Dog Food For Purebreds

[shortstep]

Wow this is fantastic. They are now making food just for pedigreed dog breeds that will help address some of the diseases found in those breeds.

http://products.royalcanin.us/products/dog-food/bulldog-24.aspx

For example this one is for English Bull dogs.

It addresses these common problems in the breed.

Flatulence

LESS FLATULENCE

English Bulldogs are prone to flatulence, due to their "highly active" digestive systems. BULLDOG 24™ is formulated with egg and soy, both very digestible protein sources.Highly digestible proteins, starches, insoluble minerals and balanced fibers help reduce flatulence and digestive upsets.

Sensitive Skin

WRINKLED SKIN CARE

The skin on the skull and forehead of the English Bulldog falls in dense folds. Routine care, in conjunction with Omega 3 fatty acids found in BULLDOG 24™, promotes healthy skin.For the Bulldog’s dermatitis-prone skin, we include antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids to strengthen the skin’s protective barrier.

Joint Health

JOINT HEALTH

The heavy, compact body of the English Bulldog can put extra stress on joints. BULLDOG 24™ contains supplemental glucosamine and chondroitin.Glucosamine and chondroitin help to protect the joints and Omega 3 fatty acids help to limit inflammation.

Unique Jaw

KIBBLE

The BULLDOG 24™ kibble is adapted to your Bulldog's unique (brachycephalic) jaw. The kibble shape is easier to grasp and chew.Bulldog 24™’s wave shape kibble, engineered specifically for this breed’s unique jaw, makes it easier to grasp and encourages chewing. Sodium tripolyphosphate is added to help reduce the accumulation of plaque and tartar by removing extra calcium in the mouth.

Edited June 22, 2011 by shortstep

[poodlefan]

Royal Canin has made a range of breed specific foods for some years now.

[shortstep]

So they do! I found this on the web site, a video for each breed discribeing the health problems in that breed that their food will help with.

http://www.royalcanin.us/library/videos.aspx

Each of these breeds has their own video, with health problem discussed and how the food will help the dog live a more normal life.

Cocker Spaniel

The Shih Tzu

The Pug

Golden Retriever

The Poodle

The Boxer

The Dachshund

The Labrador Retriever

Texturometer Video

Yorkshire Terrier Video

English Bulldog

German Shepherd Video

Chihuahua

Edited June 22, 2011 by shortstep

[WreckitWhippet]

It's not about helping a dog/breed to live a more "normal" life, it's about creating foods that meet the individual needs of different breeds.

It makes sense to put in additional oils, glucosamine, chondroitin, less gain, more protein, alternative protein sources etc.

You are once again trying to make something out of nothing.

Edited June 22, 2011 by ReadySetGo

[WreckitWhippet]

I could formualate a breed specific food for SBT's, and it doesn't mean the breed has gone down the toilet in terms of health but to optomise the health of my dogs the formula would be

grain free, preservative and colour free, contain omega 3/6/9, be a larger style kibble and would certainly contain glucosamine and chondroitin.

[aussielover]

I could formualate a breed specific food for SBT's, and it doesn't mean the breed has gone down the toilet in terms of health but to optomise the health of my dogs the formula would be

grain free, preservative and colour free, contain omega 3/6/9, be a larger style kibble and would certainly contain glucosamine and chondroitin.

Apart from the large kibble, what breeds wouldn't benefit from these suggestions?

I am a bit skeptical about these breed specific foods.

Are dogs really that different to require special breed specific diets? (aprt from dogs with medical conditions of course)

[WreckitWhippet]

If I was going to make a "greyhound " formula, I'd be thinking along the lines of higher fat, higher protein, increased calcium, antioxidants. That's just as a rough example but I bet every knowledgeable breeder could come up with a list of what they think their individual breed could benefit from

[shortstep]

If I was going to make a "greyhound " formula, I'd be thinking along the lines of higher fat, higher protein, increased calcium, antioxidants. That's just as a rough example but I bet every knowledgeable breeder could come up with a list of what they think their individual breed could benefit from

Oh sure but from what I am reading about with these diets is that they address, certain common issues in that breed. For example goldens they are addressing skin problems, Dachshunds attempting to prevent stress on the spine with muscle building, or for the brachy breeds, they mention boxers to help them get the food into their mouth, pugs to help them chew food which also will help their teeth, bulldogs also to help them pick up food and chew food.

