[ACampbell]

Well it looks like Lily might be a food allergy pup! Her breeder was feeding Pedigree, I switched her to PurinaOne puppy...had some initial upset but things have been fine after the first 3 days or so.
Recently (like last 2 days) she's started being very itchy acting...and has dandruff (not hard to see on a dog with such little fur) so I gave her a bath with some hypoallergenic soap (very mild stuff for young puppies) to see if it helps...if that's not the case I'm thinking it might be the food.
I don't have a huge budget to work on, $30+ on a #40 bag of dog food is not going to work (and we don't have Costco close to me, closest one is in Canada and I can't go there - long story but military forbids it, etc) so what are some decent alternatives? I did not have a good reaction with Smokey on Canidae before, and I'm trying to find something they can BOTH eat eventually that is reasonably priced.
Some things to keep into consideration is that I don't have a lot in my area, most good foods etc are 30+ miles away, so I need to be able to buy a large bag to save on the fuel as I don't drive up there more than once or twice a month.

What should I do with the left-over puppy food that I have once we initiate the switch? Will shelters etc take open bags?

[Patt]

I guess you gave up on feeding C/D.

A few other dog foods that are good for dogs with food allergies.

Wellness Simple Solutions Duck or Venison, they also have a sweet potato version which is very good.

Eukanuba Fish & Potato is another good one recommended for allergies.

www.dogaware.com

[ACampbell]

If I had had better results with Canidae I'd have stayed with it...Smokeys stomach is odd, cheap dog food stays down...the expensive stuff comes out like jet propelled liquid on both ends...and he's just now gained enough weight where he doesn't look bad so I don't want to screw that up.
I'd really like to go on a raw diet, however, with the amount I feed it's not very affordable from what I've seen on meat prices in my area vs. amount they'd need to sustain weight.
I'll take a look at Wellness..hopefully it's within an affordable price range for me. Until we get moved I have to be more frugal. We should be moving a lot closer soon (I hope) so that will open up a lot more in the way of funds (I'm guessing we spend around $15 a day for my hubby to drive to work just in fuel) so once we move 2 days of not having to drive that distance will make up for a more expensive kibble.
Or that's my theory anyway!

According to the Wellness website, the closest place I can purchase it is in Canada (again with the problem of not being able to go there)

[Patt]

OMGoodness I would have thought there would be a distributor in NY. Not having a map I guess you must be close to the Canadian Border.

Have you tried Nature's Variety? That's a raw diet that's already prepared and you just feed the pattys.

I would call the shelters and ask if they take opened bags. If not you can feed it to the outside birds.

[ChrissyBz]

A, have you checked out Chicken Soup? Maybe that is more affordable in your area?

[ACampbell]

I'm maybe 30 minutes from the Canada border into Ontario and about an hour and a half from Quebec...just barely in the US (and to think I was right on the AZ/Mexico border before we moved)
Most the "close" places are in Kingston, ON. which wouldn't be bad, however, the military has restricted driving over the border for military personnel and family due to terrorist something or another...or so I was told - my vehicle is also Dept of Defense marked with the window decals etc (mandatory ones) and that gives you some grief going into Canada also. I find it odd because we were never restricted crossing the border into Mexico...I really wish we could because I'd be going to Costco instead of Sam's Club.
Canidae is easily accessible around here...so I'm sure there's others that can be as well, there is a Petco here in NY about 30 miles from me and multiple groomers etc.

I looked at Natures Variety...the amount I would have to feed Smokey (110 lbs) doesn't make it very affordable...here's their "feeding guide" off their website

The following shows the different daily feeding options for comparison. Change the "Type of food" option to enter a percent of each type of diet for a variety.
SMOKEY
Dry
3-3/4 cups

Raw
18.5 oz.
1 patty = 8 oz.
1 medallion = 1 oz.
1 chub = 32 oz.

Canned
36.3 oz.
2-3/4 13.2 oz. cans

Freeze Dried
18 medallions

LILY

The following shows the different daily feeding options for comparison. Change the "Type of food" option to enter a percent of each type of diet for a variety.

Dry
3-1/2 cups

Raw
17.4 oz.
1 patty = 8 oz.
1 medallion = 1 oz.
1 chub = 32 oz.

Canned
34.1 oz.
2-5/8 13.2 oz. cans

Freeze Dried
17 medallions


-----

That seems to be an awful lot of food (looking at each one seperately) and using their locator, closest store is in NY, but over 100 miles away...lol I can't win. I can order it online, but a 25# bag is $50...ouch! That's without shipping, and I'm scared to add shipping into it, hehe.

I guess this will teach me to move into the "boonies"!

I *might* give Canidae another try, I used the All Life Stages previously (that gave the massive gastric disturbances that my carpet never fully recovered from) maybe the Lamb or another version might work better?

Originally Posted by ChrissyBz

A, have you checked out Chicken Soup? Maybe that is more affordable in your area?

No, I think they sell that at Petco though...might be an option!
Nope on the Petco...

However, Petco has Nutro...whats the general consensus on that? It seems to be pretty affordable!

[Patt]

My goodness from one border to the other and you're moving again?

I think at this point you're going to have to go with what you can afford and what your dogs can tolerate. So buy a small bag of Nutro and see how the dogs do on it, hopefully they will be able to digest it okay with no problems. Good Luck!

