Natural Balance vs Nulo: Is higher protein better for my Cavalier?

Hello, neither of them are wrong or better than one another. The difference being is that the food with the higher protein is likely leaner (more energy is derived from protein) and has less carbohydrates or fat associated with it. Now, unless your dog is working dog, she may not need that much extra protein. Vice versa, the lower protein food may have a higher carbohydrate or fat percentage. Both foods however, if formulated for "maintenance" should meet the AAFCO requirements for energy of an adult dog. Meaning, you're going to be feeding the same amount of energy to Chloe, except one is going to be coming mainly from protein and the other one from fat and/or carbs. AAFCO recommends a minimum protein content of 18% in canine dog food formulations for maintenance. Therefore both of the foods you were feeding meet this minimum requirement. One of the contraindications for a high protein food is if your dog has kidney disease. With kidney disease, excess protein may worsen this disease and therefore, kidney diets actually contain less protein. Hope this helps.

The nutritional profiles for both of these foods is very similar. I have no preference, but I have had heard several positive reviews about Fromm from my clients. What I would recommend is that you choose one (just go with your gut!) and feed it for 1 week. If Chloe doesn't like eating it, has vomiting or diarrhea, less energy, a dull haircoat, etc then it may not be a good match for her body. Then you could try the other (or a different food).

Hi, thanks for using Petcoach! I think this all depends on if Chloe is overweight or not. I've attached a body condition scoring chart, review it an let us know if she is overweight. Overweight dogs need less calories compared to an underweight dog or one of ideal body conditions. Also the calories you indicated are they per cup? https://oregonvma.org/files/Purina-Dog-Condition-Chart.pdf Let me know!

I have used Fromm for years and always been very pleased with their products. Their Four Star line does have grains in it which doesn't bother me for most dogs, but some people do not like that. I have not used the Nulo line before. In looking at their ingredients, they have very good ingredients. One word of caution though if you have a Cavalier is that they are generally not high energy dogs or athletes, so the Nulo line might have more protein and fat than she needs. If you decide to try Nulo with her, you might select one of the lower fat diets. I always tell clients that there is no perfect food. You have to try it with your pet and see how they do on it. It doesn't matter if it has all the right ingredients, if your dog doesn't do well on it. I think both lines are good foods, so select one and see how Chloe does on it. I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi and thanks for your post! Since Chloe is lightly active, I would choose the lower protein option (20% verses 25%). Higher protein foods are more appropriate for working dogs and highly active dogs. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Unless your vet had given you specific diet requirements for a specific disease (kidney disease for example), this percentage should be fine. I will warn that some dogs actually develop diarrhea on high-protein foods, though I have seen many pets do great on it. Best wishes to you and Chloe!

The recommended level for an adult, spayed dog is about 18% protein and 9-15% fat. If she is active as in a working dog, doing agility trials several times per week, or other high-intensity activities, then a higher fat/protein combination is needed as the body uses up more energy and the muscles need to be continually supplied with protein. However, for a typical house pet with regular exercise, sticking to the recommended amount is best. Overfeeding leads to excess calories which turn into fat and weight gain and are not used.