# I got a puppy and the Vet recommends Proplan



## CAROLINM (Mar 30, 2018)

My puppy is slightly more than 9 weeks. He is a charm so far. We are working on him doing his business outside but living inside, and so far he is really good. His breeder was giving him Proplan Large Breed puppy (he is a fan of that and Nupec), he comes from a really small litter.

He is a charm of a puppy, but again, he was fed with Proplan and we wanted to change that. We live in Mexico, there is only one Petco in our state, and it opened last year. Other than that, we would not have much of a choice. We started making the change, mixing his food, thinking it would take a week as the lady at Petco told us. We decided for Blue Buffalo Large Breed Puppy, since the price is not as high as others, and they will have grain free options for his adult life. Anyway, he has not taken the change in a good light, his stools are not good, they are loose. His vet is giving him probiotics to help him out. But his vet is advising me to go back to Proplan (he sells it), claiming that grains such as yellow corn are not bad for dogs. He is an old school vet and freaked out when I suggested Raw food for later in his life. 

Proplan has yellow corn, and gluten, and I believe by-products flour as well. And 7.5% ashes. His stools with it smell as bad as the kibble itself. But I don't want him to lose weight or something, so if he can deal with such food I might have to go back. What do you guys think we should do? Will it be good enough to continue the transition to Blue Buffalo even slower? Or should we go back to Pro Plan and wait till we make the change in his diet when he is older? Or should we stick to Pro Plan and then move to a different brand?

Our local Petco also has Merrick but their puppy formula is for all breeds and grain free, I don't know if Grain free options are good for puppies that young. They also have as options Royal Canin, Instinct, Whole Earth farms, and Hills Science Diet, also Literatto and Natural Gourmet (I believe these two are not in the US). We don't have Taste of The Wild. We did not know kibble was this complicated when we had our other dogs in the past, it was not something people regularly talked about, but now, just like with the food we eat we pay more attention to what the dog eats. 
Also, another question I have is, since he did not have many siblings... Should we socialize him with other dogs already? Not like in the park or anything out there, but you know take him to a friend's house who has a healthy and vaccinated dog?


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

Since your puppy is having loose stools on Blue Buffalo, I would suggest going back to the ProPlan which the breeder was feeding him. Then after a month when he's settled in his new home and the housetraining is going well, then if you want to, change the kibble. Dog Food Advisor has reviews of kibble: https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/ I feed my puppy a grain free kibble (Taste of the Wild salmon) and an all life stages (Solid Gold Barking at the Moon) 1/2 of each. So, I think it's fine if the puppy does well on it, to feed a grain free and/or an all life stages. I would suggest only socializing him with dogs who you know and are healthy and vaccinated and that they are good with puppies. I would also do it for short periods as a puppy can quickly overtire an older dog who would then be prone to snap.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

Feed your puppy anything but Blue, and the sooner you switch the better. If it was my puppy I would do a short fast and a hard switch just to get off the Blue. 
I would feed literally anything but.


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## Nurse Bishop (Nov 20, 2016)

I'm so lucky, Inga was raised on Purina One Large Breed Puppy and now on Purina One Large Breed Adult. No problems, great health, great coat, great poop, no allergies. Guess I just lucked out.


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## CAROLINM (Mar 30, 2018)

Mary Beth said:


> Since your puppy is having loose stools on Blue Buffalo, I would suggest going back to the ProPlan which the breeder was feeding him. Then after a month when he's settled in his new home and the housetraining is going well, then if you want to, change the kibble. Dog Food Advisor has reviews of kibble: I feed my puppy a grain free kibble (Taste of the Wild salmon) and an all life stages (Solid Gold Barking at the Moon) 1/2 of each. So, I think it's fine if the puppy does well on it, to feed a grain free and/or an all life stages. I would suggest only socializing him with dogs who you know and are healthy and vaccinated and that they are good with puppies. I would also do it for short periods as a puppy can quickly overtire an older dog who would then be prone to snap.


