puppy food reccomdations?

irishjay · 01-01-2011 7:36pm #1

westie terrier 9 weeks old .. got her the other day and was given pellets to last a week .as bad weather may have been a problem if i was stuck.

my question is .. what are you guys giving your pup?
where are you getting it .. ie cheapest price.

and also any one around southside that can do the 7 in one jab for her in 3 weeks?

Cherry Blossom · 05-01-2011 12:08pm

irishjay wrote: »

westie terrier 9 weeks old .. got her the other day and was given pellets to last a week .as bad weather may have been a problem if i was stuck.

my question is .. what are you guys giving your pup?
where are you getting it .. ie cheapest price.

and also any one around southside that can do the 7 in one jab for her in 3 weeks?

Hi there, Westies are known for food intollerance, digestive problems and skin complaints, getting the right food from the off will avoid any of these rearing its ugly head in years to come. Through trial and error I have found Burns lamb recipies the only thing my dog hasn't been sick or hyper on so far (she's 7 and a half months) I'd recommend Burns high energy lamb to start off, the smallest bag it comes in is 7.5kg which should probably last you untill s/he is 6 months, you can change over to adult lamb and rice at this point. I find a change of food has to be done very gradually with my dog (over 3 weeks). The cheapest option to buy it is via www.zooplus.co.uk delivery usually takes 3 days if you choose the £3 delivery option, not sure how long it takes on the free delivery.

<ETA> Any vet can do the vaccination, the main thing is to find a vet you are happy with. I'm sure others will have recommendations.

Toulouse · 05-01-2011 12:41pm

Westie Rescue recommend Robbies or Luaths food http://www.landofholisticpets.co.uk/ on her site.

I feed my lab x the Robbies chicken and rice as she was getting a bit itchy. Now she's fine, her coat looks better, she lost a little weight and overall is much happier in herself.

You can get it online from Dog Training Ireland or anywhere here http://www.landofholisticpets.co.uk/Pet_Shops_in_Rep_Of_Ireland.html

tk123 · 05-01-2011 12:54pm

Toulouse wrote: »

Westie Rescue recommend Robbies or Luaths food http://www.landofholisticpets.co.uk/ on her site.

I feed my lab x the Robbies chicken and rice as she was getting a bit itchy. Now she's fine, her coat looks better, she lost a little weight and overall is much happier in herself.

You can get it online from Dog Training Ireland or anywhere here http://www.landofholisticpets.co.uk/Pet_Shops_in_Rep_Of_Ireland.html

+1 on this. Our guy a golden retriever was on Burns and happy enough but all of a sudden he started to get upset tummies after being at daycare at DTI and having his Luath. I weaned him onto Luath so he wouldn't be chopping and changing not expecting any difference but just hoping for normal poops again - his coat has never been so fluffy and shiny since switching and no poo-poo problems either!

ISDW · 05-01-2011 1:21pm

irishjay wrote: »

westie terrier 9 weeks old .. got her the other day and was given pellets to last a week .as bad weather may have been a problem if i was stuck.

my question is .. what are you guys giving your pup?
where are you getting it .. ie cheapest price.

and also any one around southside that can do the 7 in one jab for her in 3 weeks?

What food were you given from the breeder? If it is an ethical breeder, then they will know their stuff, and I'd suggest you stick with that food.

Why are you looking to have the injections in 3 weeks time? Usually the pup would be given the first one at 8 weeks, then the second one 2 weeks later, I've not heard of leaving it for 3 weeks before.

irishjay · 05-01-2011 6:51pm

got her from a breeder in wexford....
ses grand she got her shot parvo and 1st injection its the booster she gets at end of jan..... thats all i was told ive it all on a chart she gave me .... the meal shes on is

the version for a pup...... she seems grand .. i give her the odd dog bix and i heard never give them chicken etc ?..

