[Patricia A]

Oh I feel so badly for your fur baby and also for you. I would have went to that breeders door and handed the bill for at least half of the vet expenses and never mind for the suffering you and this poor dog is going through most likely from poor breeding. I went through this with my Chloe years ago. I didn’t know any better and purchased from a large pet shop Yuppy Puppy. She had so many problems immediately and I knew if I took her back they would have euthanized her. The place ended closing down a few years later because of all the complaints about sickly pups and dogs. Now I realize they were all shipped from puppy mills. Chloe lived though to 13 with many vet visits through the years because of health problems.
Please keep in touch and let me know if anything was found to be causing her symptoms. Also I know many people who’s dogs get very ill from flea/ticks meds . Very toxic and he doesn’t need this causing other symptoms possibly.
I found this regarding common diseases in labs/doodles. Don’t know if it fits exact symptoms.
Addison’s Disease
Addison’s disease is found in poodles and Labradors and has been passed on to Australian and multigenerational Labradoodles. In this disease, the pituitary gland malfunctions and fails to create an important hormone called ACTH. This hormone regulates a steriod called cortisol. Without cortisol, a dog cannot manage stress or digest food correctly. Dogs with Addison’s disease may suffer from weakness, an abnormally fast heart rate, diarrhea and excessive thirst and urination. Your vet can test your ‘Doodle to detect the presence of the ACTH hormone.
Melissa keep me updated and I’m Praying they find out what is causing her symptoms and she gets healthy.

[anonymous]

Please consult a veterinarian (in real life not the internet) asap for a checkup for your puppy and recommendations.
Please stop listening to quacks.

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=raw+diet

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2018/05/whos-behind-the-the-truth-about-pet-cancer/ excerpt below, click on link for complete article and comments.
Rodney Habib
Mr. Habib is a professional activist and well on his way to becoming the Mike Adams or Joe Mercola of animal health. He would likely view that as a compliment, but clearly it is not. While it is possible to admire Mr. Habib’s passion and success as a manipulator of the media, unfortunately most of what he is selling is pseudoscientific nonsense. He skillfully uses social media to instill fear in pet owners; fear of pet food, vaccines, and virtually anything mainstream veterinary medicine recommends. And despite absolutely no training or expertise in science, he confidently tells the public that vets and scientists have it all wrong, and they should listen to his advice instead.
This advice consists of the usual evidence-free arguments for raw food, ketogenic diets, dietary supplements, herbal remedies, the dangers of vaccination, and many of the usual unproven or bogus ideas promoted in this series. Mr. Habib is one of the main architects of this project, along with Mr. Bollinger and Dr. Becker. If ever there was a group of people better at public relations than at health science, it is this trio.

Nutrition in Large Breed Puppies

[crazy4cats]

What breed is your pup? How big will it get?

Feeding a large breed puppy the correct amount of calcium is of the utmost importance while they are growing. You only get one shot at those growing bones and joints, it has to be right! They are very prone to hip dysplasia and elbow issues if not fed correctly.

For either small or large breed puppy, I would definitely get in touch with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist to help you formulate a raw food. There are some that will work with you.

Rodney Habib does not have the credentials to formulate a complete and balanced diet. Especially, for a large breed puppy.

[anonymous]

Here you go!

http://gundogforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=49291

Consider one of the Fromm Large Breed Puppy Formulas: https://www.gofromm.com/fromm-family-large-breed-puppy-gold-food-for-dogs

And of course, check with your vet when you bring your pup in for routine care (in example: rabies shot)

I no longer use Chewy as they are owned by PetSmart. But that’s your choice.
More info here https://prime.peta.org/2017/05/buyer-beware-chewy-com-purchased-petsmart/

[Sheila J]

Help! I am looking for a puppy food ok for large breeds with no peas, potatoes, legumes .eat based (not meat meal) low or no grains, and very few controversial Ingredients. All of your top recommended puppy foods for 2019 do not qualify.

[aimee]

Hi Connie,
Fromm large breed adult is marketed as an adult food but it is formulated for growth meaning the company could market it it as a puppy food or all life stages food but chose not to. Nutritionally though it is the same as puppy food.

If however the nutritional adequacy statement said the food was only formulated for maintenance I would not consider it appropriate for growth.

I prefer during growth to use foods from a company that has fed the food to a large/giant breed throughout the entire growth period and monitored the dogs development.

[crazy4cats]

A lot has been learned about the proper way to feed large and giant breed puppies over the last 46 years. Fortunately, large breed puppy food has been formulated now to meet all the needs of the growing joints in big pups. It is no longer necessary or recommended to feed them adult food to slow down growing.
/calcium-content-analyzer/

In addition Fromm is one of the brands that the FDA has implicated in the recent increase of dogs being diagnosed with Nutritionally Mediated DCM.
https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/news-events/fda-investigation-potential-link-between-certain-diets-and-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy

[Connie I]

I have had giant breed Saint Bernards for 46 years and in four months will be adding a Caucasian Mountain Dog. They range from 180 to 204 lb . I have tried all different kinds of dog food and the best I have found and have used for a very long time is Fromm gold for large breed dogs. We don’t ever feed Saint Bernards puppy food when they’re little because it makes them grow too fast and it can cause issues in there joints later on in life. I do not have any throwing up of bile, we have no diarrhea, and they love it. We also feed Raw on top of the dry. My Saint Bernards live to be 12 and 13 years old and don’t really have any joint issues until there about 10. For anyone I would highly suggest Fromm gold large breed dog food. All you can do is try it for every individual dog by a small bag and go from there.

