[Sue’s Zoo]

I actually tried to go through a couple of the forums that are relevant for my situation and pull out the significant information into a document. FAIL! If I had endless time (which means not having two large breed pups and an adult GSD!) I’d love to do it.

Would be great if some of the major contributors in various areas would do an FAQ (raw feeding, Feeding Large Breed Puppies are my big interests-hint hint). Or even get a few together and do your own ebook and charge a fee for it. I know I’d pay as I’ve been so impressed with the knowledge and experience of several contributors.

Just my 2 cents.

[theBCnut]

I looked at their website then, but it really doesn’t have enough info for me to evaluate it other than to say it doesn’t have enough info. I noticed that you could purchase a diet consultation for this that and the other, but not for large breed puppies. I have no way of knowing whether or not their books would be worthwhile. Sorry I’m not more help. You could try posting this on the review side under off topic and see if Hound Dog Mom sees it. She is the one most likely to know something about it.

[Sue’s Zoo]

Posted this under Large Breed puppy feeding but didn’t get a response so thought I’d try here…

Is anyone familiar with the k9instinct website? Looks interesting but would like more info before investing in their resources. Looks like a good site to help with feeding raw without spending a fortune.
http://www.k9instinct.com/

[RescueDaneMom]

Hi Connicorso! Hound Dog Mom already did all the hard work contacting companies for the actual amount of calcium in their foods. Protein is not the issue, rather the calcium is. Here is the list that HDM made for large breed growth appropriate foods: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFTXhUdi1KazFzSUk/edit
Regarding Puppy or Adult food, AAFCO only acknowledges to types of food: 1- growth and reproduction and 2- adult maintenance. See here: /frequently-asked-questions/aafco-nutrient-profiles/
I would make sure the food you feed meets the requirements for growth or is for “all life stages.”

Pinnacle has 3 varieties (though none grain-free) that made the cut to be on her list. It is a 4 star rated food. I used to feed my Dane the duck & potato variety and he really liked it and did well on it. Wellness Core Puppy is on HDM’s list too. It is a 5 star food. I haven’t personally used it but a lot of people seem to like it.

Remember that you don’t have to pick one food and feed it forever. The best thing you can do is rotate the food you feed your pup. Choose a few different brands and a few different protein sources. Just like with people, variety in the diet is important. You can even rotate grain-inclusive foods with grain-free foods. Also, just because someone suggests a food or it has good reviews doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for your pup. Every dog is different. If a food doesn’t seem to be working, scratch it off your list and move on to the next one.

My top 3 picks for grain-free foods would be: Earthborn Holistic (Meadow Feast and Coastal Catch), Annamaet (Salcha and Aqualuck), and Wellness Core Puppy. My top 3 picks for grain-inclusive would be: Dr. Tim’s Kinesis, Annamaet Ultra, and Nature’s Variety Prairie (Puppy or Large Breed Puppy).

Hope that helps! 🙂

[dean ousterhout]

RescueDaneMom, PattyVaughn, AT…. 🙂 thanks for the insight.

[Connicorso]

Hello everyone! I need some help please! I’m sure this was already discussed at one point and I did try to search a bit but wasn’t finding exactly what I needed… So please forgive me:)
Anyways, we have a 14 week old Cane Corso- Italian Mastiff. She is obviously going to be a very big dog- her dad is 170 pounds! I want to switch her food. The breeder had her on Iams Large breed dog food. I think I want a food that is grain free. I am just so overwhelmed by all the information that is available and all of the brands. I am also confused by how much protein and calcium she should have and if she should be on adult food instead of puppy food? The brand Pinnacle was recommended to me. Has anyone used this brand or have any information about it for large breeds? Also, what about Wellness Core Dog Food? Please feel free to give me any advice/recommendations you may have. Thanks so much!

[AT]

Here is a link on THK website, which can help you estimate how long a box will last you depending on your dog’s size:
http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/resources-and-programs/feeding-tips#dogfood
AT

[RescueDaneMom]

nata78sha-

I was looking up other bargain high quality foods for another thread and have more options for you. Annamaet Ultra (32% protein) is $70 for a 40lb bag ($1.75/pound). Dr. Tim’s Pursuit (30% protein) is $66 for a 44lb bag ($1.50/lb).

