[Matt O]

Just did quick math (at least for our dog) and it appears that Victors is more expensive for us here than ProPlan (about $1.80/day for victors vs. $1.60/day for ProPlan, using recommendations for a 110lb dog). Again just my finance mind working here….

[Matt O]

Which Victor do you recommend for non-puppy large/giant breeds? Do you still use the NutraPro?

Also, in the last few months of using puppy food (ProPlan) our Presa got a little finicky, deciding he didn’t want to eat the food he typically scarfed down. He worked through it, but it kept us thinking about trying to rotate one or two different brands/types of food to keep him interested (and flexible should pricing change).

Any thoughts on introducing and using a secondary food? How would we think of transitioning (same typical 1-2 weeks of mixing)?

[Matt O]

Pitlove, Just curious why you switched away from Pro Plan? I also noticed it’s not on Dr. Mike’s list for large breed puppies. Not a huge deal since I’ve transitioned our dog to adult food (he’s now 18 months), but just curious if there was a reason why.

Thanks!

[Matt O]

Thanks! What is the main benefit of the different nutritional profiles (at least in your experience)? Trying to decipher how much of it is simply marketing vs. what the science actually backs up.

[Matt O]

Hey Everyone,

So update on the Groot (my Presa)…. He has stayed exactly the same weight for nearly the last six months (between 105-108) and body condition is definitely 4-5 so he’s all good there.

I spoke with my vet last time about making the transition to adult dog food (given his leveling off of weight). He’s about 17 months old now so I just wanted to double check that I’m good to transition him to adult food. He definitely has not been overly interested in food recently, with his intake down from around 7-8 cups per day down to about 5 cups.

Pitlove – for your adult dogs, do you still stick with ProPlan? We’ve been pretty happy with it thus far, just a bit concerned about his lack of appetite (although the more I read, the more normal it sounds given his lack of growth). If so, do you notice any real difference between the lines of proplan (focus, savor etc.).

Thanks as always!!

[Matt O]

Didn’t realize I couldn’t direct message you Pitlove (or at least it has evaded me so far).

Our trainer is great and has mentioned a few things we could do to get our Presa engaged (she actually mentioned an agility course, mostly because it would be hilarious to watch, for a number of other reasons as well). We are definitely interested in trying to get him trained to do more ‘work’, but I’m not sure it would be in the ‘bite work’ department (especially given our homeowners insurance is none too happy with us getting a Presa). I’m probably just not familiar enough with what is involved, but would love to hear your thoughts on what we can do to keep him challenged (fwiw, he hasn’t shown any propensity for destructive behavior so we must not be boring him completely yet!).

Thanks again!

[Matt O]

Thanks PitLove for the quick response. He is quite the looker, that’s for sure! Here are a couple pics for anyone interseted:

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOFZJygrp3ocYgPL57eYeYcSl7f5gWvKpG0xCI_563lYa8j0dA9gfLb-zvUBa21tw?key=amxGMVNkSkhsbzRjUTZsY0hBbFV1VWEtTUdFdkpn

We don’t have his pedigree exactly but did do a DNA test (for what that is worth) and he came back 75% presa with a little mastiff and bulldog for the remainder. Glad to hear that we appear to be on the right track.

I’m going to send you a direct message shortly regarding some of the sport/bite work you mentioned. We are really trying to keep him stimulated mentally as he gets plenty of exercise from daycare (where he is an absolute star) and us.

Thanks for the help!

[Matt O]

Hi Pitlove-

We have a 1-year-old Presa Canario that we have had for almost six months (rescued in June). He was approximately 65 lbs when we got him ( a little underweight at the time), transitioned him from the rescue’s food (Natural Balance LID) to Purina Pro Plan Large Breed with no issuers (took the normal 3-4 weeks of slow introduction). For the next few months, he was continuing to add weight at a normal rate, getting up to 85-90 lbs by October-November. Since then he hasn’t added much weight at all. We had maxed him out at 3 cups of food 2x per day, increasing that to 3.5 cups 2x per day but haven’t seen any increase in weight. He topped out at about 97lbs in early December, and actually, when we took him for his proheart shot last week he was at 95.

Based on the purina body condition scale, he is perfectly sized hovering between a 4 and a 5. Our vet doesn’t have a ton of experience with Presa’s, and just says to keep watching his body for signs we are under or overfeeding. Knowing that giant breeds tend to continue growing until 18-20 months, should I continue upping his food intake? If so, how long should I wait to see this dietary change manifest in his body condition before increasing again or going back to the previous amount?

I appreciate any advice you can provide. I should also note that he was a little under the weather for a few days in december where he was eating slightly less than normal. Finally, he does get plenty of treats throughout the day via training (probably another 60-150 calories).

Thanks to everyone for this great thread; I know it has helped us tremendously!

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