CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => Feeding => Topic started by: Gazrob on August 13, 2017, 02:51:28 PM
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Hi guys I'm looking for some advice. I'm currently feeding my Marley some generic grain free dog food which is £38 for a 15kg bag. However I was out walking my dog yesterday and I bumped into a fellow working cocker spaniel owner and we got chatting. I asked him what he feeds his dogs. He said he feeds them skinners dog food. Is this food any good? I've had a look at it and it is a lot cheaper than what I'm currently buying. I can afford what he's getting at the moment but if I can make some savings that would be great as its nearly 50% cheaper.
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Hi
I haven't fed it but think quite a few here do. :D
You could possibly try the all about dog food website. You can put in the weight, age and any ingredients you want to avoid etc and it will show most brands sold on UK and give you a daily cost of feeding. Sometimes a bag of food may cost more but works out cheaper in the long run because of the feeding amounts.
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I was just coming to suggest checking out https://www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/the-dog-food-directory (https://www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/the-dog-food-directory) too. Its the first place I start when I want to see how good a food is. On there Skinners has food rated from 1.4 out of 5 to 3.6 out of 5.
Edited to add you could compare what he gets now to Skinners on that website which might help with your decision. Personally I tend to say feed as well as you can afford to.
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Thanks for the advice. I can afford what I'm Feeding at the moment. However sometimes his poos are a bit soft I'm not sure if it's the food or not. He's eating grain free kibble it's unbranded. Also over the past week or so my fuel bills have risen so it would be nice to save some money. I don't want him to eat poor quality food.
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He's currently eating CI tickety boo chicken and herbs it's a grain free kibble it received 4.0 out of 5.0 on allaboutdogfood.co.uk
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Thanks for the advice. I can afford what I'm Feeding at the moment. However sometimes his poos are a bit soft I'm not sure if it's the food or not. He's eating grain free kibble it's unbranded. Also over the past week or so my fuel bills have risen so it would be nice to save some money. I don't want him to eat poor quality food.
I had a long battle with Grace with her poo being not quite right, either too bulky and soft or occasionally with mucus. She is on Butternut Box now and the one thing I can definitely vouch for is perfect poo every time and she doesn't suffer from smelly gas anymore either. She still burps all the time though! :) This is now her main food and costs a little bit over £2 a day.
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I was just coming to suggest checking out https://www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/the-dog-food-directory (https://www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/the-dog-food-directory) too. Its the first place I start when I want to see how good a food is. On there Skinners has food rated from 1.4 out of 5 to 3.6 out of 5.
Edited to add you could compare what he gets now to Skinners on that website which might help with your decision. Personally I tend to say feed as well as you can afford to.
Thank you so much for the link, I never knew about this site and it's really interesting!
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Looks good but by the calculations it's going to cost me £67 a month. However I'm not going to rule it out.
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I was just coming to suggest checking out https://www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/the-dog-food-directory (https://www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/the-dog-food-directory) too. Its the first place I start when I want to see how good a food is. On there Skinners has food rated from 1.4 out of 5 to 3.6 out of 5.
Edited to add you could compare what he gets now to Skinners on that website which might help with your decision. Personally I tend to say feed as well as you can afford to.
Thank you so much for the link, I never knew about this site and it's really interesting!
Glad its helpful! I use it so much as I get asked quite a lot about dog food. It can be horrifying how bad some food is!
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Are you feeding grain free due to allergy? As some of the cold pressed foods are good, normally work out very reasonable and usually good on digestion, but most do have some form of grain etc in them. May be worth looking at. :D
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Thanks for the advice. I can afford what I'm Feeding at the moment. However sometimes his poos are a bit soft I'm not sure if it's the food or not. He's eating grain free kibble it's unbranded. Also over the past week or so my fuel bills have risen so it would be nice to save some money. I don't want him to eat poor quality food.
His current food has a good rating but if his poo isn't great then it might not be suiting him. I completely understand about needing to balance your outgoings.
I feed Nutriment which is a prepared raw diet, it's a long time since I've fed kibble so I'm not up to date. I buy it in bulk with a group of friends which makes it a lot cheaper, 30% off & free delivery. If you're near Leeds you're welcome to join us!
