[Susan]

Hi Kathy, have you seen a vet that specializes in IBD?? what works for one dog doesn’t always work for another dog, if you go onto the “Review” section “Natural Balance” there’s a few dogs that are doing well on Natural Balance…
Sometimes a dog needs a lower fiber diet when they have bowel problems, I cant see the Glucosamine firming up her poo’s, it’s best to give the Glucosamine & Chondroitin tablets your self & add to her diet, add tablet with one of her meals, this way she gets the proper amount she needs, the amount of Glucosamine in a kibble isn’t enough for her bones & joints…..
What colour is her poo’s ?? When it’s the small bowel with problem, poos will be real yellow & sloppy, (S.I.B.O) when it’s the large bowel poos are darker & look like cow patties, your vet needs to do tests & work out is it food intolerances is she reacting to a certain ingredients??? does she need a vet diet with more In-Soluble fiber or more Soluble fiber?? Royal Canine Vet diets have a few vet diets low & high in fiber, then you’ll start to get a better idea what the problem is??
My boy didn’t do well on the Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Digestion, read the ingredient list it’s not good, it doesn’t digest easy, so don’t always believe what they right on the kibble bags..
Two really good kibbles that have worked for Patches IBD are “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb, a grain free, single protein, (no other proteins just Lamb meal) limited ingredient kibble…
“Canidae” all life stages, Large Breed, Turkey Meal & Brown rice, Adult, Puppy & Senior formula’s it’s new in Blue packet on page 4.. it has 750mg/Kg Glucosamine, but your still better off adding your own Glucosamine to your dogs diet.
http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
I would be trying the TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb & see a vet to put her on a course of Metronidazole tablets for 21-28 days to kill any bad bacteria she may have in her stomach & small bowel & just feed the limited ingredient TOTW kibble or their Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon has less fiber at 3% a lot of dogs with EPI & IBD & IBS do really well on the TOTW Pacific Stream & Sierra Mountain, I don’t know why?? maybe cause the water TOTW use is Purified or the probiotics they use are the right ones for dogs with Intestinal Stress I don’t know but TOTW was the only kibble that helped him do firm poos where the vet diets made him itch & smell cause he has food intolerances to most of the ingredients in vet diets. TOTW & Canidae are both money back guaranteed kibbles & wet tin food..

[Martha O]

I have tried several large breed puppy foods and am currently on Origen large breed puppy. Whatever I have tried my boxer puppy has soft but well-formed stool initially in the day, but later has multiple small amounts of “cow-pie” diarrhea. This happens also when he exercises. My vet has suggested switching him to a good quality adult food. I prefer grain free, low glycemic, and no potatoes. I am not adverse to frozen raw or dehydrated food. I have started giving him Grandma Lucy’s dehydrated chicken for one of his 3 meals, but this has not made any difference. First of all, I cannot find a good quality adult food (not all life stages). Boxers are notorious for stomach issues. He is in otherwise excellent health. Any suggestions?
Martha and Pepper

[crazy4cats]

Hi Jennifer-
Costco has a large breed puppy food? Where did you see it?

[pitlove]

Hi Traci-

I would not keep them on Nutro Max large breed puppy for too much longer. I had contacted the company a while back asking for the max values of calcium and phosphorus on their max large breed puppy and come to find out the levels were much too high to be appropriate for growing large breed. As far as your price concerns go $30 for a 25 pound bag of food is probably going to be a little difficult. The only one that I would probably trust at that price point would be Purina One large breed puppy other than that you’re probably not getting a good product.

[Jennifer]

Traci T. Congratulations on your new family members, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Economically priced large breed food is harder to find, but other owners of giant breeds (I’m a proud mom of 3 Great Danes) have spoken very highly about the Costco large breed puppy food. The nutrient you most want to monitor is the calcium levels – which should be around 1.1%. Good luck to you and you lucky kids and pups! Jen

[BigHeart]

My kids and I were planning on getting a dog soon, but sibling 5 month old 37 lb Greater Swiss Mountain/Lab mixes took us by surprise while I was at a shelter. These two super-sweet-eager-to-please puppies had been there a while because of their size and were fast moving up the kill list. We have plenty of room, land, and love – so I adopted them. They have some temporary health issues from being at the shelter, and I’m sure they’ll continue to have significant vet bills after their rough start at life. I transitioned them from the Purina puppy chow the shelter feeds, to Nutro Max Large Breed Puppy food and they’ve been on it a little over a week. They are still having really soft stools/diarrhea. My question is, the increase has my pet budget considerably stretched and I’m a single mom of 3 kids. Does anyone have recommendations on a good quality large breed puppy food that is on the lower end of the price range? Anything under $30 for 25 lbs would be incredibly helpful.

[Linda B]

We are adopting a goldendoodle pup in a few weeks who will be 45 – 50 pounds as an adult. We recently changed to Annamaet Grain Free with our five year old goldendoodle. He was previously on Acana but we’re concerned about Acana’s new production facility in Kentucky. Can anyone recommend Annamaet as a puppy food? The editors list included Annamaet Encore for large puppies. The puppy has been raised on Life’s Abundance by the breeder.

Thank you!

[pitlove]

I can’t say for sure, but it seems most folks are keeping the pup on an appropriate large breed puppy food until maturity and then beginning to add in extras.

If it were my pup, that is personally what I would do unless you consult with one of NV’s nutritionist and they offer you a solution that will not compromise your babies optimal growth.

One of the regulars on here said something once that really stuck with me about large breed growth. She said essentially that you only have one chance to get a proper orthopedic structure. I thought that was such an eye opening way of looking at this topic.

[Karyn S]

Hello,

Thank you to all who have contributed such a wealth of information to this forum. I will be welcoming a German Shepherd puppy in about a month and have been trying to determine the best dehydrated, freeze-dried or raw diet to start her on. (I do not have the capacity to do an entirely raw diet, but could add raw toppers to a meal.)

