# Question About Variety Of Dog Food



## rjordan392 (Feb 16, 2010)

Hello,
How many of you alternate your pets nutrition by feeding:
1. The same brand of kibble and adding differant ingrediants like fresh veggies or raw meat?
2. Feeding differant brands and adding the same?

I think that adding some variety to the food is better then the same meal day to day.

In the past, I have fed fresh cooked peas and carrots with his kibble. I have given him some fresh cooked corn occasionly and he has eaten both. And what fresh veggies are recommended? And last, is it ok to feed 1 cooked egg yoke per day or just occasionaly?


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## luvMyBRT (Mar 8, 2010)

Hi. :smile:

I would think it would be more beneficial to your pup to add some cooked meats rather than any type of fruit or veggie. However, if your dog enjoys the veggies there is no harm in giving them, but he would probably benefit more from the meat. 

I rotate between quality kibble and quality canned. Whatever canned I am feeding I make sure it is a different meat source than the kibble. Currently my dogs are eating a chicken based kibble (Orijen LBP and Acana Wild Prairie). I am rotating between some Merrick canned food that are not chicken based.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

I do the exact same thing. My dogs eat Orijen and Evo kibble and then get a different all meat canned food for breakfast. One day they had turkey bacon, one day they had pork, or venison, etc. I'm working on adding real meat to their diets now.


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## ruckusluvr (Oct 28, 2009)

i sometimes add canned blue buffalo dog food
sometimes i add lightly boiled chicken
sometimes yogurt

and i switch up the flavors of dog food with every other bag.


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## Huskyluv (Jun 25, 2010)

I feed a mix of dehydrated food and raw meat, cooked meat and canned food.

I rotate between different dehydrated formulas of The Honest Kitchen approximately every 1 - 1.5 months. So for example I'll feed THK Keen one month and the next I'll feed THK Verve, and then the next month I'll feed THK Force, and so on.

In addition to that I add a variety of things to their Honest Kitchen food most days, if not every day, of the week. I try to add meats to their HK dinner at least 5 nights out of the week if I can, lately they've had add ins every day for the past 2 weeks now. Their add ins consist of a variety of both raw and cooked meat (however I do not give raw and cooked meat in the same meal) and I also mix in quality canned food (95% meat) regularly as well.


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## rjordan392 (Feb 16, 2010)

Thanks all,
I'll check into the dog food review site for quality can food. I think I should be able to find some beef, chicken and lamb that is 95% meat. Now I can feed kibble with or without meat or veggies to give him variety.

What about cooked egg yoke? Ok to feed? How many per week?


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## baggie (Jun 2, 2010)

I am currently using Acana prairie kibble. I add different canned dog foods that only include the meat and water. I also add canned salmon, mackerel, and sardines. I also add boiled eggs, white and yolk. 

Basically, I'll do a can of dog food over a couple of days, then some fish for a couple of days, then a half a boiled egg(white and yolk) for 2 a couple of days, etc.


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

I feed a variety of brands that are top notch like most everyone here on this sight! I also add canned different varieties for toppers in the evening meal. I have a few specialty stores I support and they always have good quality foods! Have added chicken, and different variety of meat products for toppers (no pork) yogurt ( fat free or low fat plain vanilla only) cottage cheese, crushed egg. I cant think of what else!


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## Serendipity (Aug 13, 2010)

I rotate dog foods to prevent my dog from getting bored and to make sure she gets all of the needed nutrients (Orijen, Evo, TOTW, Merrick, and sometimes The Honest Kitchen when I can find it). I also like adding things to her food sometimes, like fat-free cottage cheese or plain yogurt (great for some necessary bacteria), raw fruits (usually blueberries and apple slices) & veggies (carrots, celery, which is good and cheap, and canned pumpkin to firm stool), fish oil (for more omega 3 when needed), crushed raw eggs (with the shell), and scraps of raw meat (I sometimes cut off pieces when we're preparing our own meals). There's no need to cook anything. 

Tonight's Dinner: Orijen Regional Red with some blueberries and a raw chicken wing (with bones; chicken bones are softer when uncooked).


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## Serendipity (Aug 13, 2010)

Of course, you'll have to decrease the amount of kibble if you're putting in additional things.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

Variety is quite important in my opinion, it prevents boredom, allergies and possible nutrient deficiency. 

I basically feed kibble, sometimes just plain dry, when I can find good deal on canned, I'll stock up and add couple tbsp's with it. He gets plain yogurt few times a week. 
Since its a bit of a drive, I'll go to the co-op place once a month and stock up on raw and he'll be on that for couple months or so, then back to kibble once I run out.


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## rjordan392 (Feb 16, 2010)

I agree with your feeding program.
I too feed plain 5 star rated kibble from three differant flavors for variety for his morning meal and he gets a combination of veggies, bacon and a dried egg yoke added to kibble for his evening meal.
On another thread, I inquired about why my beagle stopped eating kibble.
I am just guessing and now figure it was the lack of variety or maybe something was in the water supply that animals can detect better then humans. I would add some water to it to soften it up and this allows him to eat a bit faster. he's doing fine now with the above arrangement.


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## jaimie44 (Aug 10, 2010)

I feed TOTW (prarie) twice a day. These are my add-ins with each meal:

Raw meat: beef (they love stew meat) chicken, turkey, or fish. After hunting season they will get venison!

I also add one of the following: raw eggs (we have free range chickens so this free!) yogurt, cottage cheese, or a dab of pumpkin if one is having stomach upsets.

They all gather round the table while im preparing and never leave a bite un-eaten. :smile:


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Are none of you that are adding in raw food at all worried about the rate that raw and kibble is digested? Kibble definitely would slow down the process that raw would digest therefore sitting in the digestive tract and could definitely cause problems.


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## jaimie44 (Aug 10, 2010)

Heres a thread about it http://dogfoodchat.com/forum/raw-feeding/3671-digestion-raw-dry.html

I've never had a problem with it.






whiteleo said:


> Are none of you that are adding in raw food at all worried about the rate that raw and kibble is digested? Kibble definitely would slow down the process that raw would digest therefore sitting in the digestive tract and could definitely cause problems.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Well tell me this because I don't know, what causes pancreatitis?


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

whiteleo said:


> Well tell me this because I don't know, what causes pancreatitis?


Direct Quote from Vemedicine

"What causes pancreatitis?
For the majority of cases, the cause is unknown. "

From the Merck Vet Manual

Most cases of pancreatitis in dogs and cats are idiopathic (unknown). However, dietary indiscretion is believed to be a common risk factor in dogs.
Severe trauma or surgery can also lead to pancreatitis. However, anesthesia-induced hypotension may be more important in inducing pancreatitis than trauma from handling of the pancreas. Infectious diseases have been implicated, but the evidence for a cause and effect relationship is weak, except for Toxoplasma gondii and Amphimerus pseudofelineus in cats. Many drugs have been implicated in causing pancreatitis in humans but very few have been confirmed in dogs and cats. In general, most drugs should be viewed as potential causes of pancreatitis; anticholinesterases, calcium, L-asparaginase, estrogen, salicylates, azathioprine, thiazide diuretics, and vinca alkaloids are probably the most likely. Corticosteroids were long considered to be a risk factor for pancreatitis but have recently been removed from the list of drugs that may induce pancreatitis in humans. Similarly, there is no credible evidence that corticosteroids are a risk factor for pancreatitis in dogs or cats. 

Like most illness's......it just happens. There is some evidence that a one time meal of EXTREMELY high fat in a dog that is not used to it can lead to case of acute pancreatitis (versus chronic pancreatitis which is different) but this only happens some times to some dogs so it's not a given. .


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