I need some advice about my puppy’s food. We’ve been feeding her Orijen since we brought her home at 2 months old. But after doing some more research recently, I found out that Orijen might not be the best option.
The reason I started looking into this is because she has this habit of picking up everything off the ground and eating it, even rocks! I read that this could be a sign of a nutrient deficiency in her diet, which got me thinking I might need to switch her food.
So, I’m asking, what do you think is the best food for her? What should I switch her to instead of Orijen kibble?
It depends on where you are, but here are some good options. If you’re in Europe and money’s not a problem, try Royal Canin Dachshund Puppy or Royal Canin Small Puppy.
For something a bit cheaper, you could go with Purina Pro Plan puppy food or Hill’s Science Plan puppy food – both have small breed options.
If you’re looking for something more affordable, Purina has brands like Beta, Bakers, Friskies, Beyond, and Winalot that are all okay for puppies. Any puppy food from these brands should work well.
Royal Canin, Hill’s, and Purina do a lot of research to make sure their food is good quality, so you can trust them.
@Jordan
I’ve seen so many people saying kibble is bad and switching their dogs off kibble works better. It’s confusing! We’re getting a puppy, and her breeder recommended Royal Canin, but we want her to live a long and healthy life. Any thoughts on raw food?
@Hayes
Not the person you were asking, but I’d say don’t do raw. Raw food has a higher risk of bacteria, pathogens, and parasites that are bad for both your dog and you. Kibble is fine, and Royal Canin has decades of solid research behind it, so I’d stick with it.
Hayes said: @Skyler
What about slow-cooked food? A vet from the VEG organization recommended Open Farm.
I’m not sure about VEG, but if they’re recommending Open Farm, I’d be cautious. The problem with raw or slow-cooked food is that these brands aren’t doing enough research to make sure their food is safe and healthy. They just market to dog owners by making them feel guilty about kibble. If you talk to a real vet, they’ll probably recommend Pro Plan, Hill’s, or Royal Canin, because they’ve done the research, hired qualified experts, and tested their food long term. Don’t fall for clever marketing from brands that aren’t really focused on your dog’s health.
Hayes said: @Lane
It was a couple of vet nutritionists on TikTok and a vet from VEG.
I’m sorry, but there’s no way that was a vet nutritionist. It’s probably someone calling themselves a ‘canine nutritionist,’ a title that anyone can use.
@Hayes
Kibble is balanced and based on science. It’s designed to give your dog the right nutrients in the right amounts. From what I know, there’s no raw food out there that does this.
Feeding raw food can also make your dog a health risk to others. They should avoid contact with children, the elderly, or people with weak immune systems. At the clinic where I work, we mark any dog that’s fed raw food as a health risk and handle them with gloves. I wouldn’t want to take that chance myself.
@Dean
Wow, really? I thought raw was best for dogs. There’s so much info out there that contradicts itself. It’s exhausting trying to do right by our dogs.