Mastiff Puppy 13 week, Need Help! Feeding Him

[Tadt]

Good Morning, I pick up my pup tomorrow.  I have read in this forum that Sience diet is not a good food. I have purchased a 50 bag to feed my puppy.  I will be weining him off the brand the breeder has been using as it is full of fillers.  Why is this not a good dog food, and what should I use to ensure slow growth, and good health!?  He is beautiful, healthy and I want to ensure he stays this way.  Also, I would like to know what treats would be best for him.

[Misfits4Me]

First, this thread is old & the original poster is probably not following any longer....Please, post questions as new ones, thanks.....buttkiss2, This info. is for you: This is from Dogfoodscoop.com....This will help you narrow your search...Good luck with your new puppy.....Karla

Here, you will find our Bad Dog Food List. These commercial dog food brands are, in our opinion, the worst dog foods on the market!

We give them a disgusted 0 Scoops!

Our personal recommendation is that you take a good look at these dog food names and memorize them.

Now!  Tuck your tail between your legs and run for the hills!

These dog foods contain the worst dog food ingredients you will find! They are comprised mainly of by-products; carcinogenic flavors and preservatives; cheap, unhealthy fillers, and ... Heaven only knows what else!

In addition, we have no respect for the philosophy of these pet food companies. In our opinion, they are clearly dedicated to their bottom line with a total disregard for the health and well-being of our beloved furry companions.

They are truly a far cry from the best dog foods available!

It is highly unlikely that any of these awful supermarket brands on our list of Bad Dog Foods will be carried or recommended by any respectable, independent dog food store.


Worst Dog Food Rating - Zero Scoops!

0 SCOOPS

THE VERY WORST DOG FOODS ON THE MARKET

    Abady Dog Food
    Alpo Dog Food
    Beneful Dog Food
    Bil Jac Dog Food
    Diamond Dog Food (Plain, Regular Formula)
    Good Life Recipe
    Iams Dog Food
    Kasco Dog Food
    Kibbles 'n Bits Dog Food
    Ol' Roy Dog Food
    Pedigree Dog Food
    Purina Pro Plan Dog Food
    Purina One Dog Food
    Science Diet Dog Food
    Tuffy's Dog Food


Here's a list for the BEST :

Here's our 5 Scoop list of the best dog foods ranked!

We consider these among the best commercial dog food brands on the market.

Dog giving thumbs up to 10 best dog food brands

We found that not only are these the top recommended dog food brands by experts and dog nutritionists -- but they also appear consistently as the best rated dog food brands on various consumer reports on dog food.

So! What do the top recommended dog food brands all have in common? In a nutshell, the following:-
  All natural, human grade dog food ingredients.
  Hormone and antibiotic free dog food ingredients.
  No by-products whatsoever.
  They offer a high protein dog food choice.  
  Quality grains and no cheap and nasty fillers.
Void of harmful chemicals, preservatives or additives.

Ready! In alphabetical order, here's our pick of the best rated dog food brands on the market ...

Best Dog Foods Ranked 5 Scoops

    Acana Dog Food
    Addiction Dog Food
    Artemis Dog Food
    Back to Basics Dog Food
    BLUE Dog Food
    BLUE Organics
    BLUE Wilderness
    Dog Whisperer - Cesar Milan Dog Food
    Eagle Pack Dog Food
    Evangers Dog Food
    Fromm Dog Food
    GO Natural Dog Food
    Holistic Blend
    Honest Kitchen Dog Food
    Horizon Legacy Dog Food
    Mulligan Stew
    Nature's Variety Instinct Dog Food
    Merrick Dog Food
    **** Van Patten - Natural Balance Dog Food
    Nature's Logic
    NOW
    ORGANIX (Castor and Pollux)
    Orijen Dog Food
    Party Animal (Canned Only)
    Nature's Variety Prairie
    Solid Gold Dog Food
    Taste of the Wild Dog Food
    Timberwolf Dog Food
    Wellness Dog Food
    Weruva Dog Food (Canned Dog Food Only)
    Wysong Dog Food
    ZiwiPeak Dog Food

[HONEYDOODLE]