[RescueDaneMom]

To use your example, the brand overall has a 4 star rating meaning the varieties listed rate 4 stars unless otherwise noted. Some varieties can rate higher or lower than others depending on their ingredients. The ones in the list without a rating next to them are 4 stars, the others rate as noted next to their name in the list. I hope that helps you make sense of things.

[theBCnut]

Hi Dean
THK is a dehydrated food that you are supposed to rehydrate. That makes it more comparable to canned food, but less processed.

[Tulmaster]

Hi, new here and hope I reached an appropriate page for comment. First I am searching for the best dry food to give Odin, my 7 yr old Lab/Rot. I have been feeding him Blue Buffalo for years. So to cut to the chase, I was reviewing the Stars, 5 and 4 and noticed when I got to some, and I will use BB as an example, it said in the 4 star category, there were 17 different food that were offered. Of those on the list there were 4 or 5 that did not display a stars rating, and the rest were rated from as low as 2 and as high as 4.5. I tried to find a rating method explanation, but could not so, what do they mean? Did some not meet the 4 star rating and if so why? If they are all 4 star, then why the difference. If they are not 4 star then why are they listed under the 4 star link? All to confusing for me.

[RescueDaneMom]

Hi Dean-

I love THK and have been using it for going on 6 years. You have too look at the food based on calories. THK Love has 514 cal per cup. NV LID Turkey has 444 cal per cup. You would not have to feed as much of the THK as you would the NV. A 10lb box of THK has 40 dry cups in it. To determine how long a box of Love will last you, figure out how many calories you will feed a day then convert that to cups per day. Divide 40 cups by the number of cups per day you’ll feed and that will give you how many days the box will last. I mix THK with raw at a 50/50 mix so I feed my Dane 1.5 cups THK per day. One 10lb box lasts me about 26 days. My Dane only eats about 1700 calories per day.

Overall, I’m sure THK will cost a bit more than feeding kibble but less than feeding all canned or commercial raw. You just have to decide if the extra cost is worth it to you to feed a superior food that’s made with whole foods and human-grade ingredients.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 4 months ago by RescueDaneMom.

[dean ousterhout]

I am wondering how “The Honest Kitchen” food compares to a normal kibble in terms of quantity? At $10 per lb for a 10 lb box, this sounds pretty expensive, compared to Natures Variety at $2.33 per lb for 27 lb bag.

Does one cup of THK go farther than one cup of NV?

Thoughts? While I would like my dog to have the best, we do have a budget to work with.

[Nellys Mom]

I have a 6 mth old chocolate lab, about 60lbs right now, and we have a 12 1/2 year old beagle/terrier cross( 22 lbs ) . Is there an “all life stages” food you would recommend for both. Would the TOTW be acceptable. I’m willing to rotate food but want to do that right as well, and be sure each food is acceptable. I can get the Wild Boar or the Smoked Salmon, both grain free from the Pet Valu store nearby. ??? any info would be greatly appreciated.

[RescueDaneMom]

crazy mom-

The general consensus is that puppies can start regulating calcium uptake at 10 months. Your Danes are both over 10 months so you don’t have to feed one of the foods on HDM’s list. The most important thing is that it is “All Life Stages”. Most of the “large breed,” “giant breed,” “senior” labels are just marketing and there is no real benefit to feeding those foods over a regular ALS food.

Victor is a good food. Most of their varieties are 4 and 5 stars. /dog-food-reviews/victor-dog-food/
The Victor Select Professional formula looks good, it’s rated 4 stars. The Hi Pro Plus is 5 stars. You would be ok feeding any of their varieties but I’d stay away from the Multi-Pro Maintenance and the Beef Meal and Brown Rice, both are 3.5 stars.

If you can, it is better to rotate different brands of foods rather than different formulas within the same brand. Any deficiencies or abundances in certain vitamins or minerals will likely be present in all formulas within a brand. If you can rotate different brands, you are more likely to cover all your bases because different brands have different vitamin/mineral profiles. Do you know what other brands your feed store carries? I could help you sort out some of the better ones to choose from if you like.

Edit- regarding transitioning, you may have to do it slowly at first. The more you change the food the easier transition will become. I changed foods after every bag and my Dane could switch cold turkey from bag to bag after awhile. That’s something you’ll need to watch your dogs for. If their stools start becoming loose then you might be transitioning too fast and need to slow it back down.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 4 months ago by RescueDaneMom.

