# I am so confused



## Never (Feb 26, 2009)

I am bringing home an 8 week old GSD puppy in one week. The breeder is feeding her pedigree puppy. I have been reading the forums the past couple of days and now realize that I need to switch her to a better alternative. The problem is that all of the information is making me crazy. The point about not feeding puppy food because it makes them grow to fast makes perfect sense. I just have no idea what to feed her now!









I hate to be a cheater on this, but can I just have a few advices on some adult dry dog food to buy her from Petsmart or Petco. At least until I can figure out all of these special foods that one orders online. Also, how should one "slowly" switch foods?


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## Ocean (May 3, 2004)

Most Petcos have Natural Balance, Wellness and Solid Gold brands. They are the best brands carried by Petco. Pick an adult food from one of these brands that fit your budget. The bigger your budget is, pick a more expensive formula. In this business, if you pick a good brand, you do get what you pay for. 
Petsmart has a more limited selection of good foods. So if both are in the same general distance from you, I would prefer Petco over Petsmart.
As far as switching, I wouldn't take too much time switching an 8 week old from a really crappy food like Pedigree to the much better ones I mentioned. 2 or 3 days transitioning s/d be enough. If it was me, I w/d just switch cold turkey as an 8 wk old puppy has not really acclimated to any one type of food.


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## Keegan62 (Aug 17, 2008)

I always thought for a large breed puppy you need a large breed puppy food or an all stages one with lower calcium etc too much calcium is bad can help cause PANNO 
natural balance is really low in protein and you need to feed 2x as much according to the bag... 
I would feed for a few weeks what the breeder is feeding and then slowly switch.. Just a new home is stressful enough 
good luck with your new puppy


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## MrLeadFoot (Jan 4, 2009)

Petco now also carries the Pinnacle line, and PetsMart has good food, too.

If your dog has a solid digestive tract, and can tolerate grains like rice and barley, the Blue Buffalo large breed puppy food at PetsMart is a darned good food. Avoderm is also available, too.

Whatever you do, be sure to keep the pup on the same food as the breeder, and transition SLOWLY, otherwise you'll end up on a "good food" hunt because too fast of a switch can cause the runs like you wouldn't believe. Also, if you do switch to a premuim food, be sure that when you reach the point during the transition when you've got your dog 100% on the new food, be sure to that you on the LOW end of the feeding recommendation amount, as too much of a highly-nutritious (rich) food can also wreak havoc, and then you won't know if it is the food you switched to or the amount of food you feed that might have caused the runs.


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## Never (Feb 26, 2009)

Thank you all for your input and advice


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## Ocean (May 3, 2004)

Never, Count Bruno and MrLeadFoot gave you more conservative advice on the food transition so you s/d go with theirs not mine. I've always had puppies with really good genetics so I've never had a problem w/runny stools even with food switches, but their advice is more prudent.


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## MrLeadFoot (Jan 4, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: OceanNever, Count Bruno and MrLeadFoot gave you more conservative advice on the food transition so you s/d go with theirs not mine. I've always had puppies with really good genetics so I've never had a problem w/runny stools even with food switches, but their advice is more prudent.


OK, my turn to back-peddle a little now, too.









The reason I said to do a gradual switch is because IF the dog has good stools on the Pedigree, which you'll know quite soon after he comes home, you'll not want to upset his little system.

But, even after the transition to her new home (mine), my pup continuously had bad stools, so I figure why transition if the food the pup is on is causing the runs, because I'm just contributing to an irritated intestine, does that make sense? So, in that sense what Oean said makes sense, and a 100% switch couldn't result in anything worse, right?

On the other hand, Ocean has a point, too. If the dog was weaned onto "real" food only days prior, chances are his digestive tract is already in a state of turmoil, so a 100% switch wouldn't be that bad.

I hope this doesn't confuse you even more, but this is what I would do:

1) Make the move to your home as stress-free as possible to reduce the likelihood of an upset stomach (nerves).

2) Feed the current food for two days, which would probably be 6 - 8 SMALL meals.

3a) If the stools are good proceed with a gradual transition. OR...

3b) If the stools are soft, wait one more day, and if they are still loose, you can probably just switch.


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## MelissaHoyer (Sep 8, 2006)

When my pup came home, I had to transition her off of Iams and to the food I chose - Canidae ALS (all life stages). Over a period of about one week, I gradually added more Canidae, until that was all she was eating.

I personally think that you should not rush this change...a new home is a very stressful time for a pup.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: 2SableGirls
> I personally think that you should not rush this change...a new home is a very stressful time for a pup.


