[MsDad]

2dogmom, I feed NL to my Goldendoodle puppy. Give them a call and ask to speak with Scott (he’s the owner and will talk with anyone who calls!). He can explain why the higher calcium & phosphorous levels are not harmful much better than I can. But in a nutshell, they don’t add additional Vitamin D3 to their foods. All the vitamins and minerals come from natural food sources and don’t cause overabsorption of calcium.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 1 month ago by MsDad.

[MsDad]

In regards to Nature’s Logic dry, that’s what I’m feeding my Goldendoodle puppy. I actually spoke with Scott (the owner of the company – he’ll talk to anyone who calls!) and he explained the higher calcium and phosphorous levels in the food. The way he explained it to me, all the Vitamin D comes from natural food sources – there’s no added Vitamin D3, which can cause overabsorption of calcium and phosphorous.

[2dogmom]

Hi,
I am getting an 8 week old Golden Retriever (English Cream). I had planned on feeding him Nature’s Logic Dry (all stages food), however I started reading a recent post about high calcium levels and growth issues. Can you tell me if I should avoid that food? If so, HoundDogMom what do you suggest? I’m focusing on dry food or dry mixed with cans. I thought I found the perfect food in Nature’s Logic, now I’m second guessing that choice with all the posts about large breeds and calcium intake. I did purchase a bag and started feeding it to my picky Sheltie (almost 2 years old).. When I think I’ve settled on a food, I keep reading about gassy foods or loose stools and I’m not sure what to do. HELP!

[pugmomsandy]

Look into Amicus and Nature’s Logic, Nutrisource small/med breed puppy, Nutrisource grain free Lamb, Nature’s Select Hi-Pro, Brothers Complete Beef, and Nature’s Select grain free (this looks almost identical to Evangers grain free). After he’s been eating mod-high protein foods for a while, you might also try some Instinct and Back to Basics High Protein, or Core small breed. These are the smallest kibbles I’ve used. Feed a variety of foods. No need to pick just one. Evangers has had some issues in the past – stealing electricity, a food testing for the wrong protein as it was labeled. I cross out gluten (Royal Canin) from my list of foods in general. http://dogtorj.com/what-is-food-intolerance/gluten-intolerance/

[Dfwgolden]

I have a 16 week old purebred Border Collie puppy out of working stock lines.
He’s an amazing pup in every way, intelligent, lively, loving, and very social.

However….

Ricky has since I got him had very loose stools. We have three other dogs two Golden Retrievers and a Chihuahua (Shh, don’t tell him I called him a dog!)
None of our other three ever had loose stools, Ricky also poops a lot!
Not like 4-5 times like some puppies do but like 8-10 times a day.

His potty training has been an extreme difficulty and is not progressing as it should.
We’ve tried changing foods and adding supplements.
He just has show no signs of improvement.

I am a big fan of the raw diet but am not currently able to feed that with my finances.
He is currently on Diamond Lamb and Rice Large breed puppy.
My other dogs eat Diamond with no problems what so ever, they have a nice shiny coat and have never been in better health.

What do I do about this? I just am all over the board here and don;t understand why he poops SO MUCH and why it is so loose.
He is 100% healthy (had a blood panel done and everything) he is on Revolution for fleas and HW.
He gets feed in the afternoon around 12:00pm and at night around 6:00pm
Then gets a small snack of food before I leave for school around 7:00am of so.

He is very active and shows know underlying issues what so ever. His coat is beautiful! No smelly breath, or itching ect.

I just am baffled.

[soprano1]

I am interested in knowing if Blue Buffalo is safe for my Siberian Husky who has early stage kidney disease? I was feeding her Purina NF, but I heard some really bad things about Purina. My dog had chronic diarrhea, occasional vomiting, and lost a lot of weight. Her coat was also very bad, with big raw, bald spots, and she also really did not feel good. I believed it was the food doing it to her. Now that I switched her to Blue Buffalo, her coat is looking great, she no longer vomits or has diarrhea, she has gained weight, and she feels better than she has in years! She plays like a puppy, and she is 9 years old! Is the Blue Buffalo safe for her? If not, can you recommend a food that is safe for her? Thank you!

[Katie]

I rescued Bauer, a Great Dane that was a neglect case out of my county shelter. He was being starved and left outside on a chain. Needless to say – he is severely underweight – weighing in at only 103 lbs – when he should be around 145-155. My vet seems to think he is about 2, and that he was being starved for so long during his formative puppy growth stage that he will likely never get to be a full mature male size. That doesn’t bother me. I just want him to gain some much-needed weight.

When I first got him, he had every known parasite and worm imaginable, plus coccidia. I have had him for over a month now, we have been through two rounds of panacur, and his body is now worm/parasite free… but he is not gaining any weight. His ribs and spine poke through, and the definition behind his rib cage and above his hip bones is disturbingly sharp. I have seen very little improvement in a month. He’s gained a pound. I have been feeding him the 4Health Lamb and Rice for Adult dogs twice a day. 4Health is what the Great Dane rescue told me to feed him, saying Danes need a lower protein formula dog food. I have also been cooking him chicken or steak and feeding him homemade meals for one meal a day. I have him on Dyne supplement too, he loves the taste of it. But he is still not gaining weight? His stools are still really loose. Not remotely firm. They seem to be really grainy as well, and light in color.

On top of his emaciation – he’s constantly biting his paws, chewing his toenails, and/or licking/chewing his anus or the top of his hips. He has chewed/licked three different hot spots on his back legs/hips area. He does not have fleas. I have him on Trifexis. I am wondering if this could be food related as well? Or maybe he just has allergies? I have a feeling that it could just be boredom/separation anxiety too. He came to me chewing his nails. This isn’t a new issue. But it does seem to be getting more and more intense right now – particularly with his the hot spots.

