If you're paying $210USD wouldn't it make sense just to do raw than? That price seems a bit exorbitant when feeding purely RAW is cheaper and offers more benefits?

I pay on average about $150 CAD every month and a half for all of Echo's raw dog food including supplements and treats. He's 50lbs and eats more than average at 3% of his body weight cause he's so high energy and I take him out to various dog parks for at least 4 hours a day.

BChan, good question, tho the OP is located in the UAE, I am thinking that being able to properly source a minimum of 4 proteins plus fish, let alone bone, and 2 different organs would be hard to find and not cheap. Even myself in the middle of Texas have great difficulty being able to source everything at a reasonable price. Wondering if it would be feasible or not for the OP??

MiyasMomma wrote:

BChan, good question, tho the OP is located in the UAE, I am thinking that being able to properly source a minimum of 4 proteins plus fish, let alone bone, and 2 different organs would be hard to find and not cheap. Even myself in the middle of Texas have great difficulty being able to source everything at a reasonable price. Wondering if it would be feasible or not for the OP??

Hahahaha touche, I live in Ontario, where everything can be sourced locally with the added benefits of it being organic.  RAW food is becoming such a big thing here that there are so many companies now competing for a share in the market.  Overall it's actually cheaper and easier for me just to order my meals all prepackaged online then to do it myself via a local butcher or grocery store where everything is beefed up with hormones and antibiotics.  Delivery guys also delivers it right into my foyer for me.     Feeding kibble isn't even as convenient nor as tasty


"Stop taking pictures and just let me eat it hooman!!! "

I swear my dog eats better than me.  On the menu tonight: Turkey with beef liver, apples, carrots, kale, spinach, blueberies, cranberries and kelp.  To top it all off, half a duck neck for pearly white teeth and a lake smelt for his omega3s =P.

Well, I ran into a wall again.. Bella is smelling her food and walking away.. so I decided to buy her the Venison flavored kibble, she was previously only mackerel and lamb, and she did the same thing to it smelled it and walked away.. she got bored of her food! I dunno what on earth to.. I paid so much money on this food and she's spiting it in my face literally 'other day put some treats in a kong and bit of her food, once she got her food ate it and spat it out!"

She's been like that for a week now she would eat steamed chicken + Rice would mom decided to go with for now until we get her back on the kibble..
Should I considering Merrick now? should I starve her? what on earth do I do lol?

She's still a little young to starve out. Have you tried putting some water or maybe a little kifer in it and mix it really well to coat the food or give it a gravy that might draw her in?

She’s about 10 month of age atm... and I haven’t tried mixing her food? I don’t think kiffer is easy to find in Dubai.. any other suggestions?

Plain, no additive, no extra sugar, yogurt will work. Mix a tablespoon or two with some water to dilute it down so it will coat the food better. Cottage cheese will work to.

Hi Abaroud,

Throughout the course of your perfect food search does your dog ever appear underweight? or skinny? or lethargic or anything like that? Huskies for the most part are able to self regulate what they do or eat, so unless it becomes a medical problem maybe just let your husky create some hunger and just hope that it begins to eat properly?

I think by trying to entice your dog to eat with all this extra "gravy" on the top will just make your dog become even more picky and not eat unless you put "gravy" on it's food all the time. You don't want this becoming a learned trait.

For me, we eat twice daily, if you don't' finish within 15 minutes that it and nothing until the next meal. I also give minimal treats in between meals. maybe 2 or 3 freeze dried liver treats max. Creates hunger and my dog never skips a meal.

Hello husky 911, well Bella my husky was never underweight or skinny and not a single day letheagric... barks 24/7 hyper all the time and her weight is always good.. dunno why she’s giving me attitude with her food:. Either she’s being picky.. or maybe the Ziwi is hurting her stomach or hurting her in a way and that’s why she refuses to eat it?! I think I’m gna be fall for her trap and try the Merrick food... I have no other choice atm... don’t wanna starv her although she hasn’t ate since yesterday at and I just put the food for her she ignored it.. both Lamb with mackerel and venison Ziwi

So I’m gna change her food one very last time and I dunno if I should go with Natures Variety - Instinct Raw Market Nuggets Lamb Formula Dog or Instinct Raw Boost with Real Chicken... or is Merrick supprior to those two?