[Ashley D]

Joanne,

I have my dogs on Merrick, large breed chicken formula. Arlo (my Weimaraner/pibble mix, has been on it since he was 8 weeks old (well the puppy formulae, then we transitioned him to the adult food). We just adopted Magnus in December 2018, and we gradually switched him over to it since Arlo was doing really well on it. I agree though, something is upsetting his stomach. This has happened twice now, and I cannot seem to figure out the triggers. My vet suggested trying him on a grain inclusive food, because grain free foods tend to be richer. She suggested something lower in protein and fat.

Patricia,

For the last 8 months he has had no issues on the food we feed him. His episode wasn’t anything with the groomer. She was only here to cut my other dog’s nails (because he Doesn’t let me do them). So there would have been nothing for him to ingest. This type of thing happened once before in the middle of the night and woke him from a deep sleep.

[Dennis M]

Hello. We are on our third Shih Tzu, Dory a female now 9 years old. None of our previous girls made it past 10 years old. We previously fed our dogs Nutro brand dog food. We’ve been feeding Dory Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula since she was a puppy, and hoping she’ll be with us way past the age of ten. She’s now on Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Senior for Small Breeds. She has always tolerated Blue Buffalo foods and treats very well. Our concern now is the FDA report on possible dangers of feeding grain-free diets. We realize the Blue Buffalo formula Dory is eating is NOT entirely grain-free, just doesn’t have any corn or wheat included. But the FDA warned of dog foods containing large amounts of legumes such as peas or lentils, other legume seeds, potatoes (including sweet potatoes), pea protein, pea starch, pea fiber, chickpeas, or beans. The ingredients of the Life Protection Formula Dory is now eating has several of these questionably high up in the ingredient list. We’re really at a quandary here. We’ve had great luck feeding Blue Buffalo products for nearly ten years, but concerned we might possibly be damaging our dog’s heart (DCM). Could you provide us a little guidance here? With the FDA concerns, is the Life Protection Formula we’re feeding the safest product line Blue Buffalo provides for this situation, or should we be considering another brand completely? I’m concerned and my wife is more than concerned. Please provide us with some sort of insight and direction to help us decide what may be best for Dory.

[Owen J]

Each type of food, both dry and wet, has its advantages and benefits the pet. However, only their combination gives the animal all the elements necessary for a full life, so the owner needs to be able to properly combine these diets.
https://herepup.com/best-large-breed-puppy-food/

[anonymous]

If your dog is going to weigh more than 40/50 pounds as an adult you may want to consider a large breed puppy formula.
Example: https://www.gofromm.com/fromm-family-large-breed-puppy-gold-food-for-dogs

Hope this helps
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2010/01/nutrition-in-large-breed-puppies/

[anonymous]

Hope this helps http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2010/01/nutrition-in-large-breed-puppies/

PS: Check out Fromm https://www.gofromm.com/fromm-family-large-breed-puppy-gold-food-for-dogs

[anonymous]

If you think she will be 40/50 pounds or more as an adult, I would feed a large breed puppy food to be on the safe side.
And no, I doubt that she is fully grown at 8 months. That can happen with small breeds but not larger ones.

Nutrition in Large Breed Puppies

Another thought, if you are not 100% sure of her birthdate she could very well be a little older….
Sometimes a vet can tell by examining their teeth.

Shelters often minimize age to make the pup more desirable for adoption. Sometimes only by a few months, or they may be going by the little information that they have.

[Wendy E]

We just rescued/adopted an 8 month old (?) German Shepherd mix puppy. No vet visit yet but all up to date on vaccines, neuter etc. what size category for feeding should she be? Medium or Large? The adoption rep said she was most likely full grown.
We are continuing her food of Kirkland Puppy Kibble as of now. Not sure when or if to transition. Thank you!

[crazy4cats]

Hi DanniB –
It certainly wouldn’t hurt to feed large breed puppy food just to be safe. It is formulated correctly to keep growing joints of large breed pups healthy.

Lots of large breed pups are raised on Purina Pro Plan large breed puppy food with excellent results.

I wouldn’t feed Fromm. It is considered a boutique food company. They do not have a vetrinary nutritionist on staff and have not done any testing, research or feed trials since the 90’s. I don’t know much about the Wellness brand. I’d stick to Purina, Royal Canin, Hill’s, Iams or Eukanuba. They have all been around for a long time and do much testing on their food. Good luck and have fun with your new puppy!

[anonymous]

If you get a small bag of large breed puppy food for now, I doubt it will do any harm and if the vet says it’s not necessary then you can get the regular puppy food next time.

Your dog could be between 40/50 pounds? Not sure if that would be considered a large breed….time will tell.

[anonymous]

I like Fromm or Blue.
https://www.gofromm.com/fromm-family-puppy-gold-food-for-dogs

They have a large breed puppy formula as well.

Stay with grain inclusive.

[DanniB]

We just got a new puppy. He is a lab/shih tzu cross. He is 8 weeks old and weighs 10 lbs. Should I be feeding him a large breed food?

