# What is the brand of your dog food?



## Niya (Nov 7, 2011)

I feed my 7 month old Eukanuba large breed for puppies and its about almost done. I want to change it because she's getting sick of it. What brand do you feed yours? I heard taste of the wild is the best but its kinda expensive. Any suggestions?


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## TaZoR (Jan 26, 2012)

I just switched to 4 health..a brand by tractor supply great price, high ratings and good ingredients. I had him on blue buffalo, but he doesnt seem to like it. So far he likes 4 health but time will tell.


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## Holmeshx2 (Apr 25, 2010)

actually I would put Orijen well above taste of the wild. Other then that sorry I can't help because I feed raw.


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## KaiserGSDLove (Oct 21, 2010)

I was feeding Kaiser Taste of the Wild till I found out he had so many allergies. I then switched him to Natural Balance limited ingredients formula


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## Germanshepherdlova (Apr 16, 2011)

One of my dogs eats TOTW Pacific Salmon and the other eats 4Health.


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## NewbieShepherdGirl (Jan 7, 2011)

I feed TOTW but if I could afford it I would feed Orijen. Actually if I could afford it/had the freezer space I would feed raw.


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## iBaman (Oct 25, 2011)

I feed TOTW right now (usually it's blue buffalo, but we moved to a place that JUST started getting blue buffalo this month)...pacific salmon. smells like death warmed over, but Shel likes it. Plus, he only poops once or twice a day on it, as opposed to 3 times a day on blue...


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## sddeadeye (Apr 5, 2011)

Right now we feed Blue Buffalo. We may or may not change to a different brand when I get home as there are brands I prefer over Blue Buffalo, but the BB is easy for my husband to find and buy.


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## Holmeshx2 (Apr 25, 2010)

NewbieShepherdGirl said:


> I feed TOTW but if I could afford it I would feed Orijen. Actually if I could afford it/had the freezer space I would feed raw.


Just for the record we had a hard time affording raw until we spent $50 on a used freezer then spent $28 in meats and haven't bought anything in months


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Niya said:


> I feed my 7 month old Eukanuba large breed for puppies and its about almost done. I want to change it because she's getting sick of it. What brand do you feed yours? I heard taste of the wild is the best but its kinda expensive. Any suggestions?


My dogs always prefered the Science Diet large breed, but I on ocassion switch it up with Royal Canin for German Shepherds. 

I've never heard of some of the others mentioned here.


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## MustLoveGSDs (Oct 31, 2008)

My 3 are on Acana by Champion Pet Foods. The same company that makes Orijen. It is a grain free all life stages food. Personally, I think "puppy food", "senior food", "mature adult", the breed specific formulas(like royal canin offers) are a huge marketing gimmick. Do wolves and dogs in the wild think about things like how old they are when it comes to meal time? Nope. A good quality kibble will have all the right minerals, fatty acids, and vitamins so there really is no need to supplement. 

My 70# GSD eats 2 cups a day of Acana.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Currently these guys eat 4Health but because the nearest Tractor Supply Company is 45 minutes away, i'm switching them over to Chicken Soup dog food since i can get that closer. Currently they have chicken soup dog food mixed in with their bucket of 4health since we still have a couple bags of 4health.


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## amaris (Jan 6, 2011)

Feeding Natural Choice Lamb (Grain Free), he's doing great on it, nice firm poops AND he has a beautiful glossy coat...loved watching him move during our hike on saturday, sunny day and the sun literally glistened off his coat...:wub:


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

I tease my friends when they ask me what kibble I feed my dogs, I call it "Dead meat" and they say, "huh? where do you get that?" and I just laugh and then explain what raw feeding is all about. 

Okay, my real post, if I had to feed kibble, it would be Origen. I feed this to my cats as a supplement to their raw diet and switch between the Regional Red and the Fish.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

MustLoveGSDs said:


> My 3 are on Acana by Champion Pet Foods. The same company that makes Orijen. It is a grain free all life stages food. Personally, I think "puppy food", "senior food", "mature adult", the breed specific formulas(like royal canin offers) are a huge marketing gimmick. Do wolves and dogs in the wild think about things like how old they are when it comes to meal time? Nope. A good quality kibble will have all the right minerals, fatty acids, and vitamins so there really is no need to supplement.
> 
> My 70# GSD eats 2 cups a day of Acana.


I've wondered about that, marketing ploy, I mean . However, the senior or mature adult is what my vet recommended, so that is what I get mostly now. My old guy is 9. He really likes the Royal Canin so every once in a while I'll mix in a bag just to give him a little variety. I know I'd get sick of eating the same thing all the time.


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## sddeadeye (Apr 5, 2011)

Oh, we also use Merrick canned food as a stuffing for a Kong. We freeze it and give it to the dog in the kennel while we are out.

I have heard good things about raw feeding, but I don't think it is anything we would ever switch to. I have thought about supplementing some of the kibble with raw or with some of the frozen pre-packaged raw food that our local natural pet store carries.


