# Best Dog Food for Labs



## J Cosentino

Hello,

I'm new to RTF and a new full breed lab owner. My dog is currently 6 weeks old and I am feed him Purina Pro Plan Sport 30/20 (all life stages). Does anyone have experience with this food or recommends anything else? Also, are supplements a necessity? I want my pup to reach his fullest potential and size. TIA


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## Dooley

Pro Plan Performance is a good food used by many pros and trialers, I have used Pro Plan for 30 years on my Labs, never a problem.....so if your Lab is fine on it, stay with it.


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## mlp

I always like to feed a Large Breed Puppy food for 6 months or so before switching to an adult food.


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## SpinRetriever

J Cosentino said:


> Hello,
> 
> I'm new to RTF and a new full breed lab owner. My dog is currently 6 weeks old and I am feed him Purina Pro Plan Sport 30/20 (all life stages). Does anyone have experience with this food or recommends anything else? Also, are supplements a necessity? I want my pup to reach his fullest potential and size. TIA


My puppies go home with Dr. Tim's Kinesis 26/16. I usually recommend Tim's Pursuit 30/20 at maturity. It can be bought on-line in 44lb plain white bags from Petflow for what Pro Plan costs. If for some reason a puppy buyer can't feed Dr. Tim's, I will normally recommend Annamaet next (a tie with Dr. Tim's) then Precise and then as a convenience choice Eukanuba. Pro Plan used to be a go to food but when Nestle bought them they ramped up the corn and I won't pay top dollar for 5 types of corn.


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## Redmarklabs

We feed Kirkland's Premium Dog Food for all of our labs, puppy & adult. Kirklands is made by Costco and is rated higher than Pro Plan on dog food advisor. We have performance and show dogs and they all do great on it.


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## MikeB

J Cosentino,
First of all.... There is NO BEST FOOD. A lot depends on what is available to you and what you are willing to spend. Personally for me it's all about the ingredients not the name brand. 
It would be this retired breeder/trainer's opinion NOT to feed "rocket fuel" 30/20 formula to a young pup especially a male in order to help prevent any bone growth issues like Pano. Shouldn't be a problem for a few months but I would change food at 4 months old. I prefer to feed Lab pups Canidae All Life Stage 24/14 with ME/Kcal of 468 using 4 meat proteins. 
Plenty of protein/fat and calories for a growing pup well into adulthood and though the major growth period. Love those 44#bags too. http://www.canidae.com/dogs/all_life_stages/dry.html
I much perfer the ingredients in all of Canidae's products. When the dog is over 2 yrs old and if it needs performance feed for energy or added weight then I would use Canidae All Life Stage Grain Free formula 34/18. ME/kcal of 498. 
I am a firm believer in using PROZYME digestive aid with each meal. http://www.prozymeproducts.com/
That would be my feeding guideline.


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## Bryan Detwiler

Take a look at Inukshuk. Came to me recommended by a vet and pro trainer down in NC. Says it's hands down the best he's fed. No frills. No high budget advertising. Just what a working dog needs. I just started using it, but pup seems to like it so that's start.

http://inukshukusa.com


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## SpinRetriever

Bryan Detwiler said:


> Take a look at Inukshuk. Came to me recommended by a vet and pro trainer down in NC. Says it's hands down the best he's fed. No frills. No high budget advertising. Just what a working dog needs. I just started using it, but pup seems to like it so that's start.
> 
> http://inukshukusa.com


That is a good food but its hard to get because it is sold direct on skids of 65 bags. If you can get in on a skid it is a great deal at about $1lb.

Buying single bags from the company for over $2.25lb is not a good deal.


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## Wingman509

What are thoughts on nutro max and natural choice lamb and rice?


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## Gunssmoke3217

I feed Fromm gold large breed puppy. First ingriedients are duck chicken lamb and whole eggs


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## Henryk

Dog food formulas and prices are always changing with time to time."I have been using this food for four months for my chihuahuas and Japanese Chins. They are extremely fussy but all plates are clean. They are all in super condition".


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## Seabass77

Do you guys keep your dogs on performance blends year around of just during heavy work/hunting seasons?


