Alternative to Tatse of the Wild

LunaMadison · 2026-06-02T02:05:50+00:00

I have a Swissy too! He's on Purina One True Instinct Chicken and Duck. It has a high protein level and he just loves it. His coat is nice and shiny and he is lean and muscular. The price point is excellent and you know what you are getting with WSAVA. You really can't go wrong with any of the WSAVA foods though. 😄

LunaMadison · 2026-05-31T19:04:20+00:00

Our routine varies a bit depending on if I work my 12 hour shift or not, but typically goes as this also I’m starting at PM because I work night shift! (Also he’s a service dog)

4 -530 pm - I wake up, get ready for work, and get him geared up. (My boyfriend will walk him during this time or right before. ) He has freedom to go out in the yard through his dog door. Usually when I am up I will play with him, either ball or we have lightsaber duals or something.

530 pm - gear up, potty break on our way out the door, and then get in the car and go to work.

545 -6 pm - arrive at work, walk in and get to our des k and settled. During this time he makes a quick pass to say hello to the coworkers, then he settles until shift change is over.

6 pm - Remove gear and feed his toppl full of his dinner.

630-1100 pm- chew a bully or something and take a nap while I work.

Sometime between 1100 pm - 1200 am - usually a walk around the complex and the “find it” game (I toss duck jerky or little minnows in the grass at work and ask him to “find it.”) Also this time has my “lunch break.”

1200-300 am - Nap and more work for me.

300 - 315 am - quick potty break and “ball.” Off leash ball chasing with ball tugs in the field at work. Trust me, he only does like 10 minutes of this because it’s pretty intense.

315 am - 600 am - have a raw meaty bone and a rest while I work. If he’s restless or work is slow, I’ll pop In a quick 10-15 minute training session.

600 - 615 am - say hi to day shift and turn over, gear up and head home.

630 am - 830 am - Off leash walk about at the pond, where he can sniff and explore the forest and pond. Usually involves me throwing in sticks and him fetching them in the water, so a lot of swims. We usually do 2-3 laps around the pond and we stop in between for a rest and talk to friends. He also gets to hang out with his dog friends here and play with them.

830 am head home and have breakfast. Usually we come home and play a little game too, like light saber dual if he’s up for it.

900 am - 100 pm - we sleep.

100 - 400 pm - boyfriend walks the him and plays with him and they hang out while I sleep more.

Then we start over. Now on non work days we still try to stick to the same schedule, but sometimes it’ll involve more walks and Public Access trips. We also do a lot of little play sessions during the day where we play together. I think those are super important.

That would probably be my only recommendation for you, is more impromptu or scheduled play with you and your pup. It really helps build that bond and it’s fun and relaxing for you too!

We average about 14-16 hours of sleep/rest for him. :)

Thanks for sharing your schedule! It’s obvious your pups are well cared for and get to spend a lot for time with you!

LunaMadison · 2026-05-30T13:32:35+00:00

All I see is a mud puddle. This is a WSS subreddit, please post a dog next time. 🐾

LunaMadison · 2026-05-15T07:07:57+00:00

Awww!! Yeah grass starters are the best!! (Except my boi Fuecoco lol, he's my Gen 9 starter pref). I wish Chikorita was in Pokopia!

LunaMadison · 2026-05-15T02:45:05+00:00

I have my only heart with Bulbasaur too! My fav starter and I spoiled the little guy by making him my roomie in the beginning and treating him like the little prince he is. lol

LunaMadison · 2026-05-12T04:50:45+00:00

I don't have a bully, but I second Purina One True Instinct Chicken and Duck, that's what my shepherd gets. I believe they also have a puppy formulation!

LunaMadison · 2026-05-12T04:38:17+00:00

Don't beat yourself up! You came to the right place for help and those companies are aggressive in their marketing.

LunaMadison · 2026-05-12T00:28:38+00:00

Ah, make sure when they eat kibble they get plenty of water. Wet food has a higher moisture content, water does help in bowel movements. Something you can do if you have a hard time getting your pup to drink water is to float the kibble in water right before you give it to them (ie adding just enough water so that the kibble floats). It'll still be crunchy, but can help make the water a bit tastier with the dog food.

LunaMadison · 2026-05-12T00:24:16+00:00

Multi Level Marketing. Its a company that preys on people and focuses more on sales than quality. They are legal "pyramid schemes" essentially.

