Recommended Dog Food Brands as of APRIL 2015

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

GRAIN-FREE FORMULAS ONLY

Orijen (our favorite grain-free food)

Formulas:  Puppy, Large Breed Puppy, Adult (chicken, turkey, fish), 6 Fish, Regional Red (boar, lamb, pork, bison), Senior (lower calorie chicken, turkey, fish) , Tundra (goat, venison, mutton, duck, rabbit, fish)
Website:  http://www.orijen.ca/orijen/products/
 

Zignature

Formulas: Duck, Lamb, Trout & Salmon, Turkey, Zssential (multi-protein)

Also has canned lines.

Website:  http://www.zignature.com/

 

GRAIN-FREE & HEALTHY GRAIN FORMULAS

Acana

Grain-free Formulas (Regionals):  Wild Prairie (chicken, whitefish), Pacifica (salmon, flounder, herring); Grasslands (lamb, duck, fish); Ranchlands (beef, lamb, herring)

Healthy Grain Formulas (Classics):  Puppy Small Breed, Puppy & Junior, Puppy Large Breed, Adult Small Breed, Adult Dog, Adult Large Breed, Sport & Agility, Light & Fit, Senior Dog (all contain chicken and flounder for protein)

Limited Ingredients Formulas (Singles):  Lamb & Apple, Duck & Pear, Pork & Butternut Squash

Website:  http://www.championpetfoods.com/acana/products.php

 

Fromm

Grain-free Formulas:  Surf & Turf (salmon, duck, chicken); Beef Frittata Veg, Salmon Tunalini, Game Bird (duck, turkey, quail pheasant), Lamb & Lentil, Pork & Peas 

Healthy Grain Formulas:  Pork & Applesauce, Duck & Sweet Potato, Chicken A La Veg, Whitefish & Potato, Salmon A La Veg (all part of the Four-Star line); Adult Gold, Large Breed Adult Gold, Puppy Gold, Large Breed Puppy Gold, Senior Gold (all Gold lines contain duck, chicken and lamb); Adult and Mature Adult Classics (both Classic lines contain chicken)

Website:  http://frommfamily.com/products 

 

Petcurean

Grain-free Formulas (Now Fresh & Go! Fit & Free lines):  Now Fresh Puppy, Adult, Small Breed, Senior, Large Breed Puppy, Large Breed Adult, Large Breed Senior (all contain turkey, salmon, duck), Go! Fit & Free Puppy, Adult and Senior (all contain chicken, turkey, salmon)

Healthy Grain Formulas (Go! Daily Defiance & Summit Holistic lines):  Go! Daily Defiance Chicken, Lamb (both all life stages), Summit 3 Meat Puppy, 3 Meat Adult, 3 Meat Reduced Calorie (3 Meats contain chicken, salmon, lamb),

Limited Ingredients Formulas (Go! Sensitivity & Shine line): Duck, Salmon, Grain Free Turkey

Website:  http://www.petcurean.com/

 

Solid Gold

Grain-free Formulas:  Barking at the Moon (fish, beef); Sun Dancer (chicken)

Healthy Grain Formulas:  Hundchen Flocken Puppy, Hund-n-Flocken Adult (both contain lamb); Wolfcub Puppy, Wolfking Adult (both contain bison), Holistique Blendz Senior (fish), MMillennia Beef & Barley Adult, Just a Wee Bit Adult (bison)

Website:  http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/products

 

Wellness

Grain-free Formulas (Core line):  Puppy, Small Breed, Original, Reduced Fat (all contain chicken, turkey), Ocean (fish)

Healthy Grain Formulas (Super5Mix line):  Chicken, Lamb, Barley & Salmon Meal, Whitefish & Sweet Potato, Healthy Weight, Just for Puppies, Just for Seniors, Adult Large Breed, Puppy Large Breed, Adult Small Breed, Small Breed Healthy Weight, Small Breed Puppy (final 8 contain chicken)

Limited Ingredients Formulas (Simple Solutions line):  Duck & Oatmeal, Salmon & Potato, Turkey & Potato, Lamb & Oatmeal

Website:  http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/dog-wellness.aspx

 

Horizon

Grain-free Formulas (Legacy line):  Puppy, Adult (both contain chicken, salmon, turkey); Also has Amicus line for small breeds (turkey, chicken, salmon); Also has Pulsar line with peas, lentils, chicken and fish

Healthy Grain Formulas (Complete line):  Large Breed Adult, Large Breed Puppy, Puppy, Adult, Senior (all contain chicken)

Website:  http://www.horizonpetnutrition.com/

 

Canidae

Grain-free Formulas (Pure):  Sky (duck, turkey), Land (bison, lamb), Element (chicken, turkey, lamb, ocean fish), Sea (salmon)

Healthy Grain Formulas:  Lamb & Rice, Chicken & Rice, Beef & Fish, ALS (chicken, turkey, lamb, fish), Platinum Senior (chicken, turkey, lamb, fish)

