Best food for a Mastiff?

[Renee750il]

Dekka, I've always wondered about that myself . . . and figured that if you give them plenty of nutrients for bone growth it's not a real issue. Protein/amino acids are the cellular building blocks, so having a good supply on hand always made good sense to me.

I know I started mine on EVO way before most would have.

[TheGoldenRetriever]

Originally Posted by Renee750il

Oh, and throw some good yogurt in his bowl. Buttermilk is good if he likes it, too.

^^^ Thought this tip deserved repeating so it doesn't get lost in the thread shuffle.

Cheyenne developed something of a sensitive stomach when she became geriatric ... no intestinal gas but lots of belching and a little barfing/spitting-up. Our holistic vet suggested good plain yogurt ... the kind with active cultures ... along with a little acidophilus powder.

Problem solved, no more sensitive tummy ... and no nasty drug side-effects either.

[ihartgonzo]

Originally Posted by Dekka

I DO know of large breed people feeding raw diets and their dogs are just fine. (and Raw by dry weight is at LEAST 45% protein.. even if you are throwing in fruits and veggies)

I've always thought that raw was 20-30% protein, and that the moisture and bone and fat accounted for the rest. Hmmmm.

I know of large breed people who feed raw to puppies, too. One Dane breeder in particular, who has great dogs.

[xpaeanx]

I thought I remember reading somewhere that large breed dogs actually grow slower on raw?????? I may not be remembering that right... but I think that's it.

It might have been in one of my books... I'll check when I get home....

[xpaeanx]

I found this diet for feeding puppies raw(which includes large breeds)... but I can't find anything that says the differences....

http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/puppy-raw-diet/

[xpaeanx]

Ok, so I found where it says that the dogs grow slowly. She was referring to their diet(called the natural diet), which includes raw meat.

"Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog: Volume II" by Wendy Volhard and Kerry Brown, D.V.M

Page 21

"Dogs are able to digest and utilize the Natural Diet well, and stool volume is less than 25% of food intake. Young dogs raised on the natural Diet grow more slowly than dogs raised on commercial food, which means fewer musculoskeletal problems. overall vitality and energy are unequaled and, most important of all, the dogs love it."

[Dekka]

Originally Posted by ihartgonzo

I've always thought that raw was 20-30% protein, and that the moisture and bone and fat accounted for the rest. Hmmmm.

I know of large breed people who feed raw to puppies, too. One Dane breeder in particular, who has great dogs.

Dogs drink more water on kibble. To compare you need to think dry weight. Raw diets are about 50% protein by DRY weight. Yes you are right went you add in the water. But if you feed a cup of high quality grain free kibble you will need to feed more than a cup of raw. Volume wise dogs eat less on kibble, but then have to drink more.