[InkedMarie]

LunasMom: whew! When I read your first post, I was afraid you were bringing home a pup at six weeks. Glad you aren’t. I can’t help with large breed puppy feeding but I’d choose a food on HDM’s list.

[rudy g]

Would it be ok to feed my 1year 2 month old the large breed puppy food I will be getting for Bear (7 week old timber wolf shepherd)?

I ask because I have heard it might be better than adult? Thx.

[lee S]

I have a 70 pound Labradoodle. From the day we took her home from the shelter, she has had stomach issues. She spent a day at the vet getting testing done, and they said she just has a weak stomach. We have her on Blue Buffalo Large Breed. We started with chicken, and now beef. She has frequent bouts of stomach gurgling, refusal to eat, terribly smelly gas, and occasionally vomiting. She also scratches a lot. I am looking for advice on large breed foods for sensitive stomachs. I am hopeful that I can stay around the same price range. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[DogFoodie]

I’m using Nature’s Variety Instinct biscuits at night right now. I’m sure you’d like the ingredients. They’re grain free and have few ingredients, but they’re not big. I just got out the tape measure, they’re two inches long. Another product I use for years is Vital Essential freeze dried niblets. I only use the tripe, because the only ingredient is tripe and one of my pups has some intolerance issues and he tolerates these perfectly. They look like large breed kibble, so rationing out portions to both my little and big pups is easy.

[DogFoodie]

Hi cdubau,

You should feed your pup a controlled level of Calcium until he’s reached at least 80% of his adult size, at which time he begins to regulate his Calcium uptake. For a large breed puppy, that’s at least eight to ten months of age.

[lmnordrum]

We tried Meadow Feast when she was a younger pup and she had very loose and mucus-y stool, which is why I had to do Wellness, lol. Figured it was the lamb in there. The dog is 6 months old and has been on Wellness Core Puppy since I brought her home at 9 weeks. I was looking at the Earthborn products again last night because of the lower fat.

What I don’t understand here is if its a chicken allergy or intolerance, how come I can give her cooked chicken and there’s no problem? I’ve pored through this thread and others and keep coming back to an intolerance, but have a difficult time believing it is chicken because of how well she does on a non-kibble diet. I am leaning towards fats being the problem. But puppy can not live on fresh chicken and rice soup forever, which is why I visited the vet.

Ironically this all started about a day after I took her to a professional commercial dog facility for training class. They do doggy daycare and boarding, as well as classes. There are likely hundreds of dogs that go through that lawn and parking lot every day, and of course being a dog she had to sniff around. She also had a bite out of the cat box (eww, but someone left the gate down) three days prior, drank some standing water out of a gutter, chewed lilies and daffodil leaves and ate dirt. I have asked the vet to check for parasites along with Giardia and Coccidia, but I understand that the latter can be more difficult to find.

Right now the dog is on Flagyl and Pepcid with a new probiotic that the vet likes (Proviable). I have the Dr Langers probiotic on order which I’ll take for myself if the animal does well on the Proviable. At this point it seems to be a mystery and I’m in the denial phase of the kibble situation because it was so sudden. We live in the country and the dog has only been in my yard (now fenced) and not exposed to other dogs until dog school. She also was boarded in April (two weeks prior to all of this) but my kennel gal did not let my animal near the others because the dog was too rough. We’ve been visiting this kennel for grooming and some short boarding since January.

I’m thinking about the fat content of the Wellness, which is pretty high (its puppy food). The current chicken/rice/homemade broth is incredibly low in fat. If she’s having problems with fats then I need a much different kibble, like for seniors or overweight dogs. But then I have the whole nutrition thing to consider because she’s just six months old and has a lot of growing to do yet. So I am now poring over lists and labels because of the things I need to avoid. I may end up with a kibble that has some grain.

I really hope the answer lies in the lab results. We’ve only had worming at 9 and 12 weeks. Some vets recommend worming monthly and my first vet did not mention this. My current vet, who I am using because there is more than one and they have a larger treatment facility, is a lot younger and didn’t scoff at me for wanting to feed probiotics or a more natural diet or even hold off on a spay until the animal was more mature. The first vet, who is the kindest person you want to meet and I’ve known for a long time, has been practicing for about 50 years and does horses and large animals and is quite well known for his equine practice. He wanted me to feed ScienceDiet crap because of all the research put behind the food. Sorry. Not feeding my dog corn or wheat. I am OK with oatmeal and rice–I don’t eat corn myself except on rare occasions so I am sure as heck not feeding it to a purebred dog who may have a sensitive digestive system because of her breed.

