My 10-week-old Shiloh Shepherd, Galen, is now on Holistic Select Large and Giant Breed Puppy Health Lamb and Oatmeal Recipe Dry Dog Food. He loves the food, and his stool consistency is great! His growth hasn’t been as fast as some of his siblings, but I see that as a good thing, for the vet says he’s a perfect weight for his frame and in great health. This looks to be taking excellent care of his joints. After all, when it comes to growth, it’s not a matter of how quickly one grows, and in large dogs it’s better that it be slow and steady (but he still grew 20% in 10 days- 20 to 24 lbs). The genes will dictate the final size.
It’s important that I look after Galen’s joints properly, for he’s training to be a service dog, to help with my PTSD and spine injuries. I was fortunate enough to find an organization that is quite happy to help train owner raised dogs, for after the Shiloh Shepherd I rescued 20 years ago (I didn’t even know he was a Shiloh at the time), I knew the breed has what is perfect for my needs.
I have 2 Goldens. Oliver, now 2 was raised on Orijen large breed puppy and continues to eat grain free. Leo, now 5 months is eating Fromms large breed puppy, but I am transitioning him to Orijen, so he too can be grain free. Wellness Core Puppy would be my next choice. And besides being grainfree, (Goldies are notorious for skin issues,) both foods, Orijen and Wellness, have the DFA’s 5 star rating and are for large breed puppies. That helped me decide. Also, there is a new article about feeding large breed puppies on this site you will find helpful! Make sure you switch foods gradually if you change them. I made that mistake with Leo, and have changed my definition of “gradually.” Hope this helps!
Hi Denise,
I’ve always had Labs, they do like to get heavy so I have to constantly watch intake. During growth I always fed a large breed puppy food, preferably one that underwent feeding trials
until about 90% full grown around a year of age.
Dr Mike has an excellent article on large breed growth /best-dog-foods/best-large-breed-puppy-food/
and more information can be found here as well http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=3501
Have fun!
Hi Denise-
I would keep your lab on puppy or all life stages food until she is full grown. She is still growing and needs the extras that are provided in the puppy food. You could always cut back on the amount you are feeding her to make sure she does not get overweight. Take a look at the following link for more information on feeding large breed puppies:
/best-dog-foods/best-large-breed-puppy-food/
Have fun with your pup. I bet she is adorable. š
Hi, we have a 13 week old male golden retriever puppy. We’ve been feeding him Orijen Large Breed Puppy and he LOVES it but he has so much gas from it. We’ve tried adding probiotics and a bit of pumpkin to see if it would help, but it hasn’t helped at all. He has solid stools, it’s really just how much gas he has. Can anyone recommend other large breed grain free puppy foods that we should switch too? I’ve read many articles on this and looked at the Word document, I just really don’t know which one to switch to. Any input is greatly appreciated, thanks!
I would like to start feeding my dogs real food – meats, veggies, fruits (whole food/clean eating for dogs?) because I feel our mid-grade dog food formula has changed and ‘high-quality’ foods seem way too expensive for my large breeds. I really don’t know where to start or how much to feed. I’ve done boiled chicken or beef and rice when one was sick as a puppy and it worked really well for her. We have a 95 lb chocolate lab/possible great dane mix who is 5 years old, and a lab/mastiff mix who is 1 year old and about 75-80 lbs. The older dog has always seemed like he’s starving by the time dinnertime comes around, although that could be a behavioral issue since he is a rescue who was found roaming the woods and finally captured after several weeks. The younger dog has suddenly taken to eating the other dog’s poo (sorry, so gross). I just feel they aren’t getting the proper nutrition. They really like carrots, pumpkin and sweet potato!
Joni –
The review for Flint River Ranch foods can be found here. You’ll see the overall the brand has been rated 3.5 stars which the individual formulas ranging in rating from 2 stars to 4 stars.
As far as appropriateness for large breed puppies, I quickly did out the math for the original puppy/adult formula and at 3.3 g calcium per 1,000 kcal. it looks okay. I’m not going to go through all the formulas but if there’s another formula you’re interested in just multiply the % calcium by 1,000 to get grams of calcium per kg and the kcal. per lb. by 2.2 to get kcal. per kg. Then divide the grams of calcium per kg. by the kcal. per kg. Multiply that by 1000. You’re looking for 3.5 or less.
