American Hairless
Terriers
INFO ON DOG FOODS
Links are in green ... click on them to go to the specified site
[NOTE: We first wrote this page in 2002 but have updated it as we went along...so scroll down to see the newest info. It was last updated 10/9/05]
MOST breeders/pet owners disagree as to the best way to feed their dogs. Everyone is different and has a different philosophy. Some of the breeders BARF (Bones and Raw Food Diet) their dogs, others feed Purina ONE, California Natural, Canidae, Bil-Jac, others combine some dry with some canned and some fresh dairy/meats/veggies ...I am sure the list of types of foods and variation in meal plans goes on and on. There are TONS of dog foods and combinations out there. So how do you determine which one is the best?? Who knows...but hopefully you'll see the process we went through in making this decision...
When we got our first American Hairless Terrier, I thought of feeding Science Diet... b/c all the dogs I grew up with ate it. Not too much of a basis for that choice...but you go with what you know. However, the breeder we were getting the pup from as well as many of the other breeders on the AHT list fed Purina ONE. They described the food, the ingredients, the small stools produced by the dogs, etc. as reasons to use the product. Ryan and I figured that if so many of the AHT breeders fed it then it was probably a good choice..AND we asked our vet about it and he said it was fine...so we went with that.
When our first AHT became ill, we switched foods to some of the natural foods, including California Natural, in an attempt to help her. It certainly made no difference in her health so we returned to Purina ONE. We have used the same food for the last 3 years...and haven't had any problems.
However, after the discussion resurfaced on the AHT list about dog foods (what's bad/good ingredient wise, connection between food and rash/skin problems, allergies, etc.)....we figured it couldn't hurt to look into it ourselves. And determine IF there was a better food out there....especially since one of our main reasons for even considering changing foods was the "by-product" (use of animal parts not fit for human consumption, including those of euthanized animals...think of those toxins!!!) issue which you will read more about in the first link I provided. AND of course, I found "poultry by-products" on the label of Purina ONE Lamb and Rice....so the search began.
I think when you look at the comparisons, Science Diet, IAMS, Eukanuba, Purina ONE, etc. are all about the same and Purina ONE costs less. So now I understand the "why buy the others when Purina ONE is less" theory. However, there are clearly at least 3 "quality levels" of dog foods (I am by no means an expert here). Example of the lower level would be a Kibbles n' Bits. Mid level are those mentioned above. Top level includes the natural foods like California Natural, Solid Gold, Nutro, Canidae, Wellness, Artemis, Red Barn, Chicken Soup for the Dog Lovers Soul, etc. After reading numerous materials and speaking with ppl at a local dog specialty store (not a big chain they just carry dog products including many of the "mid" level and "high" level foods), we believe the "high" level products are better. Of course...this is OUR opinion.
Some of the materials we used to make our decision were based on information found in the links below. The rest of the info can be found in pamphlets available at your local dog store (at least the one we went to had them).
From the Animal Protection Institute:
Suggestions on choosing a dog food
Completed by a veterinarian. Lots of foods are listed. You have to click on the food name to see the rating. This vet used similar suggestions for choosing a dog food as recommended by the Animal Protection Institute. The Purina products only received 1 star (1-4 star rating with 4 being best). The food we finally selected, received 4 stars. There were certainly others on the list with 4 star ratings too!!Top ten dog foods as determined by Whole Dog Journal (WDJ). Our selection made the list.
----------------------
So what did we pick??
The food we finally wound up with is Canidae.
--- For info on the food and to locate a store near you.Why you should feed Canidae and also how to order on-line if you don't have a store near you.
Some of the other foods also looked great BUT Freedom is allergic to tomatoes so we had to select one that did not have tomatoes in it. We purchased a small bag of Canidae yesterday (9-28-02) and started transitioning the dogs over to it.
So far so good! Taylor LOVES it and ate it out of her bowl first (left the Purina ONE). Taylor literally selected only the Canidae...used her nose to dig it out as it was mixed in with the other. She eventually ate everything though. Freedom eats EVERYTHING and anything so she isn't a good judge. She certainly didn't discriminate...gobbled it all down as if she was never going to see food again. Camryn ate the Canidae FIRST...left the carrots and beans and Purina ONE. She later returned to eat the rest of the food. Conyr ate all the dry but left the veggies! She didn't seem to care about the difference in the dry food. No upset tummies or odd bowel movements yet. They have each had 2 meals with the new food mixed in. We'll let you know how it goes.
