Treats | Milkbone Alternatives

cheap. $2.50 each at big lots.

easy. open box and hand to dog.

just like a milkbone, but better.

Ingredient comparison:
Milkbones Crunchy Treat - Wheat flour, beef meal and beef bone meal, corn flour, sugar, dried digest of poultry by-products, cooked bone marrow preserved with BHA, BHT and citric acid, beef fat preserved with tocopherols, salt, brewers dried yeast, artificial color (includes red 40), iron oxide, sodium metabisulfite (dough conditioner), natural flavor.

Cloud Star Muttos (duck/sweet potato) - Whole Wheat Flour, Ground Oats, Duck, Chicken Fat, Sweet Potato, Caramel Color (natural coloring agent), Salt, mixed tocopherols (natural preservative). 
- - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Milkbones Biscuits - Wheat flour, wheat bran, beef meal and beef bone meal, beef fat preserved with tocopherols, wheat germ, poultry by-product meal, dried vegetable pomace, salt, lamb meal, chicken meal, turkey meal, minerals (dicalcium phosphate, iron oxide, zinc sulfate, calcium carbonate, copper sulfate, ethylenediamine dihydriodide (source of iodine)), artificial color (includes yellow 5, red 40, blue 1), brewers dried yeast, malted barley flour, vitamins (choline chloride, dl-alpha tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E), vitamin A acetate, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, vitamin B12 supplement, d-activated animal sterol (source of vitamin D3)), sodium metabisulfite (dough conditioner), whey casein (a milk protein).


Cloud Star Trail Hound (peanut butter) - Whole Wheat Flour, Ground Whole Oats, Peanut Butter, Rolled Oats, Amaranth, Sunflower Hearts, Apples, Carrots, Flax Seed, Kelp, Beta-Carotene, Green Tea Extract, L-Carnitine, Mixed Tocopherols (natural preservative).

Comparison | Acana Pacifica & EVO Herring

Due to the recent sale of Natura to Proctor & Gamble,

I have begun to transition my foster dog to Acana Pacifica.
Here is a side by side comparison (taken directly from each bag label) to show you why I chose this food:

Animal Protein Ingredients:

ACANA PACIFICA, 60%                EVO HERRING/SALMON, 76%
Boneless salmon                                Herring
Salmon meal                                     Salmon meal
Herring meal                                     Herring meal
Whitefish meal                                  Salmon
Salmon oil                                        Eggs
Boneless Herring                              Herring Oil
Boneless Flounder                            Cottage Cheese

Fruit/Vegetable/Carbohydrate/Botanical Ingredients:

ACANA PACIFICA, 40%            EVO HERRING/SALMON, 23%

Russet Potato                                Peas

Peas                                              Pea Fiber

Sweet Potato                                Sunflower Oil

Sun-Cured Alfalfa                         Apples

Pumpkin                                       Carrots

Turnip Greens                               Dried Chicory Root

Spinach  

Tomatoes

Carrots

Apples

Organic Kelp

Cranberries

Blueberries

Juniper Berries

Black Currants

Chicory Root

Licorice Root

Angelica Root

Fenugreek

Marigold Flowers

Sweet Fennel

Peppermint Leaf

Chamomile Flowers

Lavender Flowers 

Summer Savory

Rosemary                                                                                                                                         

Vitamin/Mineral/Probiotic Ingredients:

ACANA PACIFICA                               EVO HERRING/SALMON

Vitamins A, D3, E, B5, B6, B12             Vitamins E, A, B12

Niacin                                                     Niacin

Zinc Proteinate                                        Glucosamine Hydrochloride

Thiamine Mononitrate                              Chondroitin Sulfate

Riboflavin                                                Zinc Proteinate

Iron Proteinate                                        Iron Proteinate

Manganese Proteinate                            Copper Proteinate

Copper Proteinate                                 Manganese Proteinate

Folic Acid                                             Calcium Iodate

Biotin                                                    Betaine Hydrocholoride 

Selenium                                               Thiamine Mononitrate 

Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus            Calcium Pantothenate

