hi ppl, new to this site, i own a year old akita, shes 22inches at the wither and weighs roughly 75lbs. i used to feed arden grange but switched because i found a place in the uk that shipped taste of the wild dog food, however since changing my dog has began chewing her pads alot so im considering switching back to arden grange or else onto orijen. also she always needs fish or chicken or something added to her dry food before she eats it, shes very fussy lol any tips, hints or info would be greatly appreciated. lately ive seen a product called natures menu, what do you think of this food?

You don't say how long ago you changed food, dogs can 'detoxify' if changing from a complete to a raw based diet (unsure what the one you have moved to is) which can included feet nibbling, however there are also lots of other possible causes including cehemical reaction to disinfectant etc

I have two poodles one of whom is very fussy and having tried various wet foods, I bought natures menu but the tinned one not the pouches and find that this is the food that he will eat far better than any other. About 2 weeks ago I bought 3 tins of arden grange wet food one of each flavour but Rusty the fussy dog was not keen and had to be enticed to eat it so I have gone back to the natures menu. I am sure it is partly due to the consistency of the food the arden grange tins and the natures menu pouches are more sloppy whereas the tins of natures menu are more solid and you can actually see peas and carrots in it. I buy 3 of the flavours (not the salmon one as Rusty doesn't seem to like that as much) I think he likes the beef and chicken one the best. In my opinion it is a good quality food but is quite expensive at about £1.20 a tin. I also give them Arden grange mini lamb and rice (new variety just launched) which I put inside kongs for them after they have eaten the wet food.

hi sarah, taste of the wild is a complete dry food, i switched over a month ago but the chewing has only started although over the last few days it has stopped. i just want whats best for her, im constantly researching feeding. i like the look of orijen but some top breeders have told me akitas dont do well on a diet with high protein, there coats seem to suffer. i think she would enjoy the pouches of natures menu. i buy my dog food online and netpetshop sell nature diet, i was considering maybe mixing their pouches in with some dry. whats the difference between natures menu and nature diet?

Nature Diet comes in trays and is quite a lot cheaper than Natures menu although thats not to say it is not as good but I have bought Nature Diet in the past and my 2 don't like it so thats why I stick with the tins of natures menu, which is unfortunately not as easy to get as the pouches so I bulk buy it from Berriewoods.

i would love to feed a raw diet but would be completely lost as to how much to give. i hate when i put down the dry food she takes 1 sniff then walks away lol theres so much food out there nowadays and it would be very easy to buy the wrong thing

If Arden Grange suited her then it might be sensible to switch back to see if the itching stops.  It's a good food too.

This is the season when allergies can start so it's worth keeping an eye on her, after switching the food back, to see if it might be that.

Raw is a good option - mine love it - but it doesn't suit everyone, or every dog.  There's lots of advice available though should you need it and it's much easier than you'd think.

Food is one of the biggest topics on here, and other forums too I'd imagine.  It's so easy to worry about what you are feeding and be tempted to change.  Don't worry too much about adding things to kibble - some will say you should never do it but, I think it's important to do what feels right for you and suits your dog.  One word of caution though, do try not to keep changing foods.  It can be weeks before you see any differences and you do run the risk of encouraging fussy eating.  Whatever you feed - pick it up after 10 or 15 minutes and wait until the next meal before offering more food.  At one year old your girl may be needing to adjust her portion sizes or frequency of meal times

Hope this helps :)

If you want any help with raw feeding then please pm me.  My Akita used to turn her nose up at all dried food then a couple years ago i switched all my dogs over to raw.  I've never seen her so happy enjoying her food, she looks great on it aswell.  My Akita is a fairly big girl at 26 inches to the shoulder and 40kgs but she doesn't eat a huge amount.

i seen a website that sells raw berriewoods and delivers to ireland, how many meals does  dog get when on raw because i know with akitas is sensible to feed a couple of smaller meals rather than large to avoid bloat. i heard the reason that akitas have sensitive stomachs is because in japan they woulve eaten raw fish, rice, vegtables and now there digestive systems arent set up to deal with all the crap thats floating about these days

has anyone ever fed barking heads or a food called symply?

>how many meals does  dog get when on raw

As many or as few as you like, it's the daily amount that counts.  I feed two meals per day for my adult dogs. 

I too feed two meals a day. If feeding bones I tend to give these for the evening meal as they can then be digested over night.

