# Best dog food for Siberian Husky puppy



## goldiefur

What would be the absolute best dry dog food for a 15 week old Siberian Husky puppy? He is on Fromm Chicken Ala Veg now.


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## 1605

goldiefur said:


> What would be the absolute best dry dog food for a 15 week old Siberian Husky puppy? He is on Fromm Chicken Ala Veg now.


Why do you want to change?


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## lovemydogsalways

Fromm is a very loved food and company by many. I plan to try it with my dogs in the near future. The grain free formulas since they are already on grain free.


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## goldiefur

I want to make sure he is getting the best. My Goldens were on Orijen but I thought the Huskies stomach would be too sensitive for orijen. I would like to go back to that if he is not to young for it.


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## mheath0429

goldiefur said:


> I want to make sure he is getting the best. My Goldens were on Orijen but I thought the Huskies stomach would be too sensitive for orijen. I would like to go back to that if he is not to young for it.



heck no. many huskies THRIVE on Orijen  I personally preferred the Acana for my two when they are eating kibble. We feed raw now, but I keep kibble on hand for shows. We usually have Acana, Blue Wilderness, Orijen or Zero/G by darford on hand at all times Just in case.


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## goldiefur

Thanks that is good to know. What would be better Acana or Orijen? Would any flavor be okay?


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## mheath0429

goldiefur said:


> Thanks that is good to know. What would be better Acana or Orijen? Would any flavor be okay?


IMO, only thing better would be raw or freeze dried food.


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## DaViking

*@goldiefur;* Welcome btw :wave: There is no "best" dog food. There is a group of brands, foods and formulas that we with confidence can say that they will work for most every dog and will provide great nutrition regardless of circumstances. Fromm as a company and Fromm products, which you currently feed, are in that group.
After you learn more about all the brands and formulas in this group you can start to pick (the "best") based on your personal preferences. For example many who respond to products who uses "farm fresh" and similar ingredients and marketing buy Orijen (Acana) and are willing to pay a premium for that. Others (maybe you?) could be even more "hardcore" in what they are comfortable with and will not buy anything what-so-ever of products containing ingredients from an animal rendering plant making various meals. Then Orijen and Acana is out the window and you would probably choose Now GF from Petcurean. If you are the person who always like to get value for your money and don't buy into a lot of the scaremongering surrounding many ingredients but still want good quality and proven results you might choose something like Precise, Sportmix, National, RedPaw, ProPac, Native, Nutrisource, Enhance or Nutram Classic. See what I am getting at? This is just 3 of many many personal criteria different people have. Sometimes it can be the strangest thing but it's all good in the hood as long as we'r still talking about that same big group of quality foods.
Sometimes when we discuss (the "best") dog food it is really about tiny details, and sure, sometimes the tiny details make a difference. Other times it can be about if a formula deserves a place in "the group" For example some, regardless of how great and spectacular the main ingredients are, would never ever agree to a food being good and in "the group" if it contains synthetic vitamin K (k3)

Directly to your question; Fromm Chicken a-la Veg is plenty good. I'd personally go with Fromm's Gold line.

Hope this helps a little. Browse around here and read as much as you can. Lot's of great information.


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## monster'sdad

Avoid foods with manufactured ingredients like "Pea Protein", "Pea Starch", "Potato Protein", "Pea Fiber", "Pork Protein". 

Use foods that have roots in competition. Listen to those people. 

Personally, using a food with 24% protein like that Fromm for a medium-sized breed like a SH puppy is something I wouldn't do. I would use a minimum of 30% protein.

You will also find that in some companies like Fromm and Midwestern Pet Foods their mid-line foods are better than what people on forums consider their best.


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## domika

monster'sdad said:


> Avoid foods with manufactured ingredients like "Pea Protein", "Pea Starch", "Potato Protein", "Pea Fiber", "Pork Protein".


The Chicken A La Veg formula doesn't have any of those ingredients. 

OP, I think the Fromm is a great food. If anything, you could supplement with raw or cooked meat for more variety, or rotate between the other Fromm flavors. Their 4-star line was made to be rotated easily, if I'm thinking right.

