# Pondering Arkat, k-cals and scatology...



## Rick Hall (Jan 21, 2003)

Know there are some Arkat feeders here and am hoping someone can provide some insight. Been feeding Arkat Enhance "Endurance" formula 27/17 for three weeks with the mixed results of apparently healthy, albeit thin, dogs passing significantly bigger and looser stools than they have on either Purina One 26/16 or Maxximum Nutrition 30/20. (We're used to tight, dry "tootsie-roll turds" that are said to suggest high digestibility.) 

Arkat threads on these boards frequently refer to their feeds' high k-cal content and initially loose stools that tighten with reduced portions. So we've tried that to the point of cutting portions by a third, with the result being better stools, though still not what we're accustomed to with PO or MN. More like what we saw with Diamond Performance fed in what had been our standard portions of everything but the Arkat. With a common, and now suspect, link between those two feeds being beet pulp for fiber. 

And, in any event, my guys are so end-of-busy-commercial-season thin in the middle of Summer on the reduced ration, that I'm thinking our Arkat experiment is apt to be a one bag test. Which is disappointing because I can get it delivered at what I think a good price and was hoping to step up the 30/22 for the coming season. 

Or... Maybe we ought to count our blessings, or even try stepping up to the 30/22 now, because facing a move to a dog-eating floating marsh this season, my guys have enjoyed our most rigorous Summer conditioning ever. Been beating the heat with the help of heavy dew and a three-mile-plus circuit along deep canals and trips to a pond most every morning we can't make the big loop. And they're still hitting it nearly as hard as in June, so maybe the Arkat's really doing a super job, and I ought to get over worrying about custard pile stools. (Or maybe three weeks isn't long enough to determine diddly.) 

What you folks with more Arkat experience think?


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## Jay Dufour (Jan 19, 2003)

*Cow pies*

Been having the same problem on the last batch I bought a week ago Thursday.Keith did a test on the lott number and it came out to the standard.Im still having stool problems ( mushy/ light colored) though I started feeding twice a day....lesser amounts.


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## AmiableLabs (Jan 14, 2003)

We feed the VF Formulas and are not seeing the problem at all.


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## Udder Brudder (Jan 15, 2003)

I have never seen a company that does not want to sell it's product. The only one in this company that has helped me was Dogfood Girl.
She got me the name of the dealer here in Texas that is the distributor.
He tells me on the phone that the minimum order will be $500 worth of product. He comes to the kennel and tells me I have to buy a pallet. That was about another $1000 worth of product.

I have given up on this company to buy what many people say is good.
....Pat McHale


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## mikebeadle (Dec 26, 2003)

I sold and used this feed. I quit selling and using this feed for that reason, ie. loose stool. I'd rather pay more and get a feed with less stool. I clean up after the dogs, that being said, it is rather disgusting to pick up that stool. Switched back to Pro Plan Performance and I'll stay with this feed. Hope this helps.

ps. I fed the dogs this food for several months. It was the VF. Hope this helps. I will say that the dogs looked good on it. Nice coat, and were not thin. We switched to this feed because one of our dogs couldn't keep weight on. She definitely kept weight on and looked really good. I just couldn't handle the loose stool.

pss. We used several formulas from Arkat, same result. 

Mike


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## Rick Hall (Jan 21, 2003)

Udder Brudder said:


> I have never seen a company that does not want to sell it's product. The only one in this company that has helped me was Dogfood Girl.
> She got me the name of the dealer here in Texas that is the distributor.
> He tells me on the phone that the minimum order will be $500 worth of product. He comes to the kennel and tells me I have to buy a pallet. That was about another $1000 worth of product.
> 
> ...


Pat, I called the Arkat 1-800 and had mine UPSed. $26 put 40lbs of the 27/17 at my door in three or four days. But...I'm not at all sure that's a good thing.


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## bobbyb (Jul 31, 2005)

rick and jay,
i am using arkat dog food also. i was using vf complete prem. prof. and i had problems with loose stools. mark smith and i started using vf active adult and have not had anymore trouble.before i went to the vf complete formula i fed the enhanced,my dogs could crap through a keyhole. the vf complete is 26/16 and it does well on endurance ,coats and stools. you might want to try the vf complete


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## TheBear (Oct 18, 2004)

I'm using the VF Complete Performance 30/20. Stools are perfect. I am feeding a 60 lb. YLF 2 cups per day. I've been using the VF complete for about 3 months. Prior to that she was on the Enhance 30/22. Stools on the Enhance were not bad, but not as good as on the VF.


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## Norm 66 (Mar 25, 2005)

We had the same results as Mike did with Arkat. We tried VF and the Enhance. One of my trianing partners uses the Enhance and loves it so go figure. I believe every dog is different and the feed goes with it. My last dog was feed Purina and did great. My current dog had firehose ass on it and hated it. We switched to Arkat and the stools slightly improved but not to our liking and that eventually led us to Euk. Euk has been great.


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## jwarren (Mar 16, 2004)

*stols*

My 5 yr old YLM has experienced the same stool phenomena with VF Performance. Loose, mushy, and more stools than I like to clean up. Other than this aspect, coat, weight, and energy are great. Can't beat the price. I was on Enhance 30/22 for several months but found it to be too "hot". 

Did some of you say that you experienced fewer stools going to a lower protein/fat mix?


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