[Christine H]

I would like you to consider a brand sold at Tractor supply. The name of the product is 4 health puppy, with grain. We breed Standard Poodles. We use the 4 Health for puppies, as well as 4 Health adults for our big dogs. We are not a “puppy mill”, our dogs live in our home and in our beds! My partner and I did a lot of research through the years. We have changed food several times until we found one that has the protein to fat and grain ratio. We have large, healthy and beautiful pups, and I have to believe that the food we feed them has a lot to do with that. Thank you for your consideration. Christine Henderson EMERALD COAST BREEDERS.

[anonymous]

This is a good site: https://www.mspca.org/angell_services/choosing-the-right-diet-for-your-pet/

and, of course 🙂 http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/

I have found both sites helpful. Zignature kibble (as a base) is my current favorite.
But, I have no clue if it is appropriate for large breeds, it says “all life stages”.

[Evan G]

Thank you so much for this post!
We are the proud parents of a 3mo old Weimaraner puppy. When we got him, he was being fed blue buffalo wilderness large breed. After talking with our vet, it seems he feels the same way that a lot do, too much protein. While reading this forum it seems that may not be completely accurate. His explanation was too much protein would make him grow faster than his joints and bones could keep up.

In an effort to help him with his growth we have gotten him into swimming, to be a low impact exercise on his joints.

Back to the food though, with our vets advice in mind, we started him on Horizon Pulsar which is salmon based, and much lower protein, (28%)

I really want to find another option that will be a better fit for him. I’m looking for some advice. I tried looking at the 5star options, but they all seem to be very high protein.

Any suggestion for some good quality food within our budget of about 100$ a bag would be greatly appreciated.

[Nadine H]

I did a lot of reading today and decided to get a bag of Purina pro plan focus large breed puppy. I have spent so much trying to find the perfect food and I’m really starting to wonder what I’m doing. The Farmina is good but is it that good that I need to pay over 200 a month.
I’m just not sure. My vet recommended the purina, he has danes and thats what he feeds. I read hundreds of reviews today from people that are having very good results. We’ll give it a try, I still have two bags of the Farmina so it’ll be a very slow transition and fingers double crossed that it works out. Thanks for your help pitlove!

[pitlove]

Hi Nadine-

Farmina looks like a fairly good company. I see they are dedicated to research and have a staff of qualified people formulating their diets. Especially if it agrees with your pup, I would continue to use it. They do also make a chicken and pomegranite in a large breed puppy formula, that might be more appropriate for him than the adult one.

As far as the feeding guidelines go, it looks to be an extremely high calorie food. This is likely the reason for the low seeming feeding guidelines. If you do decide to up his food intake make sure to check that hes not gaining a lot of weight. It is best to use a low energy density food for large breed puppies to help with weight gain, but if you have done fine thus far in keeping him lean I’m sure he will be ok.

Purina Pro Plan is what I use for all my pets and they do best on it. There is no ingredient in Pro Plan that concerns me in the slightest. The reason the feeding guidelines are so different is because of the kcals/cup. If you fed him the Pro Plan Sport 30/20 which is 475 kcals/cup he would eat about 4cups a day if fed as an “inactive” dog. It would be a little higher if fed as a “typically” active dog.

[pitlove]

Hi Nadine-

The main thing to be looking for in a large breed puppy food is an appropriate calcium/phosphorus ratio and an appropriate calcium/calorie ratio. Dr. Mike has a nicely written article with a calculator attacted that will tell you if the food you choose is appropriate for a large breed.

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

I don’t know what your reasoning for staying away from carbs were but dogs can very easily digest and utilize foods with up to 50% carbs.

If you want a good Dane food I would recommend Precise Holistic Complete Large & Giant Breed Puppy. It was formulated by an ex-Great Dane breeder. My boyfriends brother used it for his Dane and he grew perfectly. It is not grain free. I also personally have a dog that can not eat grain free foods or he gets sick, so I avoid them like the plague.

[Nadine H]

My danes, one in particular can’t handle any of Fromms. Very loose stool. We’re now trying the Canidae turkey and brown rice for large breeds, als. The food issue is about to do me in, I’ve read way to much and the more I read the more I wonder if I’m feeding the right thing to my dane pups. Sorry to be so graphic but scraping poo out of the grass is not fun.

