# Best large breed puppy food?



## kimlee10 (May 21, 2013)

Ok, so I started off feeding Fromm large breed puppy and she hated it, so we switched to merrick puppy and she loves it!! but today at the vet she said take her off and put her on adult food cause the protien.... the protien is 28%, but i felt like then she wouldnt get the added nutrients that puppies need, so i bought natures variety PRARIE large breed puppie which has 26% protien which seems to be the same as there adult food... can someone just point me in the right direction?? thanks!! Also, some people said protien has no issue with it, its the calcium?


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## CrazyZane (Apr 14, 2013)

I don't know what food to recommend, I'm trying to find a food for my little guy. Regarding protein, from what I've read it's more about calcium / phosphate levels that you need to watch out for in a LBP. A lot of people say high protein causing growth problems is no longer true and it's old / bad info.


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## DaViking (Sep 27, 2011)

Eagle Pack Large Breed Puppy.

Watch out for theories and papers that morph into Internet truths. That is hands down the best advice you'll ever get about dog food. Seek out real life expertise in whatever field/breed you are into.

OT; spliff? Really, lol.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

Different ip addresses...


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## PDXdogmom (Jun 30, 2010)

Personally, I wouldn't feed any puppy less than 28% protein and 16% fat. They need it for development. Just don't overfeed. I think keeping the maximum calcium level to around 1.5 - 1.7 is a good idea also.


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## NutroGeoff (May 15, 2013)

I fed my lab the Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Young Adult. Its specific for dogs between 6 months old and 2 years old. Its sort of like their teenage years. It has a little less protien than a puppy but a little more than an adult food. It was excellent for him. He was extremely healthy and didn't have any weight issues or any problems with his joints.


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## BeagleCountry (Jan 20, 2012)

The first link below is a discussion of large breed nutrition that you may find helpful. One of the DFA members, Hound Dog Mom, has posted a file of actual/average calcium amounts in 4 and 5 star grain free foods. Companies that could not or would not provide information were omitted.


Topic: Large and Giant Breed Puppy Nutrition
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFY183Q0NVRXlidWc/edit?pli=1


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## GoodGirl! (May 18, 2013)

NutroGeoff said:


> I fed my lab the Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Young Adult. Its specific for dogs between 6 months old and 2 years old. Its sort of like their teenage years. It has a little less protien than a puppy but a little more than an adult food. It was excellent for him. He was extremely healthy and didn't have any weight issues or any problems with his joints.


Be still my beating heart, you fed Nutro to your puppy, and Nutro in the thread where the OP is asking about her dog with a sensitive stomach. Is there no dog Nutro isn't awesome for in your book? :tongue:

No real advice to the OP... I think the Eagle Pack link is probably the most tried-and-true large breed puppy advice- I see that frequently used as a reference. But my weim's vet seemed to only be concerned with calcium when I talked to her about feeding him as a puppy. I don't really recall what all I fed him, but it was all grain free, which tend to be high protein.


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## DDBsR4Me (Jan 23, 2012)

What kind of puppy do you have? 

I have Dogue de Bordeaux and at least with mastiffs you want to keep the calcium level under 1.6 for a growing puppy. The ratio is 1.2 parts calcium to 1
part phosphorus

You never want to feed calcium over 1.8% to a pup under 2. Ideally the level should be 1.4-1.6%.


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## InkedMarie (Sep 9, 2011)

GoodGirl! said:


> Be still my beating heart, you fed Nutro to your puppy, and Nutro in the thread where the OP is asking about her dog with a sensitive stomach. Is there no dog Nutro isn't awesome for in your book? :tongue:


Look at his name...I'm assuming he works for Nutro. 
Don't we have someone else here from Nutro? Janet? She doesn't seem to "push" Nutro on every post.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

lauren43 said:


> Different ip addresses...


Off topic but that is what Linsey said about the last alter ego of Skadoosh...

Not that I think this is Skadoosh, just pointing that out.


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## dr tim (Mar 27, 2011)

Did you know that a large breed dog has calcium/phosp needs that are acceptable for a yorkie, but if use what is acceptable for a yorkie it could be too high for a large breed dog? Thus, we have not fallen into the trend of another food specifically for large or small breeds, one food can do both.


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## GoodGirl! (May 18, 2013)

I know NutroGeoff is a pushy rep, hence my tongue in cheek post, but I'm still so new here that I didn't want to be more explicit with my thoughts- I don't need to be banned just yet.  I realize and appreciate not all reps are so pushy or vexed with tunnel vision. 

Interesting post above re: acceptable levels for large breed being acceptable for a small breed, but not vice versa. I wonder what's in small breed puppy formulas, then? Or is that just another marketing tactic? (Which makes me think of breed specific foods a la Royal Canin, and my surprise one of those "premium" big labels hasn't tried to corner the market on mutt specific labeled feed for rescues/adopted dogs LOL)


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## DaViking (Sep 27, 2011)

Tim Hunt's food is great too.

Tip #2; Portion control for large and giant breeds


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## meggels (May 30, 2010)

Sprocket said:


> Off topic but that is what Linsey said about the last alter ego of Skadoosh...
> 
> Not that I think this is Skadoosh, just pointing that out.


We can't really ban anyone unless the IP addresses match lol. Or whoever the new person is, is completely inflammatory off the bat lol.

I didn't think she was though. Her post made me chuckle a bit :becky:


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

i've never fed puppy food to my dogs.


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