# Whats the best puppy food ???



## black lab 007

Just getting my 8 week old puppy ( black lab). He's been on Royal canin. Ive heard great things about Orijen and Innova. Any input would be much appreciated, Is there to high of a protein content?? Thanks


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## BoxMeIn21

I would keep him on the Royal Canin until he gets settled in with you. Re-homing is stressful enough, you don't want to add a diet change into the mix. 
Orijen and Innova are both good foods, but it really depends on your dog and if the food works for him. 

Have you checked out this site? Check out some of the foods in the 4, 5 and 6 category. 

www.dogfoodanalysis.com


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## cshellenberger

Yes, there is such thing as having a protien content that's too high. Small breeds need a higher protien because they tend to mature faster, slower growning Large and Giant breeds need a lower protien content because a high protien can cause growth problems such as Knuckling over as well as Hip Dysplacia and other joint problems. 

There are several great foods out there for all breeds; Solid Gold, Merrick, California Naturals, Chicken Soup, and Wellness come to mind immediately. Do switch slowly to avoid stomach upset, it's hard to potty train a pup with a bout of diarrhea.


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## Patt

You'll get lots of suggestions on that subject... There are quite a few fine foods available and everyone has their own idea which is best. It will be determined by your dog and how he does on which ever one you choose. Moving into a new home is sometimes stressful so I second the suggestion of keeping him on Royal Canin until he settles in. 

I feed my dogs Innova or Wellness brands. You can check the top grade dogs foods on www.dogaware.com


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## Mdawn

I also have a Black Lab and I feed him Chicken Soup Large Breed. I also feed it to my Mastiff as well...They both do well on it...my Lab even more so than my Mastiff. My Mastiff just acts like he doesn't like the taste of it.

It just depends on the dog...I suppose.


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## animal-luver

i wouldn't want to change his food to fast if u do decide you want to change its food maybe go wth pedagree or something like that wean him from the old food by mixing them and giving it less of the old food and more of the new each time until u have only a little bit of the old food the last day give it the new food hope that helps


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## JayBarnes

I feed Welness Puppy forumula. My pup is about 6 months old now and he's been on this food for around 2 months. So far so good. He has a very sensative stomach and he does really well on it.


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## swissypup

I have an 11 week old Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. She's a large breed and needs to be on a low protein diet for now. We feed her Merrick Puppy Plate and she loves it! One caveat however ~ this food does not contain any "stool former" so she had loose stool until we supplemented it with organic pumpkin (which she loves!).


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## black lab 007

Funny , I just started giving the little guy Merrick puppy plate. I'm still at half and half. After much research, I decided to go with Merrick. It didn't have to high of a protein( 28 %) as opposed to 40 % with Orijen. Yet, it had very high quality ingredients ( no corn ). So, my breeder says feed Royal Canin, my Vet says Hills pd, yet I think I'll try Merrick! I hope its a good choice !


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## jchantelau

If that doesn't work out try...

I switched my lab puppy from Science Diet Puppy to Nature's Variety Prairie. She made the switch in less then a week with no issues.

5 star from dogfoodanalysis.com


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## Loupin

> Yes, there is such thing as having a protien content that's too high. Small breeds need a higher protien because they tend to mature faster, slower growning Large and Giant breeds need a lower protien content because a high protien can cause growth problems such as Knuckling over as well as Hip Dysplacia and other joint problems.


I don't think it's true. It seems that there is no scientific study that demonstrate that high level protein food will cause hip dysplacia.

Have a look at the following link:

http://www.msu.edu/~silvar/hips.htm

Here is an abstract: 

_Protein

Like excess energy, protein has been thought to be associated with skeletal disease. A study by Nap and coworkers reported on the role of protein in disturbances of skeletal development(21,22): Three groups of Great Dane puppies were fed three levels of protein (31.6%, 23.1%, and 14.6% on a dry matter basis) in an isoenergetic dry dog food from 7 weeks through 18 weeks of age. No demonstrable effects were noted on calcium metabolism or skeletal development. These levels of dietary protein are unlikely to cause a disturbing role in canine endochondral ossification.
Investigators have felt they were able to produce normal hip growth and reduce CHD in mixed-breed puppies by feeding a high- or all-meat diet. Subsequent studies in purebred animals known to be dysplastic (German shepherds, golden retrievers, and Labrador retrievers) and in female beagles have not shown similar results.(8) High protein intake does not appear important for development of normal hip joints.