When I fed kibble, Fromm was what I fed. I still use it as treats sometimes because of the size since I have a small guy.

Other brands that most people on this board consider to be of high quality are Acana and Orijen, owned by Champion. I would consider EVO a great kibble, however if you don't want to support P&G don't buy that. But I still consider it a great food.

All this is just from my experience and what I would do, please listen to your gut and feed what you feel is best, not because a whole bunch of people on the internet told you to feed this. 

Good Luck!


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## porchpotty

You can always feed alternately with raw.


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## 1605

porchpotty said:


> You can always feed alternately with raw.


Good grief... what has this got to do with the question the OP asked about h/h particular brand of dry dog food?

Why does EVERY thread started here wind up with this kind of post?


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## Cathy

*hello IM Cathy*

I have a 8 mo Husky


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## monkeys23

It ends up there because nearly every husky owner ends up going to raw or homemade food eventually from commercial food causing severe digestive issues in their dog. Must mean something if such a huge number of northern breed owners end up in the same place despite trying everything under the sun...


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## DaViking

monkeys23 said:


> It ends up there because nearly every husky owner ends up going to raw or homemade food eventually from commercial food causing severe digestive issues in their dog. Must mean something if such a huge number of northern breed owners end up in the same place despite trying everything under the sun...


I have lived with pure Samoyeds (and retrievers) all my life and never had any need for feeding an all raw diet. I know some northern breed owners who feed all raw but the ratio is in the thousands compared to those who feed dry foods and supplement whenever needed. All the northern breed dogs used in racing does not eat an all raw diet. They eat high quality kibble and some get various meat, fat and mineral add-ins depending on where they are in the season, others are on a 100% commercial dry diet.


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## mheath0429

@DaViking - what do you mean ratio is in the thousands. 

Being in the show world and a husky owner, I can honestly tell you the almost all the people I know feed some form of raw or homecooked food for at least HALF of their dogs diet. As stated, I deal with Siberians, not samoyeds. I used to feed a completely commercial diet until i got sick and tired of my female husky constantly having reactions to it. Siberians have incredibly sensitive stomachs and high maintenance. While I understand where you are coming from, a Samoyed (and retrievers) is not a Siberian. I won't generalize for all northern breeds, only for the breed I have experience with.


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## monkeys23

Dr. Lonsdale cites a very interesting study in his book Raw Meaty Bones. I will try and find the actual study, but the gist essentially is that they tested teams of sled dogs on various diets and the ones eating kibble had bloody anal discharge... YUM!

Sorry, but if I have a choice between watching my poor dog scream because she can't pass the hard kibble poo or just feeding her pmr guess which one I'm gonna pick! I just wish I hadn't waited so long because I thought "Oh they are doing fine!" I wish I had changed before a problem presented itself so that Lily never would have had to go through that pain.

And my other dog had constant loose poo on kibble. Funny, thats gone away totally now!


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## DaViking

@monkeys23; Never let a chance to preach some anecdotes pass you by eh!  Bloody yum wasn't the point and I am not biting either. I'll let you know when any of my dogs start to scream trying to poop. The point was if most northern breeds and huskies around the world are raw fed. They are not, they eat commercial foods like most other dogs or some combination Megan referred to.


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## Cathy

Pedigree sponsered the race this 
year and it's what I feed her it's the only food that d not upset hertomach


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## mheath0429

Cathy said:


> Pedigree sponsered the race this
> year and it's what I feed her it's the only food that d not upset hertomach


I think everyone here would agree that pedigree is horrible. SOrry, but that food is pure corn and has cancer causing preservatives.


