Hello and help!

[Kelly Flury]

I just joined Doodle kisses and I am so happy to (hopefully) get feedback on what to feed my new goldendoodle!  She is a week away from 3 months.  I have been feeding her Blue Seal Life Stages Puppy formula. Here is an attached link with the ingredient list:

http://blueseal.com/files/feeding-and-mgmt/dog-cat/LifeStages_Puppy...

Her poop isn't bad, but it isn't perfect.  It could be more solid and darker in color and its kinda soft-ish and a lighter color.  I can tell that she isn't 100%b so i'm wondering if it's the food.  I feel like every time I talk about what to feed her or ask for advice I hear something different so please share some stories or helpful hints I could work with.  Thanks!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

We'll be happy to help. A few questions:

How long have you had your puppy? What was she eating when you got her? Was her poop the same on the previous food as it is now? How long has she been eating the Blue Seal food? What else is she getting to eat in the way of treats, chews, etc? 

The Blue Seal food is really pretty bad. Lots of corn and other ingredients that should be avoided. 

[Joan Bollaert]

I'm glad you saw this Karen.  The second I saw this post and the mention of Blue Seal food I felt compelled to mention that it's not good and the puppy needs to be switched to grain free.  I was going to post the listing of the better foods  to help but I couldnt' cut and past the list. ?

I feed my dogs Natural Balance (on this list) mainly because it can be purchased at Petco and not only at a specialty store or odered online.  I've mentioned that on other threads.    Karen can take over because she really knows alot. :)

 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

LOL, I see everything here, it's my group! 

While grain-free foods are great for many dogs and usually my first choice, they are not the answer to everything, and not all grain-free foods are created equal. It depedns on the kinds and amounts of animal proteins, the fatty acid ratios and the other ingredients in general There are formulas which contain healthy grains which are actually much better quality, and contain higher protein levels than many grain-free foods. 

You never need to cut and paste here, you can just link to the particular discussion. 

[Joan Bollaert]

LOL... so funny. I'm one of the new kids on the block.  ;)  I know nothing.

[Star and Goldie]

"I see everything here".... Haha that gave me a good chuckle!

[Tina]

Karen, you really are a great source and I, like I'm sure many others, can't express enough thanks to you in helping us with all our foodie questions for our doodlebugs! :) I switched to the wellness core puppy and Roger is doing better than ever! His hair is awesome and all his GI problems seem to be a thing of the past. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed though.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Glad it's working for you! It's a good food. 

[Janice Jones]

Sorry to hear you are having concerns. This is the best place for advice. Hopefully with help things will improve soon.

[Star and Goldie]

Hi Kelly! Welcome to DK. You have definitely come to the rest place. There is a wealth of information here and some very knowledge members to help guide you through it and help you make the right choices for your little doodle.  Karen is definitely the person to talk this issue through as it relates to the food. I agree that you need to transition off of Blue Seal but I won't interject a recommendation... I'll leave that up to the expert :)

[Kelly Flury]

Thanks Karen!  I've had her 3 weeks, and they did not tell me what she was eating when we got her they just said anything meat-based... nor did we get anything food to take home with us.  Part of me thinks she might still be adjusting to the new environment but I can't be sure.  She's been eating the Blue Seal since we've brought her home.  She's also getting no other kinds of food except treats, food, and the occasion peanut butter in her kong.  

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Very strange that the breeder didn't tell you what food she was on. 

I would take a stool specimen in to the vet and have a fecal test done just to be sure that she doesn't have any parasites before you start changing foods. If the fecal comes back negative, you can choose a food from our recommended list and start a slow transition.  I do think a grain-free formula would be your best bet. My first choice would be Orijen, but there are a lot of good choices. Wellness CORE is widely available and is another excellent choice.

[Kelly Flury]

I appreciate all the helpful feedback and warm welcoming's :)   She just had a checkup a few days ago and said to be healthy.  After doing some research my first instinct would be to go with Orijen but Wellness also seems just as good and slightly easier on my pocket.  

Also, what does everyone think on an appropriate age to start giving your pup natural snacks like eggs, plain yogurt and carrots?