Breeders Requiring a Certain Diet?

[JustaLilBitaLuck]

Do you agree with breeders requiring that you keep the dog on a certain diet? Not just a in-general, high quality diet, but stating "You must feed this dog X brand of food" or "You must feed this dog a raw diet" - that sort of thing.

[NicoleLJ]

Personally I don't agree with it. Some brands you can not get in certian areas, others might not have the time to do raw or home made type foods. When I wrote up my contract I requested they keep the dogs on a high quality food. Then in their puppy manuals I included a link to the food analysis web site so that they could see the foods rating and pick something in their price range and that they could get in their areas. I did provide a weeks worth of food as well.

[Zoom]

On one hand, I don't like the idea of someone telling me what to feed, but on the other, if the breeder has done the research into putting together a quality diet for their dogs, they don't want their breeding results skewed by someone feeding Ol' Roy and then complaining that their dog is unhealthy.

[~Jessie~]

When I've fostered dogs and interviewed potential owners, I've always asked what they planned on using for food. I always adopt dogs out with at least a 6lb bag of food, and explain to them why they should continue to keep the dog on a high quality food.

If they grumble and say "well, I was planning on feeding Beneful/Pedigree/wood pellets/etc," I try to educate them on why it's healthier to feed a better food. If they don't listen or care, well, no dog for you! I don't care if you're feeding the most expensive food on the market... BUT if I'm adopting a dog out to you, you'd better be feeding something nutritious, whether it's Kirkland or Diamond Naturals or Taste of the Wild or raw, etc.

I think it's silly when a breeder says "you need to feed THIS food. Oh yeah, and I'm the only supplier in the state and you must order from me otherwise your health contract is void. And who cares if the first ingredient is corn. You MUST feed this," etc.

However, I think it's completely reasonable for a breeder to expect their puppy buyer to feed a high quality diet. I would never sell a puppy to someone who planned on feeding Ol' Roy.

[mom2dogs]

I don't "agree" or "disagree" with it. Most of the breeders I have met who require owners to feed what they do, is because the majority of those looking to purchase one of their dogs do not know the difference between good food and bad. A lot of the times, if you explain why you would rather feed "x" instead of "y" and it is similar quality, they bend. Except those who feed raw and want their puppies on raw as well.

I require a good, healthy diet, but could never imagine requiring only one food, since I rotate/feed occasional raw meals/etc. Would get too complicated Besides, its ever changing, I use to recommend Natura products and now hesitant to feed it to my own dogs now. So to me, it's better to educate so they know what to look for. But it's ultimately the breeders choice, and I'm not about to slam one for protecting their dogs.

[darkchild16]

I wouldnt sign a contract with a breeder requiring that. You never know whats going to happen in the future. Right now we sometimes struggle feeding Kirklands but with Jeremys new job we can afford the GF from Costco which is 30 for a 35 pound bag. We couldnt afford to feed all our dogs TOTW or any thing like that. Walker when it was just him I could but now that we have others its not as feasible. Heck mine have had to be on junk food for a while because that was all that was available at less then 50 dollars a bag.

[corgipower]

This kinda reminds me of the recent thread on whether or not a dog should be rehomed because the owner could only afford a garbage food...

If I were selling someone a puppy, I'd educate on healthy diet, but I wouldn't rule out a responsible, loving home that will socialize, train, provide vet care and be a lifelong owner just because I disagree with their choice of food. I might nullify parts of a health contract, depending on whether or not food plays a part, but what someone feeds won't change the dog's genetics, and at least most illnesses covered in a health contract are for hereditary stuff.

On the buyer side of things, I once found a breeder I liked...until I got to the part about requiring the dogs to be fed Pedigree. I couldn't feed Nature's Variety instead. I went elsewhere for a pup.

[Linds]

Is it morally right or wrong? Well that's not for me to decide.

But, would I buy from a breeder that stipulated what food I was to feed, even if it was the food I had planned on feeding to the dog? Not a chance.

[SailenAero]

I think it's good to take into consideration their opinions and it is def. Good to slowly ween a dog off their diet before you start them on something new, but, for example, our breeder gave us recommendations for feeding but we ultimately chose a grain free high protein and mostly raw diet for Aero and I would never go back. But I do think that it is good for the breeders to at least inform their buyers on food choices. Some people, especially new dog owners, may not know much about feeding a particular breed. I don't think you should have to sign a co tract or anything for a specified diet unless you are possibly co-owning a dog.

[Gypsydals]

I have, did and will again purchase a dog from a breeder that wants/requires/expects you to feed a certain quality of food. Now she didn't say I had to feed XXX brand, but she did give a list in a variety of prices ranges and availability that was acceptable to feed. Quite a few of those where also available through her, but as a puppy buyer I also got a good discount by purchasing the food through them.