# Switching to Natural Balance Potato/Duck...She LOVES IT!!!



## sophie (Jul 9, 2006)

Sophie is a very picky eater - meaning she doesn't care to eat at all - she'll wait till she's starving and then late at night she'll eat a bit or if we hand feed her she'll eat. I've gone through all kinds of different foods, premium and not-so-premium and never had a problem with switching gradually because she's never really liked any of them. And, now the vet thinks she may be slightly "senstitive." She's been scratching her ears, but there's no infection and no mites and her skin is a little pink and she's tearing worse than before. Some of this is probably due to the kitchen remodel, but the vet thinks that's not all of it. He didn't say food allergy, but I figured what the heck - I needed a food she'll eat that's natural and healthy.

So, after searching SM i went and picked up some Natural Balance Potatoe Duck Allergy formula dry food. I couldn't get the bag opened fast enough - Miss Picky had her whole head stuffed in the bag sniffing trying to get to it - she's never done this before. I mixed a few pieces with her old food - Beneful (I know not good, but at least she would eat a little every day) - and she picked out the NB and gobbled it up. 

My questions - how do I know go about the gradual switch to the new food - I know she's not going to eat the old - she's just going to wait and pick out the new. 

Has anybody done a total switch? She doesn't have a sensitive stomach.

Any suggestions? Thanks!


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## Deanna (Jan 14, 2005)

If she won't eat the old, don't worry about doing it gradually. Wilson hated his old food and when I brought in the NB he practically ripped open the package. I tried to do 1/4 of the NB and 3/4 of the old- he just spit out the old and only ate the NB. So since then it has been 100% NB.


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## sophie (Jul 9, 2006)

> If she won't eat the old, don't worry about doing it gradually. Wilson hated his old food and when I brought in the NB he practically ripped open the package. I tried to do 1/4 of the NB and 3/4 of the old- he just spit out the old and only ate the NB. So since then it has been 100% NB.[/B]


I figure we'll just do the total switch to NB. Sophie was so funny shoving her head in the bag while I was trying to open it. You would have thought there was a great big T-bone in there. This looks like an answer to prayers. Mine and apparently Sophie's!!


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

I've always read to do the switch over the course of 3 days or so.

We switched from Chicken Soup to NB Duck and Potato too! Ollie LOVES it! But I've been doing a mix of about 50/50 b/c I still have a lot of Chicken Soup left...at first he would pick out the NB but after a few days he was eating both. You might want to give it a few days...also, I noticed that the NB is MUCH crunchier than the Chicken Soup, and bigger too. The past several days I've been having to wet it all down b/c he's losing teeth (yesterday one was even bleeding). He eats about 1 1/2 to 2 cups per day!!

I hope the switch goes well for Sophie!


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## sophie (Jul 9, 2006)

> I've always read to do the switch over the course of 3 days or so.
> 
> We switched from Chicken Soup to NB Duck and Potato too! Ollie LOVES it! But I've been doing a mix of about 50/50 b/c I still have a lot of Chicken Soup left...at first he would pick out the NB but after a few days he was eating both. You might want to give it a few days...also, I noticed that the NB is MUCH crunchier than the Chicken Soup, and bigger too. The past several days I've been having to wet it all down b/c he's losing teeth (yesterday one was even bleeding). He eats about 1 1/2 to 2 cups per day!!
> 
> I hope the switch goes well for Sophie![/B]


I've always read 3-5 days, too. I'm going to try putting the NB in her bowl and hand-feed the old food and see if that works for a gradual switch. She'll eat the NB out of the bowl which is something she very reluctantly did for any other food. If I mix them both in the bowl she'll only pick out the NB and leave the other.


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## saltymalty (Sep 14, 2004)

I use the NB Duck or NB Venison formulas. My pup seems to prefer the Venison over the Duck but loves both. Sometimes I mix both together.


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## bellasmommy (May 8, 2005)

Bella used to be picky too, but way back when I tried to switch her to New Balance gradually she only ate the New Balance too. Must be pretty tasty! (by the way, since switching Bella maybe a year ago she has gained weight so that she is within the normal weight range now and she has NO tear staining or itching anymore, I know what works is different for each dog, but I wanted to share our good news







)


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## Scoobydoo (May 26, 2005)

Both my boys like NB duck and potato, but they also love Evangers chicken & rice, so they get a little of both. I am still using some Pro Plan with Koko but he is gradually leaving more of that and going more for the Evangers kibble so I am going to go completely over to that seeing we have more of that than the others.
Koko is not at all fussy, where as Scooby is but he also loves the Evangers. I keep the NB on hand though for a change and also for rewards and treats with Koko, that works really well.