I need some help. I have a 1 year old large Rhodesian Ridgeback. We have had food issues from the beginning with him. The breeder had him on a mix of Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula and Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy. When we got him at 8 weeks we transitioned him to straight Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula. Shortly after this transition he started having some difficulty having a bowel movement. He would go once regular, and then shortly after he would go again but it would be very skinny. Sometimes he would continue to try to go for sometime afterwards with nothing coming out. Our vet said it was probably just a nerve that wasnāt fully developed yet and that was making him feel like he needed to keep going. She said as long as he was having regular bowel movements, and he wasnāt vomiting, we shouldnāt worry and it would probably clear up on itās own. At our five month check up, I brought it up again because it seemed to be getting worse. She did an x-ray and determined he was backed up, his stomach was still very full of food (even though it had been several hours since he ate) and he had several pockets of gas. She said there were a few places where his bowel looked inflamed and thickened. She put him on a pro-biotic and an anti-inflammatory pill for a week. It wasnāt any better on the medication. She was concerned that his stomach wasnāt emptying property and his waste wasnāt moving through the bowel as it should. She did a barium study to rule out any internal issues. Everything came back normal so she said it must be the food and recommended their in-house brand Prescription Diet D/D. After research, I decided not to try that kind, but instead find a food that was rated 4 or 5 that agreed with him. We spent the next 3 months transitioning to different foods. We tried other flavors of Taste of the Wild, Diamond Naturals Grain Free Beef and Sweet Potato, and one other, I canāt remember the name of at the moment. Some caused diarrhea, some made his bowel movement issues worse and he strained more. Finally, we tried Merrick Grain Free Buffalo and his bowel movements got drastically better. I still donāt believe they are 100% normal, but at least to the point where he wasnāt straining or trying to go for an extended time with nothing coming out. He has been on this for 4 with no changes or issues. I just bought another bag and it has caused HORRIBLE, uncontrollable diarrhea. We have taken it away, fed rice and pumpkin, twice. Each time we start mixing a little of the food back in, one feeding of less than 1/4 of a cup of food in 1 cup of rice/pumpkin mix, causes horrible diarrhea again. The second time we took it away we took him to the vet and she put him on a pro-biotic and an antibiotic. He was on those medicines and rice and pumpkin only for a week. When we reintroduced, it was the same thing. I have emailed the company. Iām not sure if we just got a bad batch or we need to switch foods. Should I just go buy another bag of Merrick and hope it isnāt the same batch and it works? Should I try the Chicken Merrick? My store only stocks a few bags at a time, and I am worried they are from the same batch. I have spent the morning researching foods. Some grain free options I have come up with that our local stores sell are: Blue Wilderness, Wellness Core, and Earthborn. I would be willing to order something but I have nothing except for the potentially bad Merrick to mix with so we would be starting something new without a transition. I am wondering now if maybe he needs grains or even if he could possibly have colitis and need a high fiber diet? Does anyone have some insight or suggestions for me? Thanks!
I need some help. I have a 1 year old large Rhodesian Ridgeback. We have had food issues from the beginning with him. The breeder had him on a mix of Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula and Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy. When we got him at 8 weeks we transitioned him to straight Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula. Shortly after this transition he started having some difficulty having a bowel movement. He would go once regular, and then shortly after he would go again but it would be very skinny. Sometimes he would continue to try to go for sometime afterwards with nothing coming out. Our vet said it was probably just a nerve that wasnāt fully developed yet and that was making him feel like he needed to keep going. She said as long as he was having regular bowel movements, and he wasnāt vomiting, we shouldnāt worry and it would probably clear up on itās own. At our five month check up, I brought it up again because it seemed to be getting worse. She did an x-ray and determined he was backed up, his stomach was still very full of food (even though it had been several hours since he ate) and he had several pockets of gas. She said there were a few places where his bowel looked inflamed and thickened. She put him on a pro-biotic and an anti-inflammatory pill for a week. It wasnāt any better on the medication. She was concerned that his stomach wasn’t emptying property and his waste wasn’t moving through the bowel as it should. She did a barium study to rule out any internal issues. Everything came back normal so she said it must be the food and recommended their in-house brand Prescription Diet D/D. After research, I decided not to try that kind, but instead find a food that was rated 4 or 5 that agreed with him. We spent the next 3 months transitioning to different foods. We tried other flavors of Taste of the Wild, Diamond Naturals Grain Free Beef and Sweet Potato, and one other, I can’t remember the name of at the moment. Some caused diarrhea, some made his bowel movement issues worse and he strained more. Finally, we tried Merrick Grain Free Buffalo and his bowel movements got drastically better. I still don’t believe they are 100% normal, but at least to the point where he wasn’t straining or trying to go for an extended time with nothing coming out. He has been on this for 4 with no changes or issues. I just bought another bag and it has caused HORRIBLE, uncontrollable diarrhea. We have taken it away, fed rice and pumpkin, twice. Each time we start mixing a little of the food back in, one feeding of less than 1/4 of a cup of food in 1 cup of rice/pumpkin mix, causes horrible diarrhea again. The second time we took it away we took him to the vet and she put him on a pro-biotic and an antibiotic. He was on those medicines and rice and pumpkin only for a week. When we reintroduced, it was the same thing. I have emailed the company. I’m not sure if we just got a bad batch or we need to switch foods. Should I just go buy another bag of Merrick and hope it isn’t the same batch and it works? Should I try the Chicken Merrick? My store only stocks a few bags at a time, and I am worried they are from the same batch. I have spent the morning researching foods. Some options I have come up with that our local stores sell are: Blue Wilderness, Wellness Core, and Earthborn. Does anyone have some insight or suggestions for me? Thanks!
