# Need help choosing a food



## Lesley (Dec 16, 2009)

OK so I know this question has probably been asked a million times but I am having such a hard time choosing the right food for Bailey. Right now I feed her Science Diet and she does ok on it but she does have a lot of stomach problems, the vet says she has IBS, it's not serious but whenever she eats something she isn't supposed to it gets bad. And I really want to get away from the food with by-products in it, because I have heard that it is bad. 

I have been reading all the posts on here about different foods and I am considering switching her to Wellness. I know they make a canned food to and at night I always mix her wet and dry together. In the morning she just gets dry food. Any suggestions would be helpful! Thanks so much in advance!


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## maltlovereileen (Jan 19, 2009)

QUOTE (Lesley @ Dec 18 2009, 02:29 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=863961


> OK so I know this question has probably been asked a million times but I am having such a hard time choosing the right food for Bailey. Right now I feed her Science Diet and she does ok on it but she does have a lot of stomach problems, the vet says she has IBS, it's not serious but whenever she eats something she isn't supposed to it gets bad. And I really want to get away from the food with by-products in it, because I have heard that it is bad.
> 
> I have been reading all the posts on here about different foods and I am considering switching her to Wellness. I know they make a canned food to and at night I always mix her wet and dry together. In the morning she just gets dry food. Any suggestions would be helpful! Thanks so much in advance![/B]


If you like Wellness (a highly rated food by Whole Dog Journal), you may want to consider trying her on their new formula for dogs with allergies and sensitive stomachs called Simple Food Solutions... http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/dog_wellnes...ions_index.html


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## Lesley (Dec 16, 2009)

Thanks...I will definitely look into it. I am going to read up on it and try and look for some reviews online!


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## maltlovereileen (Jan 19, 2009)

QUOTE (Lesley @ Dec 18 2009, 03:07 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=863969


> Thanks...I will definitely look into it. I am going to read up on it and try and look for some reviews online![/B]


Excellent that you are researching!!! There are a few sites that give nice extensive reviews on the different dog foods (dry and wet). Can be a bit confusing though... I almost went with Orijen (and still may try one day)...several here seem to have little ones on it that are thriving...but the lady who owns the boutique dog food store had her boxer on it when they first came out and he loved it...unfortunately, the high levels of protein damaged his liver and he went into liver failure and died at age 7 *she had no idea this could happen*. Now she tells people to check with their vet if they go for one of those types of foods (super high protein). My thoughts on that are that if I were to choose to feed a dog food that is a large percentage (higher than other dog foods) protein, I would probably get periodic blood work just to monitor that no organs were being overtaxed with the processing of that protein. I'm not sure if there's enough data out there yet for this to be well known or not...or common or not... it seems with dog food you'll get a thousand and one super strong opinions as to it being good/bad/whatever. Just have to do the best you can...


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

There are several threads about food. Here is the pinned thread:

http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=6882

Here is another pinned thread, on home cooking:

http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=46584

Here is a recent thread:

http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=49876


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## Lindy (Mar 25, 2009)

You could trySpots Stew canned. It is probably one of the cleanest foods out there. Cooking your own food under the direction of a holistic vet would be another great option. Sometimes, IBS is caused by the foods we feed our fluffs. Just be sure to research thoroughly. You can also check out the Dogaware website for info. Blessings!


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## wardengang (Dec 11, 2009)

I just switched Jake from Royal Canine to Wellness Puppy. He is doing really well on it. I only give him dry food right now. If you decide to go with Wellness go to their website and register. They will email you coupons off their food and treats. 

Good luck. 

-Lisa


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

QUOTE (MaltLoverEileen @ Dec 18 2009, 02:14 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=863972


> QUOTE (Lesley @ Dec 18 2009, 03:07 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=863969





> Thanks...I will definitely look into it. I am going to read up on it and try and look for some reviews online![/B]


Excellent that you are researching!!! There are a few sites that give nice extensive reviews on the different dog foods (dry and wet). Can be a bit confusing though... I almost went with Orijen (and still may try one day)...several here seem to have little ones on it that are thriving...but the lady who owns the boutique dog food store had her boxer on it when they first came out and he loved it...unfortunately, the high levels of protein damaged his liver and he went into liver failure and died at age 7 *she had no idea this could happen*. Now she tells people to check with their vet if they go for one of those types of foods (super high protein). My thoughts on that are that if I were to choose to feed a dog food that is a large percentage (higher than other dog foods) protein, I would probably get periodic blood work just to monitor that no organs were being overtaxed with the processing of that protein. I'm not sure if there's enough data out there yet for this to be well known or not...or common or not... it seems with dog food you'll get a thousand and one super strong opinions as to it being good/bad/whatever. Just have to do the best you can...  
[/B][/QUOTE]

There are many people who feed Orijen with absolutely no issues. It's one of the better foods. I would venture a guess that the dog who died had an underlying undiagnosed issue _before_ the Orijen, or was overvaccinated. 

