[LckyNmbr12]

Thanks! I’ll look into those. He’s currently on Fromm’s large breed puppy dry food.

[Boxermom]

About your second question- Now Fresh Large Breed Puppy get 5 stars rating-

/dog-food-reviews/now-dog-food/

[echo07]

I have two 15 week old Great Danes. They are currently on Purina Select Large Breed Puppy only because breeder fed this. I would like to switch to Diamond Naturals Beef & Sweet Potato. I contacted the company & the calcium is 1.2% (as fed), 1.3% (dry matter). Protein 24.5% (as fed) 26.8% (dry matter). I’m getting so confused. Can anyone p,ease give me any feedback on this brand of food. I’ve talked to several people & they recommend it for quality & price. Thanks

[InkedMarie]

Good post HDM. Thats what I do. I go in armed with my information and pretty much ignore anything about nutrition. A couple prior vets we had would push what they sold; I never bought it. One recommended a Purina vet diet, dental one, after dentals. When I asked what was about the food that was so good for teeth, she had no answer.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi wallyworld –

It sounds like you’re in a very tough situation, sorry to hear this. 🙁

I’ve been in a similar situation with my vet. She knows next to nothing and is a Science Diet/Purina pusher, however my family has brought animals to her for nearly 20 years and she’s never steered us wrong in any non-nutritional area. You just need to stick to your guns and go in armed with information from veterinarians and nutritionists that are actually knowledgeable out nutrition. Let her know you’ve done your research and that you respect her opinion but you don’t appreciate her pushing low quality foods on you. The majority of vets typically don’t know a whole lot about nutrition. I’m not saying that no vets are knowledgeable about nutrition, however a vet trying to tell you what you should feed your dog would be the equivalent of your general practitioner trying to give you specialized nutritional advice. Your general practitioner may know a few things about nutrition but if you really need advice you you go to a nutritionist or dietician. Bring in copies of the articles I’ve linked to – Jennifer Larsen wrote one of the articles and she is a diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (I highly doubt your vet has any such qualifications to counter the claim of a veterinary nutritionist). It may not change anything and ultimately you have to do what you’re comfortable with and what you think is in the best interest of your dog. If you don’t believe Science Diet is in your dog’s best interest and you don’t feel comfortable feeding it let your vet know. If you’d rather follow your vet’s advice, then by all means feed Science Diet. Another option would be seeking out a nutritional consultant online – some will give phone consultations and customized menus.

Also – were the issues due to the treats or to the food?

[wallyworld]

After switching to Zignature dog food I thought I’d found the end to my dogs digestion problems. No more issues except for the frequent larger poops which I assume is credited t the higher fiber content. I then fed my doodle treats and we realized he is probably intolerant to potatoes, he then had another diarrhea and throw up episode. He was also having urinary issues. So off to the vet we went. Vet said the tests came back showing WAY too much protein in his diet. She said I was doing more harm than good. She said high calories and protein will cause issues. And denoted my argument about calcium levels. I debated with her back and forth on food and nutrition issues. She said I could rely on what I read online or go by a vet’s advice. Our vet has always been kind and honest about everything else. But she stood by Science Diet. She said she had visited many pet food manufacturers. She admitted the ingredients aren’t considered the best, but their research was top notch. She also has raised all 4 Mastiffs on Science Diet large breed puppy without issues. We debated for quite awhile on this. There are no other vets in my area that DON’T push SD so I’m not sure what my options are. If I go against the vets advice than any problems will be on me. I don’t know what to do. I can’t fight with my vet, I want my pup to be well taken care of. Any advice on how to deal with this situation? How do you tell the trained professional you don’t want to do what they say? Especially when the other vets you can go to would say the same? Ahhhhh help!

