skyler08

I posted this in another thread also. 2 very informative sites I used when choosing foods were. www.dogfoodproject.com (tells you many diff. ingredients to avoid and ones that are good) www.dogfoodanalysis.com (rates diff. dogfoods and gives their opinion on them)

2 very informative sites I used when choosing foods were. www.dogfoodproject.com (tells you many diff. ingredients to avoid and ones that are good) www.dogfoodanalysis.com (rates diff. dogfoods and gives their opinion on them)

I just recently switched from Canidae to Merrick, the wilderness blend. I must say the girls LOVE it and it smells alot better than the new Canidae. Also the dry formula, if you add water to it, it makes a thick gravy which they absolutely love. It is pricey but a very good dogfood.

Call me a little behind here, but I just found out about the mixing water with Merrick and it makes a thick gravy. The dogs loved it. That's a pretty neat idea.

That's great! I always wish I could adopt every homeless dog from our shelter. If only it was possible.

The things we do for our dogs! Yeah, I know. But it's worth it, they are a part of the family.

That's the way Skylers' have always looked, kind of up, down and all over the place. She can control them pretty well. Piper's seem to bo down all the time. They are both 7 months, so I'm sure things could change still. Piper is on the left, Skyler the right

Well as far as the food goes, today was the first day Skyler and Piper tried their Merrick. I have a 15lb bag of the new Canidae and just bought a 30lb bag of Merrick "wilderness blend". I'm gonna mix it for a week or so. They seem to love it and it smells good, like something I might eat. I hope it doesn't give them any problems. Also another great thing is it was $45.00 for a 30lb bag. On Merricks website it's $67.00 a 30lb bag, I wanted to compare and order online if it was cheaper. Skyler also just got back from the vet and a tech expressed her anal glands. She said one side was pretty full but not infected or anything and the other side wasn't bad at all. I'm glad though, she seems to be feeling much better. She was biting and chewing her bum pretty bad for a day or so.

That's good to hear, I was also gonna go with the "wilderness blend". Yeah that's the only bad part, it's kinda pricey.

I think I'm gonna give Merrick a go. Looks really good and they can get it at my local feed store. I may put some others in rotation later on if they seem to make the transition well. Piper made the transition from junky (DADS) dogfood fed at the kennel to Canidae. And she went cold turkey with that. I also just found out PETCO has Wellness and Solid Gold. I didn't know they carried decent food there.

I haven't seen any worms in her poop, but we are scheduling a vet appt. as soon as possible.

Like afrancis said we also use the play first method before walks. When Piper and Skyler are tired they walk much better also. When they get too pulling and acting too crazy we make them do a a sit,stay. Kind of a timeout, and it seems to help.

Thanks everyone, I kinda though that was the problem. I will take her to the vet to have it done, then we'll see about doing it ourselves.

Lately Skyler has been doing the old but drag after she poos and she's been licking and biting at her bum. I've heard they need their "anal glands" drained or something to that effect. I don't know if it is that or maybe she has allergies. She really doesn't itch all too often or really dig at any other areas. Any ideas?

Skyler is a crazy licker also, Piper not so much. Like Tigas mom said, it doesn't bother us either. When my fiances parents watched her for a week, her cousin gave her the nickname "lizard dog" because he said she looked like a lizard flicking her tongue out. She mainly just air licks though.