So now I cook chicken and rice, which is fine because we eat a lot of both here, and wait. We’ve had no diarrhea, no gas, no tummy rumbling, no nothing, since yesterday afternoon. Tummy rumbling and gas has never been a problem with the dog anyways. She was pretty hungry so I’m giving small meals of chicken/rice/broth and there are no problems. (No stool either, but her intestines were pretty empty after yesterday’s bout of diarrhea.)

Thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it!

[Marion P]

How about Oven Baked Tradition? I have used their grain free as well as large breed puppy. One reason for choosing it is b/c of concerns over bloat with extruded kibbles. Thanks!

[Sue’s Zoo]

Zohar, Feeding raw meaty bones, it that’s what you’re thinking of, depends on the size of your dog and how they eat. I have two large breed older pups that are all on raw within the last 3 months. The older one (8 yrs., 80 lbs) took to raw like a champ but takes her time chewing her raw meaty bones (so far smaller turkey necks, also chicken necks, wing, feet and backs. And she LOVES them.
The other two are under a year (95 lbs and 70 lbs). They chew most RMBs but quite often, with turkey necks, will swallow a large chunk at the end and then regurgitate several pieces of bone about 3-4 am. It’s never been a real problem but not great to wake up, clean up and wonder if all is ok for the next hour. So I’ve recently started using a meat mallet on turkey necks to break down the bone slightly before feeding. Seems to be the answer as there has been no bone regurgitation since I started.
A couple of tips I found elsewhere: to cut large, heavier bones into smaller pieces use a garden type Lopper. Works great on turkey necks. Be careful about pieces that are too small as it is easier to choke on something that is just a little too big to swallow rather than something large that they break into smaller pieces themselves. That said, I’ve also heard of holding some of them with tongs while they eat until you’re confident they can manage the size, etc. on their own. I have to say it was kind of scary at first and it’s never good to be over-confident that you never question what you’re doing.
And even if you don’t have a butcher, there are SO many raw pet food providers available now! You can buy lots of different raw meaty bones from any of them. Just research to make sure it’s the quality you want.

https://www.mypetcarnivore.com/
http://www.rawpaws.org/display/main/Raw+Paws+Home+Page
http://reelrawdog.com/
https://www.hare-today.com/

And last, I heard of a website that provides info and links to many organic farms (meat and veg). Maybe there’s one near you! Check here for places that might be close to you: http://www.eatwild.com/index.html

Good luck!

Still confused TOO!

• This reply was modified 12 years ago by Sue's Zoo.

[aquariangt]

I am not very versed in large breeds, but brands that don’t suck from petsmart (and again, this is just based on BRAND, nothing to do with large breed nutition-though I will type in ones that aren’t grain inclusive as per BC’s comments on wolf hybrids, also which I have no concept of):

Wellness Core
Nulo
Castor and Pollux Ultramix
Freshpet Vital
Simply Nourish Source

Really the only ones I care about there-and I only feed 1.5 of them. I did however see at my Petsmart the Nature’s Variety Instict (including Raw) were on their way in, so that’s good.

Also-love the name Khaleesi. I have a Daenerys 🙂

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Rudy –

I wouldn’t recommend Blue Buffalo products for a large breed puppy. Proper calcium levels are crucial during the first 8 months or so in order to minimize the chances of developmental orthopedic disease and Blue won’t disclose their calcium levels.

There’s a large breed puppy forum here. There’s a list of appropriate 4 and 5 star foods somewhere in that forum, I’m sure there’s something you could find at Petsmart.

I wouldn’t recommend adding vitamins to an already balanced food unless done so at the recommendation of a veterinarian. However, there some nutraceuticals that can be beneficial – such as probiotics, enzymes, omega 3’s, wholefood/superfoods (i.e. kelp, spirulina, bee pollen, etc.), coconut oil, glandular supplements, garlic, etc. I like to keep several of these types of supplements on hand and rotate around.