Hi Tadt,
First off when you pick up your puppy you should talk with the breeder and find out what they are feeding your puppy. They should give you a days worth of food, or tell you what they are feeding so you can purchase it. Before you go switching your puppies brand of food you need to do it very very slowly, first few days add about 1/3 cup of the new with what the breeder gives you/ or you purchase and than increase it to the amount you should be feeding. Mastiff's are very very large breed dog's and need a well balanced diet. You might also want to consider giving your dog a tablespoon of yogurt, cottage cheese with calcium, over there food..but do this in moderation with a puppy, you don't want the pup to get diarehha.  This gives your puppy extra growing vitamins and helps their stomach. The first and only dog food I know of that has never had a RECALL... and what I use for all my dogs is FROMM, it is the best food on the market, you can research it on line. They also make a fantastic Puppy food for large breed dog's. It even beats out the Two other top dog food's, Blue Buffalo and Wellness, they also have had recalls. You can research dog food and treat recalls on line. As for Glucosamine and Chondroitin, you want to wait before you would give a puppy a high dosage of it as stated above. If you get the 1500mg Glucosamine and 1200mg Chondroitin break it in half and half in half till your puppy is 3 to 4 month old...at 4 months I give a half tablet to my Mastiff/Rottie mix and will increase her to a full tablet at 1 year of age.  I have two Golden Doodles, 1 - American Bull Dog, and 1 - Mastiff / Rottie mix puppy. I do know FROMM has never, ever been recalled. You would never know my Golden Doodle is 5, still plays like a puppy and very active. ALL OTHER DOG FOODS HAVE HAD RECALL'S, stay away from them. Neutro is one of the worst foods you can feed, has been recalled alot. The reason's for the recall's is the Chicken in them is NO GOOD, causes salmonella and can kill your dog. Also you need to research dog treats that have been recalled. My dogs never get anything I can't make for them. This is the only way I avoid all problems with food and treat's. Numerous dogs across the country have lost their lives from dog food poisoning. Crate Training is the best, First purchase a LARGE open wire crate for your puppy. It should come with a partition you can put in it and make it half the size. Don't give your puppy full crate cause it will pee in it. Also do not put in blankets, food, water, toys..etc...Crates are a dogs den. They learn to respect the crate and as they get older and do not have accidents than you can add the blanket and toys, but for a puppy I just put in a shirt that I take with me to the breeder and let it's litter mates play with for a while and the Mom I rub it all over her to get her scent. When puppy cries, the smell the scent of the shirt and it comforts them. I also keep the crate right next to my bed so if needed they know you are there, easier to get up 4xs a night and take your puppy out. Come right back in and put your puppy right back to bed. My Mastiff mixed never peed or whined in the crate..she slept through all night, so wishing you the best of luck. Also if you work or go out..never leave the puppy unattended, always put them in their crate with NO COLLAR on. Some dogs have hung themselves in crates because their collars have gotten caught and they couldn't break free. NEVER put a dog in a crate with a Chain collar on them, they will hang themselves if the chain get's caught. Listed below is a list of dog foods recalled since 2009....if your not sure always google and research, check out dog treats that have been recalled before you decide what your gonna use..I use hot dogs chopped up and bacon. Congrat's on your new puppy and hope this has been very usefull and educating for you, Denise - aka HoneyDoodle
