# Ziwipeak Question



## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

When I joined this forum, I was feeding Lulu Blue Buffalo. Shortly after reading many threads and discussing with new vet, I started feeding her boiled chicken, brown rice, a small portion of green beans and carrots. After about three weeks of this Lulu has started itching terribly. I am 99.9% positive it is not fleas. I have literally gone over her with a fine toothed comb and I cannot find one (although my vet says that does not mean they are not there--BAD fleas season here right now). My vet says she can also be having an alergic reaction to the chicken or the brown rice or some algeran in the air (great! insert eye roll) My question is this, I am now looking into Ziwipeak. If someone has 1 or 2 dogs and they are feeding the 2.2lb amount--how long does it last? Or what are the feeding amounts and how long per container? I am trying to figure out how much it cost as opposed to what I am doing now and I just can't tell what portion of the 2.2lb you would feed and how much. Thanks.


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## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

My 3 go through a small bag in about 1 week. It depends on weight, age and activity level. 

Here is a link to a calculator that will help. If you give me her weight and which formula you wish to feed, I can help you know how much to feed her. Perhaps then we can figure how long a bag would last you. 
http://www.chihuahua-people.com/chihuahua-diet-nutrition/65787-feeding-calculator-since-we-have-so-many-questions-about-how-much-feed.html
I think she is the size of my girls but I cannot remember if you will be feeding others.


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

Thanks, Karen, I hope Hope is doing well.


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

Karen, I don't know which to go with--I would think the lamb because that is what they have already eaten the most and I don't know if I should change them so radically, but I like the sound of the venison and fish because of the fish. Figure whichever one you think is best. Lulu weighs a little over 6 lbs now but I think she is a little overweight because of the recent food change. She should be around 5.5 lbs. Also, she is 4 yrs old and just not very active. She sleeps alot, but the new puppy does run her around the house (trying to get away from her). I'm gonna say mostly inactive with spurts of activity. Thank you so much for your help--math is NOT my forte and all this calculating gives me a headache.


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## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

Sticking with the same protein source seems like a good idea. The ZP all has Green Lipped Mussels so they are getting omegas in every variety. 

Their brochure says that a 6.5 dog (non-puppy, non-nursing or non-pregnant mom) would get .66 scoop daily. I feed twice a day so I would split that in half for each serving. You would split that among your feedings. It says that there are 26.5 servings per bag at that usage. So, if you feed her that or a bit less, you could make it about a month on a bag I might guess. 

You would then watch her body shape and go by rib feel. She might need less or even more. It is at least a good place to start.

That said, I use the calculator that I linked. As a result, I feed by calorie, not by their brochure especially because I am HORRIBLE at math and because the brochure has big jumps in their weight to feed examples.


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

Thank you so much for that, Karen. I wasn't sure if I could just buy off of the website so I called the closest supplier to me (which is several hours away and would have to ship to me) and I got a price on the 2.2lb bag, but the best I could tell in my mind that bag would only last me a week. Don't ask me how I came up with that, but the 2.2lb bag lasting around a month is much better! By the way, do you order off the ziwipeak website, or do you have a supplier in the USA?


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## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

I get it here:
Ziwipeak-Lamb-Dog | PetFoodDirect.com

~or here:
ZiwiPeak Daily-Dog Cuisine - Lamb Real Meat - 2.2 lbs - Free Shipping Check retailmenot.com for coupon codes for Wag. You can get some nice first timer discounts. If the code "ebates" still works I think you get 40% or 50% off one item at your first purchase.

~or here:
Ziwi Peak Lamb Dog Cuisine

~or here:
ZiwiPeak ZiwiPeak Daily-Dog Cuisine Lamb Real Meat Dry Dog Food | PetFlow.com

I just check who offered me an email coupon deal, has the best sale, free shipping or some combination. I just bought several bags an we are stocked through April. I know that you will want to try some first but many sites offer free ship at $49.


