[CircaRigel]

Yes, Fromm is good as well. Galen was on that for a time, too, actually a combination of that and the Canidae. The Grain Free Pure Sea is made at theCanidae plant, not Diamond. The Canidae Large breed puppy I got is also manufactured at Canidae’s plant. I don’t touch things manufactured at Diamond either, and was glad to see Canidae begin to split from them with their better lines of food. The life stages large breed puppy is 4 stars on Dog food Advisor. Grain free Pure Sea is five stars. But I was indeed feeding a combination of the Fromm gold and Canidae, before switching to the Grain Free Pure Sea, which he’s on now, and doing well.

But the Fromm is excellent, too. I tended to need to have a mix, as Galen has always been a very picky eater, which isn’t uncommon for shepherds.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by CircaRigel.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by CircaRigel.

[Pitlove]

Wait, I’m confused, did you mean to say he’s 8 weeks? You said 8 months. If he is 8 months old already and you are just now getting him, he has already gone through the majority of his critical growth period. Between 8-10 months old is when LBP’s can absorb calcium correctly and their diet doesn’t need to be as strict. However, you can (and probably should) play it safe and keep him on a LBP food until he reaches 1 year of age. If you meant 8 weeks, then yes you need to choose a good Large Breed Puppy food.

If you are going to feed Canidae make sure the formula you are going to feed is not one of the ones manufactured by Diamond. Very wise to avoid this manufactuerer.

My personal recommendation is Fromm Gold Large Breed Puppy. Very easily digested food and formulated correctly for a LBP. Also a family owned and operated company for over 100 years with no recalls.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by Pitlove.

[Carolyn K]

Helps tremendously Belinda!! Thank you so much!…

I am going to try and do the same as far as food goes then.. I will purchase the puppy Canine large breed puppy now, mix that in with whatever the breeder gives me until their food is gone and then continue with the puppy until he is around 5 months or so maybe and then I will transition him into the Grain Free Pure food.. or jump to the All Life Stages..

Any reason you chose Sea over the others? I am still unsure of what to look for completely..

[CircaRigel]

Carolyn,
Congratulations on your puppy! I’ve not known a Golden Mountain Doodle, but having known some Bernese Mountain Dogs, a Newfiedoodle, and a number of golden and labradoodles, and based on my experiences with them, I think you’re in for a wonderful experience!

I would hesitate to feed Wellness right now (or Eagle Pack, Holistic Select, or Old Mother Hubbard). All of the kibbles made by Wellpet right now contain green tea extract, which a number of studies has shown can cause liver toxicity in dogs. While the amount in the foods is probably not enough to have much of a toxic effect, those studies were on grown dogs, and puppies may react differently. Prior to my discovering this, I had tried to make a slow transition to Wellness for my own puppy, and he developed diarrhea immediately, even though he only had a couple of tablespoons of the food with his first meal. I had thought it perhaps just a simple sensitivity, until I looked at other Vine reviews of it on Amazon (I occasionally review things on Amazon in their Vine program- the items are random, and from time to time they offer a quality dog food I wish to try Galen on). Approximately 10% of the dogs that tested it on Vine became ill, in two cases, extremely ill. After I did some checking, I found the research showing the toxicity (several studies were stopped early because of it), and also discovered that all of the WellPet foods have green tea extract.

I immediately switched Galen to Canidae Large and Giant breed puppy at that time (which I chose on my own, based on ingredients, calcium/phosphorus levels, and the inclusion of probiotics et. al- not something I was sent for review purposes). He also gets Tripett green beef tripe (which naturally contains digestive enzymes, which are beneficial to digestion and nutrient absorption). For treats, he gets Sojos freeze dried raw lamb and Natural Balance Potato and Kangaroo Limited Ingredient dog food (another thing I was sent a sample of, but is too expensive for me to actually use as his primary food). I also give him an occasional raw beef soup bone.

Now that he’s 8 months old, I’ve transitioned him to Canidae Grain Free Pure Sea, which also has the highest ratings on Dog Food Advisor. At this age, they can properly metabolize calcium, so it’s not as imperative to keep levels so low. There has also been some recent research among giant breed breeders and vets that suggests they may also do better being weaned directly to an adult food- but one that meets the calcium/phosphorus recommendations for large and giant breed puppies. They say that the extra calories in the puppy foods tend to be empty calories, and that the adult foods may have greater nutritional benefit, ounce for ounce.

Hope this helps!
Belinda

[Carolyn K]

Good morning all!! New here and this will be my first post.. I have been reading and researching with the help of everyone here on the forums!..

