# Orijen Large Breed Puppy or Orijen Puppy 4 Goldendoodle



## dogsthetics (Dec 7, 2011)

hey everyone first post here, i have a 3 month 2 week old Goldendoodle named Cesar. He is currently on Holistic Select Large and Giant Breed. I always wanted to feed him to orijen, but the local pet store i have only sold the adult food, and he told me that high protein can be hard on a puppy, but after some research i learned that's all out dated and that matters is the Ca/PH amount. He could have been just trying to sell me the Eagle pack/Holistic Select they had in the store (seemed to be their main seller). i went with Holistic Select because i didn't like Corn being the 3rd ingredient in Eagle Pack. (i know they are the same company)

any ways i was doing research on Orijen puppy food and have been getting conflicting things about whether to use the normal Orijen Puppy or the Orijen Large breed puppy. my puppy is expected to be around 60-65lbs according to the breeder although Cesar was the smallest male of the group. It seems some people believe that Large Breeds are mainly rottweilers, mastiffs, great danes ext, and a goolden doodle wouldn't would classify as a large breed, but over on a Lab forum they all talk about Orijen Large Breed puppy, and Labs are the same size as my pup.

both have the same CA/PH ratio, so what food would you guys recommend for my Goldendoodle? would it even matter?

Puppy large
LIMITED CALCIUM & PHOSPHORUS | 1.7% / 1.4%
The potential oversupply of calcium and phosphorus in high-protein puppy foods is cause for concern. High inclusions of chicken meal, fish meal or turkey meal used to increase protein levels also provide a rich source of minerals and push calcium and phosphorus levels to the upper allowable limits of, respectively, 2.5% and 1.6%

Puppy
LIMITED CALCIUM & PHOSPHORUS | 1.7% / 1.4%
The potential oversupply of calcium and phosphorus in high-protein puppy foods is cause for concern. High inclusions of chicken meal, fish meal or turkey meal used to increase protein levels also provide a rich source of minerals and push calcium and phosphorus levels to the upper allowable limits of, respectively, 2.5% and 1.6%. To eliminate these concerns, ORIJEN Puppy has limited calcium and phosphorus, with a guaranteed maximum of 1.7% and 1.4% respectively.

(the picture in my avatar was him at 7 weeks the day i brought him home)


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## SpooOwner (Oct 1, 2010)

Orijen Large Breed Puppy. The latest thinking is that you really need to focus on the calcium levels, to prevent bone and joint problems that plague large breeds. Both Poodles and Labs are susceptible to the LB growth issues that occur when the dog is fed too much Ca, so yes, your dog is considered a large breed. Both foods are within a healthy range of Ca, but I would go with the LBP formula. As I recall, even most adult dogs do better on the Orijen LBP formula. It's considered one of their best. Congrats on the new puppy! Cesar is a cutie!


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## dogsthetics (Dec 7, 2011)

Thanks for the reply! That's what I thought just wanted to be sure. My vet said large breed is what I wanted, but after the last visit I am not sure trust them with much more then giving shots and looking at poop.


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## Sapphire-Light (Aug 8, 2010)

I agree wit large breed, however I have a toy poodle, so almost every dog looks large to me LOL :biggrin:

In some kibbles you can see they consider large breed a dog who is going to weight more than 50 pounds as an adult.


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## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

Just curious -- what was the breeder feeding, and what did the breeder instruct you to feed? Also, how is he doing on his current food? I'd switch only if he's doing poorly.


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## dogsthetics (Dec 7, 2011)

Jack Monzon said:


> Just curious -- what was the breeder feeding, and what did the breeder instruct you to feed? Also, how is he doing on his current food? I'd switch only if he's doing poorly.


She feeds the parents all natural food from pet pantry (don't know much about that) and she feed the puppies purina puppy chow which is aweful I know.

He is doing good on the food now but every once in a while he will poop a soft one, and he poop a lot, though not sure what is normal for a puppy. Vet says its fine, and he's healthy. I just would like to know I am feeding him the best, and that's why I wanna switch to orijen.


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## BrownieM (Aug 30, 2010)

I'd go with Orijen LBP.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

Rocky was raised on Orijen Large Breed Puppy and did great on it. I kept him on it and never switched him as an adult until he went to raw. He actually much preferred the LBP to the adult version so I never switched him over after trying one bag of the adult. He's not exactly a giant breed, just a big boy. 

I would definitely go with the LBP. Keep in mind that they will eat a lot less of it then you are expecting. Rocky has topped out at 90 pounds and has never eaten more then 2 cups a day of the Orijen LBP back when he was on it.


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## dogsthetics (Dec 7, 2011)

just got orijen Large Puppy.

now i am planning out how to slowly make the change in food.

this is what is confusing me. Orijen is 410 calories per cup, and Holistic select is 375 per cup, so Orijen is more calories so logic he should eat less on orijen correct?

how ever according the the bag guidelines Orijen recommends .5-.75 cups more a day then Holistic select does.

my puppy weighs 18.4lbs and he is 3.5 months old. Holistic recommends 2.5-3 cups, and Orijen recommends 3-3.75 cups.

would the best way to slowly make the switch be (feeding him 3x a day) for the first week do 2/3 Holistic select 1/3 orijen, then 2nd week do 50/50 then finish up with 2/3 Orijen 1/3 Holistic for a 3rd week?

i realize after 3 more weeks he will be alot bigger then he is now and if feeding needs to be increased id just add more orijen.

edit: should add he eats about 2.5 cups now so that would be an increase to 3cups.


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## SpooOwner (Oct 1, 2010)

Ignore the recommendations on the bag. Just feed Limbus the amount he eats in 10-15 mins. Since you have to guess, aim for the 2.5 cup total. Yes, mix the two foods as you transition. Most dogs can transition comfortably within a week (2 days at 25%, 2 days at 50%, 2 days at 75%; or 3 days at 33% and 3 days at 67%). Some need longer (over weeks as in your example) and some can transition more quickly (2 or 3 days).


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## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

Keep us posted on his progress. I think three different foods within two months is too much switching, especially for a puppy this young. 

Spoo is right that bag recommendations are to be ignored. They often suggest way too much in hopes you'll feed more and hence buy more.


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## dogsthetics (Dec 7, 2011)

Jack Monzon said:


> Keep us posted on his progress. I think three different foods within two months is too much switching, especially for a puppy this young.
> 
> Spoo is right that bag recommendations are to be ignored. They often suggest way too much in hopes you'll feed more and hence buy more.


the past 2 days Cesar has been eating 1/4 cup Orijen with 2/3 cup Holistic, and he LOVES the Orijen, (he eats the pieces first) and from the second day his poop has been a darker brown in color and more firm, and hasn't had his any soft poops that he used to have every 1 or 2 days. Before his poop used to be pretty soft but still formed and a very light brown color.

i will increase the Orijen Ratio to 50:50 tomorrow most likely.

also Orijen is only his second food.. he was only on Holistic Select before and tried a sample of eagle pack the food store owner gave me because when he was young he was picky about food, just to see if he would eat it (im talking 7weeks old)

EDIT: never mind you were prolly referring to the purina the breeder feed him


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

i've never fed puppy food to my dogs and i've used Orijen.
i switch my dogs kibble and can food often. i always have a variety
of can food on hand.


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