Calcium/Phosphorus Ratios vs Protein/Fat rations

[Tapua]

Hi people I would appreciate some help I feed quality dry feed plus a mix of home cooked pork/beef meat,vegies pasta. I am confused about the puppy food agendas on dry feed for LARGE BREEDs only. I posted this on FB but I thought you guys may be able to enlighten me. I wouldn't like this to fall into a raw vs cooked vs kibble debate. I feed dry because I breed mostly service dogs and they ONLY feed dry. But for the raw or no Kibble fraternity the pups will experience that too so the transition won't be too bad either way. 

so this is the post on FB. 

Are there any canine diet experts out there? I went to the Dog Expo on the weekend and spoke to many dry feed suppliers. Of course they all said 'their product is the best because ...' and I do not wish to promote any one brand however I am confused about what is important when reading the contents label. With regard ONLY to large breed puppy diets - I have always tended to focus on the protein/fat ratio - preferring to keep the protein level around the 24% mark for adults and preferably 28% for puppies. But it appears that its the calcium /phosphorous ratio which impacts on growth rate the most - which is logical. However when looking for the ideal Ca/P ratio which is 1-1.5 Ca/1 P I notice the protein levels tend to be > 28% even up to 32% for both adult and puppy feed. So I am confused. So what is more important in other people experience when choosing kibble the protein/fat ratio or the calcium/phosphorus.

[Danois]

Calcium to Phosphorous is more important for the growth of large breed puppies - studies support this. 

 

You want max 1.2:0.9 ratio. 

 

High protein levels are not the issue. 

[Tapua]

Thank you Danios - so the commercial dry feed I use is 1.3:1 the report I read was 1-1.5 I add raw or cooked stews especially in winter  but I gather there is no need for any other supplement?

 

[Scottsmum]

@sas - do you have an opinion? 

[Scrappi&Monty]

I know an article about phosphorus calcium ratios but it is in relation to raw feeding... but there may be some helpful tips relevant to kibble perhaps: 

 

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/bone-food-values-for-raw-feeding-dogs/

 

This might be more helpful:

http://ivcjournal.com/feeding-large-breed-puppies/

 

Or maybe this:

https://www.google.com.au/amp/healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/04/09/amp/slow-growth-diets-for-giant-breed-puppy.aspx

Edited August 11, 2017 by Scrappi&Monty