…What puzzles me is dogs need 10 essential amino acids...
Wikipedia contends that taurine, although often called an amino acid, is not, see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taurine
…And again-don't discount the need dogs have for fruits and veggies. See if you're dog will eat veggies. Not only does this provide nutrition they need, it fills them up without added calories, and I've found giving them pieces of fruit and veggies during the day helps relieve the B's throwups sessions! (something in the tummy gives the bile something other than the lining to work on)...
I personally don't believe dogs need fruits, veggies or grains. I believe they may eat them opportunistically but wouldn't eat them on a regular basis if meat was available. No disrespect intended, JMHO. I occasionally offer my dog veggies (I haven't found one yet that he'll eat) and fruit (he'll offer a perfunctory lick at a piece of apple or orange, but won't eat it) as rewards or treats, but do not use them as a staple of his diet.
I suppose it depends on the dog. Mine love veggies. A favorite treat in the summer is frozen veggies. They also love to share baby carrots and apples with me. They also really like watermelon. Refrigerated carrots are very soothing for sore gums of teething puppies but Rally will steal them if I don't make sure she has some of her own.
I didn't say taurine will hurt dogs, I simply stated that basically how much is too much? I will try to stay out of the conversations from now on.
I didn't say taurine will hurt dogs, I simply stated that basically how much is too much? I will try to stay out of the conversations from now on.
I don't think you should do that. I didn't mean to offend you, I just didn't know why you would try to remove the taurine.
Okay, okay, the taurine issue is interesting, really… But not the only thing to consider here. Let's play nice, LOL!!! Just kidding...:D 
I am finding the veggie debate quite intriguing, also! I should try to incorporate them into her diet, not that they are crucial. I think it would be nice for her to have variety. I do know she hates raw carrots!!! :rolleyes: However, Bella does like cooked peas and carrots, even potatoes. That's about all we have tried. Maybe I could fix boiled chicken (boneless & skinless) shredded and add cooked carrots, Peas and potatoes and mix this in her evening feeding? 
personally don't believe dogs need fruits, veggies or grains. I believe they >>may eat them opportunistically but wouldn't eat them on a regular basis if >>meat was available
When Jazzy was a puppy she wouldn't eat veggies, but then she started "asking" for them when I cooked 'em. She loves steamed brocolli and will sit by the counter when it's cooking. She also likes cooked green beans. And she likes cooked carrots, but not as well.
BOTH my dogs {1 B, one mutt} will pick the raw green beans, snow peas, and blueberries out of my garden. And that's with no lack of meat available!
It's hilarious to watch the two of them gently working over the blueberry bushes! They daintily pick each berry and eat it if it's ripe, or drop it it's too green.
I'm not saying dogs won't eat veggies and fruits (although mine won't), I'm just saying, in my personal opinion, they don't need them.
Green beans and broccoli sound good, too! That story about your dogs dropping the unripe berries is funny. They know what is good!!! I don't think I have tried any fruit with Bella except for canned pumpkin and that didn't work out too good. She does love other people food, though. Her all time favorite is peanut butter! She also loves many different cheeses and will go crazy for pizza crusts. The latter is not that healthy, but a nice treat.
I am currently compiling a list of some possibilities for dog food that will be good options. I think I will use a spreadsheet and rate them by ingredient, cost, availability, etc. And then after that… if I try a food on her I will rate her on how she likes it and if she tolerates it well. I swear, I am not "dwelling" on this... I am just one of those "project people" who likes to research! I find it interesting and it can't hurt to learn more about the subject. It will take a while since I have to take it slow with her due to her sensitive stomach...
I wouldn't want to eliminate the taurine either, I just don't see the point in the addition of it in kibble if something they are doing is eliminating it in the processing of it. I would prefer to see it in food if it's going to stay in. Again I ask why is it in wet food, but not in kibble?