We are not saying this is the BEST food or the BEST way to feed your dogs. We obviously haven't really even used it yet :) This is just what we found out during our investigation of the issue and what fits into our belief system and our lifestyle. And certainly those of who don't have dogs allergic to tomatoes could certainly look more carefully at those foods...once we saw tomatoes on the ingredients, we put it down and went to the next brand.
Update (11/03)...the dogs simply LOVE their Canidae and really look forward to meal times. I am very pleased with our decision...and the dogs are too! We also add California Natural and Red Barn into the Canidae for a change of pace.
------------
Another update (12/03) ...After more research, we decided that changing the dogs food regularly was in their best interest! In other words, if you stick with one food and only one food for years and years, you increase your dog's risk of developing sensitivities to the ingredients. It is also possible to cause nutritional imbalances (too much of one thing and not enough of another), if you don't vary the food over long periods of time (this means years). So, we have now begun feeding Wellness Super5 Mix Lamb as the primary food and continue to mix in the Canidae. So, why Wellness ?
Wellness was also rated as a WDJ Approved Top Dry Foods 1998-2002. The primary protein source in the Wellness line is human grade hormone-free lamb, deboned chicken, or human grade Atlantic whitefish , depending on the formula. In addition, it contains fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy grains, and vitamins and minerals. The dogs are going CRAZY over it! I know that part of the attraction is its novelty...they often pick out the Wellness to eat it first! One warning though, Wellness smells like fish...so if you HATE the smell of fish, it is likely not a good choice for you!
-------------
Another update 12/04....We are primarily feeding Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul, Artemis, and Red Barn . Why?? Our dogs LOVE all 3 of these foods and they meet all the requirements for Top Foods...Chicken Soup (ingredients) and Artemis are new found favorites as they both have MEATS as the first 4 ingredients! Red Barn's ingredients vary depending on whether you use the beef, chicken, or lamb and rice. We've primarily used the Beef version but will be trying the chicken too!
Chicken Soup Ingredients:
|
Fresh chicken, turkey, salmon, and duck |
Four fresh meats for the ideal blend of amino acids and the best taste that nature can provide. |
|
Chicken meal (all formulas) |
Low ash, high protein ingredient that raises the meat protein component to nearly 80% of the total protein. |
|
Turkey meal (dog formulas)
|
Low ash, high protein meal. |
|
Whole grain brown rice |
Adds fiber, carbohydrates, and vitamin B. |
|
Whole grain white rice
|
Highly digestible carbohydrate source. |
|
Chicken fat |
Naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols (vitamin E). Ideal fat source for pets, greater than 90% digestible. |
|
Oatmeal
|
Slow burning carbohydrate source to help pets feel full and keep blood sugar levels steady. |
|
Potatoes |
Highly digestible carbohydrate source. |
|
Cracked pearled barley
|
Slow burning carbohydrate source, keeps pets full and regulates blood sugar levels. |
|
Millet
|
A protein rich carbohydrate source. Rich in amino acids (lysine, methionine, and threonine). |
|
Egg product
|
Whole eggs without shells. Very digestible protein source. |
|
Flaxseed
|
Plant source of omega-3 fatty acids. |
|
Natural chicken flavor
|
Fresh chicken with natural enzymes added. |
|
Kelp
|
Fiber source, may help reduce stool odor. |
|
Carrots, peas, and apples
|
Natural sources of vitamins, especially B vitamins. |
|
Dried skim milk
|
Dairy source of protein and calcium. |
|
Cranberry powder
|
Natural source of vitamin C and potassium. May help acidify the urine and may prevent bacteria from adhering (sticking) to the bladder wall. |
|
Rosemary extract
|
Natural antioxidant added to help preserve the food. |
|
Parsley flake
|
Natural palatability enhancer. |
|
Chicory root
|
