# food suggestions please!



## Sergeant (Dec 30, 2011)

Hi,
We have a Shepherd/Lab mix who is just under 1 year old. We rescued him from a shelter when he was about 3 months. we tried him on a couple dog foods with varying poor results ranging from pure diarrhea to loose mushy stools. eventually we switched him to a raw diet and had great success with that until he got to around 75 lbs and started eating us out of house and home. it was too expensive to feed him the proper amounts so we switched him to nature's variety kibble. he did great on that but we quickly found out that was too expensive as well when a 30 lb bag costing over 50$ lasted less than a month. most recently we tried him on canidae with poor results once again. mushy stool, chewing on his paws and scratching alot. please tell me any brands you've had success with that cost 50$ or less per month. next on my list of foods to try are hi-tek chicken and Chicken soup for the dog lover's soul. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

when you fed Natures variety was it grain free? if it was, maybe he has grain sensitivity. You might want to look into either taste of the wild or earthborn holistic primitive which are under $45 and under for 30 lbs.


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## GoingPostal (Sep 5, 2011)

How long are you trying him on each of these foods, in under nine months you've switched foods at least five times? Personally I'd go back to either raw or nature's variety since he did well on those and get used to the cost, better than switching the poor dogs food seventy more times to find a cheap one he can do ok on. Big dogs aren't cheap to feed and you aren't going to save any money if you are constantly at the vet with tummy and skin issues, not to mention having a miserable dog.


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## ShanniBella (Jul 1, 2011)

The cost of food is minimal compared to your dogs longevity and health. IMO I would keep him on raw and learn from some of the pros on here on how to go about it right and get some tips on how to shop properly for raw deals. I am just starting on raw myself. Also, if you are feeding a grain free kibble it maybe high in protein and thus giving your dog loose stool because you are feeding to much. Adjust the food accordingly and watch how much you feed on the side of the bag and cut back some of the amount. I know alot of people who switch to high protein grain free kibble who over feed resulting in loose stool. Once they cut back some of the amount and monitor there dogs weight and stool they usually see a difference. I wouldn't feed chicken soup for the soul....it's not very good food. I would feed either Acana, Orijen, wellness grain free, Blue buffalo wilderness, Or one of the better foods. Plus, you took your dog off the best diet possible "raw" so by switching back to kibble you will see poor results IMO. Best of luck to you and I hope you get the food situation under control :smile:


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## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

California Natural Lamb & Rice


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## Mondo (Dec 20, 2011)

As Shannibella says, you need to take the cost of poor health and perhaps a shorter lifespan into account. How much does a descaling or an extraction cost financially, and what is the effect on the quality of life for your dog.


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## tem_sat (Jun 20, 2010)

Mondo said:


> As Shannibella says, you need to take the cost of poor health and perhaps a shorter lifespan into account. How much does a descaling or an extraction cost financially, and what is the effect on the quality of life for your dog.


Precisely. 

You may just need to learn how to source more economically. Unless you live in Canada or Japan (home of the $35.00 whole chicken), you can make it work if you WANT to.


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## Mondo (Dec 20, 2011)

> Unless you live in Canada or Japan (home of the $35.00 whole chicken), you can make it work if you WANT to


It depends where you live in Canada. But even buying in grocery stores, I can find whole fryers for $1.50 a pound, cheap beef for $2 a pound, gizzards and necks/bags, hearts, liver for around $1 a pound. Frozen thighs for $2 a pound. Yes, not cheap, but favorable in comparison to premium kibble, or premium canned, or canned tripe.

I've found a supplier that delivers once a month where necks (turkey, duck, chicken) are $1 a pound, and similar prices on their ground meats. I haven't ordered from them yet, but will be next month. Even if just to augment. 

I've also found a butcher recently that sells for dogs, frozen necks and I'm not sure what else, will need to take a drive and visit. A little persistence and a little internet searching can reap benefits. We have something like craigslist up here, called kijiji, where I have located some private sellers of raw for dogs.


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## 1605 (May 27, 2009)

Sergeant said:


> Hi, We have a Shepherd/Lab mix who is just under 1 year old. We rescued him from a shelter when he was about 3 months. we tried him on a couple dog foods with varying poor results ranging from pure diarrhea to loose mushy stools. eventually we switched him to a raw diet and had great success with that until he got to around 75 lbs and started eating us out of house and home. it was too expensive to feed him the proper amounts so we switched him to nature's variety kibble. he did great on that but we quickly found out that was too expensive as well when a 30 lb bag costing over 50$ lasted less than a month. most recently we tried him on canidae with poor results once again. mushy stool, chewing on his paws and scratching alot. please tell me any brands you've had success with that cost 50$ or less per month. next on my list of foods to try are hi-tek chicken and Chicken soup for the dog lover's soul. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!


