[Leland W]

I think that the Orijen Puppy Formula should be included as a 5-star food just like the Orijen Large Breed Puppy formula is. Is there a reason it is not included on the list?

Thanks

[CircaRigel]

My Shiloh Shepherd is 6-months old. He recently switched to Fromm Gold and Canidae (both large breed puppy foods) for his kibble (and has been on Tripett for his canned food all along, as tripe is beneficial to digestion). I’ve gone over the suggestions of HDMom’s PDF, and most seem pretty valid even now. The main “premium” foods I’d shy away from at the moment are Wellness, Holistic Select, Old Mother Hubbard, and Eagle Pack. They recently began adding Green Tea Extract to all of their foods (they’re all made by WellPet), and I just don’t understand why, as a Pubmed search finds multiple research articles that show it causes liver toxicity in dogs. No way will I have Galen touch those foods.

[Pitlove]

While Orijen is a great food, it does not meet the proper calcium requirements for large breed puppies (none of their food does including the LBP formula). Wellness CORE puppy however, does. I would go with Wellness CORE for now. Here is a link to other foods that have proper calcium levels for up until hes about 8 to 10 mos and can absorb the calcium properly.

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

I would absolutely recommend Orijen for after the 8 to 10 mos. Its an amazing food and my dog loved it!

edit: I would also recommend either of the Nature’s Variety formulas mentioned on the list.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

Hi Kari-

I disagree that a puppy and 5 year old dog can’t eat the same food. You can absolutely feed the same food to both you would just maybe not feed the same amounts. Idk if you consider your dog a senior dog at 5, but if you do senior dogs need MORE protein than puppies and adult dogs contrary to popular belief. Senior diets are often very very low in protein however, a puppy food wouldn’t be. I never care about what the front of a bag says. My pitbull is currently eating a food marketed for “small breeds” lol. its just smaller kibble size and hes fine with it. I would have no problem feeding him puppy, adult or senior food as long as the ingredients were up to par for me and the nutrient profile was correct.

Take a look at the list Dori linked. Those are all foods that have proper calcium levels for large breed puppies like your golden doodle. and please make sure you don’t overfeed as that, along with improper calcium/phos levels can cause many skeletal disorders like pano, OCD and hip dysplasia.

[Dori]

Here is a link to large breed puppy foods on DFA put together by HDM. Hope this helps.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFY183Q0NVRXlidWc/edit

[Kari P]

Hi! I’m pretty new to this group. I’ve been reading and reading, but feel more confused the more I read. I’ll think I’ve got the right foods option and then feel like I missed something. So, I thought I’d come here for some advice.

We have a 10 week old golden doodle puppy. The breeder had her on Iams Puppy Smart for large breeds. After reading, I’m not super impressed with its quality. I’ve keep her on it for a couple weeks while she’s adjusting to her new home with us. Now, I’m ready to make a switch. I cannot spend mass amounts on dog food ($100 a bag kind of expensive), but want to give her quality food. I would love some suggestions.

I’ve also got an adult 5 year old black lab. He’s been eating Nutrition because we thought it was a good food…until I found this website. Now, I’m certain he needs a new brand as well. I know they can’t eat the same thing because of the differences in age, but eventually I’d like them to both be reading the same food. So, I’d also like suggestions for quality dog food for this guy as well.

Thanks all, in advance, for your help!
Kari

[Carol G]

Hello everyone, new to this site and forum but in process of bringing home new male yellow lab puppy, currently being fed Blue Buffalo Wilderness chicken puppy food. While it’s not a “bad” puppy formula, I think I want to change him over to a more superior brand of food. This will be our second male yellow lab, the first of which lived until almost 16 yrs old, and who we also got as a 9 week puppy. I was looking at both the Orijen puppy large breed or the Wellness Core puppy. Need to know what is best way to incorporate a new food at this tender age, and appreciate any comments, opinions and recommendations about these brands as well. Thanks, and I look forward to being a member here. Carol

[king J]

I have always found Solid Gold to be a great quality dog food. I’m not sure where all this low rating talk is coming from. There was a nation wide crises a few years back where a bunch of pets, both fogs and cats were dying left and right from the tainted pet foods. There were a bunch of brands involved because they were all being manufactured by the same facilities. Solid Gold was the only company that was unaffected.

My dog was safe! When she was a pup she came from her breeder in Science Diet. The vets were all pushing S.D. at the time. Candy used to get hot spots like crazy and hydro cortisone shots every 6 weeks were the norm. After a whole I finally asked the vet what I need to do or I’d take her somewhere else. She said well let’s try changing her diet. First she suggested Nutro. It didn’t work. Then she suggested solid gold and it was a miracle. Never had another problem.

Another I’m reading here is that it’s too low in protein. Well we should all be aware that dogs don’t need a yon of protein as adults. Not like cats which are obligated carnivores. Too much protein is harmful to dogs. As a matter of fact, most serious breeders of large breeds only feed puppy food for 5 months before switching to adult food because the protein level is higher in pup food.

[Jordan L]

I know this topic has probably been worn down but I have become completely overwhelmed with my research and all the choices out there.

My almost 5 yr old boxer has recently started shedding a concerning amount and is itching all over. He has a bit of dandruff and he has constant ear infections and subsequent scabs from itching his ears so much. I can see spots where his fur is uneven and his skin is starting to show because it is so thin. When we took him to the vet, she recommended oatmeal bathes, fish oil, and an antibac./anti-itch spray for his raw spots.

