# What food should I be feeding my Lab/Husky pup?



## stewartselena (Apr 30, 2013)

Hello, our beautiful 8 week old pup is a Lab/Husky mix and I know he is going to grow to be a BIG dog and as such I was wondering what is the best type of food for him? I am currently feeding him Iams puppy food and the first ingredient is real meat HOWEVER it has high amount of fat in it and was told by the vet it may make him chubby  . I think chubby pups are cute and all but im more concerned about his health, what would you recommend for this breed of dog? Just so you know im not willing to put him on a RAW food diet.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Fat doesn't really make dogs fat . Carbs contribute to weight gain, and of course total caloric content is the main factor. So just monitor his food intake, and feed less if he gets chubby, feed more if he gets too thin. That's the whole secret .

Iams does have meat as the first ingredient, but the rest of the ingredients aren't super :/. It's definitely not the worst, but you can do better, especially for that price. Check out www.dogfoodadvisor.com and www.dogfoodanalysis.com for some better suggestions.


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## seaboxador (Sep 23, 2012)

Get a dog food that is made for large breeds. it will keep nutrients in balance to make sure that they don't run into growth problems. The dog food websites are great and all, but they're typically made to evangelize how bad grain is in dog food when, to my knowledge, there are no double blind studies to support anything that they say.

You should also ask your vet about what food to use. They tend to know a lot more about dog nutrition and dog physiology than your average internet person.


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## pawsaddict (Apr 17, 2013)

If you want kibbles, then I would probably get either an all-life stages food or a LBP food. I personally don't feed my dogs any grains, as they would not eat it in their natural environment, but I also don't think there is anything wrong with a good-quality grain, for those that choose to feed grains, such as steel-cut oats. I do think a moist diet is much better than kibbles, though. Even mixing a bit of good-quality canned food with a good-quality kibble is much better than kibble alone. 

www.dogfoodadvisor.com has a lot of great suggestions for good food to feed your pup. Some have grains, some don't. Just be aware that all of the "5 star" foods are ones that are high in protein (some of which are too "rich" for a young pup), not that that is a bad thing if it agrees with your pup's tummy. It's just that sometimes an otherwise great food with get a lower rating because it has a little less protein in it.

I would find a food with 1) good-quality ingredients, 2) around 29% protein, 3) and around 18% fat to start with and go from there. If it works well for your pup, then great! If not, then back to the drawing board. And don't forget about the calcium. Keep it at 1.4% or less. 

When it comes to feeding, it's better for their bones and joints if you keep your LBP lean and have slow, controlled growth. Also, be sure to take your time when switching your pup to a new food (around 7-10 days) to avoid any tummy troubles.


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## stewartselena (Apr 30, 2013)

Thanks for the advice  I have checked the webites you mentioned and was slightly more than appauled at some of the things in my poor dogs kibble.  I was not impressed. Im happy to say we have decided on a new food for him, Blue Buffalo Wilderness for puppies  Thanks again everyone. I love this site!


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## PackMomma (Sep 26, 2011)

seaboxador said:


> Get a dog food that is made for large breeds. it will keep nutrients in balance to make sure that they don't run into growth problems. The dog food websites are great and all, but they're typically made to evangelize how bad grain is in dog food when, to my knowledge, there are no double blind studies to support anything that they say.
> 
> You should also ask your vet about what food to use. They tend to know a lot more about dog nutrition and dog physiology than your average internet person.


It's not really rocket science to know that carnivores don't really digest well or have much use for plant based carboydrates/fillers like grains or vegetables. While it may not be a 'death sentence' feeding dogs these uneccessary fillers, its not exactly good or beneficial for them, either. There are plenty of dogs who eat commercial grain inlclusive foods that develop allergies or sensitivities to them and thus why majority of people have moved away from grain-inclusive foods. However, it seems that the other fillers used in grain-free foods (potatoes, lentils, peas, tapioca, etc) seem to be creating similar sensitivies as well. Basically, it just boils down some fillers, amongst other questionable ingredients, in dog food can, and usually will, cause problems short or long term, and vary between dog. Some dogs, however, do great on any kind of food and never have problems. So, to the OP, its best to just find a food that suits your budget and that seems to work well for your dog. If you notice any issue's after a good transition period, then you may want to consider something else. 

