# Food (dry) advice for 3 1/2 month old shepherd mix puppies



## bossku69 (Jan 20, 2012)

I've spent a LOT of time reading about dog foods, from wet to dry, best brands and protein vs. carbs ratios, etc., however all these sites are just generalized to all puppies, which are not all the same.

My vet was pretty shocked when I asked about food recommendations for my breed of dog, how long to feed them, amounts based on weight, etc. She said most people say "what brand should I buy" and follow the directions on the bag. IMO, puppies/dogs are like people, your not going to feed your 3 month old child a NY strip steak with a potato, so why not take the same approach to dogs?

My two puppies are a shepherd mix, one looks more German and the other looks more English, but hard to tell (both adopted at 3 months). They are currently eating Chicken Soup at 1 cup each 3x a day. If there is something "better" I would like to switch them as soon as possible.

I've read conflicting arguments about high and low protein per serving at certain ages, but I wanted to hear from some owners here, rather that someone taking a guess and writing a blog online.

The brands I'm looking at so far seem to have some good quality food, I wouldn't want to feed my dogs anything I wouldn't eat  Orijen Puppy, Taste of the Wild, Blue Buffalo, Holistic Blend, Natural Balance and Wellness brands. I'm open to any suggestions, but I'd rather pay a bit more to have "better" food which is more tailored around nutrition values (% of pro, carbs, fats), then switch when they hit a certain weight or age.

Any suggestions? I wanted to ensure I am getting the right dog food for my breed of dogs. Thanks so much in advance!


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## PackMomma (Sep 26, 2011)

bossku69 said:


> I've spent a LOT of time reading about dog foods, from wet to dry, best brands and protein vs. carbs ratios, etc., however all these sites are just generalized to all puppies, which are not all the same.
> 
> My vet was pretty shocked when I asked about food recommendations for my breed of dog, how long to feed them, amounts based on weight, etc. She said most people say "what brand should I buy" and follow the directions on the bag. IMO, puppies/dogs are like people, your not going to feed your 3 month old child a NY strip steak with a potato, so why not take the same approach to dogs?
> 
> ...



Well, I can't offer you any advice for good food for your breeds, because each dog is quite different and can react differently to certain ingredeints regardless of breed, age and size. Have you considered a raw diet? IMO, this is definitely the best route to go for dogs if you can afford it, and if its convenient for you. 

Myself personally, I feed a partial raw partial dry diet, (kibble in the AM, raw in the PM). Both of my dogs were on straight raw until 4 months of age, then started with the kibble in the mornings. Zero health issues, zero food intolerances or sensitivities.

But if your looking to stick with the dry foods, depending on your location and what is easily accessible for you, I mix a few brands of kibble together and rotate different brands each time I buy. This way, i'm trying everything, and my dogs aren't getting too much or too little of certain ingredients or protiens, etc. I've fed Orijen, Acana, Blue Wilderness, Nature's Variety, NÖW!, TOTW (although I found this to cause severe bad gas), California Naturals, etc. There are plenty of quality dry dog foods out there, butyou have to find what works best for your dogs - regardless of breeds they're all going to react differently. Best bet is to try one that you like and are comfortable with the price, and see how they do. IMO, its a good idea to rotate, some people don't like the idea of mixing like I do, but this works for me and my dogs so I stick to it. But lots of people will stick to one or two brands they like and can afford and their dogs do well on, and rotate through some of the different flavors or varieties.

YOu can check out dogfoodadvisor.com on specific brands for overviews, they have listings for 1 star to 5 star rating foods. Good luck!


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## Miss Bugs (Jul 4, 2011)

yes each dog is different, and you should tailor to each dog rather then each breed, I have a 4 1/2 month old shepherd X Heeler pup, I am feeding Go! duck formula 1 1/4 cups 3X day..this based on HER..she is super active, Shepherd size rather then heeler size and growing like it, had a very stressfull start to life etc.. we chose the food based on her energy needs, and the best nutrient levels to keep her growth at a good pace to avoid stressing her joints... my 6 year old Toller however eats natural balance fish and sweet potato, she has allergies to near everything, grains(even rice and oatmeal) and pretty much every meat too, fish is the one she is "least" allergic too, so thats what works for her. the rest of my dogs eat raw at home and I rotate various kibbles for at work..there consideration are: Happy(BC-11 years) needs high protein/high fat, she is older, but still very active and doesnt hold weight well and doesnt like to eat. Misty(BC-9 years) needs LOWER protien or she gets urinary tract issues, but she is SUPER active, but has no weight issues. Rusty(JRT X-8 years) fine with pretty much anything.


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