[crazy mom]

also what about the victor select professional?

[crazy mom]

Is the victor “all life stage ” food? Thank you so much for your help. I would like to stay around 45 ish I can go more if I am not do it every week like we were on TOTW. I know that our feed store has victor. If I go between the victor chicken and lamb can I just change the food out or do i have to graduate it over time? thank you for all your help.
When we changed from the totw to our food now is when my 1 yr old Dane started loosing weight. 🙁
What about the giant breed dog foods, would those not be made for Great Danes?
🙂 thanks for all the help

[RescueDaneMom]

Hi Dean-

Maybe your bulldog is intolerant of chicken. I find it interesting that all the problems went away on the venison. I would try a food that doesn’t have any chicken in it. The ones I think are available at Petsmart/Petco from HDM’s list are: Pinnacle Trout & Sweet Potato, Pinnacle Duck & Potato, Nature’s Variety Instinct Rabbit Meal Formula, and Nature’s Variety LID Turkey Meal Formula.

[RescueDaneMom]

Hi crazy mom- There are some affordable, high quality foods out there. I have an almost 8 year old Great Dane and I understand how pricey it can be to feed them.

Annamaet Ultra from HDM’s list is $70 for a 40 pound bag which comes out to $1.75/pound. It has 480 calories/cup so you’ll feed less of it than you would other foods which will also make it stretch further- a good bang for your buck. http://www.chewy.com/dog/annamaet-ultra-32-dry-dog-food/dp/41926

Annamaet Extra is also a possibility. It is lower protein at 26% instead of 32% (I prefer higher protein for my dog). It is $53 for a 40 pound bag ($1.33/pound). It is not as calorically dense as the Ultra at 425 cal/cup so you would need to feed a little more of it. http://www.chewy.com/dog/annamaet-extra-26-dry-dog-food/dp/41927

Dr. Tim’s Kinesis is good too. It’s $61 for a 44 pound bag ($1.39/pound). It has 415 cal/cup and 26% protein. http://www.chewy.com/dog/dr-tims-kinesis-all-life-stages-dry/dp/37810

Victor Select Chicken Meal and Brown Rice or Lamb Meal and Brown Rice are also affordable. The chicken is 391 cal/cup, 24% protein, and $55 for 40 pounds ($1.38/pound). http://www.amazon.com/Victor-Dog-Food-Chicken-40-Pound/dp/B00COVMFW4/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1389619583&sr=8-6&keywords=victor+select+dog+food
The lamb is 381 cal/cup, 24% protein, and $59 for 40 pounds ($1.48/pound). This would be good so you can alternate proteins and not feed just chicken all the time. http://www.amazon.com/Victor-Dog-Food-Chicken-40-Pound/dp/B00COVSBL8/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1389619583&sr=8-9&keywords=victor+select+dog+food

Those are all grain-inclusive foods. Grain-free cost a bit more and I don’t know exactly what your budget is. I think Earthborn Holistic is the most affordable and high quality grain free food out there. Meadow Feast and Coast Catch are on HDM’s list. They are both $47.99 for a 26 pound bag ($1.85/pound). The MF is lamb-based, 26% protein, and 400 cal/cup. http://www.chewy.com/dog/earthborn-holistic-meadow-feast/dp/36414
The CC is fish-based, 32% protein, and 435 cal/cup. http://www.chewy.com/dog/earthborn-holistic-coastal-catch/dp/36406

As far as your Danes putting weight on, as long as their not ribby it’s ok for them to be on the lean side. It’s better to be lean than overweight. You don’t want added stress on the joints.

I hope I helped with the food recommendations. If you can afford it, I would try alternating the grain-inclusive foods with grain-free foods. You could do Annamaet Ultra, Earthborn Meadow Feast, Dr. Tim’s, Earthborn Coastal Catch. That way you rotate protein sources (chicken, lamb, and fish) as well as protein percentages (32% and 26%).

[InkedMarie]

Dean: this link should work:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFY183Q0NVRXlidWc/edit?pli=1

[dean ousterhout]

We have an Alpaha Bulldog Puppy that is 6 months old. She came to us on Purina Puppy Chow and had red itching bumps and hair loss on her back legs. We started switching to Wellness based on HDM’s list and long story short… we have been having diarrhea issues. We made some homemade food with venison, sweet potato, carrots, rice, and oatmeal and stopped both the Purina and the Wellness and that got rid of both the diarrhea and the red itching bumps.

