Puppy Nutrition

[geo]

has anyone tried 'vetsallnatural' food for their dogs and how are they on it? i'm thinking of changing my pups food to this.

[spottychick]

I raised a puppy on VAN with a vet keeping a constant watch on her progress. I mixed it with a variety of protein sources - all raw and some raw and cooked veggies. The vet was so impressed he took the name of the VAN website and ordered some in to sell from his practice.

Mine is a large dog so one thing that concerned me was her growth rate was slow but the vet assured me this was a GOOD thing. As long as she was in proportion (which she was) and healthy (also good) then it was fine. SHe thrived on the stuff because all you need is already premixed into it. Eventually she caught up and grew into a normal sized dally.

Apparently it's actually better for large dogs to grow more slowly (commercial food artificially speeds up the growth rate) but if yours is a larger breed it's just good to be aware of this.

The best thing about using VAN for puppies IMO is that it encourages feeding raw and gets the dog used to raw food while giving you peace of mind that your pup is getting all the extra bits he/she needs.

That's gotta be better than giving the poor thing generic cheap rubbish kibble and canned from the supermarket like most people I know do!

[Nekhbet]

Apparently it's actually better for large dogs to grow more slowly (commercial food artificially speeds up the growth rate) but if yours is a larger breed it's just good to be aware of this.

that is why you purchase a good large/giant breed puppy made for that sized breed. Yes larger breeds should grow slowly as their growth plates close and bones harden later then the tinyer breeds. So a massive heavy dog on soft puppy bones = problems.

I dont use VAN it's just dry veges and massive amounts of grains which I see pooped out whole. Some people swear by it I think it has more to do with the quality of the protein source you use then the VAN.

[Chocolate]

Apparently it's actually better for large dogs to grow more slowly (commercial food artificially speeds up the growth rate) but if yours is a larger breed it's just good to be aware of this.

that is why you purchase a good large/giant breed puppy made for that sized breed. Yes larger breeds should grow slowly as their growth plates close and bones harden later then the tinyer breeds. So a massive heavy dog on soft puppy bones = problems.

I dont use VAN it's just dry veges and massive amounts of grains which I see pooped out whole. Some people swear by it I think it has more to do with the quality of the protein source you use then the VAN.

The bits pooped out whole are meant to be. Some ingredients are purely for roughage and it says on the pack to expect to see some coming through whole. It's also about balance. Protein given to a dog on it's own produces treacle poos due to unbalanced diet. Protien fed with carbs, vegies, roughage gives balance and you see this with consistency of poos.

[Nekhbet]

I'm just cheap I dont like seeing dogs poop out what I've paid for

[Sandra777]

The bits pooped out whole are meant to be. Some ingredients are purely for roughage and it says on the pack to expect to see some coming through whole. It's also about balance. Protein given to a dog on it's own produces treacle poos due to unbalanced diet. Protien fed with carbs, vegies, roughage gives balance and you see this with consistency of poos.

OK - so how come my dogs who eat meat on the bone every single day for every single meal poo out rocks and not treacle? Dogs can't digest whole grains and unprocessed vege and don't have the correct intestinal make up to make use of carbs as their primary source of energy. They have the gut of a carnivore combined with the stomach acids of a scavenger.

[WreckitWhippet]

The bits pooped out whole are meant to be. Some ingredients are purely for roughage and it says on the pack to expect to see some coming through whole. It's also about balance. Protein given to a dog on it's own produces treacle poos due to unbalanced diet. Protien fed with carbs, vegies, roughage gives balance and you see this with consistency of poos.

OK - so how come my dogs who eat meat on the bone every single day for every single meal poo out rocks and not treacle? Dogs can't digest whole grains and unprocessed vege and don't have the correct intestinal make up to make use of carbs as their primary source of energy. They have the gut of a carnivore combined with the stomach acids of a scavenger.

No treacle poo here either and ours are fed the same way, meat off the bone

[geo]

Thanks everyone for your replies, it's just the more i read about kibble (even the "premium" mega expensive stuff) the more i get put off, especially after reading all the other threads on DOL. Is there a good quality kibble? i here evo is ggod?

Chev (apbt) came to me pretty large..25+kgs at 4months..he was growing rapidly, i literally watched him cut his adult teeth in about a week!! he was on royal canin plus roo etc. and well looked after. But he does have sensitive skin, and i noticed on the SD, it looked like his hair was a little thin between his shoulders. (hence the food search)

I had a staffie that went well on Science diet so thought it may do well for chev also, that was until i read all the negativity around SD and other top end dry foods.

Chev is just on 6 months, 27.5kgs. (i'm not expecting him to be more than 35kgs fully grown as his mum was about 24kgs and dad probably 33kgs) he is slim, happy and energetic. He eats a little quickly probably due to our other dog, though fed separately. We add egg, veggies, meat, fish everyday to his food and his coat is responding.

We have another dog who is on a basic kibble plus bones, meat etc.. and looks fantastic. boundless energy, good stools, and very athletic, currently trying to stop her giving the pup the run around so much as i know that pups can injure themselves and they love to play all day long!

[Chocolate]

The bits pooped out whole are meant to be. Some ingredients are purely for roughage and it says on the pack to expect to see some coming through whole. It's also about balance. Protein given to a dog on it's own produces treacle poos due to unbalanced diet. Protien fed with carbs, vegies, roughage gives balance and you see this with consistency of poos.

OK - so how come my dogs who eat meat on the bone every single day for every single meal poo out rocks and not treacle? Dogs can't digest whole grains and unprocessed vege and don't have the correct intestinal make up to make use of carbs as their primary source of energy. They have the gut of a carnivore combined with the stomach acids of a scavenger.

Because meat on the bone means they are eating not just meat but some bone as well which gives a very different consistency to meat on it's own.

Raw meat on it's own (protien only) = treacle poo

Raw meat on bone = calcium poos, firm poos that crumble and turn white in time

Raw meat plus roughage from vegies/grains = balanced poos, not too hard, not too soft

Scavengers eat everything and everything edible for balance.

[sandra64]

I have used VAN since bringing both my dogs home, only as it is easier. In saying that i dont go through it quickly, as i still use fresh vegies and such with their fresh meat. Ive never had a problem with it, but as is said i dont live by that alone mixed with their raw meat.

[OSoSwift]

I did try using it, but my girl who never ever does smelly farts, was letting go of gas that could peel paint off the walls.

I gave up as I could not live with a dog inside that did that all day and night!

Back onto previous diet and it was all good.