# Adding Rice



## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

I am looking at a new food for Ry, We think his current diet is causing his tummy issues. However all the best are grain free. I would like to add grain to help with more solid stool. Thats the only problem we had when I last tried to switch him. 

It of course would need to be cooked and doesnt need to be a ton. but has anyone tried this? Or have any options?


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

Pumpkin is a better option for firming stool IMO. The canned kind with no flavorings or spices.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Elliriyanna said:


> I am looking at a new food for Ry, We think his current diet is causing his tummy issues. However all the best are grain free. I would like to add grain to help with more solid stool. Thats the only problem we had when I last tried to switch him.
> 
> It of course would need to be cooked and doesnt need to be a ton. but has anyone tried this? Or have any options?


There are lots of high-quality grain-inclusive foods out there, but that's another discussion entirely i.e. what you as an owner consider "high-quality" may differ from what I consider high-quality. If you list the qualities that you are looking for in a food to make it "high quality" there are lots of dog-food geeks on here that can probably find something that meets your needs.

There's certainly nothing wrong with feeding dogs cooked rice (mine loves it), I've just never heard it being fed to improve stool, other than as part of a bland diet to allow the dog's system to reset itself after a serious upset or illness. And if you do feed it, make sure to add more water (more like a 3:1 ratio of water:rice than the standard 2:1) and cook it longer too, so that it will be more easily digestible. If you want to firm up stool, pure canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling) is probably a better option; cooked sweet potato works as well. Some people also have success with a small amount of plain fat-free yogurt or kefir (if your dog doesn't have a dairy sensitivity).


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

This would be long term though and I dont want my dog eating canned pumpkin for the rest of his life. 

My main problem is budget and what my local store carries. I cant even feed the quality I would really love to. So I am comparing everything to dog food advisor.


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

DFA isn't all that... I feed a food with *gasp* CORN in it. The horror.


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

I am trying to avoid grain free and also chicken ( odd I know but I have reasons) But mot grain inclusive are chicken. I found a food I liked. Iams Sensitive Naturals but they say its only 2.5 stars


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Elliriyanna said:


> This would be long term though and I dont want my dog eating canned pumpkin for the rest of his life.


Just curious, but why not? Its no worse than feeding rice (and a lot less work), and as far as I've seen works better. If you're worried about cost, it only takes a spoonful - a 22oz can lasted my aunt-in-law's 80 lb golden 3-4 days and he was getting it with both meals.

I also agree with Kayota - DFA isn't the be-all and end-all of dog food ratings. It is a good place to start, and has some interesting information, but there are plenty of dogs who don't do well on many of the DFA 5-star foods. And part of what gives most 5-star foods their 5-star rating is how heavily meat-based they are (which is much easier to achieve for a grain-free food than a grain-inclusive one).

You may want to check out:
DR. Tim's
Horizon Complete
Eagle Pack

ETA: Sorry, didn't see that you want to exclude chicken. In that case, you may want to look into limited-ingredient diets, some of which are grain-inclusive.
There are others, but I'll have to search them out another time. (I tried to pick foods out of this list and balance with the price around here compared to foods I know are 5-star but also very expensive)

At the end of the day, the "best" food you can feed your dog is one that she does well on - how other dogs do on it is really a moot point, since they're not YOUR dog.


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

Well Rice would be filler, not add any nutrients etc which is what I would want. His food should be balanced enough. 

I have been searching Petco and Petsmarts sites for hours. would be easier if my laptop didnt keep freezing. 

AH true about the meat thing. I will keep reading labels and following my gut. Its done well so far.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Elliriyanna said:


> Well Rice would be filler, not add any nutrients etc which is what I would want. His food should be balanced enough.
> 
> I have been searching Petco and Petsmarts sites for hours. would be easier if my laptop didnt keep freezing.
> 
> AH true about the meat thing. I will keep reading labels and following my gut. Its done well so far.


Well, the amount of nutrients in the amount of pumpkin needed would be negligible... usually the concerns about a diet being balanced are ensuring that it includes everything; only rarely are exceptions made to limit specific nutrients relating to medical conditions. And its not like rice is devoid of nutrients; its a good source of niacin, folate, iron, and manganese.


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

He is getting beef broth Added to his food for the forseeable future That and pumpkin would make a soupy mess lol. I am going to try a Sensitive stomach formula. Hopefully this works.


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## doggiepop (Feb 27, 2014)

you feed him fresh pumpkin and sweet potato. all you have to do is bake it.



