Needing help with Jake's transition

[jenn D]

Ok I've decided to start this thread because there are a lot of issues we will need to address with help Jake adjust to a new life. I'm just going to post here with questions. I've got obedience stuff down I can handle that. But there is alot of other stuff. I'll just post here any maybe one of you wise doodle lovers can help. I can try to post in food, and grooming but so any things are interrelated so I'm going to use this thread as a catch all and if mods want me to separate I can. :)

Issue first and foremost, the diet. We feed one of the foods recommended on here. Jakes current diet (what the owners been feeding him) is dry purina puppy food, and equal parts peas, corn, rice, cooked ground beef and water all mixed together. Okayyyyyyyyy. Iknow how to move a dog from 1 food to another slowly but how in the world do i handle this? Poor Jake has terrible runs! I'm taking him to the vet early this week to check for uti, stool, blood work etc. but how do I begin the transition to my food with all these other ingredients?

Thanks,I'll tackle other issues as we go along. I fear grooming wise he will need a shave. His belly, ears, and legs are horribly matted.

Thanks everyone.

[Christine & Camus]

The first thing I would do is eliminate the peas and corn and just mix his kibble, cooked lean ground beef or turkey, and boiled rice.  And, then slowly cut down on the toppers.  However, having said that, given the diarrhea you may just want to give him cooked lean ground chicken or turkey and rice until his stool is better. Wait until he feels better to begin the transition.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I agree. Eliminate corn & peas and feed just the ground beef or chicken and rice for now, until you have a fecal done. Try giving him some plain yogurt, too. You can also substitute mashed sweet potatoes for the rice, that may help. Don't let the vet sell you Rx food, it goes without saying, and if they put him on metronidazole for the diarrhea, make sure to get some good probiotics (again, do not buy from the vet) like Proviable. Probiotics or yogurt need to be given at least two hours separate from the meds, too. 

I would forget the Purina completely. Just start adding your kibble into the home cooked bland diet until he is switched over.  

[jenn D]

Karen, can you tell me what kind of yogurt and how much per feeding/day? Thank you. Maybe I should make new rice with lean chicken or turkey? The ground beef pea mix he used has a lot of standing fat.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Plain nonfat unflavored yogurt, any brand. Two big tablespoons twice a day. You can give it to him with his food.

Absolutely cook new rice, throw that stuff with the peas out. I use the Success plain white rice boil-in-bags, cooks in 10 minutes.

What does he weigh?  

[jenn D]

I tried to reply here but it's below.

[Gail and Bailey]

Jen,  thank you again for saving Jake!  Can't wait to see pics of him after he is feeling better and all fixed up. He is indeed a lucky boy!

[jenn D]

Gail, I'll be periodically adding pictures.:) we can all watch the transformation.

[jenn D]

42 lovable matted pounds. He's 8 months. Born Feb 15th. Got paperwork. Backyard breeder. Mom poodle, dad parti labradoodle but no idea what the dads parents were.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Give him one cup of rice and one cup of chicken, beef or turkey at each meal, twice a day. You can add some plain pure canned pumpkin, too. (Not pie filling). or bake a yam or sweet potato in the microwave, peel, mash with a fork, and give him a couple of tablespoons of that with his meals in place of pumpkin. More fiber, more calories, and cheaper than pumpkin. :) 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Beverly, please check the Food Group's Recommended brands list. Pedigree is not a recommended brand. :) In fact, it's been listed recentll in several articles as one of the 7 worst dog foods on the market. It's full of corn, by-products, artificial chemical preservatives,  and artificial colorings. 

Water is necessary for proper stool formation. :) 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I agree with the advice, so this is just a FYI.   I brought a few dogs in that were  eating plan dirt with some poo on the side. Others on Pedigree or Purina JUNK.  I immediately threw it out and went straight to our recommended foods.  I had no problems at all.

Of course, you need to see the vet. Just for anyone else ever taking in a dog that has been eating McDonald's for Dogs < bad food>, every single time I transitioned  went cold turkey from their current food, to a recommended food, there was never a problem and I actually had better results.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Beverly, my response was not to you. I did not see why you were upset until I went back and read your comments. Please, accept my apology as I really had no idea what food you were feeding, I was just responding to the discussion ( not you). I never read your response to jenn D. 

Too each their own, I agree.  Hope you do stay, and learn a lot more.  Possibly you would understand why I feel Pedigree is Junk. I even have a funny video for you  :)