# Frustrated with food -



## AlabamaChihuahuaGirl (Nov 16, 2011)

As a starting point I need to share this: We had 3 dogs, 4 cats, and parakeets at one point. 1 cat had to be PTS at 10.5 years due to a stroke that left her paralyzed. The rest of them we had to find good homes for due to us being moved from the house we own in Georgia to an apartment in Alabama. We couldn't bring them with us for a couple reasons: 1) We couldn't have more than 2, 2) There wasn't a place in the apartment for a litter box where it could be out from underfoot and 3) Our dogs were medium sized dogs (25-35lbs) that we didn't think would be happy in an apartment situation (no yard to play in ... they were used to being outside whenever they wanted to be out there). So, we had to make the hardest decision ever... find homes for them. We never, ever got any of our pets with the intentions of getting rid of them. They were like our children. Our Cavalier King Charles was 10 and he was blessed with a wonderful, wonderful couple until he passed away a year after we saw him last. Our Eskimo Spitz went to a family in Savannah and our cats all went to great homes as well (we made certain of that!!!!). When we were talking about getting a small dog (specifically a Chihuahua that wouldn't be over 3.5/4 pounds) we discussed how much we regretting not bringing the Cavalier and our Persian with us but we also discussed how blessed we (and they) were to get great homes and that we couldn't go backwards only forward. So - that is how we ended up with Minnie Mae. I live with the guilt everyday of finding homes for our pets and I feel like I have betrayed them in getting sweet Minnie Mae, but that can't be helped. (we got all of our pets as puppies/kittens so they only lived with us before we moved)

I said all that because I thought it was important to know that I do have experience with dogs and cats (and various other animals). This food issue is frustrating me because I haven't had this problem before in the entire 10.5-11 years we had our previous pets. 

She was on Royal Canin but when the vet told us to take her off and give her the Science Diet Rx canned for a week her runs stopped. We then decided to since that was the ONLY thing we hadn't changed in the month we had her that it must have been the food. Especially since she didn't have any other health issues. (even the vet is thinking diet at this point) So we decided to switch her to something healthier and bought the Nature's Balance Small Bites Ultra. I have been mixing it with the Rx canned as the vet said to do when I got near the bottom (he doesn't want to give her Rx food forever!) and now she is having loose poos again. 

I have a couple questions at this point: 
1) Could her loose stools at the moment be her body adjusting to the new kibble? 
2) She is only getting 1/8 cup kibble and between 1/8-1/4 can wet food split between 3 meals a day...is she 'eating too much'? 
3) Some places (including the breeder) say to leave dry kibble out at all times yet other places (including the vet) say to only feed her twice a day. Which is best? My vet said to feed her 3 times a day (splitting the whole amount into 3 servings)... she was doing fine (and seemed less hungry) when I was only feeding her twice a day and had kibble out all day. 

This is really frustrating me because I haven't had problems like this before and because it is obviously her kibble - I need to find one that works. Does anyone know where I can obtain samples of foods to try instead of buying full bags only to use 2 cups max? (not that I won't spend the money to get her the right food - it just doesn't seem a wise use of money to spend $20+ per bag only for her to be allergic to it). 

Thanks for listening to me!!! Hope this isn't confusing....


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## AlabamaChihuahuaGirl (Nov 16, 2011)

I sure hope lack of response isn't because we found homes for our previous pets (almost 2 years before we got Minnie Mae). I can't say enough just how much we regret NOT keeping at least our oldest 2 (the Cavalier and Persian). They truly were our babies and it broke our hearts to give them up. We honestly believed it was in their best interest to do so. I certainly hope that y'all don't think badly of me...believe me, I think badly enough of myself for it to last me a lifetime. Minnie Mae doesn't replace them...we thought long and hard before getting her. 

Anyway, 

Could she be having runny poo again due to me changing her kibble? I didn't do it gradually because she was already fully off the Royal Canin while eating the Rx canned food the vet put her on. So, when I introduced kibble back, I just gave her the new stuff, Natural Balance Ultra. I figured since she was having runny poo due to the R/C anyway it wouldn't matter too much but could that be why it is runny?