He has been on the same food since he was a puppy, Science Diet Lite for Large Breeds. I know it isn’t the most amazing food out there, but he tends to have a sensitive tummy and until now he has shown no signs of needing to change. My immediate response at this point is to try something new with his food. We are on a pretty strict budget, so I hate to spend double the amount we are already paying for his food, but I do not want to skimp when it comes to his health.

Any suggestions on where we can start, brand wise? TIA!

[Pitlove]

If these are your choices for food the first and most important thing you are going to need to do is read up on proper calcium levels for a large breed dog like the one you are getting and you are going to need to call each company for each food and make sure that any of them meet the calcium needs of a large breed dog, as what is listed on the bag is often a minimum amount of calcium meaning they can add much much more than what is listed on the bag. make sure to ask for the as fed amount. i would not even begin to worry about anything else until you know whether or not those needs are met. making sure that from 8 weeks to 8 months old, you meet the proper calcium levels for a large breed dog is vital in preventing skeletal disorders like pano, OCD and hip dysplasia later on in life and also as early as 10 months of age.

Here is a link to a thread made by Hound Dog Mom who has owned large/giant breed dogs for many many years of her life, discussing the nutritional needs of large/giant breed dogs

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

• This reply was modified 10 years, 7 months ago by Pitlove.

[Anonymous]

Hello
I am soon to be a weimaraner owner. Like every owner I with for my puppy to eat very best I plan to cook dog food when I can, but i need also dry food from time to time. Reviews on this site are very helpful but there is not many european brands. For reviewed food my choice is Acana Large breed. But there is few more brands for which I wish to hear opinion from experts. I listed links only to puppy food.

Cibau – Recomended by breader
(http://www.farmina.com/?q=en/node/100)

Brit – Recomended by breader and vet
(http://www.brit-petfood.com/products/dogs3/premium8/dry7/junior-l1111/)

Sams field – My choice because it contains 65% of meat and 30% cheaper than Acana
(http://www.samsfield.com/junior-large)

Looks promising and affordable:
Nutrivet – 80% meat grain free (http://www.new-instinct.com/dog-food/nutrivet/instinct/growth-nutrients)

Optima nova – 65% of meat (http://www.optimanova.eu/en/products/view/puppy-large-chicken-rice)

mac’s soft – 65% meat herman only (http://www.macs-tiernahrung.de/Macs-Soft/Huenchen/MACs_Soft_Puppy/MACs-Soft-Puppy-Huhn-15kg)

Simpsons – 80% of meat (http://www.simpsonspremium.com/puppy-dog-food?product_id=95)

Lower quality brands :
Meradog – (http://www.meradog.com/en/products/high-premium-puppy/sort-overview/junior2.html)

Josera – (http://www.josera-dog.com/premium/junior/)

[crazy4cats]

Bigthree-
Glad you found a food that works. Now I am going to attempt to answer your question about large breed food being different from all life stages food. There is no official AAFCO guidelines for large breed pups. Only for 1) adult/maintenance and 2) all life stages/puppy. So, when you see a food marketed for large breed, it is whatever the manufacturer of the food decides is best for large breeds. They tend to be a little lower in both protein and fat usually. You just have to read the guaranteed analysis to see if it fits your needs. Good luck with the Orijen. A lot of people think it is the cream of the crop!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Jen-
I’m not sure if the Pulsar Turkey qualifies for a large breed puppy food or not. But, check out the large breed calcium calculator that Dr. Mike has posted on the review side of this site. If it does fit the guidelines, then make sure it is either a puppy or an all life stages food. It could very well be within the limits but not on the list due to just recently being more available in the U.S. I know when I first was checking it out, it wasn’t available here. It is now, however, as you pointed out. In fact it is what I’m feeding my two almost four year old lab mutts right now. So far so good. It seems like a pretty good value.

Hound Dog’s list has not been updated for some time now and there are most likely some changes that need to be made.

Good luck!

[DogFoodie]

This is the list of foods that have appropriate Calcium levels for a large breed puppy: https://docs.google.com/a/dogfoodadvisor.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFTXhUdi1KazFzSUk/edit?pli=1

You would just need to research what the prices would be in your area.

[Pitlove]

Hi Tonia- Marie did actually point you in a good direction if you are interested in feeding raw/homemade. Hound Dog Mom who is the one who made the thread focusing on large/giant breed puppies does in fact feed a raw homemade diet and talks about it in that thread. It is however a very long thread but a good and helpful thread. Unfortunetly large breed puppies have certain diet requirements until 8mo’s of age that help prevent many diabilitating skeletal diseases, that can end up costing thousands of dollars in vet bills.

Hound Dog Mom has a list of foods that have the proper calcium levels for large/giant breed puppies, some are grain-free and others are grain-inclusive. I would start there and figure out what your budget IS and then compare a few that she has on her list and see if any are budget friendly enough. They are all 4 to 5 star in quality so if you are looking for something 3 stars or lower to save money A) that list won’t be too helpful and B) the food may not have the correct calcium levels a large breed puppy needs.

[Valerie K]

Life’s Abundance Large Breed Puppy Food – Dry

[Linda K]

Hi Jake’s Mom, Pitlove and InkedMarie. Thanks for your responses.

Pitlove, thanks so much for your follow-up questions. I have a Rotweiller who is 3.5 yrs old. I am very upset with myself for feeding him Purina Puppy Chow until he was a year old and feel I did not given him the best chance in his formative year to be as healthy as he could be over the course of his lifetime. But he seems to be healthy so far with just a few normal problems….allergies, gas, etc.

