# Should I Switch??



## Corvus Laeus (Nov 28, 2012)

Hi all,

On the second week of living with my now 10 week old boy Tiberius. He has been a great puppy so far and is lively (bitey ) and smart. The breeder I got him from had him on Sportmix Energy plus. Unfortunately, I didn't get any along with him and wanted to make sure I had food readily available for him. 

I ended up getting him grain free Blue Freedom. He enjoyed eating it, but has had gas and loose stool all throughout the bag. It was a small bag though, so I mixed in a small amount of Blue Wilderness Puppy (Chicken) under the assumption that a smaller amount of more protein-rich kibble would agree with him. 

He had his first vet checkup on the 1st and his stool sample came back negative. He is still having the squirts. 

I have read plenty of threads here naming Blue Wilderness (And even chicken flavor specifically) as the culprit. I'm not positive, but I believe he is also giving off a tiny amount of dandruff and likes biting his hindquarters. I think he may be kind of itchy and dried out. I have been combing him regularly and keeping him smooth, but he still likes to nibble his quarters. 

I am wanting to switch him to a higher quality kibble that will firm him up and get him more regular. I feel terrible as I think he has been in discomfort with his gas and upset tummy. Is it possible this is being caused by overfeeding? I have reduced his 3 meals a day from 1 cup to 2/3 to attempt to weed that out as a cause. 

He had some stress from a 4 hour car ride home from the breeder and meeting a bunch of relatives over Christmas/New Years, but he is getting quite comfortable with his schedule. 

I have been looking at other higher quality options before switching him to raw when he is old enough. I have been looking at Acana Pacifica and Orijen Large Breed Puppy. Is there a good possibility this switch will help him out? 

Sorry for the narrative. Thanks for any additional advice!


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## David Taggart (Nov 25, 2012)

> likes biting his hindquarters. I think he may be kind of itchy and dried out


That is allergy. Any puppy would gobble whatever you feed him. GSD is a breed must be raised on raw - that is the only way to raise a healthy dog. And better - organic. He needs yogurts, cottage cheese, fish, raw chicken, raw rabbit and beef mince 100 gramms twice a week - all necessary vitamins and minerals the carnivour gets from fresh raw meat. Your dog's young organism would struggle until he's really sick at 7-9 months, than the system will fail. Would you feed your baby dry bisquits as well ? Stop experimenting.


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## Corvus Laeus (Nov 28, 2012)

David Taggart said:


> Your dog's young organism would struggle until he's really sick at 7-9 months, than the system will fail. Would you feed your baby dry bisquits as well ? Stop experimenting.


I'm unsure of what you're implying...that the entire dry dog food industry is wrong for even recommending a kibble for German Shepherds? There seem to be plenty of stories of, what I would consider, healthy pups through to adulthood on food other than what you have listed. And by "experimenting" do you mean me putting him on his first consistent food since I got him and seeking advice for the next?


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## Springbrz (Aug 13, 2013)

High quality kibble or raw is best. Not all dogs do well on all high quality foods. IE: My dog might do great on Orijen and yours may not. Sometimes it takes trial and error to find the "best" food for you individual dog. If Blue brand as a whole is not keeping your pup at his best be all means change his food (slowly if possible). 

That said, your pup doesn't need to be a certain age to be raw fed. Many breeders wean their pups to raw. If raw is something you want to do in the future, why not read up, educate and do it now. 

Either way, you will gets lots of opinions on diet here. Hope your pup is feeling better soon and Best of Luck!


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## My5dogs (Aug 30, 2013)

I would try a different food. I have had luck with Fromm LBP. Make sure he doesn't get dehydrated. Maybe ask the vet for some flagyl. Can add a teaspoon of plain pure pumpkin to help firm him up.


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## TexasCrane (Nov 13, 2013)

Corvus Laeus said:


> I'm unsure of what you're implying...that the entire dry dog food industry is wrong for even recommending a kibble for German Shepherds? There seem to be plenty of stories of, what I would consider, healthy pups through to adulthood on food other than what you have listed. And by "experimenting" do you mean me putting him on his first consistent food since I got him and seeking advice for the next?


Read through some of David's posting history and then see how much credence you want to give his opinion.


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## Corvus Laeus (Nov 28, 2012)

TexasCrane said:


> Read through some of David's posting history and then see how much credence you want to give his opinion.


