Dog Foods & Puppy Diets
In 2002, I recommended to my puppy owners a good quality kibble food as most breeders do. 4 of the 8 puppies from the 2002 litter were hip scored and the average score was 18.67. From 2003, I started recommending a puppy step-down diet which continued to be recommended through 2008. The rolling average from 2002 to 2008 (including the puppies from the 2002 litter) was reduced to 11.96. This is a reduction of 6.71 points over a 5 year period. With the first introduction of the Lorgair step-down diet with a 2003 litter, the average hip scores were reduced by 5.47 points to 13.20. This was a repeat mating of the 2002 mating and 4 of the 9 puppies were scored. The results were immediately apparent.
The quest to improve hip and elbow formation started for me in 2003. Although the studies I have undertaken are not endorsed by the majority of vets, they are, on the other hand nothing new except for the specific type of diet I have developed for my puppies and dogs. Veterinarians like Dr Billinghurst in Australia, Dr Belfield in California, and Dr Kruger in Washington, developed theories and started proving their theories through their work as far back as 1961. Sylvia Hammarstrom in California, breeder of over 1,000 Champion Giant breed dogs, set me on my present day course using GNLD molecularly natural Vitamin C. I'm indebted to these pioneers for their work in the field of Orthomolecular Medicine.
Recently I wrote up my findings from a mini study conducted from September 2007 to October 2008. These two articles look at reducing the risk of hip & elbow dysplasia in large breed dogs and how diets work in conjunction with developing bones and tissue in the dog. Also included in part 2 is the different types of synthetic vitamin C versus an all natural vitamin C formula. I added this to the article, because the majority of questions I get are people trying to find a different type of vitamin C than the one I used. Please understand that I have only used and tested this molecularly natural type of vitamin C. I am not a fan of giving dogs synthetic vitamin C or Ester-C made with chemicals and added calcium. They also do not contain all the elements of whole oranges and require mega-doses to be effective. I needed 50% to 85% LESS Vitamin C using the GNLD product than the recommended dosage of normal synthetic Vitamin C.
Currently, puppy owners have a choice of feeding their puppies 6 different recommended diets. These range from the proven Lorgair step-down grain based diet to raw and grain-free diets. The variety in recommended diets makes it easier for the puppy owners to choose one that fits their lifestyle, whilst still providing their puppy with a great start to life.
The puppy protein step-down diet was based on trials I conducted on many litters between 2003 and 2008 and was based on grain-based kibble foods plus other ingredients. It is recommended only for puppies fed regular grain-based kibble foods. The grain-based foods comprise 98% of the kibble food on the world-wide market.
Good dog foods are difficult to find in New Zealand. Canidae is made from human grade meats and contains no nasty preservatives or by-products They have two different types -- the normal grain based foods (Canidae All Life Stages) and the new grain-free Canidae in two formulas (Canidae Grain-Free ALS and Canidae Grain-free Salmon ALS). Also available since early 2009 is Orijen grain-free kibble in several formulas including a Large Breed Puppy formula. I recommend adding raw meat and fish to a dry food diet. The only dog roll I recommend is Butch Black Label because it is made from all fresh meat and veggie ingredients and doesn't have any nasty preservatives -- you can see the carrots, peas, and rice in this dog roll and it is lightly cooked at a low temperature preserving more of the nutrients than those cooked at high temperatures.
A good supplement that supplies pro-biotics, 4 digestive enzymes, and trace minerals is Dr Kruger Ultimate Formulas. This supplement will help keep good and bad bacteria in check and it comes in 4 formulas including a Joint & Muscle formula for any dog from 6 months of age. It is a nutritional gap filler for dogs fed on grain based kibble which normally contains between 40% - 50% grain. Dogs do not have enzymes to digest grains, so they pass through the dog undigested. Dr Kruger adds enzymes that aides the dog to digest the grains to some degree. Because vitamin C is killed by heat, meaning that the vitamin C added to dry dog food is killed by the baking process, I feed GNLD molecularly natural vitamin C twice a week to my adult dogs and daily to puppies to 18 months of age to ensure they are getting enough vitamin C to make collagen in sufficient amounts. Dogs naturally make some vitamin C in their bodies, but we have changed their diet greatly by feeding dry dog foods, and it is not certain that they can still manufacture good quantities of vitamin C. Vitamin C is important, because it make the collagen in the body that holds the bones together. This is particularly important for large breed dogs that are prone to hip dysphasia. For more information on nutrition, reference my articles at the end of this page, that appeared in NZ Dog World, 2009.
