# Evo for 4 month old pup??



## deeppowder (Oct 17, 2006)

The local pet store suggested innova evo for my four month pup. Shes a boader collie/ pointer mix. Probably around 20 lbs. Shes on california natural puppy for the past 2 months. She seem slightly board by the food now. Any thoughts on evo for that size and age dog?
Thanks
Deeppowder


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## all4thedogs (Sep 25, 2006)

I would not feed this food UNTIL your dog is full grown. She should be full grown by a year old, and I would start it then. Its a very good dog food, but is very rich and high in protien. That high protien level can cause major growth problems. I would recommend waiting until she is a year to 18 months old, and then start the switch if you want. California Natural is a great food, no reason she cant stay on it, as long as she is doing well on it.


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## Dulce (Oct 2, 2006)

California Natural is an ok food for a puppy. CHanging a puppies diet isn't really great for them.


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## LoveLilly (Oct 25, 2006)

Innova Evo makes a puppy formula. Why wouldn't it be okay to switch to that? I am considering it as well and my dog is 4 1/2 months.


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## all4thedogs (Sep 25, 2006)

I am not aware of a puppy formula, but that sure doesnt mean it doesnt exist!! You have to watch the protien and fat %s, with growing puppies, especially in large and giant breeds. I dont know anything about the Evo puppy, but will be looking into it! Thanks for the tip


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## all4thedogs (Sep 25, 2006)

I cannot find anything about Innova Evo Puppy on www.naturapet.com, the makers of Evo. They do have Innova Puppy, is that what you meant? As far as I can find, there is not EVO puppy. If you find a link about it, would you please post it. I would be very interested in seeing it.


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## LoveLilly (Oct 25, 2006)

I did not realize there was a difference in the products based on being called Innova Evo and Innova. I thought when they were calling it Innova Puppy they were just abbreviating the name. So yes, Innova Puppy is the puppy food they provide in both dry and wet.


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## all4thedogs (Sep 25, 2006)

Evo is one formula of dog food Innova makes. Both are great foods. Evo is the formula with no grains, and very high protien. Innova's other foods have grains, and are much lower in protien


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## tsteele93 (Nov 12, 2006)

Dulce said:


> CHanging a puppies diet isn't really great for them.


Where do you get that from? That is sort of a bold statement to make without a source.


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## tsteele93 (Nov 12, 2006)

LoveLilly said:


> I did not realize there was a difference in the products based on being called Innova Evo and Innova. I thought when they were calling it Innova Puppy they were just abbreviating the name. So yes, Innova Puppy is the puppy food they provide in both dry and wet.


I am using Innova Puppy with good success right now. I basically did a lot of research at www.dogfoodanalysis.com and decided that Artemis and Innova were very good choices (there are others though, a fairly good selection of top notch kibble is out there, and if you can get mail, you can get most of them from www.petfooddirect.com/store).

I ordered 6.6lb bags of both, and although the Artemis reads better on the ingredient list (IMO) my dog prefers the Innova Puppy. By my reckoning, it is still a top notch kibble so I am going to go with the dog on this and feed the Innova (although I am going to try to mix in the Artemis until it runs out just to get my money's worth!  )

Anyway, I think the Innova Puppy is a great food and also important is that my dog likes it. Merrick is a good looking food by the ingredient list too, but my dog doesn't care for it.


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## LabLady101 (Jul 5, 2006)

all4thedogs said:


> I am not aware of a puppy formula, but that sure doesnt mean it doesnt exist!! You have to watch the protien and fat %s, with growing puppies, especially in large and giant breeds. I dont know anything about the Evo puppy, but will be looking into it! Thanks for the tip


No, the most important thing to watch in large and giant breed puppies is the Calcium and Phosphorus content. Calcium should not be more than 1.5% (which is still a bit high) and it should be in proportion with phosphorus. Protein should also not be less than 25%- which is indicated in recent growth studies of large and giant breed puppies. Protein is not determental to development- although I still wouldn't feed a food that has say 40%+ protein.

Just my 2c,
Darcy


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## all4thedogs (Sep 25, 2006)

I agree calcium and phosphorus are important. Can you post the links or the studies showing growing giant breeds should be fed a diet with 25%+ protien? 

All of the studies I have read, everyone I have talked to, and my vet agree that Giant breeds should be fed a diet of 21-24% protien and 12-15% fat. I have seen MANY Great Danes fall to HOD, when being fed a high protien food, and seen the improvement after dropping the protien %.

I am VERY interested in reading the latest studies, and would be thankful if you post them, please. Thank you


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## LabLady101 (Jul 5, 2006)

all4thedogs said:


> I agree calcium and phosphorus are important. Can you post the links or the studies showing growing giant breeds should be fed a diet with 25%+ protien?
> 
> All of the studies I have read, everyone I have talked to, and my vet agree that Giant breeds should be fed a diet of 21-24% protien and 12-15% fat. I have seen MANY Great Danes fall to HOD, when being fed a high protien food, and seen the improvement after dropping the protien %.
> 
> I am VERY interested in reading the latest studies, and would be thankful if you post them, please. Thank you


Not a problem! The main study I most often refer to was actually a study that was performed on Great Dane puppies (if I remember correctly). It was a study that was conducted in partnership with the AKC Canine Health Foundation, Biennial National Parent Club Canine Health Foundation, and Nestle Purina PetCare Research. It was reviewed at the Biennial National Parent Club Canine Health Conference October 21-23, 2005. I believe it's listed as page 26 (although I believe when you finally get the page it's page 28 of the document). If you click the name of the article in the table of contents, it brings you right to the study. 

It's titled *Key Facts About Protein Metabolism in the Dog*
http://www.akcchf.org/pdfs/whitepapers/Biennial_National_Parent_Club_Canine_Health_Conference.pdf

Hope that helps!
Darcy


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## all4thedogs (Sep 25, 2006)

Thank you so much, I will read it as soon as I get a free minute. I appreciate it!


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## SnuggleBuddy86 (Mar 1, 2008)

LabLady101 said:


> Not a problem! The main study I most often refer to was actually a study that was performed on Great Dane puppies (if I remember correctly). It was a study that was conducted in partnership with the AKC Canine Health Foundation, Biennial National Parent Club Canine Health Foundation, and Nestle Purina PetCare Research. It was reviewed at the Biennial National Parent Club Canine Health Conference October 21-23, 2005. I believe it's listed as page 26 (although I believe when you finally get the page it's page 28 of the document). If you click the name of the article in the table of contents, it brings you right to the study.
> 
> It's titled *Key Facts About Protein Metabolism in the Dog*
> http://www.akcchf.org/pdfs/whitepapers/Biennial_National_Parent_Club_Canine_Health_Conference.pdf
> ...


That link was awesome! I read through a lot of it, especially the pages you recommended and thank you so much. Very helpful. Long shot..but do you happen to know of any sites as helpful as this for information about cats? Diet, health; just general care?
Anyone? =)

Also, according to this, protein is vital no matter what age or breed. Reading above, one writer wrote the Innova Puppy has less protein than Evo. So what would you or anyone recommend one start a puppy off straight away? Would Innova puppy be fine for the first year, but then just bump up the protein to the Evo or any equal brand? Or Evo all the way.. 

P.S. Please, if anyone can, check out my introductory post and help if you can.


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## flipgirl (Oct 5, 2007)

Ok the paper established that a high protein content will not affect a dog's growth or skeletal structure. And that a low protein diet will result in the reduction in immunity. So has there been studies done on dogs who have been fed a high protein diet for the entire life? And did they compare these dogs to those who have been fed a traditional diet for their whole lives? And what kind of protein did they feed these dogs? Were the foods that were fed to these dogs grain-free or did they contain some grain? What about small breeds like a shih-tzu? If a dog needs 20 amino acids and need to get 10 of them from their diet, do they produce the other 10? If a high protein diet is ideal for dogs, what is the ideal level of protein then? Is 42% protein, which is the level in Innova Evo too much or ideal? Remember you have to increase the fat to help with the digestion of protein. I'm not saying these studies are not helpful but it would be nice to know what levels would be ideal. I've only had one response from another poster who also questioned the benefit of a high protein, grain-free diet.


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## Ony'sMom (Sep 1, 2007)

I'm obviously in the minority in this, but that's okay...

I currently feed EVO small bites to BOTH my dogs, which is the same as their regular Evo, just in a smaller sized kibble. That's right, my 10 week old pup and my 2 year old dog BOTH get the same food. My Vet is comfortable with it, I did research and honestly find that it's much better than over half the foods designed for "puppies". I'm very paranoid of my food-allergen dog getting a stray morsel of puppy food, so I put them on the same thing. My pup is doing very well on it, and my new Vet is monitoring his progress. 

The biggest problem I find with dog foods and puppy foods is that information gets tangled, no TRUE research study has ever been done on the nutritional value of dog food. It's sometimes a guessing game. I'm personally very comfortable with the decision I made and the food choice, for both of my dogs.


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## kerplunk105 (Mar 5, 2008)

As far as I know, Evo is fine for smaller breed puppies...it was recommended (I think even by the company), because of the calcium levels to wait for larger breed puppies until they are closer to full grown to switch over. I personally have switched over at 6 months with (large breed) pups and never had a problem.


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