# Large Breed Puppy Food?



## flippedstars (May 22, 2010)

Well, hubby finally got me to give in...and we are getting our first large breed dog this weekend. We got everything all ready for her, and have been giving serious thought as to what to feed her. We feed our 7 small dogs (all under 10 lbs) raw, but we are pretty sure we can't afford to feed a growing large breed pup raw full time so I am needing recommendations for a high quality food good for large breed pups.

She is a 10 week old Cane Corso pup. 

Do I need to get a food SPECIFICALLY made for a large breed pup? Or will an all life stages food like Taste of The Wild work? I am suddenly freaking out because I should have given this more thought! I do not miss navigating the world of dry dog foods since we switched to raw!

So...what do you guys recommend?


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

Cane Corsos are not large breed dogs
They are GIANT breed dogs, and that does mean you have to take extra precautions. 
You should not feed a puppy food, but rather an all life stages food, but even then you have to be careful with the Ca levels. I imagine having 7 on raw, you won't last feeding this dog kibble. I can't even fathom putting any one of mine on kibble.I also REALLY hope that you have done A LOT of research on this breed and spent a good deal of time around them. They really are not for the novice dog owner, or anyone not used to having to go the extra mile as far as training and socialization. They're also not really a breed maintainable on a super tight budget. I don't mean to preach, I've just seen a lot of people get Cane Corsos ans other similar breeds, and then have to give them up when they realize they're just not for everyone and there are a world away from a chihuahua, golden, or most breeds, even.


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## flippedstars (May 22, 2010)

You are likely correct as far as what we feed not lasting but until I can do the research as far as raw goes, buy a bigger freezer, AND find an affordable meat supply, LOL, we gotta have something to feed her! hubby hunts, I said go kill her a deer!!! Raw is SO easy now, that I never could imagine having to use a dry food again yet here I am.

She will likely be a good sized girl, yep  HAHA 'giant'...oh boy. Thankfully we have the time, space and dedication to train and raise her properly. Since I show the chihuahuas, we of course had to go out and find a show quality bitch cane corso pup LOL. Even more reason to keep her body in tip top condition.

I've been doing research on Calcium/Phosphorus levels and it seems to me that our best bet might be Acana Prarie? I found an old thread on here saying it was one of the best options.

She'll be getting raw at LEAST 4 raw meals a week, and I need to figure out too, how doing that, and kibble, affect calciumhosphorus ratios. I know enough to space the kibble and raw out too by the 12 hour time window.

We aren't on a 'super tight budget', but at the prices we are spending on raw for the small dogs, it would be costing more than it costs us to feed OURSELVES for a month, so, that's why I started looking into dry options again, and have done a significant amount of research on the breed. It's just I haven't given food a thought since we switched our others to raw. We've spent time around the breed as well, and I think that it will work well for us. We have full wherewithal to keep the chihuahuas and the corso separate when needed, and if that's all the time, so be it. We live out in the country and have plenty of time and space.


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## dr tim (Mar 27, 2011)

Hooray to hear folks say that dogs don't need a puppy food. Marketing is such a nice thing out there in food land. Puppy food, senior foods, large breed foods, diet foods-all meant to grab shelf space in the store.


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## truthdog (Sep 10, 2011)

dr tim said:


> Hooray to hear folks say that dogs don't need a puppy food. Marketing is such a nice thing out there in food land. Puppy food, senior foods, large breed foods, diet foods-all meant to grab shelf space in the store.


You are not kidding, but the more you read on here the clearer it becomes why such bad products have such high acceptance by consumers.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

Just IMO, you are going to be spending a freaking TON on any processed foods! We fed out Pug/x and our cats Acana....we now feed 4 dogs and 2 cats raw for nearly the same price per month!!:wink:

I, like Linsey, cant NOT even imagine putting one of my guys on kibble......let alone the god-awful, HUGE kibble poops your going to be getting from here, even on Acana!:wink:

Have you REALLY tried getting the price down on raw? Where do you live??


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

My apologies to the OP.



truthdog said:


> You are not kidding, but the more you read on here the clearer it becomes why such bad products have such high acceptance by consumers.


And the more I read your post I understand why people go on shooting rampages every day!!


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## flippedstars (May 22, 2010)

Scarlett O - we live in a tiny mountain town, Durango, CO that is a 7 hour drive from any 'real' city. Meat generally is twice the price per lb here for the basic stuff, than I've seen it in cities. I can't buy a pair of jeans without driving 7 hours, options are pretty limited here and so is what you can get to. I've tried all kinds of options as far, looking into raw for her, and am just at a loss as to what the best option is for her that also won't make us groan every time we feed her. 

