Puppy food

[Jmort1754]

Our breeder fed Iams minichunks. Should we be looking a true puppy food?

 

[hunterjmj]

The breeder we bought our dog from recommended a highly expensive puppy food. From what I understand it's more about the ingredients and something high in protein so I did some looking around and found a reasonably priced puppy food that checks the boxes. We're paying $36 for 35 pounds.

 

[AndrewMT34]

If its a working dog I really like Purina Pro Plan Puppy 30/20. Then its an easy transition into regular purina pro plan as the pup grows

 

[Jmort1754]

I know the minichunks is pretty decent as far as ingredients but I was more wondering if it would be better for the first 6 months or more to put on a puppy food for the other ingredients.

 

[Painless]

I feed my WPG Fromm, it was recommended to me by our Vet. We started him out on their puppy food and have stayed with it

 

[rideold]

Nothing wrong with feeding a puppy the same food they will end up eating for most of their life. Just make sure they have access to as much as they want (assuming they aren't getting over weight!).

 

[TSAMP]

Nothing wrong with feeding a puppy the same food they will end up eating for most of their life. Just make sure they have access to as much as they want (assuming they aren't getting over weight!).

I was asked to go this route. It was reccomended to me by my breeder to transition directly to an adult food for my 7 week old PP. However ultimately I decided that they make puppy food for a reason and the folks at these companies have likely spent more time determining what's necessary than I can.

So I stuck him on puppy for 6 months or so as it said on the bag. I ended up with one of the biggest PP that i am aware of. I suspect the high protein puppy food played a big role in his development.

In the end it's up to you and your dog will be fine, but I personally think nutrition in the early development is critical and wouldn't skimp.

And no, im not saying he's big and that matters and makes him a great dog. But he is large and well muscled and has the stamina I require.

 

[Dos XX]

I have fed my 22 month old brittany Pro Plan Sport Performance All Life Stages 30/20 from the time I got him. The breeder was feeding him that. I'm feeding my 6 month old brittany the same thing. Both of these dogs are very active and get a lot of exercise.

 

[molliesmaster]

I was asked to go this route. It was reccomended to me by my breeder to transition directly to an adult food for my 7 week old PP. However ultimately I decided that they make puppy food for a reason and the folks at these companies have likely spent more time determining what's necessary than I can.

So I stuck him on puppy for 6 months or so as it said on the bag. I ended up with one of the biggest PP that i am aware of. I suspect the high protein puppy food played a big role in his development.

In the end it's up to you and your dog will be fine, but I personally think nutrition in the early development is critical and wouldn't skimp.

And no, im not saying he's big and that matters and makes him a great dog. But he is large and well muscled and has the stamina I require.

The flip side of that coin, if I may, is that your breeder might've been aware that the litter your pup came out of would be of bigger stock, and switching from a puppy to adult food at an earlier stage can help slow down growth. That sounds counterintuitive to most but the reasoning behind it is to slow down weight gain on the pup while the crucial joints and ligaments develop. It is a very common recommendation to use an "all-life stage" or "adult" formula for large breed puppies.


My personal opinion, go with an all-life stage food like Purina Pro Plan and everything will work out just fine

 

[Fishn4eyes]

I've been feeding my lab puppy Royal Canin Labrador Puppy Food and I've been very happy with it.

 

[long hunter]

The lab is a Purina pro plan dog from puppy to adult, look around and see if you can find the shredded variety. It's easier for them to chew and digest than the nugget type. Our breeder also recommended a glucosamine regiment. and a skin and coat supplement which he has been on for going 5 years now. and is doing well.

 

[Alchemy]

Iams large breed puppy to 6 months, then pick your poison after that

 

[160andup]

If its a working dog I really like Purina Pro Plan Puppy 30/20. Then its an easy transition into regular purina pro plan as the pup grows

Yup this is what I do. Puppies have different needs than adult dogs. Expensive, but give it the good stuff even if you switch to something different when it gets older.

 

[Cant hit em]

I started with the Eukanuba large breed puppy and she seemed like she didnt care for it, picked at it a lot. She eats all the Purina Pro plan i put out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[tony]

Used Fromm when we got our doberman as a pup to about 2.
Last year switched over to Purina Pro Plan.
GF follows whatever our breeder uses. Must work, she is #1 in Ohio and one of the top in the U.S. for dobermans.

 

[jimh406]

Our breeder fed Iams minichunks. Should we be looking a true puppy food?

If your breeder has had success with your dogs bloodline using that approach, I'd probably try it. Puppy food has the potential to cause issues in some breeds if the puppies grow too fast.

Fwiw, I've been feeding iams for almost 30 years. You can do a lot worse. I've had Brittanies and Austrailian Shepherds that have all done well on it. However, some breeds are very intolerant of different types of food. I think if it works, don't fix it.

YMMV.

 

[homebru.trout]

Another vote for pro plan. They make some pretty Gucci dog food these days and our vet told us that $80 dog food is the #1 cause of GI issues and discomfort in puppies. Purina Pro Plan, Blue Buffalo, Iams, Fromm all good. I'll feed her puppy food until 6 months or so and then start to change her over to an adult kibble.

 

[fellerr]

Someone help me out here…

Lots of votes for purina pro plan. What about purina one label? It is about half the price of pro plan with dang near same label and label claims?

The pro plan has a little more energy to it, but not much. The feed amount is a lot less than purina one though, so even being more expensive, you have to feed less. Don’t understand how the purina one requires you to feed over twice as much.

 

[*zap*]

My 9 month old buddy gets raw burger, cooked and raw fish, cooked and raw chicken, rice, pasta, pinto beans, 6 almonds every day, oatmeal, rawhide chews and about a quart of whole milk a week......I have a cup of puppy chow left from a 20# sack I purchased when he was 8 weeks. I do not think I will buy any more dog food. He weighs just under 20#.

 

[tony]

Hell. I'd eat that of you cooked up all the meat for me