[pruc]

I have a 11 month black lab. We had him on acanna large breed puppy food and switched him to orgeons. He was fine on the acanna but had the runs off orgeons. Now the place I get my food stopped selling acanna and I was forced to switch brands. I switched him to go! Daily defense but can’t find a review on it. Dogs is reacting well to this food. Can anyone advise if it’s a.decent kibble? Also what don’t u think of now large breed grain free?

http://www.petcurean.com/for-dogs/go/daily-defence-chicken

[DieselJunki]

Ok so I think I got what I want to do down.

Moose is 50lbs (Just weighed him). Feeding him 4% of his body weight to start off I think and will adjust from there (He got really underweight at his boarding kennel, his hip bones are exposed, I’m pretty angry about it, someone could have called me and told me so I could tell them to up his food. Grr). I have decided to start off I’m going to do what HDM does and feed a grind in the morning and then an RMB at night which will probably be turkey necks.

If I were to feed 1lb of the chicken grind from MPC in the morning and then 1lb or turkey necks at night for a whole month does that sound like a pretty balanced diet for a 7 month old large breed (American Bull Dog) puppy? It’s the whole bone/calcium thing that kind of scares me.

Since coming back from his boarding kennel (I brought his food with him so he has been on THK since he has been there also) he has been super gassy and he poops 5 times a day at least and they are very very soft. I have upped his feedings to 2.5 cups in the morning and 2.5 at night to try and put some weight back on him so he doesn’t look so emaciated. I really am angry they allowed him to get that skinny. Really kicking myself for boarding him there, but they had excellent reviews and we even did a puppy class with the trainer and it seemed like a wonderful place. Can’t wait to get him right again.

[pugmomsandy]

My dog sitter has a maltiepoo or a maltiepootzu. Something like that. Anyways, HDM gave great advise. As far as kibble goes, my pugs and foster pugs eat a variety of foods (mostly grain free except for the puppy food). The foods also have a varying level of protein and fat and they have no problem going from one food to another. The kibble is also small – Nutrisource grain free, Brothers Complete, Nature’s Select grain free and I still have a few small bags of Epigen fish laying around. They have also eaten Amicus (for toy breeds). Since you only have 2 small dogs you can probably keep 2 or 3 different small bags of food around at once to offer a variety. Or heck, I can just mail you some because I always get big bags since I have at least 9 dogs around at once! Currently I have 4 different flavors open.

If you go to some of the dog foods’ websites, you will see that the toy/small breed foods are generally higher in protein than regular and large breed foods.

There are some days my toy breed dogs just get a piece of chicken leg or whole sardine or just tripe. Just protein and fat, no carbs.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Dustin –

Blue Wilderness isn’t a bad food. If I recall correctly however, someone posted that Blue refused to disclose the maximum level of calcium in their puppy foods so I wouldn’t recommend feeding any of their formulas to a large or giant breed puppy.

Here’s a list of 4 and 5 star grain-free foods with appropriate calcium levels for large breed growth. Pick a few that are available to you and rotate, mix in canned foods and fresh foods when possible.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFQXNYZW01VzRVV00/edit

[Dustin-R]

Hello All,
I just found this site. It has a great wealth if information. I still am wondering about food for my 12 week Rottweiler. The breeder was feeding Blue Buffalo Wilderness Puppy , and I have continued feeding this since I picked him up at 8 weeks. I was wondering what would be recommended as a better food for him? It is stated as 36% protein, 16% fat, 6% max crude fiber, 10% moisture max, 1% calcium max , .9% phosphorus, .1% DHA, .9% omega 3 fatty acids. 3% omega 6 fatty acids. I have a TSC, PETCO, and Petsmart that are local. I would prefer local as to online. I would buy online if that was my only means to get what I needed for Him. I would also like to know what would be recommended when he is older.
Thanks
Dustin R

