# Nature's Variety Instinct for Puppies?



## kel (Nov 28, 2012)

Hi all- Griffin is 10 weeks today, and I had read great things online about Nature's Variety Instinct grain-free dry food so that is what I have had him on. It said that it's high quality, so good for both puppies and older dogs. However, we just had a vet visit and the Dr. told me he'd never heard of it and that he feeds his dog a Hill's Science Diet blend specifically formulated for puppies. So I've been doing more research and now I'm even more confused - canned, dry, home-cooked, all-raw, so many different options and I'm not sure how to choose one. I'd love to hear what others recommend/are feeding their pups! Thanks!


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## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

There are a lot of dog food products out there. We fed Max Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy Food until he was about 16 months. He did well on it.

When we got Max, our vet recommended Science Diet Puppy, we bought a small bag, but it did not agree with Max. It gave him large, soft stools. He did much better on the Eukanuba.


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## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

I personally do not like this food. It has an ash content of 10-12% thats extremely high it shouldnt be more then 8-9% max some prefer lower.


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

I have used the Natures Variety Instinct for my adult rescues and I use the Natures Variety Prairie for puppies. All my dogs do well on both. 
I don't like the Science Diet. I was told that the only classes that vets take on nutrition in vet school is an elective and it is taught by the major pet food companies like SD. They are given an incentive to sell it before they even become vets. 
Do your own research on pet foods. There is no "one size fits all". Different dogs do well on different foods and everyone has an opinion. 
Here is one place that you can check out that may help you sift through some of the foods. 
Dog Food Reviews and Ratings | Dog Food Advisor

Good luck in your search.


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## kel (Nov 28, 2012)

Oh wow, thanks, I didn't know to look for that when buying a food. I see that the ash content in eukanuba is way lower than in nature's variety!


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## Millie'sMom (Sep 7, 2012)

My 2 goldens are on Nutro Ultra LB puppy. I tried Acana and it did not agree with them. The best food for your puppy is the one that agrees with him, has ingredients that you are comfortable with and fits your budget. Please keep in mind that dog food reviews are not always unbiased.


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## Garfield (Apr 7, 2009)

Nature's Variety Instinct is not intended for puppies. It is critical that growing puppies, imparticular, get the proper nutrients in the correct amounts, so you probably want to veer away from homecooked and raw diets in the formative years if you're new to them. As pups' digestive systems are very sensitive, you might be best to just simply continue with what the breeder fed and wait until the pup is ready for adult food before making any switches.

If that food does not agree with your pup, brands that I commonly see fed here having suitable puppy/large breed puppy/all life stages foods include (in no particular order of recommendation) Wellness, California Natural, Innova, Healthwise, Eagle Pack, Holistic Select, Fromm Gold, Nutrisource, Purina Pro Plan, Royal Canin and Eukanuba. Hills would be fine too, but is rather pricey.


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## WasChampionFan (Mar 31, 2012)

I would use Dr. Tim's or Annamaet.


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## Garfield (Apr 7, 2009)

WasChampionFan said:


> I would use Dr. Tim's or Annamaet.


Are those ALS formulas?


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## WasChampionFan (Mar 31, 2012)

Garfield said:


> Are those ALS formulas?


 
All the Annamaet formulas are I believe with the exception of "Adult". Annamaet recommends some of the mid-protein foods for large breed puppies but the Annamaet foods are so low in ash that all the calcium levels fall into the large breed bucket.

All of the Dr. Tim's are as well. Kinesis and Kinesis GF state it. Pursuit and Momentum are whether stated or not. I have checked with a PHD in clinical nutrition and he said Pursuit & Momentum could even be fed to giant breed puppies because the calcium is so well controlled.

Many times performance foods are not rated ALS because the company prefers that the higher calorie foods not be fed to some puppies due to the potential for excessive weight gain.

Momentum has 1.16% calcium and .80% phosphorous so even a 35/25 can be used with pups if the owner careful. I would recommend Kinesis for most owners though.

Any of the Annamaet formulas except Adult and Ultra are good for larger puppies. Ultra has too many calories.

Your comment on Instinct is spot on. I would not feed such a high ash food to a puppy. The phosphorous levels are way to high.


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

I would never feed science diet again. I used to feed science diet up till a year and a half ago. Did not do a thing for my dogs, but of course, a lot of vets push it and when I was going through the veterinary technician program years ago, the food reps from Hills and Iams both came to give a class on pet nutrition. Makes you wonder, doesn't it? I have nothing against some of the prescription diets from Hills however. There are not a lot of prescription diets to chose from if your pet is sick and the Hills prescription diets work for a lot of health issues i.e. k/d, l/d, i/d etc. 

I am not familiar with the food brand you are asking about, sorry.