I just purchased a Golden Mountain Doodle puppy and I will be picking him up on the 15th of August. He will be 8 months old. Due to him being a large breed dog I want to do everything possible to avoid HD and other potential issues and I began with this website.

I plan on starting him with a mix of his current food and “Wellness CORE – Pupply Chicken and Turkey” as well as “Zuke’s Mini Naturals Dog Treats – Roasted Chicekn” while he is in training (basic obedience, potty training).

Is this a good start? Any other suggestions that you may find to be a better “fit” within the price range?

Thank you all so much and I hope to continue learning with you! 🙂

[pugmomsandy]

Each review is updated every 18 months in an attempt to stay current and not stagnate. Some dog food brands change ingredients even more often than that and some foods don’t change for years. There was an update in 12/2012 and then again in 4/2014. There were some recipe changes and some GA changes resulting in rating changes. A representative food is picked that is usually (not all the time) in the same star category as the brand itself and near the brand’s average.

The following was from 2012:

Diamond Naturals Large Breed 60+ Adult
Diamond Naturals Adult Chicken and Rice
Diamond Naturals Extreme Athlete (5 stars)
Diamond Naturals Adult Beef Meal and Rice
Diamond Naturals Adult Lamb Meal and Rice
Diamond Naturals Small Breed Puppy (5 stars)
Diamond Naturals Lite Lamb Meal and Rice (3 stars)
Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Lamb and Rice
Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy Lamb and Rice
Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Chicken and Rice
Diamond Naturals Senior 8+ Chicken, Egg and Oatmeal
Diamond Naturals Large Breed Adult Lamb Meal and Rice

The remaining recipes were 4 stars. So with the new changes, a 4-star recipe was chosen as the example.

[Ezequiel B]

Hi,

I’m sure this has been asked. I searched but only found “best puppy wet food” and the puppy foods on the editors list are all dry.

I have a 4 month old German Shepard and we’ve been feeding her Wellness Core Grain Free Puppy Formula (Wet) but it’s getting harder to find at Petco and petsmart, not sure why.

Can someone suggest alternatives?

Thanks!

[Pitlove]

Deanna- As far as I’m aware Orijen LBP now meets the requirements for calcium and phosphorus. Orijen is an excellent food and a great choice compared to ProPlan. Another food that I really like and intend to use for my next dog which will also be a large, actually giant breed, is Fromm Gold Large Breed Puppy.

Protein is of no concern when it comes to optimal growth for large breeds. Many many current studies have disproven the myth that high protein diets can cause overgrowth in LBP’s. You can feed low, normal or high protein with no different effects as long as the calcium and phosphorus levels are correct.

To answer your last question, you can start with the recommended amounts on the bag and adjust as you moniter is growth. You will be feeding less with Orijen than ProPlan because it is a more nutrient dense food.

Lastly, congrats on your Boxer! They are great dogs 🙂

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Pitlove.

[aquariangt]

don’t take something that says large breed puppy at face value, some of them don’t actually have the proper formulation. C4C linked an excellent thread with great information, and on page 36 or 36 there is a list of foods that have acceptable calcium to phosphorus ratios for lgp

[crazy4cats]

Hi Emily-

Have you taken a look at this article that is on the review side of this site?

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

It may be helpful for you to choose a puppy or all life stages food that is appropriate for your large breed puppy. I can only imagine how cute she is!

[Emily S]

Hello. We just bought a Saint bernard 8 1/2 week puppy. We are to pick her up later this week. I have been researching different kids of food to get her but still try and stay in our price range. We use Taste of the Wild for our other dogs and is really good. I am not sure if there are any options from Taste of the Wild for Large Breed Puppy. They have a puppy mix but I am not sure if it is good for Saint Bernards. Do you have any knowledge on Saint Bernards and what they should eat? I have looked and they should eat Large Breed Puppy mix until about 1 year. We have loved Taste of the Wild and want to try and stick with the same brand of food because we have loved it. Please advise.

[C4D]

Hi Tyler G!

Everyone has given you some good advice! As long as the food is working digestively, you can use whichever she likes. I do rotate my foods as the others do. If the Orijen gives loose stools, you might want to go with the Acana. They’re both good foods. I do think you might be feeding too much. I have an active 13 lb dog and she gets about the equivelant of 2/3 cup of food per day even though she takes long walks (over a mile) daily. If you need to get her to gain weight, you could also feed her a midday snack to get her weight up. A lot of fosters do this to get the skinny dogs to gain weight. How does she look? She should have a distinct waist when viewed from above and a distinct tuck from her ribs to her back legs. You should be able to easily feel her ribs without pressing in. You should not see her hip or spine. Sometimes we think they’re too thin because we are so used to seeing overweight dogs. As aquariangt said, you want to keep your Doxie on the slim side to prevent back issues.

