# Looking for recommendations on good dog food for my 6 month old



## Mac (Jan 10, 2012)

Hey guys, quick question.

I know all dogs are different but I was wondering if you could recommend me a good dry dog food for my 6 month old male golden.

We tried switching him last week to Purina Beneful for puppies.
His stomach has not taken a liking to it. He, in fact, came to work with me today because he is having accidents in the cage.

I monitor his water intake and don't overfeed, if I do it is by a very small margin.

With my other dog, he has a very sensitive stomach so once I found a food that he liked and his stomach liked, Purina One: Lamb and Rice, I stuck with it.

Only in emergency have I ever fed the dogs "low end" dog food. Sorry if Purina is low end.. don't want to sound ignorant.

I just want a food that will harden up Mac's stool and promote a healthy coat. 

Also, side note: how often is too often to bathe your golden?
With all his shenanigans I have to bathe him at least 2 a month.


----------



## becky101803 (Dec 1, 2011)

Did you gradually mix his new food in with his old? 
Our breeder uses/recommends Eukanuba Large Breed


----------



## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Have you tried a Purina Pro Plan food? Not the shredded blend varieties, they contain soy and are not a good choice for dogs. But they have numerous selections that aren't the shredded blend that should be good for a 6 month old. I feed my 3 yr old Purina Pro Plan sensitive formula and it's great for her.

Eukanuba is also a good choice. If you're interested in more expensive food a lot of people like Blue Buffalo (I can't recommend it though, my dog had horrible diarrhea on it) and Taste of the Wild.


----------



## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Purina One and Beneful are grocery store foods to me.... because that's usually where I see them.  There are other Purina labels that are higher end, only available at petstores, and probably what I'd go with if need be. 

What was the golden eating when he wasn't having diarrhea issues? Before you switched him?

Have you checked with your vet to rule out any other issues or for something that would help him out? I think the rule of thumb I follow (generally) is if my guy has diarrhea 2 days in a row, I contact our vet. That's following a hamburger/rice diet and giving flagyl (I have a prescription I keep on hand for when needed).

Going by what our weak stomached collie can handle... 

Nutro Ultra 
Merrick (all of them)
Solid Gold (the regular chicken bag)
Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach

If money is an issue (I understand that the above brands are probably twice the $$ as Purina One), there are other options that I think people have had luck with. Years ago when both our goldens back then were dealing with colitis (which is what your puppy may have), we switched them both to Nutro Max. This was years ago, before they changed their recipe, but they both had few to no problems after the switch. In that case, I think a lot of it was switching to a blander kibble that was easier to digest. What they were on previous to the switch had a stronger dog food smell when you opened the bag.


----------



## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

I love Proplan for my Goldens. My yorkies are on Blue buffalo but for convinience I'm going to put them back on Proplan. I only feed the Proplan chicken and rice formulas.


----------



## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Why did you change foods? Was he having problems with his other food? If not why try to fix what is not broken?


----------



## Mac (Jan 10, 2012)

Well like I said, the Purina Pro works well for my boxer mix. He has a very sensitive stomach and that brand worked with him since day one.

Not only does he have a sensitive stomach, he is picky! For example he won't eat the chicken and rice version, only the lamb and rice version.

My golden was eating Purina One for puppies.

We regular Petsmart, that is where we found both of the foods. And yes, they do sell them at the grocery store.

That is why I was asking for specific brands. My Petsmart has almost 2 full aisles of dog food and I am not sure which is better than the other.

Money isn't a giant concern but I don't want to spend $50 on a bag of dog food where I can get quality dog food,at the same volume, for $30. I'm sure we all understand that.

I am going to take Mac to the vet this Saturday if his food doesn't become solid. 
I am looking to buy his new food tonight after work, that's why I'm asking for ideas.


----------



## Mac (Jan 10, 2012)

Wyatt's mommy said:


> Why did you change foods? Was he having problems with his other food? If not why try to fix what is not broken?


I wanted to feed him "Better" food. I thought I was getting a higher quality food for my golden. Apparently I did not.

A few days ago, before joining these forums, i was convinced my dog was underweight and wanted to make sure he was getting all the nutrients he needed. 

After reading advice here I am assured he is healthy and on the right track to growing up. I just want to take this time to get him on some good food that is healthy and recommended by users on this board


----------



## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Higher quality food isn't always the best for the dog... 

There was a more expensive brand (and recommended here on GRF) that I tried with my guy last year... he had bloody diarrhea for a couple days because of that. And Jacks has a cast iron stomach. ! 

Nature's Recipe might be a good option if you are concerned about money. Pro Plan is more expensive than what you've been feeding your dogs, but it is highly recommended by a lot of people. 

