Dogswell® "NUTRISCA SALMON AND CHICKPEA RECIPE" Review

Having Dogswell® Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea Recipe recommended to us by our local pet store was the best thing that could have happened to Buster (and to us). I know a lot of dog owners who have extremely picky pups; Buster is one of them. In addition, Buster also has an extremely sensitive stomach and is allergic to many things. Sensitivity, allergies and pickiness proved to be a tricky combination when it came to finding a dog food perfect for him. The first few months of getting Buster resulted in numerous vet visits, trial-and-error with about a dozen dog foods, and even more vet visits. Finally, after a year and a half, and plenty of head scratching and money spent, we discovered Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea Recipe.

The Dogswell® Nutrisca dry dog food, made in the United States, comes in three different meats: chicken, salmon and lamb. We chose salmon by process of elimination; I (Buster and Bolter’s mom) HATE lamb, and Buster is allergic to chicken. Fortunately for all of us, I love salmon, and the boys love salmon, making for a happy family.  This is not to say the other meats are not good; after recommending Nutrisca to one of my friends, she ended up getting the Chicken and Chickpea Recipe (since HER Schnauzer hates fish).  Her Schnauzer LOVES his food. [**As a side note, Bolter is not allergic to anything, acts as a garbage disposal (he has tasted guacamole and chocolate, unbeknownst to us, and lived to tell the “tail” without any vet visits), and is a happy-go-lucky pup who will eat anything placed in front of him.]

When choosing a dog food for your pup, always read the ingredients and guaranteed analysis, and check the expiration date). The information on the label is the best way to determine the quality of the dog food. Some things to keep in mind when reading the "Guaranteed Analysis" on the label is mainly the top three: "Crude protein," "Crude Fat," and "Crude fiber."  It's always good to have fiber.  With Schnauzers, it's important to find the right balance between the protein and fat.  Too high of a protein is not necessarily good, and may result in Pancreatitis.  High fat is never good.  When we were testing various dog foods, at one point, Buster was on a crude protein (min) of 34% and was constantly having an upset stomach because he could not digest all the protein.  We also had him on a crude protein (min) of 22% where we saw a loss in his muscle definition.  Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea has Crude protein (min) 30%, crude fat (min) 16%, and crude fiber (max) of 6%.  In addition to getting half a cup of kibble per meal, the boys also get half a cup of chopped up fresh carrots to increase their fiber amount.

Some key things to keep in mind when looking at the dog food ingredients are:
1. The first ingredient on the label should be an animal protein (chicken, beef, fish, etc...) NOT animal by-products, or anything else.
2. Fats and oils should come from specific sources (salmon oil, sunflower oil, etc..) NOT “poultry fat”, “vegetable oil”, etc.
3. Carbohydrates should be listed in their whole form (rice, oatmeal, barley), NOT “oat hulls”, “rice hulls”, etc.

Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea Recipes’, first ingredient listed is wild salmon caught off the Pacific Northwest Coast of the United States. Salmon is high in protein and Omega Fatty Acids, which is great for your pup’s healthy skin and shiny coat. For dogs like Buster who have certain poultry or meat allergies, salmon is a great alternative. Additionally, this dog food boasts grain-free, without using potato or tapioca, which are both high glycemic products, and may contribute to weight gain. Instead, they use chickpeas and peas both of which are low glycemic legumes. Both chickpeas and peas are a great source of fiber, which aids in excellent digestion. They do not contain any gluten, corn, soy, wheat, flour, BHA/BHT, added steroids, added hormones, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. In short, Nutrisca's balanced protein levels, antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables and chelated minerals provide optimum nutrition and palatability.

The Dog Food Advisor has rated Nutrisca dry dog food a whopping 5 stars (out of 5 stars). Our boys give it an enthusiastic 4 paws up (out of 4 paws)! It is an EXCEPTIONAL dog food and comes highly recommended.  We are certain your pups will agree!!

Visit their website at: http://nutrisca.dogswell.com for more information.
Additionally, follow them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/dogswell, Instagram @dogswell, and Twitter @dogswell, for more pictures and information.

As with all transitions, we recommend that should you decided to change your pups dog food, you do it over a period of time, so as not to upset their stomach.  Begin adding small amount of the new dog food to your "old" dog food, and make sure to watch your dogs carefully through the transition.

Remember to subscribe to us, follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter (all @buster40k), and as always, feel free to leave comments and suggestions below!!  Happy chomping!!