# Best Food ? Quantity ?



## Lilah+Jasper (May 13, 2010)

Hi Polly 

I think that you are smart in considering a better quality food for your boy. Higher quality food has a higher price tag but you'll find that you can feed less, your boy's system will utilize more of the food and therefore have smaller stools.

I feed Lilah (42 pounds) 1 cup am & pm of Acana Pacifica. I supplement with RMBs (raw meaty bones) and tripe.

I feed Jasper (55 pounds) 1 cup am & pm of TOTW (Taste of the Wild) fish formula - he has a slower metabolism. I supplement with RMBs (raw meaty bones) and tripe.

They also get a regular rotation eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt, canned salmon, etc

Pedigree is considered a lower end food with grains and fillers. Check with dogfoodanalysis.com or dogfoodadvisor.com for better rated food - kibble, raw and/or canned.


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

That's a tough question to answer. You are probably going to be the best judge as to whether the quantity is right -- weight, activity level, etc.

I would say about anything is better than Pedigree, IMO, but you will need to see what works best for him. When using kibble (I feed premade raw) I always use a premium grade, grain-free kibble, but I also have a miniature poodle so he is fed much, much less so cost is also less. Acana is wonderful and there are many different varieties (some with grain I believe, and grain-free). If you would like to send me your email I can send you the 2012 kibble analysis from Whole Dog Journal. They do not "rate" them, but review them and only include the kibble that "pass their standards" -- might be helpful to you. You can send me a Private Message and I will forward to you. Good luck.


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## Poodle Head (Sep 12, 2011)

I'd make the switch to something better, and good for you for realizing he could benefit! 
I feed my 65lb standard girl TOTW and she gets 1cup am, 1/2 cup lunch, and 1cup pm. She also gets 1/2 can merrick mixed in with am and pm.
When you switch to a higher quality food, you will likely find it takes less food to fill him because it's more nutrient dense.


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## Carley's Mom (Oct 30, 2011)

I have a 50lb standard. She gets 1 and 1/2 cups of TOTW with a bit of canned on it in the morning and I feed her raw for her evening meal. She also gets RMB, tripe and eggs. I am lucky that she will eat dogfood as most will not, when getting raw, but she is like her mom and loves to eat. Good luck with your new friend and thanks for getting a rescue. Pictures!!!


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## tokipoke (Sep 3, 2011)

All good advice. Whatever new food you choose, make sure you transition slowly to the new food to avoid any stomach upsets and diarrhea!


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## JE-UK (Mar 10, 2010)

I agree with others, that Pedigree is not a very good food. There are lots of better options out there.

I feed Orijen/Acana, and have done for years now. I rotate flavours for interest, but mine is still interested enough in it that I can use it for training. I mix with wet food, and usually top with something interesting. Table scraps, a bit of yogurt, some grated cheese, etc.


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## georgiapeach (Oct 9, 2009)

Acana is a good food, and so is Blue Buffalo Wilderness, as is Taste of the Wild, or Orijen (although it's sometimes too rich for house pets). You'll find that even though these foods are more expensive, you can feed less of it because they're much more nutrient dense. Pedigree is like feeding your dog a fast food diet, rich in fillers, carbohydrates, and byproducts. If you noticed, one of the posters mentioned feeding her dog a lot less Acana than you're having to feed the Pedigree, so the cost difference is negated.

On a good grain free food, there will also be less poo, which is always a good thing! I feed my dogs Taste of the Wild, either the Pacific Stream or the Sierra Mountain varieties. It's the most cost effective of the premium brands.

As someone else has already mentioned, make sure you transition slowly, to avoid stomach upset.


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## jazzipoodle (Mar 30, 2010)

Blue Buffalo is a terrible food it nearly killed my poodles. It took months after we figured out that it was the Blue Buffalo before they were back to being their normal bouncy playful selves. Our vet gave us the documentation of all the tests etc. and we did get Blue Buffalo to reimburse us about $800.00 for vet bills.


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## Polly (Feb 13, 2012)

I went in to our local independent pet food store and they recommended that I start by mixing his current Pedigree dry food with Acana Chicken & Burbank Potato before going to an Acana Grain Free formula. Does this sound reasonable ?


