Growth Rates, Bone health, Puppy & adult feeding
From Linda Arndt Canine Care Consultant Blackwatch Great Dane Kennels est - 1973 www.daneworld.com/LindaArndt.htm A little of what the article said: I am writing this as a Great Dane breeder of 30 years, as well as a canine nutritional consultant focusing on the large and giant breeds. My opinion is not science, it is however based in raising many dogs and dealing with hundreds of breeders over the years and assisting them with nutritional and orthopedic problems. As a University professor of 30 years, I have been involved in research in antioxidants and dietary enzymes, and I understand full well the importance good solid research. I also know research in canine nutrition, particularly in the large breeds, and especially the giant breeds, research is slim to none and some of the most recent work in large breeds is severely flawed. So that brings me to the topic of Puppy Foods. Is it appropriate to use on the large and giant breeds? And if so, when and why is it appropriate. The issue of knowing whether or not to feed a puppy food is one of confusion and controversy. The dog food companies and veterinarians tell us, you "must" feed a puppy food for proper growth. Yet breeders tell puppy buyers NOT to use a Puppy food, based on their years of experience with uneven growth patterns and bone diseases, due to feeding a caloric dense diets. Breeders coined the phrase "a hot food". This means one that is very high in calories and it causes the dogs to shoot straight up due to accelerated long bone growth and yet the dogs have no muscle mass to support the joints. Caloric dense foods also create uneven growth patterns, lameness and can actually alter the genetic structure of an animal which changes their conformation. This shows up structurally with permanent narrowing of the chest width, shallow chests rising well above the elbow, elbowing turning in, toe pointing out, inward turn of the hocks (cowhocks), roached toplines and rear end assembly being 2-4 inches taller than the front end assembly at the withers. And this in another of her articles http://www.doglogic.com/food&feed.htm Many large and giant breeds are identified with specific limb and joint conditions. Giant and Large breed dogs are particularly susceptible to some of these conditions. Bone disease is often the result of factors other than genetic or inherited in these large and giant breed dogs. Assuming that you have purchased your dog from an ethical breeder who has taken advantage of testing and genetic registries (OFA, PenHip, CERF-for example), not a pet store, puppy mill or a rescue where we are unable to determine genetic predsiposition, we can rule out poor conformation and genes. High intake of calcium is associated with various bone diseases in Large and Giant breed dogs. Owners mistakenly believe that "more is better" and attempt to supplement all kinds of things with bigger breed dogs. Diets high in protein also increase the growth lameness tendencies for large dogs. Most experienced breeders also recommend that no vitamin or mineral supplement (other than Vitamin C) be given to puppies of these larger breeds. Read the articles she has written they make allot of sense and tend to agree with other info that I have read. She does differ from some in that she reccomends not using puppy food. Her theory of regulating growth rates to promote healthy joints and bones are completly inline with everything I have read, just alittle differnt approach. |
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