Have a look at Acana, it's got a great rating and says it'll be 67p a day for a 16kg dog.
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No I'm not feeding it due to allergy I just heard it was better for dogs because there is no cereal in them etc. Not sure whether to just stick with it or change.
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Micah's mum thanks for the offer but I'm in Durham. I'll have a look at acana. Maybe Grain free isn't suitable for my dog. His poos are very inconsistent he's also been scooting now and again. Not sure whether to get some different kibble change to prepared meals or go raw.
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Micah's mum thanks for the offer but I'm in Durham. I'll have a look at acana. Maybe Grain free isn't suitable for my dog. His poos are very inconsistent he's also been scooting now and again. Not sure whether to get some different kibble change to prepared meals or go raw.
It's been a while since I've read up but I don't think there's much nutrition in grains for dogs. When I make treats I make them with potato flour rather than regular.
There's a lot more options for raw feeding now than there was when I first started. I actually first started to hear about raw feeding on COL many years ago. I did DIY for a few years but I researched it for about 6 months first!
My dogs do really well on raw, small poo (and their big Golden Retrievers) that is firm with little odour & they hardly ever have smelly wind.
I actually started to feed raw because my first ECS had a sensitive tummy & he did well on it. One of my ACS also had a very sensitive tummy & when I worked out he had a sensitivity to chicken he thrived on Nutriment. There are a few Companies doing complete raw now so check them all out if you're interested & see what appeals.
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Hi Micah's mum. I'm looking at a few options. Looked at Luna and me, butter box might be the way to go. Just need to work out if I can afford it and if I have enough space in the freezer.
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It's really hard to say what good to recommend as it really depends on your dog, my last dog did well on orijen, however it made my mum's dog very ill as was far to rich for her. It's really down to researching and feeding what you are happy with but most importantly what suits your dog. Sometimes it's trail and error to find the foods which suit your dog best. Not all grains are the same and some dogs do better on foods with certain grains in and can't tolerate food with a high meat content. You may have to try a few before you find something that really suits.
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Thanks Theo. It's a bit of a minefield out there. I know Orijen is a good food but I know it's more than what I'm currently paying. I think I might try him on a food that's not totally grain free and see how he does. You are right it might me too rich for him.
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I feed my working dog a brand that isn't rated as particularly great on that website. However, it gives him the energy required on a day's working, and the 'output' is solid and not excessive. It has maize as a filler. I've tried other supposedly better brands, but they've resulted in him becoming a bit lack lustre and not able to maintain the activity required while working. A recommended brand that has lots of variants and is a decent price is CSJ. Maybe have a look at their website. Lots of working dogs and agility dogs are fed this.
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Funny you should mention that emilyoliver, we struggled to find anything that eze would eat and have solid output. We changed to Arden grange about four months ago and I am not sure if its down to the food but she doesn't seem to have the same stamina. Dogging in starts in two weeks so that will prove a point
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Funny you should mention that emilyoliver, we struggled to find anything that eze would eat and have solid output. We changed to Arden grange about four months ago and I am not sure if its down to the food but she doesn't seem to have the same stamina. Dogging in starts in two weeks so that will prove a point
Pip is on Kronch Active. Seems to really suit him. Who knows why. I was told that diff between protein and fat shouldn't be more than 10% for working dogs. Be interesting to see how Eze does in the new food.
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Ive sent an email to csj I'll see what the reply is. Hopefully trying something completely different to what I've been feeding him will work.
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Izzy is 5 now and I spent the first couple of years finding a food to suit her. I tried several good quality foods, including ready prepared raw foods, but it was difficult keeping weight on her. Eventually I tried Millies Wolfheart which is brilliant. She maintains a steady weight and loves eating it. It costs about £38 for a 12 kg bag which lasts 6 weeks or so. You can phone and speak to a member of staff who will advise on the type of food depending on the activity level of your dog. The delivery arrangements are good and delivery is free. You can order a small amount to try it out. I do agree with others though the what suits one dog may not suit another.