The way I priced it out, a high quality kibble like Acana is far cheaper than what raw would cost. I know there are some places up near Denver that do bulk meat sales for animal consumption, but there is the problem of the 7 hour drive, the amount needed not fitting in coolers, and the possibility of it spoiling. It's also hard to get up there in the winter over a variety of mountain passes. 

We understand it is going to be expensive to feed her, especially as a growing pup. But with meat prices where they are here, I just don't see how we can feed her raw all the time, not to mention we don't even have space for it yet. I'll definitely be 'working on it', i.e. getting a bigger freezer and whatnot, but raw feeding for 7 tiny dogs or 1 big dog is very different. 

I also in the beginning of reading about feeding raw to a large breed growing pup have noted that the calciumhosphorus is another thing to take into consideration, something I never was even REALLY aware of with my tiny dogs. I transitioned my small dogs very slowly to raw so that I could be sure I did it right. I started with things like 50% The Honest Kitchen / 50% raw meat, until I felt I had balanced the meat portion myself. We then started using pre-made Stella & Chewy's about half the time and actual raw meals half the time, until I was sure I wasn't screwing that up, before moving to full prey model. But the amount of food they need is TINY. We haven't even had to get an extra freezer for them because we had a small freezer downstairs already. 

I'm not saying she WONT be fed raw but I'm saying that as of right now, figuring out the BEST alternative that won't screw up her growth is my priority.


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## flippedstars (May 22, 2010)

I also wanted to say lol...no one needs to convince me raw is best. I already know that. BUT, I need a dry food alternative for her for now. Months ago when we first decided to learn about the breed, the FIRST thing I did was price out a raw diet for her. I nearly fell over. But we got distracted researching all of the other aspects of the breed, ensuring that training classes that are appropriate would be available, understanding her needs as a dog, researching temperament, behavior traits, etc. and I didn't think about diet anymore. Stupid, I know...but here I am anyway.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

flippedstars said:


> Scarlett O - we live in a tiny mountain town, Durango, CO that is a 7 hour drive from any 'real' city. Meat generally is twice the price per lb here for the basic stuff, than I've seen it in cities. I can't buy a pair of jeans without driving 7 hours, options are pretty limited here and so is what you can get to. I've tried all kinds of options as far, looking into raw for her, and am just at a loss as to what the best option is for her that also won't make us groan every time we feed her.
> 
> The way I priced it out, a high quality kibble like Acana is far cheaper than what raw would cost. I know there are some places up near Denver that do bulk meat sales for animal consumption, but there is the problem of the 7 hour drive, the amount needed not fitting in coolers, and the possibility of it spoiling. It's also hard to get up there in the winter over a variety of mountain passes.
> 
> ...


I lived North of you, off of 40, with the same problems for food....we drove into "the city" every 2 weeks. (We lived at a state park, not even in a real town:wink

So that being said, I understand your hesitancy to put her on raw because of how far away from everything you live! However I was pointing out the price of Acana....I cant imagine spending that price on processed foods ever again.

And your closer to Alburquerque, NM then you are Denver if my memories of your state are correct.

And remember, especially with a puppy but in general, there is NO NEED for the slow transition...it would be really easy to buy a few chickens hack them up and start giving them to her.....heck you could do that for the first few months, and throw in some game meat and you would be set!:smile:


Edit to add.....and you also wont know till you have her on it if Acana will even work for her body...or how much you will be feeding.


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## truthdog (Sep 10, 2011)

Scarlett_O' said:


> I lived North of you, off of 40, with the same problems for food....we drove into "the city" every 2 weeks. (We lived at a state park, not even in a real town:wink
> 
> So that being said, I understand your hesitancy to put her on raw because of how far away from everything you live! However I was pointing out the price of Acana....I cant imagine spending that price on processed foods ever again.
> 
> ...



So how does one ever come to the conclusion that Acana is a quality food. I have never met a show dog or competively trained dog that eats it or Orijen. It is all marketing. The company that makes it has no track record other than recalls and no visible expertise whatsoever, other than marketing. The whole angle is 'regional Canadian ingredients'. Is that in fact true? And why does it matter. I was just looking at the Orijen website. How does the company get "fresh never frozen Walleye" year round? It is not fished commercially and the season is only 4 or 5 months? Also, the chicken meal which is the base of the food is from the US.


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## flippedstars (May 22, 2010)

Scarlett_O' said:


> I lived North of you, off of 40, with the same problems for food....we drove into "the city" every 2 weeks. (We lived at a state park, not even in a real town:wink
> 
> So that being said, I understand your hesitancy to put her on raw because of how far away from everything you live! However I was pointing out the price of Acana....I cant imagine spending that price on processed foods ever again.
> 
> ...


Albuquerque is 4 hours away lol, but I haven't had much luck finding ANYTHING there...I did look for meat for the chis there.