Deanna Y, I think the Orijen has been reformulated with a lower calcium level, but I’m not feeding any LB puppies currently. Here’s the DFA forum link that’s really helpful:

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

[Deanna Y]

Hello. I am brand new to this site and finding lots of great info! We just got a boxer on Saturday – he is 9 weeks old and truly the sweetest. I bought Orijin for Large Breed Puppy, and will transition him over from what he is currently on now which is Purina Pro Savor for puppies. I have never had a large dog and want to make sure I am doing everything right by this pup. Is this the best food for him to be on? I am confused about the calcium and proteins and am hoping we made a good choice. Also, ideally with this being a “better” food, how much should he be getting daily? THANK YOU for you input.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Deanna Y.

[Pitlove]

Alright guys. I was looking into Holistic Select LBP for my boss because we weren’t sure if the calcium and phosphorus levels were too high and we carry it at work. The levels that are listed as the minimum when put into Dr.Mike’s calculator tool put it at 1.4:1 which is already approaching high. So I emailed WellPet for their as fed levels and they wrote me back today:

Dear Christa,

Thank you for taking the time to write about Holistic Select® Large & Giant Breed Puppy Health Recipe dry dog food.

Here are the nutritional values you have requested:

Large & Giant Breed Puppy Health Recipe:

Calcium: As Fed: 2.21% Dry Matter:2.40%

Phosphorus: As Fed: 1.25% Dry matter: 1.36%

Thanks again for contacting us.

Sincerely,

Michael
Consumer Affairs Representative
WellPet

When you put that into the calculator the ratios are too high. So would that be the correct levels I want to put into the calculator or the mins? I’ve been trying to find other foods to recommend LBP customers besides Fromm and Wellness Puppy to have more variety, but now I dont know if this one is safe.

[aquariangt]

Yes, the forums are rough for searching-not to mention I apparently lied and it’s in Diet and Health :), here’s a link:
/forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/

I did go back and read skeptvet link, and that’s why I edited, because for once I actually agree with him in that topic

as far as kcals per cup-the only thing that tells us is how much is in it 🙂 you feed less of a higher calorie more nutrient dense food, so you really want to look more for calcium ratios per calorie. Like I said, read some of those links-though it sounds like your research is going well- and hit up the page of LGP approved foods because that will give you a fantastic starting point. My one word of warning is HDM is quite busy (she actually helps with this site now) so it hasn’t been updated in a bit, so if it were me (I have small dogs these days) I would look up some foods, and verify the #s myself, as formulas change

[michael s]

I’m researching the proper food for a large-breed puppy (GSD) and I don’t want protein contributing any more than it should to her growth during the first 2 years. Yet I imagine she’ll be getting a lot of protein from high-value treats during training (eg, freeze-dried liver). My question is about how to best compensate for this extra protein?

I do realize kibble can also be used for training–should I simply minimize the use of high-value training treats and not worry about the extra protein in an occasional liver treaT?

TIA 🙂

[Mana A]

Thanks InkedMarie and Crazy4cats for the quick reply!

I looked through the first 20 or so pages of the thread but there are 87 pages! LOL. Anyway, if you are referring to the list compiled by HoundDogMom, yes I did see it but that list includes only grain free foods and Fromm’s large breed puppy is not grain free.

Would love to hear your input. And If HoundDogMom can help I would live to hear her input as well.

Belinda, I live in Denver too! Also, I want to clear something up. I believe that as long as the calcium:phos ratio is between 1.1:1 and 1.5:1 you should be fine. I don’t think it matters if it’s puppy food or adult food as long as that ratio is appropriate. Do you all agree with that?

Thank you so much for all of the expertise!!

[Mana A]

Hi there. I’m a little late to this party but do you think Fromms large breed puppy is an appropriate food for a newfoundland puppy?

[Shawn M]

Hey guys so I spoke with my vet today(thank god i had a good in with my cat who likes to fignt raccoons) and she said to not switch his food again, she said just make sure he drinks plenty of water and if the diahrea doesnt stop within 48 hours then to bring him in. She also suggested the pumpkin in the food which i will try tonight. I also used the calculate for large breed puppy foods on the you guys provided and found out the the hills is within the suggested areas for calcium calories and phosphorous so i think i will just keep him on that and see where it takes him. Thanks for all the advice and i will give another update within a few days to let everyone know how he is doing

[crazy4cats]

It could be from all of the above. It’s common for pups to have loose stools when you first bring him home. That is why it is usually recommended to feed it the same food he was already eating for a while until he gets settled in new home. However, after three days of being that bad, I’d take him to the vet to make sure he is not dehydrated. They can give fluids to him if he is. Also bring a stool sample for the bet to check for parasites and/or worms as well. I sure hope he gets better soon. Good luck!

