Advice for dog food for small dogs

[caseysmom]

I am currently feeding both dogs California Natural chicken and rice.

The problem is Bubba is only 12 pounds and it seems like the kibble is huge for his mouth. I started looking through past threads and see that some don't like california natural because of the high protein content. On Bubba's last physical some kidney blood count was a tad bit elevated, the vet was not concerned and said we would monitor. Could it be he is getting too much protein?

I don't know if any of the good brands have kibble for small dogs and would rather go by word of mouth from all of you.....

[lv4dogs]

I think the bigger the kibble the better the teeth would be. In my book that is great. I've always wished they made kibble bigger just for that very reason.

But if I were in your shoes the protien levels would concern me. Do you know what the levels are in the CN?

[caseysmom]

The protein level is 21%, I guess it may be good for his teeth...casey can practically swallow the food so that is not good for her :rolleyes:

[gemini9961]

I feed all 3 of mine Nutro Ultra Weight Management. The kibble is smaller than other brands I have used, which is great for Maggie, she's only 7 pounds. Grant pretty much inhales his food, no matter what it is. I feed the Weight Management more for Sadie, she's a little chubby. I can't really buy 3 different foods for each dog due to the expense of it. They all really like this brand though.

[caseysmom]

I'll go check the ingrediets on the nutro...I just hate to change casey, she gets stomach upsets really easy.

[Jadapit]

I know you can buy the Nutro with real small kibbles. My husband picked up their Nutro one day he bought the real small kibbles. He wasnt paying attention when he bought it. ;) My dogs did eat it but it was funny watching my 3 galuts eating such tiny kibbles. :p

[caseysmom]

The nutro has a really great ingredient list, I am even more impressed with it than with innovea, I could buy some and try it on bubba and see how casey tolerates it. It is even pricier than the california natural, which is okay just an observation.

[Jadapit]

I'll go check the ingrediets on the nutro...I just hate to change casey, she gets stomach upsets really easy.

Mine are on the Nutro Chicken meal rice with oatmeal for sensitive stomachs. They are doing wondeful on it.

[lv4dogs]

Mine are on the Nutro Chicken meal rice with oatmeal for sensitive stomachs. They are doing wondeful on it.

Yes thats a great food & kibble pieces aren't too big either. (but then again what I consider big may be different that your opinion of big) lol

[elizabethann]

I just posted a thread on multiple dog food. Your thread made me remember a question I've been wanting to ask. Fenway is 19lbs and he eats multiple dog food. Not sure if it's a good idea and that's what my thread is about. But it's Merrick, Fromm, Nutro (small bites) and Inova.

:)

[lv4dogs]

Raustyk had to watch the protien levels a few times as well and I remember I had a heck of a time finding one with low protien. Of course that was 5 years ago and foods have certainly have changed a lot since then.
Looks like I'll be researching this again because inquiring minds want to know. :p

[gemini9961]

I really like the Nutro Ultra, it's a little pricey, but if my pups like it then that's okay. I have been really impressed with it and all 3 eat it up.

[caseysmom]

I can't find a percentage for the protein level of the nutro??

[lv4dogs]

Nutro NC chicken meal rice & oatmeal: Crude Protein (minimum) 21.00%

Here's their website, http://www.nutroproducts.com/ncdogcro.asp

[gemini9961]

Nutro Products (http://www.nutroproducts.com/ncultradog.asp)

[lv4dogs]

I'm pretty sure you won't find anything with a protien level lower than 16-18%. Even with that low of a level, it is usually found in vegatarian & weight management diets.

I've been looking non-stop at all different foods. lol I still have a few more to research though.

[gemini9961]

Hehe Sue, same time.

[gemini9961]

Nutro Ultra Weight Management is 16%

[caseysmom]

Yeah its the same as the CN, which is strange to me since the nutro has more ingredients...maybe I can supplement his diet with more veggies.

[lv4dogs]

Natural Balance has the lowest so far out of all the ones I have researched. 16.5% with the weight management diet (less than the vegatarian diet :eek: )

http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/products/RedCalDog.html

[bckrazy]

I was checking out the protein in Innova Evo, because their regular formula has very small bites, and it's 42%!!!

Solid Gold Holistique only has 18% protein and very good ingredients. It only contains fish as a meat protein, and I've fed it before with good results. It costs about $1.50/pound. Good luck with Bubba! I hope his kidneys get better soon ;)

[caseysmom]

Thanks Erica....Banfield didn't even mention the kidney thing to me I saw it looking through his paperwork and they said it wasn't enough above the norm to worry about, so hopefully he won't have health problems when he gets older.

I am suprised about innovea 42% :eek:

[caseysmom]

Lv4dogs...do you know where you buy the natural balance? I don't remember seeing that at the feed stores, maybe petsmart??