[Susan]

Hi Matt,
Good thing you’ve done taken on a rescue dog, just remember a dogs behaviour is human taught…. 🙁
He has run free & has been the boss for 8yrs, now there’s all these new rules, he’ll get use to it, the lady let him be the boss & do what he wanted, Patch was sorta the same when I rescued him but he had IBD & would eat everything, your dog needs to be re trained & you “can’ teach an older dog new tricks, but some breeds are very stubborn…
My Patch was 4 when I rescued him within 2 weeks he pretty much picked up on all the house rules I used food for training but I didn’t know he had IBD in the beginning so lots of diarrhea…
My vet asked the Animal Behaviourist vet to pop in & see us when we learnt he has IBD, we lived in communal unit/villas & Patch would go down stars to go toilet & on his way he sniff out the neighbour cats poo, on our morning walks he would eat everything, he was a walking vacuum cleaner, we lived in town near beach, after Friday & Saturday nights there would be pizza, chinese, vomit, everything on the streets from the night before, I had to wait till streets were cleaned & hosed down before going on our morning walks…
The Animal Behaviourist taught me “Leave It” she said put food/treat on floor in between your toes/feet show him but don’t let him get it & say “Leave it” then when he leaves the food under your foot alone reward him with a better treat from “your” hand… here’s link

Teach Your Dog to Leave It: It Could Save His Life

Always praise him when he does do something good…Tell him “YOUR A GOOOOOD BOY” & pat him reward all good behaviour..
The rescue vet told me to go to Puppy School even though he was 4 yrs old, Puppy School is good it teaches the human what to do & NOT do, or do research online there’s a few good f/b groups that are run by Animal behaviourist, if I find the group I’ll post it, cause your dog loves food he’ll be very easy to train, carry some kibble/treats in your pocket so when he goes to eat something on floor say “Leave It” “Leave It” sit then he gets reward for leaving food on floor, he can ONLY have food/treats kibble you give him…

When visitors come Patch is VERY friendly & gets over excited & when people talk in high pitch squeaky voice this makes Patch more excited & he starts to jump up to kiss their face & head butts their head & nose, he loved our gas lady one day she bend down the same time he was jumping up to kiss her & he head butted her nose, it started bleeding, cause he gets sooooo excited I put away his STRONG rubber toys in kitchen cupboard & as soon as someone comes to front door he cries & whinges at the front door then as soon ashe sees me he runs into kitchen & sits in front of the kitchen cupboard for 1 of his rubber toys, I think he has a rubber fetish he loves the strong smelling rubber toys, I just order another rubber toy you can put kibble in the rubber slots & wet food in middle so while visitors are over he’s busy in the back loungeroom chewing on his rubber toy & he’s leaving my visitors alone, no sloppy kisses & no more head butts..

While everyone is eating dinner you could also put his dinner dry kibble meal in one of those interactive game toys & he’s eating as well on his own mat in a corner away from the dinner table
Chewy has treat toys under $20….
https://www.chewy.com/b/treat-toys-dispensers-2336?rh=c%3A288%2Cc%3A315%2Cc%3A319
the dog works to get their food out & he’s slowly eating, don’t get a puzzle toy that looks too easy, Patch learnt if he pushes the whole game with his big nose the kibble falls out of the turning ball while the ball is in the maize but it still keeps him busy trying to get his food, he just works out how to get his kibble quicker….
https://www.chewy.com/b/treat-toys-dispensers-2336?rh=c%3A288%2Cc%3A315%2Cc%3A319
I think the new rubber egg shape toy I’ve just order is a good treat toy it looks like it will hold the kibble pieces. http://www.allforpawspet.com/Product?idvariant=1293
I can put his kibble in side rubber slots & add some boiled sweet potato in middle….

It’s good to give your dog healthy fresh foods, tin salmon, sardines, mussels, meaty bones, egg, Vegetables – sweet potato, broccoli, cooked carrot, frozen beans are good to help lose weight & keep a dog feeling full longer etc. Fruit- apple pieces NO seeds, blueberries, watermelon, & remember to reduce his kibble amount & feed partly boiled vegetables & feed 3 meals a day instead of 2 larger meals a day, he’ll feel fuller longer & might break his circle looking for food, or feed his 2 meals a day & make up a treat toy with veggies, fruit, some yogurt & freeze, then give around lunch time or for his breakfast or his dinner give healthy treat toy when its a boring time for him he can lick & lick the toy that’s full of healthy low calories ingredients… stick to feeding him the same times every day so he gets into a routine…
also find a few other brands he likes & eats so you can rotate between kibbles & freeze dried foods so he isn’t getting bored eating the same dry kibble 24/7 then he’s looking for something else to eat also rotating kibbles/freeze dried foods is good just in case the brand he’s eating is high in toxins, heavy metals, lead & contaminates….
Pet Shops all have money back guarantee for palatability..

Have you tried “Buckley Liberty” freeze dried, Buckley Liberty uses clean meats & has done very well when tested every 3months for high toxins, heavy metals & contaminates it has come 1st over 1 year now…
https://buckleypet.com/collections/all

Good-Luck

[Jaimie K]

My dog has commonly had loose stool for a large portion of her life. She is a 3yo female (spayed) yellow Labrador Retriever. To make a long story short – we finally switched to Blue Buffalo (Life Protection Formula, Adult Large Breed, Chicken) because it had more fiber and I thought that might help. She has had solid stools on this food, but has had 2 incidences (two months apart) of severe, bloody diarrhea and vomiting. We went to the vet and all tests came back negative/normal both times (parasites, bacteria, full blood panel, x-rays for foreign body). The 2nd time the vet recommended switching dog food (he does not know what we feed).

Does anyone have suggesstions for a dog food I can look into? I don’t even know where to start.
In the past she has been on Royal Canin (prescription GI puppy formula, regular puppy large breed formula, and regular adult large breed formula), Purina ProPlan (can’t remember the formula) and Nature’s Recipe grain free variety (salmon and sweet potato). The vomiting and diarrhea are her only health concerns.