[ChrissyBz]

A, try www.petfooddirect.com

[Criosphynx]

Originally Posted by ChrissyBz

A, try www.petfooddirect.com

that website was awesome..... till i added shipping

[Motebi]

Check this one out: http://www.dog.com/dog-food/

Anyways: Stay away from foods that contain corn and/or grains as first ingredients.

[ACampbell]

I know what the typical acceptable dog foods are for allergies...
Getting them where I"m at is a different story, however. Thank the military for saying NO to going to Canada...or I could get whatever...not as such is this case with being stuck in a locality of like 700 people...I don't mind driving but 100 miles for a bag of dog food is, excessive at best.
That's why I asked about Nutro, I've heard a bit about it, but when looking at the ingredients it shows corn gluten meal...how is it any better than any other cheapo dog food with fillers? There also were a lot more fillers included...thats why I asked?

[sheltiemom]

Purina One and Pro Plan both have a sensitive skin and stomach formula that is salmon and rice. I'd actually be surprised if it was a food allergy, especially a grain allergy, if she did ok on Pedigree...there's even more grains in that than Purina. What "flavor" food are you using? If you are using the beef it could be that...

[digits mama]

I find Chicken soup in just about every local mom and pop feed store down here. It is the only brand that seems to be prevalent here with good ingredients.....Is there any feed stores around you?

Good Luck A

[Darkmoon]

I know the petco around here doesn't sell Chicken soup, but does sell Natural Balance and Solid Gold. My boy is on Solid gold. $44 for a 44lb bag...

Nutro is Ok, its better then most supermarket brands. I had Carter on it and it stopped the itching but still had some major dandruff. I would rather see a dog on Nutro then a lot of other foods.

[ACampbell]

Originally Posted by digits mama

I find Chicken soup in just about every local mom and pop feed store down here. It is the only brand that seems to be prevalent here with good ingredients.....Is there any feed stores around you?

Good Luck A

Local feedstores sell Nutrena (garbage from the label) - so I'm not impressed. The chicken soup website showed the only places being in Canada that were close... Our zipcode is 13601 - pop that in and all it came up with was Kingston, Ontario...
Most the actual feedstores don't thrive on pet food sales, it's mostly large animal (for the dairies) and for the Amish (I see them in there frequently).

I should have been more explicit, I don't think she did well on Pedigree...she's missing hair under her armpits and chin and had dandruff like no tomorrow. It's getting better and the hair is growing back, but she still acts itchy...
The bath seemed to help, she isn't racing around the house and scratching like a puppy covered with fleas anymore, so that's a good thing. (She didn't have fleas to start with but thats what it reminded me of)

[borzoimom]

Originally Posted by ACampbell

Well it looks like Lily might be a food allergy pup! Her breeder was feeding Pedigree, I switched her to PurinaOne puppy...had some initial upset but things have been fine after the first 3 days or so.
Recently (like last 2 days) she's started being very itchy acting...and has dandruff (not hard to see on a dog with such little fur) so I gave her a bath with some hypoallergenic soap (very mild stuff for young puppies) to see if it helps...if that's not the case I'm thinking it might be the food.
I don't have a huge budget to work on, $30+ on a #40 bag of dog food is not going to work (and we don't have Costco close to me, closest one is in Canada and I can't go there - long story but military forbids it, etc) so what are some decent alternatives? I did not have a good reaction with Smokey on Canidae before, and I'm trying to find something they can BOTH eat eventually that is reasonably priced.
Some things to keep into consideration is that I don't have a lot in my area, most good foods etc are 30+ miles away, so I need to be able to buy a large bag to save on the fuel as I don't drive up there more than once or twice a month.

What should I do with the left-over puppy food that I have once we initiate the switch? Will shelters etc take open bags?

shelters will take whatever you give them. As far as the food for you, I would bet is more of colorings in that food. Switch to like solid gold etc- but get off the colorings and retained minerials in the food you are feeding now. Try chicken soup- thats cheap and good quality. Need the website?

[ACampbell]

I looked it up, the price isn't bad but I'd have to have it shipped (it's not something I can buy in my area - they have it in Canada but I'm not allowed to go there)
Once the shipping costs are involved I think it will be expensive...I might have to look at a discount shipper.

EDIT - I looked again, there's a place within 15 miles of here that sells it...maybe I was thinking of something else...
I'll go pick up a bag and give it a shot Thx!

http://www.chickensoupforthepetlover...ealer_locator/

[BullieCrazy]

Just a warning about the Nutro, I read on one of the threads here and have conversed with eight of my online friends on another forum about several types of Nutro that was making their dogs very sick and this was just a few weeks ago, don't know what the problem was. Don't know if it was a batch problem, but lots of dogs became pretty sick and most store shelves are on the bare side where the nutro is supposed to be stocked, they are not filling the feedstore orders and some people have returned their bags to the stores.

You might just try the canidae Lamb/rice or Chicken/rice get the sample bags or 5 pound bags to see how the dogs do on it. They are also ALS like the original but have less sources/variety of meat/protien content. My dogs like the food, seem satisfied, have much healthier coats and the yard cleanups are smaller. Natural balance, chicken soup......look great also. goodluck with whatever you are able to find.