I am hoping to get some advice on what people would recommend best food to feed Westies.
I have a 14month old bitch who is presently being fed pedigree complete mixed with pedigree tins although i am not convinced this is best. My other is a 9wk old dog who is on the same but puppy kind. The pup is a very good eater i have only had him a week & he was fed pedigree puppy tinned by breeder. I have introduced complete food with tins & he actually seems to like the complete best as if he leaves any its usaully bits of tinned. I think the pup would eat whatever was given to him but the 14month old is a bit more fussy. From the day i got her she wasn't to interested in food & still is not really that interested she always leaves food & has to be encouraged to eat her 2 meals a day. she is of a healthy weight though. I know that you aren't supposed to offer other food if not eating one kind and have been advised by vet previously that if she's hungry she'll eat what she's given, but i do feel really awful sometimes when she doesn't eat food & wish i could give her something really tasty. She only time she ate every bit of her food was after being ill & was told by vet to feed chicken & rice for 5 days. The breeder i got her from had her on pedigree puppy tins & i carried this on then eventually changed to james wellbeloved due to problems with her skin she had up untill she was 6 months when she stopped having problems & has had none with skin since.
I know i probably did wrong thing but she stopped eating the dry complete food altogether & after a while i worried sbout her & weened her back on to pedigree tinned & complete which she seems to eat better.
I just am not sure that the pedigree is the best choice & would like to give them the healthiest option but want them to enjoy it. Do you have any suggestions? i realise that one needs puppy & one adult but would like to keep them on same brand so they eventually be eating same.

To be honest, I wouldn't worry. You've said that she's the right weight so you're probably just expecting her to eat more than she really needs. Feed her twice a day. Put her food down and leave it down for 5 minutes. If she hasn't touched it or there's any left, lift it up and don't give her anything till her next scheduled feed time. Don't offer her anything else and most of all don't feel guilty about it!

I'm sure lots of people on here will give you advice on what or what not to feed her. James Wellbeloved and Naturediet is a popular combination as a 'healthy optioin', but not all odgs suit the same food.

If have to feed tinned etc feed something with less additives Prizechoice foods, nature diet, even Butchers tripe would I think be better.

Hi - If you want to feed something which is both incredibly healthy and incredibly tasty, I can't do better than to recommend Nature Diet to you.

www.naturediet.net

This has no additives, no indigestible grains, human grade meat and most dogs love it.  In my opinion it is much tastier and healthier than Pedigree.

If you want to put both dogs on it, the 9 wk old should go on Nature Diet Puppy until he is 6 months. 

You can buy Nature Diet in most pet shops but it is cheaper to order it direct from them by phone.  If you order 4 boxes at a time from them, you will get it for 50p per pack and free delivery.  You can also mix the flavours you order (so you can get 2 boxes of Puppy, a 3rd of Chicken and a 4th of Fish, for eg).

I'd advise trying a couple of trays of naturediet before committing to ordering a lot - Pets At Home have it. It's really great food but I know a couple of dogs who won't touch it.

You recommend Nature Diet very often and this time I had a look at their 'Fact' Sheets.

Am I alone in being disturbed by statements like:

"Veterinary Surgeons and those involved in statistics on pathology now realise that most of the new and prevalent diseases of today's pets have only one cause - poor quality/unnatural diet. The rapid decline in pet health can be directly correlated with the advent of highly processed pet foods and chemical additives some 40 years ago."

I was going to add more but I came across so many distortions, half truths and statements of wholly unproven theories presented as if they are fact that I gave up.

>Rapid decline

.........over 40 years that wouldn't make any sense even if there had been any.
Think it's a shame, it's probably a perfectly decent food so why should they stoop to this all too common thing of having to justify what they are offering by rubbishing others.

Jas,

The only "fact" I care about with respect to Naturediet is what's in the food.  In my opinion, it's one of the best prepared complete foods in the market.

Some of the "new" diseases are the increasing numbers of dogs who have allergy problems.   That is new - same for people as well, btw.  Food related allergies are very common, not so in the past. 

Stacey

But as Naturediet people say these diets have been around for 40 years so any new conditions could hardly be attributed to them.  It's perhaps more likely down to the much more recent increase in the chemicals used in the home, for cleaning and fire proofed furnishings etc.
I'm not sure that food related allergies have increased though, I remember our Grandparents generation often saying I can't eat this that or the rest 'cos it doesn't agree with me often with toecurling details of in what way :)  The didn't use the word allergy but then a lot of the people who do now really mean an intollerance hardly leading to anaphalactic shock.
I'm not knocking the food I am sure it is very good I just don't see the need to market it in this way.

Naturediets statement is what i've thought all along.I 100% agree with what they are saying :)

thanks.
I am going to get a couple of trays of nature diet to try. I have noticed it in local pet shop so buy a few to try out.
Do most people feed on its own or with a dry food? I have seen on other threads that burns dry food seems to be well recommended or JWB which i have given to oldest before.

I think that people tend to mix it when they have bigger dogs as it would cost a fortune to solely feed Naturediet. But for 2 westies, I would assume they don't have huge appetites so wouldn't be so costly! It is a complete food, but the choice is of course up to you if you do mix it!
Em

I agree with Em - it's fine to feed on its own if you don't find that too expensive, but if you want to help the cost a bit, you can add some Burns or James Wellbeloved to it.