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Hi juju that's even more expensive for me. I'm thinking maybe the grain free lamb/pork is too rich for him. I'm thinking about trying him on some blander food and see how it goes.
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Millies is excellent and we chop and change that with chicken thighs (cooked, no bone) and Fish for Dogs and Nature Instincts. I find things get soft sometimes if I've over-fed her rather than the brand.
I'd not put grain back in if you can avoid it. There's no biological reason for them to eat it as far as I can tell.
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Funny you should mention that emilyoliver, we struggled to find anything that eze would eat and have solid output. We changed to Arden grange about four months ago and I am not sure if its down to the food but she doesn't seem to have the same stamina. Dogging in starts in two weeks so that will prove a point
Pip is on Kronch Active. Seems to really suit him. Who knows why. I was told that diff between protein and fat shouldn't be more than 10% for working dogs. Be interesting to see how Eze does in the new food.
We have been on the AG adult but last week moved onto there performance mix. Its difficult to tell if her current drop of energy level is food related as she had a season couple of months ago and she usually goes a bit weird a couple months after, no physical signs of false pregnancy but tired and clingy and occasional nesting behaviour.
Anyway will update once we get working. 👍
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Millies is excellent and we chop and change that with chicken thighs (cooked, no bone) and Fish for Dogs and Nature Instincts. I find things get soft sometimes if I've over-fed her rather than the brand.
I'd not put grain back in if you can avoid it. There's no biological reason for them to eat it as far as I can tell.
Yes I have found over feeding can give this result and make you assume the food doesn't suit.
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I've ordered some csj fit n fast salmon. I'll try him on that its only £22 for 15kg.
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I've ordered some csj fit n fast salmon. I'll try him on that its only £22 for 15kg.
It's good value. Hope it suits him.
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So do I poor thing keeps getting the runs. I got him at 7 months old and before I got him he was fed on bakers so I thought I'd get him something better but so far he's not quite right. I was going to get him the cheaper csj champ food but some people tell me it's not good so I've went with fit n fast. I've had a look at the ingredients of his latest food it says 50% lamb. The csj fit n fast is 23% salmon. I'm thinking it might be the protein that's not suiting him as its quite high.
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So do I poor thing keeps getting the runs. I got him at 7 months old and before I got him he was fed on bakers so I thought I'd get him something better but so far he's not quite right. I was going to get him the cheaper csj champ food but some people tell me it's not good so I've went with fit n fast. I've had a look at the ingredients of his latest food it says 50% lamb. The csj fit n fast is 23% salmon. I'm thinking it might be the protein that's not suiting him as its quite high.
If its any consolation it took us ages to find something that agreed with her in the end anything hypoallergenic seems to do the trick but we add a bit of chicken or whatever to make it more interesting as she remains a fussy little so and so and seams to think she is human ad therefore should be having what we are having 😞
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My daughter feeds all of hers on skinners (oldest one 14 and still cocker crazy!). She buys if from farm shops in sacks as I think the VAT is different x
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Hi I've looked into the skinners however there is too much variety I wouldn't know where to start. I've ordered a 15kg bag of csj fit n fast for £22 that sounds reasonable to me.
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Hi I've looked into the skinners however there is too much variety I wouldn't know where to start. I've ordered a 15kg bag of csj fit n fast for £22 that sounds reasonable to me.
Its a minefield isn't it. Protein and additives and percentage this and that. Gives me a bloomin headache 😞
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Just keep things simple that's what I say. There must be about 10 different varieties of skinners. It's just too confusing I could end up trying all of them and none will be suitable. I've decided because marley has been on grain free for a year now. i don't want to buy the cheapest food if I can afford something a bit better. Mam said I should have kept him on bakers I told her it's not good. Hopefully he will do well on the salmon flavour csj fit n fast it's not quite as rich as the food he's getting now meat wise.
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That sounds good value! :D
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I fed my guys on Skinners salmon and potato before switching to raw.
Pearl cannot tolerate more than 30% protein but needs more than 21% - Coral is loopy on anything over 17% and a lot depends on the type of protein. Often the dried foods are % meat and the rest of the protein is from grains.
