# Freeze dried recommendations



## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

My picky toy poodle would not touch freeze dried food at all. I can understand, I find it doesn’t look appetizing at all. He would sometimes go more than 48 hours without eating.

I cured mine with raw food. He loved it and after a while on it, maybe 6 months, I can’t remember, his stomach got used to eating regularly and he was hungry and would eat what I gave him. I then switched to kibble again, I don’t like handling raw food.

Raw food is hesven for dogs. Definitely your best choice. Look on the internet , there are many brands of all ready/frozen raw food for dogs. You put the daily amount of food from the freezer in the fridge every night and you’re all ready to feed the next day !


----------



## BrooklynBonnie (Jan 16, 2015)

My picky eater and my garbage-disposal both love Nature's Variety Instinct Freeze-dried Raw bites/toppers. I don't feed as a meal but they are the only training treat I use, and they never get bored with them. 

For a meal, I had to go to frozen raw bites for the picky-eater as NV didn't make the freeze-dried as a meal and buying the bites/toppers for meals was too pricey. I tried NV Instinct Kibble with freeze-dried raw bites included, and my picky-eater would just eat out the freeze-dried bits and leave the kibble. :argh:


----------



## Moni (May 8, 2018)

Louie loves everything Stella and Chewy makes - especially freeze dried duck and venison. I usually mix one of their frozen patties with a freeze dried one - he would love to eat the freeze dried only if he could...and for training treats we also use the freeze dried meal toppers from Instinct - he loves all flavors and they are so portable in the sample packs.


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

We feed our dogs home cooked food, so I don't really have ideas on brands to suggest to you, but I will throw a quick comment in about hand feeding and spoon feeding. If you do this with any regularity it will be what your pup comes to expect for all meals, so unless you want to be stuck with that don't let it get patterned.


When we fed kibble we free fed and it worked just fine.


----------



## doditwo (Nov 7, 2017)

lily cd re said:


> We feed our dogs home cooked food, so I don't really have ideas on brands to suggest to you, but I will throw a quick comment in about hand feeding and spoon feeding. If you do this with any regularity it will be what your pup comes to expect for all meals, so unless you want to be stuck with that don't let it get patterned.
> 
> 
> When we fed kibble we free fed and it worked just fine.




I just had this exact thing happen. I was feeding Petcurean Fresh Now puppy kibble which Mimi loved. I started doing the Dunbar exercise of placing my hand in the bowl and feeding her with my fingers to prevent food guarding and encourage a soft mouth.
Pretty quickly she started turning up her nose to the kibble in a bowl, and I had to hand feed her to get her to eat!
I just switched over to Just Food For Dogs, which is amazing stuff... I want to eat it myself. Now she stands and cries in the kitchen for me to feed her.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Dramama (Jun 19, 2018)

doditwo said:


> I just had this exact thing happen. I was feeding Petcurean Fresh Now puppy kibble which Mimi loved. I started doing the Dunbar exercise of placing my hand in the bowl and feeding her with my fingers to prevent food guarding and encourage a soft mouth.
> Pretty quickly she started turning up her nose to the kibble in a bowl, and I had to hand feed her to get her to eat!
> I just switched over to Just Food For Dogs, which is amazing stuff... I want to eat it myself. Now she stands and cries in the kitchen for me to feed her.
> 
> ...


Just Food For Dogs sounds great. I'm on the site trying to guage cost. We will be getting a spoo. How much do you think in ounces would a spoo eat per day? Also, if I feed this, it seems to have some vitamins. I was thinking of using NuVet Plus (vitamin supplement), so could I feed both? Hmm. Thanks for the post. I am really getting confused with all the information out there on proper diet. I don't think grain free is the way to go...


----------



## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

I feed a little of everything ....kibble, raw, canned, homemade,dehydrated etc. Molly will pretty much eat anything but she is a also a 'grazer' so any wet or raw food is fed in the a.m. and then a measured amount of kibble is left in her bowl to eat throughout the day. When it comes to the dehydrated raw I found a wonderful brand called 'Only Natural Pet' that has an air dried raw called 'Only Natural Pet Grain-Free MaxMeat'' ( Molly LOVES the Lamb & Cod!) they also make a dehydrated type raw called 'Easy Raw' ...... they ship just like Chewy too! They carry ALL the different brands on their site too!
https://www.onlynaturalpet.com
I use both Chewy's and Only Natural Pet for ordering food online now! :eating:


----------



## Dramama (Jun 19, 2018)

MollyMuiMa said:


> I feed a little of everything ....kibble, raw, canned, homemade,dehydrated etc.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


----------



## Dramama (Jun 19, 2018)

Sorry, I'm new to this.  