And I personally would not ask your vet for a ton of advice when it comes to nutrition - it is also common knowledge that most vets don't have a wide range of education when it comes to animal nutrition, and the small amount of nutrition courses they receive are usually provided by Hill's or Purina (not something I'm comfortable with, anyway..to each their own). They specialize in diagnosis and treatment, not nutrition. Some vets, however, do take additional and further education outside of their vet school on nutrition or do further research themselves, but if you end up having a vet that recommends the brands carried in the vet clinic (Hill's, Purina, etc) I would personally avoid them and do your own research on foods with better ingredients. You can get far better quality foods for the same price.

Basically, aim to find a food that has only named meat meals (especially the first 2 - 3 ingredients on the list), avoid corn, wheat and soy, and then its a matter of just finding one that your pup can tolerate. While some dogs are sensitive to grains, others are sensitive to potatoes as fillers. So you just have to find something that works and that suits your budget as well.

Good luck


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## rambusanna (Jul 14, 2008)

I feed my 103 lbs American Bulldog Innova Evo Herring and Salmon Grain Free food. It's an excellent brand because everything is made in the USA other than the Lamb, which comes from New Zealand. They are very open on their website about what they put and don't put in their food. No artificial preservatives that are known to the state of California to be carcinogenic for Humans. It's human grade food. No byproducts what so ever. Real eggs. Real meat. Real fruits. It is still affordable unlike Orijen or Acana, which cost like $75 a bag. Evo is usually around $60 a 28.6 lbs bag. Evo has 42% protein content, which means you'll feed less than other food. My dog poops half as much on Evo than other foods, which means it is high quality food that is HIGHLY digestible. Evo sells Turkey and Chicken for Pups. High protein is fine for pups. It's the calcium content that needs to be kept low so they don't grow too fast and experience Panosteitis (growing pains).


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## stewartselena (Apr 30, 2013)

yeah my vet really doesn't know much about dog nutrition, she says science diet is a brand she recommends and trusts to be healthy :S I think the stuff in it is ridiculous, Im doing my own research as well as gaining personal opinions. I want the best for my furbaby. And thanks for the info on Innova! Ill definitely be checking into it.


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## rambusanna (Jul 14, 2008)

A moderator already got on my case for saying Vet's don't know much about nutrition. I'm glad I've provided some insight for you. The fact that you are here on these forums asking questions makes you a superior pet owner. Congrats!


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## ABBYLAB (Jan 30, 2013)

Before Abby, we had Sandy who was 1/2 Husky, 1/2 Lab. A pretty girl, about 65 lbs., with one eye blue, one brown and a nice light yellowish coat. We were just married with a new son and were struggling to eke out a living. Without a lot of money for fancy, expensive dog foods, sandy was fed cheaper ones - like Kibbles & Bits, generic store brands and a lot of our leftovers.....not exactly what most would recommend. She only had the necessary vet visits. She literally had the run of the place and was very active w/ a strong prey drive, eating nests of mice, bunnies, and I'm sure many things we never knew about. She was never overweight, no health problems and had two large litters of beautiful puppies before being spayed. She also spent all but the last couple of years of her life outside in an insulated dog house, choosing to spend many of her nights curled up in the snow instead of the house!

Sandy lived to be 18 years old. We had to have her put down after she had a stroke and could only move in one directional circles....very sad to see.

My point is, there must have been the right combination of genetics, exercise, and good enough nutrition to keep her healthy thru all those years. We have Abby on a much more expensive diet as we can afford it now, but I often wonder if she really needs it.


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## rambusanna (Jul 14, 2008)

I have a friend that has an Australian Shepherd mix. He does not take the dog to the vet. The dog's never had any immunizations, no worm preventatives, and no flea preventatives. The dog stays in the front yard in a long caged area all day and night. His family feeds the dog a bunch of rice and other leftovers. The dog is quite overweight. I think the said dog is at least 10 to 11 years old. To say that the dog is neglected would be an understatement.

Just because his dog has gotten lucky from not being bit by a rabid squirrel, or a heart worm infected mosquito, doesn't mean we should practice my friend's method. My friend is loaded by the way; i'm talking about several millions of dollars. Should we all treat our Dogs like he does? He does love the dog though. It's just that he's busy with Medical School in a different city, and his parents are physicians that work most of the day. How he chooses to treat his dog is his business. 

I LOVE my dog so much that I don't want to take ANY chances with him. I want him to enjoy his food. My dog never leaves a single kibble leftover in his bowl. Why because it's mostly meat. I'm not rich either. The money comes out of my personal budget. My budget is $300/month. I treat my dog as if he was my human child, more or less. That's just what I do.

