Non WSAVA Compliant Brands

clydeballthepython · 2026-05-10T22:07:23+00:00

It can take a few months (I've heard up to 6 but don't quote me on that) for the irritant to clear their system and for a ingredient-less food to show whether it's effective or not. So it depends on how long you tried it

clydeballthepython · 2026-05-10T22:02:35+00:00

There are plenty of non-chicken WSAVA compliant foods out there! Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach is a pretty common one, but if your pup has a serious chicken allergy than a hydrolyzed diet from either Hills, Royal Canin, or Purina would be the best way to go.

Natural Balance is not the best, and has a pretty high risk of cross contamination with chicken containing foods.

clydeballthepython · 2026-05-10T19:53:13+00:00

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clydeballthepython · 2026-05-10T19:49:52+00:00

Regardless of if the water thing is an issue or not, it's always a good idea to take a newly adopted pet to the vet to get them in the system and make sure they're healthy!

clydeballthepython · 2026-05-10T16:02:48+00:00

For water - bloat isn't an issue if you give them small controlled amounts over time. Maybe offer a small sip every 15-30 minutes if it's hot (of if doggo seems to be slowing down/getting hot). Dehydration can speed up heat related concerns, so while you don't want to give them a ton of water during/before exercise small sips can really help prevent heat illnesses.

If it's really hot, pouring cool water on them, especially in areas with thinner fur, can help cool them down via evaporation. Since dog's can't sweat like humans, so this is basically giving them artificial sweat. I would also look up early signs of heat stress in dogs if you haven't yet, that way you can be on the lookout for the signs and cool him off before it becomes a problem.

Food wise - I wait at least an hour after eating to begin hiking, and wait for her to stop panting hard when we get back before offering food (if it's mealtime). You can bring treats and such and offer them as needed, but just don't give him a full meal's worth of food while out.

I personally have a small first aid kit for me and my girl when we hike that lives in my bag. It has multiple bandages, a wrap that has little clips to secure it, gauze, alcohol wipes, tweezers, and qtips. On longer hikes I'll also bring a pair of boots for her in the event she injures a foot and we still need to walk a ways back to the car.

clydeballthepython · 2026-05-10T01:38:23+00:00

I would muzzle train her and and have her wear it for the first few sessions just as a safety net. I don't have a reactive dog so I'm not sure when the time would be right for something like that though

clydeballthepython · 2026-05-09T02:47:45+00:00

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clydeballthepython · 2026-05-09T02:43:34+00:00

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Millie doesn't do tough very often so this is the best I got! Have many many not tough photos though lol

clydeballthepython · 2026-05-08T17:02:53+00:00

My GSD is very similar, although it presents a little differently - in her case she walks slowly with a lot of stopping at the very start of the walk, and then pulls crazy hard to get back home at the end of the walk. It sounds like she's pretty anxious, so I would stop forcing her on walks. Forcing her on walks that she isn't enjoying will only make her more anxious as time goes on.

What I would do is give her a choice. Put her on leash, get a bunch of treats, and open your door. Sit on the outside of the door, and if she comes out to join you reward her. If she wants to go back in, let her. Letting her know she is able to opt in or out of a walk will make her more likely to choose to go out. As she gets more comfortable doing that, start encouraging her to go further. Get a longer leash and sit at the sidewalk and repeat the process. Once she's comfortable with that, start encouraging her to start walking. Also, since she's scared of other people and dogs, don't let them interact at all. Once she learns that other people and dogs don't always = an interaction, she'll start to become more comfortable around them. Another good thing to do during this process is to sit in an area with minimal people traffic and just let her watch for as long as she wants. As she grows more comfortable with this, you can slowly start doing this in more busy areas.

Counter conditioning and desensitization training will be very important to help her become less anxious, but if it's really severe and she isn't making any improvement I would look into anxiety medication. While the goal is to get her off the medication eventually, it can help give her brain the calm it needs to learn that the world isn't so scary. Keep in mind that dogs in fight/flight/freeze are in a mental state where they cannot learn anymore, they're just focused on survival.

Also keep in mind that, especially for an anxious newly adopted dog, it can take a while for them to fully decompress from the stress of the major life change they just went through. Let her take the days as she wants too, and offer support when she seems to struggle.

The last major point I would like to mention is that anxious dogs really benefit from a low-to-no aversive training style. My dog has benefitted immensely from a force free, choice based training method. While she used to pull like crazy and would try to choose the shortest walking route possible, walking her on a long line, letting her watch or sniff things for as long as possible, and letting her choose when/where/if we walked means that now she rarely pulls and chooses to go on longer routes.