I have never had any bad effects with either from switching between the kibble and I find that their poop is much better on either food, never loose and always regular.


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## kab (Apr 11, 2005)

I do the NB fish and sweet potatoes. I have tried several other premium brands and this is the best for them........no tearing or itching. 

My foster puppies are on the Chicken Soup puppy. I love the small kibble for them.


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## coco (Sep 20, 2006)

When I switched Coco to adult food, I went to Natural Balance. She ate it for 2 days, and then wouldn't eat. Sooo, today I bought some Royal Canine Yorkie food, and she gobbled it up. Who knows? Maybe she won't like it in two days, either. My vet said not to give her a huge selection because I would make her a picky eater, but I worry when she doesn't eat.







I tried to find the potato and duck today because of this thread, but they didn't seem to have it where I went.


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## bootoo (Sep 3, 2006)

We just switched BAiley to the Royal Canine. We had issues.

He loves it, BUT I did not do it gradually as warned. We ended up back at the vet. Vomiting and very, very soft stools - dare I say the D word!?! He had to go on no food for 24 hours, then rice for 2 days, added boiled chicken for 3 more days and then brought in the food. He eats it now with no problems.

If/When I ever change again, I will go gradually!


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## Morkie4 (Oct 13, 2006)

I use the Natural Blance Venison/br rice and Natural Balance Duck/potato. I mix both of them together at each serving (twice a day). Also add a little of Solid Gold Wee bits too! So they get three types each meal. 

I have read, heard and experienced the sudden diet change in dogs. They can get the runs really really bad!!!! So it is much better to mix old and new together for a period of time. I usually add some shaved turkey or ham from Boar's Head...........mixed so well, it looks more like a coating on the dog food pieces. They usually gobble it right up! JMO


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## I found nemo (Feb 23, 2006)

I may be switching also. Nemo has done SO well
on Wellness , but lately he has been really chewing his feet







he has not done this
in so long. So I am going to get the Potato & Duck and slowly mix it in with his Wellness.
I hope this stops it..
ANDREA~


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## bootoo (Sep 3, 2006)

Why do they chew on their feet? I am sure I am supposed to know...but I don't.


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## sophie (Jul 9, 2006)

> We just switched BAiley to the Royal Canine. We had issues.
> 
> He loves it, BUT I did not do it gradually as warned. We ended up back at the vet. Vomiting and very, very soft stools - dare I say the D word!?! He had to go on no food for 24 hours, then rice for 2 days, added boiled chicken for 3 more days and then brought in the food. He eats it now with no problems.
> 
> If/When I ever change again, I will go gradually![/B]


We've been lucky since Sophie didn't cooperate with a gradual switch - she just picked out the new and left the old as usual and wouldn't eat the old out of our hands once she had tasted the new - we cut out all of her regular junk food doggie treats and she is eating just the NB Duck and Potato. She's also getting the NB Crunchy Lamb Roll A Rounds for special treats. She's actually eating out of her bowl which she would never do before. Her stools are more normal than they've been since we got her. She's not tearing as much, but can't tell if that's the food yet because the vet has her on Aktrol eye drops since a few days before the food change for the tearing and inflamation. All in all I'm really happy with the NB and Sophie seems really really happy with it. I'm also sure what helped is she does seem to have an iron stomache. I found out that hubby had been sharing his BBQ pork skins with her and she had no stomach upset from that - of course, mommy put an end to the pork skins real quick.



> Why do they chew on their feet? I am sure I am supposed to know...but I don't.[/B]


The vet told me allergies can cause them to do that. Sophie doesn't (unless she steps in a wet spot on her way off the pee pad and I don't catch it quick enough (gross)*, but he said if she does start just to take a cotton ball and to wipe some Listerine on her paw pads and that would help - I'm not sure how it will - something about killng the bacteria and drying it out. Sophie scratches at her ears - there's no infection, no mites, etc. He said that could be allergies. I'm hoping the food switch will help stop that because she gets matts on her ears because of the scratching.

*I did buy two Wizdogs to stop the pee paws, but she won't use them with the pad under the grid - so I have two expensive pad trays.


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