How much protein should a puppy have? - Page 1

I'm really confused in all my research of dog food!  How much protein is appropriate for my 7 month old puppy.  I've read so much conflicting information:  give high protein, give low protein it better for growing bones, don't give large breed, give large breed.  I took my puppy to the vet yesterday because she was limping, the vet said probably pulled a muscle nothing serious.  But then I got to looking at how much protein should I be giving her since she's growing so fast so I figured I would ask you experienced gs owners.  I see a lot of people fed TOTW, since they don't have a puppy food is it okay to give it to a puppy?  Should she be on a large breed puppy formula like Wellness Supermix5 for puppies?  What is a good protein level for her right now?

Hi Missey -- I, too, am trying to sift through all the conflicting information on the various sites/forums.   My puppy will be 4 months next week.   He has been on Orijen Puppy (but not the Large Breed formula).   Just this week, I started mixing the Puppy Formula with the Adult Orijen.   My vet, too, said he should be switched over to an Adult food about now.  However, I do "add" things to his food to give him some variety.  I have mixed in raw egg yolk.  I mix in a little bit of Wellness 95% beef with the dry food.  He gets Salmon Oil each day (on one meal only).  I give him a stick of String Cheese each day.   I had tried the cottage cheese -- but it was giving him loose stools.   So, I feel your confusion in this.   I don't know if I am feeding him correctly or not.   He looks fine, gaining weight nicely, but not too much.  His coat is very shiny.

Are you puppy's ear up.  Mine has one that is sitting over top his head and one is down.  So, I started giving him Glucosamine/Chrondroitin (as recommend by a poster here).   But so far, nothing has changed with his ears.  Also, some posters have Advised Calcium Tablets for his ears -- others say absolutely NOT.   I am sooooo confused.  

My puppy's ears have had no problems they were up around 8-10 weeks, one went down once around 14 weeks, but only for a couple of days, since then they are fine.  I've "heard" if your puppies ears have never gone up at all you should considering taping by 6 months, but if they've gone up at all then back down they will come back up.  I too give my puppy salmon oil in her food once a day, once in a while she'll get cottage cheese, milk, egg, chicken , or hamburger meat, but for the mos part I'm trying to find the best food I can give her for her growing bones.  I'm so confused about rather she should be on puppy food or adult food, low protein or high protein.

Well, I'm certainly "No Expert" on this......but (alway that "but" HA) since your puppy is 7 months, I would think she should be completely eating an Adult Food.   Orijen is a very good dog food -- No Fillers -- it is also very expensive (ugh).   I have to buy it on-line, because no stores close to me carry it.   I believe it was rated the No. 1 food.   Since they do not have a "canned" food (at least I haven't found it), that is why I use the Wellness canned food for a mixer.   What kind of milk are you adding?  A breeder told me to use evaporated milk -- just a little.

My breeder told me to use regular whole milk.  I was told she should be on puppy food until 1 year, then another person said since she's large breed until 18 months, yet others say switch her now.  That is why I'm so confused.  Orijen is a great food however it has very high protein, that is why I'm questioning the protein levels for a 7 month old puppy.  I've heard if they have too much protein at this age it's not good for them since they are still growing.  Again that is all why I'm so confused about what to give her.

When I brought my boy home I was given a small bag of Solid Gold Wolf Cub which is what he was eating.  I slowly added the Fromm Adult Gold food that I feed my 16 month old.  My male puppy is a big boned pup.  He adapted quickly to the change.  Only soft stools for about 2.5 days.  I brought him home at 8 weeks and at 9 weeks he came up w/Pano.  He is fast growing and pretty big boned.  So, I'm glad I switched him to the Fromm adult.   Vet said he'll still reach rull growth potential and a good thing to switch since he's got Pano at such an early age.  He now eats Fromm Adult Gold w/ a small amount of Solid gold lamb canned mixed in.  He's gaining weight and doing great on it.  It's a little expensive though.
$42.00 for a 35lb. bag.

JRANSOM, how old is your puppy now?  I don't see Fromm Adult Gold is that the name of it?  So it was okay to put a young puppy on adult food?  I've been worried about rather or not to put my 7 month old on adult food.

JRANSOM, how old is your puppy now?  I don't see Fromm Adult Gold is that the name of it?  So it was okay to put a young puppy on adult food?  I've been worried about rather or not to put my 7 month old on adult food.

He's 10 weeks old now.  I've talked to his vet about it and she's good with that.
And  yes, it's Fromm Adult Gold.
Jen