[Tabitha F]

Hi there! I could really use some advice! My Lily is a 17 week old golden retriever puppy. She is having what we think are food allergy issues, so we were trying to eliminate chicken and grains. She is currently eating Victor Yukon River which is grain free and contains salmon and sweet potatoes. It is an all life stage good. Our dog trainer recommended it, as well as the owner of the. Atrial pet supply store locally. I was fine with it until I read that high protein and calcium can lead to joint issues for large breed dogs! I adore Lily, and I am so afraid I am going to make the wrong decision given that goldens are so prone to joint issues.

On the Victor website, the protein content is listed at 33.9% and the calcium at 1.78%. Do you guys have any suggestions? I hate to switch her food again, because we’ve already tried several, but I don’t want to damage her joints. Thank you SO much in advance!!

[Tim S]

Farmina’s CHICKEN & POMEGRANATE PUPPY MAXI is a large kibble that has worked well for us. YMMV

[We hand feed one of our dogs to control his rate of food intake. Crazy, sure. Effective, yes.]

Per Farmina’s website:

Complete Dog Food for Large Breed Puppies & All Life Stages.

Farmina N&D Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Large Breed Puppies is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages.

Source: http://www.farmina.com/us/dog-food/natural-&-delicious-grain-free-canine/92-grain-free-chicken-recipe–large-breed-puppies.html

[Alisha B]

I have an 8 month old Newfoundland and I’m honestly at a loss when it comes to him. I’ve never had a dog with sensitivities to food. Hes always had slighty lose stools since i got him. He’s been on Eagle Pack large and giant breed puppy food for months. The first couple of months everything seemed fine. I took him to the vet in the being of june for a check up and he was healthy. 2 days after he had a hot spot on his belly it cleared up a couple days later but more would show up. It’s been almost 2 months of sores coming and going on his belly. I clean the area and use a 3 in one spray to help them heal faster.
About 2 and a half months ago I noticed his skin was really dry so I started giving him salmon oil and 2 weeks later his skin was improving and his cost was shiny. When the sores stared, I stopped the oil seeing if that was the culprit but it wasn’t. I tried nupro supplement powder for large breed dogs and he had diarrhea. I give him organic pumpkin puree to try and firm up his stool but it doesn’t seem to work. Is it time to switch his Food? If so what should I give him? Aside from the licking his behavior is normal. He loves to play and run, he enjoys his sleep and eats and drinks like he should.

[Susan]

Hi Ashley,
My boy didn’t do well on the Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Digestion, read the ingredients in the Purina Pro Plan large breed puppy, I bet you there’s a ingredient or a few ingredients that’s she is very sensitive or intolerant too & can not eat, also write down the ingrediets & the protein, fat & fiber % in the Purina Pro Plan Large Breed formula, the ingredients are not the best in the American Purina Pro Plan formula’s…
Keep a diary just in case you need it later to look back on if this keeps happening…

Can you afford to buy the Hills I/d Digestive Care dry kibble formula the matching formula to the I/d wet tin your feeding at the moment? it comes in a dry kibble as well you could buy a cartoon of the I/d wet tins & a medium size bag I/d Digestive Care dry kibble, enough to last 1 month so you can start introducing the new kibble as well that you want her on?
My boy does real well on the Hills I/d Digestive Care wet & dry formula I use this or the “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb kibble when Patch has diarrhea & his poo’s will not firm back up, both formula’s fix his stomach, bowel & get him back on track again, the Hill’s I/d Digestive care has vitamin B’s, electrolytes & antioxidents what’s needed for diarrhea, to make their Intestinal tract healthy again….
Your better off sticking with the food she is eating at the moment & doing well on, then after 2-4 weeks when she is doingreal well, then start introducing a limited ingredient large breed puppy formula with around the same protein% & fat% & fiber % as the vet diet kibble she’s been eating, but if your feeding wet tin food then your not going to really know what percentage she does best on when eating a dry kibble?? just stay around the 25 % in protein nothing over 27-28% in protein & not too many meat proteins, stick with just 1 meat protein in the new kibble, less is best..

“Canidae” has a few Large Breed Puppy formula’s with grains like the vet diet she is eating at the moment has, I would be taking back the Purina Pro Plan Large Puppy & getting a refund or exchanging with something else, then you have to slowley introduce the new kibble over 10 day period, I start with under 1/4 of a cup new kibble added to under 1 cup old kibble feed this for 2 days & use old kibble for treats for training the first 4 days, do not buy any other brand treats that have different ingredients cause the more different foods you feed then if she has diarrhea again you will not know which food has caused the diarrhea…. then you feed 1/3 of a cup new kibble added to her old kibble, you take away 1/3 of the old kibble to make 1 cup, feed for the next 2 days, if poo start to go sloppy then you go back to 1/4 a cup or what ever she was eating & doing firm poo’s on…
Here’s “Canidae” life stages, large breed puppy, Turkey meal & Brown Rice puppy formula
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products/canidae-all-life-stages-large-breed-turkey- meal-brown-rice
Another good kibble to start with is “California Nutural” Chicken & Rice or Lamb & Rice Puppy both these formula’s only has 4 ingredients…. the Californiia Natural puppy would have been good to feed when the diarrhea first started…. http://www.californianaturalpets.com/brands/california-natural

[pitlove]

Hi Ashley-

Congrats on the new puppy!

