What's new
Mastiff Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • Welcome back!

    We decided to spruce things up and fix some things under the hood. If you notice any issues, feel free to contact us as we're sure there are a few things here or there that we might have missed in our upgrade.

New EM puppy owner

Jburnisky

Member
Good afternoon,

We will he bringing home our em puppy in 2 weeks and I’ve been reading until my head is about to explode about proper nutrition. Of course adult food right away I understand. A lot of people say large breed adult kibble then others just feed high quality adult kibble. I went to a local TSC today just to see what they carried so it can help for what to use. They carry some earthborn lines, TSC line which is 4health that is the large breed formula as well as the other ones, canidae large breed formula, taste of the wild, diamond, nutro and hills. I know this forum is not a fan of taste of the wild or diamond products. I’ve read on calcium/ phosphorus percentages. Some have grain and chicken allergies just dependent on the dog. I’ve search for updated threads but most I find are 5 years old or older. I know there’s very knowledgeable people on here and I’m just asking for a bit of help and directions for what brands consider and large breed or regular adult formula, etc. thank you in advance!
 

Smokeycat

Well-Known Member
The only difference I've noticed between the large breed and regular is the size of the kibble pieces, I would go with regular for at least as long as the puppy is the size of a "normal" dog.
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
Welcome to the forum. If you aren't concerned with grain free, I know that 4Health salmon and potato used to have the proper calcium to phosphorus ratio for a puppy. I fed it to my girl until she was older. Do you have any brand preference or is there a cost consideration? There are so many foods to choose from that it may be easier to recommend one if the choice is smaller. Personally I don't have a huge problem with taste of the wild or diamond, but my area of the country didn't have any recalls. I do really like Earthborn foods, as well as Acana and Merrick, but my boy didn't care for any of those (he has megaesophagus and gastric motility disorder) and I wanted something all of my dogs could eat. I normally feed a Kirkland food for weight control now, but my Costco has been out. Currently I'm using ProPlan Focus or Savor because all of my dogs, and my daughter's dogs (they're living here for a while), do well on it. And she gets a professional discount, lol. That's a perk right now.

I did want to mention that I believe 4Health is produced by Diamond. The 4Health grain free food is manufactured by someone else. Or it used to be. Just something to consider if you're uncomfortable with Diamond.
 

Loverboy Skyline

Well-Known Member
I would go with either a large breed or all stages foods since both are low enough in calcium that you shouldn't run into abnormal bone growth problems. Personally, I rotate between Acana, Canidae, and Merrick. I tried Taste of the Wild Ancient Grains, and I think those are good formulas, but my Bullmastiff gets runny stools with them while my Shih Tzu does perfectly fine. I'm not that worried about grain-free, but if you are, they all have new grain inclusive formulas with no legumes.
 

Jburnisky

Member
Welcome to the forum. If you aren't concerned with grain free, I know that 4Health salmon and potato used to have the proper calcium to phosphorus ratio for a puppy. I fed it to my girl until she was older. Do you have any brand preference or is there a cost consideration? There are so many foods to choose from that it may be easier to recommend one if the choice is smaller. Personally I don't have a huge problem with taste of the wild or diamond, but my area of the country didn't have any recalls. I do really like Earthborn foods, as well as Acana and Merrick, but my boy didn't care for any of those (he has megaesophagus and gastric motility disorder) and I wanted something all of my dogs could eat. I normally feed a Kirkland food for weight control now, but my Costco has been out. Currently I'm using ProPlan Focus or Savor because all of my dogs, and my daughter's dogs (they're living here for a while), do well on it. And she gets a professional discount, lol. That's a perk right now.

I did want to mention that I believe 4Health is produced by Diamond. The 4Health grain free food is manufactured by someone else. Or it used to be. Just something to consider if you're uncomfortable with Diamond.

I’ve been looking at what my local tractor supply has just for ease of location. They have 4Health of course. Also looked at earthborn due to that being a food that I see always recommended. They only carry the meadows feast in that which has 32% protein in it. Some people say that is too much for a em pup. They also carry taste of the wild and diamond. I live in South Carolina so I will have to look up recall information. Then they also have canidae. But I’ve been leaning towards 4heath or earthborn just due to seeing a lot of people using those 2. Also I’ve attached a picture of him at 4 weeks old
 

Attachments

  • 8ECAB49E-43E2-4BEB-A1F8-BCC7B80EA36A.jpeg
    8ECAB49E-43E2-4BEB-A1F8-BCC7B80EA36A.jpeg
    1.7 MB · Views: 10

Loverboy Skyline

Well-Known Member
I’ve been looking at what my local tractor supply has just for ease of location. They have 4Health of course. Also looked at earthborn due to that being a food that I see always recommended. They only carry the meadows feast in that which has 32% protein in it. Some people say that is too much for a em pup. They also carry taste of the wild and diamond. I live in South Carolina so I will have to look up recall information. Then they also have canidae. But I’ve been leaning towards 4heath or earthborn just due to seeing a lot of people using those 2. Also I’ve attached a picture of him at 4 weeks old
If you want some unbiased reviews go to dogfoodadvisor.com . I think you are on the right track. All the foods you are considering are 4 stars or better and they don't contain by-products, corn, or soy. As for the protein content, my Bullmastiff tends to have softer stools with high amounts of meat, and that's why all the food I use has 28% protein or less. That's not true for all dogs. I suggest getting smaller bags of the ones you are considering and then figure out which ones work best.
 

TylerDurden

Well-Known Member
Does the breeder have a specific food they are using/recommending? They should have a good deal of experience in terms of what has worked best for their dogs. Not saying that you should be feeding the same thing, but might help to see what they suggest. I‘d agree that all the foods that you are listing are probably fine. You‘ll have to give it a try. Can really vary by individual dog.
 

Jburnisky

Member
Does the breeder have a specific food they are using/recommending? They should have a good deal of experience in terms of what has worked best for their dogs. Not saying that you should be feeding the same thing, but might help to see what they suggest. I‘d agree that all the foods that you are listing are probably fine. You‘ll have to give it a try. Can really vary by individual dog.

They have 3 em and the food that they give them is made by a feed store that is local to them and that’s all that they have ever used. They weren’t able to give a recommendation since that’s what they’ve used for years
 

Jburnisky

Member
If you want some unbiased reviews go to dogfoodadvisor.com . I think you are on the right track. All the foods you are considering are 4 stars or better and they don't contain by-products, corn, or soy. As for the protein content, my Bullmastiff tends to have softer stools with high amounts of meat, and that's why all the food I use has 28% protein or less. That's not true for all dogs. I suggest getting smaller bags of the ones you are considering and then figure out which ones work best.

I have spent a great amount of time on that site as well. Which that has helped me narrow my choices. That’s when I decided to post on here with people who focus on the nutrition of mastiffs for a opinion
 

Jburnisky

Member
Welcome to the forum. If you aren't concerned with grain free, I know that 4Health salmon and potato used to have the proper calcium to phosphorus ratio for a puppy. I fed it to my girl until she was older. Do you have any brand preference or is there a cost consideration? There are so many foods to choose from that it may be easier to recommend one if the choice is smaller. Personally I don't have a huge problem with taste of the wild or diamond, but my area of the country didn't have any recalls. I do really like Earthborn foods, as well as Acana and Merrick, but my boy didn't care for any of those (he has megaesophagus and gastric motility disorder) and I wanted something all of my dogs could eat. I normally feed a Kirkland food for weight control now, but my Costco has been out. Currently I'm using ProPlan Focus or Savor because all of my dogs, and my daughter's dogs (they're living here for a while), do well on it. And she gets a professional discount, lol. That's a perk right now.

I did want to mention that I believe 4Health is produced by Diamond. The 4Health grain free food is manufactured by someone else. Or it used to be. Just something to consider if you're uncomfortable with Diamond.


Just saw I said meadows feast. It’s actually Great Plains feast they carry that has the 32%. I read the review about diamond having the recall in 2012. But don’t see anything recent. So I may consider diamond food as well if there is any input on that for my new pup.
 

Loverboy Skyline

Well-Known Member
Just saw I said meadows feast. It’s actually Great Plains feast they carry that has the 32%. I read the review about diamond having the recall in 2012. But don’t see anything recent. So I may consider diamond food as well if there is any input on that for my new pup.
Personally, I like Diamond as a company. They are actually a very large pet food company. I think they are #5 behind Hills and above General Mills, and their revenue is in the billions. That means they have the resources to do testing and research and put money into quality control. Unlike big public companies like Nestle-Purina and Colgate-Hills, they don't spend tons of money on advertising and supporting vets and researchers so they can advertise for them and tilt the "science" in their favor. You pay for that when you buy Purina or Hills. When you buy Diamond you mostly pay for the product and what goes in it. They are family owned and they have always had a good reputation with breeders for selling quality food at reasonable prices. They make pet food for Costco, and that's actually one of the best ways to buy dog food if you really want to go the budget route. Costco's product is a lot like Diamond Naturals.

Having said that, the only Diamond product I bought lately is Taste of the Wild, which is their premium brand. I tried the Ancient Prairie and Ancient Wetlands. Unfortunately, my Bullmastiff's stools were too soft with both recipes. My Shih Tzu loved it and had no stool problems, so it depends on the dog. Maybe the protein content was too high or maybe it just lacked certain ingredients like Pumpkin or Squash that would help to regulate stool formation. Acana seems to be the best out of the foods I tried. My BM loves it, his stools are solid, and quality of ingredients is up there with the best.
 

Jburnisky

Member
Personally, I like Diamond as a company. They are actually a very large pet food company. I think they are #5 behind Hills and above General Mills, and their revenue is in the billions. That means they have the resources to do testing and research and put money into quality control. Unlike big public companies like Nestle-Purina and Colgate-Hills, they don't spend tons of money on advertising and supporting vets and researchers so they can advertise for them and tilt the "science" in their favor. You pay for that when you buy Purina or Hills. When you buy Diamond you mostly pay for the product and what goes in it. They are family owned and they have always had a good reputation with breeders for selling quality food at reasonable prices. They make pet food for Costco, and that's actually one of the best ways to buy dog food if you really want to go the budget route. Costco's product is a lot like Diamond Naturals.

Having said that, the only Diamond product I bought lately is Taste of the Wild, which is their premium brand. I tried the Ancient Prairie and Ancient Wetlands. Unfortunately, my Bullmastiff's stools were too soft with both recipes. My Shih Tzu loved it and had no stool problems, so it depends on the dog. Maybe the protein content was too high or maybe it just lacked certain ingredients like Pumpkin or Squash that would help to regulate stool formation. Acana seems to be the best out of the foods I tried. My BM loves it, his stools are solid, and quality of ingredients is up there with the best.


I looked into the Acana. But at around $70+ a bag and the store that carries it is 30 miles away I’m steering away from that. Guess it’s between diamond products, 4health like boxergirl mentioned or earthborn still. But from reading on diamond products so far and on here they make so much food under different names it’s crazy to me.
 

TylerDurden

Well-Known Member
Another thought on Diamond. For quite some time now, we‘ve been feeding the Kirkland (Costco) Lamb and Rice formula to our EM. As far as I know, Diamond produces that as well. The ingredients are a lot better than the price would suggest. It‘s around $30 for a 40lbs bag here in the area. We‘ve been through numerous brands over the last 2.5 years. Very picky eater and gets tired of whatever food we serve really quick. At some point, I just decided to give Kirkland a try (not much to lose). Ever since, he has liked it a lot. Again, based on the price you would probably expect to be getting a " Pedigree like" product, which I don‘t think is the case at all (would never feed that to any dog). Not even sure what he likes about it, but I cook all kinds of meats and add them as toppings (maybe a different story for a young puppy).
On the more expensive ones, I personally liked Fromm and Acana.
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
I'll go back to feeding Kirkland dog food when it's available again. My dogs all do very well on it. They have grain inclusive as well as grain free options. If you don't have access to Costco, the 4Health isn't a bad food at all. Some people complained of softer stools with it, but I never had that issue. I thought it was a good food for a good price. I had to switch when my Roy needed a food with a max of 6-8% fat for his gastric issues. No fault with the food itself.
 

Loverboy Skyline

Well-Known Member
I looked into the Acana. But at around $70+ a bag and the store that carries it is 30 miles away I’m steering away from that. Guess it’s between diamond products, 4health like boxergirl mentioned or earthborn still. But from reading on diamond products so far and on here they make so much food under different names it’s crazy to me.
I bought the Acana Wholesome Grains Poultry formula for $56 for a 22.5 pound bag at Petco, plus it goes towards my Petco Rewards rebates. Yes it's expensive but when I compare it to Orijen and Carnivora it's a bargain by comparison. I agree with other posters who mentioned Costco's product. If I had to keep it under a $1 a pound I'd go with Costco. It's like Diamond Naturals at a discount.
 

Gromitsmom

Member
I use taste of the wild (salmon) Grain free and also the Costco nature’s domain which is made by the same Company As Taste of the wild...like another member mentioned my em puppy got some runny stools with taste of the wild (it was the wet beef one) but I just put some pumpkin into his dry kibble and he was back to normal so now I make homemade “wet food” to go along with his kibble... I add some sort of grain into his food as his vet said because he has no allergies there’s no reason why He should be grain free which made sense so when I run out of these bags I’m going to buy the Taste of the wild with grains Or I’ve been looking into biljac...I’ve been looking into raw feeding but like kibble there’s a ton of opinions and advice and the vet he sees now isn’t really into raw feeding so I’m looking for one that doesn’t just dismiss it to decide if it’s what I’m going to do...talk to your vet and go with what you think Will be best for your baby...everyone is going to have a opinion grain free, with grain, don’t use “this” brand, this “brand” is the best
 

Jburnisky

Member
Thanks for all the replies and help. I decided to go the earthborn holistic route. Bought a bag of meadows feast today. Going to pick up the little guy on Monday.
 

Jburnisky

Member
So a new question here. My pup is fully on earthborn meadows feast now. He doesnt seem to be putting on weight. He only eats 2/3cups 3 times a day. He just seems full after that. His stools are firm like they should be and he has been dewormed etc. still has tons of energy to constantly want to play when he isn’t napping. Anyone have any advice for him to gain some weight? I’ve tried putting in more food but he still just eats about the same. When he stands. I can see 4th-5th rib as well as hip bones.
 

Loverboy Skyline

Well-Known Member
So a new question here. My pup is fully on earthborn meadows feast now. He doesnt seem to be putting on weight. He only eats 2/3cups 3 times a day. He just seems full after that. His stools are firm like they should be and he has been dewormed etc. still has tons of energy to constantly want to play when he isn’t napping. Anyone have any advice for him to gain some weight? I’ve tried putting in more food but he still just eats about the same. When he stands. I can see 4th-5th rib as well as hip bones.
Have you been weighing him? My BM grew at about 3 pounds a week. I would guess your EM should grow between 4-5 pounds a week. Personally I add stuff to his food. I heard vegetables prevent cancer so I always add some. I also add some kind of meat, not a lot, just enough to make it more appetizing. It can be scraps from dinner or half a can of sardines which I heard is very good for dogs because of the Omega 3's.