Hi! I’ve read a ton on this website and learned a lot. I looked around for a search box to specifically search this thread, but didn’t see one, so I apologize if this has (which I’m sure) been addressed.
How long should a large breed puppy (Golden Retriever) be on an appropriately balanced puppy food? 12mo? 18mo? 24mo?
And a somewhat related question…
I did have a litter of Golden pups. One male in particular has been big from the start. I didn’t see any particular teat hogging. Since they’ve been on solids the whole litter gets the same amount but these this guy is huge. They are 8 weeks today and he weighs 16ish# He has a big head and big, thick legs, and big feet. Much bigger than the rest. He’s probably just a big boy but, I’m now suddenly panicked that I’ve fed too much (Wellness CORE puppy) and he’s grown too quickly and put undue stress on his joints.
Any advice or reassurance?? Thanks
Hi Crystal:
Large and giant breed puppies have special nutritional requirements. You can read more about that here:
/best-dog-foods/best-large-breed-puppy-food/
Check out this thread for more info. I suggest reading the first 3 or 4 pages and the links provided on the first page.
/forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/
Here is a link to a document with foods recommended for large and giant breed dogs. Look for a post by Hound Dog Mom dated October 2, 2013 at 4:22 pm. If you choose a food from the list you should check with the manufacturer to be sure the food still falls within the recommended parameters:
/forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/page/36/
You can also join the Dog Food Advisor Editors Choice for a more updated list of recommended puppy foods for large and giant breed dogs. Have fun with your pup!
I was interested in your opinion of Flint River dry dog food, both for adult and large breed puppy?
Thx
Joni Poole
Hi, I have a 12 week old lab, lucy. She weighs almost 30ibs. I got her when she was 5 weeks. We started feeding her Hills ideal balance which gave her continuous uti’s, we switched and she is now on Authority puppy large breed chicken. She is doing fine on it, but I saw on this site it has only a 3.5 star rating. Is it actually not good for her, is there something better?
Thanks for reading and your input.
My four month old newfie’s father weighs 200 lbs. I have already tried two different Candidae foods for him and he gets terrible diarrhea. The breeder had him on Kirland Puppy and Pedigree. I want to feed him something higher quality but not so rich as to cause diarrhea. It gets very confusing as some people say the higher fat and protein causes diarrhea, yet others say it’s the grains. I am considering Orijen Large Breed Puppy or Castor and Pollux. Does anyone have any input on these or other foods for giant breed puppies that doesn’t cause diarrhea? Thank you so very much.
Hi-
Most of us that post regularly on this site lean towards feeding grain free. But that is not to say that all grain free foods are superiior. Many are full of starchy peas and potatoes. It just depends on the food and your dogs. I feed both. It’s best to try to maximize protein and minimize carbs. In the case of large breed pups, I think feeding a reputable brand with the appropriate calcium levels is the most important. You will want them to stay on a puppy or all life stages food until they are at least a year old to give your dogs the best shot at avoiding joint issues. Like mentioned above, there is a list of recommended foods on the large breed puppy thread on this forum on page 35 or 36. Also, the editor’s choice section has some listed as well. It’s best to keep the calcium percentage between .9 and 1.35 max. Good luck!
5-6 months is too young for a large breed puppy to change foods. Check out the large and giant breed puppy thread and read through the information there. There is also a list of foods that meet the criteria for a lgp, around page 35.