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## MustLoveGSDs (Oct 31, 2008)

shepherdmom said:


> I've wondered about that, marketing ploy, I mean . However, the senior or mature adult is what my vet recommended, so that is what I get mostly now. My old guy is 9. He really likes the Royal Canin so every once in a while I'll mix in a bag just to give him a little variety. I know I'd get sick of eating the same thing all the time.


It's just funny to me when i think about it, every time I pass by a Royal Canin breed specific bag. I mean, what about the other nearly 200 something other AKC recognized purebreds? Don't they need a special formula too? ;p 

I personally don't put much trust in veterinarians when it comes to food. Vets aren't nutritionists and I prefer to do my own research. Many of the vets I've been to pimp Pedigree, Iams, Science Diet, and Eukanuba as actual quality kibbles. The thing I like about Acana and other high quality gran free diets is that it is made for rotation.

These are just my thoughts, you know, I'm just happy that people are feeding their pets when I think about all of the emaciated dogs I have rescued over the years.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

MustLoveGSDs said:


> It's just funny to me when i think about it, every time I pass by a Royal Canin breed specific bag. I mean, what about the other nearly 200 something other AKC recognized purebreds? Don't they need a special formula too? ;p
> 
> *LOL never thought about that. They hooked me by passing out free sample bags one day at Petsmart. My dogs just loved it. So every once in a while I would buy a bag to mix with their Science Diet. Now that I'm down to just my Buddy and he tends to put on weight easily I have to really be careful. I stick with the mature formula because I don't want him to gain weight and without his brother its very difficult to tempt him to exercise much. Shadow used to chase the ball and he would chase Shadow. He's not so interested in chasing the ball himself**. I can sometimes get him to chase me with a squeeky toy but most of the time he just gives me the "your crazy" look and goes and lays down. *
> 
> ...


Haha well my Buddy is far from emaciated  I do want to feed him what is best for his senior status and low activity level. If there is something better than Science Diet I'd love to learn more.


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

EVO. 

I was feeding him Taste of the Wild, but he was losing weight eating 1/2 cup per day, and it was all I could do to make him finish that. I put him on EVO because it's higher in protein and calories. 

When we get our own place, I want to get a big freezer and feed raw.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Kirkland's supreme signature puppy chow. Freaking great food at a super low cost.
Waggin train chicken strips
raw chicken (meat + skin) + bones
1 egg a day + egg shells (once a week one egg shell, which he some times does not eat)
Veggies + fruits + whole grains.
extra virgin olive oil , flax seed oil : mixed in kibbles.
cooked fish / chicken - small portions from the dining table.

Listed in order of portion prevalence in diet.


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

I'd be careful with the Waggin' Train products. They're made in China and not too long ago, dogs were getting kidney failure because of the rawhides.


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## WhiteWolfBeauty (Oct 11, 2011)

Blue Wilderness
Duck Flavor


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Taste of the Wild. I cycle through the different 'flavors' from one bag to the next. She has no problem with the transitions because I phase them in. I don't notice any difference in her when changing flavors (duh, ingredients).


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

I give my 7 month TOTW Sierra Mountain. I give 2.25 cups twice a day, and I mix 1/3 can of Natural Balance beef, liver, or lamb meal for added flavor.

She licks every bowl.

Her coat is shiny, her weight is perfect, and she has excellent bowel movements.


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## Dakotasmom23 (Jan 11, 2012)

I've been feeding Kirkland Adult food (Costco brand) for years and love it. Its high quality, cheap, the dogs love it, and their coats look gorgeous.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Rocky-- Precise Senior
Kopper- Victor Professional

+ raw chicken, yogurt, eggs, veggies, etc.


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## Holmeshx2 (Apr 25, 2010)

shepherdmom said:


> Haha well my Buddy is far from emaciated  I do want to feed him what is best for his senior status and low activity level. If there is something better than Science Diet I'd love to learn more.


Theres a TON of foods better then science diet.


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

I feed both my dogs Innova Evo-have tried other foods


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

On the days we feed kibble - Acana /grainfree line.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Holmeshx2 said:


> Theres a TON of foods better then science diet.


So what is better and why?


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

shepherdmom said:


> So what is better and why?


What's better?
Wellness
Pinnacle
Nature's Variety
Solid Gold
Victor
Precise
Natural Balance
Taste of the Wild
4Health
Kirkland Signature
Innova
Verus
Native
Blue Buffalo
NutriSource
Whole Earth Farms
Avoderm
Diamond
etc. . .


Why are they better? Compare the ingredients of any of these foods to the ingredients in Science Diet and you'll see.


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## Dakotasmom23 (Jan 11, 2012)

shepherdmom said:


> So what is better and why?


I'm pretty sure corn is the #1 ingredient (or a heavy filler) for Science Diet. Their prescription food line is fine if you have a pet with medical needs (my kidney cat ate it).


