Hi Everyone!
I'm new here! My name is Donna and I'm the proud mommy of Sheba, a 3 year old Yorkie Poo and Brandy, an 11 year old Sheltie mix.
About a month ago I swore off all foods with dyes and by products and all in them and since then I have been driving myself crazy!!
They were both happy with the junk food I had been feeding them but even when I was feeding them the "junk food", I would try to get Sheba to eat the Beneful in the morning and I still had to beg her and hand feed her bits and pieces throughout the morning which was a hassle. I couldn't leave it on the floor for her to pick at because Brandy would eat it as soon as I turned my head.
My goal was to get them off of junk food and eventually get Sheba on an all dry food diet like Brandy.
I have been running back and forth to the pet food stores for samples of everything of which none would she eat for a month now. This running back and forth is quite a feat since I live in the woods and there's nothing within 30 miles one way in any direction! But...I did it for my baby!
Brandy eats anything (and I mean anything) and I had settled with Merrick's Dry food for her.
Brandy would eat a rock if you put it in a sandwich baggie because sandwich baggies hold food after all.
I wanted a food that they both could eat and something healthy.
Sheba has been being stubborn ever since...she'd hold out all day till I fed her canned food for dinner.
I had settled on the Royal Canine but even that she wouldn't eat after a few days.
I had read in this site how someone put it in water and it took forever to dissolve and I realized that it was Sheba's problem...it wasn't letting her poo.
Everything went haywire when Sunday morning I opened the Merrick dry and found live meal worms!!!
I threw everything out and decided to start at square one.
I called the vet for advice as to what to feed them since every type I've tried, Sheba wouldn't eat any of them but he was busy saving lives at the animal hospital so I had to wait.
And by the way, Sheba's not spoiled ~ she's treated exactly as God intended her to be!!
While waiting for the vet to return my call I found your site.
I laughed and laughed when I read how one of the posts talked about handfeeding their baby because it's the only way they would eat. I read it outloud to my husband who also laughed at how these little bundles of love have the ability to not only make us jump through hoops but they have also found a way to light the hoops on fire and make us jump through them...all it takes it a little look at them at we jump!!
All of her life I have been begging her to eat breakfast and sometimes even the canned food at dinner and I had resorted to hand feeding her bits and pieces through out the morning which I knew was a bad habit but what was I supposed to do??.
Brandy won't go potty till she eats breakfast which is so funny ~ she's so driven by food that she'll literally dance while eating!
And I've always prepped Sheba's breakfast at the same time as Brandy's even though she didn't care. I'd beg her to eat and she wouldn't.
And I could never leave it on the floor for her to pick at because Brandy would eat it so hand feeding and begging was the only way.
I was even having anxiety attacks because in April my MIL is coming to stay here with the girls and I know she wouldn't take care of Sheba as she needs to be.
I read all of the posts about which food to eat and I was just about to go back to the pet food store when the vet called and asked me to stop and get some samples of Flint River.
That was 3 days ago and now it's as if the angels are singing over my house!!
I'm elated!!!
Not only is Sheba now waiting for me to prep her breakfast but eats it right up!!!
In about a week or two I should be able to have her on a full dry food diet!!
(I drizzle some hot water on it so that it's warm for them...)
Because she had stopped eating dry food altogether I have to add a little canned food to make the transition easier but this little sweetheart is gobbling up her breakfast just as fast as Brandy always did!!!
And at dinner I am slowly transitioning her to a full dry diet by decreasing the amount of canned.
Before if I tried to slip dry food into her canned food she would either stick her nose in the air and walk away or pick the dry pieces out and put them on the floor...sound familiar anyone??
I am completely amazed!! I asked them if they hide chocolate in it or something, which I know that they don't but I am completely amazed!!!
It's slightly more expensive than the other natural foods but you feed them much less...it works out to about 80 cents a day!! (calculate how much your human family eats per day and that's nothing!)
And you can only order it through a distributor or through the website but the shipping is free and it's delivered to your door if you choose.
I believe that you can find a local distributor if you prefer to through the website but the site will send you samples if can't find a local distributor.
I am not affiliated at all with this company so don't think I'm pulling a fast one.
I've tried everything and nothing else has worked. It was getting to the point where I was worrying myself sick because Sheba, who is my heart, wouldn't eat willingly!!
I'm a heart disease survivor and I've really been stressed out and running myself ragged trying to find a healthy food that she will eat!!
And now I have!!
I hope this helps someone as much as you guys helped me get through a horrible day on Sunday. (and it was horrible!! I was sick to my stomach all day and had to bleach clean everything!!)
Between the informative posts and the laughs at how other people are just as wrapped up by their babies as I am, you guys were SO much help!!
I was told that companies that use old grains or store their dog food with other products like bird seed can result in meal worm infestation and that is not possible with Flint River as they only buy as much grain as they need (no old stuff sitting around) and they also use organic chicken so there is no hormones!!
I thank you all and I look forward to getting to know you all better.
I just had to jump in here and share what a blessing this food has been for me!
I hope it's okay if I post the link to the site ~ I had seen it on other posts so I'm assuming it's okay.
I just want to help others who want to do the best for their heart and soul's and help keep others from going through alot of money, time and energy like I did.
Flint River Ranch
Donna ~ aka Sheba's Mommy