Limited Ingredient Formulas:  Chicken, Brown & White Rice (Single Grain Protein)

Website:  http://www.canidae.com/

 

Lotus (has a raw formula also)

Grain-free Formula:  Duck

Healthy Grain Formulas: Wholesome Chicken, Wholesome Chicken Puppies, Wholesome Chicken Seniors, Wholesome Lamb

Website:  http://lotuspetfoods.com/for-dogs.php

 

Earthborn Holistic

Grain-free Formulas:  Primitive Natural (turkey, chicken, whitefish), Coastal Catch (herring, salmon, whitefish), Great Plains Feast (bison), Meadow Feast (lamb)

Healthy Grain Formulas: Adult Vantage, Puppy Vantage and Small Breed (all contain chicken and whitefish), Ocean Fusion (whitefish and menhaden fish)

Website:  http://www.earthbornholisticpetfood.com/us/dog_formulas/

 

Eagle Holistic Select

Grain Free Formulas: Adult & Puppy Salmon, Anchovy and Sardines

Healthy Grain Formulas:  Adult, Adult Small & Mini Breed, Puppy, Puppy Small & Mini Breed (all 4 contain anchovy, sardines, salmon), Adult Chicken Meal & Rice, Adult Duck, Adult Lamb, Senior Chicken & Rice, Large & Giant Breed Chicken & Oatmeal, Large & Giant Breed Puppy Lamb Meal & Oatmeal, Weight Maintenance Chicken & Peas

Website:  http://www.holisticselect.com/

 

Holistic Blend

Grain Free Formulas: Turkey

Healthy Grain Formulas: Hollistic Blend (Lamb & Rice; Chicken, Rice & Vegetable) and The Healthy Dog (Chicken & Herring Meal)

Website: http://www.holisticblend.com/en/food-formulas/dog-formulas/holistic-blend/

 

Addiction

Grain Free Formulas: Salmon Bleu, Viva La Venison, Le Lamb

Healthy Grain Formulas: La Porchetta (Pork, Limited ingredient)

**Also has raw dehydrated formulas**

Website: http://addictionfoods.com/

 

Great Life

Grain Free Formulas: Buffalo, Chicken, Salmon; Pioneers Natural Grain Free Chicken, GF Pork, GF Venison and GF Whitefist

Healthy Grain Formulas: Buffalo, Chicken, Lamb, Salmon; Pioneers Natural Buffalo, Chicken, Pork Venison and Whitefish

Limited Ingredient Formulas (Dr. E's line): Buffalo, Duck; Grain Free Buffalo, Grain Free Duck

Website: http://doctorsfinest.com

 

Annamaet

Grain Free Formulas: Lean (chicken, duck, herring), Aqualuk (salmon, herring), Salcha (chicken, turkey, duck), Manitok (lamb, venison)

Healthy Grain Formulas: Adult (chicken, 23% protein), Encore (chicken, 25% protein), Extra (chicken, 26% protein), Option (salmon and venison, 24% protein), Ultra (chicken, 32% protein), Small Breed ALS (lamb, venison, coming soon)

Website: http://annamaet.com/

 

Nature's Variety (has a raw line also)

Grain Free Formulas: Instinct Raw Boost (5 formulas: chicken, beef & lamb, lamb & salmon, duck & turkey, venison & lamb); Instinct Originals (5 formulas: chicken, beef & lamb, duck & turkey, rabbit, salmon)

Healthy Grain Formulas: Prairie Dogs (6 formulas: chicken, beef, lamb, duck, venison, salmon); Puppy and Large Breed Puppy (chicken and brown rice)

Limited Ingredient Formulas (Instinct Grain Free line): Turkey, Lamb, Duck, Rabbitt

Website: http://www.naturesvariety.com/

 

Farmina 

Grain Free Formulas (N&D line): Chicken, Large Breed Chicken, Small Breed Chicken, Wild Lamb, Wild Boar, Wild Herring

Healthy Grain Formulas (20% Ancestral High Protein line): Chicken, Lamb, Wild Cod

Website: http://usa.farmina.com/

HEALTHY GRAIN FORMULAS ONLY

 

Chicken Soup for the Dog Lovers Soul

Healthy Grain Formulas: Adult, Large Breed Adult, Senior, Adult Light, Puppy, Large Breed Puppy, Overweight (all contain chicken, turkey).

Website:  http://www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com/products/dogs/

  

 

RAW FORMULAS ONLY

Darwin's:  http://www.darwinspet.com

Honest Kitchen:  http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/

Primal:  http://www.primalpetfoods.com/

Ziwi Peak:  http://www.ziwipeak.com/

Stella & Chewy’s:  http://www.stellaandchewys.com/

Sojos:  http://www.sojos.com/

Tucker's Raw:  http://www.tuckersbones.com/

I and love and you (also has kibble):  http://www.iandloveandyou.com/products/dog/raw/dehydrated.aspx

Addiction (also has kibble):  http://www.addictionfoods.com/

 

RX/PRESCRIPTION FORMULAS ONLY

Rayne Clinical Nutrition: http://www.raynenutrition.com/

 

** Brands that look good but have had recent recalls or buyouts; still better than Iams, Nutro, Hills, and grocery store junk…..

