Looking for a recommendation

k9kreationz said:
Are you okay with grain-free? Or do you want grains?
Any grains to stay away from?
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I'm not really set on grain or grain free.

Define "reasonably priced"
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Looks like CN is around $30 for a 15 lb bag (isn't it sad that I didn't know? I had to look it up), so something close to that.

One more, is she allergic to "chicken fat" too?
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Honestly, I have no idea. I sometimes wonder if she's even allergic to chicken anymore, or if she grew out of it. All I know is that we stopped feeding all food/treats with the word "chicken" on it at all, and her stomach problems cleared up. So, we're avoiding chicken altogether!
 
corbinam said:
Question about fat content...

Bentley puts weight on easily, especially during the summer since he doesn't tolerate the heat well.

CN has 11% fat...TOTW has 15%. Bentley is already eating as little as possible (1/4 C 2 x a day + green beans). Would the fat content affect his weight? I don't know enough about nutrition to know if it translates that way.
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Trapp & Jasper are only eating 1c a day.1/2 in morning,and the other half at supper.

Not really sure how the fat content relates,but both of these boys have stayed pretty close in weight.Jasper is a pd. heavier than Trapp,but he has always been heavier,even when he was a wee pup.
He is built differant than Trapp.

Earnhardt has done great in his weight loss,just by cutting back his intake.It's an interesting question though~
 
I don't blame you for staying away from chicken. Therefore, I'm taking out all the ones with chicken fat or cartilage. BTW, stay away from Fromm. They use some sort of chicken in all their recipes.

From my previous research for myself and my friend (in no particular order w/links):

Nature's Variety Prairie (I don't recall this one being rich)
Beef: 26%, 430 cals
Lamb: 26%, 409 cals
Venison: 26%, 434 cals
Salmon: 26%, 420 cals


I've never used the ones below, so couldn't tell you about richness. These were just on my list of hopefulls


Blue Buffalo Lamb
22%, 419 cals
It says, "free of chicken and chicken by-products"

Solid Gold Hund-n-flocken
27% 367 cals
says its $8.49 online for 4lbs

Wellness Lamb
22% 405 cals


On my list was also Castor & Pollux but my pet store didn't carry it, however, Petco/petsmart seem to. So I'm unsure about the brand although it was listed on the Whole Dog Journal site. I also know Eagle Pack was listed, but I read somewhere they sold off that food to someone else. But I can't confirm.

If you look into any of the ones above, be sure it's free of chicken. I looked, but didn't scour the list. There were a few more but no chicken killed my list. lol. Poor Lexi. Anyhow, good luck. We're trying Nutrisca (Dogswell). Its grain-free, but has chicken fat in it, so I didn't recommend it. Also, there's a lot of grain-free or grained fish ones that I didn't list. I don't like doing the fish ones, so they're not on my list. I'm sure you can click over from the links to find the fish ones. Also, I'd say for the price you pay, almost everything will fall within means. I know Orijen/Acana (here) was about $35 for the 15lb bag (or whatever size it was, which reminds me, I forgot to bring in my food for my co-worker, oops). And that was the most expensive I paid for dog food.

TOTW can be rich btw. I would definitely get a sample. One way I test for "richness" is how oily is the food? I know my boys were never good on TOTW (loose stools all the time), but did well on EVO chicken and was okay on Orijen Adult (both oily foods too), but definitely look into it.

Good luck.
 
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I used to have Ember on Nautre's Variety Prairie. I used all the varieties except chicken and I used the raw too. Nice food. Ember did well on it. I went to raw and then she got a little tubby.:smile2:
 
Cheryl, thanks for sharing your extensive research!

I almost wish there weren't so many options--it really is overwhelming.

I feel like there are drawbacks to every food. I'm listing a few things I'm thinking here, just in case anyone wants to see it for the future!

1. TOTW Sierra Mountain
Protein: 25% Fat: 15% Fiber: 4% Calories: 338 cal/cup $32/15 lb. bag
I was leaning towards this, but now I'm worried if it's rich. Also, random irrelevant aside, I don't like their marketing (packaging, etc...).

