Puppy Food

Oh gosh! The most difficult ever I get asked when someone comes into my store.

Where do I start....well, always the first question is: do you have any concerns with your current diet, if so, why?

It is never easy to spelunk. Some are easier than others....Ok....you are feeding Beneful.....ok, I have quick fixes for that but if they are on a good quality diet and still not happy, we can spend a good 45 minutes with a customer, drilling down. Chicken, beef?

Food changes, supplements (pumpkin . I sell about 20 cans per week) Better chews, treats, on and on. No rawhide!!!! Yeah, I sell it but never recommend it.

Yeah, I can easily tell a customer try this, my dog loves it, but its never that easy.

So going back to the original question....votes for best food.....I refuse to say without knowing more.
 
For me, just as a rule-of-thumb it's fats for energy, protein for growth, repair and immunity, and a minimum of grain, perhaps just enough to keep the doo-doos firm.
 
This post has been floating around for a long time . . . without re-reading . . . and for anyone choosing food now, I have learned a lot since. I have really listened to Eva Saks about the whole fat / gallbladder disease thing. I really think "Puppy" food is a gimmick. Maybe it is valid for non-quality food, but quality food, nah.

SO . . . in the last 2 years I have focused on the responsible companies. Three companies that have my attention are Acana, Fromm, and Earthborn Holistics. I want no grain, no chicken, responsible ingredients, no Chinese ingredients, and I would like to not take a 2nd on the house to feed.

Acana -- while my shepherd does well on it, the protein is like 31% and fat at 18%. Not for the shelties. That fat is asking for trouble. I would try their Light & Fit but it is not in the U.S. or at least Chewy.

Earthborn Holistics -- I like their Meadowfeast with mid-range protein and 15% fat. I was going to go with that. It is quite economical. However, then I found a Fromm recipe.

Fromm -- Hidden on a back page of the web I found the Fromm Prairie Gold Large Breed Adult. No chicken, multiple meat sources, no grain, and 12% fat with mid-range protein. My two shelties are doing very well on it. I may see if I can get some of this into the shepherd without the grumbly tummy.

As to "puppy" that is a gimmick. Good nutrition is good nutrition. This gallbladder thing is a big big deal and I am going to do my best to help in that realm.
 
Thanks for the replies!

Okay, so I went to the store that carries many high end brands. To @BarbV's point, spent quite a while talking about my concerns (a bit too much poop that can be a bit too soft). Also noticed some itching. Current food is Hund & Flocken Wee bits (bison and brown rice).

I ended up getting a small brand of Lotus puppy to try ... ??? First 10 ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Liver, Chicken Meal, Whole Ground Rye, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Ground Barley, Pollock, Fish Meal, Oatmeal, Organic Soybean Oil

Have you heard of the Lotus brand? The woman who helped me said she and her clients love it. It's oven backed verse the normal extrusion process, claiming to keep the good whole foods, proteins, etc. intact.

I am excited to hear what you all think! Thanks!!!
 
Dog Food Advisor is a great website for reviewing different brands of dog food. First they rate them and then you scroll down to read comments from people who've tried the food.

Looks like Lotus is a pretty good brand - their puppy formula gets 4.5 stars. http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/lotus-dog-food-dry/

No harm in trying it with your puppy and see how it works.

The new recommendation for feeding dogs is to rotate through different proteins and formulas. Any healthy dog can handle this without a problem and a varied diet is much better for them.

So you can pick 3 or 4 good dog food brands and rotate every time you buy a new bag. You can also just rotate the proteins. We feed Fromm Four-Star that has a few different protein options. So one month he'll get the Pork one, and the next month we'll buy Lamb. etc. etc.

Hope that makes sense!
 
Fireweed said:
Dog Food Advisor is a great website for reviewing different brands of dog food. First they rate them and then you scroll down to read comments from people who've tried the food.

Looks like Lotus is a pretty good brand - their puppy formula gets 4.5 stars. http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/lotus-dog-food-dry/

No harm in trying it with your puppy and see how it works.
Click to expand...

I agree 100%.

Fireweed said:
The new recommendation for feeding dogs is to rotate through different proteins and formulas. Any healthy dog can handle this without a problem and a varied diet is much better for them.

So you can pick 3 or 4 good dog food brands and rotate every time you buy a new bag. You can also just rotate the proteins. We feed Fromm Four-Star that has a few different protein options. So one month he'll get the Pork one, and the next month we'll buy Lamb. etc. etc.

Hope that makes sense!
Click to expand...

Rotation diets are great. Cleo likes the fact that her food is not the same all the time now and that has made feeding her so much easier.
 
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