# Sticky  Food we use - new thread



## maggieh

As requested, we've started a new thread on dog food recommendations as the old thread was, well, . . . old.

To help our members who are looking for food suggestions, please add your recommendations for quality foods to help keep our fluffs happy.

Mine eat a combination of high-quality foods. They have Fromm Salmon Tunalini mixed with Foster & Smith lamb and brown rice; both of those foods are on Whole Dog Journal's list of recommended dry foods.

Dinner is Vital by FreshPet - either one of the fish recipes. WDJ hasn't yet rated the rolled foods, but this has a 5 star rating from Dog Food Advisor.

Tessa has a sensitivity to chicken and Sweetness has had oxalate crystals in the past, so finding a routine that worked for both was tricky, but they seem to be doing well on this.

Please add what is working well for your fluffs to this thread!


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## yukki

I use Taste of the Wild right now. They love it and are doing very well on it.


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## SammieMom

Since it was recommended by many others and my breeder, that Maltese should not eat a protein level over 26%, I kinda had hard time getting Sammie's foods figured out. He did well on natural balance GF, but after all the recalls of 2011/2012 I switched to Fromm's grain free kibble. I don't like the canned Fromm only because it's so soupy. 

AM: Grain Free Fromm: is little over 26% protein kibble, but best food I've found. Plus it's available in my small town at a dog speciality botuiqe only. I wanted a food that I didn't have to order. We buy the tunalina or wild game bird as they are lowest in protein. Sammie has elevated bile acids and his brother passed away very young with a shunt. So he needs lower protiens. He also has allergies such as head shaking if he eats dry grain type kibble. 

PM: slice of Vital freshpet. I buy non fish ones mostly. They spit up the fish twice, not sure why. 

I give natural balance GF treats, and fruitables too. 
For teeth regimine: i rotate these. they get Sams Yams fries, CET dental chews, lebo dental spray, and a squiroften mouth of dental rinse and daily water additive.


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## CtPryncess

I switched Poochie to Nature's Recipe Grain Free Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Recipe. She seems to enjoy this form of dry food. I did have her on the Wellness brand and I think she was allergic to it. She started scratching and biting a lot. Can anyone suggest wet food. I'm always looking for coupons but the brands in the pet store are hard to come by. The coupons I always come across aren't the best rating dog food.


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## SammieMom

Go online maybe for coupons for higher quality foods. I don't see many like you said. Only the foods I won't use.


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## CtPryncess

I noticed that as well the coupons that are in abundance are normally for lower grade food and Poochie deserves better than that.



SammieMom said:


> Go online maybe for coupons for higher quality foods. I don't see many like you said. Only the foods I won't use.


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## wkomorow

Lucky loves FreshPet. He has been on it a few weeks. Lots of energy, poop good. Mad in US of mostly (97%) US and Canadian ingredients - nothing from China. Lots of plant ingredients, good meats.


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## nwyant1946

*Mia eats Merrick's lamb with brown rice and apple dry food...and Wellness wet food in lamb with sweet potato and I also buy Nature's recipe wet and Merrick's Wet...she gets picky after awhile, so I have to keep switching around to keep her interested. I don't do much poultry because it seems to make her scratch. I try to stick with venison, lamb, buffalo and a little beef..*


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## mysugarbears

Well, after going through so many of the high quality dry foods, premixes and so on and so forth i put mine back on Primal Frozen Raw as soon as i came back from Nationals, i feel that this is the best food for mine and they do very well on it, i noticed with dry food they would eat, but weren't very excited about it, with the Primal they are so excited each and every meal. I thought about home cooking and using BalanceIt, but i hate cooking and can't see me keeping something like that up, tried home cooking before and didn't last 2 months, so Primal Raw it is, i switch the protein around quite frequently and i'm lucky that none of the kids are picky eaters. It's expensive feeding 5, but well worth it to me.


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## Maslen Maltese

I feed Blue Buffalo Small breed lamb and brown rice and/or Innova small breed. I wanted to find a food that wasn't too high in protein or fat content because I don't want to over stress the liver. But, I wanted to find a food with high enough calories to make sure the dogs maintain a proper weight. The Innova is very high calorie but the fat and protein content isn't insanely high like a lot of small breed foods. The dogs seem to like both foods and I like the weight and coats and overall health on the foods.


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## The A Team

Kibble: After so many recalls, I've recently switched to Fromm's grain free, I have it in two different flavors. The kibble is tiny and they like it...Fromm is a family owned business and it's made in this country in their own factory. ....so I'm hoping we're safe.:thumbsup:


Wet food: I am now feeding Dr. Harvey's grain free Oracle. They don't like it as much as the one that you add your own protein to.....but heck, they will in time...if I can afford to keep it up, that is. That stuff is EXPENSIVE!! I just bit the bullet and ordered a 6 lb bag....with shipping it was $117.00. You just add hot water to hydrate, then feed. :aktion033:


I was feeding Archie raw, but I keep forgetting to take it out of the freezer the night before. While he was on it, I did notice a difference in his energy level. It was agreeing with him. We may go back to that, but I really need to settle on foods that I can afford!

for me...well I had cheese and crackers for dinner last night :yes:


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## aprilb

Rose is doing well on Fromm FourStar, the whitefish formula, Eva is doing very well on a homemade liver-friendly diet, and Lily is back on the canned NB venison and sweet potato...I did have her on Pioneer Naturals, but it worsened her allergies:smilie_tischkante: ...I am back to looking for a better food for Lily..Pioneer Naturals is a really good food and Lily gained weight on it, but she can't have grains, eggs, dairy, chicken, soy, or beef...so that doesn't leave much..I'm not cooking for all of them, but it would be so nice if at least two of them could eat the same thing..:smilie_tischkante::blush:


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## SammieMom

aprilb said:


> Rose is doing well on Fromm FourStar, the whitefish formula, Eva is doing very well on a homemade liver-friendly diet, and Lily is back on the canned NB venison and sweet potato...I did have her on Pioneer Naturals, but it worsened her allergies:smilie_tischkante: ...I am back to looking for a better food for Lily..Pioneer Naturals is a really good food and Lily gained weight on it, but she can't have grains, eggs, dairy, chicken, soy, or beef...so that doesn't leave much..I'm not cooking for all of them, but it would be so nice if at least two of them could eat the same thing..:smilie_tischkante::blush:


You poor thing! I feel for for you April, your such a good Mom. :innocent:


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## Snuggle's Mom

Chrissy and Snuggles eat Fromm Whitefish variety and love it. I have been very fortunate that no matter what I have fed them in the past, they would eat it without any problems.


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## CrystalAndZoe

For all of those feeding kibble, just remember there is a direct correlation of the lack of moisture in dry kibble with UTI's, Calcium Oxalate Crystals, Struvite Crystals and stones. If you prefer to feed a kibble, then maybe think about soaking it in warm water. And it is a myth put out by Milk Bone years and years ago that they need something crunchy for their teeth. For those looking into things to clean the teeth, just be sure to check ingredients. These are the ingredients to CET toothpaste:

C.E.T. Toothpaste: Toothpaste for Dogs & Cats - 1800PetMeds

As compared to PetzLife Gel: (you have to scroll way down to see the ingredients)

Peppermint Oral Care Gel | PetzLife Oral Care, Dog Dental Care | PetzLife

And PetzLife has less grain alcohol in it than Leba III and is a much better price. :thumbsup:

As for CET chews....for the life of me why vets recommend it is beyond me since it's a rawhide! :w00t:

For food, just remember that when using some of the really good sites that do reviews and recommendations, often the higher ratings go to the higher protein foods, which we all know isn't what most of our fluffs do the best on. So don't be afraid of the 4 star over the 5 star foods, depending on the reasons they are 4 star over 5 of course.

Here's what mine have been on for over 5 years now. I believe in rotating so we don't build up an allergy to certain foods. Plus we get different things from beef as we do from fish as we do from lamb, etc.... So do our fluffs. And by rotating you increase the odds of truly giving a complete and balanced diet. Say the bag of food you always feed is AAFCO compliant, but on the high end of the compliant range of calcium for example. Over time it can bring your dogs phosphorous level down to where it may fall out of the WNL's range. So by switching it up, the odds are another food may be on the lower end of calcium. Plus different foods have different things in them that are good for them. Just be sure to try and keep the protein and fat percentages within a few percents of each other so you don't have tummy upsets. Also by rotating you are really helping to build a really strong digestive tract. :thumbsup: Mine can now jump from an 18% protein food up to a 30% with no issues. And I don't have to worry when someone gives them a treat they aren't used to about them getting upset tummies. But this took time to build up really strong GI systems.

