good puppy food???

1243 Views 6 Replies 5 Participants Last post by auntiemissa, Apr 19, 2010

auntiemissa

Discussion Starter · Apr 19, 2010

hi iam new here to this site but sooo glad i found it. i have a 16wk old american bulldog/lab mix(we think) who was on purina one puppy chow when i got her at 10wks of age. i slowly switched over to blue buffalo but i think the pieces were too bit cuz she had trouble eating it or didnt like it. then switched to innova adult food small bites(turkey chicken etc). she loves it but i was wondering if maybe its causing her stools to be a bit runny at times? im gonna keep track of her poops but was wondering what you guys would recommend if i need to switch(i know to mix old and new foods slowly for awhile).thank you for any tips!

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DaneMama

· #2 · Apr 19, 2010

Hello and welcome!!! :biggrin:

Sounds to me that you have switched a few too many times in the past few weeks to really know what the cause is. Generally you have to stick with a food for a month or so to get a good picture of whether or not your dog can handle it well. Innova is not a bad brand and it's definitely good that you switched off of purina one...which isn't a good food to feed.

Keep feeding just one food and don't let your puppy be picky. If she doesn't eat it after you offer it just pick it up and offer it again in a few hours. Eventually she will get the picture that food is available when you provide it and you decide what she eats.

Also, how much are you feeding your pup and how big is she? Sometimes overfeeding is the issue causing diarrhea. Especially when you switch from a low grade food to a higher grade food. Richer foods you feed less of because they are more nutrient dense.

I'm glad that you joined here and I know that there are plenty of knowledgeable and experienced people willing to help! Don't hesitate to post up any other questions you might have!

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auntiemissa

Discussion Starter · #3 · Apr 19, 2010

oh thats a good question. since i switched to innova i used the same amt as the previous food.its usually 3cups a day(she eats breakfast lunch dinner).i just checked this bag(the previous bag gave amnt for weight at full grown and i was guessing 60lbs).so this bag say 1 1/4 cup a day for a 20lb dog which she is. that doesnt seem like near enough! esp since ive read that for puppies to feed 3x a day(she is 16wks) not sure when she is considered "not a puppy". Maybe im feeding her too much? she poops several times a day as well. hmmm i guess i gotta look into the feeding amnt now huh? thanks for the tip

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malluver1005

· #4 · Apr 19, 2010 (Edited)

I think you are feeding too much. 3 cups is a lot. Don't go by what the bag says. Keep feeding 3 x a day but if I were you, I would cut down to about 1.5 cups per day and see how he does. So half a cup 3 x a day. Your puppy won't starve. What the bag says to feed is always too much. :smile:

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buddy97

· #5 · Apr 19, 2010 (Edited)

the innova adult is 504 calories per cup. im pretty sure purina dog chow is less than 400 cals/cup, not to mention that more of what is in the innova will likely get utilized by your dog, where the purina is full of more ingredients that were just wasteful filler (ie less bio availability to a dog). so, you definitely will need less than the 3 cups of purina you were feeding. maybe cut back by a cup, so divide 2 cups into 3 meals, try that for a week and adjust up or down from there based on if she is looking ribby or chubby. my opinion is if a food is going to work for a dog (in regard to digestive upset) 1-1 1/2 weeks should be long enough for diarrhea to clear up (assuming one is not overfeeding).

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luvMyBRT

· #6 · Apr 19, 2010

I agree. Sounds like you may be feeding too much. Innova is a high quality kibble and a lot of times you will feed less of it than you would a lower quality kibble. I would reduce the amount you are feeding. Keep an eye on her weight and adjust accordingly.

Usually puppies are considered adults around 12 months/1 year old.

Congrats on the new pup! :smile:

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auntiemissa

Discussion Starter · #7 · Apr 19, 2010

thanks guys! i started doing 1/2 cup 3x daily today. what happened was when i switched from innova puppy(3cups daily) to innova adult i didnt think to check the feeding amnt and adjust! oooops so technically for the past several wks shes eating the serving size of an 80 lb dog and shes only 20 lbs lol

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