Dry food switch
I'm sure there have been other food discussions but i'm new to the forum, so I'm going to ask again...
Dry food - which is best?
I
feed the shibas nutro lamb and rice because cost wise, its effective
when we have foster dogs (especially bassets that eat 3x's the food the
shibas eat together). So to avoid food allergies etc. I've used Nutro
Lamb & Rice all along.
But I feel that the Shibas could be getting something better!
Does anyone know anything (good or bad) about Eagle Pack Holistic
Select Anchovy, Sardine & Salmon Meal? I don't do any raw additives
except for beef shank bones once a week. I bought that food last night
because a shiba breeder I know suggested it, but I wondered if anyone
had any positives or negatives? Thanks!
Comments
The Whole Dog Journal is your friend for dog food knowledge.
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/
They put out two issues this year with dry dog food reviews. One month was kibbles with grain, the next month was grain free kibbles. You can buy their back issues and get a subscription on their website. They are available mailed to you or as PDF's so you can read them right away.
Their issue on dry food from last year was really good too, great information on what to look for in food.
Currently Nemo (and a lot of other dogs around here) is on Orijen. After this bag I'll be switching him to Solid Gold's Barking at the Moon because I like to rotate foods.
However there is NO BEST FOOD. You have to find what works well for your dogs. Romi's dogs were really gassey on Orijen, Nemo can't eat EVO Red Meat without having sloppy poops (other dogs do well), and some dogs can't tolerate grain free at all.
I feel like I just typed most of this out in another thread. I have to just type something up and paste it when this comes up. Glad to help though, I love talking dog food, because I'm a nerd.
yeah, LJ both my dogs were on Nutro lamb and rice in rescue so I
just stuck to it. But now that we can afford to feed just the two dogs
a better food, I'm shopping around!
Someone told me that the fish based holistic foods are better for hot spots and Shiba's coat?
Nemo is usually on a food that involves fish (or is all fish), and he gets fish oil capsules. I never even put it together, but he doesn't get hot spots anymore really. And it is good for their coats. I'll have to pay attention this summer, as that is the time when he usually gets a hot spot or two. Nemo can't do chicken, he doesn't process it well.
Dave - Whole dog journal writes the articles, I just steal all of their information.
yeah i've had NO luck with chicken based products (or beef) with shibas or other fosters in the past.
thats
why we've been sticking to lamb and rice, but for Shiba Inus
specifically - I hope to give the fish formula a good review! according
to their website, Eagle Pack Holistic Select Sardine/Salmon/Anchovy
formula has fish oil in it. I've been giving Fish Oil capsules since we
were hit BAD with kennel cough earlier this year, but since this food
has it, i'm going to stop with the capsules!
well i started mixing the Eagle Pack holistic fish meal and the nutro lamb and rice and so far no upset or issues. i even bought Eagle Pack's treat version of the fish formula to go along with it and they LOVE them!! I even am teaching them 'leave it' because they are so fish motivated!!
this formula along with the furminator is going to do wonders for their coats!
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/
is this a credible source for dry dog food analysis?
I did end up switching my shibas to the holistic eagle pack fish meal
formula because we decided on Orijen fish formula but it is not sold
within 50 miles of me!!! So we are trying Eagle Pack. But this website
only gives it 4 stars!
If your dogs do well on it, then that is what matters the most. I don't know how those people set up their criteria, and I don't really care. Their ratings are ok, but rating Timberwolf (after formula changes) over Eaglepack and still calling it a 5 star product is a bit silly.
Eaglepack is a Whole Dog Journal approved company, you are feeding them a good food.
thank you Brandon!
it just got a bit tricky after the whole
recall thing - but I've always thought dog food was like 'if it works,
don't fix it.' I just know the Nutro wasn't cutting it and it was time
for a breed-specific change!
Well I guess my phrase wouldn't be as simple as "if it works, don't fix it". Mine would me more long winded like "if you have found three excellent high quality kibbles with different protiens to rotate on a consistent basis, and it works, don't fix it".
(taken from WDJ)
Why switching foods is a good idea
We’ve always found it fascinating that many otherwise knowledgeable
dog owners and industry professionals (including
veterinarians and long-time breeders) are unaware of the fact
that different “complete and balanced” dog foods may display
widely divergent amounts of the nutrients that are essential for
their pets’ health.
Most foods have some nutrient levels that are relatively low
and others that may be a bit high. Imagine that a dog is given a
lifetime diet that is a bit low in some nutrients and a bit high in
others. Over time, fed a diet solely comprised of that food, the
dog’s body will become a figurative model of those nutrient levels,
for better or worse. This is exactly why humans are told to eat
a variety of healthy foods – to prevent this very scenario! Now,
why would such a feeding plan make sense for canines, but not
humans? It doesn’t!
We consider all of the foods mentioned here to be of very high
quality – but we wouldn’t want a dog to eat only one of any of
these (or any other) food for the rest of his life!
So essentially there is not a dog food out there that exemplifies all necessary nutrients for your dog?
If not only for profit's sake, I find that hard to believe!
then again, I've only done limited research for my dogs and the food best for our lifestyle, age and environment.
All dogs are individuals, and all breeds are different too. Because of this they are all going to have slightly different nutritional needs. One food can't address all of these things. It's not that one food can't keep your do healthy enough, it's that different types of foods are going to make your dog healthier.
WDJ had a comparative nutritional analysis sheet for a bunch of grain-free kibbles in their March issue. Purchase the issue and look at it, there are pretty big differences in some nutrients/minerals/vitamins, depending on what the manufacturer deems is most important, or depending on what their ingredients supply.
There are basic standards that foods have to meet for them to be able to be sold, and that is why they can call themselves "complete and balanced" foods.
authoritative study on all aspects of owning a dog. I look forward to
future editions!