I know transitioning slowly to raw ISNT necessary, but its just my personality...slow but steady wins the race. I overthink things so I need to break them down to a science to feel comfortable doing them. Raw was just one of those things. So we did it in baby steps which I will argue any day is better than not doing it at all! 

I would LOVE to feed her raw, its just I have some major research to do. Honestly, I pretty much buy the chis food right at the grocery store, absolutely the most expensive way to do it! BUT, thank goodness, it still doesn't cost much. I travel to dog shows pretty often. I have looked into meat supplies and found one in Denver but again I'm just not sure about getting it back here and that's what is stressing me out...I have a toyota corolla lol. Perfect to take chis to shows in but like where on earth will I stick 200+ lbs of frozen meat? Anyway, I also need to figure out if its different feeding a lbp raw than it is to a chi...

I'm just a careful person, I want what is best for this new dog, absolutely, and I do, I really cringe at buying kibble again. I just don't know what else to do ATM unless hubby can score her a deer. I don't feel that chicken is a 'balanced diet', and that's obviously the most affordable meat. UGH. Too much to think about!


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## flippedstars (May 22, 2010)

truthdog said:


> So how does one ever come to the conclusion that Acana is a quality food. I have never met a show dog or competively trained dog that eats it or Orijen. It is all marketing. The company that makes it has no track record other than recalls and no visible expertise whatsoever, other than marketing. The whole angle is 'regional Canadian ingredients'. Is that in fact true? And why does it matter. I was just looking at the Orijen website. How does the company get "fresh never frozen Walleye" year round? It is not fished commercially and the season is only 4 or 5 months? Also, the chicken meal which is the base of the food is from the US.


The reason a food like Acana appeals to me over a commercial food like, say, Purina, is 1) it is grainless... 2) it doesn't contain near as many 'fillers' as a food like Purina 3) it doesn't contain true 'garbage' ingredients, 3) I can READ most of the ingredients, 4) the company has a clean track record/no recalls, 5) they actually have decent quality control 6) they at least put a decent amount of MEAT in the food. I think discussing the actual quality of the meat is a negligible argument considering our canine friends in the wild eat carcasses that have rotted for quite some time. I'm sure the meat is not ROTTEN, so that's good enough for me. Purina meat? Eh eh.

Look, it's obvious you are a hardcore raw enthusiast. That's not for everyone, but it isn't to say they should not have a pet, I wouldn't think. When you really learn about dry foods, the companies that make them,...its a scary world to navigate. Thus why I'm so not thrilled over having to do it again! But a variety of factors do make foods like Acana superior to foods like Purina or Beneful LOL.

Edited to add: FWIW, my show dogs get comments ALL THE TIME at shows about OMG what product are you using, what on EARTH are you feeding? What did you do to get rid of the tear stains? How ever did you get his coat that white? Why does she glow? and I've had several judges actually ask if I chalked an entire dog...good grief. There ARE dogs in the show world fed high end diets or even raw diets. TRUST me on that one. And there are blatant differences in the dogs at the shows. You also need to remember professional grooming products can do truly fabulous things to a crappy coat, it's actually jaw dropping. And no, these are NOT products you can buy at Petco, Petsmart or even specialty pet stores.


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## DaViking (Sep 27, 2011)

truthdog said:


> You are not kidding, but the more you read on here the clearer it becomes why such bad products have such high acceptance by consumers.


Marketing "tricks" dosn't make a product bad or unsuited (for puppies in this case) It is just another way to squeeze out a little more revenue. Close to most all producers do it, from the crappy ones to the best and most trusted ones. The worst ones at this are the "premium" ones. Not the el-cheapo, not the super premium ones.


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## FL Cracker (May 4, 2011)

WOW....you jumped into the large breed dog with both feet! We just had a Corso in our last obedience class...he had a few "issues"....due to the lack of early socialization with other dog's. I really had to give the new owner a pat on the back for taking on the huge responsibility of rehabilitating this beautiful dog. She rescued him from a high kill shelter...he was due to be euthanized the next day. I must say that her consistent training, our wonderful trainer Suzette, and the intelligent nature of the Cane Corso....after the 8 week class...he made an incredible turn around. She continues to work with him... he's far from the dog that showed up for our first class. He was strictly a bystander...getting accustomed to being around other dog's, people, ect...and was a good distraction while we trained our dog's.
From the looks of it....being socialized in your home will not be a problem with 7 other dog's....and I wish you the very best in bringing this new addition to the family. 
It would be hard _for me_ to feed him kibble, since your so familiar with raw for your other dog's, but certainly understand the financial end of it.