While not directly responsible for skeletal disease in the growing dog, protein provided in excess of metabolic requirements is deaminated by the liver and used for energy, increases plasma levels of insulin-like growth factors, and contributes to an increased rate of growth.(23) If requirements for essential amino acids are met, there are no known benefits to feeding excess protein to healthy, young, growing dogs.

The minimum level of protein in a diet depends on digestibility, amino acid composition, proper ratios among the essential amino acids, and amino acid bioavailability from the protein source. Energy density of the food and the physiologic state of the dog play a role as well. A growth diet should contain more than 28% protein (dry matter basis) of high biologic value that supplies at least 16% of the dietary energy. In the normal dog, dietary protein requirements decrease with age.

_
The complete article relates to numbers of studies conducted on dogs food. Instead of proteins, minerals, namely calcium may cause some problems and also excess feeding intended to maximize growth.

Here is another interesting site, by a specialist in dog food:

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=protein_myth


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## JRiegler

We started my 5 year lab on Wellness after we slowly made the switch from the food the breeder was using. However, we now feed him Evo and he seems to be doing really well on it. Unfortunately Natura does not offer an Evo product for puppies, so our new addition (four weeks and counting, another yellow lab) will be on Innova Large Breed Puppy until she is done growing. We will then make the switch to Evo.

Hope that helps!

**Edit** I just checked the link provided by BoxMeIn21 and found that Evo is a six star food. Excellent!! The Innova Large Breed Puppy is only a four star. Hmmm.**


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## cja75

High protein isn't bad. You hear it everywhere but it is myth. I have looked up and down and every study I have seen say that high protein isn't bad at all for a dog. They don't just use it to grow unlike humans dogs use protein for energy as well. Orijen puppy food is the best in the world. You can read the label and compare to others it has by far the best quality ingredients. Nothing artificial no filler NO low quality ingredient. Along with the fact that dogs LOVE IT!!! Go to :

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/

It has reviews and lists all the ingredients of almost every food known to man so you can read for yourself. Also look around on the internet for studies about protein. Not articles written by "dog lovers" real studies you will see as I did the too much protein thing isn't true. HOWEVER you have to be careful of too much fat for obvious reasons (will make your dog fat) Also you might think about rotating foods with different protein sources. I feed orijen (2 bags in a row) then a bag of something different ie... natures variety, wellness core, canidae whatever looks good. Good foods will contain probiotics so you can switch foods in a couple days with no upset stomach, it also helps the dogs stomach toughen up I guess you could say so they can tolerate a wide range of foods more easily.


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## Shalva

In my opinion the best food is the one that your dog does well on..... 

that having been said many of us don't wean to puppy food and simply use a high quality adult food.... The trend has been for larger dogs like retrievers to grow slowly the newer higher quality foods are better than puppy foods.... 

which is the best .... the dog food analysis page is excellent 

I tell my puppy folks they can choose any food off the whole dog journals list if they are not going to continue feeding raw.... 

but there is no one magic bullet.... like some people can eat hot peppers others get sick on them.... the best food is the one that your dog likes, and thrives on..... 
s


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## brecken

innova puppy


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## Labsnothers

Loupin, I enjoyed reading through http://www.msu.edu/~silvar/hips.htm It seems there is so little other solid, scientific based information on the net. Plenty of unsubstantiated opinion. 

I have recently decided much of the good stuff is locked up behind http://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/full/10.2460/ajvr.70.10.1174

I am afraid much of what is available for free, is that which is to somebody's financial advantage to make available.


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## nico8

This thread is from March of '08.


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## KAroberts

nico8 said:


> This thread is from March of '08.


Is alot of this info still accurate? I'm looking through a few different sites and seeing so many different foods I can't decide. We've been on NB with Wesley our Golden Retriever but I'm curious about other brands.


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## Kathyy

Which information? There is a lot of contradiction going on! From what I understand large breed puppies need to limit the amount of calcium taken in so the bones don't grow too fast which can cause orthopedic problems. NB has an appropriate amount of calcium for large breed pups. 

Protein is more important for dogs than humans and I don't think it should be limited. Iams did a short not particularly good study showing that a diet of 16% protein wasn't as good as one of 32% protein and that meat protein was better than corn protein.
http://www.iams.com/en-us/dog-article/pages/importance_of_animal-based_proteins_in_dog_foods.aspx 
NB is a fine food but I would prefer to feed more protein than it contains. Max used to eat a kibble with about the same amount of protein as most NB kibbles have and now he is on raw, which has about 50% dry weight protein, he is far stronger and has increased his muscle mass tremendously. Sassy had good strength and muscle mass on the exact same kibble, guessing she would have looked like a muscle builder if she had eaten raw! Now I have put Artie on a higher protein food, hoping his back area gets stronger to support all his bouncing around as he is long backed.