Natural fiber source. Fermentation provides the intestines with short chain fatty acids (SCFA's) that provide energy to the cells of the colon and the "good bacteria" in the intestines. |
|
Glucosamine hydrochloride (Senior Dog Formula)
|
Naturally occurring substance that promotes the health of the joints by providing building blocks for healthy cartilage. |
|
Chondroitin sulfate (Senior Dog Formula) |
Naturally occurring substance that provides building blocks for cartilage and helps destroy enzymes that damage healthy cartilage. |
|
Artemis Ingredients: Chicken, Turkey, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Brown Rice, Pearled Barley, Lamb Meal, Oatmeal, Chicken Fat (preserved with Vitamin E, C and Rosemary Extract), Dried Eggs, Fish Meal, Natural Flavoring, Canola Oil, Flaxseed, Fresh Potatoes, Fresh Carrots, Fresh Peas, Whole Fresh Apples, Cranberries, Dried Chicory Root (Prebiotics), Salt, Potassium Chloride, Lecithin, Garlic, DL-Methionine, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Choline Chloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Biotin, Inositol, Dehydrated Kelp, Chelates of Zinc, Iron, Manganese, Copper and Cobalt, Potassium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Sage Extract, Aspergillus Oryzae Fermantation Soulubles (Digestive Enzyme), Enterococcus Faecium and Lactobacillus Acidophilus(Probiotics). |
||||||||||||||
| Guaranteed Analysis: | ||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Red Barn Ingredients:
REDBARN BEEF
INGREDIENTS:
BEEF, BEEF LUNG, BEEF LIVER, WHEAT FLOUR, EGG PRODUCT, FLAX SEED, SALT,
DICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, CALCIUM CHLORIDE, SUNFLOWER OIL, DEXTROSE, CITRIC ACID,
POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, CHOLINE CHLORIDE, ROSEMARY, CINNAMON, GARLIC, DL-ALPHA
TOCOPHEROL ACETATE (SOURCE OF VITAMIN E), IRON SULFATE, SELENIUM SUPPLEMENT,
ZINC OXIDE, COPPER SULFATE, VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENT, NIACIN, CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE,
MANGANOUS OXIDE, VITAMIN A ACETATE, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT,
D-ACTIVATED ANIMAL STEROL (SOURCE OF VITAMIN D3), ETHYLENE DIAMINE DIHYDRIODIDE
(SOURCE OF IODINE), PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (SOURCE OF VITAMIN B 6) FOLIC ACID
SUPPLEMENT.
REDBARN
CHICKEN INGREDIENTS:
CHICKEN, BEEF LUNG, CHICKEN LIVER, CHICKEN HEART, WHEAT FLOUR, EGG PRODUCT, FLAX
SEED, SALT, DICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, CALCIUM CHLORIDE, SUNFLOWER OIL, DEXTROSE,
CITRIC ACID, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, CHOLINE CHLORIDE, ROSEMARY, CINNAMON, GARLIC,
DL-ALPHA TOCOPHEROL ACETATE (SOURCE OF VITAMIN E), IRON SULFATE, SELENIUM
SUPPLEMENT, ZINC OXIDE, COPPER SULFATE, VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENT, NIACIN, CALCIUM
PANTOTHENATE, MANGANOUS OXIDE, VITAMIN A ACETATE, THIAMINE MONONITRATE,
RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT, D-ACTIVATED ANIMAL STEROL (SOURCE OF VITAMIN D3),
ETHYLENE DIAMINE DIHYDRIODIDE (SOURCE OF IODINE), PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE
(SOURCE OF VITAMIN B6), FOLIC ACID SUPPLEMENT.
REDBARN LAMB
AND RICE INGREDIENTS:
LAMB, LAMB LUNG, BROWN RICE, RICE FLOUR, LAMB LIVER, LAMB MEAL, FLAX SEED, PEAS,
CARROTS, SALT, DICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, CALCIUM CHLORIDE, DEXTROSE, CITRIC ACID,
POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, CHOLINE CHLORIDE, ROSEMARY, CINNAMON, GARLIC, DL-ALPHA
TOCOPHEROL ACETATE (SOURCE OF VITAMIN E), IRON SULFATE, SELENIUM SUPPLEMENT,
ZINC OXIDE, VITAMIN A ACETATE, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT,
D-ACTIVATED ANIMAL STEROL (SOURCE OF VITAMIN D3), ETHYLENE DIAMINE DIHYDRIODIDE
(SOURCE OF IODINE), PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (SOURCE OF VITAMIN B6), FOLIC ACID
SUPPLEMENT.
UPDATE (10/9/05): The dogs are still primarily fed Chicken Soup, Red Barn and Artemis....we have been VERY happy with the results!! No plans to change foods at this point. Pups raised with us are started on Chicken Soup.
Anyway happy reading. Hope it was helpful!