Thank you for your answer. I will go and return the food today to Petco. I guess I will keep it with the Pro Plan for a while, even I don't fully like the ingredients, according to the website of dog food, Blue Buffalo has a higher score than Pro Plan (but I believe it is not the same we get here).
I read in a few places that Grain Free was not good for puppies, I guess I will read again. Probably making the change in a month for a grain free product like Merrick... You don't feed puppy food? I am sorry to ask, but is that better?

Also, regarding the socialization, yes, I will take it to see again his only brother and to meet a couple of older dogs that are really nice and well taken care of... 

Thank you.


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## CAROLINM (Mar 30, 2018)

Sabis mom said:


> Feed your puppy anything but Blue, and the sooner you switch the better. If it was my puppy I would do a short fast and a hard switch just to get off the Blue.
> I would feed literally anything but.


Why? Is it really that bad? 
The ingredient list looked nice enough... I did not know it was bad.
But I will go back to Pro Plan for a month I guess


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## CAROLINM (Mar 30, 2018)

Nurse Bishop said:


> I'm so lucky, Inga was raised on Purina One Large Breed Puppy and now on Purina One Large Breed Adult. No problems, great health, great coat, great poop, no allergies. Guess I just lucked out.


I don't think we have that type of Purina here... would you mind sharing a picture of your dog?
I will look for that food. I live three hours from the border of the US, and my family over there uses Blue Buffalo, that's why I went with it when I realized Petco had it here too.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Merrick is also owned by Purina. 

Of the brands you listed, Nature's Variety Instinct has a pretty good reputation -- that's probably where I'd go if I were limted to the ones on your list. It's a rich food, so it may cause diarrhea though in some dogs. Nature's Variety Prairie is less rich.

Personally, I don't think there's enough difference between Purina One and Pro Plan to justify a price difference between them -- if you are considering Pro Plan, you might as well look at One (at 25% lower cost), as the ingredients are pretty similar. Here's an example:
*
Purina One Chicken and Rice:*
*Ingredients:* chicken, brewers rice, corn gluten meal, whole grain corn, poultry by-product meal, whole grain wheat, soybean meal, animal fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), animal digest, glycerin, calcium phosphate, caramel color, calcium carbonate, salt, potassium chloride, vitamin E supplement, choline chloride, zinc sulfate, l-lysine monohydrochloride, ferrous sulfate, sulfur, manganese sulfate, niacin, vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, copper sulfate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, garlic oil, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex, sodium selenite.


*Crude Protein (min):* 26.00%
*Crude Fat (min):* 16.00%
*Crude Fiber (max):* 3.00%
*Moisture (max):* 12.00%
*Calories:* 3993.00 kcals/kg
*Carbohydrate:* 38.00%
*Purina Pro Plan Savor Chicken & Rice*
*Ingredients:* chicken, brewers rice, whole grain wheat, poultry by-product meal, soybean meal, corn gluten meal, animal fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), whole grain corn, fish meal, animal digest, glycerin, dried egg product, wheat bran, calcium carbonate, salt, calcium phosphate, potassium chloride, vitamin E supplement, zinc proteinate, choline chloride, manganese proteinate, ferrous sulfate, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, sulfur, niacin, l-lysine monohydrochloride, copper proteinate, vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, garlic oil, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex, sodium selenite.


*Crude Protein (min):* 26.00%
*Crude Fat (min):* 16.00%
*Crude Fiber (max):* 3.00%
*Moisture (max):* 12.00%
*Calories:* 3997.00 kcals/kg
*Carbohydrate:* 38.00%
Neither one looks anything like Nature's Variety Instinct (which is significantly more expensive. Here's the Instinct grain-free original Chicken:
*Ingredients:* chicken, turkey meal, chicken meal, pea, chickpea, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), salmon meal, egg, tapioca, dried tomato pomace, natural flavor, menhaden meal, vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, thiamine mononitrate, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement, biotin, montmorillonite clay, carrot, apple, cranberry, salt, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, ethylenediamine dihydriodide, potassium chloride, freeze dried chicken, choline chloride, freeze dried chicken liver, pumpkin seed, freeze dried chicken heart, dried bacillus coagulans fermentation product, rosemary extract.


