Getting ahead of myself here, but something popped into my mind.

My dog has sensitive skin and allergies. Are the same dog food brands - Eukenuba, Iams etc available in Canada as in the UK? I guess they would be as they are owned by global organisations, but just wanted to check in case I need to look for an alternative.

Thanks.

They are but they do contain fillers such as corn, and corn meal, they may contain different ingredients, but there are several Canadian dog food companies that produce a quality food with less fillers then the big names.

Hi Sas,

We have 3 dogs and after trying really 'high quality, no crap, no fillers' dog food which really upset their tums because it was too rich I went into a pet-store and spoke with the manager who recommended 'Science Plan' for sensitive stomachs and they all love it and it hasn't upset their tums at all. (2 of my dogs have colitis).


What I wish I had done is list the ingredients of the dog food our dogs used to eat and try and find a similiar food that way.

good luck.

IAMS is not a good dog food. When they sell a dog food in Walmart, you can bet that its no good. It used to be good, but when they started selling it everywhere, they changed the formula. I feed my dogs Nutrisource Lamb and Rice, which is supposed to be really good.

Thanks for the info. My dog has an allergy problem and so I try to keep her off chicken and additives/colours etc. (Wonder if I should consider doing the same for myself?)

There are all manner of dog foods available here. We feed Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice which is about a buck a pound from supermarkets and pet food suppliers. We supplement it with assorted bones, $1 a bag from the butcher (free with large order) and the dog supplements that with horse shit (infinitely expensive) and small rodents (free in season).

Sounds good. She's used to finding crap here, but not so sure what she'd do about a small rodent if she found one!

I recommend California Natural or Eagle Pack. The former has only lamb or chicken, brown rice, safflower oil and vitamin E. The latter also has herbs, cranberries, veggies etc. but no waste products such as whey, I agree that Iams is terrible food. Since your dog has allergies, you might want to consider making your own food from recipes such as those in Pitcairn's "Natural Health for Dogs and Cats" but do not use bone meal in the recipes - use calcium tablets instead. I know allergies are tough to deal with. Stress often makes them worse. They also tend to be worse at certain times of the the year in Canada. Don't know where you'll be living but I suggest you consult a veterinarian trained in using natural and/or homeopathic remedies.

our dog is fed on raw meat & bones & occasionally nutro choice if we are going away with him (for convenience). Can you get raw meat supplies especially for dogs in Alberta?
Many allergies are often caused by the ingredients of dry complete foods which are in general rubbish. A natural diet is in my opinion better for them and often cures a lot of problems.

Thanks for all the info.

My dog's diet was recommended by the breeder, and then tweaked by the vet. I'll check out some of the companies you've recommended before I move, so we can be sorted asap.

Another thought, can I bring a small quantity of her food to keep her going when I fly out with her? Note to self: check what the rules and regs are on importing dog food.......and how to declare it.......

Like horses, you mean?

I agree that most commercial dog foods have a lot of junk, fillers, and waste products from other industries. If you want to feed your dog the BARF diet (Bones and Raw Food), you can get supplies at Mountain Dog Foods Inc., 14503 121A, Avenue, Edmonton. Phone (780) 443 3278. Web site is www.mountaindogfood.com
Hope this helps.

Interesting about the BARF diet.

I read an article by a vet somewhere (always a bit dodgy on my sources), that in climates where you have hot summers, like the Okanagan, it's not recommended to feed dogs raw meat as there's a risk of them getting salmonella, or similar during slow digestion?

I'll hold my hands up that I can't swear to this being verbatim what I read, but I'd be interested to get a more informed opinion, as a natural diet would be my preference for my dog.

Thanks again.

It's all very well feeding dogs a natural diet but what sort of meat is "especially for dogs"?

I have no idea!

That's my problem...I am looking for what's best for my mutt.