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Post by GrumMajestat on Dec 14, 2003 22:16:46 GMT -5
What are you guys feeding and are you supplementing your bitches in whelp and after the litters? I have been feeding the Eukanuba to my dogs and Hexe coat is appalling she is so bald after her litter and cannot get her coat back. Pups are 14 weeks now would think it would be starting to come back and thought Eukanuba was a quality diet. I ordered Inflight Coat Formula hoping that will help too. Plus well wormed healthy except for her baldness or maybe should say nakedness. Just need some advice from the pros. She had a beautiful coat when I got her so know it is there genetically. What am I doing wrong. Thinking of trying a new food at least on her everyone else is doing well on the Eukanuba. Just appears to be my moms after the litters. Dwicky was naked for quite awhile too as well as Gama. Know alot of it is FL as MANY of breeder friends have this same problem. Angela suggested vitamin E that is what she gave her girls for a couple weeks 2000 IU. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
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lauren
Junior Member
Posts: 33
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Post by lauren on Dec 14, 2003 23:03:39 GMT -5
What am I doing wrong. Puke-anuba ;D
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Post by GrumMajestat on Dec 15, 2003 11:49:25 GMT -5
That bad huh? Geez.. Thought it was pretty decenct. Like it ALOT better than Diamond that so many feed. OK well whats a Good food DO not like Canadai no one kept weight on this food. Especially when working them. Very open to suggestions. Very open to suggestions.
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lauren
Junior Member
Posts: 33
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Post by lauren on Dec 15, 2003 11:55:38 GMT -5
What is available in your area? I had good results with Blackwood before Auster bloated, and have been using Cal. natural lately. Blackwood makes some nice performance foods for the price.
Also, what Diamond line were you feeding? They make everything from stuff I wouldn't touch to nice food. Calling the feed stores in your area and asking them what the best they have is gives you some place to start.
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Post by whizzie on Dec 15, 2003 12:05:46 GMT -5
I feed Nutro lamb and rice, and am delighted with it. I also feed raw chicken wings and green tripe a couple of times a week. She supplements herself with fresh horse manure on a daily basis.... yuk... but seems to do her good! Her (9) pups are 12 weeks now and she is finally building up again and her coat is improving; she too went very threadbare.
Until she started on this diet we had regular problems with upset tummy and flatulence; now she is so much better... except when she gets at the puppy food! After trying quite a few different things I felt that a lot of her problems were linked to high protein concentration in certain foods.
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Norm
Full Member
Grand Vizier
Posts: 179
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Post by Norm on Dec 15, 2003 12:11:59 GMT -5
Canadaie is one of the highest rated dog foods. It comes in kibble & cans.
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Post by GrumMajestat on Dec 15, 2003 12:41:50 GMT -5
Yes I know Canidae gets rave reviews. But bought a few bags and most was hard to get them to maintain the weight. Never heard of Blackwood have to look into that. Funny whizzie you said Nutro I was talking to a friend yesterday and we both use to feed Nutro and had no problems for the life of us neither of us knew why we switched dog foods. Coats always seemed good on it. There is just so MANY foods and never know what is right ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.... If barf wouldn't be to expensive in my area to feed I probaly would. But no cheap place to get meat and for 10 would be a disaster. Lauren I tried Diamond preium and the preformance (Purple and black bag) also the hi-energy. To me that stuff was CRAP coats where dull and rough feeling. And stools argh light brown cow patties. Stayed with it for 6 months nope will not convince me to go back. Have a friend who still feeds it and for some reason loves it but all his dogs do not have that luster to thier coats either. Any thoughts on that Royal Canin? Looked at the Cal Natural and only 3 stores in Tampa carry it 2 are way to far will check out other one today and see it. What are your thoughts on it Lauren and how long have you been feeding it? No better references than hearing from people who use it and love the results ;D
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sandy
Full Member
Elzie vom Oak Ranch Shepherds
Posts: 64
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Post by sandy on Dec 15, 2003 16:48:47 GMT -5
Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul is worth trying. High quality ingredients and it looks like a couple of places near you carry it. Here's the addy to check out the ingredients and search for retailers. www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.comAlso, Natural Balance is good and PetCo carries it. I switched from Natural Balance to Canidae and will probably switch back after this bag as Elzie's stools seem looser and her ears are gunkier. Best of luck, Beth! I remember you from the AOL board , which I have missed since switching to Comcast.
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Norm
Full Member
Grand Vizier
Posts: 179
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Post by Norm on Dec 15, 2003 18:01:38 GMT -5
Here is a web site that describes the various dog foods and what goes into them: www.doberdogs.com/menu.htmlI deleted a part in the address so it would work!
