Originally Posted by
Berna
I don't think that the advice to feed what the breeder is feeding has anything to do with the breeder's lines. It has to do with what the puppy is already used to eating since we know that food changes may lead to GI upset. And no one wants to baffle new pet owners. It can't be that only one food (the one that the breeder feeds) agrees with the puppy. And it can't be that none of the more expensive foods (like Orijen or Acana) agrees with any puppy. I guess the price of these foods is the reason no breeder feeds them. Also, I see that most breeders in the US feed ProPlan, while in Europe it's Royal Canin (which, from what I've noticed here during the years on the board, you guys in the US consider "trash" food; In Europe it's considered "top"). Moreover, here in Europe we are advised to feed puppy foods as listed by the kibble manufacturer, while I see breeders on this forum recommend switching to adult foods earlier. It works for you, great. It works for European breeders too - they also raise healthy dogs.
We can discuss "complete" foods all we want, there is no such thing as a "complete" food. You may have noticed that different food brands list different ingredients, different amounts of vitamins, proteins, fat, etc. So don't get fooled. "Complete pet food" is a marketing trick. There is no consensus on what "complete" is, and we have no idea what could be a "complete" food. Pet food manufacturers just have to meet the minimum criteria required.
So in general, if you don't know much about pet nutrition, if you are a newbie dog owner, stick with your breeder's recommendation. If you are not, do what has worked for you during the past years, especially if you are not comfortable with what the breeder was feeding. Personally, I'd never be comfortable with ProPlan. I prefer to feed real, homemade food, with ingredients that I select and prepare. It has worked for me and my dog way better than any kibble he was on during the first 6 years.