At the minute my dane pup is on Beta puppy.

Protein 29%
Fat 15%
Ash 7.5 %
Fibre 2.5%
Calcium 1.4%
Phosphorus 1.0%

Does this sound about right or is the protein too high/low (it's one of the lower puppy foods). I've been advised of so many different things by so many different people my heads spining

What do you feed your Large/Giant puppies on and what's the breakdown and are you happy?

To save any discussion lets presume I want to keep her on complete and not BARF her :)

This is the reason why I hate puppy food and why I get my pup's off it as soon as possible. In the days before puppy food was ever invented we just used the same as with our adult dogs all with no ill effects. I find with my Labs that as soon as one tin (I always start with tins) is not enough, usually around five months old, then I start mixing some complete adult food into it. I then gradually reduce the puppy and increase the complete until by around six months I am feeding only the adult complete. I would also say that Beta is not amongst my favourite foods.

Regards, John

Hi Wishfairy, imho it depends on how old your pup is and how (s)he is growing, playing etc. I use Eukanuba or Pro Plan and am happy with both. A free :) ;) 20kg bag of a newish 'premium' food arrived for evaluation the other day, and I can let you know how we go with that too. I lower the protein level and up the fat content fairly early, but exactly when depends on how the individual pup is developing. The foods used have a good range - puppy, junior, adult maintenance, adlut working, elderly etc, and I've had 16 week pups on the elderly dog feed at times. Once the pup has reached early maturity and can handle full exercise I up the protein again (and keep the fat up too) and unless the youngster is rested for some reason, they stay on that until age slows them down.

Nikki,

Have you thought about a food like Nutro Large Breed, I have to say having raised 2 litters on it I've found it to be a brilliant food and it's all worked out for you for correct nutritional balance.   Another I would consider is Royal Canin Giant Breed too.

Christine

Nikki, when I find that H.Vizsla thing I'm going to email you it about hips & diet etc.
  Is that ok?

Hiya, our girl is on JB lamb and rice kibble for junior dogs. She does fine her coat is good, she hasn't rocketed growth wise which is what you want.

I was told by our breeder to only feed her food that was 25% protein or below. :)

Sarah.

Oh also she doesn't have bad smelly wind anymore (still some whiffy smells but not so much) :D

Hi

My choc lab was on Nutro Large Breed Puppy food in the first 4 months of her life, but I had to change, because the "pills" were to small. She didn't chew them at all. It seemed like she just opened her mouth and sucked in!

That cannot be very good for the teeth! Is this just a lab thing?

Jeanette

Food rarely touches the sides on the way down a Labrador's throat Jeanette. And it usually takes two weeks after they die before they stop eating and even longer before they stop moving! My Beth has been dead now for the last 6 years and the painting of her on the wall still moves around!

Regards, John

Hi John

Ha ha. Yes I know, they really loves their food :-)
I got a kitten a month ago, and he hadn't seen a dog before. He was hissing at Luna every chance he got, and she just backed of, but at dinnertime, the kitten stood in front of Lunas food and hissed. This time Luna just pushed him aside. This was after all her food we were talking about :-)

Thankfully the food she has been eating up till now, and the food I'm switching to is a bit larger, so she has to chew it.

Jeanette

Hi John

This is a different subject, but I'm gonna ask you, because I know you have labs and a lab bitch.

Luna has for the second time in 1½ months got, what my vet (after my description through the phone) calls a zit on the crack of her vulva.

The last time he said it could be pre-season, and that the "real" season might come in 3 or 4 months time. Now its there again. I noticed because she licked herself when we came home after her morning walk. But she doesn't keepp licking and she hasn't been peeing more than usually. And she isn't swollen as such, just a tiny place like a zit would be.

Could this be her season? She was 8 months the 5. of december.

I'm asking because from today, I'm going to babysit a rottweiler dog, Tyson, for a month. He is 6 months old. He is going to be in his own home, when I'm at work.
My intention is to pick him up, when I come home from work, and keep him with me until the next morning. So they will not be alone together.

If this is her season, it's really bad timing, huh?

Jeanette

Thanks :)

This analysis tells you nothing about the suitability of the food; there is no mention of ingredients to begin with.

The percentage of protein is also fairly meaningless unless you know the type of protein it is and whether it is "available" to the dog.  It could be 100% protein but if that protein was leather, hair etc then it would not matter how much your dog ate it would not be able to get any goodness out of it.  If it is plant protein then it is incomplete and does not have all the essential amino acids a dog requires.

What does the food actually contain?