Then we started ramping up the Wellness. 1/2 Cup at a time and after about a week we were back up to 3 cups per day plus 2 lbs of the homemade food at 2 feedings.

Now we have the diarreah back. Sigh… I guess there is something in the Wellness that is bothering her?

So… what to try next? I need something today… preferably that I can get at Petsmart… Any ideas? I am having problems getting to HDM’s list…

[crazy mom]

I know it has prolly been asked but I have a 11 month old Great Dane and a 1yr old Great Dane and 3 yr old blood houd. My Danes can’t seem to put weight on. We have up the amount of food and still having problems. They are on large beed exclusive. I have seen the list and I know it’s not on that list ,but we ran into some financial problems and with the large dogs had to watch what we were spending on food. We are going to switch the food I don’t know to what yet but I am not sure what to look for to put weight on my babies. 🙁 they were on TOTW but I saw a while ago that was not good either for my puppy and the big dogs and we were spending quite a bit on food.
Thank you

[aimee]

I’ve owned several Labs and used to show in conformation and obedience. I love the breed. I do think 6 weeks is too young to remove from the litter. Any chance the breeder will keep the litter together for at least another week?

The time to start puppy classes is about a week after the first vaccination so well before 12 weeks. The key is that the exposure is to other healthy vaccinated dogs in a controlled environment. You can find some good information at dogstardaily.com The information is broken down into what you need to know before you get your pup, first week home, first month home etc.

As for feeding, in addition to appropriate calcium levels I only feed foods that have passed feeding trials during the growth period. I raised my last two Labs on Pro Plan large breed puppy. In addition to HDMS list you can find food suggestions here /canine-nutrition/hip-dysplasia-dogs/#comment-510071572

and here:/canine-nutrition/hip-dysplasia-dogs/#comment-513500240

[RescueDaneMom]

I just wanted to say that I love THK too and have been using it for 5 years. There are 2 formulas on HDM’s list: Thrive (4 stars, has quinoa in it so not technically grain-free but still an awesome food) and Love (5 stars).

[theBCnut]

I’m answering all out of order. I love THK! I recommend rotating slower to start with, so you know what your puppy can handle. It may be fine to go that fast, but it may not. Take a week to switch foods, then stay on the food for a week, then take a week to switch to the next food to start with, at the fastest. It really won’t hurt anything if you go too slow, but it may if you go faster.

The way dry foods are made with the proteins added seperately from the fats, seperately from the…, seperately from the…, makes them fairly consistant. With canned, they can throw whole pieces parts in the pot and turn them into canned food with no idea how much of it is bone, fat, or meat, very inconsistant and can change a lot batch to batch. Like I said, I don’t know that for sure, but with how far off the GAs are on many canned foods, that’s what I expect.

[AT]

Thank you Patty, for your advice. Can I ask – what is it about the canned that has you worried? Is it just that it is a more perishable product? Would your concerns apply to a dehydrated product like The Honest Kitchen as well? I was really impressed with the glowing report DFA gave THK, and the Love formula is on HDM’s list.

Thinking about ordering smaller (4/5 lb.) “trial” bags of:
Wellness Core puppy
Annamaet Aqualuk
Earthborn Meadow Feast
The Honest Kitchen Love

Is it ok to begin rotation with these smaller bags (even though there might be only 2 weeks worth of product in each)? Or once the first small bag is accepted and used up, should I purchase another smaller bag of the same product to extend the first rotation a bit longer?

Thanks again,
AT

[theBCnut]

I would worry that with how they make canned foods, you wouldn’t ever be sure of consistant calcium levels, someone who knows more may prove me wrong, but that’s my worry with going completely canned.

I would leave him on the food he came on for several days or do a very slow transition, like 10% change instead of the 25% that is usually recommended. If you decide you want to go to raw, I would add it as a topper for a few days, then increase the amount.

Nature’s Variety Instinct, Annamaet, and Earthborn are some of my favorite kibbles on HDM’s list.