I meant to quote AND ask:
What kibble did you choose for sweet Molly? She is beautiful, by the way!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


----------



## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Dramama said:


> Sorry, I'm new to this.
> 
> I meant to quote AND ask:
> What kibble did you choose for sweet Molly? She is beautiful, by the way!
> ...


Thank You! I kinda like her too hahaha!

A 5# bag of kibble will last me approx 2 1/2 months because she only gets 1/4 to 1/3 cup a day because she is fed half raw/half kibble ....so I change kibble brands almost every bag......staying with a grain-free, limited ingredient, non-chicken food that has a 4 or 5 star rating on Dog Food Advisor. I have used too many to list but I do research every bag I buy! I also change kibble types to avoid allergies happening after watching this video on Dog Food Advisor 
https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-feeding-tips/dr-becker-dog-food-allergies/ 

p.s. I also freeze my kibble to keep it fresh as a bag of kibble, once opened, start deteriorating....see this article
https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/how-long-does-kibble-last-once-opened/


----------



## Dramama (Jun 19, 2018)

Thanks, wow, you have this down! I especially like the reviews on each food on dogfoodadvisor so that you can pick a good one for the next rotation. Thanks so much!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


----------



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

Molly turned me on to Only Natural MaxMeat and I mix it in with Asta's kibble. I have also tried Only Natural kibble with the freeze dried bits. Asta also liked that. I find that he likes it when I switch up the kibble, so really use a variety of different brands for him. I use Chewy and Only Natural as my go to sites for dog food.


----------



## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

*Doggie Crack*



Moni said:


> Louie loves everything Stella and Chewy makes - especially freeze dried duck and venison. I usually mix one of their frozen patties with a freeze dried one - he would love to eat the freeze dried only if he could...and for training treats we also use the freeze dried meal toppers from Instinct - he loves all flavors and they are so portable in the sample packs.


We refer to S&C's as "doggie crack" -- yet to find a dog that does not like it!!! I use the dehydrated patties as opposed to the frozen raw. Sunny does not do well on frozen, but does ok on the dehydrated as one of his daily meals. He also has grain free mini size kibble down all day.


----------



## mashaphan (Sep 4, 2014)

I use almost all of them-Stella &Chewy,Primal,Only Natural Pet, SoJo..since i like to mix up the proteins..

Martha


----------



## doditwo (Nov 7, 2017)

Dramama said:


> Just Food For Dogs sounds great. I'm on the site trying to guage cost. We will be getting a spoo. How much do you think in ounces would a spoo eat per day? Also, if I feed this, it seems to have some vitamins. I was thinking of using NuVet Plus (vitamin supplement), so could I feed both? Hmm. Thanks for the post. I am really getting confused with all the information out there on proper diet. I don't think grain free is the way to go...



Dramamama,
I wanted to give you an update on the JustFoodForDogs.
I had to take Mimi off of it because the root vegetables in it are not cooked enough. She wasn’t digesting them and they were coming out in her poo just like they went in. I even tried putting it in my blender to grind it up and even the blender couldn’t do it.
And it is expensive.
I’m now back on the kibble her breeder recommended, Now grain free for puppies. But she tested positive for food intolerance on a couple of the Now puppy kibble so I’m in the same boat searching as you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Dramama (Jun 19, 2018)

Thanks for letting me know, Doditwo. I'm sorry Mimi's tummy didn't feel well. I hope she is better. Yes, it has been frustrating finding a dog food. 

I admire those who can cook for their pup(s), but I have to be realistic. I'm just not going to be able to do that exclusively. And I can't do it intermittently as it might create expectations and a picky eater. I do think carrot, etc. can be good as a treat, though...so maybe a little supplemental food, as treats.

I wonder if the yeast extract (not to be confused with yeast) in the Now kibble bothers Mimi. It is basically MSG, which I know sets my migraines off big time. Do you know what it was specifically? 

I've pretty much been able to narrow it down to four brands, two of which contain a couple of different flavors whose ingredients are also acceptable. I like the idea of rotating smaller bags and freezing some to keep fresh. 