Cherry Blossom · 05-01-2011 7:00pm

irishjay wrote: »

got her from a breeder in wexford....
ses grand she got her shot parvo and 1st injection its the booster she gets at end of jan..... thats all i was told ive it all on a chart she gave me .... the meal shes on is

the version for a pup...... she seems grand .. i give her the odd dog bix and i heard never give them chicken etc ?..

I'd leave her on that for a bit and see how it goes, main ingredient is chicken so monitor how she does on it. Can't feed my Westie chicken in any form at all, boiled, dehyrated fillets, as an ingredient in dog food, she goes completely nuts on it :rolleyes: from what I have read on a lot of American sites its common enough, I found her energy levels increased very quickly on RC so just keep an eye out for it (on mini junior though, not the breed specific one). I imagine RC Westie puppy isn't easy to find either, I haven't seen it in any of the big online stores.

Oh and the second vaccination is 2 to 4 weeks after the first, it isn't a booster though its part of the basic course of vaccinations, if you wait too long you have to start over and the sooner she gets it the sooner you can start taking her out and about.

gregers85 · 15-01-2011 12:01pm

irishjay wrote: »

got her from a breeder in wexford....
ses grand she got her shot parvo and 1st injection its the booster she gets at end of jan..... thats all i was told ive it all on a chart she gave me .... the meal shes on is

the version for a pup...... she seems grand .. i give her the odd dog bix and i heard never give them chicken etc ?..

I feed all mine royal canin def the best food on the market!!

andreac · 15-01-2011 9:25pm

gregers85 wrote: »

I feed all mine royal canin def the best food on the market!!

Sorry but i disagree, its far from the best food. There is no best food on the market. There are plenty of very good foods that suit all different dogs but no one brand is the best.

I personally wouldnt feed Royal Canin as its over priced in my opinion.

toadfly · 16-01-2011 2:41am

I wouldn't recommend RC either, had mine on adult light and it nearly drove them mad with the high protein in it. I use burns now. Never thought I'd see the day tk didn't recommend burns

tk123 · 16-01-2011 8:45pm

TillyGirl wrote: »

Never thought I'd see the day tk didn't recommend burns

I know TillyGirl!!

Well I do still recommend it lol but the Luath is even bettern for our guy. I thought it was a load of rubbish tbh just the 2 brothers going their separate ways setting up different companys etc and it has a couple of extra bits and pieces in it compared to Burns so big deal but I can't get over how shiny his coat is!! Within a week or two it got lovely and shiny - before I was trying different supplements and sprays etc because it was always so dull. It's def the food cos he hasn't been washed since they washed him for his op in Nov.

I like the way the Luath comes in a 7.5kg bag too - our guy only gets 200g a day to keep him skinny so a 15kg bag used to last AGES and be taking up too much space in the press! :pac:

EDIT - Just on the RC - our guy was a bit hyper on it and used to get upset tummies/runs every other weeks - it's very rare now for him to get the runs since switching to Burns/Luath. My main reason for taking him off RC was his leg problems started to surface at around 9 months and I knew the amount of protien in RC Maxi 32 wasn't helping so went with Burns because it only had a few ingrediants - not a list of chemicals and fillers etc. I tried duck and rice Burns for a change and it didn't seem to agree with him and was def not compatible with Luath. He had really bad runs at one stage from mixing Burns and Luath and I would be mortified if I left him in to daycare and the guys had to clean up runny poops so I decided it'd be easier to try him on Luath so he wasn't chopping and changing and have had no probs with it.

lorebringer · 16-01-2011 9:29pm

Feeding dogs can be a bit of a battle - quite a few have allergies or sensitivities that need to be catered for while still feeding them a good quality food. There are so many different brands out there, with so many different variates, that it can get very confusing and unfortunately trial and error is often part of finding a food that agrees with your dog.

Some good brands I have tried are (this is only my opinion, all do and do not agree with one or more of my dogs at the same time - obviously with different dog - and non of these include any prescription foods):

Royal Canin - have found it puts weight onto one of my dogs and can create inconsistent poos (ie. sometimes soft, sometimes ok depending on the dog). Also, some of the rage is quite overpriced and one food in particular drove one of my dogs up the wall with hyperactivity (and he's a manic dogs as is!).

