Puppy On Dry Food Only?

[sheenat]

Hi All

Been busy busy busy with new puppy "Harry" not at all as easy as I remember 13 years ago, may have something to do with being 13 years older :laugh:

Just a bit of advice please Harry had an upset tummy just after he came nothing hugely drastic think just eating anything from our yard leaves sticks etc and being a new puppy, anyway long story short the vet ended up putting him on Flagyl (sp?) and he has been fine ever since.

When I got Harry he was on Pedigree puppy biscuits and cooked rice chicken and veges. The vet changed Harry to Royal Canin which I would have changed him over to a premium biscuit after a couple of more weeks my question is............. can puppies just have dry food and no wet food?? My Molly dog had dry food and then a scottys dog roll in the evenings, I know alot of people dont like the dog rolls but she did so well on it and my vet always commented on how well she was and how amazing she looked with clean ears eyes and an amazing coat.

So have babbled on and got off subject but my question is can "Harry" have just dry food?

Thanks

[dasha]

If it is a good quality dry food...YES

The good ones are designed to be a complete diet.

You can always give bones and table scraps to add to it to vary it but otherwise it is fine.

My dogs are fed a mainly biscuit diet.

Then I get them raw bones of various species to have a few times a week.

[sheenat]

If it is a good quality dry food...YES

The good ones are designed to be a complete diet.

You can always give bones and table scraps to add to it to vary it but otherwise it is fine.

My dogs are fed a mainly biscuit diet.

Then I get them raw bones of various species to have a few times a week.

Thank you, I know the bag says complete food it just seems mean and really boring.

:)

[huski]

Back when I fed dried food I would always feed some meals each week as raw so I would add chicken necks or wings etc. or I would mix in egg or sardines to their dried. At the very least raw bones are good for their teeth :)

[Christina]

Feed your dog what you are comfortable feeding it. If you want to continue the breeders diet that's fine, if you want to do dog roll & dry that's fine too. I would use some puppy dry though no matter what brand.

[WreckitWhippet]

Pedigree cooked rice and veg is no diet for a growing puppy.

Royal Canin is good choice and you could add some meals of chicken necks, wings, pieces of lamb flap, lamb necks ( not the rosettes ) rabbit if you can get it, pieces of roo tail etc.

[sheena]

When a dog is fed completly raw...correct me if I am wrong...the raw will contain about 70% moisture. When he is being fed 100% dry food, there is very little moisture in the food, so just make sure he drinks plenty of water or he will dehydrate & if in doubt add some water to his kibble. My BC girl does not drink enough water, & she is only on about 50% dry with the rest being raw, so I have to add water to her kibble & also give her a couple of drinks a day containing home made stock if I think she is not drinking enough.

[Dame Aussie]

No problem having him on dry only as long as it's a good food, but I would be giving him raw meaty bones too. Chicken wings and necks, lamb necks etc. We also mix in either sardines/tuna/salmon/yoghurt/eggs with their dry when we do feed it.

Pictures? :)

Edited January 18, 2013 by Aussie3

[luvsdogs]

You don't say what breed Harry is. As long as he does well on the RC as sheena said make sure he has plenty of water. I would also add in raw meaty bones, but be wary of chicken necks if he's a med to large breed. My dogs have raw chicken legs, turkey wings or small legs & chunks of beef.

When I had them on a kibble diet I used to add alternate nights sardines in oil, raw eggs, 1/4 cup Nature's Gift canned food & a raw chicken wing/leg/trimmed lamb flaps a few times a week.

[sheenat]

No problem having him on dry only as long as it's a good food, but I would be giving him raw meaty bones too. Chicken wings and necks, lamb necks etc. We also mix in either sardines/tuna/salmon/yoghurt/eggs with their dry when we do feed it.

Pictures? :)

Thank you. Pictures are very scarce as he does not sit still for a minute!!!

[sheenat]

You don't say what breed Harry is. As long as he does well on the RC as sheena said make sure he has plenty of water. I would also add in raw meaty bones, but be wary of chicken necks if he's a med to large breed. My dogs have raw chicken legs, turkey wings or small legs & chunks of beef.

When I had them on a kibble diet I used to add alternate nights sardines in oil, raw eggs, 1/4 cup Nature's Gift canned food & a raw chicken wing/leg/trimmed lamb flaps a few times a week.

Thank you Harry is a cocker spaniel :)

[disintegratus]

My dogs are on a diet of mostly dry (the pup is on Black hawk, the rest on kirkland signature), they get bones/chicken wings/lamb necks etc probably 2-3 times a week. A favourite is pig's feet, and at 70cents each from our local butcher, I'm not complaining! :D

They also supplement their diet with sticks, dirt, and whatever gets left on tables within their reach, for example remote controls, empty food packaging, random pieces of paper.

They are all doing really well, pup's growing like a weed, and is healthy, happy and super naughty (but I don't think that's got anything to do with her diet, I think it's just her vocation in life to test me :p)

[westiemum]

When a dog is fed completly raw...correct me if I am wrong...the raw will contain about 70% moisture. When he is being fed 100% dry food, there is very little moisture in the food, so just make sure he drinks plenty of water or he will dehydrate & if in doubt add some water to his kibble. My BC girl does not drink enough water, & she is only on about 50% dry with the rest being raw, so I have to add water to her kibble & also give her a couple of drinks a day containing home made stock if I think she is not drinking enough.

