# GSDs Require Large Breed Formula?



## rgrey (Jul 30, 2013)

We took Griz in for his first vet check with our vet and she was a little concerned about our feeding him a non-large breed puppy food. 

We feed Taste of the Wild High Prairie puppy formula, about 2.5 cups a day. Eventually I'm hoping to move to a raw diet but we are trying to balance finances and finding the meat and...well, all that...so we do it right. 

I've never heard of it being bad to feed non-large breed formula to a large breed. Anyone heard of this? What am I missing?


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Typically the large breed puppy foods are lower in calcium and protein to help insure slow steady growth. The numbers on the TOTW formulas don't look that off to me. ..... but that is why. There are some nice sticky notes you should read in the feeding the puppy section about selecting puppy food.


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## rgrey (Jul 30, 2013)

I've been reading them this evening (after I posted the thread-shoulda read first). So much information-I LOVE this forum!!


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## rgrey (Jul 30, 2013)

I am a little confused. A lot of people feed RAW and love it, but wouldn't that have a lot of protein and calcium?


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## kr16 (Apr 30, 2011)

Your not missing anything. Your vet is not up on foods. They only take one course on nutrition for all animals. Just look at what they sell, pretty bad food. Bad food can cause so many problems, vets should really have to learn more about this.



rgrey said:


> We took Griz in for his first vet check with our vet and she was a little concerned about our feeding him a non-large breed puppy food.
> 
> We feed Taste of the Wild High Prairie puppy formula, about 2.5 cups a day. Eventually I'm hoping to move to a raw diet but we are trying to balance finances and finding the meat and...well, all that...so we do it right.
> 
> I've never heard of it being bad to feed non-large breed formula to a large breed. Anyone heard of this? What am I missing?


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

Adult large breed formulas have additional glucosamine.

We fed a puppy large breed formula. I don't think it is bad to feed regular puppy food, I'm sure your vet just wants what they feel is best for your dog.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

It depends on the puppy food. Some ARE too high in calcium for large breed puppies. Calcium promotes rapid growth which you don't want for their joints, so the lower calcium foods would be a better choice.


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## rgrey (Jul 30, 2013)

I would agree Gretchen. I just wasn't sure what she meant, especially when she said that they are high in calcium and protein. I would think, since these are pretty important for growth, that they would be a good thing to have. It does make sense with larger breeds to want less though, so growth is slower.

Does that pertain to the RAW diet? Or because its more natural (and lots of water weight) does the RAW diet encourage slower growth?


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I don't feed my puppies food, I go straight to adult,,they've all turned out pretty good


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## rgrey (Jul 30, 2013)

Hmmm...maybe I'll mix the puppy formula with what's left of the adult formula I have then. Sure be nice for it not to go to waste. Its still Taste of the Wild High Prairie.


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