I am new to Danes. I have always had golden retrievers/flat coats/labs or aussies in the past – so I have dealt with my fair share of obsessive lickers. But Bauer goes beyond licking, he’s chewing out his fur.. I know it’s got to be painful. And I have never experienced a dog that literally eats his toenails. I mean he seriously splinters them apart and chews them off. It’s neurotic behavior.

Any advice is greatly appreciated and welcomed. Thanks!
Katie

[Katie]

I rescued Bauer, a Great Dane that was a neglect case out of my county shelter. He was being starved and left outside on a chain. Needless to say – he is severely underweight – weighing in at only 103 lbs – when he should be around 145-155. My vet seems to think he is about 2, and that he was being starved for so long during his formative puppy growth stage that he will likely never get to be a full mature male size. That doesn’t bother me. I just want him to gain some much-needed weight.

When I first got him, he had every known parasite and worm imaginable, plus coccidia. I have had him for over a month now, we have been through two rounds of panacur, and his body is now worm/parasite free… but he is not gaining any weight. His ribs and spine poke through, and the definition behind his rib cage and above his hip bones is disturbingly sharp. I have seen very little improvement in a month. He’s gained a pound. I have been feeding him the 4Health Lamb and Rice for Adult dogs twice a day. 4Health is what the Great Dane rescue told me to feed him, saying Danes need a lower protein formula dog food. I have also been cooking him chicken or steak and feeding him homemade meals for one meal a day. I have him on Dyne supplement too, he loves the taste of it. But he is still not gaining weight?

On top of his emaciation – he’s constantly biting his paws, chewing his toenails, and/or licking/chewing his anus or the top of his hips. He has chewed/licked three different hot spots on his back legs/hips area. He does not have fleas. I have him on Trifexis. I am wondering if this could be food related as well? Or maybe he just has allergies? I have a feeling that it could just be boredom/separation anxiety too. He came to me chewing his nails. This isn’t a new issue. But it does seem to be getting more and more intense right now – particularly with his the hot spots.

I am new to Danes. I have always had golden retrievers/flat coats/labs or aussies in the past – so I have dealt with my fair share of obsessive lickers. But Bauer goes beyond licking, he’s chewing out his fur.. I know it’s got to be painful. And I have never experienced a dog that literally eats his toenails. I mean he seriously splinters them apart and chews them off. It’s neurotic behavior.

Any advice is greatly appreciated and welcomed. Thanks!
Katie

[tearl42]

Greetings to all,

I’m looking for some advice. My dog, Moose, is a Red Bone Coon Hound about 2 yrs old and 85 lbs. We are feeding him Blue Buffalo Healthy Weight Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe. We switched him from one of the Purina brands based on what I read here. The issue we were having while he was on the Purina food was that he as hungry all the time. Not just chewing things for the sake that we was a puppy and all that, he was getting in the thr trash and getting up on the counters. So we fed him more, but it didn’t stop. After doing some reading about dog foods and a very basic level of metabolism, I figured that he wasn’t getting enough protein. Sure enough, we switched him over to Blue Buffalo and he went from 95’ish pounds down to 85 and has only gotten in to the trash one time in the last 6 months. He gets very little human food. Sorry for all the back story. So my issue is this, Moose is starting to act like he is starving again. It’s not AS bad but I’ve started noticing him lurking when anyone goes in the kitchen and heaven forbid I leave something out to cool (say chocolate cupcakes, been there done that, went to the vet and cost me $200) and it’s not secured. Should I break up his food in to a cup in the AM and a cup at dinner?

If there is anyone out there with experience with this breed of dog or has had this issue please let me know and thanks for your time!

Tom

[karink]

HDM or anyone that can help. I found this website (which I think is great), but the more I read, the more confused I get. After reading numerous posts, I came across one in which HDM recommends Nature’s Variety Limited Ingredient Turkey and Rabbit formulas for Large Breed Puppies. I fed my 13 year old Golden (who just passed away) the LTD ingredient formula for the past 2 years of his life (when I found it). Loved it!! Would love to start my new Lab puppy on this food as well. However, their website doesn’t list the calcium and phosphorus. Are both of these recipes within the normal calcium/phosphorus ranges for large breed puppies?

Also, if ok, I have read it’s good to top food off with other things like tripe, hard boiled eggs, yogurt, canned sardines, carrots, etc. If I add these things to the diet, does that not throw off the calcium/phosophorus in the diet? How do I control this? Would love to be able to add these things to the diet but I’m no scientist and can’t be doing all kinds of calculations everytime I want to add something to my puppies food – but I also don’t want to harm him.

Also, any names/recommendations on probiotics/enzymes and where to get them? Is there are need to give these to a puppy if you give him a good quality kibble?

Any suggestions? If you could give me the name of your favorite 2 or 3 foods to feed my large breed puppy it would be a great help. That way I can rotate th food. Price is not a problem.

Thanks.

[koa’smom]

Sippmanir, Thank you for the link, but I already have seen it and that is what prompted me to switch to Wellness Core Puppy, but now I’m faced with an issue that, according to the vet, is requiring me to feed a low calcium AND low protein food. I’m just not sure what to feed because most foods have protein content of 30% or more, even the all life stages food. Earthborn Meadow Feast states no less than 26% protein , but what does that really mean? To me it means that it it is likely higher than 26%.

