Rotating Kibble???

• 01-17-2008 11:12 AM

  Sunshinegirl Joined on 05-03-2007 Florida, USA Posts 1,540 Points 565

  Rotating Kibble??? Reply Contact I see that many of you rotate kibble.  I'm just curious if you slowly incorporate it into their diet each time, as most vets recommend, or do you just do a hard switch?  Obviously my concern is digestive issues. I am also curious why this practice is done? Is it primarily for variety?  Abbie will not Orijen Fish Formula - Layla will eat just about anything, she's my little miss piggy!! I also home cook, but I want them to have some kibble each day for the crunch and the nutrients. (I also give them a multi-vitamin each day).   Both of them could stand to lose a couple of lbs, so I'm also curious if there is a palatable lower calorie kibble that is high in nutirents and also grain free??  Am I asking for too much???   Thanks! Sunshine Girl

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• 01-17-2008 11:17 AM

  In reply to Sunshinegirl

  Jewlieee Joined on 03-23-2007 MI Posts 7,307 Points 4,610	Re: Rotating Kibble??? Reply Contact I don't do a hard switch - that is just asking for explosive poo. I gradually switch over the course of 1-2 weeks. I don't change foods often though.
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• 01-17-2008 12:05 PM

  In reply to Sunshinegirl

  brookcove Joined on 09-10-2007 Semora, North Carolina, USA Posts 5,632 Points 695

  Re: Rotating Kibble??? Reply Contact  Like most things, it depends on the dog.  I used to have a dog with a really touchy tummy.  I wouldn't switch cold turkey on her for the world.  I still rotated though because I believe rather strongly in the need for variety.  I got her to the point where I could get away with switching cold, in an emergency - with a big dose of fiber and probiotics. All the rest of my dogs, even my problem dog Ben, have iron stomachs.  They never eat the same thing from meal to meal, much less week in week out.  One dog I do have to go easy if I'm increasing his protein/fat levels dramatically from meal to meal - but at the moment he's on Core plus raw meaty bones, so it's hard to go much higher than that (except if he gets more fat he does get a little off, as he is on the Reduced Fat). Rescues who have been on trashy food start on Canidae Platinum, which accustoms them to the higher quality proteins while soothing the gut.  Then I start a two week transition to the raw/high energy kibble (30/20 or higher) diet I use here for the working dogs.  Most do just fine and don't need a longer switch than that, even though I might be going from Kibbles n Bits to Diamond Naturals plus RMBs, as I just finished doing with Corrie Dubh, my most recent rescue/trainee.  Becca Shouse: Irena Farm, Semora, NC Cord, Ted, Gus, Zhi, Maggie, Lynn, Lu, Min and Tully - and Sam! Waiting: Bubo & Ben http://irenafarm.blogspot.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/irenafarm?ref=profile

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• 01-17-2008 12:43 PM

  In reply to brookcove

  racuda Joined on 09-10-2007 Central North Carolina, in the middle of the woods Posts 233 Points 265	Re: Rotating Kibble??? Reply Contact Rotating provides a balance of nutrients, keeps their interest up and their palett whetted. Since my pack has cast iron stomachs we switch cold turkey after every bag. The current rotation is Orijen, EVO, Artemis. ……
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• 01-17-2008 2:40 PM

  In reply to racuda

  Pit_Pointer_Aussie Joined on 04-13-2007 Upstate New York Posts 1,525 Points 125	Re: Rotating Kibble??? Reply Contact  I also do cold turkey switches, but add some pumpkin for the first few days just to be sure nobody has an upset tummy.
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• 01-17-2008 3:38 PM

  In reply to Pit_Pointer_Aussie

  Liesje Joined on 03-02-2007 Posts 9,907 Points 655

  Re: Rotating Kibble??? Reply Contact I rotate to prevent allergies and just my gut feeling that it's better to rotate than for a dog to eat the same commercial kibble his entire life (even a good quality one).  Neither dog has any allergies and I'm doing my darnedest to keep it that way. I have been feeding Nature's Variety Prairie which both of my dogs do really great on.  The best thing about this line is that there's about six different "flavors", all with a different protein and carb source, but the nutritional balance and properties are the same so you can rotate cold turkey.  It's a little pricey, however, so right now we are rotating in Canidae ALS and they are doing fine on that.  I think my rotation will be between the NV Prairie and the Canidae varieties.  If Canidae had more variety in the protein and carb sources, I'd stick to that brand but there's only like 3 kinds and they overlap ingredients. I've tried Solid Gold Barking at the Moon and Innova EVO.  Kenya liked BATM, but she lost even more weight and her poop was runny.  EVO gave her diarrhea after every feeding so I donated the bag.  I think those super-premiums are just too rich for her, she does better with something that has a grain like rice, potato, millet, etc (as do the Canidae and NV Prairie).  http://vankelderdogs.dutchbingo.net http://www.schhmi.com