The things I am concerned about are bloat (one of the girls from his litter died from it), hip dysplasia, which I know is common to many large breeds, and in particular, I am concerned about cancer. I recently researched brands to change him off of Science Diet, which I moved him to after Purina, but it turns out that Science Diet is not very good either. I read some reviews about Taste of the Wild High Prairie Formula which gets 5 stars from DogFoodAdvisor. I also read some reviews for this brand and within the first 5 or 6, two of the people were Rotweiller owners and they both said it was excellent. One said that his Rotweillers usually die fairly early due to cancer, but this food has kept his new ones healthy. It really scared me because I did not realize that Rotties were genetically predisposed to certain types of cancer. So I got it immediately…..but I wanted to see if there might be anything even better since I apparently have not given him the benefits of great nourishment up to this point. I want to make up for lost time, and I will spare no expense (even though I am retired). So far, he seems to be doing well on the new food but has loose stools. I am doing it very gradually. I am also giving him a supplement for hips and joints that was recommended by his vet.

So, I guess in a nutshell, I wrote because I wanted to be sure I am doing all I can for him and have made a good choice this time.

Sorry this is so long. Thanks!

[Pitlove]

Hi Linda K- Like Jake’s mom said, most of the breed specific foods out there like Royal Canin’s breed specfic lines are a marketing tool. You pay a premium price for a low quality food full of corn and by-products. It is true that some breeds have disorders that genetically they are prone to that you can combat through diet. Example is large breed puppies needing proper calcium levels between 8 weeks and 8 mos. That being said, most large breed puppy foods are actually NOT formulaed with those proper calcium levels and typically have far TOO much calcium. However when you compare most brands that make breed specific formulas there is nothing breed specific or species appropriate about them at all.

A few questions for you to help you better. What breed of dog do you have? Is the dog healthy as far as you know with no known medical conditions? Does the dog have any known allergies to grains, certain protein sources, anything like that? What genetic disorders does the breed have that you would like to take action against to help lower his/her odds of getting?

Ill be happy to try to help when you write back!

[jakes mom]

I don’t think there is really a need for a “breed specific” food as such. I can understand a food for a small or large breed or for puppy food. For example, a pup needs something easier to chew with it’s baby teeth and needs more nutrition in a small amount of food since he has a small tummy. Same for small dogs. Large breed puppies need to grow slowly, so their food needs to be formulated a bit differently. Other than that I think the breed specific foods are just kind of a marketing tool for the dog food companies. Feed a high quality food and maybe a supplement or 2 if you have concerns about a particular problem. I think that would be fine unless you had a dog with allergies or intolerances to certain things.

[InkedMarie]

In the forum below this one, Diet & Health issues, there is a stickie highlighted in yellow on large breed puppy nutrition. Thats the place to look for the list of appropriate foods for your puppy.

[Valerie K]

I would like to nominate Life’s Abundance dry dog food – both the adult and large breed puppy. Available online http://www.lifesabundance.com

[aquariangt]

Size of food on the bag is pretty irrelevant. Sm Breed, Med Breed, Large Breed…doesn’t really mean much. Pick a good food and go with it-kibble size can play a factor in the eating style of the dog. To be safe, I’d go over to the canine nutrition forum, and use Hound Dog Mom’s guides to selecting the proper food for a large breed puppy, since you can’t really guarantee size of dog in a cross.

Also-that’s an interesting mix.

[Lois S]

How do you know which size/type dry dog food to purchase. Small medium or large breed. I have a hybrid a bernedoodle/ Mother a Bernese Mountain Dog at 125 pds. the Father a miniature labradoodle at 15 pounds. Puppy is 7 months, 25 pounds with ultimate weight 40 pounds.

[Ellen D]

I think this is the latest list.
Large breed puppy food list

[Pitlove]

There is literally nothing breed specific or species appropriate about any Royal Canin food. Most people who know me know that I believe that Royal Canin are the MASTERMINDS of marketing. Since pet parents often rely far too much on the front of the bag to tell them what food is best for their dog, be it that it has their breed of dog on the cover, has “real meat” and “veggies” on the cover, says small breed, large breed, adult, large breed adult, etc they often miss the ingredients which is where all the important stuff is. Oh and the GA (guarenteed anyalsis). I took the time to compare all the RC breed specific lines and found that aside from very slight protein and fat differences all the food was exactly the same, rotating the same first species innapropriate ingredients (whole ground corn, by-product meal, brewers rice, brown rice, corn gluten meal).

I would absolutely get her on a 5 star food. High in ANIMAL not plant protein moderate in fat and low in carbs. I’ve seen far too many overweight dachshunds and I know how easy it is for them to gain weight. As long as you know that she is healthy and has no known medical needs at this time this diet is fit for every breed of dog. Also PLEASE do not get hung up on the front of a bag. Worrying about if something says small breed or not or puppy or adult. As long as the nutrient profile is correct those things are not of much value. I have been feeding both my cat and dog adult and they are still a puppy and kitten and they havent had any issues. Also the small breed formulas are just smaller kibble sizes so you can go that route if u find that she is having trouble eating a larger kibble, just wanted to make you aware that small breed doesn’t mean its formulated differently for a small dog its just small kibble pieces. I also add a probiotic to their food to help with maintaining healthy bacteria in their gut to process the food better. I use Perfect Form made by the Honest Kitchen.

