# Nature's Variety vs TOTW vs Blue Buf



## emmapeel (Aug 15, 2009)

I am going to be bringing a new Siberian Husky home from the shelter tomorrow, they feed whatever they have available. The plan is to put her on TOTW or Nature's Variety or ... 

When my lhasa was alive I was feeding her California Natural Lamb, but with the buyout happening I want something else than that brand.

I'm getting  at obsessing over this. I'm iffy about TOTW because of the ethoxy.

Orijen and Acana are not options because the nearest place is too far away. Also I would prefer a brand that has a few flavors so I can rotate.

Help me help myself.


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## Enhasa (Feb 6, 2010)

I'd go with blue buffalo out of the 3.

nature's variety outsource some of their meats from china, which i think you are better off feeding natura pet foods than that.

taste of the wild is decent for the price as well.


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## STPFAN (Sep 27, 2009)

Tomberwolf Organics an option for you?


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## meggels (Mar 8, 2010)

I would go with TOTW. I think it's the best bang for your buck and a slightly better quality food than the two.


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## Enhasa (Feb 6, 2010)

the only thing i have against TOTW is that their fish meals are preserved with ethoxyquin.

I guess if you feed TOTW flavors (they have 3) that is free of any fish related proteins, you will be fine.

Otherwise, definitely Blue Buffalo. Blue Buffalo claims they use ethoxyquin-free sources. 

Like what I said earlier, Nature's Variety source their proteins from China (not all). Considering protein meals are not as well regulated, meaning they can come from diseased, sick or dead animals prior to slaughter, and the very fact it is from China, that worries me.


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## emmapeel (Aug 15, 2009)

STPFAN said:


> Tomberwolf Organics an option for you?


Nope. Too far to drive for us.


Enhasa said:


> the only thing i have against TOTW is that their fish meals are preserved with ethoxyquin.
> 
> I guess if you feed TOTW flavors (they have 3) that is free of any fish related proteins, you will be fine.
> 
> ...


I read somewhere that TOTW's fish formula's were going to be ethoxyquin-free this summer, but I can't find the link now.

I think I will start her on Blue Buffalo.


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## Enhasa (Feb 6, 2010)

when it does become ethoxyquin free, it will certainly be one of my top choices.

right now i think orijen is the best, followed by evo or other natura products. but natura are being sold........so i dunno bout them anymore.


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## lucidity (Nov 10, 2009)

Enhasa said:


> nature's variety outsource some of their meats from china, which i think you are better off feeding natura pet foods than that.
> .


It's only their rabbit meat. If you stay clear of their rabbit formulas you're fine.


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## flipgirl (Oct 5, 2007)

STPFAN said:


> Tomberwolf Organics an option for you?


Does Timberwolf Organics even exist anymore? I thought the company went bankrupt. 

I heard that NV only sources their rabbit from China. I feed the raw NV and have had no problem with it. Although they just had to recall their raw chicken formulas. Besides that, NV would be good because they have a couple of other flavours and you can rotate with kibble, dehydrated and raw as well.

I'm not big onTOTW but I think it's probably more reasonable in terms of price.


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## DJsMom (Jun 6, 2008)

flipgirl said:


> I heard that NV only sources their rabbit from China.


that is correct, as we sell NV in our store & I've questioned them abou it myself.
Here's a reply I got from NV to a recent inquiry:

"The rabbit protein we use in our raw diet is from China and our canned rabbit is from China and Italy. We employ a U.S. educated food scientist there to oversee our rabbit sourcing. All rabbit protein is tested before shipment from China and again after it arrives in the U.S. and processed into our Raw diet. In addition, the rabbit liver we use in our canned diets is from China and undergoes the same rigorous monitoring and testing. We feel very confident in how we handle our sourcing from China. the rabbit in our kibble diets is from France. All poultry, pork and beef come from the U.S. and our lamb and venison is imported from Australia and New Zealand."


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## Northern_Inuit_Luv (Aug 26, 2009)

I was feeding my foster malamute blue buffalo and he wouldn't eat it, we struggled for 2 weeks to get him to eat just the tiniest of bits (and he was severely underweight). I asked a husky friend and she said she had the same problem with her girl. We switched to the bison TOTW and he loved it, managed to put on 4 lbs in 3 weeks by just eating the recommended amount, and his fur was starting to feel less poorly. He's since gone to a new home, but the 3 weeks he was on it convinced me it was not too bad, and I would recommend it.


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## Jacksons Mom (Mar 12, 2010)

lucidity said:


> It's only their rabbit meat. If you stay clear of their rabbit formulas you're fine.


Yep. And I believe it's only their raw food line that comes from China, NOT the kibble. 

Out of these choices, I would definitely say Nature's Variety. If TOTW didn't have the ethoxyquin, I would say that. I fed NV Instinct for 8 months and he did so well on it but once the store started selling Acana next to us, I switched and he's been doing even better.  NV Instinct was getting a bit expensive too. I want to say it was like $18 for a 4.4lb bag of turkey/duck flavor. I now pay around $14 for a 6lb bag of Acana Grasslands flavor. But the good thing about NV is I was constantly getting coupons in email and "buy one, get one free" bags so it ended up working out!

