Well Puppy food *is* differnt then adult food, if there wasnt a differnce, why would they make seperate bags? I have always been told it is very important a puppy get the special fats/nutrition in puppy food. I would reommend not letting them eat freely and just give it to them when you get home/in the morning ect.. and watch them while they eat it so they dont get in to each others bowls -- as this is what we did with my two dogs.
What kind of food?
Ok guys, you know my story, I have two of these lil guys, Chiquita is almost 2 years, and Jose is about 4.5 mos, anyways, here is my situation.... They were both raised on Eukanuba, and Chiquita has been on Adult food since earlier this year, and when I got Jose, I had him a separate bowl of puppy food, well they eat each other's food, even in two separate bowls, which are left down at all times to free feed. I am running low on both of their foods, and the ingredients are just about the same, as well as the % of protein, fat, fiber and all that. Would it be alright if I just started Jose on the Adult food early considering its about the same as the puppy food? I'd rather just have one bowl on the floor instead of two, and they eat each others food anyways and both are doing fine health wise. I am also considering switching to Royal Canin foods, and if I do that, I just want to buy the Chihuahua kind, not have to buy the separate puppy formula. Anyone out there like Royal Canin? I've compared Eukanuba's and Royal Canin's %'s and Eukanuba seems to have the higher numbers, what do you guys think?
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I've always let them eat whenever they want, my schedule does not allow to make meal times for them 3 times a day. I know puppy food is "different" but I have compared the ingredients. Chiquita is on a special diet for small breed adult dogs, which is basically puppy food, with more sugar/carbs for energy that chi's need. We are talking like 2% differences in HER food versus puppy food. They won't stay out of each others bowls, to them, its just food, both kinds probably taste the same, just different size kibble. I don't know, I will probably just buy the Eukanuba again.
I always feed wet food twice a day and leave a bowl of dry for them to free feed from through out the day - I do like free feeding I think it stops dogs from been glutenous and begging.
but joe beans you MUST keep him on puppy foog until he is atleast 12 months as there is more proteinds and fats and certain minerals and vitamins that there growing body and bones need :wave:
but joe beans you MUST keep him on puppy foog until he is atleast 12 months as there is more proteinds and fats and certain minerals and vitamins that there growing body and bones need :wave:
I have a 3 yr old chi and 2 chi puppies. I stay at home so I am able to feed the older dog twice a day and the puppies 3 times a day. They all have separtate bowls. Annabelle is on Science Diet z/d for allergies and the puppies eat Science Diet puppy food.
there is a dog food just for Chihuahua's?? Has anyone tried it?? Sorry I am not much help to you, but this is something I would want to know too for when I get my next pup. That would be hard making them use their own bowls. Also, I don't know why, but when I free feed my pup, she just keeps eating and eating!! It scares me, so I put a handful in her bowl now and that is it for the day w/2 heaping tablespoons of Wellness puppy food in the morning. She looks like she might even be getting a little too chubby??
the only problem with having only one bowl is that you can't be sure which pup is eating what. one of your chi's might be eating ALL of the food and not leaving any for the other one!! maybe when you feed them you can separate them?
free feeding is fine for little ones because you want to make sure they have food when they're hungry. but don't keep filling up the bowl everytime they empty it. measure out how much you want to feed each day and put it in a little baggie. throughout the day put bits in the bowl.... it's easy to make sure they aren't eating too much!
i wouldn't start your pup on adult food till 8 mos at the EARLIEST! since they are done growing by that age it should be okay to switch to adult food. but 4.5 mos is waaaaaaay too young for him to be eating adult food. i think royan canin is better than eukanuba. but that's just my opinion. :wave:
free feeding is fine for little ones because you want to make sure they have food when they're hungry. but don't keep filling up the bowl everytime they empty it. measure out how much you want to feed each day and put it in a little baggie. throughout the day put bits in the bowl.... it's easy to make sure they aren't eating too much!
i wouldn't start your pup on adult food till 8 mos at the EARLIEST! since they are done growing by that age it should be okay to switch to adult food. but 4.5 mos is waaaaaaay too young for him to be eating adult food. i think royan canin is better than eukanuba. but that's just my opinion. :wave:
Puppy food
Before pet food makers came out with puppy food, there wasn't puppy kibble to begin with, and yet dogs still grew up fine and thrived. I'm sure there are more nutrients in puppy food, but yet, a bit of supplementation with wet food would make up for this difference from the adult food. Wolves and wolf pups eat the same things. Just that pups eat a more digestable format.
Human baby food is just mashed up fruit and meat.
Before pet food makers came out with puppy food, there wasn't puppy kibble to begin with, and yet dogs still grew up fine and thrived. I'm sure there are more nutrients in puppy food, but yet, a bit of supplementation with wet food would make up for this difference from the adult food. Wolves and wolf pups eat the same things. Just that pups eat a more digestable format.
Human baby food is just mashed up fruit and meat.