I have fed Barking Heads, and it went down well with my lot, even the fussiest. It has a good amount of meat in it, which is positive. Any complete kibble I feed is as a topper to raw meats.

i would like to keep her on some sort of dry food as a main meal, maybe topped up with some pouches of natures menu and fresh fish. she has stopped biting her pads so im asuming it was nothing to do with taste of the wild food that caused this. so the brands of food im torn between are barking heads, arden grange, orijen or keep her on taste of the wild. i ssuppose adding the wet pouches would keep it interesting.Ingredients: BARKING HEADS

Fresh British Chicken (min 22%), Dried Chicken (min 21%), Brown Rice (min 21%), Ground Oats, Dried Salmon (min 10%), Potato, Chicken Fat, Sunflower Oil, Dried Egg, Salmon Oil, Minerals, Dried Tomato, Dried Carrot, Natural Seaweed, Vitamins, Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM

 

Typical Analysis:

Protein 28%, Fat 18%, Fibre 2.5%, Ash 8%, Moisture 8%, Vitamin A 20000 iu/kg, Vit D3 1800 iu/kg, Vit E (Tocopherols) 690 iu/kg, Copper 11 mg/kg, Omega 6 (linoleic acid) 4.4%, Omega 3 (linolenic acid) 1%

TASTE OF THE WILD DRY
A grain free formula for all life stages with sweet potatoes and peas provides highly digestable energy for your active dog. Made with real roasted and smoked fowl, this formula offers a taste sensation like no other. Supplimented with fruits and vegetables, this hearty formula delivers natural antioxidents to protect your friends body from the damage of everyday living, supporting a healthy immune system and overall good health. Your dog craves a taste of the wild. Go ahead and give him one.

Ingredients

Duck, duck meal, chicken meal, egg product, sweet potatoes, peas, chicken fat ( preserved with mixed tocopherols), potatoes, roasted quail, roasted duck, smoked turkey, natural flavour, tomato pomace, ocean fish meal, chlorine chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Saccharomyces cerevesiae fermentation solubles, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

Guaranteed Analysis

Protein 32.0% min

Fat 18.0% min

Fibre 4.0 % max

Moisture 10.0% max

Ash 9.5% max

Sodium 0.3% max

Zinc 150mg/kg min

Selenium 0.4mg/kg min

Vitamin E 150 IU/kg min

Omega-6 Fatty Acids 2.4% min

Omega-3 Fatty Acids 0.4% min

Ingredients ARDEN GRANGE LAMB

Lamb Meal* (min 30%), Whole Grain Rice (min 26%), Whole Grain Maize, Chicken Fat*, Beet Pulp, Dried Brewers Yeast, Egg Powder, Fish Meal*, Linseed, Fish Oil*, Minerals, Vitamins, Nucleotides, Prebiotic FOS, Prebiotic MOS, Cranberry Extract, Chondroitin Sulphate, Glucosamine Sulphate, MSM, Yucca Extract. * Preserved with mixed tocopherols and rosemary extract.

Typical Analysis

Protein 25%, Oil 16%, Fibre 2%, Ash 8.5%, Moisture 8%, Omega6 3.5%, Omega3 0.4%, Vitamin A 15000 IU/kg, Vitamin D3 1500 IU/kg, Vitamin E 80 IU/kg, Calcium 1.53%, Phosphorous P 1.1%, Copper 20 mg/kg (as Cupric Sulphate).


INGREDIENTS ORIJEN LARGE BREED PUPPY
Fresh deboned chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, russet potato, fresh deboned salmon (a natural source of DHA and EPA), herring meal, sweet potato, peas, fresh deboned lake whitefish, fresh deboned walleye, chicken fat (naturally preserved with vitamin E and citric acid), chicken liver, salmon meal, fresh deboned turkey, fresh whole eggs, fresh deboned herring, sun-cured alfalfa, salmon oil, chicory root, dehydrated organic kelp, pumpkin, carrots, spinach, turnip greens, apples, cranberries, saskatoon berries, black currants, choline chloride, psyllium, licorice root, angelica root, fenugreek, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, chamomile flowers, dandelion, summer savory, rosemary, sea salt, vitamin supplements (vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin E, niacin, vitamin C, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12), mineral supplements (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, selenium), dried Lactobacillus acidophilus product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product.

Analysis
High in protein & low in carbohydrates, ORIJEN replicates the diet your puppy would encounter in his natural environment.

Calcium and phosphorus levels are moderate, perfectly balanced, and of natural source.

Protein from animal ingredients passed 'fit for human consumption', NOT plant proteins like potato or pea isolates, soy or glutens.

Long chain omega-3 (DHA, EPA) from fresh fish, NOT sunflower, flax or canola (ALA omega-3) which is not useable by dogs and cats.

Fresh chicken cartilage provides a natural, high source of glucosamine and chondroitin.

Veterinary selected botanicals soothe, nourish and tone the digestive tract while strengthening the liver.