And yes, start rotation right from the beginning, before you use up one bag already have the next so you can transition. Keep an eye on the stool to know how fast you can transition and in no time your dog will be like ours and need no transition at all.

[AT]

New here…We are bringing an 8 week old Labrador puppy home next Saturday and I am trying to narrow in on food options. I have spent the last few days reading every single post in this thread and it has been quite an education – thank you to all of you who spend time here to help educate others!
My questions:
1. Our puppy will be coming home on Purina Pro Plan Focus Puppy Large Breed Formula and I want to transition him to something better as soon as possible. Would a few days after he is home and settled in be too soon to start a transition, provided he is not showing any signs of GI distress?
2. If price/cost is not a constraint, what off the shelf product would you feed a lab puppy? I am not up to a homemade diet at this point (might consider this in the future, but don’t trust myself to get up to speed in one week and to get it right during this crucial growth period). Most of the discussions I’ve read here involve rotating quality dry foods (with added toppers/supplements). Would this be the best way to start since our puppy will be coming home on a dry food?
It has also been stated that raw, canned or reconstituted is even better. I can see the raw recommendations in the document linked to several times throughout this thread. What do you consider to be the best of these brands? Would transitioning directly to raw be ok for our puppy; or should we go first to canned, then to raw?
Can anyone offer recommendations for the “best of the best” of canned foods for a large breed puppy? I figure I can call companies to calculate exact calcium/kcal, but could anyone offer the best brands/formulas to start my efforts? The fives stars listed in the library are:
By Nature 95% Meat (Canned)
Castor and Pollux Natural Ultramix (Canned)
Dogswell Dog Food (Canned)
EVO Dog Food (Canned)
Fromm Gold Nutritionals (Canned)
Go! Fit and Free (Canned)
Great Life Essentials (Canned)
Kirkland Cuts in Gravy (Canned)
Life’s Abundance (Canned)
Merrick Dog Food (Canned)
Merrick Grain Free Dog Food (Canned)
Nature’s Variety Instinct (Canned)
Pet-Tao Dog Food (Canned)
Pure Balance Dog Food (Canned)
Tiki Dog Food (Canned)
Wellness Core Dog Food (Canned)
Wellness Stews (Canned)
Weruva Kobe (Canned)
Weruva Kurobuta (Canned)
ZiwiPeak Daily Dog Cuisine (Canned)

Thank you so much for any advice!
AT

• This reply was modified 12 years, 4 months ago by AT.

[theBCnut]

Victor is an excellent idea! There are a couple others that I wish I could bring to mind. But that leaves plenty of room for others to comment.

[yellowlabbaby]

Hi,
Ive grown up w pets but this will be my first time being responsible for this type of living being myself. Ive been doing a ton of research since i paid my deposit and have realized theres much more than i knew to it and i dont think google can educate me with all i need to know. So im hoping some of you fellow dog owners can help! I pick my male yellow lab puppy up on Feb 2 and he will be only 6wks old (born dec 22). My research has shown this to be definitely at least 2wks too early but the breeder insists this is fine and will not keep him another 2-3wks with his mother. So I’m hoping I can give him the proper development tools during those few weeks and any advice would be appreciated! I have purchased a metal kennel with dividers for his growth (blue in color because I read they see that color somewhat better?) and have researched crate training (again any additional advice would be great). I also purchased an extra large dog bed so he will grow into it without having to change/replace his known comfort area, and a metal 8 panel exercise pen for the living room because my research said not to allow him full access of the house during training and this allows him to not be secluded in his more appropriate spaced living area (do I really have to keep him from the whole house for at least 6months?) I’ve printed the food list from hound mom but does anyone have any suggestions and reasons to the best choice? I have a food store fairly close by that carries most of the listed options. I think ive gotten pretty good training guidance online but as ive said advice is welcome. Ill be looking for a vet i like but would like some feedback as to fle medication, heartguard, whats the best shampoo etc for this type of dog and age, supplies such as right brush, teeth care, toys, etc. Also i read he can not be outside or around other dogs until like 12 weeks but that socialization with other dogs is crucial during the time before that as well as walks and outside play, so any suggestion/feedback on that? I have three kids 8, 6, and 5 who are a bit wild and im concerned will interfere with the correct training/ pack order our puppy will need, amy help with that? I am taking this very seriously, i want to raise this dog properly for his mental, emotional, developmental, and physical health. Ive learned that i wont be able to love him like a member of our human family as planned but instead love him as a member of his dog family in us. So any and all help, advice, information, and suggestion is requested and much appreciated!!! Thank you all so much!!