Another thing I find confusing is the protein content in the raw foods. For example, under the food analyisis of Primal Raw frozen, it gives a dried protein content of 47% and a protein content of 15%. What do I go by? I don’t know how to interpret that.

Sorry for all the questions, but I just want to get my dog kn the best food possible ASAP.

[karink]

Hello everyone, and Hound Dog Mom in particular (I’ve heard you seem to be the expert):

I was just given the link to this forum and I am thrilled to have found it. November 2nd I will be bringing home a purebreed English Labrador Retriever (8 weeks old). In the past, I have been very concious about what food I give to my dogs and have stayed away from any products having anything to do with Diamond, or any that have been recalled for one thing or another. Little by little I came across companies like Orijen, Acana and Nature Variety Limitied Ingredient (for my older dogs). I thought I’d have no problem with my new little guy with any of these foods, until I started reading more about the long term effects of calcium/phosphorus to large breed puppies. The more I read, the more confused I got. Also, I find that the really good quality foods are VERY high in calcium 38%+. At this point I am at a loss as to what to buy. I want a a natural, holistic food, grain-free that kibble that I can feed my little guy without worrying of any long-term negative effects on his health/bones…or kidneys (due to high protein).

Can someone please give me a list of 3-4 different ones (I’ve been reading that a rotating diet is best) that would be available in the Miami area or at least through Amazon.

Thanks in advance for your help!!

[vanyax]

Hi all,
Need some help with picking a puppy food brand… my 5-month old boxer has trouble digesting (loose stool+occasional diarrhea). At 6 weeks of age I put him on Fromm Large Breed Puppy. After a month, decided to switch to Orijen brand, no change. I tried mixing in pumpkin, and recently did white rice diet for a few days, now re-introducing kibble. He is otherwise great, healthy weight of 40lbs at 5 months of age, full of energy, dewormed regularly. I am considering trying Wellness brand next, and Now Fresh. Also thought of doing a limited ingredient feed. It is hard to try different feeds, takes a while to introduce it, then to see if it works, then switch again… what a pain.

I feed him abt 3.5 cups of dry food daily (feeding 3x), which feels right and agrees with the feeding guidelines.

I previously had my dogs on Trader Joe’s feed, Iams etc. and they did great – lived very long and healthy lives. With this puppy I am trying to stick with the best quality, grain-free food everyone is talking about, and doesn’t seem to be working for me!

Any words of wisdom, anyone?
Thank you!!!

[koa’smom]

Hound Dog mom, I just had xrays done on my 5 month old German Shepherd puppy beccause she was favoring her left hind leg on occasion. She has panosteitis. I have been feeding Wellness Core Puppy. The vet said I need to feed her a lower protein food, something 25% or less. What do you suggest for possible options. I prefer grain free and raw is ok too.

[ringohop]

I wondered the same thing… is all life stages appropriate for my 15 week old puppy?Pattyvaughn, you do feed all life stages to your puppies?

[Sully’sMom]

Thank you gsdmommy89 ~ I appreciate that you took the time to share your experience. Obviously, NV is a highly regarded company and they probably are taking the necessary steps, however I could just never in good conscience knowingly feed my dog a food from China. Certainly not when there are so many other choices. There have just been too many “incidents”. I’m not saying I wouldn’t feed NV, just not the rabbit.

[Akari_32]

If I didn’t have such a mixed lot of dogs, I wouldn’t see a problem with it, but since I do, I’d like to ask and see what you all think. Prepare for super long post of stuff!

We have three dogs, one my moms, and two are mine. Mom has an 8 pound, 1 year old, Jack Russell/Maltese. He’s got a super high metabolism. Eats a whole cup of food, yet remains slightly (by less than a half pound) under weight, by my best guess, seeing as he was only supposed to weigh 4 pounds to begin with. It’s hard to keep any meat on him because he’s such an active nut. On top of regular food, he gets a couple treats a day (Zuke’s Hip and Joint and Denta Sticks), and every month or so, all three dogs get a raw meal replacement (turkey neck/back, pork hock, etc).

My dogs, 9.5 year old 130 pound Rottweiler/Austrailian shepherd, and 10.5 year old lab/retriever mix, are outside dogs, much to my dislike. I sneak them in a few days a week when moms working out of town. As soon as money starts looking better, I’ll be getting my own place, where they will be indoors, always. Haley, the lab mix, does have trouble keepig weight on when fed according to the bag these days, but is otherwise healthy. I’ve been feeding her about 5 cups, as aposed to the 2.5-3 she used to get, and that’s doing the trick. Dweezle, the rott mix, also eats 5 cups, for perspective. Neither of these two are very active, but I have recently taken to taking Haley and Bentley (the puppy) on nightly walks, because that dog can drive just about anyone up a wall! He drives poor old Haley nuts LOL Dweezle, do to his dog aggression, can’t be taken out often. He absolutely hates the neighbors dog (in his defence, no body in our neighborhood likes that dog), and has gotten in some trouble with them (thankfully they didn’t press charges…). Can’t risk running into them on a walk.

Because money is currently tight, I do coupon for my dog food. I try to keep the bulk of it Wellness Core (Original), but recently got a great deal on Racheal Ray Zero, so that’s what most of their food is right now. I also got paid to coupon for Purina One Smart Blend (both chicken and lamb for something different), so I have tons of that, as well. Because I do not want the Purina to make up the bulk of the diet, and I’m running low on the Racheal Ray, I need to buy either some more Wellness or more Racheal Ray. I have great coupons for both, so I just need to do some math and decide which is cheaper at the moment.

