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  1. #1
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    Puppy Food Suggestion?

    We have a 4 month old black female lab that had some issues with food (probably my fault). We brought her home from the breeder at 9 weeks and I wanted to get her switched to a "better quality" food as soon as possible as she was on a very low quality food you could purchase from Costco. I switched her over to Flint River Ranch - Lamb, Millet, and Rice. After switching, her stools were very soft (almost diarrhea). After ruling out parasites, the vet suggested to switch her to another food "Hill's Prescription Diet Digestive Care I/D". after a couple weeks after switching her, her stools are back to normal so it does seem it might have been the previous food.

    The two problems with this new prescription diet food is 1.) It is very expensive ($75 for about two weeks ), and 2.) She is itching more than ever has (wonder if she might have a reaction to something in this new food.

    So...I'd like to find a good quality dry food to switch her to and keep her on until switching her to adult food when she is older.


    What food would yo guys recommend as a good quality dry food that doesn't have a ton of ingredients (less ingredients = less likely something would disagree with her)?

    For convenience, I was looking at Blue Buffalo (Petco in town carries it), but I am not opposed to ordering a better choice from somewhere if something else would be a better choice.


    What would you guys suggest?


    Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

  2. #2
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    duplicate post

  3. #3
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    This is common among people who switch from the breeder's food. The saying goes something like this: If you did your research and found a breeder you trust, then you should trust your breeder's advice about food.

    Typically you'd want to keep the dog on whatever the breeder suggested for about a year. The RX food you have the dog on now is way lower quality than the food you started out on. It likely has corn as the first ingredient. So there's most likely your itchiness. You would be better off switching to chicken and rice with a little canned pumpkin versus that junk. The vets make a killing on it. Especially Banfield.

    Most of of the breeders I know feed ProPlan Sport 30/20 or similar as the nutritional analysis is pretty much spot on. And that's what you should be concerned with, not ingredients. Blue Buffalo is one of the worst foods you can feed. Awful stuff.

    Personally I'd go back on the breeder's food as long as it was agreeing with her. If that won't work, find something similar based on nutritional analysis. When she turns a year then find something else if you want to. I feed raw but mine started on ProPlan. I know a lot of people feed Fromms with great success. That food is not inexpensive or convenient (for many). Also many of the premium foods do not sit well with puppies. It's too rich.

    You want to avoid the food roller coaster at all costs. It wreaks havoc on a puppy's digestive system, can rob them of nutrition and can set you back in your house training.

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  5. #4
    Chief Pooper Scooper JenC's Avatar
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    Even just Pro Plan Chicken/Rice puppy.

    You can look for the post, it was just updated this last week. Someone on here had a pup for nearly 7 months with diarrhea issues, tried every "premium" food out there. They switched to Pro Plan and the dog was fine.

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  7. #5
    Senior Dog smartrock's Avatar
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    While Blue Buffalo is heavily advertised, a lot of folks find it doesn't work for their puppy and soft stools or diarrhea is a frequent complaint. Many people try to switch their puppies to a premium food and find it doesn't work for them. I'd probably not go with BB at this point, knowing how many people have issues with soft poops and you've already been there. My 2 breeders both sent my 2 labs home on ProPlan. I think that's what our bullmastiff breeder used also. I did the Focus puppy chicken and rice also.

    Here's that post JenC referenced: A soft poo cycle...
    Sue

    Chase 9/29/2006- 6/30/2017 Always in our hearts
    Lark 12/25/2012- 2/2/22
    Henry 7/14/18
    Joey 5/14/2022

    “Because of the dog's joyfulness, our own is increased. It is no small gift. It is not the least reason why we should honor as well as love the dog of our own life, and the dog down the street, and all the dogs not yet born. What would the world be like without music or rivers or the green and tender grass? What would this world be like without dogs?”

    Mary Oliver, Hidden Content

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  9. #6
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    I am not a Blue Buffalo fan either.

    Chloe was raised at the breeders on the Costco food, but we had to switch her because we don’t have a Costco near us. If I remember correctly, we put her on Pro-Plan for a while. Another suggestion (if you can get it - we didn’t think about ordering on line and don’t have a local supplier) might be Diamond Naturals - it’s by the same company that manufactures the Kirkland food found at Costco (which is a decent food by the way despite being a “store brand”). Eukanuba might work as well - these are all what are sometimes considered “middle of the road” foods, but many puppies find the “higher end” foods to be too rich for them. The two puppies I have now were weaned onto Pro-Plan and continue to do well with it.
    Annette

    Cookie (HIT HC Jamrah's Legally Blonde, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
    Sassy (HIT Jamrah's Blonde Ambition, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015

    Chloe (HIT HC OTCH Windsong's Femme Fatale, UDX4, OM6, RE) 6/7/2009

    And remembering:

    Scully (HC Coventry's Truth Is Out There, UD, TD, RN) 4/14/1996 - 6/30/2011
    Mulder (Coventry's I Want To Believe, UD, RN, WC) 5/26/1999 - 4/22/2015

    And our foster Jolie (Windsong's Genuine Risk, CDX) 5/26/1999 - 3/16/2014

    Hidden Content

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  11. #7
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    Thank you all for the advice!!!

    It sounds like ProPlan is the way to go.


    Thanks again!

  12. #8
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    You may want to call your breeder and tell her that you do not have access to the Costco food and ask her to suggest an alternative. There are many types of ProPlan available. Also, two years ago when I got my last pup, I found lots of ProPlan coupons online that I could sign up for. I want to say that the first bag was free and when I continued to purchase them from PetCo or Petsmart, I continued to receive many coupons in the mail. They are pretty generous. With all of the shots, puppy school, new puppy supplies, etc. it helps!

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  14. #9
    Puppy
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    Whoa...there's quite a few different ProPlan options.

    Would this one be the one to go with - ProPlan Puppy Focus - Large Breed Chicken and Rice Formula?

  15. #10
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    See my suggestion above.

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