[zcRiley]

Get two separate fecal tests done, one for Giardia and one for Clostridium Difficile.

Then do a test panel for food intolerances and allergies. I used Glacier Peak Holistics (saved my dogs’ lives).

While you wait for these results, (fast him for 8 hrs) then feed your dog a formula from Zignature dog food, #1 for sensitive tummies. Worry about your large breed needs after you know what ingredients to which he’s intolerant.

Dogs go into dehydration mode immediately after the first bout of diarrhea, so if it’s been on going, he may need a fluid IV treatment at the vet. Diarrhea is not normal, so when it occurs, you need to backtrack on everything your pup consumed.

[pitlove]

Great! Glad you found a food that agrees with him. I also agree that a large breed puppy food should not be needed in his case.

I do like Fromm as well, however I did feel that when I had my dog on the large breed adult gold his stool was larger and not as well formed. For my pack ProPlan has produced the best stools to date.

[LuckyLab]

What about Wellness Large Breed (Complete Health)?

[LuckyLab]

Hey guys,

Have a 14 week old yellow lab and he’s been on Fromm Large Breed for almost 2 months now. He’s had ongoing issues with diarrhea and loose stools. Our vet believes it could potentially be the food and for the most part the dog has a great appetite, drinks water well, high energy and seems healthy/happy.

Like most vets they are suggesting either hills or Royal Canin. I’m no nutritionist but looking at Royal Canin the first few ingredients seem cheap and low quality for such a pricey food. What am i missing here? Something else we should give a look at?

Thanks!

[pitlove]

Hi Kim-

Canidae makes a Life Stages Large Breed Puppy formula. Since they do not provide a typical analysis on their website you will need to email them and ask for it for that formula. Post their response and I can help you determine if the food is appropriate.

As I mentioned to Margaret, I never trust a company’s large breed puppy food unless it’s one like Hill’s, Purina or RC. Too many smaller companies have foods labeled for a large breed puppy, but it reality are in excess.

[pitlove]

When I put those values into the calcium calculator on this site I get:

Calculate
Calcium = 6.3 g per 1000 kcal
Ca to P ratio = 1.8 to 1

Absolutely inappropriate for a large breed puppy. Sad to see that no changes have been made to their formula in an entire year.

Foods like this are why I continue to stand by my recommendation of using a food from Hill’s, Purina, or Royal Canin. You literally never have to worry about those brands having large breed puppy foods in excess like that.

[pitlove]

Hi Margaret-

It was about a year ago that I contacted Holistic Select. I was told they would be reformulating their diets to keep in line with current research. Before continuing your girl on Holistic Select I would encourage you to contact them through email again yourself and find out the values of their calcium and phosphorus on the typical analysis of the large breed puppy.

If you decide to contact them, post their answer and I’ll be happy to help you determine if the formula is now appropriate.

[Margaret G]

Hello, I have a 12 week old Irish Wolfhound/German Shepherd mix. She was on Taste of the Wild Puppy food but we were recommended to switch to Holistic Select Puppy Food for Large and Giant breed dogs. I am concerned after reading these posts that the calcium is too high. I slowly switched her from the TOTW. Her stools are soft but formed. I was thinking I should switch to a lower calcium kibble but after reading these threads, I am wondering if I should stay where I am for a bit? She is growing fast, already 27 pounds. I want to be sure we are using a food that will keep her bones as healthy as possible. I would appreciate any suggestions! Thank you everyone.

[Jeff D]

Thanks Elaine, I checked out Answers and it looks great. But I need a more cost effective food because we have 7 large breed dogs.

[pitlove]

Thats ok!

Fromm is a good brand, if you want to stick with it. My boyfriends brother feeds Precise Holistic Complete Large & Giant Breed Adult to their Great Dane and he does very well on that. Another good brand to consider if Fromm does not work out.

My personal dogs eat Purina Pro Plan. Only food that works for them. They make both a large breed adult and giant breed adult formula.

[Brianna C]

-Pitlove,
Sorry I didn’t clarify and sorry for my slow response! I didn’t get a notification that you responded. I recently switched him from BB to Fromm Gold Large Breed Adult food. Do you have any insight on this brand or any other food recommendations. I am looking to stick to dry foods for adult giant breeds.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by Brianna C.