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

Thank you for all your help!!!!!


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## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

No problem! I enjoy finding deals-AND sharing them.

I meant to ask if she was having issues with Blue Buffalo. They have some GREAT foods. 
Their Wilderness gets 5 out of 5 stars on Dog Food Advisor. That is the same as ZP gets. I could not remember if you said she had issues with what she was on. 

Here is that review:
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Dry Dog Food | Review and Rating


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

No. She was not having any issues, but when I talked with that vet who was very much against any glutens in food he told me Blue Buffalo now has glutens in their food. He did say he thought the Wilderness was gluten-free. Then I started reading all the different websites including the website my new vet has, and they really talk about the things added to pet food unnecessarily that there is no reason to add. Also, some websites even to me suggest possible pet population control as the reasoning behind adding these things to the foods. All of a sudden, I just didn't want her eating dog food any more. I hate to sound like a complete idiot, but going from commercial dogfood to a raw diet that you buy and deal with yourself is overwhelming for me when I had never even heard of it before this forum, so I started Lulu and Gidget on boiled chicken, brown rice, a small amount of green beans and carrots. NOW Lulu is itching like crazy. I think she is alergic to either the brown rice or the chicken, so I thought I might be able to go with the ZP. So sorry if my explanation has been long-winded, but this change of food thing has been exasperating.


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

Oh, and I forgot to say, when I decided to feed them human food I was going to vary what they ate--my version of raw. I bought beef livers, chicken livers, lamb, chicken. Then, my groomer told me she was also a dog food nutitionist and I could not change their meat like that or I would cause stomach problems (can't remember exactly what she said, but it wasn't good). She said choose one and stick with it. I choose chicken. She said that was fine and that was easiest. But, you know, let me add this disclaimer that I'm not saying she is right--it gets very confusing.


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## 20887 (Mar 16, 2011)

lulu'smom said:


> Oh, and I forgot to say, when I decided to feed them human food I was going to vary what they ate--my version of raw. I bought beef livers, chicken livers, lamb, chicken. Then, my groomer told me she was also a dog food nutitionist and I could not change their meat like that or I would cause stomach problems (can't remember exactly what she said, but it wasn't good). She said choose one and stick with it. I choose chicken. She said that was fine and that was easiest. But, you know, let me add this disclaimer that I'm not saying she is right--it gets very confusing.


Were you feeding those foods cooked or raw? Unfortunately, a lot of nutrients are lost during cooking so home-cooked diets are often deficient in important nutrients. Typically people have to add them back in through supplements. 

It is actually beneficial to change their protein source- I think it helps prevent allergies if they aren't fed the same protein day in and day out (I might be wrong here, I bet Tracy[brodysmom] knows more about changing protein sources)

I feed ZiwiPeak and Stella and Chewy's, and I vary the protein every meal. For example, they get a beef frozen patty for breakfast and lamb ZP for dinner. Then the next day they might get Duck S&C and venison ZP. We haven't had any tummy problems here 

The feeding guidelines on the ZP bag are confusing... I found that one of my dogs needs a little more than the bag says, while one needs a little less.


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

Thanks, Missy, for the info. I am trying to figure out what is the best way to go. I am adding a very good supplement to their diet since I took them off commercial dog food, but I still can not get happy with their food situation.


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## Sunnie (Dec 19, 2011)

Nature's Variety Instinct is grain AND gluten free.  (canned or kibble.)

Nature's Variety: Instinct Grain-Free Kibble and Canned Diets for Dogs | Nature's Variety


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

Sunnie said:


> Nature's Variety Instinct is grain AND gluten free.  (canned or kibble.)
> 
> 
> > I saw that food tonight when I bought Lulu's food, but I was not familiar with it from my studying so I didn't choose it. I now know that it is a 5 star food with dogfoodadvisor. I ended up choosing Taste of the Wild. I bought dry and can to add a little can because after what she has been eating she would never go back to just dry kibble. She looked at me like I lost my mind and I ended up holding her and her eating out of my hand, but I got it down her. My mother says she is SPOILED ROTTEN. She definitely is, but my boys are gone and she's the only dog I have (the Maltese is Mom's) and frankly I can spoil her if I want.