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## allaboutthepits

question: organic pumpkin? In what form does that come in? where is that purchased? And what is the name brand?


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## tsturbo

We have used Orijen with great results on our two pups and they love it. Tried Evo, they did not like it as well and I was concerned about the high amount of ash in it. Evo was recently purchased by P&G which was also a concern. Very impressed with Champion Pet Foods - aka Orijen and Acana.


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## WashingtonCowgirl

Sorry, but whoever thinks dogs need a food just because it says the breed of your dog on the front of the package didn't do as much homework as they say they did


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## mattverde

We feed our dogs a dollop of pumpkin with their meals. You can find it canned everywhere now (Stock up since it's very hard to find come spring/summer). If you feel the need to get organic I know Whole Foods and Trader Joes carries it.


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## becky2226

allaboutthepits said:


> question: organic pumpkin? In what form does that come in? where is that purchased? And what is the name brand?


It's canned and you can buy it at your local grocery store in the canned vegetable section. It can be hard to find - the only place near me that I located it was at a Super Target, of all places. My local grocery stores didn't have it. And they ONLY had Organic, which is fine. There are several different brands, so best to just look for "Canned Pumpkin".


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## allaboutthepits

becky2226 said:


> It's canned and you can buy it at your local grocery store in the canned vegetable section. It can be hard to find - the only place near me that I located it was at a Super Target, of all places. My local grocery stores didn't have it. And they ONLY had Organic, which is fine. There are several different brands, so best to just look for "Canned Pumpkin".


thanks becky will look for it


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## luvntzus

I really like Horizon Legacy. It's holistic and has great ingredients.


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## allaboutthepits

becky, how much canned pumpkin do you feed at a time? Are you fixing it in with a kibble?


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## becky2226

allaboutthepits said:


> becky, how much canned pumpkin do you feed at a time? Are you fixing it in with a kibble?


I put just a little bit mixed in with his kibble, a little less than tablespoon, a would guess. You might need to do a little more or a little less depending on how big your pup is; Riley is 30lbs. I only mix it in with one meal... I started out putting a little in both his breakfast and dinner and he got constipated. I stopped for a couple days until he got regular and then added it in with his dinner and that fixed it.


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## allaboutthepits

becky2226 said:


> I put just a little bit mixed in with his kibble, a little less than tablespoon, a would guess. You might need to do a little more or a little less depending on how big your pup is; Riley is 30lbs. I only mix it in with one meal... I started out putting a little in both his breakfast and dinner and he got constipated. I stopped for a couple days until he got regular and then added it in with his dinner and that fixed it.


thanks becky


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## erinnhmc

Is there any way to know if it is the food that may cause looser stool? I got my little mutt 2 months ago, and the adoption place didn't tell me what they fed him, so I went straight into Blue Buffalo Puppy food since I had heard that is one of the better kinds that you can get at any local pet store. He has had soft stool for the past 2 months. He is approx 8 months old, and I read elsewhere that is could be I am feeding him too much food. He gets a lot of exercise and isn't gaining "bad" weight, he looks lean for his height. I just don't know if I should consider adding pumpkin to his diet or to switch foods. Can anyone who uses pumpkin help me on this?


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## Patt

He has had loose stools for 2 months? Has he been to the vets, and fully vaccinated? I know you said mutt, but what's the closest you can guess for his breed(s), large or small?

I've never fed Blue Buffalo, but heard it is a good food. I feed Innova or Wellness brand dog food. At 8 months depending the the breed it might be time to switch him to an adult food. For more food info go to www.dogaware.com

ETA: Have to know what size your pup is for pumpkin. If small dog try a teaspoon of pumpkin to firm up the stools.


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## Kathyy

Just try cutting back for a couple days. He may drive you nuts with 25% less food but any poop improvement will be speedy. I found out with Sassy that overfeeding makes for soft stool and no weight gain. The nutrients aren't absorbed so the dog doesn't gain weight! If he gets scary skinny try adding in another meal per day. That put weight on Sassy with ease.


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## Horseshoe

Innova Evo and a couple others got bought up by P&G...when they bought Iams they swore not to change the recipe but of course they LIED no surprise there. So I go by what a company does or has done and P&G to me is just big money...not interested in dog food only bottom line. We feed Orijen, TOTW, Blue Wilderness also add in venison, yogurt and sometimes cottage cheese. We have a new puppy as well and I don't worry about protein I worry about to much calcium. I've been raising border collies for 20+ years and never had any ODC, HD problems. Ours are big borders as well...males from 55-70 lbs. 

