WholeMeals

[Pavane]

Barkleigh is the fussiest eater ever. So, I tried a new product called WholeMeals--these bone shaped meals with a soft inside and harder outside. I was sure he would hate them so just got a starter bag. Well, it is some combo of foie gras (price) and crack cocaine (addiction). He goes nuts when he sees the package (amazingly clever for people too). No muss, no fuss, downed quickly and happily. Easy to transport, easy to pass on to petsitter. Poops normal, weight perfect. I am only allowing the medium size ever 2-3 days. What is wrong with this product? Seems to have good ingredients.

[Daisy's Mom]

I've seen those in lots of pet stores here recently and I was kind of intrigued. I wasn't so sure about the ingredients, though. Looks like lots and lots of grain parts like wheat gluten, corn gluten meal, corn flour, wheat flour, soy protein, etc. That's why I didn't try it. I'm not saying it's bad, but just that it made me a little wary. I would like the idea of giving one to Daisy as her morning meal in her crate instead of giving her an extra treat and chewie.

I am curious about it, and it's great to hear that dogs like the taste/form very much. That's good information. Maybe some others here can look at the ingredients and probably give more feedback or opinions.

[CavyMom]

I'm not impressed with the ingredients - I've used them as an alterative to more expensive chew treats, but not as a regular diet. BUT I'm also a believe in if it's really working well for your dog, then try it for a while and see how it goes - A food can have the best ingredients in the world, but if your dog won't eat it, then what good do those great ingredients do?

[Karlin]

Never heard of those -- I checked out their website -- as noted they are so-so ingredients, a lot of grain filler and the only protein source is a by-product meal, so there's no proper meat (anything you'd eat yourself, in other words). But it is nutritionally complete, if that is what you wish to feed. Have you tried dealing with the fussiness as a behaviour issue? Very few dogs actually have any objections to any given food and will eat what is offered if they aren't being rewarded for holding out -- by extra attention, attempts to cajole them to eat, additions of new things all the time. Most fussy dogs are magically cured as soon as they go to a kennel or relative that hasn't been previously trained by the dog. Or by the addition of competition in the form of another dog. Or by learning the food goes away permanently, with no extra attention and no new food options on offer, if they don't eat within 15 minutes of being given their food.