[Sarah H]

Thank you every one for all your advice about the puppy eating the cat food. It is a daily struggle but we are managing. She is still much more interested in the cat food than her own food and sniffs around the empty placemat looking for it after we have put it up on the counter. I have been reading about rotation feeding and I am curious as to people’s opinions. We got our puppy 2 weeks ago and weaned her gradually from the crappy food she had been used to by mixing a little bit more every day. Her poops were a bit soft and yellow at first but now they are firm and brown, so she is used to the new food. She is currently eating Wellness Puppy wet food and Wellness Small Breed Puppy dry food. I mix a little of the dry kibble into the wet food as well as providing a bowl of dry food to munch on. She eats three times a day, with sometimes a late night snack of a few bites of dry food if she is hungry. She likes it but it seems so boring to have the same food day in and day out. I have always fed my cat (formerly two cats) the “rotation” diet without actually knowing that was what it was called. My cat eats several brands and flavors and is very finicky and would stop eating if I gave her the same thing at every meal. Is it OK to mix up the foods for the puppy as well? If so, do I need to mix them gradually again? Thanks in advance.

• This topic was modified 8 years, 10 months ago by Sarah H.

[Jenn H]

Feeding a rotation diet is a great idea for a lot of reasons.
Since your pup is still so young it’s best to keep her on the Wellness until 6 months. Once she’s 6 months old, then you can start the rotating.
I did the same thing as you. Once I took my guy home I started him on Wellness Core Puppy. I wanted him off the Purina ASAP. I had trouble finding an easily available brand with less than 1.5% calcium. (He’s a large breed so I have to be careful about that.)
It’s best to leave things be for now. Puppies have very sensitive digestive systems that aren’t really ready for a lot of dietary changes. If the Wellness works for her don’t mess with it.

[Sarah H]

Thanks for the feedback Jenn. I was torn between the Wellness Core and the regular. I had read good reviews on both. Maybe when I start the rotation feeding I will try the Core. Oh and mine was on Purina too! Yuck.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 10 months ago by Sarah H.

[Jenn H]

I’ve fed different Wellness to my dogs. They all like it and do well. It’s not the best choice for us economically however. I find that for the puppy anyway I had to feed him twice as much than what he gets now. It wasn’t very satisfying either. Other than that I have no complaints. I like how they handled recalls and basically took back control of the company. They are in the next town from me and have actually said I was welcome to come by and see where they distribute their food.

Since I have begun rotating my dogs’ food I have learned that it’s something that should be done anyway. It helps to ensure they do in fact get balanced nutrition. Also helps their bodies make its own good bacteria. And as a bonus I have avoided recalls. Seems we have been lucky to stay a step ahead.

[Shawna]

I foster/fostered puppies for Boston Terrier, Papillon and an all breed rescue. None of mine are now puppies but I’ve had some 20 or more ranging in age from 4 days old (with his mommy of course), five weeks, many that were in the 8 to 12 week range and on up. All puppies already weaned have started right on the same rotational diet that the adult dogs ate. I’ve found puppies actually tolerate the change in diet MUCH BETTER than do adult dogs. I’ve only had one that ever had a problem and he was reacting to a specific protein I was rotating in. In my experience, there’s no need to wait till a specific age to start rotating (or adding high quality canned, cooked or raw toppers).

I rotate kibble brands/proteins about every week, rotate the canned topper every three to four days and rotate the raw I’m using as a topper every other day. Half the diet is raw, teaspoon of canned and the rest is kibble.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 10 months ago by Shawna.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 10 months ago by Shawna.

[Jenn H]

As with most things follow their lead. Waiting until 6 months was just the advice I had been given by vets, my dog food merchant, other people more experienced than me. Figured it can’t hurt. He was being fed a much better food than he was weened onto and it was agreeing with him. “If it ain’t broke…”
However, if the food suddenly seems to be less agreeable then by all means find something else.
Even when my dogs are puppies I give them tiny amounts of other things that they’ be given throughout their lives. Pumpkin, goat milk (which he was supplemented with as a puppy anyway), green beans, carrots, bananas, chicken liver, etc.
Diarrhea loves puppies so I always have the right probiotics on hand.

After 30+ years of having GSDs I have learned to take in all the advice & info from those I trust and ultimately go with MY gut. No 2 dogs are exactly the same. Even if they are littermates and raised similarly.

When transitioning I take forever. Usually at least 2 wks. Every single day all the dogs get pumpkin. Since adding that I haven’t had any case of diarrhea. Not from the pup or my dog that has Lyme which has reeked havoc on her body and the antibiotics for it had caused a lot of GI issues.

To sum up this ridiculously long post…
Follow your dog’s lead.
Always have probiotics and pumpkin at the ready.
Transition slowly.

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