Dried Enterococcus Faecium                Biotin

                                                            Riboflavin

                                                           Beta Carotene

                                                          Pyridoxine Hydrochloride

                                                          Phylloquinone

                                                          Folic Acid

                                                         Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus 

                                                         Dried Lactobacillus casei 

                                                        Dried Enterococcus faecium

Select Analysis:

ACANA PACIFICA                        EVO HERRING/SALMON

Protein 33%                                    Protein 42%

Fat 18%                                          Fat 18%

Moisture 10%                                 Moisture 10%

Calcium 1.4% min, 1.6% max         Calcium not listed

Phosphorus 1.1% min, 1.3% max   Phosphorus not listed

Enjoy your new ownership, Natura.... 

Avoderm

Arguably, where there is a Petsmart, there is a Petco. At least in my experience.

I prefer Pet Suppies Plus either way. They typically sell Sojos, EVO, Orijen/Acana, Wellness Core, Nature's Variety, Horizon Legacy... all exceptionally great foods.

I get a few emails here and there asking for the best food you can find at Petsmart. I try to ask if one of the other two stores are local to them as well, and if the answer is "no", then there are one of two foods that in a total bind, I might feed.

- The first is Blue Buffalo Wilderness, but seeing that each variety (original, duck & salmon) has chicken in it, I wouldn't be able to feed it to one of my dogs with a proven chicken allergy.

- The second is Avoderm. The funny thing about this brand of food is that it garners either die-hard lovers, or adamant haters. Why the haters? The ASPCA warns us not to feed our dogs avocados, which is a major ingredient in Avoderm (if you couldn't tell...)
However, the company says:

Concern has been expressed by the ASPCA about the consumption of the leaves, fruit, bark, and stems from the avocado tree, with the exception of the avocado fruit which is used for the oil and meal; none of these parts are factors in any of the AvoDerm Natural pet products formulations. 

Dr. Art Craigmill, UC Davis, Professor and Extension Specialist in Environmental Toxicology has said that his studies and other research in the United States and Australia have shown that the problem of toxicity is in the leaves and the pit of the Guatemalan variety; the avocado meat of the fruit and oils have not been shown to be toxic. AvoDerm Natural pet products do not utilize any Guatemalan variety avocados, nor do we use any leaves or pits of any variety of avocados for our avocado meal and oil.

The avocado meal and oil used in the AvoDerm Natural pet products comes from the meat of the fruit and does not contain leaves, bark, skin or pit of the fruit.  The oil is extracted from ripened fruit in which the meat pulp has been separated from the skin and the pit. Through a mechanical separation process the oil is extracted and filtered and placed into sealed containers. The pulp of the fruit is dried, ground, and screened before being placed into its final packaging and than shipped to our facility.

So, if you believe their research, you should also believe that avocados are full of vitamins A, C, D, E, B6, and essential fatty acids for excellent skin and coat condition. 

I'll admit that I was a skeptic with Avoderm, because of the toxic potential of parts of the fruit, but I decided to try one of their canned products anyway so that IF you can never, ever find any other store than Petsmart, I could safely say "try Avoderm".  
I chose the Lamb & Rice canned formula because of its exclusion of chicken and beef (nice!). 

Ingredients
Lamb, Lamb Broth, Ground Whole Rice, Lamb Liver, Dried Eggs, Flax Seed, Lecithin, Guar Gum, Calcium Carbonate, Kelp, Avocado Oil, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Source of Vitamin B Complex), Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Choline Chloride, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Source of Vitamin B6), Thiamine Mononitrate (Source of Vitamin B1), Biotin, Ascorbic Acid (Source of Vitamin C), Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Carbonate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Carbonate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite.

Would I feed this long term? I would have to say no, honestly. Avocados contain persin, which leeches into the fruit from the pit. At toxic levels in non-humans (which may vary), symptoms include gastrointestinal irritation, vomiting, diarrhea, respiratory distress, congestion, fluid accumulation around the tissues of the heart and even death. So, you know, it's just not worth it when varieties of fish contain the same essential fatty acids and coat health properties without the persin.
In fact, I'm pretty sure I won't be trying any other Avoderm products again, because other safer foods exist out there with the same benefits. I'm not an adament hater, I just feel the risk doesn't exceed the benefit.