I agree. Everything in the puppies world has changed drastically. Keeping their food the same as it was getting at the breeder will be the ONE thing that is familiar to the pup.

The pup is likely to have been eating the food the breeder feeds for WEEKS, not just a few days. Even if it is "less than great" food, feeding it to the pup for a few more weeks isn't going to hurt anything. I have always fed what the breeder did for about a week or so then gradually switched. I've never had a pup that didn't eat well from the first meal at my house and they have never gotten the runs either. A pup MIGHT be fine with a "cold turkey" switch, or it might NOT, why risk it?


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## HarleyGirl52874 (Jun 16, 2006)

I like MrLeadFoot am a fan fo the Breeders Choice line, I feed the Avoderm and have had great results from it from all 3 of mine.


Most important take the infomation that everybody gives you pick a food that you can afford and is something that you pup does really well on it. Clean eyes nice small firm poo's, nice shiny soft fur. 


Like others have said, I would give your pup a few weeks on what he is being feed currently, I would atleast do 3 weeks. then start to do the switch.

Good Luck on your new addition.!!! and CONGRATS!!!


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## Jake's Mom (Nov 27, 2008)

We used Blue Buffalo Large Breed puppy and loved it. Jake transitioned to Blue Buffalo lamb and rice (adult formula) due to a probable chicken allergy. 

His coat is beautiful. He has small, firm, basically odorless poops. He's a good height and weight for his age, but not enormous.

I really like their product. I am also comfortable with how they manufacture the food. It is quite different from the norm.


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## balakai (Feb 9, 2005)

Never, welcome to the "confused" club!









~Kristin


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## NeilM (Dec 30, 2008)

I recently switched Dokken at 4 months old from Royal Canine to Blue Buffalo LBP which I buy at Petsmart. BB recommend's to gradually switch over 14 days. I made the switch in about 10 days with no problems. He loves the BB compared to RC, and no more itching, which I'm guessing is from the corn and other stuff in RC. Poops are also alot better as long as I stay right at 3 cups a day.


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

> Originally Posted By: BlackGSD
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: 2SableGirls
> ...


Exactly what Tracy said







The transition to a new home is incredibly stressful. A ride in a car, a new environment, being away from mom and littermates and the people the pup knew and loved, new water, possibly a new climate as well. New detergent on bedding, new materials in the carpet. All of that is stressful to a puppy (and his body) who has NO IDEA why we did this to him. One day he's perfectly happy at home. Next day he's here with you, a perfect stranger in a foreign country. 

(BTW, be sure to get a few gallons of water from the breeder, so you can transition your pup to your water as well, unless the breeder lives very near you.)

Letting him eat food that he knows, that his body knows and accepts is a kindness we can afford him for a while. Give him a week or so on the Pedigree. Then transition s-l-o-w-l-y. 

One more reason not to rush anything -- if puppy develops GI problems as soon as he arrives, how will you know if it's from the new food or if something is actually wrong with him? 

With dogs, and especially pups, we always want to change one thing at a time whenever we can. It's a good way to go through life. I still do this with my adults and seniors. This way, if something goes wrong, we can pinpoint the cause. It's not always possible. But we like to, when we can. 








Welcome to your little pup. And we want to see photos!


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## Never (Feb 26, 2009)

Thank you for your input. I put some pictures in the main puppy forum with an inquiry on what color her sable may turn when she gets older (her dad is a VERY dark black and red sable and the mom is black and tan), but if you want to see our girl then I am more than happy to put one here too. She is still at the breeders until next week. Sorry about the resolution and angle of the picture, it took everything we had to hold her still

Also, on the food topic, I have been reading the forums about RAW. Do you need a grinder for bones or can you give the puppy the whole bone?


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

She's very sweet!







Puppies are so squirmy, aren't they??









You can feed pups bone. Stick to small bones to start, chicken wings are a great place to begin. Surf around the raw forum. There's TONS of info, and feel free to ask questions. Lauri, the BARF moderator, has a GSD pup herself and feeds 100% raw.

I have a beagle pup to whom I feed raw. She was a tiny 5 lbs when I brought her home. After a couple weeks, she was munching raw bone and meat same as her 87 lb GSD "brother" -- except smaller portions! (I feed her half raw and half kibble. My GSD eats 100% raw). 

I am getting a grinder for specific reasons. Most raw feeders don't have grinders and actually, probably have very little use for one.


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## angelaw (Dec 14, 2001)

My 6 wk old pups are devouring chicken necks, ground beef and chicken wings right now.


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