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Post by Mary on Dec 15, 2003 18:16:48 GMT -5
Nice Link Norm Thank you for posting it.
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Post by JanisN on Dec 15, 2003 19:42:26 GMT -5
We feed raw, so I'm not sure about the best kibble for nursing moms. But don't be surprised at hair loss. Bitches DO blow their coats (mine seem to do it while delivering!) and are pretty bald and ugly. Just in time for potential puppy owners to meet mom! <rolling eyes>
We supplement the usual diet with whelping tea (a raspberry leaf mix that I buy from JB Pets), yogurt, cottage cheese, shredded cheese (that's a HUGE hit), eggs, goats milk, raw hamburger, and lots of the regular diet (raw chicken, canned fish, recreational bones).
The coat that remains is soft and clean, the body is cleaner, ears are clean, etc. The only drawback is quick nail growth.
JanisN
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Post by freundhund on Dec 15, 2003 21:10:29 GMT -5
Hi
For blown coats, the best thing I find to do is warm baths to get the coat out as quick as possible then feed capsule of vitamin E and Evening Primrose Oil.
Total agreement with Rasberry Leave Tea, I start my bitches quite early in the pregnancy as it helps with those periods when the bitch thinks about going of her food.
Yes, I like Royal Canin unfortunately it's expensive here in Australia, however as it works for my dogs I use it. With my older dogs I feed Mature one night and Light the other.
I find with the high energy food that on most of my dogs it's fine, BUT it makes my male hyperactive and aggressive. Please Note this is only my experience it might/should not affect other dogs like this.
I have been lucky in having an Avocardo Tree in the backgarden and my dogs eat the Avocardos, even though Billingshurst doesn't recommend them I have had no problems. Great coats on lactating bitches and after weaning, however, they put on weight with the Avocardoes.
Basically over the years I have found that after whelping you have to put up with the blown coat.
One person I knew to avoid this as they wanted the bitch back in the ring started to wean puppies at 2 weeks and by 3 weeks kept the bitch from her puppies. Are DO NOT recommend this for the puppies sake but it is done unfortunately. ( Please feel free people to comment on why this is not recommended, I don't do it but it is a method used.)
Sorry I can't help more than that.
Regards
Freundhund
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Post by GrumMajestat on Dec 15, 2003 22:08:54 GMT -5
HI SANDY ;D I ditched AOL too. Wow thanks guys love all the opinions. I like the Eukanuba believe it or not all around it has done well on the dogs. Shiny coats, clear eyes, GREAT stools. It has been a decent food for me. I was at my vet's today and she was cracking up at me on this subject (She is a breeding specilist). They all blow coat like you say Janis and she said with the supplements I do and care a month prior to thier next heat cycle the coat will come back beautiul. I guess she's right Dwicky's did. I just got a little paranoid when I sold a Gama and told the lady she was out of coat. 5 days after recieving her she was emailing me telling me she was upset with her coat being out and all breeders tell her thier bitches are not naked after weaning a litter. But to refund her $1000 due to poor coat Gama was in coat until pups were 6-7 weeks than boom queen baldness. Well, all mine have been and people I know also so was worried I was doing something wrong. Granted Hexe's looks just as bald and were only 3 weeks apart. So again think I am the evil person. I did pick up a bag of Royal Canin will see how it works and the vitamin E. Sorry long story got winded. When confirmed pregnant I have been doing the cottage cheese, eggs with shells and some canned meat. Puppies have all been big and healthy. Guess nothing is really broke all in all. Glad to know I'm am not to far off the page except for my puk-a-nuba. I have heard about the rasberry tea leaves but was told may cause premature contractions. Anyone heard this? Fruend NOWAY would I start weaning pups that early just for the sake of the coat pups learn SO much from mom. JMO
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Post by GrumMajestat on Dec 15, 2003 22:12:38 GMT -5
Norm That website is GREAT thanks a million!!
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Post by JanisN on Dec 15, 2003 22:16:27 GMT -5
There are so many reasons to leave the pups with mom for much longer than three weeks that for us, common sense would dictate the pups stay with mom, show schedule be darned!
The pups aren't/won't be weaned at three weeks, even if you start introducing solid food. They still depend on mom for 2-3 weeks after that.
As well as nourishment, the pups get nurturing and social skills from mom. Mom teaches them how to be good pack members, she supervises the play, doles out discipline and nurturing. No matter what food you wean them on to, you absolutely cannot replace the benefits that Mom gives the puppies.
At five weeks, my litter is pretty well weaning themselves. They're very interested in their chicken wings and their raw hamburger meals. But when they are out with Rikki, they still will go and nurse for a few minutes and lovingly play with her, cuddle with her and lay all over her.
This is all SO important to growing up healthy and emotionally strong.
JanisN
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