Still massively confused we started off feeding Albie a all life stage food. It was great on his tummy and produced firm stools but he seemed to really struggle to put weight on he's tiny even at 13 weeks old. Our vet advised switching to a dedicated puppy food and we are switching to science plan large breed but since we started introducing him to it his poo stinks and he seems seriously hyper! Anyone else noticed this and what puppy food is everyone feeding?
Oh dear, that doesn't sound so good. How many ways has he been getting the Science Plan, and how have you been introducing the new food? It can be so difficult to change food sometimes when they are little as their tummies can be quite unsettled with the change. If he is more hyper it could be that something in the new food is affecting him, but you would need to go through all the ingredients of both foods to identify anything new in the diet. There's quite a fanged of puppy foods used by members as everyone has their own preferences, or use what their breeder recommended. It may be worth speaking to your vet if you're concerned about using the Science plan and perhaps discussing a switch to something else but I think I would be tempted to consider a switch back to the original food and increase the quantity
Hi he's only 6.5kg he eats loads! Never had a bad tummy but just doesn't seem to put weight on. He seems to love the all life stage food but the vet said its best to give puppy food to him. It just noticed he stinks since feeding him the science plan!
Well, he weighs what my boy did at that age and he was on an ALS food too, right from weaning. Slow growth is desirable. WAs the ALS food the one your breeder sent him home on? Can you phone the breeder to discuss your concerns? It's often not good to switch their food around when they're little. You might also ask your Vet WHY the puppy food he recommends is best.
no he was on cheap supermarket food when we first got him, then we changed him to cold pressed als food and he loves it but the vet thinks its the food making him so small. All the vets keep going on about is hills science plan. How big did your boy end up?
Don't worry about the end size or weight of your dog, it will be what it will be, and regardless it is much, much better for your puppy to be slim and grow slowly. It is better for his joints that they form slowly and well, not quickly. If Science plan doesn't seem to suit your dog, look round for something else. Not all foods suit all puppies, or dogs for that matter. That is why it is very difficult to make any recommendations about what you should feed - all dogs are different. My dog, for example, doesn't tolerate anything with chicken in it, so I can't feed chicken raw, cooked or in kibble. Personally, I would feed a large breed puppy food that contains the right balance of nutrients for my growing puppy. But there is no need to stick with Hills if it doesn't suit your puppy. For what it's worth, I fed my puppy Royal Cannin puppy food, then junior food and now adult food. But I use a formulation that contains only duck as a single protein source. I also feed a kibble called ziwipeak.
Mine was on Hills science plan and his breath was awful and his poop stunk, now I come to think of it. I changed over to Eden which is also for any age. I'd switch back to the one he likes and you were using before.
I'm in Canada and our standard is a little different than yours but Oban is 23 inches high (allowed to be 22.5 to 24.5) and a very lean 68 pounds (allowed 60 to 75 pounds in working condition). Due to injury he cannot work as he used to but did reach 82 pounds and because it was after a winter of cross country skiing only a bit of that was fat, mostly trim muscle. That was a bit too much though. I still have the growth and weight chart his breeder required till he reached age one year; slow and steady gain. I don't know how well the avatar shows up but in it he was about 75 pounds. He's from show lines.
@boogs83 My girl was only around 6.5 kgs at 12/13 weeks of age, and my vet thought she was perfect. She also gained around 500g per week unlike some puppies who gain a kg per week; I wouldn't worry too much about weight as long as Albie is eating well, laying and full of energy there's unlikely to be too much of a problem. Slowly, steady growth is good for puppy joints. It may be worth asking why your vet is so keen on the Hill's when there are so many other good products on the market, Millie's Wolfheart for instance, it may just be that it's because that is the food they stock. If you think he is smelling because of the Science Plan definitely taken him off. My last dog started smelling when I tried him on one food, when I put him back on his usual the smell disappeared as well. The dog food market is a nightmare to navigate and decide what is best for your precious pup. I can't advise as to whether it is better to feed a specific puppy food or an ALS food you can only really make a judgement by comparing all the ingredients with their percentages, while watching out for the % of fillers added (rice etc.). I would also avoid any food whether puppy or adult which does not provide the percentages of the protein (meat) in their foods, just listing it first isn't good enough for me.
Thanks for all the advice everyone it's so great to hear other people's exieriences! I've been out today and bought two bags of arden grange large breed puppy food and I'm going to feed 50-50 with his old food onece he has got used to the new food. Kind of think if he's eating the all life stage and puppy food that can't be a bad thing
