# Purina Puppy Chow?



## sophie77 (May 20, 2007)

Hi all,

We just recently went to visit a breeder over the weekend and we chose out our puppy!! It was so exciting!! We chose a female and we can't wait to pick her up (June 16th). I just have one question about the food. My breeder is currently feeding Purina puppy chow, but I heard quite a bit of bad review about this product. I think we are going to switch her over to either Innova or Canidae. Any suggestion about whether this switch is necessary, or if we should just stick with Purina? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
~Sophie

P.S. Our puppy is the one sleeping on the majority of the blanket with darker ears in the second photo. =]


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## GoldenShamus (Feb 26, 2007)

Personally, I do not think Purina Puppy Chow is a good quality of food. These are the ingredients:
Whole grain corn, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, brewers rice, soybean meal, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), pearled barley, calcium phosphate, fish oil, calcium carbonate, animal digest, salt, potassium chloride, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, choline chloride, zinc sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, DL-Methionine, zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, brewers dried yeast, manganese sulfate, manganese proteinate, added color (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 2), niacin, Vitamin A supplement, copper sulfate, calcium pantothenate, copper proteinate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, Vitamin B-12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, Vitamin D-3 supplement, riboflavin supplement, calcium iodate, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite. 
R-4001 

Personally, I prefer not to feed a food with corn, I don't like the corn gluten meal as it's just a filler, and I really do not like the fact that there isn't a good quality meat source (the only mentioned is a meat by product, by USDA's own definition, by product contains beaks, feet, feathers...)

You will get many opinions on this issue (and the usual one is that it works for my dog and I'll stick with what works) and ultimately we all do. But, we have to each be comfortable with the decision we make and that's all that matters. Just remember, this food is the only food they eat, they don't have much variety in their diet, so IMO, it ought to be good quality.

Having said all of that, there are many good foods on the market. Eagle Pack, Canidae, Natural Balance, Solid Gold, California Natural, etc etc. You can link to The Dog Food Project, you'll get lots of info. on there.

BY THE WAY, YOUR PUPPY IS ADORABLE! YOU MUST BE VERY EXCITED TO BE BRINGING HIM/HER HOME VERY SOON!!!


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

I certainly think there are foods with better ingredients out there. Oakly's breeder suggested going straight to adult food to slow the puppies growth to help develop the bone structure. Oakly has been on adult food since he was a pup. First Diamond then Nutro Lamb and Rice.


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## GoldenShamus (Feb 26, 2007)

Oaklys Dad said:


> I certainly think there are foods with better ingredients out there. Oakly's breeder suggested going straight to adult food to slow the puppies growth to help develop the bone structure. Oakly has been on adult food since he was a pup. First Diamond then Nutro Lamb and Rice.


I agree.

Or get a slow growth control puppy formula, they are out there.


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## HovawartMom (Aug 10, 2006)

My golden grew with puppy chow and beneful without any ill effect but it's not a good food,it's okay.
If you have the opportunity to change to Innova or Canidae,then,go for it.
Priska was a very finicky eater as a pup and she now has a good appetite on Canidae.
Get a small bag of Puppy chow and change over a week.You won't regret it.


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## GoldenShamus (Feb 26, 2007)

golden&hovawart said:


> My golden grew with puppy chow and beneful without any ill effect but it's not a good food,it's okay.
> If you have the opportunity to change to Innova or Canidae,then,go for it.
> Priska was a very finicky eater as a pup and she now has a good appetite on Canidae.
> Get a small bag of Puppy chow and change over a week.You won't regret it.


I had two dogs as a child that wre fed only Purina, other than a lot of fatty tumors (which might be related to the food according to the vet) they were otherwise perfectly healthy basically.

I do think that feeding a higher quality of food, if possible, is a better choice. I feel much better feeding a food with good quality meat sources and no fillers.


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

I would switch, but feed the purina for another week or so after she comes home. Let her get used to the big move first, then switch it VERY slowly!


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

We fed Samson Purina Puppy Chow...and both of my dogs are now on Purina Beneful. But it's not a popular choice among many on the forum.

I guess it's because Purina is such a new brand and really hasn't been tested much....  Okay, I'm kidding.... 

But my two seem to do great on it....


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## TheHooch (May 9, 2007)

I would move to the Pro Plan puppy if you want to stick with Purina. In the interest of full disclosure I have been with Purina and a Purina breeder for nearly 30 years now so I am a little biased about the product though I only feed Pro Plan.

If you are going to change over food (and I have no problem with people changing from Purina as long as it is a high quality food) you need to change slowly to help your puppies digestive tract.

I tell my new pup owners to follow this formula. $ days at least on a 75 percentage old food 25 percent new food then another for days at 50/50 then at least 4 days of 75 percent new food with 25 percent old food then you can switch to 100 percent new food after those four days. I really recommend a week but most want to change faster.

