Yes, ones for humans are better priced. HDM recently found a company named Swansons that has a nice variety and great prices. Choose something that has a few ingredients and then switch it up later. That way you save the big guns for when he is older.
Hi, need some advice please. I have a 11 month old 60 lb. mix. I’ve been told Lab/Shepherd or Lab/Rotty. He seems to be showing some signs of hip dysplasia, I have a vet appointment at the end of the month. I’ve been feeding him Taste of the Wild for several months now. When I went to the pet store they told me they were out of TOTW Puppy and said there was no problem using the adult since there wasn’t much difference. Did my not using Puppy make a difference? After reading Hound Dog’s list for large breed it looks like I’ll be making a food change anyway. I was thinking about starting him on a joint supplement. Aren’t ones for humans more reasonably priced than for dog. Thanks for any advice.
As long as you are using only a little(20% or less of the meal) on top of their kibble and the kibble has balance cal/phos it will be fine.
Thanks for the great info! I’ll look into both brands. I’m trying wellness core puppy canned just not sure about the calcium and phosphorus levels, that info is not labeled on the can.
I’m referring to their food. I talked to the people at Evangers, It was an honest labeling mistake.
As far as stealing electricity, I don’t know about that. I still say if your going to feed a canned dog food, Evengers would be hard to beat.
I’m not so sure I would agree with that. Evangers was caught using a protein source that was not what was on the can. I believe they tested and found they were substituting beef in the cans of duck. They were also caught stealing $2 million worth of electricity, endangering their workers, and forcing their workers to do unpaid overtime. I know those last ones don’t have to do with dog food quality, but they do have to do with whether or not you can trust a company. If Evangers would do all that, they would do anything. They can’t be trusted.
Lovemylab, I should clarify, you won’t find a better “Canned” food than Evangers
lovemylab, I don’t think you’ll find a better food than Evangers
If you are looking for canned to add some variety to your pups diet then he will really go for Tripett. It is not a balanced food, so it should be used at a rate of 20% or less of his food, but the calcium/phosphorus ratio of tripe is excellent for large breed puppies.
Looking to add canned food to my labs kibble. I’m looking for grain free that would be good for a large breed puppy. He’s eating Halo surf and turf kibble. Any suggestions would be great.
You probably won’t see any difference between the two. They are very similar, though not very good. If you are interested in a food that is better for your growing puppy, try looking here:
/forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/
Hi crazy4cats –
The subject of bloat and what factors increase or decrease the risk is very controversial. These are my tips on avoiding bloat based on what my breeders have told me and my personal experience owning large dogs:
1) While a dog can bloat on any type of food, a dog fed a moist diet (raw, canned, etc.) is much less likely to bloat. When feeding kibble you should soak the kibble in water until it expands – this will decrease the risk of bloat and also add moisture to the diet.
2) Don’t allow your dogs to exercise for an hour after eating.
3) Don’t allow your dogs to inhale their food – for some dogs this may mean investing in a portion pacer or a slow feed bowl.
4) Don’t let your dogs drink large volumes of water immediately following a meal.
5) Make sure the dog is getting probiotics and enzymes (unless you’re feeding raw these will likely have to be supplemented). Dr. Maniet, a holistic veterinarian, states “Probiotics and enzymes can help reduce gas, do I’d expect that they also will help reduce bloat.” (Whole Dog Journal)
I’ve had breeders tell me that large dogs should be fed on raised feeders to decrease their risk of bloating and I’ve read the opposite – that raised feeders increase the risk of bloating. I feed my dogs on raised feeders and haven’t had a problem. The raised feeder factor is one of the most controversial.
Some believe that if a food contains citric acid or a dry food with a fat source in the first four ingredients it will be more likely to cause bloat – I wouldn’t hold too much stock in this theory (jmo).
Stress plays a role as well, stressed/nervous dogs are more likely to bloat.