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## RandomMusing (Aug 27, 2011)

She definetly could be having diarrhea from not transitioning to her new food.
Also it does seem like she may be eating too much. My girls get a little less than half a cup of kibble a day, split up to 3 meals. They eat taste of the wild, I know nothing about natures balance though....

Another possibility is she could have allergies to something in the food.

For a safe, quick help you could add a small spoon of canned 100% pumpkin, it works wonders!

*EDIT
By natures balance, do you mean NATURAL balance?? I see that the small bites ultra isn't grain free, maybe switch to a grain less formula will help. Natural balance has grain free formulas, totw is grain free too


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## RandomMusing (Aug 27, 2011)

Oh and if you write / email Taste of the wild asking for sample they will send them. I got 2 bags of each flavor, 6oz bags.


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## AlabamaChihuahuaGirl (Nov 16, 2011)

Wonderful! Thank you so much!!! 

The only reason I didn't do a transition is because I figured since the RC was giving her diarrhea anyway, that I wouldn't be able to tell if the new food was causing tummy issues too or not. Poor Minnie!! 

I will definitely email Taste of the Wild. Thank you soooo much!


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## susan davis (Mar 25, 2011)

try and transfer the new kibble over a week or so. have you tried regular canned food? there are some good ones out there. sue


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## AlabamaChihuahuaGirl (Nov 16, 2011)

We had been using Cesar Puppy canned food (that is what the breeder said she was feeding them) but we stopped when she started with the runs thinking it might be from it. Obviously it wasn't - should I just give her canned food instead of kibble?


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## MiniGrace (Oct 31, 2011)

I wanted to go back and reread your posts to see what all you've tried but haven't had a chance so I may ask some questions you've already answered.

I doubt it's overfeeding. When I first got Taz she weighed only 1.25lb and I did feed her too much the first couple of days. She pooped a lot but only slightly loose and as soon as I cut back the amount the problem cleared up.

If you've switched numerous times maybe she just hasn't had time to adjust to the new food? Both of mine switch really easily but I've read some people on here that have to transition really slowly like over two or three weeks.

Also, what would you think about switching her from the prescription canned to a regular canned food? If she does okay on that, you could give her tummy a few weeks to settle down and then pick a kibble that you want to stick with and try adding it very slowly. For canned food, I would look on the dog food review websites and pick a high quality one, preferable a limited ingredient food.

As for buying food she can't eat, I am not familiar with your area but if you can find a small speciality pet food place, they will often give you samples. I believe PetSmart will take back an opened bag of food if your dog won't eat it so if there is one of those near you, you might ask them and see.


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## AlabamaChihuahuaGirl (Nov 16, 2011)

I would definitely be willing to try switching to regular canned and introduce kibble slowly after a week. We do have a PetSmart and Petco. I will have to ask if they will take opened bags back. And if they have any samples.


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## MiniGrace (Oct 31, 2011)

I ran out of room so here's the rest of my reply.

Is there a Petco near you? They have begun to carry quite a bit of better quality foods and I believe they carry some limited ingredient foods. I looked up the prescription diet and it looks like the protein source is turkey and pork liver. Maybe you could find a turkey based canned food since we know she's doing okay on that one.

I'm just throwing things out here. If she were mine, I really think I'd just transition her over to a good canned food and let her tummy settle for a few weeks before trying kibble again. I know a lot of vets will say you should give them kibble but I don't think vets necessarily know best when it comes to what you feed your dog. I'd use what works for her.

I had not responded yet due to wanting to research some foods and your previous posts. It had nothing to do with you rehoming your dogs.


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## MiniGrace (Oct 31, 2011)

I don't think a week is long enough to wait before trying kibble again. I'd wait two or three weeks and give her a chance to settle. She's awfully small. I'd be really careful with her.


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## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

Pardon me if I already pointed you to this site:
Dog Food Reviews | Dog Food Ratings

It is a great place to research foods that you are feeding or wish to try. I'd try for a 4-5 star food. Blue Buffalo and Wellness are and they are carried at chain stores. TOTW is also carried at places like Tractor Supply. Most places will take back food until you find one that works. 
I order food online. With free shipping and coupon codes, I can get my girl's food less expensive online. AND it just magically shows up on my porch.