The good news is your puppy does not have a sensitive stomach. Whenever you first get a puppy it is important to keep them on the same food the breeder was feeding for 3-4 weeks. Although we try our best to make them feel at home and comfortable, a move to a new environment is stressful for young dogs and sudden changes in diet can cause stomach upset like you’re experiencing. Only transitioning from Puppy Chow to Pro Plan for 2 days is not long enough and plus it was done too soon.

She will need to go back on Puppy Chow for 3-4 weeks and then you can begin a 7-10 day transition over to Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy again. I would not recommend a second diet change (to Fromm) in such a short amount of time. It will not help. Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy is an excellent food, she just needed more time to adjust to her new home and family before switching to another food.

[Ashley K]

Hey all! New puppy mom here – I’ve had my 9week old lab for a week now – and I’m super struggling.

The breeder was feeding our pup Puppy Chow, which as soon as we got her on the 31st we started mixing with our choice of Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy. She loves the taste! She was fully switched over in about 2 days, as we ran out of the puppy chow. On Wednesday, she started having pudding-like stools. That evening they switched to straight liquid. For about 30hrs, she bounced between straight liquid and pudding like texture. We went to the vet, and they recommended using Hill’s Science Digestive Care wet food for a few days, then mixing her kibble back in slowly once we reached the third can they gave us. For timeline: weds the diarrhea started, Thursday afternoon we started on the Digestive Care food. Saturday Evening/ Sunday we started mixing kibble back in, and now on Monday the diarrhea has returned (pudding, now liquid.) We’ve been using her Pro Plan kibble as training treats, a training treat for potty. Sometimes she gets puppy teething rings and such but we held off on that during the upset tummy, but started them back once her poops were fine on the new Digestive Care food- she had instant improvement. Now, to be clear, the breeder never mentioned any stomach problems, and when we first got her her poop was fine. All fecal tests were normal. The vet started her on an antibiotic just in case. I believe the kibble is to blame however. Once she starts getting a fair bit, the poop gets bad again. I sent my SO to the vet to pick up some more of the Digestive Care food and we’ll just give her that til her tummy is better.

Now however, I’m trying to figure out what different food to give her!! I don’t mind spending a fair amount on this food, but I don’t want to do anything TOO crazy. I also really want to stick with kibble, not wet or raw or anything. I’ve heard a little about grain-free foods – but I’ve also heard plenty of mixed reviews about their poops on this as well as added cost, etc. I just have no idea! I was under the belief that I should try and stick with a large breed formula, but my puppy is a female…she’s 9 weeks and she’s only 8 1/2 lbs. Her mom weighs 60-70lbs and her dad is over 90+ – the breeder is expecting her to be about her mom’s size. But could it maybe be the protein amount that is upsetting her, since she was seemingly fine on cheap puppy chow?

I was going to head to my local Hollywood Feed tomorrow and see what they recommend, but I wanted to also poll a larger audience. A friend of mine recommended Fromm Large Breed Puppy so I was thinking about going that route?

Also to note- no vomit, she’s very excitable and seems to feel/act well…except for when she’s having a lot of the diarrhea, then she seems dehydrated and pees a lot less.

Please help. <3

[Yx]

Darion P, – While not specifically formulated for large breed puppies, FROMM’s Surf & Turf and Beef Frittata Veg recipes are formulated for all life stages and have a Calcium to Phosphorus ratio of 1.1-1 with only 2.9 grams of Calcium per kilogram of food (perfect for a large breed pup) In addition, FROMM uses only high quality ingredients NEVER sourced from China, no artificial colors, flavors, toxic preservatives or generic or rendered meats.

Perhaps you have already read these, if not, it would likely be worth your time. – /best-dog-foods/best-large-breed-puppy-food/ – /red-flag-ingredients/dog-food-preservatives/ – /choosing-dog-food/dog-food-meat-content/

Good luck with your new pup!

[pitlove]

Hi Kathleen-

When dealing with a breed that can potentially have genetic related diseases, it is important to make sure that the breeder you are purchasing your puppy from is doing health testing on the parents and can provide you with health clearances on the parents and health stats on generations further back. Make sure you have seen OFA/PennHip scores clearing the parents of HD before committing to the puppy.

I would also say that if this breeder is still basing her feeding recommendations on an outdated myth, I might reconsider this puppy. This tells you that she has not continued to keep herself updated on current research, but instead goes with “what works”. What appears to work, does not always actually work especially if health testing is not being done.

While protein is a non-factor in the growth of large breed puppies, I still feel moderate protein levels are better tolerated by most dogs vs excesssively high. And yes, calcium and over nutrition should be the major factors being looked at when choosing a food. That being said, you will need to keep the puppy on the same food the breeder is using for 3-4 weeks and then slowly transition to the food of your choosing to prevent stress related stomach upset.

[pitlove]

Hi Darien-

Consider keeping him on Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy. Despite what folks on the internet say about Purina they have poured millions of dollars into researching the growth patterns and nutritional needs of large breed puppies. This food is one of the best and safest to feed to ensure optimal growth and lean body condition when fed to the feeding guidelines and activity level of the dog.

Regardless what you choose he will need to stay on Pro Plan for 3-4 weeks after you get him before switching.

