# Best food to wean pups onto.



## SummerwoodSoaps (Dec 12, 2011)

I have 8 five week old GSD pups. I have been feeding ground raw mixed with honest kitchen, eggs, Sunday sundae, coconut oil and in the beginning puppy formula. They did wonderful on this. But I know most of the new homes will not continue with raw so I have started to introduce kibble. I have been using the Teal Victor kibble for puppies. My dogs do fine on this food though they get a lot of raw meals and other extras as well. But once I added the kibble the pups poops have been big and mushy. Not runny or watery, but def soft serve. 

I would like some recommendations on kibble for the pups. They will continue to get raw meals as well. But I was thinking Bil Jac.


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## Shamrockmommy (Sep 10, 2009)

There are so many choices these days! Two of my favorites are Fromm and Precise. I'm also trying Natural Balance LID with 2 of my dogs (one for itching, the other for his tummy) and it's working pretty well. 

You will get love/hate about Bil-Jac. I know a poodle breeder IRL who feeds and swears by it. Most dogs LOVE it. Be sure to brush teeth, it can really gunk up their mouths.


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## SummerwoodSoaps (Dec 12, 2011)

I am for sure seeing the love hate thing for Bil Jac when researching it. It's not something I would feed for the rest of their life but is it a good starter food I wonder? I'm not an anti kibble raw feeder. I do want what's best for my pups though . Victor just doesn't seem to be agreeing with them.


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## A&W (Apr 26, 2014)

I would try one of the Farmina puppy foods. There is one with 35% protein and 20% fat that looks excellent. I really like the company's adult foods, no experience with the puppy foods.


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## InkedMarie (Sep 9, 2011)

Bil Jac is a food I wouldn't feed. There are too many foods out there.


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## Georgiapeach (Jan 24, 2011)

I would pick a food that is readily available. Most people aren't willing to research and get kibble from remote places like we are - lol! Maybe Wellness Puppy or BB Freedom Puppy. The high protein in Victor messes up my adult boxer's tummy, too.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

Farmina. Give them a call or message them on FB, they have many litters of pups being raised on their food. You want the pup's to have the best start off in life, and you've done that with the raw, don't go to a second class kibble or one that is known for recalls.


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## SummerwoodSoaps (Dec 12, 2011)

Is this a newer food? I've not heard of it. My dogs are mostly raw feed with honest kitchen added. They do get some Victor kibble as well because sometimes they just can't get raw if being boarded or camping. I've switched them back to raw until I can find a kibble that won't upset their little tummies


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## InkedMarie (Sep 9, 2011)

SummerwoodSoaps said:


> Is this a newer food? I've not heard of it. My dogs are mostly raw feed with honest kitchen added. They do get some Victor kibble as well because sometimes they just can't get raw if being boarded or camping. I've switched them back to raw until I can find a kibble that won't upset their little tummies


Yes it is rather new but it's a great food! You can find it at Chewy.com, SportDogfood.com and a few others that I can't recall the names of!


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## A&W (Apr 26, 2014)

SummerwoodSoaps said:


> Is this a newer food? I've not heard of it. My dogs are mostly raw feed with honest kitchen added. They do get some Victor kibble as well because sometimes they just can't get raw if being boarded or camping. I've switched them back to raw until I can find a kibble that won't upset their little tummies


Farmina has been around since 1965, but it is an Italian company new to the USA. The foods are rated 5 stars by DFA and they are 1 of the 20 foods on TruthAboutPetFood's (Susan Thixton) Most Trusted List.

It is becoming more available in stores but chances are on-line is the way to go for you.

Check the locator map and all the foods are listed there as well.

Farmina Pet Foods - Happy pet. Happy You. | Happy pet. Happy you.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

I feed my dogs raw and have done for 7 years now. My cat however, refuses to eat anything but kibble. And, the only kibble she would eat for 3 years (I tried almost every type known to mankind) was NV, and that ended up giving her bladder crystals because it is high in ash, which points to the quality of the meals they use. When Farmina came out in the States around March this year, I got a sample bag and to my surprise, she just gobbled it down. What has really sold me on this kibble though, is that she hasn't had one bladder or UTI problem since. I really like the fact that it has no GMO ingredients, uses dehydrated meat instead of meals and the protein levels are sourced from meat, not increased by the use of vegetables such as peas. 
I had heard quite a bit about Farmina before it came to the States so I was one of the first on the bandwagon to try it and so far I've been really pleased.
If you call or message Farmina, there is always someone there who is happy to answer your questions.


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## InkedMarie (Sep 9, 2011)

Glad A&W clarified; I should have said new to the states.


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## AveryandAudrey (Sep 20, 2010)

Fromm, Merrick grain free, Wellness Core, Orijen, and Acana are my top choices.