One thing the breeder did right was the suggestion of adding wet food to the diet. When on an all dry kibble diet dogs can live in a state of constant minor dehydration and later in life can face organ damage. So restoring some of the moisture to their diet is always a good thing. Soaking the kibble like you have been doing works too. We did that for our American Staffordshire Terrier when he was young. Seemed to help him be motivated to eat as well as digest the food. I believe there is a couple people on this site who use Kirklands wet food and seem to have no issues with it. Personally I do Whole Earth Farms stews, Wellness Core and I’ve tried 4health and will be trying other brands as well.

Another good thing to do is to find several brands that will work for her and rotate between them giving your dog variety and also different protein sources as to avoid building an allergy to one as dogs are not born with allergies, they get them through overexposure.

I wish you luck with your new baby! Feel free to ask questions here. There are tons of knowledgeable people that frequent these forums who have years of experience with dog nutrition and managing their dogs diets including fosters. And they are more than happy to offer help and answer questions.

[wolff]

They may have been allergic to the grains etc. in NutriLife All Gold (Brown Rice, Pearled Barley, Oat Meal, White Rice, Brewers Dried Yeast, Alfalfa Meal).

Possibly so, though more likely than if they were from the same litter, they are from two completely different breeders and lines and 2 weeks apart in age, one is short coated and the other is long coated.
I’m not sure how I feel about the brown rice, I know I’ve read that rice in general is often contaminated with trace amounts of arsenic, and that brown rice has a higher level than white.
This might offer some insight into this issue:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/01/how-much-arsenic-is-in-your-rice/index.htm

“How much arsenic is in your rice?
Consumer Reports’ new data and guidelines are important for everyone but especially for gluten avoiders
Published: November 2014
We looked at data released by the Food and Drug Administration in 2013 on the inorganic arsenic content of 656 processed rice-containing products. We found that rice cereal and rice pasta can have much more inorganic arsenic—a carcinogen—than our 2012 data showed. According to the results of our new tests, one serving of either could put kids over the maximum amount of rice we recommend they should have in a week. Rice cakes supply close to a child’s weekly limit in one serving. Rice drinks can also be high in arsenic, and children younger than 5 shouldn’t drink them instead of milk.
Brown rice has 80 percent more inorganic arsenic on average than white rice of the same type. Arsenic accumulates in the grain’s outer layers, which are removed to make white rice.”

Wellness CORE Grain-Free Puppy Formula is a great choice. Orijen Puppy Large Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is outstanding. But as I said, it’s all trial and error until A) you like what you’re buying & B) you see outstanding stools & weight formation that’s appropriate.

I saw the Orijen, but the price was out of my range, if I was feeding a Beagle or small dog it wouldn’t be bad, but the $79 price and the even smaller bag yet than I normally buy that’s a double hit- higher price for less in the bag.

If you’re not already, spread out the meals as evenly as you can during waking hours, small portions equal to the daily amount (or what they’ll consume) 3 to 4 times per day. It’s easier on their tummies.

Jiggs came when he was 6-1/2 weeks old, I fed him 4 times a day until he was 8 weeks and then Hachi came shortly after and he was 8 weeks, and by then both are on 3 feedings a day

[Pitlove]

I’ve used the Vension and Duck and Turkey. My dog is a picky eater and wasn’t really a fan of vension. I think it was too exotic of a protein for him. I think the food is fantastic and I recommend it to a lot of people at work. But it’s not for every dog. If you have a large to giant breed puppy please read the thread Hound Dog Mom made about foods for large to giant breed puppies. NV is one that has some formulas that are great for large breed and giant breed puppies

[wolff]

I don’t know what the problem is, I can access every other thread but the one I started, when I try to read it or anything it keeps asking me to log in, obviously I AM logged in or I wouldn’t be able to even read this premium area I paid for..

crazy4cats wrote:
Hi Wolff-
I agree wich zcRiley, you should stick to a puppy or an all life stages food with the appropriate calcium level for your new large breed pups.

Also, I would have a fecal test done to rule out parasites. Giardia and Coccidia are sometimes hard to detect and regular dewormers do not get rid of either one of these conditions. They both also can cause intermittent loose stools or diarrhea and they are both fairly common in puppies.
Wellness Core is an excellent choice. Good luck

Hi,
Well the thing is I haven’t bought puppy food for many years because much of it is an American advertising gimmick, they create a “need” with consumers where none existed, this is an American phenomenon you don’t (or didn’t) see in Europe. I’ve been in dogs since 1982, used to show, and always had an average of four dogs concurrently. I’ve always fed an adult premium feed for slow steady growth.
But now with Nutrilife I’m not seeing the smaller firm stools I used to even in my two adults, it’s almost as though they suddenly changed the formula to more filler or a different supplier.
I have had only one puppy with cocidia many years ago, he got it when I visted “my” breeder and we went to a show together with her dogs and my adult, we put my puppy in one of her kennel runs that had a dirt/gravel floor, when we came back my puppy had excavated holes while we were gone.
Shortly after that he started getting foul smelling bloody diarreah and sure enough it was coccsidia.
My puppies don’t have diarreah as in squirting liquid, and it’s not foul smelling or the like, it’s just soft very poorly formed stool that comes after going once and having a more firm stool, and a few minutes later going again to finish and it’s soft and doesn’t pick up cleanly.
Remember what I said earlier- the Nutrilife bag suggests about 4-3/4 to 5 cups for giant breed puppies, 12 weeks/30# and they are getting 7-1/2 cups and still pretty thin, so to me it’s more of a loose stool from eating too much feed along with possibly a formula change. They clearly are not doing well on this brand.