It took me some time to get my raw food bill down to a manageable level for our pup CoCo (Rottweiler)...but now manage to keep her price per pound average between $.80 cent's to $1.25/lb. Finding a whole food warehouse that will accept walk in's, local raw food co-op's...ect can help keep prices down. Not sure if you know of other people in your area that also feed raw... I was lucky enough to meet through our local co-op, a great gal/family that feed their dog's raw. We split cases of beef heart, tongue, chicken, chicken feet, ect....to keep things affordable.
In regards to what kibble to feed...I would imagine that's going to be a trial and error type of event. My first Rottie, we went through 5 different dog foods before we actually found one that worked for him (Solid Gold/ Hund-n-flocken). Back then the market was not near as advanced with some of the quality kibble's out there today....good luck on your decision.
I can't wait to see the pics of your new pup, and again wish you the very best with your new addition.


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## flippedstars (May 22, 2010)

FL Cracker said:


> WOW....you jumped into the large breed dog with both feet! We just had a Corso in our last obedience class...he had a few "issues"....due to the lack of early socialization with other dog's. I really had to give the new owner a pat on the back for taking on the huge responsibility of rehabilitating this beautiful dog. She rescued him from a high kill shelter...he was due to be euthanized the next day. I must say that her consistent training, our wonderful trainer Suzette, and the intelligent nature of the Cane Corso....after the 8 week class...he made an incredible turn around. She continues to work with him... he's far from the dog that showed up for our first class. He was strictly a bystander...getting accustomed to being around other dog's, people, ect...and was a good distraction while we trained our dog's.
> From the looks of it....being socialized in your home will not be a problem with 7 other dog's....and I wish you the very best in bringing this new addition to the family.
> It would be hard _for me_ to feed him kibble, since your so familiar with raw for your other dog's, but certainly understand the financial end of it.
> 
> ...



LOL yeah, we jumped in w/ both feet, most definitely, BUT, we researched the breed for a little over a year before I finally said "okay, she will work"...then finding the breeder, who actually is one we know through show connections, waiting for a pup, etc. She will be 10 weeks old when we get her. We have a consistent plan to socialize her and I have THE friendliest trusting chihuahuas there are, and that did not come without a LOT of socialization work. I realize it WILL be different. Absolutely. I know that we have to be 100% consistent because it is a smart, but obstinate breed. We really, truly have looked into it. But as far as a breed I feel totally comfortable with, it is one of the only large breeds that I do, considering the small dogs. We truly know what we are getting into, and I think she will be a wonderful addition to our home. She will be "out and about" at LEAST 3 times a week, if not 4, one being a puppy social hour, one being a training class, one being a conformation class, and once or twice 'just for fun'. We have over 5 acres of grass with ponds and plenty of space for her. Once she is trained, I truly believe she will be an outstanding dog, or we would not be getting her. Plus, OMG, have you seen a well bred corso? Just gorgeous 

Man, if I could get meat at even under $2 a lb I'd be happy. I really am not pleased about kibble but until I find a supplier, I kind of need SOMETHING. I have already been keeping an eye out for 'deals' on meat about to expire, and I'm getting a big freezer next week. So that's a start. Trust me, LOL, we don't want kibble poops. YUCK. I guess we will start w/ Acana and raw most evenings and go from there.

We have plenty of money set aside for emergencies for the dogs, but we also are saving money for our own future, you know? So I don't want to cut too deeply into what we can save to feed raw, but I am hoping with some research we can get there. SO we'll see I guess. We have 'budgeted' her in and she will not be a stress or a strain or again, we wouldn't be getting her. I just sometimes fall over when I buy meat even for US! So...yeah 

I mean, a deer would feed her for QUITE some time! Hubby better kill one.


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

Congratulations on the new addition. Cane Corso's when well bred are lovely. I am with you, get that hubby hunting, deer, elk, turkey anything to stock that new freezer - LOL. You will be fine and puppy"s transition so much easier than adults. Just suggesting maybe seeing if there is a co-op in Albequerque? I am not sure. Anyway it sounds like she will be a great fit for you and your tiny ones - have fun with her.


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## FL Cracker (May 4, 2011)

flippedstars said:


> I have chihuahuas


For SHAME.... :suspicious: you said you had no "big dogs" in your house....you have to be kidding me....Chihuahuas! Your way ahead of the ball game already....eace: Can't wait to see the pics...sounds like you did your homework...and that will pay off in the long run. I am missing my trip to huntcamp this fall...now I'm out of venison for a year....that's just so wrong on so many levels. Last year I brought back 444 lbs (according to the airline scale) and it's all gone but the summer sausage the Mrs's and I enjoy with cheese and crackers. 
IF you can find a local "butcher", that does deer during "season"...most of them don't much mess with the rib's...and short of stripping the intercostal muscle meat from between the ribs (for jerky) it's normally cut out and left for the dumpster. Great source of bone, meat, and of course venison is on the top of the food chain IMHO. One of the biggest advantages of forums based communities, yahoo news groups...is getting the chance to meet people, new resources and information...and hopefully make a lifelong friendship along the way....all while improving the quality of lives for our companions during the ride.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

A client of mine got a Cane Corso, whom was socialized DAILY for several hours. I know this, because between daycare and dog walking, he damn near wrote my paycheck!!! lol. 
His dog decided to pick up a pomchi one day, and killed it. He got him from some show breeder in California and he was an AWESOME dog, he never expected him to hurt a fly. All of his Cane Corso buddies told him that they'd never let their CC's around small dogs. 