I’ve read through all pages and just when I feel I have a direction, something changes it.

I started with HDM’s latest list, which includes some Raw and a couple of THC dehydrated options for large breed puppies. Since the list is a bit older, I reached out to a couple of the companies (Stella and Chewy’s and THC) specific to average/maximum calcium and received conflicting information, which leads me to believe formulas have changed since list was compiled.

I’m also a member of Editor’s choice and there’s only 1 non-dry food option (FreshPet) noted. I have been researching for hours on end and it seems I am nowhere closer to a decision.

Does anyone have recommendations for a dehydrated, freeze-dried and/or raw option(s) that would be safe for a large breed puppy. I’m trying to avoid feed kibble if at all possible.

Thank you!

[Janice K]

My 8 week old puppy did the same thing. She had many tests by our regular vet, including a barium x-ray, but nothing showed a cause. Was referred to veterinarian specialists. She saw a neurologist, and internal medicine specialist. Finally a surgeon did an exploratory exam under anesthesia. They found she had an anal structure.(fibrous band). They gave us the option to do a balloon dialation to enlarge the anal opening. We elected to try it. It worked. They said she might have to have it done again as she grew larger, but that is not the case. She is 5 years old now and doing great. She does have to take a liquid (lactulose) medicine daily for life. She has taking it since 8 weeks of age. She is so cute. I say Dolly time for your medicine. She comes to me and opens her mouth for the syringe. Her stools are firm and normal with no more yelping. She eats Horizon Amicus small breed grain free dry food with raw freeze dried mixers mixed in. She is a great little girl. I call her my million dollar baby.

[Susan]

Hi can you buy each dog their “own” bowls, all different colours, make them all sit, call each ones name & give him/her their dinner in “their” bowl, the way your feeding them at the moment you don’t know if one dog is eating more then another dog, if one dog isn’t eating much one day & is feeling off…..I have a kitten 11months old & dog the kitten is very impatient when her food is being put into her bowl, so she is feed first up on her scratching post thing, Patch is feed in the lounge room so I can sit down on lounge & put a few kibbles in his bowl at a time, other wise he gulps all food under 1 min, he has IBD mainly stomach…..

For your old boy have a look at “Canidae” Pure Meadow Senior kibble, it’s easy to digest & has only 7 ingredients, excellent for dogs with sensitive stomachs, I would send Canidae a email asking what is their lowest Phosphorus kibble, normally large breed puppy formulas are lower in Phosphorous & ask can is their large breed puppy formula Duck Meal Brown Rice & Lentils formula wet & dry be feed to your girl with Kidney problems, its 0.80% Phosphorous & kibble size is nice & small, all Canidae formulas have small easy to digest kibbles…
I know when I’ve emailed kibble companies asking can my 8 yr old eat their new large breed puppy formula, they have all said yes, puppy formulas normally aren’t over 30% -protein, fat isn’t high & have DHA which is excellent for skin, joints, eyes, brain, heart etc so it will also be good for a senior dog as well….
When I emailed “Taste Of The Wild” last week, 2 vets emailed me back within 24hrs asking further questions about my boy health problems, then they recommend which formula’s NOT to feed, so you could give TOTW a try & have a look at their wet tin foods for your young pup, dry kibble isn’t good for dogs with kidney problems, wet food is better…
If you email Hills or Royal Canine or Purina, ask can a vet nutritionist please contact you…

I don’t know if all your dogs can all eat the same formula??? this is Canidae’s Large Breed Puppy, all Life stages formula & it’s low in phosphorous, email Canidea & ask them, it come it wet tin as well..
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products/canidae-life-stages-large-breed-puppy-duck-meal-brown-rice-lentils-dry-formula

• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by Susan.

[Jennifer]

First, what a great gathering of other large breed puppy owners – all the great advice is invaluable.

Now on to my questions/ issue. I have a 6 month old Great Dane puppy – Finn is my 4th Dane, one I’ve lost, Shiloh is 13 (a miracle, I know!) and Liberty is 18 months. Until I brought him home I fed all my Danes Wellness Core Large Breed. Then Libby developed allergies so we switched to Wellness Core Wild. And when I brought Finn home I started him on Wellness Core Puppy. Unfortunately he didn’t like it, so after doing a lot of research, I transitioned him to Orijen Puppy Large and my other pups are eating Orijen Regional Red.

Overall, I’m really happy with the food, but Finn’s growth pace has slowed from an average of 5 lbs/week to about 3 lbs/week, which is much sooner than my other pups, and his front paws shake when he’s at rest. The vet checked for growth plate/ligament issues and found nothing of concern.

Has anyone else seen this kind of issue? Has anyone had any issues with Orijen Puppy Large food?

[pitlove]

Hi Corsomomma21-

Too many treats add unneeded calories to the diet and can result in a fat puppy. It is important to train, but not every aspect of training requires a treat. Sometimes praise and pets are the best type of reward. For the times when a treat is really needed as part of her learning an important command such as recalling to you, you can use things that are high value. Cooked or freeze dried organ meats are usually high value. Another good idea is using her food as treats if she turns out to be food driven. You can keep track of how many pieces of dry food you use as treats and subtract that from her meals so you keep the calories down.

Also congrats on the Corso puppy! Between pitbulls and Corsos those are the two breeds I’m most passionate about. I’ve already got my Corso breeder picked out for when we upgrade to a larger house.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by pitlove.

[Susan]

Hi, “Canidea” formulas are all small in size, the size off small finger nail……
Small kibble digest easier, so less chance of getting bloat, a few kibble companies are making their kibbles size smaller now… I always go to pet shops & feel the kibbles thru the bag, I don’t like “Wellness” kibbles, they are big, thick triangle in shape…..