 

If you feed a better quality grain free kibble, you'll need to feed the dog a lot less to meet his nutritional requirements. So even though you are paying $XX at the check out, it translates to a bag every 2+ months or so as opposed to $XX every month. 

For example, we used to have our GSP on Exceed. But @ 60 lbs he needed 4 cups/day and was still too skinny. (And don't get me started on how messy his "output" was!) After switching to EVO Turkey/Chicken he needs 2 1/2 cups/day. And sometimes he doesn't even finish all that. His coat has improved, and he has even more energy. 

Take a look here: Dog Food Glossary or here Dog Food Reviews | Dog Food Ratings for some good ideas. 

BTW, while I respect the people who feed raw, it really isn't appropriate to be trying to convert someone in this forum.

Bonne chance,


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Seargent....Where are you from? We have people from all over here who feed raw who can tell you where they source from for better prices..

A dog with those kind of sensitivities really should be on a raw diet and it can be done economically if living in the right area. Dogs are our family and should be treated as such..Good Luck!


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

i don't think it's a question of converting - I think the OP would prefer raw but can't afford it. If that's the case, the folks here would be more than willing to share tips on lowering costs. 

Their dog was doing great on raw, and now he's having issues. It seems like trying to get back to raw without going bankrupt would be the goal here.


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## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

xellil said:


> Their dog was doing great on raw, and now he's having issues. It seems like trying to get back to raw without going bankrupt would be the goal here.


Isn't "the goal here" dictated by the original post itself? The OP asked for a kibble recommendation, in a kibble forum. Something along the lines of, "I unfortunately can't address your dry-dog-food question, but if you're interested in learning ways to cut costs on raw feeding, feel free to post in the Raw section here" would be appropriate and sufficient.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Jack Monzon said:


> Isn't "the goal here" dictated by the original post itself? The OP asked for a kibble recommendation, in a kibble forum. Something along the lines of, "I unfortunately can't address your dry-dog-food question, but if you're interested in learning ways to cut costs on raw feeding, feel free to post in the Raw section here" would be appropriate and sufficient.


Matter of opinion. They tried raw which worked. Then they tried a dry food which also worked. That was too expensive, also. 

They are looking for something cheap that their dog does well on. They said dry food because obviously they haven't looked into finding ways to feed their dog cheaply on raw. You can always get cheaper dry food. 

They've gotten good suggestions on other food. It's not a high crime for people to mention raw since they brought it up in their first post. If I had to give up raw because I couldn't afford it I'd sure appreciate someone telling me I could do it cheaper, rather than giving me a list of second and third choices that MIGHT work and might not.

But yea, you probably worded it a little better.


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## nupe (Apr 26, 2011)

@ OP...if you looking for a quality kibble in IMHO...and is a good bang for the buck...I say try TOTW!!


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## Sergeant (Dec 30, 2011)

thanks for all the replies. I understand that many people prefer a raw diet but at this point i don't think that is an option for us right now. if it comes down to it i will eventually go back to the food he did well on and deal with the extra cost but if i can find a less expensive food that he does well on then why not? he was on taste of the wild for a couple months but was unable to get nice formed stool. he wasnt itchy or smelling bad at all, the output was just a mess. the food that worked well for him was natures variety prairie beef meal and barley blend which is not grain free.mi will be looking into the suggestions that some left but i am open to more suggestions from people who have found reasonably priced kibble that works for them. thanks.


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## SummerwoodSoaps (Dec 12, 2011)

Have you looked into Native or Victor?


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## GoingPostal (Sep 5, 2011)

Again how long are you trying him on these foods? TOTW makes at least 6 in under 9 months. You need to switch slowly, and keep him on it for at least 3 months and watch what treats and other goodies he is getting too. People can suggest all they want, but just because their dog does well on a food doesn't mean your dog will and swapping foods every couple months is probably half your issue at this point anyways. Why don't you sit down and see what ingredients he has done well on, what he does poorly on and go from there. Something similar to but cheaper than Natures Variety he did well on would be Diamond Naturals Beef and Rice. It's easily half the price and pretty close.


