[chris c]

I am about to get my first really big dog. He’s an 18 month old Anatolian/GP/Maremma cross. Currently I feed Acana to my Border Collies, but I’m not sure what to feed these bigger dogs. He’s being fed Kirkland chicken & rice (uuuggghhhh). I have been trying to research the best diet for this guy, but have found every opinion under the sun. One breeder I know, stated that you just can’t feed these dogs grain-free diets, their guts can’t handle it. And another just feeds Kirkland because it good and affordable. My motto is, if you feed junk you get junk. It is my opinion that dogs just do better when they are fed better diets and there is less waste.
The lists seem to limit the options to large puppies not large dogs.
Please help me find a dog food for my new big guy.

[Blaire S]

My German shepherds eat Fromm Four Star Surf and Turf, but I’m thinking about changing to Origen or Wellness Core. Check on breeders websites and blogs to see what they like, then see what Sagman has to say on his reviews.

[Julie B]

I just got a GP/GSD puppy. She was being fed Victor (grain-free) but I’m trying to research and decide what to switch her to as well. The type 5 list should apply to your dog on the Editor’s Choice list as it applies to large dogs under the age of 2 and adult dogs.

[Jackie B]

Hi Chris, as Julie suggested, use the Editor’s Choice quiz and the suggested feeding type. Your new dog needs a food that will work for large breed puppies until about 24 months of age.

[Connie I]

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

[crazy4cats]

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

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

[anonymous]

@ Connie I
I agree Fromm is the best! Now about the raw, well I won’t go there 🙂
Glad your dogs are doing well.

PS We are using the Fromm Weight Management Gold at present as a base. Excellent!

[aimee]

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

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

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

[Author]

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