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Puppy Food

Discussion in 'Commercial Food' started by corbinam, Jun 17, 2014.

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  1. corbinam

    corbinam Moderator

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    Realized yesterday that I know a lot about dog food (I think?) but not a lot about puppy food.

    So here are my questions:

    What do you feed? Why do you feed it?

    Is high protein okay (in your mind) for a puppy?

    Grains for puppy--yay or nay?

    Puppy food vs. all life stages. Does it matter? What's the difference?


    Enzo is currently on Life's Abundance (all life stages, 26% protein, chicken as the protein) and I'm not loving how he's doing on it. He poops a lot, and it's mostly soft-ish. Also, our vet said he wasn't producing a lot of good flora and sometimes they look to changing diet if that happens.
     
    corbinam, Jun 17, 2014
    corbinam, Jun 17, 2014
    #1
  2. bkzoo

    bkzoo Forums Enthusiast

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    Looking forward to the replies - trying to decide what to feed my new guy when we bring him home. Growing up it was a no-brainer: puppies got Purina Puppy Chow. Things are a bit different today...
     
    bkzoo, Jun 17, 2014
    bkzoo, Jun 17, 2014
    #2
  3. Calliesmom

    Calliesmom Moderator

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    well, 3 puppies later.....
    back in the day (2010), Cranberry came with TOTW- at that point, marketed as an all life stages food. He stayed on that until the big Diamond problems....

    Jocu came on Pro Plan- can't remember the exact formula now.... but I switched him to Halo Puppy food maybe 2-3 months after I got him.

    Destin came on Blue Buffalo Longevity and stayed on that until maybe 10 months when I switched him to whatever the big dogs were eating. Coincidentally, about the same time that Blue stopped making Longevity......

    kinda glad that I don't have to find a puppy food at the moment.......
     
    Calliesmom, Jun 17, 2014
    Calliesmom, Jun 17, 2014
    #3
  4. Ann

    Ann Moderator

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    I've tried a lot of puppy foods and I love Fromm Puppy Gold. Protein isn't too high but high enough for puppy growth and it seems to agree with puppy digestive tracks. They'll still poop several times a day (it's a puppy thing) but usually nice, firm tootsie rolls.
    http://frommfamily.com/products/gold/dog/dry/puppy-gold
     
    Ann, Jun 17, 2014
    Ann, Jun 17, 2014
    #4
  5. Mom2Melli

    Mom2Melli Forums Enthusiast

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    I am going with Acana Ranchlands. If the shepherd and the sheltie tolerate it just fine, the puppy will do just fine on it.

    That's going to be my final answer. I hope.
     
    Mom2Melli, Jun 17, 2014
    Mom2Melli, Jun 17, 2014
    #5
  6. BarbV

    BarbV Forums Celebrity

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    Puppy's benefit from higher fat and higher protein diet. I'm not a fan of all life stage diets.

    And I think all dogs do well on a grain free diet. But any high quality diet is fine too. I do think the grain free results in better processing...less bulky stool and less diarrhea. Do check fibre content. I think 6% is a good number, if I remember right

    For Shelties, some of the grain frees are too high in protein to my liking, but that is a personal bias I like to keep it under 30%. I like TOTW and Now! Because it is moderate. Wellness Core is as well, as I recall.

    I'm not a fan of all life stage food. Different ages have different needs.

    So final answer....I would go with a puppy food at least till 10 months.
     
    BarbV, Jun 17, 2014
    BarbV, Jun 17, 2014
    #6
  7. danisgoat

    danisgoat Moderator

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    I feed my girls Fromm Grain Free and have been very happy with the results. I started out not thrilled with it, but it has grown on me and my girls currently are doing great with it.

    If at some point I find myself in a position that I would need a puppy food, I would go with the Fromm Puppy Gold :wink2:
     
    danisgoat, Jun 17, 2014
    danisgoat, Jun 17, 2014
    #7
  8. corbinam

    corbinam Moderator

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    I am definitely liking the looks of Fromm Puppy, but also have found Solid Gold Hundchen Flocken Puppy that looks good.

    I like the Solid Gold one because there isn't any chicken in it.

    I guess the trouble is that I have no idea what is making Enzo's poops abundant :)ick) and soft.

    Is it the fiber? Both are low ~3.5%
    Is it the protein? The food he is on now is all chicken. Fromm is duck and chicken, Solid Gold is lamb and fish.
    Is it the grains? I have yet to find a puppy food (not all life stages) that is Grain Free.
     
    corbinam, Jun 17, 2014
    corbinam, Jun 17, 2014
    #8
  9. Mom2Melli

    Mom2Melli Forums Enthusiast

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    I couldn't find a Fromm recipe that fit the shepherd or I would have that as a contender.

    Solid Gold was recommended to me eeooonnns ago. That was before all the auto ship and it was really hard to find locally.

    I have not had any time since 2002 that I have not had one dog intolerant to chicken. Sigh.
     
    Mom2Melli, Jun 17, 2014
    Mom2Melli, Jun 17, 2014
    #9
  10. bkzoo

    bkzoo Forums Enthusiast

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    I am wanting something I can get at PetCo, so leaning towards Solid Gold. But since I'm switching Toby to Canidae maybe I should feed the new pup their formula?
     
    bkzoo, Jun 17, 2014
    bkzoo, Jun 17, 2014
    #10
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