Dog Community

Innova Puppy . . . experience?

Posted : 10/4/2006 2:36:04 PM

I just bought Winston a bag of Innova puppy to try out. He's been on Canidae ALS for over a month now and has been doing alright, but he's not particularly excited about his food. I also want to switch every bag to provide a more balanced diet and variety . . . I've done some reading and the Innova sounds like its a pretty good food, but I wanted to get some more specific experiences from feeding it. Anything you have to comment on about the food would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Pam

Posted : 10/4/2006 2:45:37 PM

The breeder sent me home with Canidae ALS and canned Canidae. The poor puppy (4 months) could barely eat it and made a huge mess spiting it over the floor. I surmised it hurt her puppy teeth and got her Innova Puppy. What a diff. SHe inhaled it. I still mixed 1-2 TBLS of canned Canidae on it for her nite meal. Breeder said too much will cause loose stools. So right,,,on plain Innova the stools are perfect.,,,now I am adding some EVO canned 95% beef. Its $1.60 vs $1.90 for the Canidae,,and more meat.
After her permanent teeth came in, I gave her the rest of the Canidae jsut to use it up,,,but now she is on Innova, some canned, and fish oil for her brain!

Twin

Posted : 10/4/2006 4:03:01 PM

Yes, it is a wonderful idea to rotate to give variety. But, that would mean chosing foods that are "different" in meat proteins and other ingredients. Canidae and Innova are very close...chicken/turkey being the main meat proteins and also rice in both. So, it is great to rotate but you should look at foods that are not so close in composition.

Maybe next time try a fish, lamb, venison, etc. based food to give variety.

Just a suggestion...take it or leave it...[

]

Shohin

Posted : 10/4/2006 5:03:56 PM

ORIGINAL: Twin

Yes, it is a wonderful idea to rotate to give variety. But, that would mean chosing foods that are "different" in meat proteins and other ingredients. Canidae and Innova are very close...chicken/turkey being the main meat proteins and also rice in both. So, it is great to rotate but you should look at foods that are not so close in composition.

Maybe next time try a fish, lamb, venison, etc. based food to give variety.

Just a suggestion...take it or leave it...[]

And a good one at that . . . I will be rotating more variety, but I am trying to find our "staple" first. He wasn't too excited about the canidae, so I figured I'd try something else.

Twin

Posted : 10/4/2006 7:06:23 PM

And a good one at that . . . I will be rotating more variety, but I am trying to find our "staple" first. He wasn't too excited about the canidae, so I figured I'd try something else.

Great to hear! I had my pup on Canidae for a little over a month (we went through one 20lb bag) and he went downhill fast. His poops were always great, but his coat went to crap and also he got eye boogers (which he had NEVER gotten before). So, I had to get rid of it fast! Also, he would only eat it if I added Innova EVO 95% canned...but that kinda goes for every kibble for him...he hates pretty much all kibbles. Anyway, Canidae is out for us! Innova is also an excellent food, but my pup would not touch it to save his life...would not even try the sample...so that one is out for us too!

I really hope your guy likes Innova and does well on it because it is an excellent food. I would suggest giving it a whirl. [

] Let us know how he likes it!

Shohin

Posted : 10/4/2006 7:13:29 PM

Well . . . so far I'm not too happy (neither is Winston). I started mixing the Innova (which is shaped like little triangles) into his Canidae (which are small little round pellets). I used about 1 full cup of canidae, and 1/4 cup of the innova and he literally began choking with every bite. I mean he eventually coughed it out, but this happened several times . . . enough to make me take it away from him out of fear of him completely choking. Basically, he's not chewing . . . just gulping because his adult teeth are coming in. Even soaking the kibble didnt help.

Any suggestions, or should I just try something other type of food?

Shohin

Posted : 10/4/2006 7:17:51 PM

ORIGINAL: Twin
. . . . His poops were always great, but his coat went to crap and also he got eye boogers . . .

Odd that you mention this because Winston gets eye boogers, and I'm guessing that his coat could be a bit nicer too. Maybe its the canidae?