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Well maybe shepherdmom is really not aware.. until I started really diving into dog food, I had no idea & would have fed mine something that was not that healthy.

shepherdmom-what is your dog food budget? The suggestion Emoore listed are good. 

I'm not sure what kind of Royal Canine your feeding? But pulled the ingredient list for the GSD kibble.

There's ALOT of grains & hardly any meat...

Chicken meal, brown rice, oatmeal, chicken fat, barley, rice, natural chicken flavor, pork meal, soy protein isolate, sodium silico aluminate, wheat gluten meal, dried beet pulp (sugar removed), powdered cellulose, anchovy oil (source of EPA/DHA), soya oil, potassium chloride, salt, calcium carbonate, dried egg product, sodium tripolyphosphate, DL-methionine, L-tyrosine, taurine, dried brewers yeast extract (source of mannan-oligosaccharides), Vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), inositol, niacin supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), D-calcium pantothenate, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A acetate, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement], choline chloride, glucosamine hydrochloride, marigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.), Trace Minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite], tea (green tea extract), chondroitin sulfate, rosemary extract, preserved with natural mixed tocopherols (source of vitamin E) and citric acid. 




Emoore said:


> What's better?
> Wellness
> Pinnacle
> Nature's Variety
> ...


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Emoore said:


> What's better?
> Why are they better? Compare the ingredients of any of these foods to the ingredients in Science Diet and you'll see.


The science diet says it has antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, vital fatty acid, proteins and carbs, 50 nutrients and high quality ingredients... it includes Glucosamine, and Chondrotin Sulfate. (Things my vet recommends). What am I looking for in the other? This is a serious question, I'm not being bratty I just don't know what I'm supposed to be looking for if its not that?


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## Rua (Jan 2, 2012)

Juno gets raw fed for Breakfast and Lunch and kibble for dinner. The kibble I have her on right now is a german brand called Select Gold, but just today I've just ordered Acana Wild Prairie online and plan to switch her evening kibble to that once the other one starts to run out.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

shepherdmom said:


> The science diet says it has antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, vital fatty acid, proteins and carbs, 50 nutrients and high quality ingredients... it includes Glucosamine, and Chondrotin Sulfate. (Things my vet recommends). What am I looking for in the other? This is a serious question, I'm not being bratty I just don't know what I'm supposed to be looking for if its not that?


Doesn't sound bratty at all, that's a good question. All commercially available dog foods are required by law to have the vitamins and minerals, essential fatty acids, nutrients, proteins and carbs that have been established by the AAFCO as being required by dogs, in order to be marketed. As far as glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate goes, really no dog food has enough by volume to do any good. Therapeutic dose of glucosamine is about 1000 mg/day and therapeutic dose of condroitin is 500-750mg/day. If you look at your bag of dog food you will see that the dose of glucosamine/chodroitin is *per kilogram.* A kilogram is 2.2lb, and if you're feeding 3-5 cups of the food per day your dog is getting less than 1/2 of a kilogram per day. So they're not really getting enough to do any good.

As for high quality ingredients. . . . . not really. I don't know what formula you're feeding, but most Science Diet ingredients list things like corn, wheat, byproduct meal, and soybean meal as the main ingredients. Is too big of a topic to go into here, but suffice it to say that dogs aren't really designed to eat corn, wheat, and soybeans. Do a search around the internet for things like the dog food project and the whole dog journal; you'll find that those are signs of a low-quality food. When looking for a dog food, at the very least you want a food without soybeans or wheat and where a named animal meat (chicken, beef, lamb) or a named animal meat meal (chicken meal, beef meal, etc) is the 1st ingredient. Meal is just ground-up dried meat. Dogs have a hard time getting the protein from things like corn and soy, so if a food gets most of its protein from corn, soy, and wheat like Science Diet does, your dog isn't really getting all the nutrition he needs.

Science diet is like feeding Lucky Charms and Wonder bread with nutritional supplements. Far better to feed food that has a lot of nutrition from good ingredients, rather than junk food with vitamins added.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Courtney said:


> Well maybe shepherdmom is really not aware.. until I started really diving into dog food, I had no idea & would have fed mine something that was not that healthy.
> 
> shepherdmom-what is your dog food budget? The suggestion Emoore listed are good.
> 
> ...


When I was young dogs got table scraps and Purina. When I started having my own dogs, I searched around talked to my vet and breeder and was told Science Diet and Eukanuba and Iams were the best out there. I choose Science Diet simply because my dogs liked it more. Now there is a whole bunch of new dog foods and I've stuck with the Science Diet because my vet always seemed to think that I was feeding the right thing and because my dogs have been healthy and happy with it but if there is something even better than is going to help my dogs live longer and be healthier I'd like to know more. I will go look at the ingredients on the list she gave me, but I really don't know what I'm looking for. The one you just posted seems like it is full of vitamins and good stuff.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

My male gets fed Wellnes Core.