Mine rotate through 6 grain free formulas of Addiction Dehydrated Raw. (Which isn't truly raw since it's been dehydrated. Freeze dried is another story.) So they get Steakhouse Beef & Zucchini, Country Chicken & Apricot, Herbed Lamb & Potato, Figlicious Venison Feast, Outback Kangaroo Feast and Perfect Summer Brushtail. All of those are between 18% - 21% protein (which is even fine for a kidney diet) and are single source proteins with just a handful of ingredients. Great for when you have a fluff that develops an allergy or a food intolerance as it will help to narrow it down. But they aren't by any means a LID. When feeding the Addiction, one meal a day I also add 1/4 patty of Stella & Chewy's Freeze Dried Raw (also single source protein foods) to both Jett & Callie's food (Jett is 5 1/2 lbs and Callie is 4 lbs) and Zoe gets 1/2 a patty (she is 9 lbs). Then I also throw into the rotation The Honest Kitchen (also dehydrated so not truly raw) Thrive (Turkey) and Embark (Yes it's another chicken and they already have a chicken food with Addiction. But it has quinoa in it that I like them to have on occasion.) And we also rotate in some of Grandma Lucy's Pureformance (I prefer the chickpeas over white potatoes-Artisan) the Goat and Rabbit formulas. All of these you rehydrate with warm water.

For treats we do Bravo Training Treats and Bonus Bites and Dehydrated strips (like jerky). All free range, no antibiotics or hormones, meat. That's it. No fillers, preservatives, colors, etc... We also do a lot of CocoTherapy's Veggie and Fruit Crunch and their 5 star training treats. Love Dr. Harvey's Sweet Potato Fries!! We do those for bedtime snacks. I never have to worry about them possibly choking on a fry vs. a whole sweet potato chew.

Supplements: We do daily plant based & dairy free Probiotics with Digestive Enzymes, Fish Oil, Virgin Cold Pressed Coconut Oil, and for a super antioxidant Bixbi's Immunity Blend. It's a blend of mushrooms. I mix that all up in one of their meals.

Chews: Merrick Corporal Caps, Bravo Dry Roasted Tracheas & Churpi Chews (in limited quantities due to the salt).

For me? Well...I'm kind of like Pat. If I took care of me like I do my fluffs, I'd be Cindy Crawford gorgeous! :HistericalSmiley:


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## Rin

Speaking of coupons for good pet food, I have had some luck with contacting the pet food makers via there websites and if you include yor mailing address they will send you some coupons.

Please move this if not right for this thread, sorry.


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## Pickles' Mama

We do daily plant based & dairy free Probiotics with Digestive Enzymes


Is there a certain brand???


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## CrystalAndZoe

Crystal&Zoe said:


> For all of those feeding kibble, just remember there is a direct correlation of the lack of moisture in dry kibble with UTI's, Calcium Oxalate Crystals, Struvite Crystals and stones. If you prefer to feed a kibble, then maybe think about soaking it in warm water. And it is a myth put out by Milk Bone years and years ago that they need something crunchy for their teeth. For those looking into things to clean the teeth, just be sure to check ingredients. These are the ingredients to CET toothpaste:
> 
> C.E.T. Toothpaste: Toothpaste for Dogs & Cats - 1800PetMeds
> 
> As compared to PetzLife Gel: (you have to scroll way down to see the ingredients)
> 
> Peppermint Oral Care Gel | PetzLife Oral Care, Dog Dental Care | PetzLife
> 
> And PetzLife has less grain alcohol in it than Leba III and is a much better price. :thumbsup:
> 
> As for CET chews....for the life of me why vets recommend it is beyond me since it's a rawhide! :w00t:
> 
> For food, just remember that when using some of the really good sites that do reviews and recommendations, often the higher ratings go to the higher protein foods, which we all know isn't what most of our fluffs do the best on. So don't be afraid of the 4 star over the 5 star foods, depending on the reasons they are 4 star over 5 of course.
> 
> Here's what mine have been on for over 5 years now. I believe in rotating so we don't build up an allergy to certain foods. Plus we get different things from beef as we do from fish as we do from lamb, etc.... So do our fluffs. And by rotating you increase the odds of truly giving a complete and balanced diet. Say the bag of food you always feed is AAFCO compliant, but on the high end of the compliant range of calcium for example. Over time it can bring your dogs phosphorous level down to where it may fall out of the WNL's range. So by switching it up, the odds are another food may be on the lower end of calcium. Plus different foods have different things in them that are good for them. Just be sure to try and keep the protein and fat percentages within a few percents of each other so you don't have tummy upsets. Also by rotating you are really helping to build a really strong digestive tract. :thumbsup: Mine can now jump from an 18% protein food up to a 30% with no issues. And I don't have to worry when someone gives them a treat they aren't used to about them getting upset tummies. But this took time to build up really strong GI systems.
> 
> Mine rotate through 6 grain free formulas of Addiction Dehydrated Raw. (Which isn't truly raw since it's been dehydrated. Freeze dried is another story.) So they get Steakhouse Beef & Zucchini, Country Chicken & Apricot, Herbed Lamb & Potato, Figlicious Venison Feast, Outback Kangaroo Feast and Perfect Summer Brushtail. All of those are between 18% - 21% protein (which is even fine for a kidney diet) and are single source proteins with just a handful of ingredients. Great for when you have a fluff that develops an allergy or a food intolerance as it will help to narrow it down. But they aren't by any means a LID. When feeding the Addiction, one meal a day I also add 1/4 patty of Stella & Chewy's Freeze Dried Raw (also single source protein foods) to both Jett & Callie's food (Jett is 5 1/2 lbs and Callie is 4 lbs) and Zoe gets 1/2 a patty (she is 9 lbs). Then I also throw into the rotation The Honest Kitchen (also dehydrated so not truly raw) Thrive (Turkey) and Embark (Yes it's another chicken and they already have a chicken food with Addiction. But it has quinoa in it that I like them to have on occasion.) And we also rotate in some of Grandma Lucy's Pureformance (I prefer the chickpeas over white potatoes-Artisan) the Goat and Rabbit formulas. All of these you rehydrate with warm water.
> 
> For treats we do Bravo Training Treats and Bonus Bites and Dehydrated strips (like jerky). All free range, no antibiotics or hormones, meat. That's it. No fillers, preservatives, colors, etc... We also do a lot of CocoTherapy's Veggie and Fruit Crunch and their 5 star training treats. Love Dr. Harvey's Sweet Potato Fries!! We do those for bedtime snacks. I never have to worry about them possibly choking on a fry vs. a whole sweet potato chew.
> 
> Supplements: We do daily plant based & dairy free Probiotics with Digestive Enzymes, Fish Oil, Virgin Cold Pressed Coconut Oil, and for a super antioxidant Bixbi's Immunity Blend. It's a blend of mushrooms. I mix that all up in one of their meals.
> 
> Chews: Merrick Corporal Caps, Bravo Dry Roasted Tracheas & Churpi Chews (in limited quantities due to the salt).
> 
> For me? Well...I'm kind of like Pat. If I took care of me like I do my fluffs, I'd be Cindy Crawford gorgeous! :HistericalSmiley:


Ooops! For chews we also do Elk Antlers. Jeez we have so many I'm forgetting some.


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## CrystalAndZoe

Pickles' Mama said:


> We do daily plant based & dairy free Probiotics with Digestive Enzymes
> 
> 
> Is there a certain brand???


Animal Essentials is the one that I know of that is plant based with no dairy. But sometimes a certain dog may need a different probiotic strain. So another one I like is the one by Mercola. But it is not dairy free and therefore not recommended for dogs with IBS or IBD issues.


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## maggieh

Crystal&Zoe said:


> For all of those feeding kibble, just remember there is a direct correlation of the lack of moisture in dry kibble with UTI's, Calcium Oxalate Crystals, Struvite Crystals and stones. If you prefer to feed a kibble, then maybe think about soaking it in warm water. And it is a myth put out by Milk Bone years and years ago that they need something crunchy for their teeth.


Crystal is absolutely correct - I add 3 T of hot water to 1/4 cup of kibble and let it soak for about 5 minutes. The water cools to "warm" and moistens the kibble. Not only do they get adequate water this way, the warm water seems to bring out the flavor and aroma of the food and they gobble it right up. I haven't had a picky eater in all the years I've been doing this!