This. And for this reason I'm very wary of 100% dry food diets. Historically dogs ate non-processed wet foods. On the rare occasions my guys get dry food it's always floating in a good dose of water. Never on its own. Like us, dogs get a lot of their moisture and hydration from their food - so IMO unless it contains moisture then you are potentially setting yourself up for problems down the track.

And before anyone screams, I know others disagree - and you're welcome to. :) I happen to believe that this is THE sleeper issue in dog nutrition and I'd prefer we don't look back with great regret later on. Water doesn't hurt!

[sheena]

When a dog is fed completly raw...correct me if I am wrong...the raw will contain about 70% moisture. When he is being fed 100% dry food, there is very little moisture in the food, so just make sure he drinks plenty of water or he will dehydrate & if in doubt add some water to his kibble. My BC girl does not drink enough water, & she is only on about 50% dry with the rest being raw, so I have to add water to her kibble & also give her a couple of drinks a day containing home made stock if I think she is not drinking enough.

This. And for this reason I'm very wary of 100% dry food diets. Historically dogs ate non-processed wet foods. On the rare occasions my guys get dry food it's always floating in a good dose of water. Never on its own. Like us, dogs get a lot of their moisture and hydration from their food - so IMO unless it contains moisture then you are potentially setting yourself up for problems down the track.

And before anyone screams, I know others disagree - and you're welcome to. :) I happen to believe that this is THE sleeper issue in dog nutrition and I'd prefer we don't look back with great regret later on. Water doesn't hurt!

My young guy swims every day in the family pool & "eats" the water...it's part of his game, but he ends up with a real belly full & you can hear it sloshing around in his belly. He later vomits it back up & wees like a horse for the rest of the day. I asked my vet about it, as there is nothing I can do, except not allow him to go swimming, & the vet said there was no problem, that it will do him no harm. Not sure I am convinced of this not because of the small amount of chlorine he is swallowing, but the amount of water he is swallowing. Hope I havn't sidetracked the thread

[Sagittarian]

When a dog is fed completly raw...correct me if I am wrong...the raw will contain about 70% moisture. When he is being fed 100% dry food, there is very little moisture in the food, so just make sure he drinks plenty of water or he will dehydrate & if in doubt add some water to his kibble. My BC girl does not drink enough water, & she is only on about 50% dry with the rest being raw, so I have to add water to her kibble & also give her a couple of drinks a day containing home made stock if I think she is not drinking enough.

This. And for this reason I'm very wary of 100% dry food diets. Historically dogs ate non-processed wet foods. On the rare occasions my guys get dry food it's always floating in a good dose of water. Never on its own. Like us, dogs get a lot of their moisture and hydration from their food - so IMO unless it contains moisture then you are potentially setting yourself up for problems down the track.

And before anyone screams, I know others disagree - and you're welcome to. :) I happen to believe that this is THE sleeper issue in dog nutrition and I'd prefer we don't look back with great regret later on. Water doesn't hurt!

There is some research suggesting that adding water to dry foods that contain Ascorbic Acid may increase the risk of bloat in some dogs. Whilst nothing around bloat (gastric torsion) is carved in stone, I personally would check the ingredients prior to adding water.

Sags

[westiemum]

When a dog is fed completly raw...correct me if I am wrong...the raw will contain about 70% moisture. When he is being fed 100% dry food, there is very little moisture in the food, so just make sure he drinks plenty of water or he will dehydrate & if in doubt add some water to his kibble. My BC girl does not drink enough water, & she is only on about 50% dry with the rest being raw, so I have to add water to her kibble & also give her a couple of drinks a day containing home made stock if I think she is not drinking enough.

This. And for this reason I'm very wary of 100% dry food diets. Historically dogs ate non-processed wet foods. On the rare occasions my guys get dry food it's always floating in a good dose of water. Never on its own. Like us, dogs get a lot of their moisture and hydration from their food - so IMO unless it contains moisture then you are potentially setting yourself up for problems down the track.

And before anyone screams, I know others disagree - and you're welcome to. :) I happen to believe that this is THE sleeper issue in dog nutrition and I'd prefer we don't look back with great regret later on. Water doesn't hurt!

There is some research suggesting that adding water to dry foods that contain Ascorbic Acid may increase the risk of bloat in some dogs. Whilst nothing around bloat (gastric torsion) is carved in stone, I personally would check the ingredients prior to adding water.

Sags

Thanks for that Sags. Hadn't heard that before. :)

[Sagittarian]

Probably not an issue with Westies. :) More my big dudes.

Sags

[westiemum]

Will still check the bag when I get home tonight - cant be too careful with my old Westie - although he does seem to have an absolutely cast iron stomach! :laugh:

[Dame Aussie]

No problem having him on dry only as long as it's a good food, but I would be giving him raw meaty bones too. Chicken wings and necks, lamb necks etc. We also mix in either sardines/tuna/salmon/yoghurt/eggs with their dry when we do feed it.

Pictures? :)

Thank you. Pictures are very scarce as he does not sit still for a minute!!!

Nawwww! He's such a munchkin!