# Taste of the Wild?



## Britanica (Dec 3, 2014)

Another question... I hope someone can help me out with. My dogs are on Taste of the Wild dry food. So my question is, how can I make it more appealing? I know it is a healthier food choice, and it ain't cheap! But they pick at it and waste it. I have been using cheese on top to get them to eat it (pasta cheese) and that defeats the purpose of feeding them healthy food! Help!! lol


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## zhaor (Jul 2, 2009)

Add warm water or moisten and then microwave. Makes any food smell stronger.

Otherwise, there's a variety of toppings you can add to the food depending on your budget and preferences. Cheese (unsalted) is not an unhealthy choice. I'm not sure what you mean by pasta cheese.

Also out of curiosity, which ToTW formulas have you tried. A couple of them are fairly mediocre and different dogs have different taste preferences.


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## Foresthund (Jul 17, 2013)

I feed the same and he eats them fine but healthier toppings can include eggs,olive oil,plain greek yogurt,cottage cheese,canned dog food,dried meat,mix treats in. Maybe pumpkin,carrot bits or sweet potato if your dog likes the stuff.


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## Britanica (Dec 3, 2014)

zhaor said:


> Add warm water or moisten and then microwave. Makes any food smell stronger.
> 
> Otherwise, there's a variety of toppings you can add to the food depending on your budget and preferences. Cheese (unsalted) is not an unhealthy choice. I'm not sure what you mean by pasta cheese.
> 
> Also out of curiosity, which ToTW formulas have you tried. A couple of them are fairly mediocre and different dogs have different taste preferences.


Grated Romano cheese is what I mean. Also, I never thought about making it mushy, I think the pup would like that. It sure does smell bad though haha
And they have had the High Prairie kind, the pup is on the puppy formula.


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## Britanica (Dec 3, 2014)

Foresthund said:


> I feed the same and he eats them fine but healthier toppings can include eggs,olive oil,plain greek yogurt,cottage cheese,canned dog food,dried meat,mix treats in. Maybe pumpkin,carrot bits or sweet potato if your dog likes the stuff.


Kane, the older one, was on the junk food for 5 years of his life, so he is very picky. The puppy will eat the food like a pig so long as there is something added. I have used cottage cheese but I was worried it may upset their tummies. They both love pumpkin but I only use that when they have stomach upsets and loose stools.


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## Kyle071785 (Nov 28, 2013)

we add 1-2 sardines with a nice splash of fishy smelling water to Jax's morning meal and 1tbsp of pumpkin puree to his evening meal (as toppers).

He really loves both on his food (especially the sardines). We've been adding these toppers since he was around 8 months old when he was on the TotW High Prarie Puppy formula. He's now on the Acana Lamb formula but the toppers have remained the same.

Pumpkin is something that can be used every day if you want as well (since they both love it). Sure, it helps with loose stools, but its really just a great all-around digestive aid for any dog.


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## NewLabDoodle (Jun 20, 2011)

Salmon oil. We bought a bottle of it from one of the dog food sites (looks like a lotion bottle with pump dispenser). 1-2 pumps per meal mixed in, and suddenly the food smells like fresh salmon! Our dog loves it. 

Bottle was maybe $15 and lasts a few months. Benefits are shiny coat and healthy skin.


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## philovance (Jan 7, 2009)

Romano cheese (in moderation) is fine. It's salty so that probably makes the TOW more appealing. Myself, I always try to add a little canned or homemade food or healthy scraps to kibble for the moisture. Since I have a fussy cat, Emma also gets a little of the canned cat food Tina has rejected. BTW, canned cat food and canned dog food are pretty identical if you look at the analysis. Cat food is usually more expensive because it comes in smaller cans. I have also feed dry cat food to a dog in a pinch. Although it is higher in protein and fat good quality dry cat food tends to resemble the profile of the "newer" grain free kibbles for dogs, lol.


