Royal Canin or Natural choice?
 

my little yorkie snickers has been on Royal Canin food, but i'm not sure if its th best choice or not because it has corn in it..and some people have been telling me that natural choice lamb and rice is the best kind of food you can feed your dog. but...IM SO CONFUSED! i dont know if i should switch or not...HELP!! SOMEONE!

Rocky LOVES Royal Canin. I've heard good reviews from people on here about it, and after he ate our friends dogs whole bowl of it I decided it's probably best for him. I hope someone else can help you out better though.

Nutro Natrual Choice (Lamb & Rice/small bites)

Ingredients
Lamb Meal, Ground Rice, Rice Flour, Rice Bran, Soybean Oil, Sunflower Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of natural Vitamin E), Poultry Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of natural Vitamin E), Natural Flavors, Rice Gluten, Dried Egg Product, Dried Beet Pulp (sugar removed), Potassium Chloride, L-Lysine, Dried Kelp (source of Iodine), Salt, Choline Chloride, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Taurine, Ferrous Sulfate, Ascorbic Acid (source of Vitamin C), Biotin, Copper Proteinate, Niacin, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (source of Vitamin B2), Vitamin A Supplement, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B6), Thiamine Mononitrate (source of Vitamin B1), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K activity), Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid.

Royal Canin (presumably Yorkshire 28 Formula)

Ingredients
Chicken meal, rice, brown rice, chicken fat (naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols, citric acid and rosemary extract), chicken, corn gluten meal, dried egg powder, barley, natural chicken flavor, cellulose, beet pulp (sugar removed), salmon oil, brewers yeast, potassium chloride, soya oil, fructo-oligosaccharides, salmon meal, sodium tripolyphosphate, brewers yeast extract (Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation solubles), alfalfa meal, taurine*, Vitamins [dl-alpha tocopherol (source of vitamin E), inositol, niacin, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C*), d-calcium pantothenate, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin (vitamin B2), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A acetate, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement], flax seed, borage oil, choline chloride, dried spinach, magnesium oxide, Trace Minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, calcium iodate], glucosamine hydrochloride, dried sweet potatoes, dried apples, dried bluberries, green tea extract, chondroitin sulfate, L-tyrosine, garlic, ginger.

I personally would not feed either one. The Nutro has lesser protein, by about 7 points actually and everyone has their own opinions on the needs of small breeds. It's always best to speak w/ a certified nutritionalist in order to really get a true understanding, imo. But as far as both foods go, they do not have enough protein sources within the first four ingredients for me to consider feeding them. NUTRO- has sunflower oil...studies are showing it may be on the carcinogen list in dogs, but most importantly, BOTH foods have wayyy too many fillers in them. Your dog could be getting better nutrition out of there diet than this. Each dog requires different things. And just because you're dog looks good on the outside doesn't neccessarily mean he looks just as good on the inside. Often times the outside is a reflection of the inside, but I don't rely on that.
jm2c

http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dog...ml#Ingredients

(this is one of the dry kibbles I feed most of my dogs...including two Yorkies)

I just appreciate the protein sources and less fillers this kibble has to offer.
There's another one I feed, but it's imported from overseas and can't be bought here on the shelves just yet.

so what is the most healtheist?
 

so if royal canin and natural choice arent good choices, what is the best choice for a 3 month old yorkie? :confused: HELP!!!

I feed mine Royal Canin

I also feed Natural Balance.....but I use the Venison and Brown Rice formula.

That's just it.
What works well for one dog, doesn't always work well for the next.
The BEST thing you can do is find a few foods that are considered "healthy" w/ next to no fillers and extra "junk" and try to see which one appeals to his palat. I know that spinach and brussel sprouts are good for me, but I wouldn't touch them w/ a ten foot pole! On the other hand, I know that other vegetables are also good for me and I choose those.
Present your little one w/ the right healthy choices and he can make the call if you'd like to do it that way. There are always little sample bags you can get.

I'd recommend trying the Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance. You can get it at PetCo or a local feed store. Otherwise there is a newer food out that has a reference to Timber wolves that you can buy and there's only one formula out of a few (the one that has NO Sunflower Oil) that I would say try.

Let me know if you'd like other recommendations if these don't work for you!

i switched romeo from r/c to nutro lamb and rice. he won't eat the healthier food.

All 3 of mine are on Natural Balance potato and duck. It is for all life stages from puppy to adult and they all 3 love it. Plus it has great things in it.

Natural Balance, out of all the food mentioned here certainly has healthier ingredients and in healthier portions, but people here that are unfamiliar w/ it should know that if you've got a Yorkie w/ a particularly small mouth, they may have a hard time eating the somewhat larger round kibble pieces of N.B..
If it becomes an issue, you could always soften it some, or go w/ an equally healthy diet that offers smaller kibble.

You can also put the Natural Balance kibble in a blender/food processor for a few seconds and it makes them small enough.

That is a good idea!

Okay.....I have never heard of nautral balance?? You say you can get it at Petco and PetsMart?

Mojo was on Eukanuba when we got him, then we switched to Royal Canin and after his tummy issues (sensitive tummy) we switched to Nutro lamb and rice (small bites).....every now and then, we mix it wth some Royal Canin (Yorkshire 28).

Is this natural balance for sensitive tummies too?

Jenn, it's not laden w/ the many things that cause sensitive tummys to go ary. I would have to venture a "Yes, he should be just fine" on this one. There are a few other formulas within the Natural Balance family that you could get other than my fav. (The Original). They make treats out of the soft logs that you can buy (made from the same stuff as the dry kibble), I'd buy a small bag of those treats and see how he handles it. I use that stuff for my tracking bait too! ;)

The blender idea is a fabulous one!