AnonymousInactive
Need some help here…I have a 8 month old great dane (have had danes all of my adult life). For the last 6 weeks, his stools have been runny..but no discoloration. I had fed him Nutro Max (large breed) from 2 months to 6.5 months. Then problems started…first eating his stools and daily runny stools. The vet has done extensive blood work and found nothing wrong. I changed his dry food to Natural Choice with chicken, brown rice and oatmeal mixture. He has been on different remedies for the loose stools (no-poop pills from the vet, pouring hot sauce on poop and now recommended alfalpha pellets). Also, different vet recommendations for loose stools (pepto bismo, slippery elm, metronidazole and immodium). This is a vicious circle. Can somebody please lead me in the right direction.
Thesamster,
You can also add fiber to the diet by adding some canned pumpkin or ground psyllium.
I don’t understand having an issue with Diamond, but being okay with Hill’s. Diamond has its issues… no doubt, but I’d feed many of their foods over Hill’s.
I’m not saying I’d recommend Diamond (I wouldn’t), I’m just trying to drive home the point that Hill’s is far from an ideal food.
Acana is a good dog food. Hell, it’s MUCH… MUCH… MUCH better than Royal Canin. In fact, I could literally name a couple dozen other brands I’d feed my dog, or recommend to others, before Royal Canin. So right off the bat there’s a problem.
With that said, even if somebody fed Acana or almost any other food but RC, their dog may need a supplement(s) of some kind. Take larger dogs that are prone to hip and joint issues… you may want to add a chondroiton/glucosamine supplement to their food. Or say you have a dog prone to UTIs… add a cranberry supplement to their food.
As for your last eye roll inducing paragraph… just like not all different breeds have the same dietary needs, neither do two dogs that ARE the same breed.
I really shouldn’t need to explain this to somebody with “doc” in their name, but alas…
I would vouch for what Hound Dog Mom has to say. She knows her stuff. Seriously go to the Diet and Health Issues forum and look at the first topic there about Large and Giant Breed Nutrition. You will find ALL your answers in that topic. I know I did.
My breeder also suggested a low protein diet and extra calcium to fix my dogs crooked leg. Turns out I was feeding a diet much to high in calcium and in doing more research on the calcium issue learned that it is the high calcium that causes most issues. Not the protein. Took him to the vet, got a splint right off the bat, took splint off in 4 days, completely fixed his leg. Haven’t had an issue since switching his food and getting that splint.
The associate was very wrong, puppies espcially need a good amount of protein and fat they are both essential to a growing puppy. Both are good foods the Core I thought was an all life stage food and the kibble is quite large for a small puppy if he’s a gulper like mine is. My shih tzu Leo would swallow them whole and throw it up a half hour later gross. Earthborn holistics, Blue Buffalo wilderness Innova prime, Natures Variety Instinct are also all good products. When you transition him over to a different food do it slowly because some of the grain free foods are also high in fat and can cause loose stool. I never feed my dogs anything with protein under 28 to 30 % if I can help it. I also will give them Natures Variety Instinct canned at least once a day mixed in the kibble to boost the protein levels. Have fun with puppy good luck
Hi DieselJunki –
Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are important constituents of cartilage and help to maintain joint function. GAG’s and GAG precursors would include glucosamine, chondroitin and hyaluronic acid. MSM, which is an organic form of the essential mineral sulfur, can be beneficial for joints as well due to the fact that connective tissues require sulfur for maintenance. Cetyl Myristoleate is a supplement that’s recently gained popularity as a joint supplement and has been shown to lubricate joints and maintain function. Whole food supplements that are rich in GAGs are sea cucumber, green lipped mussel, shark cartilage and eggshell membrane. Raw meaty bones are rich in GAGs as well – with trachea, poultry feet and gullet probably being the richest sources. I feel that large/giant breed dogs that are not fed a diet including raw meaty bones on a daily basis should be started on a joint maintenance supplement at a year old (until the dog is a senior or starts to exhibit joint issues the supplement can be given at half the recommended dose). When it comes to joint supplements if you buy supplements made for humans they will be MUCH cheaper per dose. The ingredients used in human supplements are the same as those used in dog supplements so there’s no reason human supplements can’t be used (they’re probably higher quality as well). For a young dog with no joint issues there’s no reason to supplement with every beneficial ingredient under the sun – a capsule of green lipped mussel, shark cartilage, sea cucumber or eggshell membrane or a basic glucosamine/chondroitin supplement will give enough maintenance support to a young dog free of joint issues. For older dogs or dogs that are exhibiting symptoms of arthritis natural anti-inflammatories such as white willow, yucca, boswellia, turmeric/curcumin, tart cherry and supplemental omega 3’s can be beneficial to give in addition to a joint maintenance supplement.