Hey Abaroud,

I totally get it. I would be super antsy and worried if Echo wouldn't eat his food, cause I know how much he loves eating. Just thought I'd warn you about putting too much effort or food toppers onto your meals. I've spoken to a lot of owners who have found out the hard way, and now feeding their dog ends up being a chore of food toppers. =/. Just know that some huskies just like going on hunger strikes so don't be too worried unless physically you notice some blaring changes =D

As for your two food options, looking on dog food advisor it appear that Merrick has better ratings vs Natures Variety RAW Market Nuggets.

P.S. I'll take one more stab at this but after all this trial of food. Perhaps RAW maybe the way to go with your pup? I know it's more expensive especially where you live, but it looks like he really liked it last time you tried it. Health benefits are amazing. I'm just super surprised he's transitioning through all this food so well. My dog would have had diarrhea for months! haha!

Good luck!

Well, im going to give the dry food one last try if it doesn't work out im gna have to go all out raw!!

Wanted to recheck the foods I am curious between are Natures Variety - Instinct Raw Boost Chicken Dog formula and and any of the below Merrick foods

Merrick - Limited Ingredient Canine Diet Salmon Recipe
Merrick - Classic Real Chicken + Green Peas with Ancient Grains Recipe
Merrick - Grain Free Healthy Weight Recipe
Merrick - Grain Free Real Duck + Sweet Potato Recipe
Merrick - Grain Free Real Salmon + Sweet Potato Recipe]
Origen- Six Fish?? (never tried this)


Just to update the post... Bella took like 3 bites out of the Ziwi peak and then went to sleep as I tried to give it another try... you think she’s acting smart and avoiding the food except when hungry? Or could this food be making her unwell in a way??

Okay... I need to pick either Merrick Grain free or NV raw boost or maybe Origen six fish?? I have 5 hours before work is over and I can go grab her a bag of food.. she’s on a food strike for two days now... please help me I can’t tell what’s better...

I personally like nature's variety. But the grain free merrick is a good food too. I would not get the healthy weight merrick. So merrick grain free either the duck or salmon. They are all good foods. You can't go wrong with any of them. Whichever she will eat and do well on is the one to stick with. She's had a lot of stomach upset in the past so you just want something that won't bring that back.

Okay.. I think my dog is either very smart or very very annoying..... I tried TOTW, ZIWI, Orijen and nop not gna happen..

What I did in the past two for her and she is like naaaaaaaaah.... so basically I went to the pet shop and looked at a few options, I saw Orijen has a six fish, therefore I though hey she liked Orijen for abit let me try this.. I put the food down for her she sniffed it and walked away, did that again in the morning and she ignored.. so basically she ate ziwi peak for 20 days then got bored and when I gave her a bit she spat it back out. I changed the Ziwi from Lamb and Macarkel to Vension and she spat it back in face... we tried moving back to Orijen nop not gna happen.. we put down for her chicken and rice she loves it so much..

So today I went back to the store and bought the NV instinct raw booster chicken, and noticed that it's not for puppies... I read online its for all life stages, but would she still benift the same if it was not the puppy NV?

should I take back the bag of nstinct by Nature's Variety Raw Boost Healthy Weight Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food and get a puppy dog food? she's 10-11 month of age and weighs 39.6 pounds

All life stages is fine for a puppy.

Others here may disagree, but I personally think you're being manipulated!

