# Different Life Stages and Kibble



## TheWildOne (Jan 5, 2021)

Hello all, so I’ve got two dogs: a senior spaniel and a 1 year old Mini. I had both on Blue Buffalo (Puppy & Adult).
We ran out of the puppy BB at around 1 year so I switched the Mini to the adult formula and then....we ran out of it. Neither dog loved it but it seemed ok until the mini started losing weight and the spaniel started to have stomach issues (gas). Because we were out, I went out and bought Taste of the Wild puppy (reverted back to puppy due to the weight loss) for the Mini and the adult version for the spaniel.
They absolutely hate it and refuse it.
Does anyone know of an overall good brand that has both puppy and senior/adult formulas and is gentle on tummies? (That I can find in store?) We have two hungry/gassy canines ☹


----------



## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Peggy’s done well on Farmina. We transitioned her from the puppy formula to this one:









FARMINA N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate Medium & Maxi Adult Dry Dog Food, 26.5-lb bag - Chewy.com


Buy Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate Medium & Maxi Adult Dry Dog Food, 26.5-lb bag at Chewy.com. FREE shipping and the BEST customer service!




www.chewy.com





But you’d probably want the small breed formula:









FARMINA N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate Recipe Adult Mini Dry Dog Food, 15.4-lb bag - Chewy.com


Buy Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate Recipe Adult Mini Dry Dog Food, 15.4-lb bag at Chewy.com. FREE shipping and the BEST customer service!




www.chewy.com





I’ve found it has a smaller serving size than some other foods, which tells me it’s a nutrient dense kibble. I also read that it’s never had a recall since being introduced in the United States in 2013.

Here’s a detailed review:









Farmina Ancestral Grain Dog Food Review | DogFoodAdvisor


Farmina Ancestral Grain Dog Food - impartial review, top recipe picks and recall history by the editors of The Dog Food Advisor.




www.dogfoodadvisor.com





I also handfeed about half of Peggy’s daily calories as training treats, typically in the form of this kibble:









THE HONEST KITCHEN Grain-Free Beef Whole Food Clusters Dry Dog Food, 20-lb bag - Chewy.com


Buy The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Beef Whole Food Clusters Dry Dog Food, 20-lb bag at Chewy.com. FREE shipping and the BEST customer service!




www.chewy.com





She will do just about anything for it.

My suggestion is to get samples from a local independent petfood store and let your dogs choose. You can just feed the kibbles as treats before committing to a full bag, and even then, get the smallest bag you can to ensure it’s well tolerated.


----------



## TheWildOne (Jan 5, 2021)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Peggy’s done well on Farmina. We transitioned her from the puppy formula to this one:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thank you! I’m actually headed out right now to the stores to see what I can find. I’ll look for Farmina. Do your dogs like the Farmina?


----------



## FloofyPoodle (May 12, 2020)

If you have a Petsmart nearby, Nulo is also a pretty good one that both my dogs liked (Ms. "Farts" Misty had no gas on it from what I can recall, and Mr. "Tummy Upset" Fluffy chowed down like no tomorrow). You might be able to find it at Pet Supplies Plus, too, if you have that in the area.

Nulo Pet Food | Healthier Together™


----------



## TheWildOne (Jan 5, 2021)

FloofyPoodle said:


> If you have a Petsmart nearby, Nulo is also a pretty good one that both my dogs liked (Ms. "Farts" Misty had no gas on it from what I can recall, and Mr. "Tummy Upset" Fluffy chowed down like no tomorrow). You might be able to find it at Pet Supplies Plus, too, if you have that in the area.
> 
> Nulo Pet Food | Healthier Together™


Thats where I’m headed actually lol. It’s the only decent place to get their food


----------



## Johanna (Jun 21, 2017)

I have been feeding Purina for at least 50 years. The handlers I used when my dogs were being shown also fed Purina to most of the dogs they were showing. They and I usually add a bit of canned meat (not the "dinners" but just meat) as a topper.


----------



## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

TheWildOne said:


> Thank you! I’m actually headed out right now to the stores to see what I can find. I’ll look for Farmina. Do your dogs like the Farmina?


Yes, Peggy “chose” the Farmina when we offered her samples for a few weeks. She even chose the specific flavour out of multiple options.

But I don’t think you’ll find it at Petsmart. We get it from Chewy or an independent petfood store. Same with Honest Kitchen.