Feyconri –
There is NO link between high protein levels and developmental orthopedic diseases in large and giant breed puppies – this is a common myth. I suggest you go the large and giant breed puppy nutrition topic and start researching by reading some of the articles posted (written by veterinarians and nutritionists). I have giant breeds and my last two puppies were raised on high protein (>40%) grain-free food with low calcium levels. They had slow and controlled growth with no incidence of DOD.
Hi caoimhe –
If you go to the “Diet and Health Issues” forum, the first topic (highlighted in yellow) is “Large and Giant Breed Puppy Nutrition.” There are links to several good articles and a list of 4 and 5 star grain-free foods appropriate for large and giant breed puppies. Large and giant breed puppies need foods with controlled calcium levels. Fromm’s grain-free foods made the list. Feconri stated giant breeds need reduced protein – this is NOT true. Read the articles written by veterinarians and nutritionists, there is no link between protein levels and growth issues. Excess calcium and excess calories can cause growth issues.
I know Moose is only 4 months right now BUT I’ve been doing some research about hips and large breed dogs. Doing some Googling I’ve read quite a few people recommend giving a joint supplement even if there are no joint problems in their dog, even starting as young as puppies. Now I have been on a Mercola supplement kick because they seem so well put together and are very well talked about here. They pretty much have me sold on the Hip Supplement but I just wanted to check in here and hear about other people’s experiences with hip and joint supplements.
Now correct me if I’m wrong but when looking for a joint supplement that maintains the hips you would be looking for things with: msm, glucosamine, chondroitin, hydraulic acid.
So far the one’s I have looked into are:
Welly Tails
Vetās Best
K9 Joint Strong
Mercola
These all seemed to have those 4 things I mentioned up there. Some seemed more for arthritic dogs or dogs that already had painful joints and others seemed better at just being hip and joint maintenance.
Hi Shihtzumim20 –
Krill oil is great because it’s low in contaminants and contains a very potent naturally occuring antioxidant called astaxanthin. If the food already has added omega 3’s (fish oil) use the krill oil sparingly because, yes, you can give your dog too much of a good thing. Here’s a dosage chart for fish/krill oil:
-250 mg. daily for toy breeds and cats (1 ā 14 lbs.)
-500 mg. daily for small dogs (15 ā 29 lbs.)
-1,000 mg. daily for medium dogs (30 ā 49 lbs.)
-1,500 mg. daily for large dogs (50 ā 79 lbs.)
-2,000 mg. daily for dogs 80+ lbs.
When your dog is on a raw diet that includes bones and cartilage there won’t be as much of a need for a joint supplement because bones/cartilage are full of naturally occurring glucosamine and chondroitin. If you have a senior dog or a dog with an orthopedic problem, however, a supplement may still be necessary. After heavy activity my senior gets a few capsules of Wysong’s Arthegic (my favorite joint supplement). It’s marketed as a human supplement but great for dogs too. Wysong even includes a dosage chart for dogs on their website. It contains boswellia, sea cucumber, turmeric, ginger, devil’s claw, yucca, red pepper and cetyl myristoleate.
I personally vaccinate my dogs as puppies (parvo/distemper at 8 weeks, 11 weeks, 14 weeks and a rabies at 16 weeks) and then I vaccinate 1 year after their last puppy booster. I don’t vaccinate again other than rabies every 3 years to comply with law. This is something you need to research yourself and decide what you are comfortable doing with your dog. Some people vaccinate every year, some every 3 years, some like I do, some only do puppy shots and others don’t vaccinate at all. Check out healthypets.mercola.com- Dr. Becker has some great information and videos on vaccinating.
I wouldn’t feed anything with less than 30% protein. To my knowledge, all of the dry Wellness foods are now being produced at the Wellpet manufacturing plant (Wellpet is the parent company which owns Wellness, Holistic Select, Eagle Pack and Old Mother Hubbard).
How about Wellness Core or Super5 brands?
