# **Grain-Free Foods! Please give me some suggestions!!!



## 2maltese4me (May 8, 2006)

Any one feed a grain free food that they can suggest?

I bought some Natural Balance last night, the Sweet Potato and Duck and Cooper is the only one that likes it.

I've heard *Wellness CORE *is good???? Any thoughts? I see it has Tomatoe Pomace in it, was wondering if that would cause tear stains tho.

I'm desperately looking for something good for all three dogs.

I also want to look into the *RAW diet*, but am not sure that I can afford that with three dogs, Brody being a bigger dog. Would love to heard suggestions there too.


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## ShilohsMom (Jun 25, 2007)

This is a good site to compare dog foods and see how your own stacks up. Most of the top rated ones are grain free.

DogFoodAnalysis


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## villemo (Aug 21, 2006)

that´s what schnuppe tanslated for me, when kat asked for a raw diet - i feed grain free



> My Feeding-Plan – Steini 4kg – Fairy 2,6 kg
> *About 80 - 120g meat/bones per dog per day, evenly spread in 2 portions (= 2 - 3% of the doggies weight!) :
> *_-Beef ( goulash, minced Meat, RUMINA!!, HEART! LUNGS! LIVER!)
> -__Veal (also very soft vealbones),
> ...



The meals are never boring for the doggies, because I give them a different sort of meat every day and also add different vegetables. 
The vegetable-mash I make myself, a bigger portion and then I just keep it in the fridge, filled in little containers

For me the raw diet is less expensive, than the kibble they got before... I order/buy the meat fresh or frozen once in a month for +/- 20 euro (=29,74 USD) the veggies, herbs & oil are fresh - they get, what we eat too, so I don´t know how much I spend extra for that...


hope this helps


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## ShilohsMom (Jun 25, 2007)

> Any one feed a grain free food that they can suggest?
> 
> I bought some Natural Balance last night, the Sweet Potato and Duck and Cooper is the only one that likes it.
> 
> ...


As far as the raw diet, the kibble I am feeding is 4 or 5 on the list so I compensate with additional protein by giving each dog one raw medallion a day at the early meal. You don't have to feed 100% raw for it to still be beneficial. If you go for the grain free high protein kibble like Innova EVO or one of the others on the 6 scale you don't need to compensate there is plenty of meat in there all ready.


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## 2maltese4me (May 8, 2006)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=515947
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I guess I was thinking if I bought the pre-packaged frozen raw food, it would w/out a doubt cost me a lot more. Brody is a big boy. 

I've been reading and reading and am finding that *if I could *afford it, I would go 100% raw. But I still have to get exact prices etc.

Right now I'm probably going to stick with a grain free kibble and grain free canned food. I typically give my dogs a bit of steak or chicken anyway (cooked) if we have it for dinner. Just small pieces.


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## Missy&Maggie (Jun 17, 2007)

Orijen  is grain free. Nature's Variety has raw and kibble and I think might be grain free. I hope that helps!!!


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## luvmyfurbaby (Feb 11, 2007)

> Orijen  is grain free. Nature's Variety has raw and kibble and I think might be grain free. I hope that helps!!![/B]


Those are the ones I use. If you can get them to eat reg. premade raw vs the freeze dried it's less expensive also the patties vs the medallions are less expensive.


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

I just switched Toby over to a raw diet. He is eating Northwest Naturals. He has only been on it a week and so far I am happy with it. He gobbles it up, so I am assuming he likes it. 

You are right about the price though. I can't afford to feed it to the Beagles--they would eat me out of house and home, but they are on a really good kibble, so I don't feel too bad.

If you want to know anything about it, let me know. I can try to answer it.


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## tamizami (May 1, 2007)

The Feb & March issues of the Whole Dog Journal do extensive dry food and wet food analysis. www.whole-dog-journal.com.


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

Here's what the Northwest Naturals looks like. As a guideline, I feed one nugget per pound. Toby is 6 lbs so I should feed him three nuggets in the morning and three at night, but I feed four in the morning and three at night. :innocent:


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

> The Feb & March issues of the Whole Dog Journal do extensive dry food and wet food analysis. www.whole-dog-journal.com.[/B]


Yes, it is their 2008 list of approved Dry foods. They also had a list of companies that would not reveal were their product was manufactured. It included some of the seemingly best ones, like Newman's Own. Unfortunately you have to be a member to get to the list of approved on the net, or else pay for it. I went to the pdf. of the approved list and copied the url. since it comes after you sign-in as a member, I'll see if it works when posted. It works for me, but I am a member B) , so don't know if it will work for none members.


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## 2maltese4me (May 8, 2006)

> The Feb & March issues of the Whole Dog Journal do extensive dry food and wet food analysis. www.whole-dog-journal.com.[/B]


Apparently you need a paid subscription in order to read it. Thanks anyway!


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## 2maltese4me (May 8, 2006)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=516148
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It worked, thanks!


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## Maidto2Maltese (Oct 19, 2004)

Our Quincy had ( and has been since here with us) on the EVO which is high protein/grainless ...however, it is also high fat. min of 23%?? something like that 

Since here, he got so he wanted Naddie's food (Merrick dry with dollop of wellness canned) so I'd mix a bit of hers in with is so he'd eat his.

Well, his blood work showed elevated protein ( not by a lot but over the "norm' but his triclycerides were VERY high!! there were several other 'offs' but only a few points so not a concern but wouldn't want them to continue in that direction) ) I gave the food nutritional breakdown to vet and she wants him off the EVO... and on to the merrick/wellness as I've given Naddie. Naddie's panel was almost perfect! ( 2 offs but the vet didn't even give it a bit of concern...said Naddie was excellent!) 

I know someone wh goes to an holistic vet and though he likes the EVO (high proein/grainless ) he told her it shouldn't be given 'full time' unless it is for a high energy highly active dog.( say like a border Collie or one ho 'trains/ does agility) . That a little dog,, who doesn't have that high energy activity.. the food can be "too much". I personally think for Quincy it is too much.


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## 2maltese4me (May 8, 2006)

I went and returned the NB. 

This afternoon I picked up the Wellness CORE original flavor grain-free. Along with Wellness 95% meat, also grain-free canned food. I mixed a tad of water along with a dallop of canned mixed it up and they LOVED it!!! :chili: 

I've been told numerous times to avoid EVO because of the high protein and fat content. That was never an option for me. But thanks for the heads up, I appreciate it.


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## ShilohsMom (Jun 25, 2007)

Glad you found one you like. All the "grainless" ones have high protein- thats a given.


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## shannonb (Feb 4, 2008)

Nature's Variety has a kibble that is grain free that works complementary with their raw and canned food diets so you can mix it up. My dogs LOVE raw rabbit which is kinda sad. And I get chicken liver raw at Central Market, or frozen at most supermarkets.


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## 2maltese4me (May 8, 2006)

> Nature's Variety has a kibble that is grain free that works complementary with their raw and canned food diets so you can mix it up. My dogs LOVE raw rabbit which is kinda sad. And I get chicken liver raw at Central Market, or frozen at most supermarkets.[/B]



Thanks for the suggestion. So far Wellness Core is working out. They aren't thrilled with it, but when I mix the canned in with it, then they eat it. I have a feeling I'll be going RAW sometime in the near future. Or at the very least mixing it in with the kibble to start.


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