That sort of thing, call what you like. I think the idea is that the issues are wide spread enough in the breed that they are to market the food for the breed to help with what ever issues they are addressing. And is to help that breed live a more normal life (for example a food that helps them to pick up food vs. food that caused them to have trouble picking up their food). Again call it what you will.

I think it is a great idea and I bet they will do well with idea.

Edited June 22, 2011 by shortstep

[poodlefan]

That sort of thing, call what you like. I think the idea is that the issues are wide spread enough in the breed that they are to market the food for the breed to help with what ever issues they are addressing. And is to help that breed live a more normal life (for example a food that helps them to pick up food vs. food that caused them to have trouble picking up their food). Again call it what you will.

I think it is a great idea and I bet they will do well with idea.

They do well out of me - I buy the poodle formula. ;) It recognises that they are a very long lived breed with a particular coat type and provides nutrients that reflect it - eye and brain support are two factors addressed.

RC do a very high fat "performance" food for mushing dogs and sighthounds (4400) but they only do 20kg bags. If they did smaller bags or provided samples, I'd try in on the Whippet.

[Are You Serious Jo]

If there's a bandwagon there'll be people jumping on board to make a buck out of it. If it weren't perpetuating negative stereotypes about purebreds I wouldn't care.

Edited June 22, 2011 by Reverend Jo

[oakway]

Personally I believe that it is a whole lot of hype to....come buy my dogfood.

Dogs have survived for years without specific foods.

I often wonder if it is not these grain laden dog foods that may have caused some of the problems that some owners face today.

[Nekhbet]

I found the rottweiler way too high in fat and oils for my rottweiler he mustn't be pure then I suppose. I do love their range, and their breed specific range does the job for a lot of people

[PuddleDuck]

I think eukanuba does a range of breed specific foods too

[Dju]

I could formualate a breed specific food for SBT's, and it doesn't mean the breed has gone down the toilet in terms of health but to optomise the health of my dogs the formula would be

grain free, preservative and colour free, contain omega 3/6/9, be a larger style kibble and would certainly contain glucosamine and chondroitin.

Apart from the large kibble, what breeds wouldn't benefit from these suggestions?

I am a bit skeptical about these breed specific foods.

Are dogs really that different to require special breed specific diets? (aprt from dogs with medical conditions of course)

I'm a bit skeptical about that sort of "specialised" food too. I remember when Panadol came out with "different" types of pain medication that was supposed to "target" back, period pain, headaches etc in each different box. They were different prices too, but when you look at the back of the box, what is the only ingredient in the pain medication? Paracetamol Some people are gullible/naive about those sorts of things and there's no doubt an industry out there who will milk that for all it's worth to make a buck.

That being said, I can't really say much about the range of dog food that caters to specific breeds, I guess because they haven't released a "Swedish Vallhund" variety :p

[Katdogs]

My only experience of the breed-specific foods is for Stevie (LabxGR). Her 'breeder' recommended the food (on a bit of paper from the pet shop when she was 5 and a half weeks old) so we stuck with it for a few years, first puppy then adult versions. Stevie's got some allergies (let's guess it's her Goldie half?) so we've changed to Canidae grain-free when we use dry. I wish the grain-free came in the big pieces with holes so she has to at least crunch once before scoffing down. Anything smaller can almost is just about sniffed up her nose

We add extra joint guard and Dr whatsisname's health vitamins anyway, so it was the shape of the Lab formula that was most attractive. It's a lot like some of the supermarket dry foods were like about 30 years ago, but then shelf space got expensive ;)

The shape is totally wrong for our other dogs, they're better with the small bits or softer food.

[poodlefan]

If there's a bandwagon there'll be people jumping on board to make a buck out of it. If it weren't perpetuating negative stereotypes about purebreds I wouldn't care.

It isn't. That's how some folk are interpreting the existence of the range.

Surely it's pure logic to suggest that the dietary requirements of a Shih Tzu and a GSD aren't identical in terms of fats, protein levels and vitamins and minerals?