My female gets fed Wellness Super5Mix for large breed puppies.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

shepherdmom- the whole dog food topic is enough to make one's head spin! :crazy:

I know what you mean...we had dogs growing up and my parents fed them whatever & they were happy and lived well into their senior years.

My family tries to make healthier choices when we eat, so for me it seemed natural to look into dog good & some better choices for my boy. 

I want to see named meat in the first few ingred, don't want to see alot of filler grains.

The food your feeding is certainly not the end of the world


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

ShepherdMom, the problem with looking at crude protein level is that a lot of lower-quality dog foods get their protein from corn and soy instead of meat, because corn and soy is cheap and meat is expensive. If your dog food has corn or soybean listed as one of the first few ingredients, they're getting a lot of protein from plants. Especially if the first ingredient is corn, soy, wheat, etc, that means most of the protein is plant-based instead of meat-based. The problem is that dogs don't digest protein from plants as well as they digest protein from meat. So the food might have a lot of crude protein, but the dog isn't getting all the benefit of the protein.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Emoore said:


> ShepherdMom, the problem with looking at crude protein level is that a lot of lower-quality dog foods get their protein from corn and soy instead of meat, because corn and soy is cheap and meat is expensive. If your dog food has corn or soybean listed as one of the first few ingredients, they're getting a lot of protein from plants. Especially if the first ingredient is corn, soy, wheat, etc, that means most of the protein is plant-based instead of meat-based. The problem is that dogs don't digest protein from plants as well as they digest protein from meat. So the food might have a lot of crude protein, but the dog isn't getting all the benefit of the protein.


This is spot on & a good way to seperate the two!


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Emoore said:


> Doesn't sound bratty at all, that's a good question. All commercially available dog foods are required by law to have the vitamins and minerals, essential fatty acids, nutrients, proteins and carbs that have been established by the AAFCO as being required by dogs, in order to be marketed. As far as glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate goes, really no dog food has enough by volume to do any good. Therapeutic dose of glucosamine is about 1000 mg/day and therapeutic dose of condroitin is 500-750mg/day. If you look at your bag of dog food you will see that the dose of glucosamine/chodroitin is *per kilogram.* A kilogram is 2.2lb, and if you're feeding 3-5 cups of the food per day your dog is getting less than 1/2 of a kilogram per day. So they're not really getting enough to do any good.
> 
> As for high quality ingredients. . . . . not really. I don't know what formula you're feeding, but most Science Diet ingredients list things like corn, wheat, byproduct meal, and soybean meal as the main ingredients. Is too big of a topic to go into here, but suffice it to say that dogs aren't really designed to eat corn, wheat, and soybeans. Do a search around the internet for things like the dog food project and the whole dog journal; you'll find that those are signs of a low-quality food. When looking for a dog food, at the very least you want a food without soybeans or wheat and where a named animal meat (chicken, beef, lamb) or a named animal meat meal (chicken meal, beef meal, etc) is the 1st ingredient. Meal is just ground-up dried meat. Dogs have a hard time getting the protein from things like corn and soy, so if a food gets most of its protein from corn, soy, and wheat like Science Diet does, your dog isn't really getting all the nutrition he needs.
> 
> Science diet is like feeding Lucky Charms and Wonder bread with nutritional supplements. Far better to feed food that has a lot of nutrition from good ingredients, rather than junk food with vitamins added.


Thank you for the information.  I usually get mature adult for large breed. This last time I was in there they were out and they had active mobility so I got that instead. I mix it in with what I have left of his other food so he gets used to it slowly. The bag said is has chicken by-products meal but it is second, corn is first. So I stay away from corn, wheat or soy? Which of the ones she listed is best? I can not get kirkland because I don't have a cosco membership but out of the others for a senior guy what would be best? He runs about 94 lbs and I don't want him to gain any weight.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Do you have a Tractor Supply or feed store nearby?


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Re: Hills - Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc 11/23/11

Science Diet:
*Mature Adult Active Longevity? Original - Dry *
Whole Grain Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Soybean Mill Run, Flaxseed, Chicken Liver Flavor, Lactic Acid, Corn Gluten Meal, Potassium Chloride, L-Lysine, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Iodized Salt, vitamins (L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Calcium Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), L-Tryptophan, Taurine, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, L-Carnitine, preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid, Chondroitin Sulfate, Phosphoric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract.

Then compare to a random dog food BLUE Life Protection Formula Adult Dog Food, Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe, Large Breed, 30 lb. - 5902451 | Tractor Supply Company :
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Whole Ground Barley, Oatmeal, Tomato Pomace (source of Lycopene), Natural Chicken Flavor, Chicken Fat ( preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Whole Potatoes, Peas, Flaxseed (source of Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids), Whole Carrots, Whole Sweet Potatoes, Blueberries, Cranberries, Barley Grass, Dried Parsley, Garlic, Alfalfa Meal, Dried Kelp, Yucca Schidigera Extract, L-Carnitine, L-Lysine, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, Turmeric, Dried Chicory Root, Oil of Rosemary, Beta Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Niacin (Vitamin B3), d-Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Biotin (Vitamin B7), Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Choline Chloride, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate, Salt, Caramel, Potassium Chloride, Dried Yeast (source of Saccharomyces cerevisiae), Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, Dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation product, Dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product.