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• 01-17-2008 6:26 PM

  In reply to Liesje

  oranges81 Joined on 10-13-2007 BC Canada Posts 3,617 Points 250

  Re: Rotating Kibble??? Reply Contact Maze gets the same brand, EVO, but because it comes with different flavors, I usually just change the flavor but stick with the same brand. She's pretty picky when it comes to her food so when she eats without a problem, I'm not willing to change it just to give her a variety.  ~Kitty Train early, train often, train with no pain The most powerful feeling is the knowing you belong, and you are right were you should be It’s Love when you can watch them love another person, smile and say “I’m happy for you” when inside you want to die. "...you will be positively the most fearsome pirates in the Spanish Main." "Not just the Spanish Main, love. The entire ocean. The entire world. Wherever we want to go, we'll go. That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a hull and a deck, and sails, that's what a ship needs. But what a ship is, what the Black Pearl really is...is freedom." Jack Sparrow "Why is the rum gone??" - Jack Sparrow

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• 01-17-2008 6:26 PM

  In reply to Liesje

  mudpuppy Joined on 09-10-2007 Posts 5,991 Points 100

  Re: Rotating Kibble??? Reply Contact it's mostly done because it's hard to believe any particular bag of kibble is actually "balanced and complete"- if you rotate, and rotate often, you're more likely to actually provide all necessary nutrients and avoid over-dose of the toxins that are present at very low levels in all foods. I personally change cold-turkey, I think "digestive upset" is an artifact caused by feeding the same food day in day out for weeks- if you offer variety daily your dogs don't have problems with it. If you want lower-calorie per cup grain-free foods, try wellnesscore reduced fat, premium edge weight loss formula, taste of the wild.

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• 01-17-2008 6:49 PM

  In reply to Sunshinegirl

  FussyPoodles Joined on 12-13-2007 Posts 71 Points 0

  Re: Rotating Kibble??? Reply Contact Sunshinegirl: I see that many of you rotate kibble.  I'm just curious if you slowly incorporate it into their diet each time, as most vets recommend, or do you just do a hard switch?  Obviously my concern is digestive issues. I've got 2 poodles with digestive tracts that come with a special high sensitivity warning attached. *G* Since I don't feed kibble as their main diet (see below) but as a supplementary feed, I have never bothered with a slow intro. It wouldn't be practical anyway - it takes ages to get through even a small bag. Strangely, despite all their sensitivities, they have never ever had a problem with any kibble. The dry food seems to suit them - at least in the small amounts they get. I'm guessing that if kibble was their only food, there might well be issues. I feed a variety of kibbles every day; they sometimes don't fancy one but the other ... I give them a choice and they pick what they want. That way everybody is happy. Therefore I always have several bags open simultaneously. I'm paranoid about food going off, or losing nutrients over time once it's exposed to air (oils oxidizing etc.) - so I keep virtually all the kibble bags in the freezer and only pull them out to top up the glass jars with a weekly supply. Works great for us.   I also home cook, but I want them to have some kibble each day for the crunch and the nutrients. (I also give them a multi-vitamin each day). I home-cook too. Kibble accounts for about 1 third of their diet. With small dogs in particular, kibble is very helpful (nutrient-dense) to get maximum nutrition into their little bodies. I don't give any multi (all the necessary supplements are incorporated into the home-cooked) - but I do give extra Vit B every day; plus EFAs in the form of oils; and probiotics.  Both of them could stand to lose a couple of lbs, so I'm also curious if there is a palatable lower calorie kibble that is high in nutirents and also grain free??  Am I asking for too much???   Definitely not asking too much I keep Wellness Core  Reduced Fat on hand: http://www.omhpet.com/wellness/dog_wellness_grain_reduced.html   It has only 350 calories per cup, which is pretty good for a high quality nutrient-dense kibble. I don't know of course whether your dogs would find it palatable ... but I've got extremely picky eaters here, and they do eat it. They prefer the regular, higher-fat formula of course - but the RF formula is obviously tasty enough. I offer it as a 'snack' and they consider it a crunchy treat or 'dessert' after the cooked food.  Britta and the fussy toy poodles

  Filed under: Wellness Core, reduced fat, kibble rotation Post Points: 0

• 01-17-2008 11:19 PM

  In reply to Jewlieee

  snownose Joined on 09-29-2006 Michigan to Southeast Posts 5,178 Points 405

  Re: Rotating Kibble??? Reply Contact Jewlieee: I don't do a hard switch - that is just asking for explosive poo. I gradually switch over the course of 1-2 weeks. I don't change foods often though.  That is basically how I work it......I basically keep the side ingredients interesting.......cooked ground beef/roast, cooked pork, cooked chicken, fish cooked /canned, cottage cheese, eggs, cheese, veggies.......