*Crude Protein (min):* 37.00%
*Crude Fat (min):* 20.00%
*Crude Fiber (max):* 3.00%
*Moisture (max):* 10.00%
*Calories:* 4250.00 kcals/kg
*Carbohydrate:* 25.00%


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## GandalfTheShepherd (May 1, 2017)

Agree with the others, get off of Blue Buffalo ASAP it's poison. It gave my puppy heavy metal toxic poisoning. We have had great results with Natures Instinct raw, and I haven't heard of any recalls lately. My cat eats Merrick right now though and she seems to enjoy it. If you know a friendly, vaccinated, well tempered dog that you think would be a good example for your dog (notice I said good example, do you think this dog is well behaved?) then I would say socialize. Otherwise wait for all vaccines to be finished. You can still do things with the pup but just limit and be careful with what you do.


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## CAROLINM (Mar 30, 2018)

Magwart said:


> Merrick is also owned by Purina.
> 
> Of the brands you listed, Nature's Variety Instinct has a pretty good reputation -- that's probably where I'd go if I were limted to the ones on your list. It's a rich food, so it may cause diarrhea though in some dogs. Nature's Variety Prairie is less rich.
> 
> ...


Well, Purina One is not available here actually either. I don't know much about it either. I really don't like the ingredients on Purina, but I do not have many choices as you can see. 

I was checking Instinct with Chicken at the Mexico's Petco, it is in Spanish though... it is grain free and for all ages, would that be suitable for a puppy as mine? with such protein and calcium? I am willing to give it a try, even as it is expensive, but I don't think it would be proper right away, I will go back to Pro Plan here, as many have suggested... but then I can try it, how long should I wait? It is a huge bag so, I need some commitment...


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

You didn't say "which" Instinct you were considering. 

Are you referring to Nature's Variety - Instinct® Raw Boost® Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken for Large Breed Puppies?
https://www.instinctpetfood.com/dog...-free-recipe-real-chicken-large-breed-puppies

From the list you mentioned, I'd feed the NV Raw Boost LBP above.


NOTE: 
Nature's Variety *PRAIRIE*: "Each Prairie formula is complete and balanced for your dog. Our kibble formulas are great for any size or life stage, *except for large size puppies (70 pounds or more as an adult)." *Prairie Kibble | Prairie Pet Food for Dogs and Cats


Always transition with small amounts of new food mixed with old, taking a week or two to change eventually transitioning out the old food. 
If stool gets loose, go back to previous amount fed (where stool was solid) and hold at that amount for a few days until his gut gets use to it. Then increase again. This is called "bowel tolerance". 





Moms


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## CAROLINM (Mar 30, 2018)

UPDATE on the available foods. They do have Instinct as mentioned, but not for puppies just for all life stages. 

And Canidae Pure for Puppy with Chicken (Not large breed specific).


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## Suzy25 (Mar 3, 2016)

Purina is very very bad food, same with blue, they are both basically poison. 

Canidae is a fairly high quality food and i would recommend that for sure since it is available to you. although chicken isn't the greatest, its a common allergen, and isnt the greatest nutrition wise but that canidae is much better quality than any of the other brands you have access to

instinct might be better fairly good as well but I haven't personally done much research on it


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## Nurse Bishop (Nov 20, 2016)

Gee, Inga must be nearly dead now. She has eaten Purina One Large Breed Puppy and now being "poisoned" by Purina One Large Breed Adult. 

Seems like the OP should be able to find it somewhere, its sold in every grocery store in the US. Also, it flies off the shelves, does not sit around growing rancid. You have to be careful of fats going rancid in warm climates especially. Smell it. You can tell if dog food is rancid. It smells kind of like a stale macadamia nut tastes.


