# Need advice on best nutritional dry food for my Jasper



## tonicoombs (Jul 21, 2010)

Hi everyone, 

I've been doing a little research on dry dog foods. I've read a couple of threads, and I'm trying to wrap my brain around all of the differences. I have a 1½ year Maltese. I started him on Science Diet, but read that it has a lot of filler and by-product. I want him to have the best diet possible. I'm not terribly concerned about cost, as long as I'm feeding what's best for him.

Over the past couple of months he has been biting at his paws on occasion, and he has slight tear staining. I decided to switch Jasper to Blue Buffalo Small Breed Natural Fish and Brown Rice (gradually, of course). But after reading some of your posts in other threads, several of you mention that rosemary is an ingredient you want to steer clear of, as it can cause seizures. BB does contain oil of rosemary. Now I'm concerned that I haven't made a wise choice, not for lack of good intention, but simply for lack of education on the subject. Seems like a lot of you recommend Orijen or ACANA. Jasper seems to like the whitefish in BB, so I'm wondering if Orijen 6 Fish might be a good choice? Those who use it, is it helpful in reducing tear staining and itchy skin?

Any advice you guys have for me would be sincerely appreciated.

Hope everyone has a marvelous day!

Toni


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## Furbaby's Mommie (Jul 10, 2004)

All Malts do not have a problem with the tiny amount of Rosemary extract used as preservative in dog food. Shoni hasn't.


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## poochie2 (Jan 14, 2010)

I know a lot of people who use Blue Buffalo and they love it. It have a very small amount of Rosemary and alot of pet foods do too. If he likes it I would stick with the Blue Buffalo and not worry about the small amount of rosemary.


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## pammy4501 (Aug 8, 2007)

How to Choose the Right Dog Food - Whole Dog Journal Article

This is a good article from the Whole Dog Journal (which I whole heartedly recommend) that should help you get pointed in the right direction. As for the rosemary, I really think that you only need to worry about that if your dog has seizures already.


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

Not all foods will work best for all dogs, but it has not been proven that rosemary or rosemary extract causes or contributes to seizures or other health problems.

Two of the top dry dog foods are Orijen and Acana (grain-free varieties) and I would suggest trying either of those. They are manufactured by the same company, Champion Pet Foods, and Orijen is higher in protein than Acana. I used to feed Orijen 6 Fresh Fish but it turned out to be slightly too rich for my two so I switched to Acana Pacifica. I now rotate between Acana Pacifica and Acana Grasslands for variety. Whichever brand you select, make sure it is grain-free, and if your pup is itching, it may be allergic to poultry, so a fish based food might be best.


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

Tessa has a problem with chicken, so she's been eating Fosters & Smith lamb and brown rice, which is on Whole Dog Journal's list of top quality foods. She's doing very well on it and absolutely loves it!


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

We use Castor & Pollux Organix, an organic kibble. It has rosemary as very the last ingredient and I'm not worried about it as it is a teeny amount and my Malts are not prone to seizures. I checked with them and the salmon that is in the food is wild. The chicken is certified organic/free range.. I really like that most all the ingredients are organic.

They love this food... they gobble it up. And they do very well on it... 

http://www.castorpolluxpet.com/store/organix/organix®_adult_canine_formula


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## aprilb (Jul 9, 2010)

Blue Buffalo is a good food. If Jasper is doing well on it, you don't have to change. There is no one "best" food for every dog. While the high protein high fat diets(like Orijen, Acana) are excellent foods and work well for some dogs, these diets can be too rich for most dogs and can be hard on the liver and kidneys. Also, some of the fish based diets are processed using ethoxyquin which can cause cancer. I feed Natural Balance venison & sweet potato(one of my girls has allergies) For the average dog, a premium diet(no-fillers, by products, chemical preservatives) with a moderate amount of protein and fat is a good choice and there are lots of good foods out there. I know, it makes you head spin, doesn't it?!:smstarz:


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

aprilb said:


> Blue Buffalo is a good food. If Jasper is doing well on it, you don't have to change. There is no one "best" food for every dog. While the high protein high fat diets(like Orijen, Acana) are excellent foods and work well for some dogs, these diets can be too rich for most dogs and can be hard on the liver and kidneys. Also, some of the fish based diets are processed using ethoxyquin which can cause cancer. I feed Natural Balance venison & sweet potato(one of my girls has allergies) For the average dog, a premium diet(no-fillers, by products, chemical preservatives) with a moderate amount of protein and fat is a good choice and there are lots of good foods out there. I know, it makes you head spin, doesn't it?!:smstarz:


It is a commonly held, but unfortunately erroneous view that high protein and high fat foods are hard on the liver/kidneys of most dogs. _Poor quality protein and rancid fats_ are very hard on the liver and kidneys for sure. Unfortunately, most kibble, including some of the high-protein kind, is sprayed with rancid fat and contains poor quality proteins. 

Good quality high protein dry or wet foods (like Orijen/Acana) might not be indicated for dogs with chronic health conditions, but they are totally fine and preferred by many for healthy dogs - as long as fresh water is provided, and as long as the owner ensures that their dogs are drinking that water. 

Unfortunately we all have to spend a lot of time and money to hit on a food or two that is just right for our dog, and rotate those foods for optimum health.


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## aprilb (Jul 9, 2010)

Nikki's Mom said:


> It is a commonly held, but unfortunately erroneous view that high protein and high fat foods are hard on the liver/kidneys of most dogs. _Poor quality protein and rancid fats_ are very hard on the liver and kidneys for sure. Unfortunately, most kibble, including the high-protein kind, is sprayed with rancid fat and contains poor quality proteins.
> 
> Good quality high protein/fat dry or wet foods (like Orijen/Acana) might not be indicated for dogs with chronic health conditions, but they are totally fine and preferred by many for healthy dogs - as long as fresh water is provided, and as long as the owner ensures that their dogs are drinking that water.
> 
> Unfortunately we all have to spend a lot of time and money to hit on a food or two that is just right for our dog, and rotate those foods for optimum health.