Also, I'm surprised that you have so many options for training, but none for meat. 
Independent grocers (generally found in small towns!) are usually very willing to order things in bulk at reasonable price.


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## cprcheetah (Jul 14, 2010)

truthdog said:


> So how does one ever come to the conclusion that Acana is a quality food. I have never met a show dog or competively trained dog that eats it or Orijen. It is all marketing. The company that makes it has no track record other than recalls and no visible expertise whatsoever, other than marketing. The whole angle is 'regional Canadian ingredients'. Is that in fact true? And why does it matter. I was just looking at the Orijen website. How does the company get "fresh never frozen Walleye" year round? It is not fished commercially and the season is only 4 or 5 months? Also, the chicken meal which is the base of the food is from the US.


Hmmmm.....I know SEVERAL show breeders who feed it, actually a lot of Shih Tzu breeders/showers feed it.


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## flippedstars (May 22, 2010)

PuppyPaws said:


> A client of mine got a Cane Corso, whom was socialized DAILY for several hours. I know this, because between daycare and dog walking, he damn near wrote my paycheck!!! lol.
> His dog decided to pick up a pomchi one day, and killed it. He got him from some show breeder in California and he was an AWESOME dog, he never expected him to hurt a fly. All of his Cane Corso buddies told him that they'd never let their CC's around small dogs.
> 
> Also, I'm surprised that you have so many options for training, but none for meat.
> Independent grocers (generally found in small towns!) are usually very willing to order things in bulk at reasonable price.


Well I guess that the difference is we don't expect our Corso to be harmless. There are 'freak' stories about SO many breeds, that at the end of the day you'd wind up with a hamster, if you want to go that route. 

Well bred, not well bred, a dog is a dog is a dog. And you can be certain that we will make the wisest choices possible regarding the chis and the corso, for sure. And a big dog has infinite potential to be dangerous. And at the same time, infinite potential to be wonderful. 

We live in a dog town. Everyone has a dog...or four. I don't see how conformation, obedience, general puppy social hour, and a social trip once or twice a week is 'extensive', option-wise.

If meat didn't have to be trucked in, it wouldn't be so darn expensive. Our mountain passes ALL close at times in the winter and we are stuck sometimes for a week with no way out, and no way in for food trucks. You should see the prices after that!


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## flippedstars (May 22, 2010)

FL Cracker said:


> For SHAME.... :suspicious: you said you had no "big dogs" in your house....you have to be kidding me....Chihuahuas! Your way ahead of the ball game already....eace: Can't wait to see the pics...sounds like you did your homework...and that will pay off in the long run. I am missing my trip to huntcamp this fall...now I'm out of venison for a year....that's just so wrong on so many levels. Last year I brought back 444 lbs (according to the airline scale) and it's all gone but the summer sausage the Mrs's and I enjoy with cheese and crackers.
> IF you can find a local "butcher", that does deer during "season"...most of them don't much mess with the rib's...and short of stripping the intercostal muscle meat from between the ribs (for jerky) it's normally cut out and left for the dumpster. Great source of bone, meat, and of course venison is on the top of the food chain IMHO. One of the biggest advantages of forums based communities, yahoo news groups...is getting the chance to meet people, new resources and information...and hopefully make a lifelong friendship along the way....all while improving the quality of lives for our companions during the ride.


Oh that is a REALLY good idea, there are two game processing places within an hour that I know of, and to know of a specific thing that they would just chuck out would make it even easier to ask for. I will look into that as soon as we get home from the show this weekend.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

flippedstars said:


> Well I guess that the difference is we don't expect our Corso to be harmless. There are 'freak' stories about SO many breeds, that at the end of the day you'd wind up with a hamster, if you want to go that route.
> 
> Well bred, not well bred, a dog is a dog is a dog. And you can be certain that we will make the wisest choices possible regarding the chis and the corso, for sure. And a big dog has infinite potential to be dangerous. And at the same time, infinite potential to be wonderful.
> 
> ...


My point was that all of the Cane Corso people in his network insisted that they not be around small dogs at all, not that the freak accident happened. I mentioned it because you sad that after research they were the only big dog you were comfortable getting with your chis. He was pretty responsible with his dog, and didn't at all consider him harmelss. But, things happen. I would not get a giant breed dog that is generally known to not do well with smaller animals, if I had a house of chis, but that's just me. 

