(Part 3) Reddit mentions: The best dog food

You absolutely want to feed a Large Breed Puppy Food if possible. Also, feeding an adult food is a common piece of advice but adult foods are missing nutrients that a growing puppy needs.

> Excess caloric intake during growth in large and giant breed dogs promotes rapid growth which is associated with an increased incidence of skeletal disorders such as hip dysplasia and osteochondrosis. Feeding diets that are less calorically dense will not reduce adult size but will slow rate of growth so that mature size is achieved over a longer period. A slower growth rate is associated with fewer developmental orthopedic problems. In addition, both too much and not enough calcium can lead to developmental bone problems. For large breed dogs, this optimal range appears to be narrower than for other breeds, and excessive levels of calcium may contribute to bone disease. Therefore, moderately lower dietary calcium is recommended for the diet of growing large breed dogs.

...

> Should some puppies be fed adult foods?

> Alternatively, is it safe to feed a balanced adult dog food to a growing large breed puppy instead? To put it bluntly: no. The argument that adult foods are lower in caloric density than puppy foods and therefore are more appropriate for large breed puppies is not good advice. In fact, as we will see later in this chapter, the adult dog foods that are available today vary widely in calorie content, with some containing substantially more calories per cup than puppy foods. Adult diets are also not appropriately restricted in calcium content. So, the piece of advice that Ellie’s breeder got wrong was her recommendation to “feed an adult food” to Ellie. While this advice may have been prudent 30 years ago, before nutritionists knew how to best feed large and giant breed puppies, it is not only unhelpful today, but potentially harmful.

....

> We also know that growing puppies require a slightly higher proportion of dietary protein in their diet when compared to adult dogs. Some breeders and other dog enthusiasts mistakenly believe that increased dietary protein is the culprit that causes skeletal problems in large breed dogs. However, this is another false belief —as we discussed, excess energy consumption is the problem for large breed puppies, not protein.

• All excerpts from Dog Food Logic: Making Smart Decisions for Your Dog in an Age of Too Many Choices
  
  The following foods are designed for Large Breed Puppies and have been through AAFCO feeding trials to further support their claims of having appropriate nutrients for growing puppies.
  
  
• Innova Large Breed Puppy Food
  
• Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy
  
• Iams ProActive Large Breed Puppy Food
  
• Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy Food
  
• Purina One SmartBlend Large Breed Puppy Food
  
• Bil-Jac Large Breed Puppy food
  
• Hill's Science Diet Puppy Large Breed
  
• Hill's Ideal Balance Large Breed
  
  More info on Large Breed Puppy nutrition:
  
  
• Nutrition for the Growing Puppy | Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Virginia-Maryland
  
• FEEDING GROWING ANIMALS | Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Virginia-Maryland
  
• Frequently Asked Questions about General Pet Nutrition | Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University
  
• What is Large Breed Puppy Food? | petMD
  
• Large Breed Puppy Food vs. Adult Dog Food | petMD
  
• Feeding the Large and Giant Breed Puppy | petMD
  
• Nutrition in Large Breed Puppies | SkeptVet

Hey there. I'm willing to buy a bag of nutritious dog food to help your "number one fan" get by, but I didn't trust that Purina brand you had on your list.

I did a 5 min search online and found it didn't rate that highly on dogfoodadvisor.com (1/5 stars). If you throw something better on the list like the ones below, I'll gladly send some your way.

• Orijen 6-Fish Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 15.4lb (5 star)
  
  
• Acana Grasslands Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 15.4lb (5 stars)
  
  
• Taste of the Wild Sierra Mountain Dog Food 30 lb (4.5 stars)
  
  The last one is slightly less of a quality brand, but for the price you can get twice as much. This is probably our best bet - the only questionable ingredient is tomato pomace, but how bad can that be?
  
  > Tomato pomace is a controversial ingredient, a by-product remaining after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup.
  
  > Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content, while others scorn it as an inexpensive pet food filler.
  
  > Just the same, there’s probably not enough tomato pomace here to make much of a difference.
  
  
  Also, if there are any dog lovers out there who disapprove of these choices, please chime in!

Crave Dog Food. Only comes in 22lbs max, but is high in protein so might last longer.

It can be ordered a delivered by subscription on Amazon and is decently priced. A subscription May help with tour limited storage. It has for me.

CRAVE Grain Free with Protein from Salmon and Ocean Fish Dry Adult Dog Food, 22 Pound Bag https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07281KQCX/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_R0n5AbG1R8ARE

Plus it’s good for your dog. Great reviews from dog food nutritionists. Grain-free high protein.

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/crave-dog-food-dry/

> Have you tried the common tricks of adding warm broth or other enticing additives, such as canned food?

I was about to add some warm broth to it and then I stopped when I realized that there was Onion in the broth ingredients. I've had some success with warm water, mashing, and spoon feeding, though.

I'd be happy supplementing canned food if I could find a veg one for the appropriate lifestage.