Dog Products
    ALPO
    AMERICAS CHOICE
    ARROWBRAND 21% Dog Chunks
    ARROWBRAND Professional Formula Dog Food
    ARROWBRAND Super Proeaux Dog Food
    AUTHORITY
    AWARD
    American Bullie
    American Nutrition
    BEST CHOICE
    BIG BET
    BIG RED
    BLOOM
    BLUE BUFFALO
    Beef Hooves
    Beefeaters
    Berkley & Jensen
    Bil-Jac
    Blue Buffalo
    Blue Wilderness
    Bravo
    CADILLAC
    COMPANION
    Canine Caviar
    Champion
    Country Value
    DEMOULAS MARKET BASKET
    DIAMOND
    DINGO
    DOCTORS FOSTER & SMITH
    DOG POWER(R) BRAND DOG FOOD, ADULT MAINTENANCE FORMULA 21-12
    DOG POWER(R) BRAND DOG FOOD, HI-PRO PERFORMANCE FORMULA 26-18
    DOG POWER(R) BRAND DOG FOOD, HUNTERS FORMULA 27-14
    Dentley's Beef Hooves
    Dentley's Knucle Steaks
    Diamond
    **** Van Patten's Natural Balance Venison
    Digger's
    Disney
    Dog Treats
    Dog treats
    Dollar General
    EUKANUBA
    Eukanuba
    FOOD LION
    GIANT COMPANION
    GRREAT CHOICE
    Good Buddy
    Grandpa Louie's Dog Treats
    Gravy Train
    HILL COUNTRY FARE
    HY-VEE
    Happy Tails
    Harmony Farms
    Hartz Naturals
    Hill Country Fare
    IAMS
    Iams
    Iams Veterinary Formulat
    Integrity
    Jerky Treats
    Jones
    KASCO
    Kirkland Signature Premium
    Kroger
    LAURA LYNN
    LOVING MEALS
    MEIJER MAIN CHOICE
    MIGHTY DOG
    MIXABLES
    Marksman
    Merrick
    Merrick Beef Filet Squares
    Merrick Beef Filet Squares Dog Treats
    Merrick Beef Filet Squares and Merrick Texas Hold 'Ems
    Merrick Junior Texas Taffy
    Merrick TEXAS HOLD "EMS
    Mill Creek Premium
    Mulligan Stew
    NATURAL BALANCE
    NATURAL LIFE
    NUTRIPLAN
    NUTRO
    NUTRO MAX
    NUTRO NATURAL CHOICE
    NUTRO ULTRA
    Natural Balance
    Natural Way
    Next Generation Pet Products
    Northwest Royal
    Nurture
    Nutra Nugget
    NutraGold
    OL ROY CANADA
    OL ROY US
    Ol' Roy
    PAWS
    PET ESSENTIALS
    PET PRIDE
    PETRUS FEEDS, 21% Dog Food
    PRESIDENT'S CHOICE
    PRICE CHOPPER
    PRIORITY CANADA
    PRIORITY US
    PUBLIX
    Pedigree
    Pedigree
    Perfect Pals
    Pet Life
    Pig Ears for Pet Treats
    Planet Dog Eats
    Pork Chomps
    Premium Natural
    Premium Smarty
    Professional
    ROCHE BROTHERS
    River Run
    Royal Canin
    SAVE-A-LOT
    SCHNUCKS
    SHEP
    SHEP DOG
    SHOP RITE
    SPRINGFIELD PRIZE
    SPROUT
    STATER BROTHERS
    STOP & SHOP COMPANION
    Safe-Guard
    Sensible Choice
    SmartPak
    Solid Gold WolfKing
    Springfield Prize
    Timberwolf Organics, Drug Kibble, Dakota Bison Formual
    Timberwolf Organics, Dry Kibble, Ocean Blue
    WEGMANS BRUISER
    WEIS TOTAL PET
    WESTERN FAMILY US
    WHITE ROSE
    WINN DIXIE
    Wellness
    Western Family
    Wysong Maintenance Canine Diet packaged
    Wysong Senior Canine Diet
    Wysong Synorgon Canine Diet
    Yeaster
    Yourpet
    