We’ll see what happens on wellness.

[InkedMarie]

I suggest you go to the Diet & Health forum here, on top is a stickie about large breed puppy food.

[pugmomsandy]

Here is the article for large breed puppy food in case you haven’t seen it yet:

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

There’s a handy calculator in the article you can use when looking at various foods.

The Editor’s Choice (paid subscription) area has a list of some puppy foods that are appropriate for lg breed pups.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Wolff-
I agree wich zcRiley, you should stick to a puppy or an all life stages food with the appropriate calcium level for your new large breed pups.

Also, I would have a fecal test done to rule out parasites. Giardia and Coccidia are sometimes hard to detect and regular dewormers do not get rid of either one of these conditions. They both also can cause intermittent loose stools or diarrhea and they are both fairly common in puppies.

Wellness Core is an excellent choice. Good luck!

[Rachel K]

Hi- I’m new to blogs, forums, and posting things. I just purchased a Great Dane male puppy that will be ready for pick up at 8weeks(5/24/15). Everything i’m reading states i should feed him large breed adult food b/c the puppy food has too much protein and additives. Does anyone use BlueBuffalo? If so, is there a particular kind you like? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[zcRiley]

All puppies’ digestive tracts are a bit different & dietary changes will occur as they age. If you’re able to, give them food for “puppies” (very different nutrient levels from adult food). Then take them off of it after they’re 1 yr. old (since they’re big breed). They may have been allergic to the grains etc. in NutriLife All Gold (Brown Rice, Pearled Barley, Oat Meal, White Rice, Brewers Dried Yeast, Alfalfa Meal). Also ask your vet if a full thyroid panel test would be a good idea (increased metabolism with concurrent weight loss issue).

Wellness CORE Grain-Free Puppy Formula is a great choice. Orijen Puppy Large Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is outstanding. But as I said, it’s all trial and error until A) you like what you’re buying & B) you see outstanding stools & weight formation that’s appropriate.

If you’re not already, spread out the meals as evenly as you can during waking hours, small portions equal to the daily amount (or what they’ll consume) 3 to 4 times per day. It’s easier on their tummies.

[wolff]

Wellness core puppy:
Calorie Content: This food contains 3,792 kcal per kilogram or 417 kcal per cup ME

Adult large breed:
Calorie Content: This food contains 3,540 kcal/kg or 346 kcal/cup ME

Nutri Life All Gold:
KCAL/CUP = 375

[Amy G]

I just started a small pet store and was looking for a high quality pet food that was a good price – I came across a company called Life’s Abundance – It’s developed by a vet and is very healthy for all types and sizes of dogs- It only has small and large breed puppy, All stages, weight management and cat choices. It is very easy to choose what to buy and the best thing of all you can order online and it ships directly to your house. The original foods have chicken meal for the first ingredient but I called the company and they explained that it is chicken breasts that are dehydrated and turned into meal – this company uses no preservatives so it has been made from 4 to 8 weeks when it arrives at your door. If you want to watch a video for information go to https://vimeo.com/lifesabundance
If you want to order you can go to my site at healthypetswer.com and it will ship to your house. PLEASE watch the video first it is very impressive !!!!
Amy
healthypetswer.com
Paws & Whiskers Boutique and Biscuits
[email protected]

[Amy G]

I just started a small pet store and was looking for a high quality pet food that was a good price – I came across a company called Life’s Abundance – It’s developed by a vet and is very healthy for all types and sizes of dogs- It only has small and large breed puppy, All stages, weight management and cat choices. It is very easy to choose what to buy and the best thing of all you can order online and it ships directly to your house. The original foods have chicken meal for the first ingredient but I called the company and they explained that it is chicken breasts that are dehydrated and turned into meal – this company uses no preservatives so it has been made from 4 to 8 weeks when it arrives at your door. If you want to watch a video for information go to https://vimeo.com/lifesabundance
If you want to order you can go to my site at healthypetswer.com and it will ship to your house. PLEASE watch the video first it is very impressive !!!!
Amy
Paws & Whiskers Boutique and Biscuits
[email protected]

[Alice B]

How much food do you feed each time? 1 cup, 2 cups, etc.? and do you keep a bowl of water always available? I haven’t had a puppy in several years and previously we feed 3 times a day 1 cup serving each time up to 4 months, then switched to 2 cups and if they ate it all fine, if not this was fine too. The puppy I am getting is a large breed and I want to feed a good 4 star or above grain free food. Any suggestions?

[Dog_Obsessed]

Hi! Large Breed Puppies have special requirements, and so you will need a food that meets those for the first few years of life. Learn more about that here: /best-dog-foods/best-large-breed-puppy-food/

Here is the forum topic about LBP food. /forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/ Midway through page 15, there is a link to a list of foods that meet the LBP standards. Many of them are grain-free, and all are rated at least 4 stars by DFA.

I hope these are helpful!

[tt w]

I’m getting a St. Bernard puppy soon ,and have been researching possible diets. Of course I’m aware raw-feeding is the best option, but for an adult st. bernard, it would cost close to 300 dollars a month! Are there any good alternatives either kibble or wet food that are mostly protein, grain-free, and suitable for large breeds? I’m also in Canada, so anything available here would be great!

