# I am done freaking out over food



## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

So, over the years my view on dog food has changed drastically. If I'm going to be totally honest with myself, we have really never had great luck with premium dog foods. What about you?

I love Fromm and it does put a nice shiny coat on the pooches-however, their stool is never firm. I have read that this is just a given with most premium foods. We had the same issue on everyone that I can think of-and we've tried so many. The only downside to this is anal gland issues.

That doesn't mean I'm going to go out and grab some purina or pedigree. Goodness knows I've seen what pedigree does to dogs too-my mom's are on it and look terrible for the most part and the ones from the past all ended up with cancer.

Rocky throws up the dehydrated brands-and it's a disgusting mess to clean up. Tucker does fine with them. We haven't done frozen raw-because it's quite frankly too expensive and after all that we have tried I have kinda had it with high priced food.

I'm tired of being a dog food snob. When I tried 4health ($1 a can at tractor supply) the boys had firm poop. I go back to using just fromm ($2.49 a can) and it's soft again. I add fish oil-Rocky gets the runs.

I am sad to say that I think we are done with Fromm after using up what we have. I think we are done buying canned food too. We might do some wellness with grain along with some home cooked instead of canned. If we do add dogs in the future, I think we're going to look at Kirkland from Costco-if not that we are going to look at the 4 health line from Tractor Supply. Much less expensive foods and I seem to have less issues with the less expensive brands.

I'm just starting to feel like the low end and the really high end are neither the way to go.


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

I had the dogs on GL dehydrated for about two months. They were pooping like crazy. They couldn't digest all the carrots...found it in their poop. Often, had a bad case of poop butt. Then MiMi started looking at me like, "Hey, where's my food?" As if what was in her bowl was something other than food. Soon, all three just stopped eating it. That premium dehydrated food was the only thing MiMi has ever refused. Plus their faces were messy, I had to clean the floor after they ate and so on.

I'm back to Fromm grain free kibble and have no issues. Ru is over 16 and has been on kibble most of that time. I did try home cooking several years ago, but it was such a chore....I mean hours and hours. I gave up.

So for us it is kibble. Frankly, I wish I could feed myself and DH a bowl of kibble and be done with it.


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## Furbabies mom (Jul 25, 2011)

Shelly I always look to see what you advise in dog food, since you've put so much time and effort researching. Mine are on Fromm and Pet Fresh, and occasionally Earthborn. All of mine have firm poos, not hard but firm and easy to pick up. I don't give them any store bought treats however, only fruits and vegetables.


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## Furbabies mom (Jul 25, 2011)

Mine is Fromm Kibble as well, and the Fresh pet is soft, (roll I guess) they always act like I'm feeding them a big juicy steak! As long as they like it, and have no problems, I'll continue.


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

I forgot about freshpet, we did have good luck with freshpet so no complaints with that one! 

And about the dehydrated food, I always had messy faces to cleanup afterwards too  no fun!


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## pippersmom (May 21, 2012)

I wish Pipper could still be on Fromm instead of RC Urinary SO but I have no choice if we want to try to prevent more bladder stones. He LOVES his RC though so as long as he loves it and it does what its supposed to do then I won't complain. I just hate the thought of him eating the same food FOREVER.


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

Chrissy and Snuggles both are on Fromm Whitefish and Potato and doing very well with it. No issues whatsoever. I recommend it very highly because it has the lowest amount of Protein which to me is quite important and it maintains their weight. The Grain Free tends to have a higher % of Protein which I am staying away from.


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## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

Wish I could just give kibble, my girls only are good on home cooked. They did ok on Now and Acana poop wise, but not on Fromm, but I found Lola to be way more anxious, and both girls scratched like crazy. Tried freeze dried raw but makes Lola throw up and Penny being picky often takes a while to eat which is no good for that. So I am stuck with cooking.


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## donnad (Aug 22, 2006)

I feed mine The Honest Kitchen Preference and Freshpet. They both do fine on it and their poop is nice and firm. If I feed them kibble, their poops are mushy and they pee so much that it's a mess. For now I am sticking with what works for my two.


