Product Review: Natural Balance ALPHA Grain-Free Dog Food

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Natural Balance ALPHA formula

The folks over at Natural Balance were kind enough to ask us if we’d like to sample and tell you about ALPHA, their line of premium, grain-free dog food. They’re also sponsoring an upcoming giveaway for a chance to win a GENEROUS supply of this dog or cat food so stay tuned for that, too!

Because of Daisy’s sensitive tummy her vet recommends allowing at least 4 weeks to gradually transition from one dog food to another and as I’ve mentioned before, Daisy is a very picky eater so we don’t go switching her food around very often.  I’d heard lots of positive feedback about Natural Balance and Grain-Free diets from other pet parents and trainers, so I was interested in the opportunity to  let her try it. We sometimes use different flavors of premium and holistic kibble as training treats and snacks just to give her some variety, so that’s what I decided to do with the ALPHA samples from Natural Balance.

I did some research to find out a little more about ALPHA and here are a few key facts that impressed me:
    • contains Prebiotics to help support healthy digestion
    • completely grain-free, meaning no cheap fillers and easier on dogs with sensitivities or allergies
    • contains a moderate protein level (our vet warned us not to overdo it on the protein levels but ask yours for advice on how much your dog needs)
    • uses garbanzo beans as a high quality source of protein
We received samples in all 3 varieties:

Chicken, Turkey & Duck
Trout, Salmon Meal & Whitefish
Lamb, Chicken Meal & Rabbit

Seek a treat puzzle

Daisy has let us know in the past that her personal preference is for fish so we started with the trout variety.  Rather than mixing it with her current food, I decided to use it in her Seek A Treat Dog Puzzle. She was apparently VERY excited about this and almost flipped the whole thing over trying to find which compartments I had hidden the kibble in! Here she is after she finally calmed down a little bit and could focus on the puzzle:

Daisy and looking for ALPHA

Since picky Daisy seemed to REALLY like the Natural Balance ALPHA and her sensitive tummy seemed to be doing fine after a few days of very small amounts, we decided to let her have more, and starting using it in her KONG Wobbler . I often fill this toy with kibble to keep her occupied so she doesn’t get stressed out when there is a noisy storm, or to keep her busy when she is stuck inside and getting bored. Here, we are trying out the Chicken, Turkey & Duck formula:
KONG Wobbler with Natural Balance ALPH
She tried to “wobble” all the kibble out of her Wobbler so fast that it’s all a blur!

Daisy with Wobbler and ALPHA kibble

Since things seem to be going so well, and Daisy really does enjoy the variety of flavors, I’m planning to continue using Natural Balance ALPHA this way, gradually increasing the amount and continuing to see how she does before making a decision about switching her mealtime kibble completely. I feel really good about the reputation of Natural Balance, the quality of their ingredients and the idea of a  grain-free diet for Daisy.

I also discovered that Natural Balance is so concerned about health and safety that they test each and every batch of pet food before it reaches store shelves. You can check any batch, view laboratory test results and learn more here.

Before switching pet food, there are a few things to keep in mind:
  • Speak with your dog or cat’s veterinarian for advice and recommendations, especially if your pet has special dietary, nutritional or health concerns
  • Take time to transition gradually. Never completely change your pet’s brand suddenly unless your vet prescribes it
  • Be patient and observant. Even with premium brands, some pets have personal preferences, skin allergies or are picky eaters and react differently to different ingredients or formulas. It sometimes takes a bit of trial-and-error to find just the right one for your fur baby!

Visit Natural Balance for more information and nutritional analysis of ALPHA Grain-Free dog and cat food. To connect with other pet parents using Natural Balance, view photos of their cats and dogs, and get access to coupons and promotions, visit Natural Balance on Facebook.

Stay tuned for a new giveaway starting soon! One lucky pet parent will win a generous supply of Natural Balance ALPHA Premium Cat or Dog Food!

We received the samples pictured above. I did not receive any form of compensation for this product review and all opinions are 100% my own. Remember to always seek the advice of a veterinarian or other trained professional for information and recommendations regarding pet food, nutrition, diet and pet health conditions.

$5 Credit = $7 for Two Bags of Buddy Biscuit Dog Treats Shipping Included!

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DoggyLoot deals for dogs

Today’s DoggyLoot deal is for 2 bags of Buddy Biscuit dog treats from Cloud Star for $12 including shipping. If you join DoggyLoot using this link, you will receive a $5 Instant Credit to use on your first order making the cost only $7! Select two bags in any combination of these pup-approved flavors: peanut butter, duck, and sweet potato. These low-fat soft treats are made with all-natural ingredients, contain no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives and are soy-free and corn-free. They are 100% made in the USA.

Daisy was lucky enough to try the peanut butter flavor, which was one of the fun surprise items in the recent Mystery Box deal we ordered from DoggyLoot so we can definitely vouch for how yummy these treats are!

10% Off All Handcrafted Elevated Dog and Cat Feeders from Coburn’s Exclusive!

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examples of Coburn's Exclusive custom dog feeders

Just a reminder that Coburn’s Exclusive has offered Woof Woof Mama blog readers a special promo code for 10% Off all their beautiful elevated feeders for dogs and cats. You can read my recent product review and see Daisy with her feeder here.

If you’d like to jump straight to their site, visit Coburn’s Exclusive here. Remember to use Promo Code WoofWoofMama2012 during check out!

Large KONG Wubba Dog Toy $7.49 Shipped!

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KONG Wubba dog toy deal

The KONG Wubba deal is back at Barking Deals!!! If you missed it last time, now is your chance to pick up this popular and durable dog toy at half off plus free shipping. Daisy loves to play tug and fetch with her purple one and also enjoys holding it in her mouth and shaking it around like prey. The flappy ends hit her in the face and we think it’s hilarious! You can get your own KONG Wubba dog toy at Barking Deals here.

KONG Tugga Wubba Dog Toy in Large – Only $7.99 Including Shipping!

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Kong Tugga Wubba dog toy

Today’s Barking Deal is $7.99 for a large KONG Tugga Wubba toy including free shipping. If you have Free Shipping through Amazon Prime, Student or Mom membership, you should stop reading and go visit Amazon where you can pick one up for $6.90 Shipped!

Regardless of where you get it, the Tugga Wubba is a fantastic toy, and one of Daisy’s favorites as I might have mentioned before. Her grandparents gave her two for Christmas and they are still going strong! This toy is super-durable, perfect for tug and toss games and has a giant squeaker that never seems to wear out (even though sometimes I wish it would!).