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## SummerwoodSoaps (Dec 12, 2011)

None of my Shepherds do well on Wellness or Blue buffalo so I prefer not to use them. I can get Orijen, Fromm, Horizon, Solid Gold locally (ish). I've put them back on ground raw with HK love and Sunday sundae probiotics. I will do this until Thursday when I go and get new kibble. My personal preference is buy from a store rather than online. 

I wonder if the soft poop is from eating too much? I put it into 2 bowl and let them eat until they are done. Then I'm also paranoid they have something . They did get eye boogers though once I added the Victor and the soft poop didn't start until I added that. They go into the vets Friday for their 6 week shots. They have been wormed 2x already and will be again on Monday. I don't think its parasites. The only change other than puppy pad brands has been adding Victor and the cold weather snap. I have just started to use the clicker with them and used kibble as a reward.


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## A&W (Apr 26, 2014)

SummerwoodSoaps said:


> None of my Shepherds do well on Wellness or Blue buffalo so I prefer not to use them. I can get Orijen, Fromm, Horizon, Solid Gold locally (ish). I've put them back on ground raw with HK love and Sunday sundae probiotics. I will do this until Thursday when I go and get new kibble. My personal preference is buy from a store rather than online.
> 
> I wonder if the soft poop is from eating too much? I put it into 2 bowl and let them eat until they are done. Then I'm also paranoid they have something . They did get eye boogers though once I added the Victor and the soft poop didn't start until I added that. They go into the vets Friday for their 6 week shots. They have been wormed 2x already and will be again on Monday. I don't think its parasites. The only change other than puppy pad brands has been adding Victor and the cold weather snap. I have just started to use the clicker with them and used kibble as a reward.


Victor is low end food. Texas bone meal food. Food that sells for $35 for a 40lb bag can't be good quality. It is a feed store brand. 

Might as well use Pro Plan.


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## SummerwoodSoaps (Dec 12, 2011)

I disagree with that. It is rated well on DFA.


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## A&W (Apr 26, 2014)

SummerwoodSoaps said:


> I disagree with that. It is rated well on DFA.


So are a lot of foods. The DFA does not judge ingredient quality only the way a food is labelled.

I called my local feed store and on a pallet, I could buy the teal bag for $27 a bag for 40lbs. That doesn't sound like quality ingredients to me.


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## SummerwoodSoaps (Dec 12, 2011)

I'm not buying on price. Victor has been one of the few kibbles my bitch will eat. She does well on it when she gets it. I assumed her puppies would too but they're not. So I'm changing. I don't know why you harping on me for the Victor. Is it the best there is? No. But I do not feed much kibble and it's one that my dog will eat when she needs to and does well. I can get it locally. 

While the Farmina looks good, it's not something I can get locally. And since most pups are going to homes close by, I would like to send them home with something the new owners can continue to get if they choose. So far only one home out of 7 is going to continue raw. While I love honest kitchen, I don't use it alone.


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## SummerwoodSoaps (Dec 12, 2011)

Bil Jac has been recommended to be by several breeders who also feed raw but use Bil Jac for Kibble. I'm not sure about it but they swear it's easy to digest. I just wish everyone would feed raw lol.


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## InkedMarie (Sep 9, 2011)

I know breeders who send dogs home with Eukanuba, Nutro.....no thanks!


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## SummerwoodSoaps (Dec 12, 2011)

Oh I'm sure there are crap breeders who even suggest ole Roy :confounded:. 

i just wish I knew what would for them before I bought it. Pups go home in 4 weeks. I do not want to change their food a million times before that.


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## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

Personally, I wouldn't switch them to Bil-Jac as a "first" food. It has a lot of "sweets" in it and is really "soft". I've seen pups who were reluctant (if not just refusing) to eat a "plain" kibble after having Bil-Jacs. I've used Organix Puppy and some friends have used Authority puppy food with good results.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

Looking at the ingredients, im not impressed at all with that food. The first 2 ingredients are meat, water inclusive, then corn meal, then a chicken by product meal. Plus it has BHA in it. It also looks to be very high in carbs, and id wager a bet its super high in phosphorus and ash too. And the company has had recalls for mould in its food. Id personally have a hard time feeding it. Have you thought of Fromm?


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## Georgiapeach (Jan 24, 2011)

A&W said:


> So are a lot of foods. The DFA does not judge ingredient quality only the way a food is labelled.
> 
> I called my local feed store and on a pallet, I could buy the teal bag for $27 a bag for 40lbs. That doesn't sound like quality ingredients to me.


I think when most of us are discussing Victor, we're referring to the grain free varieties, which rate well. They come in either a red bag (mixed proteins) or an orange bag (salmon). Their other kibbles do not rate nearly as well. A lot of companies have a variety of price points and qualities to attract a larger market share.


