# Help with food choicees!



## sjfriedman (Oct 29, 2009)

My Maltese diva/bitch is an incredibly picky eater. When I got her, she was a rescue and about four years old. She came from a nice family that just had too many dogs.

When I got her home, she refused to eat the kibble that was her regular diet. I tried most basic kibble and canned foods and she wasn't happy.

Visited the boutique dog store and they put out every kibble they sell for her to try. There were at least fifteen brands and she turned her nose up at all of them!

The store owner suggested I might try a fresh frozen raw diet, Nature's Variety Instinct Beef formula. I took a sample bag home and she went crazy. I have two problems with it. Living in Florida, I have to be concerned with Hurricane Season as I don't have a generator for the fridge and the expense. It costs about $18 for 20-24 days. She's been living happily on it for almost two years.

Since I need to change to a dry food and eliminate, handling and contamination possibilities, I started going through some of the higher end kibble, etc. the only way I could get her to eat it was by mixing some of the frozen product in with it and it was still a crap shoot as to whether she'd eat or not.

Last week, the store suggested I try an air dried product, ZiwiPeak Venison formula. It looks like little pieces of beef jerky. Angie loved it ... and i mean true love!

It runs $25-28 for 2.2 pounds and it looks like I should be able to get 25-27 days of feed out of a bag. (I feed her twice a day and the directions call for about 1.3 ounces a day for a dog her size, about eight pounds.

I live on a fixed income and these foods are killing me. She definitely eats better than I do!

Does anyone have any suggestions for another, less expensive option? I've tried tough love with several other products and she outlasts me every time!

Help!

TIA


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## Bonnie's Mommie (Mar 2, 2006)

I feel your pain, Steve! Might I suggest Stella and Chewy's freeze dried raw? It's not frozen, may be similar to what she loves, and doesn't need refrigeration. Here, I pay about $27 for a 16 oz bag which sounds high but they weigh almost nothing. I feed her 1/2 of the beef and 1/2 of the lamb daily and they seem to last about 6-8 weeks. Bonnie's been eating it for years and she loves it!

Good luck.


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

I am feeding Grandma Lucy's Artisan freeze-dried food. It is all raw except for the meat which is cooked. You add warm water to hydrate it. It is very inexpensive compared to the others you have mentioned. PetCareRx.com has the best prices I've seen and they have free shipping on $35+ orders and no tax. That is where I purchase it from. Addiction Dehydrated Raw would be another option for you but it is among the most expensive to feed.


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## RudyRoo (Jun 24, 2011)

Yep, these little ones can be such picky eaters. I am still in search of a food that Rudy actually seems to enjoy. There are some great threads here at SM with food reviews and how to transition into a new food. Here is the link to a great thread started by SM member Nida, with videos and site links: How to choose a good dog food, but of course we all know very well that just because a food has great reviews does not mean that your pup will actually eat it. Currently, I am feeding Rudy canned/kibble mix from Halo but I have been trying to switch his food up for a while and have yet to find anything he will eat. I have tried Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lovers Soul, Addiction Summer Bushtail, Weruva, and several other foods with great reviews but with only limited success for us. We will keep trying! 

I hope you will continue to post and let us know if you find something that works for you *adorable* girl!


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## Snuggle's Mom (Jan 3, 2008)

Sorry to hear that you are having so much trouble finding something that your little one cares for. Have your tried Blue Buffalo??? It is by no means a cheap dog food, but it is a lot cheaper than what you described in your first post. Our Snuggles and Chrissy have been eating Blue Buffalo Lamb and Brown Rice and are doing very well on it. There are quite a few varieties to choose from and are all good. Hope that this helps you out.


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## puppy lover (Dec 25, 2007)

My Olivea is very picky too. She will not eat any kibble, canned or frozen raw patties.

She loves Ziwi Peak and Stella and Chewy's freeze dried so I alternate between them both - and do home cooking as well. 

