I have been feeding my Komondor TOTW for a couple of years now. I also have Yorkies. I free feed the dogs, with food in the bowls 24/7. (I have yet to have an overweight animal.) I have been using the High Prairie Formula. The difference between the Pacific Salmon and HPF is the protein content. The HPF is 32% and I am not sure what the number is on the PSF but it quite a bit lower. That would explain the differences between dogs, and how they respond to the food. I guess I am not sure that it is the protein source, but more about the amount of protein.
My Komondor as always had skin allergies, and I have tried just about everything. I can't really afford a raw diet for this many dogs. I have avoided feeding lamb to the Komondor, because historically the breed would not have eaten what they guarded. I did realize the other day that they have added lamb to the HPF sometime in the past year. I haven't quite figured out how bad that bothers me yet. I have also since figured out that Big Dog is probably more allergic to the Willow trees in the back yard than food. BD aka Puppy is now nearly 12 years old, and I am now more into making sure he is comfortable, more than anything else. I have had the vet give him cortisone shots for the itching. I figure at his age I would rather have him comfortable, than worry about what the cortisone is doing to him. He is very healthy except for a little senility. I have found if I move the furniture he will sometimes run into it and seem confused.
So I would try the different formulas from TOTW before giving up on the food. They also have a chicken based food that has duck in it. I just have never seen Bid Dog do well on poultry based dog food. I think it has something to do with me beating the chicken chasing out of him as a puppy. I had a long rant at him one time, and he was also tied up to the Llamas fence all afternoon (with one of the dead Polish Crested pullets tied around his neck), before he learned that bowling for chickens made Mama turn into a crazed woman.
So given that dogs are truly carnivores, I don't see any reason to feed the dogs grains. I hate picking up dog waste from a dog that is being fed grains. I have a total of 6 dogs right now, and I am going through 60lbs of dog a month. I have also found that I spend less time at the Vets office too.
The cats are fed either TOTW or Diamonds house brand cat food. The Diamond house brand is 40% protein. All the cats have glossy coats, and while they spend a lot of time begging for canned cat food, I know that they are being feed very well. I claim 5 cats, but I also know that I am feeding an undetermined number of the neighbors cats. So while I would like to feed them better brands, it just isn't cost effective. I think that I might be feeding a raccoon or two also. As long as the coons stay away from my chickens I won't be hunting yet.