• This reply was modified 12 years ago by Hound Dog Mom.
• This reply was modified 12 years ago by Hound Dog Mom.

[theBCnut]

Have you looked at the Large and Giant Breed Puppy Nutrition thread under the Diet and Health Issues forum? Hound Dog Mom has done a lot of research on the issues with feeding LBPs and researched which 4 and 5 star foods are appropriate for them. Her newest list is on page 15 of that thread. I don’t have a Petsmart anywhere around me, so I have no idea what foods they carry.

[rudy g]

Thx for the information. My GSD (Khaleesi) is 1 year and 1 month old. My timber wolf shephard is 7 weeks old. What are your thought on Blue wilderness for large breed pups?

What food do yall recommend for both?

The pup came with Diamond for large breed puppies. Is it better?

I also only have a Petsmart in town….what do yall recommend from there?

Any vitamins?

thx.

[rudy g]

Thx for the information. No veggies. My GSD (Khaleesi) is 1 year and 1 month old. My timber wolf shephard is 7 weeks old. You mentioned Blue is not the food you recommend.

What food do yall recommend for both?

The pup came with Diamond for large breed puppies. Is it better?

I also only have a Petsmart in town….what do yall recommend from there?

Any vitamins?

thx.

[theBCnut]

For a large breed puppy, you don’t want to mess with the calcium when you are feeding the right food, which BBW isn’t. Too much calcium can cause joints to form too quickly and very poorly. If they are both grown, then no worries. However, one thing to consider with wolf hybrids is that they don’t handle carbs as well as dogs do and adding more carbs to a food may give him problems with digestion. Dogs don’t produce the enzymes necessary to break down plant cell walls, so you may just be wasting your money anyways though, unless the purpose of adding veggies is to add bulk for a dog that needs a diet.

[Tigerlily]

Hi all! I am looking for some information to help assist a puppy buyer of mine. She has a 4.5 month old standard poodle puppy that I bred. I sent puppies home on Wellness Large Breed Puppy because the calcium levels are at least somewhat moderate and advised her to be careful about feeding foods with excessive levels of calcium. (I realize the levels are still higher than the foods on HDM’s list, but because a standard poodle is in all actuality a medium sized dog, I don’t feel that it is as necessary to be as strict – just to choose a moderate food). Anyway, she told me she switched her pup to Orijen Large Breed Puppy. I suggested to her that the calcium levels in that particular food really are quite excessive and that I would recommend Acana instead. She told me that she consulted with a canine nutritionist before switching her pup and that they advised her that Orijen it was a more “premium” food than Acana. She mentioned that the calcium percent in Orijen LBP is no less than 1.2% and no more than 1.5% and Wellness min/max 1.1/1.5%. I explained that that is true, but that the total mg of calcium per kcal in Orijen is quite a bit higher. I just wanted to double check my facts here! Also, did Orijen LBP change their formula? Because what I have seen in the past was 1.5/1.7 for min/max.

[LunasMommy]

HDM new to the group and have been reading this post for a couple of days (lots of great info, thank you!). I’m about to go pick up my new Great Dane puppy (so excited!!!). This will be my first puppy and after reading the posts and looking at the shared document that’s floating around, I know I need to be sure to look at the calcium levels because I want to hopefully prevent andy kind of developmental problems that might be associated with large breed dogs. So my question is, I asked the breeder what he’s currently feeding my pup since I haven’t picked her up yet and he’s currently feeding the whole litter Purina Puppy Chow and since that’s not on the list I’m assuming it’s higher in calcium levels or doesn’t meet another criteria. So will feeding the puppy this at this stage (she’s about 5 weeks old) causing any issues? As soon as I pick her up I’m planning on putting her on a grain free 4 or 5 star good from that list (depending on what I can find locally).

Thank you for you time!

[Shasta220]

Wolf shepherd as in wolf hybrid? I’ve never owned a hybrid (well, except for my 25% guy, but that hardly counts). But I have friends who raise and train hybrids for pets – they only feed their wolf hybrids a raw diet. They say kibble isn’t good for a Wolfdog at all, especially anything grain-inclusive.