The current Hills food is 20% protein and 6-9% fat and he has been ok on that.
What kind of protein level should I be looking at?
He is an indoor active dog starting to have hip problems. We go for walks and he does run around for short periods of time.
I want to avoid Diamond and prefer to find a food manufactured by their own plant and not outsourced.
I’m not sure of any dry foods that are low fat and have not had any recalls (probably THK and Grandma Lucy’s). Personally, I wouldn’t rule a company out simply because they’ve had a recall. Recalls can happen to any company, the important thing to me is frequency of recalls and how the company handles the recalls. I wouldn’t feed a Diamond product because it seems like there’s a new recall every week and Diamond doesn’t handle the recalls well. I believe the Solid Gold formulas that are manufactured at Diamond are WolfCub, WolfKing, Just a Wee Bit and Hund-n-Flocken.
Thx, did not know that. How about the other one?
Maybe I asked the wrong question first…
What brand of dry dog food low fat has not had any recalls?
Wolfking is one of the Sold Gold formulas manufactured by Diamond – just an fyi.
Think I might try the solid gold wolf king or Holistic Blendz Adult Maintenance Dog Food-both low fat.
Thanks. Right now the high fiber is is going out about as fast as it comes in so a reduction would be OK.
I’ll check out all the recommendations, thanks.
Hi thesamster –
I wouldn’t look for a large breed specific food – large, medium and small breeds don’t have different nutritional requirements, size/breed specific formulas are just marketing. I also would focus on finding a high quality (high protein) low fat food and not worry about the fiber content of the food, the fiber can be added as a supplement (either psyllium or plain pumpkin). High quality low fat foods are few and far between which is why I recommend just worrying about the fat and protein level and supplementing the fiber, if you also look for high fiber you’ll likely end up having to settle for a lower quality food. In order to reduce the fat content most companies remove most of the meat and replace it with filler (grains, starch), there are only a few foods available that keep the fat levels low while keeping the protein levels (meat) levels high. Some low fat 5 star foods: Wysong Epigen Original, Venison and Fish formulas (all 11% fat), Wysong Epigen 90 (12% fat), California Natural Grain-Free Chicken (12% fat), Wellness Core Reduced Fat (10% fat), Blue Buffalo Wildnerness Healthy Weight (10% fat), The Honest Kitchen Zeal (9% fat), Grandma Lucy’s Pureformance Chicken (9% fat), Annamaet Lean (8% fat) and Acana Light and Fit Fit (10% fat).
Solid Gold Holistique Blendz
I have a 9 year old lab mix who had pancreatitis in the past.
The vet suggested low fat high fiber diet.
We have him on Hills Science diet large breed light dry but want something with better ingredients.
Open to suggestions-
thanks
Hi LindseyPaterson –
Dr. Becker recommends the following daily dosages for fish oil:
-250 mg. daily for toy breeds and cats (1 ā 14 lbs.)
-500 mg. daily for small dogs (15 ā 29 lbs.)
-1,000 mg. daily for medium dogs (30 ā 49 lbs.)
-1,500 mg. daily for large dogs (50 ā 79 lbs.)
-2,000 mg. daily for dogs 80+ lbs.
If you’re using capsules they generally come in 500 mg. and 1,000 mg. and if you’re using liquid 1 tsp. = approx. 4,500 mg. Whether you go with capsules or liquid make sure you refrigerate the oil to prevent it from going rancid and only buy as much as you will use in 2 months. I personally prefer liquid as I find it’s easier to mix into the food and I don’t have to bother with piercing the capsules – I don’t use pump dispensers though. Also, I’d stick with oil from small fish (such as sardines or anchovies), krill oil or squid oil as oil from larger fish can be high in contaminants. Coconut oil may be something else to consider for skin issues – it’s high in medium chain triglycerides which are good for the skin and coat.
Hi All!