“Holistic Select” Adult/Puppy Salmon, Anchovy & Sardine grain free kibble is small & excellent for skin, joints, high in omega 3 fatty acids & has added DHA for brain & eyes they have a Large Breed with grains or grain free, email Holistic Select & ask is their Grain Free Large Breed kibble have small size kibbles like their other formulas?

“Pro Pac Ultimates”, Meadow Prime Lamb & their Bayside Select Whitefish has nice size kibbles & cheaper in price same makers that make “Earthborn Holistic” also has small size kibbles but is dearer in price….my cat loves the Pro Pac Ultimates dog food…

Canidae- http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
Pro Pac Ultimates- http://www.propacultimates.com/dog-food/
Holistic Select- http://www.holisticselect.com/

[HoundMusic]

“We spoke with our vet, who recommended against our current feeding regimen; saying it may be too small of a portion, causing him to go into starvation mode.”

Your Vet is 1000% correct. When the body is deprived of food, the thyroid gland will slow down the metabolism, causing the animal to not only gain weight, but to make weight loss very, very difficult. It’s why recovering anorexics often have hypothyroidism, and why people with hypothyroidism have problems with their weight stagnating even when they barely eat and get plenty of exercise. In fact, if the dog does have a thyroid problem, increasing exercise at this point might make weight loss impossible.

Consider this: when I was a teenager, I knew someone who fed a 40lb dog *one* 6oz can of Mighty Dog daily. The owner’s reasoning being that was the ration her last dog received, never mind he was a 20-ish lb lhasa mix. Needless to say, she wasn’t the brightest spark. However, despite both her dogs being underfed, they were actually overweight; the larger one at one point grossly so, despite the fact the she was being outright starved.

Offhand, I’d say for a 75lb inactive dog, no less than 2-2.5 cups per day should be fed. Just to give you a better idea of how low the amount you’re feeding is for a dog that weight, my 30lb Beagles get slightly less than 1.5 cups daily, and my 25-ish lb Beagle pup gets that or slightly more. When I had my 65lb Shepherd mix who hardly ate anything to keep a healthy weight would get no less than 2 cups. My purebred GSD was the same weight as the mutt, but had a higher nutrient requirement, and normally ate around 3.5-4 cups daily. Both were lean dogs, with not an ounce of spare fat.

For what my humble advice is worth, I would suggest taking this dog off Wellness altogether. Of all the feeds I’ve tried over the years, it was one of the absolute worst. Think I had somewhere around 13 adult dogs and a litter of pups on both the original grain inclusive formula, CORE, and Small Breed Puppy – and not a single one of them did well on it. Coats went to pot, problems with hypoglycemia and loose stools, etc.

Look for a feed that has a relatively low kcal content, so that you can feed this dog more food without giving an excess of calories. Aim for something around 340 kcals per cup or less, with moderate amounts of protein and fat. Be VERY careful with those grain free fad diets, because they often contain an unhealthy excess of protein and other nutrients. Or are made more with the owner’s sensibilities in mind than what the dog actually needs. And if it comes down to a prescription diet, that’s a far better alternative to the health problems being overweight will cause.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Monique-
It does seem like most of the foods acceptable for large breed puppies include grain. Is there a reason that you are looking for a grain free food? I feed my dogs both with and without grain kibble. I don’t think food that uses peas, potatoes or tapioca are necessarily better than food that uses oatmeal, rice, corn and/or millet for its carb. Unless, of course, the dog has an intolerance to one of those.

Keeping your pup lean and feeding a food with the right calcium level is of the utmost importance, however, for a large breed puppy.

Of the foods on the EC puppy list, I’ve fed Whole Earth Farms and Eagle Pack with great results. Dr. Tim’s and Fromm also get high marks from other posters on this site.

What kind of dog do you have and how old is it?

[pugmomsandy]

For your adult dog check out BalanceIt.com. They make a supplement to add to meat and carb of your choice. Also, there’s an easy recipe video with few ingredients. Search “Homemade dog food recipe Rodney Habib” on youtube. These are suggestions for your lab.

I would recommend further research for your Bernese. Calcium/phosphorus content and ratio is very important or wait until he is an adult.

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

Edit: about your rough draft raw menu. It isn’t a complete diet. Have a look at DogAware.com.

http://www.dogaware.com/diet/homemade.html

• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by pugmomsandy.

[samlab]

First let me begin, this website that Mike Sagman has set up is superb. As you read my experience please don’t get caught in minutia of thought..just read this and hopefully this can and will help others. I love dogs, all dogs…cats too. I have been showing and breeding top Labrador Champions for over 30 years. So with to this I will assume that my input will be really about the large breed dogs and yes you may consider all dogs for that matter. I have tried all of these foods. Many work, some results are ok and others well just didn’t go well. Many dog foods since their really are just a few manufacturers, some are private branded under that specific companies ingredients, for their specific brand. I read many posts about this or that, and raw versus X.Y.Z, form of foods. Every time I try to go to the “other side”, well I end up, rather baffled at the terrible results. Therefore, I will let all of you know, grains, corn, etc. are not the cause of your dogs allergy’s, its all about the genetics. It you have a dog that has allergies, its about, the breeding. Same for cancer in dogs, it could be environmental, but less than 1%. It is indeed genetic. The longest lived dogs in the US have been on the following foods, this is research fact direct from the Doctors that did the research: Purina, Science Diet and Eukanuba Brands. To those that profess to Raw diets and rotating foods I will mention frozen or fresh raw foods (frozen still has salmonella once defrosted and eaten) is well your on your own. Rotating foods is not good either as it completely screws up the stomach and intestinal flora in a dogs digestive tract. No your not going to get good advice from the local specialty food store as these people have no idea about the foods they sell. Zero. Every dog is different and you will need to find out what works best for your dog…I will now share what typically works for Large Breeds and especially Labradors Retrievers and many others. But beforehand I will explain. I just went with another brand of puppy food T.O.T.W. over time it did not go well..at five months old and recently the same bag, the last 1.5 weeks, it reared its ugly head. Not Giardia either. I switched that 47lb boy straight onto Eukanuba Puppy Large breed yesterday, problem over best stool in his life so far. As I write this 1X more this morning per wife, that one perfect too. Grain free is not always the best way to go…..its really marketing b.s. and has always been. Even I get lectured by the top show Veterinarians! This is not knocking you or any other brand that works for you…but the finest show stock in the US are all on those three major brands above…blue buffalo duck and potato limited ingredient, grain free may be your best bet for skin allergy issue dogs. Also chopped or baby carrots, blueberry’s, strawberries, cantaloupe and even watermelon are fat free treats that dogs love too. Will add for those following: Especially Labs and watch their weight…for older dogs drop to 28% or then even lower 26%.. the in their prime Eukanuba 30/20 add 1/2 tablespoon each of Nupro Gold Label Supplement/ and then both of each the Silver Label Container for older dogs for arthritis with 1 tablet both meals of Cosequin tablets (250 count Bottles) its the a show/wellbeing secret obviously now for all of you. Also for my older dogs they get Dumor white 5 lb container with red lid a 1/2 teaspoon of MSM at Tractor supply or online (this brand only, measuring cup is inside, use the lower line mark on the measuring cup) some warm water mixed in morning meal only and boom in two weeks your going to be very happy indeed. Also for those that have a dog with surgery the MSM will heal them in two weeks and fur already growing back. The Vet will give you a strange look on the follow up…I assure you they will give you a weird look and be thinking boy this dog heals fast. Then you say its the MSM and he/she will laugh of course and say “I shoulda known”. Then they will know your in touch with the knowing. All the best always to everyone here and I hope this helps anyone that can use this information.