Just wanted to make sure I understood what he was implying...that NOT feeding my dog raw will spell death before adolescence? Geez...



My5dogs said:


> I would try a different food. I have had luck with Fromm LBP. Make sure he doesn't get dehydrated. Maybe ask the vet for some flagyl. Can add a teaspoon of plain pure pumpkin to help firm him up.


Thank you, I'll look into Fromm. He has been getting the water quite a bit, but have made sure it is readily available. Filtered water only and no rain water when we're outside. I did hear about pumpkin and will give that a shot. Thanks 

I will be looking into feeding raw immediately though and working him into it. I was under the incorrect impression that pooches had to be older to handle the diet. Makes sense that puppies would be able to handle it as well as that is how it would be in the wild.


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## Huck (Dec 31, 2013)

My husband and I have debated on raw vs. high quality hard foods. We got our GSD about 4 weeks ago. He is now 9 weeks old. Our breeder recommended Diamond. As soon as we got him we switched him to Blue Buffalo Puppy food. Since he was weened off so early (5 weeks old) we mixed in Blue Buffalo soft food with the hard. Now he is completely on the hard food. He does great with it. His stool has hardened up compared to what it was and doesn't have any issues with his stomach(his was really runny). Back to the raw food debate. We took Huck to the Vet about two weeks ago and I asked the Vet what she recommended. She said of course, raw food is good, but Blue Buffalo was good also. She said that raw doesn't have a some of the crucial vitamins that high quality hard food does. She said that we would have to give him additional supplements for hips, etc. Obviously, others may argue but for the time being that's what we are doing. 


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## Corvus Laeus (Nov 28, 2012)

Huck said:


> My husband and I have debated on raw vs. high quality hard foods. We got our GSD about 4 weeks ago. He is now 9 weeks old. Our breeder recommended Diamond. As soon as we got him we switched him to Blue Buffalo Puppy food. Since he was weened off so early (5 weeks old) we mixed in Blue Buffalo soft food with the hard. Now he is completely on the hard food. He does great with it. His stool has hardened up compared to what it was and doesn't have any issues with his stomach(his was really runny). Back to the raw food debate. We took Huck to the Vet about two weeks ago and I asked the Vet what she recommended. She said of course, raw food is good, but Blue Buffalo was good also. She said that raw doesn't have a some of the crucial vitamins that high quality hard food does. She said that we would have to give him additional supplements for hips, etc. Obviously, others may argue but for the time being that's what we are doing.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Thanks for the feedback. I was under the impression that Blue was a decent kibble and was recommended Wilderness at the store. Took a quick read and noted that it was grain free. I'm wondering how much of it has been caused by stress and the hard switch from what he was raised on previously. He has had stool of varying consistency (some a quasi firm, but many pudding-like, and some were more explosive diarrhea). I feel as though some of the initial problems may have been set on by my slight over-feeding. I've read that many don't follow the guidelines on the package. 

I think I will switch to raw, but will do it gradually as to not shock his system once again...


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Hi Corvus!
There are different ways to feed raw. If you don't have the space, the following 2 ways avoid having to purchase a freezer to hold a lot of individual components such as organs, raw meaty bones and muscle meat, etc.

*Partial Raw:* The Honest Kitchen Dehydrated "Preference". HK is the ONLY food that is 100% Human Grade, 100% prepared in a Human Grade manufacturing plant, and the ONLY pet food on the USA market that the FDA will legally allow the words "HUMAN GRADE" to be used on packaging and advertising. "Preference" is mixed with your own purchased ground meat to make a complete balanced diet which covers "All Life Stages". All Natural Dog Food - Dehydrated Pet Food | The Honest Kitchen *Ingredients: *Dehydrated sweet potatoes, organic alfalfa, cabbage, organic coconut, apples, spinach, pumpkin, bananas, celery, organic kelp, honey, tricalcium phosphate, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, potassium iodide, potassium chloride, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate.


*Raw Meat with added mix:* See Spot Live Longer™ Homemade Dinner Mixes blended with fresh lean meats (lightly cooked or raw) make the most nutritious and delicious meals you can serve your dogs.
It's easy. Just add 2 tablespoons (4 for puppies) of our special mix to one pound of fresh beef, chicken, turkey, or lamb, and add a can of sardines or fish oils weekly. 
When mixed according to directions, See Spot Live Longer™ Homemade Dinner Mixes are formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for adults and for all life stages.Healthy Dog Food Dinner Mixes


Let me know if you need any more info.


