I just submitted a longer post on a thread about how to know how much is enough in feeding one's pet which coincides with this one which you might want to read (rather than reposting much of it here).
When I first had my pup, vet started him on
S.D. which they sold in their store. Many vets recommend this which amazes me for what it's *not*. It's not nutritionally sound for dogs - regardless of the recipe (e.g., special mixes). My dog was sick when he found me, but the better he got, the less S.D. he wanted to eat to the point of *not* eating. As I was reading about Dog Nutrition - it was no wonder, and the rest of it was dumped. (My pup was vomiting and had constant runs eating this - it took me a little longer to realize bc he was sick when he found me, but once his health improved otherwise, he more & more refused eating the S.D. which, in part, steered my decision besides a *lot* of reading.)
You might find it handy to visit your local pet stores. Stores in this area offered enough
samples for us to probably eat for a month or so - just to determine what my pup liked best, and to give me a chance to read about the various products online - there are many of them! Check the first five ingredients for the bulk of a food's content. Some he wouldn't even touch, and some he ate immediately! Ask for at least couple of days' supply if not a week so you can switch him with less impact. And add a bit of the previous sample's food to the new one in the switch. Once we narrowed it down with just a couple of day's trial, that's when I went back for add'l samples. The
stores were happy to provide them bc they received them
from the manufacturers to promote the product at no cost (they told me) to themselves. There are many companies which also provide
samples online for free with a coupon for your first purchase. Once we used the coupon (Nature's Variety), they sent us another one from the company. It also helped us determined which stores were the most knowledgeable about dogs in general and specifically their nutrition.
We finally settled on & did very well with
a mix of Nature's Variety - Raw Variety and... Innova Evo - No Grain. Both of these were
higher protein, lower carbs, no wheat/corn/grains. He gobbled them up and ate less and ended up noticeably healthier! But then we ran out traveling...
Traveling for two hours for a bag of dog food was not an experience I wanted to repeat. I'd been toying with the
BARF/Raw Food Diet (mix between the two), and began it on that trip. Have never turned back.
Best-Ever Diet IMO, and here's why:
1. YOU decide exactly what goes into your pet's food. I did *not* switch bc of any pet food recalls, but when those came and other owners worried about their pet's health, I had not a concern.
2. It's much healthier - fresh and specific to your pet's nutritional needs and easily avoid whatever allergies your pet may have.
3. When my pup was sick, we spent more on the vet. With the RAW Diet, we save so much compared to what I hear others spending on teeth scaling and other pet-health problems. Also, cheaper/filler-brands (with the exception at least of the K&Bits poster)
inevitably cost more bc most dogs will eat/need more of this to get less nutrition than what you'll get in a diet more specific to your pet's needs.
4. Ian Billingshurt's book: look for it at
BARF Diet - Healthy & Natural Raw Food For Dogs & Cats, Pet Health Care Food & Nutrition Products Supply Online - Highly recommended. Breaks down the diet into easy-to-do calculations, that once you have them suited to *your* pet, it's very easy to follow. A little much at first, but I've pretty much gotten mine down to a "science", and find it *very* easy. Not so difficult as discussed. I make his food a couple of times a week - extremely easy & quick. And it's also good "to go"!
5. If BARF-ers and other RAW Food Diet-Feeders opinions weren't enough, try it with your pet, and let them show you what they think!
My pup's healthy, happy, energetic, white-toothed, soft-coated, and more presence elicits many responses from others when we are out & about. Things I didn't know were so noticeable until we heard them from others since he was my first pup compared to the ones my family had growing up who were fed whatever we had coupons to feed or scraps from the table. It was only then when I began noticing how so many other dogs have so many problems which would seem so easy to resolve with a better diet (similar to their human families).
Common allergies: wheat, corn, some grains, preservatives... to name a few.
Pet-washing products: shampoo or laundry soap you might be using. Human shampoos are not made to meet pet needs & can dry a pet's skin, besides bathing a pet *too often* which I was doing when I first got him. We now use a pet-specific, natural combo shampoo & conditioner & bathe only when he gets a bit stinky or extra muddy! And we did not bathe him winters when he would then go out in -20 temps for potty. Waited 'til our first "warm" weather (40 degrees).
In the interim, someone recommended using scent-free, aloe-type wipes if a "sponge bath" was really needed. We found these handy, and he had no problems with them. Also, I was told by not to use only water bc it could also promote dry skin rather than a moisturizing shampoo.
Laundry Soap: I gave up my Mt. Fresh & Rain-scented soaps for scent-free, dye-free. It seemed to help a bit. My pup was rubbing his nose raw on his blanket, and when I switched, he stopped.
Something from this should help.
And again, I'd recommend checking my other post titled "Dog Nutrition" under the thread how to know if you are feeding a dog "enough" for more re: Pet Nutrition & the Raw Diet.
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