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## Bailey&Me

Bailey eats mostly frozen or dehydrated raw. For frozen, I use Primal raw and Bailey does quite well on it. For dehydrated, I use Addiction, The Honest Kitchen and Stella & Chewy's. I try other brands every now and then for variety but these are the ones I keep coming back to. I know they are excellent quality and that Bailey does very well on them. Occasionally, I give him some canned food - Party Animal, Weruva and Addiction are the ones I use the most. He hasn't had any kibble for over 2 and a half years and I don't plan on him ever having any in the future either. 

Emma's diet is a work in progress right now. As she grows, she goes through phases of not being interested in eating at all, or just being incredibly picky. I am giving her Fromm Four Star (right now, it's the Game Bird grain-free recipe) usually for her morning meals and Addiction dehydrated raw for dinner. I usually sprinkle a little bit of a Stella & Chewy's patty on top to entice her to eat (she LOVES those!). I really didn't want to give her any kibble either but finally gave in because I needed something I could leave out with her if she didn't eat right away, which she usually doesn't. I give her the kibble in the morning while I'm getting ready for work and if she hasn't eaten it by the time I leave, I just put it in the pen with her and she usually finishes it while I'm at work. I couldn't do that with the raw. I use the Addiction dehydrated raw at night when I can closely watch her and pick it up if she doesn't eat it...AND I can wash her face right after she eats because it does get pretty messy. Eventually, I hope to get her to eat all frozen or dehydrated raw.


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## mysugarbears

Crystal&Zoe said:


> Mine rotate through 6 grain free formulas of *Addiction Dehydrated Raw*. (Which isn't truly raw since it's been dehydrated. Freeze dried is another story.) So they get Steakhouse Beef & Zucchini, Country Chicken & Apricot, Herbed Lamb & Potato, Figlicious Venison Feast, Outback Kangaroo Feast and Perfect Summer Brushtail. All of those are between 18% - 21% protein (which is even fine for a kidney diet) and are single source proteins with just a handful of ingredients. Great for when you have a fluff that develops an allergy or a food intolerance as it will help to narrow it down. But they aren't by any means a LID. When feeding the Addiction, one meal a day I also add 1/4 patty of *Stella & Chewy's Freeze Dried Raw* (also single source protein foods) to both Jett & Callie's food (Jett is 5 1/2 lbs and Callie is 4 lbs) and Zoe gets 1/2 a patty (she is 9 lbs). Then I also throw into the rotation The Honest Kitchen (also dehydrated so not truly raw) Thrive (Turkey) and Embark (Yes it's another chicken and they already have a chicken food with Addiction. But it has quinoa in it that I like them to have on occasion.) And we also rotate in some of Grandma Lucy's Pureformance (I prefer the chickpeas over white potatoes-Artisan) the Goat and Rabbit formulas. All of these you rehydrate with warm water.:





Bailey&Me said:


> Bailey eats mostly frozen or dehydrated raw. For frozen, I use Primal raw and Bailey does quite well on it. For dehydrated,* I use Addiction*, The Honest Kitchen and* Stella & Chewy's*. I try other brands every now and then for variety but these are the ones I keep coming back to. I know they are excellent quality and that Bailey does very well on them. Occasionally, I give him some canned food - Party Animal, Weruva and Addiction are the ones I use the most. He hasn't had any kibble for over 2 and a half years and I don't plan on him ever having any in the future either.


I used to feed the grain free Addiction and really loved it, well the kids really loved it and i used to order from Crystal since we don't have a distributor in my area. I found it on Chewy.com and the shipping is free so will be adding that back that way they get more variety and also add that to the kids hurricane bags since hurricane season begins June 1st and for traveling i use the Stella and Chewy's freeze dried since it's so easy to travel with and that's another i will be adding to the kids hurricane bags. I don't have a problem with pups eating Stella and Chewy's if in a new environment because they love it so much. I was feeding kibble before going to Nationals and took kibble with me and Kelly who is not a picky eater at all and gobbles everything up didn't eat well at all and none of the kids where that excited about having kibble again. I don't plan on going back to kibble again since they don't seem to like it as much. We've tried the Grandma Lucy's Artisans and no one would eat it and i don't have picky eaters at all!


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## .13124

I feed Cici and Lily grain free California Natural. I get the smaller sized bags and when it's time to get a new one, I get a different "flavor" than the previous. They have tried lamb, Venice, fish, kangaroo, and chicken but we don't get chicken anymore because Cici doesn't do well on it. 


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## Maizy Moo's Mum

I have been feeding Fromm four star grain free and rotating the flavours but have just ordered some grain inclusive to try. 

I have began adding water to this as we do not feed a wet food thanks for the advice!


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## casa verde maltese

maggieh said:


> Crystal is absolutely correct - I add 3 T of hot water to 1/4 cup of kibble and let it soak for about 5 minutes. The water cools to "warm" and moistens the kibble. Not only do they get adequate water this way, the warm water seems to bring out the flavor and aroma of the food and they gobble it right up. I haven't had a picky eater in all the years I've been doing this!


I have really enjoyed reading this thread!! Thank you all of your wonderful input! Crystal did a fabulous job of telling us what she feeds - but also WHY! Not everything works for everyone and some foods are certainly more $$ - but there seems to be many great foods that are in everyone's price range! and time.. I use a good dog kibble - but after reading all of this.. I think I need to make some changes, so they are really getting a balanced diet! and certainly I need to start adding some water to their kibble!. I also need to get some wt. off of Atticus - he could stand to drop about a 1.5lbs.


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## dmsl

Is true puppy food necessary til one year old? Merrick all life stages are 38 % protein which is high...thats the grain free version...the classic lamb is 25% and puppy is 30%. Booboo is four months now and isnt eating much of the eukanuba the breeder had him on...what should I chsnge to? Love merrick is made here in tx!


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## dmsl

Is true puppy food necessary til one year old? Merrick all life stages are 38 % protein which is high...thats the grain free version...the classic lamb is 25% and puppy is 30%. Booboo is four months now and isnt eating much of the eukanuba the breeder had him on...what should I chsnge to? Love merrick is made here in tx!


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## KCY

Fromm Fourstar kibble and wet. Kibble for breakfast and wet
for dinner. Energy great and poop normal. Love his coat and no tear stains. Definitely worth the $. Fromm and Zukes for treats. I'm so glad I switch to Fromm!


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## Sushi's Mom

I am feeding Sushi Merrick GF Buffalo and he is a 23 weeks old. He likes it much better than the Solid Gold Wee Bit the breeder had him on. Do I need to worry about the high protein? Sorry, not very educated on the high protein issues. Should I switch him to a lower protein food?


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## dntdelay

I give Jasmine Blue Buffalo Grain Free Dry Food; however, we (I) am very lazy so we don't exercise as much as we should, and know she has arthritis. My question is this a good food to give her? Jasmine weighs 9.6 Ibs.


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## tokipoki

dntdelay said:


> I give Jasmine Blue Buffalo Grain Free Dry Food; however, we (I) am very lazy so we don't exercise as much as we should, and know she has arthritis. My question is this a good food to give her? Jasmine weighs 9.6 Ibs.


How is her weight for her frame? I know that since Toki had hip surgery for her LCP and also has LP in the same leg, the vet wants us to keep her on the leaner side to alleviate excessive stress on her joints (an ounce really does make a difference for these little guys!). We also give her Dasuquin which is a good joint supplement. 

If Jasmine is doing well on Blue Buffalo and can maintain a healthy weight, I wouldn't worry so much about the food you are feeding. I'd definitely consider adding a joint supplement (if you haven't already) and work on increasing the amount of some easy, nonstressful exercise like walking. A few short walks (10-15 minutes) each day would be so beneficial for her arthritis. I hear ya on the exercise though...I feel like my pups don't get enough of it. If I try to take a lazy day or skip a walk, I hear about it from them lol they are relentless! I will say that I think they enjoy short walks around our apartment complex just as much as they enjoy our hour-long ones at the local trails (woohoo for being outside at all, right? lol).


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## tokipoki

Toki is currently eating Natural Balance Potato and Duck (we are in the process of transitioning her to Earthborn Meadow Feast) and gets a variety of wet/canned foods as well. 

Teddy is eating Yorkshire Terrier Royal Canin (we got several trial bags from Petflow so once we get through those, we'll put him on the Meadow Feast with Toki) and his diet is also supplemented with wet food. We have had him for a couple of weeks...he is 9 months old and came to us underweight with spine and ribs popping out so I'd love any recommendations for foods to help him put on weight...thanks for any advice!