 

Spot's Stew

Is it just me or is this canned Salmon formula from Halo's line of Spot's Stew (the cat version is grain free, and nothing in it is harmful to dogs!) getting harder and harder to find?


I think the ingredients are great, and the pup loves it and doesn't have any digestive upset from it (while I get to observe any sensitivities to cooked beef/chicken/turkey, which he doesn't seem to have).. but it is getting HARDER and HARDER to find!

Luckily a local health foods store keeps a nice stock of it, which I patronize. But I guarantee that the average dog feeder wouldn't go out of their way to find it since chains like Petco seemed to stop stocking it readily.

Anyway, this is why I like it - the ingredients - which you can see in wholesome form within the mix:
Ingredients: Salmon, chicken liver, broth, turkey, water (sufficient for processing), carrots, green beans, yellow squash, celery, zucchini, green peas, mustard greens, dried kelp, calcium citrate, flax seed meal, oats, pumpkin, sweet potato, ascorbic acid

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein - 6.4% min.
Crude Fat - 1.8% min.
Crude Fiber - 4.3% max.
Moisture - 84.0% max.


(as a kibble topper for the pup - you can see the whole vegetation)

Teething Help | Nylabone Edibles

Normally... I wouldn't give these bones as a treat.
Normally... I wouldn't be dealing with a wirey coated alligator.
However, I am.

There isn't a huge appeal to me about these edible bones that Nylabone makes, there is even less appeal to the non-edibles that just look like huge (phallic!) choking hazards. I guess its nice that a company is giving awareness of the need for dental health in our canine friends.

I would prefer my puppy eat raw meaty bones but with the uncertainty of which teeth are active for chewing, which are falling out, and what kind of pain he's in, I'm hesitant to give him anything raw that needs to be chewed in total before digestion. 

So - in the interest of [some] safety, sanity and moments of peace that only a chew bone allows from a teething dog, I bought Healthy* Edibles Lamb & Apple for Puppies. I watch and listen while he eats this.

picking the correct size (per weight) for potential choking hazard bones should be a priority! 

*In their defense, they do now claim they are gluten free formulas. Below are the ingredients.

Ingredients

Wheat Starch, Glycerin, Soy Meal, Cellulose, Lecithin, Potato Starch, Natural Flavor, Natural Flavor, Lamb Meal, Apple, Oat Fiber, Calcium Carbonate, Soy Flour, and Rosemary Oil Vitamins: Thiamin, Riboflavin, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin B-6, Folic Acid, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Biotin, Choline, Inositol and PABA Minerals: Calcium Carbonate, Ferrous Carbonate, Magnesium Oxide, Dicalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Chloride, Zinc Oxide, Copper Oxide, Manganese Oxide and Sodium Molybdate. 

Analysis

Min. crude protein: 5.0%, Min. crude fat: .5%, Max. crude fiber: 8%, Max. moisture: 13% Calories per gram: 3.47

puppy meatloaf version 2.0

We had a major score recently and got some local buffalo meat! The shibas got it raw, but the puppy got some mixed into a super baked meatloaf. This was a meal, not just a kibble topper.

Ingredients:
Buffalo (ground)
Turkey (ground)
Whole eggs
Spinach
Carrots
Peas
Kelp
Parsley

Served with:
Cottage cheese
Sweet potato (steamed)

puppy meatloaf

I've been trying something new with Buckley, who doesn't seem to have any sensitivities to food yet.

Raw is the ultimate diet for many educated dog owners/feeders... and it should be. It is the original canine diet.

However, for one reason or another, sometimes the owner or the dog just can't do it all the time.

For me, the puppy and his teething was a hindrance for beginning raw (sans grinder). Well, I got my grinder and I find there is quite a bit to be desired with ground bones. For me (and me alone) I don't feel safe feeding them in their raw, ground form. I have been giving Buckley raw chicken bones, whole, and he's done well with them.

I use the grinder now to make meat loaf. Our first batch was a hit!

raw, not yet cooked. 