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## CAROLINM (Mar 30, 2018)

Nurse Bishop said:


> Gee, Inga must be nearly dead now. She has eaten Purina One Large Breed Puppy and now being "poisoned" by Purina One Large Breed Adult.
> 
> Seems like the OP should be able to find it somewhere, its sold in every grocery store in the US. Also, it flies off the shelves, does not sit around growing rancid. You have to be careful of fats going rancid in warm climates especially. Smell it. You can tell if dog food is rancid. It smells kind of like a stale macadamia nut tastes.


I live in Mexico.... In Sonora to be more specific.... Indeed next to Arizona, but my city is around three to fours hours from the US (I go three to four times a year). I don't think I can drive for a food that I am not sure he will take or like. He does like dirt and rocks, so, I guess he likes everything. But I would be afraid to have to get a food I can not easily get where I live. There is no Purina One in our Petco, and there nothing from Purina but Beneful and Dog Show at the grocery stores and supermarkets.


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## CAROLINM (Mar 30, 2018)

Momto2GSDs said:


> You didn't say "which" Instinct you were considering.
> 
> Are you referring to Nature's Variety - Instinct® Raw Boost® Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken for Large Breed Puppies?
> https://www.instinctpetfood.com/dog...-free-recipe-real-chicken-large-breed-puppies
> ...



https://www.petco.com.mx/petco/en/s...ance:category:101:brand:Instinct&text=natures variety

That is the link in Spanish of the food from Instinct available. None is for puppy.


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## CAROLINM (Mar 30, 2018)

GandalfTheShepherd said:


> Agree with the others, get off of Blue Buffalo ASAP it's poison. It gave my puppy heavy metal toxic poisoning. We have had great results with Natures Instinct raw, and I haven't heard of any recalls lately. My cat eats Merrick right now though and she seems to enjoy it. If you know a friendly, vaccinated, well tempered dog that you think would be a good example for your dog (notice I said good example, do you think this dog is well behaved?) then I would say socialize. Otherwise wait for all vaccines to be finished. You can still do things with the pup but just limit and be careful with what you do.


Yes, I want to take him with an uncle's dog. It is a 6 year old GSD, really well behaved and nice. He has proven to be easy with other dogs. 

On the other hand, I have been talking with the person that got his only brother and he has vaccinated him and all, I think they might be good playing together. Would be a nice idea?

Most of my relatives have small breed dogs, so, I would not take him with any of them. Some of them have really awful tempers, and some others are really small and Odie might hurt them.


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## CAROLINM (Mar 30, 2018)

Suzy25 said:


> Purina is very very bad food, same with blue, they are both basically poison.
> 
> Canidae is a fairly high quality food and i would recommend that for sure since it is available to you. although chicken isn't the greatest, its a common allergen, and isnt the greatest nutrition wise but that canidae is much better quality than any of the other brands you have access to
> 
> instinct might be better fairly good as well but I haven't personally done much research on it


This is the Canidae available. It is new here https://www.petco.com.mx/petco/en/P...nto-Natural/Pure-Foundation-Cachorro/p/123026

The link is from Mexico's Petco. But I think the picture is the same as the ones that sell in the US. 

It is not advertised for Large Breed Puppy, and I cannot find the calcium min and max.... 

Will it be good anyway? How long should I wait before changing it? Right Now I am feeding ProPlan again.


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## kr16 (Apr 30, 2011)

Blue Buffalo is a very sketchy company. The ingredient list may look good. Its just about what the ingredients really are. They are a company not to trust. Petco gets bonuses based on what they sell, be careful with them. Sales reps are told which foods to push. 

Best lawsuit, Purina verse Blue Buffalo. Battle of the dog killer brands

Purina, Blue Buffalo settle false advertising lawsuit | Business | stltoday.com



Pet food is one of the biggest booming businesses in the world. You usually can find a good mom and pop store close to you. Use this link to see if any are around you. This food is not allowed to be sold at the huge chains. If they sell this, they will carry other brands that can be trusted.

https://www.orijen.ca/us/where-to-buy/


As far as stores we have a great site which I use below and its delivered right to the door for free. I also get 12% off on auto ship on foods that the dog food companies do not allow discounts on. 

https://www.petflow.com


This is a great read on foods and terrible company's. Not like dog food advisory that excludes how bad a company may be and past track records.

