puppy food NF

[Jer]

A couple years ago, somebody posted a web-site with dog food comparisons/reviews.

 

I remember that the Kirkland Adult Formula food from Costco was very highly rated and priced significantly less than other high end brands like Eukanuba, Science Diet, etc. I switched my dog to it at that time and it seemed fine.

 

When we got the new puppy a month ago, she had been eating Purina Puppy Chow so we bought a bag (even though I've never been a fan of the brand) and she was good with good firm stool. Since then, we have switched slowly to the Kirkland Puppy Formula (based on my experience previously) and now the poor puppy is poopy as all heck, runny stool, messing in her crate at times and has a totally messed up pooping schedule. On the Puppy Chow, she was gauranteed a good bowel movement within 15-20 minutes of eating. Now it's anybody's guess when she might need a poop.

 

I'm picking up another bag of Puppy Chow today to tide us over and hopefully firm up her stool but I'm open to other long-term options.

 

Also, if anyone remembers the link to the previously mentioned web-site, that would be great.

[Harrison]

Hey Jer, I switched our pup to Kirkland puppy from Purina as well. I did half and half for a few days. It took a few days for her to adjust when I went to all Kirkland but now everything is back to the way it should be.

 

How long has it been now since switching?

 

She was a pooping machine for a few days!

Edited August 17, 2010 by Harrison

[bow slayer]

It will take a couple days for a puppy to adapt to a change in puppy food. Go with a puppy food with a high content of protein,if the first ingredient is corn or cornmeal(science diet) stay away. The house brand at Petsmart is a very good product,compare it to science diet or any other big brand name and it is actually better and cheaper. Don't be fooled by big brand names.Another to consider is Blue Buffalo but very expensive.

[Jer]

It'd been about a week now on predominantly Kirkland, there's a few bits of Purina still mixed in. The runny poop has been for the last 4 or 5 days.

 

We were camping for a few days last week as well, I hope she didn't pick up some sort of parasite. She's all up-to-date with her shots and hasn't shown any change in her behaviour. She's been an awesome puppy except for her bowels lately. For the first three weeks, she only messed in her cage once or twice, now it's pretty much every day.

 

Besides the camping trip, the only real change has been the food.

[Gregoire]

If you were camping it may be something like giardia. You may need to bring a stool sample to a vet.

[SudburyAngler]

Hey Jer, I switched our pup to Kirkland puppy from Purina as well. I did half and half for a few days. It took a few days for her to adjust when I went to all Kirkland but now everything is back to the way it should be.

 

How long has it been now since switching?

 

She was a pooping machine for a few days!

nice, mines 6months and is an eating machine, we call him guts

[blizzcat]

I've heard Wellness brand or Natural Balance are both really good

[Jer]

If you were camping it may be something like giardia. You may need to bring a stool sample to a vet.

 

 

I hope not, but she did drink out of a lot of puddles on the rocks.

 

I read more puppy food labels at Petsmart today than I care to admit and I still came out with a bag of the damn Puppy Chow, just to see if it will settle her stomach.

 

I did some on-line research, and again, the Kirkland brand seems to be very highly regarded. Usually 4 out of 5 stars, compared with Eukanuba (which I used to swear by) which averaged only 2 out of 5 stars.

 

We also had a big party of about 35 people here on Saturday and although I asked everybody not to feed the dog, I'm sure she got her share of droppings.

[Gerritt]

I feed mine Nutro Lamb and Rice.. it has good ratings.. However is expensive...

 

 

but he is worth it.

 

G

[Jewelbee]

Sorry to those of you who like kirkland,....but Ive read poor reviews on this food..always related to gas, upset tummy and loose stools. I feed my dogs Acana brand food and have had great success even tho they both have delicate digestive tracts. My older dog has IBS and still does very well on the GRASSLANDS version. This food IS higher priced but you don't have to feed as much as with cheaper brands. Good luck! Hope your puppy feels better soon!

[GBW]

I don't know where my mind is as but after reading Pete's post about musky and then I read this as "puppy as food" and was thinking

Sorry, my mind's on big fish with teeth and Frank's red hot on bio-baits....

Edited August 18, 2010 by GBW

[bigfish1965]

I did have my guys on Kirkland (made by Diamond Dog Foods). They came off Eukanuba after it shot up from $45 a bag to $90 in less than a year. I had issues with the Kirkland...well actually my dogs did. They were farting machines on it. One day I had run out of food and was forced to go to Sobeys and grabbed a bag of Purina Beneful...the farting stopped overnight! They are now on the Beneful

Every dog is different and some can tolerate the beet pulp in Kirkland and some cannot. Sometimes you get lucky and cheap dog food does well. Sometimes you have dogs like JewelBee does and you have to have a very specific (expensive) diet.

My experience has been that purebreds have more sensitive digestion than mixed breeds.

