Evo

As some of you may or may not have read, I have switched over to EVO for my dogs.

It seems to be going well, except for one thing and that is it will cost me about 85 bucks a month or so to feed 3 dogs. I go through 6 cups per day (2.25 for one dog, 2.0 for one dog, and 1.75 for the last dog= 6.0 cups)(dogs weigh 63, 55, and 45 pounds)

Anyhow, I wonder how much you all have fed or are feeding of this. I am following the reccomendations pretty much to a T. The dogs have not gained any weight, in fact, are at about the same as they were when they were getting 3.5 or so cups of Diamond a day.

I am seeing a decent amount of poop everyday in the yard, mostly dark and hard. Each dog probably dumps 2 times a day or so.

So, back to the question:

1. How much EVO are you feeding?
2. How many times a day do your dogs poop? ( I know, weird, but I am curious)


Thanks,
Andrew

 

What's up I used evo for a while but I had the same cost problem. I have a buddy that owns a pet store told me about canidae. It's got a very similar ingredients list, it's holistic, but the big bag cost about 32 bucks. I fed my female(3yo) the same amount as i did with the evo and she looks about the same as she did on the evo. For me it has all the benefits for a much cheaper price. I have a pup (5 mths) and i wanted to put a little more weight on him (had parvo and beat it) so i got a case of the 95% venison cans of evo and feed that to him once a day and he looks great of course with excersise? he has lean muscle but he's not TOO big ya know. hope that helps....oh yeah my female poops about 2 times a day hard and dark the pup about three his are a little softer and dark. Might be a little much protien for 'em but i gotta finish the case...lolol

 

Canidae is nowhere near the same ingredient list. For one it has grains in it which is a big difference. Caloric content is another difference. Your comparing apples and oranges here buddy.

 

I feed EVO as well 2 cups a day 1 in the morning and 1 in the evening. King has 1-2 bowel movements a day dark and hard.

 

You can probably cut them all back by about a half cup a day with no ill effects.

Ferk out

 

Hello there Andrew!!! I hope you will attend the Michigan shows in May. I am intend on going for both ADBA and AADR shows in mid and end of May. Hope to meet you there!

back to your inquiry.....

The amount to feed a dog depends on amount of exercise AND metabolic rate. Two dogs of the same height and size may require different amounts of feed. I feed the dog in the avatar about 1 1/2 cups a day. He weighs around 53#. Granted, i give him raw meats once in awhile to keep his palate going....lol

I would suggest you gradually cut down on the amount of feed and watch out for any reduce strength/vitality. For example, i feel your 63# dog is a bit fat. I would try feeding him 1.75 cups. Try feeding your 55# dog 1 1/2 cups and 45# dog 1.25 cups. If you do so, you would be feeding 4.50 cups a day. This reduction gives you the liberty to give them a (or two) raw chicken quarter per week or every two weeks. Chicken cost around 59 cents a pound. If your dogs inhale/not chew their chicken, freeze it and feed it frozen (hard like a rock). They will learn to chew their food that way..

 

I got ya.....

One thing that I don't like, is seeing too much of the brown one's backbone. I don't like that. I am afraid, if I lower his food intake 1/2 cup or so, that will show more and more like it did on Diamond.


Or, is it because he is getting a higer quality food (the best from what I understand) he'll absorb it better, meaning he won't waste it. ??


It's tough getting that right amount for the dogs.


Anyone else feeding EVO? Shit, there HAS to be more than this.


Thanks in advance,
Andrew

 

Maybe we're talking about 2 different foods in my store they are right beside each other and we compare all the foods to it and evo. I haven't seen any grains in the ingredients maybe u wanna check out evos website they let you compare the two foods on there

 

Taste of the Wild has no grains and costs $40 for a 30lb bag. Was told it was very similar to Evo but not sure since I don't have a source on the Evo. Stool is good too.