Please Help. I have an 8 month old Old English sheepdog pup. I startd him on nutro natural lamb and rice. His poop was soft and smelled horrible. I read the ingredients to my vet. When I got to the “chicken fat”, he said to find a food with only plain lamb. All I could find at thistime was Natural Balance, puppies to adults large breed food. He has been on this until now. He is 8 months old, weighs 69 lbs,. His mom weighs 50 lbs, his dad weighs 95 lbs. The protein content is only 21 % The calaium is 1% and Phos is 0.8%. I am worried that the protein is to low., but this food has kept his poop great. I tried switching to Fromm LB puppy, but the stools were mushy and smelly again. Did I go too fast or was it the chicken formula. TOTW has a Pacific stream puppy but not large breed. protein 26 % ca 1.2, Phos 1. I also heard about Canine Cavier for LB puppy. 25% protein and acceptable ca and PH according to dog food forum. As you can see, I am driving myself crazy. We live in an apartment in NY so I am thinking he doesn’t need a very high protein, but am I wrong??? My vet is no help in nutrition. PLEASE ADVISE .
Ellen
What type of dog is it? I know it depends on the breed. I am currently using Salmon Oil for our 4 month old Bullmastiff and I also give it to our adult dog. I just figured since fish oil is good for humans, probably good for dogs too. The claims on the product seem great also and include helping keep their coat nice, heart health, etc. But, I would be curious to know if it has an actual benefit or is just wasteful.
Also, I was going to put my puppy on a puppy vitamin but since she is large breed, I read a lot of articles against it. For the simple reason that if a puppy gets too many vitamins and supplements, could be bad for them long term. I don’t want to risk that.
I would say the most important thing to consider is that if your puppy is on a high quality food, they shouldn’t need additional supplements.
Ok I have a small breed puppy(chihuahua/mix) that is 9 weeks old and 7lbs. He was weened with purina puppy chow, and I’m almost done with the bag. I know the puppy chow is not very good so I’m looking for something better, however I’m not looking to spend $30 bucks on a 6lb bag of dry food.
I have read about puppy and adult food and it seems that the large breed puppies are the ones that need the puppy formulas. So can I switch to adult small breed food now or do I need to keep giving him puppy formula food and for how long?
I’m looking at a couple brands I can get local, pure balance, purina smartblend, Innova, iams naturals, natural choice. Just to give y’all an idea where I’m at, I would like to be around $20-$30 a 10-15lb bag. What do y’all recommend, I’m trying to stay away from cheap corn food, but not wanting to make the jump to overpriced organic food. My dog I had when I was a kid lived 15 years on pedigree and was healthy until the last 6 months, and I know many other dogs that eat the same without problems but I figure for less than $10 a month I can give my dog a better diet.
Thanks for any answers.
Hi Karen T-
I would definitely error on the side of caution and feed a food that has the proper calcium levels for a large breed puppy. Check out this link:
/best-dog-foods/best-large-breed-puppy-food/
NutriSource has a large breed puppy food that I have heard several recommend, there is also Pro Pac Large Breed puppy and Victor Select Lamb and/or Chicken and Rice recipes that would be appropriate. Wellness Core Puppy is grain free and a little more expensive, but would also be a good choice.
I have two lab mix dogs. They can really be a handful, but the most loving, friendly dogs that we’ve ever had! Good luck. š
At a year old, you can usually feed whatever you want. If, because of his circumstances, you feel he still has a lot of growing to do, not just maturing, but actual growth, then you should definitely keep him on a food for large breed puppies. NutriSource Large Breed Puppy has the appropriate calcium levels, is economical, is well tolerated, and is easy to transition to.
Is there an all life stage dry dog food designed for large breeds, with larger nugget sizes? Should I be feeding my 12 month old great pyrenees/anatolian shepherd large breed puppy food since technically he is still a pup? Just rescued him. When actually being fed, he was fed a crappy dog food that at least had perfectly sized nuggets.
Hi Guys-
There is a fairly new article on the review side of this site that has a calculator and some information on picking an appropriate large breed puppy food.
/best-dog-foods/best-large-breed-puppy-food/
Good luck!
I have a GSD/Doberman mix puppy. She was started on Merrick Grain Free puppy but I then read that the calcium content was too high. I am thinking of Orijen Large Breed puppy but noticed it is not on the list (see below). Can someone tell me why it is not on the list as it is supposed to be a superior dog food?
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFY183Q0NVRXlidWc/edit
Roxie
Go to the Diet and Health Issues forum and read the first few pages in the Large and Giant Breed Puppy Nutrition thread for info on why you should be very careful with LBP nutrition. But you really don’t have to stick with large breed food once they are adults, though you might want to make sure you give joint supplements.