Elliriyanna said:


> This would be long term though and
> 
> >>>> I dont want my dog eating canned pumpkin for the rest of his life. <<<<<
> 
> My main problem is budget and what my local store carries. I cant even feed the quality I would really love to. So I am comparing everything to dog food advisor.


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## doggiepop (Feb 27, 2014)

is the beef broth salt free? what's your Vet say about your dog's tummy problems?



Elliriyanna said:


> He is getting
> 
> >>>> beef broth<<<<
> 
> Added to his food for the forseeable future That and pumpkin would make a soupy mess lol. I am going to try a Sensitive stomach formula. Hopefully this works.


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

doggiepop said:


> is the beef broth salt free? what's your Vet say about your dog's tummy problems?


This one isnt but from now on I do plan on getting the low sodium. The woman I babysit for is very knowledgeable she helped me more than the vet. She is a former foster among other things, dogs are her passion. She wanted to get canned food and mix a little into his food to encourage appetite but Ry has a history of reacting badly to canned foods. Hence the broth. 

She actually didnt say much, just made sure he has nohistory of eating foreign objects and gave him anti nausea meds and anti diarrhea meds. She wanted to fix it rather than discuss whats causing it. SO I am left to fix the problem on my own. 

This was not my normal vet , my vet could not get me in.

SIDENOTE - he gets less than a TBSP per meal so he is not getting a ton of salt from it. It is at least no fat.


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## Little Wise Owl (Nov 12, 2011)

Instead of adding rice, I would look for a food that agrees with your dog. The brand Fromm has formulas that include grain with no chicken (Salmon À La Veg, Whitefish & Potato, Duck & Sweet Potato are chicken meat free). I wouldn't completely rely on DogFoodAdvisor. The site has some good, quick references but not something I would completely believe or rely on. There are many foods on there that don't deserve the ratings (high or low) they get.


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## TinyTails (May 16, 2011)

There's a lot of grain inclusive chicken free foods - check out Farmina Ancestrial Cod, Merrick, Nature's logic, Nutrisource, Wellness - there's a lot more. Can you order online? Petco and Petsmart are pretty limited with food - I would look on Chewy.com


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

I can onl shop in store. And unfortunately I can't afford wellness, fromm, solid gold etc, at least right now. I found an easily available grain inclusive salmon formula I plian to switch him to. Hopefully this works. If not I will be here again in a month lol


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## Little Wise Owl (Nov 12, 2011)

Elliriyanna said:


> I am trying to avoid grain free and also chicken ( odd I know but I have reasons) But mot grain inclusive are chicken. I found a food I liked. *Iams Sensitive Naturals* but they say its only 2.5 stars


It's not the best food but if your dog does well on it, then I'd definitely stick with it.


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## TinyTails (May 16, 2011)

If you have smaller shops in the area they usually have a bigger selection and lower prices as well. I normally find Petco and Petsmart the most expensive choice


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

Chewy.com has great prices and delivery is quick. I don't bother buying food at a store anymore.


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

Ok I understand chewy.com is great but I can't order online so for me its irrelevant. I understand you are trying to help but I literally order online like once a year and that's rat food because I have no other option. I am at the pet store weekly for cat food so its easier for me anyway. 

I am thinking purina pro sensitive, its a salmon formula. I am hoping this goes better. I know generaly pro plan is better than iams but neither are great. Excluding chicken severely limited my options.


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## TinyTails (May 16, 2011)

We own German Shepherds as well and on the GSD forum a lot of owners have had success with the Pro Plan Sensitive salmon food for their dogs with tummy and skin issues.


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

Thank you. That's very encouraging. We are hoping for the same for Ry.


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## R3DOGS (Jun 29, 2014)

Elliriyanna said:


> Thank you. That's very encouraging. We are hoping for the same for Ry.



If you can find the Tractor Supply in your area it would really be worth the trip .I think you mentioned that you have one .. You can get an 18 lb bag of 4 Health for $19.99 .. ( Lamb & Rice formula , no chicken ) 
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/4healthtrade;-salmon--potato-formula-for-adult-dogs-18-lb-bag


They also have an 18 lb bag of Salmon & Potato formula for about the same price .. 4 Health is really good food for the price ..


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

My dogs are on rice- its started back with my first allergy dog 15 years ago when we had to feed him sardines rice and cottage cheese (or cheap canned salmon).... with eggs thrown in...
then we had a toothless old dog who we added a beef patty and rice and cottage cheese to a up of kibble in warm water (nice and soft)....
so yeah we routinely use rice even now both those dogs have passed...
it cheap and easy and use it as a topper with all the scraps we are adding that night (I can get leftover hospital meals about 4 times a week and nothign wrong with a dry pork chop or two, the dogs love them)...
We eat a fair amount of rice too so which just use a rice cooker and make a batch and we are good for several days (you can even add eggs to the rice and get nicely hard boiled eggs too)...
Its easy and we just leave a cooker full of rice up on the kitchen counter....


