zeketdot Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Hi guys, So we are getting our first Great Dane puppy in a few weeks. I've read all about them and I know they need specific food when pups (Protein/fat/calcium etc.) Our breeder has said she's always fed her Great Danes Uncle Albers, and that's what she's been feeding our puppy who is 6 and a half weeks ago now. Has anyone had experience with this brand of dog food? I'm just a little concerned, as it only states Protein and fat percentages and not the calcium etc? And I know not feeding them correctly when they're puppies can cause a lot of issues later on. This is the website for the food she's been using: http://www.lauckemil...u/dogfood2.html Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Uncle Albers is a very cheap food - we used it for years for our working sheepdogs . I am presuming your breeder is registered with Dogs SA ..and has been researched checked out by you ?;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivory & Beau Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 A Great Dane (or any large breed) breeder who feeds Uncles Albers screams red flags to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeketdot Posted November 10, 2014 Author Share Posted November 10, 2014 Uncle Albers is a very cheap food - we used it for years for our working sheepdogs . I am presuming your breeder is registered with Dogs SA ..and has been researched checked out by you ?;) That's what concerned me when I noticed how cheap it was, and didn't really state anything apart from Protein / fat levels. Is there any food that you recommend we feed her? Completely new to owning a Great Dane and don't want to cause it any issues in the future if it's avoidable! Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danois Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Sas will be along soon hopefully to give a lot of experienced advice re diet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 (edited) Hi, welcome and congrats on your new baby. I'm familiar with Uncle Albers. When I was putting together the diet info pack I had to contact them as they didn't list the info. It has a 1.6:1 calc:phos ratio and the ratio you want to aim for is 1.2:1 - 1.3:1. Here's the diet pack: http://www.greatdane...ing_a_puppy.pdf If you're new to Danes, you may enjoy this: http://www.greatdane...reat%20Dane.pdf Its ingredients are a bit how ya going with the first four all being low quality: Cooked Meat or Meat By Products Cooked Fish or Fish By Products Cooked cereals and wheaten bran Canola & Soybean Products But hey, if you want to feed something different, have a look through the diet link I gave you and give some options to your breeder of what you'd like to feed and I'm sure they'd be supportive. Also something you may find interesting: http://www.greatdane...ing_a_puppy.pdf Are you on Facebook? If so, join us at the Dane Training and Health group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/oz.dane.training.health/ Edited November 10, 2014 by sas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raineth Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 (edited) I would just say that feeding that food is a bit of a red flag for me too. I would take the opportunity to look closely at the breeder's practices and make sure you are happy with them before you pup gets to 8 weeks and it's time for you to pick him up. So I would be checking on the health testing that the dam and sire should have undergone (hips, elbows, heart, thyroid) and asking the breeder whether there are any related dogs with allergies or wobblers. Have a look at how well the parent dogs have done in the show ring. And lastly how well the puppies are being raised by the breeder. Because you haven't got your puppy yet, you have time to change your mind about getting him or her if there are things you are not comfortable about :) Edited November 10, 2014 by raineth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeketdot Posted November 10, 2014 Author Share Posted November 10, 2014 (edited) Hi, welcome and congrats on your new baby. I'm familiar with Uncle Albers. When I was putting together the diet info pack I had to contact them as they didn't list the info. It has a 1.6:1 calc:phos ratio and the ratio you want to aim for is 1.2:1 - 1.3:1. Wow, Thanks for all of the info, extremely helpful.. Will have a read through all of the pdfs when I get home from work. What food would you recommend feeding our puppy when we get her? EDIT: Just reading through the diet pack pdf you posted. Edited November 10, 2014 by zeketdot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Hi, welcome and congrats on your new baby. I'm familiar with Uncle Albers. When I was putting together the diet info pack I had to contact them as they didn't list the info. It has a 1.6:1 calc:phos ratio and the ratio you want to aim for is 1.2:1 - 1.3:1. Wow, Thanks for all of the info, extremely helpful.. Will have a read through all of the pdfs when I get home from work. What food would you recommend feeding our puppy when we get her? EDIT: Just reading through the diet pack pdf you posted. It's not really my place to go against what your breeder has recommended although I can tell you what I do/have fed: Canidae All Life Stages Holistic Select - Large/Giant Breed Puppy Blackhawk Fish & Potato Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 more important than changing food , at this point is that you KNOW the breeder is one who has done all relevant health tests of the parents - that the pup's 'family' have been good sound dogs , and that the breeder's prefix can be found where dogs have been assessed as being terrific examples of the breed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 ask your breeder why they choose to feed Uncle Albers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-o Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 ask your breeder why they choose to feed Uncle Albers. Yep, I'd be interested to know. Possibly because it's cheap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 I shudder to think of the cost to feed a litter of growing Dane pups... it used to cost me a small fortune to feed litters of crossbreed rescue pups that were nowhere near as large as a Dane pup. If the breeder is feeding cheap because it's cheap, then I'd probably walk away - I'd be worried about what other expenses they'd possibly foregone due to costs also. T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 ask your breeder why they choose to feed Uncle Albers. Yep, I'd be interested to know. Possibly because it's cheap? maybe but they also might have found the pups do well on it. I don't feed expensive puppy food to my greyhounds, grows them too fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 http://www.greatdanelady.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danois Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 (edited) The information Sas has provided goes into all the details about choosing the right breeder etc when it comes to Great Danes. The resource that she has put together is the collation of of many years of experience with the breed from breeders, owners, vet sources etc. I know a number of breeders who feed cheaper foods for Dane puppies in the first short period of time - and for many it is a result if years of experience rearing puppies on that food. Great Dane Lady is a good resource too - starting to date in some areas though. Edited November 10, 2014 by Danois Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 (edited) From my experience with Dane breeders who feed cheap foods they do so because it's affordable and also because they don't believe they have had issues growing their pups on it, I may not always agree from watching those pups grow but what breeders choose to feed their dog is none of my business unless I am buying one of their pups. My belief though is that puppy buyers should always be supported by their breeder in selecting a high quality kibble to feed their puppy if they so desire. Edited November 11, 2014 by sas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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