Dori,
Your such a great wealth of knowledge, my little & i mean little experience with foods rotation is basically kibble with a lightly cooked topper of different proteins. I never fed canned.
i am sorry i am picking your brain so much, i really don’t know how to go about all this and then add in my fear well you can guess-
I used to feed Pepper a sardine every day until she couldn’t handle them, then I gave her fish oil-i would puncture a pill, she got beta glucan for her immune system coq10 for her heart 3x a week a Vit C, folic acid also-all human supplements just scaled down to her wt.
now with Millie I don’t want to overload her at this point because she is a puppy, i had planned to introduce the sardines a few times a week soon I think she needs the omega 3.
You know even though millie is eating a high quality kibble Orijen, Horizon legacy, I am starting to think she needs to get away from all kibble.
I have noticed,( funny that you mentioned this )Pepper’s stool has no smell since she has been eating THK, yet Millie’s does & I can only attribute it to the kibble.
I give Millie both the Orijen & Legacy mixed and she is ok with that.
I know she is ok with the orijen freeze dried (that’s what she gets for lunch alone)
I guess I made the mistake of giving her the HK with her kibble & chicken at nite.
I should have introduced THK alone with her protein as a topper.
Dori I will get this, i won’t be bothering you for ever, I am a Leo ,and we are perfectionists (that’s why I suffer from migraines) so i have to get this correct-poor Millie to have me for a mom š
I did create a new topic on Puppy’s and supplements-i just haven’t had a puppy in ages & according to Millie’s breeder she needs nothing ( i don’t agree) but don’t want to go overboard.
I realize you don’t feed kibble but i saw a post where tripe is now made into kibble-petkind.com, I wanted your opinion, I have read here a lot of posters feed canned tripe-that it is good for them, I see that more of the large breed posters feed it, I just didn’t know if breeds like schnauzers would benefit. After all Pepper & Millie are not what you would call “working dogs’ Pep is in retirement & Millie is unemployed
Hound Dog mom, thanks for all your info. I am quite confused after reading all this, vet info, breeder info etc. I am trying to choose a great puppy food and, once he’s full grown, a great adult food, preferably cooked frozen ……for my 5 month Bullmastiff puppy.
After all the reading and because I am not a big raw fan (will feed occasionally as a mix in) I think I prefer the cooked frozen diets as they are not as processed as dry kibble. Sounds like I should stick with the Wellness Large Breed dry puppy food (DFA 5 star) until he is full grown. Then maybe switch to a cooked Frozen food like Maverick’s Nature’s Kitchen (DFA 4.5 stars). I will always mix in healthy human foods, to have variety and excitement.
My bully is now 5 months and 80 lbs should grow to about 140 lbs.
Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated. š
Look in the Diet and Health Issues forum for the Large and Giant Breed Puppy Nutrition thread. On pg 15 in a post by Hound Dog Mom, there is a google doc with a list of foods that are appropriate for large breed puppies. Print up the list and go to Chewy.com and look at the ingredients for those foods and start marking them off. Off the top of my head, Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Turkey would fit your needs, but I’m sure there are others on the list.
We just acquired two large breed puppies (golden retriever mix) for our five kids. FANTASTIC. However, my two sons have severe food allergies. No, they are not eating the dog food, but the allergies are also contact allergies. So, in order to keep the puppies, our dogs have to submit to the same food allergy awareness list as my sons. The big issues are gluten, egg, & nuts. I can easily find adult dry food without those three ingredients but puppy food like this is not so easy to find.
We’ve been using California Natural: Herring and Sweet Potato, which I thought would work since it is egg free and wheat free. But it is not gluten free because of the Barley in it….My son had an allergic reaction to the dog because the dog licked his face. This now precludes my boys from caring for the dogs (feeding and grooming and playing) because of the possible reaction.
Please, any advise would be appreciated. I need large breed dry puppy food without egg, wheat, barley, rye (gluten containing grains). I can easily find the gluten free, but almost ALL puppy food has the egg for the needed fats. AND, GO!
A quick rundown of my dog first– Diesel is about a year and half and has only been on puppy food (Chicken Soup for the Soul Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food). He is a German Shepard-Rotty (prob some lab too) mix, but only about 50lbs. He seems to be getting bored of his current food so I was going to switch him to the Adult Chicken Soup, however, I came across some posts that were very negative about Diamond products, so I figured I would get an entirely new brand. On that same thread, the user mentioned Earthborn Holistics (Primitive Natural Grain-Free Natural Dry Dog Food), and after some research it seemed promising.
Is this a good switch? and should I continue with puppy or switch to Adult?
Thanks a ton for the help!