Other than that, definitely check out the large breed thread. Lots of helpful advice on there 🙂

[theBCnut]

Large breed dogs have unique calcium requirements to prevent joint issues. Look under the Diet and Health Issues forum for the thread on Large and Giant Breed Puppy Nutrition and read the first few pages of it. Hound Dog Mom’s newest list of appropriate foods is on page 15.

[sdb421]

Thank you everyone. We pick him up today. I understand that it’s best to wait until they are 8 weeks or older, but the breeder is having surgery and needed for them to be picked up now, so that is what we are doing. We picked up our first lab (who we just had to put down 2 weeks ago due to cancer at age 12) at 6 weeks and he was perhaps the best dog I could’ve ever imagined, so I know that this guy will be okay. I will leave him on the Iams for a bit while he adjusts to his new home. From there I’m thinking of transitioning him to Fromm Gold Large Breed Puppy. Does anyone have experience with this food? Thanks again!

[rudy g]

Hello. I could not find a definitive answer to this question. I have a 1year 1month old german shepherd. I had her on blue wilderness for large breeds until she was 8 months old. We then switched her to authority large breed. She has been doing fine so far. No problems at all. I will be getting a wolf shepherd tomorrow. I have been reading good and bad as far as authority is concerned.

Should I leave her on it? What do ya’ll recommend?

What about my wolf shepherd tomorrow, they have him on diamond for large breeds? Recommendations?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thx.

[Naturella]

Amy, here is an excerpt from Dr. Tim’s Website:
“Why Dr. Tim’s?

Our chicken meal is antibiotic free with no added hormones.
Dogs and cats flourish on meat based proteins; our proteins are 87% animal derived.
Our omega 3 fatty acids are mainly of ocean fish origin; ocean-derived omega 3 fatty acids are more effective with dogs and cats than plant-derived omega 3 fatty acids.
Dr. Tim’s protein, fat and carbohydrate ingredients are of North American origin – always.
Our starch digestibility is 95%.
Low ash proteins assure the highest grade of protein is used to benefit your pet.
Externally applied probiotics and prebiotics in the diet help your pet’s gastro-intestinal tract healthy – the start of your pet’s immune system.
Kinesis All Life Stages and Pursuit Active Dog formulas are appropriate for large breed puppies and large breed adult dogs.
To ensure safety, each batch is tested for salmonella and not released until a confirmed, negative result.”

If you visit the website, you can learn about all individual ingredients as well, and see how they apply to the dog’s nutritional needs. Also, he uses a lot of meat meals, but they are much richer in protein than is fresh meat alone. And not everything is dried – the chicken liver and porcine plasma are not dried, and a lot of the vegetables aren’t either. Plus what HoundDogMom said about their customer service.

I have fed Dr. Tim’s Kinesis grain Free in my rotation and I am pretty happy with it. I would feed it again, or even the Momentum or Pursuit formulas as they are meat-heavy regardless that they have grains, and luckily for me, I don’t think my little guy is allergic to grains, as his diet has always been about 75-80% or more grain-free, mixed with a grain-inclusive kibble and he has done fine.

So it really is up to you. It is a good, affordable 5-star kibble in my opinion.

[Zanes Mom]

I use a grinder/ dremel also but I have a large/ giant breed and it is much more comfortable for him. I have also had them done by a groomer and they also used a grinder. I have the dremel 4000 which is electric, variable speed and I use the lowest setting. That may be more than you need and someone with a smaller breed can help with that. One other idea that was suggested by the groomer and has worked really well is to use a nail file that is used on acrylic nails. I buy a course 100 grit file at Sally’s Nails and use it once a week. It is easy to keep track of how close you are getting to the quick and there is no noise or vibration. You might not need any more than that. Hope this helps.

[Shasta220]

Definitely check out the large breed puppy thread, I’m sure skimming over that (and adding comments) would help tremendously as to how to get started.

I’m not too worried about it being 7wks. I know 8wk is the “ideal” age, but my baby boy was only 6wks when a friend gave him to us. He grew into the most loyal dog I have owned – never had one as good as he was.

Congrats on the lab pup journey! We went through a black lab once, but I don’t remember much about her as I was pretty young when we got her (she was clear at 5wks when we rescued her). We didn’t know much about dogs (I was too little to do any training, my mom had never owned a dog, and all dad had were the farm dogs that roamed around)… So she was a typical “evil” lab with her leash-pulling, biting, jumping, etc. LOL! Now she’s enjoying senior life, and I often wish I could go back to her puppyhood now that I know a thing or two about behavioral adjustment and training, hah! But she’s a sweetheart.

