Dog food - Page 1

With all the recalls what is everyone using for their Shepherds?

This is one I wish I could anwser, I changed foods and my female had a sezure due to lack of calcium. I do not know if it was the food. We are working on finding out, However, I would suggest that the next time you go to the vet have a blood panel done, so if anything crops up (not just food related) you have a base line to compare to, I have a blood panel done once a year and came in very handy.

so I just ask for a blood panel for food?

how long on puppy food Doc and trainer very different ideas

so I just ask for a blood panel for food, NO.

Just when at the vet have it done, in case you pup ever gets sick later for any reason, you would have a base to compare to. i do it just for precaution. it is not necessary to do, I just personally like knowing what is going on.

is your trainer a GSD trainer? if so follow their advice.

By the way, good for you in having a trainer. When you do not have alot of experiance in handling a dog, you can get a great education from a good one. Also, a great place to learn all about the GSD (stock hair or long coat) is a SCH club. Most people their are friendly and love the dogs. Even if you do not want to do SCH, they have an obedience portion with alot of advice and how to's. You might try and find one in your area. It is a great benefit because they know the breed.

On the food you want to watch the amount of protein so they do not grow to fast the bones have time to play catch up. This is most likely why you are getting conflicting information.

good advice   Too much protein is bad for kidneys unless you are working a dog vigarously everyday....Then it can still burn the liver....so just be moderate and know your dog.....feed cottage cheese and yogurt and some raw meats with your dry food , what ever your trainer and breeder telll you......Candidea, Royal Cannin, , Eagle Pack, and many more here on site from others......add Green Tripe and your set to go , also Salmom Oil , or fish oil , and olive oil once a day to dry food....then you wont have a problem   start all this slowly in small amounts and increase as gets use to all of i....go to google and put in    raw food  dog   or Barf diet   and there are many links....look at the threads on the message board from two weeks ago about food.......also.

good info.  I have a trainer from tyson I think the have sch also

I am doing the second part of obedience now

and will continue

hard to know what to beleive some of these postings you will have what you think is a good Doc-Vet tell you one thing and

then a trainer in GSD something completely different ie black spot on tongue means mix      neuter at 4 mos   one testicle down by 10 weeks

means bad breeding     I guess you have to really research on your own and come up with your own opinion

Puppy food, usually only til six months at the latest. Mine go off it at 12 weeks.

Good foods, that all depends on your dog. Some of the ones I've used with good success: Solid Gold, Royal Canin, AvoDerm, ...lately heard a lot of good about Fromm, so I am probably going to give that a try as well.  :)

Listen to your trainer if they are very familiar with GSD's (sounds like the trainer is!).

Feel free to email me with any questions you might have; I'm always happy to answer questions.

vomfelsenhof@aol.com

-Melanie

i love the> black spot on tounge>must be part chow

I got new  for you   listen up   real well.....a vet is for sick dogs, and studies medicine,,,not food or nutrition so ask a reputable breeder in the schutzhund world if you are getting a german shepherd...what to feed....any other breed    I dont know beans about ......no corn , no wheat, high fat   medium protein....and lots of goodies like brown  rice, barley, flax seed,  veggies, chicken , lamb , duck and fish or salmonllll    Find a dog food with all that    buy it.....feed three times a day and wet food so dog doesnt bloat   or have a tendency to.......dont feed a hot dog, nor let him drink more than 1 cup of water till he cools down   wait one hour to feed after exercise or playing....put up to cool and offer little water till pup is cooled off....then let  drink all the water they want, if they are cool......feed green cow tripe by Solid Gold....it helps prevent bloat.....  www.solidgoldhealth.com 

Some people take pups off puppy food at 6mos to 1year   I dont believe that way  vets promote that.....they dont have large boned shepherds which dont need adult percentages of calciums and phosphorus and need  to be fed large breed puppy food for longer lengths for slow growth.....no need to make an adult out of them until they are ready    fortify the diet of a pup with lots of yogurt and cottage cheese and add raw meat when you pup gets 4 or 5 mos old......feed cold and dont let lay for more than an hour   if dog doesnt eat raw meat, throw away.....feed the raw meat seperate from kibble.....try night feeding of raw..... and daytime feed of kibble and use the cottage cheese and yogurt as an ice cream treat at least 5 times a week....1/2cup to a cup depending  use your judgement...