# Is Large Breed Dog food necessary?



## Jmeade

So I have been feeding Shadow Blue Buffalo along with my other two dogs...it is just easier to feed them all the same.

My vet told me to increase her food intake by half cup a day or half can a day. She is more active than my other two dogs and she is a bigger dog also. At 7 months she is already twice the size of my old bird dog.

What I need to know is...do GSD's need large breed food? Is there something else I should be feeding her to help her keep a healthy weight for her activity level?

My vet said Blue Buffalo is a good food but I am just wondering if I should feed Shadow something else because she is a different type of dog.

I mix two cups and half a can once in the morning and once in the evening. So she gets 4 cups and 1 can per day.

Any advice or input would be appreciated.


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## Jmeade

Here is a picture of her from today. She is healthy but under all that hair she is a little on the thin side. The vet said it is because she needs more protein/calories than my other dogs. That is why I am asking you guys for help.
Thanks...


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## Lin

Are you feeding an adult Blue Buffalo formula?

When it comes to puppy foods, yes large breed is necessary. Other puppy foods will encourage too fast of growth for large dogs. 

When it comes to adult foods, no. And adult/all age foods are fine (except grain free) for large breed puppies. The only difference in large breed adult formulas is the addition of glucosamine and chondroitin. However this is only for marketing, as the amount is much too low to have any therapeutic affect. So those who want their dogs on these supplements for arthritis or to prevent joint issues you really need to supplement separately.


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## Jmeade

yes it is the adult (lamb and rice)...I haven't fed Shadow puppy food since I owned her. I was just to lazy to get a seperate bag when the vet said puppy food isn't really a big deal.


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## Emoore

No. Large breed isn't necessary.


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## PaddyD

Taste of the Wild is for all life stages.


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## Jmeade

So does she look thin to you guys? Am I just worrying to much? Is there something else I should be supplimenting her with?

Thanks for the help...


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## Emoore

Nope, based on the pics in your album she doesn't look thin to me. She _almost_ looks a few pounds heavy, but she might just be fuzzy. Hard to tell how much is fuzz and how much is pup.


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## PaddyD

Hard to tell with those pictures but she doesn't look thin to me. She looks a lot more robust than my dog did at that age.


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## idahospud49

From my limited experience, most dogs are a bit on the thin side at 7 months old. They are like awkward gangly teenagers that have shot up, but not out yet.


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## Jmeade

She is very fuzzy and sheds like crazy. haha

I thought I was feeding her to much but the vet said the bag is based on adult dog needs and since she is an active puppy she needs more.

I can't judge her the way I would my horse because of all that hair but I will say...I can't see ribs but I can feel them.

Thanks for the input.


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## kr16

Lin said:


> Are you feeding an adult Blue Buffalo formula?
> 
> When it comes to puppy foods, yes large breed is necessary. Other puppy foods will encourage too fast of growth for large dogs.
> 
> When it comes to adult foods, no. And adult/all age foods are fine (except grain free) for large breed puppies. The only difference in large breed adult formulas is the addition of glucosamine and chondroitin. However this is only for marketing, as the amount is much too low to have any therapeutic affect. So those who want their dogs on these supplements for arthritis or to prevent joint issues you really need to supplement separately.


Why is grain free bad? My pup has had a sensitive stomach so we switched to grain free and he has been fine.


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## Tessa99999

I agree with everyone else; she doesn't look thin. Most "healthy" American dogs are actually a little overweight. You shouldn't SEE the ribs but you should be able to feel them.

If you DO end up wanting to fatten her up a little (and I don't really think you need to, but whatever. Your dog, your choice.) something we have done is give our dogs a hot dog frank a day. It sounds weird, but the fatten up a little quicker than with regular food it seems.


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## Lin

kr16 said:


> Why is grain free bad? My pup has had a sensitive stomach so we switched to grain free and he has been fine.


The calcium in grain free adult foods is too high for puppies.


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## kr16

Lin said:


> The calcium in grain free adult foods is too high for puppies.