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## shellbeme

There are few kibbles I really trust.

I trust Fromm, first and foremost above all. I think the quality is excellent and the company I can not say enough good things about. My dogs have shiny coats, bright eyes and spunk when using Fromm. I have gone back to feeding fromm after a time of eliminating all excess treats-and finding that Rocky is doing quite well on it. I feed the four star formulas and rotate between each bag.

I trust canine caviar-I trust their ingredients and the science behind the product. I also like their company.

Kibble and or kibble mixed with wet will be breakfast. We can be canine caviar topper-any of the available formulas or it can be Fromm canned food. The fromm canned food both Gold and Four star, are both excellent.

Dinner is going to be a dehydrated formula. I have just ordered some Honest Kitchen, though I will stay away from Thrive (the quinoa based one) as the boys do not like the taste. I also ordered a small box of Addiction. I will also look into Grandma Lucy's formulas for consideration at a later date. I will rotate flavors.

Funds do not allow me to do dehydrated full time at this moment. I would like to add some Stella and Chewy's frozen raw-however the only thing I can find access to without paying an astronomical amount for shipping is the dehydrated formulas and honestly, if I'm going to go with dehydrated formulas I would rather go with the ones I mentioned above.

These are companys who ingredients, practices and formulas I trust and quite honestly all other foods out there have not impressed me as much.


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## maggieh

The last couple of months, Tessa has had some "tummy issues" so I've switched my fluffs to a grain free, lower protein diet. We're using Addiction dehydrated grain-free and they both love it!!!!! They've always been good eaters but they are licking the bowl clean and looking for more. Tessa seems to be tolerating it very well, too.


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## dntdelay

I am almost out of dog food and I don't know what to get. Jasmine has arthritis (may have to get surgery for a torn ligament) and the vet recommended her to eat Purina One Joint Mobilization food, which I bought and have used, but I don't like the smell plus it gives Jasmine soft stool. I will not buy that again. I have given her Blue Buffalo Grain Free, but I am not sure if that is good for her joints. I have thought about buying her Fromm, but I just don't know. What do you suggest.


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## Meilerca

Thor eats Fromm grain free and we rotate the flavors! He loves the game bird!! 


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## dntdelay

Meilerca said:


> Thor eats Fromm grain free and we rotate the flavors! He loves the game bird!!
> 
> Does he have any joint problems?


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## dntdelay

Jasmine weighs 9.2 Ibs and we exercise some (walk around the block, play soccer) but sometimes I don't think we exercise enough. I just don't know what the right decision is, so I need someone to tell me!! LOL :blink:


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## maggieh

Purina isn't the best food - a lot of grains and by-products that don't really add any nutritional value and can actually cause digestive upset. 

I'd suggest a good quality food that agrees with her digestive system and then use supplements such as glucosamine and natural anti-inflammatories for the arthritis. Fromm is a good food, and a holistic vet or a nutritionist can provide you with suggestions on supplements.

Crystal (Crystal&Zoe) has had good results with some natural anti-inflammatories for her fluffs and might have some thoughts as well.


----------



## Madeleinesmommy

I am feeding Maddie Wellness Core. I am hoping/planning to switch her to Wellness Small Breed because I thought going grain-free would help her red paw but she's been digging again and my mom's dog has severe skin allergies but it hasn't really done anything ( but his allergies are seasonal so it's not related to food ). I really like Wellness because Maddie's coat has been beautiful since starting it and I feel like she has more energy some days plus she's excited to eat.

As far as treats go I'm still playing around with different things. They like Fruitables but just the bacon/apple ones, blue buffalo bits, and Zuke's. 

I would like a treat recommendation for a treat that they can chew on but I refuse to give her bully sticks.


----------



## Meilerca

dntdelay said:


> Meilerca said:
> 
> 
> 
> Thor eats Fromm grain free and we rotate the flavors! He loves the game bird!!
> 
> Does he have any joint problems?
> 
> 
> 
> No he is 10 months old! No joint problems but he sure loves him fromm!
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App
Click to expand...


----------



## pehirsch

Wonderful posts!
How about for a 6 month old puppy?
When do I swtich her to adult food?


----------



## pehirsch

Just to add my 2 cents...here's a study on primal raw..

Https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/primal-dog-food-raw-frozen-formulas/


----------



## Ava's Mom

*from puppy to adult food*

My Ava is 7 months old, when do I need to switch her to adult food and what is a good one to start her on?


----------



## Tashulia25

am I the only one who use canine caviar?
My eat canine caviar Grain-Free Puppy Dinner for dinner
Crude Protein	31.0% min.
Crude Fat	19.0% min.
Chicken & Pearl Millet ALS Adult-breakfast 
Crude Protein	27.0% min.
Crude Fat	16.0% min.
In between:
CET dental chews, Stella and Chew's raw frozen dried treats, poly-o mozzarella cheese, baby carrot
Another question, talking to many pet owners who has own pet food stores , they recommend me this food :
*orijen* it is pretty expensive compare to other brands but protein is way high
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS OF ORIJEN PUPPY FOOD
Protein 42.0% (47% DM), Fat 20.0% (22% DM), Carbohydrate 18.0% (20% DM), Moisture 10.0% (90% DM), Fiber 2.5% (3% DM)
for adults
Guaranteed Analysis:
Protein 38.0% (42% DM), Fat 18.0% (20% DM), Carbohydrate 25.0%max (28% DM), Moisture 10.0% (90% DM), Fiber 3.0% (3.5% DM)


----------



## mdbflorida

MIne eat Canine Caviar and I switched Boo at about 7 months. But what I switched him too was an all stages food.


----------



## pehirsch

*NOTE TO SELF: Don't buy large quantities of new and expensive food until...*

NOTE TO SELF: Don't buy large quantities of new and expensive food until I've established she likes it. :huh:

Besides, it's raw and I just read a posted warning not to give dogs raw food because of bacteria...will go find article if i can and re-post here.

Hope she liked it better when I cook it!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here it is: 
http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/60-...640-people-food-not-feed-our-malts-aspca.html


----------



## maggieh

pehirsch said:


> NOTE TO SELF: Don't buy large quantities of new and expensive food until I've established she likes it. :huh:
> 
> Besides, it's raw and I just read a posted warning not to give dogs raw food because of bacteria...will go find article if i can and re-post here.
> 
> Hope she liked it better when I cook it!!
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> 
> Here it is:
> http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/60-...640-people-food-not-feed-our-malts-aspca.html



This article is referring primarily to people food we buy and warning not to serve raw steak, for example. In general, commercially prepared raw dog food that is frozen or is dehydrated is safe. Of course, you can always have a recall but we've seen far more of those with kibble and canned lately than freeze dried or dehydrated raw.


----------



## Ava's Mom

I just recently switched my pups to Taste of the Wild, the one with salmon and they don't seem to like it at all. The kibbles are kind of big for small breed dogs. I had read good reviews about this food and I am disappointed that they don't like it. I suppose I will have to start researching dog foods again and find one with small kibbles that they will like and will eat.


----------



## Katkoota

I enjoy rotating food for the malts. 

In the recent period, we're on Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw (previously, they were on ZiwiPeak - air dried raw - which they ate well). The malts LOVE S&C so far (more than loving the Ziwipeak). They've tried all flavors. I rotate them from a flavor to another. Each malt gets 1/2 a patty a day that gets soaked in warm water for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Snowy and Crystal are around 8.8 lb. They are doing good with S&C. By this coming Friday, we are finishing the last bag. I placed an order for a bunch of different flavors a couple days ago. I also placed an order for a couple other brands - Primal freeze dried, Addiction dehydrated raw and the honest kitchen dehydrated dogfood

We're continuing the rotation idea and I love this thread


----------



## Zo-Zo

maggieh said:


> This article is referring primarily to people food we buy and warning not to serve raw steak, for example. In general, commercially prepared raw dog food that is frozen or is dehydrated is safe. Of course, you can always have a recall but we've seen far more of those with kibble and canned lately than freeze dried or dehydrated raw.