https://www.reviews.com/dog-food/

This is a great thing to watch as well on buying dog food


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

My dad's elderly dog eats Purina One (which is indistinguishable for Pro Plan). It's the _only _food her tender tummy tolerates well--attempted "upgrades" set off long-term diarrhea and skin issues that take months to resolve. Even downgrades to cheaper things within the Purina line that my father attempted to save money did the same. It's hard to explain, but this food just works for her. Her coat isn't what I'd like it to be, but she's not itchy and has a calm tummy, and she's ancient--living a long, happy life. Several shelters I know also feed it, and they get less diarrhea than with Science Diet.

I checked with a friend who feeds Pro Plan, and she's used LBP. Her dogs are healthy -- with no pano (which is one of the reasons to feed LBP). They're definitely not "poisoned."

We need to remember that many readers outside the US don't have access to the same brands in Canada, Europe, or the US. A bag of Pro Plan or Royal Canin or Diamond *is* better than many options fed to dogs around the world -- far better than Beneful or Dog Chow or Pedigree or Ol' Roy or Alpo in the US. (Or whatever that Latvian brand was that gave Baltic dogs Mega-Esophagus as described in the TedX vet talk that's circulating!) We do a disservice to dogs around the world that could get decent, balanced, safe food relative to local options available to them by scaring people away from balanced, mid-grade foods. 

Are there better foods? Abolutely! Will your dog likely do okay on Pro Plan or Royal Canin until it's at an age where you have more choices in LBP food? Yes, and you can supplement with fresh food and fish oil and a probiotic to help too.

Dry dog food is a spectrum, from really bad to pretty good -- even in the same manufacturing plant. Most of it at the high end probably _still_ has issues that are less than ideal -- like rendered meat meals, and carbs that produce acrilymides under high heat (since kibble won't extrude without a carb source). If you feed kibble, you have to make peace with some level of compromise -- it's _all_ highly processed -- and it's just a matter of which level of compromise you are personally comfortable with (and your budget can live with). So you buy the best ingredient list you can, from the company with the least history of problems, and hope the company isn't lying about what's in the bag.

OP, feed the Pro Plan LBP that's working for the puppy if it's your only available LBP option in Mexico. Add a daily squirt of fish oil, and a probiotic a few times a week. By the time he's big enough to switch, you have good options to consider in adolescence (when most dogs have very high metabolism).


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

@Magwart, totally agree. I actually fed most of my rescues, and my own dogs, Pedigree for years. Had no digestive issues, no skin issues and my dogs were living to a ripe old age. Healthy coats, clear eyes, good activity levels. 
I stopped only because of their BHA/BHT issue. And their refusal to respond to emails questioning it. I would much rather see a dog feed a low grade food then dumped or rehomed due to money issues. And as was mentioned all foods are not available in all countries.
When I needed to feed lower quality food I supplemented with whatever raw meat, berries, eggs I could find and added fish oil to their feed as well.
Most dogs like blueberries and they are good for everyone!


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## CAROLINM (Mar 30, 2018)

Magwart said:


> My dad's elderly dog eats Purina One (which is indistinguishable for Pro Plan). It's the _only _food her tender tummy tolerates well--attempted "upgrades" set off long-term diarrhea and skin issues that take months to resolve. Even downgrades to cheaper things within the Purina line that my father attempted to save money did the same. It's hard to explain, but this food just works for her. Her coat isn't what I'd like it to be, but she's not itchy and has a calm tummy, and she's ancient--living a long, happy life. Several shelters I know also feed it, and they get less diarrhea than with Science Diet.
> 
> I checked with a friend who feeds Pro Plan, and she's used LBP. Her dogs are healthy -- with no pano (which is one of the reasons to feed LBP). They're definitely not "poisoned."
> 
> ...


Hi, thank you so much for your message. I am back to Pro Plan right now. There are three brands intended for large breed Puppies at my local petco, one is Blue Buffalo as I said, also Pro Plan and Royal Canin. Somehow I have never feel attracted to Royal Canin. 