Roxie865

Posted : 10/4/2006 7:25:00 PM

Roxie wasn't on Canidae or Innova (Large Breed Puppy) long enough for me to determine if her coat was benefitting. She had decent poops on Canidae, but the Innova gave her the worst diarrhea I've ever seen. It made me want to vomit. And I switched her very gradually on it. Some dogs can handle Innova and some cannot. Good luck!

Twin

Posted : 10/4/2006 7:39:21 PM

It could very well be the Canidae! [>:]

I had to rule out a food allergy with my pup because he was allergic to something in his food. I started to think it was wheat...but now I don't know if it is chicken and/or rice? Anyway, even when he was on other chicken/rice foods he did not look as bad as he did on Canidae. I don't know what it is about that food, but it really did not agree with my pup. His coat was absolutely gorgeous when he was on the Natural Balance Duck/Potato...and then literally went down to dull, greasy, smellier, etc. the second I switched him fully to Canidae. Also, the day he was on strictly Canidae he woke up with eye boogers! Which he has NEVER had in his life...and then the other eye got it too...it was horrible. Now that I switched him off of it he has no more eye boogers and his coat is improving greatly. I switched him to Timberwolf Organics Wilderness Elk, because it has a novel protein source (elk/salmon) and also no rice, wheat, corn, sunflower oil, etc. I also noticed that my boy tends to do better on foods with Salmon Oil v. Sunflower Oil...I don't know why, but that's what works better for him. CA Natural, Canidae, and Innova all use sunflower oil....and I wasn't impressed with CA Natural or Canidae.

Was he choking on the Canidae? If your boy is choking on the Innova, I would try something else...not worth the risk in my opinion. The kibbles are funny little triangles! I do not know where you are located, but I have been really impressed with Timberwolf Organics so far...I just order off of their website, makes it really easy and the food gets shipped right to my door. I do not have any local stores that carry it so I have to order it pretty much. But once again, I always mix canned in because my pup won't eat plain kibble unless he is practically famished...really annoying, but what can you do? [&o]

Shohin

Posted : 10/4/2006 9:38:32 PM

no he wasnt choking on the canidae . . . it had to have been the innova.

Jessie Adams

Posted : 10/5/2006 12:28:39 AM

Both Rylie and Chloe did awful while on Innova Puppy... they had horrible gas and diarhhea. Madison did really well, though. Innova is a great food, but certain foods just don't work out with certain dogs.

Christine Langley

Posted : 10/5/2006 7:18:25 AM

My Eli does fine on Innova but he really doesn't like it. He doesn't seem to enjoy any dry food no matter what I mix it with. Most canned food he'll eat the first time and then snub his nose after that. I swear I don't know what I'm going to do with him. You can e-mail most of the manufacturer's and ask for samples. They are great about sending them. I've gotten them from Canidae, Innova, Nature's Variety, Evanger's (they sent whole cans of their food), Nutro, Chicken soup, and Timberwolf (had to pay $10.00 for eight sample packs). I'm waiting on Royal Canin. So far I haven't found one he truly likes.

Pam

Posted : 10/5/2006 1:21:08 PM

Lola has eye boogers on Innova Puppy and pretty sure she had them on Canidae. Her coat is nice and soft on Innova. I'm not sure sure what that is all about...Yes, she has a cherry eye,, but her "good" eye gets it as well.

Jessie Adams

Posted : 10/5/2006 6:59:46 PM

ORIGINAL: chritty

My Eli does fine on Innova but he really doesn't like it. He doesn't seem to enjoy any dry food no matter what I mix it with. Most canned food he'll eat the first time and then snub his nose after that. I swear I don't know what I'm going to do with him. You can e-mail most of the manufacturer's and ask for samples. They are great about sending them. I've gotten them from Canidae, Innova, Nature's Variety, Evanger's (they sent whole cans of their food), Nutro, Chicken soup, and Timberwolf (had to pay $10.00 for eight sample packs). I'm waiting on Royal Canin. So far I haven't found one he truly likes.

Letting your dog snub his nose at all of these foods is actually creating a picky eater. If you stay with one food, your dog will eat it eventually. Dogs do not starve themselves, and until you stick with one food your dog will continue to wait for something better to come along.