I've heard a lot of dogs won't eat the life source bits in the Blue Buffalo.


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

Every dog food has "something". Strauss and Mirada are on TOTW Fish and stools have improved dramatically (the bison was just too much for Strauss). Fish based foods have ethoxyquin, lots of other foods have menadione, and and and....

How many organic foods have garlic and onion powder iin them? I've seen my fair share of it. 

If I keep worrying about every little thing, my dogs won't get to eat at all!

Just saying.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

Xeph said:


> Every dog food has "something". Strauss and Mirada are on TOTW Fish and stools have improved dramatically (the bison was just too much for Strauss). Fish based foods have ethoxyquin, lots of other foods have menadione, and and and....
> 
> How many organic foods have garlic and onion powder iin them? I've seen my fair share of it.
> 
> ...


I agree completely. I've fed all three of these (but only raw for NV). They were all good, I don't think you could go wrong. Personally the outsourcing on NV worries me the most. I've fed TOTW for a year and had fantastic results on it.


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## amdeblaey (Jun 27, 2009)

Xeph said:


> Every dog food has "something". Strauss and Mirada are on TOTW Fish and stools have improved dramatically (the bison was just too much for Strauss). Fish based foods have ethoxyquin, lots of other foods have menadione, and and and....
> 
> How many organic foods have garlic and onion powder iin them? I've seen my fair share of it.
> 
> ...


I second this!! Both my labs are on TOTW-I switch between Duck and Fowl, and High Prairie, they are doing just fine.


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## Michiyo-Fir (Jul 25, 2009)

Out of the 3, I choose Nature's Variety. They have grain free formulas as well and their Instinct formulas (not the rabbit one though) are absolutely excellent! I trust them more than Diamond and more than California Natural after the buyout.

They only outsource the rabbit from China, if you avoid that formula. Their foods are excellent. My 2nd choice would be TOTW though.


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## StellaLucyDesi (Jun 19, 2008)

These are just my experiences.....

Nature's Variety - fed this food for around 4-5 months. Fed Instinct Duck and some Prairie Lamb dry. The dogs loved the food and stool looked good, but in that time period, Stella (my blenheim Cav) had the worst eye stains she's ever had. She even had mouth stains, which she's never had before. Desi (my poodle/shih-tzu mix) had terrible eye stains, too. Stopped using it and all stains are gone. I still use their can food, though, with no problems. ?

TOTW - The shortwhile I tried this food, Hazel, my young Cav, kept throwing it up, so I didn't continue with it long term. So, I really can't comment that much.

Blue Buffalo - This is what I'm feeding now. I've used Wilderness, small breed and the Basics varieties all with success. They love the food, no staining, coats look great, stool fine, etc. My favorite, so far, because they have so many formulas to choose from. This will stay in my rotation. 

footnote: Lucy, my older poodle/brittany/chi mix, has been diagnosed with beginning kidney disease.  Not related to food, IMO...she has always been fed the highest quality. She has been put on a nutraceutical called Rubenal and Canine Caviar's Special Needs food (low protein, phosphorus, sodium). I'm thinking of putting the other older dogs on Canine Caviar as well, but leave Hazel on Blue because she's so young.


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## CorgiKarma (Feb 10, 2009)

I would say Nature's Variety. The Instinct is an awesome food. The rabbit is sourced from China, but they are very forward about that. I'm not sure there is a food with rabbit that is not sourced from China.

Blue Buffalo is changing their grain-free line to contain much less meat. The regular line has far too many grains for my taste. I fed Blue Buffalo years ago, huge stools!

Taste of the Wild is a good food for the price. That said, I find it more carb heavy than other grain-free foods. You have to feed more, which makes it just as pricey as other, in my opinion, higher-quality foods.

Before we rule out Nature's Variety for out-sourcing, do we know for a fact that Taste of the Wild and Blue Buffalo do not out-source any of their proteins?

Another food to consider is Wellness CORE. It is grain-free also and I like it as much as Nature's Variety.


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## emmapeel (Aug 15, 2009)

Well I managed to get samples of the ones I was interested in. The only one Tess was remotely interested in smelling was TOTW Prairie. So I've decided to start there.


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## Inga (Jun 16, 2007)

I think you will be happy with Taste of the Wild. I have fed my dogs that for quite awhile and they do well on it. The biggest problem people run into is diarrhea but that is usually because they are over feeding. Cutting back the amount they feed usually firms things up there.  Good luck to you and your dog.


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## DJsMom (Jun 6, 2008)

emmapeel said:


> Well I managed to get samples of the ones I was interested. The only one Tess was remotely in smelling was TOTW Prairie. So I've decided to start there.


Good place to start - with what your dog will eat! Hope it works well for you, I know lots of people here like it.


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