[Darien P]

Hi,

I am getting a lab puppy on sunday. I have everything all planned except for the nutrition aspect (very important). I planned on feeding the puppy fromm large breed food. However, the breeder had him on it previously and stated that it was too rich, causing him really bad diarrhea and vomiting. The breeder currently has him on Purina Pro Plan Focus. However, I would love to put him on a better quality food. I have been looking in to Wellness Complete (Large Breed), and taste of the wild,but I am still unsure. Any suggestions?

[Yx]

Is this the formulation you are referring to? – https://www.proplan.com/dogs/products/focus-puppy-large-breed-chicken-rice-formula#ingredientsandguaranteedanalysis –
Within the first 11 ingredients there are 4 grains and 3 generic meat ingredients (4 if you count fish meal) which, as we know are very low quality. -/choosing-dog-food/dog-food-meat-content The Pro Plan seems to be Purina’s top tier food as the formulations go down hill from there. This formulation for Purina’s Dog Chow Large Dog is even worse and includes artificial colors – https://dogchow.com/en/dog-food/large-breed
It certainly makes me wonder if the reason for conducting those feeding trials is to ascertain how low they can go in quality while not creating immediate health problems for the unfortunate animals in the trials?

[James J]

Oops. Anyone hear of Life’s abundance large breed puppy food?

[Yx]

Pitluv that is my plan. My Problem is finding appropriate formulations of kibble. Many so-called kibble for Large Breed dogs seem to have too much calcium. The ratio is within the guidelines but the grams of calcium per kilogram of food can be quite high. Example – Wellness Complete Health Large Breed Puppy has 3.7 grams calcium MINIMUM.

[pitlove]

This is correct. Depending on the breed, some are considered puppies for up to 24 months. I know some extra cautious folks who will even feed a large breed puppy food up to 3 years of age. I don’t feel that is necessary though.

For your Lab, I would recommend keeping him on an appropriate LBP formula until 18 moths at minimum.

[Susan]

Hi Tyla
it’s best to contact the raw or dehydrated pet food companies you’re interested in feeding & ask them which formula is recommended for a large breed growing puppy?? especially while she is growing or keep her on a large breed puppy formula then once she is fully grown start introducing raw & freeze dry to her diet… Here’s a fat, protein, fiber converter, so you know the fat & protein % when it’s converted to dry matter, 15%-fat, 15%-Protein is around 48% when converted, if it were a dry kibble. http://www.k-9kraving.com/resources/calculator.php
Have you joined any Raw Feeding face book groups, K-9Kitchen Monica Segal,
K-9 Nutrition- Lew Olson & Dr Karen Becker is bringing out her new book that will have special diets…

[amy r]

I am in the same boat we have been using fromm large breed puppy and now use the lb adult I can not find a food I like better. I did however find it on pet flow and am having it delivered. I have also called a few local small pet stores that carry fromm although they did not have lb in stock both were more than happy to order it for me! So definitely shop around and try pet flow so far it is ok they don’t have as much to choose from and I definitely like chewy web site better but willing to stick with it of it means not changing her food.

[pitlove]

Breeding is complex and yes everyone will have their own opinion. So will people on the internet.

Breeders who’s goals are betterment of the breed are carefully selecting their breeding stock, importing new bloodlines and adding them to their program and constantly looking for dogs to add to their program without genetic ailments plaguing their breed. Those breeders are the ones that we need to help move away from the belief that pure breds are less healthy than mutts. For example Golden Retriever breeders are working to breed cancer out of their lines. Slowly they are accomplishing this. Nutrition plays a huge role in the health of any individual animal, but so does genetics.

Also as a breeder you have a responsibility to your breed to keep up with current research. That being said, the myth that “high protein” diets affect growth in large and giant breeds was debunked over 20 years ago with a set of excellent studies done on Danes. Dietary calcium and over nutrition, coupled with genetics are now recognized as the leading causes of DODs in growing large breeds. A growing puppy should never be put on a “senior” or adult maintenance diet. This was an old practice before companies developed quality foods geared towards large breed puppies. Now with all of the excellent foods available there is no excuse for having them on such an inappropriate diet.

[Tyla M]

Hi everyone!

I am new to this forum but am looking into freeze dried food for my pup. I have some questions…my girl is 3.5 months and I just hate feeding her all kibble after reading all about it. Are the fat content and calcium percentages appropriate for a large breed puppy ? Also, how do you calculate these items. For example, a rehydrated guaranteed analysis may be 15% protein and 15% fat….fat….if you’re looking at patties, do those amounts get tripled of you have to feed your dog 3 patties?? Please help! Haha I’m going crazy ! Thank you

[pitlove]

Hi Kim-

Your 2 year old Great Dane can be on any food you are interested in trying, but for your 1 year old Dane, he should still be on large breed puppy food.

You will need to contact Canidae regarding any formula you want to use for him, ask for the nutrient or typical analysis of that formula, take the values given for the calcium and phosphorus and input them into the calcium calculator found on this site and see if it meets the criteria for a LBP food.

[pitlove]

Tyla-

My top choices for a large breed puppy food will always be from larger companies. So Hills and Purina, specifically Pro Plan. Reason being, the millions of dollars they pour into research of nutrition and growth of LBPs.

As far as the smaller companies go I would use NutriSource Large Breed Puppy, Dr.Tims Kinesis (grain inclusive) or Precise Holistic Complete Large & Giant Breed Puppy.