Good luck! 

Moms


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## David Taggart (Nov 25, 2012)

> I'm unsure of what you're implying...that the entire dry dog food industry is wrong for even recommending a kibble for German Shepherds?


Never trust a vet - all vets are the participants of food industry programmes, they are payed for that. Never trust a breeder, no decent breeder would feed puppies something expensive. And, just imagine - human food was advertised to feed dogs (?). Just use your common sense and ask people here - why they switched for raw feeding.


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## Corvus Laeus (Nov 28, 2012)

Momto2GSDs said:


> Hi Corvus!
> There are different ways to feed raw. If you don't have the space, the following 2 ways avoid having to purchase a freezer to hold a lot of individual components such as organs, raw meaty bones and muscle meat, etc.
> 
> *Partial Raw:* The Honest Kitchen Dehydrated "Preference". HK is the ONLY food that is 100% Human Grade, 100% prepared in a Human Grade manufacturing plant, and the ONLY pet food on the USA market that the FDA will legally allow the words "HUMAN GRADE" to be used on packaging and advertising. "Preference" is mixed with your own purchased ground meat to make a complete balanced diet which covers "All Life Stages". All Natural Dog Food - Dehydrated Pet Food | The Honest Kitchen *Ingredients: *Dehydrated sweet potatoes, organic alfalfa, cabbage, organic coconut, apples, spinach, pumpkin, bananas, celery, organic kelp, honey, tricalcium phosphate, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, potassium iodide, potassium chloride, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate.
> ...


Thanks a BUNCH for the info Moms 

That is actually the exact thing I was wondering...how much room a full raw puppy diet would take up in the fridge. I read that it would be good to go with all chicken for the first week to break him in...about 2lbs a day (2% of adult 100lb potential). I'm not positive the implications that would have on space, as I haven't sourced any meat potentials around me. 

I will look into the partial raw diets as well though if space becomes a constraint


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## Corvus Laeus (Nov 28, 2012)

David Taggart said:


> Never trust a vet - all vets are the participants of food industry programmes, they are payed for that. Never trust a breeder, no decent breeder would feed puppies something expensive. And, just imagine - human food was advertised to feed dogs (?). Just use your common sense and ask people here - why they switched for raw feeding.


When did I mention a vet recommendation? 

I also mentioned the breeder and food he was on as I figured it would be relevant information. "No decent breeder would feed puppies something expensive"...interesting quote... 

Human food advertised to feed dogs? 

That's exactly what I'm doing...asking people here for advice


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## David Taggart (Nov 25, 2012)

Be careful. The main meals should be light - lean chicken breast with rice or fish. Beef protein is necessary, but it is very nutritious, should be minced and fed with pumpkin not more often than twice a week. You should provide him with vegetables, which ones - you can find out. And, bones - I believe it's too early, only when he lose all his milky teeth, sour milk products must be the main calcium source. Another thing - his food bowl should be smaller if you feed him raw. All kibble is designed for dogs who do not spends much energy, it is low in nuitrition to avoid the risk your dog become fat.


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## David Taggart (Nov 25, 2012)

> "No decent breeder would


Sorry, I wanted to say "the breeders in average". Of course, decent breeders buy the best.


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## Suburbandiva (Jun 9, 2013)

Hi Corvus - So sorry to hear about your puppy's troubles. As you've probably noticed, a lot of us have gone through this.

For what it's worth, our Revy had the squirts for many, many weeks (from maybe 4 months to 6 months) before we figured out how to treat it. Her skin was all dry and itchy and her coat was dull and coarse and she stopped gaining weight for a while.

We tried her on a few different high quality foods, we tried raw (but I don't feel that we gave it a long enough try and weren't careful enough with it), and semi- raw diets. We also put her on several rounds of, as it turns out, unnecessary antibiotics. Poor thing. Nothing helped.

We finally stopped giving her ANY treats of any kind for several weeks - just her novel protein/limited ingredient food - kangaroo and oatmeal dry food from Iams. Once her poo went back to normal we slowly (and I mean SLOWLY - like over a month) switched her over to **** Van Patton's Natural Balance rabbit and potato because we wanted her grain-free (like us!). We've also had luck with venison and sweet potato, lamb, and whitefish but she can't seem to tolerate chicken at all and beef products are touch and go. When we introduce new treats or food, we do it slowly and only one thing at a time.

