What would you feed...........? - Page 1

I recently got a male who was in poor health (I don't want to deal with anyone saying I'm slandering them so I will not mention how he got in poor health), very underweight, covered in sores, ears had yeast and bacterial infections, skin infection, you get the picture.  Now he's better, you wouldn't know he's the same dog.  It's time for him to go to regular food.  He's still a little underweight but not severely anymore, very active, 4 years old, EXCELLENT working lines and it shows, I will be doing Schutzhund training with him in the future.  All this being said, not looking at costs, doesn't matter if it has to be shipped, what would you feed him?  Would you feed him raw, kibble, or a combination?  I have the vet's opinion, an experienced person's opinion, which mean a lot and have a lot of influence, but I am just curious as to what everyone else would recommend and your experience with certain brands.  Also, he might have a sensitive stomach, was advised he did, but he doesn't really appear to, but he could have on whatever junk they were feeding him (when he was fed).  He is a big dog and has a good appetite.  I do want to stay as natural as possible with him.  My female is all set on her food, but she's low energy, small-medium size, spayed, stomach of steel, and very healthy.  His health is still not where I want it....tough, healthy dog (his skin is clearing up, ears are almost back to normal, weight is much better, still on antibiotics for another week)  but he had a very hard life from all indications and is still on the mend.  Also, do you guys do any special feeding when a dog is not well or is rescued from bad circumstances or on antibiotics?  Should I put him on something right now to get him back to perfect health and perfect weight and then change once he's back to normal?  Thanks in advance everyone.

if he were mine I would follow Dr. Tom Lonsdale's guideline http://www.rawmeatybones.com/

Susan

What have you been feeding him to get him on his road to recovery? The dog in your avatar is nice looking, is that him? I persoanlly like raw but do use some Orijen too. It is a good kibble, but IMO he would do best with fresh food if you can go that route. Good luck to you, sounds like you have a big heart!

i would say raw. works great with my dogs, and the others i personally know, who feed raw as well.

-Emily.

NWilz

            First to settle his stomache feed him some cooked brown rice and I would use some natural raw ground beef and add a probotic to that.  You can also use some ground chicken or ground turkey inexpensive but very easy to digest.  That's a starting point. 

As Trailrider said if you go the kibble route do use Orijen it is a very high quality kibble.  If you want to go the raw route I use a modified version of Trailriders raw food diet.

Best of luck

If this poor dog went through all of that and is still in the recovery stages then why not leave him on what HAS been working for a while till he's in perfect health and then worry about what you want to switch him to.Just my opininon ,let this little guy heal FIRST.Get to know the dog and what he is about and then and only then would i worry about a different feed.Good luck and i hope this little guy bounces back fast.Amazing what some assholes can and will do to a living creature and to boot a GSD.How could they,how the FK could some people even be allowed to own one.

I echo what justcurious recommends.  My allergic/yeasty GSD was switch to raw in November.  That diet change along with homeopathic care has resulted in a very healthy dog that has not needed a vet for anything since. 

I'll add that if the dog is on antibiotics, look to get him on probiotics soon.  Antibiotics kill both good and bad, so the probiotics will put good back in his body.