[Tyla M]

I appreciate it and so does my wallet! I currently use Fromm gold holistic large breed puppy food. I may wait to see if the fish oil the vet gave me will help with the itching before I decide if it could be the food. I’m sure once I switch to adult food I’ll be Looking for help again! If I do decide to switch her, what are other good options for large breed that meet all the criteria? I remember looking at the fromm heartland one but I think it was the grain free one and it had 17% fat. I may supplement with some wet food, too.

[pitlove]

Maybe I’m one of the minority, but I do not care for any products by Champion Pet Foods (Acana & Orijen). So personally I don’t think they are “the best”. The best food for any large breed puppy is a food that will promote optimal growth (low calorie, appropriate ca/phos), digests well, is feeding trialed on large breed puppies, and something they will eat. I prefer simple foods that focus on more on proper nutrition than being flashy. Those foods are not going to be produced by smaller companies usually because they don’t have the funding to research and test foods.

A quality puppy food designed properly for a large breed puppy will have balanced levels of everything you mentioned. Not some balanced and some in excess.

[Tyla M]

I love and appreciate all the advice! So I’ll keep asking questions …can you tell It’s my first pup? I’ve opened my mind up to not necessarily going grain free … now I’ve read about 500 different things. The most recent being that the most important things to focus on for a large breed puppy is calories and calcium/phosphorus. However, other s have mentioned fat being too high…if Orijen is a top food but has a fat % of 20..and acana with 17 and 18%, what is one to do?? Focus on calories and calcium and good ingredients .. or on fat content??

[A]

it is an extreme high fat for a large breed puppy. And regular puppy food does not monitor calcium and phosphorus.
I would look into a puppy food that’s large breed specific most don’t go over 14% fat and all of the ones we recommend at work and have seen best results with are a 10-12% fat.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 5 months ago by A.

[Tyla M]

How much fat% should a large breed puppy have in it’s food?

[Eric C]

Fromm is not offered at Chewy anymore and we have several dogs and it is easier to go through them. The Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy does not seem to be listed as a 4 or 5 star food, yet I do see it recommended by respected people on here. Wellness Core is really nice, but it might be a little too far out of range.

[Susan]

Hi Heather,
I found “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb to be really good for diarrhea, it just has 1 protein lamb & has limited ingredients, sweet potato, egg, peas, potato, Protein-25%, fat-15% fiber-4% a few dogs with Gi problems seem to do well on this formula & the TOTW Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon… also I’ve read a few dogs with Gi stress also do well on the “4Health” formulas sold at Tractor Supply…..Make sure whatever formula you pick it just has 1 protein with limited ingredients, there’s also “Natural Balance” Sweet Potato & Bison or “Canidae” life stages has a limited ingredient Turkey meal Large breed puppy formula, on page 4 is the large breed formula’s link below……. Canidae also make a cheaper brand called “Under the Sun” but the formula’s have chickpeas & are lower fat, lower protein & limited ingredients https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[Heather P]

7 month old puppy has diarrhea due to clostridium overgrowth; he’s on antibiotics. Every time I try to add his kibble back to his diet, he gets diarrhea
again. He’s on orijen large breed puppy; Orijen just seems to be too rich right now. I need to change his food, for now, so he’s able to eat kibble again. Any suggestions?

[pitlove]

Hi Lori-

Protein is inconsequential in the growth of any large or giant breed. Ca/Phos ratios are important and using a low energy density food (low calorie) to prevent excess weight gain. Wellness Core Puppy is approaching the safe upper limit for the Ca/kcal ratio, so I would think about reconsidering that formula if it were my puppy. Not to mention the kcals/cup are on the high side + the fat being high. Realistically that would be a puppy formula more suitable for a small to medium size breed.

As far as grain free goes, what is YOUR reasoning behind using a grain free diet?

[Lori P]

Hi!
We are getting our Bullmastiff puppy this week and the breeder has her on 4Health grain free puppy food. We are thinking about switching her to Fromm Heartland Gold Large Breed puppy food and Wellness Core Puppy Food. Rotating them because they are different proteins every month to 2 months. Fromm is beef, pork & lamb and the Wellness is chicken & turkey.

Wellness Core Puppy Food: Calcium: 4.0g per 1000 kcal
Cal to P ratio= 1.5 to 1
Fromm Heartland Gold LBP Food: Calcium: 3.0g per 1000 kcal
Ca to P ratio= 1.1 to 1

The Wellness Core Puppy Food is pretty high in protein @ 36% min. & fat 18% min. Do you think those are too high for a growing Bullmastiff puppy? I don’t want her to grown too fast! Also, how do you feel about rotating proteins? Is it necessary? Grain Free? Again, necessary? Thanks! I can’t believe how difficult and confusing it’s been trying to find a good puppy food! Thank goodness for this site!!

[Susan]

Hi Amanda,

When you get your puppy the food you have finally picked & thought was going to be the best food for your new pup, may not agree with your pup, he may start doing sloppy poo’s on this food….you’ll need to know what he was eating when you get him so you can slowly introduce the new food with his old food…
The best way to avoid any food sensitivities/intolerances is by rotating foods & introducing new foods to your pup diet, by allowing short exposure to a wider variety of proteins types, meat, grains, veggies, this way the immune system is primed to a larger range of potential allergens, which strengthens the immune system & may reduce the risk of allergies, food sensitivities developing, this is very important for young animals, hopefully your pup will have an iron stomach & be able to eat everything by the time he’s an adult, in the beginning still feed his regular puppy food then once he has settled in & is doing really well start to add 1-2 tablespoon of fresh healthy human food, whatever you’ve cooked for dinner as long as it’s a healthy meal with veggies & some meat, when your giving him a treat give him something that’s healthy, instead of a process treats, a few small bite size pieces of peeled apple, blueberries etc that’s when I started introducing different foods to my boy who has IBD & food sensitivities, I gave the food as a treat in the beginning…..

