posted 02-26-2004 03:54 PM         

The puppy's parents are both x-large versions of the breed, will this affect the puppy in any way?

Since the pup will be larger than the breed standard, should I feed her large breed puppy food? Will this limit her growth or what?

posted 02-26-2004 07:38 PM         

I would definitely feed a large breed puppy food, and probably switch over to adult food around 4 months old.

Are you getting the puppy from a breeder? What do they feed their puppies and dogs?

posted 02-27-2004 11:53 AM         

Im aware goldens are large breed, but when I saw this pups sire I was shocked. He's huge! But otherwise he is quite healthy, no hip dysplasia, which I heard affects goldens, he is an over all good friendly dog. Her damn is almost as big as the dad, and she is also quite healthy and a big sweet heart.

Pups are now 2 weeks old and adorable. I still havent chosen my girl. Out of 9 pups there are 3 females.

I am not getting the pups from a breeder though. Just from 2 friends who have good dogs. Both dogs are AKC registered and dad is a canine good citizen. The owners of her dam have been feeding Pro Plan for as long as I can remember.

posted 02-27-2004 12:40 PM         

I know Eagle Pack has a large breed puppy food. Anyone know of another one?

posted 02-28-2004 06:17 AM         

There are all sorts of stories of dogs eating crap food and living to be 18 years old. But there are also many stories of kidney disease, heart failure, diabetes, thyroid problems - all that can be due to an inferior diet, don't show up until late in life, and cannot be reversed once they are present.

My personal preference is feeding dogs the diet they are designed to eat - whole prey animals or the closest thing I can get to that. Raw fed dogs smell better, have perfect teeth without dental cleanings, poop a lot less, and don't develop a lot of the illnesses commonly associated with age. Their immune systems are stronger and most don't have problems with allergies. Older dogs switched to raw often have their arthritis improved to the point where they act like puppies again. They have more energy and less pain.

As far as metal versus plastic bowls - I have read that plastic bowls can harbor germs as they get scratched from the dog eating. Metal bowls are supposed to be better.

Take a look at the ingerdients on your dog food bag. Notice all the corn and grain fillers, and the lack of REAL meat? "Byproducts" are not meat. If I were to feed kibble, I would only feed the ones that are made with human-grade meat as the first ingredients and no corn or other fillers.

If you want to know the truth about commercial dog food, read Tom Lonsdale's "Raw Meaty Bones Promote Health". It's a real eye-opener.

posted 02-28-2004 08:03 AM         

The URL is: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rawfeeding/

You can sign up from that page. It's a very high-volume list so I can't always keep up with it, but when I do a learn a LOT from listening to other people's questions and the answers to them.

In a nutshell. You don't want to cook the meat. Cooked bones splinter and can be very dangerous to your dog. Start with one protein source for the first week or so - chicken is a very popular starting place.

You want to feed bones, meat, and organs in approximately the same proportions as would be found in a prey animal. The closer to "whole" that you can feed, the better. Some have access to whole animals - rabbits, chickens, ducks, etc. But I don't, so I make my own animal out of parts that I can get.

Chicken leg quarters are a good place to start. Make sure the dog is chewing them and not just trying to swallow them whole. In this regard, bigger is better because they HAVE to chew. Pups and young dogs generally do very well with the switch to raw.

Look for bones covered in a LOT of meat - these are the mainstay of the diet. You should have to really feel around to tell there is a bone hidden in all the meat. As you dog adjusts, you add as many protein sources a possible for variety - chicken, pork, lamb, beef, duck, rabbit, turkey, game hens, deer - whatever you can get your hands on.

You also want to feed organ meats. Some feed a small amount (an ounce or two) every day, while others feed a slightly larger amount every few days, and some feed an organ-only meal once or twice a week. Organ meat can give some dogs the runs, so caution at the start is required.

Liver is particularly important, but you don't want to overdo it. It contains a lot of vitamin A, which your dog can overdose on if you give too much. I think this is actually pretty hard to do, though, as long as you use common sense.

Whole fish once or twice a week is a good thing, as well as occasional eggs. Omega-3 is the only supplement you should consider for a healthy dog, and you can get this in fish oil capsules or liquid. Look for wild salmon oil, such as Timberwolf Organics sells.

You feed approximately 2-3% of your dog's ideal adult weight. Puppies eat about 10% of their current weight. These are only guidelines and should be adjusted based on how the dog looks. You should be able to feel the ribs but not see them, and there should be a narrowing at the waist (at least for an adult dog). If the dog is getting plump, you cut back; too skinny, you increase. You can also adjust based on activity level.

I have never fed a young pup raw, so I recommend going to the list and asking your questions. But I do know that pups fed raw from the very beginning have a wonderful, healthy conformation. Their muscles are better developed and balanced. And large breeds grow at the proper pace and don't develop the bone and join problems commonly seen in dogs on kibble.

I hope this helps, and I hope to see you on the list!