I am sort of just e-mailing every provider in sight for samples I am at a loss here.

Typically you'd probably want named meats listed first but really with a dog as sensitive as Koda, you'll be more interested in whatever works. If Koda does well on the NB L.I.D. I would't worry too much about the potato/sweet potato being the first ingredient, just my opinion. I can't think of the brand right now but I recently read that another well known quality brand is coming out with new grain free limited ingredient formulas that might be worth checking out. While I can't think of the brand right now I remember thinking when I read about it that I might try it for my two (soon to be three) when it comes out.

I am for sure not worried about the amount of stars of the kibble at this point Val. While I refuse those kibbles we always speak poorly off (Purina, Eukanuba, Science Diet, etc), if I can find a kibble that has decent ingredients and will stay down his stomach I will gladly feel it. If you come across the brand that is doing the new limited ingredients? I tried to be clever with google to find it but no success.

P.S. I am gonna ask you about Glory via FB! Here you had us thinking a 3rd wouldn't come into the picture for a long while!

Takoda wrote:

If you come across the brand that is doing the new limited ingredients? I tried to be clever with google to find it but no success.

P.S. I am gonna ask you about Glory via FB! Here you had us thinking a 3rd wouldn't come into the picture for a long while!

I will try to find what brand it was that is coming out with the new limited ingredient formula later today. All I remember about it was that is would be grain free, the ingredients looked good and it was from a great, well known premium brand. If I find it I will share it with you.

Btw, regarding Glory I posted about it on the other husky forum. Check it out in the "other pets" section over there.

Ok I found the food that I was thinking of with the new limited ingredient formulas. I guess I was wrong about the grain free thing and but it's Blue Buffalo that has 2 new limited ingredient formulas. They both contain brown rice so it may not work for Koda, you can check them out here: http://www.bluebuff.com/products/dogs/basics.shtml

Blue Buffalo also has 2 new grain free Wilderness formulas in addition to the original turkey/chicken formula that's been out for a while. The new grain free Wilderness formulas come in your choice of Duck/chicken/turkey formula or Salmon/chicken formula...both look pretty good. Check them out here: http://www.bluebuff.com/products/dogs/wilderness.shtml

I thought about checking that 3 hours after posting here. I usually don't look at anything but the training/behavioral, general, and nutrition parts. She is beautiful just like her mommy!

Anyways, thanks Val! My preferred protein is duck- Koda has to be fed certain treats too and his cherry and duck HK treats have never hurt him- but I have yet to find one that had really good ingredients. I think I may pick up the Blue Wilderness Duck. He didn't do well on the regular Blue Wilderness but that was during a spew of horrible kibbles. You said Blue doesn't send samples, didn't you?

Just remember it takes a good 2-3 weeks for a kibble to really settle into their stomachs, or so I've read, etc. Annoying, I know, but we tried Evo and it was great initially, but 3 weeks in he started getting horrible diarrhea

Takoda wrote:

You said Blue doesn't send samples, didn't you?

Yes, Blue Buffalo was the only one that would not send samples or coupons. But I commented on that fact on a different Chihuahua forum about a year ago and other people responded saying that they have received coupons from Blue Buffalo...so take that for what it's worth. Then a couple months ago I got a coupon in the mail from Blue Buffalo for $5 off any Blue Buffalo product. Whatever. It couldn't hurt to try at least, maybe they'll be nicer to you.

Koda wrote:

Just remember it takes a good 2-3 weeks for a kibble to really settle into their stomachs, or so I've read, etc. Annoying, I know, but we tried Evo and it was great initially, but 3 weeks in he started getting horrible diarrhea

The Natural Balance is taking too long to get so I got the small bag, $12 isn't horrible. With Koda, I can tell if he won't do well on it, within about 3 hours he will have diarrhea, and then all throughout the night. He REALLY liked the food, but honestly he will eat anything (he use to be picky too!). So I'm hoping this may work, I really want to put him on kibble again with raw 2-3 times a week. If it doesn't work I may try to see if the vet can recommend something (I know they are no nutritionist, but it they have a bag of Science Diet that will fit his needs I would take it at this point). I wish I knew someone who regularly fed this who could tell me their results. I know you have fed it Val but I'm not sure how much or how often.

SO far we have had pretty good results with the Blue Buffalo Wilderness, Only thing is roxy is picky sometimes and craves something else every once in a while

Heather, my mother in law has a sensitive dog that didn't do well on anything she tried (but in all fairness she always bought junk brands like Eukanuba, Iams, Purina, Pedigree, etc) and she had her sensitive Chi on Science Diet i/d formula for digestive issues for years. I recommended she try NB L.I.D. Sweet Potato & Venison formula for him because of how well my sensitive sibe did on it. She tried it reluctantly and was amazed at how well he did on it and she chucked the SD i/d shortly after. So now she has found that the two foods that her sensitive chi does fantastic on are the NB LID Sweet Potato/Venison and the NB LID Sweet Potato/Chicken. The sweet potatoes also help with calming upset stomach so that is a major plus.