What breed will your pup be? will he be pure breed or a mongrel?? this will play a big part in his health & what health issues he’ll inherit….
Follow “Rodney Habib” on his face book page, click on link below, then watch “Why it’s so important to offer your pet FRESH human food”
https://www.planetpaws.ca/tag/healthy-food/
On your right once you have clicked on the link above are helpful video’s Rodney has made over the last 2 years, since he found out his 14yr old dog Sammie now 16yr old had cancer & now is cancer free… start following 1-2 people who you like in the pet world & this will stop a lot of the confusion… Also join a few healthy nutrition pet groups like “Canine Nutrition & Natural Health” “Planet Paws” & “K-9 Kitchen” the people in these groups will be able to help you if you need any help about puppy nutrition…

[Susan]

Hi Nataya,
I don’t think you’ll get many raw feeders on DFA, a lot feed kibble, there might be the odd poster that may help……are you going to make your own raw diet or buy the pre-made raw diets? homemade is the best this way you know what they are eating where the meat is coming from….
Start doing research & follow people like “Rodney Habib, Dr Karen Becker & Steve Brown, Dr Karen Becker is bringing out another new book with simple easy to make raw meals, her old books have all sold out & people on Amazon are asking ridiculous prices for her old books…. look at Steve Brown book called “Unlocking The Canine Ancestral Diet” your local library can order in books, I borrow books from the library or they order in books I’m interested in then after I have read them & like them I buy the book…
Here’s Rodney Habib’s link, once you follow Rodney you’ll get in the loop…
https://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib

Join some raw feeding groups on face book, just make sure these diets are balanced properly, vets are normally against raw feeding only because a lot of people don’t balance the diet properly & the vets see all the health problems that can occur from a dog or a cat not eating a proper balanced raw diet, I live Australia & a lot of Australian’s feed raw & dry kibble + raw meaty bones at lease twice a week…. a lot of our Australian made kibbles advise to add raw meat, raw meaty bones with their kibbles….
I went thru an Animal Nutritionist Jacqueline Rudan the maker of Natural Animal Solutions(NAS) products, this is her Maintenance Diet I followed minus any bone or organ meats cause my Staffy Patch has IBD, food intolerances & skin allergies…
http://naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/Shop/2016/03/15/maintenance-dog-diet/
I added her Digestavite plus powder to balance the diet, Patch was very hungry when we first started feeding the raw diet I was feeding 3 smaller raw home made meals a day, Jacqueline said, he has to get use too eating a raw diet after being feed a high carb process kibble, they stay fuller longer when they eat kibble..

Your making the best decision for your dogs health, with the Great Dane pup I would see what the breeder is feeding him & make sure you find an Great Dane breeder that raw feeds her dogs & pups, this breeder will be able to help you with preparing a raw diet
for a large breed pup…. sometimes its better to feed large breed pup a good quality large breed puppy kibble + raw until they’re 1-18mths then put them onto a full raw diet once they have finished growing, you have to be careful with large breed pups that their bones don’t grow too quickly the breeder will explain things a bit better then me….

There’s a lot of raw feeders on Lew Olsons F/B group called “K-9 Nutrition”
or Monica Segal F/B group called “K-9 Kitchen”
Make sure you take before & after photos of your Pit Bulls, you’ll see a big improvement with skin coat & all over health once they’re eating a raw diet…
Good-Luck

[Susan]

Hi Jenny you go girl, educate your vet about pet food nutrition….Jenny ask Anon101 what she feeds her dogs??
She does NOT feed Science Diet, she does NOT feed Royal Canine & Purina she does NOT feed, yet when someone post a post asking what should I feed my new large breed puppy, she says feed it Purina Focus… I bet she has never even read the poor ingredients in this puppy formula…
Anon101 feeds Zignature a premium food that I kept recommending to feed dogs with allergies all last year, she doesn’t feed any of these kibbles with cheap ingredients from china……

Anon101 why don’t you feed your dogs the Purina Sensitive Skin & Stomach or the Science Diet Sensitive skin formula if it’s so good, why don’t you practice what you preach??

[anonymous]

I am very pleased with Zignature Whitefish kibble, I don’t know if Zignature makes a large breed puppy food, but if you go to their website they tend to answer questions promptly.
The food is not cheap, but then neither is going back and forth to the vet.
Sometimes it is worth it to pay a little bit more.

Regarding grain free diets, hope this helps:
https://www.mspca.org/angell_services/choosing-the-right-diet-for-your-pet/
excerpt below:
Grain free diets have become all the rage in the last few years. I suspect this has stemmed from greater recognition of gluten sensitivity in humans. Most pet food companies have jumped on the band wagon following the marketing success of grain free human diets. The truth of the matter is that there are no dog or cat studies showing a health benefit to grain free foods. A myth has been perpetuated that grains are unhealthy. In fact, whole grains contribute vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids and are highly digestible by dogs and cats. Allergies to grains are actually very rare, and only the Irish Setter breed has been demonstrated to have a gluten sensitivity. Many grain free diets substitute potatoes and tapioca, which have less protein, more sugar, and less fiber. And typically these come at a higher cost.

