New food not good...

Halfpass

Halfpass

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Have just changed my labs food from nature diet (which he loved and looked great on) to JWB as the nature diet is just sooooo expensive.
He has been on it just over 2 weeks now and is beginning to look really poor. He has lost weight and all the natural shine in his coat is dull. Need to buy some more food for him today so do I go back to nature diet or stick with JWB and give it a couple more weeks for him to get used to it?
 
Eva tried Science Plan......my mam feed hers on it and they thrive......she gets large breed puppy for all the big breed pups and adult for the rest, and some senior for the pensioners
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....It is about 20 odd quid a sack.........but would last one dog a while.
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I think ANN-JEN uses it too......her dogs also looks very healthy/shiny.
 
Science plan is a lot more expensive that either of the two I have tried. If I do decide to change will porbably go back to nature diet as I know it works, just not sure if I should give JWB a bit more time!!
 
Yes I feed both of mine on Science Plan and they both always look fit and well on it with shiny coats.
Here they are:-
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James Wellbeloved is usually a good choice mind. Off the supermarket shelf I would tend to go for Chappie if looking for something cheaper. You could also try adding a capsule of Evening Primrose Oil into his diet and that would help to put a bloom back on his coat.
Edited to say, if he's losing weight and not looking his best it might be worth taking him to the vets for a check over too.
 
Mine are on JWB and tinned Butchers Tripe Mix or Chappie and all have super shiny soft coats and are really healthy. Fans of JWB use it mostly because it has no additives and is kind to tums but most complete dry food in the middle/top end of the price range should be pretty good so maybe there's another reason the dog has lost weight and condition? Has the change of diet upset his tummy? Did you introduce the new food slowly? Perhaps you could mix the Nature Diet with the JWB for a while? I'd keep a close eye and take him to the vet if he goes downhill any more.
 
Knowing someone that used to work for JWB, well I won't say anything more than it would be the last thing they ever gave any dog of theirs although I know it suits a lot of dogs.

Our rabble get fed all different brands, probably not what you wanted to hear! At the moment, they are on Wagg, a complete biscuit which is ad lib which they pick at during the day when they feel like it. I laughed when our vet suggested it for our lot (Bassetts, lurchers and Terriers!) but after getting through a whole bag in two days, the dogs were fed up (literally!) with the sight of the food and from then on have regulated themselves, no gorging, and they look fab. They also have a bucket of Vitalin soaked with either warm water of gravy which they adore and they have that in the morning too. Perhaps ours have cast iron stomachs, I don't know, but they seem to be happy with their random selection and all look very well, not fat, eyes, skin and noses gleaming and always bouncing wanting to go for adventures. They all get fed together, which could possibly be something to do with it, your chap doesn't have the competition. As well as two large sacks of feed a week, they also have a Bonio each to go to bed with and if they have to go in during the day for any reason, they'll get Shapes then too, so I don't think they're too hard done by in the treats department.
One trick we learnt when having pups was to give them 20 minutes to eat a meal and after that to remove the bowl and they wouldn't be offered anything else until the next mealtime; they very soon catch on; perhaps you could try that and not be tempted (if you do) to give snacks between so he gets used to a routine. If I have to use tinned for any reason (or they have it added as a treat) then they all go mad for Butchers which is meant to be completely natural, along with a mixer of biscuit. Don't know if any of that helps you but it does tell you that dogs don't particularly mind what brand of food they get, so don't be too worried on that score, after all, originally they were scavengers!
 
I would go back to nature diet, and see how he does. If he improves then you'll know it's the food.

I started my pup on science plan - orders of my sister who is a vet nurse! He thrived on that, but we moved him onto pro-plan and he loves that too. In the day he has a kong filled with butchers tripe mix.
 
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Knowing someone that used to work for JWB, well I won't say anything more than it would be the last thing they ever gave any dog of theirs although I know it suits a lot of dogs.

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Agreed. What about Barf? Thats got to be cheaper than JWB or Royal Canin, my pups started on that.
 
Thanks for all the advice.
When I got Benji he wasn't keen on any dried food hence giving him nature diet and this is what we stayed on.
To say he didn't like the JWB would be lying but he definatly didn't eat it as quick as the nature diet and I made sure I introduced it nice and slowly mixing the two together for a good week or so.
He had been on the JWB alone for 2 weeks today and just didn't seem his normal full of energy self and as said previously had lost a bit of condition. I was giving him more than the recommended amount for a dog of his size so i'm sure this wasn't the reason. Have changed him back to nature diet so will keep you updated.
I'm sure though not all dog food is suited to all dogs so prehaps that just the way it is!
 
JWB made my Lab really itchy - I changed her to SImple Systems 'Dogs Dinner' (£14 a sack + delivery) and she's stopped itching. My whippet has put on weight (she's a real skinny) and looks great too!
 
My lab puppy stopped eating jwb which is what he came to us on (from the breeder).

I now feed a natural diet (not exactly barf) and sometimes he gets nature diet and he is much happier...

He had a bit of dandruff on jwb that has now gone.. and have heard others say it made their dogs hyper - but guess you got to find out what suits your dog best
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Not heard of Simple Systems. What does it consist of and where can we get it? I am happy with JWB but it is expensive for 3 dogs and reading post above my collie cross is mega hyper but I thought it was just the way he was. Anyone know why it would make him hyper? I've checked JWB ingredients against other food and it has stuff missing like additives and colouring but it doesn't seem to have anything extra that other food doesn't have.
 
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i feed our lab autarkey with a spoon of cod liver oil, shiney coat, healthy dog and quite cheap too
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Whats 'autarkey'?
 
Thanks Widget....I was wondering for cheapness and goodness if it would be feasible to make up their food myself with minced chicken or fish, rice and oats, vegetables, oil and a vitamin powder. Is this what you do? I don't think I could do the BARF diet because I'm vegetarian and all that meat lying about the place would make me retch but I could deal with a chicken once a week or so.
 
If you are thinking of doing that you could consider the Prize Choice range:

http://www.prizechoice.co.uk/

I used to use their mince for my old dog with a sensitive tummy and found it very good. Can't remember how it works out cost wise though. You can order online but I got it from my local pet shop.
 
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Thanks Widget....I was wondering for cheapness and goodness if it would be feasible to make up their food myself with minced chicken or fish, rice and oats, vegetables, oil and a vitamin powder. Is this what you do? I don't think I could do the BARF diet because I'm vegetarian and all that meat lying about the place would make me retch but I could deal with a chicken once a week or so.

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That is a fab idea
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It is pretty much what I do - I have a diet sheet from a nutritionist - she does them for a donation to a dog rescue charity. That way I know I am doing the right thing in terms of vits/ minerals. I would suggest anyone considering that sort of diet gets advice, so the dog gets all the proper nutrients. TGM is right - Prize choice good for buying frozen stuff in bulk to do that sort of diet. Shouldn't be too bad for you as well.

Can't pm you as you don't accept them.. but if you want more info suggest you try http://www.dogclub.co.uk/forum/index.php

Feel bit bad posting a link to another forum - but is not a horse forum
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so hope is ok...

Food info here: http://www.dogclub.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,3257.0.html

and diet sheets from the woman who wrote that - you can get her email address from the site.
 
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Can't pm you as you don't accept them..

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Sorry 'bout that! I'll try and get it changed. Thanks for all that info, it's very useful and I'll follow it up. Thanks TGM for the Prize Choice info too. I think they do it the local food warehouse.
 
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