I have been trained over my research of dog foods to avoid reduced fat type foods because they are typically lower quality (those in my price and couponing range, anyways). Curiosity got the best of me, and i checked out the Reduced Fat Core on this site as well as a few others, and was surprised at how good it actually was, better, IMO, than the other Wellness foods. My concerns, though, are that with two outdoor dogs, and Florida’s “winter” creeping in on us, as well as a feisty littler terrier puppy, would the reduced fat formula be a suitable staple for my dogs?

As far how feeding time goes, I mix all three dogs food in a large bowl with a large can of Pro Plan (coupons for one free can, so I’ve got tons!) and an egg. Haley has some problems digesting large quantities of dry food, and Bentley has trouble eating lager kibbles when they aren’t a little wet (when he doesn’t get fed at the same time as the other two, he gets his food wetted with water). Their dry food is currently 6x 6 pound bags of RR Zero, 2x 6 pound bags of RR Just 6, and 3x 3.5 pound bags of Purina One (and 4 more bags of RR and about 30 more bags of the Purina stored). Their diet can also include, but is not limited to, Blue, all other kinds of Wellness, Hills (SD and Ideal Balance– neither ever in bulk), and anything else that gets store coupons to mix with manufacturer coupons (not usually much else, though).

Any thoughts on the reduced fat Core would be great. If you don’t think it’d be a good choice for my case, please feel free to suggest something else! I’m open to anything. Shoot all your ideas my way!

[Weber hunde]

Good morning, all! I am new to this site, but have already found it so helpful. My request is to Sully’s mom: I too am experiencing excessive itching and biting of my two lab puppies. I have them on Blue Buffalo Wilderness Large Breed Chicken recipe. I have since changed the 3 month old’s food to BB Life Puppy with Lamb and Rice, with some success. He is still itchy, though. What food have you found has helped with this?

as an aside, he was on ivermectin for mites, which have since cleared up. Also, no people foods of any kind for either pup!

Thanks for any feedback!

[maggy6577]

I don’t know if you consider weimaraners large breeds, but I now feed them hi-tec naturals. This dog food is make in China which bothers me, but no bad recalls. The problem is my dogs has gas all the time. Was thinking of going to taste of the wild, but so many recalls. I am also on disability so every dollar counts and still want the best I can afford for these beautiful dogs. PS my corgi even has gas

Maggy6577

[KiraLynB]

I will try the pumpkin. Thank you!
This is the ingredient list in Stella and Chewy’s http://www.stellaandchewys.com/dog-frozenduck.php
It doesn’t have tripe, but I feed her freeze dried green lamb tripe as well. Left that out.. sorry!
Is the freeze dried sufficient? The store that I buy her food from does sell frozen green tripe.
This is the ingredients in the ebarf… it has probiotics and enzymes:

Ingredients: Organic Dried Kelp, Organic Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Ground Flaxseed, Dried Yeast, Organic Dried Ground Barley Grass, Organic Dried Ground Wheatgrass, Oat Bran, Dried Ground Barley Malt, Organic Dried Apple Pumice, Pectin, Organic Dried Ground Beet, Dried Ground Parsley, Dried Ground Barley Sprout, Dried Ground Aloe Vera Gel, Organic Dried Ground Carrot, Organic Dried Ground Broccoli, Organic Dried Ground Tomato, Organic Dried Ground Kale, Dried Ground Celery, Dried Ground Cauliflower, Dried Ground Asparagus, Dried Ground Brussels Sprouts, Dried Ground Garlic, Dried Ground Ginger, Dried Aspergillus niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Extract, Dried Bifidobacterium thermophilum Fermentation Extract, Dried Bifodobacterium longum Fermentation Extract, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Extract, and Bacillus subtilus Fermentation Extract (Source of Amylase, Cellulase, and Hemi-Cellulase)

Let me know if you have any other suggestions! I’m really tired of cleaning her all the time! Poor baby!

[gixx0r]

Hi all,

I just picked up an 11 month old Bichon Frise and want to do my best in ensuring it eats quality foods that help its coat and mitigates the potential for allergies that Bichons tend to have when messing with their diet.

He is currently on Life’s Abundance Premium Health for Puppies and Adults. We got him as a dog that needed a rehome after the breeder had sold it to family that realized they couldn’t handle him. That family had been feeding it Purina Pro Plan Focus Toy Breed Puppy kibble.

Any suggestions for a good rotation as it enters adulthood?

[KiraLynB]

Hi, we have been feeding our bichon puppy raw food since we brought her home at 8 weeks. She has had some diarrhea problems here and there, and her stools are pretty much always soft. How long is the transition period for her tummy to get used to her new diet?
It is very messy! lol
We were feeding her Stella and Chewy’s frozen raw Duck, Rabbit
BARF store was out this week so now she is on Vital Essentials Rabbit.
She is also on EBarf from barfworld as I read somewhere it would help. I’m not sure if it is helping at this point.
Is it okay for me to switch from Stella and Chewy’s to Vital Essentials? The store owner told me it was fine.. but I’m assuming she said that because she was out?

[Duke The Boxer]

My boy is not doing so well on nv. Everything is amazing and I definitely will be buying this food again cuz his coat is amazing and has no rashes anywhere but at this current time I think the formula has too much protein and is causing quite loose stools. Since then I’ve been mixing half nv and half of this natural balance and his stools has improved greatly. I’m thinking of trying dr Tim’s kinase grain inclusive next rotation. What do you guys think? Can a food with too much protein cause loose stools in a dog? I haven’t been over feeding him as I’m feeding under the recommended dosage and still wen I try and go back to more nv than the natural balance the stools go back to very soft.

