# Artemis vs. Castor and Pollux vs. Wellness Core



## godiva goddess (Nov 19, 2007)

Mia just turned 1 and has pretty much finished her Eagle Pack puppy formula. She was doing well on it, but she seemed to have lost interest in its taste, etc...so I want to take this opportunity to switch her food. I went to the dog food analysis website which many of you have referred to on SM and ARTEMIS as well as Wellness Core seemed to be a 6 star rated food, I also read that Castor and Pollux is very high quality..WHICH DO I CHOOSE FOR MIA?!?...

I went to the store and bought a pack of ARTEMIS for Mia and today is her 1st day, she is eating it, but not a whole lot of it... I am unsure if I should keep her on Artemis or exchange it for Wellness Core or Castor and Pollux?!? I read that ARTEMIS gives dogs smelly and soft poo?? Mia stays indoors 99% of the time so I was a bit worried that food high in protein/fat will be bad for her? 

If anyone can share experience and preference between these 3 brands (or the pros and cons of each), I would really appreciate it!!!


Thanks in advance!!


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## cloey70 (Jan 6, 2008)

I am glad you posted this because I am going through the same situation. I was going to try Artemis, but couldn't find it locally. I was going to go with Wellness Core, but the kibble size is rather big. So, I decided to go with Evo small bites, and Clifford does love it, but I am worried about the high protein, but I will give it sometime and see how he is. I was on the Castor Organix, but Clifford itched like crazy on that, and I am not sure if its the grain or chicken, so that is why I am in the process of switching from Organix to Evo. I think Organix is great, and not tremedously expensive, and a good quality. This is my experience and thought I would share this with you.


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

I personally prefer organic. _Castor and Pollux Organix_ dry or canned, or _By Nature_ Organics canned or _Party Animal_ canned are all good foods. Hey, Paris Hilton feeds her dogs _Party Animal_! Umm, what a claim to fame, huh?  

_Wellness_ and _Artemis_ are good foods too, though I haven't tried Artemis. You have to decide whether you feel that organic is better. If you do, then go for the C and P, or try all three, each for at least two weeks and see how your Mia does on them. I try to stick with organic, but I'm overly obsessive, bordering on neurotic, about nutrition.


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## godiva goddess (Nov 19, 2007)

QUOTE (cloey70 @ Jul 14 2008, 03:31 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=605221


> I am glad you posted this because I am going through the same situation. I was going to try Artemis, but couldn't find it locally. I was going to go with Wellness Core, but the kibble size is rather big. So, I decided to go with Evo small bites, and Clifford does love it, but I am worried about the high protein, but I will give it sometime and see how he is. I was on the Castor Organix, but Clifford itched like crazy on that, and I am not sure if its the grain or chicken, so that is why I am in the process of switching from Organix to Evo. I think Organix is great, and not tremedously expensive, and a good quality. This is my experience and thought I would share this with you.[/B]


I am glad that you are going through the same thing as me as well! Isnt it so difficult? lol...I am happy we can relate and thanks for sharing w/ me your experience! I saw Evo small bites, and was thinking about that as well....I read many good things about Evo on the dog food analysis website too...hopefully Clifford will continue to like Evo! Mia just started eating Artemis today so I don't really know how she is doing yet...If I stick w/ Artemis, I will let you know my feedback!!  


QUOTE (Nikki's Mom @ Jul 14 2008, 03:35 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=605222


> I personally prefer organic. _Castor and Pollux Organix_ dry or canned, or _By Nature_ Organics canned or _Party Animal_ canned are all good foods. Hey, Paris Hilton feeds her dogs _Party Animal_! Umm, what a claim to fame, huh?
> 
> _Wellness_ and _Artemis_ are good foods too, though I haven't tried Artemis. You have to decide whether you feel that organic is better. If you do, then go for the C and P, or try all three, each for at least two weeks and see how your Mia does on them. I try to stick with organic, but I'm overly obsessive, bordering on neurotic, about nutrition. [/B]