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## ChelseaOliver (Nov 5, 2014)

Plenty of toppers are fine but they also may not like the formulas very much! My adult mix is picky and won't eat kibble without something added. I typically use cottage cheese but but also stuff like dinner scraps that are dog friendly, cheese in small amounts, scrambled egg, shredded chicken, gravy, canned tripe etc. canned dog food also works for a lot of people!


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## TGKvr (Apr 29, 2015)

I use a tablespoon or two of bone broth sometimes. (I also feed TOTW) Any time I have to boil a chicken for dinner, I put the leftover carcass into the crock pot and simmer it for about three days until the bones all crumble to mush. Sometimes I blend it sometimes I don't, but either way I pour it all into ice cube trays and freeze the broth into cubes. I will give her just a frozen cube as a treat (which she loves) or I can heat some up and pour it over her food (one cube is the perfect amount to flavor her food). She loves it AND it's really healthy and good for her!


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## TGKvr (Apr 29, 2015)

Has anyone had any problems feeding TOTW recently? I see a bunch of terrible reviews on a few different sites that seem to be within the last several months. I feed TOTW and while my dog seems to poop just fine and is behaving normally, her appetite is not what it was. I don't know if she's just getting old enough to not be so hungry all the time and she's in the midst of a major change with her metabolism (She's 11 months now) or she really doesn't like the food. She'll eat it, but not at all on her schedule. The last week or so she basically skips breakfast then eats it all around dinner time, sometimes wanting more after that sometimes not. Unless I top with bone broth then she's all over it of course. I'm just wondering if it's her or the food. I feed the High Prairie formula and was considering switching to the Wetlands to see how she likes it, but if there are some problems going on in the world of TOTW now then I'm not so sure. I was feeding Wellness Core but it just got too expensive.


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## HVani (Jun 11, 2015)

What are the negative reviews saying? 

We have fed TOTW for years without issue.


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## TGKvr (Apr 29, 2015)

Basically it seems like a lot of dogs are getting sick - vomiting/diarrhea - and seems to be about April/May of this year for purchase dates. I'm seeing similar info on both Pet Food Talk/Dog Food Reviews and Dog Food Advisor.

My girl WAS sick last week - vomiting and diarrhea. I thought it was something she got into and ate... I caught her with a watermelon that had been thrown in the field (against my specific directive!) and then there was the possibility she ate a copperhead that had been killed though I couldn't confirm that. So at the time I figured it was just something external but now reading these reviews and looking back, and her lack of interest in her current food, it just makes me wonder. Her poop seems normal now and she hasn't vomited though since the day of the snake incident though her diarrhea lasted a few days at the time. Soooo... who knows.


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## TGKvr (Apr 29, 2015)

Oh I'll add that it seems a lot of the reviewers are regular users of this brand and have had no issues with it up until just recently. I saw a few similar reviews on Amazon too where a long time user had problems with a recent bag. I'm curious to hear if anyone here has had issues with their TOTW food in the last three months.


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## HVani (Jun 11, 2015)

Yikes. We haven't bought any recently so I can't comment. I swear if there is another recall we will be switching food. Thanks for the heads up, I'll look into it a bit more.


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## TGKvr (Apr 29, 2015)

It seems increasingly difficult to find a brand of food that HASN'T had a recall! I'm torn between trying a different flavor or going back to Wellness... ugh it's SO expensive! Why is it so hard to find a high quality, grain-free kibble for a decent price?


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## HVani (Jun 11, 2015)

My other dog is on earthborn, I don't think they have had any issues.


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## Remaru (Mar 16, 2014)

My cat is eating TOTW right now. She puked yesterday but she is a cat so....she is in the middle of shedding (and she is a long haired cat, lots of fur) so she gets hair balls. We just switched her back to TOTW from 4Health because she has a bad habit of binging on the 4health and getting sick from eating too much too fast. I used to feed her Merrick too but she won't eat the Merrick at all anymore, just leaves it in the dish. Right now she won't eat the TOTW either. So either she is being a snot because she is a cat and that is what they do, or there is something up with the food. She used to eat it just fine. 

