What is your experience with dry food for Neapolitan Mastiffs or other types of giant breed.

[Ludo]

I know I can ask the breeder, but I would like to hear from others with experience with giant breed dogs like the Neapolitan Mastiff.  What do you feed your dog and the reasons why you use what you do and why you may have changed from another brand of food.  I am asking this for no other reason than so I can have more of a reference on this topic other than what the breeder has given.  I am not saying the breeder of my Neao is wrong or the food they have given isn't right.  I just want to have more info on food for giant breeds than I have right now.  Thanks in advance.

Edited May 9, 2018 by Ludo
Don't want to receive posts that arn't addressing the actual question.

[PANDI-GIRL]

Hi  @Ludo  

Stay Loyal  have a large breed puppy food, &  have a look at their website  it's good reading, 

[Ludo]

Thanks Pandi Girl I will check it out.

[persephone]

Ludo .. a responsible and ethical  breeder will provide , along with pedigree/health test info for parents etc , a diet sheet , recommended food  and perhaps a sample  to tide you over the settling- in period . Ask them when you enquire about a pup .
it is generally recommended large breed dogs be grown slowly  to avoid problems ... 

best of luck in your research

[Ludo]

Thanks persephone, I already have the pup and the info + food sample: they were feeding him.  He was turning his nose up at the sample given to me so I started giving him the supercoat puppy food that I got to tie him  over until I can get a better bag of food.  The supercoat was all that was all I could get access to at the time.  Better than nothing for now.   

[Dogsfevr]

You should be discussing this with your breeder ,your breeder is more savvy about the breeds needs and should be given the chance to work with you regarding options  and changes and reasons why it may not be eating the food ,is pup teething badly ,what else do you feed 

 

 

[Guest crazydoglady99]

LoI previously had a Cane Corso, and to be honest, I had tried him on a'll sorts of different dry foods, VAN, etc. But nothing came close to a raw diet. His coat was so much more sleek, his weight was stable and he was more content in general.

 

If you Google BARF (bones & raw food), or even if you can get your hands on Dr Ian Billinghursts' book "give your dog a bone". It will give you lots of great info to think about.

 

Edit to say - I originally fed raw chicken carcasses or similar along with dry food. But even on a brand like Eukanuba dry food (no idea how to spell that) he had a sparse patchy dry coat, and enormous soft stools. 

We had none of those issues on BARF.

Edited May 10, 2018 by crazydoglady99

[Danois]

Try this link https://www.australiangreatdaneguide.com/puppy-kibbles

 

This sets out recommended kibbles for giant breeds - from someone who has put a lot of work into analysing the ingredients and ratio. 

 

DO NOT feed raw to a giant puppy while they are growing.  It is too easy to eat ratios out and screw things up. However raw is awesome for once they’ve finished growing. 

[Sagittarian]

Have raised St Bernards on raw (Billinghurst and other versions), and various dry foods. Even big dog puppies need plenty of protein but keeping calories under control is important. Lean but neither under nor overweight is so important both for steady growth and joint health. Happy to answer specific questions, but if your breeder is experienced, then keep your conversation going with them.