There is a hobo that I see a lot in a shopping complex I generally go to. She has a small dog. The dog looks to be in OK condition. She doesn't have the money to take care of herself, but she still has a dog. Why because dogs bring humans happiness. The dog has love, and that's all that matters! We do what we can in life.


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## pawsaddict (Apr 17, 2013)

rambusanna said:


> I feed my 103 lbs American Bulldog Innova Evo Herring and Salmon Grain Free food. It's an excellent brand because everything is made in the USA other than the Lamb, which comes from New Zealand. They are very open on their website about what they put and don't put in their food. No artificial preservatives that are known to the state of California to be carcinogenic for Humans. It's human grade food. No byproducts what so ever. Real eggs. Real meat. Real fruits. It is still affordable unlike Orijen or Acana, which cost like $75 a bag. Evo is usually around $60 a 28.6 lbs bag. Evo has 42% protein content, which means you'll feed less than other food. My dog poops half as much on Evo than other foods, which means it is high quality food that is HIGHLY digestible. Evo sells Turkey and Chicken for Pups. High protein is fine for pups. It's the calcium content that needs to be kept low so they don't grow too fast and experience Panosteitis (growing pains).


I do agree that some conventional vets only know how to treat ailments by prescribing the food that they sell in their clinic...but not all vets (there are many great conventional vets, and holistic vets are just wonderful!). With my girl Marley, I have had to do everything myself with her diet because, due to her acute kidney disease, the only diet recommendations any conventional vets had made her gain weight, drained her of any energy (she literally would sleep all day!), and made her so irritable and unhappy. Now that she is on a high protein, raw diet (which every conventional vet I have spoken to told me is a big no-no), she is doing so much better! They were very quick to push prescription food and warned me a lot when I said I was taking her off of it. But that is just my experience. 

As for EVO (and any other brands connected to it, such as California Naturals), it is now owned by P&G, a not-so-reputable company. This is a pretty recent by-out, and there have been many reports that the quality of the ingredients has gone down. Not sure if you knew that, and by reading your posts, I know you love your dog very much, so I thought I would mention it.


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## rambusanna (Jul 14, 2008)

Hmm....interesting. I have not heard about the buyout. I will def look into it. Thank you for bringing that to my attention.


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## rambusanna (Jul 14, 2008)

What do you guys think of Canidae Grain Free Pure Sea? I guess I'm back in the finding a better brand again. Sad to see that Natura got sold to a P&G.


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## pawsaddict (Apr 17, 2013)

rambusanna said:


> What do you guys think of Canidae Grain Free Pure Sea? I guess I'm back in the finding a better brand again. Sad to see that Natura got sold to a P&G.


No problem! I agree that's sad to see a really good food that dogs love get destroyed by a company that just doesn't care. As far as I know, Canidae Pure Sea is a good choice. I would have fed it to my Nova had the calcium content not been too high for her (2% as fed, 2.2% dry), since she has quite the finniky tummy and fish and game meats seem to be all she can handle. Poultry and beef are a big no-no for her. But she is still a growing LBP, so the calcium content stopped me. If your dog is an adult, which I would assume he/she is, then I think it's a good choice. Lots of potatoes, though, now that I really look at it. I like the Fromm's grain-free formulas (especially the Surf n' Turf) as well, but they have less protein than Canidae. Not sure if the price point is comparable to Acana (less expensive than Orijen) and Orijen, though...which would be my number 1 picks if they weren't too rich for your dog.


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## rambusanna (Jul 14, 2008)

pawsaddict said:


> No problem! I agree that's sad to see a really good food that dogs love get destroyed by a company that just doesn't care. As far as I know, Canidae Pure Sea is a good choice. I would have fed it to my Nova had the calcium content not been too high for her (2% as fed, 2.2% dry), since she has quite the finniky tummy and fish and game meats seem to be all she can handle. Poultry and beef are a big no-no for her. But she is still a growing LBP, so the calcium content stopped me. If your dog is an adult, which I would assume he/she is, then I think it's a good choice. Lots of potatoes, though, now that I really look at it. I like the Fromm's grain-free formulas (especially the Surf n' Turf) as well, but they have less protein than Canidae. Not sure if the price point is comparable to Acana (less expensive than Orijen) and Orijen, though...which would be my number 1 picks if they weren't too rich for your dog.


