I have been through several dog foods in the past couple months ... it's been a nightmare.  To add to the problem, my 8 month old puppy is the pickiest eater on the face of the earth.

I finally found a dry food that was safe (ie not made by a company with recalls) and both dogs really like it so far.   However, I still wanted to find a canned food to feed the puppy - I like to give her an "extra" meal of canned every day. 

Someone had recommended EVO - which I tried for 5 or 6 days and she completely refused it.  No matter the amount or what I mixed it with.  Most she ever ate of it was three bites. 

So I took her with me to the pet store this past Sunday and explained the problem to the lady at the store.  She actually opened cans of dog food so my puppy could have a "taste test".   Well, Nature's Variety canned won hands down!  I bought a couple cans and she has been cleaning up about 90-95% of a can every morning (even with previous brands she liked she only ate about 75%).  So I am happy with that.  Now I'm just crossing my fingers that they don't get recalled or something!

Has anyone used the frozen?  I'm thinking about maybe supplementing her with a little bit of frozen, but it's sure expensive.  She's a sighthound breed, so quite skinny and keeping any weight on her has been near impossible.

I returned the remaining Evo (canned and dry) - neither dog would touch it.  And whereas the first day or two they'd eat a few bites, the last couple days they wouldn't even so much as lick it. 

Went to the petstore, explained the problem (still can't find a canned food my puppy will eat) and they actually opened up a can or two of different brands to see if any of them interested her (I had the pup along with me).  After the "taste test" ... Nature's Variety won hands-down.   I fed her this morning her first can of Nature's Variety and she ate 90% of it!  Yippee!!  Even with brands she has liked, she usually only eats about 75%.  Yes, she's very very picky and eats slower than a turtle). 

Glad EVO works for some people, but I got suspicious when my eat-everything-in-sight dog even refused the EVO. 

So they're on Canidae dry now and the puppy get an additional meal of Nature's Variety canned. 

My dogs are really liking the Canidae.  No problems with it thus far - no loose stools or anything else.  Actually rather amazing since this is the 3rd brand of dry dog food they've been on in the last 5 weeks. But so far, so good

I'm starting on week two of feeding Canidae - so far, so good.  I had actually tried them on InnovaEvo but they hated it.  As a test, I put out a bowl of Nutro Lamb & Rice, a bowl of Innova Evo and a bowl of Canidae.  Canidae won hands down (or should I say "paws down"   )  I have returned the InnovaEvo to the store. 

I drove almost an hour to a feed store to find more brands of dog food.  I came home with Canidae dry and Innova Evo dry and canned.  My dogs refused the Innova Evo.  I tried mixing it in small amounts with their old food...or even with the Canidae.  They'd eat around it. 

I am quite unhappy as I spent a good deal of money on it.   I've given it a week and still no interest. 

This morning I put out a different brand of canned food - (it hasNOT been recalled but the manufacturer has several related products that have been recalled, so I've been very reluctant to feed it) - anyhow, they cleaned it up and ignored the Evo.   So it's not a matter of that it's a "new" food to the dogs and so they are reluctant to eat it ... because this other can was a "new" food too (I had bought two cans and the next day read about recalls with the manufacturer so hadn't fed it yet)

So I'm going to stick with the Canidae dry... and keep looking for a canned.  Any suggestions?

[I had switched to the Chicken Soup canned for puppy about 8-10 days before the recall. I had fed the puppy a can of it the morning of the recall. I absolutely freaked out when I saw it. I sent an email to the company and got this response:]

I had switched to the Chicken Soup canned for puppy about 8-10 days before the recall.  I had fed the puppy a can of it the morning of the recall.   I absolutely freaked out when I saw it.   I sent an email to the company and got this response:

"We have not found melamine in any of the canned products. We are recalling
it because it contains rice protein concentrate, an ingredient that we did
not authorize and the rice protein concentrate has been recalled.

Discontinue feeding the food and your puppy will be fine. If the food had
been tainted with melamine, your puppy would have been very ill. The
symptoms come on very quickly, usually the first time the food is fed and
kidney failure occurs within 3-4 days (vomiting usually occurs after each
meal).

I'm sure your puppy and your dog will be fine. If you are concerned about
their health, I would suggest you contact your veterinarian.

Sincerely,

--
Melissa Brookshire, DVM
Director of Veterinary Services
Diamond Pet Foods
573-229-4203 (office)

I emailed back and stated that the day before (Thurs) I had fed it and scarily enough that morning my pup had sniffed at it and licked it and taken a bite or two and that was it.  But since that morning (Fri) she had scarfed it all up, I had quit worrying.  Now, in light of the recall,  I wondered if perhaps that can had been affected and with her keen sense of smell she knew somehow. 

I then got this response back from them:

All of the product has tested negative so I don't think there was something
different about that can that she was picking up on. It sounds like you are
keeping a close eye on her, which is great. Maybe calling your veterinarian
would help reassure you that she is ok. Your veterinarian may want to see
her just to be sure there is not anything going on with her.

Sincerely,

--
Melissa Brookshire, DVM


Y'know it would've been nice since my puppy had eaten their RECALLED food that morning ... and since I had good reason to believe at least one can could have been affected.....it would've been nice if they would've offered to pay to have a vet check her out...or offered to refund my money....or asked me to send in the remaining cans...


NEVER again will I feed ANY of their dog food. 

I had to drive almost an hour to find a feed store that carried more brands of dog food.   I came home with InnovaEvo and Canidae.   My dogs refused the InnovaEvo but dug right into the Canidae.  I have leftover dry food from the brand I fed before (it has not specifically been recalled but other products by same manufacturer have) and so I put some of that out next to the Canidae.  They completely ignored it.   

As far as various rumors about Canidae go... I have found none so far that have solid fact to support them.  Keep in mind, that unfortunately some companies are paying reps to post lies about other brands.   My friend who works for a major brand says that right now the competition for pet owner's business is huge as many companies are experiencing a loss of sales.  She says that some of the marketing strategies she's heard discussed in the past month border on rude and dishonest. 

Anyhow - it's only been a week since my dogs have switched to Canidae, but so far I'm happy with it.   I also appreciate the fact that when I emailed the company I got a response back within hours.