After much research, I am not going to feed grain free, but I do want to keep the grains to a minimum. And the only gluten containing grain will be barley. No to corn (too starchy and not enough nutrients like potato and most likely GMO). So, that leaves rice, oats, and barley. I also will not be able to feed raw as I have two children who will be taking part in feeding and training and I'm afraid for them to handle it. That narrowed it down a bit. Then, from there, I looked up only 5 star foods on dog food advisor. I put the 4 brands and flavors in my online shopping cart and favorites so I won't forget. 

I plan to give a vitamin supplement and probiotic. We have learned in our family the value of gut health and that can be no different for dogs. A tip we learned from our Naturopath (and here it is for you for free) is to rotate at least four researched and well thought of brands of shelf stable (no refrigeration required) probiotics, taking one daily. No brand back to back. 

Not having my puppy yet, this may all just sound like a good plan (to me anyway, there will be plenty of disagreement I'm sure)...her little tummy will be the boss...it is very overwhelming, but I thought I must come up with some kind of plan for now...hope this helped you.... Please let me know what you find since you have Mimi's tummy to weigh in. [emoji3]


----------



## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

I have been going through tons of treats so one day I picked up a bag of instinct freeze dried toppers. Its what I now use for training. All the dogs in this house go bonkers for them and they are a good size.


----------



## doditwo (Nov 7, 2017)

Mufar42 said:


> I have been going through tons of treats so one day I picked up a bag of instinct freeze dried toppers. Its what I now use for training. All the dogs in this house go bonkers for them and they are a good size.




Mufar, how big are they? If it wouldn’t be an inconvenience, could you post a photo of them that gives an idea of the size? I like the idea of using them but I need something that my puppy will swallow quickly for training.
Also which exact toppers did you get? Instinct has a lot to choose from.
Thank You!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Moni (May 8, 2018)

I can help with that! Poodle head and teabag for size reference! Poodlekid is driving me crazy today because he wants to play in the rain and I have the flu so getting wet is not exactly a cure. The tea is what is keeping me upright. I love the little sampler bags I think they are 1$ on sale at my feed store right now.


----------



## doditwo (Nov 7, 2017)

Moni said:


> I can help with that! Poodle head and teabag for size reference! Poodlekid is driving me crazy today because he wants to play in the rain and I have the flu so getting wet is not exactly a cure. The tea is what is keeping me upright. I love the little sampler bags I think they are 1$ on sale at my feed store right now.



Thanks Moni, that gave me a good idea of what size. They look too big for training treats & too chewy, although I’m sure they are delicious.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Moni (May 8, 2018)

They crumble super easily in your hand. I will jackpot Louie with a whole one, but most of the time I will hold it tight so he can only nibble off a bite (that works for about two or three times) - then it becomes a crumbly mess like all things freeze dried. He loves ALL flavors and I find it very convenient.


----------



## Dramama (Jun 19, 2018)

Moni,
I love the picture! And I heard the new flu strain is already making its rounds this year. No fun. I hope you feel better soon!


----------



## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

doditwo said:


> Mufar, how big are they? If it wouldn’t be an inconvenience, could you post a photo of them that gives an idea of the size? I like the idea of using them but I need something that my puppy will swallow quickly for training.
> Also which exact toppers did you get? Instinct has a lot to choose from.
> Thank You!
> 
> ...


This is what I am using for treats now.


----------



## mary2e (Jan 29, 2018)

My little toy boy is fussy. I finally called the breeder to see what else I might do.

I was giving him rotating proteins Primal - but this is the second time in his 11 months of life he tired of it. I switch to Stella & Chewy which he's currently eating.

The breeder said he feeds his adults 1/4 cup of kibble a day now. He took them off raw due to the cost. I was instructed to give it him and then remove it after 15 or so minutes. I let it stay longer, and he's now eating with some regularity at dinner time after going hungry a few days. I also give him a bit more since he seems hungry earlier in the day. I give him a 1/2c of the mixers, which wet down to a bit more than 1/4 cup.

It has gotten better, but this morning, he was asking for food so I gave him 4 S&C mixers, which can also be used as a balanced meal, plus 4 Instinct mixers, which is considered supplemental feeding only. Too bad they don't make the Instinct as a complete meal, because it's the only food item he's eaten consistently since we brought him home. We also use it as a training treat.

Also pay attention to when your dog is hungry. Since bringing him home, he has wanted a bedtime snack. I give him 5-10 of the Instinct mixers as a snack. 

I'm now wondering how long it will be before he gets sick of S&C and I have to switch back to Primal 

At what point do others switch their toys to adult portions?


----------