[Susan]

Hi Brain,
buy some “Malaseb” Medicated shampoo & bath weekly to wash off any allergens that may be on paws & skin, Malaseb is excellent for itchy skin, red paws, yeasty smelly skin, environment allergies & is mild enough to use daily….

Have a look at “Canidae” they also make “Under The Sun” a cheaper range of dog formula’s, there’s Under The Sun, Puppy formula with healthy ingredients, page 1, bottom right..
I think it’s Ok to feed a growing large breed pup a kibble that has healthy grains, like brown rice, oatmeal etc & also has potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, blueberries, beans, carrots etc grain free ingredients as well, I don’t know what these kibbles are called they have both, I’ve noticed a lot of large breed puppy formula’s don’t have the bad old ingredients like corn, wheat, gluten meal & soy but will have healthy grains now…
there’s Canidae Pure Foundations puppy grain free, page 3, top left
then there is Canidae’s new vet formulated All Life Stages, Large Breed, Turkey Meal & Brown Rice formula on page 4, bottom right…..
or there’s Canidae Life Stages large breed puppy, Duck Meal, Brown Rice & Lentils page 5
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

I would look for 2 large breed kibbles that both are different brands & have a different protein & rotate between the two…..A rotational diet allows a better chance of providing a more complete & balanced diet…..This is particularly important for young animals, the idea is that by allowing short exposure to a wider variety of protein types, the immune system is primed to a larger range of potential allergens which strengthen the immune system & may reduce the risk of allergies or symptoms developing….
I feed 1 brand kibble for breakfast & I feed a different brand & protein kibble for dinner..

[anonymous]

He is too young to be diagnosed…..but it could be environmental allergies, wipe his feet off or rinse with plain water every time he comes in from the outside, especially after coming in from stepping in grass covered with morning dew. Let’s hope the allergies (if that’s what it is) are mild and seasonal.
The only way to rule out food sensitivities would be an elimination diet/prescription food under the guidance of a vet.
Veterinary Dermatologists don’t advise testing until the symptoms have been going on for 1 year/4 seasons or are are severe, and have not responded to treatment by the regular vet.
Wait and see what your vet suggests for food as it may not be related.
What about ProPlan Focus Large Breed puppy https://www.chewy.com/purina-pro-plan-focus-puppy-large/dp/52425

[LuckyLab]

Hey guys,

My 9 week Yellow lab has been chewing on his paws. Not at a super alarming amount but enough that I’ve began to notice. The Diamond Puppy food the breeder has him on has by products and then two wheat ingredients so I suspect it may be the food. I had decided to switch him to Fromm Lrg. Puppy but its not Grain free and I don’t love their Heartland (which is grain free).

I’m also a fan of the Precise Holistic lrg. breed pup food but that’s also not grain free. If we are going to upgrade his dog food we’d like to do it only once if possible and try the grain free, see if it helps and if it doesn’t we’ll have the vet run some tests. I’m going to put in a call to her tomorrow either way to be sure this is the correct course of action.

Any Large Breed Puppy kibbles you can suggest? Nature’s Variety looks great but its just too expensive. We may be able to swing Orijen but if I’m going to spend that on food I’d want to know for certain it fixed the problem. Other than Orijen and Natures Variety and suggestions?

[pitlove]

Hi M N-

I’ve read a lot of different opinions about what type of diet working breeds need. It seems that a lot of people who hunt their dogs or compete in dog sports will use a performance/sporting food during the season and then go back to a normal maintenance diet during the off season to prevent weight gain and keep them conditioned. You have to feed for the energy expenditure of the dog.

Typically performance foods are going to be a 30/20 formula, but still have a good amount of carbs for quick energy conversion. I believe Victor and SportDog both have performance formulas. I see you are interested in grain free, but I would highly consider a grain inclusive diet as many grains actually have better bioavailability.

As far as feeding for a large breed puppy, he is just shy of the 18 month mark at which he could go on to an adult food and at this point he should be able enough to control is calcium uptake enough that the main focus should be keeping him in condition to hunt him. While a 3 on BCS is not terrible, 4 would be better/ideal. GWP/GSP are lean by nature, but the standard is not that of a Greyhound, Poodle etc.

[M N]

Hello, I have a 16 month old German Wirehaired Pointer. I am currently feeding him free-choice TOTW Wetlands formula. I started him on TOTW High Prairie Puppy at 7 weeks and switched to the adult Wetlands formula at around 9 months as we were struggling to keep weight on him. Currently on the Wetlands formula he will swing between a 3 and 5 on the 9 point scale, depending on how active we are that week. Overall I have been very happy with TOTW.

Lately (since about March-April) I have been hearing a lot about dogs getting sick on TOTW. Naturall,y this concerns me. Also, with summer upon us and the increased training and exercise that comes with it, it has been a little harder to keep weight on him. As summer progresses and we start conditioning for hunting season I suspect it will get even harder. This combines to have me again looking to change foods.