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

Both Snuggles and Chrissy are fed with Blue Buffalo and they both have absolutely no problems with digestion or other problems. Chrissy is on the "Basic" form and Snuggles is fed the Brown Rice and Lamb. Blue Buffalo also just began to offer treats in several varities for smaller Dogs. I highly recommend Blue Buffalo products since it is a very high quality dog food. 

Snuggle's and Chrissy's Mom


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## vjw (Dec 20, 2006)

Nikki's Mom said:


> It is a commonly held, but unfortunately erroneous view that high protein and high fat foods are hard on the liver/kidneys of most dogs. _Poor quality protein and rancid fats_ are very hard on the liver and kidneys for sure. Unfortunately, most kibble, including the high-protein kind, is sprayed with rancid fat and contains poor quality proteins.
> 
> Good quality high protein/fat dry or wet foods (like Orijen/Acana) might not be indicated for dogs with chronic health conditions, but they are totally fine and preferred by many for healthy dogs - as long as fresh water is provided, and as long as the owner ensures that their dogs are drinking that water.
> 
> Unfortunately we all have to spend a lot of time and money to hit on a food or two that is just right for our dog, and rotate those foods for optimum health.


 


Suzan, this is so not true. Here's a story from petdiets.com. Petdiets.com is very respected in the veterinary community.

PetDiets


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

vjw said:


> Suzan, this is so not true. Here's a story from petdiets.com. Petdiets.com is very respected in the veterinary community.
> 
> PetDiets


I don't respect Pet Diets, which suggests a pet owner feed their pet CORN OIL, which is a highly inflammatory omega 6 oil. That is MY OPINION. If people want the FACT behind my opinion, then they can research it for themselves. 

See, now you are beginning to make this personal.

I sometimes wonder why are you are on this forum. You hardly engage in any of the friendly fun discussions, or make positive remarks about anything.

It is my opinion that what I previously posted is true. If people want to research the science behind it, they are free to do so.

For every link that you provide to back up your opinion, I can provide one to the contrary. We could go on and on. I don't have time for it. *

Please stop accusing me of lying, Joy.
*
We have a difference of opinion, please leave it at that. Please stop harassing me when I post about health and nutrition, because it is mean and unfair to do this on a dog forum where we are merely discussing options and opinions. I am not a scientist or a doctor, and neither are you. But, we are both entitled to our opinions. For every scientific "fact" you quote, I can quote one to the contrary. It's a game I simply will not play with you. Instead of attacking me, why don't you join in on some of the other fun discussion threads?

Please stop harassing me.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

I agree with Dr. Becker. Not all dogs do well on raw food, but I agree with her otherwise. You may not. You are all entitled to your opinion. Pets Protein Dry Food and Disease 

This video is mainly about cats, but she makes some good points.


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## poochie2 (Jan 14, 2010)

You said that you've read alot about people giving their dogs Origen/Acana. It probably is because it is considered one of the better choices if you intend on giving kibble.
Grains are unnecessary in a dog's diet and these particular ones are Grain-free.
It is true that dogs need variety in their diet so switching up their protein sources is a good idea. I myself feed Acana Pacifica and Prairie with good results. My malts blood work was all in the normal range and last year she was soley on Origen now she's on Acana and dehydrated foods too for VARIETY.


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## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

I feed my pups Acana Pacifica in the mornings and Dr. Harveys Veg-ta-Bowl in the evening. I have one that is allergic to all poultry that is the reason for the Pacifica and not alternating with the Grassland. I'm not much of a morning person and it's just easier for me to feed the pups the dry food in the morning when i'm getting ready for work and i love the Dr. Harvey's Veg-ta-Bowl because it's close to home cooking and i switch the proteins each week. I did try the actual home cooking and it was just too much for me since i don't like to cook.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

aprilb said:


>


Were you confused by my post?


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Well, I had a negative experience with Acana Pacifica. My dog's kidney values went up after being on it for a few weeks. We discontinued the food and he went back to normal. Same dog eats Stella and Chewies with no problem, so I don't buy it just being the higher protein.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

jmm said:


> Well, I had a negative experience with Acana Pacifica. My dog's kidney values went up after being on it for a few weeks. We discontinued the food and he went back to normal. Same dog eats Stella and Chewies with no problem, so I don't buy it just being the higher protein.


You just never know with food. Its a lot of trial and error, even with home-cooked. 

Nikki does fine with chicken, beef, bison, fish, and sweet potatos, but lamb, brown rice, and raspberries do not agree with her at all.


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## thach8 (Nov 28, 2007)

Diamond used to bite at her front paws to the point where they were bloody.

We switched her food from naturo with chicken to acana pacifica (we switched Diamond to Acana after reading about it on this site and getting feedback from people on here)

Diamond stopped licking her paws and we haven't really noticed a problem since. We told our vet about the change in food. She said that a lot of dogs have problems with poultry so it was good that we switched her to one without any poultry source.

Also: our vet said that the fish was a good choice because a diet high in fish provides them with oils that actually would help dogs heal from minor injuries and generally help maintain good health.

We were also concerned with amt of protein after reading some critiques, but our vet didn't seem to think there was reason to worry. All of Diamond's blood work has come back normal. 

Personally we would recommend Acana bc it seems to have helped Diamond and she seems to like it. We'd also just like to add that we feed Diamond treats that are just dried sweet potato and this combined with Acana seems to give her nice, healthy poos (after Diamond's bum troubles....we appreciate healthy poos  )


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