My sensitive sibe does phenomenal on the NB LID Sweet Potato/Venison, NB LID Potato/Duck, and NB LID Sweet Potato/Chicken.

Now my Chihuahua Faith has the ultimate in sensitive stomachs so she's the real standard to measure against and she does the best on NB LID Sweet Potato/Venison and NB LID Potato/Duck. I have not tried her on the NB LID Sweet Potato/Chicken yet but I plan to.

Val, Koda made it through the night without making a mess so I am hopeful right now! As I said, with ALL the foods I tried before going to the freeze-dried, about 3 hours later he would try to make it to the door and fail, repeat again mid-morning.. I woke myself up every 3 hours to take him to go #2 and he just peed. I'm gonna wake him up and take him to go potty right now and see if he has to go to the bathroom (lately he has been pooping more throughout the day, I'm not sure why- he use to poop only once and a week ago started going 2, sometimes 3 times). JD and I have to go help my stepdad put in a new door at their houe so Koda's going to daycare, I'm going to ask them that if they see him squat to please take note the form (they may think I'm crazy!). I would really love it if this worked out- it is really affordable and he gulped it down. I did the sweet potato/venison, just because I for sure know venison was OK with him, though I am pretty sure duck is as well with his tummy not doing bad on the HK duck and cherry treats. Another reason I did the venison is because I get the impression "sweet" potato is better than just potato. Is that true?

Thanks Val!

Takoda wrote:

Another reason I did the venison is because I get the impression "sweet" potato is better than just potato. Is that true?

Thanks Val!

No prob! Fingers crossed it works out for Koda! Both are okay but the sweet potato is more helpful at soothing an upset stomach so I would prefer to see sweet potato over potato truthfully.

Besides the NB LID foods, the only other canned food that I can give Faith that doesn't give her the runs is Wellness Duck & Sweet Potato. Just thought I'd share that since I always mix kibble and wet for my dogs' dinner.

I am mixing wet food with Koda's kibble right now, as I want to try to get him to gain about 3-5lbs. (He is 47, would like him 52). I used the NB LID wet food and he was good. I am really excited! I have always been trying the 6-5* foods and apparently Koda just can't take the richness I guess. If this goes like planned, I'm going to be feeding him this along with substituting his meal with raw 2 or 3 times a week. In the morning I'm feeding him either scrambled eggs or yogurt, and I put his supplements in that.

Takoda wrote:

I am mixing wet food with Koda's kibble right now, as I want to try to get him to gain about 3-5lbs. (He is 47, would like him 52). I used the NB LID wet food and he was good. I am really excited! I have always been trying the 6-5* foods and apparently Koda just can't take the richness I guess. If this goes like planned, I'm going to be feeding him this along with substituting his meal with raw 2 or 3 times a week. In the morning I'm feeding him either scrambled eggs or yogurt, and I put his supplements in that.

Our Koda did horribly on the high starred foods. We tried a couple and they just got the runs. *shrugs* Every dog is different!

Takoda wrote:

In the morning I'm feeding him either scrambled eggs or yogurt, and I put his supplements in that.

I do too sometimes. Usually I mix supplements in with their dinner but sometimes I will split it between their breakfast and dinner.

This is what Dakota eats for breakfast...

The breakfast of champions (scrambled egg, chicken jerky, and a milkbone)

OMG Takoda is spoiled. She eats a better breakfast than me.

Rodney is a yr old and only weights 38 lbs.. He seems so little to me compared to Jax. Any suggestions what can fatten him up? I guess maybe is was the runt of the little or something.. hahah!

How old was Jax? Rodney may indeed be smaller, but Koda was only a little bigger than that at a year old. They go through another major growth spurt around 15-18 months, and then another one right before they hit 2 years old. Then they'll fill out. Koda is about 65 lbs now, but this time last year he was only 45!

Jax just turned 2 before he passed! :-( I still miss him so much!

I'm sure you do Yeah, that would be why Jax was bigger. Rodney still has a lot of time to grow If he's at 38 lbs now, I wager he'll get up to at least male standard at 55lb if not 60 by the time he's full grown.

That is so cute Val!

jaxypooh, my Koda is beyond spoiled.. he eats like a king and goes to daycare M-F, as well as gets to go hiking every morning and the dog park! He definitely eats better than my fiancee or I!

Tori, I think our Kodas are one in the same!

Rodney sounds fine, so long as he is not overly thin. Our sibe was 44 lbs at 2 years old and hit 55 lbs at 3 yrs old.

I showed Jarod that post on the other forum where you show him at 2 years and 4 years, and Jarod was AMAZED Val. We are hoping it won't take too long for Koda to fill out as I am extremely tired of people petting him and telling me he is so thin and you can feel all his bones, like they want me to respond, "oh you know, I don't feed him at all, he is starved, you are right!" What really throws people off is you can feel his hip bone pretty good. I'm hoping with if he can stay on this kibble, it'll help him pack on a few, as I can afford to feed him extra and the wet food will add on more. It's so annoying people hounding me about it. I know he looks thin, but it is obviously he is healthy as the dog has more energy than any well-rounded pup at daycare or the park!

Still no diarrhea!

Go Koda!