I feed my dogs Sportmix Wholesomes but it isn't grain free. It is made by the same company as Earthborn Holistic and I like the company. I feed my large breed puppy Muenster Naturals, love the company and they have a grain free option. For me, in TX (and close to where it is made) the price is great. I think it is more expensive if you have to order it online. The kind I buy is less than TOTW but I think the grain free is around the same price. I am not really into grain free, usually it is too high in calcium for large breed puppies and I have found that Lad doesn't tolerate the high protein too well.


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## BellaPup (Jul 7, 2007)

Bella's been on the same TOTW formulas (high prairie and pacific stream mixed together) for probably over two years now. Like most dogs she has occasional tummy troubles....hard to say what causes it - too much grass? Sneaks turds that I didn't find first? One too many baby carrots? Bunny poo? 
But I doubt it's the food...or she'd be probably be much sicker more often. Something to keep in mind, though.


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## TGKvr (Apr 29, 2015)

Yeah I think I'm going to try a different flavor of the same brand - I'd rather not switch brands if I can help it. I'll see if she gains an increase in appetite, and just watch her for any signs of upset tummy. There have been no official recalls but the more I look into it, the more alarming the reviews are in the last several months and it seems to be limited to a certain window of time, mostly. I know lots of things besides food can cause those symptoms, so I'm not ready to jump off the ledge yet, but it definitely seems like something to be aware of and I might not buy a huge bag, just a little bit to try first.


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## RonE (Feb 3, 2007)

Three dogs here on TOTW. I purchase about every three weeks, and no issues so far.

I have one with a very delicate stomach, so it doesn't take much. TOTW is the only food we've tried that doesn't make her sick.


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## TGKvr (Apr 29, 2015)

So I went to my local pet shop, and talked with the lady there a bit. I wanted to try a small bag of the Wetlands flavor but they only had 15 lb bags so... that's what I got. We'll see. Anyway, she said she hadn't heard of any recent issues with TOTW but bison is known to be a meat product with some sensitivity... but if I wanted to try a small bag of something equivalent to get the Diamond something or other. Now I know that they are in cahoots, but I thought TOTW simply contracted out some manufacturing at select locations but she said that they actually OWN that brand. So trying other Blue formulas would be an easy transition... so she says. It's something to keep in mind if my girl doesn't like this new flavor. It gets confusing keeping up with the brands and all of their alliances, especially the "B" ones: Blue Diamond (Diamond), Blue Buffalo, Blue Wilderness... What is up with Blue?

Hopefully it was simply a flavor issue and she'll regain her normal appetite with this. My pet shop lady also said that it's pretty normal for all types of bulldogs to not eat very much, which... I've never heard before? Usually my girl has quite the healthy appetite!


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## Remaru (Mar 16, 2014)

I am not a Blue fan (Blue Buffalo), it is over priced for the quality and you would be better off buying something like Wellness, Fromm, Farmina, Dr. Tim's, Canidae or Earthborn if you want to get away from Diamond. Actually I believe 4health grain free is not made by Diamond (the other formulas are) and it is quite cost effective. Also Victor is cost effective, doesn't have any recalls and is not at all related to Diamond but can be harder to find (you might have to order it). 

I have never heard of bulldogs not having a healthy appetite, Duke was always hungry unless his stomach was bothering him (and at the end when he was sick he had some lapsed days). Bulldogs can be prone to food allergies that may make it hard to find foods they tolerate well and of course if they are sick they may not eat (though many times Duke could be sick and still pounding back food).


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## TGKvr (Apr 29, 2015)

Just a quick update on this... (also, being somewhat new to the forums, please tell me if using a different thread vs. using an existing one is preferable here; it has been my experience on other forums that if there is already a thread topic about what you're looking for, to use it. I don't want to be rude and hijack threads if that is not common practice here)

So I got the Wetlands formula last night and gave her dinner with the new flavor, no mix. She ate it all down, then shortly after became SUPER hyper. I took her outside and she just wanted to work on lessons - super focused, wanted me to give her things to do... then she got a serious case of the zoomies and for the rest of the evening was just so energetic, far more so than is typical for that time of day. I don't know if she just REALLY liked the new food, was excited to have a different flavor, or something else entirely. I suppose we'll see after a few days if she regains her normal eating schedule but so far, initial observations show that she likes the new flavor much better so perhaps there was really something going on there - either a bad batch or she just doesn't care for bison!