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## Lilah+Jasper (May 13, 2010)

May I ask why they suggested this? Maybe slow transition to a higher protein kibble?

I would probably go right for the grain free with a super slow transition to avoid changing food yet again at a later date.


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## Polly (Feb 13, 2012)

Yes, they are recommending this so the transition to a high protein diet may be easier.
If I go right to the Grain Free what should be the Pedigree /Grain Free ratio ? .. how long until Grain Free only ?
Thank you for your help.


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## Lilah+Jasper (May 13, 2010)

For my guys I take a month to switch over. Lilah has a cast iron stomach but Jasper is very sensitive to certain ingredients and change (nutritional and environmental).

Maybe the transition could be in ratios of day 1 -10 75% pedigree to 25% acana, days 11 - 20 50/50 and then days 21 - 30 25% pedigree and 75% acana. You can make allowances based on how your poodle reacts to the food change.

Don't be discouraged if your food of choice doesn't work out. I love acana and orijen but Jasper cannot tolerate the higher protein so I changed him back to TOTW - it just works for him


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## Noey814 (Apr 18, 2012)

We were told by the pet store person too look at ingredients. You want the first ingredient to be some kind of meat. Things like grains and corn meal are fillers and not healthy for your Spoo. We were specifically told to NOT get pedigree. 

I am curious as to all the answers you will get too! I am a new momma to a rescued Spoo and trying to figure it all out too. We feed 2 cups am and pm (she's 50 lbs and that is what the shelter said to feed her). She never eats it all in one sitting. So I'm starting to cut back and plan on discussing it with her vet.

GL!


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## 2719 (Feb 8, 2011)

A common misconception with dog food is with what the first listed ingredient is. It is all well and good to get a dog food that does not list grains or other fillers as the first ingredients. BUT it is also important to know what the source of protein is. For example if the first ingredient listed is Chicken. It is important to know what part of the chicken this is. Is it all the scraps that were left behind after the butchering of the chicken?...such as beaks, claws etc. Some dog foods list chicken ( or lamb or fish etc etc) as the first ingredient ...but it is not the most wholesome, nutrient rich part of the chicken. 

It is really best to go with a food that has followed the life span of dogs to see how they fare on its food for their life.

If you are changing foods....1/4 new food with 3/4 old...for a week (when changing to high protein). 1/2 new food with 1/2 old..one week. 3/4 new with 1/4 old and then all new. Transition must be slow when switching to a high protein food.


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## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

Polly said:


> Yes, they are recommending this so the transition to a high protein diet may be easier.
> If I go right to the Grain Free what should be the Pedigree /Grain Free ratio ? .. how long until Grain Free only ?
> Thank you for your help.


Umm... it's the change in FAT that is usually the problem. I would go to the grain free, with a gradual food change. There's no reason to buy another food in the middle if you'r changing gradually.

When I switched my puppy's food, I put about 4 cups of his old food in a ziploc bag. I fed him 1/4 cup out of the bag. Then I put in 1/4 cup of the new food and shook it up. When the was almost none of his old food left I fed the rest of the bag (without mixing anymore) and went to the new food.


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## Polly (Feb 13, 2012)

Thank you Truelovepoodles. Can you recommend any good grain free dry food, please. 
(also noticed some brown "wax" in his ears and I understand a grain free food might help with this too ... time to make the switch to better food)
Thank you!


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## Ladyscarletthawk (Dec 6, 2011)

I am in love with Fromm's dog food. I feed their four star line to my mini, but my toy has food allergies or she would still be on it! I like that they have their own manufacturing plant and they only use USDA inspected ingredients. Personally I would give them a try:

Four-Star Gourmet Dry Recipes for dogs - Fromm Family Foods

They do have a grain free line with three flavors that can be easily switched to give variety amongst the grain free. It also has a lower protein so shouldnt be too rich. My girls love it! When my mini's pups had a choice between the fromms and Proplan they didnt even look at the Proplan! I have to drive an hour to buy it BUT I found it easier and in the end cost as much just to order from petfood direct. Oh and the canned food looks and smells like it could be progresso soup lol! LOVE the company!! Tears me up I cant feed my Eve Fromm's.


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