I'm gonna stick with Evo for now. They've only had 1 recall since being bought by P&G. From what I'm seeing on their website, they have kept the Natura plant exclusive to Natura foods. They don't make Eukanuba or Iams at the Natura plant. They still don't use any artificial preservatives such as BHT, BHA, or Ethoxyquin. Still no fillers either. I don't like how Canidae GF PureSea is full of Potatoes and has Tomato Pomace, which is a filler. The Evo Herring and Salmon formula still has no potatoes and almost all the protein is from fish. P&G bought Natura in 2010. I was unaware of this buyout until now and he has been fine. He has gotten ear infections, but I think that is from the Chicken. I recently started him on the Evo Herring and Salmon. I'm gonna give that a try for a few months and see if his ear infections are related to chicken or not.


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## pawsaddict (Apr 17, 2013)

rambusanna said:


> I'm gonna stick with Evo for now. They've only had 1 recall since being bought by P&G. From what I'm seeing on their website, they have kept the Natura plant exclusive to Natura foods. They don't make Eukanuba or Iams at the Natura plant. They still don't use any artificial preservatives such as BHT, BHA, or Ethoxyquin. Still no fillers either. I don't like how Canidae GF PureSea is full of Potatoes and has Tomato Pomace, which is a filler. The Evo Herring and Salmon formula still has no potatoes and almost all the protein is from fish. P&G bought Natura in 2010. I was unaware of this buyout until now and he has been fine. He has gotten ear infections, but I think that is from the Chicken. I'll just stick to Evo Herring and Salmon.


Sure thing. It's whatever you think is best for you and your pup 

Just thought I would post this link for you though: http://www.dogfoodscoop.com/natura-dog-food.html


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## rambusanna (Jul 14, 2008)

That link shows how P&G made Eukanuba and Iams a low end type of food by selling it at grocery stores. However, Natura foods are different. They only sell these products at high end places. There is no proof that they have compromised quality in Evo foods. Until someone comes out with a video that says otherwise. I wish these companies didn't use animals for testing their products, but it's the sad and cruel truth that they do. One day I hope we can produce meat rather than by killing animals.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

rambusanna said:


> One day I hope we can produce meat rather than by killing animals.


 Like protein resequencers or replicators on Star Trek?  I really don't know how you could get meat from any other source. . .or it wouldn't be meat. A meat-like substance?


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## pawsaddict (Apr 17, 2013)

rambusanna said:


> I'm gonna stick with Evo for now. They've only had 1 recall since being bought by P&G. From what I'm seeing on their website, they have kept the Natura plant exclusive to Natura foods. They don't make Eukanuba or Iams at the Natura plant. They still don't use any artificial preservatives such as BHT, BHA, or Ethoxyquin. Still no fillers either. I don't like how Canidae GF PureSea is full of Potatoes and has Tomato Pomace, which is a filler. The Evo Herring and Salmon formula still has no potatoes and almost all the protein is from fish. P&G bought Natura in 2010. I was unaware of this buyout until now and he has been fine. He has gotten ear infections, but I think that is from the Chicken. I recently started him on the Evo Herring and Salmon. I'm gonna give that a try for a few months and see if his ear infections are related to chicken or not.





> "Within months of the takeover, it became very apparent that changes had been made to the formulation of the foods. There were numerous accounts of dogs and cats suddenly developing various health issues and dog food allergies -- from diarrhea to intense itching, brittle and poor quality coats, skin rashes, hot spots, and even blown coats.
> 
> The packaging remained unchanged, and no notification was given to retailers, pet owners or vets. (Note: Pet food companies are not required to list ingredient changes on dog food labels for 6 months -- a legal loophole for P&G).
> 
> ...



The history of lies and deceit of P&G was more of what I was wanting to point out. How can one really trust their website knowing their track record? Also, many people are complaining of their dogs suffering from diarrhea, itchy skin, etc. from eating this food since the 2010 P&G takeover. Of course, if your dog is doing fine and you are comfortable with the food, then that's what is important for your family.

As far as animal testing goes, I will not feed my dogs a product that forces unnecessary and cruel animal testing on other dogs. What does that say about the company creating the dog food? I realize that dogs eat meat and to eat meat an animal has to give it's life, but to confine dogs to kennels for testing (of dog food at that!) is not acceptable, IMO.


