Switching from the HORRID Beneful...to ..... ?

Question
QUESTION: Hi, I was hoping you could help guide me in picking the right dog brand for my 8 yr old chihuahua. She is about the most precious thing to me and I want to make the best and healthiest choice for her.

I went in to Petco to get my bag of Beneful, as I have for the past 8 yrs. I started on Beneful 8 yrs ago when a chihuahua lover / Petco volunteer suggested it to me.
I have been feeding her the same dry food ever since.
My chihuahua's a total survivor. As a puppy, she had Parvo,  was diagnosed with epilepsy, then she had rat poisoning, ear infections, etc.
Shes on medication for her seizures, and gets them once a month.
I have never attributed any of this to the dog brand, Beneful, I have been feeding her the last 8 years.
Today, I walked into Petco. The assist mgr advised me that Beneful is the worse dog food I can feed my dog. These was definitely news to me.I was blown away as it has never occurred to me that I am giving my precious baby the worse of food scrapings ever.
He recommended Nature's Recipe for Toy Breeds or Nature Valley. I bought a bag of Nature's Recipe for Toy Breeds.

After 8 years ... I am finally online doing research, and goodness, am I lost or what. It turns out Beneful is just dyed dry food full of corn wheat and sugar.
The highly recommended brand on line is Orijen and Canidae.
I saw Nature's Recipe recommended on a few sites, as well as Wellness, and a dozen of other brands.
Boy, am I lost ! Can you please help me in making the best choice for my chihuahua? She seems pretty healthy. Shes active, energic, loves walks, and people. She sheds alot and gets seizures once a month. Maybe a new food brand can help these issues.

Beneful hasnt caused any allergic reactions in the last 8 yrs for my dog. At least, I dont think.
I dont have a problem switching to Nature's Recipe.
I just want to know my 9lb chihuahua wont get side effects with the change of food.
And is Nature's Recipe the best food for my dog? Or do you recommend otherwise. I'm sorry if I sound incoherent. It comes from being a worry wurt!

Thanks for your help !
Hanna

ANSWER:
Hi Hanna,

It's true that there are better foods than Beneful out there, and Nature's Recipe is definitely one of those better foods! There isn't a "best" food, though. The best food is one your dog thrives on. Some dogs can't tolerate excessive protein, or ingredients such as Chicken. If a diet is made of even human grade Chicken meat, some dogs still won't tolerate it. That doesn't mean your dog wouldn't do well on a diet like that, it's just to illustrate my point.

Nature's Recipe is a really good, super premium dog food, as are the other brands you've been reading about. I think it is a food you can feel good about, and your dog will enjoy. I doubt that any diet alone is going to stop her seizures, though some say that a diet containing preservatives such as Ethoxyquin and BHT, BHA can cause seizures. Occasional seizures don't always require medication, you should discuss this with your veterinarian. None of the foods you're considering uses artificial preservatives. A better quality diet can help with her shedding, as would an Omega fatty acid supplement.

To ensure that your dog will tolerate any diet change, switch foods gradually, over a period of 5-7 days. Each day slowly decrease the amount of Beneful you give, as you increase the amount of the new food, until she's eating only the new food by the end of the week.

You can read more about what to look for in a quality dog food here:

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=betterproducts


You can compare brands of dog food by the ingredients they contain here:

http://www.naturapet.com/tools/comparison.asp

I hope I've been a help.
Best of luck,

Patti

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you Patti!
Your answer was so informative and the sites you provided me were excellent!

My dog liked Nature's Recipe. I returned it though and bought Orijen. It only had 22% Protein as did Beneful. Wellness had 28%, which was slightly better. I took it another step up and went with Orijen which provides 40% Protein. You dont understand how guilty I feel. The guy at the store said it was top of the line food. This is my way of making up for the neglect of feeding her Beneful for 8 long years.

I didnt gradually add it to your bowl like you said though.
Last night I just dumped 3/4 cup in her bowl, but she finished it.
I tried testing her palates - Beneful and Orijen in two bowls. She tried eating both! Unbelieveable! I took the Beneful away and gave her the Orijen only. Afterwards, however, she drank ALOT of water. Excessive drinking! Her behavior was a little off last night too. She was energetic. But when we were done playing with her, she just laid on the floor alone. Its a chihuahua! They never lay alone !

I'm praying that my abrupt change in the dog food wont hurt her, cause behavioral changes, or cause any allergies. I really should have waited for your email response before  completely replacing the Beneful with the Orijen.

I need to start getting some quality snacks for her. I'm not sure if any reserach is necessary there - just looking at the prices ($2 - $18) of a bag, its a give away, which is quality, which isnt. Such a huge price differencE!