Thank you so much for yours and everyone else's opinion and support. Yes, local places here don't have an vast selection of food. I have considered Raw food but maybe for the future. 

Yet today a friend recommended me a website that carries American dog food brands 
http://www.doggiedoor.com.mx/alimen.../grande/sort-by/price/sort-direction/asc.html

I know it is in Spanish, but for the looks some of the brands look pretty good such as Taste of the Wild and Prairie from Natural's Variety. 

Anyway, I guess in a few weeks I could try changing his food again. Would you or someone else recommend me something from there?


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## Muskeg (Jun 15, 2012)

I've fed Canidae All life stages, ALS, for some years now and raised a few pups on it. All thrived and look great. If you are going to go a bit up from Purina ONE but not spend a bundle, I'd start with Canidae ALS (not grain free- grain free is completely unnecessary unless your dog is known to be allergic to grains). I buy the 44 lb bags and the price is right for me.


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## CAROLINM (Mar 30, 2018)

*Update*

Hi there, UPDATE

My puppy is still eating Pro Plan, we have been giving him berries, mostly blueberries, chicken, broccoli and sweet potato, plus Instinct grain free biscuits to make it slightly better. We have not tried other sources of animal protein because we are afraid of hurting his stomach. Is there any other thing you guys would suggest for him? 



My sister and I have been thinking about trying to switch his food again. Our options are limited:
1. Canidae Pure Foundations (Grain free with 1.6% calcium)
2. Merrick Puppy (Grain free no data on calcium)
3. Blue Buffalo Large Breed Puppy (Already tried with bad results on his stools)
4. Natural Gourmet Puppy (Like 40% protein, no grains, 10% ashes, no info on calcium)
5. Prairie Canidae for puppies (Limited supply, just online, but three different flavors, no infor on calcium)
6. Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Puppy (Just online, no info on calcium but great ingredients, kind of expensive, but ProPlan aint cheap here either)
7. Full Trust Large breed puppies (Never heard of this brand before)
8. Whole hearted puppy (Nice ingredients, and great price at petco, but no info on calcium)


So, should I go for any of these foods? or just stick with Proplan for a little longer since things are doing fine with the little one? Or probably make his diet richer with other things?


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Wow, I don't like any of the foods on your list. 

I've had problems with Canidae, dogs losing weight across the board, bloody stool, after months of going back and forth with the company, they told me that GSDs and GDs were the two breeds that seem to have the most trouble with the change they made to their food. 

Merrick used to be good food, but they sold out to Purina or Mars or someone, and that is like a death nell. 

Blue Buffalo has always been over-rated and over-priced, now there are a lot of recalls with it. 

Natural Gourmet Puppy, never heard of, but 40% protein could cause you problems with a puppy. 

Prairie I do like. But I do not know what the canidae is. I have fed Prairie Raw Instict but I don't know if I would do that for puppies. Still of the list, that one might be one I would consider.

Taste of the Wild is made by Diamond, and I fed Diamond for years. Had to take my TOTW to the shelter, my dogs did not do well on it. Diamond does have recalls, but they make a lot of food. If you try this food and your dog does well on it, well ok. What I have found to be true for my dogs on Diamond food, is that it works for a while, and then I get a bad bag, or the dogs get tired of it. 

The last two I have never heard of. 

If your dog is doing well on the pro-plan, I might stick with that for a while. I know breeders who Pro-plan is their go-to dog food. They've tried all the expensive stuff, and the ones that their dogs do good on is Pro-plan. 

I heard that Purina was outsourcing most of their brands, and their own factories are only producing Pro-plan and above. The only reason to do that would be if they could get it produced cheaper at another facility. 

I am currently feeding Earthborn Holistic. They have 4 varieties that I mix together. But for my puppy (13 weeks old), I feed the Meadowland Feast because it has the proper protein/fat, Calcium/phosphorus ratios for growing puppies, large breed or not. It is an adult food. 