 
Thanks so much Im glad you told me this. So we researched further the Natural balance grain free we are using has the calcium in proper range. 
Seems they are all similar grain free or regular unless I am not looking at the right thing.

natural balance grain free LTD

Calcium
1.0% minimum

Natural balance non grain free
Calcium1.2% minimum

Orijen Large puppy and puppy

Calcium (min./max.)1.5 % / 1.7 %

Orijen adult

Calcium (min./max.)1.4 % / 1.6 %


TOTW pacific stream grain free

Wellness puppy super mix

*Calcium*Not Less Than1.30%

Calcium: 1.9%, as-fed; Phosphorus: 1.1%, as-fed


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## WarrantsWifey

How old is your pup?


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## Jmeade

She just turned 7 months old.


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## Cassidy's Mom

From those pictures I do not think she needs to put on weight. If you can feel them but not see them, then she definitely does not need to put on any weight.

If you're already feeding a good quality food (which you are, there's nothing wrong with Blue Buffalo) the best way to add or lose weight is to increase or decrease the amount you feed each day. That's it - it's really no more complicated than that.


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## Lin

Well the issue is some of those foods only list the minimum calcium level, without listing the maximum.


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## juliejujubean

looks great to me, keep doing what you are doing!


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## Samba

If they do not list the maximum Ca levels how does one know what they are feeding?


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## Lin

Thats the problem. I believe some people have contacted the companies that don't list maximum to check. But to be perfectly safe you shouldn't feed a grain free adult food without maximum calcium listed to puppies. But thats all personal choice of course, whatever the individual feels comfortable with. But the top foods such as Orijen have specific large breed puppy formulas with lower calcium levels, and brands like Wellness and formerly Natura will state that their grain free formulas are not safe for large breed puppies. There are a lot of people on the forum that know more than I do about this, and a search would bring up old threads if anyone wants to look into it deeper. Or start a thread on the subject.


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## Lucy Dog

PaddyD said:


> Taste of the Wild is for all life stages.


According to AAFCO standards, yes TOTW if for all stages. AAFCO also approves of feeding "meat by products" and the rest of the junk you see in a lot of supermarket dog foods as well. Take those AAFCO standards for what they're worth... not a whole lot.

Personally, I wouldn't feed TOTW to a GSD under the age of 18-24 months (probably more like 24 months if it were me) because of the amount of calcium.


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## Samba

Yeah, I fed the Orijen Large Breed puppy. I wouldn't say it was necessary but I was happy with the growth rate and prelimn xrays look nice so it worked for my goals.

I am concerned with the higher calcium foods out there now that pups will get fed them.


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## kr16

I just emailed natural balance to see if they answer the max calcium question.


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## Liesje

I am not super duper picky about foods but I have a 9 month old so when I use TOTW I use it every 3 or 4th bag, not all the time. My friends are more into the nutrition and guaranteed analysis stuff and they recommended not feeding TOTW to a puppy all the time but because he's now 9 months (and I've had his hips and elbows checked already) it wouldn't hurt to use it on occasion and switch for good once he is full grown.

I think the dog in the photos looks fine. I would not obsess over weight and food amounts, especially with a 7 month old puppy. They go through all these growth spurts and gangly periods. It is better for the dog to be thin than overweight, and as long as the dog is otherwise healthy and active I do not see a problem with it being on the thin side (and just based on those pics I do not think that dog is exceptionally thin). Vets tend to use the same standards for all breeds and are used to seeing overweight pet dogs so I do not really seek their advice on nutrition and the overall condition of my dog. If my dog is active, healthy, and very well muscled I do not even mind seeing some rib (especially my 2yo male who has a problem with his anatomy and needs to be kept lean above all else).


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## kr16

kr16 said:


> I just emailed natural balance to see if they answer the max calcium question.


 Sorry for posting this in two places this issue is all over the forum with calcium and puppies.