There is NO difference in "people" raw and "pet" raw. I estimated a couple premade brands and it would cost about $100 a month to feed a 6 and 14 pound dog!  I just bought a month worth of food (Maybe a couple days over) at the grocery store to feed BOTH dogs for a whopping $18 for everything. Sure, premade is a little more convenient but the price difference is worth an hour in the kitchen each month to mix and package their food. The whole "raw is bad" argument doesn't stand up to proof of it's benefits shown through my dogs health. One of which can't eat ANYTHING except raw muscle meats/eggs/organs (offal)/bones. Most premade raw also has crap like fruits and veggies in it that she doesn't need, nor can she have. Carnivore style "Frankenraw" from the grocery store all the way! :thumbsup:


----------



## maggieh

Zo-Zo said:


> There is NO difference in "people" raw and "pet" raw. I estimated a couple premade brands and it would cost about $100 a month to feed a 6 and 14 pound dog!  I just bought a month worth of food (Maybe a couple days over) at the grocery store to feed BOTH dogs for a whopping $18 for everything. Sure, premade is a little more convenient but the price difference is worth an hour in the kitchen each month to mix and package their food. The whole "raw is bad" argument doesn't stand up to proof of it's benefits shown through my dogs health. One of which can't eat ANYTHING except raw muscle meats/eggs/organs (offal)/bones. Most premade raw also has crap like fruits and veggies in it that she doesn't need, nor can she have. Carnivore style "Frankenraw" from the grocery store all the way! :thumbsup:



If you are feeding a home-made diet, be sure to consult a nutritionist to make sure it contains adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals. For example, you may need to add a source of calcium or other minerals to ensure the diet is balanced. Just because it's "natural" doesn't mean it means all of their nutritional needs. I've never tried it but several members here use Balance IT to make sure their home prepare meals are nutritionally complete.


----------



## Zo-Zo

I've been feeding raw for many years now, to roughly 7 dogs ranging from 4lb to 90lb, couch potato pets to working dogs. I've also fed 4 cats on raw. I balance nutrition by feeding a large variety of animals and body parts. Muscle meats, bones, feet, hearts, kidneys, liver, spleen, tripe (stomach), lungs, whole small animals (ie. chicks, mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, ect ect) whole heads from large animals including brains and eyeballs....Even testicles. :HistericalSmiley: Nothing is off limits in our house. We always get rave reviews from every vet my pets have seen about their excellent health (Backed up with great blood work results!), especially their beautiful teeth and muscular bodies! My aim for my babies is balance over times rather than "every meal", just as I do for myself and my family. I don't claim to know everything about nutrition but I do know what works for the pets in my home. :thumbsup:


----------



## maggieh

Zo-Zo said:


> I've been feeding raw for many years now, to roughly 7 dogs ranging from 4lb to 90lb, couch potato pets to working dogs. I've also fed 4 cats on raw. I balance nutrition by feeding a large variety of animals and body parts. Muscle meats, bones, feet, hearts, kidneys, liver, spleen, tripe (stomach), lungs, whole small animals (ie. chicks, mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, ect ect) whole heads from large animals including brains and eyeballs....Even testicles. :HistericalSmiley: Nothing is off limits in our house. We always get rave reviews from every vet my pets have seen about their excellent health (Backed up with great blood work results!), especially their beautiful teeth and muscular bodies! My aim for my babies is balance over times rather than "every meal", just as I do for myself and my family. I don't claim to know everything about nutrition but I do know what works for the pets in my home. :thumbsup:


I'm glad this has worked for you. In your introduction you said you do not own a Maltese but are living with one temporarily. Please read these threads on nutrition as many health problems can be caused by poor nutrition. For example, continued feeding of meat and rice with no supplements has been suspected to cause disc and spine problems in later years unless you are adding the appropriate amounts of calcium.

This thread is meant to provide a "diary" of the various brands and types of foods we feed, so please start a new thread for your additional comments so we don't take this thread off-track.


----------



## silverhaven

I home cook for my girls. I feed 2 protein to one veg/fruit mix. The veg. mainly none starchy. It works out to be around 38% protein but that is wet matter. I add eggshell calcium, omega 3, and probiotics/digestive enzymes. The proteins and veg are rotated and all organic. Beef is grass fed.


----------



## wolfieinthehouse

Wolfie and his miniature poodle sister have been eating

Purina One Lamb & Rice 

for four years now (Wolfie is six).

Previous to that, he ate various quality kibbles.....each either undigestible to him or recalled after I discovered it seemed okay to him.

A friend used Purina One Lamb & Rice for her gorgeous dog and I gave it a try.

Wolfie's breeder (Richelieu) is sponsored by Purina and had suggested Purina Pro when we brought him home in 2007.

So. 

Wolfie does fine on what I feed him. His poop is nice. His coat is nice. He seems content.


----------



## CathyG

*Feeding Bailey*

I am SO happy to have this forum as a resource since I'm a new Malt-Mommy to my boy Bailey (I have to figure out how to post a pic of His Cuteness!). 

Anyway.... we've been feeding him Kirkland Dry Dog Food (only) since he came to us in early November. I just assumed with the beard staining, he would be better off with dry food. He eats it, but I've been thinking that, while small, the pieces are just too big for him. He was eating one piece at a time and would never finish a 1/4 cup in one "sitting"... he'd go back to it later in the day or evening depending on which feeding it was. 

Although Bailey seems to otherwise be doing well on this food (has 26% protein) I came here yesterday to see what you all are feeding your babies hoping to be able to figure out what I might be able to switch Bailey to. Then I read Maizy Moo's Mum's post that suggested mixing a little warm water with the kibble. I did that last night! What a happy Bailey I have!!! He ate all of his food and FAST! :chili: His face is a little dirty after eating now, but I'm so happy he had a better eating experience! 

So now... what's the best way to clean their faces from food? I just wiped him last night & this morning with a microfiber cloth and warm water... but it didn't seem to get him very clean. Any tips?? 

Thank you Maizy Moo's Mum & all the other Malti-Parents!!! :ThankYou:
Cathy & Bailey




Maizy Moo's Mum said:


> I have been feeding Fromm four star grain free and rotating the flavours but have just ordered some grain inclusive to try.
> 
> I have began adding water to this as we do not feed a wet food thanks for the advice!


----------



## LilGusDog

We are feeding Gus a combination of Fromm four star grain-free and Stella and Chewy's dehydrated raw. He gets 1/8 c Fromm + 1/2 S&C patty reconstituted with water per feeding twice a day. We rotate flavors for both food and sometimes top everything with fresh veggies. He's been loving this diet so far. 

We noticed since adding Stella and Chewy's that he poops less, has drastically reduced tear-stains, and has lessened the itchies and paw biting. We are very pleased with what we're seeing so far. We just hope this finicky fluff butt doesn't get tired of the food! :thumbsup:


----------



## little+bella

Its very hard lately to find a dry food that Bella likes. I bought the Instinct Raw but it didnt look like much of a serving so i mixed a little dry food with it. Have any of you tried this brand? Theres so many to chose from. Its like ill buy a bag of something and Bella will eat it for a day or two and then not like it anymore. Its so frustrating.


----------



## little+bella

I may try the Fromm plus the Stella & Chewy. Does the S&C come in the Raw frozen?


----------



## little+bella

My husband just bought a $60 bag of the dry Instinct with Dehydrated Raw but she eats the dehydrated pieces out and leaves the kibble. Shes on our heels everytime we go to the kitchen likes shes hungry. I just dont want her to eat just because shes starving and theres nothing else to chow on. I want her to like it.


----------



## LilGusDog

little+bella said:


> I may try the Fromm plus the Stella & Chewy. Does the S&C come in the Raw frozen?


Gus looooves the Fromm + S&C rehydrated with water. We only use S&C dehydrated raw because live in a small apartment with a tiny freezer and have no room in it for his food. Also, I'm a forgetful person so I'd probably neglect to thaw the frozen raw the night before. :blush:

But yes, S&C does come in frozen raw. You should try it! Or maybe even the dehydrated raw, your pup might like it! :thumbsup:


----------



## little+bella

Ok i think i will. Thank you!


----------



## LilGusDog

Wag has a 20% sale on all pet food going on right now. They carry S&C


----------



## Cyndilou

Fromm. When he gives up on getting the human food.


----------



## Ann Mother

*Cody's Mom*

Well Cody is not the best eater. Good thing Pets Mart takes back food that has been opened. I feed him a chicken tender every evening (cooked on bake in toaster oven). He is not interested in eating earlier or more frequently. I finally got him to eat chicken Puppy Bil Jack mixed with his chicken so now he will eat that dog food. If I give him chicken skin, chicken strip treats, or buffalo hamburger he gets diarrhea. The vet is okay with what I'm feeding him.
My daughter feeds her maltese raw like her other dog who is 15. Primo nuggets I think. But I do not want to do that cause when traveling it is difficult.:SM Rocks!:


----------



## little+bella

Maggie, you add 3 Tbs or tsp?