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

R3DOGS said:


> If you can find the Tractor Supply in your area it would really be worth the trip .I think you mentioned that you have one .. You can get an 18 lb bag of 4 Health for $19.99 .. ( Lamb & Rice formula , no chicken )
> http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/4healthtrade;-salmon--potato-formula-for-adult-dogs-18-lb-bag
> 
> 
> They also have an 18 lb bag of Salmon & Potato formula for about the same price .. 4 Health is really good food for the price ..


We have one ... but have NO idea how to get to it. So Petsmart and petco are the only real options. we are so easily lost and if I remember right its tucked back somewhere on some side street lol.


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## R3DOGS (Jun 29, 2014)

Elliriyanna said:


> We have one ... but have NO idea how to get to it. So Petsmart and petco are the only real options. we are so easily lost and if I remember right its tucked back somewhere on some side street lol.


Well if you ever consider it , Tractor Supply would be easy enough to find with Mapquest .. Just go to the Tractor Supply website use the store locator to find the one in your area and then put the address in Mapquest . . It will take you right to it ..


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

R3DOGS said:


> Well if you ever consider it , Tractor Supply would be easy enough to find with Mapquest .. Just go to the Tractor Supply website use the store locator to find the one in your area and then put the address in Mapquest . . It will take you right to it ..


 I don't drive and boyfriend isnt willing to take me ... And I have no friends in my state. So I have to just do what I can. It sucks. 

I know it sounds like a lot of excuses but I am really just severely limited.


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## R3DOGS (Jun 29, 2014)

Elliriyanna said:


> I don't drive and boyfriend isnt willing to take me ... And I have no friends in my state. So I have to just do what I can. It sucks.
> 
> I know it sounds like a lot of excuses but I am really just severely limited.



Oh i am so sorry .. I did not know that .. You are doing the best you can ..


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

R3DOGS said:


> Oh i am so sorry .. I did not know that .. You are doing the best you can ..


Its not your fault. I really should learn to drive lol, Noone to teach me. I try not to make my own problems public. 

I have heard a lot of people swear by this food for dogs with issues like his.


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## R3DOGS (Jun 29, 2014)

Elliriyanna said:


> Its not your fault. I really should learn to drive lol, Noone to teach me. I try not to make my own problems public.
> 
> I have heard a lot of people swear by this food for dogs with issues like his.



Hey Maybe someday you will learn to drive , you never know .... Hopefully the food that you are going to try will work for him .. .. I have heard that a lot of people have good luck with Pro Plan ..


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

R3DOGS said:


> Hey Maybe someday you will learn to drive , you never know .... Hopefully the food that you are going to try will work for him .. .. I have heard that a lot of people have good luck with Pro Plan ..


Last time we switched it was also to grain free ... thats a no go with him. I don't think a sensitive stomach formula would harm a dog without a sensitive stomach so it cant hurt either way. Unless he is like my dad and allergic to salmon.


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

Petco, once you start ordering usu gives great coupons ($20 off $100) once your register with them online (you dont have to shop online, just have email, which you must have since you registered on Dogforums, you can print off the coupons and take it to the store) -- you can have 2 or 3 possible options, and buy whatever is on sale that month...
I mainly use Petco these days although the feedstore is my back up...


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

I shop at Petco ... rarely though. As they have feeder mice and I dont support that. Plus their store here is awful.

Petco is 20 minutes away, has a limited selection and the staff ignore you. 

Petsmart is 5 mins away, Has a great selection for all my pets, and the staff are always willing to help. 

In my area Petsmart is the go to place. better prices, better staff, and no feeders or breeding


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## R3DOGS (Jun 29, 2014)

Elliriyanna said:


> Last time we switched it was also to grain free ... thats a no go with him. I don't think a sensitive stomach formula would harm a dog without a sensitive stomach so it cant hurt either way. Unless he is like my dad and allergic to salmon.


It will be fine for him to eat the Sensitive Stomach formula .. I hope it works well for him ...


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

Elliriyanna said:


> I shop at Petco ... rarely though. As they have feeder mice and I dont support that. Plus their store here is awful.
> 
> Petco is 20 minutes away, has a limited selection and the staff ignore you.
> 
> ...