Anyway - thanks again for your reply. I really appreciate it.

Hanna

ANSWER:
Hi Hanna,

Actually, 22% protein is quite adequate for an adult dog. You need to consider the source of protein, which is real Chicken and Turkey in the Nature's Recipe diet, whereas Beneful's protein is coming from ground corn, chicken by-product meal, and corn gluten meal (not high quality protein sources at all!).
Besides the protein's source, you also need to consider your dog's activity level. Proteins are necessary for all aspects of growth and development and to give energy for activities. Protein is burned as calories, but unused it will be converted to fat and stored in the body. If your dog is not running miles each day, or doing another activity such as rounding up cattle, or pulling a sled, where she's needing a diet that's 40% protein, the excessive protein she receives may be a diet that's just "too much of a good thing", and wind up being stored as fat.

The recommended percentage of protein for a moderately active adult dog is 18%-24%. What's done is done, as far as feeding your dog Beneful, there's no "making up", by feeding her a a diet that's wrong for her in other ways.

Dogs really don't need "treats". If you feel like you want to supplement your dog's diet, try a baby carrot, a little bit of banana, a blueberry or two, or an apple wedge (no apple seeds, they're toxic to dogs). Most dogs really love these fruits as treats, and they have the added plus of being non-fat and healthy! Just don't over do it, the extra fiber in fruit can cause diarrhea if your dog isn't used to eating them. It's probably best to start giving your dog fruit as a treat once she's been transitioned to the new dog food. Until then, Old Mother Hubbard (they also make Wellness dog food) makes a a couple varieties of really good quality dog biscuits. Though they're a supermarket brand, Iams Original Formula Small Biscuits are an acceptable dog treat too. It's okay to break the biscuit in half, your dog won't feel cheated, and you get twice as much from a box.

Best of luck,

Patti






---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Patti,
I did some research on the extra protien for smaller dogs and you are right. They really dont need that much protein. I read on Yahoo forums that Orijen and it excessive protien level hurt some dogs kidneys !
40%is probably killing her. I came home from work an hour ago and fed her dinner, but all she wanted was water. I filled the bowl with orijen, she wouldnt take it. I filled it with beneful and she wouldnt take it. i filled it with water and she chugged it, and again with another bowl. Its scaring me. I called the store and they said there shouldnt be anythign wrong with the food or the protein and that I can bring it back after tryihng for a few more days. I am a little reluctant about trying a FEW more days. I think I will give it a shot tomorrow morning and thats it. I think my poor chihuahua is bloated right now. I'm real worried. What advice can you give me. Things were going great with the Beneful, then I swtiched to Natures Recipe for a day and that worked too, and now with the Orijen shes just dyhydrated ! Help ...

And Ill take your advice. Carrots and healthy fruits for snacks !! Thanks again.Sorry with so many questions. Her health has always been real fragile and I just want the best for her.

Hanna

Answer

Hi Hanna,

No, that's not entirely correct. It's the dog's actively level that you should go by, not by the size of the dog. While I doubt that your Chihuahua will be pulling any sleds or rounding up cattle, it's possible that your dog does agility training, or another super active sport, in which case she might benefit from a diet with higher protein levels. But if she's doesn't, and she has a more sedate lifestyle, the 18-24% protein levels I mentioned before is more in line with her dietary needs.

Excessive protein won't hurt a dog's Kidneys, unless the dog already has Kidney disease. High protein doesn't cause Kidney disease, it causes weight gain from too many unused calories.

It's entirely possible that your dog's stomach is upset from changing her diet too abruptly. Give her stomach a rest tonight, if she doesn't feel like eating, don't push her. Tomorrow, don't spend time coaxing your dog into eating. Lay her food down and leave the room, you can easily train your dog to be a finicky eater by constantly changing it's food paired with too much food coaxing. As long as she isn't vomiting, acting lethargic, or has loose stools, she will eat when she's hungry.

I think you're better off with the Natures Recipe, given the high protein levels of the Orijen. Natures Recipe is a fine dog food your dog will thrive on. Starting tomorrow, begin to gradually change her diet from Beneful to Natures Recipe, give your dog the 5-7 days to gradually adjust to the new diet. Anytime you change your dog's diet, this is the way you'd do it.

Also, don't start giving your dog fruit for treats until she's completely transitioned to her new diet, and you know she's tolerating it. The added fiber of the fruit, and the change of diet can set your dog up for a case of diarrhea!

Your dog should have water available at all times. If you see that the bowl constantly needs filling, then you should consider having your dog examined by your vet. If your dog has an underlying health condition that you're trying to correct with a diet change, you should consult your vet for diet advice.

Feel free to ask as many questions as you have!

Best of luck,
Patti