# Food choice for new V owner



## tanners_mama

I am new to this sight, and already I have learned so much great info!! One thing I still am uncertain about however, is food choice. I understand the difference between the different quality foods, and it seems as though most posters feed very high quality kibble to their pups (blue buffalo, orijen, etc.) Unfortunately, as much as I would love to be able to afford a premium food for my new vizsla puppy, tanner, I simply cannot afford it. Is Eukanuba really that bad of a choice for my puppy? It is the best I can afford at the moment. He just had his check up at the vet for second round of vaccinations, and he was deemed a very healthy puppy  What do you all think?


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## Skywalker

My Vizsla Leia is 4 months old and was on Kirkland when we brought her home... she didnt really like it and I was told by the vet to switch... so I tried Orijen large puppy which she didnt really like either and since it was so expensive of course I was happy to try something else... next I tried blue buffalo chicken for puppies... once again, not a fan... so yesterday I went to the pawshop and spoke with the man there, Ive now switched to the all-life-stages by Canadae which she does like so far... he said she may just not be into the chicken based foods and the new bag is a mix of lamb fish chicken etc etc. 

I dont know what your dog will like but I suggest buying small bags of premium food at first... I bought the 30 pound Orijen ($68), the 15 pound Blue Buffalo, and now I bought the smallest 5 pound Canadae until I figure out how shes going to do on it... Dog food for thought =)

superdogvblog.blogspot.com


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## Skywalker

Skywalker said:


> I dont know what your dog will like but I suggest buying small bags of premium food at first...


Or any food for that matter...


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## Mischa

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/

Make the choice for yourself. 
Do bear in mind that a lower quality food requires a larger serving, so the difference in price is not as black and white as lbs/$.

A large bag of food lasts us well over a month and we feed 3 cups/day.


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## tanners_mama

Mischa said:


> Make the choice for yourself.
> Do bear in mind that a lower quality food requires a larger serving, so the difference in price is not as black and white as lbs/$.
> 
> A large bag of food lasts us well over a month and we feed 3 cups/day.


You make a great point, guess I haven't thought of it that way. My original thought was there are plenty worse foods I could be feeding him, but I also know there are better.


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## Suliko

If Tanner is responding well to the food you are feeding now, I don't see a problem. My V. Sophie came home from the breeder with a big bag of Eukanuba. I noticed after a while that she was often scratching and licking her paws, as well as nibbling at her upper thighs. We switched to Orijen + some canned food, and she got much better within few weeks. She's still on Orijen - feeling and looking great. Good luck finding the right food for your V. boy


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## tanners_mama

Great advice Suliko. He seems to like it and is growing like a weed. If I start to notice problems, I would definitely switch. Most important is that he is healthy and happy


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## Suliko

P.S. Tanners_mama, if you were to consider a better quality food for a fair price, I have heard good things about "Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lover's Soul". Maybe someone here has had experience with it and can share their experience


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## kellygh

You can do research on your own (lots of threads re: food on this forum), and you can also use sites such as dogfoodanalysis and dogfoodadvisor for investigation. There are some foods of higher quality that are within $10 of a 20lb bag of Eukanuba. Some prices depend on the retailer; however, feeding quantity tends to lessen with better foods. If your dog is thriving, it is a hard choice, but if I could swing it, I would choose a different food. Natures balance is a good food in a similar price range. Go! Natural Grain Free is superior and within $10. Blue Buffalo & other manufacturers often offer coupons. Also, Pet Smart will tell you (at least ours does) when reps for certain brands will be at the store. The reps tend to love giving out coupons for their product.


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## datacan

Natural Balance Sweet potato and venison. 

So far best poop quality, although I don't like the sodium selenite in it. May be hard pressed to find any dog food without it. Innova has yeast based selenium, it is much better. 

http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/a-close-look-at-a-tiny-pet-food-ingredient-selenium.html


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## tanners_mama

If I did try the Natures Balance, do any of you think that switching a puppy on a few different foods when so young can have an impact on their feeding habits later in life? It would be his 3rd different kind of food in a month.

Also, I didn't even think about the food reps in petsmart. Never cared about those coupons when I went before, now that I have this new little guy in my life... I'm all over the coupons.


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## gunnr

If your puppy is doing fine on Eukanuba, leave him on it. Change when he gets older and you switch over to an adult food.
No, Eukanuba is not that bad of a dog food. 3 of the 5 V's I've had were started on Eukanuba puppy food, and seemed to suffer no ill effect later in life.
The two I have now are on Blue,and were were just switched over to it because they began to pick at their last food.