[gsdmommy89]

jewels:

in my own personal opinion, I would completely avoid Innova. it used to be a very good brand. excellent even. but this past year it was recalled numerous times. it was bought out by Proctor and Gamble. I also think the same way as you do: is it worth driving further for a certain food? depending on how much further. if what I’m saving on the kibble, I’ll be spending in gas, I don’t think it is. but that’s just me. gas here in Los Angeles isn’t so cheap anymore. my choices would be NV Prairie, Wellness Core, Pinnacle, then Halo. I prefer my food to have some kind of meal in it. some people don’t, but to each his own. I don’t really know much about Avoderm. never really caught my attention enough to make me want to research or try it. I personally feed my GSD puppy Fromm Large Breed Puppy, but will be rotating to Earthborn once it’s time to get a new bag. Luckily I can get Earthborn pretty much anywhere here, and I think it’s an excellent brand.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 2 months ago by gsdmommy89.

[jewels]

Thanks! I forgot to ask about training treats. This puppy is very full of himself and is going to need a lot more training than my last standard. I don’t want to undo any good I’m getting from the right food by using poor training treats. This pup is highly food motivated so I’m sure I’ll be using treats alot. I always cut them in to tiny pieces but I’d still love to know if there are any particular brands/types recommended to go along with these feeding guidelines. Thanks!

[jewels]

Hello everyone! I’m new and found this site while trying to search for answers for my 11 week old standard poodle puppy. The breeder sent me home with instructions to feed him adult food not puppy food. She feeds a 50/50 mixture of Purina Pro Select for Sensitive Stomach and Skin (salmon) and Eukannuba Adult Large Breed. My vet disagrees and told me to only feed a large breed puppy food. I’m glad I found this site! I haven’t read all 37 pages of this forum but did read several pages on either end as well as looked at the document link on page 15. My head is swimming (numbers/stats/percentages make my brain hurt). I will be spending days on here trying to get a grasp on this subject, but meanwhile I wondered if there are any recommendations for this breed? The document listed foods by alphabetical order… is there anyone willing to give me a top three or five choices in the grain free and grain inclusive categories? Also, the breeder said to free feed to avoid bloat. Is that the consensus here or are scheduled feedings preferred for puppies? Thanks! I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed!

[gsdmommy89]

GSDguy:

I also have a shepherd puppy. he’s 3 months old. I feed him Fromm Large Breed Puppy. But HDM did include her list of appropriate foods and that’s where I picked mine out. I chose it because 1) Fromm is a family owned company 2) it’s easy to find here in L.A 3)I pay about $51 for a 33lb bag. it lasts a very long time. the only thing I didn’t like at first was that it is a bit rich, so my puppy’s stools were somewhat loose. but that was something simple canned pure pumpkin cleared right up. other than that, it’s awesome

[theBCnut]

As far as the puppy requirements versus the adult requirements. The puppy has more stringent requirements, but there is nothing in puppy food that adult dogs can’t handle, however the reverse is not true. Adult foods are not necessarily appropriate for puppies. I only feed All Life Stages foods, even to my senior. Just because she doesn’t have to have the absolute optimum diet, like my puppy, doesn’t mean I don’t want her to have it anyway.

[lilyh]

I switched my 11 week English Setter puppy from what the breeder was feeding her (Purina Large Breed Puppy) to Wellness Core Puppy over about 8 days. My husband thought her stools seemed loose (they had a shape, but lost consistency when picked up) and wanted to switch her back as a trial to the Purina. I did not want to do that, so called the vet and the person I talked to recommended mixing a bland diet of chicken & rice into her food.

So for lunch, I cooked organic long grain rice, mixed with chicken (which I have been treating her with all along) in Wellness Core. Within 10 minutes she was throwing up all over the place. I took her to the vet, who thinks it could be a reaction to something else, but I also had some of the rice and my tummy has been gurgling and knotted.

My gut (and gut instinct) tells me it was the rice, but the vet said they had never seen rice cause vomiting and that it is likely not it. Anyone else ever have a reaction like this?

I called the manufacturer of the rice and store that sold it to inform them, and saved it in my freezer for them to examine.

I know there is such a thing as too much calcium, but is there such a thing as too much protein? The animal behaviorist I am working with to stem Annie’s biting and jumping said that the protein shouldn’t be above 28 (she raises rhodesian ridgebacks) but I think the people on this site know better. Appreciate your input.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi sippmanjr –

I personally prefer raw (my dogs eat a homemade raw diet) and in terms of the best – I believe raw is as good as it gets. I would also give preference to dehydrated, canned and freeze-dried foods over kibble. However assuming you’re looking for a kibble, if I had to choose my “top 5” they would probably be (in no particular order): Annamaet (Aqualuk, Salcha or Ultra), Dr. Tim’s Kinesis, Nature’s Variety Instinct (LID Turkey or Rabbit), Wellness CORE Puppy or Earthborn (Coastal Catch or Meadow Feast). I love Orijen foods and their new large breed puppy formula is an improvement over the previous formula (the old formula was way too high in calcium) but it’s still slightly high in calcium for me to recommend. Don’t feel that you need to pick one food and stick with it, rotating is healthier and it’s good to get puppies accustomed to a rotational diet as soon as possible. If you feed kibble, I’d also recommend topping the kibble with a quality raw, canned or dehydrated food or healthy fresh foods (like eggs, tinned sardines, lean meats, or plain yogurt or kefir) as often as possible.

