Does it matter what food I am using for a 12 week old puppy? I've been using fromms gold large breed puppy and I'm running low, so before i buy another bag I just wanted to check. What have y'all had good experience with in the past?

If you're feeding other dogs just feed the pup what you're feeding them.

I've just got this one. When am I supposed to switch to just regular adult food? Everyone says around 6 months.

Purina Pro Plan for Puppies up to six months old.

Yes it matters. Puppy food has higher fat content than adult food. If you can find it around you, go with Victor dog food. It's just as good as blue buffalo and the high end foods but not quite as expensive. When changing foods start by mixing the old food with the new food for about a week then go with all new food.

Don't worry about cost with just one dog. I'd go with one of the purina brands.

I've tried Victor & Pro Plan, didn't have good results with either. I switched back to Eukanuba and haven't regretted it a bit. It's not worth going cheap on dog food.

I'm currently feeding purina pro large breed puppy because that's what the breeder had him on.

He seems pretty healthy, other than excessively smelly gas. Also, I have to feed more than the suggested feeding amount to keep him from being too skinny. (I am going for faint visualization of the ribs).

At 8-9 weeks, he has been requiring 2 1/2-3 cups a day with 3 feedings. He acts like he is starving, which I guess most lab pups do. It seems like a lot of food for a 9 week old pup.

I'll be researching other brands when this bag gets low for the gradual switch. My adult lab does great with 4health brand.

I have fed Fromm in the past, along with trying Diamond Naturals, TOTW and Purina Pro. Probably a few others, but those are the ones I remember. My bird dogs have more endurance on the Purina.
They looked good on all the brands, but it was Purina hands down for endurance and less down time between hunts.

I have come to find out that there are so many opinions out there on ingredients and brands etc. I have spent way too much time trying to research and find what is best. Choose something that is of good quality, and good reputation. Make sure to not change food very much. I have made that mistake with my pup trying to find the very best. Just stick with the same so their bodies are used to it. All of the types mentioned above would be fine.

LOL, my 6 mo old lab is still on 4Health Puppy and I'm feeding him 4-5 cups a day (4 feedings: 7am, 12pm, 4pm, 1/2 cup at 7pm when we're eating dinner) and he still acts like he's starving...

-z

A lot of different opinions. Main thing is find a high quality food that is corn and grain free. Some foods will work great with some dogs and not with others. See what is best for your dog. Pro Plan is probably the worst food I've tried it made my dogs nails brittle, coat dull and stools loose. But as you can see others like it.

Ones I would try are Blue Buffalo, Loyal, Victor and Diamond Natural.

My puppy was very allergic to blue buffalo, had the runs for three days. Had to get tested for worms and giardia which all came back negative. Switched her food and very next day she was better. Finally got some sleep last night! I now hate blue buffalo.

Like stated above. Find a good quality food and then make sure it works with your dog. Watch the dogs eyes, hair, nails, energy, stomach (fat), and output (dog piles) and you will eventually find what works best for your dog.

+1. KISS.

Some people are allergic to peanuts. So should we condemn all peanuts?

I am allergic to aspirin (and all salicylates). So aspirin should be removed from the pharmacy shelves?

Any individual dog can potentially be allergic to most any food component. So, what's best for your pup may not be the same for all pups. Trial and error will eventually turn up an adequate diet for your dog.

I believe most veterinary nutritionists will tell you that dogs with food allergies are more likely to have issues with the protein source (beef, chicken, duck, fish) than to the carbohydrate source (corn, wheat, rice). The take-home here is that if you think your dog is allergic to a particular food, consider changing the protein source first, and the carbohydrate last.

Our 9-yr-old dog tends to develop allergies--skin and bowel issues--about every two years or so. He had done well on a chicken and rice diet for several years, but gradually became intolerant of it. So this past fall we gradually switched him over to a salmon and potato diet that seems to be working well....for now. In his case, he likely developed issues with the chicken, rather than the rice, but since the new diet agrees with him, we're going to stick with it.

Haha just let me dislike them, I got no sleep and a hefty vet bill trying to figure out what was wrong with her!

I hear the more expensive brands like blue buffalo can be richer thus causing issues for some dogs. I also believe that many people assume a food is bad when their dog has issues with it in the first few days, they end up dismissing it for bad food too soon when the pup hasn't had the chance to really adjust to it even if you slowly change their food. Sometimes the bad stool is just from the change, not necessarily the food. They could let the dog ride it out and see they end up being fine.

Since my lab just hit his 7th month, I started migrating him from 4Health Puppy to an adult 4Health version... I bought small bags of Large Breed & Lamb/Rice (similar to Puppy)... of course he liked both...as he does with anything edible (the only things he won't eat are broccoli stumps & watermelon). I sprung $41 for the 35 lb bag of 4Health Performance and mixed it with the remaining Puppy I had and there has been no issues...

-z

Blue Buffalo causes killer gas in my dog

With Blue Buffalo people either love it, or hate it.
It just depends on if your dog is able to digest it properly.
Some dogs can't handle it, even when slowly changed over to it.
They have off and on bouts of diarrhea for months, until the food is changed. Other dog never have a problem with it, and look great. Bottom line is you have to find what works for your dog.

Well, the gas coming out of my lab after switching to the 4Health Performance is pretty bad... I think I'm going to go back to 4Health Large Breed... I don't recall the gas being this pungent or frequent with that test bag...

Any other protips on minimizing gas out of these critters?

-z

Now that I'm 100% on 4Health Performance (the mixed in Puppy is gone) the gas issue has abated... I'm guessing it was the Puppy formula, which is the only consistent part of the equation.

-z

I just started my new pup on Purina Puppy Chow. Going old school. BTW, he loves it.