The worst culprit ended up being raw hides, that we were naively letting her chew on without realizing how bad they are for dogs, followed by a sensitivity to chicken, as well as switching her between foods too quickly and too often. It took a while to heal her poor little gut. 

She's doing great now but it was a few months of frustration before we figured everything out.

We plan to introduce her back to a raw diet before she's one, but this time we'll be more diligent about how we introduce different meats and more careful with our ratios. 

All the best to you and your pup! Please let us know how it turns out!


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## Corvus Laeus (Nov 28, 2012)

Thanks for your feedback Diva...glad to hear Revy's issues have been resolved with time

I hope he doesn't have an allergy to chicken. That's what I was thinking with the itching and possibility of dandruff. I really feel that I may have overfed him during the first days though. I've just read that many recommend giving puppies HALF of what the Blue bag recommends. I have cut him down to approximately this (pretty much going to be a cup and a half a day) and will see how he does over the next week. 

I too have stopped giving treats as I was also feeding him Blue Chicken treats for early training and Train-Me brand treats that seemed to make him very thirsty. 

Hoping it will work itself out some over the next week, but will take time this weekend and into next week to do some more research and sourcing of a possible raw diet. 

Was Revy sensitive to the chicken you gave her during raw feeding or was it chicken flavored kibble? I wouldn't want the chance of my little guy having a sensitivity to chicken and suddenly start feeding him raw chicken exclusively.


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## David Taggart (Nov 25, 2012)

Every second dog or cat developes allergy to chiken. But what chicken? - you may want to ask. Big chicken factory chickens. They are fed with antibiotics to keep them healthy, their organisms produce antibodies, and dogs develop allergy exactly to antibodies. Not necessarily every dog, many people are buying chickens in bulk, very cheap. You better feed organic only, but you don't have to turn to organic food store for that, search the net, it is available through some suppliers. Humans are not affected by that because we don't eat chickens raw, rather fragile biochemical structure of antibodies is destroyed in thermal processing. It is expensive to feed a young puppy, but, don't worry - from five months onwards you can feed him differently.


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## Suburbandiva (Jun 9, 2013)

Unfortunately, Revy gets the runs more from raw chicken than from food with chicken it in. Maybe if we could source out pastured chicken instead of factory chicken, as David suggests she would be fine. But that might also be that we were not being careful about portions and over fed her. Overfeeding might also have been an issue when she had her tummy troubles - we are much more diligent about portions now.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

David Taggart said:


> Never trust a vet - all vets are the participants of food industry programmes, they are payed for that. Never trust a breeder, no decent breeder would feed puppies something expensive. And, just imagine - human food was advertised to feed dogs (?). Just use your common sense and ask people here - why they switched for raw feeding.


 
Please remember that a forum like this gets all types of members and that means all types of recommendations and suggestions. Read everything. Learn which members that are more helpful and those who are not. Take the good advice and let the bad go.... 

I trust MY breeder. I trust MY vet (btw, she feeds her dogs RAW  ) . But I feed kibble to my dogs (with a bit of RAW mixed in occassionally) and I've had dogs live 15 years. 

Common sense should rule when reading info on ANY forum!


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## GSDAlphaMom (Jul 20, 2010)

These links list first 10 ingredients on kibbles:

What is in that bag of dog food

GRAIN FREE DRY KIBBLE


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## Corvus Laeus (Nov 28, 2012)

MaggieRoseLee said:


> Please remember that a forum like this gets all types of members and that means all types of recommendations and suggestions. Read everything. Learn which members that are more helpful and those who are not. Take the good advice and let the bad go....
> 
> I trust MY breeder. I trust MY vet (btw, she feeds her dogs RAW  ) .  But I feed kibble to my dogs (with a bit of RAW mixed in occassionally) and I've had dogs live 15 years.
> 
> Common sense should rule when reading info on ANY forum!


Agreed Maggie. I am no stranger to forums and have done a good deal of reading here to try to develop the proper questions to ask. Tiberius has a vet appointment this next Tuesday for his next vaccinations and will certainly discuss and see what the vet says. Thanks  and that's great to hear about your success with kibble/raw. 