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## BellasMomma (Sep 27, 2010)

I use Only Natural Pet Store........ Only Natural Pet Store for Dogs and Cats

You can get a 15% new customer discount and if you buy it through Coupon Cactus you also get 8% cash back. Then after you are a customer you can find coupon codes for 10% usually when you google them.

So I usually get over $ 40.00 cash back every time I order, which I order 5 large bags at a time because I feed both my 5 lb, Bella and 85 lb, Shadow (German Shephard) Ziwipeak.


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## Blue Chi (Oct 12, 2011)

lulu'smom said:


> Oh, and I forgot to say, when I decided to feed them human food I was going to vary what they ate--my version of raw. I bought beef livers, chicken livers, lamb, chicken. Then, my groomer told me she was also a dog food nutitionist and I could not change their meat like that or I would cause stomach problems (can't remember exactly what she said, but it wasn't good). She said choose one and stick with it. I choose chicken. She said that was fine and that was easiest. But, you know, let me add this disclaimer that I'm not saying she is right--it gets very confusing.


I would have to disagree with her. I'm no dog nutritionist but common sense says variety is better UNLESS you are dealing with allergies. Once a dog gets used to variety they won't have tummy problems any more. Like a pp said, my dogs may have venison for breakfast and beef for supper. There's gonna be nutrients in one meal that may not be in another (or as much of). Switching it up keeps them from getting deficient in one area. The only way I would stick with one thing over time is if they were allergic to all other options. I even switched kibbles up when we used to do kibble.

I also wanted to say, on a sidenote, that cooking meals for dogs is actually HARDER than raw to me. 1)You gotta cook it :-/ 2) You have to be very careful with balancing out nutrients since alot of them are cooked out. So then you have to add vitamins back in. 3)More ingredients to deal with. 
Preparing for raw is simply cutting up meat in the right sizes and then freeze until ready to use. The hardest at times is getting that 80/10/10 ratio right. But once u got it, u got it.
I'm NOT trying to talk u into raw. Just wanted u to know that it's not nearly as hard as cooked meals. In case u do ever consider raw.

U can't go wrong with ZP. That stuff is fantastic.


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

Blue Chi said:


> I would have to disagree with her. I'm no dog nutritionist but common sense says variety is better UNLESS you are dealing with allergies. Once a dog gets used to variety they won't have tummy problems any more. Like a pp said, my dogs may have venison for breakfast and beef for supper. There's gonna be nutrients in one meal that may not be in another (or as much of). Switching it up keeps them from getting deficient in one area. The only way I would stick with one thing over time is if they were allergic to all other options. I even switched kibbles up when we used to do kibble.
> 
> I also wanted to say, on a sidenote, that cooking meals for dogs is actually HARDER than raw to me. 1)You gotta cook it :-/ 2) You have to be very careful with balancing out nutrients since alot of them are cooked out. So then you have to add vitamins back in. 3)More ingredients to deal with.
> Preparing for raw is simply cutting up meat in the right sizes and then freeze until ready to use. The hardest at times is getting that 80/10/10 ratio right. But once u got it, u got it.
> ...


Thank you for the advise. That makes very good sense. I already went yesterday and bought our dogs Taste of the Wild kibble and can food. I just could not give them nothing but kibble after what they had been eating--that would have been cruel to me. None of it has chicken in case the chicken is making Lulu itch. Once I get her regulated again I may try chicken, very soon I may try ZP or another raw food. The pet store I go to has Primal. Does anyone know anything about that brand? I know one thing, in the day and a half they have been back on commercial dog food, even 5 star, they have increased pooping from at the most 1x a day to 2-3x a day.


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