# LGD food



## eljen

Okay, I just spent 20 minutes at the feed store staring at the long aisle of dog food and have left confused and conflicted. I have two Anatolian/Pyr mixes that will be 6 months on the 11th. They are working dogs (well, WILL be working dogs), living with goats. We are graduating from puppy food. I have read to feed a low protein food- to keep energy down and because they don't need all that protein. But at the same time I ask myself, aren't they still growing, don't I want them to grow up with the best nutrition possible so that they are healthy and strong adults that live long lives? It seems most "Premium" brands have about 21-26 % protein and I found an off brand that had 18% (and was muuuch cheaper).

Any advice?

What do/did you feed your adolescent LGD?


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## ONG2

We recently purchased a Anatolian pup from Oregon Julie, after talking to her and our vet we are feeding 1/2 large puppy food for the bone issues and an the rest a maintenance adult kibble to slow the growth rate down. 

Julie and the vet both agree that you have to watch that you don't grow the LGDs too fast. Makes sense to me.


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## Fowler

I started mine on Avoderm puppy and now Avoderm for Large dogs. It's a little costly however, it's less waste (poop) in the paddock, and no more heat spots, because it's great for their skin.


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## Mrs. Mucket

My research has been done on Maremmas, not Anatolians or Pyrs, but I've learned that there are risks with both too much and too little protein. The 18% seems low--I'd recommend staying closer to 25% protein.

We have been happy with Costco's Kirkland Lamb/Rice/Vegetable green bag (regular, not puppy) with 23% protein for our growing Maremmas.

We are very frugal with many things and have fed cheap dog food to other dogs, but we personally don't want to cut corners with our valuable LGDs that protect our valuable livestock.


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## Guest

Diamond Lamb & Rice Large Breed adult formula. Used their puppy food too.

I have a Great Pyrenees. I guesstimate he's around 110lbs now.


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## MonsterMalak

I raise Kangals and Boz Shepherds. Both big dogs.

I have fed just a 23% Protein, 10% Fat, 1% calcium to my pups and older dogs. Has worked well until this "HOTTEST SUMMER ON RECORD", where my Boz thinned out to much.

Switched to High Protein, with some improvement. 
But I have to wonder if I might be slowing the growth to much, and may experiment with a higher energy at least when young.


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## Fowler

Just a note, the original breeder fed Diamond lamb and rice to their maremma's. And the 2 ,8 week old boys that I bought had hot spots in the middle of winter. They were allergic to something in it. So that is why I use Avoderm and nothing with by-products or bone meal. However I too feed cheaper dogfood to the house dogs and by the poop in the yard it shows.

I know lots of people that use Diamond with no issues, just not me.


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## BarbadosSheep

I have heard a lot of good things about Costco's Kirkland food. Unfortunatly I don't have Costco near me. I am feeding 4Health which is a Tractor Supply brand of food. It's awesome!! It is around the same price as Iams and far superior. I hope to start feeding half RAW when hubby starts getting deer this season.


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## KSALguy

RAW fed dogs here, Rabbit, chicken, butcher scraps, red meat, natural diet, as close to prey model as we can,


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## lockhart76

I echo the sentiments regarding slowing the growth of large breeds a bit. There is no need to feed an expensive puppy blend and have their growth contribute to problems later. Slow and steady.
We have 2 irish wolfhounds and many guardian dogs and we have had good success with Costco's dog food. It is a very good dog food, esp. for the price.
Because of the large amounts of dog food we go through, we now source it direct from the mill and pay closer to wholesale cost. We want quality stuff for our dogs b/c of the work we ask of them so we feel food is not the place to skimp. For the large breeds look for something with glucosamine and chondroitin as this helps joints. A food with a meat listed first and/or second (ie. lamb versus lamb meal) is ususally better.
Also, in the winter where large amounts of raw food can be stored in a shed we supplement with raw scraps from our butcher that he is gracious enough to give us for free. The dogs appreciate the extra punch of the raw food in the winter when it is regularly -30 deg celsius. Might want to explore something like that.


