# Soft Dog Food



## Gene (May 6, 2004)

My old lab (12) seems to do much better on soft dog food. She doesn't eat the hard food very well. She had lost about 10 pounds and vet gave me a few cans of Hill's ID and she loves it. Vet suggested that I find a good quality can or soft food to switch her to. Been feeding her Iams mini chunks the past year. Before that when she was working regularly she was on Eukanuba Performance. She didn't like it very well either. She is not very active and is getting weak in the hips and legs. Did a complete blood work up and all checked out very good. Need to get her eating more. She is on Rimadyl now for her hip and joint pain and doing better with that. Also having her teeth cleaned next week. Her teeth have always required much more frequent cleaning than my other dogs. Vet says some dogs just have worse teeth. I'm thinking that may be one of the reasons she doesn't like hard food. 

Any recommendations on a good soft or can dog food? I've not fed soft food before. But at this age this old gal deserves to eat what she likes, but prefer for it to be a little less expensive than the Hill's ID.. Would appreciate any suggestions.

Gene


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## TN_LAB (Jul 26, 2008)

I think Purina Pro Plan comes in a can.

Same for Purina One. 

Can't say I've ever fed the soft stuff, but I seem to recall seeing it on the shelves at the store, FWIW

Also...what about simply adding a little water to the hard kibble? Might take half an hour to soften, but might also be worth a shot.


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## Gene (May 6, 2004)

I have wet the hard food and she just picks at it. When I put her bowl down with this can food she eats like she did when she was 2. I mixed some of her hard food with the can food and she did eat it good. Just looking for a good quality can food that I can either feed by itself or mixed with hard food. She has lost so much weight by the way she just picks at her food. I'm trying to fatten her up and will feed her whatever she will eat that is good for her. 

I'm sure someone has dealt with these same issues with an old dog.

Gene


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## MSDOGS1976 (Mar 7, 2009)

I fed my old golden retriever canned Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach formula. Basically a salmon and rice blend. She ate it well during her last year.


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## DL (Jan 13, 2003)

When I was trying to feed the better can food, I fed the Pro Plan mostly, and sometimes the Iams. I liked the beef and rice because I figured it wasn't chicken like the other food for a change. Pro Plan makes can food with vegetables in it. It consists of a lot of gravy which I don't prefer. I like the consistancy of the meat and rice varieties without the vegetables. I would recommend beef and rice, or chicken and rice in either the Pro Plan or the Iams. I really don't think it matters which one.

My poor old yard dog basically starved herself because of failing kidneys. Apparently things collect in their blood that make them loose their appetite. I'm not saying that is your dog's problem, but that is what happened to mine and I wasn't aware of the situation. After she wouldn't eat can food, she would eat chicken cutlets, and nuggets like what comes from McDonalds. She would eats scraps of steak after a steak dinner as well hotdogs. She got very skinny and it was not because of a lack of effort on my part. It was just the nature of the illness.

For teeth, I have begun feeding medicated dental chews for my dogs. I don't really think it is the medication that the cleans the teeth but actually the friction of the chewing. Other things may work just as well. When my old dog stopped eating, something like that was out of the question, but she could have benefited from something like that in her younger years. I can't think of the name of them, but mine are by prescription. They do clean teeth. I bought six bags worth on ebay and it has definitely been cheaper than a dental cleaning. Their teeth are pearly white, and it removed caked on tarter that had been there for a while.


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## nanney1 (Nov 18, 2008)

Bil-Jac's kibble is a softer pelleted kibble that you could try. They have a senior and a reduced fat formula.

And while it's definitely not the best food out there, Kibbles-n-bits have soft pieces. Your dog is up there in age so feed her something that she likes and will eat.

Or you could just soften up her regular kibble with warm water and some canned food.


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## MikeB (Jan 9, 2009)

I would soak the dry food and add some wet food. Use the same brand as the dry your using. Most canned food is about the same. A lot depends on where you want to shop for food. If you just use a tablespoon or 2 for flavor it shouldn't really matter.


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## Scott Greenwood (Mar 25, 2008)

Eagle Pack produces a canned food that I will mix with my girls food when we are on extensive hunting trips. I figure the wet stuff will tend to digest faster just because ofthe makeup.

Several different varieties, easily one of the better products for the dog too!


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## ErinsEdge (Feb 14, 2003)

Most canned food is 10% protein tops so you have to mix with dry wetted down or feed a lot of it. Innova Evo makes a higher protein canned, Merrick BG has canned, and Merrick regular has canned food that could almost be people food. I have gone through different products for old guys and they like Merrick senior, and if you can get it there is a Whole Earth Fields senior made by Merrick they like. My favorite which even my very ill dog ate was Merrick BG chicken all life stags. It has venison drippings and he inhaled it.


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## M&K's Retrievers (May 31, 2009)

I had to soak the dry then run it through the blender like you do for puppies. It's a pain in the rear but worth it for an old friend


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