[Duke The Boxer]

^^ to sara i had my puppy on welness core and he enjoyed the food a lot and his coat was always very nice and soft. I recently just finished the bag so i rotated to the nature’s variety rabbit meal and my boy loves it even more! He absolutely devours all the food and his stools have been very good. Im no expert but id say start giving your guy some coconut oil supplements and maybe look into a turmeric supplement. Maybe HDM can further chime in

[Sara10010]

I’m new to the forum and am hoping I might be able to get some advice. My husband and I have a five and a half month old Cardigan Welsh Corgi who is showing signs of pano/elbow dysplasia. We had x-rays taken and there is significant space between his elbow joints (right side is worse). We aren’t sure if this is something he might grow out of or if it is, in fact, dysplasia (we are seeing a specialist this weekend). However, we’ve been feeding him Orijen puppy since we brought him home and I’m concerned the protein content might be too much for him and could be contributing to this. It’s undoubtedly a high quality food and he is growing fast on it. I don’t want the vet to put him on a prescription diet as I don’t believe they are nutritious. From reading this thread, it seems that Wellness Core Puppy might be a good option for us? I am also not sure if we should just switch him to an all life stages food at this point? I would love any recommendations that anyone might have – we want to do right by our little guy and I really thought I was giving him the best with Orijen.

Thanks!

[gsdmommy89]

I haven’t actually. I didn’t know that it was a fat. I thought coconut oil was for digestion. But if you think it’ll work, I’ll definitely try it 🙂

[Anonymous]

Have you tried adding fats like coconut oil?

[gsdmommy89]

I’ve read her list and have been following this thread for a while now, so I know about the calcium levels ( that’s why I’ve been feeding the puppy the Earthborn Coastal Catch formula). But my question is about my adult GSD. I’m trying to get her to put her weight back on. Should I put her on puppy food to help her recover her weight? ( of course, I’d go with one on HDM’s list).

[Anonymous]

Use Hound Dog Mom’s list from this thread, almost all foods are ”All life stages” anyway, so perfect for your situation. Actually I think there are only two or three puppy foods on that list, due to most puppy foods containing too high percentages of calcium for large breed puppies.

[gsdmommy89]

I would like for both to be on the same food, so I was thinking switching my adult GSD to puppy food ( they are both currently on Earthborn Coastal Catch) such as Fromm Large Breed puppy.

[Anonymous]

apriliamille, It’s the temperatures which are killing me! My GSD was having trouble too, but she was old too. My horse is Arabian and has no problems at all.
Will ask for help in raw section. I am learning a lot, reading my way through the forum…

[apriliamille]

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

huge thread with several documents hound dog mom created. has an outstanding list of grain and grain free foods for a large breed pup look around page 15

• This reply was modified 12 years, 8 months ago by apriliamille.
• This reply was modified 12 years, 8 months ago by apriliamille.

[apriliamille]

wow netherlands to dallas, texas bet that is a scenery change. nothing quite like saying welcome to usa outside of plopping into texas. start a thread in the raw section to help with locations and ideas for looking for raw for where you are moving to.

gsdmommy89, are you looking for one food for both the adult and the pup?

• This reply was modified 12 years, 8 months ago by apriliamille.

[Anonymous]

Apriliamille, I have found a game butcher fairly close by, I will definitely try them for dog raw. Thank you so much for this excellent tip!

[gsdmommy89]

Hi there everyone. I know this is a puppy thread, and I do have a GSD puppy ( with monstrous paws so I knew he’ll be large!), but I do have a question that maybe someone here could answer. Aside from my puppy, I also have his mom, a 3 yr old GSD. She’s been eating the Earthborn Coastal Catch, but I can’t seem to get her to put weight on. During gestation and nursing, I fed her Earthborn Puppy Vantage. She used to be around 68 lbs. I weighed her yesterday she’s down to 59 lbs. I spoke to my vet, which also monitored her during pregnancy, and she told me that maybe I need to try something with grains in it. She’s been fed a grain free diet pretty much all her life, except when I fed her the Puppy Vantage. The vet told me she’s probably just taking longer to recover from nursing, as she didn’t find anything abnormal. She also told me to try adding Missing Link, to add vitamins or something like that. My dog isn’t bony, but you can tell she is underweight. I was thinking of switching both my GSD’s to Fromm Large Breed puppy. Maybe the puppy formula has more calories and fat so she can gain her weight back? I don’t know. If anyone can give me some advice, I’d really appreciate it. Food? Supplements? Thanks a million!