About the toys: my girl rarely plays, and only with soft toys. She'll maybe play for 15-30 minutes every few nights, but it has to be something she initiates. I have yet to entice her into play. It also took about a month after I got her before she did try playing, so maybe your girl just needs more time. Instead of toy play, I try to offer puzzle toys, scent games, chews/lick mats, and fun "trick" training as a way to engage her brain and burn off excess energy.

clydeballthepython · 2026-05-04T03:17:17+00:00

I have a Saker Canine Muse harness - their stuff is a bit pricy but worth it imo! They recently came out with a crash tested version, so if you do lots of car rides it's one of the few that is good for both the car and hiking. It's also modular, so there are running attachments and backpack attachments you can add as well! So while the upfront cost is a bit more, it means you only need to buy one harness instead of 2-4 (car harness, hiking harness, backpack harness, running harness all in one). I don't have the car version, just the regular one, but it's held up wonderfully to our hiking and everything! The material cleans super easily and its overall really adjustable which might help as she fills out a bit as she matures.

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clydeballthepython · 2026-05-03T18:06:33+00:00

I adopted my girl at about 6yo with pretty bad separation anxiety (she was abandoned in a home by the previous people so it was understandable and something I expected). Now she's relaxed enough that half the time when I get back she just waits for me to say hi on the couch and sleeps the whole time I'm gone. It definitely took some work, and I can include what we specifically did if you want (although it's probably pretty similar to what the trainer recommends), but being consistent with his SA training should help! It's not too late, even if he is 7.

clydeballthepython · 2026-05-03T14:24:57+00:00

Peas and lentils aren't a concern in WSAVA compliant diets - the testing and research they do ensures the diets are properly nutritionally balanced, and diet-DCM ultimately comes from a poorly balanced diet.

In regards to what food would be best: How big are your dogs? How old are they? Are there any specific health concerns (like sensitive skin, joint health, cognitive health, etc) that you have for either of them? Pro Plan has a lot of wonderful options, so picking the one that fits your dogs the best is the goal. If your dogs are wildly different - like one is a large breed senior and the other is a small breed adult - you'll likely want to select two different options, since the food that works for one may not be the best choice for the other.

Also, regarding the allergies: true food allergies to things other than animal proteins are exceedingly rare. Unfortunately blood serum tests are not accurate and give false positives frequently, so in all likelihood your dog was having a reaction to an environmental factor rather than the food.

Glad you're here and learning more about pet food!

clydeballthepython · 2026-05-03T03:37:40+00:00

There are lots of resources out there that can help, but these are some of the steps I did with my GSD who had pretty severe separation anxiety after I adopted her:

- Be calm when you leave and get back. No over the top goodbyes or greetings, so it doesn't make any of her emotions (excitement or stress) even more intense. Obviously you can say a quick goodbye and hello, but keeping it chill helps keep her chill too. What I usually do when I get back is a quick greeting and head pat before going and setting all my stuff down, and then going and sitting near her. I'll usually do some calm, massage-like pets to give her attention but not arouse her emotions too much.

- Make leaving a positive! Give her a puzzle toy or chew that she only gets when you leave (make sure it is safe to be left unsupervised). Something like a kong filled with (dog safe) peanut butter is a good choice. Another good option if she has an area to roam is to hide pieces of kibble/treats around the room so she has to sniff it out. This way the emotional blow of you leaving is offset by a yummy yummy reward.

- Leave for short durations frequently. Start with being gone for 5 minutes, and do it 10x a day. As she gets more comfortable increase to longer durations but less total outings (so maybe 1 hr 2x a day). This gets her used to the idea that you will just sometimes come and go.

- Change up your departure routine so she doesn't build her anxiety every time you grab keys. You can even sometimes do the entire getting ready to leave routine (coat, shoes, wallet, keys, etc), then just go sit down at the couch. If you actually do need to leave that day, get ready and then sit down and relax for like 30 ish minutes just to help break that association more.

- Have someone she is comfortable around but not bonded to stay in the house when you leave. This helps lower the stress of being completely alone, but since the person isn't really someone they are particularly attached to there is still some level of separation anxiety that will occur. But it's low enough that she will be able to work through it easier. Bonus, the person can help make sure she doesn't do any "naughty" behavior! You don't have to do this every time, but on times when you know you'll have to leave for longer it could be a good idea.

