Quote: Anne Jones

... Another thing that I would add is: Personally, I feed raw....but if I were to feed kibble, I can tell you Iams would be one of the last that I would choose to feed my dogs.

Saved me some typing. DITTO!

 Quote: Ed Haverty

No, I just feel it's too hot and not the best thng for the kidneys.

We have posted threads several time linking to 16 authoritative sources debunking the dog-kidneys/protein myth, but here's a good short succinct one from Mary Strauss:

But what about the kidneys? Doesn’t a low protein diet lessen the workload on the kidneys and help protect older dogs from kidney disease?

Again, the answer is no. Research done on dogs has now proved that protein does not damage kidneys, and feeding a lower protein diet does not protect them. In fact, senior dogs fed high protein diets live longer and are healthier than those that are fed low protein diets, even when one kidney has been removed. Studies conducted at the University of Georgia in the 1990s demonstrated that feeding protein levels of 34 percent (on a dry matter basis; see sidebar, below) to older dogs with chronic kidney failure and dogs with only one kidney caused no ill effects.

from http://www.dogaware.com/wdjseniordiets.html


BTW, welcome to the board.

 Quote: Ed Haverty

I just read an interesting article on fish fertilizer..........do ya think?

As Anne and Connie have gone into the nutrition aspects... I will share some anecdotal info on my dogs. We live on a lot that is about 9 inches below our neighbors behind us. When they water their lawn, we get standing water in our planters (drainage problem). Never thought much of it until the dogs started digging in them and even then it was more of a nuisance. That is until I was cleaning the yard and noticed that they had been consuming the dirt. And a lot of it.

I took a closer look at the planters (they are circly/ovals cut into the cement patio) and when I got closer (like inches away) I noticed the most horrendous stench. The soil was rotting and smelled like it. It turned out that the mix of urine (they are boy dogs and mark on the dwarf date palms planted there), constant wet ground, and who-knows-what-else all mixed together to rot the soil. The dogs being dogs loved the stench and it was attracting them to dig there and eat the stinky mess.

We resolved it by correcting them from digging/marking/paying attention to the planters, distracting them away from them if they casually sniff the area, and putting chicken wire down and covering it with mulch. We also contacted the home owner and made them aware of their drainage issue...

Anyway, the moral of the story is that there is not a deficiency in the diet for my dogs (raw fed BTW and very healthy and competitive), they were just dogs being dogs and wanting to eat stinkiness.

In your situation I would just tell her no and give her something else to do or think about. As there are other dogs doing the same, I would bet it is something similar to my stinky soil...

 Quote: ed haverty

I just read an interesting article on fish fertilizer..........do ya think?

The athletic fields that we often walk through are fertilized a number of times a year with something that contains fish by products - there are many local dogs who enjoy eating the mud there, and the theory among owners is that it's the fertilizer. For the most part, the dirt eating is highly discouraged (because who knows what ELSE is in there), but I'm lucky in that my dog appears to think this behavior is as disgusting as I do.

I would do as suggested and teach a "leave it" command - if her diet is missing something, do your best to research what you're feeding, but don't let her make up the difference with a highly unknown and potentially contaminated substance like the mud/dirt in a public park (I actually didn't catch where the bulk of this mud eating happens, but unless it's fairly rural and untouched, chances are it has at least a little landscaping ick in it).

~Natalya

 Quote: Ed Haverty

After lowering the protein, I found her to be more foused while herding.

Are you sure it was the change in diet and not some other variable change? I ask because I know of a few people with working Aussies and Border Collies who feed raw (higher protein than Iams certainly) and have no problem with their dog's focus while working. I'd venture to say the two are probably unrelated but I'm no expert.