# Nature's Variety...Prairie or Instinct???



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

There are many quality foods out there and alot will depend on what your dog likes and how she does on it. The great dane lady has a very informative website (www.greatdanelady.com) about nutrition and health. She is a very well respected canine nutritionist. Some of the quality foods out there are Canidae, Eagle Pack HOLISTIC, Natures Variety Wellness, Innova just to name some off the top of my head. Also if you wanted a dehydrated raw there is The Honest Kitchen. My girls were never on grain free until they were adults and, even now, I try to rotate them onto other foods with grains. I use Eagle Pack Holistic duck with Cody and he's really thrived with this. The goldens eat EVO rotated with Innova large breed adult, and some of the Wellness products.
If I were in your shoes, I think I would try NV with grains while she is so young. JMHO


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## f4string (Jul 17, 2008)

Ok, I read a whole bunch on The Great Dane Lady's website and I'm definatley going with grains for now. She also recomended Eagle Pack Large Breed Puppy Formula, which I may try because my local pet store carries it at a resonable price. So, thanks for the info and the link!! Big help!


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## Bock (Jun 23, 2008)

I use Nature's Variety and just switch between the protein sources. My boy does really well on it. I'm not sure about the instinct but the Nature's variety with grains is okay for puppies. Instead of changing one little detail and calling it a puppy formula or a senior formula they make the food so that it provides everything needed throughout a dogs life.


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## gggirl (May 8, 2008)

I feed Orijen LBP it is grain free. It is not the proteinyou need toworry about it's the calcium you need to watch. For puppies, 1.5% cal. or lower is recommended. Nature's variety is higher but at 8 -9 months the pup can handle the excess calcium, i still wouldnt go with it until she is a year old and growth plates are all closed. My pup has been on orijen since 4 months and is now 9 months she is doing wonderfully on it, nice slow growth and no issues. By the way, Orijen is the only grain free suitable for growing pups because of the low calcium. GOod luck


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## Bock (Jun 23, 2008)

Takes more than a year for the growth plates to close from everything I've read. More like 1 1/2 to 2 years. 

The whole grains are okay for your dog. The only reason they wouldn't be okay is if she has an allergy to them, but you would only find that out after you've fed it to them. The whole grains are like barley and rice, no corn or wheat.

Remember if you do decide to switch to do it SLOWLY, like over 2 weeks. Your dog may get a little diahhrea if you move to fast or if you're switching from a food with little protein to a food, like Nature's Variety, with high protein. 

The instinct has more protein than the ones with grains. It is held together by tapioca pudding versus the rice or barley. It is up to you whether you want your dog to have a grain-free diet. With the quality of food they sell, I feel perfectly content feeding mine the Prarie formula with grains. Besides there are more choices to switch through and it is a little cheaper, especially since almost all of Nature's Variety prices just went up.


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## f4string (Jul 17, 2008)

Bock, 
Thanks for the info. I was actually going to use the eagle pack large and giant breed puppy food, but the store I thought carried it didn't and all of the online stores are really expensive. I'll probably end up using the nature's variety since my step-mom works at a vet and she can get it for a discounted price. 

Thanks again everyone!


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

WOW, you're lucky you can get a discount!!!
I use the NV Prairie. I thought about grain free but my boys don't have allergies to grains and since it is rice and barley, I think it's great and they love it.
They make NV right here in Lincoln, it's home base. I am so proud. 
Lincoln has so little claims to Fame! LOL!:


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