• This topic was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by samlab.
• This topic was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by samlab.
• This topic was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by samlab.

[Susan W]

Hi Mommyof3pigs – Love the name! Technically there are 6 pigs at my house: 2 that walk upright, 2 with 4 lets & fur, and 2 that fly & look like cockatiels!
I STRONGLY recommend a gulper bowl and recently found a cool one on the Animal Rescue Site that has little rubbery things that stick out & help clean your dog’s teeth while it eats. It looks seriously cool & was only like $10. If I hadn’t just invested in other gobbler/gulper bowls, I’d have ordered a couple!
I catch a lot of goop on here because I’m always crowing about VeRUS dog food. I do this because I did a lot of research, had a lot of tries with other foods that didn’t work out at all, and because this is the food I feed my furry pigs. They have a large breed puppy food, and they have adult formulas that will be an easy transition for your dog as he hits adulthood. They are only a 4-star food here, but I have yet to figure out why. They’ve NEVER had a recall, they use EU certified facilities, they use American-sourced ingredients (except for a few that they identify up-front), and they stay current on doggy nutritional requirements. If you contact them, they’ll send you free samples. If you ask questions, they’ll give answers in a timely manner. They are an American small business company who even has a non-profit to help fund the training of rescue dogs as service dogs for veterans. They’re a really nice company with really nice people. If you like the food, their website has a way to find it in your local pet stores – but even better than that, you can order it from PetFlow and have it auto-shipped. This is what I do and it’s THE BOMB! And the food isn’t greasy or stinky. It won’t cost you anything to ask for a free sample & it’ll be worth it to check them out. The health of my dogs has VASTLY improved while on this food.

[mommy0f3pigs]

Thank you for your reply! I Will be sure to get large breed food, he is a muscular boy already with huge paws. Everyone who sees him thinks he’s a Pitt/lab mix. I did not even think about the environmental factor. He went from AL to WV so temperature and everything is different here!
I’m not totally against science diet,they also had 4 star rating. Wellness large puppy looks very good. Thank you for all the information, it really helps! I truly appreciate it. Want to do the best I can no to prevent future issues!

[pitlove]

Hi mommy0f3pigs-

If your pittie is already 30lbs at 14 weeks, he will most certainly need a large breed puppy food. Mind you, just because a food claims to be for “all life stages” does NOT always mean it is suitable for large breed puppies.

The two brands your vet recommend are actually the two best brands for large breed puppy foods on the market because both companies are the worlds leaders in research of large and giant breed puppy growth and development. If you truly do not want to use one of their LBP formulas, I would look at Dr.Tims Kinesis, Wellness, NutriSource or Fromm.

He is likely itchy from the environment change from one state to the next. When I brought my pit home from north of my state to south east he devloped a staph infection from the change in environment. It went away with antibiotics and never came back. He may need more time to adjust. Unfortunately feeding him exotic proteins and grain free etc now can’t prevent allergies. I did that too on the recommendation of well meaning but uneducated people I worked with and on here and my pittie developed food sensitivities to duck, beef, lamb and peas. Duck is considered exotic and peas are in almost every grain free food. Unfortunately he is just prone to allergies due to poor breeding. Sometimes these things can’t be helped, especially in pitbulls because of the over breeding problem.

[Susan]

Hi,
I have a rescue English Staffy & he’s a gulper with his food, I have to divide his kibble up & I give it to him slowly in his bowl, you can buy those slow feeder bowls but my boy big snout couldn’t get the kibbles out of bowl properly then he was gulping & licking up air, so if you do buy a slow feeder bowl make sure it’s for X large breed dog, or buy a 12 hole muffin tray & put a few kibbles in each hole in the muffin tray to slow him down while eating….
I feed TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb, it’s an all life stages kibble, Patch loves his TOTW & does really well on it, he has IBD & Skin Allergies, email TOTW & ask can you have their booklet with all their formulas & the booklet tells you what formulas are the life stages formulas & then you have the puppy formulas also ask do they have a any samples of the Puppy Formulas & the all life stages formulas….
I tried the Wellness kibbles their Complete & their Simple kibbles & Patch started doing real sloppy yellow poos & had bad gas……. I also feed Pro Pac Ultimates Bayside Select Whitefish & Meadow Prime Lamb these formulas are life stages formulas, Earthborn Holistic make the Pro Pac Ultimates formulas, they’re just a bit cheaper but same quality…..
When you cook start adding boiled sweet potato instead of the rice, sweet potato is more healthier & once he has settled & is a bit older start rotating between a few different brands of kibbles & changing the proteins, once you find a few brands that agree & work for him, so he’s having a variety in his diet & add some cooked foods with his kibble as well, tin sardines in spring water are excellent for the skin, coat, brain, joints, heart, add about 2-3 small sardines with meal 4 times a week…
With skin problems best to feed a kibble with salmon/whitefish etc… I feed the salmon/fish kibbles thru the Summer months so Patch is getting his omega 3 fatty acids in his diet.