But honestly, if Purina One is what worked and your other dog (who is adorable) eats it without any problems, I don't know if I'd worry about switching. 

One thing I'd do today and possibly tomorrow is to only feed your puppy hamburger and rice and see if that stops the diarrhea. You might even see blood in the poop if it is collitis. 

If the diarrhea doesn't stop or if your dog worsens over the next 24-48 hours, I would get him in to the vet and hopefully on meds to settle things down. <- I honestly think that's worse case scenario. With my guys the h&r usually calms things down fast.


----------



## Mac (Jan 10, 2012)

Megora said:


> Higher quality food isn't always the best for the dog...
> 
> There was a more expensive brand (and recommended here on GRF) that I tried with my guy last year... he had bloody diarrhea for a couple days because of that. And Jacks has a cast iron stomach. !
> 
> ...


hamburger and rice huh? 

I really have never given my dogs human food. 

sometimes as a treat. but I do it very very discretely: I'll cut a up some leftover meat and mix it in with his food where he can't see me. then I quietly place is food bowl down. I proceed to make him do a trick then I tell him to eat. 
my biggest pet peeve is dogs in the kitchen begging. UGH I hate it!

other than that I have drizzled some bacon grease on his dry food before but I think it upset his stomach.

oh and I also found out VERY fast that dogs should not eat foods that are/were marinated. woops =(


anyway, I have never made a meal for my dog. do I just fry regular hamburger and cook white rice? 

is there a reason for this meal? should I feed him this meal twice for one day? or next two days? portions? 
aaghhh sorry. I am new to cooking for dogs.


----------



## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

You boil the hamburger (make enough for at least 3 cups) until it's brown and rinse the grease off. 

The rice - I just use 10 minute white rice. One bag works out well. 

Combine and mix together in a container that will fit in your fridge.  

The h&r is bland enough to give the intestines a break until they heal up. I usually feed 3 times a day - 1 cup each time. 

There will be begging and your dog will act like he's starving. But it's best...


----------



## becky101803 (Dec 1, 2011)

I think you are supposed to boil the hamburger/rice.



Mac said:


> hamburger and rice huh?
> 
> I really have never given my dogs human food.
> 
> ...


----------



## Mac (Jan 10, 2012)

BOIL the hamburger? lol

I have never heard of this! 

I will defiantly try this for him. due to my schedule we feed him twice a day. so I Will give him 1.5 cups each meal.

any protocol on how much water he should have? I read that too much water will increase the soft stool as well


----------



## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

I really like Solid Gold Sundancer.


----------



## Mac (Jan 10, 2012)

ok just a few more follow up questions..

1. should I be buying him puppy food or adult food? when is a good age to switch?

2. are their benefits to only dry food/ only wet food/ mixed? is giving them dry only ok?

3. devil's advocate: what's the scoop on the meat they sell at the store? Like the ones they advertise as fresh that you slice for your dog. food rolls they're called.

the top two selling items on Petsmart. com are food rolls


----------



## Bentley's Mom (May 19, 2011)

I can't comment on the raw diet (food rolls). You could put him on adult food now. Some people never use puppy food. I have read that dry kibble is better for their teeth than wet and if you feed only wet they won't like kibble again, not sure if that's true but I do know that an all kibble diet is fine. You can also give a tablespoon of canned pumpkin (not pie filling) to help with loose stools. My suggestion would be to do the hamburger/rice till things firm up and then start mixing in a bit of your boxer's food to see how he tolerates that. This has the added benefit of only having to buy and store 1 food.


----------



## Mac (Jan 10, 2012)

^^^ great advice.

I think it would be ideal to buy 1 type of food. something they both like/can tolerate. this way, if I buy one giant bag I can save by purchasing in bulk.

i'm sure its ok to feed them both "large breed" type food.



just to keep the ball rolling: Any treats/training treats you recommend?

I bought a bag of treats from Target to try them out on my dogs.
NEVER. AGAIN.

They both had the same reaction; gas and a noticeable amount of bright brown poop from the treats.


----------



## Bentley's Mom (May 19, 2011)

I buy chicken and boil it and cube it for treats. Petsmart sells Natural Balance rolls. It's not too expensive, a little goes a long way and dogs LOVE it. I use string cheese, liverwurst, usually human food. Then I don't have to worry about preservatives or ingredients.


----------



## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Also, don't go strictly by cost of the bag. Compare calorie counts on the bags (or manufacturer's websites).... many of the better foods are higher in cals so you feed less. Many breeders switch their pups at 4 months to adult food. If you want to stay with a food available at Petco/smart, look at the Pro Plan line. Many here have great results with the sensitive skin variety. They also have the selects line which we occassionally use.