Dog, Cat Products
    AUTHORITY
    AWARD
    BEST CHOICE
    CO-OP GOLD
    COMPLIMENTS
    HEALTH DIET GOURMET CUISINE
    HILL COUNTRY FARE
    HY-VEE
    LA GRIFFE
    MASTER CHOICE
    NATURAL LIFE
    NUPET
    OL ROY CANADA
    PERFORMATRIN ULTRA
    PET PRIDE
    PRESIDENT'S CHOICE
    PRIORITY
    SCHNUCKS
    SPRINGFIELD PRIZE
    STATER BROTHERS
    TRIUMPH
    TRULY
    WESTERN FAMILY

[buttkiss2]

we have a new puppy, english mastiff,  named buttkiss, after the late pitbull butkiss  the best dog i ever had,  now this mastiff has changed our lifes,  never have i ever met a smarter puppy.  and holy cow, funnyer then hell.  this puppy keeps surprizing me every day.  i changed what the breeder feed her cuz i could not find it for sale anywhere.  so i changed her to biljack,  i was told she would not get the runs with this new food.  and she seems to like it very well, butttttttttt. i dont know if it is the right food to feed her.  i want the best for her, and after i found out that the breed only lives 6 to 10 years,  i want her to live forever.  i read all the comments. and still have not been able to narrow down what i should feed her.  so many recomondations.  but cant deside.  i guess im just looking for the best for her, but there are so many choices.  so im comfused

[Tadt]

Happy to report Apollo Luna now enjoys his crate!  Your tips helped and I thank you all.  I leave the door open most of the time and he goes in and out at will.  When I have to crate him for his safety he cries for a couple of seconds and then lays down.  All is well.  We have taught him to sit, come, stay, shake, he listens to everything.  He met two of my grandchildren on Sunday, at first he was scared of them and hid his head under my arm. I put my grandbabies on my lap and hugged them.  After a few minutes Apollo came over, smelled them, licked their hands and they became fast friends.  Will post pics soon.  He is the best puppy I have ever met!  So happy he is in my life! My son has bonded with him and is now progressing in his recovery faster and with a lighter heart!  I have a new miracle in my life a puppy name Apollo Luna!  

[el_em_en_oh]

I have a female, 215lb brindle English Mastiff (check out my profile if you want to see pictures of her).

I've been feeding her NEUTRO NATURAL CHOICE since day 1 (when she was 5-weeks old).

It has both Glucosamine and Chondroitin built into it, which promotes bone and joint strength.

I also supplement with 1500mg Glucosamine~Chondroitin pills (available at Kroger, Randall's, CVS, Walgreens, etc), once a day. I just put it in her food and she chomps it down along with her meal.

Also, Fish Oil... a very important part of a dogs diet. Helps maintain not only a healthy coat, but it also bolsters their immune systems.

Good luck with your puppy.

[Jaybay]

Hard as it is to resist, you have to ignore your puppy's cries when he is in the crate.  If you give him attention while he is stressed and anxious, that only reinforces his belief that there really IS something to be stressed and anxious about.  It's the same thing as "babying" a dog who is scared of loud noises like thunder.  You end up creating the very behavior you want to fix.  

The crate should be a safe place for a dog to relax and chill out.  It's the place from where all blessings flow.  LOL!  You can start by using treats as a lure to get your pup to go inside.  Don't slam the door the second he gets in, but use another treat to lure him into a down position.  Keep yourself calm, keep chatter to minimum and wait for you dog to calm himself.  When he's in the calm state of mind you want, give him a pet and close the door.  Say nothing and then leave the room for a few minutes.  Gradually increase your time away.  

When you return, calmly open the door and go about your business.  No talk, no touch and no eye contact until he's in a calm, non-excited state of mind.  The reason you need to be calm is so that your dog associates the crate with calm rather than excitement.  

A good time to work on associating the crate with something positive is at meal times.  Feed your dog in the crate with the door closed and calmly release him when he's through.

Crate time should be limited to 8 to 10 hours in a 24-hour period.  If he has to be crated during the day, try to make different arrangements at night.  I used one room in the house for daytime hours and blocked it off with a baby gate.  We used a portable baby crib for our first puppy and it worked out beautifully.  We put a cushion on one end and papers on the other which resulted in a quickly paper-trained pup with no conscious thought of training him.   Pure luck!

Another trick that can help with separation anxiety is to place a soft article of clothing in the crate that you've recently worn.  Having your scent nearby can help him stay calm and secure.  Most important for dogs who spend their days crated is exercise.  A good walk before breakfast and a quick bathroom trip before you leave for the day works with Mother Nature.  Dogs' DNA tells them to walk, search for food, eat and then sleep.  The more you can mimic that trait the better off you'll both be.  After being walked and fed, your dog will be ready for a nap and what better place than a comfy crate that smells like you?  :-)

[grendslori]

I was just reading about the crate isuues. NEVER use a crate as a discipline; your puppy will end up hating a crate. He is going to cry when you leave him in there because he wants to be with someone all of the time and it is natural for him to cry; it is his way of having 'mom' come to his aid. Sleep in your bed and not with your puppy as this may lead into a bad behaviour on his part called seperation anxiety. You don't want to encourage him into that problem! He'll cry for the first few nights until he learns to settle himself down. take care

