Lettuce talk dog food.

[Jesda]

I've tried several different brands with my beagle over the years. He no longer has a sensitive stomach but his skin reacts poorly to corn and soy.


The cheap stuff makes him itchy and dries his coat. However, it firms up his stool so he can naturally relieve his anal glands.

The more expensive higher protein stuff has no corn or soy which gives him a beautiful shine but his poops are too soft, causing him discomfort at his butthole because soft poops keep the glands from discharging with each bowel movement.


Is there a premium dog food out there that does both? I suppose if I had to compromise, I'd pick the premium food and have the groomer release his glands manually each week, but there has to be a food-based solution, right? It seems like I'm forced to choose between two forms of discomfort.


Thanks!

[gwoods]

I have a 4 year old 150lb 6' tall Great Dane. I feed him natures domain from costco I have him on the salmon flavor and the turkey flavor. The bags are 35lbs and cost between $28 and $33 per bag.

I also feed him raw eggs about three times per week.
I also feed him cooked basmanti rice about two cups uncooked a week.

I'm 6' 3" 195 here he is licking my ear

[float_6969]

My wife was in the veterinary field (Vet Tech and has some certification in Veterinary Diet that I don't remember what it was called) before she started staying at home with the kiddo. As long as you stick with the vet brands (science diet, iVet, etc.) you're going to be OK to experiement with different kinds and find something that works. Also, talk to the vet about the issue. They'll often be able to look at the labels and find something that will help your situation. ie; We had an OEB who would have TERRIBLY loose stools if he didn't get fed this puppy formula dog food. And it wasn't just puppy formula. It was a particular brand of puppy formula. Dog food is REALLY varied. More than I realized before I met my wife. Don't be afraid to experiment, but realize that most dogs need to eat a particular food for at least a week or so for their digestive system to stabilize before you really know how it will work.

That's the extent of my second hand knowledge regarding pet foods, so don't take it as gospel.

[frapjap]

What happened to that steady diet of cheeseburgers & bacon you were giving him?



Lindsey buys Nature's Recipe dry food for Cassie. For the most part their product line is grain free, aside from rice- and they'll call out which food is which on the bag. Ours is pretty healthy and has no loose stools or anything of the sort. Its kinda expensive, but Newton is small and will eat less than Cassie. They have a sale at Petco right now because new flavors came out and they're doing a close out on the old flavors.
http://www.petco.com/N_22_92_256/Dog-Fo ... uresRecipe

Like Gwoods, we also give her cheese, rice, and raw eggs a few times a month. Usually mixed in with her dry food.

[Rogue One]

You didn't say which brands you've tried so far. Currently, my fur kids get Taste of the Wild. Dogs can suffer from some of the same digestive issues that humans do. I had a male Greyhound that could only eat ProPlan Turkey and Barley, as everything else gave him the Hershey squirts.

[gwoods]

I'm sure you know but when your switching mix old food and new food. I got my dog at 4 months old and he was on adult purina and had the most rediculous projection diaries you could imagine. I did blue buffalo for a couple months and it got better but not great. I joined a Great Dane forum and the insane Dane owners who didn't make their own food were using the natures domain from costco. I tried it it worked and it's cheap.

You can also give them raw or canned pumpkin. If you do canned make sure it has no sugar added. It dhoukd just be pumpkin and water. Pumpkin does a great job firming things up. Plus with my dog a mini pumpkin can just be tossed out into the yard for him to completely shred and devour.

Never give your dog rawhide. They have trouble digesting it.

Does this car make my dog look big?




Show and tell at pre-k



Picture from last year 130lbs in this picture

[numbnuts240]

you could try fish oil supplements to help with the dry skin and coat issues you're having.

[frapjap]

I'm sure you know but when your switching mix old food and new food.

Forgot all about that! Yes, that is a super important step. We do that even if the flavor changes.
Did you find your dane as a puppy at a rescue? He looks awesome. Full breed Great Dane, or is there some other mix in there, too?

[MaximA32]

Funny you bring this up, I'm debating on switching Loki to a different food other than the Natural Balance he's been eating for the last 13 months. I've never had an issue with Natural Balance but they were recently sold to Del Monte Foods and I worry about the quality. We used to feed our Lab mix Call of the Wild since she had a grain allergy but it was a little pricey.

We feed the other pup a new brand but I can't remember the name of it for the life of me. I'll report back when I get home tonight.

In the meantime, here's Loki, all 85lbs of him as he is at 19 months. Still some growth left I think..

[darylzero]

My Lab gets Fromm Beef Frittata. http://frommfamily.com/products/four-st ... ttata-veg/

It is expensive, but his coat is amazing and he does has a sensitive stomach from eating too many sticks as a youngin', plus my Vet recommends it highly. Apparently dogs should be eating dog food that is grain free.

[krash]

Usually Purina? Auto seems to like it.

Then we bought a .22 pellet rifle. So sometimes he gets squirrel and rice.

[gwoods]

I'm sure you know but when your switching mix old food and new food.

Forgot all about that! Yes, that is a super important step. We do that even if the flavor changes.
Did you find your dane as a puppy at a rescue? He looks awesome. Full breed Great Dane, or is there some other mix in there, too?

I got him for free at four months old from the friend of a co workers neighbor!

The guy had mom and dad and had sold all the other puppies. My dog has a fawn snout and Akc looks for a black snout. No papers but I did DNA test him and he is 100% Dane on both sides to great grandparents.

Mom and dad were really friendly. Dads head standing on fours reached my elbow which is about 44 "! Dad was also 185lb. My pup needs to grow!

[MaximA32]

Edit: It's called 4Health Performance which is what we feed 2 of the 5 dogs in the house.

[nissangirl74]

Mia gets Wilderness Blue adult dog food. She likes the taste and the little pieces. I like it because I can buy it in a huge bag to save $ and the cats love it too (even the old guy who has a super sensitive stomach).

[Jesda]

I recently picked up a bag of PetSmart's Simply Nourish house brand.

His poop was larger (good for natural relief of anal glands) and his coat is shinier. He also sheds less.

Not bad for a cheaper mid-tier product.


We'll see if his skin allergies go away.