----------



## Aubiedrake

Has anyone tried the Cesar wet food in the little tray? I have been feeding Daisy Fromm Puppy Food and she will be 1 year old this month so I think she should be ready to move up. She had 4 teeth removed recently and didnt want to eat her dry food so I tried the Cesar and she loved it. I just noticed no one recommended it in this post and wondered why?


----------



## rasgari

I'm getting my pup soon. I think the breeder said she will be on blue buffalo.

I read in another thread that chicken isn't good. Does this mean an actually cooked chicken that humans eat or does it mean chicken in the pet food kibble?

Also is there a rule of thumb on how much you should feed your little pup on a daily basis? 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## maggieh

Aubiedrake said:


> Has anyone tried the Cesar wet food in the little tray? I have been feeding Daisy Fromm Puppy Food and she will be 1 year old this month so I think she should be ready to move up. She had 4 teeth removed recently and didnt want to eat her dry food so I tried the Cesar and she loved it. I just noticed no one recommended it in this post and wondered why?


The ingredients in Cesar are not very high quality. Dogs love it because it's like junk food - tastes good but isn't all that great for you. I wouldn't recommend it.

If Fromm worked for you, go back to that. They make a canned and it is a very high quality food.


----------



## LovemyLucyLu

Lucy Lu eats Merricks puppy real chicken, brown rice and green pea recipe. She loves it. I give her a small piece of carrot stick for a little treat.


----------



## aksm4

wkomorow said:


> Lucky loves FreshPet. He has been on it a few weeks. Lots of energy, poop good. Mad in US of mostly (97%) US and Canadian ingredients - nothing from China. Lots of plant ingredients, good meats.



Walter may I ask how much protein in freshpet ? and which one you are giving Lucky ?

Thank You

Anna


----------



## Rin

Hi

To those of you looking for coupons for higher quality dog foods, I have had success with writing or calling the companies and ask for coupons.

Rin


----------



## Rin

Hi
For those of you that have used any of the Fromm canned is there a kind that is a pate rather than chunky?

Thanks
Rin


----------



## shellbeme

Rin said:


> Hi
> For those of you that have used any of the Fromm canned is there a kind that is a pate rather than chunky?
> 
> Thanks
> Rin


The gold is Pate. That is what we have always used. The 4 star canned is obscenely expnesive.


----------



## sharonp

I am feeding the new puppy Fromm grain free dry kibble and she likes it. It has 29% protein and am fine with that for the 4 month old puppy. However my 15 month old is fed Fromm 4 star with grain that has 25% protein but she much prefers the puppies' 29% protein wild game grain free food. Is it too much protein for her to switch her to the same Fromm grain free 29% protein food that she and the young puppy both prefer? Concerned bc I thought we are supposed to keep full-grown maltese at 25-26% protein? Would love some feedback on if it is safe to put both 15 month old and 4 mo old on Fromm 4 star grain free, 29%-30% protein dry kibble???


----------



## SookiesMom

Ive found a food Im going to try with Sookie. She is very high energy girl. Its called Tuscan Natural Carne Grain Free Recipe. Its higher protein (Im a little unsure, it may be to high) but the ingredients are:Turkey
Chicken
Turkey Meal
Chicken Meal
Potatoes
Peas
Whitefish meal
Herring Meal
Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols)
Flax Seed
Olive Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols)
Natural Flavor
Potassium Chloride
Alfalfa Meal
Dried Chicory Root
Apples
Tomatoes
Carrots
Calcium Carbonate
Vitamin E Supplement
Niacin Supplement
d-Calcium Pantothenate
Vitamin B-12 Supplement
Vitamin A Acetate
Vitamin D-3 Supplement
d-Biotin
Riboflavin Supplement
Thiamine Mononitrate
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
Folic Acid
Iron Proteinate
Zinc Proteinate
Manganese Proteinate
Copper Proteinate
Sodium Selenite
Cobalt Protenate
Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide
Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus
Enterococcus Faecium
Dried Spergillus niger
Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum
Dried Basillus subtilis fermentation products

This is the Nutritional Analysis: Moisture 7.35 % Crude Protein 39.6 % Crude Fat 23.7 % Saturated fat 6.94 g/100g Polyunsaturated fats 5.63 g/100g Monounsaturated fats 11 g/100g Crude Fiber 1.38 % Ash 8.36 % Phosphorus 1.37 % Potassium 1.08 % Magnesium 0.14 % Calcium 2 % Sodium 0.39 % Iron 323 ppm Manganese 39.2 ppm Copper 23 ppm Zinc 225 ppm Chloride 0.53 % Iodine 3.19 ppm Selenium 0.716 ppm Arginine 2.99 % Cystine 0.46 % Histidine 0.95 % Isoleucine 1.61 % Leucine 2.67 % Lysine 2.71 % Methionine 0.78 % Phenylalanine 1.46 % Taurine 0.14 % Threonine 1.64 % Tyrosine 1.42 % Tryptophan 0.26 % Valine 1.62 % Trans fatty acids 0.09 g/100g Omega 3 fatty acids 1.19 g/100g alpha-Linolenic (ALA) 0.96 g/100g Eicosapentaenoic (EPA) 0.11 g/100g Docosahexaenoic (DHA) 0.1 g/100g Omega 6 fatty acids 4.44 g/100g Linoleic (LA) 4.27 g/100g gamma-Linolenic (GLA) n.d. g/100g Dihomo-gamma linolenic (DGLA) 0.03 g/100g Arachidonic (AA) 0.11 g/100g Omega 9 fatty acids 9.62 g/100g Oleic 9.61 g/100g Eliadic n.d. g/100g Erucic n.d. g/100g Choline 2370 mg/kg Retinol (Vitamin A) 2190 IU/kg Thiamine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1) 11.7 mg/kg Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) 1.44 mg/kg Niacin (Vitamin B3) 26.2 mg/kg Pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5) 13.4 mg/kg Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6) 1.58 mg/kg Biotin (Vitamin B7) 0.2 mg/kg Folic acid (Vitamin B9) 0.27 mg/kg Cobalamin (Vitamin B12) 0.053 mg/kg Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) 1040 IU/kg Vitamin E (total) 932 IU/kg Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 716 IU/kg Vitamin E (beta-tocopherol)

If someone sees a big no no please let me know.
111 IU/kg Vitamin E (delta-tocopherol) 11.3 IU/kg Vitamin E (gamma-tocopherol


----------



## kd1212

I have an extremely picky non-eater. After trying practically every food out there with absolutely no success, I ended up contacting a diplomat of ACVN who is a researcher/professor at UC Davis who recommended I try Vital, sometimes we eat, sometimes we don't! Very frustrating.

We do eat, without a problem, Grandma Lucy Blueberry cookies! Yum!


----------



## whiterice42019

I switched to Fromms.

My dogs love it


----------



## justagirltv

Buffalo Blue Puppy - Meh 
Buffalo Wilderness Puppy -FAIL 

Wellness Puppy! - He loves it so much 
Natures Balance Roll Chicken (training treats cut up into tiny pieces)


----------



## ojuice

Just wanted to add my experience on this topic, our princess from day 1 has been eating Wellness Core Puppy grain free, as she grows 3-4 months we introduced steam rice and wellness mini fillets or pate with the the kibble. She loves it and never gets tired of it. Sometimes we even top it off with a little boiled chicken breast. Everything seems to be great. I tried the Ceasar Plates (pate) and noticed the tear staining was worse. Now we switch from Wellness and Nutro (pate) depending on whats on sale, but always with Wellness Core Puppy Grain Free. I'm thinking of switching to FROMM GOLD puppy because it has probiotics, and I have read so many great things about fromm. Its just harder to find unless I order online.

Did anyone experience on the switching from Wellness to FROMM and how did it go?


----------



## Lou's Mom

My three were on Wellness from day 1 as well, I switched to Fromm's due to all the great recommendations here and they liked it. That being said, I noticed my oldest started to have tear stains again and he had not had them since he finished teething. After several months I've recently switched back to Wellness and its clearing up. My other two were fine on the Fromm's no issues at all.


----------



## ojuice

Lou's Mom said:


> My three were on Wellness from day 1 as well, I switched to Fromm's due to all the great recommendations here and they liked it. That being said, I noticed my oldest started to have tear stains again and he had not had them since he finished teething. After several months I've recently switched back to Wellness and its clearing up. My other two were fine on the Fromm's no issues at all.


