CoupeDash Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Hi all! we have 2 beautiful German Shep puppies who are 10-months old. currently we were feeding them Royal Canin but have now been advised by our breeder to switch to Bonnie Adult Formula as they are growing very quickly! good advice! :D Has anyone used Bonnie before? I know it's easy to get, but would just like to hear your thoughts... also been advised to cut out the dry food in the morning and replace with brisket bones or chicken carcasses. does anyone have preferences with what kind of raw bones etc the way our pups eat chicken wings as a treat im scared they get stuck in their throat!! thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paganman Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Ive tried Bonnie and Supercrap and they went straight thru my dogs but all dogs are dofferent.Chicken frames and brisket bones are good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 (edited) I feed all my dogs and my fosters Bonnie (and have done for about 3 years). I am happy with it and my dogs are healthy. I did notice though that if I get a foster who is very skinny and needs fattening up I have to add others things to their diet rather than just increasing the amount of Bonnie they are fed. Edited August 13, 2009 by Daisy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoupeDash Posted August 13, 2009 Author Share Posted August 13, 2009 i guess since we're trying to slow down their weight gain this will be good for them :D and do you just buy your chicken frames from the local chicken shop cause i know the main supermarkets wouldnt have them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
widget Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 How old are the puppies when the picture was taken. I have my almost 7 month old shepherd on Royal Canin gsd puppy and we are just about to change him to the adult version. I wonder why they would suggest a completely different brand rather than just changing to the adult version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 I've tried Bonnie with no luck, enormous poos and itchy skin. Personally I wouldnt go from a super premium to a cheap brand unless you were pushed financially. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 why dont you try the eagle pack giant breed puppy its about the same protein as bonny adult but at least tailored for a growing puppy. I too dont know why the breeder would put you right from high quality to low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mokhahouse Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Check out your local IGA supermarket, our stocks chicken frames at 99cents 2 or 3 of them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudget Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Royal Canin is a super premium pet food. Bonnie is a lower quality food. It's not as bad as what we term "supermarket" quality (eg Pedigree) but what you are currently feeding is one of the best brands available. Royal Canin specifically offer a diet for German Shepherds. You will want to use the GSD Jnr until about 15 months of age, then move onto the GSD adult. This product is specifically for GSD and caters for the needs of a large breed dog. It has the appropriate protein requirements as well as glucosamine and chondroitin for joint maintenance. As far as I am aware Bonnie does not contain joint formula (being a cheaper quality product). You will also find that the stool odour and amount will be less with the RC than with Bonnie as the ingredients are of a better quality. The main ingredient is poultry muscle meat (human grade), rather than by-products. Everything within the product is there for a reason, not as a filler (as in cheaper products, hence the more poop!). The other benefit of the GSD specific food is it caters for the sensitive skin and stomach common in the breed (but not in all dogs) as well as a kibble shape specific for deep chested breeds, to reduce the incidence of bloat (very important!). In my experience many breeders use Bonnie as it is more economical for them (which is fair enough). For those of us with only one or two dogs and can afford to spend a little extra it is well worth upgrading to a really good quality diet. I have two dogs - an Aussie Shepherd and a Weimeraner. Both are on the RC Maxi adult and have been on RC since puppies. They are in fantastic condition, have great coats and I never have any problems with diarrhoea - unless they've eaten something they shouldn't! I feed mine twice a day, but halve the amounts. If you feed twice, give the larger meal in the morning as they will burn it off during the day. You will find also that you won't need to feed as much of the RC compared to the Bonnie, which in the long run saves some money. The other bonus with sticking to the RC is the loyalty program (buy 10 bags, get one free - organised through the store you purchase your food at). Bonnie does not offer this (or the money-back guarantee). Another thing that might help is that the GSD club actually use (and sell at a subsidised cost) the RC food (maxi and GSD) I hope that helps!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudget Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Another thing I thought to mention is to be careful feeding too much raw chicken as it is quite fatty. Obviously you don't want any fat puppies! My dogs only get dry food with the occassional treat, such as a marrow bone from the butcher, in which case I will usually skip one of the meals. Remember, premium foods are a complete diet with all the minerals and nutrients they need, especially for growing pups, whereas raw meat and biscuits doesn't so much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitKat Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Perhaps bump the pups up to the adult Royal Canin - or the Royal Canin GSD adult formula. Are the pups still on puppy foor or the junior range of RC? and just the Maxi formula or...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkySoaringMagpie Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Bonnie makes one of our dogs fart the most obnoxious farts. Normally he's not a farter. That alone was enough to make me switch. As with all dog foods, try it for yourself and see what you think. But keep the clothes pegs handy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sagittarian Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 kibble shape specific for deep chested breeds, to reduce the incidence of bloat (very important!). Interesting. I've never seen this as part of RC's promotion of the food. What do you base this on? It is incredibly important that only accurate information be provided regarding bloat. I look forward to further advice on this. Sags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bouledogue Français Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 I can't stand Bonnie or Supercoat. If they were mine I would be switching them over to RC Adult. I only feed puppy food up until around 8 - 12 weeks of age anyway, that's with both Bullmastiff pups and Frenchies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 sag I have seen the boxer is an S shape to promote chewing but the maxi/giant is just square kibble increased in size. The giant adult is almost the size of my palm and is great for food bolters like my Malinois as they have to chew to be able to swallow it as for bloat, so many factors go into this. RC doesnt swell excessively like some foods do (I have done a soak test with the food) so that may be as far as that theory goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitKat Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Also because they are chewing rather then bolting they tend to suck down less air while they eat as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudget Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 kibble shape specific for deep chested breeds, to reduce the incidence of bloat (very important!). Interesting. I've never seen this as part of RC's promotion of the food. What do you base this on? It is incredibly important that only accurate information be provided regarding bloat. I look forward to further advice on this. Sags Hi Sags, I actually do demonstrator work for RC which is why I know so much about it. My rep informed me of this. Apparently the shape of the kibble is important in the way it breaks down in the gut. If you want to find out more info feel free to contact RC directly as they will know more specifically :p Cheers, Lisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 (edited) kibble shape specific for deep chested breeds, to reduce the incidence of bloat (very important!). Interesting. I've never seen this as part of RC's promotion of the food. What do you base this on? It is incredibly important that only accurate information be provided regarding bloat. I look forward to further advice on this. Sags There is no known reason for bloat only guesses. Edited August 14, 2009 by sas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 (edited) kibble shape specific for deep chested breeds, to reduce the incidence of bloat (very important!). Interesting. I've never seen this as part of RC's promotion of the food. What do you base this on? It is incredibly important that only accurate information be provided regarding bloat. I look forward to further advice on this. Sags Hi Sags, I actually do demonstrator work for RC which is why I know so much about it. My rep informed me of this. Apparently the shape of the kibble is important in the way it breaks down in the gut. If you want to find out more info feel free to contact RC directly as they will know more specifically :p Cheers, Lisa Well I'm sorry then you're not giving accurate information to the customer. There is NO KNOWN cause of bloat, we can only make guesses and that's after clinical studies. Edited August 14, 2009 by sas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sagittarian Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Neither the packaging, nor the information brochure for GSD makes comment about the shape of the kibble. It makes no claims regarding GVD so one must be careful in using this line of promotion in order to sell the food! I would suggest Lisa that you ask your rep what his/her facts are on this. As has been said, the reasons for GVD/bloat are many and varied and so far there are still no absolutes. We held discussions with Advance when their initial promos on the Large/Giant food claimed it would reduce the incidence of GVD. Can you imagine selling a bag of food to someone based on an unproveable claim such as this and then the dog getting bloat! Sags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now