IMO, high grain food causes inflammation in dogs, which leads to skin problems, ear infections, stomach issues, etc. But don't take my word for it, as it's only my opinion after doing tons and tons of research. There's a lot of info. out there. Do the research with an eye for discernment.

One of the best books is Scared Poopless. A must read, imo.


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## maltlovereileen (Jan 19, 2009)

QUOTE (Nikki's Mom @ Dec 18 2009, 10:22 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=864023


> QUOTE (MaltLoverEileen @ Dec 18 2009, 02:14 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=863972





> QUOTE (Lesley @ Dec 18 2009, 03:07 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=863969





> Thanks...I will definitely look into it. I am going to read up on it and try and look for some reviews online![/B]


Excellent that you are researching!!! There are a few sites that give nice extensive reviews on the different dog foods (dry and wet). Can be a bit confusing though... I almost went with Orijen (and still may try one day)...several here seem to have little ones on it that are thriving...but the lady who owns the boutique dog food store had her boxer on it when they first came out and he loved it...unfortunately, the high levels of protein damaged his liver and he went into liver failure and died at age 7 *she had no idea this could happen*. Now she tells people to check with their vet if they go for one of those types of foods (super high protein). My thoughts on that are that if I were to choose to feed a dog food that is a large percentage (higher than other dog foods) protein, I would probably get periodic blood work just to monitor that no organs were being overtaxed with the processing of that protein. I'm not sure if there's enough data out there yet for this to be well known or not...or common or not... it seems with dog food you'll get a thousand and one super strong opinions as to it being good/bad/whatever. Just have to do the best you can...  
[/B][/QUOTE]

There are many people who feed Orijen with absolutely no issues. It's one of the better foods. I would venture a guess that the dog who died had an underlying undiagnosed issue _before_ the Orijen, or was overvaccinated. 

IMO, high grain food causes inflammation in dogs, which leads to skin problems, ear infections, stomach issues, etc. But don't take my word for it, as it's only my opinion after doing tons and tons of research. There's a lot of info. out there. Do the research with an eye for discernment.

One of the best books is Scared Poopless. A must read, imo.
[/B][/QUOTE]

Yes, I have read many people from here talking about good experiences with Orijen - that's why I put in the disclaimer.  I have no idea if the dog had un derlying issues...I just think maybe if feeding a food with unusual proportions of something (in this case protein), it may not be a bad idea to get occassional bloodwork to check and see that everything is looking good. One reason is that maltese are not usually classified as heavily active dogs (yep, they get around a lot, but not out running around outside all day like wolves and whatnots and maybe not effectively burning off all the protein)... not trying to offend anyone... food seems to be one of the 'touchy' subjects that everyone has strong opinions on. I don't...after my exerience feeding our Echo the Natural Balance and then what happened, I feel like I'm starting in the 'basement' again and starting all over with my learning process... B) 

I have read that food thread and it was same as many other food threads I've read where everyone has a diff opinion (including those that believe in the raw diet or home cooking only)...so how does one decide?


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

IMO, the best way to decide what to feed an adult dog is to try a food for 6 months and see how it works for the dog, then have bloodwork done to see if everything is going well inside as well as outside. Puppies probably do better on a good puppy food like Wellness or Castor and Pollux, etc.

I think that it is important not to feed an excessive amount of protein. Some grain-free foods have more protein than others, and shouldn't all be lumped together. If a person is concerned about feeding too much protein, they can always mix the food with veggies or sweet potatoes to lower the protein. The dog would get the benefits of the food and extras added, but without the grains. 

I'm not a vet or nutritionist, but from my pet sitting days and from my own dog ownership over the years, I've seen dogs with skin/allergy issues who are on a higher grain food. Change the food, the allergies subside. (Not all allergies are grain/food allergies)

Now, this does not necessarily mean that _all_ _grains are bad, all the time, for all dogs_, it just means that I have personally seen and heard of many dogs who have done better on a grain-free food and there are others here who have had that same experience. And again, there are others here who feed higher grain foods and are perfectly happy with them. Every dog is an individual. So you have to experiment and find what works. For me, home cooking a grain-free recipe works. For others, kibble works. There is no pat answer.


