# Canidae Vs. Natural Balance: is the money worth it



## nopistons93 (Jun 21, 2008)

I started Kӧnig today on natural balance because I didn't realize the price difference of that and Canidae. However, is canidae a "cheaper made" food or just more of a value?


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## nopistons93 (Jun 21, 2008)

Oh and also, is it possible to give our dogs whey protein powder sprinkled on top of their food?


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: nopistons93Oh and also, is it possible to give our dogs whey protein powder sprinkled on top of their food?


I wouldn't.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

One of my dogs is on Canidae, the other is on Natural Balance Fish/Sweet potato due to a grain intolerance. The one eating Canidae is doing GREAT!! Small poops, soft, shiney coat, very healthy. I think it's great stuff. 

Why would you sprinkle whey on your dog's food?


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I had Cujo on the duck and potato formula of Natural Balance because of his allergies. Pip got the same food as these are my parent's dogs. 

Cujo's allergies were awful with skin issues. We did everything. 

Finally I switched my lot and theirs to Canidae. Cujo got better. Much better. But the weather had changed and the furnace went off and when fall rolled around again, his coat suffered again. We started adding a bit of kelp to his diet. 

He was not much of an eater, and I suppose that sometimes his eating habbits were not good for his coat either. After his starting phenobarbitol for seizures, he is eating great, he looks good, and his coat is awesome. 

I like canidae. All eight of my own dogs eat it. I was a little unimpressed with Natural Balances issues with their venison and with their cat food. I guess they have their dog food packaged by diamond and had some trouble. 

The old dog, Pip, did great on that food. He is doing great on Canidae too. Having lived for 10 years on Dads trail mix and Purina/Alpo come-n-get it, I suppose the old boy has an iron stomach. Who knows, maybe we are all way too paranoid about dog food.


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

Depends what you're looking for. Also, what NB formula? If you're looking at NB's original formula vs. Canidae's ALS, then you're looking at comparable protein & fat percentages. For a mixed ingredients kibble, I like Canidae better. 

Looking at the ingredients, Canidae gives you more meat meals at the beginning of the ingredients list: 

_All Natural Ingredients
Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Brown Rice, White Rice, Lamb Meal, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Herring Meal, Flax Seed, Sun Cured Alfalfa Meal, Sunflower Oil, Chicken..._

Natural Balance's "Ultra Premium" Formula (the original formula) offers chicken (which has water weight) then rice, then lamb meal, then oats, then duck meal. 

_Ingredients Listing : Chicken, Brown Rice, Lamb Meal, Oatmeal, Barley, Duck Meal, Potatoes, Carrots, Chicken Fat (preserved with natural mixed tocopherols), Tomato Pomace, Natural Flavor, Canola Oil, Brewers Yeast, Salmon Meal, Salmon Oil, Whole Ground Flaxseed..._

Now, it's hard to know the exact amounts of ingredients used in each formula. All we know for sure is that the ingredients are listed in the amount included. But it looks to me that the Canidae has more meat (meat meal) than the NB. 

I also like Canidae's close quality control (as selzer mentions) as well, though NB certainly was upfront, helpful and super PROACTIVE about everything through its recall, unlike just about everyone else who had a recall.

If you're looking at NB's single protein/carb formulas, the protein and fat levels are lower (20-21% protein and 10% fat). Is this what you really want? For dogs with allergies or special needs, these foods can be a godsend. But there are trade-offs as well. (I rotate the NB salmon/sweet potato formula to my senior dog because I'm trying to keep her fat intake somewhat low. But my very active young dogs need far higher fat intake than the NB 10% fat in the "allergenic" formulas). 

I've seen that NB also has a new "ultra active" formula for working dogs. It's interesting, but I haven't done enough research to know if it's worth feeding to regular pets, much less true working dogs. I presume the purchase price reflects the "ultra" formula as well. 

I think the ultimate answer for any of us is to read the ingredients, check out the percentages carefully, and decide what's best for our particular dog. The price difference between these particular foods isn't such a factor, IMO. I personally think Canidae is a better food overall. But the "best" food depends on what's best for your dog.


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

I just saw the other thread about Canidae changing its formula and no longer being gluten free. Sigh. http://www.dogfoodproject.com/

All the more reason to *try* to stay up on what's going into your dog's food. The ingredients list posted on the website today isn't what will be in the food tomorrow.


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## BrennasMom (Mar 2, 2008)

My GSD has a very sensitive tummy and has responded extremely well to canidae. Both dogs have lovely coats as well.

I would not add protein powder. For one thing you will throw off the balance to nutrients, I could be wrong but I think everything is supposed to be a certain ratio of protein to calcium or something like that.


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## GSDgirlAL (Jan 4, 2008)

I currently fed Natural Balance and have been feeding it for quite some time. My two have done well on it and they seem to like it. I feed the b/c they have allergies. If I was able to feed the Canidae I would. I think you get a high quality kibble for a good price. They are both great products, you can't go wrong either way. But, I do have to agree that Natural Balance is expensive.


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## sprzybyl (May 15, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: EmooreOne of my dogs is on Canidae, the other is on Natural Balance Fish/Sweet potato due to a grain intolerance. The one eating Canidae is doing GREAT!! Small poops, soft, shiney coat, very healthy. I think it's great stuff.
> 
> Why would you sprinkle whey on your dog's food?


I feed my puppy Canidae and same thing- she is doing GREAT. I woudln't call her poops "small" though, lol. She had itchy skin but my vet said it was dry from all her growing... we supplement with a bit of peanut or fish oil... as if her fur could get shinier... boy did it ever =P


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## sklippstein (Apr 10, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: GSDgirlALI currently fed Natural Balance and have been feeding it for quite some time. My two have done well on it and they seem to like it. I feed the b/c they have allergies. If I was able to feed the Canidae I would. I think you get a high quality kibble for a good price. They are both great products, you can't go wrong either way. But, I do have to agree that Natural Balance is expensive.


Agreed, way out of my price range.


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## nopistons93 (Jun 21, 2008)

fair enough then sounds like a good debate. 

as for why I'd think about whey protein, well I'm a chemist but I'm also into personal fitness and nutrition as a personal trainer. I, however, never looked into the balances required for GSD, I assumed a natural whey protein would be fine as its the same protein found in milk and dairy like cottage cheese.


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## GusGus18 (Jun 26, 2008)

*Re: Canidae Vs. Natural Balance: is the money wort*

Nopistons93,

Email me or get in touch with me about whey proteins. That is my job. I manufacture, trade, and export all dairy powders, specifically whey and milk proteins. Since, and tell me if I'm wrong, many dogs' stomachs are sensitive to milk based products, i would be cautious with this. Also depending on the protein level of the whey protein powder that you would be adding, it will greatly throw the flavor off. Some of these powders are very bitter tasting due to the processing and hydrolysis levels of the powder.


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