Food rotations

It's basically when you switch brands (or flavour) of food every bag, month, etc. Whatever works for the individual. People do this in belief that it will balance out the nutrients over time, give the dog variety, give the dog less chance of developing allergies and mimmick a more natural diet, where they get different foods all the time. With the switches, more people switch between different proteins, carbs, etc.

I rotate within my brand(s)

Each bag of kibble, we get a different flavor. This time we're using the Blue Buffalo Wilderness,  last bag was lamb, next will be the fish. Casey seems to enjoy the variety.

I also use (usally) a variety of the EVO canned foods. I use mostly the 95% meats, but I also use some of the others too.

I think it's beneficial to use different carb and protein sources. JMO though =]

I used to switch up every bag, just about (which meant about two weeks' worth here!) - except for Ben of course.  I just did it because I was always looking for the Holy Grail of food - not sure WHAT I was looking for but I just liked trying the Latest and Greatest.  Many believe that rotation ensures that the dog isn't deprived of something or oversupplied on something from having the same thing given day in and day out - but my feeling is the it's not a necessity if a) the dog is doing well on the food and b) the food's already balanced.  I do think it is beneficial to change things up enough so that the dog doesn't become picky, or his system doesn't get too sensitive to change.  But, you can do that by simply staying with the same food and adding a variety of fresh foods too. 

brookcove

but my feeling is the it's not a necessity if a) the dog is doing well on the food and b) the food's already balanced

That's why I stay in the same brand. I have thought about switching, just to SEE... but he's doing SO well on the food he's on - why risk it? He gets a variety of 'fresh' things added to his dinner and thoughout the day as well. He likes his veggies. haha

I feed a combo of kibble, canned and fresh (1/3rd each).   It takes us about 2 months to go through a 4 lb bag of kibble but I do get something different each time.    The canned is rotated between 4 flavors of Wellness;  I think I'm going to add something else in there going forward since the vitamins / minerals in the Wellness are all very similar so there's not enough "variety" and "opportunity to balance" (I'm sure its because I'm a mental case and that sticking with the 4 varieties is just fine !).    Fresh foods vary daily - always a tablespoon of pureed veggies and 2 oz of fresh meat (nice having a 13 lb dog !) but the meat rotates and is made up of whatever low fat meat I've made for the humans.

 I think rotation is a nice theory and if the dog doesn't have illnesses, sensitivities or allergies its not going to hurt and may actually help.   If there are medical issues or allergies then all bets are off - in those cases I'd stick to limited ingredient or homemade foods specifically to address the issue and not even think about rotating.

brookcove

 I just did it because I was always looking for the Holy Grail of food - not sure WHAT I was looking for but I just liked trying the Latest and Greatest. 

Same here!!

I'm a firm believer, in believing rotation helps prevent upset tummies at the slightest nibble of something different.

So many of my relatives dogs get sick at the slightest change of something new added to their food, and or they're very picky due to eating the same thing day after day.

My dogs never get sick due to any kind of new food, but they also get rotated between chicken, turkey, beef, beef heart, etc on an every week or every two week basis, they get lots of yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, and will eat every vegetable known to man.

I don't eat the same thing day after day, but I don't see a problem with using say the same dry kibble if it's working for the dog, as long as he gets something different added in several times a week, so that he's not eating JUST the same dry food protein source over and over again.

I also believe that too long of an exposure to the same protein/carb sources can cause intolerances to build to those sources.

I'm a firm believer, in believing rotation helps prevent upset tummies at the slightest nibble of something different.

So many of my relatives dogs get sick at the slightest change of something new added to their food, and or they're very picky due to eating the same thing day after day.

agree totally! also think one should rotate between brands of food, not just between "flavors". We know so little about nutrition. What if Brand A accidently left out some micronutrient but it's present in Brand B? so if you feed only Brand A after ten years your dog's immune system isn't working optimally due to depletion of the micronutrient? or Brand B has a minute amount of some toxin in it but Brand A doesn't? if you feed only Brand B after ten years your dog has gotten enough of that toxin into its system to trigger kidney dysfunction.