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## BellaPup (Jul 7, 2007)

I don't like Blue Buffalo. Like Remaru said, it's over-priced for one, and it did not agree with Bella - at all. After a month of picking up poop the consistency of pudding, I figured it just wan't gonna happen. I think it's too rich or has too much something that didn't digest well...maybe those stupid "life bits" or whatever they call them. 

Like people, different dogs feel better eating different foods. Just have to give it time to either work.....or not work :/ I'm hoping my days of switching food for Bella is behind us - took 6 years, but I think we found a winner...unless TOTW changes something with their recipe. (please don't....please please please.)


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## jade5280 (Feb 20, 2013)

I have tried SO MANY brands of food because Ryker has a sensitive stomach and always had off/on diarrhea. TOTW is the only thing that has worked for us. We can rotate between flavors without any issues as well.


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## flipgirl (Oct 5, 2007)

Please do not put cheese on your dog's food. It isn't that healthy and is high in fat. Green beans, low sodium chicken or beef broth, canned food, bits of lean meat (no deli meats or those high in salt), fish oil (only what your dog needs not more-my dog is 17 lb and she gets 3 ml- a teaspoon is 5 ml to give you a reference point) are good options. Have you tried the other flavours? Is it the cost of TOTW why you chose it? Wellness Core and Go! Are good brands but I am not sure what is available to you.


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## HVani (Jun 11, 2015)

Well 3 weeks ago, Eevee started having vomiting/diarrhea. I thought she just got into something but she seemed to not be feeling very well at all. Since it was a Saturday we took her to the E Vet for some fluids and something to settle her stomach. While waiting in the lobby she collapsed and went into cardiac arrest. They tried to bring her back but she was gone. Just like that. We are at a complete loss as to what happened and are waiting necropsy results. 

Yesterday I went to my groomer and she said a few days after Eevee died another one of her client's dogs died in a very similar manner. Bothe dogs were healthy, young active dogs that just suddenly died with the same symptoms. Both were eating Taste of the Wild. 

I have no idea if they are related, test results will say for sure. I just figured I would bump this thread up just in case. My other dog is on Earthborn and she has been just fine.


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## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

I was feeding this, but for some reason, when they came out with their new formulas, they made the older ones with "new and improved taste" and my dogs quit eating it, so I switched, a few times, changing each time a food dog expensive LOL, and we have now landed on Pro Pac ultimates, which I know on paper isnt the best food out there, due to its low meat content, but it works great for my pup with a sensitive stomach.


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## Remaru (Mar 16, 2014)

HVani said:


> Well 3 weeks ago, Eevee started having vomiting/diarrhea. I thought she just got into something but she seemed to not be feeling very well at all. Since it was a Saturday we took her to the E Vet for some fluids and something to settle her stomach. While waiting in the lobby she collapsed and went into cardiac arrest. They tried to bring her back but she was gone. Just like that. We are at a complete loss as to what happened and are waiting necropsy results.
> 
> Yesterday I went to my groomer and she said a few days after Eevee died another one of her client's dogs died in a very similar manner. Bothe dogs were healthy, young active dogs that just suddenly died with the same symptoms. Both were eating Taste of the Wild.
> 
> I have no idea if they are related, test results will say for sure. I just figured I would bump this thread up just in case. My other dog is on Earthborn and she has been just fine.


I am so very very sorry.


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## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

BellaPup said:


> I don't like Blue Buffalo. Like Remaru said, it's over-priced for one, and it did not agree with Bella - at all. After a month of picking up poop the consistency of pudding, I figured it just wan't gonna happen. I think it's too rich or has too much something that didn't digest well...maybe those stupid "life bits" or whatever they call them.
> 
> Like people, different dogs feel better eating different foods. Just have to give it time to either work.....or not work :/ I'm hoping my days of switching food for Bella is behind us - took 6 years, but I think we found a winner...unless TOTW changes something with their recipe. (please don't....please please please.)