2. Go! Duck Canine
Protein: 22% Fat: 12% Fiber: 4% Calories: 466 cal/cup $20/6 lb. bag
Like this one because it specifically says it works well for dogs with allergies. But, calories are high, and it's kind of pricey by comparison.

3. Blue Buffalo Lamb
Protein: 22% Fat: 12% Fiber: 4.5% Calories: 419 cal/cup $29/15 lb. bag
This would be convenient, since it's sold at PetSmart, but I think that's one of the reasons that I consider it lesser quality (can you tell I'm a sucker for marketing?) It's also very reasonably priced. But, I can't tell if they use ethoxyquin or not.

4. Wellness Lamb
Protein: 22% Fat: 12% Fiber: 3% Calories: 405 cal/cup $30/15 lb. bag
Also convenient since it's at PetSmart. Don't know much about it, though.

5. Solid Gold Hund-n-Flocken Lamb
Protein: 22% Fat: 10% Fiber: 4% Calories: 367 cal/cup $50/15 lb. bag
Pricey, but fat content is pretty low.

6. Nature's Variety Lamb
Protein: 26% Fat: 14% Fiber: 3.4% Calories: 409 cal/cup $29/15 lb. bag
Higher protein...but I like that this formula uses eggs (chicken and quail, I think). Not sure if they use ethoxyquin, though.

I eliminated Fromm because every formula has chicken, as Cheryl said. And I eliminated any Natura product (CN, Innova, Evo, etc...) because of the P&G buyout.
 
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Pixie eats Go! Duck Canine because of her epilepsy--duck is better for epi dogs. She's been on it for two years now, and I love it, she loves it, and I don't find it packs the pounds on her as long as I don't overfeed her. I like the protein level too. I have no experience with any of the others.
 
corbinam said:
4. Wellness Lamb
Protein: 22% Fat: 12% Fiber: 3% Calories: 405 cal/cup $30/15 lb. bag
Also convenient since it's at PetSmart. Don't know much about it, though.
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Its what I feed Sadie and Ginny and continue to be happy with it. The girls love it and gobble it down and their coats improved significantly when I switched them to it.

Before they were on it Sadie was having issues with constipation. Now her bowel movements are bigger but of a softer consistency that she no longer has trouble passing (oh man, back to the poop talk again, lol).

Sadie previously had a ton of digestive issues but has never had a problem since being on this food.

Sadie did go off of it for a month during the summer, but I think it was an issue with her, not the food. She's since gone back to loving it.

As a side note, their customer service is wonderful. You can sign up for their club and they'll send you monthly coupons. I called them when Sadie went off her food and they were very happy to talk to me and sent me some free samples.

Ingredients:
Lamb, Menhaden Fish Meal, Oatmeal, Ground Barley, Ground Brown Rice, Rye Flour, Tomato Pomace, Canola Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Salmon Meal, Rice Bran, Tomatoes, Ground Millet, Natural Lamb Flavor, Ground Flaxseed, Carrots, Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Apples, Blueberries, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Minerals [Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite], Vitamins [Beta-Carotene, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement], Choline Chloride, Taurine, Mixed Tocopherols (a natural preservative), Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, Chicory Root Extract, Garlic, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Green Tea Extract, Dried Lactobacillus plantarum, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation products.
 
corbinam said:
This would be convenient, since it's sold at PetSmart, but I think that's one of the reasons that I consider it lesser quality (can you tell I'm a sucker for marketing?)
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I admit, this was one of my reasons for hesitating also. Sad, but true. My first choice grain food would be Artemis Super Mix (first 3 ingredients are proteins). However, sorry, it's chicken.

Do eggs not bother her? Can you be allergic to chicken, but not their eggs? Just curious.

Anyhow, I'll see what else was on my list, maybe the store you go to may carry it. Like I said, my place doesn't carry Go nor Now. Never even heard of it.

Just thought of something....where you move, will they have the food readily available? Or would you buy online? uh-oh. Maybe Blue or Wellness MAY be a good choice until then. lol. Oh the craziness. I think anyone that posts here knows the feeling.
 
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