This is my first post here. We have an almost 5 year old greyhound (Dyna) that weighs about 65 pounds. Right now, we are feeding her Castor and Pollux Organix Chicken and Rice Formula for adult dogs. She absolutely loves the food. After discovering this website, I tossed out the Purina Pro Plan and tried first Blue Buffalo and then Innova, both of which she didnāt like. Now I finally found a great food that she loves, but sheās a big dog and the kibble is awful small. We have a stainless steel ball that we put in her bowl to try to slow her down and force her to chew, but thatās not working all the time. I have also tried feeding her on a cookie sheet, which seems to work but isnāt really a long term solution. I actually emailed Castor and Pollux and received a response within an hour and they told me their Ultramix for Large Breed Dogs is a little bigger, so I went and check it out and it is smaller than the size of a dime. Does anyone have any suggestions without me having to switch the food, because she loves it so much and I know itās good for her. If I do end up having to switch, does anyone know of any of the 4-5 star brands that make a larger kibble? Preferably something other than Blue Buffalo and Innova, as she showed almost no interest in them.
Thank you so much in advance for your help!
Hi all. I’ve been feeding Merrick’s new grain free kibble (and one bag of their Small Breed) since right before Christmas. I’ve also been using their small breed canned food as a topper (of course, along with other brands). I’ve fed two bags of the Chicken, one bag of Buffalo, one bag of Pork. It was going great, even better than when they were on Fromm, until this second bag of Pork that was just added last week (the first bag of Pork was a different lot #). I’ve been buying the small bags, except right before this “episode” I did buy a large bag of the Duck which they haven’t had yet. Anyway, I dumped the new bag of Pork in with the other bag that was already in the bin. I didn’t check it closely because I was getting ready to go out of town. My daughter would be the one to feed them while I was gone. She helps me sometimes and knows what to do. The evening meal before I left I fed them. I didn’t feed the next morning meal but did notice that someone had some weird looking stool when they went out first thing in the morn. It had some formed and the rest was runny. It was also a weird color…..dark green or dark grayish to almost black. I didn’t see which one did it. My immediate thought was that Hazel was stressing because I was leaving, as she is my “stressy” dog. I told my daughter to go ahead and feed but no treats and to watch them and call me. I would be back in 3-4 days. Well…this went on for all the time I was gone! No one acted sick, though, and they had no accidents in the house (thank goodness!). When I got back I immediately checked everything out. I started inspecting the kibble and noticed something odd. This new bag of Pork had some pieces that were longer, thinner, way darker and looked very dense throughout the bag. It looked like maybe the extruder had an issue. I immediately took them off this food, of course, and started chicken and rice. Everything was fine. All dogs actually had this bad stool, not just one, and all dogs went back to somewhat fine (still getting there) afterward. I’m switching off Merrick now. I will say this is the first time I’ve had firsthand experience with a food having something “off” in it and I’m not happy. I called Merrick with the lot number and they, of course, weren’t much help. They said no one else has had a problem or contacted them with anything and that they would send me a coupon. I told them I had been very happy with Merrick until this and I didn’t want a coupon because I wasn’t going to take a chance on poor quality control with them again. I may go back to Fromm, but right now I’m going to give Acana’s Single line a chance. I’m phasing in their Lamb and Apple currently. The dogs love it (using it as treats now and putting a few kibble in their chicken/rice mix). I’m just so disappointed. I am going to take the Duck bag back. I had a little of the small Chicken bag left and looked in it to see if the dark pieces were there and they were not. I just don’t want to take a chance with Merrick again, even though they did fine until now. I’ll keep you guys posted. Sorry this is so long, but I needed to rant and wanted to alert others to this possibility. š
Hi abby13 –
Dr. Becker recommends the following dosages for fish oils:
-250 mg. daily for toy breeds and cats (1 – 14 lbs.)
-500 mg. daily for small dogs (15 – 29 lbs.)
-1,000 mg. daily for medium dogs (30 – 49 lbs.)
-1,500 mg. daily for large dogs (50 – 79 lbs.)
-2,000 mg. daily for dogs 80+ lbs.
If you’re giving fish oil in liquid form – 1 tsp. equals approximately 4,500 mg. Most capsules come in 500 mg. and 1,000 mg. So for your dog you could give a 500 mg. capsule every other day or 1/4 tsp. oil or a 1,000 mg. capsule 2 or 3 times per week.
A doberman would be considered a large breed, however I know that dobermans are one of the few large breeds not particularly prone to hip dysplasia so calcium levels may not be as much of an issue. You could always talk to your breeder about it. It’s generally recommended to feed large breed puppies foods lower in calcium until they’re at least 6 months old as high levels of calcium have been linked to the development of dysplasia.
