Royal Canine Miniature Schnauzer Food

Need help or advice on feeding your Schnauzer, whether it be kibble or treats, you'll find the information here. There is food reviews, recipes, remedies for poorly tummies and a wealth of feeding knowledge from your fellow Schnauzer owner. We cover BARF in a separate section.
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susie
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Royal Canine Miniature Schnauzer Food

Post by susie »

I asked my vet about Alfie's sensitive tummy and he has recommended Royal Canine Miniature Schnauzer Food - evidently they do a range of breed specific foods. It's early days to see if it makes a difference but does anyone else feed this to their dog.
It is only available from the vet - does this mean that the vet is more likely to suggest it rather than something I can buy from my pet shop?
I don't mind about the cost, I just want to find a food that Alfie likes and suits him.

My second question is this. Alfie would eat his own foot if I put Bisto gravy on it, is there any reason not to do this on a good dry food, just to get him to eat. I know the argument about a dog never starving himself but Alfie will go 2 days sometimes and only eat a handful of food.
snazy

Post by snazy »

As you are paying out for a special diet, it would be silly to ruin the affect of it by adding any extras to his diet - not just gravy but any other titbits he may get. Allow just that food for a few weeks and see how it works.

BTW the more a dog is spoilt by having extras added, eg wait 2 days and owners will cave in, then that is what you have trained your dog to do! Don't worry, it may now take a while to get him into a routine but once he has learned that this time, you aren't going to give in to his whims - and as he has a sensitive tummy there is no good reason to risk upseting it by giving extras - then he will get used to the new way of things. Just lift the bowl as soon as he walks away.

Royal Canin do a range of breed specific foods, all the others are available direct from RC (not sure in Pets at Home would stock these as well as the normal range) BUT for some reason RC have decided that the special mini food is to be only available from vets. The sales reps at RC have been unable to give any answer on why this is - all you get told it that they haven't been trained about that food so cannot say anything about it :roll: very helpful!!
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Lipgloss
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Post by Lipgloss »

Eventhough I am a BARF GURU now, years ago I did feed dry food and also Royal Canin. I personally don't think there is anything wrong in pooring bisto gravy or any other gravy over the dry food, if it encourages your dog to it his dinner. Though I would thin it down quite a bit with water because of the spices! I don't believe in specialised breed dog food, i.e. miniature schnauzer dry food from royal canin and that is not because I am a non- believer in feeding dry dog biscuit - I just think it's a ridiculous thing that dog food Manufacturors have come up with!

P.S.: Why does and since when has your dog had a 'sensitive tummy'?
Michelle, who reckons all dogs should have their meat and eat it...!
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Jools
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Post by Jools »

If the dog likes a bit of gravy on his dinner, let him have it when you want to give it to him.....we`v had dogs in the family for generations and have always given it as a treat, no harm as ever come to any of our dogs because of us allowing them to have a bit of gravy, in fact last night they had gravy made with the juices from a chicken and the green cabbage.

None of them lifted their heads from the bowls until all was gone.

Crikey......we will have them marching in single file next.


Do what you feel is right for your dog :wink:
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susie
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Post by susie »

Lipgloss wrote: P.S.: Why does and since when has your dog had a 'sensitive tummy'?
He is quite flatulent, even when no extras are fed at all and occasionally is sick first thing in the morning, just a tiny bit of foamy liquid. His tummy also gurgles a lot. Vet says he is healthy but may be sensitive to JWB and the toxins build up over a few days????

Must admit I am sceptical about breed specific food too but just want to do the best for Alfie (previous dog was - put bowl down, dog puts head in bowl - bowl empty!! - perfect, no worries)

When I give gravy it is quite diluted and only a tablespoon, just to give a coating to food, not drowned in it
Lindseyb

Post by Lindseyb »

Now I am no expert so take this only as a suggestion - is the sick in the morning not bile because his tummy is empty. Sophie used to do this but since giving her a biscuit at bedtime it has stopped. Could be co-incidence but maybe worth trying.
vivy

Post by vivy »

How old is Alfie now? I ask this because he sounds just like Paddy when he was a puppy. He suffered terrible wind, stomach gurgling and bringing up thr foamy liquid you describe!
I tried him on just about everything going but he was always the same and wasnt to keen on dry food just on its own, he like Alfie would go for some time just nibbling at his food but give him somthing like chicken and he would wolf it down.
I havent any answers other than to say at about 8 /9 months maybe a litttle older he just got better :o His stomach now can take just about anything and he now eats his dry food no problem altough of course he still prefers what I am having.
I think other peole have found the same thing that usually sensitive stomachs calm down as they get older.
snazy

Post by snazy »

Gravy as an occasional treat if you have some left over is OK but I'm not keen on the idea of it on every meal - it is very salty and that is not good to have as a regular additive to a dogs diet - or ours!!
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Lipgloss
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Post by Lipgloss »

@Susie

Now, I don't want anyone jumping down my throat because I am saying this, but.... ever thought about feeding your dog naturally?
When my dogs were on manufactured food, that is, my Yorkies and my Mini schnauzers in the early days they also had all those kind of problems, some days they did, some days they didn't (whatever dry food I gave them). After alot of research (because there had to be something wrong with feeding them the way I was) I changed my dogs diet to an appropriate one - BARF.
Now, I know I will get people here saying: 'But my dogs ok, my dog lived 'til he was 13, my dog has never been ill.' Well , yes, that may be the case... and some humans can live 'til they're 100 after smoking all their life (just an example)!
Just look into it. A sensitive dog stomach can be de- sensitised -I have done it! :wink:
Michelle, who reckons all dogs should have their meat and eat it...!
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susie
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Post by susie »

Thanks everyone for your help
I am going to stick with the mini schnauzer food for a while with no additives and see what happens. If no wind or sickness then I will know it was JWB that didn't agree with him.

