Is it ok to mix cr@ppy puppy food with quality?

[Rua]

Right, so...

My 12 week old is currently being fed Pedigree Large Breed Junior food. Please don't lambaste me for this - I already know what a dire mistake this is. In my defence, I was feeding Juno what her breeder fed her and up until joining this forum was poorly educated about dog food. I very much want to improve her diet and need a bit of direction.

Lately Juno's stinky poos have been very mudpie-ish and she poos a ridiculous amount of times per day (up to 6 or 7 times - not cool). I know this is related to the fact she's on this food.

I currently supplement her diet with organic yogurt, ev olive oil, cod liver oil. sweet potatoes (in an effort to curb the poo issue), and occasionally eggs and cooked chicken. For a dog that's on Pedigree, her coat is fabulous and I put that down to the supplements. But here is my question:

Can I mix this Pedigree food with a quality grain free one like TOTW or Orijen Puppy - say at about 50/50? Unfortunately I am currently stuck with about 30 kilos (yes you read right) of the Pedigree, and I don't want to just dump it all. I do not plan to buy it ever again, but I just need to know if it's safe to mix it with a grain-free or other high quality grub just till it's gone. The reason I ask this is I've heard that you aren't supposed to mix foods because then your pup won't get the full benefit of nutrients from either one. I really want to give Juno a good diet, so any suggestions would be really helpful.

Thanks in advance.

[BR870]

Mixing is fine. In fact it is suggested when switching from one food to the other...

However, a growing pup should not be eating grain frees like TOTW. Most have too high a calcium level to be safe for growing pups. Make sure you check the calcium content on any food for your pup. If it exceeds 1.5% it is not appropriate for growing pups...

[N Smith]

Yes you can mix it, but really, why would you want to? Do you have a shelter, or humane society nearby? I am certain they would appreciate the food.

You will need some to mix with the new food to transition her, but other than that it will not help her to mix the two, it will also not kill her. So after you transition her to the new food, just add the rest into the new food.

[LaRen616]

I also suggest not feeding TOTW to your puppy, it is a good kibble but I wouldn't feed it to a puppy.

I can only recommend the puppy formulas I have tried and liked.

Solid Gold Wolf Cub
Blue Buffalo for Large Breed puppy
Wellness Super5Mix for Large Breed puppy (currently feeding my puppy this)

[Rua]

Originally Posted by N Smith

Yes you can mix it, but really, why would you want to? Do you have a shelter, or humane society nearby? I am certain they would appreciate the food.

I don't know of any shelter that would take that food. Everyone is mad into Royal Canin over here. LOL

[Rua]

I've actually read that about TOTW not being great for puppies on here. I thought maybe if it was mixed it would be ok. I plan to give it to her as an adult.
But I suppose what I really need to do is narrow down a decent puppy food for her for right now.

I'm rather limited in what I can get over here. Our equivalent of PetSmart only sells Royal Canin, Red Mills and Pedigree. No grain free stuff.

Online I can get Acana, Orijen (at 90 euro a bag. Yeesh!!), and Nutro. Haven't been able to find any of the other suggested brands though.

[Freestep]

I know what you mean about not wanting things to go to waste. I'm the same way. But I wouldn't mix the Pedigree in with a better food--in this case, since your pup has already got yucky poo, I'd just start her cold turkey on a better food and get rid of the Pedigree. The reason people advice to transition slowly to a new food is to avoid GI upset, but her GI tract is already upset anyway, so I wouldn't bother with a slow transition.

Pedigree dog food is great for chickens. Perhaps you could donate the bag to someone who raises poultry?

[Rua]

Originally Posted by Freestep

Pedigree dog food is great for chickens. Perhaps you could donate the bag to someone who raises poultry?

Is it really?? I have 30 hens and a rooster. It didn't even occur to me to give it to them. That's a brilliant idea actually. Why didn't I think of that??? Freestep, you're a genius! I've given the hens cat food in the past when they are moulting. Actually, the dog food would be ideal. Oh my word....why didn't I think of that? Thank you! I really hated the idea of wasting it, even if is a crap food. lol

Right so, now all I gotta do is find a decent puppy food. I wish Ireland wasn't so limited in it's choice! It's really annoying.

[skphotoimages]

First off you haven't made a dire mistake. Yes better foods are, well, better. I wasn't educated on my last GSD, and she ate iams for her first 2 years, then science diet for the next 4, and nutro for the next 8+ years. She lived to be over 14 and was always in great health.

That being said I too am like you. My GSD puppy came to us eatting science diet. His poo smelled horrible and he went 4 or 5 times a day. I switched him to TOTW (before this forum) and he started gaining 7lbs a week. He was growing WAY to fast..so definitly don't feed that. Now he is on Solid Gold wolf cub and things have been great. He only gains 2-3 lbs per week now, poos 2-3 times a day and they don't stink.

He's 17 weeks old now and I'm trying to het gim on to Wolf King because the calcium and protein is lower. His poos aren't that great right now despite transitioning at a snails pace. Not sure why yet. It's either the Wolf King, these treats my husband gives him, or something in the yard. His eyes are gunky too..so maybe it's an allergy. Time will tell.

I hope you find a good food readily available to you. This forum is great for suggestions.

[Germanshepherdlova]

Take it to a shelter-the city dog pound can for sure use it!