Overwhelmed with food choices!

kayliyth · 03-13-2013, 02:04 AM

My husband and I are getting a GSD puppy from our breeder this week and we're super excited to have him with us but we want to feed him the best we can afford. I know RAW has been said as the best, but honestly we just don't have the room for the frozen foods, and I don't necessarily have the time/knowledge to feed it. Thus its just not an option for us at this very point in our lives (but we are going to revisit it eventually).

That being said. We're looking to spend up to $60/30lb bag (Canadian dollars) for puppy/dog food. I've been informed that large breed puppy food is better than regular puppy food. And that sometimes you can get away with just feeding puppy food! But I'm just so confused as to which food is really better. We don't want to have to switch dog foods because its been recalled.

I live in a city with several different private owned stores as well as a Walmart and a Petsmart. So I would be able to get MOST dog foods. What do you suggest?

Thanks for your time!

**Cassidy's Mom** · 03-13-2013, 02:19 AM

Do you know what the breeder is feeding the puppies? If it's a decent food and your puppy is doing well, you could just leave him on that, at least for awhile.

I had very good luck with Orijen Large Breed Puppy food for Halo, but it is one of the most expensive foods you can buy.

ragu · 03-13-2013, 03:28 AM

I agree. Ask your breeder and they should lead you in the right direction. Ask them about every food you'd like to know about. Like my breeder told me "Ask us first. It is our job to answer every question you have." I get mine In May and already asked about food. Man that seems so long from now. Good Luck

Lin · 03-13-2013, 05:01 AM

Its usually large breed puppy, or just adult not just regular puppy food. The reason is because with large breeds we don't want them to grow too fast, and regular puppy food encourages fast growth. So large breeds typically have their own puppy foods or are transitioned on to adult foods sooner than other breeds.

For the most part puppies do not have different dietary needs than adults and adult food is fine. The exceptions are things like high calcium content in grain free foods (not good for puppies) and the foods that encourage too fast of growth.

Ken Clean-Air System · 03-13-2013, 09:57 AM

I'd look for either a large breed puppy food, or an 'All Life Stages' food. Make sure the food you choose has a low percentage of calcium (I try to stay below 1.6% or so, but lower may be better) and a ratio of calcium to phosphorus of close to 1:1.

kayliyth · 03-13-2013, 10:33 AM

Thanks, when I talk to the breeder today I'll reconfirm. Mostly because i lost the paper I had it written down. It wasn't a brand I was familiar with so I"ll double check.

kayliyth · 03-19-2013, 11:03 PM

So I finally remembered to reconfirm with the food (as hubby was like "uh what food are we picking up for the puppy?" you can imagine the curses as I scrambled to find out what brand it was). Our breeder feeds Royal Canine German Shepherd Puppy. I will get a gift card as part of my puppy pack for a 30lb bag! Which is great..But I've heard Royal Canine is not the GREATEST.

Has anyone fed it? Do they do well? I would rather feed an expensive food that puppy does well on than a less expensive food that puppy does shoddy on. Also is Royal Canine part of those recalls that seems to happen all too often? I really REALLY don't want to be on a brand that I'm going to have to wonder if its going to kill my dog.

BAN-ONE · 03-20-2013, 08:27 PM

I think regardless you should feed him the RC for about at least week until he gets settled in. Then slowly switch him to which ever food you choose.
Looking forward to some pics

GermanShepherdDog · 04-16-2013, 08:15 PM

I would never feed Royal Canin and know a lot of people who have had bad experiences with Royal Canin. Royal Canin is a really junky and low quality dog food. I'd go with Orijen or Acana.

kayliyth · 04-16-2013, 08:33 PM

I chose to go with Fromm in the end, he didn't like his Royal Canin but thanks =)

03-13-2013, 02:04 AM	#1 (permalink)
kayliyth Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Vancouver Island Canada Posts: 123	Overwhelmed with food choices! My husband and I are getting a GSD puppy from our breeder this week and we're super excited to have him with us but we want to feed him the best we can afford. I know RAW has been said as the best, but honestly we just don't have the room for the frozen foods, and I don't necessarily have the time/knowledge to feed it. Thus its just not an option for us at this very point in our lives (but we are going to revisit it eventually). That being said. We're looking to spend up to $60/30lb bag (Canadian dollars) for puppy/dog food. I've been informed that large breed puppy food is better than regular puppy food. And that sometimes you can get away with just feeding puppy food! But I'm just so confused as to which food is really better. We don't want to have to switch dog foods because its been recalled. I live in a city with several different private owned stores as well as a Walmart and a Petsmart. So I would be able to get MOST dog foods. What do you suggest? Thanks for your time!