As for treats, I use bits of their kibble or some of the Wellness or Zuke's
treats. Yummy chummies are great salmon treats that some Sam's clubs carry. Whatever, make sure they don't come from China.


----------



## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

I've given both my dogs Purina Pro Plan with excellent results. I took my spaniel off it, but only because she now requires a prescription diet for her bladder problems. But Tucker is on Purina Pro plan puppy food, mostly chicken and rice, and I'm trying out the salmon as well. He likes both and he has good stools. His coat is gorgeous and everyone tells me he's beautiful. (  ) My plan is to switch him to the adult Purina Pro Plan when he's older. ("If it ain't broke, don't fix it.")

Good luck finding the right food. It's nice when you can feed both dogs the same food...easier for the owner.


----------



## Mac (Jan 10, 2012)

Well guys I'm glad to report. Macs wet stool has gone away. I feed him small amountsbof brodys food; Purina pro Lamb and rice.

After much research and debate I bought a bag of Natures Choice large breed adult Lamb and rice.

I just fed the boys their first bowls for dinner. They loved it! I knew Mac would eat anything but I was concerned about brody.

He usually goes back andvforth to hid food but he ate every piece of the new food and checked Macs bowl for seconds!

I hope they both take to it I think it was a good purchase. 35lb for $43 in case. You were curious


----------



## desi.n.nutro (Mar 18, 2011)

Mac said:


> Well guys I'm glad to report. Macs wet stool has gone away. I feed him small amountsbof brodys food; Purina pro Lamb and rice.
> 
> After much research and debate I bought a bag of Natures Choice large breed adult Lamb and rice.
> 
> ...


So glad they loved it! For a Large Breed specific food you can switch to Adult around a year! There is an Natural Choice Adult Large Breed Lamb and Rice for an easy transition. You have a lot of time left for that though.


----------



## Mac (Jan 10, 2012)

desi.n.nutro said:


> So glad they loved it! For a Large Breed specific food you can switch to Adult around a year! There is an Natural Choice Adult Large Breed Lamb and Rice for an easy transition. You have a lot of time left for that though.


First off: There are CLIFFS at the bottom if this is too much to read!

Yes I'm happy they like it. I'm a little confused about your second statement.. I did, in fact, purchase the Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Lamb and Rice! I keep saying Nature instead of Natural 










I am happy with the purchase. This morning Brody was going by his food bowl and checking for breakfast. After his walk he sat by his bowl whimpering for food. This may be normal occurrence for a lot of dogs and sometimes Mac will do this to get my attention when I'm rushing to get ready but let me tell you: Brody NEVER does this.

Until yesterday Brody saw eating as something he has to do to survive. I would call him a "grazer" with his old food. Last night and this morning he ate his food like he hadn't eaten in three days. I truly believe he loves it.

Best part is Brody did very well with the point blank transition into the Natural Choice. I didn't slowly introduce him to it. BIG risk. :crossfing He had solid stool this morning with no signs of an upset stomach. Thank the Lord!

Mac on the other hand had obvious softness initially that became more apparent as his poop went on. I walked him before he ate. I took him out again after he ate and he had to eliminate more. This time it was all liquid.

I expect this and am not upset as of right now. I know he will need to adjust to it. I will keep him on it for 3 days and monitor his progress.

I also purchased healthier treats for the boys for training.

I bought Nutro Natural Choice Crunchy Treats made with real apples.
They were on sale for $3 at Petsmart. These things are crazy! They smell good enough to eat. They also make them in Blueberry and Carrot. You can smell the blueberry through the plastic package!










P.S. My 7 year old cat Casey even went after the boys food before I served them!

sorry for the long post!

Cliffs:
-Bought Nutro Natural Choice: Large Breed Adult Lamb and Rice
-Brody absolutely loves it and eats the entire bowl instead of "grazing"
-Mac will eat anything.
-Brody's stool was solid and showed no signs of digestion issues
-Mac had soft stool on his first walk and liquid on his second.
-Will keep them on this for 3 days and monitor the results
-Even the cat was stealing the new food!
-Also purchased Nutro Natural Choice Crunchy Treats made with real apple
- both dogs love them


----------



## rhondas (Sep 10, 2010)

I highly recommend Orijins or Acana (Grain Free).
My 4.5 year old golden has always done well on all the Orijins and Acana Formulas - I rotate after each bag is finished. Both are an ALS food. The 4.5 year old also gets home cooked.

