What Dry Food To Feed Golden Retriever Puppy?

[Bailey9]

Hi, I'm getting a female Golden Retriever pup next month and just wondering what people suggest as the 'best' dry food to feed her. The breeder says they are using Supercoat Puppy. I read a few comments around the place that some people don't think this is the 'best' food. For those that don't like Supercoat, what is it about this food that you don't agree with?

Just wanted to get some suggestions on what other people would recommend. I understand that especially being a large breed that it is very important to get the right nutritional balance.

I am aware that if I do change the pups food that it will need to be done gradually.

I live in rural South Australia - so would be grateful if people could let me know what price they are paying and from what stockist. I won't have a lot of time when we go to Adelaide next month (to pick up the pup) so would like to know where the best prices around Adelaide are.

Thanks :D

[First Time Puppy Owner]

I would see if you can get any of the following and depends how much you can afford.

Remember the more concentracted the food the less you need to feed thus calculate the cost per day as well as how much the bag is it's self!

I.e. Benson got on EP 2 - 2 1/2 cups depending if bones given or not.

Eagle Pack Holistic (Large and Giant Breed Puppy)

Artemis (Medium/Large Breed Puppy)

Royal Canin ( http://www.royalcanin.com.au/dog_maxi.htm )

Advance (Large Breed Puppy)

Proplan (Puppy Large Breed)

[goldielover]

You have quite a few alternatives. You could look into a BARF diet, but this does take a lot of research. Otherwise, i'd recommend either Artemis Medium/Large Breed puppy or Eagle Pack Holistic Large Breed (green bag) or Nutrience Holistic Puppy. All 3 are quite good value for money and are concentrated foods (meaning you feed less).

Regular Eagle Pack Puppy, Proplan and Advance are both ok, but contain by-products and for the money i think any of the 3 above are wonderful. I currently have my 3 goldens on Artemis and they're doing very well on it.

Supercoat is ok, but full of fillers and low quality ingredients. If you are on a tight budget, you could look at their Special Care puppy range which is a little better.

[~*Shell*~]

Supercoat has quite a lot of "filler" in it (grains etc) - because a dog has a shorted digestive system, they don't absorb carbs like we do (or at least this was the reason given to me).

Less things to absorb = more poo....

And it's true - Zero gets sick off quite a few things but supercoat itsn't one of them. When i feed him supercoat i have a lot more to clean up!

[Bailey9]

Hi, Thanks for those suggestions, keep them coming!!

If anyone in Adelaide knows of a good stockists please let me know. NOT PETSHOPS :D

With regards to the protein content, what is recommended? They seem to vary quite considerably from 24% to 42% :D from the ones I've looked at so far.

I do have to consider the budget, but I think it is a wise investment to spend that bit extra for the dogs food particularly during the critical growth stage.

[First Time Puppy Owner]

I don't think you can really go wrong with EP Holisitic Large/Giant Puppy - in that a number of the persons with Giant Breeds on here feed that to their pups - 100% balanced and you will probably be able to find it pretty easy to get!

Here is the stockist list in SA http://eaglepack.com.au/Stockists/SouthAus...72/Default.aspx

[Paulp]

When I first got my GR X lab puppy I fed him IAMS. Then I tried supercoat puppy (bought a 18kg bag). Within a week or so his behaviour seemed to deteriorate (he was less obedient and more destructive). I thought at first it was my imagination but after a couple of weeks I went out and bought Advance Large Breed Puppy food and started feeding that and the behaviour improved again. I continued feeding the supercoat as a quarter of his diet until it ran out and have been on Advance ever since. Could not say for sure that it was the supercoat but it seemed to coincide with the addition and removal of it from his diet. Interestingly I have noticed that when he gets stomach upsets he seems to go through bouts of destructiveness (although potentially he eats things in his bouts of destructiveness that give him an upset tummy.......) so I don't know if the behaviour change was directly related to a food ingredient or maybe it just upset his stomach.

[Ons]

I'm no expert but I thought that you had to keep golden retreiver puppies protein down to about 26% will stand corrected.