So does that mean you feed both Wellness for 1 and FROMM for the other 2?

whew.. good thing I only have 1 (at the moment) wink wink..

Heard of that saying if it ain't broke don't fix it? well that's what I'm feeling right now.. It just seems like FROMM is such a good kibble for them and I wanted to try it. So the VET asked what studies did FROMM have for them to formulate such great foods if any.. She was kind of skeptical.. but she also mentioned that.. if all was good news it shouldn't hurt to try.. and you can always go back if 1, it gets too $$$ and 2, if no changes or our puppy might not like it.. which i highly doubt due to the things that I have read about our fluffs and FROMM, plus FROMM has pro-biotics.

decisions.. decisions.. :smilie_tischkante:


----------



## maggieh

ojuice said:


> So does that mean you feed both Wellness for 1 and FROMM for the other 2?
> 
> So the VET asked what studies did FROMM have for them to formulate such great foods if any.. She was kind of skeptical.. but she also mentioned that.. if all was good news it shouldn't hurt to try..


Traditional vets don't have a lot of education around nutrition - only what Purina, Hills and Royal Canin pay for at vet schools, and those aren't the best foods. I'd suggest getting a copy of Whole Dog Journal's issue with their recommended dog foods. There's a separate issue for dry and for wet. It explains what they look for in a quality food, things like named protein as one of the first ingredients. You might need a subscription but I've found it to be well worth it.


----------



## Lou's Mom

Jay - sorry for the confusion - no all three are back on Wellness - I have a hard enough time trying to keep them from eating out of each other's bowls - two different foods would be chaos! I have to watch the portions - Lou is a very picky eater, nola eats to live and Dallas lives to eat! I transition very slowly to avoid tummy issues.


----------



## ojuice

I'm loving this pet guide app. Keeps me connected to this forum and learning a lot and also confused as to what is best for my fluff. Because we all want the best for them.. Hehe

I'm going to try FROMM Puppy Gold and see how that goes 5lbs only for now and then see from there..


----------



## Cupidsmommy

I also feed Wellness Core for puppy - grain free.


----------



## Cupidsmommy

Who sells Fromm?


----------



## maggieh

Cupidsmommy said:


> Who sells Fromm?


You can find Fromm at most stores that sell high quality dog foods - doggy boutiques and specialty stores. PetSmart does not sell it and some of the Pet Supplies + do carry it depending on where you are located. You can also order it online I believe.


----------



## sassy's mommy

Pixie is thriving on Fromm's Grain Free Gamebird. I love that it is small kibble and 4.5 stars. She saw the vet last week and he said her weight is perfect for her structure.


----------



## Mzkyie

After over a year on fromm grain free, my Rocco has started itching again. We visited the vet on Tuesday and of course they suggested Hill's Science Diet and a steroid, and once again I told them I would explore other options. When he was a baby, I fed him Life's Abundance and after a few months he started itching severely and lost the hair on his legs. After switching to Fromm, his coat is near perfect, but now that the itching is back, I think it may be time for a change again. The pet food store I go to suggested a brand called Ziganture, does anyone have experience with this brand or another limited ingredient food?


----------



## littlefluffbabies

Are you certain that it's a food sensitivity and not environmental? Penny has been sneezing a lot this spring. No excessive itching yet, thankfully. I hope he finds some relief soon.


----------



## Mzkyie

littlefluffbabies said:


> Are you certain that it's a food sensitivity and not environmental? Penny has been sneezing a lot this spring. No excessive itching yet, thankfully. I hope he finds some relief soon.


He has both, however I have heard that sometimes dogs build an intolerance to food after a while and it's good to change when that happens.


----------



## maggieh

I've heard that Zygnature is a quality food but have not used it. I would suggest finding a holistic or integrative vet who could work with your traditional vet on a treatment plan involving holistic or homeopathic supplements that are bett for our fluffs. The holistic vet would also be a great resource for food recommendations.


----------



## Finn

If you have a Maltese with a sensitive tummy, check the amount of fat content in your dog’s food. I personally recommend Eukanuba, but more details on feeding dogs with special dietary needs can be found here, Choosing the Right Foods for Your Dog?s Sensitive Stomach


----------



## kd1212

Tyler and Trissie eat Vital Beef and Bison roll and Trissie also gets Fromm Lamb and Lentil. For training treats I use Real Meat Lamb, Real Meat Beef and Plato Small Bites Made with Duck. For treats: Grandma Lucy's Blueberry cookies and Fruitables (variety of flavors).


----------



## [email protected]

Sophie eats a table spoon of Wellness, brown rice, shredded carrots, shredded boiled chicken, a 2 teaspoons of water mixed in. 
For treats, carrots, lettuce leaves, cucumber, apple slices. On the most rare occasions, she'll get a tiny piece of Wellness treats (pomegranate flavor). 

Since I've had her, she's gained 2lbs...I'm trying to get her to loose at least 1lb.


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## shellbeme

After spending hours making batches of home cooked food for Tucker and having him refuse it I have everyone on kibble right now. We are using Wellness - Complete Health line. I want to add canned in the mix as well but it is not in the finances at this time.


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## Casper1409

Casper currently eats blue buffalo grain free. I was thinking switching him to fromm.aftwr seeing. hat everyone feeds that to their maltese. But also saw recalls . Should I just keep him on blue buffalo


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## JacksMom

Our Sonny (chihuahua/toy poodle mix) is picky and only eats small amounts when he does decide to eat. Casey, our recent rescue maltese never misses a meal and tries to eat Sonny's. When I got him, his foster gave me a baggie of Pure Balance. His first bm at home was a mess, so threw out that baggie and started him on what my Sonny was eating at the time, Orijen dry kibble. Noticed the protein was a bit high, so just switched to Taste of the Wild Salmon and neither seem to like it much and Casey's bm's are still too soft and hard to clean up. Will use up the Taste of the Wild but will try Fromm's next.


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## fedfan

Right now we are using Just Foods for Dogs. I buy the vitamin mixes and homecook. I have made the chicken and rice, lamb and rice, and now the venison and rice recipes. My dog is really enjoying it and eating most meals! I'm very happy because before, he was on Merrick canned food and had vomiting/soft stools occasionally. He is doing really well on JFFD with none of the issues! I don't think I will ever go back to commercial dog food & I'm researching more about vitamins in homemade dog food. My goal eventually is to cook a balanced diet without supplement powders but I will be using JFFD or other vitamin mixes this year. 

There are two other vitamin mixes I found that I was wondering if anyone had used:

1. The Farmer's Dog DIY (Currently backordered, but I hope they'll be available soon!) This looks very healthy--has anyone tried The Farmer's Dog? 

https://www.thefarmersdog.com/diy

2. Canine Life Muffins: This sounds really interesting to me and looks VERY easy to make! I would love to make Alfie muffins once in a while that he could get for breakfast to have some variety. Has anyone heard of this?

Canine Life


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## Samantha113

Hi, all of my options and recommendations are grain free, and I can't choose other than that :/
Last year it turned out that my Cooper has food allergy...He was itching like crazy and shaking his head constantly and I suspected he had ear inflammation or something like that, but didn't expect to be told that it was caused by food allergy. It turned out that ear inflammation, diarrhea and even chronic gas are the symptoms of food allergy. Our vet even asked me if my dog lick his feet....??!!
Vet also said that most pets are usually allergic to more than one thing, but luckily, Cooper has 'only' a grain allergy. It's not something you wanna hear when you think you are doing it all right  Anyhow, when I realized that Cooper needed special diet, I switched to Ivorycoat grain free food and it still works ok
If you have any other recommendations regarding grain free food, share!


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## Dminnar

Hi everyone, I made the food for Minnie and Bits (sweet potatoes, peas and green beans)and mixed it with a dry kibble I got in Austria. Bits was allergic to most foods and this worked for them. My daughter lives there and it was fairly easy for me to get with our visits back and forth when I get my new baby I’ll be looking for recommendations however the European brands are very superior.


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## unicorn1098

Dolly... oh Dolly. Many may not agree with her diet but below is literally the only thing I have found that will get her to gain and maintain her weight. She’s finally 3 pounds 10-12ish oz at 6 months old and thriving. 

Everyday: 

Morning: Boiled 3/4 Fromm Duckenpfeffer mixed with 1/4 Maltese Puppy Royal Canin.

All day: Free fed same combo but not boiled. 

Night: Stella and Chewy Patty (flavor depending on what I buy.) 

It seems to finally have her at a weight and energy level that the vet and I are both happy with. She’s a rescue and I don’t know her background although I can guess puppy mill. She had zero interesst in food the first 3 months I had her. 

