# Good Quality Wet Food???



## kenla210 (Nov 12, 2008)

Sorry in advance for the long post... lots of info, which may or may not be relevant... My working cocker pup is 12 weeks old now, she is my first dog and is completely gorgeous (yes I'm biased!). However, she doesn't really drink very much water (although I always ensure it is available and fresh) and I am aware that cockers can be prone to kidney problems and therefore wet food as part of her diet is probably a good way to ensure she gets plenty of fluid. 

When I first brought her home she was on beta puppy, and home cooked which she loved but again the poos were quite sloppy, and I was told that JWB would help with this. So, currently I feed her a mixture of james wellbeloved, and home cooked food and it has definiately helped. 

However, she is not that keen on the JWB and will only really eat it if mixed with something else. I have tried moistening it with water or gravy as well as serving it dry - she's just not that keen, so I don't want it to be her only food. She will eat it if encouraged or if it is mixed in with the home cooked stuff, but even then at times she will eat all the food around it and leave the kibble. I have a massive bag and it has definiately helped with the poos so I'm not prepared to give up just yet. But, I also find the home cooking can be a bit time consuming and so am looking for a good quality wet food to supplement the dry as at times it would be much more convenient than constantly cooking her food from scratch!

I have tried on occasion to give her winalot puppy mixed with the JWB, and she gobbles it down but again, it makes her poo sloppy and really stinky! Great when you are trying to scrape it off the grass it the park! 

Having done a bit of research I understand a bit more why and I think her tummy may be a bit on the sensitive side so I am now looking for a good quality wet food to give to her, in addition to the dry, which won't break the bank. I will still give her a certain amount of home cooked, I just don't want to do it all the time.

I am just really confused as to what I should be looking for in terms of ingredients (what are good %'s to look out for, what to avoid, etc) and which may be the best for her. If it says meat derivatives, is this bad? Because the images it conjures up don't seem great

I know that arden grange and james wellbeloved have good reputations but they seem very pricey for wet food, and arden grange don't do a wet puppy food - does this matter? What about naturediet? or James Wainwright? AAARRRGH - confused!! Please help...

Also on a side note - she seems to have started sneezing alot the last couple of days - it's definitely sneezing not coughing so am not worried about kennel cough, we've all had colds recently, do dogs get colds too?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give


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## finoni9 (Sep 5, 2008)

From others on the forum - I think Nature's Diet is a good choice - we use Nature's Harvest which seems to be similar and our Rocky enjoys it (he didn't really enjoy dried food either)!!

Nature's harvest is 79p a pack from Pets at Home and it lasts 2 days for Rocky - altho he's a Yorkie so with your dog he may need a bit more.


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## Bobbie (May 3, 2008)

Maybe you could get on to some of the big names and ask them to send you some samples. My dog was a bit like this over his food. But he now eats Burns lamb/rice kibble mixed with a bit of their lamb/rice moist. ( this is expensive ) but I make it last 5 days.


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## Guest (Nov 12, 2008)

I would always recommend Chappie for any dog with a sensitive tum, the vets always used to recommend it before all these dry foods were produced. 
also our Chessie who nearly died because of tummy problems, survived because it was the only food he could tolerate.
If you are mixing it with JWB I don't think you need to worry too much about content.
My Goldie gets an upset tum if given too much Nature diet but is ok having it as half his diet


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## Sgurr (Aug 24, 2008)

I feed raw whenever I can but as the convenient alternative I use Butchers Tripe. It's £1.25 to £1.35 for a 1200g can and that's enough for 3 days for an adult Springer with a corresponding amount of mixer. In my lot there is one greedy one, one that has to be tempted to eat and one that just gets on quietly with eating and they are all fine with this.

I think the suggestion to ask for samples is a good one but don't make too many changes trying them out if your little one has a sensitive tummy.

Sgurr


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## Guest (Nov 12, 2008)

I don't know if this is the right thing to suggest, if you think it's a good idea I reckon you should ask a vet, but how about adding some beef stock to a little water to increase the fluid intake


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## jessejazza (Nov 17, 2008)

One possibility for lobby stools is that it is going through too fast. I had that with my 10 yr greyhound - it was the biscuit not agreeing whereas the mixer had been fine.

As one person has already suggested; fish is ideal easily digestible - i'd try chappie or a tin of pilchards and see how that goes. Again the trouble with kibble is you are not quite sure what is in there. Could be a biscuit allergy?

Use some rice to bulk it up before you try mixer. See how that settles.

I've had dogs all my life and Chappie is i reckon the best commercial dog food. Alternatively go to a butcher and see if they do a pet mince - they'll tell you exactly what they put in it.

Fish and rice are good stomach settlers for dogs. Once their tummy is settled you can introduce and gradually change to what you want. For health reasons i believe in plain meat, little veg and mixer biscuit. It doesn't cost more than commercial dry foods.