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## kellygh

Pumpkin switched foods 4 times as a pup, and she is fine. Picky girl. I'm not advocating you switch if your pup is doing well. Just saying....We had plenty of dogs growing up who lived long lives on garbage food ie: low quality, because we didn't know any better. Your pup will not be harmed if you switch or wait. Natures's balance, Go! Natural, & some others are life stage foods, so another switch to adult food is not necessary. If you can afford it, I would switch at some point. That being said, our dachshund was on Eukanuba wild (venison for allergies) for almost 2 yrs. Her skin never looked so good, despite higher quality foods. It was recalled and has not been back to Petsmart. The food rep would give me 5-10 coupons for $10 off!! If it comes back, I will be a customer. For whatever reason, it works well for Moxie. Blue & Innova have also been putting coupons in Sunday papers. ($4-5). Some companies will also mail coupons if you request. Good luck & don't stress


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## tanners_mama

Thanks for your insight . We have a very picky Great Dane (Jane) at home, and truly think it is because her food got switched too often as a puppy. Hopefully this will not be the case with Tanner

My initial reasoning for getting on the eukanuba was 1) get him off the less than good food the breeder was feeding, and 2) I have a cpl friends with black labs, who's dogs love Eukanuba. Their coats are shiny and both have healthy records.

Then after reading through the nutrition and diet section of this forum, I started second guessing my decision.


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## tanners_mama

New thing I have noticed over the past few days...

With the switch to the Eukanuba, Tanner poops within minutes of eating. I heard with puppies it's generally between 5-30 minutes, so I found it strange with the old food that it would literally take hours.

Is this normal?


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## gunnr

Yep, normal.

New food will go through their system faster initially and may give them looser stools and gas. Give it a week or so.

The real truth in feeding a dog, is that you want the "garbage eater". You want the dog that will eat anything. It makes it so much easier on you throughout their life. 
Having had an extremely picky eater for 14 years, it's a pain in the behind to get them on a food they like, and will eat consistently.


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## tanners_mama

Well that makes me feel better. Hopefully I'm one of the lucky ones... Tanner eats (inhales) anything I put in front of him, and always seems as though he could eat 10x what I actually feed him. Little piggy I have!


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## Mischa

Gunnr said:


> The real truth in feeding a dog, is that you want the "garbage eater". You want the dog that will eat anything. It makes it so much easier on you throughout their life.


That is a double edged sword... ;D
I know you're talking about food, but our girl always gobbles up her food as well as any poop she finds while off leash. She was doing so well with "leave-it" but has had two cases of disgusting diarrhea/vomiting in the past three weeks. 

I like that feeding her has always been so easy, and it's helped immensely with training, but her appetite will be the death of her!


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## Suliko

Sophie too used to inhale her food and would be done under 30 seconds. We got her a bowl similar to this: http://www.amazon.com/Skid-Stop-Slow-Feed-Bowl/dp/B00251EPL2 and it slowed her down. Because the food was divided by sections, she couldn't get to all of it at once. We still use it, even though she is a slower eater now


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## Cavedog

Tanner's mama, 

My previous dog, a Choc. Lab, loved Eukanuba and thrived on it his entire life.

My V Dax though is a picky eater. He came home from the breeder with Eukanuba, but he didn't seem to care that much for it. We tried several different foods and he is now eating Blue Buffalo.

PS to Suliko: The picture of Sophie in your avatar is simply beautiful, can you show us a larger version of it?


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## tanners_mama

Suliko - nice find on the bowl, great price too! I'm ordering today 

Cavedog - Tanner loves the eukanuba so much, I hate to consider take him off of it. Of course I there were am overwhelming majority of posters who hated it and thought it was terrible? Then I (of course) would try switching.

And I agree, love that pic Suliko!


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## Suliko

Tanners_mama, glad I could help! Tell me how he's doing once the bowl comes in. (I hope it's OK to share external links to products here... I am in no way personally benefiting from it) And thanks for the compliment on photo 

Cavedog, thank you for the kind words  I'm putting up two pictures with Sophie day-dreaming in the Photo Gallery under General Vizslas, just waiting on approval.


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## tanners_mama

Update: I have decided not to stay with the Eukanuba Puppy Growth for Tanner. After hearing all of your thoughts and responses, as well as doing some more independent research on my own, I have decided to put him on Eukabuba Naturally Wild Salmon and Rice for puppies. No corn, less fillers, all natural with healthier grains. It is definitely better quality than the original puppy formula, and the feeding amounts are less as well with no fillers. Got the first bag today, so I'll update again in a couple of weeks to see if I notice any changes. One thing I was noticing with the original Eukanuba puppy formula was that tanner was pooping ALOT. If anyone has heard of or has had experience with this new Naturally Wild formula from Eukanuba, let me know how it has worked for your pup!


