rotating food

I don't think they crave it either...I just think they enjoy a "new" surprise

  This is  why I dont like EP, I have always heard and have read it on here a dozen times that corn is just not that  good for dogs and can bring on allergies, I just read on here the other day  that beet pulp and tomato pomace are cheap ingredients. I know a lot of people use it and it and like it, i'm not saying it's a bad food I just dont care for whats in it.
[linkhttp://www.eaglepack.com/index.html][size=1]Eagle Pack[/link][linkhttp://www.eaglepack.com/index.html]®[/link][/size]
Corn - Whole Ground
•  Corn Germ Meal
•  Corn and Rice Gluten
Beet Pulp
• Tomato Pomace

When I switched to Innova, it was because Zoe lacked interest in her old food.  She ate it but was not wiggling the butt for it like she had been.  I was thinking of switching anyway, so the timing was good.  I want to prevent this from happening again, so rotating will help.  She even got a little less interested in her Innova (around the time she was sick 2 weeks ago) and the vet said to add warm water.  Now, with the water, the butt wiggles again.  I asked the vet if we should continue with the water or if she will get the idea whenever she stops eating we will change her.  He said keep with the water if I don't mind doing it.  I don't and this way I know she gets some water in her because she is not much of a drinker in general.  So, I'd like to rotate on my own before Zoe's lack of interest causes it.  The vet said some get "bored" but if a dog is hungry, it will eat.  I choose to do the rotation for my own comfort because I freek out worrying  if she doesn't want to eat! hehe.

Corn is not the first ingredient in EP. Depending ,on the kind you get it could be lamb, sardine, chicken, etc...I believe if corn is the first ingredient then you have a problem. I don't know about the beet pulp or tomato, but I don't think theres enough of it in EP to hurt anyone.

I was wondering, why rotate when you can just mix 2 different foods together? Does anyone here do that? Just curious 'cause I'm kind of considering doing it.

I was wondering, why rotate when you can just mix 2 different foods together? Does anyone here do that? Just curious 'cause I'm kind of considering doing it

 
 Here is a link explaining why it's not recommended:
 
           [linkhttp://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/do_not_mix_dog_food_brands.htm]http://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/do_not_mix_dog_food_brands.htm[/link]

".....so no there is no one food that will work for every dog.  Doesn't make the food bad, or less anything, just means that it isn't the ideal food for THAT dog "
 
   I agree with Glenda 100%.  Jessie does great with the Eagle Holistic line of kibble. She has more energy and a softer, shinier coat that when she was being fed Nutro. If she wasn't allergic to chicken I would definitely try Innova or Canidae because a lot of members use those foods and are very happy with them. I do rotate the Eagle Holistic  fish, duck, and lamb because I think it's important to provide a variety of protein sources, and I supplement with homecooking.

ORIGINAL: jessies_mom

I was wondering, why rotate when you can just mix 2 different foods together? Does anyone here do that? Just curious 'cause I'm kind of considering doing it

Here is a link explaining why it's not recommended:

          [linkhttp://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/do_not_mix_dog_food_brands.htm]http://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/do_not_mix_dog_food_brands.htm[/link]

Thanks for the link. [] I read it, very interesting and I understand why not to mix.

   You're welcome .[]  When I read it, it seemed to make sense.

Actually, I have to disagree with the mixing food thing.  I recently asked my professor this, and she said that there is no way you can create deficiencies or excess from mixing foods.  Adding two foods together with a certain ratio of calcium (for example) would get the ratio of the average of the two; they wouldn't "add up" on top of each other.  She said if they both correctly fit the dog's nutrient requirements, it is fine....after all, you can mix canned and kibble, right?

  Interesting, and since this is from a professor teaching animal nutrition it's probably more accurate than the source I referrenced. For mixing kibble and canned I always use the same brand of food for both because I thought they had the same nutrient profiles; am I wrong about that?

Wow!!  All these posts in this thead and no one has accused anyone of trying to kill their dog.  What is this forum coming to?  []

OK you asked for it!! []  Billy, you don't love your dog enough, you're trying to kill him and you just aren't a very nice person.[sm=rofl.gif][sm=rofl.gif][sm=rofl.gif][sm=rofl.gif]

Oh Billy, you had to go and say that didn't you?  []

I was curious about all you folks that change foods frequently.  How do you do the switch?  We just feed one kibble and have been for a few years.... I know that if you change they say mix a little of one with the new to prevent gastric distress, so do you do that?  And how often do you rotate?  Once a year?  Every month?  etc....

  The switch I do isn't as drastic? (not a good choice of words) since the Eagle Holistic formulas are pretty similar. When I first started rotating the formulas I did the switch gradualy over a week's time, adding a little more of the new food and a little less of the old food each day, but now I go from one to the other without the transition period since she's used to all of them and has no roblems with the switch. I buy 16 pound bags and each one lasts about 3 weeks(she is 65 pounds); and I rotate when it's time for a new bag. I'm sure others will be along who switch between different brands to explain how they do it.

    "  Wow!!  All these posts in this thead and no one has accused anyone of trying to kill their dog.  What is this forum coming to?  [] "  [sm=rofl.gif] [sm=rofl.gif] [sm=rofl.gif]