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## AlabamaChihuahuaGirl (Nov 16, 2011)

MiniGrace said:


> I had not responded yet due to wanting to research some foods and your previous posts. It had nothing to do with you rehoming your dogs.


Sorry about that - it was me being paranoid because I still feel so guilty and like a bad 'mama' for having done it. lol!


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## AlabamaChihuahuaGirl (Nov 16, 2011)

I ran to Petco and got 2 cans of Natural Balance canned food - one is the chicken and one is the beef. I also got 4 samples of the NB foods to try. I will do the canned food first and see how she does before introducing kibble back to her. Since I won't be giving her kibble for a couple weeks, should I give her 1/4 cup of canned food per day (divided up into 2-3 meals)? She is only 2lb 9oz and will be 6 months old next week. 

I truly appreciate the help. The vet isn't going to be much help at this point because she isn't sick. Minnie is such a tiny thing - and she is my baby!!! I just want what is best for her.


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## AlabamaChihuahuaGirl (Nov 16, 2011)

Where do you order your food from online? Just a regular petstore like Petco/PetSmart or from the manufacturer?


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## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

I order from here:
PetFlow | Get Started

or here:
Dog Supplies

or here:
Pet Food Online | Dog & Cat Supplies & Products | PetFoodDirect.com


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

dont think its from too much feeding. dexter was on 1/4 cup when i first got him at 12 weeks old it as also 3 times a day. however to entice food we used nutrical....they used to sell it in petsmart and petco but now they carry crappy gnc products which ive heafd only bad reviews about. as for samples, if u email any major dog food company they will send u some. ive gotten samples from totw wellness,, and some other brands like orijen. petco is the best place for hollistic foods but petamart also has wellness and blue buffalo, blue buffalo is only great if u can actually get ur chi to eat the black bits that seem to be a dislike to majority of people thats tried. dexter was also on royal canin first and cesar gourmet but his poops were huge and let alone smelly, peeyew! dexter is off kibbles and has veen for years, one day he finally gave up to all kibble food. ive tried every kinda brand food out there.....oy vey. i hope this helps u a bit as i know how frustratin it is when it comes to dog food. as for ur movin situation u did what u had to do and seein that uve had dogs for so many years i dont thin people should judge u just because of that decision. im glad they all found great homes!


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## AlabamaChihuahuaGirl (Nov 16, 2011)

Thanks so much!!!  That makes me feel better if Minnie can't handle kibble that she will be okay (and healthy) on canned alone.


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

if ur goin to do canned food alone u have to watch out for her teeth  wet food builds up plaque and tartar easier than dry! brushiee teeth everyday and petzlife oral spray does wonders


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## mooberry (Jan 31, 2011)

I just also want to caution you to do this very very slowly and watch her weight. 

You need to make sure she is drinking enough because she could be losing her proper electrolytes. and be patient yo don't want to rush her give her time. If you still don't see results I would switch to a grain free food if you haven't tried it, then if you do not see results I would take her to a different vet with a record of everything you have tried and for how long. A fresh set of eyes could really help


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## LostLakeLua (Sep 6, 2009)