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## Dubyajay

tanners_mama said:


> Thanks for your insight . We have a very picky Great Dane (Jane) at home, and truly think it is because her food got switched too often as a puppy. Hopefully this will not be the case with Tanner
> 
> My initial reasoning for getting on the eukanuba was 1) get him off the less than good food the breeder was feeding, and 2) I have a cpl friends with* black labs, who's dogs love Eukanuba*. Their coats are shiny and both have healthy records.
> 
> Then after reading through the nutrition and diet section of this forum, I started second guessing my decision.


Labs love eating anything. I wouldn't read too far into that one.


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## Looney

I've been looking into this for a few years now that I've been tracking the V's.

didn't matter which breed i landed on i am set on the "RAW" diet.

Not sure if i can afford the pre portioned stuff or I'll have to make up my own but i really like the benefits i have read/seen on this diet.

hopefully my Laszlo will be coming home in march...*(cross fingers for 3 or more males in the litters)* =)


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## tanners_mama

Update #2:

Well it's been about 2 weeks since we started on the new food. I'm not a fan. Actually, I now understand why (almost) everyone on this forum insists on only a high quality diet for their pups. Tanner doesn't seem to be a fan of the new food, and isn't eating nearly what he should be for his excercise level/weight. 

So after lots of research and consideration, I want to switch him to Taste of the Wild. For being a grain-free food, it isn't too bad for the price, with very high quality ingredients. 

Anyone recommend a certain formula? Lots of different varieties in this brand (which I like) and love that it is an all life stages food as well.

Let me know what you think!


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## Mischa

tanners_mama said:


> Update #2:
> 
> Well it's been about 2 weeks since we started on the new food. I'm not a fan. Actually, I now understand why (almost) everyone on this forum insists on only a high quality diet for their pups. Tanner doesn't seem to be a fan of the new food, and isn't eating nearly what he should be for his excercise level/weight.
> 
> So after lots of research and consideration, I want to switch him to Taste of the Wild. For being a grain-free food, it isn't too bad for the price, with very high quality ingredients.
> 
> Anyone recommend a certain formula? Lots of different varieties in this brand (which I like) and love that it is an all life stages food as well.
> 
> Let me know what you think!


Try getting a couple small bags and see which gets gobbled up the fastest... 
Most dogs love chicken so that's a good one to start with. Fish is another common one to try, and for some reason, I read that Lamb is often not touched.
I got a bison mix once and Mischa barely ate it...she normally eats EVERYTHING. 

So, it's just a matter of finding the flavour that your pup likes.


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## tanners_mama

Good idea Mischa - I'd hate to spend all that $$ and have him not like the flavor I buy! I got him some new treats by Wellness, with Turkey and Duck and he LOVES them, so hopefully TOTW has a formula with those ingredients.

Suliko - update on the slow-feeding bowl - Funny enough, we now have our Great Dane using this bowl. She was scarfing down her food so that Tanner wouldn't eat it on her. Well, this wasn't going over too well as she would inhale it, and it would all come back up on her :-[ Tanner's eating habits have slowed down quite a bit, so it works out well for Jane, still great advice and a great deal for that bowl! Thanks again


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## Suliko

*tanners_mama*, I'm glad it worked out!


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## SteelCityDozer

We were on TOTW before natures instinct and before raw. And although it was healthy for Dozer he didn't like the salmon flavor at all (or whatever the streams one is) and he got bored with all flavors quickly. And I had bought large bags so the local shelter made out on my picky eater. No longer an issue on raw. He practically begs me and stalks the freezer when he knows I'm making his meal. It's such a relief.


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## pippa31

We have our vizsla on Taste of the Wild and she loves it! So far she has had both the lamb formula and the bison formula. And both she has eaten with no problems!


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## tanners_mama

New thought... 

Just took tanner to his vet appt, 2nd round of puppy shots. Good news is my little guy doubled in size in 4 weeks! From 12lbs at 11 weeks old to 24lbs at 15 weeks old! 

Anyway, I asked our vet about TOTW and she isn't a huge fan of all life stage foods for puppies. Not sure if I completely agree, but I'll take her word for it.

So now I'm debating between Blue Buffalo Puppy or Wellness Puppy. Possibly even switching between both. Who has had luck on either of these foods?


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## JillandDan

We tried both of those brands with Holley when she was little. The Wellness caused alot of horrible gas in her. My dad actually kicked us out on Christmas Eve because of it. Haha. We had better luck with Blue Buffalo as well as Nutro Natural. Good luck. Food is so tricky.


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## ironman_stittsville

Cavedog said:


> Tanner's mama,
> PS to Suliko: The picture of Sophie in your avatar is simply beautiful, can you show us a larger version of it?


+1 that is a very nice photo, good lighting and a nice expression.


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