I have heard of a few people telling me this about BB not agreeing with their dogs. Especially the wilderness line. 

BellaPup, if you do have to switch, you might consider this brand: http://www.victordogfood.com/yukon.html it is from a company called "victor" and if I could find it here, I would buy it LOL, my parents feed it to their three dogs at home, including one 15 year old JRT with allergy issues, and is VERY picky. You can also supplement with digestive enzymes if her tummy is bothering her.

But I agree, as long as it is broke, dont fix it! though it is nice to have a plan B just in case, I have several plan B's all the time, because things change with dog food.


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## kmac99 (Jul 18, 2014)

My cat eats ToTW and she is fine. A friend feeds her dog ToTW and they have been fine. They love it. 
I have given it to mine when we ran out and couldn't get to Costco. We have since learned that Diamond what we get a Costco makes so I'll grab a small bag of that now. 

There was never any issue. IF we didn't feed them Kirkland's then that would have been what I would have selected.

Try the other flavor. Go with small bags to see. I also use Pollack oil (cheaper then Salmon Oil if cost matters). Make sure you always check the bottle. I got a bigger bottle this time and it says fewer pumps. Sounds right, longer pump would mean more product per squirt.


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## TGKvr (Apr 29, 2015)

I haven't had any issues since I first posted about it... and in fact, I think her sickness was due to something else entirely because I ended up feeding her some of that original bag I had left when I ran out of the newer food and she was fine. I did switch to the Wetlands from the High Prairie, but haven't had any problems with it at all and she still eats it even when I don't put extra yummies in there!


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## dcrealtor (Sep 16, 2010)

I've been feeding my dogs TOTW for years they love it. I regularly add oil, egg, a can of wet food, or some combination but they'll eat it by itself too. I have never had a problem. They like this Merrick 99% Beef canned food but at $2.50 per can it's a rare treat.


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## BooneOEB (Aug 3, 2015)

There seems to be some confusion here between Taste of the Wild, and Blue Buffalo's Wilderness diet. They are two separate brands, by different manufacturers as far as I am aware. I tried Blue Buffalo YEARS ago (prob 8 years), and had constantly runny diarrhea issues with both dogs. They have had a lot of bad rep lately too, and I am pretty sure are in some legal trouble.

Just recently I switched Daisy and Darla to Taste of The Wild High Prairie (from Wellness), and have seen major improvements! Daisy has not thrown up once in 4 months, as opposed to 1-2x/week, and seems to itch/lick her paws less. Darla has recently grown in a TON of new hair. She has Alopecia X, and now at 9 has more hair than she did at 4!!! That totally shocked us and her vet/dermatologist. I couldn't be happier with it. Boone in on the puppy version and is doing awesome too.

Edit to add- They eat it dry, but I do top with some Coconut oil in the AM as a supplement which they love! All other treats/supplements they get in frozen Kongs or as training treats.


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## HVani (Jun 11, 2015)

Eevee's necropsy results came back last week. There was no signs of toxins or infectious disease. It is believed her sudden death was due to Addison's disease which we did not know she had. Otherwise she was a very healthy dog. So the food ended up not being the issue.


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## BooneOEB (Aug 3, 2015)

Soooooo sorry for your loss


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## LolanPepe (Oct 3, 2015)

HVani, I'm sorry for your loss. 

I was using TOTW and then decided to use Kirkland brand since they had a grain free version. They seemed to like the red and blue bag. So after awhile I decided to try the yellow bag and only Pepe likes it. So then I went ahead and bought TOTW in the southwest canyon flavor. Again my GSD wouldn't eat it. But I read the replies above and tried sardines and now she ate the whole bowl and looked like she would've ate even more. I didn't even think to add a topping. I hope I don't have to do this all the time. That can't be good right?


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