Very confused.....

[LKLMommy]

Ok, i have a 4 month old female rottie pup. the breeder had her on purina, and i switched her right away to Iams....i've never owned a rottie, so this is all new to me. anyway, shes been doing alright, but shes up to 4 cups of food a day now. we recently hired a trainer to come and help us out because we've been having some issues with her and my kids...the trainer explained to us the importance of a better quality food, and i've been doing my research and i'm going to switch her food. I've decided on either Canidae, Innova, or Wellness....but i'm not really sure which is the best! i am on a budget, so i cant really pay $50 for a 20lb bag, but i'm paying about $25-27 for the Iams now, so i would like to keep it around the same price. and reading all the posts in here, i'm getting confused! should i feed her puppy food, or go with adult food? and because its a higher quality food, do i feed her less than i am now? I just feel like there are so many options, and i'm lost! my vet was the one who reccommened Science Diet or Iams, so i'm not really trusting her opinion on food anymore! also, i just bought a 20lb bag of my old food....should i let her finish it before i switch her? and how long should i transition her to her new food? i would just love to have some facts so i can make the best decision for my girl to keep her healty and happy! thanks in advance for reading my way too long post!

[observer]

I'm sure you will get some answers, but there are LOTS of threads here already about the various foods and puppy vs. adult. I know that with the Canidae, a lot of people feed the Canidae ALS (all life stages) to youngsters as well as adults. Many have reported that Canidae is the best priced of many of the premium foods.

The other thing to remember about the premium foods is that you will be able to use less of it for the same number of calories and MUCH better nutrition, so the cost is not what it appears to be at first blush.

[tla0126]

I pay 35 dollars for a 40 pound bag of Canidae... I've found all the others start at about 45 or higher...

[Shelby427]

California natural is $24.99 for a 20lb bag where I'm at. Canidae is a little less $21.49.

[brunie's mom]

As you've learned Purina and Iams are poor quality foods...glad that you are trying to do better for your pup.
I would give the ALS Canidae a try for your pup...it's the best priced of the super premium foods. You will have to feed less than 4 cups per day to a 4 month old pup...probably about 2 - 2 1/2 cups per day for now...and gradually increase....but never more than 4 cups even for an adult dog.

See how puppy does on the Canidae, I suspect you will see an improvement after using Iams.

Gina

[KatarinasMom]

In my area, Canidae was the least expensive premium food so I started with that (Canidae ALS). My girl liked it but her poops were never very "firm". So I switched her to Innova (green bag) and she did very well on it. The cost difference was only a few dollars more per bag than the Canidae.

Every dog is different, and figuring out which food works best for your pup can be very frustrating. You may end up trying several different kinds before finding the one that works best for your girl. There are TONS of threads regarding food, which I'm sure you will find very helpful. Whenever I switched foods I bought a bag of the new food before the old food was gone. I would mix the two different kinds at each feeding (ex. 3/4 cup old brand with 1/4 cup new brand)and gradually increase the amount of new food each day until it was entirely the new food being given. I know some people feel that switching between premium foods isn't a problem and don't bother making the switch gradually, but I always felt better making the switch gradually over a week or so.

Best of luck to you

[juniata302]

Hello. I also just switched my puppy to Innova. It's $28.99 at the local Agway for a 16.5 pound bag. More than i was paying for Nutro, but i think it willbe more than worth it.

[Diva Satanica]

Originally Posted by Shelby427

California natural is $24.99 for a 20lb bag where I'm at. Canidae is a little less $21.49.

WOW! I wish! I just switched Brinks to California Natural and it was $43 for a 20lb bag. The biggest bag is $71 here....... :(