I noticed someone posted about pedigree food...please don't feed that crap. Posters have given you some good websites but you have to keep asking questions and doing research. Your pup will need to settle so don't switch foods until he feels at home, then do it over 9-10 days adding a little of the new in and increasing it until your feeding the new 100%. Some dogs can switch without issue and some it takes a long time. I hope your not more confused...LOL.

Innova, Evo, California Natural, Karma, Healthwise and Mother Nature where bought up by P&G and the deal was done back in the summer. I wont feed those (I used to) not anymore, as soon as I heard I cut out the EVO...they also said when they bought Eukan.and Iams they wouldn't change anything well they LIED and it did change for the worse. I look at a companys history and I wouldn't trust P&G.

As for the protein I want a higher protein lower calcium for pups, ours are med to large 50-75 lbs for our border collies. We've been breeding for over 20+years and have never had any issues with OCD or HD. I noticed someone posted about feeding pedigree, please don't feed that crap. Posters have given you some good websites to read, keep asking questions and doing research and you still never figure it all out...LOL. 

When you do find the puppy food you want to feed make sure you do it over 9-10 days with your last day being 100% of the new food. Some pups and dogs can handle an abrupt switch some can't. I would do your research, pick your food, let him settle in with the old food and then slowly switch...this is what we do.


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## erinnhmc

Patt said:


> He has had loose stools for 2 months? Has he been to the vets, and fully vaccinated? I know you said mutt, but what's the closest you can guess for his breed(s), large or small?
> 
> I've never fed Blue Buffalo, but heard it is a good food. I feed Innova or Wellness brand dog food. At 8 months depending the the breed it might be time to switch him to an adult food. For more food info go to www.dogaware.com
> 
> ETA: Have to know what size your pup is for pumpkin. If small dog try a teaspoon of pumpkin to firm up the stools.


My best guess, is a spaniel/retriever mix, he is just under 30lbs. He is fully vaccinated, and some days he is fine, others it is loose. I did just call the vet since it has been more than 24hrs of diarrhea, so hopefully after a 24 hour purge recommended by the vet it will be better. I do appreciate the responses, thank you.


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## llegar

The best puppy food absolutely must be a high quality grain free dog food.

Do not trust the manufacturers who advertise a lot and try to sell you a rice based puppy food. They are liars and cheats. Instead ensure that you pick an all-life stages diet for your precious puppy and you'll never have to worry about "puppy food" vs. adult dog food because there shouldn't be a difference except for the very first weeks while the puppy is still nursing. Those weeks are most often spent with the breeder and the breeder has likely weaned your puppy off the nipple and onto dry food by the time you have picked it up.

Some of my suggestions would be Taste of the Wild or Blue Buffalo Dog Food.


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## becky2226

Solid Gold for Puppy is very good food too. When I was feeding Riley puppy food this is what we landed on. He's very picky with dry food, and Solid Gold was the only kind he actually ate without me having to mix something in it to bribe him.


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## thedoggymom

Thanks for all the great info here. I recently just got a Yorkie and it is very cute but I wanted to feed it the best puppy food that is available on the market. I know there are a lot of name brands to go with, but I am hearing a lot of great things about the science diet brand.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks for all the help.


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## kathylcsw

Science Diet is NOT a good food at all. It is corn based and full of grains. Go to this site
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/ 
and look at the link he has for best puppy foods. Science Diet gets either a 1 or 2 star rating and you need to feed 3,4, or 5 star foods. 

For my 3 month old puppy I am sticking with 4 or 5 star choices. I started her on Simply Nourish when I first brought her home and am now transitioning to Blue Buffalo Wilderness for puppies. My plan is to rotate foods each new bag using Simply Nourish, Blue Buffalo, Taste of the Wild and 4Health. That way she is exposed to a variety of ingredients, protien sources, vitamins, and minerals.


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## thedoggymom

Hey kathylcsw


Thanks so much for showing me that website. I will check it out right away. I was not informed about those things you mentioned.

Much thanks! :clap2:


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## wandak

I feed Natures Recipe puppy Lamb and rice.


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## rosa82696

I am getting a black lab puppy and i need to know whta food will do best for him


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## Goldens&Labs4Me

rosa82696 said:


> I am getting a black lab puppy and i need to know whta food will do best for him


Hi.  

This thread is from 2008. I would suggest starting a new post so more people will see it and be able to give you suggestions.


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