Ok, I completely compared the ingredients between their foods and here it is:
Chiquita's food
Ingredients that her food has that Jose's food doesn't:
(rice) (calcium) (sodium hexametaphosphate) (l-carnitine)
Ingredients:
Chicken, chicken by-product meal, corn meal, brewers rice, fish meal (source of fish oil), chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E, and citric acid), ground whole grain sorghum, dried beet pulp (sugar removed), natural chicken flavor, dried egg product, brewers dried yeast, salt, potassium chloride, flax meal, sodium hexametaphosphate, calcium carbonate, choline chloride, ferrous sulfate, vitamin E supplement, dl-methionine, zinc oxide, ascorbic acid, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, l-carnitine, beta carotene, manganous oxide, vitamin A acetate, calcium pantothenate, biotin, rosemary extract, vitamin B12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), niacin, riboflavin supplement (source of vitamin B2), inositol, pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), vitamin D3 supplement, potassium iodide, folic acid, cobalt carbonate.
Guaranteed Analysis:
30% Crude protein
20% Crude Fat,
4% Crude fiber
10% Moisture
vitamin E (min.) 140 iu/kg
l-carnitine (min.) 40 ppm
omega 6 fatty acids (min.) 3.35%
omega 3 fatty acids (min.) 0.45%.
Jose's food
Ingredients that his food has that Chiquita's food doesn't:
(barley) (lutein)
Ingredients:
Chicken, chicken by-product meal, corn meal, fish meal (source of fish oil), chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E, and citric acid), ground whole grain sorghum, ground whole grain barley, dried beet pulp (sugar removed), natural chicken flavor, dried egg product, brewers dried yeast, flax meal, salt, potassium chloride, choline chloride, ferrous sulfate, marigold extract (source of lutein), vitamin E supplement, dl-methionine, zinc oxide, ascorbic acid, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, beta carotene, manganous oxide, vitamin A acetate, calcium pantothenate, biotin, rosemary extract, vitamin B12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), niacin, riboflavin supplement (source of vitamin B2), inositol, pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), vitamin D3 supplement, potassium iodide, folic acid, cobalt carbonate.
Guaranteed Analysis:
32% Crude protein
21% Crude Fat,
4% Crude fiber
10% Moisture
vitamin E (min.) 140 iu/kg
omega 6 fatty acids (min.) 3.35%
omega 3 fatty acids (min.) 0.45%.
So his food has 2% more protein and 1% more fat, you guys really think it would be a big difference to have them eat Chiquita's food? She is on a special Eukanuba diet that is formulated for small breed dogs with lots of activity, the only thing he would be missing is Barley, and I'm not sure what nutritional content this would be other than Carbs, and Lutein, which I understand is good for your eyes. Her food contains the l-carnitine which is a supplement that helps turn fat into energy in the cells, and sodium hexametaphosphate is like a flavor enhancer. Hmmm...maybe I should just ask the vet what he thinks.
Chiquita's food
Ingredients that her food has that Jose's food doesn't:
(rice) (calcium) (sodium hexametaphosphate) (l-carnitine)
Ingredients:
Chicken, chicken by-product meal, corn meal, brewers rice, fish meal (source of fish oil), chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E, and citric acid), ground whole grain sorghum, dried beet pulp (sugar removed), natural chicken flavor, dried egg product, brewers dried yeast, salt, potassium chloride, flax meal, sodium hexametaphosphate, calcium carbonate, choline chloride, ferrous sulfate, vitamin E supplement, dl-methionine, zinc oxide, ascorbic acid, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, l-carnitine, beta carotene, manganous oxide, vitamin A acetate, calcium pantothenate, biotin, rosemary extract, vitamin B12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), niacin, riboflavin supplement (source of vitamin B2), inositol, pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), vitamin D3 supplement, potassium iodide, folic acid, cobalt carbonate.
Guaranteed Analysis:
30% Crude protein
20% Crude Fat,
4% Crude fiber
10% Moisture
vitamin E (min.) 140 iu/kg
l-carnitine (min.) 40 ppm
omega 6 fatty acids (min.) 3.35%
omega 3 fatty acids (min.) 0.45%.
Jose's food
Ingredients that his food has that Chiquita's food doesn't:
(barley) (lutein)
Ingredients:
Chicken, chicken by-product meal, corn meal, fish meal (source of fish oil), chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E, and citric acid), ground whole grain sorghum, ground whole grain barley, dried beet pulp (sugar removed), natural chicken flavor, dried egg product, brewers dried yeast, flax meal, salt, potassium chloride, choline chloride, ferrous sulfate, marigold extract (source of lutein), vitamin E supplement, dl-methionine, zinc oxide, ascorbic acid, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, beta carotene, manganous oxide, vitamin A acetate, calcium pantothenate, biotin, rosemary extract, vitamin B12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), niacin, riboflavin supplement (source of vitamin B2), inositol, pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), vitamin D3 supplement, potassium iodide, folic acid, cobalt carbonate.