[dab_20]

Well Molli is 5 pounds and I feed her Iams Small Kibble. There is regular and then the small kind. It takes her FOREVER to eat the regular kibble because it's too big and she likes to take her time to eat.

[caseysmom]

Sorry I won't feed Iams, heard too many bad things about it.

[dab_20]

I know. I was just saying that a few foods has small kibble for small dogs.

[lv4dogs]

Lv4dogs...do you know where you buy the natural balance? I don't remember seeing that at the feed stores, maybe petsmart??

I know petco does but I am not sure about petsmart.

They have a store locator on their site:
store locator (http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/home/locator.tpl)

Some smaller feed stores will special order food for you... which may in turn make then carry it in their stores all the time.

[caseysmom]

Okay thanks, actually petco is 5 minutes from my house, much closer than petsmart...thanks...

[caseysmom]

three muskateers, I won't feed IAMS, second ingredient is corn, I want a good quality food.

[dab_20]

Timberwolf is a very good brand, but extremely hard to find and expensive. IAMS is great, I feed it to my cat and before when I fed her some other brand, she had knots in her hair and furballs, so we tried changing her food, and IAMS softened her hair she hasn't had a furball ever since we switched her food. So I higly suggest IAMS.

EDIT: Never give Ol' Roy!

I agree it does really well for my dogs. Sammy was always fed ol' roy until we bought him. Then we switched his food because he was having diareah ALL the time.

casey'smom...

We all have our opinions and it's ok you don't want to feed the food. We were just suggesting it. Good Luck on finding a good brand. :)

[caseysmom]

Dab...I have no problem with you feeding Iams...casey has a very sensitive tummy so I am trying to stay away from products with wheat and corn....

[dab_20]

oh ok. i was just saying. molli can eat almost anything without getting sick or anything. im not sure about sammy.

[caseysmom]

Actually bubba is the same way but I want to keep them on the same food, casey steals his food sometimes :rolleyes:

[Giselle]

Oh! Caseysmom, Pet Food Express sells all these greyt foods, including Natural Balance. I thiiink you're in Nor Cal, so you should have a PFE very very close to you. We have one literally 5 minutes away :)

The website is petfoodexpress.com I think...

[bckrazy]

Sophie... I've actually only seen PFE while driving down the the bay area, I'm guessing there aren't any around here. I have seen it at Petco though. Good luck with Bubba!

[Giselle]

Oops, I just looked at the store finder. They say Northern California, but the deepest south they go is Los Gatos/San Jose and the farthest north is Petaluma. At least you can find it at PetCo. We don't have many over here :p

[Roxyluvsme13]

I know alot of people dont like Pro Plan, but that's what we feed Lily. It's the Pro Plan Small Breed. The kibble bits are tiny, but I think it may have corn in it? Not sure, but just suggesting it as the kibble bits are small.

[Crazy-Cat-Lover]

I LOVE Fromm Four-Star Dry Food (http://www.frommfamily.com/products_fourstardry.asp). It is super high quality and comes in four different flavours. It is rather expensive, the largest bag (around 15lbs) is about $35.00. I will definately be feeding this to my future dog/s. It contains no wheat or corn, and is great for pets with picky eating habits, allergies to corn or wheat and pets with itchy or flaky skin.

You want to see ______ Meal as the first ingredient. Not plain old Meat Meal which can be anything including road kill, but Chicken Meal or if you prefer a Lamb based dog food, Lamb Meal. If you see Chicken or Lamb or Pork or Beef without the Meal after it, they're cheating you. Whole meat without the Meal is mostly water.

Fromm has Duck & Sweet Potato, Chicken a la Veg, Whitefish & Potato and Salmon a la Veg.

Good luck! :)

[caseysmom]

Thanks everyone, Sophie I actually have to do a lot of traveling to santa clara with my daughters diving since they have the only 10 meter platforms in northern california and I have seen that store and I have always wanted to check it out. I would hate to find a food there that I could not find here although I would love an excuse to drive to petaluma because I LOVE bodega bay its my favorite spot in the world.

[Pam]

I feed my two Nutro Lamb and Rice small bites. It makes it easier for Ripley to handle and Bella doesn't mind. LOL! I was thinking of changing to Innova EVO (even bought a small bag) but learned about the high protein content on another board and the mention of kidney problems. I went right back to Nutro L & R. Also tried Chicken Soup for the Dog Lovers soul for awhile but Ripley's poops were not good.

[caseysmom]

Pam, do you know if they have that in chicken and rice? Thats another thing I didn't mention, I think casey does better on chicken.

[Pam]

Pam, do you know if they have that in chicken and rice? Thats another thing I didn't mention, I think casey does better on chicken.

I don't know really. At the store where I buy their food I have never seen it, but that doesn't mean it isn't made. :)