Puppy food

[SingingGoldfinch]

Hi - I'm hoping to tap into the wisdom of mumsnet to help me through the minefield that is puppy food! We have a gorgeous 6 month old pup who we've been feeding safe raw diet breeder started him on. He's thriving and healthy but vet has raised concern that he's underweight and might not be getting all nutrition he needs from current diet. I'm well aware that some vets have issues with raw feeding so am bearing this in mind but obviously want the best for pup so am researching other options. Vet advised a puppy specific kibble such as Purina pro plan or Hills but reviews on nutritional value of these aren't great and they are high in grain and bulking agents which I'd rather avoid. There is so much choice out there and lots of great complete options with good nutritional reviews but it's a minefield! Does anyone have any recommendations of good, nutritious complete puppy kibble - and (at risk of opening a can of worms I know) any views on the benefits of moving an underweight puppy off raw and onto dried food?

We use Wainwright puppy kibble from Pets at Home for our puppy. He’s 17 weeks and we buy the large breed ( he’s a husky ) puppy from 2-18 months hypo-allergenic.

When we collected him the Breeder said he was having AVA so we bought a huge bag like a sack of potatoes and he’s never really took to it. Was recommended the Wainwright’s one by a few people.

The problem seems to be that there is so much choice too!

*same raw diet not safe (although I think it was safe!) For context I should also have said pup's visit to the vets was due to a nasty tummy bug so also bearing in mind the risk of raw in relation to this. He's currently on tinned gastrointestinal food from vet while recovering.

Try searching here

www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk

if you want to know about nutritional content

Yep - I'm all over that website at the moment thanks Wetotter! It's really useful but still finding it a minefield!

Watching your thread with interest as I posted at a similar time. My pup has thrived on Skinners Field and Trial but is not that keen on it. I have the opposite problem as she's a breed who can tend to put weight on and she's very food orientated. It seems to be trial and error finding something sufficiently nutritious, that's palatable for the puppy, that they tolerate without upset, reasonably priced and easy to get hold of.

We feed raw and never had tummy issues. Tripe can help put on food. No chance it’s giardia or something picked up from the environment.
What breed?
Have you spoken to the breeder at all?

Rawfeeding rebels is a very good group to join on fb if you want some advice re the raw.

We use forthglade cold pressed dry food which we mix with their 95% meat - great stuff!

We use Happy Dog kibble, as she was already being fed this by the breeder. Giant breed dog, but they do various bags for different puppies/dogs.

We also sprinkle on tripe occasionally, starting to use up what's left of the bag as we are moving away from raw food. Breeder weaned puppies on this combination.

I'm not convinced the tummy upset was down to the raw diet. I guess will never know - but regardless of what caused it he is underweight. I didn't want to share the 'breed' as know there's a bit of snobbery on mumsnet about this but let's just say he's a poodle cross

Only asked breed as a giant is very different to a toy!
Tripe puts on weight.
We also feed duck and venison and lamb!

I don’t know anything about raw diets as it’s not something I’ve explored for Ddog. He did have a bad tummy and a lot of weight loss as a puppy. We moved him on to Millies Wolfheart and he’s thrives on it. They were very good when I emailed for advice.

All their kibble is grain and potato free. Tend they do some very high protein kibble and wet food but they tend to be too rich for Ddog so he has a fish based one that is 60/40 protein ratio.

If you vet has recommended foods, I would personally trust their opinion as they will know what`s best for your individual pup . PolePup has Purina Pro Plan and its been brilliant.

As a caution, there a lot of pitfalls to dog food comparison websites, this article by three professors of Veterinary Medicine, and Board qualified Pet Nutritionists explains why if you`re interested:

vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2016/06/why-you-shouldnt-judge-a-pet-food-by-its-ingredient-list/

The FDA also have an ongoing open investigation into whether grain free dog foods either cause or increase the risk of heart disease, Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy. For the FDA to do anything, let alone open an investigation is a fairly epic feat too.