Vets are not nutritionists - they'll recommend some dry food. Dry food contains ethoxyquins (HDT, HDA) these preservatives are responsible for a lot of health problems. google ethoxyquin
The Problem with Ethoxyquin


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## Kiskasiberians (Oct 2, 2008)

To be honest there is so much variety out there with different ingredients that it is difficult to suggest a suitible alternative. What one dog thrives on another has issues due to the ingredients. As already mentioned Chappie, Butchers Choice, HiLife and Nature Diet are the ones that initially spring to mind. 

Others that are ok but may be pricy are Almo Nature, Applaws, Grau, Nutro, Schesir, Bozita and Porta 21, Some of the supermarkets high meat content own brands are ok.


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## Dundee (Oct 20, 2008)

Burns have recently introduced an excellent wet food, but for value and ease of purchase, chappie is very good, and was always recommended by vets in the days before they sold these expensive diets


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## Local_oaf1 (Sep 14, 2008)

Gave my dog a tin of Chappie earlier to see if he would eat it(after reading the stuff on here about it)Unfortunately he wont touch the stuff,he just turned his nose up at it and looked at me as if he was saying "Where`s my Pedigree?" :frown:


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## jessejazza (Nov 17, 2008)

What food has the dog been on? Try a bit of fresh meat. If they've been on dry complete for a long time they may need time to get used to it. Try a bit of mince with some chappie or tinned pilchards/cod fillet.

One of my dogs is slowly getting used to bones... of all things!

They will enjoy natural food.


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## kenla210 (Nov 12, 2008)

Thanks for your advice everyone, have been trying her on naturediet which she seems to really like, and seems to be OK for her tummy. She's still not touching her kibble but have sent off for some samples of different types so am going to try her with some different types to see if that helps, if not then maybe I'll give up on the dry food altogether


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## jessejazza (Nov 17, 2008)

Myths About Raw: Is my vet really qualified to be giving nutritional advice?
The Problem with Ethoxyquin
Raw Meaty Bones [junk food download nexus.pdf]

Giving up on dry food isn't a bad idea. But you don't have to switch to RMB for health. I feed meat with veg and mixer - and the dogs have been so much better.


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## Ducky (Nov 23, 2008)

i wouldnt worry about the dog not eating his food straight away. especially as its a cocker spaniel, a notoriously greedy dog, so really you are onto a winner. i am sure if you leave the JWB kibble down, the puppy would go to it when it was hungry and eat it without fuss. 

however in regards to good quality wet foods, the few i can recommend include Natures Menu which comes in pouches or tins and has a 70% meat content which is excellent. Also Burns, JWB and Arden Grange all now have a wet variety of food. They are slightly more expensive, but these companies only really encourage small amounts to be used alongside with their dry foods, so the cost evens out over the days it is used. 

as a pet food nutritionist, personally i never recommend chappie (as well as most other tinned dog food) as it doesnt really contain anything nutritious.


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## jessejazza (Nov 17, 2008)

Ah... a NUTRITIONIST! and in Scotland... i used to live in Aberdeen.

My post was one of a number of queries on my mind...

I have a 10 yr greyhound Suzi [rehomed with me a year], and a 3/4 yr lurcher Zak [rehomed end Feb]. I'd be really grateful if you could comment on my points.

When i re-homed my Suzi i kept her on the complete feed that she'd been on in kennels, Supagreyhound (with the odd bit of chicken or tinned meat just to make it tasty) until i'd made up my mind about what to feed her on for the future. Zak came with a lot of tartar on his teeth... when he went to the vet eight teeth had to be removed. I had my suspicions about what he had been fed... complete feed?

My parents had dogs all their lives and over fifty years - two dachsunds and two terriers have fed raw meat and chopped veg with regular marrow bones. They never once (that i can recall) had to have teeth extracted or any suffered any significant build up of tartar. In between we had Guide Dog Lab pups and they were also fed the same. We've always had a dog medical check every year.

As i've read a diet is up to you and what suits the dogs. I have been thinking along the lines of a practical BARF. Following one person's recipe; couple of bones a week, plain meat [butcher's pet mince, chicken wing etc depending what's available], veg [greens, sprouts, turnip, carrots, bananas, pears] finely shredded in food processor mixed with olive oil, herbal conditioning mix, evening primrose oil. Veg made up in bags and kept in freezer. Similar to what my parents fed their dogs although more veg. Equal quantity of mixer added to the bowl at feeding time. I add some general vitamin tablets like 'Pet-Tabs' for good measure.

Quantities i've found people rather vague on when one is switching to BARF - this recipe seemed about right two parts meat : one veg-mix (this being an equal mix of chopped veg to mixer).
e.g. my greyhound weighs 50 lbs - 1 lb meat and 8oz veg-mix per day [two meals a day so 8oz meat 4 oz veg-mix
Total quantity guideline being 2-3% of dog weight per day.