[RescueDaneMom]

Nutrisource is a good food. I think Victor would be good too. It is rated 4 or 5 starts and is reasonably priced. It can be found at some feed stores or online at sites like Petflow.com or Chewy.com. I would feed the Victor Select Hi Pro Plus (30% Protein). You can get it on Amazon- $55 for 40 pounds: http://www.amazon.com/Victor-Dog-Food-Formula-40-Pound/dp/B00CJLP4EA
I also like all of their grain-free formulas and would recommend any of them.

[nata78sha]

I also added glucosamine to his diet. The only health issue he has is minor arthritis. Thank you for your response. I’ll look into that

[theBCnut]

BB has great advertising, that is not the same thing as being a great food. There have been a lot of people having vomitting and diarrhea issues with BB lately.

I think you are right about the protein versus carbs thing. Seniors have less ability to absorb the protein in their diet and can need as much as 50% more, not less. There are specific medical problems that may need the protein reduced, but your vet would be talking to you about diets specific to kidney or liver disease if that was a factor.

You may just need a good ALS food with a joint supplement added. No food has enough joint supplementation to actually have a therapeutic dose.

Maybe look at NutriSource.

[theBCnut]

Mainly because a lot of people have been reporting vomitting and diarrhea on BB lately, even with dogs that have been on it for a long time. So until whatever is going on is figured out or the number of complaints goes down dramatically, I recommend that people stay away from it or watch their dog closely.

Also it is actually too high in calcium for large breed dogs. Hound Dog Mom contacted all the companies that have 4 and 5 star ALS foods and asked them for their “as fed” calcium levels, as opposed to the minimums that are required on the label. Some companies didn’t bother to respond, so didn’t make her list. Some were too high in calcium. BB was one of those.

[nata78sha]

Hello. I am new here. I have a St Bernard mix (98 pounds) that will be 9 years old in the fall. I also have a 5 year old miniature schnauzer. Our dogs have been on the grain free natures domain from Costco for years (at the advice of our old vet). The vet here wants my Saint on senior food. He suggested canned food, cooked human food (and buy vitamins if I cook his food) and then dry food or mixing canned with dry food . But he suggested Science diet and said he did not like Blue Buffalo … so that has me questioning him. I know BB had a recall but I had always seen high rating for it. I could have also sworn that he said a low protein diet.. I would think it would be the opposite- less carbs.. but I am not a vet. Does the Saint need to be on a senior food , is there an all stages food that both dogs can be on? Also the schnauzer is very active, the Saint..not so much. Price does matter.. I can not afford to pay $50+ for 30 pounds of dog food when I go through 6 cups a day (current food).

[JulieS]

Thanks Patty, may I ask why you don’t recommend BB?

[theBCnut]

Here is Hound Dog Mom’s latest list on safe dog foods for large breed dogs. Pick one from it. Don’t use BB anything at this time.
https://docs.google.com/viewer?srcid=0BwApI_dhlbnFTXhUdi1KazFzSUk&pid=explorer&efh=false&a=v

[JulieS]

Hi I’m deciding what kind of food for a Golden Retriever puppy, do you think
BLUE Wilderness Large Breed Puppy food be a possible good choice? On their website they list the ingredients as,
Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein 37.0% min
Crude Fat 14.0% min
Crude Fiber 6.5% max
Moisture 10.0% max
Calcium 1.2% min
Phosphorus 0.9% min
DHA* 0.1% min
Omega 3 Fatty Acids* 0.5% min
Omega 6 Fatty Acids* 2.5% min
L-Carnitine* 100 mg/kg min

Thanks, I’d appreciate any thoughts or experiences. I was hoping to find a food I can easily get & one not terribly expensive.

[InkedMarie]

I’ve never done Amazon, David & I’ve never seen your other link. I will take a look!

[davidmiller]

InkedMarie has provided good websites. I usually go to http://www.amazon.com/ or http://dogfordog.com/ for buying dog food.

[theBCnut]

Calcium level should not be a worry anymore for your dog. It is best if you can eliminate all allergens at once and give his system a chance to calm down and then introduce one thing at a time to see what he can or can’t have.

