At Cinnstar we believe that nutrition is a key, not just to all around health and vigor but to performance and reproduction as well. We believe at the base should be a reliable, nutritious food source. After over 20 years of feeding and endorsing Iams-Eukanuba we were looking for a change. Ever since Proctor and Gamble purchased The Iams Company several years ago, the quality has gone down considerably and the price has increased dramatically. Thus I felt I could no longer support the product. I was really tired of the by products, poor protein source, and incredibly high corn and other grains in all the "Big Name" products. I was not getting the performance that I require in a dog food. We tried Canidae for about two years and then they too changed their ingredients.

We looked for a smaller company that is made from ALL HUMAN grade ingredients. Dog food companies like Eukanuba, Iams, Science, Purina (all the large companies) use animals that are not fit for human consumption. This is termed the 5 D's: dead, diseased, disabled, druged or dying prior to slaughter. These animals have to be preserved by substances that are not allowed for human consumption, and they are not listed on the lable. These brands also use grains that are not fit for human consumption. They are floor sweepings, moldy and have a tremendous insect content. It is not just that there are insects, but what the insect has died from that is the real culprit. We looked for a Super Premium Dog food that contains NO By Products (a very interesting product in itself), No preservatives other then Vit C and E, No corn, No soy, No wheat, No fillers, and No added salt or flavorings. NO Gluten from ANY source. As we feed raw half of the time with chicken a main ingredient, thus we wanted a dry food where a different protein source was the main ingredient. We are also want a food that is manufactured in the USA or Canada using only ingredients grown/produced in the USA, Canada, Australian meat (normally lamb or venison) is fine as well. Something one should consider in retrospect to the huge pet food recall, and some big name brands that it is affecting because of corporate greed by purchasing cheep inferior products from China where there is little or no oversight. This not in any way meant to demean our friends overseas in Europe or Australia where the standards (which reflects in increased cost) is as rigorous (if not more). There is an excellent website devoted to dog food called The Dog Food Project and I recommend reading it. Very factual and interesting.

We were going to order a top premium brand when we received a rescue Toller that was on the food. We were not impressed. Thus we decided on Taste Of The Wild Bison and Venison. So far we are very happy with it.

We have tried other foods in the past, and have been offered lucrative deals on dog food by several manufacturers. We do not believe that you should have to cook up (or feed raw) to get optimal nutrition, but it can get discouraging. Allergies, sensitivity to vaccinations, immune related problems are signs that you need to take a look at your Retrievers thyroid panel, or consider that you might have other immune related issues, as well as food alergies/reactions. Most, though not all immune problems are genetically based. Small litter sizes, lack of production of milk, problems in whelping are both hereditary and/or have basis in nutrition as well. These are facets that a conscientious breeder takes into consideration. Please do not blame it ALL on commercial dog food.

For high energy working retrievers we like to feed raw about half of the time. My butcher orders cases of chicken backs and we get the "saw shavings" from his meat saw. I purchase organ meats, pork and fresh vegetables at the supermarket. I order green beef tripe by the case as well. I like to add extra alfalfa, kelp meal and fish oil. Since we have chickens, we add an egg every other day when they are producing. Even when out of coat, our dog's coat is never lifeless or dull. Currently we do not use any kind of commercial coat supplement.

We have engaged in some interesting conversations with the raw or BARF feeders and they do make some important points. Let’s face it, all dry dog food is a highly processed product, and some nutrition is lost in this processing. There is some loss of nutrition lost in a canned product as well. Therefore we do feel there is validation and benefit to feeding fresh fruits, vegetables and meat. Retrievers by in large love fresh fruit and veggies, they act like you have given them a treat. Many will pick the citrus off my trees and I have to fight them over the avocadoes and papayas. Bacteria found in raw meat is not a concern in dogs like it is in humans. A dog’s stomach is much more acidic and a dog’s digestive tract is much shorter then ours. That is why they can eat some of the disgusting "dead things" they find and not get sick. The one drawback in the dog is with the short digestive tract and the lack of enzymes in their saliva (humans have enzymes), dogs do not digest grains easily. Thus they do not derive as much of the nutrition from grains, as humans can. Parasites ARE a concern in meat. Freezing remedies this potential problem as does feeding only human grade food. Feeding human grade food also addresses concerns of high bacterial contamination. Originally I was concerned that my dogs inhale their food; I do not want to worry or contemplate about choking or half bones tearing their insides. So originally I used a food grinder. After watching them, I began feeding the chicken backs and thighs, whole. But further, raw bones do NOT splinter like cooked ones, they are much softer, they will not tear the intestinal track. I like to add beef ribs once a month to help keep their teeth clean. I do remove the bones after they have chewed on them for a while. Feeding kelp meal and alfalfa meal is also beneficial. In conclusion, by feeding raw several times a week, I feel my dog’s nutrition is more complete.

We wean our puppies by grinding up the dry food and mixing it with puppy milk replacement and warm water. We slowly reduce the amount of the milk replacement, and grind the kibble less and less while adding raw ground beef and chicken and cottage cheese and yoghurt. Active pups need the high energy, so the added meat protein and fat is necessary. Before they leave, they have ate raw chicken wings and backs. As the puppy is going through their growth spurt, we like to add a Calcium/Phosphorous/Vitamin D supplement called Sure Grow, and a canine multi vitamin. We don't want the long bones to grow at a faster rate then the joints and cartilage, so we do limit the use of these supplements.

Because we use raw meats in addition to dry super premium dog food, we do not have problems with retrievers that have trouble maintaining their weight. They will gain weight on these foods so one has to monitor carefully.

For our Bitches in whelp we have had great success with what our Board Certified Reproductive Veterinarian recommends for supplementation so we present it here. We add a human: Vitamin B Complex and a Folic Acid (both as small of a dose as we can find) pill. Canine: skin supplement (like Lipiderm), and a canine multi vitamin as soon as the bitch comes into season. We DO NOT start Calcium/Phosphorous/Vitamin D supplementation at this time. Our repro vet feels that the bitch needs to be able to draw on her own body calcium for whelping, and using supplements prevents the bitch from utilizing her own. Our vet feels that there is less risk of uterine inertia without those supplements, and sometimes only a calcium shot may be required if there is this type of problem. It goes without saying that the bitch has to be in perfect health to begin with. We start the Calcium supplementation (as recommended by our repro vet) when the puppies really start to grow. Normally they are less then two weeks old. We have used this regime for five litters. The general health of our bitches since we started has been nothing less then spectacular. Our litters have always been good sized typically averaging 7-9 puppies. For so many breeders, the bitch by the time they wean the pups can look a little ragged. I think most breeders feel (as I did) that it was just a fact of motherhood. In the hot summer we had problems with milk production. No more. Our bitches typically gain weight if we do not watch them carefully, and milk production is amazing, even in the summer. We wean at 5 weeks, and in two to three weeks the bitches are back in training. The training is limited a bit until their breasts are back to normal pre-litter size. While we cannot guarantee this will work for any other breeder, we are very pleased with the results.

In conclusion, we feel the nutrition you feed from within will shine all the way out.