[Bondar]

My dog gets Acana as well , he doesnt need near as much as when he was on the kirkland brand and he looks better than ever since hes started eating it !! like said before its pricey but well worth it IMO!

Edited August 18, 2010 by Bondar

[jediangler]

Hill's.

 

http://hillspuppykitten.ca/en/puppy/nu_prod.php

[Rustic-Fisher]

I have tried most the foods mentioned, including a raw diet and have gone right back to the Eukanuba. They have the $$ (Proctor and Gambel owned) for the research that goes into making a quality dry food, both my pups have done well on it.

I still feed them pasta, meat ect... during the hunting season as they require a ton of extra calories during the fall due to the fact they are working 3 times a week or more.

All said and done stick with what fits your pup best.

Cute pup!!

R

[Jewelbee]

Forgot to mention in my earlier post...Ask your vet, but a lot of vets and breeders are now recommending that you DO NOT feed puppy food! The higher proteins and added vitamins can cause growth spurts and make your puppy grow to big too fast. This can cause problems with joint disease later in life and shorten the quality of your dog's life. Just wanted to pass this info on. Also remember that feeding your dog a quality, holistic brand of food can lessen the chance of having unnecessary, trips to the vets office saving you money in the long term!

[Jewelbee]

My dog gets Acana as well , he doesnt need near as much as when he was on the kirkland brand and he looks better than ever since hes started eating it !! like said before its pricey but well worth it IMO!

[CLofchik]

I have tried most the foods mentioned, including a raw diet and have gone right back to the Eukanuba. They have the $$ (Proctor and Gambel owned) for the research that goes into making a quality dry food, both my pups have done well on it.

 

Heh that's like saying the best cured pork comes from Oscar Meyer instead of the family Italian deli where everything is done in house because they are larger. Eukanuba is right up there with Science Diet and the rest of large scale "premium" foods when it comes to recalls because their cheap Chinese ingredients contained arsenic, mercury, malamime and is probably contaminated to some degree with salmonella.

Sowry, I'll take the hand made soppresatta over macaroni & cheese loaf plz

 

My two dogs are fed Performatrin and not only do they really like it but they have tight stools, especially the hound that has a sensitive stomach and can't have kitchen scraps because he's just a mess for days.

[moose]

A couple years ago, somebody posted a web-site with dog food comparisons/reviews.

 

I remember that the Kirkland Adult Formula food from Costco was very highly rated and priced significantly less than other high end brands like Eukanuba, Science Diet, etc. I switched my dog to it at that time and it seemed fine.

 

When we got the new puppy a month ago, she had been eating Purina Puppy Chow so we bought a bag (even though I've never been a fan of the brand) and she was good with good firm stool. Since then, we have switched slowly to the Kirkland Puppy Formula (based on my experience previously) and now the poor puppy is poopy as all heck, runny stool, messing in her crate at times and has a totally messed up pooping schedule. On the Puppy Chow, she was gauranteed a good bowel movement within 15-20 minutes of eating. Now it's anybody's guess when she might need a poop.

 

I'm picking up another bag of Puppy Chow today to tide us over and hopefully firm up her stool but I'm open to other long-term options.

 

Also, if anyone remembers the link to the previously mentioned web-site, that would be great.

the food i used and moved to adult food now is purina pro plan puppy food it has good protein and rice and chicken turkey or meat in it

[Rustic-Fisher]

Heh that's like saying the best cured pork comes from Oscar Meyer instead of the family Italian deli where everything is done in house because they are larger. Eukanuba is right up there with Science Diet and the rest of large scale "premium" foods when it comes to recalls because their cheap Chinese ingredients contained arsenic, mercury, malamime and is probably contaminated to some degree with salmonella.

Sowry, I'll take the hand made soppresatta over macaroni & cheese loaf plz

 

My two dogs are fed Performatrin and not only do they really like it but they have tight stools, especially the hound that has a sensitive stomach and can't have kitchen scraps because he's just a mess for days.

LOL.... I did my homework, you could go on for pages about this. Stick with what your dog does best on.

Your ma and pop cured pork shop(LOL) can't fund the research that is put into certain dog foods THIS IS A FACT. As far as quality... its a dry kibble, its manufactured for human convenience if your really worried about all the "Chinese Poison" I hope your making and your own dog food.

 

One interesting thing is our family's German shepherd lived a healthy life until 14 and was feed........... the cheapest Walmart brand of food out there.

Go figure

R

[fish_fishburn]

My Siberian Husky is 16 mths old now and has been eating Purina Pro Plan since december. During the winter mths he was fed 3 cups a day, which he ate happily. Since the weather warmed up it takes him 2 days to eat the same amount. He's very active, gets alot of exercise and is a happy dog. I think he just doesn't like his food anymore. If I add rice to it or some chicken stock he eats it all up. Is this normal because of the hot weather they eat less?