[grendslori]

We raise and show Great Pyrenees and we have learned quite a bit about dog foods, the good and the bad. We used to feed a large breed puppy food make by Eukanuba; big mistake! the food is designed to not put too much weight on the gowing puppy's joints. the problem was by the time the puppies reached about 8-10 months, they were as thin as rails and looked horrible. Same thing happened to a friend of ours who raised Saints. If you can afford to feed your dog a GOOD  dog food go with a holistic food that SAYS it's holistic right on the packaging. The reason for that is because it is FDA regulated. Many years ago the elderly were buying canned dog food to eat themselves and the government stepped in and told the dog food producing companies that they had to start making food that could not be consumed by humans. As a result you now have everything from sawdust, road kill, euthanized animals, leather, birds feet and bills, feathers and the list goes on and on, put into the dog foods that are being sold at the local stores. The ONLY foods that do not contain these ingediences are HOLISTIC foods; people can even eat those foods.

[deadgamegrrl]

I used the crate for when I couldn't keep my eye on them (like in the shower lol).  Never use for a time out/discipline as you want the whole thing to be happy for the pup.  I would try putting the pup in the crate with a toy when you can stay right in the room in his sight. Even for just 5 minutes at a time. This should help reassure him that everything is ok.

~~ dgg

[Tadt]

We will try that, right now he cries when we crate him. He doesn't like being alone at all. This morning when I got in the shower I had to talk to him so he wouldn't cry.  He was to scared to enter the bathroom and stood just outside the door.  He was so happy when I got out and was able to play with him again.  Did you use the crate for time outs when your puppies misbehaved?

[deadgamegrrl]

Try making the crate a really happy experience.  Maybe by giving a special toy stuffed with a few treats that he only gets then.  And give a small treat every time he goes in on his own.  My three sometimes slide and hit the back of their crates they are trying to get in so fast just for a tiny treat!  And one of mine will take any new  toy or bone into her crate even when the door is open just because she feels like it is 'her place' and she can enjoy peace.

Good luck!

~~ dgg

[Tadt]

Apollo Luna, my new puppy doesn't like the crate.  We only have to put him in it when we are both away for home for his own safety.  Any suggestion as to how to get him to like it a bit better?  He is wonderful, no accidents in our home, he listens to everything we tell him.  He is so gentle and kind and Loveable!  He amazes me all the time! No problems switching him over to his new food!  He wakes me up in the morning to go out.  He is sleeping beside me on a orthopedic cushion which he Loves!  I have been sleeping on the couch so he has company!  Best puppy Ever!  

[Misfits4Me]

Great Job!  And good for you to be concerned about your new guy's nutrition!!!

Enjoy your new companion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Karla

[Tadt]

Hi I purchased a holistic puppy food for large breed puppies.  I am changing his over slowly to this food.  He is a great puppy!  He is scared to walk though my house, or go outside, hope he gets used to that before he get much bigger ~ He's heavy!  No accidents in the house, he listens very well to down, come, no (chewing the coffee table), and he is so loving!  Best choice in a puppy EVER!  He barked at the broom and made me laugh. Happy puppy, Sad I have to go to work today.  Thanks for the advice on the food!

[Ldion]

Congrats on your Puppy! I have a English Mastiff who is simply the best Dog I have eve had. They give so much joy and love! Love em while they are little, its doesnt last long.lol

Lisa

[Tadt]

Thank you, I will be returning the food to the pet store and buying something else.  Did not even know it was Hills, your help was appreciated.  

[Misfits4Me]

Good morning & Welcome......Science Diet Foods are some the very worst foods on the market! I can't image what the breeder is feeding if you think it's full of fillers....

Here's some resources to check out different foods: The worst to the best....

DogfoodAnalysis.com
DogfoodChat.com
DogfoodAdvisor.com
411-for-dogs.com
Petfoodratings.net
Dogfoodscoop.com

The below insert is from Dogfood Advisor:

Currently, the Hill’s Science Diet Puppy product line lists five dry dog foods.

Although each formulation appears to be designed for puppies, we found no AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements for these dog foods on the Hill’s Science Diet website.

■Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Lamb Meal and Rice Large Breed
■Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Healthy Development Original
■Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Lamb Meal and Rice
■Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Large Breed
■Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Small Bites
Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Small Bites dry dog food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.

Hill's Science Diet Puppy Small Bites
Dry Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Ground whole grain corn, chicken by-product meal, animal fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), liver flavor, flaxseed, soybean oil, powdered cellulose, dried beet pulp, fish oil, corn gluten meal, dicalcium phosphate, dried egg product, iodized salt, dl-methionine, potassium chloride, choline chloride, natural flavor, vitamins (l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), vitamin E supplement, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement), vitamin E supplement, minerals (manganese sulfate, ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), l-tryptophan, preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid, l-carnitine, phosphoric acid, beta-carotene, rosemary extract

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.6%


The first ingredient in this dog food is corn. Now, contrary to what you may have heard, corn isn’t necessarily a bad ingredient.

On the other hand, although there’s no way to know for sure here, the corn used in making many pet foods can be similar to the kind used to make feed for livestock.

And that can sometimes be problematic.

What’s more, corn is commonly linked to canine food allergies1.

For these reasons, we rarely consider corn a preferred component in any dog food.

The second item lists chicken by-product meal… a dry rendered product of slaughterhouse waste. It’s made from what’s left of a slaughtered chicken after all the prime cuts have been removed.

In a nutshell, chicken by-products are those unsavory leftovers usually considered “unfit for human consumption”.

This stuff can contain almost anything… feet, beaks, undeveloped eggs… you name it.

On the brighter side, by-product meals are meat concentrates and contain nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

The third item lists animal fat. Animal fat is a generic by-product of rendering… the same high-temperature process used to make meat meals.

Since there’s no mention of a specific animal, this item could come from almost anywhere… restaurant grease, slaughterhouse waste, diseased cattle… even euthanized pets.

We do not consider generic animal fat a quality ingredient.

After liver flavor, we find flaxseed… one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Flax seeds are rich in soluble fiber.

However, we find it unusual to see flaxseed here in its whole seed form. Whole flax seeds are almost impossible to digest (at least for us humans) unless they are first ground to a usable powder before they are consumed.

The sixth ingredient is soybean oil… red flagged here only due to its suspected (yet unlikely) link to canine food allergies.

The seventh ingredient is powdered cellulose… a non-digestible plant fiber usually made from cotton or sawdust.

Cellulose is sometimes added to dilute the number of calories per serving and to give the feeling of fullness when it is eaten.

Except for the usual benefits of fiber, powdered cellulose provides no nutritional value to a dog.

The eighth item lists dried beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient… a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing.

Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health and blood sugar benefits.

We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most dog foods is entirely acceptable.

The ninth ingredient is fish oil. Fish oil is naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids… and (depending on the level of its purity) should be considered a healthy addition.

The tenth item is corn gluten meal. Gluten is the rubbery residue remaining once corn has had most of its starchy carbohydrate (the good stuff) washed out of it.

Compared to meat, glutens are inferior grain-based proteins low in many of the essential amino acids dogs need to sustain life.

This inexpensive plant-based ingredient can significantly boost the total protein content reported in this dog food.

From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.

But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to have much of an effect on the overall rating of this product.

With two notable exceptions…

First, we find no evidence of probiotics… friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.

Finally, the minerals here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Non-chelated minerals are usually associated with lower quality dog foods.

Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Dry Dog Food
The Bottom Line

Judging by its ingredients alone, Hill’s Science Diet Puppy appears to be a below-average dry dog food.

But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 32%, a fat level of 23% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 37%.

As a group, the puppy line features an average protein content of 32% and an average fat level of 20%. Jointly, these figures suggest a carbohydrate serving size of 40% for the overall product line.

Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And low carbs… when compared to a typical dry dog food.

Yet when you allow for the protein-boosting effect of the corn gluten meal, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing only a moderate amount of meat.

What’s more, it’s difficult to ignore the presence of so many Red Flag ingredients.

Bottom line?

Hill’s Science Diet Puppy is a grain-based dry dog food using a moderate amount of chicken by-product or lamb meals as its main sources of animal protein…Not recommended.

Good luck & I hope this helps you out.........Karla