Best Food

Question
QUESTION: I am picking up my chocolate lab next weekend and want to know the best food to feed him. I was in the local pet store and they were trying to sell me propac large breed puppy. Is this a good food to purchase. Thanks for your help.

Tony

ANSWER: As far as I know, all the foods are formulated to AAFCO standards and most dogs will thrive on most foods.  The very best food would be to continue what the breeder is feeding.  I have seen many cases where somebody switched a puppy to a ''better'' food and ended up with a mess even with a careful gradual switch.  How much you feed is more important than what.  You should be feeding a puppy chow now. Switching to an adult chow for the larger breeds at 4 months, slows growth and helps develop sturdier joints.

Your dog definitely should be narrower at the waist than the hips and chest. You should be able to easily feel the ribs, but not see them. Each dog is different. Standard recommendations are a good place to start, but each dog must have its food and exercise adjusted to its individual needs. Here is a link to a good illustrated guide, http://www.longliveyourdog.com/twoplus/RateYourDog.aspx  

Even if what the breeder is feeding is expensive and hard to find, one large bag should get you to about 4 months.  You can than choose from many adult foods.  I would stick to the same protein, lamb, chicken, etc.  The fewer different proteins a dog eats when it is young, the easier it is to work around any allergies it could develop.  Watch the calcium level.  Make sure it is less than 1.5%.  I would go with one of the common brands.  The professionally managed service dog schools are very successful feeding such brands as Iams and Pro Plan.  The pet store won't be impressed, but what they know is what the salesman for the expensive foods told them.  You may get a lot of hype over ingredients and ratings, but it is all hype, junk science, and speculation.  The more you dig, the less you will find.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for the info. The breeder is feeding him puppy chow. So I should keep him on this for 4 months and change to adult food, Iams or Pro Plan are your recommendations. I have been looking on the web at the propac brand and a lot of owners don't recommend it.

Answer
Do you mean Purina Puppy Chow?  It is OK, I have had good results with it.  I don't think it has enough meat in to to make much difference what you switch to later.  A meat based food will give you smaller, firmer stools that are easier to clean up.  Any of the adult common brands should be fine after 4-5 months.  Raven is so small and eating so little, the 35 pound bag of Pro plan puppy may last well into her fourth month.  At 3 months, I am cutting out her lunch.  

As far as what people say about a food, many generalize from very small samples.  There is also plenty of astro turf, people flogging what they sell.