Sagittarian

I can share the experiences of our customers who have almost all changed over from Nutro (we still have a small amount left as we had large holdings). Number one change has been to Pro Pac Super Premium. Relatively new to Australia, some of the lines are very similar to Nutro (Lamb and Rice in particular). Their Senior is excellent and has been an instant hit with those changing older dogs over. The Low Fat and High Performance is also being well recieved. Pro Pac should be available in Sydney - I am happy to supply the wholesalers details if you want to contact them for a list. Nutrience, then an even mix to Royal Canin, Advance and Eukanuba. A small number have changed to Eagle Pack, but they were generally feeders who had come from EP to Nutro anyway. Orijen has attracted a lot of interest. Some customers are still "playing" with finding a good alternative, with a number now trying BARF or Vets All Natural. So, there are a lot of good choices out there, but that has been our experience with finding alternatives for our Nutro customers.

While we are not an "online" seller, we stock Orijen and have previously sent other food from Melbourne to Queensland. Freight wasn't too horrendous. You are much better though to contact Country Canine as they are local to you. What you may find though is that Senior was only available on a limited basis - by the time we got our first pallet of Orijen, Senior had already sold out (from the wholesaler) to the Sydney stores, except in the 400gram bags. Whether Country Canine got any, I don't know. My understanding is that mid July the Senior and the Large Breed puppy will be available in the bigger bags again. In the interim, a number of our customers are finding the Adult works very well. Hope that helps Sags

May I suggest that you compare calcium levels rather than stress too much about protein content - many people move fast growing pups onto an adult diet without considering the difference in calcium. Controlling calories (intake of food) is often overlooked. Lean but not thin tends to grow large and giant breeds best. Having used many brands in raising giant breed puppies, I have seen no noticeable difference between raising on one premium brand to another. It has been about being consistent, watching closely when rapid growth spurts occur to increase intake, then reduce it again when growth slows. If I was to have a pup in the near future, I would not hesitate to raise it on Orijen - once considered an absolute no-no to feed such high protein to a giant breed. However, we live and learn. Good luck with baby and plenty of pics please! Sags

We've found that the two old girls have happily switched to Orijen. Both are loving it - to the point that it is the only thing that gets Penny (the oldest) on her feet. After initially offering as much per meal as with Nutro, I'm now reducing the volume as they are not looking for as much - which for two, normally food orientated Saints is a miracle. So far, I'm impressed. Happy dogs. Coats great. Appetite fulfilled. Sags

If you mean cooking BARF... then please take care. It contains bone. We always advise never to even thaw in a microwave, let alone actually cook the product. Keep it frozen - more than likely his tastes will change again and you'll use them. Sags

We've always stocked them (just don't recall sell price but can check when at work tomorrow). I can find out who our wholesaler is. That way you can find out if your local retail outlet deals with the wholesaler and if so, place an order. Sags

Ian and I, and the whole team here, want to give you and your family and loved ones our deepest condolences at the passing of Asher. He was a beautiful boy who I'd tried to steal in the past... he will be missed in so many ways by so many. He enriched your lives and was there for a reason. You've loved him enough to make his first journey as safe and comfortable as it could be... and his next journey will be long and unpainful. Our love, our thoughts, and our understanding. We know, we feel for you. Phillipa

Dimmitrol is readily available via a couple of wholesalers we deal with. We always keep a few bottles as we have regular demand. If your local store doesn't stock and doesn't know where to get them, send me a PM and I'll give you some contacts for them. Sags :rolleyes:

So very sorry to hear such sad news. Our hearts are with you. Sags

If you decide you want to return to the DVP Ultra Premium, or better yet, Organic, contact Animal Supplies in Sydney - they are the main distributer. Look for any stores that sell Weatherbetta coats and ask them if they buy from Animal Supplies. If they do, ask them to add some DVP on the next order. PM me if you'd like a contact. Sags (who has no allegiance to Animal Supplies!)

We're just trialling the old girls on Pro Pac Earthborn Holistic. Too soon to say anything other than that they love it! Sags

Our hearts are with you Cassie, your husband, and Zephyr. You are a brave and loving person and gave the lovely Oakley a beautiful life. There are some special Saints waiting at Rainbow Bridge for him, and he will remain in your hearts forever. Phillipa & Ian

Sorry to break the bad news, but Pets Goods Direct is closely affiliated with PP. If you are talking about Victoria, they don't carry Nutro. Sags

If it is a Mal, I would strongly recommend Plush Puppy Herbal Whitening Shampoo all over. It really brings out colour as well as brightening whites. Use diluted on colour and straight from the bottle onto whites - remember to really massage in well then rinse out in tepid water. Rinse thoroughly! Someone said not to use purple or blue? shampoos - we've found that as long as you are very careful not to leave on for too long and rinse properly then the effect is quite stunning. Plum White is also another great all over brightener and whitener. Of course, we all have our favourites, but that was our regime for Langley.