This is in the puppy section correct? 

People feeding TOTW and other high calcium foods to puppies?


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## Witz (Feb 28, 2011)

Been feeding Acana (Wild Prairie) to my pup for 10 months (He's 1 now) and my 7 year old. Both have done great this food.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Courtney said:


> shepherdmom- the whole dog food topic is enough to make one's head spin! :crazy:
> 
> Thanks it sure does. I had no idea I wasn't feeding the best :shocked: or at least near the top.
> 
> ...


I'm willing to try whatever is best for my Buddy. He is our only one now and we want him to last as long as he can. We have also been looking into a rescue so would want to feed her or him a healthy diet as well.


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## NewbieShepherdGirl (Jan 7, 2011)

Holmeshx2 said:


> Just for the record we had a hard time affording raw until we spent $50 on a used freezer then spent $28 in meats and haven't bought anything in months


Yeah I need to buy a deep freezer, but until I finish my bachelors degree I won't because I know I'll just be moving again, so I'm waiting until I'm at least going to be somewhere for 2-4 years. Don't want to have to haul one any more than I have to.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

JeanKBBMMMAAN said:


> This is in the puppy section correct?
> 
> People feeding TOTW and other high calcium foods to puppies?


Oops sorry. I noticed the thread in Active Topics, I didn't realize this was the puppy area.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Emoore said:


> Do you have a Tractor Supply or feed store nearby?


Yes.


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

I've been feeding my dogs Kirkland for over 1-1/2 yrs. I am happy with the food & the price.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

shepherdmom said:


> Oops sorry. I noticed the thread in Active Topics, I didn't realize this was the puppy area.


No - wasn't saying to you, but do me a favor for yourself to get better/more specific info - post a thread in the diet section in the health area for you! 

I was saying, whoa, who is feeding TOTW and other high calcium foods to growing puppies? The current understanding is that is not the best idea. Feeding Puppies

WAWOHWAWAWAWA....


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

shepherdmom said:


> Yes.



Go look at their 4Health brand.


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## mssandslinger (Sep 21, 2010)

kirkland


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## SamanthaBrynn (Sep 2, 2011)

We just started feeding Nutro Large Breed Puppy Lamb and Rice. We made the switch because she was having a corn allergy. Our trainer reccommended this food. She seems to like the smelly stuff and her itching has stopped.


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

shepherdmom said:


> I can not get kirkland *because I don't have a cosco membership* but out of the others for a senior guy what would be best? He runs about 94 lbs and I don't want him to gain any weight.


Dog food was the only reason I joined Costco. With 3 dogs just what I saved in about 1 or 2 months paid for the membership itself.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

JeanKBBMMMAAN said:


> No - wasn't saying to you, but do me a favor for yourself to get better/more specific info - post a thread in the diet section in the health area for you!


Ok just started a thread over there.  Thanks to everyone who answered me here.


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## Niya (Nov 7, 2011)

Anthony8858 said:


> I give my 7 month TOTW Sierra Mountain. I give 2.25 cups twice a day, and I mix 1/3 can of Natural Balance beef, liver, or lamb meal for added flavor.
> 
> She licks every bowl.
> 
> Her coat is shiny, her weight is perfect, and she has excellent bowel movements.



I might have to go with this since Kira and Niya are the same age. Thanks for all the recommendations!


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## MustLoveGSDs (Oct 31, 2008)

Acana Wild Prarie has 1000mg of Glucosamine in it. If you go to their website it will tell you about the ingredients and nutrients. Just google "Acana".

Personally I stat away from:
EVO & Innova. The company was bought out by proctor & gamble, who make everything under the sun.
Wellness: manufactured by a company they makes glue and pens.
TOTW: manufactured by Diamond, the king of recalls.

I like to stick with dog food companies who are actual dog food companies. I haven't been let down yet by the Acana line. A dog will thrive on better nutrition, feeding foods like pedigree, iams, science diet, eukanuba, beneful, etc is just feeding the basics for survival. I'll provide some links to help you when I get a chance.


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## MustLoveGSDs (Oct 31, 2008)

Links(copied from a poster on a dobie forum):

How to select a good dog food:
http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/vie...y-dog-food.htm

Dog food information:
Best Dog Foods
Dog Food Reviews - Main Index - Powered by ReviewPost
The Dog Food Project - How does your Dog Food Brand compare?


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## Niya (Nov 7, 2011)

MustLoveGSDs said:


> Acana Wild Prarie has 1000mg of Glucosamine in it. If you go to their website it will tell you about the ingredients and nutrients. Just google "Acana".
> 
> Personally I stat away from:
> EVO & Innova. The company was bought out by proctor & gamble, who make everything under the sun.
> ...