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• 01-19-2008 10:19 PM

  In reply to Sunshinegirl

  TAOofGoldyShep Joined on 10-22-2006 Posts 1,339 Points 10	Re: Rotating Kibble??? Reply Contact We rotate kibble for all the same reasons as already mentioned. One of our three has a sensitive digestive system, so we typically make the switch over a 3 - 7 day period depending on the brand and formula rotating to. Innova EVO (no grain) has a reduced-fat formula. I believe it comes in small or large bites, as well.
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• 01-19-2008 11:26 PM

  In reply to TAOofGoldyShep

  Dog_ma Joined on 06-25-2007 San Diego County, California Posts 1,389 Points 860

  Re: Rotating Kibble??? Reply Contact  Is there a particular advantage to rotating kibble versus keeping the same kibble and supplementing with a variety of add ons? Sasha gets something yummy added to her evening kibble. It varies - chicken, cottage cheese, beef, egg, wet food, tripe, broth etc ... also any leftovers that are dog friendly. She also gets fish oil every day. "Are you a dog trainer?" "No, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night."

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• 01-19-2008 11:53 PM

  In reply to Dog_ma

  houndlove Joined on 08-28-2006 Pittsburgh, PA, USA Posts 4,054 Points 995

  Re: Rotating Kibble??? Reply Contact Dog_ma:  Is there a particular advantage to rotating kibble versus keeping the same kibble and supplementing with a variety of add ons? Sasha gets something yummy added to her evening kibble. It varies - chicken, cottage cheese, beef, egg, wet food, tripe, broth etc ... also any leftovers that are dog friendly. She also gets fish oil every day.     I'm wondering this as well. We typically stick with the same kibble, but I also supplement with a lot of "whole foods" in addition to their kibble. Chicken, beef, lamb, yogurt, vegetables, food roll, liver, sardines, eggs, and assorted healthy table scraps every now and again.  Are they getting the same kind of benefit as from rotating kibble? Cressida and her best friends:

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• 01-20-2008 8:08 AM

  In reply to houndlove

  NikoAwesomo Joined on 04-18-2007 Phoenix, AZ Posts 294 Points 15

  Re: Rotating Kibble??? Reply Contact houndlove: Dog_ma:  Is there a particular advantage to rotating kibble versus keeping the same kibble and supplementing with a variety of add ons? Sasha gets something yummy added to her evening kibble. It varies - chicken, cottage cheese, beef, egg, wet food, tripe, broth etc ... also any leftovers that are dog friendly. She also gets fish oil every day.     I'm wondering this as well. We typically stick with the same kibble, but I also supplement with a lot of "whole foods" in addition to their kibble. Chicken, beef, lamb, yogurt, vegetables, food roll, liver, sardines, eggs, and assorted healthy table scraps every now and again.  Are they getting the same kind of benefit as from rotating kibble?   Me three.... I do supplement with a lof of fresh foods.  I still rotate kibble (every 30 to 40 lb bag) to make it interesting for my lab and (for me) to keep up with the development in nutrition for him.  For example, the current kibble he is getting has no white rice.  It has oatmeal and brown rice.  The previous kibble has brown rice and white rice.  With everything else pretty much the same (guaranteed analysis, ingredients, the amount I give in term of calories), my lab is not making mounts and mounts of poops when he is not eating white rice.

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• 01-20-2008 8:49 AM

  In reply to NikoAwesomo

  glenmar Joined on 09-10-2007 The Florida Panhandle Posts 13,489 Points 405

  Re: Rotating Kibble??? Reply Contact The reason that the Whole Dog Journal suggests rotating food is that one might have a bit too much or too little of a trace mineral and by rotating, you have a better chance of the dog getting what he needs. I rotate 3, maybe 4 times a year.  But, I also homecook and their protein source changes weekly....actually more than that since I do two pots a week, and each has different veggies and meat.  So even if they eat one entire batch instead of switching back and forth between the two, they are still getting a change at least every few days. My dogs have cast iron stomachs, despite the warning that gsds have "sensitive tummies".  I can cold switch without issue, but it's recommended that you ease them into the new food. A house without fur is not a home. Glenda ,

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