[anonymous]

Or: https://www.gofromm.com/fromm-family-large-breed-puppy-gold-food-for-dogs

https://www.gofromm.com/fromm-family-heartland-gold-large-breed-adult-food-for-dogs

[anonymous]

Hope this helps. If she is going to be over 40-50 pounds I would consider her a large breed.

Nutrition in Large Breed Puppies

How about: https://www.gofromm.com/classic-puppy-dog-food

[TrevorPup]

Hello!

I just adopted a puppy, she is supposed to be boxer/lab, others say she looks pit. She’s 12 weeks, and the pound was feeding her Puppy Chow. I’m not sure how to decide what her “adult weight” will be, so I’m not sure how much to feed her, and I’m not sure if I should use large breed food or not. Is there any harm in feeding large breed to a dog that may end up being smaller?

[kathie c]

Thanks for the advice. You kept talking about large breed puppy food. I was getting away from the puppy food because they are now 13 months old. How long do large breeds eat puppy food. I know they take longer to grow, but I just assumed since they are about 80-85% there, their growth has slowed and didn’t need the extra protein any more. Was I wrong? Thanks.

[haleycookie]

Giant breed puppies have no protein requirements. Dogs are mostly carnivorous. Find a good high meat large breed puppy food and don’t worry about anything else. There is no conclusive info on the legume/dcm issue. If you stick with a high meat diet you shouldn’t have to worry about anything. A good food to look into is wellness core large breed puppy, and large breed puppy nature’s variety instinct raw boost. Those are two good options. There are others out there. Take a look at chewy and use the terms large breed puppy. Look for foods that have 3+ more proteins in the top 5 ingredients. And if you want to be extra safe you can e-mail the company and ask where their protein levels are coming from (plant or meat) you can also ask if the calcium ratios are correct for large breed puppies. Some puppy foods are safe but aren’t labeled for large breeds. While some that say all breeds and life stages may not be safe for large breed puppies. So it’s helpful to emails the companies.
It also sounds like you’re using toppers which is a good thing. Trying bone broths and freeze dried raw mixers too. They are both great for natural sources of taurine. I would cut out the processed meats tho. Whatever you use for toppers should be plain, no seasoning, no garlic or onion.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 9 months ago by haleycookie.

[Ashlee B]

If you want to gain weight for your dog, First of all you should give the best dog food. There are so much dog food in the world, But here I’d like to say some best dog name. Hopefully this will be the greatest and helpful food for your dog.

01. Royal Canin Puppy Dry Dog Food.
02. Nutro Wholesome Essentials Puppy Dry Dog Food.
03. Hill’s Science Diet Large Breed Dry Dog Food
04. chicken
05. Meat

[Sanne]

I often stay with puppy food for my small ones. Mine tend to be VERY active as puppies and need quite a bit of calories for their body size. Small breeds need more calories per kg of weight than large dogs too. I have found it is easier to find higher calorie puppy food than adult food. Often if the food is not high enough in kcals, little dogs won’t eat enough because the portions are too large. Just depends on how your pup eats though and her calorie needs.

If you want to switch her food I would wait at least a few more weeks. You should not change a puppies food right when you get them. Switching houses is stressful and switching the food they are used to can just add to the stress. Platinum, Ziwipeak, and Carnilove are the only ones on your list that I am really familiar with. All of which are decent foods. Best food is the one your dog is willing to eat though and has good stool, coat and energy on.

[anonymous]

A lot of dog owners don’t bother with puppy food and go to adult food at 5-6 months.
Especially for small breeds. Large breeds are a different story.

I’d stick with the Royal Canine or ProPlan.

[Bobby dog]

Hi Js10052:
Here’s a good article about why puppies should be fed as puppies, large breed puppies as large breed puppies, and adults as adults. All have different nutritional needs with large breed nutrition adding focus to specific Ca/P ratios to help avoid serious health issues later in life. This knowledge about large breed nutrition, with research to back it up, has been known for well over 30 years.

Hopefully our large breed enthusiasts will stop by with more info for you. The link to the article is at the bottom of this post. Here’s a few Q & A’s from it:

“Q: What are the recommendations of veterinary nutritionists for switching pups and growing dogs onto adult maintenance diets?

A: Dietary requirements of puppies differ from those of adult dogs. Mostly, they have different requirements for amino acids and for vitamins and minerals, especially calcium and phosphorus, which are required for bone growth, and Of course, puppies also have a higher calorie requirement than adult dogs of a similar size — pups simply burn more energy!

The standard recommendations are to feed a diet with a Nutritional Adequacy Statement indicating that it is appropriate for growing puppies or for all life stages (this information is required to be on the label); if the complete and balanced claim was substantiated by the formulation method, the statement will also indicate if the diet is adequate or not for puppies expected to be > 70 lb adults. Diets that have successfully passed feeding trials as indicated by the Nutritional Adequacy Statement will not include the breed size distinction.

Regardless, an appropriate diet for growth should be fed until the dog reaches approximately 80% of the anticipated adult size. This generally occurs by 12 months of age for small and medium-breed dogs, and by 18-24 months for large and giant-breed dogs. Current conventional recommendations are to feed growth diets until this time, but feeding such a diet for a longer period will not be harmful. Care should be taken to ensure the dog maintains an ideal (lean) body condition, so keep in mind that growth diets may be fairly energy dense and could contribute to unwanted weight gain.

Q: Is it necessary to feed puppies “puppy food” and adult dogs “adult maintenance food?”

