Gnarls, I hate to hear that your friends lost one. I was raised with dogs. We had working dogs and pets. As an adult I carry on the tradition of hunting with dogs and having pets as well. I feed then calu pak purple bag. They all like it, it keeps them full of energy and healthy weighted. My deer dogs may run 50-60 miles in a day and they keep a great figure on the purple bag. I am no nutritionist but I do pay attention to their stool and keep notice of anything that changes in their appearance and attitudes.