----------



## TheWildOne (Jan 5, 2021)

Johanna said:


> I have been feeding Purina for at least 50 years. The handlers I used when my dogs were being shown also fed Purina to most of the dogs they were showing. They and I usually add a bit of canned meat (not the "dinners" but just meat) as a topper.


Ive been mixing in canned meals with the minis kibble to try to get her fattened back up. She’s very picky and also not big on food already


----------



## Johanna (Jun 21, 2017)

TheWildOne said:


> Ive been mixing in canned meals with the minis kibble to try to get her fattened back up. She’s very picky and also not big on food already


Being uninterested in food is very common in poodles (and many other breeds). Purina has a big research lab; many of the designer dog foods do not. I understand that Purina tests food on beagles - dogs who are, to put it mildly, enthusiastic eaters, but the thing that I want to know from Purina is how well balanced a food is. I do avoid soy in dog food, tho.


----------



## Ava. (Oct 21, 2020)

Purina pro plan and orijen are popular brands.


----------



## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

TheWildOne said:


> Ive been mixing in canned meals with the minis kibble to try to get her fattened back up. She’s very picky and also not big on food already


One thing that’s really stood out to me about poodles is that they aren’t typically gluttonous. Meaning they won’t eat if they’re not hungry.

By mixing toppers into Peggy’s food, we were tempting her to push past her natural satiety signals. Or the chicken was going to waste because we had to toss it after 30 minutes.

So instead we feed a dollop of canned chicken _separately_ at breakfast and dinner, in its own dish. That way it doesn’t contaminate the dry kibble and she can free feed on the kibble as her appetite dictates.


----------



## Johanna (Jun 21, 2017)

If, and only if, you are showing your poodle in conformation should you try to "fatten up" your poodle. My Zoe is pretty boney - no fat padding at all. So when we were showing her we fed her "fat balls" to add weight. If you need the recipe, just google "Satin Balls".


----------



## TheWildOne (Jan 5, 2021)

We weren’t able to find a lot of those foods, did see Nulo and almost went with that but we saw Canidae so we’re going to try that and see if they’ll eat, it’s got flavors that should be appealing. Normally my spaniel will eat anything, literally, he’s a garbage can, so seeing him and the Mini both reject Taste of the Wild...it must smell bad


----------



## TheWildOne (Jan 5, 2021)

Johanna said:


> If, and only if, you are showing your poodle in conformation should you try to "fatten up" your poodle. My Zoe is pretty boney - no fat padding at all. So when we were showing her we fed her "fat balls" to add weight. If you need the recipe, just google "Satin Balls".


Oh no, she’s a pet only! She lost weight after being taken off puppy formula so trying to get her back to where she was.


----------



## eeeeeek (Dec 13, 2020)

I've been feeding my pup Acana. She seems to really like it. When looking for dog foods, I always use a website called dog food advisor. They are independent and they rate dog foods.


----------



## Spottytoes (Jul 28, 2020)

TheWildOne said:


> We weren’t able to find a lot of those foods, did see Nulo and almost went with that but we saw Canidae so we’re going to try that and see if they’ll eat, it’s got flavors that should be appealing. Normally my spaniel will eat anything, literally, he’s a garbage can, so seeing him and the Mini both reject Taste of the Wild...it must smell bad


We’ve tried several good foods (there are many good choices) for Bobby as I liked the idea of rotating and he did well enough with all of them with the exception of one. After some bad of diarrhea due to a food that definitely didn’t agree with him, we switched him to Canidae and we have kept him on that ever since. It’s been the best food we have tried for him. We have tried several formulas and all have been great! He likes Canidae a lot and his poops are the best he’s ever had! 😉 Hope it works for you!


----------



## Asta's Mom (Aug 20, 2014)

We use Hills Science Diet - regular. Some folks say it is low on Dog Food Adviser - but don't really care about that. Asta loves it, perfect poops and better looking skin and coat. Asta did not do well on Purina - great constipation, poor boy. I bought it from Chewy - if your pup does not like it,they will refund and say donate the food to a rescue or local shelter.


----------



## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

You're getting a lot of good suggestions but you'll get nearly as many brands as you get responses. There's a lot to choose from out there . They will all bottom out to which your pups will eat happily, and which are properly formulated and tested to meet AAFCO minimum standards.

