Switching from TOTW, recommendations?

[621mum]

Hi, everyone! Long time no post.

My dogs have been on TOTW for about 2.5 years, but for that whole time, one of them just really hasn't liked it. She eats well enough in the evening, but in the morning it's a struggle to get her to eat.

It's possible that she just isn't hungry in the morning, but she'll certainly snarf up a biscuit. So, I think that she just doesn't like the TOTW and eats it in the evening because by then she really is very hungry. I guess we could do once a day feeding with her, but we feed the other dog 2x a day, so...

I tried them on Canidae when TOTW was not available for a month or so, and it seemed to cause some digestive issues for the older dog. So, we gradually put them back on TOTW.

So, the question in this long story is would you switch them due to her not eating in the morning? If yes, what prepared brand (that I can find online) would you recommend? Raw isn't really an option because they are sometimes fed by my teens or spouse and they just wouldn't do it.

Thanks in advance!

[AllieMackie]

Are you in the states? A lot of folks here have switched to Earthborn Holistic with good results.

Here at my store in Canada we've been moving folks off of TOTW onto First Mate Grain Free or Acana.

[~Tucker&Me~]

Originally Posted by AllieMackie

Are you in the states? A lot of folks here have switched to Earthborn Holistic with good results.

Here at my store in Canada we've been moving folks off of TOTW onto First Mate Grain Free or Acana.

I am curious, why do you move people onto FM? I often moved people away from it at my store because I think it has a an unnecessary amount of potato.

[AllieMackie]

Originally Posted by ~Tucker&Me~

I am curious, why do you move people onto FM? I often moved people away from it at my store because I think it has a an unnecessary amount of potato.

It's not because I like the food all that much (it's not terrible, but I agree, a lot of potato/filler for the price). Our customers want a Canadian grainfree food since they're switching off of TOTW, and since TOTW is like $70 here, and FM is closer to $50, it attracts people. Keep in mind that a lot of folks here are on TOTW simply because it's grainfree, not because they care about ingredient quality. Our TOTW customers are "I want grainfree what is grainfree" people.

I switch most to Acana, TBH. The ones who go to FM are the ones who hate the $70 price tag of TOTW.

[*blackrose]

Have you tried a different flavor of TOTW? Chloe wasn't too fond of the Pacific Stream, but she LOVED Wetlands. The bison formula is also really smelly/tasty.

Due to cost issues (poor college student), I switched the dogs over to 4Health and haven't had an issue. Chloe used to not eat her food at all - we tried Canidae, Blue Buffalo, Chicken Soup, and California Naturals. It wasn't until TOTW Wetlands that she really started enjoying her food. She made the switch to the "grain free" 4Health without any problems.

[Maxy24]

Before deciding to switch I would be sure you are not feeding too much. Tucker was having a very similar problem. We just thought he wasn't big into food. He would leave food behind at many of his meals or completely ignore a meal (usually breakfast) and then snarf up the next. We cut back on the amount of food he got and he was immediately thrilled with both meals (now he is pumped for feeding time, dances around and pants) and started licking the bowl clean at every meal.

You wouldn't have to cut back to once a day feeding, just feeding less at each meal. So unless your dog is thin, that's what I'd do first. Sometimes switching can make a dog who is getting too much to eat ravenously at first because it tastes so good, but then they fall back into their old way once the food isn't new and exciting and they are still being fed too much.


If that's not it, I don't really have any suggestions lol. Tucker is on Acana, but I have not seen him since they changed their formula so not sure if it's has any negative (or positive) affects. I do think his gas was better (less) on TOTW than it is on Acana. I sort of want to try Innova (they have grain free now) or EVO, I'm just sort of nervous about the company.

[Renee750il]

I haven't switched mine from EVO RM yet -- even though I'm not happy with the buyout or the change in some of the red meats used (they've ditched the bison and venison). I haven't found anything that's realistically available to me that compares. I keep looking at Earthborn, and I've come close to trying it, but it is so far off on the protein and caloric density

Tried the TOTW briefly when I was having trouble getting the EVO.

Never again It just did NOT agree with my dogs, even Kharma, who has been known to clean up Chinese and Mexican leftovers (including the hot salsa) without so much as a poot.

Some dogs do really well on it though.

Definitely check and see if overfeeding could be a problem. The recommendations on the bags are often ridiculous, and dogs can have widely varying metabolisms.

[crazedACD]

I've been getting a lot of people onto Acana now too..though production is down on some formulas, they had a fire in the kitchen.

Nutrisource is comparable to TOTW ingredients and price and I found it to be...a bit greasy, like the kind of greasy dogs like, haha. That might be a little more appetizing for your dog?

[JPuckett1989]

I recommend earthborn as well. We made the switch a few months ago and charlie and sadie are doing great on it, and love it.

[Barb04]

I really like the Earthborn Holistic Grain Free.

Renee, the Earthborn Primitive Natural is 38% protein, 3,800 calories

versus EVO Red meat is 42% protein, 4,270 calories

It's not too far off.