[Tyla M]

Hey Tabitha,

Welcome to my life about 2-3 weeks ago. My puppy just turned 4 months and has been scratching and biting since I got her at 9 weeks. It definitely isn’t fleas so vet gave me fish oil incase it’s dry skin. Hasn’t helped, so I also felt like it was a chicken or dairy issue. I was using Fromm’s large breed puppy food but it has eggs and chicken so I did tons of research to find a food low in calcium with no chicken. My vet also wanted me to try grain free, so that made this process even more difficult. I personally would stay away from corn… I’m trying zignature zssentials… it has no chicken or dairy and calcium isn’t horrible. When I looked it up online it had said minimum 1.0% so I figured the max couldn’t be too high (Don’t want over 1.5%). However, the bag says the min. Is 1.2% so I’m assuming the max. Is 1.5%. I’m waiting to hear back the exact max. Or average because I emailed the company. I couldn’t wait longer though so I am currently weaning her off fromm’s to the Zignature. I also bought Weruva’s Hot Dayum canned food which has no chicken, and I use it as a topper. There is just so much info. Out there though and it’s hard to find a food that hits everything you want, especially for a large breed pup. I’ve spent way too many hours trying to research it all and now I’ll keep my fingers crossed that this food works. Fortunately, my pup, Luna, hasn’t scratched or bit until she was raw or losing hair…not yet anyway. Best of luck!!

[pitlove]

Yes it could be, but those symptoms ring more true to an environmental allergy than a food one.

I would put her back on a very simple chicken and rice or chicken and corn based diet designed specifically for large breed puppies. The ones that stand out to me are Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy and NutriSource Large Breed Puppy. Leave her on that through the winter to see if the symptoms subside. If they calm down in the winter, this may indicate an environmental allergy. It may take a while to determine what the cause of the itching is. Possibly another full year to see if the symptoms arise again during summer.

Do you by chance live in the South? Environmental allergies are rampant down here because of our humid climate.

[pitlove]

Hi Tabitha-
Food allergy is rare in dogs and at only 17 weeks old highly unlikely.
Victor Yukon River is highly inappropriate for a large breed puppy. With a Ca/Phos ratio of 1.5:1 and a Ca/Kcal ratio of 4.9g/1000 kcals, the diet is approaching the safe upper limit for the calcium to phosphorus ratio and well exceeds the recommended calcium to calorie ratio. Protein is not an issue. 20 years of research has proven that.

Also you have not described any symptoms so it is hard for us to help.

[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

[Elise S]

OK let’s throw another wrench into this problem. I have six Mastiffs all very fast eater’s several would eat an entire bag of food if I let them so it’s not a matter of anything they’re lacking in their diet. I have looked for kibble for large and giant breed dogs and only foods that have very small pieces all of my dogs have choked at one point or another swallowing it whole, which also makes concerned with bloat. The only dog food that I have found with actually large pieces about the size of a quarter my dogs eat better because have to chew it into pieces instead of swallowing it whole. Pro plan focus for giant breed dogs. But I’m not very pleased with all of the ingredients, trying to find another giant breed dog food that has larger kibble pieces.
Oh, slow feeders don’t work real well with Mastiffs or some other giant breed dogs they end up becoming a toy to chew apart. Lol
Anyone with any suggestions?

[Alice M]

The slow feeder is a great idea. I have a German shepherd also and I feed her the Now fresh for large breed. the kibble is a larger size. Hope this helps. I also mix a little canned or raw in with it for more flavor.
I will also check for the orange feeder.

[Susan]

