Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[SallyD]

Hi. We have a chocolate labrador, who will be one, next week. Up until now, on the recommendation of our dog trainer, we have been feeding her Beta puppy food but last week I changed her onto their adult version which although she eats it she doesn't seem to like it anywhere near as much as her previous food. Could anyone recommend a dried food we could try her on please?

 

Thank you

Sally

[lillybettybabs]

I have to regular dog guests who are fed on this, they seem to pick at it which is not normal for a Labrador!

The contents aren't great of this food and at a guess dogs produce very big poos on it too.

I feed raw but i know that is doesn't suit everyone, There are a number of good quality feeds out there

but you need to think about the following:

Budget

Convenients

Dogs activity levels

 

I would feed Orijen or Acana - try and fine a grain free food.

 

This review looks good!

http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews236873.html

[SallyD]

Thanks for your reply LLB. As you rightly say it's not normal for a labrador to pick at their food which makes me think that it must be really unappetising for her! I would like to buy a good quality dry food for her and realise that this will probably cost more than the Beta but that isn't an issue, just want to get the best that I can really. As for poos well she is doing approx four very large ones a day!! Poppy is our first dog so assumed this was a normal amount but would be very happy to reduce quantity and size! Being only one she is very active and has two walks a day.

 

Any more advice greatly received

Sally

[lillybettybabs]

Yes thought so, There's a far amount of waste product i that Beta stuff!

 

It might be a case of giving some a go and watching his coat, weight and behavior and poo size (i am obsessed).

If you have the money then Orijen is a fantastic food and you only feed a little of it and it is basically dried meat with some herbs.Our cat is on it and i sometimes feed it to our dogs if we are away and nowhere to store their meat and bones.

 

Rule of thumb is the first ingredient is the main ingredient; try and fine a feed with at least 50% meat and very

little grain also the ash content as low as possible.

This food isn't to bad, I think DM feeds hers this now and again and i have some for training treats.

http://www.angellpetco.com/complete-pet-food/fresh-scottish-salmon-complete-food

[SallyD]

Thanks again I'd never heard of Orijen but have just googled it and whereas it is more expensive it sounds like you don't need to feed as much so may not end up costing that much more. I read some really good reviews so think I will give it a try. Do you think I should go straight onto adult food (Poppy is one next week)? And if it reduces quantity and size of poos all the better!

 

Sally

[lillybettybabs]

I think adult will be fine, labs bodies mature quick than their brains

[Lavenders_Blue]

You'll get as many different answers about food as there are dog owners

I have found this forum very helpful with regards to dog food. There's quite a lot to trawl through, but it's really thorough and gives some good info on good, fair and rubbish dog foods. With regards to good quality dog foods, don't be too put off by the higher price - as there are less/no fillers, you feed less (and less comes out the other end! )

[SallyD]

Thanks LB, I'll go and have a look at that site now . I know what you mean about it being a minefield! Don't mind paying extra for Poppy's food if it's better for her and as you say less comes out the other end -that definitely would be a bonus!

Sally

[quickcluck]

We feed raw also, it's great, but when we are camping we use either Orijen or Acana which is slightly lower protein content..... Ziwi is also fab, but slightly more expensive!

[Lavenders_Blue]

I feed raw too, but know it's not everyone's cup of tea so didn't mention it

I think there are quite a few raw feeders on this forum, so lots of advice about if needed

(I tend to use Naturediet when I can't feed raw).

[kittyl]

another vote for orijen here. I believe that some health problems my dog had were caused by the awful

food I'd always fed her full of wheat & carcinogenic colourings(didnt realise till I looked into it), she's a fussy

eater & I was recommended to try orijen 6 fish. After 3 years she still loves it & is generally healthier, no

longer gets stiff after running & swimming either (she's almost 9). I also discovered that commercial biccies

like bonios, shapes etc were making her fart, she now how has natural Betty Miller bics from the farmshop,

much nicer for her....and for us!

[quickcluck]

I agree about the biccies! Now I make Finley gluten free biccies. He loves them

[Chucky Mama]

There are plenty of good dried foods out there but I don't think that Beta would be on my list of foods to feed given the choice.