A: Yes – puppies have distinct nutritional needs. However, checking the Nutritional Adequacy Statement on the label is the best way to determine if the diet is appropriate for the specified life stage. Some foods marketed as maintenance diets based on the name or other front panel information are appropriate for “all life stages” as specified by the Nutritional Adequacy Statement on the back or side of the package.” ~ Jennifer A. Larsen, DVM, PhD, DACVN

More info in the full article here. Good luck with your pup!
https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=5985068

[anonymous]

Again, I defer to the veterinarian that has examined your pet, he can give you the best estimate of age and nutritional requirements for your dog.
Did you read the article (link) I sent you?
That’s the best advice you will get from a veterinarian that has NOT examined your dog.

I for one don’t bother with “puppy food” and go straight to adult.
The large breeds puppies needing this and that is a new thing. Discuss with your vet.
Good luck

PS: “The shelter told us that we could switch him to adult food after he finished the mix of adult and puppy that they sent him home with”.
Sounds like sage advice.
Fromm Classic Adult is a good food (my vet agrees) https://www.gofromm.com/fromm-family-classic-adult-dog-food
Add a topper ( a tablespoon of canned food or cooked chicken or scrambled egg) and a splash of water and you’re good to go!
Always have fresh water available 24/7

Oh, and please do not free feed (leave food down all day) that would explain the rapid weight gain, not good. Two meals per day, measured amounts, and an occasional snack is enough.
Exercise, start walking every day! Start brushing the teeth once a day, check YouTube for how to videos.

[Susan]

Hi,

Congrates on your rescue puppy,

look at “Wellness Complete Health Puppy Formula & “Wellness Core Puppy”

For Dogs

“Canidae” Turkey Meal & Brown Rice Large Breed Puppy
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products/canidae-all-life-stages-large-breed-turkey-meal-brown-rice-dry-formula

“Victor”
https://victorpetfood.com/products

[anonymous]

I hope that you find this site helpful
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=large+breed+puppy+food

Also, find a vet that you like and trust go in for routine checkups, an initial evaluation.
Go from there.

[Js10052]

Hey,

I just adopted a “puppy” from a rescue. We aren’t exactly sure the breed, he is a lab mix but we don’t know what he is all mixed with. And they estimated him around a year old. Now that he is home, he seems to have a lot of puppy traits and did gain 5 pounds in about two weeks, so we aren’t sure how old he is. The shelter told us that we could switch him to adult food after he finished the mix of adult and puppy that they sent him home with. I have been researching online and it seems that dogs, especially large breed should be on puppy food for longer. So now I am completely confused what I should be looking for for him. Because I had to get food I got a bag that was highly recommended for labs, but I don’t like it that much and want to switch it, but I don’t know if I should be doing puppy food, a mix of puppy and adult or what I should be doing.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Midama-
Congratulations on your new pup. Definitely make sure that you choose a puppy food formulated especially for a large breed puppy. They need certain calcium percentages. It’s very important for their joints. Keep the puppy as lean as possible and limit the exercise. I would get rid of the Taste of the Wild and feed either Purina, Royal Canin, Hill’s, Eukanuba, or Iams. They all meet the WSAVA guidelines for choosing a good dog food.

Currently, I feed my dogs Purina kibble with mostly Purina canned. But also mix in either eggs, fresh chicken or sardines a few days a week as well. The unbalanced toppers and treats should be no more than 10 to 15 percent of their total diet. I feed mostly weight management kibble that is 350 calories or less per cup. My dogs are also chubby lab mixes!

My cats get Royal Canin because they are the royalty of the house! 😊❤️

Hope this helps. Good luck!

[Christie B]

Hi madima,

I have a 120 lb. 10 year old American Bulldog mix and 4 year old 45-50 lb. Catahoula mix. Like your two dogs, they have different nutritional needs. I’ve tried to find a food that both can eat (since they literally will investigate each other’s food bowls during feeding time).

My senior dog had had issues with chicken and it’s really hard to find a Large breed Senior formula that doesn’t use chicken. And the ones that do are grain free and tend to use lentils or chickpeas in the first 5 ingredients and my dog winds up with stomach issues when he eats food with those ingredients. He did okay on CANIDAE Grain-Free PURE Meadow Senior Formula for a while.

I haven’t had a puppy in a while so I can’t recommend any large breed puppy formulas.

As for toppers, I rotate between canned salmon or sardines, eggs, boiled boneless chicken thighs or sometimes canned dog food [type that’s 96% *insert protein form*] when it’s on sale… not too much of it because I’m trying get these guys to lose some lbs. I used to buy Stella & Chewy’a meal mixers or Instinct Rawboost mixers, but they were just too expensive in the long run.

[madima]

Hello! I have a 7-8 year old Golden mix (he could be older, but they said he was 3 or 4 when we got him) who is around 75lbs, but needs to lose some weight. I also recently adopted a Great Pyrenees/hound or pointer mix large breed puppy. He is 3 1/2 months old and 35lbs.
I have been feeding my older dog Taste of The Wild for a year or two now, and recently found out the things going on with the brand. I also currently have the puppy on the puppy formula, though I’m looking to change them both to something else.
I’m sort of looking for full suggestions about feeding both of them, whether that be brands, supplements or toppers. I’m willing to top with natural things (vegetables, fruit, some meat, oil, etc.) or canned food, which I top my older dog’s food with for dinner. I have a feeling he has so orthopedic issues, which we’re going to the vet for tomorrow.
I know the puppy needs a certain amount of calcium; not too much, not too little. I’m also aware my senior needs extra protein. I’m planning on asking about his diet when I go to the vet, but I wanted some advice on some dry food, wet food and toppers/supplements for both dogs. I’m not very educated when it comes to dog nutrition. I would appreciate any suggestions or advice. Thanks in advance! 🙂

[Amir H]

Thanks for the reply.