Our Potato & Duck formula contains 1.37% Calcium on an As-Fed Basis. This value is based on our typical analysis for the product. 

Sincerely,


*Heather Acuff, B.S.*
Animal Nutrition
Natural Balance Pet Foods, Inc.


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## kr16

The Sweet Potato & Bison formula contains 1.18% Calcium on an As-Fed Basis. It is best to stay with one formula for at least four weeks. If you choose to switch to another formula, you should allow a 5-7 day weaning period, then spend at least four weeks exclusively on the next formula.

Sincerely,


*Heather Acuff, B.S.
*Animal Nutrition
Natural Balance Pet Foods, Inc.


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## Jmeade

Here are afew updated pictures for those that asked. I think she is just at a wonky growth spurt. I am going to continue with my normal feeding routine until I notice something off. She is healthy and happy for now. 
Did I mention how much I love her? 

Miss Shadow...


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## Tbarrios333

I don't know. In the first two pics she looks a little too skinny, but it may just be my personal taste. 
I like keeping Denali lean; she has a waist if you look at her from the top down, you can't see any ribs, and she is nicely curved when looking from the side. When the waist is too defined, or the her underbelly curve gets too 'thin' I start upping her food intake.


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## BR870

Lin said:


> Thats the problem. I believe some people have contacted the companies that don't list maximum to check. But to be perfectly safe you shouldn't feed a grain free adult food without maximum calcium listed to puppies. But thats all personal choice of course, whatever the individual feels comfortable with. But the top foods such as Orijen have specific large breed puppy formulas with lower calcium levels, and brands like Wellness and formerly Natura will state that their grain free formulas are not safe for large breed puppies. There are a lot of people on the forum that know more than I do about this, and a search would bring up old threads if anyone wants to look into it deeper. Or start a thread on the subject.


Is one of Wellness's Super5Mix Complete (not the grain free formula) safe for large breed puppies? We just started to switch on Fri.


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## Lin

I believe so, as far as I know the problem is only with grain free foods.


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## BR870

Lin said:


> I believe so, as far as I know the problem is only with grain free foods.


On the bag it says Calcium "Not _Less_ Than 1.2%", but on their website it says "Not _More_ Than 1.2%" So I am guessing its safe to says its 1.2% calcium. That is in the safe range correct? 

The safe cut off as I understand it is 1.3-1.5% right?


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## Jmeade

Tbarrios333 said:


> I don't know. In the first two pics she looks a little too skinny, but it may just be my personal taste.
> I like keeping Denali lean; she has a waist if you look at her from the top down, you can't see any ribs, and she is nicely curved when looking from the side. When the waist is too defined, or the her underbelly curve gets too 'thin' I start upping her food intake.


I guess I will just add half a cup more of feed and see if that helps. I don't want her to thin. She is just so darn active...really I think she has more energy spurts than any dog I have ever owned before. My other two dogs don't even try to keep up with her now...even in this heat it is "mom lets go...come on mom"


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## Bauer’s Mama

kr16 said:


> Thanks so much Im glad you told me this. So we researched further the Natural balance grain free we are using has the calcium in proper range.
> Seems they are all similar grain free or regular unless I am not looking at the right thing.
> 
> natural balance grain free LTD
> 
> Calcium
> 1.0% minimum
> 
> Natural balance non grain free
> Calcium1.2% minimum
> 
> Orijen Large puppy and puppy
> 
> Calcium (min./max.)1.5 % / 1.7 %
> 
> Orijen adult
> 
> Calcium (min./max.)1.4 % / 1.6 %
> 
> 
> TOTW pacific stream grain free
> 
> Wellness puppy super mix
> 
> *Calcium*Not Less Than1.30%
> 
> Calcium: 1.9%, as-fed; Phosphorus: 1.1%, as-fed


what were your findings with the appropriate amounts of calcium for puppies ? Now I’m worrying my 6 month old is on too high of calcium food (he’s grain free also!)


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## WNGD

10 year old thread. Might want to do a search of the forum or start a new thread.


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