[Anonymous]

I’m in Dallas Texas, there is a company here named ”Texas Tripe” They seem to drop off orders at specific points, I want to try them, but I don’t have my own car yet. And we’re moving in two weeks, so I am going to have to wait a few weeks to really get going.
I will follow up on your tip.
Meanwhile I feel good about the quality kibble and toppers I have been able to find. I think Antar got his first ”meaty bone” ever today, he was amazed, overjoyed, and went to work yelping and ”singing”!!!!

[apriliamille]

antar.
not intending to de rail the thread. but pending on where you moved to in the usa. look up game and live stock butchers and lockers. we have one here in utah who grinds up the remnants from the deer and elk and sells it as a dog raw for .89 a pound. 2nd shop grinds up and includes the organs and bones for about 1.50 pound

[Anonymous]

Thanks for this wonderful thread, most of all Hound Dog Mom for her great knowledge, research, and unbiased advice.
I have brought home a puppy from the rescue, it looks to be a lab/greyhound mix, it might become large, it might turn out to be medium, but I opted for the safe bet and I am feeding it low calcium.
I have recently moved to America from the Netherlands, and fed my GSD raw, but over there I can go to the butchers and get cuts and special dog-food easily. Here I have to find out anew where to go and what to buy. But I am impressed with the many different brands of quality dog food.
And tripe in a can! Brilliant!

I have learnt so much on this thread! I have read everything and printed HDM’s list so I have no questions, just:
Thank you all very much! Especially Hound Dog Mum.

[theBCnut]

HDM attempted to contact every company with a 4 or 5 star food. If your 4 or 5 star food of choice didn’t make the list, it is because A) they didn’t get back to her or B) their calcium levels were too high or C) they got back to her but they didn’t answer her request for actual or average calcium level. A lot of companies don’t care if they don’t answer your questions and a lot of companies have too high calcium. HDM did not make seperate lists for each possibility. Just be aware that any food that didn’t make the list is either too high in calcium or the company didn’t care about serving potential customers. That alone is enough for me to not buy the food.

[Whitney]

Oh and can someone please tell me why Simply Nourish Grain Free isn’t on here?

[Whitney]

I have had trouble too with printing from my Mac. I can’t at all. So it must be a Mac thing.

[theBCnut]

You definitely want to assume large breed!! There are no negatives to feeding for large breed other than having to be careful about what food you feed while they are still growing, and it is way better to be safe than sorry! Once she is grown, she’ll have plenty of time to check out all those foods she is missing now. 🙂

[apriliamille]

ah i hadnt thought of that. maybe i can use that in another month or two. Poppy is 8 months and have been following the large breed food guidelines as i have come to the understanding that dobermans are either medium or large breed standard pending on parents (her dad was in the 90’s and mom in the upper 70’s). dont want to risk her body with the calcium etc etc i see the great plains is 1.50 percent calc vs meadow 1.20

• This reply was modified 12 years, 8 months ago by apriliamille.

[Anonymous]

Hi Pattyvaughn and Hound Dog Mom – I just wanted to let you know that so far your advice has really helped our 3 month old golden. We have him on Earthborn Coastal Catch, with a dollop of pumpkin and about 1/3 of a digestive enzyme pill in each of his 3 meals, and about 1/3 of a probiotic capsule’s contents once daily, plus a frozen Kong of Earthborn’s chicked based wet food to distract him while we eat our dinner. His stools have really firmed up, so now we can focus on puppy mischief rather than worrying about health problems! Thanks so much!
Murphysmom- I chose the coastal catch over meadow feast because the calorie count and protein content are higher, so I feel like I’m getting a bit more bang for my buck, but I know some people have concerns about mercury and other contaminants in fish-based foods, so that might support a decision to rotate or stick with a different protein source. Good luck and congrats!

[theBCnut]

Earthborn Meadow Feast is a great food and appropriate for large breed growth, so is Coastal Catch.

