My dog tried The Farmers Dog, and she absolutely loved it! She’s a standard spayed adult poodle and very motivated by food. I’m considering switching her to TFD, but after reading posts on this forum, I’m worried about the high fat content.
Right now, I’m feeding her Royal Canin dry food for large dogs. It’s pricey, but I stick with it because it’s AAFCO and WSAVA compliant. Here’s the part I don’t get: TFD says they meet AAFCO and WSAVA standards too, but how does that fit with all the concerns about pancreatitis?
Has anyone had success with making fresh dog food as a topper? I love the idea of adding fresh, healthy ingredients like blueberries, carrots, and omega-3s to her diet.
I just want to do everything I can to keep my dog healthy. Honestly, I spend more time worrying about her diet than my own! Anyone else feel like they’re going a bit overboard sometimes?
The Farmers Dog works with WSAVA, but they don’t actually meet the guidelines. It’s kind of misleading, unfortunately.
Here’s a good rule: 90% of your dog’s calories should come from WSAVA-compliant food. The other 10% can be treats or toppers. So, adding fresh food as part of that 10% should work great!
Our vet told us to avoid brands like Blue Buffalo and The Farmers Dog because they spend more on marketing than on research. Companies like Hill’s Science and Royal Canin have actual scientists working on the ingredients.
We don’t give human food regularly, but our dog does get fresh carrots, green beans, and sometimes apple as treats. If you stick with a well-researched dog food, they really get all the nutrients they need.
Just sharing my own story. I had two dogs—one passed away from cancer, and the other got sick just a few days later. I started feeding her a gently cooked diet, thinking it was the best option, but she ended up with pancreatitis. I can’t say for sure it was the food, but I suspect it might’ve been. She passed away a year later.
From now on, I’m sticking to Royal Canin or Science Diet for my pets.
The short answer? Companies can stretch the truth.
Yes, TFD is AAFCO-compliant, but that’s just the minimum standard all pet foods have to meet. They aren’t WSAVA-compliant because they don’t do feeding trials or manufacture their own products.
I fell for the marketing and fed FreshPet to my dog, Timmy. He ended up dying from pancreatitis at 13 years old. Now I only stick to WSAVA-compliant foods for my other dog, Waylon. I mostly use Purina One (canned), their digestive health kibble, and sometimes Purina Pro Plan for variety.
I can’t trust companies that spend more on ads than on actual research.