I'm posting this in the working dogs thread because I think this mostly concernes fast growing breeds. My vet says I should not feed him puppy food because this will make him grow to big too fast - so his bonestructure and joints will not keep up and he will (perhaps) suffer from this at a later age. Other rottweiler owners in my country says otherwise - they tell me to keep on giving him puppy food - and that this is necessary because of the extra vitamins etc added to the puppy food. What do you think? Any views on this matter???
hi im by no way an expert and can only tell what i did but my rottie girl is nearly 15month now and if i remember correctly i had her on a large breed puppy food til she was about 6month and then i gradually switched her onto adult food, ive had no problems with her growth infact she still seems to be growing now
I am not an expert either, but I have access to some of the best there are. The larger the breed, the more harmful rapid growth from a rich diet does. Large breed puppy food isn't as harmful as regular puppy food. In fact, some of them are little difference from the all life stages the more knowledgable feed other than price. Suppose you knew a breeder that bred hundreds of dogs a year, mostly Labs, Shepherds, and Goldens. They provided all the medical care for most of them the first year. At the end of it, they did a complete physical including hip X-rays on all of them. They then spent $35,000 training them before giving them away. They have a large data base of breeding records. Dogs with any physical or temperamental problems are unfit for the program and are a waste. Their well equipped clinic and vet staff are available for serious problems as long as the dog is working. When the dog is no longer able to work, it is replaced at again the $35,000 expense plus a large emotional upheaval for the person depending on the dog. They have experimented with different diets and exchanged data with other such breeders. Do you think their practice would be a good one to follow? I have been raising puppies since 1991 for a large dog guide school that does exactly that. What do they feed? They instruct us to feed puppy chow until 4 months and then switch to an all life stages food. The group I meet with monthly for training includes people that have raised puppies for 6 different service dog schools. They vary slightly, but all of the schools make the early switch. The other thing is they are very strict about keeping the puppies lean. They come to us at 7 weeks with a waist and a belly tuck up. Your dog definitely should be narrower at the waist than the hips and chest. You should be able to easily feel the ribs, but not see them. Each dog is different. Standard recommendations are a good place to start, but each dog must have its food and exercise adjusted to its individual needs. This is modern, scientific practice, not the way it has always been done.
For all my rottie pups, I fed Eukanuba large breed puppy food, I also gave them some good quality meat, I never added any calcium to the diet, If you have a good quality puppy food you should be ok, use one thats for large breed pups, dont over feed though,
Thanks for instructive answers. Think I'll switch to a good quality adult food now - and as you say; the most important thing is to keep them lean...
I've got three myself and one which is 5 months, i'm giving him large breed puppy food and he actually doesn't like it but, I found that IAMS has the gravy like stuff you can pour on it and mix it up if your pup doesn't like the taste. And I buy our food at Tractor Supply, its made by Diamond. We also feed our 1 and 2 1/2 y/o Diamond Hi-Energy b/c its got the right amount protien and fat in it for them.
Is the gravy something you buy separate? I feed mine Iams for puppies, but sometimes I think she might like a change.
I am having this dilemma with my 6 month old Rottie, he has been investigated for allergies which cause belly ear and nose scratching, we cannot isolate a cause. He’s currently on hypo allergenic dry puppy food with cooked chicken and rice Can anyone offer any advice. The vet prescribed either steroids or piriton, but I’m worried about long term use.
Have you tried him on a hypo-allergenic food with a different protein source, ie without the chicken? There seems to be more and more dogs intolerant of chicken.
I would ask for a referral to a vet skin specialist/ dermatologists you’re more likely to get to the route of the cause quickly and precisely.
Hi This is the next move for him We removed beef but it’s obviously not that so it’s remove chicken next, A long road ahead I feel but he’s well worth it.
Our Vet has suggested the same thing, We’ll keep going until it’s resolved. Thank you for your replies.
Have you tried a completely grain free kibble? As Chris B says, using a completely new protein source, - fish, duck or rabbit for example. An Omega 3 supplement such as wild salmon oil is worth trying too.