Ingredients:
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Tapioca Starch,Peas,Tomato Pomace (source of Lycopene),Dried Egg, Natural Chicken Flavor, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid), Fish Oil (source of DHA-Docosahexaenoic Acid), Potatoes, Flaxseed (source of Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids),Alfalfa Meal, Potato Starch, Whole Carrots,Whole Sweet Potatoes, Blueberries, Cranberries, Barley Grass,Dried Parsley,Dried Kelp,Taurine,Yucca Schidigera Extract,L-Carnitine, L-Lysine,Turmeric,Oil of Rosemary, Beta Carotene,Vitamin A Supplement,Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1),Riboflavin (Vitamin B2),Niacin (Vitamin B3),d-Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6),Biotin (Vitamin B7),Folic Acid (Vitamin B9),Vitamin B12 Supplement,Calcium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C),Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement,Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate,Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate,Choline Chloride,Sodium Selenite,Calcium Iodate,Salt,Caramel,Potassium Chloride,Dried Yeast (source of Saccharomyces cerevisiae), Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product,Dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation product,Dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product

[Hound Dog Mom]

Orijen was recently re-formulated and no longer contains white potato. I personally think that, of Horizon Legacy, Orijen and Earthborn, Orijen is the best but I wouldn’t limit your pup to only one food. Rotate between different brands and protein sources for variety. I also agree with Patty that your pup may be on that large breed borderline so it may be in the pup’s best interest to feed a food appropriate for large breed puppies until she’s at least 8 months old. The new Orijen Large Breed Puppy formula looks good, Earthborn Coastal Catch and Earthborn Meadow Feast are all good choices for large breed puppies. Horizon Legacy is not appropriate for large breed puppies.

[lovemylab]

Thank you HDM for this great list of foods. I’ve been feeding my 6 month old lab earthborn costal catch, which he did really well on. We just started transitioning to Natures variety with a merrick or wellness core can for a topper. Was just wondering how long would I have to watch out for calcium levels in his food?

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi mrsGHT –

To calculate grams of calcium per 1,000 kcal. do the following:

1) Calculate grams of calcium per kilogram – Multiply the actual percent calcium by 1,000 grams (it’s very important that you obtain the actual level of calcium from the company, don’t use the minimum stated on the bag as foods often contain much more than the stated minimum).

2) Divide grams of calcium per kilogram by calories per kilogram (calories per kilogram can generally be found on the product packaging or website).

3) Multiply the grams of calcium per calorie (obtained in step 2) by 1,000 calories.

For example, if a food states that the actual level of calcium is 1.2% and there are 3,500 calories per kilogram: 1,000 grams X 0.012 = 12 grams of calcium per kilogram. 12 grams of calcium per kilogram/3,500 calories per kilogram = 0.00343 grams of calcium per calorie. 0.00343 grams of calcium per calorie X 1,000 calories = 3.43 grams of calcium per 1,000 calories.

I evaluated the Taste of the Wild Formulas when I created the list and none had appropriate calcium levels for large or giant breed growth.

[mrsGHT]

Sorry – I meant to say “Taste of the Wild” Pacific Stream Puppy food.

[mrsGHT]

Can you explain how you arrive at the number of calcium grams per 1000 kcal? Also, what is your opinion of Taste of the Pacific Stream Puppy food for a 4 month old Bouvier des Flandres? Somewhere (not on this forum) I read it was good for large breed puppies, but can’t find that info now. Thank you

[theBCnut]

I can’t advise you on a canned food, but consider soaking the kibble so that you can mash it with a fork or throwing it in a blender. That way his digestive enzymes can get to more surfaces to work on it. And for a few weeks, you might want to get a digestive supplement from the healthfood store, you want one that has enzymes and probiotics. Some dogs just need the extra help when their system is upset, some dogs need it for life. If it turns out yours needs it longer, order from Swansons, they have good ones at a good price.

[Magnus Campbell]

New to the forum.

Just got a 3 and half month old german shepherd/rotti mix from a local animal rescue.

I’ve been reading this forum the past few days trying to find the best food to buy our little guy (trying out some Wellness Core Puppy and Avoderm Rotating Menu – Trout and Peas), but for the past two days he won’t eat any kibble.