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## ciaBrysh (Dec 16, 2011)

I know Costco's Kirkland sells a grain free kibble at a decent price (same as TOTW) I've never personally tried it but I've heard decent experiences


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## 1605 (May 27, 2009)

GoingPostal said:


> Again how long are you trying him on these foods? TOTW makes at least 6 in under 9 months. You need to switch slowly, and keep him on it for at least 3 months and watch what treats and other goodies he is getting too. People can suggest all they want, but just because their dog does well on a food doesn't mean your dog will and swapping foods every couple months is probably half your issue at this point anyways. Why don't you sit down and see what ingredients he has done well on, what he does poorly on and go from there. Something similar to but cheaper than Natures Variety he did well on would be Diamond Naturals Beef and Rice. It's easily half the price and pretty close.


I disagree on that time line: a dog could be switched over to a new food within a couple of weeks. Another 4 weeks of feeding one particular food and you should know whether or not there are any issues with it.

That being said, I agree with systematically examining EVERYTHING the dog eats to determine what also may be a trigger outside the main food source.


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## Sergeant (Dec 30, 2011)

GoingPostal said:


> Again how long are you trying him on these foods? TOTW makes at least 6 in under 9 months. You need to switch slowly, and keep him on it for at least 3 months and watch what treats and other goodies he is getting too. People can suggest all they want, but just because their dog does well on a food doesn't mean your dog will and swapping foods every couple months is probably half your issue at this point anyways. Why don't you sit down and see what ingredients he has done well on, what he does poorly on and go from there. Something similar to but cheaper than Natures Variety he did well on would be Diamond Naturals Beef and Rice. It's easily half the price and pretty close.


why would i leave him on a food that he is obviously not doing well on for 3 months? he gets no other treats while we're trying a new food. as far as ingredients go i think the ingredient he may have trouble with is chicken meal when he was on totw (for 2 months in case you were wondering) i was feeding him the wetlands variety which contains chicken meal. the canidae he is currently on also contains chicken meal. the natures variety prairie brand does not contain chicken meal. with these things in mind we are going to try solid gold hund n flocken which contains lamb and lamb meal.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

The OP was the first to mention raw, so let's not get worked up over it. 

My suggestions aren't based on first hand experience, but rather sales and feedback from my customers, taking your situation into account.

Taste of the wild. I know, you tried one formula, but what about the others?? It's a great line of affordable grain free foods. 
Innova. High calorie content, so you dont have to feed a ton, plus it comes in a red meat formula. 
California natural herring and sweet potato. Or any of the others really, but this one seems to really work wonders for a lot of dogs with digestive issues/ sensitivities. 

A lot of it too could just be that your dogs digestive system is having to learn how to cope with kibble and the carbohydrate load that raw didn't have. Keep us updated!!


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

I would also suggest trying one(or more) of the TOTW formulas that you didnt already try. I dont know which one you did but I know that at least one of them contains chicken and I had to stear clear of it when feeding it to Brody!

On the other hand Brody, who I have had for nearly 2 years(since he was 8 weeks old) and was fed Acana until TOTW when he was 9 months old (and all my others) have never looked or done better then on raw!:thumb:

I know I feed my 4-soon to be 5-dogs and 2 cats on less then I was looking to feed 2 cats and Brody and Rhett on the high quality stuff that would have POSSIBLY worked for Rhett(he was "puppy cannon butt" on kibble meals, while having perfect stools on any/all raw meals!!) I think if you are willing to look into raw again the question about where you live would REALLY be great to answer since there are SOOOO many people here who are MORE THEN WILLING to help others find great places to buy from!:biggrin1:


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## Sergeant (Dec 30, 2011)

i'm from northwest Ohio, thanks to the others who gave some suggestions btw.


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## kevin bradley (Aug 9, 2009)

if he is knawing on his paws and you suspect a food allergy, I would get him on a limited ingredient type diet so you can calm things down and begin to asses what his issues are. Wellness and Cal Natural both make nice Limited Ingredient foods.

Remember, just because we deem a dry food is a quality food doesn't mean its a good food for YOUR Dog. In fact, it could be a horrible food for your Dog. Canidae, Chicken Soup... both of those are litterred with lots of ingredients. Any of them could be causing your guy issues.


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

I do Taste of the Wild here. I actually rotate foods. We do raw on occassion as I believe some raw is better than NO raw and I am broke as a joke. Talk about financially poor! And a couple of my guys are monsters. Contact companies and tell them how great their products are! Innova gave me a free bag of food! Natural Balance and Holistic Selects gave me high value coupons as well. 