Hi Alisha,
sounds like he has Environment Allergies with his stomach sore & he probably has food sensitivities/intolerances as well, they normally come together my vet said, my boy has IBD seasonal environment allergies & food intolerances…..
A Dermatologist specialises in the skin & will work out what’s wrong but they are very expensive & depending on the Dermatologist they will just put your young pup on drugs so best to see a Holistic Vet that specialises in the skin as well, I see a vet thats specialises in the skin & bowel…
Are you bathing twice a week?? baths are excellent, washes off any allergens that are on the skin that’s causing these skin irritations, I use “Malaseb” Medicated Shampoo, it kills any bacteria & yeast on the skin, keeps the skin nice & moist & is excellent for evironment allergies, leaves the dog feeling so soft & relieves any itchy skin, you have to leave on for 5-10mins but I just wash Patch normally & masage him a little to pass a few minutes then fully rinse off, you can buy Malaseb on Amazon if you live America, I also use creams, Hydrocortisone 1% cream applied at night before bed then thru the day I use “Sudocream” on Paws, stomach, head, around mouth & bum anywhere Patch starts to itch I apply the Sudocrem stops his itch straight away, Sudocrem is a thick white cream that acts as a barrier & protects the skin, it’s for Dermatitis, Eczema, Nappy Rash, Presssure Sores, Sudocrem is normally sold in the baby section at supermarket or chemist but if you live America it’s sold on Amazon…..
My boy didn’t do well on the Eagle Pack Lamb meal & Rice, it was OK for his stomach/bowel but cause Patch has foods sensitivities the oats & barley caused itchy smelly yeasty skin & paws, he stunk after eating the Eagle Pack for 1-2 weeks, once you work out what foods your dog is sensitive too & you stop feeding those ingredients your dog will stop reacting with smelly itchy skin problems & stomach/bowel problems but if he also has environment allergies the only thing you can do is relieve his itch & make him comfortable unless you want to put him on drugs but he is too young to be put on all the drugs for allergies..

Pumkin is high in fiber it can make some dogs do real sloppy poos excellent if they are constipated or the opposite & firm up their poo’s, Patch can only eat 1-2 spoons of boiled pumkin then his poos go real sloppy….
Have you tried a single meat protein, limited ingredient kibble that’s grain free & not too high in protein? the only kibble Patch does real well on is the “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain” Roasted Lamb, the fat -15%, protein-25%, fiber is under 4%, TOTW uses purified water to make their TOTW, there’s also TOTW Pacific Stream, Smoked Salmon both these formula’s have the same fat protein % but the fiber is only 3% in the Pacific Stream formula alot of dogs with IBD, IBS stomach & bowel & skin problems do very well on these formula’s… join this Face Book group “Dog, Issues, Allergies, and other Information Support Group” heaps of really good info & what people do to help with their dogs skin problem also have you tried a probiotic? Purina Forti- Floria is suppose to be very good & has live bacteria when it was tested, always start off using 1/2 the recommended dose, I give Patch 1/4 of my “Yukult” probiotic drink, & buy K-9 Natural freeze Dried, Green Lipped Mussels, give about 2 mussels a day, but if you are going to start anything start 1 food, supplement at a time so if there’s any diarrhea ect you know what has caused it..
Baby Wipes, I buy the Huggie Coconut Oil Baby Wipes & wipe Patch down after he’s been outside if the pollen count is high, they normally tell you on the weather forecast when its high alsowhen its very windy or he starts scratching I wipe him down or bath him then apply cream….
“Canidae” make their Pure limited ingredient grain free kibbles or their All Life Stages formula’s that have grains, tCanidae All Life Stages Turkey Meal & Brown Rice Large breed is a limited ingredient formula it’s new low in fat & not too high in protein https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[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

[Rea S]

I have been reading now for the last week on what food to switch to. I’m driving myself beyond crazy. My baby is a 10year old lazy boy. He has a heart murmur and arthritis. He has aged so much in the last year. The only exercise he gets is swimming in the pool about 4 days a week. He will swim for several hours.
For the last year he’s been on Chicken Soup Senior. My husband went to get him another bag and came home with the large breed. I knew something was wrong when my Buddy wouldn’t hardly eat it. He’s very food driven. The food actually smelled funny. Smelled stale. I threw that out and got him a bag of Whole Earth Farms Salmon and Whitefish. This doesn’t agree with him. He has bad gas and the kibble is very hard in texture.
(PLEASE HELP ME WITH ANOTHER FOOD)

[Brianna C]

Hi all! So I am kind of in between foods for my two year old 165lb Great Pyrenees, Albert. He is not overweight, just to clarify. He has a slim waistline and his ribs can be felt with light pressure; he’s just really poofy. I even went to the vet because I was concerned he was getting too fat! I have been feeding him BB wilderness large breed, but after some research I feel that is not the best for him. Can someone recommend a great dog food for a giant breed? I am leaning towards Fromm Gold Large Breed or Victor. Thanks in advance!

[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!

[Suzanne M]

Does anyone know anything about the Purina Pro Plan Sport Grain Free? I noticed the grain free versions of Pro Plan have not been reviewed. Is that because they are new and if so, are they better than the others? My dog recently developed a sensitivity to the wellness core large breed grain free and I am desperately seeking a replacement. Any suggestions?