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

Is meat necessary (says the confirmed carnivore!)... how about soy or nutritional yeast or other non-animal protein?

From a Star Trek perspective, researchers can take a few cells, put them into a nutrient solution, and let the cells multiply. It's comparatively expensive, but possible.... I don't know about the quality.


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## pawsaddict (Apr 17, 2013)

hanksimon said:


> Is meat necessary (says the confirmed carnivore!)... how about soy or nutritional yeast or other non-animal protein?
> 
> From a Star Trek perspective, researchers can take a few cells, put them into a nutrient solution, and let the cells multiply. It's comparatively expensive, but possible.... I don't know about the quality.


Animal protein, as far as I know, is better absorbed. Also, if you feed a plant-based protein, you have to make sure that your dog (and if your a veggie yourself) is getting all of its amino acids. Plant-based protein sources are usually not complete protein sources from what I know.


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## rambusanna (Jul 14, 2008)

So is TOTW any better because it is owned by Diamond foods?


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## rambusanna (Jul 14, 2008)

It says on the Evo website that P&G does not perform animal testing, which has been proven wrong. I guess I shouldn't trust them. I'm just going to switch to Orijen and be done with it.


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## pawsaddict (Apr 17, 2013)

rambusanna said:


> So is TOTW any better because it is owned by Diamond foods?


I don't feed my dogs TOTW either, but that's not the point. We were talking about P&G. We could go on forever discussing every dog food company to avoid talking about P&G, but I would rather not. Good luck with Evo.


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## rambusanna (Jul 14, 2008)

Actually, I think I'm gonna go with Acana. It's a little cheaper but still great quality. Thanks again for informing me. I've been recommending Evo to people. I guess I'm not up to date with the dog food companies. Now I am. Hehe.


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## TRDmom (Mar 3, 2013)

Canidae Chicken and Rice is what I feed my dogs. Better ingredients, not so high price tag. I tried Blue Wilderness Puppy with my pup, but it was too rich for him and I went back to Canidae. All have good coats/weight. My Boxer had skin issues when I got her (bald spots, itching), but after putting her on Canidae her fur grew back and the itching stopped.


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## pawsaddict (Apr 17, 2013)

rambusanna said:


> Actually, I think I'm gonna go with Acana. It's a little cheaper but still great quality. Thanks again for informing me. I've been recommending Evo to people. I guess I'm not up to date with the dog food companies. Now I am. Hehe.


Good choice with the Acana  It's tough to keep up-to-date with it all, especially when some companies are just don't respect their customer enough to tell them the truth.


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## PackMomma (Sep 26, 2011)

rambusanna said:


> I'm gonna stick with Evo for now. They've only had 1 recall since being bought by P&G. From what I'm seeing on their website, they have kept the Natura plant exclusive to Natura foods. They don't make Eukanuba or Iams at the Natura plant. They still don't use any artificial preservatives such as BHT, BHA, or Ethoxyquin. *Still no fillers either*. I don't like how Canidae GF PureSea is full of Potatoes and has Tomato Pomace, which is a filler. The Evo Herring and Salmon formula still has no potatoes and almost all the protein is from fish. P&G bought Natura in 2010. I was unaware of this buyout until now and he has been fine. He has gotten ear infections, but I think that is from the Chicken. I recently started him on the Evo Herring and Salmon. I'm gonna give that a try for a few months and see if his ear infections are related to chicken or not.


Any commercial food, regardless of the brand or type, has fillers. The Innova GF line uses lentils and peas, for example, while other GF brands use potatoes or tapioca. Its pretty hard to avoid them, however they do act as a binding ingredient, but its still a reasonably cheap filler. 


If Innova has been working well for you're dog, then stick with it. Acana and Origen have also recently changed their ingredients, while I'm not sure why, the arrangement of the ingredient listings have changed quite drastically from when I was feeding Acana 2 years ago, and it definitely hasn't changed for the better in my personal opinion. Also try to remember that when it comes to recalls, if its something like a salmonella contamination, this is mostly for human precautions... dogs are relatively immune to pathogens like salmonella.. this is why they can eat dead, rotting carcasses or spoiled meat with no ill side effects. So, my point is, try not get caught up in all the dog food hype.. there is always going to be something good and something bad about any type of food, do your own research, and if you like the food, your dog likes it, and its affordable and your comfortable feeding it then dont' worry about why others don't like it or won't feed it. JMO


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