Lost with Dog Food selection (Dry) - 12mo Rescue (mixBreed) @55lbs

[nlu]

I have a rescue puppy (estimate 12mo old) @ 55 lbs - healthy and on target weight = ODIE (Husky / terrier / lab / Wmr mix)

I plan to change food manufacturer from PPP puppy chicken to FROMM (Classic or Gold). My confusion or a decision to make :

1. Stay with PUPPY or Regular ADULT food
2. Is Odie Considered Large breed or standard for food selection

p.s.

If I were to go with FROMM Classic then there is only one choice

2 days to decide --> FROMM

Options Acana / Orijen / PurinaPP / Fromm

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@nlu Acana and Orgin are showing correlations to DCM if I’m not mistaken. May be best to avoid at this time.

Talk to your veterinarian. They will know more than the average redditor on these subs.

 

[nlu]

@imagebeastmarkbeast What is DMC ? and can you provide a link for that info about Acana and origin - i like to read abt it

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@nlu DCM a mistype sorry. Dilated Cardiomyopathy a heart condition that’s typically fatal and seems to effect larger dogs more often.

https://news.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=210&Id=9164603&useobjecttypeid=10&fromVINNEWSASPX=1

 

[nlu]

@imagebeastmarkbeast Thanks for clarification / I will get a chance to read about the article later this evening.

A dog food linked to DCM that's really difficult to prove IMO / I dont know anyone that has only one kind of dog food from puppy to senior dog. BUt maybe it can i will check it out.

 

[vicolehurroughs]

@nlu Hi I work as a companion animal nutritionist, out of curiosity. Why Fromm over purinapp? Also - it can be quite hard to tell with a mixed breed whether they will grow into a large or giant breed without knowing their background, but I would say he is most likely large breed. It’s good to switch to a large breed designated food because it has a comparatively lower caloric density so they can get their nutrients and still feel full. I would begin the transition to adult food now.

 

[nlu]

@vicolehurroughs Some of the PPP ingredients I dislike.
Embark predicts 64lbs. Odie is 55 now so he still has some growing so I’ll stay with puppy a couple more months. As for large or normal breed I will switch to large breed as well next month. Too many changes for brand transition I want to make this simple. Stay with chicken puppy std breed till this new Fromm is steady then I’ll chg agaim

 

[sheba92766]

@nlu Do large breed puppy until age 1.5 or 2. Large breed dogs are not finished growing until age 1.5-2 depending on breed and your dog is considered a large breed.
I would feed orijen if you have the money. Also wouldn’t hurt adding in canned food/raw/any fresh ingredients.

 

[nlu]

@sheba92766 I like to know more bout food difference for large breed dogs. What’s the difference. And why is my dog considered large ? What’s the cut off and I’m sure it’s not a line but an overlapping area

 

[modestmatty777]

@nlu I’d move on up to adult food. Your doggo is a year old now, and I’d graduate to adult food.

Concerning whether your dog is considered “large breed”… that likely depends on the manufacturer. I’ve read and seen “large breed” foods targeted to mastiffs, Great Danes, st. Bernards, etc. however someone else in the group pointed out a few days ago that a brand they work with classifies anything over 60 lbs as “large breed.” It may vary depending on the brand. I’d recommend reading up on each brand’s definition of “large breed.”

I have not fed Acana, so I can’t share any personal experiences with that brand. I have fed Orijen, PPP, and Fromm. I had good experiences with all three, but at the time Fromm worked best in my situation. It can be a bit of trial and error. I’d recommend starting out with a smaller sized bag. That way if the food doesn’t work out for your dog, you won’t be left with 20 lbs of food. Also, ease your pup into the new food over a few days - or if your dog has a sensitive stomach maybe over a few weeks.

 

[nlu]

@modestmatty777 Thanks I will certainly consider adult dog food next month

I just purchased Fromm and blending his meal and will take 7-10 days before I run out of PPPpuppy while blending with fromm

 

[nlu]

@modestmatty777 Why consider adult, if puppy still gaining weight @ 1lb every 2wks

 

[modestmatty777]

@nlu You raise a good question. That has been my experience, but none of my dogs ever exceeded 60 lbs. After doing a little research, I’ve found the majority of sources state to keep large breeds on puppy food until they are anywhere from 12-24 months. There was no real consensus on an exact age to make the switch, and most of the sources I viewed stated anything over 60 lbs as a “large breed.” If you and your vet feel keeping your dog on puppy food until they are older, that is the way to go.

 

[nlu]

@modestmatty777 Yes the Q i will also ask my vet when i go see him this month (odie 1 year old visit).

My vet is very old school (still have flip phone) and not a bad thing just have a feeling that he would just go with what i think.

My Bias is to keep puppy till about 15 months but not sure about the large or standard breed size is what i still need to decide

 

[mike1911]

@nlu I have had good experiences feeding ACANA

 

[nlu]

@mike1911 I would try that in future / ACANA was my second choice

as part of the rotation i would try that in future