The breeder that I'm getting Oscar from is feeding pretty sub-par food, based on the research I've been doing (Puppy Chow). I will be getting a few days' supply of it, but will be working on the transition to Orijen LB Puppy food right away. Any board members have any experience with pups who have switched to a high-quality food? Anything I should watch out for or expect?

I know to watch for allergies/poop quality/itchiness/yeasty ears/etc, btu I am just wodnering how long if at all it may take the pup to get used to a better diet.

When I got Ariki, the shelter was feeding him crap and I slowly went to Canidae . . . the usual issues . . . but it probably took about a month or so for me to really see the difference in his coat . . .

We were in a similar situation with Luna; so I started transitioning her to Orijen Large Breed Puppy a day or so after we brought her home ( a big no-no in many people's book).

Luna immediately started eating only the Orijen pieces and left the other kibble in the bowl untouched. So, the transition was much faster than I planned. I put a small spoonful of plain pumpkin in with each meal and she didn't really have any trouble. We were very pleased with her steady growth and her coat. Good luck. In my mind the better nutrition in the Orijen and the absence of certain ingredients in the brand she had at the breeders was the main reason I felt strongly about switching early.

In my mind the better nutrition in the Orijen and the absence of certain ingredients in the brand she had at the breeders was the main reason I felt strongly about switching early.

Yeah this is exactly what I was thinking, too. Thanks for your advice, I need to get some of that pumpkin, definitely! :)

I have been on this food roller coaster(well, they have been going through hell and I don't know what to do). I am just afraid of the very high protein percentage in origen. Right now they are on the natural recipe dick van patten, and they are miserable itching and doing what so many of you describe, pawing the face constantly, biting/scratching until it's raw, bad ears..., biting and licking paws constantly...I just don't know what to do. Good luck to all of you. They were terrific on nutranugget until they changed the formula without notifying us and my baby was throwing up for 3 days. It was an inexpensive costco/diamond brand, but they were great on it. Now I am about to go back to chicken breasts/rice because I just don't trust any of these companies. Cost is not an issue...I'll go without for them and their health....thank you board members for giving great information and I don't feel alone on the "rollercoaster".

I have been on this food roller coaster(well, they have been going through hell and I don't know what to do). I am just afraid of the very high protein percentage in origen. Right now they are on the natural recipe dick van patten, and they are miserable itching and doing what so many of you describe, pawing the face constantly, biting/scratching until it's raw, bad ears..., biting and licking paws constantly...I just don't know what to do. Good luck to all of you. They were terrific on nutranugget until they changed the formula without notifying us and my baby was throwing up for 3 days. It was an inexpensive costco/diamond brand, but they were great on it. Now I am about to go back to chicken breasts/rice because I just don't trust any of these companies. Cost is not an issue...I'll go without for them and their health....thank you board members for giving great information and I don't feel alone on the "rollercoaster".

Are you using the NB Limited Ingedient Diet? If so you may want to switch formulas to see if it's a food allergy. They have potato and duck- potato and fish - potato and venison. It's a pretty simple food made for allergy sufferers. If still bad on all of those then you may want to have test run for environmental allergies. My vet chooses to forgo test since the outcome is the same- seasonal allergies required medication seasonally.

Puppy Chow (Lg. Breed)

Ingredients
Whole grain corn, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, brewers rice, soybean meal, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), barley, dried beet pulp, animal digest, calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, fish oil, salt, potassium chloride, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, choline chloride, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), zinc sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, DL-Methionine, manganese proteinate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, copper sulfate, copper proteinate, calcium pantothenate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, Vitamin B-12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin supplement, calcium iodate, Vitamin D-3 supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite.
N-4035

Orijen Lg. Breed Puppy

FRESH REGIONAL INGREDIENTS
Deboned chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, russet potato, lake whitefish, chicken fat, sweet potato, whole eggs, turkey, salmon meal, salmon and anchovy oils, salmon, natural chicken flavour, sunflower oil, sun-cured alfalfa, dried brown kelp, carrots, spinach, peas, tomatoes, apples, psyllium, dulse, glucosamine Hcl, cranberries, black currants, rosemary extract, chondroitin sulfate, sea salt.

TONIC HERBS AND BOTANICALS

Chicory root, licorice root, tumeric root, funugreek, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, zea mays, peppermint leaf, chamomile flowers, dandelion, summer savory, rosehips.

ORGANIC MINERALS

Iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate.

PROBIOTIC MICROORGANISMS

Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product.

PREMIUM VITAMINS

Mixed tocopherols (source of vitamin E), choline chloride, vitamin A, vitamin D3, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin B12, folic acid, biotin.


Just do the transition slow..

Gawd, how can anyone consider that proper baby-canid food? :confused:

I started 4-5 puppies on Purina puppy chow and they did just fine. If ease of clean up is a big factor, then a meat based chow might be worth switching to. I would leave the puppy on the Purina until about 4 months and then change to a chicken based adult chow. Choose one with no more than 1% calcium, and keep the puppy lean.