Puppy Food

[Optimus]

I heard Advance Reydratable is best because of the add colostrum.

Some people also say to give ite chicken mince and veg. Do they mean raw chicken mince or cooked? My puppy is 8 weeks old.

[The Spotted Devil]

What breed Optimus? It's important as large breeds, for example, have different requirements. My lad is on Advance Growth for Large Breeds - it's highly recommended by several vets (not just because they sell it, either). If you're feeding a dry food, there's no need to supplement but there's nothing wrong with a chicken neck or similar - I give my boy one last thing at night...he loves it! I'm not knocking BARF or raw feeding either, but dog nutrition is complicated, especially for puppies, so I would personally stick with a top quality commercial feed if you're not prepared to fully research raw feeding. Hope that helps :D

ETA: as for the colostrum...it's usually bovine colostrum. A great source of protein but doesn't do anything in terms of immunity - firstly because cow antibodies are different from dogs but also because the GI tract of an animal is only able to absorb antibodies (whole proteins rather than amino acids) in the first week or two of life. It may help to line the GI tract and prevent sensitivity.....or not!

Edited May 25, 2007 by The Spotted Devil

[GoldenWei]

probably should keep puppy on the same food as he/she is used to for the first few days, and then slowly introduce something different... What is puppy on now? Did you get him from a breeder? My goldie puppy is on pro plan large breed puppy, as recommanded by his breeder. like spotted devil said, it does depend on what breed puppy is as well.

[Doghouse]

I have my girls on supermarket food, Pedigree ( I know I will get flamed, but they like it and it is all I can access) but they also eat 3 kilos of fresh top quality mince (with added eggs x 4) per week, brisket (lamb and beef) lamb shanks, beef bones, pasta, fresh blanched vegies and rice and any appropriate left overs and they are thriving... They also get the occassional pigs ear or chew bone to keep them entertained.. really whatever works for you should be fine as long as they are thriving... :D

[Optimus]

:D Thanks so much for the info. My pup is a shitzhu x poodle. I ended up buying him Advance Rehydratable and Advance canned food. The pet store where I bought it said to re-hydrate it and mix with a tablespoon of wet food. They said that that is what the breeder fed it but who knows?? It looks like a good brand. I bought 8kgs. Afterwards, I am going to move my pup to Eagle Pack, I think. Right now I might mix his diet up with a bit of fresh chicken mince and veg once in a while.

[Gayle.]

I have a 12 week old Australian Shepherd, I am feeding him raw chicken pieces, raw meaty bones, lamb and beef offcuts, beef mince (human grade) cooked veges, rice and pasta. I'm slowly introducing Eagle Pack puppy kibble and today I bought some Ecopet rolls and will give him some of that for variety.

While I believe in a mostly raw diet, I think it's good for them to get used to commercial pet food as well, cos it makes it a whole lot easier if I ever need to have him minded.

[sas]

I'd continue to feed whatever your breeder fed. If you got your puppy from a Petshop, they won't know what the backyard breeder fed and will just make up whatever product the sell to get you to buy it.

Any premimum kibble is suitable, if you can find one for small dogs that would be ideal. Royal Canin tend to have specific kibble for small dogs/large dogs etc.

Kibble is a fully balanced meal, so adding anything to it unbalances it, so you may want to do some research into it.

For people who feed meat and veg with their kibble, you'll find that people usually feed raw meat bcause that's what digests better for dogs....after all their Canines not Humans who cook their food :D

If you give any veggies they need to be mashed otherwise they serve no purpose as they can no be digested correctly.

[bridgie_cat]

taste wise Lana likes optimum... not that I would still be feeding her puppy food... :D or would i??

eta assumed we were talking about dry puppy food... my bad for not reading the post

Edited May 26, 2007 by bridgie_cat

[poodlefan]

Does anyone ever wonder why dog nutrition is so complicated that we are supposed to feed only a processed diet.. and yet we manage to raise kids without it. :D When was the last time you saw a child with rickets? When was the last time you saw a nutitionist recommend children be raised on packet food.

The best diet for your pup is a high quality processed diet (read a few threads here about what people recommend) OR a well researched natural diet.

I've raised all my poodles on a raw diet. It's not the easiest way to feed but it suits me. I would recommend you feed some raw chicken necks or wings - good for your pup's teeth.

No weaned animal needs colostrum.. especially that from another species.

Edited May 26, 2007 by poodlefan

[Flaves]

PF that is why my dogs are on what they are on.

I wouldn't give my kids maccas every day so i won;t give my dogs it.

Optimo - eagle pack is very good food. Personally i would have gone for that before the advance. once you get down to about 1kg of advance get teh EP and start mixing it so your pup gets used to it and there are no poo issues when yo swap over.

Raw mince is great, yoghurt is also good and vegies.

Sardines too

[Gomez the Norfolk]

Exactly what Kristie said, start as you mean to go on, - the Eagle Pack Holistic chicken is suitable for puppies -

The only thing I will add is that Gomez could not tolerate yogurt as a puppy, he got the runs...

[pencilnibbler]

at the moment i'm feeding my 14 week old whippet pup a mixture of mostly the royal canin puppy digest & skin formula with a bit of minced whole chicken mixed through, and the occasional chicken neck.

i am still quite pro BARF though, and plan to feed a more natural diet once shes finished all of her growing as its much easier than working it all out at this point

[Poodle wrangler]

If changing you pup's food, do it gradually over about 4 days, mixing the new in with the old. Pup should be on 3-4 small meals/ day.

To avoid creating a fussy eater, feed much the same thing each day, rather than offering pup a "smorgasboard" :p .

I'm not sure where you got your pup, but friends of mine were sold a mixbreed and given some bad information from their "breeder" e.g. tablescraps were the best food for their dog (not true), no info about worming their dog fortnightly, heartworm, tick/ flea prevention etc. Please ask here if you don't have much info.

ETA: I give my dogs any meat mince raw, not cooked. Bones MUST be raw or will splinter and cause problems.

Edited June 3, 2007 by Poodle wrangler

[Pandora]

I feed my pup Optimum, puppy.

She was being fed on Paloney and puppy food biscuits, as well as My Dog, at the rescue, so I'm slowly changing her to Optimum.

She loves it.

Look into Hills Science Diet, we feed our cat that. Its great.

Vets + lecturer of mine recommends it.