stepping up from soaked nuts to dry nuts?

djflawless · 08-09-2013 12:39PM #1

Hi folks
just after getting my new pup.8 week old gold lab bitch.
She's got everything she needs, vacc, microchipped, wormed etc.
She was introduced to nuts by the breeder on supervalu dry puppy food.
Just wondering when i should start her on dry nuts instead of soaking them?

andreac · 08-09-2013 01:07PM

djflawless wrote: »

Hi folks
just after getting my new pup.8 week old gold lab bitch.
She's got everything she needs, vacc, microchipped, wormed etc.
She was introduced to nuts by the breeder on supervalu dry puppy food.
Just wondering when i should start her on dry nuts instead of soaking them?

Well for a start get her off that crap food. Some breeder if they are feeding that rubbish!!
Yeah get a good quality puppy food and gradually change over. You could soak half and mix in rest dry and then gradually move to all dry over a week of two.
But def get that puppy on to a good food ASAP!!

djflawless · 08-09-2013 01:34PM

Could it really be that bad tho?
I didnt hold high hopes for it but i didnt imagine it would be pure crap?

muddypaws · 08-09-2013 02:04PM

djflawless wrote: »

Could it really be that bad tho?
I didnt hold high hopes for it but i didnt imagine it would be pure crap?

Does it have different colours in it?

Just my opinion, but any food you can buy in a supermarket tends to be crap.

Whispered · 08-09-2013 02:05PM

djflawless wrote: »

Could it really be that bad tho?
I didnt hold high hopes for it but i didnt imagine it would be pure crap?

It wouldn't be the best to be honest. Do you have the ingredients handy?

I'd look at getting her onto something better. I have had to go from feeding raw, back to a combination of dry and raw. I don't feel too bad about it because I'm supplementing their dry every day with variety and new tastes. They love their dinner and I think it's a nice idea to give your dog a range of things with a decent quality food as the base or for when you're stuck (all raw would be ideal imo but I couldn't keep it up). The idea of eating the same thing every day is too much for me, than again I love food.

Sorry!! Edited to add - anything you mix in for a new pup, do so slowly and bit by bit rather than overwhelming the pup with loads of new things. I didn't mean that to read as "give your pup anything and everything to eat".

lorebringer · 08-09-2013 02:53PM

If your dog is already eating dry food, there is no need to soak the food to entice the dog to eat.

If the pup is on soaked dry food, then simply decrease the soaking time slowly until you are feeding totally dry food to the dog. This should be done slowly, over maybe 10 days/2 weeks, so that the dog doesn't really notice until they are eating totally dry food.

Supervalu own brand dog food is very low quality, changing to a different brand would be a good idea. If you need some brand suggestions, feel free to pm me!

Nody · 08-09-2013 03:37PM

djflawless wrote: »

Could it really be that bad tho?
I didnt hold high hopes for it but i didnt imagine it would be pure crap?

Yes; it really is that bad...

WholeCare Pet products are formulated to match or exceed the quality of leading national brands, such as Purina Beneful®, Pedigree®, Friskies® cat food, Milk-Bone® dog biscuits, Pup-Peroni® and TIDY CATS® — at everyday savings of at least 15 percent to 30 percent.

Those are all crap foods as well and it's suppose to match them but be cheaper (I guess they cut the commercial budget to compensate)?

Knine · 08-09-2013 04:30PM

Fully vaccinated at 8 weeks? That is very early. They should have the last one after they turn 10 weeks.

I agree with everyone regarding Supervalue food. I would be wondering where else they they cut costs.

inocybe · 08-09-2013 04:50PM

Why not keep soaking the food if it makes it more appetising? My dog is adult and when he gets dry food he prefers it soaked (plus a few tasty additions). It probably does no harm for digestion and kidneys too.

Lemlin · 08-09-2013 10:02PM

Knine wrote: »

Fully vaccinated at 8 weeks? That is very early. They should have the last one after they turn 10 weeks.

I agree with everyone regarding Supervalue food. I would be wondering where else they they cut costs.

Where did the OP say the pup was fully vaccinated?