Hopefully he may be like Paddy and grow out of it.
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Mitch
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Post by Mitch »

Jasper has had problems of a similar nature all his life, hes been very ill at times and has been tested for pancreatitis but his levels were ok, so always keep your vet posted on how he is they may want to carry out tests to check him over.

Jasper is 5 now and until we changed him over to burns he would be sick ferquently in the mornings have rumbly tummy and poos not so good and be very unhappy in himself

wev tried the whole retail choice of dog foods and some very expensive prescription food nothing made the same difference as burns has, also anything too fatty gives him a bad stomach for eg pigs ears and some other dog treats are out. He will not eat raw meat and is not so keen on cooked fresh meat and I was always worried he wasnt getting the right nutrients with me cooking the food.

Also we now feed three small meals = small snack in the morning dry burns medium meal early evening dry burns with a little natural menu or now we may be going to use burns wet food its new and our dogs love it and a small snack about 10pm

Treats are kept to a minimum but can be raw carrots, fish 4 dogs dry fish peices, burns kelties and small pieces of bread sticks. They have a small piece of mackerell every week and the odd half a boiled egg

Any gravy on meals always gave Jasper a bad stomach and we were told that even a small amount holds fats and salts some dogs cant break down

Since following the above Jasper has never looked back and if we follow it to the letter he is never ill if we miss a meal he is sick in the mornings but we have only done this once as we learnt from our mistake, this is where dry food comes in to its own as if you go out its easy and clean to carry with you.

We have three dogs and all follow the same routine as its easier for us and they dont seem to mind and all look very healthy

Keep us posted on how things go :D
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Mitch
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Post by Mitch »

Should have said the snack at 10pm is small amount of burns hypo allergenic mixer

Hope you find a solution as its awful seeing them not feel too well
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lizw
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Post by lizw »

I think your vet is just being careful. Miniature Schnauzers can be prone to dietary disorders such as pancreatitis, hyperlipidimia and diabetes, both linked to too much fat in the diet. Of course most dogs are fine, but the gene is there. Buster had 2 attacks of pancreatitis as a young pup (for which he was hospitalised) and shows sensitivity (i.e. hyperactivity) to any food which contains over 12% protein. He also is on a low fat diet. He became bored on Chappie and now has Winalot (also low fat) mixed with a few low fat biscuits and some chicken. We never add gravy or food from our plates. He is 100% fine now.

Speaking from human experience, I have been diagnosed with wheat and dairy intolerances by a nutritionist. It is hard to avoid those foods all the time, particularly at Christmas :roll: , but I know when I do avoid them I always feel much better, no bloating and more energy.

So I'm sure the same applies to dogs, it's just discovering how sensitive your dog is to certain foods. As I said, I think your vet is being careful.
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susie
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Post by susie »

Well. despite sticking religiously to the RC mini schnauzer food Alfie has had another episode of early morning sickness. His poor little tummy souned like a washing machine so I managed to get him into the vet while he still had it.
The vet said he had a slight temperature but couldn't find anything else.
He gave him an antibiotic jab and a tube of pro biotic paste to give him 3 times a day for 5 days. His weight was also the same as it was 2 weeks ago - only 7.8 kgs even though he is quite tall (10 months old)
He has to go back in 2 weeks to be weighed again. Getting worried about him, although he is very active and doesn't seem poorly.
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lizw
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Post by lizw »

Found this on Amazon US of all things:

Product Description
Because Schnauzers have very sensitive skin, Royal Canin has developed Miniature Schnauzer 25 which has a patented complex of B vitamins, amino acids, and chelated minerals which reinforces the skin barrier. Essential fatty acids reduces skin inflammation. To keep the schnauzer at their ideal weight, this diet is lower in fat and supplemented with L-Carnitine, which works to burn fat.L-Carnitine also reduces the amount of fat in the blood stream. Nutrition optimizes the body's ability to manufacture melanin, the pigment responsible for the coloration of skin & coat. Miniature Schnauzer 25 enhances the schnauzer's natural color. Because of specialized kibble & sodium tripolyphospate Miniature Schnauzer 25 reduces dental plaque & limits tarter formation.
Important Information
Ingredients
Chicken, brewers rice, brown rice, oatmeal, chicken meal, chicken fat, corn gluten meal, wheat gluten, barley, natural chicken flavor, salt, dried beet pulp (sugar removed), anchovy oil, potassium chloride, fructo-oligosaccharides, soya oil, psyllium seed husk, potassium citrate, L-lysine, DL-methionine, calcium sulfate, choline chloride, borage oil, sodium tripolyphosphate, taurine*, Vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol (source of vitamin E), inositol, niacin supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate

It is possible, I suppose, that RC Miniature Schnauzer food may not be the right food for your dog, even though it is recommended for MS. Buster was put on RC Sensitive tummies, but when we found out the high protein level we took him off it. As I said earlier, he is happy on Winalot and Chappie. Perhaps it is trial and error to find the food that suits your dog best of all. Good luck and let us know how you get on.
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