 

the apples and oranges between Canidae and Evo are perhaps saving your dogs kidneys from over working due to processing the astronomical amounts of Evo protein on a daily basis for numerous years.

This is KEEP type fat/protein, extreme working conditions for a very short period of time

apples and oranges, lol

 

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=protein_myth

 

Who said anything about what you just posted????? jbest said it was comparable in ingredients and I pointed out the differences that was it and since you brought it up show me some evidence , oh that s right your like everyone else that claims that crap with nothing to back it up. I have an eight year old female that has been on it since the food came out and I can I show you her recent bloodwork, which came out outstanding and she only gets mediocre exercise due to a bad hip. Like I said SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's a banana for you, now get back in your cage!!!!!!!

 

Show you the money? what is their to show someone who's already said they feed EVO to an 8yr dog, lol you've said enough already.

 

Rock:

The only thing I have planned for May is a weight pull, in Centerville on the 9th, 10th, and 11th of May. I am not into showing, so I don't think i'll be at those events you are talking about. Do you plan on pullng w/ the UKC in Centerville on the dates above?

Anyone else got insight on my original post?

 

There are many documents online written from reputable people concerning high protein. I don't know if I have ever found an article from someone who I thought was reputable that didn't disagree with the ideas regarding high protein causing health problems. Most will say that a healthy dog will have no problems.

However, I personally don't see the need for so much protein unless I am preparing the dog for a show.

When I feed Evo it ranges from 2-3 cups depending on the amount of exercise. He usually only goes 2 times a day.

I have had good results from EVO (except for one bad bag) but I feel that there are better foods out there for daily feeding outside of a keep or pre-show exercise.

 

Tommy:

Thanks for your insight. I too, have read in many areas that high protein will not cause problems for dogs. I am not worried there.

I work my dogs pretty hard, in my opinion. I like the high caloric content that comes from evo and all the protein coming from meat sources (right)

I am/have/maybe/possibly contemplated, mixing two dogs foods. Now that I know they're doing well on EVO, possibly giving 1 cup of something else and 1 cup of EVO or something along those lines to cut cost a tad.

Some have posted on here to drop about 1/2 cup, but, I don't want to see their backbones so much. I like the ribs (2 or so) and the nice defintion as well, but don't like seeing too much backbone or hip bones.

What other foods do you like Tommy?

 

One thing is preference and another thing is health. I do not see anything wrong with some backbone as long as hip bones do not show and only two ribs are visible. You should be looking harder at their gut to assure they are not getting obese.

First of all, I am Rocky 14 is Rock...lol

Bummer about you not going since you are hops away from it. You do not have to show dogs to go to a dog show you know. It is always great to have as many people show up to events promoting a positive image of our breed. Oh well! I will be there (hopefully) if you change your mind.

Nah, i do not do weight pulling. I do not have the space or resources to train my dogs for that. It certainly would be fun to participate in that as well. UKC huh....lol just kidding.:p

 

From what I have found with my dog, the more I feed, the better he looks. There are times where I have fed as much as four cups of food during hard work outs. I have never had trouble with him getting overweight when he has been worked.

In my opinion, most dog food companies list the recommended daily amount for dogs that are nowhere near as active as my dog. As a result, he needs more food than what is recommended. Since I have upped his feed, he has gained a lot more muscle mass and tone regardless of what I feed him. (Of course, it is always premium food).

I know you are trying to cut costs so I would definitely mix in a different food.

I was feeding Timberwolf but I stopped due to problems they have been having with either reporting where the food is coming from or their unability to stay at a single plant.

I am currently back to feeding Nature's Variety. I have nothing but good things to say about their food.

 

ROCKY! My bad dude. He has a nice tuck on his stomach. I know (don't know) his genetics, considering he was a rescue dog. He may be 'maxed out' in terms of his look. Hell, I don't know. I just want to make sure he's as healthy as can be and looking good too!