[mommy0f3pigs]

I just rescued a 14 week Pitt/mix. He currently weighs 30# and I bought the Natures Domain puppy chicken & pea food as is stated it was a 4 star food on here. After reading all the reviews I am nervous. He seems to gulp the small pieces down (he will steal adult food from my other dog and actually chew the large pieces) can I give a Pitt mix large breed puppy food? Does anyone have a recommendation for a puppy food for a bully breed. I want the least chance for skin allergies etc. my vet always recommends science diet or purina so I have been researching my own brands on here. I give my adult dog Kirkland chicken because this site also gives that a 4 star but once again the reviews have me nervous! So, I’m willing to hear recommendations was thinking of switching to TOTW, Merrick, wellness, or something else large breed if it is okay to give Pitt mixes that.
Thanks for suggestions!
Also- I rescued him from A different state so the food they were feeding I cannot get here and they switched since he was in foster. So I have just been mixing rice and pumpkin with food. Have only had him 3 days so I want to switch now rather than later!

[just_dogs02]

I have two dogs, a year-old lab and a poodle puppy. Several months ago, my lab started eating her poop. I’ve used Forbid, pumpkin, pineapple, and even “Yuk” pills to no avail. She eats very good food (Fromm’s large breed currently, but she’s also eaten Blue Buffalo Large Breed). And the only snacks I feed her a carrots.

I’m not thrilled about feeding her a raw diet, but would if that was the best thing to stop the habit. Thus far, the only thing that works is picking up her poop immediately and giving her a carrot (treat).

I’m thinking about going grain free and high protein. Any suggestions? She’s a fifty-five pound lab in excellent shape. (She doesn’t need to loose weight.)

And what are the “digestive enzymes” I’m seeing listed in this thread. Do you mean something like probiotics?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

jazz

[pugmomsandy]

Check this article out for info on choosing a large breed puppy food.

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

[pugmomsandy]

John L,

The recipe used in a puppy article has been verified by the dog food company to be within the guidelines for calcium and phosphorus. Any other recipe within that brand would need to be verified or did not fall within guidelines. For each recipe you are considering for your pup, contact the company and ask for each analysis for that particular recipe to see if the calcium and phosphorus and calories are within range, and plug those numbers into the puppy food article.

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

[crazy4cats]

Hi John L-
The Editor’s Choice is a list of bands. Any of the brand’s flavors or recipes would be included. That being said, make sure you choose one that is appropriate for large breed pups. The calcium amount is crucial for them while growing. There is a great article on this subject on the review side of this site. I frequently feed my two labs Whole Earth Farms. I think their puppy food is ok for large breeds. Please double check though.

The weather is probably a big factor with the dry skin. I give my adult dogs a can of sardines per week. Maybe split the can for your two if you want to try it out.

Good luck with your new bundles of joy. Got mine together too. They are littermates and there was certainly never a dull moment for a couple of years. Good and bad, they are literally inseparable now. They love each other, but at the same time, insanely jealous!

Again, check out the large breed puppy article and have fun with those pups!

[amy r]

I use fromm gold large Breed puppy for my newfoundland it has been fantastic and she loves it. I also use a rotation of canned food and fish. I would definitely take him of purina you said your vet put him on an antibiotic and wormed him both of those things can cause loose stool. Antibiotics kill the good bacteria in the gut as well as the bad you can add a probiotic to his food and some all natural pumpkin for the next week or so if his stool is still loose. Good luck with fromm the LBP has an excellent rating the LBA has an ok rating although I am not sure why.

[Gregory W]

My vet did specifically state to make sure it was a large breed puppy food. Don’t just get any Fromm food, etc. That would lead me to believe that there is some benefit to that type of food. I appreciate all of the help and advice. I’ll let everyone know how my puppy does on this new food in a few days.

Thank you all for the help..and for caring enough to reply.

[Martha O]

High protein is NOT a problem for a large breed puppy–in fact, puppies need at least 30% protein. Large breed puppies need controlled feeding to avoid becoming overweight and specific calcium levels. The advice about high protein and large breed puppies is outdated.
My puppy has soft stools, not diarrhea. This has been true for him even though he is now 7 months old and has slowly been tried on 3 different large breed puppy foods. Strangely his morning stools are fine, but during the day and during exercise his stools are soft. He has no medical problems.

[momofGSDs]

I would definitely get him off the Purina. And I do agree that changing his food to much will not help. Also you can’t just change the food, you need to do it gradually. I also wanted to say that there is no need for the so called Large breed puppy food. I have GSDs who are weaned on Adult. They are fed Raw but also get Kibble/canned. You can feed your pup life stages. But watch the protein as it should be under 25%.