If you do choose to stick with just canned; keep in mind that many people who don't feed a strictly raw diet, will also give their dogs a raw bone once or twice a week as it's the best thing for keeping teeth healthy the natural way. For a chihuahua this would be maybe just a chicken neck or a wing. Since it is bone content, that firms up stools anyway so you shouldn't have to worry about her getting loose stools from it. I just will always advocate that; while I feed prey model myself I do believe there are some great kibbles out there (jesuschick always beats me to the recc' of Taste of The Wild LOL!!) and even just giving a bone a few times a week can do wonders for a little dogs dental health. 
And no judgement here... I have had a LOT, I mean a LOT of dogs in my past. And I'm only 25. I had an entirely different life back then... bad relationship but my motivation to help dogs is what kept me going honestly. I had the money and the means to do it so I wasn't going to stop. But you know, I don't think that I ever "planned" on rehoming any of the dogs I took in. I just would do what I can for them health-wise; and then I would do my best to evaluate what kind of home could be perfect for them. I still know where each of those dogs are today; with the exception of 3; and it still eats at me. These were dogs that I helped another person rescue; and this other person was the one who screened out and found their homes. I really don't think they're being mistreated or anything but.. a part of me just aches knowing I didn't have the chance to spay them first, to really know for SURE, you know? I guess I'm just trying to say you're not alone. I think because of what I used to do it's made me who I am now; I have 5 dogs and I couldn't bare parting with them. The last two dogs that we rehomed just went to friends and family so I never really have to have them out of my life, haha. 
I look at it this way. Of course, nobody plans on ever having to give away their dog. The thought of losing my heart dog Kahlua just kills me. But I realize, sometimes THEIR best interest may not be what you've committed to. If by some freak accident I was homeless; had no friends/family or anyone to turn to; the first thing I would do is make sure my babies were somewhere safe. Because they deserve that; they deserve to always have somewhere they can be safe and well-fed and if for whatever reason I cannot do it; I will not keep them for my own selfish reasoning. I know that nobody will EVER love my Kahlua the way I do; will never give her the constant attention that I do... but her health and longevity will always be a priority over my broken heart. I hope that makes sense... That said, miss Tracy aka BrodysMom; if for some reason Kahlua shows up at your doorstep one day it's because it'd be in my will for you to have her because I can't think of anyone who would give her the nutrition she needs LOL.


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## MiniGrace (Oct 31, 2011)

AlabamaChihuahuaGirl said:


> I ran to Petco and got 2 cans of Natural Balance canned food - one is the chicken and one is the beef. I also got 4 samples of the NB foods to try. I will do the canned food first and see how she does before introducing kibble back to her. Since I won't be giving her kibble for a couple weeks, should I give her 1/4 cup of canned food per day (divided up into 2-3 meals)? She is only 2lb 9oz and will be 6 months old next week.
> 
> I truly appreciate the help. The vet isn't going to be much help at this point because she isn't sick. Minnie is such a tiny thing - and she is my baby!!! I just want what is best for her.


That amount sounds about right to me. Try that - if she looks bloated after she eats, I'd cut it back a little. If she still seems ravenous, I'd increase it little. At her age, I would normally say two meals a day but given the circumstances she may do better with three meals. 

Let me know how she does. Poor little tyke!


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## AlabamaChihuahuaGirl (Nov 16, 2011)

Thank you all so much! 

I think I will go with canned for 7-10 days to get this kibble out of her system. I will at that point slowly introduce the kibble (I will have a couple brands of samples...Natural Balance and Taste of the Wild have both said they will send me samples and I am waiting on a response from Wellness for some samples from them as well). 

I will start with one and if it doesn't sit I will allow her tummy to settle for a few days-week and then try another one. I am thinking it might take until the new year before we finally find one she can eat and I am confident that there will be a dry kibble she is able to eat. If, however, none can be found then I will do strictly canned at that point.  

Thank y'all sooo much!!!


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## MiniGrace (Oct 31, 2011)

Just out of curiosity, what did her previous owner feed her? Did you continue the same food? How soon after you brought her home did she start to have problems?


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## AlabamaChihuahuaGirl (Nov 16, 2011)

MiniGrace said:


> Just out of curiosity, what did her previous owner feed her? Did you continue the same food? How soon after you brought her home did she start to have problems?


The breeder told me she was on Cesar canned puppy food and Royal Canin Chihuahua 30. She even sent a bag of it with Minnie. I followed her feeding schedule/amount to the letter. We only had her a week before we started having problems.


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## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

I also have one who cannot eat kibble nor canned. It took a sick baby, fear that kept me up at night, several months and a couple thousand dollars in vet and ER vet bills to learn that. 

I switched her to Ziwipeak and the change was remarkable. NO stomach issues since. 

She is so sensitive that I recently tried another air dried raw treat. JUST a treat so a couple of tiny pieces over a few days-versus bowls of it-and THAT was enough to give her soft (not at all what she had before) stools. So, the other two will enjoy those until they are gone and then back to the 2-3 treats that I know she can tolerate. 

Do not know if anyone has recommended it yet, but little teaspoons of canned pumpkin really can help. You may want to try adding that. Firmed up Hope's stools and soothed her system. I actually spooned some out into an ice cube tray, froze it and popped them out into a ziploc bag to store.


