Hi guys

I'm currently feeding my 18mth newf royal canin.  Would people say this is the best complete food just she never seems to put weight on and her coat etc always looks dull. Her litter mates where all fed on different complete foods apart from royal canin and they have lovely coats and seem bigger etc.  I appreciate all dogs are different etc but just really looking for some general advice if anyone can help (I don't have time to do raw diet so would need a complete food)

I'm not a royal canin fan, but whatever you feed, to an extent your dog's body should tell you what works; not holding condition to me says it's not right for your dog.

Lots of high quality kibbles around that you could look into- Millie's wolfheart, acana, Canagan, simpsons 80:20, probably more that people will come along and recommend.

Hope you can find something that works soon.

Here's a website which is good for comparing foods and assessing food quality: http://www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk

Fantastic thanks for that

I'm also worried about her hips too so going to look at getting them checked too, she's insured so hopefully if there is a problem she should hopefully get some treatment to help.

I tried my retrievers on RC and they just wouldn't touch it. They are not fussy eaters in the slightest, but there was obviously something about it that didn't appeal. PAH fortunately let me swap the bag for something else.

I have 2 Newfi's, both rescues so came to me older that what your is. Sam, the oldest one was on Royal Canin when he arrived and I have kept him on it ever since, he's coming up to 10 years old now and is as big and beautiful as ever with a fabulous coat. Anya is now 9 years old and not interested in even sniffing Royal Canin, she is on Simpsons potato and salmon because she has several allergies and seems to be doing pretty well on that. Just shows how different each one can be.  What is causing your concern with your dogs hips?

Hi and thanks for your post

Since she was a puppy we had concerns she wasn't really growing, she seemed to like lying down and playing and seemed very stiff. The vet said to wait.  But now she's only 23 inches to the shoulder and very small generally.  She struggles when getting up and when she sits she tends to lie back over.  One of her elbow joints turns out also which he is worried about.

Well she is old enough now for both hip and elbow screening. 

Ask to have them scored under the BVA scheme.  Don't be fobbed off by a vet that tells you they don't need submitting. 

They go to a panel of experts to score and these results add to the data for the breed and also alert the breeder and stud owner to any poor scores so their breeding plans can take them into account.

If she has Elbow or Hip dysplasia the result will tell you how severe and then the best management strategy can be determined.

Ah fab thanks, do you think pet plan would cover that? Also if they do will the policy go up or hips be excluded..... I've never had insurance before

If she's got hip and elbow problems then the X-rays they would cover or should unless any exclusions but the BVA costs they wouldn't.
Normally once you start claiming when the next year starts the premiums go up, hard to say by what amount as each case is different as is the insurance, Petplan is the best one around though.

Not all food suits all dogs,  but I'm afraid, from personal experience, I'm NOT a RC fan.   Especially for medium to large breeds because quite simply, the protein level is too high, encouraging too much growth too soon.   My Basset had been reared on this and came to us at 4 months.   I checked the bag and was shocked to see it was 32% protein (Junior).   I never used anything near as high in protein on our litters.   In another few months he was lame and although I know the breed isn't unknown for this, full front to back x-ray confirmed he had premature closure of the growth plates (ulna, both sides).   And as a result now has too much bow, even for the breed.    I had switched him to a more sensible level food prior to him going lame, but I believe the damage had already been done.   He was HUGE at 4 - 5 months.

It's up to you but I'd look for something no higher in protein at any rate, than 26%.   If that.

please keep us up to date on how you get on with her hips and elbows and try not to worry too much until you know for sure. Both of mine have arthritis now and the little girl came to us with back leg problems (she is tiny for the breed as well and doesn't have the lovely plump wiggly bum that they usually have) but they cope amazingly well and although obviously they are now elderly and on meds. for pain they still have a wonderful zest for life. Good luck with the xray results

Will do thanks everyone for the help. It's just really worrying with her only being 16mth so still mega young and already showing these signs

In my experience, OCD can be indicated by outward turning at the pasterns, not the elbow. I do hope it isn't that.  Many dogs with odd looking movement do not have H.D. so worry not until you have evidence. Good luck.

What were her parents hip and elbow results, they should be listed on her Kennel Club registration form.

If their results were good you have a better chance that hers are OK.