[Mercedes55]

We've got a labrador and she's been on Hill's Science WD dried food for most of her life. With hindsight I'm not sure we made the best choice as it does seem that these days a lot of people are saying dogs are carnivores and dried food is full of cereal and other stuff that they shouldn't be eating. However our labrador is now 13yrs old and still healthy, not sure if that is because of or despite the food

[Bramble]

This is an interesting thread - I always used to swear by Chappie Complete (sorry, I know I'll be shouted down for even mentioning it ) but my Dad always used it and so I started Willow on it but she seemed to go off it, so I moved her on to Burgess Greyhound and Lurcher Food, she's been happy on that for a couple of years now, but seems to be going off it (at least I hope it's just that food she's gone off, not food in general). I've just been mooching in Countrywide at the various brands available - Burns and Autarky look good, though huge difference in the price between the two. It's SOOOOOOOOOO complicated, isn't it!!!

[Chucky Mama]

I am personally not a fan of dried food at all but I do think that Chappie (wet) is a great food.

[The Dogmother]

Hmmm, Beta has been dissed a bit on lurcher forums.

 

Like LBB, mine are fed mainly raw with a wee bit of fish-based kibble as they like a few biscuits. I usually give them either Jon Angell (as per LBB's link) or Fish4Dogs; there's little waste in either and they are gluten-free/low allergy/ Both of mine are fit as butcher's dogs, full of energy and have lovely coats... tiny poos too. Orijen/Acana is good food and I use it as treats for mine as it's a bit too expensive for me.

 

I'd try a few out, most companies either sell or are happy to mail out sample sizes, but go for sometime with very little bulking agent in it (usually listed as ash) and avoid anything with colours in it. Generally speaking, if your dog poos a lot or has foul smelling poos or bad teeth then you need to switch their food. You should be able to feel their ribs easily and they should have much blubber wobbling around.

 

Do let us know how you get on

[SallyD]

Thanks for all your replies . I went to a pet shop at the weekend, which is on Orijens's list of stockists, but it had changed owners and they no longer stocked orijen. They gave me some samples of Barking Head dried food to try which although perhaps not the same as orijen seemed better than Beta. I added a small amount to Poppy's food on saturday and sunday but last night she was very sick. This had happened also after i tried changing her onto the adult Beta food but stopped when i reverted to giving her Beta puppy food only. I'm unsure what to do for the best at the moment, i think it must be the food change that has made her sick so wonder if i should wait a few weeks before trying something new again and let her tummy settle down. Any advice greatfully received.

 

Thanks again

Sally

[lillybettybabs]

Is she sick every time she eats?

[SallyD]

She was never sick until i tried to gradually change her onto Beta adult food. I think she started being being sick about a couple days after i introduced her onto it and was then was sick for about a day and a half. After i put her back solely on the puppy food she was fine and wasn't sick again until last night after i'd given her small amount of Barking Heads dried food mixed in with her meals. I'm wondering if it is just coincidence or if she is insensitive to ingredients in the new foods?

[lillybettybabs]

Could she have eaten something she shouldn't and got a obstruction (a long shot)?

[The Dogmother]

Could be that they have a common ingredient that she's intolerant to. Try checking the lists on the packs.

 

A friend has a dog which is sick if it eats anything with chicken in it, and hounds don't tolerate gluten well, so it's not unusual.

[UKMARCH]

One of my hounds is sensitive too but can tolerate Burns which is low residue also, I feed it moistened. One of mine is best on the pork and potato recipe. They do sample packets, when we got him it took a long time to get him sorted and changes of food were done by very gradually introducing the new food mixed with the old a little at a time. I avoid gluten, wheat, dairy and most things for him he can tolerate a little now when other people give him treats when we're out but there is definitely an accumulate effect.

[lillybettybabs]

Dylan had a lot of problems with food as a puppy, It was so serious that it was touch and go for a while

if he would survive.

Pleased to say with the help of a food that had just come out on the market back then (nature diet) he

is fighting fit now.

I would get her checked over by a vet just in case.

[kittyl]

If the sickness is in the mornings & a bit bile like, it could be an acidy thing, Toffee did this every morning

for a while & I took advice & gave her some biscuits in the morning, it stopped & only ever happens now if

I forget her biscuits. (I did get her checked out just incase though)