Initially when I was looking at switching I was looking at the Black Gold Salmon and White Potato because it was available locally and looked good on paper. We tried a bag this spring and he seemed to do okay on it, but we never fully transitioned as my local feed store stopped carrying it. I also considered Victor Nutra-Pro, but again there was no local supplier for it. When I mentioned this to the owner of the feed store he told me that if I wanted him to he would order either of them for me on their regular shipments, he just needed 1 week notice and would have it in for me.
I also looked at the Sportdog formulas this spring, but they didn’t ship directly to my area and the cost through Amazon was more than I was willing to pay. Now I see that Amazon has 50lb bags in the Large Breed and Active formulas, both of which are at a price that I find reasonable.

I understand that there are alot of quality foods out there, I am looking at these foods specifically due to quality, availability, and cost (under $1.50 a pound). Another reason I am looking to switch is I have another puppy coming this fall, and I feel TOTW has a higher calcium content than I would like to see for a large breed puppy. The 4 formulas I am looking at seem to be a better all around fit for me, with the exception of the large breed which the kibble may be a bit big for a puppy. The Victor may be higher protein than I want/need, and is not a grain free, but does advertise a higher percentage of protein from meat than Sportdog (90% vs 76%). The Sportdog Large Breed has a lower fat than content than the others (14% vs 18%) which leads me to believe it may not alleviate my weight maintenance struggle. 30/20 protein/fat seems to be the “standard” for active sporting dogs. I would prefer a grain free food, but obviously I am not dead set on it, otherwise I wouldn’t consider the Victor.

I am leaning heavily towards the Sportdog Active, assuming I can actually get it in 50lb bags. Which would you recommend and why?

$45/40lb – https://victorpetfood.com/product-items/nutra-pro/?portfolioCats=133%2C135%2C134%2C153%2C159%2C160%2C162

$35/30lb – http://blackgolddogfood.com/natural_grain_free_salmon_dog_food.htm

$72/50lb – https://www.sportdogfood.com/elite-grain-free-active-dog-puppy-30-18/

$67/50lb – https://www.sportdogfood.com/elite-grain-free-large-breed-30-14/

[Eric C]

In two weeks we bring home my baby Australian Cattle Dog. My Yellow Lab is a little over a year old and she has been on Fromm Large Breed Puppy her entire life. I see that it is now a 4 star but thought it was a 5 star when we started her on it last year. My new boy will likely be just a little over 50 pounds but I think it might be wise to start him on a controlled calcium food as ACD can have hip issues. What foods in the 5 star category are the most popular here? Wellness, Orijen?

[crazy4cats]

Hi Clare-
Here is a great article from the review side of this site that may help you choose a large breed puppy food:

/best-dog-foods/best-large-breed-puppy-food/

Hope this helps!

[pitlove]

Brian-

Protein doesn’t effect their growth at all. Excessive dietary calcium and overnutrition(being fat) does.

I do understand that many people do not like Purina, however I feel that there is a lot of misinformation about Purina on the internet. I do not like all of Purina’s lines, but Pro Plan is a quality one. I appreciate a company that does their own independant research and contributes to our knowledge base of nutrition. I also really like the Purina is one of the leading reseachers on large breed puppy nutrition. As one of the other posters on here has said before and I always give her credit for this statement “you only have one chance to create a sound orthopedic structure”. That is why I would prefer to feed a food from a company that does feeding trials and conducts their own research.

[LuckyLab]

Hi guys,
I just got a nicely bred Yellow Lab who I will be bringing home Sunday (8 weeks and 2 days old). He has had a small spell of diarrhea while with his breeder and they are getting him through. His first kibble and what he’s getting now is Diamond Puppy. I’ve heard this is a decent food and good value but the breeder told me if I wanted to upgrade she like Blue Buffalo.

Finding a new food is so overwhelming but I know the first 2 years can be so important for his growth and development. I’ve narrowed down my options to:
-Blue Buffalo Wilderness Puppy (is this too much protein?)
-Fromm Heartland Gold or just Fromm Gold (both for large breeds)
-Taste of the Wild Puppy
-Wellness Complete Health or Core (Puppy)
-He’s currently on Diamond Puppy

So many different opinions, we go to the vet on Tuesday but not sure he’ll have a recommendation. We were told whatever we decide to keep him on his current Diamond food for at least 2 weeks after we bring him home not to stress his system as he adjusts then we could start slowly changing.
Thank you so much for the help (sorry for the long post).

[Clare M]

Hi,
Our mini-Aussie (12 weeks old) goes absolutely crazy so we have to train her a lot to stop unwanted behavior (barking, eating carpet, biting us). She does have a meal time (which we use to train her). We are having to give her so many treats (use her food for a lot of it) for training. I feel like she is being fed way too much. I’m afraid of growing too much, but i’m not sure if that is really a medical issue for dogs her size or just large breeds? The vets office couldn’t answer if there is a good growth rate (about .1-.2 lbs growth every day). Also, because she is eating all of the time, we do not have a predictable potty schedule.

Questions: Should their potty schedule be very predictable at this age?
How to manage caloric intake when treating/feeding all the time to stop unwanted behavior?

Thanks for your recommendations, no talking down to people please.