> Are you currently feeding a veg/vegan kibble?

No, it's traditional off-the-shelf stuff. We are feeding her the food the rescue said she was on. two or so solid days of nomming it, and she's off from it.

She's put on 1.5 LB in about 2 weeks.

I wouldn't feed her anything that a vet (and science) didn't agree with, unfortunately it's "If you can find it, and it meets standards, go for it."

I just wanted to get her switched over now while she's off her "normal" food, rather than wait for our next vet consult to show data on what we've found which is AAFCO "Adult Stage" and if we could supplement to that, or what. Hopefully I articulated that properly.

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If I am being completely honest... It's really between going with a UK Brand that I know (to the best of abilities) meets the AAFCO standards for Growth OR a quality US Brand that's Adult stage formulated... And ignoring the supplementation unless the vet recommended otherwise.

I guess if I have such an ultimatum the right choice is to get something that checks all the boxes... Even if it's not domestic and it's twice the price after shipping =/ At least until I can get appropriate consult.

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https://smile.amazon.com/V-Dog-Vegan-Kibble-Dry-Food/dp/B0086YESK0/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1H1DXD2AXI7HQ&keywords=v-dog+kinder+kibble+mini+bites&qid=1554664220&s=gateway&sprefix=V-Dog+Kinder+Ki%2Cpets%2C172&sr=8-2

VS

https://smile.amazon.com/Benevo-Puppy-Food-Original-Complete/dp/B00F6NVLXQ?sa-no-redirect=1

Our vet told us to do a big name food because they’re proven instead of doing the “higher end” boutique type foods. She also told us not to do grain free because it can cause heart problems in dogs that aren’t even prone to heart problems.

We use Purina Smart Blend with great success.

I've been pretty hesitant with adding off-beat items for fear that the guests/older family members would respond poorly to them, but this thread has given me new life! Some other things I've added are:

dog food seasoning: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JVGM9HJ?colid=3DUVWFNDPNHAV&coliid=IWR84S6IHHVQ7&ref_=wr_ov_pt

heated camping chairs: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W14Y88P?colid=3DUVWFNDPNHAV&coliid=I1A5TDYYFZ3613&ref_=wr_ov_pt

a nest-hammock: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B1XGGB8?colid=3DUVWFNDPNHAV&coliid=I15ZWBW9TDWGU9&ref_=wr_ov_pt

lightsaber chopsticks: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NZNS5TN?colid=3DUVWFNDPNHAV&coliid=I3AWO13U71XHSH&ref_=wr_ov_pt

"miracle fruit" tablets (they make anything, even vinegar, taste sweet): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002JANPDI?colid=3DUVWFNDPNHAV&coliid=I3QN4E9Z8G7HI4&ref_=wr_ov_pt

3D papercraft T-REX head: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G73T8LT?colid=3DUVWFNDPNHAV&coliid=I27Y4DY83MF0DR&ref_=wr_ov_pt

I've looked on https://www.uncommongoods.com/ and https://www.thisiswhyimbroke.com/ for funny ideas and am constantly refreshing this thread to see other people's awesome ideas!

Considering she's having some poop/vomit issues, and isn't eating much, it may be worth a trip to the vet just to be on the safe side. Most healthy dogs won't starve themselves, although there are exceptions to this! For peace of mind, I'd say vet visit. If its nothing: awesome - you can switch foods, and call it a day. But, it could be something internal making her ill/decreasing her appetite, and better caught earlier than later.

I've found the easiest way for my dog to stay interested in her food is to feed her a mix (which, was a trick the local humane society told me - although, they do it because they rely on food donations). I use 3 parts Food A, 1 part Food B, shaken up with Freeze Dried Meal Toppers, and with Nordic Natural's oil drizzled on top. It sounds complicated, but it really isn't since I prepare a big bag of it at once.

My dog will pick the food toppers out and ignore the kibble, so what I've learned works best is to take the toppers, stick 'em in a ziplock baggie and then use a rolling pin to turn it into little flaky powder. I then mix that in with the kibble, so it gets on the kibble, but isn't anything she could pick out. Works like a charm.

I'm planning to take Bo for a nice long hike in a bit, and I'm hoping to have him on the 30ft line for like 80% of it. I'd ideally like to start working on hiking him off-leash, but this park tends to be fairly busy on the main paths on weekends, so that's probably a no-go today.

A bought a small bag of kibble that I've never heard of at the Dollar Store for giggles, as new/novelty kibbles seem to work well as training treats on walks. Both dogs reeeeaaaally seem to like it, haha.

We've been using "nutrish" from that chef lady.
We have it on auto delivery with Amazon.
Our puppy loves it.
Good ingredients and a great price.

Rachael Ray Nutrish Bright Puppy Natural Dry Dog Food, Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe, 14lbs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0719QDHY6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_KXU6Q3gXWn91l

Hey there. I'm in the exact same boat. We've had luck with Purina Pro Plan Focus, Sensitive Skin and Stomach.

