New Puppy needs forum wisdom

[ccit 10]

Well done for trying to support local pet supplies companies if possible. As well as the one recommended by Skink I use Cookes and find the company to be good with competitive prices. They have a wide range of dog food, some good and some not so good but they have to cater for all budgets. Supermarket food is usually at the low end of quality with the exception of one or two products.

 

Regarding the Beta it is a poor quality food - link. You are right not to change it immediately but long term I would advise you to look for something better.

Edited November 1, 2016 by ccit

[Skink 10]

second Cookes - forgot about them - they have been very helpful with food samples and the like. Very friendly helpful staff, even when our GSD was barking his socks off last time we were there . . .

[ccit 10]

Mordant - as you are new to dog ownership, here is a quick list of what to look for in choosing a suitable food product:

 

* Look at the ingredient list - it should be clearly labelled and you should be able to understand exactly what the food contains.

* The named meat source should be at the top of the list.

* Multiple meat sources can be good because they give the dog a variety of nutrients.

* Avoid anything with the word 'derivative' in it. It is not possible to know what that contains.

* Avoid 'cereals' because again, there is no knowing what this includes.

* Most products are reviewed on the website in the link - makes it much easier to choose a good one.

* Puppies need protein so look for a product with circa 30% or more.

* The better products are all lifestage which means that you will not need to change food as puppy grows.

 

Dry food (kibble) is highly processed and extruded at high temperatures. However, there are some good ones on the market. They usually achieve 4 or more on the website that I mentioned.

 

If you are minded to consider the type that Skink mentions they differ in that they are cold pressed so retain more of the nutrients. Those Markus Muhle products on Zooplus are good quality and excellent value for money. They are also for all lifestage. Explanation about the differences can be found on the Gentle and Guru website/Facebook page and for more information on Markus Muhle (Zooplus) contact Gentle.

 

A good diet can make the world of difference to a dog's health and behaviour. It really is worth taking time to do a bit of research and choosing the best you can afford.

[Mordant 10]

That's great, detailed advice - thank you - and a very useful link to the food comparison site.

 

I'll follow the recommended procedure for moving puppy onto better food ASAP.

 

I'll also walk down to Cookes on Queens/London Road and check it out - it's helpfully quite local to me.

 

Thanks forum!

[ccit 10]

Glad that you found the post helpful and I hope you find something suitable. Let puppy settle down then change over to the new product gradually. A good habit to get into is to weigh the food using digital scales in 1g divisions. Argos sell some for about £6. I'm no good at guessing and use mine every day so for me they have been a good buy. It is particularly important with cold pressed food because it is quite dense and therefore heavy so it is very easy to overfeed.

[Mordant 10]

Just booked a puppy course with Boney Fido in Sheffield, starting on the 11th.

 

Got some decent digital scales, and will do some more reading on food. Not sure I'm ready to deal with BARF diets yet - sounds more like my reaction to preparing raw food. Yech.

 

I'll be sure to pop a picture in once he's home and settled.

[Skink 10]

I'll follow the recommended procedure for moving puppy onto better food ASAP

 

Its only a few months since we took on our rescue dog and I remember being slightly overwhelmed with the food options - and dozens of different brands - at the beginning

 

When doing the food research the thing I was amazed by is how many of the "popular" dog foods are made by massive corporations with strange ingredients and really vague ingredient lists. The way their products are agressively promoted through vets, veterinary training etc was unsettling too

 

fwiw ours was settled on Burns when we got him (okay stuff, hot processed with rice but no "bad" grains) and we moved him over to Simpsons Sensitive on recommendation from Bradway Petshop - it suited him really well but was quite high in fat. Being a German Shepherd we wanted to avoid and Pancreatitus issues and tried Muehle cold pressed which again he adapted to very nicely

 

My only other "wisdom", if it is that, would be puppy proofing the house - they get everywhere! Our rescue managed to open the kitchen bin (its a "dog proof" push button one) and helped himself to some salmon skins on tin foil, he had a proper upset tummy for a couple of days until the shiny "gift wrapped" poo came out again

[Daisydoo! 10]

some doggy bags to clean up after it when you take it out

[4-4-2 10]

Raw doesn't have to be complicated. The frozen packs of minced chicken, turkey etc are super easy and very economical. You can add a barf supplement for extra nutrients and just give the occasional bone for a treat

[Mordant 10]

Yeah, I saw that in Cookes - that all looks much simpler than tinternet would have me believe.

 

So got bowls, lead, collar, crate, some vetbed, a handful of rubber and plushy kong toys, a small pack of training treats to get started, and an appointment at the vet.

 

Puppy is arriving a day earlier than planned, on Sunday, so just Friday and Saturday to enjoy as our last dog free days!

 

I think we'll get a harness once we can try one on.

[4-4-2 10]

What sort are you getting btw? and boy or girl? Bit late to say now, but in general girls seem to be much more laud back :-)

[Mordant 10]

Hi 4-4-2 - he's a 9 week old English Springer Spaniel!

 

Well, puppy has been at home for a week and has really settled in nicely. He sleeps nicely on his own in his crate at night, and starts puppy classes next week.

 

Spent a busy hour on the Moor with him this afternoon, watching the piegons and buses, and getting fed treats by random strangers. He was relaxed and interested throughout, so we're very proud of the little fella.

 

Been back to Cookes, and got some great advice on a suitable puppy kibble, and we're gradually moving him on. The vet at Highfield practice gave him a clean bill of health, and his final vacs are on Dec 1, and we can look forward to putting him down on the ground at last.

 

Thanks for all your puppy help and advice everyone!