Ingredients:
Ground sirloin, approx 90% lean + few oz of beef liver (also ground)
Salmon
Whole Eggs, 2, (with ground egg shell)
Carrots
Spinach
Peas
Ground Apples (without skin or seeds)
Kelp, powder
Parsley, fresh
Alfalfa, powder
Garlic, fresh minced

To measure - I used a ratio of about 60 meat/protein : 40 vegetation. That's it.


baked 1 hour, chilled, and served as a kibble topper.

*  *   *  *  *  *   *   *   *   *  *  *   *
Analyzing the recipe on nutritiondata.com, per ounce:
Fat - 2g
Protein - 4.4g
Carbs - 1g (dietary fiber - 0.3g)
B12 - 0.6mcg
Calcium - 28.1mg
Phosphorus - 55mg
Omega 3 - 183mg
Omega 6 - 85.4mg
Water - 20.3g

Rate Your Dog's Kibble

First, find the ingredients... either on the food's website or a decent vendor, like K9 Cuisine.

Second, go to Rate Your Dog's Food and answer the 20+ questions.


EVO Herring & Salmon got an A+ (102)

Solid Gold's Wolf Cub got an A+ (105)


Go find yours!

puppy kibble | solid gold wolf cub

Almost three weeks ago, I got a call first thing on a Sunday morning that I'd be fostering a puppy that afternoon. A 13 week old puppy.
At first, I was like ok.... then the panic set in that I was SO NOT prepared for a puppy! Especially nutritionally.

I ran out to find a decent kibble that I could feed, and also some wet foods (will describe in next post) to make into a sort of 'soup' to make sure puppy was also getting some real meat and proper hydration.

Once at Petco, I settled on Solid Gold Wolf Cub (even though he is a smaller breed of dog, the analysis is OK for all dogs) for his base kibble. Why? Well the ingredients are good enough, as I have been told "you have to be careful not only with the calcium & phosphorus levels but also an appropriate amount of DHA" and this line by Solid Gold has all these covered.

Most dog feeders have 'heard' that the problem you face with feeding a puppy (specifically of a larger breed) is the high protein levels in most of the better puppy foods. It is actually the calcium, and its ration to phosphorus, that is more of a growth concern. Puppies cannot regulate calcium like adults can and too much can cause them to grow more rapidly than nature intended. This has been said to cause problems such as dysplasias, HOD, OCD etc.

The Ingredients:
Bison | Salmon Meal | Brown Rice | Millet | Cracked Pearled Barley | Rice Bran | Canola Oil | Tomato Pomace | Flaxseed | Natural Flavor | Salmon Oil (source of DHA) | Choline Chloride | Taurine | Dried Chicory Root | Parsley Flakes | Pumpkin Meal | Almond Oil | Sesame Oil | Yucca Schidigera Extract | Thyme | Blueberries | Cranberries | Carrots | Broccoli | Vitamin E Supplement | Iron Proteinate | Zinc Proteinate | Copper Proteinate | Ferrous Sulfate | Zinc Sulfate | Copper Sulfate | Potassium Iodide | Thiamine Mononitrate | Manganese Proteinate | Manganous Oxide | Ascorbic Acid | Vitamin A Supplement | Biotin | Calcium Panthothenate | Manganese Sulfate | Sodium Selenite | Pyridoxine Hydrochloride | Vitamin B12 Supplement | Riboflavin Supplement | Vitamin D Supplement | Folic Acid |

According to dogfoodanalysis.com, the guaranteed analysis is as follows:
Protein, Min 26%
Fat, Min 12%
Fiber, Max 4%
Moisture, Max 10%
Calcium, Max 1.5%
Phosphorus, Max 1.2%

According to the label on the bag of kibble, Salmon Oil is the source of DHA. 

So, he likes it. He will be switched to raw once the grinder is up and running ;) 

Wellness Core Ocean

 Wellness Core Ocean is a great kibble, if you can find it. Petco carries the original formula, not Ocean, in kibble form. Pet Supplies Plus sometimes carries Ocean.

The Wellness Core "NO" list: No Meat By-products, No Wheat or Wheat Gluten, No Soy, No Dairy, No Corn, No Artificial Colors, Flavors or Preservatives

My super sensitive allergy dog has never had issues on this food. Bonus for being grain free! 