Huh interesting, its the other way around for me the Petsmart is 20 mins away and just not as convenient(the Petcos in SF and up here are both easy access and right on my usu rounds), I do notice they have the same couponing though- so I would encourage you to check it out (I used a gift card I got to order online, now I keep getting 20% off coupons in my email, prob just like Petco print em off and take them to the store)...


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

Its bigger pieces and Ry is digging through his food trying to get around it ugh ...


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## R3DOGS (Jun 29, 2014)

Elliriyanna said:


> Its bigger pieces and Ry is digging through his food trying to get around it ugh ...


oh no , is he a real picky eater ? can you just keep him on the food he was currently eating ?


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

He loves treats we have never switched his food. He is on puppy food , and the formula is causing soft stool, he has to switch.


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## R3DOGS (Jun 29, 2014)

Elliriyanna said:


> He loves treats we have never switched his food. He is on puppy food , and the formula is causing soft stool, he has to switch.



oh , ok . well hopefully he will like the new food .. can you give him just the new food and maybe add some warm water and put a topper on it like a sprinkle of parmasean cheese to entice him to eat it .


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

I don't want to shock his system he gets diarrhea easily. 

Currently its all soaked in beef broth, I don't know why he won't eat it.


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

I think you said he is only 8 lbs or so...
why dont you just feed him a couple tablspoons of ground beef or pork (cheaper) mixed with rice and cottage cheese.... see if that helps his tummy....
then you can add the kibbles back in a tablespoon at a time...


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

10 lbs ... but I am not about to make some random concoction for him


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## R3DOGS (Jun 29, 2014)

Elliriyanna said:


> I don't want to shock his system he gets diarrhea easily.
> 
> Currently its all soaked in beef broth, I don't know why he won't eat it.



Maybe the beef broth upsets his tummy or maybe he just not like that new food .. Dogs have food preferences as well us .. You say he is currently eating Authority ?
Does he like it ? If soft poop is the only issue , can you keep him on that food and maybe add few frozen green beans at each meal for a little fiber .. I do that sometimes for my dogs and it works great and they love the green beans ..


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

Its puppy food ... he is 14 months, so he has to switch anyway. The beef broth is not causing any issue but I plan to feed him dinner without it to see how it goes. I am hating feeding meals.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Elliriyanna said:


> Its puppy food ... he is 14 months, so he has to switch anyway. The beef broth is not causing any issue but I plan to feed him dinner without it to see how it goes. I am hating feeding meals.


Can you switch him to the Authority adult?


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Elliriyanna said:


> Its puppy food ... he is 14 months, so he has to switch anyway. The beef broth is not causing any issue but I plan to feed him dinner without it to see how it goes. I am hating feeding meals.


He doesn't have to switch. Under AAFCO guidelines, there are only two nutrient profiles: growth and reproduction is one, an adult maintenance is the other. "Puppy" food is growth and reproduction but you'll notice that there are a lot of foods out there that say "All Life Stages". The ALS food is required to meet the growth and reproduction nutrient profile so it is essentially puppy food. 

For the most part, if you feed the right amount of food in terms of calories and pick a food that has a protein and fat level suitable for your individual dog, then a "puppy" food can be served to an adult dog just fine. Giant breeds can be an exception to some feeding guidelines but that's not an issue for your dog obviously. 



> I think you said he is only 8 lbs or so...
> why dont you just feed him a couple tablspoons of ground beef or pork (cheaper) mixed with rice and cottage cheese.... see if that helps his tummy....
> then you can add the kibbles back in a tablespoon at a tim


I wouldn't use pork (mainly since it is hard to find un-enhanced pork and the sodium can cause GI upset) but plain chicken or beef with a bit of rice is a stand-by for a "bland diet" that is often recommended by vets. Not exactly a random concoction. It isn't a balanced diet on its own but the whole idea is to minimize potential food sensitivities and let the dog's digestion get back on track. I'd use a little PLAIN greek yogurt instead of cottage cheese if I went that route though.


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

I am switching him ... he has always had diarrhea on and off ... and he gags and itches a lot all could be caused by is food. I have reasons for what I am doing. 

And I know there are als foods ... they are my preference. 

This thread is becoming more frustrating than anything.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Elliriyanna said:


> I am switching him ... he has always had diarrhea on and off ... and he gags and itches a lot all could be caused by is food. I have reasons for what I am doing.
> 
> And I know there are als foods ... they are my preference.
> 
> This thread is becoming more frustrating than anything.


Switching may help, I'm only noting that you don't HAVE to switch away from a puppy food under some kind of age deadline or anything. Personally, I would start with a bland diet for a week. Beef and rice if you are staying away from chicken. 

