Itchy dog? #NaturalBalance Limited Ingredient Diet at PetSmart

When it comes to bonding with your dog, I've yet to meet a pup who doesn't love the idea of going for a ride -- even if they, like Jasmine, get a little car sick. Especially when that ride leads to goodies for them.

So today, Lulu, Jasmine and I headed to PetSmart®. We're trying out a new dog food, and we wanted to pick out just the right kind.

First off -- can we talk about this front door --

The door's got a beagle on it. Lulu's a beagle. Hey PetSmart -- Lulu loves to take pose for pictures so she can get treats and she's a cute beagle. Just sayin'...

We were going to PetSmart to pick up some Natural Balance® dog food. We've been looking into the benefits of rotating food, and I decided now was as good a time as any, since Lulu and Jasmine had been on their previous food about 6 months.

PetSmart carries a wide variety of Natural Balance products for dogs and cats.

 So we loaded up in the cart to ride to the Natural Balance aisle. It's easier for me if the girls are in the cart, at least on the way to where ever we are going in the store. It's tough walking two dogs and a cart!

"Can we eat these?" "We could, but they don't taste as good as treats."

 Plus, Lulu and Jasmine can see stuff better... especially food.

Now we had heard of Natural Balance's Wild PursuitTM brand, which has novel proteins like guinea fowl and quail in it. But they also use chicken in the kibble, and Jasmine can't have chicken. She gets all itchy.

 So we are checking out Natural Balance's Limited Ingredient Diet® for doggies.

Many dog food formulas, if you look at the ingredients, use more than one animal protein source -- and often it's chicken, even if the bag says it's "lamb" or "salmon" or something like that. It could be chicken fat, or chicken protein, or maybe organ meat, which can be good for dogs unless they are allergic. But if it says chicken, Jasmine can't have it. 

Go check your dog food bag. I'll wait.

 A Limited Ingredient formula should have single-source animal protein and limited carbohydrate sources.

"Mom, I think we like this one!"

Lulu and Jasmine went for the Legume and Waygu Beef formula (which means my dogs are officially eating better than I am).

Here's the ingredient list from the Natural Balance website:

Dried Peas, Beef (with Wagyu Beef), Beef Meal, Garbanzo Beans, Pea Starch, Canola Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavor, Flax Seeds, Salmon Oil, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Dicalcium Phosphate, DL-Methionine, Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Calcium Iodate), Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Taurine, Citric Acid and Mixed Tocopherols (preservatives), Dried Yucca Schidigera Extract, Rosemary Extract.

We highlighted the two animal ingredients in the ingredient list: Beef, and a Salmon Oil, which is good for doggy coats. But beef is the only animal protein. Notice, the food is also grain free.

Another good thing -- the formula only has about 22 percent protein. My beagle breeding friends tell me that's excellent for a beagle, because too much protein and they gain weight!

"Hey, Mom, I think she likes it!"

Natural Balance also has Limited Ingredient canned food and treats. Now some food varieties do have chicken in them, so be careful to look for that. Chicken is a very common protein allergy among dogs. Dogs can get itchy skin, or ear problems too.

In fact, if you are trying to avoid allergies, it's better to go with a novel protein -- Natural Balance has lots varieties of unique proteins: waygu, duck, venison, rabbit, even kangaroo!

Also, if your dog needs to avoid protein, you don't have to stick to the LID line.

Natural Balance has a wide variety of treats and food rolls, which are excellent for training. Some of them, like the lamb meatballs, only use a single-source animal protein. Just be sure to read the package before you buy.

"Hey, lady, got any treats to sample?"

Ok, I'll take ear rubs too!

Natural Balance is available at your local PetSmart, and at PetSmart.com.