[losul]

Hello Aimee
I’m glad my pup raising days (and child raising days) are long past 🙂 or I’d have to study all over again to get enough confidence to homemake even then half of a pup’s food properly. I think it’s very important to start off a pup on good foundation to health early for the proper build of health throughout life. And then to think that someone could be using an exclusive food (most of us regulars here on DFA never would ) through gestation, nursing, puppiehood, and adult hood, one should be even more careful. if I did ever aquire another puppy, not at all likely, but I’d definitely want to see that at least some wholesome rawness was a part of the diet, but I’d also want to make certain it was properly formulated, and well rounded with wholesome ingredients, whether formulated by myself or someone else. Getting the macronutrients right at the VERY least, and not dependent to any large degree on any one formulation.

But I also think many raw maunufacturers face a dilemma, do they add a bunch of vitamins/minerals, many of them perhaps needlessly, and some perhaps harmfully,
in order to be able to put that AAFCO label on them? I think AAFCO guidelines were
designed for and are a must for heavily processed foods, the most so being kibble,
and even much more so when low grade, questionable, and inadequate ingredients are
used. I can’t imagine how nutritionally devoid most kibbles would be without rather
heavily added vitamins/minerals.

But, if you take vitamin E for example. It gets used up with time, processing, and
natural peroxidation/oxidation of fats, especially the sensitive, unstable fats.
What vitamin E added when a kibble is made, needs to be sufficient throughout the
manufacturing process, the time that the kibble is stored, and then throughout the
time someone is feeding the bag. Probably if measured at the time a kibble is fed,
it would be a very small fraction left of the original vitamin E included
originally, but hopefully it would still retain at least some smaller amount. I
think the AAFCO guidelines likely allow for these losses.
Whereas a raw, minimally, but properly processed diet, fed immediately, or that is
frozen in well sealed packages is going to retain most of the original vitamin E.
The food/fats is still going to undergo some peroxidation, albeit at a much, much
slower rate. I believe to much vitamin E can be very harmful, just like to much
much of many other added nutrients. Even AAFCO is concerned with overnutrition.
“Maximum levels of intake of some nutrients have been established for the first
time because of concern that overnutrition, rather than undernutrition, is a bigger
problem with many pet foods today.” I’m satisfied that Allprovide has more than
sufficient of vitamin E in that food for MY dog, with the added wheat germ oil.

Another example, I think you know of the importance of vitamin D in regulating
uptake of calcium and some other minerals. Probably you also know the detrimental
effects of to much vitamin D in supplemetation, including possible hypercalcemia.
And we have both seen how many raw foods, both homemade recipes and some
commercially prepared, appear to be “deficient” in vitamin D when going by AAFCO
guidelines.
I found this study interesting, “Some Observations on the Dietary Vitamin D
Requirement of Weanling Pups” and the conclusion; “Dogs fed diets with and without
supplemental cholecalciferol did not differ in growth rate, food consumption or
selected serum or urine values. Likewise,there were no differences between the two
of response to added cholecalcifrol was probably due to adequate levels of calcium
and phosphorus in the base diet and possible synthesis of vitamin D. However, it is
possible that some vitamin D could have been present in one or more of the
ingredients of the basal diet. It has been suggested that dogs may only require
additional vitamin D when there is a mineral deficiency or imbalance in the diet
(11). However, one study reported canine rickets in diets containing 1.2% calcium
and 1% phosphorus (6).It has been reported that carnivores may not possess the
mechanism of vitamin D synthesis in the skin (7). Another study demonstrated that
dogs fed a nonpurified diet without added vitamin D under conditions of total
darkness did not exhibit bone defects (Kealy,unpublished data). Previous reports
did not record the ultraviolet light status of the environment. It is not
understood at this time how the dog acquires sufficient vitamin D for metabolism.
Part of the explanation appears to be related to a very low vitamin D requirement
in the presence of adequate dietary mineral balance.The observation that large
breed dogs raised in indoor-outdoor kennel runs do not require added vitamin D is
important <b>because supplemental vitamin D, calcium and phosphorus are frequently
recommended and used at levels in excess of the nutritional require
ments of the dog, presumably to enhance bone growth and development. The data
reported here suggest that supplementation of nonpurified, commercially available
dog foods with vitamin D may not be necessary.</b>

http://www.2ndchance.info/homemadediet-Kealy1991.pdf

Aimee, I know you’ve expounded about the blatant abuse of some other raw manufacturers in applying the AAFCO label of completeness on their foods, and I largely agree with many of your points, especially when it comes to all life stages/puppy, and especially the macronutrients Ca,P. etc.

I never expected you to approve of this one either. But for us, the puppy blend, good quality balanced proteins and well balanced fats, The meat, bone and beef organs in the proper proportions, and it’s other rounded whole food additions, and it’s 95% of the way there for us. I have a few more questions to ask, but as it stands for now, when my food supply runs down some, I intend to buy some Allprovide puppy blend and use at least as a sometimes meal/topper for my adult. It can replace some of the to expensive canned foods we’ve been using for the second meal of the day. I see it as a step up and less money too. The first meal will still always be raw homemade, or another solid commercial brand raw. If I did see a long list of added synthetic vitamins/minerals, for me, I’d likely just pass on this food. I’d still really appreciate someone (Dori?) to take a visit to them and report back.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 8 months ago by losul.

[DogFoodie]

Excess Calcium contributes to skeletal disorders, NOT protein.