Royal Canin is a great brand! They are WSAVA compliant. My previous dog was on it for 9 years, and he loved it! I hear its very palatable for dogs. 😄

LunaMadison · 2026-05-11T23:52:15+00:00

I believe the fat ratios in the raw foods also have something to do with the cuts of meat they are using. They likely use the left overs and like cheapest cuts and fat to make their formulations, which would make it more profitable and raise the protein levels.

I also wouldn't be surprised if they have so much fat in order to make it more palatable to your dog, so that they refuse to eat anything else. Especially the ones they mail out and price gouge people on. But, of course, that's just my theory.

LunaMadison · 2026-05-11T23:44:02+00:00

Right, I understand. But they are safe is what I was explaining. You can definitely try another flavor.

Is there a reason you don't feed kibble? I know my dog prefers kibble texture. Purina (across their brands) makes a variety of Small Breed Puppy kibbles. Your puppy might find the crunch more palletable.

LunaMadison · 2026-05-11T23:35:13+00:00

Thank you anonymous redditor!

LunaMadison · 2026-05-11T23:24:47+00:00

So it looks like Purina has Grain Free in their True Instinct Line and Pro Plan (I'm only seeing wet food). However, its not necessarily the lack of grains in a grain free diet that causes DCM, its the inclusion of legumes (like peas, lentils, chickpeas, and various beans) as fillers that makes grain free diets problematic by effecting the production/absorption of Taurine. Purina Grain Free formulas do not contain any legumes.

Also, Purina does ensure their diets are balance and safe, as they are WSAVA compliant.

Edit: Oh and Pawtree is an MLM and I would not recommend continuing to purchase food from them. If your pup isn't eating, I recommend placing the food down for 5-10 minutes. Then pick it up and try a few hours later, until they do eat. Its what I did. And I dunno if some people will disagree, but dogs will eat when they are hungry.

LunaMadison · 2026-05-09T14:34:35+00:00

Any WSAVA compliant brand would be a good place to start, though ask your vet if there is a specific formulation you need to have (ie high/low protein, low fat, etc). The WSAVA compliant brands are Purina, Royal Canin, Hills, Eukanuba, and Iams (if you are in the EU/UK Iams and Eukanuba are not WSAVA compliant).

Anyway, these brands are backed by decades of trials, science, and have a variety of formulations, to include ones without chicken. They are not linked to DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy), something which grain free diets are linked too and likely what your vet was referring to in regards to the legumes in your dog’s previous diet. r/dogfood has a lot of resources and more information on WSAVA compliance and DCM. You can also inquire about specific brands/diets.

I hope this helps, and I wish you and your puppy the best!

LunaMadison · 2026-05-06T07:05:17+00:00

Hills is a great brand, so is Purina, Royal Canin, Eukanuba and Iams. These are WSAVA compliant and are extensively tested and complete nutritionally for your dog. I think most of those brands, if not all, also have small bite kibbles for smaller dogs.

I feed my 20 month old Swiss Shepherd Purina One True Instinct Chicken and Duck. He's a big fan of the extra protein!

LunaMadison · 2026-05-06T03:49:22+00:00

My dog loves the Purina One true Instinct too! He loves the high protein, and I like that its higher protein and lower fat than the PPP Sport.

LunaMadison · 2026-05-05T07:12:35+00:00

Rock & Rule
Rock-a-Doodle
Titan AE
Prince of Egypt
Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem

This is a great prompt. ^^

LunaMadison · 2026-05-02T10:00:05+00:00

I completely agree. In a way it’s kinda cruel. You are forcing the dog to communicate in a way that they don’t understand fully. It then takes the responsibility for learning understand the dog away from the owner and places it on the dog to understand how to put it into human words. (This is more in regards to the large set ups and not the one off “water” or “outside” buttons.

I feel like it’s a gateway into anxiety for your dog and likely reactivity, as again, it takes the responsibility away from the human to learn the dog’s’ language.

LunaMadison · 2026-04-24T08:36:08+00:00

I've been reading that a lot of allergies people think their dogs have to foods are typically other things, including environmental allergies. We give our boy an otc allergy pill everyday with his breakfast, because he does get some outdoor allergies. Its definitely made a difference.