I don't really care either way.  I think rotating is a good idea but I don't always do it myself.  Enough people feed their dogs grocery store crap and have dogs that live 12, 14+ years that I am not overly concerned, since my dogs have no known allergies or health problems.  I can't afford to feed myself the best, healthiest diet with a ton of variety and yet I am fit and healthy and all my bloodwork comes back in the best ranges possible.  I pick dog kibbles that are 4 or 5 stars on the kibble review site.  My dogs often get a random variety of table scraps, training treats, bones, or other supplements so it's not like they get NO variety.  Right now all three of my dogs eat the same kibble and they've been on it for a while but in the past year, my dogs have been on Canidae, Natural Balance, and California Natural.

I only just started rotating regularly earlier this year.  Previously I would just bounce back and forth between regular EVO and red meat EVO.  Now I am bouncing between the premium brands -- my only requirement is that they be grain free, although I do also look for sweet potato as it seems to make a big difference in my dogs' ability to form solid poo's.

The last bag was Natural Balance fish & sweet potato --- This bag is Taste of the Wild buffalo & venison.

Liesje

 Enough people feed their dogs grocery store crap and have dogs that live 12, 14+ years that I am not overly concerned, since my dogs have no known allergies or health problems. 

 I've seen this too, dogs living a long time on grocery store crap, however, they're not very healthy when you really look at their teeth, ears, skin, I've run into thousands of dogs on grocery store foods, they are the reason vets get major business IMHO.

Cal Natural and Innova products are excellent foods, and FAR from grocery store brands, so you're doing just fine by your pups.

I don't feed my dogs the BEST diet, most would say that would be considered raw, but I have found out that homecooking for them is actually cheaper then when I was feeding Innova, Cal Natural, as it fills them up longer and they have more endurance.

I'm out to *prevent* allergies and health issues from ever happening in the first place, as much as I can anyways.

I don't eat the best diet either, as I work outside driving from house to house, or over the extent of 120 miles doing electric, gas, phone line underground locates, you get HUNGRY doing a lot of walking. I tend to nibble on anything and everything, and sometimes even get lazy the day before and don't pack a lunch, meaning I get either Sonic, Burger King, etc....not so good.

But, I do eat a lot of homecooked meals, and feel better when I do, rather then a whopper from BK that doesn't stick around for long. My bloodwork is excellent too, and I'm skinny as a rail, but that doesn't mean my arteries are 100% clean. I have to be careful as heart-disease runs in my family. 

I think overall, it's diet, environment, and LACK of vaccinations that keep a dog looking and feeling healthy for the long haul, I ONLY vaccinate thru the puppy months, and then during their first year, after that they only get rabies every 3yrs.  

I used to rotate religiously, every 3 months, between brands.  Now I don't.  My dogs skin and coats have never, ever looked better than they do on the Blue, the shedding is non-existant (and I've got german shedders).  I do rotate the protein source within Blue, but I also homecook and that changes from pot to pot, is completely grain free and well balanced, but never the same thing twice in a row.

since we're talking about rotations and allergies - I haven't fed any foods that have buffalo or pork.    I'm saving those in case an allergy develops to any of the proteins I have fed.    I'd hate to have to resort to one of the more exotic meats (read:  expensive !) if I had to do an elimination diet.

 I've seen this too, dogs living a long time on grocery store crap, however, they're not very healthy when you really look at their teeth, ears, skin, I've run into thousands of dogs on grocery store foods, they are the reason vets get major business IMHO.

yeah I see this all the time. Our local vet who heavily pushes Science Diet gets a lot of business. Also you get dogs who if you ask the owner what they eat they say something like "kibbles n bits" and you wonder why the dog looks ok, then you find out upon questioning the dog does get kibbles n bits but also gets heavily supplemented with fresh foods.