Kibble Shape - Wellness Core Reduced Fat

 Dunno, but regular Wellness Core is pyramid shaped.

JoAnnDe

I tend to break the kibble in half which won't work with the pyramid shapes.     Is the Core Reduced Fat the pyramid shape also ?   

Hi JoAnn,

yes, all Cores are pyramid. The RF is quite a crunchy kibble (due to the low fat).

Does Prancer have dental issues - sensitive gums? My girl does and struggles with most regular type kibble (too hard).
She does find the Ocean Core soft enough though, so I'm pleased that one works for her.

If Prancer finds the RF a bit tough to chew, you could chop it for him. I've done that in the past (with the Core original formula) for my girl. I use a cleaver or similar heavy, large-blade knife or chopper and just chop-chop roughly. 

Thanks everyone.   I was hoping it wasn't pyramid shaped.   I'll have to get a sample and see how many kibbles fit into a 1/3rd of a cup -- its going to be alot less in number then she's currently getting (1/3 cup NatBal Fish & SwPot).     I can go back to the dehydrated organic fruit bits (in the babyfood aisle) to augment the number and make up the difference.

Prancer has no issues with her teeth and gums.  The only reason I tend to cut the current kibble in half is that it gives me double the number of treats.  

I wonder if Wellness believes there's some benefit to the pyramid shape or if they do it to give them a definite identity (ie: you look in a dogs food bowl and KNOW if its Wellness or not without having to ask).   

I'll have to get a sample and see how many kibbles fit into a 1/3rd of a cup

I'm curious why you need to do this?  Is it to estimate nutrient density?  The best way to do this is to compare kcals/kg for each food.  That way if the issue is that she will only eat a certain volume of food (been there! ), you'll  at least have a preview of whether that amount of food will meet her energy needs.

brookcove

I'll have to get a sample and see how many kibbles fit into a 1/3rd of a cup

I'm curious why you need to do this?  Is it to estimate nutrient density?  The best way to do this is to compare kcals/kg for each food.  That way if the issue is that she will only eat a certain volume of food (been there! ), you'll  at least have a preview of whether that amount of food will meet her energy needs.

Although its officially part of daily diet it kibble is only given as treats or for training (to Prancer they're yum-yum COOKIES !!! LOL).   So I want to see how many 'treats' I get out of the Wellness vs the current Natural Balance kibble.    If the number of treats is significantly less then I'll augment with the dehydrated organic fruit bits (in the babyfood aisle).    I know I treat her too frequently but she's happy and I'm happy she's happy LOL 

Oh, hey, I'm all for that!  I did the same thing when Zhi was a puppy.  I'd heard horror stories of how Chinese cresteds were impossible to housetrain, so we went out about twenty times a day (seriously, about every thirty minutes), and she got a treat if she pottied, and then if she pottied on command (but not if she went without the command, and then if she went on command, right away, in the "potty spot".  She never had a problem with house training and I have no problem taking her to all kinds of places, hotels, etc.

We used the Evo kibbles, what are now called small bites though then it was all they made. 

Have you looked at Eagle Pack Holistic?  I have only tried the puppy, but I think they make a Toy breed, and the puppy formula was these itty-bitty balls about the size of those silver candy balls they use to decorate cupcakes.   

The Core Reduced Fat will have the same amount of - ahem - tetrahedrons *ducking and running* but you can feed more of them because 1/3 a cup of the Reduced Fat Core will have less energy than the regular or Ocean (which are about the same).

I think it would be quite difficult to cut a wellness core RF kibble in half.

mudpuppy

I think it would be quite difficult to cut a wellness core RF kibble in half.

OK, I tried it.  Actually, it was the Ocean since that's all I have on hand.  I took pictures but I seem to have misplaced my USB cable for my camera.  You'll just have to imagine the super cool illustrations that go with my experiment.

I divided my victims into two groups.  The first group I used my way cool meat cleaver (every kitchen needs one).  It sliced them easily.  By the way, I'm such a smarty pants, I said these were tetrahedrons, not pyramids - actually they are neither.  They are extended triangles, with two opposing triangular surfaces bounded by three quadrangular surfaces.  So, I was able to set them up on a side and start at the point and easily divide them lengthwise.

The second group was put into a snack baggie and I used my mini meat mallet on them.  Just one sharp rap each.  Again, they divided easily with surprisingly little crumbliness.  I got two to four usable chunks off each kibble.

A hammer would do as well for method number two,  but for the first approach you definitely want a sharp heavy knife.

Can you tell we are very heavy into the science and geometry this quarter in homeschool?   

Oh gosh - I know I couldn't cut them.  I was thinking more about crushing to "make more treats".

Prancer has an issue with too much fat in her diet so I need to keep her at 200% of the NRC.    Canned foods are quite high in fat, but since the 1/3rd homecooked is low or no fat meat with a teaspoon of veggie mush I can still use canned.    Kibble with fat in the 11% range works into all this superbly, which is what the Core RF is.    I'm also on a mission to only use foods where the company can supply me with the complete nutrional analysis (which is why I "have to" switch from the NB Fish/SwPot I'm using).    No "real" reason other then I want to make sure these folks know they've lost a customer because they can't tell me the nutrient levels in them --- how could they NOT have it available.    Canidae is the only company that said they had it but wouldn't send it directly to retail customers - they'll only send it to the vet with a confidentiality agreement !!  RIDICULOUS, so they've lost me as a customer also (one of the canned in my rotation).  

SO - finding a moderate fat kibble where the company has the complete nutrient analysis has been quite a chore (which I don't feel it should be !).    Hence the switch to Wellness Core Reduced fat.

(yes - I'm insane, but I think we knew that already)

JoAnnDe

Thanks everyone.   I was hoping it wasn't pyramid shaped.   I'll have to get a sample and see how many kibbles fit into a 1/3rd of a cup  

I can go count 1/3 cup of the Ocean - lemme finish my pizza :)

sl2crmeg

JoAnnDe

Thanks everyone.   I was hoping it wasn't pyramid shaped.   I'll have to get a sample and see how many kibbles fit into a 1/3rd of a cup  

I can go count 1/3 cup of the Ocean - lemme finish my pizza :)

I counted about 85 in 1/3 c. of the Ocean :)

 I've not seen the Ocean, but I have some of the RF on hand. They look like they'd crumble easily into powder if you tried a hammer or knife on them. I'll try it later and tell you what happened. Can count 1/3 cup too and see if it comes out the same as Ocean.