[Danielle B]

Hello, I am new to this forum and am hoping to find answers. We recently brought home our new puppy. The breeder was feeding Blue Buffalo fish and oatmeal “adult breed” with royal can in puppy mousse. After coming home we stuck with the exact same regimen and changed nothing. Our puppy developed horrible diarrhea for about 3 weeks. After putting him on a prescription diet, vet recommended along with a digestive supplement, cooking for him and adding pumpkin, it seems that his gut has normalized. It is now time to slowly get him off of the prescription diet however I am still overwhelmed by the choices here. I am looking for a dry kibble in the medium price range. I went into this thinking Blue Buffalo was a decent brand but after reading this website it doesn’t seem to be the best choice. Any suggestions on where to start my bulldog. Being a breed prone to health issues, skin irritations, joint issues, etc,, I would like to get a jump on feeding him properly now before things get out of control. I am looking for any and all suggestions on food, suggested supplements, additives, routines, etc… I also am not clear as to why the breeder feeds his puppies adult food instead of puppy food, any thoughts on this. Also, are english bulldogs considered large breed or medium breed on this website? Thank you for any and all help.

[pitlove]

Hi Blake-

Firstly, congrats on the Ridgeback puppy. They are beautiful loyal dogs!

I do think your concerns about exposing the younger members of your family to Salmonella, E.coli, listeria and other pathogens is valid and justified. This is of great concern to the new arrival as his/her immune system will not be strong enough to withstand any exposure.

The second leering concern comes with the health and development of the puppy. Here is a great article written by holistic veterinary nutritionist Dr. Susan Wynn on large breed puppy growth, development and nutrition. She feeds and advocates for raw and home cooked diets, however not for growing puppies, let alone ones that will reach 50lbs+ at maturity.

Feeding large breed puppies

Consider what she has to say before deciding on this type of diet for your Ridgeback puppy. I would also consult your pediatrician about the risk of raw food to your young ones and see what he/she has to say.

[Jeannine M]

I would have no idea which is why I have been reading everything I can. I copied this information from an article on dog food advisor not in the forums. So if you hit home and down the left hand column where it has latest article it’s under the heading
“How to Choose the Best Large Breed Puppy Food and Lower Your Dog’s Risk”

So that article is wrong? This is why I am having such a hard time deciding what food to feed my dogs. There is so much conflicting information!😟
Thanks for the information I appreciate all the help I can get!

[Jeannine M]

I just copied and pasted from the article under ‘What to feed your Large breed puppy’

Recommended
Calcium Guidelines
Fortunately, there’s general agreement among the experts. To meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for growth13 in large breed puppies, a dog food must (on a dry matter basis) contain:
1.2 to 1.8% calcium
1.0 to 1.6% phosphorus
Calcium-to-phosphorus ratio 1:1 to 1.8:114
However, for some higher calorie foods, the above guidelines may not apply.

[pitlove]

Hi Jeannine-

Your Ca/Phos ratio should fall between 1.1:1 and 1.5:1. 1.8:1 is far too high! You must also factor in the Ca/Calorie ratio when choosing a food appropriate for a large breed puppy.

[Jeannine M]

I just contacted Victor and this was their reply, although it doesn’t say max %.

Greetings Jeannie,
Thanks for your growing interest in Victor Super Premium Pet Foods.

FORMULA
CALCIUM
PHOS

GF Yukon
1.2%
0.9%
GF chicken
1.6%
1.1%
GF Ultra Pro
1.8%
1.2%
GF Hero
1.6%
1.1%
GF Active dog
1.6%
1.1%
GF Lamb
1.9%
1.2%
Ocean fish
1.2%
0.9%
Lamb meal
1.2%
0.9%
Chicken meal
1.1%
0.8%
Beef Meal
1.5%
0.9%
Senior
1.3%
0.9%
Nutra Pro
1.3%
1.3%
Hi-Pro
1.4%
1.0%
Performance
1.4%
1.0%
Professional
1.4%
1.0%
High Energy
1.4%
1.0%
Multi Pro
1.3%
0.8%

Best Regards,
The Victor Support Team
1-888-428-7544

Untitled-1 copy

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Victor® is manufactured in our own modern Texas based facility.
Several formulas rated 4 and 5 Star by dogfoodadvisor.com and exceed AAFCO Nutritional Guidelines.
All Victor® dry dog food formulas are:
Free from Corn, Wheat, Soy, or Gluten!
Enhanced with Zinpro Performance Minerals, which are the most bio-available complex trace minerals on the market.
Infused with SEL-PLEX organic selenium to improve cellular health by fighting free radicals.
Enriched with multiple Probiotics for building a healthier immune system with improved gut health.

From: Victor Pet Food [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2017 5:13 PM
To: Victor Pet Food <[email protected]>
Subject: Contact Us – New Contact Us Request

Contact Us

Topic
Product Question

Question or Comments
I am looking for a Large breed puppy food and was wondering if your active dog and puppy or any of your all life stages have the correct ratio of calcium to phosphorous ratio recommended for large breed puppies? I believe the recommendations are-
1.2 to 1.8% calcium
1.0 to 1.6% phosphorus
Calcium-to-phosphorus ratio 1:1 to 1.8:114
However, for some higher calorie foods, the above guidelines may not apply.
Thank you,
Jeannine Moore
Page: http://victorpetfood.com/contact-us/
Unique ID: #1335
Date: January 21, 2017
Time: 5:12 pm

[Heidi B]

In your “Editors Choice Puppy Foods for January 2017” you list Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Boost Puppy as appropriate for large breed puppies.
However, in your review of the product, you clearly state “Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Boost Puppy appears to be suitable for small and medium breed puppies only. This recipe may not be appropriate for larger breeds.”

[Jimmy R]

Hello everyone. I am picking up my lab puppy this Friday 1/20/17 and I just want to give him the best food possible. I have heard many great things about orijen in the past, but now I am concerned. Do you guys think I should give orijen a shot? I bought the puppy large breed. Or should I go with Victor active dog and puppies. A food that I also found here at food advisor…

/dog-food-reviews/victor-grain-free/

Please let me know what you would do in my place, I am hearing nothing but complaints about Orijen now.

