Hello! New Member

[B5004EVER]

Hello All,

I am a new member who has raised two Basenjis in the past, both now over the Rainbow Bridge. In July '16 we acquired a basenji mix who we named Jax from a local animal shelter. He is really high energy and may be mixed with either whippet or IG (He has the ears, tail position and build of those breeds, the basenji wrinkles and the beagle bark, although he can and does baroo. I've joined to get some insights on feeding, nutrition, and behavior. Jax is definitely not as smart as my previous purebred b's, but he is the happiest dog alive and very sweet natured with both people and other dogs.

Looking forward to meeting you all, finding out useful information and sharing my current experiences with Jax and any wisdom? I've gained from previously having two fabulous basenjis.

[DebraDownSouth]

Welcome! What a nice looking dog! Glad you adopted him!

[eeeefarm]

Sure looks like a Basenji except for the ears. Very handsome boy!

[kjdonkers]

Welcome. He looks very sweet.

[Nancy Berry]

@B5004EVER Hi there & Welcome! Jax is a beautiful dog & I love his colors! You say "He's not as smart as your purebreds", maybe not or maybe he just hasn't shown it yet! But either way...I bet he makes up for it with loads & loads of love! Congrats to you!! And Jax, yer' a "lucky dog" !! What ever you do, DO NOT take any nutrition info from me! I am "dumber" than a truck load of rocks on dog nutrition. For years, I thought I was feeding my dogs "really good" dog food = NOT. I'm so bloody confused about dog food now, I don't think I'm even capable of picking out a "GOOD" dog food. I can't distinguish good ingredients from poor/bad one's & I have no earthly idea how to figure out if ingredients are "sourced" from the U.S. or a different Country. If I can't do that, I'm really having second thoughts about having another dog. Listen to the others though, they know & you'll be able to learn from them. I think my mind is just corroded & I just don't learn well anymore.

[DebraDownSouth]

I missed the nutrition part until Nancy commented. Nancy, I've been studying nutrition about 35 yrs now and every few years it is learn and unlearn and learn new. BUT, I generally trust Whole Dog Journal's list as well as Dog Food Adviser. I do think Whole Dog Journal is a bit more trustworthy.

That said, there's a billion options. Do you want to feed just kibble? Or meat rolls? Or combo? Or raw? or raw and kibble. As Shirley pointed out in another thread... you don't need a degree in nutrition to find good sources.

First is making darned sure the source is USA or a trusted location. If you aren't fanatical about learning where you can trust... just stick with USA and Canada. Here is a tip. If the package does not SAY "all ingredients sourced in the US", they aren't. Most, actually do get vitamins from other countries... but at least make sure the meat is sourced here. If it only says "Made in USA"... guess what? Don't trust where they got their meat. Some places online and stores either only sell USA sourced OR they have a separate listing/area for them.

This has a decent list of foods, most of which are considered high quality. Sadly, keep up on news as they do sell out and quality can crash:

http://dogaware.com/diet/dryfood.html

This is the 2015 Whole Dog Journal list
http://www.kerryblues.info/whole-dog-journal/2015KIBBLE.pdf

If you have specific questions about nutrition, someone here can help.

[Nancy Berry]

@DebraDownSouth Well, that figures. I screwed up AGAIN! I stood in the dog food isle at Walmart, reading labels for what was in the food & finally picked one, Pure Balance SUPERFOOD BLEND, Grain Free, Trout & Lentils Recipe. It's for sure that the Racheal Rays isn't going along with this boy! I can't find anywhere on the stupid bag about "sourcing" & all I can say for sure is, that it was made in AK. by Ainsworth Co. I've emptied the bag into gallon jugs so I could scan the bag & send it to Pam because I couldn't answer her 2 simple questions last night. I paid $2. a pound for this food but they say if I or my dog doesn't like it, they will refund my money. Pfffffsssssst!! I'll give it to my neighbor & the Iams Naturals that I was feeding my Dorie before she went & died.

[Nancy Berry]

@DebraDownSouth That DogAdvisor gives Pure Balance, other flavors 4 & 5 stars! I guess he hasn't messed with this one. Nutrition is like quick sand to me! I sucks any brain cells that I have working into a knot so that they for sure don't work then. I give up!!

[DebraDownSouth]

@Nancy-Berry said in Hello! New Member:

@DebraDownSouth That DogAdvisor gives Pure Balance, other flavors 4 & 5 stars! I guess he hasn't messed with this one. Nutrition is like quick sand to me! I sucks any brain cells that I have working into a knot so that they for sure don't work then. I give up!!

That is sadly my biggest complaint with dogadvidsor. No care is given to meat source. If you look at rachel ray and pure balance (both made by same company, ainsworth), they don't tell you. Well for turkey RR's says USA and lamb from NZealand. Dogadvisor says since almost ALL dog foods use some China/etc ingredients, why look at any? ainsworth says they are careful about their sources, but fail to say what they are. Big red flag to me.

On the one hand, she's right... many of the dog recalls have been due to vitamin/supplements from china in otherwise US sourced foods. But to me, she throws out baby with bathwater. I don't trust china meats.

Ainsworth used to be junk (Dad's dog food)... little meat, lots of grains, peas, corn to make up protein. They have vastly improved. And the superfood blend looks good. I did laugh though... one reviewer said it made his dog's poop TOO hard.

[B5004EVER]

@DebraDownSouth I used to feed my B's Flint River Ranch and I loved it and both dogs liked it too. Dogs did very well on it, very digestible, and very little waste, meaning poop volume. Sometime after 2014 I think the company was sold and the new company is offering completely different food and also not shipping to all states (yet). Now feeding PetValu's Performatrin Ultra Venison and Sweet Potato but I miss my Flint River because there seems to be more waste than with the FRR. Because he is not a purebred basenji and there may be some beagle in there, he's gained some weight and we have cut him back from 2-1.5 c/day per the dogfoodadvisor calculator. I may be overweight, but I don't let my dogs get overweight. This guy's a chewer and my other dogs weren't so we've given him bully sticks and they also are part of the weight gain. Right now because it's winter we don't get out as often to walk and exercise, but in the spring and summer a 1 hour evening walk was not out of the ordinary, along with several 20 min. walks during the day.

[DebraDownSouth]

@B5004EVER said in Hello! New Member:
Because he is not a purebred basenji and there may be some beagle in there, he's gained some weight and we have cut him back from 2-1.5 c/day per the dogfoodadvisor calculator.<<

Okay so I am laughing a bit. Basenji not basenji, dogs can get fat. I just got a slap on the hands over Cara from the rescue mom for being fat. For the record, my vet nor I considered her FAT, but she certainly failed the "svelte" standards of Pam. I like to be able to barely see the last couple of ribs.. definite tuck up. But generally, ignore the bag's suggested. If your dog is getting too thin, give more in maybe 10 to 15 percent increases. Getting fat? Cut back 10 to 15 percent til you hit ideal, then add a little to maintain.

Yeah, on Flint River. That happens a lot and I know many who were sad. I used to feed Wellness fish formula then they upped the fat so much my dogs got diarrhea. If you ever have a coated dog (Chow) with diarrhea, you'll understand how fast I changed foods.

[eeeefarm]

@DebraDownSouth said in Hello! New Member:

If your dog is getting too thin, give more in maybe 10 to 15 percent increases. Getting fat? Cut back 10 to 15 percent til you hit ideal, then add a little to maintain.

" The eye of the master maketh the horse" applies to dogs just as well. With practice, you notice quickly if your animal is gaining or losing, and what his/her ideal weight looks like.....