# help me set up the perfect diet



## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

Can y'all help me set up the perfect diet, well balanced proteins, vitamins and supplements BG just turned 2 and Sonny will be 1 in a few weeks.

Here is what we use currently:

Kibble (and must have since I can work 8-24 hours without notice)
Great Life Grain Free Chicken
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I also mix it with Ziwi Peak Venison and I am considering swapping between Venison and Lamb.

I am also going to add Stella & Chewy Beef not sure how many times a week.

I also give them all natural bison, venison, and beef jerky tendons and bones

Treat wise they get Pure Bites Chicken
Www.purebites.com/productsdogeng/products_chicken.html


Thoughts?

OH AND BG WILL NOT EAT ANYTHING FISH OR SEAFOOD. SHE HATES IT!


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

I would probably be the last person to help set up a diet, but I was going to give some things that I found interesting lately. LS posted a "Supplements" thread--you could look on it for vit/suppl. suggestions. I give Lulu Nupro on her food and add Glucosamine/Chondroitin to her food daily. I also give Vit D3 2 or 3 times a week.
A couple of things I fould interesting lately is a thread posted that said rosemary MAY (notice I emphasized "may") cause seizures. Some Acana foods have rosemary but not all--The one I feed-Duck and Bartlett Pear does not. I am going back to ZP though. 
Also, someone posted a thread that stated prolonged use of Sodium Selenite CAN BE toxic (again "can be") it was believed the better foods to feed contained Selenium yeast. Acana and ZP use Selenium yeast. Many others I checked still use Sodium Selenite--I just checked for the heck of it. Anyway, take all that for what you want--it's just a few things I've been observing lately.


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## OzChi (Oct 26, 2011)

Sounds like you have a pretty good routine already!

I swear by ZP for their breakfast (I alternate bags of lamb and Venison and fish because my guys LOVE fish, esp raw salmon with the skin on, I always give them some of mine before I cook it) and then a raw meal of either chicken, turkey, pork, kangaroo or salmon or a scrambled egg with just about a desert spoon of ZP as a topper - I think it makes for more consistent poop. Then a chicken wing or neck 2x weekly for teeth and chicken or duck jerky (100% meat, no nasty stuff) for a treat most days.

I don't do suppliments, I feel like the ZP gives them everything they need and luckily I don't have anyone with any specific issues they need treated at this stage.


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## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

Thank you, trying to make sure I have the right mix. Also any oils I should add and what kinds would be best since BG hates FISH and does get a little scaly at times if I have to give her a frequent baths etc?


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

Christie, can you ditch the kibble altogether? Processed foods just take their toll. I know you like a more holistic pathway and kibble just isn't it. Use the pre-mades.... ZiwiPeak as your base. You can add in Stella and Chewy's for variety. They are as easy and convenient to use as kibble. ZiwiPeak and S&C are balanced, you don't need to add supplements unless you want to.

Your raw meaty bones sound fine. Give those as often as you can. 

For oils for coat, if you can't do a good fish oil, you can substitute coconut oil. I have recently started using Emu oil and like it! Also vitamin E. Dinovite has a fatty acid supplement that some people like (it's mainly chicken fat/oil).


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## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

Where do you find the Emu oil?


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

I bought emu oil capsules at vitacost.com.


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## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

Brodysmom said:


> I bought emu oil capsules at vitacost.com.


Awesome I will look into that as BG hates coconut and fish but she loves poultry. Told you she was a diva. 

I can ditch the kibble but my fear is I can work an 8-10 hour day (normal) or be gone for 20+ hours unannounced so I do not want to leave them with nothing. The ZP they munch on first then when needed they go after the kibble. My two do not sit and eat a big meal at once. It is a bite here a bite there as needed and mostly in the evening and morning. If I am gone and can't get home I do not want them to starve. 

Does that make sense? That is why all of my kids are as self sufficent as possible. My job is not your normal 9-5 and neither is my husbands.


