What's new
Mastiff Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • Welcome back!

    We decided to spruce things up and fix some things under the hood. If you notice any issues, feel free to contact us as we're sure there are a few things here or there that we might have missed in our upgrade.

When to switch to grain free?

Ursa

Well-Known Member
For those that feed a grain free kibble - how old was your mastiff when you put them on a grain free food? All of our adult dogs eat grain free but I can't remember exactly when we switched them to it. Not thinking of switching Bob yet but just thinking ahead.

tia
 

Smart_Family

Dog Food Guru
Age is irrelevant. If the dog is under 2 there are just specific calcium levels and calcium to phosphorus ratios that need to be met.

---------- Post added at 08:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:10 PM ----------

Also many mastiffs have issues with grains (and with chicken) so I tend to recommend grain free and chicken free if possible.
 

Smart_Family

Dog Food Guru
Also many mastiffs have issues with grains (and with chicken) so I tend to recommend grain free and chicken free if possible.
 

Smart_Family

Dog Food Guru
I am confused.. Shouldnt we feed them grain free from the begining?
There's a school of thought that thinks grain free should be fed only to adults. This usually comes from the fact that most grain free foods have higher levels of calcium which can cause the quicker growth but as long as the grain free food has the right levels it's a non issue.
 

mmyrto

Well-Known Member
Oh ok.. Cause the breeder had it in the contract actually that we would feed her a high quality grain free food..
 

mkj878

Well-Known Member
Mac's been grain free since i got him, I just put him cold turkey from the Purina puppy chow (ew) to Earthborn Holistics
 

Ursa

Well-Known Member
So none of you have had digestive issues with grain free puppies? I know that our Newfs couldn't handle it when they were tiny. It was too rich for them (for lack of a better word) and caused loose stool. I'm an experienced hand at switching dogs over to new foods so it wasn't a matter of switching too quickly.

btw - can i just say that finding chicken free training treats is a royal pain!
 

ruthcatrin

Well-Known Member
Nope, are you sure it was the grain free and not something else (protein source, fat content, etc)? Apollo had occasional diarrhea, but there was usually an obvious cause (he ate my McD's burger, bun and all and had the runs for a week for example).

Food dehydrator and cheap steak cut into bite size bits= cheap, easy, very non-messy treats.
 

Ursa

Well-Known Member
Nope, are you sure it was the grain free and not something else (protein source, fat content, etc)? Apollo had occasional diarrhea, but there was usually an obvious cause (he ate my McD's burger, bun and all and had the runs for a week for example).

Food dehydrator and cheap steak cut into bite size bits= cheap, easy, very non-messy treats.

It was the same food that I later switched them to successfully so I'm as sure as I can be that it was the grain free. I've heard the same thing from other Newf owners so it's possible that it's a problem that breed is more prone to.

I'll have to break out my dehydrator. During the week I train by hand feeding him his dinner as a training reward but that doesn't cut it for class. Maybe I'll get out the old microwave and dry some liver for him too. That's an outside project though - it stinks!
 

mkj878

Well-Known Member
Well Mac has been on it since May 24th. (Earthborn Holistics-Great Plains Feast) and his stools have been perfect, he had soft stools once and he had gotten into my sisters spaghetti bowl but maybe he has a pretty good tummy...he just got ahold of some of Cheddars food last night and it hasn't seemed to affect him either...
 

ruthcatrin

Well-Known Member
Could be, I've never had a Newfie. Though big and fluffy appeals lol.

Yah liver stinks. Home dried meat has been my treat of choice for a while, I vary the meat type depending on whats cheap and easy, and they don't make a mess of my pockets (unless I forget and run them through the wash, then they're gross....)
 

AKBull

Super Moderator
Staff member
Ursa,
Did you do an immediate switch or was it a slow transition to the new grain free food? Even with a slow transition is took my boy a week to adapt. Even then he'll still get some looseness. We're not 100% switched yet, it's about 90% new right now, and it's hit or miss with the firm stools. It's getting much better though.
 

musicdeb

Well-Known Member
So none of you have had digestive issues with grain free puppies? I know that our Newfs couldn't handle it when they were tiny. It was too rich for them (for lack of a better word) and caused loose stool. I'm an experienced hand at switching dogs over to new foods so it wasn't a matter of switching too quickly.

btw - can i just say that finding chicken free training treats is a royal pain!
I bake chicken livers or give him raw beef as a treat for Titan.
 

Rugers-Kris

Well-Known Member
When I got Ruger (at 6 weeks) they were feeding him purina puppy chow. I brought him home and bought a small bag but he just lost interest in it so I changed him "cold turkey" to grain free so he was about 7 weeks and he has never had a problem and his stools have always been "right" except when I gave him some chicken nuggets that were the kind that don't actually resemble chicken and then YIKES!
 

Sadies Mom

Well-Known Member
Sadie is allergic to chicken and grains so I feed her Natural Balance Sweet Potato and Bison. As far as the treats go, I give her Pet Botanic's Beef or Lamb. It is actually "real food" that I cut up in squares and keep in the refrigerator. She will do almost anything for those treats

---------- Post added at 09:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:16 PM ----------

I get it at PetSmart