I totally agree w/ you that organic is much better, you are right. I didnt know about Party Animal..lol...I will google that now..haha...I actually went to the Whole Foods near me and they sold Castor and Pollux for CATS but not dogs?!?!?! :angry: :blink: So, I think I have to end up ordering it online..the pet boutique near me sells almost every doggie brand except Castor and Pollux...lol.. Another question I have for you is, do you prefer dry or canned? Mia has been eating dry kibbles pretty much all her life and her stool has been regular, like not hard..not soft, just about right...haha...i kind of want to keep her stool that way so do you think canned will make her stool runny? Also, do you think the grains in Castor and Pollux will be good or bad? I read somewhere (probably on SM..i cant remeber) that its best for dogs to be on a GRAIN FREE diet..is that true? sorry for bombarding you w/ so many questions at once..hehe..but I read many of your posts on SM about food and you really seem to be an expert...hope you dont mind!! 

THANKS SO MUCH!!


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

I'm not an expert. More like paranoid.  

Grains: Some dogs do very well on _good quality_ grains. The grains to always avoid for dogs are corn and wheat. Soy isn't a grain, but unless it is organic, I don't recommend it. Brown rice, barley and oatmeal are _usually_ OK. It really depends on the dog. I look at the big picture concerning grains. If the grains are good quality and whole grain, and the food is organic, then I will try it and see what happens. Nikki didn't do well on Castor and Pollux because she wasn't digesting the rice. But again, that's just Nikki, every dog is different.She does fine with barley or oatmeal. An overuse of cheap grains can cause allergies/skin problems. Most commercial dog food contains cheap quality grains that are unfit for humans, so they are sold cheap to pet food processors. That is why some dogs have food allergies. And that is why many people do not recommend grains for dogs. Many foods are moving away from using grains. Grains are good in the diet for fiber and B vitamins, but they aren't necessary to a dog's survival. Nikki eats grains in her treat biscuits, they are whole grains and organic. (Wagatha's.)

High protein: When you feed high-protein food like Evo, you must be sure that you dog is very active in order to assimilate all that protein, or cut the food with fruits/veggies and feed less kibble. If Mia is not that active, then she would probably do better on a lower protein food than Evo, because most high protein food contains high fat, too. I believe that Wellness Core kibble is lower in fat and protein than the rest of the grain-free foods. 

Canned vs. Dry: I prefer to feed Nikki canned food, and the one she uses is grain free. She prefers it also. (She spits out kibble.) There are pros and cons to canned and kibble feeding. It really depends on whether you don't mind refrigerating the unused portion of the canned food and then letting it sit out for 20 minutes so you don't feed it cold. I never recommend microwaving dog food. Both dry and canned foods do lose nutrients in the manufacturing process, but canned loses a little bit less. If you like the convenience of a bag of kibble, then you'd be happier with it. I travel a lot and take her canned food and a cooler. If you aren't sure which you prefer, you can mix the two together.

Stools: I have not experienced a difference in stools at all between canned and kibble, but every dog is different. Many people said that Wellness and Innova food causes runny poop, but that was not the case for Nikki. She did fine on it, but I wanted an organic food for her. 

Brands: I have become a big fan of Party Animal canned because I spoke with the owner at length the other day. He's in L.A. and he answered all of my questions and told me quite a bit about the food. He doesn't cut costs and all of the ingredients are organic. You are fortunate that they sell it in Manhattan, (hey, my hometown!) They aren't currently selling it in Atlanta, where I live now. The store locator is on the website. It is high-priced, but in this case it is well worth it. You can call and talk to Daryl, the owner. He'll probably send you a free sample. The phone number is on the website. Nikki loves the food, so it is a win-win for me so far. I also like Wellness, and Spot's Stew, but Spot's Stew is a little low in protein. Evangers seems to be a good food, but they have had some issues in the past and I just don't trust them right now. 

It's really trial and error. I've gone through many foods, and fortunately, Nikki was OK with that. She doesn't require a transition time, she just scarfs down each new food just fine. You might have to go through a bunch of foods to see which one your Mia does best on, and which one works for your lifestyle. I hope this helps. Feel free to PM me anytime.