What about Nutro Natural Choice?


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## MustLoveGSDs (Oct 31, 2008)

Nutro is owned by Mars...

Consumer complaints about Nutro Pet Foods


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## ZAYDA (Apr 22, 2010)

MustLoveGSDs said:


> Links(copied from a poster on a dobie forum):
> 
> How to select a good dog food:
> http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/vie...y-dog-food.htm
> ...


Nice links thanks. I feed Orijen to my 2 GSD'S only because I want the best for them and I don't have a problem if it cost more. But I will start comparing prices of other high end kibble now that I have these links.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Konotashi said:


> I'd be careful with the Waggin' Train products. They're made in China and not too long ago, dogs were getting kidney failure because of the rawhides.



LOL. No, waggin train chicken strips do not have raw hide. It is pure chicken, I researched it thoroughly. The only thing you have to be careful about : dont feed the dog more than the recommended portion size. 

FDA and USDA have conducted extensive research on this topic, and they have visited and confirmed that the facility in China where they make the strips, conform to US standards.

Waggin train is actually one of the more responsible companies. I had called them about this issue. They issued me a check reimbursing me for the money I had spent on the strips and they gave me access to published documents from USDA and FDA regarding their product. I am continuing to feed Manfred the chicken strips (which he LOVES, compared to the crap pet biscuits they sell at Petco). I carefully monitored him the first few days he consumed the strips and I can safely say, I saw no ill effects. He has been eating them for about a month now with absolutely no ill effects.

Yes I am leery about every food or drug or any product which is to be consumed and made in China. But I think waggin train have done their home work.


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## iBaman (Oct 25, 2011)

EGADS! I knew TOTW had higher calcium, but I didn't think it was THAT high!!!!! Good thing this bag is almost out (like I said, we usually don't feed it...he's only been on it about 2 months), I don't think I'll be going back to it as my back-up dog food...


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## FG167 (Sep 22, 2010)

Ours are fed something new every month. We rotate and buy whatever is high-quality and on sale. We also throw in raw at random intervals too. Brands I have bought that I can think of off-hand: Holistics Select, Earthborn Holistics, Wellness Core, Wellness Super5, Innova, California Natural, Nature's Variety, TOTW....etc etc


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## jprice103 (Feb 16, 2011)

Life's Abundance. Never had a recall. Only EVER 6 weeks old from the time of production until it reaches my door...and the dogs are doing AMAZING on it!


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Kaz said:


> LOL. No, waggin train chicken strips do not have raw hide. It is pure chicken, I researched it thoroughly. The only thing you have to be careful about : dont feed the dog more than the recommended portion size.
> 
> *FDA and USDA have conducted extensive research on this topic, and they have visited and confirmed that the facility in China where they make the strips, conform to US standards.*
> 
> ...


Link?


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## iBaman (Oct 25, 2011)

jprice103 said:


> Life's Abundance. Never had a recall. Only EVER 6 weeks old from the time of production until it reaches my door...and the dogs are doing AMAZING on it!


My cat was on that when I got her....it's some pretty great stuff!!!


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

MustLoveGSDs said:


> Acana Wild Prarie has 1000mg of Glucosamine in it.


See, this is what I'm talking about. Even the good companies are misleading. Acana Wild Prairie has 1000mg of Glucosamine *per Kilogram.* It has 3725 kcal/kilogram and 425 kal/cup, which means there are 8.76 cups per kilogram. In other words, *you'd have to feed almost 9 cups per day* to reach 1000 mg Glucosamine. The amount of glucosamine you get on an as-fed basis is so far below the therapeutic dose as to be almost worthless.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Emoore said:


> See, this is what I'm talking about. Even the good companies are misleading. Acana Wild Prairie has 1000mg of Glucosamine *per Kilogram.* It has 3725 kcal/kilogram and 425 kal/cup, which means there are 8.76 cups per kilogram. In other words, *you'd have to feed almost 9 cups per day* to reach 1000 mg Glucosamine. The amount of glucosamine you get on an as-fed basis is so far below the therapeutic dose as to be almost worthless.


emoore... sable123 is shedding a tear of joy somewhere if he's reading this post. You're 100% right about it not being enough to matter, though.

To play devil's advocate... It looks like that's how they break down all their vitamins - by kg. Not sure if that's an industry standard or just how champion does it... I'd have to look around at other brands to be sure, but it's not just the glucosamine that they're breaking down like that.


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## RamRod (Nov 27, 2011)

Emoore said:


> See, this is what I'm talking about. Even the good companies are misleading. Acana Wild Prairie has 1000mg of Glucosamine *per Kilogram.* It has 3725 kcal/kilogram and 425 kal/cup, which means there are 8.76 cups per kilogram. In other words, *you'd have to feed almost 9 cups per day* to reach 1000 mg Glucosamine. The amount of glucosamine you get on an as-fed basis is so far below the therapeutic dose as to be almost worthless.


