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  1. #1
    Real Retriever Beth C's Avatar
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    Food Frustration

    I've jumped onboard with the caution ruling out grain free, especially for puppies. My vet is adamantly against grain free for lab puppies, and I agree. However...I'm having a hard time finding a decent grain inclusive kibble! I found one - Earthborn Puppy Vantange, that is approved for large breed puppies, but now I've found that it's no longer made, because it's been converted over to a grain free, pea heavy formula - ugh! Lido is doing so well on it! I can only find leftover bags on Ebay - will check to see what their expiration dates are before buying them. If they're good, I may buy all I can find.

    Pro Plan caused pudding poo, Royal Canin caused massive eye boogers, haven't tried Science Diet for the same reasons (contains corn wheat, soy).
    Some grain inclusive kibbles include taurine in the ingredients, but, if peas/legumes/white potatoes inhibit the absorption of taurine, what good does the addition of taurine in a kibble accomplish?

    Anyone have a suggestion for a lab puppy kibble without corn, wheat, or soy, peas/pea protein/white potatoes (or at least has them far down the ingredient list)?

    Thoughts?

  2. #2
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    I feed several of these, and plan on feeding the Farmina

    Farmina Pet Foods - Dog food - N&D Ancestral Grain Canine - not sure if you're feeding puppy or adult, but these may be ok
    Four-Star Dry Recipes for Dogs - Fromm Family Foods
    Four-Star Dry Recipes for Dogs - Fromm Family Foods
    Four-Star Dry Recipes for Dogs - Fromm Family Foods
    Four-Star Dry Recipes for Dogs - Fromm Family Foods

    FWIW - Brooks did well on Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy. I changed him over to the Fromm rotation Sophie was on, and he didn't do well. Put him on Eukanuba Performance 30/20 and he's done great on it for over a year and a half.

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    Beth C (11-24-2018)

  4. #3
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    I feed Farmina, the ancient grain formulas.

    PP also has the Lamb and Rice and Salmon and Rice (I think). I know at least one of those is corn-free. You might look into them.

    You can try raw as well, if that is something you're willing to do.

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  6. #4
    Real Retriever Beth C's Avatar
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    Thanks for the replies. I started out feeding PP Large Breed Puppy because that's what his breeder fed, but it caused pudding poo that never got better. Fromm Gold Large Breed Puppy caused the same thing, even when supplemented with probiotics. Royal Canin, as I stated in my OP, caused massive eye boogers - also itchy ears that caused a lot of head shaking. The Earthborn Puppy Vantage, formerly grain inclusive and was working well, is now grain free only - ugh! I'd love to feed Farmina, but it's out of my budget, especially considering the amount Lido is eating right now (he's 6 months old). I may consider it in the future, when the amount fed lessens greatly. I prefer to feed a large breed puppy kibble, rather than an adult kibble, until he's around 15 months old.

    I found Wellness Large Breed Puppy (grain inclusive), but it gets very mixed reviews - either great or terrible (bad reviews report diarrhea and bad gas), so I'm going to pass on this one.

    I then found Nutrisource Chicken and Rice Large Breed Puppy that gets mostly good reviews and doesn't contain corn, wheat, or soy. Does anyone feed this?

  7. #5
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Beth C View Post
    Thanks for the replies. I started out feeding PP Large Breed Puppy because that's what his breeder fed, but it caused pudding poo that never got better. Fromm Gold Large Breed Puppy caused the same thing, even when supplemented with probiotics. Royal Canin, as I stated in my OP, caused massive eye boogers - also itchy ears that caused a lot of head shaking. The Earthborn Puppy Vantage, formerly grain inclusive and was working well, is now grain free only - ugh! I'd love to feed Farmina, but it's out of my budget, especially considering the amount Lido is eating right now (he's 6 months old). I may consider it in the future, when the amount fed lessens greatly. I prefer to feed a large breed puppy kibble, rather than an adult kibble, until he's around 15 months old.

    I found Wellness Large Breed Puppy (grain inclusive), but it gets very mixed reviews - either great or terrible (bad reviews report diarrhea and bad gas), so I'm going to pass on this one.

    I then found Nutrisource Chicken and Rice Large Breed Puppy that gets mostly good reviews and doesn't contain corn, wheat, or soy. Does anyone feed this?
    I feed my cat Nutrisource and have fed it to my dogs in rotation. I like it.

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  9. #6
    Senior Dog Meeps83's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Beth C View Post
    Thanks for the replies. I started out feeding PP Large Breed Puppy because that's what his breeder fed, but it caused pudding poo that never got better. Fromm Gold Large Breed Puppy caused the same thing, even when supplemented with probiotics. Royal Canin, as I stated in my OP, caused massive eye boogers - also itchy ears that caused a lot of head shaking. The Earthborn Puppy Vantage, formerly grain inclusive and was working well, is now grain free only - ugh! I'd love to feed Farmina, but it's out of my budget, especially considering the amount Lido is eating right now (he's 6 months old). I may consider it in the future, when the amount fed lessens greatly. I prefer to feed a large breed puppy kibble, rather than an adult kibble, until he's around 15 months old.

    I found Wellness Large Breed Puppy (grain inclusive), but it gets very mixed reviews - either great or terrible (bad reviews report diarrhea and bad gas), so I'm going to pass on this one.

    I then found Nutrisource Chicken and Rice Large Breed Puppy that gets mostly good reviews and doesn't contain corn, wheat, or soy. Does anyone feed this?
    I feed nutrisource performance to my two adult males. They love it, it’s grain inclusive with no corn, and they do really well on it.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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  11. #7
    Senior Dog windycanyon's Avatar
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    Is there a reason to exclude corn, wheat and soy? Eukanuba Lg breed puppy has worked fantastically for my pups over the yrs. Many of the other formulas are far too high in calcium for my lines, so growth issues are a concern. I'd ask your breeder if they have any other suggestions.
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  12. #8
    Senior Dog voodoo's Avatar
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    Ordered a bag of farmina from their website...Farmina Pet Foods - Dog food - N&D Ancestral Grain Canine - Lamb & Blueberry Adult Medium

    chili is doing fine on it half bag thru...did take about 2 weeks to get in mail tho...
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  13. #9
    Real Retriever Beth C's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by windycanyon View Post
    Is there a reason to exclude corn, wheat and soy? Eukanuba Lg breed puppy has worked fantastically for my pups over the yrs. Many of the other formulas are far too high in calcium for my lines, so growth issues are a concern. I'd ask your breeder if they have any other suggestions.
    The two kibbles I've tried that have included them - Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy and Royal Canin Labrador Puppy, have caused issues. Pro Plan caused pudding poo, and RC caused massive eye boogers. I'm not a fan. Eukanuba has very similar ingredients, so I'm doubtful that Lido would do well on it. He's doing very well on Earthborn Puppy Vantage. I'm very disappointed that the formula has been changed to a very pea heavy, grain-free formula. I've bought the bags of the original formula that I can find, but they will run out eventually, and I'll need to move on to something else.

  14. #10
    Real Retriever Beth C's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by voodoo View Post
    Ordered a bag of farmina from their website...Farmina Pet Foods - Dog food - N&D Ancestral Grain Canine - Lamb & Blueberry Adult Medium

    chili is doing fine on it half bag thru...did take about 2 weeks to get in mail tho...
    I can get Farmina locially. I just can't afford it, lol.

 



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