Hi! I have 2 chihuahua mixes - one 10 pounds, one 8.5 pounds. One of whom is allergic to chicken. I’m looking for the best small breed kibble for them. Right now they’re enjoying Honest Kitchen beef kibble(which they enjoy but aren’t enthused about). I have spent hours researching brands and I feel beyond overwhelmed. Apparently the brands I have fed in the past(Orijen, Acana) are actually bad brands to use. I’m reading a lot of people stating Purina Pro Plan is the best but I’m also reading that corn and by-product meal(which is apparently supposed to be avoided) is really high up on the ingredient list. For every review stating that Purina are the top company, I’m findjng another review stating they should be avoided at all costs. I’m so confused. HELPPPP!
sevilodorf
New member
@phule There is nothing at all wrong with corn and by product meal. And the chicken free pro plan also doesn’t have any corn anyways.
https://www.reddit.com/r/DogFood/wiki/index/fillers/
https://www.reddit.com/r/DogFood/wiki/index/byproducts/
https://www.reddit.com/r/DogFood/wiki/index/fillers/
https://www.reddit.com/r/DogFood/wiki/index/byproducts/
@sevilodorf Thank you for your reply! I appreciate it. 
@phule The best kibble is the one that works for your pup. I feed my girl Acana, their beef kibbles from their Wholesome Grains line, because it's pretty much the only kibble I readily have access to/never had any stock issues, she loves it, it doesn't contain high legume content (makes her gassy asf), and doesn't have super high fish content (makes her poops super soft).
Purina Pro Plan, Royal Canin, Eukanaba, Hills, and I think some other company too are the ones who meet the WSAVA guidelines, so they're the most recommended. However, each circumstance is different, and it's completely fine if you can't feed one of these kibbles for x reason. What matters is that your dog is happy, healthy, and fed.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with by-products. By-products are the miscellaneous pieces of meats that typically don't wind up on grocery store shelves, such as organ meat, tendons, brains, cartilage, etc., which are some of the most nutrient packed parts of animals. It's like beef liver... Ask anyone around if they like eating liver... Chances are they will say no (I know this because I LOVE liver and everyone I've spoken to thinks it's nasty)... But it's SO NUTRIENT RICH. Liver is so good for you. But people don't want liver when they get their T-Bone steak... So those pieces of meat tends to go towards things like sausages and other things for human consumption, and then pet/other animal food, instead of wasting it.
They just call it by-products because 1) usually these meats are all mixed up together, and 2) most people don't want to read "cow brains" on the ingredient list when feeding their dogs because of societal bias... Same reason why we call them "bully sticks" instead of cow penis.
Purina Pro Plan, Royal Canin, Eukanaba, Hills, and I think some other company too are the ones who meet the WSAVA guidelines, so they're the most recommended. However, each circumstance is different, and it's completely fine if you can't feed one of these kibbles for x reason. What matters is that your dog is happy, healthy, and fed.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with by-products. By-products are the miscellaneous pieces of meats that typically don't wind up on grocery store shelves, such as organ meat, tendons, brains, cartilage, etc., which are some of the most nutrient packed parts of animals. It's like beef liver... Ask anyone around if they like eating liver... Chances are they will say no (I know this because I LOVE liver and everyone I've spoken to thinks it's nasty)... But it's SO NUTRIENT RICH. Liver is so good for you. But people don't want liver when they get their T-Bone steak... So those pieces of meat tends to go towards things like sausages and other things for human consumption, and then pet/other animal food, instead of wasting it.
They just call it by-products because 1) usually these meats are all mixed up together, and 2) most people don't want to read "cow brains" on the ingredient list when feeding their dogs because of societal bias... Same reason why we call them "bully sticks" instead of cow penis.
sevilodorf
New member
@phule My 8.5 Ib chihuahua poodle mix is allergic to poultry and has an IBD. It's been months of trying to figure out something that doesn't upset her stomach that she's also enthused about. I started her on Ollie home baked pork food about three weeks ago and it's been great!
Her vet looked into it and said it's a balanced meal and my dog has energy again, no upset stomach gurgles, good bowel movements etc. Definitely something to look into and talk to your vet about!
Her vet looked into it and said it's a balanced meal and my dog has energy again, no upset stomach gurgles, good bowel movements etc. Definitely something to look into and talk to your vet about!