Natures Menu

renegade

Has anyone used or is using this for their dog?
I am looking to change my dogs feeding habits, he is on Arden Grange junior but it getting so expensive and to be honest he will only eat it if he is really hungry last thing at night.I also give him Cesar wet food, he is now going off this and I frequently end up throwing it in the bin.
I really am struggling, bought some cheap mince and cooked it, he liked that with rice, he likes cooked chicken(not bones) but it tends to make his bowels loose.I have to add that because he is so small he does'nt eat a lot but I want to find him something that he looks forward to eating and not eat just because he is ' starving hungry'. He is 18mnths old x breed Yorkie/Papillon.

rising_from_the_ashes

If he likes the mince and it doesn't upset his tum - why not stick with that?

I batch cook a load of either mince or chicken and mix with veg (usually carrots, cabbage etc) and them freeze into individual portions. Once you get into the habit, it's easy to remember to take one out the freezer when you're making their dinner each morning/evening.

You can buy big value frozen packs from most supermarkets so it works out really economical (especially compared to tinned)

HTH

Nod_Off

I don't think I've ever met a yorkie who was a good eater.

I have used Natures Menu in the past (as a supplement to dry food) and mine have been fine on it. Now, I tend to use fish4Dogs mousse (one of my dogs is fussy but he loves anything fish flavoured), Naturediet or Applaws sachets.

You could always just make his meals yourself - there will be plenty of websites that can advise on this. You may find that if he is only going to eat mince & rice, that he will need to get some kind of vitamin supplement as that alone won't provide all the nutrients that he will need.

CFC

I've met a Yorkie who would eat anything that wasn't nailed down.
On topic directly though, I feed my small boy Nature's Diet, which is 100% human grade food. He enjoys it, and what is more relevant is that his Best Mates, a pair of Yorkies who visit every Friday,make a bee line for his bowl when they arrive and finish off everything in it. Tbh even I've fancied it on occasions, it smells really nice. It's about 92p a packet, but half a packet a day is enough for a small dog, if yours is very small it might be just one third.

krlyr

If you want to go for a good quality wet food that doesn't cost the earth than maybe give Wainwrights wet food trays a try. Not used them myself but used to feed Naturediet which Wainwrights is meant to be very similar too. Only PAH stock it but you can buy online. PAH often do 3 for 2 or BOGOF on the Wainwrights range too, so if he likes it you could stock up when it's on offer. Not entirely sure about Wainwrights but I know you could microwave Naturediet which gives it a stronger, more appetising (to dogs, at least!) smell, it's never failed me with a fussy dog.
Homecooked or even raw feeding could be an option but I agree with the poster who said mince and veg isn't a complete, balanced diet. If you want to make your own food then please research it carefully - it can be a fantastic way of feeding a dog, but it can be an easy way to cause a deficiency too if not done properly. A dog needs bones (raw) and offal (liver, kidney, pancreas, etc) for essential vitamins and minerals, and if you're not feeding them then you need a supplement that provides them. There's lots of resources online about homecooked diets or raw diets for dogs, so worth a read.

lynzpower

Our jazzie tends to have nature diet/wainwrights or natures menu depending what is on offer at PAH . Think natures menu is her fave ( not the pouches, just the trays. fusspot!)

Cesar is a total rip off compared to naturediet as naturediet is just so much denser, she needs a lot less. Its a rare day she would eat more than half a packet wheras when Ive had to get her cesears ( ie awaiting delivery) she will do a tray in a blink of an eye.

PAH also do raw frozen food in the chest freezers as well but she hasnt tried them yet.

WolfSong2000

why not try mixing up her food a little? As long as she gets used to it gradually there should be no problems...I reckon dogs are like people - they get bored having the same thing day in, day out...why not spice up food with some cottage cheese or even raw chicken wings (most raw bones, including chicken wings are fine - it's the cooked bones that cause problems!)

CFC

I agree with you Wolfsong. They do get bored.Last week little un decided that Nature Diet was prison rations and I had to cook him some chicken for a change. He's going back on it this week though, cooking for us is a big enough problem without cooking for dawg as well.
I don't like wainwrights although mutt likes it. I have had to chuck out quite a few packets where the seal has been suspect and the content has stunk. As it's not terrifically cheap, chucking out a packet unused means it's not any cheaper than Nature's Diet, which I have had no problems with in terms of the seal.

krlyr

CFC wrote: »

I agree with you Wolfsong. They do get bored.Last week little un decided that Nature Diet was prison rations and I had to cook him some chicken for a change. He's going back on it this week though, cooking for us is a big enough problem without cooking for dawg as well.
I don't like wainwrights although mutt likes it. I have had to chuck out quite a few packets where the seal has been suspect and the content has stunk. As it's not terrifically cheap, chucking out a packet unused means it's not any cheaper than Nature's Diet, which I have had no problems with in terms of the seal.

Save the iffy packs (seal them up in a sandwich bag or something) and take them back for an exchange/refund - you have a right to 'fit for purpose' goods! Funny you should say that though as I've heard tons of complaints about Naturediet packs being sealed incorrectly (think the factory had issues, they shut down for a while to address it earlier this year) but none about Wainwrights.

CFC

You're quite right krylr I should take them back, but I don't have time and they are too stinky to be left till the next week's shopping - and I felt they were too dangerous to have them hanging around.

I would say that I have had more than 10% of all wainwrights packs as being suspect, which is extremely bad.

Fridaycat

lynzpower wrote: »

PAH also do raw frozen food in the chest freezers as well but she hasnt tried them yet.

Hi. Sorry being a cat person on a doggy thread, but I was just wondering if anyone knew whether or not PAH also have frozen raw food for cats? I've never even noticed a freezer in the couple of PAH stores I go to, though haven't really looked either.