I also got him a few cans to top of the kibble and he will eat that. It looks like he doesn’t chew his kibble when eats it and then he ends up throwing it up (I assume because its upsetting his digestive system). He seems totally normal and not sick at all, just won’t eat the kibble and when he does he doesn’t chew and usually yacks later.

So, since he eats the wet and has no problem with it, what would be the best wet food to give him while we slowly ween him onto kibble again?

I want a wet food that would meet Hound Dog Mom’s recommendations for the dry food (i.e. a good calcium/phosphorus ratio). He’s going to be a big boy, so I want to make sure he’s getting what he needs to avoid joint/growing issues.

Thanks!!!

Nick

• This reply was modified 12 years, 7 months ago by Magnus Campbell.

[pugmomsandy]

Wallyworld,

Vital Essentials has freeze dried nibblets. They are small from pea to macadamia nut size. And they would count as food so no wasted calories on snacks.

[theBCnut]

Hi Swissy Mix

Ignore your husband or slap his hand away from the food and dog treats, whichever applies. It is vital to keep giant breeds on the light side while they are still growing. You absolutely do not want him growing fast or having big growth spurts. I wish I could tell you a particular number of calories, but it varies breed to breed and dog to dog. Feed him enough that he is keeping muscle tone on the backs of his thighs, but so that he stays thin, thin enough that you can easily feel his ribs with your finger tips, until he is two years old.

[Saireah]

I posted earlier in this thread regarding our new foster puppy (then failed foster puppy) Riggs… he’s now six months old and doing great. I have been feeding him Fromm’s Large Breed Puppy Gold. He’s been flourishing on it and it’s a great price in my area ($49 for a 33lb bag). It took me a bit to swallow that it’s only a 4 star food because it is grain inclusive, but my 2 year old lab/vizsla mix has been doing so much better since I took her off of grain-free food. I have her on the Adult Gold and chose the Large Breed Puppy Gold so I could do Fromm’s buy-12-get-13th-free This is strange, I know, and I’m in no way advocating switching to grain-inclusive – it just seemed as if grain-free was too rich for her.

I wanted to throw the option of Fromm’s Large Breed Puppy Gold out there to everyone as an alternative if you’re a bit concerned about budget. What was interesting to me is that it has less calcium than Fromm’s GF Game Bird Recipe. It does have a bit less protein, but I think it looks pretty good when I did my original research on it. Feel free to correct me, though. 🙂

And their Large Breed Puppy Gold bags currently have incorrect feeding guidelines on them due to some regulatory issues, but if you e-mail Fromm’s customer service, they will send you a document with the proper guidelines.

I should note that, once Riggs turns a year old, I am going to try and transition them both to a grain-free Fromm’s 4 Star line and see how Quinn does again. But, for the year in which he is literally inhaling his food, I had to be a bit budget-minded. 🙂

[newsaintowner]

HDM – Thank you so much for your response! I just needed to check and make sure that a regular puppy food was indeed okay…. I have always wondered why not feed a higher fat/calorie food to a large breed puppy and then just feed less of it. In so doing, wouldn’t you reduce the overall calcium intake?
A giant breed puppy seems to need quite a bit of food to maintain even a very lean frame ( at least our boy does!) and it seems self -defeating to choose a food with low calcium but also low fat/calorie and then have to feed a larger quantity daily.
Thank you again for your time… it is so helpful to be able to ask questions to someone is is so knowledgeable. Hopefully our puppy will be content with eating the Wellness Core Puppy for a long time and I won’t have to struggle with this difficult decision again for quite a while!