I do know about the DCM issue and grain-free. That’s why i chose Fromm large breed puppy (it has 4 stars on dogfood advisor). I am worried about switching to a grain-free diet a bit as well but most high quality kibbles are grain free these days (Fromm is really an exception). Here are some other thoughts I had:

1- Orijen is great in terms of ingredients but their last lawsuit is keeping me away from Orijen and Acana. I totally know that the lawsuit could be baseless but I want to be safe.

2- I’m adding Primal nuggets and stella & chewy freeze dried to Fromm kibble as topper every day. So that’s a route I can continue. My dog eats 3 cups of Fromm food and the toppers I put are about 0.4 cups. So, at least I know I’m getting some freeze dried food and some other nutritions to her.

3- I’ve also considered going completely freeze dried (buy Stella & Chewy). It’d be expensive but it still fits my budget. I just don’t want to make the transition while she’s still a puppy. I’ll do that when I’m transitioning her to adult food.

It’s kind of sad that all good quality foods are grain-free these days.

[Amir H]

Hi all,
I have a standard Poodle puppy (7 months old). She’s about 32 pounds know. I’m not sure if she’s gonna be above 50 lbs. To be safe I’m feeding her large breed puppy food. She’s been on Fromm Gold Large Breed Puppy for a few months now and she’s doing good (I have to add some freeze dried toppers to her food to keep her interested).

I’m thinking of rotating her food to something else just to make sure she’s getting all the necessary the necessary nutrition. I’m thinking of switching her to Stella and Chewy Raw Coated Kibble for Puppies: https://www.stellaandchewys.com/dog-food/raw-coated-kibble/puppy-chicken-recipe
I know that Stella and Chewy kibble is higher price, but it’s within my budget.

I wanted to know if this is a good decision or not? Should I just stay on Fromm or for the next 3 months switch her to something else for the sake of rotation.

[Christie B]

I’ve been on a crazy food journey with my dog. When I first adopted him 9 years ago, the kill shelter that I got him from tole me that he was full grown (40 pounds). That was far from the truth as he’s currently 120 pounds. My vet suggested Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy for two years, followed by Pro Plan Large Breed Adult. My dog always had issues though with loose stools and itchy skin/biting paws/ear infections. I transitioned him to Blue Buffalo Large Breed Fish kibble and he did really well. Then I read about grain free and how it was so much better, so I came to this site to find the best foods. I read all these comments regarding Blue Buffalo and quickly started to look at their ” 5 star rated grain free” foods.

I’ve tried them all.

I’ve given each of them at least 6 months with proper transitioning. I always had issues. I’d go to the vet, he’d tell me to go off of the grain free and go back to Purina. But I can read the bag myself and it doesn’t look healthy at all. Blood results were normal. I’ve tried different proteins (chicken seemed to cause more issues). TOTW, Nutro, Instinct, Merrick, Solid Gold, Fromms, the list goes long.

I can’t even say that it has anything to do with grain free. Only, he’s been off it for a few months now and he’s eating right, has firm stools, and no skin issues. I’m at a loss. I explicitly chose foods from the 5 star list and now his food is rated 3.5 stars and he’s doing well, but I feel guilty giving him something perceived as ‘not good’.

@Patti_S – I do like the 96% single protein canned foods. I rotate using them as a topper with some canned salmon.

[Pat W]

I just wanted to post an update on my issues with TOTW. After feeding this product for 2 years I started having issues with refusal to eat and vomiting. It began when I started switching my adult dogs from TOTW High Prairie puppy to TOTW High Prairie adult formula. (I feed everyone the puppy formula during breeding cycles so I don’t have to worry about who is supposed to get what food.) As I switched our adult dogs over to the adult formula they started having issues. It started with one dog, then 2, and by the second or third day I had 3 vomiting immediately after eating and several others refusing their food. I immediately switched all of them back to the puppy formula and the issues resolved. But as soon as I started a new bag of TOTW puppy everyone was getting sick again. Desperate, after getting recommendations from other breeders, I did an abrupt switch to Merrick. Gastric issues in most of my dogs immediately resolved, however, we had one older dog who continued to have problems, refusing to eat and experiencing gastric discomfort. I treated her with charcoal, turmeric/curcumin, and symethicone. She appeared to be improving and I fed her some boiled chicken and organic grown rice in chicken broth. She appeared to rally for a day or so- even took her for a walk, and then she stopped eating and went rapidly downhill. One of my other dogs had taken a little over two days to begin eating again after I switched her to Merrick, so I figured she would come around after a couple of days. Today, the third day of her not eating, I was planning on bringing her to the vet to see if there was something else they could do for her, but before we could get ready to go she passed away.
I don’t know what is going on with TOTW, but something must have happened. I was very happy with them for 2 years, now I have 3 large bags of TOTW I will not feed and a dead dog.