Then I’m pet sitting a chocolate lab pup currently. She’s one of the better behaved ones I’ve had! Very very mouthy and mischievous, but in the week we’ve had her, she’s only had 2 piddles in the house!

[crazy4cats]

It’s actually the diet and health issues category. The large breed pup thread is the yellow sticky.

[crazy4cats]

Hi sbd421-
Congrats on your new pup! However, it is recommended to wait until at least 8 weeks for pup to leave mom. I wouldn’t worry about transitioning pup to new food right away if you can continue with the Iams for a few weeks at least. He’ll be going through so many changes to begin with. Just let him get settled in. Labs are so full of energy! I should know, I have two. There is an entire thread devoted to large breed puppies on the diet and nutrition section. There is a lot of information on the requirements of large breed pups. Most importantly is the calcium content. It is explained very well on that thread on its importance to growth. Also Hound Dog Mom has a great spread sheet on the foods that are acceptable for them. She has listed foods that are both grain free and grain inclusive in all price ranges. Check it out! I’m not sure if you have had a puppy before, especially a lab, but you are in for a lot of fun! Keep an eye on him as they will eat just about anything. Lol!

[sdb421]

We are picking up a 7 week old, black lab puppy, next week. I’m at a loss as to what dry dog food to feed him. He will be coming home on Iams Large Breed Puppy, which I’d like to wean him off of as soon as possible. Our previous lab ate Canidae ALS, which I’m open to using again, but I know that there is better available; however, I’d like to stay in this price range and get something that is easily available. I ordered our Canidae ALS bags from Amazon, which is easy since I have 3 young children, so delivered to our door step was great. We also have a Costco nearby, so I looked at Kirkland brand, but I wasn’t sure if this was a good option for a large breed puppy. Could someone give me some good options that are reasonably priced, easy to find and would be a very healthy option for a large breed puppy. Thank you!

[ronald s]

I am currently feeding my 5 month old Dobie 1/2 kibble(pro plan puppy) and 1/2 raw Abady(puppy formula for large breeds) with a bit of chicken broth thrown in to keep it moist. She recently has started playing then eating and never finishing it totally. Was wondering if anyone had any suggestions?

[JASTECH]

I think feeding a variety of raw is the best we can do. My large breed ate 3 large chicken quarters, raw of course, he’s had entire large rabbit, deer leg, turkey complete or whatever else I come up with for raw meat. He eats Fromm dry kibble w/o any problems. I think the hip and joint issues are mainly on man made breeds, they seem to be more prone to cancers ect too. I think we’ll better support these breeds systems feeding raw. JMHO

[Dori]

Stainless steel bowls are the best. Basispet.com makes and sells bowls that are made in the USA out of USA stainless steel. Most stainless steel bowls sold at the large pet stores are made from stainless steel material containing lead. Huge recall last year or year before.

Ceramic and clay pots can develop hair line cracks that will breed bacteria. The cracks can be so minute that they are almost invisible to the naked eye. The stainless steel bowls that I use are from basispet.com I think I learned about them from Shawna.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 1 month ago by Dori.

[John B]

OK, I have did soem searching thru the forum and I can not get a clear answer to a question i have thinking about. I have a 11week old Great Dane. She is currently eating Innova Large breed puppy. I see that Innova had a recall in late 2013, but the list had a 5 star for Innova food. I am considering switching her to Orijen dry puppy. Thoughts? She likes Innova and do not want to change unless there is a neccissity to do so, but I do not like P&G either. I fed our last great dane (who lived to be 11.5yrs of age) Purina Pro Plan sensitive stomach because that was the only thing she would tolerate. I know its not the greatest nor on any list but it worked for her.

[NiceGuy55]

Hello HDM et al!