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## tcline

*Great Dog Food Review Site*

Check out the reviews at dogfoodadvisor.com


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## CBR

Recently started using _*The Pride*_ dog food, and seeing amazing results. The price is easy on the wallet to!


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## Richard Davis

Look at Victor Dog food. Good quaqlity at reasonable price


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## J Cosentino

A lot of these foods that are recommended in this thread have higher fiber than what I am currently feeding my dog. I really don't want more piles of poop, but I realize that Pro Plan isn't the best food that I can be feeding him. Any experiences with Blue Buffalo Wilderness?


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## rboudet

Jason, There is nothing wrong with Pro Plan All Life Stages, have fed it for many years.


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## SpinRetriever

Richard Davis said:


> Look at Victor Dog food. Good quaqlity at reasonable price


Victor is probably the most underpriced food on the market. I have used the teal blue bag 30/20 and I thought it was quite good.

If you have one dog to feed Dr. Tim's Pursuit and Annamaet Ultra are the two best foods you can buy. They can be pricey in a kennel situation unless you buy direct or become a dealer. I buy from a sled trainer that puts some good money in her pocket each month from being a small dealer, and she feeds her dogs at cost.


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## Paul Frey

I also feed PPP Sport. I think I may be having a problem with it. MY BLF appears to have allergies to the food. I just had her to the vet yesterday to clear an ear infection. In 2 weeks they want to see her again. If infection is not clear we are going to switch food. She also scratches quite a bit. Like Spin Retriever said, there is alot of corn in PPP.


J Cosentino said:


> Hello,
> 
> I'm new to RTF and a new full breed lab owner. My dog is currently 6 weeks old and I am feed him Purina Pro Plan Sport 30/20 (all life stages). Does anyone have experience with this food or recommends anything else? Also, are supplements a necessity? I want my pup to reach his fullest potential and size. TIA


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## gaustin

Bump......


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## CBR

i have recently started feeding a puppy food called The Pride. and i am seeing amazing results. hard stools, and very shiny coats. look into it i highly recommend it after feeding science diet, and pretty much any of the very high brand names, and its at a very affordable price..


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## jmay

I am also a new lab owner looking for a quality food without breaking the bank!


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## Straight Green

I've been feeding dr tims after PPP and am very happy with the switch. Much better coat and smaller stools. Ships right to your house, no tax and free shipping. Tough to beat for the price.


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## SpinRetriever

Straight Green said:


> I've been feeding dr tims after PPP and am very happy with the switch. Much better coat and smaller stools. Ships right to your house, no tax and free shipping. Tough to beat for the price.


 Are you getting the 44lb bags of Pursuit from Petflow?


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## Pudelpointer

I get DR Tim's Pursuit from Pet Flow, switched a little over a year ago from PPP, my dogs are doing great on it. I would not feed anything else!


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## Straight Green

Spin, no I am feeding the kinesis for my 5 month old in the 44 lb bags. I do have a bag of pursuit which I plan to use when we are getting more active/hunting season. I also wanted to keep her grown down. I couldn't be happier and don't see any reason to change. A new 44lb bag comes Friday!


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## SpinRetriever

Straight Green said:


> Spin, no I am feeding the kinesis for my 5 month old in the 44 lb bags. I do have a bag of pursuit which I plan to use when we are getting more active/hunting season. I also wanted to keep her grown down. I couldn't be happier and don't see any reason to change. A new 44lb bag comes Friday!


 Good choice.


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## 36bound

We've been feeding our 13 month old YML a dry dog food called *Orijen* made by a small company out of Alberta, Canada. Previous to our current lab we had always fed a "premium" (but more common) dry dog food to our other labs with no _noticeable _improvement in their coat, performance or overall vitality. In contrast, since putting this, our third hunting lab on Orijen we have noticed what I feel is a_ very noticea_ble improvement, overall. For instance, most everyone who pets our dog will make some remark about how soft his coat feels. I agree totally. There _is_ a noticeable improvement in the texture of our dog’s coat. We have also noticed what appears to be an overall improvement in our dog’s endurance in training sessions and overall well-being (mood, energy level, sleep pattern, airing habits). As an aside, one of the first things we noticed since we began feeding Orijen is significantly less stool volume when our dog airs.