Hills Science Plan - the first food I fed, agreed with all but one and another one point blank refused to eat it (so 2 dogs couldn't/wouldn't eat it). IMO, a middle of the road food and quite pricey for the quality. Their puppy food is good and tends to agree with all small bellies.

James Wellbeloved - one of my personal favourites, all but one dog can eat it (the problem dog that has issues with nearly all foods). A very good quality food for what you pay and I will definitely feed it again in the future.

Arden Grange - another very good food for the price. Had quite a bit of success with this but poos were good most of the time. Kibble a bit big for small mouths. It is not stocked in my area anymore so don't feed it but would definitely use it again.

Orijen - brilliant food but quite expensive. Even fussy eaters love it, very little needed for daily recommended amount and poos great. Agreed stomach wise with all my dogs. Only draw back is that it really set one of my dogs ears alight (infection after infection due to over production of wax) and another was very inclined to put on weight while on it, even when daily intake reduced. Is a high protein food so may not suit all but I highly recommend it.

Acana - same makers are Orijen, slightly lower in protein but still quite high (over 30%) and essentially the derivative of Orijen. Had same problems with this as Orijen but would still highly recommend it.

Husse - flowed through 3 of my dogs, even after an "adjustment" period. Stopped feeding it and problem cleared up. I'm sure it's a good food but for some reason it didn't agree with most of my lot so had to change. Dogs really enjoyed eating it (prob good for fussy eaters) but I had to change due to above problem.

Red Mills (Leader) - decent enough, another food I would say is middle of the road quality wise but a good price. Did not agree at all with one of my dogs (the problem child!) and the rest got on so-so. They liked how it tasted but the poo production was quite high and not always the most solid.

Burns - I am currently feeding this. ALL my dogs can eat this without any dodgy stomachs (a small miracle) and poos are fine. Good price for the quality, recommended daily amount is ok so a bag lasts a while and generally a good food. The only problems I have encountered is that (the opposite problem I have with other foods) the dogs weight dropped a bit so amount of food had to be increased and farts smell dire but it's a small price to pay. Would recommend it for sensitive dogs as it agrees with my lady that get bouts of colitis.

Hope it helps (someone)!

gregers85 · 17-01-2011 6:45pm

I keep 2 german shepherds, i show them and also do obedience and recently agility trials with them! I have found RC to be the best it always has there coats in super condition and there energy levels are always good with it! not to mention stool is always easy to clean have found cheaper foods give runny stool sometimes!!! I will admit its very expensive but its well worth it in my opinion anyway

Redlegend7 · 17-01-2011 9:45pm

If your on the southside I'd recommend calling into maxi zoo in tallaght across from shamrock rovers football ground. Amazing shop , amazing range of food. I found when I went in that the staff( so helpful) showed me all my options when it came to what I could feed my pup, I plumped for one called Real Nature.... 100per cent natural, no colourings flavourings or preservatives.. Humanly edible , I kid u not!!!! Free weighing service, loads of advice AND you are encouraged to bring in your pets!!!!! Best pet shop in Ireland without a doubt

toadfly · 17-01-2011 11:02pm

tk123 wrote: »

I know TillyGirl!! Well I do still recommend it lol but the Luath is even bettern for our guy.
I like the way the Luath comes in a 7.5kg bag too - our guy only gets 200g a day to keep him skinny so a 15kg bag used to last AGES and be taking up too much space in the press! :pac:

I never heard of Luath..

I get Burns in a 7.5kg, with two small dogs the big one would be gone off before it was finished. How much do you pay for 7.5kg? That lasts my two 2.5 months.

ISDW · 17-01-2011 11:06pm

TillyGirl wrote: »

I never heard of Luath..