We just brought home our new 9 week old / 13 lbs Newfoundland from the breeder this weekend and I’m looking to soon transition from the Pro Plan Adult Large Breed she’s currently eating to one from the recommended list (dry kibble). She’s already on the small side for a newf and also a bit too skinny, so we’re trying to bulk her up (though still keep her on the thin side). Based on what I’ve gathered from reading nearly every post in this forum, I’ve narrowed it down to 1) Earthborn Holistic: Coastal Catch, 2) Innova LB Puppy and 3) Dr Tim’s Kinesis. Was looking at Fromm’s as well but a bit concerned about some of the recent posts about owners having issues. Also A bit hesitant on the Innova and Dr Tim’s due to the lower protein levels. Any thoughts on what food from either the grain or grain-free lists would be best for trying help her build up some some muscle but also maintain healthy growth?

Many thanks!

[Shasta220]

Geez….pro plan went GF? I’d guess this is their first GF food. I seriously have lost all respect for them! They trick so dang many people! Most people don’t think about researching out the ingredients, they’re going to trust the back of that bag to be telling truthful things. Ugh!

I mean, if they even had /one/ decent food line, then I might not hate them as much. But everything is about money, not “your pet. Our passion” smh!!!

And I’m especially upset because I have to feed it to a puppy that I take care of -_- Pro Plan Focus large breed puppy. They are a wealthy family who thinks they’re giving the best to their lil girl. I’d try to slowly move her to my food instead, but it’d be bad for her if anything. As soon as she’d get used to my food, she’d have to go back to her home and eat that junk :/ she’s only 13wks and already has that signature “Labrador” stink as well as a super dry flaky coat! Poor baby!

• This reply was modified 12 years, 1 month ago by Shasta220.

[Jenmarlew]

Has anyone checked out Nulo Medal Series to see if it is ok for large breed puppies? It gets 5 stars but I”m not sure how to calculate the grams of calcium per Kcal to see if it fits HDM’s formula. The Puppy Formula lists Calories as 3,652 Kcal/kg, 431 kcal/cup. Calcium is 1.0% (min) and phosphorous is 0.9% (min) if it helps. Is there another number needed that I should call the company for? I’m always on the lookout for new foods that don’t give my 9 month old Bouvier gas.

[theBCnut]

/forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/

Promoting rapid growth is what causes a lot of bone and joint issues in large and giant breeds.

[Steve K]

Need some advice for some good large breed puppy food Irish Wolfhound to be exact. Should it have glucosamine and chondroitin? Needs to promote rapid growth with healthy bones and joints.

[Naturella]

I just noticed your Mastiff is a year and a half – he should be about full-grown, but I have heard that large and giant breed dogs take longer to mature than small-medium breeds, so I would certainly advise you to make sure the food is at least an All Life Stages food (which all of the ones I recommended (except NutriSource – not sure about that one) are). At least for a little while longer – just to make sure he is getting appropriate nutrients if he is still growing and altogether too.

Also, as far as kibble size is concerned (in case your Chiwinnie(s) need small kibble), all of the foods I mentioned are with a manageable kibble, especially Victor – theirs is pretty small – and then Earthborn and NutriSource (I have fed a couple samples of it) were about the same size, a bit bigger than Victor, and Dr. Tim’s was the “biggest”, but my then-about 10-lb terrier mix had no problems with it. So the Chiwinnie(s) should be ok with either one of these foods if you choose to feed one of them. Plus, rotation is always good, so you can well go through them all – allergies permitting, of course! 🙂

[Tina]

Thats interesting, my dog Shadow as a puppy he was on Blue Buffalo Large Breed Puppy but after second bag of the exact same food he wouldn’t eat it at all not even to switch it to a new food.

[Julie]

Hi Rachael,

We’re getting our golden doodle in two weeks and have been doing a lot of research, too. I found this thread invaluable: /forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/

There’s a list of foods on page 15 of the thread.

Labbies are wonderful!! I grew up with them and we lost our 14 year old lab last summer. Have a lot of patience and give him a lot of exercise. They are fantastic with kids and quite energetic. Just keep the shoes off the floor and give him proper chew toys :).

[Tina]

Wellness large breed puppy or Wellness CORE puppy

[Rebecca P]

What is a gppd puppy food for large breed Golden Retriever?

[Mike Sagman]

Budget-friendly dog foods are special. They can indeed be Editor’s Choice companies. However, they may also have a few minor flaws that may prevent them from qualifying for the EC list. Yet still allow them to be considered above average quality and good value. That’s why we divided the list into two sections.