Thanks! I didn’t know that you’re supposed to rotate foods! She is a Doberman, I know the breeder was feeding her large breed puppy food but she’s not really considered a large breed, right? So confusing…
Hi KGM801 –
I’ve hear A LOT of people complaining about Blue Buffalo giving their dogs diarrhea. If you read through the Blue Buffalo thread on the review section there are tons of complaints, many have complained to Consumer Affairs as well and you can read those complains on the Consumer Affairs website. Last summer my friend got a new puppy and switched her from the food the breeder had her on (Science Diet) to Blue Buffalo and the dog got horrible diarrhea, she then tried another comparable food and the diarrhea cleared up overnight. So you’re not alone! I think the company has some serious quality control issues, I know I lost my trust in the company after I got a bag of cat food covered with mold and dog biscuits with bugs in the bag…
First off – have you had the pup checked for worms, coccidia and giarrdia? If you haven’t do that.
Second – “this is a big decision because whichever I decide on will most likely be what I feed her for her whole life!” PLEASE do not feed the same food for your dog’s entire life! Feeding the same food for extended periods of time is so unhealthy. Pick at least two or three brands and rotate, dogs need variety. No single food can provide a living thing with all the nutrients they need.
Any 4/5 star food would be worth a try. I know Blue Buffalo runs about $50-$55 for the largest bag. Some 4/5 star foods in that price range that I’d suggest checking out are: Earthborn, Merrick Grain-Free, Solid Gold Barking at the Moon, Nature’s Variety Instinct, Horizon Legacy, NutriSource Grain-Free and Horizon Pulsar.
If your pup is a large breed, however, there are other nutritional considerations and I would recommend picking a food off this list:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFQXNYZW01VzRVV00/edit?usp=sharing
Adding some plain canned pumpkin and a probiotic supplement will help with the diarrhea. Good luck! š
Thanks! I tried feeding him BB large breed puppy gave him very loose stools. Just started trying Nutro ultra large breed puppy. Thanks for the list!
Hi lovemylab –
I think high protein grain-free foods are best for all dogs. There’s a whole topic area here dedicated to large and giant breed puppy nutrition:
/forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/
You don’t need to feed a “large breed” specific puppy food. You need to look for a food with appropriate calcium levels that is approved for “growth” or “all life stages.” Here is a list of 4 and 5 star grain-free foods appropriate for large breed puppies:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFQXNYZW01VzRVV00/edit?usp=sharing
I have a 4 month old lab who when I brought home the breeder recommended pro plan for large puppy. Knowing that pro plan isn’t good quality I’m looking for dry kibble. Is it better to feed my large breed pup a grain free kibble? Its hard to find grain free kibble for large breed puppy.
Thanks
Hi Cavalierluvr –
There are a few things that can cause anal gland issues. First of all small breed dogs and toy breed dogs are more susceptible to anal gland trouble in the first place – it’s very uncommon for large breed dogs to experience anal gland troubles, although it’s definitely possible. If you have a vet or groomer that frequently expresses your dog’s anal glands when there is no problem, it can lead to problems. The dog becomes dependent on the vet or groomer expressing their anal glands and loses muscle tone and the glands become unable to express themselves on their own. Another reason your dog may develop anal gland issues is if your dog has had diarrhea or loose stools for an extended period of time. Whenever you switch foods you should monitor your dog’s stools. Some mild loose stools during the initial switch are normal, but it shouldn’t persist for more than a few days. It’s common for dogs that have eaten the same food for a long period of time to get loose stools when switching to a new food – especially if the change is drastic, such as switching from a grain-inclusive food to a grain-free food. When you’re transitioning to a new food it’s a good idea to add a spoonful of pumpkin (plain) or a sprinkling of psyllium to each meal – both are high in fiber and will help to control loose stools by soaking up excess water in the colon. I would also recommend using a high quality multi-strain probiotic supplement and a digestive enzyme supplement during the transition – the probiotics will help to normalize the balance of bacteria in the gut and the enzymes will aid in digestion. It will take at least two weeks to know whether or not a new food is working for your dog but in some cases a food just doesn’t work and it may be necessary to try another food. Just because one grain-free food doesn’t work out, however, doesn’t mean that no grain-free foods will.
