Royal Canin German Shepherd Puppy 30 - Page 1

I would like to hear opinions on this puppy formula I am considering feeding this to my pups.
Thank you, Wayne

                   von johnson.I feed my 7 month old male Royal Canin Puppy 30. I can not say it would have been my first choice in food, but it was what my vet recommended for soft stool when he was a young pup. It firmed his stool and he likes it too. I do not care for the ingredients as much as some other brands, but it's working for now. I find it expensive in comparison to other better brands. I like mixing the Royal Canin with Natural Balance Trout and Sweet Potato....I am slowly going to change over. Bottom line - IMO I do not think it is worth the money when other foods with better ingredients are available for the same price or a bit less. However,  his stool is firm, he likes it, his coat is very healthy and shiny. and no digestive problems either.                    
                                                        Ruger1

Wayne, here's what's in Royal Canin:

Chicken meal, brown rice, rice, chicken fat, oatmeal, soy protein isolate, natural chicken flavor, powdered cellulose, dried beet pulp (sugar removed), sodium silico aluminate, anchovy oil (source of DHA), soya oil, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, dried egg product, sodium tripolyphosphate, DL-methionine, L-tyrosine, taurine*, salt, dried brewers yeast extract (source of mannan-oligosaccharides), vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol (source of vitamin E), L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C*), inositol, niacin, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C2), D-calcium pantothenate, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin (vitamin B2) supplement, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A acetate, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement], choline chloride, glucosamine hydrochloride*, marigold extract (Calendula officinalis L.), Trace minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite], tea (green tea extract), chondroitin sulfate*, preserved with mixed tocopherols (source of vitamin E) and citric acid, rosemary extract.

Rice, more rice, oatmeal and soy.  Dogs are designed to eat meat, not plants.
Corn and soy in particular are frequent allergens in dogs.

As another poster mentioned in a different food thread today, the splitting of rice and brown rice into two different ingredients allows the company to lie, and pretend that meat is the first ingredient, when in reality, rice is.

Chicken fat in this context is believed to increase the risk of bloat, per Perdue Vet School.

Powdered cellulose can be anything, including chicken feathers, peanut hulls, etc.

Beet pulp is a controversial filler, that adds no value to the food, even if you don't believe the allegations of its risks.

I have no idea why they need to add "natural chicken flavor" to a dog food that already includes chicken.  Unless they need to cover up the taste of all the grains and trick the dog into thinking its getting meat.

Ruger1 and Mudwick, Thank you both for your opinions, you both make very good points, I guess what I am finding hard to understand is why royal canin thinks this specific formula is good for german shepherd puppies ?
                                                                                                                                                                                 Thank you again, Wayne

They don't.  They think telling you its good for German Shepherd puppies is good for their business.

The formulation in that food is fundamentally no different than any of the other breed foods.   They created a big market for themselves to tricking owners into think dog food can be "breed specific".

We used to feed RC but switched to other brands as the puppies grew too fast and some of them suffered panosthitis due to that.The problem with pano disappeared when we switched to lower protein brands.I also don´t like to see chicken meat in food for puppies.