As to the veggies, Shadow hates carrots-spits them out-unless the other dogs are there. He doesn't like strawberries very much either. Sugar will eat anything-she's a varocious eater. Anything and everything that resembles food will be eaten!! Even down to grinding her teeth on the floor to get the last little lick out of something spilt!
My husband feeds them a banana every night (between the four of them) and they literally start to drool when they see the yellow skin!
Neither of my dogs will touch a raw carrot with a 10 foot pole, but they both will scarf down frozen veggies. When I am making supper we run through some training drills and Giz will definitely respond quicker for a frozen veggie than a meat treat. 
We've recently switched foods (we feed dry) and when the recall happened, I was ready to switch again. DH was the voice of reason and said I really needed to be a little less rentitive about the whole food thing.
I wouldn't want to eliminate the taurine either, I just don't see the point in the addition of it in kibble if something they are doing is eliminating it in the processing of it. I would prefer to see it in food if it's going to stay in. Again I ask why is it in wet food, but not in kibble?
QUOTE]
If I remember (and it has been a long time since I studied this stuff) something about the extruding process of the kibble makes the taurine that is present in the meat unavailable to the carnivore….so they add it back in.
they literally start to drool when they see the yellow skin!
Arlene are you sure they're not monkeys LOL OL
My dogs won't raw fruits & veggies…bummer! However in their food (Merricks kibble & wet) there's cooked fruits & veggies in it which they scarf down in about....oh less than 2 minutes!! So when I make some steamed veggies I'll add it to their food.
My dogs are strange...NO raw fruits/veggies, NO PB, NO Cream Cheese BUT Yogurt they absolutely LOVE!!! 
Arlene are you sure they're not monkeys
Probably are!!! Considering how they climb, leap through the air with graceful ease to land on the dining table to get to whatever is there!! (maybe I should stop feeding them bananas??):p
Andrea, I sure would be interested in knowing more about the extruding process. I'll have to look it up. I do use Nutro-chicken, lamb and rice. I have good results from it, and I know they add taurine as well.
That's funny, monkeys… LOL!!! So, Arlene, you are a Nutro feeder too. Is it the dry Natural Chicken Rice and Oatmeal for sensitive stomachs? This is what I feed Bella. I have not completely removed the Blue Buffalo from the dry mix. She hasn't had anymore diarreah yet, but I am being very cautious whith the canned food. I am thinking this may be where the problem lies. This is unfortunate since she seems to love Blue's canned food. I tried again tonight to add the wet back for eve. feeding (just a couple tablespoons). I mixed it in the dry, I hope she does well this time!
I'm just changing over to that one. I think??? I was using Nutro Max Chicken, Lamb and Rice. But decided since I have the puppy now,and was on Evolve (up here it's about $60 a bag-but I can get it from my Boxer breeder for about $15 a bag, only problem is she lives 4 hrs away in NY and then there's the import problem-I can usually hide a couple of bags on my way back), but I thought I'd like to change to something a little more Natural. I liked the ingredient list-no wheat or corn (although the girl at the store kept telling me rice is wheat-I told her basically she's nuts) and the fact the preservatives are more natural as well. I'll have to look at the bag more closely as I was more concerned with the ingr. than the name of the bag!! It's in a light green stripped bag-does that help-hahaha. I do believe it is the same food though.
I always like Nutro, but I heard they recently (the last few years) sold to a giant company. Anybody know if that is true? Maybe they did like Iams and sold the regular line, but not Eukanuba?
I believe Nutro is owned made by the Menu foods line. A couple of years ago the bain group bought them out. But I believe the whole company was bought out.
Well, the wet foods are made by Menu Foods, but the dry… I don't know. The Menu Food recall thing is what caused me to try a new food. This is why I tried the Blue Buffalo.
I'll have to look at the bag more closely as I was more concerned with the ingr. than the name of the bag!! It's in a light green stripped bag-does that help-hahaha. I do believe it is the same food though.
Yes, that's it. I originally picked it for the ingredients and the fact that it is for sensitive stomachs. Bella tolerates it well.