Btw, Hill’s Ideal Balance large breed puppy food is a four star recommended food for large breed puppies on this site.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by crazy4cats.

[Pitlove]

Everyone here is absolutely correct and took the words right out of my mouth. I would absolutely go with Fromm Gold Large Breed Puppy. Much better company than Blue or Natural Balance and is correctly formulated for a LBP. I also like Precise Holistic Complete Large/Giant Puppy Breed Formula. My boyfriends brothers Great Dane did extremely well on that food and both are easy foods to transition to.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Pitlove.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Shawn-
Congratulations on the new puppy! I have two lab mix dogs. They are about to turn four in the next few days. Large breed puppies have some special requirements when it comes to food due to possible joint issues from growing too fast, too much exercise, or incorrect calcium amount in their food. Here is a link that will explain this in more detail:

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

A couple of good choices in my opinion would be Fromm Gold Large Breed or Wellness Core puppy food. Hope this helps. Good luck!

[Pitlove]

Hi Robert- I have fed Orijen and I think it is a great food. My dog has always done well on high protein. We have a 10 year old English Springer Spaniel as well who is in the care of my boyfriends parents and they feed Purina ONE. He has terrible skin, he smells, his ears smell and he is losing hair. Spaniel breeds are known for their skin issues so IMO feeding a higher quality food like Orijen will greatly reduce the chances of skin problems down the line.

As for your vet’s concerns with high protein, dogs can efficiently process and digest quality animal protein. Orijen is human grade meats, poultry and fish. However, just like every other kibble it is still cooked. It is cooked at a much lower temperature than Purina ProPlan, but still cooked and those cooked animal proteins might not sit well with your puppy. That being said, if he is doing well and is not having loose stool or any other symptoms, no reason to be concerned.

Our Springer Spaniel is considered a large breed dog given his weight and yours will probably boarder on that too, so make sure you are not overfeeding him. That will aid him not having loose stool and also help prevent skeletal disorders like Pano.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Pitlove.

[CircaRigel]

I’ve been informed of some recent studies that suggest that large and especially giant breed pups may do best if they’re weaned to a low calcium/phosphorus adult dog food at 8 weeks old, simply because the extra calories the puppy foods tend to be empty calories rather than nutrition, and any excess weight in a large/giant pup can lead to Pano. It’s better they get the nutrition over the risk of too many calories- especially empty calories. Definitely by 11 months old your pup should be fine on an adult diet, as growth has slowed and isn’t as rapid as the first 8 months.

[Jarrett D]

Hello,

First of all, I want to thank everyone for their contributions to this forum. I’ve read through a ton of the pages and it’s been very informative.

My wife and I got a Husky/Malamute mix, Nisa, and she is now 11 months old. Currently, she is about 70 pounds, and still growing. We’ve fed her Canidae, Merrick, and Nature’s Variety. She seems to do very well with all dog foods, but I’ve been bred to change my dogs food every 2-3 months. This leads to one of two questions:

When should I stop feeding Nisa Large Breed Puppy food?

After she is no longer in the Large Breed Puppy category, is there another list or forum that discusses Large Breed Adult Nutrition, or can she continue to eat Large Breed Puppy?

Thank you in advance!

Enjoy the holiday and be safe!

[CircaRigel]

Has anyone else experienced hemorrhagic gastroenteritis in their giant breed dog? My 7-month-old Shiloh Shepherd puppy, Galen, just had a 24h stay in ICU after developing the condition. Fortunately, he was seen immediately, for as a service dog in training he is always with me, so there was no delay in observing the symptoms. Plus the vet we go to, Alameda East Veterinary hospital (you might recognize them from “Emergency Vets” has a 24h ER, fully staffed 24h ICU, and can do all diagnostics in-house using the latest tech… so his diagnosis was extremely rapid. He still ended up requiring a plasma transfusion, and a fair bit more than the high estimate for his care addressed, but his recovery is coming along nicely. After that 24h in the ICU, he was able to come home.

