so... what's everyone feeding these days?

    • Gold Top Dog

    so... what's everyone feeding these days?

    So it's looking more and more like I'm going to have to switch Benny's food to something else... the itchies are just not going away - and I can't afford these crazy supplements that people are recommending (mainly - dinovite).

    He's currently eating Wellness Complete Health - but has eaten Blue Buffalo and Evo in the past. He did not do well on Evo, at all. The BB was fine - just getting too expensive (plus some shady ingredient changes have caused me to shy away). I'm thinking something limited ingredient will be best. I've found a new food store around the corner from my apartment, but I haven't had time to check it out yet. The holistic vets I've been working with are head over heels for EVO - but - again - he didn't do well. He's living with my mom - so homecooking and raw are completely out of the question.

    So... what are your kids eating these days?
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    • Gold Top Dog

    Taste of the Wild w/a variety of toppers - I rotate canned versions of EVO, Wellness CORE, Blue, Solid Gold, Evangers, some others.  My parents are now doing TOTW, too, with their Dobe.  Combined w/Oma's Pride Raw (sep meals) they are finally seeing resolution to some skin issues.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Since he did well on Blue have you thought about trying their limited ingredient line. I think its called Basics. 

    • Gold Top Dog
    I'm going to look in to the TOTW, I think. I've been searching around, and it seems to be a popular one...

    Lori - He did ok on the BB... still itched/shed like crazy - although this was before we discovered the thyroid issue, so it's hard to say if the to were related or not. My biggest beef with the BB, is they've skyrocketed their prices... changed some ingredients, and made the bags smaller. I've been reading about a lot of dogs having stomach upset with BB these days (since they changed the ingredients...) it's a shame too, because I was a long time feeder of BB :( We were feeding the limited ingredient (turkey) while on the BB, but it's almost double the price of the Wellness, for a smaller bag. *sigh*
    • Gold Top Dog
    Not limited ingred but I am giving earthborn a try. Poor lily was crazy itchy to the point of eating her feet on nutri source so I cold switched them all to earthborn and to my huge surprise nobody had an upset stomach. Lilys itchiness has gone down too. Plus the feeding guidelines are nearly half of something like canidae. For my aussies the range is 1-3/4 cup to 2.5 cups per day which is reasonable. I'm actually giving them closer to 1.5 c per day. I'm hoping that all goes well with this bag. I think it was $46 for 30 lbs or something and I have several $3 off coupons.
    • Gold Top Dog

    I use TOTW (seafood) for Willow cause she was having skin/fur problems and it's done wonders for her.  It was the first one I tried and it worked so luckily I didn't have to experiment! (or supplement)

    • Gold Top Dog

    I saw the Earthborn at the store too and it did look good.  Or, how about Pinnacle.  They've got some new limited ingredient diets that looked close to Blue Basics and they've also got grain free now too.  It's so hard when you don't know exactly what is causing the itching. 

    The foods are all getting so expensive now.  Even the "cheaper" food lines are expensive around here.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Mine are eating TOTW, they rotate between the pacific stream one and the high prairie one.  They are doing well on it.  My only issue is the price, but I don't really have any cheap options where I live so I'm stuck with paying $76 for 30lbs.  I've had them on Eukanuba, Eagle Pack, and now this.  I tried Orijen (the fish one), but Timmy HATED it.  Like he refused to eat it - I've never seen him do that with a food before.  So Sadie ate that whole bag since I had to buy the large 30 or 40lb one, LOL. 

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    • Gold Top Dog

     We are using Orjen fish - it works best for beastie.  We've used Arcana Pacifica (grain free fish) and also TOTW fish with reasonable results but there's no doubt for him Orjen is a step up.

    We also do several raw meals and some canned (Canine caviar beaver and Tripett Beef tripe at the moment)

     FWIW the only downside with TOTW for a dog with the itchies is that it sure isn't a simple formula. 

    • Gold Top Dog
    Food is a never-ending popular topic, isn't it?!?!

    I spent most of last year homecooking, until I became overwhelmed. I then tried a dehydrated mix from Dr. Harvey's that you add raw or cooked protein to. Right now, all three are on The Honest Kitchen dehydrated raw for breakfast and premium/natural kibble for dinner. I am trying a new kibble, California Natural Venison grain-free, limited ingredient formula. I like the looks of the kibble - shape, size, smell and clean (lack of crumb dust). We'll see how they do on it.

    Everybody currently has the itchies. Here we do have sensitivities though (chicken, chicken fat, lamb, garlic, MSM, possibly flax, possibly barley). Not sure if the itchies are related to flax, as THK uses quite a bit of it. I also think it's partly due to the dry, cold, winter weather and they are just not drinking nearly the amount of water they do in other seasons. I'm usually driven crazy by the itchies of eczema and daily I've been drinking a ton of herbal tea (water) ...my skin feels and looks much better this winter!

    • Gold Top Dog

     Before I switched Maze to raw, I finally found a food that worked for her. Cal. Nat Herring and Sweet potato.  The prices wouldn't matter since I'm in Canada Stick out tongue But she did well on that while I was feeding it. And this was after trying lord know how many different brands for her itchies. 

    • Gold Top Dog

    dog food! Smile

    • Gold Top Dog

     TOTW here (lamb). And when we have made a trip to Vegas Ginger gets Addiction Kangaroo and Apples..I just cannot always make an hour and a half trip one way to get her food.

    I have fed Earthborn w good results, but their fish formula had too large kibble for Ginger to eat full time

    • Gold Top Dog

    Natural Balance's LIDs here.  For awhile I was rotating between the varities (except for the chicken and rice one).  But I've been sticking with the Duck and Potato the last few months.

    • Gold Top Dog
    If we're talking kibble, I'll second Natural Balance LID line. SUPER simple. Love, love, love it.

    Pirate and Wendy both get THK for meals, though.