TOMMY: 4 cups a day? That is a lot, but if you're talking about Buck, then more power to you. He's great looking! I am going to check out Nature's Vareity on the dog food analysis thing in just a second.


Andrew

 

<CENTER>Diet and the Older Dog

</CENTER><CENTER>by Mary Straus
Article published in the Whole Dog Journal, December 2006</CENTER>
We all want our dogs to enjoy the highest quality of life for the longest possible time. Proper diet, adequate exercise, weight control, appropriate supplements, and good veterinary care can all help our dogs remain active and vibrant well into their senior years.
Nutrition can make a significant difference in how long our dogs live, and how healthy they remain as they age, but there are a lot of misconceptions about what type of diet is best for older dogs.
Fundamental principles widely accepted in the past have been discredited by research done in the last 15 years. This research has revolutionized what we know about canine nutrition and profoundly changed our ideas about what older dogs need, not just to survive, but also to thrive and be as healthy as possible. It takes time, though, for this new knowledge to filter down into the veterinary, pet food, and pet owner communities. Protein for senior dogs

Here’s a quiz: which of the following are the most important reasons for feeding a lower protein diet to senior dogs?

a. Senior dogs need less protein than younger adult dogs.
b. Lower protein diets help to protect the kidneys, especially in older dogs.
c. Replacing protein with carbohydrates helps to prevent older dogs, who may be less active, from gaining weight.
d. Carbohydrates help dogs being fed a lower calorie diet feel full, so they won’t be hungry and crave more food.​

Answer: None of the above.

The truth is that there is no reason to feed a lower protein diet to senior dogs. While lower protein diets have traditionally been recommended for senior dogs based on assumptions such as those above, we now know that a protein-rich diet is especially important for older dogs, due to the fact that their systems are less efficient at metabolizing protein. Recent studies show that healthy older dogs may need as much as 50 percent more protein than their younger adult counterparts.
Protein is valuable for many reasons: it supports the immune system and the central nervous system, contributes to wound healing, helps build lean muscle, and is required for skin and coat health.
When dogs are not fed enough protein, their bodies will break down their own muscle tissue to get what they need, leading to muscle wasting and other serious problems. Even mild protein deficiency can significantly impair immune function. Dogs who get too little protein are also more susceptible to stress, including stress from injury or infection.
But what about the kidneys? Doesn’t a low protein diet lessen the workload on the kidneys and help protect older dogs from kidney disease?
Again, the answer is no. Research done on dogs has now proved that protein does not damage kidneys, and feeding a lower protein diet does not protect them. In fact, senior dogs fed high protein diets live longer and are healthier than those that are fed low protein diets, even when one kidney has been removed. Studies conducted at the University of Georgia in the 1990s demonstrated that feeding protein levels of 34 percent (on a dry matter basis; see sidebar, below) to older dogs with chronic kidney failure and dogs with only one kidney caused no ill effects.
These same studies did raise the issue of whether low-protein diets may cause harm. The mortality rate was greater for the dogs fed 18 percent protein than for the dogs fed 34 percent protein. Another study done on dogs with only one kidney showed that protein levels up to 45 percent of the diet had no harmful effect on the remaining kidney. My own dog Nattie, who was diagnosed with early kidney disease at age 14, actually improved over the next two years on a diet that was more than 36 percent protein on a dry matter basis, before I lost her to problems unrelated to kidney failure. More myths busted

The same is true of liver disease. Although low protein diets were recommended in the past for dogs with liver disease, recent research has found that protein is required for a healthy liver and a low protein diet can be harmful to dogs with liver disease. The only time that protein needs to be restricted is when hepatic encephalopathy (neurological problems caused by excess ammonia) is present.