Maltipoo Mom-
For my small ones(smallest is just under 6lbs) I just make sure that anything that is a larger kibble is flat-not big round balls. The flat foods they can eat just fine
Hi Swissy Mix –
I know I checked into the grain free Victor when I was making the list – because they’re not on the list it means either the calcium levels were too high for a large breed puppy or customer service never responded to me. The calcium levels in BB Wilderness and TOTW were too high as well. Not sure about the calcium levels in the grain inclusive Victor – if it’s 3.5 g . per 1,000 kcal. or less it should be fine.
I have a 9-wk old Bernese/Greater Swiss mix. I initially gave our pup TOTW puppy version. He did fine for a few days and his stool looked good, but he started throwing up. After a few days on a chicken & rice diet recommended by the vet, I thougth our pup might be intolerant of TOTW. I decided to try BB Wilderness puppy version. Although his stool was a smelled more, he was fine for a few days. Then he started to throw up again. The vet has put the pup on Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d for a few days to see if it’s the puppy food or something else that’s causing the vomiting. I talked to our puppy’s breeder, and he was feeding his pups Victor dog food without any problems. If my pup doesn’t vomit any more, I’m thinking of feeding him Victor since that’s what the breeder was using. However, I don’t see it on the recommended food list. What do you think of this brand for a large/extra large breed dog? My pup is already 20 lbs.
That’s a big false. In general, breeders aren’t the best source of nutritional advice. Many are under the false assumption that high protein foods cause growth issues in large and giant breed puppies. However, studies show there is absolutely no link between high protein foods and developmental orthopedic issues. What has been linked to development orthopedic issues is high levels of calcium, overfeeding, overexercising and – the number one cause – poor breeding (I hope your pup’s parents had their OFA clearances!). I raise my bloodhound pups (another giant breed) on high protein foods with controlled calcium levels. My current pup (now 7 months old) has been on a high protein raw diet (45-55% protein) since a brought her home at 8 weeks and she is having nice slow and controlled growth. There is a topic area here dedicated to large and giant breed puppy nutrition and here you’ll find links to several articles on the matter written by veterinarians and nutritionists and a list of recommended foods.
/forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/
Hi DieselJunki –
Nature’s Logic is a great product and I have a lot of trust in the company. My cats eat Nature’s Logic kibble and when my oldest dog used to eat kibble I used the Nature’s Logic canned food as a topper quite frequently. I’m also a big fan of their whole food supplement and occasionally use it in my rotation (although I’ve mostly gone to formulating my own supplements lately..).
Unfortunately, all of the Nature’s Logic foods are MUCH too high in calcium for a large breed puppy (I’d wait until your pup is at least 6 months old and through his rapid growth phase before trying this food). Generally, in order to get the actual calcium level you have to call or email the company because most companies only list the minimum calcium percentage on their packaging and website and often the actual calcium percentage is much higher than the stated minimum. Nature’s Logic, however, is one of the few companies that discloses actual nutrient levels on their website – the reason I know they’re actual is because at the top of the analysis for each food it say “Actual Analysis Units Dry Matter Basis” and there’s no “min” before the calcium percentage. All of their dry foods are 2.123% calcium and well over 5.5 g. ca. per 1,000 kcal.
When I compiled my calcium list I called or emailed every company with a grain-free food rated 4 or 5 stars on DFA. Some companies never responded to my emails, didn’t pick up the phone or wouldn’t disclose the actual calcium level so it’s possible that some 4 or 5 star grain-free foods are appropriate and not on the list, however I think I’ve covered the majority. If you do call a company to get the calcium levels be sure to ask for the actual level and make it clear this is what you’re looking for (otherwise they may give you the minimum). If they don’t have an actual level from a lab analysis ask for the maximum and calculate values based off this.
I’m not sure of the calcium content of Nutrisource, but Hound Dog Mom created a list of good foods for large breed puppies and Nutrisource is not listed. If you want the list then let myself or HDM know, and we’d be glad to send it to you.
4 months ago