Source for Canidae Dog Food -- Canidae is sourced direct from the importer / distributor in Christchurch (Paws-N-All) and sent via courier direct to your door. 0800 101 729
Source for Orijen Dog Food -- Orijen is sourced direct from the importer / distributor in Northland and sent via courier direct to your door.
Source for Dr Kruger's Ultimate Supplements -- Dr Kruger are sourced direct from the distributor (Lapdog Ltd) in Canterbury and sent via post direct to your door. 0800 LAPDOG or www.lapdog.co.nz
Source for GNLD Vitamin C -- GNLD products can be sourced from Lapdog Ltd in Canterbury and sent via post direct to your door. 0800 LAPDOG or www.lapdog.co.nz .
Source for Butch Black Label dog roll -- Butch Black Label can be sourced from most grocery stores.
Canidae Dog Food - How to source it
Canidae is distributed through Paws 'n All in Christchurch. Contact Gary on his 0800 number and leave your order and phone number in case he has any questions. He ships to your door, anywhere in New Zealand at subsidised shipping rates. Phone: 0800 101 729. You can also access Canidae through Gary's website -- http://www.pawsnall.co.nz. Please let Gary know you were referred by Sy at Lorgair Kennels.
Dr Kruger's Ultimate Supplements - How to source it
Dr Kruger's Ultimate Supplements comes in five formulas and are an amazing dog food supplement that provides multiple benefits. The most noticed benefits are increased energy, better coat, and improved digestion. This wonder product has been available in the US for over 20 years. It is now approved for import to New Zealand and can be sourced through Lapdog Ltd. Phone 0800 LAPDOG or visit the website at www.lapdog.co.nz or e-mail info@lapdog.co.nz Neo-Life natural slow release Threshold Vitamin C may also be sourced through Lapdog Ltd. as well as other GNLD products.
If you wish to know more about what is in the dog food you are feeding your pet, a good site is the Nutura site. Their dog food is not available in New Zealand, but they have an excellent food comparison chart on their website that allows you to 1/ compare different dog foods and 2/ click on each ingredient to get more information. Do keep in mind that the site is a wee bit bias toward their own brand, but never the less it is informative and some ingredients these days can be rather daunting when it comes to reading their names and understanding why it's in the dog food.
Another excellent website on the analysis of what is in dog foods is http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com Sponsored by the Boxer Club in the US.
Canidae - New Zealand through http://www.pawsnall.co.nz and the US website http://www.canidae.com
Canterbury Pet Foods, Bradley's Road, Ohoka, No. Canterbury, 03 312 6502. Raw meats and mixes.
http://www.rawessentials.co.nz Raw foods based in North Island.
Raw / frozen minced chicken (pet food) and chicken carcasses - Mad Butchers and RaeWard.
http://www.lapdog.co.nz - ingredients in Dr Kruger Ultimate Supplement. Refer to the menu items under Dr Kruger.
http://www.naturapet.com/tools/comparison.asp -- provides a comparison chart to most dog foods & ingredients definition.
http://animalark.eapps.com/animal/PetFoods.nsf/$$PetFoodsByManu?OpenForm - Vet rated dog food
Research Articles
Article - Reducing the Risk of Hip and Elbow Dysplasia in Large Breed Dogs - NZ Dog World Dec-January 2009
Article - How Dogs Digest Food - NZ Dog World March 2009
Article - Choosing a Diet for Your Dog - NZ Dog World October 2009
Article - The Science of Vaccine Damage
Articles - Toxic Gut Syndrome and Nutrition - Is It A Factor In Bloat &Torsion?
Articles - Commercial Dog Food's Deadly Ingredients
Disclaimer
We are not veterinarians or doctors. The information on this site is based on the traditional and historic use of herbs as well as personal experience and is provided for general reference and educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, prescribe or promote any direct or implied health claims. This information is and products are not intended to replace professional veterinary and/or medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your vet and/or doctor. We present the products on this site and the information supplied here without guarantees, and we disclaim all liability in connection with the use of these products and/or information. Any person making the decision to act upon this information is responsible for investigating and understanding the effects of their own actions.