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi newsaintowner –

Never be embarrassed to ask questions! 🙂

Yes, according to the calcium levels provided to me by Wellness, the Wellness CORE puppy formula is acceptable for large breed puppies. Feed the amount that keeps your pup in optimal body condition – with a Saint you’ll likely need to be adjusting portions pretty frequently for the first year as they grow quickly. Also, despite their size Saints don’t typically have high energy (calorie) requirements. I have two friends with Saints – both of their Saints (~180 lbs.) eat less then my hounds (70 lbs. – 110 lbs.). A lot of the giant bulky breeds like Saints tend to have slow metabolisms so you’re going to have to watch the weight carefully. I understand the concern over foods being labeled “large breed” and foods only being labeled “puppy.” From my experience contacting companies to determine the appropriateness of their formulas for growing large breed puppies, I found that a “large breed” puppy formula is no more likely to be appropriate for large breed growth than a regular “puppy formula” or “all life stages” formula. In fact, you’ll notice not one “large breed puppy” formula made my list. This is because every 4 or 5 star grain-free large breed puppy formula I found had excessive levels of calcium. What I was seeing is that companies were merely reducing the fat, calorie and protein levels in their large breed formula and the calcium levels were often the same or more than in their regular puppy or all life stages formulas! Based on current research it is known that fat and protein have no effect on the incidence of developmental orthopedic disease in large/giant breed puppies and that calcium does. Calories only have an effect on developmental orthopedic disease if they are consumed in excess (i.e. the puppy is allowed to be overweight) – this doesn’t mean that large/giant breed puppies need reduced calorie foods, it merely means their portions need to be controlled. So in short, in order to limited your pup’s chances of developing an orthopedic condition, feed appropriate levels of calcium, keep your pup in optimal body condition and avoid strenuous and high impact activities until your pup is fully grown (24 months of age for a Saint). Good luck with the new pup and don’t be afraid to come back if you have any more questions!

[newsaintowner]

Hi there –
I am a new member, but I have been eavesdropping for weeks! I can’t tell you how invaluable all the great information here has been to me, especially your posts, HDM… Thank you so much!! We have a seventeen week Saint Bernard puppy who is very particular about what he will eat. He seems to really like a food, and then he will gradually become less and less enthusiastic until he flat-out quits eating.
To get to the point, my question is regarding Wellness Core puppy food. I bought a small bag and our puppy seems to like it ( at least for now!). I know this is on your list of acceptable grain free foods, HDM, but I just wanted to confirm that it is indeed safe to feed, despite the fact that it is not labeled “large breed”. I am assuming that I can compensate for the higher fat and calories by feeding less food and just watching our pup’s overall condition.
I am a bit embarrassed to even ask, but I just had to double check with you, HDM, because of all the dire warnings about feeding a large breed puppy regular puppy food. I am assuming these warnings all are directed at the calcium levels. Thank you for you time and for all the great information!

[theBCnut]

I feed all my dogs, including an 11 yr old, All Life Stages foods which are puppy and every other age foods. I feel they are better quality than Adult foods.

I have a puppy that can’t handle grains in his diet, so I know first hand that feeding grain free is just fine for puppies. I’ve heard all kinds of mixed answers too, but the things people say against feeding high protein are based on old research that was proved both faulty and false. Unfortunately, old wives tales are difficult to kill.

[wallyworld]

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for all of the great info on this forum. I have a 12 week old Goldendoodle. He is estimated to be around 65 to 70 lbs. I have driven myself crazy trying to find the best puppy food to feed him. I finally chose Fromm Gold large breed puppy as I was comfortable with the ingredients and the levels of calcium/phosphorus were low. He has been sick the past week, vet has him on a bland diet. I fear the issue might be his food and am preparing to switch if needed. I know HDM has a great list for food, but wanted everyone’s opinion on 2 things. 1. Is it ok to feed large breed puppy a non puppy food?
2. Is it ok to feed puppy a grain free diet?
I have been getting mixed answers from my research and don’t know what to do. Help!!

[Boxermom]

Hello,
I started my dog on Acana puppy large breed (5 stars rated, 55% meat) and I’m very pleased with it. However, a dog trainer I know, recently told me that because we feed smaller amount in rich quality dog foods, while this amount is enough for the physical needs of the dog, it doesn’t fill the dog’s belly, so the dog doesn’t feel full. And I can not add more food to the daily amount, because then the dog will gain weight.
What do you think about it? I want to feed my dog quality food, but I don’t want him to be hungry all the time… I now feed him 150g less then in his former food ( it’s 400g per day, and he’s 25 kg, but in the adult food it’s less then that). Is there anyway of knowing if a dog is really hungry?
I’d be happy to hear any thought or opinions from anyone!
Thank you.

