# Nature's Variety



## penny_ann (May 29, 2010)

I'm considering switching Penny over to this. I checked out their website last night and am highly intrigued by the nature's variety instinct and was planning to buy a bag. Then I looked at their info on pre made raw and rotation diets and am thinking about that. Has anybody tried their food? Do you rotate among the kibble, canned, and raw? Not sure that I really like the idea of canned food. Or if Penny would eat it? She refused the canned food the breeder sent home with us and I never tried it again. Any thoughts or info would be appreciated.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

Henry ate Nature's Variety Instinct kibble for quite a while. He did very well on it. We actually fed the Nature's Variety raw in the morning and the kibble at dinner. We also often mixed some of the canned with the kibble. I definitely recommend Nature's Variety Instinct!


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## cavon (Aug 10, 2010)

I fed Finnegan the Nature's Variety kibble and canned for quite a while and he did great on it, but he had giardia last summer and developed some food sensitivities so I have been cooking for him ever since.


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## penny_ann (May 29, 2010)

Thanks. I think I'll pick up a small bag to try it out. Even if we just stick with kibble, it has more varieties to rotate. We'll see if Pet Food Express has the raw too. I like the idea of feeding raw in the am and kibble in the evening.


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## dawns (Jun 29, 2010)

I use the instinct for porter and have really been happy with the results of it and would highly recomend it


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## schnauzerpoodle (Apr 21, 2010)

When Nickel first started to display food allergy symptoms, I was considering the NV raw. His holistic vet said it's a good food but one thing to consider was that: Not all NV frozen raw formulas are single-protein source, e.g. the chicken formula consists of chicken AND turkey. The holistic vet suggested Primal frozen raw - all formulas are single-protein. 

Now Nickel is on Primal raw and doing very well.

FYI, yes, Pet Food Express sells both Primal and NV raw. And they are under the Buy 3 get the 4th free program too. I checked around and the single unit price in PFE is higher than other pet food store but if you take advantage of that Buy 3 Get 4th free thing, it's about $5 (per bag) cheaper.


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## penny_ann (May 29, 2010)

schnauzerpoodle said:


> When Nickel first started to display food allergy symptoms, I was considering the NV raw. His holistic vet said it's a good food but one thing to consider was that: Not all NV frozen raw formulas are single-protein source, e.g. the chicken formula consists of chicken AND turkey. The holistic vet suggested Primal frozen raw - all formulas are single-protein.
> 
> Now Nickel is on Primal raw and doing very well.
> 
> FYI, yes, Pet Food Express sells both Primal and NV raw. And they are under the Buy 3 get the 4th free program too. I checked around and the single unit price in PFE is higher than other pet food store but if you take advantage of that Buy 3 Get 4th free thing, it's about $5 (per bag) cheaper.


Thanks. I'll have to look into that. I bought the instict kibble which she loved. I also picked up one of the smaller trial size bags of the frozen raw. Didn't know that they weren't all single protein source. Definitely something to consider.

Does Nickel eat only the raw?


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## schnauzerpoodle (Apr 21, 2010)

penny_ann said:


> Does Nickel eat only the raw?



Yes. But I give him Orijen 6 fish kibbles as his treat and I, once a week, feed him a kibble meal so in case he needs to go boarding, he can have a non-raw option (most boarding facilities don't feed raw).


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## penny_ann (May 29, 2010)

So Penny loves Instinct. I gave her the kibble mixed with her TOTW kibble and she ate the Instinct and the TOTW was all over the floor like she had spit it out. So much for transitioning! She also loved the beef raw medallions. So far so good. No loose stools.


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## schnauzerpoodle (Apr 21, 2010)

penny_ann said:


> So Penny loves Instinct. I gave her the kibble mixed with her TOTW kibble and she ate the Instinct and the TOTW was all over the floor like she had spit it out. So much for transitioning! She also loved the beef raw medallions. So far so good. No loose stools.


Yay to the no loose stools! Nothing makes me happier than seeing my dog run happily with his frisbee and his firm stools


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

I found that as soon as I added the medallions to Henry and Millie's kibble diets, their stools firmed up immensely. This is probably from the bone content.


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## LEUllman (Feb 1, 2010)

Beau eats NV frozen raw, and has for some time. He gets the chicken formula, as the one time I tried beef it gave him the runs. I buy the larger 8 oz patties, and he gets just a 1/4 patty two times a day, as we're working on keeping his weight down. Our store has a deal where if you buy 6 packages and pay up front, you get $2 off each package and they keep however many you like in their freezer. (We never have enough freezer space.) I drop by when we run low and they keep a tally. It's a good deal for me, and for them, too, since it's hard to resist grabbing a tempting new toy or a bag of treats.


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## schnauzerpoodle (Apr 21, 2010)

LEUllman said:


> Our store has a deal where if you buy 6 packages and pay up front, you get $2 off each package and they keep however many you like in their freezer. (We never have enough freezer space.)


Oh, I like that. I wish our store does that too. I only have space for 2 big bags, sometimes just 1


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## 2 Poods (Oct 20, 2010)

I switched my poodle kids to Nature's Variety acouple of years ago. I rotate between Chicken; Beef and Lamb. They love it. They've been eating better since on Nature's Variety. My poodle kids like the chicken the best.


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## penny_ann (May 29, 2010)

LEUllman said:


> Beau eats NV frozen raw, and has for some time. He gets the chicken formula, as the one time I tried beef it gave him the runs. I buy the larger 8 oz patties, and he gets just a 1/4 patty two times a day, as we're working on keeping his weight down. Our store has a deal where if you buy 6 packages and pay up front, you get $2 off each package and they keep however many you like in their freezer. (We never have enough freezer space.) I drop by when we run low and they keep a tally. It's a good deal for me, and for them, too, since it's hard to resist grabbing a tempting new toy or a bag of treats.


That is nice. I barely have enough freezer space for me. I'll probably have to buy 1 bag at a time which of course, means more treats and toys each time.

ChocolateMillie, I've noticed firmer smaller stools already too! Didn't think they could get any smaller.


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## penny_ann (May 29, 2010)

It's nice to see so many poodles enjoying Nature's Variety. Wish I had made the change earlier!


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## schnauzerpoodle (Apr 21, 2010)

penny_ann said:


> I've noticed firmer smaller stools already too! Didn't think they could get any smaller.


Glad that you are seeing good result already! Yeah, Nickel's poop is so firm and small and almost odorless. I don't think we can go back to non-raw, unless when necessary.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

Omg raw fed poops are great! Henrys are the size of a shihtzu and he is 62 lbs!


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## Ms Stella (Aug 16, 2010)

Stella eats this and is doing great on it.


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