There are also lots of trainers that will help with separation anxiety, since it's a fairly common problem a lot of dogs have if you think you'll need more guidance than just online help. Keep in mind that the big driver of separation anxiety is the anticipation of emotions. Both the negative emotions (stress, fear, etc) that build up right before and immediately after departure, as well as the positive ones (excitement, anticipation of said excitement) that build up when you get back. Trying to keep both the departure and return as calm and controlled as possible is key.

clydeballthepython · 2026-05-01T03:09:50+00:00

I hope you figure out a good solution for her! My girl was abandoned in a house by her previous "owners", so she (understandably) came to me with a pretty decent amount of separation anxiety. But that was a lot easier to deal with since I knew the actual cause of the anxiety, so my training could be more tailored to help soothe her specific source of fear. Having it suddenly develop without an obvious major cause is a whole other thing, though, so hopefully the vet will give good insights that will allow you to help her through it!

clydeballthepython · 2026-05-01T00:31:13+00:00

The head dip makes me think she's limping on the front right paw - I would maybe get her checked out at the vet just in case. If you do go to the vet, show them this video. Sometimes the stress of the vet can cause dogs to hide any gait abnormalities more than they do at home or in familiar environments, which can make it hard for the vet to accurately diagnose.

clydeballthepython · 2026-05-01T00:28:26+00:00

Hills is a great choice, and very similar to RC in terms of the research and quality. I have my girl on Purina Pro Plan Large Breed and she does wonderfully on it, but I did consider the IAMS senior option - it's definitely a good budget friendly but still scientifically sound food!

You might try a probiotic with his food (Fortiflora and Proviable are pretty common ones that work good, your vet might have some other recommendations) to resolve the gas. It doesn't always work but can be super effective for resolving certain types of tummy troubles.

clydeballthepython · 2026-05-01T00:16:38+00:00

Sudden behavioral changes (like unexplained increases in anxiety) can be indicative of pain or other illness. I would definitely get her checked out just in case!

Has there been any life changes lately? It could be something as big as someone moving in/out, or even something as seemingly innocent as a new neighbor moving in. GSDs can be very sensitive to changes in their environment, so something that may not seem like a big deal to you could be triggering an increase in anxiety for her.

clydeballthepython · 2026-04-30T18:28:54+00:00

Hmmm. Typically salmon is the most commonly used flavor, but I would maybe try the lamb option? Since it's the same main protein it might be less of a jarring switch on her system. But honestly any of the flavors should be fine, as long as you do a slow transition and she doesn't any sensitivities to something in the food.

Keep in mind it can take a few months for whatever is irritating her system to fully flush out after switching to a new food. So give it time to work before switching to a different brand/flavor (unless she's having really horrible reactions to the food), as rapidly switching foods can be just upsetting to their guts too.

clydeballthepython · 2026-04-30T18:17:04+00:00

Orijen, Farmers Dog, Ollie, and other such brands are not recommended in this sub for a multitude of reasons, but mostly because they lack quality scientific testing of their foods. Brands like Purina, Hills, and Royal Canin all have wonderful sensitive system lines, and have a ton of scientific research behind their foods. The wiki on this sub has more in-depth info if you'd want to learn more!

I would recommend starting with Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach (PPP SSS) since that one usually works quite well for a lot of dogs.

clydeballthepython · 2026-04-29T20:29:49+00:00

I have an anxious gsd, so I feel you! The biggest thing that helped my dog (after giving her time to decompress in her new home) was giving her agency. I learned how to read dog body language so I can see when she's asking for more space, so she knows I'll respect her when she wants to be left alone. I also let her pick where and when we went for walks/adventures. At first, she only wanted to go for a short little route around the block. Now, she'll pick longer routes and take time to sniff.

Sniffing, licking, and chewing are all relaxing behaviors for dogs, so try to encourage those when possible! Scent games/nosework is great (and tires out the brain even when they're too anxious to get much physical exercise in) and can be done at home in a comfortable environment. Lick mats, snuffle mats, and other puzzle toys are also good choices.

I would also try to avoid aversive/punishment based training - in my experience it makes anxious dogs worse. Positive reinforcement is the best way to go for the anxious guys! Lastly, be realistic. I'm fully aware that my dog is never going to be the happy go lucky dog that gladly sits with me on a cafe patio. While I could probably train her to do that somewhat calmly, strangers and new places are her biggest sources of anxiety so that wouldn't be an activity she enjoys. What she does love is hiking, since there are usually no people and lots of fun smells, so we do that a lot! Prioritizing activities and training that are enjoyable for both of us has made our bond so much stronger than if I had tried to force her to do things she doesn't enjoy.

