[PuffinGirl]

Ziva is having a lot of skin and ear issues, so I'm thinking of switching her to a grain-free food. I know there are some concerns with puppies and grain-free though, so I wanted to ask people if they thought the food below would be ok for her.

It's from a company that cooks human-grade ingredients, and then freezes it. They make a custom diet for Jones because of his IBD, which he does great on, and Ziva LOVES the food she's eating from them now.

Thanks in advance for any opinions! =)

http://www.myperfectpet.net/docs/data_sheet_hunters.pdf

 

[PuffinGirl]

Bump! Anyone have any opinions?

 

[Stosh]

How old is Ziva? I've had mine on a grain free diet from the start.

 

[PuffinGirl]

She's almost 4 months.

For some reason, I thought there was something you had to watch out for with puppies and grain-free - like too high protein or calcium levels or something? Am I making that up? =)

 

[onyx'girl]

The link you posted didn't include a nutritional analysis. The protein isn't as much a problem as the calcium/phosphorus levels. Can you find that on the diet you want to feed? The levels should be about even and no more than 1.5 max(though that is high) Many times they show the minimum, but don't show the max...
I looked on the site for other analysis, and didn't see any. They show ingredients only?

 

[PuffinGirl]

The link you posted didn't include a nutritional analysis. The protein isn't as much a problem as the calcium/phosphorus levels. Can you find that on the diet you want to feed? The levels should be about even and no more than 1.5 max(though that is high) Many times they show the minimum, but don't show the max...
I looked on the site for other analysis, and didn't see any. They show ingredients only?

Isn't the second page of the link a nutritional analysis? It is on my computer (I think). Let me know if it isn't working for you and I'll try to do it another way. It looks like calcium is .6 and phosphorous is .61, so it sounds like that would be ok?

 

[onyx'girl]

I didn't see that 2nd page, I'm on my daughters laptop, runs so different than mine! It does list the minimum, can you contact them for max levels?

 

[PuffinGirl]

I definitely can - they're awesome to work with! I just sent her an email, so I'll see what she says.

I understand about the computer thing - it feels so weird to use one other than my own!

 

[3ToesTonyismydog]

Here is a list of some very good dog foods but I feed grain free. Not because it's grain free but because they are usually better dog foods.

The A list
1. Orijen
2. Acana, Harvest, pacifica & grassland Only.
3. Horizon Legacy
4. Taste of the Wild, wetlands & prairie, ONLY.
5. GO, grain free /Endurance Only.
6. Fromm, 4 star.
7. Merrick, grain free
8. Wellness Core
9. Blue Wilderness
10. Acana, the rest of Acana products.
11. Artemis
The B list
1. GO, the rest of their products.
2. The rest of Merrick
2. Evangers
3. Timberwolf
4. Fromm, the rest of their products.
5. Instinct
6. Wellness super 5 mix
7. Now, Grain free.
8. Solid Gold
9. Precise Holistic Complete, Only.
10. Natures Logic
11. First Mate
12. Kirkland or Natural Domain, Costco!(only because they are priced right).

13. Now, the rest of their products.

 

[PuffinGirl]

I agree that those are all very good foods, but the food I'm feeding my dogs is cooked food, not kibble, and they both seem to LOVE it and are doing well on it.

The woman who owns the food company emailed me back last night and that said that the amounts listed are the exact amount as digested by the dog, so it doesn't vary from that. I'm guessing that this food would be ok for Ziva then, as the calcium and phosphorous don't seem to be high?

 

[Lesley1905]

I've had Brody on a grain free diet from the start as well!

 

[PuffinGirl]

Good to know! I think we're going to give this food a try. I'll be curious to see how it affects her skin/ear issues.

 

[Lesley1905]

If grain free doesn't help, she could have an allergy to one of the proteins. Brody gets very itchy with Chicken. He's a raw fed dog and of course he has to be allergic to the cheaper protein...he likes the finer things in life!

 

[atravis]

If I'm reading that breakdown correctly, the cal/phos is 0.60%/0.61%

Which should be totally fine if those are as-fed #s.

 

[PaddyD]

I don't see Orijen LBP on that list. Wonder why.
It worked great for my dog.

 

[PuffinGirl]

If grain free doesn't help, she could have an allergy to one of the proteins. Brody gets very itchy with Chicken. He's a raw fed dog and of course he has to be allergic to the cheaper protein...he likes the finer things in life!

I'm going to hope that it's not that, because I don't want to deal with 2 dogs with major food issues. =)

Brody can't help that he's a food snob. =)

 

[PuffinGirl]

If I'm reading that breakdown correctly, the cal/phos is 0.60%/0.61%

Which should be totally fine if those are as-fed #s.

Excellent, thank you for the reassurance! =)

 

[sable123]

Here is a list of some very good dog foods but I feed grain free. Not because it's grain free but because they are usually better dog foods.

The A list
1. Orijen
2. Acana, Harvest, pacifica & grassland Only.
3. Horizon Legacy
4. Taste of the Wild, wetlands & prairie, ONLY.
5. GO, grain free /Endurance Only.
6. Fromm, 4 star.
7. Merrick, grain free
8. Wellness Core
9. Blue Wilderness
10. Acana, the rest of Acana products.
11. Artemis
The B list
1. GO, the rest of their products.
2. The rest of Merrick
2. Evangers
3. Timberwolf
4. Fromm, the rest of their products.
5. Instinct
6. Wellness super 5 mix
7. Now, Grain free.
8. Solid Gold
9. Precise Holistic Complete, Only.
10. Natures Logic
11. First Mate
12. Kirkland or Natural Domain, Costco!(only because they are priced right).

13. Now, the rest of their products.

Have you tried all of these in your kennel and breeding operation or did you just pick the ones listed on a website somewhere? I suspect it is the latter.

 

[ChancetheGSD]

Sable, can I ask why you feel only breeders can pick good foods?

I can say from experience my dogs have thrived on Taste of the Wild, Blue Wilderness and Solid Gold on that list. My neighbor (Shih Tzu breeder) feeds her adults Prairie (Same people who make Instinct) and Taste of the Wild and raises her puppies on Wellness. So I can say yes, those brands are tried and work. MANY people on this site and people I know in real life have tried the other brands listed with SUCCESS.

Why do you feel none of these foods will work? Because they don't have corn?

 

[3ToesTonyismydog]

I don't see Orijen LBP on that list. Wonder why.
It worked great for my dog.

It's number one!! Very top of the list.