[Susan]

Hi
I prefer to feed diet for age of my dog, a pup eats puppy formula, an adult 1-7 eats an adult formula & a senior dog eats a senior food, senior food have all the supplements for aging dogs joint, bones etc & have lower fat, higher protein, well it depends which brand you feed, I like “Canidae Pure Meadow” Senior formula, its high in Omega 3 fatty acid, has Glucosamine but its not as high as the Wellness Core Large breed Adult formula, Ive found the the Large Breed formula’s are higher in Glucosamine & Chondroitin then most senior foods.. I was going to try Wellness Core Senior but it has Lentils Patch gets diarrhea from lentils & bad wind pain, gas farts..
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products/canidae-grain-free-pure-meadow-dry-formula

I dont know if your 10 year old American Bulldog Pit mix has Arthritis, he probably does??
Have you tried “Wellness Core” Large Breed Adult Grain Free dry kibble?
it’s low Kcals-346kcals per cup, high Protein-34%min, low/med fat -13%max
Carbs-30% scroll down to “Nutrient Profiles”
then click on the “GET THE PDF” link it will give you all the max “Dry Matter Basis %”
https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/natural-dog-food/product-catalog/core-large-breed-large-breed

My boy 10yr old Staffy – 40lbs suffers with IBD, Food & Environment Allergies & he has this 3-4cm bone thing growing out of his left hip bone, vets said they have never seen anything like it, the vet said he was probably born with it…
anyway around age 9 he started running on 3 legs, letting his left back leg to hang while running, then last year in December – January he went down hill with his IBD then in March he was really sick with his stomach he had bad acid reflux, I started introducing Wellness Core Large Breed adult formula, it had the right fat%, Low Kcals, low carbs & high protein % also was high in Glucosamine was not less than 750 mg/kg
Chondroitin Sulfate was not less than 250 mg/kg…
After 3weeks of eating the Wellness Core everythng got better his stomach his acid reflux stopped 🙂 his back leg, he stop running on 3 legs, he ran on all 4 legs & started acting like a young pup again… His vet, the Pet Shop man, everyone couldnt believe what a big difference after eating the Wellness Core Large Breed Adult formula had made.

Now I rotate his dry foods, between Canidae Pure Meadow Senior, Wellness Simple Turkey & Potato formula & an Australian made brand Frontier Pets Freeze Dried for lunch,
cause Patch became so unwell in Dec -2017-Jan-2018 after eating TOTW & Nutro, I’ve kept feeding Patch his Wellness Core Large breed formula for 8-9 months never rotated with any other dry kibbles except at lunch time he gets a small wet meal, then Summer came & so did Patches environment allergies bad so I thought I’ll rotate & change his dry food to Wellness Simple Turkey & potato formula cause he did so well on the Wellness Core also the Wellness Simple is formulated for Skin problems & is high in Omega 3 fatty acids…
About 2-3 weeks after I stopped feeding his Wellness Core Large Breed formula & was feeding him just the Wellness Simple Turkey & Potato formula, his IBD = firm poos & his Skin & coat was beautiful & shinney, he stopped alot of his scratching & being itchy from allergies, I also bath him twice a week or weekly depends on how itchy he gets, baths wash off all the allergens off his skin & paws, BUT he started running on 3 legs again 🙁

The Wellness Core Large Breed is higher Glucosamine & Chondroitin Sulfate it must of really helped with his arthritis in his lower back pain….So I bought the Glucosamine Chrondroitin, Vitamin C & Maganese Powder to add to his dry meal, I couldnt workout teh dose as it wasnt like the tablets dose + it taste AWFUL yuk I couldnt drink it, it says to add to fruit juice, its yuk no way Patch will take it.. so I quickly put him back to 1/2 Wellness Core Large Breed kibble & Wellness Simple kibble, now he’s getting “Cartrophen Vet Injections” he gets 1 weekly injection for 1 month then you stop, today was his last injection, Cartrophen Vet has really helped his lower back pain the thing is he’s a nut & he jumps up to say hello to visitors & this is when he hurts his lower back more..

You need a diet HIGH in Omega 3 fatty acid not high in Omega 6 fatty acid, Omega 3 is anti-inflammatory & tooo much Omega 6 is no good for inflammatory problems, Omega 6 is an inflammatory….
The body needs a healthy balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Excess consumption of omega-6s can trigger the body to produce pro-inflammatory chemicals.

When a dog diet is not balanced properly & is too low in Omega 3 & way to high in Omega 6 alot of dry/wet can foods aren’t balanced properly, this can cause skin problems with dogs…. Omega 3 should be nilly 1/2 of what the Omega 6% says..
Wellness Simple is excellent for dogs who have Skin/Stomach problems
Omega 3 Fatty Acids-1.13%, the Omega 6 Fatty Acids-2.30% max %.
Click on the PDF page
https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/natural-dog-food/product-catalog/simple-limited-ingredient-turkey-potato-recipe

Instead of adding 2 tble spoons of wet can food start adding some Tin Salmon in spring water, drain the spring water, put salmon in small air tight container put in fridge..
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in salmon, sardines, eggs, almonds, and other anti-inflammatory foods. Add 1-2 spoons of tin Salmon or Sardines to each meal..
Sardines can be a bit rich for some dogs I have to feed the Salmon + swet potat instead with Patch..

What I do when changing to a new dry formula same formula, first I check is it the same Use By Date, same Batch?? then I put 1/2 new kibble & 1/2 old kibble in an air tight container & mix thru, my boy use to be very sensitive but now since rotating between a few different brands he does really well, his immune system has become heaps stronger..

Boil Sweet Potato pieces & freeze them in those clip lock sandwich bags, Sweet Potato freezes & thaws really well, I put 1 frozen piece Sweet Potato in the micro wave 15-25sec etc then I mash teh Sweeet potato piece on a plate & let Patch lick it off..
Sweet Potato & Potato firm poo up & is excellent when dog has upset stomach/bowel, start adding 2 spoons of Sweet Potato & Salmon with dry kibble, its healthier & cheaper then wet can foods..