We don't have those options close by here, and I'm in the middle of a chain of decent sized towns, so I guess I consider it relatively extensive. 

Good luck with the CC, I hope you post pictures. I love the breed, a lot. I was considering one, but opted for Danes for a few reasons applicable to my situation. I live vicariously through those equipped to have them, so LOTS of pictures!! And I hope you do not take my posts in the wrong tone. I just see these dogs given up SO often. Sadly, more often than not. I'm sure you'll do just fine by yours.


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## flippedstars (May 22, 2010)

As I mentioned, we have the complete wherewithal to keep the dogs 100% separate if necessary. The breeder of the CC we are getting actually raises chihuahuas too, and sold me my 1st show chi that became my 1st champion  He has never had a problem...the chis are his wife's and the CC's are his. The dogs, of course, are NEVER, EVER left even remotely unsupervised, but they are 'lightly socialized' for the sake of all dogs involved. I can't say exactly WHAT there interaction will be yet, because we just don't know. It will be minimal, but it most likely will exist to some extent. Its the part where research can't tell you that much, trust me we tried, and we talked to a lot of breeders, too. At the end of the day out of the breeds my husband wanted, this was the one I felt comfortable with and excited about. 

The way I figure it is the afternoon the chis all sleep anyway. So off they go to their 'den' for their naps, and that's when the CC gets to be in the house with mom, loose. Her crate will be smack dab in the kitchen too, so for a nap in the AM she will be there. In the mornings we have a variety of options for her - a huge fenced in deck leading out to a huge, fenced yard, a heated house on the deck for her incase it's a bit chilly but lets face it this is not a sissy dog, an actual dog run out back, and 10+ miles of dirt country road for me to walk her on. We have a bigger bitchzilla chi that has raised 3 pitbull puppies and we'll start off by letting her school this one in the ways of tiny dogs then go from there.

I really truly hear the advice people give and I don't mind it because I know there is the chance that someone has NOT done their research might read this thread. So it is what it is as far as that goes. In our case we really HAVE thought her through and even if the chis and the CC never, ever meet, life will be happy, normal, and no one will ever break into our house ha-ha!


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## FL Cracker (May 4, 2011)

I think with your past knowledge, experience...and prior research...your going to be fine. I have owned Rottweilers for the past 15 years...(so I'm just getting started)...but as with all of them...started socializing them "right away"... starting with small dogs first....you already have a house full. That really stinks about your meat prices... hunter's can be your best friends....venison, rabbit, squirrel, turkey, elk, antelope, moose....(depends where you live) is an excellent source of meat for your dog. Commonly the heart, liver, kidney's, trachea, tongue....all left for the Coyote's....rarely we would have a request for the heart...and we would save one or two and have them in camp once and a while. We stuffed it with stove top stuffing....wrapped it with peppered bacon...and grilled it to perfection. I actually love it that way. Anyhow...most hunters don't save the bone that your dog can actually grind up and digest...ribs...tail, neck...ect. Finding "the butcher" that everyone uses in town...will usually lead you to a "gold mine" full of unwanted food. This year I planned on bringing back 500-700lbs of venison....but unfortunately I'm having cervical fusion on Monday...so I'm "screwed" this year...and I am NOT happy about it.
Here is a pic of a typical/good day in camp....provided the weather is good....we have 7-8 guy's in our group....and are fortunate that it's all private property and managed well.


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## flippedstars (May 22, 2010)

Not the best picture because all I have is my cell phone, but here she is...


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## flippedstars (May 22, 2010)

I'm also going to put some posts up on CL seeing if anyone has old freezer burnt meat leftover from last hunting season, or even fresh stuff they don't want. Plus hubby's office is full of hunters. Hopefully we can get SOME stuff for her. I just don't feel 'chicken' is sufficient and its the only semi affordable meat. 

She's on Eukanuba puppy ATM and omg I've never smelled such awful, awful dog poo. Absolutely vile. Her poops are the size of my chihuahua I'm showing this weekend (and yes, they've met, but that's been it! one or the other in the crate all the time. Her paws are already the size of the chi girl I have with me). No lie.


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## KlaMarie (Dec 30, 2010)

Oh wow is she gorgeous!!!! I love corsos, they just ooze power. Only seen one in person though, he was still very puppy-ish in attitude at 9 months old, but my gosh was he big! They were trying to do some foundation personal protection training with him but he just wasn't mature enough yet, and still WAY too uncoordinated to really do it right. 

