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Trying Out First Mate Canned Food for My Dog

Alright, so I wanted to share my little experiment with this First Mate canned dog food. My dog, Buster, he's getting on a bit, and sometimes his appetite just isn't what it used to be. He’d sniff his dry food and walk away. It gets worrying, you know?

I was wandering through the pet store, looking at options. Saw these First Mate cans. Heard some decent things online, mostly about their limited ingredients, which sounded good for older dogs or sensitive ones. Decided to grab a few different flavors, I think I picked up the Salmon and the Chicken ones first.

Getting Started

Got home, and dinner time rolled around. I decided to start by mixing just a spoonful into his regular kibble. Didn't want to upset his stomach with a sudden change. I popped open the Salmon can first.

Honestly, it didn't smell half bad. Some wet foods really stink up the kitchen, but this was more like, well, canned fish. The texture looked pretty dense, not too much weird jelly stuff, mostly packed meat.

The Reaction

Put the bowl down. Usually, Buster does his sniff-and-walk-away routine. This time, he sniffed... then he actually started eating! He ate the bits with the canned food first, then finished most of his kibble too. That was a definite win.

We kept this up for a couple of weeks. Tried the Chicken flavor too, same positive reaction. I gradually increased the amount of wet food just a tiny bit.

What I Noticed

• Appetite: Definitely improved. He was cleaning his bowl most nights.
• Digestion: No issues here. Stools stayed firm, no tummy upsets. That’s always a big relief.
• Energy: Seemed about the same, maybe a little more pep? Hard to say definitively, he’s an old boy.
• The Food Itself: Quality seemed consistent between cans and flavors. Looked and smelled decent each time.

Final Thoughts

So, the First Mate canned food worked out pretty well for us. It got Buster interested in his meals again, which was the main goal. It seemed like good quality stuff, and importantly, it agreed with his digestion.

It's not the absolute cheapest option out there on the shelf, I'll admit. You pay a bit more for it compared to some other brands. But for getting my picky old dog to eat properly without causing stomach problems? Yeah, I felt it was worth the extra cost. I'll likely keep buying it to use as a topper for his kibble. Seems to do the trick.