Very confused.... To switch or not to switch??? Help! Need advice

[Nikki & Charlie]

So Charlie is exactly 8 weeks old, and the breeder we got him from swears by raising her dogs on TLC adult dog food. Regardless of them being puppies, she starts them all on adult food. TLC is all natural and the ingredients are all natural.

I took Charlie to the vet for his first check up and she highly recommends that we switch Charlie to puppy food... Hill Science Diet, sold at the vet, is what she recommends. We were given a free bag and we mixed half of it with half of the TLC and Charlie LOVES it. She also suggested that once he's older we should switch him to food that's geared towards larger dogs.

My dilemma is ...

a) does he really need to be on puppy food?

b) should we bother to switch or no? ... If we keep him on TLC, his health guarantee is covered for 2 years instead of one.. Which covers hereditary hip/elbow displaysia and eye problems ...

c) Hills science diet is really good food and not many people know of TLC...


I am beyond confused!!!

[Vivian & Mojo]

Hills science diet is not a good food the ingredients are inferior and their has been many recalls. The TLC is so much better. You can check out the recommended food on this site and I can tell you that Hills science diet is not on it. Vets try to push the Hills science diet and I think they get a kickback.

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-recall/hills-science-diet-do...

[Paul Schumacher]

Yeah, Science Diet is junk.  Your pup is adorable!

[Nikki & Charlie]

Thank you!! He's my world. I can't believe I bought into this science diet gimmick... I truly thought it was good. I even fed it to my cat. I'm even more confused now lol

[Vivian & Mojo]

Your in the right place for good information, its really not that confusing once to do the research. The food group has very good recommendations. I'm sure you and I weren't the only ones fooled by our vets and its really a shame that this garbage food is pushed on us.

Here is the list of recommended foods. Good luck it will be ok. Your little Charlie is adorable.

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/recomme...

[Vivian & Mojo]

Also I think its very wrong of the vet to have you start switching the food for an 8 week old puppy.

[Stella]

Karen will chime in I am sure! You should not change your puppy's food for at least two weeks after bringing him home. It is important you keep his food the same so that there are not too many changes at once. Also, if your puppy develops an upset stomach/ diarrhea, and you have changed the food, you won't know if it is the food change or if your puppy has something like giardia.

Your breeder wants you to feed TLC because probably she gets a kick-back from the company. It is totally irresponsible for a breeder to base their health guarantee against genetic illness on the food that you feed. The guarantee should be two years no matter what you feed. I don't know about TLC as a food, but I'm pretty sure it isn't on the Food Group recommended list.

Science Diet is awful food, please don't feed it to your puppy. Just because you bought it from the vet doesn't mean it is good food. Read the discussion in this group "Why you should say no to veterinary dog food", and you'll see why you shouldn't buy it. It is overpriced crap.

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

Here is the link to make it easier:  

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/why-you...

Vets get NO nutritional education at vet school. The only education they get is from Hills, who sells Science Diet. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yep. 

[Vivian & Mojo]

I didn't see TLC on the Food Group recommended list and checked it out on the internet (link below). I wouldn't feed it to my Doodle but so much better then Science Diet. I would continue with the TLC for the 2 weeks and decide on something on the recommended list. Before joining this group and learning about feeding a dog I switched foods for my 8 week old puppy and he got very sick. That's why I'm shocked that your vet advised you to switch right away and to such a horrible food worried me. Its too bad you already mixed it in with the TLC...if it were me I would throw it out and buy enough TLC for 2 weeks plus the amount you would need to slowly switch to another food. An 8 week old puppy has an under developed digestive system and it takes time to heal it after harm from a quick food change. It was so hard the first 4 weeks with a sick puppy, training had to be delayed and both my puppy and I were miserable.

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/tlc-whole-life-dog-f...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Perfect advice, Vivian. 

[Vivian & Mojo]

Thank you Karen, I learned it from you and thanks to you and this group my Mojo has been so healthy on his Orijen grain free diet.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Right on all counts, Stella.