New puppy coming and need to change what he is being fed.

I'm an Innova Large Breed Puppy fan.  I've had very good luck with it, & I'm using right now for the new pup.

I have not heard anything about changes with Wellness, but two of our local stores have recently dropped it, & added a new brand in it's place.  Neither would go into detail yesterday, about why they dropped it, but I respect both of the store owners enough that I wonder what the issue is.

I always go straight to the All Life Stages foods - we've used Prairie Instinct most recently for Kes.

I too like the Innova foods, however, they've priced themselves right out of my budget.  Blue Buffalo is very similar and quite easy to find.  Both PetsMart and Tractor Supply carry it, although, come to think of it Tractor doesn't carry the lg breed puppy.

As far as puppy or not....puppy: 28% min crude protein, 4% moisture, cacium 1.2%, .95% phosphorus....adult crude protein 26%, moisure 5%, calcium/phosphorus are not listed separately.

I'd probably stay away from the fish early on....22% crude protein, calcium 1 %, phosphorus .90%.  My dogs love the fish.  I toss in a bag now and then, but it gives them horrific gas, even with yogart.

I think at least in the Blue line, I'd use the lg breed puppy.

Tough question on the when to switch.  When I'd get fosters who were eating garbage, I'd cold switch them so I didn't have to have that crap in my house.

With your pup, maybe wait a week and then do the S L O W transition.  I think they suggest 1/4 new to 3/4 old for several days, then 1/2 and 1/2 for several more, then 3/4-1/4 old for several more and then the total switch....

glenmar

My dogs love the fish.  I toss in a bag now and then, but it gives them horrific gas, even with yogart.

Mine too!  Well, recently that is.  Orijen made a slight formula change in their 6 Fish, and the dogs had the WORST gas on the last bag I bought of it.  Recently I bought a bag of the regular adult (chicken), and the gas is subsiding after a little over a week on the new stuff.  Mine get yogurt daily as well, but something about the new combo of fish that O has done did a number on their doggy gas....

Thanks guys, I called Innova and they told me they are made in the good old USA.  I wanted that.  Nebraska I think it was.  But Glenmar when you said they are expensive that kind of scared me!   I found a nice feed place near by that I can check out quite a few brands.  They have started doing holistic kibbles since the really huge place a bit further away just went out of business cold turkey.  He told me to come on in and he would give me samples of puppy foods they have and when I get the little bugger I can see if one of them get's him excited.  I will do that.  6 more weeks and it might as well be 6 years!  Can't wait to get him already.  My house is so quiet and boring without Dublin around. 

I'm sorry, a little off topic-I'm so sorry about Dublin.  I missed that thread when it all happened and when I read your post above here I went to see what it was about. 

I can't help with foods.  I've tried almost all of them over the years though!  My two cents, for what that's worth, is if he's doing well on what he's on leave it alone. 

Not sure if IS are the same size or have the same issues, but my GSD breeder and pretty much all the other breeders/fanciers I know switch directly to a good quality all-life-stages food (or to raw).  Being a larger breed with common joint problems, the dogs need to grow slooooowly.  Many of the puppy foods either have too much of the wrong things, or are so similar to adult formulas but charge more.  Nikon was weaned to Nature's Variety Prairie kibble and I also used some Innova canned when he had to take Panacur powder.  After that bag was done I switched him to California Natural since that's what my other dogs eat.  So he was on a regular kibble at 7 weeks and has been very healthy.  Hips and elbows looked great at 7 months.  Coat is great and he has been maturing and filling out slowly which we like.

Thanks willow for your condolences.  Been near a month and I still cry once a day for a second to let it out!  As far as food for the new pup, (he is nameless thus far since no one can agree on a name but Mayo is in the running or Dillon), Innova is quite expensive but in the same general range as Wellness.  Geez, finances are tight here and it will be hard as he gets bigger to keep up with that price!   But as I said he is coming to me on Eukanuba and I just in all my years of dog ownership never fed Iams anything and really can't imagine that I will.  I wish Petsmart would get more good brands already.  Our store director told me after the first of the year they expect some new ones to come onboard.  I don't know why but I wonder if that will be Wellness?  We enjoy our Petsmart and use it for socialization and exercise on crappy days and I know everyone there so it would be nice to buy at a store I like to go to.  I think I will probably go with either Wellness or the Innova and hope he likes it and does okay.  After the first year I can do something else if needed.

For what it's worth, between your choices of Wellness or Innova, I'd go with the Innova.  Willow looked beautiful on it when she could eat it and with Wellness we had urinary issues over and over.  I'm not saying that would happen with your dog but just giving my experience with them both.  Innova also makes a less expensive product called Healthwise-at least I think it's still called that-you could look into that one too.  I'd also ask at the Petsmart because I'm pretty sure they can order you what you want even if they don't have it in the store.  I know Petco and Pet Supplies do. 

 I've always fed an all-life stages food for both kittens and puppies I've fostered and raised. My personal stand-bys are Wellness CORE, Taste of the Wild, Canidae grain-free, Orijen, and Innova. I frequently rotate the brands and 'flavors' I feed my dog so they are less likely to get digestive upset from a small change, and also so they can reap the benefits of all the brands.