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
Crude Protein (min.) 40.0%
Crude Fat (min.) 16.0%
Crude Fiber (max.) 3.0%
Moisture (max.) 10.0%
Calcium (min.) 1.5%
Calcium (max.) 1.7%
Phosphorus (min.) 1.1%
Phosphorus (max.) 1.3%
Omega-6 (min.) 2.6%
Omega-3 (min.) 1.0%
DHA 0.6%
EPA 0.3%
Carbohydrate (max.) 20.0%
Glucosamine (min.) 1400 mg/kg
Chondroitin (min.) 1200 mg/kg
Microorganisms (min.) 120M cfu/kg

BOTANICAL INCLUSIONS
Chicory root 700 mg/kg
Licorice root 500 mg/kg
Angelica root 350 mg/kg
Fenugreek 350 mg/kg
Marigold flowers 350 mg/kg
Sweet Fennel 350 mg/kg
Peppermint leaf 300 mg/kg
Chamomile flowers 300 mg/kg
Dandelion root 150 mg/kg
Summer savory 150 mg/kg

VITAMINS
Vitamin A 15 kIU/kg
Vitamin D3 2000 kIU/kg
Vitamin E 200 IU/kg
Vitamin B12 0.22 mg/kg
Thiamine 50 mg/kg
Riboflavin 40 mg/kg
Niacin 200 mg/kg
Pan. Acid 32 mg/kg
Pyridoxine 26 mg/kg
Biotin 0.83 mg/kg
Folic Acid 3 mg/kg
Choline 2700 mg/kg
Ascorbic Acid 55 mg/kg
Beta carotene 0.40 mg/kg

AMINO ACIDS
Taurine 0.3 mg/kg
T. Lysine 2.7%
T. Threonine 1.65%
T. Methionine 0.87%
T. Isoleucine 1.60%
T. Leucine 2.9%
T. Valine 1.9%
T. Arginine 2.9%
T. Phen. 1.6%
T. Histidine 0.85%
T. Cystine 0.5%

MINERALS
Sodium 0.4%
Chloride 0.6%
Potassium 0.65%
Magnesium 0.10%
Sulphur 0.4%
Manganese 27 mg/kg
Cobalt 0.47 mg/kg
Iodine 3.5 mg/kg
Selenium 0.35 mg/kg
Iron 300 mg/kg
Zinc 204 mg/kg
Copper 21 mg/kg

Calories
A BIOLOGICALLY APPROPRIATE CALORIE DISTRIBUTION

There are 3 sources of calories (energy) in all dog foods - protein, fat & carbohydrates.

Protein and fat are essential, carbohydrates are not. While dogs thrive on proteins and fats, they require absolutely no carbohydrate in their diet.

Simple carbohydrates cause blood sugar levels to elevate and fluctuate.

When not used for energy, carbohydrates are stored in the body as fat.

Carbohydrates are the leading dietary cause of overweight conditions in dogs.

By providing more calories from protein and fewer calories from carbohydrate, ORIJEN reduces the risk of obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes.

CALORIE CONTENT & DISTRIBUTION
ORIJEN PUPPY LARGE BREED has a Metabolizable Energy (ME) 3900 kcal/kg or 450 kcal per 250ml cup (115g). Calories are distributed for peak physical conditioning with 50% of calories from protein, 25% from fruit & vegetables and 25% from fat.

NUTRITIONAL GUARANTEE
ORIJEN PUPPY LARGE BREED is formulated to meet nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for ALL LIFE STAGES.

Feeding
High protein, low carbohydrate and moderate in calcium and phosphorus, ORIJEN PUPPY LARGE BREED mirrors the foods Mother Nature intended all puppies to eat, and naturally benefits all large breed puppies.

ORIJEN PUPPY LARGE BREED benefits puppies of all large breeds. As each puppy is different feeding amounts will vary. Use this chart as a guide and adjust feeding amounts accordingly. Feed twice daily and provide fresh clean water at all times.

Maintaining proper body weight contributes to longevity. Remember, a healthy puppy is lean and athletic.

so which of thes food do you think would be best? im also going to buy some natures menu pouches to mix with her 2 dry meals a day and also feed some fresh fish once a week

If she was fine on the Arden Grange before and looked well on it I would be inclined to feed that again. Every dog does well on different feeds but I am a big believer that if it isn't broken don't try to fix it and if they are doing well on one type of food it obviously agrees with her.

>she has stopped biting her pads so im asuming it was nothing to do with taste of the wild food that caused this.

It won't be the taste she had a problem with but the ingredients.  Food allergies can show up immediately but often take a while to stop.  If her chewing has stopped in 2 days I suspect it might have been a different cause.

If she were mine I'd go back to Arden Grange and keep an eye on the chewing - just in case.

Keep your food simple for a while and wait at least 6 weeks before changing anything (including your added extras).  The less variation she has the easier it is to pin point problems

>> she has stopped biting her pads so im asuming it was nothing to do with taste of the wild food that caused this.
> It won't be the taste she had a problem with but the ingredients.

I think the OP meant 'Taste Of The Wild' food. :)

yea lol i meant taste of the wild dry food, it scored 6 stars on dog food analysis

>I think the OP meant 'Taste Of The Wild' food.

Ah!  Capital letters make it much easier to understand although I should have read it more carefully - oops!

> I should have read it more carefully - oops!

LOL, I only spotted it as I had just skimmed through the entire post, so it was fesh in my head the OP had switched to a food named Taste Of ... :) If I hadn't just read the whole thread I would have wondered why the taste of a food would cause itching too :)