Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsGreat Taste of the Ancient Wild Prairie
Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2020
Update★★★: He seemed better initially, but his symptoms came back and I’m now feeding another brand, whitefish and sweet potato grain free, and the results are much better and quicker to see. I only transitioned him with one day of a 50/50 mixture of the new stuff and the reviewed TOTW. No noticeable gastrointestinal upset or negative effects from such a quick switch and he’s doing great going on three weeks now. Paw licking is almost nonexistent and no gas, better breath and less ear scratching. He’s always a happy and upbeat dog, but he just acts like he feels better.
Original review ★★★★★So far, so good! After years of being a happy customer of a different brand (NB) of grain-free venison & sweet potato (mixed occasionally with smaller amounts of their other grain-free formulas), my dog started licking his feet, began to have awful gas, and developed bad breath. When he wasn’t licking his feet, he was scratching his ears. These things came on gradually, not just as a result of a bad batch or an environmental change. The bad breath was the first thing I noticed, but chalked it up to aging. He’s a German Shorthaired Pointer that just turned 9 years old and has never suffered from allergies or digestive issues. (He goes where I go, so he occasionally snacks on different treats, snacks, or dog food at a friend’s place, always without issues.) When the other symptoms became apparent, I browsed reviews and noticed a growing number of unhappy customers using his current food. There was also a significant price drop on that food over the previous six months, though it has since gone back up.
Since he primarily ate a venison recipe, I thought a switch to another brand’s venison formula would be easier on his digestive system. I’ve been increasing the amount of TOTW Ancient Prairie with his normal food over the past couple weeks and have already seen some improvement. He is still licking his feet and scratching his ears, but less frequently and with less vigor and decreasing with each passing day. His breath is better. He doesn’t clear the room due to his noxious rear end every night.
He isn’t picky (and never has been) about food and is kind of a “grazing” eater. He didn’t get as excited for a new food as I’d expected, but he ate at a pace typical for him (which I think is better) and I started with a very low ratio. His eating habits haven’t changed and he eats about the same amount of food. He doesn’t have any noticeable digestive issues, such as vomiting or diarrhea, but he drops more poop per dump but dumps are less frequent.
I’ll update my review and change the five star rating I gave Taste if the Wild Ancient Prairie if my dog’s situation changes, but I’m pleased with the food, with the reviews of others, the brand’s lack of recalls, and my dog’s response to it.
To “those people” (you know who you are): Yes, I called his vet and discussed his symptoms. They had no serious concerns about his symptoms since he has no signs of dehydration, no rash, no behavioral changes, no incontinence, no diarrhea or vomiting, and is eating and drinking as per usual. They said I could bring him in, but a dietary change would likely be their first course of treatment. The vet office approved of this food and a gradual introduction of this food to his diet. As he is scheduled for his annual exam and vaccines in eight weeks, they’ll assess his issues and do any relevant testing if needed at that time. They advised me on other symptoms to watch for and invited us to come in if changing his food caused other symptoms, made him worse, for peace of mind, or any other reason. If he worsens before his scheduled appointment or displays new symptoms, I will take him to his veterinarian. I’m communicating with his veterinarian, I’m not ignoring his symptoms, I’m not avoiding treatment because I don’t want to spend money, and I’m vigilant and keep record of things pertinent to his wellbeing. It frustrates me that responsible pet owners have to add information like this on a review of dog food to avoid fierce criticism from strangers who deem themselves experts on whether a person is worthy of having a canine companion. But I hope that this might help anyone (dog or person) having similar issues, is looking for information like this, or might find it useful in some way. This is meant to be a review of my experience with this product, not as criticism of the food that I’m removing from my dog’s diet.