[theBCnut]

First, go here and read /forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/
There is a google doc in there that Hound Dog Mom posted. She did a ton of research of which foods actually have the appropriate amount of calcium for large breeds. A lot of the so called large breed foods really are not ok for large breed puppies. They were formulated from old bad research that has since been disproven. Pick a few foods from her list and rotate through them, it’s ok to give your other dog the same food. Rotating foods is healthier for your dog, just like people should eat a variety of foods for optimal health, dogs should too.

[debdfwrealtor]

I have been feeding my 7 yr old lab TOTW Pacific Stream for a year now. He does great on it….wonderful coat, healthy…does have some gas. I just got a new lab puppy. i read the ingredients on the TOTW regular and puppy formula and the ingredients are pretty close to the same. Should I feed her (the pup) the puppy food or is the regular okay? Also, I was trying to find a food that was a little less expensive and have friends that feed their labs BB food. Are they comparable? And, none of the premium foods have “large breed” puppy food that I have seen in Science Diet, Iams, etc. Does it make a difference? I know there are several questions within this post, but just really need guidance to feed my kids. Thanks!

[theBCnut]

I’m just going to add to your OCD, sorry. Hound Dog Mom has done a wonderful service for owners of large breed dogs and researched calcium levels on grain free foods. Your vizsla may or may not be considered a large breed because the breed is borderline with females usually smaller and males right at the weight to be considered large breed, so to be safe I would feed as if you know he is going to be large, which means watching calcium levels. Many foods that are labeled for large breeds still have calcium levels that are too high. Here is HDMs thread about large breed nutrition, in it is her list of foods with appropriate calcium levels:

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

[turtlemom]

I have a couple Great Danes. I am always researching food and comparing dry kibble labels. They were on Blue Buffalo but my local store went up on the price to 65 bucks a bag I had to re evaluate my budget for dog food. I went to a crap food and they are eating twice as much so the search is on for a good food again. I loved Blue Buffalo but is there a better dry food out there????

I’d love a high calorie food so they don’t have to eat as much (less poo)
I’d love glucosamine and Chondroitin and Omega’s

What is a great dog food for Danes? I’d love to eventually do a raw natural diet….. but that is for another research day 🙂

Oh and sorry if this is already answered … I tried to search but only found large breed puppy info.

Thanks !

[Jfa0930]

Ok, guys. I’m back. I had switched my Doberman puppy from Blue Buffalo Large Breed Puppy to Earthborn Holistics MeadowFeast because the Blue Buffalo was giving her diarrhea and now the Earthborn is doing the same thing. I want to feed her a 5 star food within the same price range that does not give her the poops! Any suggestions? I need to make a decision soon because I’m getting low on the bag I have and I’ll need enough to transition properly. Someone mentioned to me that they could have too much protein for her?

[august]

Thanks so much for your quick response! I’ll definitely look into Trippett. Maybe once things settle down a bit I’ll be able to get him a variety of canned foods for toppers.

Thank you for your advice. I’ll do my best to judge what he needs and if I’m wrong I’ll try and catch it early. 🙂

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi August –

I like Tripett for a canned topper for large breed puppies – it’s pure canned green tripe (so it’s only for a topper, not a balanced meal). Green tripe naturally has a balanced calcium to phosphorus ratio but it has a very low concentration of both minerals. However, if you’re only using a small amount of canned food as a topper I wouldn’t worry about the calcium levels.