Orijen markets its dog food line on the platform that it is more “biologically appropriate” (containing higher protein, higher fat and significantly less carbs) than the more ubiquitous "premium" dog foods commonly available at giant pet food chains. To this end Orijen has received a 5-star rating by DogFoodAdvisor.com and is “enthusiastically recommended” by that advisor.

Every couple of months we've been switching our lab between Orijen's "Adult Formula", "Six Fish Formula" and its "Regional Red Formula". All iof which are equally high in protein and fat and very low in carbs. Switching between the formulas causes no stomach upset and we usually make the transition over the course of a week or less.


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## Michael Earhart

Ur dog is too young to be on Purina pro sport...wait till he is about six months. I have a year old that is on Purina Sport and have a nine week old lab that is on Purina Focus. The focus is high in protein and fat and has the right amount of nutrients for puppies!


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## Tony Marshall

Your dog is not too young to be on sport. Recommendations for puppies, active dogs, pregnant bitches and lactating bitches are for a 30/20 or greater. I feed PPP sport to all the dogs in my kennel from the time that they are weaned until the time that they die. Only two dogs that I have ever fed that food to have had problems. One had a metabolic disorder and couldn't metabolize protein very well and the other had ear infections which was found out to be a chicken allergy and was resolved by switching to PPP lamb and rice. Sport has more EPA and DHA than focus which are needed for puppy brain development and also people fail to realize that the fat content is where most of the nutrients come from not to mention the fact that fat is what coats synapses in the brain. I would highly recommend that you do not switch from a high fat food during your dogs development. You would be better off sacrificing protein than fat. JMO based on a lot of research by a lot of people much smarter than me on the subject.


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## Prairiehunter

Just do some research and look at what is in the food. Look at where the protein comes from, either meats, vegetables, or grains. Just because a dog food states they have 30% protein, doesn't always mean protein from meats so it is always a good idea to see where they get their protein from. Some dog foods put a lot of corn gluten to boost the protein levels of the food which in the long run can actually hurt your dog in their later years. Kidney problems or liver problems for example. It's best to look for a dog food where the protein comes from the meats and not corn or other grains. I know grain free dog foods are expensive, but victor grain free is a very reasonably priced grain free dog food. Also, Victor's regular dog food which contains some grain is also pretty good when looking at the ingredients and is a little cheaper. An excellent place to look at grain free foods is http://www.a1petemporium.com/dog_foods.htm


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## Jconway

I've been using Loyall dog food for a while now and it's great. It is very affordable and you can feed less and keep weight on, lots of foods claim you can feed less but it's not always the case!! Great coat and tons of energy, it's a great food in my opinion!

Here is a link to their site if you wanted to check it out. 

http://www.loyallpetfood.com


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## brsutton86

I started my pup on PPP and her coat was always flaky. Switched to Diamond large breed puppy and her coat looks great. I'm very pleased with it and now I'm ready to switch to just large breed.


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## LoneOakRet

We feed Loyall, also, and overall we ahve been very pleased with the results.


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## vanmill

*dog food*

Pet food is not affordable. In fact, it expenses more per pound than chicken the majority of the time. After all the first time veterinarian visits and all the surgeries you need when the pet is little, it costs a lot less to look after them. Still, constant food costs can be really overwhelming an expensive, but it is worth the cost for a loving pet.


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## fowler1416

We like Pro Plan


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## nrux

i have had great results with fromm


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## J. Walker

Wingman509 said:


> What are thoughts on nutro max and natural choice lamb and rice?


They were good foods about 10 years ago, before M & M Mars bought the brand. Multiple brand recalls later, including food that made a cat of mine violently ill (literally wiping down the walls from explosive diarrhea), the entire brand is mediocre at best. The quality just went way downhill.

Some talk about Loyall but just look at the ingredients list because it's about as bad as they come, mostly by-product and fillers in the primary ingredients and that's their "high performance" food. The brand is owned by a grain company that specializes in horse feed, Nutrena.

