Another dog food question (sorry). Have a VERY picky eater 7 month old. Does fine coat and stool wise on Proplan SSS and before that shreds but over past two months has become very picky (not sick, weight still okay, but will pick at food all day long). Have tried little bags of many other foods (Nutro-blech, Royal Canin-no way, Eukanuba-doesn't like). He does like Halo Spot's Stew very much (and of course it is expensive!), and I was wondering if anyone else had experience with it. It is 28% protein, 16% fat, could not tell Calcium, etc. looking at bag and website. I am willing to put out the $$ to buy it if others recommend it, but as a newbie, am a little concerned that this may be an example of a "premium" dog food that Pat Hastings warns about in her book in terms of contributing to structural problems. Any thoughts? TIA and again sorry for yet another dog food thread-I know it is not as entertaining as many of the other riveting threads of late.

We stocked it in the store and ended sending it all back because it did not sell. None of the dogs that tried it would eat any. Have you tried any Natura products like Innova?

Now I may be incorrect but I think they are linked in with PETA.
Halo is now owned by Ellen Degeneres who has been a supporter of PETA in the past and I would likely think that some how these would be linked.

Ah!!!!! Good to know I looked on their website and there she was. Didn't say she was am owner, but she was promoting it. Thanks for the tip about Innova-I will have to see where it is carried. Also sounds like others are enthused about Orijen so I may check it out. My kids are such picky eaters that it figures I'd get a Lab that is too!

Would PETA support any product that had animal products in it though? Don't know one way or another, just wondering. I have often wondered if PETA activists ever own cats and if so how do they feed them as I believe cats HAVE to eat animal protein?

Can you elaborate what Pat Hastings says about "premium" dog food? Did she mention any brands?

The only dog food I am aware of which has ever had a PETA connection is Honest Kitchen. For years they appeared as a "PETA partner" - PETA no longer makes that information public, so HK may not currently have any affiliation. I always thought they made strange bedfellows, since Honest Kitchen sells dehydrated raw meat products for pets. Go figure.

Just me: I checked my copy of Hasting's book "Tricks of the Trade" to see. She does not name any brands. She is an advocate of feeding adult food from day one. On pg 62 she says "high powered nutrients can enable bone to grow at a faster rate then it is meant to grow. " And then says, " When I see nutritionally based problems, my first recommendation is always to drop back one level in the quality of food the puppies are eating".

I have not been in the breed long enough to know if this is true. Would be interested in the opinions of posters more experienced than me.

Not so interested in the opinions of others about Halo foods, but am interested in whether breeders agree with Pat Hasting's opinions re: "quality" of dog foods and growth/joint problems in puppies.

If you send me a personal email, I will help you with some different food choices that Purina makes that may help.
Marci