It’s really tough to recommend an amount to feed as energy requirements can vary drastically from dog to dog. The feeding guide on the bag would be a good place to start but keep in mind it’s only a starting point. Some dogs will need much more than what’s recommended on the feeding guide and others will need much less. You’ll need to assess your pup’s weight regularly and adjust his portions accordingly to ensure he maintains optimum body condition. He’ll be growing quickly and for the first 8 months or so you’ll find that you’ll need to adjust portions frequently.

[august]

Hello

I just want to say a huge thank you to Hound Dog Mom for all the work she’s put into this research. While our family has had dogs growing up (and we still have two lovely cuddlers) I am going to be getting a puppy of my own in 2 weeks. He will be a 9 week old black lab/great dane mix and I’m really excited.

From what I’ve seen on the forums here I’m planning on rotating between 2 different dry foods with some canned for breakfast and dinner. Using HDM’s list I’ve decided the first food will be Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain: Salmon because I know I can get it at our local Costco for $35 and it got 4 stars. I’ll choose another food to rotate from the list once I find out what we have in town.

My question is this: Should I factor in the calcium and protein levels of the canned food on top of the dry food? It seems pretty self-explanatory, I know, but I’m a new dog mom and I really want to get this right!

Second question: Does anyone have any recommendations for the amount I should be feeding? I’ll go through this topic again after I post to make sure I didn’t miss anything. This is the first time I’ve had responsibility for another being and I desperately want to make sure I don’t overfeed. Right now I’m planning three feedings a day with breakfast and dinner having canned food on the dry and the noon feeding being used mostly for training purposes.

Any advice welcome!

[Tuckers Mom]

Hi, need some advice please. I have a 11 month old 60 lb. mix. I’ve been told Lab/Shepherd or Lab/Rotty. He seems to be showing some signs of hip dysplasia, I have a vet appointment at the end of the month. I’ve been feeding him Taste of the Wild for several months now. When I went to the pet store they told me they were out of TOTW Puppy and said there was no problem using the adult since there wasn’t much difference. Did my not using Puppy make a difference? After reading Hound Dog’s list for large breed it looks like I’ll be making a food change anyway. I was thinking about starting him on a joint supplement. Aren’t ones for humans more reasonably priced than for dog. Thanks for any advice.

[theBCnut]

As long as you are using only a little(20% or less of the meal) on top of their kibble and the kibble has balance cal/phos it will be fine.

[lovemylab]

Thanks for the great info! I’ll look into both brands. I’m trying wellness core puppy canned just not sure about the calcium and phosphorus levels, that info is not labeled on the can.

[patvl246]

I’m referring to their food. I talked to the people at Evangers, It was an honest labeling mistake.
As far as stealing electricity, I don’t know about that. I still say if your going to feed a canned dog food, Evengers would be hard to beat.

[theBCnut]

I’m not so sure I would agree with that. Evangers was caught using a protein source that was not what was on the can. I believe they tested and found they were substituting beef in the cans of duck. They were also caught stealing $2 million worth of electricity, endangering their workers, and forcing their workers to do unpaid overtime. I know those last ones don’t have to do with dog food quality, but they do have to do with whether or not you can trust a company. If Evangers would do all that, they would do anything. They can’t be trusted.

[patvl246]

Lovemylab, I should clarify, you won’t find a better “Canned” food than Evangers

[patvl246]

lovemylab, I don’t think you’ll find a better food than Evangers

[theBCnut]

If you are looking for canned to add some variety to your pups diet then he will really go for Tripett. It is not a balanced food, so it should be used at a rate of 20% or less of his food, but the calcium/phosphorus ratio of tripe is excellent for large breed puppies.

[lovemylab]

Looking to add canned food to my labs kibble. I’m looking for grain free that would be good for a large breed puppy. He’s eating Halo surf and turf kibble. Any suggestions would be great.

[theBCnut]

You probably won’t see any difference between the two. They are very similar, though not very good. If you are interested in a food that is better for your growing puppy, try looking here:
/forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/

[DieselJunki]

I would vouch for what Hound Dog Mom has to say. She knows her stuff. Seriously go to the Diet and Health Issues forum and look at the first topic there about Large and Giant Breed Nutrition. You will find ALL your answers in that topic. I know I did.

