# Good food with large kibble size



## Christina Kennedy (Aug 25, 2010)

Hello foodies!

I am typically a raw feeder but I am looking to put two of my current GSDs on kibble for a while. One is a 1 1/2 male who is starting serious tracking and I would like to be able to feed him his meals on the track and in training. The other is a 22 month old female who just arrived from Czech. I also want to be able to feed her meals during training and the raw slop just is not cutting it. 

I had switched my male to Nature's Variety Instinct and he is doing well on it. The kibble size is tiny though and I am tired of dropping it all over the ground when he tries to take it from my hand or loosing a finger. Any suggestions for a comparable food that has a bigger kibble? I think Innova Evo has a pretty good sized triangle kibble but I hear a lot of dogs have loose stool on it. Any other suggestions for a food that will maintain good weight, muscle, and coat but be easier to use in training?


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## John Dickinson (Apr 28, 2011)

I fed the Nutro products for a while until I switched to a grain free kibble. If I remember correctly, it was fairly large pieces.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

It's been a little while since I've fed EVO, but I don't remember triangle kibble on any of the varieties. I would try Innova Large Bites (they have either chicken/turkey or red meat) and my two Mals are currently doing well on HealthWise Chicken Meal and Oatmeal. The Rottie is on California Natural Herring & Sweet Potato, which is also has a decent sized kibble.


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## Faisal Khan (Apr 16, 2009)

When feeding from hand for OB, you can try to soak the kibble for 30 minutes then mush it up and make small meatball size peices to be fed from hand. Sometimes adding a lil ground beef to the watered kibble helps too. This way it sticks together and you do not spill it making the dog hunt for it.


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

I have cooked beef heart and cut into really small peices. Dogs love it and cooked is easier to cut up than raw and not as nasty to work with. Of course open the windows as it stinks when you cook it.


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## Keith Kaplan (Sep 6, 2009)

I use Acana Pacifica (grain free) and Orijen (grain free) and they are decently large round pieces of kibble. I have noticed the Acana has gotten bigger in the last few bags.


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## Donna DeYoung (Jan 29, 2010)

I feed Nutro (Max, Large Breed Adult) to my working/pet GSDs and use it for OB and tracking. Pretty easy to handle, dogs like it. good size. a little grainy on exterior. doesn't taste too bad, either (for giving from mouth). 

dogs maintain weight well on it. Coat is good. 

http://www.nutro.com/natural-dog-food/max-dog-food/large-breed-adult-dog-food.aspx


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## Christina Kennedy (Aug 25, 2010)

thank you everyone! A lot of great ideas for me to try. I am going to buy some small bags of the recommended and give that a go.

I just remembered the EVO was not triangle- I think it was the regular Innova.....


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## Anna Kasho (Jan 16, 2008)

Nancy Jocoy said:


> I have cooked beef heart and cut into really small peices. Dogs love it and cooked is easier to cut up than raw and not as nasty to work with. Of course open the windows as it stinks when you cook it.


I do the same with large flat slices of beef liver. Microwave on a plate until rubbery, then cut into appropriate sized pieces. Dogs act like it's crack. LOL

Also stinks while cooking.


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## Christina Kennedy (Aug 25, 2010)

I might have to try that for times when the dogs are super good. I wonder if the freeze dried livers/hearts don't taste as good to them? Probably not...


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## Donna DeYoung (Jan 29, 2010)

I've used the pre-packaged store-bought liver treats and dogs seem to get bored of them. If the liver dries out at all, dog doesn't care about it.

They really like dog-bisquits, any kind. but those are saved for crate and down rewards in the house.

For OB training I'm getting expert at cutting hotdogs (turkey franks) into nickel size. Was using bigger pieces, and smaller ones work much better at keeping dogs interest. Not using for tracking, as I learned in another thread, save for later problems.


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## Christina Kennedy (Aug 25, 2010)

yea- mine like dogs and anything else really.....I reserve the use of those for a high stress situation or something needing a higher level reward. I need a kibble that is big enough to easily use in training so the dog can work for their meals (just temporarily as I typically feed raw....)


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Anna Kasho said:


> I do the same with large flat slices of beef liver. Microwave on a plate until rubbery, then cut into appropriate sized pieces. Dogs act like it's crack. LOL
> 
> Also stinks while cooking.


You can also use canned food, like canned Nature's Variety or EVO 95% whatever and slice it into pieces or make mini meatballs. Put on cookie sheet at 200 F until desired texture is achieved. When a dog is undergoing food trials for food allergies, this is a good way to make treats for the dog using that kind of food if it's the complementary type.


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