Ingredients lists are frequently filled with things to make them sound tasty and healthy to the human owners, but that doesnt mean theyre better for dogs at all. For example, a food which claims it has 50% fresh chicken will have much lower actual protein than one which says it has 35% dried ground chicken, as the fresh one takes into account the water content, and so it is more water than meat. Think of how much chicken often shrinks when you cook it.
I am not wording that very well sorry as I`m tired.

@PoleToPole vets aren’t generally trained as nutrition experts. They push what they sell!

We also switched to mollies wolfheart...currently on 70/30 we went hot countryside but since hot a test of obedience...which dog loves.....but going to try a 5050 as having chatted with them think may need more carb.....he really enjoys it and coat glossy but think may need higher carb...is springer so high energy... highly recommend giving them a call

Thanks PoletoPole that's really interesting on the food comparison sites and the grain issue. I'm definitely intrigued as to why a vet would recommend foods that the comparison site says is so nutritionally poor. I'm sure they have animal welfare as a priority however much Purina and the like fund the profession?!

Fair enough on breed front Wolfie - that makes sense!

Oh, and PolePup is a mumsnet hated mini poodle cross too. PoleDog, my working dog (Great Pyr) is on pedigree chum chicken as it is the one food he will actually eat and which keeps his weight up.

Between my own dogs and several decades of fostering I seem to have tried most approaches to feeding from raw, to homemade (such a nightmare, but a last resort for one foster) to kibble and everything in between.

I think the best food is one which you can be as sure as possible gives them 100% of their RDA of vitamins, minerals and nutrients, keeps their weight at a good level, that your vet is pleased with their health on and that they will eat.

Not sure about the UK, but here there is far too much snobbery/virtue signalling around dog food now, and dog food companies prey on that to charge ridiculous prices for food, or to make owners worried that they aren`t doing the best for their dogs. Through fostering I have seen people put their dogs on extortionately priced food only to not be able to afford insurance, or a proper flea and worm schedule.

@Wolfiefan not always true, and pretty unfair and scathing of the profession tbh. If you have a vet who is doing that, time to switch vets and find one you trust, why on Earth go to one who isn`t impartial?!
The article I linked to was written by three Board certified Veterinary Nutritionists.

Youre welcome SingingGoldfinch, its such a minefield, and everyone has an opinion. It is much to easy to second guess yourself and start having doubts, it takes a while to sift through everything and decide whats best for you and your pup, in your situation. It will be different for everyone

too, not to. Sorry typo.

We started off with Lily’s Kitchen (the brand was bought up by a multinational and although changes were slight, not for us any more) and have now swopped to AATU

@PoleToPole we have a great vet. They don’t try and sell us food and are happy for us to raw feed. The qualification to become a vet doesn’t include much on nutrition at all.
Personally I wouldn’t switch from raw but that’s because we have a dog with allergies and the other has never had anything else in her life.
If I wasn’t feeding raw I would look at the all about dog food site.
But what suits one dog may well not suit another (or the owner!)
OP I do keep a supply of probiotic type granules (would have to check the name.) They are useful (eg when puppy finds rotten apples and starts scoffing. Yuck!)

To be fair vet wasn't trying to sell anything - just 'recommending' so not sure what was in it for her to get me buying a particular brand. Plus, I think I trust our practice not to use a poorly pup as a selling opportunity. I was just surprised to see the ones she recommended rated so low for nutrition on the comparison website. Plus so high in grain which I've read isn't great for doodles.

@Wolfiefan again, thats still unfair, a vet will know more about which dog food will suit a particular dog than most people. Any good vet will not be trying to upsell you, but I stand by the fact that your vets opinion is crucial, they should be a source of support and a sounding board.
If your vet is great thats brilliant, although surely their opinion on your raw feeding shouldnt be of much consequence to you if you don`t feel vets know much about nutrition?

I would definitely go by a comparison website. But it does also depend on your dog. One of mine can’t tolerate chicken. Or beef (awkward!)