# ZiwiPeak



## Laztastic (Nov 21, 2013)

I'm thinking of switching my 7mo old to this brand. Very expensive and wonder if it is worth it. He's on Orijen. He eats 5 cups a day. He doesn't have digestive problems but he's only 41 lbs. I see 6mo. Vs that are nearly 50lbs. I don't have time to cook chicken etc. I sometimes give him eggs and salmon. But I want a nutritious kibble that eliminates the need for a lot of extras.

(Raw food fanatics plz don't respond with vitriol. I have already thought about raw and rejected. Thanks)


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## KiwiPaws (Feb 14, 2013)

Yes, have tried the vension and the vension and fish freeze dried food and loved it but we don't use it as it is so expensive. With two vizslas, one at 30 kilos and one at 27 kilos it would have cost me about $20 NZD a day. It is a shame as this is what my dogs would prefer more than anything. (I now feed raw which costs me $5 a day for both dogs - just to put the cost in NZ into perspective)

If you are able to afford I think you will find it a great food, and it was a difficult decision for me not to use.
The only thing I found is the recommended scoops per day was way on the low side.

It is also great as treats as well - so natural and not made filled with chemicals as so many of our treats are here.

Good luck and enjoy - also, we use their deer feet and antler products which both dogs love as well.


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## hcrowder (Dec 26, 2013)

One of our trainers uses Ziwipeak and Penny loves it. However, it is so expensive we can't afford it. Is there a reason against raw that we might be able to help with? I ask because Penny is on raw but there are a few other options I considered that were raw but not standard raw. 

For example, depending on the issues you are having you might try Orijen Freeze Dried foods. I haven't tried the Orijen freeze dried food myself but it is cheaper than Ziwipeak. 

On the other hand, if you can afford Ziwipeak it is a good option for your pup.


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

He may just be a smaller V. Unless he appears to be severely underweight with most of the ribs showing, bony hips, etc., I wouldn't worry about his weight, especially in comparison to other vizslas who may come from larger lines. It looks like he's on track to be 50-60lbs full grown. 

As an aside, have you found us raw feeders on this forum to respond with vitriol often? I'm aware we might sound like a broken record, but I thought we were polite at least.


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

Laz, don't compare your dogs weight against other dogs, all grow at different ratios etc, 41lb at 7 month doesn't seem small or underweight to my mind. Obviously he's still growing and at times he'll look lanky and scrawny and if any V owner disagrees then they ain't been watching their dog grow.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

As my young dogs were growing they went though different stages of being thinner and leggy. Its just a natural part of their growth. They don't fill out until at least 2 years old.


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## Laztastic (Nov 21, 2013)

Thanks to all. My dog doesn't look at all skinny but he is smaller than other Vs his age. And he's not enjoying his food as much as he used to. I'm going to do more research before switching. I'll definitely check out Orijen freeze dried.

Here is a photo at 6 mos.


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## Laztastic (Nov 21, 2013)

*Re: ZiwiPeak (now raw)*

Ok first an apology to all the rawers. I've been reading more and decided to go with Stella & Chewys raw frozen patties. So far he loves it and he's starting to grow again. We are doing one patty a day along with 3 cups of Orijen but will increase to 2 patties next week. He's also eating pumpkin every day, which he loves. 

Question: does anyone have thoughts on continuing to feed kibble along with raw? I've heard this is bad but I don't know why. My dog goes to daycare 5 days week. He races around with other dogs for 8 hours. He needs to eat something.


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

No need to apologize. We all have to figure out what's best for our pups on our own schedule. 

This article sums up the main argument against feeding raw with kibble, which is basically that different digestion rates can cause digestive upset. http://www.vetsallnatural.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=107&Itemid=113 The articles I've found all use kibbles with grain as the basis of their recommendation not to mix. I'd imagine grain-free kibble like you're feeding would be more quickly digested than one containing grain, but still slower than raw or cooked meat. So if you want to feed both, it's recommended to split them up-usually raw in the morning and kibble at night. 

Here is a link to a few articles by Sy Guth. http://www.lapdog.co.nz/reducehip.php He's done a couple studies looking at the effects of diet with supplements on hip scores, including one where he fed a grain-free kibble with raw meat and a vitamin c supplement with good results. Check out "How Dogs Digest Different Foods," "Choosing a Diet for Your Dog," and "Vitamin C and HD Revisited." The latter is the grain-free plus raw one.


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## hcrowder (Dec 26, 2013)

I would think that at 7 month he should be fine eating twice a day so you wouldn't need the kibble. I have read lots of posts against feeding both raw and kibble at the same time (due to rate of digestion). However, I have also read that it is just fear-mongering and that studies do not show any negative affects.

Penny eats once a day and and gets anywhere from 3-4 hours of off lead playing. She will let us know if she is hungry and we will give her an additional meal if she has had a really hard day but even then she only eats twice. 

Could you feed morning and evening and thus feed completely raw?

If not, it might be best to feed the kibble only during one meal and raw only at the other meal so that he only has one in his stomach at the same time.


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