# Wanting some variety!



## leaveittoweaver (Nov 15, 2013)

Okay. So Vee has been on Pure Vita Bison since December and I really want to add something else into the rotation of what she gets. I want her to have a variety and I also don't ever want to be caught with my pants down in the event of a recall or something like that.

She is SUPER sensitive though tummy wise. If I give her too many things to chew on, she has loose stool(snouts, ears, hooves, etc.). 

So I'm thinking about my options. The Pure Vita Bison works I believe because of it's high fiber content and it's also fairly simplistic. I thought about just trying a different flavor of Pure Vita to start though...just to start seeing what bothers her tummy and what doesn't. In the grain free, they have a Turkey and Salmon so I thought about trying the Turkey just to see how it goes.

The other options I thought about were:
Zignature Turkey or Zignature Lamb
Acana Chicken and Burbank Potato or the Lamb and Apple
Natural Balance Bison and Sweet Potato
California Natural Grain Free Venison
Nature's Variety LID Lamb or Turkey
Honest Kitchen Love

Out of these options what would you do or start with?

The things she has been on that did not work were Fromm Gold Adult, Diamond Chicken and Rice(she was firm on this but hated it), and Holistic Select Duck and Oatmeal. We also tried a sample of Honest Kitchen Zeal and she was just super gassy on that.


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## Shamrockmommy (Sep 10, 2009)

Of those listed, I would probably try Natural Balance or California Natural. The latter gave my crew deadly gas though lol.


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## NutroGeoff (May 15, 2013)

I've seen some dogs do very well on the Natural Balance foods. I haven't seen many of those other foods as most aren't sold at the stores I go to. Petco has the Nature's Variety but that is pretty far out of most people's budget, at least in the store I'm at.


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## stbernardlover (Jun 24, 2013)

I agree with everyone else; I would say Natural Balance or California Naturals for a sensitive stomach. My cat has flourished on California Naturals and he is very susceptible to diarrhea. Also had an older golden who did well on it.


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## PDXdogmom (Jun 30, 2010)

I agree with the wisdom of finding more than one kibble your dog does well on . . . especially for a dog with a sensitive stomach.

I do rotate for my lab and my golden. My lab has the more sensitive digestive system of the two and doesn't tolerate anything with chicken in it. I've found it easier to transition among foods that have somewhat similar protein and fat percentages.

The Natural Balance Bison Sweet Potato and Bison has only 20% protein and 10% fat with most of the protein coming from the plant-based potato protein and pea protein. I wouldn't choose that as an option for any dog.

The California Natural grain free lines are unfortunately IMO heavily reliant on lentils and peas for their protein. The Venison formula is "venison, green lentils, red lentils, peas and sunflower oil. While low in the number of ingredients, I wouldn't call that much lentils and peas easy on a dog's digestive system. It also only has 21% protein and 11% fat.

One that you didn't mention but might want to take a look at is: Canidae Grain Free Pure Land CANIDAE® Grain Free PURE Land® Dry Dog Food with Fresh Bison

It has only 6 main ingredients with 25% protein and 15% fat.


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## NutroGeoff (May 15, 2013)

My lab eats a bit of variety. He goes back and forth from lamb and chicken. I am going to be getting one of the new Ultra Gluten Free formulas as well.


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## InkedMarie (Sep 9, 2011)

Unless something has changed, I believe all the NB LID dry foods start with sweet potato, not the meat. I've used it but didnt like it just because of that and the low protein. Their canned foods first ingredient is the protein.


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

you can switch brands often (kibble and can).
i use a variety of things for topping the kibble:

> can food.
> fresh fish, meat and fowl.
> extra virgin salomon oil.
> fresh blueberries, apple slices, pear slices.
> ground flax seed.
> flax seed oil.
> organic yogurt.
> table scraps depending on what they are.
whole chicken (pressured cooked). serve all.


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## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

Personally, I would find a food that has a similar ingredient list (probably with a "single" difference) and protien/fat percentage to feed first. Then, I would switch back and forth every meal between those 2 foods for awhile (at least a couple of months) to allow time for my pup's system to adjust. After, things seem settled, I would find a third to add in that's a little more different. If my pup just doesn't seem to be adapting to eating a different kibble, I would look into feeding other diets along with the "good" kibble. This way, I'd still have a food to feed in case the kibble loses its "good" rating or disappears.


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## leaveittoweaver (Nov 15, 2013)

Celt said:


> Personally, I would find a food that has a similar ingredient list (probably with a "single" difference) and protien/fat percentage to feed first. Then, I would switch back and forth every meal between those 2 foods for awhile (at least a couple of months) to allow time for my pup's system to adjust. After, things seem settled, I would find a third to add in that's a little more different. If my pup just doesn't seem to be adapting to eating a different kibble, I would look into feeding other diets along with the "good" kibble. This way, I'd still have a food to feed in case the kibble loses its "good" rating or disappears.


This was my school of thought too. I think I'm going to try switching proteins within the same line first...I think I'll try the turkey and see how that goes. If all goes well with that I'm going to probably try Zignature Turkey and see how that goes. I'm very scared to go to a food with drastically lower fiber for her since her tummy is so sensitive.


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## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

leaveittoweaver said:


> This was my school of thought too. I think I'm going to try switching proteins within the same line first...I think I'll try the turkey and see how that goes. If all goes well with that I'm going to probably try Zignature Turkey and see how that goes. I'm very scared to go to a food with drastically lower fiber for her since her tummy is so sensitive.


If your main concern is fiber content, then that's the last food to try out. Let her stomach get use to other differences before lowering the fiber content. Although, if you continue feeding the "good" kibble alternated with the new one that might help prevent total diarrhea. Stools will most likely be "soft serve" and more frequent though and it's important to give enough time for her system to adapt.


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## leaveittoweaver (Nov 15, 2013)

Celt said:


> If your main concern is fiber content, then that's the last food to try out. Let her stomach get use to other differences before lowering the fiber content. Although, if you continue feeding the "good" kibble alternated with the new one that might help prevent total diarrhea. Stools will most likely be "soft serve" and more frequent though and it's important to give enough time for her system to adapt.


Problem is I can't find anything with a fiber content of 8.5% like the Pure Vita Bison. Nothing else is as high. Their Turkey is 6.0%. Hopefully that won't be too drastic of a change.


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## Georgiapeach (Jan 24, 2011)

My allergy dog does well on Zignature Grain Free Turkey and also California Natural Grain Free Salmon and Peas. She also does well on Back to Basics Grain Free Pork. Everything else we've tried has some ingredient (of which there are many) that sets off her itching.


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