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## Cream Chi's (Jan 24, 2011)

I too have recently changed one of my chi's to ziwi peak 
,he has been really poorly and i just couldn't get his tummy to 
settle but in days his poo was 'solid' on zp!! 
(he is also having B12 jabs as he lost weight etc) 

I also give my Pugs canned pumpkin every day - it helps their glands!!


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## Willowjune (Oct 27, 2011)

How's Minnie Mae doing today? Better, I hope. My dogs haven't had food issues, either the chi's now or others in the past, so I'm not up on what might cause allergies, etc. I'm feeding Chiquita and Vana cooked meat, chicken, or fish and veggies--so far so good. Since today was Thanksgiving, I gave them each a half teaspoon taste of yams and dressing--it vanished from their bowls instantly!


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

Willowjune said:


> I'm feeding Chiquita and Vana cooked meat, chicken, or fish and veggies--so far so good. Since today was Thanksgiving, I gave them each a half teaspoon taste of yams and dressing--it vanished from their bowls instantly!


Are you feeding a calcium supplement? Home cooked is a good alternative to kibble, HOWEVER... it must have a calcium supplement and other vitamins/minerals added to it to help balance it. Cooked meat and veggies is NOT an appropriate diet for a dog unless supplements are added. Just wanted to throw that out there in case you weren't aware of that.

A couple sites on home cooking ....

DogAware.com Articles: Homemade Cooked Diets for Dogs

HomeMade Cooked Recipe(s) for a Fifty Pound Dog « ThePossibleCanine


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## Willowjune (Oct 27, 2011)

To Brody's Mom (haven't mastered the quote thingie) about taking calcium if feeding meat, fish, chicken, and veggies:

Yup, all taken care of:
Natural Seaweed Calcium
New Vet Plus (lots of vitamins and minerals from natural sources like Blue Green Algae)


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## AlabamaChihuahuaGirl (Nov 16, 2011)

Willowjune said:


> How's Minnie Mae doing today? Better, I hope. My dogs haven't had food issues, either the chi's now or others in the past, so I'm not up on what might cause allergies, etc. I'm feeding Chiquita and Vana cooked meat, chicken, or fish and veggies--so far so good. Since today was Thanksgiving, I gave them each a half teaspoon taste of yams and dressing--it vanished from their bowls instantly!


As of yesterday (Thanksgiving) Minnie was doing better! Her poos were normal!!! :cheer: 

What I have done is give her a tablespoon (maybe 1-1/2 tablespoons) of Natural Balance Ultra canned food mixed with a teaspoon of canned pumpkin twice a day. I gave it to her at 6am and 5pm. 

I then measured out 1/8 cup of the Natural Balance Ultra dry food and split into into 3 servings. She gets them at 11am, 3pm and 7pm. 

She seems to be happier. Can she have 2 teaspoons of pumpkin daily or will that hurt her in the long run?


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## Willowjune (Oct 27, 2011)

Let's hear it for normal poos! How great that you found something that works for her!


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## AlabamaChihuahuaGirl (Nov 16, 2011)

Okay, so we are getting the poos under control. Now I am trying to figure out how much she needs. I would like to feed her twice a day...once at 6am and again at 6pm. Is it normal for her to follow me everytime I enter the kitchen and beg for me to feed her? She didn't do that before the vet told me to give her less food so is she not getting enough food now? (He told me to only give her 1/8 cup (approx. 2 TBL) kibble per day and approx. 3 TBL wet food per day).


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## RavenclawPrefect (Oct 19, 2011)

I think it is normal. Both Spacely and Tinsel follow anyone in the kitchen and do their best to convince whoever it is that they have been starved, ignored and neglected as far as food is concerned  

Spacely is fed twice a day, usually 3 oz per meal. Tinsel (43 lbs) is fed once a day. Neither of them are being starved but they will not turn down a tidbit.

I can't help on the amount since I raw feed. How much does she weigh and what are you feeding her? I know I adjust amount of food based on their weight. When they start to look a little chunky, I would cut back. If they lose weight, I give a bit more. Since I am a bad guesser, I weigh their meals.