OP, I would also suggest changing the nuts. Have a look at Dogsfirst.ie about RAW feeding if you wish.

If you want to go the dog food route, I'd suggest Orijen (very high cost though), Taste of the Wild or Skinners. You would have to order those from online though.

Knine · 08-09-2013 10:04PM

Lemlin wrote: »

Where did the OP say the pup was fully vaccinated?

Got everything she needs- vaccinated

Hence if you read my post properly you will see a question mark.

Lemlin · 08-09-2013 10:09PM

Knine wrote: »

Got everything she needs- vaccinated

Hence if you read my post properly you will see a question mark.

Why ask a question and then give your lecture re the vaccination anyway? Why not wait for the answer rather than making an assumption?

The op said the dog is 8 weeks and has everything she needs. At eight weeks the dog does not need a vaccination it will get at ten weeks.

Knine · 08-09-2013 10:29PM

Lemlin wrote: »

Why ask a question and then give your lecture re the vaccination anyway? Why not wait for the answer rather than making an assumption?

The op said the dog is 8 weeks and has everything she needs. At eight weeks the dog does not need a vaccination it will get at ten weeks.

Because I would be worried the OP did not know about the 10 week vaccination, especially since he got the dog from some who like yourself cuts corners regarding costs when breeding dogs so I will wait until the OP comes answers the question himself.

Lemlin · 08-09-2013 10:41PM

Knine wrote: »

Because I would be worried the OP did not know about the 10 week vaccination, especially since he got the dog from some who like yourself cuts corners regarding costs when breeding dogs so I will wait until the OP comes answers the question himself.

"Someone like me"?

What, because I don't believe every pure bred dog in the country needs papers. I cut unnecessary costs, not necessary ones.

By the way, you referred to "backyard breeders" before. I don't have a backyard. I've a twenty acre farm around me. I'd raise queries myself about people breeding dogs in estates like yourself. That to me is the very definition of backyard breeding.

Perhaps if you had waited yourself the first time there wouldn't be a problem.

Hellrazer · 08-09-2013 10:42PM

Calm down.Both of you.

Knine · 08-09-2013 10:46PM

djflawless wrote: »

Hi folks
just after getting my new pup.8 week old gold lab bitch.
She's got everything she needs, vacc, microchipped, wormed etc.
She was introduced to nuts by the breeder on supervalu dry puppy food.
Just wondering when i should start her on dry nuts instead of soaking them?

If she is used to the soaked nuts and you prefer to feed them dry, then you could just begin by soaking them less and less each time & see how you get on.

tk123 · 08-09-2013 10:48PM

OP whatever you're feeding I'd offer some dry to the pup to gauge if it can actually chew it yet? My pup wasn't able/didn't know how to chew pieces of dry food when I got her at nine weeks because the breeder had been soaking it. I feed raw so hers is minced but for pieces of dry food for training etc it was too hard for her - I had to get dry food with smaller pieces for her for training treats. I'd advise switching to a better quality food so the pup isn't bouncing off the walls in a few weeks!

Knine · 08-09-2013 10:52PM

tk123 wrote: »

OP whatever you're feeding I'd offer some dry to the pup to gauge if it can actually chew it yet? My pup wasn't able/didn't know how to chew pieces of dry food when I got her at nine weeks because the breeder had been soaking it. I feed raw so hers is minced but for pieces of dry food for training etc it was too hard for her - I had to get dry food with smaller pieces for her for training treats. I'd advise switching to a better quality food so the pup isn't bouncing off the walls in a few weeks!

Very true. It can also be more difficult for them when they have a sore mouth from teething when they are 3 + mths old.

djflawless · 08-09-2013 11:30PM

Sorry for leaving it so long to reply all.hectic day!

When i said she had everything she needs, i meant everything she needs at 8 weeks not fully vacc'd

The food is supervalu complete puppy food with "chicken"
Id link ingredients but im mobile atm
and on the pack, it says composition insstead of ingredients
cereal
meat&animal derivatives (4% chicken)
Derivatives of veg origin
oils%fats
Fish&fish derivatives
minerals

im currently soaking the nuts for 20-30 mins in hot water, with about a dozen, give or take, a few dry nuts with no bothers to the dog

andreac · 08-09-2013 11:35PM

djflawless wrote: »

Sorry for leaving it so long to reply all.hectic day!