[sippmanjr]

Hi Hound Dog Mom,
You seem very knowledgeable on this subject. I just found your post after beginning to do a lot of dog food research. My fathers Golden Retriever just gave birth to 11 puppies a week and a half ago. We are not backyard breeders trying to profit of these dogs. They pups came from a 55lb female Golden, and a 110lb male. Both are my fathers family dogs. This will be there first and last litter. All dogs will be staying close and going to family and friends. One of them will be my young families first dog in our home. With that being said, I want to wean them onto the best food I can to help curb any growth or health issues. I also want to pick a food that I can keep my puppy on as well throughout their puppy stage and into adulthood. We live in Southern California so getting these foods is usually not the issue. Not to mention there are endless resources online. My Question to you is… What would be your top 5 choices for this breed? Any help you can give would be great. This is the food I purchased yesterday on the recommendation of my local feed store. I am starting to regret my decision since it is not grain free and am probably going to return it based on what you have to say. it is the Canidae large breed puppy http://www.canidae.com/dogs/life-stages/dry/large-breed-puppy/duck

[jimmianne]

I want to get my Aussie pup off to the very best start possible. She is now 12 weeks old. My feed store sold me Canidae Pure Sky All Life Stages. I am very happy with it – all my dogs like it.

I just wonder if it really meets the nutritional needs of a very young dog and if there is any other product or supplement I should consider.
Somehow it does not make sense that a puppy and a 12 year old dog would have the same needs.

thanks!

[Michelle Tommy]

I have an 8 week old american bulldog that I was told to feed blue buffalo wilderness puppy but it’s causing loose stools. The vet says he’s healthy and worm free and suggested science diet which I won’t give. I’ve been reading up on the foods and I am so confused. Can someone please help me find a good food for my pup. I don’t mind the cost.

[mfulton7]

Are the foods on the list the only foods that are of good quality and nutritional value for large breed dogs? I’m driving myself crazy trying to decide on a food. I have a fawn dobie puppy as I mentioned above earlier and I’ve read this list dozens of times and still can’t decide! She is currently on the Zignature and is doing well now that she is used to it. I was hoping to find a food that is a little cheaper. Hopefully around $45 for a 30lb bag. Some I’ve looked at are Nutrisource, Rachael Rays’s and the 4health but I’ve read the 4health is made by Diamond which scares the crap out of me. I also would like to keep feeding them something that is fish base since fawn dobie’s are prone to skin issues and I think the nurish only comes in turkey or chicken. Also is it really true that dogs tend to eat less of the grain free foods? I’m trying to estimate how long a 30lb bag would last my 3 dogs. The dobie and 2 smaller breed dogs that weigh 10lbs each. Are there any articles that help with the breakdown?

[somebodysme]

Off the top of my head, this is what I’d do if I were searching. I would go to chewy dot com and search for dry dog food then you can narrow it down by choosing “puppy” then grain free and then by the meat you’d like to feed such as lamb. That will narrow it down and from there you’ll just have to check the ingredients they list for each food at chewy and see if it contains beef or chicken or potatoes.

[jfedele]

Hi,

OK, so my fiance and I have been raising our pup Luna, who is a german sheppard/huskie mix. She is now 4 months old, and we have had her since she was 8 weeks. Feeding her has been a nightmare since day one. We started her out on Blue Buffalo Freedom for puppies and it caused tons of diarrhea issues. The vet chalked it up to various puppy parasites and such, and we she went on a boiled chicken and rice bland diet for a week to see how she did. She managed OK, but her ears were still red and she seemed to be a bit itchy. We started to reintroduce the kibble very slowly, but the moment we get to 75% kibble, she would go right back to the diarrhea. I brought it up to our vet again, she gave me a probiotic, claiming that perhaps all the meds she was on to rid her of puppy parasites, messed with her digestion bacteria. So, day 2 on the probiotic she is having the worst diarrhea she’s ever had. Finally I had enough and at the suggestion of a friend who had a similar problem, switched her to Blue Buffalo Wilderness for puppies. Within 24 hours of eating a mix of bland diet with the Wilderness food, she was having solid droppings that seemed to be healthy and normal. Again, during the transition, once we got to about 90% kibble, nothing but diarrhea again, red ears, itchy skin. Currently I am taking the advice of my sister’s vet, and we put her on a bland diet of boiled ground beef and rice (since all her food up until this point was chicken based). She is doing well on the ground beef, her ears don’t seem nearly as bad, but we need to find a food to transition her to that will not give her tons of tummy problems. I have heard many similar stories regarding this reaction to the holistic type dog foods. However, I also don’t want to be giving her shitty dog food. My sister’s vet recommended finding a Lamb and Rice based food because Lamb is supposed to me a bit more mild on their stomachs. So my grand questions is: What is a decent type of dog food, that is Lamb and Rice based, and isn’t too holistic? I welcome any suggestions on this matter as well! I am tired of cleaning up dog soup!!!! HELPPP!!!!!!!!!

[dexter the doberbull]

Hi! I’ve been feeding my 6 month old Doberman / pitbull puppy Blue Buffalo puppy food but he still gets diarrhea fairly regularly. There’s no other symptoms (he’s still playful, happy, eating, drinking etc) we have been to the vet and they say he’s a healthy boy. However he still (especially when he’s excited) gets diarrhea. I’m wondering if maybe the food isn’t fully agreeing with him. Any suggestions on a decent food that may be easier on his tummy? Thanks all!!