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## Maria71 (Sep 25, 2005)

Maci eats the Wellness Small Breed dry food..she loves it..and its small kibble too.

Here is a coupon for Wellness if you decide to try it
http://app.bronto.com/public/?q=preview_me...hlwczcwkxocybnc


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## Lesley (Dec 16, 2009)

QUOTE (Maria71 @ Dec 18 2009, 05:34 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=864135


> Maci eats the Wellness Small Breed dry food..she loves it..and its small kibble too.
> 
> Here is a coupon for Wellness if you decide to try it
> http://app.bronto.com/public/?q=preview_me...hlwczcwkxocybnc[/B]


Thanks so much for the coupon! I think I am going to go with Wellness Small Breed. I have researched a lot of different foods and read a lot of reviews!


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## tamizami (May 1, 2007)

IMHO our pets should have bloodwork done annually at a minimum, or twice a year, regardless of what you are feeding.


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## Lesley (Dec 16, 2009)

This may be a stupid question but would I just call the vet and tell them I would want to get blood work done because I have switched her food recently. How long would you recommend to wait after starting the food? 6 months or a year? Thanks.


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

QUOTE (tamizami @ Dec 18 2009, 08:48 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=864174


> IMHO our pets should have bloodwork done annually at a minimum, or twice a year, regardless of what you are feeding.[/B]


Yes, you are right!


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## tamizami (May 1, 2007)

QUOTE (Lesley @ Dec 18 2009, 06:10 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=864181


> This may be a stupid question but would I just call the vet and tell them I would want to get blood work done because I have switched her food recently. How long would you recommend to wait after starting the food? 6 months or a year? Thanks.[/B]


I just make an appt for a wellness check with complete bloodwork about every 6 months. I generally do it around jan-mar and sept-dec, unless an ER situation comes up and I get it earlier. I don't vaccinate my dogs (they are titered), so I skip those appts, lol. After bloodwork, I usually schedule dentals, but I've only done non-anesthetic thus far. Hope that helps!


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## maltlovereileen (Jan 19, 2009)

QUOTE (Maria71 @ Dec 18 2009, 06:34 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=864135


> Maci eats the Wellness Small Breed dry food..she loves it..and its small kibble too.
> 
> Here is a coupon for Wellness if you decide to try it
> http://app.bronto.com/public/?q=preview_me...hlwczcwkxocybnc[/B]


Thanks for the coupon!!!


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## Maria71 (Sep 25, 2005)

QUOTE (MaltLoverEileen @ Dec 19 2009, 11:37 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=864336


> QUOTE (Maria71 @ Dec 18 2009, 06:34 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=864135





> Maci eats the Wellness Small Breed dry food..she loves it..and its small kibble too.
> 
> Here is a coupon for Wellness if you decide to try it
> http://app.bronto.com/public/?q=preview_me...hlwczcwkxocybnc[/B]


Thanks for the coupon!!!
[/B][/QUOTE]
Yw!


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## Lesley (Dec 16, 2009)

So I decided to switch Bailey to Wellness and luckily I only bought 2 cans because she won't eat it...she smells it and walks away! It surprises me because she is not usually a picky eater! What is another good food I can try? Thanks.


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

QUOTE (MaltLoverEileen @ Dec 18 2009, 02:01 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=863967


> QUOTE (Lesley @ Dec 18 2009, 02:29 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=863961





> OK so I know this question has probably been asked a million times but I am having such a hard time choosing the right food for Bailey. Right now I feed her Science Diet and she does ok on it but she does have a lot of stomach problems, the vet says she has IBS, it's not serious but whenever she eats something she isn't supposed to it gets bad. And I really want to get away from the food with by-products in it, because I have heard that it is bad.
> 
> I have been reading all the posts on here about different foods and I am considering switching her to Wellness. I know they make a canned food to and at night I always mix her wet and dry together. In the morning she just gets dry food. Any suggestions would be helpful! Thanks so much in advance![/B]


If you like Wellness (a highly rated food by Whole Dog Journal), you may want to consider trying her on their new formula for dogs with allergies and sensitive stomachs called Simple Food Solutions... http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/dog_wellnes...ions_index.html
[/B][/QUOTE]

I just posted about this in another thread below.

OP, also check out our thread (sticky) foods we use and recommend.


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