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## godiva goddess (Nov 19, 2007)

^^ Wow, Nikki's Mom, THANK YOU SO SO MUCH for that detailed and in depth response..that was so informative!! Thank you for sharing all your knowledge with me, it helped me a lot! I think I am going to order the Castor and Pollux and see how Mia does on it...I will also check out Party Animal, because their flavors sounds really yummy...haha...Thank you again!!


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## cloey70 (Jan 6, 2008)

QUOTE (Nikki's Mom @ Jul 14 2008, 04:07 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=605266


> I'm not an expert. More like paranoid.
> 
> Grains: Some dogs do very well on _good quality_ grains. The grains to always avoid for dogs are corn and wheat. Soy isn't a grain, but unless it is organic, I don't recommend it. Brown rice, barley and oatmeal are _usually_ OK. It really depends on the dog. I look at the big picture concerning grains. If the grains are good quality and whole grain, and the food is organic, then I will try it and see what happens. Nikki didn't do well on Castor and Pollux because she wasn't digesting the rice. But again, that's just Nikki, every dog is different.She does fine with barley or oatmeal. An overuse of cheap grains can cause allergies/skin problems. Most commercial dog food contains cheap quality grains that are unfit for humans, so they are sold cheap to pet food processors. That is why some dogs have food allergies. And that is why many people do not recommend grains for dogs. Many foods are moving away from using grains. Grains are good in the diet for fiber and B vitamins, but they aren't necessary to a dog's survival. Nikki eats grains in her treat biscuits, they are whole grains and organic. (Wagatha's.)
> 
> ...


When you say try using veggies and fruits, what kind? I think, not sure, but think JMM told me its ok to use canned veggies no salt of course. I think Clifford would eat green beans. What about canned carrots? Fresh fruit is easy for me to prepare, but I couldn't imagine Clifford eating raw brocolli, potato. I am not very good at cooking, can u tell? Thanks for the advice.


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## mom2bijou (Oct 19, 2006)

Hey missy....didnt' get to email you back today, but funny you switched Mia's food b/c I also switched B&E...went to Whole Foods and got the smallest bag of Castor & Pollux. I had them on Natural Balance Duck and Potatoe for 2 bags...so I guess about 2 or so months? They weren't thrilled w/it, but I think I'm gonna switch around so they dont' get bored and I get to see which brands work best for them. I"ll keep you updated on the C&P. 

It's so stressful trying to figure out which food to go with....I personally think we all know, for the most part, which brands are good and which are crappy...so it's just trying out all the "better" quality foods out there...trial and error! 

Kisses to Mia from us!! :wub:


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## mom2bijou (Oct 19, 2006)

QUOTE (cloey70 @ Jul 14 2008, 10:19 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=605435


> QUOTE (Nikki's Mom @ Jul 14 2008, 04:07 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=605266





> I'm not an expert. More like paranoid.
> 
> Grains: Some dogs do very well on _good quality_ grains. The grains to always avoid for dogs are corn and wheat. Soy isn't a grain, but unless it is organic, I don't recommend it. Brown rice, barley and oatmeal are _usually_ OK. It really depends on the dog. I look at the big picture concerning grains. If the grains are good quality and whole grain, and the food is organic, then I will try it and see what happens. Nikki didn't do well on Castor and Pollux because she wasn't digesting the rice. But again, that's just Nikki, every dog is different.She does fine with barley or oatmeal. An overuse of cheap grains can cause allergies/skin problems. Most commercial dog food contains cheap quality grains that are unfit for humans, so they are sold cheap to pet food processors. That is why some dogs have food allergies. And that is why many people do not recommend grains for dogs. Many foods are moving away from using grains. Grains are good in the diet for fiber and B vitamins, but they aren't necessary to a dog's survival. Nikki eats grains in her treat biscuits, they are whole grains and organic. (Wagatha's.)
> 
> ...


