He’s a 45 lb (not overweight) shepherd/basenji mix.
I’m currently doing a mix of wet Merrick canned (1/4 cup) mixed with Canidae chicken & rice kibble (2/3 cup) per meal.
He’s a food-gobbler & since he’s so old, keeping his teeth clean is becoming super important, so I need to consider getting the wet food out of his bowl and forcing him to chew his food more (the wet food makes it like goulash and he just slurps it down without chewing).
The only large kibble I’ve been able to find that he’s really forced to chew up (size of small gumballs) is vet prescribed T/D dental formula, but I just read the ingredients and am horrified at what’s in it. So that’s out.
A pet supply store recommended EVO which is a “similar to raw diet” high-protein, med-size kibble, and he does chew that up (I am testing that right now), but I’m worried that an older couch-potato dog doesn’t need all that protein in his diet.
And then there’s the matter of his rank farts within the last year.
I gotta rethink his diet. Any suggestions for what kind of diet would be good for him? (my vet recommended the trashy T/D diet, so I’m not too interested in asking for her advice)
The dog food snobs on the board I frequent are very positive about Canidae. Of course “raw” is the ultimate in food snobbery at the moment; I assume “live” will be next (you just throw a live rabbit down on plastic sheeting to catch the blood).
Anyway, the point of my post is, if you’re not into designer food fads, Canidae seems to have a good reputation.
I love the Canidae, I just wish it came in a bigger kibble size. He can choke that stuff down dry.
You know, I’ve never tried putting food down to let him eat when he gets hungry. He eats at a specific time, morning and night, and when it’s time to eat, sometimes he’s starving and maybe that’s what has him choking it down.
I wonder if it’s possible to switch him to eating when he wants…
From what I have read and experienced, the oft repeated idea that kibble keeps a dog’s teeth clean is a myth. The thing that keeps a dog’s teeth clean is 1) brushing them 2) chewing on raw bones if you are feeding a raw diet, and/or 3) doggie dental teeth cleaning (~$250 around here). My late dog Rocky had an awful time with his teeth. He had to have 2x yearly cleanings, while our other two (both have also passed on) ate the same food, a mixture of canned and dry kibble, and did fine with 1x yearly cleanings, if even that often.
The protein is bad for older animals has been not proven, either. That myth tends to be perpetuated by pet food companies who are producing high carbohydrate pet foods made with cheaper grain fillers.
Go to Orijen’s website and read their white paper (link goes to .PDF)on pet nutrition. I don’t feed Orijen currently (but stay low carb and mostly grain free for my pets), but it pretty much wraps up how I feel about feeding our carnivorous pets - both canine and feline.