I don’t love the Royal Canin mixed in but... she does and if that’s what it takes then she gets her Royal Canin. LOL!


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## Samantha113

Dminnar said:


> Hi everyone, I made the food for Minnie and Bits (sweet potatoes, peas and green beans)and mixed it with a dry kibble I got in Austria. Bits was allergic to most foods and this worked for them. My daughter lives there and it was fairly easy for me to get with our visits back and forth when I get my new baby I’ll be looking for recommendations however the European brands are very superior.


Hm, thanks for sharing, will see with my vet if there are any European options here in AU


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## Samantha113

unicorn1098 said:


> Dolly... oh Dolly. Many may not agree with her diet but below is literally the only thing I have found that will get her to gain and maintain her weight. She’s finally 3 pounds 10-12ish oz at 6 months old and thriving.
> 
> Everyday:
> 
> Morning: Boiled 3/4 Fromm Duckenpfeffer mixed with 1/4 Maltese Puppy Royal Canin.
> 
> All day: Free fed same combo but not boiled.
> 
> Night: Stella and Chewy Patty (flavor depending on what I buy.)
> 
> It seems to finally have her at a weight and energy level that the vet and I are both happy with. She’s a rescue and I don’t know her background although I can guess puppy mill. She had zero interesst in food the first 3 months I had her.
> 
> I don’t love the Royal Canin mixed in but... she does and if that’s what it takes then she gets her Royal Canin. LOL!


Haha, I know the feel. "I don't love it, but she does"  <3


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## kikiiniowa

What flavors of the Fromm's grain free are you feeding?


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## CottonCandy

All,

Candy is now 12 weeks old. We have been feeding him Royal Canin Mini Starter and now trying to switch over to something more premium. I did a ton of research and it cannot get more confusing. Finally went ahead and got Royal Canin Mini Puppy as 
1. I could not come to a conclusion on any one brand
2. He is doing really good on RC mini starter. 

Please let me know if any of you have first hand experience on RC mini puppy.

here's a pic of him. He gets on the printer all the time and barks at us to get him down


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## meadorgc

SammieMom said:


> Since it was recommended by many others and my breeder, that Maltese should not eat a protein level over 26%, I kinda had hard time getting Sammie's foods figured out. He did well on natural balance GF, but after all the recalls of 2011/2012 I switched to Fromm's grain free kibble. I don't like the canned Fromm only because it's so soupy.
> 
> AM: Grain Free Fromm: is little over 26% protein kibble, but best food I've found. Plus it's available in my small town at a dog speciality botuiqe only. I wanted a food that I didn't have to order. We buy the tunalina or wild game bird as they are lowest in protein. Sammie has elevated bile acids and his brother passed away very young with a shunt. So he needs lower protiens. He also has allergies such as head shaking if he eats dry grain type kibble.
> 
> PM: slice of Vital freshpet. I buy non fish ones mostly. They spit up the fish twice, not sure why.
> 
> I give natural balance GF treats, and fruitables too.
> For teeth regimine: i rotate these. they get Sams Yams fries, CET dental chews, lebo dental spray, and a squiroften mouth of dental rinse and daily water additive.


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## Mal-shi Mom

This thread is so helpful - thank you all for sharing!

Our vet told me to avoid grain free food due to it contributing to heart problems. Is this not true?


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## maggieh

Mal-shi Mom said:


> This thread is so helpful - thank you all for sharing!
> 
> Our vet told me to avoid grain free food due to it contributing to heart problems. Is this not true?


That is not true. It was spread by the FDA following articles (not actual research) by veterinarians with a tie to dog food companies.


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## Snuggle's Mom

There are Dog Foods with Protein levels under 26% but you would have do really search for them but they are out there. Our Chrissy eats Solid Gold Blendz Holistic and it has a lower fat and protein content level.


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## Mal-shi Mom

I ordered a sample of Dr. Harvey’s Oracle (chicken) for my guys to try. I thought for sure they wouldn’t touch it but they gobbled it up. So I plan to add a small spoonful to their Blue Buffalo kibble until it is all used up, then feed them Dr. Harvey’s exclusively. I also bought Dr. Harvey’s oil to add to their meals.

I have also started switching their little treats over to fresh or freeze dried fruits/veggies. 
They just get tiny bits.

For their chewing needs I give them Himalayan cheese chews or bully sticks.

Bailey seems to be quite the chonker even though I don’t believe I am over feeding him. I am hoping that with the change in diet maybe his weight will go down some. We shall see.


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## Dstevens

Are fromm or wellness to high in protein?


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## maggieh

Dstevens said:


> Are fromm or wellness to high in protein?


Every dog is different in terms of what they can handle in protein and fat content. My Sweetness does great on just about anything while my Tessa has chronic digestive issues that require a lower fat diet. So there's no one answer to your question. In general, both of those are fine.

Whole Dog Journal periodically publishes lists of recommended foods, including what to look for in a quality food. Their most recent list of recommended dry foods is in the issue I received Friday (February issue I believe).. It requires a subscription to view the information on their website but it's the best $20 a year I've every spent. I like the WDJ information better than Pet Food Advisor because they look at more criteria, including whether or not they're allowed to tour the manufacturing facility. Both Fromm and Wellness are on the recommended list.


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## Dstevens

Is fromm tunalini too high in protein for my 9 month old 3 pound fluff ball?


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## Dstevens

maggieh said:


> Every dog is different in terms of what they can handle in protein and fat content. My Sweetness does great on just about anything while my Tessa has chronic digestive issues that require a lower fat diet. So there's no one answer to your question. In general, both of those are fine.
> 
> Whole Dog Journal periodically publishes lists of recommended foods, including what to look for in a quality food. Their most recent list of recommended dry foods is in the issue I received Friday (February issue I believe).. It requires a subscription to view the information on their website but it's the best $20 a year I've every spent. I like the WDJ information better than Pet Food Advisor because they look at more criteria, including whether or not they're allowed to tour the manufacturing facility. Both Fromm and Wellness are on the recommended list.





maggieh said:


> Every dog is different in terms of what they can handle in protein and fat content. My Sweetness does great on just about anything while my Tessa has chronic digestive issues that require a lower fat diet. So there's no one answer to your question. In general, both of those are fine.
> 
> Whole Dog Journal periodically publishes lists of recommended foods, including what to look for in a quality food. Their most recent list of recommended dry foods is in the issue I received Friday (February issue I believe).. It requires a subscription to view the information on their website but it's the best $20 a year I've every spent. I like the WDJ information better than Pet Food Advisor because they look at more criteria, including whether or not they're allowed to tour the manufacturing facility. Both Fromm and Wellness are on the recommended list.


Thank you. I just saw your reply. She seems to be doing well on Wellness. But I want her off the grains and chicken.


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## reginamalina

HI Im new here, I would like to ask you what dry food do you recommend for adult maltese ?


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## CottonCandy

reginamalina said:


> HI Im new here, I would like to ask you what dry food do you recommend for adult maltese ?


Hi there, Royal Canin mini Adult has worked out very well for Candy. He enjoys eating it. But each pet parent in here have their own choices. I would say do your research and pick something that suits your furry baby.


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## reginamalina

CottonCandy said:


> Hi there, Royal Canin mini Adult has worked out very well for Candy. He enjoys eating it. But each pet parent in here have their own choices. I would say do your research and pick something that suits your furry baby.


I wanted to order that brand of food but no where is available


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## malteselovy

Hello
I read a lot about raw dog food and decided to try
I found this typo of food: Dehydrated raw dog food from this company: Dehydrated Raw Dog Food - ROCKETO | GORocketo.com
Have anybody of you guys try this out? Maybe know difference between it or any recommendations?


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## mss

reginamalina said:


> I wanted to order that brand of food but no where is available


Did you find something you liked? 

While I was hoping that version of Royal Canin would be regularly available again, I compared the ingredients to their other versions. The one that seemed the closest was their Yorkshire terrier version. 

I tried that for my latest foster-fail, and the transition went really well! She is 12 years old and was in poor shape when rescued, so I have hesitated to make any big changes.


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## mss

malteselovy said:


> Hello
> I read a lot about raw dog food and decided to try
> I found this typo of food: Dehydrated raw dog food from this company: Dehydrated Raw Dog Food - ROCKETO | GORocketo.com
> Have anybody of you guys try this out? Maybe know difference between it or any recommendations?


 Did you try it? I am interested in other possibilities.


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