My breeder also suggested a low protein diet and extra calcium to fix my dogs crooked leg. Turns out I was feeding a diet much to high in calcium and in doing more research on the calcium issue learned that it is the high calcium that causes most issues. Not the protein. Took him to the vet, got a splint right off the bat, took splint off in 4 days, completely fixed his leg. Haven’t had an issue since switching his food and getting that splint.

[suztzu]

The associate was very wrong, puppies espcially need a good amount of protein and fat they are both essential to a growing puppy. Both are good foods the Core I thought was an all life stage food and the kibble is quite large for a small puppy if he’s a gulper like mine is. My shih tzu Leo would swallow them whole and throw it up a half hour later gross. Earthborn holistics, Blue Buffalo wilderness Innova prime, Natures Variety Instinct are also all good products. When you transition him over to a different food do it slowly because some of the grain free foods are also high in fat and can cause loose stool. I never feed my dogs anything with protein under 28 to 30 % if I can help it. I also will give them Natures Variety Instinct canned at least once a day mixed in the kibble to boost the protein levels. Have fun with puppy good luck

[Hound Dog Mom]

Feyconri –

There is NO link between high protein levels and developmental orthopedic diseases in large and giant breed puppies – this is a common myth. I suggest you go the large and giant breed puppy nutrition topic and start researching by reading some of the articles posted (written by veterinarians and nutritionists). I have giant breeds and my last two puppies were raised on high protein (>40%) grain-free food with low calcium levels. They had slow and controlled growth with no incidence of DOD.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi caoimhe –

If you go to the “Diet and Health Issues” forum, the first topic (highlighted in yellow) is “Large and Giant Breed Puppy Nutrition.” There are links to several good articles and a list of 4 and 5 star grain-free foods appropriate for large and giant breed puppies. Large and giant breed puppies need foods with controlled calcium levels. Fromm’s grain-free foods made the list. Feconri stated giant breeds need reduced protein – this is NOT true. Read the articles written by veterinarians and nutritionists, there is no link between protein levels and growth issues. Excess calcium and excess calories can cause growth issues.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Shihtzumim20 –

Krill oil is great because it’s low in contaminants and contains a very potent naturally occuring antioxidant called astaxanthin. If the food already has added omega 3’s (fish oil) use the krill oil sparingly because, yes, you can give your dog too much of a good thing. Here’s a dosage chart for fish/krill oil:

-250 mg. daily for toy breeds and cats (1 – 14 lbs.)
-500 mg. daily for small dogs (15 – 29 lbs.)
-1,000 mg. daily for medium dogs (30 – 49 lbs.)
-1,500 mg. daily for large dogs (50 – 79 lbs.)
-2,000 mg. daily for dogs 80+ lbs.

When your dog is on a raw diet that includes bones and cartilage there won’t be as much of a need for a joint supplement because bones/cartilage are full of naturally occurring glucosamine and chondroitin. If you have a senior dog or a dog with an orthopedic problem, however, a supplement may still be necessary. After heavy activity my senior gets a few capsules of Wysong’s Arthegic (my favorite joint supplement). It’s marketed as a human supplement but great for dogs too. Wysong even includes a dosage chart for dogs on their website. It contains boswellia, sea cucumber, turmeric, ginger, devil’s claw, yucca, red pepper and cetyl myristoleate.

I personally vaccinate my dogs as puppies (parvo/distemper at 8 weeks, 11 weeks, 14 weeks and a rabies at 16 weeks) and then I vaccinate 1 year after their last puppy booster. I don’t vaccinate again other than rabies every 3 years to comply with law. This is something you need to research yourself and decide what you are comfortable doing with your dog. Some people vaccinate every year, some every 3 years, some like I do, some only do puppy shots and others don’t vaccinate at all. Check out healthypets.mercola.com- Dr. Becker has some great information and videos on vaccinating.