When i said she had everything she needs, i meant everything she needs at 8 weeks not fully vacc'd

The food is supervalu complete puppy food with "chicken"
Id link ingredients but im mobile atm
and on the pack, it says composition insstead of ingredients
cereal
meat&animal derivatives (4% chicken)
Derivatives of veg origin
oils%fats
Fish&fish derivatives
minerals

im currently soaking the nuts for 20-30 mins in hot water, with about a dozen, give or take, a few dry nuts with no bothers to the dog

Well there ya go. Ingredients speak for themselves. Cereals are first which is a big no no and a cheap and low quality food and the neat and animal derivatives are the same.
Go to your local pet shop and get a good quality food. Stay away from supermarket food like pedigree and bakers. Awful stuff.

Lemlin · 08-09-2013 11:39PM

andreac wrote: »

Well there ya go. Ingredients speak for themselves. Cereals are first which is a big no no and a cheap and low quality food and the neat and animal derivatives are the same.
Go to your local pet shop and get a good quality food. Stay away from supermarket food like pedigree and bakers. Awful stuff.

Or have a read of Dogfirst.ie about raw feeding. If you know your local butcher it can be very easy to do.

For example, my dogs never eat the treats you buy in the supermarkets that are full of additives. Some people find it hard to believe but both my dogs love a nice pig's leg/foot!

I get seven or eight from my local butcher once a week for free.

I also get marrow bones and all manner of other treats from him for very little.

djflawless · 08-09-2013 11:39PM

Thanks for that!
I have an appointment with the vet tomorrow just to make sure.safe than sorry sort of craic.
But im going to change food tomorrow 1st thing
would i be correct in saying that the cereals would be to rich for a dogs system or would it be just undigestable?

Nody · 09-09-2013 07:35AM

djflawless wrote: »

Thanks for that!
I have an appointment with the vet tomorrow just to make sure.safe than sorry sort of craic.
But im going to change food tomorrow 1st thing
would i be correct in saying that the cereals would be to rich for a dogs system or would it be just undigestable?

Cereals is not cereals in humans sense of the word but rather left over stuff that they could not put in human products after it's been processed and with very limited food value (the stuff they would normally throw away basically). It's a cheap way to bulk up food and any time you see it mentioned in the food you should think twice about buying it; Same is true for any type of derivates for meat (it's the stuff they could not put in human food such as skin, feather, beaks, spill on the floor etc. grinded down to flour).

djflawless · 10-09-2013 08:56PM

Hi all
just said id give an update

amber had to get her anal glands done.also have to feed her boiled chicken and rice for the next few days

so diet, and her own problems are now sorted.thanks all

muddypaws · 10-09-2013 09:10PM

Wow, never heard of a pup that young having to have their anal glands done. Have you decided what you're going to feed her once the chicken and rice is finished? Poor girl

andreac · 10-09-2013 09:22PM

I'd imagine its down to the poor diet it was being fed. Poor pup.
What food have you decided to feed the pup on now?

djflawless · 10-09-2013 10:49PM

Still havent decided what im going to feed her.strongly thinking of the raw diet tbh

tk123 · 11-09-2013 09:15AM

djflawless wrote: »

Still havent decided what im going to feed her.strongly thinking of the raw diet tbh

I've had my retriever pup on raw since we got her at 9 weeks and she's doing great on it. Also the difference in her compared to other puppies - she's so chilled out and they're HYPER. :cool:

Lemlin · 11-09-2013 03:55PM

tk123 wrote: »

I've had my retriever pup on raw since we got her at 9 weeks and she's doing great on it. Also the difference in her compared to other puppies - she's so chilled out and they're HYPER. :cool:

Would have to agree re this. I've had my Labrador on raw since she was a pup and she's always been very calm and collected.

stepping up from soaked nuts to dry nuts?

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