Then I would start introducing a basic kibble, since you want to stay away from chicken, I don't know if that means avoiding other poultry but there are turkey and duck based kibbles along with beef and fish as being the main proteins. Earthborn Holistic has some dry foods that have no chicken or grains and are pretty available in stores although not true limited ingredient diets. Zignature is a kind of new brand which I honestly don't know much about the company behind it, but it has very limited ingredient formulas and I've heard of good results from a few people. I believe that some of the 4Health grain-free formulas do not have chicken, I'm feeding the turkey one right now and the price is great.

If you cannot or will not shop online, most stores will order a major brand of food if you ask them to, especially if they already carry the line of foods but maybe not that size or formula. Another alternative might be using a pre-paid Visa card if credit/debit reasons are a barrier to shopping online (I am NOT prying as to your reasons, I am simply trying to suggest options).

My go-to basic kibble is the Fromm Classic but that is chicken based. I've not had a dog have issues with it though, including my friend's very very sensitive Great Pyr/Golden mix who has tummy trouble if you look at him sideways. 

For such a small dog, another option might be a dehydrated food like Grandma Lucy's or The Honest Kitchen. Some of those have more minimal ingredients than many kibbles.


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

I looked at honest kitchen and you have to feed more than you would think. 

He is kind of eating his new food and already his stool and gas is better. He is still doing this weird gagging coughing thing, I was told its because he has a tickle in his throat and with his sneezing from seasonal allergies that makes sense. We need to see our normal vet soon.


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

Just wanted to say the 4H lamb (puppy formula is lamb) is poultry free....


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

We are on a roll!! 2 entire meals scarfed down. And he is pottying outside , he was refusing to poop outside its been a challenge.


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

Elliriyanna said:


> I looked at honest kitchen and you have to feed more than you would think.
> 
> He is kind of eating his new food and already his stool and gas is better. He is still doing this weird gagging coughing thing, I was told its because he has a tickle in his throat and with his sneezing from seasonal allergies that makes sense. We need to see our normal vet soon.


I don't find thk to be that pricey... it makes a lot more than the size of the box.


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

I did the math ... Its $45 a month for one 10 lb dog 

Dog food - 2 lbs makes 8 lbs wet 

1 cup makes 1 lb wet... He needs 3/4 cups per day 8( lbs) /.75( lbs per feeding) = 10 days 

6(dry) lbs per month = $45


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## R3DOGS (Jun 29, 2014)

Elliriyanna said:


> We are on a roll!! 2 entire meals scarfed down. And he is pottying outside , he was refusing to poop outside its been a challenge.


wow , that is awesome .. i am glad he is liking his new food . hope he continues to do well on it ..


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Elliriyanna said:


> I did the math ... Its $45 a month for one 10 lb dog
> 
> Dog food - 2 lbs makes 8 lbs wet
> 
> ...


I think the difference is just what someone might consider "pricey" Plus, a lot of people who feed THK or GL's will also add in various cheap cuts of meat which extends the life of the bag for relatively low cost.
Obviously it costs more than typical dry food but it is more in line with the cost of feeding all canned which isn't that unusual for small dog owners. Since I have big dogs, my idea of "affordable" for a month's worth of food might be a little skewed and no, I couldn't afford THK or canned as their main diet 

But it sounds like you've found a food that suits him so is off to a good start. Hopefully he continues to scarf it down and digest it well.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Elliriyanna said:


> We are on a roll!! 2 entire meals scarfed down. And he is pottying outside , he was refusing to poop outside its been a challenge.


That's great! I hope he keeps eating well for you!


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

I currently have a strict budget. I am so glad he is doing well, including being able to hold it long enough to ask to go out, I am so happy. I can switch to other foods if this doesn't work, I tried this because its very highly recommended for his issues. 

He is feeling great, he is zooming around the house and wanting to play, he has days like this but its been a while.


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## R3DOGS (Jun 29, 2014)

Elliriyanna said:


> I currently have a strict budget. I am so glad he is doing well, including being able to hold it long enough to ask to go out, I am so happy. I can switch to other foods if this doesn't work, I tried this because its very highly recommended for his issues.
> 
> He is feeling great, he is zooming around the house and wanting to play, he has days like this but its been a while.


That is awesome . If he is doing good on the new food that is all that matters ..


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## Elliriyanna (Nov 11, 2011)

Continuing to scarf down food, he has a great energy level. But His digestion seems to have to schedule. Sometimes he pottys once a day sometimes 3 times ...


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