Can't wait to see more pics of your pup!!!! :smile:


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## Khan (Jan 17, 2010)

Well, you are ALOT braver than I am. I have been a Rottie gal for about 15yrs. Love the dogs, and have had 3 of the most well behaved ones. Zeus was 135lb and Shelby is 12lbs and she ruled his world! When he passed away my husband wanted to get a CC. There was No Way I was bringing a CC into the house with Shelby. 
I am a very knowledgeable, and experienced dog person, and I know socialization plays a big part; but I also know that the prey drive in some animals far out weighs socialization. I was not willing to "take the chance" with Shelby's life or the life of a CC (which would have been cut short by my husband if anything terrible would happen to his little girl) 
I hope for everyone's sake all goes well. 

As far as the food goes, I was able to feed Khan a growing Bullmastiff (I started when he was about 5mo) for about the same amount of money as a bag of Orijen. At one point he was eating about 4-4.5lbs of meat at each meal; but that really only lasted a couple months. He now eats about 1lb twice a day, and he maintains a weight of about 115-117lbs.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

flippedstars said:


> I'm also going to put some posts up on CL seeing if anyone has old freezer burnt meat leftover from last hunting season, or even fresh stuff they don't want. Plus hubby's office is full of hunters. Hopefully we can get SOME stuff for her. I just don't feel 'chicken' is sufficient and its the only semi affordable meat.


It isnt in and of its self, but once she is transitioned over to raw you then add in what ever red meats you have gotten your hands on, along with organs and what ever other meats you buy.



> She's on Eukanuba puppy ATM and omg I've never smelled such awful, awful dog poo. Absolutely vile. Her poops are the size of my chihuahua I'm showing this weekend (and yes, they've met, but that's been it! one or the other in the crate all the time. Her paws are already the size of the chi girl I have with me). No lie.


Is she with you yet then?? If so PLEASE tell me that the last meal of Pukanuba was the one that she had at her breeders!! uke:


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## flippedstars (May 22, 2010)

Scarlett_O' said:


> It isnt in and of its self, but once she is transitioned over to raw you then add in what ever red meats you have gotten your hands on, along with organs and what ever other meats you buy.
> 
> 
> Is she with you yet then?? If so PLEASE tell me that the last meal of Pukanuba was the one that she had at her breeders!! uke:


LOL I wish I could tell you it was her last meal but I have been impatient switching foods in the past and have learned my lesson! We are at a hotel/dog show til Sunday PM. I want to make sure everything's 'kosher' before I mess around hahaha. CC poops are much, much bigger than chi poops. It is a disgusting food, though. 

In doing research, I did not find that CC's have an especially high prey drive, not moreso than any other large breed working dog. Nor did any of the experienced breeders I spoke to find that the breed does, either, and trust me when I say we spoke to a lot of breeders. BUT, if you want your dogs to all be able to live together in your house in harmony with no separation, then yeah, I wouldn't recommend a CC. Ours pretty much will be an entity of her own, we'll socialize her w/ the little guys but we aren't looking for them to be buddies or share space, any interaction will be 100% supervised and leashed for the big gal, but not everyone has the ability to keep dogs separate like that. Either way, we are planning to have her prey drive tested, so we know exactly what we are up against.


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## flippedstars (May 22, 2010)

Scarlett_O' said:


> It isnt in and of its self, but once she is transitioned over to raw you then add in what ever red meats you have gotten your hands on, along with organs and what ever other meats you buy.


Oh on this, I just meant that chicken was the only even 'remotely' affordable meat we can get for her, so thus why I have got her some Acana to start her off til we score a deer or some free meat and a bigger freezer. I tend to think in my head that chicken/bone/organs would be better than Acana but...?


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

flippedstars said:


> Oh on this, I just meant that chicken was the only even 'remotely' affordable meat we can get for her, so thus why I have got her some Acana to start her off til we score a deer or some free meat and a bigger freezer. I tend to think in my head that chicken/bone/organs would be better than Acana but...?


Im sorry, but Ive got to ask, what is "remotely affordable" when you can afford to feed her Acana? I dont need numbers, Im just wondering.

Have you ASK about your grocery stores getting in orders for you? More then likely your Albertsons couldnt(since they are a chain, but they MIGHT be able to) but a local store can add what ever they want onto their order form...its just about getting them to do so for you! Also turkey is going to be on sale VERY soon...and YES any sort of PMR, even if its bone in chicken with organs for a few months is going to be FAR better then krapple, even "high quality" stuff!;-)


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## flippedstars (May 22, 2010)

Scarlett_O' said:


> Im sorry, but Ive got to ask, what is "remotely affordable" when you can afford to feed her Acana? I dont need numbers, Im just wondering.
> 
> Have you ASK about your grocery stores getting in orders for you? More then likely your Albertsons couldnt(since they are a chain, but they MIGHT be able to) but a local store can add what ever they want onto their order form...its just about getting them to do so for you! Also turkey is going to be on sale VERY soon...and YES any sort of PMR, even if its bone in chicken with organs for a few months is going to be FAR better then krapple, even "high quality" stuff!;-)


I don't have the exact #'s on this computer, I just know that when I priced things out, it realistically was going to cost 4ish times the cost of feeding a kibble supplemented by bone in raw meals, to feed raw properly  Red mean, hamburger aside, we don't see for under $6ish an lb. 