[Susan]

Hi Melissa,
sounds like you have a puppy with a very sensitive stomach/bowel, he may suffer with skin allergies as he get’s older, there’s a few Goldendoodles with sensitive stomach & skin on a Face Book group I belong too….
Food sensitivities/intolerances can take anywhere from 1 day to 6 weeks to react to a certain ingredient & have Intestinal stress… sounds like there’s an ingredient in the Fromm he’s sensitive too..
My boy has skin allergies & food intolerances & can’t eat high fat meals, tapioca, beet pulp, liver, barley & high fiber kibbles & too many proteins & ingredients he gets stomach up sets, acid reflux, sloppy poos/diarrhea & he wakes up 2am, 4am or 5am crying at the front door to be let out to have diarrhea, sometimes you can hear loud grumbling noises coming from his bowel (Wind)….
You’ll have to start working out what agrees with him & what doesn’t, keep a diary & write down foods, kibbles etc that don’t agree with him & try & work out if there’s an common ingredient, I ended up doing a elimination food diet..

I’ve had great success with “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb, it is a single protein formula with just lamb meal & has limited ingredients, grain free & is a all life stages formula, has the matching wet tin food…… https://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/

When a dog knows a food/kibble causes pain, upset stomach, wind, nausea they’re hesitate to eat it or don’t eat it at all, listen to your dog when he doesn’t want to eat something, he’s telling you, mum this makes me sick, offer to feed something else, he might prefer a wet tin food, cooked, raw or rotate between 2 brands of kibbles that’s what I do, so he doesn’t get sick of eating the same kibble formula, Patch gets Canidae Pure for breakfast & TOTW for lunch & dinner…but you have pup I don’t know how it works rotating Puppy formula’s if it’s Ok….ask & email the kibble company, they would know….
TOTW have vet nutritionist that email back & give advise…

Canidae is another food I feed the Canidae Pure Wild Boar, all the Pure formula’s have limited ingredients.
Canidae have a 3 large breed puppy formula’s, 2 in their “Life Stages” formula’s dry & wet tin, Canidae have a new Large breed puppy Turkey & Brown Rice that has only 1 protein Turkey Meal that’s not too high in protein or fat & can be feed all stages of life Puppy, Adult & Senior large breed…
http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products/canidae-all-life-stages-large-breed-turkey-meal-brown-rice-dry-formula
or Canidae Life Stages Large breed Puppy Duck Meal & Lentils wet & dry
or Canidae’s “Under The Sun” Large Breed Puppy Chicken dry

Maybe try a kibble that has limited ingredient & only 1 protein & see how he goes, no more then 8 ingredients so there’s less ingredients to cause any problems .. Read the ingredients, fiber, fat & protein % in the Nutrisource Puppy formula & the Fromm Heartland Puppy & see is there heaps of ingredients? how many different proteins? is the Fat, Fiber & Protein on the higher end?
Best to buy from a Pet Shop this way you can take it back for a refund & try another food if he doesn’t really want to eat it…..

[pitlove]

Susan, I have no idea how the ones you are talking about compare to the US one I’m talking about.

I’ve recommended Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy and Hills Large Breed Puppy plenty on times on here and at work. I tailor my recommendations to the individual and I fully recognize that a lot of people on here won’t use Purina.

I use this “c***” food because it’s not “c***” at all. I have used Orijen, Acana, Fromm, NutriSource, Taste of the Wild, Natures Variety, Wellness CORE, Zignature, Primal, Stella and Chewys,… I mean really the list goes on. None of those foods worked well for him. He was either sick, skin was flaring up or he simply refused to eat. I cried so many times because I felt like I couldn’t help him and he was just suffering despite eating all these “great” foods. So after completing our elimination trial our vet suggested Pro Plan Sensitive Skin, so we tried it and it worked. I can’t argue with results and I can’t argue with how much healthier and happier Bentley has been this past year and a half.

Judging me for my choice of food doesn’t make you a better pet parent. We all care for our dogs and want what’s best for them, regardless of how we get there.

[Susan]

Pitluv
I am not talking about the Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach, Salmon & Tuna, AU, I’m
talking about Pro Plan Sensitive Digestion AU…. I can’t understand why you’d feed your poor dog that crap especially when you have so many good foods to pick from in America….
If Purina Pro Plan is soo good how come I never see you recommend the Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy?
Just cause a dog is doing firm poo’s doesn’t mean the kibble is good, it means they have added certain ingredients to firm poos up Hills, Purina & Royal Canine are good at adding these ingredients to make poos firmer & people believe the kibble is a really good kibble cause their dog is doing firm poos now…

[Bernie O]

So happy for all the info. on Orijen – Acana made in Kentucky. My 3 1/2 month Golden was doing great on Wellness Core puppy and all of a sudden he has developed diarrhea,, when we slow reintroduce the Core puppy again after he became stable the softness began again. I’m thinking the Core puppy and it’s higher protein made be to rich. Was thinking about changing to Acana ,, but now now after what I just read. Any thoughts or suggestions on another high quality large breed puppy food ? Thanks to all !

[pugmomsandy]

Here’s an article about choosing large breed puppy food (in case you haven’t seen it yet). It contains a calculator for calcium and phosphorus.

/best-dog-foods/best-large-breed-puppy-food/

[Randy D]

Ok, so after days of reading reviews and this thread, I finally settled on Fromm’s large breed gold puppy food. Two days in, we’re at 50/50. He loves it. I have a question-he is pooping 4-5 times every day. They’re perfect, like a warm tootsie roll, but is there an issue with him going so much?