[baileydog]

We are bringing home an 8 week old black lab puppy this weekend and are trying to figure out which food to start him on. He is estimated to grow to about 90 lbs and has been eating Purina Pro Plan Sport. We also have an 11.5 year old chocolate lab (70 lbs) who has been eating Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Venison for a few years. I would love to be able to have both dogs eating the same (better!) food if possible and we would switch our older dog to the better brand. Our older dog has really slowed down, has had ACL surgeries, has arthritis and is prone to yeast growth in her ears. She has allergies, but I think they are more seasonal, to grasses and such (itchy skin, licks her paws) since they flare in the spring.

After reading through most of this thread, do you think it’d be okay to put both labs on Earthborn or Fromm?

[cdubau]

Here is my situation

One large breed dog and one small breed dog. They are both around 7/8 years old and over weight. Recently we changed the older dogs food from Nutro to TOTW due to the interest in the grain free aspect and better quality food as well. We have restricted both food intake and started exercising them. With the food change Emma has stopped rubbing herself all over the house (shes always been itchy but checked out okay per the docs) and her ears are no longer red (they were red but had no infection per the docs). Since reading about all the Diamond food recalls I was hesitant about trying TOTW and still alittle leery about it.

While at the doc we brought up to that Emma, was drinking alot of water. Turns out she had a UTI. He mentioned she might have Cushings due to the protein in her urine and said we need to have her tested for that eventually. After doing some of my own research and reading articles on this site (theres a post about cushings) I am convinced I really need to cut her fat intake back and increase her protein as that is said to help with aspects of Cushings. While she hasn’t been diagnosed she really shows some key signs of it. We are hoping to test her in the next couple months. For any interest she is constantly drinking ALOT of water, constantly hungry (eats poop if we miss a clean up, as well as will tear into anything she can find), easily stressed or aggravated most the time, has a hard time getting up/down the stairs and doesn’t get on the couch as much, pants when the other dogs aren’t panting and the AC doesn’t go higher then 76, her extra weight seems to only be in her chest/abdomen and she has developed a heart murmur that is very LOUD.

I have looked on the suggested low fat list but most the listed dry kibble is NOT grain free, if they were they weren’t in my budget by any means. I couldn’t find anything that was below 13% Fat in a grain free formula on my own that was in my budget. After seeing such an improvement over the grain free I am having a hard time switching her to any of the “low fat list” foods that include grains. So I am looking to other people for their opinions and maybe experience with this. I just feel like I’m at a loss and I’ve spent days in front of the computer trying to figure this out.

Current Food
TOTW Pacific Stream dry dog food 15% Fat 25% Protein

Here is what I found that I can afford FROM the list – Not grain free:
AvoDerm Large Breed Chicken and Rice 11% Fat 29% Protein
Fromm Gold Reduced Activity Senior Dry Dog Food 12% Fat 26% Protein
Wellness Super5 Mix Large Breed Adult 12% Fat 28% Protein

Here is what I found on my own that IS grain free – NOT on the list

GO! Senior 14% Fat 32% Protein
Merrick G/F Texas Beef 15% Fat 38% Protein
Holistic Select 13% Fat 28% Protein

Thank you for any input!

[theBCnut]

Rotation between brands is important. No dog food is perfect and foods within the same brand are likely to have the same imperfections such as too much of one vitamin and not enough of another, so switching between brands helps to mitigate these imperfections.

[Sully’sMom]

Hi murphy’s mom ~

Welcome and congrats on your new addition! You don’t really have to choose between the Earthborn (which is about to become part of our rotation) or the Wellness. You can rotate between them. And when pup is past 8 months and you don’t have to worry about the calcium levels so much, Earthborn has other varieties you can add in also.

Enjoy,
Sully’s Mom

[apriliamille]

murphysmom,
i cant remember which forum i read it on but tim hunt (dr tim) had an interesting discussion about “meal” and why he used it and considering iditerod sled dogs use his stuff im sure its valid. i may be wrong in my understanding but pretty much i took it as take a deboned chicken and dehydrate it then prep it for kibble mix then compare it to chicken meal on a protein per weight amount then look at the cost and efforts to put a good protein kibble to market at a value. we use a kibble that has “deboned chicken” as the first ingredient and its definitely hitting the pocket book. (i assume since my dogs are getting a premium chicken breast in their kibble instead of a grocery store for human use)
i think there is quality to “meal” look at some of the ash contents of the kibbles using meal. there are some good numbers out there.
on a side note. i have been transitioning my pup onto meadowfeast to help with the pocket book while i do more research on her food i want to use when she hits 1 year old and i start pushing her physically. i have to feed her on a tray exclusively with the meadowfeast (not saying yours will need to) its a smaller kibble then she has ever had and she has reverted to her younger days of vacuum. also the earthborn UPC for Trees is a neat program they do.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 8 months ago by apriliamille.
• This reply was modified 12 years, 8 months ago by apriliamille. Reason: keep finding i dont make sense in my sentances

