Which dog food for my puppy?

[surfj9009]

I have a sweet female lab now, 13 weeks of age. I have not had a dog since I was a kid and so I really have no idea what food she should be eating.

She has been eating Nutramax Puppy food since before I got her, but isn't there something better.

I have heard good things about Canaday and Natural Balance? What does everybody here use for your hunting buddy?

Thanks in advance....

[jackelope]

i've been feeding my lab natural balance venison and rice for a long time, since he was mature. i'd prefer to feed a pup a puppy food so they get proper nutrition and i don't know if natural balance offers a large breed puppy food.

[mjgentile]

we use Chicken Soup for Dogs, it is only sold at Feed & Seeds. They come in Puppy, Adult an Seniors.

[Caseyd]

I use Royal Canin for my lab.

They make a large breed puppy food, then they actually make adult food for breed of dog. To suit that dogs needs.

Not sure if it's any better etc.  But my dog has enjoyed it so see no need in changing

[Antlershed]

I fed my GSP Science Diet when he was a puppy, but then switched him to Nutramax. I don't think there is anything wrong with the Nutramax. 

[rasbo]

I just make sure theres at least 30% protien

[Wayne1]

I've always fed my pups "Diamond Large Breed Puppy Food" untill they turned 12 months old.

[addicted]

nutro all the way. we had trouble with our pup getting a sour stomach from many food brands and the team lead for the local canine search and rescue team put us onto the nutro stuff and it is amazing. its a few dollars more but way worth it.

http://www.nutroproducts.com/

[Wacenturion]

The first 5 items under ingredients make up most of the good things your pup or dog is getting.  If you see by products (i.e. chicken, or beef by products, or things like gluten or grains (i.e. corn), avoid it.  Hopefully the first 5 items will read something like.....
                            Chicken deboned, Chicken meal, Potato dehydrated,Turkey meal, Sweet potato dehydrated.

Of course these items change based on the flavor etc. of the food...i.e.  chicken, Beef, Buffalo, Venison, Salmon and so on.  As mentioned above, protein levels are important especially for a pup.  That's why you'll see higher levels on puppy foods.
Check your local pet specialty stores if you have one.  Generally the dog food you can buy at the grocery store is not the best in the long run for you pet, as most contain glutens and by products.  Where you will notice it is in the later years.  You get what you pay for.  The more waste that goes in, the more that comes out.  Just my opinion.

If you live in western Washington check for a Mud Bay outlet.  Great selection.  
        

[bobcat]

Best thing would be to feed your dog the same food you eat and skip the dog food altogether. Dog food will eventually kill your dog.

[Gutpile]

I fed my lab Iams puppy formula when he was a pup. Then switched back and forth from Iams to Atta Boy, he ate atta boy for probably the last half of his life. He made it to over 15 years, so I guess it worked for him. We didn't give many table scraps but tried to once in a while as a treat.

[bearpaw]

Of the cheaper dog foods vets have told me they think Atta Boy is one of the best. We have fed litterally tons of it. But the cheaper dog foods do not keep the coat as shiny and there are a lot more stools. Right now I am feeding 50% atta boy and 50% black diamond. When we are working dogs hard, we slowly shift them over to a 100% of a premuim food with higher fat and protein. But it is dangerous to leave an older dog on rich dog food when you are not working him, it can be hard on his organs.

One other thing most vets have said is to avoid foods with too much soy and watch what kind of by products are used for protein. Feathers is super high protein but they don't digest. Most vets seem to like the lamb and chicken for protein ingredients.

[Gutpile]

We used atta boy since it didn't make him crap so much. Some of the other cheap food was horrible. He just shat everywhere. Iams cut that down a lot and atta boy wasn't bad. I remember a long time ago we bought the safeway brand since we were so broke back then. My god was that a mistake. 

[bearpaw]

yep us too, and the walmart dog food is a mess too.

[Sportfury]

I feed Taste of the Wild now (used to feed Costco's Kirkland brand before). The girls at the Graham Hay Market told me that TOTW is Diamonds high end natural food. My boy who is now 8 has been on it for about a year and it has made a huge difference. It used to be I would pet him and have to go wash my hands afterwards because of the stink, now he has very little smell. Also during the summer months he used to chew himself raw and I thought it was due to fleas, but now with the switch to the new food no more itching and he has a beautiful coat. This really made me look at what is in the cheap food (grains, glutens, and byproducts). Listen to Wacenturion:

The first 5 items under ingredients make up most of the good things your pup or dog is getting.  If you see by products (i.e. chicken, or beef by products, or things like gluten or grains (i.e. corn), avoid it.  Hopefully the first 5 items will read something like.....
                            Chicken deboned, Chicken meal, Potato dehydrated,Turkey meal, Sweet potato dehydrated.

My new GWP pup is 8 months old and I fed her the exact same thing as my older boy, no switch to a puppy food because of the high protein. She looks great and can run and swim all day (even in this hot heat).

The nice thing with TOTW is that they have three flavors: Pacific Stream Formula with Smoked Salmon, Wetland Canines Formula with Roasted Fowl, and High Prarie Canine Formula with Roasted Bison and Roasted Venison. I feed two bags each and then switch to another flavor. The dogs love it because they are not getting the same old thing and I know it is the same high quality food. My wife wasn't happy with the price, but I can feed two dogs (plus two Chihuahuas) for 3 1/2 to 4 weeks on one 30 lb. bag. Again I highly recommend TOTW or any high end food. Your dog will have less smell, a better coat, harder and less stools, more energy all while eating less.