I have fed a bunch of foods including Nutro, Innova, California Natural, Canidae, 4Health, Orijen, Wellness, Avoderm, and Nutrisource, to name some of the brands. For the money and for the quality of the ingredients, Earthborn Holistic is the best I've found. I get it at a local feed store as it's about $7.00/bag cheaper there. As hard as I train my trial dog, the Primitive Natural formula is the only food I found that has enabled him to maintain his weight and coat. It is a very rich formula and is definitely not for all dogs. I recently helped a buddy with his young chocolate male and got him to switch the dog over to the puppy formula from Eukanuba Large Breed puppy. After he settled into the food about two full months into it, the difference was extremely noticeable. His coat got like an otter's, tight, dense, and slick. His muscle tone was great. He looked like a racehorse with his coat and the visible muscularity in his shoulders and hips. No, I don't sell it or work for the company. It's just a great product that I really believe in based on the results in multiple dogs.


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## TonyLattuca

Tony Marshall said:


> Your dog is not too young to be on sport. Recommendations for puppies, active dogs, pregnant bitches and lactating bitches are for a 30/20 or greater. I feed PPP sport to all the dogs in my kennel from the time that they are weaned until the time that they die. Only two dogs that I have ever fed that food to have had problems. One had a metabolic disorder and couldn't metabolize protein very well and the other had ear infections which was found out to be a chicken allergy and was resolved by switching to PPP lamb and rice. Sport has more EPA and DHA than focus which are needed for puppy brain development and also people fail to realize that the fat content is where most of the nutrients come from not to mention the fact that fat is what coats synapses in the brain. I would highly recommend that you do not switch from a high fat food during your dogs development. You would be better off sacrificing protein than fat. JMO based on a lot of research by a lot of people much smarter than me on the subject.


 This is what I thought too. I was always told that the calcium and phosphorus in the food is what causes growing problems? correct me if Im wrong


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## SpinRetriever

TonyLattuca said:


> This is what I thought too. I was always told that the calcium and phosphorus in the food is what causes growing problems? correct me if Im wrong


That is correct for larger breed dogs but it is just one factor in orthopedic health. Genetics trumps diet.

There is no reason though for any puppy of any breed to have calcium much above 1.25%.

Some food are well above 2% and those will have to be labelled for adults only if the new AAFCO guidlines are adopted.

Lower ash is always the best way to feed.


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## Pheasant Acres

I've used Eukanuba, PPP, Wild Blue, Native and a handful of others, but I always end up going back to Diamond Dog Foods. My dogs just seem to do the best on this for some reason. They do seem to have a slightly greasier coat than with some of the others, but they maintain a healthy weight and ABUNDANCE of energy for upland game.


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## Red Creek

I really like Nutro high endurance.


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## Charley07

I've been feeding Black Gold for several years now. It has seemed to help my dogs better than anything else I have fed. And yes I have tried a ton of feeds.


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## Bryan 3x

Wingman509 said:


> What are thoughts on nutro max and natural choice lamb and rice?


You need to read the quotes. Everyone is going to have an opinion. U need to watch ur pups weight and stools. I went for months listening to everyone for no reason. Consistent weight and stools with pro plan so I stayed with it. The more u switch and try the more irregular ur pup will be. So ask ur self. Stools consistent? Weight good? Then have fun with the pup.


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## brdhunter

My vet says a good puupy food for 6 months & then start adding a good high protien adult dog food


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## grizzly

This is a great thread..


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## Double Beard

The pro plan sport has been a great choice for myself.


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## Luc2121

From gold here


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## shawninthesticks

DR. Tims has been a great food for me , He is a new RTF sponsor (top of the page) and has a thread going now with his input along with others with good results.


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## jrrichar

*No such thing as a king among dog foods...rather approach it as a trial and error*