When you say try using veggies and fruits, what kind? I think, not sure, but think JMM told me its ok to use canned veggies no salt of course. I think Clifford would eat green beans. What about canned carrots? Fresh fruit is easy for me to prepare, but I couldn't imagine Clifford eating raw brocolli, potato. I am not very good at cooking, can u tell? Thanks for the advice.
[/B][/QUOTE]
In every meal for B&E I add some cut up fruits or veggies and mix it on top of their kibble. I cut up baby carrots, celery, raw broccoli, cantalope, , apples, bananas, strawberries...pretty much everything but the toxic stuff (no grapes, no garlic, no onions, no peppers). I pretty much just add at least one or two veggie or fruit to their food and they gobble it up!


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## Toby's Mom (May 7, 2004)

My Beagle was on Artemis for over a year and he did fantastic on it. I think he was on the weight management and he never had an issue with smelly poop. Hope that helps some.


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

Fresh fruits or veggies are best. If you can't do fresh, then do frozen. You don't have to cook them. Canned would be the last choice IMO for fruits and veggies.


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## wooflife (Aug 8, 2007)

I live alone with my two fluffs. I usually make a bag of frozen veggies for myself for dinner and give them half. I like my veggies cooked but still with a good bit of crunch so that's how I give them to the kids. The veggies give them a little gas sometimes but it's not really stinky. I'm not much of a fruit eater so they only get what's in their kibble.

So far I've given them and they like - 

Broccoli 
Cauliflower
Baby carrots
Brussels sprouts
Squash
Potatoes
Green Beans
Asparagus

I too stay away from garlic, onions and peppers.

HTH

Leslie


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## marleysmom (Apr 16, 2008)

I've had the same concern with our little guy. I've been doing alot of research today and I think I have settled on C&P Organix. Chrisman had him on BilJac Puppy but I want to find something better. I never knew picking a food could be so mind boggling! :eek2_gelb2:


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## ClassyCutie116 (Aug 11, 2007)

This is an interesting thread bc I have been going through the same food dilemma as well!! My lil' Mickey is very picky with his food! So, that makes it difficult to find something that's super healthy and organic AND that he will actually eat!!

I recently started feeding him C&P Organix canned and so far he likes it and is eating it...However, after hearing about the new Party Animal food, thanks to Nikki's Mom, I have decided to try it as well and see how he does on it. I may rotate with both foods...

What do you guys think??

Good luck with all your little ones haha 



Xoxo
Joylynn & Mickey


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

Rotating food is an excellent idea. My holistic vet recommends rotating food at least every month or every couple of months, whatever is convenient.


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## ClassyCutie116 (Aug 11, 2007)

QUOTE (Nikki's Mom @ Jul 16 2008, 05:10 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=606306


> Rotating food is an excellent idea. My holistic vet recommends rotating food at least every month or every couple of months, whatever is convenient.[/B]



Ok sounds good! Thanks for getting back to me...I will rotate and see how he likes it


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## 2maltese4me (May 8, 2006)

QUOTE (godiva goddess @ Jul 14 2008, 03:21 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=605219


> Mia just turned 1 and has pretty much finished her Eagle Pack puppy formula. She was doing well on it, but she seemed to have lost interest in its taste, etc...so I want to take this opportunity to switch her food. I went to the dog food analysis website which many of you have referred to on SM and ARTEMIS as well as Wellness Core seemed to be a 6 star rated food, I also read that Castor and Pollux is very high quality..WHICH DO I CHOOSE FOR MIA?!?...
> 
> I went to the store and bought a pack of ARTEMIS for Mia and today is her 1st day, she is eating it, but not a whole lot of it... I am unsure if I should keep her on Artemis or exchange it for Wellness Core or Castor and Pollux?!? I read that ARTEMIS gives dogs smelly and soft poo?? Mia stays indoors 99% of the time so I was a bit worried that food high in protein/fat will be bad for her?
> 
> ...


I fed Wellness Core for just about a yr, and my guys did fine on it. The kibble size didn't bother them at all. They eventually just stopped eating it so I had to search other grain free foods. We are now on Merrick BG Buffalo, which is a grain free food. It was the only one out of 5 different types that they would eat, and I dont consider my guys picky eaters. They just done like Duck or Venison..which made things a bit difficult.

As an aside. Once I switched over to grain free food, all tear stains are 110% gone. They have the whitest faces. I get compliments on them all the time.


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