TOTW + Canidae?

[mojo-rizin]

Is TOTW too high in protein/low in calories for a toy and mini poodle that have medium activity?

What about an 8 month old Standard Poodle puppy? I can't feed raw, and I would like to switch from Canidae to a grain free or even mix Canidae and TOTW. What do you guys think?

Also, I've been giving them bison bones (can't remember who makes them, but they are in the same case as the NV raw medallions) as treats occasionally. Would it be helpful to give these in addition to their kibble every week or so?

Which is technically "better for them"?

 

[mjb]

I can't answer your question, but I've been trying to research foods and am planning to switch my dog's food, too. He needs to lose weight and has been on a low-quality prescription food for weight-loss. I'm going to switch to a good food and just work on feeding him the right amount and few and low-fat treats.

My question to you is what does TOTW stand for? I can't seem to place that abbreviation for any of the foods I've looked at.

 

[showpug]

MJB- It stands for Taste of the Wild
http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/

OP- Honestly, toy and miniature breeds need more protein and fat because they have a faster metabolism and burn energy faster than larger dogs. TOTW would be a good choice to try IMO. My toys do fabulous on it. In fact, they do better on TOTW then they have anything else.

As far as your standard poodle, how much will the dog weigh at maturity. If your standard will weigh 50 lbs. or less at maturity then TOTW should be just fine. And even if your standard will weigh more than 50 lbs at maturity, the TOTW fish (pacific stream)formula would be just fine.

I have had great success with this food and highly recommend it, but not all foods are right for all dogs.

 

[mojo-rizin]

So my standard (he's 57 lbs now) AND my little guys should all be fine on TOTW (pacific stream) fish?

I am thinking I will make the switch. Are the bone supplements a good addition to this food, or should I just leave them as occasional treats?

 

[showpug]

So my standard (he's 57 lbs now) AND my little guys should all be fine on TOTW (pacific stream) fish?

I am thinking I will make the switch. Are the bone supplements a good addition to this food, or should I just leave them as occasional treats?

Yes, they all could eat the pacific stream IMO.

I am not familiar with the bone supplements? Are they raw meaty bones? If they are, they can be a beneficial addition to any diet.

 

[LoveNewfies]

At 8 months old, your Poodle should be fine on TOTW. Your pup should be beyond the age that calcium absorption is not regulated naturally by the body, but, that's no guarantee. Would you say the pup is at 80% or so of the estimated adult size? Has your Poodle reached sexual maturity? The reason I ask these is it is believed that after a dog reaches sexual maturity, although it seems to vary by breed/size and some studies suggest the 10 month point, their bodies are able to regulate the amount of calcium absorbed, therefore, reducing the risk of orthopedic issues due to too much calcium in the diet.

That being said, I do not have the complete analysis on any of the TOTW formulas here so I don't know if the calcium levels are appropriate for a growing pup or not. But, quite typically, grain free formulas are quite high in calcium, quite high in minerals in general, and that can be detrimental to the long term orthopedic health of a dog.

For a growing pup, as long as you stay somewhere in the 2,000-4,500 mg range (preferably somewhere in the middle) of calcium per 1000 calories consumed, you should be OK.