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## Fowler

Here is a dog food comparision link. It's really informative.

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/


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## ONG2

Fowler said:


> Here is a dog food comparision link. It's really informative.
> 
> http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/


Thanks Fowler, lots and lots of information there, good stuff, but you could get lost for days in there. :bow:


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## Fowler

Honestly after doing my own comparison, I was shock! 
I always thought that Iams and Science diet were the best due to there price.
But after reading the ingrediants they were actually slightly to no better then plain Alpo or any other grocery store brand. I had to suck it up and spend a little more to give my dogs better nutrition inorder to prevent less waste and skin problems. And my fields prove it. All they eat is now getting used up by their bodies instead of making a mine field...LOL

So I went with Avoderm due to the hot spots my pups kept getting which are now all gone


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## BarbadosSheep

I fed Iams for years, thinking it was a premium food! Now I know better. I do hope to feed RAW, but it will be a learning curve for me. I wonder where I can get Avoderm? One of my Anatolian pups gets hot spots, altough they are much better now that he is no longer on Diamond.

A friend of mine feeds RAW. This is a link to her blog, which explains why RAW is superior. It's very informative!

http://askastrid.wordpress.com/2011/09/13/dear-astrid-will-you-tell-me-about-your-diet/


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## Fowler

Thanks for the link Barbado, I too will feed raw but only during hunting season. So I wonder how that will work? Switching them on and off like that?

I can only find it at pet smart  However some feed stores have great dogfood, I think chicken soup for dogs is a good one, I just needed something with more natural ingrediants, to figure out their hot spots. And Avoderm had great reviews. Also the breeder fed Diamond too. I dont know how they didnt see Hot spots forming on their dogs? I notice them as soon as I got my puppies home.

And less waste too, I dont see poop in the field and I dont step on it and dont smell it. It's a blessing...LOL


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## BarbadosSheep

I don't know how it will work switching them on and off. I intend to do the same thing though. I will probably feed kibble for dinner, and RAW for breakfast even when free meat is available. That way their digestive track will be used to the kibble. The kibble I am feeding now is 4Health which is a Tractor Supply brand. It's priced almost exactly like Iams, but it has no wheat or corn. I can already see an improvement in that pup's hot spots.


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## Fowler

I am looking for info now on how to switch to raw, here's a couple of links.

http://www.darwinspet.com/transitioning-to-raw-food/

http://rawfed.com/myths/changed.html

http://www.seespotlivelonger.com/home/sll/page_50/description.html

http://petnutritioninfo.com/dog_digestive_system.htm

http://k9joy.com/dogarticles/stomach.php

I think I will post these under a sticky too. Very informative, and look I learned something new today....LOL


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## ONG2

You can get http://www.petflow.com/explorer?pet[]=3202&age[]=3217&category[]=69&search=&brands[]=Avoderm&filter=Go&limit=10 here.

Need to do some price comparison though.


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## ONG2

BarbadosSheep said:


> I fed Iams for years, thinking it was a premium food! Now I know better. I do hope to feed RAW, but it will be a learning curve for me. I wonder where I can get Avoderm? One of my Anatolian pups gets hot spots, altough they are much better now that he is no longer on Diamond.
> 
> A friend of mine feeds RAW. This is a link to her blog, which explains why RAW is superior. It's very informative!
> 
> http://askastrid.wordpress.com/2011/09/13/dear-astrid-will-you-tell-me-about-your-diet/


Man up a tree, we have been feeding Purina One Smart Blend and thought we were doing our dogs a good thing, it only has a 2 star rating.


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## eljen

Thanks everyone for the info. I am trying the "Chicken soup for the dog lovers soul"- Silly name but the website Fowler posted gives it 4 stars and we can get it at the feed store. Lockhart76, good point about glucosamine and chondroitin. I may start shopping around some more to find a food with those elements.