What I wanted to see if anyone had any dietary recommendations about this, for when he’s able to resume his normal diet in a couple of days. He currently gets Canidae Grain Free Pure Sea kibble and Tripett canned food (Green Beef Tripe, Tripe and Venison, and Duck, Salmon & Tripe varieties). I also have pre and probiotics I can give him- increasing the dosage at the moment as he’s still on antibiotics (oral starting tomorrow, as he had IV until this afternoon). His Canidae also contains probiotics, and Tripett contains digestive enzymes.

He has every reason to NOT have developed this, as he’s not hyperactive, not a small or toy breed, eats top notch foods that are formulated with everything recommended for healthy digestion, etc… yet he still got it (I suspect it may be from either the goose poop he attempted to eat at the park Saturday, or the swim in a lake he took last week, but the cause of hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (HGE) remains largely unknown).

At the moment, I’m nervous about anything that could effect Galen’s health. It’s pretty terrifying to see blood squirting out of my furbaby’s rectum as a purple jet. His vet highly approves of the diet I have Galen on, but I still would like to know what other’s think, and if anyone else has experienced this in a giant breed puppy that’s NOT hyper or overly stressed.

[Jamie J]

Question for HDM and others that can might can help me out. I am new to this forum and new to the large puppy breed. We recently bought an American Bulldog. She is about 12 weeks old at 25 lbs and I have realized she has been on a poor dog food called Diamond Puppy because that is what the breeder told us to feed her. Can you recommend to me a good puppy food along with any other regimes I need to have her on. And also do I need to take her calcium intake once I get her on the correct food?

[Christie]

Hi everyone.

I have a 6 year old American Bulldog Mix and a 6 month old Catahoula mix. I’ve been going back and forth trying to find a quality food brand to feed them. Right now they eat Castor & Pollux Organix Adult and Organix Puppy. And they share a can of Castor & Pollux wet food once a day.

Both Petco and Petsmart have essentially rid themselves of the brand. And while I can buy online, I’m essentially looking for a food that I can feed them both.

Both Merrick Grain Free (rated on here at 5 stars) and Whole Earth Farms (rated here at 4 stars) offer dry and wet All Life Stages foods. I know Merrick owns WEF. Is there a big difference in quality between the two? There’s an approximate $15 difference in price between them and I’m trying to figure out if it’s worth it. Or it WEF is a decent brand.

My dogs aren’t happy with the C&P food. Before that they were on Ideal Balance dry (which they also didn’t want to eat). I’ve spent a lot of time transitioning from one brand to the next and I’m hoping that Merrick (or WEF) will be a quality food they will look forward to eating. I know that big brands fill their foods with ingredients dogs love to eat and sometimes it’s harder to get a dog to adapt to a higher grade food.

My mother recently adopted a puppy and the shelter gave her a bag of Purina Smart One Puppy. She gobbles it up and won’t eat anything else. I’ve already schooled her on their questionable ingredients. I fed a small amount to my very picky eating puppy and I was not surprised to find the bowl empty 1 minute later and that she was literally licking it clean. It would be easy to feed her that (my vet recommends Purina Pro Plan and says he feeds his dogs that). But I know what’s in the bag and I’ve already attempted to feed my large dog their Pro Plan Large Breed dry a year ago on the vet’s suggestion, only to find nasty meal worms crawling around inside the storage container I had the food in and my dog’s food bowl (I know this has more to do with packaging/shipping than production, but still. I’ve since read up on the brand and am not impressed.

Merrick seems to be a decent brand of food. And on paper WEF seems just as good. Both are readily available at my local Petco and online. But it Merrick brand worth the extra $15/bag over WEF?

• This topic was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Christie.

[sharon b]

I want to add I like the idea of them eating food that helps clean their teeth and obviously the ground raw patties I am giving is not doing that. So does it need to contain crushed bone? Totally new to this. Also the puppy has had a sinus infection pretty much since he was 13 weeks and been on antibiotics but not really affected his behavior greatly. Two weeks initially on antibiotics that we thought cleared it, then once pollen came out it re-appeared and is now on his 6th week of two antibiotics that are quite expensive and he does not seem much better. Every morning (mostly) blows brown snots especially when he sneezes so he may have an allergy even though he tested positive for 3 bacteria’s at the vet. It may just be the mucus keeps getting infected. I also want to make sure he has the appropriate nutrients like glucosamine sulfate & chondroitin for a large breed etc.

