# New puppy



## doubleknuckles24 (Feb 19, 2009)

Hello everyone,
we are getting ready to bring home another puppy (male this time) and wanted to get some suggestions on a good puppy food to start with to keep him healthy. We used Nutro on our first gsd...it was an okay experience, not sure that it was the best food for a young pup. Just wanted some feedback on puppy food, Thanks!

Mike


----------



## GSDgirlAL (Jan 4, 2008)

In my opinion Sold Gold Wolf Cub is the best puppy food out there! But, it also comes with a very nice price tag. Not sure where you are located but here in Birmingham it runs about $51 a bag BEFORE tax. 

Some people on this board don't feed puppy food they go with an all stages food, like Canidae or Natural Balance. 

I would either go with Sold Gold, Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy Lamb & Rice, Nutro or Natural Balance. Just really depends where you need to be budget wise. 

I'm sure others will offer some choices for you too! Good Luck!


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i've never fed puppy food to a puppy.


----------



## doubleknuckles24 (Feb 19, 2009)

I have been in other forums here and I mentioned changing to CanidaeALS and i didn't have a good exp. at all with my gsd or labrador and have just started transitioning to TOTW, hopefully this gets them back to normal stools and I ahve heard that TOTW may not be the best choice to start a puppy on.....although alot of folks say good things about it overall.


----------



## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

I feed All Life Stages adult foods to my puppies. 

Puppy food tends to promote FAST growth, which is exactly what we don't want in GSDs. Even large breed puppy food tends to be too high in certain nutrients like protein, fat, calcium, etc. 


I find these foods have the right nutrients in the right percentages (these cover a variety of price ranges):

Nature's Variety Prairie -- Chicken, Salmon or Beef (not venison or lamb for growing pups -- though these are fine for adult dogs.) 

Canidae ALS 

Wellness Super 5: Lamb, Barley, Salmon or Complete Health: Chicken

Pinnacle -- Chicken or Trout

Merrick's Grammy's Pot Pie and Turkducken 

Natural Balance Ultra Premium. 


There are others out there, of course. But these have worked well for me. I don't feed grain-free foods to my pups, even the ones that claim to be All Life Stages. As soon as I believe my pups are done growing, I'll move them over to grain free, but not until then.


----------



## GSDgirlAL (Jan 4, 2008)

why not venison or lamb for growing pups?


----------



## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

It's not that venison or lamb are not appropriate for growing pups (I feed lots of raw lamb to my puppy. And my adult GSD grew up on a diet that was probably 50% fresh lamb. I feed venison to both my kids when I can afford it!







) 

It's that NV Prairie Venison and Lamb kibble formulas each have calcium percentages that are approaching 1.89 and 2.0, which is too high (IMO) for growing pups. Phosphorous, which is added in a certain ratio to calcium, is therefore too high too. 

NV Prairie Lamb: 
http://www.naturesvariety.com/prairie_dog_kibble_lamb

NV Prairie Venison: http://www.naturesvariety.com/prairie_dog_kibble_venison


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

our puppy was on some kind of Purina when we first got him
at 9 weeks old. we switched him to Natural Balance. after sometime he stopped eating it. we switched him to Wellness Super 5 Mix. our Shep loves it and does our Grey Hound. we add alot of things to their food.


----------



## doubleknuckles24 (Feb 19, 2009)

This is really gonna help me then.... My lab is exactly 2 yrs old and my gsd just turned 1 yr. does that mean i shouldn't be feeding them taste of the wild...it is grain-free, thats what they told me at the feed store where i purchased their food?? Is a year old or even two still considered a pup?


----------



## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: mike89This is really gonna help me then.... My lab is exactly 2 yrs old and my gsd just turned 1 yr. does that mean i shouldn't be feeding them taste of the wild...it is grain-free, thats what they told me at the feed store where i purchased their food?? Is a year old or even two still considered a pup?


1 is fine to be on totw-ps. there are some that have even weaned their puppies onto this (Angela_W???), it seems to be one of the the "safest" when it comes to grain-free for pups (aside from orijen lrg breed puppy, which alot of people are a fan of). either way 1yr old i believe is appropriate for the switch. even tho your dog still has some growing and filling out to do - bone wise - they are over their major growth spurts at this point.


----------



## doubleknuckles24 (Feb 19, 2009)

Thanks, I went back to the feed store and asked some more questions and te lady there was nice enough to break down the nutrients in a couple of brands.... anyone ever hear of Canine Caviar or Advanced Pet Diets? Those are the samples she suggested I try with the new puppy we'll be bringing home in a few weeks.


----------



## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

Which formula of Canine Caviar and Advanced Pet? I would NOT feed the puppy formula or Advanced pet. It has more calcium than is generally recommended for a pup the size of a GSD.


----------



## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

Also, if they carry Advanced pet they should also either carry Pinnacle or be able to get it.(It is made by the same company.)


----------



## doubleknuckles24 (Feb 19, 2009)

thanks, the lady gave me a sample of a Canine Caviar's Lamb and Millet Pearl puppy and a sample of Advanced Pet Chicken meal and rice???


----------