BTW, lots of GSD breeders do not do puppy at all, large-breed or otherwise. I whelped this litter on the EH, Meadowland Feast. I understand you cannot necessarily get this where you are, but look at the ingredients and the analysis, and maybe you can find something close to it:

*Ingredients:*
Lamb Meal, Peas, Tapioca, Canola Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Pea Protein, Pea Fiber, Flaxseed, Natural Flavors, Blueberries, Cranberries, Apples, Carrots, Spinach, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, L-Lysine, Taurine, L-Carnitine, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Beta-Carotene, Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Cobalt Carbonate, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Rosemary Extract, Dried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product
*Guaranteed Analysis:*
Crude Protein (min.) 26.00%
Crude Fat (min.) 15.00%
Crude Fiber (max.) 5.00%
Moisture (max.) 10.00%
Calcium (min.) 1.20%
Phosphorus (min.) 1.00%
Vitamin E (min.) 250 IU/kg
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) (min.) 100 mg/kg
L-Carnitine (min.) 50 mg/kg
Beta-Carotene (min.) 5 mg/kg
Taurine (min.) 0.05%
Omega-6 Fatty Acids (min.) 2.10%
Omega-3 Fatty Acids (min.) 1.70%
*Caloric Content:*
Metabolizable Energy (ME) 3,520 kcal/kg,400 kcal/cup

The stuff is not cheap. about $50/bag, but by price matching, coupons, sales, bulk discounts, I can often get it for about $40/bag. Bag has 28 pounds. The Diamond Naturals was a 40 pound bag that I was getting for about $32. Less calories/cup, but not that much less. I feed a bunch of dogs, so I am currently buying 9 bags at a time which lasts 2-3 weeks. 

Why this is still a good choice for me, is that the dogs are eating it. Which means the rats that live in the river are not coming up and hanging around because there is food lying about. I think the dogs look better on the food.


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## CAROLINM (Mar 30, 2018)

selzer said:


> Wow, I don't like any of the foods on your list.
> 
> I've had problems with Canidae, dogs losing weight across the board, bloody stool, after months of going back and forth with the company, they told me that GSDs and GDs were the two breeds that seem to have the most trouble with the change they made to their food.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much for your answer. I did write The Prairie food wrong, sorry (I was studying as I wrote), it is Prairie from Nature's Variety not Canidae (Sorry). Alimento "Nature's Variety" Prairie Cordero y Avena Will it work? 

By the way, I think I found that they carry the food you mentioned. I did not look at it because I was trying to get something that was available local here, but I guess they can send it, Alimento Holístico "EarthBorn" Holístico Meadow Feast Yet as you mentioned it is not for puppies and its calcium is supposed to be 1.2% min, is that okay? (here cost around the same as ProPlan)


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## kr16 (Apr 30, 2011)

Here is a much better dog review of foods than dog food adviser. This site calls out the bad companies and doesn't just blindly look at ingredients. 


https://www.reviews.com/dog-food/


And for Puppys

https://www.reviews.com/dog-food/puppy/


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

CAROLINM said:


> Thank you so much for your answer. I did write The Prairie food wrong, sorry (I was studying as I wrote), it is Prairie from Nature's Variety not Canidae (Sorry). Alimento "Nature's Variety" Prairie Cordero y Avena Will it work?
> 
> By the way, I think I found that they carry the food you mentioned. I did not look at it because I was trying to get something that was available local here, but I guess they can send it, Alimento Holístico "EarthBorn" Holístico Meadow Feast Yet as you mentioned it is not for puppies and its calcium is supposed to be 1.2% min, is that okay? (here cost around the same as ProPlan)


I called the company about using their food for puppies. They said the Meadowland Feast is All Life Stages -- fine for puppies, and looking at the guarantied analysis, it does look fine for puppies -- the protein/fat ratio, and the calcium/phosphorus ratios are fine for our puppies. That would be the food I would choose if you could get it, well obviously, since I am feeding it. It has excellent ingredients, and the company is good. 

Nature's Variety is good. If I were you, I would call the company and ask for both the calcium and the phosphorous, this needs to be in balance. 1.2:1.0 is ok. That is the only question I would have about that food.


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