[Sanne]

Usually a large breed formula is only truly necessary for a growing large breed puppy. The calcium and phosphorus levels are usually balanced better in large breed puppy food, ensuring proper growth. Not sure about the guidelines for adults though, never had huge dogs

Studies have shown that senior dogs need more protein per kg of body weight than an average adult dog, up to 50% more. Senior dogs on low protein foods had weaker muscles and more muscle tearing. There is no beneficial reason to lower a healthy senior dog’s protein intake.

As a general rule of thumb, my vet tends to recommend around 2g of protein per kg of body weight for a healthy adult dog and 3g of protein per kg for a healthy senior

[sara h]

I have a 1 year old husky who is a picky eater with a sensitive stomach. He barely eats his pro plan focus puppy (yesterday he ate maybe a few bites of dog food and today maybe a cup). i can feel his ribs and hip bones pretty easily. i tried changing it to eukanuba LB puppy and it upset his stomach (and he didn’t seem to like it much). fromm also cause vomiting in about 12 hours. i’ve tried mixing in my other dog’s adult food (crave, victor) and he just picks at it. i add vegetable oil and broth to his food but that doesn’t help either. what’s odd is for the first 1-2 months i had him, he ate his food super quick.

is there a large breed puppy wet food i could try mixing in? any recommendations on other brands of food to try?

• This reply was modified 7 years ago by sara h.

[Susan]

Hi Justin,
Feed a large Breed Puppy formula as they are formulated for growing large breed puppies bones, you dont want their bones growing too quickly..

“Dog Food Advisor” has a section on Large Breed Puppies..
whats best to feed, a good read.. /best-dog-foods/best-large-breed-puppy-food/

I like “Wellness” dog foods
https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/natural-dog-food/product-catalog/core-puppy-large-breed-puppy

& “Canidae” dog foods.
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products/canidae-all-life-stages-large-breed-turkey-meal-brown-rice-dry-formula

Wellness has been around over 100yrs so I’d say they’d know what they are doing when it comes to dogs & cats..
Make sure you add fresh meaty bone & fresh ingredients aswell to his meal so he gets a variety of foods & use to eating a few different foods….. this is when dogs end up with food sensitivities cause when they were pups they only ate the 1 dry food & never had a variety of foods, this strengthens their immune system (Stomach) & gets them use to different ingredients….

[anonymous]

These two look good to me.

https://www.gofromm.com/fromm-family-large-breed-puppy-gold-food-for-dogs

https://www.chewy.com/purina-pro-plan-focus-puppy-large/dp/52425

For science based veterinary medicine go here: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2010/01/nutrition-in-large-breed-puppies/
You can use the search engine at that site to look up “nutrition” for more informative articles.
I have found the site very helpful. Good luck with your puppy.

[Justin L]

We are welcoming a female puppy Samoyed soon, and I just wanted an opinion on whether to feed her Large Breed Puppy food or regular puppy food. The parents are 54 Lbs (mom) and 60 Lbs (dad). From what I seen that is right around the cusp of Large breed and Medium breed.

Also would like to know any dog foods that you guys recommend. I was about to go with Orijen but noticed that their is a lawsuit filed in California, but its hard to tell what is noise or truly factual. For reference I am located in Canada which may affect the choice of foods. Thanks all in advance for your time.

[anonymous]

Hope this helps!

Nutrition in Large Breed Puppies

(excerpt below, click on link for full article and comments)
The best way to meet the optimal dietary requirements for large breed puppies is with a commercial diet specifically designed for this purpose. Though many people recommend feeding an adult food, with the idea that it is lower in calories than regular puppy food, adult diets vary widely in calorie content, so this is not automatically true. Additionally, adult diets are not usually appropriately restricted in calcium content. It is also important not to add vitamin and mineral supplements containing calcium to properly balanced puppy diets as this is very likely to increase calcium intake beyond safe levels

[Jordan C]

Hello everyone,

I have an almost 5 month old Golden Retriever puppy. He is displaying signs of what might be a poultry intolerance, so my vet and I decided to remove poultry from his diet and see if he improves. I’m having a hard time finding a food that is appropriate for large breed puppies that doesn’t have chicken as an ingredient somewhere on the list.

I have found a couple of foods without chicken designated for “All life stages” with the AFFCO statement “[Pet Food Name] is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for growth/all life stages including growth of large-size dogs (70 lbs or more as an adult)”. However, the bag itself does not say “large breed puppy”. (ex: Zignature lamb)

Similarly, I have found some food without chicken that is designated “large breed puppy” that does not have an AAFCO statement that includes the above statement. (ex: Fromm Heartland Gold LBP)

Basically my question is this: Would you be comfortable feeding a large breed puppy a food that is not labeled for large breed puppies but has the AAFCO statement to support it, or would you be more comfortable feeding a food labeled for LBP without the associated AAFCO statement.

Any and all suggestions/feedback would be appreciated!

[haleycookie]

First is the 4health food you have her on a puppy formula? Second, at 40 lbs at only 4 months she sounds like she’s going to be a large breed dog so a large breed puppy food would be best. I always recommend wellness core puppy or wellness complete health large breed puppy. If she’s just big for her age instinct raw boost puppy is good for medium dog breeds.
As for the cooking chicken and rice, I wouldn’t do that. At least don’t make it anymore than a treat. Chicken and rice isn’t a balanced meal and shouldn’t make up more than 10% of the puppies diet. A canned food like Merrick, instinct, wellness core would be acceptable and good quality and properly balanced for a dog. If you plan to make the canned more than 10% of the diet then a puppy canned food would be necessary for proper nutrition.