I second that there is no such thing as a single "best dog food for labs." Rather it is a trial and error process. No two labs are alike, use energy in the same way, or have the same GI processing ability/sensitivity. My previous lab when a pup could eat 1.5-2 cups of food and had a lead lined stomach. My current pup has a furnace for a metabolism and consumes nearly twice the amount of calories at a relative equivalent of age and activity with severe stomach sensitivities. I may be new to the hunt arena but am a seasoned veteran in nutritional requirements (I hold a doctorate in pharmacology and use diet analysis in much of my work; note my research is never on/in dogs). I can say that even the dogfoodadvisor.com is a good start by by no means a true litmus test. For example, they rank dog foods based on the crude protein analysis with those that have high protein content rated excellent (e.g. Orijen) whereas dog foods with less protein and more carbohydrates (Merrick,etc.) are ranked lower but are not inferior diets. There is little science to report the claim that high protein equals superior food. In fact, recent research (published in Science) eludes to the fact that diets based on the mentality that dogs were once wild wolves is heavily flawed and the two have evolved into completely different species, with dogs having the evolutionary advantage to process carbohydrates. However, no one knows for sure what is right and wrong except you and your pup. My current lab puppy has been the most challenging dog yet with a complete intolerance to higher protein diets. Labs provide a test case in diet trial and error: you don't want a super charged food for a growing pup, they can be prone to allergies, and in a large breed pup their digestive tract takes awhile to mature and can lead to difficulties in proper absorption (i.e. loose stools), which for a working dog can be a big problem. What ultimately worked for my current dog was Annamaet Encore 25% and a homemade chicken, rice, spinach, apples, and carrot blend with supplemental raw goat milk for a probiotic boost. I cannot stress enough how in asking for the best food for your dog is akin to asking for the best food for your child, everyone is different. Furthermore, you also have to account for their particular taste preference. You could have the best dog food in the world but if your dog won't eat it, it is nothing more than a bag taking up space. 

Take advantage of the fact that there are so many kinds of quality dog food. Although I would personally steer clear of any diet with corn in the top three ingredients. 

-Janell



MikeB said:


> J Cosentino,
> First of all.... There is NO BEST FOOD. A lot depends on what is available to you and what you are willing to spend. Personally for me it's all about the ingredients not the name brand...


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## Cashmoney

Anyone using or have used Exclusive Puppy formula? I am currently feeding the adult formula to my older lab, but I'm getting a new pup and would like to use the puppy formula if it's any good.


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## Dave McNeill

I'm not familiar with the Exclusive puppy formula, but have heard Petsmart large breed puppy (Authority)
food is good. I'm getting a pup in 30 days myself and want to use a good food.
Petsmarts tend to be around larger cities , I priced 18 lb at $19.99 a bag today but have not priced any more brands.
Anyone tried the Authority?


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## kevin98

I have used exclusive in the past. Now they have a performance variety. My labs loved the lamb and rice. I am getting a new pup at the end of the month and I am enjoying this thread cause I'm not sure which brand I'm going to with. Thanks for all the replies and reviews. I'm leaning towards Dr Tims or exclusive. I priced exclusive at my local feed store today and it runs between $34 and $37 for a 35# bag. hope this helps


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## droptine

this is a very good thread. The dog feeding has been a disaster for me. Pup is 5 months now. Breeder had been feeding proplan 30/20 active sport dog. dog loved it , couldnt eat enough of it. Petco told me I should get blue buffalo grain free. Transitioned it slowly. Dog had loose stools kept feeding and did not change. went back to store and was told the blue buffallo puppy food must be too high in protein. Gave me another blue buffalo that is wilderness large breed puppy. dog hates it. might eat 2 cups a day if lucky. he sniffs it amd walks away. Im debating going either back to proplan , (although i heard bad reviews since getting ingredients from china now) , or Fromms, or Dr Timms are what im leaning toward. Frustrating i feel bad for the dog. Hes 5 month lab.


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## Rick Hall

droptine said:


> this is a very good thread. The dog feeding has been a disaster for me. Pup is 5 months now. Breeder had been feeding proplan 30/20 active sport dog. dog loved it , couldnt eat enough of it. Petco told me I should get blue buffalo grain free. Transitioned it slowly. Dog had loose stools kept feeding and did not change. went back to store and was told the blue buffallo puppy food must be too high in protein. Gave me another blue buffalo that is wilderness large breed puppy. dog hates it. might eat 2 cups a day if lucky. he sniffs it amd walks away. Im debating going either back to proplan , (although i heard bad reviews since getting ingredients from china now) , or Fromms, or Dr Timms are what im leaning toward. Frustrating i feel bad for the dog. Hes 5 month lab.


Believe I'd pay more attention to the pup in front of me than the netspurts.


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## jackh

Richard Davis said:


> Look at Victor Dog food. Good quaqlity at reasonable price


A pro friend of mine feeds that. He likes it but I didn't like my dog's coat while she was on it.