I would try a different flavor of Taste of the Wild. Maybe it was the chicken meal they use that didnt work but the venison/bison or fish would be just fine. Another decent food is Merrick's Whole Earth Farms. Its their economical line of food. The price was right but my mastiff got horrible gas from it (my other two did just fine but I feed everyone the same so if one doesn't agree, I don't buy it). It is worth a shot. They sell it at Petco but I have seen it other places for much cheaper than what Petco sells it for. If you can get a food for around $1.00 a pound or so, I say its a good deal. 

Always give them a reasonable amount of time to adjust (two months is great) and don't give them anything else new until you know the food is good to go. 

Do let us know what you end up doing? 

And a good source for raw venison is the processing places. Only if its freezing out though. I raid their "leftover" bins. Great stuff in there if you can stomach it. If you ask nicely they will let you have it for free. The place I go has a guy pick up the leftovers no one takes (and I am pretty sure I am the only crazy person taking anything). He uses it for a comestics company. Yech. You DO NOT want to know what you are putting on your face, ladies! This year in PA it was too warm though. I got three does and hubby got a buck (and still hunting for muzzleloader) so I have venison coming out of my ears at the moment.


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

Ok I did a little scouting. This may not be a GREAT food but I looked at the ingredients and it doesnt look too shabby. It is called 4 Health and available at Tractor supply for $27.00 for 35 lbs. I might try it myself in rotation.


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## LindsayMaryland (Jan 4, 2012)

My lab had a similar problem – it took us forever to find the right food for him. I felt so bad for him – not only did he have diarrhea but also some vomiting and skin issues. I can tell you that Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Fish L.I.D. dry food was a true life-saver. I would totally recommend this brand and especially this formula. The ingredients are great – and really helped us alleviate his problem. Natural Balance also makes a canned food and treats to match. I hope this helps!


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## Sergeant (Dec 30, 2011)

wolfsnaps88 said:


> Ok I did a little scouting. This may not be a GREAT food but I looked at the ingredients and it doesnt look too shabby. It is called 4 Health and available at Tractor supply for $27.00 for 35 lbs. I might try it myself in rotation.


funny you should mention that, its actually the first food we tried him on when we got him. he was on it for over a month and had consistently mushy, messy stool with occasional explosive butt syndrome. 

He has been on Solid Gold Hund-n-Flocken for about 5 days now and seems to be doing better on it. he has stopped chewing his paws altogether and he bites at his back and chases his tail much less frequently. i'm hoping he'll be back to normal within another week. thanks for all the suggestions, i'll post some updates on his progress.


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## bridget246 (Oct 26, 2011)

Reading your post is making me go towards raw. I'm having issues that somewhat resembles yours. Only mines does have any weird skin or vomiting issues. I've been feeding mines Acana Salmon... the expensive stuff. Over the past few months it improves and then declines without any real indication as to why that is happening. I'm thinking the raw might be my best hope to see a end to my problem. I had a number of vet test where they did everything they could think of to find the cause and every result has came back normal. We have done 3 different blood test for lots of different problems. Lots of different stool test and medications. Nothing has really taking care of my problem. It should be noted that I just recently added in probiotics. I'm not 100% hopeful that is going to make a difference for you because your problem, while similar isn't the same as mines. 

I wish I could have been of more help.


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## sganow (Apr 16, 2009)

4Health is made by Diamond and is very similar to their Diamond Naturals line.


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## Sergeant (Dec 30, 2011)

clap your hands, stomp your feet, praise The Lord cause we've got SOLID, FORMED STOOL! :clap2:


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## DogLuver (Oct 19, 2011)

Sergeant said:


> clap your hands, stomp your feet, praise The Lord cause we've got SOLID, FORMED STOOL! :clap2:


haha, I just tuned in a little late....but YAY!!!!!! Isn't that the greatest feeling...who woulda thought one could get so happy over a piece of hard poop


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## Mkgarcia (Jun 2, 2012)

I have had great success with Solid Gold both Hund-N-Flocken & Wolf king. I believe in rotating an animals diet so I buy small bags of Solid Golds Sundancer, Mmillenia & Barking at the Moon & feed one of those about every third day. No more itching or diarrhea either. I also give Solud Gold Sea Meal twice a day in a small amount of Solid Gold can food. I have ordered their Life Exxtension & will add that w/ sea meal when it comes in. Go to their website & order their free catalog. It has a lot of good info that isn't even on website. My dogs & cats will never eat anything other than Solid Gold!!


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