[sharon b]

I have one 80 pound husky and a 80 pound Newfoundland puppy that I am considering switching to raw food. I have been adding raw to their dry food mostly as we have been training and this makes the puppy eat his food and makes his bowel movements predictable and training now finally is established. They both seem to love the commercial raw I have been buying but I just can’t seem to find a good food for a decent price that suits them both. Grain free products gave the puppy diarrhea, and I refuse to give him anything with rice that has arsenic in it. I read several other post’s, one that there was a NH dealer that deliver’s a good raw for a $10 fee, need to research that further, also one that said that feeding raw requires less overall food and even better less overall waste (poops). Let me tell you this puppy is going to be about 165 pounds, and right now eats about 8-9 cups of dry and poops are giant. So any info on what is best to give them, neither is huge on activity, although the puppy will do some swimming but typically Newf’s are laid back, and the husky is 8, and her activity is fighting back the puppy. I am disabled with neck and shoulder issues so mixing this stuff myself is not what I want to do, but I can handle a little of that if needed. Any info is great.

[Pitlove]

Hi Claire- Most people consider large and giant breed dogs “adults” at the age of 1, however in relation to the calcium and phosphorus they can start eating foods with higher calcium levels between 8 and 10 months so that info is correct.

Regarding the Green Tea Extract, it is known to cause liver toxicity in dogs. Definitely look into it further to make sure you are making the right decision if you want to feed a food with it. Wellness CORE puppy is recommended for large/giant breed dogs, however it contains it, so its a trade off.

[Claire T]

Dear Mike and fellow Editor’s choice members,

I have a 9 months old Golden Retriever puppy and I am currently feeding him Canidae Pure Foundations (Grain Free). We are from Australia so our choices are much limited compared to in the USA. I have 3 questions which has caused me problems in choosing the right food for him. Your advice or findings would be greatly appreciated.

1. I have been told by a friend about recent studies shown to switch large breed puppy to adult food at 9 or 10 months of age as they have reached 80% growth.

2. Also about calcium phosphorus level, can I feed my large breed puppy higher calcium levels/calcium phosphorus ratio after he has reached 9/10 months old? Or when can I do so? Or should I only choose kibbles that are within the recommended calcium phosphorus ratio for his whole life? I am interested in feeding him Earthborn Holistic however the calcium level is a bit high.

3. Is green tea extract safe for dogs? According to this website (http://www.thedogpress.com/dogfood/ingredients_liquorman.asp), ASPCA Poison Control Center lists green tea extract on its list of things to avoid for cats and dogs. However, green tea extract is an ingredient in many brands such as Wellness, Artemis, Holistic Select etc.

Thank you.

Regards,
Claire

[Pitlove]

Hi Meg-

I wanted to suggest Precise actually, however I found peas in the large/giant breed puppy and adult formulas for the Holistic Complete line. Their GF lines also use peas as the carbohydrate source. I’m assuming you are talking about the Naturals line then. I like Holistic Complete more but that is out of the question for your boy. However, it seems to me that you will have to trade off feeding grain free for grain inclusive.

/dog-food-reviews/natures-variety-ultimate-protein/ -Didn’t find any of those ingredients in this one unless I’m missing something.

/dog-food-reviews/grandma-maes-country-naturals-dry/

I didn’t look super hard but these are the 4 and 5 star foods I found without those ingredients. You weren’t kidding about how hard it is to find foods without them!

[Udi W]

thanks ,

following the link
/best-dog-foods/best-large-breed-puppy-food/

I saw that TOTW are nearly the upper limit for the gram per kcal (4.4 to 1000 kcal) and over the recommended ratio of calcium to Phosphorus with 1.6.

so I consdering to switch to canine caviar

Grain Free Puppy

but they only mentioned “Metabolized Energy= 636 kcal/ cup” is there a way to convert to kcal/kg or should I email them / anyone can tell me if he/she did this check ?

any other suggestion from this attached link :
http://tinypic.com/r/jrrvqp/8
it is a screenshot from my dog/cat food supplier i’m really want to continue to work with it. (80% of the profits goes to rescued dogs/cats shelters. there is a bit of Hebrew in the image but the brand is written in English – don’t get confused 😉 )

[Bobby dog]

Hi Udi W:
Labs are so much fun!! I am not sure if you are concerned about his current weight or the possibility of gaining weight. It is best for his health to keep him lean by not overfeeding and to avoid over exercising him until he reaches maturity; less stress on growing joints. Here’s some more info:
/best-dog-foods/best-large-breed-puppy-food/

Here’s a thread about large breed puppy nutritional requirements. Read the first three or four pages and the links on the first page:
/forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/

On this page look for the post dated October 2, 2013 at 4:22 pm and follow the link to recommended large breed puppy foods. If you choose one of these foods I recommend contacting the company to be sure the calcium/phosphorous ratios are optimal for a large breed puppy, the list has not been updated for a few years.
/forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/page/36/

You could also join the Editor’s Choice for a current list of approved large breed puppy foods. Sounds like your pup is in good hands, good luck and have lots of fun with your boy!!