I transitioned my 14 week old to Acana (Grain Free) from Solid Gold Lamb & Rice (that the breeder was feeding) starting when he got home at 9 weeks and completing it at around 12 weeks and he is doing well. I also use a probiotic (Wysong's Pet Inoculant) for the puppy. The breeder wanted all the puppies on adult food no later than 4 months and was ok with changing right away.


----------



## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

Wanted to mention that you really need to do the transition over a period of 2 weeks... slowly mixing 1/4 new food with 3/4 old food for 3-4 days, then slowly increase. By the sounds of your post that they "had their first bowl of new food" today, it makes me think you haven't been transitioning. I could be assuming wrong, and if so- sorry!  Dogs can get belly aches and this is one way it happens--- and it can create diarrhea!


----------



## Mac (Jan 10, 2012)

CarolinaCasey said:


> Wanted to mention that you really need to do the transition over a period of 2 weeks... slowly mixing 1/4 new food with 3/4 old food for 3-4 days, then slowly increase. By the sounds of your post that they "had their first bowl of new food" today, it makes me think you haven't been transitioning. I could be assuming wrong, and if so- sorry!  Dogs can get belly aches and this is one way it happens--- and it can create diarrhea!



yes I know. I had stated above that I didn't transition their food.

I know its not ideal and to be honest I really didn't know.
I had just learned on this site A LOT of things as far as nutrition goes.

I am vowing to change my ways, as exhibited by buying better food for my dogs. I was ignorant to proper nutrition and what I have been feeding them and "how" i've been feeding them.

the truth is i got the new food because I didn't want to feed them their old stuff anymore.

be gentle, I have good intentions


----------



## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

Well, leftovers is not the thing to feed your dog, bacon grease is BAD.
Very lean hamburger meat, cooked well and drained mixed with rice is a bland food for upset stomach. But, if he has the runs, you should not feed him anything for about 36 hours if you can to let his stomach settle down and his system calm down and regenerate. For persistent runs, a trip to the vet is in order. 
I did not really understand what you ment by money is not really an issue for buying pet food but you really don't want to spend 50 dollars a bag, if you can get a quality food for 30 dollars? I don't know any good quality dog food for 30 dollars, unless it is just a 15 or 20 pound bag.


----------



## Mac (Jan 10, 2012)

cgriffin said:


> Well, leftovers is not the thing to feed your dog, bacon grease is BAD.
> Very lean hamburger meat, cooked well and drained mixed with rice is a bland food for upset stomach. But, if he has the runs, you should not feed him anything for about 36 hours if you can to let his stomach settle down and his system calm down and regenerate. For persistent runs, a trip to the vet is in order.
> I did not really understand what you ment by money is not really an issue for buying pet food but you really don't want to spend 50 dollars a bag, if you can get a quality food for 30 dollars? I don't know any good quality dog food for 30 dollars, unless it is just a 15 or 20 pound bag.



I didn't see the harm in a few pieces of chicken, being the leftovers.
The bacon grease was just to give the scent, slight taste of it- it wasn't a large amount. Nevertheless I have ceased this. As I stated that is a rarity, like once a year rarity. 

Furthermore, about the money: The numbers I listed are irrelevant. You can change the two numbers to $500 and $10,000.

I said money is not an issue as i want to get them quality dog food. HOWEVER I don't want to overpay JUST to overpay.

This goes for anything... just because something is expensive doesn't mean its the best. 

For example: There are I have tried Crown Royal's top of the line whiskey and their entry level whiskey is a lot better and a lot cheaper.

You can interchange the product with anything, I was merely stating that the most expensive isn't always the best product.


----------



## solinvictus (Oct 23, 2008)

I would measure out the kibble and put some aside and use that for training at home were there aren't a lot of distractions. I would use a higher value treat out and about where there are tons of distractions when training.

Good high value treats are chicken, cheese, hot dogs, steaks, roast etc cut into tiny pieces. 
Nice commercial treats to purchase that are small are zuke's minis and zuke's also makes a z-filets prime rib strips that are about the size of a nickle squared which can be broken into 4 pieces so that again the pup is only getting tiny pieces.

By using the kibble and measuring it out you can keep a good record of the pups calorie count and again if the kibble is okay with the pups digestive track (you will have to figure that out since you are having issues) then the pup is getting something you know will not affect the digestive track like the higher value treats can.


----------



## oakleysmommy (Feb 20, 2011)

human food is great to add to kibble i give my goldens proplan selects and always add plain yogurt for breakfast for dinner they get alittle of what we had for dinner


----------



## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Sounds like your new food is a winner with both dogs. That's great for all of you! If Brody's stool doesn't firm up, just add pumpkin (plain not for pies) to his bowl for a few days while he's adjusting. I bet he'll be fine.


----------

