Re: [PyrNet-L] RE: puppy food switch

["Doug Hustins" <profitmanage@mgenerations.net>]

We switch our puppies over to adult at about 3 months.  We previously left
everyone on puppy food until they hit the six month range.  A few years ago
I had a chance to read a study done by one of the veterinary universities,
Cornell or Guelph, I'm not sure.  I have it around here somewhere.  If I can
find it, I will post the exact numbers, but the study was on the effects on
giant breed puppies who are fed high protein puppy food vs. those fed more
moderate protein adult foods.  (Note: not to open an old argument but they
listed Pyrs as a giant breed based on a number of medical factors)  The
study was done with Great Danes.

The results were that the puppies on high protein grew much faster to their
final height.  The puppies on the lower protein foods grew to the same
average heights but took considerably longer to get there.  Also, they found
that the bone mass was higher in the slow growing dogs and that the tensile
strength of the bones was also higher.  There were also lower instances of a
number of structure related medical conditions both while growing and later
in life.  (Not surprisingly, dysplasia was an exception.  The numbers were
virtually identical.)  Finally, the average life span of the lower protein
dogs was considerably longer.  The exact reasons for this, I don't remember
off the top of my head.

While no one study is totally convincing about anything, we did take this
one to heart and switched our methods about 7 years ago. We breed 1-2
litters a year meaning we have watched some 100+ pups mature from our own
breedings.  While I can't say what the effect in each bloodline would be, in
ours we have found much the same as in the above study.  The puppies grow in
height up to and in some cases well beyond their second birthdays.  I have
one bitch who grew over an inch (confirmed by measuring clinics) between the
ages of 2 and 3.  We have noticed no shinking of the average height and have
had far fewer structure related problems.  Interestingly, among the puppy
buyers who choose not to follow our instructions and feed a puppy food the
occurances of pano' and other problems of that type are much higher.

I believe everyone needs to do what they believe is best for their dogs.
This is just what we have found.

Take Care
Doug Hustins,
Acroyar Great Pyrenees

----- Original Message -----
From: Daniel Rice <cody@ncweb.com>
To: <pyrnet-l@pyrnet.org>
Sent: July 13, 1999 12:14 PM
Subject: Re: [PyrNet-L] RE: puppy food switch


>
>
> Jack Mowery wrote:
>
> > I have a problem with this.  Using human nutrition as an example, let me
> > explain.
>
> (But did our guys run down to pet smart and say give me a bag to go ?How
did
> they ever survive all those years before we came along, out there looking
for
> there own food, yes many did not make it but enough to keep the breed
going and
> those that did not make it, will are we so great now that we make the
decision
> of life?)
>
> We, here in the late 1900s are significantly taller and larger than the
people
> of the late 1800s.  In fact, the farther back you go the smaller people
seemed
> to be.  The largest suit of armor ever found was 5'8".(Maybe it had to do
with a
> near miss. Being tall verses being small.)
>
> > Genetically, we have not changed significantly.  You can't breed taller
> > people (using pretty much random chance) in 100 years, so where did the
> > extra height and muscle mass come from?  Better childhood nutrition,
> > particularly more protein and calcium.  Our forefathers simply did not
reach
> > their full genetic potential because of the lack of childhood nutrition
> > available to us now.
>
> (  I don't agree as to how we have changed over the many centuries that
have
> gone by and yes I feel one could breed genetically taller people. In some
whys
> we have changed for the better and in some I question as to how some of it
came
> about. ( Drugs, pollution ,enhanced foods, better medical care, who
knows.)
>
> > Are we stunting the growth of our dogs?
>
> (Maybe but we may never have this answer for this. As we will never agree
from
> what test and how the test was done what is right and what was wrong.)
>
> > To me the best way to determine when to make the switch would be to
chart
> > the growth of our pups.  You keep a record of weights (if not heights,
> > also), do you not?  Seems to me the time to change over would be when
the
> > growth curve starts to level out (assuming the dog is getting sufficient
> > exercise and not just putting on just fat).  This allows the nutrition
the
> > dog needs to fulfill the potential nature promised him at birth.
>
> (Another chart I just don't know if this is the answer. As many of us I am
sure
> had our kids into the doctor from day one and looked at the Chart of his
or her
> growth and so on. are now as I am laughing my head off. My very little son
the
> one they said would be smaller then me, the one who lived on candy and
cool-aid.
> Who would eat very little meat and not touch his vegetables. That had to
climb
> the bus steps like a mountain to get into the school bus. Who I now hate
to have
> drive my truck because I feel like I am sitting in the back bed after he
gets
> his 6'2" out. Maybe I was looking at the chart upside down.Dan R.
> Cody&Kira
> ?
>
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
>
>
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