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## AlabamaChihuahuaGirl (Nov 16, 2011)

She is eating Natural Balance Canned and Natural Balance Ultra Little Bites. She weighs 2lb 10oz as of this morning and she is 6 months old.


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## AlabamaChihuahuaGirl (Nov 16, 2011)

*TOTW is WORKING!!*

Here is an update on Minnie: 

I started feeding her Natural Balance dry kibble (both L.I.D. and the Ultra) and canned food. Her poops started to be more firm though not 100% and there was always a lot (I mean a lot!) of it. As it kept coming the less firm it became. eww! Not only that but she started scratching more and had a musty body odor even after a bath! eww! 

So after much research I opted to go with Taste of the Wild especially after I got the samples. Wow! What a difference a couple days makes!!! After 1 day her poop was so much less and more firm than it had been since 1 week after we got her. Now after 3 days they are 100% normal and less. Her smell is back to normal and she isn't scratching all the time. Her fur is softer and shinier. She seems to have more energy and is just more vibrant all around. Maybe it's all just in my head but I think TOTW has made all the difference in the world! 

So, that being said - THANK YOU for all your help! 

Can I swap the TOTW flavors out regularly (like giving a different flavor each week and rotating that) if she isn't allergic to any of them or would I have to do the transition period before each switch? Could I just mix all the flavors together in one container and feed that?

Woo! Soooo soooo happy! I am pretty positive Miss Minnie Mae is as well.


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## Willowjune (Oct 27, 2011)

Oh, that's good news! Glad to hear it. So the musty smell was actually the food--that's a new one to me. Very interesting. Great that it all worked out


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## RandomMusing (Aug 27, 2011)

AlabamaChihuahuaGirl said:


> Here is an update on Minnie:
> 
> I started feeding her Natural Balance dry kibble (both L.I.D. and the Ultra) and canned food. Her poops started to be more firm though not 100% and there was always a lot (I mean a lot!) of it. As it kept coming the less firm it became. eww! Not only that but she started scratching more and had a musty body odor even after a bath! eww!
> 
> ...


I'm SO glad to hear TOTW is working out for Minnie Mae.

Here's what I did when I got TOTW...
When I received the sample bags I got two bags of each flavor. For the next few days I tried each flavor to see which they liked, they ended up liking them all, so I went out and bought a 5lb bag of the Pacific Stream (10.99 at the local store). I went with the PS first because it is lower in protein and because it has no chicken in it and knowing a lot of dogs seem to have allergies to chicken I thought I'd be safe and start with a single protein food.

They just finished off their Pacific Stream bag and have now started them on the High Prairie. They have been on this one for about a week with no problems adjusting at all. I plan to continually rotate all the flavors after each bag is done, so after this High Prairie is done I'll try the Wetlands or Sierra Mountain formula, this way they'll get variety. Plus I've read it's good to rotate proteins.

As for the remaining sample bags.... When I bought the 5lb bag of the PS I just added the sample bags of PS into it, same with the HP. I've been using them though mostly for training treats. I keep a sample bag in a ziplock and bring it with me if I go out with the girls or work on their training, figuring eating kibble would be better than eating treats.


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## APBTgirl252 (Sep 29, 2011)

AlabamaChihuahuaGirl said:


> Could she be having runny poo again due to me changing her kibble? I didn't do it gradually because she was already fully off the Royal Canin while eating the Rx canned food the vet put her on. So, when I introduced kibble back, I just gave her the new stuff, Natural Balance Ultra. I figured since she was having runny poo due to the R/C anyway it wouldn't matter too much but could that be why it is runny?


She could also be reacting to an ingredient in the food. Depending on if she has allergies or not.

It is good to check a food's rating at a site like Dog Food Reviews | Dog Food Ratings.
Like said above TOTW is a good food.
I've also fed Natural Balance when my Chi had issues with all other foods.

Transition periods are also much needed, otherwise diarrhea can happen.


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## Bianca00 (Nov 20, 2011)

I also rotate proteins with TOTW. I feed a Chihuahua and a Dobe, so a 30lb bag lasts a month. I do transition the new bag over a few days with pumpkin to ease the tummy. Glad things are looking better.


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