GSDAlphaMom said:


> These links list first 10 ingredients on kibbles:
> 
> What is in that bag of dog food
> 
> GRAIN FREE DRY KIBBLE


Thank you for the links AlphaMom. It looks like the Wilderness version of Blue I am feeding him isn't listed on either. Maybe it is newer than 2007-8. However, I looked at the first 10 ingredients on the bag I have:

-Deboned Chicken
-Chicken Meal
-Turkey Meal
-Tapioca Starch
-Peas
-Tomato Pomace
-Dried Egg
-Natural Chicken Flavor
-Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherals and Citric Acid)
-Fish Oil

Maybe his stomach is just disagreeing with this rich kibble?


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## GSDAlphaMom (Jul 20, 2010)

It's not uncommon for gsd's to not tolerate Blue. I haven't read the entire thread but if you are having issues with Blue I would find another kibble. I wouldn't go with highend kibbles (ie orijen) as many gsd's have issues with it as well. That is not to say all do. I ahve a friend that feeds it to hers and he does great on it.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

I had very good luck with Orijen LBP - Halo was on it until about a year old, and then I switched her to the Adult formula. It may not be the best for for ALL dogs, but it works very well for mine. Keefer is on the Orijen 6 Fish.

I would make sure there isn't a medical reason for the loose stools as well. It's not uncommon for stool tests to come back negative, even when the dog actually has giardia. The giardia antigen test is much more sensitive. Both Keefer and Halo had some digestive issues as puppies, and both of them had negative stool tests but then tested positive with the giardia antigen test.


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## Corvus Laeus (Nov 28, 2012)

Thanks for the advice everyone. As a quick update, Tiberius had his first firm stool this afternoon 

Actually, he had his first good one after I went out and got him some marrow bones and a bag of Primal frozen raw food. Went to the local Whole Foods to talk with the butcher about sourcing some chicken backs and necks. He said they would be unable to get them for me, but offered to grind up an entire chicken. While I was there, a lady picked up on what I was doing and said there was actually a high end pet food store directly across the street. 

It was awesome over there. Unleashed

Ended up with a 6lb bag of the chicken patties to start with and see how he does for a week. Also gave him a tablespoon of organic pumpkin in his kibble tonight and he is currently ENJOYING a cut of the marrow bone. Also have a tin of my super special double row King Oscar sardines in the freezer for him. 

He still does have some itchiness in his hindquarters, but I got the advice from Unleashed that some of his flakiness may be due to the drastic cold snap we have gotten on the east coast. 

As a quick question, for puppy fur, is it all over the body or in select areas? His fur around his hindquarters and towards his tummy seems more "afro" while along his back and head is much more straight and soft. Where the fur is "afro" seems to be where he itches.


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## My5dogs (Aug 30, 2013)

The itching and flakes I was told can be from the adult fur coming in. 


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## Corvus Laeus (Nov 28, 2012)

Thanks again everyone. Tiberius is firming up now and is doing well. I gave him his first portion of Primal RAW this morning with a bit of his kibble. He wolfed it down and was looking for more. 

I also gave him a cut of marrow bone the other day for the first time. He LOVED it. I read about some increase in resource protecting when switching to RAW and wanted to check. I reached in slowly to ask for his bone back and he would turn his head from me and growl. I got it from him and he gave me a bite, enough to break skin. I've continued to work with him on it though, and now his favorite place to gnaw on his bones is right in my criss-crossed lap  Makes me VERY wary of where the bone is though :crazy:

Next round of vaccinations tomorrow and more socialization and training is on the way  Just need to source a local place for meat though...Primal is expensive


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Corvus Laeus said:


> Thanks again everyone. Tiberius is firming up now and is doing well. I gave him his first portion of Primal RAW this morning with a bit of his kibble. He wolfed it down and was looking for more.
> 
> I also gave him a cut of marrow bone the other day for the first time. He LOVED it. I read about some increase in resource protecting when switching to RAW and wanted to check. I reached in slowly to ask for his bone back and he would turn his head from me and growl. I got it from him and he gave me a bite, enough to break skin. I've continued to work with him on it though, and now his favorite place to gnaw on his bones is right in my criss-crossed lap  Makes me VERY wary of where the bone is though :crazy:
> 
> Next round of vaccinations tomorrow and more socialization and training is on the way  Just need to source a local place for meat though...Primal is expensive


IMHO, I would NOT vaccinate until this problem is cleared up and he has normal stool for a few weeks. His system is under attack right now and if you vaccinate him it could pull down his system further, adding more problems.
Also, be aware that the marrow from bones is very rich and can cause diarrhea. Some dogs have gut upsets from the small pieces of rough bone, which can also cause upset. Just start out with short periods of time each day and build up. You can put the bone in the freezer in-between times to keep fresh.

