I've always heard that it is better for their digestive system to NOT switch them u; that it's best to feed them a steady diet of the same of the same food and give treats for a variety in taste.
No?
Rotation diets are becoming more and more popular these days. Reasons vary, but my personal belief is that a dog can benefit from different protien sources and vitamin make ups from different foods. Imagine having chicken as the only protien you ever eat - I know my body would crave a big, juicy steak every once in awhile for the vitamins and nutrients that chicken lacks. Rotations can be hard to achieve though on a dog with stomach sensitivities. I rotate through different brands and flavors of canned food, but have started keeping the dry portion of my dog's food the same.
I have two types of kibble in my house. I sometimes rotate which flavors or brands. I stick to certain brands. Doing it this way has been working pretty well for the last 3 years.
we feed 1/2 iams and 1/2 merrick since merrick is so pricey. Then I add 2 tbsp's of merrick wet and mix. They love it and eat it quickly.
My dog is probably THE MOST allergic dog out here…so I have to weigh in on this topic LOL LOL 
He pretty much can only have fish, duck, lamb, beef, potaoes, & rice...otherwise all poultry, pork, veggies, & grains are OUT 
My vet recommended to start rotating him through different diets because otherwise he will eventually with time become allergic to the one thing I feed him daily & that will become an even bigger headache. We feed Merricks but the only Merricks that I can feed is kibble Salmon & Potatoe & I have to pick out any peas & carrots (he can't eat those either).
So now we started a new food into the rotation...Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Duck & Potato Allergy Formula which he loves & has had NO reaction to & didn't even get the runs from the food switch. SO I think this will work. For gravy I also add water & fish oil for shiney coats!
I have had mine on Duck and Potato for a while also.. and mine are doing really well on it… being seniors, I do need to watch their protein intact (of course the jury is still out on that...ggg)... and was giving them Canidae Senior... didn't like their coats so much....
A breeder friend has a B that the specialist determined many, many allergies, She had open sores that would heal and start all over again... lumps, redness, you name it... once it was determine it was all food related and she was put on "duck" only, in a matter of two month all cleared up....
With the rotation diets, how often do you rotate?
I feed Sahara Merricks dry and mix alittle wet with it. If you want to use only dry Merricks that is fine, just put alittle warm water and stir well, it will make its own gravy. I use the Grammy's Pot Pie, which she loves, loves.
I mixed some warm water in with the Merricks Wilderness Blend and got no gravy. Is it only the flavored varieties that 'make gravy'? I've been mixing various of the Merrick's wet in with it…
Also, I know you're supposed to be a bit careful when you change foods on a dog... I normally give Tucker just under half a cup of dry and mix various canned in with it to equal just over a cup (twice a day). I buy a variety of the Merrick's canned. Sometime pot pie, sometimes wingaling. I basically change the canned every time one empties. Is this bad? It doesn't seem to bother him and he eats it all the same, but sometimes his poops is on the soft side. Not wet soft, just not pebbly like when I feed him the dry alone. If I'm screwing up his guts, can someone advise?
I think that when you use something like a rotation diet that it is not so difficult to change foods…
And for Tucker, I don't think you are screwing up his "guts" at all... many times with wet foods their stools will be loose more then just kibble...
I mixed some warm water in with the Merricks Wilderness Blend and got no gravy. Is it only the flavored varieties that 'make gravy'? I've been mixing various of the Merrick's wet in with it…
Also, I know you're supposed to be a bit careful when you change foods on a dog... I normally give Tucker just under half a cup of dry and mix various canned in with it to equal just over a cup (twice a day). I buy a variety of the Merrick's canned. Sometime pot pie, sometimes wingaling. I basically change the canned every time one empties. Is this bad? It doesn't seem to bother him and he eats it all the same, but sometimes his poops is on the soft side. Not wet soft, just not pebbly like when I feed him the dry alone. If I'm screwing up his guts, can someone advise?
I feed Duke & Daisy Merricks - right now we're using Cowboy Cookout. I get instant gravy! I saturate the kibbles with warm or cold water. Depends on how hungry they act if I have to wait for the hot water to come thru the pipes. I don't think they care if they see the gravy, Duke has decided he likes it wet. Daisy doesn't care what form the food comes in - she'll eat it. Once in a while, I'll treat them with dollop of canned Merricks and mix it in. I also rotate or blend brands together. I've mixed dry Blue Buffalo fish formula with dry Merricks Pot Pie or Wilderness. They go bonkers with the smell of the Blue Buffalo Fish formula. They don't seem to have any side effects. I have to go to 2 different stores for the Merricks and BBuffalo - it doesn't upset their digestive system if I run out of one and have a reserve of another.
I don't really have a set time. I think it works out to about every month one of the bins will have a different food in it. I also pick the based on things like the season and what my dogs will be doing. Right now with how dry it is, foods with a little extra oil really help out with the skin and coat. In the summer when they are doing a lot of coursing or racing, I may pick up a higher calorie food.
Rio gets a different can of Merricks every day to keep her weight up. Merricks and Wellness Duck and Sweet Potato are the only can foods that have enough calories to put weight on her without over doing and giving her soft stools. Anytime she over eats her stool will be soft the next day.
THANKS FOR THE GREAT IDEAS!!! Jack is doing MUCH better BTW
So glad to hear he's better!
What happened??? Did you take Jack to the VEt? Is he OK????
This happened w/ our B after she licked my husbands strawberry shortcake bowl. Benedryl did the trick, but we started it early.
My female woke up like this Saturday morning. Bumps on her back and then around her eyes. Saturday Vets office is closed so I went to pet smart and purchased Derm Care with aloe and lanolin its a spray. That helped for about 2 hours and then have to apply again. Gave her a 1/2 child Benadryl when we when to bed and the other 1/2 in the night. This morning the bump around her eyes and on her back have gone down and now her tummy looks worse than Jacks. I really don't know what has caused this. I have 2 B's but only one is affected. This happen to my son's B this past summer we thought he had been stung by a bee. isZi has been miserable but the spray has helped. I will take her to the vet Monday if she's not better.
aww poor baby, JUST like jack…the vet told us he could have a whole dose of benadryl. it worked we bought those disolve on the tongue kind. SO much easier!! lol. Hes fine now and eating Purina One as of yesterday (he likes it) it has all these vitimines and things in it (green bag) NOT lamb...lol!!
My female woke up like this Saturday morning. Bumps on her back and then around her eyes. Saturday Vets office is closed so I went to pet smart and purchased Derm Care with aloe and lanolin its a spray. That helped for about 2 hours and then have to apply again. Gave her a 1/2 child Benadryl when we when to bed and the other 1/2 in the night. This morning the bump around her eyes and on her back have gone down and now her tummy looks worse than Jacks. I really don't know what has caused this. I have 2 B's but only one is affected. This happen to my son's B this past summer we thought he had been stung by a bee. isZi has been miserable but the spray has helped. I will take her to the vet Monday if she's not better.
Most likely a spider bite…. and for all... you can give adult dose to a Basenji, you do not need to use childrens... and you can give it 4 hours apart.... you can even give a 8wk old puppy adult dose, but I usually only give one pill to very young pups... 2 on anything over 3 to 6 months...
Thanks, I was a little afraid to give the Benadryl She does seem to be getting better although very bitchy and she is sleeping better, poor thing. Again thanks for responding.