[Susan]

Hi,
have a look at “Pro Pac Ultimates” Large Breed puppy & Adult formula , Chewy sells the 28lb bag for $29.99… Earthborn Holistic make the Pro Pac Ultimates, it’s a cheaper kibble with same quality ingredients..
http://www.propacultimates.com/dog-food/
A large breed pup can eat a large breed puppy formula till 18-24 months old,
Rotate between different brands & proteins, it strengthens their immune system having different foods in their diet & not eating the same protein & veggies, also start adding a few small sardines to kibble a couple times a week buy the tin sardines in spring water & give those fish skins as treats, very heathy & will make your dogs coat shine…..
They did a study & found by adding 2 tablespoons of meat & veggies to their kibble reduces the chances of your dog getting cancer….add to her dinner whatever your having for dinner, as long as it’s not a hot curry, chilies, onions etc

You have a healthy normal pup, enjoy it while it last, I bought one of those high pitch whistles, from those cheap $2 shops, blow it & see does she calm down & come to see where the noise is coming from & give her a treat…..
I have a English Staffy & he just turned 8yrs old & he has just settled down but he can still be a nut when my daughter & grandson visit, I love it, it’s better then him moping around the house….

[Susan]

Hi, have a look at Pro Pac Ulitmates large breed puppy, a 28lb bag cost $29.99 thru Chewy
Earthborn Holistic makes the Pro Pac Ultimates & it’s cheaper.
https://www.chewy.com/pro-pac-ultimates-chicken-meal-brown/dp/120285
I’m pretty sure large breed dogs can eat a large breed puppy formula till they’re 18-24 months…also add some tin sardines in spring water to her kibble, also buy those fish skin treats & her coat will shine, they did a study & found adding 2 tablespoons meat & veggies to 1 meal reduces the risk of getting cancer..
add foods your having for dinner as long as it’s not a hot curry chilies onions etc also you should be rotating between different brands & proteins, never just feed the same of brand kibble..
I rotate between “Taste Of The Wild”, “Canidae” Canidae make a Life Stages large breed Puppy & Adult kibble, & I just ordered the Pro Pac Ultimates Meadow Prime Lamb..
http://www.propacultimates.com/dog-food/
http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[pitlove]

Hi Jeannine-

Osteosarcoma can have a genetic link and pediatric spay and neuter can also increase the risk of Osteosarcoma. It’s unlikely that food played any role in the diagnosis.

When your vet suggested “an allergy” could be the cause of the pink ears, did she make mention of what kind of allergy it could be? Food allergies are not common, especially not in a dog so young.

As much as I like Fromm I do hear an overwhelming amount of complaints about loose stool on it. I would choose a food for a growing large breed puppy based on the guidelines of WSAVA. http://www.wsava.org/sites/default/files/Recommendations%20on%20Selecting%20Pet%20Foods.pdf

Most diets from companies that meet these standards will have an appropriate large breed puppy food.

[Jeannine M]

I was looking to change from Fromm LBP gold as my dog has light rashy ears and the vet said possible allergy and sometimes his stools have mucous. Had his stools checked several times and no worms, parasites or anything else. Can’t say I care for the ingredients in a lot of the dog foods put I did like the Nulo. A little high on the protein side but thought I’d give it a try. I wrote them and asked about LBP and the requirements-calcium, phos. and ratios and was wondering what others think, is this too much for my puppy? He just turned five months old this week and he is half mastiff half Rottweiler. This was her reply-
Hi Jeannine,

Thanks for reaching out, and for your interest in our products for your Mastiff/Rottweiler puppy!

We don’t offer a formula that’s exclusively for Large Breed puppies, however our FreeStyle and MedalSeries recipes for puppies are formulated to contain nutrient levels that are intended for puppies of ALL breed sizes. This means that the calcium and phosphorus levels within the range for the development of large breed bones and joints. For your review, I’ve listed the calories, calcium and phosphorus levels for our recipes for puppies:

FreeStyle Salmon & Peas Recipe for Puppies:
Calories: 3,627 kcals/kg; 428 kcal/cup
Calcium: 1.48%
Phosphorus: 1.04%
Ca:P Ratio: 1.4:1

FreeStyle Turkey & Sweet Potato Recipe for Puppies:
Calories: 3.742 kcals/kg; 441 kcals/cup
Calcium: 1.49%
Phosphorus: 1.06%
Ca:P Ratio: 1.4:1

MedalSeries Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe for Puppies:
Calories: 3,652 kcals/kg; 431 kcals/cup
Calcium: 1.43%
Phosphorus: 0.93%
Ca:P Ratio: 1.54:1

Both our FreeStyle and MedalSeries lines are designed to meet the same nutritional standard for healthy pets, are grain-free, and contain our patented probiotics. The key difference between the FreeStyle and MedalSeries puppy formulas is the variety of recipes within each line, and where you can purchase them. All FreeStyle dry food recipes are exclusively sold through independent retailers and are formulated without chicken, which may be a benefit for your puppy’s allergy symptoms. These include our FreeStyle Salmon & Peas and our FreeStyle Turkey & Sweet Potato Recipes for puppies. Our MedalSeries recipes are exclusively sold through PetSmart, and do feature chicken as a primary protein source; this includes our MedalSeries Chicken & Sweet Potato recipe for puppies.

If you have any additional questions as you consider our products, please reach out to me and I’d be glad to help. Have a great day!

