OK so im getting very confused about food. I need help...

[SpiderCharlotte]

We have acquired a chunky chic lab pup while my friend has a very long and unexpected stay in hospital. He's a lovely wee dude and I'm trying to do the beat I can for him but I just can't afford to keep feeding him Royal Canin puppy food but I don't know what the next best thing is for him is. I got helpful advice when I asked on here about Skinners but looking online there seem to be about a million foods out there and I don't know what to look for.

How much meat, protein etc etc I am getting confused! I want to give him a great start and I have the time to give him just now but its all a bit overwhelming. Any advice would be so welcome. He's 10 weeks old if that helps.

I swear by natures menu, research BARF diets & raw feeding. NM is not expensive, raw feeding less so but it helps to have freezer space, there's a good book by Honeys dog food which goes into detail of what to feed (although their food is too expensive for us) good luck :)

Vets feed Chappie. We tried our American Cocker on every food out there. When he slipped a disc and had major surgery he had a long stay at the vets.
When he came out it was the first time in 8 years that he had normal poo! Rang vets to ask what they'd fed him-expecting some expensive feeding regime-Chappie they said, we only feed Chappie.
It doesn't need mixer you just feed recommended amount on the tin.
Two years later, still on chappie not had any problems since.

This is a good place to compare the quality and price of different foods www.whichdogfood.co.uk/

I was going to post the same link as Lilcamper - it's a really useful site.

I'd second the Chappie recommendation - the original tins. We've tried our collie cross puppy on a variety of things since we got her, including raw chicken wings as recommended by the rescue we got her from - nothing stopped the diarrhoea until I saw people talking about Chappie on the internet. Now we get to pick up firm poos, her coat is glossy and she is happy, energetic and growing steadily.

He needs the best quality food you can afford - chunky lab pups need quality fuel for a v strong and steady growth.

Royal Canin isn't that- regardless of how much it costs.

If I were in your position, I'd slowly swap him to James Wellbeloved or Skinners puppy. A protein level of no more than 28% and fat/oil level of no more than 18% is what I go for which makes sure their growth is measured and steady rather than fast and weedy.

Are you happy with the quantities you should be feeding? Do you know how much he weighs?

I am not a fan of raw feeding when small, I'm not convinced of my ability to get the nutrition right at the most important time.

Thank you so much for all the advice its really helpful. I wouldn't have a clue where to start with raw feeding I've never heard of it. I'm bit clueless about dogs but I'm getting a lot of advice from doggy friends about training etc.

I bought a bag of royal canon today until I decide on another food now I wish I hadn't, is it not very great then Daisy? His breeder feeds all her dogs on it so I didn't know what else to get. I did see the Wellbeloved one and thought it looked quite 'natural' if that doesn't sound too ridiculous. I'm going to weigh him tonight too. He is so lovely and I'm going to have to give him back in a few months time, it'll break my heart. :(

Both royal canin and james wellbeloved are ok foods - there's nothing massively wrong with them, but, they're overpriced for what the actual ingredients and meat content are...you can get better for less money, but it's not like you're feeding him complete rubbish.

Would you recommend anything in particular tabula? I didn't know I could get so stressed about bloody dog food!

We feed Salters which is actually made by the same people as Skinners, it is though more expensive per bag but you don't need very much because it is very good quality.

Tips ; be careful you are not feeding too much the dried food will double in size in their stomach so they only need quite a small amount.

Buy in bulk and not at the supermarket, try farm stores,feed suppliers

Avoid Bakers Pedigree etc

Haha - it's amazing what you can get stressed about with a puppy, lol...there are loads of good foods.

If you go on the which dog food website you can do a search by breed, age and price, they've all got a star rating and they explain about why some ingredients are considered not so great.

It's not my website or anything - I just think it's a really useful site, I recommend it all the time. (maybe I should find out who owns it and see about getting commission, lol)

If you're buying from pets at home they sell Burns which is pretty good and works out cheaper than royal canin or james wellbeloved...if you're buying from another pet shop, it depends what they stock and if you're looking online you've got loads of choice.

If the kind you decide on has a large breed puppy version they're supposed to be better as they have lower protein levels to encourage slower steadier growth which is better for their joints, but I'd pick by quality first and only then see if they have that kind.