We don't have any local grocery stores, just Albertson's and a King Soopers. I can ask though. Would be fabulous to get some huge boxes of turkey necks, unenhanced pork ribs, etc.

As it is I have to order organs most of the time from hare-today.com, cuz all I can get is chicken liver, no kidney or anything else...drives me nuts. Thankfully the little guys don't eat much and it lasts a long, long time.


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## KlaMarie (Dec 30, 2010)

flippedstars said:


> In doing research, I did not find that CC's have an especially high prey drive, not moreso than any other large breed working dog. Nor did any of the experienced breeders I spoke to find that the breed does, either, and trust me when I say we spoke to a lot of breeders.


The corso I saw had very little prey drive, if any at all, which was one of the reasons he wasn't able to do most of the protection training. At his age, the trainer wasn't willing to work him in defensive drive. So he had to mature before continuing training. 



flippedstars said:


> we'll socialize her w/ the little guys but we aren't looking for them to be buddies or share space, any interaction will be 100% supervised and leashed for the big gal, but not everyone has the ability to keep dogs separate like that. Either way, we are planning to have her prey drive tested, so we know exactly what we are up against.


I have a GSD and this is what we have to do. She just has WAY too much prey drive for me to be comfortable with her unleashed around little dogs. Her drive and the separation needed form my parents' Poms was one of the big pushes for me to get my own place.
But then some of her littermates seem to be fine around little dogs--the difference in drive level matters most.


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## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

This is something I continually see on this forum that raw is not expensive.

Guys, in some areas, IT IS!

Acana comes out to what, $2.50 a pound or something like that? Ok, pork, beef, beef heart, and sometimes chicken livers where I live COMMONLY cost more than that per pound.

It IS possible that feeding something like Acana WOULD be cheaper than raw.

And no, not all grocery stores will work with you, chains or not. I have tried. 

Please can we please accept that some people HAVE searched and looked and tried and nothing? I have had an ad up on CL for who knows HOW long asking for freezer burned meat. Nothing. I have asked for meat from ducks, goats, chickens, cows, pigs etc from all these "locals" who raise their own. Guess what? Costs more than in the grocery store.

While many places may have fantastic prices, not every place does. We MUST accept that answer that raw is NOT cheaper for some of us.


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

I have seen that raw can be more expensive in other areas. I am blessed here in Washington state. It just seems crazy to see some of the prices you all have to pay and think we who are blessed forget that not everyone has access to the treaures we regularly access for our pets. All that said I hope flipped stars can access some good meat from local hunters - out here I can always get lung, kidney, heart, trachea, sometimes liver and scrap from hunters. A few will save neck and ribs for me also. They are priceless. Make friends and it just might work out to be a huge benefit.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

Serenity, that doesnt work when people have lived in the area(ish) and know what is available though. 
I lived in 3 different places in the OP's state, including a mere 4 hours away, where we had PLENTY of food options because of farmers, hunters, grocers, and the like. 

(and NO Im not saying "a mere 4 hours" lightly....After having lived HOURS away from all civilization 4 hours is nothing for a normal weekly/biweekly food run, IMO.)

And it all comes down to if someone is willing to make it work or not. And IMO, people need to just admit when they are willing to make it work, not make up a bunch of excuses.(Not directed at anyone on this thread in particular...just in general!)


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## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

How long ago did you live in those areas? I don't know what gas prices are where you live but keep in mind, in many places, gas is average about $3.50 a gallon. Drive for four hours at $3.50 a gallon, you have to add that in to the expense.


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## flippedstars (May 22, 2010)

I'm going to do what I can, but the reality is we just probably are not going to feed her raw 100% of the time...she will get enough to get dental benefits and I'll brush her teeth too, and hopefully enough to get SOME of the benefits. When there are people starving in the world, I have to draw the line 'somewhere' on what I will pay or will not pay to feed my dogs. And I don't think that makes me a bad dog owner, LOL. Some of the best dog owners I know feed kibble.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

SerenityFL said:


> How long ago did you live in those areas? I don't know what gas prices are where you live but keep in mind, in many places, gas is average about $3.50 a gallon. Drive for four hours at $3.50 a gallon, you have to add that in to the expense.


We pay 3.75/gal at minimum. And I lived in Co just over 2 years ago...we payed $4.00/gal at minimum when I was there. And my friend who lives in the same town still said that unless she goes a hour away she is paying around $4/gal still.


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