[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?

[Dean W]

Breed like Bull Dogs and German Shepherd are Large Breed Dogs.

But it is not just specific to one breed.

Cross Breed of Two Large Breed can make a big difference.

You may get large animal dog by crossing 2 dog breed.

Cut Dog Nails Regularly to get their maximum Height.

I am available at Dog Nail Grinder

[Jennifer B]

Hello, As the owner of 2 Danes, I could resist signing up and sending a response. I truly appreciate your dilemma as it seems pet food manufacturers and veterinary research seems to think all dogs are under 130 LBS. 🙂 We too have struggled with the same challenge when trying to look for a “Dane” friendly food that is reasonably priced and tbh, I have yet to find many that fit the bill.

Before I get into brands, I thought I would give you my “rules of food thumb” which, is based on science but also personal experience so, I am definitely biased. On the other hand, when I suggest this rule of food thumb to others, it seems to do the trick.

1. In growing Giant’s no more than 1% calcium with an absolute 1.2% max. This is due to their bones and the higher potential for Pano/HOD.
2. Lower Protein is actually better for the big guys as many cannot process (find the food too rich) and end up with chronic GI upset. I generally suggest no more than 25-28% and if you are having issues, 21-22%. Seems low, but it actually has science behind it.
3. No more than a 10% difference in Protein to Fat – so if the food is 22% Protein, it should sit around 12% Fat.

Understanding some may disagree with these theories (I have heard it before) there is a fair bit of science, albeit not a lot, regarding the dietary differences required for Danes, Mastiffs, Irish Wolfhounds, Saints, Newfs etc.

I can share a couple of foods that my Dane and Mastiff owning friends use but I am Canadian so I am not sure if they are available where you live.

1. I am a huge fan of https://www.petcurean.com/ dog foods (I use the GO! LID salmon). They are available in the USA and feature locally sourced proteins etc. They do bring in minerals and some unique proteins from other countries but they were the only brand to help me with my one Dane and their nutritionists will call you personally to discuss your situation if you message them. (the Gather, Now! and Go! lines are pricey though)

2. President’s Choice dog foods (not sure if you can get that in the USA.) However they are super reasonable and many of the mastiff and dane owners I know use their Sensitive Skin and Stomach because they find the “high protein” diets like Orijin and Blue etc are too rich for their guys.

3. Diamond Naturals is one that many of our Dane breeders use and recommend as well. I do know you can get this in the USA if you live there. https://www.diamondpet.com/our-brands/diamond-naturals/large-breed-adult-dog-chicken-rice-formula/

Apologies for the lengthy post but I just wanted to share my insights. Good luck with your search and if you find something, please share! Be well,

[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?

[Yx]

pitluv – I concur, it is frustrating. I have found quality formulations that fall withing the accepted parameters, but they aren’t specifically marketed for Large Breed Puppies. Fromm’s Surf and Turf and Beef Frittata Veg (both rated for all life stages) have 2.9 grams of Calcium per kilogram with a Calcium Phosphorus ratio of 1.1-1

[James J]

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

[pitlove]

Yx, you are absolutely correct and it is so frustrating. I have contacted several companies asking for their typical values of calcium and phosphorus and got absolutely outrageous numbers, no where near appropriate for a growing LBP.

This is why I prefer companies like Purina and Hill’s. They spend millions of dollars on their own independent research on large breed puppy growth and nutrition, not to mention staff a team of veterinary nutritionists that are aware of the current needs based on research of large breed puppies. I have never had to worry that one of their formulas would be inappropriate for a large breed, while with smaller supposedly “better” companies I have been disappointed to find formulas labeled for large breed puppies that were wildly inappropriate for them.

If it were my dog, I would be using Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy. Thats just my opinion.

[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.

[pitlove]

Hi Yx-

No, once mature and fully grown, adult large breeds are able to regulate their calcium uptake. The same rules that apply during growth do not apply during adulthood.

[Yx]

Is the optimal Calcium/Phosphorus ratio the same for adult large breed dogs as it is for puppies?

[InkedMarie]

Go to the Diet & Health forum here and read the Large Breed Puppy stickie, highlighted in yellow, at the top.

BMD puppies are adorable, congrats!

[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.