Dry Kibbles

[Suki Wingy]

Well, I've finally looked on the iams minichunk label, and every reason I've been wanting to swich foods was just confirmed. Corn is the second ingredient. Since I don't really know much about foods, I'll just list everything.
Niño had been having really hard poops, followed by a runny one a few minutes later every walk for the past month or so. He looks almost constipated durring walks.
He has mild epilepsy
He's pretty active
He really likes soy nuggets. (Are these not good to feed as a treat or can I keep doing it?)
He eats 1.25 cups in the morning and 1.25 cups in the evening for a total of 2.5 cups of food per day.
I will have to pay for the new food myself and go out to buy it. There is a petsmart, a pet supplies plus, and a jewel osco within driving distance. I'd be able to order if shipping didn't cost much. I'd like to spend no more than $60 a month.
So far I'm looking at Authority Harvest baked Vennison, but I can't seem to find anything but the first few engredients.

[Kfamr]

My favorite dog food kibble is Timber Wolf Organics. It's not so easy to find although many order if off their website.

A very good website built by a friend of mine...
http://www.mordanna.com/dogfood/

It will teach you A LOT about dog food!

[flowergirl]

I feed my two Authority Harvest Baked Chicken. They do really well on it. It's available at PetSmart (it's their brand). Before I switched Daisy itched alot, and she no longer does. I hope this helps.

[Giselle]

I didn't know Niño had epilepsy! Yikes. Well, I don't know what kinds of food they sell at the last two stores you mentioned, but a few brands tend to be more accessible than others. This includes Canidae, Wellness, Chicken Soup, Solid Gold, Innova, and Blue Buffalo (if they still sell that kibble at PetSmart). I KNOW that a $40 bag of Canidae will last you at least a month so you shouldn't have to worry about the prices of any of these brands.

$60 a month is what it takes me to feed both Giselle and Lucky

Have you visited Naturapet's website? They have a store locator so you might find one near you.

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

I wouldn't fee Authority...come to think of it, if you can help it, I wouldn't feed anything that is available at PetsMart anymore. I feed California Natural dry food to Tango at the moment as well as some canned California Natural or Innova, but will probably try Innova dry next time. She's doing excellent on the CN, I've never seen her healthier. She eats a little over 2 cups a day and I only have to buy her food about once every month and a half or so. It costs me $53.00 Canadian, and I think it's a bit cheaper in the US. The other 3 eat Canidae as Winston wasn't handling the CN very well (it was too rich for him I think). They are all doing very well on Canidae...it's about $48.00 here for one bag, I'd definitley recommend it.

[Love That Collie]

I feed Canidae kibble. The coat and skin is great and he does very well on this. I have tried a number of the others mentioned here and he either didn't like them or they didn't agree with him at all. I can remember that California Natural gave him gas like you wouldn't believe! I thought I actually had a sewer leak! LOL! Innova was the same. I pay $24.98 for a 20lb bag (in the U.S.)

[Suki Wingy]

Thanks guys. I'm going to check out all of those brands. My parents got so fed up with me talking about switching all the time they just said if I want to switch, I have to do it all on my own.
Sophie, his epilepsy is so mild that he only has about 2 very light seizures a year, but it's still scary.

[Jessika]

I feed Canidae kibble. The coat and skin is great and he does very well on this. I have tried a number of the others mentioned here and he either didn't like them or they didn't agree with him at all. I can remember that California Natural gave him gas like you wouldn't believe! I thought I actually had a sewer leak! LOL! Innova was the same. I pay $24.98 for a 20lb bag (in the U.S.)

I just switched to Canidae from Nutro. I thought it was going to be really expensive, but when I compared prices for the same sized bag, I was only paying about $3 more for Canidae than I was for Nutro!