[Murphysmom]

So, after cramming for “dog food final exam” (also know as bringing puppy home!), I have narrowed down my choices. Puppy is 8 week old golden retriever. wanting to be grain free and obviously concerned about calcium and large breed puppy concerns. I am between Earthborn Holistic (Coastal Catch and Meadow Feast) and Wellness Core Puppy. These are all 5 stars and on the list that HDM so generously has put togerher and shared (THANK YOU SO SO SO MUCH!) I like that Earthborn has 2 choices, so we can rotate foods. I would love thoughts about one versus the other if anyone has them! I am so thankful for the dog food wisdom shared on this site 🙂

[Murphysmom]

Did anyone else have troubles printing the newest version of list on page 15? For some reason, my computer (a mac) won’t print, says ” safari is redirecting” or something similar. anyone else have this?

[InkedMarie]

HDM did all the work to compile the list; I think we can go through the work to click through the pages to find it, especially when we’ve been told what page number.

[sharfie]

The list is on page 15. It would be nice if it were ea.sier to get to the page but, with effort, it can be done.

[InkedMarie]

Gsdmommy, no, we’re not the only ones.

[gsdmommy89]

To InkedMarie

I thought I was the only one that was thinking the same thing about the constant questions and overkill posting. Good to know I’m not the only one

[Cyndi]

I’m understanding now Marie! I’m not around enough to “enjoy” people like that, lol!

[InkedMarie]

TigerLily,
As KobesDad said, I do have more time. I do, today, killing half an hour til I have to leave. Since I had time, I scrolled thru this topic.

Kobe’s Dad started posting here on August 9 th. That same day, HDM advised him to scroll back to find the list of appropriate foods. That same day, he said he couldn’t find it & ome one told him the exact page.

The next day, August 10 th, he asked if certain foods were appropriate. The next dy, HDM explained why they were not.

August 17th, he again was told what pages to look at. I stopped there as I have to leave in ten minutes but he has been asking since about foods. He’s not new here, the information has been given to him but, for some reason, he keeps asking about other foods. HDM made a list, it’s available to him. If she updates the list, she’ll tell us.

I my not be nice but sometimes, people have to do some research for themselves, even if its as simple as opening a PDF provided to them.

[Cyndi]

I think this is an updated list of foods from HDM. There are an awful lot of pages now in that Large Breed puppy thread…

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFTXhUdi1KazFzSUk/edit?pli=1

[Cyndi]

Here is a link to the latest list (I believe). Wasn’t too hard to find, but if you don’t know what you’re looking for, I would imagine it would be…

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFTXhUdi1KazFzSUk/edit?pli=1

[kobe]

thanks so much Tigerlily
OBVIOUSLY,INKED MARIE has much more time to go through 31 pages of comments than the rest of us do!! my condolences to INKEDMARIE-

[InkedMarie]

Hi! On this forum, go o the “diet and health issues ” sub forum. There is a stickie, in yellow, of appropriate foods for large breed pups. HoundDogMom can answer your questions.

[Tigerlily]

Well geesh! That’s not very nice or helpful to someone who is reaching out. Kobe – the list is around page 15. 🙂

[InkedMarie]

Why can’t you start at page one and find the list?

[kobe]

if anyone can send me a link or identify what page of these 31 pages to find this list,i would greatly appreciate it!!

kobe’s dad

[InkedMarie]

Kobe’s dad: look at the list of appropriate foods for large breed puppies, right here in this thread, for foods.

FYI, Honest Kitchen is not raw.