Both dogs were fine on the skinners (Coral was nuts but that may also have been her age). Pearl can and does work a full day on Kibble but I noticed their coats were not as shiny when not raw fed. Made a huge mistake and bought Arden Grange.....it's really good quality but just wrong for my two!
Where dog food is concerned I always think it's best to choose what's right for your dog, it's lifestyle (and yours) and your budget. Working dog food is VAT exempt so will always be better value.
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Only just found out that Arden grange performance is only 18% which doesn't sound much to me
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I was talking to the vet who was trying to persuade me that Logan should have Royal Canin prescription diet which was a waste of time as he's never having that! During the conversation she told me that many sensitive foods main ingredients are feathers! That was a new one on me! Apparently it's used because dogs haven't been exposed to them so don't have a sensitivity to. I did ask where on earth the nutrition came from which is apparently added to in other things. I think this argument was supposed to convince me to make the change! Not happening!
My first Cocker had dreadful tummy, it's a lot of years ago & there wasn't the wide range of food there is now. I'd tried most of what was available without success when someone suggested Chappie, I balked at that idea at first but I got desperate & tried it in the end & his poo returned to normal. Every day that I fed him it I grumbled to myself, went against everything I believed in. Every now and again when new things came on the market I tried him on it but always had to go back to Chappie. Perhaps what he needed was a food made out of feathers! [emoji23]
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During the conversation she told me that many sensitive foods main ingredients are feathers! That was a new one on me!
Are the feathers supposed to tickle their tastebuds then? :lol2:
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During the conversation she told me that many sensitive foods main ingredients are feathers! That was a new one on me!
Are the feathers supposed to tickle their tastebuds then? [emoji38]2:
[emoji23][emoji23]
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Just a quick update on marleys food and poo progress. I have been introducing Marley to his new csj fit n fast over the past 3 days. He's still on some of his old food but by tomorrow he should be just eating his new food. So far so good. His poo is now firm enough to pick up and he hasn't pooed as much today. No scooting for two days. I've also started to feed him a carrot a day which have made a huge difference. He loves them. Hopefully I've sorted the problem.
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Just a quick update on marleys food and poo progress. I have been introducing Marley to his new csj fit n fast over the past 3 days. He's still on some of his old food but by tomorrow he should be just eating his new food. So far so good. His poo is now firm enough to pick up and he hasn't pooed as much today. No scooting for two days. I've also started to feed him a carrot a day which have made a huge difference. He loves them. Hopefully I've sorted the problem.
Good news so far - thanks for the update. I also feed mine a chicken wing or duck neck once a week - helped to resolve an anal gland issue one of them had.
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That's cool emilyoliver. Marley loves chicken and duck. I'm going to feed him trout once a week as an occasional treat. He loves fish. I've binned the denti stix and the dog biscuits. I've also told my mother when she comes to visit not to give him any dog bones or biscuits she has a tendency to sneak him one when I'm not looking or not around.
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That's cool emilyoliver. Marley loves chicken and duck. I'm going to feed him trout once a week as an occasional treat. He loves fish. I've binned the denti stix and the dog biscuits. I've also told my mother when she comes to visit not to give him any dog bones or biscuits she has a tendency to sneak him one when I'm not looking or not around.
Can you have a word with my old mum as well 😁
She thinks I don't know when she sneakily gives her a biscuit or scraps 😊
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Just a quick update on marleys food and poo progress. I have been introducing Marley to his new csj fit n fast over the past 3 days. He's still on some of his old food but by tomorrow he should be just eating his new food. So far so good. His poo is now firm enough to pick up and he hasn't pooed as much today. No scooting for two days. I've also started to feed him a carrot a day which have made a huge difference. He loves them. Hopefully I've sorted the problem.
That's great news! So pleased to hear he's improving already , that's quick work. Getting rid of the Dentastix is good too, so many treats have all sorts of rubbish in them.
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Hi Micahsmum yeah I know they aren't good. I'm guilty of giving him them too not just my mother. But you learn from your mistakes. He's not out of the woods yet but I'm much happier today. I'll give another update in a couple of weeks when he's on his new food properly.
