5 month old mini pin dog food??!!?

Question

I've taken in a 5 month old female minpin into my home. I love her, I've had her for a month and she's doing great! Her previous owners were feeding her science diet, but i researched it and realized it isn't meat based and doesn't have any real meat in it, and uses fillers as the first ingredients. I went to PETCO & purchased purina proplan because the ingredients looked good and I had read up about it. Daisy doesn't really like it though, we feed her 3 times a day, in the morning & nighttime we only give it to her dry (maybe 1/3 a cup) but in the midday, we give her 1/4 cup of dog food mixed in with maybe a tablespoon of canned food. She really doesn't like it unless it's mixed in with canned food, so i'm looking to switch. Right now, Im thinking of purchasing Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lover's soul. I've heard good things about it & the ingredients seem great! Please let me know ifthis is a good food, and if not, what other foods are good! Also, is it OK to give her canned food too?

Answer 1

To be honest, stay away from Purina. The ingredients may look good to someone who isn't 100% sure of what they are. Purina's nutritional value is that of a McDonalds Cheeseburger :( Not good for your dog.

Chicken Soup is a good dog food but you can do better for the price.

I feed Canidae! AWESOME food and dog owners swear by it. If you cannot find this I highly recommend Nutro Ultra.

Here is a Dog Food Scoring Sheet and How To: Do remember that some brands are named here but it's only that actual brand and type that scores that score. Chicken Soup senior scored 115 but that doesn't mean the other types score the same. Good Luck!

How to grade your dog's food:
Start with a grade of 100:

1) For every listing of "by-product", subtract 10 points

2) For every non-specific animal source ("meat" or "poultry", meat, meal or fat) reference, subtract 10 points

3) If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points

4) For every grain "mill run" or non-specific grain source, subtract 5 points

5) If the same grain ingredient is used 2 or more times in the first five ingredients (i.e. "ground brown rice", "brewerâ⬢?s rice", "rice flour" are all the same grain), subtract 5 points

6) If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points

7) If it contains any artificial colorants, subtract 3 points

8 ) If it contains ground corn or whole grain corn, subtract 3 points

9) If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 more points

10) If the food contains any animal fat other than fish oil, subtract 2 points

11) If lamb is the only animal protein source (unless your dog is allergic to other protein sources), subtract 2 points

12) If it contains soy or soybeans, subtract 2 points

13) If it contains wheat (unless you know that your dog isnâ⬢?t allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points

14) If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isnâ⬢?t allergic to beef), subtract 1 point

15) If it contains salt, subtract 1 point

Extra Credit:

1) If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points

2) If the food is endorsed by any major breed group or nutritionist, add 5 points

3) If the food is baked not extruded, add 5 points

4) If the food contains probiotics, add 3 points

5) If the food contains fruit, add 3 points

6) If the food contains vegetables (NOT corn or other grains), add 3 points

7) If the animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic-free, add 2 points

8 ) If the food contains barley, add 2 points

9) If the food contains flax seed oil (not just the seeds), add 2 points

10) If the food contains oats or oatmeal, add 1 point

11) If the food contains sunflower oil, add 1 point

12) For every different specific animal protein source (other than the first one; count "chicken" and "chicken meal" as only one protein source, but "chicken" and "" as 2 different sources), add 1 point

13) If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, add 1 point

14) If the vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are pesticide-free, add 1 point

94-100+ = A
86-93 = B
78-85 = C
70-77 = D
<70 = F

Here are some foods that have already been scored. If you don't see your dog's food here, ask and someone will score it for you.
Dog Food scores:

Alpo Prime Cuts / Score 81 C

Artemis Large/Medium Breed Puppy / Score 114 A+

Authority Harvest Baked / Score 116 A+

Authority Harvest Baked Less Active / Score 93 B

Beowulf Back to Basics / Score 101 A+

Bil-Jac Select / Score 68 F

Blackwood 3000 Lamb and Rice / Score 83 C

Blue Buffalo Chicken and Rice / Score 106 A+

Burns Chicken and Brown Rice / Score 107 A+

Canidae / Score 112 A+

Chicken Soup Senior / Score 115 A+

Diamond Maintenance / Score 64 F

Diamond Lamb Meal & Rice / Score 92 B

Diamond Large Breed 60+ Formula / Score 99 A

Diamond Performance / Score 85 C

Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium / Score 122 A+

Dick Van PattenⳠNatural Balance Venison and Brown Rice / Score 106 A+

Dick Van Patten's Duck and Potato / Score 106 A+

EaglePack Holistic / Score 102 A+

Eukanuba Adult / Score 81 C

Eukanuba Puppy / Score 79 C

Flint River Senior / Score 101 A+

Foundations / Score 106 A+

Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold / Score 93 B

Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium / Score 73 D

Innova Dog / Score 114 A+

Innova Evo / Score 114 A+

Innova Large Breed Puppy / Score 122 A+

Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables / Score 110 A+

MemberⳠMark Chicken and Rice / Score 84 C

Merrick Wilderness Blend / Score 127 A+

NatureⳠRecipe / Score 100 A

NatureⳠRecipe Healthy Skin Venison and Rice / Score 116 A+

NatureⳠVariety Raw Instinct / Score 122 A+

Nutra Nuggets Super Premium Lamb Meal and Rice / Score 81 C

Nutrience Junior Medium Breed Puppy / Score 101 A+

Nutrisource Lamb and Rice / Score 87 B

Nutro Max Adult / Score 93 B

Nutro Natural Choice Oatmeal / Score 101 A+

Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice / Score 98 A

Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy / Score 87 B

Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Lamb and Rice Puppy / Score 98 A

Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Wheat Free / Score 86 B

Nutro Natural Choice Senior / Score 95 A

Nutro Ultra Adult / Score 104 A+

Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice / Score 23 F

Premium Edge Chicken, Rice and Vegetables Adult Dry / Score 109 A+

Pro Nature Puppy / Score 80 C

Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach / Score 94 A

Purina Benful / Score 17 F

Purina Dog / Score 62 F

Purina Come-n-Get It / Score 16 F

Purina One Large Breed Puppy / Score 62 F

Royal Canin Boxer / Score 103 A+

Royal Canin Bulldog / Score 100 A+

Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult / Score 106 A+

Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+ / Score 63 F

Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies / Score 69 F

Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice / Score 97 A

Solid Gold / Score 99 A

Summit / Score 99 A

Timberwolf Organics Wild & Natural Dry / Score 120 A+

Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken / Score 110 A+

Wolfking Adult Dog (bison) by Solid Gold / Score 97 A

Answer 2

Whether the old food was nutritious or not, she used to it. I wouldn't give in. Stick to the food you bought, she will come around. Hunger is a great motivator. (I am not being mean. But its not like you can explain it to her.)

The Purina Proplan is a good choice. I am not familiar with the other product.

Answer 3

dogs love being the one to make the rules, take your place as the head of her household and feed her what you believe is good for her health, not just what she likes... kinda like letting a child eat only ice cream or candy bars.... anyway, first thing i would do is take away the canned food or atleast reduce to once a week, htough many disagree, canned is not the way to go. then she will learn to eat her main entree of dry food instead of holding for dessert at lunch....