Also worth noting though, that they are not adding glucosamine to the food.... The Acana/Orijen lines get those amounts from the meat ingredients.

So while not enough to be beneficial as a supplement, the food is naturally higher than others.

Another brand I tried previously, added glucosamine as an ingredient and even then only came up as 500mg/kg.... Kind of a wasted ingredient.


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## SamanthaBrynn (Sep 2, 2011)

Great, so Nutro Puppy Lamb and Rice is no good? I just bought a huge bag!


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Lucy Dog said:


> emoore... sable123 is shedding a tear of joy somewhere if he's reading this post. You're 100% right about it not being enough to matter, though.
> 
> To play devil's advocate... It looks like that's how they break down all their vitamins - by kg. Not sure if that's an industry standard or just how champion does it... I'd have to look around at other brands to be sure, but it's not just the glucosamine that they're breaking down like that.


They all break it down by KG, but that doesn't make it less misleading. I just went through this with my MIL and her arthritic senior. She thought since she was buying a large breed kibble with glucosamine/chondroitin, she didn't need to supplement. When I showed her the breakdown and explained to her that the dog we only getting 200 or 300 mg glucosamine, she understood why she needed to ad some. Many people pay extra for large breed foods because it advertises as having 1000mg glucosamine, not realizing that as-fed, they're only getting a portion of that.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

SamanthaBrynn said:


> Great, so Nutro Puppy Lamb and Rice is no good? I just bought a huge bag!


The store should let you return it. Either get your money back, or exchange it got credit towards another kibble.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Emoore said:


> They all break it down by KG, but that doesn't make it less misleading. I just went through this with my MIL and her arthritic senior. She thought since she was buying a large breed kibble with glucosamine/chondroitin, she didn't need to supplement. When I showed her the breakdown and explained to her that the dog we only getting 200 or 300 mg glucosamine, she understood why she needed to ad some. Many people pay extra for large breed foods because it advertises as having 1000mg glucosamine, not realizing that as-fed, they're only getting a portion of that.


You're completely right. No argument here. This is why it's so important to understand the ingredients and GA that you're feeding instead of just going by the cute dog on the bag, the latest hot trend, and the commercials you see on tv.


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## katdog5911 (Sep 24, 2011)

Why is Nutro lamb and rice not good???


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## childsplay (Jan 28, 2012)

What stores carry Acana? I didn't see it at Petsmart.


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## RamRod (Nov 27, 2011)

You'll probably have to go independant..... Give an idea of where you are located and i'm sure someone will help you out.....


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## vicky2200 (Oct 29, 2010)

This is what I feed> Professional Pet Foods | Products | Dogs | Dry Food | Professional Active Dog Chicken & Rice Formula


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## Whiteboy (Jul 19, 2011)

from watching my pug and gsd eat iv noticed they dont eat much. im guessing its due to the food i been buying compared to what iv seen here. going to look for some acana any other suggestions? great thread by the way.


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## TaZoR (Jan 26, 2012)

I feed 4 health, puppy by us tractor supply


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## lylol (Feb 18, 2009)

I have fed a grain free kibble for many years which eliminated my oldest GSDs hot spots... EVO I always liked but recently to save some money I am using the COSTCO Grain Free (they have a salmon and a poultry now) All my guys are doing great on it ... check it out. They also just started in my area a similar canned product to the Wellness canned "stews". I needed a pocketbook break right now and these are really helping and the dogs look great.


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## Andy-jr. (Mar 1, 2010)

I have fed EVO since the day I brought him home. The Breeder had him on it when I picked him up and it's work fine for us. I have thought about trying other brands but why try to fix something that is not broken.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

childsplay said:


> What stores carry Acana? I didn't see it at Petsmart.


Check here. If you find a store near you that is listed, I would CALL before going as the store locators on websites aren't always kept up to date.

Champion Petfoods | ACANA | Locator


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## Dejavu (Nov 11, 2010)

Right now I'm feeding Innova.


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

katdog5911 said:


> Why is Nutro lamb and rice not good???


It's not the worst but its all rice. Dog Food Reviews - Nutro Natural Choice Lamb & rice (adult dog food) - Powered by ReviewPost


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## gmcenroe (Oct 23, 2007)

I feed Orijen adult. During the winter I blend 1:4 Orijen 6 fish with Orijen adult, seems to improve her coat.


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## JeepGirlSurf (Aug 24, 2011)

Ok this thread is perfect for what I'm currently dealing with. My 8 month old pup is not eating his food that he's been on almost since we've had him. I've had him on Simply Nourish then I switched to Blue Buffalo Large Breed Puppy. He won't touch that anymore. I've tried a few different kinds and I'm finding he doesn't care for chicken flavor. I went to feed supply store today and bought EarthBorn Holistic Ocean Fusion. I want him on a large breed puppy food but most of them are chicken based. Any recommendations??


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## Toffifay (Feb 10, 2007)

I am feeding all three of my dogs, including the puppy, Pinnacle Grain Free Turkey formula. They love it! And they all are doing great on it!