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That's cool emilyoliver. Marley loves chicken and duck. I'm going to feed him trout once a week as an occasional treat. He loves fish. I've binned the denti stix and the dog biscuits. I've also told my mother when she comes to visit not to give him any dog bones or biscuits she has a tendency to sneak him one when I'm not looking or not around.
Can you have a word with my old mum as well 😁
She thinks I don't know when she sneakily gives her a biscuit or scraps 😊
And mine, please? Obviously a 'mum thing'. My mum has lunch with my 3 while I'm at work. In addition to her own lunch, she also specifically makes the dogs a sandwich to share (despite me saying 100x that they really do not need an extra sandwich or anything else). Bit frustrating, but her heart is in the right place and I'm really lucky to have her close enough (and willing) to help me with them :luv:
Gazrob - mine get either tripe sticks, frozen chicken feet, hooves or fish twists to chew on. All natural and they love them.
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I'll look into that thanks.im trying not to bombard him with lots of different things at the moment. Once his system is back on track I'll give it a try.
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I'll look into that thanks.im trying not to bombard him with lots of different things at the moment. Once his system is back on track I'll give it a try.
Good plan. No point in upsetting the balance unnecessarily. It was just to say that there are lots of natural products available.
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Just a quick update. Marley is now on his second day of new food. His runny poos seemed to have cleared up. I'm feeding him csj fit n fast. Before I was feeding him a more expensive grain free food which cost me £40 which is twice as much for 15kg. It didn't get fantastic reviews but it seems to be working for Marley.
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Just a quick update. Marley is now on his second day of new food. His runny poos seemed to have cleared up. I'm feeding him csj fit n fast. Before I was feeding him a more expensive grain free food which cost me £40 which is twice as much for 15kg. It didn't get fantastic reviews but it seems to be working for Marley.
Brilliant. Best thing I read re the best dog food - the best dog food is the one that suits your dog and that you can afford. So true. No 2 dogs are the same, and all 3 of mine are one different foods for exactly that reason. Hope the food works out long term. Great results so far.
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Late to this thread but thought would add my tuppence worth regarding cheaper food...we actually still have Ollie on a puppy/ junior kibble (Chudleys) despite the fact that he is well over 2 now, and we have no intention of moving to an adult food.
To my mind it has the high levels of proteins and nutrients that more expensive brands boast of for adult dogs, despite being a fraction of the cost (approx £18 for 12kg). We feed a smaller amount as it is naturally high calorie and a quite high proportion fat but he maintains a good weight on it as he is very active doing regular 5k runs and swimming most days. Because it has smaller pieces of kibble it is also compatible with most treat dispensers, so he receives his meals in these which entertains him and slows down the rate at which he eats. I think foods that describe themselves as suitable for pups have to meet a higher standard so we're happy and I would estimate it costs about 22p a day to feed.
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Hi hoover thanks for your reply. Marley has never been on puppy food. I got him when he was 7 months old he was already on adult food. I'm currently paying 22.70 for a 15kg bag which works out at 20 something pence a day. It will last at least a couple of months. He's much better than he was on the expensive high protein working dog grain free food which was 38 pound a bag.
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Hi - we use www.tails.com (http://www.tails.com). They cut out the middleman and deliver right to your door. They create a specific mix for each breed of dog and and for their age - so the website says. We're really happy with them - the food has a very high protein content and as far as we can tell, (we're not experts as this is our first puppy), it is very affordable considering the quality of the kibble. We would certainly recommend.
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Just an update. Marley has been on his csj fit n fast for the past four months now. He's a lot better now. He rarely leaves any of his food he does seem to really enjoy it. I can highly recommend it. I know it's not the best most expensive food it cost me £21.70 for a 15 kg bag compared to £39 I was paying for his previous kibble. Before I started him on csj he would often skip meals even if I changed the flavour every couple of months. He's had the same food for four months and left a bit of his food just a couple of times.
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I have heard good things about csj, a lot of shooters feed it to there dogs.