Guaranteed Analysis:
32% Crude protein
21% Crude Fat,
4% Crude fiber
10% Moisture
vitamin E (min.) 140 iu/kg
omega 6 fatty acids (min.) 3.35%
omega 3 fatty acids (min.) 0.45%.
So his food has 2% more protein and 1% more fat, you guys really think it would be a big difference to have them eat Chiquita's food? She is on a special Eukanuba diet that is formulated for small breed dogs with lots of activity, the only thing he would be missing is Barley, and I'm not sure what nutritional content this would be other than Carbs, and Lutein, which I understand is good for your eyes. Her food contains the l-carnitine which is a supplement that helps turn fat into energy in the cells, and sodium hexametaphosphate is like a flavor enhancer. Hmmm...maybe I should just ask the vet what he thinks.
yes he needs more protein and fat - not sure what the extra lutein is in his food thats not in hers but it sounds like some sort of protein complex that he would need to grow up as healthy as possible :wave:
Re: Puppy food
Comparing wolfs in the wild to domesticated dogs is kinda like comparing apples and oranges. Wolves in the wild live off of pure instinct, and look at their life span.
Do you want to do what is best for your dog or just what is easiest and cheapest?
Puppy food has been around for a long time. And they are continuously doing studies to improve it. If there was no need for the extra nutrients they wouldn't have made puppy food, just smaller dog food.Katt said:Before pet food makers came out with puppy food, there wasn't puppy kibble to begin with, and yet dogs still grew up fine and thrived. I'm sure there are more nutrients in puppy food, but yet, a bit of supplementation with wet food would make up for this difference from the adult food. Wolves and wolf pups eat the same things. Just that pups eat a more digestable format.
Human baby food is just mashed up fruit and meat.
Comparing wolfs in the wild to domesticated dogs is kinda like comparing apples and oranges. Wolves in the wild live off of pure instinct, and look at their life span.
Do you want to do what is best for your dog or just what is easiest and cheapest?
Pet Industry
The pet industry introduces a lot of products that are just plain wrong for the animals they are supposed to be for. Many animals have been harmed by products that were made just for them!
As for feeding whatever cheapest, please don't make that assumption. I don't even have a dog and I have already purchased the best food I can find. Eagle Pack puppy for small/med breeds, which I had to bring in from four hours away.
Dog kibble in my opinion isn't what's best for our dogs anyhow. We hardly know what's best for our diets, how can we be so sure that kibble is complete. If it were that easy, why aren't we eating kibble as well.
The pet industry introduces a lot of products that are just plain wrong for the animals they are supposed to be for. Many animals have been harmed by products that were made just for them!
As for feeding whatever cheapest, please don't make that assumption. I don't even have a dog and I have already purchased the best food I can find. Eagle Pack puppy for small/med breeds, which I had to bring in from four hours away.
Dog kibble in my opinion isn't what's best for our dogs anyhow. We hardly know what's best for our diets, how can we be so sure that kibble is complete. If it were that easy, why aren't we eating kibble as well.
hi katt - i think you are taking this discussion a little too far - I tell you why humans dont eat kibble - because it tastes awful :lol: anyways I dont think Ms_P was saying you were going to buy the cheapest food - I dont use the best food I feed my dogs butchers choice and pedigree dry which is found in wal mart I refuse to take extra shop trips to buy food for my dogs as they are only animals - but I do believe puppy food id there for a reason it i easier digestable and chewable for the pups and has more fats and proteins in - pups are not wolves anymore than you and me are apes anymore we have all evolved - anyways I fed my dogs puppy food till they were 6 months then I fed them adult wet food with a free feed bowl of puppy dry food to snack on till they were 12 months and now they are on adult food - it is totally up to the individual what you feed your dogs :wave:
I don't believe I am buying the cheapest or the easiest, I do care about my dogs and love them, but I hear what Ozzy's mom is saying, they are animals, although they are a part of my family. I do care about giving them good nutrition, otherwise I wouldn't buy Eukanuba. It has the highest Protein/Fat #'s of any other dog food I looked at at Petsmart yesterday, and a 2% difference in Protein really isn't much in the grand scheme of things. They are spoiled anyways and get treats and scraps and they are doing just fine, Chiquita is by no means overweight from the scraps I do give her. I shouldn't have even really started this thread, it is starting to cause some issues between people and how they feed their dogs. Everyone has their opinions on how and what to feed them, as long as they are happy and healthy, I say keep it up! 
I agree with you there. I know some people who feed their dogs Ol'Roy and they are going strong. Not that I'd do it mind you.Everyone has their opinions on how and what to feed them, as long as they are happy and healthy, I say keep it up!
Haha, Ol' Roy probably wouldn't be my first choice to feed, I had to blast my sister for feeding this to a lab puppy she had one time.
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