AC
I have fed
EVO: GF Turkey & Chic, GF Red Meat (Bobby loves) dog kibbles, Turkey & Chic canned dog food, and for cat food 95% Chicken & Turkey canned, and Turkey & Chicken canned. Cats didn’t really like them too much.
Innova: cat & kitten canned (in permanent rotation), Nature’s Table GF Chic & Turkey (cats don’t really like it), and Nature’s Table GF Salmon cat kibbles, for canned dog foods Large Breed Puppy, Large Breed Adult, Adult Low Fat, and Large Breed Senior.
Cali Nat’l: Chic & Brown rice canned dog food, GF Chicken cat & kitten kibble
Fade, hi.
I will second Marie on her comments:
1. Rotation is great, just make sure you do it over a few days. You can also add some canned/dehydrated/freeze-dried/air-dried/raw as toppers every once in a while, as well as maybe some coconut oil or fish oil (for Omega 3s), raw or lightly cooked eggs, and canned sardines, salmon, or jack mackerel (not tuna). Those are really good for dogs. For my 15lb terrier mix I feed one raw egg/week, 1/2 small can of sardines, and coconut oil every other day. I also use dehydrated/air-dried/freeze-dried as toppers on every dinner meal. I used to feed yoghurt too, but Bruno decided he’s had enough of it apparently, lol. But if your dog likes it, it is good stuff too. Kefir also.
2. Many dogs self-regulate, and many don’t. As Marie said, the bag directions are just guidelines, and many dogs require less than the recommended amounts. You should gage by body condition: https://dogchow.com/articles/1871/body-condition and adjust food amounts accordingly. My dog is at the caloric intake of 3/4 cups of food total, 1/2 cup dry and 1/4 cup (or so, calorie-wise) additives (“toppers”). This is within the recommended amounts, but when we used to exercise a lot, twice a day in the hot summer Georgia days, he would eat 3/4 cup of dry with similar amounts of additives. He was lean and mean even though he ate more.
3. As I have a small dog, I can’t tell you about good brands for large dogs, but this thread can: /forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/ Page 15 should have a link to a google doc with all brands written out, how they score, etc. It is an overall great resource for large breed owners.
Good luck, seems like Nala is in good hands! š
Hi all,I’m new here having stumbled onto this site,and what caught my attention are statements about high or low protein.
Also Mike suggests for anyone to share knowledge-so here goes.
I speak with over 50 years of experience of commercial animal production with various species.Nutrition has always been my driving interest and study-by necessity-we had our own feed plant.
I have discovered some amazing things,by following ideas and hunches and putting them into practice.
With nearly all species the protein requirements lessen as animals grow.
With dogs however, it seems to me that manufacturers use high protein as a marketing tool-as users seem to think the higher protein-the better the food!
Puppy biscuits in particular at 29-30% protein and recommended to be fed to 12 and even 24 mths old!
This is a monumental mistake and a major cause of hip Dysplasia in dogs-and I’ll tell you why.
Proteins produce acids-the higher the protein-the more acids. The body attempts to neutralise this by using Calcium from the food intake and,invariably, leeches Calcium from the bones-which in a young pup-which are not born with bones-but need to develop and grow-and the larger the breed the more they have to grow.
2 of these acids cause secretion of the Calcium via the urine.
It is a major although not the only mnutritional cause of CHD.
I have always had large breed dogs as well-the last 15 years as a breeder of Malamutes as a semi retirement pursuit and love of dogs.
As I write this having reared many hundreds of dogs,I am yet to see one with CHD.
Nutrition is by far the most important thing in life of all living things-humans too!
Peter
Large breed puppies have special nutritional needs, which you can learn more about in this article: /best-dog-foods/best-large-breed-puppy-food/
There is also a topic about this in the forums: /forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/#post-62904
If you go to page 15 and scroll down, there is a post by Hound Dog Mom with a google doc containing a list of acceptable foods.
As for your other dog, look around at the reviews of four and five star reviews and choose a few brands. Study the brand’s recall history to make sure they are not recently or frequently recalled. If they are not available locally, then you can order online, some sites that are popular are chewy.com pet flow.com. Stay away from doggiefood.com. It is best to have several brands and formulas to rotate between, because no dog food is perfect.
Good luck, I know it can be overwhelming and confusing looking for good dog food. Feel free to ask any questions!
I own an adult small breed and recently adopted a large/giant breed puppy. What is the best food to buy them. I would love to do raw but can not afford it nor do I have the time to prepare it. I would like to be able to buy them a dry kibble with the occasional wet food, but having a lot of issues finding an appropriate brand. There is a local feed service store which supplies Diamond Naturals grain-free, Loyall, Holistic Blend(currently switching to this brand from Loyall), Summit, and Nutram along with very crappy brands like pedigree and purina. I would love to feed them a 4 star minimum. The small breed is a 16 pound Pomeranian/Shih-Tzu/Poodle male, neutered and the large/giant breed is a 12 Week Shepherd/Mastiff. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.
