Puppy food recommended by breeder

I feed all my pups Blue Buffalo (as well as my own dog). I do not like the corn and wheat in the Purina products. I also have had great success with Orijen puppy food - it's a grain free, and they have all done wonderfully on it.

Are you talking about the food below?

http://www.pminutrition.com/

It lists 2 brands of foods, Exclusive and PMI Nutrition. I don't think it's made by Purina. I looked at the ingredients for Exclusive and I've seen worse, but I've definitely seen better. The PMI ingredients are TERRIBLE in my opinion. Very similar to Ol Roy.

My puppy came to me eating that too, he had horrible ear infections, skin infections, the worst case of Kennel cough Colorado had seen, hot spots, etc. he was only 4 mnths old.

 I never even slowly adjusted him off it, he just literally CAME off it, period. Cold turkey.

I immediately fed him a few meals of homecooked chicken/rice mainly cause he was so sick, and that's what I'd always fed my dogs when they were sick.

Within even 3-4 days, he stopped itching.

During this time, I was slowly transitioning him over to Innova Large breed puppy food, which he did great on, all infections cleared up within 2 weeks or so.

He's now 18mnths old and I wouldn't dream of feeding him that even for just a snack.

Sorry....don't mean to offend you, it's just there are MUCH better foods on the market, and you do not have to feed anything you don't want to.

PMI makes the Purina line of livestock feeds and products.  No relation to Purina pet foods.  Their feeds are the "Orijen" of livestock foods, minus the holistic emphasis - top of the food chain.  Not so much on their dog foods but I think they just produce those as something for feed stores to offer who contract with them on their liveestock feeds. It would be nice if they would put as much thought into them as they do their livestock feeds.

If I were raising a large/giant breed puppy today on kibble, I'd do Eagle Pack Large Breed Puppy.  It's so important to get an optimum start on a dog like an Entle.

Congratulations and good luck! 

I wouldn't necessarily call the Entle a large breed. Certainly not a Giant...perhaps you are thinking Swissy? Entles get tops 21" tall for males. Average is around 16-18" tall...so more around the Harrier/Border Collie size range. A true medium sized breed...IMO.

Agreed on the gettting a good start thing...whatever food you choose. I would switch slowly tho...and not all at once.

 I changed Luna's food cold turkey when she came home too from Euk. to Canidae. Given the Canidae formula change I would also choose Eagle Pack Holistic foods if I had a puppy now. Although, aren't Entles medium size dogs? I thought they were about 19 - 20 inches at the withers? Brookcove, would you still choose large breed puppy for medium size dogs? (Not sure I am understanding your post.)

ETA: Gina answered my question. Thanks!
 

The pet food industry considers any dog who will be 50 lbs or over as an adult to be a large breed, so you want to base your choice on that.  I honestly don't know that most large breed puppy foods are any different than any other puppy formula.  Some have a few little extras, but some don't.

I like Innova or Blue.

IMO "large" breed...meaning an actual large breed...doesn't need to be fed "puppy food" at all. Go with adult formula's.

Kaiser's breeder sent a bag of the Royal Canin puppy food that she'd been feeding.  I had no intention of feeding it, but thought I may as well use what she gave me to transition Kaiser over to the Innova puppy that I'd bought for him.  HA!  Fat chance.  He wouldn't touch the Royal Canin and picked around it.  I gave up after a few days and just gave him the Innova.

You will most likely deal with diarrhea due to stress in a puppy, anyhow --- a bit of an upset tummy from new food will hardly be noticed.  A bit of yogurt and/or pumpkin will help the transition.

 I thought they were in the 50+ range - is that not true?  BCs are extremely light for their height.

You CAN feed an adult food to a puppy but it's not ideal.  There's really not enough of some nutrients for growth (correct growth, ie, nervous system and muscle mass).  DHA is lower in adult food usually, for instance, as well as zinc and copper.  Low DHA can lead to future cognitive dysfunction and slowness in mental development, and zinc deficiencies can cause immune/allergy/skin problems.  Low copper can lead to gi sensitivities and pigmentation problems. 

I have a "two strike" rule.  When I start drifting from ideal/normal on any point of health, I look to optimum nutrition rather than "it works."  My reaction on reading the original post was:

1. Puppy
2. Rare breed
3. Large breed (50+?)  Apparently I may have mistaken that last one.  But the web site I've got is up to 30 kg, plus the potential for CHD/OCD.
4. Started on not-so-great food.

Breed club has them as a "smaller than medium" breed...but yes the weight is 45-60lbs with bitches like this one, likely being on the smaller end. I think that another food is worth a try is a correct supposition...just wanted to be clear about the size of the dog at maturity. To me, 50lbs is not a large, fast growing breed so much as a middle sized one.

rwbeagles

Breed club has them as a "smaller than medium" breed...but yes the weight is 45-60lbs with bitches like this one, likely being on the smaller end. I think that another food is worth a try is a correct supposition...just wanted to be clear about the size of the dog at maturity. To me, 50lbs is not a large, fast growing breed so much as a middle sized one.

I have to agree with Gina. 70+lbs is large IMO, but a 50lb dog is medium.

I'm going to step away now, because I know nothing of puppy foods......

Take a look at Innova large breed puppy food, their calcium/phosphorus levels are VERY well controlled for a large puppy, this is what I fed Rivers, who's 55# now at 18mnths old, his growth was very stable, not extremely fast.

At around 12mnths, I switched him to Orijen large breed puppy food, there's is a VERY good food as well.

If I were to start over again, at River's acquired 4mnths of age, when I got him, I would've started him on Orijen, I think it's a great food with excellent quality ingredients.

Personally I consider the Entlebucher a medium sized dog, going up to 65lbs.  Some, especially the females can be a bit smaller.  Thanks all for the suggestions on food!!  I really have to think about what I want to feed.  I want something healthy, however somewhat not too hard to find.  I am in a decent sized metro area, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks!