# Grain Free Puppy Food



## krisgil88 (Apr 24, 2012)

Hello!
Is there a grain free puppy food that you all like? I did use TOTW until the recall and then switched to Acana, which is going well except for trying to figure out how much to feed him. He is currently 34 pounds and getting 2 3/4 cups a day. I did the calculation listed on their website and took the dogs weight into consideration to arrive at that amount. Sometimes he still seems hungry so I might give him a little more, but I'm worried about overfeeding. 
I know it would be much easier to feed a puppy food that would spell out exactly the amount that he should be eating. My other issue is that he will probably be about 55 pounds full grown, and some consider that a large breed puppy. I'm not sure if he should be on a large breed formula or not.
2 more questions...how long do you feed a dog puppy food and when do you stop feeding 3 times a day? 

Thanks for your help.


----------



## RedGermanPinscher (Jun 22, 2012)

There is no set amount that needs to be fed. The amount given on the bag is just a guideline 'average'. Every dog/puppy is different. Some will eat more some less. Rather than worrying about measurements, try focusing on overall health, activity level and body condition. If he/she is looking a little too thin up feedings, a little to heavy cut back.. And keep in mind the more active they are the hungrier they will be.


----------



## Gina_1978 (Jun 3, 2012)

Acana and Orijen do grain free kibble thats for all life stages and all breeds,meaning its both for puppy and adult dogs.This is what we´re currently feeding our yorkies (they´re 4 months old).

Acana Pacific,Acana Lamb and apple,Acana grasslands,Orijen 6 fish dog..these are 4 grain free kibbles for all stages that come to mind because I was looking into one of the 4 and stuck with Orijen  I know there are more,but not sure what ones are actually for all life stages.

Maybe someone else can help you with naming them all but I know there are a few  Thats what I LOVE about Acana and Orijen..alot of it is for both puppies and adults alike and for all breeds,and thats so handy! 

Edited to add,I agree that the guide on the bag is really just a rough graph to give you more or less of an idea.I have 2 yorkie pups that acording to the bag,should be eating 50ml of kibble each a day,and they get through half of that between them  As long as your dog is healthy and has a nice weight,you dont have to worry too much about the exact amount


----------



## krisgil88 (Apr 24, 2012)

RedGermanPinscher said:


> There is no set amount that needs to be fed. The amount given on the bag is just a guideline 'average'. Every dog/puppy is different. Some will eat more some less. Rather than worrying about measurements, try focusing on overall health, activity level and body condition. If he/she is looking a little too thin up feedings, a little to heavy cut back.. And keep in mind the more active they are the hungrier they will be.


I know there is no set amount and that the amounts are just guidelines, but is there a way to tell when they are full? I would think if I kept giving him more food that he would eat it. During the course of the day, I also feed him some "snacks" like so left over meat from dinner the previous night and some milk bones.


----------



## krisgil88 (Apr 24, 2012)

Gina_1978 said:


> Acana and Orijen do grain free kibble thats for all life stages and all breeds,meaning its both for puppy and adult dogs.This is what we´re currently feeding our yorkies (they´re 4 months old).
> 
> Acana Pacific,Acana Lamb and apple,Acana grasslands,Orijen 6 fish dog..these are 4 grain free kibbles for all stages that come to mind because I was looking into one of the 4 and stuck with Orijen  I know there are more,but not sure what ones are actually for all life stages.
> 
> ...


Pacifica, Wild Prairie, Grasslands and Ranchlands are all grain free. I was told by the Acana rep not to feed Grasslands or Ranchlands until my large breed pup was fully grown due to a higher amount of one of the ingredients(which escapes me at the moment, possibly calcium) as it would encourage quicker growth. I noticed today on Acana's website that they also make a few puppy formulas. The only grain that they contain as far as I can tell is steel cut oats. Would giving my pup steel cut oats be bad?


----------



## RedGermanPinscher (Jun 22, 2012)

krisgil88 said:


> Pacifica, Wild Prairie, Grasslands and Ranchlands are all grain free. I was told by the Acana rep not to feed Grasslands or Ranchlands until my large breed pup was fully grown due to a higher amount of one of the ingredients(which escapes me at the moment, possibly calcium) as it would encourage quicker growth. I noticed today on Acana's website that they also make a few puppy formulas. The only grain that they contain as far as I can tell is steel cut oats. Would giving my pup steel cut oats be bad?


OATS are definitely one of the better grains...


----------



## Gally (Jan 11, 2012)

The best way to tell if you are feeding too much or too little is to watch the dog's body condition. A dog should have a visible waistline from above, and tucked tummy from the side. You should be able to easily feel the ribs in a long coated dog.


----------



## RedGermanPinscher (Jun 22, 2012)

krisgil88 said:


> I know there is no set amount and that the amounts are just guidelines, but is there a way to tell when they are full? I would think if I kept giving him more food that he would eat it. During the course of the day, I also feed him some "snacks" like so left over meat from dinner the previous night and some milk bones.


Especially If your pup is young, I would definitely cut out all treats except for those that are used during training sessions and even then keep it to a minimum.. As far as continuing to eat, I can not say because now that my Riley has adjusted to a grain free diet (from Dog Chow) i can honestly say I've never had a problem with a dog over eating, they have always stopped when they are full. My suggestion to you is to continue with the amount you are feeding and only worry about adjusting it if you see a dramatic increase or decrease in weight and/or a change in stool consistancy that can not be medically explained.. Overfeeding can cause loose stool.


----------



## krisgil88 (Apr 24, 2012)

Thanks for the info Gally!


----------



## Nialr35 (May 9, 2012)

I'm glad you asked this because I have a similar question.

From my own exp. I own two american bulldogs, they are almost 4 months and a half and I currently feed them 3 cups per day of Acana Wild Prairie, divided into three feedings. 

My female looks good but my male looks a little on the thin side. The problem with him was that any little thing that he eats causes loose stools(thus making him lose weight because of diarrhea) and he had worms couple of months ago which is why I assumed he was not growing as much as his sister. So after dewormings and such, they are both eating the same amount but I think I will have to give him more than 3 cups per day because he's is too thin since I can see his ribs.

I really don't know what to do though, I just want him to gain weight!! My sister-in-law bought a littermate and he is bigger than him( they feed him TOTW adult venison/bison formula, IMO they shouldn't feed him this yet) and I'm assuming he is bigger because that food has 2.1 calcium which is ALOT more than Acana. Could that be the reason why he looks bigger than my pup? Her pup's body and head are a lot bigger than my pup's.

Anyway, seeing as how I'm feeding him 3 cups per day and his stools are fine, should I up his food? They probably weight around 30 lbs. I know on Acana's website it says to feed puppies between 4 to 8 months the amount on the bag times 1.5.

Thanks for any feedback.


----------



## RedGermanPinscher (Jun 22, 2012)

Personally, if you feel that he is a little too thin I would first retest for any intestinal issues and (provided they come back clear) then i would up his food intake by 1/4 of a cup to start. Some stomach upset may occur but should clear up within a couple days. Please also keep in mind every dog is different (just like with people you can have siblings of different shapes and sizes) provided they are being well cared for overall, all dogs will grow to their genetically predisposed size reguardless of what is being fed.

Edit to add: Not sure what the calorie count is for Acana but if uping his food intake does not work may be finding a food with a higher calorie count per cup will. Good luck. Remember slow and steady growth is what you want. And 30ish pounds at 4-5 months sounds good to me as long as they are active and healthy.


----------

