# Natural balance Sweet Potato and Fish



## fredsmama (Apr 21, 2009)

Please do not think I am completely nuts!! Even tho I have owned dogs (springers) for years, I never had food issues. As a newbie to Maltese, I read this forum several times a day!! It is additive! I have searched the forum for advice on dog food. Anyway, after getting lost three times, finally finding the PetCo, worrying about being late to pick up my daughter from the airport (in the opposite direction!)--I rushed in and bought Natural Balance Sweet Potato and FISH, instead of Venison!! I did not realize this until I had gotten home--too far to go back---anyway, I put some in the bowl, mixed a little of his old food and Fred ate almost all of it. Reason for the switch to Natural Balance Sweet Potato was !. tear stains 2. GAS and 3. my 15 year ShitzuPoodle has been chewing one paw until it is stained brown. He chews it almost all the time. Several people have mentioned the success with Natural Balance Sweet Potato. But, has anyone tried the fish? The lady at PetCo told me that if the dogs did not like it, I could bring it back. I only bought a small bag to try it-this PetCo is over an hour from my house. This will be Fred's THIRD dog food. He was on Nature's Recipe lamb Meal & rice puppy, then Natural Balance Potato & Duck and now Natural balance Sweet Potato and Fish--you all must think I am crazy--but he is 5 1/2 months and I did this gradually. Frankly, he is not a big eater--he is gaining steadily, so apparently, he is getting enough to eat! It seems like most of you are using the Sweet Potato and Venison, not the Fish. Advice please--(my husband thinks I am nuts worrying about all this dog food!!!) I switched to Natural Balance because so many of you raved about what a great food it is.


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## mom2bijou (Oct 19, 2006)

Hi! I use the NB sweet potoato and fish and have had great sucess with it. A few months ago I had posted that I was having allergy problems w/my pups. They were on NB venison. They were scratching and chewing their feet like crazy! I had tons of great suggestions but decided to try the fish. Lucky for me, Benny and Emma's allergy problems have certainly been reduced. Minimal tear stains and minimal chewing/scratching. 

Being Petco is so far from your house, have you considered buying your dog food online? I use www.petfooddirect.com. If you sign up they almost always have a discount code and they sell Natural Balance along with a ton of other brands for treats too. Give it a shot...it may save you from the hour long drive to Petco.  

Good luck with the new food!


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## roxybaby22 (Feb 25, 2009)

Every Maltese is different, so I think you should try the formula you have and see how it works.

Also, if you go to the Natural Balance website, there is a store locator at the top right. Maybe there are some places closer to you that carry it.


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## fredsmama (Apr 21, 2009)

QUOTE (roxybaby22 @ May 21 2009, 10:06 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=779503


> Every Maltese is different, so I think you should try the formula you have and see how it works.
> 
> Also, if you go to the Natural Balance website, there is a store locator at the top right. Maybe there are some places closer to you that carry it.[/B]



Thanks for the input--unfortunately, Lafayette is my nearest BIG town!! But, I don't mind driving to make sure my Puff and the older brother,Gus, gets the right food!! when I was in the store, there was a couple who looked confused-of course, I chatted with them 

They had just been given a SIX weeks old VERY tiny Shitzupoodle--did not know what to feed it ,etc. I told them all about the "good" food-also said he was waay too young and to keep him warm,etc. I gave them as much advice as I could remember from the forum. The lady who gave him to them said "6 weeks was the right age". I hope he is going to be ok. Why don't people neuter their dogs--this was an "accident", they told me the lady said. 

Anyway--I am just so grateful for this forum. Fred really likes the Sweet potato and Fish and so does the old dog. SO I may just be able to buy ONE food!! SO far, no problems with the poo, stools are firm-but it has just been one day. You people on this forum are the best ever-thanks so much as I know my questions seem sooo stupid!


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## dwerten (Oct 6, 2007)

The good thing about the fish is it has omega 3 and is good for anti-inflammatory for allergies and for arthritis in old dogs


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## krisT (Sep 13, 2008)

We switched from the duck to the fish and we love it. Im not so keen on the smell, but Cuddles itches less and while we have never had tear saining issues, her eyes have dried up a bit.


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## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

We use the Sweet Potato and Fish and there haven't been any problems with fishy breath and the pups love it. I used to feed them NB Duck and Potato because Chloe is allergic to chicken come to find out she is allergic to poultry. I started feeding Sweet Potato and Fish and she has stopped chewing her feet and they're back to being white again instead of the pink brown they have been for so long.


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## theboyz (Jan 10, 2007)

We use Royal Canin Potato and Venison with great results. Chase has colitis and our Vet changed him to this, so all three have to eat the same thing. Great and they love it. Great "poos" no gas and no allergies and easy on the tummies.


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## Kutsmail1 (Dec 26, 2007)

I have had Zippy on it for better than a month now. I switched mainly because of tear staining. Now, it doesn't seem to be working on that issue. She does love the food, and I sure think it doesn't hurt to eliminate potential allergins so I am keeping her on it. I was also giving her a tsp of yogurt daily and using the spa lavish facial scrub on a daily basis until all "you know what broke loose" with my family between mom's cancer diagnosis, daughters college graduation, and a wedding popped on us all at once...among other things. I have not been diligent in taking care of Zippy's tear stains, but I can say that there is a definite difference in her coat! She is shiny and soft. 

No GI upsets at all, but then Zippy usually doesn't have problems with that. I might give the venison a try at some point, but right now, I am very happy with the NB fish and sweet potato. I only give her the dry food, so don't know about the canned.


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## LUCY N PETS (Apr 21, 2009)

I am currently considering changing to the fish also, how much and how often do you feed and do you moisten it or keep dry? My Sparkle is 4 1/5 lbs.
I checked website for petco and it doesn't say or give directions.

Thanks for your help,
Lucy


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## kikiiniowa (Sep 9, 2008)

I switched to NB Sweet Potato and Fish about 2 months ago. I switched slowly and had no loose stool issues or anything negative. I switched because of allergies and tear stains and all the feedback that I read here. I do see alot less scratching. I was to the point of being ready to take her for allergy testing but I really think I won't have to do that anymore. It could be the new food helped or it could be that it was enviromental triggering the scratching and now her system isn't so overloaded with whatever was causing the itching. But I really don't have a worry about that anymore thankfully. Lexie loves the food and there was no problem switching. I feed generally 1/4 cup twice a day, dry only. I use to free feed but she turned 1 last week and she's a good eater so felt I needed to measure so we don't have any weight issues later on. I also switched due to tear stains but I still don't know if there is any difference there or not. I think it's too early to tell and the old tear stains still being there make it hard to tell. But I def don't think that is any worse and most probably it is better. Now if I was brave enough to clip that old hair and stains away I'd really be able to keep better track. I'm fighting myself almost daily not to cut the hair away that's stained just so it looks better and all the other tips (yogurt, buttermilk powder, Spa Lavish, etc) take too long! I very much just want the hair to keep growing to keep the top knot but maybe I'll get brave and let my groomer see if he can do anything to improve that issue. Sorry if I got a bit carried away on tear stains. :/ 
Anyway, the food seems just fine and I have no issues with it whatsoever and neither does Lexie. 
Good luck to you!


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