[Haley F]

Hello! I am getting my first corgi puppy in August and after quite a bit of research I have narrowed down my list of potential food to three different brands. If anyone has used one of these specific formula’s I’d love to hear your opinion and how your dog did on the food.

Fromm
-Gold: Large Breed Puppy
-4 Star Nutritionals: Chicken A La Veg
-4 Star Nutritionals: Duck & Sweet Potato

Wellness
-Complete: Large Breed Puppy

Horizon
-Complete: Large Breed Puppy
-Complete: All Life Stages
-Pulsar: Chicken

[C4D]

Hi Udi W,

There is no such thing as “neuter dog food”! It’s disappointing that your vet is trying to sell you on Royal Canin. 🙁 I’m not a personal fan of TOTW, but I dislike Royal Canin more. If you search on this forum there are a lot of discussions and recommended foods for feeding a large breed puppy to prevent joint/bone disorders. You could pick a food recommended from that list. The one thing you are going to have to watch is the calorie intake as you don’t want your puppy to grow too fast and I would definitely suggest feeding 2 meals per day as opposed to one.

Red has given you some good suggestions. I have/had labs myself. My current ones are over 10 and somewhere in the 5-7ish range, male & female, both altered. I’ve never fed a “neuter dog food” and they are both in excellent shape because I watch the calories and they get lots of walks.

[kassie m]

I have a question that is probably silly, but I want to be sure. After a large breed puppy is grown, is it alright to feed them a food that is higher in calcium? I like Earthborn’s Primitive and it reads a min. of 1.5%. Should I have the dogs on a lower calcium food, or is it okay now that they are adults? Thank you!

[crazy4cats]

Did you check the Editor’s Choice recommended puppy food list that includes large breed pups? There are some great choices on that list. Btw, I’d get the fecal ASAP.

[Ashlee S]

Thanks for the responses. He’s been vet checked but we haven’t done a fecal on him yet, going to do that next week. I work at a vet clinic and I have seen some dogs with Giardia and I don’t think that’s the problem. I watched him poop this morning and they are a little more firm less green today. I’ve owned a bloodhound in the past with a similar stomach problem with allergy to grain so I think that’s what It might be. The hard thing is finding a grain free large breed puppy food that is high quality. :/

[InkedMarie]

Lucia,
I know nothing about large breed puppy food but I’d choose a food from HDM’s list and feed it. Add a probiotic. Do a very slow transition over a week. Keep him on this food for a couple months, at least. If you want to try another food, repeat.

Ashlee,
somewhere in this thread is a link to the list of approved large breed puppy foods. HoundDpgMom compiled the list; she has bloodhounds too. You’d do well to feed a food from this list. I have a hound named Boone too! He’s the pbgv in my photo here!

[Ashlee S]

I have a 4 month old male bloodhound named Boone. He’s been fed on wellness large breed puppy formula. He hasnt done well on wellness. His poop isn’t as firm as I would like. He’s been checked by a vet with no problems. Also keeping weight on him is really hard. He’s is pretty active throughout the day and plays alot. He’s of course gaining weight from growing but you can still see his ribs and he’s still pretty skinny. He’s fed 4 1/2 cups a day. I’m not sure what food to try next. There’s not many large breed puppy foods. I’ve been recommended blue buffalo but unsure about the high protien if it’s too much. I could really use help!

[Ashlee S]

I’m stuck. I have a 4 month old bloodhound puppy named boone. I’ve owned bloodhounds before but Boones tummy is presenting a problem. I cannot get Boones poop normal. It’s still a squishy green color. He’s been on wellness puppy for large breed for about a month now. Boones pretty active during the day, he come to work with me and plays with dogs for atleast an hour everyday. And at home he continues to play. He’s 38 pounds right now, he’s been check by my vet at work and has been cleared healthy. Im at a loss on what food to try now. I need a large breed puppy food that is grain free. Any suggestions?

• This topic was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Ashlee S.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Traci G-

Large breed puppies have special requirements due mostly to potential joint issues from growing too fast, being too chubby and/or too much/little calcium in their diets. Here is a link that will help you to choose a more healthy food for your pup: /best-dog-foods/best-large-breed-puppy-food/
Please try to find a 3,4 or 5 star that fits these guidelines. I wouldn’t feed Pedigree, in my opinion, it has some very questionable ingredients.