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## Pretzel's Mom (Aug 23, 2012)

*Nature's Variety Instick Raw Boost*

I have a 8 month golden retriever. She was diagnosed with Campylobacter Infection a week ago. This comes from raw chicken. I started feeding her Nature's Variety instinct Chicken Meal with Raw Boost. This is the only raw she was ever given. She is now on 14 days of Erythromycin. I would be very careful about feeding this food. I have contacted the Manufacturer and am waiting to hear back from them. She is no longer eating this food. She is back on Nature's Domain. Nature's Variety was on my Vet's list of preferred foods.


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## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

MissMolly's said:


> I have a 8 month golden retriever. She was diagnosed with Campylobacter Infection a week ago. This comes from raw chicken. I started feeding her Nature's Variety instinct Chicken Meal with Raw Boost. This is the only raw she was ever given. She is now on 14 days of Erythromycin. I would be very careful about feeding this food. I have contacted the Manufacturer and am waiting to hear back from them. She is no longer eating this food. She is back on Nature's Domain. Nature's Variety was on my Vet's list of preferred foods.


Campylobacter can come from anywhere. Its a bacterial infection. Could come from dirt your dog walks through and licks his/her paws after, could come from feces that your dog walked through then licked his/her paws, could come from raw meat, raw vegetables, water...even your counter top. Its not JUST from raw meat. Dogs who are infected with this bacteria will shed it into their feces. Its common in younger dogs because their immune system is not fully developed. 

Natures Domain is made by Diamond Pet Foods. While I am not concerned about their recent salmonella recall I am concerned about the fact they had a melamine recall a number of years back.

Dogs small chance of getting sick from salmonella.....
Dogs getting liver/kidney problems causing them to shut down killing them.....

Ill choose the first one. I already lost one puppy to the recall, so I am very careful what I feed


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## Pretzel's Mom (Aug 23, 2012)

Thank you for the additional information on the Infection. It is odd though that it happened when I opened a new bag of the Chicken Raw boost.

Can you send me a PM an let me know what you feed your dog? You seem very knowledgeable and I am at a loss as what to feed her.


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## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

MissMolly's said:


> Thank you for the additional information on the Infection. It is odd though that it happened when I opened a new bag of the Chicken Raw boost.
> 
> Can you send me a PM an let me know what you feed your dog? You seem very knowledgeable and I am at a loss as what to feed her.


I feed Annamaet Salcha. I was stuck between GO, Eukanuba and Annamaet. I openly admit what I feed I personally do not give a crap what people think anymore about my food choice. I used to be a food snob, but when you have a dog with so many issues you learn to open your selection and I have since learned many...MANY things about dog food. I will PM you still, have a few other suggestions.


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

When considering Premium foods I think they are all divided into Science or Nature. Some would add Holistic as a category but I wouldn't consider a food holistic that wasn't natural. I would never pick a food other than a "natural". I have done a ton of research about processing and synthetic vitamins and hormones and the GI effects on the body. I just don't think dogs do as well with foods that are over processed. That said, I worry about under-processing too. I feed Natural Choice because IMO is the best of nature _and_ science.


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## artbuc (Apr 12, 2009)

desi.n.nutro said:


> When considering Premium foods I think they are all divided into Science or Nature. Some would add Holistic as a category but I wouldn't consider a food holistic that wasn't natural. I would never pick a food other than a "natural". I have done a ton of research about processing and synthetic vitamins and hormones and the GI effects on the body. I just don't think dogs do as well with foods that are over processed. That said, I worry about under-processing too. I feed Natural Choice because IMO is the best of nature _and_ science.


Sounds good. I am going to rush out to my local pet food store today and buy a couple bags.

PS. Based on your "ton" of research, please tell us which premium foods are over processed and which ones are under processed. Is Natural Choice the only premium food which is processed just the right amount?


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## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

artbuc said:


> Sounds good. I am going to rush out to my local pet food store today and buy a couple bags.
> 
> PS. Based on your "ton" of research, please tell us which premium foods are over processed and which ones are under processed. Is Natural Choice the only premium food which is processed just the right amount?


LMAO, Totally made my day!


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## SheetsSM (Jan 17, 2008)

goldhaven said:


> I don't like the Science Diet. I was told that the only classes that vets take on nutrition in vet school is an elective and it is taught by the major pet food companies like SD. They are given an incentive to sell it before they even become vets.


This is a myth--vets don't get kickbacks for selling Science Diet. While I don't feed SD as a primary diet for my dogs, I have no problem using their prescription diets when warranted. That being said, you have to give some props to company for at least getting their foot in the door to discussion nutrition with vet students who otherwise wouldn't be exposed to it.


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## Reese9 (Jan 11, 2012)

SheetsSM said:


> This is a myth--vets don't get kickbacks for selling Science Diet. While I don't feed SD as a primary diet for my dogs, I have no problem using their prescription diets when warranted. That being said, you have to give some props to company for at least getting their foot in the door to discussion nutrition with vet students who otherwise wouldn't be exposed to it.


Vets get paid commission, if they push this food, they make money off of it, period.


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