First, read this article recently published by Dr. Mike: /best-dog-foods/best-large-breed-puppy-food/

Take a look at this thread and read at least the first several pages (taking particular note of information and links posted by Hound Dog Mom) for lots of additional information: /forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/

Here’s a list of foods (which appears on page 36 of the above thread) that have appropriate Calcium levels for large and giant breed puppies: https://docs.google.com/a/dogfoodadvisor.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFTXhUdi1KazFzSUk/edit?pli=1

[Carol W]

Hi. I recently bought a German Shepherd puppy that I’ve had on a high quality brand of puppy food, but just the other day, I was told by a professional handler that with large breeds, that’s not always a good thing. The puppy foods usually contain high percentages of protein that can cause problems with bone development happening too fast. She advised me to switch to a good adult brand to prevent this from happening. Just something to consider, especially with a large breed like a Mastiff.

[Ellen D]

I think I have decided what I would like to do in terms of feeding my puppy. Background: he’s about 25 lbs, labradoodle, 14 weeks, should be around 65 lbs full grown. He is a picky and light eater, so I’ve been trying to do 4 meals per day but he just isn’t that interested in food so now it’s 3 meals.

This is what I’d like to do in my perfect world. Can anyone tell me if this would work or help tweak it?

–AM meal – either homemade or pre-made raw. I have a trusted recipe for homemade when I have the time to make some. Pre-made would either be Darwin’s or Allprovide, depending on which he prefers.
–Lunch – this is where it gets trick. He goes to day care 3 days per week, and they will only feed kibble. They will not mix anything with water, open cans, etc. Has to be non-perishable something. And if he doesn’t eat lunch, he will sometimes vomit, not to mention he is already bordering on underweight. So he needs something. The other 2 days my sister in law serves as our dog walker and can feed him anything I ask her.
–PM meal – I would like this to typically be RMBs, such as chicken backs/necks/wings to begin with and progressing from there. He already gets a raw chicken wing a couple times a week and loves it.

In order to figure out portions, would I just take each meal separately and divide it in 1/3? So give 1/3 of what would be a total day’s worth of food of each the pre-made/homemade, kibble, and RMBs? I would add his supplemental items either at breakfast or dinner – organ meats, probiotics, and sardines/fish oil/yogurt, etc.

I have looked into things like a “better” kibble – ziwipeak was the only thing I could find that seemed to fit the bill. However, their maximum calcium level in their “kibble” is like 2% which is way too high for a largeish breed puppy. Do you think I could get away with giving this at lunch and then having dinner on those days be meat without bones? Does it balance out like that, or is the calcium ratio a per meal type of deal?

[Ellen D]

Hello –

I have a 3 month old labradoodle puppy. He was 20 lbs a week ago, so I’d think he’s between 20 and 25 now. He’ll be about 65 pounds full grown most likely.

I’m currently feeding him Nature’s Variety Instinct Large Puppy kibble, which I’ve now realized is even too high in calcium for him. He gets some Stella & Chewy meal mixer in with breakfast and I always give him either a scrambled egg, cottage cheese, pumpkin, or some plain meat chunks with dinner – lunch is plain kibble, as that’s at the day care most days. He gets a raw chicken wing or thigh as a treat a couple times a week right now.

I’m going to plead ignorance and admit that I thought I was doing a great thing by getting him “fancy” kibble and only realized a week into having him that there’s much, much more to dog food than dry kibble.

So my dilemma:

–I need to provide him with some form of kibble or dry-fed food for various reasons – the day care can’t mix his food, I do travel from time to time on business so he may need to be boarded 3-4 days per month, and I’m afraid if I stop kibble altogether he might refuse it while I’m away and be a very hungry boy when I return. However, this doesn’t have to continue to be a significant portion of his food. I am happy to keep it just to stuff Kongs/food toys so he stays used to it, but I need to have some on hand. I’ve narrowed this down to – Annamaet Salcha, Avoderm Turkey, or Fromm Beef Frittata.

–I am very interested in a raw diet for him, but I can’t decide what to do here. I’d like to have some freeze-dried product on hand (narrowed down to NRG Maxim and THK Love) for convenience. But ultimately, once he’s down to 2 meals per day from 3, I’d like to go as full raw as I can do – whether it be commercial or homemade or a combo. I have found what I am confident is a very good and versatile homemade recipe (from Ottowa Valley Dog Whisperer – are we allowed to post links here?). My one and only issue with this recipe is I need to sit down and do some maths and figure out what to add in terms of calcium – if I need to alter the recommendation in the recipe based on having a largish breed puppy.

–I am also interested in supplementing with raw meaty bones, as my dog really enjoys his chicken wings and chews them very nicely. Is it okay to just use rmbs as a supplement/treat kind of deal? Could/should I give him one daily or just a few times a week or is it better to just replace a whole meal with them? I would vary the meat/bone source often.

I’m trying to do the right and best thing for my puppy, and I’m 100% open to suggestions and criticism about my plans. I welcome any and all advice, as I’m new to this and my head is just spinning. Added to this is that my wife travels 5 days a week, I work full time outside the home, and we have a 4 year old (human) daughter as well as 2 cats and about 200 fish haha! So I’m a single parent 5 days a week. I’m really at the mercy of convenience. However, I can manage an evening cooking session once a week or a couple times a month and can freeze portion sized amounts. It’s just a matter of figuring out that pesky calcium balance. The recipe calls for powdered eggshell or bone meal. OR I can add whole prey meat to the recipe – I assume I would grind this – and omit the eggshell.

