[spyla]

I have a GSD ( Shadow, 17 months) and Mutt (Pepper, 14.5 years). Shadow eats TOTW but used be on Science Diet (SD) large breed Adult. Pepper is on SD senoir 7+.

I have some (15-20 LB) SD large breed adult kibble left which shadow does not eat. Can I feed this to Pepper?

Money is not the issue. if I can't feed it to Pepper I will donate the food to a shelter. Pepper will eat anything given to him. Pepper has eaten this kibble in the past when I have run out of food in the middle of a week and had no issues, but have not given it to him continously.

 

[roxy84]

it probably wouldnt hurt anything in the short term, since both SD formulas are mostly corn and other grains anyway.

since money isnt an issue, have you ever considered just feeding the senior TOTW or some other higher protein, grain free offering?

 

[Deuce]

It's dog food...it's not going to hurt him

 

[spyla]

since money isnt an issue, have you ever considered just feeding the senior TOTW or some other higher protein, grain free offering?

he has been SD for 14.5 years , just different formulas. Don't feel like changeing now, not sure how he will take it

 

[selzer]

I see no reason to change a dog's food that has gotten it to 14.5 years. Feed him the puppy formula. One bag of it won't kill him. Well, maybe it will. But the dog is 14.5 years old, if he dies while eating the puppy formula, how would you ever prove that was what got him?

However, changing this poor old senior to TOTW, which is probably much higher in protein and much different all the way around, MIGHT cause him problems.

The fact is this older dog will get sick at some point in the next few years, and you really do not want to blame the dog food, because then you will blame yourself for changing it. So, I would stick with the science diet and go ahead with the puppy formula. I would NOT give the dog TOTW.

Of course, I am one of the few that had problems with TOTW. And as it is made by Diamond, I am not thrilled with it, so I may be slightly prejuidiced.

 

[AbbyK9]

I'm a big fan of TOTW and have never had any issue feeding it to my pups, but I agree with selzer that you should probably just stick with the Science Diet for your senior and feed him the puppy kind while you have it. There should be no ill effects from it.

 

[roxy84]

I see no reason to change a dog's food that has gotten it to 14.5 years. .

i only mentioned it because the old myth that senior dogs need less protein has been debunked, and seniors need that higher protein to help with muscle mass....the SD senior has ultra low protein and no meat....who knows how much longer the dog may live.

anyway, thats my spiel. i understand wanting to maintain the status quo for a senior, but i think if the dog is relatively healthy a change of food would not necessarily be hard on the dog.

 

[selzer]

I would not make such a radical change from Science Diet to a grain free food. That is a radical change. If I felt the need to change, I would probably switch to something in the middle like Nutro Natural Choice, or Purina Pro Plan, and go slow on the switch. But why? If the dog is doing fine on it, why switch?

I have never had so many food issues until I tried to go five star. My dogs did not do well on grain free foods either. It is a hard sell when your dogs did fine on Dads, Purina, Diamond, and Nutro, and then you go to the high power foods and have nothing but trouble.

It almost makes me wonder if these jam packed foods with their lesser quantity/less poo ideology is actually harder for some dogs to process. My parents' dogs lived to fourteen and fifteen on Dads trail mix and Alpo/Purina Come and Get it. I don't get it. I certainly would not switch an elderly dog that has been eating this kind of food all its life.

My biggest beef with Science Diet is that it costs an arm and a leg and is not any better than some of the other cheaper brands out there.

I am not a fan of giving dogs different foods for different stages in their lives. In the beginning of dog food there was one food stage and you fed it to all of your dogs. Then came cycle 1 to cycle 4. Then everyone jumped on the band wagon. Now we have Senior lamb and rice, sensitive stomach, enhanced skin and coat formula. And RC 24 specifically for German Shepherd Adults. Whatever. It is still all junk.

 

[Zoeys mom]

If it is working leave it alone,lol Pepper can handle a little adult dog food even though it's not the senior kind. You could add some joint supplements in there if you wanted but honestly it's such a small amount of food I wouldn't freak

 

[sable123]

I would not make such a radical change from Science Diet to a grain free food. That is a radical change. If I felt the need to change, I would probably switch to something in the middle like Nutro Natural Choice, or Purina Pro Plan, and go slow on the switch. But why? If the dog is doing fine on it, why switch?

I have never had so many food issues until I tried to go five star. My dogs did not do well on grain free foods either. It is a hard sell when your dogs did fine on Dads, Purina, Diamond, and Nutro, and then you go to the high power foods and have nothing but trouble.

It almost makes me wonder if these jam packed foods with their lesser quantity/less poo ideology is actually harder for some dogs to process. My parents' dogs lived to fourteen and fifteen on Dads trail mix and Alpo/Purina Come and Get it. I don't get it. I certainly would not switch an elderly dog that has been eating this kind of food all its life.

My biggest beef with Science Diet is that it costs an arm and a leg and is not any better than some of the other cheaper brands out there.

I am not a fan of giving dogs different foods for different stages in their lives. In the beginning of dog food there was one food stage and you fed it to all of your dogs. Then came cycle 1 to cycle 4. Then everyone jumped on the band wagon. Now we have Senior lamb and rice, sensitive stomach, enhanced skin and coat formula. And RC 24 specifically for German Shepherd Adults. Whatever. It is still all junk.

The best food I have ever used for heavy doubled coated dogs is Pro Pac. I pay $26 for a 33lb bag and its 100% GTD. The GSD I am watching is a totally different dog on it. He came to me eating Canine Caviar Venison and looked like ****. When my friend comes back and takes him home he won't believe it.

Pro Pac is quite a few steps up from what you mentioned but still just a regular food with great ingredients and properly made.

 

[selzer]

What is GTD?