Since Stella and Chewy's is high in protein (as most grain free foods are) you can add some finely chopped veggies to help lower the protein and it stretches the food too, which could help on your fixed income 
I add one tablespoon finely chopped crunchy sprouts, sunflower sprouts, romaine or other lettuce, cucumber, zucchini, or squash. I also add 1-2 tablespoons water to each patty.

You'll find too that dogs eat less Ziwi Peak compared to kibble because it's so nutrient dense it lasts longer than dry food

I hope you can work something out with a freeze dried diet as it's much healthier than kibble. 
Good luck!


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

With the dry kibble, did you try adding some warm water to it to bring out the flavor? It also helps make sure they get enough water in their diets. I started doing that and Sweetness and Tessa gobble up food that they previously turned their noses up at.


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## Madison's Mom (Dec 26, 2007)

A few weeks ago I did an experiment with my three, trying to find something they would all eat - something I could feel good about feeding them. My Madison is a very picky eater - both food and treats - so it was a real challenge.

We have settled on Addiction's Herbed Lamb and Potatoes. I won't say Madison LOVES it, but after she puts me through her "I'm a Princess; I'm not eating that" routine every night she eats it all. It is a dehydrated raw product. I live in Texas and it costs about $18 for two weeks. I'm feeding three pups, though. Previously, I was buying Blue Buffalo small breed canned. I did the math yesterday and the Addiction is saving me about $2.50/week. I only feed them this once a day, however. I also leave kibble down all the time, as we have a five-month old who needs extra fuel.

I look at the cost this way: good nutrition now may save me $$$ in vet expenses later.


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## Bailey&Me (Mar 8, 2010)

Hi Steve. What is your food budget per month for her, ideally? Let us know and we could come up with some suggestions that may work. I think something like a Grandma Lucy's might work, if she would eat it. It's been a while since I bought it but if I remember correctly, a 3 pound bag of the lamb cost about $26. You would probably just feed her 1/4 cup at each meal, so the bag would last you a good long while...at least two months I would say, probably more. 

I feed my dog The Honest Kitchen which is a similar type of food as Grandma Lucy's but it's more costly...a 4 pound box costs about $45. But I've been using it since June (about 1/4 cup per meal) and I'm only about half way through the box. Grandma Lucy's is more economical but still very good quality. Give it a shot if you haven't already, and see if she'll eat it!

The other suggestion I had was trying to mix a tiny bit of canned to her kibble, and adding a bit of warm water to the whole thing to bring out the flavor, like Maggie suggested. But sounds like you may have tried canned food already?


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## sjfriedman (Oct 29, 2009)

Thank you all for your suggestions. I will explore a couple of the other foods next time I have to food shop.

Yes, I did try water in the kibble ... heating to make a warm faux gravy, etc.

As far as my food budget for Angie, frankly I'll spend what she needs. I don't cook enough to talk about that alternative (I barely can eat what I make for myself! :HistericalSmiley

I'll look into Grandma Lucy's as an alternative to Ziwi. If I read the Ziwi instructions correctly, Angie should be getting about an ounce and a third each day which I split into two feedings.

She is also crazy for baby carrots (which I keep down to one or two a day because of the sugar content) and frozen green beans (she likes them frozen rather than defrosted ... green bean popsicles? :w00t

In any case, this thread has been a big help and I really appreciate those of you who have participated.

I'll report in as Angie and I settle on her new diet. Again, the reason to switch was because of hurricane season and it looks like the first of the season to make landfall is due in a couple of days. Oh, joy!


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## sjfriedman (Oct 29, 2009)

So, it's been a couple of weeks and Angie is extremely happy with ZiwiPeak Venison even if my wallet isn't thrilled! In fact, she sees the package at mealtime and can barely contain herself.

My dog stuff emporium called the other day to tell me they got a product in very similar to ZiwiPeak but with a price about 30% less. She's using her dogs as guinea pigs and if it passes her test I'll get a sample next week.

Thanks again for all your suggestions.


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