food question...

Hello everyone. I have a food question. Ever since Phoebe was about 4-5 months old I've been feeding her Natures Variety Instinct. She does really well on it. I've always switched between the beef and chicken flavor. Well about 3-4 months ago I added Aiden to the mix. Not sure what his last family fed him. The rescue said they think it was Kibbles n Bits (didn't know that was still on the market) I just don't think the Natures Variety agrees with his tummy. Phoebe needs to be on a grain free diet due to allergies, and she could afford to lose about 3lbs. Aiden has had very soft poop, borderline diarrhea. He's also very active, kinda crazy. So he's super skinny, he can afford to gain a pound or 2. He also licks his paws a lot. Does anyone have suggestions for possibly a different brand of food? Id love to continue feeding them the same brand to make it easier on me but id be willing to feed them each different things at meal time. I stopped at the food store today and got a sample of Earthborn, and a sample of Honest Kitchen. They also said Taste of the Wild could help. Price wise I'm not concerned and I think I can get most any food around in my area. Thanks in advance. Any help would be appreciated.

I avoid chicken and beef as many dogs have issues with those two proteins. And many dogs have issues with eggs. Not sure if the Nature's Variety kibble is egg heavy, but their raw is.

I like Taste of the Wild, Acana (grain free versions) and Orijen. I've also used Wellness Core fish formula.

Thank you. I'm not real sure how much egg is in the Natures Variety. I buy a bag and pour it into their food bin. I've tried other flavors than the chicken and beef but sassy pants Phoebe is very picky so Thats all she will eat. I will also try the other ones you suggested. Finding a food is so frustrating!

I was also going to say that for whatever reason, he may just not do well on such high protein kibbles. I believe Nature's Variety is above 30%.

You may look for something in the 23-26% range for protein levels and see if he does better on that. I agree no-grain is the way to go.

A gentle and grain-free, unique protein kibble that worked well for a former foster of mine is Canidae Pureland. It is made with lamb & pork and is grain free. Has no beef or chicken in it at all. And, the protein level is not too high.

Also, you could try adding a tablespoon of pumpkin.