[wallyworld]

Hi All,
Our Goldendoodle is 70 lbs. and will be 1 yr this month. He’s still got some filling out to do. I’ve been using HDM’s list of foods for appropriate calcium levels etc. I also just found the grain free, potato free list.
Questions:
1. He has mild skin itching, paw chewing, nothing too serious. Wanted to see if a food allergy is responsible. As a younger pup he seemed to not handle potatoes well (diarrhea) not sure about that now. Do I eliminate all possible allergens up front and see if it helps or should I start with certain ones? I.e. Remove grains first, then chicken, then others? Or should I just go grain free, chicken free up front?
2. I believe HDM’s list is mainly for LB puppies? At his current age I don’t need to worry about the calcium levels anymore, right? I ask only because that opens up a larger variety of foods to choose from.
Thanks for any feedback.

[cinner00]

I am very satisfied with 4Health dry food for my dog. I have a question about which adult food would be better for my pup. My trainer said I should go with the higher protein one, 4Health Performance, another person suggested the adult large breed formula. I have a 9 month old Bernese Mt, Shepherd mix. He is 63 pounds, tall and lean, healthy shiny coat. He did great on the puppy food and handles both of the a fore mentioned formulas fine. I am not looking to switch brands, just which of these would be best for his diet moving forward. You give the performance 4.5 stars. Note: My pup did not do well on grain free food at all.

[danm787]

I have a 1 year old American Bulldog that has been vomiting since about 4 months old. I have taken her to the vet several times and x-rays showed no foreign objects. I was feeding her diamond naturals large breed puppy until about 6-7 months old then switched her to the large breed adult formula. She has never been consistent on her eating times no matter how strict I feed her. The vomiting occurs in the morning after being awake for a little while. Thinking it may be her food I switched her to Nutro Max large breed. With negative results. The only thing that keeps her from vomiting in the morning is giving her Famotadine when she wakes up. I recently thought of changing her food to pro plan sensitive stomach. Has anyone else had this problem? The vet has yet to come up with a solution other than medication.

[RescueDaneMom]

Here is the link just in case: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFTXhUdi1KazFzSUk/edit

It is Wellness Core Puppy.

[plavoie]

Hi Hound Dog Mom,
I was hoping to refer to your listing of food for our large breed puppy and cannot view it. I’ve tried both links you listed. I remember Wellness core was on there. Was that puppy or all life stages?
thx

[mellowmutt]

I got Amiga at 8 weeks old, back on June 1st. Her breeder recommended Nutro LBP Lamb & Rice, so that’s what I fed her at first. I wasn’t happy with her gas or her stools, so I did some research and decided to mix Orijen LBP and NV Prairie LBP with the Nutro. Did some more research and discovered that I was feeding her way too much calcium. So I added two other foods to the mix in mid-July, NV Instinct Rabbit and CC Open Sky, had to set up a spreadsheet to keep CA, CA:K, calories & protein in order. I did the calculations based on the max-CA values, not averages or the tested values of a specific batch, to be on the safe side.

Ran out of this mix a month ago, at 8 months apparently she can regulate her CA herself, so I quit worrying about it. Now I have her on a mix of Orijen Regional Red, NV Instinct Rabbit, and NV Prairie Venison & Barley. It seems reasonable to me to feed her a red-meat diet in winter, and switch to a fish-and-fowl diet come summer (ancestral-wolf feeding pattern). In a few months the mix will be Orijen Six Fish, NV Instinct Rabbit LID, and NV Prairie Duck & Oatmeal. Both supplemented with the occasional topper of Orijen Tundra freeze-dried. LID Rabbit doesn’t have turkey, which is in the Duck & Oatmeal formula, so Turkey’s on the menu all year, too. Protein content of these blends is 33%.

The Prairie kibble’s mixed in to lower my cost from $3/lb to $2.75/lb, which adds up with a large breed. Rabbit is in the mix year-round, because I read some research (I’ll post the links if I find them again) about how wild/feral canines/felines primarily eat bunnies. The missing “meat group” in the prepared foods is rodent, so I’ll also occasionally feed raw beaver meat as a topper. I’d like to add a third brand into the mix instead of the Prairie, unfortunately I haven’t found anything that doesn’t have either the “wrong” grains or is loaded with potato (a no-no for malamutes as white potato is known to trigger bloat in this breed), or is too expensive to serve the purpose.

