Can grain free food NOT be good for all dogs?

I have recently had problems with 3 of my corgis bordering on being too skinny and even had Sage to the vet for "lack of energy" and not being herself. I feed TOTW and switched to a higher protein TOTW. I have been adding a TBSP of brown rice to Sage's food (2X's a day) and now about 5 days later she has more energy. She has been running and playing like normal. Could she actually need a bit of grain in her diet. I haven't tried this with Bella or Wynn yet but I think I will. Any thoughts? Yes, my dogs do get more exercise than many dogs.

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Permalink Reply by Jane on September 21, 2011 at 10:06am

I don't think grains are necessarily all bad. I wouldn't go out and start feeding something with corn as the main ingredient, but there's nothing wrong with a good food that isn't totally grain free IMO. Henry can't handle grain free or even high protein foods.

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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on September 21, 2011 at 11:17am

@ Beth... their coats are beautiful other than every week for the last 3 another dogs has been blowing their coat. Tank is the perfect example of how good food= beautiful coat as he looks like a totally different dog now.. Sage's poop was dry due to less water than she should drink. I just think that Sage needs a carb to make the food more desirable to her. I would rather deal with underweight and have to add food than to to make them diet. I really liked the Premium Edge but won't feed that anymore due to the factories it's made in. I would have to drive 60 miles one way to get Wellness and it's even more expensive than TOTW...at least at Pet Expo. I'm sticking with TOTW bison and just adding the rice for now as it is working.

Anyone have a different carb idea that would be better? Barley????????

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Permalink Reply by Melissa and Franklin! on September 21, 2011 at 4:01pm

stick with rice, its nice and bland. Won't cause any stomach upset or anything. Since the dogs are being fed a nutritional diet the supplemented carb doesn't have to add any nutrition to the diet, especially if its just being added for the "yum" factor:-)

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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on September 21, 2011 at 5:50pm

That's what I'm gonna do...Sage is eating well like this and is much more active:)

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Permalink Reply by Sam Tsang on September 21, 2011 at 6:15pm

Quinoa / Barley / Brown rice

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Permalink Reply by Lois B. Allen on September 21, 2011 at 9:39pm

Maybe, its not grain specifically but carbs that they don't get from their food since they are so active. I haven't seen the formulas lately, how much fat is in it. Carbs and fat are needed for energy. I am on a "health" binge and eating coconut oil and the first container smelled so good that I have to get Randy some and now Reese. A little quality fat might help.

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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on September 21, 2011 at 11:28pm

Thanks Lois! that's pretty much what the vet tech suggested and I am switching to the bison which has a bit more fat and 6% more protien and then along with the rice this sure seems to have helped...I might try barley also but am not sure....guess i'll have to read the label. sage appears to be back to her active self and since they couldn't find anything "wrong" with her my guess is that the bison with the rice IS doing the trick:)