[kobe]

Hi HDM and Patty Vaughn,

my berner pup has finally recovered from his diarrhea —i am thinking of switching him to raw food —the stores near me carry
Bravo
Honest Kitchen
Natures Variety
Vital

ARE ANY OF THESE APPROPRIATE FOR A LARGE BREED PUPPY OR SHOULD I STICK TO KIBBLE?

thanks so much,
Kobe’s dad

[MochasMama]

I grew up with small dogs but I’m a first time pet owner of a large breed…I just got a lab/retriever mix…her name is Mocha and she is two months old…I’m completely lost! I don’t know where to start… what foods to buy or anything!!! Help! I don’t want to mess up, I want her to grow big and strong!

• This topic was modified 4 years, 5 months ago by Mike Sagman. Reason: Fix Duplicate Topic Title

[InkedMarie]

MurphysMom: you said the worker said the first ingredient is sweet potato; I don’t even see sweet potato in the Meadow Feast, yet alone first in the ingredient list. Regarding meals vs meat, read this: /choosing-dog-food/about-meat-meal/

If Goldens are a large breed, choose a food from HDM’s list. She’s made it easy for large breed puppy owners to choose a food.

[Murphysmom]

InkedMarie, I guess I’m getting everything all confused….I can’t keep all the reasons straight as to why one food is good and one is not 🙁 After seeing the ingredient list you posted, I think her reason was that a “meal” protein product is main ingredient as opposed to an actual product such as “turkey” or “deboned chicken”. So her reasoning was that a non-meal product (ie deboned chicken) is better than a meal product. I do understand that reasoning, but I am going CRAZY trying to get a food chosen for our puppy!!!! Yes, I believe Golden Retrievers are considered large breed, will get to @70 pounds and up. I am wanting to stick with a food that is on HDM’s large breed puppy list. As I mentioned, Merrick looked like a great food, but it’s not on HDM’s puppy food list. Any thoughts would be much appreciated!

[InkedMarie]

Hi Murphys Mom,
Welcome! I don’t know if Goldens are considered large breeds or not; if they are, I urge you to feed a food from HDM’s list.
You said this: “The other food I really liked was Earthborn Holistic Meadow Feast, but a worker at a pet store talked me out of it, saying it’s 1st ingredient is sweet potato, rather than a protein source.”<~~~~~
A quick google search showed that this is the ingredient list of Meadow Feast….no idea why the store employee said that and you can look at the ingredient list as well, on the bag. This is it:

Earthborn Holistic® Meadow Feast™ Natural Dog Food: Ingredients

Lamb Meal, Peas, Tapioca, Canola Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Pea Protein, Pea Fiber, Flaxseed, Natural Flavors, Blueberry Fiber, Cranberry Fiber, Apples, Blueberries, Carrots, Spinach, Cranberries, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, L-Lysine, Taurine, L-Carnitine, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Beta-Carotene, Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Cobalt Carbonate, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Yucca Schidgera Extract, Rosemary Extract, Dried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product.

[Murphysmom]

Hello All! So glad to have found this forum, lots of great knowledge! We are getting a 8 week old golden retriever puppy this coming Saturday, very excited! Our last golden lived to 15, we lost him 2 years ago. Amazingly enough, it’s a whole new world in the dog food world for us now…We fed Rusty Nutro Max and he lived 15 years, though it seems that isn’t the best food out there.We want to start off on the right foot with this puppy so are trying to make food decisions. I was wondering about Merrick, looks like a great line, but I see it isn’t included at all on your calcium chart Hound Dog Mom (thank you for putting that together!)….So wondering/assuming the calcium levels are too high? The other food I really liked was Earthborn Holistic Meadow Feast, but a worker at a pet store talked me out of it, saying it’s 1st ingredient is sweet potato, rather than a protein source. My hopes for a food are: grain free, meets safe calcium levels for a large breed puppy, and wondering if I should avoid potatoes as they are “yeasty”, our 15 year old always got ear infections, and wondered if it would be helpful to avoid these. Help save me from this vicious dog food circle I am stuck in! I’d love to hear your expert opinions 🙂 We also can’t afford the way hi end foods….

[UnderDawg82]

I have a male 8 week old Cane Corso and I am unsure of which food to get him. I bought a 30lb bag of Pinnacle Peak Grain Free Peak Protein (All Life Stages) before I even got him. Now I’m unsure if I made the right decision on a balanced dog food because I get mixed reviews of how much protein a dog food should contain for a large breed puppy. Can anyone with some good experience and insight let me know if I made the right decision with the Pinnacle or if I need to just give my bag away and buy a better dog food for my cane corso pup? Thanks in advance.