I get Burns in a 7.5kg, with two small dogs the big one would be gone off before it was finished. How much do you pay for 7.5kg? That lasts my two 2.5 months.

Luath is part of the Land of Holistic Pets range of foods, the guy that owns it is the brother of the man that set up Burns:D

Shanao · 17-01-2011 11:06pm

+1 on Real Nature, same stuff I feed my pup. Tried him on Royal Canin and the stuff just ran straight through him. Nice solid poos on Real Nature though. Black Angus Beef, Barbary duck and Atlantic herring all mixed together makes for one tasty meal too methinks. And the lack of preservatives makes it all the better after all the bad reports of BHA etc. I find I feed a lot less of it too and he still feels full. Which is good cos I'm not overloading his stomach.

tk123 · 18-01-2011 2:08pm

ISDW wrote: »

Luath is part of the Land of Holistic Pets range of foods, the guy that owns it is the brother of the man that set up Burns:D

Yeah apparently they fell out and went their separate way and he set up Land of Hollistic Pets.
It looks exactly the same as Burns - I can't tell you if it tastes the same thou lol :pac: Our guy is happy to have it for treats and values it as highly as his other treats - before if I wanted him to do a trick and offered him a piece of Burns he'd look at me like :rolleyes: "Thats IT?! You want me to play dead for THAT?! I'll take a biscuit instead please", with the Luath nuts he'll do everything for them! The same with his Kongs - Burns "paste" he wasn't interested in but loves Luath. By paste I mean soak the food in water then whizz up with the hand blender to make a paste. He was on crate rest for a month so stuffing the kongs with his own food made the most sense - crate rest + upset tummy = a horrible mess
It suits him better than any of the others we've tried -RC, Hills, JWB, Burns so we'll stick with it and everyone always says how healthy his coat looks etc.

Burns:
Brown Rice, chicken, oats, peas, chicken oil, sunflower oil, seaweed, vitamins and minerals.

Luath :
Whole grain brown rice, chicken meal, Millet, Oats. Chicken Fat, Peas, Carrots, Spinach, Sunflower oil, Spirulina, Seaweed, Oregano, Green Tea, Parsley, Mixed Tocopherols (Natural Preservative - Vitamin E)

ISDW · 18-01-2011 6:54pm

George who owns the Land of Holistic Pets company is a really, really nice guy, they were at Pet Expo last year and sponsored our cani-cross race. I tried his food, but unfortunately my weird sibes didn't do well on it, but I've heard great things about it from other owners who do feed it.

dahat · 10-02-2011 10:00am

Michael4002 wrote: »

Hi all - You all seem to have vast knowledge of issues with dogs and recommendations for lots of brands on the market, could you check out www.dogfooddirect.ie and let me know what you think, Their food is fully extruded and most is hypoallergenic and is a lot cheaper than most of the big name brands.
Regards

Mick

Alot of his food has Cereals listed as first ingrediant,meat and animal derivatives as the second,unsure what "derivatives" really means...
Being cost effective it will suit many,i just wouldn't on the cereal and meat drivatives thing .

3curiosity3 · 25-08-2011 6:44pm

I used to use a dry nut(Can't remember which one), but my doggie (Jack Russell) was loosing his hair. I wasn't sure why and the vet had no explanation. I had him at the groomers for a wash and she suggested the natures menu raw food diet. www.naturesmenu.co.uk

Now I wouldn't feed anything else. His hair grew back and is always soft and shiny, has never had any other problems. I have heard of a lot of issues that have been solved with this food as well from fussy eaters to dermatitis.

Vote 4 Pedro · 25-08-2011 7:32pm

We got a 8 week old Miniature Schnauzer puppy a while back and she had runny poo and not eating much of the Red mills feed that came with her so we changed her to Royal Cannin (bought up north at a way better price) and she was sorted almost straight away,
I am a first time dog owner and maybe falling for all that marketing stuff but she is happy on it and is health, thats all really....:)

puppy food reccomdations?

Comments