I would recommend this food.

Ingredients:
Whitefish, Whitefish Meal, Salmon Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Potatoes, Dried Ground Potato, Canola Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Pea Fiber, Tomato Pomace, Natural Fish Flavor, Flaxseed, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Kale, Broccoli, Spinach, Parsley, Apples, Blueberries, Vitamins & Minerals, Choline Chloride, Chicory Root Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, Dried Lactobacillus plantarum, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Products, Rosemary Extract.

This is a naturally preserved product.


Protein - 34%
Fat - 14%
Moisture: 10%
Calcium: 2.1%
Phosphorus: 1.5%

Food Trial : Acana Pacifica

I understand that not everyone can, or will, feed raw. I am sometimes asked for food recommendations, and the only true way to give a recommendation is to have my dogs try the food and pan the results (stool, digestibility, coat, skin, etc).

Before starting a new food, it is desired that you go through a transition period to ensure that there will be no severe GI upsets.

My dogs' food trials are set up such that a true outcome can be seen without GI upset due to lack of transition. My dogs will eat a total raw diet for up to 2-3 weeks, then after 12-16 hours of their last raw meal, they are given their first kibble meal. In this way, we get to see immediate results from their consumption of the food. After two weeks, we truly see what effects, if any, a particular food has on their entire system.


Our first kibble review: ACANA PACIFICA

- Absolutely free of chicken, beef or grains. Passed the allergen test with my female!

- We choose kibbles that are grain free, or have low-allergen grains.
ACANA PACIFICA is a grain free food [ingredients here].

- This food is also moderately low in carbohydrates with a moderately high protein level.
I try to stick with foods with a protein level between 28-34%.
ACANA PACIFICA has a 33% protein level.

- This food has a nice variety of fish proteins (salmon, herring, flounder) all fresh caught, regional, fit for human consumption and are ETHOXYQUIN FREE per manufacturer statement.

- ACANA PACIFICA boasts an ALL LIFE STAGES feeding regimen. Levels of protein, calcium, phosphorous, and calories should always be considered before giving to just any dog at any life stage.

- Zero GI upset and maintained a nice coat/skin without supplementation (fish oils, etc).


I would recommend this food.

Surf and Turf Europa

Ingredients:
(per 24lb dog)
1/2 cup of Sojourner's Europa (aka 'the green bag'), rehydrated
1/2 cup of chicken hearts, raw
1/2 cup of fresh sardines (or canned in water)
2 chicken necks, raw
1 tbsp plain organic yogurt

Mix.
And serve.


If your dog is anything like mine, s/he will eat all the chicken first and pick at the rest.


Ingredient analysis per nutritiondata.com:
Ingredients: Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Broccoli, Celery, Apples, Whole Egg, Flax Meal, Parsley Leaf, Calcium Carbonate, Carob Powder, Kelp Powder, Alfalfa, Ginger Root, Garlic. Chicken hearts. Chicken necks. Sardines. Yogurt. Water.

Embark with Beef/mackerel

(as this is the first recipe post, any constructive criticism about the content/layout/info is greatly appreciated!)

My female shiba has food restrictions which include processed chicken and beef, corn, wheat and soy. My male is a foodie just like me who has zero restrictions and loves every minute of it!

When I prepare a meal that both will be eating that includes chicken or beef, it is always fresh and usually in raw form, unless the beef is ground.


The follow recipe is prepared for two dogs, one is 18.5lbs and the other 24lbs.


EMBARK WITH BEEFACKEREL
Ingredients:
Two cups of Embark by The Honest Kitchen, rehydrated
About one pound (give or take) of beef sirloin, cut into cubes
One half can of Jack Mackeral
Two tablespoons of cottage cheese


Mix.
And serve.

We do end up with leftovers that get fed at the next meal.

Ingredient analysis per nutritiondata.com (adjust to portions used):
Hormone-free USDA turkey, organic flaxseed, potatoes, celery, spinach, carrots, coconut, apples, organic kelp, eggs, sesame seeds, bananas, cranberries and rosemary. Beef sirloin. Jack Mackerel. Cottage Cheese. Water.