Onslow grew up on Optimum Puppy, I didn't know much about feeding them as I do now but he did okay on it.

Tilly was allergic to Optimum, it upset her stomach and made her itchy - same with Supercoat which her breeder fed. So she got EaglePack Holistic large puppy breed - by mail - she did very well on it.

Now both are fed Advance only because of easy availability and both do really well on it, nice shiny coats and generally healthy dogs

Both are golden retrievers

[goldielover]

There's a lot of debate about protein. I choose to play it safe. If you're going with EP Holistic (23% protein) - no worries... you can just keep your pup on it until 12 to 18 months of age (longer if you want, really). If you go with anotehr brand (most of which have a higher protein level), i'd change between 5 and 6 months of age.

[DOGFATHER]

Ive been feeding my 7mth Goldie - ProPlan (Puppy Large Breed). plus PetChefs (chick & veg or beef & chick meatloaf varieties) she also loves chicken wings. (great for her teeth)

ProPlan was recommended by our breeder who has been breeding goldies successfully for many generations.

Why not ask your breeder what they recommend and what they are feeding there goldies?

Im sure they would be more than happy to help you, its in there best interest.

[Bailey9]

Thanks guys. I've done a bit more research I think I'm going to choose to stick with the slightly lower protein.

(OH made a comment this evening - asked what I did today and then his reply "hmm perhaps if you did that much research on your uni you would get A++..... hehe, you know what, he's probably right! hahaha )

I read around a bit on many other internet sites, forums on here, and several PMs. Seems like a lot of people agree that Artemis is definitely a highly recommended brand, though the protein may be a little high in the Puppy formula, so suggest starting off on the Eagle Pack holistic Large puppy and changing over to Artemis Adult at about 6months (quite a few made this suggestion actually)

So I decided to compare

dog_food.doc

The EP puppy is almost exactly the same as the Artemis Adult. Protein is the same, though fat is only 12% in EP pup compared to 14% Art Adult. The Art puppy had 27% protein (some say too high) and fat in the middle of the other two at 13%. Is the 2% difference of fat between Art adult and EP pup worth paying attention to? Most other % were very similar, except EP pup only had about half the Vitamin E compared to the 2 Art products. So if we were to simply drop the protein in the Art puppy..... we basically are left with the Art Adult...

Can someone suggest why I should spend the extra money on the EP pup rather than getting the cheaper Artemis Adult, for a growing Golden Retriever pup??? I am failing to see much difference between the two. Any comments welcome ;) Ingredients are very similar between the three.

Edited June 11, 2008 by Bailey9

[Bailey9]

Why not ask your breeder what they recommend and what they are feeding there goldies?

The breeder is feeding Supercoat puppy. I'm just interested in what alternatives people recommend as many out there would say there is better food on the market.

[DogsLover]

Eagle Pack for Large Breed Pup is the very good We are feeding our Dobe pup with it now.

We use to feed our Goldie Supercoat, IAM and Proplan. IMO, feeding him Proplan cause him to shed lesser

[Sagittarian]

May I suggest that you compare calcium levels rather than stress too much about protein content - many people move fast growing pups onto an adult diet without considering the difference in calcium.

Controlling calories (intake of food) is often overlooked. Lean but not thin tends to grow large and giant breeds best. Having used many brands in raising giant breed puppies, I have seen no noticeable difference between raising on one premium brand to another. It has been about being consistent, watching closely when rapid growth spurts occur to increase intake, then reduce it again when growth slows.

If I was to have a pup in the near future, I would not hesitate to raise it on Orijen - once considered an absolute no-no to feed such high protein to a giant breed. However, we live and learn.

Good luck with baby and plenty of pics please!

Sags

[First Time Puppy Owner]

May I suggest that you compare calcium levels rather than stress too much about protein content - many people move fast growing pups onto an adult diet without considering the difference in calcium.

Controlling calories (intake of food) is often overlooked. Lean but not thin tends to grow large and giant breeds best. Having used many brands in raising giant breed puppies, I have seen no noticeable difference between raising on one premium brand to another. It has been about being consistent, watching closely when rapid growth spurts occur to increase intake, then reduce it again when growth slows.