Glad to hear he LOVES the raw!

Moms


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## Corvus Laeus (Nov 28, 2012)

Momto2GSDs said:


> IMHO, I would NOT vaccinate until this problem is cleared up and he has normal stool for a few weeks. His system is under attack right now and if you vaccinate him it could pull down his system further, adding more problems.
> Also, be aware that the marrow from bones is very rich and can cause diarrhea. Some dogs have gut upsets from the small pieces of rough bone, which can also cause upset. Just start out with short periods of time each day and build up. You can put the bone in the freezer in-between times to keep fresh.
> 
> Glad to hear he LOVES the raw!
> ...


It's safe to have him off vaccinations for that long? I was going by my breeder's recommendation that he be vaccinated his next round after the first by 1/5/14 at the earliest. I was figuring the sooner the better. I can see what you are saying though...is it worth the risk of having his first round so long ago vs. having him adjust to the new diet AND a new round of vaccinations? Genuinely interested, I only want the best for him. 

Thank you for the advice concerning the bones/marrow. I was only giving them to him as a treat and for going in the crate. The butcher cut them down to ~3.5"D x 2.5"H. Just the right size for him to gnaw, but not swallow. I am def taking it slow with the Primal though, giving him ~half of what he would be eating full-scale at 2lbs/day and supplementing with kibble. 

He's loving the high quality King Oscar sardines I get for myself too  though his breath smells about the same after


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

I don't know what "type" of schedule you are on, but this is the one that Dr. Jean Dodds, renowned researcher of vaccinations, suggests. She does not agree with mutiple vac's such as 5 in 1.
*Canine Vaccination Protocol By Dr. Jean Dodds DVM*
*NOTE the OPTIONAL SHOTS*

9 - 10 Weeks Old: Distemper + Parvovirus, MLV (e.g. Intervet Progard Puppy DPV, now renamed Nobivac DPV, when Merck and Intervet merged)

14 Weeks Old: Same as above

16 - 18 Weeks Old *(optional*): Same as above *(optional)*

20 weeks *or older*, if allowable by law: Rabies

1 Year Old: Distemper + Parvovirus,MLV (*optional = titer*)

1+ Years Old: Rabies, killed 3-year product (*give 3-4 weeks apart from distemper/parvovirus booster* )

Dr. Jean Dodds: Not recommended: Corona, Lymes, Leptospirosis, Boretella (only protects 2 of the possible 8 causes of kennel cough), Giardia. http://www.weim.net/emberweims/Vaccine.html 



"A typical recommendation for a lifetime schedule of pet immunizations is at 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 weeks of age, with a booster at 12 months, and every year thereafter.
Believe it or not, these recommendations weren’t developed based on any scientific research at all – they were simply “recommendations” in the purest sense of the word. 
These entirely unscientific recommendations were introduced by the USDA and vaccine manufacturers over 20 years ago, and many veterinarians continue to follow them today despite mounting concerns about the health risks associated with over-vaccinating." Pet Vaccine Dangers and Recommendations

Article: http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/vets-on-vaccines/ 
Sites to learn about vaccinations: Top Natural Holistic Dog Health Care Book: Multiple Award Winner 
Pet vaccination warning. Severe adverse reaction to immunization 
http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/AnimalWellness/DrJordan.aspx 
http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/AnimalWellness/PetVacc.aspx 
Mercola Healthy Pet has many Videos and Articles. type in "vaccinations" in the search engine.

Moms


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## Corvus Laeus (Nov 28, 2012)

Momto2GSDs said:


> I don't know what "type" of schedule you are on, but this is the one that Dr. Jean Dodds, renowned researcher of vaccinations, suggests. She does not agree with mutiple vac's such as 5 in 1.
> *Canine Vaccination Protocol By Dr. Jean Dodds DVM*
> *NOTE the OPTIONAL SHOTS*
> 
> ...


Wow, thanks for all the info Moms! Turns out that my new vet is on track with above as well. She even mentioned Dr. Dodds schedule as who she follows. She mentioned that Tiberius got his first round a little early, so he just got his next distemper DHPP last night. He's coming up on 11 weeks, so will be going back in three weeks to get his next round. He did excellent with it  didn't even flinch. 