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## LoneStrChic23

I'm a raw feeder & until recently, a giant breed owner my entire life. For giant breed puppies I like Diamond Naturals Large Breed 60+.....Chicken Soup & 4Health are good foods for the price. Due to some large breeds having a tendency towards growth disorders like HOD & PANO, I never skimp on food for growing big puppies 

Fowler..... if you decide to go RAW I love ordering food from Roger at http://texastripe.com/ He has several delivery/meetup places around the metroplex..You have to sign up for an account to view products/prices, but after you create an account your free to browse with no obligation to buy.
Last time I ordered his beef & his chicken backs (really meaty) I was very pleased.

I raised rabbits for dog food & buy pork/beef fat trimmings in cases from HEB to add to it since it's so lean.....Hunting season I scavenge free/cheap scraps from game processors...


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## ozark_jewels

For many years I fed Diamond Maintenence to my adult Pyrs/Anatolians. My Pyr litters were raised on Diamond Premium(not puppy food). Simple, effective. They grew great, never a hot spot. 
Switched one time to a brand that compared itself to Diamond. Dogs had hot spots after ONE FEEDING. First time I had ever seen hot spots. Switched back to Diamond and by the next day with no other treatment, the hot spots were dry and fading.
I switched to all raw diet several years ago. But if I were ever to need to go back to a bagged food, it would be Diamond.


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## BarbadosSheep

I had just the opposite with Diamond. I got two Anatolian pups from a women who was feeding them Diamond Puppy. One of them was fine, the other pup kept getting hot spots. I switched him over to 4-Health and the hot spots stopped. Not immediately though...it took about 6 weeks for them to stop all the way.


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## Texasdirtdigger

Hmmmmm. I switched from Diamond... due to hot spots and now feed Taste of the wild Bison they are doing great.


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## rickfrosty

My 11 yr. old 'Hollandsey Herder' (yep, I had to look it up too) is prolly dying of a tumor in his chest. He is still breathing & taking antibiotics (just in case) & drinking water again after a few days of not & just now ate some food for 
1st time in a week & more.
2 days @ vet's ($800 freakin dollas) & no sure diagnoses, but prolly cancer.
And coincidentally I just heard about dogs being allergic to grain, which as we now understand most dry dogfood is made of (along w/some other garbage), so they get these fatty tumors (?).
Nice ! More G D corporate greed !! I tell ya they treat us like the Masai people treat their cattle - just open a vein in the neck now & then for a little more blood to thicken their soup.


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## Fowler

Thanks Lonestarchick!!! Will do.

rickfrosty, I'm sorry to hear about your baby. After buying (actually paying money) for dogs and them having hot spots. I found the dogfoodadvisor link and was amazed at what I was feeding my mutt (house) dogs. My lab has a fatty tumor too.
I will not make this mistake again. It's worth the extra money for their food to prevent costly vet bills that I was creating.
I never paid attention to what they were eating, but I do now.

I am glad to see I'm not completely crazy...LOL Diamond from TSC was giving my maremma's hot spots like crazy.


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## equinecpa

> Fowler..... if you decide to go RAW I love ordering food from Roger at http://texastripe.com/ He has several delivery/meetup places around the metroplex..You have to sign up for an account to view products/prices, but after you create an account your free to browse with no obligation to buy.
> Last time I ordered his beef & his chicken backs (really meaty) I was very pleased.


Whoot! Crystal, thanks for posting this link! This will make my raw shopping a whole lot easier!!


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## LoneStrChic23

equinecpa said:


> Whoot! Crystal, thanks for posting this link! This will make my raw shopping a whole lot easier!!


Not a problem! Roger has good quality products & decent pricing. The last time I ordered chicken back cases from them I was shocked at how meaty they were......Not stripped of all the meat like the ones I buy from the grocery store.....

I'm hoping to start ordering from them again since I recently brought home a new Dane baby (until now I've only had my crested to feed so I buy her food at the grocery store) but I need a new freezer so I can buy a few months worth at a time.


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