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## Shamrockmommy (Sep 10, 2009)

Maybe do something that is readily available at petsmart or petco which would be convenient for puppy owners? Wellness, natures variety, natural balance, etc.


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## SummerwoodSoaps (Dec 12, 2011)

I'm not a wellness fan because my dogs have never done well on it. Natures variety is the one with freeze dried raw right? Instinct I want to say. Ugh it's been so long since I've had to kibble shop. I usually get the salmon and sweet potatoe or GF joint one from Victor for the adult dogs. They are still on raw/HK mix and poos are firming up thankfully. Locally I can get anything at TSC, pets mart, pet co, Orijen, Fromm, Horizon, precise and a few others. I want something that they will thrive on. I hate having their little tummies upset.


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## A&W (Apr 26, 2014)

SummerwoodSoaps said:


> I'm not a wellness fan because my dogs have never done well on it. Natures variety is the one with freeze dried raw right? Instinct I want to say. Ugh it's been so long since I've had to kibble shop. I usually get the salmon and sweet potatoe or GF joint one from Victor for the adult dogs. They are still on raw/HK mix and poos are firming up thankfully. Locally I can get anything at TSC, pets mart, pet co, Orijen, Fromm, Horizon, precise and a few others. I want something that they will thrive on. I hate having their little tummies upset.


You can't feed any puppy Nature's Variety because the calcium and phosphorous are too high. It is too high even for adult dogs. Most of the foods are above the limit for adults let alone puppies.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

I agree, not NV either. The high calcium and phosphorous are what gave my cat UTI's and bladder crystals. It's pretty pricey for the quality.


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## SummerwoodSoaps (Dec 12, 2011)

Knew there had to be a reason I didn't try that one. Orijen is the same isn't it? The mom would not touch Orijen (regional red I think) at all so it's been a while since I looked into that one. What is the max cal/phosphorus %? Remember they will also be getting raw meals as well. I'm heading out tomorrow to get kibble. Thank you everyone for the help.


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## Georgiapeach (Jan 24, 2011)

You could try TOTW Pacific Stream Puppy, available at TSC. It has moderate protein and fat (25/15), or TOTW Sierra Mountain (25/15). A friend of mine used to raise GSDs, and she found hers couldn't deal with high protein kibble. I have have and have had boxers (not a breeder; just pets), and they tend to do better on a moderate protein diet too, IMO.


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## SummerwoodSoaps (Dec 12, 2011)

What about California naturals chicken and rice puppy?


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## Georgiapeach (Jan 24, 2011)

The owner of my local pet store said that the majority of his breeder clients buy Acana Chicken and Burbank Potato for their breeding bitches and puppies. It's a very simple kibble with good ingredients - also the most affordable Acana product. Steel cut oats are the only grain - very digestible.


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## SummerwoodSoaps (Dec 12, 2011)

Hmm, not sure I have seen Arcana in my area but I'll keep an eye out tomorrow. Thank you.


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## Georgiapeach (Jan 24, 2011)

SummerwoodSoaps said:


> Hmm, not sure I have seen Arcana in my area but I'll keep an eye out tomorrow. Thank you.


Acana: Chicken & Burbank Potato | ACANA Pet Foods

Store Locator | ACANA Pet Foods


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## SummerwoodSoaps (Dec 12, 2011)

Hmm, I only had the option of duck, lamb, or fish at the local store. I got a small bag of the lamb because they said it was the most digestible and gentle. I'll add some small amounts to their crate for them to try tomorrow. Thank you everyone for the help.


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## Georgiapeach (Jan 24, 2011)

SummerwoodSoaps said:


> Hmm, I only had the option of duck, lamb, or fish at the local store. I got a small bag of the lamb because they said it was the most digestible and gentle. I'll add some small amounts to their crate for them to try tomorrow. Thank you everyone for the help.


Hopefully, this will work - Acana's a good kibble. If it doesn't work, your store should be able to order you the Acana Chicken and Burbank Potato. You can also order it from Chewy.com. Just don't overfeed Acana - it's rich and will cause loose poo if overfed.


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## AngelaPrimanti (Feb 24, 2014)

I would go with Farmina as well, really good food.


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## rose (Sep 4, 2010)

*Best food to wean pups onto*

I was wondering if someone could give me some advice on what is the best time to make the transition from puppy food to adult food. My pup just turned one and definitely still has some growing to do. She has been on large breed puppy food, so she doesnt grow to fast. Should I wait until shes done growing? Thanks


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## LeonilCraig (Oct 7, 2013)

During the weaning process, it’s a good idea to feed puppies the same high-quality puppy food they’ll eat throughout their growth period right from the start. Be sure to moisten the food with warm water or canine milk replacer to create a soupy gruel that’s appealing to their sensitive palates.


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