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

Huly said:


> Awesome I will look into that as BG hates coconut and fish but she loves poultry. Told you she was a diva.
> 
> I can ditch the kibble but my fear is I can work an 8-10 hour day (normal) or be gone for 20+ hours unannounced so I do not want to leave them with nothing. The ZP they munch on first then when needed they go after the kibble. My two do not sit and eat a big meal at once. It is a bite here a bite there as needed and mostly in the evening and morning. If I am gone and can't get home I do not want them to starve.
> 
> Does that make sense? That is why all of my kids are as self sufficent as possible. My job is not your normal 9-5 and neither is my husbands.


Do you have someone come over and check on the dogs if you are going to be gone for 20 hours?! That is a LONG time. I assume you have potty pads? Maybe you could have a pet sitter come by if you are going to be gone for 20 hours to check on them? She could give a meal to them at that time.


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## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

Yeah my neighbors and a friend both have keys if need be and luckily my husband and my crazy schedule has not happened on the same day. Yeah the little ones have potty pads so that is a good call.


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## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

Aunt Tracy

Thank you for telling our mom that we need to switch up the protein in our food. Mom got us Stella and Chewys beef and Yummy! We still eat our venison ZP but mom says next we get lamb. We are drooling! We are slowly eating less and less of our great life kibble. Just a snack here and there but who needs kibble with beef and venison. 

Thank you
BG and Sonny

PS Aunt Tracy what is this emu oil I heard mom saying she might order? Does it taste like chicken cause I don't like fish! Please don't give my mom crazy stuff cause I am picky or as mom says a diva.

Princess BG


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

Huly said:


> Aunt Tracy
> 
> Thank you for telling our mom that we need to switch up the protein in our food. Mom got us Stella and Chewys beef and Yummy! We still eat our venison ZP but mom says next we get lamb. We are drooling! We are slowly eating less and less of our great life kibble. Just a snack here and there but who needs kibble with beef and venison.
> 
> ...


BG and Sonny, I'm glad your mama is switching up your food! :cheer: Lamb is my favorite!!!

What is kibble? :coolwink:

Emu oil is yummy. Tastes like chicken.  My mom is kinda crazy and likes to switch up my oils too! Fish oil, krill oil, vitamin E, coconut oil even! Once in awhile I even get flax oil. Some people say we dogs only need omega 3's and can't process omega 6's which are what is in plant oils.  But yeah, have your mom try emu oil! My mom bought the capsules on vitacost.com and she just pokes a hole in it and squirts it out on a plate and I lick it up. YUMMY.

Your friend,
Brody


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

Brody, BG & Sonny, you three are too cute, you just made my day. Glad I snuck a peek at this thread, educational & fun.


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## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

Brodysmom said:


> BG and Sonny, I'm glad your mama is switching up your food! :cheer: Lamb is my favorite!!!
> 
> What is kibble? :coolwink:
> 
> ...


Now Brody you might be like my lil brother Sonny cause you are a boy! Us girls know what we like and and we do like perfect hair nails and complection but we will not risk nasty stuff for it. I am perfect just the way that I am so if it taste nasty I won't eat it! Sonny eats dirt for fun! Ugh boys! I live by the phrase "Girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice while boys are made of Snips & snails & puppy dogs tails" Boys can just be gross at times but I do love my lil brother too. I just don't understand the gross stuff he does and eats! Mom says that is my Diva attitude but I will at least try the emu oil. If it taste good I won't mind looking even better than I do if that is possible! 

Princess BG


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

Brody says WORMS ARE GOOOOOOOD! Whatchu talkin about?! 

Seirously, give the emu oil a try. It is supposed to have great health benefits.


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## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

Brodysmom said:


> Brody says WORMS ARE GOOOOOOOD! Whatchu talkin about?!
> 
> Seirously, give the emu oil a try. It is supposed to have great health benefits.


Thank you! I am going to try to get some today from our health food stores but if not I am going to order it online. I can not thank you enough for your help! My little Diva is such a handful at times. No fish so we went to coconut and that was ok for a week and then it was a big fat NO. I have tried to hide in things etc and she can find it every single time. Even her toothpaste was salmon flavor as I have always used it on my hounds cats etc but the diva child refuses to have anything to do with it so I had to go get mint flavor for her. :foxes15: Spoiled Brat! I will let you know how it goes. Fingers crossed and wish me luck


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