To take your words "these dogs are VERY smart!!" If she learns that you'll give her whatever she wants - the good stuff - when she goes on a hunger strike then she'll go on a hunger strike "for the good stuff."  (( The "good stuff" being the raw / cooked chicken, the various toppings, human food, etc ))

At almost a year old she's achieved enough of her adult growth that it shouldn't hurt her to go without a meal or three.  If she were my dog at this point I'd put her food down - what ever that food happens to be - give her 15 minutes to eat and then pick it up.  Give her her food again at her next scheduled feeding - give her 15 minutes and pick it up again.  It shouldn't take her more than 48 hours to realize that if she's going to eat, she's going to eat what you put down, when you put it down.  I think it goes without saying that there are no treats or anything except normal food.

Unless she's overweight (has body mass to live off of) then 48 hours should be plenty for her to understand.  At 72 hours then I'd have to say there's a problem - possibly it's nothing more than her being really stubborn but if she hasn't eaten - really eaten - in 72 hours then you've got a real problem on your hands and I don't have any suggestions.

I agree with Al, she is playing you I know you and her prefer raw, and the NVI is probably the best out there and the closest to raw as possible without going raw. Merrick also has a raw infused line, and the Ziwi is also similar to raw, just air dried. I would get the all life stage nature's variety, go thru one bag and rotate same brand but different protein each bag, that may reduce miss picky being so picky, or pick up 2 bags of NVI and rotate proteins daily. As far as what Al said, yep, you really need to do a tough love on this girl or she will run you forever. They will not starve themselves to death, and by hour 48 she will cave in and eat, if not then you will need serious blood work done on her, but I am placing my bets on she is playing you for better yummier food.

Well today morning I put for her the NV instinct for 15 minutes she ignored it and didn’t bother cane back home at 7-8 pm and put down for her the NV, Ziwi peak lamb and mackerel, Ziwi peak venison she ate the venison.. I think she’s getting the concenpt now..I told the family members at home that under no circumstances is she gna be given any human food what so ever until she develops the habit of eating on time
and eating.

Here’s a picture of her when I put for her the three types of food to choose from lol:

Hey guys! So I'm back again with a twist this time! Bella has turned from a picky eater to CRAZY LOVING HER FOOD EATER, which she does eat 3 kind's of foods at the same time.. I dunno how good that is to her body, but she is eating Ziwi peak venison, Instincts Variety raw boost, and Merrick! what a dog she use to smell the food and walk away now she cant wait to eat lol.

So I was curious to hear you opinion on this feeding habit, should I stick to one brand only? Her stomach is fine, she has no diarrhea or what not when eating different foods..

I was thinking of grabbing instead of the Merrick - Grain Free Real Chicken + Sweet Potato Recipe to switching to Merrick - Back-country Large Breed Recipe Kibble + RAW Infused  (there are no other Back-country currently available in the market here.. so would this fit her? she is 17 KG now.

Another Inquiry about deworming i have the following options and don;t know which is better Prazivet Plus, Kyron - Antezole Deworming Paste (15ml), Zoovet Trivermex Suspension (15ml) which is better..? I usually go with Prazivet Plus

As we speak I am about to order her Merrick food, but awaiting your feedback

If she is doing well on what you are doing and is happy then I would stick with what you are doing. All are great foods that are good for her. I probably wouldn't swap to large breed but it won't necessarily hurt her if you do. Huskies just aren't a large breed so ratios in that food is a little different.

As for the wormer they all have the same ingredients. As long as you are giving something with the prazi any of them should work. I haven't had good luck getting paste down any of my dogs so I would go with whichever you think you can get her to take and what matches you price range.

TwisterII wrote:

As for the wormer they all have the same ingredients. As long as you are giving something with the prazi any of them should work. I haven't had good luck getting paste down any of my dogs so I would go with whichever you think you can get her to take and what matches you price range.

Actually the only thing she is taking as medicine is front line once a month and prazi every 3 month. should i be adding something with the prazi?

Nope, nothing to add. All of those meds that you listed have Prazi, Pyrantel, and Fenbendazole in them. None are straight up just Prazi which mean all those products are capable of handling many types of worms she might be encountering. Just pick which one you like and keep giving on the schedule you are.