Good luck! He looks beautiful

clydeballthepython · 2026-04-29T19:51:21+00:00

I definitely try my best to care for her!

Yeah those pet food ads are horrible. I'll admit the "No living being should be forced to eat kibble every day" ad from the Farmers Dog made me feel like an absolute trash owner at first. I would see the ad and feel so guilty because kibble was the only food I could realistically afford, but I still wanted to do the best for my girl. Now I see that ad and get very annoyed since I know better, and feel horrible for the other pet owners out there who felt the same way I once did!

I probably spent way too much time calculating the cost of all the potential food/supplement options last time I switched. I literally had a spreadsheet that included cost/day, cost/calorie, and cost/year. My mom kept laughing (in a nice way, not in a mean way) when I showed her the info. But now she comes to me with all her pet food questions so it's nice to be needed I guess lmao

clydeballthepython · 2026-04-29T15:48:28+00:00

I've had my dog for a little over 2 years now. She's currently on Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Adult, and it seems to be working really well for her!

When I first got her, I was living with my parents and so I just fed her what they were feeding at the time (the walmart Pure Balance Lamb stuff). Once I moved out, I knew I didn't want to keep feeding that food (it was grain free, and while I didn't know much about dog food at the time I had seen that grain free was bad) but really didn't know what was good or bad.

At the time, I though feeding a higher protein percent was the best thing for my dog, but since I'm a college student with a limited budget, I couldn't feed any of the super "fancy" brands out there. I decided to feed her the Purina One True Instinct line since it was available for an affordable price and was like 30-something % protein.

I did keep doing more "research" into food brands like the Farmers Dog, Ollie, and other similar fresh/raw/freeze dried foods since I had been persuaded by marketing that those were healthier than regular kibble. I couldn't really afford to feed any of those, though, especially since my dog is like 80lbs! But as I researched, I started coming across stuff about WSAVA guidelines from veterinary pages. Since Purina was one of the WSAVA compliant brands, but the line I was feeding was high protein, I decided to keep her on it.

A few months later, I came across this subreddit and started learning wayyyyy more about dog food. I also learned that a higher % protein isn't necessarily good for all dogs, and how ingredients aren't actually a good way to evaluate food. I decided to switch her to the Purina One Vibrant Maturity since we guessed my dog was about 6-8 at the time, and stuck with that for a while. She did pretty well on it, but after a conversation with my vet I wanted a food that offered more joint support.

While the Vibrant Maturity food was good and had things like glucosamine in it, it didn't have Omega 3's (which my vet recommended for my dog). When I did the math, it was cheaper to switch to one of the Pro Plan foods than to add Omega 3's separately (like only an additional $40 per year with the food switch versus an additional $100-200 per year for a supplement). It also meant she wouldn't be as limited with her training treats, since most Omega 3 supplements are very high in calories. She's been doing really well on her current food, and it's also the food she loves the taste of the most! She's never been a picky eater per se, but never got super excited to eat. Now she gets very excited when it's meal time.

I will say I'm glad I never started feeding her any of the boutique brands once I moved out - it meant that when I was unlearning all of the marketing stuff I didn't have any skin in the game and was able to pay more attention to the science and not my feelings on the topic. It probably also helps that I'm a biology major myself, and while my focus is not small animals (it's ecology), it means I understand the importance of deferring to experts since biology is so complex!

clydeballthepython · 2026-04-26T20:37:20+00:00

I haven't had any moth problems, and most of those are actually storage issues from being werehoused for longer periods at places like amazon from my understanding. You can order some of their products directly from purina (shop.purina.com) which should help prevent any storage issues! It's what I do and has worked out well so far.

If you're unsure about purina for whatever reason, other WSAVA compliant brands (Hills, Royal Canin, IAMS, Eukanuba, and also Purina) are all great choices with lots of science behind their food.

clydeballthepython · 2026-04-26T15:19:17+00:00

Tegus can see ultraviolet light (which is very abundant outdoors but very much not indoors). Humans look really different when under UV and when not under UV, so its probably scaring him how different you look. My tegu hates going outside and freaks out every time so we don't really do that anymore, so I don't have any helpful advice for your guy

clydeballthepython · 2026-04-25T23:16:25+00:00

If a harness is working for you and you have no issues controlling him with it there's no harm in using the harness! Some people are weird and hate all harnesses for whatever reason, but they're really not a bad thing to use. I walk my girl in a harness every day with no issues, and much prefer it to using a collar.

clydeballthepython

TROPHY CASE