I set up another spreadsheet for amino acids and did yet more research; I believe she’s getting the full spectrum in sufficient quantities from all the different protein sources (also gets Orijen Tundra freeze-dried treats, used these to teach her to swim ‘cuz they float without getting soggy) such that she doesn’t need the glucosamine/chondroitin/taurine supplements typically found in large-breed-specific formulas — her body ought to be able to produce as much of these as she needs provided the proper building blocks (amino acids & cartilage). Her stools, on the “winter blend” anyway, are firm and dry, and not too voluminous or frequent and she seems to be thriving; my Vet is pleased with her physical condition and says her growth rate is right on target.

Many thanks to this site and all who contribute for helping me navigate the dog-food waters, it’s enough to make one’s head explode, but it’s also nice to have so many quality options in dry kibble. It’s been several years since I’ve had a dog (Amiga’s my 4th), Iams and even Purina just aren’t what they once were so I didn’t even consider those despite two of my dogs living to 15 (Keeshond on Eukanuba and Golden Retriever on Hi-Pro). My last malamute got Iams Lamb & Rice, but was shot (with cause) by a sheep rancher at 3 1/2 back in ’94 so I have no long-term report, there.

What got me to not trust dogfood manufacturers and do this research, leading me here, was how horrific the first month was feeding Amiga just the Nutro. Glossy, semi-soft, mucousy stools (if not diarrhea) and lotsa smelly farts — just like my friends’ dogs being fed Nutro. Enzymes, pre- and pro- biotics didn’t help, de-worming only cleared up the worms. No surprise given the ridiculously-high Zinc content in Nutro formulas, apparently since Mars bought them out — these are symptoms of Zinc toxicity, not poor digestive-tract health; no band-aid for that. Wish I’d figured that out sooner, and the calcium-level thing.

If I had the puppy-food phase to do over again, I wouldn’t touch Nutro with a 10-foot pole. These problems lessened when blended with the other kibbles, and disappeared entirely (OK, occasional fart still, probably the grains) this month after discontinuing the Nutro. I would do the four-kibble mix again, going with just the Rabbit and Duck would be lower calcium, but would also lack the glucosamine/chondroitin/taurine supplements the two LBP kibbles contain, as well as the cartilage and broad spectrum of amino acids which make these supplements unnecessary.

I did rush her to the vet after-hours back in September for bloat, but I didn’t alter her diet because of it. Sometimes she eats stuff that isn’t “on the menu” so to speak, mostly I blame my kitties because they love hunting and killing — just not eating their kills, which they leave for the alley cats. And for Amiga, sometimes she finds these before I do and accounts for occasional fur/feathers in her stools (Amiga’s also killed a mourning dove, robin, grackle, and a magpie). At least they’ve learned not to bring them in the house! I’m following all the best-practice guidelines for avoiding bloat, so hopefully this was a one-time thing, scary for both of us…

[sherrie]

I have a 11 month old pit bull/rottweiler mix,
I have been feeding him Blue Life Protection Large Breed dry puppy food for about 6 months. I had to change his food 3 times (Purina Focus, Bill Jack & Blue) due to excessive, horrible gas. I have also agreed Forti Flora to his food to no avail. Friends have told me to put him on Purina. Knowing all of the horrible “stuff” in some foods I am hesitant and do not want to put my baby on something bad. He has a beautiful coat and id like to keep it that way. Good dog food
for an extremely gassy dog?

[Akari_32]

Have some awesome $5.15 off any Purina food, any size, as well as that free any Purina 4 lb bag, and then got a $25 gift card for Pet Supermarket for Christmas. I plan on hitting WalMart for the One BeyOnd, and Pet Supermarket for wellness. However, for the Wellness, they don’t seem to carry the CORE Puppy! This is just looking online, however, and their website sucks, but just in case they really don’t have it, I need a back up. As far as grain free goes, the site shows

-CORE Small Breed
-CORE Wild Game
-CORE Large Breed
-CORE Original
-CORE Ocean Fish
-CORE Reduced Fat
-Simple Turkey and Potato
-Simple Salmon and Potato

[Mikebevefit]

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