I feed Kipawa a mix of raw meat/veggies and TOTW Bison. I haven't had any problems, though Kipawa is on the last of the 30 lbs. bags. I think the next bag I will buy will be smaller in case there IS something going on with TOTW. But so far, so good.
No problems here either. ToTW Pacific Stream is one of our primary kibbles. But just to suggest another possibility… could it be that she's tired of eating the same brand for five years? 
We do a LOT of variety around here. While I don't think it's necessary to feed something different every day, I suspect one reason my dogs never have problems with their appetite is because I keep meals "interesting" for them.
If the refusal to eat happens only with a new bag, it is likely your dog is sensing something about the food, not just bored with it. You are lucky the dog is this sensitive. Assuming there is some problem with the food, obviously better to have it refused than to end up with a sick dog. I would always suspect food first as a cause of any illness that occurs right after beginning feeding from a new bag. Productions mistakes happen. Possible with any food that involves a "pre mix", which pretty much describes all the dry foods. (that is one of the reasons I like NRG dehydrated. No pre mix) Obviously there could also be a problem with other ingredients, but I have seen mistakes in mixes for livestock often enough to be suspicious of the additives.
If the refusal to eat happens only with a new bag, it is likely your dog is sensing something about the food, not just bored with it. You are lucky the dog is this sensitive. .
This is what I am suspecting. She only refused once I opened the new bag. Before that, she had been eating that same flavor as fast as she could swallow it. What concerns me is that this is the 2nd bag she has refused in three months. I brought home another new bag after the refusal, and she tore into it like she hadn't eaten in days. It's definitely NOT her being finicky, she is not a picky eater by any means.
Are you buying your bags from the same supplier? Maybe stock is not moving fast enough and you simply got part of the same bad batch.
BTW, I feed TOTW buffalo but used to feed the salmon version. My breeder, who also uses this, told me the salmon is smoked with some chemical that is not good for our little beasties. Dont' know enough about this, just passing along some information.
I switch between TOTW salmon and the sierra mountain (lamb) formula. I saw some things about ethoxyquin (which is probably what your breeder was talking about) when I was researching what food to get, and this is what the TOTW website has to say (from the FAQ section):
Does this food contain ethoxyquin?
Taste of the Wild Pet Foods sources all protein meals (chicken meal, fish meal, etc) from vendors that do not use ethoxyquin. As always, only natural preservatives are used in our manufacturing process to preserve the foods.
Mansa does pretty well on this food. I switched from costco food that was giving him digestive issues, probably because of the grain content. Hopefully there are no widespread problems with the TOTW food. Its so frusterating when you as the consumer can't trust that what you are giving your dog is the best for them.
I had a friend in OK email me that her dogs also refused a new bag of the salmon formula, then had problems with diareah and vomitting so bad they had to go to the vet. She wrote them about her problems. We only feed the fowl and bison formulas as none of my dogs like salmon in any brand. I'm going to switch to all raw and red barn meat rolls once my current bag is gone.
Are you buying your bags from the same supplier? Maybe stock is not moving fast enough and you simply got part of the same bad batch.
Quite possible, althought the 2 bad bags were of different flavors. I live in a small town where I'd bet that 99% of the population feeds their dogs Old Roy. The only people feeding TOTW are probably people I've been recommending it to.
I've never had a problem with TOTW Pacific Stream, but I had 3 of my 4 dogs refuse to eat the Bison - so I threw that out. For my current rotation I'm feeding Orijen adult and Instinct Duck currently - and use TOTW Pacific Stream for Busy Buddies and such.
If the refusal to eat happens only with a new bag, it is likely your dog is sensing something about the food, not just bored with it. You are lucky the dog is this sensitive. Assuming there is some problem with the food, obviously better to have it refused than to end up with a sick dog. I would always suspect food first as a cause of any illness that occurs right after beginning feeding from a new bag. Productions mistakes happen. Possible with any food that involves a "pre mix", which pretty much describes all the dry foods. (that is one of the reasons I like NRG dehydrated. No pre mix) Obviously there could also be a problem with other ingredients, but I have seen mistakes in mixes for livestock often enough to be suspicious of the additives.
I had never heard of NRG. It sounds amazing. How is the price comparison of using NRG vs. TOTW ($50 for 30lbs)? Do you use the Maxim?
I have used the original, now called NRG "Vitality", for a long time. I haven't costed it against other foods. I think I pay around $80 for 15.5 pounds. One package lasts me a long time. I have a holistic vet, and she was using it for her Papillons, which is how I got onto it. I use less than a cup a day, divided into two feedings. I add water and let it sit for 10 - 15 minutes to rehydrate, then feed. He loves it, but then he loves most things that are edible and quite a few that are not. My previous Basenji enjoyed it and did well on it also.
Thanks for the info! So if I'm feeding 3/4 a cup, twice a day (1.5 cups per day) of TOTW Kibble, would this be the same amount I feed for NRG or is it more calories?
Really, I can't say since I am not familiar with TOTW. What is the recommended amount by weight? I usually find I end up feeding a bit less than whatever the food manufacturer recommends, but I go by how my dog looks and adjust for whether he is gaining or losing weight, and how active he is (more food in summer than winter, for sure!) Also, I have to consider what else he might be consuming, e.g. he gets a few dry kibbles in his roller ball when we go out (currently Acana adult, because they are the right size), and a few treats in his Kong, and more if I am training a new behaviour, so it is always a matter of balancing things. I give him veggies when I am making dinner, but don't usually worry about them too much…..pretty low calorie count. Oh, and berries (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries) in the morning, if we put them on our cereal Perry must have his, too!
Kipawa is getting a half cup of TOTW Bison twice a day, supplemented by veggies, blueberries and low cal treats (Zuke's). With 3/4 of a cup twice daily I found there was just the slightest bit of 'sponginess' starting to happen - ribs were disappearing (by touch), getting visually less noticeable and poops were HUGE! Our outdoor activities have only waned slightly this winter, so I've found I have had to make this adjustment.
Speaking of poops, I find Kipawa is a very well machined dog - certain quantity in, same quantity out. 
Horse people have an old saying "the eye of the master maketh the horse". I think it applies equally to dogs. You should be aware from appearance, touch, etc. whether your dog is gaining or losing weight, the texture of his coat, brightness of the eyes, etc. And of course, the stools! I always know when my husband has been remiss and Perry has had a chance to bolt down some of my horse's ration. Beet pulp makes for rather large stools and more frequency, that I can attest to!
Have you seen this $40 bag of high value food, grain free vs. $70 food?
http://www.pulsarpetfood.com/
Sounds like your dog is really smart! The problem with Salmon or other fish kibble is it's hard to tell when it's rancid: I finally stopped feeding my dogs kibble because in my town the premium food doesn't move fast enough. I even kept it in the freezer!
I'm now making my own food, more work but the dogs like it a lot better and it's actually the same price or cheaper than the premium foods I was buying.
My dogs are on different foods so I almost always buy the smaller bags. There is a health food store near me that usually has the smaller bags for sale. For some reason many of the petfood stores near me do not put the smaller bags on sale.
Jennifer