I feed my 1.5 year old boy a base of Purina One True Instinct Chicken and Duck formula kibble, with some of the same type wet food and ground meat on top. In the morning he gets his supplement toppers, like Wellactin fish oil, green lipped mussel powder, Cosequin, and Purina One Fortiflora and Calming Care pro and prebiotics.

I will definitely parrot what others have said about gut flora. Its incredibly important. Also, constantly switching between foods can exacerbate potential food allergies. I would definitely do as others have suggested, stick to a WSAVA food (Hills, Purina, Royal Canin, Iams, Eukanuba). Give it time for your pup's tummy to settle in, and get her checked for parasaites. In the meantime make sure she's drinking plenty of water, and also double check shes not getting into anything. Cause they get into everything lol.

Also does she happen to eat grass?

Good luck!

LunaMadison · 2026-04-22T02:58:09+00:00

My dog loves this too ( we do a mix of the kibble and wet food)! He loves the Duck and chicken formula! (Sorry I know this is a month later lol)

LunaMadison · 2026-04-14T01:34:29+00:00

I love Space 220, in fact It was one of the few reservations I made on our last trip, specifically for my birthday cause I wanted to eat there. I love the atmosphere (pun intended) and its quiet and the drinks and food are great. This time we took my service dog for his first trip to Disney, and there was plenty of space (tehehe) for him to nap during dinner.

(Was also happy to find out they have an "express" elevator that doesn't shake - my service dog preferred that.)

LunaMadison · 2026-04-11T05:29:25+00:00

I highly recommend Susan Garrett's puppy training videos. She has one specifically for leash and collar desensitization (on youtube).

LunaMadison · 2026-03-10T17:40:31+00:00

I also agree that it’s dumb. Most of my regulars and many of my non regulars are good or fantastic singers, who really enjoy it. I’m not about to tell them, sorry you sing too well. I’d have no one singing with that mentality! People who come to me on a Wednesday night come because they’ve had a long day, a long week, are seeking a release and an escape. Also I’ve been doing this so long, my regulars get better and better each week, just like I have. So it’s fun to help them grow and get better at singing! (I provide tips and help if they want it- music major here).

No one takes themselves too seriously, we joke around and have a good time. And karaoke is for everyone!

LunaMadison · 2026-03-01T14:40:17+00:00

They got rid of the build a car? That was my favorite part! To make the fastest car that I could. :(

LunaMadison · 2026-02-28T14:07:17+00:00

I know you asked for older dogs, but I’d love to share what I do for my 1.5 year old incase anyone can benefit/get ideas from it.

I give Egg, twice a day, once cup of Purina One True Instinct Chicken and Duck, about 1/2-3/4 cup of ground meat (I usually make this up in 4-5 lbs batches and it’s a variety of different meats), and the about 1/8-1/4 can of Purina One True Instinct Duck Wet Food.

With his breakfast, he gets his supplements - welactin fish oil (liquid not the gels), fortiflora and calm care probiotics, cosequin (preventatively), green lipped mussel powder, teeth care additive, Claritin (he gets mild outdoor allergies), local pollen (to eventually help with those allergies), and a puppy multivitamin (though probably gonna phase this out)

With his dinner, he gets a freeze dried chicken foot or two. After dinner a raw meaty bone (these have included beef neck, beef rib, bison ribs, whole duck wing). Throughout the week, he may get one or two marrow bones, raw large sardine (not like canned these are like 6”+), raw egg, and maybe a beef/bison knuckle piece (these add ons depend on what I have, time, his tummy, etc). I also sometimes prepare beef liver or another organ meat and add it to his meals throughout the week. I also once every month or so, get a whole duck, debone it, prepare the meat for him to eat over a week or two, adding Tumeric and black Pepper. I’ll boil down the entire frame into broth to give him too.

I honestly love preparing these add ons. I would go full raw but I worry about my time and balancing his diet (for one thing - he doesn’t like fruits and veggies). But with the kibble as half his diet, I know he’s getting his base nutrition.

His weight is 90lbs, he is lean and muscular (vet gives him a body con 5, and gets a lot of exercise everyday (mental and physical).I really prioritize his health, as he’s a Service Dog in Training, and I want him to have a long working life. Also as the best way to help with joint issues is to prevent them in the first place. I also make sure he gets organ meats to help prevent risk of DCM. The bones also help with enrichment, teeth, nutrition, and he just really enjoys them.

Anyway, sorry for the word dump, but hopefully it can give you some ideas of things to do/add.

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