I just discovered this grain free kibble called Back to Basics made by Ainsworth Pet Nutrition. It's made by a company that doesn't appear to have a history of recalls which I like, however they also make a whole host of other lower quality foods like private label store brands which makes me somewhat wary.

Manufacturer aside, I REALLY like the ingredient list on this food. It's not very often you find a kibble that contains a decent amount of organ meat and Back to Basics does! And not only does it contain organ and rich muscle meat but it's the first ingredient (at least in the turkey formula), I'm impressed.

Here's a link:
Back to Basics pet food

I really like their turkey formula ingredients:
Turkey Giblets (Turkey Livers and Turkey Hearts), Turkey Meal, Turkey, Chicken Meal, Tapioca, Pea Protein, Poultry Fat (Turkey & Chicken, Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Whole Egg, Whole Flaxseed, Menhaden Fish Oil, Natural Chicken Flavor, Peas, Sunflower Oil, Salt, L-Carnitine, Potassium Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Choline Chloride, Biotin, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid.

I'd be happier if there was no salt added but that little bit is not enough for me to dislike or be at all concerned about this food. I just discovered this food today so I have no idea how long it's been available but I'm liking everything I'm seeing so far. I think I might have to give this stuff a try sometime.

Just thought I'd share this little find with you folks!

Wow, Val! This looks great!

We've FINALLY started adding different protein sources to Koda and Hailey's diets, so I'm on the lookout for bags we can use in our rotation diet.

To keep the protein level down (as ours don't get massive amounts of exercise) we're using TOTW Pacific Stream as a base and mixing in other kibbles 50/50. Right now they get TOTW & Blue Buffalo Wilderness Chicken. This Turkey or Pork Back-to-Basics looks great to try next! And there's free shipping on the 4lb bag!

Neat!

Awesome, I'm glad you're able to start introducing more foods to their diet. I think this Back to Basics will make a great addition to a rotational diet. Even I'm eager to give it a try but I have soooo much dog food at home already it will be a while before I can even consider it. Since my dogs eat mainly raw and dehydrated raw, they take forever to get through a bag of kibble and I currently have 1 full unopened 26 lb bag of Blue Buffalo Wilderness Duck formula and 1/4 of a 26 lb bag of Blue Buffalo Chicken & Rice left that they girls are eating with their Honest Kitchen.

All in all, I'm glad to see more and more food options that include organ meat. Usually anything with organ meat is super expensive so this is the first decent, moderately priced organ inclusive prepared food that I've found.

If you try it, please let us know how Koda and Hailey do on it!

OOoooh! I wanna try too! Right now, I have a 5 lb bag or 80/20 Orijen to go through, but if they have a small 'trial bag', I think I might hunt it down here and give it a try for Ginger.

Thanks Val!

Let me know how it goes if you try it too Claudia. I want to try it too but it'll be quite a while before we can get some.

Oh and just a heads up, I actually got confused about this food when I first found it as there is a Wellness product called Back to Basics also. Wellness has a limited ingredient line called Back to Basics and they are not the same product! I've tried the Wellness Back to Basics Duck formula and because it contained rice it gave my sibe horrible diarrhea. *shudders*

Claudia let me know if you find it at any shops near by

jbealer wrote:

Claudia let me know if you find it at any shops near by

Will do!

By the looks of the address location this might be "premium" Dad's Dog Food. Embarrassed to admit now but I fed many of my dogs in the past this brand of food they led active lives but boy oh boy this is/was crap food. But that was a long time ago.

Great review from Dog Food Advisor(5 star)

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/back-to-basics-dog-food-dry/

Good reason to believe this is a serious attempt at serious dog food.

I may give this a try since it is potato free.. I've had Koda on Nature's Variety Instinct Chicken for 2 weeks(still transitioning) and he has done phenomenal on it and I am hoping to attempt switching protein sources from that brand. Though I have to say, I wish they had different protein sources for this food- I am game for turkey but from my experience pork usually results in diarrhea haha. I want a buffalo or bison based kibble that is potato free so bad!

cmanding wrote:

jbealer wrote:

Claudia let me know if you find it at any shops near by

Will do!

I'll need to call around a couple of places, but I checked their website to see what stores carry them, and it lists only 3 online stores. I check 2 of them, and they both advertise free shipping. The 13 lb bag is out of stock. There is a 4 lb bag for $13.79. National Pet Pharmacy is $1 more than the other 2.

cmanding wrote:

cmanding wrote:

jbealer wrote:

Claudia let me know if you find it at any shops near by

Will do!

I'll need to call around a couple of places, but I checked their website to see what stores carry them, and it lists only 3 online stores. I check 2 of them, and they both advertise free shipping. The 13 lb bag is out of stock. There is a 4 lb bag for $13.79. National Pet Pharmacy is $1 more than the other 2.

This stuff is a ripoff. Dad's? Back to Basics used to make a nice normal kibble but then Dad's bought the company and I think will fail with these two grain free foods.

howl123 wrote:

This stuff is a ripoff. Dad's? Back to Basics used to make a nice normal kibble but then Dad's bought the company and I think will fail with these two grain free foods.

