# Best canned dog food?



## doglover24 (Aug 9, 2009)

Hi Everyone! I am new to the forum and its great to be part of the chi parent community. 

I have dedicated hours and hours to trying to figure out the best food for my chi and his long-term health. I am sure many of you have done the same because we want the best for our chis. But I find that there is so much conflicting info out there, it becomes so confusing.

My vet says grain free and wet food is better. What have you guys heard?

I am trying to decide if Innova canned adult food or Party Animal Chillin chicken would be best....anyone feed their chis any one of these?

Does anyone swear by a certain food they have been feeding their chi for awhile now? Can anyone give me, and I'm sure others, any good advice they have been told regarding the best food? 

I know many people give their dogs raw and homemade, but I can't quite do that right now with my schedule, but perhaps one day...so for now, I am looking for a great canned. 

Thank you in advance everyone, Chi lovers unite! 
Shelley


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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

From the research that I've done on kibble and canned, ZiwiPeak and EVO seems to be the closest to raw. ZiwiPeak isn't kibble, but it is even better than EVO. It is expensive and comes in a jerky form in a 2.2 lb. and 11 lb. bag. It also comes in canned.

I know some have had great success with Natures Variety too.


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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

EVO Small Bites Kibble. This comes in Beef as well.

http://www.evopet.com/products/default.asp?id=1488

Canned (Other flavors available).

http://www.evopet.com/products/default.asp?id=1494


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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

Natures Variety Instinct

http://www.naturesvariety.com/instinct_dog


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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

Orijen is pretty good too. 

http://www.orijen.cz/orijen/products/adultIngredients.aspx

And ZiwiPeak.

http://www.ziwipeak.com/nzl/cuisinefamily.shtml

I use ZiwiPeak and Evo 95% canned. My dogs enjoy the taste, and do very well on both. I prefer to use ZiwiPeak canned, but it's about $4 a can. The EVO is from $2 to $3.79 a can, depending on the protein you choose. Duck being the most expensive.

Hope this helps some.


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## chi's R me (Jun 30, 2009)

If your dog is young and has teeth to eat dry, I would say go with dry, chihuahuas have alot of trouble with their teeth. My senior chi doesn't have the teeth for dry and I'm switching her over to canned (special senior varity). But I would say look for a good dry food.


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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

Oh, and I prefer a mixture of both. The kibble for their teeth, and canned for added moisture. Adding the extra moisture helps them break down all of those proteins in the grain free.


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## Muzby (Jan 28, 2009)

Kibble doesn't actually clean teeth, it helps rot them. Do you eat ginger snaps to help clean your teeth? Crunchy food does NOT equal teeth cleaning.

I would go for a grain free, canned food like Innova EVO, Merrick Before Grain, EVO 95% meat, Wellness grain free varieties, etc. I would also give the pups raw chicken wings weekly for dental health. This way, you're getting the benefits of raw eating without going out of your way, it's easy if you're a busy person.


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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

Muzby said:


> *Kibble doesn't actually clean teeth, it helps rot them. Do you eat ginger snaps to help clean your teeth? Crunchy food does NOT equal teeth cleaning.*
> 
> I would go for a grain free, canned food like Innova EVO, Merrick Before Grain, EVO 95% meat, Wellness grain free varieties, etc. I would also give the pups raw chicken wings weekly for dental health. This way, you're getting the benefits of raw eating without going out of your way, it's easy if you're a busy person.


I'm glad you said this. I have always wondered why so many promote kibble for their teeth. I can't see how just the crunching does much good for plaque? I have always used it in combo with canned because I hear constantly, "canned only will rot their teeth." Mine hate kibble and eat so very little of it anyway. And now that we are on ZiwiPeak, it isn't crunchy at all. I was kinda worried about that and bought the EVO kibble just to have something crunchy. So thanks for posting this, I feel much better.


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## Muzby (Jan 28, 2009)

No worries, SO MANY people believe this (vets even recommend it - wonder why... I just paid $380+ for a dental cleaning... biased advice, much?) and it irks me. Kibble is no replacement for cleaning the teeth yourself or feeding raw bones. 

Canned also doesn't "help" teeth, but IMO it's the lesser of two evils.. kibble by it's nature has more carbs (to hold it together, whether it's rice/corn or potato/sweet potato).. carbs are just complex sugars and sugars rot teeth. Canned has MUCH less, and in some cases none of that (needs less to "hold it in form" as it were).. but still musthave teeth brushed. 

Kibble sticks in teeth crevices more than canned too.


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## doglover24 (Aug 9, 2009)

TLI said:


> I'm glad you said this. I have always wondered why so many promote kibble for their teeth. I can't see how just the crunching does much good for plaque? I have always used it in combo with canned because I hear constantly, "canned only will rot their teeth." Mine hate kibble and eat so very little of it anyway. And now that we are on ZiwiPeak, it isn't crunchy at all. I was kinda worried about that and bought the EVO kibble just to have something crunchy. So thanks for posting this, I feel much better. [/QUOTE
> 
> Yes, I think its a very common thought that kibble really cleans teeth, but most of the newer vets I have talked to have said that kibble's teeth cleaning power is WAY overestimated. Some vets I have talked to think wet food's moisture is healthier also. My regular vet likes grain free too.
> 
> ...


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## Muzby (Jan 28, 2009)

Any suppliments you give are never really a bad thing in moderation! Our chi loves fish (raw), so if you can give her some of that with the chicken wings a couple times a month...

I dunno about "organic" to me, it's still made by someone else.. and therefore, I don't trust it. I thought I heard somewhere that for pet food there is no "regulations" for 'organic'.. and all it needs is SLIGHT ingredients that are organic to call the food that. So say.. one type of potato that is organic, everything else is not.. that kinda thing. I probably wouldn't waste my time on buying ONLY organic canned foods, but I would maybe offer it in rotation.


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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

I think with all of the recalls and things that pet food companies can get away with, the best we can do is go with the best grain free out there, and hope that we are doing the right thing. The only other option is going raw, or cooked. I do believe the Omega 3's are good for their coats and skin. And as mentioned above, companies can mark the bag as Organic, or anything as long as something in it meets that criteria. You really have to read the ingredients to a fine T. That's why I like EVO 95% canned, and ZiwiPeak. It is basically meat, organs, bones, and the vitamins and minerals. Closest to raw, I believe.


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## huskyluv (Oct 24, 2008)

Muzby said:


> Kibble doesn't actually clean teeth, it helps rot them. Do you eat ginger snaps to help clean your teeth? Crunchy food does NOT equal teeth cleaning.
> 
> I would go for a grain free, canned food like Innova EVO, Merrick Before Grain, EVO 95% meat, Wellness grain free varieties, etc. I would also give the pups raw chicken wings weekly for dental health. This way, you're getting the benefits of raw eating without going out of your way, it's easy if you're a busy person.



Excellent post! Totally agree with everything Muzby's said. :thumbleft:


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## Ivy's mom (Feb 15, 2008)

I use grain free grandma lucys freeze dried food. You add water to hydrate, and my girls love it. They eat the truth chicken. www.grandmalucys.com

Lori


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