Hello,

Our 9 week old pup is currently on Beneful Healthy Growth for Puppies which through research I have found is pretty much one of the worst things I can feed him. I picked up some Innova large breed puppy yesterday and noticed the amount guidelines are a huge amount more than the Beneful. I was just curious why this was the case? (Beneful is .25-.75 cups a day while Innova is 2.5 cups a day).

Thanks, Ben

Is the Beneful a puppy food? I have never used it and thought of it as only an adult food. :confused:

Is the Beneful a puppy food? I have never used it and thought of it as only an adult food. :confused:

Sorry, I clarified above. It's Beneful Healthy Growth for Puppies.

I can't find the feeding guidelines online but I would find it VERY hard to believe that you would feed more Innova than Beneful. Innova is 356 kcal/cup and Beneful is 390 kcal/cup so it isn't a matter of a big difference in kcal/cup.

I can't find the feeding guidelines online but I would find it VERY hard to believe that you would feed more Innova than Beneful. Innova is 356 kcal/cup and Beneful is 390 kcal/cup so it isn't a matter of a big difference in kcal/cup.


Well that's a little concerning. I've checked the guidelines and rechecked again and those are the recommendations. I guess I should ask then is 2.5 cups of Innova Lg. Breed Puppy good for a 10 lb pup? It's just odd that they differ so much if they have close to the same kcal per cup.

I can't find the Beneful feeding instructions either. Sometimes the feeding instructions are a bit vague. Are you sure the Beneful amount isn't per feeding as opposed to per day? Also, at 9 weeks, most puppies are still being fed 3xday. A quarter cup per day for a growing puppy just does not sound right to me. Perhaps a call to Purina customer service is in order? 1-888-BENEFUL (1-888-236-3385) (Mon. - Fri., 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. CT).

It also might be worthwhile contacting Innova to verify the feeding amount: (408) 261-0770 (800) 532-7261
9am-5pm Pacific Time, USA

http://www.mycockerspaniel.com/mer.htm

The Beneful's web site does not show the feeding guide lines for the puppies weight. You can use the web site above to find out the calorie needs for your puppy. Then go to "Dog Food Calculator" and enter the calories needed per day and calories per cup, and it will give the amounts to feed.
The amount that you stated for the Beneful does not sound like enough food for your puppy. Per the above web site you should feed 2 cups per day. Hope this is helpful.

Kona and Jasmin

http://www.lab-retriever.net/board/attachment.php?attachmentid=21046&stc=1&d=1205337283

Thank you all, although I feel pretty awful now. I have been underfeeding him for over a week now. Although maybe that isn't such a bad thing as he was recovering from Parvo. I am going to complain to Beneful about the instructions on the back and will start increasing his amount and switching over to Innova.

Do the switch very slow.... You will be going to about the worst food I've ever seen to the Best I've ever seen for a Labrador Pup.




HOW CAN THEY SELL SUCH **** ##@#@#

Beneful Healthy Growth for Pups

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS

Crude Protein (Min) 28.0% Calcium (Ca) (Min) 1.1%
Crude Fat (Min) 12.0% Phosphorus (P) (Min) 0.9%
Crude Fiber (Max) 4.0% Iron (Fe) (Min) 200 mg/kg
Moisture (Max) 14.0% Vitamin A (Min) 10,000 IU/kg
Linoleic Acid (Min) 1.5% Vitamin E (Min) 100 IU/kg
CALORIE CONTENT
Metabolizable Energy (ME)
3878 kcal/kg
1759 kcal/lb
390 kcal/cup

INGREDIENTS
Ground yellow corn, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, whole wheat flour, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), chicken, rice flour, milk, soy flour, sugar, sorbitol, tricalcium phosphate, water, animal digest, salt, phosphoric acid, potassium chloride, dicalcium phosphate, sorbic acid (a preservative), L-Lysine monohydrochloride, added color (Yellow 5, Red 40, Yellow 6, Blue 2), calcium carbonate, dried peas, dried carrots, calcium propionate (a preservative), choline chloride, DL-Methionine, Vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, Vitamin A supplement, manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin B-12 supplement, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, copper sulfate, brewers dried yeast, biotin, garlic oil, thiamine hydrochloride, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), calcium iodate, sodium selenite.

Do the switch very slow.... You will be going to about the worst food I've ever seen to the Best I've ever seen for a Labrador Pup.




HOW CAN THEY SELL SUCH **** ##@#@#

Beneful Healthy Growth for Pups

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS

Crude Protein (Min) 28.0% Calcium (Ca) (Min) 1.1%
Crude Fat (Min) 12.0% Phosphorus (P) (Min) 0.9%
Crude Fiber (Max) 4.0% Iron (Fe) (Min) 200 mg/kg
Moisture (Max) 14.0% Vitamin A (Min) 10,000 IU/kg
Linoleic Acid (Min) 1.5% Vitamin E (Min) 100 IU/kg
CALORIE CONTENT
Metabolizable Energy (ME)
3878 kcal/kg
1759 kcal/lb
390 kcal/cup

INGREDIENTS
Ground yellow corn, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, whole wheat flour, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), chicken, rice flour, milk, soy flour, sugar, sorbitol, tricalcium phosphate, water, animal digest, salt, phosphoric acid, potassium chloride, dicalcium phosphate, sorbic acid (a preservative), L-Lysine monohydrochloride, added color (Yellow 5, Red 40, Yellow 6, Blue 2), calcium carbonate, dried peas, dried carrots, calcium propionate (a preservative), choline chloride, DL-Methionine, Vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, Vitamin A supplement, manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin B-12 supplement, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, copper sulfate, brewers dried yeast, biotin, garlic oil, thiamine hydrochloride, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), calcium iodate, sodium selenite.

Thanks! We will be, I am going to transition over a week or so. He seems to like the new stuff though which is encouraging. I can't believe our friends recommended the Beneful and my vet didn't even say anything which has me a bit concerned too. I'm glad I found this site which led me to dogfoodanalysis.com, so I can get him on the good stuff he needs!

Anyway you can scan the feeding guidlines on the bag for us? .25-.75 cup a day is less than I feed even my jack russell!!

TI can't believe our friends recommended the Beneful and my vet didn't even say anything which has me a bit concerned too.
Veterinarians generally don't know much about dog food. Especially when you consider all the different brands.

Another great site is to check out is http://www.dogfoodproject.com/ and the discussion group: http://www.ourdogsonline.com/ubbthreads.php/ubb/postlist/Board/3/page/1

Going by the feeding guide lines on bags of dog food often results in over feeding. The more you feed the sooner you have to buy a new bag...................

The amount Beneful lists is not enough IMO either but 2 1/2 cups a day for a 9 week old on Innova sounds like too much - you could end up with loose stools.

Anyway you can scan the feeding guidlines on the bag for us? .25-.75 cup a day is less than I feed even my jack russell!!

I'll try to get a pic up of it.

Going by the feeding guide lines on bags of dog food often results in over feeding. The more you feed the sooner you have to buy a new bag...................

The amount Beneful lists is not enough IMO either but 2 1/2 cups a day for a 9 week old on Innova sounds like too much - you could end up with loose stools.


Ok, I will work him up to around 2 cups maybe and go from there depending on how he does. I did notice their recommendations got up to 7-8 cups per day for when they were larger and that seems insane to me.