Laser Lites has a new stain remover that is getting a great response from our customers. Personally, I've used Plush Puppy Deep Cleansing Shampoo to get out most stains (leave on for a few moments), followed by PP Herbal Whitening Shampoo to give a bright white. Sags

Nuro is fine to wet. As laffi said - it is foods preserved with citric acid to be cautious about wetting.

This isn't a good idea with all brands. There is one train of though that wetting food that contains Vit C can increase the risk of gastric torsion. Please check the bag - if it doesn't clearly state the food is suitable for wetting (such as Advance Rehydratable is), then get advice from the petfood company before doing so. Just my suggestion, of course. ;)

We've given palatability refunds on all the brands (premium that we carry) - EP included, although not too many come back for EP. Although some bags may not specifically say it, we certainly would offer a refund if the dog really won't have a bar of the food and then worry about the petfood company after the fact - it is more important to ensure your dog is eating and happy. Sags

Dru, we are both so very sorry to hear that Victoria is gone, and that it was such a traumatic passing. You changed Victoria's life into one of happiness, security, and joy. I know that she gave just as much back to you. The loss of a Saint is a great one indeed, as anyone who has lost one will acknowledge. Their mightiness sometime makes us believe they are invulnerable. I am sure that one day you will welcome another Saint into your lives. Keep her happy memories close and know that you did everything right by Victoria. Phillipa and Ian

Have had great success with Sudafed - will probably depend upon the underlying reason for the incontinence though. I've been told Phenergan as well, which can cause drowsiness with higher doses.

Personally (for my own babies), I love Advance Rehydratable, and have no problems in recommeding it. One of our staff (also one of my dearest friends who breeds GSDs) raised a litter on it, then on to Growth and has had awesome results. It is a case of what suits you and your dog. Yes, we sell petfood amongst our many other things. First and foremost though, we are still dog owners who want the best for our own dogs, and those who we have any influence with. Sometimes that means BARF, or a homemade version. For others it means a top end Premium food. And for others, sometimes a less-than-popular choice that makes it possible for the owner to provide reasonable nutrition. Life is about choices. Sometimes it takes a while to find what is "best" for you and your loved pet. Never though, is someone else's internet opinion more important than your own experience. Just my ever humble (or not so LOL) opinion.

Hi again Honey, As I said on the phone earlier, we feel your sorrow. And understand how devastated you are. Barker was a lovely boy who was always welcome to visit. He was lucky to have been loved by you both and will be deeply missed by everyone who knew him. Phillipa and Ian

Innova have an exclusive arrangement with PP - no changes in sight as of fairly recently. While a good food, there certainly are a number of other excellent choices out there.

Once upon a time I was a petfood employee for a particular company that indoctrinated us all with the chant... you shall only feed the dry food, anything else destroys the balance. Okay, perhaps a bit of an exaggeration lol. However, the idea was that if the food was complete and balanced, then there was no need to add anything to it. With some products I think this is close to true. Particularly with special needs pets. I do believe though (based upon a year or two's experience with my own dogs and a little knowledge of nutrition) that adding extras does not create a detrimental situation. For example, at present we feed Nutro, Euk to one (shock horror), sometimes Dick van Patten's Natural Balance, and sometimes Eagle Pack Holistic. As well, we feed some Ziwipeak, add some Vet's All Natural Omega Blend or similar, as well as Joint Formula or Health Booster. Occasionally, some fresh meat, also pig's ears, sometimes a big bone, veges, sardines, fruit and so on. For us it is about knowing our own dogs and balancing their diet according to their needs. When a petfood is based upon human grade products (and there are a few out there, contact them about walking through their factories - it makes for an informative visit), then I believe I'm heading in the right direction. The old thing of feeding as if in the wild does not necessarily include human grade - or perfect ingredients! I have so far experienced nothing wrong with adding some extras to an otherwise quality food. JMO :D

EP Holistic does have grain. Grain on its own is not necessarily a "bad guy" - but for a number of allergenic dogs, it can be a factor. We've used EP Holistic Anchovy, Sardine, Salmon with good results - three protein sources but for many dogs, it is a godsend. http://www.eaglepack.com.au/flash/ Nutro Lamb and Rice has worked wonders for a number of dogs we've seen, as long as neither Lamb or Rice is indicated in allergy issues of course. Nutrience has a Holistic Duck which has been a good product in many instances, EP also has a Holistic Duck. Ziwipeak has no grains at all. In several novel protein formulas (venison, green lipped mussel etc), it is unique. It is also expensive. BARF can be bought in patties that are frozen - in a number of varieties that do not include any grain. Feel free to pm me if you want a list of WA stockists of any of these products. :D edited to add link