Sorry, not sure what I’m messing up here.
It has this at the top:
“Large Breed Puppy Food List
Criteria:
-Dry food (kibble or dehydrated).
-Rated at least 4 stars on DFA.
-Grain-free.
-Meets AAFCO nutrient requirements for growth or all life stages.
-3.5 g. calcium per 1,000 kcal. or less.”
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFY183Q0NVRXlidWc/edit
That’s the one I think. I posted the wrong link.
I am looking at the Fromm Gold Holistic Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food.
Seems very affordable and high quality. Might pull the trigger!
Mike Sagman – Thanks for the reply. That article was one of the first things I read here and it was awesome. Always looking to gain more knowledge on the topic. Just need help finding one that fits the criteria and our budget..
crazy4cats – Thanks crazy4cats! I’m going to go down the list and check the websites that were recommended and go with it. The Kirkland puppy food isn’t specific for large breeds so poor little Tanky’s stool is consistently soft/loose. Trying to fix the situation asap!
DogFoodie – While I understand the logic, if that were applied across the board there’s very few companies I’d use in life. Keurig, Coca Cola…I can’t say I’m surprised Costco/Kirkland didn’t reply, and don’t want to rule it out based on that. I would just say it’s icing on the cake for the companies that did respond.
Edit: I see Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain on the list actually. We may just go with that since we’re familiar and have had a good experience. I’ll double check.
InkedMarie – I’m going to do that right now. We want to get something that’s affordable, but above all else provides the nutrition and quality. Definitely not trying to cut corners when it comes to his health and growth. Thanks again.
-Dave
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This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by
David G.
Hi Dave,
As you may already know, large breed puppies have special nutritional needs that are different from those of most other puppies. The following article may help point you in the right direction:
How to Choose the Best Large Breed Puppy Food and Lower Your Petās Risk of Hip Dysplasia
Hope this helps.
Hi Everyone,
We just got our first rottie puppy and have been doing our homework on the large breed puppy foods. There’s so many options it’s almost overwhelming. We give our other German Shepherd mix Kirkland Nature’s Domain, and like it a lot. We feel it’s a great bang for the buck.
Some of these puppy food formulas are almost double $60 – 30lbs. Can anyone recommend an affordable food for our baby boy? I saw somewhere that the Kirkland Natures Domain may be suitable for large breed pups as well.
Thanks. I checked out the google doc as well but it seemed limited because she only had so many companies respond about the calcium levels.
Sorry for the redundancy and thanks in advance!
-Dave
Hi Bill,
hey’re a large breed; I suggest you go to the Diet and Health Issues forum here & read the Large Breed Puppy Nutrition thread. Hound Dog Mom has a list of appropriate foods as a stickie highlighted in yellow. I believe the list is on page 15.
Here’s a great article that Dr. Mike just published on the review side that explains in simple terms the special nutritional requirements that a large breed puppy has: /best-dog-foods/best-large-breed-puppy-food/
Hi Bryana,
I also have a Golden who started out much the same way as yours. I believe the vaccinations may have contributed to some of his early issues. It was my intention to spread vaccines out and I recall once the vet acted like, “Oops, I actually got a combo vaccine ready.” Of course, I let it go. I wish that I had insisted and that I hadn’t gotten unnecessary vaccines. My Golden had an infection in each ear at just a few months old and was at the vet sick with lethargy and diarrhea. I suspected vaccinosis. Yes, the vet put him on the I/D garbage as well. Since I can’t change that now, I only vaccinate for rabies and I titer for immunity to core vaccines.
As for food, my Golden had digestive issues as a young pup also. It seemed everything gave him diarrhea. Plain canned pumpkin can help firm up loose stool. Goldens are known for having sensitive stomachs and food intolerance / allergy issues. I’ve determined that my Golden has food intolerance issues. He cannot have fish, flax, tomato, chickpeas or lentils. He does better with moderate protein, fat and carbs and a bit lower fiber. I’m not suggesting your Golden has these same intolerance / allergy issues, but it’s my guess he’s intolerant of something and what you’re saying is the end product. You have to figure out what they are, which is the tricky part and it takes a lot of time. Can you compare any ingredients in the food he was eating too see if there are common ingredient that could be the culprit?