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## stajbs

I've had sibes for over 18 years now, and will only speak from personal experience. I have found most of my guys except one had cast iron digestive systems. When feeding just kibble it was during a time when we ran our team recreationally and weight pulled. During the winter months when they "worked" more instead of vegging around we added cooked meat to their kibble. Siberians used to be very efficient machines in the sense that they do not require a lot of food per pound of body weight unless you work them hard. Heck back in the day in Kamchatka they were let loose to fend for themselves in the off season. When we fed just kibble I looked for a minimum of 26% protein in the summer and 28-30% protein in winter, while also looking to increase fat during the winter months too. We have two remaining seniors, one is the boy with digestive issues and he is on an entirely cooked diet and has been for years, having developed an allergy to grains before grain free really became popular. Our senior girl gets raw turkey necks once or twice a week basically to keep her teeth clean and because she likes them, FROMM four star alternating formulas, as well as the grain free formulas and some Acana on a rotating basis, and some cooked meats. 

mheath, out of curiosity when did the siberian become so sensitive digestively? I have always known them to be a fairly hearty breed in the past. Most of my 7 sibes have lived to be between 13 and 15,although we lost one boy due to a heart condition at age 7. My two remaining seniors are 13 and 14. We lost one girl to Cushings of a pituitary nature, but even she lived to be 14. I will say that except for this particular girl who was from Innisfree lines, all of our dogs were rescued and or adopted from friends in the sled dog world. I am also asking because I can't imagine life without a siberian, even though we are also exploring other breeds and likely will be taking on a guardian breed at some point in the future, I still want a siberian too. Just love the breed and their zest for life and the challenges they present.


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## mheath0429

So true Stajbs. They are an amazing breed. 


Honestly, I don't know when it happened. But, I see it occurring more and more with Siberians. I frequent a husky forum, and have been on it for a few years now and its a recurring issue. I'm not sure if it is all food based, could be environmentally, but it really is getting pretty outrageous. However, it may just be that people are becoming for attuned to allergies and sensitivities. Regardless, I would not worry stajbs, my male, who is from a top show kennel, has a rock solid stomach. There are just so many poor breeders these days that dogs are coming out with all kinds of problems - siberians especially.


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## stajbs

Man that sorta bites mheath. But then a lot of health problems are occurring more and more in many breds. I've often joked about how lucky we were with our rescues when many people we knew bought their sibes from breeders, and sure enough they had problems. Maybe we were just lucky. It sort of saddens me that a once hearty breed is now struggling. I wish you the best with your show baby, but any siberian I take on in the future I will be looking for old working lines probably. I really want me one with some Seppala percentage!! I also like the Hedlund Husky. One problem which we did deal with and it is not uncommon in northern breeds is their inability to absorb zinc from their diet. We had a zinc responsive girl, but Zinpro was a lifesaver, it was easily bioavailable, and did not chew up her stomach as some formulations of zinc did. The skin lesions she had were almost fully healed in less than a week, and coat was back in a month. Keep it in mind if you ever encounter it in the future. Thanks for replying btw!


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## monster'sdad

mheath0429 said:


> @DaViking - what do you mean ratio is in the thousands.
> 
> Being in the show world and a husky owner, I can honestly tell you the almost all the people I know feed some form of raw or homecooked food for at least HALF of their dogs diet. As stated, I deal with Siberians, not samoyeds. I used to feed a completely commercial diet until i got sick and tired of my female husky constantly having reactions to it. Siberians have incredibly sensitive stomachs and high maintenance. While I understand where you are coming from, a Samoyed (and retrievers) is not a Siberian. I won't generalize for all northern breeds, only for the breed I have experience with.


That is rubbish. Two of the top Husky kennels in the country use Dr. Tim's and Annamaet, and you know it.


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## mheath0429

Really. my male is from the TOP show kennel in the world, Karnovanda. They feed half raw and half kibble. Feel free to call them to confirm.


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## stajbs

mheath0429

Karnovanda huh? Back in the mid 90's several of our sled dog club members still got pups from her. However as things progressed they moved onto Alaskan Husky's due to their increased speed. We were offered one of her pups back then but were in rescue mode at the time. Occasionally, I slap my forehead about that decision but hindsight is a waste of time now. We did what we enjoyed doing. lol I would suspect monster's dad is maybe referring to working husky kennels, and I'm sure if I'm wrong I will hear about it. Karnovanda is one of the top kennels in sibes in the show world as you say. Enjoy those dogs!!


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## mheath0429

My male is from them. He is a joy. They are fantastic, I love working with Judy. She is great.


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## mayayoung

fromm is a great food, but...
there are better options. I recommend Wellness CORE. it has great ingredients with plenty of protein, and my picky eater loves it. orijen is also great.


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