So, if a lower protein diet is not necessary or desirable for health reasons, what about weight loss? Won’t lowering protein and increasing carbohydrates help prevent an older dog from becoming overweight? Doesn’t a diet high in carbs, such as grains and vegetables, help a dog on a low calorie diet feel fuller?
Once again, the answer is no.
Protein and carbohydrates supply exactly the same number of calories: 4 calories per gram. Replacing protein with carbohydrates does nothing to reduce calories, but it does reduce nutrition. Dogs have no nutritional need for carbohydrates, as even the veterinary textbooks admit. Diets high in carbohydrates contribute to inflammation, which increases arthritis pain, and can cause medical problems, including obesity and maldigestion.
It is far better to feed protein, which dogs efficiently convert into energy as well as muscle, than to feed carbohydrates, which are more likely to be converted to fat.
In one study, 26 English Pointers ranging in age from 7 to 9 years were fed either 15 percent or 45 percent protein over several years. The dogs fed the high protein diet maintained a higher percentage of lean body mass and a lower percentage of body fat.
It is also likely that protein - helps to satisfy the appetite more than carbohydrates do. Several studies done on people have shown that high protein diets reduce appetite, and a recent study found that meat, eggs, and cheese trigger a protein that makes us eat less.
While the pet food companies have added indigestible fiber to “bulk up” their foods so the dogs would supposedly feel fuller on a lower calorie diet, this turned out not to be true. A study done on dogs by the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition concluded that the addition of soluble or insoluble fiber had no beneficial effects on satiety (feeling full), nor did they increase weight loss.
In Canine and Feline Nutrition, authors Case, Carey and Hirakawa state "Diets that contain increased levels of indigestible fiber and reduced levels of protein are not recommended for weight loss or for long-term weight maintenance of sedentary dogs and cats. If a diet is simultaneously high in indigestible fiber and low in fat and/or other nutrients, it is possible that long term feeding may result in nutrient deficiencies in some animals". A family of Chows

Southern California resident Mindy Fenton, owner of the SeniorRawFeeding list on Yahoo, has raised several Chows, a breed that normally lives to between 10 and 12 years of age. Of Mindy’s last three dogs (none of whom were related to each other), two passed away while still extremely healthy at age 14 (one due to pet sitter negligence and the other to an embolism following surgery for a broken leg). The third dog, Maggie, lived to age 16 before passing away gently and naturally on her own.

These were not dogs who were simply “existing” in their very advanced years; they had clear eyes, perfect hearing, and far more energy than many dogs half their age.
Even in their last years, these dogs had tremendous vitality, still racing around the house, jumping on furniture, and pulling to go faster during their walks. At the beach, Mindy and her husband could hardly keep up with the dogs, who would still run with the wind. People who met Mindy’s senior dogs could never guess their age. We should all be so lucky in our advanced years!
Mindy attributes her dogs’ ongoing vitality to feeding a high-protein raw diet. While we sometimes see dramatic changes in younger dogs who are switched to a raw diet, she believes the real payoff comes during a dog’s senior years after having been fed a raw food diet for many years. Common sense tells us that when a dog has eaten a lifetime of species-appropriate food, inherently his body is going to function better during those latter years.
Even dogs who are switched to a raw diet at an older age will also benefit. Maggie, the Chow who lived to be 16 years old, was nine years old when Mindy originally began feeding a raw diet. My oldest dog was 13 when I made the switch in 1998. While he lived only one more year, he became completely allergy-free during that year, after suffering from environmental allergies most of his life.
Mindy fed her senior dogs exactly the same diet as her young adult dogs. Specifically, her dogs eat a wide variety of proteins including chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, venison, buffalo, tripe, ostrich, quail, and duck. She use a mixture of ground raw food (meat, bones, and/or organ meat) and whole bones, extras such as eggs and dairy, plus organic vegetables that consist of no more than about 10 percent of the overall diet. Needless to say, her dogs eat a very high protein diet, which is consistent throughout their lives. [See Balancing a Homemade Diet for more information on feeding your dog a raw or cooked diet.]

http://www.dogaware.com/seniordiets.html