Here is a list from Oct. of 2013 that lists foods that are appropriate for large breed pups at that time. I’d make sure they still fit the guidelines before you decide to feed. This is not necessarily a complete list. There may be other brands and recipes at this time that are appropriate: https://docs.google.com/a/dogfoodadvisor.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFTXhUdi1KazFzSUk/edit?usp=sharing.

There are several articles in the library on the review side of this site that may be very interesting to you on how the food is rated and how to read a food label. I know I never read a guaranteed analysis or ingredient label before coming to this site.

I bet your puppy is adorable. Great Danes make great pets! My co-worker has one and shows me pictures of her trying to sit on her lap! She doesn’t realize how big she is!!

Best of luck to you! Write back if you have anymore questions.

[InkedMarie]

Traci,
Please go to the Diet & Health issues forum here. On top is a stickie for “Large Breed Puppy Food” or something along that line. That is the thread you need to read. Start from the last page and work back, looking for the list of approved foods for larg breed puppies and no, Pedigree will NOT be on the list.

[Christie]

I recently rescued a 4 month old Catahoula mix puppy. The limited paperwork that I received from the previous foster mom said she had been feeding her “retriever puppy food” from the tractor supply store. During her initial vet check, the doctor said her teeth (mostly baby thankfully) were in terrible condition and said I should feed her quality food. She wanted to sell me on Royal Canin, which is the only line the vet directly sells.

I have a 6 year old APBT mix who eats Ideal Balance Large Breed Dry. I started the puppy on IB’s puppy dry, but she eats both her food and the adult food. And while I know occasional snacking of the adult food isn’t terrible, I would prefer if possible, to buy 1 food for both dogs.

All of the Editor’s Choice list foods seem to be specifically formulated for adults (and there’s the separate list for puppies). I don’t want to cut quality for cost.

Neither dog is overly attached to Ideal Balance and I often have to top their kibble with canned food to get them to eat.

Anyone have any 4-5 recommendations for All Life Stages food or am I just better off sticking to the adult and puppy food?

Thanks!

[Cynthia R]

The google pdf calcium list almost 2 years old. I mention this because on the Editor’s Choice forum someone asked about Orijen Large Breed puppy, and it was not the google doc, but it is on the editor’s list of approved LBP food. I would double check all the foods on the list too since many companies reformulate over the years.

[Cynthia R]

Orijen large breed puppy is on the editors choice approved list of food for large breed puppies. The calcium is minimum 1.2% and 1.5% maximum. I feed it to my mastiff puppy. The Google doc has not been updated for some time.

[Anthony D]

I have a 2 and 1/2 year old golden retriever that has within the past 4 to 5 weeks become very afraid of TV and has become very “clingy” and “skittish.” When the TV is on, she runs by and sits in the other room. It is the same TV we had when we brought her home as a puppy. While visiting relatives this weekend, she was afraid of their TV also. She hates having her harness pulled over her head. She jumps at sudden movements. Nothing else has changed. She still loves to play and run. Her daily schedule has not changed. About the same time this started, I started her on Nutrisource Chicken and Rice Large Breed Adult dog food. She loves it. She still loves going in the car. But she follows us around the house like she’s afraid. Today, I sat in the garage with her during a lightning and thunderstorm and it didn’t bother her in the least. We don’t have any idea what has caused this.

[Pitlove]

Hi merleGDgirl-

WellnessCORE puppy is a great choice for a giant breed dog, however I would caution you that they made a recent change to their formulas and it now has green tea extract in it which has been linked to liver toxicity in dogs. As for Orijen and Acana, they are both excellent brands and I would highly recommend them after your pup has reached 8-10 months of age as they both unfortuntely do not make a food with the correct calcium and phosphorus levels that giant breed dogs (especially danes) need for proper bone growth and development. My boyfriends brother has had their great dane on Precise Holistic Complete and he is in excellent condition with no skeletal dieases what so ever. They make a large/giant breed puppy formula. However, you would need to order it online.

WellnessCORE isnt going anywhere in terms of the company. My Petco still carries it and will continue to. It might simply just be PetSmart that does not want to do business with their distributer anymore or something like that.

Does your PetSmart carry Nature’s Variety? They make 2 formulas (The Turkey Limited Ingrident Diet and the Rabbit Meal) that both have correct calcium/phosphorus levels.

Also, here is a list of other foods with those same correct levels, the first half of the list is grain inclusive, the second half is grain free

https://docs.google.com/a/selu.edu/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFTXhUdi1KazFzSUk/edit

GL with your new baby! Post some pics!