The fact a company has recalls does not ever preclude them from any list of quality products. We avoid companies that hide recall-like events from consumers or have a history of making recalls recalls a habit.

Example: Natura, the makers of Innova, California Natural, EVO and others is still a great pet food company. Until last year, they had a history of zero recalls. The fact they’re owned by a larger company can be a good thing. Larger companies typically maintain better quality control, on premises labs, access to pretested raw materials, etc. They are still under consideration for Editor’s Choice.

By the way, 3 star products are still recommended dog foods. Another example, when it comes to feeding large breed puppies, some of the most scientifically based and tested products are only rated 3-stars and come from very large producers.

Hope this makes sense.

[Tina]

Wellness Super5Mix Large Breed Puppy

[theBCnut]

I would play it safe and treat him like a large breed, there is no harm to a medium breed from eating a food that is appropriate for large breeds. Great Plains Feast is too high in calcium, but Earthborn is a good food. Your vet is lacking knowlege about AAFCO profiles, a food that qualifies for the Growth profile can be labeled for All Life Stages, therefore ALS foods are Growth foods.

[aquariangt]

I don’t think that pup needs large breed food. And all life stages and puppy food have the same Aafco profiles, so you’re safe there as well. I like all 4 of those foods, overall, though fromms is the only one in my current rotation

[FinnyAndLolasMom]

Hi everyone- new member here, and I’m hoping for some advice about feeding my 12 week old Irish Doodle pup (Irish Setter mixed with Standard Poodle). Both parents are approximately 65 pounds, so I assume he’ll be considered a LBP.

Long story short- he came from the breeder on Adult Purina One Lamb and Rice, and I transitioned him onto Science Diet LBP food on the advice of our vet. He had terrible diarrhea and loose stools for a couple of weeks, and after some research, I found these forums and tried a couple of things and finally settled on Earthborn Holistics Meadow Feast. I was even doing boiled chicken and rice, but the diarrhea didn’t completely go away until I stopped the rice and got him completely on the Earthborn, which led me to think it might be a sensitivity to the rice/grains. He finally has great poop (Lol) and I’m really happy with it. He is too- he gobbles it up!

However, we went back to the vet yesterday and she insisted we have him on a puppy food and that an “All Stages” food is not good for puppies. I’ve read most of this thread, and been all over the site, and I think I’ve learned enough to doubt her advice, but she does have me second-guessing myself a little bit. The only thing that worries me is that he is really thin and a little smaller than his litter mates, so I want make sure I’m giving him enough protein, fat, and calories, while watching the calcium of course! I noticed EH Meadow Feast has the lowest protein and fat of all of their varieties, so I picked up their Great Plains variety (Bison and lamb) which has higher protein and fat content, thinking I would mix it with the Meadow Feast since the rest of the ingredients looked similar. THEN I noticed the Great Plains variety is not on HDM’s awesome list for large breed pups, just the Meadow Feast and Coastal Catch.

So, here are all my questions:
Is Earthborn a good choice for him? I’ve also considered Wellness Core, Fromms Gold LBP, and Merrick- might one of these be better?
Is the Meadow Feast enough protein and fat?
Should I stay away from the Great Plains- was the calcium content too high to be included on the LBP list?

Thanks in advance for your replies!

[Amy S]

There is an entire section devoted to large breed puppy. A great place to start is to type large breed puppy in the search feature under forums at the top of the page. Here is a forum topic link and also a link to a spreadsheet that has a bunch listed out by calcium content.

/forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/

Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFTXhUdi1KazFzSUk/edit

I am not sure how old the spreadsheet is, I believe it was updated last year.

[Rebecca P]

What large breed puppy foods are recommended?

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Lynda –

What food are you currently feeding your puppy?

Have you checked out the recommended foods on the Large Breed Puppy forum and checked to see which are on the Budget Friendly Editor’s Choice List? That would be my recommendation.

[Lynda O]

I’m still confused, should I buy a better quality food for my mastiff puppy? I’ve been told the big brand I’m using is fine until he grows up. Is there something better that’s budget friendly?

[theBCnut]

Lots of vets don’t stay up with current research when it pertains to such a small group of animals. Look under the Diet and Health Issues forum and read the links in the Large and Giant Breed Puppy Nutrition thread