Gun Dog Forum

Daisy is a 9 week old black lab. I want her to reach her potential and be big strong and healthy. What food should I have her on now and what should she graduate too and when? Thanks

Put her on a good quality food that is readily available, that you can afford, and your pup likes, though I have never found a food that pups of that age don't like. That should work for you and your pup. If there was one single feed that your pup should be on we all would be feeding it and the others wouldn't exist. I start thm on a good feed and don't have to switch them. Like to see the pup stay a little lean and not grow to fast as rapid growth and too much weight causes many of the puppyhood problems with joints plus aches and pains.

Ezzy

Ezzy said it best... whats available and affordable to YOU.

Where do you live, country or city? Where can you shop big chain pet stores or private pet or feed stores?
Private pet and feed stores have more choices of higher end foods than the big box chain pet stores don't carry.

The best prices are at the Costco. The Kirkland dry dog foods are made by Diamond Pet Food and are much like their Diamond Naturals line for much less money. The Kirkland Pupy Chicken Rice 28/17 formula is great at this age. The adult Chicken Rice 26/16 works well for large breed pups and you don't have to change when it's an adult.

I personaly like CANIDAE All Life Stage 24/14.5 formula, it works very well too and costs $44 for the 44# bag here in So. California. $1.00 a pound is a pretty good price today for dog food. I wouldn't use any grain free foods for pups at this age. To high protein and the calcium/phos ratio the to high. Much better for grown dogs that can use the higher protein.

Just my thought.
MikeB

Sams Club has EXCEED and many here us the chicken/rice 30/20 for those high energy breeds. It is a lot like Pro Plan Performance or Eukanuba performance formulas.

So decide where you want to shop and then ask about a specific brand/formula that is available and affordable for you.

Ezzy is correct. You don't need a special puppy feed either. In all good feeds, the nutrients are balanced just fine.

I feed Loyall, usually the Active Adult. I feed a Llewellin pup that is almost 11 mos old. He eats sl less than other feeds, and I have never seen a dog with a nicer coat. It costs me about 70 cents a pound, and it is better than most. However, most dogs do well on most good feeds.

It's hard with a new puppy to just go and pick one feed. I know when I had to do that 6 years ago it seemed like a daunting task. What I would suggest is to continue feeding what your pup's breeder fed so long as it's available to you and within your budget. Then, as your pup grows, you can evaluate whether or not the feed is doing everything it's required to do.

It's easier to do this type of evaluation on a slightly older puppy because when you first bring a pup home its stools are likely to be soft or runny no matter what you're feeding, simply due to the stress of change.

And when you're evaluating a feed, don't feel like you need to change the pup's food each day. With my oldest dog, I've intentionally changed his brand of feed only twice from what I can remember. Canidae to Pro Plan due to a price hike at my feed supplier, and then from Pro Plan to Nutrisource again due to price and better stools. (Of course, when in a pinch I've fed other brands - but only seldom). Changing a dog's feed often (or changing it cold turkey) can lead to bouts of indigestion or softer stools just like stress.

Ayres wrote:What I would suggest is to continue feeding what your pup's breeder fed so long as it's available to you and within your budget. Then, as your pup grows, you can evaluate whether or not the feed is doing everything it's required to do.......

And when you're evaluating a feed, don't feel like you need to change the pup's food each day.

Excellent advice IMO.

You can often get foods and other supplies at breeders & boarding kennels at very good prices. We dont have classic feed stores anymore, they all sell Koi ponds and Teak furniture now. A Husky racer near me sells a food which if $60 per 40lbs at the local store for $38 on a three bag purchase.

mcbosco wrote:We dont have classic feed stores anymore...

Thankfully around my area we still do, but they're still usually a mixture of feed store/pet store, or feed store/farm supply. And, call me crazy, but I like walking through and just browsing. Being cooped up in an office most business days gives me cabin fever, especially in the spring and fall.