Hooch


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

All mine were on Purina Puppy Chow, later Purina Dog Chow.. however, I now feed Purina One. It is what has always worked for our dogs all the way back to my Dad's dogs00abnd my first in the 50;'s. however, it is not for every dog. No dog food is for every dog. We have a blue chow on on all breed forum with IBS and was on Science Diet i/d i think it was. She took such a beating over feeding her dog that 'craP, that "garbage" that she started trying other things and the dog always got sick. Then she tried to slow switch and things were going ygreat for a couple of months and then last week, it was emergency, the dog was in so much pain and is on antibiotics and pain meds and back on the i/d. I don't think she will pay attention any more when people tell her if she loved her dog she would get if off the "crap"i/d. etc. We have some dogs there that have had to come off things like Timber Wolf, Blue Buffalo, something Eagle, etc, because of developing gastric problems. It just isn't the food for them, it wasn't for my Buck either.

But, you have to find what works for your dog. It may be purina, or it may be the top of the line, i have learned that Purina does an enormous amount of studies and research and they were the first to start testing every batch of gluton and even grain for melamine This from a one who would never feed purina. i was surprised she posted it.


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

TheHooch said:


> I would move to the Pro Plan puppy if you want to stick with Purina.


Whoops....Samson grew up with Pro Plan, not just Puppy Chow.... I wasn't thinking...


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## Charlie06 (Feb 10, 2007)

GoldenShamus said:


> I had two dogs as a child that wre fed only Purina, other than a lot of fatty tumors (which might be related to the food according to the vet) they were otherwise perfectly healthy basically.
> 
> I do think that feeding a higher quality of food, if possible, is a better choice. I feel much better feeding a food with good quality meat sources and no fillers.


Interesting. My 2 old dogs, especially my cockapoo has a lot of fatty tumors and they were fed Dog Chow up until we got Charlie. The vet never really told us why they got them.......thanks.


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## Brinkleysmom (Dec 17, 2005)

I have always fed my dogs Purina Puppy Chow and they have always done very well on it. I now feed Brinks Purina Benefu. She loves the salmon and the chicken. And she does very well on it. Again its what works best for your dog. Purina, as Rick said is not a popular choice among most members on here but if it works well and they have no problems and they like it, I stick with it.


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## justmejanis (Feb 25, 2007)

I certainly have never heard that Purina can cause fatty tumors. That seems like a long shot. I have fatty tumors and I have never eaten dog food...LOL.

I agree that you feed what the puppy does well on.


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## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

For a food that is not popular, a lot of people sure are using it. I don't use Purina food, but I do know that it was the premier food before Petsmart came along and successfully started the upscale dog food trend. The food has been around for like a hundred years. I can’t imagine that there is anything wrong with it. I am a firm believer that you should feed what works for you dog, and what works for you.

Dog food is a personal decision. If you want every imaginable opinion, well you came to the right place.


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## Charlie06 (Feb 10, 2007)

justmejanis said:


> I certainly have never heard that Purina can cause fatty tumors. That seems like a long shot. I have fatty tumors and I have never eaten dog food...LOL.
> 
> I agree that you feed what the puppy does well on.


LOL...I'm thinking mine are from McDonalds.....


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## Brinkleysmom (Dec 17, 2005)

vrocco1 said:


> For a food that is not popular, a lot of people sure are using it. I don't use Purina food, but I do know that it was the premier food before Petsmart came along and successfully started the upscale dog food trend. The food has been around for like a hundred years. I can’t imagine that there is anything wrong with it. I am a firm believer that you should feed what works for you dog, and what works for you.
> 
> Dog food is a personal decision. If you want every imaginable opinion, well you came to the right place.


Couldnt agree with you more Vern. You said it best as did 3Goldens.


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## Griffyn'sMom (Mar 22, 2007)

I would stick with the Puppy Chow for at least the first month so that the puppy has no tummy troubles with a food change. (The small 8lb. bag should last you about a month.) Then, if you want to change, change gradually to whatever you feel is best. 

Griff has been on ProPlan Puppy Chicken/Rice since I've gotten him - he just turned 8 months and I'm starting to introduce Canidae - right now he's eating 2 meals a day and of that he gets only 1 or 2 handfuls of the canidae - the rest is his usual feed. So far so good and he LOVES the Canidae.


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## GoldenShamus (Feb 26, 2007)

justmejanis said:


> I certainly have never heard that Purina can cause fatty tumors. That seems like a long shot. I have fatty tumors and I have never eaten dog food...LOL.
> 
> I agree that you feed what the puppy does well on.


 
No, my vet wasn't saying PURINA caused fatty tumors LOL, but that his tumors could have been related to his diet (which was Purina). 

Anyway, I was a young teen at the time and will ask my current vet next time I'm in about this.


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