mademoisellemika Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Hello fellow dog/puppy owners! I've spent hours just reading the forum topics and I'm shocked/confused/frustrated over all these food talks! I must say that I'm so glad to find out about all these information before I pick up my pup next Friday. Just received information regarding my pup's diet from the breeder: Brekkie Beef mince (human grade or VIP dog beef mince) Lunch Chicken Necks, wings and a raw beef bone to chew on Dinner Beef mince and Hill's Science dry food soaked with warm water. Now, I don't want to confuse this pup any further by changing her diet - being in a new home is daunting enough, I'm sure! Just want to get a show of hands as to whether you all agree with this diet? She'll be 8 weeks when we pick her up. Initially I was going to start her on dry food on most days and a mixture of dry and canned every 4th or 5th day. Having read about processed dry food is worrying me quite abit and it's true that unless I feed her beef mince, I'll never know for sure how much protein she's really getting from the dry food. I'm sure I'll be able to find out more from the breeder when we pick her up but just to have more of an idea (I want to be as prepared as I possibly can) - if I continue the beef mince as her main staple, what kind of portion will I be looking at? She's a small breed dog (Cavalier). And now, the most daunting question to ask... which dry food? I'm considering Artemis, Hill's Science and Royal Canin - focussing on their puppy food line obviously. We made a mistake () by purchasing a 2.5kg of Pedigree's Puppy Growth Food on a whim few weeks back - in order not to waste it, is it worth mixing it in with the mince or other dry food? Appreciate any advice from this forum - I've been reading on other forums and found this to be the most active and helpful of them all! Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 I won't give any advice on actual amounts--- keep her to her current diet for a couple of weeks- the GRADUALLY change it if you want.... Good luck with her Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laffi Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Your breeder's diet sounds excellent I would probably switch from Science Diet to Artemis, but that's the only change I would make Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Initially I was going to start her on dry food on most days and a mixture of dry and canned every 4th or 5th day. I would feed the beef mince over any canned food, and like Laffi suggested, I would feed something other than Science Diet - Artemis or Royal Canin would be my pick! What kind of puppy are you getting? We need to have puppy pics! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Personally i would never feed Hills or that much beef but diet is an issue you must discuss with your breeder. If you do decide to change make sure its to a brand that is known to be suitable for your breed & do so slowly.Also make sure your breeders guarantee isnt void if you change the diet without talking with them. The eagle pack puppy tin is great.We have also used puppy tin(pedigree naturals) with no issues at all as a variety.Have done so for over 24 years & have wonderful healthy pups. Diet is very personal & everyone will have there own opinion & what is suitable for one breed would be a disaster for another . reading is good but make sure you understand your breed needs & not fall into the trap of one diet suits all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mademoisellemika Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 Thanks for the suggestions so far @ Huski - She's a Cavalier! Will definitely post some pics up when she's finally in our home. SO excited - I've waited over 3 years to get a dog!!! @ settrlvr - It's just hard and very frustrating in order to decide the diet. I know that everyone will have an opinion and it's just better for me to hear it from pet owners rather than succumbing to the pet foods' marketing ploy. All I want to make sure is to make informed decisions with my pup and knowing the risks - then again, there's only that much preparation I can do prior to having her. Thanks for the advice though. Oh, her name is Mika by the way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretel Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Ah you must come visit us in the Cavalier thread As others have said keep her on the breeders diet until she settles in before making changes. I don't like Hills myself as it's full of fillers. And VIP I'd give a miss..... I've raised Cav pups on Advance, Royal Canin and Eagle Pack and been happy with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 The diet sounds fine to me although I'd agree with others that maybe Science Diet isn't the best choice and be aware that *some* dogs react very badly to beef. Definitely don't do the canned food idea - it's mostly rubbish and not much use to a puppy. Get the food in ahead of getting the puppy home, but perhaps buy only small amounts and after the first 2 weeks or so you could start giving her chicken mince for one meal instead of beef, or mince lamb instead of beef, and if you buy a small bag of some other sort of biscuits you can gradually mix more of them in with the Science Diet and change her to a new brand if you choose to do so. The basic idea is just as you know - while she's getting used to a new home don't change her diet as there's enough things to stress about. After she's settled then you can substitute things as much as you like as you figure out what is best for HER and YOU. There is no absolutely right or wrong way to feed a dog! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 (edited) Lose the beef mince as the pup will not ge the necessary natural calcium, nor the correct calcium/phosphorous ratios, and subsitute minced chicken frames, or necks. I would vary it up more by adding in small amounts of veg, egg, sardines in oil, yoghurt. Keep the basis of the diet the dry puppy food the pup has been raised on, and make gradual changes. Avoid canned food, and wean her off the beef mince. Edited March 5, 2009 by gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rijbiz Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 I changed my guys over to Eagle Pack earlier in the year and have been really pleased with the results. Even my vet asked what I was feeding them as their coats were so good. I also keep 1 or 2 tins of Natures Gift in the cupboard for an emergency. At least I know its all natural and its only once in a blue moon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mademoisellemika Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 (edited) I'm really liking the idea of giving her both chicken and beef mince as separate meals to mix it up a little. Guess I'll be heading to the pet store this weekend to get a small bag of either EP or Royal Canin and stock up on 'em chicken necks. Are frozen necks better for the pup?? 7 more sleeps till she's home with us! Thank you all for your suggestions!! You guys have been great with the advice. Feel free to keep them flowing in Edited March 5, 2009 by mademoisellemika Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cockerlover Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 :thumbsup:welcome to DOL ,Congratulations on your new friend !pics are a must ! lots of good advise here ,as has been said already ,if you change her diet do it gradually ,cut out canned food, imo (not a fan of such) & cut up the necks ,other wise she will not digest them propally & supervise whilst she is eating them . good luck & Pawsup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mademoisellemika Posted March 6, 2009 Author Share Posted March 6, 2009 (edited) thanks for the warm welcome, CockerLover! : deleted rant : Edited March 19, 2009 by mademoisellemika Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mademoisellemika Posted March 20, 2009 Author Share Posted March 20, 2009 (edited) Hi everyone! I just want to give you a positive update on lil Mika But firstly, thank you to all of you who gave us advice... it was very well received and we appreciated all the comments. Mika is growing up as well as can be expected. She is still on the breeder's kibble of choice - Hill's Science (we bought a 3kg bag). At the start, she would only eat once it's been soaked. I mixed it occasionally with beef mince, green beans and carrots. Now, she loves her kibble dry (so much easier!!). She's just over 9 weeks now and steadily putting on weight, as a growing pup would. As training treats, she gets carrots (in bite size), yoghurt drops and now Artemis kibble which she loves (I'm using the sample pack)! We gave her Schmacko's but she wasn't too fond of them but I supposed that's a good thing! She's also not a fan of the Pedigree Puppy Biscuits We're also pleased to let you guys know that she has now trained to "Sit" and lie "Down"!!! After a few mistakes, she now knows where to do her business At night, she doesn't wake us up to go "Toilet" - she sleeps in her pen and goes to her training pad by herself. Needless to say, we're extremely proud of her and fingers crossed, she'll only get better! Edited March 20, 2009 by mademoisellemika Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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