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## marinehoney (Feb 5, 2012)

mine loves 4health and tastes of the wild


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

JeepGirlSurf said:


> Ok this thread is perfect for what I'm currently dealing with. My 8 month old pup is not eating his food that he's been on almost since we've had him. I've had him on Simply Nourish then I switched to Blue Buffalo Large Breed Puppy. He won't touch that anymore. I've tried a few different kinds and I'm finding he doesn't care for chicken flavor. I went to feed supply store today and bought EarthBorn Holistic Ocean Fusion. I want him on a large breed puppy food but most of them are chicken based. Any recommendations??


Why do you want him on on a large breed puppy food?


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## sparra (Jun 27, 2011)

You guys have so many different dog foods over there!!!
Ours get Royal Canin.......that is about as good as it gets in OZ but is considered only mediocre over there.


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## 1337f0x (Feb 21, 2012)

I started feeding both of my dogs Blue Buffalo yesterday because of their greater comparison when put up against the leading dog brands. Has no wheat, soy or corn! Which I've heard is terrible for dogs  maybe I'm wrong, and it's just a rumor. But I'm being safe!

He loves it. I mix the wet food with the dry kibble in the mornings. I might stick to just wet food soon though, his teeth are coming out.


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## katdog5911 (Sep 24, 2011)

More confused than ever.....maybe I will try the Kirkland. I guess it is not the best but affordable and not terrible. Sounds to be on about the same level as the Nutro I have been using.


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## GrammaD (Jan 1, 2012)

JeepGirlSurf said:


> Ok this thread is perfect for what I'm currently dealing with. My 8 month old pup is not eating his food that he's been on almost since we've had him. I've had him on Simply Nourish then I switched to Blue Buffalo Large Breed Puppy. He won't touch that anymore. I've tried a few different kinds and I'm finding he doesn't care for chicken flavor. I went to feed supply store today and bought EarthBorn Holistic Ocean Fusion. I want him on a large breed puppy food but most of them are chicken based. Any recommendations??


You don't need to feed a LBP food. There are many ALS foods that are lower in calcium and have a nice tight calcium/phos ratio that you can feed and you will find they are much less expensive than the age specific foods (which I am cynical enough to view as a price boosting gimmick)

As an example I will use what I feed versus the LBP from the same company:

*Wellness Complete Health Super 5 Mix- Lamb, Barley and Salmon ALS*
22% protein
12% fat
1.2% calcium
.9% phos
405 Kcals per cup ME
costs me $50 for a 30# bag

*Wellness Complete Health Super 5 Mix LBP*
26% protein
12% fat
1-1.4% calcium
.9-1.2% phos
366 Kcals per cup ME
would cost me $60 for a 30# bag

Given those values it makes no sense for me to pay an extra $10 a bag for the LBP and especially since I would feed more to attain the same calorie level. I would rather use that $10 to buy some canned for topping to increase palatability etc.

Another comparison:
*Innova Red Meat* (says adult but is, in fact, an ALS food)
Protein 24%
Fat 14%
calcium 1.16%
phos .83%
468 Kcals per cup

*Innova LBP*
Protein 24%
fat 12%
calcium .9%
phos .72%
367 Kcals per cup

Again around a $10 difference in price and again the major difference is in calorie content. Feeding less of a less expensive food that otherwise has the same approximate values just makes sense to me. Especially when I am (or will be) feeding 3 large dogs


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## JeepGirlSurf (Aug 24, 2011)

Thanks for the info. So what should I be looking for in a food for my pup? He is eating the Earthborn. We just don't want to stunt his growth by not giving him what he needs. I've heard horror stories of feeding regular puppy food can make his bones bow if he grows too fast muscle wise. I'm just trying to get whats best for my baby and what will help him grow to be as big as he is suppose to be. Both his parents where around a slim 85lbs. He's 70lbs now. Still looking a little dorky so I think he still has some growing to do.


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## GrammaD (Jan 1, 2012)

Pay close attention to total calcium (try to stay under 1.5%- I prefer the 1-1.2% range) and also the calcium/phos ration which should be around 1.2:1

Don't overfeed- that goes for all life stages but with growing puppies of large breeds a "slow growth" while being kept reasonably lean is best.

http://www.lgd.org/library/Optimal feeding of large breed puppies.pdf

and here is a link to body condition scoring which is mentioned in the first link
Understanding Your Dog's Body Condition


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## GrammaD (Jan 1, 2012)

I came back to edit but missed my window of opportunity LOL

Just wanted to say lower calcium and avoiding overfeeding are the major priorities.

So find a good quality kibble with maximum calcium under 1.5% and you're good to go. There are almost as many opinions on kibble as there are people with dogs. I looked at the Earthborn site and couldn't find maximum calcium on their kibbles (some listed minimum levels) but it should be on your bag. It might be perfectly appropriate and if your guy likes it then your problems are solved


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