Puppy Supplements? - Page 1

I have a 14 week old GSD Puppy, I am feeding him a premium brand food(Merrick)...should I be giving him any supplements & if so...is there one that is a proven success for dogs health? It seems like no matter how much he eats, the puppy still looks a little on the thin side. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks in advance, Mark

"It seems like no matter how much he eats, the puppy still looks a little on the thin side." This is not a bad thing, better to have a thinner pup than a chubby one that has problems later on. I don't know much about the dog food you speak of, but what are the protein/fat content? Are you feeding him a puppy or adult formula? I don't recommend any supplements as kibble is sufficient if a quality brand. Kari

Hi, thanks for the response...the food is puppy food but I feel his Ribs when I pet him. he is 30 lbs. I feed him 3 x per day about 1 & 1/2 cups per feeding + mixed with a 5 ounces of wet food so he eats it. food.specs are as follows: Crude protein 28.0% Crude fat 14.0% Crude Fiber 3.5% Moisture 10.0% Ingredients: Organic chicken, Turkey meal, Duck, Oatmeal, whole barley, whole brown rice, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols-a source of vitamin E and absorbic acid, a source of vitamin C) Flaxseed, freeze dried Carrots,peas, Natural dried Chicken liver, freeze dried apples, dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, pottassium chloride, lysine, guar gum, sea salt, cholin chloride, zinc amino acid complex, freeze dried blueberries, dried garlic,dried chicken, chicory root and a bunch of vitamins etc.

rocket, Sounds like a great feed. The only thing I would suggest is ask your vet about Mineral Supps. what I mean is many feeds dependant upon where they come from are not sufficient in minerals due to the animals used in the feeds lacking minerals. Things like selenium, Iron, are commonly overlooked. Don't go out and buy Mineral supplements unless they are appropriate for your geographical area. ASK YOUR VET !!! And Kari is right... keep the pup on the lighter side of weight, better to be light than chubby. Chubby causes all kinds of health issues, strain on organs specifically heart and lungs. and strain on bones and ligaments. being light (not starved) will benefit the pup now and later in life. Good luck with your puppy !! sounds like your right on track.

Hi Rocket...It sounds like a great dog food...where are you located and where do you get this food...For my puppies and even my older dogs...I don't really give any supplements...but what I do give is some pieces of RAW Chicken to my puppies and to my adult dogs...

deworming program?????? Perhaps having a fecal exam would be in order.

Hi, I live in NY but you can order Merrick from the internet at any good dog food supplier.