[mfulton7]

I have a 7 week old doberman pup who is currently on zignature trout & salmon. She has been pooin a lot and she been on it for a week. No diarrhea these are normal stools, no parasites etc she just poos 6-10 times a day. Shes eating a total of 2 cups a day sometimes a little less. I feed her 3 times a day. I also have 2 other small dogs. One of them may have allergies not completely sure though. She cannot eat totw wild it makes her vomit horribly. The 2 dogs have been on natural balance lid, zig, nutrisource. Is there a dog food that would be good for all 3 of my dogs? I like fromm but the price of the grain free is on the pricey side. What about nutritionals? I know it doesn’t say grain free BUT it does say no wheat, corn, soy does this mean its similar to grain free? Other brands I’ve been looking into are merrick, wellness core, halo, castor & pollux ultramix, avoderm, natures variety prairie, whole earth. Would any of those work for a dobie, shihtzu mix and a chihuahua?

[somebodysme]

Honestly…I wish that a best food could be recommended but it will depend on each individual dog and I really hate to say that. Since Zig is just really not working for your puppy, I’d take him off. So how much are you feeding him, did you mean 2 cups for the entire day or 2 cups three times? If you are feeding 2 cups three times then that is entirely way too much food. My 50 lb dog only got 2 cups a day on zig. I’m assuming you meant that you feed three times with a total of 2 cups for the whole day…right? It seems like, my dog was going about 5 times a day on that food which is kind of a lot. I think it’s got too much “fluff”. HA!

I see Fromm being recommended a LOT! People really do like it. Honestly, it is trial and error. What I thought would be a wonderful after researching until I was blue in the face, ended up totally not working for my dog that turned out to be highly allergic to peas. She is on a potato and rabbit diet right now that’s doing pretty good. She will need to find a better food eventually though so the whole trial and error deal will begin yet again. Unfortunately the whole grain free diet isn’t the answer for her because of allergies.

I’d say that of the brands that you mentioned, they all have their fans and non-fans. They are all high rated foods.

Have you posted in the large breed puppy thread yet? Aren’t you the same poster from the review section that asked and I mentioned the large breed puppy thread? I seem to recognize your name now. That thread should keep you busy reading for a few days! HAHA! I think it’s 30 something pages by now!

[mfulton7]

I am looking to find a new dog food that will work for all my babies. I am currently feeding them Zignature trout & salmon mixed with some samples of Fromm grainfree (food store gave me a bunch). The zignature seemed to fine BUT we recently brought a doberman puppy to come live with us she is is almost 8 weeks and is pooing like crazy on the zignature. Its not runny or anything like that she just poos constantly. 6-10 times a day. We are feeding her 3 times a day and I put 2 cups in her bowl. Recommended amount for 10lb dog is 1 cup. Now that Ive been mixing it with the Fromm she has pooed slightly less today maybe only 5 times today. I went to 4 local pet food stores and one highly recommended the Fromm for the doberman. Which brings me to my next question. My other pup is 7 months and we recently found out she has a autoimmune skin disorder called pemphigus. When all of her symptoms began we assumed it was a food allergy so weve tried different types of food so many times a change in food doesnt affect her or my chihuahua. She is doing well on the zignature and the mix of fromm. Weve tried diamond naturals and totw which made her vomit everywhere i will never try a diamond product again EVER! Weve tried natural balance the L.I.D. fish and sweet potato she seemed ok on that. Weve tried nutrisource fish grainfree also and that seemed ok too. Now the fromm, which seems really great BUT the price not so great! I want to find a good kibble that all of the dogs can do well on.
Ive been researching the different types fromm makes and am confused by the grainfree and the nutrionals. The nutritionals do not contain certain grains so does this mean this food could be good for skin type issues? Other brands Im considering are Merrick, Wellness Core, Fromm. Im hoping to get a 30lb bag for no more than $60. I also want to rotate bags around. Which type of food would work best for a dobie, a shihtzu poodle mix and a chihuahua?

[leftflipper]

Hi

Is Earthborn puppy vantage good for a PUG and a Boston??

They both 13 weeks old, i also feed them Bentlys http://www.bentleyfoods.co.za/

They are both PURE BREED dogs and are perfect.

So now i dont want to ruin anything.

Other good brands in my area, are Orijen, Acana and the big brands. Im in South Africa so i cant get 90% OF THE BRANDS. Orijen and Acana are the only other 5 star foods.

I just read that some are to high in protein for ie the pug etc etc

Please can someone just tell me the real truth

Thank you

[sparkysgirl]

Okay so I have decided to come out of the dark and just ask this question. What is the best food?! I recently just got my australian sheperd (5 months)in august and around the same time my boyfriend adopted a pit/husky mix puppy too. I would really like to feed raw but don’t have time to do it so I was planning to feed a good kibble in the morning then raw in the evening. I also just bought some canidae all life stages and read that it was a bad food too feed. So I bought a small bag of natures instinct chicken formula. My bf wants to feed them pedigree and keeps asking why buy expensive dog food/good dog food and I tell him that its better for them. He just doesn’t understand how some of the dog food is really bad so im just going to find the best dog food and ignore him. Help me please! (:

[dendad]

My Chihuahua puppy is almost three months old. She weighs about three pounds, four ounces. I’m feeding her four times a day. Can food with a little dry food. About 2 oz each time. Is this too much? Seems like she poops a lot and its not very solid. I add a little pumpkin sometimes to eliminate diarrhea. There seems to be a big difference of opinions on this subject and I am concerned. Some say if you don’t feed a pup often enough it will become hydro glycemic.

[jackieshoes]

I have an 8 year old teacup chihuahua that weighs 4.2 pounds. She has been on Beneful Incredibites for some time now and ONLY likes the chewy ones. She picks them out and comes and finds me to feed her more if there aren’t many in there. I had no idea what kind of JUNK they put in dog food until I changed my English Bulldog from Prescription Diet to Castor and Pollux UltraMix (totally different dog).