We're still transitioning from the chicken/rice diet, so right now my dog (6 month old terrier mix) is getting about 33% kibble and 66% bland diet, but so far so good. A small bag of the Purina Pro Plan is available on Amazon, so it might be worth a shot. Best of luck.

Wow, you really haven't done much research. You can get one of the best dog foods on the market for $50 for a large 30lb bag.

https://www.amazon.com/Buffalo-Life-Protection-Dog-Food/dp/B000XZBXP8

And, your claim that feeding a dog the best food available is the least you can do is BS. Saving a dog from death is the least you can do. A dog eating cheap food in a loving house is better off than a dog who is euthanized.

I bought the stuff at petco and she wasn't into it at all but this stuff is her favorite thing ever. I bought a couple the first time so I could try out the flavors, she loves the red meat one but is on the fence about peanut butter so I'd try a couple out. They're pretty cheap for the amount you get.

Here's the link if you want to try it

We feed our Iggy Royal Canin Indoor Dry Dog Food. We've tried a few other brands when she was younger (Blue Buffalo & Pedigree). But would occasionally make her throw up and her bowl movements were foul to say the least. With the Royal Canin she not only scarfs down the food when we serve her, but the food doesn't stick to her teeth. She's also never had an upset stomach with this food, plus it leaves her coat silky and her stool smells significantly less.

Ousr also throws up dental chews. She become a little too enthusiastic, swallow it almost whole, and throws up. Good thing she likes it when we brush her teeth.

If you are ever worried about your Iggy not eating enough I highly recommend NutriCal. We had to use it a bunch of times when our previous Iggy became very finicky with food later in her life.

http://www.amazon.com/Orijen-Adult-Formula-Dry-Food/dp/B000W5SLEU

Only looks about $20-$30 more expensive than the kibbles and bits, I think I can manage that. I love the shit out of my dog, and if she had the ability, I know she'd get me the best. ;]

Maybe when the apocalypse comes it can be like "A boy and his dog" and we'll just ride into the sunset fighting raiders and shit. She'll pay me back then haha.

Instead of the types of treats that you have listed on there, you might consider switching to these. They are sourced and made in the US, and use human grade meat. There have been so many dog deaths, related to inferior Chinese products that you don't want to lose him to that.

http://www.fullmoonpet.com/treats/chicken-jerky/

Here is what would be a better food, because it has the joint support for the bigger dogs:

http://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Naturals-Adult-Chicken-Formula/dp/B000WFKUOY/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1426442842&sr=8-7&keywords=diamond+dog+food

But look it up and make sure there is no corn in it. Also, if he is truly a giant breed, and you can't find affordable large breed food, feed the very best you can, and then give glucosamine and chondroitin to him as a supplement (usually in pill form).

On age. Look at his teeth. Are they yellowed and have some tartar? If they are, then they might be close on his age. If they are still bright white, he is probably much younger.

My 12 lb Chihuahua / Terrier mix is the same way; not very motivated for regular dog food, a little excited for "treats", and pretty excited for actual meat.

I feed him and our other 6lb Chihuahua at dinnertime, once a day only. They get Organix wet food mixed with taste of the wild dry (links below), some water added, and then microwaved for a few seconds.

Dog food goes bad just like our food. Think about what the dog food looks like right when you open it, and a week or two after that; it looks different because it is different, and they can smell it way before you or I can.

My other dog is food motivated, and his behavior when I would open a new bag of food is what tipped me off this might be it. He can smell it when I open a new bag of food and get really excited about it. Because of this, I get the smallest bag of food I can find, and sometimes toss it when it has been open a while and they both seem less than enthused about their dinner.

It's possible your dog is just really sensitive to the smell of the food after a couple of days and just doesn't like it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004DCVNV6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0097EP4NS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

We use Canidae Grain Free pure Dry Dog Food for our Frenchie pup, 11 weeks old now. we got a 4lb bag from the breeder when we took him home.
He gets a 1/4cup with a tablespoon of Canidae wet formula per meal, three times a day now, doing very well on it. links:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005G5SWYK
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K1DF6FU

5/39 1 star reviews. Who to believe? Lol

Pink dog food website and where to buy it

edit: Just read one of the reviews on amazon:

>My dog accidentally ate this when we were visiting a friend and her pup. I'm not sure if my dog is allergic to the artificial color additives, or if it just wasn't good for his system, but he threw it up all over a beige couch. The couch is now STAINED an awful pale pink color because of the dye my friend wants me to pay for a new couch.
>
This product is absurd and unnecessary.

And Court replied:

>Court Westcott
Lauren, I am sorry that your dog was unsupervised and consumed someones else's property. It is usually a good idea to slowly mix in new dog foods when changing brands. Also, this review is done by a nonverified purchase and is therefore absurd and unnecessary.

I’m starting him out on Canidade Grain Free Puppy Food

*edit - missed a word