If I were to make the homemade diet, I feel like I would probably feed that for 2 meals per day and continue with kibble for 1 meal. And then when pup’s down to 2 meals, perhaps full homemade with kibble in the kong or as hand fed treats so he stays accustomed to it.

Last question – there doesn’t seem to be a lot of question/issue with feeding raw meaty bones or prey model diets to large breed puppies. Does the nature of a raw diet negate the need to watch the calcium levels so closely?

[aquariangt]

Both brands are really good. If you head over to the canine nutrition forum, and look at large and giant breed puppy food, Hound Dog Mom has a lot of really good links to LGP nutrition articles. On page 35 or 36 she has a list of 4-5 star foods that fall into the acceptable calcium and nutrition levels for a large breed pup. I believe Orijen didn’t actually fall into the acceptable levels, so I’d lean Wellness CORE. Double check the list though, it’s quite useful. I suggest picking 3-5 foods and rotating, and try to get different protein sources. Start with a bag of whatever the breeder was on though, too much change in that first week can be tough on the pup.

All of this is just from my reading, I haven’t had a large breed puppy in…18 years? A while at least 🙂

[crazy4cats]

Hi Trevor’s puppy parent:

Congrats on your new addition! It is a little unusual for Labs to be picky. I have two very unpicky labs. LOL! I don’t know if you have checked out any of the various articles on this site, but there are a few that contain valuable information for feeding large breed pups. They have special requirements to help with keeping their joints healthy while they are growing. The biggest being calcium levels in food. Here is a link with helpful information:
/best-dog-foods/best-large-breed-puppy-food/

Here is another link with recommended foods for large breed puppies:
/forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/page/36/

Please write back with any other questions you may have. Thank you for rescuing a puppy and good luck!

[Ashley M]

Hello,

I have a six month old lab puppy who seems to have food allergy or food intolerance. We started him on Nature’s Balance Large Breed Puppy and he would get awful tummy aches to the point of curling up on the floor and crying in pain for extended periods of time.

After several trips to the vet along with x-rays, blood tests, and an ultrasound trying to figure out what was wrong and being told repeatedly by the vet that it was not food intolerance or allergy I asked her to please recommend a starter food that they would give a dog who does have food intolerance. She went ahead and prescribed Hills Science Diet Branch I/D. Its been two months and Jaxon (my puppy) hasn’t had any of those awful tummy aches since.

That said, Jaxon is still not on the right food in my opinion. I feel in the long run Science Diet is a poor brand of food (the ingredients don’t strike me as high quality) and the ID formula isn’t right for a large breed puppy. I am terrified to transition him to anything else though and don’t know where to begin. My vet of course recommended Science Diet or Royal Canine Large Breed puppy. After thoroughly reading about both recommendations on this website I definitely do not want to feed Jaxon either of those. Can anyone give me a recommendation of other foods to research for a puppy who has a sensitive tummy or food allergy even though I have not been able to determine what exact ingredient causes this? Or possibly point me to a website that has more information on how to navigate through feeding a puppy with food issues? Thank you!

[Madelon H]

Hound dog mom – please help!!! After reading everything and researching food I’m still confused and stressed and my husband is threatening to divorce me! I have a 12 month GSD who is solid black. I’m very protective because we got him from a great breeder but he had issues when he was little – despite giving medicine from breeder he had a parasite and horrible diahrea after treating parasite. I switched his food to royal canine gs puppy (recommended by my vet) and his stools firmed up and he’s done great. His trainer recently said RC is crap food and recommended Merrick – after researching I both agree and disagree. I talked to the breeder and she said she likes RC because they have not jumped on the advertising bandwagon of trying to list ingredients that consumers want and because they have prescription food they actually DNA test their food. So I’m still soooooo confused – thinking of switching him to Fromm large breed – please help – what do you recommend? I just want him to be healthy after his horrible start in life – I even spent the money to have him tested as a puppy for that genetic digestive disorder because I was so worried – $500 later it was negative 🙂

[crazy4cats]

Hi Nancy D-

/frequently-asked-questions/aafco-nutrient-profiles/

The above is a link to information on AAFCO standards. To date there are only two categories: 1.) Adult Maintenance and 2.) Growth and Reproduction. The growth and reproduction includes puppy and all life stages dog food. There is no official large breed category. Therefore, when a company labels a bag as such, it is their interpretation of what a large breed dog food should be. Since I have large breed dogs, I have looked at large breed dog food and have found that most companies decrease the protein as well as fat in their LB recipes.

So, you just have to read the ingredients and the guaranteed analysis on the bag to see if it fits your needs. I have actually fed my dogs who are three years old food labeled as senior food because I liked the fact that it was lower in fat than their all life stages recipe.

Hope this helps!

[crazy4cats]

Hi merleGDgirl!
How exciting a new giant puppy! I have two large breed dogs, but didn’t know about this site when they were small pups. Fortunately, their hips and joints seem fine so far at 3 1/2 years old. On this site, the creator and most participating members believe that it is OK to feed puppy food and higher protein to large and giant breed pups. It is the calcium level that is the major concern. Please check out the link that Dog Obsessed provided up above to help with the appropriate calcium levels.

I think that Wellness Core puppy food would be a great choice. It is a fan favorite on this site and better than that your very own sister has had good luck with it. You will probably want to feed your new pup whatever the breeder is feeding it for a while until everything gets settled down. There are already enough changes going on for that pup at first without changing that too!

I wish you well with your new adventure! Let us know how things go!