Another question on food.....

[CathyAnn]

I have decided to switch my dogs to Wellness dry food after talking with the pet store. And, of course, reading about it here.

How did you decide WHICH type/flavor to choose? I purchased a small bag the "Five Star" and am gradually adding to old Iams (which my pet store will NOT recommend) in small increments.

I am interested in the best for skin ailments as Piper has been itchy lately.....

Thanks!

Cathy

[wags]

Well, I heard chicken is easier to digest than turkey

lamb supplies calcium- but too much is no good for puppies because of too much bone growth- that's what I read, anyway.

and I think fish may be good for allergies- because our vet suggested fish and potatoes because he was allergic (and then goes and gives us a choice of mostly corn dry or a can of beef).

[CathyAnn]

Thanks, Sally.

Guess what I just found in the empty food bowl??? ANTS!!!! I checked the bag and none in there.....

I have never had a problem in the 10 years we've lived in this house. And, I have left Iams down for at-will feeding for my older Cairn all that time!

I wonder if it has to do with there being fruit in this mix? Only thing I can come up with......

Cathy

[CallisMom]

We have never had a problem either - until this year. Seems everyone I have talked to is suddenly having an ant problem - I am wondering if it is the weather.

[kayharley]

I've gone from Purina One to Iams to Hills Science Diet and now to Nutro Natural Choice.

What I want is a dry food that my fussy little Madison will devour. I mix the dry with a small amount of canned in the AM and even then she picks. At night it's fed dry and she may just eat a few mouthfuls. I know they won't starve themselves but I want her to enjoy the eating experience just like we do when we get something delicious to eat.

I guess I have to draw the line now between cainines and humans.

[Milopup]

My pup loves his Canidae. I tried to switch him over to Royal Canin (since it is sold in the UK, where we are moving), but when I mixed in a few Royal Canin bits, he picked them out, turned to me to "scold me" for contaminating his usual mix, then proceeded to eat everything except the Royal Canin. Guess I will be lugging 5 pd. bags of dog food on the airplane.

[Guest Guest]

I feed Canidae and my dog loves it and I am getting outstanding results. This food is really top notch and you don't have to be bothered with puppy, or senior type foods since Canidae has only one All Life stage formula. Their philosophy is dogs don't get staged food in the wild and they don't need it at home either. So far it is working wonders for my pup, he is growing nicely, loves the food. Canidae is packed with the best stuff of any food in my opinion.

[CathyAnn]

It was between the Canidae and Wellness.

Can you elaborate on the differences?????

I am so confused..... !

Cathy

[CallisMom]

CathyAnn - both Wellness and Canidae are rated in the top tier of dog foods (BARF not included). They both contain no wheat, corn, soy or other fillers. Wellness uses hormone free, steroid free and antibiotic free lamb -for instance - I am sure that Canidae does as well. They both contain probiotics . . . the differences are really preference - both human and canine . (I think the big difference would come if you had to give your baby a special diet - like the fish & sweet potato or the canned duck one - both are geared towards helping major skin allergies and other health issues.) Wellness slow bakes their food to "preserve nutrients" as all others use a rapid extrusion method. I have read from other people that this makes the dry food drier and harder. I use Wellness - I mix about a teaspoon of canned in with the dry (making sure to really mix it in). I would say it took a good 3-4 weeks after making the switch for Calli to stop picking! She refused it in the beginning and after a couple of days started eating it - but slowly and she picked and picked - if I didn't mix the food in well enough, she would eat only the canned. Now - she wolfs it down faster than I can get on the floor! I don't think she really likes dry food, though. She picked through the Nutro Max she was originally on - she did eat her cousin's IAMS one day - but she doesn't really eat her biscuits either. She would rather hide them until mommy happens to find them practically disinegrating in the corners of the house . I think if you choose Wellness, or Canidae or Innova or a couple of others - you really can't go wrong! It may take your dog some time to adjust to the better food (think of a child going from junk food to healthy food - after awhile they will love the healthy food but it will certainly be a hard transition). I know a lot of people say - they are dogs - they will eat anything! Well - I have a very picky eater (even with people food) as does my sister (one of hers doesn't eat ANY kind of dog food, dry or canned the other will eat anything).

Below are the ingredients to the Canidae and the Wellness Lamb & Rice. I don't know if I have helped you at all or confused your more!!

CANIDAE All Life Stages

Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Brown Rice, White Rice, Lamb Meal, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Citric Acid), Herring Meal, Flax Seed, Sun Cured Alfalfa Meal, Sunflower Oil, Chicken, Lecithin, Monocalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Linoleic Acid, Rosemary Extract, Sage Extract, Yeast Culture, Dried Enterococcus Faecium, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract, Inulin (from Chicory root), Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Fermentation Solubles, Yucca Schidigera Extract Mixed Tocopherols (source of Vitamin E), Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (source of Vitamin C), Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (source of B2), Beta Carotene, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, D-Biotin, Sodium Selenite, Dried Papaya, Vitamin B12 Supplement.

Wellness Lamb & Rice

Lamb, Fish meal, Whitefish, Ground Brown Rice, Ground Barley, Oatmeal, Rye Flour, Ground Millet, Amaranth, Flaxseed, Canola Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Peas, Carrots, Whole Sweet Potatoes, Whole Apples, Whole Blueberries, Whole Clove Garlic, Alfalfa Leaf, Yucca Schidigera, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Enterococcus Faecium, Lactobacillus Casei, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Inulin, Fructose, Glucosamine, Chondroitin Sulfate, Beta-Carotene, Potassium Chloride, Zinc Proteinate (a chelated source of Zinc), Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Proteinate (a chelated source of Copper), Copper Sulfate, Niacin Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate ( a chelated source of Manganese), Sodium Selenite, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Acetate, Riboflavin Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid.

[CathyAnn]

Thanks for the info, Callismom.

We purchased Wellness "Super5Mix".

Now I am wondering if he should be on the Lamb and Rice for the skin itchies??

Thanks,

Cathy