I have been on the search for a food that she will eat, as she is very very very picky. She turns her nose up at things most dogs would woof down in no time. She doesn’t like cheese (unless its string cheese), any treats I have ever purchased (except marrowbones and she only gets a few of those a month), greenies, green beans, bananas, carrots, etc. She just turns her nose up and walks off. I want to find a good food that is relatively chewy (but not wet) that she will eat – but want it to be a QUALITY food because I want her life to be as full as possible. She is still full of life and acts like a puppy most days running around and chasing things – so no major health issues. Except we might be a little overdue on a dental, but I’m between jobs right now so that will have to wait.

I appreciate any input and recommendations!

[crazy mom]

Hi I have two Great Danes one is 1yr old and the Other is 6 months old. I also have a bloodhound. We feed TOTW. I was wondering if that was a good food for them. I saw the spreed sheet and it was overwhelming and while I love my vet they are not that helpful when I ask food questions. We live in the country so I go to tracker supply or the feed store for our food. I have been trying to read up on what to look for and heard great things about TOTW. Please and Thank you. I am new to this group and trying to understand it all and read it is overwhelming.
Thank you so much

[Sara10010]

I’m new to the forum and am hoping I might be able to get some advice. My husband and I have a five and a half month old Cardigan Welsh Corgi who is showing signs of pano/elbow dysplasia. We had x-rays taken and there is significant space between his elbow joints (right side is worse). We aren’t sure if this is something he might grow out of or if it is, in fact, dysplasia (we are seeing a specialist this weekend). However, we’ve been feeding him Orijen puppy since we brought him home and I’m concerned the protein content might be too much for him and could be contributing to this. It’s undoubtedly a high quality food and he is growing fast on it. I don’t want the vet to put him on a prescription diet as I don’t believe they are nutritious. From reading this thread, it seems that Wellness Core Puppy might be a good option for us? I am also not sure if we should just switch him to an all life stages food at this point? I would love any recommendations that anyone might have – we want to do right by our little guy and I really thought I was giving him the best with Orijen.

Thanks!

[gsdmommy89]

I’ve read her list and have been following this thread for a while now, so I know about the calcium levels ( that’s why I’ve been feeding the puppy the Earthborn Coastal Catch formula). But my question is about my adult GSD. I’m trying to get her to put her weight back on. Should I put her on puppy food to help her recover her weight? ( of course, I’d go with one on HDM’s list).

[Anonymous]

Thanks for this wonderful thread, most of all Hound Dog Mom for her great knowledge, research, and unbiased advice.
I have brought home a puppy from the rescue, it looks to be a lab/greyhound mix, it might become large, it might turn out to be medium, but I opted for the safe bet and I am feeding it low calcium.
I have recently moved to America from the Netherlands, and fed my GSD raw, but over there I can go to the butchers and get cuts and special dog-food easily. Here I have to find out anew where to go and what to buy. But I am impressed with the many different brands of quality dog food.
And tripe in a can! Brilliant!

I have learnt so much on this thread! I have read everything and printed HDM’s list so I have no questions, just:
Thank you all very much! Especially Hound Dog Mum.

[SuZee]

Would you please rate this food? It is available at Fleet Farm stores. After cycling through several of the four- and five- star dog foods found on this website, I was getting pretty frustrated. I didn’t like spending so much money on a food that was supposed to be really good for my puppy, only to find myself “topping” it with grated cheese (more $$!). While shopping at Fleet Farm for her expensive food, I watched several people come into the department and pick up the Sprout brand. So I looked at the label, was impressed by what I saw, and picked up a 5# bag of the Lamb & Rice Formula to see if my 7 month old Golden Doodle would like it. She devoured it. Licked the bowl clean. And the poop was wonderful – like a soft tootsie roll. (We had many issues there for weeks on the expensive foods.) It has been five weeks now, she has just finished her second 40# bag. Today I brought the Chicken & Rice home (again, the 5# bag to see if she likes it) and once again she devoured it. Happily! She has abundant energy (of course, she’s a pup!) her coat is soft and doesn’t shed, her poo is easy to pick up…. all in all, it is a great fit for us. If you analyzed it here, and it is as good as I think it is, it would be very helpful to others who are determined to feed their dogs high-quality food on a budget. Thanks for your consideration!

[apriliamille]

murphysmom,
i cant remember which forum i read it on but tim hunt (dr tim) had an interesting discussion about “meal” and why he used it and considering iditerod sled dogs use his stuff im sure its valid. i may be wrong in my understanding but pretty much i took it as take a deboned chicken and dehydrate it then prep it for kibble mix then compare it to chicken meal on a protein per weight amount then look at the cost and efforts to put a good protein kibble to market at a value. we use a kibble that has “deboned chicken” as the first ingredient and its definitely hitting the pocket book. (i assume since my dogs are getting a premium chicken breast in their kibble instead of a grocery store for human use)
i think there is quality to “meal” look at some of the ash contents of the kibbles using meal. there are some good numbers out there.
on a side note. i have been transitioning my pup onto meadowfeast to help with the pocket book while i do more research on her food i want to use when she hits 1 year old and i start pushing her physically. i have to feed her on a tray exclusively with the meadowfeast (not saying yours will need to) its a smaller kibble then she has ever had and she has reverted to her younger days of vacuum. also the earthborn UPC for Trees is a neat program they do.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 3 months ago by apriliamille.
• This reply was modified 12 years, 3 months ago by apriliamille. Reason: keep finding i dont make sense in my sentances