One last thing, you can't get Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance at PetSmart. Only PetCo (out of the chain stores like it) have a contract to carry this brand. Otherwise you'd have to go to a smaller mom and pop store or a feed store.

<My babies eat Natural Balance
 

Mya eats Royal Canin 33. She still likes her food soaked in hot water and left to go warm. We ran out of food for and I gave her pedigree meal time, what my Pom used to like. Soak in hot water and left to cool and she ate it too.
So in an emergency I learned as long as it is prepared the way she likes she will eat it. But we still keep her on the Royal Canin.

I feed my California natural lamb and rice. He likes everything.

I can not get Natural Balance at Petsmart and I don't have a Petco so I have to drive 1/2 an hour away at a pet food supply store. I actually just went yesterday. I had to find something for my chihuahua that has an irritable bowel, she was originally on Science Diet prescription(not a good food) by the vet. I wanted something better but easy on her tummy. I researched for a week on all the different brands and found this to be the best for us since it is for all life stages I can feed it to all 3 of mine who are all different ages. Luckily they all like it. I do give the chichuahua the canned potato duck mixed with her kibble, she is the only one that gets the soft(I am trying to break her of the soft) because she was on canned food years ago when I got her and that is all she would eat. I had to gradually get her to eat kibble too. My yorkie puppy(5 1/2 months) Lily is very tiny and has a tiny mouth, when I got her the breeder was grinding her food in a coffe grinder, it looked like powder. She did this because she thought her mouth was too small for kibble. Well I grinded her food about a week and thought I better introduce kibble or she would never get use to it. She loves the Natural Balance kibble. You would think by looking at her she could never fit it in her mouth and crunch it, but she does and I think she likes it because she loves the crunching. Natural Balance also has great treats and my dogs love all of them, especially the lamb rounds. If you can't find Nat.B. in your area you could always order online. I highly recommend it.

Thanks......I am going to ask the vet what she thinks of the food......I think I will buy a small pack and take it too her to see........I am always so nervous about trying anything new for Mojo........hate it when his tummy doesn't feel good! Thanks again for the advice!

I feed Bailey, Royal Canin Yorkshire Formula, I tried a few others that her breeder had mixed for her dogs but this one works the best for her.
I kept her on the Royal Canin puppy formula until she was a year old per my veterinarians instructions. She has a sensitive tummy and will throw up if she eats something besides her kibble. I give her Nature's Recipe Training treats I get at PetSmart but only a few a day. (She is litterboxed trained and goes to get me to show me she needs a treat....):aimeeyork

My yorkie has been on natural balance since the day I got her. She absolutely loves it. She's never been on wet food since she's been with me. I think it's one of few nutrious brands of dog food that actually tastes good. My cousin's poodle whe never liked to eat dog food is now eating natural balance. I have a tiny yorkie and she's never had any problems chewing her kibble, losing baby teeth and all.

Iwas told that merrick dry and canned & natures variety raw is the best-VERY HEALTHY
 

Hi Everyone,
My Vet Told Me If I Want A Healthy Yorkie That Will Virtually Have No Health Issues, To Feed Him Natures Variety Prairie Raw Medallions Food. It Is Frozen, So You Defrost A Couple Of Pieces At A Time For Your Yorkie.
I Also Am Feeding Him Merrick Dry Food With A Little Of The Merrick Canned Food , Mixed With The Raw Food.
Oh, And The Evt Told Me That He Will Have Small Poops And They Will Be Condensed. And He Was Right. The Cheaper The Food The More Your Dog Will Poop And It Will Be On The Soft Side Sometimes.
Thanks
Elle57

elle57....please be careful feeding kibble along with a raw diet. They should never be fed at the same time and if I remember correctly never within a few hours of each other.

I have tried a lot of different foods for Gucci. She ate Natural Balance for a while but then she just wouldnt eat it anymore. We also try Merrick but she didnt eat it either. She has being eating Canidae for the last year and she hasnt have any problems with it. Canidae is a healthy and all stage food. The kibble is small so is easy to chew.

Dog food samples
 

If you are looking to try out a new dog food go online and ask for a sample. I did this with a few different companies and they all sent samples. I now have a basket of sample packages, I went with california natural. I use the other samples as treats.

Natural Balance Organic, which Buddy has been on for almost one year, does have small kibble. It was given 5 stars on that review sometime ago. I add
fresh chicken breast to it. Never one kibble left in the bowl. The review said they would like to see alittle more protein in it so with the added chicken that makes up the needed protein. Hope this helps. Carol & Buddy:aimeeyork

I used to feed Daisy the Nutro Lamb and Rice and Daisy liked it, I switched to Merricks because that is the favorite food going around here, but I needed a bag so I went and got Royal Canine Yorkie formula and Daisy LOVES it. We're actually going to the vet tomorrow for her one year check up and shots, and I'm going to ask which one do they think is better. They are pretty honest and my parents have used them for years, so I will post their response tomorrow.

why can i not mix the two foods ?
 

hi, why cant i mix the prairie raw with the dry food from merrick? what will happen if fed together or not hours apart. i have been doing this for about 2 weeks and so far nothing has happened. now i am scared.

hi, why cant i feed both at the same time? what will happen to him if i do? i ahve been doing this for about 2 weeks now and everything seems ok with him. now i am scared