J Cosentino said:


> A lot of these foods that are recommended in this thread have higher fiber than what I am currently feeding my dog. I really don't want more piles of poop, but I realize that Pro Plan isn't the best food that I can be feeding him. Any experiences with Blue Buffalo Wilderness?


I have fed PPP and BB and like them both a lot. I didn't notice a difference in coat, crap, or perforormance between the two, and ultimately stuck with PPP for the better price. I felt "better" feeding BB though.


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## .44 magnum

Some have mentioned Fromm Pet foods... it is family owned as also they own two manufacturing Plants with recent upgrades in equipment. They just upgraded their web site and have two videos about their operation. And about who they are... and how long the family has run the business..... and now the owners two sons are becoming the next generation to make the "Best" pet food in America... 

http://frommfamily.com/about/videos/


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## PAfowler

For Fromm users, which kibble are you feeding?


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## .44 magnum

My dog has some health issues right now, and Lamb is his best protein choice, so the Lamb and lentil. Most Fromm feeders are able to use the less expensive Gold Line with good results. 

Fromm also co-packs a food called Red Paw that is high Octane food for sled racing like Dr. Tim's.


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## henedout

As a rough guide - I have two medium sized adult dogs - both around 19/20 kg in weight - springer spaniels - they are working strain but do not work - they are active family pets. I buy a 15kg sack of food and it lasts the two of them just over a month - a sack is just under a tenner. I was paying for delivery (delivery for one sack is the same as the delivery cost for two) but have now found a local stockist. So CSJ Natural Champ https://petapproves.com/best-puppy-food/ Adult is about £4.50 a month (about a quid a week) for one dog. The quality is very very good - none of the problems associated with artificial colorings etc found in some cheap brands. There are a lot of useful videos on this topic on Youtube, I will leave here one of them, I hope someone will come in handy. Good luck









Definitely worth considering, in my opinion.


Good luck with your search OP.


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## OwnedbyaLab

Purina Pro Plan is what Mary Howley uses from the time they are weaned.. Candlewoods have a pretty good record with that. Every dog of ours (30 plus) have been on Purina (used to be Purina High Protein before Pro Plan ) since 1979. The only issue I ever have, 3 times, was a allergy to chicken with 3 dogs. They all had ear issues until I switched them to the Salmon Pro Plan. Never had any issues feed related other than that. I believe if you look what the top Field and show dogs are raised on, you'll find a high percentage (majority) are on a Purina feed. Just my observations over the years. With the rebates from the Pro plan club, it's no more expensive than any other feed, and cheaper than some.


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## cjames18

All age Pro Plan


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## duck_hunter5895

Been running Purina Pro Plan since birth and was recommended by my trainer to stay on it. Never had any issues with it ever.


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## Aleksksks

Be sure to keep your puppy on the food that he has been on for a couple of weeks at least, to allow him to settle in. Then be sure to do your own research and to test out a few brands. This article may help you to narrow down your choice - https://goodpuppyfood.com/breeds/best-puppy-food-for-labs/


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## Tim Culligan

My dogs do very well on Dr Tim's Pursuit and Fromm Surf and Turf


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## Lyelerir

Thanks for this review!
Cheers, https://diceus.com/types-of-erp-systems/


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## Mossy Dell

*Purina One over Pro Plan in 26/16 formula*

I like Purina. I think the Pro Plan Sport 30/20 is unbeatable for hard-working dogs. My Lab is not that hard working. I stepped down to Pro Plan 26/16.

My daughter feeds Purina One 26/16 Lamb and Rice, and I like its look, feel, and smell. The other day I compared the two most recent labels off each of our feeds. Interesting, as they are almost identical. Purina One lists Zinc and PP does not. There is more A and E and glucosamine in my PP, though I am not sure if the differences are significant. 

Both feeds are for moderately active dogs. Purina One is significantly cheaper, and seems a _much_ better deal. 

Am I missing anything here? Has anyone compared these two product lines from Purina?


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## ErinsEdge

Aleksksks said:


> This article may help you to narrow down your choice - https://goodpuppyfood.com/breeds/best-puppy-food-for-labs/


I don't agree with that article at all. Don't waste your time.


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## MissSkeeter

During hunting season (day after day for weeks) I feed the highest fat, highest protein kibble I can find.

That is RedPaw 38k, 25% fat, 38% protein (first ingredient is fish meal)..
https://redpawdogfood.com/products/poweredge/38k


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## pooch495

We feed a raw diet based on the PREY model. This typically includes chicken carcass including the neck, beef liver, beef kidney, mackeral, raw egg, and plain yoghurt. Both of our pooches have fabulous glossy coats, super clean teeth, and no skin problems. Also thier stool isn't stinky or messy its dry and powdery, so makes clean up much easier! Anyone thinking about raw however should consult thier vet first of course to help come up with a suitable diet plan for your specific pet. And yes, its worth the extra hassle.


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## Dtonne85

I'm a newbie and have been researching foods alot. I looked at purina one compared to PPP and I notice purina one had a soy product in it which kind of turned me off. I'm going to do more research into the soy thing but it seems to be connected with alot of issues in both Humans and Dogs. But like I said I'm just a newbie. I have been having a problem with my new pup getting shaky legs and a slight bow and after help from others on this forum I switched him to a low fat diet for a couple weeks so hopefully that helps. When we get back on track I am thinking I will go with PPP sport active the 26/16 if the high fat is what was giving my pup the issue. 




Mossy Dell said:


> I like Purina. I think the Pro Plan Sport 30/20 is unbeatable for hard-working dogs. My Lab is not that hard working. I stepped down to Pro Plan 26/16.
> 
> My daughter feeds Purina One 26/16 Lamb and Rice, and I like its look, feel, and smell. The other day I compared the two most recent labels off each of our feeds. Interesting, as they are almost identical. Purina One lists Zinc and PP does not. There is more A and E and glucosamine in my PP, though I am not sure if the differences are significant.
> 
> Both feeds are for moderately active dogs. Purina One is significantly cheaper, and seems a _much_ better deal.
> 
> Am I missing anything here? Has anyone compared these two product lines from Purina?


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## buckhorn70

I just acquired a new Black Lab pup..... Researching this dog food business will drive you crazy. I obviously want to feed my pup the best but the amount of choices and opinions will leave your head spinning.

With that said...... Is Dr Tim’s a good solid/healthy dog food? 

Pro Plan Focus seems like a popular choice as well, along with the Fromm brand.


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## Mossy Dell

Dtonne, on the soy, I had not noticed that difference in PurinaOne vs. ProPlan. I will have to look at the labels again. What I have noticed in feeding One is that it appears to be made up of the ProPlan bits and a different type of kibble, differently shaped or extruded. 

My theory is that Purina is making One, a premium feed that's a cut above their basic feed, by cutting ProPlan with this other feed. Maybe they are keeping the analysis at 26/16 by using soy in the other kibble. 

I have not noticed a change in my dog's droppings, but he goes in the weeds for that and I seldom see them. I MAY have noticed that his coat is not quite as glossy. Or is that my imagination? Not sure! As always, I feed him a fish oil capsule daily so that hasn't changed.



Dtonne85 said:


> I'm a newbie and have been researching foods alot. I looked at purina one compared to PPP and I notice purina one had a soy product in it which kind of turned me off. I'm going to do more research into the soy thing but it seems to be connected with alot of issues in both Humans and Dogs. But like I said I'm just a newbie. I have been having a problem with my new pup getting shaky legs and a slight bow and after help from others on this forum I switched him to a low fat diet for a couple weeks so hopefully that helps. When we get back on track I am thinking I will go with PPP sport active the 26/16 if the high fat is what was giving my pup the issue.


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## lauramcmann1221

I'm also new at RTF, I need nutrition advice for my labs 8 weeks old. Thanks so much!


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## cupofjoy

Hi yes Purina is good but for some reason my dog doesn't like that taste so now he's on Royal Canin. And yes supplements are needed. I give him vitamin C and coat shine as recommended by my vet. But you can also check the label in your dog food and see what vitamins is in there so what you can just give him is what he lacks.


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## tonnyguetta

A good dog food will contain meat, vegetables, grains, and fruits. It must have high-quality versions of these ingredients that are appropriate for your dog’s digestive system.


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## Miller2015

Interesting read


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## anderseninc

This is interesting to read, thanks.


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