Also, your Golden is a large breed puppy that has unique nutritional requirements. You must feed him a controlled level of Calcium. You should also avoid over-exercising him to avoid stressing growing joints and you should also keep him lean while he’s growing.
Here’s a link to another thread in the forum that explains this in more detail, read the first few pages at least: /forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/
On page 36, there is a Google document with a list of foods with appropriate Calcium levels for large and giant breed puppies. It was posted on 10/22/2013, at 4:22 PM by Hound Dog Mom. You should choose a food from this list: /forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/page/36
One food in particular that I might suggest is Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Turkey.
Marci,
go to the Dog Food Ingredients forum here; there is a stickie highlighted in yellow for large breed puppy nutrition. Its a very long thread but I *think* the list of appropriate foods is on page 15. If i’m wrong, someone will come along to correct me!
Does anyone know if this is ok for a large breed puppy, Rhodesian Ridgeback? It’s not specifically a large breed puppy food. Thanks!
I thought I responded to you also, but don’t see my comment.
Quickly, before I run, I would definitely feed as if a large breed puppy. Better safe than sorry. Feeding your medium breed pup as if a LBP, poses no risk.
Also, I would add delicate Omega 3’s at the time that I feed rather than looking for a fish based food. Fish based foods oxidize quickly and the risk that rancid fats pose can cause serious health risks, include, but not limited to, pancreatitis. If you must feed a fish based food, buy only the smallest freshest bag that you can find.
I’ve rotated her food frequently since we brought her home in June and to be honest it was only because I was trying to find my medium with budget and a quality puppy food. She did well on Dr Tim’s kinsis for a while and then I recently switched to Innova large breed puppy. I also couldn’t resist the Black Friday deals for wellness core grain free. Denali was having small issues with th innova before I started to introduce the wellness bag. I thought about switching her back what she was previously eating, dr.tims kinesis, but I might try the digestive enzyme first to see how that works. We eliminated the cat food temptation over the weekend and it made her accidents less frequent but it still isn’t solving our issue
Thank you Susan! I did notice that food but it was listed under small and medium sized dogs. Pearl is not a huge puppy but I am a first time dog owner and don’t have much to compare it to. However, Pearl is 3/4 Golden Retriever and 1/4 Border Collie, would that make her considered a large breed and if so, would this still be an appropriate and adequate food?
Secondly, I am noticing many people talking about switching food regularly. Is this beneficial? If so how often should I be switching her food?
Sorry for all the questions. I am trying to make the best decision and in the process confuse myself more.
If you really want the benefits of omega 3s for her coat and cancer fighting properties then you want to stay away from fish based foods and only add fresh or well protected sources or omega 3s. Omega 3s oxidize quickly when exposed to air and oxidized fats are more in the line of cancer promoting than cancer fighting. You are better off feeding a good food and adding omega 3 right before feeding.
Since you aren’t sure what size your pup will be, you should also read the first few pages of the Large and Giant Breed Puppy Nutrition thread in the Diet and Health Issues forum.
Hello Dog Experts!
I would love to get your suggestions on what would be the best food to get for our new puppy Pearl who is 3/4 Golden Retriever and 1/4 Border Collie mix that the breeder refers to as a Coltriever. We have had her since she was 10 weeks old and is now 13 weeks and weighs 12 lbs and is a very active and happy pup. She is currently on Taste of the Wild Puppy which was what the breeder was feeding and we have switched between the Wild Prairie and Wild Pacific Salmon formulas and she has done well on both but seems to like the Wild Pacific Salmon formula more. She has a long and very fluffy puppy coat still and the Vet suggested having her on a fish based puppy food for both her longer coat and to help with the cancer that is so prevalent in Goldens. My understanding is TOTW is a good food for the price point however, I am looking to find what the best food would be for her. I joined the Editors Choice but the large breed Puppy foods listed were not fish based. I donāt mind paying more $$ as it is important to me to have her on the best food possible. Our vet is not pro Raw food and we currently are not looking to go that direction except for possibly supplementing. If anyone has suggestions on supplements we should be adding I would love to hear those as well! I am also scratching my head on whether I should be doing all dry or a wet/dry combo for her food.
These are some of the suggestions we got from Mud Bay for her dry food (a local high end pet store):
1. First Mate Puppy
2. Instinct Salmon (itās not a puppy formula but they said that it has the same protein and fat ratios as a puppy formula would have)
3. Acana (they didnāt carry but said was great)
4. Orijen (they didn’t carry but said was great)
I appreciate the help, the more I research the more confused I get and would love to hear from peopleās personal experiences!
~Sarah