03-13-2013, 02:19 AM	#2 (permalink)
Cassidy's Mom No Stinkin' Leashes Moderator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 27,395	Do you know what the breeder is feeding the puppies? If it's a decent food and your puppy is doing well, you could just leave him on that, at least for awhile. I had very good luck with Orijen Large Breed Puppy food for Halo, but it is one of the most expensive foods you can buy. __________________ -Debbie- Dena 9/12/04-10/4/08 Forever would have been too short Keefer 8/25/05 Halo 11/9/08 FDCh-G TF-III Cassidy 6/8/00-10/4/04

03-13-2013, 05:01 AM	#4 (permalink)
Lin Knighted Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Posts: 3,421	Its usually large breed puppy, or just adult not just regular puppy food. The reason is because with large breeds we don't want them to grow too fast, and regular puppy food encourages fast growth. So large breeds typically have their own puppy foods or are transitioned on to adult foods sooner than other breeds. For the most part puppies do not have different dietary needs than adults and adult food is fine. The exceptions are things like high calcium content in grain free foods (not good for puppies) and the foods that encourage too fast of growth. __________________ Assistance Dog Advocacy Project member in education and Service Dog Handler.

04-16-2013, 08:33 PM	#10 (permalink)
kayliyth Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Vancouver Island Canada Posts: 123	I chose to go with Fromm in the end, he didn't like his Royal Canin but thanks =) __________________ My unconventional pack: BMU Kratos Chrono - Domestic Short Haired Cat Sylvanas - Domestic Medium Haired Cat Havoc - Ferret

03-13-2013, 03:28 AM	#3 (permalink)
ragu New Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Chicago Posts: 8	I agree. Ask your breeder and they should lead you in the right direction. Ask them about every food you'd like to know about. Like my breeder told me "Ask us first. It is our job to answer every question you have." I get mine In May and already asked about food. Man that seems so long from now. Good Luck

03-13-2013, 09:57 AM	#5 (permalink)
Ken Clean-Air System Master Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Palmyra, NY Posts: 511	I'd look for either a large breed puppy food, or an 'All Life Stages' food. Make sure the food you choose has a low percentage of calcium (I try to stay below 1.6% or so, but lower may be better) and a ratio of calcium to phosphorus of close to 1:1.

03-13-2013, 10:33 AM	#6 (permalink)
kayliyth Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Vancouver Island Canada Posts: 123	Thanks, when I talk to the breeder today I'll reconfirm. Mostly because i lost the paper I had it written down. It wasn't a brand I was familiar with so I"ll double check.

03-19-2013, 11:03 PM	#7 (permalink)
kayliyth Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Vancouver Island Canada Posts: 123	So I finally remembered to reconfirm with the food (as hubby was like "uh what food are we picking up for the puppy?" you can imagine the curses as I scrambled to find out what brand it was). Our breeder feeds Royal Canine German Shepherd Puppy. I will get a gift card as part of my puppy pack for a 30lb bag! Which is great..But I've heard Royal Canine is not the GREATEST. Has anyone fed it? Do they do well? I would rather feed an expensive food that puppy does well on than a less expensive food that puppy does shoddy on. Also is Royal Canine part of those recalls that seems to happen all too often? I really REALLY don't want to be on a brand that I'm going to have to wonder if its going to kill my dog.

03-20-2013, 08:27 PM	#8 (permalink)
BAN-ONE Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 73	I think regardless you should feed him the RC for about at least week until he gets settled in. Then slowly switch him to which ever food you choose. Looking forward to some pics

04-16-2013, 08:15 PM	#9 (permalink)
GermanShepherdDog Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: USA Posts: 68	I would never feed Royal Canin and know a lot of people who have had bad experiences with Royal Canin. Royal Canin is a really junky and low quality dog food. I'd go with Orijen or Acana.

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