Hi

Just wondered if anyone knew if there has been a change to James Wellbeloved Lamb & Veg kibble.

I buy in bulk from viovet and have noticed in my latest sack that the kibble pieces look a bit different - rather than little squares, they are sort of flattened (like someones squished a normal bit of kibble with a fork), they also look and smell a bit different.

I'm pretty concerned because my dog has become very fussy and has turned his nose up at several mealtimes and has also been sick a couple of times (this could be due to drinking pond water etc so not necessarily contributable to the food).

Has anyone noticed anything?

Thanks

I ran out of my normal food and delivery wasn't for a few days so i went jollys got some JWB lamb and veg as i thought it was good food. Well my dog was sick all day, five times, no warning it was instant he was very off colour so much so i nearly went to the vets on a sunday.

Hmm - that sounds really bad.  I've contacted Viovet but not yet had a response.

I wonder if there's a bad batch going around.

Hope your dog is ok now?

Thank you, Yes he was fine the next day, and hasn't eaten that food since and not been ill again

Although I do not feed my dog JW, I used to religiously feed this make to my cat but was recently advised by my pet suppliers that it had changed ownership and that since this some of the ingredients had been changed (for the worse). I was told that despite the price not changing the quality has and have since changed to another premium brand.

Hope that helps :)

Although I do not feed my dog JW, I used to religiously feed this make to my cat but was recently advised by my pet suppliers that it had changed ownership and that since this some of the ingredients had been changed (for the worse). I was told that despite the price not changing the quality has and have since changed to another premium brand.

I bet I could guess which pet suppliers told you that!
I work an independant pet shop and recently have had a spate of customers coming in asking me about JW changing, or being taken over etc because a certain chain of shops have started some sort of vendetta against them!
JW has been owned by Mars for donkey's years, yet according to this chain "they have been recently taken over". Then the staff at the chain's shops go on to tell the customer about a certain other brand of food is much better (it's really not) and fail to point out that it is their own brand that the customer cannot buy anywhere else.
Very annoying because they also did the same thing with Nutro, "oh I wouldn't buy that, it's been taken over and it's not as good anymore. But this brand is so much better..." when Nutro changed one measly thing.

In fairness to them, they didn't.

I did ask them what were the best foods they could recommend, she recommended Nutro and Royal Canin. She did recommend another one which had a very high meat content but that if he didn't like it I could return it and get a full refund. I bought it, he didn't like it and I got a full refund no problem which I was pretty impressed with.

I have been very impressed with the service in this particular store, the knowledge of the staff is fantastic and they are all very passionate about animals, which is really nice.

Some Manufacturers do regularly change ingredients - in particular those which are listed as 'animal derivatives' do so in order to advantage of market trends (i.e. cheapest available produce).  Dog food, any food for that matter, is big business and just like any other business it's aim is to make the biggest possible profit for the smallest possible outlays.

Equally some of the (IMO) better brands maintain the same ingredients but prepare them in a different way from what we've become used to.  For example, a couple of years back Wafcol's Salmon & Potato range was changed in shape, size and basted in the oil rather than baked in it.  One of my dogs which was on it at the time became intolerant of the diet yet Wafcol's nutritionist assured me the ingredients were exactly them same in type, quality and quantity and that the alteration was to make the food more pallitable and also to provide two separate sizes of kibble covering a wider range of breeds.  Certainly a comparison of the previous and new packaging revealed exactly the same details - it just no longer suited my dog but that's not to say it affected many or any other dogs.

Any dried food can also become contaminated by moulds and bacterial spores.  This may well be a cause of problems with some dog foods whether the contamination occurred during manufacturing, transportation or when stored at the pet's home.

In the details you've given clearly there has been some change since the kibble appears visibly different to you and something about it doesn't suit your dog - whether that is a result of ingredient change, recipe order followed or a possible contaminant is anyone's guess but in the world of feeding animals it's very difficult to make assumptions as to cause.

Hopefully whatever the reason, your dog is fully recovered and will improve on a different diet.
regards Teri

Hi Teri.  That is interesting about the Wafcol.  I buy it and use it about 50% and 50% raw.   I got two bags delivered 2 weeks ago the pieces  where bigger, darker and more shiny,  fine but my dogs all turned their noses up at it even covered in sardines.  I phoned Wafcol and they swapped the two bags.  The two new bags are lighter in colour but I'm still not happy as the dogs seemed to not be as fussy and mine are quite good eaters. I fear another phone call.   Thing is I have been so pleased with it.    They also  scrapped their breeder 3 barcode deal this month which was a good deal.   Oh well. Will update on my progress. 

Meant to say I have been using it for about 3 to 4 years now and never yad problems till now.  Ps I have photos of the before and after food side by side if anyone is interested. 

JWB has definately changed I think.  Two of my friends also have noticed it

Hi Pam

it changed its format (if not ingredients) when I had Mayhem on it for a while and she'd been great on it until then, scoffed it a.s.a.p. despite being on a largely raw diet and prone to being picky.  Suddenly it was repackaged into foil bags and two different sizes of kibble which were distinctly different in colour, texture and smell even to my nose and her tummy took a dislike to it.  I think it was probably around 2.5/3yrs ago from memory (pre MadAss certainly LOL)

It's frustrating when we have a food of any type that suddenly starts to adversely affect the dogs - at the moment I'm using Origen as a mixer with raw mince, N/H or Butchers as their evening meal but TBH they're not enamoured with it and I think I may drop kibble again entirely ... they do like us to keep throwing cash around !

You know I just recalculated it I think it is actually about 2.5 years I have been using it not 3.5 years I was trying to work it out based on dog ages :-) BUT I have been so happy with it.  It was an easy food for weaning pups and of course you are always trying to find a good food for the odd puppy buyer as some will just not go down the raw route.

I think I may have to drop the kibble also as I just can't think of an alternative.   I have used the odd bag of Veg and meat with the JWB but just don't rate it at all now.

The bags I got the food almost looked burnt and slightly smelt burnt.  The replacement bags only have 6 months life left on them also which I was suprised at.    gggrrrrr  unhappy camper at the moment.

When you get things you like...

Taking of change.. M&S are also on the naughty step.. ( reminds myself to write them a letter)

They have changed their mint truffle chocolate bar( can't remember it's name exactly but it was so so so so lovely) AND they have stopped their Victory sponge single portion AND their Chicken ,honey mustard pasta pot..   how could they scrap 3 of my favorite things in 2 months !!!!!!!!
(I really must ask my husband if he has written to them to help me on my diet)

Sorry for going well and truely off topic..

YES JWB has changed :-D

I have fed JWB fish and rice for a while and have been really happy with it. As i have said in previous post i have been adding raw mince to it in the evening. All going fine.

I have noticed the kibble size has changed, but it has not affected my dogs in any way. They still inhale it, nice firm poos and minimal flatulance!!

I dont like the price of it or the fact that it is owned by Mars, but its the only food that seems to keep weight on all three of mine so im happy for them to stay on it.

I often try them on other foods but it seems that anything with chicken in makes my springer very windy! So always seem to come back to this. 

Your fave things are very similiar to mine Pam LOL - off to lobby M&S!

I feed my 3 JWB turkey and rice. A little while ago I bought a bag and the kibble was a different shape and size and I wondered why, it didn't occur to  me that they may have changed things. However every bag I have bought since then has been the usual size and shape.
jane

uk pet food will accept your barcodes until end of Feb

hope this helps