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

We are using ZiwiPeak now. Axel eats the beef and Madison and Paxton eat lamb. I like it because it isn't messy.


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## TLR (Nov 13, 2011)

I have been home cooking for Ben since his injury and esophagus issues months ago. He use to throw up all the time but is doing great with home cooking. It is a LOT of work but works for is now.


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## BeautifulMaltese (Dec 4, 2013)

I am currently on Fromm Puppy and am transitioning to Wellness. I have always had good luck with Wellness and Riley is finicky. He does not really like the Fromm for some reason, even if I supplement it with a little boiled chicken. The Wellness, he gobbles up. I trust the brand and don't find it's too expensivie (of course, I'm feeding just one!)


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## Lou's Mom (Apr 8, 2014)

I'm no expert but mine have been on Wellness since they came home with me. That's not to say we haven't tried a few others but either they didn't like them, messy poops, or upset tummies so we always go back to Wellness. We've tried the different varieties of it as well, some, they ate but they wouldn't go near the Fish version, lol, so we went back to Core. I free feed since I was working when they were puppies and worried about low blood sugar, the only one that's a bit overweight is Dallas - she's a bit of a chow hound! I usually add a little rice with vegetables and either boiled chicken, ground turkey, shredded steak or occasionally a little hamburger in the evenings just to "spice" up the kibble. I can't imagine eating the same thing everyday for life! The only time we have tummy issues now is when they "go survivor mode" and eat a bug or a lizard! Blechhhhhhh! Both vets have remarked on their good health (except for watching Dallas's girlish figure!) and how well their coats and skin look.


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## cyndrae (Aug 30, 2009)

I have tried the different food that are recommend here and most are ok but I don't even like to cook people food so cooking for the pups is not an enjoyable experience. I always seem to go back to Wellness. In the morning I have baked sweet potato and rice for them. Lilly will pretty much eat anything but Daisy is picky.


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## Lou's Mom (Apr 8, 2014)

cyndrae said:


> I have tried the different food that are recommend here and most are ok but I don't even like to cook people food so cooking for the pups is not an enjoyable experience. I always seem to go back to Wellness. In the morning I have baked sweet potato and rice for them. Lilly will pretty much eat anything but Daisy is picky.


Cindy, you made me laugh out loud because I'm right there with you on cooking!!! I hate it, and the only thing I hate more is grocery shopping! I have told the husband if we ever win the lottery, I don't want a maid, I want a cook, someone to do the shopping and cook it, I don't care what they fix, I'll eat pretty much anything - I just don't want to do it! For the poos, I usually cook enough for a week, put a cup full in each bag and freeze it. When it's dinner time I just give it about a minute in the microwave.


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

It's nice to hear so many of you have such luck with Wellness


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## cyndrae (Aug 30, 2009)

ok two things.....
First, 25 years ago when my DH and I started living together he said he would give me money for grocery shopping and I told him why don't I give him money for grocery shopping. He has done the shopping ever since. Lucked out there.

Second,
I am always looking for something better with that in mind I have tried several types of Wellness so here are some pictures for those that wonder....

I found three different sizes (I did not know when I was buying them)
The middle one is the regular one we use.









These are so tiny I could not believe it.









These are the regular ones we use...Actually DH gives them as treats since he thinks he needs to treat for everything :blush:









I thought I was getting something health but they are pretty big so for dinner they get 5 each (remember DH has been feeding them already)


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## RileyDC (Apr 20, 2011)

Glad Im not the Only one feeling this way lately ...

After Riley's last visit to the Vet She was Really pushing to have me put him on a limited ingredient diet. I refused to feed anything she had listed. 

I Started him recently on wellness simple Salmon and potato. I have been pleasantly surprised. I like that it comes in cans as well as kibble. And the salmon and potato formula also comes in the small breed kibble size. She wants him eating nothing but this for at least 12-weeks. It has only been a few weeks now but Fingers crossed he continues to do well on it.


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