If I was to have a pup in the near future, I would not hesitate to raise it on Orijen - once considered an absolute no-no to feed such high protein to a giant breed. However, we live and learn.

Good luck with baby and plenty of pics please!

Sags

Very good point about the calcium to phosphrous levels!

[Baxter16]

Pet Stock on Main North Rd, Prospect has a good range of dog foods available. My pup started on Science Diet (as recommended by vet) After reading up about food, I found lots of negative comment on Science Diet and saw EP holistic got lots of positive recommendations so I got him this. He doesnt really like it though, even to the point where he'll eat the science diet and leave the EP (i mix half-half). He will eat the EP in the bowl eventually but its not his first preference.

[kaceymegs]

i think the best food is what works for your dog. I know pedigree isn't the best quality, but my golden which I bought when I was 12 has been fed this since I got him. I didnt know other brands existed when I was that young. But now my boy is 8 years old and as young as ever. He plays around with my german shepherd pup like he was a pup again. SO its hard to say which brand they will do best on.

[Guest Tess32]

i think the best food is what works for your dog. I know pedigree isn't the best quality, but my golden which I bought when I was 12 has been fed this since I got him. I didnt know other brands existed when I was that young. But now my boy is 8 years old and as young as ever. He plays around with my german shepherd pup like he was a pup again. SO its hard to say which brand they will do best on.

Except you often can't tell how different or better a dog's condition would be unless you try better brands. Sometimes the consequences of living on crap food don't show up till later and then sometimes you're just lucky.

I don't see how anyone could argue that a dry food filled with most filler and grains is the best option for their dog *when you know better*.

[kaceymegs]

i think the best food is what works for your dog. I know pedigree isn't the best quality, but my golden which I bought when I was 12 has been fed this since I got him. I didnt know other brands existed when I was that young. But now my boy is 8 years old and as young as ever. He plays around with my german shepherd pup like he was a pup again. SO its hard to say which brand they will do best on.

Except you often can't tell how different or better a dog's condition would be unless you try better brands. Sometimes the consequences of living on crap food don't show up till later and then sometimes you're just lucky.

I don't see how anyone could argue that a dry food filled with most filler and grains is the best option for their dog *when you know better*.

yeh true but my parents also have a jack russel who has been fed pedigree his whole life too and he is 18 years old and has nothing wrong with him. Im not saying pedigree is the best option I'm just saying that you cant say what will work best until you try it. I've heard many stories of people who's dogs are on the best premium food and it just doesnt work for them. You have to keep an open mind on whats going to work best for your particular pup. My german shepherd is on Advance now and I like it, it works for him. But obviously the pedigree is working for my other dogs who are getting to a fair age and have nothing physically wrong with them. The last time my retriever went to the vet he said he was in perfect condition.

[IncrediJack]

Hi, I'm getting a female Golden Retriever pup next month and just wondering what people suggest as the 'best' dry food to feed her. The breeder says they are using Supercoat Puppy. I read a few comments around the place that some people don't think this is the 'best' food. For those that don't like Supercoat, what is it about this food that you don't agree with?

Just wanted to get some suggestions on what other people would recommend. I understand that especially being a large breed that it is very important to get the right nutritional balance.

I am aware that if I do change the pups food that it will need to be done gradually.

I live in rural South Australia - so would be grateful if people could let me know what price they are paying and from what stockist. I won't have a lot of time when we go to Adelaide next month (to pick up the pup) so would like to know where the best prices around Adelaide are.

Thanks :rolleyes:

We feed our GR (nine months now) Royal Canin Maxi Junior, which was recommended by the breeder (and raw chicken necks). I was buying it from dogfood.com.au, which was such a good price. But now they have replaced it with Science Diet. So irritating! We gave our first GR, Supercoat Puppy, and he ended up with painful calcium deposits in his joints from too much calcium. Large breed pups shouldn't have all that extra calcium. Good luck with your new pup!