I did also ask about his ears and turns out he has a minor ear infection  I figured they shouldn't be that dirty. She gave me a once a day treatment for 5 days and he got his first drops last night and this morning. They're already MUCH cleaner 

I made sure to mention his diet as well. My vet wasn't against feeding raw, but she made sure to point out that calcium proportions are crucial for a large breed puppy. I am still researching, but any links to actual puppy recipe sites would be amazing. I'm still currently feeding him a combination of Primal and Blue Wilderness Puppy with King Oscar sardines every other day. His stool is firming up wonderfully and he wolfs it down. Primal is EXPENSIVE though and I think he should already be up to ~2lbs/day


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## My5dogs (Aug 30, 2013)

I am giving my pup his 14 week vacc's tomorrow. The 16 week says optional. Does that mean I don't have to give it??


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

My5dogs said:


> I am giving my pup his 14 week vacc's tomorrow. The 16 week says optional. Does that mean I don't have to give it??


YES!!!!! It is YOUR choice, not the vet's! 
Moms


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## My5dogs (Aug 30, 2013)

Momto2GSDs said:


> YES!!!!! It is YOUR choice, not the vet's!
> Moms


Ok great. I will be skipping the 16-18 week then do the year boosters then every 3 years. I have started this with my other dogs as well their last vacc's were 2011 and 2012 so next is 3 years after. Crazy how vets push it yearly.


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

My5dogs said:


> Ok great. I will be skipping the 16-18 week then do the year boosters then every 3 years. I have started this with my other dogs as well their last vacc's were 2011 and 2012 so next is 3 years after. Crazy how vets push it yearly.


It's purely $$$$$$$!

You may not have to get the yearly either! Titer them first (each dog has a different system. Some will hold the anitbodies, some not)! It's money well spent to NOT have to get the shots.

Dr. Ron Schultz and Dr. Jean Dodds has scientifically proven that the vaccinations last anywhere from 3 to 5 to 7 years on some! As an example, our dogs got 1 Parvo and 1 Distemper (separated) when they were 16/18 weeks old, agreed upon with my holistic vet. They've never had another one. They are now 5 & 7 years old and their titer numbers are still SO high that it could cover 5 dogs!:laugh:

Moms


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## My5dogs (Aug 30, 2013)

Momto2GSDs said:


> It's purely $$$$$$$!
> 
> You may not have to get the yearly either! Titer them first (each dog has a different system. Some will hold the anitbodies, some not)! It's money well spent to NOT have to get the shots.
> 
> ...


It's funny I asked my vet awhile back about titers. She said they don't do titers lol. Wow. We have found a new vet so I am hoping they do it...thank you!!


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

My5dogs said:


> It's funny I asked my vet awhile back about titers. She said they don't do titers lol. Wow. We have found a new vet so I am hoping they do it...thank you!!


For a vet like THAT????? RUN..... don't walk to the nearest exit!

Ya done good!

Let me know if you want a list of Registered Holistic vets in your state and/or close by state. If your dog has any type of health issues, a Holistic vet can help you get a Rabies exemption.

Moms


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## My5dogs (Aug 30, 2013)

Momto2GSDs said:


> For a vet like THAT????? RUN..... don't walk to the nearest exit!
> 
> Ya done good!
> 
> ...


I went with animal clinic of leesburg. We live in Clermont Fl. Orlando is main city though. 


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## Creeden6 (Dec 9, 2013)

You are in Leesburg? Used to spend a lot of time down there, beautiful lakes in the area! Hope the new vet is working out better for you!


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## My5dogs (Aug 30, 2013)

Creeden6 said:


> You are in Leesburg? Used to spend a lot of time down there, beautiful lakes in the area! Hope the new vet is working out better for you!
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


We live in Clermont like 15 mins away. Do you live nearby?


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## Creeden6 (Dec 9, 2013)

No have family in Leesburg and Orlando. I am in Panama City Beach. We do spend a lot of time in Orlando now, 4 kids and all 


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## My5dogs (Aug 30, 2013)

Creeden6 said:


> No have family in Leesburg and Orlando. I am in Panama City Beach. We do spend a lot of time in Orlando now, 4 kids and all
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Very nice!! It's ok here I guess 


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