 

Taste of the Wild (grain-free): http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/products

EVO (grain-free): http://www.evopet.com

Innova (healthy grains):  http://www.innovapet.com

California Natural (recommended for dogs with sensitivities):  http://www.californianaturalpet.com

Merrick (Before Grain is grain-free; 5-Star is healthy grains; Castor & Pollux is also owned by Merrick):  http://www.merrickpetcare.com/ | http://www.castorpolluxpet.com

Evanger’s:  http://www.evangersdogfood.com/

Natural Balance (known for limited ingredient diets; merged with DelMonte 6/15/13): http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/

Bravo (raw; more than one recall in last year):  http://www.bravorawdiet.com/

Blue Buffalo (may have byproducts in their ingredients):   http://www.bluebuffalo.com/dry-dog-food

[Stella]

Thanks! I am happily feeding Acana, but I like to know if my canine clients are on a good food or not and hadn't heard of this one before.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

if you do a search here, you'll find it mentioned several times over the years. :)

It's just not one I often see or get asked about, so I forget about looking into it. 

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Updated to reflect the new Acana Singles (limited ingredient line) with the new Pork & Butternut Squash formula.  Also added Fromm's new grain-free formula Lamb & Lentil.

 

Thanks Karen!  I will double-check our lists soon to ensure the formulas are updated, but that takes quite some time, and I will be out on business for a bit. Will get to that in next few weeks I promise.

 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Allyson, we appreciate all of your hard work here. Thank you!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Amen.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Ditto!  Thanks, Allyson.

[Camilla and Darwin]

Thank you so much Allyson!

[Grace Ketterer]

I just joined this group. When I read what I wrote below, I am ashamed to say that the dog has us trained for sure!  We do love her but forget that she is not human and should be restricted on her food.  She weights 80 lbs so she is not starving.

In the good old days, my sister's beagle ate a can of Kenl-Ration everyday and lived to be 18. My Yorkshire Terriers ate an artificially colored freeze dried food enthusiastically  and lived to be 18 also.  Why oh why am I spending more and more for dog food and having all these problems?

My Labradoodle came from a puppy mill.   We began feeding Nutra lamb and rice chow which she ate, but gave her loose bowels.  She also had ear junk.  The vet treated the ears and told us to feed chicken and rice.  That when we discovered that she could not tolerate chicken.  On we moved to a grain free fish based food (Nutra Fish meal, potato and rice) .  Ears stayed clear, bowels got much better.    BUT she would not eat the chow plain.  We tried adding water (chicken broth is out).  Then my husband started adding cottage cheese on top of the chow and she ate it. Then I discovered that my husband was adding breakfast sausage and cottage cheese on top of the fish chow.  (YUK)  For treats she was getting Milk Bone dog biscuits and an occasional rawhide chew and a little chewing on a big knuckle bone with nothing on it.  I did catch my husband giving her extra rawhide chips when she had dog visitors.   She has had a few paw cysts that she licks until they burst and this week she got a big one so I took her to the vet in case it was infected.

We left with the antibiotics to be taken for 21 days and  recommendation to change to a variety protein (they gave me Royal Canin Hypo PR chow, which is potato and rabbit based).  I also purchased a few cans of that in an effort  to dress it up  Also a lyme shot so I spend almost $200.  .  She ate the canned rabbit initially, but today it has no appeal.    I may well just eat it myself!   I want to get her to eat a kibble plain that she likes.  

Today I ordered some Orajen fish mixture, Fromm fish, and Acana Pacifica to try out.  Please give me ideas to get her to be happy with a food besides feeding her by hand. I think I may just keep feeding the Fish Meal, Potato and Rice and stop the Milk Bones, Sausage and cut down on the rawhide chips that she loves to one a day and hope for the best.

Yes, this does sound like someone who is being ruled by a Doodle, doesn't it?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Grace, we have lots and lots of discussions here in this group that address many of the issues you mentioned here, including picky eaters. In particular, browse through the "featured discussions" section of the Food Group. We're glad you've joined us. :)

A link to the Featured Discussions. In particular, look at the facts about food allergies and "An Ode to Sojos" (you may recognize yourself, lol) http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topic/featured

[Brittney & Cally]

I know Karen will step in so I won't go to deep into it. I would stop switching up the food. I would pick one of the ones you bought and only use that. I promise you if the dog is healthy it will eat when it is Hungry. You are right the dog has you trained. Any of those have foods you can rotate by the bag to keep interest but if your dog has lost interest in all the other food it will in this food unless you stop giving it options. You are the only one who knows there are a ton if food options out there your dog does not! Keep us updated?!

[Grace Ketterer]

Yes I hear you.  Thanks!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Read this, I promise you will laugh and learn something, too. 

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/an-ode-...