# How big of a mistake?



## Alois (Feb 4, 2011)

Our two puppies were born Dec 30 and the other Jan 2nd. They have been on Wellness Super mix 5 mixed in with Diamond Naturals (large dog puppy) I just had my wife check the Diamond Naturals and she says that the calcium numbers on the back are 1.2% 

I had never known what percentages were bad or good for puppies until today when I started looking around the forum. I knew high calcium diets were bad for them but never knew the exact numbers

ugh...


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## fuzzybunny (Apr 29, 2011)

I'm confused because in the Blue Buffalo thread I thought people were saying 1.2% was good.


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## LuvourGSDs (Jan 14, 2007)

From what I have recently read & understand, you really don't want much more than 1.2%, but some good foods are a bit more, seen 1.4% & 1.6%. I started a post & sure wish it would be made a sticky.


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## Alois (Feb 4, 2011)

fuzzybunny said:


> I'm confused because in the Blue Buffalo thread I thought people were saying 1.2% was good.



I'm not 100% sure myself. Seems like you wanna go no higher than 1.2 but still not sure. Then I keep reading all these HIGHLY recommended foods but the calcium content is higher than 1.2?? For example Orijen. 

Also, since everyone loves Blue Buffalo... Which one? They make all types of Blue Buffalo. Chicken, salmon....


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## fuzzybunny (Apr 29, 2011)

If your dog is doing well on it's current food then don't fix what ain't broken. JMO.


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## Alois (Feb 4, 2011)

I need to switch either way because the Wellness Super mix 5 is giving them a very loose stool. To the point that we can only feed them it every 2 or 3 days.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Alois said:


> I need to switch either way because the Wellness Super mix 5 is giving them a very loose stool. To the point that we can only feed them it every 2 or 3 days.


You do know that switching food back and forth can cause loose stools too.....


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I think you want the calcium and the phosphorus to be in the right ratio. You do not want to overdo calcium which most puppy foods do. If you go with a large breed puppy food, you should be ok. When you start mixing things together, then you have to pay even more attention to specifics.


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## Alois (Feb 4, 2011)

Lilie said:


> You do know that switching food back and forth can cause loose stools too.....



Orginonally they were just on Wellness Super Mix 5 and had a loose stool. We were told it had too much oils in it so we started doing half and half (Diamond Naturals) and that worked. Here lately, regardless...the Wellness is just too much (oils)

Bought a bag of Merrick Wilderness. It JUST came in the mail and the calcium content is not even listed. arrrrgh!


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## neiltus (Mar 10, 2011)

Want to know whats really bad?

Your freaking out over something you don't understand.

IT'S NOT FREAKING 1.2% calcium as a total % of the food. It is 1.2-2.0 Ca to Phosphorus ratio.

Thousands of GSD owners feed their dogs low Ca foods thinking they are doing good and treat string cheese.

If your dog is going to have bad hips, feeding it the lowest % Ca food will not do a **** thing.

Really.....really...get a grip already...stop buying random foods and freaking out about it.

Pick one, feed in moderation (less than what the package says)...

Wellness LBP is good, I know a ton of dogs on this.
I use Nature's Variety chicken prairie.... I also give raw too...
I have a senior on Orijen (only food she likes).
My aunt has her pups on Merrick Puppy something or other....

Your better off worrying about the pup gaining weight too fast by overfeeding than worrying about some ca % on the package. It's not like hips are ok with 1.1999999999% and go to crap at 1.212121212%

Take a pill already!


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## vat (Jul 23, 2010)

neiltus said:


> Want to know whats really bad?
> 
> Your freaking out over something you don't understand.
> 
> ...


Wow being rude to people will not help!


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## neiltus (Mar 10, 2011)

vat said:


> Wow being rude to people will not help!


maybe rudeness will get a point across (I thought it was sarcasm, but your entitled to your interpretation of it), because clearly the OP is having anxiety regarding what to feed. 

To the OP, I am sorry if my post offended you.

Too many people who are enthusiasts regarding a subject read another enthusiast's subjective opinion via the web and take it LITERAL. Seriously wasting resources-time, money and in extreme cases engage in unhealthy actions-Lilly and Selzer attempted to address the OP. Interpretation of one post starts a landslide of other posts on the same subject with mis-aligned info:

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/feeding-our-puppy/162694-dog-foods-less-than-1-2-calcium-post-away.html

Call it rude, but our advice is causing this (not Lilly or Selzer). Picture someone new to dogs or the breed, wants to be a great dog-parent and reads everything, goes and buys a half-dozen (yes I am stretching this) foods, feeds them all, gets dog sick, posts regarding the runs, and then gets vet bills. Now imagine someone who searches and finds that 1.2 post and reads it like the bible.

Simple over-management. I think forum members should set new people straight. Just bc someone feeds x and someone feeds y, does not mean that they should even try it. In cases like this we need to be more realistic as a forum with the poster. The food most of us feed will not cause dysplasia, nor suddenly kill an animal. There are plenty of healthy dogs who eat junk and probably more overfed unhealthy dogs who eat 50-60 cent # kibble. 

Why do I feed raw and kibble in the same feeding (danger, danger) with the brand that I use? Because my breeder did...it works, my dog is very healthy at a whopping 26 lbs at 4 weeks and I have NO reason to FIX something that works because a % is different.


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## LuvourGSDs (Jan 14, 2007)

neiltuys said:


> maybe rudeness will get a point across (I thought it was sarcasm, but your entitled to your interpretation of it), because clearly the OP is having anxiety regarding what to feed.
> 
> To the OP, I am sorry if my post offended you.
> 
> ...


 Well, thanks for this. I would rather be told some advice/info in one form or another rather than be left hanging.


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## neiltus (Mar 10, 2011)

I have children. One was in NICU for a bit of time. 

I never measured protein, calcium, carbs, vitamins or RHA/DHA to the hundredths of a gram while feeding them. I don't do it now either. There are variations in mom's breast milk as well as between different baby formulas...sometimes statistically significant.

Why do it with a dog?

Something is getting lost in perspective of a pet owner.


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## Alois (Feb 4, 2011)

vat said:


> Wow being rude to people will not help!


this


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