# The Honest Kitchen?



## CurlyDog (Aug 20, 2008)

ChocolateMillie:

I've been feeding Honest Kitchen for 3 years and think it's awesome! My dogs have done well on it, in fact Raleigh goes CRAZY when he catches a whiff as it's being mixed. He shows a strong preference to any raw food over kibble. As for price, I budgeted $100 a month for high quality grain free kibble (Orijen, Fromms, Taste of the Wild) and Honest Kitchen raw for two dogs 50 and 70 pounds. I kept them on a blend so that dog sitters could feed only kibble when necessary. I have fed mostly Force. You can sometimes find coupons online that will save 5-10 bucks. 

As far as a complete diet, from what I understand, it is meant to be supplemented.


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## Quossum (Mar 18, 2011)

Not a Poodle, but...

When my oldest Borzoi, Moxie, had to have some teeth removed, she struggled with bones. Still loved them and could eat them, but it was a very slow process that seemed uncomfortable to her at times. We went with Honest Kitchen with her, and it was great. Often we'd put chicken breast strips in it for her. She ate Honest Kitchen almost exclusively for about the last year of her life. We fed the one called Embark.

The other dogs loved it, too, when they were lucky enough to get some. 

--Q


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

CurlyDog said:


> ChocolateMillie:
> 
> I've been feeding Honest Kitchen for 3 years and think it's awesome! My dogs have done well on it, in fact Raleigh goes CRAZY when he catches a whiff as it's being mixed. He shows a strong preference to any raw food over kibble. As for price, I budgeted $100 a month for high quality grain free kibble (Orijen, Fromms, Taste of the Wild) and Honest Kitchen raw for two dogs 50 and 70 pounds. I kept them on a blend so that dog sitters could feed only kibble when necessary. I have fed mostly Force. You can sometimes find coupons online that will save 5-10 bucks.
> 
> As far as a complete diet, from what I understand, it is meant to be supplemented.


I _think_ only Preference needs to be supplemented.


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## CurlyDog (Aug 20, 2008)

ChocolateMillie said:


> I _think_ only Preference needs to be supplemented.


You're right. I bought some Preference once and that's where i got that idea Hey, I just noticed they have one made with fish now too. I bought a ton of Force with a coupon a while ago and haven't been shopping for HK recently.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

This will make things so much easier for my mom. She doesn't have to worry about balancing the appropriate percent of organ, bone, muscle meat, etc. She can just add raw and/or cooked boneless meat to the mix and throw in a chicken quarter or turkey neck as she pleases. This will be perfect for mister H.

Now, I might get some Embark for days when I forget to thaw out meat for Millie. I might add Honest Kitchen into Tiger's weekly food rotation. I am a HUGE believer in varying their diet. Right now he eats raw meaty bones, Primal raw, Nature's variety raw, Acana kibble, canned Tripett, yogurt and/or cottage cheese. I think THK would be a nice addition to his diet.


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## fracturedcircle (Aug 19, 2010)

ChocolateMillie said:


> Right now he eats raw meaty bones, Primal raw, Nature's variety raw, Acana kibble, canned Tripett, yogurt and/or cottage cheese. I think THK would be a nice addition to his diet.


how often do you give Tripett? how much (ratio-wise)? what flavor? also, what is the difference between Nature's Variety raw and Primal (mine eat the latter)? sorry, lots of questions...


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

fracturedcircle said:


> how often do you give Tripett? how much (ratio-wise)? what flavor? also, what is the difference between Nature's Variety raw and Primal (mine eat the latter)? sorry, lots of questions...


Let's see, for Tiger I just give him big spoonfuls of Tripett with his Acana. I have done as much as 50% canned Tripett/50% Acana in one meal. I would have no problem giving a full meal a week of Tripett. 

I give him all flavors of Tripett - I bought a whole bunch of each flavor. As you can tell, I am a big believer in variety.

For Henry and Millie, who eat an entirely homemade raw diet, I give them about 1 meal a week of canned Tripett, if I forget to thaw something out. I also give it in the mornings if they will not have breakfast for a while or late at night for a snack. 

RE: the differences between Nature's Variety and Primal? IMO, they are the same thing - pre-made raw is pre-made raw. Now, NV does use HPP (high pressure pasteurization). From what I have read, Primal will be doing this soon, if they haven't started already. Other than that, I see pre-made raw as 100% better than kibble, and I see homemade raw as 100% better than pre-made raw. I only give pre-made raw to Tiger because I want him on a 50/50 raw/kibble mix with the handler and I don't know how to balance a homemade raw diet when it is only half of the diet, ha.

I have heard some people say that Primal is better, for whatever reason, but I just buy whatever has been reduced at the store (because of impending expiration date) LOL or whatever has an appealing protein. I feed Tiger Venison, Beef and Lamb Primal and Nature's Variety so far.


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## AgilityIG (Feb 8, 2009)

I have used HK for several years. I use Force, Embark or Preference. I add it into my raw. The other thing I keep on hand for the "oh crap, I have not thawed anything!" moments is cans of Mackerel. The dogs LOVE it. I also will add in cottage cheese, yogurt or pumpkin for variety.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

Do you follow their instructions or do you just add a little bit into their homemade raw?


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## AgilityIG (Feb 8, 2009)

ChocolateMillie said:


> Do you follow their instructions or do you just add a little bit into their homemade raw?


I don't follow their instructions. They want you to add so much to a your meat. I add about two cups of HK to six pounds of meat.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

AgilityIG said:


> I don't follow their instructions. They want you to add so much to a your meat. I add about two cups of HK to six pounds of meat.


Thanks!! 

And do you balance the diet with organ, muscle meat and bone still? What sort of raw diet do you feed along with the THK? I am going to keep feeding prey model, will keep THK on hand possibly for emergencies, but I really think this could be good for my mom & Henry.


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## AgilityIG (Feb 8, 2009)

I feed mostly ground chicken (with bone), but will rotate with beef, turkey or mackerel. I also rotate through three varieties of HK (Force, Embark and Preference). 

It's not raw, but the dogs will also eat anything I eat. So they get a huge variety of foods and I believe in balance over time. Bloodwork is done yearly and has been perfect. The dogs are 13, eight (two dogs) and two years old.


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## Princess Dollie (Jan 15, 2011)

ChocolateMillie said:


> RE: the differences between Nature's Variety and Primal? IMO, they are the same thing - pre-made raw is pre-made raw. Now, NV does use HPP (high pressure pasteurization). From what I have read, Primal will be doing this soon, if they haven't started already. Other than that, I see pre-made raw as 100% better than kibble, and I see homemade raw as 100% better than pre-made raw......I feed Tiger Venison, Beef and Lamb Primal and Nature's Variety so far.


Thanks. :act-up:


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## schnauzerpoodle (Apr 21, 2010)

All Primal frozen raw formulas, except the Turkey & Sardine one, consist of single protein source and NV is not. For example, the NV chicken has turkey organ meat in it but you wouldn't know unless you look at the ingredients carefully.


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