Having now switched them over both seem so much more healthy that they were on dry complete. Their coats are much better, race around the garden, roll on their backs kicking their feet in the air - basically letting 'off steam' as happy healthy dogs. Stools firm and appropriately formed. Neither seem to drink the quantity of water that they used to and are much more affectionate and sociable. However, neither are that keen on bones, Suzi nibbles for 15 mins or so and Zak not interested (just sniffs).

a] So how do i get them gnawing? Seems just try a bit each day. [this was answered in the post]. I want to keep their teeth clean and healthy.

b] I've read the literature on complete feeds and i'm totally convinced that aside from obeisty and cancers that one hears/reads about - the preservatives (ethoxyquins) in dried complete feeds contribute through the build up of tartar to development of gum disease. HDA and HTA are the ones to look for in the ingredients i gather
The Problem with Ethoxyquin
As a nutritionist can you confirm this?

c] Cooked meat (tinned meat) contributes to tartar on dog's teeth a lot of folk i've met have said. Ethoxyquins are not present in tinned food as they are sealed immediately in manufacture. There will be some tartar build up on a dogs teeth over time... maybe one dental in their life. One pet shop said that one shouldn't feed tinned food as it's 80% water. Humans are 85% water and what we eat is similar. Makes me wonder what meat goes into complete feeds and how much is left after it is dried.

Chappie is the tinned meat that seems to be recommended most and conveniently available at most supermarkets. Not ideal compared with raw but when not available that is what i'd choose, with pedigree as second. Easily digestible for young and old dogs. Couple of makes i found had rather a lot of jelly. You mentioned it's not that nutritious - it just seemed a better bet to me than others. It contains all meat i understood when i phoned the makers.

d] Digestion rates. I have read that one shouldn't feed a complete feed with tinned meat - i just did it with a little to add a bit of taste. Regarding the longer digestion rate of complete feed - what on earth does this do to a dogs system? No one seems to comment on this - i recall reading somewhere that it takes up to eight/ten hours to go through. I notice with my greyhound that her urine is quite concentrated on complete feed compared with my sister's dog on RMB diet.

e] As far as statistics go! Of the dog owners in our village (and others i know) all seem to be overweight, unfit and thus unhealthy apart from two younger dogs (who haven't had enough of the complete feed beet pulp to suffer its mischief). i don't think kibble to do a dog much good.

f] Vets seem to recommend dry complete feed and yet fail to mention that a dental will be required every other year! Whether dried food is Burns, Pedigree, Science Plan, ProPlan - it must have ethoxyquin in to provide its annual shelf life. ProPlan have just invested £80m in their research a local pet shop tell me - i've got to have two large 15 kg bags sitting in my garage to "meet their dietary needs". If they've spent so much on research why can't they provide one food to meet all needs... i must be thick (although i've got two engineering degrees). I weighed the dogs a couple of days ago and noticed the vets had recently stocked a large amount of Chappie tins - apparently lots of owners had asked for it! Chappie is one tinned food that seems to suit many dogs young/old and sensitive stomachs.

g] Cost - wish people would do some proper sums. One feeds less meat and mixer compared with complete feed and no one seems to allow for the cost of the bi-annual dental. £50/15kg of Eukanuba... £40 odd James Wellbeloved. Fact is the dog will enjoy proper meat and be much healthier.

I don't trust what these 'experts' tell us. Be grateful if you could enlighten.

The drawback of preparation for raw feed i don't quite agree with. We always used a French vegetable chopper 'Hachoir' [sort of curved blade with handle either side] and sometimes a fine grater. Preparing just for each day at present. A food processor is the tool to have and Xmas is coming up fast! I've just been using a cook's knife this afternoon and with practice one starts to get quicker and more Jamie Oliver like!

thanks
james


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## Claire Diss (Jan 26, 2016)

Also if your anxious about his food he will pick up on it, I would recommend stop putting human food in with hus kibble, I don't think that is the way to go believe me been there and dine that with my last dog... Got to the stage where he would just our stuff and sit his kibble out, I tried everything in the end just stopped he either ate his food or went hungry, he went maybe 3 days without anything then he did start to eat again.

Now we have a black lab, everyone said she will eat everything.... ha lies.
She was on beta puppy food when we got her, vet told us to get her off asap. Which we did put her on Wainwrights which she really didn't like, she is now on Skinners field and trial food is a quite of food for half the price, we also either wet her food with hot water or put her some high quality wet food in it. Firth glade is a excellent quality wet food. I wouldn't use any supermarket food for my dog but that's just me.

Also we have her on Coconut oil in her food, she gets a teaspoon full a day half in breakfast and half in tea. He poos are great and no tummy upsets plus a lovely shiny coat


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## JoanneF (Feb 1, 2016)

The previous posts are 8 years old?


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## Bobbie (May 3, 2008)

Oh yes!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Claire Diss (Jan 26, 2016)

I noticed that after I sent my message didn't know how to stop it lol


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