[Suki Wingy]

What protien percentage am I looking for here?
A bit more information:
Niño's 7 years old, sheds A LOT, hard to make him fat because he only eats what he wants, then runs around a lot.
I think I like Solid Gold Wolfking formula and the Timber Wolf Organic foods the best so far but I need a little help with which formula. If the page says,

A unique formula that may be used for clearing up dermatologic and other conditions caused by adverse food reactions or the buildup of toxins. This formula may also be used for the feeding of animals that require a moderate protein diet because of disease and may be used in the management of canine obesity...
Dakota Bison Canid Formula™ is fully balanced and meets the requirements of all life stages, but we do encourage the adding of meats such as muscle meats, organ meats, sweetbreads

should I maybe look for a different formula for him because he's active and sertainly doesn't need obesity management? If so, my best bet would be Nutrient Dense Lamb, Barley, and Apple Formula or Wild & Natural Dry formula, right? The page about Wild & Natural says,

...is designed for Guard, Military, Police and other Service Dogs, Wolves, Wolf Hybrids, Northern Dogs, kennels, show breeders and other dog enthusiasts who have a need for high levels of nutrients.

Why would we have a need for high levels of nutrients? Is that bad for a dog not working or campaigning?

Southwest Chicken and Herbs sounds very good for Niño, actually. Does anyone know if you can easily swich between the formulas of this brand? The site days somewhere that they reccomend mixing up your dog's diet. If so, I would think having some increased nutrients every once and a while would be a good thing.

My last question (for now) is, Does anyone happen to know of a site where you can enter the numer of pounds per bag and how many cups used per day, and it would give you the number of days the bag would last? That would be really handy.

[flowergirl]

but will probably try Innova dry next time. She's doing excellent on the CN, I've never seen her healthier.

Orangutango, if she is doing so well on the CN, why are you switching her food?

[Kater]

My last question (for now) is, Does anyone happen to know of a site where you can enter the numer of pounds per bag and how many cups used per day, and it would give you the number of days the bag would last? That would be really handy.

Density = mass/volume
Pounds are a measure of mass.
Cups are a measure of volume.
The lbs/cup then depends on the density of a particular kibble.
You can get a ballpark estimate of "kibble density" by weighing a known number of cups of your current kibble. I'm not sure how much kibble density varies (never really considered it), but this method will at least give you some method for estimation.

I don't really have time to get involved with the food discussion right now, but I thought I'd just chime in with this to help you out. Math is your friend.

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

Orangutango, if she is doing so well on the CN, why are you switching her food?

She gets bored with her food if she eats the same thing day after day and after about a month and a half she just refuses to eat. That, and I believe it's better to give a dog variety and like to rotate foods around. She can handle it easily and prefers it this way too. Feeding kibble, it is difficult to give her variety and this is the only way that I can give her some sort of variety.

[Love That Collie]

I just switched to Canidae from Nutro. I thought it was going to be really expensive, but when I compared prices for the same sized bag, I was only paying about $3 more for Canidae than I was for Nutro!

Yes, it's very reasonable isn't it.

[Ouote=Orangutangu] She gets bored with her food if she eats the same thing day after day and after about a month and a half she just refuses to eat. That, and I believe it's better to give a dog variety and like to rotate foods around. She can handle it easily and prefers it this way too. Feeding kibble, it is difficult to give her variety and this is the only way that I can give her some sort of variety.

Orangutangu
Have you tried mixing a small amount of canned with her kibble for variety?
Just a small amount to give it a different taste? That's what I do as Bailey is sooo picky that I'd be switching kibble all the time. And it's not because I spoiled him or anything, he's just picky. And the small amount of canned of different varieties doesn't upset anything with him. I had, in the past switched a number of times and just had so many brands of kibble around it was getting expensive to find something that he would continue to eat. I donated what I had left over of the kibble to the local humane society.

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

Orangutangu
Have you tried mixing a small amount of canned with her kibble for variety?
Just a small amount to give it a different taste?

She get's all sorts of things mixed in (egg, canned, carrots, chicken, etc.). She's just not big on eating and finds it to be a waste of time it seems. She's healthy, she just doesn't enjoy eating and the only way to keep her eating okay is to rotate her kibble every so often .

[Jessika]

A healthy dog won't let itself starve