Sincerely,

Heather Acuff, M.S.
Nulo Customer Care Manager
512.476.6856 Ext. 111
Description: Macintosh HD:Users:heather.acuff:Desktop:Customer Care:Nulo Logos:nulo_logo_healthier_rbg.jpg

On 1/5/17, 2:19 PM, “Jeannine Moore” <[email protected]> wrote:

I am trying to find a food for my mastiff/Rottweiler puppy. He is on Fromms LBP gold right now but inside his ears are light pink and the vet said he might have some allergy issues. I’m super paranoid about food as my 8 year old love of my love mastiff/Rottweiler recently passed from osteosarcoma. I got him back in 2008 when they just started recommending not to feed large breed dogs puppy food and to feed them low protein adult food. At 2 he had tplo surgery and like I said he later developed osteosarcoma when he was 7 1/2 years old and was dead 7 months later. I need a dog food that has the right calcium/phos. ratio along with the calcium ratio to calorie. I don’t know how to factor in the ash and everything else as it’s all too overwhelming! I read you have a vet nutritional specialist develop your food and on staff so I am asking you. Please give me your recommendations on all your dry food that is within the requirements that I have listed so I can start tracking down the food.
Thanks so much,
Jeannine Moore
McMinnville, Oregon

Sent from my iPad

[pitlove]

Hi Brian –

Serving size is effected by kcals. The higher calorie foods require less to be fed vs lower calorie foods. Perceived quality of a food has nothing to do with this. No two foods will be indentical in kcals, but some will be close enough that the feeding recommendations will not be far off.

Only problem is you have at the very least a large breed puppy if not a giant breed and keeping their weight under control during growth is of utmost importance. For that reason, a low energy density food is recommended by veterinary nutritionists.

[Jodi L]

I’m really glad I found this topic. My 7 mo old Rotti has been chewing and kicking his rear for what seems like forever! Fleas? Nope, not a one and he’s treated monthly for them. His anal sacs are full? Nope, they seem to be as empty as empty can get. Dry skin, somewhat but not really. Allergies, doesn’t seem to be an issue since it’s the only place on his body that he licks and chew excessively. Yvan became very sick over the Thanksgiving holiday. We were nearly on our way out the door to Michigan state ( A large Veteinary School University) when he made a complete turnaround. He had violent diarrhea, some vomiting and had become lethargic. He went or side and expelled from both ends….came inside and viola! Different dog. Unfortunately about a week later it happened again so we visited the vet this time. Everything checked out fine and since he’d been turning his nose up at his food for a few weeks….but had been trying to eat my others dog food (they are on a different food) we came to the conclusion that the food was not agreeing with him. He was eating at the time Wellness Large Breed Puppy Chicken and whitefish. Immediately took that food away and put him on Royal Canin Gastrointesial food for just about a month with a round of probiotics and not problems with the violent diarrhea or vomiting or lethargy since. I had also noticed that he had stopped the chewing of his rear the week or so that he had the probiotics. So he is now on VertiScience Mega Probiotic. I’ve also began feeding two candy of sardines packed in water and no salt added every week to help with his coat. I’m feeding Fiamond Naturals, No grain Salmon and sweet potato. He’s only been eating it for about 4 days and unless I’m delusional I believe the chewing is diminishing. He’s always had softer stool so I’m hoping that between the food and probiotics that it begins to get better. I couldnt figure out what was going on. Between the metallic breath, lose stool, chewing and biting..I was going insane trying to figure out what was going on with Yvan. I’m firmly convinced that all these symptoms are an anal gland issue caused hopefully by diet. Now that he’s on a Slamon and Sweet potato diet and the probiotics I’m crossing my fingers that when I go out to scoop poop that I’m scooping frozen poopcicles (frozen poop during a Michigan winter) versus frozen cow patties!

[amy r]

My girl is now just over a year old she came to us on proplan which we immediately switched off of to fromm large breed puppy. We did the slow wean ect. Runny to total liquid stools were the result several vet runs medications and different foods later I pulled her off any food with any poultry what’s so ever and put her on totw coastal het8stools were perfect in no time however she wasn’t eating it with gusts she was picking at it and eating very slowly (I was also adding salmon or sardines or Markel ) at about 9 months old I adding in a small amount of chicken soup large breed puppy to see how she did and see if I could get her to eat better which she did and I completely weaned her over to chicken soup no problem. Now skip ahead she is 13 months old and I am noticing some small skin stuff and itching my guess is the food chicken protein just isn’t working for her. I have looked at lots of foods and the only 2 I can seem to find that are totally chicken and egg free are totw ans arcana and suggestions or feedback on arcana are greatly appreciated totw is an option only she wasn’t crazy about it the first time around.

[Jason C]

Hoping for a little help…..I’m the proud owner of a 10 month old Bernese Mountain Dog that lives up to his nickname of Meathead. He is currently about 105lbs, but based off vet recommendation and finances he has been fed with Hills Science Diet Large Breed Puppy formula. He hasn’t had any problems with the food, but I’ve heard a lot of people questioning Hills. I feed my other dog (60lb mix) a homemade diet (for wt control and because she’s picky) and think I may start transitioning Rufus to the same. The current recipe has pork, beef, chicken, oats, rice, veggies, and egg shells. Does anyone out there have a good recipe for a larger breed? Preferably something that isn’t going to result in me being homeless. Thanks for the help!

[InkedMarie]

HoundDogMom is in vet school and not around DFA.

I believe she has posted what makes a good large breed puppy food; anyone reading should double check, using her information, to make sure the food of their choice is okay for large breed puppies.

[Paula L]

I have a 6mo old lab puppy. He has already had a skin infection not sure if it is related to allergies or not. He is currently eating blue buffalo wilderness large breed chicken puppy formula. I have noticed that he does have formed stool but after he goes once he immediately goes again and it is pretty loose. Just wondering if maybe this formula could have too much fat or protein for him?? Has anyone had these issues?

[pitlove]

Hi there Nick-

I’m with anon101 on this one. Hill’s is one of the leaders in research on large and giant breed puppy growth and nutrition. It is also one of the top recommendations for large breed puppy foods by board certified veterinary nutritionists. Your vet is likely making the recommendation because he believes in the food, considering you will most likely not even be buying her food from his office (hence even if he did get kickbacks from Hill’s it would be a moot point).

If your dog is doing well on the food, enjoys eating and it works for your budget, then it sounds like Science Diet is the best option. Also don’t get hung up on protein levels, as protein has been shown through 20 years of research not to effect growth in LBP’s.