taste of the wild. I feed others but don't feel they'd mix well.


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## EmmaRoo (Apr 3, 2016)

I feed a dry food with 22% protein - it is fish-based (menhaden, a cold-water, wild-caught fish) with complex carbs. I don't necessarily feed a topper, but I do like dribble a mixture of melted coconut oil & dog formula powdered garlic supplement. My dogs both enjoy the kibble well enough that a topper isn't necessary. The company that makes the dry food I feed (VeRUS) also makes a canned food.


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