Food and Supplements for a Big Boy!

Question
I have a 4 year old neutered English Mastiff. Threw the 4 years I have had him he has been switched on many different types of food and supplements.

He came to us being fed Iams puppy food. After keeping him on that till he was 6 months old we switched him to Science Diet (a recommendation from a friend). We switched him to their adult dog food (for proper bone growth) but he really wasn't wanting to eat the science diet (due to the smaller amounts of protein and didn't seem like it had any flavor for him. So we decided to switch him to Nutro Natural Choice Adult (after dog sitting for a friend he ended up eating the other dogs food and loved it).

We have had him on that for the past 3 years and he has done fine on it. Also during that time we had him on a glucosime supplement during his growing period to help his joints and we have just kept him on it as a preventative (does not have any calcium in the glucosime supplement cause of the excess calcium not being good for the joints).

Within the last year he had started breaking out with hot spots, yeast infections, and his hair on his back was starting to fall out in large clumps, as well as that we figured allergies also was a cause. The vet stuck him on different anti fungal meds and tropical creams and sprays that only provided temporary relief. As soon as the meds were gone it would start all over again. There was no way I was keeping him on meds consistently.

Within the past year we have got it manageability under control. We switch his food to Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Food, but after awhile it has gotten pricey and now is on Eagle Pack Dog Food (recommended by other Mastiff Breeders and the price is amazing for the quality), we had him on Animal Naturals supplements but the cost for the different ones that we had him on got over whelming and now he is just on a basic Glucosimen and Chondroitain and a Fish Oil Supplement.

I guess my question is for you that he still has problems with his coat being full and his coat is really brittle and not as covered as it used to be. Also it isn't easy for me to get him to take the supplements with both the Glucosimen and fish oil being in pill form and he doesn't like the fish oil in liquid form and so I end up throwing out half his food cause once he tastes it he won't eat anymore.

I have been contemplating on making a home-aid diet or a raw diet so that I am able to include the supplements in the food from the start and it will hide them better. But I'm worried about the protein amounts being too high for him being a mastiff, he can't have too high of protein or fat levels and I'm leery of feeding him a raw food with out some sort of slight processing to make sure it's safe. I was wondering if I should possibly pursue the home-aid / raw food diet? Also I would like to supplement him on an enzyme to utilize his food nutrients better and start him on Kelp but I'm afraid if I would be supplementing him too much? Wondering if there is any options to make this easier for me and him? And ideas or advice is helpful! With mastiffs not living long in general I want to make sure I can provide the right diet that suits him and puts my mind to rest and that enables him to live as long as he possibly can and a healthy life as he rolls into his senior years.
Thanks.


Answer
There is no end of misinformation around about dog foods.  Much of it originating from people selling something.  They will say anything to make their product sound better than the other.  And many people are quick to buy a story sounds good to them.  

It is possible you have fed him so many different things, he is allergic to many different things.  It is also possible it isn't the food.  What does the vet say?  

I wouldn't worry about the protein level and so forth in a food.  The dog will burn any excess as energy or excrete it.  You might try some different foods.  Many people have good luck with Kirklands from Cosco and Diamond.  For that matter, most dogs do just fine on Iams and other common brands.  The problems you hear about them are mostly illusionary coming from people selling more expensive brands.  Unless your vet can provide other relief, I would try some different foods.  Try ones with different ingredients.  If your dog is allergic to lamb, it won't do well on any lamb food.  Try to find one without rice too.  Cut out the supplements and everything else.  If you use treats, use some of its kibble.  Give each food at least 30 days unless you really see problems.  

One thing you can do with pills is put them in a ball of peanut butter.