[huskylover]

Hi Everyone I am new here and searching for the best holistic/natural food for my dogs. I have spent the last week looking at review sites, ratings and opinions. I am so confused lol. I thought I was feeding my dogs good food iams Natural (which my vet recommended) after reading a article on all the bad stuff that goes into the food and that they do animal testings I am looking for a better quality food. My boy is 16 mos he is a husky 75%/wolf hybrd 25% and my girl is a 8 yr old husky with some health issues and she is a lil picky and has dry skin, hind legs bothering her (which she is on Dasuquin for) suffers from allergies too I believe. Searching for a good food for both of them or even if I have to buy seperate. I have heard Natures Variety Instint is a wonderful food, Taste of the Wild, California Natural, Wellness, Fromm and Earthborn Holistic Primitive. I am just overwhelmed from all the info. What would you recommend. I know the dietary needs of my boy are more then my girl so I do not mind feeding them different foods. Thanks for any advice in sorting this all out.

 

[luvMyBRT]

Hi and welcome! :biggrin:

There are many different kibbles out there that would be much, much better to feed than Iams. I am so glad that you have come to find that out. I am sure people will suggest several different kibbles.

The two that I will start off with are made by Champion. Acana and Orijen are the best of the best when it comes to kibble, IMO. :smile:

 

[cprcheetah]

As the previous poster said Orijen & Acana are probably the best of the best IMO, for convenience I feed my golden Shellie a rotation diet (I rotate every new 30# bag), she eats TOTW, Wellness Core, Blue Buffalo Wilderness. I prefer to keep her on grain free or very low grain as she has problems with hyperactivity/add that I think the grains contribute too. I think Nature's Variety is a great food, but haven't ever fed it, I've heard a lot of great things about it.

 

[GermanSheperdlover]

Here is my list and no doubt I agree with Orijen and Acana being the best. This list gets updated as manufactures change their formulas. Keep in mind Orijen, Acana, Go, Now, Fromm, Merrick, Evo, C,N., Innova, Timberwolf, 1st Mate and Evanders all manufacture their own food and you should keep that in mind when making your decision.

The A list
1. Orijen
2. Acana, Harvest, Pacifica & Grassland only.
3. Wellness Core
4. Instinct
5. Go, Grain free only.
6. Acana, the rest of Acana products.
7. Blue Wilderness
8. Taste of the Wild, wetlands & prairie only, Grain free
9. Artemis
10. Fromm
11. Evo

1. California Natural
2. Now, Grain free.
3. GO, free indurance,chicken,salmon only
4. Merrick
4. Evangers
5. Timberwolf
6. Wellness
7. Solid Gold
8. Canidae
8. First Mate
9. Health Wise
10. Karma
11. Nature’s Logic
12. Kirkland, Costco

 

[PUNKem733]

Horizon Legacy is another solid choice.

 

[RawFedDogs]

You want to feed high protein, low carb food for both dogs. Remember that the words "holistic" and "natural" mean nothing in the dog food world. Those words are used by the marketing departments to make you think you are getting something you aren't. "Premium" is the same thing. It has no meaning. "Complete and balanced" is an almost meaningless term also.

 

[kevin bradley]

Acana
Orijen


Or Real/Raw.

 

[buddy97]

You want to feed high protein, low carb food for both dogs. Remember that the words "holistic" and "natural" mean nothing in the dog food world. Those words are used by the marketing departments to make you think you are getting something you aren't. "Premium" is the same thing. It has no meaning. "Complete and balanced" is an almost meaningless term also.

couldnt agree more. i also put no credibility in AAFCO standards, since all the garbage sold in the grocery store meets AAFCO standards as being nutritionally complete for dogs.

 

[whiteleo]

Yes, I'd not buy anything from grocery stores, Petsmart, or Petco, just my opinion. If I were to go back to kibble, it would be Acana and Orijen.

I always start my rescues off on Acana grasslands, never had a dog turn their nose up at that.

 

[kevin bradley]

couldnt agree more. i also put no credibility in AAFCO standards, since all the garbage sold in the grocery store meets AAFCO standards as being nutritionally complete for dogs.

EXACTLY! Don't most foods sold commercially adhere to this bs standard? Makes me laugh whenever I'm reading an article in a mag or book that says you should look for this AAFCO stamp. whoooopdeeedoooooo! :smile:

 

[chowder]

Hi. My boy is a Husky / Chow mix that just turned 2 years old (That is him in my avatar). He may be Malamute or Samoyed or Wolf / Chow but we were told Husky chow although he is pretty big and stocky for a husky.

He eats Orijen Large Breed Puppy because he prefers that taste of that over the Adult Orijen. I've known several Husky owners who just keep their dogs on the puppy version and there really isn't much difference between the two formulas...its mostly a gimmick. We rotate it with EVO, and right now with Taste of the Wild which he LOVES the taste of and is gobbling up (He is normally VERY picky with his kibble). We also add in a variety of grain free canned for him (and his 13 year old Lhasa Apso sister) for the extra meat. He gets about 1/2 can in the morning and any extra meat we have from our dinners once in awhile. He is doing well on that and has plenty of energy (when its not 100 degrees outside). He only eats about 2 cups of kibble a day (at 75 pounds of dog) so the cost is really not an issue even though it seems like the food is much more expensive. The dogs usually eat much less on a better food so be sure and feed less then you are used to once you make the switch.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[stajbs]

Hi, and Welcome!!
All of the kibbles mentioned are good quality and worth consideration. In 16 years with seven siberians I have never had a sibe refuse a fish based kibble. Sometimes I wonder if that goes back to their origins. lol That being said I wouold recommend trying to make sure any fish based kibble you consider is ethoxyquin free. We also add canned, usually either Merrick or Evangers which I have trouble finding. I've also found with quality kibble I never need to feed what is suggested on the back of the bag. When I've done that I have had chubby huskies, never a good thing when they run recreationally.

Look forward to seeing a photo of your pup!!

 

[BabyHusky]

oddly, my husky doesn't like fish food. Fish is the only Orijen bag she won't devour. I thought it was odd haha.

I'm sure you got the point now, but yes...just to be a broken record...Orijen and Acana are the best kibbles. Its not biased opinion as people who don't feed Orijen also stated that it was the best kibble. Same as you, I did some research to find the best kibble and all arrows pointed to orijen. :biggrin: