"Seems that people agree on carbs"... meaning we all agree dogs don't need them, right??
Smart_Family is the food guru around here, if you search her postings in the nutrition section of the forum, you should find lots of good info.
From what I've learned here... and from our own dogs (note - I'm not an expert, so take this mostly as opinion, and you'll be pretty accurate):
1. grain free is best
2. chicken free might be needed for mastiffs... chicken kibble allergies seems to run in the group
3. all-stages or adult kibble is as-good-as puppy food (or better, especially for mastiffs)
4. encouraging slow and steady growth while staying trim is highly recommended
5. do any food transitions slow to avoid GI upsets (i.e. runny poops)
6. dogs need meat based protein, high protein is not something you necessarily need to avoid
7. calcium should be around 1.2-1.5% with phosphorus about the same or a little less; too much calcium can lead to bone issues later in life
We decided to go RAW when Denna was 6 months old. I don't think I'll ever go back to kibble. Now that I have a system down (which did take a few months), it's easier than tracking down that last bag of "her" brand kibble in town... raw is also not subject to recalls, and I have complete control over ingredients, so I can rule out allergy issues easily.
We're using the "whole prey model" raw as our foundation. Many breeders do wean straight to a raw diet and puppies do well - as long as you follow the guidelines and get all the goodies in (meat, bone and organs). My vet did say she's seen nutrition issues with puppies growing up on "home prepared" meals, so be sure you find a good balanced menu plan that has everything the puppy needs.
Not sure if that makes it more clear, or just adds mud to your thought process...
Maybe if you have some specific questions, we could help?
Dec 4th is not too far away! Looking forward to seeing pictures of your new fur-kid!