Some guidelines


https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Selecting-the-Best-Food-for-your-Pet.pdf










Pet Food Labels


The pet food label contains a wealth of information, if one knows how to read it.




www.fda.gov








__





The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) > Labeling & Labeling Requirements


The Business of Pet Food




petfood.aafco.org





I have two mpoo brothers. Neo has always been happy to eat. Anything. Remo has always been a picky eater until, when he was almost three years old!, I went with a brand recommended in this thread and periodically in others, Purina Pro Plan Small Breed (formerly the Savor variety). I top all kibble meals with some bits of protein from our dinner and some warm water to create an au jus.

It turned out that Remo wasn't a picky eater, he just didn't much care for all the other brands and flavors I'd tried up til then. My poor little guy, I will always feel unhappy with myself that I didn't get it right sooner.

The big box stores will take bags back (used to anyhow, haven't had to for a while now) if your dogs don't like it, and the bag is still mostly full. A few brands may have trial sizes. The smaller, independent pet stores will usually do the same.

I didn't think to try this, but possibly contacting a few manufacturers that you narrow down to might result in some coupons or something. Can't hurt to ask.

If you want to go down one of the nutrition rabbit holes, Floof has started a great nutrition thread here
The quest for nutrition


----------



## Michigan Gal (Jun 4, 2019)

Both my dogs hated TOTW in the red/bourbon colored bag. Don't remember what meat it was. They liked the other colors. I normally feed raw, but fed kibble when we were moving.


----------



## TheWildOne (Jan 5, 2021)

Rose n Poos said:


> You're getting a lot of good suggestions but you'll get nearly as many brands as you get responses. There's a lot to choose from out there . They will all bottom out to which your pups will eat happily, and which are properly formulated and tested to meet AAFCO minimum standards.
> 
> Some guidelines
> 
> ...


I bought Canidae (duck flavor) as it has the best looking ingredients for the right price that I could find. Both dogs ate it and it went over _a lot_ better than the Taste of the Wild kibble (which I’ll be donating to the ASPCA).
A poster mentioned feeding kibble as treats and so we bought a treat ball and stuffed it with food and that also worked! I think we also might just have a reluctant eater, sounds like that’s normal for poodles.


----------



## SophieWaggner83 (Jan 12, 2021)

Wow, this is your problem. Sorry I can't help you, but I think you will find a way out. My dogs once refused 5 feeds, I thought I would go crazy, but then we are ours.


----------



## Spottytoes (Jul 28, 2020)

TheWildOne said:


> I bought Canidae (duck flavor) as it has the best looking ingredients for the right price that I could find. Both dogs ate it and it went over _a lot_ better than the Taste of the Wild kibble (which I’ll be donating to the ASPCA).
> A poster mentioned feeding kibble as treats and so we bought a treat ball and stuffed it with food and that also worked! I think we also might just have a reluctant eater, sounds like that’s normal for poodles.


Just curious, after being on Canidae for a couple of days, how is it working out? Puppers still eating it? Tummies doing well on it? It was magic for Bobby. We are now trying the Canidae Pure duck and sweet potato recipe. So far, good. This will be the 
5th flavor in the Canidae line and all have been great for Bobby.


----------



## TheWildOne (Jan 5, 2021)

Spottytoes said:


> Just curious, after being on Canidae for a couple of days, how is it working out? Puppers still eating it? Tummies doing well on it? It was magic for Bobby. We are now trying the Canidae Pure duck and sweet potato recipe. So far, good. This will be the
> 5th flavor in the Canidae line and all have been great for Bobby.


Right now they’re both still on a semi food strike. It made me wonder about the recall but nothing they’ve been fed has fallen under the recall. The Mini is eating about 1/3 cup daily (she weighs about 12 pounds) and my spaniel is eating about 1/2 cup daily (he’s a chubby 26 pounds). They’re eating it, at least 1 meal a day, just not their usual two meals.
Tummy issues have resolved with the Canidae, bloat and gas is gone. The only thing I can think of now is that it is behavioral. They might be trying to game the system so going to monitor their weight and give it a couple days. The spaniel is plenty fat enough so he’s fine. 😂 the Mini I’m monitoring closely.
ETA: I wonder if they’re hesitant to eat because the last food brand before Canidae caused bloat?


----------

