Large Puppy Formula

[TXSusiQ]

I just saw a post with a comment that we should not feed our Chows - large puppy formula. This is the same as Large Breed formula - right?

That's what my vet recommended and what I've been feeding Cabo.

[Victory]

first Chows aren't large breed, they are officially mediums. second the large breed foods can cause bones to grow too rabidly without the support of the other parts, ligiments, muscles, tendons, cartilidge and marrow, (the complete skeletal system) leading to damaged joints later in life.

Many, many vets are recommending against feeding large breed puppy foods.

[thekidsmom]

I just saw a post with a comment that we should not feed our Chows - large puppy formula. This is the same as Large Breed formula - right?

That's what my vet recommended and what I've been feeding Cabo.

well i tell you what my vet told me when i ask him about it.

He told me that will make a chow old before their time as it makes the hips and other bones grow too fast.

i feed a raw diet with some hard food and i have wonderful coats and i what i love is their poo is small and does not smell as bad

[kiwani]

Re: "That's what my vet recommended and what I've been feeding Cabo"
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The large breed puppy formulas are designed to *slow growth* in heavy boned dogs, such as the larger sized Chows, to *prevent* joint problems, instead of allowing fast growth of long bones.

This topic was covered in great detail, with discussion of research links, in a thread started by ngraham, if you care to search the archives.

[LuLu33]

The more you read it seems the more you find and it's confusing when you are trying so hard just to do the right thing. I feed the natural large breed puppy because I know my ChowBoy will be over 50 pounds. I didn't feed my female the large breed puppy way back when. I have always read that it helped dogs not to have the joint problems later in life too! Seems it doesn't matter how hard we try to be healthy and keep our pets healthy, there's always something out there that isn't good. I was told to give a seameal supplement to my creamboy to keep his nose black as they almost always turn brown then pink. I don't care what color his nose is, I just want to keep him as healthy and happy as possible.

[redangie24]

I would just stick to plain ol puppy food and let his body decide how big he is going to be when he grows up.

[kiwani]

Re: "I would just stick to plain ol puppy food and let his body decide how big he is going to be when he grows up."
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'Plain ol puppy food' is designed for fast growth, and causes problems in large-boned breeds and large-boned lineages, who require slower growth for proper development. His body already knows the size it's genetically programmed to be, what's important is the *rate* of growth in getting there.

[kiwani]

Re: "I don't care what color his nose is, I just want to keep him as healthy and happy as possible."
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The red/yellow melanin doesn't offer the same protection from sun damage, skin cancer, as the black melanin does. Extra care and protection is needed for the cream Chows in terms of sun exposure. There's an earlier thread on sun block and pink noses, in the archives, if you're interested.

[LuLu33]

His name isn't BAILEY'S IRISH CREAM for nothing. Human mama has strawberry blonde hair and freckles!! I'll check out the archives. Thanks!