Why would you say it would fail?

Because it is $60 -$70 for a 27lb bag and there are so many grain frees that are better and cheaper like Earthborn Primitive for example.

I don't use grain frees it is a big gimmick costing people a ton of money.

I only use Annamaet Ultra and Dr. Tims' Pursuit. These are both the real deal. Everything else is just a consumer product and marketing con job.

Some owners have huskies that have food intolerances, whether it be a specific protein, grain, or even the cooking/manufacturing process of certain kibble. There are many other great choices comparable to Annamaet and Dr. Tim's, grain free or not, dry, dehydrated, freeze dried, or raw. It depends on your preference and your pet. And there are other dog food options that some would consider that would provide better nutrition than Annamaet and Dr. Tim's. Again, it all depends on you, your pet and your pet's needs.

That is doubtful. Those two kibbles are the most popular globally on the race and training circuit and they won't bankrupt you. There are other good ones but none are as well made and tested.

I don't think the back yard husky needs better nutrition than the dog in competition.

Do you?

howl123 wrote:

That is doubtful. Those two kibbles are the most popular globally on the race and training circuit and they won't bankrupt you. There are other good ones but none are as well made and tested.

I don't think the back yard husky needs better nutrition than the dog in competition.

Do you?

I think it is all what you are willing to do for your loved pet. Everybody has their own opinions and experiences on what food works best for their dog.

howl123 wrote:

That is doubtful. Those two kibbles are the most popular globally on the race and training circuit and they won't bankrupt you. There are other good ones but none are as well made and tested.

I don't think the back yard husky needs better nutrition than the dog in competition.

Do you?

Sounds like you're saying that Annamaet and Dr. Tim's are the best dog food out there, period. And that it's the best nutrition for any pet.

I don't think the back yard husky needs the same nutrition as a working or show husky.

After all, not everyone eats like a fitness competitor or pro athlete, but that doesn't mean they're not healthy, or they're not getting the proper nutrition.

Once again, you come on here stating opinions as facts. Why would you want to stir up trouble? Even if you were coming here to educate people, surely there is a better way to do so than spouting off opinions and being argumentative.

No one questions the benefits and quality of Anameat or Dr. Tim's. However, many people here feed a rotation diet and don't stick to a single kibble. Many people also feed raw. Others feed what some would consider low-quality food, but it isn't our place to judge what works for another person and his or her dog. Almost everyone here educates themselves on pet nutrition and chooses the best food for them and their pets.

For us, for instance, grains do not agree with either of my two... rice, barley, oats, etc... they cause very soft stools in my pair. So we choose to go grain free. Anameat's grain-free option is just as expensive if not more so than TOTW and it's not available at any of my local stores (nearest is over 100 miles away). Thus, we choose to feed TOTW as a base, since our dogs do extremely well on it, and rotate in a number of other grain-free kibbles to vary protein sources. This works for us. Some would say what we do is too much work. Some would say it's not enough because TOTW is not a trusted name in the petfood world. However, it works for our two and they are healthy and happy.

Why mess with what works?

Would you be able to feed raw with Back to Basics kibble?

It's still a kibble so it's no different from feeding any other kibble with raw. Most people recommend keeping them in separate meals, but as I've said before I've never had a problem feeding kibble and raw together. It's entirely up to you.

howl123 wrote:

That is doubtful. Those two kibbles are the most popular globally on the race and training circuit and they won't bankrupt you. There are other good ones but none are as well made and tested.

I don't think the back yard husky needs better nutrition than the dog in competition.

Do you?

I'm sorry but as i'm very involved with my BC, I haven't heard many people even stating they feed kibble anymore. IMO, most people who are working/showing/training their dog(s) feed a raw diet.

THAT is the food of all foods and won't bankrupt you. Every dog needs to be fed well. I don't care if my Huskies sit around the pool and swim all day or are dragging some sled 100's of miles. I'm not pumping my dog full of crap. Such silly useless fillers like grains are unneeded and a food which contains them is already ripping you off.

Any form of kibble is inferior to a raw/dehydrated raw diet.. end of story.. and my dog is not a show dog and doesn't do sledding, but he will ALWAYS be fed the absolute best diet possible. On the topic of kibble though, let's not be rude here and try to tell people their food is all crap, most people on this forum took a lot of time to research what is best for their dogs. Say why the kibble you prefer is good and why you like it, but don't go saying everything else is a POS.

Naturalk9supplies
Back to Basics Grain Free Pork Formula Dry Dog Food for only $13.49
http://www.naturalk9supplies.com/Dog-Food/back-to-basics-grain-free-pork-formula-dry-dog-food.aspx

cmanding wrote:

Naturalk9supplies
Back to Basics Grain Free Pork Formula Dry Dog Food for only $13.49
http://www.naturalk9supplies.com/Dog-Food/back-to-basics-grain-free-pork-formula-dry-dog-food.aspx

Good gosh that stuff is expensive $67 for a 27 pound bag. I get my TOTW usually for $43 for 30 lbs.

(Tractor Supply has TOTW for $39 on sale NOW)

I didn't even look at what the size of the bag was!