# puppy feed question



## colemangirly (Sep 30, 2010)

Okay, I just picked up a new puppy. Wasn't planning on it but well.... He is 3/4 Anatolian and 1/4 Karakachan. Anyway, he is 10 weeks old and I want to give him a great start. With my other lgd's, I just feed quality dog food as I had heard conflicting info about feeding large breed dogs, puppy food. but now that I can ask people that deal with lgd's specifically what do you all think? I will also feed some raw food, but due to freezer space I cannot feed an entirely raw diet (wish I could). So should I feed adult large breed, large breed puppy, or just a good quality feed like Diamond Naturals? I know there will be different reasons, so please explain why without getting to technical. 
Thanks all.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Tractor Supply sells _Taste of the Wild._ go to www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com scroll to the bottom to the contact. Email them and ask if you should feed our large breed puppy their puppy formula or adult formula. Their puppy formula has more probiotics and salmon oil. Cheaper dog foods have puppy formulas that have higher levels of protein and less filler, because cheaper dog foods have a lot of filler.


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## CAjerseychick (Aug 11, 2013)

a good quality dog kibble work, doesnt have to be puppy food for large breeds (we have 3, including a Great Pyreenes/ anatolian 6 month old)- we feed raw eggs SHELL included (or you will throw the Calcium/phosphorous ratio off, very important for large breed pups)....as well as raw whole goats milk AM/PM....
I know alot of folks like Taste of the Wild, but for some reason my crew didnt like it (major diahrea) so we never went back. Here in CA, Solid Gold is local, and a great food, we have fed it as a base (and supplement like you do with raw, eggs, and such).... for 20 years, also have heard good things about Fromm as well (pup came on it, but its same price as Solid Gold, so why switch?).....I was thinking of Diamond naturals as well as my backup brand just never got around to it....they have had recalls and dont have a great rep for that reason amongst some dog folks ....(I was am a long time DogForum-er)...


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

One reason I use TOTW when not feeding raw is that I can get it. Can't get Fromm or Solid Gold. www.dogfoodadvisor.com and www.dogfoodanalysis.com are good places to start when looking for dog food. I found that the top foods of 20 years ago have dropped down to midrange, either because they changed their formula, or something better came along. Again, if the information about large breed puppies is not on the label, contact the manufacturer.


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## anita_fc (May 24, 2008)

I have had more than one vet tell me from personal experience that puppy food is a bad idea for large breed puppies. One was a Dobie breeder and the other raised Great Pyrenees. These vets felt that puppy food "pushes" growth too rapidly, which can lead to developmental orthopedic problems. 

Another friend who raised German Shepherds had a horrible experience feeding totally raw. She had a promising four month old pup (well bred German lines) break a leg twice. Exams showed the pup had not received a balanced enough diet to keep up with calcium-phosphorus requirements. The bones were seriously weak. (Before I get jumped on, this is not a criticism of feeding raw, because the friend is still a huge advocate of raw feeding *adult* dogs. She just felt that balancing the nutrients for a pup was trickier than it might seem.)

I have had very good luck raising our young Pyrs and Akbash on adult formulas. We have used Costco's Kirkland, Diamond Naturals, and Nutra Nuggets. My choices have been largely driven by what is easily available. I have also fed Dynamite, but it was too difficult to get in my area even though I was a Dynamite distributor.

Anita from southern Idaho
Retired dog trainer

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Homesteading Today mobile app


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I have a Bulgarian Karakachan who is now 8 months old. The first thing I did when I picked her up was to purchase some of the food she had been eating. It was a puppy chow of 24% protein. When I fed it to her at home, she preferred my adult Labradore's "adult" food; so I winded up mixing the two together. (I knew I did NOT want a puppy chow too high in protein simply because of what I've learned from the LGD experts among us.) 

I decided to go with a "grain-free" diet for both my dogs; so I went very, slowly (took a good week) transferring their diet to Taste of the Wild. I, also, save certain parts of what I slaughter for the dogs. They get the hocks, shanks, spleen, ribs and shoulder blades "raw" 1-3 times a week, depending on how much I have. (I keep it all wrapped in plastic in their feed bags in my large chest freezer.) Both dogs also get a raw "chicken" egg as often as I can give it to them. I give Cujo's to him first because he won't eat the shell; then Valentina gets hers because she will finish what Cujo leaves. (When the chickens are laying too much for my little family to eat them all, they get these eggs daily. I really like the way it helps keep them healthy and such clearly shows up in their coats.)

I also supplement these foods with certain "treats" (minerals/vitamins) that support healthy joints/bones and cleans teeth. I like the TOTW "treats" best so far. In addition, I add Vitamin C (approximately 1000 mg twice weekly for the growing Karakachan); none for Cujo, the lab. [Their vet trips show healthy dogs with strong bones, clean teeth & good coats.]

May I suggest, when anyone changes a dog's food, it needs to be done very slowly so as not to upset their digestive tract. Just mix a little in with what they've been eating, increasing this a little daily throughout about 7 days. (This works fine for mine so far.)


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## CAjerseychick (Aug 11, 2013)

Yes I do like to feed a balanced kibble that has single source meat ingredients(I try to steer clear of commerical chicken d/t antiobiotics and hormones in farmed animals), little meals if any (the one I use has ocean fish meal, not a farmed fish source) and fewer fillers (non meats). That way I dont have to worry about completely balancing the diet so to speak. And although I feed large breed puppy, its about 3/4 of their diet they get meaty raw bones, cottage cheese, raw eggs with shell, and raw goats milk as well....

I do gradually switch food by mixing it in over a week or so....


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

I'm another big fan of TOTW. I get mine at Tractor Supply, they get that in the evening, and raw in the mornings. 
I've been feeding them this way since they were about 8-10 weeks. Prior to that we had them on milk replacement, and regular puppy food.
Mind you, these two were three weeks old when we rescued them..


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## Veronica (Oct 31, 2008)

On the GSD pups we have to watch calcium and phospherous levels to make sure they are not too high. I assume any large breed pup would be the same, but I'm not sure. I like to keep the % of both around 1% or a bit less. I fed Fromm LBP but then I found Dr Tim's Kinesis all life stages. I order it from Chewy.com and it's $60.99 for 44 pounds. There is a grain free available as well, but both dogs are doing well on the grain inclusive so we're sticking with that for now. 
One thing I especially like is that if I have a question I can email or call Dr Tim's and they typically get back to me pretty quickly. Usually Dr Tim is the one who answers so it's great customer service.
I add Kirkland cuts in gravy as a topper once a day, and they also get other things such as chicken, meaty bones, fish oil, etc.


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## CAjerseychick (Aug 11, 2013)

Update!
I finally took a chance and bought a bag of Diamond Naturals lamb and rice (no corn wheat or soy)... ran into a Great Dane breeder at TSC and she really likes the beef and rice Diamond naturals for her crew.... she doesnt use puppy formula either...
and wow the price differential its about half the cost of the solid gold... (the goats' startup costs are really hitting my feed bill, now if I could just work up the nerve to butcher some goats)....


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I have 2 Karakachans, 1 is 8 months old & the brother to motdogrnds puppy & then another that is 10 months old & the breeder of the 10 month old puppy has bred & raised Karakachans for years & said to feed a Large breed Puppy food, she prefers Hill's Science diet. Then at a year old she switches them to a large breed dog food so that's what I've done for our 2 & they are doing great eating this way.


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